The Rift

Maximus didn't see or feel the moment the portal rift closed behind him. To him, everything that happened—whatever chaos erupted on the other side—was sealed off the instant he stepped in. It was as if the world he'd left behind had vanished completely.

But even inside, Maximus could tell something was… off.

The plan was simple—at least in theory. He'd been given armor, supplies, a blade, and backup. A small team of association guards was meant to follow him in for support, courtesy of Chairman Cryer himself.

That was the deal.

But once Maximus crossed the boundary, he realized something was wrong.

The rift had changed.

No longer red or swirling like the typical portals he'd seen on broadcast news, this one had shifted—now pulsating with a dark purple and black hue that looked sick, unstable… wrong.

And worst of all?

He was alone.

---

Let's rewind.

Just moments before the plunge, Maximus had been walking toward the portal like a man on a mission. Despite the howling winds and the unrelenting storm, he'd felt something new in his chest—pride.

Real, raw pride.

For once, people were looking at him—not in pity or scorn, but with awe. He could feel the weight of their attention, and it lifted something inside him.

He wasn't just a leftover Hunter anymore.

He was a symbol of hope.

Chairman Cryer was shouting over the storm, giving last-minute advice and encouragement. Maximus did his best to focus, but in the background, he heard voices—murmured conversations that still managed to reach his sharpened senses.

"Is that the guy who's supposed to save Dinotello?" asked one of the scientists.

"Yes, I believe that's him," another replied.

"Whoa. Look at him—he's so brave. So composed," the first commented.

Maximus couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of his lips.

They're talking about me.

Finally.

But the admiration didn't last long.

A loud, mocking laugh rang out from behind the equipment tables. Another voice—sharper, bitter—cut through the others like a knife.

"Hah! Brave and strong? Please. That guy?"

"Why are you laughing, Jack?" one of the scientists—Donald—asked.

"Oh, don't mind him," added another, Eddie. "Jack's just mad the gods didn't give him powers."

"Very funny," Jack snapped. "But that's not why I'm laughing."

Jack stood, arms crossed, smugness oozing from his tone.

"You two really don't know who that is, do you?"

"Should we?" Donald asked.

Eddie chimed in. "Yeah, isn't he that new powerhouse Hunter? Rumors said someone stronger than even Dinotello was being scouted."

"No," Jack said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "That's not him. That guy—that brave, strong hero—is none other than the infamous E-Rank Negative, Maximus Knight."

Both Donald and Eddie blinked in disbelief.

"What? No way," Eddie frowned. "That's just jealousy talking again, Jack."

"I wish," Jack muttered. "But I ran a background check when I saw his face. That's him. Weakest awakened Hunter in the country."

Maximus could hear everything.

His smile didn't fade, though. In fact, he gave a small smirk and muttered under his breath, "Too late, guys. Already heard you."

Jack wasn't completely wrong.

Yes, Maximus was an awakened. That meant improved reflexes, speed, healing… But that was the bare minimum. He couldn't control elemental magic. He couldn't form constructs. He couldn't sense mana shifts the way stronger Hunters could.

And unlike real Hunters, he couldn't even feel the tremors that signaled a portal forming—something even C-Ranks could do in their sleep.

It was the truth.

He only saw the chaos after he'd arrived at the camp. Not before. Not even when he'd ridden beside Mackenzie.

His aura was that low.

Chairman Cryer had confirmed it with his Third Eye—the most powerful sensory skill known in the world. He'd hoped Maximus was misunderstood… misdiagnosed. But his aura was barely visible. Faint. Flickering.

Still, Cryer shouted over the storm: "Remember boy! That armor you're wearing, that gear—it's the best the Association can offer. It will boost your physical abilities. Think of it as a temporary shortcut."

Maximus gave a stiff nod, eyes fixed on the swirling rift ahead. The red tape surrounding the portal flailed like streamers in a hurricane, pieces of it already being pulled in.

"Are you ready, boy?" Cryer asked.

Maximus glanced at the portal. The storm. The scientists. The crowd.

His throat went dry.

"Uh… is it too late to change my mind?"

"Hah! You're funny, kid. I like you!" Cryer laughed, patting his shoulder.

Maximus laughed too.

Only half-joking.

Just then, several guards appeared at their side.

"What are they here for?" Maximus asked, noticing their stern expressions and high-grade weapons.

"They're your backup," Cryer replied. "They'll enter the portal with you and provide cover if needed."

"Oh. That's… reassuring."

