The tiny crack suddenly trembled.
Then—
something emerged.
A hand.
Grey-black skin, covered in jagged fissures, pushed through the opening.
Long, monstrous claws dug into the edges of the crack.
**Crack...**
A second arm burst through.
It seized the opposite side.
Both hands tightened.
Then—
they pulled.
**RRRRRIIIP—!!**
Space itself screamed.
The tiny opening was violently torn apart.
The crack expanded severalfold in an instant.
A catastrophic torrent of Abyssal mana erupted into the chamber.
Dark-purple mist flooded outward like a tidal wave.
The oppressive pressure multiplied instantly.
The temperature seemed to plummet.
Ryke's pupils contracted.
His entire body began trembling uncontrollably.
*...Cold...*
*Why is it so cold...?*
His teeth chattered violently.
His legs weakened beneath him.
*...Move...*
*Move...!*
He staggered backward.
Again.
And again.
Until his back slammed against the stone wall.
His breathing became ragged.
*...I...*
*I can barely stand...*
His eyes hurriedly swept across the chamber.
The surrounding cultists had all fallen to their hands and knees.
Their heads were lowered deeply.
Several spoke in trembling voices.
"...We greet the Lord of the Rift..."
"...May the Abyss endure forever..."
"...We welcome Your descent..."
None of them dared raise their heads.
Ryke swallowed.
His gaze shifted.
To Kaelira.
She remained standing.
Her body trembled slightly beneath the overwhelming pressure.
For a brief moment—
Ryke felt relieved.
*...At least...*
*Someone's reacting normally...*
His thoughts came to an abrupt halt.
Kaelira was smiling.
Not a forced smile.
Not nervous laughter.
A genuinely excited smile.
Her wolf ears stood proudly upright.
Her tail swayed rapidly behind her.
"...Hehe..."
"...Now this..."
"...is strong."
Ryke's mouth twitched.
*...Sorry.*
*She's just as insane.*
His gaze immediately shifted again.
Pythia.
A translucent barrier enveloped her body.
The Abyssal mana washed harmlessly against it before dispersing.
She smiled peacefully.
Her eyes never left Draven.
"...As expected..."
"...My Lord."
Ryke stared blankly.
*...She's smiling too...*
His eyes moved once more.
To Aldric.
He stood exactly where he had been before.
Neither retreating—
nor advancing.
His crimson eyes remained fixed upon the widening crack.
His expression was unusually calm.
Ryke frowned.
*...Huh...?*
*Why isn't that bastard grinning...?*
*I was sure he'd be laughing like a maniac...*
Instead—
Aldric simply watched.
Without saying a word.
His gaze never wavered.
Ryke slowly turned again.
Toward Draven.
He hadn't moved an inch.
Blood continued running from his nose.
From the corner of his mouth.
Yet he never stopped.
The countless strands of mana extending from his body continued drawing every stream of leaking Abyssal mana toward him.
Everything they touched—
he absorbed.
The veins across his neck bulged violently.
His jaw remained tightly clenched.
Perched atop his head—
the little black cat calmly opened its mouth.
Dark streams of Abyssal mana curved through the air.
Flowing into it alongside Draven.
Neither of them showed the slightest intention of stopping.
Ryke stared in disbelief.
*...They're...*
*They're absorbing it...*
*Like it's completely normal...*
*What the hell are those two...?*
His gaze shifted once more.
Toward the five elders.
Each now stood within multiple overlapping protective barriers.
Layer after layer of translucent shields shimmered around them as waves of corruption continuously crashed against their defenses.
Not a single elder had lowered their guard.
Ryke blinked.
Then his eyes drifted toward Pythia once again.
Realization struck him.
*...That's it...*
*That's how they're resisting the corruption.*
*Barriers...*
Without another thought—
he pushed himself away from the wall.
Then hurried toward Pythia.
"...Hey!"
He frantically waved toward Kaelira as he ran.
"...You'd better get over here if you don't want to get corrupted!"
Kaelira looked at him.
Then glanced down at herself.
She tilted her head.
"...Huh?"
Ryke had already reached the edge of Pythia's barrier.
He hurried inside.
The moment he crossed its boundary—
he released a long breath of relief.
"...Much better..."
He looked back toward Kaelira.
"...Seriously!"
"...Get over here!"
Kaelira blinked twice.
Then looked toward Draven.
Then at the barrier surrounding Pythia.
She frowned slightly.
She hugged Draven's belongings a little tighter.
