Okay, I fucked up and uploaded a later chapter instead of the correct chapter. This is the correct order. Temporarily deleting the later chapter for re-upload at a later date so the flow is there...

"We Singaporeans are always underestimated, but when we hit you in the backside so hard, everyone starts self-righteously bitching about us."

- Dusk

Malaysia

The C130's engines sputtered to a halt on the tarmac of Johor Bahru Senai International Airport, the heavy hum of the aircraft fading into the dead of night. Hibana stood at the head of Viperstrike, her sharp eyes scanning the dark surroundings as the rear door opened. The team disembarked swiftly, falling into formation as they were greeted by members of Malaysia's elite UTK.

The UTK operatives were fully geared, their dark tactical outfits blending seamlessly with the night. Their presence was intimidating, every member exuding a sense of purpose and readiness. At the front of the group stood a tall, broad-shouldered man who, despite his calm demeanor, exuded authority.

As Viperstrike moved to meet them, one of the younger UTK members glanced at Dusk and scoffs.

"Singapore anjing dalam Rainbow? Ini lawak ke?"

Before Dusk could respond, the UTK squad leader and the other operatives shot the younger man dismayed looks and sharp glares.

"Siapa yang kau panggil 'anjing'? Kau bodoh ke? Tunjukkan sedikit hormat!" the squad leader scolded him loudly, causing the younger man to immediately stiffened and fall silent as his squad leader turned his attention back to Hibana, giving a polite but firm nod as he stepped forward.

"Sergeant Major Yunos Anuar," he introduced himself, offering a brief but respectful salute, "I am in charge of the UTK squad assigned to assist Rainbow on this mission. We are prepared to move out at your command."

Hibana nodded, acknowledging his introduction with a swift nod of her own.

"We're ready when you are, Sergeant Major. Let's get started."

With that, the two teams exchanged a silent understanding. The operation was about to begin, and the jungle, with its secrets, waited.

As the group boarded the trucks and head to the location of their operation, Dusk's mind replayed Hibana's briefing, mentally running through the details once more to ensure everything was clear. The Viperstrike members had been split into three distinct teams, each with a specific role to play. Capitão, the experienced tactician, would lead Thatcher and Chameleon through the thick jungle. Their task was to quietly eliminate any Keres Legion patrols in the area, working alongside members of the UTK to clear the path.

Once the jungle was clear, the signal would be given. Sergeant Major Anuar of the UTK and Maestro would lead Blitz and the rest of the UTK in launching a frontal assault on the hidden warehouse. The loud chaos of the attack would serve as a distraction, allowing the other teams to infiltrate the warehouse.

Dusk's role was clear. Alongside Hibana, he would breach the first basement, clearing out any remaining Keres Legion forces. The second basement, which housed the stolen drones and server rooms, would be handled by Dokkaebi and Phaya, both being tech experts and hackers. Dusk felt a flicker of unease at the thought of Dokkaebi working with Phaya, and as the team neared the outskirts of Mersing, the tense atmosphere in the vehicle grew thicker.

Hibana's voice cut through the silence, her tone firm and authoritative.

"Phaya," she said, locking eyes with him through the rearview mirror, "Don't do anything stupid, and stay out of Dusk's way. Understood?"

Phaya, still seething, only gave a sharp nod, but Hibana wasn't done. She turned her gaze to Dusk.

"And you, Dusk—be mindful of your retaliatory words. We're professionals. Both of you will maintain that, no matter the tension."

The weight of her words hung in the air. Hibana's reminder of Director Clark's possible wrath if they messed up was a sobering thought for both men. Whoever stepped out of line would have to face the consequences back at base. Both Dusk and Phaya nodded in acknowledgment, but their animosity remained thick, unspoken yet palpable. Phaya shot a glare at Dusk, who only met his eyes with a stoic expression. A UTK operator, sitting across from them, couldn't let it slide.

"Hey," the UTK operator snapped, his tone youthful but stern, "Why are you glaring at him like that, Thai? Your boss just said to be a team player."

"Who the hell are you to tell me that?"

Hibana spoke up, her voice still commanding, "The man you're talking to is Zainuddin 'Sabit' Nasir. He's the UTK operative that Rainbow is considering for recruitment."

Sabit, leaning back with a smirk, made direct eye contact with Phaya. His demeanor was cool, unruffled by the tension, his smile almost mocking as he let the weight of Hibana's words sink in.

Phaya's expression faltered, and he merely nodded, his earlier irritation replaced by a reluctant understanding. He sank back into his seat, knowing he had no choice but to comply. The mission came first—no matter how much he disliked it.

The dense jungle near Mersing felt suffocating in its silence. A Keres Legionnaire, AK-47 in hand, nodded at a passing colleague before venturing deeper into the foliage. He halted, sensing movement behind a tree. Cautiously, he peeked around it, but saw nothing. Annoyed, he snorted and prepared to move on.

Suddenly, a pair of hands shot out from a nearby bush, grabbing him and yanking him into the underbrush. His muffled yelps were swiftly silenced. Moments later, Capitão emerged from the bush, brushing leaves from his uniform with a quiet chuckle.

The jungle swallowed any trace of the encounter, leaving no evidence of the swift, silent takedown.

Meanwhile, another Keres Legionnaire trudged through the jungle, swatting at the flies buzzing around his face with increasing frustration. His attention was completely absorbed by the insects, causing him to miss something strange happening just behind him. Slowly, something began to materialize from the air—at first a ripple, then the outline of a figure.

