There was an old tale, long buried under rewrites of history and systems of Belief.
It wasn't carved in stone.
It wasn't encoded in stars.
It was simply told.
Like a whisper passed between the world's consciousness.
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> "On the Tenth Day of the Tenth Month — Year 1010 — a being will descend.
Not from stars.
Not from other worlds.
But from within Arcane itself.
A Being shaped from humanity's own fears.
And it will eliminate every human soul."
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Most dismissed it.
After all, belief shapes power, right?
Wouldn't belief in the prophecy cause it?
Maybe.
But that's why no one spoke it aloud anymore.
It was too dangerous.
Too real.
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Year 1010 Was Near.
Only 10 months left.
And people were watching the Ranking Board now like it was a religious scroll.
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The Current Global Rankings:
1. ❓ [Redacted]
2. ❓ [Unknown Entity — Recently Awakened]
3. ❓ [Title: "Before the Silence"]
4. Biji
5. Mother (Numbers)
6. ❓
7. ❓
8. ❓
9. OTG
10. Wutherinwaves
11. Birb
12. Yukie
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> "You surpassed Mother?" Wave blinked at Biji. "Like... actual Numbers?"
> "She said it herself," Biji replied, holding a teacup, as if being 4th strongest in the world was casual.
Birb, eating crumbs silently in the corner, gave a slow whistle.
> "Didn't think you'd beat me either, OTG."
> "I'm built different," OTG said with a smirk. "Also, speed kills."
> "Also, muffins," Yukie added.
Wave raised an eyebrow.
> "Wait. I'm Top 10? I'M RANK TEN?"
Birb just stared at her.
> "Yeah. I'm still recovering emotionally."
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The World Was On Edge
Governments were collapsing in fear of the 10/10 prophecy.
Cities held quiet countdown rituals.
Some tried to evacuate — but from what?
Nobody knew what the Being was.
Just that it would come.
And that no human would survive.
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> "So what do we do?" Yukie asked one night as the crew camped under a triple moon sky.
> "We do what we've always done," Biji said.
She stood, lightning belief rippling off her arms.
> "We grow."
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But the crew couldn't ignore one more truth:
The Top 3 were unknowns.
New.
Powerful.
And even the Ranking Board couldn't show their faces.
> "Who the hell are they?" Wave muttered.
> "They weren't here before," OTG said grimly. "They woke up recently. Like something is preparing the field."
> "For the Being?" Birb asked.
> "Or maybe… the Being is one of them," Biji whispered.
The wind went silent.
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And far away, on the horizon of the world, a storm was moving against the wind — with a rhythm no belief could shape.
Something that existed outside imagination.
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