A chill crept down my spine as we continued to make our way towards the access gate, the eerie relative silence of the loading bay surrounding us.

Every step echoed in the empty room, and the air grew thick with a foreboding tension.

I couldn't shake off the feeling that we were walking into a trap somehow, that there was more to the sudden disappearance of the fighting we had heard moments ago. The evidence of a battle, yet the lack of any visible struggle, was unsettling to say the least.

Captain Ouyang led the way, his eyes darting back and forth, scanning the room for any potential threats. Mila followed close behind, her shotgun at the ready.

"Specialist Bauer, please proceed," Captain Ouyang ordered, his voice steady and commanding as he turned around, hand on sword and wary. "Get the door open."

Mila nodded and stepped forward. She reached into a pocket and pulled out an ID card, swiping it across a scanner mounted on the wall beside the massive metal door. A red light blinked, then turned green, and the access gate began to open with a grinding sound. As it slowly slid apart, revealing a dimly lit room beyond, an icy wind rushed past us.

Mila hesitated briefly, her hand hovering over the control panel. The stress of the past hour briefly flashed across her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure and pressed her hand against a biometric scanner. The door beeped, and a red light illuminated, the panels blinking as an error message appeared on the display.

"What's wrong?" Captain Ouyang asked, concern creeping into his voice.

Mila shook her head, her face contorted with frustration. "Someone has locked down the hangar bay and I don't have the authorization to override it. These doors and walls are designed to take several hits from a fully amped up Juggernaut."

"Damn it," Captain Ouyang muttered, frustration evident in his tone. "We may need to find another exit or..."

Ouyang's voice trailed off as he looked at his sword, a resigned look crossing his face. He quickly removed his officer's coat, revealing a sleek, black, wet suit underneath.

He stripped off the coat and threw off his undershirt as well, exposing an intricate tattoo running down the center of his body. The design was a blur of red and black ink, almost like a moving Rorschach test with distinct lines and curves mapping out a complex web. As he stood in his skintight suit, the tattoo emitted a faint red glow, pulsing to the beat of his racing heart.

Mila watched in awe, her hand lingering on the control panel as she took in the strange tattoo. "Wait. Is that a...?" she whispered.

The Captain didn't respond; he closed his eyes, and the red glow from his tattoo began to intensify. His muscles tensed and bulged as he concentrated.

He gestured at Mila to clear the way as he unsheathed his blade. The weapon's curved edge seemed to ripple and glow with the same crimson hue.

The tattoo's glow brightened, and his whole body began to tremble as sickening blue veins appeared on his skin, spreading from the tattoo. Then, he raised his sword and settled into a low stance. His tattoo lit up in a brilliant red flash, and a guttural, inhuman roar erupted from deep within his chest.

I gasped as the red glow from his tattoo began to shift and flow across his body like a living thing, tracing intricate patterns along his arms, chest, and face. His eyes opened, now burning bright blue as well.

A burst of red light erupted from the sword, and he brought it across in a sweeping slash that tore through the metal door as if it were made of paper. The beam seared into the door, warping under the heat and intensity before crumpling into a pile of molten scraps.

Mila's jaw dropped as the metal door fell, her eyes reflecting the pulsing energy that radiated from Ouyang's sword. "By the spirits above and below," she murmured, awe and disbelief etched across her face.

Captain Ouyang collapsed to his knees on the floor, gasping for air as sweat poured from his brow. His tattoo flickered and pulsed out, the intensity of the glow slowly fading.

"Captain!" Mila shrieked.

I quickly rushed to Captain Ouyang's side, helping him to his feet. "Are you okay, sir?"

He forced a smile, trying to regain his composure. "I'm fine. Just... let's move," he said, gripping my arm tightly.

I stared at the tattoo on his torso, my mind racing with questions and worry. "What… what was that?" I asked.

Captain Ouyang looked at me, his eyes filled with fatigue. "That, my young friend, was the Oblation of Mount Tai."

