Chapter 221 Crimson

Chapter 221 Crimson

"Echo 3-2 to Oriental Crown, designation three-three-niner-delta, reporting in. Encountered an individual at perimeter Charlie-Bravo-three-niner. Appearance suspicious, potential security threat. Awaiting further instructions. Over."

"Roger, Echo 3-2. Provide a visual description of the individual. Maintain a safe distance and observe. Do not engage until further orders are given. Over."

Echo 3-2 swiftly assessed the situation, their training kicking in seamlessly. "Individual appears to be female, in late twenties. Wearing a black and crimson dress, intricate in design. No visible weapons, but approach with caution advised due to unknown factors. Standing motionless, approximately twenty meters ahead of our current position. Over."

"Have you established communication with the subject?"

"Affirmative, we asked the subject if she was injured or anything to which she replied negative on the injury status. The subject denied any physical harm. She inquired specifically about the Blackwatch Oriental Military Camp. Her knowledge of the camp's designation raises concerns. Currently maintaining a watchful stance, no further interaction initiated. Over."

"Echo 3-2, ascertain the subject's intent. Proceed with caution. Any indication of hostility, disengage, and await backup. Keep the subject in sight. Over."

Echo 3-2 acknowledged the command with a crisp, "Roger that, Oriental Crown." Turning to his team, he signaled two members to flank their position, ensuring a tactical advantage. The squad leader then cautiously approached the woman, his voice firm yet non-threatening.

"Ma'am, this area is under military jurisdiction. Can you explain your presence here and your knowledge about this facility?"

The woman with a piercing gaze responded. "Where can I find the leader of this camp?" n--o--V-(e--l).b--1--n

"Ma'am, you're not in a position to make demands," the squad leader's tone shifted, becoming more strict and stern. "You're in a restricted military zone. It's imperative for you to answer our questions first. How do you know about this camp, and what is your purpose here?"

The woman, unfazed by the change in his demeanor, maintained her composure. "You wish to learn my intention huh? In that case, I would like to meet him and end his life. Does my answer satisfy you?"

Hearing that, the Squad Leader's eyes widened, and took a step back, instinctively reaching for his weapon. The woman's sudden, blunt declaration of intent sent a surge of adrenaline through him. He immediately switched to high alert, reaching to his radio and reporting.

"Echo 3-2 to Oriental Crown, we have a situation. The subject has openly declared hostile intent towards camp leadership. Suspect she may be linked to the progenitor. Request immediate containment protocols and enhanced interrogation setup. Over."

"Progenitor...is that what you call my master? Well, you are good at coming up with titles, and I kind of liked it. So I'll spare your life alone while I slaughter the rest of you humans inside that camp."

"Copy that, Echo 3-2. Can you disengage from the subject? That subject you are talking about right now could be as dangerous as the magic users we encountered before."

"I don't think we can disengage here safely without a fight, Oriental Crown. We might have to fight this one out. Over."

"Understood, Echo 3-2. Engage only if absolutely necessary. The backup is en route to your location. Use extreme caution. Over."

The squad leader, maintaining his composure under the heightened tension, signaled his team to tighten their formation. They formed a defensive perimeter around the woman, weapons trained on her but not firing. The woman's mention of a 'master' and her casual threat heightened the squad's alertness. The possibility of her being as dangerous as the magic users they had encountered before was not something they could take lightly.

"Team, stay sharp. She's not just a civilian. Possible enhanced abilities. Non-lethal takedown preferred, but protect yourselves at all costs," the squad leader commanded.

"Yes sir!"

"You sure do follow strict protocols... true soldiers indeed," the woman mused. She took a step forward and the squad tensed.

"DON'T MOVE! IF YOU MOVE WE WILL OPEN FIRE!" The squad leader barked. The woman halted, a faint smile playing on her lips, seemingly amused by the situation.

"Echo 3-2 to Oriental Crown, the subject is non-compliant and showing signs of provocation. We are maintaining our defensive stance. Awaiting backup. Over."

The woman stood still, her eyes scanning each squad member. "You all are quite disciplined. I admire that. Let me introduce myself before I kill those three men working under you. I'm Crimson, the most beautiful and one of the strongest subordinates of The One."

