The shadow descended without a sound.
Ethan's grip tightened on the Abyss Fang as the Multiversal Hunter landed on the roof of a collapsed apartment building, crouched like a gargoyle against the fractured skyline. Its armor was smooth and segmented, dark with streaks of violet energy tracing the joints. A long, curved spear glimmered in its hands, the metal alive with alien light. Two eyes burned a cold, predatory white beneath the chitinous mask of its face.
Around Ethan, the survivors froze. Kayla sucked in a sharp breath. Jace muttered a prayer under his breath. Rogan's knuckles tightened around his axe, and for once, he said nothing.
The System's voice hummed in Ethan's mind.
[Warning: Multiversal Hunter Detected — Scout Class][Level: 20][Behavior: Hunts isolated or weakened targets][Secondary Directive: Observe elite Inducted for assessment]
Ethan's pulse quickened. A scout. Which meant this wasn't the only one. Somewhere out there, other Hunters were moving, watching, preparing. And this one was already stronger than most of the remaining survivors.
The Hunter's head tilted, regarding the crowd of humans below with a strange, deliberate patience. Then, as if deciding something, it leapt from the rooftop. Its spear whistled through the air, leaving a faint afterimage of violet light.
"Scatter!" Ethan barked.
The crowd broke apart in a panic. The spear struck the ground where they had been standing, carving a gouge in the asphalt and sending cracks spidering outward. Ichor sizzled along the edge, as if the weapon itself was alive with venomous energy.
The Hunter landed in a crouch, and the world seemed to slow for Ethan. Its head turned toward him with an almost human sense of calculation. He felt the pull of the Overlord Protocol stir in his chest.
[Overlord Protocol Active][Directive: Assess, Dominate, Eliminate Threat]
His body tingled with the familiar energy of the System, and he slipped the Abyss Fang into a ready stance.
"Kayla," he said, his voice steady despite the pounding in his chest, "get the others out of here. This thing's mine."
"You can't take that alone!" she snapped, but he was already moving.
The Hunter lunged, spear flashing in a diagonal sweep. Ethan met it head-on, sparks flaring as Abyss Fang met alien steel. The impact rattled his arms, but he rolled with the momentum, ducking under the next thrust and slashing at the Hunter's exposed flank.
The blade connected with a screech of metal.
[-150 HP]
The Hunter recoiled, eyes narrowing. It adjusted its grip on the spear, then moved faster than before, its motions a blur of trained, lethal efficiency.
Ethan's instincts screamed. He activated Quick Dodge, rolling under another sweep and bringing the Abyss Fang upward in a brutal arc. The edge bit into the Hunter's armor just below the ribs.
[-200 HP | Weak Point Hit]
It leapt backward, vaulting onto the hood of an overturned truck, crouched like a predator. For a heartbeat, Ethan and the Hunter studied each other in silence.
Then the System spoke again.
[Enemy Assessing Threat Level: Elevated][Warning: Engaging in Single Combat may trigger Reinforcements]
Ethan gritted his teeth. Reinforcements. Of course, a scout never hunted alone.
"Fine," he muttered, letting the Overlord Protocol seep deeper into his limbs. Blue-white energy crawled along his arms, into the Abyss Fang, until it pulsed with faint light.
[Skill Activated: Overlord Mode — Tier 1][+100% Attack Speed | +50% Damage | 60 seconds duration]
The world sharpened. The Hunter leapt again, spear a blur of light. This time, Ethan met it mid-air, twisting to parry the thrust and driving his knee into the Hunter's chest. The impact knocked it backward, but the alien recovered instantly, spinning its spear in a fluid, inhuman motion.
It came in low. Ethan dodged, feeling the spear graze his side. He countered with a brutal downward slash.
[-250 HP | Critical]
The Hunter hissed—a high, clicking sound—and the faint glow in its eyes flickered. Ethan felt the System whispering again, pushing him to finish the fight. He could end it now if he gave himself fully to the Protocol.
