"There have been reports coming from Ward 11. Civilians disappearing and strange rituals taking place." Aeri said, her tone serious. "One of our allied scouts from squad 7 has been missing for three days now. Kaien looked into it, and all signs point to the Skull Frames being involved."
"Skull Frames?" Ren asked, brows furrowed.
"They're the gang that controls the 11th Ward," Aeri replied.
The Skull Frames had ruled Ward 11 for as long as anyone could remember. Their leader, Skull Head Drake, was infamous for his brutality and violent nature. His Drive matched his personality, chaotic, overwhelming, and destructive. ZEAL had been monitoring their activities for a month, preparing for a move to reclaim the ward.
But there was a problem. Skull Head Drake was a ghost. He covered his tracks so well that no one could trace his movements. Finding him without a full scale search was next to impossible.
"It was supposed to be Kaien's assignment, but apparently, he has bigger matters to attend to." Said Aeri while looking at the smiling Kaien. "You guys will go tonight. Prepare the stuff that you need. You guys will only be going for recon, we'll go to an all out war with them once we've scanned the area. Squad 7 will come with us by then."
Squad 7 huh? I wonder how strong the warden and his vice captain are. Ren thought.
The group stood up, ready to head back and prepare. Their faces lit up with excitement, smiles stretched across their faces, energized by the upcoming recon mission.
As they turned to leave, Kaien lightly tapped Ren on the shoulder and leaned in to whisper, "Oh, and one more thing, try to stay calm under pressure. Don't lose control."
Ren gave a small nod before following the others.
Aeri and Kaien stayed behind at the table, watching them go.
"Watch over my kid, will you?" Kaien said, his eyes lingering on Ren. "He's got potential. But when he's backed into a corner, he snaps. Survival instincts kick in. It might destroy his core."
"I won't be going with them," Aeri replied. "I'll ask Sora to keep an eye on him."
"You're heading out with Rago, huh?" Kaien asked.
"Yeah. The Fangs are involved, after all," she said. "Be careful out there, Kaien."
He smirked. "You know me better than anyone, sis. I don't go down that easily."
"I sure hope so," she said, smiling faintly, though a flicker of concern remained in her eyes.
Back at Squad 4's hideout, preparations were in full swing. Seth was cleaning and refining the scope of his sniper rifle at the kitchen counter, while Miko sat nearby, adjusting the settings on his drones and gear.
Kaela lounged on the couch beside Sora and Ren who at that moment, felt a bit out of place. Unlike the others, there was nothing for him to physically prepare. All he could really do was prepare his mind.
"Nervous?" Seth asked, glancing over at him.
"I… don't really feel anything," Ren replied. "Maybe just a little pumped?"
"That's good," Sora nodded, "But don't get cocky. We still don't know much about the Skull Frames, only that their leader's violent, completely unhinged, and that they've got numbers on their side."
Ren gave a slow nod, his expression thoughtful.
"I've been wondering…" he said after a pause. "Why not just launch a full search? Wouldn't it be easier to storm the ward and flush them out?"
Miko chuckled lightly, not taking his eyes off the drone he was calibrating. "If only it were that simple. Most of our squads are already tied up defending the allied wards. You've seen the numbers, we're not a massive gang."
Sora added, "ZEAL has to be smart with its manpower. A full sweep would stretch us too thin. That's why a recon team like us exists, for missions like this."
A few moments later, Aeri arrived, a sign that it was time for their final instructions before heading to Ward 11. The group gathered in the living room, sitting on the couch in a loose semi-circle.
"Alright, here's the mission," Aeri began. "It's simple. Investigate. Look for any clues about Skullhead Drake's location. Keep a low profile. Try to figure out what they're planning. But listen carefully, do not engage him directly. He might be the type to hide in the shadows, but don't let that fool you. He's dangerous. He's labeled as a 6 star threat."
She paused, scanning each of their faces.
"If you run into him and there's no way to avoid a fight, work as a team, but escaping should be your top priority. Got it?"
"Yes!" the group responded together.
"Then move out."
