The team stood together, going over their plan one last time. The air around them felt heavy… dark. There was a strange pressure, like something evil was nearby.
As they reached the area near the enemy's underground base, they stopped behind a line of trees. From there, they could see it—a hidden structure built into the side of a rocky hill. Guards stood everywhere.
"Over 250 of them," Neo said, looking through his scope.
"This mission isn't low-rank," Tian Yu said, serious now. "It's at least a B-rank job."
They all nodded. There was no turning back.
The plan was simple:
Shiro and Tian Yu would rush the front lines and deal with the guards on the ground.
Neo would snipe the guards on the rooftops and watch from above.
Hlanya would sneak into the base and check if the entrance was clear.
Neo found a spot up high and aimed his rifle. But as he looked through the scope, something felt wrong. It was like a cold hand touched his brain. His thoughts became cloudy, as if someone was watching him from inside his own head.
He shook it off and took the shot.
At the same time, Shiro and Tian Yu charged forward. Their concept weapons glowed faintly—powerful, sharp, and fast. Bullets didn't even touch them. They moved like ghosts, cutting down every guard that got in their way.
Tian Yu's sword was smooth and sharp. Shiro's strikes were brutal and fast. One guard tried to run but was sliced down in seconds.
Soon, only one man was left alive. He dropped to his knees, hands shaking.
"Please," he begged. "Don't kill me… my wife's having a baby in a few days. I want to live."
Shiro stared at him coldly.
"Take me to her," he said. "I'll shoot her and the baby at the same time."
The man's eyes widened in terror.
Tian Yu quickly stepped in. "He's just joking," he said, forcing a smile.
Shiro didn't say a word.
Just then, Hlanya's voice came through the device. "The inside is clear. Come now."
Neo ran down and met them. The four of them moved toward the base entrance. The guard ran off, still crying.
As they entered the base, Tian Yu looked at Shiro. "Were you really joking?"
Shiro didn't answer.
He just smiled.