The world did not collapse overnight.
It cracked slowly.
And the cracks began to spread.
Within a week, Rift events reached forty-two confirmed global breaches.
Major cities deployed their strongest defenders.
And the Top Five heroes of each nation proved why they held their ranks.
United States — Nova Titan
A Rift opened above Chicago.
Three dozen Riftborn descended.
Nova Titan stepped forward.
His body ignited in dense stellar plasma constructs — not flame, not heat — condensed nuclear-state energy shaped into massive weapon forms.
One swing of a plasma arc blade erased half the swarm.
He did not move quickly.
He did not panic.
He simply dismantled them.
News reporters declared:
"Zero civilian casualties."
Japan — Axis Empress
A Rift above Kyoto.
Spatial distortion field activated.
Riftborn froze mid-emergence.
Compressed into singularity nodes.
Eliminated instantly.
Clean.
Precise.
Controlled.
Germany — Iron Sovereign
Tank division deployed.
Rift torn open over Berlin's outskirts.
He walked through the Riftborn charge without dodging.
Their attacks shattered against his reinforced kinetic armor field.
He crushed them one by one.
Unstoppable.
Students at Aetherion Academy watched the feeds.
Ryo smirked slightly.
"See? World's not falling apart."
Elias shook his head slightly.
"Not yet."
Kai remained silent.
Because something still felt wrong.
Then—
It started.
Not in major capitals.
Not in protected cities.
But in secondary zones.
Regional defenders.
Rank B heroes.
Rank A heroes.
Guardians who weren't Top Five.
Northern Canada — Frostline Guardian
A Rift formed over a remote mining city.
He engaged confidently.
Within three minutes—
His energy signature vanished.
Recovered footage showed something unseen striking through his defense layer.
He fell.
Dead before impact.
Eastern Africa — Sand Marshal
Controlled mineral fields.
Known for battlefield control.
A Rift variant emerged.
Not larger.
Not stronger.
But faster.
It ignored civilians.
Targeted him directly.
He lasted four minutes.
Southern Spain — Echo Sentinel
Acoustic field manipulator.
Rift opened.
She suppressed initial wave.
Second wave emerged.
Something pierced her field.
She collapsed.
Three mid-tier heroes.
Dead within twenty-four hours.
The academy hall was silent again.
But this silence was different.
Ryo's grin was gone.
"…They weren't weak."
Elias nodded slowly.
"No. They weren't."
Mira spoke from behind them.
"The Rift patterns changed."
All three turned.
She expanded the projection.
"Early Riftborn were chaotic. Now they're adapting per region."
Elias stepped forward.
"They're filtering."
Mira nodded.
"Yes."
The display shifted.
Energy density charts appeared.
"The Rifts are selecting engagement levels."
Ryo frowned.
"Speak human."
Elias answered quietly—
"They're testing weaker defenders first."
Silence.
Ryo's jaw tightened.
"…To find something."
Kai finally spoke.
"Yes."
In the emergency global research call, one phrase surfaced repeatedly:
Divinity Convergence Detected — Increasing Frequency
A European analyst whispered—
"…They're narrowing down."
Another researcher added—
"High-density Aetherion signatures correlate with Rift concentration."
Kai felt it.
That tightening in his chest again.
Like a spotlight slowly turning toward him.
Back on the training platform later that night—
Ryo slammed his fist into the ground.
"I don't care if the Top Five aren't sweating. People are dying."
Kai looked at him calmly.
"Yes."
Ryo glared.
"That's it?"
Kai stepped closer.
"We get stronger."
Ryo's voice rose slightly.
"That's always your answer."
Elias spoke quietly—
"It's the only answer."
Ryo exhaled sharply.
"…Then we train harder."
Kai nodded.
"Yes."