Deviant: No Longer Human

Aurora\'s heart pounded in her chest as she looked up at Wang Xiao, her eyes filled with a mixture of hesitation and longing.

Finally, with a shaky nod, she whispered, "Okay. Let\'s try."

___________

On September 30th, the once tranquil Jay Mayen Island was engulfed in chaos.

The air vibrated with the consistent buzz of helicopter rotors as Wang Xiao bid farewell to Ericka and Serphina, who had recovered.

They had awoken two days prior, but Wang Xiao had been preoccupied with Aurora, leaving him no opportunity to contact them.

Despite their situation, both women had the wisdom to call for help but chose not to venture out on their own, opting to wait for Wang Xiao\'s return instead.

Wang Xiao had managed to get a replacement for his broken phone, thanks to the efficient services of the Pantheon network, which had it replaced within a few hours.

"Where to now?" He finally turned to Aurora, who seemed to be donning new attire.

She was adorned in what appeared to be a new outfit, though, upon closer inspection, it was simply her previous attire minus the jacket that had once shrouded her from prying eyes.

Freed from its confines, her figure now painted a picture of undeniable femininity, casting her in a light that significantly aged her in Wang Xiao\'s eyes.

Where once the jacket had lent her the innocence of youth, suggesting a girl barely past her mid-teens, its absence now revealed a woman in the full bloom of her early twenties.

"Lord Prince! We shall be taking our leave!" announced John, the Deviant who had stepped into Adam\'s shoes after the latter met his demise at the hands of Wang Xiao. He saluted towards Wang Xiao, backed by a lineup of figures all dressed uniformly in sleek black suits.

Rooaaar!

"Huh?" Wang Xiao was on the cusp of nodding in acknowledgment when the calm of the sky was shattered by the sudden emergence of a colossal dragon, sending waves of shock through everyone present—everyone, that is, except for Wang Xiao and Aurora.

"Alert!" John\'s eyes narrowed, a sheen of cold sweat breaking across his back as he instinctively took charge, signaling to the others to be on high alert.

Thud!

With a force that trembled the earth, the dragon landed on its mighty legs, its sharp, predatory gaze sweeping over those gathered.

When its eyes fixed on John, he felt as though he was peering straight into the abyss, the gaze of the reaper himself.

Even Amaya, another Deviant standing close by, found herself paralyzed under the weight of that fearsome stare.

But the tension snapped as swiftly as it had arrived. The dragon\'s menacing aura melted away, turning almost domesticated as Aurora approached it. Her hand reached out, tracing gentle caresses along its formidable face.

This transformation, from fierce beast to docile giant at Aurora\'s touch, sent shivers down the spine of everyone watching. It was a vivid reminder, a reevaluation of the woman who stood by the Eighth Prince\'s side, her significance magnified in a moment that intertwined fear, respect, and awe.

"You guys can go—" Wang Xiao began, turning to dismiss them, but paused mid-sentence, his gaze sharpening. "Both of you are Deviants, right?" His eyes swiftly scanned John and Amaya.

"Yes, lord!" John responded immediately, a trace of excitement in his voice for being recognized, while Amaya offered a faint nod in confirmation.

Their military helmets and gear made it challenging to distinguish their identities at a glance.

"If you both are here, who is with Li Zhiming?" Wang Xiao\'s inquiry followed, his memory reminding him that the Pantheon network typically assigned only two Deviants.

"Lord, we were commanded by Sir Zhiming to come here! The Commander wanted to properly greet the new guardian!" John explained, his eyes sparkling with admiration.

Despite being in the legion for only a few years and still bearing the youthful appearance of a 15-16 year old, John was well aware that, until now, not a single death of a Guardian had been reported.

Wang Xiao was the first to defeat a Guardian and take his place.

Although this opened the door for others to challenge him for the position, the imposing presence of the large dragon behind him, exhaling cold breaths, was a deterrent strong enough to quell any such ambitions.

Who would dare challenge a man capable of slaying a Guardian, especially when he commanded such a terrifying beast?

The thought alone was enough to instill a deep sense of respect, and perhaps a hint of fear, in those who understood the magnitude of Wang Xiao\'s achievements.

"Humph..." Amaya\'s reaction was a sharp contrast to John\'s; a sneer flickered across her face, brief and quickly masked, yet it was a clear sign of her defiance. Despite her internal resistance, she was acutely aware of her limits, understanding all too well that she was no match for Wang Xiao.

Wang Xiao\'s acknowledgment of John was brief, a mere nod, before his gaze shifted, landing on Amaya with an intensity that seemed to pierce through her. "You\'re Adam\'s sister?" he inquired, his voice calm yet laden with implications that sent a jolt of panic through Amaya\'s core.

\'He knows about me!?\' The thought thundered in her mind, a mix of shock and fear rendering her momentarily speechless.

John, too, was taken aback, his eyes widening in surprise as he looked at Amaya, as if seeing her in a new light.

Under the weight of Wang Xiao\'s penetrating gaze, Amaya\'s resolve wavered. Her lips pressed tightly together, she hesitated before finally yielding to the inevitable.

With a trembling hand, she removed her helmet, revealing her identity. "Yes, Lord, I am Amaya, from the Eagle\'s Eye faction, assigned to oversee affairs within the Pantheon network."