Disasters arise
"Move faster! Keep carrying and stacking!"
"The wall must be finished before sunrise!"
Shouts echoed through the air. A man in a military uniform stood atop the rubble of a collapsed wall, his sharp gaze scanning the hundreds of soldiers working tirelessly along the shoreline.
The sky was still dark, illuminated only by the faint glow of dawn creeping over the horizon. Below, soldiers moved swiftly, hoisting sandbags and stacking them to form a defensive barrier.
Not only that, but concrete blocks were also being carried and arranged to reinforce the structure as best as possible. Heavy machinery rumbled in the distance, accelerating the construction process. Slowly, the wall began to take shape—over a meter tall already, yet still far from complete.
Along the shore, several corpses of strange creatures lay scattered. Their heads resembled fish, their empty eyes staring lifelessly. Their bodies were mangled beyond recognition, as if they had been blown apart.
But the most terrifying thing was the sea itself.
General Kojan stood rigid, his eyes locked onto the churning black waters. Large bubbles rose to the surface, boiling like a massive cauldron. The familiar crashing of waves against the shore was gone, replaced by an unsettling turmoil beneath the water.
"Damn it... what the hell is going on here?" he muttered, his jaw clenched tightly.
The sound of an engine rumbled behind him. Moments later, footsteps approached. A woman in a black suit, thin-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, stopped just behind the general.
"Report, General. The northern area of Mahani Forest has been secured. The wall has been extended to 25 kilometers," she stated in a calm and professional tone, scrolling through the tablet in her hands before continuing.
"Following last night's assessment, a total of 201 Evolvers have joined us."
General Kojan frowned. His teeth gritted, his displeasure evident.
"Only 201?" His voice rose, laced with frustration.
His fists clenched, his jaw tightening as he held back his anger.
"I told them—use force if necessary! But that old fool still thinks the world hasn't changed!"
His irritated tone made his assistant, Yani, stiffen slightly.
General Kojan took a deep breath, forcing himself to regain control before speaking again.
"What about the situation in other countries?" he asked, his voice calmer now.
Yani swiftly scrolled through her tablet.
"Other nations are facing similar threats, sir. They've established major strongholds for humanity. Powerful nations like Russia, India, America, and China have already mobilized to secure their territories."
General Kojan scoffed. Of course, they had.
"I knew it… they're using brute force to bring people together… damn it."
He clicked his tongue in frustration, comparing the situation with the report he'd just received.
"If this continues, this country won't last long. I can already see it—falling apart, breaking into pieces…" he muttered cynically, disappointment thick in his voice.
The woman beside him remained silent. She knew better than to comment. As General Kojan's personal assistant, she was accustomed to his complaints about the nation's leadership—how, in his eyes, they were nothing but incompetent fools.
General Kojan let out a long sigh, his gaze still fixed on the black ocean before him. But suddenly, his eyes widened.
The water… was swelling.
Not a normal wave. It was rising—forming a massive bulge, as if something enormous was moving beneath.
"It looks like we're…" Kojan's voice dropped, his body tensing. "Too late… far too late."
His assistant whipped her head toward him. "What?"
But then, she saw it.
The swelling water surged higher, reaching nearly two meters before slowly receding—revealing something colossal emerging from the darkness.
A giant head.
Nearly two meters wide. Its slick, glistening skin reflected the dim morning light. Two enormous, round eyes stared directly at the shore—at the hundreds of soldiers still working on the wall.
Yani's heartbeat pounded in her chest. "An… octopus?" she whispered in horror.
She turned to General Kojan, waiting for an order.
"EVERYONE, FALL BACK!" General Kojan's voice thundered across the battlefield.
At the Same Time...
A bright blue light enveloped his body, his aura intensifying at an alarming rate.
At this moment, he was no longer just an ordinary general—he was a high-ranking Evolver.
Without turning around, he issued a firm command to his assistant. "Summon the Evolvers. Tell them to prepare for battle. Now."
"Yes, General!"
Without hesitation, the woman sprinted toward her vehicle, started the engine, and sped off to carry out the order.
Meanwhile, the soldiers at the shoreline were already moving. They abandoned their sandbags and concrete blocks, retreating from the front line. However, a few who had evolved remained, standing firm beside General Kojan.
Ahead of them, the massive creature remained still.
The giant octopus did not advance. It simply lingered at the shoreline, its large, hollow eyes staring at the human forces on land.
But the silence did not last long.
The sea began to swell once more. This time, even bigger.
And moments later, something else emerged.
A colossal crab.
Its thick legs dug into the wet sand, while its rotting green moss-covered shell dripped with seawater. Each step it took sent deep tremors through the ground.
But it didn't stop there.
One by one, more monstrous figures began rising from the depths.
"General," a soldier beside him spoke with a tense voice. "These ones… they look far stronger than the fish monsters we faced before."
General Kojan remained silent. His eyes stayed locked on the creatures assembling at the shoreline.
"Of course," he muttered under his breath, clenching his fists.
"Because this… is just the beginning."
***
Adam's Factory
Ugh…
Ah…
Labored breathing filled the underground factory. Sweat dripped, staining the cold concrete floor.
Adam threw another punch forward—his arm extended, controlled, and packed with power. He could feel the difference in his movements—faster, stronger, more precise.
A tired but satisfied smile stretched across his face. "Just a little more."
[Main Mission: Punch x229]
[Main Mission: Punch x230]
The night before, he had trained until 11 PM before finally collapsing onto the factory floor, using only a few scavenged cloths as a makeshift bed. It was far from comfortable, but it was enough for him to rest.
By the time he stopped, he had completed over 600 basic martial arts movements.
At the break of dawn, precisely at 5 AM, he resumed his training.
[Main Mission: Punch x418]
Huhhh…
Adam exhaled sharply. As soon as the counter passed 400, his arms felt completely numb. He let himself fall onto the floor, allowing his body to recover.
He glanced at his arms—lean, hardened muscles defined beneath his skin. A small smirk formed on his lips.
"All my training… definitely wasn't a waste."
If not for his well-conditioned body, completing 1,000 punches in just a few days would have been impossible.
However, as he caught his breath, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
Today… is a workday.
Adam immediately sat up and turned toward the factory's monitor screen.
07:40.
"Damn, only 20 minutes before Serina arrives."
His eyes swept across the factory floor—still damp with sweat. The cloths he used as a bed were crumpled in the corner.
Sleeping on the floor forever wasn't exactly ideal.
"SYSTEM, can I get a private room?" he asked, hopeful.
He was sure the system could make it happen.
[ Of course. Host can obtain a private room—but it won't be free ]
Adam scoffed. "Figured as much."
The system never gave anything for free. That was fair.
Accepting his reality, he gathered the cloths and tucked them away in the corner. Until he could afford a proper room, this would have to do.
He then grabbed a mop and began cleaning the sweat-drenched floor. Once the place was spotless, he changed into more comfortable casual clothes.
Now, all he had to do was wait for Serina.
"I'm curious…" he muttered, settling into a chair near the control desk.
"How exactly does this factory work?"