NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 557: Gears Moving
The war had intensified to a level no one had expected, turning battles into catastrophes.
Tempest Fort, once a stronghold of innovation and strategic defense, was overtaken by the devils after a one sided siege.
Humanity fought fiercely, deploying massive airships armed with advanced weaponry, their engines shaking the skies as they rained firepower onto the enemy.
Cannons roared, missile systems locked on, and experimental weapons were pushed to their limits.
However—
The Hell's army was on a whole different level. The three generals didn't even need to act—just the foot soldiers were enough to destroy everything in their path.
Creatures with flames for bodies burned anything they touched, while Hellhounds tore apart tanks, planes, robots, and more.
Other hellish beings with different abilities made the situation even worse. Some released a poisonous gas that turned everything it touched into stone, while others sparked with lightning, electrifying anything nearby.
Some had scales that shimmered like glass and could reflect attack, making them nearly impossible to harm.
Many were massive, clawed horrors that could split the earth beneath them with a single strike. Each creature seemed to embody a different kind of nightmare, making it clear that they where really from hell.
In a desperate move, nuclear weapons were lunched against the invading devils.
The blinding explosions turned night into day, consuming the battlefield in fire and smoke.
But as the smoke cleared, the devils stood unharmed. The same black barrier that had protected them before shimmered, proving that these attacks were useless.
This crushed the morale of the human forces, leaving them with little reason to believe victory was possible.
With no other option, an evacuation order was issued. Soldiers, scientists, and civilians scrambled to escape before the devils could claim more ground.
As for the technology left behind, the human forces assumed it would be of little use to the devils, given how powerful they already were. The devils relied on their overwhelming magic and innate abilities, which far surpassed anything human-made.
It was almost ironic how this once highly coveted technology was now seen as useless, both by the humans and the devils.
Against such overwhelming power, these advanced weapons were nothing more than props, unable to make a dent in the force they were up against.
Meanwhile, the chaos spread far beyond Tempest Fort. The sudden influx of refugees made things worse, as the area was already struggling with limited resources, especially given a Tier 1 high population count.
In the end, people were forced to relocate to Tier 4 cities, the only places still with enough space.
As a result, news of the invasion began to spread across the West. Even black market dealers were selling information about it, and local internet rumors grew louder with each passing day, as more and more people started to talk about the situation.
The tension grew as everyone realized that the invasion would only make their already scarce resources even more limited.
In the bustling commercial of one city, a crowd gathered near the town square.
Shouts rang out as a group of frustrated citizens confronted a group of Tempest Fort refugees, who were attempting to put some tent .
"Get out of here!" one man yelled, his face red with anger. "We need to save our resources for the coming war! We don't have room for you!"
A woman stepped forward, her hands trembling but determined. "We have no choice! Our homes were destroyed. Where else can we go?"
The crowd murmured, but it was clear that many weren't sympathetic.
All of this chaos was unfolding in different parts of the West, and just when the people thought they might catch their breath, another wave of bad news hit.
Cities began experiencing unexplained phenomena—entire populations disappeared without a trace.
Streets that had been bustling with life were left eerily empty, the only sign of human activity being abandoned belongings and buildings.
To make matters worse, a mysterious virus began to spread, adding another layer of crisis.
The government acted quickly, rolling out a widespread vaccination program with an all-encompassing anti-virus to help mitigate the growing pandemic.
On top of that, strict restrictions were put in place, with teleportation allowed only for high-priority individuals and essential resources.
To further control the spread, anyone using teleportation had to undergo a mandatory 10-day quarantine after failing the swab test.
Next, to facilitate this, the demons helped establish what they called Quarantine Cities, where people would stay until they were cleared to travel to their final destinations. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire
As humanity struggled to regroup and adapt, the devils' advance showed no signs of slowing down.
More cities fell, and the Hell's territory continued to expand, swallowing everything in its path.
In the middle of all this madness, one being stood still, completely focused on itself. Its energy was building up, growing stronger than ever before.
The power was so intense that the space around it started to crack and bend, as if the world couldn't handle its presence.
Whoever—or whatever—this creature was, it was as strong as the Devil Generals, maybe even stronger.
The black miasma split apart, twisting wildly as streaks of lightning sparked through it, lighting up the land in brief, bursts.
All of this was happening far from any civilization, in a place where no one lived.
But the shockwaves and vibrations from the ongoing destruction traveled far, reaching even distant cities.
—
Central City - Control Room
The area was a highly advanced command center, illuminated by the glow of massive screens that covered an entire wall.
The largest screens displayed complex maps, energy surge readings, and live data feeds, while smaller monitors at individual workstations provided more detailed insights.
Operators in military-style uniforms worked diligently at their desks, each station equipped with multiple screens, keyboards, and communication devices. The atmosphere was intense, filled with the soft beeping of devices and low conversations.
At the center of it all, the massive digital map showcased areas of concern, with highlighted zones indicating abnormal activity.
Two individuals stood in front of the main display, discussing the data while gesturing toward specific points on the map.
"Sir, we've detected an abnormal surge in energy," a man in a blue uniform quickly reported.
This employee was part of the central monitoring team, a specialized group responsible for tracking and analyzing global energy fluctuations. Their role was critical in detecting potential threats or anomalies before they escalated into larger crises.
"Give me the details," the general, who had been overseeing the entire operation, ordered with a commanding tone.
The operator typed into his computer, pulling up the data on the screen.
"The source is coming from the outskirts of the Tempest Fort Region," he added, his finger firmly pointing at the marked location on the screen.
Everyone's attention shifted to the screen as they began analyzing the energy readings. The numbers were off the charts.
"Is it another portal?" one of them asked, his voice filled with fear.
The idea of another army pouring through made them uneasy, knowing they were already getting beaten by the first wave.
"I'll run the diagnostics and check for similarities and patterns," another officer said, quickly tapping away at his console.
His fingers moved across the keys, trying to get a clearer picture of what they might be facing.
A few minutes later, more information appeared on the hologram.
The officer looked up and explained, "Sir, the signal doesn't match the opening of a portal, but it does match energy signals we've saved in our database."
"What is it ?" The general asked.
"It matched the signal we got from observing a Demon God Breakthrough but this one is way stronger than the average,"
"How strong is it?"
The officer paused for a moment, studying the data before replying, "Around 15 times stronger than normal."
Everyone in the room was momentarily stunned by the staggering number. It was common knowledge that the stronger the energy released during a breakthrough, the more powerful the demon would be.
So, an energy burst that strong was a massive concern in the hands of the wrong demon.
"Contact the Abyssal Alliance," the general ordered. "Ask if they have a powerful demon attempting to break through in the Tempest Region."
—
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Hell Army Camp.
Aamon's eyes narrowed as an unsettling sensation gripped him.
"Do they have a secret weapon aside from Draven?" he muttered aloud, his voice tense.
His words caused Asmodeus to speak as well, his attention drawn to the vibration of the ground.
"Are you sure this isn't just a normal earthquake?" Asmodeus raised his eyebrows, his voice steady and very casual.
Aamon shook his head, his expression turning more serious. "No. This is something else. Whatever it is, it's too controlled and powerful to be a mere natural event."
"Do you want me to check it out?" Asmodeus asked, his voice calm as he adjusted his footing.
"Take care of it," Aamon responded, his voice firm.
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Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. Thank you for your patience.