Chapter 81 – Collision of Worlds (Part 1)
The moment Peterson and Naëlle hit the ground, the entire cavern seemed to shift around them.
Jean-Daniel stood there for half a second, frozen, his hammer still raised mid-swing as if his brain refused to catch up with what his eyes were seeing. Dust clung to his armor, bits of stone still forming along his shoulders, and for once, he looked completely lost.
"…Nah," he said slowly, squinting. "Ain't no way."
Wilkens blinked twice, his daggers still glowing faintly as lightning flickered under his boots. "Okay… either we're hallucinating, or—"
"WE'RE NOT!" Peterson snapped as he pushed himself up. "Move!"
The giant spider shrieked.
Its massive body shifted instantly, red eyes locking onto the new arrivals as if it had just been handed fresh prey. One of its legs slammed down with crushing force, splitting the stone where Peterson had been standing a second earlier.
Kemi reacted first, flames bursting from her hands as she turned and blasted a cluster of smaller spiders trying to crawl toward Naëlle. "Later with the reunion!" she shouted. "We're still fighting!"
Naëlle didn't waste a second. Water surged around her arms as she scanned the battlefield, quickly understanding the situation. "…Yeah, I see that," she muttered, stepping into position.
Behind them, the portal flickered violently.
A massive stone pillar was still halfway through it, grinding against the edges as something from the other side kept forcing it forward. The sound alone felt wrong—like the world itself was struggling to hold together.
Wilkens noticed it immediately.
"…Wait."
His eyes narrowed, locking onto the shifting mass.
"Why is that thing still moving?"
The pillar pushed forward again.
Slow.
Relentless.
Like something was forcing it through.
Kemi glanced over her shoulder. "Did you guys do that?"
"No," Wilkens answered quickly.
"How would we?"
Jean-Daniel stepped back, his eyes shifting between Peterson and the portal. "Alright, somebody explain right now—why is a whole damn pillar trying to crawl through a hole in space?"
Peterson ducked under one of the spider's legs as it slammed down again, barely avoiding being crushed. "Because something on the other side is trying to kill us!"
That was enough to give them a reason to stop this thing from adding to the nightmare they are already facing.
Wilkens' expression hardened instantly. "…And, How strong is that thing?"
Peterson didn't hesitate.
"Strong enough that we ran."
The pillar shoved forward again.
Crack.
The portal edges warped under the pressure.
Wilkens' voice snapped sharp. "Jean-Daniel!"
Jean-Daniel turned. "Yeah?! What's up, I'm busy right now you know"
"Break it! Whatever's on the other side comes through—we're dead!"
Jean-Daniel didn't argue more.
"Say less."
He planted his feet.
The ground beneath him responded instantly.
Stone cracked.
Earth shifted.
Chunks of rock lifted and wrapped around his body, reinforcing his armor as it thickened and spread. His hammer grew heavier in his hands, swelling with layered stone until it looked massive—far beyond its original size.
Naëlle moved beside him without hesitation.
Water spiraled outward, forming a reinforced barrier around his body.
"Go," she said firmly. "I'll keep you alive."
Jean-Daniel grinned.
"That's all I needed."
He sprinted.
Each step cracked the ground beneath him as he charged toward the portal, the weight of his armor shaking the cavern with every movement.
Behind him, the spider screeched again.
It lunged—
Wilkens intercepted instantly.
Lightning exploded under his feet as he flashed forward, with his daggers slicing across one of the spider's legs, forcing its attack off course.
"Not today!"
Kemi followed up immediately.
"Flame Burst!"
Fire slammed into the spider's side, forcing it to shift its attention.
Peterson jumped in next, driving his fist into one of the creature's joints with everything he had.
The impact landed.
But barely mattered.
"…Yeah," he muttered under his breath. "Still tough."
"Focus!" Wilkens shouted. "Buy him time!"
Jean-Daniel reached the pillar.
Up close, the pressure coming through the portal felt heavier—wrong in a way that made his instincts scream.
"…Yeah," he muttered. "Nope. You're not coming through."
He raised his hammer.
The earth surged again.
His armor thickened even more, stone layering over stone until his entire frame looked like a moving wall. The hammer expanded with it, growing heavier, denser, carrying all that weight into one single point.
He swung.
BOOOOOOM.
The impact exploded across the cavern.
The pillar shattered.
The remaining half was forced backward, dragged violently back through the portal as the space itself snapped shut behind it.
The portal collapsed.
Gone.
For half a second—
Silence.
Then everything came rushing back.
The spider shrieked again, more furious than before, its attention snapping back to the group once more.
Jean-Daniel turned back, breathing heavily. "Alright… portal's gone. Now—"
The spider slammed its leg into the ground again.
"—we still got THIS problem," he finished.
Naëlle stepped forward, water already gathering around her hands. "Everyone! get close to me!"
A shimmering barrier formed around them just as a wave of smaller spiders rushed in, their bodies slamming against the surface in a frenzy of claws and teeth.
Kemi exhaled, lowering her hands slightly. "Okay… that helps, at least I now have a brake to get some of my energies back."
Wilkens glanced at Peterson. "You good bro?"
Peterson didn't answer right away.
For a brief moment, his gaze drifted slightly upward—like he was looking at something no one else could see.
Inside his mind—
A voice echoed.
[ Quest Completed: Survive and Escape ]
Reward: +10,000 EXP
Then—
More messages.
[ Level Up ]
[ Level Up ]
[ Level Up ]
Peterson blinked.
"…Oh."
Jean-Daniel frowned. "What do you mean 'oh! I almost forgot there was an optional quest completion."
Peterson shook his head slightly, snapping back to reality. "Nothing—just… I got stronger."
Wilkens raised an eyebrow. "Wait! Now? In the middle of this?"
Peterson didn't respond.
Because something else had caught his attention.
Beyond the chaos.
Beyond the spider.
On the ground—
The massive wrapped ant.
Laying still.
But not completely lifeless.
His eyes narrowed.
"…Wait. Inspect."
"Its an S Rank ant boss! So two bosses had a turf fight and the spider won."
He pointed.
"That thing."
Wilkens followed his gaze. "Yeah… we saw it earlier."
Kemi frowned. "You mean the giant dead ant?"
Peterson shook his head slowly.
"…It's not dead."
Naëlle's barrier cracked.
She winced. "I can't hold this forever!"
Peterson stepped forward, already making his decision.
"Keep the spider busy."
Jean-Daniel blinked. "What?"
Peterson didn't look back.
"I'm going for that ant."
Wilkens' eyes sharpened instantly. "…You see something we don't?"
Peterson nodded once.
"Trust me."
Naëlle hesitated. "Pete… that's risky."
"Everything here is risky," Jean-Daniel added.
Peterson cracked his neck slightly.
"…Then let's make it worth it."
The barrier shattered.
Water exploded outward.
The fight resumed instantly.
Jean-Daniel stepped forward.
"THE AGGRO IS ON ME!"
Naëlle moved with him, water reforming around her hands as she prepared another shield. "Don't die on me okay!"
Kemi unleashed flames into the incoming swarm.
Wilkens dashed forward, carving through anything that got too close.
And Peterson—
Turned.
And sprinted straight toward the wrapped ant.