Chapter 46: Shadows of War

The last echoes of battle faded into the night, leaving behind nothing but silence and the swirling remnants of the abyss. The construction site, once a battleground, now belonged entirely to the shadows. The bodies of the HYDRA soldiers had disappeared, swallowed by the darkness, leaving no evidence of the massacre that had taken place.

Alexander stood in the center of the devastation, the cold night air brushing against his skin. The streetlights flickered weakly, their glow unable to pierce the thick presence of his abyssal power. The entire area felt like a domain separate from reality, where darkness ruled supreme. His gaze settled on the newly reborn shadow before him—Commander Strauss, the former HYDRA operative, now bound in eternal servitude.

"Report," Alexander commanded, his voice smooth yet firm, carrying the weight of absolute authority.

Strauss straightened, his form rigid, his glowing violet eyes locked onto his king. There was no hesitation, no remnants of resistance—only unwavering loyalty. "HYDRA will not let this stand. The loss of an entire retrieval squad is not something they will ignore. They will escalate their response."

Alexander smirked, the corners of his lips curling into something both amused and predatory. "And what is their next move?"

Strauss did not hesitate. "A higher-ranking HYDRA official has already been alerted. Their response will be swift—either another strike force, larger and more specialized, or an attempt to lure you into a controlled environment."

Noctis, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke. His voice was calm but held a sharp edge. "HYDRA doesn't act recklessly. If they believe they can't overpower us directly, they will try to manipulate the battlefield. They will attempt to control the narrative, make you look like the aggressor, and set a trap tailored to counter your abilities."

Vasili stepped forward from the shadows, his expression unreadable. "Then we dictate the battlefield. We strike first." His voice was devoid of emotion, but there was a certain satisfaction in the way he spoke, a quiet promise of bloodshed.

Alexander's grin widened. His army was growing stronger, more refined. HYDRA believed they were the apex predators of the hidden world. It was time to prove them wrong.

"We need to know where their next move is coming from," Alexander mused, glancing back at Strauss. He had learned by now that HYDRA was a creature of meticulous planning and contingency measures. If they were preparing to respond, then somewhere, in one of their secretive halls, plans were already being set in motion. "Tell me, where is the next target?"

Strauss lowered his head slightly, as if processing the command, before responding. "HYDRA has several secure sites in the city. The closest high-level command center is in Midtown Manhattan, disguised as a financial firm. It's heavily fortified, but its primary function is intelligence coordination. If we take it, we disrupt their ability to track us."

Alexander's violet eyes gleamed at the prospect of crippling HYDRA's operations before they could fully retaliate.

He turned to Noctis. "You will infiltrate first. Gather intel. I want to know everything—personnel, defenses, the technology they're using."

Noctis inclined his head slightly, his posture resembling that of a seasoned general receiving his orders. "Understood. I will leave no detail unchecked."

Alexander shifted his gaze to Vasili. "You will handle their sentries. Make sure no alarms are raised."

Vasili's expression didn't change, but there was a flicker of something in his cold eyes—anticipation. "They will not see the dawn."

Strauss remained still, awaiting his king's command. There was no resistance left in him, only purpose. "And me?"

Alexander observed him for a moment, as if weighing the possibilities, before speaking. "You will walk through the front doors."

Strauss blinked, but there was no hesitation in his acceptance. "As you command."

Noctis smirked slightly, a dark amusement settling over him. "They will never expect one of their own to deliver them to death."

Alexander nodded in approval, his gaze sweeping over his shadows. Everything was moving as it should.

He cast one final glance at the cityscape before him, the towers gleaming like monuments to human ambition. Beneath those towers, hidden in the depths, HYDRA schemed and plotted, thinking themselves untouchable.

Soon, they would understand.

The abyss had come.

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