[Wave 1 Active – Remaining Time: 14:53]
[Enemies Remaining: 10/12]
[Platform Integrity: 92%]
[Catalyst Core Stability: Green]
The system interface vanished as Noah ducked under a lashing claw. The Riftling missed, shrieking as its momentum carried it forward. Noah spun, used the acceleration, and—
[Ruin Step Activated]
—slammed a roundhouse kick into the creature's spine.
The bones cracked. The Riftling crumpled.
[Enemy Defeated. Coins +40.]
He barely had time to breathe before two more charged. They moved like hounds on speed—thin limbs, elongated jaws, spines that clicked and cracked with each motion.
Noah didn't panic. He side-stepped one, letting it scrape past, and ducked the other. They'd corner him if he stood still. But he didn't need to.
He moved.
[Ruin Step cooldown: 2 seconds.]
He dropped low and rolled. Claws whistled past his ear.
[Cooldown complete. Ruin Step Activated.]
His foot struck the ground.
Crack—
A kinetic blast shattered the tile beneath him, launching him forward with unnatural speed. He soared over the creatures and landed with a skid that tore grooves into the concrete.
Then, the screams started behind him—not from monsters.
Humans.
Noah turned.
The rear line had collapsed.
One of the survivors had frozen. A Riftling leapt over the makeshift barrier and tore into his shoulder. Another woman screamed and dropped her glowing staff. The creature turned toward her.
And standing between them, Seraphine moved.
Noah's eyes widened.
Flames erupted from her body—not wild, but focused, like coals stoked for war. Her hands gripped a rusted pipe that had begun to glow orange from heat.
[Flame Baptism Lv.1 Activated]
– Passive: Heat builds with adrenaline.
– Active: Convert willpower into searing aura. Burns enemies on contact.
She stepped into the Riftling's path and swung.
The pipe shattered bone and ignited flesh. The Riftling's shriek warped into a dying gurgle.
She didn't stop. The aura flared again as she turned and struck the second one clean in the ribs, setting it ablaze.
Noah smirked.
There she is.
The other survivors watched in awe.
"She's awakened!"
"Is that magic?!"
"How did she—?!"
Seraphine's face was focused, fierce. Not a hint of the scared girl from before remained.
[Enemy Defeated: 2]
[Seraphine Lorne – Awakening Confirmed.]
[Bonus Coins +50 distributed.]
Noah rushed to her side, slamming into the remaining Riftling from the flank. It burst apart from the concussive force of his landing.
He looked at her.
"You're handling that well."
"I don't know how I'm doing it."
"You're pissed off," Noah said simply. "Keep using that."
She huffed. "That's your advice?"
"Worked for Luc—" He stopped himself. "Worked for someone I read about."
[Wave 1 Complete.]
[Time Remaining: 00:00]
[Enemies Defeated: 12/12]
[Platform Integrity: 85%]
[Catalyst Core Stability: Yellow]
Cheers erupted from the remaining survivors.
They had done it. The first wave was over.
But Noah didn't relax. His breath was shallow, his eyes already scanning the darkened tunnel beyond.
[Warning: Wave 2 will begin in 4 minutes.]
[Estimated Enemy Type: Class D Aberrations – Unstable Variant Detected.]
He turned to the group.
"We lost four people," he said, voice sharp and clear. "Three to panic. One to fear."
They quieted.
"Next wave's stronger. We won't survive if you freeze again."
One of the men—a lanky guy in a sweat-stained collared shirt—stepped forward. "Then tell us what to do. We saw you fight. You know this, don't you?"
Noah nodded. "Fine. Then follow exactly what I say."
He began issuing instructions.
"Anyone with a projectile or elemental sponsor, stay near the Catalyst Core. If it's destroyed, everything ends. People with melee-focused skills, come to the front. Two people guard the escape corridor in case something gets through. Don't fight alone."
Seraphine approached him quietly. "That kick you did… that was a skill?"
"Yeah."
"Can I get one like that?"
Noah raised an eyebrow. "Flame Baptism's not enough?"
"It's not enough if you're not around," she said flatly.
He blinked. She didn't look away.
In the novel, she only started trusting Lucien after he saved her brother.
But here… she's reacting faster. Is the story really diverging this much already?
[2:10 until Wave 2.]
Then, a voice echoed.
Not Ashtiel's. Something colder. Older.
[A new Watcher has entered the Danton Sector.]
[Watcher Name: Veil of the Pale Choir]
[Category: Host-Class Entity]
[Presence: Malign]
The air turned icy.
Even Ashtiel appeared, flickering nervously above the platform. "Now this is unexpected…"
Noah's jaw clenched. "No. That one doesn't show up until the tenth scenario."
"Someone has triggered a divergence," Ashtiel muttered. "A big one."
The black fog that began seeping from the tunnel was different. Thicker. Heavier. Like tar.
[Wave 2: Aberration Invasion – Begins Now.]
[Warning: One entity exceeds designated Difficulty Rating.]
[Override Activated: Prototype Aberration Deployed.]
From the mist, something emerged.
It walked like a man, but its limbs were too long. Skin like cracked porcelain. No face. No eyes. Just a vertical mouth splitting its entire head.
[??? – Named Threat: Harrowborne]
– Classification: Prototype Aberration (Unstable)
– Level: Unknown
– Weakness: Unknown
– Warning: This entity did not exist in the original scenario.
Noah's blood ran cold.
The story's gone off-script.