Year 4052, a year after the Oddity incident.
Splash. Splash. Splash.
Footsteps splashed across the rain-soaked pavement, they moved quickly with caution. The figures moved through the downpour, wearing black coats as both a shield and disguise, covering them from the rain and from whatever watched them in the dark.
"Captain," one of them called out, hesitating mid-sentence, seeking permission to continue.
The captain raised a hand, a signal for the group to halt. "Speak," he said, his voice calm.
"We've received word from headquarters," the soldier said quietly. "The Sixth Squad is in need of assistance."
"Copy that. Proceed with caution," the captain responded quickly. "Any intel on what they're dealing with?"
"Based on the data we received, it appears to be a Tier 6 Devil."
The captain exhaled softly, a hint of relief in his voice. Without wasting another second, the squad moved out, splashing through the rain towards the Sixth Squad's last known position.
It all started a year ago, an unidentified object fell from the sky at tremendous speed. Many mistook it for a shooting star, until it struck the ground. The impact unleashed a massive explosion that shook the planet. Earthquakes and tsunamis followed, leaving cities in ruins and countless lives lost.
But the true disaster came afterward. The fallen object released a strange substance that spread across the globe. Those exposed began to change, some gained powers beyond human comprehension. Yet the gift came with a curse: their minds fractured, their control faded, and soon they turned violent beyond reason.
The people began to call those who retained their reason Bearers, and those who lost it Devils.
At the center of Atarask lay the source of it all, the fallen object now called as the Oddity. Though countless expeditions had been launched, no one had yet pinpointed its exact location. Professional squads were continually sent to search for and retrieve it, but none returned unscathed.
The deeper they ventured, the stronger the Devils they encountered. Worse still, some Bearers, once humanity's hope, had turned against the expeditions, fending off soldiers as if guarding the Oddity itself. They had become another threat on the growing list of dangers. Only a few had remained to side with humanity.
Back at the squad, heavy rain continued to pour relentlessly as the fifth Squad pushed forward. "Eyes sharp," the captain ordered. "We're close to Sixth Squad's last signal."
The team advanced, raising their weapons, scanning every shadow that flickered beneath the lightning's flash. Somewhere ahead, through the storm and broken streets, lay the truth of what had the Sixth Squad encountered.
A faint cry for help pierced through the storm, distant and almost lost, nearly drowned by the sound of thunder, but loud enough for Fifth Squad to catch.
"Over there!" the captain yelled, pointing ahead. "Ready yourselves!"
They rounded a corner, weapons aimed. What they saw made them freeze.
On one side of the ruined street stood a lone soldier, he screamed as he fired his rifle into the darkness.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Then—
Click. Click. Click.
The weapon had emptied, but his trembling finger kept pulling the trigger. Too desperate and blinded by fear.
In front of him, through the curtain of rain, a silhouette stood motionless. Around it, the motionless bodies of his squadmates lay scattered cold, bloodied, and still.
"Shit! That's not a Tier 6 Devil!" the captain shouted. "Aim! Don't let it get close!"
The silhouette shifted. "Fire!" the captain ordered.
Gunfire erupted, lighting up the storm, but the figure darted between the flashes but it was too fast and fluid for them to hit. The rain and darkness hiding its movements, making every shot miss.
Then, without warning, the silhouette vanished.
"Cease fire!" the captain Ordered. The squad quickly formed a circle, their backs pressed against each other, eyes scanning every towards every direction.
Only one man was left exposed, the last surviving member of Sixth Squad. "Help me!" he cried and sprinted towards them through the rain.
Before he could reach them, something cut through the air. A blur.
The silhouette appeared beside him, then a wet, slicing sound. The man's body jerked, blood arcing in the rain as he collapsed face first into the puddles.
The squad froze.
The captain clenched his jaw. "Damn it… the Sixth Squad would've neutralized it with only a few casualties if it was a Tier 6 Devil," he muttered. "This thing wiped them out completely."
"Call for backup! We'll hold it off for as long as we can!" the captain ordered.
The squad opened fire again, the rain flashing white with every muzzle burst.
One of the men grabbed his radio. "This is the Fifth Squad!" he shouted through the static. "Requesting immediate backup! Code Fifth, we're engaging a Devil,"
He relayed every detail, location, casualties, and contact type. His voice shaking as another thunderclap masked the screams.
"Let's hang on for a few more minutes! Reinforcements are coming!" one of the soldiers shouted over the gunfire.
The captain gritted his teeth, his eyes scanning the darkness. 'I sure hope a Bearer is coming,' he thought. 'Otherwise, we're all dead.'
NEUS Headquarters
The Neus compound consisted of two fortified perimeters, the outer wall and the inner wall. Beyond the outer wall, armored vehicles roamed through the rain, their engines rumbling as mounted spotlights swept across the dark field. Within the outer wall, armed soldiers patrolled in steady formation, their rifles slung.
At the very center stood the inner wall, enclosing the most secure zone. Beyond its reinforced gates lay the entrance to the heart of NEUS, the underground headquarters where its true operations took place.
Inside the command center, screens flickered with live data streams. The air buzzed with tension as operators relayed updates between field units.
"Fifth Squad's signal just came through, they're requesting for backup." one of the operators said, adjusting his headset. "They've encountered a Devil, Tier Five or possibly higher. Sixth Squad is confirmed neutralized."
"Do we have any Bearers close to their location?" a woman asked, her voice steady and commanding.
"None, ma'am," an operator replied. "Aside from the Warden, everyone is either occupied or too far to reach in time."
"Hmm..." The woman placed a hand on her chin, eyes drifting in thought. "The Warden should remain in the prison unless the situation asks for it, he's the only one capable of handling multiple Bearers at once that's in the head quarters. But..." She exhaled softly.
She straightened her posture. "Tell the Fifth Squad to hold their ground. I'll go inform the Warden."
Leaving the command center, she walked briskly through the hallway lit by cold fluorescent lights. Armed soldiers stood at every corner. The rhythmic tap of her heels echoed against the polished floor as she made her way toward the restricted sector, the Warden's chamber.
When she reached the Warden's chamber, the room was oddly empty. No sentries posted at the door. She knocked once, then slid the door open. Inside, nothing out of the ordinary at first glance, a long table stacked with case files, a leather couch, and a reinforced vault door inset into the far wall. But the chair behind the desk was vacant, the Warden was nowhere to be seen.
A passing guard caught her eye in the hallway and she called after him. "Have you seen the Warden?"
He snapped a salute. "Ma'am, the Warden's at Containment ward. A Bearer was losing control so he went to settle it."
"I see. Thank you." She straightened her coat and moved out.