Droplets of sweat dotted his forehead, glistening in the harsh light, and his knees buckled briefly as he tried to regain his balance. I couldn't help but pity him as he tried to wipe them away with a trembling hand.

His confident stance had given way to one of pure exhaustion, his shoulders slumped and eyes heavy with fatigue.

The Captain straightened up and snatched his coat from the ground, gesturing for us to follow with a subtle nod. His gaze remained fixed on the entrance to the hangar bay as he collected himself.

Mila hesitantly approached the newly opened gate and looked around the doorway. "Ugh. Those things give me the creeps. Aren't Sisyphus and the Confederacy against using them??"

Captain Ouyang's gaze was unflinching as he replied, "Yes… but nevertheless, I will not apologize for doing everything in my power to keep those around me safe."

We carefully stepped over the molten metal of the door that had been obliterated, the acrid smell of burnt metal filling my nostrils. As we entered the massive hangar, I couldn't help but be amazed by the sight. The ceilings towered above us, held up by sturdy steel beams. They were lined with bright lights that cast eerie shadows over the row of mechs standing at attention inside.

I recognized them as variations of the Aeolus class combat suits that had been deployed to Earth — only far more advanced. They were sleeker than the one I had clumsily taken control of back before I'd left Earth, but their presence was just as intimidating.

Rai-chan's voice rang out, evidently catching on to my curiosity. "The Mk. III models here are a significant upgrade from the Mk. I units we found on that road back home," she explained, her tone tinged with a hint of excitement. "These have drastically improved hydraulic systems, reinforced exo-armor, and dual-mode weaponry capable of long-range assaults and close-combat engagements alike. They even upgraded the plasma swords and added a plasma shield on the other arm!"

As we passed through the hangar, I spotted the remains of the other mechs. They were badly damaged, some missing limbs or sporting massive holes where they had taken heavy hits.

I gulped, briefly resurfacing memories of my frantic and chaotic fight in the stolen mech on Earth. Although it had only been a few weeks, it felt like a lifetime ago. A twinge of longing for home pricked my heart when I thought about my father and sister, but I pushed those emotions away.

"Status update, Lieutenant?" Captain Ouyang spoke into his radio. His voice was stiff and tense, and I could hear the worry in his tone.

"Sir, we are approximately seven or eight minutes out," the familiar young voice crackled through Ouyang's radio. "Hostile activity has escalated, but we've managed to create an opening. Prepare the landing zone as best as you can."

"Understood. Keep me informed on your progress," Captain Ouyang replied, his grip tightening on his sword.

I could see the worry etched on his face as he glanced at Mila and me. "Specialist Bauer, let's get the landing zone set up."

Mila nodded, "Y-yes sir. The console is over there," she pointed towards a large, glowing console on the far wall across the hangar. "Hopefully my credentials will work this time."

We sprinted toward the console, our footsteps echoing across the expansive hangar. As we approached the console, I noticed that the sound of battle grew increasingly distant, replaced by an eerie silence that lingered in the air. Captain Ouyang's eyes never left the entrance to the hangar bay as he jogged in tandem with us, holding his sword at the ready.

Mila quickly pressed some buttons, her fingers flying across the console's keypad. The red light flashed again, but the door didn't budge.

"It seems the lockdown was more extensive than I thought," Mila said, her voice shaky. "I don't have the clearance to override it."

Captain Ouyang took a deep breath, his face contorted with frustration as he looked over the console. "We might have to improvise," he said, his voice firm despite the clear irritation.

Just then, the echoing silence was shattered by a faint, unsettling scraping sound, like claws on metal. Mila's fingers paused on the console, her eyes widening as she turned to Captain Ouyang and me.

"Do you guys hear that?" she whispered, the color draining from her face.

Captain Ouyang raised his sword, his eyes scanning the shadows that clung to the corners of the vast hangar. "Watch my back," he commanded, stepping toward one of the mechs.

