"...What the hell...?"
The words slipped from Haru's lips in a whisper. A bead of sweat rolled down his jaw.
The distortion intensified.
Outside, the Rift Gate trembled violently. Its familiar dark-purple glow twisted and warped before gradually turning crimson red.
A low hum spread across the area. Unnatural. Wrong.
The two officers watching from outside immediately exchanged looks. Then ran.
One nearly stumbled as they rushed toward their vehicle.
---
At the TWA Headquarters
"Hello. This is the Association Headquarters Emergency Line. What's the problem?"
A male employee answered the call professionally.
"T-the Rift turned red!!"
The officer's voice cracked.
"And it's distorting!!"
The employee froze. Only for a second.
Then his chair screeched backward.
"A Red Rift has appeared!" he shouted across the office.
"Report immediately to all Division Commanders!"
"...What!?"
Several employees snapped their heads up.
The room instantly erupted into motion.
Monitors lit up. Keyboards clattered.
Information flooded through the network.
Coordinates. Formation data. Location reports. Every employee received the same alert. For a brief moment, they stared at the information displayed across their screens.
Then everyone moved at once.
Outside the headquarters, dark clouds slowly gathered overhead. Not just in japan but throughout the world.
As if a storm had sensed something awakening.
---
Ding—
A notification appeared on Yumi's monitor.
At the same moment, identical alerts appeared on the screens of Aezeth, Venill, and the Third Division Commander.
All four immediately opened the report.
Their expressions hardened.
Since the Cataclysm, every Void Rift had always appeared dark purple. Always.
A red Rift had never existed.
That alone was enough to make the situation terrifying.
Yumi's phone vibrated. The same report.
The E-Rank Rift. Now transformed into a crimson, glitching gate. Her fingers tightened around the phone.
"...Haru."
The whisper barely left her lips.
Venill rose from his chair. No jokes. No grin.
Just silence. Then he headed for the door.
The other Division Commanders did the same. All except the Third Commander.
Normally, guilds would be dispatched first.
Not this time. The Division Commanders themselves were moving.
---
The Red Rift
The crimson gate released a dreadful hum.
The sound crawled across the air like something alive. Its distorted surface twisted continuously.
A suffocating aura seeped outward.
---
Inside the Red Rift
A single drop of sweat struck the ground.
The distortion continued. The air trembled.
Yet nothing emerged. Nothing changed.
Then—
The warped space began displaying images. Like static flickering across an old television screen.
Fragments of memories. Yue. Her smile.
Her voice. Moments Haru treasured more than his own life.
"...Give up."
A distorted voice echoed through the cave.
Haru immediately turned. Nothing. Nobody.
"...What?" His grip tightened around the sword. "Who are you!?"
"...You will never see her again."
The voice laughed. "...Your dear Yue."
Haru's jaw clenched. His eyes darted from one direction to another. Searching.
Listening. The voice seemed to come from everywhere. And nowhere.
"I can feel she's alive." His voice lowered.
Steadier. "So I wo—"
"...Won't give up until you find her?"
The voice finished for him. Mocking.
Laughing.
"Even if you do..." The distortion rippled.
"...She won't be the same woman you once knew."
The laughter grew louder.
"...Huh?" Confusion flashed across Haru's face. "What do you mean?"
"...Someone embedded a law into reality."
The voice became calmer. More dangerous.
"Only one version of an individual may exist within a single universe." Silence.
"Either one replaces the other..."
The distorted voice paused.
"...or they become one."
The words hit Haru like a wall. His brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"
Then the voice changed. Cold. Emotionless.
"You have to die." The temperature of the cave seemed to drop. "I won't allow you to stand in his way."
A long pause followed.
"...And since this World System prevents me from killing you myself..." The voice laughed.
A horrible laugh.
"...I'll let my toys devour you instead."
The laughter echoed. Then vanished.
The distortion exploded outward.
Reality shattered. The cave expanded.
Far beyond its previous size.
A colossal underground world revealed itself. Dark stone. Endless shadows.
awwNo visible end.
---
Outside the Rift
The four Division Commanders arrived.
