Eren's hands trembled as he pushed himself off the cold ground of the academy courtyard. His breathing was uneven, his vision hazy. The Mark on his arm still burned with a dull, throbbing pain, as if something had tried to rip it open from the inside.
He could still feel it.
The Rift.
The war beyond reality.
For a fleeting moment, he had been there—seen the impossible. And now, he knew one thing for certain: something was watching him.
He forced his mind to focus, shaking off the dizziness. The knight's lifeless body still lay ahead, twisted in a way that defied natural death. It wasn't a simple murder. It was a message.
Turn back, Marked One.
But turning back was no longer an option.
---
A Forbidden Investigation
Eren moved quickly, scanning the scorched ground. The darkened stone wasn't just burnt—it was corrupted. A faint energy pulsed from it, almost like an imprint of something that had briefly passed through.
His system chimed.
[Analyzing Residual Energy…]
[Warning: Unknown Entity Signature Detected]
He clenched his fists. The system had detected something, but even it couldn't identify what. That wasn't reassuring.
Then he noticed something else.
The knight's body had symbols etched into his armor—deep scratches forming strange, jagged patterns.
Eren knelt beside the corpse, his fingers hovering over the markings. They weren't random. They were deliberate.
"These symbols…"
He had seen something similar before—in the forbidden texts locked away in the royal archives. They were remnants of an ancient language. A language tied to the Rift.
Before he could examine them further, a noise behind him made him freeze.
Footsteps.
And not just any footsteps.
Armored. Heavy. Approaching fast.
---
Confrontation with the Royal Guard
Eren spun around just as three figures emerged from the shadows. The silver-plated armor of the Royal Guard gleamed under the moonlight, their crimson capes billowing slightly.
Their leader, a towering man with sharp eyes, stepped forward.
"Step away from the body," he ordered, his voice firm.
Eren raised his hands slightly, feigning innocence. "I was just passing by."
The guard's gaze darkened. "Don't lie to me, boy. We received a report of someone sneaking into a restricted area. And here you are."
Eren's mind raced. He couldn't afford to get captured—not when he was so close to uncovering something vital.
"I didn't touch anything," he said carefully. "I was only trying to see what happened."
The second guard, a woman with piercing blue eyes, narrowed her gaze. "A commoner like you shouldn't be meddling in matters beyond your understanding."
That phrase struck a nerve.
Eren had spent years being looked down on, dismissed as insignificant. But now? He wasn't just some commoner anymore.
His Mark pulsed beneath his sleeve, a silent reminder of the power he carried.
"I mean no disrespect," Eren said, forcing a calm tone. "But something is happening here. Something bigger than what you're telling the academy."
The lead guard's expression didn't change, but his eyes sharpened.
"You don't know what you're talking about."
Eren met his gaze without flinching. "Then tell me. Why are there Rift symbols on the knight's armor?"
A flicker of surprise crossed the guard's face, but it was gone in an instant.
"That's none of your concern," he said. "You will leave this place, now. And if I catch you here again…" His hand moved to the hilt of his sword. "I won't be so lenient."
Eren didn't move.
He needed more information.
But challenging the Royal Guard in a direct confrontation would be suicide.
Gritting his teeth, he nodded. "Understood."
Without another word, he turned and walked away, feeling their gazes burn into his back.
This wasn't over.
Not by a long shot.
---
A New Ally?
Back in the academy dorms, Eren sat on the edge of his bed, his mind racing.
The Royal Guard knew something. They were covering up the truth.
But why?
And what was their connection to the Rift?
As he tried to piece everything together, there was a knock at his door.
Eren tensed. At this hour?
Slowly, he opened the door—only to find Lilia standing there, her face unusually serious.
"We need to talk," she said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
Eren shut the door behind her. "You heard about the knight?"
She nodded. "But that's not why I'm here."
Her next words sent a chill down his spine.
"There's someone in the academy looking for you. Someone dangerous."
Eren's eyes narrowed. "Who?"
Lilia hesitated.
"They call him The Seeker."
The air in the room grew heavy.
That name…
Eren had read it before.
The Seeker of the Rift.
A hunter of those who bore the Cursed Mark.
And now—
He was coming for Eren.