The massive ogre let out a deafening roar, shaking the very earth beneath it.At the same time, the twisted orcs surged forward with renewed ferocity.The battlefield was consumed by chaos.
And yet—even in that chaos, Damian didn't blink.His eyes remained locked on the towering ogre.
"This one's mine."
He steadied his grip on the sword and stepped forward.The others would have to handle the rest—Kaio, Ian, Cain, and Rean.
1. Battle Disarray – Kaio's Flaw
Kaio was young and powerful.His raw strength was overwhelming—one blow from him could turn the tide.
But he had a flaw.
He was used to fighting alone.
In solo combat, he was unmatched.But in a team battle, his movements were too isolated.He paid no mind to his allies' positions,trying to shoulder everything himself.
And slowly, the battlefield began to fall out of sync.
"Kaio, left flank!"Cain warned.
But Kaio, already mid-swing, didn't hear him.The shockwave from his hammer blow rippled too far—right into the space where Ian was preparing a stealth strike.Rean's spell timing also faltered, thrown off by the sudden shift in movement.
Their formation unraveled in an instant.
2. The Rogue's Instinct – A New Conductor
Ian retreated swiftly, assessing the battlefield.Strength alone didn't win fights.
What mattered most—was controlling the flow.
Kaio lacked experience.But he wasn't uncooperative.He just needed guidance—delivered the right way.
Ian moved without a word,drifting into Kaio's blind spot and whispering:
"Prepare a lightning spell."
Kaio flinched slightly,but something in the tone made him obey without question.He began gathering energy—quiet, focused.
Ian, without missing a beat, slipped over to Rean.
"Get Ice Storm ready."
Rean blinked in confusion at first,but the look on Ian's face told her everything.She nodded, and began chanting—her fingers already weaving the quick, sharp gestures of a sorcerer.
3. Party Combat – The Rise of Coordination
Cain observed it all from a distance,adjusting his position to clear lines of fire and manipulate enemy movement.
He used his arrows not just to kill—but to guide,to create openings for what was coming next.
And when Kaio's lightning spell reached its peak,Ian gave the signal.
"Now!"
A storm of ice exploded from Rean's hands.
Lightning and frost—
The searing voltage coursed through the frigid air,igniting a violent synergy.
Freezing shards clung to the orcs' flesh,and the lightning surged through the ice—detonating from within.
The twisted orcs writhed in agony.The storm was no longer just elemental—it was strategic devastation.
This—was the power of coordinated combat.
4. The Turning Point
Kaio had tried to fight alone.But now—he saw.
His way wasn't the only way.While he prepared his attack,his allies had supported him.They had amplified his power.
"Fine,"he muttered through clenched teeth,power surging through his frame once again.
"Then let's do this right."
And with that—their true counterattack began.
*****
Chapter : Duel with the Colossal Beast
The ogre roared and brought down its massive fist.The ground shook. Stones flew.
Damian stepped back, eyes never leaving the beast.He was reading the flow.
"The two-headed ogre was strong… but this one—its raw power surpasses even that."
The ogre wasn't fast.But every blow it threw was heavy enough to tear open the earth itself.
A single hit here,and defense would mean nothing.
1. The One Who Rides the Flow – Damian
Damian dodged the ogre's crushing blow—then seized the opening and slashed.
Shhhk—!
The first strike.
His blade sliced deep across the ogre's arm, leaving a long gash.But the creature didn't even flinch.
It swung back with one massive arm.Damian twisted and slipped past the counter.
Shhk—! Shhk—!
Second and third strikes.
A jab to the side, a sweep across the thigh.Blood sprayed into the air.
But the ogre, ignoring the pain, tensed its body even more.
The more it bled,the faster it became.
2. A Fight With No Way Out
Damian went for a strong slash—trying to create space.But—
"GRAAAAH!"
The ogre twisted with Damian's sword still embedded in its flesh,refusing to let it go.
Damn it.
Damian pulled hard to free the blade—but the ogre reached for him, trying to grab hold.
Just then—
"Thunder's Call!"
KRA-KOOM!!
Kaio's hammer crashed down on the ogre's back,shaking its balance.
Damian used the moment to yank his sword free,leapt high—and soared toward the ogre's head.
Aim for the skull—end it now!
He plunged his blade downward—
—but the ogre, writhing in pain,twisted just enough to avoid a fatal blow.
