USS Sable had started the assault on the Ward. The helicarrier deployed its assets and started bombing the area affected by the spawning event. They were constantly calling out on the units on the ground to watch out for the zones they were targeting.

  USS Sable's firepower was holding the tide of Biomass Entities that came crawling out of the split-realm openings because of the storming event.

  The storming event was a phenomenon where multiple split-realms opening creates a field of ichorium stream, creating an area where the otherside would begin to leak to the earthside, creating an environment suitable for the biomass entities entering the Ward.

  Gaston had already called the Rook Squad to make sure that they stay together. As much as he wanted to follow the Earthside Consortium and UEDF's instructions, he couldn't allow himself to be trapped in an area that was soon to be swarming with Type-1 to Type-3's. Gaston wasn't eager to commit suicide, and despite how bothersome it was. He had to make sure that all of the Rook Squad could go home.

  It's not right to leave them here, Gaston thought. He had a way of escaping this nightmare, but he wasn't going to abandon his contract and put a strain on his resume.

  [This is Constable Yu. Do you copy Adjutant?]

  Gaston looked at the encrypted message sent to his private connection. He stopped moving, and operated his wristpad, and checked on the line used by Constable Yu.

  He's using the Earthside Consortium network, Gaston thought. And that isn't possible unless he has authorization from the UEDF and the E-C here in this region.

  [Copy that.]

  He replied by typing on his wrist pad. It took longer than expected for Constable Yu to respond.

  [The Cult might be watching. I don't know where it started. There is a high chance that they have somewhat found a method to recreate spawning events through the use of the Ichorium-tech. We found traces of the data breaches, and it seemed like the Black Steel Lanes manufactures have rats in them.]

  Black Steel Lanes are arms manufacturers that handle the production of the Multi-function weapons that the Breakers use against the Type-class monsters.

  If the cult has access to the Black Steel Lanes, they can create equipment that could recreate the ichorium-based reactors. BSL has access to all sorts of tech that I wouldn't be surprised if they could do something like this. If the UEDF thoroughly does investigate them, it would take years and possibly months for any results.

  [Have you checked on your associates? Any suspects?]

  [Negative. All we have right now is a trace of data that was pinging back to the Company.]

  That was not much evidence considering that they were a manufacturer of anti-biomass weapons and have been one of the most generous corporations and a constant sponsor of the Earthside Consortium.

  It was a headache trying to deal with any big-name companies working with the Consortium. They always find a way to prolong the problem, creating statements that result in nothing happening.

  [That's not much at the moment. I don't know why you're contacting me, Constable.]

  [They know who you are, Adjutant.]

  Gaston replied hastily.

  [What on earth are you talking about?]

  [Miss Janna had contacted me. She told me that the blue bolt still strikes in La Vella.]

  [Blackmailing me will not be wise for you, pelacanyes.]

  [This is not blackmail, but cooperation, Adjutant. Miss Janna was the one who contacted me that you should be aware of after we've announced the storming event that is currently happening.]

  [Who knows this?]

  [Only us three and our informant.]

  Gaston stared at the messenger box with a rather frosty glare. It looks like Janna is on to something. I don't know what that is, but if she thinks that I will play nice. She's wrong. Why do these cultists follow me everywhere in this world, damn it!?

  [I need confirmation.]

  There was no reply as Gaston saw the blue bolt imagery that contained encrypted data from Janna. He equipped one of the modules attached to his AR-module and saw the orders given in red.

  [Assist Constable Yu until you find the cultist cell. You asked for this.]

  That was enough for Gaston to understand. He had to pay her back and the UEDF somehow. Gaston could at least accept it as long as they were in contact with Janna. He wasn't going to act subordinate to the Constable even if he threatened him.

  [This is a partnership. You will share information. I'll find time to get on the case, but right now, I can't do anything with this storming event. I might be able to help if needed. But I am still in charge of the Rook Squad and am contracted to the Babaika Lions. It would be hard for me to act now.]

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  With Janna ordering him to join the investigation, Gaston had no choice but to cooperate with the Constable. The cultist was going to be a problem.

  If they have rats in the Black Steel Lanes and they are part of this region-sized storming event. Then it was in his best interest to get information from the Constable.

  I thought I could still prepare, but it seemed like they were not taking it slow. The cult is confident about turning this place into hell. Then they must have a plan that allows them to intimidate the world. If that ichor-based reactor is the problem, then we should take care of it if it does exist.

  [So what are your plans, Constable?]

  [Gather information. Tenryu Ward is overwhelmed at the moment. The lives of the citizens here are our top priority. If you make it out, then we'll discuss the plans, Adjutant.]

  Gaston already knew that this contract wasn't going to be easy. Not to mention that if this event is happening while the one detected by CERN is still coming, he wondered what kind of hell the Cultists were planning to bring.

