Previously, Eduard and his team were deeply immersed in intense strategic planning to confront Aragon, the being who mastered the technique known as "AURA," a formidable force capable of feeding on everything around it and granting the wielder overwhelming power. The atmosphere was thick with tension; every face reflected the magnitude of the task ahead.
"The only way to defeat him," announced Eduard in a firm but measured voice, "is through something he didn't see coming. But it must be so convincing that even Aragon won't suspect our intentions. Understood? Everyone is ready."
Eduard, leader of Unit E, looked at each of his teammates with determination. Then, he turned his attention to Benjamin. "Ben, come here," he instructed, pulling him aside from the group. In a lower tone, but equally resolute, he explained the crucial role the young man had to play. "You need to do something our enemy won't expect, but that must also be convincing. Remember your ability 'PLURAL-AN.'"
The young man swallowed nervously, visibly uneasy. "But, sir… that's difficult. What if I fail?"
Eduard placed a hand on his shoulder, conveying calmness with his gesture. "Relax, kid. I trust you."
Benjamin nodded, though his heart was racing. "Alright. For the sake of the mission, I'll do it," he responded with determination, though a shadow of anxiety still crossed his face.
Meanwhile, Riota intercepted Ben before he could return to the group. "What did he tell you?" he asked curiously. Ben replied evasively: "Just to be careful. That's all." Without giving him time to press further, Ben quickly walked away, positioning himself behind Eduard, who continued outlining the plan. Riota remained thoughtful, watching as the boy rejoined the group without revealing more details. With a resigned sigh, he returned to the others.
The battle against Aragon arrived, and as we all know, it turned into a disaster. Through the psychic link shared thanks to the girls from Squad C, the thoughts of each member resonated in the minds of the others. Amidst the chaos, Benjamin, transformed into a bat that darted agilely between attacks, mentally pleaded with the two psychics: "Please, just establish a connection with me. I'll explain my plan. I'll do whatever it takes, but… please, don't tell anyone. If you do, you'll ruin everything."
The two girls exchanged surprised glances. "Wow, that kid really has guts," they thought simultaneously, though with a mischievous smile, they added, "Though he does like to whisper… It makes us want to pinch his cheeks even more because of the determination he's showing right now by asking us this."
The decisive moment came, and what followed was etched into everyone's memory. We watched Benjamin disappear before our eyes, believing he had been killed by Aragon's attack. The two psychic girls carefully stored that conversation in their minds, ensuring they feigned genuine surprise and sadness over the supposed loss of the young man.
What no one knew was that, at the last second, Benjamin had reconsidered and activated his ability "PLURAL-AN." Transforming into several cockroaches, he barely whispered, "PLURAL-AN." Then, he combined forms until he became a sand mole. "Who would have imagined I could transform into more than one animal at a time?" he thought to himself, pleased but exhausted. "It's much harder than I expected… I have to split my cells, and it hurts."
Finally, he took the form of an earthworm, staying close enough to monitor his captured teammates. However, due to the physical strain caused by his still-unmastered ability, he decided to transform into a fly pupa to accompany them without being detected.
"That's how it all went—or more or less," Benjamin later explained, recounting the story to his companions once he freed them. To wake them up, he resorted to the only idea that crossed his mind: transforming into an electric eel-like creature, he discharged small currents that pulled them out of their lethargy.
"I'm so glad you're okay," said Riota, hugging Benjamin tightly. The boy blushed slightly, though he tried to hide it with a shy smile.
"Yes, but don't electrocute me or pull those crazy stunts without warning me again," Riota replied, giving his friend a light tap on the head. His tone was more teasing than angry, though there was an underlying note of concern in his words.
"I know, but if I'd told you, you wouldn't have let me do it. You always overprotect me," Benjamin retorted, crossing his arms with feigned indignation. "Besides, I'm an agent too, remember?"
"Well, we always look out for each other," Riota responded with a warm smile. "And by the way, I'm older than you by a few months, so technically, you should listen to me."
Before the argument could continue, Eduard interrupted with his usual seriousness. "I'll step in," he said, raising a hand to stop them. "Good work, kid," he added, looking at Benjamin with an expression of restrained pride. The others nodded in approval, and Gat even gave him a thumbs-up.
"Wow, I didn't think this plan would let us infiltrate the enemy base," commented Eduard as he pulled a thermos from his jacket and poured some of the brew into improvised small containers. "We've bet everything on this. It's time to act."
One by one, the team members drank the bitter liquid, grimacing at its sour taste. The younger ones couldn't help but complain. "This tastes like cat urine… Gross!" they grumbled, though the revitalizing effect soon coursed through their bodies, restoring some energy—even to Floud, who had used his most mana-draining ability.