Chameleon, once a figure of mischief and light-heartedness, stood there now with a cold, detached expression, her eyes focused and unblinking. With deliberate precision, she unsheathed her combat knife, the blade catching the dim light of the jungle as she silently approached her target.

At the same time, in another part of the jungle, Thatcher was walking away from his latest skirmish, wiping his gloves clean of dirt. In the undergrowth behind him, a pair of legs protruded from the bloodstained brush, the rest of the body hidden from view. On his left, a UTK officer was casually and silently finishing off another Keres Legionnaire with his bayonet.

Maestro, Blitz, and Sergeant Major Anuar stood with the UTK operatives, hidden in the underbrush just outside the entrance of the hidden warehouse. The structure, once an abandoned military bunker, now served as the Keres Legion's storage facility for stolen military drones.

"Capitão's taking too long," Maestro whispered, his eyes darting nervously toward the warehouse entrance.

"The stealth team needs to be thorough. No point rushing in if we get shot in the back," Blitz replied.

As if on cue, a faint twang is heard, followed by the whistling sound of a bolt slicing through the air. A thick cloud of smoke billowed up at the entrance of the warehouse, quickly obscuring the view of the entrance. The once-clear sightline to the building was now a dense, impenetrable smokescreen.

"That's the signal," Sergeant Major Anuar muttered, his hand on the radio as he gave a silent nod to the UTK operatives around him. The time had come.

Blitz glanced at Maestro. "Time to move. We breach, we clear."

Maestro simply nodded, ready for the assault. The operation was in motion now, and there was no turning back. With the smoke thick in the air, Maestro, Blitz, Sergeant Major Anuar, and the UTK operatives sprang into action, launching a brutal assault on the hidden bunker. The roar of gunfire echoed through the jungle as they stormed forward, weapons raised.

A UTK operative stumbled and fell, blood pouring from a wound to the shoulder, but his teammates quickly pulled him to safety, dragging him behind cover as the firefight intensified. Blitz, his ballistic shield raised, charged forward with two UTK operators flanking him, the shield absorbing the incoming rounds as they pushed deeper into the enemy's position. Maestro, ever relentless, tore through the Legionnaires with his LMG, its thunderous rate of fire forcing the enemy back while cutting down several of them.

"Keep moving!" shouted Sergeant Major Anuar, his voice a commanding presence amidst the chaos. The team pressed forward, each step bringing them closer to the warehouse's core.

Amidst the chaos of the frontal assault, Hibana led the team through the back of the hidden warehouse, staying low and moving quickly. Behind her, Dusk, Phaya, Dokkaebi, and the potential recruit Sabit followed in near silence, each one scanning their surroundings for any sign of danger.

Sabit, his expression focused, crouched before a weak wall and planted upon it a unique pneumatic breaching device. It resembled a snake's head, its "mouth" opening to reveal two sharp fangs. The device hissed quietly as it closed its "mouth", tearing down the wall and creating a breach large enough for the team to slip through without alerting the Legionnaires stationed at the front.

With the majority of the Keres Legionnaires focused on the front of the warehouse, only a few remained at the back and guarding the entrance to the basement. Phaya immediately moved into action, swiftly killing two Legionnaires with his MPX. Dusk, however, did not raise his gun, instead delivering a swift strike to knock the Legionnaire unconscious, carefully ensuring the man wouldn't make a sound.

Phaya, eyes narrowing in frustration, shot Dusk a glare.

"Stop playing the noble hero," he muttered, his tone laced with annoyance, "The enemy doesn't care if you show them mercy."

Dusk paused, looking back at Phaya and replying, "I know when to pull the trigger."

Without waiting for a response, Dusk turned and moved toward the basement entrance, his focus now entirely on the mission. Hibana followed, her expression unreadable as she gestured for Sabit to take point. The team moved in unison, their footsteps quiet but determined as they descended into the darkness of the warehouse's basement.

Reaching the first basement, Hibana quickly assessed the situation.

"Dokkaebi, Phaya, head to the second basement. Dusk, Sabit, stay close," she ordered, her voice firm.

Sabit, ready to breach the door, moved toward it with his tools, but Hibana shook her head.

"No time for that," she muttered, unslinging her X-KAIROS launcher.

With a sharp motion, she aimed and fired, the explosive rounds sticking to, igniting and finally blasting the door apart in a cloud of dust and debris. The sudden explosion stunned two Keres Legionnaires inside, their shocked expressions fleeting before they struggled to regain composure.

Without hesitation, Dusk moved in first, with Lucy launching herself at the first Legionnaire with a ferocious speed. The soldier barely had time to react before he was tackled to the floor by the dog, his weapon slipping from his grasp as Lucy bites down on his wrist. The second Legionnaire gets his face smashed in by Dusk courtesy of his M870's stock, and as the Legionnaire crumpled to the ground unconscious, Dusk went over to Lucy's opponent and does a Bruce Lee stomp on the man's face that takes him out of the fight as well.

"Clear," Dusk muttered, his voice low but steady as Hibana and Sabit entered.

"This doesn't feel right," Sabit muttered, his voice low, "Such a big place, but only two guards?"

Dusk nodded in agreement, his attention already focused on the detection collar around Lucy's neck. Thanks to the AR goggles Solis and Mira had given him, the world around him shifted. The augmented reality displayed markers above the traps around Lucy. It didn't take long for Dusk to realize the basement was a minefield—laser trip mines, pressure-triggered bombs, and electrical snares littered the area, all rigged to trigger with the slightest disturbance.

