The aftermath of the battle weighed heavily on them as they regrouped. Charlotte leaned on her bow, her chest rising and falling with exhaustion. Henry slumped against his shield, his armor battered and covered in scorch marks. Dexter, though weary, forced himself to remain upright, his mind racing as he replayed Aelara's mocking words.The Shimmering Spires were still unstable, their glow dimmed but not extinguished. The faint hum of residual energy pulsed through the ground, a constant reminder that Aelara’s grip on reality had not been severed entirely.“We can’t linger here,” Dexter said, breaking the heavy silence. His voice was firm, but the strain in his tone was evident. “The Spires might collapse further, and we don’t know what kind of reinforcements Aelara might send next.”Henry grunted as he pushed himself upright, his shield slung over his back. “Reinforcements?” he muttered. “I’d say we’ve seen enough for one day.”Charlotte gave a weak smile. “Somehow, I doubt she’ll gi

The group didn’t waste time lingering near the destroyed Nexus. Dexter led the way, his blade sheathed but his senses heightened. Charlotte leaned against Henry for support, her energy nearly drained after firing off so many light-infused arrows. The air remained thick, heavy with residual energy from the battle, and each step felt like trudging through water.“Dexter,” Charlotte said, her voice shaky. “We need a plan before we stumble into the next mess. That figure wasn’t acting alone.”“She’s right,” Henry added. “That was no ordinary fight. It felt... orchestrated, like we were meant to weaken ourselves here.”Dexter nodded, his jaw tight. “It was a test. A warning, maybe. But it doesn’t matter. We’re finishing this.”His system chimed softly in his head, providing updates.System Update:Mission Progress: Disrupt the Nexus (1/3 Complete)Warning: Remaining Nexuses are increasingly fortified. Additional enemies detected near the second Nexus. Threat Level: SS+.Dexter exhaled thro

The group trudged forward, the oppressive silence of the now-fading forest giving way to the distant hum of energy emanating from the next Nexus. Each of them bore fresh wounds and carried the weight of exhaustion, but there was no time to rest. Dexter led the way, his senses on high alert despite the fatigue gnawing at his body.Henry tightened his grip on his shield, glancing around. “It feels like we’re walking into a trap. That Overlord was bad enough—what’s next, a dragon?”Charlotte managed a weak smile, though her voice was laced with tension. “Let’s not jinx it. We’ve already fought things I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.”Dexter remained silent, his focus locked on the path ahead. His system pinged softly, a new notification appearing in his vision.System Alert:Mission Updated: Neutralize the Nexus’s GuardianThreat Level: SSSObjective: Disable the corrupted Nexus and eliminate its guardian to restore balance. Time remaining: 4 hours.His jaw tightened. The time limit ad

The group barely had time to catch their breath after defeating the Rift Titan before the faint hum of the next Abyss Nexus started to vibrate through the ground beneath them. Despite their exhaustion, the victory felt hollow—a fleeting pause in the onslaught of chaos that surrounded their journey. They set up a temporary camp near the Titan's remains, ensuring to remain hidden under the rocky outcrop.Charlotte propped herself against a boulder, her fingers trembling as she refitted the arrows in her quiver. “Dexter,” she said softly, breaking the silence, “do you think this is it? Or will more of those things come?”Dexter sat sharpening his blade, its faint glow reflecting his hardened expression. “This was only a Vanguard,” he said. “If this Nexus system is working the way I think it is, the Rift Titan was just the gatekeeper. What lies beyond? That’s the real problem.”Henry let out a low groan, easing the straps of his armor. “What’s worse than a Rift Titan? It took everything w

The silence after the battle felt unnatural, as though the Abyss was holding its breath. The faint echoes of crumbling terrain and Charlotte’s labored breaths were the only sounds that punctuated the stillness. Dexter remained on his knees, gripping his sword tightly, staring at the fractured ground where the Enforcer had stood moments ago.“We’re alive,” Henry mumbled, breaking the silence. He rolled onto his back, staring at the swirling void above them. “I can’t believe we’re alive.”Charlotte slumped beside him, her bow still clutched tightly in her hands. “Barely,” she muttered. “Dexter, how much more of this do you think we can take?”Dexter didn’t respond immediately. The adrenaline that had kept him moving was fading, replaced by an overwhelming wave of exhaustion. His body screamed for rest, but his system was still buzzing faintly—a constant reminder that their battle wasn’t truly over.System Notification:Dimensional Anchor Neutralized. Abyss Enforcer Eliminated. Stabiliza