James’ POV
“Why does this have to happen now?”
We had already lost the SUV.
We were running low on supplies.
And we were closer to NEXUS than we’d ever been.
The last thing we needed was another Echo.
“Did you hear that?” Luther suddenly asked.
I looked at him.
“Hear what?”
“That.”
He pointed toward the road.
“It’s an A-Rank Echo.”
My eyes widened.
“…Oh no.”
Then—
CREEEEEK…
A strange sound echoed through the air.
The center of the broken road began to distort.
Something was opening.
Not a crack.
Not a portal like the one we’d seen before.
This one stood vertically, like a gigantic doorway ripped into reality.
It was enormous.
Large enough for something far bigger than my Titan form to walk through.
I stared at it.
“What the hell is that?”
“No idea,” Luther replied.
Then something moved inside.
A small figure stepped through.
Then another.
And another.
Within seconds, dozens of Goblins emerged.
About fifty or sixty of them.
I blinked.
“…That’s it?”
For an A-Rank Echo?
I almost laughed.
“This is weird.”
I took a step forward.
“If that’s all it’s got, let’s finish them and move on.”
But Luther stopped me.
“Wait.”
He looked at the Goblins carefully.
“Isn’t it strange that there are so few of them?”
Ariel nodded.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
I looked at the Goblins again.
“…So I’m not the only one who noticed.”
Something about this felt wrong.
But we couldn’t stand there forever.
“We’re getting closer to NEXUS,” I said.
“Let’s just clear these things and keep moving.”
Luther hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Okay.”
The fight began.
And honestly… This chapter is updated first at g.com.
It wasn’t much of a fight.
Within minutes, the Goblins were scattered across the road.
I lowered my fists.
“See?”
“Nothing to worry about.”
Then one of the Goblins moved.
I froze.
“…What?”
Another stood up.
Then another.
The ones we’d defeated weren’t dead.
They were getting back up.
“Uh…”
Luther looked around.
“Guys?”
The Goblins suddenly turned around.
Instead of attacking us…
They ran.
Straight toward the Echo.
“What are they doing?”
I watched in confusion as dozens of Goblins disappeared through the massive doorway.
Then I heard something behind me.
A scream.
“Luther!”
I turned.
He was gone.
My heart dropped.
“What?!”
Ariel looked around frantically.
“He was right there!”
I looked toward the Echo.
A small Goblin had somehow gotten behind him.
Its hands were wrapped around his leg.
Before we could reach him…
WHOOSH!
Both of them disappeared into the darkness.
“LUTHER!”
Ariel ran toward the Echo.
I grabbed her arm.
“Wait!”
She turned toward me.
“We don’t know what’s inside!”
“Exactly!”
I pointed toward the portal.
“We don’t know what that thing is capable of.”
“We could be walking straight into a death trap.”
Ariel looked at me.
Then toward the little girl.
Then back at the Echo.
“So what?”
Her voice became firm.
“We just leave him?”
I didn’t answer.
“Luther is in there.”
“We’re going after him.” Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
“Ariel—”
She turned toward the girl.
“Stay behind that tree.”
She pulled a watch from her pocket and handed it to her.
“If we don’t come back by the time this reaches…”
She paused.
“…take the bags and run.”
The girl stared at her.
“Don’t wait for us.”
The girl slowly nodded.
Ariel turned back toward the Echo.
I stared at her.
“…You’re serious.”
“Very.”
She stepped forward.
I looked at the girl one last time.
Then at the portal.
Then back at Ariel.
“…Fine.”
I sighed.
“You’re going to get us killed.”
Ariel smiled.
“Maybe.”
Then she stepped through.
I stood there for another second.
“…Why am I always surrounded by crazy people?”
I followed her.
The moment I crossed the threshold…
Everything changed.
The world outside disappeared.
No road.
No sky.
No sunlight.
Nothing.
Just darkness.
A vast, endless darkness.
I couldn’t see the ground beneath my feet.
I couldn’t see the walls.
I couldn’t even see Ariel anymore.
“…Ariel?”
No response.
I clenched my fists.
“Luther?”
Silence.
Then…
Something moved somewhere in the darkness.
A deep sound echoed through the realm.
BOOM…
I froze.
Whatever was inside this Echo…
It wasn’t a Goblin.
And judging by the sound…
It was something much bigger than me.