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Chapter 212 - Seeker’s Theories

Hank, Counter, and Zidane charged towards the large groups of Mini Businessman, and their form changed.

Their Exoskeletons underwent a transformation as various metallic pieces from their upper body moved towards their arms and legs. Their once balanced look now had more emphasis on their arms and legs.

Metallic pikes appeared on their arms as they rushed towards the enemy as they assumed a formation that they had practiced for. Their right arm also revealed a substantial hole that would emit electrical charges every now and then.

"Spartan Wall Formation!" Hank ordered as they moved in synchronization. Memories of their training surfaced as their instructor came to teach things towards them.

Lynd had a stern and solemn expression and even wore glasses as he continued his lecture.

"The Unlocked potential lies in being able to think faster and opens the great possibility of multi-tasking. Your job as soldiers lies not just in assaulting but protecting your fellow man. With the Unlocking, warfare has changed for us. While soldiers will prioritize seeking cover, shelter, and guard, we can practically do away with it and fight out in the open. This training is designed to aid you in combat and, at the same time, push you to develop Realm sensitivity. The phenomenon that martial artists experience in their superior senses is now easily within your grasps."

Lynd suddenly released a strange realm that caused everyone to go on alert.

"As you can see, you all immediately felt a sense of wariness because I released a type of pheromones that made it look like I am angry. In reality, I'm not. How often have you ever talked to your friends or family members when they were in the middle of a fight, and you just happened to walk right in, without hearing or seeing them fight? Yet even then, you feel something amiss."

"Now take that incident and magnify it. The Unlocked can do more than just read the aura of the room. They have already tapped into this ability to be aware of the area around them. If you attack an extremely practiced martial artist from behind, they somehow sense the attack and retaliate in time. What is the mystery behind that? I tell you the truth, what you know have vastly surpassed them."

"When Lynd and Meryl attacked several bases in Pangea, and manage to even outdo the strongest soldiers that mankind had to offer, all they went through was several days. Several days of practice and being baptized into Seeker's horrifying ordeals." Lynd tilted his glasses as if reminiscing something.

"What you have, will be months and hopefully, years of practice and training. We will be training you to have this sixth sense that allows you to observe beyond your eyes and ears. Only the most talented can reach the level your Captain Cliff could do. However, we expect everyone to have at least the minimal capabilities of sensing the area around you."

The training that everyone went through was basically harsh. Everyone would fight people who were rated in equal strength with them, and they would form teams. Cliff's trio had struggled with various soldier trios and later was able to awaken the sixth sense.

As Unlocked, their senses were far sharper than the common man. They have noses that were about twenty times stronger than an average human's nose. They had eyesight's that had greater clarity, and with enough training, it could zoom at will. Their sense of touch was also different. Through the use of a specific sonic frequency that Richie developed, the Unlocked could be placed into a temporary state to sense the area around them.

Cliff had shown aptitude in that area, but no one else was able to clearly see it. Even Meryl and Lynd had to go through the process of using the unique frequency several times.

As for the soldiers, none was able to awaken it at Cliff's level. They were, however, able to develop a strange sensory that allowed them to have an intuitive sensing ability of things that were roughly a meter around them.

But as training began, Seeker was the first to notice it and took the time to have personal sessions with the trio. This was an event that even made Harker jealous. Seeker rarely trained others aside from his current team, but he took the time to prepare the three.

The reason being was that Seeker noticed a very early appearance of that phenomenon in his future.

"There's something special with those three?" Cliff asked in confusion.

"It's hard to say if it's a talent or that we are emphasizing our training and efforts in both your teams." Seeker stated at Harker and Cliff.

"I'm guessing it's the latter. Apart from being the prototypes, we have been pouring special efforts on both of your trios. So it's only normal for them to be a step ahead of the rest of the soldiers. Cliff's team seems subpar individually, but how is it that they are among the best in team battles?" Seeker questioned.

Harker didn't know what to say and turned to Earl.

Earl had fought them several times yet didn't know. He could easily win against them one on one, but when together, it was significantly harder.

"The fact that they can even challenge your trio proves that they have it."

"Have what?"

"A phenomenon that only the elite teams in my future had. Take a look." Seeker then pointed to a video displayed that appeared on the screen. Harker and Earl also glanced curiously.

