Meanwhile below.

The chains of the seal were cracking.

The ancient runes have burned out.

The colossal presence that was beneath the academy had shifted again, its breath alone was enough to shake the continent.

A whisper was echoing through the cracks between the worlds.

Soon...

***

Sarah had collapsed moments later, this was mana exhaustion.

Selena caught her before she had hit the ground.

"This is too much we can't keep up," Simon said. "If we receive another push like that and—"

"Yeah I know," Adam replied.

He was looking at the crack in reality, and also at the ritual circle that was forming around it without anyone even drawing it.

"Is seems they aren't trying to break the seal yet," he said. "It looks like their synchronizing it."

Katherine frowned. "With what?"

Adam's gaze hardened before saying:

"With us."

After the monsters erasure the silence didn't last long.

Of course it couldn't.

The whole convergence zone had begun to scream.

It first it was a subtle scream, it was an almost inaudible vibration that crawls up the spine and even rattled up the teeth.

Then the runes that were curved into obsidian floor had begun to glow brighter, their crimson light was pulsing with irregular, panicked rhythms.

CRACK.

A fissure has split open near the center of the wound, it spewed warped mana like blood from a burst artery.

Everyone was feeling it.

The pressure they felt had multipled.

It wasn't doubled, it was multipled.

Several students were dropping to one knee in an instant.

Bramdor was grunting, his hands were sinking inches into the stone. "This—the pressure—!"

Azazel was clenching his teeth, blood like flames were flaring wildly as he was struggling to keep them stable. "It feels like the gate is rejecting us."

"That's not interely true," Adam said, his voice was low. "It feels like it is reacting to us."

He then stared intently to the vertical wound in reality.

The crack was even wider now, and also deeper.

And there was something on the side, waiting and watching.

That's when Adam felt numerous presences coming towards them.

At first he was on the defensive, but the he recognized their mana.

"Selena," he said. "He's here."

"Who—" before she could continue a voice was heard.

"Sis!" Duke screamed.

Selena reacted in an instant and looked to where the voice was coming from.

There they were: Grace, Duke, Drake, Eve and some others have arrived.

Seeing them Adam had a relieved look on his face, his friends were finally here.

"What took you guys so long?" He asked.

"We got separated from our factions," Duke answered. "But in the middle of the way we found each other but... I haven't seen Finn yet."

"If we found you guys, we'll find him too." Adam told him with a reassuring face. "Go to Selena, she was worried sick about you."

Duke then cast his gaze towards Selena, he went towards her and gave her a hug. It was heartwarming and the tension she didn't realize she had faded instantly.

But their reunion was cut short.

***

Out of nowhere people came out the shadows without any introduction.

It was five figures.

They were all cloaked in layered black robes that were etched with twisting sigils that could hurt the eyes if followed.

Each of their steps were chasing the runes on the ground to flare up even brighter, it was recognizing them.

Adam had felt it instantly, they were something worse.

"These are cult commanders," he muttered.

Azazel swallowed, while keeping his grin. "Commanders you say?"

"Yes, I'm sure you've heard of Kyrexis Azazel." Adam clarified. "They are just Outer God intermediaries, they aren't apostles. But they sure are close."

Each one of them was radiating immense pressure, it was half step into the S-rank.

One of them stepped forward, its voice was echoing unnaturally, it was like it was speaking with multiple mouths layered together.

"Ah the children of this," it said. "You have done well, enduring this far."

Duke snarled at it. "You were just slaughtering the students!"

"That was a necessary sacrifice,.for synchronization," the cultist replied with a calm smile. "The seal needs conflict. Pride. Fear. Despair."

Another one of the cultists raised their had, that's when the crack in reality started pulsing.

ALERT. ALERT.

SEAL INTEGRITY: 98%

Sarah's eyes were wide in horror. "So their using us as the catalysts..."

"That is correct," the first cultist who talked said. "You resistance is futile, your just avoiding the inevitable."

Adam stepped forward, his face was devoid of any emotion.

Every instinct in his body were screaming at him to kill them.

But he hasn't made a move yet.

"So, how many seals like this exist?" He asked.

One of the cultists tilted their head. "Enough."

The answer alone gave him more reason to erase them from existence.

***

The battle had begun,.and they didn't give him time.

The second cultist vanished from his position and reappeared behind Simon Corven.

A blade that was condensed with shadows was formed instantly—

—But the attack never reached him.

Charles Akuma appear in a blur, his body cloaked with wind and lightning, he slashed sideways with his katana.

And the void blade shattered.

The cultist was recoiled, clearly surprised.

"Move it!" He shouted.

But it was all too late.

The third cultist took the chance to strike.

A spear that was distorted with mana pinched straight through Charles side.

Blood sprayed, and Charles had a surprised look on his face.

He spat a mouthful of blood as he was launched across the ruin, he slammed into a broken pillar.

"CHARLES!" Sarah screamed.

Adam then decided to move, space folded as he teleported.

He the reappeared in front of the cultist mid-attack, he infused fire and wind into his fist. And he slammed it straight through his chest.

For a moment, the cultist seemed dead.

But the wound then closed, the cultist started laughing soft softly.

"Your strength is indeed impressive," it said. "But it isn't enough."

Adam's eyes narrowed slightly.

"If you died easily, then my anger wouldn't subside so easily."

***

The convergence zone was breaking into chaos.

Doom and Ronan were engaging with one cultist together, Earth and Ice were clashing against the warped mana.

Eve and Duke were struggling to main their barriers when the corrupted beasts were spawning endlessly from the crack.

Sarah forced herself to stand upright, blood was still running down her arm. She began chanting layered earth-water formations that reinforced the ground.

