Chapter 29 - Encounter With Gastrea and Cursed Children

"Take higher vantage points. Provide fire support and recon. As for Executioner and Winter. Both of you stay close with me. We will take the frontline." Adam provides the line up and strategy for the battle as they approach the Mantis Gastrea.

The purpose of this battle is simply to get a feel of the enemy they will probably be fighting against in the future and test the effectiveness of their weapons. Since the enemy is just a Stage I Gastrea which is identified by how mutated they were, the less mutated, the lower their stage and much weaker that any normal human with a Varanium weapon can kill.

Of course, if their weapon didn't work. Adam's plan is to obliterate it with superior firepower as that is the only way to kill one when they don't have a Varanium weapon that can inhibit Gastrea's regeneration and inhibit their strength.

As soon as they get their order, Alice, Agent and Destroyer jump up the roof with their superior strength.

'Master, the Mantis Gastrea is 100 meters ahead. They cornered the children into a dead end.' Agents provide the information gathered by one of her Dummies standing at the top of a four storey tall building that gives her a better vision of the surrounding area ahead.

"Noted. Destroyer, pull its attention." Adam ordered while his team navigated through the street and approached the alley where the Gastrea were.

'Gladly, Master!' Destroyer replied excitedly before the sound of her grenade launcher echoed through the silent ghost city, launching barrages of grenades that explode upon impact.

*Screech!*

As soon as the ground team reached the intersections of the street, they saw the giant mantis still screeching in pain and looking confused as to where the attack came from. Its blasted abdomen was already regenerating very fast, almost fully healed as flesh grew like a raging tumor and sealed the wound.

When it saw Adam and the others, its attention instantly locked on them and charged ahead furiously for revenge. But Executioner quickly on her blade, blocked the mantis' scythe-like limbs and produced a gun on her free hand to blast its head apart.

Winter cut it body apart with her blade with ease while the mantis is distracted

"It's not dead yet!" Winter said when she noticed the mantis that was cut in half trying to regenerate like a starfish into two mantis. But Executioner, with a barrage of slashes, turns it into minced meat. Although it didn't seem dettered and still regenerating.

"Still not dying?" Even Executioner is shocked by the discovery.

"It seems so. Now I understand why Varanium is very important to fight against Gastrea." Adam wondered with chill. Given enough time, the minced Gastrea will fully heal again. "Burn it, Winter."

"Okay." Winter loads a Fire Dust bullet and tries to burn the pieces of Gastrea. The Gastrea no longer regenerated once it was burning and died.

Although from this fight they concluded, indeed their weapon was not effective. At least destroying its flesh is a possible way to kill Gastrea without Varanium.

'Master! Few Gastrea were attracted by the noise and are coming from the south!'

"Okay." Adam immediately shifts his attention from the burning flesh to the approaching Gastrea. "More Gastrea incoming."

The ground unit took position while those on top of the building were providing fire support. Even though non Varanium bullets aren't effective on Gastrea, it can still affect their body like blinding its eyes or crippling its limbs temporarily to make them sluggish.

The approaching Gastrea is five ant Gastrea. Adam shot one in the head and punched it with his powered fist and causing its head to explode and sprayed him with its sickly green blood but oddly, it stayed dead and didn't regenerate.

"Huh?" He is surprised by this discovery that another manages to sneak up on him.

"Master!" "Adam!"

Both Executioner and Winter cut the Ant Gastrea into pieces. But Adam stared at that Gastrea which started to regenerate immediately while the one he killed didn't.

Many questions appeared in his head but he put it aside and quickly finished the battle with excitement after knowing he can permanently kill Gastrea for whatever reason it may be.

"Sorry, I was caught by surprise." Adam apologized and this time, he ripped another ant's head apart from it's body with his powerful strength and again, it didn't regenerate.

The two also saw it and understood why Adam suddenly became distracted just now. But they let Adam make the kill now that they also found out about Adam's ability to permanently kill the Gastrea.

Once the battle concluded, everyone gathered around Adam and asked about his ability.

"I think it's my Semblance." He answered. I never realized what its ability was since I never tested it out but apparently it infuses my Aura with the nullifying power that I want. For example, like this." Adam gives Winter a soft jab while thinking about nullifying her Aura. The Aura Barrier surrounding Winter's body immediately eroded and fizzled out but it regenerated back after a few seconds. "My attack was infused with Aura, maybe it nullifies the Gastrea regeneration ability which makes it die immediately after taking a fatal injury.

