The ruined district fell into absolute silence.
The soldiers stopped moving.
The civilians who had yet to evacuate froze where they stood.
Every gaze locked onto the enormous hole left behind by the pillar of Abyssal energy.
The ground trembled again.
**RUMBLE...**
A captain of the city guard frowned.
"...Did you feel that?"
One of the soldiers nodded nervously.
"...Y-Yes, Captain..."
His voice trembled.
"...Something's moving."
Another vibration answered him.
Stronger.
Longer.
Then—
A massive claw slowly emerged from the darkness below.
Its black, armored fingers dug into the fractured edge of the crater.
**CRAAACK...**
Stone splintered beneath its grip.
Dark purple Abyssal mana seeped from between its claws like smoke.
The surrounding temperature dropped instantly.
Several soldiers instinctively stepped backward.
"...What..."
"...What is that...?"
The captain's pupils shrank.
"...Back..."
He slowly raised his sword.
"...Everyone..."
His voice became sharper.
"...Back away from the hole!"
No one argued.
The soldiers hurriedly retreated while maintaining their formation.
Several civilians stumbled over themselves in their desperate attempt to escape.
One officer shouted,
"...Evacuate!"
"...Move!"
"...Move!"
The claw tightened.
**BOOM!**
Chunks of stone tore free as something beneath the city began pulling itself upward.
Only its arm was visible—
yet it was already larger than a motor vehicle.
Black scales covered its massive limb.
Crimson fissures pulsed beneath its armored exterior like veins filled with molten blood.
A soldier's face turned pale.
"...M-Monster..."
Another whispered,
"...That's impossible..."
His eyes remained fixed on the enormous claw.
"...How could something that size have been underground...?"
The captain never lowered his weapon.
Cold sweat rolled down his face.
"...Send word to headquarters."
"...Immediately."
He swallowed.
"...Tell every squad captain..."
His voice tightened.
"...An S-rank threat has appeared within the city."
One of the officers immediately turned.
"...Y-Yes, Captain!"
He sprinted away without looking back.
The claw climbed higher.
Then—
Another enormous hand reached up from the darkness.
It gripped the opposite edge of the crater.
The earth groaned beneath its weight.
**RRRRRMMMM...**
The captain's breathing slowed.
His grip tightened around his sword.
"...Steady..."
His eyes remained fixed on the darkness below.
"...Hold your ground."
No one answered.
No one could.
They simply stared—
as whatever lay beneath the city...
continued dragging itself toward the surface.
---
The emergency alarms echoed throughout Dresvalle.
Their shrill cries spread from one district to the next.
Every military outpost immediately responded.
Within moments—
armored soldiers poured into the streets.
Mana-powered vehicles thundered toward the ruined district.
Above—
massive military airships lifted into the sky.
Their mana engines roared as they climbed into position.
Heavy cannons slowly rotated downward.
Targeting the enormous crater below.
Formation after formation filled the air.
Further across the city—
adventurers rushed toward the disturbance.
Some carried oversized weapons.
Others activated mana artifacts while running.
Curiosity.
Fear.
Determination.
Every expression could be seen among the growing crowd.
"...What's happening?"
"...They said something came out of the ground!"
"...Was that beam an attack?"
"...Move!"
"...Everyone move!"
The streets quickly descended into controlled chaos.
---
Back at the crater—
The soldiers had already expanded the perimeter.
No civilians remained nearby.
Only armed personnel stood their ground.
Weapons raised.
Mana circulating through their bodies.
The captain never lowered his sword.
His eyes remained fixed upon the hole.
Then—
The creature climbed higher.
Its massive head slowly emerged from the darkness.
Jagged black horns curved backward from its skull.
Crimson fissures pulsed beneath layers of armored scales.
Dark purple Abyssal mana drifted from its body like smoke.
Its molten eyes slowly swept across the city.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
One soldier's lips trembled.
"...W..."
His voice caught in his throat.
"...What..."
Another unconsciously took a step backward.
"...What kind of monster..."
His eyes widened.
"...is that...?"
An adventurer standing atop a nearby rooftop stared at the creature with wide eyes.
"...I've..."
His voice was barely audible.
"...I've never seen anything like it..."
Another adventurer slowly lowered his weapon.
His expression had gone pale.
"...That's..."
"...No ordinary creature..."
The creature remained completely still.
Its burning gaze swept across the countless tiny figures surrounding the crater.
Soldiers.
Adventurers.
Military vehicles.
Airships.
All of them.
None were worth acknowledging.
Then—
The creature slowly lifted its head.
Its chest expanded.
A deep sound rumbled from within its enormous body.
**Grrrrrr...**
The captain's expression changed.
His instincts screamed at him.
"...Brace yourselves!"
The creature opened its mouth.
**ROOOOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRRRR—!!!**
The roar erupted like thunder.
A visible shockwave exploded outward.
**BOOOOOOM—!!**
Windows shattered across the surrounding streets.
Stone walls cracked.
Dust and debris were thrown into the air.
Countless soldiers were blown backward.
Several crashed into nearby buildings.
Others were thrown completely off their feet.
The military airships overhead violently shook.
Their hulls groaned under the force.
One nearly lost control before its pilot desperately corrected its position.
Adventurers hurriedly drove their weapons into the ground to keep themselves from being sent flying.
Even then—
many failed.
Bodies were thrown across rooftops and streets.
The oppressive Abyssal pressure flooded the entire district.
Dark mana rolled through the streets like a storm.
It seeped into every corner.
It pressed against the soldiers' bodies.
It made breathing difficult.
Some collapsed to their knees.
Others struggled just to remain standing.
One trembling soldier whispered,
"...M-Monster..."
Another slowly backed away.
His sword shook uncontrollably in his hand.
"...No..."
His eyes remained fixed on the towering creature.
"...That's..."
His voice cracked.
"...A calamity..."