Chapter 32 – Returns and Reunions
On the road back to HQ, Nael, Drake, Lya, Nova, Valor, and Ryn walked peacefully, finally enjoying a rare moment of calm after the chaos of Antares' domain.
Lya, hands behind her head, was grinning mischievously.
> Lya: "Aaah, it feels so good to use my powers again!"
Without warning, she dove straight into the ground—her body turning translucent—then popped her head out right in front of a passing woman.
> Lya: "Boo! I'm a ghost!"
The woman screamed and bolted down the street, shouting:
> "Help! A ghost!!"
Nael, deadpan, pinched the bridge of his nose.
> Nael: "…Lya. Can't you stay calm for five minutes?"
> Lya: emerging from the ground with a grin "Come on, I'm just having a little fun. Since when did you become so boring?"
> Nael: "Me, boring? You're the one scaring civilians at seven in the morning."
> Lya: crossing her arms "It's psychological training for them."
> Nael: "Yeah, mostly for their vocal cords."
He turned toward Ryn.
> Nael: "See Ryn? Calm, polite, respectful. You should take notes."
> Lya: grumbling "Not the same thing, hmm…"
> Drake: "Now, now… no arguing. Let's head back before Nael starts another 'exemplary behavior' meeting."
> Valor: sighing "And HQ is on the other side of the city."
> Nova: "Why didn't you just open a portal, Nael?"
> Nael: "Because we need to enjoy the scenery. And because someone drained my mana reserve bombing Antares."
> Valor: glancing at Lya "Hmm, I wonder who that could be."
> Lya: "Oh, come on! Wait… I'll fix it. I'll just borrow a vehicle."
> Nael: raising an eyebrow "Borrow? Or steal?"
> Lya: "Technical detail."
> Nael: sighing "You really do everything just to annoy me, don't you?"
> Lya: "And is it working?"
> Nael: ignoring her "Anyway… how's Valen doing these days?"
> Lya: "Same as always. Acting like a spoiled brat and flirting with his reflection every time he finds a mirror."
> Nael: chuckling softly "Doesn't surprise me. He's always been like that… well, almost."
> Lya: squinting "You're weird lately. There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"
> Nael: looking away "No. Just… old memories resurfacing."
---
Meanwhile, at the café
A few blocks from HQ, Valen was enjoying his meal with almost religious fervor.
> Valen: "Zarion, you've got to taste this! These dishes are divine! I think I've found my new spiritual temple."
Zarion, unbothered, calmly sipped his coffee.
> Zarion: "Your 'temple' changes every meal."
> Valen: "Let me live my culinary faith."
A waitress shyly approached to ask for an autograph, but Valen, feigning humility, replied:
> Valen: "Sorry, I'm on divine rest. Come back tomorrow."
Zarion rolled his eyes.
> Zarion: "Pathetic."
> Valen: "Charismatic, you mean."
After their meal, they headed back toward HQ, stomachs full and spirits light.
---
Back at HQ
Thirty minutes later, Nael and his team finally stepped through the HQ gates.
A crowd of hunters filled the main hall.
> Hunter 1: "Look! They're back!"
> Hunter 2: "And Nael's with them?!"
Excitement rippled through the crowd until an authoritative voice cut through the noise.
> Liora: "Settle down. You'll give your reports after you've had some rest."
Silence fell instantly.
And that's when Valen made his theatrical entrance — a cup of coffee in hand, wearing the smug look of a king returning to his throne.
> Valen: "Well, well… a hundred and fifty-two years just to close a gate? No wonder you'll never beat me, Nael."
A few muffled laughs spread through the hall.
Nael stared at him, unimpressed.
> Nael: "Still as humble as ever, I see."
> Valen: "Humility's for those who still have something to prove."
> Nael: sighing "And you've proven you're insufferable. Congrats."
> Valen: grinning "It's a rare talent — gotta maintain it."
Lya crossed her arms, amused.
> Lya: "You two sound like kids in a schoolyard."
> Zarion: calm "Correction: two overpowered kids in a schoolyard."
Laughter broke out among the hunters, except for Nael and Valen, who were still locked in a silent, knowing stare — a mix of rivalry and brotherhood lingering in the air.
> Nael: "Alright. If you're done with your little show, come to the debrief room."
> Valen: stretching lazily "Only if they serve pancakes."
> Nael: coldly "Dream on."
