Lucid Veins

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Chapter 11 : ARRIVAL OVER ASHES

Head:

"Okay then… if you're ready… go and touch that 'Choose' option."

A glowing blue panel floated in front of Nicolas, pulsing gently like a heartbeat. The words "CHOOSE " flickered on its surface.

Nicolas stepped forward. He took a deep breath and reached out his hand.

As soon as his fingers touched the light—

everything exploded into motion.

Wind tore around him. The space cracked like glass. A swirling vortex opened beneath his feet, pulling him in with blinding speed. Lights spun around his body like electric vines, wrapping him in golden current.

The ground vanished.

A storm of wind and static hit Nicolas's skin.

Then—he arrived.

The world he landed in was not calm like the previous dreamscapes. This place screamed. Buildings were torn apart, smoke painted the sky, and the distant roars of machines filled the air. He stood in the middle of a broken street in the heart of the United Kingdom, now a battlefield.

Massive warships hovered above the skyline, shooting lasers that crushed entire city blocks. The people below didn't run.

They fought back.

Human soldiers in metallic armor sprinted through the chaos. Some had glowing eyes, others had strange robotic arms or floating drones beside them. They weren't just people anymore. They had evolved. Enhanced. Augmented.

A red-haired woman unleashed fire from her palms, launching it toward a hovering Tech Alliance bot.

A boy beside her summoned a shield made of pure light.

Mana. This world had mana.

Suddenly, a voice buzzed in Nicolas's head. His AI Suit.

AI Suit (calm voice): "Welcome to Dimensional Warfront: Timeline UK-472. Atmospheric mana levels detected. Copy Skill protocol unlocked."

Nicolas blinked. "Wait, unlocked?"

AI Suit: "Correct. The air is rich with mana. Your body can now use its latent Copy Skill. You may mimic abilities or entities up to five times within this realm, based on mana restrictions."

Nicolas's eyes widened.

Nicolas: "So… I can copy anything?"

AI Suit: "Not infinitely. The current mana density allows only five complete activations. Choose wisely."

Suddenly, explosions rocked the ground nearby. Tech Alliance robots—sleek, silver-bodied machines with glowing red cores—descended like vultures. Their heads had no faces, just black glass domes. Their arms twisted into blades and plasma cannons.

A robotic voice echoed through the chaos: "Hand Alliance detected. Initiating extermination."

Humans, or rather, the Hand Alliance, pushed back with rifles, cannons, and raw power. Still, they were being overwhelmed.

Nicolas took cover behind a flipped vehicle. A Hand soldier with a mechanical leg offered him a hand.

Soldier: "You! You're not from around here, are you? If you've got power, use it now!"

Nicolas: " I am Nicolas "

Then,

Nicolas nodded and peeked over the edge.

One of the Tech bots stood tall, twice the size of the others. Its movements were calculated, almost royal. It vaporized three Hand soldiers with a single swipe.

Nicolas: "That one. I need it."

He reached out, concentrating.

A faint glow surrounded his palm.

AI Suit: "Copy Skill activation 1 initiated. Scanning target…"

The light intensified. The bot's outline shimmered, and a copy of it—exactly the same, but glowing slightly blue—appeared beside Nicolas.

AI Suit: "Copy successful."

Nicolas smirked. "Let's go."

The copied robot charged into battle, slamming its metallic fists into enemies, shielding humans in the process.

But the real version noticed.

With brutal speed, the original Tech bot clashed with its copy.

The battle was massive. Sparks flew, metal crunched, and energy crackled in the air. Nicolas watched nervously. The two giants battled like titans.

Until—

Boom!

His copy was destroyed. Its metal crumbled into shimmering dust.

AI Suit: "Copy destroyed. Four activations remaining."

Nicolas gritted his teeth. "I need two of them this time."

He copied the bot again. Then again.

AI Suit: "Copy Skill usage 2 and 3 complete. Mana reduced. Proceed with caution."

The twin bots attacked in sync, striking the original from both sides. One was pierced and destroyed. The other stood victorious.

AI Suit: "Remaining activations: 2."

The battle raged on. The Hand Alliance was pushed further back. Their command base exploded in a storm of fire and screams. Hope was fading.

A commander cried out, "Fall back! We can't hold them—!"

Nicolas stepped forward. His fists clenched.

Nicolas: "AI… Can I copy myself?"

