[Night of Death]

The battle in Simmel has been raging on for three whole weeks. Whenever night falls, the city is placed under curfew.

Piloting the RS016 "Adler", an Enforcer-type Metal Suit, a military police officer chases off people loitering in the streets at night. Sometimes, he fires warning shots.

A bluish gray truck suddenly comes driving along the bridge. It approaches the checkpoint at the end of the bridge with no intention of stopping.

"This area has restricted access! Stop the truck and prepare for an inspection!"
The pilot of the Adler barks into his speakers. The infantry units all raise their rifles and take aim at the windows of the truck.

"Stop your vehicle and comply with the inspection! Or more drastic measures will be taken!"

"Wait a minute... There's nobody in the cab!"

The truck hurtles toward the soldiers.

"Heat sources approaching at high speed, 2 o'clock! Activate electronic defenses! Prepare to engage or retreat—"

The truck explodes without warning. The soldiers, despite their ballistic vests, are instantly disintegrated by the shockwave and blaze. At the same time, several missles come flying towards the Adler from 2 o'clock, trailing long tails of white smoke.

The Adler fires the machine guns on its shoulders and disorients the missiles with its ECM system while falling back. A missile is shot down, and another hits the ground next to the Adler, creating a large crater on the spot.

"Dammit...!"

The impact of the explosion rocks the cockpit, almost tearing the pilot's face off.

"So that's the best you can do?"

A mocking chuckle comes through the public comms channel, and the pilot breaks out in a cold sweat. Metal Suits cannot turn their heads like humans, and the sensors are not the best on a model as old as the Adler, making it difficult to determine the enemy's movements.

A gray Metal Suit with dark crimson eyes has suddenly appeared behind the Adler. An EM dagger extends from its left wrist, held threateningly against the Adler's cockpit, while the machine gun wielded with its right hand is pointed at the Adler's fuel tank. The gray Suit is followed by three other Suits of the same model.

"Go to hell, slave to a tyrant. For Ishtar's future."

A female voice speaks coldly. The Adler tries to turn around and counterattack, but the machine gun pointed at it spews several 40mm caseless rounds, which penetrate the fuel tank and detonate it.

The Adler's pilot cannot even make a sound before being engulfed by the flames. Meanwhile, the four gray Metal Suits have already disappeared into the night, and are nowhere to be found.