"When you strip away humanity... what remains is wrath."
---
Gray clouds loomed over the eastern ridge of Camp Ashenfall, and a bitter wind cut across the dusty training grounds.
Kaizen Ryouma stood silently, watching the sky. His left hand throbbed slightly — a dull ache that had begun after yesterday's test in the pit.
Beside him, Ayaka Himari adjusted her gauntlets, eyes fixed on Commander Renzaki who barked orders with venom.
> "Squads 1 to 4 — gather. Mission priority: respond to emergency signal from Camp Duskveil. We lost communication last night. This might be Bist activity."
Kaizen felt it in his bones. Something wasn't right.
---
The Journey
The unit marched through charred forest paths. Silence wrapped the squad. No one cracked jokes. Even loudmouth Rei walked with a hand on his blade.
Zeke — the quiet, bandaged one — stopped for a second. His head twitched to the side.
Kira whispered, "Is it cold here or… is that smoke?"
A faint burnt smell wafted in. Ayaka pulled Kaizen close.
> "Something's wrong."
Before they could speak—
Screech.
The trees erupted. Clawed shadows lunged from the sides. Red eyes. Fangs. Screaming.
Bist ambush.
---
The Bloodbath Begins
The first recruit didn't even scream. His body was torn in half before anyone could blink.
Another girl's throat was ripped out mid-run.
"DEFENSIVE FORMATION!" Renzaki shouted, already missing his left leg.
But it was chaos.
Twenty dead within the first minute.
Fifty others bleeding, limping, or broken.
The Bist weren't just attacking — they were organized.
Rei tried to slash one but got hurled into a tree.
Zeke vanished into smoke, using stealth tactics to cut one down.
Kira sobbed as she tried healing an unconscious recruit — only to have the boy die in her arms.
---
Kaizen Falls
Kaizen fought like a possessed warrior — eyes burning, blood splattered across his blade.
Then a massive Bist — 12 feet tall, covered in bone armor — smashed into him.
CRACK.
Kaizen's ribs broke. Blood gushed from his mouth. He hit the ground hard, vision blurring.
The beast raised its claw to end him.
Ayaka screamed, "NO!"
She dove, slicing upward with her spear, taking the hit herself, her arm torn but her blade slashing the Bist's throat.
She dropped beside Kaizen, blood pouring from her shoulder.
> "Don't die on me, idiot."
---
The Flame Ignites
Kaizen's breath stopped.
Darkness returned.
The dream again — Hana. His mother. Screams. Fire.
But this time...
He heard a voice.
> "Burn it all, Kaizen. You are the last flame."
His veins pulsed.
His heart screamed.
Eyes snapped open — glowing crimson.
His body rose — skin marked by glowing red veins, like burning roots beneath his flesh.
Kaizen was no longer human.
---
Massacre
The injured Bist turned to face him — but it was already too late.
Kaizen moved in a blur.
His fist shattered skulls.
His eyes emitted raw energy.
One scream from his throat sent a smaller Bist flying like dust.
The battlefield froze.
Every survivor turned to watch.
Kaizen — drenched in blood — tore the massive armored Bist apart with bare hands, roaring like a monster.
> "You killed them all... now you die screaming!"
Ayaka, barely conscious, looked up at him.
> "Kaizen…?"
He stood in the center — panting, bloody, powerful.
And then...
He collapsed.
---
Aftermath
The battle ended.
80 out of 100 remained.
20 dead. 50+ injured.
Camp Duskveil was gone — reduced to ash.
Ayaka sat beside Kaizen's unconscious body, clutching his hand.
Rei limped over, bruised and shaking. "Remind me never to piss him off…"
Zeke said nothing. But his eyes held both respect — and fear.
Kira was crying softly.
Renzaki, half-conscious, whispered something before blacking out:
> "It wasn't... an accident… they led us here."
---
Final Scene
Night fell.
A new distress signal crackled on the broken communicator.
Another camp. Another cry for help.
Kaizen — eyes just opening — sat up slowly.
Ayaka looked at him.
> "Do we go?"
Kaizen's voice was quiet… and cold.
> "Yes. We don't run. We finish what they started."
The flames of war had just begun.
To be continued…