Somewhere beyond Earth, in a place where distance had long since lost meaning, two shadow-colored entities drifted silently through the void. Their forms were unstable, like living smoke wrapped around dying stars. Even their features could no longer be clearly distinguished after sixty thousand years of existing as nothing more than fractured souls.
Then one of them spoke.
"Calesteos… do you feel that?"
A strange excitement echoed through the darkness.
"The sweetness of mana… finally descending upon this godforsaken planet."
The entity laughed softly, the sound cold and warped.
"How long has it been now? Sixty thousand years? And now mana is beginning to fester within that world again."
Its crimson eyes narrowed beneath the shifting shadows.
"Do you know what I'm going to do once the saturation becomes sufficient?"
The voice deepened.
"I'm going to possess a body… and slaughter everything on that planet."
Silence answered him.
The entity clicked its tongue.
"Seriously? Not even a reaction, eh, Calesteos? This is what I hate about you. Ever since the battle where we destroyed each other's bodies, you barely speak anymore."
A pause.
"…Or wait."
The shadows around him twisted slightly.
"Are you perhaps dead?"
Finally, the second entity responded.
"Maije… you still haven't changed."
His voice was calm. Ancient. Tired.
"Sixty thousand years was not enough to change your heart."
Maije scoffed.
"Oh please. Should I remind you that we're both nothing more than wisps now? A Class-8 being could erase us in our current state."
"Yeah, so who exactly is supposed to sto—"
"SHUT UP."
For the first time in ages, Calesteos' voice cut through the void with overwhelming authority.
Even Maije fell silent.
"You know what made me famous, don't you?" Calesteos said quietly. "My ability to perceive possible futures."
The darkness around him trembled faintly.
"And in every future I have seen…"
A long silence followed.
"I witnessed your destruction."
Maije stared at him before suddenly laughing.
"Your future sight must be broken. There's nothing on that primitive world capable of harming me."
Calesteos did not respond immediately.
"You were always arrogant."
Then he continued,
"But tell me, Maije… what do you intend to do after descending?"
The shadowed entity smiled.
"What else? Rule. Destroy. Entertain myself."
Calesteos closed his eyes.
"I see."
"And you?" Maije asked. "Surely you're not planning to fight me again?"
"Fight you?" Calesteos repeated softly. "No."
The void itself seemed to quieten.
"I have no intention of fighting anymore."
Maije frowned.
"…What?"
"I am going to pass on."
For the first time in thousands of years, genuine surprise appeared on Maije's face.
"You're serious?"
"All life ends eventually," Calesteos said. "Even ours."
The ancient seer slowly looked toward the distant blue planet below.
"But before I fade… I will entrust my knowledge to someone worthy."
Mana pulsed faintly around Earth like a newborn heartbeat.
"And rest assured, Maije…"
For the first time, Calesteos smiled.
"There will be many who rise to stop you."
—
Back on Earth.
Inside a modest apartment in Lagos, nervous excitement filled the living room.
"Are you guys ready?" Mr. Chibueze asked while adjusting the travel bags near the door.
"Yes, sir," one of the boys answered immediately.
Ada quietly moved closer and held onto her brother's arm as thunder rumbled outside.
None of them noticed the faint silver particles drifting past the window.
The world had already begun to change."Brother David… I'm a little scared."
Ada's fingers tightened around my sleeve.
I placed a hand gently on her head.
"Don't worry," I said softly. "I'm here with you."
For a moment, her breathing steadied.
"We're all here with you."
I looked around the room at everyone gathered inside the Chibueze residence, all of us waiting for whatever would happen once the timer reached zero.
The massive crimson numbers hanging in the sky continued counting down without emotion.
No hesitation.
No mercy.
Just numbers.
My mother stood closest to the window.
For the first time in my life, she had abandoned her usual wrapper and gown. Instead, she wore fitted dark leggings tucked neatly into black boots alongside a long-sleeved black turtleneck that made her look far younger than usual. A compact pistol rested at her waist.
I always knew my mother was beautiful.
But this version of her…
She looked like someone prepared to survive the apocalypse itself.
Next was my father.
His head was shaved clean bald while his beard had been trimmed sharply. He still dressed the same way he always had—simple and practical—but instead of his usual sandals, he now wore heavy boots.
A compact rifle rested across his back.
