Night had settled quietly over the Golden Globe.
For most, the day had ended in relief.
Laughter still lingered in homes. Families reunited. Friends celebrated. The events of the day—Koya's victory, the return of the Troopers—had filled the capital with hope.
For the first time in a long while… Peace felt real.
At the Watch Office, however— Peace shattered.
A deep tremor ran through the ground.
Subtle at first.
Then—
Violent..The walls groaned. Lights flickered.
Scouts stationed across the facility snapped to attention.
"What was that?!"
Before anyone could respond— A blinding surge of energy erupted from deep within the structure.
BOOM!
The explosion tore through the core chamber, ripping upward like a force unbound. Metal twisted. Stone cracked. A shockwave burst outward, shaking the entire perimeter.
Alarms screamed.
"CORE FAILURE! CORE FAILURE!"
Panic spread instantly.
Then—
Everything stopped.
The hum that had always been there… vanished.
That invisible presence— Gone.
Far above the Golden Globe— The sky changed.
Dark clouds gathered unnaturally fast, swallowing the stars whole. The air grew heavy. Thick. Oppressive.
A low rumble echoed from the heavens.
Not thunder. Something deeper. Something… alive.
Black lightning tore across the sky.
Once.
Twice.
Then again— Splitting the darkness apart.
In the capital below, people stepped out of their homes, confusion etched across their faces.
"What's happening…?"
"The barrier—"
"Why does it feel like this—?"
At the Golden Tower, the Four Elders rose from their seats almost simultaneously. Their expressions hardened.
"The core…" the Water Elder muttered.
"…has fallen," the Spirit Elder finished.
Outside—
The Golden Guardian stepped forward, her gaze fixed on the sky.
She felt it.
That pressure. That presence.
Her fists clenched.
"…Oh no..."
Then—
Space itself tore open.
A jagged rift split the sky apart, stretching wide like a wound in reality itself. Darkness poured from it, thick and suffocating.
The air trembled. The ground cracked. And from within—.Something stepped out.
Silence fell across the entire Golden Globe.
He stood high above the capital.
Suspended in the air.
Untouched by gravity.
Untouched by fear.
Ekekiri.
His presence alone weighed on the world. An unseen force pressing down on everything beneath him. Some dropped to their knees. Others couldn't breathe. Even the strongest felt it.
That overwhelming difference.
Behind him— The rift widened.
And from it— They came.
An army. Endless.
Monstrous forms poured into the sky—creatures twisted beyond recognition, their bodies radiating dark energy, their eyes glowing with hunger.
Winged beasts.
Towering giants.
Shadows that moved without form. They filled the heavens.
A child screamed. Somewhere in the city. Then another. Then many.
Panic erupted.
"RUN!"
"GET INSIDE!"
"WHAT IS THAT THING?!"
The Golden Guardian didn't move, fear filled her heart. Her eyes remained locked on Ekekiri. Only thought in her mind was why.
High above—.Ekekiri looked down. Slowly. Deliberately.
His gaze swept across the Golden Globe.
As if observing something insignificant.
Then—
He raised his hand. The army moved.
Like a storm unleashed, the creatures descended.
Fast. Violent. Unstoppable.
They crashed into the outer districts first. Buildings shattered on impact.
Stone and steel ripped apart like paper. Fire spread instantly. Screams filled the air.
Scouts reacted.
Training taking over instinct.
"FORM RANKS!"
"DEFEND THE CIVILIANS!"
They moved as one—Flow igniting across their bodies.
Water surged. Flames roared. Winds howled. They struck.
Flow ignited across their bodies.
Water surged forward in crashing waves. Flames roared to life. Winds spiraled, lifting debris into the air.
"Hold the line!"
The first wave of beasts descended— And collided with them.
A wall of water crashed upward, slamming into a winged creature mid-dive—
BOOM!
It was thrown back— But not down.
The beast twisted mid-air, letting out a distorted screech before diving again—faster.
A Scout stepped forward, flames erupting around his arms.
"GET BACK!"
He launched himself upward—
CLASH!
Fire met claw.
For a second— They held.
Then—
The ground beneath him cracked. Another beast slammed into his side. He was thrown across the street, crashing through stone.
"Don't break formation!" a captain shouted.
Wind users surged forward, forcing back a group of advancing creatures. Blades of compressed air sliced through the front line—
One beast fell.
Then another.
"Push them back!"
For a moment— It worked.
Then—
One of the larger creatures stepped forward. Towering. Unmoving..It raised its arm. And brought it down.
BOOM.
The entire formation shattered.
Scouts were thrown apart like leaves in a storm.
Silence— For half a second.
Then chaos returned.
"Fall back!"
"No—hold your ground!"
"We can't let them through!"
A Scout rushed forward, water spiraling around him like a shield.
He struck— Direct hit.
The beast staggered.
Hope flickered.
Then—
The creature grabbed him. Lifted him. And crushed him.
The shield shattered. The body fell.
That was the moment— Everything changed.
The Scouts didn't stop fighting. They couldn't.
But now— They understood.
They weren't winning.
They were surviving.
At the Flow Star— The ground trembled beneath the children.
Training had stopped. Silence replaced excitement. Fear replaced joy.
Koya stood still.
Her eyes locked on the sky. Her breath slowed.
Something about that presence… It pressed against her chest. Heavy. Unfamiliar.
Yet—
Her body reacted before her mind could understand it.
Her fingers tightened into fists.
"…What is that…?" she whispered.
Anna and Cal followed her gaze.
And froze.
"What… is going on?" Cal whispered.
The sky was no longer visible. Only darkness. And movement.
Immira stepped forward, her expression tense.
"All carers—secure the students. Now!"
Panic spread quickly.
Children began to cry. Others clung to each other.
Back in the capital—
The destruction spread rapidly.
Entire sections of the city collapsed under the assault. Scouts fell one after another.
Their resistance—.Meaningless.
High above it all—
Ekekiri remained still. Watching.
As if this— Was nothing more than the beginning.
At the Golden Tower—
The Golden Guardian stepped forward.
Mind calm, ready.
Her voice rang out—clear, commanding, unshaken.
"ALL SCOUTS—HOLD YOUR POSITIONS!"
The order echoed across the battlefield. Even in chaos— It reached them.
"We protect this city!"
Her gaze hardened. Locked onto the sky.
"No matter what."
Above—
Ekekiri's lips curved slightly.
Then— He moved and the sky…
broke.
To Be Continued.