Kanzaki Rei extended his perception into the vortex, but it vanished like a clay ox sinking into the sea. The moment it entered the spiral, all sensation disappeared completely.
Another place like this…
Kanzaki Rei already had psychological trauma from locations connected to the Primordial Forbidden Magics.
But no matter what—
This was still a future preview.
If even a future preview couldn't enter, then where else could?
Besides, the reason the previous Time Ruins had sealed future previews was because it had been a ruin related specifically to time.
Surely not everyone was Aehkator.
Not everyone could lock down time itself…
And besides—
The current him was no longer the same as before.
After confirming his condition, Kanzaki Rei immediately dropped downward and plunged headfirst into the vortex!
Splash!
The instant he passed through the vortex—
It felt like drowning.
As though submerged within a black ocean.
And gradually, voices began echoing beside his ears.
"Lu Cang…"
"Lu Cang…"
"LU CANG!"
The voice grew closer and louder.
Kanzaki Rei opened his eyes!
Swoosh!
He appeared amidst a forest of skyscrapers.
"Earth again?"
"How many times am I supposed to return to Earth…"
Although he had only truly returned to Earth once, within dreams, within the Deep Strata, within countless previews, and within reset timelines—
He had already returned dozens, perhaps even hundreds of times.
Earth had become like a dreamlike bubble.
"An illusion."
But this time, the instant he entered, Kanzaki Rei had already sensed the true nature of the place.
This was an illusion.
"The Deepest Truth" transmitted that conclusion directly to him.
At the same time, with his second glance—
He saw the girl standing before him.
Kokoro Senka.
"So we meet another familiar face…"
"No… can you even truly be called human?"
Skyscrapers towered overhead while endless streams of people flowed through the streets.
Yet Kanzaki Rei's gaze remained fixed directly upon the silver-haired girl with twin tails standing ahead of him.
"Ah~"
"You saw through me immediately?"
The moment Kokoro Senka spoke—
Swoosh!
Her pupils abruptly contracted.
The surrounding scenery instantly transformed into a pure white world.
Dreamlike bubbles floated through the sky, each containing the scenery of an entirely different world.
The Deep Strata.
But not the real Deep Strata—
An illusion.
Kanzaki Rei had completely seized control of her illusion and imposed it back onto her.
At this moment, Kokoro Senka could no longer distinguish reality from fantasy.
Tap—
The sound of footsteps echoed from behind her.
Kokoro Senka whipped around instantly.
But when she turned—
Kanzaki Rei was nowhere to be seen.
Yet from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of him standing directly in front of her.
But when she turned back again—
There was still no trace of him.
"Did Lottie send you?"
Kanzaki Rei's perception had already swept across Kokoro Senka's body.
Like a gentle hand—
Caressing every curve of her delicate figure.
"You've become more human than before. Your emotions are richer now."
"And you seem to be more than just fantasy itself… You really are quite mysterious."
Kanzaki Rei spoke lightly, one word at a time.
But Kokoro Senka couldn't locate him no matter what she did.
Still, she quickly steadied herself.
"Mysterious?"
"I think I'm hardly the only mysterious one here. You're an existence no one can see through either. You made a promise with my master, then disappeared for ten entire years."
"Because of you, my master failed to become Moonstar. The position was ultimately stolen by Aramochi."
"All of my master's preparations spanning thousands of years were ruined."
"And yet no one in the world could find any trace of you."
"And now you dare show yourself again?"
After listening to her resentment-filled accusations, Kanzaki Rei fell silent for a moment.
"Your master altered my mind within my Sea of Consciousness. Why don't you mention that?"
Kokoro Senka sneered.
"And wasn't that for your own good? You were already tainted by corruption. If my master hadn't intervened in your mind, do you really think you would still be yourself?"
"Distortion can only be fought with distortion. What else did you expect?"
"My master acted for your sake first, yet you broke your promise at the most important moment."
"So why are you here today?"
Kanzaki Rei looked toward Kokoro Senka.
There was no special destiny surrounding her, but he could still see the timing of her death.
Approximately two years from now.
His gaze pierced through layer after layer of space.
Phase space.
Mental space.
Elemental space.
Void.
Time…
He saw through her completely.
He even saw the magic she possessed.
But the magic she wielded was extraordinarily unique—something entirely absent from the outside world's magic systems.
Fantasy Magic.
And another branch—
Mental Magic.
"I came because someone told me the Eighth Forbidden Magic—Fate—is here."
"The Eighth Forbidden Magic?"
"And you think you're worthy of obtaining a Forbidden Magic?"
Kokoro Senka's tone was openly hostile.
Kanzaki Rei let out a soft sigh.
"No matter what you say, I'm taking this Forbidden Magic. Unless you came here for the same reason?"
"Kokoro Senka"
"Fantasy Sorcerer (Level 8)"
"A nonexistent class that exists only within fantasy."
Kokoro Senka was a person imagined into existence by Lottie.
Someone who had never originally existed in this world.
And now, even her class was a nonexistent class.
As for her Talents and learned magic—
Some of them were fundamentally fictional as well.
Simply put—
The very person standing before him was a paradox fabricated from nothingness.
"If everyone can learn this Forbidden Magic, then I don't think we need to fight. Cooperation would be enough."
"The Primordial Forbidden Magics aren't unique. There's no need for conflict between us."
Kanzaki Rei still felt somewhat guilty about failing to fulfill Lottie's request.
After all, it had been a promise.
And afterward, he had indeed come to feel that Lottie might have harbored some questionable intentions.
But at the very least—
She had never truly harmed him.
The corruption he suffered had not been caused by Lottie.
As Kanzaki Rei spoke, his figure finally appeared before Kokoro Senka.
"Cooperate?"
"You've got to be joking."
Kokoro Senka had just begun to flare with anger when Kanzaki Rei placed a hand upon her shoulder.
The fury in her heart instantly dissipated by more than half.
Mental Magic.
Frozen Serenity.
Even if Kokoro Senka wanted to become angry, she no longer could.
Kanzaki Rei smiled gently.
"See? Once you calm down rationally, you should understand that fighting me isn't the right choice. Cooperation is."
"There's something here you can't deal with alone, isn't there?" Kanzaki Rei asked with a soft smile full of concern. "Failing to uphold our agreement back then was my fault, but I had my own circumstances."
"You really need to obtain this Eighth Forbidden Magic, don't you?"
Kokoro Senka clenched her teeth, but she genuinely couldn't summon any anger.
"Yes… There really is something here I can't handle."
"That's more like it. I'm very strong, you know."
"You probably also want to know why I failed to fulfill the agreement. I can explain it slowly."
Kanzaki Rei had absolutely no intention of killing Kokoro Senka.
After all, this was merely a preview.
Killing her here wouldn't truly kill her.
But if he could learn information about Lottie from her—
Then that would be another valuable source of intelligence.