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Chapter 773  No more non-lethal approaches

The plush leather chairs, normally so inviting, now seemed hard as the team perched tensely on the edges of their seats.

Along the wood-paneled walls, the gilded mirrors and paintings gazed down sternly, as if chastising the group for their failure.

The very air felt heavy, weighed down by disappointment and dread.

A man paced back and forth, his footsteps muffled by the plush carpet. His face flushed an angry red as he clenched and unclenched his hands at his sides.

"Would someone care to explain how we let Erik Romano slip through our fingers yet again?" A man\'s voice echoed off the soundproofed walls.

The assembled team sat tensely around the polished marble table, avoiding his piercing gaze.

Quakestrike and Dreadnought exchanged an uneasy glance, while Techmagnet stared at the table. No one dared to speak.

After a long, tense moment, Techmagnet broke the silence. "Hey, it wasn\'t our fault this time," she said. Her voice shrilled in the hushed room.

"Those guys were supposed to have our backs." She jabbed a finger toward the five people seated across the table.

One of them, a young man, let out a derisive snort, not even bothering to look up from examining his nails.

"Uh, keeping tabs on the target was our only job, honey," he said. "Jumping into the fight wasn\'t on our orders."

"Yeah, and there were what, ten of you meatheads going after the guy?"

A woman said with a sly smirk, her voice echoing off the vaulted ceiling.

"Don\'t see how one dude took you all down and killed two people. You should be ashamed of your incompetency."

Quakestrike rolled his eyes. "Ha ha, aren\'t you just hilarious?" His voice dripped with sarcasm, but it was clear he was enraged.

An old man, the leader of the mission, pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing heavily. "That\'s enough. All this bickering is getting us nowhere."

He turned to Momentum, the man who led the attack on Erik and the captain of this Blackguards\' team. "What are your thoughts on our target?" he asked. "We clearly underestimated him."

Momentum furrowed his brow, looking troubled. "To be frank, I\'m flabbergasted. This is the first time we\'ve seen a single individual take on ten blackguards, kill two, and escape unscathed. Damn, he was controlling a flying Thaid. Have you ever seen someone do that?"

"Indeed."

"Our intelligence suggested Erik Romano had more than the three powers he showed until now. It was already incredible he had three, and not two, but he didn\'t use a single one of them today, at least that we know of. This suggests he is hiding more."

Shadowstalker nodded. "If I may, sir," he said in a respectful tone. "I examined the mana traces at the scene during the fight." A sliver of curiosity slipped through.

"Two distinct mana traces were coming from the target. Neither of which seemed to be the brain crystal powers we knew the target possessed. So we can confirm there are at least two more abilities we haven\'t identified yet."

The Man crossed his arms, looking concerned. "Are you sure about that, Shadowstalker?"

"Indeed, sir." The man nodded. "This technology may be new, but we tested it extensively. There is no room for error."

The Man didn\'t want to believe what he had just heard. Erik Romano, possessing more than two brain crystal powers, went against everything they knew about Awakeners, but having three or more? It defied logic.

The Man wracked his brain, grasping for some other explanation. "Could the target have gotten hold of Brain Crystal equipment somehow?" He said.

That technology allowed wielding extra abilities. That idea was feasible.

Shadowstalker shook his head. "Brain Crystal gear leaves distinct mana traces from the Thaid source," he then tapped his temple. "Erik Romano\'s energies were identical, suggesting the powers are his."

The Man\'s eyes widened in alarm. He stepped closer to Shadowstalker, arms spread questioningly. Shadowstalker met his gaze and gave a single, grim nod.

The Man raked a hand through his hair, spinning away. Erik Romano\'s powers were his own. This confirmed what they were suspecting from a long time.

"Then it\'s worse than I thought."

The man resumed pacing over the ornate rug, his footsteps muffled once more. His crew watched him warily from around the gleaming table, the atmosphere thick with tension.

Momentum stepped forward, brow furrowed in thought. "Can we track him using those mana traces?" he asked Shadowstalker.

The man shook his head. "Not exactly," he said. "At the current state of technology, we are not able to distinguish signatures between humans. We can only infer if the mana traces people release are human-like or Thaid-like."

He tapped the sleek device on his wrist. "Besides, when I used the device inside the mansion, I only set it to scan Erik. If I scanned the room, I wouldn\'t have been able to tell who was doing what. There\'s no way to pick out his traces in a crowd."

Stickyfingers scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Is there some use to this gadget, then?"

Shadowstalker bristled, his eyes flashing. "We can use it to get more intel on his powers."

"If we find him again," Stickyfingers shot back, her lip curling.

Before Shadowstalker could respond, the young man who had spoken out earlier chimed in arrogantly. "Oh, we\'ll find him alright," he said, smirking.

"Thirty teams are already scouring the city. He and that Thaid were spotted entering the Verdant Skyscraper." The youth\'s eyes glinted with excitement. "They\'re questioning everyone who left the building since. It\'s only a matter of time before they track him."

The Man turned back, a glimmer of hope on his face. "Good, cut off all escape routes. I want all footage from security feeds and traffic cameras reviewed as well. I want as many guards and vehicles stationed at the city\'s exit. Damn, you can even employ mech."

"What about brain crystal guns?" He asked. "Should we go lethal?"

"If things get too complicated. Having his body will still be better than having nothing."

"Are you sure, sir?" Momentum asked. "Isn\'t he your best friend\'s son?" Nôv(el)B\\\\jnn

"I tried every non lethal approach. If Erik keeps displaying this aggression. My hands are tied. Now move," Benjamin said to his men.

Zakir grinned and pumped his fist. "Yes, sir!" He spun on his heel and dashed from the room, eager to relay the orders.

Stickyfingers watched him go, shaking her head disdainfully. "Overeager pup."

Benjamin resumed pacing, his mind churning once more. Perhaps they could still salvage this operation. But he knew capturing Erik would be no simple task now.

Shadowstalker stood silently, contemplating the readings on his scanner. What other secrets did their target possess? The mysteries surrounding this man seemed to multiply endlessly.