Epsilon’s Secret Ingredient

EPSILON

I was tearing through the darkness, Kai and Omega trailing in my wake. Master had already disappeared into the shadows, tossing out a casual "I'll go on ahead" before leaving us in the dust.

The plan? A simple night raid. Classic trope, really.

We were going to jump the Doem Faction under the cover of darkness and leave them with a body count they wouldn't forget.

Look, if the Royalist Faction and the Doem Faction fought a "fair" war, the Doem Faction would probably win.

But this war is anything but fair.

Shadow Garden is backing the Royalists, and the Cult is propping up the Doem Faction.

It’s basically a proxy war, and we're the ones holding the sharpest knives.

Given how ridiculously overpowered every individual in Shadow Garden is, a surgical strike by a small elite unit is just basic logic.

Our current roster included one of the Seven Shadows—that’s me—two of the Numbers, and the Master himself.

Honestly, depending on how many mooks they have, we could probably delete their entire army in a single night.

But just like we're the muscle for the Royalists, the Cult is the muscle for the Doem Faction.

We were currently charging straight into a camp where the Cult’s combat power was concentrated.

I couldn't afford to be sloppy.

If Master wasn't here, I never would’ve picked a fight this lopsided.

"Our job is to support Lord Shadow," I told my subordinates. "Once we're in, find the guys with the fancy hats and kill them. Make it messy."

Kai and Omega just nodded. They aren't much for conversation.

"I won't tolerate any failures while Master is watching. Don't you dare make me look bad."

My tone was a bit on the harsh side, but that’s just business as usual for me, so they just kept nodding.

"By the way, Master said that the snow rabbit I caught was delicious."

I don't know why I brought that up—it had zero relevance to the mission—but since I’m their boss, they just nodded along like always.

"I mean, of course it was. The secret ingredient was love... or whatever."

God, I’m so embarrassing, I thought, feeling myself turning beet-red. I was totally flustered by my own internal monologue, but my girls just gave me the usual stoic treatment.

Then, the enemy camp finally materialized out of the gloom.

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DOEM FACTION SOLDIER

This was the Doem Faction Encampment.

The Royalist Faction Army was still miles away, so things were pretty chill.

"Fuaaaa~ah."

I let out a massive, soul-crushing yawn and rubbed my eyes.

That was when it happened.

"...Hm?"

I felt a breeze. Like something—or someone—had just zipped past my shoulder. I spun around.

"Must be seeing things."

There was nothing there. Just the empty night. Great, now I'm hearing ghosts, I thought.

I rubbed my eyes again and tried to get back to the boring reality of guard duty.

"...Hm?"

A bit later, I scanned the area again.

I could’ve sworn I heard a tiny sound. Like a squeal, or a muffled scream.

But all I saw was the dim, orange glow of the torches.

It was a quiet night. Too quiet.

The Battalion’s Lieutenant Colonel was currently snoring away in the tent right next to me.

On a whim, I lifted my torch toward the tent. The light chased away the shadows, revealing the white fabric.

"...Wait, what?"

The white canvas was covered in red spray.

Panic spiked in my chest. I lunged inside.

"L-Lieutenant Colonel! Are you alright!? Wha—"

My heart nearly stopped.

There he was: the Lieutenant Colonel, his head neatly removed from his shoulders, slumped on the floor.

The inside of the tent was a crime scene of blood and gore, but there wasn't a single sign of a fight.

He’d been decapitated in a heartbeat.

"E-e-e... e-e-e..."

My voice was a vibrating mess of terror.

I'd missed them. I was the guard, and I'd let the enemy waltz right in. I'm so dead, I thought.

I tripped over my own feet, scrambled out of the tent like a dog, and finally managed to suck in some air.

Then I let it all out.

"E-E-E... E-E-E-ENEMY ATTACK!! WE'VE GOT AN ENEMY ATTACK!! ENEMY ATTACK!!"

The camp went from zero to sixty in a second.

I crawled away from the tent as fast as my limbs would take me, screaming my lungs out like a broken toy.

Then, I happened to glance at the tent next door.

"A-ah... no... no way..."

That one was drenched in red, too.