The chamber became dangerously quiet after Kael's final statement.
Even the system notifications flickered slower now.
Almost cautiously.
[ RESTRICTED INFORMATION THRESHOLD EXCEEDED ]
[ FURTHER DISCUSSION NOT ADVISED ]
The silver-haired boy looked between everyone nervously.
"…I feel like reality itself is listening now."
Nobody disagreed.
Kael stood silently near the ancient projections, golden eyes reflecting fractured worlds and collapsing timelines.
Then—
he slowly raised one hand.
The projections vanished instantly.
Darkness settled back across the chamber.
"…Enough."
His voice was calm.
But firmer than before.
"We stop here."
Layla frowned immediately.
"You still haven't explained—"
"You do not understand what happens when certain truths are spoken too openly."
The chamber temperature lowered slightly.
Kael's expression hardened faintly.
"I have already said far too much."
Even Sunny noticed it now.
The atmosphere had changed.
The system itself seemed tense.
Watching.
Kael continued quietly.
"The gods observe disturbances in knowledge."
The ancient symbols along the walls dimmed.
"The demons monitor instability."
Then his gaze darkened slightly.
"And the Watchers notice everything."
Silence followed.
Kael slowly looked toward Layla.
"For your own safety…"
His voice lowered.
"…do not dig deeper yet."
Layla clenched her fists slightly.
Frustration flickering across her face.
Because every answer only created more questions.
But before she could argue again—
Kael spoke first.
"…You already have your own mission."
Layla froze slightly.
Kael's golden eyes remained fixed on her calmly.
"Save Arthur Ravenheart."
The silver-haired boy blinked.
"…Wait, YOU know about that too?"
Kael ignored him.
Instead, he continued softly.
"And survive long enough to conquer the darkness consuming you."
Layla's expression changed instantly.
Shock.
Real shock.
Her heartbeat stumbled slightly.
"…What?"
Sunny looked toward her immediately.
Because Kael's tone had changed completely.
Less ancient.
More personal.
Layla's voice hardened slightly.
"…What did you just say?"
Kael remained calm.
"You heard me."
The markings beneath Layla's sleeve flickered violently now.
"How do you know about that?"
For the first time since entering Grey Hollow—
Layla looked genuinely unsettled.
Not by gods.
Not by demons.
Not by the Collapse.
But by this.
Because she had never spoken about it.
Not once.
Not to Sunny.
Not to the silver-haired boy.
Not to anyone.
The emptiness she carried.
The crushing numbness.
The guilt from watching Arthur , well you know what happens to him .
The exhaustion that never fully disappeared.
She hid it perfectly.
Or at least—
she thought she did.
Kael looked toward her quietly.
"…People who survive collapsing worlds carry wounds deeper than the body."
Layla's breathing slowed slightly.
The chamber remained silent around her.
Kael continued calmly.
"You blame yourself for surviving."
Her eyes widened faintly.
"You fear attachment because everyone you cared about disappeared."
Sunny's expression shifted slightly now.
Layla immediately looked away.
Almost defensive.
Kael's voice softened slightly.
"And somewhere inside…"
The chamber lights dimmed gently.
"…you stopped believing your life had value beyond completing your mission."
Silence.
The silver-haired boy looked toward Layla quietly now.
Even Sunny didn't speak.
Because her expression already confirmed enough.
Layla clenched her fists tightly.
"…How."
One word.
Barely steady.
Kael's golden eyes dimmed faintly.
"Because I have seen countless survivors carry the same emptiness."
The chamber fell silent again.
Then Kael slowly turned away.
"But unlike them…"
His gaze shifted briefly toward Sunny.
"…you still have people pulling you forward."
Layla remained motionless.
And for the first time in a very long while—
she didn't know what to say.
The chamber remained heavy with silence after Kael's words.
Layla still stood frozen slightly, her fists clenched tightly beneath her sleeves while her thoughts spiraled violently.
Sunny looked between her and Kael with narrowed eyes.
Confused.
Concerned.
Suspicious.
The silver-haired boy finally broke the silence first.
"…Okay."
He pointed between them repeatedly.
"What EXACTLY are you two talking about?"
Layla immediately looked away.
"…Nothing."
Sunny raised an eyebrow.
"That was very obviously not nothing."
