Chapter 265. Camp No. 640
Luka City
A shimmering portal appeared near the entrance of Luka City. Tyler stepped through, his eyes scanning his surroundings as the portal dissolved behind him.
"Well, that’s convenient," he muttered, taking in the grim atmosphere of the city. The sky was cloaked in a thick, dark gray fog, casting an eerie, colorless pall over the urban landscape.
Checking his watch, Tyler looked at his new assignment which is assigned by the Academy. As a final-year student at the Starfire Academy , his role was to provide support to the team managing the Abyss outbreak in Luka City.
With a flick of his hand, Tyler activated his hoverboard. It hummed softly as it lifted him off the ground, carrying him toward a small camp located just outside the city center. The camp wasn’t much more than a repurposed building surrounded by makeshift barricades and equipment.
As he approached, Tyler noticed a group of students clustered near an experimental station. They were analyzing strange flowers with thorny stems the size of watermelons, their purplish-red hue hinting at their origin from the Abyss. Beyond the camp, other students wielding wands were battling back creeping vines that seemed intent on encroaching upon the city.
At the entrance, Tyler presented his student ID. The guard waved him through without issue.
"You’re from the Technology Department? Great. We’ve got a malfunctioning observation device in the next room. Could you take a look at it?" A woman with glasses, clearly overworked but efficient, gave him his first task without so much as an introduction.
Tyler nodded and headed into the room she had indicated.
Inside, a six-foot-tall telescope-like device was positioned by the window, aimed at the epicenter of the Abyss outbreak. Tyler recognized the model immediately—it was a newer variant but based on principles he had mastered during his VR training.
He powered it on, watching as the lens flickered to life and emitted a pulse of energy, similar to a radar scan. But no feedback came through.