The Celes Empire soldiers dropped from their ship and landed on a muddy land covered with trees. Thanks to their specialized power suit, they have a 3-dimentional view of their surroundings which could be seen through the HUD of their helmet’s visor.

[Readings indicate multiple heat signatures and a high radiation reading nearby. Keep your senses sharp and feet above ground. This isn’t a simulation.]

[Yes sir!]

The captain ordered his men while he hovers over them using the flight pack he had on his back. It was fused with his suit rather than a backpack and it was not using rocket fuel as propellant but with electrical pulse. Unlike his soldiers, his suit had the color Violet while his men had dark blue.

His gun was also different. Rather than an assault rifle, he had a sniper rifle that was linked to his flight pack.

[Logistics, do you know what that thing that’s radiating so much?]

[Signature Readings says that it’s an unregistered Mobius Energy Converter Generator.]

[Hmm… that sounds like an old tech, but what about that one giving off such high temperature?]

[Unknown. I’ve only seen such high temperatures on generators and not on moving—]

While he was talking with the logistic ship pilot, all of a sudden, there was static in their communication frequency before getting cut-off.

[We’re under attack!]

[Sir, something’s—]

While he was trying to connect with the logistics, he could hear his soldier’s scream in the coms as high temperature readings were shown in his HUD in a straight line.

[Everyone, deploy Ion Shield Projectors! AND FIRE BACK]

After his command, sound of gunshots echo across the forest while smokes and fire started lighting up the trees every time an enemy shoots.

[Hehehe… how’s the welcome greeting, Lieutenant Ridge?]

Accompanied by a short static, an unknown sinister voice joined their communications frequency. Despite being called by his name, he doesn’t recognize the voice.

“Who is this!?”

[That’s not important. I have a proposal to make and you have no choice—]

“The Empire does not negotiate with Rebels!”

[Aww, that’s too bad, I wanted the Flight Pack in one piece.]

Despite such words, his intent was transmitted through the communications channel. He was excited to kill him.

The moment the communications was cut, he felt something hitting his Ion Shield. When he looked over his chest, there was a small harmless line of laser from the ground. And then he felt something was odd.

Just when he traced the line back to the origin, a large beam followed and by hair’s breadth, he was able to dodge by doing a quick barrel roll and flowed in a spiral motion around the beam.

He thought to himself, “This is bad!”

Meanwhile on the ground, the soldiers lined up their guns to shoot at one direction.

In front of them was a pool of mud and blood from the dismembered corpses of their allies as they were being attacked by something unknown. All they know that it was too fast for their human senses to understand, but the HUD of their visor was able to see it.

[Keep your fingers on the trigger and don’t falter!]

[Yes sir!]

The commanding officer relayed instructions to his squad. He was on high alert as the squad that first entered the forest was immediately massacred in an instant.

The moment they noticed something move behind the trees, they immediately barraged the tree with lead and emptying their first magazine.

[Sir, the target’s vitals disappeared.]

Though the soldier relayed his analysis, there was no response. They were still on full alert on what was in front of them whether it was dead or not.

In the next few seconds, they saw something fly from behind them and rolled on the muddy ground.

Every one of them pointed their gun on the rolling object with their shields deployed for precaution against explosives. But it didn’t explode.

One of them approached it to investigate. When he rolled it over, it was indeed not an explosive, but a person’s head. As his HUD analyzed who this person is, his face turned white as he immediately recognized the person before the computer could.

Just as he turned around with his gun and his finger on the trigger, the rest of his allies was already on the ground, in pieces.

Standing before him was a humanoid creature holding severed heads with his six arms while bathed in blood. Shortly, the blood on this creature disappeared as if it was absorbed by its skin and the heads on the hands were consumed by the tendrils growing out of the arms.

The soldier’s arms froze, his knees didn’t respond, and he could feel his blood going cold.

He wanted to pull the trigger, but he couldn’t. Rather, he can’t.

After all, his head was already separated from his body by a tail made of steel strong enough to penetrate the power suit.

He wanted to scream, but his throat was sliced and there was no way for him to push air without lungs. All he could do was watch in pure horror as the tendrils that grew out of the monster’s tail started to consume him with his consciousness intact.

There was only one thought that ran through his mind before it faded and consumed.

[Monster]

Such thought echoed throughout the other soldiers’ hearts that witnessed such monstrous and brutal massacre of their allies.

Without holding back, the other soldiers started emptying their magazines on the monster that was standing before them.

However, unlike before, he stood there and an Ion Shield was deployed to protect the monster against their weapons. What’s worse, it was the same shield they had. It was as if it created a shield from eating their allies and their suits.

Even their HUDs don’t register this monster’s existence as if he was invisible while standing in front of them.

“Kill that monster!”

It was unknown who cried such words out. However, what came after made their hearts drown in despair.

With a short static, their communications was infiltrated and a voice joined in.

[Don’t be scared, I'm the monster your Empire created.]

-End of Chapter-