Gunfire echoed endlessly across the battlefield.
The armory facility loomed ahead—massive, reinforced, and still standing despite everything thrown at it.
Akane steadied himself behind broken cover, his breathing uneven.
His body still ached from the overclock.
Every movement felt heavier than before.
That power…
It's still there…
Faint.
But waiting.
"MOVE UP! KEEP PRESSURE ON THEM!" a squad leader shouted.
The remaining soldiers advanced carefully through debris and shattered barricades.
"Watch the rooftops!"
"Snipers are still active!"
A shot rang out—
A soldier dropped instantly.
"…Sniper! Take cover!"
Akane ducked behind a concrete slab, his heart beating faster.
He peeked—
Fired.
Hit.
Another.
Hit.
But for every enemy that fell—
Two more replaced them.
"We're not breaking through!" a soldier yelled.
"They've locked the front!"
Explosions erupted ahead, forcing the squad back again.
Dust and smoke filled the air.
Akane clenched his jaw.
We're stuck…
Pressure Returns
His vision flickered slightly.
That same pressure returned.
Stronger.
More aggressive.
His fingers twitched.
His breathing grew uneven.
No… not now…
"Hey! Stay focused!" a soldier snapped.
Akane blinked.
"…Yeah."
But his voice wasn't steady.
Command Decision
Suddenly—
A sharp static cut through the comms.
"Command to all units—stand by for immediate support."
Everyone froze.
"…Support?" someone muttered.
"Coordinates confirmed."
A pause.
Then—
"Friendly airstrike inbound. Brace for impact."
Too Close
A soldier looked up.
"…Wait… that's too close—"
A distant whistling sound cut through the battlefield.
Then—
BOOM.
The ground shook violently.
An explosion tore through the mercenary front lines.
Fire erupted into the sky.
Then another.
And another.
"TAKE COVER!"
Akane dropped instantly as shockwaves slammed into the ground around him knocking him around.
Debris flew past his head.
The airstrike didn't stop.
Explosions rained down across the battlefield.
Buildings collapsed.
Defensive lines shattered.
Mercenaries were thrown into chaos.
But so were they.
"THIS IS INSANE!"
"WE'RE TOO CLOSE TO THE STRIKE ZONE!"
Another blast hit nearby—
Sending a friendly soldier flying.
Akane shielded himself, his ears ringing.
They're hitting everything…
Even us…
The sky burned with fire.
Smoke swallowed everything.
Silence… Then Something Else
Then—
The airstrike stopped.
A strange silence followed.
Only distant flames and falling debris remained.
Akane slowly lifted his head.
The battlefield was unrecognizable.
Destroyed.
Burning.
Broken.
"…Did it work…?" someone said.
Then—
A deep frequency sound echoed from the distance.
Low.
Powerful.
The soldiers turned toward the horizon.
Beyond the battlefield—
The sea.
Shapes emerged through the smoke.
Massive.
Dark.
Battleships.
"…No way…" a soldier muttered.
"They finally arrived…"
The ships aligned.
Cannons adjusted.
Then—
A flash.
BOOOOM.
The sound was deafening.
Massive shells tore through the sky.
They struck the facility.
Explosions far larger than before ripped through its outer defenses.
Walls shattered.
Turrets destroyed.
Entire sections collapsed.
Another volley followed.
And another.
The ground trembled with each impact.
"THAT'S OUR SUPPORT WHY IS IT DANGEROUSLY CLOSE!" a soldier shouted.
The facility began to fall apart under the bombardment.
Mercenary forces scrambled.
Their formation broken.
Their control slipping.
Akane watched silently.
His eyes narrowed.
So...this… is war...
The bombardment slowed.
Then stopped.
Only fire remained.
And ruins.
Then—
Engines.
Reinforcements
Dropships descended from above.
More advanced.
More controlled.
"Reinforcements inbound," the comms voice said.
Elite soldiers deployed onto the battlefield.
Moving fast.
Taking control.
"Secure all sectors!"
"Push forward!"
Gunfire resumed—
But this time—
It was controlled.
Focused.
Akane stood still for a moment.
His body heavy.
His mind racing.
"You still standing?" a soldier asked.
"…Yeah," Akane replied quietly.
But inside—
That pressure was still there.
Growing.
Waiting.
Through the smoke—
The armory facility still stood.
Damaged.
Burning.
But not still standing.
Its main gates slowly opened.
From the inside—
New figures emerged.
Heavier armor.
Stronger weapons.
"…So they were holding back…" Akane muttered.
His grip tightened.
His body still aching.
His power is still unstable...