Pov Mikki (A)

  A day had passed since the meeting with the Firebirds group. The pn was simple: sneak into the enemy base, pnt bombs filled with sleeping gas, and then leave quickly.

  The team consisted of Mikki, Eliana, and the spy Akinyi. It had been dark for about an hour when the team slipped through the alleys. All three had the lower part of their faces covered with bck masks. They approached a house that appeared abandoned and discreetly entered. Since the door was open, they were able to slip inside easily.

  The Prime Minister’s spies had observed a lot of movement in and out of this abandoned house. However, now that they were inside, they needed to find the entrance to the base.

  Unfortunately, the house had no basement, so the girls began searching every corner. Mikki took care of the kitchen, rummaging behind abandoned cupboards. Akinyi searched the dining room, while Eliana turned the living room upside down. Finally, under a rug, Eliana found a hatch.

  “Girls, I found the entrance.”

  Mikki and Akinyi stopped searching and walked over to Eliana. They noticed the hatch and exchanged gnces. Mikki opened it and climbed down using the dder, followed closely by Akinyi and Eliana. The girls drew their weapons and advanced through the old dirt tunnels, which were supported by wooden beams.

  For now, the corridors were empty, but they saw many tunnels leading in completely different directions—it was going to be a nightmare to search the pce. Suddenly, Eliana thought of something and noticed a faint blue light with her eye.

  “Do you see the blue line?”

  Mikki and Akinyi quickly shook their heads, wondering what kind of illegal substance Eliana had taken before the mission.

  “Follow me.”

  Eliana moved deeper into the tunnels until she stopped and touched the wall, feeling that this spot would be perfect for pcing a bomb. She pointed at a hole in the wall.

  “We can pce it here… I have a feeling this is a good spot.”

  Akinyi shrugged, took out her bag, and pulled out the sleeping gas bomb, pcing it in the hole.

  “I wonder if your power also lets you see the weak points of objects,” Mikki mused, watching Eliana adjust her gsses.

  “Maybe… I see another line… Let’s follow it, I guess.”

  Eliana continued along the tunnels until she stopped again, this time in a rger room. There were tables and refrigerators—they assumed it was a dining hall. Akinyi hid the bomb under an old counter.

  The team continued pcing bombs in various strategic locations. But as Eliana walked, Mikki, using her sharp hearing, picked up the sound of footsteps. She pced a hand on Eliana’s shoulder to stop her.

  “Enemies… about fifteen meters away…”

  Eliana and Akinyi nodded and prepared themselves. Akinyi drew a silenced pistol, Mikki unsheathed her sword, and Eliana pulled out a knife. Their goal was to remain as discreet as possible to avoid alerting other members of the Martyrs.

  Soon, the shadows of four people appeared, growing rger as they approached. They were in a corridor—an ideal pce for an ambush.

  The moment the first person stepped forward, they were instantly shot between the eyes with a silenced bullet. Confused, Mikki rushed at the remaining three, slicing them down swiftly before she slid her sword back onto her back.

  With the enemies neutralized, they continued moving, silently taking out a few more guards while avoiding unnecessary confrontations. Their objective was to capture individuals, not commit a massacre.

  After pcing another bomb in a discreet corner, they checked their supply—only one was left. They had been in the site for about thirty minutes now. Eventually, they found a strange metal door and decided to open it.

  A terrifying scene unfolded before them. Inside cages were monsters of various sizes. The sight sent shivers down their spines. Some of the creatures had an abnormal number of eyes, while others resembled humans whose only remaining features were pale white skin and erased faces. They even saw mythological creatures.

  “I thought monsters were just myths… The Martyrs pn to release them and cause chaos in the city,” Eliana whispered.

  Akinyi nodded while observing the cages.

  “That’s possible. But how did they manage to gather so many creatures? That’s a question we’ll have to answer. This pce is dangerous—we should pnt the st bomb here.”

  Akinyi pced the bomb in a corner. But as she did, something suddenly emerged from the team’s blind spot. In an instant, a bde was driven into Akinyi’s abdomen.

  A young girl revealed herself—she had elven ears, white hair, and wore a long bck outfit with tights and boots. Her speed had been exceptional.

  Mikki immediately recognized her. It was Amadee, one of the captains of the Martyrs. She stared at them with cold, dark eyes. She said nothing—but she was ready to strike.

  Pov Ali (B)

  While Mikki’s group was dealing with the bombs, Ali’s group was slowly making its way toward a small alley where there was no one except for a few rats. Sara, who was accompanying them, held the tracker that Mikki had given her earlier. She had pinpointed Zye’s location and knew that the group was getting closer to the target.

  They searched the alley, and Ali found a hole in the wall behind a rge wooden pnk, leading into a house. The hole brought them into a closed room with a simple staircase descending into the depths—it was probably the pce they were looking for. Ali took the lead and turned on her fshlight. Sara followed closely behind, while Kaia took up the rear, holding her pistol at the ready.

