Chapter 53: Factory Surrender By A Forest

The healing process of all the hunters training for the mission was approximately four hours, plus an extra two to set up and train a bit to get used to the fact that they were taking on multiple people and possibly SAMD hunters.

Cashel was in the room designed for him, with a bed against the wall and a stand for drips and vital monitors. Across the room was another bed, larger and more comfortable, with multiple pillows and mana regulators in the form of an AC above the bed. He was sitting on a stool by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring down at the city and the dark clouds.

’Another storm,’ he noted before taking his gaze off the window. He moved to the walk-in closet, and on the other side was his arsenal, exactly what had been shown to him downstairs, only larger, with mirrors and different clothes.

"They weren’t kidding when they said this was my dorm, huh?" he muttered under his breath and walked to the wardrobe. He picked out a white button-up shirt, black pants, gloves, and a black coat as compensation for the one Nathan ruined.

He quickly dressed and crouched to wear the shoes he had been given. Hard-soled boots, light but heavy at the same time. A person’s skull could cave in from such an impact.

His new case and mask sat at the center of the room on a raised platform. He gathered what he needed, swung the case across his back, secured his mask, and made his way out through another door to an elevator straight to the main floor.

Arriving there, he saw the other hunters making their final preparations.

Wolf was checking the chains wrapped around his waist, legs, and hands, occasionally tugging at them to make sure they were secure. Amia was not far from him, sitting on a bench and inspecting the knives and needles laid out in front of her beside a utility belt, while the other hunters were warming up and organising their gear.

Aside from Amia, who wore a black leather dress with high splits on both sides and thigh holsters, with a white mask on her face representing a fox, if his assumption was right, the rest were in black, each customised to their taste.

Wolf was in something similar to his, only his was a tank top, and his coat was firmly tied around his waist, while his own weapons case was at his side.

He glanced toward the entrance when one of the gold-masked hunters approached them carrying a small black briefcase.

She opened it and began handing out communication devices.

"Comms," she said simply, her voice distorted as a result of the mask. "Put them on your ear, tap twice to open the channel and once to mute yourself."

Cashel accepted one and examined it briefly before placing it against his ear. Then, a faint static sound crackled into his ear.

"Can everyone hear me?"

Cashel immediately frowned, recognising the voice immediately.

"Unfortunately," he muttered.

Nathan laughed through the Comms. "At least you all are well enough to move. Is everyone prepared and ready to move?"

Before anyone could give a reply, Lionface interrupted.

"Enough, everyone listen."

The chatter immediately stopped, and all eyes instinctively moved to the large screen in front of the room.

A holographic map appeared above the table in the center of the room, displaying a large section of the city.

Several locations were marked in red around a clustered area in the east.

"Veloce has established a temporary base at the center of Bale Water Forest," Amia began, standing from where she was. She strutted to the front of the group and gestured at the screen. "They have multiple buildings around that area, with multiple hunters on guard, and we got intel from Shelly that they have been gathering there for several days. We don’t know why."

Cashel glanced at her and back to the screen, narrowing his eyes behind his mask.

Amia continued, "We confirmed about three S-Ranked hunters as part of their guards, fifteen A-Rank and the rest... below. So we have to wipe out forty-plus security personnel, disable alarms once we get in, and start taking out the VIP members according to the targets assigned to you."

Cashel inclined his head, narrowing one eye as he listened.

The map expanded, revealing multiple images of different buildings, with the tallest at the top of the list, each one approximately ten to twenty minutes away from each other.

"The objective is simple: kill everyone, VIPs, associates. The staff can only be spared if their names are on the do-not-touch list." She paused. "Understood?"

"Isn’t that a little risky?" one of the hunters asked, and she shook her head.

"The staff are non-Awakened people, so we will not harm them unless they are supporting or funding the company."

A few murmured amongst themselves before another person asked.

"We kill only the targets?"

"Anyone who engages you, including the targets," Lionface replied. "Do not waste time pursuing civilians or people attempting to flee the building. Your priority is taking down the company and killing the targets and anyone else who engages you."

Nathan’s voice came through next.

"And before anyone gets excited..." The largest building on the map zoomed in. "Shelly Jones is currently in the hotel of this building, and she will be staying the night to ensure the job is carried out so she can retrieve everything she wants."

Cashel sighed. He still had to take care of her as well.

Nathan continued, his tone now noticeably more serious.

"She’s Veloce’s strongest confirmed combatant. Don’t underestimate her just because she’s one person. If you encounter Shelly, don’t engage her and just move on. You have no business with her."

Cashel glanced at Wolf and saw that he was looking at him. He frowned.

"What?"

Wolf gave a small shrug. "That sounds like a warning specifically for you."

Cashel ignored him. "What exactly are we supposed to do if she attacks us?"

"She won’t, Bishop. Just do as Lionface told you," Nathan answered.

Then Amia continued, "We will be taken there to avoid raising suspicions about why masked hunters are moving through the city. The Unaffiliated hunters will start from the buildings without underground passages. BMM will enter from the west and push toward the center. Any sniper will take their position in a building ten minutes away from the location and, if need be, move there through the zip lines and poles connecting the buildings."

The holographic map changed again, and several routes appeared on the screen.

"Once you’ve passed the second checkpoint, the team will split."

Three routes were highlighted.

"Cashel, Wolf, and Amia will take the lower route. The remaining BMM hunters will move through the upper structures."

Cashel studied the map.

"Why split us?"

"Because Veloce’s forces are spread throughout the forest. We need to attack from multiple directions and prevent them from regrouping."

Nathan’s voice returned.

"And because if everyone enters through one place, you’ll make yourself an easy target."

Cashel nodded slowly.

That made complete sense.

The entire operation depended on overwhelming them before they could properly organise.

"What about the Unaffiliated hunters?" Wolf asked.

"They’ll withdraw once they’ve drawn enough attention," Lionface answered. "Do not depend on them to reinforce you, as you are the main attackers."

One of the hunters gave a quiet laugh after Nathan spoke. "After yesterday, I don’t think they’ll be volunteering for anything."

Cashel almost smiled. Yesterday’s training had probably traumatized half of them.

Lionface ignored the comment.

"You will maintain communication throughout the operation. If there are any changes, you will be informed."

A brief pause followed.

Then Nathan added, "And try not to die."

Cashel sighed.

"That’s becoming a common request."

"Because you all seem particularly committed to ignoring it."

Then Lionface spoke again. "Transport leaves in five minutes. Prepare and motivate yourself if possible, because this is our first mission in a while. So I don’t want a failure."

The holographic map disappeared.

The hunters immediately began moving toward the exit.