Grace and Azazel were fighting together, their fire was burning hotter than ever, but Grace's breathing was ragged.

Adam decided to fight all the three cultists alone, he told the other to hold off the beasts that were spawning endlessly.

They hesitated at first, but seeing the look on his face they realized that they couldn't stop him.

Each of their blows was warping space, and each counter was fracturing reality.

But he felt something, it was draining but with his almost endless mana it didn't matter.

The seal was reacting to him, probably due to having the Dragon God's powers.

"Adam!" Eve shouted. "Your mana is—!"

"I'm fine!" He snapped.

One of the cultists took the a chance and seized the moment.

Chains that had black sigils had wrapped around Adam's limbs, it froze space itself.

Adam looked at the chains with a blank expression, he clearly wasn't impressed.

"For the vessel that is beneath the academy," the cultist whispered softly. "Your existence is... a problem."

"Fuck you." Adam said while pulling the chains with all his might, it pulled the cultist towards him and it also surprised the cultist in question.

"Get lost!" Adam roared as he landed a punch on the cultists face, space folded as his face bend in unnatural angles.

The punch sent him hurling across the field and Adam broke free from the chains with ease.

The suddenly the crack in reality was widening violently.

The ground was splitting.

A sound was echoing from below.

This wasn't a roar, it was a breath.

It made everyone freeze.

ALERT. ALERT.

SEAL INTEGRITY: 99%

***

Adam had already broken free from the chains.

He was standing at the center of the ruin, his chest was heaving but he wasn't tired at alone, he was just annoyed.

He then looked around him.

Charles was alive but unconscious, for now.

Sarah was barely standing, she was panting heavily.

All of the students were exhausted.

The cultists were smiling, and beneath it all something stirred.

"No more holding back then," Adam murmured, almost to himself.

Grace stared at him clearly confused. "What?"

He didn't reply to her, he just lifted his gaze to the widening crack.

"The seal will be breaking next huh?"

The cultists spread their arms, they were happy with the situation.

"You are correct."

"Fine then, I'll deal with you guys first then." Adam said that's when draconic mana started flaring all around.

[Sovereign's Mana Actived]

[Partial Dragon Transform Initiated]

Everyone felt the rise in mana coming from Adam, while his friends were feeling a sense of warmth that made them less tired.

The Cultists on the other hand, their instincts told them to run, their faces were pale.

"Impossible." They all said in unison.

Adam's form began to change, an obsidian violet colored tail came bursting forth, large dragon wings burst open from his back and were spread wide.

His teeth became longer, sharper. Two horns grew from his head also retaining the same color as his tail.

Obsidian-violet colored scales started covering his whole body, and his academy uniform changed into his armor. His arms and feet became claws.

"ROARRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!"

A heaven defying roar came bursting out his chest that shook the whole gate, it almost seemed like the gate would shatter from his roar alone.

He armor was consisting of a black and gray color, it had a mix of the hardest known fabric in the universe and the top part of the outfit is a black jacket with a high collar. It was adorned with silver accents and a large, gray scale-like pattern in the chest, the sleeves were black and the seemed to have a shiny material. It had a black belt around his waist that was buckled with a silver buckle and his sword [The sword of bahamut] was strapped on the left side of his waist.

His transformation ended revealing a majestic young man with and elegant armor that didn't seem like armor at all. His sword had shed its basic appearance and it looked majestic now.

"Phew" he let out a breath and smoke came out his mouth.

The cultists stood there frozen, they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"A dragon!? Here!" One of the cultists screamed, their body was shaking from fear.

And his friends were no different as well.

"Adam?" Selena walked towards him. "Is that you? What is this?"

"Sorry for hiding this," Adam replied. "I'm a dragon but I'll explain this later right now—!"

He couldn't say anything else as the ruin began to collapse inward.

The crack was flaring with a blinding crimson light.

And from far, far ,far below—

Something has answered.

The whole world was breaking.

This wasn't a metaphor, and it wasn't symbolical.

It actually physically fractured.

The crimson crack was tearing opened like it was a screaming wound, it stretched from the convergence straight towards the sky.

The obsidian trees arin d the clearing were shattering into black shards, and their crimson veins were exploding outward as corrupted mana was flooding the air.

Everyone had now saw it.

From the students of all the years and to the professors who were a mile away.

Also from the academy's foundations and to the capital itself.

The ancient seal, which was layered, it was reforged countless times since the old war. And it had failed.

A sound came first.

The sound was low, it was dragging resonance that felt like less of a noise but more like a though that was forced directly into the mind.

This wasn't a speech, it was a language.

It was recognition.

Adam's blood ran cold but his stood firm, he didn't want to look weak now.

His instincts, not only his instincts, but something was recoiling.

And beneath the gate, beneath the whole academy and be earth the world itself.

Something had finally opened all its eyes.

The crack was widening violently, and the ground was split apart as as a colossal shape had begun to rise, it didn't rise fully, at least not yet. But it was enough to make its very presence undeniable.

It was massive, its partially manifested form had pushed against reality.

It was obsidian-black flesh that was veined with ancient crimson sigils.

There were chains, dozens of them. They were wrapped all around its limbs, each chain was carved with seals that were older than recorded history. Some of them were snapping, while others were melting under its sheer pressure.

Then a single eye had opened.

It wasn't even monstrous but it was intelligent.

And it also looked amused.

[Warming!]

[Unregistered Entity Detected!]

[Designated: ???]

[Classification: Sealed Calamity SS+ Rank]

[Status: Partial Awakening 12%]

[System Warning: Run!]

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.