The night was silent, save for the distant howling of the wind and the rustling of leaves. The faint scent of blood lingered in the air, a constant reminder of the war they could not escape. Scout and Tatsumi stood in the clearing, their earlier conversation still weighing heavily on their minds. The war had changed them, and both were beginning to wonder just how much more they could take. Neither of them could afford to hesitate in battle, but the lines between duty, survival, and morality were becoming increasingly blurred.

Then—a blur of movement. A sudden strike from the shadows.

Suzuka.

A wicked grin spread across her face as she descended upon them, her dual blades gleaming under the moonlight. "Well, well, what do we have here? A couple of little lost warriors? I hope you boys don't mind a little fun."

Scout barely had time to react before she lunged. He ducked, narrowly avoiding a razor-sharp strike aimed at his throat. He twisted his body mid-air, bringing his bat up in a counterstrike, but Suzuka was already gone, moving like a phantom between the shadows. Tatsumi, without hesitation, activated Incursio. A flash of light enveloped him as his body became clad in the powerful armor, his presence now an imposing force on the battlefield.

"Ah, Incursio, how interesting!" Suzuka mused, pivoting gracefully away from a powerful downward swing of Tatsumi's greatsword. She twirled with unnatural elegance, her movement resembling a deadly dance. "But power alone won't be enough to stop me!"

The battle began in earnest.

Scout moved with speed and precision, weaving in and out of Suzuka's attacks, jabbing and striking whenever he found an opening. He swung with controlled aggression, but every time his bat came close, Suzuka twisted out of reach at the last possible moment, her mocking laughter echoing through the battlefield. Tatsumi, now empowered by Incursio, fought with measured strength, his greatsword cleaving through the air like a relentless force of destruction. Yet Suzuka danced between them, her lithe form bending unnaturally to avoid each strike.

"Come now, is that all?" she taunted, her expression gleeful. "I expected more from Night Raid and these… what do you call yourselves? The REDs?"

Then, a piercing whistle cut through the air. Both Scout and Tatsumi turned just in time to see another figure rushing toward them.

Seryu.

"EVIL MUST BE PURGED!" she shrieked, her eyes alight with manic fanaticism as she charged forward, Koro bounding at her side like a beast unleashed from hell itself. The mechanical hound's body expanded, plating shifting as its razor-sharp maw widened in preparation for the kill.

"Damn it, not her too!" Scout growled, shifting to cover Tatsumi's flank.

Tatsumi barely blocked Koro's pounce, his armored form holding firm as the beast snapped its jaws at his face. The impact of the monstrous creature sent him skidding backward, his boots digging trenches into the ground. Suzuka took advantage of the momentary distraction, closing the gap between her and Scout, delivering a flurry of quick slashes. He ducked, barely managing to dodge most of them, but one of her blades caught his side, slicing through his uniform and drawing blood.

"Gah!" Scout winced, stumbling back, only to see Suzuka already repositioning for another attack. Tatsumi, engaged with Koro, couldn't immediately come to his aid.

"Tch, too slow!" Suzuka giggled, raising her blade for a finishing blow—only for a loud gunshot to ring out.

A beam of pink energy sliced through the night, forcing Suzuka to leap backward, her body twisting mid-air to narrowly avoid being hit. The air around them crackled from the sheer force of the blast.

Mine.

The sharpshooter stood atop a nearby outcrop, Pumpkin still smoking from the recent shot. Her eyes narrowed with deadly focus as she adjusted her aim. "You really think I'd let you just have all the fun?"

Suzuka clicked her tongue, her playful expression shifting slightly into one of irritation as she surveyed the new arrival. "Tch. Looks like I overstayed my welcome. Another time, perhaps."

Without hesitation, she leapt into the trees, disappearing into the darkness, her laughter echoing hauntingly as she vanished into the forest.

That left Seryu, who now stood seething with fury, her breath coming in ragged bursts, Koro crouched low and snarling, its red eyes gleaming with bloodlust. She locked eyes with Scout and Tatsumi, her lips curling into a snarl.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR SINS!" she screamed, her voice shrill with righteous fury. Her breath was ragged, her hands trembling with barely contained rage as she took in the sight of Koro's remains. Then, her manic eyes snapped to Mine.

With a sudden burst of speed, Seryu lunged at the sharpshooter, her mechanical arm shifting and expanding into a massive cannon. "JUSTICE WILL NOT BE DENIED!" she shrieked, a blinding energy charge forming at the barrel's center.