The five of them headed outside to where a sleek, black seven-seater car waited. Its polished body gleamed under the moonlight, resting on four matte black wheels.
"Uh… who's driving?" Ren asked, glancing around.
"I am," Sora replied confidently. "Now hop in."
Ren slid into the passenger seat while the others settled into the back. Surprisingly, it didn't feel cramped at all even with all the gear, probably because both Seth and Kaela were pretty lean.
Sora didn't waste any time. She started the engine, slammed her foot on the gas, and the car sped off, ignoring any sense of speed limits.
"Anyway, what's a 6 star threat?" Ren asked.
"Threat levels," Miko replied. "ZEAL classifies them from one to seven stars, seven being the highest. A 6 star is no joke. We'll have to be extra careful."
"Oh and, by the way, isn't the captain coming with us?" Ren asked, glancing toward the back.
"She said she had business with Warden Rago," Sora replied, eyes on the road.
"I wonder what the wardens are up to," Ren muttered. "They're insanely powerful. Like… Can anyone even beat them?"
"Ever heard of the Shikkoku?" Seth asked.
Ren shook his head. "Not really."
"Figures. They made their big move about two years ago. Since then, they've taken control of seven out of Aetherpolis' thirteen wards."
"What?! How is that even possible?"
"The Fangs," Seth said with a serious tone. "The top twelve members of Shikkoku , each one said to be on par with a Warden."
"Twelve people that strong?" Ren said, stunned.
"I still think our Wardens are stronger!" Miko chimed in with a spark of pride.
"Lock in! We're approaching Ward 11!" Sora called out, gripping the wheel tighter.
A few moments later, they arrived at Ward 11 and it was nothing like the First Ward. Chaos clung to every corner. Buildings were covered with graffiti, the streets littered with trash, and smoke drifted lazily from shadowy alleyways.
Unlike the First Ward, where people walked with ease, the atmosphere here was tense. Everyone moved with caution, eyes darting around as if expecting an ambush at any moment.
Ren took it all in, his chest tightening. This was Aetherpolis too. Raw, cracked, and bleeding beneath the surface.
He understood what ZEAL was fighting for. One look was all it took to see how broken things were here and just how twisted the gang controlling this ward had become.
"I want us to split into two groups," said Sora, her tone calm but firm. "Ren, you go with Seth. Try to investigate and gather any leads.. quietly. Don't draw attention. Kaela, Miko, you're with me."
Everyone gave a nod before parting ways.
Seth and Ren began making their way through the streets of Ward 11, where chaos seemed to be the norm. Fights broke out at random corners, curses were shouted from alleyways, and the distant sound of bottles shattering echoed through the air.
They kept their heads low, blending in as best they could to avoid getting dragged into unnecessary conflict.
"Where should we start?" Ren asked, scanning their surroundings warily.
"Normally, the ward's center would be the place to go," Seth replied, "but we'd stand out too much there. We need something quieter, a pub maybe. The kind of place where information slips through cracks."
After some wandering, they came upon a rundown building that barely passed for a pub. The sign was hanging by a single chain, creaking in the wind, and moss crept up the walls like a slow infection.
It looked more haunted than inviting.
"Looks like our kind of place," Seth muttered.
They stepped into the pub, immediately hit by a scent mix of alcohol, cigarette smoke, and rotting wood. The place was nearly empty, just two shady looking guys sitting alone in opposite corners, and a bartender stationed at the far end of the counter.
The bartender stood out. He had fiery red dreadlocks, a silver ring through his nose, and several lip piercings. He was broad-shouldered and muscular, more like a bouncer than someone mixing drinks.
"Stay alert," Seth whispered under his breath.
"Welcome," the bartender said. "What can I get you?"
"Two mojitos," Seth replied calmly.
The bartender got to work, mixing the drinks with practiced finesse. Ren couldn't help but be a little impressed, at least until the glasses were served.
Neither of them touched their drinks.
"Bro, we're literally minors," Ren whispered urgently. "I'm not even eighteen yet!"
"So am I," Seth replied flatly.
Then, with a shift in tone, Seth looked at the bartender. "Say... ever heard of someone named Skullhead Drake?"
