The Rat

Daniel's heart raced, but amid the chaos, a thought pierced through the fear: this was his chance to train, just as he had intended when taking this mission. The adrenaline coursing through his veins sharpened his focus.["User, it's a good idea to use this opportunity to improve your skills,"] SELENE's voice chimed in his mind. ["I'm happy to see you turning this seemingly deadly situation into a chance for growth."]Daniel was momentarily confused. "Happy?" he thought, puzzled by SELENE's choice of words. She is just a machine but now she just said that she is happy. Or is it just inside her program?He pushed the thought aside, pressing the matter for later. Now was not the time for that thought.Daniel regained his calm. He scanned the battlefield, searching for a place to take cover. The hostile group's firepower was dangerous, their weapons seem have large caliber and high fire rate, he needed to find a strategic position.Spying a crumbled wall a few meters away, Daniel dashed toward it, keeping low to avoid the hail of bullets raining around him. He heard few of the bullets passing through his head dangerously.His heart pounded, but his movements were precise and calculated, guided by SELENE's enhancements. He reached the wall and pressed his back against it, taking a moment to catch his breath and assess the situation.The Forsaken were fighting back, but their numbers were dwindling. The new attackers showed no mercy, systematically mowing down the mutants. Daniel's resolve hardened. He wouldn't let this massacre continue without a fight.He peeked out from behind the wall, taking aim at another attacker.BANG!His shot was true, the man falling instantly. Daniel quickly retreated back into cover, his mind racing with tactics and possibilities.["User, there is a higher vantage point on the second floor of the building to your left. It will give you a better view of the battlefield and improve your chances of survival,"] SELENE advised.Daniel nodded, appreciating the strategic insight."Alright, let's do this," he muttered to himself.He moved swiftly, keeping low and using the debris for cover as he made his way to the building.Reaching the entrance, he slipped inside, the sounds of gunfire muffled slightly by the walls.He quickly found a staircase and ascended to the second floor, careful to stay silent and avoid drawing attention. Once there, he found a broken window that offered a clear view of the battlefield below.Daniel took up position, his rifle at the ready. He could see the attackers more clearly now, their movements and tactics laid out before him.He took a deep breath, steadying himself. This was his chance to turn the tide, to use the chaos to his advantage and improve his skills.He lined up his next shot, SELENE's enhancements guiding his aim. With a calm, controlled breath, he pulled the trigger.BANG!Another attacker fell, the battlefield shifting slightly in his favor. Daniel allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction before refocusing on the task at hand.["Keep training your marksmanship, User. Then you will get better faster."]---Down below, amidst the chaos and carnage, the leader of the assailants—a masked man with cold, calculating eyes—noticed something was amiss.More of his men were falling, their bodies hitting the ground with unnerving frequency. His sharp mind quickly deduced that someone among the Forsaken was skilled enough to take out his trained soldiers.He scanned the battlefield, his eyes narrowing as he sought out the source of the precise shots. His gaze swept over the panicked Forsaken, their desperate attempts to fight back futile against his well-armed forces.Then, his eyes locked onto a figure in a second-story window of a crumbled building.The masked man watched as Daniel peeked out, his rifle trained on another of the assailants. A flash of recognition crossed the leader's face, understanding that this mercenary was not part of the Forsaken. He realized that Daniel was a dangerous adversary who had chosen to intervene on the mutants' behalf.With a silent snarl, the masked man gestured to his closest men, signaling them to focus their fire on the building where Daniel was hiding. He had to eliminate this threat swiftly to regain control of the situation.The masked man's men swiftly adjusted their aim, unleashing a hail of bullets at Daniel's position. The windows and walls around him shattered and splintered as the gunfire tore through the building, forcing Daniel to duck for cover.Amid the chaos, the masked man dashed forward with lethal intent, moving swiftly and silently through the crumbling structure.He weaved between the rubble and debris with practiced ease, his focus locked on eliminating the mercenary who had become a thorn in his side.Daniel unaware of the immediate threat, kept his attention on returning fire and trying to hold his ground. Suddenly, SELENE's voice rang in his mind, filled with urgency.["User, one of the assailants is closing in on your position!"]Daniel's heart skipped a beat. He abandoned his post and started to run, trying to find a safer vantage point. But it was too late. The masked man was already there, emerging from the shadows with his weapon drawn.BANG!A sharp pain exploded in Daniel's leg as a bullet tore through flesh and bone. He cried out in agony, collapsing to the floor.Gritting his teeth against the pain, Daniel tried to push himself up, but his leg wouldn't support his weight. He glanced up, seeing the masked man standing over him, gun aimed directly at his head."A rat among the dirty mutants. What the hell are you doing here helping the mutants?" The masked man said while pointing his pistol at Daniel. "Don't try anything. Tell me, who are you and why are you helping them?"The man approached Daniel, knowing he wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight with the wound on his leg."Aren't you being too rude? When meeting someone, shouldn't you introduce yourself first?" Daniel said.The man sighed. "I wasn't asking. Now, answer before I make a hole in your head."["User, I've treated your wound as much as possible. You'll still feel the pain, but you can move now."]"Good, SELENE.""I just came from your house. As for my name, you should ask your mom," Daniel said.The man, having lost his patience, walked closer, intending to point his pistol at Daniel's head.At that moment, Daniel lunged at him.---