Following the tracks led Squad 4 away from the main road and toward an abandoned industrial water treatment facility. The heavy smell of ozone was overpowering here, masking the natural scent of the ruins.
Caine signaled for his team to crouch behind a row of rusted storage tanks overlooking the facility's central courtyard.
In the center of the courtyard lay the massive, motionless corpse of a Dread-Tusk—a Level 18 Intermediate-tier Jahgred beast resembling an armored, multi-eyed behemoth. Its chest cavity had been violently cut open, its central energy core neatly extracted.
Standing around the corpse were four figures wearing high-grade, black-and-gold armor—the signature gear of Section 1, the Academy's elite tier.
"That's Marcus's elder brother... Julian," Lyra whispered, her voice tight with panic. "Julian is a Level 42 High Intermediate. What is Section 1 doing out here in an Auxiliary patrol sector?"
Caine watched silently. Julian was holding a heavy, industrial core-extraction drill, while two of his squadmates were loading a glowing, basketball-sized blue core into a shielded containment crate.
"This core will fetch half a million credits on the black market," one of Julian's squadmates laughed, wiping green beast blood off his forearm blade. "And the best part? The Academy will think the regional beast surge destroyed the Dread-Tusk."
"Keep your mouth shut and finish packing," Julian commanded coldly. His CrystalHeart—a sleek, double-edged halberd—was unsheathed, its golden blade humming with refined energy. "The disruption field I set off to lure this beast out is already failing. The noise will draw every pack in five miles."
Behind the storage tanks, Jax gasped. "They set off a disruption field? They caused the beast surge that trapped us out here!"
Jax's anger caused his defective core to spike. A harsh, bright orange thermal flare burst from his chest, illuminating their hiding spot.
"Who's there?" Julian snapped instantly, turning his head toward the tanks. His golden halberd flared with sudden, lethal power. "Check it!"