And then, just like that, a portal formed behind Areon and Nova, its surface rippling softly with a controlled, unnatural stillness that didn’t belong to anything ordinary.

The sudden appearance of it made both of them react instantly.

Areon’s eyes narrowed slightly, his posture shifting just enough to signal alertness, while Nova’s gaze sharpened even more intensely, her attention snapping toward the old man without hesitation, her instincts immediately recognizing that what had just been done was not something simple or common.

Control over portals?

That alone was enough to raise concern before not to say.. now these same portals seems to be quite so intentional around and inside the Empire.

Their eyes locked onto Riven’s disguised form, both of them unconsciously memorizing every detail of his appearance, committing it to memory as a precaution, because this was not the kind of ability one simply ignored or dismissed.

Nova, in particular, did not stop at just observing.

Her senses moved.

Her mana extended outward, subtle and precise, reaching toward Riven in an attempt to understand what exactly he was, to gauge his presence, his depth, his nature.. Or even strength or even if it was disguise or something?

But the moment it touched him,

It just vanished.

Not blocked.

Not deflected.

Just Erased.. Completely. As if it had never existed in the first place.

Nova’s eyes narrowed further, a faint crease forming between her brows as that result settled in her mind, a silent alarm ringing deeper than anything visible on her face, because that was not normal, not even for someone powerful, and for the first time since arriving here, her attention toward this "old man" shifted from cautious curiosity to genuine wariness.

But.. She didn’t try it again.

Didn’t push further. Because she understood.

Whatever he was

It was beyond something she could casually probe or handle now.

Still, she forced herself to let it go for now, shaking that line of thought away as she turned her attention back to what mattered most, back to the one person she had come here for, and her gaze found Razeal again.

And yeah he still wasn’t looking at her.

And.. That, more than anything else, hurt.

But she stepped forward anyway as if suddenly thinking of something..

"Little brother..."

The words slipped out of her before she could stop them, soft, instinctive, carrying years of familiarity that refused to disappear just because everything else had broken apart.

Razeal’s response came immediately.

"Don’t call me that." His voice was flat and quiet Emotionless.

Nova’s expression faltered slightly at that, just for a fraction of a second, before she lowered her gaze briefly and nodded.

"Yes..."

There was no argument. No insistence. Just acceptance. A quiet and painful one.

Silence followed.

A few seconds stretched between them, heavy, unmoving, as if both of them were standing on opposite sides of something invisible that neither could cross anymore.

Then Nova lifted her gaze again.

This time, there was something different in her eyes not determination, not resolve, but something softer, something that didn’t try to fight or argue or prove anything.

"Can I ask you for one favor?" she said, her voice gentle, almost hesitant, but still steady enough to carry her intent clearly.

Razeal tilted his head slightly, confusion flashing briefly across his face as he looked at her, trying to understand what she was doing now, what she thought this situation had become, because from his perspective, nothing had changed, nothing had been repaired, and yet here she was, asking for something as if there was still a place left where such a request could exist.

What kind of favor could she even ask?

His thoughts moved quickly, instinctively analyzing, questioning, trying to anticipate, because nothing about this entire situation felt simple, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he had expected something something significant, something tied to everything that had been building up, something that would justify why fate itself had led things to this point.

But nothing had happened.

Not yet. And that made it feel even more off.

Still, he waited curiously.

Also little Confused as watching her.

And then Nova finally spoke.

"Can I hug you?" The words landed softly.

But the effect they had was anything but light.

For a brief moment, everything stilled.

Even the air itself felt heavier.

"I don’t know when or how long it will be before I see you again..." she continued, her voice quieter now, but carrying a fragile sincerity that did not try to hide itself. "Just once... it won’t take long." Her eyes held his, not demanding, not forcing, just... asking.

There was no pride left in that gaze. No authority no expectation. Only a quiet, aching hope. And that alone made it heavier than anything she had said before.

Around them, everyone’s attention shifted.

Sofia’s gaze moved from Nova to Razeal, her expression tightening slightly as she watched, uncertain of what would happen next.

Maria’s eyes narrowed just a fraction, observing both of them carefully, reading every subtle reaction.

Nancy stood still beside Razeal, her lips pressing together faintly, her gaze flickering between them, understanding more than she wanted to about what this moment meant.

Even Areon, who had already stepped back slightly, found himself pausing, watching this with a quiet tension.

And Riven..

Riven simply watched.

Silent and extremely Interested now..

Because this just became so more fun now..

"Just once..." Nova said again, softer this time, her voice almost barely above a whisper. "At least... let me have this much." She didn’t move closer. Didn’t reach out.

She stayed exactly where she was.

Waiting.

Razeal looked at her. And kept looking.

For a long time.

Their eyes locked, neither of them breaking that connection, neither of them looking away, as if everything that had ever existed between them was compressed into that single moment of silence.

There was no expression on his face.

Nothing clear.

Nothing readable.