AI Suit: "Affirmative. Warning: psychological dissonance may occur."

"I don't care."

He summoned a glowing mirror of himself.

And just like that—

Two Nicolases ran into battle.

They fought side-by-side. One used hand-to-hand combat. The other controlled the surviving robot clone. Together, they turned the tide. One by one, Tech bots were brought down. Human soldiers began to cheer. For the first time, the Tech Alliance retreated.

The air calmed. The sky cleared.

The city was ruined—but they had won.

Nicolas collapsed to his knees, exhausted.

AI Suit: "Copy Skill exhaustion detected. Mana synchronization complete. Preparing recovery protocols."

As he faded into unconsciousness, Nicolas heard voices cheering, soldiers shouting, and the distant echo of a name being chanted.

"Nicolas! Nicolas! Nicolas!"

But he didn't feel like a hero.

He only wondered…

Who built this world?

And why did it feel like he was being watched?

NEXT SCENE:

The battlefield fell quiet. Only the faint sound of the retreating Tech Alliance ships and the soft crackle of damaged energy fields remained. Smoke drifted through the air like silent ghosts.

Two soldiers—both with glowing shoulder tech and blood-smeared armor—rushed over to Nicolas's collapsed body.

Soldier 1: "He's alive… He's breathing."

Soldier 2: "That wasn't human. He just turned the whole battle."

They gently lifted him up and carried him through the ruined streets, past broken tanks and burning buildings, toward a camouflaged tunnel leading underground.

It was the entrance to the Hand Alliance's forward operations base.

Inside the Camp — 300 Feet Beneath London

The air inside the camp was sharp with metal, sweat, and urgency. Holographic maps flickered on every wall. Technicians sprinted between consoles. Generals barked orders in different languages. This was not just a bunker—it was the last command post of humanity's resistance.

Nicolas, now awake but still weary, was led through steel corridors. Soldiers moved aside, whispering his name.

"That's him."

"The one who turned the battle."

"He copied a Tech unit. Twice."

Two security bots escorted him to a circular chamber—the War Council Room.

The doors hissed open.

Inside sat six of the most powerful commanders on Earth. Each represented a nation still standing strong:

Commander Reynolds of the United States, a broad-shouldered man with a digital eyepatch.

General Li Wei of China, calm and sharp-eyed, fingers steepled together.

Marshal Zoya of Russia, a tall woman with a scar down her cheek.

Field Captain Nakamura of Japan, armored in sleek black with katana circuitry on his back.

Commander Ishan Raj of India, wearing a hybrid suit of ancient fabric and modern tech.

And from the United Kingdom, Admiral Greaves, with a robotic arm and tired eyes.

They turned as Nicolas stepped in.

The room was quiet. Tense.

Then Reynolds broke the silence.

Reynolds: "So… You're the boy who wiped half the enemy's force with one ability."

Nicolas stood firm, the bruises still fresh on his face, but his voice was steady.

Nicolas: "Yes. My name is Nicolas. I'm not from this world… but I was sent here with a skill—one that might be your last chance."

Marshal Zoya (Russian leader): "Explain."

Nicolas: "I have a power. I can copy anything—machines, people, even abilities. But it's not unlimited. In each realm, I can only copy five times. After that, I'm spent until mana recharges me."

The leaders exchanged glances.

Li Wei: "And you wish to fight at the front?"

Nicolas: "Not wish. Demand."

They raised eyebrows.

Nicolas (firm): "I want to be stationed with your national elites. India. America. China. Russia. Japan. UK. The best of your best. I will fight with them. I'll copy what's needed when it's needed—and I guarantee this: If you trust me, we win."

A beat of silence.

Admiral Greaves leaned forward.

Greaves: "You talk like a soldier."

Nicolas: "I'm not. But I know what losing feels like. And I know what I can do."

Captain Nakamura nodded.

Nakamura: "Let him prove it."

Commander Ishan Raj smiled slightly.

Ishan: "Then we give him what he asks. But only if he survives tomorrow's march into Sector 9."

Reynolds: "Agreed. That's where we lost our elite unit last week. If you can walk out of that zone alive, Nicolas, we'll call you more than a soldier."

Zoya (smirking): "We'll call you our weapon."

Nicolas looked at them all and nodded.

Nicolas: "Then load me in. I'm ready."