The four officers burst into the Weapon Systems Hall, which immediately opened onto the massive launch hangar. Raptor #1 and Raptor #2 were already positioned on the catapults, the ground crew having secured them for immediate exit.
Raven rushed straight to Raptor #1, scaling the boarding ladder to vault into the cockpit. Simultaneously, Officer Zhen, Officer Evelyn, and Lieutenant Dos scrambled toward Raptor #2. Evelyn quickly secured the pilot's seat at the front. Officer Zhen took the co-pilot's chair to her left, immediately checking the main system diagnostics, while Lieutenant Dos settled into the Weapons Officer seat on the right, bringing the targeting suite online.
The engines of both Raptors began to heat up with a rising, powerful whine. The massive hangar gate retracted, revealing the open sky. Raven was the first to launch, the Raptor #1 rocketing out of the base. It was instantly followed by Raptor #2, expertly piloted by Evelyn.
Both advanced aircraft swiftly ascended into the clouds, beginning their vital patrol across the skies of Malaysia.
The silence in the Command Room was shattered by Officer Kaito, the communications and tracking specialist, who spoke up urgently to Vice Commander Reno. His voice was taut with both tension and undisguised worry.
"Vice Commander Reno! I have the analysis on the flying beast. It's heading directly toward the National Forest, as if it's drawn by something emerging there."
He stopped abruptly, his brow furrowed in hesitation.
"But...—"
Vice Commander Reno cut in, his seriousness instantly spiking. "But what, Kaito? Is there something you're not telling me?"
Kaito nodded, swallowing hard before continuing. "Sir, there is a civilization within that National Forest—a secluded Japanese village. We need to initiate an immediate evacuation."
Reno's eyes widened, momentarily stunned by the devastating implications. He let out a heavy, frustrated sigh before seizing the communicator to address the pilots.
"Raven! Evelyn! Listen closely! There is a Japanese Village civilization situated deep in the National Forest. You are to deviate from patrol and initiate an immediate evacuation of those civilians!"
Raven and Evelyn acknowledged the order in sharp, synchronous voices. "Roger that!"
The two pilots immediately pushed their Raptors into maximum acceleration, rocketing toward the National Forest.
Meanwhile, Raven, Zhen, Evelyn, and Dos had made a safe landing in a wide, cleared area and rushed toward the secluded Japanese village. As they began relaying the news of the incoming airborne threat, a wave of fear and anxiety swept through the villagers. Whispers began to rise until a young boy spoke up, tugging at his mother's sleeve.
The boy asked, "Mother! Why don't we call out the Shadow Titan? Couldn't he help us defeat that monster?"
His mother shook her head sadly. "The Shadow Titan is no longer with us, my son... he is already gone."
Their conversation immediately piqued Raven's interest. He excused himself from the evacuation efforts and approached the pair. "Excuse me," he asked, his tone polite and curious. "Could you explain this Shadow Titan to me?"
Before the boy could answer, a skeptical adult man intervened, his voice sharp and dismissive. "The Shadow Titan is just a myth! He never existed," the man snorted, eyeing the boy. "This kid spends all his time dreaming, believing that phantom is some kind of savior."
Though taken aback by the man's harshness, Raven simply nodded. He then turned back to the boy, offering a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about him, kid. I really do want to hear about the Shadow Titan, please?"
The boy's eyes lit up with sudden hope. "Alright, officer! The Shadow Titan is our village's hero! He used to save us from all sorts of enemies long ago. He's incredibly cool!" he explained, his voice bubbling with enthusiasm.
Raven listened, genuinely impressed by the persistence of the legend. He paused momentarily before asking, "How did you come to know about him?"
The boy grinned widely. "I know him through my grandpa's stories! Grandpa said that the Shadow Titan sleeps when there are no threats, and he only wakes up when people call him out, because he always comes to save us!"
Raven nodded, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "And where does he sleep? And how truly big is he?"
"He sleeps at the abandoned temple up on the mountain," the boy explained, pointing toward a distant peak. "And he's as big as half of that mountain." The boy indicated a mountain estimated to be about 100 meters high, where the ancient temple was perched.
Raven quickly concluded the discussion, his mind already set on the mountain peak. "Alright, people! Time is critical. All of you need to move out now. Officer Zhen and Lieutenant Dos will guide the evacuation."
Both officers immediately began the efficient process of lining up the villagers, maintaining calm amid the rising tension.
Raven quickly relayed the remaining details of the evacuation plan to the team, then turned to Evelyn, his gaze fixed on the distant mountain.
"Evelyn," he said, urgency in his voice. "I need you to follow me. We're going to investigate that temple. I have a hunch there's more to that abandoned site than meets the eye."
Evelyn watched him, a mixture of confusion and awkward amusement crossing her face. "Seriously, Raven?" she asked, a slight, teasing lilt in her tone. "Are you actually buying into that boy's myth? Doesn't it sound a little ridiculous—a colossal titan, maybe sixty meters tall, just napping in an old temple?" She nudged his arm with her elbow, a playful challenge in the gesture.
Raven remained resolute, shaking off her tease with a slight smirk. "I'm not 'buying' anything. But the story piqued my interest, and in our line of work, the unbelievable is often just the uninvestigated. We need to see what's behind that legend."
With Officer Zhen and Lieutenant Dos efficiently securing the evacuation, Officer Raven and Officer Evelyn began their urgent trek up the mountain for the investigation.
Evelyn gasped, leaning heavily on a rock outcrop. "Damn it," she complained, wiping sweat from her brow. "This mountain is absolutely killing my legs—all for a kid's bedtime story!"
Raven offered a cheerful, yet slightly exasperating, retort. "Come on, Evelyn! This is your moment! You always said you wanted to exercise more. Here's your chance to finally fulfill that old resolution!"
Evelyn glared at him, annoyance flashing in her eyes. "Raven! Don't you dare bring up my past New Year's resolutions!" she snapped, following the outburst with a heavy, exasperated sigh.
After a grueling twenty minutes of climbing, they finally reached their destination: the entrance of the abandoned temple.
Evelyn sagged in relief. "Finally! We made it to the top, right, Raven?" she asked, turning to him. She immediately noticed that Raven was standing motionless, his gaze fixed intently on the structure.
"Raven? Are you alright?" She waved her hand sharply in front of his face. "Hello?"
Evelyn's action snapped Raven out of his stunned contemplation. "Oh! Nothing!" he quickly replied, clearing his throat. "Just thinking... the temple looks surprisingly well-preserved, even from afar." He paused for a brief, weighty moment.
"Let's go investigate." He smoothly drew the plasma pistol from his holster and moved toward the temple, a distinct sense of foreboding settling over him regarding the silent structure.