Chapter 73: Raid

The day aboard Agneya began with mourning. The five soldiers who had perished in the raid were placed in Agneya's mortuary. Later, their remains would be incinerated and returned to Eden, enriching the green gardens of the sanctuary city. That was how funerals were conducted in the sanctuary cities—life returning to life.

Thanks to our blue-class Guardians, including Sapphire, nearly thirty soldiers who had sustained injuries the previous day had now fully recovered and were ready for the next operation.

"We are changing our approach," Lieutenant Gwen announced, addressing us after a solemn twenty-minute mourning period. His voice echoed through the speakers, his tone steady and resolute. "Our strategy yesterday was ineffective. Today, we're implementing a new tactic. This time, we will send two Guardians with ten soldiers to scour the Darklands and eliminate nests as they appear."

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the briefing room. I just learned that most Guardians weren't morning people, and only a handful had attended the meeting in person. But Gwen didn't seem to mind—their familiars would relay the details to those who were absent.

"That's insane!" A Guardian's voice erupted through the intercom, laced with outrage. "We're in the Darklands—where even Guardians can die! How the hell can we send ordinary soldiers out there?"

Gwen and Freya, who stood at the front of the room, visibly tensed at the protest.

"We have a device on loan from Zenith that can assess the general danger level of nests and track the spread of Anathema in the area," Gwen explained, remaining composed. "We won't ask anyone to punch above their weight. And this time, Guardians are free to provide full support. Since most of you specialize in melee combat, our soldiers will serve as ranged support. We believe this will make for a more balanced strategy."

His voice carried unwavering authority, but the skepticism in the air was palpable.

With that, Gwen dismissed us and instructed us to prepare. We had two hours before departure.

I leaned against the fort's makeshift wall, watching the logistics crew repair the damage from the previous night's battle. The buzzing sound of their tools filled the air, accompanied by the occasional gust of wind that carried the dry scent of the Darklands. As I observed, I overheard a group of soldiers murmuring nearby.

"Ugh! Are we gonna be babysat by MGs again?" one of them grumbled.

"They should be focusing on making better weapons for us instead," another soldier muttered. "If they weren't so obsessed with playing heroes, we wouldn't have lost so many men yesterday."

A third soldier sighed, his voice weary. "Look, this is new for all of us—both them and us. I don't like it either. I hate that we're sending kids straight out of high school into this hellhole. They have no training, no discipline, and no real resolve. Before we could enchant weapons, we had no choice. But today, we do. I just hope the transition is smoother. I have kids their age… Sending teenagers to the front lines makes my blood boil."

Their words weighed on me.

They weren't entirely wrong.

Afterward, the soldiers made their way to the armory, where newly enchanted weapons awaited them. Yet, their words lingered in my mind, making me question the ideals and justice that Magical Girls upheld.

"They're not mad that we failed to protect their teammates?" I asked Felicia.

"It appears not. They seem to want more action, more equipment, and more responsibility," she replied. "We already have MGs dedicated to enchanting gear. The prototype for the full-body armor, NZ Type-0001, should be finished within a month. If an experienced soldier wears it, they should have the same combat capability as a normal D-rank Guardian."

"That's impressive," I murmured. "That means they'll be stronger than me."

"Nope. Your abilities already surpass those of a standard D-rank, Lily. You just haven't had the chance to take the ranking exam."

"I see. How do you know all this?"

"It was in a public report for Guardians in Guardian Command. The project is called the New Zenith Project."

I blinked in disbelief. "You're okay with that name?"

"We'll even celebrate with you if the project succeeds. Names are not important," Felicia replied, utterly unbothered.

But I knew the project would never truly succeed. Even if the armor proved efficient, it would never fully replace Guardians. Soldiers still needed Guardians to harvest Anathema's essence. The new extractors we had developed were promising, but both Guardians and Zenith's technology were still leagues beyond human capabilities.

"Do you think they'll succeed?" I asked, my voice tinged with skepticism.

