Nova Force Book 1

The city in the forest is called Silva Civitas which is Latin for Forest City. It is a magical place, filled with lush greenery and vibrant colors. The streets are lined with towering trees, their branches providing shade and shelter to the inhabitants. The city is known for its beautiful plants and flowers, which bloom in a riot of colors throughout the year.
 
At the center of the city stands a giant tree, unlike any other in the forest. Its trunk is wider than any house, and its branches stretch high into the sky. This tree is considered sacred by the inhabitants of the city, as it is said to possess healing powers. The colorful water that flows from the base of the tree is said to have the ability to cure any illness, and people from all over the region come to the city to drink from its colorful stream.
 
The buildings in the city are constructed from mushrooms, which grow in abundance in the forest. The homes and buildings blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape, as if they are a natural part of the forest. The architecture of the city is designed to be in harmony with the environment, and the inhabitants take great care to preserve the beauty and balance of the forest. The tree itself helps to keep this balance.
 
The city is surrounded by a thick barrier, which serves to protect it from the monsters that roam the surrounding. It produces and energy that keeps monsters away. The tree at the center of the city is said to be the protector of the forest, and its presence keeps the city safe from harm.
 
The forest itself is a place of wonder, with an abundance of wildlife and a diverse array of plant life. The air is filled with the sweet scent of flowers, and the sound of birds and other animals can be heard throughout the day and night. The people of the city have a deep respect for the forest and its inhabitants, and they take great care to preserve the delicate ecosystem.
 
In short, the city in the forest is a place of peace and beauty, where the natural world and the built environment coexist in harmony. The inhabitants of this city live in a close relationship with nature and enjoy its benefits, so it's not hard to see why they feel so blessed and protected.
 
The other nations may not be well-known to us, but they all share three key similarities. Firstly, they possess something incredibly valuable and rare. Secondly, each nation has an individual residing in our city whose intelligence surpasses that of any renowned scientist. Lastly, these nations all utilize a ranking system to gauge the strength of their people, primarily for protection purposes.
 
The rankings, denoted as N1 through N6, or "Rank 1" through "Rank 6," assess the prowess and abilities of hunters or adventurers. N1s are capable of confronting basic monsters, but must tread carefully to avoid fatal encounters. N2s can handle multiple basic monsters with ease, though they still need to be vigilant when facing intermediate ones.
 
N3s, while proficient in defeating both basic and intermediate monsters, require a team of three to tackle an advanced class monster. N4s can take on advanced class monsters solo but may need assistance from other N3s or N4s to overcome higher-level advanced class threats.
 
N5s are powerful enough to challenge any advanced class monster but need another N5 to defeat a saint class monster, the most formidable of all. Despite their ranks, all hunters face the constant risk of death in battle.
 
With all these ranks, if not careful, they can die in battle. But there is also another Rank Tarif explained. It's called a N6. They can take on a saint class monster by themselves, but there aren't many out there. Five live in the city and it's rumored that a few are adventures and the other empire called the New Brittaniac Empire has a few in that rank as well.
 
"What does the N stand for, and if N6s are so rare, how can we be sure of their abilities? Have you seen them in action?" asked Nova Uno, her eyes narrowing as she tried to gauge the truth behind the legend.

 
"The N stands for Nova of Novaticians. "I've witnessed the power of an N6 once. It was during a dungeon run. He defeated two advanced class monsters with such ease. He didn't even break a sweat," replied Tarif.
 
As I sat and listened to the explanation of the ranks and advancements in this world, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and surprise. The level of growth and progress was truly staggering.
 
"All of this happened in just three years?," I queried, still trying to wrap my mind around the enormity of it all.
 
"Now I definitely think you guys live under a rock," Shady 1 exclaimed.
"What do you mean?" I retorted.
 
The others looked at us with a mixture of confusion and amusement.
 
"Why are you guys looking at us like that?," Laylah asked, clearly perplexed.
 
"Well, see, this is the year ASN 5. ASN stands for 'after supernova.' It has been five and a half years since it happened," Tarif explained patiently.
 
I took out my journal and showed it to Tarif, "I have been keeping track of the days in a journal." I said.
 
"That's really off Zero. You're at least 2 years late.
 
I jumped to my feet, my heart pounding with shock and disbelief. Laylah and Durato's eyes widened in surprise, their reactions visible through the eyeholes of their masks. I frantically paced back and forth, my mind racing as the Shady Crew laughed at my confusion. Was I mistaken in my calculations? How could I have missed marking over two years down? Was I going insane? Was time moving differently on the island? These were the questions that flooded my mind in that moment.
 
