The moment it charged—
Everything sharpened.
Not just Riser's vision.
Not just his senses.
The world itself—
Felt clearer.
Like something had been peeled away.
The entity moved first.
A blur.
Faster than before.
Faster than it should have been.
But this time—
Riser saw it.
Not the movement.
The transition.
That split moment—
Where it became real.
"...There."
He stepped forward.
No hesitation.
The shard burned in his hand.
Not painfully.
But intensely.
As if responding—
To something beyond him.
Their attacks collided.
CLANG—
But the impact didn't push him back.
Instead—
The entity flickered.
Forced.
Its form destabilized—
Even though it was in its anchored state.
Lyra's eyes widened slightly.
"...You're overriding it."
Riser didn't answer.
Because he felt it too.
That connection.
The shard—
Was no longer reacting.
It was guiding.
The system flared.
[System Notification]Phase Interference: EnhancedResonance Alignment: 48% → 62%External Signal Detected
Riser's breath slowed.
"...Signal?"
The entity attacked again.
But this time—
Riser moved first.
He stepped into its range—
Perfect timing—
The shard pulsed—
And the entity—
Froze.
Not completely.
But enough.
Lyra moved instantly.
Her blade cut through—
Deep.
The fracture widened.
The entity staggered—
Its form unstable again.
"...We're breaking it."
Lyra said quietly.
Riser nodded slightly.
"...Yeah."
But something felt—
Off.
The shard pulsed again.
Not in rhythm.
Different.
Slower.
Deeper.
Then—
The system reacted.
[System Warning]External Link Attempt InitiatedSource: UnknownAuthorization: DeniedOverride Attempt Detected
Riser's eyes narrowed.
"...Override?"
The air changed.
The darkness—
Shifted.
For the first time—
It felt like something was pushing back.
Not the entity.
Something else.
Lyra felt it too.
Her voice dropped.
"...This isn't coming from it."
Riser's grip tightened on the shard.
"...I know."
The entity moved again—
But slower now.
Unstable.
Cracking.
But—
Still dangerous.
It attacked.
Riser stepped forward—
Intercept—
The shard flared—
The entity flickered—
Lyra struck—
Another deep hit.
The fracture spread.
Almost—
Breaking.
But then—
Everything stopped.
Not movement.
Not time.
Something else.
The shard—
Went silent.
Riser's body froze—
Not by force.
But by something deeper.
A presence.
Right behind him.
Close.
Too close.
"...So this is the one."
The voice—
Was calm.
But—
Wrong.
Not loud.
But it echoed—
Inside his mind.
Lyra's eyes widened.
"...Riser?"
He didn't respond.
Because he couldn't.
The world around him dimmed slightly.
The entity—
Still there.
Frozen in place.
Everything—
Paused.
Except—
That presence.
"...Interesting."
The voice again.
Closer now.
"...You've already reached this level."
Riser's eyes moved slightly.
Just enough—
To see.
A figure.
Not fully visible.
Not fully real.
Standing—
Right behind him.
Watching.
"...You can hear me, can't you?"
Riser's jaw tightened slightly.
He didn't answer.
But—
He didn't need to.
The figure chuckled softly.
"...Good."
The shard pulsed again.
Weakly.
Like it was resisting.
"...That thing chose you."
The voice carried a faint amusement.
"...Or maybe… you chose it."
Lyra moved.
She stepped toward Riser—
"...Who are you?"
But—
The figure didn't look at her.
Didn't even acknowledge her.
"...You're not ready yet."
That line—
Was directed at Riser.
Not her.
Riser's grip tightened.
"...Tch—"
The shard pulsed suddenly—
Violently.
A surge.
The stillness—
Broke.
Time resumed.
The entity lunged—
Riser moved instantly—
CLASH—
The fight snapped back into motion.
Lyra reacted—
Her strike followed—
But—
The presence—
Was gone.
Completely.
Riser's breathing was slightly heavier now.
"...You saw that, right?"
Lyra hesitated.
"...I saw… something."
"...But not clearly."
Riser exhaled slowly.
"...Yeah."
The shard pulsed again.
Stable now.
But different.
And the entity—
Was breaking.
Its form cracked further.
Unstable.
Close to collapse.
But Riser's focus—
Had shifted.
Because now—
This wasn't just a fight anymore.
Something else—
Had entered the game.
And it knew him.