Unholy Player
Chapter 209: Shock

Chapter 209: Shock

A few moments earlier, inside the hoverjet,

The cabin was filled with a heavy silence. Though the two cities lay close, the journey that would take days on uneven, battered roads had been compressed into just a few hours aboard the hoverjet. Even Victor, normally restless and fidgety, sat quietly, staring straight ahead.

Besides the players, only Rhys was present. Observing the tense expressions and mental focus of everyone, he silently approved. This was the level of attention and readiness expected from soldiers about to face the unknown.

Adyr caught his eye, calm, composed, sitting upright with his eyes closed. Despite being the main figure of this mission, his relaxed demeanor was unmistakable. It was as if he were on a leisurely trip to visit someone, not preparing to fight thousands of mutants.

Suddenly, the pilot’s voice echoed sharply through the cabin, breaking the silence: "Ten minutes to target."

Adyr slowly opened his eyes and stretched as if waking from a light nap. "Flight officer, can you open the rear door?"

A pause, then the response crackled through the intercom: "We’re still flying above 100 knots, and the weather is rough. It’s not safe to open the door right now."

Adyr didn’t flinch. "Then reduce speed and bring us down to a safe threshold for opening the rear hatch."

He turned to Rhys. "I want to observe the enemy from above before we land."

Rhys nodded sharply, understanding the strategic advantage. As the highest-ranking officer aboard, he gave the order without hesitation. "Make it happen."

"Yes, sir," came the precise reply.

The hoverjet’s engines shifted, the deep hum softening as the aircraft gradually slowed. Tension thickened inside the cabin. Outside, the storm battered the fuselage—gusts rattling the wings, rain slashing against the windows.

When the hoverjet dropped to a stable, safe speed, the rear hatch slid open with a low mechanical hiss. Immediately, a rush of cold, damp air poured into the cabin, carrying the sharp scent of rain, wet earth, and ozone. Loose papers stirred, and equipment shifted against their straps as the sudden gust swept through.

Not just Adyr, but everyone rose from their seats and stared out as the open rear hatch framed a vast battlefield below, stretching beneath a storm-darkened sky. A writhing mass of mutants surged forward relentlessly, their screeches and roars barely audible over the howling wind. In the distance, explosions flared, sending echoes rippling through the tempest.

"Oh, fuck—this is worse than what I saw on the news," Victor muttered at last, breaking the long silence as he took in the grim scene below.

"These are Spark-affected mutants, huh?" Selina added, studying the battlefield carefully. "The Spark must be granting them some kind of reinforcement trait. Their bodies look unnaturally durable."

"They also seem completely mindless," Dalin noted, stepping closer. "Why are they attacking the city? Someone has to be controlling them. If we can find whoever that is, maybe we won’t have to fight them all."

Meanwhile, Adyr had already turned his gaze away from the battlefield. He was calmly checking his gear, ensuring every strap and buckle was in place. Without lifting his head, he spoke flatly.

"Yeah. You do that. Find the one behind this and report to me. Do not engage."

"Yes, Captain," Selina replied with a smile.

It was the first true command Adyr had given to his team—and though he seemed unaware of it, the others didn’t miss the shift.

"What about you?" Victor asked, raising an eyebrow. "You’re not just gonna sit back and let us do all the work, right? I strongly oppose rank abuse."

Adyr met his gaze and let out a quiet chuckle. "Me?"

Then, without another word, he stepped forward, approached the open rear hatch, and looked down at the chaos below.

"I’ll be busy with them."

And with that, he leapt straight into the horde of mindless mutants surging across the battlefield.

"What the...?" Victor froze, eyes wide, unable to process what he had just seen.

Even Rhys had risen from his seat, silently staring at Adyr’s descending form as it dropped through the storm-torn sky.

"Hey, hey—we’re still way too high!" Dalin’s eyes went wide as she watched the rapidly shrinking figure below. "And unless I missed it, he didn’t take a parachute!"

Victor let out a short laugh, as if suddenly remembering something. He shook his head with a grin. "Hah, don’t worry. He’s got wings. He’ll be fine."

The tension in the cabin eased a little. Even in this storm, even if he couldn’t fly, he could at least slow his fall, right?

But as they continued to watch him fall... nothing happened. No wings. No slowing.

Dalin squinted, a note of doubt creeping into her voice. "Are you sure he has wings?"

Victor’s smile faltered. His voice cracked slightly. "Umm... yes?"

He’d seen it before—clear as day. Adyr had shown right in front of him. But now? He was just falling. Arms tucked in, no motion, no sign of resisting gravity. Just falling.

And as the seconds passed, just when everyone thought Adyr would crash into the ground...

He actually did.

With a thunderous boom, he hit the earth, sending stone and dust flying in all directions.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck—he died! Oh, shit!" Victor suddenly lost it, nearly bolting toward the open door like he was about to jump, but Dalin grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

Victor’s face drained of color.

"Are you out of your damn mind?" she snapped, eyes wide. "You want to die too?"

The idea that Adyr had leapt to his death felt absurd. He wasn’t stupid enough to die like that—at least, that’s what she believed.

Am I wrong? She wondered.

In the middle of the chaos and shouting, only Selina remained calm. She hadn’t taken her eyes off the spot where Adyr had landed. Rain and wind slowly cleared the dust and debris from the impact site, and as the haze lifted, a faint smile appeared on her lips.

"He’s fine," she said softly.

"What did you just say?" Victor froze mid-panic, then rushed back to the open door. Squinting into the distance, his mutant-enhanced eyes locked onto a dark figure standing tall and motionless, completely unscathed, surrounded by dozens of hostile mutants.

"You motherfucker," Victor breathed, a mix of relief and disbelief in his voice. "What kind of toughness is that? Even Eren wouldn’t walk away from a fall like that."

The team collectively exhaled, tension easing slightly, though a new problem was now staring them down. Adyr may have landed intact, but he was surrounded. Dozens of mutants were already charging at him, snarling like rabid beasts.

Just as the squad began to consider how they might help him, something happened that stunned them all, including Selina.

Adyr didn’t move—not even a finger—but suddenly, a faint illusion seemed to surround him and all the mutants around him, like a black shadow of smoke enveloping their forms.

At that moment, the charging mutants abruptly stopped dead in their tracks. Their snarls faded into silence. Like statues, they froze around him, completely motionless.

"Hey... Am I imagining things?" Victor asked, eyes wide and jaw slack. "Are those monsters scared of him?"

His red eyes gleamed. He could have sworn the creatures were trembling.