The sky above the ocean was dark red.
Ashen clouds swirled overhead like a gigantic vortex, with lightning flashing deep inside them.
But this was no ordinary lightning—
these were crimson flashes born from volcanic eruptions.
Beneath that sky—
an island stood in the middle of the ocean.
Black.
Cracked.
Glowing from within.
Like an open wound on the surface of the Earth.
A gigantic volcano towered over the center of the island.
Lava flowed down its slopes like rivers of blood.
Every few seconds, the ground trembled.
RUMMMMMBLE.
Scientists knew this place as the Continent of Fire.
The most unstable region on the planet.
But to the Nutrient Guardians—
this place was the end of everything.
The seventh Energy Core.
The final one.
The strongest of them all.
Their small cargo plane pierced through the ash clouds.
The cabin shook violently.
Bimo stared down through the window.
"Okay…"
He slowly shook his head.
"This really looks like the final boss's headquarters."
Dika gave a faint grin.
"Because maybe it is."
Farhan studied the navigation screen.
"The Core's coordinates are right at the center of the island."
Lila enlarged the energy readings.
Her expression immediately tightened.
"These numbers are insane…"
She swallowed hard.
"The energy here is greater than all the previous Cores combined."
Silence fell over the cabin.
Sinta stared at the volcano below.
"If this Core breaks free…"
She didn't finish.
She didn't have to.
Everyone understood.
Kai stood near the window.
A faint golden glow flickered in his eyes.
"I can feel it."
Arga slowly turned toward him.
His face had been pale ever since the North Pole.
His body still hadn't recovered.
His right hand was wrapped in bandages.
Every breath felt heavy.
"The Guardian?"
Kai nodded.
His eyes remained fixed on the massive crater.
"It's already awake."
The plane landed on a stretch of black rock at the edge of the island.
ROOOOOOM.
The moment the door opened—
heat slammed into them like a wall.
The wind carried ash and the stench of sulfur.
It felt as though the Earth itself were breathing right in front of their faces.
Bimo immediately took off his jacket.
"Okay."
He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"I officially regret ever complaining about the cold."
Rani stared at the cracked ground around them.
"This place is alive…"
And it was.
Every crack in the rock glowed red.
Lava moved beneath the ground like the veins of a gigantic creature.
Farhan opened his laptop again.
The screen nearly crashed.
"The Core is extremely active!"
Lila pointed toward the volcano at the center of the island.
"It's beneath that crater."
Sinta immediately gave the order.
"If the Dominion hasn't arrived yet, we still have time."
A flat voice came from behind them.
"No."
They turned.
Pak Rahmat stood beside the plane.
His expression was calm.
Hot ash swirled around him—
yet not a single particle settled on his body.
His eyes remained fixed on the volcano.
"We're already too late."
Arga felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise.
Kai glanced at Pak Rahmat…
then said nothing.
The team ran toward the center of the island.
Every step made the soles of their feet burn.
The ground cracked on either side of them.
Small bursts of flame erupted from gaps in the rock.
Arga opened the MBG lunchbox.
Inside—
twenty-two glowing rice grains spun rapidly.
But this time—
their light was unstable.
As if even the Guardian energy itself was restless.
Arga grimaced.
His chest felt as though a burning stone were pressing against it.
Sinta glanced back.
"Can you handle this?"
Arga nodded.
Even though he wasn't sure himself.
They reached the edge of the crater.
And everyone stopped.
Below them—
there was more than just lava.
The entire interior of the volcano churned like a gigantic ocean of fire.
Pillars of magma erupted into the air.
The intense heat made the atmosphere shimmer.
Farhan stared at his screen.
His eyes widened.
"The Core is directly beneath us!"
Suddenly—
RUMMMMMMMMMBLE!
The entire volcano shook.
Massive cracks spread across the crater walls.
Lava erupted high into the air.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
From within the sea of fire—
something rose.
Slowly.
Massive.
Far too massive.
A gigantic head emerged from the magma.
Stone horns.
Eyes like two suns.
A jaw filled with living embers.
Then the rest of its body followed.
Massive wings unfolded from behind the lava.
One powerful beat—
WHOOOOOOOM!
