As they split up the soldiers from MOTH began their counterattack.
In the hallway, the crunching noise was loud. the mechanical crabs had already broken into the base. They were tough. Regular bullets couldn't break their shell unless they hit the same spot repeatedly. But if the crabs took enough damage, they'd blow up on their own.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
Three MOTH soldiers stood back-to-back in the hallway, swearing quietly.
"These things are tough. Who knows what kind of crazy scientist made them?"
"Our guys outside got hurt bad. How did they get inside?"
"There are just too many! And they explode. Be careful!"
The soldiers worked together like a team of cheetahs hunting an antelope, trying to trap the mechanical crabs with their firepower.
"Reload, quick!" one shouted as more crabs rushed at them.
The soldier's eyes widened. He saw the red glow in the crabs' core, and the heat was about to erupt.
"Careful when reloading!"
Suddenly, a pink figure appeared beside them. The crab's self-destruct countdown had already started.
"Watch out, Elysia!" a soldier warned. But Elysia was already on it. She moved so fast that the soldier couldn't even see her clearly.
With a bang, the crab flew backward as if hit by a truck. It was no match for Elysia's strength. She quickly took out a bow, aimed, and fired an arrow that hit the crab's core perfectly.
The explosion was delayed, and from an outsider's view, it looked like Elysia's arrow caused it.
With the crabs stalled, the battle started turning in favor of MOTH .
"That's how we should fight! This is the only way!" one soldier said, inspired by Elysia's quick thinking.
"She's really something," another soldier said, impressed. "No one compares to her except for Orion Astra, who shined on the legendary battlefield."
They admired Elysia. After Orion left, many talented young warriors emerged, but Elysia's reputation stood out. She was famous not only for her skill but also for her friendly and lively personality.
The battle outside was almost over, and the base was stabilizing thanks to Elysia.
"Have you found any trace of the girl from earlier?" Elysia asked the soldier kindly.
Despite their experience, the soldier felt nervous like a student in front of their teacher.
"Commander, we've almost surrounded the enemy. All exits are blocked. She can't escape."
"Good. Let's go."
Meanwhile, Vill-V was running down the hall, exhausted. Though she was talented in many things, physical endurance wasn't her strength. She was stronger than most people but was no match for the MOTH soldiers surrounding her.
Her gun had fended off attacks, but she was running out of bullets. Turning a corner, she saw more soldiers and quickly changed direction.
"Darn it! That way is blocked!" Vill-V muttered, thinking of escaping through the ventilation system.
"Girls shouldn't do that," a voice said suddenly, freezing Vill-V in place. She felt hands on her shoulders.
"When…?" she thought, shocked. She didn't even see the person coming.
"Orion Astra," Vill-V whispered, so softly that only the two of them could hear.
Vill-V raised her hands in surrender. Through the reflection in her goggles, she saw Elysia's pink hair.
Elysia paused for a moment, then gently rested her hand on Vill-V's shoulder. "Don't worry, you'll be okay," she said softly.
Vill-V relaxed a bit, even though Elysia was technically her enemy.
"Commander Elysia! Great work!" MOTH soldiers arrived, surrounding Vill-V .
"Should we take her out on the spot?" one soldier asked, eager for action.
Vill-V felt nervous. She had hidden some special smoke bombs under her skirt, ready to escape if needed.
"No, the MOTH fights against the Honkai. We don't harm fellow humans!" Elysia said firmly.
"But…" The soldier hesitated. Though many soldiers had been injured, no one had died, and Vill-V hadn't used deadly weapons on the crabs.
The soldier, although frustrated, followed Elysia's orders and refrained from acting out. He couldn't disobey her.
"Take her to headquarters," Elysia ordered, touching Vill-V 's shoulder again as if telling her to stay calm.
"Yes, ma'am!"
And so, the attack, which came to be known as the "CRAB Incident" within MOTH , was finally brought under control. Vill-V , however, struggled to accept MOTH 's explanation.
"They said MOTH fights the Honkai?" she thought.
Meanwhile, the sound of helicopter blades filled the air, scattering sand on the beach below. A helicopter arrived at the island to pick up a doctor who had been studying the Honkai.
As soon as the doctor boarded the helicopter, he felt relieved. From above, he saw that the chaos Vill-V caused was fading away.
"MOTH sure knows how to handle things," the doctor muttered, feeling proud of his work. "Finally, I can go home," he sighed. For someone who usually stayed in a lab, this trip had been long and tiring.
Just as the doctor started to relax, he felt a cold blade press against his neck.
"Who are you?" the doctor stammered.
A sharp voice said, "I ask, you answer. Have you ever experimented on humans with Honkai energy?"
The doctor glanced at the pilot, who didn't seem to notice anything. This wasn't normal.
"Don't bother stalling" the voice warned as the sword pressed into his neck.
"Okay, okay, I'll talk!" the doctor said, panicking.
"You don't understand the kind of work I do. Applying Honkai to the human body is the only way to save more people. Sacrifices have to be made for the greater good! You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs!!"
"Do you have to sacrifice others to accomplish your 'great things?" the voice asked coldly.
"Of course! How can there be scientific progress without sacrifice? Death is part of the process. Their bodies have contributed to science; they should be proud."
The voice turned even colder. The doctor truly believed what he said: that human lives were just tools for his so-called "great cause."
Suddenly, the doctor's world went dark, and he lost consciousness.
"Pilot, take us to Sundown Alley," the voice commanded. The pilot, like a robot, obeyed the order. The helicopter flew off into the sunset, leaving behind the troubles of the day.