> Valen: with a wink "That's what I do best."
Chapter 33 – The Shadow That Rises
In a higher stratum, beyond time and the laws that bind existence, a servant knelt before the Throne of Shadow.
His hands trembled; even his voice was shattered by fear.
Two reptilian eyes turned toward him. The pressure emanating from the figure on the throne made the columns tremble — silence fell like a weight.
> — "And who have we lost this time, after Nyzorath?" asked the voice, cold as a tomb.
The servant, unable to speak at first, finally managed to whisper:
> — "W-We've lost Antares, my Lord. The Dragon of Fire… he was… erased."
The darkness surrounding the throne began to churn. A colossal aura rose, shaking the very structure of the stratum.
The figure slowly stood. Two black horns emerged from his forehead. His hair — a deep black with faint blue hues — was tied loosely behind him, and his half-bare torso revealed cords of power like forged steel.
When he spoke again, his voice rolled through the void like a blade through flesh.
> — "Enough."
— "I am Yzareth, Primordial Dragon of the Void." His tone flowed like cold steel. "I will descend myself… and crush this inferior race. They will pay for their insolence."
The servants recoiled in terror.
> — "No, my lord—" one dared to say.
— "Let us act. We'll mobilize the Arbiters."
Two hooded servants darted away, tearing through layers of reality in streaks of shadow — their destination: Earth.
---
On Earth
The alert hit like a hammer.
A "Disaster-Class" portal had appeared. Emergency beacons screamed across the network, triggering the highest-level protocols. All hunters ranked S and above were ordered to report immediately to the briefing chamber.
At HQ, the main hall emptied in seconds as the crisis room filled to bursting. Liora stood before the central table, her usual mask of authority tightened by unease.
> — "Anomaly signal: level beyond all prior records. We are facing a threat that exceeds every known precedent. We must consolidate our forces and respond immediately."
Silence followed — until Arthur, a triple-S rank hunter, broke it.
> — "Why not send Valen, Zarion, or Nael? They're our strongest. They deal with the impossible."
Lya frowned sharply and snapped back:
> — "That's risky. If we put all our top assets in one place and another gate opens elsewhere… we're done for."
The room erupted into argument — defensive strategies, resource allocation, political consequences, and even the Guild's reputation if it risked its brightest figures.
Liora raised her hand for silence.
> — "We'll proceed by vote. Who supports deploying our strongest available to this portal?"
Hands lifted in groups — some confident, others hesitant. Murmurs spread — echoes of the names spoken earlier (Vael, Nyzorath, Antares) stirred dread in every corner.
Some officers suggested a quieter approach — send elite reconnaissance first, then call in the "titans" only if the situation proved beyond control.
Zarion, silent until then, observed the room. His gaze met Valen's, and farther away, Nael's — who had just arrived after being briefed.
Each of them understood the same truth: this decision could tip the balance… and awaken forces the Guild was never meant to face.
Liora spoke again, steady but heavy-voiced:
> — "Final vote. Simple majority: we send an elite reconnaissance unit to the portal. Quick assessment, neutralize if possible.
If the threat surpasses capacity — full alert. Summon Valen, Zarion, and Nael."
Hands went up, hesitant but numerous. The verdict was set.
The operation would begin — stealth first, power if needed.
And as Liora added quietly, almost to herself:
> — "Those who've dared to awaken these names are playing with flames they cannot control."
---
Elsewhere, in a dim corridor
A young officer approached Zarion, voice unsteady.
> — "If… if Vael is truly involved this time… the world might not be ready."
Zarion, without a hint of a smile, replied flatly:
> — "Then we make it ready."
And as the headquarters stirred into motion, preparing the strike teams, somewhere — high above all strata — a shadow smiled faintly.
Yzareth had heard.
His pieces were in motion.
The game had only just begun.
Chapter 34 – The Unknown Gate
Liora stood before the holographic screen of the HQ, arms crossed, her tone sharp and commanding:
> — "Arthur. Drake. You'll lead the strike teams. Each of you picks four hunters for the mission."
Drake nodded without hesitation.
> — "I'm taking my usual squad — Lya, Nova, Valor, and Ryn."
Arthur barely took a few seconds to think before replying, calm but resolute:
> — "I'll bring Annabelle, SS-rank mage; Marie, archer; Béatrice, healer; and Ethan, SS-rank pugilist."
