Compression Sphere

"Y-you really killed him," Trey stammered, gulping as he stared wide-eyed at the smoldering crater.

The ground was scorched black, smoke rising in lazy tendrils. In the center of the crater lay mechanical parts, shattered and unrecognizable. As Trey cautiously stepped closer, he noticed burnt hands amidst the debris. The acrid smell of charred flesh and machinery assaulted his senses, making him grimace.

Frowning, Trey took a couple of steps back.

"I had to," a voice came from behind him. Spinning around, he saw Kael approaching, his expression unreadable.

Kael tossed the empty Shield Tubes from his utility belt to the ground, the glass shattering upon impact. He looked worse for wear, his clothes dusty and scuffed from the earlier blast. The force of the Shockwave Grenades had sent him tumbling, and while he'd managed to shield himself, it had taken a toll.

Thankfully, the dozen Shield Tubes scavenged from the dead Primer Dreamers in the area had absorbed the brunt of the explosion, leaving him mostly unscathed.

"What do you mean?" Trey asked, his voice tinged with confusion.

"My body itches every time someone out there gets to live their best life after screwing me over," Kael replied coldly, his gaze flicking to the smoking crater before locking onto Trey. "Let me guess... you haven't killed anyone yet."

"Well…" Trey hesitated, his words faltering. "I have. I killed someone before."

Kael didn't respond. He simply stared at Trey, his expression unwavering, as if daring the younger man to hold his gaze.

"You're right," Trey admitted with a sigh, unable to bear the weight of Kael's intense scrutiny. "I haven't killed anyone yet."

"If you want to become a true Primer, the kind with a real suit, you'll have to get used to killing," Kael advised, his voice as steady as his stride as he approached the crater.

"That's easier said than done," Trey muttered, glancing at his hands, which were encased in white mechanical gloves.

Kael didn't reply. His attention was fixed on the crater, scanning the scene for anything useful. When he found nothing but scraps and ashes, he turned and began walking toward the still-struggling Second Grade Behemech. Now that he had settled the score with Awer, one of the "itches" that plagued him had disappeared.

Trey followed, trailing slightly behind, his curiosity growing.

The man in front of him was undeniably a skilled fighter. Without a suit, Kael had managed to kill Awer and his squad—individuals clad in Exoskeleton suits, enhanced by their technology, and who had all reached Rank One.

Trey's mind raced as he tried to piece together what had happened. He'd spent most of the fight cowering behind cover, witnessing only the explosive finale. Now, torn between amazement and disbelief, he couldn't help but ask.

"So… how did you do it?" Trey finally broke the silence.

"Do what?" Kael asked, pulling out a dagger. With practiced ease, he drove the blade into the forehead of the fox-like Behemech.

The creature let out a grotesque, metallic cry, a blend of animalistic wails and grinding steel. It thrashed weakly, but its movements were little more than the dying spasms of a defeated machine. Moments later, it collapsed with a resounding thud.

"How did you kill them?" Trey pressed on, incredulous. His voice carried both awe and confusion. "You… you don't have a suit. And you're clearly a human who hasn't even reached Level One. Killing them… I don't think it's possible in your state."

"State?" Kael glanced back at Trey before shaking his head. "You're still too young, too inexperienced. You've got a lot of bullets to dodge before you can even think about pulling off what I just did."

"You talk like you've lived for a hundred years," Trey scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Kael smirked, the corner of his lips curling upward.

"You… you're kidding, right?" Trey asked hesitantly, his brow furrowed. "Anyway, why do you keep calling yourself the White Prime? What's your real name?"

If this man was as skilled as he appeared, why act like such a lunatic? Trey couldn't wrap his head around it. And there was no way he believed the crazy guy's name was actually Kael Draven, the same as the legendary White Aegis Prime.

"I'm Kael. That's my real name," Kael replied casually as he circled the towering Behemech, its ten-meter-tall form lying lifeless before them.

"Oh…" Trey muttered, the disbelief evident on his face. Then his eyes lit up as a realization struck him, or so he thought. "I think I get it. You're a die-hard fan of the White Aegis Prime! And, by coincidence, you have the same name as the legendary Kael. If my parents named me after him, I might also think I was him."

