The city gates remained completely silent.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
The guild master's final words hung in the air.
"Lunaria."
The name seemed to carry a weight far greater than a simple introduction.
Ash glanced around.
The guards were nervous.
The surrounding hunters were whispering.
Even ordinary citizens who had gathered near the gates were staring at Lunaria as though they were looking at something that should never have appeared inside their city.
Kael frowned.
"Why is everyone acting like they just saw a monster?"
Riven crossed his arms.
"Maybe because they did."
Kael looked at him.
"You're not helping."
Juno ignored them.
His attention remained on the guild master.
"You recognized him."
The guild master slowly nodded.
"Yes."
"From where?"
The guild master looked at Lunaria again.
"That is the problem."
Lunaria tilted his head.
"Explain."
The guild master swallowed.
"I've never met you."
Ash's expression tightened.
"Then how do you know his name?"
The guild master pointed toward the enormous crystal floating above the city.
"That crystal records every extraordinary mana fluctuation detected within this region."
Juno's eyes narrowed.
"And?"
The guild master continued.
"Several years ago, the system recorded a fluctuation unlike anything previously documented."
He looked directly at Lunaria.
"It was labeled as an unidentified abyssal phenomenon."
Lunaria remained expressionless.
The guild master continued.
"The reading disappeared before the system could locate its source."
Kael frowned.
"And you think that was him?"
"I don't think."
The guild master's voice became quieter.
"I know."
Lunaria's eyes narrowed.
"How?"
The guild master pointed toward the broken detection crystal.
"Because the system reacted to you exactly the same way."
Silence.
Ash stepped closer to Lunaria.
"What happened several years ago?"
Lunaria didn't answer.
He stared at the crystal above the gate.
Something about it bothered him.
Not because of its power.
Because it felt familiar.
Very familiar.
He closed his eyes.
For a moment, the world disappeared.
Darkness.
A cold floor.
Chains.
A voice.
"Subject unstable."
Another voice.
"Increase the pressure."
A scream.
Then—
Nothing.
Lunaria's eyes opened suddenly.
Ash immediately noticed.
"Lunaria?"
"I remember something."
Everyone became still.
"What?" Juno asked.
Lunaria touched his forehead.
"People."
Kael frowned.
"People?"
"People who were studying me."
The guild master's face became pale.
"That's impossible."
Lunaria looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because those records were destroyed."
Lunaria's eyes sharpened.
"Who destroyed them?"
The guild master didn't answer.
Lunaria stepped forward.
The air became heavier.
"Who?"
The guild master finally spoke.
"The Central Council."
Juno's expression changed.
"The Council?"
"Yes."
"They control the guild system," Juno said.
The guild master nodded.
"They control more than that."
Riven's smile disappeared.
"Then we've walked directly into their territory."
Kael smiled.
"Good."
Juno looked at him.
"That's not necessarily good."
Kael shrugged.
"We were looking for answers."
Ash looked at Lunaria.
"And now we have somewhere to start."
Lunaria nodded.
"Yes."
The guild master raised his hand.
"Wait."
Lunaria stopped.
"If you enter this city, the Council will know immediately."
Lunaria smiled faintly.
"They already know."
The guild master stared at him.
"How?"
Lunaria looked toward the sky.
"Because something else is watching."
The guild master's expression changed.
"What?"
Lunaria didn't answer.
Above the city—
The clouds suddenly began rotating.
A low rumble echoed across the sky.
Everyone looked upward.
The magical crystal above the gate flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then it turned completely black.
The guild master stepped backward.
"No…"
Juno looked at the crystal.
"What is happening?"
The crystal began displaying symbols.
Ancient symbols.
Symbols none of them understood.
Except Lunaria.
He stared at them.
His breathing slowed.
Ash noticed.
"You recognize those."
Lunaria nodded.
"I've seen them before."
"Where?"
"In my dreams."
The crystal suddenly displayed a single word.
ABYSS.
The entire city fell silent.
Then another word appeared.
AWAKENED.
Ash felt a chill.
Kael raised his weapon.
Riven disappeared into concealment.
Juno began preparing defensive skills.
Lunaria remained completely still.
Then the crystal shattered.
BOOOOOOM!
A shockwave exploded across the city.
Windows shattered.
The ground cracked.
People screamed.
The guards were thrown backward.
Ash grabbed Lunaria's arm.
"Are you alright?"
Lunaria looked at him.
"Yes."
Then he looked toward the center of the city.
"There."
"What?"
Lunaria pointed.
"A presence."
Kael grinned.
"Finally."
Juno looked toward the distant towers.
"It's approaching."
The guild master immediately shouted at the guards.
"Evacuate the civilians!"
The guards rushed into action.
Hunters began moving through the streets.
But Lunaria didn't move.
Ash looked at him.
"What are you waiting for?"
Lunaria's eyes became dark.
"It's coming to me."
The ground beneath them began trembling.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
A massive pressure descended over the city.
Every hunter below S-rank collapsed.
The guards struggled to breathe.
Even the guild master dropped to one knee.
Kael's muscles tightened.
Riven gritted his teeth.
Juno's breathing became heavy.
Ash staggered.
But Lunaria remained standing.
The pressure intensified.
A figure appeared above the central tower.
A man.
Tall.
Dressed in a long black coat.
His hair was white.
His eyes were completely golden.
He looked down at the city.
Then directly at Lunaria.
A smile appeared on his face.
"So."
His voice echoed across the entire city.
"The lost Abyss finally came home."
Lunaria stared at him.
"Who are you?"
The man smiled.
"Someone who remembers you."
Ash stepped beside Lunaria.
"Then start talking."
The stranger's eyes moved toward Ash.
His smile disappeared.
"And you…"
His voice became colder.
"You are the anchor."
Lunaria's aura suddenly erupted.
BOOOOOOM!
The street beneath his feet shattered.
The stranger smiled again.
"Exactly as I expected."
Lunaria's hair began lifting in the violent aura.
"Touch him…"
The air trembled.
"…and I'll erase you."
The stranger laughed.
"Then perhaps we should test how much of the Abyss you truly remember."
His golden eyes began glowing.
The entire city shook.
Lunaria stepped forward.
Ash moved beside him.
Kael, Riven, and Juno followed.
The four hunters stood together.
The guild master looked at them in disbelief.
"You're going to fight him?"
Kael smiled.
"We've fought worse."
Riven glanced at Lunaria.
"Probably."
Juno sighed.
"This is going to be a disaster."
Ash tightened his grip.
"Then let's make it our disaster."
Lunaria looked at them.
For a moment, he smiled.
Then he looked toward the stranger.
"Come."
The stranger raised one hand.
The sky darkened.
"Gladly."
And above the central city—
Two monstrous powers collided.
The first impact was powerful enough to split the clouds.
The war had begun.