The Gate opened over the heart of Europe without warning.
A deep-red scar in the sky above the Danube, a rupture of writhing black smoke and burning wind. Birds fell dead midair. Electronics fried for miles. In Prague, glass shattered on every building as the pressure distorted the air. Then came the sound—a guttural horn, too massive to be made by mortal lungs.
From within the Gate, things moved.
Not monsters. Not yet.
Shadows.
Whispers.
Hands reaching.
Oberfeld, Austria
Hans watched the footage on a flickering projection, leaning on the stone balcony of his newly claimed Command Hall. The town was far from rebuilt, but flags now flew from the tower. Barracks lined the east road, and engineers worked around the clock to fortify walls against threats no one had yet seen.
[System Notice: Gate Breach Level – OMEGA. Global Alert Issued. All Classed Individuals Ordered to Prepare.]
He turned to Gertrude.
"How close is that to Czechia?"
"Too close. Our northern flank just became a warzone."
Three Days Earlier
He'd stood before a local war broker in Tyrol, flipping through files of old townships, outposts, and command relics left abandoned since the collapse. The man—grizzled, scarred, carrying a sidearm and a hundred keys on his belt—showed Hans a series of maps.
"Most of these are worthless," the broker said, throwing a pin at a region west of Graz. "But this one… Oberfeld. Had a military base, ancient fortress, strong natural choke points. Plus, you're Austrian, aren't you? This land likely echoes with your blood."
Hans narrowed his eyes.
"Is it under occupation?"
"Bandits. Mutated deer. Some weird cult. Nothing ten thousand soldiers can't clear out."
A click in Hans' mind.
[System Prompt: Would you like to Claim Oberfeld as a Command Town?]
Yes.
[Command Town Acquired: Oberfeld. Rank: Frontier Fortress. Upgrade Options Unlocked. Town Menu Enabled. Passive Resource Generation Active. Loyalty Rating: 2%. Civilians Remain: 718.]
The town became his within hours.
And with it came attention.
Day of the Gate Breach
Invitations arrived like vultures.
Germany's Iron Shield Guild sent a formal request: "The rise of a neutral military power within Austrian territory is of utmost concern. You are cordially invited to the Continental Defense Council in Geneva."
Britain's Black Lion Guild followed: "We believe cooperation is vital. You'll find our tea agreeable, if not our politics."
Japan's Silver Lotus Guild was blunt: "Attend. Or become part of the next war map."
Sweden, Russia, Netherlands, the U.S.—each added their seal to the summoning. And then came the encrypted message from Turkey:
From: Mehmed
"You don't know me yet. But you will. If you value your southern borders, we need to talk. Before they do."
Hans' officers bickered over how to respond.
Viktor wanted to prepare for war. Franz wanted to attend the summit and "see who needed to disappear." Gertrude was already analyzing who could be manipulated. Otto just wanted peace.
But then Czechia exploded.
A coup.
Led by awakened warlords who believed the old world was dead and all new borders should be drawn in blood.
They stormed Prague, declared a new order—The Iron Crown—and publicly announced both Hans and the German Guilds as their next targets, branding them "relics of foreign decay."
The message was clear: No neutrality would be tolerated.
The Gate near Prague began pulsing faster.
Oberfeld Clocktower
Hans stood alone. Or so it seemed.
Two shadows emerged as the clock struck midnight.
Colonel Engelhardt stepped forward, dragging a saber behind him like it still remembered blood. "This is the point of no return. You have land. Soldiers. Enemies. The next step is empire."
Director Albrecht leaned beside him, lighting a ghostlight cigarette. "And that means enemies within. Your officers have begun forming camps. Franz and Viktor will never agree. Otto is too kind. Gertrude watches everyone."
Hans exhaled.
"Then I have to lead before they start choosing for me."
Engelhardt grinned. "Spoken like one of us."
Albrecht's eyes gleamed. "Just remember, blood builds thrones. But trust? That crumbles them."
Far in the distance, the Gate above Prague pulsed again.
The war was coming.
And Hans had to choose:
Attend the summit. Prepare for war. Or become something more than just an Officer.