The air shifted around them as the teleportation field dissipated, leaving Team Unknown standing in the familiar confines of Clareo HQ's command center. The soft hum of machinery and faint clicks of keyboards filled the space, but Val barely noticed.

Then, Val, knowingly knew this feeling, Deleo stirring in his mind.

"Val. It seems when we visited the facility last time and destroyed it, they were already on the final phase."

Deleo's voice carried a cool calmness, threading through Val's consciousness like a shadow in the corner of his mind.

Val's jaw tightened as he walked toward the briefing room with his team. "Final phase? Are you saying this was already underway back then?"

"Of course. You should have known," Deleo replied, his tone tinged with wry amusement.

"You have encountered some people who wielded a small portion of my power in your past missions, right? Now, that leader you saw? He's not just another pawn. He's a prototype."

Val's steps slowed, his mask's HUD flickering faintly as it adjusted to the lighting. "Prototype? Of what?"

"Something worse. Given the attack at the Clareo borders a month ago, I'd say those creatures you fought were test runs."

Val halted just short of the briefing room door. His hands clenched into fists, the weight of Deleo's words settling heavily on his shoulders.

"They've been preparing all this time. Hades' Wrath didn't stop after we destroyed that facility—they accelerated."

Deleo's chuckle was soft but dark. "I am with you, Val. I'll also make them pay for tainting my power, it's an insult."

Val exhaled slowly, trying to suppress the tension building within him. "Then we stop them before they can escalate."

Deleo's voice softened slightly, almost reflective. "I won't let anything happen to you, Val, and to everyone you cherish."

"If that's what it takes."

Silence fell between them.

Val blinked, the faint echo of Deleo's words fading as he shook his head.

The door to the briefing room hissed open, and he found himself face-to-face with his team, their cloaks draped loosely and their masks still active.

Dr. Lewis stood at the head of the table, his silver hair catching the faint light of the holoscreen as it flickered with data from the mission.

The rest of Team Unknown had already taken their seats, masks deactivated and resting on the table beside them. Ember's sharp eyes flicked toward Val, noting his hesitation.

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"You planning on joining us, or are you communing with your ancient friend?" Ember quipped, his tone sharp but not unkind.

Val sighed, reaching up to deactivate his mask. The faint click echoed softly, and he placed it on the table as his fiery red eyes swept over the room. His cloak shifted slightly as he sat down, tension still evident in his posture.

Dr. Lewis leaned forward, his gaze fixed on Val. "Well?"

Val exhaled slowly, his voice calm but weighted. "Deleo had some guesses, or rather, seems a prediction", which earned Deleo to chuckle while listening.

The room fell silent, all eyes locking onto him.

"He believes the creatures we fought at Outpost Delta were part of the final phase of a project we disrupted months ago. According to him, the attack at Clareo's borders a month ago… those Void-tainted were test runs. Hades' Wrath has been refining them ever since."

Bo's icy blue eyes narrowed, his voice steady. "They've been experimenting all this time. Using those attacks to perfect their methods."

"Which means they're ready to escalate," Ember added, his tone sharp. "They're not just testing anymore—they're deploying."

Fon leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "And that leader we saw? What does Deleo think about him?"

Val's gaze darkened. "Deleo called him a prototype. Something worse than the Void-tainted we've faced before. He didn't say much else, but it's clear Hades' Wrath sees him as the next step."

Riggs let out a low whistle, leaning back in his chair. "Great. Because what we need right now is a smarter, deadlier Void-tainted leader to deal with."

Dr. Lewis tapped at his tablet, the holoscreen shifting to display data from Outpost Delta. "If Deleo is correct—and I don't doubt he is—we're dealing with a rapidly escalating threat. The patterns from the attacks over the last month align with this theory. Smaller incursions, highly focused strikes, and increasingly sophisticated Void-tainted creatures."

Dr. Lewis also added, "Val, you and your team had also encountered some leaders of Black Lotus leaders before with Void energy right?"

Val nodded.

Dr. Lewis then conjured his theory, "Since they had Reinhart's remains at that time, with those timelines, and Clareo attack a month ago..." muttering something and tapping something on he holotable.

Ember's gaze burned into the holoscreen. "So, what's the plan? We can't just sit here and wait for them to come to us."

Val shook his head. "No. We take the fight to them."

Riggs raised an eyebrow. "And how do you propose we do that? We don't even know where their central operations are."

Bo's voice was calm but firm. "Then we find out."

Riggs grinned faintly, though there was no humor in it. "Always straight to the point with you, Bo. Gotta love that about you."

Dr. Lewis tapped his tablet again, and after muttering some of his theory, he is bringing up a broader map of the region.

"Here. Based on the timeline of attacks, and we have intel suggesting increased Void activity in the western territories. If Hades' Wrath is refining their experiments, they'll need facilities capable of sustaining them. We'll narrow down potential locations and prepare for infiltration."

Fon leaned forward, his tone measured. "If we're going into their territory, we need to assume it's a trap."

"It's always a trap," Ember replied. "That doesn't mean we back down."

Val's voice cut through the discussion, cold and resolute. "We're not waiting for their next move. If we strike now, we disrupt their momentum. If we hesitate, we'll be facing an army instead of experiments."

Dr. Lewis studied him for a long moment before nodding. "I'll have the intel ready within the hour. Get some rest. You'll need it."

As the team rose from their seats, Ember placed a hand on Val's shoulder, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "You good, little brother?"

Val nodded, though the weight of Deleo's words still lingered in his mind. "Yeah. I'm good."

"Good," Ember said, his voice softening slightly. "Because you're not alone, Got it?"

Val didn't respond immediately, but as he turned to leave the room, his eyes softened just slightly. "Got it."