  The path had very few branches, and the tracker’s precision became sharper, allowing Sara to determine Zye’s exact direction. Naturally, the group soon encountered several guards, but thanks to Ali’s sharp instincts, they were quickly taken down. Ali and Kaia made short work of the enemies, and each time, Sara remained behind them. She would gnce at the palm of her hand, hesitating, as if she wanted to help but felt incapable of doing so.

  After a few confrontations, they entered a long corridor. The signal on Sara’s tracker grew stronger as they advanced. There were several locked metal doors along the hallway, and the brick walls created a strange contrast against them.

  Sara continued forward while Ali kept watch, and Kaia followed closely, protecting her in case of an ambush.

  Finally, Sara stopped in front of a metal door. The tracker locked onto Zye’s signal with complete accuracy. She nodded and turned to Kaia.

  “She’s in this room… I’m 100% sure.”

  Kaia pulled out a keyring she had taken from one of the guards they had eliminated earlier.

  She inserted the key into the lock and opened the door. Inside, they immediately recognized Zye’s strikingly bright pink hair and the familiar strawberry-like scent that surrounded her. Sara let out a relieved sigh upon seeing her.

  Zye was seated at a desk, completely focused on her work. Her clothes were in terrible condition, and her ankles were chained to the walls with rusted iron shackles.

  Sara approached and gently pced a hand on Zye’s shoulder.

  “Zye? It’s me, Sara. We’ve come to rescue you.”

  There was no response. Not a gnce, not a word—nothing. She remained entirely focused on the object she was working on. Sara frowned and shook Zye’s shoulder lightly.

  “Zye, can you hear me?”

  Zye let out a small, tired groan, her eyes still glued to the object in her hands. She muttered,

  “Can’t… I’m working.”

  Sara sighed and looked at Kaia.

  “Kaia… take care of the chains. Who told you to work?”

  It took Zye a moment to respond. Her hands were slightly wounded, and dark circles shadowed her exhausted eyes. She was completely drained, yet she remained fixated on her task.

  “…The Angel… The Rabbit Angel… I have to work… leave me alone.”

  Sara took the object from Zye’s hands, causing her to reach for it desperately. Sara hated seeing Zye in this state—this trance-like obedience where she would follow an order relentlessly until she colpsed from exhaustion.

  “Zye, I order you to stop working and obey me now!”

  Zye slowly rose to her feet as Kaia finally freed her from the shackles. However, the moment she stood, her legs gave out beneath her. Sara caught her just in time.

  “I’ll carry her,” the maid said, stepping forward. She lifted Zye onto her back with ease, as she was stronger than Sara.

  “We need to leave—now. I hear footsteps.”

  Sara, Kaia, and Zye rushed out of the cell. Sara still held the object in her hand before slipping it into her pocket. They quickly retraced their path in the opposite direction.

  But before they could escape, someone appeared in front of them.

  A woman with horns and a mask covering the lower half of her face stood in their way.

  She was one of the captains.

  The girls clenched their teeth as they recognized her.

  Captain Yuka stood before them, her katana already drawn.

  “Hand over the object and the girl if you value your lives.”

  For a few tense seconds, Ali’s group remained silent. Then, Ali spoke with a defiant tone as she met Yuka’s gaze.

  “If you want them, you’ll have to go through us first.”

  She took a defensive stance.

  None of them had weapons that could match a horned samurai.

  Pov Taiwo (A-B)

  Taiwo had been in her office since the morning, having witnessed the departure of the two groups. She had begun preparing and managing the meeting of the heads of state, which was set to begin the next day. All the heads of state from the southern countries had successfully arrived in the Kingdom of Okarie.

  She had spent time engaging in diplomatic discussions with the various leaders. It was more of an obligation than a genuine pleasure. Normally, she would have enjoyed having long conversations, but her mind was elsewhere—particurly on the mission she had entrusted to the two groups.

  Taiwo gently ran a hand over her shoulder. She had recently discovered that both Eliana and Mikki had gained powers, which seemed to be linked to the tattoos on their bodies. That meant it was entirely possible that she could receive one as well. What kind of power would she have? She also wondered how long the power would st and if, once the prophecy was fulfilled, she would still retain it.

  She received a phone call from her advisor, who informed her of something serious. It was already quite te, and an extremely rge rebel group was causing chaos in the city—a riot had suddenly broken out. Taiwo immediately ordered the police and soldiers to handle the situation and contain the unrest.

  Several minutes had now passed since Taiwo had been confined to her office, with no updates on what was happening outside. She crossed her arms, feeling a bit anxious. Suddenly, someone knocked on her door.

  She raised an eyebrow and quickly responded,

  "Enter!"

  Taiwo was completely unprepared for what stormed through the door—armed soldiers, with her political opponent, Lencho Ihejiraka, the representative of the conservative party, standing in the middle.

  "Your reign of terror is over, Taiwo. You have tainted the values and history of the Kingdom of Okarie. Surrender now—the conservative party will finally take power."

  A smug smile pyed at his lips as the soldiers approached her. The entire situation felt eerily simir to the dream she had had. She couldn't really defend herself—she was surrounded by military personnel. Slowly, she stepped forward, holding out her hands.