"Any new way to fight Anathema is always welcome," Felicia admitted. "But the ambition of completely replacing Guardians seems… a little far-fetched."

Just then, an announcement chimed over the comms.

"Lily! You are assigned to Squad D8, together with Sapphire."

"Roger."

I felt my lips curve into a small smile. Being paired with Sapphire was a relief—at least I would be with someone I knew. I was still new to being a Magical Girl. I knew how to act when cameras were watching, but interacting with other people? That was different. I could do it, but I worried that my habits as Yuri would become too noticeable.

Two jeeps pulled up beside me, their engines rumbling softly. The deep blue of Sapphire's robe stood in stark contrast against the dusty brown vehicles. Sapphire and five soldiers climbed down. As the soldier gave a military salute, Sapphire waved at me, smiling.

"Reporting in! I'm Squad Leader Jamie! Squad D8, ready for action!"

"Alright, let's go," I replied.

"Let's go. I'll be the extractor, okay. Let us know if you start feeling nauseous. The miasma Anathema emitted in the Usurpation Zone can cause nausea, hallucinations, or even mental disorientation." Sapphire said.

"Understood." the soldiers saluted us again.

"Where are we headed?" I asked.

"Our designated coordinates are three kilometers east. The scan indicates Anathema concentrations are at E-level or below."

"Alright, let's move."

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Jeeps began rolling out from the fort, scattering toward their assigned locations. Dozens of them. I watched in silent awe.

"There must be over forty teams out here. Lieutenant Gwen really got things moving fast." I muttered.

"Freya and three other Guardians helped secure the Zenith's loan. Then they marked zones for us to reclaim." One of the soldiers replied.

"Whoa… Squad Leader, look at all this land. I've never left Eden before." Another soldier marveled. "It's just… empty. The only place with this much space back home was the harbor."

"We were pushed back by those monsters. But we'll take our Earth back, buddy." Jamie nodded. Fire of resolve burned in his eye.

"Did you support the Frontier Projects?" I asked, curious.

"Well…" The soldier hesitated. "Before I enlisted, I just hung around in the shelter, playing games. I thought the UNH was stupid for wasting resources on the Frontier Projects. I figured they just wanted to push the unwanted population out of the sanctuary cities. Never thought it actually mattered."

"You're not alone in thinking that."

"I mean… the old world was outdated, right? Eden is more advanced than this."

"Yes," Felicia answered.

The conversation faded, replaced by silence. We were all too entranced by the land stretching endlessly before us. There was nothing of value here—just ruins, broken roads, and lifeless fields.

But to us, it was priceless.

I had lived out here for a month.

I knew exactly how they felt. No matter how luxurious a hotel is, it could never replace home.

"Alright! We've arrived. Let's kick these monsters out!" Squad Leader Jamie declared.

"YEAH!!" Sapphire cheered, raising her fist in the air, joining the soldiers' enthusiasm.

Before us stood a towering skyscraper, its once-pristine glass façade shattered, leaving jagged edges like broken teeth. The soldiers rushed in, their boots crunching against debris. I kept my naginata close as we advanced into the building.

A gunshot rang out, followed by a shout.

"One hound! Eliminated."

"I'll begin the extraction!" Sapphire announced, dashing forward.

I grabbed her arm, halting her movement. "Wait! We're not sure if that area is clear. Another hound might jump in."

"Eh? But what about the essence?" She frowned.

"Your life comes first. It won't be funny if you get caught in a trap or ambush." I answered, activating my mana eyes.

My mana eyes could perform X-ray scans, detect infrared, and provide thermal imaging. However, they weren't perfect. Gypsum walls, which made up most of the building's structure, were easy to see through, but the concrete barriers near the elevators created unexpected blind spots.

"Hold your fire until they're close. Those critters will be turned into our bullets later! Show no fear, soldiers!" Jamie roared.

"Yes, sir!"

"Watch out, there are hounds behind that wall," I warned.

"Form up inside the room! Remember, focus fire on the closest ones. We'll bottleneck them in the hallway."

