Floating Island - Triple S Talent-Chapter 573: Inside the Voidrift

Argh...

From within the rift, monsters crawled out one by one. Some with six arms, some covered in lizard-like scales, and others resembling humans with rotting flesh. Their crimson eyes gleamed, sweeping across their surroundings like predators catching the scent of fresh blood.

Their gazes finally fixed on the underside of the bridge. Muscles bulged as they began to climb, claws scraping against concrete, producing a grating screech that made hairs stand on end. Luckily, the railings were tall enough to buy a little time before the horde reached the top. But winged beasts were already flapping skyward, diving down in search of prey.

On top of the bridge, chaos reigned. Police formed barricades, shouting at citizens to move back. Reporters from every outlet shoved for the best spot, cameras flashing nonstop even as fear lingered behind their eyes.

"Reporting live from the North Bridge..." one reporter’s voice was breathless but steady toward the camera. "The newly opened voidrift has halted all traffic. The Defense Association has confirmed—Nano forces will be here any moment now..."

At the far side of the bridge, Swiftfang’s team was packing up, their faces grim, as if they wanted to leave before hell itself erupted.

Suddenly, sirens wailed from the distance. The sound grew louder, driving the crowd back in a frantic rush. Military vehicles tore through—more than ten units—flanked by escorts.

"Clear the way! Make way! Nano Forces coming through!"

"That’s... that’s King Zeus! An S-rank Hunter! He’s here!" someone shouted. The crowd erupted with awe, relief flashing across countless faces.

The uproar intensified when the lightning emblem on the lead vehicle came into view. The symbol was so iconic that even the police on duty faltered, their eyes drawn toward it.

Even Swiftfang’s members couldn’t hide their respect. Their gazes followed the vehicle until it halted at the frontline.

The convoy parked calmly. No one rushed to get out. Every eye waited—until finally, the lead car door swung open.

An old man stepped down. His long white cloak fluttered as he leaned on a pale bamboo staff. His weary eyes swept across the crowd as he drew a deep breath.

"Hey there, fans," he greeted suddenly with a goofy smile—so out of place against his charismatic presence.

"Uuuh, Lord Zeus smiled this way!"

"Look! His staff—is that a new one?!"

The crowd erupted in hysteria. For a moment, the dread of the voidrift melted away, replaced by the atmosphere of a concert or fan meet. Cameras flashed wildly.

Zeus gave a small wave, then his expression hardened. "Alright, enough. I have a job to do."

The smile vanished, replaced by solemn lines of duty. "If I don’t, the Mayor will scold me..." he muttered under his breath, almost sheepishly.

But before he could finish, a guttural roar echoed from beneath the bridge.

"Argh..."

A hunched monster dragged itself out. Panic tore through the crowd—screams, shoving, people bolting from the bridge.

The creature leapt, aiming to slam down on the pavement. But before its feet touched the ground—

Zap!

Its body ignited in lightning, disintegrating into ash carried off by the wind.

Thunder cracked across the sky. White clouds surged, gathering above the bridge.

The old man’s body—King Zeus—began to glow. From his feet, tiny cubes emerged, swirling like liquid metal before fastening one by one, layering over him until only his face remained visible. Even his white cloak was consumed, reshaped into radiant battle armor.

The soldiers behind him underwent the same transformation. Nano cubes crawled across their bodies, molding them into an army of living machines born of light.

"Hmph..." one member of Swiftfang muttered bitterly. "If only I had a nano core... I’d be ten times stronger." The envy wasn’t aimed at Zeus, but at fate, which had yet to grant him the chance.

Camera shutters clicked furiously as preparations finished. King Zeus strode to the bridge’s edge—and without hesitation—threw himself off. The Nano Forces followed in perfect unison.

"They’ve launched!"

"Please, succeed!"

Prayers and desperate shouts mingled in the chaos. Some citizens squeezed their eyes shut, others pressed their hands together, begging for the heroes’ safety. They knew: cleansing a voidrift was no quick task... unless a Lord intervened.

Beneath the bridge, Zeus and his troops floated midair. Winds howled around them. The old man raised his hand, and white light erupted from his palm.

Craaaack!

Lightning speared outward, splitting the darkness. Monsters screeched as their bodies burned, scattering into dust. Not a single one remained.

"Fredrin, move in now," Zeus said flatly, glancing at a young man at his side. His gaze swept to the remaining soldiers. "If Fredrin isn’t done in one minute, report to the Mayor. Treat this as a catastrophe."

With that, his figure shot toward the rift and vanished. Fredrin followed at once, leaving the dozen soldiers to guard the perimeter.

Seconds ticked by. Some of the troops shifted uneasily, their hands tightening around their weapons.

Thirty seconds passed, yet Fredrin still hadn’t appeared. By the fiftieth second, one of the soldiers was already preparing to send out an emergency report. Anxiety spread quickly, visible in the pale faces around him.

Just as the timer reached one full minute, a flash of light flickered inside the rift. Fredrin finally emerged, his body wrapped in nano-cubes, breath ragged.

"Hah... sorry. The terrain’s steep, made the entry a little tricky," he said quickly, glancing back at the rift. "Come on, move!"

Without waiting for a reply, he dove back inside. The soldiers exchanged relieved looks before following after him. Every second was a victory—they couldn’t afford to waste time.

Zapp... Zapp...

Thunder split the darkness. Within the heavy fog, the old man streaked forward. Each step of his sent monsters ten meters tall flying back dozens of meters.

His body blazed like the god of thunder himself, lightning striking relentlessly, incinerating every smaller creature that dared approach.

From the fog, a towering three-meter humanoid emerged. It wielded a trident, and from its back spread bloody limbs like a spider’s, lashing toward the old man.

The old man didn’t stand idle. He raised both hands, lightning swirling into a massive sphere between his palms. His white cloak reflected the glow as nano-cubes crept down his arms, channeling energy. The bigger the sphere grew, the louder the crackle of power shook the air.