Mutant awakening: My evolution knows no bounds

"Ivy Forbes, a Grade 2 healer. David Daniels, a Grade 1 body mutation ability user," the woman began, her voice steady.

As soon as Sir Dominic heard these names, a long, heavy sigh escaped his lips, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. His hope began to drain, replaced with the cold realization of what this meant.

"Angelica Wesley, a Grade 4 lightning control ability user. Victor Hardcastle, a Grade 4 earth ability user. And lastly, Silas Griswold... no recorded mutant ability," she concluded, her voice faltering slightly.

Upon hearing the last two names, both Sir Dominic and Kara's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Did you just say Victor Hardcastle?" Sir Dominic blurted out, his face a mix of shock and dread.

"Yes, sir. Victor was among the group that entered the portal," the staff member confirmed with a slight bow of her head.

"Damn it!" Sir Dominic spat, punching the nearby wall with such force that it cracked slightly. His frustration was palpable. "Do you even know who Victor Hardcastle is? Or the kind of family he's from?" His voice rose in fury, yet the staff stood silent, perfectly aware of who Victor was.

They knew full well the power and influence of the Hardcastle family, and they also knew better than to answer what was clearly a rhetorical question.

"If Victor dies in there, we're all doomed," Sir Dominic muttered, his voice dropping to a fearful whisper. "Not even the higher-ups will be able to protect us." Cold sweat trickled down his face, dampening his once-pristine white suit. He looked as if he'd just emerged from a pool, drenched in anxiety.

"Power up the portal! I'm going in," Sir Dominic commanded as he hastily removed his white suit jacket and tossed it aside, revealing a tight white shirt that clung to his muscular frame.

"Sir, you know we can't do that! The portal needs at least three hours to cool down before we can power it up again!" Kara interjected, stepping forward to block his path.

"I don't care about your cooldowns or technicalities!" he barked, glaring at her. "All I care about is getting in there and rescuing them. Victor's in a Grade 5 mutant realm with a bunch of weaklings! Even if he's strong, he won't last long. I need to go in now!"

His voice dripped with urgency, but Kara didn't back down. She held her ground, her expression firm.

"So all you care about is Victor?" she asked, her disappointment clear. "You don't care about the others—the students who went in with him?"

Sir Dominic's eyes flickered with frustration. "Victor Hardcastle is my top priority. He's from a prestigious family, so yes, I care about him the most. If the others die in there, I won't lose sleep over it, as long as I get Victor out alive."

Kara's expression shifted to one of thinly veiled disgust. His disregard for the lives of the other students, especially those from less privileged backgrounds, sickened her.

"If you charge through that portal now, everyone will die—including Victor Hardcastle," she said sternly. "I'm asking you to wait. Let the portal cool down. Once it's ready, we'll go in together, and if they're still alive, we'll save them all."

Silence hung between them for a moment. As much as Sir Dominic hated to admit it, she was right. Charging in without letting the portal reset would end in disaster. He clenched his fists but knew there was no other choice.

"Fine. I'll wait," he muttered begrudgingly. "Let me know the moment it's ready."

With that, he turned on his heel and left the room, his frustration evident in the force of his steps.

Once he was gone, Kara approached the portal console, a small, satisfied smile tugging at her lips. "Let's see what you're really capable of, Silas," she mused quietly to herself. "We're counting on you."

"""

Meanwhile, deep within a dimly lit cavern, the group was hard at work, carving out the valuable body parts of the Steel Wolves and their King. The cavern floor was littered with wolf corpses, the air thick with the metallic scent of dark purple blood that stained the ground. They had encountered several more wolves since their initial fight, but they took them down with relative ease.

Yet, despite the successful hunt, no one had spoken to Silas since his battle with the Steel Wolf King. His effortless victory had left them all uneasy, and as they glanced at him from time to time, it was clear they now viewed him differently. It was as if they were looking at a stranger, someone far more dangerous than they had realized.

Mutant ability users who surpassed Grade 5 were a rare breed. None of them had ever seen one in person, and only a few even existed on Earth. But the way Silas had fought—the sheer power, the blinding speed—it was undeniable. He was beyond Grade 5.

Vic, who had been carefully prying metallic claws from one of the dead wolves, finally broke the silence.

"Ghost Ranger, huh?" he muttered, a weak attempt to lighten the mood.

The two girls, Angelica and Ivy, shot him a look, their raised eyebrows clearly asking, *Really?*

Vic shrugged under their disapproving glares. "What? I was just trying to break the awkward silence."

Silas, who had been quietly observing, let out a sigh. "Yes. I am the Ghost Ranger," he said finally. "I didn't tell you because I didn't know how you'd react. Especially after... what happened last time...

with the guy I killed. I thought it'd be best to keep it quiet until things calmed down."

"Screw that," Vic said bluntly, standing up and placing a reassuring hand on Silas's shoulder. "That guy deserved it. We all know it was self-defense. You don't need to beat yourself up about it. Just don't hide stuff from us, alright? We're a team.

No matter how crazy things get, we've got your back."

Silas looked down, letting out another sigh before locking eyes with the group. "There's something else I need to tell you..."

Angelica stepped forward, her face filled with concern. "What is it, Silas?"

"The moment I entered this realm, I knew what grade it was," Silas began, his tone serious. "The academy didn't send us to a Grade 2 mutant realm like they said they would. We're in a Grade 5 realm."

The revelation hit the group like a wave. Shock registered on each of their faces.

"We've already encountered the lower-grade creatures," Silas continued. "But the next ones we come across might be Grade 4 or higher. Given our power levels, our chances of survival are slim."

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