I slowly opened my eyes. The dull ceiling of the inn room greeted me immediately.
"Wake up, Arche. Don't be lazy," Reina's voice echoed in my head.
"Yeah, yeah…"
I sat up, my body still a bit sore, but far better than yesterday. I moved my new prosthetic arm slowly. The response was smooth. No pain.
Good.
I got ready right away. Putting on the Scrapweave Jacket, making sure my magazines were full, slinging the KX-12 Splitfang on my back, and the Cinder-9 at my waist. Thermal scramblers went into my pocket. The wire hook on the side of my bag.
A few minutes later, I was already outside Firmament's gate, biting into a dry ration.
Reina spoke casually, "Good choice. We won't be coming back anytime soon."
I nodded while chewing. "So, where do we start?"
"Like yesterday. We use that insignia. Effective range is twenty meters. Which means… we walk and search one by one."
"Troublesome."
"But effective."
I didn't reply. Just walked out.
—
Sector F-02.
Empty.
Too empty.
The wind passed through the ruins. No human sounds. No gunfire.
"Still empty," said Reina.
"Expected."
I walked in, picking up small scraps left behind. Bolts, wires, cheap plating fragments. Not worth much, but still something.
Time passed.
Minutes.
Hours.
"Reina, any signal?"
"Not yet."
I kept walking.
Deeper.
Quieter.
I saw something moving in the distance.
A mechanical wolf.
Still. Watching.
I raised my rifle.
Aimed.
Breathed in.
Bang!
Its head shattered instantly.
I approached without a word, dismantled its head, and took the small core inside.
"Hmm," Reina's voice sounded. "Your accuracy improved."
I put the core into my bag. "This arm is stable."
"Good. I can create a shooting training program for you."
"Maybe later."
I stood up.
Exhaled.
And then—
"…Arche."
Reina's tone changed.
I stopped immediately.
"What?"
"Stop moving."
I froze.
"Why?"
Silence for a moment.
Then—
"There's a signal."
I tightened my grip on the rifle.
"Distance?"
"…18 meters."
I narrowed my eyes.
"How many?"
Reina paused.
"…One."
I frowned.
"One?"
"Yes. Moving… slowly."
I immediately turned toward the ruins on the left.
"Green Serpent?"
"Not certain. But the signal… matches."
I took a slow breath.
"Good."
A faint smile appeared on my face.
"Finally starting."
I lowered my body and began moving slowly through the debris.
"Reina."
"Yes?"
"Don't lose him."
"Impossible."
I raised my rifle.
Slowed my steps.
Footsteps… faintly audible now.
Close.
Reina whispered softly.
"12 meters."
I peeked from behind the rubble, observing the man. He stood casually, but his eyes moved quickly. His hand raised his A.R.M, clearly talking to someone.
"Reina, what's he saying?"
"He's contacting other members. Giving a report."
I moved slightly forward.
"Don't," Reina immediately stopped me. "Don't enter the ten-meter radius. His heat sensor will activate."
I stopped.
Took a slow breath.
"Alright."
I stepped back half a step, then hid deeper behind the ruins. Still watching.
The man didn't notice.
Still talking.
Minutes passed.
The wind whispered.
Then—
Two heat signals appeared.
I narrowed my eyes.
Two more people arrived and immediately approached him.
"They're gathering," Reina whispered. "I'm getting closer."
I stayed still.
A few seconds later—
"They're discussing the shift," Reina continued. "They're waiting for the previous team… the one you killed."
I exhaled slowly.
"So they're starting to get suspicious."
"Yes. But not certain yet. They think it might just be a delay."
I kept watching.
Three people.
Fully equipped.
Heavy weapons.
No openings.
"We can't attack now," I said quietly.
"Right. We follow first."
I nodded.
Time passed again.
A few minutes.
Their conversation ended.
One of them suddenly turned.
His steps quick.
Like he was in a hurry.
"He's leaving," I said.
"Northwest," Reina replied quickly. "Likely heading to another point. Maybe checking a location."
I looked at the remaining two.
Then back at the one leaving.
"…we follow him."
"Agreed. A single target is safer."
I moved immediately.
Keeping distance.
Not too close.
Not too far.
My steps were light, stepping through debris without sound.
"Distance?"
"15 meters. Stable."
I kept following.
The man moved quickly, occasionally looking at his A.R.M.
Like reading something.
Or receiving instructions.
"He's alone now," I whispered.
"For now."
I tightened my grip on the rifle.
"If he stops…"
"We finish him."
I didn't reply.
Just focused.
Step by step.
Until finally—
The man slowed down.
Stopped in front of a collapsed building.
Looked left.
Right.
As if checking something.
I immediately crouched behind a cracked wall.
"Reina."
"Yes."
"Distance?"
"…11 meters."
I narrowed my eyes.
Almost within radius.
Dangerous.
I waited.
The man raised his A.R.M again.
Still.
A few seconds.
Then—
He lowered it.
Exhaled.
Careless.
I smiled faintly.
"Now."
"Arche—"
I was already moving.
Fast.
Silent.
The scrap cable was already in my hand.
One step… two…
Then—
I pulled it from behind.
Hard.
His neck was instantly caught.
"—ghk!"
He struggled. His hands tried reaching back, but couldn't.
I held.
Pulled tighter.
His body trembled.
His legs kicked the ground.
Then—
Went limp.
He fell.
I didn't stop.
Immediately took a knife from his pocket.
Stabbed.
Neck.
Once.
His body twitched briefly… then went still.
Silence.
I exhaled slowly.
"Clean," said Reina.
I stood up, looking around.
This place… was strange.
More organized than other ruins.
Boxes stacked.
Uniform.
"GS-batch…" I muttered.
I opened one.
Inside—
Grenades.
A lot.
A full box.
"Temporary supply drop point," Reina said quickly.
I nodded.
Makes sense.
I stepped forward again.
Then saw something.
"A tablet."
"Take it."
I picked it up, then handed it to Reina.
Her eyes immediately glowed.
A few seconds.
"…I got something."
"What?"
"A shift list."
I narrowed my eyes.
"With names?"
"Yes."
Reina began reading.
"Current shift: Jess, Falla, Lio."
I stayed silent.
Didn't recognize them.
"Previous shift…" Reina continued. "Toren, Harn, Rook."
I exhaled.
"That's yesterday."
"Yes."
I lowered my head slightly.
"Not them…"
The two who almost killed me—weren't on that list.
I was sure.
I remembered their faces.
Reina continued.
"Then the last possibility…"
I raised my head.
"Next shift."
Reina nodded.
"Bram, Jax, Harry."
I repeated softly.
"…Bram. Jax. Harry."
Two of them.
My targets.
I clenched my prosthetic hand.
"When do they come in?"
Reina checked again.
"Tomorrow."
I smiled faintly.
"Good."
I closed the tablet.
"Now we wait."
Reina looked at me.
"Arche… are you seriously going to hunt them all?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Just looked at the corpse in front of me.
Then the supply boxes.
And these silent ruins.
"…I won't stop halfway."
Reina stayed silent.
I continued.
"Those two… almost killed me."
Silence.
Then I raised my rifle.
"Tomorrow."
My voice was flat.
"Those three names… will be reduced."