In the Academy's tower...
No one remained seated.
Every single professor stood before the magical screens.
Tension filled the hall.
As for Elder Eldar...
He was staring at only one name.
**Sanctuary of the Rift King**
A name never mentioned in modern books.
Rather, it had been deliberately erased.
One of the professors spoke in a trembling voice:
> "I thought it was just a myth..."
>
Eldar answered without raising his eyes:
> "It was no myth."
>
Silence fell.
Then he added:
> "It was a catastrophe."
>
Meanwhile, inside the sanctuary...
Kim was staring at the spot where the knight had vanished.
The knight's final words kept echoing in his mind.
> "Beware..."
>
> "They are..."
>
An incomplete sentence.
But he had learned a long time ago...
That incomplete information is far more dangerous than lies.
Suddenly...
He felt something.
A very faint sensation.
Coming from his right hand.
From the black mark.
His eyes narrowed.
Then he focused.
And suddenly...
A strange notification materialized before him.
It wasn't magic.
And it wasn't a system.
Instead, it felt like a remnant of consciousness left within the sword.
**Void Ripper**
*Unleashed Percentage: 1%*
*Available Ability: Rift Strike*
Then, another line appeared.
*Current energy is insufficient.*
Kim let out a faint smile.
So, even the sword was restricted.
Good.
Because absolute power always comes with a price.
Suddenly...
He paused.
Then he raised his finger calmly.
And drew a small line in the air.
A very small line.
But in the next instant—
Space tore open.
*Tsssssssssh!*
A pitch-black rift, one meter long, manifested.
Iris's eyes widened.
As for Leon...
His smile vanished for the very first time.
Because he felt something unnatural.
That rift...
Was not teleportation magic.
It was not a portal.
Instead, it looked as though reality itself had been cleanly severed.
Meanwhile, Kim...
Closed the rift immediately.
As if nothing had happened.
But he understood.
Even at just 1%...
This sword was dangerous.
Incredibly dangerous.
At that exact moment...
The sanctuary shook once more.
But this time...
It was different.
The walls trembled.
And the ancient inscriptions flared a deep crimson.
Then, an ancient voice echoed from everywhere.
> "The Heir has been detected."
>
Silence fell.
Then...
> "Initiating Hunt Protocol."
>
Everyone froze.
Even Kim.
For just a single second.
Then, another notification appeared.
**Warning**
*A signal has been dispatched to all seals bound to the Rift King.*
As for Kim...
He felt a cold sensation pass through his chest.
Because he understood what that meant.
If there were seals...
It meant there were things sealed away.
And if a signal had been sent to them...
It meant something had begun to wake up.
In a place far, far away...
Far beyond the empires.
Far beyond the edges of maps.
Inside a valley where the sun never shone.
A massive black chain was wrapped around an entire mountain.
And suddenly...
The chain began to rattle.
Then, a pair of eyes snapped open inside the darkness.
Colossal eyes.
Terrifying.
And ancient.
So ancient that the current kingdoms did not even exist when it was imprisoned.
Then, a raspy voice emerged from the depths.
> "The Heir..."
>
Silence fell.
Then the entire valley convulsed.
> "Has returned?"
>
Back in the sanctuary...
Kim knew nothing of this.
Because he was looking at Leon.
And Leon was looking at him.
Then, Leon finally smiled.
A slow smile.
And said:
> "Well..."
>
> "I think I no longer believe you're just a commoner."
>
As for Kim...
He smiled calmly.
Then replied:
> "And I never said I was."
>
> *"When you obtain a legendary treasure...
>
You do not merely become stronger...
The entire world becomes interested in you."*