Part 5/10:
Dan endures rigorous training alongside other recruits, befriending a diverse team, including Charlie, an environmental scientist, and Dorian, an ex-Navy SEAL. As anticipation builds, Dan learns vital information about the White Spikes—they have weak points, and through careful strategy, new recruits are intermittently sent to fight them due to their peculiar life cycle.
Suddenly, an alarm signals a real alien attack. In haste, Dan and the team are thrust into chaotic circumstances, suffering a disastrous teleportation mishap that results in a significant loss of life among the recruits. However, the trio—Dan, Charlie, and Dorian—survive, albeit with profound emotional and physical scars.