The silver-haired boy nodded aggressively.
"THANK YOU."
He looked toward Kael now.
"You just started talking like you've known her for years!"
Kael remained completely calm.
But Layla's reaction alone already made things feel strange.
Sunny frowned slightly.
"…Depression?"
Layla's shoulders stiffened instantly.
The silver-haired boy blinked.
"Wait—"
But before either of them could continue—
Kael suddenly spoke.
"…The Hollowborn is gone."
The entire atmosphere shifted immediately.
Sunny's expression sharpened.
"Gone?"
Kael nodded once.
"The one pursuing you has retreated beyond Grey Hollow."
The silver-haired boy immediately forgot the previous conversation.
"…Wait seriously?"
Kael walked toward the chamber entrance calmly.
"The pressure vanished moments ago."
The ancient symbols near the tunnel glowed faintly.
"It will not return here for now."
Sunny stood slowly.
"…For now?"
Kael glanced back slightly.
"Hollowborn do not abandon vessels permanently."
The silver-haired boy groaned loudly.
"Of course they don't."
Layla quietly exhaled beside them.
Relieved by the sudden change in subject.
Even if only slightly.
Kael continued calmly.
"Something frightened it."
Sunny immediately thought of the golden-eyed presence from earlier.
The First King.
Kael noticed his expression.
"Yes."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"It recognized what awakened inside you."
The chamber grew quiet again.
Sunny looked toward the tunnel entrance.
"…So what now?"
Kael remained silent briefly.
Then—
"You leave Grey Hollow."
The silver-haired boy blinked.
"…That's it?"
Kael nodded.
"Your survival probability decreases the longer you remain underground."
System notifications immediately appeared beside him.
[ STATEMENT VERIFIED ]
[ RECOMMENDED ACTION: EXIT GREY HOLLOW ]
The silver-haired boy pointed upward immediately.
"I swear that thing likes him more than us."
Kael ignored the comment completely.
Instead, he looked toward Layla one final time.
"Arthur Ravenheart is moving closer to the Black Continent."
Layla's eyes narrowed slightly.
"And if he continues at this pace…"
Kael's expression hardened faintly.
"…he will soon enter territory even gods avoid watching directly."
Silence followed.
Sunny frowned.
"The Black Continent is really that dangerous?"
Kael looked toward him quietly.
"No."
The chamber lights dimmed softly again.
"…What sleeps in it is."
The chamber grew quiet once more after Kael mentioned the Black Continent.
Even the system notifications faded slightly, leaving only the faint hum of ancient machinery beneath Grey Hollow.
Sunny folded his arms.
"…You really enjoy ending conversations ominously."
The silver-haired boy nodded immediately.
"He absolutely does."
Kael ignored both of them.
Instead, he walked toward the center of the chamber where the glowing stone platform still pulsed faintly with silver-blue light.
Then—
he raised one hand slowly.
Three small fragments of light appeared above his palm.
Each one looked different.
One silver.
One pale blue.
One grey-black.
The chamber pressure shifted instantly.
Layla frowned slightly.
"…What are those?"
Kael's golden eyes reflected the floating fragments quietly.
"…Memory fragments."
Sunny narrowed his eyes.
"Sounds dangerous."
"They are."
The silver-haired boy immediately took a step back.
"Fantastic."
Kael continued calmly.
"These fragments contain echoes from previous cycles."
The floating lights pulsed softly.
"Small portions of knowledge, instinct, and experience."
Layla's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Why give them to us?"
Kael looked toward them quietly.
"Because the next phase has already begun."
Silence.
Then he pointed toward Sunny first.
The grey-black fragment floated toward him slowly.
"To survive what comes next…"
Then toward the silver-haired boy.
The silver fragment drifted toward him as well.
"…you will need more than strength."
Finally—
the pale blue fragment moved toward Layla.
Kael's expression changed subtly when looking at her.
"…And some truths cannot remain hidden forever."
Layla immediately noticed that tone.
But before she could question it—
the fragments touched them.
BOOOOOOM.
Information exploded through their minds instantly.
Ancient battlefields.
Broken dimensions.
Fragments of forgotten memories not belonging to them.
The silver-haired boy nearly collapsed.
"…WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE MY BRAIN IS BLEEDING?!"
Sunny staggered slightly too, gripping his head.
