/---/
The powerful explosion equivalent to a Tomahawk missile strike left everyone stunned. Kana, with her last effort, unleashed a massive attack that drained her strength, causing her to faint afterward.
Lisa and the others, exhausted and powerless, realized they had been soundly defeated in the battle against Ronan, who seemed to have successfully completed his mission, albeit with unexpected complications.
Lisa, as the party leader, tried to muster the strength to stand, although her legs trembled uncontrollably from fatigue. However, she felt relieved because the threat of danger had disappeared, or so she thought.
But Lisa's thoughts were cut short. She didn't account for the fact that Ronan was still alive. With halted steps, she stared at the blaze where the silhouette of a man was approaching.
"No way..." she muttered in disbelief. Ronan, despite his shirt being burnt and charred, still stood tall with his intact Noah-made exoskeleton. Although his combat attire had lost its strength after withstanding the explosion, the man remained alive.
"Damn..." Lisa also finally fainted, her vision fading as she fell. The last thing she saw was Ronan's cold and expressionless face, now no longer wearing the mask.
Meanwhile, Ronan let out a light sigh, then turned towards the frightened Salamander, as if wanting to hide himself within the flames.
Ronan glanced at the fearful Salamander, pondering for a moment before retrieving a communication device from his pocket. With a calm and firm demeanor, he pressed the button on the Talkie Walkie.
"Alpha team, this is Ronan. The mission is complete in the field. Need immediate extraction," he said firmly through the device.
From the other end, a calm yet authoritative voice sounded from the communication device, "[Acknowledged, Ronan. Extraction team is en route. Stay vigilant and hold your position.]"
Ronan nodded, "Understood, Alpha team. I'll await at the extraction point." Then, with skilled movements, he stored away the communication device and prepared to wait for the extraction team's arrival.
After sending out the request for assistance, Ronan waited patiently at the location. A few moments later, a rumbling sound echoed above the foggy forest. Ronan looked up at the sky, and amidst the thick clouds, the silhouette of a helicopter emerged.
The helicopter floated low over the forest, gracefully penetrating the thick fog. The dim sunlight reflected off the helicopter, creating a dramatic and beautiful scene within the circle of mist.
As the helicopter landed, the still-frightened Salamander felt the ground tremble beneath it and was mesmerized by the presence of the large, noisy object. Although it still whimpered and tried to move away, a sense of curiosity towards something they had never seen before began to emerge. There was a slight tameability seen in the reptile, which previously only showed aggression.
Ronan carefully secured the captured adventuring party, bringing them aboard the helicopter. However, for the young Salamander that showed signs of tameability, Ronan ensured it remained subdued by administering a high dose of tranquilizers. Although the reptile appeared tame, there was still caution to be maintained, especially considering the many people from the modern world becoming residents of Britannica.
After securing the sleeping reptile with the rope usually used to haul tanks to the helicopter, they departed for headquarters. That day, the disappearance of an adventuring party in the fantasy world was not uncommon, as life in this world often found itself in perilous situations. Each person lived their own lives, with some harboring worries stemming from the anxiety of losing their possessions. And in this world, it was often those with power who determined the direction of others' lives.
/---/
At that moment, Ronan stood tall before Takeru in his office. His facial expression reflected a mix of nervousness and hope for praise from his superior, who was reading his mission report.
Takeru, after carefully reading the report, let out a slow sigh and placed the report notes back on his desk. He then straightened his posture and looked at Ronan with a sharp gaze.
"Good job, Ronan. Well done for your first mission," Takeru said calmly yet appreciatively.
Ronan felt relieved to hear praise from his superior. His nervousness slowly dissipated, replaced by pride in his accomplishments. It was the moment he had been waiting for, when his hard work was acknowledged and appreciated by Takeru, a figure he respected and revered.
"Yes, Noah will surely be pleased to see it," Ronan replied with a thin smile. Although he didn't always agree with Noah's eccentric methods, he acknowledged that his genius was undeniable. And if anyone could benefit from this situation, it would be Noah with all his unexpected experiments.
Elsewhere, a researcher was incessantly sneezing, causing those around him to start worrying about his health. Some might think he was sick, or perhaps it was just an allergic reaction to something unknown.
"Well, whatever it is, it's good. And, Ronan, you can go back to your place and rest for the people you brought, let me think about what we're going to do with them," Takeru said.
"Thank you, Sir," Ronan replied politely. He nodded respectfully and promptly left the room, knowing there were some details he needed to check after their successful mission.
As Ronan exited the room, he inadvertently crossed paths with someone he knew well—a man of large stature and height, with a rugged face. Judging by the situation, it seemed this man was also summoned by Takeru.
Being someone who didn't want to bother and was reluctant to think critically unless in urgent situations, Ronan ignored the man and returned to his place to rest.
/---/
After Ronan left, the large man entered, where the guard at Takeru's door greeted him differently than Ronan did before. With firm steps, the man entered and stood before Takeru, who was reading another report from his assistant, Clara.
"Orcanus," Takeru welcomed the arrival of the large man with seriousness, realizing that there was something important to be discussed.
The man, Orcanus, stood tall in front of Takeru with a calm yet firm demeanor. His rugged face showed the experience and authority he possessed.
"I've come at your request, my Lord," Orcanus said with a voice resonating in the silence of the room.
Takeru nodded, indicating that he was ready to listen to what the man had to say. The two of them then began to discuss important matters, while Clara, standing by, waited for further instructions.