Flames engulfed the entire city, thick smoke billowing upward into dark clouds that loomed ominously in the sky. There had been no warning signs that such a catastrophe would strike today. Everything happened so suddenly.

  Fighter jets roared across the skies, their wings gleaming as they reflected the faint light piercing through the smoke. The planes were familiar in design, their bodies emblazoned with logos that unmistakably marked them as allies. Yet, despite being from the same side, destruction was inevitable.

  A bright red laser shot through the air, striking one of the jets and causing it to explode instantly.

  Boom!

  The aircraft disintegrated into fragments, which rained down to the ground below.

  Above the chaos, a man wreathed in flames floated steadily in the air. The fiery aura surrounding him illuminated his figure, making him appear almost otherworldly. Using his blazing power like rocket propulsion, he launched bursts of fire from his hands to maintain his position.

  His face was tense, his lips tightly pressed, and his brows furrowed sharply. Eyes that were once calm now glowed intensely, filled with fire that seemed to erupt from within him. Every breath he took felt like embers igniting, consuming every other emotion he might have felt.

  The man was Ronan, who had just ensured his family’s safety before returning to the battlefield. He hovered in the air, gazing at a distant school—his old school, a place that had witnessed many pivotal moments in his life.

  “This can’t be... it can’t...” Ronan murmured, his voice trembling as his eyes turned red. His body shook, overwhelmed by a crushing wave of guilt.

  The school was now a skeleton of its former self. Once-strong and towering walls had crumbled into heaps of debris strewn across the dust-covered ground. Flames still licked at the ruins, reducing the remnants to ash that scattered in the wind.

  With a heavy chest, Ronan shot toward the ruins of the school.

  The world around him seemed to blur; only the sound of the wind roared in his ears. He accelerated, ignoring the frantic calls from his comrades below.

  “Ronan! What are you doing? Get back in formation, now!” a sharp, urgent voice pierced through the din of the ongoing battle.

  But Ronan ignored it. He clenched his jaw, his heart refusing to stop. His gaze remained fixed ahead.

  Without warning, a shadow shot past him. Ronan barely had time to register the sudden surge of heat before a powerful force struck him from behind.

  Thwack!

  The impact sent him reeling, throwing off his balance and knocking the air from his lungs.

  “The mission is more important,” a cold, emotionless voice declared.

  In front of him, Lucy hovered calmly, her sharp eyes delivering a wordless warning.

  “Move!” Ronan shouted, his fists blazing with roaring flames. The air around him shimmered with heat, stinging the skin.

  But Lucy calmly raised her hand, deflecting the attack as if it were nothing. With a swift motion, she struck Ronan in the abdomen.

  Thud!

  Ronan's body doubled over as pain shot through him. He gasped, his eyes wide, saliva spilling from his mouth.

  “This is your final warning,” Lucy said coldly, her tone sharp. “Until the mission is complete, no one is allowed to leave. If you care about your family, you know the risks of disobeying this order.”

  Ronan staggered, clutching his stomach. Though his body was weakened, his eyes still burned with hatred.

  “Are you... threatening me?” Ronan rasped, his voice barely audible.

  “Get back in formation.” Lucy ignored the question. With a swift, hard kick, she sent Ronan hurtling to the ground.

  Bam!

  Crash!

  The earth quaked as his body slammed into the ground, leaving a small crater at the impact site. Ronan coughed, blood dripping from his lips.

  Above him, Lucy stared down with an emotionless expression. She scoffed before returning to her position in the formation.

  For her, discipline was paramount. If Ronan continued to defy orders, she wouldn’t hesitate to use force again.

  ---

  Elsewhere, Jasper sat at his desk, his face pale, eyes wide with shock. A video call was connected, and panic replaced his usual calm demeanor.

  On the screen, the stern face of Lord Asori was clearly visible. A middle-aged man with white hair framing both sides of his face, Lord Asori exuded an undeniable aura of authority. Each line on his face seemed to tell of hidden wisdom.

  “Lord Asori, what’s happening? Why are fighter jets attacking the city?” Jasper asked, his voice trembling with worry.

  “The smoke of war has begun to rise,” Lord Asori replied gravely. “Prepare yourself.”

  “War?” Jasper’s body trembled.

  “Yes. Not just in your city, but across the world. A sudden offensive has begun. Nuclear weapons have been launched. Five major cities have already been destroyed by nuclear blasts.”