But Layla—
froze completely.
The pale blue fragment dissolved into her chest.
Then—
something awakened.
Invisible strings suddenly spread across the chamber.
Countless glowing threads connecting people, places, and futures together.
Most faded quickly.
But three remained impossibly clear.
One connected to Sunny.
One to Kael.
And one stretching impossibly far away—
toward Arthur.
Kael's pupils narrowed instantly.
"…So it awakened."
Layla blinked slowly.
Confused.
"…What?"
But Kael was no longer looking at her normally.
His golden eyes had changed slightly.
Because now—
he could see it clearly.
A translucent screen hovered beside Layla's body.
Not a system notification.
Something deeper.
Something older.
---
NAME: Layla Rose Skywalker
GIVEN NAME: Weeping Star
ATTRIBUTE: FATED , Absolute White , Echo heart , perception , Silent mind , Void pulse ...
STATUS: awakened
CONNECTED FATES:
Arthur Ravenheart
Sunny
Kael
---
Kael's expression shifted for the first time in a long while.
Actual surprise.
"…Impossible."
Layla frowned immediately.
"What?"
But before Kael could answer—
his own vision expanded further.
The glowing strings around Layla intensified.
One thread connected directly toward Arthur.
Bright.
Violent.
Unstable.
Another wrapped around Sunny and pulsed with grey mist.
And the final thread—
connected to Kael himself.
The silver-haired boy blinked repeatedly.
"…Why are you staring at her like that?"
Kael remained silent briefly.
Then—
"…You possess the Fated Attribute."
The chamber froze.
Sunny frowned immediately.
"The what?"
Kael slowly looked toward them.
"Those marked by fate can perceive truths hidden from others."
Layla's heartbeat quickened slightly.
Kael continued quietly.
"They can see names."
The glowing threads pulsed again.
"Abilities."
Then his gaze sharpened slightly.
"…And the strings connecting destinies together."
Silence consumed the chamber.
The silver-haired boy slowly pointed at Layla.
"…So she is tied by the string of fate?"
Kael nodded once.
"…Yeah."
Layla looked down at her hands silently.
Because faint glowing threads were still visible around her fingers now.
And no matter how hard she tried—
one thread kept pulling her attention toward Arthur Ravenheart.
The chamber remained quiet after Kael revealed the existence of the FATED attribute.
Layla still stared silently at the glowing threads around her fingers.
Thin.
Almost transparent.
But undeniably real.
One connected to Sunny.
One to Kael.
And one stretching impossibly far away toward Arthur Ravenheart.
The silver-haired boy was still trying to process everything.
"So let me get this straight…"
He pointed toward Layla dramatically.
"You can now SEE fate?"
Layla ignored him.
Because something else had caught her attention.
Ever since the awakening—
whenever she looked at someone closely—
she could feel information hidden beneath the surface.
Like locked doors barely waiting to open.
Kael noticed immediately.
"…Careful."
Layla glanced toward him.
"The FATED attribute reveals truths."
His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"But some truths are dangerous to witness."
Naturally—
that only made her more curious.
Sunny noticed her staring.
"…Why are you looking at me like that?"
Layla hesitated briefly.
Then focused.
The glowing thread connected to Sunny brightened faintly.
Immediately—
her vision distorted.
A translucent screen flickered into existence beside Sunny.
Unlike system notifications—
this one looked unstable.
Ancient.
The letters glitched repeatedly as though resisting observation.
Sunny frowned slightly.
"…What are you doing?"
Layla ignored him completely.
Because the window was appearing slowly now.
---
NAME: Sunny
GIVEN NAME: ???
[ INFORMATION SEALED ]
ATTRIBUTE(S):
???
???
Fragmented King
???
Grey Sovereign
Architect
???
STATUS:???
---
Layla's pupils shrank slightly.
"…What?"
The screen flickered violently.
Then more information forced itself open.
---
WARNING
[ VIEWING RESTRICTED AUTHORITY ]
[ HIGHER EXISTENCE INTERFERENCE DETECTED ]
---
Grey mist suddenly spread across the chamber floor.
Sunny immediately felt it.
His red eyes narrowed sharply.
"…Layla."
But she couldn't stop now.
Because another line appeared briefly beneath Sunny's stats.