As I struggled to make sense of the information, my thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the ominous clatter of armored footfalls drawing near. We turned to see that we had been surrounded by an army of heavily armed soldiers, their expressions stern and uncompromising.
"Don't move!" one of them barked. "You three in the masks! Don't move. We've got you all surrounded!"
The leader of the army, a man with a commanding presence and eyes that betrayed no mercy, stepped forward. "Well, well. Look at what we've caught. Members of the infamous Red Fox Gang and three clowns who caused the biggest uproar in ages. Arrest them!" he commanded with an ironclad certainty.
Laylah tensed, her muscles coiling like a spring ready to snap, but Durato's subtle hand signal stopped her. Truth be told, we could have fought our way through and vanished into the shadows, but curiosity held us back. We needed to understand the reason for our arrest first.
"What's the meaning of this?" Tarif demanded, his voice edged with barely controlled rage. "Why are we being arrested?"
"These three are suspected of destroying the barrier," the leader replied coldly. "And the others are criminals who lure innocent people into dungeons, steal from them, and kill them."
"Wait, what? Destroyed the barrier? Are you serious?" Shady 1 exclaimed, his voice dripping with incredulity. "These guys don't seem to have any strength, not even a rank. How could they possibly destroy a barrier that protects us from monsters? Not even a saint-class monster could break the barrier!"
The other shady characters exchanged glances of disbelief, their eyes widening in shock. "Breaking the barrier? That's impossible!" one of them muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "That barrier has withstood countless assaults. It's unthinkable that these three could have done it."
"You'll regret arresting me, you fools!" Tarif continued his tirade, his voice echoing in the forest as we were all handcuffed and dragged away. Steel manacles bit into our wrists as they herded us into reinforced carriages with iron bars, pulled by monstrous beasts resembling bulls.
Over fifty men had descended upon us in the woods, with at least a hundred more waiting outside the perimeter. The scene was chaotic, soldiers shouting commands and the crowd surging with morbid curiosity. "Was destroying the barrier such a serious crime?" I pondered, the enormity of the accusation settling over me like a dark cloud.
As the carriage jolted forward, my thoughts drifted to my family. It had been over four years since I last saw them. I wondered if my village had grown into a bustling town like this one. The longing to see them again was a constant ache, but first, I needed to navigate the treacherous currents of this new society and uncover the truth behind our arrest.
 
 
 
We arrived at an imposing edifice, its massive stone walls looming ominously against the twilight sky. Guarded by stern-faced sentinels at the front gate, the structure exuded an aura of menace and foreboding. It was immediately clear that this was no ordinary holding place for criminals—it was a prison, a fortress designed to contain the most dangerous and nefarious of beings.
The building itself seemed to pulsate with a dark, otherworldly energy. Intricate runes and sigils, glowing faintly with arcane light, were etched into the stone, weaving a complex web of enchantments meant to prevent any escape. The iron bars on the windows were twisted into grotesque shapes, imbued with powerful wards to suppress even the slightest hint of magic.
As we passed through the heavy iron gates, which creaked open with an eerie groan, I noticed the unnatural chill that hung in the air, as if the very atmosphere was saturated with despair and hopelessness. The guards, clad in enchanted armor that shimmered with a faint, spectral glow, watched us with vigilant eyes, their expressions cold and unyielding.
 
"Durato, we could have escaped. Now we're going to prison. I'm too young for this," Laylah whispered, her voice tinged with anxiety.
"We need to gather information about how things work. Do you want an army constantly chasing after you for crimes? We will get out of this," Durato reassured her, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the situation.
"Don't worry, I'll get us out of this in no time. I just need to contact my uncle. If they knew who my uncle was, they wouldn't have arrested me. But I don't like all the hype and attention," Tarif added confidently.
"No talking. Silence!" a soldier barked, his voice cutting through the air like a whip.
We were all carried off to holding cells. They separated the males from the females, but the cells were directly across from each other. The bars seemed to hum with a faint, pulsing energy that dampened our nova force, a constant reminder of our captivity.
"Hey, can I send a message, please? We do have the right to do so. As a matter of fact, your Novcoms are connected to your superiors, right? Tell them that you have arrested Tarif. Go ahead and do that," Tarif insisted, his tone unyielding.
Reluctantly, the guard inside did as he was told, his expression sour.
"You'll have to wait until the information is passed up to whoever you know," the guard replied sarcastically. "In the meantime, you'll all be held. You have been in the company of known criminals who kill, steal, and destroy barriers. So, shut up!" he barked again, his eyes flashing with irritation.
With that, the guard placed a cuff around one of our hands and sent us off into a cell with multiple others. We were now further inside, in a cell with over ten people. On the bright side, the cell wasn't as small as we'd feared, and it actually didn't resemble the dank, squalid cells of prison movies. We spent the night there, under the watchful eyes of our captors.
Before we were locked in, they stripped us of everything: our bags, our swords, and even the pet the master had given us—a magnificent Liger. I knew I would need all of that when I got out. We explained that our masks couldn't come off. They tried to remove them, but the masks were affixed with nova force, rendering their efforts futile.
The soldiers marveled at the Liger, unable to believe their eyes. His coat, a striking blend of purple and black tiger stripes with a slightly visible lion's mane, shimmered in the dim light. His muscular frame, even at rest, exuded an aura of power and grace. As he slept peacefully, his rhythmic breathing was the only sound that punctuated the silence, a stark contrast to the tension in the room.
The soldiers circled him cautiously, awe and fear mingling in their eyes. One of them reached out a trembling hand to touch his fur, only to pull back as if burned. "Incredible," one whispered. "I've never seen such a creature."
Another nodded, eyes wide. "He's beautiful... and even though he's just a cub, it seems dangerous. We must be careful; don't wake him up."

The night dragged on, the weight of our predicament pressing down on us. My thoughts kept drifting back to our gems, weapons, and Liger. They were more than just possessions; they were symbols of our strength, journey, and identity. We would need them as soon as we're out of here.