The city burned like a dying star. Ethan's vision scanned the horizon. Panels pulsated violently in the sky, each one acting as a beacon for monsters that poured from every corner.
[Quest Update: Survive the Global Event — Progress 10%]
Ethan turned to his allies, now battle-hardened survivors. Kael stood beside him, a grim expression on his face.
"Ethan… the Panels aren't random. Every monster, every wave… it's testing us," Kael said.
Ethan nodded. "I know. But we survive, we learn, we adapt."
[Skill Unlocked: Tactical Command]
The new skill allowed Ethan to coordinate allies' actions in real-time, giving them better attack efficiency and survival chances.
As waves of monsters approached, he issued commands:
"Flank from the left!"
"Trap on the rooftop, now!"
"Hold the barricade!"
Numbers flashed as each monster fell. Ethan felt the thrill of control, the satisfaction of strategy, and the weight of responsibility.
Hours passed. The system notified:
[Hidden Quest Detected: Locate the Panel Overlord's Core]
Ethan clenched his fists. This was it—the core of the Panels, the source of the apocalypse.
[Cliffhanger:] A shadowed figure emerged from the smoke—tall, humanoid, and radiating immense System energy. Ethan knew instinctively: this was no ordinary monster.