"Yes, sir!" everyone responded in unison, regaining their determination. With renewed strength, they began moving through the enemy base, alert for any sign of Aiden and the others. However, their progress did not go unnoticed; the cameras that Ben had overlooked sent alerts to the central system.
"Intruders were detected in the laboratory. Activating security protocols. Closing protective gates. Isolating the area," announced a cold, robotic voice that echoed through the hallways.
Floud, realizing the mistake, snapped his fingers twice, sending electrical discharges that destroyed the remaining cameras. But it was too late. An army of robots emerged from the shadows, surrounding them with mechanical precision.
"I think we have company," Eduard remarked, his calmness forced as he assessed the situation.
"Great, just what I needed, old man! A good warm-up!" exclaimed Gat, pointing his fingers like guns at the approaching robots. His carefree attitude contrasted with the tension of the moment, but no one could deny that his confidence spurred the group forward.
While Eduard's team infiltrated the enemy base and fought against the robots, Ezequiel and Azulema, along with their team, advanced relentlessly through Radar's facilities across various countries on the African continent.
"This is too easy," Azulema said, her voice tinged with arrogance and frustration. "Without their leader, these brats are child's play for me."
Her movements were swift and lethal, unleashing her pent-up rage from the previous confrontation with Spider Girl and the Sand Controllers. From country to country, the team captured the controlled subjects they encountered, ensuring they neutralized them before moving on. However, upon reaching the last country where one of Radar's bases was located, Ezequiel frowned.
"I can't find those two we came for," he muttered, pausing for a moment. Before they could analyze further, an incoming call interrupted their thoughts. It was Marie who updated them on a critical change in the mission.
"You have a time limit to complete this task," Marie instructed, urgency evident in her tone. "The priorities come directly from someone higher up than even Chief Drake himself. There's no room for mistakes."
Without wasting time, Azulema launched a precise attack against the last enemy attempting to approach her. With a fluid motion, she rendered him unconscious and turned to the team. "Alright, cadets, take charge of keeping them in custody. Use this," she said, holding up a vial with a penetrating yet subtle aroma. "It's a sedative compound created by Adrian. It'll keep the controlled subjects out of commission."
At that very moment, the team assigned to Asia—led by Ray and the top girls from Units A and C—positioned at the final base located in Japan, also received Marie's message. Both teams accelerated their pace, aware they needed to regroup at the strategic point indicated by Drake to coordinate the next step.
Marie had barely ended the communication with the other teams when her phone rang again. Upon seeing the caller ID, she immediately recognized the voice at the other end of the line: Adrian.
"Alright, Miss Marie," Adrian said, his usual professional but hurried tone carrying through the line. "I've got the solution. I'll soon send a dose to each team to neutralize the toxins in the substance controlling the subjects."
As he spoke, a faint hum of machinery could be heard in the background, as if he were in the middle of a bustling laboratory. Marie could picture him moving between test tubes and holographic screens, working tirelessly.
"I'm going to send you a detailed list of the protocols you must follow. Inform the head of Unit O to adhere precisely to the parameters described in the document. We can't afford any mistakes," Adrian continued, his seriousness leaving no room for argument.
There was a brief pause before he added, "I'll keep working. See you, Adrian out."
The call ended as abruptly as it had begun, leaving Marie with a slight ringing in her ear. She stared at the phone for a moment, thoughtful. Adrian's efficiency was impressive, but it also reminded her of the relentless pressure of the mission. Every second counted, and every decision could alter the course of what was to come.
And with that, she hung up. Marie let out a soft sigh, a mix of admiration and resignation crossing her face. "Scientists… Always so busy," she murmured to herself, a fleeting smile tugging at her lips before setting the phone aside.
However, barely a few seconds later, the device vibrated again in her hand. Marie looked at it with a raised eyebrow, thinking Adrian had probably forgotten to mention something important. "Again… Mr. Adrian, surely he forgot to tell me something," she said as she answered, though her tone was more teasing than reproachful.
But the voice that responded wasn't Adrian's familiar one. It was deep, cold, and laden with unmistakable seriousness. "I am not Adrian, Miss Marie," the mysterious voice replied, with a hint of impatience. "I received your message. I'm on my way to Europe. I understand the mission."
Before Marie could ask any questions, the call cut off abruptly. She remained still for a moment, the phone still in her hand, processing what she had just heard. "Who the hell was that?" she thought, feeling a subtle chill run down her spine. Something about that voice made her realize things were about to get much more complicated than she had anticipated—or so she thought.