MIGHT AS WELL BE OP-Chapter 403: First Mission

He threw his head back and laughed, nearly doubling over as his drink sloshed in its cup.

"Haha! This just keeps getting better!"

Even Reynold cracked a grin, though it was tinged with disbelief.

"This is absurd… You skipped ranks like they were stairs in a hallway"

Anthony offered no defense.

He didn't need to.

His presence had already spoken louder than any resume.

The table, now cluttered with empty cups and open bottles, bore witness to a rare moment of unity.

They hadn't moved since the day before.

No one had suggested rest, and no one had needed it.

Suddenly, Anthony's phone vibrated.

He retrieved it swiftly, eyes narrowing as he read the message displayed on the screen.

It was from Colonel Vazeryth.

[Colonel Vazeryth: Report to my office]

Anthony's thoughts began to race, analyzing the possible reason behind the abrupt summons.

'Our first mission'

The possibility formed in his mind like a spark igniting a fuse.

With a quiet motion, he placed the cup in his hand gently onto the table, its soft clink the only sound in the room.

Then, pushed himself up from the chair.

"Where are you headed?"

Reynold asked, his gaze settling on Anthony.

"I've been summoned by Colonel Vazeryth. It's likely about a mission"

Anthony replied, slipping his phone back into his space ring with a flick of his hand.

"Our first mission together... I wonder what it's about this time"

Seraphim mused aloud, her voice calm as she poured herself a glass of alcohol.

"I won't be long"

Anthony said, and in the next instant, space warped around him.

He vanished, reappearing directly in front of Colonel Vazeryth's door.

There was no need to waste time flying through the entire base.

Anthony raised his hand and knocked firmly on the door.

"Come in"

Colonel Vazeryth's voice from within, deep and composed.

Anthony pushed the door open and entered, his footsteps measured as he approached.

He stopped a respectful distance from the Colonel's desk, standing at attention.

"How is the team I assigned to you? I trust they aren't causing any trouble"

Vazeryth asked, lifting his head to meet Anthony's gaze with a calm, evaluative expression.

"Everything is in order, sir"

Anthony responded promptly, his voice clear and assured.

Colonel Vazeryth allowed a brief smile to curve his lips before speaking again.

"It's time for your first mission"

The air seemed to thicken with the weight of his words, the atmosphere shifting as if something significant was unfolding.

A still silence lingered between them for a few moments, neither of them breaking it.

Then, with a swift motion, a file materialized in the Colonel's hand.

Without hesitation, he tossed it toward Anthony, who caught it with practiced ease.

The file's surface bore the bold lettering of the mission details.

[Mission Title: Black Zone Recon: Operation Dead Silence]

[Mission Type: Reconnaissance]

"Read it"

Vazeryth commanded, his tone firm and direct.

Without hesitation, Anthony flipped open the file, his eyes scanning the three pages in an instant.

His gaze remained steady as he absorbed the contents.

[Mission Location: The Bleeding Hollow Zone, a warped, semi-collapsed landscape corrupted by chaotic energy. A tear in space-time, born from past elemental or demonic disasters. The atmosphere is thick with chaos, mana storms, unstable terrain, and mutated creatures]

[Mission Objective:

> A squad of five Lieutenant ranked soldiers was dispatched into the Bleeding Hollow ten days ago for reconnaissance and threat assessment.

> All communications have ceased. No emergency signals. No corpse retrieval. No signs of retreat.

> Lead a five-man squad of Lieutenant ranked soldiers to investigate, recover any survivors, and report on the nature of the threat]

Anthony's expression remained impassive, his face betraying no hint of emotion.

He met the Colonel's gaze, waiting silently for further instructions.

The Colonel's voice broke the silence, steady and composed.

"As you've read, your mission is to the Bleeding Hollow Zone. I'm certain you're unfamiliar with the location, but a map will be provided for your reference"

He paused, allowing the words to settle before continuing.

"We're unsure of the exact cause, but the demons in that region have become unusually active. A reconnaissance team was dispatched to assess the situation before we made any strategic decisions. However, all communication has since been severed. We have no intel on what's occurring, and we cannot afford to rush in blindly"

Colonel Vazeryth's gaze sharpened as his eyes locked with Anthony's, a subtle intensity creeping into his voice.

"This is a reconnaissance mission, which means no combat unless absolutely unavoidable. Your task is to gather every bit of information you can. If you must engage, do so only when there's no other choice. The priority is to return safely and report"

He let the words hang in the air for a moment, ensuring the gravity of the situation was clear.

Anthony remained unmoved, his calm demeanor unbroken.

His eyes didn't flicker, and he showed no sign of hesitation as he absorbed the Colonel's instructions.

"It's good to see you're composed"

Colonel Vazeryth remarked, his voice carrying an approving note.

"You have only today to prepare. Your team will be expected to depart tomorrow"

He paused for a moment, then his tone shifted, becoming unexpectedly softer.

"This is your first mission. I trust you won't start off with a poor record. And above all, return alive"

Anthony nodded solemnly in acknowledgment, his resolve unwavering.

"Dismissed"

The Colonel intoned, his voice final and commanding.

Without another word, Anthony turned and exited the room.

As the door closed quietly behind him, he walked with a steady, unhurried pace, his thoughts clear and focused.

'My first mission'

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Anthony's lips as he continued down the hallway.

Then, without warning, he vanished, his presence fading as he teleported.

Anthony reappeared at his original location, the familiar surroundings settling around him.

"You're back. What mission did the Colonel assign us this time?"

Kingsley asked, his tone curious yet tinged with expectation.

Without a word, Anthony tossed him the file he had received from the Colonel earlier, then proceeded to settle into a seat.

Kingsley opened the file, quickly scanning its contents.

As his eyes moved over the details, the rest of the team joined in to read, their expression darkened, and a frown tugged at their features as they read the details.

Only Kingsley remained unaffected, his face an unreadable mask although his mind already calculating the risk.

A team had vanished during the very mission they were about to undertake.

It was a grim detail, one that spoke volumes.

They had already concluded, privately, that the missing team was likely dead.

The silence between them deepened, the weight of the mission settling in.

This was the task ahead of them, it was no ordinary assignment, it was one fraught with danger.

"When do we leave?"

Kingsley inquired, his voice steady but carrying an edge of curiosity.

"We depart tomorrow. A map to the location will be sent to us shortly. Make sure to prepare everything you'll need before then"

Anthony replied, his tone calm and measured.

Reynold, flashing a confident smile, leaned back in his seat.

"Well, we're always prepared, so there really isn't much to do, even if this is a recon mission"

"Ah, that's right. We never showed Anthony our ship"

Seraphim suddenly interjected, her voice light with amusement.

"A ship?"

Anthony asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

"Yeah. Every team is given a ship for missions and other tasks. The map will be sent directly to the ship's AI"

Seraphim explained.

"You didn't actually think we were planning to fly there ourselves, did you?"

Kingsley teased, his voice carrying a taunting edge.

Anthony didn't answer, instead coughing awkwardly in response.

With a casual wave of his hand, Kingsley made the furniture and alcohol vanish, the space around them clearing instantly.

Then, with a smooth motion, Dale waved his hand, and the ship materialized in front of them, shimmering into existence from where it had been stored within his space ring.

Most teams stored their ships this way; those without enough space in their rings had to rely on the military hangars.

They gathered around the ship, discussing the mission ahead.

But as a reconnaissance mission, there was little to say.

The unknowns far outweighed the knowns, leaving little room for strategy or planning.