Far from the cold interrogation room, the pitch-black darkness of the night merged with the blood-red glow of the moon, revealing the looming shadows of panic among the humans trapped behind the towering walls of PETERUMMAN. Out there, every combat personnel was deployed to the fullest to stem the brutal migration wave threatening the sector's balance.
However, in a hidden place far from the commotion, a soft, chilling hiss broke the silence.
"Shh... Shh... Behind all this chaos, it turns out a high-ranking official is playing with fire," Snake whispered with a wide grin, staring at the neatly suited figure who had just stepped down from the hatch of the Chameleon MK-IV. "I received a mysterious call offering the greatest secret in this world. How did you know exactly what I wanted, Lord Elos?"
"Captain Snake, your reward will be mine once you purify that crystal core. The energy inside is still far too wild," Elos replied calmly while inhaling from an electronic vaporizer filled with concentrated Lethe fluid.
"Shhh... shh... You modified Lethe fluid into a liquid form. Such sophisticated thinking, Lord Elos," Snake praised with a smirk.
"Enough, Snake. I don't want flattery from the creator of that peace-inducing fluid." Elos blew the vapor directly toward Kaelen's face.
Cough... cough... Kaelen coughed softly, brushing the vapor away with a trembling hand.
"Now, how are you going to control that Azure crystal core?" Elos asked coldly.
"I need the right place and time," Snake replied.
"How long?"
"Three days."
"One day," Elos retorted absolutely.
Snake wore a cunning smirk, adjusting the glasses on the bridge of his nose before letting out a soft chuckle. "Lord Elos, this is a game of time. You must be able to buy at least three days. Even with the greatest knowledge in this world, the process won't take less than that span."
Elos fell silent for a moment, then glanced at his subordinate. "Very well. Kaelen, buy some time and execute the next plan."
"But, Lord Elos, isn't it too early for us to play this ace card...?" Kaelen hesitated.
"Relax, I still have a joker in my hand to defeat their ace," Elos cut in sharply.
"Understood, Lord Elos."
Far from the dark shadows of PETERUMMAN, which were beginning to be consumed by chaos, the embers of another conflict were blazing in a region isolated from the modern world.
The Whispering Ruins—the silent ruins where Tiger and Lina had escaped—now left behind a burning fury coursing through the veins of the higher-ups, fueling a deep grudge ready to explode.
"Master Vane, the Duke is calling for you."
Vane stepped into the magnificent room filled with an aura of intimidation.
"Tell me what happened, Vane?" Duke Arya's heavy voice broke the silence, laden with deadly, cold pressure.
"The peace of our city has been ruined, Lord Arya," Vane answered firmly, though his jaw tightened.
"What about that rampaging giant?"
"They managed to escape our siege, Lord Arya. But... this is all the fault of the iron soldiers."
"Iron soldiers?" The Duke's arched eyebrows voiced both confusion and distaste.
Before Vane could clarify further, the advisor beside the throne stepped forward. "Lord Arya, yesterday an old woman came to ask for your help..." he spoke with a mysterious tone.
"What does that have to do with this, Dano?" Duke Arya questioned Dano, his advisor, with a probing tone.
"That old woman is a representative of the Wetan people who are under our protection, Sir," Dano answered in a calm yet firm voice. "A few years ago, those iron soldiers looted our magic stones and kidnapped our children. Perhaps... it is time we retaliate, Lord Arya."
"Vane, what do you think?" Duke Arya asked, shifting his gaze to the battle master.
Vane gripped his staff tighter until his knuckles turned white. "Lord Arya, they have trampled on our pride. This time, The Whispering Ruins must retaliate."
"Dano, do we have a chance of winning?"
"Lord Arya, we possess the power of magic. According to information, their technology is completely incapable of piercing or matching our pure magic. That is why they recklessly kidnapped our children all this time to use as experimental subjects," Dano answered reassuringly.
Duke Arya rose from his throne, his gaze flashing with burning anger and ambition. "Vane, mobilize all our soldiers. Wipe out the iron soldiers!"
The sky above the ruins turned a grayish-red, blanketed by a thick, slow-moving fog that seemed to absorb the embers of hatred burning through the ranks of the army.
The army of The Whispering Ruins, led by Master Vane, marched through the ruins of the forbidden city in a tight formation. Their strength was no joke: 1,000 fully armored soldiers wielding spears and swords etched with ancient carvings, supported by 300 elite mages channeling magical energy through their gemstone-crowned staves.
"We are going to attack the iron soldiers... are we really capable of fighting their technology?" one armored soldier muttered with a trembling, hesitant voice, his eyes glancing at the ranks ahead.
"Calm down. We are led by the twin Generals Daid and Daad, and all the mages of this nation are under the direct command of Master Vane. We will definitely destroy them," his comrade replied reassuringly, trying to quell the anxiety in the air.
"That's right. Generals Daid and Daad are the ones who defeated the two-headed dragon Amphiptere Dwi-Murka and the ancient dragon Ignisvar. We're bound to win!" another soldier chimed in with sparkling eyes full of confidence.
"You're right. Not to mention our armor and shields are made from the hide of primordial pangolin monsters. Legend says even the most advanced weapons of that iron army won't be able to pierce our defense!"
"True! We are invincible!" enthusiastic supporting voices rose among the ranks, fueling a combat spirit soaring high amid the cold winds of the ruins.
At the very front line, Master Vane walked expressionlessly, clutching his staff which emitted a faint yet deadly glow. His eyes stared straight ahead, piercing through the fog, ready to lead his army to ruthlessly crush the enemy's defensive fortress.
However, before that magical storm could strike the borders of civilization, another conflict was creeping up in silence.
In another part of the region, far from the magical army marching across the silent ruins, a heavy tension hung inside the sterile room of Sector 03.
In the interrogation room illuminated by glowing neon light, its white glare highlighted Wawa's terrified, pale face.
"Release him, and call the other unit 008," Elang ordered coldly.
"But, General—" a guard protested with a trembling voice.
"Just follow my orders. Sector 03 is under my authority now," Elang cut in firmly, his eyes hinting at suppressed anger.
"YES, GENERAL!" the guard obeyed.
The door of the interrogation room slid shut tightly, leaving a suffocating silence inside the sterile space.
"Leave us," Elang said coldly.
Without hesitation, the guards and escorts stepped out, making sure the steel door slid shut tightly behind them. Now, the other members of Unit 008—Subject 029, Subject 044, and Subject 045—sat upright like statues with expressionless faces, staring straight ahead at General Elang sitting across the metal table.
Not a single word was spoken. The tension between them was so thick that the air in the room felt frozen.
Without warning, Elang closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, a sharp, deadly golden light glowed brightly behind his corneas—activating his mystic eyes.
The moment that gaze struck, Subject 029 jerked violently, his body trembling fiercely as if a high-voltage electric current slammed into his nerves.
Instantly, Elang's vision turned dark, as if his consciousness was being forcefully dragged along, tracing the corridors of their memories through mere eye contact.