[Next Day.]
[Military Headquarters.]
The air in the Military Headquarters was thick with frantic urgency and the acrid smell of burnt wiring. Commander Hayes, a man whose face was etched with the strain of sleepless nights and impossible choices, yelled into the chaos. Five stars gleamed on his chest, a heavy burden of responsibility.
"What is the situation now?! Report!"
"Commander, the fighter squadrons are doing everything they can! But this monster's defense is impenetrable!" a frantic technician shouted, adjusting his glasses while pulling up the main feed.
The huge screen showed a creature of nightmare: a colossal, cone-shaped leviathan with a single, massive red eye and a maw capable of swallowing a skyscraper. It was churning through the Pacific, its tentacles sweeping the air and sea, swatting fighter jets out of the sky in fiery explosions.
"We must stop it! It's on a direct collision course with the city! Throw everything we have at it!" Hayes roared, his knuckles white against the console.
A stiff, disciplined woman—Colonel Reed—saluted from behind him. "Commander, we still have no news on General Jessica and the 101st Airborne Division."
Hayes flinched slightly at the mention of the elite unit. "The 101st Airborne... they would have been invaluable here. They just vanished. Died, most likely." He gritted his teeth. "I just hope she survived."
"Commander," Colonel Reed began hesitantly, "intelligence suggests the 101st and countless citizens may have entered this new phenomenon—Galaxy Fall. We've tracked mass disappearances corresponding to the activation of these bracelets." She held up her own wrist band.
"What if we follow the pattern? What if we issue an order for all citizens to enter Galaxy Fall?"
Hayes spun around, his expression turning to glacial severity. "Absolutely not, Colonel! We know nothing about that world except that people are disappearing into it! Our job is to protect this city and the people here! We must build a stronghold strong enough to withstand these monsters!"
"But Commander," Reed countered, lowering her voice slightly, "the city is already destroyed. We don't have the forces to stop these things."
"Colonel," Hayes's voice dropped to an icy whisper. "Are you going against orders?"
She snapped a salute. "I will never, Commander!"
'He just wants the glory.' Reed thought bitterly:
'Killing the big monster means massive merits, fame, and a clear conscience. He won't risk the unknown of the 'game world.' But if the line breaks, his fame will be meaningless, and we will all be dead.' She remained silent, stifling her dissent.
WHOOSH!!!
".....?!"
"Commander! Incoming! Massively high speed!" The technician screamed, his eyes wide with terror.
WHOOSH!!!!
"What in God's name is that sound?" Colonel Reed asked, mild confusion warring with rising dread.
BOOOOOM!!!
A projectile struck the building with the force of a bomb. A huge, obsidian-black feather smashed through the reinforced concrete, instantly crushing half the personnel and throwing the rest violently to the ground.
"Warning! Warning! There is a powerful avian beast outside! It is immune to conventional gunfire!" A soldier's voice crackled over the damaged speakers.
"Shit!" Hayes groaned as Reed helped him up. They both stared at the massive black feather embedded in the floor, which now began to pulse with a malevolent light.
".....?!"
"Oh, no! Run!!!" Reed screamed, recognizing the magical energy building within the projectile. They sprinted toward the door just as a catastrophic explosion tore through the command center.
BOOOOOOOM!!!!!
The explosion ripped the building apart, sending soldiers fighting nearby sprawling. They turned, faces pale with horror, watching the wreckage burn.
SCREECH!!!!
They looked up. Hovering above the inferno was the source of the attack: a ten-meter-long, terrifying Black Raven, its eyes burning with predatory intelligence.
"Run! We can't defeat that beast!" a veteran soldier yelled, turning to flee.
The Raven descended instantly, a black blur of fury. With a sickening sound, its massive talons lashed out, severing the head of a fleeing soldier.
"AHH! Help me!" another soldier shrieked as the Raven banked, lining up for its next kill.
WHOOSH!!!!
Suddenly, a blur of silver-black shot across the air. A dagger, impossibly fast, clashed with the Raven's talons. Instead of shattering, the dagger bit deep, cleanly slicing off one of the creature's wickedly long nails.
SCREECH!!!
The Raven shrieked in pain, black, viscous blood spurting from the wound. It retreated, spiraling back into the relative safety of the air.
"So fast... You are lucky," a low, clear female voice sounded from the street below.
The surviving soldiers turned, awe-struck, to see a lone figure walking toward them, dressed in sleek, full-body black armor that looked alien and efficient.
Mirabella opened her palm. Her Metal Dagger performed a swift, elegant 360-degree arc, returning instantly to her grip.
