Darin’s footsteps no longer made a sound, yet the impact of his presence became increasingly tangible. In a single breath, the distance between them vanished. The first punch shot forward without warning, fast and precise.The man managed to block it, but this time the impact felt different. The strike carried far more weight, driving deep as though the force behind it came from something beyond muscle alone.Darin gave him no opening. A second attack followed instantly, a sharp elbow aimed at the jaw. Though it was deflected, the man’s position shifted half a step. A small movement, but enough to prove that his absolute defense was beginning to falter.The man’s eyes narrowed. He was finally taking the fight seriously.Darin continued pressing forward. His movements were no longer wild or reckless, but refined and efficient. Every strike served a purpose: pushing, forcing, guiding his opponent toward a narrower corner, trapping him between the containers.The man retaliated with incr

Darin's consciousness returned slowly.The first thing he felt was cold, followed by intense pain. His body felt as if it had just been struck from every direction. His spine felt heavy, his breaths came short, and a faint ringing echoed inside his head. He opened his eyes. The surroundings were dark, but this was no longer that strange space. This was the old warehouse in the industrial district.He was back.Darin immediately pushed himself up into a half-seated position."Rian?"A small cough sounded nearby.Darin turned quickly. Rian was behind a tilted shipping container a few meters away. The boy was curled up, clutching his head, his face deathly pale. But he was alive.The breath Darin had been unconsciously holding finally escaped. He staggered to his feet and approached the boy."What's wrong with you?"Rian slowly lifted his face, his eyes watery."I... I heard voices.""Voices?"Rian nodded quickly."Like a lot of people whispering... then the darkness shattered."Darin fe

The warehouse descended into total chaos. Gunshots still echoed through the air, mingling with showers of sparks. The black cracks hanging in space continued to spread, like wounds being forced open. But Darin's attention was fixed on one thing. A pale hand emerged from within the crack. The hand looked far too human, far too normal. That was exactly what made it so horrifying.The giant creature with empty eyes still stood in the center of the warehouse. Yet now, the armed soldiers glanced toward the crack more often than they fired at the monster. They knew which threat was truly more dangerous."Commander!" one of the men shouted. "The stabilization signal failed! The zone will collapse in ninety seconds!"The man in the coat didn't respond. His gaze remained locked on the crack. For the first time since Darin had met him, genuine tension appeared on his face.Not fear. Something worse. He had anticipated this possibility, and he still didn't like it. The pale hand moved slowly, as

The old warehouse suddenly fell silent.Not because the battle was over, but because every human and every creature born from the fractures stopped moving at the same time. Before Darin, the black System window still hovered silently.Then... Nothing happened.The text remained motionless, as though it were waiting for something.Darin narrowed his eyes. “If you're going to open, then just open already.”There was no response. Several seconds passed. Then suddenly, the entire display trembled. Tiny cracks spread across the surface of the black window, resembling glass on the verge of shattering. The Observer, who had appeared relaxed until now, finally lost his faint smile. “That... wasn't supposed to happen.”The Guardian immediately stepped forward. “Host, fall back.”Darin didn't move. “I'm tired of everyone telling me to back off.”“This time I'm serious.”“So am I.”Their eyes met. Neither of them was willing to yield. Behind Darin, Rian tugged gently on the edge of his jacket.