Chapter 161 - The Last Defender
The Rift Challengers would be left behind—while the monsters would be pulled out of the rift, expelled into the world beyond. And then, the rift itself would collapse, swallowing everything left inside.
That was the standard scenario. The fate everyone feared.
But... that didn’t mean there was no way out. Not in their current state. There was still a chance, some narrow path forward, if they could find it in time.
"Let’s go," Tave said, his voice cutting through the tension. "We need to get out of here and see what’s happening outside."
He was the first to step through the doorway. As soon as he emerged, the wind slammed into him. The darkness had grown even deeper, making every step a struggle.
Thankfully, Vellion took the lead beside him, his Light Element forming a steady glow around his body, acting as a beacon in the storm. He reached back, grasping Lina’s hand to help her stay upright. She was clearly the one having the hardest time navigating through the chaotic condition.
Elowen summoned her elemental magic to anchor herself, letting bursts of wind-based force keep her low and stable on the shifting ground. Finn, clad in his weighted defender armor, stayed firm without much effort.
Tave kept his focus on Vanya, making sure she could move steadily and safely beside him.
Together, the group pushed forward, weaving through the fractured remains of the demon fortress. Overhead, the sky still churned, where the massive tornado continued pulling monster after monster into the spiral tear, one after another, vanishing into the unknown.
They moved swiftly, following a path that led them toward an opening at the far edge of the fortress.
And there, just beyond the crumbling barrier. They saw it.