***

  USS Sable continued its routine bombing. By the time it was six, the rest of the Ward had become a warzone. The shelters were in trouble because of how dense the biomass entities were. Strikes Teams were forming streaks of light, dropping on the Ward, engaging the enemy hostiles.

  "This is the UEDF Squadron-5, bombing run near your location, over."

  The UEDF Squadron tore the skyline and started bombing the areas marked by the camping ground units. It was no longer a fight that the Breakers and the specialized bombing run made to cut down a horde of biomass entities that numbered about one hundred thousand or more.

  The whole landscape was covered thoroughly by the monsters. Type-1 to Type-3's made it impossible for any unit to go in there and not leave without being injured. No one would dare to jump into the horde unless they were the naive ones who thought they were powerful because they had recently become strong.

  The plan was to weed the numbers of the enemy before the ground units moved in and shoot down the survivors. Usually, they would only use a bombing tactic like this when things are desperate, and right it was a situation where they couldn't allow any ground unit to purge the enemies.

They would be exhausted just trying to kill thousands of enemies. There was also a chance that by the time they spent all their ammunition. The ground units would be trapped in the middle of a monster-infested area with empty weapons.

  It would be illogical to engage the creatures with small firearms when they have artillery and air support backing them up. To the rest of the independent Breakers who were new to the trade, it was fearsome seeing the USS Sable and the air squadrons of the UEDF, the JSDF, and YMF tearing the creatures into pieces.

  The rest of the creatures that managed to get past the strike streams and the ground units could only be torn apart by the Breakers defending the camping ground and the shelters.

  Yumina looked at the burning landscape in a daze. Reflected on her eyes were the fiery red skies and the constant streaks of light. Her hands were on the barricade recently dropped by the JSDF to reinforce the position.

  "I have been fighting with my master over the country, but I haven't seen this large excursion. This is one of them bigger spawning events, right Gaston-san?"

  "It is. Storming events this large usually happen near the equator. But changes in the poles have recently started to make them unpredictable. One of the reasons that I'm attached to the Company is because of events like this."

  Yumina looked at the unusual red skies. "Ah, I keep forgetting that you are not part of the Company, just a Contractor."

  "Freelancing gives you freedom, but it also means that you do not get the benefits that a company gives you. Disappointed that the life of a professional breaker in this crisis is just sitting around?"

  "Not really," she looked at the bombs dropped on the epicenter of the crater. "The defense in Tokyo bay was on point, and I admit that I thought that there would be more than this."

  "You're free to jump in and try to take out as many."

  "No thanks," she shook her head gently. "Still, after they whittle down the enemy, then it would be your job to take down the survivors."

  "It's a cleanup job then."

  "Will you be joining?"

  "I'm not commissioned to kill any creatures. So I wouldn't be getting paid. I rather not spend the ammunition that they are giving me. You do realize that firing this weapon costs about four thousand dollars each mag, right?"

  Her eyes went wide. She looked at her multi-function weapon and went back to Gaston. "I'm not getting in debt because of using my weapon now, do I?"

  "Well, yours is government property, and you do use your bioenergy to power your weapons. You don't get in debt unless you lose that and start using loaned equipment you pay every month."

  "That's good then," she breathed a sigh of relief. "I need to pay for my Shishu's medical bills."

  "I see. Well, this isn't part of the orientation. But if you want to survive long enough in this industry, then pick your battles well. Incursions are usually short trips with a specific monster that you need to hunt, but long incursions like this need you to be clear-headed. I had seen enough in this game to know when to let loose and when to hunt down the monsters. Then again, you entered the most active Breaker Company in the world, so there will be chances to test your mettle. But in this storming event, I suggest that you don't do anything reckless. Unless you want to be part of the friendly fire casualties."

  Yumina snorted. "But the cleanup is going to be a problem, isn't it?"

  "You would only have to hunt a dozen. We were supposed to hunt platoon-sized creatures, but it seemed like we had to deal with the aftermath of this storming event."

  "It's a pity," Yumina said. "This place is going to be abandoned for a few months because of the number of creatures dying today."

  "The Company has jurisdiction here in this region. You'll be part of the cleanup crew, so you have to deal with a few strays that might have survived by digging underground."

  "I have to write a report about this."

  "That you do. You were near the explosion event, so you have to write a report. Just try using that translation software and write from your native language, then paste what you wrote, and submit it."

  "That's kinda...I didn't expect that coming from you."

  “Why not? It's faster to write in your native language. Besides, I do it all the time whenever I am in another country. Translation software and websites are accurate nowadays."

  Yumina laughed softly. "I guess there are days where I just have to sit around and wait for the bombing runs to be over."

  "Get used to it," Gaston said. "It's more effective to make use of our air superiority when dealing with a horde like this."

  It was the most logical choice of action until Type-4, and then Type-5 monsters’ starts appearing.