Chapter 250: Evolving Rift

The sector had already returned to calm when Remedy's dragon tore across the sky, far beyond its borders. It moved at a speed no express transport could match, its massive wings cutting through the air like blades.

Despite that speed, the pressure never hit them. A thin, unseen force wrapped around the dragon's body, smoothing the violent wind into something manageable, keeping both riders steady as the world blurred beneath them.

Ivy held on tighter, her eyes scanning the endless stretch ahead before shifting toward Remedy.

"Will she be alright?" she asked, her voice low with the earlier urgency still lingering beneath it.

Remedy didn't hesitate. "She's a monarch," she said, her tone calm and certain. "And not just any monarch. She's from a powerful family. You don't need to worry about her."

Ivy nodded slowly, accepting the answer, but the tension didn't fully leave her shoulders. Her thoughts moved elsewhere, back to the others, back to the situation they were rushing into.

"How do you think they're doing?" she asked after a moment, her voice quieter this time. The question carried more weight than the last, heavier with uncertainty and concern.

Remedy's expression tightened slightly as she focused ahead.

"I can't reach them," she said. "The closer you get to a rift like that, the worse communication becomes. It's interfering with everything."

Ivy fell silent again, gripping the dragon's scales as the wind rushed past them in controlled streams. The distance between them and Tristan still felt too large, every second stretching longer than it should.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" she asked finally, the doubt slipping through despite her effort to hold it back.

Remedy didn't look back. "As long as Adam is with them, they'll be fine."

There was no hesitation in her answer.

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze sharpening. "Right now, all we can do is move faster." Her command wasn't spoken aloud, but the dragon responded instantly, its body tensing as power surged through it.

The next second, it accelerated again.

The air cracked as it broke through another sound barrier, then another, its speed climbing higher with each passing moment as Tristan drew closer.

Back in Tristan, the tension had already spread long before the danger arrived. The city wasn't under attack yet, but panic moved faster than any monster, creeping through streets as alerts circulated and people realized what was coming.

Dead Man's Valley had always been a problem. The rift sat just outside the controlled wild zone, unstable but quiet. No creatures emerged from the rift despite it being breached and that silence had convinced the alliance to leave it under surveillance instead of clearing it.

That decision was now catching up to them.

An evolving rift was not the same as a mutating one. Mutation changed patterns, sometimes strength. Evolution was different. It amplified everything. Monsters born from it didn't just grow stronger,.they jumped tiers entirely, breaking expected limits without warning.

And now, an extinction-class rift was evolving.

That single fact was enough to trigger a full-scale response. Tristan wasn't the only sector at risk. If the rift broke containment, the damage would spread beyond borders, turning multiple sectors in the mid tier regions into a battlefield within hours.

For that reason, forces had already gathered.

Around Dead Man's Valley, countless martial artists stood ready, forming layered defensive lines. Some wore Tristan's insignia, others belonged to nearby sectors, all answering the same emergency call without hesitation.

The air around the rift pulsed with unstable energy. It didn't release monsters, but the pressure alone was enough to make weaker fighters step back, their instincts screaming that something was deeply wrong.

Behind the front lines, the command structure was already in place.

Mission Hall managers stood together, their expressions tense as they monitored incoming reports. They weren't only here for combat. They were also here to coordinate, assign, and respond the moment the situation shifted.

At the center of it all stood the commander.

Francis.

The same man who had issued Adam the Wind Carnage Requiem now stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the rift. His expression was calm, but the stillness around him felt heavy.

Francis didn't move as the pressure from the rift continued to build, his eyes fixed forward. The air pulsed in uneven waves, each one heavier than the last.

An acolyte rushed up beside him, stopping just short of the invisible pressure field. "Sir, we have about five minutes until rift stabilization," he reported, his voice tight despite his effort to stay composed.

Francis gave a small nod, his gaze never leaving the rift. Because of the evolution, the breach had sealed itself again. It looked calm on the surface, but everyone here understood what that meant.

Once stabilization completed, the rift would open again.

And this time, whatever came out would be far worse.

Francis finally turned, scanning the assembled forces. Rows of martial artists stood ready, their stances tense, conduits drawn and armamanents equipped. Among them, one group caught his attention almost immediately.

Eden.

They had been making noise recently. Most of it traced back to one fact, the presence of a Saint backing them through a disciple. That alone made them worth watching.

Will the Saint's disciple show up? Francis wondered briefly before dismissing the thought. Whether they came or not wouldn't change what was about to happen.

He turned back to the rift.

Not far from the front lines, Felicia stood with her arms crossed, her eyes locked onto the sealed breach. The unstable energy reflected in her gaze, frustration building with every passing second.

"I can't believe those three ditched us at a moment like this," she said, her voice sharp, clearly annoyed despite the situation unfolding in front of them.

Scott stood beside her, calmer but no less focused. "At least we know where Rem and Ivy are," he replied. "They're heading here. That much is certain."

Felicia exhaled, shaking her head slightly. "That's not the problem," she said. "Adam is." The name lingered for a moment before she sighed, her shoulders settling with reluctant acceptance.

"I guess we just handle it ourselves," she added, her tone firming as she adjusted her stance, preparing for what was coming.

Scott raised an eyebrow at that, his gaze flicking toward the massive force gathered around them. Countless martial artists, all prepared to fight, all waiting for the same signal.

He chose not to comment.

Then the five minutes ended.

The rift pulsed once, harder than before.

And began to open.