Point 1: Chaos Above A1 City
The sky above A1 City was no longer its usual shade.
It had turned dark crimson, swirling with black mist. The towering buildings that once represented power and order now stood under siege.
Strays swarmed the streets, moving with unnatural coordination—as if being commanded.
From the rooftops, a lone figure stood, draped in a torn cloak. His eyes burned with a sinister light, and his arm was raised, controlling the chaos below.
"Burn it all," he muttered, his voice laced with malice.
The Strays roared, lunging at the city's defenders.
Noble warriors in gleaming armor fought back fiercely, their blades flashing as they clashed against the corrupted creatures.
But something was wrong.
The Strays weren't fighting like mindless beasts. They moved with tactics. They surrounded the strongest warriors first, isolating them.
One noble swung his spear, impaling a Stray through the chest—
Only for the Stray to grab the spear and pull itself closer, grinning.
"What—?!"
Before the noble could react, the Stray's hand shot forward, piercing straight through his armor.
Blood splattered.
From the shadows, the commanding figure smirked.
"Pathetic."
---
Point 2: The Tunnel Battle - Rajiv's Struggle
Deep beneath the city, Rajiv and his team were locked in battle.
The Strays were relentless, their twisted bodies lunging at them from every direction.
Rajiv dodged an incoming claw, barely managing to counter with a strike—
But something was wrong.
His golden energy flickered.
It wasn't flowing as efficiently as before.
"Damn it," he muttered, stepping back. His body still hadn't recovered from his last battle.
Soraya noticed. "Rajiv! What's wrong?"
"I—" Rajiv gritted his teeth. "I can't channel my energy properly."
Liang Bai narrowly avoided a clawed swipe. "We don't have time for this!"
Then—Jiro spoke.
"You're struggling, aren't you, Rajiv?"
Rajiv turned to face him.
Jiro stood calmly amidst the chaos, his hands behind his back, watching the battle like it was nothing more than an experiment.
His eyes glowed with eerie confidence.
"You don't understand what you're fighting against."
Rajiv clenched his fists. "They're Strays. We've fought them before."
Jiro shook his head.
"No, Rajiv. These aren't just Strays."
He smirked.
"They are something... far worse."
Rajiv's heart pounded.
Jiro gestured toward the creatures.
"They were created using Demon Energy."
Silence.
Yokudo's grip on his sword tightened. "What do you mean?"
Jiro chuckled. "I told you before, didn't I? The Noble Family isn't innocent. They experimented with things they shouldn't have. But unlike them…"
He spread his arms.
"I perfected it."
Rajiv's stomach twisted.
The Strays in the tunnel weren't just creatures.
They were engineered.
Soraya's face paled. "You're saying… these things were made?"
"Exactly." Jiro's smirk widened.
"And guess what, Rajiv?"
He stepped forward, his presence overwhelming.
"Your golden energy? It's strong, yes. But against Demon Energy?"
He grinned.
"It's useless."
---
Point 3: White Soldiers' Discovery
Above the collapsing tunnels, the White Soldiers were already on the move.
The commander's face was tense as he observed the energy readings from the underground battlefield.
"This is unnatural," he muttered. "The Strays aren't acting on instinct. They're being… controlled."
A nearby soldier nodded. "Sir, the magic seals are barely holding the tunnel together. If we don't act—"
The commander raised a hand, silencing him.
His gaze remained fixed on the battlefield.
He could feel it.
The presence of something… old. Something dark.
Then—
A loud screech echoed from the tunnels.
The ground trembled.
The soldiers instinctively stepped back.
One of them whispered, "Sir, that wasn't just a Stray…"
The commander's grip on his sword tightened.
His expression darkened.
"Send a report to HQ."
"About what, sir?"
The commander exhaled.
"Tell them we're no longer dealing with just Strays."
His eyes narrowed.
"There's something else down there."