harleyscars Chapter 282: The Deep Scheme Behind the Rift
Chapter 282: The Deep Scheme Behind the Rift
The core of the rift in the Shadow Realm had been destroyed, but the atmosphere on the spaceship remained tense. The three silently organized their equipment, each seemingly pondering the unresolved questions from the battle just now.
“This rift core is significantly more complex than before.” Selena stared at the star map data on the screen, her tone tinged with anxiety. “Not only is the defense system more sophisticated, but its control over the surrounding environment is also much more precise.”
“The Rift is learning.” Ares sat in his chair, holding the rune sword, his eyes deep. “Every time we destroy its core, it evolves into a new form.”
Wagner gritted his teeth and tossed the battle axe aside. "Then we'll have to use even more force to smash it every time. It's a never-ending game."
Selena shook her head. "It's not just a matter of strength. The Rift's actions are becoming increasingly organized; it has moved from simple erosion rules to a deeper level of planning. We must find its command center, otherwise, we will forever remain on the defensive."
The observer's voice came from the star map, "Selena is right. The core action point of the rift is extremely well hidden, and the Shadow Realm is only one part of its operation. According to the latest energy scan, another anomaly has been located."
Ares looked up, his eyes sharp. "Where?"
A new coordinate system appeared on the star map, a region more remote than any previous dimension—a region called the "Temple of Meteorite," hidden within an endless cosmic turbulence.
“The Temple of Fallen Light?” Selena frowned. “That place was once the center of an ancient galaxy, but according to records, it was exiled by the rules thousands of years ago because its energy system was severely unstable.”
“Rule-based exile?” Wagner was clearly unfamiliar with the term. “What does that mean?”
“Rule exile is a cosmic self-protection mechanism,” the observer explained. “When the energy and rules of a certain region threaten the overall balance, the universe will actively sever its connection with it and expel it from the rule system.”
“So the Rift chose it,” Ares said coldly. “A place abandoned by the rules is the perfect breeding ground for it.”
The guardians piloted their spaceships through endless cosmic turbulence. The outer region of the Temple of Fallen Light was surrounded by numerous shattered planets and energy vortexes, and each spaceship's jump required extremely high precision, or it risked being swallowed by the turbulence.
“The energy fluctuations are getting stronger.” Selena stared at the readings on the dashboard, her fingers flying across the control panel. “The core of the rift is in the center of the Temple of Meteor.”
“These turbulent currents are like they’re preventing us from getting any closer,” Wagner said, frowning as he looked at the distorted light outside the window. “They’re like traps.”
“This isn’t just turbulence; it’s being guided by rift energy.” Ares closed his eyes, sensing the changes around him with his rune sword. “The closer we get to the core, the greater the resistance becomes.”
The spaceship suddenly shuddered violently, and a massive energy wave surged from the turbulence, hurtling towards it. Selena quickly activated the protective systems, forcibly deflecting the spaceship off the main course, but it was still affected, the hull emitting a piercing metallic scraping sound.
"Hold on!" Ares grabbed the railing and steadied himself. "We have to get through this area!"
After several perilous jumps, the spaceship finally broke through the turbulent barrier and entered the area of the Temple of Fallen Light. The scenery here was completely different from the previous dimensions—the entire region resembled a ruin floating in the void, with countless broken planets and relics suspended in the darkness, each fragment emitting a faint light, as if telling the story of this region's former glory.
“This place… feels like a dead zone.” Wagner looked out the window, his voice low. “But I can feel the rift energy staring at us.”
“They are deep within these ruins.” Selena landed the spaceship in a relatively stable area, her tone wary. “We must walk to the core; the spaceship cannot get close.”
The three, fully equipped, stepped onto the ground of the Temple of Fallen Light. The gravity here was clearly unstable, making each step difficult to adjust to, and faint fluctuations of rift energy permeated the surrounding air.
“Be careful of your surroundings.” Ares gripped his rune sword, his gaze sweeping over the ruins floating in mid-air. “The rift won’t let us reach the core easily.”
Just as Ares had predicted, the three had barely entered the central area of the ruins when the surrounding space suddenly began to distort. A group of monsters made of rift energy emerged from the ruins, their forms resembling giant spiders, each leg like a sharp blade.
"They've finally arrived!" Wagner grinned, raised his battle axe and charged forward, cleaving a monster's forelimb in two with a single blow, but the monster's body quickly reformed, becoming even larger.
"These things can self-repair!" Selena warned while firing. "Their core is in their heads; we must concentrate our attacks!"
Ares charged at a monster, his runeblade gleaming with intense light, and pierced its head and core. The monster let out a piercing scream before disintegrating into countless fragments.
"Don't let them get any closer!" Ares shouted, swinging his sword to block another monster's attack. "These things are Rift Trappers; they're trying to delay us!"
Selena quickly adjusted the type of ammunition on her sniper rifle, accurately shattering the cores of several monsters with high-energy rounds. However, the number of monsters around her was increasing, surging in from all directions like an endless tide.
"Damn it! When will these guys ever stop?" Wagner gasped for breath, his battle axe almost completely drained of energy.
Ares raised his rune sword, channeling all his power into it and unleashing a massive blade of light. The blade sliced through the sky, wiping out most of the monsters, but it also drained a great deal of his own strength.
After clearing out the monsters, the three finally entered the deepest part of the ruins. At the center of this place floated a massive rift core, shaped like a pulsating heart, each beat spreading rift energy throughout the entire area.
“This is its core.” Ares stared at the core, his gaze chilling. “It is attempting to merge with the energy system of the Temple of Fallen Light and establish a realm beyond the rules.”
“Then we must destroy it.” Selena quickly adjusted her weapon, aiming at the core’s critical point.
“This time it won’t be that simple.” Wagner gripped his battle axe, his voice low. “I can sense that this thing hides a much bigger conspiracy.”
The Rift Core seemed to sense their presence, suddenly releasing a powerful energy wave that blasted the three of them back several meters. Then, a gigantic phantom emerged from the core—the Rift's avatar—a giant composed of countless runes and energy.
"Guardians, your efforts have come to an end." The giant's voice was deep and malevolent. "The era of rules has ended, and you will witness the birth of a new order!"
"Then let us shatter your new order!" Ares raised his rune sword and led his team toward the core of the rift, and a new battle began in these ruins.