Julian and the others rushed away from the battlefield, making their way toward the military base’s outer perimeter.
Inside one of the briefing rooms, now abandoned and dimly lit, they began to discuss the gas that had just been released.
"I have no idea what that gas was," Lucia said, her expression tense. "General Albrecht’s mind is... unpredictable. Even his closest officers can’t understand him."
Veronica crossed her arms and huffed. "Why is it that every time we visit a place, disaster follows us?"
Emma, still catching her breath, let out a short laugh. "Maybe we’re just cursed with bad luck."
Julian remained quiet for a moment before speaking in a calm but firm tone. "We need to lay low for now and come up with a strategy. If that gas is spreading, we’ll need a plan before we face whatever it turns people into."
Elien stepped forward. "I know a place. It’s one of my old hideouts, well-hidden, and safe for now. I can take you there."
Julian nodded once. "Lead the way."
Then, without hesitation, he pulled out a vehicle from his inventory. The others climbed in, still shaken from the encounter.
They drove off, leaving behind the chaos and bloodshed, with the roaring engine and fading smoke behind them.
-------×--------
The southern battlefield was in complete chaos. More and more soldiers began to fall, only to rise again moments later, their eyes glowing red and their bodies twitching unnaturally.
Rayden stood amidst the mayhem, eyes wide in disbelief. "You’ve got to be kidding me... What the hell is this?"
Beside him, Naria, whose face was usually unreadable, spoke with a rare urgency in her voice. "Captain, we need to fall back to a safer zone. Let me handle this."
Rayden, calm but firm, shook his head. "No. Tell the others to hold the line. Retreat if necessary, but if it comes down to it... they’re allowed to kill the infected."
He clenched his jaw, his thoughts racing. This gas... it’s not random. It’s some kind of bio-tech, something similar to the original zombie virus. But why? What could the General possibly gain from turning his own people into monsters?
Naria snapped him back to reality. "New reports say the infected can regenerate. Rapidly."
Rayden’s eyes narrowed. "Tell the outer posts to fall back immediately. Abandon their positions if they have to."
The assault intensified. The infected surged forward, relentless, regenerating from every wound. They were becoming something more, an immortal force.
"Rodrick!" Rayden called out over the chaos.
Rodrick appeared, sweat running down his temple. "Yes, Captain?"
"Can you warp everyone out of here?"
Rodrick grimaced. "At most, five people."
Rayden cursed under his breath. "Then go. Get them out. Head straight to Mayor Lucia."
He looked to Clint. "Your alchemist skills will be more useful with them. Go."
But before he could finish, Naria and the rest of the squad began protesting.
"I’m not leaving you here, Captain," Naria said flatly, eyes fierce. "I’d rather die than run."
"We all feel the same," another said.
Rayden’s composed face finally broke into frustration. "This is a battlefield! You don’t get to choose! Obey your damn orders!"
Rodrick smiled bitterly. "We’ve learned that from you, Captain. That sometimes... doing what’s right means disobeying."
A soft glow began forming around them, Rodrick had already activated his skill.
Rayden’s eyes widened."....What are you doing right now Rodrick?"
"Cancel it. That’s an order!"
Rodrick’s expression softened. "This skill... can’t be canceled once it’s begun."
"Bullshit! Cancel it now!" Rayden barked, stepping forward.
But it was too late.
One soldier looked at Naria and spoke with a bittersweet grin, "Make sure to keep the Captain in check, alright? He tends to get reckless."
Another turned to Clint and patted his back. "Stop doubting yourself. You’ve got talent, Clint. Use it. Help him."
Naria took a shaky breath, then gave a slow nod. "All of you... thank you for everything. You’ve done more than enough."
Among them, Melinda, her voice trembling, suddenly burst out, "Why the hell am I here too?! I didn’t want to leave, I didn’t want to leave you, Rodrick!"
Rodrick’s eyes widened as she stepped forward, fists clenched.
"I want to stay by your side," she said, her voice cracking, eyes brimming with tears. "I don’t care about any mission, I just... don’t want to be away from you..."
Rodrick looked at her with a sad smile, gently placing his hand on her shoulder.
"I’m sorry, Melinda. Maybe I was being selfish... but your skills will be needed where we’re going. You’ll help people survive."
Melinda bit her lip, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I don’t want someone else. I want you..."
Rodrick couldn’t say anything. He just offered one last look of silent apology.
Nearby, a petite girl stood frozen, her body trembling. Her name was Rin. She didn’t speak, only cried in silence.
