The Amazon was never truly silent.
Not even at night.
Not even when the rain came pouring down.
Not even when humans believed the forest was empty.
There was always the breathing of leaves.
The whisper of roots.
The movement of life beneath the darkness.
But that night—
The Amazon screamed.
The sky above its vast canopy burned crimson.
A cosmic rift tore open between the storm clouds. Void energy pierced through the rain like spears falling from the heavens.
Birds scattered in panic.
Monkeys scrambled across the branches.
Jaguars abandoned their hunting grounds and fled without looking back.
The entire forest knew—
Something terrible was coming.
At a research village near the riverbank, emergency sirens blared.
Researchers, local residents, and volunteers rushed toward a wooden bunker hastily built for their protection.
An elderly woman clutched a wooden necklace against her chest, her eyes fixed on the trees.
"Guardian of the forest…"
Her whisper sounded like a prayer.
"Awaken."
The first pod struck.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Trees as tall as skyscrapers were ripped from the ground. Mud and river water erupted into the air. The rain turned into a cloud of scorching mist.
From the crater—
Something emerged.
A jungle variant of the Void Ravager.
Its body was leaner than the others, supported by six razor-sharp legs. Its black hide was covered in moss, while a red core pulsed in its chest like a spreading disease.
It stared into the forest—
Then let out a piercing shriek.
Other creatures answered from nearby craters.
There were dozens of them.
Then, high above the canopy, a golden light split through the rain.
Arga descended like a meteor.
WHOOMMMMM!
He crashed down in front of the first monster, splitting the earth beneath his feet and sending water spraying into the air.
The Void Ravager attacked first.
Its front claw slashed straight toward Arga's head.
Arga caught it with his bare hand.
The ground beneath his feet sank under the force.
He stared into the creature's glowing red eyes.
"You picked the wrong forest."
One punch.
BOOOOOOOOM!
The creature's head was smashed against the trunk of a colossal tree.
But two more Ravagers lunged at him from behind.
Arga spun around.
The light of all thirty-two rice grains erupted around his body.
A golden ring swept across the battlefield.
CRASH! CRASH!
Both Ravagers were hurled backward, crashing through the trees.
At the Jakarta command center, Farhan's voice came through Arga's communication device.
"Arga! A second wave is descending from the north!"
Lila immediately followed.
"And an energy-drilling unit is approaching the coordinates of the Amazon Core!"
Arga turned toward the depths of the forest.
Something was calling to him.
Not a voice.
A feeling.
Warm.
Wounded.
The ground began to tremble.
Giant roots burst through the earth like wooden dragons.
Dozens of monsters were pierced and lifted into the air.
The ancient trees shook violently.
Leaves began to glow green.
Then, from the heart of the forest—
It came.
Ursus Vitalis.
The colossal Guardian of Life.
Its massive body was covered in ancient wood, tangled roots, moss, and wildflowers. Its eyes glowed bright green, like the very soul of the forest.
It emerged among the ancient trees and let out a thunderous roar.
RAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
A wave of life swept across the battlefield.
Plants grew in an instant.
Wounded trees began to heal.
The flames went out.
The creatures of the Void shrieked as roots pierced their bodies.
Arga stared at the Guardian.
Even though he had seen Ursus Vitalis before, its energy still felt different.
Not wild.
Not cold.
Not angry.
It felt like home.
But the sky shattered once more.
Three drilling ships descended above the river.
Their enormous drills spun with a dark red glow.
Their target wasn't Arga.
Nor was it Ursus Vitalis.
Their target—
Was the heart of the forest.
Farhan shouted through the communication channel.
"Arga! If the Amazon Core cracks, half of the world's rainfall patterns could collapse!"
Bimo's voice suddenly came through from the Sahara front.
"Not to add any more pressure, but don't fail."
Dika's voice followed, flat and direct.
"Focus, Bimo."
Arga took off running.
Ursus Vitalis charged from the opposite side.
Human and Guardian attacked together.
Arga leaped onto the first ship.
He drove his fist into its black hull.
BOOOOOOOOM!
The vessel split apart and crashed into the river in flames.
Ursus slammed its colossal body into the second ship.
CRASH!
The massive drill snapped and sank beneath the water.
But the third ship didn't stop.
Its energy drill had already pierced the ground.
KRRRRRRRRRR!
A surge of green light erupted from deep beneath the earth.
The Amazon Core had been struck.
The entire forest screamed.
Trees bent beneath an invisible force.
Birds dropped from the sky.
The river churned violently.
Arga froze for a fraction of a second.
He could feel the pain deep inside his own chest.
His MBG Lunchbox began to shake violently.
The thirty-two rice grains spun wildly within it, their golden light flickering.
Then—
A new light appeared among them.
Small.
Yet blindingly bright.
At the command center, Lila cried out.
"Arga! I'm detecting a new energy signature!"
Farhan stared at the readings in disbelief.
"The thirty-third rice grain!"
Golden light exploded from Arga's body.
For a brief moment, the rain stopped falling.
Leaves rose into the air.
Ursus Vitalis's eyes blazed brighter than before.
Arga fixed his gaze on the remaining ship.
There was no hesitation in his eyes now.
He launched himself forward.
WHOOMMMMMMMMM!
He pierced straight through the vessel, from its bow to its stern.
The colossal ship froze in midair—
Then exploded into a shower of flames.
Silence fell for a moment.
Then—
Another sound broke through the rain.
Applause.
Slow.
Casual.
Coming from above, from one of the branches of a colossal tree.
A man was sitting there.
Slender build. Long black coat. White hair soaked by the rain.
In his hand rested a black spear tipped with jagged thorns.
His eyes were violet.
A faint smile played across his lips.
His energy was far denser than anything Arga had encountered so far.
Ursus Vitalis immediately let out a low growl.
Arga sensed the danger before the man even spoke.
The stranger leaped down from a branch dozens of meters above the ground.
He landed silently on the muddy earth.
Then he looked at Arga as though examining something valuable.
"So…"
He tilted his head slightly.
"The World Key is still just a child."
At the command center, Farhan froze.
Through the communication channel, Kai heard the words.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment.
Then whispered—
"Amazon General…"
The man drove his spear into the ground.
Instantly, everything within a radius of dozens of meters turned black.
Leaves withered and fell.
Grass died.
The river stopped flowing.
His smile widened.
"Allow me to introduce myself."
"My name is Verdrax."
He pointed his spear toward Arga.
"And I've come to take you alive."