"You are fast, but you are still below me," she stated, moving forward. Before the massive Raven could process the threat, Mirabella threw the dagger with terrifying speed and force.
BAM!!!!
The dagger impacted the Raven's chest with the force of an anti-tank shell, piercing deep.
SCREECH!!!
The creature let out a final, agonizing shriek before crashing to the ground, its immense body striking the asphalt with a heavy, final thud. Dead.
The soldiers were paralyzed. An invincible monster... taken down by one hit? With a single, thrown dagger?
"This is impossible. Who is this person?" they muttered, their horror giving way to staggering, desperate hope.
Mirabella walked toward the carcass, retrieved her dagger, and with a tap of her bracelet, the immense beast shimmered and transformed into a glowing card, which she then absorbed.
She turned to face the clustered soldiers, her black armor making her appear like an avenging angel in the smoky ruins.
"Who are you?" a man, clearly a Captain, asked, his voice shaking.
"Spectral." She glanced briefly at the burning HQ building. "Someone is alive in there... maybe. Listen to me: All of you must enter Galaxy Fall and pass the beginner round. That is the only way you can survive."
Her gaze swept over them, cold and absolute. "Pass this news: all citizens must enter Galaxy Fall to survive. Staying in the city is suicidal."
With that, she turned and walked away, disappearing into the ravaged streets.
"Spectral... I won't forget that name," the Captain murmured, watching her retreat.
"Captain, do you think we will meet her in Galaxy Fall?" a Private asked, eyes wide.
"I don't know, Private. But she gave us an order. Let's go save the people still trapped in the wreckage. Then, we prepare."
___
[Day Three.]
Mirabella stood on the spire of the tallest remaining skyscraper in the city. Below her, the landscape was a tapestry of burning buildings, monstrous corpses, and swirling dust. She was in plain view, yet the airborne and land monsters gave her a wide berth. The raw, terrifying energy emanating from her was a potent deterrent.
"These monsters are still too weak," she mused to Cupcake, who sat beside her, observing the devastation. "Once Galaxy Fall has its first Server Announcement upgrade, the monsters here will jump to Lv50 Bosses and above. The third announcement brings World Bosses."
She frowned, looking toward the distant Pacific horizon. "But there's already a World Boss heading this way, according to the network noise I picked up. But why is a World Boss appearing on the first Server Announcement timer? Something is truly wrong with this timeline."
She brought up her detailed profile, a cold satisfaction settling in her stomach as she reviewed her gains. The past two days had been a ceaseless, brutal massacre.
{Name: Mirabella Sunny.}
{Game Nickname: Spectral.}
{Level: Lv35. (50%).}
{Age: 22.}
{Physical Attack: 1,590.}
{Agility: 5,504.}
{Defense: 583,720.}
{Health: 2,125,600.}
{Magic Attack: 1,590.}
{Spirit energy: 80,000/80,000.}
{Kills: 5,835.}
{Boss killed: 35.}
{World Boss Killed: 1.}
{Neutral Reputation Gained: 20.}
{Normal Bloodline: Mage.}
{God rank Bloodline: Royal.}
{Royal Bloodline Skill: Assassin Bloodline.}
{Skills: [Lethal]-MAX (passive skill). High class. [Eagle Eyes]-MAX (Active skill). High class. [Arrows storm] - MAX (Active skill.). High class. [Retract]-Max Skill (Active skill). [Overlord Blessing]- Max skill (passive). [Dash]- Max (Active skill). [Ground shaker]-Max (active skill).}
{Storage: Legendary class Staff. Metal dagger.}
"Lucky me," she murmured. "The kills paid off. I've unlocked the second skill of the Royal Bloodline."
"I won't count myself as a normal player anymore. The Assassin Bloodline gives me speed and attack that no one at this level should possess. And this defense..." she looked at the astronomical number. "I am untouchable."
She turned to Cupcake. "I am the strongest player right now, but that doesn't mean I'm invincible in Galaxy Fall. This much power will only draw trouble, attention, and challenges I don't want yet."
She looked at the system screen, calculating her next move. Camouflage.
"Can I hide my profile and generate a fake, basic one?" she asked the System.
{Yes. Host can use a fake account at any level with basic stats, regardless of current strength.}
"Good. The moment I enter Galaxy Fall tomorrow, my displayed profile will be set to a Normal Lv10 Account with corresponding basic stats. No one will suspect a thing."
{Ok, Host.}
"Good. Tomorrow, I will leave this world." She unwrapped a piece of candy—a reward for her brutal work—and let the sugar melt on her tongue.
"For now," she said, looking toward the horizon where the World Boss was approaching, "We wait."