Talulah moved swiftly. This was not her first time leading a squad; she had done so countless times before. She had fought for the Infected, then for the rebels, and finally, under the influence of the Black Snake, fought to destroy everything.
Now, she could finally say it without hesitation: she was fighting for justice.
The operator she was most familiar with in her squad was Neon, Hellagur's adopted daughter. Like her adoptive father, she wielded an exaggeratedly long blade. According to the other operators, it was an odachi, custom-forged for her by craftsmen from Higashi. Talulah's feelings were complicated. Hellagur had been with Tomorrow's Development for less than a year, yet he had already risen to a high position. By all rights, he could have ignored her completely.
Moreover, Hellagur's home had once been destroyed by Talulah and the Reunion Movement.
And yet, he had now placed Neon under Talulah's command. It could be seen as a form of oversight, but it could just as easily be interpreted as trust. A squad leader was responsible for her team, for their safety and their lives. That meant Talulah now bore responsibility for Neon as well.
That Hellagur could entrust his adopted daughter to her so readily weighed heavily on Talulah's heart.
She said nothing and quickened her pace.
Their destination was a small square that had once been a gathering place for the Tara people on weekends, one of the few moments of peace in their week. Now, the square lay in ruins, smoke curling upward as scattered flames licked at the broken ground. Talulah stopped, and Neon and the others halted behind her.
A number of Tara people were holding hands in the square. It seemed the Victoria Mounted Police were only responsible for the Victoria District, and it was already stretching their authority to expect them to come here and disperse these people.
The scene reminded Talulah uncomfortably of the Reunion Movement in the past. She pressed her lips together. From the very beginning, she had sensed it. The Tara army's strategy mirrored the Reunion Movement's methods when seizing mobile cities. The main force drew away the defending troops at the front, while a small elite unit slipped into the city to incite the oppressed to take up arms and fight on their behalf.
Were these Tara people now being led astray by the Tara army?
The Tara people's desire for freedom was far more just than the Reunion Movement's obsession with destruction. Even so, after hearing explanations from Kumori and Hellagur, Talulah felt only anger toward this special squad.
Weren't they all Tara? Why should Tara exploit Tara? Were Tara lives worth nothing? Were these not their own people?
How was what they were doing now any different from what she herself had done in the past, or from the actions of the Black Snake?
Talulah clenched her fists.
Neon sensed her agitation and asked quietly, "Should we wipe them out?"
Talulah glanced at her. Hellagur's daughter truly lived up to her reputation. She had the bearing of a warrior, decisive and unhesitating. Talulah admired that kind of temperament.
"No," Talulah replied after a pause. "Our mission is to eliminate the Six HVTs. Once they're dealt with, the rest will no longer matter."
"Understood."
Relying on Clever's reconnaissance, Talulah's squad silently encircled the square. Snipers took the high ground and began observing through their scopes, while the rest of the team held position, remaining as quiet as possible to avoid alerting the enemy.
About ten minutes later, a report came through their headsets.
"Multiple figures in black are approaching rapidly. Based on their behavior, the one in front should be the Immolator."
"Hold your positions," Talulah said in a low voice. "What else do you see?"
"…There are trucks. After a quick scan, they're all loaded with Molotov cocktails," the sniper replied, shock evident in his voice. "Four trucks in total, all carrying Molotovs and explosives."
"No wonder he's called the Immolator," Talulah murmured.
The trucks rolled into the square, the Immolator leading the way with several black-robed soldiers. They barked orders for the Tara people to clear a path. Faced with these armed figures, the Tara crowd broke into fawning, excited smiles. They believed the operation was finally beginning, that their long-awaited freedom was within reach.
The Immolator snapped his fingers, and the Tara people immediately swarmed forward. They bowed and scraped before the soldiers, while some young men pounded their chests, loudly vowing to carry out the mission.
Talulah noticed the soldiers behind the Immolator jotting notes into their notebooks. They then beckoned the able-bodied men forward, clapping them on the shoulders. Those chosen leapt with excitement, while the rest of the Tara people watched with envy.
Those left behind were mostly women and the elderly, along with a few men who looked frail. It was clear that the army was recruiting.
As the black-robed soldiers began unloading bundles of Molotov cocktails and explosives from the vehicles, the operators from Tomorrow's Development all felt their brows twitch. If all of that were thrown out at once…
Neon glanced at Talulah, who let out a quiet sigh.
Then, towering flames erupted.
They were pure, dark crimson flames threaded with black, surging outward from Talulah's first step. The shockwave rippled through the air. Her long silver hair fluttered wildly as her body was wreathed in black and red fire, one hand already gripping the longsword at her side.
Neon was momentarily overwhelmed by the pressure and could not speak. She instinctively held her breath. Having survived life and death in Chernobog, she was no stranger to these flames. On the contrary, they made it hard for her to breathe. The other operators felt the same. They stared at the figure striding forward, eyes filled with shock.
This was pure destruction. Flames that erased everything.
"Engage the enemy!"
The black-robed soldiers raised their melee weapons. Talulah narrowed her eyes slightly. She caught sight of strange purple flames flickering across their bodies, but they vanished so quickly that she almost thought she had imagined them.
The Immolator let out a distorted cry as his body burst into flames as well, crimson tinged with dark purple. Yet in both heat and intensity, it was utterly inferior to Talulah's fire.
"This kind of trash," Talulah said coldly, "dares to call himself an Immolator?"
A dark red spark flared in her gray eyes. The longsword at her waist flew into her hand, engulfed in flames. In the next instant, black and red fire erupted violently.
