Martial Era: Starting With The Strongest Talent-Chapter 130: Uncontrolled Output

Adam leaned back into his seat as the vessel cut through the riverbed currents. The reinforced glass ahead showed dark water rushing past in streaks of green and blue.

"So," Adam said, eyes still forward, "anything I should know about this team of yours?"

Remedy kept her hands steady on the controls.

"There are five of us. Including you."

Adam waited.

"But describing them won’t do them justice," she continued. "You’ll have to meet them."

Adam glanced at her briefly, then back to the river.

"If you say so."

"Don’t worry," Remedy added. "I know you’ll accommodate them."

Accommodate?

He was about to question that, when the dashboard flashed red and a sharp alarm cut through the cabin.

Remedy’s voice stayed calm.

"Hold on tight. We have company."

Something massive slammed into the hull, shaking the entire hull violently.

Adam grabbed the edge of his seat.

"What was that?"

"A Normal level 4 monster- River Lion."

Adam exhaled lightly.

"Oh. Nothing major then..."

Another impact hit but this one was stronger than the last.

Then two more from different angles.

Remedy narrowed her eyes.

"They’re persistent. Looks like we ran into a pride."

Adam steadied himself as the vessel swerved.

"Didn’t you encounter them on your way here?"

"No. I killed a different apex predator. Seems that gave these ones room to expand."

Adam nodded.

"I see."

He glanced at the control panel.

"How did you handle them before? This thing has weapons, right?"

"Yes."

"Then why aren’t we using them?"

Remedy didn’t hesitate.

"Because the weapons are us."

"..."

Adam turned back toward the glass.

Large shadows circled the vessel. Long bodies. Broad fins. Muscular torsos built for water acceleration.

"Fair point," Adam said calmly. "I call dibs."

"No problem."

She glanced at him.

"Tell me when you’re ready."

Adam’s eyes sharpened.

"Ready."

Remedy pressed a button.

His seat reclined instantly and a cylindrical metal tube slid over him, sealing tight, as the pressure shifted.

Then...

THOOM.

He was launched.

The sound of propulsion roared as Adam shot out of the vessel and into open river water.

The launch hit like a cannon blast.

Adam shot through the river, body streamlined, the pressure folding around him, as he stabilized mid-water almost instantly.

A mask sealed over his face allowed clean oxygen intake, clear vision and unrestricted Movement.

He twisted in the water and looked back.

The vessel sat below, reinforced hull enduring repeated impacts.

Then he saw them.

Dozens of River Lions circled in layers.

Adam narrowed his eyes.

That’s... a lot.

He counted quickly.

Seventy. At least.

They were massive, long-bodied aquatic predators with plated backs and elongated maws lined with jagged teeth. Powerful fins churned the water with every movement.

He activated Analyze.

[River Lion — Normal Level 4]

[Mob Units: 61]

[Elite Units: 9]

[Star Power Estimate: 18–20]

As Remedy said.

Normal Level 4.

Individually weak but collectively dangerous.

Several River Lions turned toward him.

Sixteen broke formation and accelerated.

Water pressure spiked as they charged.

Adam didn’t move as he activated Mind Control E and the first wave froze mid-charge.

Their eyes dulled and sixteen fell under full control.

Adam soon shifted his focus.

Fourteen more peeled off from the circling group.

He expanded control.

Mind Control E — Extended and the fourteen stiffened. Now the total controlled was 30.

Adam exhaled slowly through the mask.

Thirty against forty.

Good enough.

The remaining River Lions continued attacking the vessel, unaware of the shift in tide.

The submarine held firm, as there were no visible cracks or structural compromise.

Clear sign of a High-grade hull.

Adam rolled his shoulders.

Bone Generation D activated.

Spikes formed along his forearms and calves, increasing propulsion and lethality.

Time to clean the river.

He kicked forward.

The thirty mind-controlled River Lions followed in formation.

Adam surged toward the remaining forty.

And the hunt began.

The forty River Lions broke formation the moment they saw him. With thirty of their own swimming at them and Adam at the center.

Their instincts warned them immediately.

This was a threat.

They immediately abandoned the vessel and surged forward. Blue lightning crackled across their bodies, as the water lit up.

Electric charge spread violently through the river, amplifying their speed and their electrical amplification through a conductive medium.

But Adam reacted instantly.

Bone Generation D Activated.

Thick bone armor layered over his body, sealing tight. The outer layer soaked with river water, but the inner layer remained dry for poor conductivity.

Stone Cold E activated as well.

His cells compacted with crystalline density reinforcing his frame.

Lightning slammed into him but the charge dispersed along the wet exterior but failed to penetrate the dry internal structure.

The thirty mind-controlled River Lions collided with the charging forty. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Bodies crashed underwater.

Electric pulses burst in chaotic waves.

Adam cut through the clash, targeting the nine elites.

A bone scythe formed in his grip, as one elite lunged. Lightning wrapped its body, jaws wide, speed boosted by its special talent.

But Adam didn’t dodge, instead Stone Cold intensified and the elite’s bite struck...

CRACK!

Its fangs shattered against the crystalline and bone reinforcement as Adam swung the scythe and it sliced clean through its neck.

[+4 Existence]

The remaining eight elites circled Adam’s but his eyes sharpened, as more lightning built in the water.

The conductivity increased rapidly but he activated the trapping feature of Stone Cold almost immediately.

There was a sudden pause and in the next moment the river around him crystallized.

A sudden pulse and the water itself condensed. A crystalline enclosure exploded outward in all directions.

Every River Lion, Controlled and hostile alike...

Was trapped mid-motion.

Frozen inside a dense, stone-cold casing.

Even Adam froze.

He blinked.

What...?

The enclosure extended far wider than intended.

The river around them turned into a suspended, glass-like prison.

Adam’s mind raced.

That wasn’t the output I calculated.

His control flickered for half a second.

Then he steadied himself inside the crystalline void.

The river, monsters and everything, completely still.

****

A/N: Thank You for reading and all the support so far you guys are the best.