"Lapthesis," like the Capability Combat Academy, was an organization that trained superhumans. But unlike the Academy, Lapthesis operated beyond government control and stood against both Preyas and humanity. They believed ordinary people and the government discriminated against, controlled, and suppressed them out of fear of their power—while exploiting them to repel Preyas invasions. They were convinced the world should be ruled by their kind, not by the hypocritical World Government. Thus, while waging war on Preyas, they also threatened humanity. The Capability Combat Academy, home to nearly half the world’s superhumans, had become their priority target for "cleansing."

Moreover, Lapthesis trained its Ability Users in brutal, harsh conditions—far from the Academy’s comforts. Combatants forged in such environments vastly outperformed Academy students of the same rank.

*Cough… cough… cough…*

"Tsk tsk, Sis? Already done for?" Alena sneered down at Cleyna, who lay on the ground coughing up blood. "Pathetic. Can’t even win with your whole squad ganging up on me." Around them, every other squad member lay scattered and defeated.

Total annihilation.

"Alena… why…?" Cleyna struggled to rise, but her shattered leg refused to obey. *Cough…*

"Why? Dunno. Just… their attitudes pissed me off. After Mom and Dad died—ugh, whatever. No time left. Bye, Sis."

Time *was* running out. Sensing approaching footsteps, Alena bolted into the tower without another word.

"Don’t… go…" Cleyna reached weakly for Alena’s ankle. Her fingers grasped only air. Alena’s retreating figure blurred before her eyes. Darkness swallowed her.

"Cleyna!"

Thirty seconds later, Qin Fan arrived, followed by the Academy’s remaining security forces, the Principal, and nearly every teacher. He rushed to Cleyna’s unconscious form. "Get her to medical—now!" he barked. As they carried her away, Qin Fan and the others charged into the tower.

"What…?"

The stairwell was obliterated. From the first floor, they could see straight up to the eleventh—through a ceiling riddled with holes.

Just as those capable of flight prepared to ascend—*BOOM!* Every functioning light and device in the Central Tower died at once.

"The shield!" The Principal sprinted outside. On the horizon, the Quantum Shield flickered and vanished. The control room was destroyed. The entire Academy had been crippled.

They’d failed. Their whole school had been overrun by just *two* invaders.

"All Combatants to the perimeter! Hold the line against the invasion!" the Principal roared. Everyone mobilized. The border defense teams were already engaging—they needed backup. The situation was clear.

"Principal! I’m going up!" Qin Fan didn’t wait for a reply. He leaped upward.

The Principal didn’t stop him. He had graver duties. *Be careful, Qin Fan.*

"Hahahaha! You’re hilarious! Zero crisis awareness! Lax defenses! And you’re all huddled together like headless chickens scrambling in circles!" Alena stood in the burning control room, mocking Qin Fan behind her.

Qin Fan had to admit—it *was* embarrassing. The Academy had only existed seven years. For six of them, the government handled security directly. They’d never anticipated an attack like this. Their defenses were paper-thin.

"Enough talk. You hurt my friend. You threatened this Academy. I won’t let you walk away."

This time, Qin Fan held nothing back. He unleashed a barrage of controlled light beams—powerful but precise—blanketing the area ahead. The room was already ruined; no need for restraint. *Just keep that monster at range.*

"Oh? So you’re that useless sister’s friend? No wonder you’re just as weak~"

*Too simple.* Keeping that monster at bay was harder than he’d thought.

"Thanks to you, though, I’ve figured out your ability."

A surge of light erupted from the floor, blocking Alena’s charge. Qin Fan wasn’t surprised. Anyone would’ve seen the resemblance to Cleyna. Winning mattered now—not comparisons.

Her "Brute Force" ability, honed through years of brutal training, granted her speed and strength far beyond Cleyna’s. Her martial prowess even surpassed Lixin’s.

He understood now: his earlier loss wasn’t just arrogance. His odds of victory were as slim as an ordinary human defeating Preyas.

*Damn it…* Qin Fan’s firepower couldn’t hold her back. If he didn’t go all out, he’d die here today.

"You’re strong."

"Mhm. I know," Alena teased. Her mission was complete. She didn’t mind playing a little longer.

"But I’m not here to play." Multiple massive orbs of light materialized around Qin Fan. They fused into a single sphere, swelling with terrifying energy. "Let’s see how tough you really are."

"!"

A primal warning screamed in Alena’s skull. A direct hit would vaporize her.

*Stop him!*

She lunged—but her fist slammed into a golden energy barrier.

*Unbreakable.*

Alena pivoted instantly. If she couldn’t stop him, she’d escape his range. She raced toward the hole in the wall—same one Lixin had used to escape earlier.

"Don’t run!"

Qin Fan’s charge finished faster than she expected. As his shout echoed, a colossal beam of light erupted.

***KRA-KOOOOOM!!!***

………………………………………………………………

"What the hell?! I just changed clothes, and *this* happens?!"

Lixin had barely rinsed the blood off, thrown on fresh clothes, and collapsed onto her bed when the AC died. Then came the noise—growing louder, more chaotic. She’d lived here years; it had *never* been this loud.

She stepped outside. Aircraft crowded the Academy’s borders, disgorging soldiers. And there—a massive battleship bombarded the campus, spewing fire, lightning, and explosions.

*This was a full-blown invasion?!* But she’d *saved* the control room! How was the Academy still down?

***KRA-KOOOOOM!!!***

A deafening blast shook the Central Tower. Lixin flinched. *Holy crap—that light beam… Qin Fan?! He’d level the whole tower! He won’t survive that!* Who was he fighting? Cleyna was there too…

***WHOOSH!***

***THUD!***

A laser blast slammed into her shoulder. The northern perimeter had collapsed. Combat transports swarmed overhead, dropping Lapthesis Combatants. The plane that shot her was already unloading troops.

***SHINK!***

Before the Combatants hit the ground, giant black scythes materialized mid-air. They sliced through metal and flesh alike—reducing soldiers and aircraft to scrap and ribbons—then vanished.

"You blew up my dorm…" Lixin’s voice cut through the smoke. Her eyes glowed with an eerie crimson light. "Wait here. After I deal with Qin Fan’s mess… every last one of you will pay for it with your lives."