AKIHIRO ATLAS
After my body was covered in lightning, I was speeding past Cistern's long, gray concrete buildings like a shadow; even that sharp, electric scent cutting through the air with every step no longer felt foreign to me—on the contrary, it seemed to project the chaos inside me outward. Three years… after struggling to survive for three long years in a completely different Sacred Domain, a place governed by entirely different rules, to return here… the word "nostalgia" felt so inadequate in comparison. Familiar streets, the rusty rain streaks pooling on the rooftops, the rumble the wind made as it swept through the buildings… something stirred inside me, as if a part of me that had been silent for far too long was trying to breathe again. But at the same time, right in the midst of that feeling, there was another reality gnawing at me; no matter how much I looked, no matter how hard I tried to remember, it felt as though this place no longer belonged to me… perhaps it never had. That sense of belonging and that sense of alienation intertwined, splitting my mind in two; one side whispered, "You've come home," while the other ruthlessly declared, "There was never a place called your home."
Every time I looked around, all I saw were the scars of war; crumbling walls, half-finished roofs, bloodstains that hadn't yet dried… this city was breathing, but it couldn't be said to be alive. I knew there had been an attack on Cistern while I was gone, and I remembered the moment I first heard it—something inside me snapped; I should have been there… no matter what, I should have been there. Maybe I couldn't have changed anything, maybe we would have lost again, but at least I wouldn't have run away. This thought, like a thorn lodged in the darkest corner of my mind, reminded me of itself with every move I made. I know I need to learn more about that battle; who came, who went, who thought of my name as they took their last breath… all of these are truths that will one day hit me in the face. But not now. I don't have the right to that right now. I have priorities, I have responsibilities, and I know all too well that I cannot escape the burden placed upon me. Still… those I lost while on Earth, the lives lost here in this concrete graveyard, the missing pieces of my team… they all piled up, pressing down on my chest. Sometimes even breathing felt difficult. It was as if no matter how strong I became, no matter how far I went, the voids I left behind would never be filled… and perhaps the most terrifying part was that I was slowly getting used to it.
It was as if everyone else was at peace, but there wasn't even a shred of peace in my heart.
The only thing that mattered to me was other people.
I wanted to protect and save them—the people I saw as my own. As my body moved like lightning, I looked at their faces. I looked at the faces of some civilians and some of our warriors. They were all happy…
Then why?
Why couldn't I see even a shred of peace within myself?
As I tried to push those thoughts aside, I turned my gaze forward. Even though I was moving faster than they could see, my destination was far away. Cistern's surface area was even larger than the combined total of the few planets in the Sacred Domain I had come from.
The Sacred Domain… it's easy to call it a "pocket universe" from the outside. But those words don't do it justice.
These aren't just spaces. Each is a self-contained order… closed realities with their own laws, their own time, their own meaning. When you step into one, you don't just change locations—you accept how that universe will define you.
The first time I entered one—the Cistern—what I felt wasn't fear… it was weight.
As if something invisible were weighing me down. Measuring who I was, what I carried, what I protected.
Every Sacred Domain is different.
In some, time flows like a river; it takes you in, carries you forward.
In others, time is like a mirror—it shows you only yourself, but you never move forward.
And some… some push the limits of the human mind. There, reality responds to your thoughts.
The transitions are the most delicate point.
Walking between two Domains means finding harmony between two different orders.
There are those who can do this… the celestial ones, those who can sense the fabric of reality. They open these paths, they maintain the balance.
But my mission is different.
I do not walk to transcend these realms… but to understand them.
Because every Sacred Domain reveals another facet of existence.
And if I am to protect them… I must first truly see them.
Humanity doesn't live in just one world.
Even if they're unaware of it, they exist at the edge of these countless realities.
And I…
I am the one standing at that edge.
Moreover, what's even more important is that the only ones capable of making these crossings are celestial beings or those of unimaginable power. Like the one who brought me here before the actual end of my mission… Magnus.
Despite all the good he's done for me over the past three years, I hate him with a passion. Especially what he said when he sent me to the Cistern—I haven't been able to get it out of my head for a while now. It feels like he said those things just to shatter my mind…
"The Cistern… even the name alone might give you a sense of refuge, don't you think?