Mila stayed close to the console, her fingers hovering over the keys in case of a quick escape. At the same time, I tried to follow the noise with my gaze, shifting uneasily.

"Something's here," I spoke flatly. The shadows between the mechs seemed deeper and more threatening, and it was impossible not to imagine eyes lurking there, watching us.

Mila's eyes were wide, a flicker of fear passing over her features as she glanced at Ouyang. "Captain, should we...?" Her voice trailed off as she gestured towards the towering exit doors at the far end of the hangar.

A sudden clatter from the darkest corner of the hangar had us all spinning around. The echo of falling tools created a cacophony of metallic sounds that reverberated through the vast space, amplifying the sense of danger closing in on us.

Captain Ouyang paused, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the darkness. Then, he broke off into a breakneck sprint, his blade gleaming in the dim light as he moved toward the source of the noise. Mila and I exchanged a glance, uncertainty flickering in her eyes, but we followed, staying close.

A red flash of light erupted from Captain Ouyang's sword as he turned a corner, and the clattering grew more frantic. Mila and I rounded a stack of high-tech cargo, our weapons ready.

Then, amid a tangle of cables and metal parts, we saw them.

Two figures were crouched behind a toppled supply crate, their eyes wide with terror.

And thankfully, they were human.

A tall man, lanky and a chubby woman of average height, both engineers by the looks of their grease-stained overalls. The man's hair was a mess of curly green locks, with pasty white skin, blue eyes, and an unkempt beard that seemed like it hadn't been trimmed in weeks. His companion, a petite, chubby woman with reddish-brown skin and bright pink hair tied back in a messy bun, sported a pair of round, thick-rimmed glasses.

The man flung a wrench in our direction as we rounded the corner in what looked like pure reflexive fear. It clattered harmlessly a few feet away.

"D-don't shoot, don't shoot!" he stammered, his voice high-pitched with panic.

The woman was equally frantic, waving a screwdriver like she was swinging around a sword. "We're just techs!" she squeaked. "Please, we thought you were a —"

Mila lowered her shotgun slightly, squinting at the figures. Recognition flickered across her face. "Jeff? Sunflower?" she said, her tone shifting from tense to bewildered. "What are you guys doing here?"

Jeff tried to muster a smile through his trembling lips. "Trying... trying to stay alive," he chuckled weakly. Sunflower nodded vigorously, still clutching her screwdriver.

"Everyone else ran," Sunflower explained, her voice shaky. But we... we got cornered. We hid here. We tried to lock down the hangar. We thought we were goners when we heard something big coming up the loading bay not too long ago."

"Explains why I couldn't get in here," Mila muttered with a frustrated scowl.

Captain Ouyang stepped closer, sheathing his sword. He offered a nod of reassurance to the techs. "You did well to stay hidden," he commended, a steady tenor hum filling the cold metal expanse. "But now, we need your help. Can you secure the hangar controls? We have a team coming in to exfiltrate everyone."

Jeff's face brightened, rubbing his neck as he glanced at Sunflower. "Extraction? Y-yeah, yeah. W-we can try," he stammered, still jittery.

Sunflower nodded, her grip on the screwdriver loosening as she realized the immediate threat had subsided.

"Good," Ouyang replied crisply. "We need the lights on the runway operational. Time is not on our side."

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"Say uh, how did you three get in here?" Sunflower asked. "We had the gate locked down pretty tight with Jeff's credentials. Ain't the easiest thing to bypass."

Captain Ouyang exchanged a glance with Mila before looking back at the pair. "Well, let's just say it wasn't locked tight enough. We had to... make our own entry."

Jeff's eyebrows shot up, and Sunflower chuckled nervously.

"Say u-uh, did you guys see anything in the loading bay before coming i-in here?" Jeff stammered nervously. "We did lock ourselves in here for a reason, you know. There were an awful lot of gunshots and screams out there."

