Chapter 127: The Rangers - Birth of a Revolution
The underground parking lot of Sector 9 was a graveyard of rusted metal and oil stains, lit only by the flickering hum of dying neon tubes. In the center of this concrete wasteland, Ren Vority stood with an aura that felt heavier than the mountain itself.
He didn't wear a uniform anymore. He stood with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his hair slightly messy, and his sapphire eye glowing with a calm, predatory confidence. Behind him, three shadows stood like silent guardians, each a master of their own lethal craft.
A heavily modified armored car screeched into the lot, its tires kicking up dust. From the driver's side, a man stepped out. He was clad in a sleek, high-tech mechanical suit that hissed with pressurized steam as he moved. He pulled off his metallic mask, revealing a smirk. This was Steve.
Steve looked at Ren, then at the three figures behind him, and whistled. "Wow... Ren Vority. I've heard the legends. I heard there was even a court case against you for the Outer Sector incident. But more importantly... I heard you were executed. Beheaded by your own Captain."
Ren's lips curled into a faint, cold smile. "They didn't kill me. They just forced me underground. The 'Butcher' is dead to the world, Steve. But the man standing in front of you is much more dangerous."
Ren stepped forward, the sound of his boots echoing like a death knell. "Let's get straight to business. What we're doing is illegal. It's treason. If we fail, there won't be a trial. Just a shallow grave."
Steve leaned against his car, crossing his arms. "I knew that the moment I took the meeting. So, who are these freaks you've gathered?"
Ren gestured to the young man on his left. He looked like an ordinary seventeen-year-old in a hoodie, but his eyes were constantly scanning invisible data streams on a transparent glass tablet. "This is Mack. Don't let the age fool you. He's the highest-level hacker in the black market. If it has a circuit, he owns it."
Next, Ren pointed to the giant standing behind him. The man was a mountain of muscle, his face crisscrossed with battle scars and his long hair tied back. His left arm was a brutal piece of heavy industrial metal—a mechanical prosthetic that looked like it could crush a Titan's skull. "This is Kim. He looks like a bodybuilder, but he's a professional killer and a spy. Former Army Special Forces. He left because the pay was shit. Now, he kills for a purpose."
Finally, Ren looked at the man in the sharp tactical suit. On his back, folded like a metallic cloak, were a pair of sleek mechanical wings. "And this is our air support. Another ghost from the military."
Steve nodded, impressed. "A hacker, a tank, and a bird. And then there's you. Okay, Ren. But who are we fighting? You haven't mentioned the target."
Ren's expression turned stone-cold. "We're fighting everyone. The Army, the Vaners... but mainly, the ones at the top. High-Up Hima, General Kimo, and Captain Mina." He paused, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "And eventually... King Zero himself."
Steve's eyes widened. He let out a nervous laugh. "Are you serious? Mack and Kim vs. Kimo? And you... you think you can take on Hima and Zero? Do you even have a brain, Ren? They'll erase us from history before we can even draw our weapons."
"I told you, I'll handle them," Ren said, his voice absolute. "The plan is simple: Kim and Mack will handle General Kimo. Steve... you will be responsible for neutralizing Captain Mina. I know she's good, but your suit can match her speed."
"And what about Hima and the King?" Steve asked.
"They are mine," Ren replied. "If luck is on our side, we kill Zero and vanish into the shadows before the world even knows the throne is empty. But if we're caught... I'll be the one they execute. You guys? You'll just spend the rest of your lives in a high-security hole."
Steve looked at Kim and Mack. Kim was silently sharpening a combat knife with his metal hand, while Mack was already typing codes into the parking lot's security system.
"Jail feels like home anyway, Mister Ren Vority," Steve chuckled, sliding his mask back on. "Fine. I'm in. But every team needs a name. What are we calling this suicide squad?"
Kim looked up, his voice deep and gravelly. "The Rangers."
Steve groaned. "The Rangers? That's it? Sounds like a kids' show."
"I don't care about the name," Ren snapped, turning his back to them and looking toward the exit of the garage, where the moon was beginning to rise. "I care about the results."
"So, what's the real motive, Ren?" Steve asked, his voice becoming serious. "Is this just about power? Do you want to be the new King?"
Ren looked over his shoulder. The red 'X' in his sapphire eye glowed with a haunting light—the light of a man who had seen the truth behind the veil.
"I want the truth," Ren said. "I want to know who I really am. Why was I mind-wiped? Why were my memories stolen? King Zero is a puppet master, and it's time someone cut his strings. I'm going to bring a real King to this world—someone who doesn't rule through lies. And I'm going to get revenge for my parents' death. Every drop of blood they spilled... I'm going to collect it from Zero's neck."
The air in the parking lot seemed to drop by ten degrees. The Rangers stood together—a hacker, a spy, a pilot, and a Butcher—all united by a single, impossible goal.
"The hunt begins," Ren whispered.