BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

June rummaged through Erik's backpack with nimble fingers. His eyes lit up, much like a child discovering a hidden treasure, as he pulled out a bundle of wrapped meat.

"Ah, this'll do just fine."

Erik watched June's eager look with a mix of annoyance and amusement. That was the last meat he wanted to eat. June had chosen THAT.

The clone, with the skill of a seasoned adventurer, started a fire. He skewered the meat and held it over the fire; the aroma wafting through the air and mingling with the earthy scent of the forest.

As the meat sizzled and cooked, Erik's nose wrinkled slightly. He wasn't fond of the bug meat's smell, and the thought of eating it didn't sit well with him.

However, he knew the importance of a good meal after a long day of travel.

June was in his element. His eyes sparkled with delight as he watched the meat roast, turning it occasionally to ensure it cooked evenly.

Once it was done, he gobbled a big bite, his face lighting up with sheer joy.

"I vove ip—"

The meat's juices poured out the clone's mouth. To Erik, June looked like a kid.

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

"Sovvy mastvhvh,"

Erik smiled and despite not being fond of it, he picked up a piece and tentatively took a bite. The meat was tough, and the flavor was too wild for his liking.

As they ate, the battle went forward, but was quickly ending up in favor of the humans. As the last of the Thaids retreated, Erik turned to June. "Those mercenaries are really good. It looks like what was said about this city was true."

June nodded, catching his breath after having stuffed himself with meat. "Yes, they looked very trained. Such coordination comes only from true veterans."

They watched as the mercenaries regrouped below the shattered tower. Despite the gore covering their armor, they seemed in high spirits, clapping each other on the back.

Their leader, the fierce ax-woman, was busy shouting orders and directing the mercenaries to critical areas along the breached defenses.

With astonishing speed, the mercenaries set to work repairing the damage. Some hauled heavy timbers and wagons of stone to rebuild the collapsed tower.

Others scrambled over the ramparts, fixing gaps in the parapets and replacing fallen artillery.

Within minutes, the mercenaries had cleared away rubble and filled the largest breaches.

The ax-woman took up a spear and planted a crimson banner atop the ruined tower, signaling it was secure again.

All around, the mercenaries toiled, their skill at repairs matching their prowess in battle.

"Ah… I want them to join our guild so bad…" These guys were so good, Erik almost felt physical pain to resist the urge to go there and offer them millions.

June agreed. "We should seek them out after." He patted Erik's shoulder.

Erik cast a final glance back at the mercenaries before shifting his focus to the city. Caelora stood strong thanks to the strength and dedication of its defenders.

The duo then approached Caelora's towering gates, the stone ramparts now secured after the recent battle. As they drew near, a guard in gleaming armor barred their way with a laser rifle.

"Halt! State your names and business," he asked.

Erik stepped forward. "I am Erik Kay, leader of the Nexthorn Vanguard mercenary guild in Testrovsc's Rest. My companion is June. We came here to rest."

The guard looked at Erik, his eyes narrowing as they traced over the intricate mask covering Erik's face. The man's gaze lingered on the mask's angular cheek guards and the twin eye slits that revealed only darkness within.

After a long, suspicious pause, the guard turned and called out to another soldier standing at attention nearby.

"You there! Collins!"

The young mercenary, lithe and wiry, stood at rigid attention before the guard. His sharp eyes, a piercing blue, scanned the two travelers.

A mop of unruly, dark hair fell over his forehead, and his well-worn armor hugged his lean frame. He then stood to attention.

"Sir?"

"Escort this man and his companion to the waiting area for processing. Remain with them until they are cleared for entry," the guard said.

Collins nodded and gave a crisp salute. "Yes, sir!"

The guard fixed Erik with a final wary look. "I have other matters to attend to. Collins will see to your provisional admission."

With that, the guard pivoted on his heel and strode away toward a door leading deeper into the gatehouse fortifications. Erik watched him go, but he felt uneasy. The guard's reaction was weird.

