The dust settled slowly.
Ash and fragments drifted through the air like falling snow.
The remains of the creature lay scattered across the ground—
Its multiple cores now dim.
Cracked.
Dead.
Kael exhaled heavily as he pushed himself up.
"…That one was different."
His body ached.
Not just from impact—
But from strain.
Even with his evolved core—
That fight had pushed him close to the edge.
"…Yeah."
She stood a few steps away, watching the remains.
"…That wasn't a natural evolution."
Kael glanced at her.
"…You keep saying that."
"…Because it matters."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Something is forcing these changes."
Silence.
Kael looked back at the corpse.
"…The core earlier…"
"…And now this."
A pattern.
"…So something is behind it."
"…Yes."
Kael's expression hardened.
"…Then we're heading in the right direction."
She didn't respond immediately.
Instead—
She turned.
Looking deeper into the forest.
"…Or the worst one."
Kael smirked faintly.
"…Same thing."
They moved again.
This time—
The atmosphere shifted faster.
The deeper they went—
The less the world resembled anything natural.
The ground cracked.
Dark veins spread across it.
Pulsing faintly.
The trees—
Were no longer trees.
Twisted.
Distorted.
Almost… alive.
Kael activated Core Sense instinctively.
And immediately regretted it.
"—Ghk!"
Pain shot through his chest.
Sharp.
Violent.
"…Turn it off," she said immediately.
Kael cut it.
Breathing heavily.
"…What was that…?"
"…Too much interference."
Her gaze was serious now.
"…The energy here is unstable."
"…More than before?"
"…Much more."
Kael frowned.
"…So what's causing it?"
Silence.
Then—
"…We're close."
That was all she said.
And somehow—
That was enough.
Kael's grip tightened slightly.
"…Good."
Because whatever it was—
He needed to see it.
The path narrowed.
Until—
They reached it.
A clearing.
But unlike the last—
This one felt wrong.
Not quiet.
Dead.
The ground was completely black.
Smooth.
Like glass.
At the center—
Something stood.
Kael stopped.
"…That's it…?"
It didn't look like much.
Just—
A figure.
Humanoid.
Standing still.
Not moving.
Not reacting.
"…What is that…"
The girl didn't answer.
Because—
For the first time—
She looked… tense.
"…That…"
Her voice dropped.
"…shouldn't exist."
Kael's eyes sharpened.
"…You've said that before."
"…No."
She shook her head slightly.
"…Not like this."
A chill ran down his spine.
"…Explain."
She didn't.
Instead—
"…Don't move."
Too late.
The figure moved.
Its head lifted.
Slowly.
Then—
It looked at them.
And Kael froze.
Because—
There was nothing there.
No eyes.
No face.
Just… emptiness.
"…What the hell…"
Then—
It spoke.
"…Irregular detected."
The voice—
Was wrong.
Not human.
Not monster.
Something in between.
"…Analyzing…"
Kael's instincts screamed.
"…This is bad."
"…No."
Her voice was tense.
"…This is worse."
The figure stepped forward.
And the world—
Glitched.
For a split second—
Everything distorted.
Kael's vision warped.
His body felt—
Disconnected.
"…What was that—?!"
"…Reality distortion…"
Her voice was sharp now.
"…It's not just affecting energy—"
"…It's affecting existence."
Kael's eyes widened.
"…That's not possible…"
"…It shouldn't be."
The figure stopped.
Then—
It raised its hand.
"…Correction required."
The air twisted.
Kael moved instantly—
Jumping back—
But the space where he had stood—
Collapsed.
Not exploded.
Erased.
"…What…?"
There was nothing left.
Not even debris.
Just… absence.
"…It erased it…"
"…Yes."
Her voice was steady.
But her eyes—
Sharp.
Focused.
"…Don't get hit."
"…No kidding!"
The figure moved again.
Faster.
Not physically—
But spatially.
It simply—
Appeared.
Right in front of Kael.
"…!"
Too fast.
Kael barely reacted—
Raising his sword—
Clang—
The impact didn't feel physical.
It felt—
Wrong.
Like blocking something that didn't exist.
"—GHK!"
Kael was thrown back.
His body slammed into the ground.
"…Damn it…"
"…It's not something you can fight normally," she said.
She moved.
Appearing between Kael and the figure.
"…Stay back."
"…What—"
Before he could finish—
She attacked.
For the first time—
She went all out.
Her movement—
Was beyond anything Kael had seen.
Fast.
Precise.
Deadly.
She struck.
Direct hit.
But—
Nothing happened.
Her attack passed through.
"…Intangible…?"
"…No…"
The figure tilted its head.
"…Invalid interaction."
Then—
It moved.
Her body twisted—
Dodging—
But barely.
A small part of her arm—
Vanished.
"…!"
Kael's eyes widened.
"…You—!"
But she didn't react.
Didn't scream.
Didn't falter.
"…It's not physical," she said calmly.
"…It's rewriting."
Kael's mind raced.
"…Then how do we fight it?!"
Silence.
For the first time—
She didn't have an answer.
The figure turned toward Kael again.
"…Primary anomaly identified."
Kael's heart sank.
"…Me."
"…Correct."
The air warped again.
"…Elimination required."
Kael's eyes sharpened.
"…Yeah…"
He stood.
Despite the danger.
Despite the fear.
"…I figured."
He raised his hand.
"…Then I'll just have to break you."
The system responded instantly.
[Unknown Entity Detected]
[Analysis Failed]
[Warning: Devour Not Recommended]
Kael smiled faintly.
"…When has that ever stopped me?"
He activated it anyway.
[Devour Activated]
The connection formed—
Then—
Broke instantly.
"—?!"
[Error: Target Cannot Be Consumed]
Kael's expression changed.
"…You're kidding…"
"…Of course it can't," she said quietly.
"…It's not something that can be consumed."
The figure raised its hand again.
"…Final correction."
The space around Kael began to collapse.
"…Move!"
She grabbed him—
Pulling him back—
The world shattered where he stood.
Reality itself breaking apart.
Kael's breath shook.
"…What is this thing…"
She looked at it.
Her expression unreadable.
"…Something that shouldn't exist…"
A pause.
"…Even here."
The figure stepped forward again.
Unstoppable.
Unnatural.
And focused—
Entirely—
On Kael.
"…This is bad…"
For the first time—
Kael felt it.
Not fear of death.
But something worse.
The feeling—
That this time—
He might not come back.
At all.
[To Be Continued…]