The sound of gunshots filled the room.
Mixed with alarms howling endlessly.
And the increasingly wild pulse of the Helios core.
All these sounds collided, creating chaos that was almost indistinguishable.
But amidst it all.
Ethan stood firm.
Not retreating.
Not hesitating.
Behind him, Arman Virelli remained focused on the main console.
His hands moved quickly.
His eyes never left the data changing every second.
"Two minutes!" he shouted again.
Leonard Graves shot a man trying to approach from the left side.
The body fell hard to the floor.
But others kept coming in.
More of them.
Faster.
"They won't stop!" Daniel shouted from behind the console.
He tried to hold off the gunfire while keeping an eye on the electrical panels.
"We can't hold on like this!"
Ethan did not reply.
His eyes were focused on every enemy movement.
One step.
One shot.
One decision.
Everything precise.
But their numbers were too great.
Leonard stepped back slightly.
A bullet almost hit his shoulder.
"This is starting to not be fun!" he said, his breathing a little heavier.
Daniel yelled,
"One more minute?!"
Arman did not answer.
He gritted his teeth.
Sweat began to show on his temples.
The graphics on the screen moved more and more unsteadily.
The energy inside the Helios core pulsed faster.
Brighter.
As if it could explode at any moment.
Ethan glanced over briefly.
He knew
time was almost up.
But before they finished
the enemy had to be stopped.
BANG!
Another armed man fell.
Leonard smiled slightly.
"At least they're not boring."
But then
heavy footsteps were heard from behind the attackers.
Different.
Calmer.
More… powerful.
Everyone in the room felt it.
Even the attackers slightly parted ways.
Someone entered.
His steps were slow.
But full of control.
Ethan knew at once.
He did not need to see the face.
But when the figure finally emerged under the red light—
everything became clear.
Richard Blackwood.
His father.
His suit was neat.
His face calm.
As if there was no chaos around him.
He stepped inside, past the armed men.
His eyes immediately fixed on Ethan.
A strange silence fell between the gunshots.
"Enough."
His voice was not loud.
But loud enough to make some attackers pause for a moment.
Leonard whispered,
"Ah… here we go."
Daniel stared in disbelief.
"It's him…"
Ethan did not move.
His gaze met Richard's.
Cold.
Emotionless.
Richard stepped closer.
His eyes shifted briefly to Arman.
Then back to Ethan.
"I hoped we could avoid this."
Ethan replied flatly,
"I didn't."
Richard let out a small sigh.
"Always stubborn."
Leonard grinned.
"Looks like that trait runs in the family."
Richard glanced at him briefly.
"And you… always meddling."
Leonard shrugged.
"Hobby."
Daniel stayed in position, tense.
"He actually came here himself…"
Ethan said softly,
"You don't need many people."
Richard smiled slightly.
"True."
He stepped forward again.
Now only a few meters from Ethan.
Behind Ethan
the Helios core continued to pulse.
Arman was still working.
Time kept moving forward.
Richard said,
"You don't understand what you're up against."
Ethan replied,
"I know enough to stop you."
Richard shook his head slightly.
"No."
He stared at the Helios core.
"You don't even understand that."
Ethan said coldly,
"I know it kills people."
Richard looked back at him.
"And saves many more."
A moment of silence.
Leonard whispered,
"Classic debate."
Daniel said,
"This isn't the time.."
"Be quiet."
One word from Richard.
And Daniel stopped immediately.
Not out of fear
but because of the pressure felt in the air.
Richard turned back to Ethan.
"I'm doing this for the future."
Ethan replied quickly,
"You kill for it."
Richard did not deny it.
"Sacrifices are always necessary."
Ethan clenched his fist.
"She wasn't a sacrifice."
Richard stared at him long.
Then said softly,
"She chose that path."
The words were like a knife.
Ethan stepped forward.
"Don't.."
But before he could finish.
Arman shouted,
"DONE!"
All attention immediately shifted.
The Helios core changed.
Its pulse slowed.
Its blue light became more stable.
Calmer.
The room felt… different.
Quieter.
Daniel whispered,
"He did it…"
Leonard nodded slightly.
"For now."
Richard stared at the core.
His smile was faint.
"Finally."
Ethan turned toward him.
"You knew this would work."
Richard did not deny it.
"Of course."
He stepped closer to the core.
The attackers readied themselves again.
Ethan moved immediately to block him.
"No."
Richard stopped.
Staring at him.
"You're still trying to stop me?"
Ethan said firmly,
"I won't let you touch it."
Silence.
But only for a moment.
Richard sighed.
"If that's the case…"
he raised his hand slightly.
The armed men immediately aimed their weapons.
Leonard got ready.
Daniel too.
The situation heated up again.
But this time
it was more personal.
Closer.
Richard said softly,
"This is your last chance."
He stared at Ethan.
"Come back."
Ethan shook his head.
"No."
No hesitation.
No regret.
Only one answer.
Richard closed his eyes for a moment.
As if accepting something.
When he opened them again
there was no warmth left there.
"Such a shame."
His hand lowered.
And in the next second
everything exploded again.
Gunshots.
Movement.
Chaos.
But this time
Ethan did not just defend himself.
He advanced.
Straight toward Richard.
The world around him seemed to slow down.
Sounds became distant.