Sneaky Lucy moved quietly ahead, her stomach flat on the floor, her nose twitching as she carefully avoided the traps. Dusk, his eyes glued to the AR goggles, tracked her every movement, ensuring she stayed clear of danger while also marking the traps for the team.

"Laser trip mine at 10 o'clock," Dusk whispered to Hibana, his voice calm but precise, "Electrical snare two meters ahead of Sabit."

With careful hands, Hibana and Sabit began to disarm the traps one by one, working quickly but methodically. Sabit's military training showed as he worked with precision, cutting wires and deactivating devices without setting off any alarms.

Dusk stayed vigilant, watching Lucy move smoothly and silently between the traps, guiding her around each one without incident. His thoughts drifted for a moment, and a wry smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Guess I owe Mira and Solis a drink after this mission, he thought to himself, the use of the AR goggles and the detection collar proving more invaluable than he had expected.

As Hibana scanned the room, her eyes widened in realization. Shelves upon shelves of explosive-based weaponry and ammunition were neatly stacked against the walls, a clear indication of the Legion's plans.

"This basement was rigged to blow in the event of an intrusion," Hibana muttered, her voice low and seriou, "They were going to detonate everything here. Destroy the warehouse, the evidence, and the drones—just to deny the British any chance of getting them back."

Dusk's eyes narrowed as he took in the sight. He knew the Keres Legion was ruthless, but seeing this level of planning made his stomach twist.

Sabit, too, was taken aback. His hand instinctively went to his helmet, brushing it in disbelief.

"Scorched earth tactics... they're willing to burn everything," he said, his voice a mix of awe and disgust, "I'm not sure they can even be called terrorists anymore. They're ready to sacrifice their own resources, their own men, just to cover their tracks. No hesitation."

Hibana nodded, her face grim.

"We cannot mistake this strategy as one born from pure desperation. This is how Deimos operates the Keres Legion. All he cares about are the results and this sick game he's playing with us, 'rewarding' us when we foil his plans while putting us in all sorts of death traps," she said as her gaze swept over the weapons again, "We need to make sure that doesn't happen. The UK needs these drones back."

In the second basement, the air was thick with the hum of machinery and the faint crackling of old servers. Phaya, standing in front of the electronic lock, was frowning in irritation as he fiddled with his Jak-Jan Electronics Scrambler. The device emitted a quiet buzz as it worked, and after a few tense moments, the lock clicked open with a soft electronic beep.

As the door swung open, Phaya muttered to himself, "Dusk and his damn mercy... It's like he's trying to be some kind of hero. He should just take them out when he has the chance. We're in a war, not some damn peacekeeping mission."

Dokkaebi, already moving past him into the room, shot him a sharp look.

"We can argue about it later, Phaya," she said, her voice low but firm, "Right now, our priority is the drones."

Phaya didn't let it go. He pulled up a terminal and began downloading vital information from the server, his fingers quick and steady despite his obvious frustration.

"I still don't get it," he grumbled under his breath, "Why is Dusk getting all this respect? He's hardly done anything. It's like they put him on a pedestal just because he's some Singaporean poster child. His country never had to deal with the daily threats that plagues other countries like Thailand or the Philippines. How does that make him the go-to guy for Rainbow?"

Dokkaebi's expression hardened, and she stopped momentarily to look at him.

"You're wrong. Dusk isn't respected for his skills. He's still got a lot of work to do when it comes to that. The reason people respect him is because for all his lack of abilities, he knows how to work with people and doesn't bring personal baggage into a mission, unlike you."

Phaya scoffed and turned back to the terminal.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means Dusk doesn't drag his past with him. He's not a Gary Stu, Phaya: Dusk isn't perfect, he has his own problems just like you. The difference is that he doesn't intentionally drag people into it."

Phaya stayed silent for a moment, his eyes scanning the screen as he extracted files. He didn't look at Dokkaebi, but her words had clearly struck a nerve.

"Focus on the server, Phaya," she added, her voice softening, but still commanding, "That's the mission. Let's finish this, so we can all go home."

Just as Dokkaebi was securing the last of the drones, a loud crash echoed through the room as several Keres Legionnaires stormed in. Their guns raised, they opened fire, forcing Dokkaebi to dive for cover behind the server racks.

"Phaya, don't engage!" Dokkaebi hissed, but it was too late. Phaya, already on edge, didn't hesitate. He leaped from behind the console and opened fire with his MPX, taking down the first Legionnaire with a quick burst.

"Get back here, Phaya!" Dokkaebi shouted as she quickly worked to finish the hack, her fingers flying over the keyboard. She could hear the chaos unfolding in the background as Phaya took down another Legionnaire. But his distraction was costly. The hack was only 80% done, and now, she had to finish it alone.

As Phaya cleared the last of the Legionnaires, Dokkaebi's eyes widened in horror. One of the drones, which had been left untouched, whirred to life. The drone's systems activated, its targeting locked onto Rainbow's operatives. The machine whined as its guns powered up, then shot through the ceiling with a loud explosion, soaring into the first basement where Dusk, Hibana, and Sabit were at.

"No!" Dokkaebi muttered, eyes frantic.

She glanced at Phaya, whose face was flushed with rage and realization as he sees a dead Legionnaire with one hand on the drone's console.

"Fuck! One of the Legionnaires triggered the drone!" he cursed, his anger flaring.

The drone was already heading toward the first basement, its sensors now locked on the Rainbow operatives. Hibana's voice crackled in Dokkaebi's earpiece, barely audible over the sound of the buzzing drone above. "We've got a problem! Why is the drone active?"

