Utopian System

Elio burst onto the scene.

A deafening roar filled the air, followed by a gust of wind that made Tarec's eyes snap open. There stood Elio, his figure resplendent in the System's Armor.

Fathoran retreated, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden intervention.

Elio, wasting no time, launched into attack. At that precise moment, Tarec felt someone grab his arm.

"Let's go!" Lucien's voice resonated in his ears, urgent and commanding. "I need to get you out of here!"

As Lucien dragged him to safety, Tarec couldn't tear his gaze away from the confrontation unfolding before him. The speed and ferocity of the attacks surpassed anything he had imagined possible.

Suddenly, Elio hurled an enormous black fireball, while Fathoran countered with a colossal sphere of ice.

The two forces collided mid-air, creating an explosion of energy that illuminated the entire enclosure. Shards of ice and incandescent fragments flew in all directions, threatening to injure everyone present.

Tarec watched in amazement as Selene and Lucien reacted instantaneously. With synchronized movements, they used what appeared to be air control to deflect the projectiles upward, saving the summoners.

But the protection didn't end there.

Elio's massive black creature also interposed itself, its enormous body serving as an additional shield for Elio's followers.

However, Fathoran's soldiers weren't as fortunate. Although their high-level armor provided considerable protection, not all escaped unscathed.

Some received direct impacts to the face, the ice inflicting 25 points of damage. With only 30 resistance points, they were left on the brink of death.

But what was truly terrifying was the effect of the carbon manipulated by Elio. Several of Fathoran's soldiers, hit by the black particles, fell instantly, their lives extinguished in an instant.

The sight of their comrades dying provoked an immediate reaction in Fathoran's ranks. The circle of soldiers began to retreat, fear evident on their faces. The reality that they could die at any moment became palpable.

However, their retreat was hindered. The soldiers at the rear, unaware of what was happening at the front, continued to block the entrance.

There was no way out.

Panic began to spread among Fathoran's ranks. Some soldiers shouted, trying to warn their companions of the danger, while others desperately sought an escape route.

Meanwhile, Elio's followers weren't much better off.

Tarec, from his position, couldn't take his eyes off the spectacle before him. The power displayed by Elio and Fathoran was beyond his comprehension.

♢♢♢♢

The dust settled slowly after the first exchange between Elio and Fathoran.

Fathoran, with his century of experience, was the first to analyze the consequences of that brief but intense exchange.

His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, scanned the improvised battlefield. He noted with disgust how Elio's followers had emerged virtually unscathed, protected by Lucien and Selene's swift intervention, as well as Elio's imposing elephant invocation.

In contrast, his own soldiers hadn't been so lucky. Several lay on the ground, some motionless and others writhing in pain. The agonized screams of the wounded filled the air, creating a harrowing cacophony.

Elio, for his part, also observed the consequences of his attack. His face, previously determined and fierce, now showed shock and concern. He hadn't anticipated that his power could cause such devastation, especially among soldiers who, after all, were only following orders.

"Get back!" Elio shouted, his voice laden with urgency and remorse. "Get as far away as you can!"

Soldiers on both sides, recognizing the danger they were in, began to move frantically.

The scene was chaotic.

Fathoran's soldiers and Elio's followers mingled in their attempt to seek safety, momentarily forgetting their loyalties in favor of survival.

They pushed each other, desperately trying to get away from the center of the conflict. However, space was limited. The building's entrances remained blocked by the mass of bodies, creating a human funnel that prevented effective evacuation.

Some stumbled over the fallen bodies of their comrades, while others shouted contradictory orders, increasing the confusion.

Fathoran observed all this with a sinister smile slowly spreading across his face. He saw in this situation an opportunity, a way to test Elio's resolution and, at the same time, demonstrate his own tactical superiority.

With fluid and precise movements, Fathoran began to manipulate the elements. In his right hand, a sphere of wind began to form, spinning at dizzying speeds. In his left, ice crystals condensed, creating a ball of intense cold.

Lucien and Selene, knowing this attack and perceiving the imminent threat, prepared to defend. Their swifts fidgeted nervously, ready to intervene at the slightest sign of danger.

Fathoran, however, wasn't aiming at them.

His target was the mass of soldiers struggling to get away, an easy target.

"Tell me, Elio," Fathoran's voice resonated in the enclosure, laden with mockery and challenge. "Do you care so much about the lives of a few dozen miserable soldiers?"

Elio, understanding Fathoran's intentions, felt time slow down. His mind raced at a thousand miles an hour, evaluating options, calculating risks. He knew that any move he made would have consequences, potentially fatal for the trapped soldiers.

The soldiers, hearing Fathoran's words, redoubled their efforts to escape.

They were pressed as close together as they could be.

Lucien and Selene exchanged quick glances, comprehending the gravity of the situation. They knew their ability to protect everyone was limited, especially against such a wide-ranging attack as Fathoran was preparing.

Fathoran, seeing the doubt in Elio's eyes, continued his verbal assault.

"Why do you care, boy? You'll have to eliminate between 50 and 100 thousand people a year anyway..."

A cruel smile spread across his face. "Or haven't you told your new followers that the city can't house more than 1.1 million inhabitants?"

The soldiers and civilians present exchanged looks of confusion and horror.

"Did you know that the goddess imposed a population limit on the god?" Fathoran continued, his voice mixing triumph and disdain.

"If you exceed it, the barrier stops working and as God used to say... Game over! Tell them, Elio! Do they think they can live without a competent leader? Without the barrier, EVERYONE will die!"