Chapter 552: Disaster
Northern leaped as quickly as he could away from the swelling ball of essence, grabbing Alystren and Ryan and throwing them clear with incredibly quick reflexes.
He didn't wait for Alystren's shocked reaction or Ryan's nonchalance before darting toward the violent vortex.
As it swelled, it raged, viciously sucking everything into it. It was like a sentient vortex-a black hole-wanting to devour every single thing around it.
The only difference was that this wasn't a black hole. This was a blue, flaming one.
"Jeci, Lynus."
As Northern called their names, two blurs flashed out of his shadow and into the swelling energy.
Northern then dissolved into the shadows.
Using Shadow Step, he appeared in the next room, where a woman lay on a comfortable mattress with a wrapped baby gently beside her.
He instantly recognized his mother. He moved closer and touched her hand. They were cold, and for some reason, she was unconscious, not waking despite his touch.
Whatever they had done to her was the reason he couldn't sense her presence.
He glanced around the room, examining it.
Runes of different characters were crudely carved on the walls.
'So this is what's keeping her unconscious...'
Northern stood up, lifted his mother onto his shoulders, and then picked up the child with one hand. He gazed at her for a moment, admiring her black hair.
"Just like Shin..."
Even though she was fast asleep, the striking resemblance between the child and Shin was undeniable.
He smiled bitterly and entered the shadows again. This time, he didn't appear outside but instead in the Void Palace.
He walked toward one of the pillars, stepping into the darkness between them.
He opened a door to a luxurious room, which materialized the moment he did so.
It looked more modern than most bedrooms of their time.
The bed was large and covered with a thick, silken duvet, its silver sheen reflecting the dim blue light of the Limitless Void.
The walls shimmered with a soft, pulsating glow, like stars trapped in the fabric of space, while the floor beneath his feet rippled with every step.
Northern carefully laid his mother on the bed, tucking the duvet around her with a tenderness that seemed out of place in the chaotic reality he'd just escaped.
He then placed the baby in a smaller cradle that materialized beside the bed, its form elegant and carved from an ethereal substance, like shadows molded into wood.
He stepped back, watching the steady rise and fall of his mother's chest.
It was weak, but she was alive. For now, she was safe. But what had been done to her ran deeper than any visible wound, and Northern could feel it.
He placed a hand on the cradle, feeling the pulse of life from the child.
"You'll be safe here," he whispered.
The child stirred slightly but didn't wake.
Without a word, Northern vanished into the shadows again, reappearing in the chaos of the vortex.
By the time he returned, Shin had already been completely swallowed by it, which was why he had immediately sent Jeci and Lynus.
Alystren and Ryan, slowly recovering from Northern's powerful throw, came to meet him. Northern focused on the vortex, which had now settled and revealed itself as a rift.
His eyes narrowed as he inspected the runes of the rift. With his highly developed sight, reading the soul essence of the rift wasn't difficult.
The runes materialized before him, their letters resembling symbols, but he understood them effortlessly.
Rift Title: [One of The Ten Plagues]
Rift Tier: [VII]
Rift Information: [An arrogant and forgotten ruler has, by his own hands, imbued his realm with disaster. Now it spreads like a disease, like a plague.]
Rift Monsters: [Hellions], [Maelstroms], [Destroyers], [Behemoths], [Belial].
Northern subconsciously staggered back as he read the runes.
He steadied himself quickly, controlling his rapid breathing.
'Destroyers, Behemoths, and a Belial?!'
The highest-level threat Northern had ever faced was a Destroyer, and he knew what kind of miracle it took to defeat one of those monsters.
He had faced Destroyers twice, and both times, it had taken a miracle to survive.
Now, they were the least of his worries. There were Behemoths and a damned Belial.
He had never even seen what a Behemoth or a Belial looked like; he couldn't even begin to imagine.
"This overflowing essence... this rift is more than Tier Five," Alystren's voice broke his thoughts, drawing Northern's attention to the old joker's stress-ridden face.
Northern sighed, 'This dude has no idea what he is saying'
He looked back at the rift, then at Ryan.
"Hey, are you up for this? It'll be tough."
Ryan met his gaze coldly and shrugged.
"Tough, not tough-makes no difference to me."
Northern grinned widely, satisfied with Ryan's response.
'As expected of Dark Continental folks, we just understand each other so well.' He grinned inwardly again.
He was about to step forward when his body suddenly trembled. His eyes widened and froze.
Void Force lashed out extensively, draining his stamina and essence to maintain the state of the invisible barrier.
Ryan noticed the change in Northern's expression and asked, "What's wrong, Northern?"
Alystren also felt the sudden surge of pressure around Northern, making it difficult to approach him. But Ryan had already asked the question.
He, too, awaited the answer with bated breath.
Northern didn't need to respond. Just as Ryan asked, both men trembled with suffocating fear.
A drop of sweat rolled down Alystren's face as he thought, 'Damn it.'
"Impressive. You sensed me before I even arrived, even though I perfectly erased my
presence."
A commanding voice rang out, with it came a presence that stood behind Northern.
Northern turned, his face set in a grim frown, toward a tall man dressed in black military
attire, his coat fluttering off his shoulder.
"Who the hell are you?" Northern spat, his tone laced with venom.
Lieutenant Dante caressed his chin, his eyes intrigued as they observed Northern.
"White hair, blue eyes... What clan are you from?"
Northern didn't respond. While the Lieutenant examined him, his mind raced, searching for a
solution.
He didn't need to take a soul peek to know he was standing before a Paragon.
He had met one before. From the first moment he felt the presence of the Lieutenant's
essence approaching them, it had instantly registered-the essence and its shape belonged to
a Paragon. Before, he couldn't see it because his eyes hadn't reached that level.
But now, he could.
Swirling around the Lieutenant was his essence, shaped into a silver bird so enormous that it
nearly shrouded the underground with its wings.
Its presence alone seemed to overpower that of the rift, which made Northern certain of two
things:
One, this person was undoubtedly a Paragon.
Two, the chances of defeating this rift just skyrocketed.
However, he didn't like this person's aura at all!
The Lieutenant grabbed Northern's face.
Northern hadn't even felt his hand move. It was as though he was helpless before the man's
speed.
He frowned instantly and bulldozed into the Lieutenant with all his strength, sending both of them crashing into the debris behind, crimson flames furiously licking the trails of his legs.