"Damn it, Phaya!" Dokkaebi snapped, her voice tight with frustration, "You just made our job ten times harder!"

Hibana initially had a bad shock when the massive drone tore through the floor, its mechanical whirring filling the air, but now her main problem was how to shut it down. She instinctively reached for her sidearm, but Sabit was already ahead of her, his sharp mind quickly assessing the situation.

"Wait," Sabit muttered, his gaze flicking from the drone to the unstable structure around them, "One bad shot, and we'll blow the whole place."

"Yeah, and one random shot from that thing will send us all for an appointment with our respective gods too," Dusk said as he took aim at the drone.

"There must be some way. This model of military drone's not supposed to be able to fire if it can't stabilize itself in the air," Hibana said, piecing together what she knew about the model.

Sabit's eyes lit up.

"I have an idea."

Before Hibana could react, Sabit jumped. He grabbed the drone mid-air, using his momentum to upset its balance. The drone floundered in the air, its whirring guns momentarily ceasing their deadly spin as the machine struggled to regain its composure. But Sabit's weight alone wasn't enough to ground it. The drone swayed violently, its sensors desperately trying to reorient itself.

"Not enough!" Hibana shouted, already moving.

Without hesitation, she leaped forward and grabbed onto the drone, her muscles straining as she tried to pull it down. Dusk was right behind her, his own hands finding a firm grip on the drone's frame.

The combined force of the three of them—Sabit, Hibana, and Dusk—began to force the drone to descend, but it still wasn't enough. It kept fighting, trying to right itself. The weight wasn't enough to overpower its systems entirely.

Then, in a sudden burst of movement, Lucy lunged into the air. With precision, she clamped her jaws around one of the drone's power supply units, her sharp teeth crunching down and sending sparks flying. The drone's whirring stuttered as its systems short-circuited, its motors seizing up. With one final, desperate plunge, the drone fell, dragging all four of them with it. The heavy drone crashed into the second basement, sending a violent shockwave through the structure. The four of them landed hard, but the immediate threat had been neutralized—at least for now.

"Nice job, Lucy," Dusk muttered, his voice laced with both relief and exhaustion.

Hibana straightened up, brushing off her uniform with a controlled calmness, but her eyes narrowed with seething anger as she turned toward Phaya and Dokkaebi, both of whom stood near them silently, trying to avoid having to look their squad captain in the eye.

"Explain to me how the drone was activated," she demanded, her voice cold and stern.

Phaya opened his mouth to protest, but it was Dokkaebi who quickly interjected, her calm demeanor trying to diffuse the tension.

"We were attacked by Keres Legionnaires while trying to disconnect the system," she explained, her tone pragmatic, "One of them must have triggered the drone during the fight."

Hibana eyed them both, her sharp gaze cutting through their explanation. She was no fool. She could tell something more had happened between them, but for the moment, she let it slide. The mission came first.

Suddenly, Lucy's bark broke the tense silence. Hibana froze as she heard the unmistakable sound of a weapon being raised. Her head snapped toward the source of the sound, just in time to spot a lone Keres Legionnaire aiming his weapon straight at her.

Without hesitation, Dusk acted. In an instant, he lunged and pulled Hibana to the ground out of the line of fire. Simultaneously, he had his sidearm drawn, firing two shots at the Legionnaire who let out a sharp yelp as he staggered backward, one hand clutching his throat as blood seeped through the seams of his fingers before he crumpled to the ground.

Hibana lay flat against the floor, eyes wide with surprise.

"Thanks," she muttered, barely registering the adrenaline as she tuned to look at Dusk, seated on the ground next to her, still holding his gun.

Dusk only nodded in response, breathing hard as he lowered his sidearm. He had been quick, but the shock was still settling in: This was the second time he had taken a life, and the first time he had done so intentionally. His breaths were shallow and quick, almost in a frantic rhythm. His hand trembled slightly as he reached to holster his sidearm, his mind struggling to process what had just occurred.

He had broken his own code, without knowing if it had been justifiable.

Lucy padded over to him and nudged his arm gently, her large brown eyes filled with understanding. Dusk's breath caught in his throat, but he managed to exhale slowly, focusing on the sensation of her fur against his hand. It helped. Slowly, he steadied himself, his breathing returning to normal, the panic beginning to subside.

Hibana, now sitting up, glanced over at him, her gaze sharp but not unkind. She had noticed the way his hand shook and the way he was struggling to regain his composure. Dokkaebi, too, had picked up on it, her brow furrowing with concern. She didn't say anything at first, but her silence spoke volumes. She had seen this kind of response before, and she knew the weight Dusk must be feeling.

Still, Dusk broke the silence first, his voice quiet but firm.

"Can we go now? I don't want to stay down here any longer."

Hibana nodded, getting up as she said, "We're done here. Let's get out."

Phaya, who had remained unaffected by the tension, shrugged indifferently, clearly uninterested in the emotional undertones of the situation. Sabit, however, watched Dusk carefully as the latter is helped to his feet by Dokkaebi, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Let's move," Hibana ordered, and the team began to file out, with Dusk trailing behind, still struggling to come to terms with the decision he had made.

At the airport, the MI6 representative frowned as he examined the damaged drone, his fingers brushing over the crushed power supply. He was clearly not pleased with the state of the equipment.

"You were supposed to retrieve all four drones, intact," he muttered, his voice edged with frustration.

Thatcher, ever the calm presence, responded with a dry smile, "Maybe you should reconsider the material for the power supply box to be dog-proof if you're so concerned about it. Just be grateful it's just one drone, not all four."

