Chapter 47 - Unit Test

A red-haired figure stormed down the hallway, his black cloak billowing behind him like a shadow given life.

His face was a mask of fury, his crimson eyes blazing with a mix of anger and desperation.

The symbol of the Terran Military emblazoned on his cloak seemed to pulse with authority, and everyone who crossed his path bowed their heads slightly—some in fear, others in awe, but all in respect.

But he just ignored them all, his focus solely on the massive steel door at the end of the hall.

Two guards stood at attention in front of the door, their nano-tech suits gleaming under the harsh lights.

Upon seeing the red-haired general, they immediately snapped into a near 90-degree bow, their voices echoing in unison.

"General!"

But he didn't even bother to acknowledge them. Instead, walking past them, he slammed the door open before they could move to open it for him, the sound of metal crashing against metal reverberating through the room.

Inside, a round table dominated the space, surrounded by several high-ranking individuals.

At the head of said table stood a middle-aged man with red hair streaked with gray, his military uniform adorned with seven stars on his shoulders.

He was in the middle of presenting a series of statistics on a holographic projector when the door burst open.

All eyes turned to the red-haired general, their expressions a mix of surprise, annoyance, and, in some cases, thinly veiled mockery.

The man at the head of the table—clearly the highest-ranking officer in the room—spoke in a calm, stoic tone. "General Hunt. You're finally here. Take a seat."

But the red-haired general ignored the command. Instead, he slammed his hands on the table, his voice booming through the room. "What the hell is going on? Someone explain this to me, now!"

A soft, mocking laugh broke the tension. All eyes shifted to a young woman seated at the table, her fiery red hair cascading over her shoulders.

She leaned back in her chair, a sly smile playing on her lips. "Dear brother," she said, her voice sweet but laced with venom, "it's exactly as you were told. The Denoirs have turned on Terra."

The general's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's impossible! There's no way 'she' would betray us! There has to be a reason!"

The woman's smile turned into a smirk. "Regardless of the reason, she's a traitor. And as per Terra's law, all traitors are to be executed."

The room immediately erupted into chaos as the two siblings began to argue, their voices rising with each passing second.

The woman's tone was dripping with mockery as she hurled insults at her 'brother', her words cutting deeper than any blade.

"Oh. I see what it is. You're in denial because that slut chose a filty lesser Fantasian over you."

The general's fists clenched at the word slut as his entire body trembled with rage.

He took a step toward his sister, his eyes blazing, but before he could act, the man at the head of the table slammed his hand on the table.

The sound was like a gunshot, silencing the room instantly.

"Enough!" he barked, his voice cold and authoritative. "This petty squabbling ends now. The girl and her entire family will die, and that's final."

The general turned to the man, his expression pleading. "Father, Marshal, please. Let me try to convince her. I'm her best friend. She'll listen to me.

I'm also a general—there's leeway for cases like this if a general intervenes right? Give the Denoirs that chance. I can bring her and them back to us."

The man studied him for a moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he nodded.

"Very well. You have one chance. But if the Denoirs refuse to return, you will kill the girl, her family, with your own hands as well as anyone else who stands in your way. Do you understand Nathan?"

**********

"Nathan!"

Nathan blinked, snapping back to reality. He was standing on the tarmac, the hum of airships filling the air. Someone was calling his name.

It was River. She was standing a few feet away, her brow furrowed with concern. "Are you alright? You spaced out for a moment."

He nodded absently, his eyes drifting to a figure in the distance.

It was Natasha, her blue hair catching the sunlight as she walked toward her airship.

She moved with an effortless grace, her beauty almost otherworldly. Nathan's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he realized River was still watching him.

River followed his line of sight, her eyes landing on Natasha.

For a brief moment, her expression shifted—a flicker of something unreadable—before she pouted slightly and turned her head away.

"Well, if you're done staring, we should get going," she said, her tone tinged with annoyance. She walked toward their airship, her steps quick and deliberate.

Nathan couldn't help but smile. River's surprising tsundere-like behavior was always amusing, even if she'd never admit she was one.

He glanced back at Natasha one last time before heading to his own airship. Each unit had their own vessel for today as they were heading out for the unit test.

As he climbed aboard, Nathan took a deep breath, pushing away whatever that was. As of now, whatever lay ahead, he had to be prepared.

He had no choice anymore.