Chapter 333: The Brutal Reckoning
[Next Day.]
[D-Day.]
[Queens.]
The dust had finally settled, replaced by the crisp, untainted morning air of a liberated world. Mirabella stood on the edge of a half-destroyed high-rise building, staring down at the sprawling borough of Queens. Below, thousands of civilian survivors were cautiously walking inside the city, their faces a mix of trauma and profound relief, closely following behind the heavily armed American soldiers.
"Big Sister, the soldiers are getting ready to start cleaning up the city, and then rebuilding it." Carl said, standing beside her. The integration had forever altered Earth’s infrastructure, but humanity’s resilience remained.
Mirabella slowly nodded her head, her blue eyes reflecting the morning sun, and raised her head to the huge, holographic timer which suddenly appeared on the sky, a final mandate from the Galaxy Fall system;
[Competition Announcement: 00:01:24.]
"Little time left." She said, noting the punctuality, and turned around, staring at Chief Commander Reed, who stood some feet away with her commanding officers.
"We want to send you off." Reed said, her voice carrying the heavy, emotional weight of a species saved from extinction.
Carl blinked, momentarily confused by the formality, and turned his gaze to the ground, his eyes widening as he saw all the soldiers and civilians standing in perfect, rigid military formation below, filling the ruined streets for blocks.
"How are they sending us off?" Kent asked in genuine confusion, wondering what a non-systemic military could offer beings of their caliber.
[Students! You will be teleported back to the competition Arena in one minute.]