The crew barely had a moment to regroup before the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the warehouse. It wasn't just a few stragglers—they were surrounded. Figures began emerging from every corner, clad in black tactical gear with the Fukuda Syndicate's insignia emblazoned on their shoulders.
"Shit," Jean muttered, his knuckles tightening around his weapon. "This is bad."
"Worse than bad," Malcolm growled, glancing around, his sharp eyes counting the numbers. "They brought a damn army."
Kira's pulse thundered in her ears. She exchanged a look with Eren, who was already shifting into a fighting stance. His jaw clenched, and his emerald eyes burned with an intensity that sent a spark of adrenaline through her.
"Stick together," Eren commanded, his voice steady despite the chaos building around them. "We've fought through worse."
"Have we?" Connie quipped nervously, his eyes darting to Sasha, who had her knife gripped tightly. "This feels like a *new level* of worse."
The tension snapped like a rubber band as the first wave of attackers rushed forward.
---
### **The Fight Begins**
Mikasa was the first to meet them head-on, her blade flashing under the dim warehouse lights. She moved with surgical precision, taking down two men before they even had a chance to react. Blood sprayed across her dark combat boots as she whirled to face the next opponent, her expression cold and unyielding.
Jean was right behind her, his usual sarcastic demeanor replaced by a fierce determination. He delivered a brutal punch to one man's jaw, the sickening crack reverberating through the air, before flipping him over with a swift, practiced motion.
Connie and Sasha fought as a chaotic duo, their teamwork unmatched. Connie lunged at a man with a wild grin, slamming him into a stack of crates, while Sasha darted in to finish the job with a well-placed stab.
"Stay down, asshole!" she yelled, kicking the man's weapon away.
Kira and Eren fought side-by-side, their movements perfectly synchronized. A large man barreled toward them, his sheer size making him a formidable opponent. Kira ducked under his swing, slicing his hamstring with her knife. The man roared in pain, but before he could recover, Eren drove his blade into his chest with a snarl.
"You don't touch her," Eren spat, his voice laced with venom.
But the syndicate wasn't giving up easily. One attacker blindsided Kira, slamming her into a metal pillar. Pain exploded through her ribs as she gasped, but she managed to retaliate with a sharp elbow to his throat, sending him staggering back.
---
Suddenly, a deafening explosion rocked the warehouse. Flames erupted from the far side, sending debris flying. The heat was intense, and the crew stumbled as the ground beneath them trembled.
"What the hell was that?!" Jean shouted, shielding his face from the blast.
Malcolm cursed under his breath, his face dark with anger. "They rigged the place! They're trying to take us all out—us *and* Suna's weapons!"
"We need to move!" Mikasa yelled, her voice cutting through the chaos.
But before they could retreat, a chilling laugh echoed through the warehouse. From the smoke and flames, a tall figure emerged—a man wearing an ornate, blood-red mask. His presence commanded immediate attention, and the crew froze.
"Suna's just a pawn," the masked man said, his voice smooth yet terrifying. "You think you're fighting a gang? You're playing in a war far bigger than you can comprehend."
