Outside—
Draven's body slowly began rising into the air.
His arms hung loosely at his sides.
His eyes remained closed.
Then—
the Abyssal mana leaking from the crack suddenly began to move.
**WHOOSH!**
Streams of dark mana poured through the ruined streets.
The Abyssal mana surrounding the Rift Breakers also began shifting.
One stream.
Then another.
Then dozens.
All of it began flowing toward Draven.
The mana surged through the ruins before being drawn directly into his body.
**BOOOOM!**
The ground beneath him cracked under the immense pressure.
Aldric stared upward.
His eyes narrowed.
"...So he's doing it."
He watched as more and more Abyssal mana was drawn toward Draven.
"...He's actually creating a mana pool."
Aldric remained silent for a moment.
Then—
"...Brat."
His expression became complicated.
*...Just what the hell are you planning to create?*
---
Inside one of the military airships—
an officer hurried into the command deck.
"Captain!"
The captain turned toward him.
"What is it?"
The officer quickly saluted.
"The corrupted are advancing."
"They're moving toward the evacuation routes."
The captain's expression hardened.
"...How many?"
"We don't have an exact count yet."
The officer swallowed.
"But they're continuing to spread."
The captain looked through the viewing window toward the battlefield below.
"...We can't let them continue."
He turned toward another officer.
"Are the cannons ready?"
The officer immediately checked the communication device.
"...Not yet, sir."
The captain's jaw tightened.
"How long?"
The officer hesitated.
"...We're still waiting for confirmation."
The captain's expression darkened.
"Then get me that confirmation."
"Yes, sir!"
The officer immediately moved.
---
Elsewhere—
Lyriana remained standing where she had stopped.
She hadn't moved for several moments.
Her gaze remained fixed toward the distant ruins.
The pressure she had sensed was still lingering.
Faint—
yet unmistakable.
Her expression slowly changed.
*...This feeling.*
Her eyes narrowed.
*...It's the same feeling I sensed back at the castle.*
She remembered that moment.
The pressure.
The sensation of His Highness awakening.
*...His Highness.*
Lyriana's gaze became sharper.
*If that's the case...*
Her eyes shifted toward the ruins.
*...then there's only one possibility.*
A faint realization crossed her face.
*He created a mana pool.*
She remained silent.
*I had my doubts.*
For a moment—
she simply stared into the distance.
Then—
a small smile appeared on her face.
*...It seems I underestimated him.*
The pressure continued spreading through the distance.
Lyriana slowly turned away.
*If he's already finished...*
Her figure blurred.
And—
**WHOOSH!**
She disappeared from the spot.
---
Inside the spatial port—
the massive hall remained crowded.
Soldiers and port security officers moved through the packed lines, attempting to keep the civilians organized as people continued pushing toward the available portals.
Amid the crowd—
Pythia suddenly felt the earring on her ear vibrate.
She immediately touched it.
A familiar voice came through the connection.
"My Lord has awakened."
Pythia's expression changed slightly.
Vaelith continued.
"He should be able to complete his mana pool soon."
Pythia's eyes narrowed.
"...Understood."
"Lady Lyriana is already on her way with the artifact."
Vaelith paused.
"Have you secured the spatial circle?"
Pythia glanced toward the deeper section of the port.
"...We're working on it."
"We'll begin once Lady Lyriana arrives."
"I'll contact you again when we've secured everything."
"Good."
The connection ended.
Pythia lowered her hand.
She looked toward Kaelira.
"...My Lord will be arriving soon."
Her expression became serious.
"We need to prepare."
Kaelira nodded.
"Alright."
Pythia looked around the crowded hall.
Then—
her eyes narrowed.
"...Where's Ryke?"
Kaelira blinked.
She glanced around.
"...Huh?"
She searched through the crowd.
"He was just here."
Her eyes moved from one side of the hall to another.
"...Where the hell did he go?"
Pythia sighed.
"We don't have time for this."
She raised her arm.
A small magic circle appeared above her palm.
"Honestly..."
"...This is why I don't like dealing with underlings."
"They never know what they're supposed to do."
Kaelira's eyes suddenly began to glow.
She scanned the crowded hall.
The magic circle shifted slightly, pointing toward a particular direction.
Kaelira followed it.
Her gaze moved between the civilians.
Then—
she spotted him.
Ryke was moving through the crowd.
Above his head—
a dark magical sign resembling an eye hovered faintly.
He was heading directly toward one of the portals.
Kaelira's eyes narrowed.
"...Found you."
She crouched.
Then—
**BOOM!**
She launched herself forward.
Her small figure slipped between the civilians with incredible speed.
Several people barely noticed her.
A moment later—
she appeared directly in front of Ryke.
Ryke stopped abruptly.
"..."
Kaelira stared at him.
Ryke stared back.
Silence.
Kaelira tilted her head.
"...Do you mind telling me what you're trying to do?"
Ryke's expression immediately sank.
"...Damn."
He sighed.
"I thought I'd be able to avoid something like this."
Kaelira folded her arms.
Ryke glanced toward the portal behind her.
"Tell you what..."
"...Why don't you do me a favor?"
"Just pretend you didn't see anything."
He gestured toward the chaos surrounding them.
"You see all this?"
"...This isn't my cup of tea."
"This is way beyond me."
He gave a nervous laugh.
"At this point, I'm just sticking my neck out there, waiting for someone to cut it off."
Kaelira stared at him.
"So..."
"You're afraid."
"And you want to escape."
Ryke hesitated.
Then—
"...Yeah."
His voice became quieter.
"I'm afraid."
"I don't want to die."
"I'm not like you."
"You chose to get involved in all this."
"But me?"
He pointed toward the battlefield beyond the port.
"I'm being dragged into this because of the situation."
"If I can just get through that portal..."
"...I'll be free."
He looked at Kaelira.
"So..."
"Can you please stop blocking me?"
Ryke slowly reached beneath his cloak.
Then—
he pulled out a weapon.
A small mana pistol.
He raised it slightly.
"I'm asking nicely."
Kaelira's eyes widened.
Then her expression changed.
"...Wow."
She looked at the weapon.
"A mana pistol?"
A faint grin appeared on her face.
"To think you've been hiding something like that."
Her eyes narrowed.
"But..."
She looked directly into Ryke's eyes.
"...Are you sure you want to do this?"
Her grin widened.
"I don't really mind either way."
"If you attack me..."
She leaned slightly forward.
"...then you'll be giving me the perfect reason to kill you."
Ryke's expression stiffened.
Kaelira continued.
"And then I'll just tell Master Aldric why."
She stepped closer.
"So..."
"Go ahead."
Ryke's grip tightened around the pistol.
*...Damn it.*
Before either of them could move—
a voice suddenly shouted from nearby.
"What the hell are you two doing?!"
Both of them froze.
Several civilians had already turned toward them.
Then—
more people began staring.
The commotion had drawn attention.
Several port guards started pushing through the crowd.
"Move aside!"
"What's happening?"
"Put the weapon down!"
Ryke's face immediately paled.
Kaelira glanced around.
"...Oops."
Ryke slowly lowered the pistol.
"...This isn't good."
More guards began gathering around them.
Pythia, standing several meters away, stared at the scene.
Her expression darkened.
"...Ryke."
She slowly closed her eyes.
*...What an idiot.*