His tone was nonchalant, almost as if he wasn't bothered by the damage at all. The MI6 agent looked at the drone once more, and with a heavy sigh, he realized he had no real argument.

"Fine. We'll take it back as it is," he said, clearly begrudging the decision but with no choice but to comply.

Meanwhile, as the team packed up their gear, Hibana's voice came through Sabit's earpiece. He listened closely, then his face shifted, a surprised expression overtaking his features. After a brief moment of silence, he let out a small chuckle.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Sabit turned to the team, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Looks like I'm officially part of Rainbow now," he said, a grin slowly forming on his face. "HQ wants me to pack my things. I'll be picked up in the coming weeks."

Hibana's voice came through again, calm and approving, "Welcome aboard, Sabit. Get ready for what's next."

Sabit nodded, his expression a mix of pride and anticipation as he gathered his gear. He was ready for whatever came next.

Meanwhile, not far from the others, Dusk sat against a stack of crates, his knees pulled to his chest as he stared at the tarmac, lost in thought. His fingers twitched occasionally, an involuntary reaction to the weight on his mind. The shooting still lingered in his thoughts, but there was more to it than just the pull of the trigger.

Blitz approached slowly, not saying anything at first. He leaned against the crate beside Dusk, giving him a moment before speaking.

"Don't sweat it too much," Blitz said quietly, his tone more comforting than expected, "You saved Hibana. It was a justified shot. You did what you had to do."

Dusk's gaze remained fixed on the ground, his lips tight but silent.

Before Blitz could offer more, Phaya's voice cut through the air, sharp and impatient.

"You're still brooding over that? Get over it. It's just part of the job. Maybe you should reconsider if you even belong in Rainbow. You obviously can't handle what's required."

Dusk's head snapped up, his gaze icy.

"Get lost, Phaya. I've got other problems."

Phaya didn't back down, his voice taking on a mocking edge.

"What, like your little moral code? If you can't even do what's necessary when it counts, you're just going to be a liability. And I wonder, how much longer do you think you can protect your hacker princess? If you keep hesitating like this..."

Something inside Dusk snapped. He shot to his feet, about to throw hands. Blitz, Sergeant Major Anuar and a few of the UTK operators who had been standing nearby quickly got between both men, sensing the impending conflict.

One of the UTK operatives, the same one who had called Dusk a "Singaporean dog" earlier, now unexpectedly came to Dusk's defence, stepping forward and shoving Phaya away.

"Enough, you damn bangsat," the man said to Phaya, "Go away. You're not helping."

Phaya's glare intensified, but he couldn't argue with the force behind the words. With a muttered curse, he took a step back, eventually turning and walking away. Blitz placed a hand on Dusk's shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze.

"Let it go, mate. Let it go."

Chameleon, who had witnessed the whole incident, crossed her arms and gave a mocking look at Phaya, sticking out her tongue in a childish manner.

"Mày là thằng ngu, hiểu không?" she muttered, making an exaggerated gesture at Phaya's direction, adding a little flair for dramatic effect.

Maestro, catching the scene, quickly pulled her aside.

"Alright, alright, let's dial it down, Chameleon," he said with his usual boisterous charm, clapping his hands to grab her attention, "We're all grown-ups here. No need to start a diplomatic incident over Phaya's temper tantrum."

Chameleon pouted but reluctantly agreed, lowering her hands. Meanwhile, Dokkaebi cautiously approached Dusk, who was still seated on the crate, his eyes distant. She bent slightly at the knees, trying to match his gaze.

"Dusk," she started, her voice calm and careful, "you alright?"

Dusk sighed, the weight of the entire situation hanging over him. "No. I'm not."

She sat beside him, leaning against the crate with him, her gaze soft but direct.

"You shouldn't feel guilty about what happened back there. You protected Hibana. That's what matters."

"That's the problem. I'm not feeling any guilt at all, and that doesn't sit right with me," Dusk replied, clearly frustrated.

Dokkaebi tilted her head slightly, raising an eyebrow.

"Why? You did what needed to be done. That's what we're here for."

"I know," Dusk muttered, staring at the ground, "But it's like… I just killed someone and I'm actually okay with it. It doesn't feel right, Dokkaebi. I'm not sure what that means." He looked up at her, confusion in his eyes…

Hereford Base, England

Inside the Director's office at Hereford Base, Clark leaned back in his chair, finishing the last page of Hibana's report. He sighed deeply and glanced over at her, his expression slightly weary.

"I'm sorry you had to take care of Phaya, Hibana," he said, his tone laced with a hint of regret.

Hibana, unfazed, waved her hand dismissively.

"It's not a big deal, Director. It's part of the job," she said as she leaned back in her own chair, arms crossed as she considered Phaya's behavior, "Still, I did look through his records... It's strange, isn't it? A promising operative, coming from a family with a reputation for honor and kindness. To see someone like him now so consumed with hatred—especially for another country—just doesn't add up."

Harry, who had been quietly observing from the corner of the office, spoke up with his usual calm but perceptive tone.

"Phaya's still in denial. He's suppressing something deep inside, refusing to acknowledge it. I think he's waiting for someone—maybe even himself—to knock some sense into him. But he's not ready for that, not yet."

Clark sighed again, rubbing his forehead.

"I just don't want him to go too far down that path, especially not in Rainbow. We need him to see things clearly."

"We all do."

Clark's expression grew more troubled as he turned his attention to Dusk.

"I'm more worried about Dusk," he said quietly, his voice tinged with concern, "He's been quieter than usual lately, and I can sense something's off. It's not guilt over what happened, though. It's like... he's confused by his emotions. He's fighting something inside himself."

