In a secluded corner of Base 42, two soldiers huddled by a TLL observation post, their eyes drawn to a shimmering figure in the distance. Hovering with an air of majesty, a Tritanide commanded attention, its four ethereal wings radiating otherworldly energy. Unlike its counterparts, this being sported a distinctive rotating disc atop its head, encircled by five stripes that signified its high rank—an imposing presence that hinted at power and authority.

Opposite the hovering Tritanide, a dense black smog twisted and pulsed with crimson lightning, heralding the arrival of the Archbishop of Lucifer. His piercing crimson eyes cut through the murky haze, radiating a chilling intensity.

"When's the next delivery due?" he asked, his voice smooth yet laden with urgency.

"What else do you seek from us?" came the reply, a synthetic tone tinged with disappointment.

"Other... packages," the Archbishop asserted, his tone hardening. "We cannot win at this rate."

"We've already been generous," the voice retorted, a hint of scorn weaving through its words. "we will not bear the burden of your incompetence."

"We could use a little warping and core technology, though," the Archbishop confidently proposed.

"ARE YOU MAD!? YOUR INSOLENT BUG!" It retorted, its digital tone laced with rage, "YOU EXPECT US!? US!? TO GRANT YOU OUR CROWN JEWEL!? NEVER!"

"This violates the Prince's Pact," the Archbishop said with eerie composure, as if certain he had them cornered. "I reckon you're aware of the implications."

"What implications?" the Tritanide shot back with cold defiance. "The Prince's Pact has no clauses compelling us to bow to your whims."

"You are deliberately refusing cooperation," the Archbishop pressed, his gaze unwavering.

"Do you think we are fools!?" it roared, its synthetic voice now a booming declaration. "Challenge us, and we will annihilate every living soul. Every monument. Every landmark. Every landscape. We fear nothing—and we spare nothing."

"Then so be it," the Archbishop declared, with a chilling finality, before teleporting away.

The first Tritanide lingered as if locked in silent communication with someone far away.

"Wotiru li sa shiru doli rakuza, wiru saka Ulugu," it intoned, its voice resonating with an eerie, alien cadence.

The wind stirred violently, heralding the arrival of another Tritanide, larger and far more menacing. Its form pulsed with the same ethereal glow, though it bore only three stripes above its rotating disc—a clear indication of lower rank.

"Tirku Nariwu Liri waliki. Ta satiki. Kira tir shaliki kinuka. Wuliki torti. Taku nukur ta wakali wutiru," the first Tritanide commanded, its voice sharp and resolute. The subordinate bowed its head slightly, absorbing every word with unwavering focus.

"Nuka, wikana," it responded, an unsettling joy twisting its eyelid. With a shimmer of energy, the lesser Tritanide vanished into the ether, followed swiftly by the first—leaving only the howling wind and the faint hum of alien energy behind.

The last Tritanide vanished in a blink—only for one of the operatives to glance back and spot it looming overhead, an angel of them above them.

With a blinding burst from its core, the creature obliterated the observation center, turning it into a heap of smoldering ruins. In the next heartbeat, both operatives were wiped out, erased from existence as if they had never been.

A blood-red sun clawed its way through the smoky veil of war, painting jagged shadows over the shattered ruins of Base 42's entrance. The battlefield was a chaotic masterpiece of destruction. On one side, the TLL operatives—decked in rugged combat suits reinforced with sleek exoskeletons, their eyes concealed behind cold, mirrored visors—fought like cornered beasts, flanked by TANT forces. They wielded a ragtag arsenal: standard-issue rifles clashing with cutting-edge energy weapons that spewed arcs of blue fire. But it was clear—they were punching above their weight.

"LET FURY GUIDE YOUR WEAPONS!" Anthony bellowed, perched atop the wreckage of a cartel armored vehicle, his emerald-green form a beacon amid the carnage as he rallied a squad behind him, jabbing a gloved finger toward the cartel's exposed weak points.

Meanwhile, Isaac, now equipped with a sleek exosuit and energy rifle, spearheaded a bold push through a side entrance into the base. With surgical precision, he carved a path through cartel operatives and disabled their vehicles with ruthless efficiency.

He leveled his rifle at an Umbrìo soldier, pulling the trigger—only to watch in disbelief as the shot fizzled harmlessly.

"Ugh, why does physics have to suck?" Isaac groaned, then smirked. "No big deal."

