RB Chapter 200 An Issue

A beam of light flashed, its linear movement boring holes through all the beasts in its path for a distance. It wasn't the only one as many more lit up within its pupils.

The flashes of light were reaping the lives of its kin but that wasn't important, judging from the indifferent gaze with which it was looking at the situation. The first few beams had taken it by surprise, causing its eyes to widen momentarily, but now, it had gotten used to them.

'We beasts are born with a cunning nature, but what we lose to the humans in is intelligence and sentience. If we had moved irrationally, some of us might have died. Could this be the reason that the boss mobilised the beast horde?' Its yellow eyes flickered, gaze moving to another gigantic beast where a white furred monkey was lying on its back as if it had no care in the world. Even at the advent of the laser beams, it hadn't opened its eyes even for a little bit.

'This boss...is he unfathomably clever, or could it be that he's just a crazy lunatic?' The yellow furred monkey wondered in its mind.

Now that the beasts had breached multiple fronts on the black ants defence line, it was only a matter of time before they destroyed all the walls which were embedded with those laser weapons. At that time, it will be their moment to shine.

They wouldn't allow these beasts to devour the slaughtered humans as it had heard the distortion complaining about those flying creatures managing to devour the humans. If it hadn't been for its loyalty to the boss, it would have went ahead and torn the birds to pieces.

"Our time...is...coming." That sentence came out of the boss's mouth.

-----

"So far so good. Someone with a bit of brains must be managing that battle." Cleo's voice rang out, containing satisfaction and praise.

"Yes...but I wonder how she will hold up when the seven attack." Someone nodded before adding.

"I got an interesting piece of information about the Lightning summoner a while back..." Someone else started, attracting the gazes of the others over, even Cleo's.

The 'Lighting Summoner', no matter how many times that title was uttered within the past few weeks, it had always garnered lots of attention. Any tidbit that appeared about that legendary figure attracted the attention of many, even bigwigs like the citylords were no exception. 

The person who had started speaking was another citylord, middle aged in appearance. According to Cleo's memories, the man was someone who was in charge of a medium ranked city.

"Apparently, his genes were manipulated as an embryo..." The man said, his gaze moving past the others to land on Cleo. It was like he was trying to start something.

"That's impossible! Even before we formed the federation, genetic editing in embryos had been banned!" Someone directly refuted the man, thinking that that piece of information was absurd.

"How then, do you think he was able to survive after conducting such a huge amount of charge through his body?" The middle aged citylord wasn't fazed by the recital, instead asking a mother question, his gaze still directed at Cleo.

'This guy has concrete information...though, what's his angle? What's he trying to take from this?' Cleo stared back calmly, though her mind was pondering the implications.

'A mere medium level city lord shouldn't have had the time nor the resources to gather such intelligence, so who is playing in the dark?' Her gaze still remained clear, as if she didn't know anything.

"There are very many genetic abilities in this world, and they unceasingly mutate almost everyday. This piece of intelligence you gained must be something which was merely said by someone trying to dig a well in the desert." Someone else also refuted with a shake of their head.

"Our federation head can shed light on the matter. I believe she must have more information than I." 

The moment he said that, every single one of the citylords, like ravenous wolves, turned their heads towards Cleo. Since the middle aged citylord had directed them towards her, then that meant that there must have been substantial veracity to the piece of information!

Cleo took in all their gazes. They weren't accusatory or anything, most filled with curiosity, while others in contemplation. There were others though, that appeared to have some greed and malice. 

'Oh! Some have even grasped some kind of information from this matter...they are probably going to try and have the genetic sequence for themselves.' She reached that conclusion. No one would pass up the chance to have someone capable of controlling some tiny piece of the electromagnetic spectrum without becoming a spectrum warrior.

"Let me pose a question of my own, how did you come upon this piece of information?" Cleo asked, feigning amusement in her tone. She didn't want to make this situation appear serious. If it went out of control, these people might infringe upon Eric's life and rights. She had to first find a way to diffuse this bomb of a situation.

"How I came upon this information doesn't matter, what matters is how to verify this." The man shirked all responsibility. He had already set the game, now it was Cleo's turn.

"...that piece of information is unfortunately true." Cleo answered causing a few eyes to widen. They had been of the mind that the piece of information was ridiculous, but now that a big figure had confirmed it, many questions were born in their hearts.

"How...?! No, this is a taboo! Was the person who did such a vile deed executed?" Someone asked, but everyone looked at him as if he was an idiot. In this situation, what he had just asked was no longer important, what was important was how to deal with the boy!

"But, the genetic manipulation on the embryo was done before it was outlawed, only that the boy only left the incubation chamber rather recently." Cleo explained, her eyes glinting as she imprinted that citylord's face into her mind.

"But that still doesn't mean that he is allowed to exist, right?" The middle aged man pressed.