The ash clouds above split apart.
Fire rained from the sky like meteors.
Bimo took a step back.
"…No way."
The creature rose completely from the crater.
Ignivar Draco.
An ancient dragon forged from stone and magma.
Its black hide was cracked.
Lava flowed through the cracks like the blood of hell.
Every movement made the volcano roar.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
Kai whispered,
"The final Guardian."
Ignivar Draco stared at them.
Then opened its mouth.
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!
The roar shattered the air.
A wave of heat swept across the entire island.
Rocks exploded.
Lava sprayed down the volcano's slopes.
Several smaller volcanoes in the distance erupted as well.
Bimo stared blankly at the dragon.
"Okay…"
He pointed at it.
"I take back what I said about the final boss."
Dika swallowed hard.
"This is the final boss and the DLC."
But the roar of engines cut through the raging heat.
WHOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!
Ships emerged from behind the ash clouds.
Dominion vessels.
Larger than ever before.
And more numerous.
Their blue lights challenged the crimson sky.
Sinta clenched her fists.
"They're here."
The main Dominion ship landed on the opposite side of the crater.
Its metal doors opened.
The Dominion leader stepped out.
But this time—
he wore full black armor lined with glowing red energy.
The man in the hat followed behind him.
Several enormous machines were unloaded from the ship.
They were larger than any reactor they had seen before.
Metal pipes glowed red and blue.
Farhan went pale.
"No…"
Lila took a step back.
"That isn't a Core extractor…"
Farhan stared at the incoming data.
"It's a Core breaker."
Everyone fell silent.
Sinta turned sharply.
"What does that mean?"
Farhan swallowed hard.
"They don't want to steal its energy."
He looked at the trembling volcano.
"They want to force the Core to explode."
The Dominion leader gave a faint smile.
"If the world cannot be inherited…"
His eyes settled on Arga.
"…then the world can be rebuilt."
He raised his hand.
"Activate it."
WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!
The massive machines came alive.
The entire island trembled.
The lava inside the crater began rotating in the opposite direction.
Crimson lightning tore across the sky.
Ignivar Draco slowly turned its head.
Its eyes grew brighter.
Not anger.
Rage.
Arga dropped to one knee.
"Argh…!"
The lunchbox in his hand shook violently.
The twenty-two rice grains spun wildly.
Several of them began to crack.
Golden light leaked from within.
Kai immediately grabbed his shoulder.
"Arga!"
Arga forced himself back to his feet.
If he fell now—
there would be no Guardians left.
Pak Rahmat stepped forward.
Alone.
He stood at the edge of the crater.
He stared directly at Ignivar Draco without the slightest hint of fear.
Then he spoke softly—
his voice almost drowned out by the eruptions.
"You're still as angry as ever."
Ignivar Draco froze.
The entire island suddenly fell silent.
The gigantic dragon stared at Pak Rahmat.
For a long moment.
Deeply.
And for the first time—
the creature slowly lowered its head.
Bimo froze.
"…What?"
Farhan stared in disbelief.
"Why does the final Guardian know him?"
The Dominion leader's smile disappeared.
He stared at Pak Rahmat with a hardened expression.
"So you really have returned."
Pak Rahmat didn't answer.
He simply said one thing.
"Arga. Get ready."
Then—
the volcano erupted.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The summit shattered.
The sea of lava split apart.
From the heart of the crater—
a red sun rose into the sky.
The Seventh Energy Core.
It was so bright that every shadow disappeared.
So hot that the rocks beneath their feet began to melt.
The MBG lunchbox in Arga's hands shook violently.
The twenty-two rice grains began to glow—
then screamed through the resonance.
And within that blinding light—
something new began to form.
The twenty-third rice grain.
But before it could fully emerge—
CRACK.
Arga stared at it, his breath catching.
Kai whispered,
"No…"
Farhan stared at the screen, which was now completely overwhelmed by the energy readings.
"The energy is too powerful!"
Ignivar Draco spread its enormous wings.
The Dominion leader raised his weapon.
One by one, the surrounding volcanoes began to erupt.
And the entire Continent of Fire—
became a battlefield of apocalypse.
Because the final war—
had just begun.