Jun stood in the middle of the chaos, his hands clenched into fists. The ground beneath him trembled as one of the Harbingers struck the earth with a colossal weaponized arm, sending a shockwave that toppled nearby trees.

“Move, Jun!” shouted Kael, sprinting toward him, her voice sharp and commanding. She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the armory. “You’re not equipped to face them empty-handed!”

As they ran, the skies above roared with the sound of Sentinel Strike Force fighter jets streaking toward the invaders. Explosions lit up the horizon as the first volley of missiles struck the Harbingers. But when the smoke cleared, the creatures were still standing, their bodies knitting themselves back together almost instantly.

“They’re regenerating,” muttered Jun, glancing over his shoulder. “How do we stop that?”

Kael didn’t answer immediately. She shoved open the doors to the armory, revealing rows of weapons and gear. “We don’t stop it. We slow it down.”

Inside, candidates were hastily suiting up. Jun spotted the fiery-haired girl from earlier—Alya—strapping on a sleek, black combat suit. She noticed him and scoffed. “What’s he still doing here? No Talent, no suit. He’s just going to get in the way.”

Kael turned sharply to her. “Enough, Alya. If he’s standing here, he’s one of us. Focus on the mission.”

Alya rolled her eyes but didn’t argue further. Kael tossed Jun a black ark reactor combat suit designed to enhance physical strength and agility. “Put this on. It’s not as good as powers, but it’ll keep you alive out there.”

Jun hesitated for only a second before slipping into the frame. The suit clamped onto his arms and legs, humming softly as it powered up. He flexed his fingers, feeling the slight boost in strength. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do.

“Listen up!” Kael barked, her voice cutting through the clamor. “This is no simulation. The Harbingers are here, and they won’t stop until they’ve leveled everything. Stick together, follow orders, and don’t try to be heroes. We’re not losing anyone today.”

Jun nodded along with the others, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He wasn’t sure if Kael’s words were a promise or a challenge, but either way, he was ready to prove he belonged.

Outside the Armory

The battlefield was chaos. Harbingers tore through the Sentinel Strike Force’s defensive line, their weaponized arms shifting with brutal efficiency. One moment, a limb was a razor-sharp blade; the next, it morphed into a cannon, firing bursts of molten energy.

Jun, Alya, and a small squad of candidates moved as a unit, weaving through the carnage. Around them, Sentinel Strike Force soldiers engaged the Harbingers with everything they had—plasma rifles, energy grenades, even experimental mechs. But for every Harbinger they managed to bring down, another would emerge from the smoke, unrelenting and unstoppable.

“Cover me!” shouted Alya, flames erupting from her palms as she launched a fiery barrage at a nearby Harbinger. The creature staggered, its metallic skin glowing red-hot, but it didn’t falter.

Jun stayed low, scanning the battlefield for an opening. His eyes locked onto the Harbinger’s exposed leg joint—a potential weak spot. Without thinking, he darted forward, his combat suit propelling him faster than he could’ve managed on his own.

“What the hell is he doing?” Alya yelled, her flames intensifying to keep the Harbinger distracted.

Jun slid beneath the creature, his movements precise. He grabbed a discarded energy blade from a fallen soldier and drove it into the joint with all his strength. Sparks erupted as the blade pierced through, severing critical connections. The Harbinger stumbled, its leg giving way.

“Got it!” Jun shouted, rolling clear just as the creature crashed to the ground.

Alya stared at him, wide-eyed. “How—?”

“Less talking, more fighting!” Kael’s voice barked over their comms. “Another wave is incoming. Regroup at the main line!”

The team fell back, Jun carrying the energy blade like it was his lifeline. Around them, the battle raged on, the Sentinel Strike Force, forces holding their ground with sheer grit.

The Harbinger Leader

From the shadows of the advancing horde, a larger figure emerged. This Harbinger stood taller than the rest, its metallic skin gleaming with a strange, dark energy. Its eyes burned a deep crimson, and its arms shifted into twin scythes that crackled with lightning.

Kael’s voice came over the comms, laced with urgency. “That’s their leader. All units, focus fire on it now!”

Jun froze for a moment, the sheer presence of the creature overwhelming. It raised one arm, and with a single swipe, it sent an entire Sentinel Strike Force mech flying into the air, crashing into a nearby building.

Alya muttered under her breath, her confidence wavering. “We’re supposed to fight that?”

Jun gritted his teeth, gripping the energy blade tighter. “We don’t have a choice.”

The Harbinger leader turned its gaze toward their squad, its scythes morphing into jagged, barbed chains that lashed out with terrifying speed. Jun’s heart raced as the chains closed in, and for a split second, time seemed to slow.

“Move!” Kael shouted through the comms.

But Jun didn’t move. He braced himself, his mind racing for a plan.

The chains struck the ground inches from Jun, the impact sending him flying backward. As he struggled to his feet, the Harbinger leader loomed over him, its red eyes glowing brighter. For the first time, Jun felt truly powerless.

But then, from the distance, a voice crackled through the comms: “Hold on, Sentinel Strike Force! Reinforcements are inbound!”

Jun glanced up just in time to see a squadron of fighter jets streaking toward the battlefield. The leader of the Harbingers raised its arms, its body shifting into something even more monstrous.

The jets fired, the sky erupting in a blaze of light.

And then, everything went white.