There was only one goal.
One direction.
One end.
Because this was no longer about Helios.
Not about Arman.
Not about the organization.
This was about him
and his father.
And tonight
one of them would not walk out of this room.
Ethan's steps slammed hard against the metal floor as he pushed forward.
Everything felt slow.
The sound of gunshots was muffled.
The red light from the alarms turned into faint flashes at the edge of his vision.
All that remained was one focus.
Richard Blackwood.
On the other side of the room, Richard stood calm as ever.
As if all this chaos had never truly touched him.
But his eyes had changed.
Sharper.
Colder.
He did not retreat.
He did not dodge.
He waited.
And that made everything feel more dangerous.
Leonard Graves watched Ethan move and immediately muttered softly.
"That kid is really reckless…"
He shot two people trying to flank from the right side.
"Daniel! Cover the left side!"
Daniel nodded quickly.
His hands trembled slightly, but he stayed focused.
"I'll try!"
Bullets hit the wall near him.
Small sparks appeared.
But he did not stop.
Amidst it all..
Ethan was already too close.
Richard finally moved.
Fast.
Not like the man who looked relaxed just seconds ago.
His hand caught Ethan's wrist as the first punch came.
Strong.
Precise.
The impact echoed.
Ethan did not stop.
He twisted his body, trying to break free.
Richard followed his movement easily.
As if he already knew the next step.
"Still too emotional," he said coldly.
Ethan did not reply.
He slammed his elbow toward Richard's chest.
A hard impact.
Richard stepped back half a step.
But did not fall.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Some progress."
Ethan attacked again.
Faster.
Sharper.
But Richard held his ground.
Every attack read.
Every movement anticipated.
This was not just a fight
it was like a duel between past and present.
Leonard shouted from afar,
"Ethan! This isn't the time for a family duel!"
But Ethan did not hear.
Or did not care.
Meanwhile..
Arman still stood in front of the console.
But now his eyes were no longer only on the data.
He was watching the fight.
There was something in his gaze.
Not fear.
Not surprise either.
But… calculation.
Daniel finally noticed it.
"Arman…"
He whispered softly.
But the man did not turn around.
Daniel frowned.
Something was wrong.
Back to the middle of the room.
Richard twisted his body and pushed Ethan backward.
Ethan slid several steps.
But immediately steadied himself.
His breathing was becoming heavy.
But his eyes still blazed.
Richard straightened his sleeve slightly.
As if this fight was just a minor inconvenience.
"You're strong," he said softly.
"But not enough yet."
Ethan replied with ragged breath,
"I don't need to be enough."
He stepped forward again.
"I just need to stop you."
Richard sighed.
"Still thinking this is about stopping me…"
He shook his head slightly.
"This is about surviving."
Those words
were the same as what Arman had said earlier.
Ethan realized it.
But before he could respond.
Daniel shouted,
"Ethan! Watch out!"
Ethan turned his head for a split second.
And that was enough.
Richard moved.
Fast.
His hand struck Ethan's chest.
Hard.
Ethan was pushed backward.
His body hit the floor.
His breath was gone for a moment.
But he was still conscious.
Still moving.
Still trying to get up.
Richard approached slowly.
His steps calm.
Measured.
"Stop now."
His voice was lower.
More serious.
Ethan lifted his head.
Staring at him.
"No."
One word.
But enough.
Richard closed his eyes for a moment.
Then opened them again.
And this time.
there was no more doubt there.
He raised his hand.
ready to end it all.
But.
BANG!
A single gunshot echoed.
Richard stopped.
Everyone froze.
Leonard stood at the side of the room.
His gun was still raised.
A thin wisp of smoke came out of the barrel.
The bullet..
did not hit Richard.
But was close enough to stop his steps.
Leonard smiled slightly.
"Sorry."
He said casually.
"I don't like watching never-ending family dramas."
Daniel immediately moved toward Ethan.
"Can you stand?"
Ethan nodded slightly.
Even though his body still ached.
He stood up again.
More slowly.
But still firm.
Meanwhile…
Arman finally moved.
He pressed something on the console.
The lights in the room changed.
The blue light of Helios intensified again.
But this time.
more stable.
More… powerful.
Richard turned quickly.
"What are you doing?"
Arman smiled slightly.
"The next step."
Daniel immediately tensed up.
"That doesn't sound good."
Leonard sighed.
"I'm getting tired of surprises."
Ethan stared at the Helios core.
Something had changed.
Its energy felt different.
Denser.
More dangerous.
Arman said softly,
"You're all too focused on the past."
He stared at them one by one.
"Yet the future has already begun."
Richard narrowed his eyes.
"You weren't supposed to.."
Arman cut him off,
"I'm doing what needs to be done."
Tense silence.
Ethan stepped forward again.
But this time
not toward Richard.
But toward Arman.
"Enough."
His voice was cold.
Arman smiled.
"Not yet."
He pressed one more button.
And in the next second
the Helios core pulsed powerfully.
Blue light flooded the entire room.
Everyone was forced to close their eyes.
That energy
was no longer just an experiment.
But something far greater.
And when the light slowly faded
everything changed.
Not just the room.
Not just the situation.
But the direction of the entire game.
Because now
they were not just facing humans.
But something they had not even fully understood yet.