The Ancient Genes

Max entered the elevator and Lear and Derek followed behind him.

"I can't find where this aura is coming from. But the pressure is clearly terrifying, " Lear said with a frown.

"It's them…." Derek muttered.

"I know, " Max said as he tapped on the basement button which was the parking area.

"Is it below?" Lear asked in surprise.

Max nodded as he spoke, "It should be underground….I don't know what's going on. Anna is with them too."

"What are they thinking? It's not the time to fight…" Lear mumbled to himself.

"I know. We need to try and stop them, this is not the time to be fighting among us," Max said as he looked at the ceiling of the elevator. "Follow me."

Max lightly tapped his feet and jumped. He used his earth element to enhance his fists and with a little force, he easily tore apart the ceiling and got onto the roof.

Max and Derek followed behind and got onto the top of the elevator as well.

"What are you planning?" Lear asked as he looked at all the wires.

"Getting below…" Max said as he moved his hand which had formed a thin layer of water around its edges.

The wires of the elevator were sliced with ease. There wasn't even a bit of resistance.

Lear and Derek's face turned ugly as they felt the floor beneath them leaving and the concept of gravity distorting.

"Sh*t!" Lear cursed.

But the next moment, they felt a grip on their shoulders.

"Why are you shouting? Did you think I was going to kill you?" Max's voice entered their ears.

Lear saw Max behind him. Wings were extending from his back as they remained floating in mid-air. He had forgotten that Max had wings.

No matter how many times, he looked at Max, he felt awed by his transformation. He had never seen anything like that.

"Crash!"

A loud noise rang as the elevator crashed into the floor. It had broken through the secret passage but the formations had seemed to stop it.

"It's our turn. Lear, I am counting on you for protecting us," Max spoke before turning his head towards Derek. "Attack with all you got."

Max flapped his wings and dove beneath at full speed. The mana around them began to surge.

The lift way was full of metals. Lear wasn't going to hold pleasantries. His hands moved and he pulled apart everything within his capability towards them.

A metal spearhead in front of them to act as a shield as well as to destroy the ground.

Flames and water emerged from thin air as a flaming sword and a water dragon followed beside the heavy spear.

"Attack after me...We don't want the fire to spread…" Derek's words entered Max's ear and he nodded.

….

On the other side, Anna stood in front of the man. She felt something odd about him. But she couldn't point it out.

Her hands were trembling as she looked at the weapons in her hand.

Was this the right thing to do?

But she would miss the opportunity of being taught by Ethena if she didn't do it.

She gritted her teeth and looked at the man. The fear in his eyes was visible to her.

'I don't know if this man deserves this or not. But, I can't let this opportunity just go like this or I might end up regretting my whole life.'

The look in Anna's eyes hardened and she moved her hands.

…

Stark stood in front of Ethena as their aura continued to surge.

Neither of them was willing to back down even a step.

"Why are you like this? I always let you have your way. But not today…." Stark said as he took a step forward and the aura released by Ethena began to get pushed behind.

"Are you sure? I think you are late, " Ethena said with a smile.

Stark's face turned grim as he looked towards the glass panel.

Ethena shook her head. She hoped that Anna wouldn't do it. But it seems she was going to be proved wrong.

Anna moved her hands and when everyone thought that the man's head would fall.

"Clang!"

A clanging noise rang out.

Ethena's eyes widened and a smile leaked out on Stark's face.

The bladed fan struck the chains holding the man. The chain couldn't take a hit from a 6★ weapon and crumbled in front of its might.

The man who was freed immediately stood up. This was his chance of getting out.

"Stop him!" Suddenly Stark's face turned grim. He realized that Anna wasn't strong. He didn't know if she could take that guy on.

Ethena awoke from her stupor and the next instant she had already shattered the glass plane diving into the room.

She had asked her to do it. She couldn't let the girl die. Especially, when she passed her test.

….

The man who stood in front of Anna knew that his only chance of getting out was to get the girl. He immediately activated his transformation and the black colored aura began to leak out of him.

Anna realized what the feeling she had been having was. The conversation they had earlier. She could identify who this man was.

A human who transformed into a demon.

She released the waves from her body and sensed the man's movement.

Her face turned pale when she realized that she was going to die. Anna's eyes met the man and she realized he had gone berserk.

Anna moved her body but found that her speed was slower than the man in front of her.

"Shnk!"

The back colored aura blades penetrated Anna's abdomen and left arm. But she managed to avoid other hits.

The fan blade in Anna's hand struck the man's neck. But she had already lost the power behind her attack. The blade went half the way into the man's neck before Anna felt her grip lose and the strength in her legs leave.

Even though half of the blade was inserted in the man's neck, he still attacked Anna as if he didn't feel any pain at all.

"Bang!"

Before that man could even struck Anna, his body flew out like a broken kite and he smashed into the walls of the chambers.

Ethena stood in front of Anna with a ferocious gleam in her eyes. The rage in her eyes was surging like an unstoppable tide. Her body shook in anger cracks began to extend on the walls and the floor.

She couldn't control her anger and punched in the man's direction

"Boom!"

Her hand wavered and the attack missed opening an hole in the wall.

The man who had lost his sanity acted on his instincts and used the opening in the wall to escape.

"I will take care of him. You should look after the girl, " Stark said as he walked towards the hole.

Ethena looked at Anna and a green glow began to cover her hands. Ethena had the plant element which had a healing property, even though it wasn't strong as a fully dedicated healing element or a formation. It would work for giving emergency treatment before taking the patient to a medical professional.

"I am sorry….I couldn't do it…" Anna's voice entered Ethena's ears.

She noticed the tears flowing through Anna's eyes and felt her heartache.

"Why did you do that?" Ethena asked as she treated her. The injury on her hand wasn't serious. But the one on her abdomen was. She needed to get her out.

She gently picked Anna in her arms and began to move.

"What was I…. supposed to do? If I killed him….without knowing whether he deserved... it or not, I would have….ended up regretting it for my whole life if... he turned out to be an innocent…"

"Why didn't you just leave him then?" Ethena asked Anna as her steps began to become quick.

"If I left like that, I would have regretted letting this chance go...I want to get stronger…. "

"So, you broke his chains to see whether he was a good guy or not…..how can you be this….sigh...it isn't your fault... it's mine… " Ethena said as she shook her head.

She couldn't believe a person like her existed.

"Don't cry, tears don't suit my beautiful student's face…" Ethena said as she wiped the tears off of her face.