"That's an absurdly powerful Semblance in an unconventional way. To nullify any power can make you a very deadly opponent in a fight."

"Oh, as expected of Master! Very strong!" Alices gather around him with admiration in their eyes. The same is with others.

"Alright, alright. You all are making me blush." Adam coughed as he felt awkward to receive this much admiration and praise which felt unfamiliar to him. "Anyway, let's check out on the children. I hope they are fine." He walked into the alley with the dead end and saw two girls.

One of the girls was injured from the patch of blood on her ragged clothes. Meanwhile another was grieving.

He remembers that Cursed Children are susceptible to turning into Gastrea once the virus in their body exceeds 50% ratio and from the look of it, the injured girl is succumbing to it as the flesh on her wounded abdomen is starting to mutate.

While the T-Dolls remain apathetic to the scene, Alice too to some degree but shows sadness. Winter however, already rushed to the girls and took a closer look.

"She is starting to mutate…" Winter mutters helplessly as from what she learned from Agent, once the virus ratio in the body exceeds 50%, there is no more saving the Cursed Child. They only have the choice to die as humans or succumb and transform into Gastrea.

The injured girl opens her eyes weakly and looks at Winter. "Thank you for saving mine and Amy's life… if not for you both of us would have died already."

Internally, Winter is blaming herself. If she had arrived earlier, they would have been able to save both of the girls. But that thought was interrupted when she felt a soft hand touch her face.

"Please don't blame yourself, miss. There is rarely anyone who would show kindness to us Cursed Children. This kindness alone is enough for me. At least I know there are still people that care for us." The girl said and became progressively pale and in pain as the tumor on her abdomen grew more erratically.

"Erin! Please… *sob* Please don't leave me behind. I don't want to be alone. *sob* I-I… I'm scared to be alone." The other girl cried even more as hopelessness gripped her heart knowing her only friend is dying and she will be alone once again.

Seeing this, the guilt in Winter's heart is gripping tighter and it pained her as she turned to look at Adam to find him missing only to suddenly see him next to her, looking at the dying girl with a contemplating look on his face.

"I think it should work." Adam mutters before he magically produces a white box on his hands with a light blue cross on it, a universal symbol of protection and healing.

The box suddenly dissolved into a light blue glow of light which followed Adam's hand as he guided it to the injured girl's abdomen.

"I'm sorry, but I have to touch your wound." Adam said which the girl nodded and gave her permission. If Adam can heal her, she is willing to do anything, much less a simple touch.

As the blue glow flowed down his hand onto the wound and the tumor on the girl's abdomen, the tumor dissolved at a visible rate until it was half its size.

"It's working. But not strong enough." Adam frowned and quickly opened his skill tab and saw his First Aid skill is on level 10. He immediately allocated the unassigned SP from his various Level Up that he hadn't used and immediately maxed it out to 25.

Then Adam waited until the ten seconds cooldown ended before he applied First Aid skill once again. This time, the tumor vanished altogether and what remained is the blackened flesh. Another use of the skill later completely eliminated all the signs of mutation and she is back to normal.

The two girls are in complete disbelief. It is a well known fact that the world didn't have any treatment for Gastrea infection. At best, they have inhibition drugs that can suppress the virus. But lowering the ratio is impossible. Yet, tonight they saw the impossible.

To the girls, Adam looks like an angel. An angel that banished their worst nightmare, which is succumbing to the Gastrea virus. The look of worship on their eyes is so blinding that Adam needs to quickly make excuses and flee.

"Ahem, you two seem alright now. Next time try to be more careful. You two are lucky to meet us this time." Adam stood up and coughed again before turning away. "Anyway, we still have things to do. Let's go, Winter." Adam said before he walked away.

Winter smiled at the show of kindness Adam did and chuckled at his awkward behavior on the receiving end of the pure and innocent gaze of worship the two girls sending at him.

Winter wanted to bring along the girls as it's dangerous to leave them be just like this in case they get attacked again. But she is also aware that they are on a mission. She cannot afford to bring them around. So, she bid them farewell as the girls thanked her and Adam before they left. Apparently they have a safehouse nearby where they are safe from Gastrea.

Anyway, after this small episode of encounter. The quest resumed.

———

(Lord forgive me for what I have planned for the girls. This is for the sake of the plot. 🙏)

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