Seoul was no longer a city.
It was a fortress.
Barricades reinforced with mana-infused steel cut through the streets. Hunter squads moved with precision—rotating positions, conserving energy, and striking only when necessary.
The chaos from the first invasion was gone.
Now—
this was war.
Above the city, the tear in the sky widened further.
And from it…
Something descended.
Slowly.
Heavily.
Every hunter felt it before they saw it.
A crushing pressure.
Not like the Apostles.
Worse.
One SS-rank froze mid-step.
"…What is that?"
The air trembled as the figure landed.
Unlike the Apostles, it had a stable form.
Humanoid.
Tall.
Its body was covered in shifting, abyssal patterns—but its shape did not distort.
It looked… complete.
The first National Rank—now far beyond his previous limit—narrowed his eyes.
"…So they've sent something stronger."
The creature opened its eyes.
Only two.
But within them was far more intelligence than the Apostles.
Then it spoke:
"Designation: Higher Servant."
"Objective: Eradication of evolving species."
The Difference in Power
The moment it moved—
The battlefield collapsed.
Not exploded.
Collapsed.
As if space itself bent under its presence.
Several S-rank hunters were instantly forced to their knees.
One of them coughed blood.
"…We can't fight that."
Another shook his head.
"No… we have to."
Because behind them—
Were millions of civilians.
Humanity Stands
The evolved National Rank stepped forward.
Beside him, the newly evolved S-rank joined.
Then another.
And another.
Hunters who had broken their limits.
Not fully stable.
Not fully complete.
But strong enough to stand.
The National Rank spoke calmly:
"We hold it here."
The others nodded.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Just resolve.
The Higher Servant observed them.
Then—
It smiled.
A human expression.
But wrong.
"Adaptation acknowledged."
"Further escalation permitted."
The sky above pulsed.
More of them were coming.
Humanity Realizes the Truth
Inside command centers across the world—
The data finally aligned.
Patterns became clear.
The director of the Hunter Association spoke slowly:
"They're not trying to destroy us quickly."
Silence filled the room.
Another analyst whispered:
"…They're testing us."
The director nodded.
"Yes."
"They're scaling their forces… based on us."
Which meant—
The stronger humanity became…
The stronger the enemies would get.
And there was no upper limit.
Far Away — A Frozen World
In another universe—
Silence ruled.
Endless ice stretched across the horizon.
Mountains frozen mid-collapse.
Oceans turned to solid crystal.
Even the sky was pale… unmoving.
A dead world.
Or something close to it.
Jinyoung stepped onto the frozen ground.
The moment his foot touched the surface—
Cracks spread for miles.
The world reacted to him.
He looked around calmly.
"…No life."
Then—
A voice echoed.
Cold.
Ancient.
"You're wrong."
The temperature dropped instantly.
Jinyoung turned.
A figure stood in the distance.
White hair.
Eyes like frozen stars.
An aura so cold it seemed to slow time itself.
The Lord of Ice
The being stepped forward.
Each step froze the air itself.
"I am life."
"I am what remains."
Jinyoung studied him carefully.
"…You're not a Monarch."
The figure shook his head.
"No."
"I surpassed that long ago."
The air trembled.
Ice spread infinitely outward from his presence.
"I am what your kind would call…"
He paused.
Then finished calmly:
"A Lord."
A Test, Not a Battle
Jinyoung's aura rose slightly.
Not fully.
Just enough.
"I came for answers."
The Lord of Ice looked at him.
Then smiled faintly.
"Then survive."
The world froze.
Instantly.
Not gradually.
Not expanding.
Everything.
Even space itself seemed to slow.
Jinyoung's eyes sharpened.
His aura flared.
He moved—
Barely dodging a spear of absolute ice that pierced where his head had been. The explosion that followed froze the sky itself.
"Tsk… let me explain the difference," the Lord said calmly.
"The difference between a Monarch and a Lord is not strength… but authority."
"Your strength doesn't increase. Your authority does."
"A first-generation Monarch who transcends—like me—can split their authority into fragments, grant it to subordinates, and even create avatars that wield a portion of it."
"So no… there is no direct boost in strength."
Jinyoung narrowed his eyes.
The Lord continued:
"Your Monarch is nothing compared to me."
"I once froze infinite universes—each containing infinite dimensions and subspaces. That universe was unbound by time and physics."
He paused.
"But that was before."
"Now… I am nothing but a broken shell."
"Even still—"
"It is enough."
The Lord burst forward with a punch.
Jinyoung blocked—
But the sheer force made him grit his teeth.
"You're not fun," the Lord muttered.
He crafted a weapon from ice and swung it.
Instantly—
Countless realms shattered.
Jinyoung focused inwardly, remembering his battle against Sillad.
He unleashed Void Shield—
A barrier of darkness that reflected attacks into surrounding dimensions.
Boom.
Infinite layers of space fractured.
The Lord of Ice stopped.
He observed Jinyoung carefully.
"…You're incomplete."
Jinyoung didn't deny it.
"I know."
The Lord continued:
"You defeated destruction… but you don't understand existence."
Silence filled the frozen world.
Then he added:
"Good."
"Because if you did…"
"You would already be dead."
Truth of the Past
The ice around them calmed slightly.
The Lord of Ice spoke again:
"We left our universe once."
"Those who transcended."
Jinyoung's eyes narrowed.
"…And?"
The answer came cold.
"They died."
"Not in battle."
"Not in war."
"Erased."
Jinyoung didn't react outwardly.
But internally—
He understood.
There were beings beyond Monarchs.
Beyond Lords.
Watching.
Back to Earth — The War Intensifies
The Higher Servant raised its hand.
A massive construct of distorted energy formed above Seoul.
Hunters braced themselves.
The National Rank spoke one word:
"Now."
Every evolved hunter moved at once.
Coordinated.
Precise.
Humanity's first true counterattack—
Against a superior being.