"Valen... You..."


    Gabrial spun around, only to find Valen, gripping hisst two wings, preventing them from fluttering.


    Without a word, right before Gabrial''s horrified eyes, Valen ripped the wings from his body.


    Tear!


    "Argghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...."


    A primal scream of pain echoed as the wings were torn away, blood gushing from the fresh wounds.


    Crack... Crack...


    His body started to fissure, cracks spider-webbing across his skin, from which an even more intense light leaked.


    "Not good..." Luna murmured, her voice tinged with rm as she observed Gabrial''s form beginning to shatter, his eyes now zing with beams of light.


    She cast a wary nce behind and took a deep breath, steeling herself.


    Whooooosh!


    In a sh, like aet streaking across the sky, Luna disappeared from the scene.


    Whooooosh!


    Whooooosh!


    Whooooosh!


    As the cracks in Gabrial''s form deepened, rm etched into Wang Xiao''s features.


    A dreadful premonition washed over him—he might not escape in time.


    [QUICKLY LEAVE!] Yin Yue''s voice shattered the tense silence, her words tinged with panic, confirming the threat.


    [RUN TOWARDS THE TUNNEL!] She directed urgently.


    Atst, Wang Xiao exhaled a heavy sigh, a mix of resignation and determination fueling his actions—


    Swoosh!


    With every ounce of his speed, he pivoted and flew towards the crater.


    The glowing portalbefore him, its radiance whispering irresistibly.


    Without a moment''s hesitation, he leaped forward, diving into the shimmering gateway.


    Right at that instant—


    Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom!


    The explosion was colossal, as if a nuclear arsenal had been unleashed beneath their feet.


    The ground shook violently, sending tremors that could be felt thousands of kilometers away.


    Even the rescue ships, already stationed far within the safety zone, glimpsed the massive pir of light ascending into the heavens.


    It soared upward, climbing endlessly, until abruptly, it dissipated into the ether, leaving behind only nothingness.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ___________


    Aboard the rescue ship!


    Drifting on the open sea away from Frostholm, the crew members watched in awe as the blinding light that had erupted on the distantnd began its descent toward the earth.


    As the light touched the horizon and seemed to sink slowly toward the sea, a hush fell over the deck.


    Gasp!


    "It''s like the descent of a god..." whispered one crew member, her voice barely audible over the gentlep of waves against the ship''s hull.


    "Could it be a sign?" another pondered aloud, his eyes fixed on the mesmerizing glow.


    The murmurs spread like ripples through the ship as the crew knelt one by one, their faces illuminated by the celestial glow.


    Hands sped, eyes wet with tears of fear and reverence, they seemed to find sce in their collective prayer.


    "Forgive us, for we have witnessed the divine," another sailor murmured as he dropped to his knees, his gaze locked on the radiant spectacle.


    The general, initially bewildered by the unfolding scene, attempted to restore order. "On your feet, soldiers! This is no time for superstition—"


    But hismand broke off as he caught the full impact of the light now touching the Frostholm, its reflection shimmering like a pathway to eternity.


    Plop!


    His disciplined demeanor crumbled as he saw even his most hardened soldiers overwhelmed by the sight, their eyes trembling with emotion before they too knelt, their faces turned skyward.


    "Perhaps it''s a message, or a warning," a young private whispered, echoing the thoughts of many.


    "Are we being judged?" another voice chimed in, tinged with existential dread.


    As the murmurs grew louder, the general''s resolve faltered.


    With a deep, involuntary sigh, he bowed his head and finally knelt alongside his crew, surrendering to the moment.


    As the ship bobbed gently on the waves, the light enveloped them, bathing everything in a serene, holy glow.


    It felt as though time had stopped, and they were suspended in a moment of apocalyptic beauty.


    Around them, the sea whispered against the hull, the sky above stretched vast and unending, a witness to their humility and awe.


    _______


    One weekter!


    January 27, 2027!


    The District, Country M!


    New World Order, aka Zero HQ.


    The headquarters of the New World Order, also known as Zero HQ, stood like a modern fortress in the heart of The District.


    Its newly constructed building was a marvel of contemporary architecture, featuring sleek lines and expansive ss panels that reflected the morning sun in dazzling patterns.


    Inside, the atmosphere was equally imposing, with state-of-the-art technology and minimalist decor that echoed the organization''s cutting-edge ethos.


    In one of the high-ceilinged offices, a middle-aged man sat brooding behind a massive oak desk.


    His hair, once dark, was now streaked with white, as if each strand marked a battle with stress.


    His hands, weathered from years of service, massaged his temples in a futile attempt to ward off an impending headache.


    Behind him, the rhythmic shuffle of papers punctuated the silence.


    A woman of Japanese origin meticulously arranged files in a towering cab.


    Her long, straight hair fell like a ck waterfall down her back, a stark contrast to the sterile whiteness of the room.


    Before him stood a tall woman, her powerful presence amplified by a soldier''s uniform that clung to her athletic frame.


    Her striking blue hair was pulled back into a single, tight ponytail, highlighting the white ster bandaged across her neck.


    She ced a thick stash of paper on the desk with a resolute thud, her expression unreadable yet charged with determination.


    "Helena Krajci, officially the First Commander of Valkyrie Command—this is my resignation, sir!" Her voice resounded with firmness and determination.


    "Hm?" Li Zhiming nced up, his eyes closing briefly in a silent resignation before he sighed deeply. "Helena, my te is already overflowing. Can you please hold off on these matters until the world finds its footing again?" He pleaded, weariness etched into his tone.


    Li Zhiming, having survived the cataclysm known as the seconding, had been permanently appointed to helm Zero.


    Since then, the world had spiraled into utter chaos.


    Across the globe, people were dying, yet the outcry was curiously muted; many seemed to ept this disaster as the prophesied seconding, likening it to the rebirth of Jesus—a day of reckoning.


    Others proimed it the dawn of a new Yuga.


    Yet others celebrated the emergence of the ''Messiah.''


    In this lstrom of global crisis, concerns about Helena''s departure were a distant priority for Li Zhiming.


    As he sifted through her resignation letter, a stack of additional documents caught his eye beneath it.


    He opened them, his voice carrying a trace of exhaustion, "What''s this now?"


    Helena responded, her voice steady, "General, that''s the rmendation letter."