The laboratory erupted in chaos. Alarms wailed as cages shattered open, releasing a flood of monstrous, bio-engineered creatures. Glass rained from the ceilings. The hallway lights flickered erratically, casting wild shadows across the white sterile walls.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Rondo gritted his teeth as he fired into the oncoming horde.
"Crap!" he muttered, ejecting the magazine from his sidearm and quickly reloading.
The creatures screeched as bullets tore through them, their twisted bodies thrashing across the ground.
Baynard stood beside him, scanning the area.
"We need to find the Lieutenant!"
Elsewhere in the facility…
Sabine lay unconscious on the floor of a dimly lit hallway, her head pounding. As her vision began to clear, she groaned softly.
"Aghh..."
She slowly pushed herself up and glanced beside her. The white-haired man lay motionless on the ground.
Suddenly—footsteps. Rapid, approaching.
Sabine's instincts kicked in. She reached for her sidearm and aimed down the hallway.
"Freeze!"
A figure skidded to a halt. It was a woman—red-haired, confident. She raised her hands casually in surrender.
"Topaz...?" Sabine narrowed her eyes.
Screams echoed down the corridor. They weren't human.
Sabine stiffened.
"What the hell was that?"
Topaz laughed darkly.
"You're way out of your league, soldier. We're shaping the future of this nation. The weak die, the strong live. That's how it'll be soon enough."
Sabine's earpiece crackled to life.
"Lieutenant! The creatures are out and trying to escape the laboratory! Where are you?!"
"I'm here at the lower level, Rondo. Request backup from base immediately—we're dealing with Kaijus down here!"
"Copy!"
Suddenly—
WOOSH!
A rush of air warned her just in time. Sabine ducked, barely avoiding a blade slicing toward her neck.
She rolled back, aiming her gun, and then saw him—a man clad in sleek, black armor, glowing with eerie blue lines. A greatsword rested on his shoulder. His eyes glinted with deadly intent beneath his visor.
"What the hell…" Sabine muttered.
The armored man turned to Topaz.
"This girl giving you trouble, Doctor?"
Topaz smirked.
"Not at all."
Sabine squinted at the armor.
"That suit... you're not from around here, are you?"
Topaz smiled wider.
"Correct, Lieutenant. What else do you think?"
"The armor… United Sanctuaries? No... wait—Keter Sanctuary?!"
Topaz clapped mockingly.
"Bingo! This is the Knight of Blackness—Obscudeid!"
Sabine's breath caught in her throat.
"What is a Cloud Knight doing in Brandt Gate?!"
The armored man finally spoke, voice cold and deep.
"I am no Cloud Knight. I am from the Shadow Paladin clan. But it won't matter why I'm here—"
He raised his sword.
"—because you'll die now."
Just as he stepped forward—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Obscudeid's sword deflected the bullets with lightning speed. Sparks flew as steel met metal.
From the hallway, Rondo and Baynard appeared, weapons drawn.
"Lieutenant!" Rondo called out.
Obscudeid snarled and lunged. With a devastating slash, he struck Baynard across the chest. The soldier dropped to the floor, unconscious and bleeding.
"Baynard!" Rondo shouted in panic.
Sabine took her chance. She spun and slammed her boot into Topaz's abdomen, sending the woman stumbling back with a grunt.
"Hey! Cloud Knight!" she shouted.
Obscudeid turned.
FLASH!
A blinding burst lit the hallway. Sabine hurled a flashbang, momentarily blinding the knight.
When his vision returned—he was alone.
Sabine, Rondo, Baynard, and even Topaz... were gone.
He scanned the hallway, eyes sharp.
"Tch… Looks like I have no more business here."
He sheathed his blade and vanished into the shadows.