Elsewhere—
deep within the ruins—
the Rift Breakers continued approaching.
Step by step.
Their enormous bodies moved through the shattered remains of the district, their crimson eyes fixed on Draven.
Aldric stood nearby, poleaxe in hand.
He watched them approach.
His expression slowly became tense.
*...I'm not optimistic about this situation.*
His grip tightened around the weapon.
*Damn it.*
His eyes shifted toward the approaching creatures.
*...We're screwed.*
He swallowed.
*No.*
*I'm screwed.*
Aldric glanced toward Draven.
Draven remained on all fours.
Blood covered his body.
It continued dripping onto the shattered ground beneath him.
His breathing was rough.
A low growl escaped his throat as he continued trying to form his mana pool.
He hadn't even looked up.
The Rift Breakers continued closing the distance.
Aldric's jaw tightened.
They were getting too close.
"...Gods damn it."
His expression hardened.
"...It seems you're not leaving me with much of a choice now, brat."
He glanced toward Draven.
"...After this..."
"...You owe me big time."
His poleaxe suddenly dissolved into blood.
Aldric straightened.
Both arms slowly rose.
His right hand opened flat, palm facing downward.
His left hand formed a fist and pressed against his right palm.
Mana began gathering around his body.
But before he could do anything—
**HSSSSS...**
A strange sound suddenly echoed through the ruins.
Aldric froze.
"...?"
Then—
**Meow.**
Silence.
The Rift Breakers suddenly stopped.
Every single one of them stood motionless.
Aldric's eyes widened.
"...What just—"
His gaze shifted.
Something moved through the shattered ground.
A black blur suddenly leapt upward.
**WHOOSH!**
It landed beside Aldric.
Aldric stared down.
"...What the hell?"
A black cat stood calmly beside him.
It didn't even acknowledge Aldric.
Instead—
it slowly turned toward the approaching Rift Breakers.
Its purple eyes began glowing.
The creatures remained completely still.
The cat tilted its head.
Then—
**Meow.**
Aldric stared at the scene.
"..."
He looked toward the Rift Breakers.
None of them moved.
Then he looked back at the cat.
"...What the hell is going on?"
The black cat remained completely calm.
Its purple eyes continued shining as it stared directly at the creatures.
And for some reason—
the Rift Breakers simply stood there.
Not attacking.
Not advancing.
Just staring back.
Aldric continued staring at the black cat.
For several seconds—
he simply looked at it.
Then his expression shifted slightly.
"...So you're still here."
He tilted his head.
"I completely forgot about you."
Aldric glanced toward the massive hole nearby.
"...Actually, I forgot you even existed."
His eyes narrowed.
"So you've just been standing beside the Rift this entire time?"
He looked at the cat more closely.
"...Absorbing the mana that's been leaking out?"
The cat remained completely still.
Aldric continued.
"And somehow..."
"...No one even noticed you."
He glanced toward the Rift Breakers.
"Not even those things."
His gaze returned to the cat.
"...And now you just meow..."
He gestured toward the frozen creatures.
"...and they stop?"
Aldric stared.
"...What the hell is up with that?"
The cat's purple eyes remained fixed on the Rift Breakers.
Aldric scratched his head.
"For a normal-looking cat..."
"...You're weird as hell."
He paused.
Then his expression became more suspicious.
"But if you could stop them..."
"...Why didn't you do it sooner?"
The cat remained silent.
Aldric frowned.
"Did you want him to die?"
He glanced toward Draven.
"The brat is your master, isn't he?"
Aldric's voice became more irritated.
"Only now you decide to act?"
"...What's up with that?"
The cat slowly turned its head toward Aldric.
It stared at him.
Aldric stared back.
"..."
"..."
Aldric's eyebrow twitched.
"Damn it."
"Are you ignoring me?"
The cat continued staring.
Aldric crossed his arms.
"I doubt you don't understand what I'm saying."
He pointed at himself.
"I'm not talking to myself here."
The cat blinked once.
Then continued staring.
Aldric sighed.
"...Forget it."
He turned his attention back toward the Rift Breakers.
"Not my business."
The cat remained beside him.
Its purple eyes continued glowing.
And the Rift Breakers—
still didn't move.
---
Draven remained on the ground.
His entire body trembled.
A low groan escaped his throat as an indescribable pain coursed through his entire being.
Every part of him felt as though it were being torn apart from within.
Yet—
he didn't stop.
He continued forcing the mana together.
Compressing it.
Again.
And again.
The Folding Mesh continued cycling as the enormous amount of Abyssal mana was forced toward the forming mana pool.
Draven's fingers dug into the ground.
His breathing became heavier.
Then—
his bloodshot eyes suddenly flickered.
The whites of his eyes began changing.
Slowly—
the color faded.
A strange pale peach spread across them.
Then—
**BLACK.**
His entire sclera turned pitch black.
Aldric instantly felt the change.
His head snapped toward Draven.
"...What is this?"
The pressure surrounding Draven had changed.
It was subtle—
but completely different from before.
The black cat also turned its head.
Its purple eyes locked onto Draven.
For the first time—
the cat's calm expression seemed to change.
---
Elsewhere—
Lyriana was moving quickly through the city.
Her figure passed between the ruined buildings as she headed toward the outskirts.
Then—
she suddenly stopped.
Her eyes widened slightly.
A strange sensation had spread through her body.
She immediately turned toward the direction of the ruins.
"...This..."
Her expression changed.
She felt it.
The connection.
The presence she had been waiting for.
Lyriana's eyes narrowed.
"...His Highness."
---
Far outside the city—
inside the goblin cave—
Vaelith stood with both babies in her arms.
Lucifer rested against her chest.
Elenya was held securely in her other arm.
Then—
Vaelith suddenly froze.
Her eyes shifted toward the distant city.
A powerful sensation passed through her.
Her grip tightened slightly around the children.
"...My Lord."
She knew immediately.
Something had changed.
Something had awakened.
---
Back inside the ruins—
Draven stopped moving.
Completely.
His body became perfectly still.
No trembling.
No groaning.
No movement whatsoever.
Aldric stared at him.
"...Brat?"
There was no response.
The black cat continued watching.
Draven's consciousness had already been pulled somewhere else.
---
Darkness.
Endless darkness stretched in every direction.
There was no ground.
No sky.
No light.
Nothing.
Draven stood alone within it.
He looked around.
"...Where am I?"
His voice echoed into the endless void.
Then—
footsteps sounded.
**Tap.**
**Tap.**
**Tap.**
Draven turned.
A figure slowly emerged from the darkness.
It was him.
Another Draven.