The military of United States was in an uproar.
Deep within a hidden underground base, countless supercomputers roared to life, their screens flickering with streams of data. Scientists and analysts worked frantically, processing the aftermath of the battle that had shaken the skies only moments ago.
They sought answers. Numbers. Parameters. Anything that could explain what they had just witnessed.
After all, this was their land. Something of that magnitude happening on their soil could not be ignored. To them, it was nothing less than a potential crisis descending from the heavens.
At last, the calculations finished, and the results were displayed on massive monitors.
"The intensity of that power…" a senior official muttered, staring at the data in disbelief. "It is beyond extreme."
"That much we can see," one of his political rivals snapped impatiently. "Get to the point."
The first official hesitated before continuing, his voice heavy. "According to the analysis, this force did not emerge naturally. It wasn't a phenomenon of nature… it was wielded by a person. Someone carries this kind of terrifying power."
"What!?"
The chamber erupted. Chairs screeched, tables were struck, and officials rose to their feet with wide eyes. Disbelief and fear painted their faces.
Impossible. The thought alone was absurd. No human could possess such overwhelming might.
"Although it sounds unbelievable," the official pressed, his expression grim, "this conclusion was reached by our supercomputers. The margin of error is only 0.0001. The data cannot be dismissed."
A bitter smile tugged at his lips. He himself struggled to believe it, yet the results left no room for doubt. This was not guesswork. It was fact.
"Does such a person truly exist in this world?" one of the higher-ups asked, his voice trembling. His tone carried disbelief, but also despair.
If such an individual did exist, then what were they? What was the worth of nations, armies, and governments in front of someone like that? Their existence could be crushed like insects between a pair of hands.
"There are such people in this world," a voice interrupted coldly, "and not just one. There are many."
Every head in the room snapped toward the sound. Their pupils contracted in unison, their hearts seizing with fear.
A man stood there, dressed in simple casual clothes, as though he had walked in from the street. His face was calm, his gaze cold, and his very presence seemed to suffocate the air.
Arakawa Zenkichi.
Gasps and cries broke out at once.
"H-How did you get in here!?" one of the officials shouted in alarm.
This was an S-class facility, fortified and hidden beyond the reach of almost anyone on Earth. Detection systems, layered security, and military protection ensured that no intruder could ever breach it.
And yet here he was, standing in the heart of their most secretive stronghold as though it were nothing.
"Is it really so difficult to enter this place?" Zenkichi asked calmly, his voice carrying quiet contempt.
The officials froze. Their lips parted, but no words came.
To him, infiltrating one of the most secure bases in the world was nothing more than a trivial feat. Something that could be done casually, almost playfully.
Their silence weighed heavier than their panic.
They understood now.
The data hadn't been exaggeration. The numbers hadn't been wrong.
This man truly existed, and he stood before them with a power so vast that even the most advanced technology could barely measure it.
For the leaders, who had always believed themselves untouchable, the realization was terrifying.
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Milestone
100 Power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter.