The first of July arrived once again, marking the fourth year since the Gates had appeared—linking Earth to dimensions teeming with monsters.
There had been a time when that date inspired confusion. Then fear. Then grief.
Now, it inspired readiness.
Even before sunrise, something in the air felt different. Heavier. Charged. As though the world itself sensed the horrors poised just beyond the silent portals. Birds took flight earlier than usual. Dogs barked at empty streets. The sky above Kuala Lumpur was clear—but the stillness beneath it was tense.
Humanity stood on the brink once more, braced to defend its fragile existence against the unknown.
Across continents, superhumans and militaries alike took their positions before the Gates. Armored vehicles formed defensive perimeters. Portable barricades were locked into place. Surveillance drones hovered silently overhead. Communication lines were tested again and again.
Faces were set in grim determination. Eyes sharp with vigilance.
This was no longer unfamiliar terror.
It was ritual.
Expectation.
Resolve woven together through four years of blood and survival.
In the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the Stopgap Mercenary assembled.
The Gate loomed before them like an enormous stone doorway carved from ancient ruin, its inner surface swirling with muted light. It pulsed faintly—slow, steady, ominous.
At the forefront stood Sanjay the Xenoblast.
He did not fidget. He did not shift his stance. His gaze remained fixed on the Gate as though daring whatever lay beyond to hesitate. Even without activating his ability, the air around him felt compressed, as though anticipating release.
Beside him stood Dean the Reflect Bounder, shoulders squared, hands relaxed but ready. Al the Supreme Magician adjusted the grip on his staff, murmuring faint incantations beneath his breath. Hanz the Silent Dagger remained nearly motionless, eyes half-lidded, blades concealed but prepared.
Mary the Shield Rush stood slightly forward of the line, shield resting against her forearm. Afee the High Guard flexed his hands once, grounding himself. Fiqq the Double Tap checked his pistols with efficient precision. Nisha the Telepath closed her eyes briefly, mapping the emotional and mental state of every ally nearby. Gee the Quarter Upper distributed final enhancements, subtle boosts to stamina and clarity.
And slightly to the side, but never behind, stood Isey the Strong Right.
Together, they formed a disciplined wall of experience and trust.
Each member ready.
Guarding the Gate alongside them was Peacekeeper—one of Malaysia's top three superhuman guilds. Their insignia gleamed faintly beneath reinforced armor. Calm professionals, battle-tested.
The other two major guilds had been assigned to the Pulau Pinang Gate, where intelligence predicted heavy resistance. Resources were distributed strategically. There was no room for redundancy.
This battle, like all others across the globe, demanded nothing less than humanity's best.
Far beyond Kuala Lumpur, similar scenes unfolded in synchrony.
In New York, Diamond Fist and the Union of Power stood firm before a towering Gate that shimmered like fractured glass. Concrete beneath his boots cracked faintly with each controlled shift of his weight.
In China, the Sword Saint aligned the Murim Union with serene, lethal precision. His blade rested at his side—not drawn, but present. His disciples stood behind him in disciplined formation.
In Italy, Sun God led Sanctify beneath a dawn sky painted gold. A faint radiance gathered around him, steady and unwavering.
In Australia, Red King's voice thundered across the outback perimeter as he rallied Dragon's Lair. His warriors answered with equal ferocity.
Even the Merchant Union, the Band of Blacksmiths, Venus, and the Underworld's Seven Sins had positioned themselves strategically across key global points. Their motives varied—profit, influence, survival—but unity prevailed over rivalry.
The fourth year was not the time for division.
Back at the Kuala Lumpur Gate, Isey stood beside Dean.
Both calm.
Both coiled.
"Do you think we're ready?" Isey asked quietly, eyes never leaving the swirling surface of the portal.
Dean nodded once. "We've trained for this. The earlier waves were just preludes." His jaw tightened slightly. "This one decides everything."
Nearby, Nisha inhaled sharply.
"Energy fluctuations are spiking," she warned, her voice threading directly into Sanjay's mind. "The wave is imminent."
Mary tightened her grip on her shield. "Focus," she said evenly. "Remember your training."
Sanjay raised one hand.
Silence fell instantly across their formation.
"Our strength lies in unity and resolve," he said, voice carrying clearly through the defensive lines. "We fight not just for ourselves—but for all of humanity."
The ground trembled.
The Gates thrummed with ominous power. Shadows and light twisted together within the swirling interior. Grotesque silhouettes flickered in distorted shapes. Pressure built until the air itself felt stretched thin, as though the sky might tear apart.
A high, resonant tone filled the air.
Then—
With a blinding flash—
The Gates burst open.
The fourth wave poured forth.
