The ground trembled beneath the relentless roar of gunfire. Thick smoke choked the air, blending with the acrid stench of burning flesh and sulfur. Ash rained down like snow, coating the shattered earth in a blanket of ruin. Screams and the deafening clash of metal against metal filled the battlefield, drowned only by the steady rhythm of bullets slicing through the air. Bodies fell, some with a final gasp, others with nothing but empty silence. The sky, once clear, was now a swirling mass of black clouds, illuminated only by the flicker of distant explosions. War had consumed everything.
All is lost until the elite team was ordered to destroy the place of the enemies.
"I can see them, 700 meters horizontal danger. You can erase many bullets right, Sai? My owl can escort you Sai." Owl crouched over a holographic map, his sharp eyes scanning the enemy positions. With a quick flick of his wrist, he traced a path forward.
"We rush them head-on, keep them occupied, and disarm without killing," he said firmly, tapping key points on the display. "Loss, you stay back and heal anyone who goes down within a 300-meter radius."
Fall folded her arms, her brows furrowing. "A direct charge? Sounds reckless."
"It's the best way to subdue them without casualties," Owl countered.
Loss gave a quiet nod, already preparing her healing abilities. Fall exhaled sharply, finally relenting. "Fine. Let's get this over with."
Bullets tore through the air, a relentless storm of lead. Sai and Fall held tight as Owl carried them forward, his every movement precise. With his owl perched firmly on his back, its talons digging into his coat, he shot his grappling hook toward a rusted metallic outpost.
The hook latched onto an exposed beam near a mounted machine gun, the barrel already rotating, primed to fire. With a powerful yank, Owl launched them forward, dodging the hail of bullets by inches. The wind roared past them as they swung, momentum carrying them over the battlefield like shadows against the smoke-filled sky.
Below, enemies scrambled, trying to track their movements, but Owl was faster. He roared, his voice cutting through the chaos, commanding the charge. His owl screeched in unison, spreading its wings wide.
Sai gritted his teeth, watching the tide of battle shift in their favor. Fall adjusted her stance, already preparing to strike the moment they landed. With a final, sharp pull, Owl released the hook, sending them hurtling toward the enemy's stronghold—unstoppable, unyielding, and prepared to dismantle the opposition without mercy.
The battlefield stood still for a moment, the air thick with tension. Sai took a deep breath, his voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.
"ERASE!!"
A sudden ripple surged through the air, unseen yet powerful. Soldiers flinched as their weapons vanished from their hands—rifles dissolving into nothing, artillery crumbling like dust, explosives blinking out of existence before they could detonate. Even the smallest knives strapped to their belts disappeared, leaving only empty holsters and stunned expressions.
The clatter of dropping weapons was replaced by eerie silence. The enemy staggered, eyes wide with disbelief, fists clenching at the emptiness where their weapons once were. For the first time, they realized—they were completely powerless.
The enemy soldiers hesitated, their empty hands trembling as the realization sank in—defeat was inevitable. Some dropped to their knees, others raised their arms, eyes darting around for any sign of mercy. Sai stood at the center, his chest rising and falling with exhaustion.
Then, a sharp pain ripped through him. A violent cough tore from his throat, splattering blood across the dirt. His breath hitched. Another cough—more blood. His vision blurred, the world tilting as his legs wobbled beneath him.
"Sai! Are you okay?!" Fall's voice barely reached him, distant and frantic.
Sai's body felt heavy, the sounds around him muffled. His fingers twitched, grasping at nothing. Darkness crept in from the edges of his vision. His knees buckled. Then—everything faded.
He woke up again in hospital gowns as Paige is sleeping at the side. Sai brushes her hair as a knock was heard, it was his supervisor.
Sai's eyes fluttered open, the sterile white ceiling greeting him. A dull ache pulsed through his body, but the warmth beside him was familiar. Paige, curled up in a chair, her breathing soft and steady, slept without worry.
He reached out, fingers gently brushing through her hair. It was silky, warm beneath his touch. She stirred slightly but didn't wake, only nuzzling deeper into the chair.
Then—knock, knock.
The sound echoed in the quiet room. Sai turned his head, heart steadying. At the door stood his supervisor, his expression unreadable.
"I apologize for overusing you as training these past few weeks, we shouldn't rush you on missions. This is your second time waking up in the hospital."
"How's the others?" Sai calmly asks.
"It has been 5 days."
"5 days?! I see..."
"They are training for now without you, they said they don't want to rely too much on you. Anyways, I am here for two things, you can have a break for a week, maybe spending time with your creator Paige."
"And the other one?"
"There is a official real mission for your team to follow, you'll be dispatch around April 11."
"I see, it already has begun."