Riven moved like a knife given human shape.
She cut through Hungerlings with brutal, efficient grace—never wasting a step, never hesitating. Every swing of her fracture-blade shattered bone, every kick snapped a jaw, every pivot turned her into a blur that left black blood hanging in the fog.
Kael did not match her.
But he learned.
Fast.
Each time a beast lunged, he let its movements echo through his new instincts—
vibrations in the ground
shifts of weight
the rhythm of its breath
And each time, he triggered Shattercall, forcing unstable shards to form.
The first few flickered out before reaching their target.
But the next five hit.
Then the next seven.
Riven cut down a creature beside him without looking. "Better. Your focus is improving."
Kael kept his breathing steady. "Because you're letting me do most of the work now."
"Not letting."
She slashed a Hungerlings spine in half.
"Testing."
The pack thinned.
Their shrieks faded.
The fog shifted, as if the forest itself exhaled.
Kael slid one foot back, the ground vibrating faintly.
Another shard snapped into existence. He thrust his palm—
A Hungerling fell, skull cracked cleanly.
Mr. Han flinched behind a bone-tree, watching with horror and awe.
Even he could tell Kael was changing.
Getting… sharper.
The system chimed.
Synchronization increased
+3%
Current Synchronization: 18%
Riven flicked blood from her blade. "Good. You're adapting quicker than I expected."
Kael shook out his hand—the shards faded like dying sparks.
"What's next?"
Riven pointed at the dense fog ahead.
"Next is the reason this floor is called Predator's Run."
Kael tensed.
"In the tutorial it just said 'hunt or be hunted.'"
"It left out the important part," Riven said.
She tapped the ground with her boot.
A deep rumble rolled under the soil.
And then—
A roar split the forest.
Massive.
Distorted.
So loud the trees themselves shook violently.
Mr. Han stumbled back. "Sweet heavens… what was that?!"
Riven's expression hardened.
"The Apex Predator of this floor."
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"What tier?"
"D+ if you're lucky," she said.
"C– if we're not."
Kael froze.
"That's above the Architect-Beast."
"No," she corrected. "That thing you saw was E-tier—Dormant. This one is awake. And it hunts Monarchs specifically."
Kael felt his pulse spike.
"…why Monarchs?"
Riven met his gaze.
Her eyes—beastlike, glowing—softened slightly.
"Because Monarchs destabilize the Labyrinth.
Every time a Monarch rises, a new path forms.
Every time a Monarch kills, the floors shift.
Every time a Monarch grows stronger…"
The ground shook again.
Closer this time.
"…something bigger wakes up to balance it."
Kael's jaw clenched.
"So me just existing made a monster come after me."
Riven nodded once.
"You're a threat to the Labyrinth.
Even if you're weak.
Especially if you might become strong."
The fog parted.
Riven's eyes widened.
"Oh, we're not lucky."
Something stepped out.
A towering creature—
part panther
part centipede
part nightmare—
with a ribcage that opened and closed like a set of jaws.
Its skin was obsidian, carved with glowing runes.
Six limbs dug into the red soil.
Its head split into three vertical mouths dripping violet ichor.
Floating text flickered above it:
[Apex Hungerkin Devourer]
Tier: C–
Behavior: Monarch-Seeking
Trait: Devours Energy Sources
Mr. Han fell to his knees. "We… we will die here…"
Riven gripped her fracture-blade.
"So.
Little Monarch."
She stepped next to Kael.
"This is your final lesson."
Kael's breathing steadied.
His palms tingled with cold.
Shattercall flickered—stronger than ever.
"What lesson?" he asked.
Riven bared her teeth in a sharp, dangerous grin.
"How to kill something that was made to kill you."
The Devourer roared.
Its eyes—too many eyes—locked onto Kael.
The system blared alerts.
Immediate Threat
Fatal if unprepared
Recommended Action: Combine Domain + Shards
Kael held out his hand.
Cold surrounded him—
His domain stirring
Waking
Stretching
The Devourer lunged—
Riven leapt to intercept—
Kael activated Shattercall—
But something went wrong.
His domain flickered—
jolted—
wavered—
The shard cracked in midair.
Not from instability.
Not from weakness.
But because something else pulled it.
A whisper drifted through the fog.
A familiar whisper.
"Impressive…"
Kael's blood turned to ice.
The Residual Monarch Echo was here.
Riven froze.
Her eyes widened. "Kael—behind you—"
Kael turned.
A tall, impossible figure stood in the fog—
silhouette made of fractures and shadow
eyes burning like dying stars
body cracked like a broken statue held together by will alone
The Devourer stopped dead.
Whimpered.
Backed away in fear.
The Echo spoke.
Its voice like a corpse breathing.
"You grow faster than expected…
Little Monarch."
Riven trembled.
"This… this thing shouldn't be here… not on Floor E. This is a Monarch-level apparition—Kael, MOVE—"
Kael didn't move.
The Echo was inches from him without taking a step.
Its hand—a hand made of broken marble—lifted to Kael's face.
"You bear my Dominion's scent…" it whispered.
"A scent of Shards and Sovereignty."
The Echo leaned closer.
"Let me see what kind of king you become."
Its finger touched Kael's forehead.
The world shattered.
Kael screamed—
Mr. Han screamed—
Riven cursed—
And a torrent of memories crashed into Kael's skull.
A throne drowning in a sea of shattered mirrors
A crown made of fractured dimensions
A Monarch of Shards ruling an entire Labyrinth floor
A war that tore universes apart
A Monarch dying—
But leaving behind an Echo
Lightning shot through Kael's mind.
The system exploded with messages.
WARNING
Monarch Resonance Overload
WARNING
Unauthorized Synchronization Surge
Synchronization: 18% → 30% → 44% → 51%
Kael collapsed to his knees—
Clutching his head—
Screaming—
The Echo whispered softly:
"Take my blessing, little Monarch.
And take my curse."
The Devourer howled, fleeing deeper into the forest.
The fog shook.
The entire floor trembled.
Riven grabbed Kael by the shoulders.
"KAEL! Stay conscious! Stay with me! If your Synchronization hits 60% you'll—"
But she didn't get to finish.
Because Kael's domain erupted.
A shockwave of blue, jagged, fractured light exploded outward—
Tearing trees apart
Splitting soil
Shredding Hungerlings that had been hiding nearby
The shockwave reached Riven—
She braced—
Barely holding her ground
Mr. Han was thrown backward into a bone-tree—
Unconscious
Kael rose slowly.
Pain wracked his body.
Light flickered beneath his skin like cracks in porcelain.
New text hovered in front of him:
You have absorbed a Monarch Echo Fragment
Dominion Evolution Triggered
Riven stared at him in disbelief.
"You… idiot…" she whispered.
"That wasn't a blessing."
Kael opened his eyes.
They glowed with fractured blue light.
"It was an invitation."
Riven tightened her grip on her blade.
"We need to move. Now. Your presence just woke every Apex on this floor."
Kael lifted his head.
His voice was cold.
Sharper.
"Then…"
He summoned shards—
Dozens
Hundreds
A swirling storm around him
"…let them come."