Lightning fractured across the refinery sky for the last time.
The Stormforged Sentinel staggered as the final surge of electricity tore through its core, cracks spreading across its armored plates like a shattering windshield. Energy burst outward from its chest in a blinding flare before the massive figure finally collapsed. Steel platforms buckled beneath the weight as the sentinel crashed to the ground with a deafening roar.
For a moment, the storm above continued to churn. Then, the clouds shattered. The lightning dispersed into fading arcs, and a heavy silence fell over the refinery.
Caelum lowered his hands slowly, his chest heaving. "...Well," he exhaled, "that was loud."
Helena dismissed the last of her rotating sigils. "Boss entity eliminated."
Viktor pulled his guandao free from the cracked platform, stormforged metal fragments clattering across the steel floor. Elias looked upward; the storm had vanished, and the Domain was collapsing.
[System Notice]
[Gate Objective Completed]
[Boss Entity Eliminated]
[Domain Gate Cleared]
[Gate Collapse Initiating]
The refinery began to dissolve. Steel towers faded into mist, and the artificial storm clouds evaporated. Reality folded inward, the ground shifted, and suddenly the real sky returned.
They stood once again outside the containment perimeter. Above them, the gate fracture shrank rapidly, flickering once with a final spark of lightning before it sealed completely. Gone.
A moment passed before the silver light unfolded again, stabilizing before each member.
[Gate Completion Confirmed]
[Gate Rank: B]
[Gate Type: Domain Gate]
[Participants Registered:
* Elias Verdan
* Helena Vireaux
* Caelum Richter
* Viktor Draeg]
[Calculating Contribution...]
Numbers appeared beside their names—damage output, environmental influence, enemy eliminations, and domain suppression. Caelum leaned closer to the floating window. "...It really tracked the whole fight."
Helena studied the metrics quietly, while Elias simply watched.
[Reward Distribution Initiated]
The results appeared one by one.
[Elias Verdan
Contribution Rating: S
Reward:
* Mana Crystal × 22
* Runic Catalyst × 1]
A cluster of glowing crystals materialized in Elias's hand along with a small metallic object etched with faint runic patterns. Helena studied it briefly. "...Interesting."
Elias closed his hand around the item. "We'll examine it later."
The next results followed:
[Helena Vireaux — Rating: A | Reward: Mana Crystal × 18, Tactical Matrix Fragment × 1]
[Caelum Richter — Rating: A | Reward: Mana Crystal × 19, Storm Conduit Fragment × 1]
[Viktor Draeg — Rating: A | Reward: Mana Crystal × 17, Martial Reinforcement Fragment × 1]
Caelum turned the fragment between his fingers, a grin returning to his face. "...That one definitely sounds like my department."
[Reward Distribution Complete]
The system windows faded. For a moment, the four members of Regulated Order stood in the quiet of the morning. Caelum raised one of the crystals toward the sunlight. "...I think this these things hold energy."
Helena nodded slightly. "Yes."
Viktor secured his rewards carefully, and Elias remained silent. Then, the sound reached them—media drones. Dozens of them. The moment the gate disappeared, they surged past the containment barrier.
A drone hovered in front of Helena. "Regulated Order, can you confirm the gate has been cleared?"
"Yes," Helena replied, her voice steady.
"Can you confirm the gate rank?"
"B-rank."
Another drone adjusted its position. "What monsters appeared inside the gate?"
Helena paused. "That information will be released by KAMB after analysis."
"The system classified this as a 'Domain Gate.' Can you explain what that means?"
Helena shook her head slightly. "KAMB will provide an official explanation."
"Is it true that Aurora Covenant cleared a Breach Gate earlier today?"
Helena's expression remained composed. "Further information will be announced later."
The statement ended there—short, controlled, and giving nothing away.
__
Across the city, news networks were already replaying Aurora Covenant's earlier interview. Lucien Ardent stood in front of his cleared gate, appearing much more open.
"...Mandible Crawlers," he explained calmly to the cameras. "They're swarm predators that burrow underground. The gate we entered was classified as a Breach Gate. The swarm collapsed once we eliminated the core entity."
Behind him, Mira waved enthusiastically at the camera. Kairos stood awkwardly, still holding his two glowing crystals, and Nox Caelis stayed in the background, saying almost nothing.
Two raids. Two interviews. Two very different worlds.
__
Back at the northern defense sector, Regulated Order's containment teams were already moving in. Military vehicles secured the area while analysts collected drone recordings. Helena glanced toward Elias. "KAMB will want a full report."
Elias nodded once. "...Yes."
He looked toward the sky where the gate had vanished. The world had just cleared its first wave of simultaneous gates, and he knew it was only the beginning.