"What in the world is happening?!"

The moment I step into the Flying Bug Construct’s interior, my voice fills the entire lounge.

The Floating Horse Construct is immediately deactivated, and I shove it into my pockets while paying attention to the Leviathans around me.

Their expressions are strange.

Almost... fearful.

At first, I am relieved that I am not the only one who feels this sudden chill and deep fear towards whatever is happening at the moment.

However, this situation quickly brings me to a terrifying realization.

Whatever could make these seniors of mine express such fear will probably exceed whatever is within my capacity to control.

In essence, just as I feared, something horrific is about to happen.

But what could it be?

"Sit down, Javier. We’re going full thrust ahead." Without answering my question, Alistair responds in a calm, almost forceful tone.

"But—"

"The situation is worse than we previously imagined!" He yells at me, glancing at me with a rather unsettling expression. "If we don’t hurry now, it could be too late."

"Alright..."

"I’ll explain the situation as we advance."

Suddenly, I feel a slight tremor within the Flying Bug Construct, and a powerful surge of movement follows. My heart nearly leaps out of my chest, even though I had strapped in just as Alistair told me to.

’This speed...’ My eye bulges. ’It’s even greater than before.’

"It’s the maximum speed of the Flying Bug Construct. But it isn’t sustainable, which is why it’s only useful for short bursts and not long-distance traveling." Amnesis, who is right next to me, answers my question as though he read my mind.

"H-how fast?" Without even thinking, I blurt out the question.

"Three thousand meters per second."

"E-eh...?"

For comparison, the Floating Horse Construct has a maximum speed of 120 meters per second.

To think that the Flying Bug Construct could go this much faster!

Unbelievable!

"The normal speed is about 1,200 meters per second, but this is an emergency, so we’re pushing beyond its limits. If we don’t hurry, the situation could lead to even more chaos than the destruction of the Randalorion Kingdom." Amnesis continues, bringing out a handkerchief to wipe off the grimy sweat that seems to be forming on his aged face.

"What... do you mean?" I ask with a shaky voice. "You are telling me things could get worse than the destruction of my entire Kingdom?"

"Yes..."

"Does it have to do with the purple sky I witnessed? And the distortions—"

"Yes. Those are early signs of a Temporal Breach."

"Temporal... Breach?" I repeat his words, feeling a little confused. "I’ve never heard of something like that before."

"Of course, you haven’t." Elma retorts with a scoff.

This time, however, it doesn’t contain its usual prickliness. In fact, she appears far more on edge than everyone else present, with the exception of Jamie.

That poor kid is tightly hugging Rias while trembling like a baby.

He must be really frightened.

But why?

Why is a Temporal Breach so frightening?

"Now that this has appeared, we have no choice but to hurry to the center of this plague. Even if we detect any other resonance, we have to ignore it. This could be Alistair’s way of delaying us with the symptoms while he advances his plans." Rias’ voice is bitter, almost as though she blames me for the situation.

Since Jamie is shivering in her arms, while the others look panicked as well, I understand just how severe the matter is and how much blame rests with me.

I swallow my saliva, feeling a weight of guilt rest upon my heart while I contemplate.

If I didn’t selfishly choose to save the village despite the resonance vanishing, perhaps we would have had more time to stop whatever it is that these people are so worried about.

I only spent roughly a minute taking care of the enemies, but even that little time is of great value to a Leviathan.

It could mean the difference between life and death.

"I’m sure Javier feels sorry for the delay, so let’s not get into that. Besides, now isn’t the time to assign blame." Alistair quickly breaks the tension with his calm tone.

I sense undercurrents of frustration in his tone, but it doesn’t seem directed at anyone.

Maybe he blames himself.

As the Captain of this group, he certainly has a lot of responsibility to bear.

There’s also the fact that he was Lucien’s friend.

"The important thing is... Ahh... the cracks are already forming." Once Alistair says this, he swipes through the air, and the largest screen in front of him suddenly projects its content into the air so that everyone seated can see what he means.

I also see what his words were referring to.