  “Five major cities...” Jasper repeated, stunned, his face ashen with disbelief.

  Even though he was a Rootbound, a nuclear weapon was absolute death for him.

  “The world’s major powers are making their move,” Lord Asori continued. “\*\*They’re targeting strategic locations, including pre-identified nuclear facilities. We don’t know the full scale yet, but one thing is certain—war has begun. Many are exploiting this chaos to eliminate rivals and strike at me through you.\*\*”

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  Those words echoed in Jasper’s mind, a looming shadow of imminent danger.

  “Mobilize your forces,” Lord Asori commanded. “Use every resource at your disposal. In six hours, I want you to form a full formation and launch a counterattack on Dormu’s territory.”

  Jasper nodded slowly. “Understood, Lord Asori. I will follow your orders.”

  The call ended. Jasper rose from his chair, his expression grim.

  “Bring the woman named Jiyu here,” Jasper instructed two subordinates standing by the door. “It’s time she serves her purpose.”

  “Understood!”

  The two immediately left to carry out the order.

  ---

  Outside, hundreds of Seedbound from various power levels had gathered around the secret headquarters of the Police Department.

  These Seedbound were tasked with defending the city against enemy attacks, and their coordination rendered the enemy fighter jets’ assaults futile.

  Enemy jets were shot down with ease, their missiles destroyed mid-air before they could strike the ground.

  Having returned to the formation after his encounter with Lucy, Ronan watched the scene with mixed emotions. He had known this secret base housed many Seedbound, but he had never imagined their numbers would be so vast.

  The hidden base lay underground in an isolated forest area—the very site the enemy had first attacked with a massive explosion.

  Through precise formation and coordination, the Seedbound had rendered the enemy jets powerless, destroying them one by one.

  Ronan surveyed the battlefield once more. The air reeked of gunpowder and dust, obscuring his view. Yet he couldn’t ignore the reality before him—hundreds of Seedbound standing united as one.

  They had just repelled the largest assault Ronan had ever witnessed, their combined strength keeping the city from falling.

  The explosions echoed in his mind. But now, only silence remained.

  Ronan took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly.

  "This is only the beginning," Ronan thought, his eyes fixed on the sky turning crimson under the fading light of dusk.

  For now, everything was quiet. Too quiet.

  The sky gradually darkened. Dozens of fighter jets had been destroyed, and the assault had ceased for the moment.

  The situation felt marginally safer. A few Awaken had been assigned to guard the city outskirts, tasked with reporting any incoming attacks.

  Finally, Ronan could afford a brief rest, even if only for a short while.

  His body was battered, his emotions in tatters. Yet, he forced himself to remain upright.

  With heavy steps, he made his way to a large building that had become a temporary refuge for survivors.

  The building was packed. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people crammed inside, seeking safety amidst the chaos. And this was just one of many such shelters scattered across the city.

  Ronan stood at the threshold, his heart heavy as he surveyed the scene inside. Cries pierced the silence, an expression of profound sorrow.

  Pale, despairing faces met his gaze, each one bearing untold stories of loss.

  In a corner of the room, a little girl sat alone. She clutched a half-burned doll tightly, as if it were the last link to the world she once knew. Her vacant eyes stared ahead, as if her soul had sunk into darkness she could not comprehend. Her hands gripped the doll more tightly, seeking warmth that no longer existed.

  Ronan took a deep breath, but the air felt heavy in his lungs. The sight pierced his heart, evoking a sadness he had never before experienced.

  Not long ago, he had confidently told Venix of a brighter future—a future where this world would rise stronger than ever.

  Yet here, surrounded by a sea of grief and despair, reality hit him like a tidal wave.

  Perhaps the truth was this: a more chaotic era was unfolding.

  Ronan stepped deeper into the building, trying to block out the sights and sounds around him. He had one goal: to find his own family.

  After several minutes of anxious searching, he finally spotted them.

  His mother lay weakly atop a thin stack of blankets; her cough was hoarse and labored. Beside her, his younger sister, Nina, clung to their mother’s hand, her face unable to hide her fear.

  In another corner, Rael sat cooking over a portable stove. His movements were slow, almost mechanical, as though his mind was elsewhere.