In truth, it was a relief—until it wasn't.

Maximus turned his head—and that's when he saw her.

Mackenzie.

She stood near one of the command tents, wind whipping her ponytail behind her. When their eyes met, she gave him a soft wave and a warm, reassuring smile.

Something fluttered in Maximus's chest.

He smiled back.

And that was the push he needed.

With a deep breath and one final step…

He entered the portal.

---

On the other side…

Darkness.

Not the kind you see when you close your eyes—but a living, breathing kind of dark. One that wrapped around you like it was watching.

Maximus stumbled forward, landing on his hands and knees.

There was no storm. No howling winds.

Just silence.

He looked around.

No guards.

No Chairman Cryer.

No backup.

He was alone.

Behind him, the rift flickered—its once crimson glow now pulsing with black and deep purple.

It didn't just look wrong.

It felt wrong.

He reached for the radio in his belt. Static. He pressed the emergency beacon on his suit. No signal.

And then… a low, distant howl echoed through the void-like forest surrounding him.

Maximus froze.

Something was out there.

Something big.

"Guess I'm really doing this alone," he whispered.

He drew his sword, trying not to let the tremble in his hands betray him.

"Time to be a Hunter."

The cave was silent.

Not just quiet—silent, like sound itself had been swallowed by the dark. Maximus moved slowly, his every step echoing softly off the cold stone floor. This place hadn't been explored in decades, maybe longer.

Still, he pressed on.

With no clear sense of direction, Maximus followed any path he came across. Whenever the tunnel forked, he simply chose whichever path seemed the least treacherous.

The cave was a maze—full of winding alleys, jagged corridors, and shallow, dark chambers that led to nowhere.

He gripped his sword tighter.

The same feeling he had when he first entered the portal returned—something was watching him. Lurking. Not present, not visible… but there.

It was always there.

Yet the constant clang of his light armor against his legs and hips drowned out the subtleties of the cave's ambient cues. He couldn't hear the faintest shuffle or breath that might have warned him otherwise.

Still, he continued forward—step by cautious step.

After what felt like hours, Maximus finally reached the end of a long, dark tunnel.

And what he saw stopped him cold.

They were there.

Creatures—dozens of them. Hulking, twisted monsters he'd never seen in any Hunter record or broadcast. Their bodies were grotesque and unnatural, some stitched, some armored, some glowing faintly with strange sigils.

They weren't moving.

It looked like they were in some kind of suspended sleep or paralysis, just standing still as if waiting for a signal.

Maximus stared, heart thudding.

"What the hell…?"

No training. No equipment. No briefing could have prepared him for this. Even with an S-rank armor set and an A-rank sword at his side, he knew one thing for certain:

He could not afford to wake them.

Slowly, Maximus lowered his stance and began creeping across the chamber—every step calculated, every breath silent. He maneuvered between them, around them, through a twisted maze of monsters, praying not to even brush one by accident.

Somehow… it worked.

He reached the other side of the cave.

"Phew…" he whispered, relief flooding his chest.

Then it happened.

CLANG—!

His sword slipped loose from its strap.

It hit the stone floor with a sharp metallic crash. The air vibrated. The sword, infused with aura enhancements, sent a pulse of energy rippling through the cave like a sonar blast.

"Shit," Maximus hissed, diving for the weapon.

But it was too late.

A shadow appeared in front of him, rising up fast.

It was one of them.

A goblin-like creature—nearly two meters tall—with sickly green skin, jagged claws, and a permanent crooked grin etched into its face. It looked just like the creatures Dinotello's squad had fought… and failed to defeat.

Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto Maximus.

And then it attacked.

The creature swiped—but missed.

Maximus had already moved.

Without fully understanding how, he found himself standing behind the monster, sword now gripped tightly in his hand. A faint flicker of aura glowed from his palm.

The goblin snarled and turned.

Maximus exhaled.

"Okay… let's do this."

He dropped into a stance—low, firm, centered.

And then he struck.

His blade pierced cleanly through the goblin's chest. The creature let out a gasp before collapsing in a pile of black, ooze-like blood.

Maximus pulled the blade free, breathing hard, black liquid dripping from the edge.

Then he looked up.

Across the cave, every creature's eyes lit up.

Yellow. Orange. Blue. Red.

Like a twisted light show igniting in the dark.

They all screeched in unison—a high, shrieking wail that rattled the walls.

Then they charged.

Maximus stood his ground, sword in hand.

He grinned. "Alright then…"

"Who's next?"

[ End of Chapter ]