Kazuki stood still, overlooking the forest from atop a cliff as a cool breeze ruffled his cloak. But suddenly, his expression sharpened. The air shifted. The birds stopped singing. Time itself seemed to stutter.

  His eyes narrowed.

  A pulse—no, a wave of dark, overwhelming energy surged through the world, brushing against his soul like a predator brushing past prey. It wasn’t nearby, not even in this land… but it was ancient, sentient, and watching.

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  Kazuki gritted his teeth.

  “This pressure... this isn’t R.I.S.K. or the Crimson Sigil... It’s something else.”

  He clenched his fists, his aura flaring defensively around him. He could feel it now—an immense, unnatural presence rising from the ocean depths, one that dwarfed even the SS-rank dragon he had slain.

  Just then, his status screen flickered without prompt.

  > Warning: An unknown entity has awakened. Magical synchronization: 4%. Connection to "???": Active.

  He immediately teleported to the Duke's stronghold.

  “We have a problem,” he said grimly.