Blood Lecture (Operation Midnight Clad)

“Deploying Naraka Squadron over this coordinates.”

“Affirmative, deploying Squadronites as ordered.”

“Reinforce Naraka Squadron with Shadow Tactics Legionnaires.”

“As ordered, Commander.”

Blackshot was crouching behind a bush while tapping into the enemy’s communication link. He was the only Protectorate deployed for the interception of the enemy forces that were about to conquer the three storey university building to his left. It was filled with activity with students running to and fro, carrying with them bags and sheaf of papers. He listened more carefully while his eyes were glued in the surroundings. Blood is about to be spilled once again.

“Approaching first door,”

Blackshot drew his handgun from the holster of his armor. Two questions formed in his mind. One, what would the Demons achieve in taking over this school. Two, what’s the point of all of this?

“First room seized. Second Fireteam, what’s your status?”

At this point, Blackshot was jogging across the green field towards the first building with a handgun raised, running past puzzled students. He took aim and caught sight of a three eyed, blue skinned Demon wearing gold ornaments over his black tactical vest. It was signaling towards an unseen audience, gesticulating and seemed to be unaware of the Protectorate’s presence.
Three squeeze of the trigger from his Ray Pistol had turned the Demon’s head into a gory pulp of dark crimson blood and flesh. It fell to the ground, dropping its weapon. Blackshot quickly dashed towards the corpse and snatched the blood soaked Hellzone Rifle from the ground and aimed at the second Demon. It has the appearance of the first one, telling Blackshot that they came from a single Legion or Squadron.

He pulled the trigger relentlessly, taking down the second one. His aim jumped to the third one, who was already firing at him. He squeezed the trigger twice at its neck then once at its face. It fell in a heap as the fourth and fifth one backed away while firing.
Blackshot moved to the left as he returned fire to the fourth one, hitting its neck and face. The fifth one managed to hit Blackshot on the left shoulder, causing his left hand to be blown backwards. He raised the rifle singlehandedly and fired thrice at the fifth enemy.

A fist sized hole decimated his shoulder socket. The armor fluids that smelt of lavender poured into his wound, slowly closing it. The searing heat caused by the bullet wound cooled in an instant and within a matter of minutes, his wound has closed itself completely. The armor repaired itself shortly after the wound’s recovery. Within seconds, he was ready.
He glanced around him and found himself in a canteen. Had it not for the dark crimson mess he made, the canteen was otherwise, pristine. A handful of students were looking at him, eyes-wide as he walked across the canteen, towards a double door that leads to a hallway.

Just as he was about to reach the double door, a figure wearing a green night vision goggles with a single oculus over a black balaclava suddenly kicked the door open, causing Blackshot to stagger backwards. The Demon raised both his legs and smashed him to the table behind him. Blackshot unsheathed the long knife attached to his left breast and violently hacked the Demon’s neck, decapitating it. The body of the Demon was still wearing a sleeveless vest, black cargo pants and combat boots. It toppled to one side while the wound from its neck was gushing forth.

When the second Demon appeared with a rifle raised, Blackshot hurled the head towards the second one, stunning it momentarily. In a blink of an eye, the Protectorate had his weapon raised and fired thrice at its face. He detached a Magnetic Grenade from his belt, attached it to the headless corpse, tossed it in the hallway and closed the double door with haste. He could hear the Demons outside pounding at the door before the grenade exploded. Wet splashes can be heard behind the door.

Once the flames and the noises were cleared, Blackshot moved out to the hallway rifle-first. He turned to the left and jogged. There, he encountered another group of blue boys aiming their demonic weaponries at him.

“Engaging Nakara Squadronites.” Blackshot spoke over his earpiece as he sighted the first one. Six shots devastated the Demon’s face before the second one fire. He moved the left and fired a couple of shots, crippling the enemy. One final shot killed his target.
He rushed to the third one with activated thrusters. With a swing of the butt of his rifle, the third’s jaw broke; its body slammed towards the fourth and fifth one. Before they could get up, he put rounds at their bodies with rapid succession.

His ascent to the second one was brief. He swept the corridor with the muzzle of his rifle and saw nothing at first. But when a Legionnaire from the Shadow Tactics Legion sent a flying kick at him that made him drop his rifle, Blackshot responded back in kind with a blazing fist to the face. The Demon’s goggle fell to the floor; its lens broke, revealing a cyclopean Demon whose face was obscured with the balaclava. Its green eye glared at the Protectorate before charging. Blackshot sent a left straight punch before giving the Demon a right uppercut. He grabbed the Demon’s head and smashed its eye to his left knee plate.

The Demon fell with its back. Blackshot stomped on its face hard, turning it like a squashed watermelon.

