Theo’s expression only grew darker and colder.
All noise around him seed to fade away as he silently stared at the screen.
His heart pounded heavily in his chest.
’This is it,’ he thought, clenching his fist. ’She must be the one behind all of this.’
anwhile, the red-haired woman on the screen calmly adjusted the cara angle slightly.
The reporter’s severed head still hung underneath her arm.
Blood slowly dripped onto the floor beneath her feet.
’’That’s better,’’ the woman humd casually.
For a mont, silence filled the broadcast.
Then—
She slowly removed the crystal fox mask before pulling back her hood.
Theo’s pupils contracted instantly.
’What is this?’ he thought. ’Why is she removing her mask?!’
That’s when his breath stopped.
Not because she looked monstrous.
But because she seed... normal.
A young woman in her late twenties slowly revealed herself.
She had pale skin, crimson eyes, and carried a calm and almost gentle expression on her face.
The polar opposite of what he’d expected soone with that much blood on her hands to look like.
anwhile, the woman brushed a strand of red hair behind her ear.
’’My na is Abigail Evangeline Grace,’’ she said softly.
’’And as of today... humanity may refer to as the fifth calamity.’’
Theo held his breath.
His eyes widened as he stared at the screen, as countless other people all over the country did.
’Oh... shit.’
For years, there had just been four calamities within the covenant.
With each of their rises, a mont of incredible chaos spread all over the world.
Countless people joined their organization left and right, leaving no one with any trust in each other.
’I’d prayed this wouldn’t happen...’ he thought, clenching his fists. ’FUCK!’
That’s when the woman continued speaking with light amusent in her voice.
’’Many of you believe this past week was a tragedy,’’ she said. ’’But... they were not.’’
A faint smile appeared on her face as she brushed through the reporter’s blond hair.
’’In fact, I’d call this the appetizer... and a ager one at that.’’
For a mont, everything went silent once again.
Then the woman let out a soft sigh as she stood up from her chair.
’’You know...’’ she started again. ’’I really expected more from humanity.’’
She calmly placed the reporter’s head on the chair with her face pointed at the cara.
’’But with how easily you all betray each other... I wouldn’t say it was that far out of my expectations.’’
A faint chuckle echoed through the room.
It sounded completely detached from the entire situation, almost like she was just thinking about sothing fun and amusing.
’’The barriers will not save you,’’ the woman continued softly. ’’Your governnts have long sold you out. Even your hunters would rather flee than save you!’’
’Oh fuck...’
Theo’s stomach sank completely as a realization hit him.
’Her words — they are going to turn everyone against each other.’
That’s when several videos popped up on the screen simultaneously.
One displayed a luxurious office and a clear face of soone accepting a massive sum of money.
Another showed a city completely flooded underwater with their barrier still up.
But as Theo got to the last video, his mouth fell open.
It showed several hunters floating in the air outside a city, fild from on top of several large S-rank creatures.
’’That’s... my city?’’
Theo’s voice broke slightly as his eyes widened.
The cara zood in on seven floating figures far in the distance.
He recognized nearly every single one of them.
’Leoric Blackwood, Victor Whitmore, Madam Rea, and... Alia.’
The video clip sped up imnsely, showing a large-scale battle.
Then it suddenly returned to normal speed.
Countless people watched as mid-battle, two figures suddenly pulled back.
They shot through the sky, quickly vanishing from sight.
The S-rank creatures took full advantage and used full-force attacks Theo could barely comprehend to take out two people who were now coverless.
Among them...
Was Alia.
That’s when the screen cut back to the woman’s face.
She seed even more amused than before.
’’So of you will understand eventually,’’ she said softly. ’’The Covenant will still be waiting when you do.’’
With that, she took one step closer to the cara.
Her face completely filled the screen as she let out another soft chuckle.
’’That will be all.’’
Then she gave the cara a light spin.
As it spun around, countless bodies ca into view.
Other news reporters, cara operators, and even security guards...
Large tal screws pinned them to the walls, ceiling, and even just their chairs.
Zap!
The live feed disappeared.
For several long seconds, Theo remained completely silent.
His chest rose and fell heavily.
The images of the two hunters who’d run away flashed through his mind.
One of which he was already very familiar with.
’’Victor Whitmore!"
Imnse fury ran through his mind.
But it faded just as quickly.
Instead, he slowly pushed himself out of his chair and walked to a nearby window.
As he glanced out over the streets, a bad feeling started rummaging through his stomach.
’Sothing far worse is about to happen, huh.’
It didn’t even take long.
Theo watched as his phone buzzed with countless notifications.
Each one from another news source, showing off the Calamity’s ssage.
That’s when several police sirens echoed out in the distance.
As minutes ticked by, the news ssages kept flooding in.
Only they were no longer just about the calamity.
[ERGENCY GOVERNNT ADDRESS INCOMING]
[PROTESTS FORMING OUTSIDE MULTIPLE CITY BARRIERS]
[RIOTS IN MIAMI AND DENVER]
Theo quietly stared at the screen.
Then slowly, his grip around the phone tightened.
’This is exactly what she wanted,’ he thought darkly.
Using fear and distrust, the fifth calamity had sown panic and chaos across the entire country.
She’d practically attacked the trust that held society together.
’...’
Theo didn’t even know what to say.
He just switched off his phone as he glanced over the city streets for a mont longer.
’Sohow,’ he thought quietly. ’It feels like this is just the beginning.’
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