The moment the name was spoken, the bartender's eyes changed. Without warning, he grabbed a wine bottle and slammed it against the counter, shards flying as Seth and Ren ducked just in time.
From the back door, four men burst in, each wearing grimy orange jackets with a skull emblem stitched across the back. Guns were drawn, they didn't hesitate, opening fire instantly.
"DUDE! This is not what lowkey looks like!!" Ren shouted, diving behind a stone pillar.
"Oh really? I thought I was being subtle," Seth replied dryly, bullets pinging off the counter beside him.
"No! You're being dense! How do you even plan to use your sniper rifle in this cramped space?!"
Seth smirked and pulled out two compact black pistols. Neon green lights glowed along their sides, sleek, silent, deadly.
Ren blinked and nodded in understanding. "Ahh… right. Those."
"I'll take out the four. You go for the dreadlocks guy," said Seth, calm as ever.
Ren nodded, lightning crackling faintly at his fingertips.
Seth peeked around the pillar and fired two precise shots. The bullets seemed to miss, whizzing past the two thugs on the left who chuckled at his poor aim. But in the next second, the bullets curved mid-air, bending like guided serpents, and struck the two men on the right square in the head. They collapsed instantly.
The two on the left barely had time to react before Seth was gone from his position, already circling around for the next shot.
Ren, meanwhile, didn't hesitate.
"Thunderclap!"
A burst of electricity surged from his body, and in a flash of light, he disappeared, reappearing in front of the dreadlocked bartender mid-strike. His katana, now cloaked in wild arcs of lightning, sliced downward with lethal speed.
But just before the blade connected, a thick boulder erupted from the ground, intercepting the attack with a deafening crack. The lightning-charged katana shattered the rock into flying chunks, but the dreadlocked man was already moving.
He burst through the rubble, his right arm now sheathed in stone like a gauntlet.
With a roar, he slammed his fist into Ren's chest. Ren managed to block, but the sheer force sent him flying across the room, crashing hard into the wooden wall, leaving a dent on impact.
"Ren!" Seth shouted, eyes narrowing.
As Seth rushed to help Ren, the dreadlocked man intercepted him, charging forward with another stone-coated punch.
Seth raised both pistols and fired, but the bullets ricocheted harmlessly off the rock armor covering the man's vitals.
"Tch! Useless," Seth muttered, immediately turning to reposition.
Just as he tried to duck into cover, he noticed two of the other gang members aiming their guns at him. Without hesitation, he spun and fired two clean shots. The enemies collapsed before they could even pull the trigger.
But in that split second, the dreadlocked brute closed the distance.
CRACK!
A heavy punch connected with Seth that sent him flying. He barely managed to brace with his crossed pistols blocking his chest only for them to shatter from the force. He crashed against the wall, coughing out air as his vision became blurry.
The enemy stalked toward him with slow, deliberate steps.
"What the hell do you want with the boss?" the man growled, his rocky fists tightening.
Seth groaned on the ground, every muscle aching. "Well, just a little talk."
As the dreadlocked man raised his fist to end it….
CRASH!
"Thunder Foot!"
A bolt of lightning crashed down from above as Ren appeared in a flash, his foot sparking with raw electricity. He delivered a devastating axe kick straight to the top of the man's head, slamming him face-first into the concrete floor.
The impact echoed through the building like a thunderclap.
Ren stood tall, electricity still crackling around his legs, breathing hard.
"You okay?" he asked, not taking his eyes off their downed opponent.
Seth coughed. "Took you long enough..."
The two of them sprinted toward the nearest rooftop, vanishing into the shadows just before enemy reinforcements arrived.
Once they were sure the coast was clear, they collapsed onto the rooftop flat on their backs, eyes fixed on the moon above. Their chests rose and fell with labored breaths as silence settled between them.
The night air was cool. Peaceful. Almost surreal after the chaos.
After a moment, Ren broke the silence.
"Bro… from now on, I do the talking, you do the thinking."
Seth let out a tired chuckle. "Yeah… that sounds about right."
They lay there for a little longer, letting the moonlight wash over their faces.