Night covered the ocean like black glass.
The Accord transport cut through clouds at impossible speed, golden engines leaving faint trails of light behind them.
Inside the cabin, silence dominated.
Everyone felt it.
Their first real mission outside protection.
Kael sat strapped into his seat, staring at the mission briefing floating in front of him.
Threat level extreme is not comforting wording, by the way.
Mira checked her gear calmly.
You said the same thing before the invasion too.
Yeah, and I was right.
Seraphine stood near the front, reviewing incoming data streams.
Neo-Tokyo experienced a dimensional rupture three hours ago, she explained. Communication collapsed shortly after. Civilian evacuation incomplete.
A hologram appeared.
The city skyline flickered — neon lights, towering buildings… and a massive dark zone spreading from the center like ink in water.
Lyra's eyes narrowed.
Reality corrosion.
Arjun looked closer.
Buildings inside the zone looked distorted, angles bending unnaturally, streets folding into impossible shapes.
Like reality forgot its own rules.
Entity classification unknown, Seraphine continued. Multiple Awakened teams already deployed.
Status: no contact.
Kael swallowed.
Okay… that part I definitely don't like.
The transport began descending.
Outside the window, Neo-Tokyo appeared — a futuristic city glowing with color… except for the center.
A massive sphere of darkness hovered above downtown, swallowing light itself.
Lightning flickered inside it silently.
Arjun felt his symbol pulse immediately.
Strong reaction, Lyra observed.
Something inside recognizes you.
The transport landed on an emergency platform near the city edge.
The doors opened.
Cold air rushed in.
Sirens echoed faintly in the distance.
The streets were empty.
Cars abandoned mid-road. Neon signs flickering. Wind carrying loose papers across silent intersections.
Mira whispered.
It feels wrong…
Seraphine activated a scanning device.
Reality stability at forty percent. Stay close. Do not enter the core zone without coordination.
They moved forward cautiously.
As they crossed into the affected district, sound began distorting.
Footsteps echoed twice.
Shadows lagged behind movements.
Kael waved his hand.
Yeah, physics officially resigned here.
Suddenly Arjun stopped.
His ability activated instinctively.
First Step.
Threads appeared — but they twisted chaotically.
Future paths looped endlessly.
Warning.
Something moved ahead.
A figure stumbled out from a nearby alley.
An Awakened agent wearing Accord armor.
Relief crossed Mira's face.
Survivor!
They ran closer.
The agent looked up slowly.
His eyes were completely black.
Run… he whispered weakly.
Too late.
His body distorted violently.
Limbs stretched unnaturally as dark energy burst outward.
The man transformed into a warped creature made of fractured human shapes.
Kael stepped back.
Okay nope that is definitely not normal corruption.
Lyra spoke urgently.
Possession through dimensional overwrite.
The creature screamed — multiple voices overlapping — and charged.
Arjun moved instantly.
Golden light flashed.
He intercepted the attack, blocking with an energy construct.
Impact shattered nearby glass.
The creature attacked wildly, movements unpredictable.
Seraphine fired golden restraints, pinning it briefly.
It's not attacking intentionally, she said. It's being controlled.
Arjun saw faint violet threads connected to the creature — stretching toward the dark sphere in the sky.
A puppet.
He focused.
First Step expanded.
He followed the thread path.
At the center of the corruption zone…
something watched through thousands of connected minds.
The creature lunged again.
Arjun stepped forward calmly and placed his glowing hand against its chest.
Golden energy flowed outward.
The violet thread snapped.
The creature froze.
Darkness evaporated slowly.
The human collapsed unconscious but alive.
Mira exhaled.
You saved him.
Arjun looked toward the dark sphere.
No.
He said quietly.
That thing let me.
The sphere pulsed.
A massive eye-shaped pattern briefly formed inside it — staring directly at him.
Seraphine's voice hardened.
Target confirmed. Intelligence-level entity.
The ground trembled.
Buildings around them twisted further.
A voice echoed across the entire city.
Guardian Candidate…
Welcome.
The sphere began descending slowly toward the streets.
Their first world mission had just turned into a direct confrontation.