The sound came first — a metallic chorus echoing through the tunnels like the march of a thousand iron feet.
Leon turned slowly toward the dark shaft where the noise grew louder. Red beams of light slashed through the gloom as Hunter Drones began to descend, their armored bodies glinting in the faint glow of the Core.
[Warning: Hostile Units Detected – Hunter Class / Tier 4]
[Count: 47]
[Engagement Probability of Survival: 19%. Recommend Evacuation.]
He smirked faintly. “You really don’t know me, do you?”
He flexed his hands, and golden light rippled beneath his skin. The nanite veins pulsed faster, synchronizing with the Core’s rhythm. The hum of his internal systems rose to a steady roar.
The first wave landed, heavy enough to shake the chamber. Their heads swiveled in perfect uni
