"Set up a defense perimeter!"2nd Lieutenant Campbell ordered after hopping out of the ck Hawk. He looked at their surroundings with a scrutinizing gaze. Meanwhile, the marines swiftly scattered into their respective positions.


    Following the Marines were the expeditionary research teams.They stepped out of the transport helicopterswith grace and observed the rough terrain of the northern teau.


    They held their briefcases tightly in their fingers and slowly ced them on the ground. Afterward, they slowlytook outvital and sensitive equipment for the resource deposit inspections.


    Some marines took out various crates and rapidly constructed a temporary tent formandand contrlong witmunication.


    They also dispersed barbed wire fences in the defensive perimeter for extra defense.


    The ck Hawks turned their rotors offandthe pilots calmly waited for the entirety of the operation to end. It was still morning, and the day had just begun for the task force personnel.


    "Sir, the COC Tent has been built!"A marine reported with a salute. Campbell nodded at the guy and walked towards the spoken tent.


    Insideitwere various oldmunication hardware that could beeasilyabandoned during an emergency evacuation.


    Amunication officer was operating the hardware and immediately turned it on. Buzzes resounded throughout the tent as Campbellcoollywaited to hear the highmand.


    After a couple of seconds, a voice escaped themunication hardware.


    *2nd Lieutenant Campbell, congrattions on your sessfulnding and construction of the temporary COC tent. As said before, the limit of this operation is five hours.*


    *After that, results must be givenandthe task force must return to the port. Be careful of any dangers that might tread in your area. Our personnelhaven''tfinished sketching a topographic map of the ind.*


    *Apaches are ready to support when called upon. Bravo Task Force has also sessfullynded in the eastern grasnd. Good luck in your operation, 2nd Lieutenant.*


    It was the FleetAdmiral''svoice, and he reminded the 2nd Lieutenant of the mission along with the warnings he had given the toon leader.


    "Affirmative, Fleet Admiral Shepherd. The area is currently securedandfences have been set up. The apex of the northern teau seemed to be empty of anything, but the marines will maintain our vignce."


    2nd Lieutenant Campbell reported while his bluish irises pointed at the beautiful scenery of the vast evergreen forest of the ind. Beauty always hides its venom.


    One must not be blinded by it.


    "Sir Campbell, the resource deposit inspection has begun."A research personnel stood before the tent and ryed the true beginning of the operation.


    Campbell turned to look at the research personnel and nodded in understanding. But he also asked animportantquestion to the researcher.


    "How long will the inspection take?"The operation had five hours as its limit. They needed toplete it within this duration for the mission to be concluded a sess.


    The research personnel thought about it for some time and soon answered the 2nd Lieutenant with confidence.


    "It should take 3 hours at most for aplete inspection. Of course, this is under the assumption of noplexities during theperiod of the inspection."


    "Ifplexitiesdoappear, an hour might be added to the time scale."


    While the research personnel was confident, hemustn''tignore the truth. They trusted their capabilities as researchers, but the world was asplex asit wassimple.


    "Isee… Thank you for your service. The Marines and I willbe defendingthis position until the inspection ispleted."The 2nd Lieutenant said with a smile.


    The research personnel merely nodded and took off to do his own job. Campbell was left alone in the tent, thinking about what should be done if certain circumstances emerged.


    After some timeof thinking, he shook his head as he realizedthatthere was no need to waste his time on imaginary situations.The orders given to him were clear.


    Protect the inspecting research personnel and take them out of the location safely.


    Nothing more, nothing less.


    Taking this into ount, Campbell walked out of the tent and started helping the Marines in their duties of defending and surveying the area.


    On the other hand, the expeditionary research personnel started digging through the hard surface of the northern teau with a drilling tool. It was necessary, but it also made loud resounding noises.


    "The rocks of this teau are a lot harder than usual."


    "Well, we can investigate itsposition after returning to the Port of Dawn."


    "Iguess so,I''lltake a sample."


    One of the research personnel took out a stic bag and ced a rock dispersed bythedrillingof their equipment inside ofit.


    After zipping the stic bag, he allocated it into one of their empty briefcases.


    Two hours passed…


    The drilling continued for some time as the research personnel inspectedthe results of their inspectionevery half an hour.The results of the drilling were surprising, to say the least.


    "It''stotally different from an hour ago."One research personnel remarked. They might have discovered a new mineral from the results they were receiving.


    "That''sright, but this ce is a gold mine, metaphorically and literally."The reason was that there were tons of veins underground. It was the best they had seen In their careers.


