The room was filled with tension. Rankers and Hunters from all over the world had gathered at the emergency meeting convened by the Ranker and Hunter Association. Their eyes were glued to the holographic map, where glowing red dots marked the locations of rapidly multiplying dungeon breaks across the country. It was supposed to be a controlled event. Dungeon breaks were manageable in the early levels. But this... this was different.
"Mana leakage in high-level dungeons is spreading uncontrollably," a senior Ranker muttered under his breath, beads of sweat forming on his brow. "We can't keep up with this pace. If we don't act fast, this could trigger a nationwide catastrophe."
A loud bang echoed from the conference room's door. An urgent messenger stormed in, breathless.
"The mana fluctuations are off the charts! A portal's forming in the middle of the country, and the energy levels are unlike anything we've seen before!"
"Impossible!" The leader of the Association slammed his fist on the table, sending papers flying. "A portal of this magnitude... it's as if the entire world's mana is converging at one point."
The panic in the room was palpable. Hunters and Rankers who had fought in high-level dungeons and faced terrifying beasts knew what could happen next—an invasion. An influx of unknown, powerful monsters could spill through. The safety of the entire nation was at risk.
⸻
A crackling energy resonated through the atmosphere. A massive, spiraling portal began to form in the middle of a barren, desolate field. The air seemed to warp around it, as though reality itself was trembling at its edges.
From the glowing center of the rift, four figures emerged.
VEXEN, the youngest of the brothers, was the first to step forward. His black hair, streaked with green, fluttered in the wind, and his bright, calculating eyes gleamed with mischief. His mischievous grin contrasted with the heavy aura around him. He wore a simple yet functional outfit—tight-fitting black shirt, dark cloak billowing behind him, and light armor covering his forearms and shins. The soft glow of his tattoos, hidden beneath the fabric, pulsed faintly.
KAELEN, the second-youngest brother, followed closely behind. His hair, a deep purple, was wild with streaks of dark red. His fiery red eyes flickered with unrestrained energy. He wore loose combat gear—black pants with silver accents and a sleeveless, form-fitting vest adorned with intricate patterns. His gauntlets, marked with glowing runes, were built for explosive power, seemingly capable of channeling his innate fury.
DRAEGEN, the second-oldest brother, was next. His green hair, streaked with black, looked almost windblown, while his sharp golden eyes cut through the surroundings with calculating intensity. His attire was more tactical—a dark green and black armored jacket, leather straps, and reinforced boots. His utility belt carried a few hidden blades. His every step was deliberate, moving with efficiency and precision, radiating a quiet yet palpable danger.
Finally, VALTHOR, the oldest brother, emerged from the portal. His white hair shimmered faintly, tousled and flowing around his face. His grey eyes, calm and intense, scanned the world around him. His attire was elegant—a long, flowing coat with gold trimming, accented with dark leather armor on his shoulders and chest. Tattoos, faint but noticeable, snaked around his neck and arms, pulsing with quiet power. Despite the ornate appearance of his clothes, his posture was that of someone completely at ease, exuding calmness that stood in stark contrast to the chaotic surroundings.
As the brothers stood together, the rift they had emerged from began to flicker, its energy waning as if it were a dying ember. The portal vanished without a trace. No one in the surrounding area had noticed their arrival, as though reality had simply folded them into the world, unnoticed.
⸻
Back at the Ranker and Hunter Association, confusion reigned.
"Where is it?" a panicked voice shouted. "Where did the portal go?"
The search parties arrived just moments too late. By the time they reached the coordinates, the site was eerily calm. There were no monsters, no rift—just the faintest trace of mana lingering in the air, dissipating slowly.
"Impossible..." the leader of the Association muttered, staring up at the hologram in disbelief. "There's nothing here. The portal... vanished?"
The atmosphere grew tense as the rest of the team scrambled to make sense of the situation. Something felt off, as if they had missed something monumental. A deep unease settled in their minds.
⸻
On a nearby rooftop, the brothers gathered, their presence too quiet for the chaos unfolding beneath them. VALTHOR stood at the edge of the building, arms crossed, eyes scanning the still city streets below. His tattoos pulsed faintly, reflecting his ever-present power. Despite the confusion, he exhaled with a relaxed sigh, as though nothing of consequence had just occurred.
