[Ensburn City – 9:17 PM]
The rumble of approaching tanks echoed through the shattered streets of Ensburn City.
Each thunderous roll of their treads made the ground tremble, like a warning heartbeat before the next wave of chaos. Sirens wailed in the distance, and the occasional blast of artillery fire cracked the night sky.
Not far from the advancing military, the massive form of a Templar-Class Honkai Beast stomped through the ruins, its towering frame knocking over entire skyscrapers like brittle matchsticks. One collapsed in a cacophony of steel and glass, dust rising like smoke from a battlefield.
Overhead, a news helicopter hovered unsteadily just beyond the city's limits.
Inside, a visibly shaken reporter steadied herself as the rotor blades whipped the wind around them.
"I'm... Alira," she spoke into the camera, her voice trembling but steadying with resolve. "We're broadcasting live from Daily News... bringing you the latest from the tragedy unfolding in Ensburn City."
The camera zoomed in.
A massive creature—one of the Templar-Class beasts—could be seen in the distance, surrounded by flames and destruction. Its massive spear dragged behind it, cutting grooves into the earth.
"An alien... or monster... we don't yet know," Alira continued, swallowing hard. "But what we do know is that our city is under siege."
She turned slightly, eyes shimmering. "To those watching... please pray. Pray that those still trapped down there... survive."
Even the cameraman, silent behind the lens, bowed his head.
But then—
BEEP BEEP!
"Incoming!" the pilot shouted. A flash of light surged past the helicopter—something moving fast. Too fast.
"Strap in!" the pilot barked. The aircraft lurched violently. The camera jolted.
"Cut the live feed!" Alira screamed as the cabin tilted sideways. The image fractured—snowy static flickered across screens in living rooms, bars, and bunkers.
A brilliant light swallowed the screen.
Then—silence.
From high in the clouds, Jyahnar sat perched upon her floating throne—aloof, untouchable. Her long dark blue hair danced in the cold wind as her piercing blue eyes watched the chaos unfold below.
She'd seen it.
The helicopter. The prayer. The desperation.
And it made her smile.
"Foolish ants, praying to gods who will never hear them..."
She stood slowly, raising one hand toward the ground.
"I am the apostle of god. This is the Will of God"
Her aura flared—waves of Honkai energy surged from her body like ripples through a still pond.
It hit the city below like a storm.
People who had no resistance to Honkai began to convulse, their skin cracking, glowing with sickly purple veins. Then—they stopped screaming.
They were already gone.
Bodies began to rise again—zombified, shambling toward the nearest living beings.
Animals caught in the radius snarled as their bodies twisted and mutated—fur hardening into scales, eyes glowing, limbs elongating into razor-sharp claws. They had become Animal-Class Honkai Beasts.
The infection had spread.
And Ensburn City was no longer a city.
It had become a nest.
-------------------------
[Emergency Command Center – Underground Facility, Location Classified]
The room was thick with tension. Red emergency lights pulsed overhead like a warning heartbeat. Screens flashed live footage from Ensburn City, each one worse than the last—streets burning, Honkai beasts roaming freely, citizens screaming... then falling silent.
Satoru stood still in front of the largest screen, his face pale under the flickering lights. His clenched fist trembled at his side. On the display, he watched—helpless—as soldiers they had deployed were now being torn apart… or worse, turned.
Former civilians, once the people they were sent to protect, had become monsters. Honkai-corrupted, their bodies twisted, their minds lost.
Then—BEEP.
A secure line opened. The seal of the nation flickered briefly before being replaced by the face of the President, stern and weathered, the lines under his eyes deeper than usual.
"Satoru," the President said without preamble, his voice tight. "Tell me… how bad is it now?"
Satoru swallowed the lump in his throat. His voice came out low, strained.
"...Ninety percent of Ensburn's population is gone."
The President's eyes widened. "You're not exaggerating?"
