Chapter 5 — The Shadow That Perfect Left Behind
The world map pulsed like a failing heart.
Red dots blinked across the command room’s holographic screens—steady, slow, ominous.
The low hum of pressure regulators and ventilation fans filled the underground chamber,
a mechanical heartbeat that had never once stopped.
Marcus stood beside the steel table, half his face swallowed in darkness.
The Black Spear leaned against his leg—silent, heavy, absolute.
Vapor entered with sharp footsteps, posture disciplined yet hands trembling.
Marcus didn’t turn.
“Amporn has been missing for months,” he said, cold and deliberate.
“Have you found him?”
The question crushed the room into silence.
Vapor bowed.
“No definitive trace yet, sir. Only scattered movement logs… and one missing high-grade vial.”
Marcus slowly lifted his gaze toward the world map.
Red light cut his eyes into thin, lethal lines.
“One vial. One injection. One life.”
A long pause.
“The precursor to a new Perfect.”
Vapor swallowed hard.
“Amporn also stole the original extraction blueprint. I believe he intends to inject someone.”
A dry, humorless sound left Marcus’s throat.
Not laughter—calculation.
“Our scientists can barely refine mid-grade ore. Enough for soldiers, not enough to create a powerful Perfect.”
He tapped the steel table lightly.
“Amporn is the only person alive who can refine high-grade ore correctly.”
The room seemed to contract around those words.
Vapor hesitated, then forced himself to continue the report he dreaded giving.
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Vapor’s Summary Report
He stood straighter, voice steady but soft.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Sir… according to the global Perfect registry, there were originally fifty-three high-tier Perfects.
Three have been eliminated—by your hand—leaving fifty alive.”
He swallowed.
“Within Thailand, there are eleven Perfect-class individuals, including our own forces.
Internationally, forty remain active across developed nations.”
A breath.
“If Amporn succeeds in injecting someone, the count could rise…
or destabilize everything if the subject is unfit.”
He bowed his head lower.
“The balance of the world is shifting, sir.”
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Marcus didn’t reply.
Instead—
the room trembled.
The screens flickered. Then activated.
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AI TACTICAL SYSTEM — ONLINE
GLOBAL PERFECT REGISTRY: ACTIVE 50 / ELIMINATED 3
A metallic tone echoed through the chamber.
The holograms reorganized themselves into sharp geometric grids.
The system didn’t wait for commands.
It responded to Marcus.
Vapor stepped aside instinctively.
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ELIMINATED PERFECTS
KAYD (Saudi Arabia) — STATUS: ELIMINATED
Class: Gunner-Type (Ballistic Specialist)
Armor Density: 300% above silica
Threat Level: ★★★★★
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HONO (Japan) — STATUS: ELIMINATED
Class: Velocity Blades
Traits: Blade Projection, Hyper-Acceleration
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EMILY (Australia) — STATUS: ELIMINATED
Class: Supersonic Striker
Traits: Mach-1 speed; Sonic Burst Impact
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DOMESTIC PERFECTS — THAILAND REGION
The display shifted.
MARCUS
Class: Unknown
Threat Scan: AI Error — Unable to analyze.
Static tore across the hologram before shutting off.
Marcus ignored it.
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VAPOR
Shadow-Phase Operative — Silent Kill Specialist
RAY
High-End Techsmith — Adaptive Weapons Architect
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LYNN
Bio-Core Specialist — FUGITIVE
Primary Capability: Advanced Serum Engineering
Traits:
? Synthesizes high-grade bio-ore serums
? Regenerates severe wounds in hours
? Develops cellular reconstruction compounds
? Holds critical knowledge for Perfect creation
AI Note:
Strategic Priority: EXTREMELY HIGH.
If captured, Perfect evolution may accelerate uncontrollably.
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TUTT
Netweaver — Untraceable Hacker
VARIN (North)
Hydromancer — Northern Guardian
VAYU (Central), AMPAIR (Isan), FILM (Central), KRIT (South)
Regional Sentinels — Allied Forces
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UNIDENTIFIED TARGET — THAILAND
Status: New energy signature detected
Registry: NOT FOUND
The blinking red dot brightened—
a frantic heartbeat.
Marcus’s expression sharpened.
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INTERNATIONAL HIGH-THREAT PERFECTS
The system scrolled automatically.
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SIN (CHINA) — GPI RANK #1 (Highest Global Power Index)
Class: Eternal Regenerator
Healing Factor: 0.14 sec per wound
Limb Regrowth: < 3 seconds
Organ Recovery: Instantaneous
Neural Regeneration: Pain response suppressed
Threat Level: ★★★★★+
AI Tactical Note:
“Termination probability < 0.5%.
Status: Functionally unkillable.”
Sin’s calm silhouette was more terrifying than any monster.
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SOL (Korea)
Technique Mimicry
Threat: ★★★★☆
KAUL (U.K.)
Alloy Skeleton / Energy Absorption
Threat: ★★★★★
SYLVIE (Vietnam)
Thermal Output: 2300°C
Threat: ★★★★☆
FAHAT (Malaysia)
Multi-Split Duplication
Threat: ★★★☆☆
ROBERT (USA)
Class: Titan-Gunner
Threat: ★★★★★
VALENTINA (Europe)
Gravity Manipulation
Threat: ★★★★★
MILES (Europe)
Solar-Hook Blade
Threat: ★★★★☆
Dozens more names flickered, each a potential catastrophe.
The holograms dimmed—
as if bowing to Marcus.
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Vapor finally spoke again.
“Sir… if Amporn injects the wrong person—”
Marcus cut him instantly.
“I’ll handle it.”
His voice carried the weight of execution.
“Last time I sent you after Hono, you failed.
He escaped.
I finished it myself.”
Vapor bowed deeply.
“…My apologies, sir.”
Marcus lifted the Black Spear.
“Bring Ray to me.
Then keep your eyes on Sol in Korea.
Everyone else…”
His gaze hardened into something almost inhuman.
“…I’ll deal with personally.”
Vapor dissolved into smoke.
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Flashback — Before the Dream Was Twisted
Warm light.
Old papers.
A boy—Teer—standing beside his father.
His father pointed to a world map marked in blue.
“The world is fragile,” he said.
“Perfects must protect their regions—not conquer them.”
He lifted a glowing vial of refined ore.
“Risk is inevitable.
But chaos is guaranteed if we do nothing.”
Little Teer watched silently.
Marcus remembered how that dream had died.
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Back to the Present — The Hunter Moves
Marcus stepped toward the exit, spear brushing against the floor.
“Amporn… wherever you are,”
he whispered, calm yet murderous,
“I’ll uncover the truth myself.”
The lights dimmed behind him.
On the world map—
a new red dot flared violently in Thailand.
Then moved.
Marcus stopped walking.
A slow, cold smile curved across his lips.
“Found you.”
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