3. A Battle of Brutal Power and Reflex
Damian landed, crouched low—and lunged again, aiming for the ogre's throat.
He went in for a deep cut—
But the ogre reacted with uncanny speed,pulling back and swinging its club.
Too fast to dodge…
Damian twisted mid-air, softening the blow—but the impact sent him flying.
WHAM!
He hurled toward a wall—but flipped midair, planted his foot against the stone—and launched himself back at the beast.
4. The Finishing Sequence
Ian moved.
Having finished off the twisted orcs,he sprinted low, shadow-like, toward the ogre.
His dagger flashed.
He jabbed at its thigh—disrupting its stance.
"Tch…!"
The ogre turned to respond—
—but Damian was already in motion,his blade spinning toward its eyes.
Then—
"Follow the path of lightning!"
Kaio's magic ignited.
A bolt of lightning traced Damian's sword—shooting straight into the ogre's eye.
ZzzzzRKKKK!!
The blade pierced its skull—and the lightning burst through its body,searing nerves, boiling blood.
The beast shuddered violently,its brain overwhelmed by electric shock.
THUD.
The massive body collapsed.
5. The Fight Settles—for Now
The noise of the battlefield faded.The twisted orcs lay dead.The ogre moved no more.
Damian slowly lowered his sword.He turned to Kaio and Ian.
"That was a solid finish."
Kaio was panting heavily,still processing what had just happened.
Ian clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"You holding up?"
Kaio inhaled sharply—then let out a short laugh.
"…Yeah. Starting to get it now."Fighting as a team… isn't so bad.
Their battle was over.
But Damian already knew—this hadn't been a random ambush.
There was intention behind this.
He looked quietly at his blade.This fight may have ended—but a greater battle was still waiting.
****
Chapter : The Kingdom Reacts – An Engineered Experiment
1. The Kingdom Responds – Seeking a Way to Stop the Fractures
With the battle over, the kingdom's shamans moved quickly.The recent fractures and anomalies could no longer be dismissed as coincidence.
"At this rate, the entire kingdom could fall.""The fractures are growing stronger. We need a way to contain them."
A crisis meeting was convened among the high-ranking shamans.Among them sat several representatives from Those Who See Beyond.
"As we've seen in previous incidents, the shamans' totems appear to stabilize the fractures."One of their members spoke with a calm, deliberate voice."We must amplify this effect."
The kingdom's shamans hesitated.Totems had shown signs of suppressing the fractures—but whether they were a true solution remained uncertain.
Still, Those Who See Beyond offered certainty.
"All our tests point to the totems being the most effective countermeasure.""If we place them atop the three sacred temples, we can seal the fractures across the entire kingdom."
After deliberation, the shamans agreed.They would install totems atop the three major temples.
What they didn't know was this—the results they were acting upon had been tampered with.
2. An Engineered Experiment – The Agenda of Those Who See Beyond
Those Who See Beyond had long pursued the study of the fractures.To them, these were not mere ruptures—they were gateways to truth.
This latest experiment was no exception.
They knew the totems didn't block the fractures—they tuned them.
The goal wasn't to shut them down,but to hold them in a controlled, stable state.
If too unstable, the fractures were dangerous.If too sealed, nothing new could emerge.
They sought the delicate in-between—the moment when chaos becomes a doorway.
"The preparations are complete,"one of them said with a smile."Once all three totems are placed, the fractures will take on a new form."
And when that happened,the kingdom would unknowingly be part of their grand experiment.
3. Totem Installation – Preparing to Tune the Fractures
At the first of the three temples,the kingdom's shamans carefully carried the totem.
It radiated potent magic.
"We'll use the temple's energy to anchor the totem."
Their objective was simple:To halt the fractures.To protect the kingdom.To prevent further collapse.
But there was something they didn't know:
The totems weren't meant to seal the fractures—they were built to stabilize them.
This was Those Who See Beyond's true plan.
If the fractures were sealed,the path to truth would close.
But if they were stabilized—they could open that door at will.
As the shamans began their sacred ritual,the members of Those Who See Beyond watched in silence.
4. Damian's Suspicion – Coincidence or Design?
Meanwhile, Damian and his allies couldn't ignore how perfectly everything was falling into place.
"The fractures are spreading faster than we predicted.""And yet, a perfect solution is already prepared.""…This feels too convenient."
Rean shook her head.
