Chapter 37 – Shadows of the Rift
The city was quieter than usual that night. The crimson afterglow of the blood moon lingered faintly on the horizon, leaving long shadows that twisted through the narrow alleys. Biro Kael walked silently, fragment humming faintly beneath his skin, a soft, persistent pulse that mirrored his anticipation. Tonight was no ordinary patrol. Reports of multiple rifts appearing in close proximity had reached Lyra hours ago. Something was stirring beneath the city streets—something far more cunning than the last spawn.
Lyra floated beside him, her orb casting soft illumination on the cracked pavement. "Multiple C and low B-level spawns," she said, her voice calm but edged with urgency. "The energy patterns are unstable. Whoever—or whatever—is causing this is experimenting… testing the limits of the rifts."
Biro nodded, his instincts alert. "Then we'll test them first. Observe patterns, strike decisively, adapt instantly. No room for mistakes." He flexed his fingers, feeling the fragment pulse in agreement. With each passing hunt, the synergy between him and the fragment had grown sharper. It no longer reacted solely to danger—it predicted, suggested, even guided with subtle precision.
Descending into a shadowed alley, they immediately sensed the first rift. The air shimmered with distortion, the faint hum of unformed magic radiating outward. From the tear emerged a creature unlike the last—a quadrupedal horror, its skin resembling cracked obsidian, glowing veins tracing through its form. Above its head, the flickering B-Rank Rift Spawn – Adaptive hovered, visible only to the system panel.
Biro crouched instinctively. The creature's eyes tracked him with unsettling intelligence, calculating, predicting. Lyra analyzed quickly. "Its attack pattern is nonlinear. It doesn't follow predictable lunge or swipe rhythms. You'll need to improvise."
A thrill ran through Biro's chest. Improvisation meant instinct and fragment power combined—raw, untamed, and dangerous. The creature lunged, claws slicing through the air. Biro rolled forward, fragment energy flaring subtly as it enhanced his reflexes. He landed lightly behind a pile of crates, observing, analyzing.
This was a hunt unlike any before. The creature adapted mid-attack, feinting where it should strike, retreating where it should press forward. Biro's mind raced, instincts guiding him to anticipate rather than react. With a controlled surge of fragment energy, he pushed the creature back slightly, creating distance. Lyra's orb pulsed, highlighting a faint crack along the creature's left flank—a potential weak point.
He didn't hesitate. Sprinting forward, fragment energy flaring with instinctive precision, Biro struck, landing a glancing pulse against the exposed area. The creature hissed, staggering, but not defeated. Its intelligence became evident—it wasn't just attacking, it was studying him, learning. Each strike he made taught it, each dodge he performed informed it.
Minutes dragged, every second a test of stamina, skill, and perception. Sweat slicked his hair to his forehead, his chest heaving with exertion, yet the fragment hummed stronger than ever. With every interaction, every near miss, Biro's awareness expanded. He could feel the subtle pull of energy around him, the faint distortion of reality as the creature adapted. This was not mere combat—it was a dance of minds and instincts.
Finally, an opening emerged—a microsecond lapse in the creature's pattern, a rhythm in its chaos. Biro focused, channeling a precise surge of fragment energy. It struck the creature's exposed flank with perfect control, sending it staggering into the unstable rift. With a final, violent pulse, the rift collapsed, leaving the creature trapped between worlds before dissolving into nothingness.
Biro fell to his knees, gasping. Lyra floated down beside him, orb dimming to a soft glow. "You're evolving faster than expected," she said, almost softly, a trace of admiration in her voice. "The fragment… it's learning not just to react, but to strategize with you."
Biro smiled faintly, brushing sweat from his brow. "Then we keep going. Every hunt, every encounter… we grow together. And we'll be ready for whatever comes next."
Lyra's hand brushed his arm, a subtle warmth that sent a gentle pulse through his chest. "Together," she whispered. Her gaze held his for a moment longer than usual, and Biro felt the fragment respond—not with energy, but with something warmer, something more personal.
Above, hidden in the shadows of a nearby rooftop, Cael watched silently, lips curling into a faint smile. "The hunter is learning. The fragment is not just survival anymore—it is evolution. Soon, even the rifts will tremble before him."
The city remained silent, but Biro felt the pulse of unseen rifts, the lingering threats waiting in hidden corners. Tonight had been a test, and he had passed. But the blood moon's afterglow hinted at deeper challenges, creatures smarter, stronger, and more dangerous.
Biro stood, fragment pulsing in quiet anticipation, eyes scanning the horizon. The hunt was far from over.
And deep inside, a spark of determination lit brighter than ever: he would master the fragment, conquer the rifts, and protect the one who shared this journey with him.