One of the others tried to comfort her, "Don’t cry, Rin..."
"Yeah," another chimed in, trying to keep it light, "you’re always crying anyway."
But those words only made Rin cry harder, unable to speak, her sobs echoing softly.
Clint, eyes red, wiped his tears as he looked back at the spot where their comrades had stood. His voice broke.
"I... I won’t forget any of you."
One by one, the team spoke their final words.
"Thank you... for leading us this far, Captain."
"It’s been an honor fighting beside you."
"I won’t forget you."
"Live on... Captain."
Rayden’s voice cracked. "Stop this! You’re being selfish! Why won’t you just listen to me?!"
Rodrick looked at him with a sad smile. "Because we learned it from the most stubborn captain in the army."
The light enveloped them fully, then vanished in a flash.
-------×-------
Julian’s group halted as a lone figure stepped into the road ahead, blocking their path. The sky above was heavy with lingering smoke, the atmosphere tense.
Lucia narrowed her eyes. "Marek...?"
The man standing before them gave a cold smirk. "I told you, didn’t I? No matter where you go, I can always find you. That mark I placed on you, Lucia... traitors like you are easy to follow."
Lucia stepped forward, anger rising in her voice. "What the hell is going on, Marek? Why did the general release that gas?!"
"You wouldn’t understand," Marek replied flatly. "None of you ever could."
Julian took a single step forward, voice sharp with sarcasm. "Of course we can’t. Our minds work differently from obedient dogs like you."
Marek’s expression hardened, but his chest rose with pride. "I’d rather be a loyal hound than a traitor."
Behind him, a surge of energy swirled, dark and focused, shaping into a massive arrow made of pure force. Without warning, Marek launched it straight toward them.
Clarissa and Lucia reacted instantly, conjuring a shield with their powers, telekinetic and frost energy merging to block the strike. The arrow slammed into the barrier, cracking it but not breaking through.
Veronica, already prepared, activated her buff on Julian. "Go!"
Julian blurred forward like a streak of lightning, but before he could reach Marek, another energy arrow was fired, slamming into Julian mid-dash and sending him skidding back across the dirt with a grunt.
Lucia stared in disbelief. "His skill... wasn’t it just tracking?"
Marek chuckled darkly. "It was. But mine isn’t just some common tracking ability."
From the shadows, another voice cut in. "His ability is called [Predator Mark]. Once he marks his target, he can locate them anywhere and fire concentrated energy bolts that follow his mark."
Everyone turned toward the voice, Rayden stepping from behind the ruins, his military uniform tattered, bloodstains down one arm, but his eyes sharp as ever.
Marek stiffened. "Captain Rayden...? You survived?"
Rayden’s jaw clenched as he walked toward the group, eyes blazing. "Yeah. I crawled out of hell. And now, I’m going to make every last one of you bastards pay for what you did to my team."
Rayden’s eyes sharpened. "Naria. Deal with that mutt."
Naria, calm as ever despite the storm brewing around them, nodded once. "Understood, Captain."
With a sudden burst of speed, she dashed forward, her seemingly delicate hand crashing into Marek’s gut with a shockwave-like impact. Marek was hurled backward, slamming into a crumbled wall.
Rayden narrowed his gaze coldly. "Without his mark, he’s just a dog chasing ghosts."
But Marek coughed, blood trickling from his mouth as he stood, eyes burning with fury. "As expected... from the man who can see through everything. Captain Rayden, you even know my skill’s weakness."
He raised his hand, and energy pulsed again. "But I’ve evolved. I’m not the same as before."
Dozens of energy arrows burst from behind Marek, launching toward them like a rain of destruction. But Julian was already moving, his [Lightning] activating, crackling electricity surrounding him as he weaved through the arrows with inhuman speed.
"You owe me this one," Julian growled, eyes flaring.
He dashed in, fist coated in shadow and lightning, slamming Marek in the chest and sending him flying again. Dust exploded into the air.
Julian didn’t stop, he lunged forward again, prepared to end it.
But Marek’s body shimmered.
Just before Julian’s attack landed, Marek vanished.
"Illusion?" Clarissa muttered.
Marek’s voice echoed around them, fading like a ghost. "You won’t get far. I’ve marked you all. And I will hunt you down, one by one."
Julian scanned the area, fists still clenched, but Marek was gone. Vanished like a shadow into the wind.
"Tch. He got away."
Rayden stepped forward slowly, eyes still sharp. "He won’t hide for long. Dogs like him always come back for their prey."