In the corridor leading up to Enzo's room, a group of monsters shuffled forward in a tight cluster, shoulders brushing, steps careful. Their gazes stayed low, fixed on the stone beneath their feet, as though even a stray glance might invite disaster. The air around them felt heavy, thick with an unspoken warning they all understood.
At the far end of the corridor, three men and two figures emerged, moving at an unhurried pace. Their expressions were calm, almost entertained, eyes sharp and steady as they took everything in. The monsters barely registered to them. Despite the jagged horns, warped limbs, and lingering scent of blood, they were insignificant.
After all, the two among them were gods.
They passed one another without a word, their paths crossing as if by accident. The Tyrant did not dare acknowledge them, fear rooting his gaze straight ahead, terror whispering of instant annihilation. His instincts screamed submission.
As for the gods, they allowed the moment to pass untouched. There was no need to press their presence too hard. These creatures would be useful soon enough, and fear was a resource best harvested slowly.
They reached the door at the end of the corridor and opened it without knocking, stepping inside as though the space already belonged to them.
Beside the bed, seated on a tall stool, Master White leaned forward slightly. His eyes rested on the young man below, who was focused on a bowl of stir fried rice, eating with slow, deliberate motions that suggested exhaustion rather than hunger.
"Enjoying your recovery, I see," Inkous said calmly, a faint smile forming as his gaze drifted around the room, taking in every detail.
All weavers below sanctified rank had been evacuated from the city under the agreements forged by Inkous and the Mind Worm. Orders had been absolute. No exceptions. Enzo alone had been left behind, trapped in the villa, his injuries making escape impossible.
Yet in the end, it was he who had stopped the city from drowning beneath chaos and ruin. Against all odds, he had stood his ground.
He was a hero.
"Hehe." Enzo noticed Inkous at once. His hand paused mid bite, body stiffening before he forced an awkward smile. Divinity was not unfamiliar to him. He had brushed against it too many times to mistake the feeling.
Even without being told, he knew.
Master Inkous was a god now.
""Congratulations to both of you. You have done the institute proud," Master Inkous said, nodding once toward Enzo and then to Master Seth.
Enzo had completed a full voyage, returning alive with scars and insight, while the location of a Demi God seed had been unveiled to Seth. It was a clean gain, tangible and undeniable. Power had shifted in the institute's favor.
"Make preparations. I will assign a special team to follow you into the mountains and support your Demi God voyage. Soon, we will have another demi god among our ranks," Inkous said, his smile calm as words of encouragement flowed easily.
"Another?" Seth frowned, the thought catching him off guard, before he slowly nodded. It seemed fortune had not chosen him alone.
Turning back to Enzo without waiting for a response, Master Inkous cleared his throat softly.
"I am in a bit of a bind here, kid."
The reward for halting the city's collapse and lifting the barrier was meant to be a supreme grade star seed. It was an honor few ever touched. Yet Enzo had just returned from a voyage, his body and core still settling. Another so soon would be reckless, even with something that valuable.
"Sorry," Enzo replied, unsure how else to respond.
The truth was simple. He had already taken far more from the voyage than most ever would. Anything else now would be little more than a constellation prize.
"Haha, don't mind me. It's fine. There is still a lot I can do," Inkous laughed, the sound filling the room with an easy confidence.
He knew Enzo was special. His tie to Galafray was not something that could be replicated or forced. That was why he had been made one of the key point guards for exploration.
Thankfully, he had not disappointed.
With some effort and careful rebuilding, the industrial city would be operational again before long. Paired with that unforgiving shield, it would no longer be a liability.
It would be a fortress.
""But first, I want to explain the situation to you all," Master Inkous said, his hand lifting as ink pooled in the air. Two chairs took shape, dark and fluid, before solidifying with a dull thud against the floor.
He took his seat and began without hesitation.
"Galafray has been infiltrated by five powerful forces as of today, and all of them are working against us in secret."
His voice was steady, but the weight behind it was undeniable.
"They are seizing equipment, kidnapping people, and destroying key sites. We are reinforcing security where we can, but the truth is simple. They are trying to carve out a piece of this planet for themselves."
Inkous leaned back slightly, his gaze sharp.
"I have become a god. As such, I can exert a great deal of influence. As long as their own gods do not descend, we will remain the majority. However, with their presence here, I cannot guarantee the safety of my most precious fighters."
Those with the greatest potential could no longer remain on Galafray. Anyone who showed promise would become a target. That was the reality now, harsh and unavoidable.
"This applies to Earth as well."
A chill ran down Enzo's spine, his hand freezing halfway to the bowl. His breath caught as the realization struck him fully.
Master Inkous was standing there in the flesh.
Not an avatar. Not a projection.
The old man was truly here, on Galafray.
If Weavetech or any other power decided to strike, they could. The thought alone made Enzo's chest tighten.
"Do not worry," Inkous continued calmly. "We still have allies on Earth. But even they cannot watch over your bodies forever. Until Seth completes his Demi God voyage, I will be relocating many of you elsewhere."
For a brief moment after his words settled, the room fell silent. Thoughts raced, fears surfaced, and possibilities unfolded all at once.
Their success had come at a cost.
"Wait," Enzo said suddenly, the words slipping out before he could stop them. His mind had already leapt to his family, still back on Earth, unaware of how close danger truly was. "Where are we being sent?"
"The safest place that is still close to Earth is the Gaia Super Ice World," Inkous replied evenly. "That will be your destination."
The calmness of his tone did nothing to soften the impact.
A super world.
Those were humanity's greatest havens, colossal realms forged to withstand gods, calamities, and extinction itself.
Enzo's heartbeat thundered in his ears as the weight of it all finally sank in.
He had not expected to be heading to one of those places so soon. The thought lingered, heavy and unreal, settling somewhere in his chest.
"Another question," Enzo said, raising his hand a moment later.
Since arriving here, he had not seen Raven or Zeke. Even Zhou was gone. They should have been here already, forcing their way in with noise and impatience. The silence where they should have been was unsettling.
"Your friends?" Inkous raised a brow, mild surprise flickering across his face.
Ordinarily, matters like missing foot soldiers would never reach his ears. They were beneath his concern. This time was different.
"A God From the Sky came to me some time ago," Inkous said slowly, "and requested that Zeke accompany him. The two seemed to share a close relationship, so I permitted them to leave together."
Enzo listened without interrupting, his expression unreadable.
"I suspect Zeke is undergoing his own voyage now, or will be very soon," Inkous continued.
The Sky were tightly bound by tradition and blood. Their gods were known to act personally when one of their own was involved. Inkous found nothing strange about that part.
"As for the girl…"
Inkous paused.
The air in the room tightened, pressure pressing down on Enzo's shoulders. His instincts flared.
"The truth is, I do not know who took her."
Enzo frowned, confusion and dread twisting together, while Master White lowered his head, shame written clearly across his face. He had raised the alarm himself. He had asked. Yet even Inkous had come up empty handed.
Inkous glanced at Enzo, his voice lowering slightly.
"I know you were close. I can imagine what you are feeling."
Enzo said nothing, but his hands curled slowly at his sides.
"The only thing I can tell you is this," Inkous said. "The girl's background is… special. And where you might find her, you may be surprised to learn, aligns closely with your next destination."
The Gaia Super Ice World.
The words echoed in Enzo's mind.
Raven's heritage traced back there. Deep roots buried beneath ice and ancient cities. If she had been taken, then those responsible were likely from that world as well.
The destination had just become far more personal.
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