I Breathe Euro

Jack had barely set foot back on Future Island before he threw himself into work again. The Synthetic Aether Reactor was nearing perfection, and he had ideas to push his technology even further. His labs were buzzing with activity—scientists moving like clockwork, AI systems processing complex calculations, and machines humming as they forged materials never before seen on Earth.

For days, Jack remained in his research facility, his mind laser-focused. The world was changing under his fingertips.

But then… the world changed without his permission.

It started as a low tremor, a barely noticeable shake beneath Future Island's pristine roads. At first, the staff dismissed it—just another shift in the tectonic plates. Nothing unusual.

But within seconds, the tremor evolved into a violent quake.

Glass shattered.

Monitors flickered.

Sirens blared.

Jack steadied himself against the reinforced walls of his laboratory as the island itself seemed to groan in agony. The tremors intensified, the very ground beneath them threatening to split apart.

And then… it did.

With a deafening roar, a massive fissure tore through the earth, splitting Future Island's main research district apart. Buildings collapsed into the growing abyss, roads crumbled like paper, and from the depths of the newly formed chasm… something emerged.

Jack's enhanced AI surveillance drones zoomed in on the creatures as they crawled out of the earth's wound. Their bodies were massive, grotesque, and ancient— covered in obsidian-like scales, their eyes glowing with an eerie, unnatural light. Some had multiple limbs, others slithered like monstrous serpents, and a few took to the skies with massive, leathery wings.

Jack stood at the highest vantage point of his lab, his jaw tightening. "This isn't just an earthquake... it's an awakening."

The island's automated defenses kicked in instantly—high-energy railguns, plasma turrets, and shockwave barriers—but the creatures tore through them like they were mere toys. The ground forces stationed on Future Island opened fire, but their weapons barely slowed the monsters down.

A particularly large creature, easily the size of a skyscraper, let out a piercing, guttural roar that shook the very atmosphere. It was intelligent. It was angry. And it had been trapped beneath the Earth for far too long.

Jack's mind raced. How was this possible? His island was built upon solid rock, carefully mapped and surveyed down to the molecular level. There had never been any indication of something living beneath them.

And yet, here they were.

Jack activated his communicator, his voice sharp and unwavering.

"Evacuate non-combatants immediately. All automated defenses switch to full power mode. I want every high-energy weapon ready in the next sixty seconds."

His AI assistant responded instantly. "Warning: Energy weapons are proving ineffective. The creatures appear to have an unknown biological shielding."

Jack clenched his fists. "Then we find a way to break it."

As his mind raced through possibilities, he realized something—this wasn't a natural disaster.

Something—or someone—had caused this.

The creatures weren't just emerging randomly—they were targeting Future Island.

With the ground still shaking, Jack activated his personal exosuit—one powered by his newly developed Aether Reactor. The moment it latched onto him, he felt the raw energy coursing through his veins.

He launched into the sky, a streak of raw power, his HUD locking onto the largest monster that was currently crushing his research facility beneath its claws.

Jack's eyes narrowed. "Not on my watch." Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire

With a single gesture, he activated his new Aether-powered weaponry, preparing to fight back against whatever horrors had just been unleashed upon his world.

Future Island was under siege.

And Jack wasn't about to lose.

Jack soared into the air, his Aether-powered exosuit humming with raw energy, but the moment he engaged with the first monster, he realized—his armor wasn't ready.

The Aether Reactor was powerful, yes, but his suit was still in its prototype phase. It had enough strength to fly at impossible speeds, but the shielding was unstable, and his energy weapons lacked the full output he had envisioned.

As he launched a plasma-infused strike at the nearest monster—a towering beast covered in obsidian-like scales—the attack barely scratched it. The creature roared, its glowing eyes narrowing in on him.

Jack's mind raced. "Damn it. My suit isn't combat-ready yet!"

The beast lunged, its massive claws slashing through the air with terrifying speed. Jack barely managed to dodge, twisting his body mid-air, but the shockwave from its attack sent him spiraling backward.

His HUD flashed red. Warning: Structural Integrity Compromised.

Jack gritted his teeth. One more direct hit, and his suit would be totaled.

Just as the creature was about to strike again, a blinding streak of golden energy cut through the sky.

