The rooftop exploded beneath Lin Feng's feet.
Stone shattered outward as something massive burst upward from below the city. The pressure alone blasted apart nearby buildings, sending debris flying through the air like leaves caught in a storm.
Lin Feng reacted instantly.
He kicked off the collapsing rooftop just as enormous black spikes erupted from beneath him.
BOOM!
The entire structure behind him vanished.
Lin Feng twisted midair and landed hard on another rooftop several streets away, sliding backward from the force.
His eyes immediately locked forward.
And for the first time since coming to Blackstone City—
His heartbeat actually accelerated.
"…That thing almost killed me."
Because it had.
If his reaction had been even slightly slower—
He would've died instantly.
The streets below continued collapsing as the gigantic creature beneath the city rose further upward. Crimson eyes glowed through the darkness beneath the shattered ground, illuminating the ruins with eerie blood-red light.
And then—
It finally emerged enough for everyone to see part of it.
Lin Feng's eyes widened slightly.
"…That's not a beast."
It wasn't.
The creature looked almost humanoid.
Massive.
Ancient black armor fused into its body like part of its flesh. Chains covered it from head to toe, countless glowing seals wrapped around its limbs and torso.
But the worst part—
Was its face.
Or rather—
Its lack of one.
A smooth black surface covered its head completely except for those burning crimson eyes.
Eyes now fixed directly on Lin Feng.
"…Yeah, I officially hate that."
The creature moved again.
Fast.
Far too fast for something that large.
It reached toward him instantly.
Lin Feng vanished from the rooftop a split second before a massive hand crushed the entire building flat.
The impact shook the city.
Lin Feng reappeared farther away atop another ruined structure, breathing harder now.
Not from exhaustion.
From instinct.
Because every part of him understood now—
This thing was hunting him specifically.
"Lin Feng!"
Su Yao appeared nearby, landing beside him.
Her expression was sharper than he had ever seen.
"Stop standing still!"
Lin Feng pointed toward the monster.
"It keeps trying to kill me personally!"
"That should concern you more!"
"It does!"
Another massive strike tore through the district.
The creature pursued relentlessly, ignoring everyone else entirely.
Faction leaders attacked it from the sides, unleashing powerful strikes strong enough to flatten buildings—
But the creature barely reacted.
Its focus never shifted.
Only Lin Feng mattered.
Above the battlefield, the older man's expression darkened further.
"…It recognizes him."
The man from the shadows appeared beside Su Yao instantly.
"This is bad."
Lin Feng looked at him while dodging another attack that obliterated half the street behind him.
"You keep saying that!"
"Because it keeps getting worse!"
Fair point.
The older man finally descended from the sky.
And the moment he landed—
The pressure across the battlefield changed completely.
Even the creature paused briefly.
Golden light spread around the older man's body, illuminating the ruined district beneath him.
For the first time—
The monster stopped moving toward Lin Feng.
Its gaze shifted.
Toward the older man.
Then—
It spoke.
"…You cannot stop destiny."
The older man's eyes remained calm.
"Perhaps not."
A pause.
"But I can stop you."
And then—
They clashed.
The city exploded.
Lin Feng barely managed to shield himself as shockwaves ripped through the district. Entire streets vanished beneath the force of their collision.
Golden light battled against crimson darkness, splitting the sky itself.
Lin Feng stared openly despite the danger.
"…This is insane."
Because it was.
This level of battle no longer looked human.
It looked catastrophic.
The older man moved with impossible precision, every strike carrying immense force while the creature responded with monstrous power that shattered everything around it.
And yet—
Even while fighting—
The creature kept looking at Lin Feng.
Watching him.
Waiting.
That disturbed him more than the attacks themselves.
"Why me?" Lin Feng muttered.
No one answered immediately.
Then—
The man from the shadows finally spoke quietly.
"…Because you really are the Heir."
Lin Feng froze for half a second.
"…Excuse me?"
Another violent clash erupted nearby.
The older man slammed the creature through several collapsing structures before sealing symbols exploded around it once more.
But this time—
The creature shattered part of the seal instantly.
Its power was growing.
Lin Feng looked sharply at the man beside him.
"You're explaining that sentence right now."
A pause.
Then—
"You were found outside Blackstone City with no past."
Lin Feng blinked.
"…Yeah?"
"That wasn't normal."
"…Still not explaining enough."
The man's expression hardened slightly.
"There are stories."
"Ancient ones."
"About a bloodline tied to the sealed world beneath this city."
Lin Feng stared at him.
"…You're joking."
"I wish I was."
Before Lin Feng could process that—
Pain exploded through his chest.
He staggered suddenly.
His vision blurred.
And beneath his skin—
Something glowed faintly crimson.
Su Yao's eyes widened immediately.
"…Lin Feng."
He looked down slowly.
Crimson markings were appearing across his arm.
The same markings visible on the creature below.
"…No way."
The creature saw it too.
And for the first time—
It stopped attacking the older man completely.
Its entire focus returned to Lin Feng.
Then—
It knelt.
The battlefield froze.
Everyone stared.
Because the monster—
Was bowing.
"…Heir…"
Lin Feng's pulse thundered in his ears.
The crimson markings spread further across his arm.
Burning.
Alive.
And deep beneath Blackstone City—
Something ancient began waking up completely.
Cliffhanger
Inside Lin Feng's mind—
A voice suddenly whispered.
Cold.
Ancient.
Familiar.
"At last…"
His eyes widened instantly.
Because the voice—
Came from inside him.