The night was silent.
Too silent.
Ryo crouched atop the rocky ridge, overlooking the Hellion outpost below.
This was Phase One.
Strike hard. Strike fast. No survivors.
The resistance fighters lay in wait, hidden in the shadows. Weapons primed. Nerves steeled.
Tonight, Hellion bleeds.
Target: Weapons Cache
Serra's voice crackled through the comms.
> "Ryo, you're up."
Ryo's system pulsed, feeding him real-time data.
> [SCANNING TARGET: HELLION OUTPOST.]
[15 INFANTRY. 2 ARMORED SENTRIES. 1 COMMANDER.]
He smirked. "Easy."
> "Cocky already? I love it. But don't get sloppy, rookie."
Ryo raised his fist. The signal.
Then—
The attack began.
The Ambush
Krieg moved first.
A walking wall of muscle and steel, he tore through the perimeter guards, snapping necks like twigs.
Karin followed, her rifle spitting silent death, dropping two soldiers before they could even scream.
Vos lined up his shot—
The Hellion commander stepped into view.
BOOM.
The shot hit dead center. The commander collapsed, choking on his own blood.
The base erupted into chaos.
Alarms blared. Soldiers scrambled.
And Ryo?
Ryo was already inside.
No Mercy
A Hellion sentry spotted him.
> "CONTACT! IRONBORN DETECTED—"
Ryo silenced him with a single strike.
His fist slammed into the man's helmet, caving it in.
Another guard charged.
Ryo caught his arm—twisted—snapped it at the joint.
Then drove a knee into his skull.
Blood splattered across the walls.
> "Holy shit, rookie. You are SCARY when you cut loose."
The Final Kill
The last Hellion officer tried to run.
Ryo grabbed him from behind.
The man gasped, struggling. "P-Please—"
Ryo leaned in.
His voice was cold. Merciless.
> "You don't get to beg."
Then—he snapped the man's neck.
The body dropped.
And just like that—
The outpost was theirs.
Victory & Consequences
The resistance swept through the wreckage, looting everything.
Weapons. Ammo. Supplies.
Karin exhaled. "We actually did it."
Vos grunted. "One down. A thousand to go."
Serra stepped forward, watching Ryo.
There was something unreadable in her gaze.
> "You didn't hesitate."
Ryo met her eyes. "I couldn't afford to."
She studied him for a long moment.
Then—she nodded.
> "Good. You're ready for the next step."
Ryo turned toward the horizon.
The real war was just beginning.
And Hellion?
Had no idea what was coming.