Impulsive System Bearers

Some Sacred Heights teachers were retired System Bearers, so it wasn't a spectacle for them, but some were experiencing it for the first time.

Either way, they had to show professionalism even though their students were geeking out.

Aigon officials delivered the briefing with professionalism that underscored the gravity of their expedition.

"Shunri Paradise is a world unlike any you've known," began one of the officials, his voice steady.

"Its beauty is matched only by its danger. You are to stay close to your guide at all times, adhere to their instructions, and under no circumstances are you to engage with an Evo unless absolutely necessary."

The room was heavy with the weight of his words, a silence descending as the reality of their undertaking set in.

"This is gonna be so cool,"

The voices of some of the students broke the silence.

Afterwards, their guide was introduced. He was a System Bearer whose presence commanded the room. Clad in a green armor that seemed to ripple with latent power, the guide—introduced simply as Kai—stepped forward while his long, red hair flailed softly.

"I'll be leading you through Shunri Paradise," Kai announced, his voice carrying the assurance of experience.

"My priority is your safety. Listen, learn, and we'll make it back without incident."

As the briefing concluded, the students donned the gear provided by Aigon. It wasn't anything spectacular, but Liora, who already had an Assimilation Evo armor, activated hers.

The voices of the other students rang out in reverence as they stared at her.

"Liora, pick me, pick me!"

"This makes her even hotter."

"I definitely want to be by her side if anything happens."

She enjoyed the throngs of praise while stepping forward.

They gathered at the access point, a massive rectangular swirling mass that seemed to pull at the fabric of reality. The swirling vortex was a gateway between worlds... it was an access point to Shunri Paradise.

The area around the access point was a flurry of activity, with Aigon workers and System Bearers moving with purpose. Yet, as the students prepared to step through the portal, the chaos of the surroundings faded away, leaving only the path that lay ahead.

Kai led the way, stepping into the vortex with a natural confidence that stemmed from experience.

One by one, the students followed, their hearts pounding with a mix of fear and exhilaration.

As they crossed the threshold, the world they knew dissolved, replaced by the untamed beauty of Shunri Paradise. The air was alive with the sounds of an ecosystem alien and vibrant, the colors more vivid than anything they had ever seen.

"Woah..."

The students emerged on the other side, their senses overwhelmed by the new world that enveloped them.

Their expressions were pretty much the same as those of Atrixus and the slum dwellers when they entered Shunri Paradise for the first time.

The seven moons, the multicolored glowing skies, the shift in gravitational force, and the sun that seemed too close for comfort... all proofs that they truly were no longer on Earth.

They had stepped into a world that defied their wildest imaginations. However, what greeted them was not the untamed wilderness they had envisioned, but a bustling civilization—a hub of activity. A place known as a green zone.

Kai gathered them with a practiced ease, his gaze sweeping over the group as he prepared to lead them forward.

"Welcome to Shunri Paradise," Kai declared, his voice cutting through the awe-struck murmurs of the students.

"Keep close, and remember what you've been taught."

The green zone was a stark contrast to the perilous landscapes of Shunri Paradise that lay beyond its boundaries. Buildings of various shapes and sizes, constructed with materials both familiar and alien, dotted the landscape.

The architecture was a blend of human innovation and the exotic resources of Shunri Paradise, creating a unique aesthetic that was both futuristic and organic.

System Bearers, clad in gear or Evo armor that shimmered with residual energy, moved about with purpose. Some were accompanied by Evos, the creatures of that world, now walking alongside their human counterparts in an extraordinary display of coexistence. Those Evos varied in size and form, from the small and docile to the large and imposing.

Kai explained that places like the green zone were rare sanctuaries within Shunri Paradise.

"This is one of the few safe havens here, protected from the dangers that roam beyond its borders," he said, his voice carrying over the buzz of activity.

"It's not that danger doesn't exist here, but with so many System Bearers present, we can manage threats more effectively."

