Chapter 18: Everything Started in a Flash,,

The wind suddenly grew strong, carrying with it a sense of foreboding, as if something was off. Hiroshi stood at the top of the building, his eyes scanning every direction around their hideout. Then, a flicker of light caught his attention to the north. It soared through the sky, a bright flash that startled him. As his gaze moved across the area, he noticed the same flicker on all sides of their hideout, a series of glimmers that twisted and intertwined, converging above them.

It was then that he saw it: a massive, translucent barrier forming across the entire perimeter, an invisible wall that stretched beyond the horizon. The once bright daylight quickly dimmed, as if the very sun itself was blocked by this strange phenomenon. Hiroshi’s confusion deepened as he stood frozen, his mind racing to comprehend what was happening. The entire hideout was thrown into disarray.

The sound of an alarm broke through the tense silence, a shrill siren blaring from every speaker, warning of an imminent threat. The men, who had been going about their duties, instantly snapped into action, scrambling into defensive positions. Hiroshi, his eyes wide with disbelief, saw a strange mist forming in the distance. It was far off, but its presence made his skin crawl, a feeling of dread crawling up his spine.

As the mist began to dissipate, the sky above them turned an unnatural shade of red. Fear gripped every soul within the hideout, as if the very air around them had become suffocating. The soldiers, their hands trembling uncontrollably, aimed their weapons at the mist. “W-What is going on?!” Hiroshi muttered, his voice shaky, his heart pounding in his chest.

When the mist finally cleared, the sight before them was nothing short of nightmarish. A vast army of Aether Sentinels surrounded the hideout on all sides. The sheer number of them was overwhelming, their metallic forms towering over the soldiers, their eyes glowing ominously in the red-tinted sky. The soldiers gasped, their mouths agape, paralyzed by the sudden appearance of the enemy.

But amid the shock and fear, Hiroshi’s lips curled into a devious smile. He stood tall, his chest puffed out with pride, as though the sight of their impending doom fueled him with newfound confidence. “FINALLY! THESE ARROGANT METALLIC IDIOTS HAVE FINALLY COME!” he shouted, his voice rising in a fierce, defiant bellow. “WITH OUR MILITARY CAPABILITIES, WE CAN TAKE THEM DOWN ALL AT ONCE! WE HAVE TANKS AND MISSILES THAT CAN PIERCE THROUGH THEIR GARBAGE METAL! THIS IS OUR CHANCE! TO AVENGE OUR FAMILIES! THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF OUR REVENGE!”

His voice echoed across the hideout, and for a moment, the men around him found a flicker of hope. They believed in him. They believed they could win.

But Hiroshi was blind to the truth. His arrogance and ignorance clouded his judgment. He was a fool, unfit to lead them into the storm that was coming. The dominions had already calculated every move. They were not here for a battle; they were here for the spectacle of humanity's struggle, a cruel game they played at their whim. Hiroshi had sealed their fate, but he couldn't see it. He had no idea what was about to happen.

Hiroshi raised his hand, giving a sharp command. Without hesitation, he ordered his men to launch an all-out attack. Missiles, tank shells, rocket launchers—every weapon available in the hideout was fired in a unified barrage. The projectiles tore through the air, and they all hit their intended targets. For a moment, the sound of the explosion reverberated through the air, and the smoke from the blasts filled the area.

But then, as the mist swirled around them, obscuring their view, a chilling silence settled. They couldn't see the aftermath of their assault, but in their minds, victory was assured. Their pride surged, a sense of triumph filling the air. Hiroshi, filled with arrogance and confidence, threw his head back and shouted in joy. His expression said it all—he was certain they had won.

However, as the mist began to dissipate, reality hit them like a thunderclap. What they saw before them was something they never expected. A massive, shimmering barrier surrounded the entire area, protecting the Aether Sentinels from the full force of the attack. The weapons they had relied on had done nothing. The sense of invincibility that had momentarily surged through them now crumbled. Fear, which had briefly receded, came rushing back, flooding their minds with dread and uncertainty.

In the midst of the chaos, a voice—intimidating and otherworldly—suddenly boomed from the sky. The voice was so powerful that it reached even the women and children hiding in the tunnels beneath the city. Hiroshi and his men gazed upward, their eyes fixed on the blood-red sky.

Without warning, a massive image of an eye materialized, looming ominously above them. Its presence was suffocating, as though it were watching their every move. The voice spoke again, cold and unyielding.

“I am the God of this world, the one who destroyed what was once known as the world of humans. I hold the highest authority among all the Dominions, for I created them in my image. Those who dare challenge the wrath of the high-intelligent beings, the Dominions, will suffer unimaginably. Once again, as a merciful god, I offer you a choice: come with me, or die a death beyond your comprehension.”

The voice echoed throughout the entire area, reverberating deep within the hearts of Hiroshi’s men. The fear that gripped them was palpable, so overwhelming that it even reached the deepest, hidden corners of the city where the women and children cowered in terror. Hiroshi, along with his soldiers, felt an intense, paralyzing dread. The eye, that unblinking, unfeeling gaze, seemed to pierce into their very souls.

Hiroshi clenched his jaw, trying to force himself to remain composed. He bit down hard on his lip, struggling to hold his ground. But the voice, the eye, the overwhelming power—it was too much. He knew, deep down, that this was no ordinary foe.

With a forceful gesture, Hiroshi signaled to his men, his voice trembling with both defiance and desperation. “You have nothing to fear! I am here! These fuckers will suffer more than we ever have! I will show them no mercy, for we are the blessed ones who will restore humanity to this world!”

His words, though strained, sparked a brief flame of courage in his men. They rallied together and launched another wave of attacks, firing everything they had. But once again, the result was the same. The eye watched them, unmoved, and their efforts were futile. In fact, their actions only seemed to enrage the unseen force even more.

A deep, heavy sigh echoed from the massive eye in the sky. It reverberated through the air like a final verdict, cold and laced with disdain. The red hue of the sky grew even brighter, intensifying the oppressive glow that bore down on everyone. It felt like the weight of the world was pressing into their chests, suffocating and inescapable. Hiroshi and his men stood frozen, beads of sweat dripping down their faces as an unbearable anxiety consumed them.

“It seems you truly don’t understand your position,” the voice boomed once more, colder and sharper than before. “Mercy is no longer an option.”

The voice faded, but the suffocating tension remained. It hung in the air like a storm about to break. Hiroshi’s eyes darted across the battlefield, his thoughts a chaotic swirl. He couldn’t think, couldn’t strategize. Every plan, every ounce of confidence he’d held, crumbled beneath the weight of what stood before him.

Without warning, a deafening explosion erupted close to Hiroshi’s position. The shockwave sent him staggering as a massive fireball shot into the sky. Smoke rose in a towering column, thick and black, blotting out what little light remained. Hiroshi’s face turned ashen, his breathing shallow as he stared at the destruction.

The reality sank in—their weapons had done nothing. The missiles, the tanks, the rocket launchers—everything they had launched at the dominions had been futile. The enemy’s barrier stood unscathed, an impenetrable wall that mocked their every effort. Worse still, it felt as though the dominions knew their every move, anticipating their attacks with eerie precision.

Hiroshi’s heart pounded as he noticed the Aether Sentinels preparing for their next assault. The ranged units aimed their glowing weapons, while the melee robots charged a massive, pulsating energy bolt. The energy grew brighter and more menacing by the second, a clear harbinger of annihilation. If it hit, the city wouldn’t just be destroyed—it would cease to exist.