A wide smile appeared on Lortar's face as the tip of his halberd descended toward the Ocean of the Blood Sun. Victory was within reach—one final strike, and everything would end.
Then—
"CRACK!"
A shattering sound echoed across the blood ocean.
In that instant, it was as if time itself had frozen. The battlefield fell utterly silent, save for that terrible sound spreading across sky and earth, reverberating endlessly in every direction. It echoed again and again, stretching far beyond sight, as though reality itself were breaking.
The phenomenon lasted less than a second.
Yet for the two kings, it felt like an eternity.
When time began to move again, terror exploded within Lortar's heart.
He was a heartbeat away from his goal—yet every instinct screamed at him to flee. To escape. To put as much distance as possible between himself and the Ocean of the Blood Sun.
Lortar had lived for millions of years. He had survived countless wars, betrayals, and catastrophes.
