Sylas stepped out of the Academy's outpost, the door creaking behind him. His expression was unreadable as he approached the others waiting outside.
"What did they say?" Ryze asked, rising to his feet.
"The Academy's planning a joint strike on the Kaiju," Sylas said calmly. "Six teams have already signed up. The operation will take place in three days."
"So... are we joining them?" Alisha asked, hopeful but cautious.
"Absolutely not." Sylas shook his head without hesitation.
Irbis chuckled softly, clearly unsurprised by the answer.
"I have a better plan," Sylas added.
They returned to the camp, where the fire still smoldered low in the pit. Everyone gathered close as Sylas stood before them.
"The hunting zone will be sealed off until the operation begins. It will reopen that afternoon, just after the main assault is done," Sylas began.
"So, we'll attack at dawn before anyone moves in?" Shin asked, eyes narrowing.
Sylas shook his head. "No. We move in that evening."
A beat of silence passed. The junior members exchanged uneasy glances. The more seasoned ones frowned. Only Irbis kept smiling, arms folded.
"At night?" Ryze echoed. "The monsters are more aggressive then. That's suicide."
"Exactly," Sylas replied. "That aggression is the key. We've studied this Kaiju—it doesn't just lead the swarm, it controls it. But that control weakens when the creatures grow restless, unhinged. Nightfall will push them to that edge."
He stepped closer to the fire, the flames dancing in his eyes.
"By the time we arrive, the other teams will be retreating—wounded, low on mana, disoriented. And if the Kaiju survives the assault, it'll be hurt, exposed, and struggling to regain control over its forces."
"So we strike in the chaos," Alisha said slowly, catching on.
"Exactly. We won't be fighting through a full swarm. We'll be slipping through the cracks in a broken chain of command. In the confusion, the Kaiju won't be able to focus on us until it's too late."
Shin still looked hesitant. "But what if the other teams actually take it down?"
"Then we walk in, take whatever's left, and learn everything we can from the battlefield," Sylas said without missing a beat. "Either way, we win."
Ryze exhaled. "You're gambling on the Kaiju surviving."
"No," Sylas said. "I'm counting on it."
The fire cracked. For a moment, the only sound was the wind whispering across the hills.
Irbis finally spoke, his tone low and approving. "Bold. Just the kind of plan I expected from you."
The rest of the team began to nod, one by one, the unease on their faces slowly replaced by grim resolve.
They wouldn't march with the others. They wouldn't be another name in the lists of casualties. They would move after the storm—when no one expected another fight.
Sylas looked at them all and spoke the final word.
"Three days. Rest, sharpen your blades, and be ready. Because when the sun sets on that day…"
He smiled, just faintly. "…we finish what the others couldn't."
The next day came, bringing with it a strange blend of tension and tranquility. Some members of the team were sharpening their weapons or inspecting gear, others found brief moments of peace—enjoying a meal, sharing jokes, or just watching the clouds drift by.
Sylas sat under a shaded tree with Ryze, a map spread out between them, tracing lines across the terrain with a thin piece of charcoal. They discussed formations, entry points, and fallback routes in hushed tones. A few paces away, Irbis leaned on a rock, arms crossed, listening but saying little.
After a while, Sylas looked up and muttered, "Major, you were right… none of these setups will hold under chaotic pressure. We can't implement any of this if the battlefield breaks like we expect."
Irbis pushed off the rock. "That's because you're planning for order in a storm. Instead of trying to control everything, anticipate what will fail first and prepare for that."
Sylas nodded, absorbing his words.
Later that morning, Irbis took Shin and Lynx for a fishing trip near a quiet stream. The three shared a rare moment of lighthearted fun—Shin trying to bait his hook with meat jerky, and Lynx silently catching fish with surgical precision. Meanwhile, Alisha and Luna stayed at camp, seated on a log and chatting, laughter bubbling up now and then between them.
As the sun began to dip and golden light spilled across the camp, the team gathered once again around the fire. Flames crackled in the fading daylight as Sylas stood, a quiet authority in his presence.
"Alright," he began, "we've finalized the formation and the plan."
All heads turned toward him. Even Irbis, relaxed as ever, leaned in slightly—though his face said he already knew what was coming.
"We attack in the evening. But our mission starts in the morning."
The juniors exchanged confused glances. Sylas continued.
"We'll split into roles. I'll lead the recon team at dawn. Lynx, you're with me from the very start. Your stealth skills will be critical in gathering movement data, enemy formations, Kaiju positioning, patterns in their control flow. Major, you're also with us. Your observation and analysis will guide the larger decision-making."
Lynx nodded silently. Irbis gave a slow, thoughtful hum of agreement.
"We'll spend the day monitoring how the joint forces fare against the Kaiju. We aren't just watching, we're learning. Every detail matters."
Sylas turned to the others. "The second team—Ryze and Alisa—you'll stay mobile, we need your speed. You'll be our support and intervention team. If we see an opening or a wounded scout team trying to retreat with intel, you move in. Do not engage unless ordered. Your job is extraction and disruption."
Ryze cracked his knuckles. "Copy that."
Ryze looked more focused than usual. Alisa gave a nod, serious now.
"Luna," Sylas looked at her. "You'll prepare the medical tent and stay in proximity to Shin. We'll need immediate recovery options after the strike begins. You'll also help deploy the last-minute utilities before our final move. If we fall back we will gather at the medical tent. "
Luna's eyes narrowed with determination. "Understood."
Sylas paused, looking at each of them.
"By the time the others finish their assault, they'll be exhausted. The battlefield will be chaotic—damaged terrain, half-dead beasts, scattered command. That's when we go in. We target the Kaiju directly while it's weakened and distracted."
Irbis finally spoke, his voice smooth as always. "And if it isn't weakened?"
Sylas didn't flinch. "Then we adapt. The recon will tell us if we abort. But I'm betting it will be wounded. Enough for us to strike where it hurts."
For a moment, the group was silent—digesting every word, every risk.
Then Irbis gave a small, approving smirk. "Now that… sounds like a plan worth executing."
Sylas looked around the circle. "This is our shot. Stay sharp. No hesitation, no panic. We move as one."
The fire crackled softly, sending embers spiraling into the night sky like fleeting stars. Sylas glanced down at his watch. Evening had fully settled in. The smallest hand would circle the dial twice more—just two revolutions like a wheel moving two steps—before they launched the most important operation of their lives till now.
To the others, it might feel like just another mission, another entry in the long ledger of their hunter days. But not to Sylas.
He understood what was truly at stake. The cost… and the reward. His eyes narrowed.
He must extract it. No matter what.