Liora tapped quickly on the screen, locking in the assignments.
> — "Good. You've chosen your people. Get your gear ready and move out immediately."
She paused briefly, her gaze shifting toward Lya.
> — "A simple recon mission could've been done by you alone, Lya… but a team of ten is safer. We don't know what's waiting on the other side."
Leaning casually against the wall, Valen smirked.
> — "Once again, the strongest get to sit back and get bored. Honestly, Commander, you've got no sense of drama."
Liora turned to him slowly, unimpressed.
> — "If we play all our best cards at once and another portal opens elsewhere, we'll be out of miracles."
> — "You worry too much. What could possibly go wrong?" he replied with that arrogant grin she hated.
Without looking up from his notebook, Zarion commented dryly:
> — "Every time someone says that, disaster follows."
> — "Details," Valen shrugged.
Liora sighed, then raised her hand.
> — "Enough talk. Teams, take your positions. Portal activation in thirty seconds."
---
Moments later, on the operation field, the two squads stood before a swirling black vortex that pulsed like a living heart.
The portal vibrated, exhaling a strange, unstable energy. Blue electric arcs danced across the ground, making the air almost unbreathable.
Lya stared into the dark mist with a nervous smile.
> — "No idea where this leads… but I've got a bad feeling."
Nova, adjusting her blade, replied calmly:
> — "Bad feeling or not, it's our job."
Valor crossed his arms, frowning.
> — "If this is really a Disaster-class gate, even a recon mission could turn into a nightmare."
Ryn stayed silent, her eyes scanning the warped air around the vortex.
Arthur cracked his fingers.
> — "Don't lose your nerve. It's just the unknown — not hell."
Annabelle smirked faintly.
> — "For now."
Ethan clenched his fists, gloves snapping.
> — "No matter what's in there, we're all coming back alive."
Béatrice raised a finger, her tone motherly.
> — "As long as you don't charge in without thinking, yes."
Marie nodded quietly, calm resolve in her eyes.
Drake took a deep breath.
> — "Alright. Move out. No direct engagement without orders. Lya, you're on point."
Lya winked.
> — "With pleasure, boss."
Her body dissolved into silvery mist, slipping into the portal.
One by one, the others followed, swallowed by the shifting light.
---
On the other side of the portal…
Silence. Then — a breath, almost alive.
The ground beneath their feet was neither stone nor soil, but a soft, organic surface that glistened faintly — as though the world itself was breathing.
Above them, the sky was a sickly violet, streaked with veins of moving light.
Ryn looked around warily.
> — "This isn't a regular rift world. It feels… constructed."
Arthur knelt, pressing a hand to the surface.
> — "No vital flow… but something's here. Watching us."
Lya, back in physical form, narrowed her eyes.
> — "Aura echoes… several of them. We're surrounded."
Drake drew his weapon — the black blade he had taken from Antarès.
> — "Form up."
Lya sank into the ground in her spectral form, vanishing like a shadow in mist.
Nova unsheathed her sword, Ryn's light daggers spun into orbit as she cast buffs, and Valor's magic began to crackle, ready to unleash.
Arthur drew Excalibur, its golden light a stark contrast to the surrounding void.
Beside him, Ethan tightened his stance, Marie took aim, and Béatrice prepared her healing spells.
Then came a rumble from below — and a voice echoed, rough and distant, as though speaking through a thousand mirrors:
> — "Mortals… here? How interesting."
Figures materialized all around them — ten, then twenty, then hundreds.
All hooded, their bodies warped by Void energy.
Each bore the same glowing sigil on their chests: a serpent's eye staring from the dark.
Valor's face went pale.
> — "…That's the Mark of the Void."
Arthur clenched his jaw.
> — "This isn't a portal. It's an invasion gate."
And deep within that realm, two reptilian eyes opened.
A deep, amused voice whispered:
> — "The first pawns have stepped onto the board… entertain me, hunters."
The ground trembled, cracking like living flesh.
Behind them, the portal began to collapse.
Ryn turned in panic.
> — "The portal's closing!"
Drake tightened his grip on the blade.
> — "Defensive formation! We hold our ground!"
And in the trembling light of the Void, the recon mission had just become a death trap.
Chapter 35: Zarion's Wrath
Zarion arrived in the country. He walked calmly through the alleys, his footsteps echoing on the cracked cobblestones. The buildings were gutted, the stations ablaze, and everywhere… corpses. The air was thick with ash and silence. No screams. Only death.
