Adjutant Gaston had contacted them to take cover as a storming event came and told them to prioritize their escape. The adjutant had switched back to that steely professional voice he uses. It was mechanical that Boris thought it was something artificially made. Boris knew at this moment that he held the lives of the Rookies and that their survival was on his hands.

Concrete and steel plated buildings that provide protection from type-2 and type-3 monsters. The light drizzle made Boris wary as the lower visibility made it harder for him to aim his rifle. Boris checked on his bio-shield generator. There were no issues with it, so he directed the Rookies to the second floor of this evacuated building while he deployed a spherical drone for Gaston to operate. He handed the controls to the adjutant while he got into the building. The apartments of the Japanese people were rather small for him. He was taller than the usual men, so he had a harder time when navigating tight spaces like this. The other Japanese rookies could easily move around the apartment.

The apartment itself was clear. There are some items left behind by the residents, but most of the important stuff was probably carried to the shelter. Yumina checked the corners while Jin inspected the fridge. Boris kept his eyes on the doorway and the front part of the building.

[No hostiles in the area.]

The mechanical voice of the drone sounded. The drone moved silently outside of the apartment while reporting in Bori’s ears. Yumina and Jin settled on the walls of the building while keeping their MF weapons in their hands. There was something about the paper-thin walls of these apartments that bothered Boris.

“How’s the storm, adjutant?”

[Not good. But what do you expect when a behemoth is just outside the nation? Edogawa isn’t the only place that is affected. Multiple split-realm openings. Edogawa got the worst outcome.]

“We rarely get this trouble.”

[Things are different here than in Europe. Europe is much more contained and if the CERN people are still to be believed. Then we have the epicenter of every sparticle gathered in years biting everyone in the ass.]

Boris heard of the sparticle theorem being brought around by everyone. How there was always a source for these particles that led to the creation of the ichorium that every market sought now. It was valuable as oil and yet it was also a source of danger. The theorem was more on how that the sparticles were like the magnet attracting these anomalies and monsters to earth. It also caused the continental shift and the rearrangement of the tectonic plates. However, it was also a subject of discussion whether they should blame it all on one instance or through another.

He found it complicated. Boris never really bothered to read up. He was always a soldier and the Lady taking him in was all he needed. She found a soldier who only knew how to fight and gave him a place in this changed world.

Boris thumbed the safety off. He took a glance at the emission wrecking the skies of Edogawa. He had seen such skies back then during Pripyat, and a while ago, but this time it felt like it was much more fierce. It was like staring at the eyes of a beast and something otherworldly looking down at them.

The bio-shield on him reacted. If he was unprotected, then he was sure that some mutation would come at him. Even commercial bio-shields at least protected the consumers just in case they would come across large-scale emissions and sparticles. It wasn’t new at all.

[Emissions… this is small compared to the scale that happened a while ago. But big enough to be a problem if it continues on like this. This city will not survive if the biomass entities pour down.]

“Lots of people are going to die if the shelter becomes invalid.”

[You don’t have to worry about that. The defenses should be enough and if the belua defeats the Breakers that are securing the shelters, then I wonder if it’s the mercy kill or they have other measures.]

“I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

[I won’t be hopeful, and right now they only have a few choices here. The City of Edogawa will be in siege for most of the time. I’ve heard no news from the high command here in Tokyo, so it’s best to assume that we will hold a defense line to some areas and prepare the scavengers. We’ll have them collect the beasts once we’re done here somewhat.]

“You think we’ll just finish after this, adjutant?”

[Directives told me we should keep to our noses. I’m sorry about Edogawa, and its inhabitants, but right now the defense force and some factions are trying to defend the heritage here. It’s a matter of national pride and with how USS Sable got things done a few days ago. I say that they will square up and get things done.]

“And it got nothing to do with us?”

[Yeah.]

Boris nodded slowly. He was fine with it. There was no use in trying to be morally upright. They weren’t here to act like some damn heroes. They were always here to make sure that the company earns money. There was no use sacrificing their men for a few ichorium.

“So, are we going to be evacuated?”

[I need you and your team to plant markers first. We ain’t going to leave this place alone. At least we’ve something to do here other than escape the perimeter.]

Boris cracked his neck and pressed a button on the module attached to his left ear. “What about the other teams?”

[Evacuated after they saw the signs of the storming event. You three need to get out of Edogawa. That place isn’t in our jurisdiction and it’s best if you don’t get involved with the Japanese forces in the area. Right now, directives told me we should be ready for the other storm coming to this nation.]

“Roger that.”