Satoru shook his head grimly. "No, sir. Nearly all ground units dispatched to the city have been wiped out. Civilians either dead or… turned."
The line went quiet for a moment.
The President exhaled slowly and leaned forward, shadows cast deep across his face. "Then we only have one option."
Satoru's head snapped up, eyes widening. "Sir…?"
The President's voice dropped, heavy and deliberate. "We drop the nuclear bomb."
Satoru's heart stopped. "Mister President—there are still survivors down there!"
"I know," the President said, closing his eyes. "But if we don't act, that infection will spread beyond Ensburn. The Honkai could breach the quarantine zone… and from there, the entire continent is at risk."
Satoru took a shaky breath, his teeth grinding. "Please… at least give me time. Let us try something—anything—before we resort to that."
A long silence.
Then finally, the President nodded.
"Four hours. That's all I can give you. If the situation deteriorates any further… you know what must be done."
And just like that, the screen cut to black.
Satoru stood alone before the silent monitors, eyes reflecting the glow of chaos on screen.
"…Understood, Mr. President," he whispered.
He didn't turn as the officers around him worked in frantic silence. But inside—he had made his choice.
He would find a way.
He had to.
--------------------
[Ensburn City – 11:12 PM]
The streets were shrouded in darkness, lit only by the distant flicker of fires and the faint glow of broken street lamps. The air was thick with smoke and the scent of ash, mingled with the distant echoes of chaos—shrieks, growls, and the low thrum of collapsing buildings.
From the shadow of a narrow alley, a girl with long white hair tied into two braided loops leaned cautiously against the wall. Her sharp blue eyes scanned the empty street ahead, every muscle in her body tense. She listened—for footsteps, for breathing, for anything.
Behind her, a younger girl sat against the wall, clutching her leg, which had been hastily bandaged with torn cloth. The pain was clear in her face, but she remained quiet, watching the older girl with wide, trusting eyes.
The older girl crouched beside her. "Stay quiet, okay?" she whispered gently, brushing the girl's hair aside. "Sister will get us out of this place."
The little girl nodded silently, her voice too shaky to reply.
Kiana turned back toward the street, heart pounding as she bolted forward, weaving between the wreckage and shattered cars. She spotted a looted store nearby—its windows shattered, its shelves barely standing.
She ducked inside, scanning the dim interior quickly. Dust danced in the faint beams of moonlight that filtered through broken panes. Most of the useful supplies were gone… until her eyes caught something behind the counter.
A wooden baseball bat.
She reached for it and gave it a few testing swings.
"Nice," she murmured with a confident smirk.
She spun on her heel and made her way back to the entrance, gripping the bat tightly. But just as she stepped outside, a sharp beep buzzed from her jacket pocket.
She froze.
Carefully pulling out her communicator, she flicked it open. The cracked screen flickered—then lit up with a familiar face.
Long white hair. Blue eyes. The youthful face of a girl… despite her real age.
Kiana's expression lit up. "Aunt Theresa?"
Theresa's eyes widened. "Kiana! You're alive? Thank god… I—" her voice broke slightly. "Grandpa told me Ensburn was lost. I thought..."
"I'm fine!" Kiana grinned and tilted the communicator so Theresa could see the injured girl hiding behind her. "Look! I'm not alone either."
Theresa's expression flickered between relief and worry. "Don't move from that spot! I'm sending someone to extract you right now. And don't do anything reckless. Understood?!"
Kiana laughed, brushing back her bangs. "I hear you loud and clear! But… after I help this kid find her parents, okay? Then I promise I'll sit still."
"Kiana, wait—!"
But it was too late. The screen blinked off.
Back in the command center, Theresa slammed the communicator down on the table.
"Ugh! That kid!"
The wind whispered through the hollow ruins of the city as Kiana crouched beside the little girl, brushing dirt off the hem of her coat.
"You remember where your parents are?" she asked gently, her voice soft yet firm.
