The Drumyard was the lowest place in Artholius.
A wasteland of rusted cargo containers, broken metal drums, and collapsing shelters where the poorest citizens of the city struggled to survive.
No streetlights.
No patrols.
No safety.
Just smoke, hunger, and desperation.
Tonight, however, the Drumyard was silent.
Too silent.
In the middle of a narrow alley, a man screamed.
"AAAAAH—!"
Blood splashed across the cracked concrete.
His arm had just been cut off.
The severed limb lay beside him, twitching slightly.
The man collapsed to the ground, gasping in agony.
Standing above him was a tall figure dressed in a black armored suit.
A mask completely covered his face.
Only his eyes were visible through the dark visor.
Cold.
Emotionless.
The masked man crouched slowly in front of the wounded man.
The injured man cried uncontrollably.
"P-please… please stop…!"
His remaining hand desperately tried to stop the blood pouring from his shoulder.
"I'll tell you everything… I swear I will…!"
The masked man tilted his head slightly.
Then he spoke.
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
"I'll ask you one last time."
He grabbed the man by the collar and pulled him upright.
"Tell me everything you know about the food supply shipments."
The man nodded desperately.
"I will… I will…!"
His entire body shook.
"Just please… don't kill me…"
Tears streamed down his face
.
"I have a small child…"
His voice broke.
"A son… he's only five…"
He sobbed harder.
"I live for him… he has no one else except me…"
The man fell to his knees despite the unbearable pain.
"If I die… he'll starve…"
"I promised him I'd bring food tonight…"
His breathing became uneven.
"Please… let me live…"
The masked man stared at him silently.
For a brief moment…
Something flickered in his eyes.
Then he spoke quietly.
"You still believe this city cares about you."
He gestured toward the glowing walls of Artholius in the distance.
"This city eats people like you."
"It uses you."
"And when you're no longer useful…"
He leaned closer.
"It throws you away like dogs."
The wounded man cried harder.
"I don't care about the city…!"
"I just want to live!"
"My son is waiting for me!"
The masked man remained silent.
Finally he said,
"Then talk."
The man nodded frantically.
"The shipments… they come from the eastern route—"
BANG.
The gunshot exploded through the alley.
The man's head jerked backward.
A hole appeared in the center of his forehead.
Blood slowly flowed down his face.
His lips trembled weakly.
"…my son…"
Then his body collapsed.
Dead.
The alley fell silent.
The masked man stared at the corpse.
Then he slowly turned around.
Several military soldiers stood behind him.
Their rifles aimed directly at his head.
One of them shouted through a megaphone.
"Drop your weapons and surrender!"
The masked man didn't move.
His eyes shifted back to the dead man lying on the ground.
Then back to the soldiers.
"You killed him before he finished speaking."
No one answered.
The masked man sighed.
"You just killed the only person who knew the truth."
One soldier shouted again.
"LAST WARNING!"
The masked man stood up.
Then he laughed quietly.
"You think you're protecting this city?"
His voice became darker.
"This city is already dying."
"And very soon…"
His hand reached behind his back.
"…it's going to fall."
The soldiers opened fire.
Gunshots thundered through the Drumyard.
Dozens of bullets slammed into the masked man.
But none of them penetrated.
They bounced off his armored suit.
The soldiers froze in disbelief.
"What the hell—"
The masked man moved.
Two weapons slid into his hands.
Twin plasma swords ignited instantly.
Crimson light flooded the alley.
Then the killing began.
The masked man moved like lightning.
One soldier tried to raise his rifle.
Too slow.
The plasma blade sliced through his armor and body.
Another soldier fired desperately.
The masked man spun through the gunfire.
The second blade cut through his chest.
Screams filled the Drumyard.
Armor melted.
Blood splattered across the walls.
Within seconds the alley turned into a slaughterhouse.
Bodies collapsed everywhere.
When the last soldier fell…
Silence returned.
The masked man stood in the middle of the carnage.
His swords slowly powered down.
For a moment he looked at the dead man on the ground.
Then he whispered quietly,
"…Sorry."
And disappeared into the darkness.
Artholius Military Command
Major Li Wai stood in the command center, holding a phone.
Her expression was ice cold.
"Anyone involved in this incident must be eliminated immediately."
Her voice was sharp.
"Find every rebel in the city."
"And kill them."
A nervous officer answered from the other side.
"Ma'am… what if this isn't the rebels?"
Li Wai's eyes narrowed.
"If not them… then who?"
She tapped the command console.
"The barrier is functioning properly, isn't it?"
The officer hesitated.
"…No, ma'am."
"There's a breach."
Li Wai's posture stiffened.
"Explain."
"Sector 147B."
"A hole has formed in the energy barrier."
"BrainDead are trying to enter through it."
Li Wai's voice dropped dangerously low.
"When did this happen?"
"Three hours and seventeen minutes ago."
The entire command center went silent.
Then—
"You bloody fool!"
Her shout shook the room.
"You're telling me this now?"
"This concerns the defense of the entire city!"
"If even one of the major families hears about this…"
"Our lives will become impossible."
"They fund this entire military with their protection taxes!"
The officer swallowed nervously.
"At first we believed it was a technical glitch."
"We sent workers to repair it."
"But we've discovered something else."
"What?"
"Someone used an advanced external machine to create the breach."
Li Wai froze.
"…From outside the city?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"That's impossible."
"After the Great Disaster, Artholius was the only surviving city."
"All remaining humans were brought here."
"So who is outside?"
The officer spoke carefully.
"There are only two possibilities."
"Either the BrainDead have evolved…"
"…or another country survived the apocalypse."
Li Wai's face darkened.
"Call every official."
"We're holding an emergency meeting."
"Now."
Lanuk Military Office
In another building of the military district, the atmosphere was far lighter.
Sergeant Vyom stood proudly in his uniform.
Today was his retirement ceremony.
Fifty-six years of service had come to an end.
Across from him stood the man who had fought beside him for decades.
Sergeant Major Lanuk.
Lanuk shook his hand firmly.
"Congratulations on your retirement."
Vyom smiled.
"Thank you, sir."
From the side, Master Sergeant Murker raised his glass.
"From me as well."
Vyom laughed softly.
"Thank you."
Murker leaned forward.
"So what's your son doing these days?"
Vyom's eyes lit up.
"He's in military training."
"As soon as his training ends, he'll join the force."
Lanuk asked,
"Which infantry division?"
"Silva Division."
Murker nodded approvingly.
"Impressive."
Then he asked curiously,
"So who's replacing you?"
Vyom chuckled.
"She's actually my son's senior officer."
Murker blinked.
"Wait."
"Does that mean the new officer is a woman?"
Vyom smiled.
"You'll see soon enough."
Outside Artholius
Far beyond the city walls…
Beyond the energy barrier…
The frozen wasteland stretched endlessly.
Nothing moved.
Nothing lived.
Then—
CRACK.
The ice began to break.
A long, twisted hand pushed upward through the frozen surface.
Grey skin.
Clawed fingers.
Something beneath the ice was waking.
Slowly…
The creature's arm rose higher.
And its claws pointed directly toward the glowing city in the distance.
Artholius.
The nightmare outside the barrier had begun to awaken.