The battlefield's defensive line finally collapsed.
After countless sacrifices, they still failed to hold back the Nightmare Swarm's renewed assault. Under the overwhelming disparity in numbers, even their final resistance had become all but futile.
Countless people retreated into Dark Night City. Every restriction protecting the city was fully activated. This was their last line of defense.
"Are you all right? Captain! Miss Machine Intelligence!"
On Dark Night City's walls, Constantine panted after being transported back. Chaos had infected half his body, suppressing his regeneration to a crawl. Silver Fantasy was in even worse shape. Almost her entire chest had been pierced through, and the infection of Chaos was far more violent than they had imagined.
Dollhouse rushed to their side, her eyes filled with grief and pain.
Constantine rasped, "Clown, and Titan..."
Silver Fantasy abruptly clenched her fists, a powerful surge of emotion once again flickering in her eyes.
But they could not grieve.
The situation had long since ceased to allow them that luxury.
All they could do was wipe away their tears.
"How many made it back?!"
"We can't count them. Judging by the casualties, fewer than one in ten remain."
They looked at the last remnants of their forces below the walls. Almost everyone was wounded, and the pain on their faces seemed to embody this apocalypse.
The Captain abruptly rose, clutching the Silver Sword, and staggered toward the stairs leading down from the wall. He panted:
"Organize the defenses... They'll soon..."
But almost at that very instant, his voice suddenly faded. Darkness spread through his pupils little by little, like a pitch-black phantom. That power of destruction seemed to fall, inch by inch, into the grip of an invisible hand, dragging him slowly toward that black abyss.
At the same time, even Silver Fantasy felt