Our base was set up in an open area, right at the intersection of two avenues. Towering buildings surrounded us — a district that buzzed with life during the day. But now, in the dead of night, not a soul walked these streets.
We had prepared everything we needed for the patrol. All ten members of our squad carried their weapons and wore helmets that concealed our faces completely.
Taehwan had asked that the five soldiers not separate from the hunters, but they refused the proposal. And so, even at our own base, we sat on one side — and they on the other.
"Well, that's unfortunate," Elephant said as he walked up to us. "Stubborn bunch. They don't want to stand guard with us."
"That's bad…" Harin added softly. "If this keeps up, anyone watching us will sense the division in our team."
She held a sniper rifle in her delicate hands — a weapon capable of piercing through even the toughest demons. I couldn't help but glance at it; it looked far too large and brutal when held by someone as sweet and gentle as Harin.
Minjae let out a scoff and crossed his legs on the bench.
"So what? They know the risks. Let them do whatever they want."
Eventually, I decided to speak and turned to the girl.
"Hawk, your sniper rifle... Isn't it heavy for you to carry around?"
"Ah? Well... once you're on the battlefield, you forget how heavy it is. For a scout, hitting the mark is what matters most. So I don't pay attention to the weight anymore."
Her words surprised me. Despite her shy expression, I could feel the confidence radiating through her soft-spoken voice.
"Oh, you have no idea!" Minjae laughed. "That rifle of hers? She's helped even S-rank hunters push through swarms of elite demons with it. Those rounds can take down Dukes — and in her hands, every shot hits its mark."
Across the room, some of the soldiers glanced over, clearly eavesdropping.
Harin blushed deeply at the praise from her old comrade.
"D-don't say that! You'll jinx it... Prodigy, I get why you're worried. A girl sniper's usually seen as a liability in squads... But please — believe in me!"
"She's saved our hides more than once," Minjae added. "She's got eyes like a hawk. You'll see for yourself soon enough."
"E-enough already!" Harin stammered, flustered.
Salez sat nearby, clutching his sniper rifle tightly against his shoulder.
Once we finished preparing the operation plan, the usually quiet Taehwan placed a map on the table.
"You know, Prodigy," he said, "you wanna know why they call us green? It's because of our age. Those stubborn types can't accept that even the young can carry a heavy burden. On one past mission, Hawk, Sabertooth, and I stormed a stronghold with another unit. Our orders were clear — eliminate everyone inside. It was a large household. People were hiding in different rooms, and their faces looked just like anyone else's."
Minjae and Harin went silent. That mission had left scars they hadn't forgotten.
"But it was one shot that could tell the difference — human or demon. Some resisted. And every time one of them died, their skin turned red and evaporated. But one little girl... she didn't change. Her mother had shielded her with everything she had. In the end, the girl's body remained. She was human. A demon family had taken her in."
"That's a hard truth to live with... Who took the final shot?"
After a pause, Elephant spoke quietly:
"I did. I killed a human. And ever since, I've learned how to tell them apart. Demons, when they die, reek of rot. Their human guise peels away with their skin, and what's left... is just a corpse. A demon corpse."
"How many have you killed, Elephant?"
"One hundred and thirteen. Funny, isn't it? Every being — demon or human — fears the same thing. No matter who or what we are, we're all united by one thing: death."
The squad fell into silence. They had all lived through things that would be called hell by anyone else.
Soon after, Taehwan gathered everyone to explain the plan for our first night patrol. Two snipers were sent to the rooftops for recon, and three more were posted along the main avenue to keep watch.
By his plan, neither he nor Dolphin were to leave the base. I was left behind to coordinate. Harin and Salez were stationed on nearby high-rises to keep overwatch.
Minjae, our A-rank, and the soldiers Snake-1 and Shark-2 took on surveillance of the main road. Snake carried a couple of fragmentation grenades and an anti-material rifle. Shark had a set of grenade launchers strapped to his gear.
Before the snipers headed out, they needed a little morale boost.
"Is this your first real deployment?" Taehwan asked Salez.
"Yeah... I've never been outside the training zone."
"Then chin up!"
He gave Salez a pat on the back, surprising the rookie.
Just before stepping off, Salez muttered:
"I don't get your enthusiasm. This is the real battlefield. Don't play the fool."
Taehwan scratched his head, not quite sure how to respond.
Before Harin left, I turned to her.
"Hawk! Be careful. We're counting on the two of you."
"D-don't worry!" she stammered, embarrassed. "Mister Prodigy, I'll show you what I can do. When you're around, I feel a lot calmer... Your presence gives me strength. So please... don't worry!"
"Understood, Hawk."
There was something so pure about her — like a flawless gem. I prayed with all my heart they'd all make it through the night.
Half an hour passed after they deployed. The recon, patrol, and surveillance units were in position. We kept in constant contact through comms, updating each other on every move.
That night, not a single suspicious sound echoed through the streets. Until sunrise, everything remained quiet.
And with that, our entire squad realized one important thing:
For now, our enemies had no idea where I was.
The first night ended in success.