A line that made her heartbeat freeze.
---
POTENTIAL DESIGNATION:
[ KING OF FRAGMENT ]
---
The entire window shattered instantly.
A monstrous pressure exploded through the chamber.
The grey mist around Sunny surged violently for a split second.
Kael's expression changed immediately.
"Enough."
His voice echoed sharply across the chamber.
The pressure vanished instantly afterward.
Layla staggered backward slightly, breathing unevenly.
Sunny stared at her now.
Actually serious.
"…What did you see?"
The silver-haired boy blinked repeatedly.
"…WHY DID THE AIR FEEL LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO KILL US?"
Kael walked toward Layla calmly.
But his expression had hardened significantly.
"You forced open a restricted fate layer."
Layla was still staring at Sunny silently.
Because that title—
that potential—
didn't feel metaphorical.
It felt real.
Sunny frowned deeper.
"…Layla."
She slowly looked at him.
Still unsettled.
Then quietly—
"…You're connected to something far bigger than I thought."
The night near the Black Continent border remained eerily calm.
No monsters.
No rain.
No rifts splitting the sky apart.
Just cold wind moving through the broken landscape.
Arthur sat near the edge of the camp while the recovery potion slowly stabilized the damage throughout his body.
His breathing had finally steadied.
Kierran was asleep against a rock nearby while Lucas rested beside the remains of a small fire.
Tom remained awake as always.
Watching the distant Black Continent silently.
Only two kilometers remained.
And one day left before the next anomaly surge.
Arthur stared toward the horizon quietly.
Toward the place where his mother was being held.
Then—
"…Arthur."
He looked up immediately.
Alex stood several meters away.
Black hair shifting slightly in the wind.
Brown eyes calm and unreadable.
Arthur slowly stood.
"You wanted to talk."
Alex nodded once.
"Walk with me."
Tom glanced toward them briefly but said nothing.
Arthur followed Alex away from the camp slowly.
The further they walked, the quieter everything became.
Eventually they reached the edge of a fractured cliff overlooking the outer border of the Black Continent.
Massive dark terrain stretched endlessly ahead like a scar across the world.
Arthur folded his arms slightly.
"…So what did you want to talk about?"
Alex remained silent for a few moments.
Then—
"What do you think you are becoming?"
Arthur frowned immediately.
"…What kind of question is that?"
Alex looked toward the Black Continent calmly.
"A serious one."
Arthur exhaled quietly.
"I'm becoming stronger."
Purple Aether flickered weakly around his fingers.
"I need to if I want to save my mother."
Alex's gaze remained forward.
"That's not what I meant."
Arthur's expression hardened slightly.
"Then what DID you mean?"
Silence followed briefly.
Then Alex finally turned toward him.
"You're changing too quickly."
The wind slowed faintly around them.
Arthur narrowed his eyes.
"…Because of the fights?"
"No."
Alex's voice remained calm.
"Because reality itself is beginning to recognize you."
Arthur froze slightly.
The words felt wrong somehow.
Too heavy.
Alex continued quietly.
"For years your existence went unnoticed."
The darkness near the Black Continent pulsed faintly.
"But recently…"
His brown eyes sharpened slightly.
"…something changed."
Arthur clenched his fists slowly.
"What are you talking about?"
Alex looked directly at him now.
"The System."
Arthur's heartbeat slowed slightly.
"It has finally acknowledged you."
Silence filled the cliffside.
Arthur frowned deeply.
"…Why does that matter?"
Alex's expression darkened faintly.
"Because once the System notices someone…"
The air around them distorted slightly.
"…other things notice too."
Arthur immediately remembered the corrupted six-eyed creature.
The way it spoke to him.
The way it tried to get inside his head.
"…The monsters."
Alex shook his head once.
"Not just monsters."
The pressure around the cliff deepened subtly.
"Some beings have been searching for anomalies like you for a very long time."
Arthur's purple Aether flickered harder instinctively.
"…Anomalies."
Alex nodded once.
"You should not exist within the current cycle."
Arthur went silent.
Because somehow—
deep down—
those words felt familiar.
Alex continued calmly.
"And yet here you are."
The Black Continent loomed silently behind them.
"Every action you take now creates ripples."
Arthur looked toward him carefully.
"…Why are you telling me this?"
