Chapter 10 : Ambush

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It was now 8:00 AM when Ron, Fiora, and Kanz arrived at the scheduled meeting location—an abandoned, massive warehouse. Fiora parked the car in front of the large, slightly open warehouse door.

"They picked an interesting spot. I remember training in a similar place in Zone Seventeen last year," Kanz remarked as he carefully examined the warehouse.

"Did you bring any weapons, Commander?" Fiora asked as she scanned their surroundings.

"I only brought the knife you gave me as a gift," Ron replied, stepping out of the car and heading toward the warehouse door.

Fiora didn't comment on that; she simply smiled and followed him. She trusted him immensely and understood that his choice to bring a knife instead of a firearm had its reasons. Whatever those reasons were, she would stand by him regardless.

"Ron, I know these kinds of meetings make you uncomfortable, but we need to maintain communication with the other rebels," Kanz approached and spoke to Ron.

"What do you mean by that, Kanz?" Fiora asked, puzzled.

"Oh, right. You haven't attended a meeting since stepping down from your position. Don't worry, everything's fine... so far," Kanz averted his gaze, avoiding Fiora's eyes.

Fiora felt something was off. Even Ron's exaggerated calm demeanor raised her suspicions. From what Fiora knew, the rebels, especially the revolution leaders, needed to meet periodically. It was a reassuring and comforting practice, knowing you had comrades on the same path. All of this seemed fine... but why? Why was Ron uneasy?

The warehouse was enormous inside, with a massive opening in the ceiling that allowed a view of the gloomy, overcast sky. Scattered around were metal scraps, outdated technological devices, and old machinery long overtaken by time. The further they walked, the more of these abandoned items they saw.

"We're here," Kanz said cautiously.

"..." Ron didn't comment.

As the group walked, they turned right and found three people there. The first was a towering man, standing 210 cm tall, almost bald, with sharp eyes. His dark skin and pronounced muscles gave him an intimidating appearance. This was [Hatan Fury, the leader of the Second Squad].

The second was a woman standing 165 cm tall with short blonde hair. She sat on a wooden crate stacked with others beside Hatan. Her sky-blue eyes exuded warmth and kindness, and her fair, soft skin complemented her beauty. She was [Kaura Gentis, the leader of the Sixth Squad].

The third was a man of the same height as Ron, 185 cm. He had long brown hair that covered his ears, gray eyes, and pale skin with a hint of tan. His strong physique and a scar under his left jaw added to his distinct appearance. He was [Javier Oranz, the acting leader of the First Squad], the squad formerly led by Edward Schrawn.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you, Miss Kaura. You still look young, even though you're five years older than me, haha," Fiora said to Kaura, jokingly.

"Indeed~ It seems I've gained a few extra years of youth, haha," Kaura replied warmly, laughing.

The atmosphere seemed pleasant—or so Fiora perceived it. The last meeting she attended was a long time ago when she was still the leader of the Seventh Squad. But after the "Red Road" incident, she stopped attending any meetings after passing her position to Ron. This was her first meeting since then. However, such a pleasant atmosphere was bound to be disrupted, and Hatan took the lead in doing just that.

"It seems you've shown up without your disguise this time, Ninja," Hatan said with irritation and mockery directed at Ron.

"Meetings aren't a place for fighting, so my special suit isn't necessary. Normal clothes will do," Ron replied calmly, his eyes locked on Hatan's.

"Pity. I wanted to laugh at your antics," Hatan replied with disdain and disgust.

Kanz's reaction was one of anger, but he remained behind Ron, not acting. Fiora, on the other hand, was shocked by Hatan's words. He hadn't been like this before; as far as Fiora remembered, Hatan was kind. Why was he behaving like this now? This question lingered in her mind.

"Stop this, Hatan. We're not here to fight, alright? We have important matters to address," Javier said firmly, addressing Hatan.

"Tsk..." Hatan muttered in annoyance, turning his head away.

"Please excuse him. He's a short-tempered person, as you know," Kaura said kindly to Ron.

Ron sighed and didn't reply. Instead, he glanced at Javier, who averted his gaze. Ron thought to himself, "It's still the same." He then turned to Fiora, who looked confused and uneasy, unlike her usual self.

"Alright, let's get straight to the point. For me... the central government is inspecting my region, Zone Thirteen, which is a residential area. Although it's not one of the ten primary zones, its population is significant, and most of them aren't even rebels. Yet the central government treats them with violence," Kaura said with clarity and a hint of pain.

"The government has begun treating anyone as a rebel simply for living in areas where rebels are present. This doesn't bode well at all," Kanz commented on Kaura's words as he placed his laptop on a wooden crate.

"The central government no longer differentiates between rebels and innocent civilians, it seems. This situation is heading toward something worse than it already is," Fiora added to Kaura's statement.

Kanz was focused on his laptop, with Javier standing beside him, having approached a moment ago. Ron stood in front of Kaura, his arms crossed, with Fiora beside him, staying alert due to Hatan's untrustworthy glances.

"What do you think, Ron? Do you find this situation normal?" Kaura asked with a smile.