Mila's face hardened slightly, and she glanced at Captain Ouyang. "No. We did hear gunshots as we approached the loading bay, but there was no sign of a struggle or anything hostile when we passed through."

Sunflower exchanged a worried look with Jeff. "Well, that's odd. Because just before we sealed ourselves in here, we heard... and I mean, it could've been our imaginations, but..." She trailed off, her expression serious.

Jeff picked up where she left off, his voice trembling. "We thought we heard something big—like, really big—clomping around out there. It made the whole floor vibrate."

I squirmed in my seat, watching as Rai-chan scanned the area with streams of light flowing across my HUD. The atmosphere in the room was becoming tense, and something didn't seem quite right.

"We heard it too," Mila confirmed, her voice tight with unease. "But we didn't see anything. It's... strange."

Captain Ouyang's eyes narrowed as the implications of their conversation began to settle. "Strange indeed," he murmured, his gaze shifting toward the dimly lit corners of the hangar. "You two… Jeff and Sunflower, was it? I need you two to prepare the dock for exfiltration. Specialist Bauer - please stay with them and aid them with what you can."

"Understood," Mila replied quickly, her gaze sweeping the hangar's shadow-filled perimeters.

Captain Ouyang then turned to me, his expression solemn. "Ikazuchi? You're with me. We're going to backtrack a bit."

"Huh? What's up?" I asked, my voice slightly cracking as I followed Captain Ouyang's steady pace back towards the loading bay.

Captain Ouyang didn't respond immediately. His expression was grave as we moved cautiously, his eyes scanning every shadow. "There's something off about this whole situation. We're missing a piece of the puzzle here, and I'd rather not be caught off guard."

Following his lead, I nodded as we retraced our steps toward the loading bay. I briefly turned to look back at the two engineers and Mila, who were beginning to work on the dock controls on the far side of the room.

"Captain, are you sure we should focus on this right now?" I asked, sweeping over the room again. "Your team will be here to move us out in just a few minutes, right?

"Yes, that is still the plan," he replied, his voice low and calm. "However, I have learned to trust my instincts."

The debris of the ruined door lay scattered about, and we stopped at the entrance where Captain Ouyang bent down to touch the ground.

"No signs of fighting here. Yet, those engineers said they heard gunfire and something large," Ouyang observed. His voice held a hint of concern.

"Most curious. I can certainly detect slightly elevated ambient chaos energy levels here, but no actual trace of a physical confrontation. No bullet casings, no blood... nothing," Captain Ouyang muttered, running his fingers over the smooth metal floor.

"There's traces of of gunpowder discharge here too," I added. "But it's faint."

"Gunpowder discharge?" he echoed, brows furrowing as he turned to look at me. "How did you determine that?"

"Er…" I hesitated, realizing I might have slipped up about Rai-chan's existence. "I've been running some uh, environmental analysis algorithms," I quickly covered.

Captain Ouyang nodded thoughtfully, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary before he turned his attention back to the ground. "Environmental analysis, huh? Useful feature. Your… varsity Magitech kids are getting savvier by the day. Reminds me of my… extended family, I suppose."

He trailed off, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he recalled a memory.

"What can I say? I'm trying my best out here sir," I responded, trying to lighten the mood with a nervous chuckle.

The sound of distant fighting continued to echo in the background, quickly reminding me that we had a battlefield to reach soon. But something was unsettling about the silence that had fallen over the loading bay. As if acknowledging it, Captain Ouyang stood up and glanced around, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"Alright, Ikazuchi, let's make a quick sweep of the area. Keep your eyes open and your weapon ready," he said, his tone serious and alert.

We moved forward cautiously, our footsteps almost inaudible on the metallic floor. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were stepping into a trap as I raised a pistol.

As we rounded a stack of crates, a flicker of motion caught the corner of my eye.

I immediately jerked my head towards the movement, but all I saw was empty space.

A chill ran down my spine, and I tightened my grip on my pistol.

"Did you see that?" I whispered.

