The garden of the Arcon of Life, usually a place of absolute peace, was suddenly pierced by a scream of pure agony. The Arcon of Life clutched her chest, her "Life Circuits" flickering and turning a sickly grey.
"Neweland! Yoru!" she cried out, her emerald eyes wide with terror. "Please... you must go now! My children are dying... the threads of life are being snapped by the thousands!"
Neweland's face went pale. "What? Who could be doing this? We just defeated Barkan!"
"He is unsealed," she whispered, her voice trembling. "The Galaxy Eraser... Gudmaro is here."
Neweland's Hydro-aura flared violently, then extinguished as his body shook. "Gudmaro? But... we sealed him thirty years ago! The Great Betrayal was supposed to be the end of it! Who could have been foolish enough to open that gate?"
"A party of humans... S-rank," she gasped, tears of light falling from her eyes. "They didn't know. But everyone is dying. My connection to the Northern Abyss is... gone."
Yoru stepped forward, her green eyes sharp. She didn't know the name Gudmaro, but she could feel the vibration in her own soul—a cold, empty void that made her Electric energy feel like it was drowning. She knew this was serious.
"Where is he?" Yoru asked, her hand already on her hilt. "Where is this 'Eraser'?"
The Arcon of Life looked toward the horizon, her gaze focusing on a single, tiny thread of life that was pulsing with a soft, warm rhythm.
"He has sensed a powerful feast," she cried. "He is heading directly toward Techyon and Alya!"
The air around the forest path didn't just turn cold; it turned empty. Techyon felt the moisture vanish from the air as the red aura of the Calamity approached.
"Alya, get behind me," Techyon commanded, his voice dropping an octave. "Someone is coming, and I don't think he's our friend."
Out of the shadows of the warping trees, Gudmaro stepped forth. His celestial armor pulsed with a rhythmic, dark light. "You have a great amount of energy, kid," he rasped, his eyes locking onto Techyon's chest. "A vintage soul."
"Who are you?" Techyon demanded. Gudmaro didn't answer; he simply started walking, the ground turning to ash beneath his hooves.
Techyon didn't wait. He manifested a Light Kunai, pouring his remaining energy into the blade, and hurled it with 0.01ms precision. Gudmaro didn't dodge. He caught the kunai in his palm, the light dissolving into his skin like water into sand.
"Delicious," Gudmaro hissed. "I want more."
[WARNING: MANA LEVEL CRITICAL — CANNOT USE ABILITIES]
Techyon's eyes widened as his status window flickered red. He was empty. "I'll fight with my bare hands then," he growled, stepping in front of a trembling Alya. "I will protect you, Alya!"
Gudmaro lunged, his fist glowing with the power to erase a solar system. But before the punch could land, a silver flash divided the air. A clean, silent cut severed Gudmaro's arm at the elbow.
Yoru materialized in the gap, her Splitting Blade—a jagged arc of energy manifested directly from her hand—still humming.
"Techyon! Alya! Hold my hand, now!" Yoru snapped. "We don't have any time!"
"But—" Techyon started, confused by the woman with zero energy.
"JUST HOLD MY HAND!"
Gudmaro backed away, staring at his stump as black space-dust leaked out. "I can't sense any mana from you... what are you, woman?"
Yoru didn't answer. With a sharp crack of static, she used Instant Teleportation. The forest vanished. A heartbeat later, they were standing beneath the glowing boughs of the Tree of Life.
The Arcon of Life rushed forward, her hands glowing as she began to pour pure, foundational life force back into Techyon's drained circuits.
Back on the path, Gudmaro stood alone. Slowly, the dark matter began to knit together, his hand regenerating in seconds. He looked at the spot where they had vanished, a dark, twisted grin spreading across his face.
"Where did they go? I don't know about those kids... but that woman... she is different. I can't sense her, but she is strong. I can feel it." He flexed his new hand. "I am excited."