Chapter 47: Rift Breakout [2] Moon spotted a few awakeners nearby, engaged in combat. They fought desperately, barely able to handle the beasts. One man with a sword managed to hold off two bears simultaneously, but he was struggling—his movements growing slower, more defensive, bleeding from multiple wounds. A woman with ice magic kept a single bear at bay, but she was visibly exhausted, her spells weakening with each cast. They were outmatched and outnumbered—the perfect recipe for disaster. Moon’s heart tightened, his mind drifting unbidden to a memory he’d tried to bury. His parents had died in a rift breakage just like this one. Two years ago, a random portal opened in their district. By the time the proper response teams arrived, his parents were already gone, torn apart. There was nothing left to even bury properly. Moon had been at school when it happened. He’d been powerless then. Unable to do anything but cry like a child. Fire began forming at the tip of his staff, gathering and compressing until it grew to the size of a basketball. The flames roiled, blue-white at the core where the heat was most intense. Moon’s eyes locked onto a bear that had cornered a man against a storefront. The creature reared back, preparing to bring its massive paw down in a killing blow. Moon released the fireball. It streaked across the distance like a meteor, striking the bear squarely in the side. The explosion engulfed the beast entirely, flames washing over its body with devastating intensity. The bear didn’t even have time to roar—it simply collapsed, charred and dead. [You have killed a level 13 Forest Bear.] [You have gained 40 Lives.] The man on the ground stared at his saviour with wide, shocked eyes. He was middle-aged, his clothes torn, his face pale with terror. "Th-thank you!" he managed to stammer, his voice shaking. "Thank you so much!" Moon didn’t respond. He was already scanning for the next target. The man scrambled to his feet and ran, disappearing into an alley and away from the carnage. Moon stepped further into the street, his staff held ready, fire gathering once more. After killing the bear directly in front of the whole horde, multiple pairs of eyes snapped toward him, filled with killing intent and primal fury. As if sharing a collective thought, close to six bears dropped what they were doing, abandoned their prey, ignored the fleeing civilians, and turned their full attention toward Moon. Moon flashed them a cold grin. "It seems like you miss your companion a little too much. Why don’t I reunite you all... In hell?" The bears, as if understanding his words, grew even more furious. They charged as one, their roars shaking the air, their massive bodies closing the distance with terrifying speed. Moon was now the only awakener in the immediate vicinity, making him their primary target. The other awakeners had retreated or were engaged elsewhere. Civilians ran for their lives, not even looking back to see if Moon would survive. Inside the restaurant, the people who’d witnessed his earlier display watched through the broken window with mounting worry. "Hey, do you think he will survive? If he doesn’t...we will be next." The woman asked, a look of concern and worry etched on her face. The man beside her shook his head, a frown plastered deep into his face. "I don’t know. He’s strong, clearly skilled, but against a whole horde of monsters pouring out of that rift? I don’t think he’ll last." He gestured toward the still-active portal. "Especially since he doesn’t appear to be a second sanctuary awakener—just first sanctuary. He’s at most eighteen years old, from the look of him." His expression grew sombre. "It’s a pity if he dies; he seems really talented and could be a powerhouse reaching second or third sanctuary at some point in his life." The woman clutched her hands together, unable to look away from the scene unfolding in the street. They couldn’t even escape because the fight was happening directly outside the entrance. Outside, Moon stood his ground as six bears bore down on him. His staff shifted in his grip, settling into a comfortable stance. Fire continued to gather at its tip, growing larger, more volatile. His other hand channelled earth magic, feeling the stone beneath the street, ready to reshape it at a moment’s notice. Six Forsest Bears at level 13-14. Against most awakeners in the first sanctuary, that would be overwhelming. But Moon wasn’t most awakeners. He’d fought level fifteen arctic wolves. Survived a level twenty Winter Beast, even at a massive disadvantage and killed dozens of monsters in a frozen hellscape where death meant permanent erasure. These bears were strong, dangerous and certainly deadly to civilians and average awakeners. To him? They were just experience points waiting to be collected, and lives waiting to be claimed to evolve his skills. The first bear reached him, claws extended, jaws wide, ready to tear him apart. Moon moved, his staff sweeping low as he consecutively channelled earth magic. Stone erupted from the ground in sharp spikes, impaling the bear’s front legs and stopping its charge instantly. HOWL! Pain erupted across its body from the harm Moon had inflicted, but Moon wasn’t finished. He followed up his strike with fire immediately, sending a powerful blast that struck the bear’s torso, silencing its cries permanently. [You have killed a level 13 Forest Bear.] [You have gained 40 Lives.] The second and third bears came from different angles, trying to flank him as he finished their companion. Moon spun, his high agility making the movement fluid. Water gathered in his left hand as he formed a barrier. The liquid formed a defensive wall that caught one bear’s claws, redirecting the force harmlessly aside. His staff struck the other bear across the snout with enough force to crack bone, stunning it long enough for Moon to follow up with a fire blast at point-blank range. Crack! [You have killed a level 13 Forest Bear.] [You have gained 40 Lives.]