For a long while, the aftershock of the nuclear blast slowly dissipated.
The spectacular mushroom cloud towering into the clouds gradually settled as well.
This stretch of sea returned to its former darkness.
Perhaps it was not only this world that had gone dark.
All kinds of drone probes entered the black fog, eager to learn what had happened inside.
No one knew whether the newly emerged agile-type monster and Stegosaurus had been destroyed.
Nor did they know whether Wanderer had been destroyed along with them.
It was not only the people of the U.S. who were watching; people from other countries were watching too.
How could anyone still stand aloof now?
Once or twice might be possible, but the monsters' invasions were endless.
Perhaps one day, it would descend right before you.
So long as a monster appeared, regardless of which country or region it descended upon, people would pay attention.
When the nest was overturned, how could any eggs remain intact?
Especially when Wanderer was involved.
The black fog gradually dispersed, revealing this stretch of sea once more.
Nothing could be seen from the surface, but beneath the sea lay massive craters like celestial sinkholes.
And there was more than one.
Stegosaurus lay motionless on the sea as well, its entire body charred black, though its basic shape remained intact.
It had indeed been destroyed. Already severely wounded, it had now taken two tactical nuclear missiles head-on. There was no doubt it had been killed.
As for whether it had gone peacefully, no one knew.
The camera then turned to another location, where the agile-type monster floated on the surface as well.
Only now could its appearance be seen clearly.
It looked like a lizard enlarged countless times over, standing only around sixty to seventy meters tall.
It was roughly a hundred meters long. Though still enormous, it could be considered petite compared to Stegosaurus and Mad Ape.
And because of its agility, its defenses were correspondingly weaker.
It had been killed outright by the two tactical nuclear missiles.
Yet humanity had not won easily. Nuclear weapons were only used when there was no other choice.
This stretch of sea, along with at least twenty kilometers of surrounding waters, would be designated a restricted zone.
All shipping routes passing through here would have to be rerouted. Even when going around it, people would need to wear radiation-proof suits.
And this would last for at least decades, perhaps even centuries.
This was not a matter of temporary gains and losses. It would affect countless future generations.
Even if they could effectively strike monsters, nuclear weapons could not be used lightly.
Unless they reached a truly desperate moment—then they would all perish together.
Humanity would not simply hand this mother planet over to the Invaders.
If they were native creatures of Earth, it could only be called survival of the fittest. Giving way would not matter much.
But handing it over to Invaders? Absolutely impossible!
This was the consensus of every nation: better to shatter like jade than remain whole like tile!
Looking back at Wanderer, its body, which had originally been kneeling on one knee, now lay flat atop the sea.
Its entire body was no longer the previous glossy black, but a scorched black that was easy to distinguish.
Parts were scattered everywhere. Though it had not quite been torn apart, its condition was far from good.
The U.S. moved quickly, immediately dispatching teams in protective suits to the scene.
There were observers and monitoring personnel sent to inspect the monsters up close and determine whether they were truly dead.
Of course, Wanderer could not be forgotten.
A rescue team also slid in through the entrance to Wanderer's cockpit.
Although the cockpit had previously been crushed open by the agile-type monster, that did not necessarily mean the inside had been damaged as well.
When the rescue team entered, they saw sparks constantly flying from the various wires in the cockpit.
The entire cockpit was pitch-black, and they could only see ahead with flashlights.
When they reached the pilot's seat, they saw a large man, charred all over, standing before the escape pod, long since silent.
Judging by his build, it was the Black man Disen.
However, he had not been preparing an escape for himself.
Because that escape pod faced Jacob's pilot seat.
"Jack, how is it in there?"
"Officer Wright, we only found Disen. He is no longer breathing. There is no sign of Jacob, and one escape pod is missing. He should still be alive!"
"According to our analysis, the escape pod's automatic ejection system malfunctioned, so it could only be switched to manual mode. Disen made his choice—a noble choice!"
"All right, I understand. Bring Disen out."
"Order the military to conduct a full-scale search of the surrounding waters. Find the escape pod!"
More than a dozen helicopters searched continuously over the sea with high-powered searchlights.
"Look! He's over there!"
At last, they found the escape pod on the sea thirty kilometers from the blast zone.
It must have been carried here by the blast's aftershock.
The outside of the escape pod had also been blasted into a terrifying charred black.
Several rescuers quickly jumped from the helicopters and swam toward the escape pod.
They struggled to open the upper hatch of the escape pod.
Jacob lay quietly inside, his body covered in severe burns. He seemed to have stopped breathing.
A rescuer pressed a hand to his neck and listened for signs of life.
"He's still breathing! He's alive!"
The moment the news was sent out, cheers erupted at PPDC headquarters and among the people watching the live broadcast!
No matter what, it was a comfort.
We still had hope.