A month had passed since the intensive training began. Mira stood before her soldiers, preparing for the crucial mission that was about to come.

“The priority is to get them away from the airport. We can’t risk destroying anything there! Lena and the mini ghoul will stop the ghouls from escaping, while the helicopters will provide air support for them. We’ll focus on eliminating the rest of the ghouls on the ground!” Mira said firmly.

“Right!” the soldiers responded in unison, with determination.

Mira took a few steps forward, raising her voice so that everyone could hear her clearly.

“Regular bullets won’t work against intelligent ghouls, but thanks to the institute and the mini ghoul, we now have ammunition that can harm them! Once we get the ghouls’ attention, I want you to be in position to provide support whenever necessary.”

She paused, looking each soldier in the eye, exuding confidence.

— I can't guarantee that we won't have casualties, but try to avoid situations that will lead to unnecessary death. Our priority is to eliminate the ghouls! Be quick and strategic. Don't ignore your fears, but don't let them paralyze you either. If you're in danger, retreat!

“Okay!” the soldiers said in a resolute tone.

Mira gave a slight nod, ending her speech.

“Then let's go!”

The soldiers began to get into their vehicles, adjusting their weapons and equipment, while the tension grew in the air.

Mira turned to the mini ghoul, who was waiting for her orders.

“This is the place we showed you before. Go ahead and keep an eye on the ghouls, but make sure they don't notice you!”

The mini ghoul nodded silently before manifesting his black wings. With a powerful thrust, he launched himself into the sky, quickly disappearing into the horizon.

As the mini ghoul advanced on its reconnaissance mission, Mira watched the soldiers boarding, feeling the weight of responsibility on her shoulders.

"Regardless of the outcome of this mission, it is certain that the ghouls will act, whether it is advantageous for us or not," she thought, clenching her fists.

She got into the helicopter and with the engines roaring the mission began.

Inside one of the helicopters

"Just so you know, I'm against you going too!" said Raven, giving Mira a worried look.

"I'll be fine!" replied Mira, trying to convey confidence.

"Raven is right," said Thais, crossing her arms. "This is too dangerous."

"I can't be captain if I don't even get close to the battles!" replied Mira, glaring at the two.

"Just give orders from afar, don't fight directly!" insisted Raven.

Himitsu, who was sitting in the back, finally spoke up:

“My nephew’s child… You have my respect for deciding to continue with the pregnancy, but they are right. Your involvement could cause problems for the baby.”

“I’ll be careful!” Mira assured, trying to dispel her concerns.

Slayer, sitting next to the windows, smiled as he adjusted the blade attached to his suit.

“I don’t know if I should say this, but... I’m excited for this fight!”

“We’ve gotten stronger during this month. I understand that feeling,” Raven replied, trying to ease the tension in the air.

Mira looked at them and frowned.

“Don’t let your guard down!” she ordered, her voice firm.

Himitsu watched everyone in silence, assessing the mood in the cabin.

“Carefree? No, I don’t think so…” he thought, crossing his arms. “Let’s see what the team you led is like, nephew. I hope they don’t disappoint me.”

The helicopter landed a safe distance from the airport. Mira descended with her team, eyes fixed on the horizon where the silhouettes of the ghouls danced around the airport’s perimeter. The mini ghoul was already positioned in the air, observing the enemy’s movements, while the other squads prepared for the operation.

— Kratos, get ready. You'll draw their attention, — Mira ordered over the radio.

Kratos, already positioned with his long-range rifle, replied firmly:

— Understood, Captain.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

A few minutes later, the dry sound of gunfire echoed, reaching the ghouls. The creatures, alerted, stopped for a moment, turning their fierce gazes to the army.

— Here they come! — Slayer shouted.

The ghouls, without trying to escape, went straight to the confrontation. In the sky, Lena and the mini ghoul faced the winged ones, while on the ground the other squads tried to contain the advance of the grounders.

The battlefield was chaotic. The special bullets worked against the ghouls, but they were not enough to contain the ferocious attack of the creatures. A group of soldiers was caught off guard by one of the strongest ghouls, resulting in casualties.

— We have wounded! — Joana reported over the radio, panting.

Mira closed her eyes for a second, suppressing the pain of loss.

"Keep up the pressure."

Himitsu, in the middle of the field, faced two ghouls simultaneously, using her agility to dodge their brutal attacks.

"You're tough, but not tough enough!" she shouted, hitting one of them hard.

The mini ghoul swooped down on the leader of the winged ones, using its tentacles to crush him to the ground. The decisive attack turned the tide of the battle.

With the combined strength of the army, the helicopters, and the mini ghoul, the ghouls were finally defeated. Some still tried to resist, but they were eventually eliminated.

When the last roar died down, the battlefield fell silent. Mira looked at the airport, intact, and let out a sigh of relief.

"We lost good soldiers today, but we made it. The airport is safe."

Raven approached, carrying the weapon still stained with blood.

— We paid a high price, but it was worth it.

Mira nodded, standing her ground.

— Let’s get ready. We still have a long war ahead of us.

