Flames erupted.
Therestina saw a blaze rushing straight at her. Instinctively, she raised her hands to shield herself, but to her surprise, she felt none of the fire's heat. When she opened her eyes again, everything before her had completely changed.
What lay before her was no longer Academy City. An endless land of ash stretched into the distance, crimson lava flowed slowly across the ground, and overhead hung an Asteroid Belt and a scarlet sun. The scorching air hit her full in the face, making it hard to breathe.
The soldiers were stunned by the sight as well.
"W-What is this?"
"What's going on? What happened?!"
"Don't panic!!"
Seeing her subordinates lose their heads, Therestina gritted her teeth and shouted, forcefully steadying them.
"This is just an illusion! The enemy must have used some kind of ability or device to create it. Monsters like this do not exist in this world! Calm down, all of you! Don't panic!"
As Therestina spoke, the soldiers gradually calmed down. They gripped their guns again and aimed them at Fang Zheng. Therestina stared coldly at him and spoke once more.
"Though I don't know what you used, I advise you to hand over those lab rats. You look like a highly promising researcher yourself. Are you really willing to be buried like this? Join us. Research Level 6 with us! You know what that represents!"
"It represents an idiot wanting to go to college without taking a look at what he is."
Fang Zheng yawned again. He showed no reaction whatsoever to the rows of gun barrels aimed at him.
"You think people like you can produce some kind of Level 6? You haven't woken up from your dream yet, have you? Kihara Gensei is just a senile idiot, and you aren't much