The following morning, Aress found himself at the edge of Sector 9's park zone—a wide open plaza surrounded by a protective mana dome. It buzzed faintly with defensive energy. Inside, a group of licensed Hunters gathered in anticipation of a dungeon emergence.
He sat on a bench, hoodie pulled low over his eyes, watching.
From what he had overheard, this was a controlled event. Dungeons manifested at predictable intervals now, thanks to stabilization tech that regulated their openings. Local guilds competed for loot rights.
But today, something went wrong.
The mana dome cracked with a high-pitched screech. Sparks of energy flew outward. People screamed. Then came the roar.
A rift split open in midair. Dozens of beast-like monsters poured out—twice the expected number.
"Stampede! Emergency code!" a guild officer shouted. "Form defense lines!"
The Hunters scrambled, forming barriers and casting prep spells. A young shield user tripped, his barrier fizzling.
Aress stood slowly.
A massive lizard-beast leapt toward the fallen boy.
"[Spatial Severance]," Aress whispered.
Reality warped. The monster split in two, collapsing mid-air.
Gasps erupted.
"W-Who did that?"
Aress walked into the battlefield, his eyes calm.
More monsters lunged. He didn't flinch.
"[Gravity Field]."
The ground cracked. Dozens of monsters slammed down, pinned by immense weight.
The Hunters stared, weapons lowered.
"Who IS he?" someone whispered.
"No guild badge… no mana cap… but those are high-tier spells!"
Aress didn't stay. He walked through the battlefield like a ghost, stepping over fallen monsters. By the time the last roar faded, he was gone.
Up on a nearby rooftop, a small surveillance drone recorded everything.
In an underground room filled with monitors, the red dot pulsed again.
"Update the file," said the calm voice.
SUBJECT: ARESS THREAT LEVEL: BEYOND S-RANK BEHAVIOR: UNPREDICTABLE LOCATION: ACTIVE IN TOKYO REGION
The world had moved on. But Aress had returned.
And peace? Peace might be the one thing he could never have.