The human mind is strange, Aki. It mistakes what's deep for what's safe. The silent ones harmless. But there are some places… no matter how calm they may seem, the things they harbor are never as innocent as what lies on the surface.
What you need to watch out for while walking there won't be enemies. At least, not the kind you see. The real issue… is what you 'let get close' to you.
Because some things don't break down the door.
They wait.
They want you to open it.
And you… You open it, Aki. Because you're the kind of person who wants to protect. When you sense something is in danger, you can't stand back. This… is your strength. But it's also your greatest weakness. Remember this:
Not every cry for help is real.
Not everything that looks innocent is worth protecting.
And not every loss… needs to be made up for.
Before you protect something, you must understand whether it truly needs protecting.
And more importantly… what that thing will turn you into. Nothing you keep alive by consuming yourself… will last long.
I'm not sending you there to be a hero.
Heroes usually die too young. I'm sending you… so you can survive. That's why, Aki—if you ever have to make a choice…
Don't choose Cistern or the others,
choose yourself first."
Do you think I'm as selfish as you, Magnus? Could I sacrifice my people so easily… Could I be as control-obsessed as you… Could I be a dictator like you? I don't think so. My only selfishness is if it's for the good of the people and satisfies my emotions.
Maybe I'm wrong, but it doesn't matter once lives are saved. I don't need praise. As you said, Magnus:
"I won't listen to what someone like you says."
I'd covered a significant distance and had made it all the way to the depths of the forest I'd planned to reach. Soon I'd see a rectangular patch of land surrounded by trees. The only part of the vast forest not covered by trees, and there would be nothing more than two logs and a campfire for us to sit by. It was the place that made me happiest in all the universes.
The moment I entered the clearing, I felt a sense of peace, even if only for a few seconds.
My body quickly settled to the ground, and the lightning once again returned to the true body of Akihiro Atlas.
The moment my feet touched the ground… it was as if the world remembered me.
When the wind swept through the trees and struck my face, I knew it wasn't just a breeze. This… is a warning. A whisper. In the trembling of the branches, in the rustling of the leaves, the echo of my footsteps—as if this forest knows me but hasn't yet decided to accept me.
I breathe in. As the cold air cuts through my lungs, that familiar weight settles within me once more. The thing I cannot escape, the thing I do not wish to escape… my true self.
"What I hold in my hand is not a weapon…"
My fingers tighten around the spear's shaft. Its vibration syncs with the rhythm of my heart. Slowly, lightning bolts shoot from my finger, enveloping the spear and erasing it from the void of space. It will vanish until I summon my image again. It will transform into a small pendant. A small pendant shaped like lightning. My most cherished possession.
I gently lifted my hair with my hand and slipped the necklace around my neck.
"This… is an extension of my will."
My hair is blowing in the wind. My vision blurs for a brief moment, but I don't close my eyes. I won't back down. Never.
Because this wind… isn't against me.
It's here to test me.
"If this world wants to break me…"
I lift my head slightly. My eyes fix on an unseen horizon.
"…it must first know me."
I take another step. The ground resists less this time.
"I am not the one who runs."
The wind intensifies for a moment; my cloak billows behind me. It's as if the forest is pushing me one last time.
But I don't stop.
"I… am the coming storm."
I heard footsteps behind me and quickly turned my head in that direction with caution. But there was no one there.
I could have guessed.
I turned my head back to where I'd just been looking, and there he stood. The man who's been training me for years, my master.
"Am I the coming storm? I didn't know you'd adapted to this forest so well, Aki."
His voice was another thing that brought me peace. He was the only person whose every word I'd ever taken to heart.
The moment I saw my master… time stood still for an instant.
Three years. Just three years… but it felt like a lifetime had passed.
My steps slow down. As I move toward him, the weight on my shoulders grows heavier—not the weight of battles, but the weight of absence. The words I want to say are caught in my throat. I bow my head slightly. My eyes lack the courage to look directly into his.
"…Master Shu."
My voice comes out softer than I intended.
Even the wind blows differently here. It's not harsh… it's calmer. It's as if his very presence is soothing the world.
"I'm back."
A brief silence. But this silence… isn't uneasy. On the contrary, it's heavy enough to shatter something inside me.
My fingers clench involuntarily.
"For three years… I've set foot in countless places. I've seen countless people."
