The Countdown Begins

Seon sat in front of his desk, fingers moving quickly across the tablet's surface as multiple screens materialized around him. Each one was filled with different maps, files, and mission reports from Area 67. The room was dimly lit, the glow from the screens casting an eerie light on Seon's focused face. He had barely slept in the last 48 hours, buried under a mountain of intel as the countdown to the mission's start grew closer.

The general had sent him all the mission data the military had on the area, even classified files that the system couldn't access. Every simulation, every strategic play he'd run through the system so far had been a dud. Nothing seemed to give him the edge he needed.

Grim stood beside him, arms crossed, eyes scanning the same data. As Unit Z's leader, Grim had been forcefully tasked with the same mission, but right now, it was Seon's brain working overtime. Every detail of this mission was crucial—every move, every strategy. No room for failure. The men had a month, tops. Seon needed to get to that site before the window of opportunity closed.

However, the worst part was that the system hadn't given him any useful guidance. No new quests, no new abilities—nothing. He was on his own.

"Anything new?" Grim asked, his voice low, almost bored, as though he had already seen it all.

Seon's eyes narrowed as he pulled up another screen. It was a map of the terrain surrounding the last known coordinates of the missing men before their communication was cut. His fingers brushed over the tablet's surface, pulling up data on the squad members who had gone missing. His gut twisted when he saw the records.

"They were scouting?" Seon muttered, more to himself than to Grim. "Tier 1 men. Elite soldiers. Yet they stumbled into a breeding ground?" He frowned, scrolling through more information. "I've been looking for hours, and the situation is worse than I thought. How could men all ranked Tier 1—highly trained scouts—accidentally end up in a breeding ground? It's far from a rookie mistake."

Grim nodded, leaning in closer to the screens. "You suggesting the information is false?" Grim asked, raising an eyebrow, his voice betraying his concern.

Seon exhaled sharply, the weight of the decision settling on his shoulders. He couldn't risk sending in the entire unit. That would only increase casualties.

"No. I'm saying the monster they stumbled upon isn't really a Tier 2," Seon said, his fingers dancing across the tablet as he examined the reports again. "I need more recent intel on the monsters' activity and the area itself."

A dark thought gnawed at the back of his mind. The area was a no-fly zone—too much stellar energy in the atmosphere, enough to send an airship into overdrive if they tried. That was the first of many problems he had to face.

Grim leaned in, his eyes searching Seon's face for any hint of a plan.

"Is it even possible to get recent information on the area?" Grim asked, his tone still skeptical.

Seon rubbed his temples, frustration building. "It's difficult," he admitted. "But I can't afford to go in blind. I need to know exactly what we're up against. I can't—"

"—risk more lives," Grim finished for him, understanding the weight of what Seon was saying.

Seon gave a tight nod. The reality was that he couldn't trust the outdated data. He had to act fast.

Seon pushed back from the desk, his mind already working on a solution. "I'm going to the holo-room. I've been working on something that might help," he said, as he stood up and motioned toward the door.

Grim followed him to the small, tech-heavy room, where holographic interfaces and simulations could be manipulated in mid-air. Seon had changed most of the programs on it, so it didn't surprise him when Grim looked confused at the setup. Seon sat down, running a new program on the system.

"I've been working on something that might help," Seon said, his voice steady. "During the last mission, I realized that the scouting equipment we used wasn't effective. The monsters were too hard to detect early on, so I modified a few drones for better detection."

A half-lie, but Seon needed to divert Grim's attention from the truth.

In reality, during his training, he had realized something about the stellar energy running through his body. It was different from the stellar energy used by the Children of the Sun, and it wasn't like the power the government used to generate power for the city. His energy resonated differently, which was why he could control holo-projects and his crimson items through his system—because they were infused with his own unique stellar energy. That same energy could be used to control drones, and he was 50% sure that the drones he designed with his energy would be able to pass through the unstable area without triggering any anomalies.

"I'm thinking the drones will be able to pass through Area 67 with no problems," Seon said, his fingers tapping on the interface as he brought up a three-dimensional model of one of his drones. "If they work, I'll have enough intel to send a few of my men in." He leaned back into his chair, a hint of weariness creeping into his voice. "I need all the information I can get before sending anyone into this suicide mission."

"You did that?" Grim asked, observing the drone with a mix of awe and disbelief. "How?"

Seon paused, thinking carefully about his response. He couldn't reveal too much, not yet.

"Like I said, I've never gotten less than a hundred percent on a test," Seon replied, his voice light but with a hidden edge of pride.

Grim's brow furrowed slightly, clearly not satisfied with the explanation. However, Seon didn't give him a chance to ask further questions. The holographic drone hummed to life, its small metallic frame spinning in mid-air before zipping toward a virtual simulation of Area 67. The display flickered as it scanned through layers of terrain, its sensors pinging back with real-time data.

Seon watched the feed, his eyes narrowing. "It's working," he muttered to himself. "If this drone can make it through without triggering anything, we might be able to get everything we need."

Grim observed quietly, the tension thick in the air. Seon's mind raced ahead to the next steps.

"I'm going in with the captains," Seon replied, his voice steady now. His gaze shifted to the last screen, where the faces of each unit captain were displayed. "I'll leave the Edners to guide us. They'll handle the oversight and keep us connected. As for the rest of Unit Z…" He paused, glancing at Grim, "They'll stay here. I cannot risk too many lives on this."

Grim remained silent for a long moment, processing Seon's plan. His face was unreadable, but Seon could feel the weight of the decision in the air. It was dangerous—more dangerous than anything they had faced before—but Seon couldn't afford to gamble with more lives.

"Understood," Grim finally said, his voice unwavering. "But that would mean I'll be going with you. This is going to be dangerous, Seon. Even with your strategic prowess."

"I know," Seon replied, his focus sharpening. "That's why I'm not risking anyone else's life. I'll make sure the captains are prepared. With the time limit we have, I could program one of our aircraft to fly over Area 67 if the drones work tomorrow."

Grim gave a small nod of agreement. "We'll need all the help we can get."

The silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft hum of the drones in the holo-room. Seon's fingers moved swiftly across the interface, pulling up detailed intel on the Tier 2 monsters they were about to face. He wasn't naive. He knew they'd be outnumbered. Every second would count.

"Let's make sure we're ready," Seon said, his voice calm but firm. "I'll brief the captains. Get the Edners on standby before we send the drones so we all know what we're getting ourselves into.