After declaring that, she brought her right hand up and bit her index finger. Blood spurted out, quickly forming a shape in the air. The squad watched in disbelief as the blood morphed into a large, menacing scythe, taller than Crimson herself. The scythe's blade gleamed in the dim light, its edge sharp and deadly, while the handle was long and sleek, seemingly made of her blood, yet solid and tangible.

The squad leader's instincts kicked in immediately. "All units, engage with extreme caution! Lethal force is authorized!" he commanded, realizing the non-lethal approach was no longer an option.

Crimson swung the scythe effortlessly, the weapon slicing through the air with a whistling sound. The squad members dove for cover, opening fire towards her. However, Crimson moved with unnatural speed and agility, evading the bullets as if they were mere annoyances.

"Echo 3-2 to Oriental Crown, we're engaging the subject! She's armed with an unknown weapon, possibly blood magic. Extremely dangerous and agile. Requesting immediate heavy support Over!"

"Copy Echo 3-2, backup is two minutes out."

The squad continued to fire, but Crimson was like a shadow, moving too fast for them to track. The realization that they were dealing with an entity far beyond their normal scope of engagement set in.

"She's too fast! We can't even hit her," one of the men said.

"Oh, you really want to hit me that bad huh?" Crimson emerged from behind the soldier. "Okay, I'll give you a chance."

The soldier turned around quickly and aimed his M4 Carbine at Crimson. He pulled the trigger but this time, Crimson didn't move. Instead of evading as she had before, Crimson remained stationary, a slight smirk on her face. As the bullets sped towards her, they suddenly halted in mid-air, inches from her body. The squad members stared in disbelief as a thin, shimmering barrier of coagulated blood appeared in front of Crimson, effectively stopping the bullets. The barrier, almost transparent, rippled like water with each impact, absorbing the kinetic energy of the projectiles.

Realizing the futility of their firearms, the soldiers quickly switched tactics. Attached beneath his M4 Carbine was an M203 grenade launcher, a versatile weapon designed for situations where standard gunfire might be ineffective. With a swift motion, he loaded a 40mm grenade into the launcher.

With a sharp pull of the trigger, the launcher emitted a low thud, propelling the grenade toward Crimson. The squad momentarily held their breath, hoping this would be the solution to their predicament.

However, as the grenade neared Crimson, the same blood barrier that had stopped the bullets effortlessly expanded, enveloping the grenade. The squad watched in dismay as the grenade harmlessly exploded against the barrier, the shockwave and shrapnel absorbed without any apparent effect on Crimson.

The barrier then retracted back to its original size, as if the grenade was nothing more than a minor annoyance.

Crimson's smirk widened, her eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and contempt.

"Is that all? Your weapons are like toys to me. So disappointing, it's time that I end your three men, Echo 3-2."

In a split second, Crimson's demeanor shifted from amused to predatory. Before the squad could react, she vanished, reappearing instantaneously behind one of the squad members. Her movements were a blur, almost impossible to track with the naked eye. It was as if she teleported, closing the distance in the blink of an eye.

The squad member barely had time to turn his head before Crimson's blood scythe arced through the air, its blade slicing through his armor as if it were mere cloth. The swift, clean cut was followed by a spray of blood, and the man collapsing to the ground before he could even cry out.

The squad was momentarily frozen in shock. She moved again, disappearing and reappearing next to another squad member. The blood scythe cleaved through the air, meeting its target.

The soldier crumpled to the ground, his life ended in a matter of seconds.

Panic set in among the remaining squad members. They tried to track Crimson's movements, firing wildly in her direction. Suddenly, the last soldier under Echo 3-2's command, found his head chopped. The decapitation was so sudden and clean that the body stood for a brief moment before collapsing.

"You are the only one left," Crimson glanced over her shoulder, looking at Echo 3-2.

"You damn witch," Echo cursed but not in frustration. "Just wait till the heavy guns arrive."

"I don't care...Like I told you before, I will slaughter every man and woman working inside that camp. This is not even considered a warm up for me. And you will be there to witness it all."