Ren Nora’s eyelids fluttered and twitched slightly, then his eyes opened.
Leon blinked. ’H-he’s awake!’
He could not believe it as he stared in disbelief.
The 5 spire-like intricate cutting-edge ADE dampeners that were arranged in different corners of this tent were finally overloaded and could no longer contain the sheer ADE density inside the tent as they exploded outward!
BZZZZZZZZZZZT!
The tent was torn apart, including all nearby tents as Leon was blown into the distance like a rag-doll.
Only General Murphy stood his ground, but his hand was no longer wrapped around Ren Nora’s neck.
He held nothing!
This was because the biological Ren Nora suddenly turned into streams of pure data that were now floating in the sky, collecting information feedback from the psionic network and the world around him.
The ’Glitch’ was born.
General Murphy’s eyelids twitched when he realized what happened.
His eyes narrowed as countless thoughts rushed through his mind, most of them pushing him into action to fight Ren Nora and assassinate him before he could get used to his new powers as a C Rank Ascended.
He was caught off-guard. ’His Trial limit is just 6 hours?’
’I took 60 days to complete my own C Rank Ascended Trial!’ He was shocked by the whole situation, but he didn’t let his shock delay his reaction.
He shrugged off his shock imdiately and was about to attack, and yet that was when he heard the streams of neon green data floating in the air suddenly sigh.
General Murphy’s chanical skin felt goosebumps, he just heard raw data sigh! How???
"Thank you..." A voice echoed from the streams of raw data.
"You all fought a good fight".
General Murphy no longer hesitated as his eyes ignited with ADE.
Reality Sculptor!
Reality Node!
Phase Step!
Spatial Rend!
BZZZZZZZT!
General Murphy teleported right in front of the slightly invisible streams of neon green data as with his right fist tightly clenched, he unleashed a violent punch!
KABOOMMM!
But his punch did nothing.
He punched right through the streams of raw data without feeling like he just did any damage. Afterall, it was impossible to physically harm data, right?
General Murphy’s eyes widened in surprise and before he could react...
BZZZ!
The data streams reorganized themselves from their scattered state, forming a human-shaped almost invisible neon green stream of data.
Out of an impulse, a stunned General Murphy poked his finger at the human-shaped data-form Ren Nora and his finger went right through the rebel.
Once again, he felt goosebumps erupt all over his skin.
The human-shaped data smiled in an eerie manner. "I’m the first ’Glitch’ born in the system, you can’t touch unless I want you too".
"Really?" General Murphy asked with a grin on his face even as the density of ADE flowing around his body started rising as he glared at the data-form Ren Nora with a clear challenge in his gaze.
He looked excited.
"Let’s FIGHT!" He blurted out, then he laughed. "I’ve fought against all the C Rank Ascended in the world".
"I’ve fought against another Reality Sculptor, I’ve fought against Iron Vanguards, I’ve fought against Genetic Vanguards, I’ve fought against Master chanists, even Data Phantasms, but I’ve never fought a ’Glitch’."
He grinned. "LET’S FIGHT!"
Ren Nora calmly shook his head. "Let’s end it here".
"No, let’s fight..."
The human-shaped data-form interrupted the General as he pointed at the distant still trapped General Sylvari Charr. "Are you really sure you want to fight against ?"
"If you fight now, I’ll kill him first and you can’t stop even if you wanted to". His neon-green data-form eyes glead slightly. "Will Epsilon forgive you for that?"
General Murphy’s eyes narrowed as clear struggle appeared on his face. "That f*cking incompetent fool...! Always ruining the fun!" He cursed under his breath, then he snarled.
"I-I don’t care about..."
Before he could complete his sentence, there was a flash of light and a virtual projection erged out of his body.
Bzzz!
On the virtual projection was a familiar face, Director-Pri Epsilon.
The Director-Pri’s gaze was scathing at first as he directed a cold look at General Murphy, making him stiffen, then he ordered. "Return".
General Murphy instinctively opened his mouth to retort. "But..."
Director-Pri Epsilon snorted. "You dare reject my will?"
Despite the distance of countless miles separating them, and despite the fact that this was just a virtual projection, General Murphy could still feel the scathing rage and killing intent of the Director-Pri and it made him instantly calm down.
He smiled sheepishly, then he took a step back.
Director-Pri Epsilon finally looked at Ren Nora.
Silence reigned between the 2 C Rank Ascended as he observed the data-form of the new C Rank Ascended, then he finally opened his mouth. "Congratulations on becoming the first ’Glitch’ of our world".
"Maybe we can work together in the future to protect our planet".
Ren Nora smirked. "Don’t worry, you do your thing, I’ll also do my thing. I have no intentions of working together with you".
Director-Pri Epsilon quietly stared at him.
Ren Nora showed no fear as he stared back at him. "What do you want? You still want to kill , or you’ll finally leave my city alone?"
He smirked. "I’ll have to tell you now though, I’m not quite as killable as I was 6 hours ago. If I didn’t want to protect my city and the rest of my subordinates, I would not stop till one of your Generals is dead".
"I know". The Director-Pri responded calmly.
Then without turning back, he ordered General Murphy. "Call off the war, retreat".
"From today, Iron Reef is a sovereign city of its own".
"It doesn’t need you to declare it first," Ren Nora retorted with a smirk. "With you or without you, Iron Reef is a sovereign city".
The Director-Pri didn’t respond to his words as he stared at him one last ti, and then the virtual projection dissipated.
...
Laying on his butt more than a dozen ters away from the previous location of the tent, Leon stared up in a daze at the 2 C Rank Ascended as he witnessed their conversation right until the Director-Pri’s virtual projection appeared.
Only then did he finally snap out of his daze.
’We did it?’ He thought as he experienced complicated emotions. ’Ren Nora actually managed to complete his Trial in 6 hours’.
In that mont, Leon felt like a burden that he’d been carrying for years finally left his shoulders as he threw his bed back and laughed.
He laughed quietly but intensely.
He laughed till he wheezed.
He laughed till his stomach hurt as the experiences of the past 13 days replayed in his mind. ’Ahh... I hate Trials...’
Amid his thoughts, the familiar sound of a system notification reverberated for the first ti in a while.
DING!
~----~
[You have t all the requirents of the D Rank Ascended Trial, Ren Nora is now a C Rank Ascended!]
[Congratulations! You have completed the D Rank Ascended Trial!]
[Igniting Class Promotion... please wait...]
~----~
BZZZ!
Leon was erased from the world of the Trial.
...
The mont the E Rank chanist was erased from existence, with his deep connection to information and data, Ren Nora felt it imdiately as he looked towards his last location with furrowed brows.
’Where did he go?’
...
[Special Appreciation to r03n and Yatekudastop for the Golden Tickets, thanks for the support!]
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