Deeper Shadows

The night wind blew gently, carrying a faint chill that made people shiver. The dense fog that had blanketed the valley entrance gradually dispersed in the breeze, revealing most of the scene.

Moonlight spilled across the land like water, illuminating the wreckage scattered across the ground with startling clarity. Some of the remains had been shattered beyond recognition, while others retained fragments of their original shape, but all of them were equally ruined.

Broken shells reflected a cold gleam beneath the moon, as though recounting the brutality that had taken place. The acid and blood scattered through the mud gave off a pungent stench that assaulted the nose. The smell lingered in the air, refusing to fade, as if the entire valley entrance had been shrouded in its foulness, making one nauseous.

The Squad Leader Ant-Man's corpse lay across the center of the breach, its massive body completely rigid. The deep gash in its neck resembled a black fissure. No more fluid poured from it, leaving only congealed dark stains. The surrounding Soldier Ants had long since scattered, with only a few lingering in the distance. None dared approach, as if instinctively afraid of the corpse.

Ryan leaned against the rock wall, his twin blades buried in the mud. He breathed rapidly, his chest heaving. His arms were numb and sore from the prolonged vibrations, the web between his thumb and forefinger split open, blood dried across his palm. The wound on his shoulder was still bleeding, and his sleeve had already been corroded into tatters. His eyes stung from the fumes, yet his gaze remained fixed warily ahead.

The wind swept across the battlefield, carrying away some of the blood stench but unable to dispel the oppressive atmosphere. A faint, low rumble drifted from deep within the Forest Sea,