Undercurrents of Aftermath

The night wind howled through the valley, gradually blowing away the mist and revealing the devastation scattered across the ground. The Squad Leader's corpse lay across the breach, its massive shell particularly glaring beneath the moonlight. Fluid still slowly seeped from the deep gash in its neck, green streaks spreading through the mud and giving off a pungent stench. The odor of acid mixed with blood hung in the air, making everyone's chest feel tight.

The surrounding Soldier Ants fell into disarray the instant their Squad Leader collapsed. Their shrieks became sharp and chaotic, devoid of their previous rhythm. Most fled back into the mist in panic, leaving only a scattered few wandering about. Yet their movements were clearly hesitant. They would advance two steps, then hurriedly retreat. The two flanks of the breach were no longer under orderly pressure, but filled with chaos and hesitation.

Ryan knelt on one knee in the mud, his twin blades planted beside him as he breathed heavily. Blood continued seeping from the wound near his shoulder. Sweat mixed with blood and acid slid down his body, dripping from the back of his hand into the mud and immediately raising thin wisps of smoke. His arms were numb from the repeated impacts, the knuckles gripping his blades split open, blood dried across his palms. His chest heaved violently, every breath carrying a burning pain.

Looking up, he saw that the sky remained black as ink, as though swallowed by endless darkness. Only a faint moonlight in the distance, like the first glimmer of hope, struggled to pierce through the heavy gloom. Even the air seemed to have frozen at that moment, completely still. Yet that did not mean they were safe.

From the direction of the silent Forest Sea came a faint, deep rumble,