Ozryn's Command Center trembled under the relentless attacks of the crystal beasts. Thousands of soldiers tried to fend off the invading beasts somehow, but every beast they killed left its place for a new one. Yet, no soldiers showed fear. They were ready to throw their lives to make sure this building stood until the end.

"Commander Hudson, the living armor that emerged from the gold rift that appeared in the southern area of Ozryn, continues to move to the east, destroying everything in their path. All the guilds in the city are concentrated in the center, and none are located in those sectors. Should we send reinforcements to save the citizens in these areas?"

Commander Hudson's face darkened, his eyes fixed on the screens before him, witnessing the massacre unfolding throughout the city. He had wanted to order the evacuation but scouts had informed him that crystal beasts in the wild were flocking to Ozryn, cutting off their escape routes.

"Focus on securing the central area. Deliver the information to the guilds and have everyone work together to create safe areas," He said, gritting his teeth.

His choice was to let all the citizens who were outside the center of Ozryn die, but they were already running out of manpower to protect their command center. He couldn't be emotional in this situation. He had to make sure that as many people as possible survived, even if he would have to abandon half of the citizens of Ozryn to accomplish it.

"Yes, Commander!"

"How is the analysis of the energy that was detected when the rifts appeared?"

"Without any tools, we can only rely on the abilities of some soldiers, but most of them never rose above the Iron rank retarding the rate at which their abilities can analyze the energy."

'That damned classification system!'

Ironically, under the invasion of so many crystal beasts, the abilities that had the best chance of saving the city were all rated grade F or E by the Aegis Alliance.

***

In an unknown part of the city of Ozryn, Anna stood on the roof of a house, watching around her with her crystal sense unfold.

"Isn’t this stone a little too powerful to be able to create so many spatial rifts and attract all these crystal beasts?" she wondered when she saw the ravages created by the crystal beasts throughout the city.

As she was about to leave after checking that the path ahead was safe, something caught her attention.

"Eh, that’s interesting. I wonder if Kieran will survive after today. I could use that in the future if we meet again," she said with a smile on her face before she disappeared toward what had caught her attention.

***

In a ravaged area in the north of Ozryn stood a man in his forties, his figure emerging from the dancing flames that enveloped him. His dazzling blond hair floated in the currents of heat, while his intense blue eyes seemed to be the windows to his soul, having gazed upon centuries of life and tribulation.

His penetrating gaze reflected ancient wisdom, testifying to the trials he had passed through and the battles fought. He stood motionless, his whole body bathed in flames, but without the slightest trace of burn or injury.

His presence gave off a powerful aura. The elemental particles of fire gathered around him. The flames bent to his will, responding to his every thought and movement.

He was Gudo Graham, the mayor of Ozryn since its creation 200 years ago. Due to his activity as mayor of a D grade city, he obtained many benefits from the Aegis Alliance over the years.

Yet, his cultivation had not increased during his 200 years as mayor. No matter how many natural treasures or pills he bought, his cultivation had reached a bottleneck, never getting beyond the Early stage of Diamond rank.

It was 40 years ago when he resigned himself to his fate and searched for a wife with a crystal seed with great potential capable of offering him good children who would fulfill his dream of reaching the realm of transcendents. This is how his son, Allen Graham, was born with a grade B crystal seed.

This person was the last and strongest line of defense in the city of Ozryn, and he was currently proving it by showing no fear facing the tens of thousands of crystal beasts that rushed towards him from the two Gold rank rifts that appeared in this area.

He moved his flame bathed arm slowly to welcome the crystal beasts. Each of his movements was imbued with controlled power, like a fiery dance. The flames danced and swirled around his arm, casting golden and orange reflections in the air.

Suddenly a change happened. The flames that enveloped his arm changed from a warm, luminous hue to a glowing color, incandescent like burning embers.

The fiery flames that enveloped his arm seemed to come to life, vibrating with consuming energy. They spread before him like a sea of fire, rippling and crackling with insatiable voracity. Their incandescent glow illuminated the surrounding darkness, casting dancing shadows on the crumbling walls of the destroyed city.

As he advanced, the flames unfurled in front of him, sweeping away everything in their path. Like a raging torrent, they engulfed the obstacles that stood in their way. Crystal beasts that dared to approach were immediately engulfed in the raging flames, reduced to burning ashes in a whirlwind of unbearable heat.

Each movement of his arm sent tongues of fire in all directions, devouring the air and leaving a trail of incandescent sparks. The flames seemed to dance with a will of their own, intertwining and twisting in a flamboyant choreography. Their intensity grew as they spread, turning everything in their path into an inferno.

The heat emanating from these flames was suffocating, burning to the point of making the atmosphere shudder. Their blazing brilliance illuminated the grotesque forms of the crystal beasts that tried in vain to approach. The crackling and hissing of the devouring flames drowned out the roars and cries of pain of the crystal beasts.

As he strode through this sea of searing flames, he was both magnificent and terrifying to behold. The beasts at the Peak stage of the gold rank who barely survived recoiled from his presence, aware of the devastating power that emanated from him. It was a sight that would shock every citizen of Ozryn if they had been present to see it. A lone man faced two gold rank rifts without losing ground.

Yet, even if Gudo Graham looked like a god in front of these crystal beasts, he couldn't leave this place. Without him here to hold back all the crystal beasts crossing the two Gold rank rifts, the city would be besieged at an even more significant speed than it is now.

A shadow appeared a kilometer away from him, taking the form of a human being. His gaze turned to the shadows when he felt its presence.

"Erik? Did you evacuate Allen?"

Gudo's tone seemed tired despite his overwhelming presence.

"The young master refused, saying he is not a coward who would run away."

"That damn kid and his excessive pride!"

His eyes drifted to the two Gold rank rifts a few hundred meters in front of him, his gaze filled with fatigue and frustration.

"If the army can't undo the effects of this energy that disabled all our technology, then this city is doomed. There's no point in staying here to die in vain. Do what you can to persuade him and if that doesn't work, knock him out and run away with him."

"As you order, Master."

Erik bowed deeply, turning around. He walked a few steps before stopping.

"Master... You should evacuate this city too."

"Even if I wanted to, it would be impossible for me to evacuate. A soul oath binds every mayor protecting an Aegis Alliance city on this planet. No matter what threatens the city, I must do everything to protect it even if I die."

"I understand. I will carry out your orders and protect the young master at the risk of my life."

Erik's figure disappeared into the nearest shadow, leaving no trace of his presence. Leaving the figure of Gudo alone in the middle of the flames.

Gudo Graham Illustration :