"What's happening is intentional," Ron replied, his eyes fixed on Kaura's.

Ron's response was unexpected. Hatan raised an eyebrow, his irritation undiminished, while Kaura and Fiora looked at him with surprise. However, Javier and Kanz seemed to understand his point immediately.

"The central government is killing innocents under the guise of labeling them as rebels to make the general public view rebels with caution, even hatred," Ron continued.

"What do you mean by that?" Kaura asked in astonishment.

"Simply put, the public is already exhausted. They don't want to get involved in anything that could disrupt their mental or financial stability. If the general public feels that rebels threaten their stability, they'll side with the government, regardless of whether the government truly cares about them," Ron explained.

"So the central government is relying on psychological factors—is that what you're trying to say?" Javier interjected, addressing Ron's point.

Javier moved from Kanz's side, standing closer to Ron. As Ron turned his head to face Javier directly, Hatan suddenly spat on the ground with disdain, interrupting before Ron could respond.

"As if I'd believe this nonsense, especially coming from this scum," Hatan said angrily and irritably.

Fiora felt a surge of anger at Hatan's words; it was a clear insult to Ron. Kanz, meanwhile, continued working on his laptop with one hand while keeping the other in his bag, seemingly unfazed by the situation.

"Hatan! Didn't I tell you to stop this?!" Javier snapped in frustration.

"Have you lost your mind, Javier? This guy is just a fool calling himself a 'Ninja.' What even is that?" Hatan shouted, cutting off Javier.

"Look at him! Just an idiot wearing a ridiculous suit and carrying a sword—a sword!! Who uses swords in an advanced era like this? This scum is a walking contradiction!" Hatan continued his tirade, his words laced with hatred and something... painful.

Fiora was boiling with anger, even more so because everyone else remained silent. No one, not even Kanz, was responding to Hatan's outburst. For a moment, Fiora wanted to raise her weapon at Hatan, but she looked at Ron first. He showed no reaction at all.

"Our commander, Edward Schrawn, allowed him to be here out of pity, nothing more. If I were in his place, I wouldn't have allowed a weakling like him among us! We risk our lives for our cause, and what is he here for? No one knows! Do you think this revolution is a game, you bastard?!" Hatan raged, his words filled with hatred and, perhaps, a trace of anguish.

"I have my personal reasons. Whether I share them or not won't affect the revolution," Ron finally replied calmly, his eyes locked onto Hatan's furious gaze.

Hatan took a few steps forward, now standing directly in front of Ron, leaving only six inches between them. The height difference was evident—Ron had to tilt his head upward to meet Hatan's gaze, while Hatan looked down at Ron, whose calm demeanor betrayed no emotion.

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"Alright, this has gone out of control—stop right there, Hatan!!" Javier shouted at Hatan angrily.

"Hatan, stop it. There's no need for all of this; we're all in the same boat," Kaura spoke tensely, trying desperately to calm the situation.

"Are you all still siding with this scum?! Our commander, Edward Schrawn, died because of this bastard!! And who knows? Maybe he killed him and is just pretending to be innocent before us!" Hatan spoke sharply, glaring directly at Ron.

"That's enough! You have no right to throw accusations at him like this as if you know everything! Ron didn't do it!" Fiora shouted angrily, stepping forward toward the massive Hatan.

Hatan didn't even look at her, keeping his eyes fixed on Ron. Ron's calm demeanor was infuriating, but within seconds, Hatan's scowl turned into a malicious, wide grin.

"It's not your fault for being the way you are. Your mother—if only she had learned to keep her nonsense to herself instead of imprinting some stupid idea like ninja into your head—you wouldn't be the person you are now. You're probably just like her... scum~" Hatan mocked Ron with cutting words.

Everyone was shocked by Hatan's remarks, which crossed every line imaginable. Hatan laughed quietly, while Ron remained unmoving and expressionless. Fiora wanted to kill him immediately—there was no room for second thoughts. She had made up her mind regardless of the consequences. But before she could reach for her weapon, Hatan was struck by a swift gunshot to his ear. It didn't kill him, but his ear was gone, leaving only a useless remnant with blood pouring out.

"It's fascinating. When did you develop such a sharp tongue? I don't recall you ever being like this," Kanz said, adjusting his glasses with his left hand while his right hand held the gun, light smoke emanating from its barrel.

"You know something? You're lucky. Ron is calm and doesn't react easily, and I'm slightly merciful. But... if Cloud were here and heard the nonsense you just spouted, this warehouse would've been your grave," Kanz said firmly, keeping his gun pointed at Hatan.

"But I can be reckless sometimes too. So, you should know that I don't miss my target twice," Kanz warned with a threatening gaze that carried unmistakable killing intent.

Hatan felt humiliated and experienced intense pain in his head. He raised his hand to hold his ear—or what remained of it. Blood streamed profusely as the rest looked on in shock, while Ron remained motionless. Suddenly, Ron turned to the right and, with a sharp gaze, said, "Ah, I should've expected this."

