In the hidden stronghold of the Dark Triad, located far beneath the earth in an ancient ruin untouched by time, the atmosphere pulsed with anticipation. Kim Hwan, Mae Lou, Yao, Dao, Vera, and Luri stood in a circle as the core they had stolen from Silver Halo guild radiated with ominous energy. It pulsed like a living heart.
They handed it to Dr. Arlen, the enigmatic architect of the ritual that was about to unfold.
Dr. Arlen (excited): "At last... the catalyst. With this, the dimensional enchantment will no longer be bound by the Towers. We will summon a true gate—one that predates the system itself."
Ritual sigils lit up around the base. Dark energy surged through the stone chamber as Mae and Vera chanted in sync, supported by Yao and Dao standing like statues.
But something went wrong.
The sigils began to distort. The core cracked.
Mae (alarmed): "The core—it's rejecting the ritual!"
Kim Hwan (gritting his teeth): "Fall back!"
The entire chamber shuddered. Magical feedback exploded outward, corrupting the air. Shadows twisted into malformed beasts, and screams echoed. Chaos erupted.
Even the elite members were affected. Luri collapsed, clutching her head. Yao and Dao grimaced, blood dripping from their noses. Kim held his ground, his eyes flickering with fury.
And then—
A dimensional rift tore through the center of the ritual.
From it, Reid Stone stepped out. Calm. Cold. Commanding.
Reid: "I'll take it from here."
He lifted his hand, gathering the corrupted energies and reshaping the spell himself.
In an instant, the entire gate was teleported—straight into the skies above Central South Korea.
---
The sky above Seoul cracked open.
Darkness swallowed the sun. A swirling vortex formed, massive and terrifying—a dimensional rift unlike any seen before. Hunters all across the city paused, their instincts screaming.
The members of the Celestial Order, who were still on a brief vacation in Korea, stepped out of their retreat, faces turning grim.
Roger Wilson (The Infernal Vanguard): "That... is not a Tower Gate."
Christoff Erickson (The Mind Emperor): "No. It's something far older. Far worse."
Martin Saunders (The Iron Fortress): "We've got a problem."
All across the globe, news spread like wildfire. The Hunter Association sounded every alarm.
> "Breaking: An unknown dimensional rift has appeared over South Korea. This is NOT a standard Tower Gate."
Russia's Titan Eclipse prepared their elites.
China's Crimson Lotus sent out an emergency call.
India's Solar Bind, Germany's Iron Circles, and the Philippines' Silver Halo—all activated red alert protocols.
Back at the remains of Silver Halo Guild, Maria del Rosario sat with her arm in a sling, staring at the sky with a cold fury.
Maria (SS+ Rank Healer): "Kim Hwan... you were once our ally in the Calamity Floor. Now you bring the end to this world?"
---
From the rift, a massive dragon-like hand emerged—black as void, covered in glowing ancient runes.
The whole world held its breath.
To be continue...