The ever-steady and dangerous mana storm, which had reached the sky and blanketed the land in darkness for years, finally changed for the first time.
Its dark grey hue deepened into a beautiful yet ominous purple, and its size doubled, whirling with reckless abandon. The darkness expanded, the ground rumbled, and the Ruinborns' eyes snapped open as if they had always been asleep.
A fragment of the storm detached itself, spiraling down and wrapping around Baines. His body trembled as he was lifted a few inches off the ground.
Unaware of his surroundings, only one thing entered his mind: a picture. A perfect depiction of this place: dark skies, cracked land, and a towering storm connecting the two. However, the storm in the image was now a deep purple, the same as his Ashenfall energy.
His eyes snapped open to behold the transformed landscape. It was just like the picture, dark purple, but something was wrong.
'Wait, this isn't right.' Baines stared at the storm.
Duum…
It expanded again.
"Fuck…I need to get out of here."
Panic surged through him as he scrambled to his feet and rushed into the open throne room. Thankfully, he had prepared beforehand. He didn't know exactly when he would form the fifth star, but he knew he would hit the time limit.
So, he had packed most of his belongings into his pocket space: plants, weapons, technique books, and food, leaving only the essentials.
Without a moment to say goodbye to the home he had known for six years, he dashed toward the opposite exit and began his descent down the mountain.
'Fuck…Fuck…Fuck.'
As he maneuvered his way down, he cursed in his mind. In just the few minutes he had spent running, the storm had doubled in size once more.
'Bartos said something about underground…'
At the foot of the mountain, he frantically searched his surroundings. Then, he saw it, a small hole a few meters away. Too small for passage, but he knew he was in the right place.
With a heavy stomp, he struck the ground, forcing another opening a few meters away to cave in.
Without hesitation, he dove inside, and the hole sealed itself behind him.
The underground path stretched endlessly before him, and he ran without stopping.
After what felt like three hours, the tunnel finally came to an end. How did he know? A light was lit at the end of his path.
With a final burst of aura, he broke through the exit.
He gasped for air, his chest heaving as he took in his surroundings. Old couches, cracked hanging pictures, a fireplace—
"A house…"
Scanning the room and finding no one, he sighed in relief. But before he could gather himself, distant voices echoed from outside. Voices filled with fear and horror.
'Outside…'
Swallowing hard, he stepped toward the door and emerged outside. He did not feel relief at finally seeing people or the sun warming his back. No. All of it was drowned out by the sight before him.
The storm, once a 1,000-meter-wide monstrosity, had now expanded to a terrifying 10,000 meters. Though now distant, it was still visible.
But that wasn't all.
He could feel it, his heart responding to the storm.
WHIIIRRRR…
The storm had reached its tipping point.
DUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM…
It exploded.
The ground trembled, the sky quaked, and terror-stricken screams filled the air.
Yet, the explosion was unnatural.
Unlike normal explosions that consumed everything outward, this one only expanded up to the edge of the dark sky and then stopped.
The cries of horror quieted as people stared, bewildered by the scene.
A thick, dark purple fog now stood where the darkness had ended.
For about ten minutes, everyone went back and forth trying to see what was beyond the veil. But even the Knights struggled to see through it, and none dared step closer. Something primal within them screamed that if they went near, their bodies would be ripped apart.
Except for one.
Step… Step…
Baines unconsciously found himself moving forward, drawn to the fog.
"Oi, oi!"
A firm hand gripped his shoulder, yanking him back, and before he could protest—
Neigh…
The loud sounds of hooves echoed through the air, drawing everyone's attention.
A blazing insignia, a burning sun with a flaming sword piercing through its tip.
"T-Thank god."
"T-The Solaris army."
"We're saved."
The residents cheered in relief as the soldiers arrived.
"Everyone, step back!" A powerful voice, charged with aura, commanded the crowd.
Baines scanned the approaching forces.
'A five-star swordmaster and 20 four-stars sword knights. A squad of the Solaris army. They're probably in charge of this town.' He forced his expression to remain neutral, stealing one last glance at the purple fog.
'Looks like I won't be able to enter again.' The soldiers will begin researching this, and the entire area will be under lockdown.
'They might even relocate the entire village.' His eyes flickered toward the old house he had come from, then back to the sword master.
"We will be holding a hearing on what happened here. Everyone, follow me!" the sword master ordered, and his soldiers moved to guide the villagers.
The residents were led back to their stations while five knights remained to monitor the surroundings.
...
Unknown to Baines, the villagers, and even the sword master, the explosion sent ripples far beyond what anyone could have imagined.
Across the world, they felt it.
The gods, the demons, the isolated powerhouses, the hidden sects, the dragons, and even the most obscure species all trembled at the sensation.
Fear. The kind of fear they hadn't experienced in centuries.
That power.
That dangerous and unknown power.
Without hesitation, they moved. They dispatched their subordinates, awakened their hidden weapons, and rallied their armies.
They wanted it.
And if they couldn't have it, no one would.
They would kill them all.
Unknown to Baines, he had triggered a world crisis.
...
Inside the Ashen Dominion.
The land had undergone a drastic transformation.
The central storm was gone. Now, Ashenfall energy blanketed the land in a thick, suffocating concentration. Here, one could literally breathe in the Ashenfall itself.
But more than that, there was light.
A massive, dark purple moon now loomed over the dominion, releasing a steady flow of dark purple energy into the air.
The storm and explosion had razed through everything. Everything except two things: the open throne and the Ruinborns.
It was unknown why the open throne was left; however, for the first time, the Ruinborns were doing something new.
They were building.