As Demon Jingul fully emerged into this world, the pressure radiating from its body was so immense that the air itself felt heavier. Some of Erik's squad members instinctively tensed up, their hands trembling around their rifles. Fear flickered across their faces, but not a single one stepped back—they had been trained to face their fears, not run from them.
Erik stared at the creature, his jaw clenched, his chest rising and falling as he held his breath, thinking fast. Panic was their greatest enemy right now, and he wouldn't let his squad collapse before they even fought. Tightening his grip on his assault rifle, he spoke in a firm, commanding voice that cut through the tense atmosphere.
"Hold your positions! We're not kids seeing a monster for the first time!" Erik shouted, his eyes sweeping over his comrades one by one. "Listen, that thing may not be human, but it can still die! We either cripple it or kill it! Got it!?"