The video displayed Cliff's trio being surrounded and attacked by the other Unlocked. They had physical combat that emphasized on melee weapons.

Seeker froze the frame and pointed out to the circular formation that three had.

"Take a look at this. In this frame, Zidane is the one closest to this enemy. Hank is on the opposite end. Hank's distance is too far for him to sense this soldier. But since Zidane has his hands full, he won't be able to counter. Observe how they deal with this threat and observe how they constantly fight after this." Seeker resumed the video.

Just as Seeker said, Zidane was unable to deal with the enemy. As the enemy was about to strike, Hank, who faced the other direction and was more than three meters away, immediately turned around and kicked at the enemy to redirect the blow. 

Cliff, Harker, and Earl noticed the same occurrences as the battle continued.

Despite not having seen the enemy, and even if their enemies were beyond their normal sensing range, the three were able to detect them.

"We called it Realm Synch." Seeker explained.

"It's the ability to combine their Realms and sense the area around them not individually, but as a group. Hank can sense the enemies that enter Zidane's reach. The same thing happens with Counter."

"This is a phenomenon that I noticed several times in my future, and whichever team manages to develop this, it would increase their strength by a fold or two. That is how these three can beat several trios in their training session."

"Is it a Skill?"

"I don't know… But it should be strong. The greatest example of Realm Synch would be one other Overcomer. Grant Hermes and his team have it, which made them very strong. Still… It's good that this appeared quite early in this life. We have more time to study it. If we combine it to what Earl, Scribbs, and Tyler have, it would be quite an interesting combo!" Seeker smiled.

The chaotic clashes of their daily training allowed Cliff's trio to learn of this. The three had impeccable teamwork and moved and was considered to be in equal strength with Harker's top three soldiers. As long as the three had their formation, they emulated the strength and solidity of the warriors of old. Seeker personally trained the three and gave them a few more battle techniques that emphasized how to defend their allies.

The Businessman rushed in unison. Despite their size, their numbers would have easily overwhelmed a platoon of Exoskeletons.

"Remember Arthur's lessons! Shoot!" Hank immediately ordered.

The trio immediately began shooting Lightning Bolts using their right hand.

The Lightning Bolts increased in size. A bolt roughly twice the size of an ordinary pin struck the foot of several Businessmen.

The shots were precise, and whoever got struck would either stumble or get stuck as their legs were pinned. The sudden stops caused the other rushing Golems to stumble over each other, and the unified formation was gone. Still, the advance of these Golems continued and reached the area around three.

The rushing Golems began to push harder and employed reckless and suicidal attacks. But experience had already taught Cliff's trio to stand firm. Compared to this army of miniature Golem, the smirking and arrogant smile of Seeker invoked more fear.

"Don't let anyone pass!"

It was as if the battle was something that had a director who coordinated the fight scene.

No matter how the rushing enemies attacked, the combination of punches, kicks, and Lightning Bolts stopped them from breaking through the thin line. The strikes that utilized electro-magnetic markings would even smash the small Golems to bits or send it flying.

The unison of the three allowed them to act and immediately support and defend each other while also attack the enemy.

Behind them, Earl and Scribbs also underwent a transformation. They faced the substantial form of the Clown that looked like a giant spider with its exaggerated needle-like limbs expanding out.

Earl and Scribbs assumed a different form. Most of their torso barely had any metal plating. Their Exoskeleton transformed into a skeletal frame that supported the two to be capable of carrying their heavy weapons. Most parts of their armor had moved all the way to both their hands and feet. One hand held a large shield and the other a sword. The hand which held the sword had a small hole right on top of the fist regions.

The scene looked like two knights facing a giant monstrosity. Yet the two didn't even cower.

Scribbs, Earl and Tyler were the only soldiers that managed to defeat Cliff's trio. 

Upon explaining Realm Synch, Earl and Harker glanced at each other and were very intrigued at Seeker's words.

"What do you mean? Earl and the others have another Skill?"

"Just like Realm Synch, it isn't really a Skill. It's another mystery I've witnessed, but we didn't even have a word for it. I was looking out for it because of the miracle of Hermes. His team has two unique traits. They have this Realm Synch that extends for miles. The other is the ability to just know how their team will act or move."

"Isn't that normal in every team that has been working with each other for too long?"

"Yes. It's normal. But with the Unlocking, it can be abnormal." Seeker smiled.

