Chapter 88: The Sphinter
Before anyone could move...and before Daito could even give the order to pursue...
The deafening roar of engines shattered the silence.
VRRROOOOOOOM!!
The sound echoed from every direction at once.
Dust erupted into the air as heavy military vehicles burst through the surrounding streets, their reinforced tires crushing broken concrete beneath them. The ground trembled beneath their combined weight while the blinding headlights cut through the lingering smoke.
Within seconds...Daito's team found themselves completely surrounded.
One after another, armored transports rolled into position, forming a perfect circle around the group. Their thick steel plating bore the unmistakable insignia of the Kingsville Defence Force, while mounted energy cannons rotated into firing position with chilling precision.
CLACK!
CLACK!
CLACK!
Safety locks disengaged.
Weapon systems powered on.
Armored doors hissed open.
PSSSHHHH...
Soldiers poured out in disciplined formation, each one heavily armed and perfectly synchronized with the others. They advanced without hesitation, establishing overlapping firing lines that left almost no room for escape.
No one spoke.
Only the sound of boots striking broken pavement filled the tense air.
THUD...
THUD...
THUD...
Wei-Wan's gaze shifted slightly toward the encirclement.
"Tch..."
Brandon rolled his shoulders before cracking his neck.
CRACK!
"Great."
He sighed.
"More problems."
Aerin stepped closer to Daito, keeping her voice barely above a whisper.
"This isn't good."
Champagne slowly exhaled through his nose, his eyes carefully studying every soldier surrounding them.
"They're professionals."
The formation continued tightening slowly, and methodically. Until the distance between both sides became uncomfortably small.
Then...
Vrrsshhh....
The center vehicle came to a stop as silence returned.
The armored door slowly opened.
HISSSSS...
A polished military boot touched the ground.
Step...
Then another.
Step....
The figure emerged with deliberate confidence.
Tall and broad-shouldered.
Wrapped in a long military coat that moved with quiet authority rather than the wind itself. Every step he took carried weight. Not because of power...But because of command.
Captain Katas Biblie.
The soldiers instinctively straightened the moment he appeared.
He didn't acknowledge them.
Instead, his sharp eyes slowly surveyed the battlefield.
The ruined buildings. The shattered streets. The smoking craters. The lifeless disintegrating bodies scattered throughout the city.
His gaze lingered on the distant trench carved across the landscape by Fah-jin's attack before finally settling on Daito.
For several long moments...neither man spoke.
Captain Katas calmly approached, his hands folded behind his back.
His footsteps echoed through the silent street.
Tap...
Tap...
Tap...
He stopped only a few meters away.
"Well now..."
His voice was calm, and measured.
Yet it carried enough authority to silence the entire battlefield.
"This..."
He glanced around at the destruction.
"...is quite the scene."
No one answered.
His eyes shifted toward Wei-Wan. Then toward the distant horizon where the Silver Moon had disappeared.
Finally...He looked back at Daito.
"Let me make this simple."
His expression hardened.
"What business..."
He paused.
"...do you have in Kingsville?"
The air grew noticeably heavier.
"And more importantly..."
His eyes narrowed.
"What exactly..."
Another pause.
"...is your association with the Silver Moon?"
Around them...Weapons immediately rose another few inches.
CLACK!
Energy hummed within rifle barrels as targeting systems locked onto every member of Daito's team.
The atmosphere became suffocating.
Zachia, still recovering from his earlier battle, quietly rested one hand near the hilt of his sword.
Brandon shifted his footing. Champagne subtly lowered his center of gravity.Aerin's fingers hovered dangerously close to the handle of her blade.
Only Daito remained completely still.
Instead of preparing for battle...He calmly stepped forward.
Step....
"We don't work with them."
Captain Katas tilted his head ever so slightly.
"No?"
He gestured toward the devastation surrounding them.
"Because from where I'm standing..."
"You arrive in my city..."
"Chaos follows."
His voice remained composed.
"Hospitals are attacked."
"Civilians are endangered."
"And then one of the most dangerous rogue Savage groups in the country appears."
His gaze pierced straight through Daito.
"I don't like patterns like that."
Wei-Wan answered before anyone else could.
"We fought them."
A soldier somewhere behind Captain Katas scoffed loudly.
"Convenient."
Before anyone else could speak—
Shwoo...
Captain Katas casually raised one hand.
Instant silence,no one questioned the order, and no one moved.
His eyes never left Daito.
"You expect me to believe..."
He slowly closed the remaining distance between them.
"...that a group of outsiders just happened to arrive at the exact same time as the Silver Moon..."
"...and somehow..."
"...you aren't connected?"
He stopped directly in front of Daito. Barely an arm's length separated them. Daito met his gaze without flinching.
"Believe whatever you want."
The atmosphere snapped.
CLACK!
Every nearby soldier raised their weapons completely.
Energy surged through the barrels.
The slightest movement...The smallest misunderstanding...
Would ignite another war.
"Daito..."
Aerin whispered.
Champagne's eyes remained fixed on the soldiers.
"Just give the word."
Wei-Wan quietly lowered his stance.
Prepared and ready.
Even after everything they had already endured...no one hesitated.
Captain Katas studied Daito in silence.
Several long seconds passed.
Then...Something unexpected happened.
"...Hhmmm."
He stepped past Daito without another word. Most of the soldiers looked confused. Captain Katas slowly turned his head.
"Most people would've attacked by now."
He looked over his shoulder.
"Which means..."
"One of two things."
A faint smile appeared.
"Either you're telling me the truth..."
His eyes sharpened.
"...or you're very confident that you can defeat every soldier standing here."
His smile disappeared just as quickly.
"I don't know which possibility I dislike more."
