Chapter 472:Secured.

Chapter 472: 472:Secured.

The first mistake Silver could’ve made was rushing toward Ravenna. The second was abandoning the supply station.

Unfortunately, both options were extremely tempting, especially when his communicator continued producing broken fragments of voices while the territory map displayed one warning after another.

The eastern checkpoint had turned red, indicating that Class Six was contesting the position, while the supply station behind their defensive line was flashing yellow. Worse, the communication tower connecting those two locations had already been disabled, leaving Helena’s command group unable to coordinate properly with the students operating farther away.

He stood in the middle of the abandoned intersection, handgun resting against his thigh as he studied the information available to him. His spatial perception stretched through the surrounding buildings, revealing the positions of several moving students, but even Spatial Sense had limitations. He could perceive the space around him with extraordinary accuracy, yet he couldn’t simultaneously examine every building across a territory several kilometers wide.

"Think," he muttered.

A faint breeze moved through the street. Somewhere to the east, an explosion echoed between the buildings.

He recognized the energy signature accompanying it.

Ravenna.

She was fighting, that meant she was still active.

He opened the emergency communication channel reserved for squad leaders and attempted to reconnect with Helena.

Static answered him, then a broken voice.

"...western... station..."

"Helena, this is Silver. Can you hear me?"

"...Silver?"

"Yes. Listen carefully. Class Six is using the central district as a distraction. Their actual attack is concentrated on our eastern checkpoint and rear supply line. We need to restore communications before they isolate everyone."

Another burst of static, then Helena’s voice returned.

"Understood... communication tower... occupied..."

He frowned.

Occupied?

He expanded Spatial Sense toward the tower. He noticed three signatures; two moving near the lower entrance and one stationary on the upper level.

He could also detect an unusual concentration of energy around the building’s central support structure.

A Contractor ability.

Someone had deliberately disabled the tower.

Silver raised his handgun.

"Helena, I’m heading to the communication tower. Have the defensive group hold the supply station. Don’t send anyone after me."

The connection crackled.

"...don’t overextend..."

Silver smiled faintly.

"Understood."

He ended the transmission, then started running.

The communication tower stood between two abandoned office buildings, its upper structure rising above the surrounding rooftops. Under normal circumstances, it would’ve been relatively easy to defend.

The narrow entrance limited the number of attackers who could approach simultaneously, while the elevated platform provided an excellent observation point over the central and western districts.

Class Six had apparently understood that. They’d also understood that capturing the tower would be far more valuable than simply defeating the students stationed around it.

He approached from the southern street, keeping close to the buildings while Spatial Sense tracked the three signatures inside. One student stood near the entrance, another patrolled the stairwell, and the third remained beside the tower’s control panel.

The one upstairs was probably responsible for the interference.

Hestopped behind an overturned vehicle, checked his ammunition, then activated Soul Insight.

[Insight Lv2 Activated.]

The ability didn’t provide him with a convenient explanation of every enemy Contractor’s powers, but it helped him examine the energy fluctuations surrounding the tower. He detected a dense, irregular field extending from the upper platform, interfering with the communication equipment and disrupting the transmission of signals through the surrounding area.

A specialized interference ability.

That explained why their communicators had failed so quickly.

Silver crouched.

"All right."

He raised his handgun.

[Phantom Draw Lv4 Activated.]

A shot cracked through the street. ℯ𝔴ℯ

The student guarding the entrance barely had time to turn before the academy-issued training round struck his shoulder. His protective barrier flashed red, and the identification sensor attached to his uniform immediately registered the hit.

[Participant Eliminated.]

The student stared at his shoulder, then at Silver.

"Seriously?"

He smiled.

"Sorry."

He activated Short-Step.

[Short-Step Lv3 Activated.]

His figure disappeared from behind the vehicle and reappeared inside the entrance.

The second student was already moving down the stairs, holding a short spear surrounded by faint blue energy.

Silver raised his handgun but the student reacted quickly, thrusting the spear toward him before he could fire.

He stepped sideways and the spear passed his shoulder.

He caught the shaft with his free hand, twisted it downward using his superior physical strength, and struck the student’s chest with the butt of his handgun.

The protective barrier flashed but it wasn’t enough to disable him.

The student attempted to retreat but he followed. A second strike landed against the exposed identification plate near his ribs.

[Participant Eliminated.]

The student groaned.

"That’s ridiculous."

Silver released the spear.

"Good attempt."

He continued upstairs.

The third student had already noticed the disturbance.

Silver reached the upper platform just as a series of thin metallic threads shot toward him from the control room.

He raised his left hand.

[Spatial Distortion Lv2 Activated.]

A compact barrier appeared at an angle. The threads struck it, and their trajectory changed, sending them into the wall beside him.

Silver stepped forward.

The student inside the control room was a thin young man with black hair and a narrow face. Several metallic rings floated around his wrists, producing faint electrical pulses that travelled into the damaged communication panel.

The student stared at Silver.

"Ruddington."

He smiled.

"Hello."

The young man’s expression tightened, then he raised both hands. The metallic threads moved again but Silver didn’t wait.

He activated Short-Step, reappeared beside the control panel and fired. The training round struck the student’s protective barrier.

Red light flashed.

[Participant Eliminated.]

The young man lowered his hands, then sighed.

"That was fast."

Silver nodded.

"Your interference was impressive."

The student looked at him.

"Thanks."

"How long does it take to restore the tower?"

The young man smiled.

"Why would I tell you?"

He considered it before shrugging.

"Fair."

He approached the control panel.

The interference field disappeared when the student was eliminated, but the tower itself remained disabled.

Several internal components had been damaged.

Silver frowned.

So it wasn’t enough to defeat the Contractor, they still needed to repair the equipment.

He opened the maintenance panel and examined the interior.

His understanding of electronics wasn’t exceptional, but he’d spent enough time around military communication equipment in his previous life to recognize several familiar principles.

More importantly, the academy had provided emergency repair kits at designated supply points, which meant this was probably intentional.

He activated his communicator.

"Helena, can you hear me?"

Static.

Then...

"Silver?"

He smiled.

"Much better."

"Where are you?"

"Communication tower. Three opponents eliminated. The interference field is gone, but the equipment needs repairs."

She exhaled audibly.

"Good work. Rowan is near the western supply station. I’ll send him with a repair kit."

He nodded.

"Understood."

"Silver."

"Yes?"

"Don’t go anywhere."

He paused, then smiled.

"That sounds ominous."

"You’re the only person currently positioned to protect the tower until reinforcements arrive."

He looked toward the surrounding streets.

"You’re right."

Helena continued.

"And stop trying to solve every problem yourself."

He laughed softly.

"Understood, Commander."

While Silver was securing the communication tower, Ravenna was having an entirely different experience on the eastern side of the battlefield.

Specifically, she was beginning to understand why Peter had warned them not to underestimate Class Six.

The eastern checkpoint had appeared almost undefended when her offensive group first approached. Three students were visible near the entrance, and none seemed particularly eager to fight.

She had initially suspected an ambush, but the moment she attempted to confirm the surrounding positions, several reinforced shutters slammed shut across the nearby buildings.

Then the road beneath them opened, not literally. A Contractor with an earth-manipulation ability had weakened the pavement, creating a narrow trench that separated Ravenna’s group from its rear support. At the same time, five Class Six students emerged from an underground maintenance passage and attacked from the side.

The entire maneuver had taken less than ten seconds.