In the sky, just as the Rulers attempted to pursue and capture the owner of the dark eye by stepping into the rift above, a man cloaked in darkness emerged instead.
He was undeniably handsome, with neatly tousled dark hair—but it was his eyes that stole all warmth from the scene. Two deep, inhuman purple slits cut through obsidian irises, glowing with malice in the darkness.
Shadows clung to him like a second skin, thick and unnatural, making him look less like a man and more like a demon who had stepped out of hell to corrupt the world. He tilted his head slightly, eyes locked onto the Rulers—and just as his lips parted, several identical voices hoarsely echoed at once.
"Coward?"
One word. Just one word. That was all it took to freeze the advancing Rulers in their place. One of them drew in a sharp breath.
"He's only at the peak of the 6th stage. So why does his presence feel so terrifying?"
Another one shouted from behind him.
