Side Story: Surface Tension

  The smell of smoke and decay lingered in the air as Adrian stepped onto the surface. The once-bustling streets of Mandaue City were now a wasteland, littered with broken buildings and overturned vehicles. The air was thick with tension, and the distant rumble of battles between scattered guilds could be heard echoing through the empty streets.

  Adrian could feel it—the shift in the city’s atmosphere. They had been down in the ruins, working to secure the Sub-Core and the Aether-Steel, but now, as they returned to the surface, the world felt different. More fragmented. The moment the guilds had started to form, unity seemed more like an illusion than a reality.

  He wasn’t surprised. People were always ready to fight for what they needed to survive, but the System had turned every group against each other, using greed and fear as tools to manipulate them. And now, with the first wave still fresh in their minds and the resources stretched thin, the city was teetering on the brink of a new kind of war.

  As Adrian walked through the broken streets, his eyes fell on the scattered groups that had formed guilds in the wake of the chaos. Some were small, just a few survivors trying to make a name for themselves, while others had grown larger, organized, and desperate for control. Everywhere he looked, he could see the same thing: fighting. Over Mana Crystals. Over territory. Over whatever resources they could get their hands on.

  “We’ve got a problem,” Sarah’s voice broke through Adrian’s thoughts. She was walking beside him, her eyes glued to her device as she pulled up a city-wide map of the ongoing battles. “The guilds aren’t working together. They’re fighting over the Mana Crystals. There’s a lot of chaos brewing. And the worst part is, they’re ignoring the Wave Meter.”

  Adrian sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had hoped that, once the guilds saw the true threat of the System, they would put aside their differences. But the chaos was inevitable. Survival always brought out the worst in people. Still, he couldn’t help but feel frustrated. They were sitting on a powder keg, and the fuse had already been lit.

  “The Wave Meter is the real problem,” Sarah continued, her voice growing more tense. “They’re not paying attention to it. And if they keep fighting over scraps, they won’t have enough energy to defend themselves when the first wave hits again. We don’t have time for this.”

  Adrian turned, his eyes scanning the distant battles. “What’s going on in the city? Who’s leading these guilds?”

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  Sarah’s device flickered, showing a list of active guilds, each marked with a colored dot. “Most of the guilds are small and independent—struggling to stay afloat. But there are a few larger factions that are starting to gain traction. It looks like they’re hoarding resources. They’re not willing to share.”

  A faint growl from the nearby street broke their conversation, and Adrian tensed, instinctively reaching for his weapon. He hadn’t expected another Aswang attack, but the tension in the air was palpable.

  As Sarah scanned the data on her device, she didn’t seem worried. Instead, she zoomed in on a specific dot on the map. “Here’s the biggest problem. The ‘Vanguard of the Broken’ is running a blockade near the city’s central market. They’re cornering the Mana Crystal supply, and the smaller guilds are fighting over whatever’s left.”

  Adrian’s eyes darkened. “The Vanguard of the Broken? I know them. They’re led by a guy named Rax, right? B-Rank hopeful, all about control. He’s always been a thorn in our side.”

  “Exactly,” Sarah replied. “And from the looks of it, they’re not backing down. They’re hoarding what they can get, and the other guilds are being forced to fight them. If this continues, the city could tear itself apart before the next wave hits.”

  Adrian clenched his jaw, the weight of the situation pressing on him. “We don’t have the luxury of letting them fight each other. If we don’t stop this, we’ll never be able to hold off the next wave.”

  Mike and Eva approached, having finished their patrol of the surrounding area. They were both covered in grime, their expressions grim.

  “Rax and his guild are making a big power grab,” Mike said, his voice low. “They’ve been working to control the Mana Crystal drops, and they’ve got a lot of people backing them. It’s gonna be tough to get through that blockade.”

  Adrian glanced at his team, his mind calculating their next move. He knew that fighting against the guilds wasn’t the answer—not now. But he couldn’t let them continue down this path, either. He needed to find a way to unite them, to remind them that the real enemy was the System, not each other.

  “We don’t have time to play nice,” Adrian said, his voice hardening with resolve. “We’ll call a meeting—right here, right now. Every guild leader in Mandaue. We need to make them understand that the first wave is just the beginning. If they don’t start working together, they won’t survive the next one.”

  Eva’s eyes widened. “A summit? You’re planning on calling all of them together? Do you think they’ll listen?”

  Adrian turned to her, his expression unwavering. “They’ll listen because they don’t have a choice. If they want to survive, they’ll have to accept the Admin Tax. No more fighting over resources. We unite, or we all fall.”

  Mike cracked his knuckles, his expression eager. “Let’s see if they’re willing to risk it.”

  Adrian set his jaw. “I’m not asking. I’m demanding. The first wave showed us how weak we are when we’re divided. If they want to continue fighting for scraps, they can do it on their own. But if they want to stand a chance, they’ll follow my lead.”

  Sarah activated her comms and began broadcasting a message to every known guild leader in the city. “This is Adrian, the Admin. I’m calling for a summit at City Hall. You’ll meet me there, and we’ll discuss how to survive the first true wave. If you want your people to survive, you’ll listen. If not, you’ll be left behind. Your choice.”

  The message echoed through the streets, and for a moment, silence filled the air. Then, slowly, one by one, the guilds began to respond. Some reluctantly, some with defiance, but all of them aware of the choice they were being forced to make.

  Adrian turned to his team, his voice steady. “We’ll wait for them at City Hall. Once they’re gathered, we’ll make it clear that we’re in this together, or none of us will survive the next wave.”

  As the first few guild leaders trickled into the makeshift summit, Adrian stood tall, his presence commanding attention. The city might have been on the brink of collapse, but if he could unite these fractured factions, they might stand a chance against what was coming.

  This was the moment that would determine Mandaue’s fate.

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