The girl nodded. "Yes, sister."
Kiana offered a warm smile. "Where is it?"
"Underground," the girl replied.
Kiana blinked, then her eyes lit up with understanding. "Ah, the subway?" She nodded to herself. "That makes sense. It's deep and sturdy—perfect for hiding from those monsters. They must've made it. We'll get there."
The girl gave a hopeful nod, clutching her injured leg a little tighter.
A Few Minutes Later
The cracked pavement crunched beneath their feet as they approached what remained of the subway entrance. Dust drifted in the dim streetlight glow, mixing with the faint scent of blood and ash. Just ahead, the rusted staircase descended into the darkness of the underground—but it wasn't unguarded.
Two zombies stumbled nearby, their decayed forms dragging across the asphalt. Their cloudy, lifeless eyes flicked back and forth, unaware of the two survivors watching from behind a tipped-over car.
Kiana crouched behind cover, her bat resting on her shoulder. She narrowed her eyes.
"Two of them," she muttered to herself.
She glanced at the bat, fingers tightening around the handle.
Then she looked at the girl. "Ready?"
The girl nodded with quiet determination.
"Alright. Hop on," Kiana said, turning around and lowering herself.
The child climbed onto her back, wrapping her arms gently around Kiana's neck.
Kiana stood up, her legs steady despite the weight. She took a breath—calm and focused. The wind blew through the ruined street.
Then she charged.
The sound of her boots echoed through the narrow street. The zombies turned, groaning as they caught her scent.
But it was too late.
Kiana swung hard. CRACK. The first zombie's head snapped sideways and its body crumpled to the ground.
She pivoted—another swing. SMASH. The second one fell, its bones breaking under the force of her blow.
The child buried her face into Kiana's shoulder, too scared to look, but Kiana didn't flinch. She stood over the corpses for a moment, chest rising and falling.
Then she turned to the subway stairs.
"Hang on," she said softly. "We're almost there."
Kiana cautiously made her way down the cracked concrete steps of the subway entrance, her footsteps echoing faintly in the oppressive silence. The air was thick with dust and the faint stench of decay. Flickering emergency lights barely lit the path ahead, casting long shadows across the walls.
Scattered along the staircase were the remnants of panic—discarded bags, blood stains, and the cold bodies of those who hadn't made it. Kiana's grip tightened on the baseball bat, her expression hardening.
Trailing behind her was the small girl, limping quietly, her head bowed. Kiana's instincts flared. Something wasn't right.
She halted. "Stay here for a moment," she whispered, placing the child gently down. "Sister just needs to check ahead."
But just as she turned to walk further into the darkness, she felt a small tug at her sleeve.
Kiana looked down. The girl hadn't looked up, her fingers clinging tightly to the fabric of Kiana's jacket.
"It's okay," Kiana murmured, reaching out to pat her head—
CRACK!
A sharp strike came out of nowhere. A wooden sword—no, a bokken—smashed into the girl, flinging her away from Kiana like a ragdoll. Shocked, Kiana stumbled back and turned to the attacker.
Standing there was a teenage girl with sharp indigo eyes and long dark purple hair tied back in a loose ponytail. She held the bokken at the ready, her stance steady and unwavering.
"Why did you hit her?!" Kiana demanded, quickly moving to rush to the child's side—only to be blocked by the purple-haired girl.
"Don't," the girl said coldly. "That thing isn't human. I've seen it before—it lures survivors down here and kills them once they're alone."
Kiana's eyes narrowed. "You're wrong. She was scared, hurt. She hasn't done anything to me this whole time."
Then, a sound.
A giggle. No—many giggles, overlapping in a haunting chorus.
Kiana's gaze whipped back to the "girl," now lying a few feet away.
From her small body came a voice that wasn't hers, distorted and echoing in a layered chorus.
"Hehehe… I've been found out~."
(A/n: we have white hair dumpling with her fav mei juice)