  The sight struck Ronan like a blow to the chest—a pain he couldn’t put into words. He took a deep breath, steeled himself, and stepped closer.

  "Mother..." Ronan crouched beside her, his eyes scanning every detail, from the cold sweat on her brow to her labored breaths.

  "What happened, Nina?" he asked, striving to maintain his composure.

  Nina lowered her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I... I don’t know! She suddenly struggled to breathe after the explosions kept coming."

  Hearing this, Ronan clenched his jaw. He turned away, his teeth grinding in frustration, cursing their predicament. This world was utterly broken.

  “Where’s Venix?” Rael’s voice suddenly cut through the air, sharp and abrupt, breaking the tense silence. His hands froze, no longer stirring the pot.

  Ronan stiffened. The question felt like a blade to his chest. He shook his head slowly, unable to meet Rael’s gaze.

  "You don’t know where he is?" Rael pressed, his tone more urgent this time.

  Ronan finally replied in a low voice, "One of the jets… fired a missile. It hit the school."

  Rael’s face turned pale.

  "What…" Rael stammered, his voice barely audible. "Are you… sure?"

  Ronan closed his eyes, trying to calm the guilt gnawing at him. "If I had stayed calm, I might have been able to save Venix."

  Rael gripped his knees tightly, unable to speak. Memories of childhood with Venix flooded his mind, and the loss felt like a gaping hole opening within him.

  Ronan recalled the last moments he’d spent with Venix, the moment he had to leave him behind.

  If only he hadn’t panicked, Ronan thought, he might have taken Venix with him, instead of abandoning him at the school dormitory.

  That guilt rooted itself deeply in Ronan’s heart.

  "Rael..." Ronan tried to speak, but no words could convey what he felt.

  Rael patted Ronan’s shoulder gently, cutting off his unspoken sentence.

  "This chaos came so suddenly. There was nothing you could have done," Rael said, attempting a calm smile, though his eyes betrayed the pain he felt.

  Rael returned to his cooking, seeking distraction. But Ronan knew better. Behind the calm facade, Rael was concealing profound sorrow.

  Rael and Venix had been friends since childhood, surviving hardships together as orphans. Losing Venix in the midst of this turmoil felt like losing a part of himself.

  If only Rael had become an Awaken earlier, perhaps he could have done something to save Venix.

  Perhaps… Venix would be here now, still with them.

  In silence, Rael continued cooking. Ronan chose not to say anything more.

  Ten minutes later, the food was ready. Rael distributed small portions to everyone.

  Ronan took his share, eating slowly despite the guilt that still haunted him. Beside him, Nina patiently fed their mother small bites, ensuring she gained strength, even if just from a few morsels.

  Rael, on the other hand, ate quickly and silently. Within minutes, his plate was empty. Without a word, he stood, his movements stiff and unnatural.

  "Where are you going?" Ronan asked, concern clear in his tone.

  Rael shook his head slightly, avoiding Ronan’s gaze. "Just stepping outside. I need some air."

  Without waiting for a response, Rael walked toward the exit.

  Ronan turned to Nina. "Can you manage Mother on your own for a while?"

  Nina nodded, though her expression revealed slight anxiety. "It’s fine. You must have something more important to do. I’ll take care of her."

  "Thank you. I won’t be long."

  Ronan stood, leaving the rest of his meal for Nina, and followed Rael outside.

  The night air bit at his skin. The eerie silence of the city was broken only by the rustle of leaves in the wind. Ronan quickened his pace, scanning the distance for Rael.

  He found him at the edge of a guardrail, his body slightly hunched, staring at the dark ground below.

  Ronan approached quietly.

  "I never thought Venix would leave us so soon," Rael said without turning, his voice laden with grief.

  Ronan stood beside him, exhaling heavily. "It’s my fault. I could have taken Venix with me."

  Rael lifted his head slightly but kept his gaze forward. "Did he say anything to you before it happened?"

  "He told me to save my family," Ronan replied, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "He asked me to make sure you were safe. He said he could protect himself."

  Rael gave a small, sad smile, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Of course, he would say that. We grew up with no one, learning to rely on ourselves."

  Ronan looked up, his eyes on the night sky. The stars shone brightly, indifferent to the chaos below.

  Everyone felt the weight of grief and loss, just as Rael and Ronan did.

  Those who didn’t… were likely the ones who had caused all of this chaos.