Arthur stood up, his silver hair falling over his face, his gaze dark and piercing as he turned toward the withering tree. Two lifeless-looking bodies lay slumped against its gnarled trunk, their blood soaking into the earth as if the tree itself was draining their life force.
"What in the world is happening here, they must be from Squad Falcon I have to save them "he thought, urgency surging through him.
He tensed, preparing to leap forward, but the moment his muscles coiled, two of the Withered Ones emerged from the shadows of the trees. Before they could react, he vanished—and in the blink of an eye, he stood between them.
"Sorry," he whispered. "I'll free you from your suffering."
He patted their heads and the next moment their heads smashed into the ground and exploded as if they were crushed by a boulder. Without wasting another second, Arthur launched himself into the air, the sheer force of his leap leaving a crater where he stood. As he landed before the Tree, a ripple of movement caught his eye—every Withered One in the vicinity had turned toward him, their twisted forms moving in eerie unison.
"So, you all do have a sense to protect this f**king Tree"
Ignoring the horde, he swiftly scooped up the unconscious man and woman. He pressed his fingers against their necks, and when he felt faint pulses, a small smile ghosted across his lips.
"Retainers really are tough."
Just as he was about to jump, a fist came flying from the side, grazing his left leg. A sharp pain shot through him as he landed roughly, his knee hitting the ground hard. The bodies hit the ground with a sickening thud.
"Tch..., F*ck" he gritted his teeth, tapping his injured leg before forcing himself up, his eyes glowing with gray brighter than before, his blood-stained silver hair Fell to his face,
"You're all dead the moment you step forward." he declared standing there menacingly like a wall,
Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out—
"GET DOWN, CAPTAIN!"
Without hesitation, Arthur dropped. A blinding beam of energy shot past, carving a deep trench in the earth where his head had just been.
A loud 'click' followed by a 'thud'.
"Ahh! Captain is looking so hot right now!" a playful voice exclaimed.
"Idiot, he's always hot," another chimed in.
"Shut up, both of you! Stay focused!" a man in pristine white attire snapped, adjusting his glasses. "Squad Magnus at your disposal, Captain Arthur!" he announced.
Arthur smirked. "Rho must have made it out..." he mused.
Without missing a beat, he turned to them. "Your mission is to extract these two," he gestured toward the unconscious retainers. "Get them out of here safely."
"Yes, Sir!" they responded in unison.
Arthur's expression darkened. "They're not like normal Withered Ones. This zone's creatures are more... intelligent. They're coordinating their attacks."
A tense silence fell over the group as their faces paled.
Gilbert, the man in white, adjusted his glasses. "If that's true... Captain, you should take them and go ahead. We'll hold them here."
Arthur's gaze hardened. "Don't play hero, Gilbert. The moment I'm out of sight; you take Nuel and Ariko and retreat. This is an order."
Gilbert swallowed hard. "Y-Yes, Sir."
With that, Arthur grasped the unconscious bodies once more,weighing it all on his right leg and with a single earth-shattering leap, he vanished into the distance, leaving behind a powerful gust that uprooted nearby plants.
Gilbert turned to his squad. "You heard the captain. He'll be at the gate in about two minutes. We leave exactly then."
"Tch. Let's see just how smart these things are," Nuel muttered, powering up her rifle. As she raised it to her eye, a Withered One lunged at her, two more trailing behind.
BOOM! A precise shot pierced the centre one's skull, dropping it instantly.
"Still got that sharp aim, huh?" Ariko chuckled.
Distracted by their banter, they didn't notice Gilbert move. In one swift motion, he decapitated the remaining two with his bare hands, their blood splattering across his white attire.
He grimaced. "Ugh, I hate getting my clothes dirty."
Then, without warning—
A Withered One burst from the shadows behind him, its first flying toward his head. Gilbert barely turned in time, raising both arms to block—
CRACK.
Agonizing pain shot through his right arm.
"Gilbert, get back!" Ariko shouted.
Nuel hastily powered up her rifle, but before she could fire, another Withered One appeared, landing a crushing blow to Gilbert's lower back. He was sent hurtling into a tree with enough force to snap it in half.
THUD. Blood trickled from his lips as his mind spun.
'ugfh,Kugh'
"They... set a trap..." he realized, his vision swimming. "Damn it... if I hadn't hardened my back, that would've shattered my ribs."
Mustering every ounce of strength, he forced himself up. "RETREAT!" he bellowed.
Nuel and Ariko wasted no time, each supporting Gilbert as they sprinted away at full speed. The Withered Ones pursued them for a short distance before, inexplicably, halting and retreating.
A sense of uneasy relief washed over them as they neared the gate, where a large company awaited.
Gilbert was rushed to the medical ward alongside Squad Falcon. Meanwhile, Ariko and Nuel, their faces pale and shaken, stood before Vice Chairman Grog.
His deep voice was laced with authority. "Tell me what happened inside."
Arthur, stepping forward, spoke first. "Vice Chairman. We need to act immediately. This zone isn't normal."
Grog's expression darkened. Without hesitation, he turned to his men. "Alert all higher-ups. An emergency meeting will be held tomorrow. Send them the details—this matter takes top priority."
"This Zone Will be Ranked Alpha-02" Gorgs voice Echoed in the surroundings