Utopian System

"It's time," Elio finally said.

He had just transferred an incredible amount of cores and mana to Lucien and Selene, practically everything he had except for 10 million cores.

The seductresses - Lila, Aria, Mei, and Valeria - withdrew, firmly believing that Elio would depart for the sea of monsters the next day.

But Elio had no intention of leaving.

This deception, this white lie to his closest allies, was necessary to fool his true enemy. It would facilitate the work of the seductresses and, hopefully, make Cassandra lower her guard.

Once the girls left, Elio turned to Lucien, his expression serious.

"I need you to prepare all the free soldiers you have for tomorrow. Ivan and Tarec will remain in charge of the wall in the meantime, and Ren will help with management... I'll be in charge of the high-level soldiers in the central building."

Lucien nodded, although confusion was evident on his face. "Aren't you supposed to leave tomorrow?"

Elio shook his head. "That's what I want Cassandra to believe. The reality is different."

He proceeded to explain his plan. Based on the situation of the 'seductresses', Elio suspected that Cassandra planned to take his family hostage. "It's a tactic she seems to use frequently," he explained.

The plan was simple:

Elio would return hidden to his own room in the central building, securing his family. The soldiers he had been integrating into the central building would be his backup when Cassandra made her move.

"If Cassandra goes out of the building to make her play, she'll probably leave the hostages - the girls' families and other soldiers - lightly guarded," Elio reasoned. "With my power and the new loyal level 3 and 4 soldiers who have been born thanks to the invocations, I'll be able to rescue them... If she decides to go straight for my family, I'll eliminate her if she dares to open my door."

Lucien nodded, impressed by Elio's foresight. "It's a good plan, the soldiers at the entrances can alert you when Cassandra leaves."

♢♢♢♢

With the plan in motion, Elio retreated to his room, successfully hiding.

Finally, one of the guards from his mother's room gave him the signal. Cassandra had left the building with a large entourage of family members and guards who still maintained their loyalty to her.

It was time to act.

Elio moved quickly. His guards found the seductresses and they guided them to where the hostages were.

Just as he had predicted, the surveillance over the hostages was minimal. With the help of his allies, they managed to free them easily. hosted on m-v_l-e _m-p_y-r

♢♢♢♢

Guiding the rescued group, Elio led them towards the main door of the building. But instead of leaving, they stopped. "We'll wait here," Elio instructed. "We need Cassandra to reveal all her cards before she knows I'm still in the city."

As they waited, the seductresses couldn't contain their gratitude. Lila, in particular, looked at Elio with an intensity that went beyond mere appreciation.

"You've saved us," Aria whispered, her eyes bright with emotion. "Us and our families."

Mei nodded fervently. "We can never repay you for this, Von Elio."

Valeria, normally more reserved, added softly: "You're truly a leader worth following."

But it was Lila who came closer, her hand lightly brushing Elio's arm. "Thank you," she said, her voice charged with an emotion that went beyond words. "For everything."

Elio, though grateful for their loyalty, felt a bit uncomfortable with the intensity of their gazes.

The girls' interest in him had evolved beyond a simple strategic alliance.

Before the situation could become more awkward, they heard footsteps approaching the door. Elio gestured for everyone to keep quiet, preparing to hear Lucien and receive news about the external situation with Cassandra.

Had they already stopped her?

Would they need to help?

But when the door opened, it wasn't Lucien who appeared.

Cassandra was there.

"Quick!" they heard her shout. "Take Elio's family before Lucien and Selene realize and come!"

Time seemed to stop for an instant. Elio saw how Cassandra's eyes widened as she realized the scene in front of her. Surprise, shock, and then fear crossed her face in rapid succession.

Before Cassandra could react, Elio was already in motion. With a fluid gesture, he created a carbon layer around Cassandra and her group, effectively trapping them.

"What were you planning to do with my family, Cassandra?" Elio's voice was low, dangerous, charged with barely contained fury. Wide Guard trumpeted menacingly, its presence amplifying Elio's control over carbon.

Cassandra was now level 4, but she couldn't win against a lvl 5 with a system's armor.

Cassandra tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out.

The shock of seeing her plan crumble in seconds had left her speechless. Her rabbit familiar appeared, trying to break Elio's carbon prision, but Wide Guard easily neutralized its efforts.

It was then that Elio looked beyond Cassandra, towards the plaza. His eyes widened as he saw the chaos unfolding outside. The fury on his face intensified, his eyes burning with a rage Cassandra had never seen before.

Elio approached Cassandra and looked her in the eyes.

"What have you done?" Elio roared, his hand closing around Cassandra's neck. "What the hell have you done?!"

Without waiting for an answer, Elio lifted Cassandra, still trapped in carbon, and rose into the air. With a fluid movement, he flew towards the plaza, landing in the center of the chaos with an explosion of power that made the air tremble.

A huge carbon stake rose under his feet, lifting him above the enraged crowd. His voice, amplified by rage and power, resonated throughout the plaza:

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

Silence fell over the plaza like a lead slab when Elio landed, his system armor gleaming under the sun, Cassandra trapped in his grip. All eyes turned to Elio, some with surprise, others with fear, and a few with defiance.

Elio scanned the scene, his eyes burning with barely contained fury. Bodies lay on the ground, hundreds wounded, blood staining the white stones of the plaza. The air was charged with the metallic smell of violence and fear.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Elio's voice resonated, laden with anger and disappointment. "Are you idiots?!"

The crowd stirred uneasily, some lowering their gaze in shame, others still defiant in their shock.

"I've been breaking my back to avoid sacrifices," Elio continued, his voice rising with each word. "And what do you do? You sacrifice each other as if you were monsters! Did you like Fathoran's iron fist so much? Is that what you want?"

Cassandra, still trapped in Elio's grip, felt defeat… But also a perverse desire for revenge. With effort, she managed to speak, her voice hoarse but charged with contempt.

"You're not a real leader, Elio," she spat. "Sacrifices are necessary. God knows it. A true leader, like Fathoran, would understand what I read in the Creator's book. The masses act differently than individuals. They're influenceable, manageable."

Elio tightened his grip, his eyes burning with renewed fury. "You dare to speak of sacrifices? To put Fathoran on a pedestal? The man who intended to kill my family, my mother and siblings for nothing?"

The plaza fell into a sepulchral silence, the tension palpable in the air. Elio looked at Cassandra, then at the crowd, and back to Cassandra. A cold smile formed on his lips.

"If you like the idea of sacrifices so much, Cassandra, then you'll go first."