Raven watched the horizon as the soldiers reorganized. The silence that hung over them was almost as heavy as the losses they had suffered.

"Those eyes... so cold!", thought Raven as she looked at Mira, who was nearby, with a stern expression.

Mira, without hesitation, took out her cell phone and made a quick call.

"Yes! We've eliminated the ghouls. Be quick, we need to clear the place and return to the base!" Mira said directly, ending the call right after.

Putting away her cell phone, she turned to Raven.

"Make rounds! Check inside the airport and around, make sure there are no more ghouls hiding. Until the people from the institute arrive, we will maintain constant surveillance!" she ordered.

"Understood!" replied Raven, moving away to organize the teams.

Mira clenched her fists tightly, struggling to remain calm.

"We have had casualties...", she thought, feeling a mixture of frustration and anger.

Himitsu, always unpredictable, appeared beside her with a slight smile on his face.

“Regretful?” he asked, as if testing Mira.

Mira took a deep breath, keeping her posture firm.

“No! We killed the ghouls and recovered the airport. The mission was a success!”

Himitsu laughed lightly, satisfied with the answer.

“You’re right! That’s how you should think. If you start to hesitate now, you’ll fall apart later.”

The radio crackled, and Lena’s voice came through clearly:

“Airport clear! We didn’t find any ghouls inside.”

“Keep watch until the institute arrives,” Mira replied without hesitation.

“Right!” Lena confirmed over the radio.

Himitsu crossed her arms, looking at Mira curiously.

“And your mother? How is she doing?”

Mira’s expression relaxed slightly.

“She can take care of herself, and Yan’s squad is there to support her.” In addition, they have improved the kingdom's defense system and now there is also an automatic alarm that sounds when a ghoul approaches, giving us time to prepare. If something was wrong, she would have warned us already.

Himitsu raised an eyebrow.

"I slept in the meeting the day before and didn't even know about this new system. But anyway, let's see what results this mission will bring us..."

Hours later, the sound of several helicopters echoed in the sky, announcing the arrival of the institute personnel. They descended quickly, equipped to collect the bodies of the ghouls and perform analysis.

"Let's stay alert, guys! The mission isn't over until we're all back at base," Mira declared, maintaining focus and determination.

"Right!" the soldiers said, keeping their guard up.

The operation was agile. In a few minutes, the institute managed to collect all the bodies of the ghouls efficiently, storing them in sealed containers for transport.

When the last helicopter took off, carrying the remains of the enemy, Mira took a deep breath and looked around.

"Mission accomplished. Let's return."

The soldiers began to organize themselves, climbing into the vehicles. Despite their fatigue, there was a silent relief among them. The airport was intact, and the victory, despite their losses, was consolidated.

Back at base, Mira and the soldiers were greeted by Rem at the main gate.

"Good job!" — Rem said, seeing the exhausted group, but safely back.

“We had casualties…” Mira replied, her voice full of sadness.

Rem sighed deeply, the weight of the loss visible on her face. “I understand... We will return the bodies to the families, so they can hold proper funerals.”

“Okay…” Mira paused, wiping the sweat from her forehead. “How was it at the castle?”

“Let’s talk in your room,” Rem suggested.

In the captain’s room

“They predict that a revolt may begin as soon as the monarch returns,” Rem began. “Their idea is to isolate the capital, creating strong walls made of noxium mixed with other materials.”

“And the other cities?” Mira asked, the irritation evident in her voice.

“We will protect them too, but the walls in the capital are to contain a massive advance, in case things get out of control,” Rem explained, trying to remain calm.

The former captain crossed his arms and snorted. “They can’t be trusted. From my point of view, they just want to lock themselves away with all their resources while the rest of us struggle to survive.”

“Whose idea was this?” Mira frowned, clearly suspicious.

“Some of the residents of the capital. It seems that news of the monarch’s return has already leaked among the civilians,” Rem replied.

“A barricade? Did the king approve of this?” Mira couldn’t contain her indignation.

“Not just the king, but the entire royal family, the head of the guards, some nobles… even the institute is involved,” Rem replied.

“Emilia too?” Mira asked in disbelief.

Rem hesitated before answering. “She’s… different. Ever since Kay died, she seems lifeless. The guards said she stopped training and now only focuses on the royal family’s affairs.” We can't blame her, the loss devastated her.

"She's just like Yumi in the beginning... She'll get over it soon." Mira tried to sound optimistic, but her voice betrayed concern.

"What are you going to do?" Rem asked, looking directly at Mira.

"We're also predicting a possible war between humans. If we don't solve the monarch's problem, things will get even worse," Mira replied, clenching her fists.

Rem nodded, understanding the weight of the decision. The silence that followed was filled only by the distant sound of the soldiers still organizing themselves in the courtyard.

"We have to prepare ourselves, not only against the monarch, but for whatever comes after..." Mira concluded.

"If it's as we imagine, we'll stock up on food here at the base," the former captain suggested, with a serious tone.

"How inhumane will we be by doing that?" Mira murmured, visibly worried, as she clenched her fists.

A week later.