The forest was unnervingly silent, as if the world itself were holding its breath. Elara Reinhart and Kael Forger moved with practiced ease through the thick underbrush, their steps light yet purposeful. The air was thick with the lingering scent of damp earth and mana, a sign that something unnatural was brewing.
Elara's sharp silver eyes flicked around, scanning every shadow and movement. Her long, silver hair was tied back into a high ponytail, strands swaying with each step. A gloved hand rested lightly on the hilt of her sword, ready to draw at the first sign of danger.
Kael walked slightly behind her, his piercing golden eyes shifting cautiously between the trees. Unlike the rest of his noble family, his hair was dark—a rare genetic throwback that made him stand out. His fingers twitched near the hilts of his twin daggers, a nervous habit he'd developed over the years.
Breaking the silence, Kael muttered, "That man back there... something's off about him."
Elara didn't turn but acknowledged him with a quiet hum.
"And the baby," Kael continued, his voice quieter now, as if speaking too loudly would make his thoughts real. "Did you notice his hair? Blue. Just like the Forger main family's lineage. And yet, he's living in the middle of nowhere with a guy who looks like he could punch through a castle wall."
Elara's grip on her sword tightened slightly. "I noticed." She exhaled, measured and slow. "But right now, we have a mission. Whatever's going on with them… it's not our problem."
Kael let out a sharp breath, clearly dissatisfied with that answer. "You think the higher-ups will see it that way? If a noble heir went missing and ended up here—"
"Drop it, Kael." Her tone was final.
He clicked his tongue but didn't press further. He knew Elara well enough to recognize when she wouldn't budge.
Still, something in his gut told him that meeting wasn't a coincidence.
---
The Rift Opens
The designated site was eerily empty—a wide clearing surrounded by twisted trees, their bark blackened as if scorched by some unseen force. The air felt heavier here, thick with the static of mana buildup.
Elara came to a halt, her senses sharpening. The satellite reports had classified this as a C-rank rift, but something about the area made her uneasy.
"Stay alert," she ordered, her voice cutting through the silence. "Even a C-rank rift can be unpredictable."
Kael smirked, though his fingers flexed on his daggers. "Relax, Elara. We've handled worse."
Before she could respond, the ground trembled beneath them. The air cracked, and space itself twisted unnaturally. A swirling vortex of darkness tore open in the sky, tendrils of energy lashing out like grasping fingers. The rift had opened.
Then, the monsters came.
Grotesque, twisted creatures clawed their way into reality—limbs too long, teeth jagged and uneven, eyes glowing with malevolent hunger. Their movements were jerky, unnatural, as if something was forcing them to move.
Elara's expression hardened. "We clear them out. Quickly."
---
The Battle Begins
Elara didn't hesitate. Her mana flared, and the temperature around her plummeted. A thin mist curled around her feet as Frostblade, her family's unique mana technique, surged to life. Her sword gleamed with an icy glow, frost creeping along its length.
"Frozen Slash!"
With a single, fluid motion, she swung her blade. A wave of ice burst forth, engulfing several monsters in an instant. The frost spread rapidly, encasing them in crystalline prisons before they could even scream. A second later, she shattered them with precise strikes, their bodies crumbling into frozen shards.
Kael moved in tandem, his daggers igniting with a fiery glow. His Emberforge technique wove flames through each attack, searing through the creatures like molten knives through butter. He moved like a shadow—ducking, weaving, striking.
"You're slowing down, Elara!" he teased between attacks.
She didn't glance at him but smirked slightly. "Keep up if you can."
For a while, it seemed like they had control. The combination of ice and fire worked seamlessly, monsters dropping like flies.
But then… the rift shuddered.
---
The Rift's Betrayal
The air grew thick with an overwhelming, crushing presence. The darkness at the rift's core twisted violently, the swirling energy turning more chaotic.
Elara's stomach dropped.
Something was wrong.
Kael's usual smirk vanished. "Elara… tell me that's normal."
"It's not." Her voice was grim.
The rift pulsed—and then it expanded.
A new surge of energy exploded outward, tendrils of dark mana lashing through the clearing like whips. The monsters that had been pouring out moments ago vanished, as if consumed by the very portal that birthed them.
The shadows thickened, taking form.
Then, the true horror emerged.
A towering figure crawled out of the rift, its body covered in shifting, pulsating black armor. Its glowing crimson eyes locked onto them, and for the first time in a long time, Elara felt something close to fear.
Kael's hands clenched around his daggers. "That's… that's not C-rank rift anymore"
Elara swallowed hard. "No. That's A-rank."
---
A Desperate Fight
The creature moved.
Faster than it should have. Faster than either of them could react.
A dark tendril lashed out. Elara barely managed to dodge, rolling across the ground as the attack shattered the earth where she had stood. Kael leaped away, flames erupting from his daggers in an effort to hold the monster back.
But it was too strong. Too fast.
"This isn't working!" Kael shouted, frustration lacing his voice.
Elara's mind raced. [We need a new plan. We can't fight it head-on.]
"Kael, cover me!" she commanded.
He didn't hesitate. He launched a barrage of flame, forcing the monster's attention onto him while Elara gathered her mana. Frost swirled around her blade, the cold intensifying.
"Glacial Nova!"
A massive surge of ice erupted outward, engulfing the creature. The ground itself froze beneath it.
For a second, she thought they had won.
Then the ice shattered—and the darkness surged toward them.Just as they were about to fight again,
"Stand down."
A new voice cut through the chaos—deep, steady, and commanding.
The monster froze.
Elara and Kael turned in shock as the massive man from before stepped into the clearing.
His expression was unreadable, calm. He didn't unsheathe a weapon. Didn't take a stance. He simply walked forward, as if the A-rank nightmare before him was no more than a mild inconvenience.
The monster roared, lunging—
Adam moved.
Faster than anything Elara had ever seen.
One punch.
The monster flew, crashing through the trees.
Silence fell.
Kael stared, mouth slightly open. "What the f—"
Adam exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "You two should leave."
Elara's mind spun. [What… just happened?]
As they retreated, she glanced back at Adam one last time.
[Who is he?]
And more importantly—
[What is he?]
__________________________________________
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