He picked up his rifle upon seeing the second Demon and tossed the weapon at it. The Demon let out a yell as it stepped back but Blackshot had picked up the second rifle from the ground and had it aimed. Three shots to the face were all it takes to kill it.
He continued moving, firing at a Squadronite from Nakara. Its head exploded while its body fell in a heap. Blackshot didn’t stop putting rounds after rounds at its brethren. When a Shadow Tactics Legionnaire with a rocket launcher announced its presence with a curse, Blackshot kicked the nearest door and took shelter before the Demon pressed the trigger.

He found himself in a classroom and by the looks of it; the lecturer is in the middle of her lesson. He ignored them as he switched to his Ray Pistol and blindly fire at the enemies down the hallway.

“YAAKEL IS WOUNDED!” A loud mechanical voice yelled across the hallway. Blackshot quickly took the advantage while the commotion between the Demons ensued. He revealed himself partially and aimed at the Demon who was holding a rocket launcher. He fired a few rounds at the rocket ammunition it carries on its belt and in an instant, the Demon and its brethren erupted in flames.
He moved across the hallway and reached the end. He ascended to the next and final one, firing at a Nakara Squadronite before climbing up completely.

He swept the corridor with his pistol and found none. He saw a handful of students crowding in the hallway. He pulled a fist over his face and invoked his retractable headgear over his head. His Heads Up Display blared as it detected numerous hidden enemies across the corridor.

“Detecting multiple Tangos, over!” Blackshot yelled.

“Eliminate targets and minimize civilian casualties.” The Operator replied.

“Affirmative,” Blackshot responded as he charged across the crowd. The students made way before Blackshot could even yell at them to do so and he was thankful. The first Demon he spotted was a Shadow Tactics Legionnaire. It charged at him with a large knife. Three shots to its chest made fist sized holes over it.

He raised his left hand and launched a pocket of air at a Nakara Squadronite, sending the blue skinned Demon to the ground. Blackshot jumped over the Demon while firing down at its body, riddling it with hole. The Protectorate rolled across the corridor while turning to a door to his right where he fired upon and killed another Legionnaire. He sprinted inside the room as a Nakara Squadronite fired at his previous direction. Blackshot jogged across the room towards the other door. He pushed it open and found himself aiming at the back of the Nakara Squadronite. He fired at its neck and the back of its head before giving it a smash with the butt of his rifle.

He randomly sent a kick behind and luckily hit a Legionnaire. He fired at the Demon’s face and continued across the hallway.
He tossed a Magnetic Grenade at a charging Legionnaire before spinning and landing a roundhouse kick at its chest. The Demon was sent sliding back towards a mixed group of Nakara Squadronites and Shadow Tactics Legionnaire. When the grenade exploded, Blackshot fired at the burning pyre to make sure everyone stays dead.

“Enemy forces eliminated.” Blackshot spoke over the radio. He was covered in blood and bullet holes. He had not realized that he was hit several times aside from the wound he received in his shoulder earlier.

“Good, interrogate a lecturer at the end of the corridor.” The Operator replied.

“Casualty check, Operator.”

“Fifteen civilians injured. Zero civilian deaths.”

Blackshot glanced back and saw blood soaked young adults lying on the floor.

“They’ll live.” Blackshot concluded as he walked towards the room at the end of the hallway.

The lecturer inside was shaking after hearing the explosion and the gunfire. He nearly wet his pants when Blackshot kicked the door to the ground.

“You,” Blackshot approached with brisk. “What do you know?!” He grabbed the man by the collar and pinned him on the whiteboard.
“What?” He asked as the Protectorate sent a fist at his gut. Blackshot’s face was revealed when his retractable headgear parted.

“You know what I mean.” Blackshot replied although he doesn’t know the answer.

“Look, it was the Insurgents. They are turning this university into a recruiting ground for their army. I didn’t know anything!”

“Neither do I, Mr. Wet Pants. I didn’t even mention the Insurgents to you.”

“Oh shit.” The lecturer says before spitting a blood when Blackshot launched another fist at his stomach.

“What about the Insurgents?”

“I—“ He raised his hands to shield his face when Blackshot raised the pistol. “Okay, fine. The Insurgents are amassing an army to attack a city. They are using the university as a recruiting ground. I didn’t know anything else I swear!”

Blackshot placed a finger over his lip as he strained his eyes against the silence. Within a split second, the Protectorate raised his pistol and fired upon a girl; the light particle struck her forehead and split it in half. Blood and gore spilled onto the floor and earned cries and screams from the students nearby.

“Anyone of you who dares to consort with neither the Insurgents nor the Demons will meet the same fate.” Blackshot said sternly. He glanced at the lecturer and said, “The Insurgents were connected with the Demons. It isn’t really surprising.” Blackshot turned and left.