Utopian System

"Elio has overcome worse things," Lucien murmured, more to himself than to others.

"He hasn't faced anything worse than me."

The monster's voice, that unnatural buzz of multiple overlapping voices, froze the blood of everyone present.

Selene stepped forward, furious and ready to defend Elio, but Lucien stopped her with a gesture.

"What is your objective?" Lucien asked, keeping his voice firm. "Why do you have Elio's book?"

The monster's laughter resonated in the air, a sound that made the soldiers' teeth grind. "My objective is simple: to kill all humans."

Shock at such a direct declaration ran through the soldiers' ranks, but the monster continued: "Although... I could settle for killing the one who holds the title of 'Von' among you. Bring them here and I'll leave with their head."

Lucien caught the implication instantly, the monster didn't know Elio was the Von.

He raised his voice quickly, making sure all soldiers could hear him, preventing anyone from making the mistake of revealing the information.

"The Von is too powerful," he declared, his voice loaded with feigned disdain. "They wouldn't waste their time with someone insignificant like you."

The monster's laughter this time was longer, more terrible.

"None of your miserable humans can defeat me. The level limit for you is 10, and a single level 10 human isn't enough."

Lucien processed this information quickly. A limit at level 10? Why would such a restriction exist?

It could be a lie to get a reaction from them... So Lucien maintained his neutral expression, refusing to show any reaction that might satisfy the monster.

"Why?" Lucien pressed. "Why do you want to destroy us? Why seek our leader?"

The monster's black eyes seemed to absorb more light as it responded.

"You are parasites," it declared, its voice mixing disgust and absolute certainty. "You feed on the endless cycle of energy from our race. Each human that exists means less energy for us."

It paused, its multiple voices resonating with unshakeable conviction.

"The nature of your parasitic race is contrary and impossible to live in harmony with ours. There is no option for peace. War between our species is inevitable."

Diana, who had been listening intently, noticed something in the monster's tone. It wasn't just hatred or contempt, there was something more...

"You, insignificant parasites," the monster continued, its voices loaded with disdain, "occupying barely 0.0015% of the land, aren't even capable of touching the vast expanse of water that covers the rest of our world."

Its black eyes swept across the city walls with contempt.

"This miserable circular cage you call a city... forces us to waste our time watching you, like one tends to a plague that refuses to die."

The sound that emerged from its throat was a cacophony of laughter and disgust.

"And your god... so useless he couldn't gain any real advantage against our Goddess. All he achieved was this," it gestured towards the barrier with disdain, "prolonging the inevitable suffering of your parasitic and diminutive race." Find out what happens next on m_vl.em,pyr

Its multiple voices merged into a tone that distilled absolute conviction.

"Your only victory was obstinacy and egoism, the foolishness of clinging to an existence that has no place in this world. Each day you survive is an insult to the natural order."

The soldiers tensed at these words, but Lucien maintained his composure.

"There's no point wasting time," the monster responded with disdain. "Your species is on the brink of disappearing. Better to free you from your misery." Its black eyes scanned the rows of soldiers. "Bring your leader and I'll show you the difference in power."

"Then we have nothing to negotiate," Lucien answered firmly. "The leader has no reason to meet you, unless of course, you mon…"

"Artromus," the creature interrupted, its multiple voices loaded with authority. "Address me as Artromus, as you call yourselves humans."

Lucien nodded slightly, adapting to this new information. "As I was saying, Artromus, if you have something to negotiate with, it would be that book in your hand. Although that depends on whether it still has a challenger inside."

The Artromus moved the book casually.

"Bring me the leader and I'll give you the book. It's not worth much to me... the challenger might not overcome the trial."

Lucien's eyes couldn't help a quick movement upon hearing that Elio was in a trial.

With a fluid motion, it extended the book toward the barrier. "Take it," it offered, its black eyes fixed on Lucien.

"No!" Selene grabbed Lucien's arm when he stepped forward. "The book is still outside the barrier."

"I can't touch the barrier," the Artromus assured, its voice mixing amusement and apparent sincerity. "It's physically impossible for me."

Lucien studied the situation. The book was tantalizingly close, and the Artromus's claim about not being able to touch the barrier matched what they had observed.

After a moment of consideration, he began to approach.

Diana held her breath while her uncle slowly extended his hand toward the book. A smile formed on the Artromus's face, an expression that made its alien face even more disturbing.

But just as Lucien's fingers were about to cross the barrier, the book began to open by itself.

The Artromus's smile instantly vanished, replaced by an expression of frustration that confirmed everyone's suspicions: it had been a trap.

"He's coming out!" Selene shouted, but Lucien already knew, his eyes fixed on the book now floating, opening completely.

The soldiers held their breath. The Artromus watched too, its multiple voices mixing in a growl of anticipation.

Then it happened.

From the book emerged... a protective sphere larger than the previous one.

The Artromus, not hesitating this time, launched immediately to attack, but when its claws impacted the sphere, it burst releasing a dense cloud of yellowish-green gas.

The Artromus felt an unusual burning on its skin, its black eyes unable to penetrate the corrosive curtain that now surrounded it. Its perfect vision was compromised.

Elio, who had been preparing for this moment, located the monster through the position where it had destroyed the barrier.

With a fluid movement, before the monster could disperse the fog with its wind he created a lithium prison around the Artromus.

His eel, now in its large form and augmented by neon, glowed with intense red while discharging all its power against the trapped creature.

The soldiers instinctively retreated from the corrosive gas expanding through the area. Even Lucien and Selene had to step back, protecting their faces.

Through the corrosive mist, a flash of light revealed Elio, his body completely covered in nickel, shining under the sun like divine armor. His appearance, emerging from the corrosive cloud like a legendary warrior, drew gasps of amazement from the soldiers.

The gas swirled around him without affecting him, while his red eel continued its relentless attack against the trapped Artromus.

The scene was as impressive as it was terrifying: the city's hero, transformed by his battle in the book, facing once again the creature that had caused the death of his friend.

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