A radiant golden shimmer flared to life around him, coursing through his body. With a cocky grin, he infused his rifle with plasma, watching it hum to life—ready to bring the fight to them.

The moment the rifle hummed with renewed power, Isaac's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with exhilaration. Tendrils of golden plasma coiled like serpents along the barrel, crackling and shifting with volatile intensity. When he pulled the trigger again, the energy rifle emitted a thunderous, resonating pulse—its once blue beam now transformed into a searing lance of molten plasma. It shot forward, cutting through the air like a miniature sunburst.

The Umbrìo soldier—a nightmarish figure encased in dark, organic armor—attempted to deflect the attack, raising a sleek shield-like projection from his forearm. But the plasma blast melted through it, sending shards of charred armor scattering as it vaporized everything in its path. The soldier's body convulsed violently, collapsing into a heap of smoldering ash and twisted sinew.

"Yeah! Eat science, sucker!" Isaac shouted, already evading as return fire whizzed past him, scorching the air.

With raw power surging through him, Isaac tore through enemy lines like a force of nature, ripping apart their defenses and shifting the momentum of the fight in seconds. Victory seemed inevitable—until it wasn't.

Out of nowhere, a convoy of heavily armored Umbrìo forces thundered into the fray from the nearby bridge, their large armored vehicles and specialized troops mobilized to crush Isaac's newfound strength before it could fully bloom.

The battlefield trembled as a low rumble echoed from the distance, and then—streaks of neon-yellow projectiles scorched across the sky, punching into the convoy with brutal precision. An Umbrìo soldier's charred corpse was yanked violently backward, as if by an unseen hand.

That's when Ryan appeared, a streak of plasma-encased fury hurtling through the air like a missile. His target wasn't to be taken out from a safe distance—no, Ryan had other plans.

"Surprise, surprise," he muttered with a wicked grin, hurtling headfirst toward the center of the convoy.

The impact was cataclysmic. He slammed into the vehicles with the force of a falling star, detonating the convoy in a shockwave of fire, metal, and plasma that ripped through the battlefield in an earth-shaking explosion.

The shockwave blasted Isaac off his feet, hurling him across the battlefield like a ragdoll. Trees snapped and light poles toppled as the ground buckled beneath the force. His vision blurred, the world reduced to a hazy smear of shapes and colors. For a fleeting second, the air ignited—searingly hot—before the flames receded, leaving the atmosphere thick and suffocatingly warm. Everything around him seemed to bleed into a surreal yellow hue, as if reality itself had warped under the strain of the explosion.

Amidst the chaos, one surviving armored vehicle lurched into action, its desperate shots aimed squarely at Ryan. But the bullets never made it—they evaporated mid-air, disintegrating into nothing against the intense plasma field surrounding him.

Ryan barely flinched. His gaze was cold, focused.

"My turn," he said, almost too calmly.

Without hesitation, the twin shoulder cannons on his exosuit whirred to life, unleashing hell in two bright beams of concentrated energy. In an instant, the armored vehicle erupted, reduced to molten wreckage and debris scattered across the battlefield.

Ryan landed softly on the destroyed road, surveying the damage he and Isaac caused.

An armored vehicle rumbled up behind Ryan, its cannons primed and ready—completely oblivious to the doom it courted. In an instant, it vanished, obliterated by twin blasts that tore through steel as if it were mere paper, leaving behind nothing but a smoldering crater.

"Good job, lil bro," Ryan said, glancing at Isaac with a nod of approval.

"Thanks," Isaac replied, flashing a warm smile at his older brother.

Above them, an Umbrìo helicopter swooped low, unleashing a barrage of rockets and gunfire. But just as the rounds began their deadly descent, the air shifted, swirling with dark shadows. A tendril of black smog materialized alongside the aircraft, and in the blink of an eye, Anthony's energy blade cleaved through the chopper's fuselage. The wreckage spiraled into chaos, hurtling into the valley below in a fiery plummet, a fitting tribute to the carnage that unfolded around them.

Far off on the cliff's edge, Anthony stood like a monarch over the chaos, the black crown atop his head shimmering with subtle, sinister elegance. Streams of emerald-green binary code cascaded down his monitors. Below, the battlefield roared with conflict, but to him, it was already won—each move unfolding exactly as he'd foreseen, a grim symphony of destruction conducted to perfection. Anthony's left arm crackled with the power of his energy blade, its edge humming with potential, waiting for the next opportunity to derive order from chaos.

