Chapter 275 Declassification Protocol
— 1 Minute Before Hellgate Opens - Atlanteus HQ —
The tranquil hum of Atlanteus Base instantly shifted into a cacophony of urgency as alarms reverberated through the underground command center. Penthesilea, the base director, wasted no time. Her gaze swiftly traversed holographic displays, revealing the imminent convergence of demonic energy detected by the satellite at Tessia Kingdom Royal Square—an ominous sign of an impending Hell gate opening.
"Attention all personnel! This is not a drill!" Penthesilea's authoritative voice echoed through the intercom. "Hell gate opening imminent! Massive demonic energy detected at Tessia Kingdom Royal Square! This is not a drill!"
In the city-like complex of the base, elite operatives and warriors moved with disciplined precision to their assigned stations. Civilian departments, including restaurants, supermarkets, and entertainment districts, swiftly closed down as non-combat personnel sought refuge in the prepared bunkers.
Within the command center, Penthesilea issued commands systematically before turning to her nearby subordinate.
"Has Odysseus arrived yet?" She inquired about the strategist who had been sent to the medical center by her after a recent altercation.
"I've already notified him. He should be here shortly," her subordinate reported.
True to the subordinate's words, a few minutes later, Odysseus wheeled in, his right leg still in a splint.
"Ugh, you're such a slave driver, Penthesilea!" Odysseus grumbled, clearly frustrated that his injuries hadn't fully healed yet. This amazon queen, despite despising slavery, acted as a slave driver herself and didn't even spare him, still injured.
"Shut up, Odysseus! Help me take command here. I'll be on the frontline. You're better at overseeing the entire war theater than me," Penthesilea admitted reluctantly, acknowledging Odysseus's strategic prowess.
Grabbing her spear, shield, and a large battleaxe, Penthesilea prepared to leave the command center but was stopped by Odysseus.
"Wait!" he shouted.
"What?" Penthesilea asked impatiently, eager to join her warriors on the frontline, improvising as precise data was still pending, and she didn't have time to wait for it.
"Good luck!" Odysseus offered a solemn nod, and Penthesilea reciprocated before throwing a small vial containing a light blue liquid that seemed to radiate light toward Odysseus.
"What's this?" Odysseus inquired after receiving the vial from Penthesilea.
"A vial of diluted elixir of immortality. In case you need to go to the battlefield, drink it. It won't make you immortal, but It will completely heal you as long as you don't die; you'll come back to full health with all limbs restored," Penthesilea explained.
"What about you? Don't you need this?" Odysseus inquired, more concerned about Penthesilea since she is going to the frontline; she needs this thing more than he does.
"Heh…" Penthesilea didn't say anything, only let out a snort then showed three more vials that have the same appearance as the one she gave Odysseus before heading out of the command room toward the battlefield.
"Damn… she even had three more of this thing…" Odysseus uttered after seeing Penthesilea had three more of those precious elixir vials.
'Wait! Wait!" Odysseus shouted once again, this time louder than before since Penthesilea had already walked out of the command room.
In a few seconds, Penthesilea extended her head into the command room, shouting back, "What the hell do you want now!? Speak! I don't have all day!" Her patience was at its limit.
"Well…" Odysseus pointed at the main screen, specifically at the big deep blue icon of a cute octopus. "What's that… blue octopus?" inquired Odysseus.
"Oh!" It dawned on Penthesilea that she still hadn't told Odysseus many things. She quickly came to her commanding desk, opened a drawer, and picked up a notebook where she noted various base protocols and some miscellaneous information, including the significance of the blue octopus icon on the screen.
"That blue octopus icon is Abysmos; he serves our lord now. In this notebook, there are many things I've noted, including important details like that icon," Penthesilea explained.
"What's Abysmos? You talk as if I know him," Odysseus asked, oblivious to Penthesilea's meaning. It's important to note that despite being Daniel's strategist, Odysseus didn't have access to information beyond his level.
Important details were restricted to Penthesilea as the director of the base and Daniel himself. This ensured that Odysseus's duties didn't overlap with Penthesilea and maintained a clear hierarchy within Daniel's forces.
"That Abysmos, the one who served under Poseidon and kept you from going back home," Penthesilea clarified.
Odysseus was stunned, his brain circuit malfunctioning for a moment after hearing Penthesilea's clarification.
