The sky above the Pacific Ocean tore open.
Not another small crack like before.
Not a thin slit in the clouds.
This time, the sky had split wide open.
A cosmic rift stretched from horizon to horizon, a colossal wound splitting the night apart. Violet and black light swirled within its depths. Bolts of Void lightning flashed without a sound.
The wind died.
The raging waves gradually fell still, as though the ocean itself was afraid to move.
Above the wreckage of the research vessel, everyone froze.
Bimo stared at the sky, his mouth hanging open.
"...I miss the days when our biggest problem was an exam."
Dika didn't answer.
His gaze remained fixed overhead.
"If that thing comes down here..."
He clenched his fists.
"...we won't even have time to run."
Farhan stared at the radar, which was flickering wildly.
His hands trembled.
"System error... All sensors are failing..."
One by one, the screens in front of him went dark.
CRACK.
CRACK.
"Our equipment can't read its energy signature!"
Lila swallowed hard.
"It's not because the energy is too powerful..."
She stared at the rift in the sky.
"...It's because the laws of physics are changing around it."
Out on the ocean, the Guardians stopped fighting.
Aethernox lifted its head.
Thalorion slowly retreated.
Leviathan Thalassa let out a low rumble.
Ignivar Draco folded its molten wings.
Ursus Glacialis froze in place.
Leo Solaris lowered its radiant mane.
Even Gaia Primordia—the Guardian of the World—took a step backward.
Every Guardian on Earth felt the same thing.
An ancient threat.
Above them, the Eclipse Devourer hovered motionless.
Its four violet eyes remained fixed on the cosmic rift.
Then—
the creature lowered its head.
It was bowing.
Kai saw it.
His face instantly drained of color.
"...It's here."
Arga turned toward him.
"Who's here?"
Kai stared at the sky, his eyes trembling.
His lips moved slowly.
"Their king."
Something stirred in the darkness beyond the rift.
The first thing to emerge was a claw.
A colossal claw, as large as a small island, reached through the opening.
Then came the wings.
Wings vast enough to swallow the stars.
As the creature descended farther, the night above the Pacific was swallowed by absolute darkness.
Four crimson eyes opened.
Their light was unlike anything ordinary.
It was cold.
Lifeless.
Its elongated body resembled that of an ancient dragon, its surface covered in swirling galaxies that seemed to be dying. Violet fissures glowed along its scales like veins filled with the power of the Void.
Every movement sent tremors through the surrounding space.
Farhan collapsed onto the deck.
"...Its energy is limitless."
Lila whispered.
"No..."
She stared at the sky, tears gathering in her eyes.
"...It's a catastrophe."
The creature continued its slow descent.
When the tip of one wing moved—
the entire Pacific Ocean split apart for a brief moment.
The seawater was forced to either side, as though the ocean had been commanded to make way.
For several seconds, the ocean floor lay exposed.
Bimo took a step backward.
"Okay..."
His voice cracked.
"...That is not normal."
Kai stared at the creature as though an old nightmare had returned to life.
"Its name..."
He paused, as if the words themselves were too heavy to speak.
"...Nihilath."
Arga looked at him.
"You know it?"
Kai didn't answer.
But his hands were trembling.
"I once watched an entire world die because of it."
Everyone turned toward him.
Silence fell.
Kai closed his eyes for a moment.
"The sky cracked just like this. The oceans boiled. Its Guardians fought until the very end."
He opened his eyes.
"Nothing survived."
Nihilath spread its wings to their full span.
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Its roar couldn't be heard with ordinary ears.
It reverberated through bones.
Through blood.
Through the heart itself.
A wave of pressure swept across the world.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Several Void Beasts disintegrated into black dust on the spot.
The Eclipse Devourer remained bowed.
Motionless.
Too afraid to move.
The Guardians of Earth roared together, fighting against the terror pressing down on them.
Yet even their combined voices sounded insignificant.
Then Nihilath turned its gaze toward the ocean.
It looked at Aethernox.
It looked at Gaia Primordia.
It surveyed all the Guardians gathered below.
But then—
all four of its eyes settled on a single figure.
Arga.
The MBG Lunchbox in his hands opened by itself.
All twenty-eight glowing grains of rice began spinning wildly.
Their light was no longer steady.
They trembled.
Like tiny stars gripped by fear.
Arga clutched his chest.
Pain stabbed through his entire body.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"Arga!" Sinta screamed.
He nearly collapsed, but Bimo caught him by the shoulder.
Kai stared at the lunchbox.
His expression changed.
"...So it's true."
Arga struggled to catch his breath.
"What is?"
Kai looked up at Nihilath.
"It didn't come for the Ocean Core."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"It came for the Guardian born from a human."
Nihilath opened its mouth.
Not to attack.
To speak.
An ancient voice shook the sky and the sea.
Yet somehow, everyone understood its words.
"This planet... has given birth to a new vessel."
The ocean fell silent.
The four crimson eyes blazed brighter.
"Then I shall devour it first."
"EVERYONE, TAKE YOUR POSITIONS!" Sinta shouted.
Her knees were trembling, but her voice remained firm.
"Protect Arga!"
Dika stepped forward to shield him.
Bimo clenched his fists.
Rani helped Arga stay on his feet.
Farhan hurried to restart the damaged control panels.
Lila stared at a new energy graph appearing on the screen.
"That's impossible..."
"What?" Farhan shouted.
Lila looked at Arga.
"The energy of every Core in the world... It's all connected to him."
Kai took a step forward.
Golden light began to glow around his body.
"If Arga falls..."
He looked toward the sky.
"...Earth falls with him."
Gaia Primordia roared.
Aethernox moved into position.
Ignivar Draco unfurled its molten wings.
Every Guardian prepared to attack.
But Nihilath merely raised one claw.
A small, almost casual movement.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Every Guardian was hurled backward at once.
Gaia crashed into the sea.
Aethernox slammed into the ocean floor.
Ignivar Draco was flung into the clouds.
Leviathan Thalassa crashed against the waves.
There was no battle.
Only absolute rejection.
Bimo stared in disbelief.
"...It barely even moved."
Arga dropped to his knees.
His body shook uncontrollably.
The twenty-eight grains of rice blazed too brightly.
Cracks of golden light spread across his arms.
Kai knelt beside him.
"Listen to me."
Arga raised his head.
Kai looked at him with an expression Arga had never seen before.
Regret.
"When the time comes..."
He gripped Arga's shoulder.
"...I'll take his place."
Arga had no time to ask what he meant.
Because at that very moment—
a new crack appeared across Arga's chest.
Golden light burst from within his body.
And above them—
Nihilath began its descent toward Earth.