The Summoning of a Nightmare
The air twisted unnaturally, space itself bending around the abyssal rift that had opened in the ruins of New Bastion. From within its depths, something stirred.
Daniel narrowed his eyes, his Apex Sovereign's Perception already picking up distortions in reality itself. This wasn't just another Riftborn horror.
This was something worse.
The Crimson Sovereign's voice echoed through the battlefield, his abyssal undertones warping reality as he spoke.
"Tell me, Devourer. Have you ever faced something that was never meant to exist?"
A massive, warped limb emerged from the rift, dragging a towering, grotesque form into reality. The creature was a fusion of abyssal metal, living void essence, and celestial corruption.
Its body was layered in jagged plating, its veins pulsing with something that felt far too alive. Its eyes—if they could be called that—were empty voids, each one containing glimpses of countless dying stars and forgotten realms.
The Rift Hunters staggered back instinctively, their weapons trembling in their hands. Even Voss's silver eyes hardened, his grip on his sword tightening.
Ash muttered, "…This thing shouldn't be here."
Daniel grinned. "Yeah? Well, neither should I."
---
The Beast Unleashes Chaos
The creature let out a low, guttural roar, the sound reverberating through existence itself.
The moment the noise hit them, several weaker Rift Hunters collapsed instantly, their bodies convulsing as if their minds couldn't handle the sheer wrongness of the sound.
That was no ordinary roar.
Daniel's system flashed with a warning.
---
[WARNING: EXPOSURE TO ELDRITCH-FUSED ENTITY DETECTED]
[MENTAL RESISTANCE TEST INITIATED… SUCCESS]
---
Daniel shook off the pressure with ease, but others weren't as lucky.
Several Rift Hunters stumbled, clutching their heads in agony.
Voss moved instantly, his sword flashing as he slammed its hilt into the ground, unleashing a silver energy barrier that stabilized those around him.
The beast lurched forward, its massive claws ripping through the remains of a building as it charged directly toward Daniel.
Daniel grinned wider.
"Oh, I like this one."
---
The First Clash: Devourer vs. Abomination
Daniel moved first.
His Abyssborn Talons ignited with writhing black flames, his Abyssal Throne expanding around him, forcing the beast's abyssal energy to bend to his will.
The creature swiped at him with a claw the size of a truck, but Daniel blink-stepped forward—and with a single swipe of his void-infused talons, he sliced through the limb.
Black ichor sprayed from the wound, but instead of simply bleeding, the severed arm reformed instantly—shifting, adapting.
Ash cursed. "It's regenerating at an unnatural rate!"
Daniel chuckled. "Good. Then I won't have to hold back."
---
A Monster That Learns
The creature's form twisted, its body expanding unnaturally before suddenly splitting into multiple shadow-clones of itself.
Daniel's Perception skill immediately kicked in, analyzing the patterns of the split entities.
His system flashed a new update.
---
[New Analysis: Entity is adapting through multi-phased reconstruction. It is feeding off the Rift's instability.]
[Recommended Countermeasure: Absolute Devourer's Consumption]
---
Daniel's grin turned feral.
"Alright, let's see if you can regrow from nothing."
He vanished in a burst of Cosmic Riftwalk, appearing inside the largest clone before activating Devouring Ascension.
Abyssal tendrils erupted from his form, wrapping around the fragmented pieces of the beast and pulling them inward.
The creature screamed—but not in pain.
In recognition.
It understood what was happening.
Daniel wasn't just killing it.
He was erasing it.
---
The Crimson Sovereign Intervenes
The moment Daniel began to devour the creature, the rift above them violently surged, and for the first time, the Crimson Sovereign himself acted.
The voice that had once spoken calmly, arrogantly… suddenly became sharp. Urgent.
"You are becoming an inconvenience."
A pulse of abyssal energy exploded from the rift, slamming into Daniel mid-devour, forcefully disrupting his absorption.
Daniel skidded backward, landing in a crouch as his system flashed error messages.
---
[WARNING: HIGHER ABYSSAL INTERFERENCE DETECTED]
[DEVOURING PROCESS INTERRUPTED]
---
Ash landed beside him, her void dagger humming with power.
"You pissed him off."
Daniel spat out abyssal ichor and grinned. "Took him long enough."
The rift shifted, and for the first time, a figure began to emerge from within.
Voss's silver eyes narrowed. "We need to stop him before he fully manifests."
Daniel cracked his knuckles. "Finally. I get to punch the guy in charge."
---
The Rift Hunter's Stand
The Rift Hunters, though wounded and outnumbered, rallied.
Voss lifted his sword, channeling his own abyssal-infused energy, forming barriers to block the Sovereign's expanding influence.
Ash moved swiftly, already darting into the shadows, looking for an opening to strike.
Daniel stepped forward, void energy rippling around him.
The Crimson Sovereign's form was still taking shape, but his presence alone was enough to make reality bend unnaturally.
"You amuse me, Devourer," the Sovereign's voice echoed. "But you will not stop what has already begun."
Daniel smirked. "Yeah? Watch me."
The final battle for New Bastion had begun.
---
What Comes Next?
Daniel faces the Crimson Sovereign directly.
The Rift Hunters hold the city, but for how long?
Ash uncovers a secret hidden within New Bastion's ruins.
The war for humanity's survival takes its first major turn.
---
Next Time on Ancient Legends: In the Apocalypse With My Dimension Devouring System!
Stay tuned.