Captain Ouyang paused, his eyes scanning the dark recesses of the room. "No. I didn't. What did you see?"

"I don't know," I murmured. I hesitantly reached out to Rai-chan. "Did you notice that just now?" I inquired, feeling somewhat unsettled by the whole situation.

"No. But I felt your vitals spike," Rai-chan replied.

I exhaled deeply, attempting to settle my racing heart. I had a sinking sensation that we were being watched, but if neither Captain Ouyang or Rai-chan had seen it, I couldn't be sure if it wasn't just my anxiety playing tricks on me.

"I could swear that I saw something moving," I whispered, still unsettled. "Or maybe it was just my imagination. This whole place is creeping me out."

The captain frowned and looked at me, his eyes intense. "Ikazuchi, we're on high alert, so it's understandable. Moreover.... I have noticed something else amiss."

I raised an eyebrow and tilted my head in inquiry. "What's that?" I asked, curious.

He tapped his foot on the floor and then looked around, a small crease appearing between his eyebrows. "The acoustics of this loading bay," he said thoughtfully. "It's... strange. We should be hearing more echoes. This room is large, but not large enough for sounds to dissipate like they are."

A knot formed in my stomach as I considered his observation. The eerie atmosphere and strange acoustic phenomena had my nerves on edge.

"I'm not liking the sound of that..." I whispered. "Pun intended. I'm starting to think we're in way over our heads here."

Then it happened.

The shadows around us suddenly deepened, almost like a trick of the light, but I knew I wasn't imagining it. The contrast between the dimly lit background and the corners of the hangar even seemed to sharpen for a moment.

And then, just as suddenly, the light withdrew, and the shadows softened back to their original shade.

My breath hitched, the cold fear seeping into my bones. I couldn't explain it, but the air felt heavier, charged with an ominous energy.

"Captain?" My voice barely carried out of the drone's voice box, tense and unsure.

He didn't respond, his focus fixed ahead, sword drawn, moving with deliberate caution.

"I saw it too," Captain Ouyang growled, confirming my suspicions. "Something is definitely wrong."

My HUD flickered unexpectedly as Rai-chan's voice cut in. "Ikki, stay sharp. There's an abnormal spike in localized chaos energy right around you. I'm trying to isolate it, but it's erratic and hard to pinpoint. It's coming from everywhere and nowhere at once."

"Captain, I think we should pull back. Stay close to the others just in case."

Captain Ouyang's face was tense with worry, and he nodded in agreement. "We'll head back to the group and reassess our situation from there. Keep your weapon at the ready and stay in visual contact with me at all times."

I heard the creaking sound of the doors opening as we stepped back into the hangar. A dark silhouette of a transport craft flew overhead, its blades cutting through the darkening sky through the windows. At the same time, a landing pad began to light up outside, illuminating the dimly lit hangar with blinding lights.

The Captain and I picked up to a jog, constantly checking behind us.

Something definitely seemed to be lurking in the shadows, but nothing was there.

And that just made it worse.

As we approached the group of engineers and Mila, I glanced at Jeff - who was working diligently on the dock controls, sweat glistening on his brow. Sunflower was examining a weapon terminal, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Mila stood by, her gaze flickering over the two of them.

"Heya Cap! Good of you to finally find some time to join us," Sunflower said, not looking up from the terminal. "We've almost got this place in working order; we just need to figure out the power distribution. Find anything back there?"

Captain Ouyang immediately addressed the team. "We've encountered some strange activity in the hangar, so we're going to need to move quickly just to be safe. Ikazuchi and I will take point, with the engineers and Mila following closely behind. Keep your eyes peeled and your weapons ready. Is Robin One clear to land?"'

"Roger that, Captain," Jeff replied, his hands moving deftly over the control panel. "Robin One is good to go. All systems are online, and the landing pad is now aligned. Preparing for descent."

