The laughter continued.
Deep.
Ancient.
Wrong.
It echoed throughout the underground city, shaking the very foundations beneath their feet.
Kael felt his blood run cold.
Even Aetherion remained silent.
That alone told him everything.
This wasn't an ordinary enemy.
This wasn't even a powerful enemy.
This was something far worse.
Another tremor shook the city.
Buildings collapsed in the distance.
Ancient towers crumbled into dust.
Orion's expression darkened.
"We have to move."
Nobody argued.
The stranger immediately began directing the hosts toward the exit.
"Everyone fall back!"
The team rushed through the glowing streets.
The laughter followed.
Closer.
Closer.
As if whatever was coming wasn't walking.
It was simply appearing.
The city lights flickered violently.
Then darkness swallowed half the ruins.
Kael looked back.
His breath caught.
A massive silhouette stood between the broken buildings.
Watching.
Waiting.
Its form was impossible to fully understand.
Every time Kael focused on it—
The shape changed.
One moment it looked human.
The next it looked monstrous.
Then something else entirely.
Reality seemed unable to decide what it was seeing.
"Don't look directly at it."
Orion's voice was sharp.
Urgent.
Too late.
Kael had already seen it.
And the moment he did—
Something looked back.
His mind exploded with images.
Dead stars.
Broken worlds.
Entire galaxies consumed by darkness.
Millions of screams.
Billions.
A universe dying.
Kael staggered.
"Agh—!"
The visions vanished instantly.
But the horror remained.
The silhouette smiled.
Even from impossible distances—
Kael could tell.
It was smiling.
"Aetherion."
The voice echoed through the city.
The King had spoken.
Every building trembled.
Every light flickered.
Even the air itself seemed to crack.
"It has been a long time."
Aetherion answered.
Its voice carried no fear.
Only hatred.
"Veyrath."
The name echoed.
The Devourer King laughed.
"So you remember."
Darkness spread across the city.
Entire streets disappeared beneath it.
Orion stepped beside Kael.
His face had become pale.
"We can't fight this."
Kael looked at him.
"What?"
"We can't win."
The answer came instantly.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
For the first time—
Kael understood the difference.
A Devourer could destroy cities.
A Devourer King could erase worlds.
Veyrath took a single step.
The underground city shook.
Thousands of years of history cracked apart.
Another step.
The darkness advanced.
Another step.
The pressure became unbearable.
Hosts collapsed.
Scientists fell unconscious.
Even Kael struggled to remain standing.
Then Veyrath stopped.
His glowing crimson eyes locked onto Kael.
Not Orion.
Not Aetherion.
Kael.
The King's smile widened.
"There you are."
Silence.
Heavy.
Absolute.
Then the King pointed directly at him.
And spoke the words Kael never wanted to hear.
"The Heir of the Last Core."
The city went silent.
Because somehow—
The enemy knew exactly who he was.