Sector 9 had become quiet again.
Too quiet.
Because nothing remained.
No weak monsters.
No easy fights.
Only silence—
And pressure.
"…"
Blaine stood at the edge of a ruined street.
Eyes fixed ahead.
Because he could feel it.
The distortion.
The same one as before.
But stronger.
Much stronger.
The air trembled.
Space itself—
Was unstable.
Then—
It appeared.
A crack.
Larger than before.
Wider.
Darker.
The edges twisted violently—
Like reality was being torn apart.
[Unknown Phenomenon Detected]
The system flickered.
But didn't fail this time.
It didn't try to analyze.
As if it had learned.
"…"
Blaine stepped forward.
Slow.
Controlled.
No hesitation.
Because this—
Was the next step.
The pressure increased.
Heavy.
Crushing.
But Blaine didn't stop.
Didn't step back.
Because now—
He could handle it.
His control—
Had improved.
His body—
Adapted.
Then—
A voice.
"…you came back."
"…"
The creature appeared again.
From the distortion.
Watching him.
Calm.
Interested.
Above its head—
[Strength: ???]
Still unreadable.
Still beyond.
"…"
Blaine stepped closer.
This time—
He didn't wait.
Didn't hesitate.
He spoke.
"…I'm going in."
Silence.
Then—
The creature smiled.
"…not yet."
A step forward.
The air tightened.
"…show me."
"…"
So that was it.
A final test.
Blaine's stance shifted.
Calm.
Focused.
Controlled.
The creature moved first.
Fast.
Sharp.
But Blaine—
Matched it.
Perfectly.
Every movement—
Precise.
Every reaction—
Immediate.
No wasted motion.
No panic.
No hesitation.
The clash—
Explosive.
But controlled.
Very controlled.
BANG.
Impact.
But this time—
Blaine didn't lose ground.
Didn't fall.
Didn't break.
Instead—
He pushed forward.
Countered.
Adapted.
Improved.
Each exchange—
Sharper.
Cleaner.
Better.
Then—
A moment.
A small opening.
And Blaine—
Took it.
CRACK.
A direct hit.
The creature stepped back.
For the first time.
Not forced.
But acknowledging.
"…good."
A pause.
"…very good."
Silence.
The fight stopped.
Just like that.
The creature looked at him.
Longer than before.
"…control."
"…intent."
"…adaptation."
A faint smile.
"…you're ready."
The air shifted.
The crack expanded.
Wider.
Darker.
Stable.
Like a door—
Opening.
Beyond it—
Nothing visible.
Only darkness.
Endless.
Unknown.
Dangerous.
"…this is the threshold."
The creature stepped aside.
Making space.
"…once you enter…"
A pause.
"…you don't return the same."
"…"
Blaine didn't respond.
Didn't question.
Because he already knew.
That was the point.
He looked into the darkness.
No fear.
Only focus.
Because this—
Was what he wanted.
From the beginning.
Strength.
Growth.
Something beyond.
A faint pulse echoed within him.
The bloodline—
Reacting.
Not unstable.
Not wild.
But…
Waiting.
"…"
Blaine took a step forward.
Then another.
Crossing the edge.
Standing before the gate.
The pressure—
Intense.
But bearable.
Because now—
He was ready.
He turned slightly.
Looking at the creature one last time.
"…what's on the other side?"
A faint smile.
"…a world that doesn't forgive weakness."
Silence.
Perfect.
Blaine turned back.
And stepped forward.
Into the darkness.
The crack closed behind him.
Slowly.
Silently.
Leaving Sector 9 empty.
Because now—
The hunt had moved elsewhere.