On a desolate, ochre plain under the thin atmosphere of Mars, a fortress stood. It wasn't built of stone or steel, but of a dark, crystalline material that seemed to warp the light around it, making it shimmer and writhe like a living thing. This was Command Outpost-Alpha, the temporary nerve center for the Madakaros invasion of Earth.
Inside, in a vast, star-lit chamber that served as a throne room, Lord Maka-Jed meditated. He was a figure of terrible majesty, larger and more imposing than a regular Madakaros, with a fourth, vertical eye on his forehead that remained permanently closed. This was the nascent 'Void Eye,' a mark of one who was about to touch the realm of Void Comprehension. The pressure he exuded, even at rest, was enough to make the very air around him feel thick and heavy.
An aide, a terrified Golden Core cultivator, scuttled into the room and prostrated himself. "My Lord... the report from the investigative team has arrived."
Maka-Jed did not open his eyes. "They have returned?" his voice echoed, calm and deep, yet holding an undercurrent of immense power.
"No, my Lord," the aide stammered. "We received only a compressed data burst before their life-signatures vanished from the network. They... they encountered extreme resistance."
A flicker of interest finally stirred in the commander. "Extreme resistance? On that backward planet? From the primitives?"
"Yes, my Lord. They confirmed the existence of the 'Tu Thu Dien.' And... they engaged two of the planet's 'Awakened.' One of them, a new, undocumented specimen, was wielding the legendary blade, Thuan Thien."
For the first time, Maka-Jed's expression changed. A slow, cruel smile spread across his face. "Thuan Thien... so the old myths were true. The Planetary Guardian of that mudball actually chose a champion." He seemed more amused than concerned. "And my elite investigators, two Nascent Soul cultivators, were repelled by this 'champion'?"
"The data is fragmented, my Lord," the aide said, trembling. "But it appears the human specimen triggered some kind of... localized energy cataclysm. The investigators were injured, and their long-range portal was destabilized before they could fully retreat."
"Fascinating," Maka-Jed mused. He finally opened his three main eyes. They glowed with ancient power. "A primitive who can injure Nascent Souls. It seems this planet has more spirit than I anticipated. This makes the Great Offering all the more... appetizing."
He waved a hand, and a holographic image appeared in the air. It was a fuzzy, corrupted image salvaged from the investigators' battle recorders—a brief, blurry shot of a figure encased in brilliant, crimson and gold draconic armor.
"Analyze this," Maka-Jed commanded. "Cross-reference with the planet's mythologies. I want to know what this 'armor' is. I want to know everything about this... 'Zenith'."
He then turned his attention to another subject. "And the berserker project? Is the first batch ready?"
The aide swallowed hard. "Yes, my Lord. The 'Impurity Serum' derived from the planet's tainted petroleum has been perfected. We have administered it to a hundred of our most zealous Foundation Establishment warriors. Their power levels have spiked erratically, and their aggression is... absolute. But their lifespans have been drastically reduced. They will burn out in a matter of days."
"A small price to pay for such a glorious purpose," Maka-Jed said dismissively. "They are no longer soldiers. They are living bombs, instruments of the Great Offering. Launch them. Let them fall like meteors upon the human hive of Hanoi. Let them sow terror. Let them test the city's defenses. And let them draw out this new champion of theirs. I wish to see him dance."
The aide bowed low. "As you command, my Lord."
...
Back in the Task Force Chimera barracks, an alarm blared, a piercing shriek reserved for imminent, city-wide threats.
DEFCON 1 // DEFCON 1 // MULTIPLE HIGH-VELOCITY OBJECTS DETECTED ON ATMOSPHERIC ENTRY COURSE // IMPACT ZONE: HANOI METROPOLITAN AREA.
The four members of Chimera convened in their briefing room. On the main screen, Minerva was tracking a hundred blazing streaks of light descending through the upper atmosphere.
"Are those missiles?" Pham Tuan asked, his face grim.
Minerva: Negative. The energy signatures are wrong. They aren't conventional ordnance. They are biological. And they're not missiles; they're drop pods. Her voice, for the first time, contained a hint of something other than pure logic. It might have been concern. The number... it's a full-scale invasion force.
The city's air raid sirens began to wail, a mournful, desperate sound that echoed through the armored walls of their facility.
Agent Hien's face appeared on the screen, her expression a mask of hardened resolve. "Chimera, listen up. This is it. The Madakaros have made their move. These pods contain what our intelligence is calling 'Berserkers.' They are suicide troops, unstable but extremely powerful. Their goal is chaos and mass destruction."
She pulled up a tactical map of Hanoi, which was now dotted with a hundred predicted impact sites, scattered randomly across the city.
"ASEAN Command is deploying all available military assets to contain the threat. Your role, as always, is surgical. You are not a containment unit; you are a decapitation unit. Each Berserker squad is likely led by a more stable, higher-level officer. We need you to hunt these leaders."
Minerva: I am attempting to differentiate the command signatures from the rabble. It's difficult. Their energy readings are all over the place. But I am isolating clusters. The largest concentrations seem to be heading for key infrastructure points: the ASEAN Command Tower, the Central Power Grid, and... she paused. The National Library.
"They're going back," Lin Ming said, his voice quiet. The other targets were logical. The library was personal.
Hien nodded grimly. "That's your first target. A large squad of them is projected to land in the park directly opposite the library. Intercept them. Eliminate their leader. Minimize civilian casualties. This is no longer a drill. This is the defense of our home."
The line went dead. The four of them stood in silence for a moment, the sound of the wailing sirens filling the air.
"So, the real party starts," Quynh Nhu said, her voice tight as she checked the power cell of her rifle. Her usual bravado was gone, replaced by a steely, lethal focus.
Pham Tuan cracked his knuckles, his skin already hardening into its granite-like state.
Lin Ming walked over to a weapons locker and retrieved his cloth-wrapped sword. As he strapped Thuan Thien to his back, he felt its familiar, reassuring warmth. He had spent weeks learning the gentle, unyielding strength of the Earth.
Now, it was time to remind his enemies of the fury of the Dragon.
Minerva: Drop pod ETA: 90 seconds. A hostile command-signature has been confirmed in the group targeting the library park. I am uploading the tactical data to your HUDs now. A detailed 3D map appeared in the corner of their vision. Good luck, Chimera.
Lin Ming turned to his team. "Let's go to work."