Mutant awakening: My evolution knows no bounds

The crimson portal sparked to life, glowing ominously the moment the switch was flipped. A soft hum filled the air as energy pulsed through the portal, casting an eerie red light over the group.

They each took a steadying breath, exchanging glances filled with silent resolve. Then, one by one, they stepped inside, vanishing from the headquarters in an instant, swallowed by the portal's strange, flickering light.

Only seconds passed before they materialized in a completely foreign area. They found themselves standing in what seemed to be an endless, haunting forest.

Massive trees loomed overhead, their leaves the same unsettling shade of crimson as the portal that brought them here. Crimson grass covered the ground in dense patches, and broken branches lay strewn across the forest floor, crunching softly beneath their feet as they moved.

Isaac, the team leader, took a few cautious steps forward, his gaze keen as he surveyed their surroundings. One hand rested firmly on the hilt of his blade, which was strapped securely around his waist, ready to be drawn at the slightest hint of danger.

"I don't sense any mutants nearby," he said, his voice low but confident. "It seems the Guild Master was right—this area appears clear of any immediate threats." Yet his assurance did little to ease the tension that weighed down on the rest of the group.

Emily, her face pale and strained, let out an uneasy breath. "It doesn't matter if there aren't any mutants right here, right now! Just by setting foot in this place, they'll already know we're here. I'd bet anything they're on their way towards us as we speak," she warned, her voice trembling slightly. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, and her heart thudded against her ribcage.

A Grade 4 mutant ability user, Emily was the strongest female member of the Aqua Blazing Guild, a fact that hadn't gone unnoticed by the Guild Master when he'd chosen her for this mission. At first, the selection had filled her with pride. But that pride had quickly soured into dread the moment she'd learned they'd be journeying to the infamous Crimson Coffin—a place feared for its dangerous, mutant-infested terrain.

Emily had considered declining the mission, but the Guild Master's order had been clear: refusal meant permanent removal from the team. After dedicating decades of her life to the Aqua Blazing Guild, she couldn't afford to lose her position. Reluctantly, she'd accepted, though her stomach twisted with fear every step of the way.

Isaac's voice cut through her thoughts. "Let's just stick to the Guild Master's orders—locate a stray mutant, engage it, and once we've secured the target, we're free to leave." His tone was brisk, his gaze still combing the area, ever vigilant for any sign of movement.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"If we can catch one on its own, it doesn't matter if it's high-grade or low-grade. We'll handle it and get out." Your next read awaits at empire

The group exchanged glances, some of them nodding in silent agreement. After a few tense moments, they started forward, pushing deeper into the forest. Branches tangled overhead like skeletal fingers, and they had to cut away at the thick foliage that obstructed their path, the sound of snapping branches echoing eerily through the silence.

Minutes passed, each one weighed down by anticipation, as they walked through the dense forest. Suddenly, the entire group halted, instinctively going still as they sensed something unusual.

"You all feel that energy, right?" Kate, the group's second female member, whispered, her knuckles white around her bow, which she held tightly at her side.

"Yes, we do," Isaac confirmed, his grip tightening on his blade, ready to draw it at any moment. He cast a watchful eye on the surrounding trees, his senses heightened.

A series of clicking, scraping sounds grew louder, reverberating through the forest until a mutant finally arrived in their location.

It was a mutant—a towering, vicious ant, its form nearly the size of a minivan. Its crimson exoskeleton gleamed in the filtered red light, and its massive, blade-like forelegs sliced through the undergrowth as it moved, each step exuding an aura of menace.

The group held their breaths as the creature fixed its gaze on them, its dark, soulless eyes glinting with an almost intelligent malice.

"There's no doubt… that's a Grade 4 mutant," Isaac murmured, his expression hardening as he assessed the creature. Years of hunting experience had honed his ability to identify a mutant's grade at a mere glance, a rare skill that had saved his life more than once.

"That mutant's definitely Grade 4!" he called to the others. "Good thing it's alone—if we work together, we can bring it down without too much trouble!" Isaac's tone held a steely edge as he drew his blade, which caught the strange red sunlight and gleamed with a deadly shine.

He braced himself, dropping into a fighting stance, his gaze never wavering from the monstrous ant. "Kate, you know the drill!" he barked, signaling her to take position.

Kate took a deep breath, narrowing her eyes as she stepped forward, drawing three arrows from her quiver and notching them in quick succession. With a practiced pull of her bow, she aimed for the mutant and released, the arrows slicing through the air towards their target.

"Anthony!" Isaac ordered, his gaze flicking towards another member of the team. Anthony nodded, extending his hand as he activated his telekinesis ability. A faint glow surrounded the arrows, increasing their speed and honing their direction, ensuring they would strike the mutant precisely.

*CLANG!*

The arrows hit their mark, but instead of piercing its exoskeleton, they rebounded, clattering uselessly to the ground without so much as scratching its armored hide.

"My arrows didn't even dent it!" Kate spat, frustration evident as she lowered her bow, eyes narrowing at the undeterred mutant.

Isaac frowned. "We need to weaken it before I can go in for the kill with my blade. Derrick, you're up next!" He turned to a man with spiky red hair and pale skin, his expression hardening in anticipation.

Derrick nodded, striding forward with a calm determination. Bringing his hands together, he moved his fingers in a swift, intricate series of gestures.

A bright glow pulsed from his palms as he formed a massive fireball, releasing it with a thrust of his hands.

The fireball shot forward at blinding speed, roaring as it carved through the air and headed straight for the mutant.

*BOOM!*

An explosion erupted as the fireball connected, filling the area with dense smoke. The team watched intently, straining to see through the thick cloud that now cloaked the mutant.

"Did we get it?" Emily whispered, her gaze locked on the lingering smoke, a glimmer of hope flickering in her eyes.

As the smoke began to clear, a shadowy figure stood at its center. The ant was still there, though visibly injured, with faint scorch marks marring its exoskeleton. Yet it stood silently, showing no sign of pain or aggression despite the damage it had taken.

Derrick scowled. "Why isn't it fighting back? We've been attacking it, but for some reason, it's just standing there…" His voice trailed off, confusion evident as he examined the mutant's strange, passive stance.

For a few agonizing moments, the mutant remained motionless. Then, without warning, it turned and began to scuttle away, its massive legs carrying it swiftly into the depths of the forest.

"Quick! Don't let it escape!" Isaac shouted, already preparing to give chase, but he felt a strong grip on his arm as Emily held him back.

"Wait… what if it's a trap?" she asked, her voice laced with caution. Her gaze remained fixed in the direction the ant had fled, her instincts screaming that something wasn't right.

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A/N:

20 Golden Tickets= 3 extra chapters.

A Magic Castle= 20 extra chapters.