Emergency Broadcast Ladies and Gentlemen, we interrupt your regular programming with an urgent report. A critical incident has occurred at Blackcrest Town last night—a sudden and catastrophic event unfolding unexpectedly.

Our preliminary reports describe a forced evacuation of the entire town late in the night by military and police forces, with residents being herded out of their homes. The details are still emerging, and authorities are maintaining strict control over the scene.

Wait a second... another report just came in. According to an evacuated citizen, they were warned that an earthquake and other natural disaster were going to strike the town. After evacuation, the military stayed behind. A loud, booming sound was heard kilometers away from the town.

According to reports, the military did not evacuate in time, leading to hundreds of deaths and more injuries. The Bureau of Special Investigation has deployed numerous emergency supplies and personnel to aid the brave soldiers who stayed behind to ensure no civilians were left to face this disaster.

Stay with us for real-time updates as the story progresses. This is Adhaam, reporting live from the First Channel on TV.

………………………………………………………………………………

John blinked at the screen, his vision still slightly blurry from his prolonged rest. The crisp images of the recoded broadcast flickered across the room, the voice of the reporter echoing faintly in his mind.

He shifted in the hospital bed, the sharp ache in his side reminding him that he was still injured—no, he had survived, barely.

The broadcast ended, the screen returning to a muted government advisory. John exhaled sharply, sinking back into the pillows. An earthquake? he thought, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. That’s one way to cover up a dungeon outbreak.

The door chimed, and a nurse entered with a warm but professional expression. "Agent John, good to see you awake," she said, glancing at his vitals on a nearby monitor. "How are you feeling?"

“Alive.” John muttered, his voice hoarse but laced with faint humor. "How long was I out?"

“Two days,” the nurse replied, jotting something on her tablet. "Your injuries were severe, but with our technology we managed to bring you back up until your natural healing took effect. You’ll feel sore for a while, but you’re stable.”

John nodded slowly, his gaze drifting back to the screen. "The others?”

Her expression softened. "Two other agents survived. They’re stable and recovering in separate rooms. The rest..." She hesitated, the unspoken words heavy in the air. "I’m sorry."

“What about Liam?”

“Agent Liam was one of the deceased."

He swallowed hard, the weight of the losses pressing down on him. "And the town?"

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The nurse’s demeanor grew somber. "It’s been declared a total loss. BMI engineers are on-site, ensuring no residual threats remain."

How long do I need to stay here?”

“About two to three months, depending on your condition or if the BMI administers an advanced medicinal treatment to accelerate your healing.”

The conversation left John silent, his mind turning over the events of the last mission. As the nurse exited the room, leaving him alone, his eyes fixed on the muted advisory. The truth was far uglier than the polished words of the broadcast. The booming sounds, the deaths, the destruction—it was chaos disguised as a natural disaster.

With his left hand barely functioning after the injury, John clenched his right into a fist. The weight of what he had survived—and what he had gone through—pressed down on him. The muted advisory on the screen blurred into the background as memories of the dungeon outbreak clawed their way to the surface.

'How many times am I supposed to barely survive?' The thought echoed bitterly in his mind. Each mission seemed to bring him closer to the edge, and this time, if agent Zephyrin was one minute too late, he would've been goner. He clenched his fists harder as his frustration simmering beneath the surface.

The door chimed again, pulling John from his thoughts. This time, it was Evelyn, clad in her BMI research uniform and carrying a sleek, metallic tablet and a polished black case in her hand. Her expression was neutral, but her eyes flicked over him briefly, as if gauging his state before speaking.

“Agent John,” she began, stepping closer to his bed. “Good to see you awake.”

"Yeah, it's good." John replied dryly.

Evelyn allowed herself a faint smile. "But I’m not here to ask about your condition. I thought you might want to see this.” She placed the case down, clicked it open, and revealed a finely crafted sword. Its blade gleamed under the overhead light, the craftsmanship unmistakable.

John glanced at it briefly before leaning back against the pillows. “Thanks, but that’s just another sword, isn’t it?”

Evelyn arched a brow. “Not just another sword. It’s reinforced with modern alloys and designed for durability. It’s better than what you had before.”

"Yeah, but still sucks."

"But we already made this. It can't be returned." Evelyn crossed her hand as she stared at him.

"And I don't FREAKING CARE!" John's voice rose slightly as he talked. "“Better isn’t good enough. One sword after another was destroyed while fighting. It doesn't matter if it takes a more hit to turn into freaking shards.”

John hadn’t noticed it, but his eyes turned slightly red, and a heavy killing intent emanating from him made Evelyn’s heart race and her hands sweat, as though a predator were staring her down.

Even though she felt uneasy, Evelyn tapped her tablet, a series of schematics flashing across the screen. “This is another sword made of different alloys and has a different style. It has many advantages…”

“Next!” John cut her off as he barely glanced at it before looking away.

"You are still learning other weapon styles, right? Maybe a change from sword to spear or something would suit you better." She scrolled through before showing another schematic. "The spear has a better range, and this is made of a fine alloy that..."

"God damn it!" John threw his head back a little while rolling his eyes. "It's the same damn thing! just skip it."

Evelyn studied him for a moment, then put the tablet aside. “Alright, let’s discuss what you want, then. What’s on your mind?”

“Something that works with my talent,” John said, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “Something that adapts. Everyone else gets to use weapons or gear that actually make their talents shine. Why don’t I?”

"You got your lenses..."

"Are you freaking serious?!" His voice rose sharply. "Are you comparing a support item with a main weapon?"

Evelyn's voice shook a little as she yelled, "Why are you angry at me? I'm trying to help here."

John immediately regretted it. “Sorry. That wasn’t fair to you. It’s just…” He gestured vaguely, words failing him.” I'm a little stressed. I didn't mean to..."

She brought the case and her tablet and stormed out of the room.

“Damn!” John clenched his fist tightly for a second before taking a deep breath, then exhaled, then took another deep breath before exhaling again. He repeated the process as he started to calm himself.