In Jacobs Street, just a little behind what had once been Rio's house but was now half destroyed, a green military tent had been erected, this one the largest among the several tents around it.
Within the tent were four people, each wearing a tight expression as the radio on a table to the side released static sounds.
All four of them had hopeful looks, but seconds later, the radio went silent, the call they had just tried to make had failed.
Before anyone could speak, the man in the middle, wearing a light green cap, pressed a button on the radio, denial clear on his face.
"We can't keep up with this. It's been more than eight hours. The scientists have done their best to delay the portal's activation, but right now it's inevitable. We need to act."
Within the tent were Captain Han, Lieutenant Borne, and Lieutenant Gale, with Sergeant Tess standing behind him.
The person beside the radio was Captain Han, and the one who had spoken was Lieutenant Borne.
"Seems you already have a plan," Gale said.
"Staying here is a death sentence. Han's idea not to send all the trucks has left us with a way out. Let's rally the men and retreat."
Hearing Borne's suggestion, Han, who had been staring at the radio, snapped his attention toward him with bright eyes.
"Yes, let's retreat."
No one in the tent spared Han much attention, though.
While he held the title of Captain, the highest among them, he was the weakest person present.
Han was Level 6, Tess was Level 7, Gale was Level 8, and Borne's stats couldn't be read by anyone in the room.
Before the crystallization, physical might didn't matter. A hulking man had to obey his superior even if he was a midget. But now, with even the upper ranks in disarray, it was rapidly beginning to set in for everyone that the system had changed.
"And what of the civilians?" Gale said with a frown.
Borne frowned, not wanting to voice the cold reality, but Han had no such inhibition.
"We've already evacuated over a hundred of them from the area. The General was supposed to be here with reinforcements, but he isn't. We've done our best. The rest of the people will have to survive on their own."
"That's not happening."
"Yes, it is," Han said, slamming his hand on the table and rather than just stand on his words, he looked toward Borne for confirmation.
"It is happening," Borne said slowly, his eyes narrowing at Gale.
Getting the support he needed, Han immediately began moving.
"We don't have much time. I can already feel the energy from the portal's activation. We need..."
Moving to exit the tent, Han walked past Borne, who stood with his arms crossed. Han had just taken a step when Borne's hand flew out, a spike in his grip, and without hesitation, he stabbed it into Han's neck.
The sudden turn of events had both Gale and Tess going on alert, unsheathing their blades.
Letting Han's dead body drop to the ground, Borne kept his eyes on Gale and Tess, then extended an offer.
"Your leader was too much of a goody two-shoes. Sergeant Tess, you're smart enough to know that if we stay here, we'll die.
It's been confirmed that this is a Gold-level portal — you've heard the stories of the kind of monsters that come out of them.
Join me to kill Gale, and let's get out of here."
Despite the situation, Gale remained relaxed. He didn't move away from Tess, unbothered by the fact that his back was exposed to her.
It seemed like a show of confidence in Tess, but just as the slim, athletic woman behind him was about to bare her fangs, a new presence entered.
"Gale boy, what are you..."
The words came from an old man whom Rio would recognize as Mr Gamblesdon, the man whose blood he had once tasted.
Unfortunately for the geezer, he had already stepped into the tent before registering the situation inside.
Borne stood on one side with Han dead at his feet; Gale and his sergeant were on the other.
To make matters worse, Gamblesdon was much closer to Borne than to Gale, and had immediately become hot property.
"Oh dear," the old man muttered as he brought down the long brown tube he had been holding.
"Borne," Gale called out, his eyes narrowing at the man opposite him.
"He's seen too much, knows too much, and now he needs to die," Borne said, his body tense — ready to move at any second.
The tension within the tent rose for several seconds, and then Borne made his move.
He dashed for Gamblesdon, looking intent on killing him, and Gale followed right after.
Knowing he couldn't reach Gamblesdon in time, Gale's goal was to put Borne in a position where, if he pressed forward and killed the old man, he would leave himself wide open to counterattack.
Both men moved as fast as they could, a few steps were all they needed, but just before Borne reached Gamblesdon, he applied pressure on his right foot, changed direction, and sped toward Gale.
The sudden change didn't surprise Gale, considering Borne's options. But just as the two were about to clash, sword against stake, Tess, who had been following behind, swung her blade at Gale.