Voss’s eyebrow rose. "Out with it, Leena."
She took a deep breath. "We… We don’t have a confird visual on him, sir. But reports suggest he and another individual were found a few kiloters away of the bug, one fitting the description of the higher-ups secret objective."
Voss’s lips curled into a faint smile. "So, he made it out alive. And it seems our friend has a knack for making strange allies." He chuckled softly, shaking his head in amusent.
Leena’s expression was cautious. "Sir, should we pursue him? He technically violated a number of Allied protocols, entering combat without orders, using unauthorized weaponry, and now consorting with an enemy operative."
Voss held up a hand, cutting her off. "Not yet. We’ll keep an eye on him, but for now, let him play his gas. He has a talent for stirring things up, and in war, sotis chaos is useful. Especially when dealing with an enemy like the Khryssari."
Leena seed taken aback but nodded. "Understood, sir."
Voss turned back to the screen, watching as the last of the reinforcents touched down, securing the area. He thought of Rex and his unusual companions, warriors who fought not for orders or duty but for each other. It was rare in this galaxy to have that kind of loyalty. And for now, he’d let them keep their secrets.
In a low voice, almost to himself, he murmured, "The ga is only beginning... and this guy may just be the wild card we need."
anwhile, on the planet’s surface, Rex and Ys had been picked up by an Allied dical team and were en route to the frontlines HQ.
The rough ride of the transport didn’t help Rex’s condition since every jolt sent a fresh spike of pain through his battered body. Lying on a stretcher, he managed a pained grin as Ys leaned over him, concern evident in her large, expressive eyes.
"Darling, how are you feeling?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with worry. "Does it still hurt?"
Rex chuckled, though it quickly turned into a grimace. "Oh, don’t worry about , I’m fine. Just, you know, painful enough that it hurts to breathe, blink, or move any part of my body. No big deal."
Ys frowned, catching the sarcasm in his voice. "I’m serious, Rex. That fusion took a toll on you."
He sighed, the attempt at humor dropping as he looked up at her. "Yeah, it hurts like hell. But I’ll live. I’ve been through worse, I think.... probably?"
She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, her touch light but reassuring. "You did sothing incredible, you know that? You saved us. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t co."
Rex gave her a lopsided smile. "What, you think I’d let you go off alone and have all the fun?" His eyes softened, the mask of bravado slipping for a mont. "I’d fight a thousand worms if it ant keeping you safe, Ys."
A faint blush touched her cheeks, and she quickly looked away, trying to hide the warmth in her expression. "Just don’t push yourself so hard next ti, alright?"
The dic jolted as it hit a rough patch, and Rex winced, clutching his side. "Easy for you to say," he groaned, "you weren’t the one getting stabbed with needles and turned into a six-ter ch-beast."
She stifled a laugh though her eyes shone with affection. "Well, for what it’s worth, you made one very impressive’ch ’beast.’"
Just then, Cleo’s voice crackled over the comm, calm and collected as always. "Rex, I’ve finished processing the fusion data. Next ti, I can mitigate the physical strain. You may not feel like you’ve been run over by a battleship."
Rex smirked. "Next ti? You say that like I’d willingly go through that again."
Cleo’s voice softened, a hint of warmth in her tone. "Knowing you, Rex... I’m sure you would."
Rex chuckled, letting his eyes drift closed as the transport continued to rumble across the battlefield, his body finally succumbing to exhaustion. Whatever awaited them at HQ, he knew he’d face it head-on, with Ys, Cleo, and the rest of his squad by his side.
After what felt like ages, the dical transport finally rolled up to the improvised HQ on the frontline. Inside, paradics scrambled, their faces set with steely focus as they began moving the injured to various rooms, each space marked by its own breathable atmosphere.
"Doc, where should we take this big guy?" One of the paradics shouted, nodding at Rex, who lay sprawled across a stretcher like a fallen titan.
"Low-priority zone, oxygen chamber. He just needs rest," the doctor replied, not missing a beat.
With a quick "Understood, Doc," they hoisted Rex with the help of people who wore exosuits capable of lifting two tons like it was nothing. They maneuvered him to the oxygen chamber, placing him gently on a mattress before rushing back out to gather more wounded.
Once alone, Rex powered down his battered, nanomaterial armor with a soft hiss. The suit lted away, leaving him in a simple white shirt and black pants, his muscular fra marred by bruises in all shades from angry purple to sickly green. He sighed dramatically.