Kael didn't bother to correct him. If that's what Trey wanted to believe, so be it. It didn't matter if people doubted his identity, though their disbelief always left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He began climbing onto the massive Behemech, holding the Pulse Sniper Rifle in his hands. Once he reached the top, he aimed at the monster's back, targeting the sides of its mechanical parts. Methodically, he fired, loosening the steel plates that encased the creature. Some of the panels came away with chunks of flesh and sinew still attached.

A faint, green light escaped through the monster's inner workings, illuminating the veins and wires that crisscrossed its insides. The light bathed Kael in an ethereal glow as he worked.

Pulling out a dagger, he began slicing through the veins and wires, cutting deeper until the source of the glow was revealed: a one-and-a-half-meter-tall Growth Orb. Its intricate details glimmered, a wonder to behold. This particular orb was leagues beyond what he'd scavenged from the Mechanibbits earlier.

Meanwhile, Trey struggled his way up the slippery surface of the Behemech, sweat dripping down his face.

"D*mn, this thing is slippery," Trey muttered in frustration. His eyes landed on the glowing orb, and his breath hitched. "If… if you use that to level up, you could have a chance to reach Level Four. And if you're really lucky, maybe even Level Five. But realistically, Level Three is the most likely outcome."

"Help me get this thing out," Kael said, continuing to cut the veins and wires anchoring the orb in place.

"Alright!" Trey grinned, snapping out of his awe. "But we have to be quick. We don't want another group finding out we've got a Grade Two Orb."

A few minutes later, Kael and Trey landed back on the ground, carefully lowering the orb. The impact created a small dust cloud that billowed around them.

"Can it fit in your bag?" Kael asked, eyeing Trey's pack.

"I don't think so," Trey replied, pulling his bag from his shoulders and comparing its size to the orb. "Definitely not."

"Let me see here…" Kael rummaged through his utility belt, searching for a device to shrink the orb. All he had were bullets, Shield Tubes, and a few grenades. He scowled. "These guys are cheap, not even a single Compression Sphere."

"Compression Spheres?" Trey let out a bitter laugh. "Even if they've got Exoskeleton Suits, they're not rich enough to afford a device with Quantum Spatial Compression. Only Half-Aegis wearers have those. The people backing them are insanely wealthy."

"I think I saw one in your bag," Kael said, his gaze locking onto Trey's eyes.

"No, I don't have one," Trey replied, meeting his stare, though his eyes betrayed him with a nervous tremble.

"Is that so…" Kael smirked, raising his hand to reveal a small, mechanical white sphere. "Then what's this?"

"How did you?!" Trey frantically checked his bag, and sure enough, his Compression Sphere was gone.

"Oh, a prototype?" Kael muttered, inspecting the object. He noted several imperfections. "You made this?"

"I'm an Engineer!" Trey said proudly, despite the situation. "That's one of my inventions! Sure, it can only shrink objects up to two feet tall, but not many people in the city can even do that!" He reached out to snatch the Compression Sphere back.

Kael effortlessly dodged Trey's grasp, delivering a quick kick to his legs that sent him to the ground.

"Argh! That hurts!" Trey winced, gritting his teeth. His patience snapped as he glared up at Kael. Finally, he couldn't hold it in any longer. "That's it! I'm done! You've almost gotten me killed multiple times in exchange for my help! And now, you're stealing something I worked on for months! All for what—"

Trey's words faltered as his eyes widened in disbelief.

The white Compression Sphere in Kael's hand began to emit a low hum, its surface shifting with mechanical clinks and whirs. Then, as if drawn to the giant Growth Orb, it opened like a metallic maw and swallowed the massive object whole.

With a final ping, the sphere transformed back to its original size, fitting snugly in Kael's palm.

"W-what?!" Trey scrambled to his feet and grabbed the orb, inspecting it with frantic curiosity. "What just happened?! How did this thing shrink something that big?!"

"Because you're not the only Engineer," Kael said nonchalantly, turning his back to Trey and walking away. "Do whatever you want now. Once we're out of here, I'll find you and take my Growth Orbs."