Zombie Domination

Julian turned to the group, his tone resolute. "We leave tonight."

Then he looked toward Randoff. "Is it alright if I leave some of the survivors here for a while?"

Randoff paused, brows furrowed. "Hmm… It won't be easy. This place is already packed… but I'll do what I can."

Julian nodded appreciatively. "Thank you."

Without wasting time, the team gathered their equipment and headed out. They moved swiftly through the darkness of the night, making their way to the location where the rest of the group would be arriving via warp.

By morning, they had reached the rendezvous point.

Julian gently shook the girls awake one by one. The air was crisp, the dawn faintly illuminating the worn concrete around them.

They stood waiting before the warp gate, which remained stubbornly closed.

Veronica crossed her arms, annoyed. "He's taking forever."

Emma nodded. "Seriously. He said 'early,' didn't he?"

Just then, a low hum vibrated through the air as the warp portal flickered to life, and a figure emerged, Reimon.

"You're right on time," he said simply. "Come. The others are waiting."

"We've been here this whole time," Veronica said, her eyes fixed on him.

The group stepped through the warp gate, one after another, and in an instant found themselves standing in the heart of Meltdown City.

Luke looked around, eyes wide. "So this is the place…"

Leighton stepped forward slowly, taking in the sights. "First time I've seen a city still alive after everything that's happened."

Tall structures stood repaired, reinforced, and humming with faint energy. People moved with purpose. Markets were open, soldiers patrolled the walkways. It was a stark contrast to the crumbling ruins they were used to.

Reimon glanced at Julian. "You're the last to arrive. Everyone else is already waiting."

Julian gave a small nod. "Then let's not waste time. We'll prepare."

Together, they moved toward the central meeting hall, where the plan to take down a sky-swimming beast would soon be decided.

Inside the meeting hall, five individuals were already gathered. The air was tense, thick with a shared sense of urgency and unspoken rivalry.

Each person carried the weight of their own reputation, men who had survived too long in a world that killed too easily.

A deep, gravelly voice broke the silence.

"We should just start. We can't afford to wait for the ones who are late."

The speaker was a broad-shouldered man in his thirties, his physique like that of a seasoned brawler. His long, untamed black hair framed a face carved with roughness and discipline. A wild mustache curled beneath his nose, and his reptilian eyes scanned the room like a predator gauging its prey.

Across from him, a man with hollow cheeks and unkempt hair slouched in his chair, barely holding himself together.

"Why… am I even here?" he muttered under his breath.

A man who looked more like a drifter than a fighter, unkempt, weary, and always wearing the expression of someone who hadn't slept in weeks. Behind him stood a quiet, watchful bodyguard, who leaned down and whispered into his ear.

"Boss… don't say that out loud. They'll think you're weak."

Then, a scoff echoed through the chamber.

"Heh. What's the matter, old man? You scared of a flying fish? You should just go home."

The words came from a younger man with short jet-black hair and piercing red eyes. A deadly aura pulsed around him like heat from a furnace. He didn't speak loudly, but the weight of his presence made everyone listen.

From the corner of the room, another voice chimed in, calmer, smoother.

"Relax. Julian will be here any minute now," said Kevin, arms crossed, always the diplomat when needed.

A hooded figure near him, Glain, spoke next, eyes downcast. "Vexmond, Sabrina, and Arthur… they didn't make it."

Leo chuckled coldly, not even bothering to hide his contempt. "Heh. Then they're probably dead."

Silence fell again.

Outside, footsteps approached, the last pieces of this desperate mission were falling into place.

The heavy doors creaked open as Julian entered the room, flanked by Veronica on his left. Behind him came Leighton, walking steadily with Dori by his side, and Luke, accompanied by Vivi.

Their steps echoed on the stone floor as every eye in the room turned to the newcomers.

Kevin raised a hand slightly and said with a nod, "Julian. Finally, you're here."

Julian responded with a curt nod, his expression calm.

