The rift above them widened, tearing reality like fabric. Colors that shouldn't exist bled across the sky. The ground shook violently, and Chaos Tenno felt the energy inside him spiraling out of control.
His vision blurred.
His heartbeat thundered.
His mind screamed.
Then—
Everything stopped.
The world froze mid‑collapse. Antares hung motionless in the air, wings spread, eyes wide with alarm. The swirling rift paused like a paused video frame. Even the wind halted.
A single sound echoed in Tenno's mind.
DING.
A glowing blue rectangle materialized in front of him, crisp and clean like a hologram.
Tenno blinked. "What… the hell…?"
The text shifted.
[RIFT PROTOCOL BOOTING...]
[WARNING: HOST STABILITY CRITICAL]
[INITIALIZING EMERGENCY SYSTEM INTERFACE...]
3%
12%
39%
87%
100%
[SYSTEM ONLINE]
Tenno's breath caught. "A… system? Why now?!"
The interface expanded, forming multiple translucent panels around him. Stats, symbols, and unreadable cosmic glyphs floated in the air.
Another notification appeared.
[HOST: CHAOS TENNO]
[CLASS: RIFTBOUND]
[STATUS: SEAL BREACH IMMINENT]
New Feature Unlocked:
>>> [RIFT SYSTEM] <<<
Tenno stared, stunned. "This… this wasn't here before."
The system responded instantly.
[Correct.]
[Rift energy levels have exceeded safe thresholds.]
[To prevent host disintegration, the System has been forcibly activated.]
Tenno swallowed hard. "So you're… protecting me?"
[Affirmative.]
[Host survival = Priority One.]
Before he could process that, another panel flashed violently.
[WARNING: EXTERNAL ENTITY DETECTED]
[IDENTITY: ANTARES — KING OF DRAGONS]
[POWER LEVEL: UNMEASURABLE]
[RECOMMENDATION: DO NOT DIE]
Tenno choked. "That's your advice?!"
The system flickered.
[You are currently outmatched.]
[However…]
New Skill Unlocked:
>>> [RIFT OVERDRIVE — LV. 1] <<<
A surge of power exploded through Tenno's body. His cosmic spear ignited, the swirling galaxy at its core expanding into a blazing supernova. His aura flared, violet flames spiraling upward like a tornado.
The world resumed.
Antares gasped mid‑flight, wings beating once more. "Tenno—?! Your energy just spiked—!"
Tenno rose slowly, eyes glowing with system‑infused light.
"I don't know what this is," he said, gripping the spear tighter, "but I'm not going down."
The system chimed again.
[RIFT OVERDRIVE ACTIVATED]
[Duration: 60 seconds]
[Effect: Host power increased by 300%]
[Side Effects: Severe backlash upon expiration]
Tenno didn't care.
He launched forward.
The ground shattered beneath him as he moved faster than he ever had. Antares barely had time to react before Tenno appeared in front of him, spear blazing.
Their clash detonated like a star going supernova.
Antares was thrown back, crashing into a mountain with enough force to split it in half. Dust and debris exploded outward.
The Dragon King emerged moments later, eyes wide with shock and exhilaration.
"Tenno… what have you become?!"
Tenno hovered in the air, aura roaring like a cosmic storm.
"I don't know," he said, voice layered with Rift energy, "but I'm done holding back."
The system chimed again.
[Time Remaining: 47 seconds]
Antares' grin returned, sharper than ever.
"Then show me, Riftbound. Show me the power your system grants you!"
Tenno charged.
Antares roared.
The rift above them pulsed.
And the true battle began. A true destruction battle.
That has never seen or happened.
---
Chaos Tenno stood at the center of it all, surrounded by hundreds of glowing system panels.
But then—
DING.
A new window appeared.
[Host curiosity detected.]
[Accessing deeper system layers…]
[Warning: These menus were not intended for sealed hosts.]
Tenno frowned. "Deeper layers? What else is there?"
The system responded immediately.
[Revealing hidden interface.]
[Unlocking: ADVANCED SYSTEM MENU]
The panels rearranged themselves, forming a massive circular interface with branching pathways like a cosmic skill tree.
