Reborn With the Infinite Gods System

The room grew tense with Commander Asher's words, the silence heavy with an undercurrent of threat. The air felt stifling as if something far more dangerous lurked just beneath the surface of his statement.

"Just kidding," Commander Asher said suddenly, cracking a disarming smile. "There's nothing I can do. Ease up. You might be my soldiers, but I'm not as hard as I might seem."

Despite his attempt at lightening the mood, the eerie silence lingered. The hunters in the room exchanged glances, still questioning if his jest had any truth behind it. They weren't so easily reassured. Commander Asher's authority weighed heavily on them, a constant reminder that things might not be as simple as they appeared.

"Please, just do your best to suppress your power level," he added, his tone turning more neutral. "I'll leave an assistant here to guide you when you're ready."

With that, Asher strode out of the room, his entourage of officers following behind, their boots clanging against the metallic floor. Only a single man remained, their so-called guide, standing by the door like a sentinel.

The moment Asher's presence vanished, a subtle change rippled through the hunters. The tension deflated but didn't disappear completely. It was as though everyone had been holding their breath, unsure of when they could exhale. Without a word, the high-ranked hunters began to stir. They weren't the kind to remain shackled for long.

Without waiting for the assistant to provide any keys, they tore through their restraints with brute strength, the chains snapping like twigs under their power. The sound of metal clattering to the ground echoed through the sterile room.

Axel rose from his bed and moved through the crowd, weaving past Thor, Williams, and Josh. His focus was on two familiar faces—Trisha and Loki, who were three beds away from him. Relief washed over him, though he knew the question he was about to ask was pointless.

"Are you all right?" Axel asked, his voice calm but laced with underlying concern. It felt odd to voice his feelings. He hated how the words felt like a performance, a forced display of empathy. It disgusted him.

Trisha nodded, her eyes bright with excitement. "We were just discussing how thrilling it would be to wield beast weapons."

Axel blinked, caught off guard by their light-hearted conversation. Beast weapons? The room had just been drenched in anxiety, and now they were talking about weapons like this was some sort of vacation. He glanced around, noticing that the other hunters seemed equally eager, their expressions alight with the thrill of the unknown dangers that awaited them.

Even the legendary Josh Roark had a gleam in his eye, as if he couldn't wait to face whatever this new planet had in store for them.

But Axel wasn't swept up in their enthusiasm. His attention drifted back to Loki, who stood silently beside Trisha, his expression unreadable.

"Is something bothering you, Loki?" Axel asked, lowering his voice.

Loki hesitated before shaking his head. "It's not that. I've just realized how weak I really am. Without much mana left, I can't fight properly. How the hell am I supposed to survive out there?"

Axel's stomach twisted at Loki's admission. He didn't want to hear that. Not from Loki. The detective who had always been composed, always quick to analyze the situation and find a solution, now looked beaten. He looked vulnerable. Axel swallowed hard, trying to shake the feeling of disappointment gnawing at him.

Maybe Loki was right. Maybe they all needed to take a step back and recognize how ill-prepared they truly were.

"Maybe I should ease up a little," Axel muttered to himself, barely audible.

Chapter Read:

Trisha smirked, catching his words. "Axel would gladly protect you, Loki," she teased, her eyes flashing with mischief. She winked at Axel before making her way toward Josh Roark and Thor, joining their conversation about weaponry.

Axel's heart clenched unexpectedly. His gaze followed Trisha as she moved across the room, and a strange, unexplainable sense of anger boiled inside him. It was paranoia, a creeping sensation that someone, or something, was wrong. His mind buzzed with unease, like a nagging voice in the back of his head refusing to be silenced.

*What the hell is this feeling?* he thought, shaking his head as if trying to rid himself of the emotion. *It's taking up too much space in my brain.*

Loki chuckled softly, breaking Axel's inner turmoil. "I hate nice girls," Loki said, his tone cynical. "They smile so much, and you think they like you. They reply to your messages, and you start believing you're all they think about. You date them, and then you realize... they're the same with everyone."

Axel narrowed his eyes, feeling the weight of Loki's words. "So you think I'm obsessed? Or are you saying I've grown more attached than I should be?"

Loki nodded, his expression serious now. "Attachment isn't a bad thing, Axel. But when she dumps you... that's when the real crazy starts."

Axel didn't have time to respond. Across the room, Josh Roark waved to them, signaling that it was time to move out. The hunters began to gather, following their guide as they exited the sterile room and stepped into a wide hallway.

The sight that greeted them was nothing short of mesmerizing.

The hallway was bathed in soft, glowing lights, illuminating the sleek, metallic walls that shimmered like polished diamond. The floor beneath their feet was a strange mixture of solid and liquid, giving the sensation of walking on something alive, something that shifted and pulsed with their every step.

It was unnerving and yet oddly beautiful, a glimpse of the futuristic marvels that lay hidden in this alien facility.

As they moved deeper into the hall, their eyes caught glimpses of various rooms through glass windows. Inside, advanced weapons and cutting-edge technology were on display, each more fascinating than the last. The air buzzed with an electric thrill. Workers bustled about, more numerous than anyone had anticipated, their movements efficient and precise.

"So, how long has this program been running?" Josh Roark's voice broke the silence, his question directed at their guide. Josh wasn't one to let a mystery go unsolved, and his curiosity had piqued the moment they arrived.

The guide, a tall, gaunt man with cold eyes, merely shook his head and gave a noncommittal shrug. "I can't give you that information."

Josh frowned, irritated. "But I can tell you this," the guide continued, his voice cryptic. "The facilities here are safe. They're designed to handle any dangers this world might throw at us."

"That's not what I asked," Josh muttered under his breath.

"How were you able to navigate Rika Zero without a full guild of S-rank hunters?" Josh pressed, his voice now sharp with suspicion. "Scouting the planet should've been impossible, let alone building a facility. So, how did you manage it?"

The hunters exchanged glances, realizing the gravity of Josh's question. How had they managed to build something so advanced on such a hostile planet without an entire army of elite hunters? There had to be something—some hidden force guiding them. Maybe an awakened with the ability to predict the future? Or someone who could manipulate time itself?

The guide's lips curled into a sly smile. "Since we're heading in that direction, I might as well tell you," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "Our partners are the inhabitants of this planet. They're called Ryoma."

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