The Shadow Alpha stepped fully out of the Gate.
The ground cracked slightly under its enormous weight.
Its glowing crimson eyes slowly scanned the plaza, observing the battlefield like a calculating predator.
Unlike the smaller Shadow Hounds, this creature did not rush blindly toward prey.
It watched.
It analyzed.
And then it made its decision.
The Alpha let out a deep growl.
Instantly, the remaining Shadow Hounds stopped their chaotic attacks.
They turned toward the Alpha as if receiving silent orders.
Then they began moving together.
Not randomly.
Strategically.
One group rushed toward the soldiers on the left side.
Another circled behind the military vehicles.
The soldiers immediately realized something was wrong.
"They're coordinating!"
"Fall back! Regroup!"
Gunfire erupted again, but the monsters were now attacking like trained hunters.
One Shadow Hound leapt onto a vehicle to distract the soldiers.
At the same time, two others attacked from behind.
Within seconds, another soldier fell.
Darius Kane gritted his teeth.
"That Alpha is controlling them."
He looked toward the towering monster standing near the Gate.
The Alpha hadn't moved yet.
It simply watched the battlefield, directing the hunt.
Darius understood immediately.
"As long as that thing is alive, this fight gets worse."
He tightened his grip on his sword.
"Target the big one!"
Several soldiers aimed their rifles at the Alpha.
Gunfire erupted.
Bullets slammed into the creature's thick armored fur.
But they barely penetrated.
The Alpha didn't even flinch.
Instead, it slowly turned its head toward the soldiers.
Its red eyes burned with cold intelligence.
Then it moved.
In a single terrifying leap, the monster crossed nearly fifteen meters.
It landed directly in front of the soldiers.
The shockwave knocked several of them off their feet.
One soldier fired his rifle point-blank.
The Alpha swatted him aside like an insect.
The man crashed into a car and stopped moving.
Darius stepped forward immediately.
He swung his sword toward the monster's neck.
The blade struck the fur—
And bounced off.
Darius's eyes widened.
"…Too tough."
The Alpha turned toward him slowly.
Its massive jaws opened, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.
For a moment, the battlefield seemed to freeze.
Then the monster lunged.
Darius barely rolled away in time.
The Alpha's jaws slammed into the ground where he had been standing.
Concrete shattered.
Dust filled the air.
Darius stood again quickly, breathing heavily.
"We can't kill this thing with normal weapons…"
High above the plaza, Arin Veyron watched the fight from the rooftop.
His eyes moved carefully across the battlefield.
Every movement.
Every mistake.
Every tactical decision.
The soldiers were doing their best.
But against a Shadow Alpha, they were completely outmatched.
"That thing is at least mid D-Rank."
And D-Rank monsters required more than ordinary weapons to kill.
In the future timeline, humanity had eventually developed specialized equipment.
Mana weapons.
Hunter abilities.
Combat training.
But right now…
None of that existed yet.
Arin crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"If this Alpha survives too long, the Gate might produce more creatures."
That would turn the Central District into a massacre.
And while chaos was useful…
Total destruction was not.
Arin turned his gaze toward the Gate itself.
The swirling portal pulsed again.
Energy fluctuations were increasing.
"Three minutes," Arin estimated quietly.
"If the Alpha stays alive longer than that, reinforcements will arrive."
That couldn't happen.
Arin sighed softly.
"…Fine."
He stepped back from the rooftop edge.
Then he began walking toward the stairwell.
"Time to play a small role."
Back in the plaza, the battle was becoming desperate.
The Alpha moved like a nightmare.
Every swipe of its claws crushed vehicles.
Every leap shattered the ground.
Darius attacked again and again, but his blade barely scratched the creature.
Another Shadow Hound jumped onto a wounded soldier.
Darius killed it quickly.
But more kept coming.
"This isn't working…" one soldier shouted.
Darius wiped blood from his face.
"We hold until reinforcements arrive!"
But deep down, he knew the truth.
Reinforcements wouldn't arrive in time.
The Alpha suddenly roared.
The sound echoed through the entire district.
All remaining Shadow Hounds rushed forward at once.
The final assault had begun.
Soldiers fired desperately.
But the monsters were closing the distance.
And then—
A calm voice spoke behind them.
"You're fighting the wrong way."
Darius froze.
He turned around slowly.
Standing at the edge of the battlefield was a familiar figure.
Arin Veyron.
He looked completely relaxed despite the chaos around him.
Darius stared at him in disbelief.
"You again?!"
Arin glanced toward the Alpha.
"Yes."
The monster noticed him too.
Its glowing eyes locked onto Arin instantly.
Predator recognizing predator.
Arin studied the creature calmly.
"Interesting… slightly stronger than expected."
Darius walked toward him quickly.
"Are you insane?! Get out of here!"
Arin ignored him.
Instead, he pointed toward the Alpha.
"That creature has three weak points."
The soldiers around them stared.
"Three?" Darius asked.
Arin nodded.
"Base of the neck."
"Left rib joint."
"And behind the right eye."
Darius frowned.
"That's impossible to reach."
Arin smiled faintly.
"Not if you stop attacking randomly."
The Alpha began walking toward them slowly.
Each step shook the ground.
Arin continued speaking calmly.
"Right now you're fighting like prey."
Darius clenched his jaw.
"What's your plan then?"
Arin's eyes sharpened.
"Trap it."
Darius blinked.
"…Trap it?"
Arin pointed toward the damaged vehicles scattered across the plaza.
"Those fuel tanks."
Then toward the tall glass building behind the Alpha.
"And that structure."
Darius suddenly understood.
"You want to collapse the building?"
Arin nodded.
"Exactly."
The Alpha was already within ten meters now.
Its massive claws scraped against the pavement.
The soldiers prepared to fire again.
But Arin raised his hand.
"Wait."
Everyone hesitated.
The Alpha crouched low.
Preparing to attack.
Arin looked at Darius.
"Now."
Darius shouted immediately.
"Shoot the vehicles!"
Gunfire erupted again.
Bullets struck the damaged fuel tanks.
Flames burst into life.
A massive explosion rocked the plaza.
Fire surrounded the Alpha.
The creature roared in fury.
At the same time—
Darius sprinted forward.
He slashed at the Alpha's left rib joint exactly where Arin had instructed.
This time…
The blade penetrated.
Dark blood sprayed across the pavement.
The Alpha screamed in pain.
And that moment of imbalance…
Was exactly what Arin had been waiting for.
Because above them—
The weakened glass building had already begun to collapse.