Kapitel 118: Aftermath of the Battle
"This is the place?" A man wearing a dark suit with a cloak asked as the other person next to him nodded.
"Zephyr was fighting here, from the information we have received, two other S-grade combatants were present, they were dealing with the two S-grade villains that were here, stopping them from interfering.'
The two men were standing in a forest that was on the outskirts of the city. A couple of houses could be seen nearby, which was where some people who filmed the battle between Zephyr and Carl lived.
Their videos had been investigated by the HA, but the two men were simply far too fast for the phone cameras to capture them clearly.
"From their report, we know that Zephyr was initially fighting someone weaker than him, he was only using his wind, which was obvious from the marks left in the forest, but something changed and Zephyr had seemingly used his second ability, which seems to be when a powerful and evil aura spread out through the entire forest, we believe a villain of the SS-grade had arrived at that point to help the person Zephyr was fighting against."
"Do we have an idea of who it was?"
"No, the aura, the traces left by his power, none of it is familiar to us, none of it is in the database, it might be a newly advanced SS-grade."
"We still haven't found a trace of Zephyr?"
"By the looks of it, the villain used flames, Zephyr might have been burned to oblivion, turned to ashes, so I don't think we will find any traces of him at all."
"Dammit!" The man in the coat yelled, his voice causing the trees around to shake as a powerful wind rose.
"Control yourself, you should know better than to let anger take over, as an SSS-grade, your actions have consequences, even the simple ones."
The man in the coat nodded as the other person sighed before shaking his head.
"We will continue investigating, but unfortunately, it seems that the Hunters group will need to take another person in."
"I will try to find a suitable replacement for Zephyr, it's a shame though, people that have 2 abilities are quite rare, he had the potential to reach the SS-grade, perhaps even touch the SSS-grade later on."
The other man nodded before the two suddenly disappeared from the spot.
Far away from the forest, in a completely different region, Carl suddenly opened his eyes and stared at the white ceiling above him.
"Where am I?"
"VSA medical center, well, in one of them." A calm voice said as Carl looked to the side, only to see Carla who was sitting next to him with Isabella and Angela behind her, both sleeping soundly on a second bed that was in the room.
Carl looked around the relatively small room before sighing.
"How long was I out?"
"About 12 hours, it seems you overused your ability, as well as gotten injured quite badly, the person you were fighting seems to have been quite strong, huh?"
"At least an S-grade and he had two abilities."
"That's rare."
"Then what about me, I got three."
"That's even rarer."
"Hah, yeah, I guess it is."
Carl's body ached as he sat up on the medical bed, memories of the intense battle flooding back. He could still feel the lingering influence of the Devil's power, like a faint echo in the recesses of his mind. The room was quiet, save for the gentle hum of medical equipment.
Carla, concerned, placed a hand on Carl's shoulder. "You gave us quite a scare, Carl. We were worried we might have lost you back there."
He managed a weak smile. "I'm tougher than I look, Carla. But Zephyr... did we get him?"
Carla hesitated, exchanging a glance with Isabella and Angela. "Zephyr... he didn't make it. The force you unleashed, was... overwhelming. He was reduced to ashes."
Carl's expression turned somber, he shook his head and sighed in regret, "I wanted to capture him if it was possible, at the very least, preserve his body upon his death so that the VSA can take it, unfortunately, it was do or die at that moment."
Carla squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "Sometimes, Carl, circumstances force us to make choices we never wanted to make. Zephyr was a threat, and had you not gone all out and done what you did, he might have defeated you, killing you or worse."
A heavy silence settled in the room as Carl contemplated the consequences of the battle. The door creaked open, and a VSA agent entered, carrying a tablet.
"Mr. Carl, we need you to provide a statement about the incident. It's crucial for our records."
Nodding, Carl began recounting the events leading up to the confrontation, his 'awakening' of a third ability, and the intense battle that unfolded. The agent listened attentively, occasionally jotting down notes on the tablet.
Once Carl finished, the agent thanked him and left the room. Carla, Isabella, and Angela exchanged glances, concern etched on their faces.
"What now, Carl?" Carla asked, her voice filled with genuine worry.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know, Carla. The Devil's power... it's unpredictable. I can't let it take over like that again. I need to find a way to control it, or I might become the very thing I fight against."
Isabella, now awake, spoke up. "We're with you, Carl. We'll help you figure this out. Maybe there's someone out there who can provide guidance on handling such powers."
Angela, joining the conversation, added, "And the VSA will likely want to keep an eye on you. A villain handler with three abilities is a rare and powerful asset, but it also poses risks."
The room fell silent again as the weight of Carl's newfound abilities and the responsibilities that came with them settled over them. The door opened once more, revealing a VSA official.
"Mr. Carl, the council would like to speak with you regarding the incident. Please follow me."
As Carl followed the official, he exchanged a glance with Carla, Isabella, and Angela. The unspoken understanding between them was palpable - the road ahead would be challenging, and Carl's journey was far from over.
In a meeting room at the VSA headquarters, Carl faced the council members. The atmosphere was tense, and the gravity of the recent events hung heavy in the air. The council, comprised of influential figures within the VSA, regarded Carl with a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Mr. Carl, your recent use of the third ability has raised serious questions," began one of the council members, a stern expression on their face. "From the reports of the two villains that were sent with you, your power when using that ability is immense, but the lack of control you seemingly have during it is very concerning."
Carl nodded, acknowledging the seriousness of the situation. "I understand the concerns. The power is dangerous, and I never wanted to resort to using it. But Zephyr left me with no choice. I had to protect myself."
Another council member spoke, "While we acknowledge the threat Zephyr posed, the unchecked use of such power is a risk we cannot ignore. We need assurances that you can control this ability, Mr. Carl."
Carl hesitated, aware of the delicate balance he needed to strike. "I'm working on it. I won't let the power consume me. I need time to understand it better and find a way to harness its strength without losing control."
The council deliberated among themselves, and after a tense silence, the same stern council member spoke again, "Very well, Mr. Carl. We'll grant you the opportunity to prove that you can control this power. However, you'll be closely monitored, and any signs of instability will result in immediate intervention."
With a nod of agreement, Carl understood the terms. The council's decision reflected the delicate nature of his situation. He was both a powerful asset and a potential threat, and the fine line he walked required constant vigilance.
As he left the meeting room, Carl was met by Carla, Isabella, and Angela. Their expressions mirrored a mix of relief and concern.
"They're allowing me to prove that I can control the Devil's power," Carl informed them.
Isabella sighed, "That's a start, but you'll have to be careful, Carl. We don't know the full extent of that ability, and the council won't tolerate any slip-ups."
"I know, I didn't want to show my third ability this early, but unfortunately, I had no choice when fighting against Zephyr."
"Well, I guess it doesn't even matter at this point, the VSA knows about it, they just don't know all the info, and the HA has probably caught wind of the ability, but they might believe that it is the power of another person that arrived to help me."
"The two that were with me, did they get me, I did sense two people arrive at the very end."
"Yes, the two hunters they were fighting against stopped fighting when they sensed your power upon using the 'Devil' ability, and when Zephyr's aura was gone and your flames rose high up, they decided to flee, allowing the two to come and get you."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein