The battlefield fell silent.
Not because the fighting had stopped.
But because everyone felt it.
The pressure.
The terrifying presence radiating from the man standing before Kael.
⸻
The Hollow Hunter Commander slowly stepped forward.
Darkness followed his every movement.
Not Void energy.
Not entirely.
This darkness felt alive.
Like a living creature coiling around its master.
⸻
His violet eyes remained fixed on Kael.
Studying him.
Evaluating him.
⸻
"You are stronger than the reports suggested."
His voice was calm.
Almost respectful.
⸻
Kael stood amidst the ruined street.
Golden energy flickered around him.
The Origin Core pulsed steadily.
⸻
"You talk too much."
⸻
The Commander's lips curled slightly.
⸻
"Good."
⸻
BOOM!
⸻
The street beneath him vanished.
Not shattered.
Not broken.
Erased.
⸻
Kael's pupils contracted.
⸻
Fast.
Far faster than the other Hollow Hunters.
⸻
Origin Step!
⸻
Golden light flashed.
⸻
Yet the Commander appeared beside him instantly.
⸻
Too fast.
⸻
A black fist collided with Kael's guard.
⸻
BOOOOM!
⸻
Kael was launched through multiple buildings.
Stone exploded into the night sky.
The shockwave alone flattened an entire district block.
⸻
Gasps erupted throughout Starfall City.
⸻
Many watching cultivators couldn't even follow the exchange.
⸻
Kael crashed through a tower before finally stopping.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
⸻
The Commander hadn't used a technique.
Only physical strength.
⸻
And he was already stronger than anything Kael had faced.
⸻
Far above—
Lyra's expression hardened.
⸻
"Commander-level."
⸻
One of the arriving elders nodded grimly.
⸻
"The Void has become desperate."
⸻
Suddenly—
Blue light erupted from Lyra's body.
⸻
The heavens trembled.
⸻
The silver crest hidden upon her robes illuminated.
⸻
Every expert present immediately froze.
⸻
One elder lowered his head.
⸻
"Azure Star Saintess…"
⸻
The title spread through the battlefield like lightning.
⸻
Saintess.
⸻
Not heir.
Not disciple.
⸻
Saintess.
⸻
One of the highest positions within the Azure Star Sanctuary.
⸻
Even Kael looked surprised.
⸻
Lyra ignored everyone's reactions.
Her focus remained entirely on the battlefield.
⸻
The Commander glanced toward her briefly.
⸻
"Saintess Lyra."
⸻
His voice carried no fear.
Only acknowledgment.
⸻
"You should not interfere."
⸻
Lyra's blue eyes became cold.
⸻
"And you should not exist."
⸻
The sky exploded.
⸻
BOOOOM!
⸻
Lyra attacked.
The Commander countered.
⸻
Their clash split the clouds apart.
⸻
Entire districts trembled beneath the impact.
⸻
Kael watched carefully.
⸻
This was true high-level combat.
⸻
The difference between him and them remained enormous.
⸻
Yet—
The Origin Core suddenly pulsed.
⸻
The inheritance reacted again.
⸻
Fragments of ancient memories surfaced.
⸻
A massive vault.
Ancient doors.
Countless Origin symbols.
⸻
Then a voice echoed through his mind.
⸻
The Ancient Star Vault is not a treasure chamber.
⸻
Kael froze.
⸻
The voice continued.
⸻
It is a prison.
⸻
His eyes widened slightly.
⸻
Prison?
⸻
The memories intensified.
⸻
He saw Origin Bearers sealing something inside.
Something vast.
Something terrifying.
⸻
Then the vision ended.
⸻
Kael's heart sank.
⸻
The Northern Convergence.
The tournament.
The Ancient Star Vault.
⸻
None of it was what people believed.
⸻
Suddenly—
The Commander appeared before him again.
⸻
No warning.
No buildup.
⸻
A black blade descended.
⸻
Kael activated Origin Step instantly.
⸻
Yet this time—
The Commander predicted it.
⸻
Their eyes met.
⸻
For the first time—
The Commander smiled.
⸻
"I found the pattern."
⸻
BOOOOM!
⸻
The blade struck.
⸻
Kael barely shifted aside.
Even then—
The attack cut across his chest.
⸻
Blood sprayed into the air.
⸻
The city gasped.
⸻
Kael retreated several steps.
⸻
Danger.
Extreme danger.
⸻
The Commander had begun adapting.
Just as Kael adapted to others—
The Commander was adapting to him.
⸻
Then—
Everything suddenly froze.
⸻
The sky darkened unnaturally.
⸻
The stars disappeared.
⸻
Every person in Starfall City looked upward.
⸻
A giant violet eye appeared among the clouds.
⸻
The Void Lord.
⸻
Not a projection this time.
Not entirely.
⸻
A fragment of his will.
⸻
The pressure descended upon the city.
Countless cultivators collapsed instantly.
⸻
The Void Lord spoke.
⸻
His voice echoed across the entire northern region.
⸻
"Origin has awakened."
⸻
Silence followed.
⸻
Then—
The giant eye slowly turned toward Kael.
⸻
"We remember your kind."
⸻
The air became colder.
⸻
"And we remember how they died."
⸻
BOOOOM!
⸻
The eye vanished.
The darkness receded.
⸻
Yet the message remained.
⸻
A declaration.
A warning.
A challenge.
⸻
The Commander stepped backward.
⸻
His mission had changed.
⸻
He looked at Kael one final time.
⸻
Then spoke quietly.
⸻
"The Lord has seen you."
⸻
For the first time—
The Commander bowed slightly.
⸻
Not respectfully.
⸻
Like a hunter acknowledging dangerous prey.
⸻
Then—
The Hollow Hunters retreated.
⸻
One by one.
⸻
Vanishing into darkness.
⸻
The battle was over.
⸻
But nobody celebrated.
⸻
Because everyone understood.
⸻
Tonight had not been an attack.
⸻
It had been an announcement.
⸻
The Void had officially declared war.
⸻
Host: Kael Veyron
Realm:
Origin Awakening Stage 2
Abilities:
• Origin Sense
• Origin Flash
• Origin Pulse
• Origin Perception
• Origin Resonance
• Origin Step (Origin Art — First Release)
Equipment:
• Ring of the First Pulse
• Azure Star Token
Special Knowledge:
• Ancient Star Vault = Ancient Prison
• Void Lord has personally noticed you
Current Objective:
• Recover from battle
• Investigate the Star Vault
• Prepare for the Northern Convergence