BOOM!
A small metallic object struck the man squarely in the chest, knocking him into the concrete pavement below and extinguishing his flames.
The smoke and debris cleared, revealing his battered form lying unconscious, with a black metal disk attached to his chest.
A low rumble could be heard overhead, and thousands of people looked up in shock as helicopters circled the air, with two large mechs slowly lowering themselves to ground level.
"Behold!" the Union President proudly presented, "The engineering marvel created by our best talents, the latest anti-awakener technology, the first generation of Enforcer Mech Suits!"
The two black mechs planted themselves firmly on the ground, their sleek black metal plates reflecting the morning sun. Each standing at over two meters tall, they featured a bulky frame for pilots to reside, where they can control a set of mechanical arms and legs.
One of the mech's hands was not present, instead revealing a smoking hole where a fist sized object could protrude from. A moment later, a mechanical hand came out, sealing it shut.
From one of the helicopters, a woman who looked to be in her mid twenties jumped out, her blonde hair reflecting the sunlight as she drifted down with the aid of thick ropes.
Landing several feet away from the president, she took the stand, her bright emerald eyes sparkling with contentment. A small nametag was sewn into her tan colored blazer, reading the name E. Marie.
"Good morning citizens! I am the Lead Engineer behind the Enforcer Mech Suits, or EMS for short. I am proud to announce that with this first generation suit, our nation's enforcing power is able to handle all Awakeners under the fourth level, Ascendant-Sunken!"
The moment she finished speaking, the mechs moved. In a flash, they appeared before the confused misfits, their mechanical limbs whirring.
From different openings in their armor, metal claws extended and shot at the thirteen Awakeners. Resembling grappling hooks, the claws extended and shot at each of the Awakeners like live vipers.
Grunts and shouts of pain filled the square as the hooks latched on, electricity crackling through black wires that knocked out each of the Awakeners. Armed enforcers quickly moved in, restraining them all in thick metal cuffs that left no room for movement.
"As you can see," said the woman, "Our technologies have been advancing at a rapid pace, and we have already begun development of the second generation of EMS that will be capable of subduing even an Ascendant-Sunken Awakener!"
She stepped back once she was done, allowing the Union President to take the stand once more.
"As you can all see citizens, we should have no fear of misfits and vigilantes, for we possess the means to deal with them, and very soon..."
The man rested both hands on the wooden podium, "We will become the first nation independent of all superhuman influences, relying solely on our technological prowess!"
A moment of silence, followed by an explosion of cheers and chanting. Cameras clicked and shuttered, showcasing the Union's latest technological marvel to the rest of the nation and the rest of the world.
Before this, any invention made by humans could just barely contend against weaker Spirit-Ghoul level Awakeners, requiring dozens upon dozens of fully armed enforcers to take down just one Spirit-Ghoul Awakener with a red core, the weakest of the weak.
Now, the first generation Enforcer Mech Suit allows unawakened humans to contend with third level Awakeners, a first in history.
While it may seem insignificant compared to the vastly powerful Saint-Supremes, this small step for humankind was akin to a giant leap, one that will only snowball into something greater with time.
As the president and his guards left, so did the researcher, E. Marie, and the thousands of people who had come to gather at the square to listen to the president's speech.
Crack!
Bishop crushed the remote in his hands, turning it to dust as the screen before him played the footage of what had happened at the square. He paused the recording, rolling it back to the clearest shot of the EMS.
The sleek black mech filled the screen and the priest stared, analyzing the machine's design.
"These humans are getting bolder, and that woman..."
He fast forward a few frames and paused it, stopping at a clear shot of the researcher who had spoken at the podium next to the president.
"E. Marie..." Bishop muttered, his eyes scanning the screen, taking in her features, from her blonde hair to her emerald green eyes, "How... familiar... and troublesome"
Bishop stood up from his cushioned chair, shutting off the recording device. His figure turned smoky like a gas, before dissipating from the room. Moments later, he appeared inside a dark isolated room that held just one item.
On an ancient stone podium, an ornate orange gemstone, roughly the size of a child's head, floated tenderly inches above the flat stone surface. It glimmered like a fiery opal, with a golden ring suspended around its circumference.
This was the Holy Sanctuary's Oracle Stone, their most guarded treasure. Reaching out with one hand, Bishop closed his eyes and let his energy gush into the gemstone like a tidal wave.
A number appeared inside his mind instinctively.
Thirteen billion four hundred million...
Then the number changed in an instant.
Twelve billion six hundred thirty million.
The numbers dropped by nearly a billion, mere moments after the Union President's broadcast, and from the looks of it, it was not stopping anytime soon.
Human development had reached a point where their own ability has begun to surpass the power of faith, causing the Holy Sanctuary to lose a significant number of their followers.
Pondering for a moment, Bishop took out a transmission device from his sleeve, bringing the flat disk to his lips.
"This is Bishop, I am requesting Saint Forger and Saint Godfrey to come to the main branch. We will begin the Mistletoe Project immediately"
The device buzzed for a moment, before a monotone voice came through, "Understood"
Putting the disk away, Bishop took a long look at the Oracle Stone before reaching out and grabbing it.