One man, broad-shouldered and with a thick beard, stepped forward. His eyes darted between Ethan and Lisa, taking in their weapons and condition.

  “You’re strong,” he finally said. “Stronger than most of us.”

  Ethan narrowed his eyes. “Who are you?”

  The man sighed. “Survivors. Just like you.”

  Lisa rexed slightly but didn’t lower her guard. “You’ve been fighting these things too?”

  The man nodded. “Yeah, but that’s the least of our problems.”

  Something about his tone made Ethan uneasy. “What do you mean?”

  The man exhaled deeply, looking up at the sky. “You haven’t noticed the changes yet, have you?”

  Ethan frowned. “Changes?”

  “The stars,” the man muttered. “Look at the sky. It’s different.”

  Lisa and Ethan followed his gaze.

  And then they saw it.

  The moon was rger. The sky held faint, unfamiliar consteltions. And on the horizon—

  A second sun.

  Ethan’s breath caught in his throat. That wasn’t there before.

  The man turned back to them, his face grim.

  “Another pnet has merged with Earth,” he said. “And in one week, the barrier between our worlds will vanish completely.”

  A tense silence followed.

  Lisa broke it first. “What happens then?”

  The man’s grip on his weapon tightened.

  “The System will trigger an Event. And when that happens…” His voice was low, almost fearful.

  “Everything will change.”

  Ethan and Lisa followed the group of survivors through the ruined streets. The city was barely recognizable—cracked pavement, colpsed buildings, and the distant roars of monsters echoed through the air.

  The bearded man, who introduced himself as Jonas, led the way. He moved cautiously, eyes flicking between the shadows as if expecting an ambush.

  Lisa nudged Ethan. “You sure we should go with them?”

  Ethan gnced at the survivors ahead. “They know more than we do. If another pnet really merged with Earth, we need information.”

  Jonas overheard and turned his head slightly. “You’re not wrong. But information isn’t the only thing you’ll find at the Citadel.”

  Ethan raised an eyebrow. “And what’s that?”

  Jonas grunted. “Strength. If you’re smart enough to use it.”

  After an hour of walking, they reached a rge, fortified structure built from salvaged metal, concrete, and the remains of destroyed vehicles. A massive gate, reinforced with steel pting, loomed ahead, guarded by two armed men.

  Ethan scanned the defenses—barricades, lookout towers, and makeshift turrets mounted on rooftops. This pce wasn’t just a shelter. It was a fortress.

  Jonas waved to the guards. “Open up! We got new blood!”

  One of the guards, a lean man with a cybernetic eye, eyed Ethan and Lisa suspiciously before signaling for the gates to open. The heavy metal doors groaned as they slid apart, revealing a bustling community inside.

  Dozens of people moved through the streets. Some were carrying supplies, others repairing weapons. There were even makeshift shops and a central watchtower overlooking the entire settlement.

  Lisa whistled. “Not bad.”

  Ethan, however, wasn’t focused on the buildings—he was focused on the man standing on the watchtower balcony.

  A familiar figure with short blond hair, wearing bck tactical gear. His piercing eyes locked onto Ethan’s.

  "Fuck...." Lisa said as she noticed who was standing there.

  Ethan felt an assassin intention, grabbing his greatsword sword and activating Minor Blood Aura he blocked a staff.

  "You have the courage to come here, you're dead." Ethan turned and saw Jason standing there, his staff was with a dark red fme.

  "Hey I'm not here to fight, I just want to know exactly what's happening." Ethan said, Lisa was already with her bow prepared.

  A deep voice came from above.

  "Jason, stop." Michael said before falling right in front of Ethan.

  "Yes Jason obey your owner." Lisa said mockingly.

  Michael looked at her the anger and resentment imprinted in his face.

  "You need to shut up!!" He hissed, the venom in his words palpable.

  "Michael, let's talk like normal people?" Ethan asked. "The kids can wait here quiet." He continued looking at Jason and Lisa.

  "Fine.. ughh you are so difficult to be around."

  Ethan sat across from Michael, his fingers drumming against the armrest of his chair. Lisa stood nearby, arms crossed, her sharp eyes watching Michael carefully.

  Michael leaned forward, tapping his fingers against the map in front of him. “You’ve already heard the basics, but let me fill in the gaps.”

  Ethan raised an eyebrow. “Go on.”

  Michael sighed. “A week ago, the world changed. We all felt it—the sky cracked, reality twisted, and suddenly, things we never imagined became real.” He pointed to a rge red circle on the map. “This… is where another pnet merged with Earth. It wasn’t just a spatial overp. Their nd, their structures, even their inhabitants—all of it got dragged here.”

  Lisa frowned. “Inhabitants? You mean monsters?”

  Michael shook his head. “No. I mean people. Another civilization—humans, or at least something close enough. Some of them are survivors like us. Others?” His expression darkened. “They see us as invaders.”

  Ethan exhaled. “So we’re dealing with another world’s people. Great.”

  Michael smirked. “Not just that. The System is using this merge as an opportunity. In exactly one week, the barrier separating our worlds will fully colpse. When that happens, the System will initiate an Event.”

  Lisa’s grip on her bow tightened. “What kind of Event?”

  Michael leaned back. “A war.”

  Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “A war?”

  Michael nodded. “The System is calling it ‘The First Collision.’ Every survivor, every faction, every city or stronghold—both from our world and theirs—will be thrown into conflict. We’ll fight for territory, resources, and survival.”

  Lisa clicked her tongue. “So it’s not enough that monsters are everywhere. Now we have to fight a goddamn war?”

  Michael’s smirk returned. “That’s the thing. The System isn’t forcing anyone to fight. But if you don’t, you’ll be left behind. Only those who seize power will thrive.”

  Ethan rubbed his temples. “And let me guess—your Citadel pns on winning.”

  Michael grinned. “Of course.”

  Ethan scoffed. “What makes you so confident?”

  Michael’s eyes gleamed. “Because we’ve already made contact with one of the factions from the other world.”

  Lisa’s eyes widened. “You what?”

  Michael nodded. “We’ve established a temporary truce. They’re called the Drakan Empire. Their warriors are… different. Stronger than normal humans. But they respect power. Right now, we’re negotiating an alliance.”

  Ethan’s fingers twitched. “And if they betray you?”

  Michael’s grin didn’t fade. “Then we’ll be ready.”

  Silence filled the room for a moment. Then Ethan stood up.

  “One week,” he muttered. “That’s all we have?”

  Michael nodded. “One week until the world becomes a battlefield.”

  Ethan exhaled. “Then we better get stronger.”

  Michael’s smirk widened. “Now you’re thinking like a survivor."