Night fell over the city.
But the darkness felt wrong.
Streetlights flickered even without power issues. Shadows stretched longer than they should, moving half a second behind their owners.
Something had changed after the Proxy's arrival.
People felt uneasy without knowing why.
Dogs barked endlessly.
Phones lost signal again.
And high above the clouds, invisible fractures spread quietly across the sky like cracks in glass.
Arjun stood on the rooftop again.
He hadn't moved much since the battle.
Mira leaned against the railing beside him.
You think they're coming back tonight?
Arjun answered without looking away from the sky.
They never left.
Seraphine activated.
Multiple dimensional signatures detected entering planetary atmosphere.
Kael nearly dropped his drink.
Multiple?!
Lyra's expression hardened.
Proxies are scouts. Hunters come after confirmation.
The air suddenly grew cold.
One crack opened directly above the city.
Then another.
And another.
Three fractures tore open the sky simultaneously.
Light poured down like falling stars.
Each beam struck a different part of the city.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Shockwaves rolled through the streets.
People screamed as buildings trembled.
This time, time did not stop.
The Overseers were no longer hiding their presence.
Kael stared wide-eyed.
Okay… that feels way more aggressive.
Seraphine identified rapidly.
Three Overseer Hunter Units deployed.
Threat Level: Extreme.
Arjun felt pressure again, heavier than before.
Not overwhelming.
But intentional.
They were testing combat response now.
From the first impact zone, a tall armored figure rose from a crater — sleek black armor covered in shifting symbols, holding a spear formed from condensed light.
From the second zone, a floating entity appeared, its body surrounded by rotating rings like orbiting planets.
From the third—
Something fast.
A blur shot across rooftops faster than sound itself, leaving cracks in buildings behind.
Lyra whispered.
Different functions. They hunt in coordination.
Kael groaned.
Of course they do.
The fastest Hunter appeared suddenly behind Arjun.
No warning.
A blade of white energy slashed downward.
CLANG.
Mira blocked it just in time, sliding backward across the rooftop.
The Hunter tilted its head, analyzing her instantly.
Secondary anomaly detected.
It vanished again.
Arjun turned.
It's targeting all of us now.
Below, citizens ran in panic as the spear-wielding Hunter lifted its weapon.
A massive beam fired into the sky — forming a barrier around the entire city.
Escape sealed.
Kael looked around.
They trapped us?!
Lyra nodded.
Containment protocol. They will eliminate anomalies before expansion.
The floating Hunter raised its rings.
Gravity twisted.
Cars lifted into the air again.
Buildings groaned under impossible pressure.
Arjun stepped forward.
No more waiting.
Light ignited around him again, stronger than before — but calmer, controlled.
The air stabilized near him instantly.
He looked at his friends.
We split them up. They're stronger together.
Kael cracked his knuckles.
Finally, teamwork strategy.
Mira stepped beside Arjun.
I'll handle the fast one.
Lyra added quietly.
I will interfere with their synchronization.
Arjun looked toward the spear Hunter standing in the distance.
Then I take the leader.
The moment he stepped off the rooftop—
Space bent beneath his feet.
He appeared directly before the spear Hunter.
It attacked instantly.
Their weapons collided.
Shockwaves exploded across the city skyline.
For the first time, the battle wasn't hidden.
Humans below looked up, witnessing flashes of impossible light in the sky.
The world had begun to notice.
And far beyond Earth—
Several Overseers observed silently.
Evaluation progressing.
One of them spoke.
The anomaly grows faster than predicted.
Another answered.
Prepare escalation tier.
Back on Earth, Arjun pushed forward, eyes steady.
This wasn't survival anymore.
This was war.