Starting With SSS-rank: I Get A New Skill Every Livestream-Chapter 19: Anomaly

Early in the morning, a young man sprinted through the quiet streets, heading toward the most secluded part of town where hardly anyone passed.

He nearly crashed into a lamppost standing outside an abandoned building but caught himself at the last second.

Without slowing down, he pushed through the broken doors and entered the desolate structure as though someone were waiting inside.

The interior was silent.

Dust coated the floor. Webs clung to the corners. No sign of life.

He didn’t hesitate.

Moving straight to the living room wall, he stopped before a tall bookshelf layered in grime. It looked like nothing more than forgotten scrap.

But that wasn’t why he was here.

He reached up and tilted a specific book on the third shelf.

A low rumble vibrated beneath his feet.

The entire bookshelf shifted aside, revealing a reinforced metal wall that stood out starkly against the decayed surroundings.

A red orb embedded near the center scanned him from head to toe.

After a brief pause, it flickered blue.

The mechanical door split open down the middle.

The man dashed inside without a second thought.

From the outside, the building appeared like a forgotten one story ruin.

Beneath it, however, was an expansive underground facility.

The polished floors gleamed under artificial light. The ceiling arched high above, supported by reinforced beams. Personnel moved briskly through the corridors, focused and purposeful.

He ignored them all and headed straight for the medical ward.

"Layena?!" he called out as he entered the infirmary, instantly drawing the attention of nurses and nearby staff.

A black haired girl sitting upright on a bed rolled her eyes.

"Stop yelling, Ethan."

Ethan hurried to her side, his face pale. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"What happened? You’re injured?"

His voice trembled slightly.

And the worry in his eyes said everything.

Then a calm voice came from the left.

"You’re overreacting, Ethan."

Ethan turned sharply and instinctively straightened.

A silver haired woman was approaching.

An eye patch covered her left eye, and a vine like tattoo curled around her pale neck. Despite the early hour, she was dressed in a fitted formal suit. Dark trousers outlined her long legs, and her shirt was neatly pressed, though a few upper buttons remained undone. Just below her collarbone, a faint battle scar marked her skin.

But none of that was what truly commanded attention.

It was her presence.

Heavy.

Sharp.

Demanding caution.

The air itself seemed to tighten around her.

She was one of the twelve Special-grade Nightwalkers of the nation. .

The commander of the base.

Veronica Steelglade.

The only surviving member and the head of the Steelglade clan—one of the three major clans alongside Astortia.

"Commander..." Ethan muttered, his voice noticeably steadier now.

Veronica narrowed her eyes. "You should not be here, Ethan. You have an upcoming operation and a team that depends on you."

Ethan lowered his head. "I apologize for breaking protocol by visiting the base, Commander. But it is not normal for Layena to get injured."

Veronica gave a quiet hum. "You are right. But that still does not give you the authority to ignore the rules." She shook her head, crossed her arms, and turned to Layena. "Well? Do you remember what happened yesterday?"

From that, Ethan realized Layena had not submitted her report yet.

Layena let out a slow breath. "Leaving aside the fact that a Ghoul appeared near such a populated area, what unsettled me more was the majin’s behavior. It did not react to the Ghoul’s presence at all."

Ethan stiffened. Layena had fought a Ghoul alone. There were trainees who could not even withstand its aura, and yet she had confronted one by herself.

’As expected, she is strong... and undeniably beautiful.’

He forced his thoughts aside as the Commander continued.

"And what about the anomaly you allowed to escape?"

Ethan frowned when he saw Layena turn her face away, clearly frustrated with herself.

"I do not follow. What anomaly?" he asked.

Veronica answered calmly, "An unidentified Nightwalker. Layena attempted to capture him yesterday and was thoroughly outplayed."

Ethan’s brows tightened. "Did he hurt you?"

Layena rolled her eyes. "You do not need to concern yourself with that." She looked back at Veronica and lowered her voice. "Commander... that being was strange. One moment, he felt like an ordinary human. There was no trace of Genesis around him. And the next... he radiated a presence that rivaled yours."

That made several people in the room glance at Layena, and Ethan’s eyes widened slightly. "Someone who can rival the Commander? And he is not even registered?"

Layena did not repeat herself, but the silence that followed was answer enough.

Veronica remained quiet for a moment before speaking. "Whoever he is, he knows that section of the town very well. He deliberately used streets with minimal surveillance coverage. At some point, we completely lost his trail."

Ethan stepped forward slightly. "Can you at least tell us which section it was?"

"Ethan," Veronica cut in firmly, her gaze turning cold, "this is not your matter to interfere with." She understood his feelings for Layena and knew exactly how far he might go in her name.

Ethan’s jaw tightened. "If I at least knew the location, I could keep my team on alert. Just in case."

Veronica exhaled and shook her head. "Focus on your assigned mission, Ethan. Leave this to me."

With that, she turned and walked away, already considering how she would track down the anomaly and uncover his identity.

Ethan turned to Layena. His gaze lingered on the bandages wrapped around her shoulder and side. "Take care of yourself. I will come visit you later."

Layena looked at him seriously. "Save your energy. This mission is important. Since I will not be part of it, you will have to manage everything on your own."

A faint smile tugged at his lips. ’And you say you do not care about me anymore...’

Shaking off the thought, he replied, "Do not worry. I will handle it. You focus on recovering properly."

A moment later, he turned and walked away.

But as soon as his back faced her, the warmth in his eyes vanished. They turned cold.

’So something dared to harm Layena...’

Ethan did not know who the anomaly was. But the moment he found him, he already knew exactly what he would do.