Chapter 16 – Injection (Part 2)
Chapter 16 – Injection (Part 2)
Zane stood frozen for a moment, his eyes scanning the surreal sight before him. Rows upon rows of Dimensional Knights surrounded the school from every direction—some on rooftops, others forming a perimeter along the gates and courtyard. It was as though the entire building had turned into a military fortress.
He exhaled quietly, rubbing his neck. "I did hear about the level of security they put in place during injections... but this feels a bit much."
He could understand the importance of what was happening here. The awakening of potential talent was no trivial matter, and the injection was a critical event. Still, to deploy what looked like hundreds of knights for one school in an unremarkable city on Lower Earth? That was beyond excessive—it was a show of force.
"I guess tight security's better than being careless," he muttered.
Making his way toward the gate, Zane spotted a line of students—about twenty or so—already waiting. Most of them wore stiff expressions, their eyes filled with nerves. At the front, two knights in gleaming blue armor meticulously scanned each student before permitting them entry.
Zane took his place at the end of the line and studied the process. One of the knights held a strange device—gun-shaped with a wide barrel and a glowing red orb perched on top. As each student stepped forward, the knight would slowly wave the device over their body, scanning from head to toe. After a pause and a nod, the student would be waved through the gate.
Zane narrowed his eyes in curiosity. 'I've never seen that device before... definitely not from Earth.'
Artifacts—that's what they were called in the higher realms. Tools infused with Core Energy, capable of feats impossible by Earth's technology. Some healed, others destroyed, and many performed specialized functions. He'd read about them for years, but this was the first time seeing one up close.
As the line crept forward, Zane felt the pressure steadily mount. His eyes darted occasionally to the knights on the rooftops, their cold gazes sweeping over the crowd like hawks surveying prey. Their presence sent involuntary shivers down his spine.
This was, without a doubt, the most intimidating queue he had ever stood in.