IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NORMAL NIGHT.
VALKYRION HUNTERS WERE ON PATROL DUTY NEAR THE QUARANTINE ZONE WHEN THE ALARMS SCREAMED TO LIFE.
"BARRIER THREE IS FAILING!"
"WE CAN'T STABILIZE IT!"
ARIANA'S VOICE ROARED THROUGH THE COMMUNICATORS.
"ALL UNITS! FALL BACK TO THE INNER PERIMETER! NOW!"
BUT IT WAS ALREADY TOO LATE.
THE ABYSS OPENS
THE BLACK GATE PULSED VIOLENTLY AND SHATTERED THE MULTIPLE BARRIERS SURROUNDING IT.
A WAVE OF PURE DARK ENERGY SPREAD OUTWARD, DESTROYING EVERYTHING IT TOUCHED.
HUNTERS WERE THROWN HUNDREDS OF FEET.
SOME… NEVER GOT BACK UP.
THEN THE CREATURES CAME.
THEY WEREN'T LIKE THE MONSTERS FROM NORMAL GATES.
THEIR BODIES WERE SHADOWY, WITH SKULL-LIKE FACES AND CLAWS THAT MELTED THROUGH STEEL.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE THINGS?!" A HUNTER SCREAMED AS ONE TORE THROUGH HIS SHIELD.
VALKYRION ARRIVES
ARIANA LED THE ELITE TEAM INTO THE CHAOS, KAI RIGHT BEHIND HER.
"KEEP THE LINE! WE CAN'T LET THEM SPREAD INTO THE CITY!"
RYUJIN LANDED NEXT TO THEM, HIS KATANA ALREADY DRAWN.
HIS EYES LOCKED ONTO THE CREATURES—AND FOR A MOMENT, HE FELT THAT SAME VOICE IN HIS HEAD.
"YOU CAN'T SAVE THEM… UNLESS YOU EMBRACE ME."
HE SHOVED THE VOICE ASIDE AND LAUNCHED FORWARD, HIS BLADE FLASHING.
ONE CREATURE FELL, DISSOLVING INTO BLACK SMOKE.
BUT FOR EACH ONE HE KILLED, THREE MORE EMERGED FROM THE GATE.
THE FALL
A SCREAM ECHOED.
A GROUP OF C-RANK HUNTERS WERE SURROUNDED.
"HELP—! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!"
ARIANA TRIED TO REACH THEM, BUT A SHADOW CREATURE BLOCKED HER PATH.
SHE WATCHED HELPLESSLY AS THE HUNTERS WERE TORN APART IN SECONDS.
"DAMN IT!"
KAI GRITTED HIS TEETH.
"WE'RE LOSING TOO MANY!"
THE CHOICE
RYUJIN STOOD AMIDST THE SLAUGHTER, HIS HAND TREMBLING ON HIS KATANA.
HE KNEW… HE COULDN'T WIN LIKE THIS.
THE VOICE CAME AGAIN, STRONGER NOW.
"RYUJIN… EMBRACE ME. UNLEASH YOUR TRUE POWER, OR THEY WILL ALL DIE."
BLACK SMOKE BEGAN TO RISE FROM HIS BODY UNCONTROLLABLY.
ARIANA SAW IT, HER EYES WIDENING.
"RYUJIN… WHAT ARE YOU…?"