No one moved.
No one breathed.
Because something had stepped out of the rift.
At first, it didn't even look real.
Its form flickered—unstable, shifting between shapes as if existence itself struggled to define it. One moment it appeared humanoid, the next a mass of writhing shadows and fractured limbs.
Its body was made of darkness.
Not absence of light—
But something deeper.
Something that devoured reality itself.
A low, distorted sound echoed through the arena.
Not a roar.
Not a voice.
But something in between.
The air trembled.
Hunters in the audience clutched their heads in pain.
Weaker spectators collapsed instantly.
Even the protective barrier surrounding the arena flickered violently.
High above—
Seraphina Lux stood up immediately.
"That shouldn't exist."
Kaizer Stormborn's expression darkened.
"That's not a summon…"
"It's a breach."
On the battlefield—
Zarek Voidborn stood in front of the rift.
His breathing was uneven now.
Even he looked surprised.
"…That's not what I intended."
The entity moved.
Slowly.
Its head—or what resembled one—turned toward the crowd.
And then—
It stepped forward.
CRACK.
The ground beneath its foot didn't just break.
It… disappeared.
Erased.
Like it had never existed.
Kael's instincts exploded.
Every fiber of his being screamed one thing—
Run.
But he didn't.
Instead, Kael Varyn stepped forward.
His crimson aura surged violently.
His markings burned brighter.
System Alert
Unknown Entity Detected
Classification: ???
Threat Level: World-Class Catastrophe
Kael's eyes hardened.
"…Of course it is."
The entity's gaze—or something like it—locked onto him.
And in that instant—
Pressure descended.
Overwhelming.
Absolute.
Kael's knees nearly buckled.
His vision blurred.
Even his awakened bloodline trembled.
Warning
Existence Pressure Detected
All Stats Reduced by 30%
Kael gritted his teeth.
"Not… happening…"
Behind him—
Zarek stepped forward as well.
His aura flared again.
But this time—
There was no arrogance in his expression.
Only focus.
"We stop it here," Zarek said.
Kael glanced at him.
"…You caused this."
Zarek smirked slightly.
"And now I'm fixing it."
The entity moved again.
Faster this time.
It vanished.
Kael's eyes widened.
"Where—"
BOOOOOOM!
The ground exploded behind him.
Kael barely reacted in time, turning and blocking—
But the impact still sent him flying across the arena.
He crashed hard, rolling through debris.
Zarek attacked immediately.
His void energy surged.
A massive blast of black and crimson energy shot toward the entity.
It hit.
Directly.
…And disappeared.
Zarek froze.
"…What?"
The energy hadn't been deflected.
Or blocked.
Or absorbed.
It had simply ceased to exist.
The entity tilted its head.
As if curious.
Then—
It raised its arm.
Space distorted.
A ripple spread outward—
And the arena floor vanished in a wide radius.
Hundreds of meters—
Gone.
Screams filled the stadium.
The barrier flickered wildly again.
Up in the VIP section—
Draven Bloodfang stood up.
"That thing…"
"…is erasing matter."
Back on the battlefield—
Kael pushed himself up.
Blood ran down his face.
But his eyes burned with fury.
System Notification
Survival Instinct Activated
New Skill Available
Kael blinked.
"…Now?!"
Skill Unlocked
Instinct Override
Grade: Epic
Effect: Temporarily enhances reaction speed and perception beyond natural limits
Cost: High stamina + mental strain
Kael exhaled sharply.
"…I'll take it."
The entity moved again.
Faster than before.
But this time—
Kael saw it.
Not clearly.
Not perfectly.
But enough.
He moved.
The world slowed.
The entity's attack passed inches from his face.
For the first time—
He dodged it.
The crowd gasped.
"He avoided it?!"
Kael countered instantly.
His fist surged with berserker energy.
BOOOOOOM!
His punch connected.
And for a split second—
The entity's form destabilized.
It staggered.
Zarek's eyes widened.
"…You can hit it?"
Kael smirked slightly.
"…Guess so."
The entity let out that distorted sound again.
But this time—
It felt different.
Angry.
The rift behind it expanded further.
Darkness poured out endlessly.
System Alert
Dimensional Breach Expanding
Containment Failure Imminent
High above—
Seraphina Lux raised her hand.
Golden light gathered instantly.
"We're intervening."
Kaizer Stormborn stepped forward.
"About time."
But before they could move—
Kael stepped forward again.
His aura exploded violently.
Stronger than before.
Wilder.
Bloodline Surge Detected
Primordial Awakening: 12% → 15%
Power flooded his body.
His markings spread across his chest.
His eyes glowed crimson.
He looked at the entity.
And smiled.
"Let's see…"
"…if you can survive me."
Zarek laughed beside him.
"…Now this is insane."
The two stood side by side.
Facing something beyond their world.
And for the first time—
They weren't enemies.
They were warriors.
The battlefield trembled.
The rift expanded.
The entity roared.
And the real battle—
Finally began.