The atmosphere inside headquarters felt colder than usual.
Not because of weather.
Because nobody was speaking loudly anymore.
Guardians moved quickly across the preparation grounds while large maps covered the central command tables. Different routes had already been marked around a single area deep within the abandoned Elderonian sector.
The transmission zone.
Or more accurately—
the last place Batch A's signal appeared before disappearing completely.
Ryo stood beside Batch C near the outer edge of the field, watching several communication officers argue quietly over damaged signal readings.
Something about the reports felt wrong.
Even from a distance.
Taro folded his arms.
"…so we're just heading to where they vanished?"
Before anyone else could answer—
a voice came from near the command table.
"…no."
Everyone looked forward.
Kazen stood near the maps, his expression calm as always.
But the atmosphere around him felt heavier today.
"The tracker signal was destroyed near the transmission point," Kazen said.
A pause.
"That does not mean Batch A remained there."
The field went quieter.
Ren's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…they moved."
Kazen nodded once.
"Or were moved."
That answer felt worse.
One of the communication officers placed another map beside the first one. This one showed several marked regions surrounding the transmission zone itself.
Search sectors.
Kazen pointed toward the center mark first.
"Batch B will investigate the transmission point directly."
Then toward the surrounding regions.
"Batch D and Batch E will cover the outer sectors."
Finally—
his gaze shifted toward Batch C.
"You will investigate the southeastern ruins."
Ryo looked down at the marked area.
Far enough from the center to avoid overlap.
Close enough to still be connected.
Taro exhaled slowly.
"…so basically we search everywhere except the actual place."
Ren answered quietly.
"…because if they escaped the center, they had to go somewhere."
That made sense immediately.
Kazen folded his arms.
"The surrounding sectors matter just as much as the signal point itself."
"No route is insignificant."
Aiko looked back toward the maps.
"…if they were surrounded…"
Mei finished the thought.
"…they would've tried escaping outward."
Exactly.
That was the reason for splitting the teams.
The preparation phase ended quickly after that.
Weapons checked.
Routes memorized.
Communication frequencies assigned.
Then one by one—
the teams began leaving headquarters.
The massive outer gates slowly opened.
Cold air rushed inward immediately.
Beyond them—
the abandoned lands of Eldaronia stretched endlessly beneath the gray morning sky.
Silent.
Broken.
Waiting.
Batch C moved southeast through the outer terrain while the other teams separated gradually into different directions behind them.
The farther they traveled—
the quieter everything became.
Ruined roads eventually replaced the safer stone pathways near headquarters. Broken structures appeared more frequently now, scattered across the landscape like the remains of something abandoned long ago.
No movement.
No voices.
Only wind.
Taro adjusted the weapon near his shoulder.
"…this place seriously creeps me out."
Ren kept walking ahead.
"…good."
"…why does everyone keep saying that?"
This time even Mei answered.
"Because fear keeps you alive."
Taro immediately stopped talking.
The southeastern ruins came into view slowly.
Unlike the larger destroyed districts near the center sectors, these ruins looked smaller. Older. Half-collapsed structures leaned across narrow broken streets while damaged stone pathways disappeared beneath layers of dust.
But something felt wrong immediately.
Ryo noticed it first.
Marks.
Black lines spread faintly across several nearby walls, thin and unnatural against the stone surface.
Not random damage.
Connected.
Aiko stepped closer.
"…same markings."
Mei crouched slightly beside part of the damaged road.
"…they continue deeper inside."
Daisuke looked ahead silently.
Then finally spoke.
"…stay alert."
Simple.
But enough.
Batch C moved deeper into the ruins carefully, staying close together as the pathways narrowed between damaged structures. Every sound echoed strangely here.
Too clearly.
Like the ruins themselves were listening.
Ryo's eyes shifted slowly across the empty streets.
Something felt off.
Not danger.
Presence.
Then—
a faint sound echoed somewhere behind them.
Stone shifting.
Very small.
Ryo stopped walking.
Immediately.
Ren noticed first.
"…what?"
Ryo didn't answer right away.
His eyes slowly moved toward the dark alleyway behind them.
Silence.
Nothing there.
Then—
something moved.
Fast.
A massive shadow disappeared behind one of the broken structures just as the wind passed through the street.
Taro's expression tightened instantly.
"…tell me I wasn't the only one who saw that."
Nobody answered.
Because everyone saw it.
And somewhere inside the ruins behind them—
something had started following Batch C.