The second guard beckoned Erik and June to follow. "Right this way. We'll need to verify your identities before allowing entry into Caelora."

Erik nodded, and he and June both followed the young man toward the entrance.

Beyond the gates sprawled a vast military complex connecting to the city's outer defenses.

The space bustled with feverish activity as platoons of soldiers and battle-hardened mercenaries transported heavy crates of supplies and gleaming armaments to and from the front.

Erik spotted an entire row of bulky armored vehicles, bristling with gun turrets and extended barrels, parked and awaiting deployment.

Sleek aircraft sat on runways, their swept-back wings and aerodynamic frames exuding an aura of speed and power.

Nearby, long batteries of imposing artillery pieces sat primed, their massive barrels angled upward, ready to rain down devastation upon any enemy.

It dawned on Erik that if Etrium unlocked the secrets of utilizing Thaid brain crystals to enhance these weapons, they would usher in a new era of warfare.

A single crystal, properly integrated, could unleash more raw power than any conventional weapon ever seen.

Swords and shields would become useless. Etrium's military would become nigh unstoppable, able to overwhelm any foe through sheer technological dominance.

The balance of power across the continent would be shifted. Etrium would stand unchallenged as the greatest military force the world had ever seen.

Any nation that dared oppose them would face obliteration by advanced crystal-enhanced weapons unlike anything yet devised.

Erik pondered the immense implications as they made their way through the complex. However, he started having some thoughts. The weapons used by the mercenaries today were too strong.

<Maybe they already did it…>

As he thought about this, squads of mechanics swarmed over the machinery, fine-tuning the instruments of warfare with practiced efficiency.

The cacophony of clanking treads, roaring engines, and barking officers' orders lent an energetic din to the complex.

This was a military installation built for large-scale conflict, disciplined and well-equipped to defend Caelora by any means necessary.

Erik could feel the undercurrent of martial discipline that permeated the space as they made their way through. The mercenaries here looked more like Frant's soldiers.

Their guide led them through the organized chaos to a guarded checkpoint at the far end. There, Erik and June were asked to relinquish their weapons.

"Standard procedure," the guard said. "Once your credentials are confirmed, you'll be escorted into the city."

They entered a sparse waiting area with rows of dingy, faded chairs and harsh fluorescent lights that flickered erratically overhead.

A security camera with a blinking red light was mounted high on one corner of the grimy ceiling, its lens pointed at the chairs.

As they sat, Erik felt a creeping unease in his gut. He tapped into his Instability Brain Crystal power, feeling its energy spread through his mind and unlock his psychic skills.

Erik closed his eyes for a moment. He took a deep breath, and like a silent wave, his mental awareness expanded beyond the confines of his own mind.

It moved outward, seeking, probing. In an instant, the world inside his head transformed.

The thoughts and emotions of the guards stationed around the area bloomed like flowers in Erik's mind.

He navigated this maze of minds with a practiced ease, his focus sharp as a blade.

He zeroed in on the nearest two guards. Their minds were open books to him, pages fluttering in the wind of their thoughts.

He sifted through their surface impressions, their memories flickering like shadows on a wall.

The mental images were vivid, almost tangible. He saw himself and June, their faces etched in the guards' recollections.

In these memories, a surge of intent to apprehend them pulsed with urgency. It was clear.

The guards were determined to capture them, their resolve as firm as the ground they stood on.

Yet beneath this layer of determination, Erik sensed something else. A current of fear ran through their thoughts, subtle but present.

It was the fear of what Erik could do if they didn't plan this properly. Erik opened his eyes, his mind retreating into the shell of his own consciousness.

The world around him snapped back into focus. The guards never planned to let them into the city - this had been an ambush from the start.

Probing the thoughts of the guards nearby, Erik sensed deception. They had no intention of letting Erik and June into the city. This was a trap.

<I shouldn't be so trusting… Fuck. >

"They plan to apprehend us," Erik said. "We need to get out."

June tensed, his eyes darting around the room. "What? Why?"

"I don't know, but we must get the hell out of here now."