Chapter 80: The battle begins

The sky over Sadan Island was drenched in an ominous shade of crimson, the clouds swirling violently as if heralding an impending calamity. The atmosphere was thick with pressure, an overwhelming force pressing down on every soul present. In the distance, an airship hovered, its engines humming ominously as the crew prepared for an assault unlike any they had ever attempted.

Jin stood at the helm, his piercing gaze scanning the vast, desolate island before them. Beside him, Lia clutched his arm, a subtle sign of her concern.

"Are we really ready for this, Jin?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the roaring winds.

Jin turned his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "We don't have a choice, Lia. This thing… whatever it is, it's beyond anything we've faced before. If we don't stop it now, there won't be a world left for us to save."

Lysander stepped forward, adjusting his gauntlets. "Enough talking. The longer we wait, the worse it gets. Drop the bomb. Let's see if this monster can survive a direct hit."

Kaelros nodded to the airship's commander, and within moments, a deafening alarm blared through the ship. The payload bay doors creaked open, and the devastating bomb was released. A monstrous streak of light hurtled toward the island, its glow illuminating the darkness like a second sun. The impact was immediate. The explosion roared through the land, shockwaves rippling outwards, shattering trees and splitting the ground apart. Flames licked the sky, and for a brief moment, silence reigned.

Then—

A monstrous, guttural roar erupted from the island, shattering the silence and striking fear into the hearts of everyone present. A pressure unlike anything before pressed down on them, suffocating, absolute.

Jin clenched his fists. "It survived. Of course it survived."

And then they felt it—a second mana pressure, equal to Jin's, if not slightly stronger. It loomed over them like an ancient beast, primal and all-consuming. The air thickened, the sky darkened further, and suddenly, ten colossal gates appeared in the distance, their eerie glow casting long shadows over the battlefield.

Kaelros gasped. "The hell? Ten gates?! No way. Gates don't just open like this— they need a ridiculous amount of mana to form. This means—"

"It means that thing can open them at will," Arden finished, his usual bravado replaced with a grim determination.

Jin wasted no time. "We split up. Kaelros, Lysander, Rin, Lia—you clear out the gates and stop whatever comes through. I'll handle the giants before they reach the city."

Lia grabbed his arm. "Jin, wait—!"

He turned to her, his gaze softer for just a second. "Trust me. I'll be fine. We all will. Just do your part."

She bit her lip, then nodded. "Don't die."

Jin gave a small, knowing smirk before vanishing in a blur of speed, his mana igniting the ground beneath him as he shot toward the approaching giants.

Meanwhile, his team faced the horrors emerging from the gates. Gargantuan beasts, twisted amalgamations of nightmares and despair, poured forth, their roars shaking the land. Swords clashed, spells detonated, and screams filled the air as the battle erupted into chaos.

Rin dodged a monstrous claw, flipping mid-air and firing a barrage of compressed wind spears, tearing through her foes. Lysander held his ground against an armored titan, his body wreathed in golden flames as he clashed his warhammer against the beast's massive axe.

Kaelros, standing atop a crumbling rock formation, unleashed a storm of lightning, his laughter bordering on madness. "Come on, you ugly bastards! I haven't had this much fun in years!"

Meanwhile, Jin faced the giants. Their towering forms cast shadows over the battlefield, their eyes filled with an ancient, mindless rage. One swung a club the size of a fortress toward him.

Jin moved.

A deafening explosion followed as he countered with a single punch, the sheer force obliterating the giant's arm, sending it toppling with a guttural cry. Another lunged, only to be met with a devastating mana-infused roundhouse kick that shattered its ribcage.

Blood rained down. The earth quaked. And Jin remained standing, his body covered in steaming sweat and dust, his breathing steady.

Then his earpiece crackled.

"Jin, come in!" Arden's voice was sharp. "The gates are cleared. But something's wrong. The detector says the threat is gone, but…"

"But what?" Jin frowned, wiping blood from his cheek.

"The cave. We need to go inside. I think we'll find something that might help us end this thing once and for all."

Jin exhaled. "Damn it. Fine. I'll finish up here and meet you inside. Just don't do anything reckless."

Inside the cave, the air was thick with a malevolent energy, the walls pulsating with an unnatural glow. Arden led the way, his grip on his sword tightening with each step.

Lia shivered. "This place… it feels alive."

"That's because it is," Arden muttered. "Something is waiting for us here. Something ancient."

The deeper they ventured, the stronger the feeling became, until they reached a vast underground chamber. And at the center, resting within a pool of liquid darkness, was a grotesque, pulsating structure.

Kaelros grimaced. "That's not a rock, is it?"

Lysander shook his head. "No. That's a womb."

A horrible silence filled the chamber. Then—

It moved.

A crack formed on its surface, and a clawed hand emerged, followed by an eye that burned with unfathomable malice.

And then, it began to rise.

Jin, still above ground, felt it instantly. A shiver ran down his spine, and his instincts screamed at him.

His voice roared through the communicator. "Get out of there. NOW!"

But it was too late.