Mist Forest Core — The Awakening Below
The trembling grew violent—then the world split open.A deafening crack tore through the battlefield as the earth ruptured, revealing a colossal shadow stirring beneath the rising land. Shattered roots and molten stone cascaded downward, swallowed by the abyss yawning wide.
Then it emerged.
A massive torso, pale and glistening with vein-like runes, broke through the crust. In its chest pulsed a cyclopean eye, dilating as it awoke to the crimson light. Jagged tendrils slithered outward—scaled, barbed, alive—each twitch scattering waves of corrosive mist. The air screamed with distortion.
The entity's roar tore through reality itself, shaking the sky.
Lura and Mark collapsed to their knees, their eardrums ringing, blood trickling from their noses. They gritted their teeth, straining to stand against the crushing sound. The forest—what was left of it—bent beneath the sheer pressure of the being's presence.
On the edge of the crater, Alys watched, crimson eyes glinting with unholy amusement.
"So this is the guardian of the Silver Nectar…" she murmured, voice smooth yet laced with thrill. Her gaze lifted—there, resting upon the creature's broad, trembling back, shimmered the Silver Nectar Flower, untouched and divine.
The corners of her lips curved."Perfect."
Without hesitation, Alys leapt, her cloak snapping behind her as she soared toward the beast. Dark energy gathered at her palm, coalescing into a spear of bloodlight.
Edge of the Core
While the monster's roar dominated the world, the battlefield below shifted once more.
Through the chaos strode a silent figure clad in silver armor—Brian, the Spear Saint of Team One. His expression was unreadable, but his grip on the weapon tightened as his eyes followed Alys's trajectory toward the monster.
He said nothing.He simply moved—each step precise, calm, deadly.
Behind him, the wind screamed—Clera descended, emerald energy swirling around her. Beside her, Grey, his sword drawn and eyes cold, landed with a thunderous crash.
Lura and Mark spun around, battered and bleeding, only to find themselves surrounded.
Clera's gaze burned with venom."Well, well," she said, her tone a silken snarl. "We meet again, Lura. Remember the last time you humiliated me at the trial gate?"
Lura's fists clenched, lightning crawling over her skin."That was your fault, Clera. You picked a fight you couldn't win."
Clera smirked, wind spiraling tighter around her."Oh, I'll win this one."
Grey stepped forward, blade shimmering with dull gray aura."Enough talk," he said flatly. "Let's end this."
Mark moved in front of Lura, frost blooming under his boots."You'll have to get through me first."
The air cracked.Wind howled.Blades clashed.
The forest became a storm of steel and lightning as the four collided—lightning bolts slicing the air, blades shattering bark, wind pressure flinging debris like knives. Clera danced like a tempest, her wind blades singing through the fog. Grey's swordsmanship was pure efficiency, each strike meant to kill.
Lura's thunder roared in defiance, but exhaustion dragged at her limbs. Mark's ice barriers shattered one after another, the pressure mounting. They were being cornered, step by step.
High Above
Alys landed atop the creature's thrashing form, boots sinking into its scaled hide. The monster's eye rolled toward her, glowing brighter with primal fury.
She smiled."Beautiful."
The runes across her skin flared in response, feeding on the monster's energy. Each pulse of its heart resonated with hers. She raised her hand, summoning a circle of runes beneath her feet—a dark sigil burning with living crimson.
"Let's see who devours who."
The beast roared again, tendrils whipping toward her like iron serpents. But Alys only laughed, twisting midair, her blade slashing through them with explosive grace. Bloodlike mist sprayed the sky as her energy surged higher.
But the monster—enraged by her defiance—let out a high-pitched, soul-splitting roar. The runes carved across its colossal form flickered violently, and the single eye at its chest shone with a blinding brilliance.
In that instant, the atmosphere shifted.Dark thunderclouds coiled above the forest canopy, growling like a waking god. Lightning raged between the clouds, bleeding white fire through the crimson haze.
Then—BOOM!
A thunderous bolt tore through the heavens, spearing downward toward Alys with world-breaking force.
From afar, Brian narrowed his eyes, silver armor gleaming with reflected lightning."So this monster… it's the one warping the entire forest," he muttered, voice low, heavy with awe.
The lightning crashed upon Alys, swallowing her whole.
She raised her hand, summoning a bloody shield from raw crimson energy, its surface etched with writhing runes. The impact struck—metallic shrieks and shockwaves thundered outward. Though the shield held for a moment, it shattered under the pressure, hurling Alys across the broken terrain.
She hit the ground hard, the crimson aura flickering violently around her.
Brian's gaze hardened. He clenched his spear; golden energy began to spiral along its length, wrapping it like a torrent of molten light. The surrounding mist recoiled from his aura.
He whispered the technique's name—a vow under his breath."Solar Vein – Heaven's Piercer."
In a flash, Brian vanished, reappearing before the monster's chest. His spear blazed with radiant fury as he thrust forward.
KRAAASH!
The strike collided with the beast's scaled torso, splitting the mist apart and sending a shockwave through the entire core region. The light was blinding—an explosion of divine gold against dark crimson.
When the smoke cleared, the monster stood unmoved. A shallow wound—barely a scratch—smoked along its hide.
Brian landed lightly, eyes narrowing. "So even that wasn't enough."
The entire core region trembled.The crimson aura around the monster expanded, swallowing the trees, the rocks, even the air itself. Every warrior within range felt the pressure descend—dense, suffocating, primal.
Brian's expression shifted, curiosity mixing with unease."What is this presence…?"
Then, from amidst the dust and lightning, Alys stood again.
Her body trembled—not from fear, but from something deeper. A dark symbol ignited on her forehead, glowing with that same infernal hue as before.
Before her floated the crimson gem—the relic she had claimed at the lake. It pulsed with a heartbeat not its own, runes spiraling outward to wrap around her body like living veins.
The world seemed to still.The air thickened with the smell of blood—iron, sharp, and absolute. The very ground quivered beneath the weight of her aura.
Brian's grip on his spear tightened.This pressure… it's not something a normal Xeon cadet could release. Not even close.
Alys lifted her head. Her voice was calm, but it dripped with frost and contempt."So this is how far you've fallen," she said to the monster, her tone cutting through the storm. "You became this strong by absorbing the Crimson Jewel, didn't you? But from ancient time… that jewel belonged to my bloodline. Lost by my family generations ago."
Her eyes gleamed, the crimson deepening into a burning void."Now I've found what's rightfully mine. And you dare act arrogantly before me?"
The gem blazed.
A shockwave of crimson energy erupted from her, flooding the core region. Trees withered, the earth melted, and the sky itself seemed to bleed red.
But within that maelstrom, Alys's expression faltered. The gem's energy began to twist violently, its power pouring through her body faster than she could contain. Her veins glowed beneath her skin, runes crawling upward like serpents.
Her mind strained—she could feel it.The Crimson Gem was no longer obeying her. It was devouring her.
Brian's calm mask cracked, unease flashing in his eyes."That energy… it's far beyond Elite Xeon level. If she loses control—"
He never finished.
Alys took a step forward.Then another.
Each step sent ripples through the ground, her aura distorting atmosphere itself.
Across from her, the monster bellowed in fury, its six-mile-long body pulsing with unstable energy as ancient runes blazed across its form.