VALKYRION HEADQUARTERS WAS BUZZING WITH ACTIVITY WHEN THE SIRENS WENT OFF.
RED WARNING LIGHTS FILLED THE HALLWAYS.
"WHAT THE HELL—?" KAI STOOD UP SUDDENLY.
"IT'S A GATE… BUT THE READING IS OFF THE CHARTS!"
RYUJIN WALKED IN CALMLY, EYES FIXED ON THE HOLOGRAPHIC DISPLAY.
ON THE MAP, A GATE SHIMMERED IN PURE BLACK.
EVEN THE HIGH-TECH SCANNERS COULDN'T CLASSIFY IT.
"IS THAT… AN S-RANK GATE?" ONE HUNTER WHISPERED.
ARIANA ENTERED, FACE PALE.
"NO… IT'S SOMETHING ELSE. WE'VE NEVER SEEN A READING LIKE THIS."
THE ABYSS GATE
THE TEAM ARRIVED AT THE LOCATION—A DESERTED INDUSTRIAL ZONE.
THE AIR WAS COLD AND HEAVY, ALMOST SUFFOCATING.
THE GATE WASN'T LIKE THE OTHERS.
IT PULSED LIKE A HEARTBEAT, CRACKS OF BLACK ENERGY SPREADING THROUGH THE GROUND AROUND IT.
"THIS DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT…" KAI MURMURED.
SUDDENLY A SCOUTING DRONE WAS SENT IN.
WITHIN SECONDS, THE FEED CUT OUT.
"NOTHING SURVIVED," A TECHNICIAN SAID, TERRIFIED.
"EVEN THE DRONE'S DATA WAS ERASED."
ARIANA TURNED TO HER ELITES.
"WE SEAL THE AREA. NOBODY GOES IN UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH."
THE VOICE
AS THE HUNTERS SET UP BARRIERS, RYUJIN STOOD STILL, STARING AT THE GATE.
THEN HE HEARD IT.
A VOICE.
WHISPERING… CALLING.
"RYUJIN…"
HIS EYES WIDENED SLIGHTLY.
NO ONE ELSE HEARD IT.
"COME TO ME… YOUR TRUE POWER AWAITS…"
UNSEEN DANGER
A HUNTER YELLED FROM THE PERIMETER.
"SOMETHING'S COMING OUT!"
BUT BEFORE ANYONE COULD REACT, THE GATE SHUDDERED… AND A WAVE OF PURE DARK ENERGY ERUPTED, THROWING EVERYONE BACK.
WHEN THE DUST CLEARED, THE GATE WAS STILL CLOSED—
BUT THE SURROUNDING AREA HAD BEEN COMPLETELY ERASED.
ARIANA LOOKED AROUND IN SHOCK.
"WHAT… WHAT KIND OF MONSTER COULD DO THIS?"
RYUJIN CLENCHED HIS FISTS.
"ABYSS GATE… THIS ISN'T JUST ANOTHER HUNT.
I CAN FEEL IT… THIS WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING."