Smoke drifted between the ruined buildings as Kaguya sprinted east.
Gunfire followed her, but only in controlled bursts. Atlas operators no longer wasted ammunition trying to hit a target that refused to remain where their sights expected. Instead, they fired to restrict movement, forcing her toward predetermined lanes between the abandoned houses.
Marcus understood exactly what Adrian wanted.
Slow her.
Not stop her.
Not yet.
"Team Two, keep pressure on her left!" Marcus ordered while moving through the village. "Do not collapse the line."
"Copy."
"Team Four, stay off the main road. She'll expect that."
The operators spread through the ruins, maintaining visual contact without breaking formation. Every movement was deliberate. Every position overlapped another.
Nobody intended to fight Kaguya alone again.
---
Inside the mobile command vehicle, the atmosphere had changed.
Nobody spoke unless necessary.