A cartel drone slammed into the ground as Thomas leapt from it, landing beside Anthony. He casually extinguished a flame on his shoulder and scanned the surroundings. In the distance, an Umbrìo fleet advanced—helicopters, armored vehicles, mechs, drones, and magic users—all converging to wipe out the quartet.

Anthony leapt from the cliff, landing with a solid impact on the concrete below, facing Thomas. His energy core expanded, spinning rapidly as a faint, translucent beam extended from it, linking directly to Thomas' chest.

"Make it quick," Anthony ordered, his tone calm and deliberate.

The moment the energy surged into him, Thomas felt a rush of untamed power flood his body. His electric aura flared wildly, and arcs of lightning crackled across his exosuit, alive with newfound intensity.

As the cartel forces advanced, Thomas unleashed a thunderous battle cry, his arm cannons blazing with relentless fury, raining destruction across their ranks like a man possessed. His thrusters ignited with a deafening roar, propelling him into an Umbrìo magic user. The impact was devastating—lightning surged through the mage's body, reducing it to ash in an instant. Without slowing, Thomas shot through the sky, tearing helicopters from the air with crackling bursts of energy.

In desperation, the remaining mages conjured a storm of shadow constructs. Yet their efforts proved futile—Thomas' power was absolute. The constructs unraveled mid-attack, collapsing as their molecular structure shattered, chemical bonds dissolving under the sheer force radiating from him.

One mage teleported behind Thomas, launching a shadow blade aimed for his back. But Thomas spun around, catching the blade with his bare hand. Sparks flew as he disintegrated the weapon with a surge of electricity.

"Is this all?" Thomas taunted, his voice distorted through the electric hum.

Before the mage could react, Thomas grabbed him by the throat. Electricity surged through the mage's body, unraveling him at a molecular level. The enemy's scream was drowned in static as he was vaporized.

The remaining mages retaliated, teleporting erratically, their shadow constructs launching attacks from every angle. But Thomas countered with raw power—electric bolts arced through the air, blasting apart shadows with each strike.

Suddenly, the shadows converged into a colossal beast—a writhing mass of claws, fangs, and crimson eyes. It lunged at Thomas, distorting reality around it.

Thomas grinned, eyes crackling with voltage. "You wanna play big? Let's play big."

With a roar, his thrusters ignited, launching him straight into the heart of the shadow-beast. He became a living conduit, channeling every ounce of power within him. Bolts of lightning exploded outward, turning the beast's inky tendrils into glowing filaments.

Everything froze as the beast tried to reform, flickering like a broken transmission. But Thomas wasn't done.

With a deafening crack, he clapped his hands together, generating an electric shockwave that tore through the beast. As fragments of shadow were sucked into oblivion, the remaining mages teleported around him in desperation.

"Not fast enough," Thomas growled.

He unleashed a storm of chain lightning, striking each mage with brutal precision. One last mage lunged from a tear in space, aiming for Thomas's core. But Thomas opened his arms wide.

"Come to me, edgelord!"

As the spear drove toward him, he unleashed a blinding surge of overcharged energy, surrounding himself with a dense sphere of electric plasma. The spear shattered, disintegrating into motes of black dust as the plasma expanded outward in a devastating pulse.

The pulse tore through the battlefield, incinerating every remaining mage and leaving only scorched earth.

A final swarm of suicide drones buzzed around Thomas, their metallic bodies glinting menacingly as they surged toward him from all directions.

With a fierce determination, he summoned a massive surge of energy from his core. A searing beam of pure electrons shot forth, illuminating the battlefield in a blinding white-blue light.

Spinning rapidly, Thomas became a whirlwind of destruction, slicing through the drones with ease. Each collision erupted in a flash of brilliance, accompanied by thunderous booms that echoed across the chaos, shaking the very ground beneath him.

The drones disintegrated one by one, vaporized by the intensity of his power, leaving only fragments and wisps of smoke in their wake. As the last remnants of the swarm faded, Thomas collapsed near Anthony, breathing heavily but triumphant—an electric storm personified.

"Ten out of ten," Anthony praised, his eyes alight with approval.

"I had no idea Thomas was hiding that much chaos inside him," Ryan remarked, a hint of admiration in his voice.

Suddenly, a colossal Umbrìo mech sprang to life in the distance, its weapons humming ominously with deadly intent. But before it could unleash its fury, a massive humanoid silhouette appeared in an instant, flanked by four pulsating wings that radiated an otherworldly energy.

