The faint tremors started at dawn.
Kael crouched beside Ravager, checking the thermal response on its right forearm where the plating had slightly overheated from the last skirmish. Tyren stood nearby, his mecha Brawler silently looming with its new upgraded cooling units flickering in a soft blue hue.
From the slope of their new base, the duo observed the faint trail of something large—massive, clawed prints leading deep into the dim jungles of R22's mutated terrain.
"Tracking says it's about a hundred meters in size, weight estimate…" Tyren paused, reading the scanner. "…around eighty tons. Movement slow, irregular. Might be wounded or just heavy."
Kael clicked his jaw, eyes narrowing. "It's been walking in circles. Like it's guarding something."
Tyren loaded his autocannons. "Guarding or luring?"
Kael didn't respond immediately.
But inside his mind, something buzzed. Not fear. Focus.
This wasn't just another hunt. R22's Kaiju were evolving. Growing bolder. Stronger. Hungrier.
---
By midday, the two had ventured out.
Tyren marched ahead in Brawler, radar scanning in wide arcs. Kael followed from a higher ridge, Ravager leaping from platform to platform, moving more like a predator than a machine.
They found it by a ravine, curled like a hunchbacked mountain—covered in black, rock-like fur, its claws dragging across the gravel with metallic screeches.
A Kaiju bear, hunched, drooling, its breath steaming in the unnatural cold.
Kael whispered through comms, "That's not fur. That's armor plating fused with stone."
"Then we'll have to peel it off."
Tyren fired first.
A sonic slug slammed into the beast's shoulder.
The Kaiju didn't flinch.
Then—it turned.
And roared.
The sound wasn't like any they had heard before—it shook the metal inside their suits. The very ground beneath them cracked as it stomped forward with terrifying speed.
"Shit—MOVE!"
---
The Kaiju lunged.
Its massive claw slashed through the air like a collapsing tower. Kael dodged left, barely missing the arc as Ravager's frame grinded into the earth. Brawler was struck—not a direct hit—but the side plating was dented and cracked.
"Armor integrity 79%—dammit!" Tyren swore.
Kael responded by launching two burst rounds from his arm-mounted railgun, aiming at the joint under the creature's shoulder.
The shots struck.
The Kaiju shrieked and spun wildly, throwing up dust and shards of ironlike foliage.
Kael tried to close in—but the beast twisted with inhuman agility and bit down on Ravager's forearm.
Alarms blared in Kael's cockpit.
"HYDRAULIC LINE RUPTURED – SYSTEM BLEED IN PROGRESS"
Kael growled. "Get me space—NOW!"
Tyren charged in.
Brawler slammed into the Kaiju from the side like a freight train, sending both skidding across the ravine floor. The mecha was designed for such brawls—but even Tyren felt the jarring backlash as claws raked deep into his side armor.
Blood—Kaiju blood—splashed across the ravine wall.
It was thick, black, and steaming.
Kael pulled free, Ravager sparking at the arm joint but still mobile. He leapt backward, recalibrating weight balance and switching primary weapon mode.
Plasma Lance – Engaged
Tyren circled around. "It's smart. Too smart."
"No. It's just been fighting things like us for a long time."
The Kaiju raised both claws and pounded its chest, then charged.
Kael waited.
Five meters.
Four.
Three.
"NOW!"
Brawler came from the side again—but this time, Kael launched Ravager directly into the creature's face, driving the plasma lance into its eye.
The beast howled, its claw smashing Ravager into the dirt like a ragdoll.
Cockpit shook. Kael's nose bled. The HUD flickered red.
He couldn't move his left arm anymore. Not inside the cockpit—and not in real life.
But he smiled.
"Tyren, your turn."
Tyren roared into the comm. "Let's FINISH this!"
Brawler gripped the creature from behind and twisted its head as Kael, with all remaining strength, drove the lance deeper—
Until the Kaiju collapsed, bleeding from the mouth, twitching, and then—silent.
---
The two mecha stood over the twitching corpse.
Both damaged. Both sparking.
The entire ravine reeked of burnt flesh, ozone, and leaking coolant.
Inside Ravager, Kael breathed hard. His visor was cracked. His arm hung limp. But his eyes—were still sharp.
Tyren coughed inside the comms. "Remind me to never fight a hunched mutant bear again."
Kael's voice was flat. "You say that every time."
He activated the beacon to summon the Lugger—the transport mecha parked near their base.
Then, tapping into the private comm, Kael buzzed Ryssa.
"Bear Kaiju down. Uploading carcass report. We're hauling it back for dissection and fuel extraction."
There was silence for a moment.
Then Ryssa's voice—strained, relieved, and amused all at once—broke in.
"You're both insane. But damn… I'm glad you're on my side."
Kael smirked. "We're not on anyone's side. We're still 404."
She didn't respond immediately. Then—
"Understood. But ma
ybe I'll make an exception and name a fleet after you."
Kael closed the comm before he could blush.
Tyren saw it.
"Dude…"
"Don't."
"Dooooood—"