61 Marble City: Breached

Hundreds of Artifacts flew out of the 10th Ring, Sector 3, mostly Spindle in shape, drilling through the bodies of the Frogs that had approached alarmingly close to the walls now.

The Spindles pierced through the defences of the Frogs first, stopping them at the place as psychic energy arms of the Espers coiled around their bodies, hindering their actions.

"Charge!" A middle-aged man, a Shifter shouted in response, leaping out as he lead a group of Shifters and Developers.

The Developers joined forces, activating the same ability, creating an energy fluctuation that slammed into the Frogs, causing all the Frogs within the range to lose their minds and leap onto each other, resulting in a fierce collision that knocked them all out.

Tier 3 Skill—Mental Frenzy!

Once the Frogs knocked themselves unconscious, another team of Developers took action, unleashing the same ability that caused the muscles of the Frogs to relax, bringing them to a deeper state of unconsciousness.

Tier 3 Skill—Mental Calm!

"Commander!" The leading Shifter shouted as immediately, the body of a Frog was lifted by a psychic arm and carried into the barrier.

The best way to obtain intelligence regarding the evolutionary capabilities of the Skeps was through the Swarm they birthed. Therefore, they needed as many research specimens as possible for that, those that were alive.

Frogs were the easiest to capture without risking their lives too much, followed by the Stingray, and finally the Armadillo.

The only reason Armadillos were hard to capture was that they positioned themselves at least ten kilometres away from the walls from where they bombarded the walls with their projectiles. Moreover, after fighting until now, they had positioned themselves just beyond the range of Sky Controllers.

This was why capturing them alive was the hardest among the three Swarm species.

The body of the Frog was brought inside the wall and immediately transported into a large warehouse where a team of Wave Controllers took charge of it, injecting muscle relaxants into its body first before bringing it underground—Lower Strata.

Its body had been placed upon a large platform, rollers attached to its sides to allow ease of movement, not to mention being embedded with Relics derived from Espers to help reduce the weight of the platform.

It made it easier for a small team of Wave Controllers to manage it, bringing it down to the Lower Strata.

"Take it to the Esper Development Ward." The in charge of the place said to them, maintaining a notepad in which he collated the details.

The Wave Controllers did as told, taking the platform into the Esper Development Ward, a room large enough to house the Frog, with stairs circling around the walls, creating platforms for better access to its body from all directions.

"You may leave." The researcher in the ward said, watching the team of Wave Controllers leave before he signalled the start of their experiment.

He was a Ground Controller from the Marble Family, possessing the Unranked Skill of Marble Sonata. One of his Psychic Arm turned into a knife and cut open the head of the Frog, revealing its brain.

"Bring it in…" He said, watching another Ground Controller take action, bringing in a Wisdom Parasite that they placed directly in the Frog's brain.

The Wisdom Parasite squirmed in response before drilling into the brain, slithering through it as brain muscles trembled faintly in response.

The Frog's body shivered mildly as the second Ground Controller turned his psychic arm pale blue, healing the cut section on the Frog's head.

The Frog's trembling gradually increased in a rhythmic response as the researchers hurriedly injected drugs into its body in an effort to stabilise its condition.

"Take cover!" The Ground Controller from the Marble Family muttered coldly, spreading his psychic arm that turned yellow, watching bumps form on the Frog's head that bubbled before resulting in its head exploding.

The brain matter splashed on the yellow wall as the Ground Controller retracted it, frowning as he stared at the pool of blood that had now formed on the floor, noticing the spasming figure of the Wisdom Parasite.

Its tail end had split off like the fibres of a cloth, seemingly intending to fuse with the brain of the Frog. But obviously, it had failed, for this wasn't how the Induction Ceremony was conducted.

But upon seeing that the Wisdom Parasite was still alive, the Ground Controller muttered, "This experience wasn't entirely a failure. The Wisdom Parasite is still alive."

"Note it down." The researchers present around the ward nodded in response.

In order to avoid affecting it, the Ground Controller motioned for a team of researchers to physically retrieve the Wisdom Parasite. Wearing suits created using Marble Sonata, the researchers approached the Wisdom Parasite, holding its twitching body as they carefully placed it within a cylinder.

"Target secured." The researcher in the lead said, intending to ship the Wisdom Parasite to another research ward nearby when suddenly, the maw of a beast flashed before his eyes, vanishing immediately after.

The two Ground Controllers at the place unleashed their domains in a hurry, sensing in alarm as the mysterious beast disappear at the same pace, showing that it too was a Ground Controller.

'This is within the walls of Marble City!' The Ground Controller from the Marble Family was alarmed as he spiked his aura, alerting Psychic Ancestor Marble. Though, there was no reply from the other side, which never happened.

He wasn't aware that the attention of Psychic Ancestor Marble was entirely focused on the aura personification that had appeared in the Bone Family mansion.

"Search the place. It shouldn't have gone far!" The Ground Controller shouted in a hurry as his figure disappeared, looking for traces of the Frenzy Beast that had mysteriously appeared within the city.

"Sir, our research samples have been stolen!" A Wave Controller shouted in alarm, arriving at the Esper Development Ward, only to see that it was empty, the researchers there vacating in a hurry to chase after the thief.

"Sir…?" The Wave Controller looked around, failing to find anyone when suddenly, he was alarmed to stare at a Frenzy Beast that had mysteriously appeared before him. He didn't even manage to react when his body disappeared, with not even a trace of him left behind.