Literal cracks are appearing in the deep purple sky, and what appears like rumblings of thunder echo from the depths of the floating dark clouds.

These thick mists of sheer ominous blackness seem to shroud the Randalorion Kingdom, and while the distortions remain, there appear to be purple-coated cracks spreading across the surface of the sky.

I have never seen such an anomaly as this before.

But what does it mean?

"That is a Temporal Crack. It is the early stage of a Temporal Breach..." Alistair suddenly speaks up, piercing through the tense silence.

I know his words are intended for me, since everyone else seems to know what all of this means.

Why else would they look so terrified?

"A Temporal Breach is a special occurrence that rarely happens naturally. However, it can also be created if certain conditions are fulfilled." The Captain sighs, almost as though he is deeply exhausted. "Anytime the Breach occurs, disasters of an unimaginable scale occur, but this is only the best-case scenario."

"The best case... scenario...?"

"The worst case would be if ’one of them’ descends."

’One of whom?’

RUMBLE!!!

A sudden cackle echoes around us, and I feel the Flying Bug Construct shake violently.

Looking around, I watch everyone’s expressions turn paler.

Even the elderly Amnesis next to me seems to have regressed into a helpless toddler.

Jamie’s screams soon fill the room.

He is clearly terrified as we navigate the stormy clouds and shoot towards the capital.

Dread also seeps deeper into my bones.

But I still have no clue what I should be terrified of.

’Maybe it’s better I don’t know...’ A part of me shivers, but I shove that thought aside.

"Please tell me what you meant by ’them.’"

Alistair shakes his head the moment I ask this question. "They are the bane of our Existence, Javier. Even if you ask me this, I know you truly do not wish to learn of them just yet."

"What does that mean?"

"The Temporal Beasts are not something you can comprehend just yet. If they eventually descend, then it matters not if you know of them or not. Your chances of survival are nonexistent. As such, you should pray that we aren’t too late and focus your attention on how to stop Lucien once we eventually arrive at the Capital."

’What is Alistair saying?’ A cold shiver runs through my body. ’Rather than think about these so-called Beasts, it’s more productive for me to think of how to beat Lucien?’

But I already know the gap in ability between Lucien Zevalis and me.

He is a Leaper Adept.

I am a mere Witness Harbinger.

Our last interaction was enough to show me just how superior that man is to me.

I have almost no chance of ever defeating him.

Yet... Alistair is encouraging me to focus on Lucien rather than the current path of query that I am on.

Why?

Could it be that it is more likely to beat someone like Lucien than it is for me to even resist the threat that will manifest if he isn’t stopped?

In that case, just how powerful are these Temporal Beasts?

What are they, really?

Could they be—

"Guh!" The moment I try to remember a certain scene, my head aches, and I become assailed by unimaginable pain.

Even now, I cannot yet comprehend that memory.

Merely thinking about them feels like my entire consciousness is being ripped apart.

’Could it be... them??’

My heart nearly stops once I think about this.

Those things?

The wretched creatures I witnessed beyond Lady Anastasia’s Observatory!

Are they the Temporal Beasts?!

In that case—

’Ahh... It isn’t just the Randalorion Kingdom, then...’

This entire Continent—no, perhaps the entire world—will be in ruins if those things descend.

"T-that can’t be... right?"

Fear, unlike anything I have ever felt, starts to blossom within me.

I can’t help but tremble at the thought.

It terrifies me.

The thought of something of such atrocious magnitude and sheer abominable quality descending upon this beautiful world... It is too frightening to confront.

It cannot happen!

It must never... never, ever happen!

"We initially planned to check on your loved ones in a mini detour, but right now we cannot afford that. I hope you understand, but you don’t have the luxury of worrying for the safety of anyone in the Kingdom with what is about to happen."

"I understand."

My voice is shaky, but I cannot help but agree with Alistair’s words.

We must extinguish the threat that is Lucien Zevalis before the Temporal Breach is complete.

If we are even a second too late, then—

’Everyone is done for!’