Silence broken by the military vehicle, leaving behind prints of tire unto the muddy ground. Inside the caravan are Reapers armed with their Anima weapons, yet one seems to be completely out of the group.
A man in a formal attire, fitting for business meetings but he is neither a businessman nor a renowned researcher. After becoming 17 years old this year, an incident lead to him being enlisted as part of the 4th Division of Grim Reapers. Kevin Montefalco, a curious young lad whose in between normal human and anima-enhanced human, the weakest holder of Anima.
Not only that, the endless topics the girls put in their chattering placed Kevin in a feeling of isolation while he dwindles into a corner.
"—rare specimen, it'll be a waste if I don't get to observe you. Agree to it or not, you don't have much of a choice. Join the Grim Reapers."
Kevin remembered his encounter with that woman just a few days ago. During an incident with a recruit Reaper going rampant with Anima, an overflow occured and caused a small scale Anima explosion. Kevin, who was unfortunately in the blast radius, was caught up in the explosion. Any man could've been obliterated without trace, except for Reapers due to their innate Anima circuits, paths in the human body developed to flow Anima energy. Kevin survived the explosion, but was knocked out until he woke up after a few hours. He was then greeted by a woman in a video feed on a TV screen next to his bed and that's where it all began.
"Intel reported a small explosion towards our destination. It is nothing major, but it will cause small disturbance on the road. Please prepare for combat."
A voice announced on the small speaker installed at the top of the vehicle.
"Heard the comms, girls prepare to engage in combat!"
The four ladies then equipped themselves with the weapons installed at the back of the vehicle preparing until they've arrived to where the enemy Animas are. Kevin observed the four; one mature beauty, her name is Georgia, the leader of the Squad, armed with a cannon that seems to deal devastating damage; an optimistic gal, her happy-go-lucky nature keeps the morale up, in her hands is a halberd forged with the materials from Animas; next is an intellectual looking lady, calm and serious. A level headed woman, equipped with heavy gauntlets; and lastly is a confident one, her weapon is normal compared to the others, a sniper rifle capable of piercing armor, powered by Anima energy.
Kevin was not surprised, all his life the television was filled with modern heroes known as the Grim Reapers. Their returns closely watched by the people. He is now going to be part of them as one of those heroes, but doubt filled him. Asking whether it was just truly coincidental that he survived.
A loud thumping was heard from a distance, the Animus beasts finally descended, the four sets out to hunt.
"Karen, give us some cover while we charge ahead." the woman with the cannon commanded, the girl wielding the rifle— Karen nodded in response. Taking cover behind a tree, Karen aimed her scope towards her enemy.
"Five lesser Animus on sight, two the left while the other scattered on the right." Karen informed the four using their comms.
"Copied, we will be engaging the group with Denise and Hannah on the right. I'll take care of the two on the left."
Denise leaped, her gauntlets accelerating with thrusters, dense Anima energy providing fuel for the propulsion. In an instant she reached the enemy and used the momentum to deliver a blow to the Animus' armor.
Her opponent, a lesser Animus with the characteristics of a human, yet bulking with red armor skin. Quite small compared to the normal Animus, but large amongst the weaker variants.
Denise then jumped, thrusters on accelerating her spin while she descends, using the speed she gathered she swings a punch to the cracked part of the armor and penetrating her enemy's body with no chance to retaliate.
"That one's down, how is it going over there, Leader?"
"Just about to light them up." the leader charged up her cannon, the two Animus were already too late to notice as the cannon starts to light flaring bright. A centaur and insect type, both are speedsters while one relies on agility and the other carrying destructive force. However, no matter how fast they are; whether they would reach her or try to avoid the attack, it is meaningless.
The cannon charged up, ready to fire. Powered and filled with Anima energy, it was enough to overcharge and blow up Animus. Just as the two was about to charge ahead—
"Light them up, Fafnir!"
Firing a huge beam of Anima energy, the bright crimson light ate the Animus completely and the two were annihilated to dust as soon as the light vanishes.
Hannah on her side was parrying attacks from two Animus, an endless onslaught of strikes parried by her halberd, waiting for an opening. A loud shot was heard next, one of the Animus flinched from an explosive round, catching the other off guard. Hannah, finally seeing an opportunity to attack swung her Halberd onto the legs of the Anima before smashing her weapon onto it's body, crushing its core.
"And one more! Karen, a little challenge for you!" Hannah said as she called out to her friend to which Karen sighed in response, but of course it went unseen for the energetic woman.
Throwing her spear like a javelin, its speed was monstrous. It was a challenge of speed, whether Karen can hit from such a distance faster than Hannah, who's clearly in close quarters against the beast or will she lose to Hannah. A quite stupid and unfair challenge, Karen thought to herself everytime.
However, for Karen who's been on the rearguard ever since she was assigned to the squad providing support, sudden and quick events are never new to her. Never hesitating, she fired three shots to the enemy before Hannah could throw her weapon. To the legs, head and body, the explosive ammo destroyed the legs first, making it easier for the Anima to stumble, next was to the head whereas it sealed the deal by destroying the core, and the last to the body so that it will fall off, causing Hannah's halberd to miss.
In an instant Hannah's spear passed through their leader's, almost cleaving her shoulders but thankfully there was not a single graze.
"You try'na kill me here!! Do that again and I'll smash Fafnir in your sleep!"
Hannah was dead pale, retrieving her weapon which was sticking out on the ground while apologizing. On the other hand, Karen was quietly giggling.
"I should review my combat data then revise..." Denise muttered to herself while deep in thought.
