The atmosphere became solemn.
No one spoke.
The cracks spreading across the heavens grew larger with every passing second, releasing an unfamiliar pressure that did not belong to the Shadow Realm.
It was neither Shadow Energy...
Nor Spiritual Energy.
It was something else.
A force born from the collision of two different worlds.
The seven ancient panthers silently raised their heads.
Even Nyxaroth watched the fractured sky with calm, ancient eyes.
After a long silence...
He finally spoke.
"The Breach..."
"...has been opened."
My eyes remained fixed upon the sky.
"The Breach?"
Nyxaroth gave a slight nod.
"What you sense is not a natural Breach."
His gaze never left the heavens.
"Natural Breaches between Zeraphyx and Neraphyx have existed since ancient times."
"They are unstable."
"They appear without warning."
"They disappear without warning."
"Their destinations constantly change."
"No one can predict where they will emerge."
"No one can predict where they will lead."
His calm voice echoed throughout the silent courtyard.
"Even an Elder God who enters a natural Breach..."
"...cannot guarantee arriving alive."
The seven remained silent.
None questioned his words.
Because they were true.
I frowned slightly.
"If they're that unstable..."
"Then how are people able to enter Neraphyx?"
Nyxaroth slowly turned toward me.
"They don't."
"Not through natural Breaches."
He raised one hand toward the fractured heavens.
"The one opening now..."
"...is artificial."
The moment those words left his mouth...
My expression became thoughtful.
Artificial...
That meant someone had created it.
Father folded his arms quietly, listening without interrupting.
Nyxaroth continued.
"Breaking the barrier separating two complete worlds..."
"...is not something a single individual can accomplish."
"The World Barrier continuously repairs itself."
"The moment it is torn apart..."
"...it immediately attempts to restore what was broken."
He paused briefly.
"So..."
"The strongest beings in Zeraphyx gather."
"They combine their Authority."
"And together..."
"They forcibly tear open the World Barrier."
BOOOOOOMMMMM!!
As though responding to his explanation...
The heavens trembled violently once more.
The fractures widened.
A terrifying torrent of spatial power poured from the opening before quickly being restrained by an unseen force.
Even from this distance...
I could feel how unstable the space beyond those cracks truly was.
It wasn't merely dangerous.
It was lethal.
Father quietly narrowed his eyes.
"No matter how many times I witness it..."
"...it's still unbelievable."
Nyxaroth nodded slightly.
"Reality was never meant to connect two complete worlds."
"The moment a path is forced open..."
"The Universe immediately attempts to erase it."
My eyes flickered.
"So the battle..."
"...isn't only against the World Barrier."
Nyxaroth looked at me.
"It is against Reality itself."
Silence followed.
The words sounded simple.
Yet...
The implications behind them were terrifying.
To force reality itself to acknowledge a path that should never exist...
Just how powerful were the people responsible?
Almost as though reading my thoughts...
Nyxaroth spoke again.
"The portal itself..."
"...is only half the task."
"The greater challenge..."
"...is keeping it open."
He slowly pointed toward the distant opening.
Although we stood inside the Shadow Realm...
I could vaguely make out a gigantic circular structure surrounding the portal on the other side.
Dark gold.
Ancient.
Covered from edge to edge in countless glowing runes.
Even from here...
The Laws contained within those runes could be faintly perceived.
I narrowed my eyes.
"So those runes..."
"They stabilize the portal?"
Nyxaroth gave an approving nod.
"They do."
"But not in the way most people believe."
"The runes do not create the portal."
"They do not possess enough power to sustain it."
"They serve another purpose."
His eyes reflected the distant formation.
"They lock the portal's spatial coordinates."
Without them...
"The exit point inside Neraphyx would constantly drift."
"A single fluctuation..."
"...could cause those entering to appear hundreds of thousands of kilometers from the intended destination."
He paused before continuing.
"The runic formation also suppresses the violent spatial turbulence created when two worlds collide."
"The moment the World Barrier is torn apart..."
"Space becomes unstable."
"It twists."
"It folds."
"It tears."
"Without stabilization..."
"The people entering would be shredded by spatial currents long before reaching the opposite side."
My pupils contracted slightly.
So that was their true purpose.
Not creating power...
But controlling it.
Anchoring an impossible path.
Preventing reality from collapsing upon itself.
No wonder...
The formation itself radiated profound Laws.
Father let out a quiet whistle.
"The first time I saw one..."
"I thought it was merely decoration."
One of the seven chuckled softly.
"Many do."
"The formation appears simple."
"But every rune upon it has been perfected over countless generations."
"It is one of Zeraphyx's greatest achievements."
I looked toward the fractured heavens once more.
Even knowing its purpose...
I still found it difficult to imagine.
Breaking the barrier between worlds.
Locking space itself to predetermined coordinates.
Suppressing the fury of reality.
Every step...
Sounded impossible.
Yet...
Someone had accomplished it.
Nyxaroth lowered his hand.
"The gateway remains open only for a limited time."
"Maintaining it requires an unimaginable amount of power."
"It cannot remain open indefinitely."
"So..."
"The strongest beings of Zeraphyx choose carefully."
"They open it only when it is necessary."
His gaze settled upon me.
"This time..."
"It is for the younger generation."
"The future of Zeraphyx."
I remained silent.
Countless prodigies.
Countless races.
All entering the same land.
Not for conquest.
Not for war.
But to grow stronger.
To temper themselves in the cruelest world known to Zeraphyx.
"Neraphyx..."
I murmured softly.
Nyxaroth gave a faint nod.
"It is a land of death."
"But also..."
"A land of opportunity."
"Those who survive..."
"Return transformed."
His expression remained calm.
"Those who fail..."
"...never return."
The courtyard fell silent once more.
No one spoke.
No one needed to.
Every person standing there understood what those words meant.
Then—
Nyxaroth looked toward Father and me.
"The gateway has only just been established."
"It will require several hours before it completely stabilizes."
"You still have time."
His tone softened slightly.
"Go."
"There are people waiting to see you."
For the first time since arriving in the Shadow Realm seven years ago...
A faint smile appeared on Father's face.
He looked toward me.
"Your mother..."
"...has probably been counting every single day."
I smiled.
"And my brother?"
Father laughed.
"He probably isn't so little anymore."
The Seven quietly stepped aside, leaving a path open before us.
Their leader bowed his head respectfully.
"We will await your return."
"There is still one final farewell..."
"...before your journey truly begins."
I gave a silent nod.
With one last glance at the ancient Realm that had forged me...
Father and I walked toward the gateway leading home.
Behind us...
The endless darkness remained as silent as ever.
Ahead...
An entirely new chapter of my life awaited.