"Alright, everyone, let's begin," Scarlet said, her voice cutting through the quiet breeze that swept across the barren outskirts.
Before them stood the cracked stone walls of the abandoned town of Takaisj a ghost town once filled with life, now nothing but broken homes and shadows of war.
"I guess I have to do this, now to get their attention more" Scarlet muttered under her breath.
She stepped forward, her crimson hair swaying lightly as she placed her hand against the cold surface of the old wall. A faint hum filled the air. Then, with a flick of her wrist, a glowing sigil appeared beneath her palm. The symbol pulsed once, and a door of light began to form, glowing with faint red runes.
"Alright everyone, let's go in," she said, opening the shimmering gateway.
One by one, her squad entered Mikel, Ryder, and the others each clutching their weapons tightly as they disappeared into the crimson glow.
Inside, the air was thicker. The sky had turned a strange shade of violet, and the ground seemed to breathe.
"What is this place…?" Mikel whispered, scanning the strange structures around them. Then his gaze fell on Scarlet's weapon. "Wait how do you guys have those weapons?"
Scarlet glanced at him, resting the sleek black gun on her shoulder. "These? Just some upgraded firearms we'll be using for the raid."
"I've never seen a gun like that before," Mikel admitted. "We only have the old military models… I've only heard rumors about ones like those."
Scarlet smirked. "That's because these aren't your usual guns. They're far more powerful than anything your country's ever produced."
Mikel frowned. "But can we really fight them with just guns? Even enhanced ones?"
"You're right," she said, folding her arms. "That's why I made sure to bring something extra specialized bullets infused with aura. Those will give us a fighting chance."
From behind, Ryder groaned. "Hey, Scarlet! Why am I the one stuck making all these bullets?"
She shot him a glare. "Because you're the only one here who can actually use aura, that's why. So quit whining and keep working."
"Unbelievable," Ryder muttered, his hands glowing faintly as he focused his energy into the next set of bullets. Sparks flared with each round he infused.
A few minutes later, he tossed a newly finished gun toward her. "Here. Done."
"Good. Now, do this one." She handed him another.
Ryder froze, exasperated. "You've got to be kidding me—"
"Do it," Scarlet said flatly.
He groaned loudly before doing as told.
Meanwhile, Mikel and his men examined the weapons they had received. They discarded their old rifles, testing the new ones with cautious excitement. The hum of aura within the chambers made each weapon feel alive dangerous, yet powerful.
"Scar, you've got that evil smile again," Ryder said, lying back beside her as the others trained.
"Oh? Is that so?" Scarlet raised an eyebrow.
"What's going on in that wicked brain of yours? Don't tell me you're just using these guys until they break."
Scarlet's smile widened. "And what if I am?"
He laughed softly. "Nah. I know you better than that. You'll make sure they succeed. That's just how you are."
Her expression softened for a moment, then she turned away. "Hmph. I never said they'd all come back alive."
Ryder rolled onto his side, leaning closer. "Scarlet… you're too close"
Before he could finish, Scarlet smacked him hard on the stomach.
"Smack. Smack. Smack."
"Die, die, die, you idiot!" she shouted between hits.
"Ow what's your problem?!" Ryder groaned, clutching his stomach. "You really are an asshole!"
"I've heard that a lot," she said proudly. "It's one of my strongest traits."
"Your strongest trait?" he coughed.
"Yeah. Knowing I'm an asshole and still being proud of it. So you better watch out."
Scarlet shook her head, still laughing despite the pain. "Ever since we met, I've been so damn angry at you."
"Oh? Angry about what?"
"That time you " she hesitated, then looked away. "kissed me."
Ryder blinked. "You still remember that?"
"How could I forget? You did it just to anyway I am gonna kill you one day!"
She leaned forward with a teasing smile. "You humans are so sentimental. Know your place. You don't even understand anything about me."
"Maybe not," Ryder said, sitting up. "But I know enough to trust you."
For a moment, Scarlet said nothing. The faint hum of energy from the aura weapons filled the silence. Then she turned her back to him.
"Don't worry," she finally said. "We'll take down that Kaiju. I don't like wasting resources on weaklings. Now stop talking and keep infusing aura into the weapons. We'll need every bullet we can get."
Ryder sighed but smiled faintly. "Yes, ma'am."
Just then, a loud squelching sound echoed from behind them. A large, slimy creature emerged from the shadows Gelspawn, a humanoid Kaiju with a jelly-like body and a mouth full of sharp teeth.
"Yo, Master! I'm back from the mission!" Gelspawn said, his tone cheerful despite his terrifying appearance.
"Very good," Scarlet said with a smirk. She reached into her pack and tossed him a piece of bread. "Take that as a reward."
Gelspawn's eyes lit up. "Thank you sho much, Master!" he said, grabbing the bread with both hands before devouring it whole.
Ryder chuckled at the sight. "You treat your Kaiju better than you treat your own team."
Scarlet grinned. "That's because he listens."
The squad laughed quietly, the tension fading for a moment. But even as they rested, the faint roar of something massive echoed in the distance a reminder of what awaited them beyond the walls of Takaisj.
And Scarlet, standing at the front, smiled once more.
"Let's finish preparing," she said, eyes narrowing. "The hunt begins at dawn."