BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

The natural camouflage of the park's dense foliage offered them the advantage of stealth, but the high number of patrolling guards meant they had to be vigilant and adaptable in their approach.

As they crept closer to the villa, Erik signaled for a halt. "Guard on the right," he said, spotting a lone figure moving through the shadows ahead.

Without a word, the group veered left, weaving through the trees, their footsteps muffled by the underbrush.

To risk exposure to eliminate just one guard seemed reckless and unnecessary, particularly when they could simply bypass him with no trouble.

They went deeper, and it wasn't before long that Camille spotted some more trouble.

"Two guards ahead, by the statue." She pointed towards a marble statue.

"Luckily, we didn't kill that guy, or they would have found us."

"Right."

This time, it was Ramon taking the lead, guiding them around the obstacle, choosing a path that skirted the edge of a small pond, their reflections ghosting across its still surface.

Rebecca kept the pace, her determination masking the anxiety that flickered in her eyes.

Each time they bypassed a guard, she felt a mix of relief and a growing confidence, but it was clear all of this wasn't easy for her.

Their path took them near the villa's ornate garden, where the scent of exotic flowers hung in the air.

"Guard duo coming down the path," June said in a low tone. This time, their detour led them through a thicket of high hedges.

At last, after a period that felt endless yet was brief in reality, they arrived at the entrance of the villa.

Erik scanned the area one last time, his power reaching out to sense any immediate threats.

The coast was clear for the moment, their approach unnoticed by the villa's defenders.

"Here we are." A hint of triumph pervaded Erik's voice. "We only need to take the sculpture and then head out. Is everything clear?"

"Yes."

The group exchanged looks, their faces set in grim determination.

As soon as their feet crossed the threshold, the silence was shattered by the deafening roar of brain crystal rifles.

Erik, leading the charge, was the first to react. "Take cover!"

The group scattered, finding shelter behind the ornate outer walls of the villa.

"Didn't you say the place was clear?!" Camille asked him.

"It was!" the truth was, those guys were outside Erik's range, and entered the room as soon as they stepped foot inside.

Erik had many powers, one more useful than the other, but he wasn't omnipotent, and the brain crystal rifles could kill him, too.

"Fuck," the sound of gunshots kept echoing inside the villa.

The guards around were immediately alerted and started rushing back to the villa.

Then Rebecca noticed Erik shifting his position. It was clear he was going to enter inside.

"What are you doing?!" Rebecca's eyes were full of concern.

"I'll distract them."

"That's insane!"

Erik looked at her.

"While I distract them, you rush inside and head for Gabriel's bedroom. I'm not sure I'll be able to prevent the guards from shooting at you for long."

If the number of guards remained as before, he could have eliminated them all in a short time.

However, the issue was the growing number of people at the villa's entrance.

Besides, about 40 guards were returning from the garden, leading to their encirclement.

"Erik, don't!" But her words were lost to him; Erik had already darted into the line of fire.

The group waited a couple of seconds. "We won't have another chance like this," Ramon said. "Let's go!"

They entered the room, and what they saw left them utterly stunned.

Erik had transformed into something otherworldly as he was fighting, a blur which made blood flow and people die as it passed.

In mere seconds, Erik ascended to the upper floor, killing guard after guard with a speed that defied belief. He looked like a demon, or maybe he was.

His movements were fluid and precise, but were also bloody and vicious. He was performing a dance that unleashed death and havoc in the span of a few heartbeats.

To Rebecca and the others, Erik's actions bordered on the supernatural, and that was in a world where the supernatural's domain was frequently invaded.

They had never witnessed such a fighting style, so brutal but precise. Even the Fierce Lioness wasn't able to match those moves, and that maybe surprised them the most.

Unbeknownst to them, Erik was channeling multiple brain crystal powers to achieve this feat, including Hais's ability, which sharpened his reflexes and heightened his perception to almost prophetic levels.

Each motion, each decision, was calculated with such rigor that Erik seemed to anticipate the guards' actions before they even made them.

But this display of power came at a cost. The exertion of using so many abilities simultaneously was depleting Erik's mana reserves.

As another guard on the upper floor slumped to the ground, Erik's breathing grew heavy.

"To Gabriel's bedroom, for the onyx sculpture!" Ramon said.

With a determined nod, Rebecca, Camille, and Ramon dashed into the villa, splitting up to cover more ground and make the most of the chaos Erik had sown.

The villa's interior was a labyrinth of luxury and opulence, with grand hallways leading off in all directions. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The sound of their footsteps was muffled by the thick carpets as they navigated through the maze, driven by the singular goal of reaching Gabriel's bedroom.

As they moved, the villa seemed to pulse with an undercurrent of danger, each shadow a potential threat.

The group pressed on, their training keeping them focused. The group was initially attacked by a group of guards.

"I'll take care of them," Rebecca said. She stayed behind to give time to her friends to achieve their goal.

Camille and Ramon proceeded. They arrived in front of a crossroads. "You take the left, I'll take the right," Camille said. With that, the two split.