When the Rune Master heard the great Smith's words, he wasn't moved; not even a faint trace of respect appeared on his face. Instead, he continued speaking calmly, as if the name Yukon Evanhart, mentioned by Smith, carried no weight in this world.
He smiled faintly and said,
— "Well, you're right about what you said. But… have you forgotten something very important, Chief Butler of the Evanhart family?"
Smith raised an eyebrow, his tone sharp as a blade.
— "And what exactly do you mean?"
The Rune Master chuckled lightly, a clear tone of mockery in his voice.
— "Oh, has the intelligence of the Evanhart family declined to such a degree? I thought you were more discerning."
Smith's face darkened, his voice came out low and seething.
— "Enough chatter. Just tell me what you want."
At that moment, Adam watched silently, his eyes missing no detail. His thoughts ran deep:
Yes... this is exactly what I've been waiting for. The time is right to begin the next act of the play.
The Rune Master took a step forward, his voice growing more serious.
— "You know well, Smith, that anyone who seeks to rise in this world requires vast and continuous resources. No one reaches the upper ranks through talent alone."
Smith replied tensely,
— "Are you implying that this so-called King—if he even exists—must possess enough resources to reach SSS rank? The talent of a king? Resources only the elite families could possibly own?"
The Rune Master smiled slyly.
— "You're right, Mr. Smith. But you're merely avoiding the truth. You can't deny what's right in front of you."
Talia, who had been following the exchange anxiously, finally spoke.
— "What does this man mean, Smith?"
But Smith didn't answer. He remained silent, because he already understood what the Rune Master was hinting at—and wished he hadn't.
The Rune Master continued, his expression glowing with pride, as if revealing a great secret.
— "Everyone knows that the most resource-devouring professions are alchemy and rune crafting. Surely, you've heard of Matheon Gervan, the man who nearly reached the level of Rune King in recorded history. That man drained his family's entire fortune—a family once counted among the wealthiest of their age—and still, they failed to raise him from Grand Elder to King!"
A heavy silence filled the room, as if the air itself had stopped moving.
Everyone froze, their faces paling. They understood what the Rune Master was suggesting:
The appearance of a new Rune King in this era meant that someone was backing him—someone with immeasurable wealth and resources, whose origin could only point to one thing.
At that moment, Adam's thoughts blazed like fire.
Good… very good. Everything is unfolding exactly as planned. I should silence this loudmouth before that person arrives. I can't afford anything being exposed now.
But before anyone could process the first shock, something unexpected happened.
The runes that covered the palace walls and surrounded the area began to vanish. The glowing inscriptions receded and converged into a single point at the center of the hall, forming a sphere of energy—small at first, then pulsing with life.
It swayed like a transparent serpent, light streaming from its body like flames flowing through water. The glow intensified until the entire hall blazed as if a newborn sun had ignited within.
Smith shouted sharply,
— "What's happening here?! Rune Master, explain what I'm seeing!"
But the Rune Master's voice trembled.
— "I… I don't know. This is the first time I've seen anything like this. This isn't normal—at all."
The sphere continued its strange movement until it seemed to breathe—then suddenly, its color changed.
The brilliant golden light turned into absolute darkness. All colors vanished. The air inside the hall thickened and died. The black sphere, now the size of a fist, radiated a crushing pressure that made the ground tremble.
And from their experience, everyone knew—whatever was coming next would not be good.
Then, the sphere vanished, dissolving into thin air.
For a moment, everyone thought the danger had passed—until Smith's voice cut through the silence:
— "Everyone, activate your mana shields—now!"
No one understood, but they obeyed.
Before the last word left his lips, a deafening explosion split the silence in two.
Everything shattered—walls, pillars, even the ground cracked and flew apart like brittle sand. The blast was so terrifying that some lost consciousness instantly, while others were hurled through the air before crashing down like lifeless dolls.
In the end, only ash, dust, and silence remained.
---
Elsewhere…
Far from the ruins, a vast camp stood, filled with elite high-ranking Awakeners.
They were preparing to enter the Chaos Rift—an SSS-rank anomaly, one of the most dangerous places on the continent.
The air was heavy—a blend of fear and anticipation—but everyone felt reassured, for the man leading them was the living legend himself: Yukon Evanhart.
He stood at the front like a golden mountain forged for war.
Over three meters tall, shoulders broad enough to bring down a horse, his muscles gleamed like molten titanium tempered in hellfire.
His long golden hair shimmered beneath the sunlight, his golden eyes glowing like a second sun on the horizon. His face radiated pure, unshakable strength—absolute masculinity incarnate.
One of the young female Awakeners standing behind him whispered,
— "So… this is Lord Yukon Evanhart himself…"
She tried to steady herself, but her wide eyes betrayed both awe and fear.
By the abyss… why am I standing up front with this monster?
She had heard stories—about the "King of Capture," the man without mercy—but she had never imagined he would be this overwhelming.
How can a man in his sixties look as if he's in his prime? This… isn't human.
Her thoughts were cut short when another man spoke, his voice trembling beneath forced composure.
— "Sir, we've been waiting for too long. There's no point in delaying any further. We were supposed to enter the rift a month ago. How much longer must we stay here?"
Yukon turned his head slowly, his voice eerily calm.
— "Waiting is never pointless… I just wanted to see how long this gate could remain stable… before it explodes."
Everyone froze. Their faces drained of color.
Is he serious? This man truly was insane—just as the rumors said.
But within Yukon, something else stirred.
There's something wrong with this rift… every cell in my body screams danger. I haven't felt this in decades. Why do I feel like something inside… is watching us?
Another woman spoke, visibly anxious.
— "Sir, this is wasting time! We have to enter now before anything—"
But she never finished her sentence.
In an instant, Yukon vanished—completely—as if the air itself had swallowed him.
He, along with every member of the Evanhart family present, disappeared.
Shock froze the camp, until one of the Awakeners screamed,
— "What's happening?! Where did they go?!"
Everyone stood in
disbelief… but the greatest shock was reserved for Yukon himself—
When he saw the catastrophe that had befallen his home.