  "I surrender… I admit, a few days off might actually do me some good," she said, rolling her eyes.

  One of the soldiers cuffed her hands. Two others stood beside her, one on the left and one on the right, grabbing her by the arms and escorting her out of the office. Lencho sat on her desk with a smirk.

  "The pn is going as expected. I knew aligning myself with them was the best way to seize power."

  Taiwo’s ears twitched at those words. Had her political enemy allied himself with the Martyrs? Was that what she thought it was?

  For the moment, the two soldiers locked her inside her own bedroom, effectively holding her prisoner with no way out. Taiwo remained handcuffed. She approached the window, which overlooked the city. Her room was located at the very top of the building, giving her an unobstructed view.

  What she saw outside was pure chaos. Even without binocurs, she could see fights breaking out across the city, as if the people had gone completely mad and were on the verge of tearing each other apart.

  Taiwo couldn't bear the sight. She had tried everything to reunite the Firebirds as quickly as possible and devise a pn, but she had failed. She had run out of time, and she feared the Martyrs had won.

  She sat on her bed, staring at the floor. She didn't want to be useless. She didn't want to be forced to stay in her room, doing nothing. As she gazed downward, memories of her past helplessness flooded her mind.

  In the streets, a young Taiwo walked hand in hand with a little girl—a lioness named Awa. She was her daughter, who had recently turned six. It had been a year since Taiwo had left her job as a mere secretary to join the progressive party in the government of that time. She was well on her way to becoming the face of the party—young, dynamic, ambitious, and popur among the people.

  That day, she was heading to visit an exhibition—the grand opening of a showcase on future technologies. Since the progressive party had funded the exhibition, she was obligated to attend as a representative. She had brought her daughter along, as Awa had eagerly expressed a desire to see it.

  Mother and daughter arrived at the event, mingling with various citizens and other party representatives. After about half an hour, Taiwo stepped onto the stage and began her speech.

  "Thank you all for coming in such rge numbers to the Okarie 2700 exhibition—the first of its kind, focused on future technologies. The Independent Scientific Association of Okarie personally curated this exhibition, while our party funded it. I’d love to hear a big round of appuse for the team!"

  A wave of appuse erupted, and some members of the crowd even chanted her name in encouragement:

  "Taiwo for PM! Taiwo for PM!"

  The excitement was at its peak—until the sound of a gunshot echoed through the venue. The appuse and cheers immediately ceased. People looked around in panic. The victim was Awa.

  A bullet had struck her arms and legs. There was no blood, but she colpsed instantly.

  Taiwo stared in horror at her daughter. Everything that followed was a blur—paramedics and police swarming the scene, the rushed transport of Awa to the hospital.

  The shooter's identity was never discovered. Although Awa’s wounds healed, the bullets had been unique. The areas where she had been struck bore thin bck lines. After thorough testing, it was confirmed that the bullets had released a toxin. The doctors had no choice but to amputate. She was pced in a coma.

  Taiwo was devastated. In mere seconds, she had lost her daughter. Even though Awa was still alive, the shock was unbearable. She had no idea if her little girl would ever return to her old life.

  Years passed. Awa remained in her coma, while Taiwo rose to become the Prime Minister. She often wondered—had that attack on her daughter been orchestrated by her political rivals to weaken her and keep her away from power?

  Suddenly, Taiwo’s tattoo began to heat up, burning through her clothing. She couldn’t stop herself from releasing a loud, powerful roar. The windows of her room shattered into shards of gss.

  Afterward, she gasped for air, coughing from the strain on her throat. She had no idea what effect her power had, but she could feel it coursing through her.

  Taiwo remained on the floor, completely drained and desperate, with no clear escape pn. She was ready to give up—until a heavy voice broke through the silence.

  "I am the Prince of Okarie! Let me through! Guards, get rid of these rebels!"

  Sounds of battle erupted outside her door, and then suddenly, a tall blonde man with light blue garments stepped in.

  "I cannot believe the audacity of these rebels!"

  He entered the room, followed closely by Ladi, who hurried to Taiwo’s side.

  "Madam Prime Minister! I’m so relieved you’re safe! I was extremely worried about you!"

  Taiwo raised an eyebrow at their sudden arrival. It was as if her roar had drawn them here.

  "Fortunately, we heard your roar! We came immediately to rescue you! I had never heard anything like it before, but it filled my heart with hope!"

  Ladi smiled, clearly unharmed. Then, Taiwo’s gaze shifted to the prince—the heir to the kingdom. What was he doing here? He wasn’t alone. He had brought the royal guard, elite soldiers trained for combat.

  Taiwo stood up after Ladi freed her from the handcuffs.

  "You came to save me?"

  The prince nodded with a confident smile.

  "The coup wasn’t just against the government. They tried to overthrow my father as well. But of course, there are more soldiers loyal to the king than to the Prime Minister—no offense."

  Taiwo shook her head, unfazed.

  "It’s strange that the conservatives attacked the royal family… This could be an opportunity to turn the situation in our favor, Prince Tumisang."

  The prince flipped his hair in a showy manner before turning away.

  "It’s time to take back the power, Taiwo."