The submarine sped through the depths of the ocean, leaving behind the sinking ruins of Atlantis-One. The explosion from the reactor had caused a massive shockwave, but the team was far enough to avoid the brunt of its force. Mira, Victor, Lila, Raul, and Amir sat in silence, exhausted and wounded from their battle with the Obsidian Collective.

Mira’s mind swirled with conflicting emotions. They had destroyed the facility, stopped Kintz, and prevented a catastrophic pandemic. But it didn’t feel like a victory. Kintz’s words before the final battle haunted her—*It’s already too late.*

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Lila’s voice broke the silence. “We’re clear of the blast radius. I’ve got full control of the systems again.”

Victor sighed in relief. “Let’s head back to the Coalition. We need to debrief and figure out our next steps.”

Mira nodded, but her focus was elsewhere. Kintz might have been defeated, but the Obsidian Collective still lurked in the shadows. They had stopped one project, but who knew how many more were already in motion?

As they ascended toward the surface, the weight of their journey settled in. Their battle wasn’t over—it was just beginning.