"...I don't remember asking for your help."
Her eyes met Ryke's.
"...And I'll be perfectly fine."
Ryke stared at her.
"...Hopeless."
He dragged a hand through his hair.
*...Moron.*
*You're going to die for the stupidest reason imaginable.*
Before he could argue again—
Pythia calmly spoke.
"...Lady Kaelira."
Kaelira turned toward her.
Pythia's barrier shimmered softly around her.
"...Please come over."
Kaelira tilted her head.
"...Hmm?"
Pythia's eyes shifted toward the cloak folded within Kaelira's arms.
"...My Lord's belongings."
"...It would be unfortunate..."
"...if they became corrupted."
Kaelira immediately looked down.
"...Ah."
A brief pause.
"...Right."
She nodded seriously.
"...That would be bad."
Without another word—
she walked toward the barrier.
The instant she stepped inside—
the oppressive pressure surrounding her noticeably lessened.
Ryke released another relieved sigh.
*...At least she listened...*
*...Even if it wasn't for her own sake.*
Kaelira looked around curiously.
"...Huh."
"...It really is easier to breathe in here."
Pythia smiled faintly.
"...The barrier filters the corruption."
"...It cannot block all of it..."
"...But it is sufficient."
Kaelira nodded.
"...Neat."
She carefully adjusted Draven's cloak over one arm.
"...Master's things are safe."
Aldric never turned around.
His arms remained folded across his chest.
His crimson eyes stayed locked upon the widening crack.
*...Taking longer than I expected.*
His eyes narrowed.
*...Lucky these ruins lie buried beneath the city.*
*If this had happened out in the open...*
*Half of Dresvalle would've noticed by now.*
The crack suddenly shuddered.
**CRACK—!!**
Space distorted violently.
The opening was ripped even wider.
The humming that had filled the chamber vanished.
Replaced by something infinitely worse.
A low...
Ancient...
Inhuman...
Rumble echoed from beyond the Breach.
Every hair on Ryke's body stood on end.
The five elders' expressions changed simultaneously.
"...It's stabilizing!"
One of them immediately withdrew.
"...Everyone back!"
The remaining elders abandoned their positions almost at the same instant.
Their protective barriers flared brilliantly as they retreated.
The masked elder's voice rang throughout the chamber.
"...The Breach is stable!"
"...It's coming!"
Space itself screamed.
**SKRRRRAAAAAAA—!!**
The sound clawed through everyone's ears.
Black mist poured downward from the rupture.
Not upward—
Downward.
Like an inverted waterfall of darkness.
Heavy.
Ancient.
Suffocating.
The chamber trembled beneath its weight.
Then—
two enormous claws emerged.
Each one dug into the torn edges of reality.
The surrounding fissures spread even farther.
The claws tightened.
With overwhelming force—
they pulled.
**RRRRIIIIIPPPP—!!**
The Breach doubled in size.
A colossal silhouette forced its way through.
First—
its head.
Jagged horns curved backward from its skull like broken blades.
Then its shoulders.
Its enormous body followed.
Every movement distorted the surrounding space.
Reality twisted violently around it.
As though the world itself rejected its existence.
Finally—
its feet touched the ancient stone.
**BOOM!!**
The entire chamber shook violently.
The floor shattered beneath its weight.
Cracks exploded outward in every direction.
Dust and broken stone erupted into the air.
Ryke's legs gave out completely.
He collapsed onto the ground.
His entire body trembled uncontrollably.
*...It's...*
*It's here...*
The creature slowly straightened.
Towering over everyone present.
Its body was encased in black, armor-like hide.
Each plate looked as though it had been forged from solid darkness itself.
Crimson fissures glowed between the overlapping layers.
Unstable Abyssal energy leaked continuously from every crack.
The surrounding mana warped violently.
Even the air twisted around its massive frame.
The Rift-Breaker had not yet fully synchronized with this world.
Yet even in its incomplete state—
its presence alone crushed the entire chamber.
Black mist coiled endlessly around its colossal body.
Its burning crimson eyes slowly swept across the room.
Past the kneeling cultists.
Past the retreating elders.
Past Aldric.
Past Pythia.
Until—
they stopped.
On Draven.
Who still stood directly beneath the Breach.
Calmly absorbing every strand of Abyssal mana that reached him.
Neither moved.
Neither spoke.
For a single heartbeat—
the entire chamber fell into absolute silence.
One man.
One monster.
They stared at one another across the shattered stone.
As though the rest of the world...
No longer existed.