Chapter 22 – The Black Dragon Awakens

The morning skies over Tianjin were torn apart by the roar of rotor blades. A single helicopter cut through the clouds, ignoring all commands from the ground to stand down. Onboard were Kohaku, Agnes, Rika, Eva, Seo, and Meiyun—each one silent, each one prepared.

Radio chatter erupted from command. “Turn back immediately! This is an unauthorized mission!”

But Meiyun stepped forward, projecting her holographic feed to every outpost, every screen in the Liberation network. Her voice carried across all of China.

“Listen well, soldiers and civilians. Today, we face the shadow that has cursed our homeland. We will strike at the Black Dragon itself. Even if it costs my life—even if it costs everything—I will not stop until our city is returned to us. Beijing will rise again.”

Her words rang out before the feed cut.

Silence.

Then, across encampments and ruined streets, murmurs began to spread.

“She’s… going to fight it herself?”
“Then what about us? Do we just sit here and watch her die?”
“No. If she’s ready to give her life for our home—then I’ll fight too!”
“Me too! I won’t let monsters from hell take our homeland!”

One by one, the fire of defiance spread. Civilians armed with scavenged rifles, veterans of old wars, Liberation soldiers with heavy hearts—all began to march toward Beijing.

The commanders shouted for retreat, desperate to prevent the tide. But no order could stop a rising people. From every corner, survivors rallied. For the first time since the apocalypse began, unity was stronger than fear.

Meanwhile, deep above Beijing’s ruins, the helicopter descended. Kohaku’s voice cut through the comms, cold and steady.

“Prepare yourselves. Once we strike, there is no turning back.”

The ground rumbled beneath them. Agnes’s sensors lit up. “Contact. Massive energy signature. It’s waking…”

And then, the roar.

From the shattered skeleton of a skyscraper, the Black Dragon rose. Its scales were darker than night, its eyes burning crimson. Wings tore open the dust-choked sky, scattering debris like storms. Its presence alone was suffocating, a mountain of hatred and fire made flesh.

Kohaku wasted no time. He shouldered the massive launcher, firing the first strike. BOOM! The rocket slammed into the beast’s chest, not to kill—but to awaken.

The Black Dragon’s bellow shook the heavens, its maw glowing with molten fury. It reared back and unleashed a torrent of fire across the skyline.

“Scatter!” Kohaku roared, leaping from the helicopter as flames engulfed the sky.

Rika darted left, blade flashing violet. Eva steadied her heavy rifle, barking orders in clipped tones. Seo activated Aalto’s shielding systems, protecting her flank. Meiyun charged with her own unit, her war cry echoing like steel.

The battlefield had begun.

The Black Dragon beat its wings, summoning a gale that shattered nearby ruins. Its tail swept across a block, collapsing concrete like paper.

Eva growled, firing her anti-armor rounds. “Damn it! Not even a scratch!”

Seo’s artillery team answered with bazookas, explosions chaining one after another. The air filled with fire and smoke. Civilians and Liberation troops arriving from the outskirts added their volleys, rocket after rocket slamming into the monster.

But the dragon only grew angrier. Its scales glowed, and it inhaled, ready to unleash another inferno.

For a moment, everyone froze. Death was seconds away.

Then Kohaku moved. He raised his launcher once more, aiming directly into the beast’s throat.

“Over here, monster.”

The shot landed. The Black Dragon recoiled, fire spilling harmlessly into the sky as its rage locked onto Kohaku.

Now, it had chosen its prey.

And Kohaku stood ready.