"Thank you… Jeff," Captain Ouyang said as he pulled out his radio. "Robin One, this is Captain Ouyang. You are clear for immediate landing. Please initiate extraction."

The crackle of static filled the air, followed by a brisk acknowledgment. "Copy that, Captain. Robin One initiating descent."

As the group prepared for the transport's arrival, the tension didn't ebb. Each of us was acutely aware of the potential threats lurking in the unseen corners of the hangar. I couldn't help but glance nervously around, my hand gripping the pistol tighter.

Suddenly, a low, ominous rumble echoed through the hangar. The sound was deep and resonant, like something massive shifting everywhere at once. My heart skipped a beat, and I swiveled around, searching the darkness.

"Did everyone hear that?" I asked.

Mila nodded, her face tense. "Yeah, sounded like... a big truck moving around in here or something."

Jeff's face went pale. "It's the thing from before, when we sealed ourselves in here!"

The rumble persisted, growing louder and more intense. The hangar began to vibrate with its force, causing dust and small debris to fall from the ceiling. The sound grew, building in intensity until it was almost deafening.

Captain Ouyang's hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, his eyes scanning the perimeter.

"Start moving outside, everyone. Specialist Bauer — take point and stay alert!" he commanded, his voice a sharp edge of authority in the stifling atmosphere.

Sunflower and Jeff exchanged a fearful look but quickly fell in line behind Mila. We moved as a tight unit, our feet echoing in the vast, empty space of the hangar as we picked up our pace.

My HUD flashed suddenly with a surge of data, warning indicators blinking wildly. "Ikki, massive chaos energy surge detected! Something is here with you!" Rai-chan's voice echoed in my head, urgent and sharp.

Captain Ouyang suddenly stopped, his gaze locked onto a dark corner of the hangar. I gripped my weapon tighter, scanning the area for signs of danger as well.

The humming grew louder and was now accompanied by a sharp clanging noise, like metal claws scraping against each other. Mila and the engineers pressed in closer to us while Sunflower froze with a petrified look.

Then, without warning, the entire hangar shook violently as if the ground itself was about to split open. A deep growl reverberated through the space, bouncing off the metal walls and filling every inch with its menacing presence. It seemed to come from all directions at once, making it impossible to pinpoint its source.

"Figures…" Captain Ouyang muttered, drawing his sword as he slowed down, beckoning us to hurry. "Keep going!"

We hurried on, our footsteps a sharp contrast to the low growling that seemed to surround us. As we reached the massive hangar doors, the air suddenly felt charged, a static buzz prickling at the back of my neck. Mila paused, her eyes wide, shotgun raised, as she stared at the doors leading to the runway.

"Something's not right," she whispered, tension vibrating in her voice.

Before anyone could respond, the space at the hangar entrance shimmered, and reality seemed to warp and twist. A portal ripped open with a horrific sound, like tearing fabric, spilling forth an icy wind that buffeted our group.

The scraping noise intensified, closing in around us all at once. The shadows around us seemed to pulse and thicken like they were alive.

And then, the lights in the hangar went out.

The runway's lights were the only light in the darkness that now enveloped us, casting long, eerie shadows that danced ominously on the walls.

Captain Ouyang's firm and unwavering voice cut through the tension. "Hold your ground! Weapons ready, eyes sharp!" His sword glinted in the dim light as he took a defensive stance, his gaze fixed on the shifting shadows at the hangar entrance.

Mila took a step back, her instincts razor-sharp as she aimed her shotgun at the shifting shadows.

A guttural growl pierced the air, sending a shiver down my spine. The hangar seemed to constrict around us, oppressive and suffocating.

I could hear Sunflower frantically muttering some sort of incantation under her breath, her hands glowing faintly with power.

Then, amidst the suffocating darkness, a pair of luminescent blue eyes appeared, glowing ominously within the shadows. They blinked once, slow and deliberate, the gaze unnerving and penetrating.