    "There''sa reason why the Fleet Admiral considers thisasanother world."Theleader of the expeditionary research team grinned at the results of their inspection.


    "However, what about that strange-looking mineral?"One of the research personnel questioned.As said before,the results of their current drilling were differentfrom an hour ago.


    It wasmostlybecause of the strange-looking mineral they had discovered in their inspection. It was totally different from the known elements in their knowledge as it exuded excellent properties rarely gained by a single material.


    "Ihave reported to 2nd Lieutenant Campbell about it."The leader responded to the question whilealsosecuring the strange-looking mineral they had discovered.


    "Nheless, a mineral with greater tensile strength than tungsten, while also beingharder thanchromium,and lighter than titanium.This is a great discovery that could revolutionize us."


    The expeditionary leader felt enamored by its improbable yet real existence. Such was the result of the new world,and it madethe curious researchers wonder about its mysteries.


    How much knowledge could they gain from this new world? What were its secrets? If magic does exist, will they be able to do it? And if they could, how could they do it?


    There were tons of questions within their minds, but they could only patiently wait for such wondrous questions to be answered. After all, it was merely the beginning.


    The story of the United Navy had just begun.


    Meanwhile, in the COC tent was the 2nd Lieutenant of the Marines. He had finished reporting the recent discoveries of the expeditionary research team during their drilling and mineral inspection.


    *That mineral your task force has discovered sounds interesting, 2nd Lieutenant Campbell. I want you to bring samples of it back into the Port of Dawn for research.*


    *At any rate,it looks likeyou have aplished your mission in their northern teau. Since the operation has beenpleted, your return is expecte-*


    Out of nowhere, the transmission from the other side got cut off. 2nd Lieutenant Campbell froze for a moment and became dumbfounded.


    It only took a second for him to return back. Campbell turned his gaze towards themunication operator and questioned.


    "What just happened?"


    "Communication was interrupted from the other side, Sir.It seems thatsomething must have happened for the Fleet Admiral to promptly break the transmission."Themunication operator exined.


    A couple of minutester, the voice of the Fleet Admiral escaped the grasp of the hardware.


    *2nd Lieutenant Campbell, are you there?*


    "This is 2nd Lieutenant Campbell, Fleet Admiral. Did something happen?"Campbell questioned whether a problem might have emerged in themand center.


    *An assault just urred on the Bravo Task Force, 2nd Lieutenant. The situation in the eastern grasnd ispromised. ording to their reports, a herd of gigantic scaled-skin boars charged at them out of nowhere.*


    *Itwouldn''tbe problematic if they were normal wild pigs, but sadly, they were far from normal.*


    *The assants are the same size as a pick-up truck, making them problematic.It''salso been proven that they love sponging bullets.Only grenadeunchers, 50-caliber guns, and anti-tankunchers couldtake them down with ease.*


    *Fortunatelythough, the Bravo Task Force managed to retreat with reliable data. No deaths urred, but some were slightly injured in the encounter.*


    *After deliberation, we have concluded that Apaches will be sent to support your Exfil. Have the ck Hawks get their rotors running and immediately leave the area.*


    *Apache''sestimated time should be five minutes.*


    *Take care, 2nd Lieutenant Campbell, Out.*


    The news given by the Fleet Admiral made Campbell astounded. But he quickly regained his bearing and furrowed his eyebrows.


    Local wildlife on this ind were stranger than they had previously thought. To think there would be giant wild boars with scaled skins.


    "Ry the orders of the Fleet Admiral. I want us to Exfil in three minutes!"Campbell ordered themunication operator to ry the orders.


    Their situation wasbad, especially with the confirmed existence of alien wildlife.


    "Understood, Sir."Themunication operator nodded and scattered the orders throughout the Alpha Task Force.


    With the news of the rapid Exfil, the marines swiftly fortified the defensive positions even morewhilethe expeditionary research personnel worked on the clock to take back their sensitive and expensive equipment to their briefcases.


    Theydidn''tknow why they were being withdrawn so quickly, but somethingbadmust have happened in the operation.


    Both theresearch and military personnel were in no rank or status to question the orders of the 2nd Lieutenant. Especially when such orders came from the Fleet Admiral.


    However, things could only be even moreplicated.


    After all, in the outskirts of the northern teau, a predator stalked the Alpha Task Force with its predatory gaze. It hid amongst the dead bushes of theteau''sbase. However…


    There was no way it could escape from the scrutinizing gaze of the Marines.


    *Bang!*


    And so, it began.


    The y of the hunt and the hunted.