Hibana nodded, her brows furrowed in thought.

"I've noticed it too. He's usually so controlled, but now, he's starting to become withdrawn. It's like the whole incident didn't even faze him, but I don't think it's because he doesn't care. There's something deeper going on."

Harry let out a long, heavy sigh before speaking up.

"When Dusk left the NDU after the incident in Syria, I was asked to come to Singapore and be his therapist. We had a few sessions, and there was something that stood out to me about him. Dusk... he's a natural born killer. He has the instincts—sharp, quick, precise. But his moral compass and upbringing has prevented him from becoming the thing he's capable of. That's the only thing that's keeping the darker aspects of his personality suppressed."

"You're saying Dusk has a dark side? I never would have thought..."

"I don't mean it in a malicious sense. Every person has a 'shadow,' as Carl Jung put it. The darker, repressed part of the psyche that everyone unconsciously hides from themselves. Dusk is no different. His conscience is so strong that he had unknowingly and completely suppressed his shadow, but it's still there. And now, it's starting to resurface in ways he doesn't fully understand."

Clark rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

"So, you think this is all connected? His reaction after the mission, his... silence?"

Harry nodded grimly.

"I do. I think this is the first time Dusk is confronted by his shadow, that he is more dangerous than he thinks of himself."

In the common room, the tension was high, but not from any mission-related drama. Instead, a heated battle was taking place on the PS5, where operators were engaged in a fierce football match. The rules were simple: the player who lost would be swapped out for another, and the one with the most losses by the end of the session would be stuck buying the entire group a round of beer. The atmosphere was casual, but the stakes were high.

Blitz was currently dominating with an impressive streak of five consecutive wins, much to the frustration of Mute and Mozzie, who were struggling to avoid losing more matches. Every time they lost, they shot a glare at their controllers, wishing they could curse the pixels on the screen. The competition was fierce, but the good-natured trash talk between teammates kept it fun.

Meanwhile, Dusk sat at one corner of the room, seemingly lost in thought. His body language screamed of someone who didn't want to be involved, but Valkyrie approached him anyways with a friendly smile.

"Come on, Dusk! Join us. It'll take your mind off things."

"I'm good, Valkyrie," he muttered, his focus elsewhere.

Dokkaebi and Twitch exchanged mischievous grins before they decided to have some fun.

"What's the matter, Dusk? Afraid you'll lose? Or are you just trying to keep your score perfect?" Twitch teased, poking at him from across the room.

"No, just not in the mood," he said, his tone flat.

But then, Dokkaebi dropped the bomb.

"If you don't play, I'll set you up on a date with Hibana."

Dusk's eyebrows furrowed, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Are you twelve years old?"

Before he could retreat into his shell again, Hibana herself walked into the room, catching the tail end of the conversation. With a stern look, she crossed her arms.

"If you don't beat Blitz's score, Dusk, you're really going to have to go out with me."

Dusk's eyes widened slightly, and a look of pure panic flashed across his face. Without another word, Dusk snatched the controller from Mozzie's hands before he could protest, scoring a victory over Blitz, ending his streak, then proceeded to reach a 10-match win streak beating Mozzie, Mute, Valkyrie, Twitch, Dokkaebi, Breaker, Chameleon, Bandit and Norwegian NIGHTHAVEN agent Håvard "Ace" Haugland.

In the end, it was Mozzie who had to pick up the tab for everyone. He grumbled under his breath but took it in stride, "Fine, fine. But next time, I'm sticking to beer pong."

Dusk, now slightly more relaxed, leaned back in his chair with a small, satisfied smile. He hadn't won the game for fun—he'd done it to avoid an even worse fate. But the tension that had been building up inside him seemed to ease, just a little, thanks to his teammates' antics.

Malaysia

In a dimly lit, run-down hotel room somewhere in Penang, Wu Hsing paced slowly, his sharp eyes surveying the surroundings. His personal squad — Ignis, Undertow, Datura, Gravitas, and Mercury — stood in a quiet, imposing line, waiting for their leader's next command.

In the middle of the room, a Keres Legionnaire sat in a chair, his arms bound tightly, his face marked with frustration. He was the one Wu Hsing had placed in charge of guarding the hidden warehouse that Rainbow had just raided, and Wu Hsing was less than pleased about what had happened.

After a few minutes of pacing, Wu Hsing stopped in front of the Legionnaire, his gaze unwavering.

"I ordered my men not to lay a hand on you," he began, his voice cold and deliberate, "Because I want answers, not blood. A broken corpse cannot provide me any useful information."

He circled around the bound man, his steps deliberate, as if contemplating his next words.

"Now, tell me how the police found the warehouse. How did they obtain the information?"

The Legionnaire's head dropped in defeat.

"I don't know. I wasn't told," he muttered, his voice shaky.

Wu Hsing's eyes narrowed as he let out a small, barely audible sigh. He had hoped for a different answer. After all, this man was useful, but now, it seems he's usefulness has ended.

"Shame," he said softly, "I had planned to let you go free, but I cannot work with liars. A drunkard's mouth is even more dangerous than a loaded gun, after all…"

Turning toward the door, he addressed the Legionnaire's subordinate who had been standing outside watching the exchange, rope marks on his exposed wrists indicating that he had just been released.

"You're now the man in charge," Wu Hsing said, his tone hardening, "Remember, unlike our leader Deimos, I value honesty. Those who admit their failures are useful to me. Those who don't... Well, they can die as failures."