"Could it be that you want to put all the fault in him? The boy isn't the one in the wrong." Cleo explained as calmly as possible. She was trying very hard to stay calm, as her two hands were clenched while resting on top of the table.

"None have been allowed to exist." One of the others said in support of the middle aged city lord.

"...you seem to be mistaken about something once again..." Cleo started as she stood up from her seat, her heels clinking onto the floor as she circled her desk making her way towards the citylords.

"In trying to explain this situation, it doesn't mean that I am trying to protect the boy through diplomacy...no no no...I was just trying to diffuse this situation, but do trust me when I say this, if anyone tries to lay their hands on the boy, they won't survive my wrath, is that understood?" While talking, she had been moving, and by the time she finished, she had reached the group. Their eyes all widened as she activated her spectrum domain, pressuring the minds of the citylords.

"Is that clear?" She asked, her gaze taking in every single face of these people.

"Don't worry, I was just bringing up a piece of intelligence...there is no way that I would have acted on it." The middle aged city lord who had started this whole thing shrunk back, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

"I hope it stays as you've said." Cleo's eyes flickered after which she retracted her domain causing the pressure to vanish. Some almost stumbled at the abruptness of the action.

"This is a war. He was helpful and he is still very much needed. Your delusions on trying to attack someone who's actively on the front lines will not be tolerated if they come up again. I will kill you the moment you have such thoughts again." She said as she headed back towards her seat. Her back was to them, but they were still pretty sure that she was very serious.

Everyone's eyes flickered with light, some even having resentment flashing through their eyes. This was humiliating! The woman had just humiliated them right in front of the staff, and this wasn't just the first time.

"Now, in a few minutes, the battle will truly begin after those laser weapons run out of juice. We have to watch carefully." Cleo sat down on her chair, intertwining her fingers into each other.

"Do you think there is a chance of being able to hold off all those seven before the reinforcements arrive?" A woman, one of the citylords asked. Cleo looked into her eyes as if she was looking for something, but the woman's eyes were clear, without any emotion being betrayed.

'Oh! An interesting one. Anyway, it doesn't matter.'

"We will just have to put our faith in them. This is one of those battles where we can't send air support after all." Cleo said calmly.

-----

"The time is almost here...the time for my babies to wow the masses and create a legend for I, their mama!" A woman's high pitched voice rang out. It was filled with joy, and came from Kiwuka who was currently donning a red tracksuit. Her body was squiggling in place as she expressed joy.

Just the bizarre nature with which her body was moving was very creepy, attracting the gases of the staff in the place.

"Kiwuka, you are embarrassing me." An elderly and calm voice came from her right side, causing her to stop her movements. 

It was night, but no one here, from the upper echelon to the lower staff, were in the mood for sleep. Their hearts were all racing, as if in anticipation of what was to come. The large screen, taking up an entire wall was showing scenes of a battlefield where ants were tussling with beasts and laser beams were finishing off massive beast droves.

The live feed was dark in most places, but through some certain special methods, the cameras were able to switch through multiple spectrums to give a view better than the normal.

"The spectrum beasts haven't moved. I thought that after the first breach they would get impulsive, but it seems that was wishful thinking on my part." Bunyogovu's cold voice came from the other side of the elder.

"They are clever...especially that monkey with the white fur. It is an unfathomable existence." The moment elder Muti said that, the two women were slightly shocked. He was praising a beast, something which hadn't happened in the past.

"Don't look at me like that. Beasts with sentience are going to increase on population around the world. We will have to start attaching due respect to the exceptional ones, or we will lose miserably if we underestimate them." Elder Muti explained. His hands were crossed across his chest, leisurely just standing there.

"...yeah...you are right." Bunyogovu agreed after regaining her wits.

"Just like my special babies..." Kiwuka mumbled.

"Chloe has to be praised too for her arrangements, they were impeccable." The elder added.

"Hmph!" Kiwuka snorted. It appeared that she didn't like what the elder had said.

"I hope she dies and is buried there!" She viciously mumbled.

"Everyone, this is going to be a very tense night, what you will watch might either give you despair or hope, but I hope that you don't waver. I want all the staff here to perform to their utmost!" The elder asked for everyone's attention and and exhorted them.

""Yes, sir!"" Their answer was full of energy, but elder Muti shook his head secretly. Right now they were full of adrenaline, but when they managed to see those scenes, especially when that white furred monkey started slaughtering the people, they might collapse. He sighed, but this wasn't something that could prevented.

*****

My other fiction, Legend Of Blood and Flame, is going to go on hiatus in favor of this one. For those who will be inconvenienced, sorry. I will be focussing in this one for the foreseeable future. I will return to the other, when this one ends, though, with the plans I have for this one, the end is still a very long way off.