With a swift motion, the figure's arms tore through the mech, ripping it in half and sending the two halves careening away like discarded toys. It was Ulugu, the Tritanide from earlier, distinguished by the three stripes emblazoned on its helmet.

Ryan unleashed twin plasma blasts, but with a swift motion, the energy was snatched by a flick of his wrist, swirling in his palm before being hurled back at Ryan. He raised his cybernetic right arm in defense, but the force shattered it completely.

Next up was Anthony, who unleashed a powerful energy beam from his core. Yet, with a casual maneuver, the Tritanide dodged the attack without even glancing in his direction.

"Who the HELL do you think you are!?" Anthony roared, his voice echoing with fury as he unleashed his energy blade, its glow pulsating ominously in the tense air.

Ulugu's laughter rang out, a sinister melody dripping with malevolence. "You will all die," he sneered, a mocking challenge laced in his tone.

Unfazed by the threat, Anthony steeled himself, determination igniting a fierce resolve within him. He teleported his left arm, the energy blade humming with dark energy as he swung it toward Ulugu with ferocity. But once again, Ulugu slipped away, as elusive as a phantom in the night.

In a flash, Ulugu ripped the blade from Anthony's forearm, sending it hurtling toward his head before turning and warping away. The moment left behind a chilling reminder that in this deadly game, there was always a greater predator lurking just beyond sight.

Anthony, gritting his teeth against the sharp pain, managed to deflect the blade with his left arm, his body lowering as he yanked the weapon free. His monitors flickered to life, displaying a furious '>:(' emoticon in unison—a digital reflection of his seething rage.

"This bastard," he growled, bitterness saturating his words as humiliation burned within him. "I'll rip out your insides one day. Mark my words." The promise hung in the air, thick with the weight of his wrath, an echo of the turmoil boiling beneath his confident and strong exterior.

Emily burst onto the scene, two TLL operatives trailing behind her. She skidded to a halt, eyes widening at the devastation sprawled before her—scorched earth, jagged craters, and the lingering hum of dissipating energy.

"What the hell happened here?" she demanded, scanning the aftermath like someone expecting a punchline.

"Thomas stopped holding back," Isaac said with a shrug, equal parts awe and worry flickering across his face.

Emily stared at him, deadpan. "You're joking."

Isaac jerked his thumb toward the cliff's edge. "See for yourself."

Thomas lay slumped on the rocky outcrop, gasping for air, his skin pale, veins bulging from overexertion. Sweat slicked his dark hair to his forehead, and his eyes were glazed—like he wasn't entirely here.

Emily folded her arms, releasing a long, exasperated sigh. "Why is it always the quiet ones that turn out to be monsters?" Her voice teetered between frustration and reluctant admiration.

Isaac smirked, glancing at her. "Jealous much, eh?"

She shot him a glare. "Of him? Please. If anything, I feel sorry for the guy."

Thomas twitched slightly, catching some of the conversation, and Emily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you're impressive, nerd. Now try not to die before the next mission, okay?"

Isaac chuckled, then shifted his attention to the two new operatives standing silently beside Emily. Their rigid postures screamed military, but their expressions hinted at hesitation—like they weren't sure if they were supposed to be impressed or terrified by what they'd just walked into.

"So..." Isaac started, lifting an eyebrow, playful curiosity creeping into his voice as he leaned on his blaster. "Who are Tweedledee and Tweedledum?"

The first operative squinted at him, clearly puzzled. "Uh, I'm Rebecca. Nice to meet you?"

Isaac's grin widened. "Pleasure's all mine."

Rebecca muttered under her breath, "This guy's gonna be such a pain in the neck..."

The second operative—taller, with a relaxed posture and easygoing smile—stepped forward. "I'm Laura," she said, meeting Isaac's gaze with a warmth that felt out of place amidst the chaos. "You seem like a nice guy."

Isaac's brow lifted in mild surprise. "Finally, someone with good taste."

Emily groaned, rolling her eyes. "He's not a nice guy. Don't encourage him."

Laura gave a soft laugh. "Too late."

Isaac winked at her. "Welcome to the team, Laura. You're already my favorite."

Rebecca shot him a deadpan look. "This is going to be a long mission, isn't it?"

"Yep," Emily muttered under her breath. "And I'm stuck babysitting all of you."

"Let's get this over with, then," Isaac shot back, nodding toward the massive garage entrance of Base 42 on his left. Without hesitation, he charged inside, cutting through the ranks of Umbrìo mechs like a force of nature.