As they toured the green zone, the students were shown the various facets of life within the protected community: marketplaces bustling with traders, training areas, and shelters that provided a semblance of normalcy in a world that was anything but ordinary.

Despite the guide's wealth of knowledge and the fascinating surroundings, Liora grew restless.

Her ambition and desire for adventure were not satisfied by the safety of the green zone.

"We didn't come all this way to just walk around a glorified village," she voiced, her impatience palpable.

"I want to see the real Shunri Paradise. I want to face the beasts that roam beyond this area."

Kai, understanding her frustration but unmoved by her recklessness, responded firmly, "The world beyond this green zone is too dangerous for an excursion like ours. Our objective is to learn and observe, not to engage with the unknown recklessly."

Liora found his response unsatisfactory, her thirst for adventure undimmed by the guide's warnings. Later, as the group took a break from their tour, she made her decision.

Rallying a few like-minded peers, she whispered, "Let's see what's really out there. We're System Bearers, aren't we? We're made for this."

Without notifying Kai or the other teachers, Liora and her small band of adventurers slipped away, drawn by the allure of the unknown that lay beyond the green zone's protective embrace.

They ventured into the wilderness of Shunri Paradise, their spirits alight with the promise of adventure and the thrill of potential encounters with the world's formidable inhabitants.

About thirty minutes later, when Kai returned to continue the tour, he noticed the absence of part of his charge.

"Where are your classmates?" He asked the others.

■■■

As Liora and her group pressed on, driven by a mix of naivety and bravery, they soon found themselves immersed in the wild beauty of Shunri Paradise.

The sights and sounds beyond the green zone gave way to the untamed majesty of a realm where the laws of nature dictated the rhythm of life.

The adventure they sought was at hand, but whether they were truly prepared for what lay ahead remained to be seen.

Kai, the System Bearer guide assigned to lead the Sacred Heights High School students through Shunri Paradise, could feel his patience fraying at the edges as he began searching the green zone for them.

The realization that Liora and a few other students had ventured beyond the relative safety of the green zone was not just alarming; it was infuriating.

He muttered under his breath, "I don't get paid enough for this."

Despite his frustration, Kai understood the gravity of the situation. The students, especially those from affluent families, were his responsibility. Any harm that befell them on his watch would not only be a personal failure but could also lead to severe repercussions.

"If something happens to them, especially someone from an affluent family, I'm done for," he thought, a grim acknowledgment of the precarious position he found himself in.

He quickly briefed the remaining students, instructing them to stay put.

"I'm going to find them. Stay here, and don't move," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. He gave the two teachers who accompanied them meaningful looks before leaving.

Kai gathered a few other System Bearers who were nearby, explaining the situation and enlisting their help in locating Liora and the others.

Meanwhile, Liora and her group, driven by a blend of curiosity and bravado, had stumbled upon a cave that promised the adventure they sought.

"Should we go in?" One of the stowaways named Eve, inquired.

"What is an adventure without the unknown? Let's go," Liora spoke without fear while stepping forward.

The others who numbered around eight, followed her.

The surroundings were dark as they ventured further. At that moment, Liora activated her Assimilated transformation, which made her hand glow up, casting a little illumination on the surroundings.

The dim interior, however, hid more than shadows; it concealed an Evo, a creature whose presence immediately transformed their adventure into a nightmare.

The encounter escalated rapidly. One of the students, caught off-guard by the Evo's sudden appearance, got kicked by the creature's blazing hoofs.

He went flying across the air as loud cracking sounds rang out, and his back slammed into a protrusion up ahead.

The student was immediately soaked in his pool of blood.

"Kiaarrrhhh!"

"Waaahhh!"

They had underestimated how things could go from zero to a hundred within Shunri Paradise real quickly.

Liora, attempting to defend her group, launched blue glowing beams at the beast's imposing form, which proved futile

Her attacks bounced off like they were made of mere wool.

Her efforts, far from deterring the creature, seemed to provoke it further.

"Run!!!"