For the first time—
Alex hesitated slightly.
Then—
"Because once we reach your mother…"
His brown eyes dimmed faintly.
"…your life will never return to normal again."
The wind moved through the cliffs once more.
Cold.
Heavy.
And somewhere far beyond the Black Continent—
something ancient had already begun watching Arthur Ravenheart closely.
The cold wind moved quietly across the cliffside.
Far below, black fog drifted near the outer edges of the Black Continent like living shadows.
Arthur stood beside Alex silently, his purple Aether flickering faintly around his fingertips.
The conversation still weighed heavily in his mind.
You should not exist.
Alex remained calm beside him.
Then suddenly—
"…Have you ever heard of the Book of the End?"
Arthur blinked slightly.
"…The what?"
Alex's gaze remained on the horizon.
"The Book of the End."
Arthur frowned.
"No."
Then immediately—
"…Why?"
For a brief moment, Alex went silent.
Too silent.
Like he was debating how much to say.
Then—
"It's an ancient artifact."
Arthur folded his arms slightly.
"That explains absolutely nothing."
A faint smile almost appeared on Alex's face.
Almost.
"It contains knowledge humanity was never meant to understand."
The darkness near the Black Continent pulsed faintly again.
Arthur narrowed his eyes.
"And you're telling me this because…?"
Alex looked toward him calmly.
"Because certain people are searching for it."
Arthur immediately caught the vagueness.
"You're avoiding the actual answer."
"Yes."
"…Seriously?"
Alex ignored the complaint entirely.
Instead, he asked another question.
"…Then have you heard of the Rings of Ascension?"
Arthur frowned again.
"No."
Alex nodded slowly.
"I expected as much."
The air around them shifted faintly.
Then nine glowing rings appeared briefly in front of them—made entirely from Aether projections.
Each ring looked more complex than the last.
"There are nine known Rings of Ascension."
Arthur stared quietly.
"These artifacts determine the stages of human evolution within Fragment."
One of the rings glowed softly.
"…Ranks."
Arthur's expression sharpened slightly.
Alex nodded once.
"Every awakened being progresses through nine primary ranks."
The rings lit up one after another.
---
The Nine Ascension Ranks
1. Dormant — ordinary humans beginning Aether synchronization
2. Awakened — initial control over Aether and abilities
3. Ascended — enhanced body and stable attribute manifestation
4. Transcendent — abilities begin affecting reality itself
5. Sovereign — capable of influencing territories, minds, and large-scale battles
6. Saint — partial separation from mortal limitations
7. Divine — existence begins approaching godhood
8. Celestial — capable of manipulating laws and dimensional forces
9. Eternal — beings who transcend cycles entirely
---
Arthur stared at the glowing rings silently.
"…That's insane."
Alex continued calmly.
"Most people never move beyond Ascended."
The fourth ring glowed brighter than the others.
"Transcendents are already considered disasters by most nations."
Arthur's eyes shifted toward the final ring.
"…Eternal."
The last projection pulsed strangely.
Almost unnaturally.
Alex's expression darkened faintly.
"Only a handful are believed to have ever reached that stage."
Arthur frowned slightly.
"And the rings themselves?"
Alex looked toward the projections quietly.
"They accelerate ascension."
The glowing rings rotated slowly.
"But at a cost."
Arthur immediately noticed the tone.
"What kind of cost?"
Silence followed briefly.
Then—
"The rings awaken what already exists inside the user."
Arthur's purple Aether flickered instinctively.
"And if the person is unstable…"
The projections distorted violently for a split second.
"…the ring amplifies it."
Arthur slowly understood.
"So they can corrupt people."
"Yes."
Alex's gaze sharpened slightly.
"And the stronger the ring…"
The final projection darkened.
"…the greater the risk."
The wind howled softly around the cliff again.
Then Arthur looked toward Alex carefully.
"…Why are you telling me all this now?"
Alex remained silent for several moments.
Then—
"Because one of the Rings of Ascension is hidden beneath the Black Continent."
Arthur's pupils narrowed slightly.
"And something tells me…"
Alex finally looked directly at him.
"…it's waiting for you."
The wind howled softly across the cliffside while the glowing projections of the nine Rings of Ascension floated between Arthur and Alex.
Ancient.
Beautiful.
