'Knock, knock.'
"On the count of three."
He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, and in a snap, his palm outlined a maroon aura as he gently touched the locked door. The aura's gleam reflected on his irises, an indifferent expression, eyeing the system.
⌜Name: Elio Wright.⌟
"One."
His free hand dug into his pockets and took out an earbud.
"Two."
He then stared at the status window.
⌜◁System: Personal Attribute 'Soundwave Supersensitivity' - Lvl. 79' is successful! ▷⌟
"Three," He muttered, calculating his position from the door and into the room, taking a step back.
'Baang!'
His eyes widened, rushing over to the unconscious child. He adjusted the volume of his earpiece as he listened into her heartrate. His expression was filled with worry, yet calmed down by the sound of her heart beat.
His other hand clicked on his earpiece. "President. It's Juno. Code red."
Another servant stood behind him, connecting her earpiece.
"We need reinforcements. Prepare the clinic."
-
A hand was placed on the little girl's forehead, examining her temperature.
"She's all fine. She should wake up soon, president."
"I see."
Allistair sat right beside Juno's slumbering body, altering the atmosphere with a calmed expression.
"Ah, I'm glad he calmed down!" An unsuspecting faceless servant sputtered, relieved.
"Quiet!"
The man's finger twitched, yet instead hovered on his daughter's face and gently caressed her cheek. Soon after, he gave it a slight pinch. "Be safe, Juno," He whispered. His unused hand lingered above her head, a faint glow in his eyes as he focused his powers.
It was divine aura. It surrounded Juno like pillars, withering away into her body, her head turning to face the opposite way with a slight frown.
Juno, on the other hand, was in a deep state of sleep.
'Tick, tock, tick..'
She heard nothing but the sound of clocks ticking at the very same time. What she was relieved of was that her body was no longer in pain. Juno despised pain, despite knowing it was apart of life.
Why should a carefree 12 year old like her experience this kind of pain? Juno hadn't even begun her service with the headquarters, yet she was already slumped.
It felt as though Juno was in another realm. Her appearance was of a ghost caged in an empty void. She slowly walked a few steps, just to drop to the ground and stare at her palms.
Silent tears welled up in her eyes, trickling down to her neck and soon the ground, taking deep breaths.
"Am I good enough for this?"
She then wiped her own tears, looking at her own reflection on the ground.
"Will dad and I be safe?"
Nobody was there to answer, and Juno knew that. Still, she questioned the universe anyway.
Becoming a hunter at a young age was no joke, and Juno tried to ease the burden with lighthearted internal monologues.
I just can't get rid of the thought of fighting back monsters.
'Tick, tock, tick..'
The noise repeatedly echoed in Juno's ears.
Juno didn't want to save the people now. It could wait until she grew up. But people were dying day by day, victims to the dangers of outer spaced entities.
She didn't want to bear the guilt of their names inscribed on the graveyards.
Juno simply had to make a decision.
'Whoooooooooooooooosh!'
Her head absentmindedly cocked above, a golden, no-, divine aura enveloping around Juno. The aura lifted her feet off the ground as she wiped her tears away.
No! Juno wouldn't falter to her own mind.
My dad and I will be safe.
Juno smiled faintly, wanting the feel of the soothing divinity surrounding her once more.
She had to wake up soon.
"Haa!.." Juno clenched on her chest, taken aback by the sight of being in a clinic. What she didn't expect was her own father's head resting beside her with his hand interlocked with hers.
"Juno?"
"Yes, it's me," Said Juno with a smile. Before Allistair could open his mouth once more, Juno interrupted. "Yes, I'm fine."
Without any warning, she gave her father a warm embrace.
It was a heartfelt moment between a father and a daughter.
Then,
'Ding!'
⌜◁System: An intruder has broken into the system! [Otherworldly Being] ▷⌟
Allistair could feel Juno's shoulders stiffen.
"Is something wrong?" He questioned with an indifferent tone.
"No. Not at all." Juno's eye twitched before she had let go of the embrace.
-
⌜◁System (2) : An intruder has broken into the system! [Otherworldly Being] ▷⌟
Oh, damn it, I understood that!
Juno grumbled as she continued her video game, completely ignoring the slight meltdown she had a while ago.
Just then, the ordinary-looking smartwatch began to buzz. Juno paused the game, tapping on the screen as the hologram appeared.
[Notification from: Adelcross Headquarters. (1)]
The 12 year old sighed, opening her inbox.
[Miss Juno, the Headquarters require your presence in a few days. Details have been sent to your inbox.]
Juno scrolled down all the way to the bottom of the message, spotting a particular note.
[P.s: Please be online tomorrow at 3 o'clock if you're available. It's about the system's intruder.]
"Huh."
So they knew about the intruder. Juno felt quite pressured, yet, feelings of interest and determination surged through her.
Juno then typed on the hologram-like window.
[Juno, approved.]
[Send.]
She felt like a businesswoman. Right after, she closed the window and continued her game. She really needed a break.
...
- Breaking news! An intruder has entered our planet, presumably from an opening in the sky this morning. Live footage was recorded from Zeldina.
Members of the Adelcross Headquarters had gathered in the office at the highest floor as they observed the footage.
"We'll need help from the Decagons."
The president eyed the director, who then immediately activated their smartwatch to contact the International Headquarters.