Chapter 2898 - 2899: Friends

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Erika collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably as she pounded the floor with her fists. She reverted to her human form, overwhelmed by grief for her uncle's death.

Everything had happened so fast, so suddenly. In an instant, the world had turned upside down.

Had she been wrong to join this mission? Why did everything have to go so terribly wrong?

Were the Chaos Gate bastards behind this from the beginning? Had they anticipated the enemies infiltrating and planned to wipe them all out?

If so, it was brilliantly ruthless, yet something felt off. Since when did the Chaos Gate command such bizarre, otherworldly entities?

Her uncle had been one of the strongest werewolves—ranked third, right behind her grandfather and her father. Legends said he hunted Divine Beasts for sport and had slain Demigods just like her father.

And yet he fell to some grotesque, incomprehensible thing? It made no sense.

"Uncle...!"

Above all, what tore at her heart most was that her uncle had sacrificed his life for her—after worrying so much about her safety, after acting so stern and protective.

Erika had truly believed he hated her. How wrong she had been.

The scolding, the constant reminders about her clan and her duties—it had all come from love. He only wanted the best for her.

Some people, especially men, struggle to show their true feelings. But when they truly care, they show it in their own way.

If they didn't love you, if they didn't care, why would they ever bother scolding you?

Erika thought this through her tears.

"Erika..."

"Please, we have to keep moving. We can't waste his sacrifice."

Her aunts tried to comfort her, but Erika shook off their hands and screamed through her sobs.

"S-Shut up! Why?! Why is this happening?! Not long ago everything was fine! We were living good lives! Sometimes bad things happened, but nothing like this!"

Her aunts understood her pain and pulled her into a tight embrace. Erika, however, had barely noticed her surroundings. The ground was covered in strange grass, the sky twisted in shades of blue, red, and gold, and massive waves of energy pulsed through the air.

In the distance, Harumi and her group had landed nearby. Seeing her friend crying, Harumi broke into a run.

"Erika...!"

A massive hand stopped her. Frankenstein glared down, shaking his head.

"Young lady, please don't. They are our enemies—a clan we've fought many times," he rumbled.

"I understand you're sad, dear, but this isn't your concern," Lady Shadow added.

"We should look for an escape route. I think we've landed in some kind of Corrupted Domain..." Dan said, scanning the area.

"L-Let go of me!" Harumi hissed, slapping Frankenstein's hand away and forcing him to step back.

"Huh?!" The giant's anger flared as he watched her dash toward her friend.

"Wait, Harumi!" Lady Shadow called, extending shadows toward her.

"She's my friend! I don't care if we're from different clans! Erika is like a sister to me! Do you think I'll just leave her crying like that?!" Harumi roared, her power surging. Her glowing red claws sliced through Lady Shadow's magic.

"Ugh?! Wait—since when has that brat been so strong?!" Lady Shadow asked in disbelief.

"Erika!"

Harumi reached her friend. Erika looked up, and Harumi wrapped her in a fierce, unyielding hug.

"Harumiii... Uuuhhh..."

Erika buried her face in her friend's shoulder, tears streaming down and soaking Harumi's blouse.

"It's okay... it's okay. I'm here for you... I will never leave your side, friend... never."

"Aaahh... Buaaahh..."

Erika cried even harder, finally clinging to someone she loved and trusted completely.

Both werewolves and vampires stood in stunned silence, watching the scene unfold.

For eons they had fought for supremacy, territory, pride, and resources.

Eternal enemies across countless generations.

Yet everything shifted the day their youngest ones became friends.

They didn't care whether one was a werewolf or a vampire.

The moment felt awkward for both clans, yet at the same time... it touched something deep within them.

Not one person present had escaped a past filled with suffering, grief, and despair.

As ancient beings, they had all endured the worst the world could offer.

They clung to their clans for the only stability they knew, their families, the people they could trust.

But somewhere along the way, that pride had turned toxic, consuming their very sense of self.

When had it all gone so wrong?

"Was I really trying to stop a girl from hugging her friend?" Frankenstein muttered. Tormented by his own past, he felt a pang of regret. "I'm sorry, Harumi..."

Dan sighed and patted his shoulder. "Well, I guess... they're just kids. Kids will be kids."

Lady Shadow shook her head. "No. Maybe we were the ones acting like children here. Something truly terrible is happening. We have to work together, or we might all die."

Selene and Thyra, who had just lost their beloved older brother Ulric, could no longer pretend everything was fine. They began crying too, holding each other tightly.

Life was truly full of pain.

"We... we can't waste time crying..." Erika said, feeling a little steadier after clinging to her friend. "We have to work together to survive whatever this is..."

"Yeah," Harumi nodded, pressing a gentle kiss to Erika's forehead. "Let's work together, bestie."

Erika managed a warm smile and nodded. Harumi might be expressionless and reserved at times, but she was a true friend who genuinely cared.

"We've been through a lot together, haven't we?" Erika stood up, wiping her tears. "Sorry for sobbing like a baby back there..."

"It's fine," Harumi replied softly. "You've lent me your shoulder many times... it's the least I could do."

Together, the two girls convinced their clan members to set aside old hatreds and unite as one team to survive the chaos and find a way out.

"I suppose there's no helping it. We'll cooperate," Lady Shadow sighed.

"Hmm," Frankenstein nodded. "As long as you don't try to bite me, I'll allow it."

"We are not beasts," Thyra muttered with a sigh.

"Any idea how we can get out of here?" Dan asked.

"We had a teleportation relic, but it broke," Selene replied.

"Ours isn't working either," Lady Shadow added.

"What about the distress signal?" Dan pressed.

"I already sent it, but I don't know if Mom will pick it up," Harumi said.

"I used mine too," Erika nodded. "Dad... I know he'll come. He always does. So let's just wait."

"I like that plan, girl, but can we?" Dan asked, glancing upward.

Three Realms were merging, the ones within the Mountain. One Corrupted Domain ruled by Oni, another by Naga, and a third belonging to the God of the Mountain himself.

As they fused violently, a fourth realm tore open in the sky: a Heavenly Domain of endless sunlight where blinding stars rained down, each one a god.

On one side, a gigantic being rampaged, clashing with divine entities. On the other, eternal darkness spread relentlessly.

Worse still, behind them the Dream Dungeon began leaking into the distorted realm. Dream Entities poured in, rushing toward them.

"I say we run," Erika whispered.

"Yep, good idea," Harumi agreed. "But where?!"

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