Arthur immediately began recalling where that particular subordinate had been deployed during his distribution of forces across Michigan.

He had sent many subordinates throughout the state using the military transportation that Jax had provided under pressure. Some operatives had been assigned to Dearborn, while others were positioned in locations like Warren, Flint, and Ann Arbor to provide a good coverage of population centers.

This particular subordinate was actually among the weaker operatives in his network—one of the few who hadn't received any of Arthur's powerful summons as backup support. The assignment to Port Huron had been considered relatively low-risk compared to other positions, making the urgent distress signal even more concerning.

Arthur turned to his faithful companion with a soft smile on his face.

"Aether, time to start your taxi service," Arthur commanded. "I need rapid but calm teleportations of ten miles per jump to reach Port Huron where my subordinate was stationed."

"Ooh, ooh! Taxi service time!" Aether chirped with excitement. "Master, I'll get you there super duper fast! Hold on tight and prepare for the Aether Express!"

The void dragon's enthusiasm remained endearing despite the serious circumstances, his eagerness to assist Arthur never diminishing regardless of the situation's gravity.

Reality began folding around them as Aether's spatial manipulation activated, preparing to carry them across Michigan's landscape through jumps that would cover the distance to Port Huron efficiently while allowing Arthur to scan for threats during each transition.

Port Huron was approximately 62 miles away from Detroit, requiring Aether to make six strategic jumps to cover the distance efficiently while allowing Arthur to conduct quick safety checks during each transition.

During the teleportations, Arthur systematically scanned each area with his enhanced vision every time they materialized, searching for signs of any portals.

Since Aether didn't have specific coordinates for their destination, he teleported them to random locations within the general direction of Port Huron, creating an unpredictable journey through Michigan's landscape.

Their first arrival placed them in the middle of a deserted street, where Arthur quickly assessed to be previously abandoned vehicles and debris.

The second teleportation deposited them inside a public restroom that was, fortunately, empty. Arthur grimaced at the less-than-ideal landing site while Aether giggled at the awkward placement. Of course the public bathroom wasn't actually fully intact.

Their third jump brought them into someone's bedroom, where they discovered sleeping occupants who had barricaded their door and clutched firearms even in sleep. The scene spoke to the pervasive fear that had gripped civilian populations during the ongoing crisis.

Arthur immediately teleported out of the private space and onto the building's rooftop to get a better view of the surrounding area. His enhanced perception detected no immediate threats or dimensional activity in that location.

They continued their jumps across the landscape, each transition bringing them closer to Port Huron while providing glimpses of how various communities were coping with the supernatural threats that had reshaped their life.

Some areas showed signs of organised resistance and defensive preparations, while others appeared completely abandoned by their former inhabitants.

Finally, they arrived at Port Huron proper, and the sight that greeted them was deeply disturbing.

Demons flooded the streets in hunting packs, their forms ranging from grotesque humanoids to twisted beasts. The creatures moved like predators devouring and breaking everything they could.

Humans were being hunted and slaughtered without mercy through the urban landscape—some dragged from hiding places in buildings, others cornered in alleyways where escape routes had been cut off. The demons weren't simply killing their prey quickly; they were prolonging the suffering with sadistic entertainment.

Buildings throughout the city showed evidence of targeted destruction rather than random violence. Strategic infrastructure had been demolished to prevent organised resistance, while residential areas were being searched for survivors.

Awakened humans were engaged in desperate combat against overwhelming odds, but their efforts were clearly failing. The demons appeared to be toying with them, allowing brief moments of hope before crushing resistance with their superior numbers and power.

The sounds of the invasion created a hellish symphony. Demonic laughter echoed off damaged buildings, mixed with human cries for help that would never come. The acoustic landscape spoke to a complete breakdown of any defensive response.

Arthur's enhanced perception immediately catalogued the tactical situation. The demon force was substantial, well-organised, and operating with strategic objectives beyond simple destruction. This wasn't a random incursion—it was a coordinated assault designed to establish permanent territorial control.

Most troubling was the complete absence of any military response or evacuation procedures. Port Huron had been overwhelmed too quickly for conventional defensive measures to organise effective resistance.

Arthur's missing subordinate was nowhere to be detected among the chaos. Port Huron wasn't a small place; it was quite big, and Arthur didn't expect to find his subordinate in a matter of moments upon arriving.

"Master, this is really bad," Aether observed with uncharacteristic seriousness as he processed the scope of devastation below them. "Should we help the people down there?"

Arthur's expression hardened as he calculated response options. The situation demanded immediate intervention, but the scale of demonic presence suggested that the demons were no longer playing around.

Their attack had been meticulously planned and prepared for. They had identified the gaps in his coverage and exploited them. The demons had deliberately chosen areas where his summons and subordinates weren't available, launching powerful surprise strikes against unprotected populations.

There was a clear tactical reason why Detroit and various other locations where his summons had completely slaughtered demons emerging from gates remained untouched. The enemy had learned from their previous failures and adapted their strategy accordingly.

The dimensional invaders were demonstrating intelligence. They possessed capabilities that allowed them to map his defensive network and identify vulnerabilities for exploitation.

The dimensional war had just entered a new phase of intensity that would require fundamental adaptation of his protective strategies. His current approach of point defense with scattered forces was proving inadequate against coordinated multi-front assaults.

Arthur realized he would need to either expand his network dramatically or develop more mobile response capabilities that could address multiple simultaneous crises. The luxury of gradually building his organization while maintaining relative stability was over.

The demons had forced him into a more aggressive timeline, and humanity's survival would depend on how quickly he could scale his operations to match this escalating threat level.

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