In the northern part of Skina City, amidst a barren and desolate mountainous region, a small but highly advanced military base operated by the human army lay hidden. Though modest in size, it was fortified with towering walls brimming with spiritual energy and ard with cutting-edge surveillance equipnt and infrared sensors, creating an impenetrable defense. Guard towers lined the periter, where soldiers patrolled constantly, maintaining an air of absolute vigilance.
Military vehicles moved in sync, drones ascended and descended swiftly, providing aerial coverage for the base. The security protocols were ticulous—entry required multiple layers of identity verification, and the gates were equipped with mobile defensive systems ready to counter any potential threats. Inside the base, crisscrossing roads and neatly arranged buildings, crafted from explosion-resistant materials, reflected a focus on maximum safety and efficiency.
After receiving word from the Commander, Satoru pushed his limits, using his Fifth level abilities and spiritual energy propulsion, to reach the base in record ti. Once there, he passed through the stringent security checks and made his way toward the core of the facility—a heavily secured underground fortress.
The room Satoru entered was a tallic chamber exuding an oppressive atmosphere. Caras crowded every corner, observing relentlessly. Within, a handful of Sixth level ability users—rarely seen even by Satoru—worked briskly and silently, processing streams of classified information. Their eyes never wavered from the screens, which displayed real-ti data in precise detail.
"..."
The sight alone made Satoru’s breath hitch. The tension in the air was suffocating, and even he, with his hardened nerves, felt the weight of the mont.
Midnight, yet the base was this active?
Clearly, this wasn’t a typical Abyssal Demon gathering.
Pushing down his unease, Satoru hurried across the base until he reached a central room. Two Sixth level guards stationed outside cast him glances but recognized him imdiately and allowed him in without question.
The reinforced door slid open, revealing an elderly man sitting in a wheelchair. His presence commanded attention even before Satoru stepped in.
The old man was past seventy, his weathered face marked by deep lines of experience, yet his aura was anything but frail. His piercing gaze carried a steadfast resolve, reflecting countless mories of battle etched into his being. Dressed impeccably in a military uniform adorned with gleaming dals, the man exuded authority and pride. His white hair was neatly combed, and his hands rested calmly on his knees, radiating composure.
Though bound by a wheelchair, his posture remained upright and unwavering, an unyielding strength emanating from him. Beside him leaned a carefully folded cane, a testant to his indomitable will and legacy.
This man was none other than the base’s highest-ranking leader.
He was also Satoru’s ntor in spiritual energy control.
And, more significantly, he was Skina City’s strongest warrior—a Seventh level grandmaster—Guano.
"Master, what’s going on?" Satoru wasted no ti and approached his ntor directly, noting the absence of outsiders in the room except for the Commander’s adjutant.
"You’ve arrived," Guano greeted in his usual steady tone, his gaze shifting to his disciple.
"All the commotion outside—is it because of the Abyssal Demon gathering you ntioned?"
"Mm."
"And what’s so different about this one?"
Abyssal Demon gatherings were a fairly routine threat, with demons frequently crossing through rifts in the boundary barriers. If it were just another gathering, Satoru doubted his ntor would seem so gravely concerned.
"Could it be… the numbers? Are they unusually high?"
Guano nodded slightly. "Yes."
"How high are we talking?"
"Take a look," the Commander said, signaling to his adjutant with a glance. Understanding the non-verbal cue, the adjutant activated the room’s display screen.
Satoru turned toward the screen, his curiosity quickly replaced by shock.
"...?!"
This can’t be real... what the hell?!
His brows twitched uncontrollably as he forced a laugh. "You’ve got to be kidding … This isn’t just a little more, this is insane!"
The screen displayed a live feed of the eastern Thirteenth Rift, and beyond its fractured boundary was a horrifying sight.
An endless flood of black, seething masses of demons surged like tidal waves, clustering around the rift’s exterior. Their sheer numbers were beyond comprehension, evoking instinctive dread. The creatures were grotesque, with twisted forms that radiated malevolence. So were massive and hulking, while others were thin and elongated, their crimson eyes flickering like hellfire in the darkness.
Their sharp, blade-like teeth glinted as they let out terrifying, guttural cries that seed designed to instill fear. Their jagged claws scraped against the ground as they prowled, each movent oozing raw nace.
Even through the screen, the oppressive aura of the abyssal creatures seed to pierce through, making Satoru shudder despite not being physically present.
The swarm of black, writhing demons filled the screen like an unending abyss, an ocean of darkness coiled just beyond the rift. Their coordinated yet monstrous movents suggested organization, as if they were biding their ti to erupt as a catastrophic flood.
The scene painted an inescapable sense of terror. It was overwhelming—an entire army of darkness poised to engulf everything in its path.
Satoru stared, his disbelief and fear mixing into a silent gasp. His body froze, his breath quickened, and his heartbeat thundered in his chest.
It took several monts for him to forcibly steady his nerves. Compared to those who might faint at such a sight, he managed to compose himself relatively well.
Well... partially thanks to having already been scared out of his wits by Yumo before. That experience had toughened up his psychological endurance considerably.
"This… this isn’t just a normal Abyssal Demon gathering, is it? How many are there exactly?" He forced himself to ask as he trembled slightly.
Guano shook his head. "We don’t know. Tens of millions? Hundreds of millions? Billions? The numbers are so overwhelming that even the Alliance’s most advanced devices can’t provide an accurate count."
"Why... why are there so many?"
Satoru clenched his fists tightly, his mind racing to make sense of it.
Abyssal Demon gatherings... while commonplace over the years as a result of rift breaches, were generally small-scale clusters forming hunting packs, ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands.
In over a century of records, gatherings exceeding a hundred thousand were extrely rare. After all, Abyss Demons were a chaotic species prone to infighting and cannibalism.
But this...
"Not just the numbers—look closer."
Guano lifted his cane, pointing toward the display. Following his ntor’s guidance, Satoru’s gaze fell on several colossal figures amidst the horde.
And then his dread skyrocketed.
"Those are... Abyssal Behemoths?!"
"Yes. Ninth level Abyssal Demons... Abyssal Behemoths. Though they lack intelligence and can’t wield dominion powers like the Abyssal Lords, their monstrous physicality and destructive power alone are enough to be catastrophic."
"How many?"
"From initial intelligence... at least 8."
Satoru inhaled sharply.
Seriously?! Swarms of Abyssal Demons and Abyssal Behemoths?!
This has to be so kind of sick joke...
Wait. So many demons, even Behemoths present... Could it be?
"Master, is there an Abyssal Lord orchestrating this? Who is it?"
"We don’t know. To be honest, we can’t even confirm if these demons are acting under an Abyssal Lord’s command. If they are, their movents are... strange."
"Strange?"
"Yes," Guano said, his gaze locked on the screen, his brows furrowed. "This Abyssal Demon horde doesn’t seem to be preparing for an attack… Instead, it looks like they’re waiting for soone…"
"W…W-what?"
The words sent a chill down Satoru’s spine.
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