More hounds began pouring in, their snarls echoing through the building. Then, zombies started sprinting toward us, filling the air with their putrid stench. The soldiers held their ground at first, but soon, caution gave way to desperation as they unloaded their weapons without restraint.

Each shot tore through the Anathema, and their black essence spiraled toward Sapphire. The swirling darkness funneled into the vials in her hands, thickening with each defeated creature.

Then came the gagging.

"UEGHH!" Jamie and the others doubled over, vomiting up their breakfast. One by one, they collapsed to their knees, clutching their stomachs as an inexplicable nausea overtook them.

I immediately stepped in by summoning seven of my clones near the falling soldiers.

"Clones!"

"On it!" My clones materialized, seamlessly taking the soldiers' positions and cutting down the remaining Anathema. Their weapons slashed through flesh, their bullets finding their marks. The darkness thickened, then finally dispersed when there was nothing left to harvest.

I turned to the soldiers, scanning their pale, trembling faces.

"Alright, one vial is full… Are you guys okay?" Sapphire turned to her. I knew she wanted to help immediately, but she didn't. Blue must have advised her against it.

"Ugh… I feel sick. cough cough" Jamie wheezed, clutching his stomach.

"This one's unconscious." I dragged a soldier to the center of the room while my clones kept watch over the surroundings.

"On it. Rejuvenate." Sapphire cast her spell, and soon, the soldiers regained their vitality, their faces losing the sickly pallor.

"Ugh! That felt terrible. Are you guys okay?" Jamie asked me while rubbing his temples. I nodded.

"Some people are more sensitive to Anathema's essence. It can cause symptoms like panic attacks, nausea, or even unconsciousness." Felicia explained.

"And you guys are fine? Are those special privileges of becoming Guardian again?" Jamie asked, looking between Sapphire and me.

"Soul gems suppress the influence of the miasma, so we're mostly unaffected." Sapphire nodded.

One of the soldiers suddenly clenched his fists, his breathing ragged. "These guys were just small fry, right? If we passed out from a few weak ones, how the hell are we supposed to fight stronger Anathema?! This is useless!! We never should have left Eden in the first place!!" His voice cracked as tears welled in his eyes, and he curled up in a corner, shaking.

"Come on, man, toughen up. We screwed up this time, yeah, but we'll handle it. It's just the first engagement—we'll get better." One of his squadmates patted him on the back, trying to steady him.

"I'm an enchanter. Want me to enchant your mask?" Sapphire offered, tilting her head. "There's an option to increase your resistance to Anathema's influence."

"Wait, really? You can do that?" Jamie turned toward her, a glimmer of hope in his exhausted eyes.

Sapphire nodded. "It won't be a huge increase, but it should help. Blue told me to keep it minimal."

A voice slithered in from Sapphire's shoulder as her snake familiar, Blue, raised its head. "Ahem! Just to clarify—I told her to keep the enchantment minimal not because we need to conserve essence, but because those oppressive feelings you're experiencing might actually help you gauge the strength of Anathema. Since you don't have familiars to warn you when you're in over your heads, you'll need to rely on your instincts. If we block it too much, you might not realize when you're facing something way beyond your capability."

I blinked. That explanation actually made sense.

"By the way, we don't completely suppress the miasma for our girls, either," Felicia chimed in. "We just reduce it enough so it doesn't affect their performance. So, what you're feeling is perfectly normal."

"I don't feel anything at all," I countered, raising an eyebrow, wondering whether Felicia had somehow messed up with the tuning.

Felicia's tail flicked in annoyance. "Some people are naturally more resistant to miasma than others. Some… even seem to feel comfortable in it." She narrowed her eyes at me, as if accusing me of something.

I quickly looked away, pretending not to notice her pointed glare.

With Sapphire enchanting everyone's masks, the squad regained their composure. Their movements became steadier, their hands no longer trembling over their triggers.

With renewed vigor, we pressed forward, embracing the hell once again. This time, no one fainted or vomited.