In a frantic rush, Amira and the young man fled the city, their movements sharp and hurried.
They possessed the power to kill Tier 3 abominations and could have wiped them out long ago, yet there was a reason they hadn't done so. The abominations weren't just pests—they were triggers. Dangerous ones.
Just as Aleron regained his previous momentum, racing ahead of the demon ape and the young man, a faint heartbeat echoed through the air.
Everything halted.
Every creature froze, including the abominations. Even Aleron, who was dashing through the ruins of the city, felt a chill creep down his spine as his heart pounded with terrifying intensity.
In the next instant, all ten abominations began glowing with a dark, obsidian light. Their forms twisted and convulsed unnaturally.
Aleron's eyes widened in alarm.
He remembered what had happened the last time this occurred. His breath caught in his throat as realization struck.
"Is it forming a Tier 4 abomination again?" he thought, his gaze sharpening with tension.
But what happened next was something he had never expected.
Instead of merging into a singular, monstrous form, the abominations began spinning.
Their bodies twisted into a circle, moving sluggishly at first, but rapidly gaining speed until they blurred out of sight, leaving only flickering afterimages behind.
Sparks snapped through the air. Cracks of black lightning burst from the spinning vortex as a dark portal began forming at its center.
Everyone's gaze shot toward the growing anomaly, even Aleron paused mid-flight to witness the event that had shaken the very air with such oppressive weight.
He couldn't look away.
Suddenly, from within the center of the portal, a hand emerged.
The moment the clawed appendage pierced through, the portal expanded violently, surging outward until it was nearly ten meters wide.
From its depths, a creature slowly began to crawl out.
It was an abomination—yes—but not like the ones before.
This one, though similar in size and structure to its predecessors, emitted a suffocating pressure. The air around it quivered.
Its hollow eyes flickered—no longer empty, but filled with eerie intelligence and malicious curiosity. It glanced around, absorbing everything.
Aleron's chest rose and fell faster. A bead of sweat slipped down his temple.
"I can't stay here!" he thought, turning away sharply, wings spreading as he prepared to take flight.
But just before he could ascend, something at the edge of his vision made him freeze.
Bang!
Another abomination stepped out of the portal, following the exact path as the first. It moved slowly, deliberately, its gaze sharp and predatory.
It opened its mouth.
A guttural roar erupted.
"Roarrrrrrr!"
As the sound tore through the battlefield, it shook the ruins and sent birds screaming into the sky.
Before the echo had even faded, a third hand stretched slowly out of the portal's void.
Far in the distance, Amira and the young man glanced back while fleeing. Their faces turned grim.
"It's just like in that video," Amira said, voice cracking. "Killing too many Tier 3 abominations together can cause them to merge and summon a portal to their world."
The young man gave a slow nod. "According to the reports, the only way to stop it is by destroying the portal. But only a handful of people have the power to do that."
"Killing them all the moment they appear is another option," Amira added hesitantly, but her words faltered as she felt the weight of the young man's cold stare.
"What are you saying?" he asked quietly, his voice laced with anger. "You want to see what happens if we kill a group of Tier 4 abominations too? What if that summons something even worse?"
The grief of his sister's death still clung to him like smoke, thick and choking. The thought of another massacre, more innocent lives lost—it ignited the rage festering in his heart.
Everyone understood now why the higher-ups had chosen not to eliminate the abominations outright. Despite their strength, they had sealed this city instead, branding it a forbidden ground.
Who could predict what would crawl out next?
Back near the portal, Aleron stared in disbelief at the emerging creatures.
His shock wasn't focused on the Tier 4 abominations themselves.
It was the portal.
His entire being trembled.
"What is that thing?" he wondered, heart thundering in his chest.
Knowing he had gained some distance and with the abominations now blocking his pursuers, Aleron didn't hesitate.
He leapt into the air, flapping his wings with force and urgency.
His speed increased rapidly. Along the way, he whispered internally.
"System, how much origin energy do I have left?"
A quick notification flickered before his eyes.
[Origin Energy: 5/46]
Behind him, Jerry hesitated, unsure whether to continue the chase.
But the demon ape didn't pause for even a moment. Under the young man's orders, it charged forward at terrifying speed.
Just as it crossed into the presence of the abominations, a shift occurred.
Their hollow eyes gleamed with icy malice.
"Rude… kill!"
The words were broken and hoarse, like rust scraping against metal. Their voices could barely form sentences, but the command was clear.
Without warning, they moved together with eerie coordination.
Their massive arms descended like hammers.
Bang!
The demon ape didn't even have the chance to defend itself. In a fraction of a second, it was pulverized into a heap of mangled flesh and shattered bones.
Jerry's eyes went wide in horror.
His thoughts raced. Before the abominations could turn on him, he quickly communicated with his Wind Gale Wolf.
The beast, equally frightened, obeyed immediately. They retreated, step by step.
Luckily, Jerry was far enough away from the portal that the abominations didn't bother chasing him. Their attention remained focused on the threat they had just eliminated.
One breath at a time, he escaped the horde.
Eyes flicking forward, Jerry clenched his fists tightly.
His gaze locked on Aleron.
As if sensing the attention, Aleron paused mid-flight and turned his head slightly.
In that frozen moment, their eyes met.
Time seemed to stop.
Sparks ignited between their stares. The air felt electrified, the tension sharp as blades.
Both muttered the same words silently in their hearts.
"Next time, I will definitely kill you."