Demons emerged.
Not mindless beasts. Not snarling orcs. Not rampaging aberrations.
These were twisted, malevolent beings whose burning eyes reflected no familiar world. Their forms were warped yet purposeful—horned silhouettes, elongated limbs, skin etched with glowing runes. Their presence alone warped the battlefield, an oppressive force that gnawed at the mind as much as the flesh.
The temperature dropped.
The air thickened.
"Engage!" Sanjay roared.
Isey moved without hesitation.
Strengthening flared silently within him.
Time began its measured countdown.
His right fist crashed into the nearest demon with devastating force. Bone-like armor splintered. The creature flew backward like a discarded ragdoll, slamming into two others behind it.
Dean raised his barrier, a translucent field snapping into place just as a barrage of dark energy streaked toward them. The attacks struck, flared, and were redirected in a violent arc back into the advancing horde.
Al's magic followed instantly. Layers of protective light wrapped around their formation. Sigils ignited beneath their boots.
Across the world, battle erupted in unison.
Diamond Fist shattered the ground with each blow, shockwaves rippling outward. The Sword Saint's blade carved clean paths through demonic ranks, movements so precise they seemed preordained. Sun God's radiance burned through darkness itself, vaporizing lesser demons in bursts of golden flame. Red King tore through enemies in storms of raw destruction, laughter echoing through the carnage.
In Kuala Lumpur, Nisha orchestrated the battlefield through telepathy. Every movement synchronized. Every repositioning precise.
Mary and Afee formed an immovable frontline—shield and strength locking into one cohesive wall. Fiqq's gunfire rang out in lethal rhythm. Gee's enhancements pulsed through the team, pushing their limits just enough to keep them standing.
Sanjay moved like controlled devastation.
His Xenoblast tore through demon ranks like a living superweapon—measured explosions ripping open gaps in their formation.
"Hold the line!" he roared. "Do not let them through!"
Isey's Strengthening doubled his perception. Time stretched. Movements slowed. He calculated angles between strikes, redirected momentum, adjusted footwork without conscious thought.
A demon lunged from the flank—clawed hand aiming for his throat.
He pivoted, fist snapping upward.
Impact.
The creature disintegrated against a reinforced wall.
Minutes blurred into chaos.
Demons were relentless. Even the lowest among them were deadly. Clawed limbs severed steel. Dark energy scorched pavement. Some moved in coordinated patterns—clearly commanded.
Then—
Higher-tier horrors emerged.
Larger.
Smarter.
Eyes gleaming with malicious awareness.
One towered above the rest, voice echoing in a guttural language that vibrated against the bones of those who heard it.
"Elite incoming!" Nisha warned sharply.
Sanjay surged forward to intercept. Dean reinforced the barrier. Al intensified the sigils. Mary braced.
Isey felt the weight of the battlefield shift.
Strengthening ticked downward.
He refreshed it seamlessly.
Thirty minute reset.
The elite demon struck with crushing force. The impact reverberated through the ground. Sanjay answered with an explosion that lit the skyline.
Hours passed.
Sweat mixed with grime. Blood—human and demonic—streaked across broken pavement.
Across New York, Wuhan, Venice, and Perth, humanity held firm. Diamond Fist did not yield. The Sword Saint did not falter. Sun God's radiance did not dim. Red King's fury did not subside.
Back in Kuala Lumpur, exhaustion threatened—but resolve did not break.
"Push them back!" Sanjay bellowed as the tide finally wavered. "Now!"
With a final, unified surge, defenders across the line advanced as one.
Isey drove forward beside Dean, their movements instinctively synchronized. Mary's shield hammered into retreating demons. Afee's strikes shattered bone. Al's magic detonated in controlled bursts. Fiqq's shots finished stragglers. Hanz moved like a shadow through collapsing ranks.
The elite demon staggered beneath Sanjay's final blast.
Silence began to reclaim the field.
One by one, the monsters fell.
As dawn broke, muted gold light washed over the battlefield. Smoke drifted upward in slow spirals. Broken pavement gleamed faintly beneath rising sun.
The Gates pulsed once more—
Then fell silent.
Exhausted and bloodied, the defenders stood among the fallen.
Breaths ragged.
Spirits unbroken.
Sanjay surveyed his team, pride and relief etched across his face.
"We did it."
Isey wiped grime from his cheek and nodded.
"We held the line."
Dean gave a tired, grim smile.
"And we'll be ready for the next one."
Above them, the sky brightened fully.
The fourth year had tested humanity.
And humanity had answered.
But somewhere, beyond silent Gates and shattered battlefields—
Something intelligent had been watching. A being higher than elites demon, someone with the power to give orders.