With a final glance at the bound Legionnaire, Wu Hsing stepped out of the room, leaving only silence in his wake. The door clicked shut behind him, sealing the fate of the man inside as a muffled scream is heard…

Hereford Base, England

"Dr Pandey, why haven't Rainbow's newest operators trained with NIGHTHAVEN agents yet?"

Kali questioned Harry, her tone calm yet inquisitive, her arms casually folded. Harry, maintaining his usual calm demeanor, replied, "I didn't prevent it, but they need to understand how NIGHTHAVEN agents operate before they can train alongside them. In fact,, Wamai is already at the training grounds. Lynx, Breaker, and Chameleon are in a session with him right now."

Intrigued, Kali followed Harry to the training grounds. Upon seeing the scene unfold, her brows arched in mild surprise. The training session had taken a rather unconventional turn. Breaker, Lynx, and Chameleon were tossing scrap metal—rebars, shot puts, and even a half-girder—at Wamai, all in an effort to test the limits of his MAG-Nets. Wamai himself was participating in the fun, grinning as his gadgets successfully captures every single one of the metallic items thrown at him.

"Wamai," Kali said, her voice steady but carrying an unmistakable undertone of authority, "I trust you're not compromising the integrity of NIGHTHAVEN's technology."

Wamai met her gaze with a cheerful smile.

"A little fun doesn't hurt, does it?"

Kali's expression softened slightly, but her calm composure remained. She glanced at Harry, who simply shrugged.

"I suppose even NIGHTHAVEN agents deserve a break every now and then," she said at last, "But I expect this doesn't become a regular occurrence."

Harry nodded at her. With that, Kali turned and walked away, the matter settled in her mind, though she knew she would address the sharing of technology later.

Dokkaebi's fingers danced across the keyboard, her eyes glued to the screen as the data key blinked in rhythm with her work. She was deep in her element, pulling the last strands of crucial data from the key they'd recovered from the deceased Taiga Shimura. Dusk, seated beside her, was a quiet presence, sorting through the data files Dokkaebi was transferring from the data key to the computer he was using, aligning them with meticulous precision. Though he wasn't tech-savvy, he knew the importance of keeping things organized.

Lucy lay curled up on the floor next to Dusk, her breathing steady and soft. The sight of the dog in the middle of the Data Analysis Room was no longer unusual for the operators, but it was for the director of Rainbow. John Clark entered, his sharp gaze immediately catching sight of the sleeping K9. His brows furrowed in silent confusion.

Why was the dog allowed in here? He almost asked, but decided against it. There were more pressing matters.

"How's it going?" he asked, his voice low as he glanced at the two operators.

"We've got profiles of several individuals, some potential targets."

Before Dusk could elaborate further, Dokkaebi cut in, her voice rising with excitement. "We found something big. Wu Hsing is involved, and there are profiles on five Keres Legionnaires who—"

She paused, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as she loaded the final files, the intensity of the moment clear in her eyes.

"This is more than just standard intel, Director. This could change everything."

Clark's gaze shifted between Dusk and Dokkaebi, the weight of the discovery settling in. The room fell silent, save for the soft hum of machinery and Lucy's quiet breathing.

Dusk's eyes narrowed as he scanned the data on the screen.

"Taiga Shimura was just a small-time arms dealer who made it big in Japan but barely got a foothold in the international black market. Yet, he somehow managed to obtain intel on some of the most dangerous people out there. What kind of connections did he have?"

Dokkaebi, absorbed in the details of the profiles, didn't immediately respond. Instead, she clicked through the information, revealing the first name on the list.

"Wu Hsing," she muttered, her fingers pausing as a photo popped up on the screen

The man in the image appeared relatively harmless—middle-aged, with a neutral expression. His attire was simple, and nothing about him stood out as extraordinary.

"That's Hsing Wu Zhan. Former Taiwanese special forces commander. 42 years old now. He was accused of betraying his country, selling secrets to foreign agents. Treason. He was supposed to be executed three years ago," Dusk explained.

Dokkaebi glanced over, eyebrows raised.

"He looks so… ordinary in this picture."

"He wasn't. Wu Hsing was a thorn in China's intelligence network. During his time in special forces, he uncovered several spies, people who were feeding information to hostile parties. He had a way of seeing through the cracks. And his interrogation methods were brutal, almost on par with Grim."

Clark, listening intently, nodded slowly.

"Wu Hsing was dangerous when he was in special forces. But now?" he glanced at the screen, the files flashing before him, "Now, with the Keres Legion… There's nothing holding him back."

Dokkaebi clicked through the profiles, pausing on the next one. The name Ignis appeared, followed by the real name: Victor Wallace. A photo of a Caucasian man in full United States Military dress uniform appeared, his expression calm and disciplined. Dusk scanned the image briefly before turning his attention to the next one: a more recent photo of the same man, now in Keres Legion colors, holding a flamethrower as he unleashed hell on a building. The fire pouring from the nozzle seemed to swallow the world around him.

"There's a big change between these two. Ignis... once a soldier, once disciplined. Now he's just fire and destruction."

Clark leaned over to look at the profiles, raising an eyebrow at the contrast.

"Pyromania, dishonorable discharge, and a massacre. Quite the path, from a soldier to a mercenary in a terrorist group. Quite a tragic fall for someone who was once considered a 'friendly chap' among his peers, according to the files."

Dokkaebi's voice was sharp as she flicked through the text, "The massacre happened in the Middle East. It wasn't just a failed mission; it was his breakdown. After that, there was no going back."

Clark took a slow breath, folding his arms and looking at the screen with a contemplative frown.