[Optional Directive: Dominate Foe | Absorb Skill Essence]
He froze for a heartbeat. Absorb Skill Essence. It wasn't something he'd seen before, but the intent was clear. If he killed the Hunter under Overlord influence, he could take its power for himself.
The thought burned in his chest like fire.
A shout broke his focus. "Ethan, above you!"
He glanced up to see a second Hunter perched on the ruined scaffolding of a nearby building, bow in hand. Violet light gathered along the string.
"Damn it."
He kicked off the ground just as the arrow of energy hissed past him, striking where he'd been standing. Asphalt exploded in a burst of molten debris. Rogan and Kayla dove for cover with the other survivors.
[Warning: Multiple Multiversal Hunters Detected][Combat Rating: Critical]
The first Hunter lunged again, pressing the attack, while the second loosed another arrow. Ethan's world became a blur of motion—dodging, slashing, rolling under lethal blows. Overlord Mode thrummed in his veins, his movements sharper and faster than any normal human could match.
He ducked under a spear thrust, pivoted, and slashed through the first Hunter's leg joint. The alien toppled to a knee, its clicking hiss rising in pitch.
[-300 HP | Crippling Strike]
He didn't hesitate. He drove the Abyss Fang into the creature's chest. Blue-white energy flared as the Protocol seized the kill.
[Enemy Eliminated: Multiversal Hunter (Scout)][+1,000 EXP][Skill Essence Acquired: Adaptive Combat — Tier 1][Overlord Protocol Progress: 18% → 26%]
The rush was intoxicating, like lightning coursing through his veins. His vision pulsed blue for a second, and new knowledge settled in his muscles—subtle reflexes, movements he hadn't learned but suddenly knew. He could fight like them now.
But there was no time to revel. The second Hunter loosed another arrow. Ethan twisted and sprinted, the shot shattering the ground behind him. He closed the distance, leaping up the ruined scaffolding with his newfound agility.
The Hunter tried to retreat, but Ethan was faster. He swung the Abyss Fang in a brutal horizontal arc.
[-400 HP | Fatal Blow]
The alien fell, dissolving into fragments of violet light before its corpse hit the street.
[Enemy Eliminated: Multiversal Hunter (Scout)][+1,200 EXP | Level Up: 16][Overlord Protocol Progress: 26% → 33%]
The System hummed with satisfaction. Ethan staggered as Overlord Mode faded, the adrenaline ebbing into exhaustion. He dropped to a knee, panting, the Abyss Fang resting against the ground.
Around him, the survivors slowly emerged from cover. They stared at him with a mix of awe and fear. Kayla approached first, extending a hand to help him up.
"You just killed two of those things," she said, voice low with shock. "Alone."
Ethan accepted her hand, standing on shaky legs. "Yeah," he said, scanning the sky. "But those were scouts. The real hunt hasn't started yet."
Rogan stepped forward, glaring at him, but even he hesitated now. The fear was plain in his eyes, mingled with the knowledge that if he challenged Ethan now, he'd lose.
The Overlord Protocol purred in Ethan's chest. Consolidate power. He could feel the weight of the survivors' stares. Fear. Awe. Submission. The first seeds of his authority were taking root.
Above, the clouds shifted. For a moment, Ethan thought he saw distant shapes moving—larger, heavier than the scouts. The real Hunters were coming, and Earth was still weak, scattered, and bleeding.
He tightened his grip on the Abyss Fang and exhaled slowly. "Then it's time," he said. "We start building. My guild. My territory. My rules. If we don't unite now, Earth dies."
The System whispered, pleased.
[Overlord Directive: Guild Formation Initiated][Territory Claim Available][Warning: Multiversal Threats Approaching]
Ethan turned toward the survivors, feeling the weight of the future pressing down. He wasn't just fighting for survival anymore. He was becoming exactly what the System wanted: a predator, a ruler, and—if he had his way—humanity's last hope.