"My perfect, flawless body... ruined. I feel like crying," he muttered, staring at his own bruises.
A chuckle echoed from the doorway. "Hah! You’ve always had that sissy-looking face, but now you’re whining like one too. What’s next, going to flirt with ?" Carlos strolled in, his grin widening as he took in the sight of Rex looking, for once, less than invincible.
Rex smirked. "Flirt with you? Nah. Bald guys aren’t my type. And, let’s be real, you’re way too ugly."
Carlos feigned a look of outrage. "Ugly? I’ll have you know I have a son, which makes officially more handso than you’ll ever be."
"Oh, is that what you’re going with?" Rex glanced sideways. "Hey, Ys, what do you think?"
There was a shimr beside him, and suddenly Ys appeared, having deactivated her invisibility. She was curled up next to Rex, using his arm as a makeshift pillow, looking entirely too comfortable. Explore more at .Côm
"Mmm… you’re definitely more handso, darling～," she said, giving Carlos a playful look. "Comparing yourself to that guy? Please. It’s like comparing a diamond to a dull rock. You’d need a better opponent, maybe that actual rock over there."
Carlos raised an eyebrow. "A rock? Listen here, you pint-sized granny, I don’t need beauty advice from soone who just crawled out of stealth mode like a stalker."
Ys’s eyes glead, a predatory look creeping in as she pushed herself up to a sitting position. "What did you just call , baldy? You want to settle this right here?"
Her eyes stared glowing with mischief as the air thickened with tension. Rex, watching from the sidelines with a smirk, leaned back, clearly enjoying the show.
Carlos squared his shoulders, stepping closer with a defiant grin. "Oh, bring it on, grandma. I’ve taken down beasts twice your size."
Ys cracked her knuckles, smirking back. "Hope you’re ready to make that ego of yours a casualty."
Just as Carlos and Ys squared off, a stern-faced nurse barged in between them, her presence cutting through the tension like a knife. She folded her arms, glaring up at the towering soldiers.
"Keep your voices down," she said sharply. "This is a dical zone. There are wounded here who need rest. Fighting is strictly prohibited. If you don’t settle down, I’ll be forced to call the military police."
Carlos imdiately dropped his head, doing his best to look polite. "Uh, we weren’t fighting, ma’am. Just... just joking around. Sorry for the noise. We’ll keep it down."
The nurse’s gaze didn’t waver. "Good. There won’t be another warning. Kindly follow the rules." She gave them both a brief, scolding nod before striding off to tend to other patients.
Ys, barely containing her laughter, giving Carlos a smirk. "Aw, look at you, all obedient and apologetic. I didn’t know you could be so submissive to a ’weak organism.’"
Carlos clenched his fists, muttering under his breath. "You got a real big mouth for soone who barely reaches my shoulder, pocket-sized grandma."
Ys stretched out lazily, looking entirely unbothered. "You go on with your macho posturing. I’ll be right here, going back to sleep."
Carlos grumbled, ready to retort, but before he could get another word in, a voice cracked over the communicator.
"Be advised," Cleo’s calm tone ca through the static. "Officers of the allied forces are on their way to your location."
Carlos and Rex exchanged looks, eyebrows raised, each silently accusing the other with a "what did you do this ti?" expression. They barely had a mont to process the warning when the doors swung open, and an officer in a sharply pressed uniform stord in, flanked by guards.
He took a mont to scan the room with a cold, disdainful gaze before his voice bood out. "Which one of you is the captain of Squad 201?"
The nurse, hearing his loud voice, hurried over again, her face pale but determined. "Sir, please keep it down. This is a hospital, and our patients need—"
The officer shot her an icy glare, cutting her off. His lips twisted into a mocking smile as he raised his hand, preparing to strike her for her silence. But before his hand could connect, there was a flash of movent, a blur of black and green.
A dagger materialized in his hand, embedded there so deeply that he barely registered the pain at first. But as the toxins from Ys’s weapon seeped in, his bravado crumbled. His face went pale, and his hand began to tremble, blood trickling down his wrist.
He let out a shrill, undignified scream. "Gyaaaaaaa! Who did this? I want the one responsible dead!"
The room went silent, save for his ragged breathing, as he sank to his knees, clutching his injured hand. Everyone’s gaze shifted toward Ys, who stood calmly, her eyes gleaming with barely-contained nace.
"It was ,"
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