"Like for real though, someone tell me what other job Jim has than to follow us on missions and extract cores. Why the hell was I the one who had to do it when we have someone whose job is to literally extract cores!" Lana could be heard complaining as she angrily stomped into the canteen with the others. Her footsteps echoed across the tiled floor as if she wanted the entire base to hear her frustration.

They had just come from a mission. All five of them, sweaty and exhausted, with Jim nowhere to be found as they sat at their table with food trays in front of them. The smell of steak, bread, and freshly cooked rice wafted between them, but Lana's irritation overshadowed even the aroma.

"And how many times do I have to say that I sent him on an errand? Besides, he wasn't feeling too well." Jake replied calmly as he took a bite of an apple first, chewing slowly like he wasn't fazed at all by her tantrum.

"So is the errand more important than our mission? We could have gotten injured." Lana scowled at the hybrid, slamming her fork onto the tray so hard the sound rang out.

"Huh? Weren't you the one who always called him the weakest of us? Then how can someone who is weak be able to help us?" Jasmine asked with a raised brow, her tone sharp yet laced with logic.

"I keep on saying it, she's nuts. Her brain is twisted and always confused." Max grumbled as he bit down on his steak, chewing noisily while veins began bulging across the female's face.

"I dare you to say that again, and I promise I'll send a dozen feathers straight into your little brain." Lana threatened, eyes narrowed, her voice carrying enough venom to silence half the canteen.

"Don't think because you are a female, my fists believe in gender equality." Max coolly replied as he glared at the hunter beside him. His calm tone only made Lana's rage bubble hotter.

"You guys act like kids." Daki mumbled as she facepalmed herself, shaking her head while watching Max and Lana scowl at each other until…

"Guys, guys, guys!" A shout interrupted them, sharp and panicked, as they turned to see a familiar figure running over. His hair was a mess, his shirt drenched in sweat, and his steps were unsteady.

"Look at the weakling finally coming out of his closet after we've completed the mission. I'm going t…"

"Sit your ass down, Lana, and stop misbehaving!" Jasmine growled toward the female, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"And who's going to make me?" Lana asked with furrowed brows, rising halfway from her seat.

"Me." Jake replied with a small smirk on his face as his aura began spilling out, making the area suddenly feel heavy and suffocating. The air itself seemed to bend under the pressure. "And I promise you, you don't want to see me act."

'Huh? That line, it sounds oddly familiar.' Max thought as he froze mid-bite, his fork hanging awkwardly as Jim finally staggered to the table.

"Go… go… good thing you all are… are here." Jim stuttered in between gasps for air, clinging onto his phone tightly and waving it at the others like it was his lifeline.

"Huh? Why are you panting so hard?" Daki asked with a raised brow, leaning back casually but with a curious glint in her eye.

"Partly because I ran all around the base looking for you guys, and partly because of the news I came to share." Jim huffed and panted, sweat trickling down his cheek as he hunched over.

"News? What news?" Jake asked, his tone shifting from irritation to concern as he braced himself for the worst.

"It's bad, guys… well, at least for the hybrid in the group." Jim said as he began tapping on his screen with shaky fingers before sliding the phone toward the others. A video popped up, the brightness glaring against the dim canteen lighting, and a female broadcaster's voice soon filled the table.

"Breaking news," the broadcaster's voice was sharp and serious as the squad immediately leaned in. "Following the incident that occurred between humans and hybrids, which led to the hybrid's death and caused the kings and government to act and ban lethal weapons…"

The table fell into silence. The words seemed to hang in the air, heavier than Jake's aura, and for a brief moment, not even Lana dared to complain.

'What has happened now?' Max thought as he leaned in closer, clinging on to every word like it was a lifeline. His fork was forgotten on the table as his attention narrowed entirely to the screen.

"Well, the Silver Pine Corporation has just pulled all their scientists and tech gurus in and developed a weapon that is not lethal but would be able to restrain hybrids. They call it, and I quote, 'The Anti-Hybrid Weapon.'"

"Huh?" Jake muttered, his heart thumping loudly in his chest while watching the news unfold. His jaw tightened unconsciously, a faint line of sweat running down the side of his face.

"That's not all. There's still more." Jim muttered under his breath, his tone grim, causing the squad to keep on watching in silence. Every second that passed made the atmosphere heavier.

"Here is a footage that the corporation shared on the human-hybrid test they conducted." The broadcaster's voice carried a chilling edge. Immediately, a small video began playing on the side of the broadcast.

A captured hybrid could be seen chained up in a reinforced chamber. His body was already transformed, scales glinting faintly, claws clenched tight, and eyes burning with rage. In front of him stood two bulky men, their bodies clad in corporate-issued armor. Each one held weapons that looked like guns, but these were unlike any normal firearm. The barrels were twice the size, and the entire frame glowed with an unnatural blue shimmer.

Both men aimed their weapons directly at the restrained hybrid. Without hesitation, their fingers pressed the triggers.

A huge burst of energy shot out, not a bullet, but something that looked like raw electricity condensed into a bolt of destruction. The weapon roared to life with a crackling sound.

The moment the attack slammed into the hybrid, he screamed loudly, his roar of defiance twisting into one of agony. Blue arcs of energy raced across his body, crackling and sparking as if tearing through his very cells. Veins bulged and popped across his arms and neck as his strength faltered. Slowly, painfully, he began reverting back to his human form. His claws retracted, his scales melted away, and his face twisted in raw torment as his knees buckled.

The video cut off abruptly, leaving only the sound of the hybrid's final scream ringing in their ears. The broadcaster's face appeared again, calm but stern.

"Wow. The weapon hasn't even been distributed yet, but according to the corporation, after the short clip was released, they have had over five hundred orders worldwide, and they are to be supplied in bulk. All I can say is… I wish the hybrids good luck."

And right there, the video ended, leaving only the quiet hum of the canteen and the stunned expressions of the group. A heavy hush befell them in an instant, silence louder than any words.

"Th… this is crazy. This is bad." Lana gulped loudly, her throat dry as her head spun trying to process what she had just seen and heard. Her usual sharp tongue was gone, replaced by unease.

"The kings would do something about this, right? I mean, people can use this against them too." Jasmine muttered, her eyes darting to Jake, who only shook his head slowly, his expression grim.

"As long as the weapon isn't lethal, and from the video we just watched, it didn't kill the hybrid but subdued him, no king will interfere. Because to be honest, their strength far surpasses any of these toys, so they won't care." Jake muttered as he held his head in deep thought. His voice was low, but his words carried the weight of bitter truth.

"So are we to just keep quiet and watch all this unfold?" Lana asked with furrowed brows, frustration leaking back into her voice, though weaker than before.

"What do you want to do? Fight against the corporation? Even with your family's influence— and I doubt they even care— there's only so much you can do." Max replied bluntly, his tone sharp, slicing her hopes before they could form.

"Like guys, none of you are even thinking what I'm thinking." Jim finally spoke, his voice unsteady but clear as he stared at the group with wide, serious eyes.

"And what are you thinking?" Daki asked with a raised brow, her tone calm yet wary.

"If these weapons hit the world, the Anti-Hybrid Association will surely get their hands on it. Then what next?" Jim asked.

The moment the words left his lips, it hit Jake like a speeding train. His body stiffened, his face pale. His mind raced through possibilities, each one worse than the last.

"They will openly wage war against hybrids." he muttered in horror, his voice flat and heavy like a death sentence.

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