Dangerous.
Arthur stared at them silently.
Dormant.
Awakened.
Ascended.
Ranks powerful enough to reshape lives.
Then Alex suddenly asked—
"…How did you awaken?"
Arthur frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Alex's calm brown eyes shifted toward him.
"You reached the Awakened rank without a Ring of Ascension."
Arthur blinked.
"…Is that rare?"
"Extremely."
The glowing projections dimmed faintly.
"Most humans require a Ring to forcibly synchronize with Aether."
The first ring rotated slowly.
"Without one, natural growth takes years."
Another ring lit up.
"Sometimes decades."
Arthur looked down at his hand where purple Aether flickered faintly.
"…Then how did I do it?"
Alex remained silent briefly.
Then—
"That is exactly what concerns me."
The atmosphere around them deepened slightly.
"When I first sensed you…"
His gaze sharpened.
"…you were barely Dormant."
Arthur froze slightly.
Because it hadn't been that long ago.
"And now…"
Alex looked toward Arthur carefully.
"You're stabilizing at Awakened while already showing early Ascended symptoms."
Arthur frowned.
"That sounds bad."
"It can be."
The projections shifted violently.
Human silhouettes appeared.
Most shattered apart as they climbed ranks too quickly.
"Rapid ascension destroys unstable minds and bodies."
Arthur's expression hardened slightly.
"But I'm still fine."
Alex looked directly at him.
"For now."
Silence followed briefly.
Then—
the projections changed again.
This time—
monsters appeared.
Arthur's eyes narrowed instantly.
Corrupted wolves.
Towering giants wrapped in black mist.
Things with too many limbs.
Too many eyes.
Alex spoke calmly.
"Monsters possess ranks as well."
The creatures shifted one after another as he explained.
---
Beast Ranks
1. Lesser Beasts
Mindless predators driven by instinct alone.
Most newly corrupted creatures fall into this category.
2. Ravagers
Faster. Smarter. Aggressive enough to wipe out villages alone.
3. Nightmares
Creatures capable of evolving unique abilities and hunting strategically.
4. Calamities
Monsters powerful enough to destroy entire cities.
Most nations fear Calamity-class outbreaks.
The projections darkened.
Then changed again.
Everything became quieter afterward.
Even the air felt wrong.
Arthur frowned slightly.
"…What's after Calamity?"
Alex's expression hardened faintly.
"…Corrupted."
The projection revealed something humanoid.
Tall.
Malformed.
Covered in black cracks.
Its body constantly shifted between flesh and shadow while countless eyes opened and closed beneath its skin.
Arthur's instincts screamed instantly.
Even looking at it felt dangerous.
Alex continued quietly.
"Corrupted-class entities are no longer considered monsters."
The creature in the projection slowly smiled.
"They retain intelligence."
The black cracks spread across entire landscapes behind it.
"They speak."
Arthur immediately remembered the six-eyed creature.
"They manipulate emotions, fear, and thought itself."
The projection glitched violently.
"And most importantly…"
The creature's many eyes suddenly looked directly toward Arthur through the projection.
"…they begin understanding humanity."
Arthur's heartbeat slowed slightly.
Alex's voice lowered.
"A single Corrupted entity can erase entire regions if left unchecked."
Silence filled the cliffside.
Then the projections shifted again.
Showing even worse things.
Towering figures walking through storms.
Creatures large enough to blot out cities.
Reality distorting around them naturally.
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"…Those too?"
Alex nodded slowly.
---
Higher Beast Ranks
6. Sovereign Horrors
Existences capable of warping territories and spreading corruption endlessly.
7. Abyssal Kings
Ancient monsters tied directly to dimensional fractures and failed Collapses.
8. Voidborn
Creatures that no longer fully exist within reality itself.
9. Extinction-Class Entities
Beings capable of ending civilizations, dimensions… or cycles entirely.
---
The final projection appeared only briefly.
A colossal silhouette standing inside a collapsing world.
Then the entire projection system shut itself off violently.
Silence consumed the cliffside afterward.
Arthur slowly exhaled.
"…And those things are out there?"
Alex stared toward the Black Continent silently.
"Yes."
The distant darkness pulsed faintly again.
"And some of them…"
His brown eyes narrowed slightly.
"…are beginning to wake up."