At that moment, the same door through which Ron and his team had entered was forcibly opened. A group of central government soldiers burst in—large in number, evident at first glance—and surrounded the team in the warehouse, leaving no escape.

"You're surrounded; there's nowhere to run!"

"What the hell is this?!" Hatan shouted, still clutching his injured ear.

"Simply put... we'll die if we stay here. Fire!" Ron shouted loudly.

Ron kicked over a stack of wooden crates near Hatan, causing dust to rise and form a cloud that obscured them from the soldiers' view for a few seconds. The soldiers began firing at them, but the team managed to find cover.

"How did they know we're here?!" Javier asked hurriedly as he prepared his gun.

"Who cares?! We're on the verge of death here, and you're asking how they found us?! Ron, we need to... wait! Where is he?!" Fiora was preparing herself when Javier shouted at her, but as she turned to look for Ron... she couldn't find him.

"Well~ We just need to buy some time," Kanz said as he pulled out another gun from his bag.

"Damn them!!" Hatan yelled furiously, both from pain and the situation.

As the gunfire briefly paused, the team launched their counterattack, led by Kanz, who began shooting with precise accuracy, hitting ten out of twelve shots. Fiora capitalized on this opportunity, rushing to the left side and opening fire as well, taking down a significant number of enemies.

"Where did that damned ninja go?!" Hatan crawled toward his small bag, which was several meters away from him.

"Sorry, guys! I didn't bring my weapon. I didn't expect something like this to happen!" Kaura said in panic, hiding behind a pile of sturdy metal.

"Stay put; we'll find a way out!" Fiora reassured her amidst her labored breathing from exhaustion.

The team killed many central government soldiers, but it wasn't enough. Their numbers kept increasing, and they began flanking, leaving the team in a critical position. Kanz abandoned the front line and focused on the right flank to block their advance, assisted by Javier. Hatan retrieved his shotgun and started firing wildly at the soldiers.

"Go to hell!!" Hatan screamed angrily as he fired at the soldiers positioned near the warehouse's main gate.

"Try stealing the soldiers' weapons. We don't have enough ammunition to handle this situation!" Javier declared, putting the team face to face with the harsh reality.

"It's easy to say that. Damn it!" Kanz cursed as a bullet narrowly missed him while he tried to respond to Javier.

Indeed, Fiora was the only one who had brought three extra magazines just in case of an emergency. Kanz had run out of ammunition, Javier had only a little left, and Hatan's shotgun was also out of ammo. The situation was more humiliating than catastrophic, especially as another wave of soldiers entered the warehouse, worsening their predicament. But at that moment, Ron landed on the head of one soldier, plunging the knife he had brought into the man's neck.

"Sorry for the delay," Ron said in a low voice, unheard by the rest of the team, who were far from him.

Fiora's heart skipped a beat when she saw Ron again, but she also felt anxious seeing him in the midst of the soldiers. Ron quickly dispelled her concerns by systematically slashing the soldiers' throats one by one. Anyone who tried to fire at him was kicked to the ground and stabbed. Amidst the chaos, Ron grabbed a soldier's weapon and tossed it toward Kanz.

"Oh, I see. Thanks for the supplies!" Kanz caught the rifle Ron threw to him and resumed fighting.

"Tsk, that bastard!" Hatan muttered as he watched Ron.

Whenever Ron had the chance, he picked up weapons from the ground and threw them to his teammates, who didn't miss the opportunity. Javier, Fiora, Hatan, and even Kaura, who was still hiding, all ended up with weapons taken from the soldiers. Whenever they killed one or two enemies, they grabbed their ammo to keep up the pace.

"At this rate, we'll get out of here having caused massive losses to the central government," Javier said as he aimed at any soldier in sight, who were now entering from all directions, especially the warehouse windows.

"Just focus!" Fiora snapped at him, exhausted.

The team's resistance against the central government's forces was remarkable, and they began to feel victory was inevitable. But suddenly... they heard heavy footsteps approaching.

"Huh?" Ron turned toward the main gate behind him.

"Ron!! Don't lose sight of what's around you!" Kanz yelled as he saw Ron's reckless move.

At that moment, something massive charged through the main gate, smashing it completely in front of Ron, who was closest to the gate after the soldiers—about four meters away. A colossal metallic figure designed to resemble a humanoid but armored and more imposing, standing 350 cm tall. Kanz recognized it instantly.

"It's a Caberz mech! Run, Ron!!" Kanz shouted to warn him.

It was a futile attempt by Kanz. The Caberz aimed a punch with its heavy, metallic arm at Ron, specifically his left side. Ron tried to evade the attack, but at that moment... his headache returned, and blood flowed from his eyes as though they were tears. This caused Ron to feel paralyzed in place for a few seconds—enough time for the steel fist, too powerful for any human to withstand, to strike him. The blow sent Ron flying toward the warehouse's worn-out wall, smashing through it and crashing into another stone wall of a nearby ruined building.

"Target identified~ Hehehe~ Commencing execution of revolutionary Ron Herald. Hehehe~," a sinister human voice echoed from within the Caberz mech.

To be continued...