Mine barely had time to roll out of the way as a beam of crimson energy erupted from the weapon, scorching the ground where she had stood moments before. She hit the dirt and sprang up instantly, taking aim with Pumpkin. "You're really starting to get on my nerves," Mine muttered, pulling the trigger. A bright pink blast shot toward Seryu, but the fanatical enforcer twisted her body at an unnatural angle, dodging at the last moment.

Seryu's lips curled into a manic grin. "Too slow!" she taunted, leaping forward and swinging her transformed arm like a bludgeon. Mine barely ducked under the attack, feeling the air crackle from its sheer force. She backpedaled rapidly, keeping just out of reach while recalibrating her aim.

But Seryu was relentless. She lunged again, this time flipping mid-air, twisting her cannon into a blade and bringing it down in a vicious arc. Mine threw herself sideways, rolling to safety just as the weapon carved a deep gash into the earth.

"You're insane!" Mine spat, leveling Pumpkin once more. She adjusted her scope, waiting for the perfect shot. Seryu turned to her with a wide, unsettling grin. "INSANELY JUST!" she howled before charging again, her mechanical arm shifting back into cannon mode, charging up another devastating blast.

Scout clenched his fists, glancing at Tatsumi, who gave a firm nod. They knew this fight was far from over. The real battle was just beginning.

Koro lunged at them with terrifying speed, its gaping maw ready to rip through anything in its path. Tatsumi met the beast head-on, using Incursio's enhanced strength to brace against the impact. His greatsword clashed against Koro's reinforced plating, sparks flying as the creature pushed him back with sheer force.

"Keep it busy!" Scout shouted, darting around to Koro's flank. He moved like a blur, using his agility to stay out of reach of the hound's deadly claws. As Tatsumi locked swords with the monstrous beast, Scout swung his bat at its hind legs, striking with all his might. The impact made Koro stumble for a brief moment, just long enough for Tatsumi to drive his sword into the mechanical hound's side.

Koro howled in fury, twisting its body unnaturally to shake them off. Its distorted growls crackled like static, its plating shifting erratically. Scout barely dodged a massive tail swipe, rolling to the side before jumping back in to deliver another strike. Tatsumi took advantage of the distraction, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly and forcing more pressure onto Koro's wounded side. The beast thrashed violently, but the coordinated attacks from the duo were finally wearing it down.

"Nice teamwork!" Tatsumi called out, gritting his teeth as he shoved Koro backward. "We need to finish this fast before Seryu joins in!"

Scout smirked, gripping his bat tightly. "Then let's put this mutt down!"

Koro let out a distorted mechanical growl, its plating shifting as it prepared another vicious strike. But Scout and Tatsumi had already found their rhythm. Tatsumi, using Incursio's immense strength, swung his greatsword down, forcing Koro to dodge sideways—right into Scout's range.

"Batter up!" Scout yelled, winding his bat back before delivering a powerful strike to Koro's exposed leg joint. The impact sent a shudder through the mechanical beast, causing it to stagger.

Tatsumi saw the opening and lunged forward. His blade slashed clean through Koro's reinforced plating, sparks flying as the metal was split apart. The beast let out a shriek of static and rage, thrashing wildly in an attempt to throw them off.

"Not yet!" Tatsumi shouted, using all his strength to pry open the gash in Koro's side. Beneath the thick armor, a glowing red core pulsed, the unmistakable source of its power.

"Scout! Take the shot!" Tatsumi barked.

Scout's eyes locked onto the core, a wicked grin spreading across his face. He took a step back, gripping his bat tight. "Oh, man, I've been waitin' for this!"

With a powerful swing, he smashed his bat into the core like a baseball, sending it hurtling out of Koro's body. The core cracked mid-air before violently detonating in a burst of fire and shrapnel.

As the smoke cleared, Scout and Tatsumi took a moment to assess the battlefield. Their breathing was heavy, their bodies aching from the fight. Koro lay motionless, its mechanical frame sparking as the last remnants of its energy faded.

"That was rough," Scout muttered, wiping a streak of dirt from his face. "Tell me we ain't got more of those things to deal with."

Tatsumi shook his head, scanning their surroundings. "No… but we're not done yet."

Their eyes flicked toward Seryu, whose expression twisted from shock to unhinged fury. Her hands trembled as she took in the sight of Koro's remains, her breath coming in ragged bursts before shifting into sharp, erratic laughter.