Kevin, who saw all that has happened was in awe. Seeing them on television was one thing, but watching them fight fueled his curiosity and his enthusiasm. His innate curiosity unclouded his minds, although his doubts are still there his decision to join was solid.
Coming back to the vehicle, Kevin greeted them from their successful hunt.
"Good work outside, the way you all fight was really interesting."
The four stared in space for a second, before brushing it off as they enter.
"Naturally." Karen responded as she was the first to step put inside the vehicle.
"Haha, sorry about that! It's actually her first time engaging with a man in a while." the leader laughed it off as she enters next. While the Hannah smugly entered after doing a victorious pose.
"Call me big sister!" so she said.
The one who practically ignored him was Denise, who was busy analyzing her combat data during her previous battle.
"Although it's pretty powerful, the cost was pretty--" so she muttered as she enters the vehicle. Kevin couldn't help but put up a strained smile.
A handful of minutes later, they finally arrived at their Base. Stationed at one of the sectors that was reclaimed in Quezon City, exclusively called as a Soul Retriever Sector after it's reclamation from the grasps of swarming Animus. Quite the overkill for a base, however the space was much needed for the development of weapons, research facilities, and much more. Although this was a base made to accommodate Reapers, it is without a doubt brimming with normal men. Many victims were sent to the district to live, since it was the first in the city to be reclaimed.
"Compared to your place, this is pretty amazing right!?" Hannah was really enthusiastic towards introducing and guiding their new member to their new place.
"It does look quite developed. It's my first time seeing such tall buildings almost everywhere." Kevin answered, staring at the sector with awe.
"According to the leader, you will be staying at the base with Dr. Lianne. A fair bit of warning, that woman's pretty weird." Karen informed Kevin.
"You've met her before?"
"Naturally, our weapons—these Anima equips were mostly modified and maintained by her." Karen answered while presenting her rifle. It's design was made to be mobile and agile, most of the firepower was handled by Anima.
"You could say that she's basically the one in charge to this squad, working under the 4th division's commander." Georgia added. "But never mind that for now, since the Doctor was really eager to get you quick, she didn't gave us any details as to why she wants you, except that you are the same as us. I want to ask, how did you awaken your innate Anima?"
"Awaken my Anima?" Kevin raised his eyebrow, such a thing never occured to him nor did he realized it.
"Perhaps that time during the accident." Kevin suddenly thought.
"No way, you're telling me you didn't undergo through one? Then you might be the same as our genius here!", Georgia was surprised for a moment, before immediately facing towards Denise, who's quietly reading. "Hey Denisee! This guy's also had a silent awakening. Quite surprising eh?"
Although Georgia loudly announced it to Denise, the lady simply gave an uninterested glimpse before going back to her tablet.
"Ahem— going back, since you don't know much about 'awakenings' let your leader teach it to you!", smiling proudly, Georgia seemingly took out her glasses out of nowhere and wore it.
"Listen carefully young man, Reapers undergo a process of Awakening before they can wield Anima. Each process is different according to what type of Anima user they are. Reapers who experience pain or strain in the body is usually the result of forced physical capability enhancement, although their output of Anima is low, their bodies are enhanced, allowing them to get superhuman capabilities. For example here is Hannah, she's a melee combatant thanks to her strong physical ability."
"Since my Anima output is low I tend to focus on using weapons that require less Anima. That's why I have this precious partner of mine!!" Hannah added as she swings her halberd. Georgia giggled due to Hannah's response and nodded.
"Secondly, there are Reapers who experience a quick and sudden outburst of Anima. As you can probably tell, they have high output of Anima. That's why me and Karen focus on using weapons that rely completely on Anima."
Noticing something about what Georgia said, he raised his hand. "But if that's the case then how about the people close around you when that happens?"
Georgia can't help but let out a smile from Kevin's question. "You see, an unawakened can't let out harmful energy yet. Their Anima energy aren't as developed yet. Think of it as an empty air to widen out the flow of Anima. Of course it's another matter if a fully awakened Reaper went rampant with their Anima."
"Arriving at Grim Reaper Base within 10 minutes." a robotic voice spoke through the comms inside the vehicle announcing their arrival.
"Crap, as much as I want to explain the supremacy of ranged Reapers I guess we gotta cut it short." Georgia jokingly stated after hearing the announcement.
"For Reapers like you, a silent awakening can only mean that you neither have a superhuman capabilities nor high Anima output. Silent Reapers is in the middle, a balanced Reaper which has a good output and better capabilities than your average human."
"Reapers like that can fully utilize their Anima to whatever application they need it for, we can call them as technical Reapers--", just as Georgia was about to add more, Denise finally puts down her tablet.
"I sure do hope that wasn't our official tagging or else it wouldn't be a good name to go by." Denise says, interrupting Georgia's lecture.
"Oh, finally finished reviewing your data? That took a real while, did you get shy with a boy being here?" Georgia smirked teasingly.
"Yes and no, I did your job LEADER. The report is finished. I hope you didn't forget we have to make every report of anything that occured right?" Denise stated with a smile, yet her eyes shows otherwise.
Laughing nervously, the leader got quickly flustered. "Haha..thank you as always! With you here I got nothing to worry about!"
"As always...?" Kevin thought to himself.
"No need, I actually needed to review my data so I might as well make the report. But I hope you better not slack off." Denise said, while Karen was laughing, Hannah was all "That's right, Leader! Repent! Treat us pizza!"
Kevin can't help but smile in such a fun and warm scene.
"It seems like everyday's going to be interesting." Kevin thought as they await for the few minutes remaining until they arrive at the Base.