Infinite System Inheritor Return From The Abyss-Chapter 283 - 282: A plan

Seoyang and John arrived at the US Awakeners Association, stepping off their private plane with a sense of urgency in the air. As they entered the headquarters, the familiar hustle and bustle of the top rankers' work greeted them.

"Ah, the couple is here!" came a teasing voice.

Seoyang turned and saw her brother, Shaun, leaning casually against the wall with a playful smile.

"How was the vacation?" Shaun asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Seoyang smiled back at him. "It was short but good, sorry, brother. Next time, I'll make sure to invite you along."

Shaun gave a dramatic sigh. "Tsk, I see how it is. Too busy for me now." He shook his head, playfully pouting.

Before Seoyang could respond, the door opened, and in walked Isabelle, the top-ranked Beastmaster of the US. Her gaze immediately landed on John and Seoyang, and she studied them carefully, as though she was reading them like an open book.

"Ah, it's you two," Isabelle said coolly, her voice calm but with a trace of something more. "I almost didn't recognize you."

Seoyang and John exchanged a brief glance. It was then that they realized Isabelle hadn't immediately recognized them, and they smiled apologetically.

"Ah, we're sorry about that," Seoyang said with a light chuckle. "We've been in our older forms, but I guess it's been a while since you've seen us this way."

In an instant, their appearances shifted. John's hair turned to a brilliant white, and Seoyang's hair shifted to a mix of green, growing longer. Their faces took on their true, more young features.

"We've been using our older forms recently," John explained with a smile.

Isabelle raised an eyebrow but nodded, clearly understanding. "Well, it's good to see the both of you, no matter the form. Now that I can recognize you, let's get down to business."

Seoyang and John exchanged a relieved glance before nodding and preparing for the meeting ahead.

Seoyang and John took their seats as Isabelle settled into her chair at the head of the long table. The room was filled with high-ranking Awakeners, their expressions serious. It was clear that this meeting was of utmost importance.

"The other top rankers have already been dispatched to the newly appeared zone," Isabelle began, her gaze sweeping across the room. "That means the rest of us will be assigned to the next one, which is expected to manifest soon."

Murmurs spread among the Awakeners as they absorbed the information. Currently there are Floating Zones in the sky, Submerged Zones underwater, and Hollow Zones deep underground—but now, the fourth zone had appeared-- The Maze zones

Before anyone could speak, Isabelle gestured to someone.

"I'll let Ethan Wolfe take the floor," she said.

A tall man with dark, slightly disheveled hair and sharp gray eyes leaned forward. Ethan Wolfe, ranked 6th, was a well-known powerhouse. He exuded an air of confidence, but his expression was unusually grim.

"I'm sure many of you have heard about it," Ethan began, his fingers tapping on the table. "The 18-year-old unawakened force awakening cases. We need to discuss this because it's getting worse."

Seoyang frowned, glancing between Ethan and Isabelle. "Wait… why are we only hearing about this now? If it was this serious, why weren't we informed earlier?"

Shaun sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Because it started small. At first, we thought it was just a few rare cases of Awakening gone wrong. But the more we investigated, the clearer it became that someone is deliberately targeting unawakened 18-year-olds."

John narrowed his eyes. "Targeting?"

Shaun shook his head. "Someone has been giving unawakened kids an unidentified liquid, claiming it will help them Awaken. But instead of properly Awakening, they all lose control and go berserk."

Seoyang leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "And all of them were 18?"

"Every single one," Ethan confirmed. "It's as if whoever is behind this is specifically targeting that age group. Maybe because 18 is the most common age for natural Awakening, or maybe there's another reason we haven't figured out yet."

Isabelle's eyes darkened. "We need to stop this before more kids get hurt."

"As of today, there have been eight confirmed cases of unawakened 18-year-olds suddenly going berserk."

A ripple of unease spread through the room. Eight cases in one week? That was no coincidence.

"The only consistent clue we have is the presence of an unidentified liquid in their system before the berserk state begins," Ethan continued. "But every single time, the liquid is either gone or untraceable before we can analyze it. Either the substance vanishes after consumption, or it gets absorbed too quickly."

Seoyang leaned forward "What about extracting it from their bodies after they go berserk?" she asked. "If it stays in their system long enough to cause a reaction, shouldn't we be able to take a sample?"

Ethan exhaled sharply and shook his head.

"We tried. Every test has come back negative. It's as if the liquid completely disappears the moment the transformation is complete."

John, who had been listening quietly, muttered under his breath, "Fifteen is the age when deities choose and awaken their candidates… but these kids are already past that."

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Seoyang turned to him. "You think there's a connection?"

John shook his head. "No, but it's strange. Normally, if someone doesn't Awaken by 15, they remain unawakened for life. They're using the opportunity"

Ethan nodded. "That's what makes this so suspicious. Every single one of the victims was 18. Whoever is behind this is choosing that age specifically."

Seoyang leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "And they all lost control?"

"Completely," Isabelle confirmed. "It's as if their bodies couldn't handle the Awakening process and just… broke."

"And this is happening worldwide?" John asked, his voice tense.

Isabelle nodded. "Yes. And the first case happened in Korea."

John and Seoyang immediately exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from concern to fear. Their son and daughter were both 18 and unawakened.

Ethan, noticing their worry, quickly reassured them. "You don't have to worry too much. Korea was the first to experience this… but they were also the first to help us."

Seoyang narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Isabelle didn't answer right away. Instead, she slowly raised her hand and placed it on the table. As she opened her clenched fist, a small silver snake slithered out, its scales shimmering under the lights.

"They gave this to us."

The tiny snake coiled neatly on the table, its head lifting as if aware of the conversation.

Isabelle smirked." This little guy can track those who drank the liquid. Before they fully lose control, we can find them and restrain them."

Seoyang exhaled in relief. "That's… good, at least."

"Yes" Isabelle's voice darkened. "We can't find them until they start berserking. Until then, they're completely undetectable."

"Maybe it's the latest S-rank beast? You know, the Beastmaster from Korea... It wouldn't be strange if it belonged to him," Shaun suggested, his tone thoughtful.

Ethan hummed in agreement. "That's possible. Korea's Beastmaster is known for being a mystery. If it's his, that would explain why they had it first."

Shaun narrowed his eyes as he observed the small silver snake slithering on the table. His gaze shifted to Seoyang.

"Sis… do you know this snake? or the Beastmaster?" he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.