The Legion advances through the Night

In the darkness of the night, Song and his troops advanced, careful to follow the path that had been meticulously planned for nearly a year. Although the surrounding forest was dry, Song felt slightly unsettled that his shiny black coat had been scuffed—though his cap remained pristine, its central badge gleaming under the faint light.

Excitement stirred within him. As his troops moved with practiced synchronization, Song glided forward, smooth and composed. The time for revenge had finally come—something he had waited many years to achieve.

For nearly a week now, they had marched only under the cover of night. The first assassin group had walked this same path four days earlier, successfully eliminating the designated targets. Now it was up to Song and his unit to finish the job.

They were close—he could feel it. Tonight's path had been relatively clear, and it helped that this planet had few hostile entities beyond the occasional beast.

They entered what was known as a "corridor," a densely packed trail where trees and brush reached knee height. A few bugs landed near Song, but his system repelled them immediately.

He glanced up through a small opening in the corridor. The stars pierced the veil of clouds, and he smirked. There were no "Covenant" eyes on this planet now, he assumed—and even with all their power, they couldn't detect him.

Every time something like this happened, Song's mind drifted to his lost love—and the metaphorical distance he had traveled since first acquiring the system that let him evade even S-tier investigators.

Suddenly, a light began to shine. The clouds parted, revealing the moon, and a small meteor streaked across the sky—visible only to a careful eye.

Song's breath caught in his throat, and he stopped. His legion halted instantly behind him, standing in silent formation.

Though he had grown far harsher over the years, he still couldn't stop the tears that welled up whenever he saw a shooting star. It felt as if his heart might tear itself apart. Emotion rose unbidden, and tears gathered at the corners of his eyes.

They had been walking long enough. He needed to cry.

The legion remained still, waiting patiently for his next move. His legs wavered slightly beneath him, but he pressed forward, breath ragged with grief.

It would still be a long journey before they reached Wisdom Bank. But when they did, he would make sure they all paid—for everything that had been taken from him.