The Hunger Beyond accelerated.
Reality did not merely fracture under its momentum; it actively screamed. The creature did not move through space; rather, space itself folded, crumpled, and unraveled around it. Entire sections of the broken sky collapsed inward as the void entity advanced toward the mortal world. Mountains crumbled to dust, clouds ceased to exist, and the fundamental parameters of existence deteriorated with every passing second.
For the first time since the seals had begun to fail, genuine fear spread through the academy grounds. It wasn't the chaotic panic of a disorganized crowd, but the cold, paralyzing dread of witnessing an inevitable end.
The elite Hunters moved instantly. Twenty figures vaulted into the air simultaneously, their movements a blur of gold and black. Runed spears materialized in their hands, and ancient combat formations ignited around their bodies, making the air tremble under the sheer, concentrated pressure of their cultivation.