In the depths of the base, crammed into an elevator shaft, a TLL operative shifted impatiently, eyes locked on Isaac's bodycam feed as the action unfolded. "How much longer are we supposed to sit around?" he muttered, frustration thick in his voice.

"Not much longer," Kai replied calmly, glancing at the others. "They'll clear this place way faster than we ever could."

"Not gonna lie," another operative chimed in with a sly grin, "they all look kinda cute."

"We get it, Calvin, you're a creep," Kai muttered under his breath. "No need to broadcast it to the rest of us."

Before anyone could respond, the elevator groaned to a halt, plunging the shaft into darkness.

A sharp, metallic bang echoed from above, the ceiling twisting and warping under something heavy—until a jagged hole was punched through the steel.

A lone operative dropped down from the opening... but something was wrong. Horribly wrong.

He stumbled forward, panic flickering in his eyes—a bomb strapped to his back.

Before anyone could react, the explosive went off, a deafening boom ripping through the air and throwing the team to the ground.

As the smoke cleared, an augmented cartel enforcer leaped down through the ruined ceiling, his left eye glowing an unsettling crimson. With terrifying precision, he tore into one of the operatives, a sickening crunch echoing through the shaft.

"WILLIAM! DO SOMETHING!" the previous operative shouted desperately.

Without missing a beat, William hurled a volley of daggers, their blades glinting in the dim light as they sailed toward the enforcer's face.

The enforcer, now blinded and disoriented, reached for the bombs strapped to his chest. A sharp beeping noise filled the air, sending a jolt of panic through the group. One of the injured operatives, realizing the imminent danger, forced themselves upright, sacrificing any chance of survival as they lunged through a hole formed by the previous explosion.

The blast rocked the elevator shaft, shaking it so violently that the whole structure threatened to collapse. With the walls rattling around them, the team scrambled, activating their jetpacks just in time. They propelled themselves up and out, landing on a dimly lit floor just as the shaft began to crumble behind them.

They found themselves in the shadows of Base 42, barely visible in the darkness, while the muffled sounds of Umbrìo security footsteps echoed from the nearby corridors.

Kyle quickly pulled out his tablet, its faint glow illuminating his focused expression as he loaded up a map of the base.

"We shouldn't be that far from the Archbishop," he murmured, studying the map before pointing to a nearby corridor. "This way."

The team moved quietly, carefully navigating the maze of halls, each step measured to avoid even the smallest noise. They could hear the faint sounds of guards and machinery nearby, heightening the tension.

Suddenly, the overhead lights snapped on, bathing the area in a harsh, sterile glow. They froze, but it was too late—a towering Umbrìo mech whirred to life at the end of the hallway, locking onto them with an unblinking, crimson gaze. The machine's weapons hummed as it prepared to engage.

With split-second timing, they bolted down the hallway, narrowly escaping as a rocket blasted into the wall just behind Qasim, who stumbled but managed to keep his balance. Kyle rushed ahead, fumbling with his key as he unlocked the heavy doors before them. They slipped inside, sealing it shut just as the hallway erupted in a shower of debris.

Inside, they found themselves surrounded by shelves and crates of confiscated TLL tech and weaponry, the room a haunting testament to battles fought and lost. Their eyes swept over the intricate designs of captured exosuits, dismantled plasma rifles, and experimental gear—each item brimming with the memory of comrades who'd fallen in combat.

Then they saw it—a twisted, horrifying reminder that they were in a war: Yosef's remains. His torso lay on a cold, metal stand, missing its spine, heart, and brain, the chest cavity hollowed into an empty shell. His legs, although miraculously intact, were severed and arranged alongside the torso. He was merely a grotesque battle trophy of the cartel, a macabre reminder of the fate of those who opposed them.

As the team rummaged through the impressive collection of confiscated TLL tech, the atmosphere shifted from tension to a blend of excitement and unease.

Kyle leaned casually against a wall, a smirk dancing on his lips. "You know," he said, inspecting a sleek gadget, "half of this could end a war in an afternoon if used right."

Jack, his patriotism shining through, hoisted a grenade launcher onto his shoulder. "This is what freedom looks like! Just imagine blowing up a cartel hideout!" He grinned, adrenaline coursing through him.

Nearby, Calvin donned an oversized tactical vest, striking exaggerated poses. "Fabulous, right? If I can't be fabulous in battle, what's the point?"

Qasim inspected a sophisticated energy weapon, his stoicism breaking through the levity. "Focus, everyone. We're not just playing around."