A blazing arc tore through the building behind the square, slicing it cleanly in half. Less than a second later, a thunderous explosion roared from within, and the structure collapsed with a deafening crash.
Talulah glanced at the Immolator's body, now severed into two pieces on the ground, and curled her lip. "With flames like that, he still calls himself an Immolator?"
"Captain… I remember Father, General Hellagur, said that if possible, we should capture them alive, right?" Neon asked hesitantly.
"Ah…"
Talulah looked awkwardly at the sky, then at the ground. She coughed twice. "All right. Arrest the rest of them."
Only then did the squad receive their order and emerge from the shadows. They did not trouble the Tara people who were already terrified, lying on the ground with their heads covered and begging for mercy. Their objective was clear: the black-robed soldiers of the Tara army.
With the Immolator already dead, redemption lay only in capturing the rest. Unfortunately, only two soldiers had survived Talulah's single sword strike, leaving Neon and the others somewhat at a loss. Even so, they could not deny that Talulah was a reliable and reassuring captain. Her earlier strike might have been a little excessive, but her combat power left no room for doubt.
For many of the operators, this also dispelled lingering shadows. They had all experienced the Chernobog incident and knew how terrifying Talulah had once been as an enemy and a tyrant. She had been monstrous back then, yet now she was dependable. She even seemed a little… cute as she avoided Neon's speechless stare.
Thus, Talulah's squad concluded their operation, though capturing Immolator had ended in complete failure.
Elsewhere, Outcast and her team had encircled a warehouse after careful reconnaissance.
Inside, they discovered a large cache of cold weapons that had been transported there at some unknown time. The black-robed man known as "Convict" was present, along with several soldiers in similar attire.
A ring of Tara people surrounded them, and it was obvious that Convict was directing the distribution of weapons.
Factory buildings like this were ideal terrain for operators like Outcast, who specialized in handgun combat, and they were also well suited for urban warfare.
She raised her hand, and her squad quietly spread out. With a single gunshot, Convict was struck in the shoulder by an Originium Arts round fired from Outcast's gun, letting out a furious howl.
The howl did not last long. Outcast fired again, an Originium Arts bullet piercing his forehead.
"Ms. Outcast, please refrain from using Originium Arts in this manner."
Among the team were several members of the Sankta race, now part of Tomorrow's Development.
Once a rare sight, especially after Felix became the third legendary Sankta, a small number of Sankta who had left their homeland had joined Tomorrow's Development.
"Using Originium Arts like this damages your body, especially since you are using your own Guardian Gun."
Outcast glanced at them. "Aren't you here?"
Outcast smiled casually. "I only used it twice. I won't have another chance to use it today, so there's no need to worry. Besides, His Highness took my condition into account and specially had a new pistol made for me."
She lifted the brand-new firearm at her side. Only then did the Sankta members finally relent.
Sankta cannot fire a sixth bullet. Legend says the sixth round is tied to life and death itself, a taboo no one dares to test.
"Good luck."
Outcast adjusted her hat and looked off into the distance, silently hoping that everything was going smoothly on Hellagur's side.
___
Yelena urged the nimble steed forward. With the arrival of the Victorian nobles, most of the garrison had been sent to the front lines. After a quick scan of the area, she found only a handful of guards on duty and nothing more.
"Have you located them?" Hellagur asked.
"Biothermal imaging scan in progress… Found them." Yelena pointed toward a tall building within the military camp. "They should be held there."
"…This was originally a prison," Horn said calmly, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "I never thought the Tempest Platoon would end up here."
Hellagur nodded, and the group moved swiftly. After slipping past the guards' line of sight, they ascended the stairs and entered the innermost cell.
A foul stench filled the air. Horn frowned. This was her first time in a place like this. The cells lining both sides held many Tara people, most of whom had already lost all signs of life, having starved to death without food or water.
Yelena clenched her fists.
Bagpipe used the key she had just obtained to open the final iron gate. The moment she saw what lay inside, her eyes reddened.
"Triangle, Snare Drum, Bass. How are you?" She rushed forward and knelt beside them. "Mandolin, Cello, Oboe, can you hear me?"
"…Bagpipe."
Triangle slowly opened his eyes. His lips trembled as he tried to speak, but they were cracked and dry. It was clear they had gone without food and water for days.
"Water. Is there any water?"
At Bagpipe's desperate cry, the medical staff hurried over, giving the six of them small sips of water before starting IV drips. Their condition was even worse than Horn's. They were completely unable to move. If the rescue had come a day later, Horn and Bagpipe might never have seen them again.
"Captain…"
Bass reached out weakly. Horn limped forward and grasped his hand.
"…The colonel… locked us up… said Victoria was garbage… said he didn't want to stay here anymore…"
Horn bit her lip as she listened. "Rest now. I'll avenge you."
"Is Victoria… really worth my loyalty…?"
Before Bass could finish, he lost consciousness. Bagpipe bit her lip hard, while Horn drew in a long breath and slowly let it out.
"Careful, carefully," the medic instructed as the others lifted the six team members and began carrying them out.
At that moment, Hellagur received reports from the adventurers and operators. Three of the HVTs had been captured alive, one confirmed dead. The remaining two targets, handled by Outcast and Talulah, were also dead. It was not an unexpected outcome. Three captives was already a solid result.
He turned to Horn. "The battle is still ongoing, and we may have to withdraw from County Hillock at any time. On behalf of Tomorrow's Developments, I invite you and your team to leave with us."
Horn raised her head and gave a solemn bow. "Thank you for the invitation. However, I need some time to think it over."