I raised my hand slowly, my focus locking onto the tablet above.
The chains responded.
At first, it was subtle. A faint tremor ran through them, a deep vibration that echoed through the void as if something ancient had just awakened. Then the movement grew stronger. The massive crimson chains began to shift, lifting away from their anchored positions, rising upward in response to my will.
They were enormous.
From this distance, they looked like pillars of crimson cutting through space, but as they moved, their true scale became clear. Each link alone was larger than entire war constructs, layered with markings that pulsed faintly as they came alive. The weight of them was not just physical, it pressed against reality itself.
I remained at the center, suspended between them.
One chain to my left.
One to my right.
And then the weight hit.
Even with my Saint body active, I felt it immediately. A deep strain settled into my body, as if something far heavier than I should have been able to control was now connected directly to me. My muscles tensed, my breathing slowed, and for a brief moment, the silver glow around my body flickered under the pressure.
I clenched my teeth.
"...Good," I muttered.
The chains rose higher. The entire battlefield was silent and watching the spectacle. Then I moved my hand forward.
They followed and surged forward.
Like two massive serpents unleashed into the void, the chains shot forward, tearing through space as they moved. Their path distorted everything around them, pushing aside drifting fragments and space bubbles alike as they advanced toward the rift.
Toward the black crystalline spikes.
One of the massive spikes stood directly ahead, embedded deep into the torn fabric of space, anchoring the rift open.
The chains reached it.
And coiled.
Wrapping around it in layers, link after link locking into place as they tightened. The crimson glow intensified, binding themselves around the spike as if claiming it.
I lowered my hand slightly.
And pulled.
The resistance was immediate.
The spike did not move easily. It was anchored deep, holding the rift open with immense force, pushing back against me with everything it had.
The strain on my body increased sharply.
The silver glow around me deepened as I pushed harder, my entire frame tightening under the pressure.
Slowly, the spike began to shift.
Even as it began to move, the force pushing back against me did not weaken. It felt as if the rift itself was holding onto it, refusing to let go, anchoring it deeper with every passing moment. The chains strained, their links tightening, vibrating under the pressure.
The movement slowed and finally stopped completely.
I narrowed my eyes.
"Not enough..."
I drew in a breath and let it out slowly.
"Node 1 activate."
The change was immediate.
A surge ran through my body, my muscles tightening as raw strength flooded every part of me. The silver glow deepened, growing denser, heavier, and the pressure that had been weighing me down suddenly felt... manageable.
I pulled again much harder.
The spike moved and not slowly.
It tore free completely.
The sound that followed wasn’t just noise, it felt like space itself had been ripped apart as the massive crystalline spike broke loose from the rift. Fractures spread across the tear as the anchor holding it open was removed.
Above it, the Eternal legion reacted.
Several iron and flame units stationed around the spike surged forward, their forms shifting as they attempted to intercept the chains, to reattach, to stabilize the structure.
They didn’t make it.
The moment they touched the chains, they dispersed. Their bodies broke apart instantly, unable to withstand the force running through the crimson links, their forms dissolving into nothing as if erased.
I pulled the spike higher.
It rose above the battlefield, massive, unstable, still radiating the energy of the rift.
Then I shifted my stance.
And with a roar I brought it down.
BOOM!
The spike crashed into another anchored deep within the rift, the impact shaking the entire battlefield as both structures collided with overwhelming force.
The impact rippled across the void.
Both spikes shuddered under the collision, fractures spreading across their surfaces like cracks through glass. The point where they met caved inward slightly, the black crystalline structure splintering as fragments broke away and drifted into space. Even the rift reacted. The massive tear behind them warped violently, its edges flickering and collapsing in uneven waves as if something fundamental had been disturbed.
But it wasn’t enough.
The spikes held.
I gritted my teeth, feeling the strain surge back through my body. The chains tightened once more under my command and my will, their weight pressing down on me as I forced them to move again.
"Come on..."
I pulled the spike back.
It rose again, slower this time, the resistance still present, still fighting me at every step. My muscles tensed, the silver glow around me flaring unevenly as I pushed through the pressure.
Then, I brought it down again with even more force.
The second impact was worse.
The collision cracked both spikes deeper, entire sections breaking apart now, fragments scattering outward in large chunks. The rift behind them convulsed, its shape twisting as unstable energy burst outward from the damaged anchors.
Still, they didn’t break completely.
I exhaled sharply, my grip tightening.
"One more."
I raised the spike again, forcing it higher despite the strain building through my body, despite the weight threatening to pull me down with it.
Then, I slammed it down. This time they shattered.
Both spikes broke apart completely, their structures collapsing under the force as they exploded into countless fragments, scattering across the void. The chains remained intact, floating freely now, untouched, their crimson glow steady as if nothing had happened.
I exhaled heavily.
The pressure faded.
I deactivated Node 1, the surge of strength leaving my body as the silver glow dimmed slightly. My control over the chains loosened, and I let them go entirely. They drifted back, no longer bound to my will.
They were too heavy. Not something I could sustain for long.
Ahead of me, the rift reacted immediately.
With two of its anchors gone, its structure destabilized. The massive tear began to shrink, its edges pulling inward, collapsing as the pressure holding it open weakened.
For a moment, it looked like it might close.
Then the remaining six spikes responded.
They flared.
A dark glow spread across their surfaces, and in the next instant, the rift stabilized again. The collapsing edges halted, the tear holding its form once more, though now visibly strained.
I narrowed my eyes.
"Six more..."