"Finding a way to stop the fractures is good… but still—"
She looked up at the totem atop the temple.
"Will this truly lead to a good outcome?"
Ian crossed his arms.
"Something's off. This is going too smoothly."
Damian said nothing—but he felt it too.A strange naturalness to the unfolding events that didn't feel natural at all.
They had no proof—but they knew they needed to dig deeper.
5. Subtle Changes in the Fractures – Just as They Wanted
Once the totems were installed and the rituals completed,the shamans noticed an immediate shift.
The fractures no longer pulsed violently—they began to flow, like calm rivers of energy.
Chaotic magic quieted.The explosive bursts that had threatened the land faded.
The kingdom breathed a sigh of relief.They believed they were safe.
But Those Who See Beyond smiled quietly to themselves.
The experiment had succeeded.
The fractures no longer expanded at random—they had become controllable.
Now, whenever they wished—they could open the door.
And beyond that door…was the truth they had been searching for.
****
Chapter : The Hidden Truth Beneath the Temple
1. Victory or Illusion?
The temple's central magic circle glowed with soft light.The fractures seemed to be closing, and the shamans rejoiced.
"We did it!""The fractures are stabilizing!"
All three totem-equipped temples emitted powerful ritual energy.The kingdom's leaders were satisfied.
But Damian and his group remained uneasy.
Kaio stood, eyes locked on the totem's aura—a subtle unease gnawed at him.
"This pulse… it's too perfect."
The flow of the fracture wasn't stopping—it was shifting, forming new patterns.
And then,the totem's markings shimmered—changing, ever so slightly.
Kaio frowned.
"…It's not sealing the fracture.It's tuning it."
2. Anomalies in the Ritual – Signs of Deception
Kaio wasn't wrong.
While the shamans continued their rites,he quietly explored the temple's inner sanctum.
Comparing ancient inscriptions to the magical pulses now emitted by the totem—he reached a conclusion.
"These totems aren't meant to block the fractures.They're designed to manipulate them."
He relayed the discovery to Rean.She extended her magical senses, and confirmed it.
"This isn't how traditional sealing works.Normally, we build a barrier to close the space.But this… this is shaping it. Guiding it."
Cain's expression darkened.
"Then this whole experiment—was rigged?"
Kaio nodded firmly.
"The fractures aren't being sealed.They're being linked."
Just then—a small rift flickered inside the temple.
"…This is no solution," Kaio whispered."They're not closing the fractures.They're opening them."
3. The Kingdom and the Ones Who Pull the Strings
The kingdom's leaders trusted Those Who See Beyond.
They believed they were closing the fractures—but in truth, they were following a carefully engineered plan.
Damian's group now understood the truth.
This wasn't a containment project—this was the prelude to something greater.
"If it's a setup," Ian said,"then somewhere there's a control center—something anchoring the entire ritual."
"A fracture core," Rean added."If they're manipulating flow, they must be focusing it somewhere."
Kaio's eyes narrowed.
He remembered an ancient line from the temple records:
"When three temples align, the center must hide in shadow."
They knew what that meant.
"There's something under the temple."
4. The Warning – and the Dismissal
Damian's party immediately approached the kingdom's leadership.
They warned them of the totem's true nature.
But the shamans refused to believe it.
"This ritual was overseen by our best scholars.Why would we abandon proven results for the claims of wandering outsiders?"
Their eyes were already fixed on the illusion of success.The fractures seemed gone.The risk seemed resolved.
Those Who See Beyond stepped in to reinforce the denial:
"These are mere rift hunters.For the kingdom's safety, trust the science—not superstition."
The leaders wavered—but in the end, they sided with the ones who had promised them control.
5. Descent Into the Deep – The Truth Below
If no one would listen—then action was the only option left.
The lower levels of the temple were undocumented even by the kingdom.They were not just chambers of magic—they were chambers of structure,linked to the world's very foundation.
"We have to see it for ourselves,"Damian said.
"If they won't listen, we'll bring back proof."
Avoiding the guards,they slipped into the hidden underbelly of the temple.
There—they would find what even the kingdom had forgotten.
The core of the fracture.The anchor of the tuning.The truth.
And they would realize—this was no mere experiment.
Those Who See Beyond weren't observing the fracture.
They were rewriting its rules.
And what they intended to summon…was no simple creature.
The time had come—to face the truth.