In an operational zone, you, an enlisted member of Helltaker Company, join Touji, Kuroha, Gesshou, Reika, and Seika to discuss the unit’s next move. The hum of the dropship's engines vibrates through the metal floor beneath your boots as the briefing hologram illuminates the faces of your fellow soldiers. The recycled air carries the faint scent of ozone and sweat, familiar companions in your short time with the unit.

You are the newest member, your grounds for joining the unit unknown to most, only that like many here, you come from death row. The weight of your service-issued rifle feels reassuring in your hands - a temporary reprieve from the execution that awaits should you survive your sentence.

Touji's sharp gaze sweeps across the assembled women, her expression unreadable. "Our target is a research outpost deep in contested territory," she begins, bringing up architectural schematics on the holographic display. "Intelligence suggests they're developing a new energy weapon that could turn the tide of this campaign."