A New Hunt

The underground base buzzed with activity as the team prepared for their mission. Tobi stood at the armory, scanning the rows of equipment. Moritaka approached, his usual calm demeanor steadying.

"Still thinking about what Erwin said?" Moritaka asked, handing Tobi a utility belt.

Tobi nodded, securing it around his waist. "Yeah. If the cultists believe the shard is tied to some kind of ancient force, we're not just dealing with fanatics, we're dealing with a threat that's bigger than we thought."

Moritaka patted his shoulder. "That's why we're here. One step at a time."

Across the room, Hannah and Neon were finalizing their supplies. Neon was tinkering with a portable scanner he'd modified to detect energy anomalies.

"This baby should pick up any shard fragments within a ten-kilometer radius," Neon said, holding it up like a trophy.

Hannah arched an eyebrow. "And if it doesn't?"