“I never expected him to be so powerless…”“That’s because he didn’t use Awaken.”“Hmm… I’m not so sure about that.”“Watch your words, Eric.”“……”The atmosphere was tense. Among the unit leaders, everyone looked grim—except for one person.“That’s the kind of thing we should be able to trust someone with, isn’t it? I think it’s fine. And honestly, losing in close combat isn’t such a big deal.”Pieta gave a faint smile. Seeing her optimism, Huin Rin’s expression twisted into a scowl.“Pieta seems to be in a good mood.”A subtle crack appeared among the unit leaders. Perhaps it was more noticeable because Khan was absent. Rudolph, who knew this better than anyone, couldn’t hide his displeasure.Finally speaking after keeping silent for so long, he slammed the table.“Are you guys acting like children!? Stop causing trouble among your own brothers!”The tension only intensified. Rudolph let out a sigh, clearly dissatisfied with the mood. What he said next struck the unit leaders to their core:“You should be ashamed.”“……Brother.”“Our eldest brother stood firm until the very end. Don’t you see why? Even when emotions were running high, he put the mission above all else.”Eric Palmer and Huin Rin had no response. They were the ones who had ultimately brought greater humiliation to Khan.“Pieta, if your brother got hurt, shouldn’t your first concern be for him?”“Well… I was worried.”“Listen carefully, everyone.”“……”Indeed, the presence of Rudolph Hoffmann, second-in-command of the Liberation League, was enough to pressure the room.“Even temporarily, he chose to stand with us. Anyone who stirs up trouble after this, I will not tolerate.”Without needing those words, who could dare challenge Kyle? His actions alone were shocking.Despite not using Awaken, Khan was still a close-combat specialist thanks to his implants. No one could match him in direct confrontation. Yet, the man who neutralized Khan without a scratch was Kyle, the head of Ark.Even if Khan hadn’t used Awaken, the result still wouldn’t have been different.The unit leaders could hardly deny it. They knew full well that using Khan’s restraint as an excuse was pointless. Rudolph, having witnessed Kyle’s battle with the Behemoth firsthand, was even more certain.“No matter how hard he tried, our brother ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) couldn’t have won….”This was the man who had actually forced that monster to retreat. If he had tried to kill Khan with full force, it wouldn’t have taken long at all. The unit leaders’ debates seemed meaningless to someone who knew Kyle had held back.“We are, after all, people who fight with firearms. Don’t get worked up over the results of sparring with training knives.”“Yes, sir.”“Understood.”Thanks to Rudolph’s intervention, the tension eased somewhat. His gaze then settled on a single man—Michael.This was why they had gathered.“Michael.”Michael Wok, who had been silent during the arguments, looked up.“Yes, sir.”“Have the kill zones been set up?”“Perfectly set up. The androids and drones are ready.”“Good work.”Everyone’s attention shifted to the spot Rudolph was pointing at.“Khan’s injuries aren’t severe. He should be back in action by tomorrow. Still, we need to smooth out the operation a bit more.”“Are you introducing a variable into the mission?”“No, we’re reducing variables. Mother has already approved it.”The point he indicated was slightly ahead of the kill zone.“If we lure the targets recklessly, they could get isolated if something goes wrong. So the initial lure will start here.”This wasn’t a variable in the mission—it was a tactical adjustment. Instead of drawing the creatures directly into the kill zone, they’d gradually guide them from a key point, safely leading them to the target area.“This will give us better control over their movements…”“But it will take longer. Is there another reason?”“Mother’s trust in him has grown.”“You mean the head of Ark?”“Yes.”“So that’s why the mission plan changed?”“The original plan was to swiftly create the kill zone and support Mother immediately. Now, she has more confidence in him. So we’ll take a safer, slower approach.”He tossed a few photos onto the table, showing several powerful targets.“These are exceptionally strong mutants—five were confirmed.”“We’ll focus on these.”The photos showed unique and evolved creatures—all cannibals from within the Behemoth’s nest. The unit leaders stared without moving.