Macker leaned against a pillar, grinning through the pain in his still-tender crotch. "We… we actually did it. A-class. On our first real mission. That felt good."
Kruna's clones merged back into one. He sheathed his long blades, breathing hard but smiling faintly. "Not bad. My multiplication worked better than I expected. Felt… right."
Nix whistled. "That radioactive water thing? New. And terrifying. Remind me never to piss you off, boss."
Ema lowered his bow, breathing heavily. "Clean kill. No civilian casualties. We're getting really good at this."
Aftor wiped his knife clean. "Too good. Hedonas is going to shit themselves when they see the footage—if they're still watching. Meanwhile, I supposed to develop better skills"
Sano nodded once. "Good work, everyone. Let's head back to base. The others are waiting."
The team started moving toward the exit, adrenaline still high, joking and shoving each other lightly as they walked.
Macker clapped Nix on the back. "You missed the explosion duty today, but I think I handled it pretty well."
Nix laughed. "You exploded your own balls at breakfast. I'll take that as a win."
Ema grinned. "I got the whole fight on my body cam. This is going in the highlight reel."
Aftor sheathed his knife. "Let's get back. I need a shower. I smell like curse guts."
Sano rumbled a deep laugh. "Same. Good fight. Clean. Let's not push our luck."
The group headed back toward the extraction point, still buzzing with victory, voices echoing through the empty streets.
Orced hung back, watching them go. He turned to Kruna, who had stayed behind without being asked. "Kruna. Stay with me for a minute." Kruna paused, raising an eyebrow. "What's up, boss?" Orced smiled faintly.
"The others can head back to base. You and I are taking a detour. There's a small café two blocks from here. Quiet. Good coffee. We need to talk. Just us."
Kruna shrugged, sheathing his blades completely. "Fine. Lead the way."
The rest of the team disappeared around the corner, still laughing and recounting the fight.
Orced and Kruna walked side by side through the quiet streets of Perpa City, the afternoon sun warm on their faces. The café was small, tucked between two older buildings, with outdoor tables under a faded awning.
They sat at the corner table, ordered two black coffees, and waited until the waitress left. Kruna took a sip. "So. What's on your mind, boss?" Orced looked out at the street, eyes distant but sharp. "Today was good. Really good. But Hedonas is watching. That drone proved it. We need to be smarter. Faster. Stronger. The world needs us. And I'm not going to let anyone stop us."
Kruna nodded slowly. "Agreed. What's the plan?" Orced leaned forward, voice low. "We keep doing what we're doing… but we start thinking bigger.
The world needs us. And I'm not going to let anyone stop us."
Kruna smirked. "You sound like you're ready for war."
Orced's smile was small, but sharp. "Maybe I am."
The two sat in silence for a moment, coffee steaming between them, the city moving around them unaware of the storm that was quietly gathering.
The Hedonas command center was a storm of quiet tension. The large wall screen replayed the warehouse fight in crisp, high-resolution detail—every slash, every explosion, every glowing strike captured perfectly by the Mark-VII drone before it went dark. Darkas stood with his arms crossed, jaw tight. Meha leaned forward, eyes narrowed. Jellal adjusted his glasses for the third time in thirty seconds. Ultema, Nemo, and Pero watched in silence from the back row.
Darkas finally spoke, voice low and measured. "Pause it there."
The footage froze on the moment Orced's radioactive water jet slammed into the curse's chest, melting flesh and drawing that final agonized scream.
Meha exhaled sharply. "Rengan. A-class semi-sentient. We had him tagged as low-priority for months. Scavenger type. He fed on abandoned fish warehouses and the occasional stray animal. Never went after civilians. Never caused structural damage. He was… manageable."
Jellal zoomed in on the curse's face during the initial exchange. "Look at his body language. He was talking. Trying to negotiate in his own broken way. He called them 'little heroes' and complained about being hunted. This wasn't an aggressive incursion. It was defensive."
Ultema crossed her arms. "And Sky Boys still went in guns blazing. No warning. No attempt at containment. They treated a semi-sentient A-class like a rabid dog that needed putting down. That white-haired leader—Orced—gave the order without hesitation."
Nemo tapped the table. "Seven S-class signatures on one target. Coordinated, practiced, and overkill. They didn't just kill Rengan. They made an example out of him. This is a red flag. A big one."
Darkas rubbed his chin, eyes never leaving the frozen image of Orced mid-strike. "Rengan was harmless by our standards. Annoying, yes. Disruptive to local supply lines, sure. But he wasn't slaughtering people in the streets. He was surviving. And Sky Boys wiped him out like he was a pest. That tells me they're not interested in containment or diplomacy. They're interested in eradication."
Meha nodded slowly. "They're building momentum. First the C-class on the island, now an A-class in Perpa City on the same day. They're testing their limits. Testing us."
Jellal's fingers flew over his tablet. "The drone feed cut right after the kill. But we have enough. Their power levels are off the charts. Orced's new water ability—radioactive, corrosive, curse-specific. Kruna's multiplication and those oversized blades. Macker using explosive mode instead of pure tanking. They're evolving fast."
Darkas turned to the group. "We don't move yet. No strike team. No public statement. We watch. We gather more intel. But this… this is no longer a minor rogue group playing hero. This is a hostile S-class faction declaring open season on anything they label 'evil.'"
The room fell quiet, the weight of the words settling over everyone. Pero stood up quietly, adjusting his coat. "I'll go talk to them. Casually. As a normal visitor. See if I can get a read on Orced and that second guy—Kruna. Maybe plant a seed for dialogue."
Darkas eyed him. "Be careful. They're sharp. Especially the white-haired one." Pero gave a small, confident nod. "I know. I'll keep it light. Just a friendly chat over coffee."
He left the command center without another word, the door hissing shut behind him.