"When the walls fall, the monsters don't just come from outside… sometimes, they awaken within."
---
The howling of sirens drowned out the screams.
The South Gate had fallen.
Black smoke blanketed the horizon, a signal of the coming slaughter. Hundreds of Bists charged into the settlement like an unholy flood, their claws ripping through metal, flesh, and stone alike.
Kaizen stood amidst the chaos, his breathing heavy, his heart pounding like war drums. His body still ached from the last surge of power. He clenched his fists—he could feel it crawling under his skin again. That same power. The one that almost made him lose control.
Ayaka stood beside him, twin blades ready. "Kaizen… focus. This is different. They're organized."
"Where's the rest of Umbra Squad?" Kaizen asked, eyes scanning the carnage.
"Dead," said a voice behind them.
It was Vale, blood pouring from his shoulder, armor half-shattered. "They breached both sides. Krovar sent his entire legion. We're getting slaughtered."
Then came the shriek—a bone-chilling roar that echoed through the skies.
From the dust emerged a massive, grotesque form—another Bist General, armored in obsidian-like scales, four arms, and a maw that spewed black fire.
"Zar'Vok's second… Grigor, the Devourer."
Ayaka's eyes widened. "We're not ready for this…"
But they had no choice.
---
The Battle Erupts
The defensive lines collapsed. Artillery was destroyed. Bists climbed over corpses, ripping apart every living being.
Kaizen rushed into the fray, Ayaka following. He tore through three smaller Bists before one slammed him into a stone wall. Blood spilled from his mouth. A soldier nearby screamed—his legs crushed.
A young boy—maybe 14—charged beside Kaizen, yelling, "For humanity!"
Seconds later, he was impaled through the chest.
Kaizen's eyes went red.
The Veins inside him pulsed. His fingers trembled.
"No… not again…"
But the Bists kept coming. One squad member, Lio, was ripped in half while protecting another girl. Another soldier screamed as fire engulfed him—set ablaze by Grigor's breath.
150 meters away, Ayaka saw a little girl crying under debris. She sprinted through collapsing structures, cutting down two Bists, lifting rubble with all her strength.
She pulled the girl free, whispering: "You're safe now. I promise."
A shadow loomed behind her.
She turned, only to see a claw descending fast.
Kaizen roared.
He launched himself like a missile, striking the Bist mid-air. Bones cracked. His body began glowing again—flames licked his arms.
He wasn't in control.
He became the storm.
---
Kaizen's Awakening
Every Bist within 20 meters was obliterated—crushed by the sheer pressure of Kaizen's energy.
Grigor turned to him, snarling.
Kaizen didn't flinch. Flames now burst from his back like wings.
He screamed, veins glowing golden-red, and clashed with Grigor.
It wasn't a fight. It was a massacre.
Kaizen punched through Grigor's armor. A blast of light followed. The general howled in agony as Kaizen lifted him and slammed him through three buildings.
Soldiers paused to watch—hope flickered in their broken eyes.
Ayaka approached him after Grigor lay crushed and dying.
"Kaizen… are you okay?"
He turned to her—his eyes weren't his own anymore. The power had changed something.
"I don't know what I am anymore…"
---
Aftermath and Twist
Of the 300 stationed troops, only 112 survived. Over 150 dead. 60+ severely wounded.
Command called for reinforcements—but no help came.
Instead, a final distress call arrived from Sector 7—where thousands of refugees had just been relocated.
Kaizen looked toward the horizon, his fists clenched.
"We're staying," he said. "They need us."
Ayaka nodded. "Together."
But unknown to them…
Zar'Vok was already watching.
And someone from the human side was sending him information.