Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!

The portal ripped open inside the dimly lit apartment, bending reality for a split second before two figures stepped out like shadows materializing into flesh. The man moved first—tall, broad-shouldered, wrapped in a sleek, tactical bodysuit that looked both expensive and experimental. The woman followed, shorter but just as dangerous, her form-fitting attire humming faintly with stored energy.

The couple inside barely had time to register the intruders before it was over.

A blur of motion. A sharp, wet gasp. The husband collapsed, a clean hole burned straight through his chest. The wife barely let out a choked scream before her throat was slit with something that didn't even reflect light—just pure absence.

They never even had a chance, the duo stood over two fresh corpses, their bodies still warm, eyes frozen in shock. Blood soaked into the plush white carpet, staining the pristine luxury of the penthouse

The woman flicked her wrist, shaking off a crimson droplet from her blade. "Messy," she muttered, sounding mildly annoyed.

The man beside her smirked, flexing his fingers. "Efficient."

No alarms. No screams. Just two lives snuffed out in seconds.

The duo moved fast-too fast. Even for someone like Captain Sun, rushing from the sky, their speed was unnatural. Not just fast, but fluid-like they weren't even bound by the same physics as everyone. else.@@novelbin@@

By the time he locked onto them, they were already at the vault.

The woman placed her hand against the reinforced steel door. A hum of energy rippled from her fingers, a soft, eerie thrumm vibrating through the walls. The heavy locks disengaged with a series of deep metallic clunks, the entire structure folding apart like it had just given up fighting.

"God, I love ancient artifacts," she murmured, stepping inside.

The man followed, reaching for their prize-a small, glowing gem. It pulsed with an unnatural radiance, shifting colors like a living ember trapped in glass.

Brighter than any Ether crystal. Denser. Something unnatural, humming with energy that practically called to them. The man smirked, reaching in and lifting it from its resting place.

"Got it," he said smoothly, "IT'S...Beautiful," he whispered.

"And powerful," she added. "We should—"

A whoosh of air cut her off and that was when the window shattered.

A streak of gold slammed through the apartment, the sheer impact pressure sending furniture flying. Captain Sun landed in the middle of the chaos, eyes locked on the two figures standing by the open vault.

"Alright," he called out, voice carrying through the space, "I don't know what you two just pulled, but—Drop it," he ordered, voice calm but firm. "Now."

The woman smirked.

They didn't even look surprised.

The woman exhaled, tilting her head. "Took you long enough."

The man just laughed. "Yeah. Nah."

And then, without hesitation, he raised a hand—Ether crackled, but it wasn't just Ether. It was sharper and heavier. Captain Sun barely moved before the portal snapped open behind them.

They stepped through.

The last thing left behind was a glowing, flickering middle finger made entirely of Ether energy.

Captain Sun clenched his jaw so tight it could crack stone.

"Motherfuckers."

He tapped his comm.

"Chione. We've got some super strong duo. Just killed a couple and stole some gem thingy."

The line crackled, then Chione's voice came through—cold, level. "What kind of gem?"

"I don't know," he admitted, eyes still scanning the space where the portal had been. "But its energy was… different. Stronger than Ether. And if I had to guess... in the wrong hands, that thing could fuel an entire country."

A pause.

"So it's something destructive," she guessed.

He hesitated. Then shook his head. "No. Didn't feel like a weapon. It's something else."

Silence.

Then Chione's voice, sharper. "And?"

His lips pressed into a thin line. "If I'm not wrong... it's capable of giving artificial superpowers—you know, like the thing Hermes warned us about?"

The line went silent for a moment, the weight of that statement settling between them. Then—

"Come back," Chione ordered. "We've got another fluctuation in the city. A mansion this time."

"Copy that," he muttered. "But—what's the couple's deal? Who were they?"

Chione's voice was as cold as ever. "According to Icarus, they were working for a classified government institute. No official records. He's digging through the big offices now, trying to find more."

Captain Sun exhaled. "Shit."

"Get back here," Chione said. "Now."

He rolled his shoulders, flexing his fingers as golden energy crackled around him. Then, with a sudden burst of light, he shot into the sky, cutting through the night like a comet.

He had a bad fucking feeling about this.

****

Above the Mansion

Captain Sun hovered just above the mansion, scanning the area with a sharp, eagle-eyed focus. The city lights flickered beneath him, the quiet hum of the streets swallowed by the intense silence that hung in the air. His energy crackled around him, like a thunderstorm waiting to break.

Chione stood beside him, her icy presence a stark contrast against the warm glow of the evening. She was different this time, her aura colder, sharper, like a storm waiting to tear through the sky.

She stood tall, almost regal, clad in an ancient-style ice armor. The sleek ice plates glinted under the moonlight, every edge perfectly crafted, with sharp angles that screamed of battle-ready elegance. Unlike the last time he'd seen her—when she was armed with a bow and arrows—this time, a long, glimmering spear was in her hands.

The shaft was adorned with intricate designs, the blade at the end as sharp as the chill that emanated from her.

Her eyes were locked onto the mansion below. Captain Sun followed her gaze.

In the backyard, a man stood over the barely breathing body of a man, the stench of blood heavy in the air. The man raised a sword—a sword that radiated heat—before bringing it down. He finished the job. The flames shot out from the blade like a furious, burning explosion, engulfing the man's body in an instant.

Captain Sun's eyes widened as he recognized the flames. His mouth went dry. "No way..."

"The Phoenix flames," he murmured, barely able to believe his own words. The fiery inferno licking the air was unmistakable. He'd seen those flames before—rumored to be a power passed down from the phoenixes themselves, a flame that burned with the soul of a phoenix.

They were deadly.

Before Captain Sun could react, the man holding the sword erupted with white flames—white, like the heart of a frozen sun. It swirled around him, wrapping him in an aura that felt like it was both alive and untouchable. The man's face was calm, eerily so, as if he were barely trying.

Then—without warning—he flicked his wrist. The flames followed his command, and the nearby bedroom burst into flames, the fire crawling up the walls, licking the ceiling in seconds. Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire

Captain Sun let out a curse. "What the fuck? This guy is insane."

But Chione wasn't phased. She was already moving, her spear held tight in her hands, her eyes locked on the man. The flames didn't seem to bother her—hell, they barely even made her blink. She was focused, poised like a predator ready to strike.

"I think I recognize that guy..." Captain Sun muttered, still staring at the man, who was now casually tossing flames like they were nothing.

Chione's gaze narrowed, and without a word, she launched herself forward, moving faster than Captain Sun could track. Her form was a blur, cutting through the air with ease.

"No time to waste," she said, her voice cold, focused. "I'll stop him."

Captain Sun watched her disappear into the night, his mind racing. He had a sinking feeling about this one. Something wasn't right.

But he knew better than to hesitate. He followed her in a blur of light, ready for whatever chaos was coming next.