The temperature around the world began to drop without warning. Reports of unusual mana readings spread across every major city. Hunters from multiple nations contacted Jinwoo's headquarters, claiming that gates were appearing in strange, unnatural forms — silent, without warning, and made entirely of light instead of shadow or energy.
Sung Jinwoo stood at the command center, eyes fixed on the projection of Earth that hovered before him. Blue lines, representing Nexus distortions, were appearing like veins across the planet. Each pulse carried the same signature — the energy he had felt in his dreams.
Cha Hae-In stepped beside him, her eyes filled with concern. "It's accelerating, isn't it?"
Jinwoo nodded slowly. "Yes. The Nexus isn't waiting anymore. It's beginning to fracture the balance on its own."
He turned to Beru, who stood behind them in his humanoid form, wings folded neatly, expression tense. "Status on the shadow scouts?"
Beru bowed slightly. "My lord, all shadow detachments have reported the same phenomenon. Energy readings in multiple zones match that of the Nexus pulse. The Arctic is the strongest source, but smaller echoes are appearing everywhere. Even the shadow realm feels... strained."
"Strained?" Jinwoo asked.
"Yes, my lord," Beru replied. "The walls between worlds tremble. It feels as though something is pressing against reality itself."
Jinwoo clenched his fist. "Then Agnorath is already touching the Nexus. He's testing its limits."
Cha Hae-In looked at him quietly. "If he manages to merge with it before you do—"
"He'll gain control over every realm at once," Jinwoo finished grimly. "Including this one."
---
That night, Jinwoo sat alone in the shadow of his own domain — a dark expanse stretching beyond sight. The air there pulsed with his mana, and countless shadows knelt in silent obedience.
He could sense Agnorath's presence growing stronger across the dimensional barrier. It wasn't just strength anymore — it was precision. The kind of focus that could tear open the veil between realities.
"System," Jinwoo said quietly. "Display current synchronization with the Nexus."
System Message:
[Connection: 43%]
[Stabilization Rate: Unsteady]
[Warning: Agnorath Influence Detected in the Nexus Core]
[Suggested Action: Begin Calibration Sequence – Nexus Alignment]
He exhaled deeply. "So we've reached this stage."
Jinwoo closed his eyes and spread his hand over the void. The shadows beneath him shifted like a sea in a storm, forming a wide circle of energy. In its center, a faint light began to appear — a fragment of the Nexus Gate he had seen in his dreams.
Slowly, he reached out to touch it. The moment his fingers brushed the edge, a surge of blinding power coursed through him. His body trembled as he saw flashes — visions of the Nexus itself, expanding and contracting like a living heart. He saw Agnorath standing at its opposite side, his form blazing with crimson light.
"You cannot stop what has begun," Agnorath's voice echoed through the void. "The Nexus is not a weapon, Jinwoo. It is the truth of all worlds — and I will claim it first."
The image faded, and Jinwoo gasped, falling to one knee. The shadows rushed forward, steadying him.
Beru appeared immediately. "My lord!"
"I'm fine," Jinwoo said between breaths. "He's there. He's already linked to it. The Nexus is waking."
Beru bowed. "Then it is time to prepare, my lord. The others await your word."
Jinwoo nodded slowly. "Call them all. It's time to move."
---
The next morning, Jinwoo gathered his allies once more — his sister Jinah, Cha Hae-In, Baek Yoonho, Choi Jong-In, and several high-ranking hunters from allied guilds. The air was tense, filled with a quiet understanding that what lay ahead would change everything.
Jinah spoke first, her voice uncertain. "Oppa, are you really going to go into that place?"
He smiled faintly. "I don't have a choice. If I don't go, Agnorath will control every realm — shadow, human, and beast alike. The Nexus isn't just a portal anymore. It's becoming the heart of all existence. If he takes it, it's over."
Cha Hae-In's hand brushed his arm lightly. "Then we go with you."
He turned to her, but before he could answer, Baek Yoonho stepped forward. "She's right. You're strong, Jinwoo. But even you can't stand alone against a being that's trying to rewrite the laws of existence."
Choi Jong-In added, "You once told us strength doesn't just come from power — it comes from those who stand beside you. Don't forget that."
Jinwoo looked at them all, one by one, and saw the same determination in every face. The people who had fought, bled, and survived through countless wars were now ready to face one last unknown.
He nodded finally. "Alright. We go together."
---
The journey to the Arctic was unlike any before. The closer they came to the convergence zone, the thinner the air felt, as if reality itself was unraveling. Light bent unnaturally, forming strange symbols in the snow, and even time seemed inconsistent.
When they reached the epicenter, they saw it — the Nexus Gate.
It was vast, stretching into the heavens, formed entirely of translucent energy that pulsed with a deep, resonant rhythm. Its center glowed with golden light, but around it, streaks of shadow and crimson mana swirled violently — Jinwoo's and Agnorath's powers clashing even before the gate had fully opened.
Everyone stopped, awestruck.
"This…" Hae-In whispered. "This isn't just a gate. It's alive."
Jinwoo's eyes narrowed. "No. It's awakening."
The ground shook violently. A crack of light tore through the sky, and from the heart of the Nexus came a sound like a thousand voices whispering in unison.
System Message:
[Warning: Nexus Core Activation Detected]
[Dimensional Barriers Weakening – 32% Integrity Remaining]
[Energy Surge – Unknown Entities Approaching]
"Everyone, stand back!" Jinwoo shouted.
Light exploded from the gate, and for a brief moment, the world vanished. The hunters shielded their eyes, their mana flaring defensively. When the light dimmed, they saw what had emerged — massive figures made of translucent crystal and energy, neither beast nor human. They moved slowly, as if half-dreaming, their eyes glowing with golden fire.
"The Guardians of the Nexus," Jinwoo said under his breath. "They've awakened."
Cha Hae-In raised her sword, her aura flaring gold. "What do we do?"
Jinwoo watched the guardians carefully. "We don't fight unless they attack. They aren't our enemies… not yet."
For a moment, the guardians stood still. Then, as if recognizing something in Jinwoo, they stepped aside — clearing a path directly toward the glowing center of the Nexus.
"It's inviting you," Hae-In whispered.
Jinwoo nodded slowly. "Then it's time."
He turned to the others. "Stay here. If the gate reacts, retreat immediately. Don't risk being pulled in."
Hae-In grabbed his arm. "Jinwoo—"
He looked at her, his expression calm but resolved. "I'll come back. I promise."
She hesitated, then released him, her eyes shining with quiet faith.
Jinwoo stepped forward, the hum of the Nexus filling his ears. Each step made the world flicker — images of realms overlapping, shadow and light, beast and human, heaven and abyss. The gate pulsed brighter, responding to his presence.
And then, as he reached the threshold, the world shattered into light.
The Nexus accepted him.
---
Far away, in the void beyond dimensions, Agnorath's crimson eyes opened. He smiled, feeling the shift in energy.
"So," he whispered, "the shadow king has entered."
He raised his hand, summoning his black blade of energy. "Then the real war begins."
The Nexus trembled as two powers — darkness and dominion — began to converge.
The fracture had become the path.
And the path would decide the fate of all realms.