Light consumed everything.
For a moment—
There was no sound.
No movement.
No world.
Just white.
Then—
Impact.
A shockwave tore through the city.
Buildings collapsed instantly.
The ground split open like it had been struck by something far beyond its limits.
Arjun felt his body lift off the ground.
Thrown.
Helpless.
He crashed hard into a broken wall, the remaining structure collapsing over him.
Pain surged through his body.
His vision flickered.
[Suit Integrity: 18%]
"…That… hit everything…"
Dust filled the air.
The sky slowly returned.
The red beam faded.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Arjun forced himself up.
Every movement hurt.
But he stood.
"…Did it work?"
The drone emerged from the debris, flickering but operational.
[Scanning…]
The dust began to settle.
The street—
Was gone.
Completely erased.
In its place—
A massive crater.
Deep.
Wide.
Unnatural.
Arjun stared.
"…That's overkill."
The system responded.
[Orbital Strike executed successfully.]
Arjun stepped forward carefully.
Looking into the crater.
Fragments of blue energy flickered and vanished.
No solid bodies remained.
No movement.
[Elite Units A-E2 to A-E4 Eliminated]
Arjun exhaled slowly.
"…Three."
But the system wasn't done.
[Remaining Elite Units: 2]
Arjun's expression hardened.
"…Of course."
The drone projected the map.
Two red markers still active.
And—
Moving.
Fast.
Heading directly toward him.
"…They survived the outer zone."
The system confirmed.
[Elite Units outside primary impact radius remain operational.]
Arjun clenched his jaw.
"Then this isn't over."
Behind him—
Movement.
The squad.
The older man struggled to stand.
The girl sat on the ground, shaking.
The third—
Bleeding.
Badly.
Arjun turned.
"…You're still alive."
The older man let out a dry laugh.
"Barely."
The girl looked up.
"…What was that?"
Arjun didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"Something I can't use again."
The system confirmed.
[Orbital Strike Beacon: Depleted]
Arjun looked back at the crater.
"…Figures."
The ground trembled again.
Not from the strike.
From something else.
Something approaching.
[WARNING]
Remaining Elite Units entering combat zone.
Arjun stepped forward.
Putting himself between them and the squad.
"…Get back."
The older man hesitated.
"…You can't fight them like this."
Arjun didn't respond.
His eyes were fixed ahead.
"…I don't have a choice."
The first Elite Unit appeared.
Its armor damaged.
Cracked.
But still intact.
Its movements—
More aggressive.
Less controlled.
The second arrived seconds later.
Both stopped.
Watching.
Analyzing.
Arjun exhaled slowly.
"…Two left."
The drone spoke.
[Survival probability: 12%]
Arjun smirked slightly.
"Improved from before."
The Elite Units moved.
Simultaneously.
Arjun activated Threat Prediction.
Signals flashed.
Too many.
Too fast.
He moved anyway.
Dodging the first strike.
Barely avoiding the second.
The ground behind him vanished again.
"…Still insane."
He fired.
Plasma shots hit the cracked armor.
Minimal effect.
"…I can't break them like before."
The system remained silent.
Then—
A new notification appeared.
[Emergency Protocol Available]
Arjun froze for a fraction of a second.
"…Emergency?"
[Conditions met: Critical damage + multi-elite threat]
A new option appeared.
Protocol: OVERDRIVE
Effect:
Temporarily boosts all combat capabilities
Removes system limitations
Cost:
Severe physical strain
Unknown long-term impact
Arjun stared at it.
"…Unknown impact, huh."
The Elite Units charged again.
No time.
No space.
No options.
Arjun closed his eyes for a brief moment.
Then opened them.
Sharp.
Focused.
"…Fine."
He selected:
👉 ACTIVATE
Everything changed.
A surge of energy exploded through his body.
The combat suit reacted violently.
Systems overloaded.
Then—
Stabilized.
[OVERDRIVE ACTIVE]
Arjun's breathing slowed.
His vision sharpened.
Time—
Felt slower.
The Elite Units moved toward him.
But now—
He could see it.
Every movement.
Every delay.
Every opening.
"…So this is the next level."
He stepped forward.
Not back.
Forward.
The first Elite Unit attacked.
Arjun moved.
Effortless.
He slipped past the strike.
Fired point-blank.
The blast shattered part of its armor.
The second attacked.
Arjun turned.
Dodged.
Countered.
Faster.
Sharper.
Stronger.
[Combat efficiency increased: 240%]
The squad watched in silence.
"…He's different," the girl whispered.
Arjun didn't hear.
Didn't care.
Right now—
There was only one thing.
End them.
The Elite Units adapted.
Faster.
More aggressive.
But Arjun was already ahead.
He moved between them.
Controlled.
Precise.
Deadly.
"…Let's finish this."