Kai Latcher.

Ranked 47 in the Global Rankings.

A prospect said to have the potential to break into the top ten within the next decade.

His unique Decree was one of the reasons for this.

[Shatterpath Decree]

It was one of the rarer and more dangerous Decrees.

With its great power came enormous risk. It was for this reason that not many reached the top with this Decree. The side effects and repercussions of using the Decree were extreme, with users being more prone to fractures than any other Decree.

Nevertheless...

'Ignite.'

BANG!

There were outliers capable of bearing the burden that came with the Decree.

Kai was one such outlier.

Sparks flew within his node. With each spark, his node expanded further and further, providing him with unimaginable and explosive strength that he used to shatter the numerous walls that were ahead of him.

BANG! BANG!

Despite Geneva's best attempts to stop him, it was of no use.

Kai was like an unstoppable train.

He rammed through each wall without any regard.

It was almost as if he was walking casually with no obstruction.

"D-damn it."

Geneva cursed under her breath as she stared in Kai's direction. She didn't even know why she reacted. Had she been controlled? Was it due to her feelings for her brother? What had made her react like this?

But regardless of how much she wanted to curse herself for her actions, it was already too late.

"Get her!"

There were already several people heading in her direction.

Without a thought, Geneva shifted her attention away from Kai and onto the approaching group.

Her nodes all flared up as her fingers started to twitch.

But just as she was about to take action...

Slide—!

A cubicle in the far right opened, revealing a girl with long blonde hair and green eyes.

She looked stunned by what she was seeing.

But at the same time, the moment she caught sight of Seth, her node flared, and the surroundings turned blindingly bright.

"—!"

".....!"

The eyes of many closed.

Even Kai was no different.

The attack itself wasn't harmful, but it was enough to cause everyone to lose their sight.

But what was most shocking was how Geneva didn't find herself turning blind like the others.

'What sort of...?'

It was also in that moment that she sensed the woman's gaze.

She didn't say anything, but just nudged her head.

The message was clear.

'Go.'

Geneva reacted in a heartbeat. She didn't know what was happening, but she knew that this was her chance to dash away from the group and follow Seth from behind. This was exactly what she did as she dashed away.

"G-get her!"

"She's... running!"

It didn't take long for the others to realize what was happening.

Immediately, they gave chase.

Of course, some also turned in Zoey's direction, but by the time they went for her, she was already gone.

'I don't know what the hell is going on, but this is all I can do...' Zoey muttered under her breath, leaning back against the walls of another cubicle as she stared at the walkie-talkie in her hand. She had been waiting in her cubicle from the start, waiting for the moment to come out.

Seth had warned her a few hours prior about what was to come.

Zoey had been confused, finding his words back then confusing, but seeing everything planned out as he had spoken, she found herself at a loss.

'What... is he planning?'

***

At the same time, in another area of the Gate.

"What did you just say!?"

A loud voice echoed.

Staring at the walkie-talkie in his hand, the Guild Master of the Royal Chambers opened his eyes wide.

He wasn't the only one stunned.

Several of the people who had entered the gate with him were similarly stunned.

The walkie-talkie vibrated.

—This is Latcher. I repeat. This is Latcher. I've located the one responsible for the deaths. I am currently chasing him down. There also appears to be Geneva with him. I can't tell if she's been converted or is an illusion. For now, I have engaged with the usual protocol. She will be treated as an enemy. Location has been shared.

Hearing the words coming from the walkie-talkie again, the first one ot snap out of it was the Guild Master.

He didn't think twice.

Connecting the walkie-talkie with his phone, he immediately traced the location of Latcher's walkie-talkie.

"Go! Go...!"

Everyone followed alongside him.

At the same time he moved, he opened the universal channel and announced, "To everyone hearing this, stop whatever you are doing immediately. Proceed at once to the coordinates linked to Latcher's walkie-talkie. I repeat. Cease all activity and move to Latcher's coordinates! This is of the utmost importance!!"

The Guild Master repeated the same message several times before finally stopping.

At the same time, he picked up his pace, his eyes narrowing as he hurried towards where Latcher's location was.

'...I hope I make it on time. I really want to make it in time.'

The Guild Master...

He wanted to be the one to set an example for those who mess with his Guild.

***

"Where are you running off to?!"

Latcher's loud voice bellowed across the corridors as he rushed in Seth's direction with all his might.

He was explosive.

With each step he took, he grew faster and faster.

But at the same time—

BANG! BANG! BANG!

He'd be stopped by the numerous walls that would appear right before his eyes.

Kai would shatter them effortlessly, but his momentum grew weaker each time. When he turned back, he saw Geneva slowly catching up to him.

His blue eyes flickered as he stared at her.

"...You really have betrayed us." He muttered silently, his eyes turning colder as he turned his attention back towards Seth.

Despite his best attempt at trying to catch up to him, there would always be something that would hinder his path. Be it Geneva, random interference from people inside the cubicles, or even anomalies.

Kai was shocked to find the gap between him and his target only widening.

To make matters worse, his target had not once run.

He simply just...

Walked.

The sight made his insides twist green, his pride recoiling violently at the humiliation. His ego refused to tolerate it, refused to accept even a second of it.

That was why he stopped holding back.

In a single moment, he forced open every node in his body, ignoring the strain, ignoring the warning signs. A crushing pressure erupted from him like a shockwave, warping the air itself. The surroundings buckled under the force, the walls bending, the floor trembling as the immense pressure poured out of him without restraint.

Cra Crack!

With a single step, the ground shattered.

His body faded from the spot.

And in the fraction of a second, he was already before Seth.

Kai didn't hold back.

The moment he arrived before Seth, he reached forward with his hand, trying to get a grasp of his head, but, almost as if he had eyes at the back of his head, Seth moved it to the side.

No...

He moved it even before Kai had moved.

It was as if he had predicted everything from the start.

"——!"

The sight left Latcher stunned, his momentum carrying him past Seth, his body shooting forward before he released all the tension and forced it to come to a sudden stop.

BANG!

The pain that came from such action was enough to make one faint.

But Kai wasn't one to care about pain.

He had long grown numb to it.

But to him, there was something more important as he turned his head to stare in Seth's direction.

"You..."

Kai tried to speak, but the moment he did, he stopped.

Seth wasn't even looking at him.

He was looking elsewhere.

'What...?"

For some reason, Kai's heart sank.

Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump!

What followed was a loud and rhythmic thump.

One that came right from his heart.

He didn't know what was going on, but with each passing second, his heart only grew more and more frantic.

And soon—

He found himself turning his head.

The moment he did, his heart stopped beating.

So did his breathing.

He wasn't the only one.

Soon, Geneva arrived. She froze just like him.

The same was for those who were chasing.

And even—

"This is the place."

"They've stopped here."

"They——"

"....."

Silence.

All people present stopped speaking or breathing.

In that moment, all eyes were focused on a singular point.

Towards a singular door.

One that had a metal plaque that said, [Manager's Office].

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