[I’ll send the coordinates to the markers. After that, get the hell out of the city before they pour in.]

Boris nodded. He saw the two youngsters looking at him. He took his finger off the button and slung his rifle to the side. “Orders are to mark the areas that should appear in your HUD. We’ll keep this easy and fast. I know what you two are thinking. But you are in this company now, and bullets are expensive. And if you want to be injured while a bigger storm comes, then prepare for the worst of things to come.”

Yumina had grievances about leaving, but nodded. Jin was calm and accepting about what Boris said. He was nervous. Understandable, considering that the boy just survived a storming event days ago and now he’s trapped in another.

***

Boris led the group to these markers while keeping themselves low. The spherical drone was keeping things secure for them and although there was a lot yapping coming from the Adjutant. Boris had no issue about leaving the city behind. He didn’t have ties with the city. Yumina and Jin weren't from here either. The kids were young folks who wanted to make it big and live good lives. They were good kids, but not too good that it would make them reckless. The last storming event was a great chance for him to evaluate the young rookies. Lady Romanov had always put him in this kind of position, hoping he’d evaluate any rookies. Most of the time they die. It wasn’t rare for them to get disillusioned by how the company works. Righteousness wasn’t going to pay them and if it benefits them, then they would gladly pull out their guns.

The three of them walked the streets while keeping on the side of the shadows. The light drizzle of rain made a pitter patter. From the distance there was the sound of fighting and the roars of the type-class monsters. Two minutes after his conversation with the adjutant in that apartment, they left and started heading to the markers. Most of the markers were vantage points where he had taught the rookies to climb and make a three hundred and sixty footage. The markers were close and with the emptiness of the streets of Edogawa. They were able to reach the markers without hassle. Boris thought that they have been rather lucky so far since most of the defenses were frying the type-classes. The automated turrets and defense forces blocking most of the monsters were not reaching the area they were in.

One of the marks was located in this old and unnamed shrine. It came to a surprise to Boris that not even the search function could easily find the name of the shrine, and it wasn’t even listed in one of the databases.

“Abandoned shrines, probably a nameless god,” Jin commented. He arranged the figure in the shrine and placed one of the flowers on the side. He pressed both palms together and made a short prayer. “I hope that you watch over us.”

Yumina followed his prayer. Boris saw the translated text over his heads-up display and threw the translation to the side. He scouted the four corners of the dilapidated shrine. There was a yellow signing on one of the red wooden structures. He had it translated and said that the shrine was going to be demolished so that they could install an automated turret to guard the block. Boris found it reasonable, but then again he wasn’t that much of a man of God to begin with. Even with all these powers and the appearances of the mythical-like scenarios didn’t give him that feeling.

He stared at the yellow markings, and said. “Чему́ быть, того́ не минова́ть.” Then he looked like he forgot to speak and repeated. “Whatever it will be, you can’t avoid it.”

He stared at Yumina who was setting up the marker while following the instructions being displayed by her heads-up display. Jin watched her back while Boris watched the street for any wandering biomass entity that managed to slip past the defenses. But despite the storming event that was happening above them. They were still far from the places. Unlike in Tenryū Ward, the city of Edogawa was filled with security measures and alarms that made it slightly easy for some of the automated defenses to take out the lesser creatures. Not that it made Boris feel like he was safe. His eyes went back to the market and saw that Yumina had just finished tuning the markers.

“Got it now, adjutant?”

[I got the signal. Sonar says it's awful there. I already have permission for a rover to take you three out there. It should be armed, but it’s best if you keep your eyes peeled.]

“No need to say to me, adjutant.”

[There will be another drone taking you out of that place. Command told me that every personnel of the Babaika Lions are to watch out and point their eyes on the behemoth rather than the storming event there. We’ve already fought one so this time they are letting us off.]

“This wouldn’t be good for us. To our reputation.”

[I can imagine. But right now the Babaika Lions have a much more pressing obstacle. I think it’s best if we keep you and the crew alive than risk your lives when others are doing it already. Besides, they’d sue the company if you’re found here. The Lady doesn’t want the Yamato folks to get an idea.]

“It’s still about business.”

[When isn't it about business? The drone should be arriving there. Edogawa City isn’t our battlefield.]

Boris looked to the left and saw a four-seater remotely controlled. The rookies took the seats while Boris climbed up and handled the machine-gun mounted on the back of the vehicle. After they were all mounted, the drone started escaping the streets of Edogawa and headed for one of the perimeters unguarded by the government. There were no allied forces or friendly breakers or mercenaries. What waited for them was the stalker drone that was ready to take-off.