***Before the battle, one of the most important elements had to be checked: Gamma. With all its energy spent, it couldn’t project the Plasma Barrier.‘Only two left, huh.’The two remaining Plasma Batteries had been taken from the Liberation League’s munitions cache during a previous raid.“I’ll need another reactor.”To use the Atomic Reactor on Black Wing, a spare was needed. It wasn’t practical to keep swapping it in and out. Soon, he’d also need the hidden piece to equip the Atomic Reactor.‘Now that the Plasma Blade is unlocked… I need to manage my gear more carefully.’The Nano Suit had become essential.“Phew… even with two combat units, it’s still insufficient.”It was still doable, so he lay down, powering up both Air Walker and Gamma.“Gaaak?”“Xenon.”“Bap… gaaak—”He hadn’t eaten all day, and with his High Metabolism trait active, his stress levels were climbing. Fortunately, three Type-3 military rations, self-heating with a built-in heat pack, were ready in the corner.Three meals cooking simultaneously filled the room with steam. Xenon, curious, approached, only to retreat when the heat hit. He wiped his face with his wings, looking oddly cute.“Don’t make such a fuss.”Chewing the biscuits from the rations, he felt his sharp nerves calm slightly. While waiting for the food to heat, he reflected:‘The Behemoth is urgent, but I need to think beyond that.’Once the Behemoth was defeated and the East rebuilt, the next step was returning to the base and reclaiming Hill Road. With winter coming, organizing collective hunts across the city would require consulting each group’s leaders.Seven major groups came to mind: Mother’s Liberation League, the Humanist Survival Support HQ, the City Reconstruction Committee, the Rebuilders, the Company in the crime zone, the Revenants outside the city, and the Voyager survivors.Having confirmed the Liberation League’s strength, he saw the need for coordination. The faster the cooperation with other groups, the higher the survival chances.‘With the central control center able to maintain communications… influencing the situation isn’t difficult.’Mother and the Humanists were Ark-friendly, and nearby Company and Rebuilders leaders would likely participate under Ark’s influence. At least four groups could be coordinated for certain.Once his thoughts were settled, he opened the rations—there was plenty inside.“This should be enough.”Gaaak!!The night, longer than the one before, passed. The morning air was unusually cold, yet he kept his posture disciplined. Hours of meditation had gone by, replaying hundreds—no, thousands—of simulations in his mind.Now he replayed the upcoming battle with the Behemoth again and again—there was no time for boredom. Even hearing the name sent a wave of pressure.The sound of the door opening broke his concentration.“Kyle.”“You’re here.”“Ready?”“All set.”Words weren’t needed. He was still deep in meditation, and the faint gunpowder scent didn’t sway his focus.In his mind, the Behemoth rampaged while he struck back. The keys to victory: Mother’s sniper and Zero’s Plasma Blade. Perhaps the Behemoth would retreat again—he considered it. Could he stop it?Suddenly, Mother’s face appeared before him.“Anxious?”Her question was off—she should have asked if he was afraid. He shook his head, and she responded with a faint smile.“Good.”“You asked earlier… was it confidence or arrogance?”“Yes, because it was the best I could do.”“May I answer again?”“Of course.”“I trust myself, and I trust you, Erhi Mergeng.”“So, confidence after all?”“Perhaps.”Slowly, he emerged from meditation. A quick check of his body—shoulders were fine, fully healed.Standing, he observed his battle gear.“With the Endless Nano Suit…there’s no way I’ll die in this fight.”Mother said nothing, her attention fixed entirely on the Behemoth. He didn’t wait for a reply and calmly strapped on Gamma.“Let’s go. The children are waiting.”Following Erhi Mergeng, he stepped out. The bright sunlight stung his eyes for a moment. As his vision cleared, he saw countless others lined up outside.A cold sensation gripped his fingertips. The battle with that monster was imminent.Mother stood proudly on the steps, facing the crowd. Her presence radiated the spirit of a former Supreme Commander.

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