Glain, standing near the end of the table, gave a small smile. He looked relieved to see the group finally complete. "Good. Since everyone is here, let's begin this meeting."

He paused, sweeping his gaze across the room. "The fact that you're all sitting here means one thing, you've agreed to fight that monster… the whale that swims in the sky."

A quiet tension filled the room. No one dared speak until Glain gestured forward.

"But before we begin, let's introduce ourselves properly. As most of you know, I'm Glain, the one in charge of this city. My skill is [Druid]."

Kevin stepped forward next. "You've probably heard of me. I'm Kevin, from the Dawnlight group. I hope we can work well together. My skill is [Light]."

Then came the burly figure with the sharp eyes. "Joe," he said simply, his voice gravelly. "From Heavenly Dragon. Skill [Dragon]."

Next was the disheveled man, shifting awkwardly in his chair.

"Uh… I'm Rafael... and I… kind of want to go home."

The man behind him. his bodyguard, leaned in and hissed under his breath, "Introduce yourself properly or they'll eat you alive."

Rafael flinched and nodded rapidly. "R-Right, right. I'm from Hugoking, and my skill is [Magnet]."

A low laugh came from the far end of the room.

Then Leo leaned forward, his blood-red eyes glowing faintly. "Name's Leo. From InsectCorp. My skill? [Insect]." His tone made it sound like a threat more than a statement.

Then Leighton, sitting up straighter than usual, gave a polite nod. "Leighton. I was once a teacher. My skill is [Speed]."

Luke followed. "I'm Luke, from Wolf Town. Let's get along. My skill is [Mirror]."

Finally, all eyes turned to Julian. He stood still for a second, then spoke firmly.

"Julian. I use [Shadow] and [Lightning]."

The room went quiet again.

So these were the warriors chosen to fight a godlike being in the sky.

Glain nodded solemnly. "Thank you for answering my summons. As you all know, we're facing a catastrophe unlike any before. I'm asking for your cooperation in confronting it."

Leo crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "That's fine… as long as you hold up your end of the bargain."

Glain met his eyes. "Yes, I will. The Sky Whale's Core will be shared among all participating parties."

Then Joe spoke, his deep voice carrying weight. "They can fight for the Core if they want. I'm not interested in that. I want the blueprint, the one used to create the energy-extracting device. Don't forget what you promised, Glain."

Glain nodded firmly. "Don't worry, Joe. Once this is over, I'll hand it over to you."

He took a breath and looked around the table. "We'll need every ounce of your power to bring down this monster. Its scale is far beyond anything we've faced."

Rafael muttered, voice strained with anxiety, "It's impossible… That thing is massive. We don't stand a chance…"

Leo added sharply, "He's not wrong. A whale that size? Even with our numbers, it's suicide."

Julian joined in with his usual composure. "We also don't know the full extent of its abilities. That laser it fired was just the start. We need more intel, especially about how thick its hide is, and what other powers it may have."

Glain tapped his fingers against the table, deep in thought. "You're right. We can't rush in blind. We need more information before we strike."

He turned to a man standing behind him. "Sebas, do we have any updates from the scouting team?"

Sebas bowed slightly. "I'm afraid not, Lord Glain. We've lost contact. Either they lost signal… or the worst has happened."

Glain's expression tightened. "I see..."

Joe scoffed. "You sent a recon team to that thing? That was reckless. You should've sent your strongest first."

Luke leaned forward. "Why don't we just use the Warp Gate and send another squad?"

Kevin shook his head. "That won't work. The whale isn't alone. It brought creatures, land forces that disrupt anything trying to get close. When Reimon opened the warp last time, monsters rushed through. It's clear the whale has taken over every region Reimon had anchored to."

Then Julian said, "In that case, Reimon can teleport the new scout team to a location a bit farther from that whale."

Leighton nodding and said. "And we need to send another team stronger this time. We need accurate information before doing anything else."

Joe slammed his fist against the table. "Another scouting team? That's just wasting time! We don't need more info, we need to crush that thing already!"