I close my eyes for a moment. Memories flash by—but none of them carry the weight of this moment.
"But nowhere… did I find what I feel here."
I bow my head a little lower. This time, it's not just out of respect.
"…what I feel when I'm by your side."
My breath trembles for a brief moment. I try to hide it, but I can't completely conceal it.
"Talking to you after three years is a little hard for me. You know. Well… You always said my emotions were my weak point."
My shoulders drop slightly. All that remains of my once-strong stance is the student I've become.
"I've thought about this for three years."
I don't take another step forward. I maintain the distance between us—because that distance isn't just physical.
"…but I still came back."
This time I lift my head slightly. There's determination in my eyes, but what lies beneath is clear.
Longing.
"If it's not too late…"
My voice is clearer this time, but it still comes from a fragile place.
"I missed you."
I forced myself to quicken my steps and went over to hug him. I pressed my head against his chest for a few seconds. He was quite a bit taller than me. I'd guess there's about 15 centimeters between us. I haven't grown much over the years either. Then, with his usual tenderness, he ran his hand through my hair and stroked my head.
"I've missed teaching this little boy too," he said, as if with the tender affection of a devoted family man.
A tenderness I'd never seen before.
My master was special because he could make me feel that.
"I'm not a little kid, by the way. I'm a full-grown 21-year-old man," I said, slamming my head against his chest and pulling back. Even though he didn't look that muscular, his rock-hard chest hurt my head.
When I looked at his face, he was looking back at me with that smile that warmed my heart.
I stood there like that for a few seconds, then took a few steps back and pulled my arms away.
"It's been a long time. You've let your hair grow out quite a bit," I said, running my eyes over his hair.
The wind swirled around him as if blessing his presence. Not harsh… but like a submissive power. It swirled around her footsteps, lifting the long hem of her coat into the air, then settling back to the ground as if kneeling. And her hair… that long, wild hair… every strand seemed to have a will of its own. They weren't dancing with the wind; the wind was accompanying them. With every toss, the sky's crimson hue seeped into her hair, transforming her into a living sunset.
Even the way he raised her hand… was no ordinary gesture. That black bird perched on her fingertips seemed to approach not out of fear, but out of awe. For even death appeared graceful in that man's presence.
But truly… his eyes.
The moment you dared to look into those eyes, there was no turning back. They were blood-red—not an ordinary red, but as if born from the ashes of a burning world. And that scar… that thin line running across his eye… it didn't make him any more terrifying. No. On the contrary, that scar was like a seal.
My master turned his gaze toward the left, where the black bird had alighted on his hand. The depths of the wind were sweeping away the hair I'd described as flowing. As if he'd summoned the wind to move at his will…
He smiled in the direction he was looking. He wasn't looking at my face; in moments like these, I always waited intently for the next word to come from his mouth. I'm doing the same now.
"What a gloomy atmosphere for our reunion, isn't it, Aki? I've never liked the wind."
He'd never mentioned anything like this to me before. So, curiosity got the better of me, and I asked
my question.
"Master, I didn't know you didn't like the wind."
Once again, as if what I'd said didn't matter to him, he closed his eyes and, without his smile fading, walked past me toward the log where we always sat together. He sat down slowly and opened his eyes, then directed his palm toward our campfire—which wasn't burning at the moment—and within a matter of seconds, he slowly set the pieces of wood ablaze.
My Master was known as the most powerful fire user in Cistern.
As he drew his palm toward his own body, he slowly opened his eyes and said, "The wind reminds me of the loneliness of my past… Over the years, I've seen many faces, heard many voices; but most have faded away with time. But your words… they're different from the rest. It's as if they're the only truth that's managed to reach me from within this weary world. Whenever you speak, it's not just like a teacher listening to a student—I truly hear you. Because you are the only one who reminds me that things still have meaning on this long, silent journey." I remained silent for a few seconds. Then I stepped forward a few paces, bowed my head, and said, "I have always been honored to be your student, Master. I'm very happy to be able to work with you again."
Bowing my head wasn't enough to hide my tears. He must have noticed the drops trickling down my eyes and falling one by one to the ground, for he said:
"Come sit beside me, Aki." and gently tapped the empty part of the log a few times with his hand.
