First Intergalactic Emperor: Starting With The Ancient Goddess-Chapter 373: SA- The Third Mode (iii)

The ground above the bunker had turned into something that barely resembled a battlefield anymore. It was a full-scale apocalypse—firestorms cutting across the plains, shockwaves ripping through trenches, and collapsing rock formations turning into avalanches that swallowed entire groups of players.

Xavier watched everything through the holo-screens, each feed coming from different scout drones and bunker cameras. The NPC army was holding the line far better than he expected. Artillery shells erupted in long arcs across the mountains, pulverizing every cluster large enough to matter. Automated gun platforms rotated without pause, shredding swarms of infantry before they could even get close.

The attackers had their own chaos going on. They had brought every vehicle skin they owned—tank convoys, armored mechs, hovercraft, improvised rocket bikes, and even several "cosmetic-only" mounts that somehow got physics enabled and were now being rammed into walls like battering rams.

One feed showed a massive armored vehicle—clearly built by a top-tier guild—driving straight through its own allies as they tried to hold onto the sides.

Another showed players parachuting from high altitude in waves, only for NPC anti-air to shoot them down like falling meteor dust.

On the ridge, hundreds of sniper NPCs lined up and fired in perfect unison, dropping entire climbing squads with surgical accuracy.

Some attackers tried tunneling underground using explosives. They blew open a small path, only to discover the bunker’s subterranean guardians—mechanized beasts with glowing cores—waiting for them. The creatures tore through the tunnels, ripping players apart in seconds.

In the west, a massive guild banner rose high—"Blood Reaver Legion." They were famous for organized siege pushes, and Xavier noticed them immediately as they began marching in formation toward the bunker entrance.

Every member had matching armor skins, glowing red insignias, and heavy siege shields. Their charge looked so disciplined it overshadowed the chaos around them.

Another feed highlighted a different group—"Stellar Wolves," known for mobility and ambush tactics. They were leaping between broken structures, slipping through explosions, and clearing pathways for other guilds.

Farther south, a unit wearing bright teal outfits carried a banner: "HoloHearts." A casual guild, mostly known for fan edits of Xavier. They were dying in droves, but they kept marching with stubborn enthusiasm.

Then came the elite guilds.

"OmegaWraith."

"The Immortals."

"NightmareFront."

"Voidline."

Each of them had thousands of players, moving in synchronized waves. They were carving their way through the battlefield, each step forward costing them dozens of casualties, but they kept pushing.

Xavier felt the bunker tremble again.

Lyden updated the map. "Commander, the enemy’s top guilds have joined the main assault. Casualty rate is high, but they advance with strong coordination."

"Let them," Xavier said.

A soft chime rang in the corner of his vision.

[1 HOUR REMAINING]

Two hours had already passed.

One more hour to survive.

Xavier exhaled slowly. "We’re still standing."

Lyden nodded, though his expression was tense. "But the enemy’s progress is accelerating. They’ve breached three outposts and destroyed two tank columns."

"Then we give them something to regret," Xavier said.

Before Lyden could respond, a low rumble echoed beneath the floor. It wasn’t from the upper battle. It was deeper—far below where any player had reached.

Kora checked her interface. "Commander... an encrypted door on Level Zero has unlocked."

"Level Zero?" Xavier asked.

Lyden looked up from the console. "That level isn’t on any of our maps. It might be an auxiliary bunker or abandoned facility from the old wars."

Varron smirked. "Or a secret weapon."

’Hmm. This could be scripted or maybe a side quest type of thing.’ Xavier walked toward the elevator platform. "Let’s find out."

The generals followed him into the lift. The doors slid shut, and the platform began descending—much deeper than any other level. The vibration felt different. Like the entire bunker was built on top of something meant to stay hidden.

As the elevator dropped past Level 6, then Level 7, then deeper into pitch-black tunnels, Lyden finally spoke. "Commander, it seems the system recognizes you as the highest authority. That’s why the lock opened."

"Good," Xavier said. "I like surprises."

The elevator slowed as it reached the bottom. Level Zero stretched out before Xavier like a hidden fossil of an old empire. The chamber was enormous and silent, the walls lined with armored conduits that hadn’t been touched in decades.

Rows of dormant machines waited on both sides, each one massive enough to be a landmark in its own right. Some had mechanical limbs folded inward like sleeping beasts. Others were encased in layered plating that suggested they were never meant to be seen by anyone outside the highest command.

A faint flicker pulsed somewhere in the dark.

Kora stepped forward cautiously. "What is this place?"

Xavier brushed his fingers along the console beside him. It flickered to life, scanning his identity. A notification appeared.

[Level Zero — Strategic Core Unlocked]

[Access Granted to Commander Kitler]

[Available Assets: Classified]

[Warning: Asset activation may alter battlefield conditions]

Xavier raised an eyebrow. "Now this is interesting."

Before he could activate anything, the hologram lit up with a live battlefield update.

[Enemy Guild "OmegaWraith" has breached Inner Gate 2]

[Enemy Guild "Stellar Wolves" detected in maintenance tunnels]

[Enemy Guild "NightmareFront" pushing west corridor]

[Casualties rising on all fronts]

Xavier cracked his knuckles and looked at the glowing console.

"Let’s give them something they didn’t prepare for."

The machine beneath the bunker roared to life.

Whatever this thing was, it wasn’t built for balance or for fairness, it was built to end wars.

Xavier walked to the central console, where a large device—more monolith than machine—waited in the dark. The moment his hand touched the panel, a surge of blue circuitry lit up across the entire chamber. A single prompt appeared.

[Asset Identification: Leviathan-Class Burrow Dreadnought]

[Status: Inactive]

[Origin: Old War – Deep Tier Weapon]

[Purpose: Subterranean Warfare and Battlefield Restructuring]

[Restrictions: Authorized Command Only]

[Activation: Allowed]

The hologram updated to show a blueprint: a colossal, rail-mounted subterranean war machine shaped like a hybrid between a drilling engine and a mobile fortress. It wasn’t designed to attack above ground directly.

Instead, it destabilized terrain, created sinkholes, collapsed tunnel networks, and forced armies to reposition by tearing out the foundation beneath them. Massive spiked gears ran along its sides, and the front was built like a monstrous cutting wedge meant to carve through stone as though it were paper.

Varron stared at it with something resembling awe. "Commander... this thing could turn the battlefield upside down."

Kora added, "Our enemies won’t be able to form stable lines with this active."

Lyden examined the map overlay. "The Leviathan can reshape the terrain under any location you designate. It collapses support structures, triggers localized quakes, and disrupts fortified advances. This is a war changer."

Xavier didn’t hesitate. "Activate it."