Chapter 51: Eye of the Storm (1)
[Seraphim]
Full designation: [Seraphim]-class Strategic Support Heavy Exoskeleton Armor
The [Seraphim] is a derivative of the [Valkyrie] model, developed by Eisenburg’s research team using technical data provided by the Steel Brotherhood, combined with their own technological reserves for extensive modifications.
While it’s a variant of the [Valkyrie], the [Seraphim]’s design philosophy completely overturns traditional single-soldier combat gear.
—Instead of the pilot adapting to the armor, the armor adapts to the pilot.
This approach brings skyrocketing costs and the inconvenience of incompatible parts across models…
The piloting difficulty is also drastically increased, demanding terrifyingly high standards from the wearer.
But for the queen, this was no issue—
After all, it was essentially custom-built for her.
If the [Valkyrie] is a black war god born for crushing and slaughter, the [Seraphim] is a silver angel, revolutionized with modular design for command and control.
Every module, every component, uses proprietary quick-connect technology, allowing armor plates and parts to be swapped or replaced on-demand for specific missions.
Combat, reconnaissance, flight…
Various functional components can be freely combined, giving the wearer near-infinite battlefield adaptability.
Need fire support? Equip heavy weapons.
Need stealth? Swap to optical camouflage.
Need air mobility? Deploy thruster modules…
Even more astonishing, the [Seraphim] comes with an integrated self-transport system.
Not as fantastical as self-repairing nanobots, but a fleet of adorable mini-drones carries preset modules or backup power sources, launching from hidden hangars across the city, automatically locating the armor, and completing assembly in seconds.
The entire process requires no human intervention—trained AI systems handle scheduling and micro-control, finishing everything in under a minute.
But this isn’t its most terrifying feature.
The [Seraphim]’s true horror lies in its deep integration with Eisenburg’s information network—satellites, supercomputers, city databases…
Every surveillance camera, comms tower, radar array, even traffic lights…
Anything linked to Eisenburg’s network and servers becomes its eyes.
Within Eisenburg, the [Seraphim]’s wearer is an omniscient god!
Boom—
A silver meteor dove, thrusters buffering, landing steadily on the dome’s edge above the safehouse, scorching the gray ground black with blazing exhaust.
The once-wide ring walkway was now half-shattered by the underground explosion’s impact…
“Kirupa, pull all surveillance records of her relief activities this afternoon.”
[Command confirmed]
[Retrieving relevant data…]
Compared to the [Valkyrie]’s tactical visor, the [Seraphim]’s helmet interior resembled a miniature command center, like a lone spaceship in the cosmos.
With Seraphina’s gestures—stretching, zooming, rotating—a 360-degree holographic projection enveloped her, displaying the underground city’s real-time visuals.
[Retrieval complete]
[Found 347 video files, total duration: 10 hours, 37 minutes]
[Filter: Target—Mili]
“Focus on her last known location…”
[Time frame: 16:00-19:00]
[Analyzing]
Countless split-screens unfolded across the surrounding virtual displays, transforming into a control room-like scene.
As high-speed playback began, virtual and real images overlapped, dizzying to behold…
She leaped from the shattered walkway’s edge, heading straight for the smoking safehouse ruins.
The surrounding walls were blasted apart, the heavy blast door warped and bulging, a gaping maw roaring silently.
The air was thick with scalding smoke and char, suffocating.
The silver armor’s floodlights snapped on, piercing beams from head and shoulders cutting through the swirling dust, illuminating it like daylight.
[Retrieval complete]
Found her.
“Scan for life signs in the rubble.” Her voice was icy as she pulled up Mili’s tracking footage.
[Scanning]
[Server data missing]
[Unable to access Sanctuary-0 local surveillance records]
[Reconstructing collapsed structure—Estimated time: 56 seconds]
Seraphina raised her gaze, scouring surface footage for that familiar figure during the AI’s analysis.
The footage froze on a street corner—the last image captured by a surveillance camera.
A girl in a white Saintess robe, under Kaia’s protection, fleeing past what was once the safehouse entrance…
Timestamp: 18:49.
They didn’t enter the safehouse?
Then who was just blown up?
[No life signs detected in Sanctuary-0]
[Confirmed: No survivors in the structure]
“Keep tracking, push the timeline forward, switch to all cameras along their route.”
[Retrieving data from relevant cameras]
[Estimated range: All surveillance devices within a 2-kilometer radius]
[Includes: Street cameras, shop security, public facilities, private residences]
“Authorize everything,” Seraphina added coldly. “I want to know where she is now!”
“And pull the safehouse footage!”
“Find out who that imposter was…”
[Cracking encrypted channels]
[Analyzing…]
[Warning: Multiple anomalous records detected]
“Deal with it later!”
The main screen split in two.
One side showed Mili and Kaia’s movements.
The other traced earlier footage, before the team entered the safehouse’s surface entrance…
Seraphina’s gold-blue eyes narrowed slightly.
The “Saintess” swept up by the crowd to the escorts…
That face…
That figure…
That outfit…
Identical.
18:30.
The footage showed the imposter “Saintess” chatting warmly with the escorts, her face full of pitiful charm.
Her mimicry was flawless.
Biting her lip, nervously fidgeting with her hem, avoiding eye contact…
Even her tone matched Mili’s perfectly…
No.
Wrong.
Seraphina scrutinized the footage, her doubts growing.
This wasn’t mere mimicry.
Training…?
Could long-term, systematic training achieve this?
But Mili had only been here a week—how could someone copy her so perfectly…
[Warning: Biometric anomalies detected]
[Target’s physical data deviates from archive records]
[Recommend identity verification]
“Now you tell me?” Seraphina sneered. “Kirupa, your response system needs an upgrade.”
[Feedback recorded]
[Optimizing recognition algorithms]
The footage continued.
18:45: The escort captain swiped into the safehouse entrance.
18:51: The elevator reached the lowest level.
19:07: A hymn began inside the room…
19:11: The feed cut out.
—The moment of the internal explosion.
From start to finish, the “Saintess”’s performance was impeccable…
She knew when to show fear, which escort to flash a grateful smile, even mimicking Mili’s habitual gestures perfectly…
But…
That wasn’t her Mili.