"What!? That Abysmos!? That damn monster is serving our lord now!?" Odysseus cried out with a mix of alarm and surprise. He remembered back then, during the Era of God, Abysmos was nothing short of a scourge in the sea, always creating sea-related disasters in the name of Poseidon.
After explaining everything to Odysseus, Penthesilea quickly left for the frontline to take command of the warriors.
Odysseus then contacted all the public service employees in Sector Alpha City, such as the police, fire department, medics, and hospitals, urging them to prepare. He also called the city hall to announce the impending invasion, urging cooperation with Astral Tech to evacuate citizens to the bunkers built within the city.
— Sector Alpha City - Above ground —
As evening descended upon Sector Alpha City, the atmosphere plunged into chaos, punctuated by the piercing wails of emergency sirens echoing through the streets. The populace, faces etched with bewilderment and fear, grappled with the unfolding disaster. Uncertainty permeated the air, fueled by eerie news footage revealing demonic-like creatures emerging from a mysterious gate in Tessia Kingdom.
"What's happening? Are those monsters?"
"Feels like we're trapped in a horror nightmare!"
"Check the news! Demons or aliens, I can't tell!"
"All of you! The Astral Tech city management department has already built bunkers! Move to the nearest one, or the one assigned to your residence based on your family registration at the city hall!" A police officer urgently directed the bewildered citizens.
With urgency guiding their steps, citizens followed the lead of police and volunteers, including firefighters, towards bunkers marked by nano-instructor bots, a courtesy of Astral Tech. The island bridge transformed into a chaotic rush as people sought refuge, their trust in the city's emergency responders unwavering.
"Stay calm, follow us to the bunkers! We're here to guide you to safety!" assured one of the police officers in a composed but loud voice.
"Move quickly! We've got to get everyone underground!" urged a firefighter for those still bewildered.
"Thank goodness for the police and firefighters. Where are these bunkers, though?"
"Can't believe this is real. What are those creatures?!"
As bewildered citizens traversed the streets and reached the underground bunkers, a collective sigh of relief echoed. Guided by automated bots, they found assigned rooms, expressing gratitude for Astral Tech's foresight.
"This bunker is incredible! They've got everything—food, water, rooms for each family!"
"Never thought I'd thank a corporation, but Astral Tech saved us."
"Our own room! Better than expected. Damn! this makes me willingly pay taxes to them!"
"Yeah, I thought when this city fell under the jurisdiction of a company, they would exploit us. Never thought they would be more efficient than those greedy governors from Tessia Kingdom."
Amid the tumult, the bunkers offered a haven, and the people expressed gratitude for Astral Tech's preparedness in the face of uncertainty.
— Atlanteus Base —
With all citizens safely evacuated to the bunkers and everything in order, Odysseus consulted Penthesilea's notebook to familiarize himself with the various emergency protocols. Analyzing the situation and the data from the recently deployed drone, he came to a decisive conclusion.
Aware that their lord was approximately 12 hours away from returning, Odysseus understood that holding back against the massive demonic horde wasn't an option.
"Initiate the Declassification Protocol!" he proclaimed loudly within the command center. The officers hesitated, glancing at Odysseus, questioning the seriousness of the situation.
The 'Declassification Protocol' was reserved for the most extreme emergencies, a means to reveal Atlanteus Base's true capabilities to the world. This involved showcasing their advanced power armor technology, formidable battleships capable of firing superheated charges that could turn the ground into glass upon impact, and other futuristic weaponry. The unveiling of such advanced and secretive technology would undoubtedly complicate matters globally, but the dire circumstances left no alternative.
"Didn't you hear me? 'Initiate the Declassification Protocol!' Do your job, and I'll handle the consequences myself!" Odysseus roared at the officers who turned toward him.
"Yes, sir!" The officer in the command center swiftly retrieved a protocol book from their drawer, following the instructions to initiate the declassification protocol.
After the officer confirmed the confirmation code and received instructions to initiate the Declassification Protocol, they swiftly entered the password on their respective consoles. The commanding officer's hand scan followed suit, triggering the second alarm within the base.
"Attention all personnel, initiate the Declassification Protocol. I repeat, initiate the Declassification Protocol," echoed the electronic female voice throughout the base.
In the special training room, Nicholas Sullivan, the former supreme general of the Tessia Kingdom, emerged from the power armor-wearing machine, fully armed from head to toe.
"Hell, it's about time…" Nicholas uttered with excitement as he opened the mask.
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