The air reeked of ash and charred earth. Trees stood like blackened skeletons, their branches reaching out like clawed hands toward a smoke-filled sky. Flames licked at roots and trunks as the fire crackled hungrily through the underbrush. Marcus, Kael, and Lira moved swiftly through the forest, the USA enforcers fanned out behind them, weapons drawn and senses sharp.
The sounds of distant combat grew clearer with each step—gunfire, the clash of steel, and pained cries. The forest floor trembled slightly beneath their boots, as if the earth itself was unsettled by the chaos.
Then they saw it.
A ravaged clearing opened before them, littered with broken trees, burned soil, and bodies—some moving, some not. The Elite USA enforcer unit was locked in a losing battle. Prana-fueled bullets zipped through the air, only to be deflected or dodged. The squad was being pushed back by two masked figures who stood at the heart of the carnage—Dog and Mouse.
The Branch Manager, his once-pristine coat shredded and stained crimson, was on one knee. Blood streamed from a gash across his abdomen, and his breaths came in ragged gasps. Despite his wounds, he parried a savage blow from Dog, only to be struck by a chunk of rock launched by Mouse. He tumbled backward, barely conscious, sword trembling in his weakening grip.
"They're the ones from the Zareth City attack," Kael said through clenched teeth.
Marcus's eyes narrowed. "Then this ends now."
Without hesitation, the trio charged.
Dog and Mouse noticed them instantly. The former cracked his knuckles, his body beginning to swell, muscles bulging unnaturally beneath his wind-prana aura. His mask stretched over his monstrous form, and a gust of wind circled him, enhancing his already terrifying speed.
Mouse grinned behind his earthy mask. With a grunt, he dove into the ground like a fish into water, vanishing.
"Whoever finishes first helps the other!" Kael barked.
"Agreed," Marcus answered, already drawing his blade.
Kael and Lira veered left, keeping their eyes peeled for Mouse, while Marcus sprinted toward Dog. The ground exploded beneath his feet as he used a burst of fire-prana to close the distance. Their blades clashed, sparks and embers showering around them.
Dog's strength was monstrous. Each blow from his fists felt like battering rams, and his speed—enhanced by wind—made him blur and blink unpredictably. Marcus barely kept pace.
His Prana... it's like he's compressed a storm inside his muscles, Marcus thought, gritting his teeth as he blocked a punch that cracked the stone beneath him.
The pressure mounted. Dog's relentless barrage forced Marcus into a defensive stance. Each punch singed the air, and the wind howled with every strike.
Marcus staggered back, blood trickling from his mouth. His limbs were heavy, lungs burning. I can't win like this. I need more...
Then it came.
A memory—a fragment of training.
The second breathing technique.
Marcus inhaled deeply, fire-prana surging through him with new rhythm. The flames inside him roared. His aura deepened, vibrant and wild, licking around his form like a living beast.
Dog charged again.
This time, Marcus met him head-on.
Their clash created a shockwave that cracked the earth. Blow for blow, flame met wind. They were evenly matched now—Marcus's sword dancing with searing heat, Dog's fists trailing gusts.
Marcus spun, slicing across Dog's chest, but the brute retaliated with a backhand that sent Marcus sliding.
They stared at each other—panting, bleeding.
Then Marcus exhaled.
He sheathed his sword.
Dog roared and charged.
Marcus's stance shifted.
A single moment of stillness.
Then—draw.
His blade flashed.
For the briefest instant, his fire-prana ignited into brilliant blue flames. They burned hotter than anything before, engulfing his blade.
The slash cut through wind, flesh, and armor.
Dog's charge halted. His eyes widened.
Then he collapsed, his body steaming, mask cracked.
Marcus knelt, chest heaving.
Meanwhile, Kael was being worn down. Mouse struck from above and below, chipping away at Kael's defenses.
I need more power, Kael thought. I need more...
Then it came.
A surge in his core—a call from the earth itself. The terrain rumbled beneath his feet.
Kael planted his hands into the soil. Stones churned, swirled, and then gathered around him. They encased him, forming a jagged, imposing armor. Despite its size and bulk, Kael moved as though he wore feathers.
"Hunter—First Form."
With a stomp, two massive golems rose beside him. Kael's armored body glinted in the flickering firelight.
Mouse lunged, but the golems intercepted him. Stone fists met stone blades in a deafening crash. Kael moved in, fists and kicks enhanced by raw force, overwhelming Mouse's defenses.
Lira, seeing an opening, conjured a storm of ice projectiles—dozens hovering behind her, each ready to pierce.
She smiled. "I finally figured it out."
The projectiles launched, bombarding Mouse with relentless precision. He faltered, cornered.
Kael ended it with a final punch, his stone-covered fist slamming into Mouse's chest. A brief flash of blue light sparked around the impact as Mouse collapsed.
The USA enforcers, inspired by the trio's victory, surged forward and took down the remaining hostiles.
Lira staggered toward Marcus and Kael, her hands glowing faintly. "You two look like hell."
"I feel like it," Marcus groaned.
"I'll patch you up a bit," Lira said, gently applying bandages and minor healing prana. "I don't have enough left to do much more."
Kael winced as she wrapped his arm. "That was... a lot."
She smiled softly. "But we're alive."
The Branch Manager, now tended to by USA medics, was stabilized. He was unconscious, but breathing.
Marcus looked out at the burning trees, smoke curling into the sky.
We survived... but just barely.
Kael sat down, resting his head on the golem's shoulder.
Lira glanced at them both. "Next time, let's take the easy mission."
Marcus chuckled, even as he winced in pain. "Deal."
The fire behind them still raged, but for now, the night was theirs.