The soldiers remained frozen in formation, awaiting only a single command from their captain.
One order...That was all it would take.
And Kingsville's Defence Force would clash with Daito's team.
Immediately after surviving the Silver Moon...They now stood on the verge of fighting an entire army.
* * *
The tension lingered like a blade pressed against everyone's throat.
Weapons remained trained on Daito and his companions. Fingers rested against triggers.
One careless movement... One poorly chosen word... Would be enough to ignite another battle.
For several long moments, no one spoke.
Then Daito finally broke the silence.
"We're not here for them."
Captain Katas remained expressionless.
His gaze never wavered.
"Then tell me."
"What exactly are you here for?"
Step....
Daito took one slow step forward. His voice remained calm and controlled.
"We're looking for someone."
Captain Katas folded his arms.
"A name."
Daito answered without the slightest hesitation.
"...Sphinter."
Silence, real silence.
Not the uneasy quiet that had filled the battlefield moments ago.
This was different.
The moment the name left Daito's lips, something changed.Several soldiers instinctively looked at one another.
One of them straightened so abruptly that the movement was impossible to miss. Another lowered his weapon ever so slightly before quickly correcting himself.
Even Captain Katas' composed expression shifted.
Only slightly but enough.
"...Sphinter..."
He quietly repeated the name, almost as though testing it. His sharp eyes settled on Daito once again.
This time...there was no accusation within them only curiosity.
"If that was your objective from the very beginning..."
He paused.
"Then why didn't you contact the Kingsville Defence Force?"
Daito's expression hardened.
"Because we've tried relying on Defence Forces before."
His answer was immediate.
"It didn't end well."
Captain Katas raised an eyebrow.
"Explain."
Daito glanced toward the ruined city before returning his attention to the captain.
"Let's just say..."
"...the Defence Forces in other towns don't exactly welcome us."
A young soldier standing near the front couldn't hide his curiosity.
"Why?"
Before anyone else could react, Daito answered without even looking in his direction.
"That's none of your business."
The young soldier frowned, taking an involuntary step forward.
"You—"
Shwoo....
Captain Katas calmly lifted one hand.
Instantly...The soldier fell silent, no protest and no hesitation.
Captain Katas remained quiet for several moments, carefully studying every member of the group.
His gaze lingered on Zachia's injuries. On Wei-Wan's unwavering composure. On Aerin's guarded posture. On the exhaustion hidden behind Brandon's confident grin.
Finally...He let out a slow breath.
"...I see."
Without another word, he turned and began walking back toward his command vehicle.
Step–Step–Step.....
The soldiers instinctively stepped aside, creating a clear path for their captain.
As he reached the open door, he stopped.
"If your purpose truly is to find Sphinter..."
He spoke without turning around.
"...then follow me."
The team exchanged uncertain glances as no one moved.
Champagne leaned closer to Daito.
His voice was barely a whisper.
"You sure about this?"
Wei-Wan kept his eyes fixed on the surrounding soldiers.
"It could still be a trap."
Aerin slowly tightened her grip around the hilt of her sword.
"It feels... too easy."
Brandon shrugged with a tired smile.
"Wouldn't be the first trap we've walked into."
Daito remained silent.
His eyes carefully swept across the disciplined formation surrounding them.
Every soldier remained alert. Every weapon remained ready.
Yet there was no fear in their movements, and no unnecessary hostility.
Only discipline and duty.
After several long seconds...He finally nodded.
"We don't have another choice."
He looked toward Captain Katas.
"If Sphinter is here..."
"...then we keep moving forward."
Just as the team prepared to follow Captain Katas spoke once more.
Still without turning around.
"For what it's worth..."
Everyone stopped.
His voice carried across the quiet street.
"This isn't a trap."
He slowly looked back over his shoulder.
"You helped contain the chaos today."
His eyes drifted toward the devastated battlefield.
"You prevented the situation from becoming even worse."
He paused.
"Civilian casualties were kept surprisingly low."
His gaze returned to Daito.
"That earns you at least a conversation."
Champagne folded his arms.
"I still don't trust this."
Brandon laughed quietly.
"Trust isn't exactly something we hand out for free."
Captain Katas gave the faintest nod.
"I wouldn't expect you to."
He reached for the vehicle door before suddenly remembering something.
"One last question."
Daito looked up.
"What is it?"
Captain Katas turned toward the group.
"Did you learn anything?"
"About the Silver Moon."
"Why they attacked."
"What they were after."
The team exchanged glances.
Wei-Wan shook his head first.
"They never said."
Fah-jin crossed his arms.
"They came."
"They fought."
"And they left."
Captain Katas clicked his tongue softly.
"Tch..."
"Unfortunate."
He climbed into the vehicle.
"Then we're searching for answers to the same mystery."
The armored door slammed shut.
THUNK!
A moment later, the convoy sprang back to life.
VRRRROOOOOOM!!
Engines roared.
Armored vehicles shifted position with remarkable precision, opening a secure path through the center of their formation.
"Move out!"
The captain's command echoed across the street.
Instantly, the soldiers responded.
"Yes, sir!"
Within moments, the convoy began rolling forward through the battered streets of Kingsville.
Daito looked back at his companions one final time.
His expression was calm but serious.
"Stay sharp."
Everyone nodded.
No one questioned the order.
Together, they followed behind the military convoy, passing frightened civilians emerging from damaged buildings, emergency crews tending to the wounded, and entire city blocks that still bore the scars of the battle.
Kingsville was wounded.
But it still stood.
And somewhere within its walls...A man known only as Sphinter waited.
Whether he would become an ally...an enemy...Or the catalyst for an even greater conflict...
None of them knew.
But one thing was certain.
Their journey through Kingsville...had only just begun.
To be continued.....