Everyone stands before me in newly upgraded gear. Many spent yesterday farming for MCP using my absorption skill in the higher floors of the labyrinth, crafting the highest-grade blood-bonded armor they could with A-Grade loot, while others rested and waited for these final hours to draw near. While there are thousands of C and B-grade hunters around the 8 Great Regions and the Dark Continent who would happily put their lives on the line if I had their regional directors give the order, it is best that an elite squad fights on the front lines. The weakest troops from the Central Association and the demonic army have red divine cores; only the Crimson Army and the Inner Circle can handle forces like these. Even Bri and Rodrigo stay behind in the Apex Capital with the A-Class hunters for now, continuing to spread the word. Having semi-powerful, well-known figures in the public eye bringing me more stats to draw from is a battle of its own. "The war shall begin when the sun rises. Be ready for anything... Any last questions?" No one speaks, all wearing serious expressions, as the details of our mission were made clear yesterday. "Good, let's move out." With myself and Ember leading our army; Abby, Maria, Raven, and Arie follow close behind. So much about this massive divine artifact is still a mystery to me. I know there are trials within, it is a device used to help Demons ascend to become Lords or green cores, and it can be used to take control of a world. But my mind races, wondering what exactly will happen once this fog disappears and the throne awakens. The only ones who truly know seem to be the Vermillion Family Demon and Ember standing by my side. I won't be getting answers out of either of them, so all I can do is wait and prepare for the worst. At the same time, from the west, three wells of gravity, hundreds of times stronger than any True Core I've ever felt, come rocketing our way from Central Headquarters at hundreds of kilometers per second. The ground vibrates again, and the tower lights up with its silver glow a second time, sending another surge throughout the entire world, then fading back to black. This time, the smooth tower walls aren't the same as they were moments ago... In front of me, there is an outline of an archway many kilometers high and wide, and the sliver of space that leads to the inside of the tower glows with the same silver light. My All-Seeing Eye finds three more archways that look exactly the same in front of each of the armies that seek to enter. I watch the Demon's Leader take a step forward, then point a finger and open a Demonic Rift right beside himself. An enormous black dragon with a dark purple underside steps out onto the sand, its True Core visible in its chest, but its pressure and presence are concealed just like the demon it stands beside blocking me from reading its true strength or status. The approaching forces from Central veer off in three different directions. Two head toward their armies waiting to greet them, while one of the wells of massive divine energy turns to come right toward me. The ground vibrates more than it ever has before, and the entire tower flashes with silver light, blinding the entire Dark Continent and sending out a catastrophic surge. When the silver light fades, the entire tower returns to black, save for the four arched doorways left behind. Now there is no black door blocking the entry; it is an open silver divine portal leading into the tower. The Vermillion Demon disappears, and his dragon does too, but the sand is disrupted beneath his flight path as they blast forward, flying straight into the silver light without hesitation. Half of the Demons turn to their right, and half turn to their left, holding up their weapons and letting out an immense aura ready for war. I take a deep breath, turn to Ember, and activate my greater form while he fully transforms into his dragon form. Then, send a final wave of telepathy to everyone behind me. "I'll do my job inside the tower, and you do yours out here. Let's save the world." We blast forward through the dense gravity surrounding the throne, and I borrow 5% of stats from everyone that isn't on the battlefield now, boosting our speed to travel faster than I've ever moved before. At the same time, I watch a blue, yellow, and white blur of light fall from the sky and enter the Central Headquarters doorway in Sector 3. My perception picks up the image of a muscular woman riding a 30-meter-long white serpent, but there is so much divine radiation in the air, it's hard to see it clearly. Then, in the doorway facing Sector 4, a black, yellow, and white light rockets toward that door. I can see a slim man in nothing but a black suit riding an armored black horse, but the aura I receive when peering at him for too long is eerie, like a bad dream. Finally, a yellow and red ball of divine energy comes down from the sky, aiming right for the doorway that Ember and I are flying toward. It is a tall, muscular man with red hair and a matching beard, riding a massive hound with vicious eyes and a glowing collar matching the intensity of his True Core. Elara and Beckman enter the doors in Sectors 3 and 4 at the exact same moment that Ember and I touch the silver door just above the desert floor. He pulls a long flaming yellow sword from a sheath by his side and points it downward, making eye contact with me and yelling again while both of us phase through the silver portal. "Flame Emperor, I've been waiting for you too. You'll be my first battle to celebrate coming out of retirement. I'll warm up by killing you before the first trial even begins!" We all disappear into the throne and a fourth and final surge of silver light flashes from the entire tower before the portal-like doors fade and it returns to black.