"War changes people, doesn't it? Some are made stronger by it. But others—" He glanced up, eyes distant, "Others lose pieces of themselves, and in the end, they're not sure who they even are anymore. The Keres Legion offers them a place to be something, anything, even if it's just destruction."

Dokkaebi and Dusk exchanged glances, both silent. Clark's voice broke through the stillness.

"What's most dangerous isn't a soldier, it's a soldier who has lost his sense of self, and that's what Ignis is now. He has nothing left to hold him back."

Dusk appears slightly uncomfortable with what Clark had just said, but he opened the next profile, revealing the name "Karolin Farkas," now operating under the callsign Undertow. Her photo showed a striking blonde woman with an intense stare, her posture relaxed but radiating confidence.

"She was a champion mixed martial artist before she joined the Hungarian military," Dokkaebi noted, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she pulled up more data. "Quite the transition from the cage to combat zones."

Dusk scanned the additional files, pulling up an older document marked classified. "It gets darker," he muttered, tapping the screen. "Undertow's been involved in several black ops missions. High-risk, high-reward stuff. They say she's good at staying out of sight, a shadow in the field."

Clark leaned in, his eyes narrowing as he watched the screen. Dokkaebi's voice was softer now, almost wary. "This is the part that chills me." A video began to load—grainy surveillance footage. In it, a woman dressed in military uniform, unmistakably Undertow, was seen following two men into a government building. Five minutes later, she emerged alone, her expression unreadable.

Clark's eyes widened as the context clicked into place.

"That day..." he murmured. "That was the day the two politicians were assassinated, the day Farkas disappeared. So she was involved in the hit. And after that, she vanished. No trace. Until now. A former fighting champion, a black ops operative... and now, a member of the Keres Legion. What else has she done?"

Dokkaebi clicked to the next two profiles, and the room grew quieter as the new names appeared. The first was a hulking figure in a prison jumpsuit. The name "Gravitas" appeared above the photo.

"Esteban Silva Vásquez," Dokkaebi muttered as she scrolled through the report. "This guy's a serial killer. Not ex-military—just a criminal, but..." She clicked open another tab revealing his height. "Nearly 8 feet tall. That's more than just intimidating."

Dusk's expression remained unchanged as he leaned closer to the screen. "Gravitas... a fitting name. He's a monster of a man. A serial killer. Could be useful for the Legion, but not exactly the kind of guy you want around."

Before anyone could respond, Dokkaebi clicked to the next profile. The name "Mercury" flashed on the screen, accompanied by a picture of a weasel-like man with slicked-back hair, glasses perched on his nose. His features were sharp, and his eyes behind the glasses held an unsettling sharpness. Dokkaebi's frown deepened.

"This one... Nicholas Chandler-Lee. Malaysian. He's a hacker. I fought against him two years ago."

Dusk raised an eyebrow, looking at her.

"You fought him?"

"He was hired by a rogue North Korean general to collapse the South Korean economy. Tried to trigger a financial collapse, destabilize the government... start a war with the South so that he could overthrow the regime in the North. I went up against Mercury in a hacking battle."

Her voice was cold, but there was an edge to it.

"He's a menace in the cyber world. Once I beat him, he sold out his employer to the North Korean government and disappeared."

Dusk grinned faintly.

"So... Bane and the Riddler, huh? Those two look like they'd make an interesting team."

Clark, who had been listening quietly, broke character, letting out a short laugh.

"If that's the case, then I'm the Batman. But seriously, Wu Hsing is gathering quite a team. A serial killer, a cyberterrorist... It's clear he's looking for specific talents. Talents that could help Deimos and his cause."

The final profile that appeared on the screen was a mystery. The image was grainy, the figure obscured, but there was no mistaking the woman's presence. Her attire—a custom-made green and black uniform—seemed designed to blend seamlessly with her surroundings. It was clear she was a master of stealth. The name listed above the photo was Datura.

Dokkaebi scanned the attached reports, her frown deepening. "This one's elusive. Several high-profile assassinations, sniper attacks, and poisonings across Africa. Most of them linked to the Central African Republic. She uses a lot of different names, but the one that stands out is 'Dara Mbaïki.'"

Dusk leaned in, studying the blurry image, trying to piece together what little they knew about her. "She's a ghost. A sniper, poison expert, and skilled in blending into her surroundings. Whoever she is, she's not someone we'll find easily."

Clark's eyes remained fixed on the screen, his expression thoughtful. "How the hell did Wu Hsing recruit someone like her?" His voice was low, the question more to himself than anyone else. "A woman with that kind of skillset, operating under multiple identities—she doesn't just come out of nowhere. She's been operating for years under the radar."

Clark paused, his gaze scanning the profiles once more.

"There's something else. Apart from Datura, all these names—Hsing Wu Zhan, Victor Wallace, Karolin Farkas, Esteban Silva Vásquez, and Nicholas Chandler-Lee—were believed to have died within the last decade."

Dusk and Dokkaebi exchanged surprised glances.

"Dead?" Dusk asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Clark confirmed, his tone grave. "Each of them had a confirmed death date, and yet here they are—alive and well, working for the Keres Legion. This goes deeper than we thought. The Keres Legion isn't just a mercenary group—they're deeply embedded in the criminal underworld, much more than we had anticipated. We've underestimated them."

Dokkaebi nodded, the implications hitting her.

"So, the Legion's reach... it's much wider than we were led to believe."

"Much wider. Send this data to everyone, including the NIGHTHAVEN agents. All of us need to know whom we're up against."