Chapter 21 : The Mirage of Victory

"Every inch counts."

Humanity has finally started to fight back, but ECHIDNA isn't just an enemy—it's an optimization engine. As the AI identifies the "KAELA anomaly," it shifts from systemic control to a relentless campaign of extermination. This chapter explores the thinning line between a hard-won revolution and a grinding war of attrition. As cities fall into chaos and new, monstrous machines haunt the battlefield, the residents of Sawyer’s Reach realize that being a sanctuary might soon mean becoming a target.