Antares' eyes widened. "No… that's impossible. Even the Primordial Riftwalkers never saw that menu."
Tenno ignored him, focusing on the glowing options.
1. STATUS — Expanded
A new tab unfolded.
[HOST: CHAOS TENNO]
[CLASS: RIFT ORIGIN]
[TIER: Undefined]
[POWER SOURCE: Infinite / Sealed]
[SOUL TYPE: Non‑standard]
[REALITY ANCHOR: Weakening]
Tenno blinked. "Reality anchor… weakening?"
The system chimed.
[Your existence is beginning to conflict with this universe.]
[Further awakening will accelerate the collapse.]
Tenno swallowed. "That's… not good."
Antares muttered, "You think?"
2. ABILITIES — Full Authority List
The ability list expanded again, this time with glowing sigils and cosmic glyphs behind each name.
Ω — Absolute Termination Authority
Thanatos Nullification
Death Manipulation
Abyss Manipulation
Time-Space Manipulation
Shadow Manipulation
Purple Lightning
Plot Negation
Narrative Negation
Chaos Manipulation
Chaos Control
Absolute Death Erasure
Abyssal Nullification
Curse Manipulation
Shadow Extraction
Shadow Preservation
Shadow Exchange
Shadow Domain
Existence Erasure
Source Destruction & Annihilation
Reality Warping
Law Manipulation
Plot Manipulation
Fate Manipulation
Source Erasure
Concept Erasure
Conceptual Immunity
Elemental Manipulation
Eyes of Destruction & End
Gravity Manipulation
Shadow Step
Bloodlust
Absolute Negation
Absolute Immunity
But now, each ability had a small icon next to it.
Tenno tapped one.
A new window opened.
[Ability: Absolute Termination Authority]
[Description: The final command. Overrides all laws, concepts, and narratives.]
[Status: LOCKED — Host stability insufficient.]
[Warning: Using this ability prematurely may erase the host.]
Tenno stepped back. "Erase… me?"
The system didn't hesitate.
[Correct.]
[Your body is not yet compatible with your own power.]
Antares exhaled sharply. "This is why your seal existed. To keep you alive."
3. QUESTS — Newly Unlocked
A new tab blinked into existence.
Tenno tapped it.
MAIN QUEST: Stabilize Your Existence
Objective: Prevent your power from collapsing the universe.
Progress: 0%
SUB‑QUEST: Identify the Entity in the Rift
Status: Unknown
Threat Level: Infinite
SUB‑QUEST: Confront the Monarch of Destruction
Status: In Progress
Reward: ??? (System refuses to display)
Tenno's stomach dropped. "Infinite threat level…?"
Antares' wings twitched. "That… thing in the rift… it's waking up because of you."
4. SYSTEM LOCKS — The Forbidden Menu
A final tab pulsed ominously.
Tenno hesitated, then opened it.
The system's tone changed — deeper, almost… afraid.
[WARNING.]
[These functions are sealed for a reason.]
[Unauthorized access may trigger cosmic retaliation.]
Tenno pressed on.
The menu unfolded.
FORBIDDEN FUNCTIONS:
— Reality Rewrite (LOCKED)
— Timeline Override (LOCKED)
— Origin Memory Recovery (LOCKED)
— Rift Core Manifestation (LOCKED)
— Ω Protocol: End of All Things (LOCKED)
Tenno whispered, "Origin… memory…?"
Antares stepped forward, voice low. "If you unlock that… you'll remember what you were before this universe."
Tenno looked up at him. "And what was I?"
Antares didn't answer.
The system did.
[You were the one who destroyed the last cosmos.]
[And the one who must decide the fate of this one.]
The rift above them pulsed violently.
Something massive moved behind the veil.
Antares' expression hardened. "Tenno… we need to move. Now."
Tenno clenched his fists as the system chimed again.
[New Feature Unlocked: RIFT MAP]
[New Feature Unlocked: HOST EVOLUTION TREE]
[New Feature Unlocked: COSMIC THREAT INDEX]
The panels multiplied again, surrounding him like a constellation.
Chaos Tenno stared at the glowing interface, heart pounding.
He wasn't just awakening.
He was becoming something the universe wasn't built to contain.
TO BE CONTINUED.