DRAEGEN, sharp-eyed as always, took in the silence around them. "It's too still. No one even reacted to us. Why are they unaware of the portal?"
KAELEN, his fiery red eyes flaring, raised a hand to feel the divine energy around them. "Something's wrong. This world doesn't have the kind of energy we're used to. But it still feels... strange."
VEXEN, ever the carefree one, hopped off the edge of the building and landed with a soft thud. His grin was wide, mischievous as usual. "You guys are overthinking it. Whatever's happening, I'm sure it'll be fun. Let's go cause a bit of chaos, yeah?"
DRAEGEN turned to him, his expression serious. "No. First, we need to figure out what's going on. This isn't some random occurrence."
VALTHOR smirked, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. "Sure, but after we grab a bite to eat. I'm starving."
KAELEN chuckled, shaking his head. "Always the same. Still, Valthor has a point. We might as well take advantage of being here, but we need answers first. Something feels... off."
VEXEN tilted his head, his black hair shifting with the motion. "Fine, fine. But let's have a little fun while we figure it out."
The brothers exchanged a knowing glance before KAELEN's voice broke the silence.
KAELEN: "How much time has passed since we were on Earth?" he asked, his tone grave. "We were in high school, and then Murim... and now? How long has it been?"
VALTHOR narrowed his eyes, his calm demeanor now shadowed by confusion. "I don't know. It feels like it's been forever... but we don't even know what's happened since we left. The world seems different. It's still Earth, but it's not the same."
DRAEGEN's golden eyes flashed with suspicion. "We've been gone so long, we could be out of place here. But... we have to be careful. Something doesn't feel right about this."
VEXEN, despite his usual carefree attitude, now looked more serious. "Yeah, I agree. Something's... different. The world we knew, the world we left behind—did we miss something big?"
The brothers exchanged another glance, a mix of nostalgia and unease creeping into their expressions. The world around them felt like a distant memory, but they were determined to uncover the mystery of how they got here—and how much time had passed.
⸻
The brothers stood in silence for a moment, letting the weight of their situation settle in. They had been in Alexandria first, long before Murim. Alexandria, the medieval world where they had defeated the Demon King. After that, they were transported to Murim, where they spent what felt like centuries, only to now find themselves back on Earth—but nothing seemed right.
VALTHOR glanced at his brothers. "How much time has passed since we were last here?" His voice was unusually serious. "When we left Earth, we were still teenagers in high school. That was... when? Over 10,000 years ago?"
KAELEN frowned, crossing his arms. "It doesn't feel like it's been that long, but everything's changed. I mean, look at the technology. The energy in the air... This world is different."
DRAEGEN's eyes narrowed, searching for answers. "If it's been that long, what has happened? Why is this world still so unfamiliar to us? We've seen the future before, but this..."
VEXEN, usually the first to crack a joke or stir things up, paused for a moment. His usual grin faltered, replaced by a rare, more serious expression. "You're telling me it's been more than 10,000 years? No way. We were high school students just a blink ago. How could time have passed like this?"
VALTHOR's calm demeanor shifted slightly, his gaze still locked on the horizon. "Whatever's happening, we need answers. The world isn't the same. But something doesn't feel right... It's like the Earth we left behind has been swallowed by time, and we've only just returned."
KAELEN's voice grew sharper, his suspicions rising. "How did we even get here? How did we go from Alexandria to Murim and then back here again? We should have been far away, or at least stuck in Murim forever. This doesn't make sense."
⸻
The brothers stood in stunned silence as the magnitude of their situation dawned on them. The Earth they had known—before Alexandria, before Murim—was now lost to the sands of time. And though they felt an odd sense of familiarity, everything had changed.
Thanks for reading Chapter 1 of Beyond the Rift!
Who exactly are these mysterious brothers?
And why does the world they once knew feel so... wrong?
The real story is only just beginning.
Stick around — the secrets beyond the Rift are bigger than anyone can imagine.
Drop a comment if you're curious about the brothers' past lives!
Next chapter: more action, more mystery... and maybe a glimpse of the power they've been hiding.