The commander stared at the Rift Breaker.
Its wounds were already beginning to close.
His expression hardened.
"...This can't continue."
He tightened his grip around his sword.
"...According to the report..."
"...If these creatures remain alive for too long..."
"...they can enter a second stage."
The surrounding knights immediately became serious.
The commander raised his voice.
"Listen!"
Everyone turned toward him.
"We're finishing this now!"
He pointed toward the remaining Rift Breakers.
"Get ready!"
"Don't engage them recklessly."
"Keep your distance."
His gaze returned to the wounded creature standing before him.
"...I'll kill this one."
Mana suddenly surged around his body.
Then—
it flowed into his sword.
**VMMMMM—!!**
The blade began glowing with concentrated mana.
The commander lowered his stance.
His eyes locked onto the Rift Breaker.
"...Now."
**BOOM!**
The ground beneath his feet exploded.
His figure shot forward.
The distance between them disappeared in an instant.
The Rift Breaker noticed him.
Its remaining arm immediately rose to intercept him.
The commander didn't slow down.
He leapt.
His body rose above the creature.
His sword was raised high over his head.
Mana gathered along the entire length of the blade.
His voice rang across the battlefield.
"...First Style."
His eyes hardened.
"...Descent of the Great Sword!"
**SHIIIIING—!!**
The sword came crashing down.
The Rift Breaker raised its arm to block.
But—
its remaining arm had already been severely damaged by the bombardment and the knights' relentless attacks.
The blade cut through it.
**CRAAAAACK—!!**
The injured arm split apart.
The sword continued downward.
The Rift Breaker's crimson eyes widened.
**SHIIIIING—!!**
The blade cleaved straight through its head.
Its skull split in two.
Black blood erupted across the shattered ground.
The commander's sword continued downward and struck the earth beneath the creature.
**BOOOOOOM!**
Dust and debris erupted outward.
For a moment—
the Rift Breaker's enormous body remained standing.
Then—
its two halves slowly collapsed in opposite directions.
**THUD.**
Silence.
The knights stared.
The commander slowly pulled his sword free.
He looked down at the fallen creature.
"...One down."
His gaze immediately shifted toward the remaining Rift Breakers.
"...Don't let the others reach the second stage."
The knights tightened their grips.
And once again—
they charged.
But—
the commander suddenly felt something strange.
His eyes widened.
He immediately reacted.
**BOOM!**
He pushed himself backward, rapidly creating distance from the shattered remains.
His gaze remained fixed on the corpse.
A strange amount of Abyssal mana was leaking from it.
*...What is this?*
*...It's releasing Abyssal mana everywhere.*
His expression hardened.
*...The report never mentioned anything like this.*
He immediately raised his voice.
"Retreat!"
"Get away from the remains!"
The knights quickly obeyed.
They pulled back, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the corpse.
The Rift Breaker's body continued breaking apart.
Its black armor crumbled into fragments.
Flesh and bone slowly dissolved into dark particles.
Then—
the entire corpse faded away.
Only a crimson glow remained.
The knights stared.
One knight slowly lowered his sword.
"...What's that?"
Another narrowed his eyes.
"...A crystal?"
A third knight stared in disbelief.
"...Is that its mana core?"
The commander remained silent.
The crimson object hovered in the place where the Rift Breaker's corpse had disappeared.
Another knight took a cautious step forward.
"...It's bigger than any mana core I've ever seen."
The commander immediately raised his hand.
"...Don't approach it."
The knight stopped.
A large amount of Abyssal mana continued leaking from the crystal.
The dark energy spread through the surrounding air.
One knight stared at it.
"...So that's what's causing the mana to spread."
Another looked toward the commander.
"...Commander."
"...What are we going to do about it?"
The commander stared at the crystal.
His expression remained grim.
"...There was no mention of a mana core in the report."
He paused.
"...I'm assuming it was either damaged or exposed when the creature was destroyed."
His gaze hardened.
"...Regardless, we can't leave it here."
The crimson glow suddenly pulsed.
**THUMP.**
A wave of Abyssal mana spread outward.
Several knights instinctively stepped back.
The commander continued.
"...That's an incredible amount of mana."
"...And it's continuously leaking."
He looked toward the surrounding streets.
"...If we leave it alone..."
"...the corruption will continue spreading."
His grip tightened around his sword.
"...It has to be destroyed."
One knight nodded.
"...Understood."
The commander raised his sword.
"...Destroy it completely."
"...Leave nothing behind."
But before anyone could move—
**BOOOOOOM!**
A massive fist tore through the battlefield.
The remaining Rift Breaker had already reached them.
"EVASIVE ACTION!"
The knights scattered.
The fist smashed into the ground.
**CRAAAAASH!**
Stone exploded upward.
Several knights were thrown off balance.
One knight landed hard and immediately tried to move.
But—
his movement was sluggish.
His eyes widened.
*...What?*
He looked down at his armor.
*...Why is my body...*
He tried moving again.
His leg responded sluggishly.
Then he noticed it.
The runes engraved across his armor—
which had previously been glowing brightly with mana—
were turning dark.
Crimson lines began spreading across them.
The knight's eyes widened.
*...My armor...*
*...The runes are being corrupted.*
His breathing became tense.
*...When did this happen?*
A voice suddenly shouted from behind him.
"LOOK OUT!"
The knight turned.
Too late.
The massive fist was already above him.
**BOOOOOOM!**
The Rift Breaker's fist slammed into him.
His body was launched violently across the battlefield.
He crashed through the side of a nearby building.
**CRAAAAASH!**
Stone and shattered masonry rained down around him.
The commander stared in shock.
"...What?"
His eyes shifted toward the remaining Rift Breaker.
Then—
toward the crimson core.
His expression darkened.
*...It's not only the creature.*
His gaze remained fixed on the pulsing crystal.
*...That core is already affecting everything around it.*
The commander clenched his sword tighter.
"...Everyone, stay away from that crystal!"
But even as he spoke—
another pulse spread through the battlefield.
**THUMP.**
The crimson glow intensified.
The air itself seemed to darken.
Several knights staggered as a wave of Abyssal mana washed over them.
The commander's eyes narrowed.
*...This is far more dangerous than we realized.*
The remaining Rift Breaker roared.
**ROOOOOAAARRR—!!**
And this time—
the knights understood.
They weren't only fighting the creature anymore.
They were fighting the corruption spreading from its core.