Immediately. Their eyes narrowed.
The aura leaking from the Rift washed over them. Dark. Ominous. Powerful.
"...What the hell is happening inside!?"
Yumi's voice nearly broke into a shout.
Aezeth glanced at her. Then back at the Rift.
"The man you're assigned to watch is inside, right?"
This time there was no teasing.
Only concern.
Venill folded his arms. His expression dark.
"This aura..." His brows lowered.
"It's almost SS-Rank." Silence followed.
"...Like us."
Yumi's heart sank. She began pacing.
Back and forth. Back and forth.
Unable to stay still.
Aezeth watched her for a moment before turning back toward the crimson gate.
---
Inside the Red Rift
Haru stood alone within the enormous cavern.
Then— Rip. Space tore open.
A portal appeared. Then another.
And another. Three portals. All at once.
Haru's expression darkened. Sweat rolled down his face.
Step.
A heavy footstep echoed. Then another.
Then dozens. Twenty-four enormous monsters emerged from the portals.
The cavern trembled beneath their weight.
"Leave immediately!"
The system's voice rang out.
"THERE'S NO WAY OUT!"
Haru shouted back. Frustration. Fear. Anger.
Everything leaked into his voice.
"The exit is gone.." His breathing shook.
"That thing trapped me here."
The monsters advanced. Slowly. Relentlessly. Haru stared at them. His instincts screamed. Run. Hide. Survive.
Every fiber of his body knew the truth.
He could not win.
"...Is this how it ends?"
The whisper escaped before he realized it.
Then Yue's face surfaced in his mind.
Her smile. Her voice. The warmth of her hand.
His fingers tightened around the sword.
"No."
He lowered his stance. "I need to survive."
A breath. "I need to become stronger."
Another.
"Yue..." His eyes closed. Then opened. Filled with determination."I want to see you again."
Dash— He charged.
"The monsters are far beyond your level."
The system warned. Again.
Haru ignored it.
Stopping beside the nearest monster, he swung with everything he had. A scream tore from his throat. The blade struck.
Then— Nothing.
The sword didn't even cut the creature's skin.
"...Huh?"
The word barely escaped him.
A gigantic fist was already beside him.
Boom—
His body disappeared into the darkness.
Then crashed violently across the cavern floor.
The monsters continued forward. Unhurried.
Certain.
Haru forced himself up.
His sword stabbed into the ground, supporting his weight.
Blood dripped from his forehead. His ribs screamed. His vision shook.
"Warning. Body condition: Severe."
The system's voice echoed.
Yet Haru stood. Barely.
"I can't give up..." His voice trembled.
He charged again.
One monster moved. Fast. Far too fast.
A blade-like arm descended. Haru's eyes widened.
Clang— He blocked. For a second.
The impact drove his feet into the stone.
The ground cracked beneath him.
Another monster raised its arm. Ice gathered. Then exploded forward.
Boom—
Haru was launched away again.
His body bounced across the cavern floor.
Blood stained his clothes. His skin. The ground.
Still— He stood. Again. And ran. Toward impossible odds. Toward death itself.
Then his legs finally gave out. His body collapsed. Vision blurring. Consciousness fading.
His trembling hand stretched forward.
Dark aura began crawling through his veins.
The system moved. Attempting to seize control but something stopped it.
It tried again. Failed. Again. Failed. Again.
Failed.
Haru's eyes slowly closed. The monsters surrounded him.Their attacks gathered.
Ice. Fire. Blades. Stone. All aimed at him.
The system desperately struggled. Again.
Again. Again. And every attempt was rejected.
"...Yue..."
The world became distant. Silent.
"...I want to see you."
His voice cracked.
"I want to be with you..."
His fingers trembled.
"...once again."
The monsters released their attacks. Simultaneously. Haru saw them coming.
Then—
Time slowed.
Slash—
A single strike split through every attack.
Ice shattered. Flames parted. Stone broke apart. The slash continued. Passing through all twenty-four monsters.
Silence.
Then—
Their bodies separated cleanly in half.
One after another.
A figure stepped forward.