Claws of Operation Eclipse (C.O.E)

The air was thick with smoke and chaos as Xander crouched behind a crumbling wall, his left arm drenched in blood. The makeshift bandage he'd wrapped around his shoulder was already soaked through, but he couldn't stop. Not now. Not when everything they'd fought for was slipping through their fingers.

He forced himself up, gritting his teeth against the pain. His sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, searching desperately for Ariana and the rest of the team. Shouts, gunfire, and the occasional explosion reverberated around him as the Takumi warriors advanced. Their black and green armor blended with the shadows, the snake emblem on their chest plates gleaming menacingly.

From the corner of his eye, Xander spotted a figure darting through the wreckage. His heart sank—it was Ariana. She was holding her ground outside the burning building, fighting off two Takumi warriors at once. Her movements were swift and precise, her training shining through, but she was outnumbered.

"Damn it," Xander hissed under his breath, pushing himself forward. He ignored the searing pain in his arm, adrenaline dulling the edges of his agony.

Ariana's mind was a storm as she parried a blade aimed at her neck. The Takumi warriors were relentless, their strikes calculated and deadly. She dodged a kick and countered with a blade of her own, burying it into her attacker's side.

"Agent V.S, locate Agent Dark," she called out, her voice steady despite the chaos.

"Already on it!" Wince's voice crackled through her earpiece. He was perched on the back of a black truck, furiously working his portable drone. The screen lit up with a blip. "Found him—he's at the north side, but he's injured!"

Ariana's stomach twisted. Please be okay, Xander. Please. She dispatched another enemy and shouted over her shoulder. "Darwin, Chloe—cover me! We're moving to Xander's location!"

As her team fell into formation, Ariana felt a blow land on the side of her head. The world tilted, and for a moment, all sound faded. She stumbled, her vision blurring, but sheer determination pulled her back. Her attacker loomed over her, but before he could strike again, she drove a hidden blade into his chest.

Xander was in the middle of taking down three warriors when Ariana and the others arrived. Her relief at seeing him alive was fleeting as she noticed his condition. His face was pale, his movements slower than usual, but he still fought with a ferocity that left her in awe.

Ariana's gaze darted to a bulky man in black suit aiming at Xander from behind. Without thinking, she raised her gun and fired. The bullet struck true, and the man crumpled.

Hearing the shot, Xander turned, spotting her. Relief flickered across his face before it hardened into his usual command. "Ariana! What are you doing here? You were supposed to secure the front, stopping more troops from advancing in"

"We're not leaving you!" she shot back, moving to his side.

The brief exchange was interrupted by a hail of bullets. The Takumi forces were relentless, and Wince's voice crackled through the comms. "They're closing in fast, boss. We're outnumbered five to one!"

Inside the building, the Chronochip sat in its containment unit, a faint glow emanating from the intricate device. It was the prize the Takumi Clan had come for, and Xander's team was barely holding them back.

"We need to move!" Darwin shouted, covering their retreat as more Takumi warriors poured in.

"No," Xander growled, his voice low and dangerous. "We're not leaving without the chip."

Ariana grabbed his uninjured arm. "Xander, listen to me. You're hurt, and we're surrounded. We can regroup and come back stronger. This isn't over."

His jaw clenched, and for a moment, she saw something crack in his expression. A shadow of fear, of guilt. Not again, he thought. I can't lose something important.

But the look in Ariana's eyes—the determination, the fire—stirred something in him. "Fine," he relented. "But if we have a shot, we take it."

They pushed toward the vault where the chip was housed. The team formed a tight perimeter around Wince as he approached the containment unit, his hands shaking slightly.

"It's rigged," Wince muttered, his voice trembling. "There's a failsafe. If I mess this up, we're all dead."

"Can you disarm it?" Ariana asked, her voice steady despite the chaos.

"I... I think so," Wince stammered, pulling out his tools, despite his injured paw.

"Think faster," Xander said, his tone sharp. He leaned against the wall, his vision swimming, but he forced himself to stay alert.

The minutes dragged on as Wince worked, the sounds of battle growing louder outside. The Yakima twins, Yuka and Yuna, led the charge, their lethal efficiency cutting through the W.O.D. forces like a hot knife through butter.

Ariana caught sight of Yuna slipping into the vault. Their eyes met, and Ariana felt a chill run down her spine. Yuna's smirk was taunting as she drew her blade.

"You're out of your depth," Yuna sneered, advancing.

Ariana didn't waste words. She lunged forward, their blades clashing in a flurry of sparks. The fight was brutal, each strike testing Ariana's limits. But she refused to back down.

I can't let them win. I won't.

Meanwhile, Xander was locked in combat with Yuka. The younger Yakima twin was relentless, his attacks exploiting every weakness. Xander's injured arm was slowing him down, but his mind was sharper than ever.

"You're slipping" Yuka taunted, his blows coming dangerously close. "Is this all you've got?"

Xander's lip curled in a snarl. "You talk too much." He countered with a brutal strike, but the victory was short-lived.

The failsafe mechanism beeped ominously, and Wince cursed. "I can't disarm it in time! We have to go!"

"No!" Xander roared, his voice echoing through the vault. But even he knew the truth. They'd lost.

"Fall back!" he commanded, grabbing Ariana and pulling her toward the exit. "Now!"

She resisted, her eyes darting to the Chronochip, but his grip was firm. "We don't have a choice!" he snapped. "Live to fight another day."

As they retreated, the Yakima twins secured the Chronochip, their victory sealed. Ariana's heart felt like it was breaking as she was forced to leave it behind.

Outside, the extraction vehicle roared to life. The team piled in, battered and broken.

Ariana stared out the window, her fists clenched. Tears threatened to spill, but she held them back. "We failed," she whispered. "I failed."

Xander sat across from her, silent. His head rested against the window, his thoughts a storm of regret and buried memories. Not again. I won't be weak like before. 

Finally, he spoke, his voice low but firm. "This isn't over."

Ariana looked at him, her eyes filled with questions. "What now?"

Xander's gaze hardened, the fire in his eyes reigniting. "Now we make them pay. Drive to my mansion, it's not far from jagers road."

Back at the battlefield, Yuka held the briefcase where the Chronochip was aloft, grinning triumphantly. Yuna stood beside him, her expression unreadable. "They'll come for it," she said softly.

Yuka's grin widened. "Let them. We'll be waiting."

The battle was over, but the war was just beginning. And as Xander's team sped into the night, one thing was certain—they wouldn't stop until the Chronochip was back in their hands.

Even if it meant losing everything.

"we needed the girl too" Yuna breathed bitterly. Yuka huffed angrily "Don't worry she's next", an unusual determination fueled in him.