As I lifted my head again, I wiped away the tears streaming down my arm. Still, my eyes were a little red. Since I'm the first to get teary-eyed, I turned my head away as I sat down next to him.
That log, as always, brought me more peace than any chair or sofa I'd ever sat in. In my opinion, what brings peace to a person isn't the quality of the ground they stand on or the place they're in.
It's how valuable they are. Before a person can know their own worth, they must first recognize the value of their surroundings. A person who cannot value their surroundings may not be able to value themselves…
I've always valued others more than myself, and I've never had any doubts about doing so.
While sitting by the fire with my Master, I was so focused on the peace I felt that I didn't even realize I'd drifted into my thoughts. I didn't snap out of it until my master called out to me, suddenly right next to my ear:
"Are you thinking of sharing what you've been through with me? If I know you… You haven't told the Great General most of it, have you?" he said, and without reacting to the terrible scream I let out before he could finish his sentence, he managed to finish it.
As soon as I heard it, I jumped back in fear and fell from the log onto the grass. After a few seconds of trying to come to my senses and process the question, I used the log for support with my hand, sat back down on it, and after the wind died down and my long hair, which had been pinned to my cloak, fell back over my shoulder, I replied.
"Yes, you're the only one I want to tell this to, Master."
My Master didn't react much. When I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, I noticed his eyes narrowing; I couldn't read what he was thinking in that look, but that uncertainty felt far heavier than outright anger. It was as if he were weighing me with his silence, measuring and weighing every word I spoke in advance.
"Alright then, you can start whenever you're ready."
If I couldn't speak here—the only place where I felt at ease… where else would I speak, anyway?
I took a deep breath; my chest expanded, but the weight inside me didn't lessen by even a gram.
"Before I go into detail about those three years, the first thing I need to mention is the person who helped me with so many things while I was on Earth…"
My Master remained silent. He didn't nod or interrupt. He just waited. That silence felt like an invisible pressure forcing the words out of my mouth. I paused for a few seconds; the words would reach the tip of my tongue and then retreat. It wasn't that I didn't want to say them… it was that I didn't know what saying them would change. Was this the right thing to do? Or was I opening a door that couldn't be closed?
But there was no point in running away. Having come this far, staying silent would only be a bigger lie.
Yes… I'll say it.
"He was your master, Master. Magnus. I communicated with him on many occasions."
The moment the words left my mouth, it was as if the world held its breath for an instant. Then the wind picked up; the dry leaves around us began swirling and dancing in the air as if they were shattering. Even nature seemed to feel the weight of that name. As for me, in that moment, I stopped involuntarily and wondered… why? Why was my master so unresponsive?
Magnus… he was his master. He had been expelled from Cistern years ago; his name was either forgotten or meant to be forgotten by most. But for me… he was the only voice that emerged from the void. He had found me at the start of my mission; even when I didn't know who I was back then, he told me he would stay on Earth for a while. And indeed… he stayed.
Over the years, I've weathered countless storms. Each one took something away—people, memories, hopes… leaving behind only a familiar silence. In that silence, I was often alone. And in that solitude… I called out to Magnus. There were moments when he answered. Moments when he guided me, warned me, or sometimes just listened… Each time, I questioned whether that voice was truly helping me, but I never stopped turning to him. Because there was no one else.
The wind picked up and leaves swirled… even as nature itself seemed to be falling apart, I paused for a moment and wondered why my master had remained so unresponsive. My master, Magnus, had been expelled from Cistern years ago. He had come to find me when I was just starting my mission and told me he would be living on Earth for a while.
I cast a brief glance at my master's face… and in that moment, my breath caught involuntarily. My mouth parted slightly, my eyes fixed.
He was smiling.
But this… wasn't the kind, forgiving smile I knew and was used to, the one that put people at ease. This was something else. A sly, sharp smile, carrying the patience of a predator stalking its prey… I was seeing an expression on his face that was so foreign, so dangerous, for the first time. My instincts were telling me this wasn't a good sign, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from him.
"I see…" he said, his voice still calm, but now there was something hidden beneath that calmness. Cold, sharp, and deep.
"I can't wait to hear how my master helped you, Aki."
Even the way he said my name was different. It wasn't as if he were calling me… he was pulling me into something.
END OF CHAPTER