The scent of burnt flesh and ozone still hung thick in the air as the dust settled over the battlefield. The once-mighty Wild Elephant lay still, its monstrous form riddled with deep wounds and scorch marks. Its thick, plated hide—once capable of withstanding a small army's firepower—was now scarred and punctured, showing just how intense the battle had been.
Shattered concrete and twisted metal littered the area, remnants of the old research facility that had crumbled under the weight of stray attacks. The ground was marred with deep furrows where the beast's last desperate struggles had torn through the pavement. Splotches of green ichor, darkened the earth, barely visible under the dim lighting.
A few members of the team sat on broken concrete slabs, inhaling and exhaling copious amounts of purified air, while others moved around with professional efficiency, tending to injuries and checking equipment. The tension that had gripped them all during the battle was beginning to fade, replaced by the dull ache of exhaustion.
Rion removed his visor and powered down the Sentinel, leaning against a crumbling section of the ruined watchtower. His shoulders rolled in slow, deliberate motions, but even that sent a dull ache through his muscles.
The moment he let his guard down, the exhaustion pressed in like a weight he hadn't noticed before. Even though his body had been continously enhanced by the [Resilient Body] technique and his Mid-stage breakthrough, he still felt his muscles ache—not from direct wounds, but from the sheer mental and physical exertion.
While he had been smart enough to maintain a high vantage point, the strain of maintaining focus, executing perfect shots, and keeping his [Deadeye Repose] technique active had taken its toll.
He chugged a small restorative potion, feeling the slight cooling sensation as it dulled his fatigue. The energy boost wasn't miraculous, but it would keep him functional. As he rested, his mind analyzed the battle.
The Wild Elephant had been far beyond a standard Anomaly-class mutated beast. Creatures of this class normally required at most a trained squad to take them down. But even under the protection of an exceptional stryker like Stone, their small team of twenty had still suffered a ty with the other members suffering various minor injuries.
Based on the power the Wild Elephant showed, it had long since crossed the threshold of Anomaly-class and it should be classified as something like a semi-Abberation Class.
Oh well. Nothing to do about it now....
After resting for a bit, he began to slowly make his way down the watchtower. The murmurs of conversation between squad members drifted towards him as he descended.
"That was insane," one of the Shadow Sisters muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.
"You talking about Stone? We already knew he was a monster," the tallest of the Shadow Sisters chimed in, stretching out her sore limbs.
"No, not him. I'm talking about the shot," the first replied, jerking her chin toward Rion. "I don't care how lucky you are—nobody makes that kind of shot without some serious skill. He's like a lesser version of Prime King Von."
Several heads turned in Rion's direction, studying him with newfound interest. Until now, he had been just another member of the team, a fresh face in a dangerous mission. But now? Now, he was someone worth remembering.
Rion caught the shift a second late, his normally sharp senses dulled by fatigue. For a brief moment, his gaze unfocused before he blinked hard, forcing himself back to the present.
"You know, I heard he was personally handpicked by the top brass themselves," one of the retainers murmured as he tended to his companion, who had been thrown by the beast's charge but miraculously escaped with only a few flesh wounds. "But seriously... if this is his normal level, we might be looking at a future big shot."
Rion smirked internally. That's right. Talk me up. Spread the rumors. This was precisely the kind of subtle influence he wanted to cultivate. Being underestimated was useful at times, but making an impression on his allies was just as valuable.
As he reached ground level, three figures stepped forward. Normally, he would have registered their approach the moment they moved, but this time, he only noticed when they were already in front of him.
"Name's Raven," one of the Shadow Sisters said. She had sharp eyes, a confident smirk, and a posture that hinted at someone used to getting her way. "That's Umbra, and that's Shade—our leader. Thought we'd reintroduce ourselves, since you're clearly not some random shooter."
Rion met her gaze evenly. "Forger. Nice to make the acquaintance of you beautiful ladies."
His tone was casual and unbothered. He had no interest in excessive conversation, but he also knew that maintaining a neutral presence within the group was beneficial, especially since he was planning to scam— cough convince them into becoming potential customers.
Shade, the leader of the Shadow Sisters, raised an eyebrow at his response but said nothing. She had the air of someone who measured people in seconds, assessing their worth before deciding whether to entertain further conversation. Raven smirked, clearly amused by his confidence, while Umbra remained impassive, her eyes flicking over him as if analyzing every inch of his stance.
"Cute," Raven said, crossing her arms. "But flattery doesn't come cheap, Forger."
"I wouldn't dream of giving it away for free," Rion replied smoothly, tilting his head. "I prefer my investments to be worthwhile."
Shade let out a quiet hum—not quite approval, but not dismissal either. "We'll see if you're worth the trouble."
With that, she turned, and the conversation seemed to be over—at least for now. But Rion had noticed the subtle way her eyes had flickered over his rifle before she left, the slight nod she had given to Umbra as they walked away. Curiosity. Good.
Rion responded in a similar way to the other team members that came over to make small talk, noticing the way they were reassessing him. Not in an openly suspicious way, but rather in the way experienced fighters took note of potential rising threats—or allies. They didn't know what to make of him yet, but they weren't dismissing him anymore either.