Daniel, ever supportive, laughed as Jack attempted to balance a crate of grenades on his head. "A little fun won't hurt, but we need to stay sharp."

William, mature and serious, examined a pair of combat knives. "Less clowning around, boys. This isn't a game."

Xavier wore high-tech goggles, swaying dramatically. "Whoa! I can see into the future! And it looks like we're going to gang up on the Archbisop real hard!"

Suddenly, a shadow loomed at the entrance. A towering Umbrìo mech activated, its tendrils twitching ominously. Before they could react, one tendril shot out, ensnaring Kyle and flinging him into a nearby glass display. He laid on the ground, his own blood pooling around him.

The mech's monitor flashed red, hypnotic radiation spilling forth.

As the sickening red glow flooded the room, Jack and Xavier fell under its spell almost instantly, their faces slackening as they stood frozen in place, their hands unnaturally making their way up to their heads before snapping their own necks in a brutal motion, collapsing to the ground lifeless. Qasim felt his own mind slipping under its influence, the light blurring his senses.

But suddenly, a strong shove from Kai knocked him sideways, sending him hurtling out of the red glow's direct path. Kai, who had been spared thanks to his dark shades, remained unfazed by the mech's mind-altering display. Recognizing the danger, he charged forward, trying desperately to snap the others out of their trance.

"Kai!" Daniel shouted, barely managing to resist as he felt the pull of the light, his voice faint against the mech's sinister hum. Kai lunged forward, grabbing Jack by the shoulders, shaking him hard. But the mech was relentless, one of its tendrils snaring Kai mid-movement and slamming him down.

Kai fought back, his martial prowess apparent even against the machine's overwhelming strength, but he was quickly overpowered. The mech's metallic limbs struck him repeatedly, and he staggered, clutching his side as he tried to get up.

Seeing his friend in peril, Qasim took in a deep breath, his mind clearing as he spotted the source of the mech's control. He dashed toward the monitor, gripping a discarded piece of equipment, and with a final, desperate swing, he shattered the monitor in one blow.

The hypnotic glow vanished instantly as William charged forward, finishing off the faltering mech with a swift motions from his dual knives.

The room fell silent, broken only by Kai's heavy breathing as he slowly rose to his feet. They exchanged grim glances, a fresh wave of determination settling over them as they realized just how close they'd come to disaster.

"Told you so," Qasim murmured, disappointment weighing heavily in his voice. The sight of their fallen comrades hung in his mind, a reminder of the razor-thin line they walked every day.

William placed a hand on his shoulder. "It was bound to happen," he replied quietly. "We're in a war. Losses... they're unavoidable."

Daniel stepped between them, lifting a hand to defuse the tension. "Look, let's not turn this into something it doesn't need to be," he said, his voice calm. "We still have each other—and we still have a mission."

Both Qasim and William gave him resigned nods, exchanging a glance that carried both grief and understanding. In the silence that followed, they turned to the racks and crates of weapons, each of them picking up anything that might give them an edge in the battles to come.

Qasim picked up Kyle's remote, opening the room's door with it. Steeling themselves, the remnants of the Infiltration Squad were now armed to the tooth, ready to honor their fallen friends by pressing on.

In the distance, they heard a loud banging noise from one of the nearby doors.

"Let's get moving," Kai suggested.

"Where though?" Qasim inquired, "Kyle's the only one who had the directions. He's gone now."

William narrowed his eyes, scanning the hallway for any signs of an ambush. "That's... oddly convenient."

Qasim gave him a curt nod, not sharing his suspicion. "Got no other way. We'll have to hold off until reinforcements come anyway."

Kai, ever eager for a fight, unsheathed his katanas with a confident flourish. "Then what are we waiting for?" He grinned, leading the way forward with energy that contrasted the somber mood of the squad.

As they turned the corner, the hallway opened up to reveal a massive, dark door adorned with strange, cryptic runes and symbols, each one pulsing faintly with an eerie, unnatural glow. The air around it seemed heavy, as though the door itself was breathing.

Daniel let out a low whistle. "Looks like they were right," he muttered, his fingers tightening around the handle of his flamethrower. His voice was calm, but the anticipation in his posture was clear. "Whatever's behind this door, it won't be pretty."

Qasim didn't say anything, but the steady, controlled rhythm of his breath signaled he was ready. He motioned for the others to fall into position as he used Kyle's remote to unlock the door.