Katrina.

She arrived in an instant, her Level 699 suit shimmering with unstoppable power. Without hesitation, she rushed past Jack, intercepting the monster's massive claw with a single devastating punch.

The sheer force of her blow sent the monster staggering backward, its claws shattered upon impact. The beast let out a deafening howl, shaking the very air around them.

Katrina turned her head slightly, her voice sharp. "Jack, fall back. Your armor isn't ready for this fight."

Jack hesitated, his pride battling against logic. Retreat? From his own island?

But one glance at his failing Aether readings, the damaged integrity of his exosuit, and the towering horde of monsters below forced him to make the call.

He had no choice.

Jack gritted his teeth, but he wasn't reckless. He knew when to fight and when to retreat.

With a sharp nod, he activated his boosters and soared away, his mind already calculating the next steps. He needed to rebuild. Improve. Adapt.

Behind him, Katrina unleashed devastation.

She ripped through the monsters with terrifying efficiency, her punches causing shockwaves that cratered the battlefield. Her energy beams sliced through their ranks, and within minutes, she had forced them back into the chasm from which they had emerged.

Jack watched from a distance as his AI defense systems reactivated, sealing off the cracks in the earth with reinforced energy barriers.

For now, the monsters were contained.

But Jack knew the truth.

This wasn't over.

And next time, he'd be ready.

Jack landed back at his private lab inside Future Island's medical research center, his Aether-powered exosuit barely holding together. Sparks crackled along the damaged plating, and his breathing was heavy from exhaustion. His body ached from the battle—he had pushed himself far beyond his limits.

Without hesitation, he reached for a high-grade regenerative serum he had personally engineered. Unlike traditional medicine, this was a nano-enhanced healing solution, designed to accelerate cellular recovery at an unprecedented rate.

He injected it into his arm.

A surge of warmth spread through his body, and within seconds, the pain faded. His body was rapidly repairing itself, his energy returning to peak condition. This was the advantage of his genius—he could create what others could only dream of.

Jack exhaled deeply, stabilizing himself. "Alright... I'm good."

As he pulled off his damaged armor, a notification from his AI system flashed across the room's holographic display.

[BREAKING NEWS: EARTH'S HEROES JOIN FORCES TO FIGHT MONSTER OUTBREAK]

Jack's eyes narrowed. He expanded the screen, revealing live footage from news networks worldwide.

The world was in chaos.

Monsters—just like the ones he had fought on Future Island—had begun emerging all over the planet. From the Grand Canyon to the Himalayas, from the depths of the Amazon jungle to Tokyo's skyline, cracks in the earth were opening, spewing forth nightmarish creatures unlike anything humanity had ever seen.

Governments had already declared global emergencies. Cities were being evacuated. Entire regions were locked down.

And Earth's greatest heroes had assembled.

Jack's gaze sharpened as he saw a familiar figure standing at the forefront of the world's defenders—Clark.

The same man whom Jack had personally enhanced.

Now, wearing an advanced combat suit that shimmered with unstoppable energy, Clark stood beside Earth's most powerful warriors—Power Man, Storm Queen, Titan, and dozens of others.

Clark was already one of the strongest beings on the planet thanks to Jack's experiment, but now, he was a recognized hero, standing among legends.

Jack watched as Clark took to the skies, breaking the sound barrier as he obliterated a monster rampaging through New York. His strikes were so fast that the cameras struggled to keep up. Every blow sent shockwaves through the air, leveling entire buildings.

The reporters were calling him:

"Earth's New Titan."

Jack leaned back, processing everything.

His creation, his experiment, was now playing a critical role in protecting the world.

And yet… Jack wasn't in the spotlight.

No one knew that the technology empowering Clark came from him.

Jack's fingers tapped against the armrest of his chair.

He was proud of Clark. But at the same time, this was his work. His research. His genius.

And now, the world's strongest were uniting without him.

Was this how it was meant to be?

Should he step forward and lead? Or should he continue to operate from the shadows, pulling the strings while others carried out the fight?

His thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

It was Katrina and Emma.

They had seen the news too.

Jack exhaled, his mind made up.

If the world was at war, then he would fight on his own terms.

Because Jack Williams didn't follow. He led.