A few feet away, Stone was adjusting his gear, unfazed by the conversation. His role in the battle had been expected. As a Peak-Stage Stryker, his raw physicality and combat experience put him above most of the squad, so his performance hadn't come as a shock. Rion, however, was different. No one had anticipated him pulling off a kill like that, and now they were reconsidering what they thought they knew about him.
As the chatter around the team gradually settled, Rion felt a familiar presence saunter over to him. Vance sidled up next to him, a lazy grin stretched across his face. His uniform was dusted with debris, and there was a faint scratch on his cheek, but he looked far too amused for someone who had just survived a battle against a monstrous beast.
"You know," Vance started, drawing out the words as if he were struggling to piece them together, "I always knew you were good. I mean, I figured you had some skills since the battle against the ants back then." He gestured vaguely. "But this? This is on a whole other level, man. I mean, a sniper and a mechanical genius? Pick a struggle, will you?"
Rion smirked, but it took a second too long for the expression to settle. "Adapt or die, doting father," he said, his words just a fraction slower than usual. He exhaled sharply and ran a hand over his face. "You should try it sometime."
Vance scoffed. "Oh, please. My adaptation is staying alive by hanging around people who make crazy shots like that." He nudged Rion with an elbow. "Seriously though, how the hell are you pulling this off? You got some kind of hidden origin technique for aiming? Auto-targeting system in your eyes? Some secret cultivation technique that lets you calculate bullet trajectory like a machine?"
Rion clicked his tongue, feigning disappointment. "And here I thought you had a brain. No secret arts, no implants, just pure, unfiltered skill." He tapped his temple. "It's all up here."
Vance crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes in mock suspicion. "Nah, I'm not buying it. Not even you should be that good at both shooting and engineering. Either you sold your soul to some ancient sniper god, or—" His eyes suddenly widened in mock horror. "Wait. That's it. You're an alien, aren't you? It all makes sense now!"
Rion massaged his temple as he gave him a blank stare. If only you knew....
"Yes, Vance. That's exactly it. I'm actually a highly advanced lifeform whose sole purpose is to make all fathers look incompetent by comparison."
Vance gasped dramatically, taking a step back. "I knew it. I've been betrayed." He put a hand to his chest as if wounded. "This is why I gotta stay on your good side.
Vance's theatrics earned a few chuckles from Rion, who was clearly used to his antics. The doting father had a way of lightening the mood, even after a brutal fight like the one they'd just survived.
As he noticed the tension of the battle finally easing from Rion's shoulders, Vance's grin faded slightly, replaced by something more thoughtful. "Jokes aside, though... I don't know what your deal is, but you're damn good. Too good. I don't believe in natural-born talent to this extent, so either you've been through some serious training, or you've got something up your sleeve."
Rion kept his expression neutral.
Vance smirked. "Doesn't really matter to me, though. I'll just make sure I'm standing next to you when the shit hits the fan."
This guy....
"Don't worry doting father. There's no way I'll allow you to do something stupid like die. How would I drain your wallet if that happens? That'd be terrible for business."
While Rion and Vance were bickering, nearby, Dr. Lianne was kneeling beside the carcass of the Wild Elephant, her gloved hands skimming across the charred hide. The second biologist, a wiry man with sharp features named Elias, was beside her, scanning the remains with a handheld device. The device emitted a faint hum as it swept over the massive corpse, casting light across its charred and mangled flesh.
"It is exactly as we thought," Dr. Lianne murmured. "The tissue composition... it shares similarities with the two creatures Team Beta encountered."
Elias frowned, his eyes darting across the readings. "But there are some deviations. Its internal structure is different—more reinforced, as if it underwent some kind of accelerated adaptation."
Dr. Lianne sighed. "That's what worries me. If these things have been subjected to an experiment that makes them evolve past their natural limits, then there's no telling what kind of beasts are in this place."
Stone approached them, arms crossed. "Anything to confirm they're connected to the experiments done in this research facility?"
Lianne shook her head, glancing back at the ruined facility behind them. "It's possible, but there's no way to confirm it now. That building is a total loss. Whatever was in there... it's buried under tons of rubble."
The others exchanged looks. The research base that had withstood the test of time had already been a mystery, but if these creatures had some connection to it, that raised more questions than it answered.
Stone turned to the engineers, who were packing up their equipment. "Tell me you got something useful before the building came down."
Cooper nodded. "We managed to pull a lot of files before we evacuated. No idea what's in them yet, though it's probably all fragmented. Decrypting that much data out here is impossible. We'll need to get somewhere safe before we can even start sorting through it."
"Good," Stone said, his voice firm. "Then we're not walking away empty-handed." He turned, scanning the area with a critical eye. The battlefield was quiet, but that wouldn't last. Their fight had been loud—too loud. Whether it was other factions or more mutated beasts, something was bound to come investigating soon.
"We're moving out," he announced, his voice carrying across the team. "Pack up, tend to your wounds, and be ready to go in five."
A few groans followed, but no one argued. They all understood that their battle might have drawn unwanted attention. The last thing they needed was to get dragged into another fight when they were still recovering.