The shadows stretched and twisted, coalescing into a towering figure in the middle of the entranceway. A wraith-like monster, made entirely of shadows, stood before us, its form blurry and shifting,

The air around us seemed to freeze as the creature stepped forward, its eyes gleaming with a malevolent intelligence.

Then, reality itself split open. A surreal-looking rip tore through the space, and I felt my heart skip a beat.

It spanned across the entrance, warping the air with its presence. The monstrous shadow moved, its form coalescing into a twisted, nightmarish, humanoid creature, unlike anything I had ever seen. Its elongated limbs ended in razor-sharp claws that dripped with a dark, viscous substance. Its form flickered and shifted like it struggled to maintain a solid shape in our world.

And then, another figure stepped through the rift, head bowed, its movements slow and deliberate. It was a soldier wearing a Northern Coalition olive drab uniform, but something was off about him. His movements were jerky and unnatural, like a marionette controlled by unseen hands.

And then another soldier walked forward by his side, and another beside him, until several dozen soldiers emerged from the rift, trudging forward with their heads bowed. Their uniforms were tattered, soaked with shadows that seemed to cling to them like a second skin. As they reached the edge of the light cast by the transport's beams, they halted, eerily synchronized.

The soldiers stood in a rigid formation, their eyes hidden in the shadows of their helmets. The eerie silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the sound of the helicopter rotor blades slicing through the air as it descended towards the landing pad outside.

Mila's breath hitched beside me. "Jackson? Seneca?" she whispered, recognizing some of the figures. Her voice carried a mix of disbelief and dread.

As if controlled by an invisible force, the soldiers moved in unison at the sound of her call. Their steps were jerky and mechanical, devoid of human grace or emotion. Like puppets on strings, they lined up in perfect formation, their heads tilting upwards in a chilling display of synchronicity.

Mila's hands shook as she clutched her shotgun tightly. She stepped back as even more rifts seemed to open around us. The soldiers' eyes remained hidden, but their presence emanated a palpable, raw feeling of malevolence.

And then, each soldier's eyes snapped open, a unified flare of eerie blue piercing the hangar's gloom.

The soldiers' faces were masks of emptiness, their eyes hollow and devoid of life. Yet, a flicker of recognition was in their gaze as they locked onto Mila.

"Prepare yourselves!" Captain Ouyang barked, his voice commanding and resolute.

He raised his sword, its blade gleaming with a faint, ethereal red light that danced along several glowing runes etched into the metal. The soldiers in front of us remained motionless, their gaze fixed on Mila with a haunting intensity.

"Ikki," Rai-chan's voice resonated through my drone body. "I'm picking up another reading. It's big."

"Seriously?!" I shouted in disbelief.

The shadows at the far end of the hangar began to shift, swirling into a denser, darker mass.

The portal pulsed, its edges flickering with a sinister blue light. A thunderous noise grew louder from its depths as if something massive was forcing its way through the rift.

I glanced at Mila, her face pale under the harsh light of the transport's beams, her shotgun trembling in her grip.

She was a soldier, yes, but it was clear the horror unfolding before us was beyond anything training could prepare her for.

As the sound escalated, the air in the hangar twisted, and the temperature dropped sharply, gripping us with an unnatural cold. Shadows stretched across the floor, reaching out like fingers towards us.

And then, another shape began to emerge from the portal. Massive and imposing, the silhouette of six wolf-like shadow creatures loomed from the darkness

The soldiers stepped aside, forming a corridor for the creatures, their blue eyes now casting an ominous glow on the advancing creatures. The beasts' eyes flickered with a hungry light, their maws dripping with blue, chaos-infused ichor.

"Beowulves…" I whispered in recognition. I swallowed, remembering my last encounter with them over the summer.

As sassy as ever, Rai-chan's voice buzzed in my head, "You know, you really know how to pick your school field trips, Ikki."

I sighed, gripping my pistol tighter, "Tell me about it."

The first Beowulf hurtled forward, its jaws agape.

And all hell broke loose.

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