49 The Planetary Emergency Council
POV The Inspector Kido:
Gradually, holographic figures of men and women emerged from the darkness, assembling into a wide semicircle. The air pulsed with palpable tension, the spectral luminance of the holograms casting an ethereal radiance upon the surrounding black void.
'All the key players are present...' The inspector noted each face that surrounded him, recognizing them. There were the planet's governor, high-ranking military officers, leading figures from various departments, and even his colleagues from the planetary guard.
A middle-aged woman, whom he recognized as the planet's governor, waved her hand, and projections of crime scenes, camera footage, and satellite feeds appeared before them.
'So it comes to this,' Kido mused, his focus narrowing on the information unfurling before him.
Then, her voice echoed through the emptiness, filled with palpable outrage: "This is an act of terrorism! Thirteen separate attacks in a single night—multiple important people were murdered, the central bank was robbed, numerous buildings were set on fire, and at last, twelve of the attackers escaped with the remaining one dying in the explosion."
Even he recognized the situation's severity, 'If we don't find the culprit soon, heads will be rolling.'
"No, Madam. Governor," began the elder, dressed in the pristine blue uniform of the Planet Defense Forces, his attire adorned with shoulder patches of three silver stars signifying his high rank. "Terrorists typically disseminate their ideology, yet we've witnessed no such intent thus far."
The leftmost hologram of the man, a fat figure with strong features and a mustache, yelled, "We should put the entire planet under lockdown until we find the killer of my son! They must pay for what they have done!"
His flickering projection was seeping with anger—his irises wide and his face contorted, every ounce of his being showing grief and rage.
Kido rolled his eyes discreetly, dubbing the man a 'corrupted pig' in his mind while staying locked onto the visual data.
The governor's voice countered, "That could decimate our economy. We can't show such a weakness."
More and more of the aides joined in, throwing their opinions into the discussion.
"Should we then beseech the federal government for reinforcements?"
She retorted, "That would merely depict us as incompetent, incapable of safeguarding our planet."
The officer sighed and shook his head, his words cold, "Also, I don't believe we have such an option. The imperial fleet is active on the sector's border, and the federation is focusing its forces on safeguarding the smaller worlds lacking powerful orbital defenses. There is no reinforcement."
The inspector listened and watched the projections of the events, ignoring the arguing of the politicians. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat as he spotted the dark-haired, masked woman in the projection.
'It is her!' Her powers, how she walked, and even her figure made him immediately recognize her, even through her mask and dyed hair, as his analytic abilities were always high.
This was his chance! He opened his mouth and spoke, interrupting all the bigwigs.
"Excuse me, madam, general. I know the identity of one of the attackers."
The room fell into an oppressive silence, so thick that he felt beads of sweat trace a path down his nape. As every gaze in the room settled on him, the collective intensity of the stares, both from his equals and those above him, made him momentarily question his judgment.
'A single misstep here could be my downfall.'
He could especially feel the deadly glare of the planet's director of the Bureau of External Security in his expensive obsidian-black suit—the man who took his case.
"The woman responsible for young Mr. Binks' demise... I've identified her. I know her well, as I was already searching for her before this event." His words resounded once more.
A beat passed before the governor broke the silence. "Inspector Kido, if what you claim holds truth, then you will have full authority to marshal the planetary guards and defense forces in pursuit. She might very well be our best clue to unearthing the mastermind behind all this."
'Now I will get you!' He hardly kept the smile off his lips as he slightly bowed and saluted.
The next morning:
POV Tia:
Tia opened her eyes, staring at the familiar white ceiling of her bedroom. Her once platinum-blonde hair was a mess.
She stretched lazily, her muscles awakening to the gentle embrace of the sun's rays entering through her window. The soft sheets rustled around her as she pushed them aside.
'It all went pretty well. I am alive, uninjured, and I even gained some benefits.'
The memories of the prior evening's exhaustion seemed like a distant dream now. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Today was all about the fruits of her labor—the culmination of her efforts.
'Esper System, please show me options for my pyrokinesis.'
Beep!
<<<>>>>
<Basic Pyrokinesis reached tier II> power customization stage reached:
Choose customizations:
The new options:
Enchantments:
<Increased Control> (1 EP): Increases the user's control over the flames, allowing more precise manipulation.
<Increased Range> (1 EP): Increases the range at which the user can control flames by an extra 10%
<Increased Temperature> (1 EP): Increases the overall temperature of the controlled flames by an extra 10%
Techniques:
<Fireball I> (2 EP): Shoots a concentrated projectile of flames.
<Firecloak I> (3 EP): Envelopes the user in a cloak of fire that will not harm them.
Body Adaptations (Warning: will cause the user to fall unconscious):
<Energy Resonating Cells II> (5 EP): Alters the user's cellular composition even further, increasing the capacity at which the cells can transport the energy without getting damaged.
<Thermoregulating Skin I> (4 EP): Increases the thermal resistance of the user's skin while allowing the user to freely change their skin's outside temperature between 0°C and +250°C
Special:
<Fire Solidifaction> (3 EP) (Unlocked by: <Telekinesis VI>): Gives the user the power to solidify the flames under their control, giving them the properties of solid matter.
<Kinetic Combustion> (3 EP) (Unlocked by: <Telekinesis VI> with <Fire Conductivity I>): Bypassess the requirement of needing to summon flames directly from the body, allowing the user to use their telekinesis to remotely vibrate atoms and create a combustive reaction.
<<<>>>>
Tia unhurriedly looked at all the options, 'I have ten Esper points.'
The vast array of choices seemed infinite. 'Should I dump everything just to the temperature? With ten points, I could bring it to tier three.'
'Maybe I shouldn't spend everything here and try to save some points for the future.' Tia pondered, letting out a soft sigh. She nestled deeper into the plush comfort of her bed, knowing she had the entire morning to decide.
(AN: As always, I am open to your ideas, opinions, and suggestions.)
