Roars. Blades. Cries. Magic. Steel.
The Celestial Order and Titan Eclipse fought the dragon with every ounce of might they had. Each blow exchanged with the beast shook the ground, each spell hurled cracked the skies. The battlefield had become a graveyard of broken weapons and scorched dreams.
Roger Wilson led the charge alongside Dmitri Volkov, fire and ice surging as one.
But suddenly—
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The skies split again.
They had arrived.
From every corner of the world, guild banners rose like the wings of angels—and devils.
Silver Halo (Philippines) – Maria del Rosario, SS-Rank Support Mage, descended with golden magic illuminating the fallen.
Tempest Fang (Japan) – Ayame Kazehana, SS+ Rank Wind Duelist, led aerial strikes from above.
Iron Circles (Germany) – Marcus Brandt, SS-Rank Metal Shaper, reinforced the battlefield with unbreakable fortifications.
As they landed, a swarm of elite hunters—S and SS-rank—rushed to aid the wounded.
A bloodied hunter stumbled up to Maria.
> "Casualties... dozens. Many have fallen. Some are barely breathing."
Maria placed her glowing hands on his shoulders.
> "Then let's not waste another life."
She turned to her guild. "Focus on recovery. Barrier mages! Protect the retreating hunters!"
Ayame joined Naiomi Sasaki, eyes scanning the battlefield.
> "We came as fast as we could. What's the situation?"
Naiomi, hair wild and blood dripping down her arm, didn't miss a beat.
> "Dragon's still strong. But so are we. Let's keep it that way."
The global alliance of guilds surged forward, matching the dragon's fury with overwhelming unity.
But then...
---
Somewhere near the ruins.
Rover Cheon lay still, his body broken, his soul fraying.
The metal spike still pinned his leg. Blood pooled beneath him.
His team was scattered, struggling, some near death.
And then… the voice returned.
> "...Are you tired, child?"
> "Tired of watching?"
> "Tired of weakness?"
> "Tired of being useless?"
Rover's eyes trembled.
> "Who… who are you?"
> "I am the answer your soul has screamed for since that day."
> "I can give you power."
> "I can make you strong enough to destroy the monsters that haunt your every breath."
> "Do you want it, Rover Cheon?"
Rover didn't hesitate.
> "Yes…"
> "Give it to me."
---
A silence followed.
Then—
> BOOOOOOOM.
The earth cracked. The sky dimmed. The tower pulsed violently.
All around the battlefield, hunters froze.
Christoff Erickson, watching the tide of battle with calculated calm, suddenly snapped his gaze to the ruins.
> "...What is this energy?"
> "It's not the dragon."
Even the dragon momentarily halted, turning its horned head toward the tremor.
A dark aura erupted from a collapsed building.
Rover Cheon stood.
The metal that had pinned him now lay on the ground—crushed.
His legs, which moments ago couldn't move, now held his body tall.
And around him—a storm of pure darkness. Twisting. Writhing. Screaming.
His eyes were blank. His mouth slightly open. His expression unreadable.
His team stared in horror.
> "Rover…?" Nox whispered.
> "That's… not him," said Bo Gun, trembling.
Mages from the Iron Circles stepped back. Maria clutched her staff tighter.
A younger S-rank hunter muttered—
> "That aura… it's worse than the dragon's…"
Even Naiomi's breath hitched.
> "This energy… it's not natural. It's… cursed."
Back at the frontlines, Christoff Erickson's voice cut through the air:
> "What is happening in this world…"
> "Where is that power coming from?"
---
Above them all, the dragon screeched again.
As if sensing a rival.
Or a threat greater than itself.
And Rover's head turned up. Slowly.
The dark aura around him thickened.
Something ancient was waking inside him.
Something… that should have remained buried.
---
To Be Continue…