The sky opened fully.
The massive symbol among the clouds rotated slowly, glowing like a celestial seal breaking apart.
From its center—
The Herald descended.
Its wings stretched across the sky like pale storms. Feathers made of burning light fell slowly around the valley, dissolving before they touched the ground.
Every soldier felt it.
The pressure.
Men dropped to one knee.
Some couldn't even lift their heads.
Yui clutched her chest.
"…I can't breathe…"
Akari forced herself to stand, though her legs trembled.
"…So this is what they send after Commanders fail."
The Watcher whispered, voice shaken.
"…A Herald isn't a soldier."
"…It's a declaration."
The Herald's feet finally touched the ground.
The entire valley shook.
Light rippled outward like a silent explosion.
Hiroto remained standing.
Barely.
Blood still ran down his arms, and the shadow around him flickered under the pressure.
But he didn't kneel.
The Herald looked at him.
Its face was hidden behind a smooth mask of light.
When it spoke, its voice echoed across the valley like distant thunder.
"Shadow-Bearer confirmed."
Silence followed.
Then:
"Deviation exceeds tolerance."
Hiroto stepped forward.
"…You guys always talk like that?"
The Herald tilted its head slightly.
"You have disrupted balance."
"Correction is required."
Behind Hiroto, Akari shouted:
"Don't fight that thing!"
Even the Enforcer, standing nearby, crossed his arms.
"…For once, I agree with her."
Hiroto glanced back briefly.
"…Since when do you care?"
The Enforcer shrugged.
"I don't."
"…But you're about to get crushed."
The Herald raised one hand.
The air warped instantly.
Hiroto barely reacted before an invisible force slammed him into the ground.
The impact carved a crater into the valley floor.
Dust exploded outward.
Yui screamed.
"Hiroto!"
The Herald didn't move.
"Resistance detected."
"Applying additional force."
The pressure increased.
The ground around Hiroto cracked deeper.
His bones creaked.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
But his fingers dug into the earth.
The scar beneath him pulsed again.
Slow.
Heavy.
The Herald paused.
"Unknown energy signature."
Hiroto forced himself up to one knee.
Shadow crawled across his arms again.
"…You're not the first thing to try crushing me."
The Herald lowered its hand slightly.
For the first time It showed interest.
"Then demonstrate."
The shadow around Hiroto surged violently.
Stone cracked.
The scar beneath the valley flared brighter than before.
Akari felt the land itself responding again.
"…Hiroto…"
The Enforcer watched with a grin.
"…Now this is getting interesting."
The Herald raised its wings.
Energy gathered across the battlefield.
Hiroto slowly stood.
Bloodied.
Shaking.
But still standing.
"…Fine."
Shadow exploded outward around him like a rising storm.
"Let's see who breaks first."
The war had just stepped into a completely different level.
To be continued…