And somehow…
It fit him perfectly.
Ada stood quietly beside Mom.
Only twelve years old.
Too young for this kind of fear.
She wore a grey hoodie over black joggers with tiny combat boots that looked slightly too big for her feet. Her curly hair had been tied into rough puffs, and despite the trembling in her eyes, she tried her best not to cry.
Mr. Chibueze stood near the entrance like a man already prepared for war.
Tall.
Broad-shouldered.
Focused.
A tactical vest rested over his dark shirt while cargo pants and combat gloves completed the look. A machete hung at his waist while a shotgun rested behind him carelessly.
Unlike everyone else, panic never touched his face.
Mrs. Chibueze stood beside him calmly, her braided hair tied neatly behind her head. She wore fitted trousers beneath a long coat, her expression composed despite the tension choking the room.
Then there was Mmeso.
And somehow…
Even during the end of the world, she still looked effortlessly stylish.
Silver jewelry decorated her fingers and ears subtly rather than excessively. A soft grey fitted top rested beneath a dark jacket while her cargo pants tucked neatly into black boots.
But unlike before, there was nothing intimidating about her presence tonight.
She actually seemed… relaxed around me.
Comfortable.
Every now and then she glanced toward me with small amused smiles, like she found my constant vigilance entertaining.
"You're doing that thing again," she whispered.
"What thing?"
"That serious anime protagonist face."
I blinked.
She laughed softly under her breath.
And for some reason, hearing that laugh eased the pressure crushing my chest.
Nearby stood Divine.
Also twelve.
A girl with short braids packed tightly behind her head and large round glasses constantly sliding down her nose whenever she got nervous—which was almost every few seconds right now.
She hugged a backpack tightly against herself while trying to act braver than she felt.
Skywhite leaned silently against the wall nearby with folded arms.
Tall.
Light-skinned.
White braids hanging loosely behind him.
The oversized black jacket over his shoulders gave him the appearance of someone older than he actually was.
Beside him stood Gift—his girl.
Calm.
Elegant.
Her dark skin glowed softly beneath the emergency lighting while silver beads woven into her braids clicked gently whenever she moved. Despite everything happening, she stayed close to Skywhite without fear.
And then there was me.
Black hoodie.
Dark cargo pants.
Heavy boots.
A black saber resting silently across my back.
Waiting.
Above us all, the timer continued ticking downward without care for human fear.
29:23:56:45
29:23:57:56
29:23:58:57
29:23:59:58
30:00:00:12
The moment the timer reached zero—
Everyone instinctively braced themselves.
But nothing happened.
No explosion.
No screams.
No collapse.
Even the thunder rumbling outside suddenly stopped.
The silence felt unnatural.
Like the entire world had paused.
Nobody moved first, but somehow we all ended up stepping outside together.
Across nearby apartments and buildings, people emerged cautiously onto the streets, confusion spreading everywhere.
"Did it stop?"
"What was that countdown for?"
"Was this all fake?"
Then the sky flashed.
A tiny crack appeared overhead.
At first, it looked harmless.
But then it spread.
Stretching endlessly across the heavens like reality itself was being torn apart.
People froze.
The crack widened—
And suddenly—
CRASH.
Like shattered glass, massive black-violet symbols burst through the opening and rained toward the earth.
Ancient characters.
Unknown language.
They slammed into roads, buildings, cars, and even human bodies before dissolving into black smoke.
The ground trembled violently.
"EVERYONE TO THE VAN!" Mr. Chibueze roared.
"MOVE!"
We sprinted instantly.
Screams erupted across the streets as the earth split apart beneath people's feet.
Then the walls appeared.
Massive black walls erupted from the ground around Lagos Island with catastrophic force.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
They rose endlessly upward, covered in glowing violet runes that pulsed like living veins.
Victoria Island vanished behind one section.
Lekki disappeared behind another.
Ikoyi became enclosed moments later.
The city was being sealed.
No…
Converted.
The moment the final wall locked into place overhead, translucent blue screens materialized before every human eye simultaneously.
[SYSTEM INITIALIZATION COMPLETE]
[REGION DETECTED: LAGOS ISLAND]
[STATUS: ACTIVE DUNGEON]
[PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:]
Clear all dungeon to regain freedom or stay isolated forever.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody breathed.