"So, in other words, Cliff's trio can sense the movements of the enemies near them. My trio can sense and anticipate each other's movements at another level?"

"Yes. Both are equally beneficial. If these two things combine… We could create a team with as much teamwork as the Winds of Hermes has."

The Clown dove closer to the two as it's a large frame to empower them.

The pair raised their shields and rushed forward. Their sword arm slashed and attacked a limb while the shield blocked the giant Clown's crashing impact.

"Hm?!" The Clown was surprised. The two warriors used their shields and defended in a specific position that perfectly balances the weight of his crushing attack.

Scribbs and Earl immediately released their defensive hold and rolled to the sides. The catching and the dropping of the Clown were so in synch that he staggered as he fell.

Several slashes immediately appeared as it targeted the limbs. 

The Clown's upper body spun around to do a 360-degree slash using his hands, which transformed into swords.

Scribbs boosted upwards as he jumped several meters on the air while Earl went as low as possible.

The spinning blades missed them.

Scribbs shot using the small gun on his right fist, and a small Lightning bolt struck the area on the right shoulder of the Clown.

With the marked area, Scribbs came falling down to slash the arm. The spinning body of the Clown prepared to deliver a slash at Scribbs. Then, a powerful stab occurred on its left arm that created strong resistance to the spinning attack of the Clown.

Earl had used his electrical charge to shoot and give a powerful thrust on the other arm to halt the spin of the Clown.

Without the slash, Scribbs delivered his powerful blow, and the sword struck on the right arm and hacked through it.

An upward slash followed as Earl made a follow-up attack that slashed through the skull of the Clown.

But even after dealing such an attack, the pair continued on its relentless assault. 

BOOM!

A terrifying tremor could be felt as a massive explosion resounded on the other side of the Kraken. Yet this explosion did not divert the attention of Cliff's trio and the two soldiers.

On the other end of the Kraken, the Empress continued to chase. She sent a powerful blast of greenish rays that was stronger than Pangea's Solarium tech.

The Empress gave an angry howl as two green suns hovered nearby her floating form.

Gardo and Cliff were on two different places and kept evading the attacks. But when the greening power was shot, a powerful blast occurred, and the tremendous explosion enveloped Gardo.

Cliff revealed no expression at the sight of Gardo being enveloped by the green blast. His attention was fixed on the Empress.

The Empress turned her attention to Cliff, and the twin green suns gave a bright flash.

"You two cockroaches have scurried enough! Die, Lowengren!"

"Kill me, and you lose all hope of saving him! You sensed seven other men, right? They were sent to deal with the Commanders!" Cliff laughed.

The Empress was startled at Cliff's words.

"If you let me go, I will tell my team to spare him!" Cliff offered.

"It won't work. That's not one of Lowengren's lies." Cliff heard a familiar voice.

"Just die!" The Empress roared.

The twin suns charged up, and the Origin energy around them slowly decreased.

The charged energy created a solarium core that was far stronger than the average solarium weapons that Pangea had.

The two suns shot at Cliff.

A figure emerged and stood in front of Cliff. The young man held three small balls near his mouth. 

"Balls of Thunder?" Cliff pondered.

"It looks like I'll have to use it ahead of you, Richie." The young man laughed.

On the very millisecond that the three grenades explode, he began to tread his Path.

Ever since he learned of his true Path, he had several theories on how it can make him better.

In the past months, he gave a lot of effort in trying to realize his theories. But it all ended in failure. He could not let the Paths of others interlink with his cells on command. But then, he met Nogard Meng. The Path and science he acquired in that meeting allowed him to understand more about the Unlocking. 

On his last death, his memories allowed him to pierce through time and space. His other soul had traveled through different dimensions. And when he faced Nogard, the encounter led him to recall the sensation of things that surpassed the possible senses that could only be experienced in the three dimensions.

Nogard taught him how to meditate. And with that guidance, Seeker could intuitively do it.

It was as if he had some codes that could alter the set parameters, validations, calculations, the physics, the math, and the science that dictated the world he was in. 

The Balls of Thunder exploded, but it did not affect him. Instead, he was able to channel it.

"Roar of Judah." Seeker whispered.

BOOM!

Sound and Sun clashed, resulting in a tremendous explosion that shook the entire Kraken.