Gods Universe: Chain Ruler

"Judd, you will create a variant of humanity, and these gods—"

Kujima never finished his sentence.

The bear struck with terrifying speed, its massive jaws snapping shut around his body. In one crushing motion, teeth like frozen daggers pierced through flesh and bone. His ribs cracked, his spine shattered, and his intestines spilled from the gaping wound in his abdomen, unraveling onto the ice like a crimson tapestry.

The icy ground embraced his remains, painting the frozen earth in a river of red. His lungs, shattered under the bear's bite, could no longer draw the breath of life. His heart, once racing with the rhythm of battle, slowed—becoming nothing more than a frozen mass of blood within his ruined chest.

The bear lifted its head, Kujima's blood dripping from its maw, staining its thick fur. The snow around it darkened, the warmth of fresh blood steaming briefly before the frost claimed it, solidifying the stains in place.

Kujima's blood flowed and froze, becoming part of Cheyra Island forever.

Judd felt it.

Even though he had yet to set foot on the island, a shiver crawled down his spine. Something was wrong. The air had shifted, pulsing with an unfamiliar force. He could sense it, like a ripple through existence itself.

But he had no time to dwell on the feeling. The ice around him stretched far, and every leap forward drained his energy. He had been moving cautiously before, but now, instinct demanded urgency.

The moment he saw land, he pushed forward at full power.

When his feet finally touched solid ground, he realized how far he had traveled—he had arrived from the opposite direction of the island. And yet, something had changed. The energy here was… different.

Like something has been released.

"What is this energy? Kujima, what are you doing?"

He stood atop a hill, overlooking the desolate landscape. The cathedral towered before him, its silhouette cutting through the fog like a black monolith. That was Kujima's destination.

Judd didn't hesitate.

He leapt from the hill, landing effortlessly on the frozen earth. His sharp eyes scanned the ruins buried beneath the snow—ancient, abandoned houses, their wooden frames long since weathered by time. No signs of life. No footprints. Only stillness.

He ignored them.

The cathedral was close.

The doors loomed before him, towering, adorned with strange motifs. Carved into the stone were two massive bears, each holding something aloft. A sword.

Judd placed both hands on the heavy door and pushed.

It groaned as it swung open.

The moment he stepped inside, he felt it.

The cold here was different—thicker, sharper, unnatural. The cathedral's towering columns were lined with intricate carvings, whispering secrets of a long-lost era. Despite the bitter chill, Judd felt an odd warmth in his chest. Something was happening here.

He walked forward, past the pillars, drawn deeper into the vastness of the cathedral.

Then the world collapsed.

The ceiling caved in.

The ground beneath him gave way.

A deafening crash filled the air as stone shattered and dust spiraled upward. Before Judd could react, he was falling, plummeting into a perfectly circular abyss. The pit beneath the cathedral had been deliberately constructed—its walls smooth, its shape flawless.

A way down?

Wind howled past his ears as he descended into the depths. Far below, something glowed—a flickering, shimmering light.

Then, movement.

Two blue lights.

Getting closer.

A claw tore through the air.

Judd barely registered the pain before he saw it—his left arm, severed, spinning through the darkness beside him.

A guttural roar shook the cavern.

Judd looked up.

A bear.

No—the bear.

Blood coated its face, its jaws dripping with fresh carnage. Kujima's blood.

Judd's heartbeat pounded in his ears.

"Shit, shit, shit! Where's my arm? Kujima—where are you? What the hell is going on?! Why am I still falling?!"

Another strike.

Judd barely raised his sword in time, the impact rattling his entire body. His clothes were in tatters, his skin marked with deep scratches. The bear's attacks were relentless, and his defenses were failing.

I have to think. I can't use a variant. I don't have an arm. What should I do?

He twisted midair, trying to slow his descent by dragging his sword against the pit's walls—only to find them smooth, crafted from a seamless metal.

Slippery. Purposefully designed. No grip. No escape.

His breathing grew ragged. Am I supposed to die here? Is my body meant to be torn apart just like Kujima's?

The bear's claws flashed again.

Judd blocked the strike, but the force sent him spinning. More pain. More blood. His mind raced.

I can't use a variant. It's like something refuses to let me.

Another blow.

Agony tore through his stomach.

The bear's claw had gone straight through him, its talons sinking into his flesh, splitting his torso open. His internal organs spilled free, floating for a brief moment in the weightless descent before plummeting into the darkness below.

I'm going to die.

The fall finally ended.

Judd crashed into something liquid.