The sensation of transition ended with a flash, not violent, but as if the world around him had suddenly solidified. Cid Kagenou found himself in an environment that, though unrecognizable, had the unmistakable gravity and texture of a physical reality. He stood on cracked asphalt, on what appeared to be an abandoned or destroyed highway, flanked by crumbling concrete structures. The air smelled of ozone and dust. Above him, a pale blue sky stretched out, oblivious to the cosmic journey he had just taken.
His arrival wasn't silent. The colossal energy the System had used to propel him through dimensions, still resonating around him like an invisible halo, erupted at the point of his landing like a supersonic beacon. It wasn't an audible explosion, but a shockwave of pure energy that expanded rapidly.
Cid thought: Insertion point validated. The residual energy from the dimensional transit is considerable. A signal of my arrival, as it should be. High-level agents don't arrive unnoticed; their entry into a sector should be... notable. It's a demonstration of the Allied Organization's capabilities.
Thousands of miles around, in laboratories, military bases, and elite hunting guild headquarters, alarms went off. Sensors designed to detect portal openings, dimensional intrusions, or unprecedented surges in magical energy went haywire. The magnitude of the energy signature was such that it was immediately classified as a Cataclysm-Level event, or even higher.
Within seconds, top-priority alerts were issued. Rapid response teams, comprised of the most powerful individuals in that reality, were mobilized. The source of the anomaly was triangulated with terrifying precision. It was in... the United States.
Cid, standing motionless in the center of the destroyed highway, felt the shift in the energy environment. It wasn't the vast, silent energy of the System or the Knull void, but the life and power energy of this world, rapidly converging toward his location. He detected multiple power signatures, strong, with an unusual density for a reality he still considered "minor" compared to the Sixth Cosmos or the Nexus.
Cid thought: The local response is swift. As expected of a sector with high-level security. They are the guardians of this plane. Sector defense assets. The Allied Organization likely has protocols for this. Perhaps... this is a test. A simulation of containment of an unknown asset. Or simply... the first interaction with local operatives. I must handle the situation with the subtlety required by my rank.
On the horizon, at first as distant dots, figures appeared, moving at superhuman speeds. They flew, leaped impossible distances, or moved at speeds that distorted the air. They converged on Cid from multiple directions. They didn't wear standardized army uniforms, but rather varied equipment, specialized armor, and weapons that glowed with energy. They were elite Hunters, the individuals known in this reality as National-Level Hunters, or simply Heroes in other latitudes. The most powerful assets on this world, responding to the greatest energy threat they had ever detected.
They landed at a safe distance, surrounding Cid. They didn't approach recklessly. They had felt the magnitude of the energy surrounding him. Their faces, visible beneath helmets or hoods, displayed a mixture of caution, determination, and awe. Among them were figures recognizable in that reality: the wielder of the power of ice, the one who controlled the earth, the master of speed, the immovable tank...
One of them, a burly man in shining metal armor, stepped forward, his voice amplified.
"Hold on right there. Identify yourself. You've caused an unprecedented energy disturbance. Who are you? Where did you come from?"
Cid Kagenou, wrapped in his Shadow cloak, maintained his calm and inscrutable posture. He looked at the Hunters surrounding him, assessing them with that gaze that saw beyond the obvious. The Hunters' energy detectors beeped wildly, registering readings that simply didn't make sense. Cid's energy signature was vast, incomprehensibly dense, but strangely... inert. He emanated no active hostility, only... latent power.
Cid thought: The initial contact phase. I must establish my position without revealing too much. I am an undercover agent, after all. A cryptic explanation, suggestive of a higher authority... yes, that's perfect.
He didn't answer the question about his identity. Instead, his voice echoed, calm and deep, beneath Shadow's mask.
"I've been dispatched. On a mission to... adjust assets. I'm seeking an entity designated 'Sung Jinwoo.' Your cooperation is required for a large-scale... containment operation."
His words, cryptic and filled with references they didn't understand (Envoy? Asset adjustment? Large-scale containment?), only increased the tension. The Hunters exchanged glances. This being didn't look like a portal monstrosity, nor a typical villain. But its latent power was terrifying, and its arrival was disastrous for detection systems.
The man in armor clenched his gloved fist.
"I don't know what you're talking about. You can't just show up here and cause this kind of chaos. If you don't identify yourself and explain your purpose clearly, we'll be forced to arrest you."
The other Hunters prepared for combat. Their auras of power intensified, and the air began to crackle with their abilities. They were ready for battle.
Cid thought: I'm being forced to act. I expected this. The Allied Organization needs to know I can handle local objections. A demonstration of capability is necessary. Something subtle, of course. Something that shows my level without causing permanent damage. Just... temporarily neutralize the 'guardians'. Yes, a Level 7 Agent 'non-lethal deterrence protocol'.
An almost imperceptible smile curved beneath Shadow's mask. The Unexpected Landing had led to Initial Contact. And the next step, clearly, was a small demonstration of why he was a Level 7 Agent of the Cosmic Allied Organization.
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