The rain continued its soft cascade, mingling with the cold silence that clung to the ruined site. All For One stood over the scattered bodies of the fallen soldiers, the weight of their defeat settling like dust in the air. His eyes, sharp and calculating, scanned the horizon before returning to the lifeless forms beneath him.
For a long moment, he simply stood there—absorbing the stillness, feeling the hum of power beneath his skin. Then, without hesitation, he knelt beside one of the soldiers, motionless but not yet fully empty.
His hand hovered, then settled gently on the man's temple. A ripple of energy pulsed from his fingertips a psychic probe, delicate yet invasive. The soldier's memories, thoughts, and secrets unfurled before him like a dark tapestry woven with fear and loyalty.
He sifted through the fragments, eyes narrowing as he found what he sought: coordinates, facility layouts, operational details hidden deep within the mind. The secret facility where Colonel Stryker operated, a bastion of resistance and ruthless intent.
A faint smile curled on All For One's lips.
He withdrew his hand slowly, letting the soldier's lifeless body fall back to the earth. The information was clear. The facility was distant but reachable. And with his teleportation ability humming at his command, distance was nothing but a trivial barrier.
He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the sensation space bending, threads of reality weaving and unraveling beneath his will.
Could he slip through the void and strike before the enemy had time to prepare?
His mind flickered with possibilities.
This was not merely survival. It was a hunt.
He straightened, the rain washing over his dark coat as a new resolve took root within him.
The world was fractured, its defenders scattered and broken.
But All For One was not content to remain in the shadows.
The Demon Lord would move swiftly. He would strike decisively.
And from the ashes of the past, a new order would rise.