He observed the horror without a flicker of emotion. His gaze swept over the bodies, the flames, the ruins. Then, in the distance, he spotted two figures—servants. One held a hunter by the throat, lifting him like a broken toy. The other laughed, sadistically watching him suffer.
— "What happened to your resolve? Weren't you the one shouting you'd stop us?" one mocked.
Zarion raised his hand, forming a finger gun. He aimed at the arm of the one choking the hunter.
— "Piw."
An invisible wave tore through the servant's arm, severing it cleanly. The hunter collapsed, gasping. The arm regenerated instantly… but then, a crushing pressure descended. Something had just set its gaze upon them.
A chilling voice echoed:
— "Leave that hunter alone."
Before they could react, Zarion had already grabbed one of them by the neck. He lifted him and began to strangle him. The other threw a punch, but Zarion blocked it with his free hand, pulled him in, and launched him with a brutal kick. The body crashed into a building.
The man stood up and pulled back his hood. A handsome, cold face with short yellow hair. He locked eyes with Zarion, his body already healed. He charged, but Zarion hurled his companion at him. Both servants slammed into a wall.
The second one pulled back his hood as well.
— "We cannot disappoint our master."
Short red hair. A determined gaze.
Zarion turned to the hunter.
— "Get to safety. I'll handle Red and Yellow."
— "Who the hell calls us Red and Yellow? We have names!"
— "I don't care about your names."
— "I'm Alex," said the one with yellow hair. "And he's Noah."
— "You're going to vanish. What's the point of introductions? After what you've done, your fate is sealed."
— "I'm Zarion."
His gaze alone was a force. Enough to make the walls tremble.
— "He's dangerous," said Noah. "Alex, with me!"
Noah charged, fists wreathed in flames. Zarion ducked. Alex slid in, attempting a sweep kick, but Zarion leapt back, dodging it.
Noah unleashed a flurry of fiery punches. Zarion dodged them all, hands in his pockets. Then, with a single kick, he sent Noah flying.
Zarion leapt, foot extended, ready to crush his head—but Alex intervened, pushing him out of the rubble.
Zarion landed softly. He dashed toward Alex at blinding speed. Alex roared, unleashing a blinding cry of light. Zarion didn't flinch. Alex fired an energy blast. Zarion raised his hand and redirected it into the sky.
He grabbed Alex by the throat.
— "You'll suffer for all the humans you've killed."
In the sky, Noah spun, engulfed in flames. He dove. Zarion raised a finger. An invisible blade sliced Noah in two mid-air.
Noah's body fell, severed—but began to regenerate.
Zarion approached, still strangling Alex. With a simple gesture, he erased Noah's regeneration.
Then he raised his hands like pistols.
— "Piw. Piw. Piw. Piw. Piw. Piw. Piw."
Each shot was pain. He didn't kill him immediately. He made him suffer. Alex, still choking, wanted to help his comrade—but he was powerless.
— "Now you feel what they felt. Despair. Helplessness."
Noah screamed. Zarion ended it by crushing his head underfoot.
He released Alex, traumatized, letting him breathe.
— "Who sent you?"
Alex stared at him, terrified. Fear filled his eyes. He tried to speak, but no sound came out.
— "Calm down. Breathe. Who knows… I might spare you."
Alex screamed:
— "I'd rather die than be humiliated!"
— "Your choice."
Zarion disintegrated him with a devastating energy blast.
the ruins.
— "Problem solved."
He looked at the corpses.
— "But there are too many dead… Should I bring them back? I don't like meddling in human affairs."
He fell silent. The wind blew. Flames crackled.
Then he whispered:
— "Maybe… just this once."
He raised his hand. A pale light flowed from his fingers. The bodies stirred. Some began to breathe again. Others remained still.
Zarion lowered his hand.
— "Those who still have the will… will return."
But then, a hooded figure holding a scythe—unseen by lesser beings—stood beside Zarion.
Zarion sensed it.
The figure spoke:
— "What are you doing? Are you trying to disrupt the balance?"
Zarion replied:
— "No. I'm just trying to help these humans. If a problem arises, say that Zarion is to blame."
The figure nodded and vanished.
Then Zarion turned on his heel, disappearing into the shadows of chaos.