Interlude

Deep within a shadowy cave, a group of mysterious figures gathered. The dim glow of a single candle barely illuminated the jagged stone walls, casting flickering shadows that danced like restless phantoms.

A deep voice broke the silence. "How many of our people have successfully infiltrated Mythos?"

"Thirteen," a female voice responded smoothly. "Our groups have made it inside without issue."

"And how many have been… compromised?"

The woman hesitated for a brief moment before answering. "From the primary forces—twenty-eight have been captured." She paused, gauging his reaction before continuing. "From the second wave—forty-four. And among the expendables—eleven."

A heavy silence fell over the group.

Then, suddenly, the deep voice chuckled. A low, dark sound that sent a shiver through the air.

"Perfect."

Another voice, rough and skeptical, spoke up. "Boss… ain't it bad that they got caught?"

The leader let out an amused exhale. "The first phase was infiltration. The next is to test those new mutants."

A different voice sneered. "Those Division Knights are soft."

Soft. The Division Knights were powerful, but they rarely killed unless absolutely necessary. That was their weakness.

The deep voice chuckled again, the sound laced with satisfaction.

"Indeed. Everything is going according to plan."