Right beneath the buzzing, flashing broken light, a high-tech armored and armed soldier stood beside a heavily armored vehicle. The soldier removed the protective headgear covering his face and pulled out a cigarette, taking a moment to relish the smoke as it escaped his mouth in a cloud of relief. His chest bore the symbol of Obsidian Corporation, the logo of a shard of obsidian prominently displayed beneath the words "Obsidian Corporation."
"How's the coast there?" crackled the radio. The soldier took a pull from his cigarette.
"It's quiet and peaceful. Like before the Fracture," he replied.
A few soft grunts and crashes emanated from the gas station behind him, startling the soldier.
"Are you all good in there? Did Ethan fall again?" he asked, a smirk playing on his lips.
The radio responded with static before a voice came through. "Fuck you too, Eric."
Eric chuckled, leaning against the vehicle. "Holy shit, you won't believe what we just found."
"Who? Ethan's mom?" Eric teased.
"Nope. Remember that whore in the Jumbo District? What was her name? Ana?" the voice on the radio asked.
"Yeah, I remember her," Eric replied.
"Well, we're about to have fun. Wanna tag in?"
Cut to the gas station shop. Four other soldiers stood side by side, one of them, Ethan, clicked on his radio, waiting for Eric's response, but only static met his ears.
"Fucking saint," Ethan muttered under his breath.
Cut back to outside the shop, where Eric's lifeless body lay on the cold street, blood seeping from his mouth. A few zombies lurched toward the gas station.
Cut back to the inside of the shop. "Yo, let me go up first," Ethan said, putting down his gun and walking toward a corner.
A sudden crash echoed through the room, causing Ethan to stop and turn around, his heart racing. The other soldiers followed suit, tense and alert.
"Finally decided to join, huh?" Ethan quipped, trying to mask his nerves.
A zombie's growl pierced through the back as it rushed into the room, tackling the nearest soldier. As more zombies flooded in, the soldiers opened fire, chaos erupting around them.
After the sudden upheaval, silence enveloped the shop. All soldiers remained on guard.
"Clear?" one soldier asked, glancing around.
"Clear," the others, including Ethan, responded in unison.
Ethan turned his focus back to the corner. There, huddled in fear, sat a girl with space buns, wearing a heavy oversized coat, tactical long baggy pants, and a pastel pink tank top. She trembled, surrounded by the soldiers, her wide eyes filled with terror.
Suddenly, the roof above them broke. In the girl's perspective, Haruka descended from the shattered ceiling, illuminated by the moonlight, katana in hand.
Haruka landed on one of the soldiers, piercing through his helmet with his katana. He locked eyes with the remaining soldiers, a fierce glare settling on Ethan.
"FIRE!" Ethan shouted as the soldiers opened fire. Haruka sliced off the arms of one soldier, leaving him bleeding and screaming on the ground. A soldier fired at Haruka, but he swiftly dropped to the ground, kicking the soldier's knee and breaking it. In one fluid motion, Haruka twirled, placing his katana against the soldier's neck, his gaze burning with anger directed at Ethan.
With a swift slash, he opened the soldier's neck and stood up, surveying the chaos around him.
Ethan seized the moment, picking up his gun and preparing to fire. A zombie stumbled into the room, and Haruka decapitated it effortlessly. Seizing the opportunity, Ethan kicked Haruka's katana away and held him at gunpoint.
Haruka raised his hands in surrender, but Ethan sneered, "So this is the OTHER mask wielder. Obsidian knows you VERY well."
Haruka's gaze flickered to the girl, and they exchanged a brief glance. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled heavily. The cylinders on his mask began to rise once again, the petals shifting and straightening out. The girl, sensing her chance, bolted for the exit.
Ethan glanced back at her, momentarily distracted. Haruka took advantage of the opening, hitting the gun away, head-butting Ethan, and following through with a flying knee that sent him reeling back to one knee.
Haruka rolled away, retrieving his katana just as Ethan raised his gun again. In a decisive move, Haruka sliced off Ethan's shoulder, sending his headless body crumpling to the ground.
Cut to outside the gas station, where Haruka walked out, sheathing his katana while holding Ethan's head in one hand. He raised it high for a moment before dropping it to the ground, his attention shifting to the nearby bush.
Suddenly, the girl leapt out from behind the bush, wielding a broken piece of glass. Haruka sidestepped effortlessly, tripping her in the process. She fell to the ground, losing consciousness.