No one moved.
Not immediately.
The battlefield remained frozen beneath the ruined night sky of Blackstone City. Smoke drifted through shattered streets while the echoes of the earlier clash still lingered in the air.
But now—
Everything felt smaller.
Because after witnessing that dark figure—
The war between factions suddenly seemed insignificant.
Lin Feng stood motionless on the rooftop, eyes fixed on the plaza below where the faction leader had been crushed into the ground.
Still alive.
Barely.
But broken.
"…What the hell was that thing?" Lin Feng finally asked.
No one answered immediately.
Even Su Yao—
Who usually remained calm—
Looked unsettled.
The man from the shadows exhaled slowly.
"…Something that shouldn't have awakened."
Lin Feng glanced sideways.
"You know what it was."
"A fragment."
"…A fragment of what?"
The man's gaze darkened slightly.
"…That's the problem."
Before Lin Feng could press further—
The ground trembled again.
This time—
Stronger.
Cracks spread across the streets below, tearing through already damaged stone roads. Buildings shifted dangerously as distant screams echoed through the district once more.
"It's coming from underground," Su Yao said immediately.
Lin Feng felt it too now.
A pressure.
Deep beneath the city.
Ancient.
Heavy.
And rising.
The faction leaders below quickly recovered enough to react. Orders were shouted across the battlefield as fighters began retreating away from the center district.
The war had stopped.
Completely.
Fear changed everything fast.
Lin Feng watched the retreating fighters.
"…So everyone's panicking now."
"They should be," the man replied quietly.
Another violent tremor erupted beneath the city.
This one powerful enough to split apart an entire section of the plaza below.
Stone collapsed inward.
Darkness opened beneath it.
And from that darkness—
Cold air surged upward.
Lin Feng narrowed his eyes.
"…That feels wrong."
Because it did.
Not just dangerous.
Wrong.
Like something unnatural was forcing its way into the world.
Then—
A roar echoed from beneath the earth.
Not human.
Not beast.
Something deeper.
Older.
The sound alone sent chills across the district.
Several weaker fighters below collapsed instantly from the pressure.
Others fled outright.
Even the remaining faction leaders looked tense now.
Lin Feng's blood surged despite himself.
Fear and excitement mixed together inside him.
"…This city really knows how to entertain."
Su Yao shot him a look.
"You're smiling again."
Lin Feng grinned slightly.
"Can you blame me?"
"Yes."
Before he could answer—
The ground exploded.
The entire center plaza erupted upward in a storm of stone and debris. Massive cracks tore across nearby streets as something enormous forced itself upward from below.
Lin Feng's eyes widened slightly.
"…Big."
Very big.
At first—
Only darkness emerged.
Thick black chains wrapped around a gigantic shape still buried underground.
Ancient symbols glowed faintly across the chains, pulsing violently as cracks spread through them.
Then—
A massive claw broke free.
Black scales.
Monstrous size.
Pressure strong enough to distort the surrounding air.
Several buildings collapsed instantly.
The creature roared again.
And this time—
Everyone in Blackstone City heard it.
Panic spread immediately.
People fled through the streets.
Faction members abandoned positions.
The entire city descended into chaos.
Lin Feng stared openly at the massive creature forcing itself upward from beneath the city.
"…Okay."
A slow grin spread across his face.
"…Now this is insane."
Su Yao looked genuinely irritated now.
"How are you enjoying this?"
Lin Feng pointed toward the monster.
"Look at it."
"…That's your answer?"
"Yes."
The man from the shadows rubbed his forehead lightly.
"…I'm surrounded by lunatics."
Another chain snapped.
The roar that followed shook the entire city.
The creature rose higher now, revealing part of its massive body. Its scales were covered in ancient markings, glowing faintly like burning cracks across black stone.
And its eyes—
Glowed deep crimson.
Lin Feng felt danger screaming at him again.
But unlike before—
This time he also felt something else.
A pull.
As if the creature had noticed him too.
"…Why do I suddenly feel involved?" he muttered.
Su Yao's expression sharpened instantly.
"…It's looking at you."
Lin Feng blinked once.
"…Why?"
No one answered.
Because nobody knew.
The creature's massive gaze remained fixed upward.
Toward the rooftop.
Toward him.
Then—
Another presence appeared.
The older man from the gathering.
He stood in the air above the collapsing district, calm despite the destruction below.
And for the first time since Lin Feng met him—
His expression looked serious.
"…Everyone leave the city," the man's voice echoed across Blackstone.
Not shouted.
But heard by all.
"This is no longer your battle."
The remaining fighters immediately began retreating.
No hesitation.
No argument.
Lin Feng watched the older man carefully.
"…He's going to fight that thing."
"Yes," the man from the shadows answered.
Lin Feng's eyes lit up slightly.
"…Now that I want to see."
Su Yao grabbed his arm immediately.
"You're not going closer."
Lin Feng looked at her.
"…You think I'd miss this?"
"Yes."
Another roar interrupted them.
The creature finally tore itself halfway free from beneath the city.
More chains shattered.
More buildings collapsed.
The pressure became unbearable.
And then—
The older man raised one hand.
Instantly—
The entire sky above Blackstone City lit up.
Lin Feng's eyes widened.
Not from fear.
But awe.
"…That's strength."
Real strength.
The kind that stood above everything he had seen before.
And deep inside—
His desire to grow stronger burned hotter than ever.
Cliffhanger
As the older man prepared to strike—
The creature suddenly spoke.
Its voice deep enough to shake the city itself.
"…The Heir has appeared."
Silence.
Then—
Its crimson eyes locked onto Lin Feng again.
And for the first time—
Everyone else followed its gaze.
Straight toward him.