Just stillness.

And then

"No."

The word came out clean. Ruthless in its simplicity. And just flat out Emotionless.

No hesitation or softening whatsoever.

No space left after it.

And just like that

It was over.

The silence that followed his answer did not feel like absence of sound, it felt heavier than anything spoken before, as if the air itself had thickened, pressing down on everyone present, and in that stillness Nova remained exactly where she was, her eyes still on him, her expression unmoving for a moment before something inside her finally shifted.

She nodded once, then again, slowly, repeatedly, as if accepting something she had already known but still needed to hear aloud, her lips parting slightly as she spoke in a soft, almost distant voice.

"I see..." and though her tone remained controlled, her eyes betrayed her just enough, the faint shimmer gathering at their edges, the kind that comes not from sudden pain but from something deeper, something that had been building for far too long and had finally reached a point where it could no longer remain untouched, yet even then she did not let a single tear fall, holding herself together with a quiet, stubborn strength that refused to break in front of him, even if it meant tearing herself apart internally.

Asking for that hug alone had taken more from her than anything else she had done so far, stripping away what little distance she had managed to keep between her pride and her vulnerability, and now that it had been denied, the weight of it pressed down even harder, but she did not argue, did not ask again, she simply accepted it for what it was, because she understood that pushing further would only make it worse.

"Let’s go," she said after a moment, her voice returning to something steadier as she turned slightly toward Areon, who stood beside her still processing everything that had just happened, and before he could even fully react, before he could say anything more or take another step, she grabbed his arm and, with a swift, decisive motion, pulled him forward and threw him directly into the portal behind them, his body disappearing through the surface in an instant, his voice cutting off abruptly mid-reaction as the portal swallowed him completely, leaving nothing but the faint echo of his surprise behind.

For a brief moment, Nova stood there alone again.

Her back turned to the portal, her face still toward Razeal.

She took a step forward, as if ready to leave without another word, but then she stopped, her movement halting mid-step as something held her back not physically, but something far heavier, something she could not simply walk away from without saying, and slowly, almost reluctantly, she turned around again to face him one last time.

"I’m going," she said, her voice quieter now, stripped of everything except honesty, her eyes meeting his again with that same depth that refused to disappear no matter how much he pushed her away. "I just want you to know... I miss you."

There was a small pause, not for effect, but because the words themselves carried weight.

"And I still love you."Her gaze did not waver.

"And I always will."

The confession was simple, direct, without any attempt to soften or hide it, as if she had already accepted whatever reaction or lack of reaction would come from him, and continued anyway.

"Just know that... even if you don’t want it... I’ll keep my eye on you." Her voice steadied further, a quiet resolve settling into it. "And I’ll always protect you. No matter what."

There was no pride in that statement, no claim of power, only a promise.

"And... if you ever need anything..." she added, her tone softening slightly, "if you’re ever in trouble... you can come to me."

Another small pause.

"I’ll never give up on you."

Razeal did not respond. He simply stood there, looking at her. His expression unchanged.

His silence still unbroken.

Nova watched him for a few seconds more, as if waiting not for words, but for something, anything that might show even the smallest shift, but when nothing came, when his gaze remained the same, unreadable, distant, she nodded again, a faint sadness settling deeper into her features.

"Please..." she said quietly, her voice lowering further now, almost fragile despite her efforts to keep it steady. "Someday... have it in your heart to forgive me... and my mistakes."

Her lips pressed together briefly before she continued, her voice tightening just slightly.

"Because I..."

She paused.

"...I don’t like being hated by you." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

The words came out softer than anything she had said so far, carrying something far more personal, far more vulnerable.

"I hated it... when you said you hate me."

Her gaze remained fixed on him, but there was something different now something that finally began to crack through the control she had been holding onto.

"And.. I... don’t want that."

A small breath escaped her.

"So... please... don’t hate me."

There was no pride left in those words.

No defense. Only a simple, honest plea.

"You’re the last person... I would ever want to hate me."

Razeal listened.

Every word.

Every pause.

Every shift in her voice.

He could feel it the weight behind it, the sincerity, the pain she wasn’t showing fully.. but even then, he chose not to respond, holding onto that silence like a shield, like a barrier he refused to let anything cross.

And Nova understood that.

She didn’t ask again.

Didn’t wait any longer. Because she already had her answer. So without saying anything further, she turned around.

This time, she didn’t stop.

She walked toward the portal with steady steps, her posture straight, her pace neither rushed nor hesitant, and as she crossed that threshold, as her face turned away from everyone present, the control she had maintained finally slipped.. just enough and thin streaks of tears began to fall silently from her eyes, tracing down her cheeks without sound, without resistance, because now there was no one left to see them, no one left to hold them back for, and even then, she did not turn around, did not look back, did not allow herself that one final weakness, she simply kept walking forward until her figure disappeared completely into the portal, leaving nothing behind but the lingering weight of everything she had said.

The portal closed shortly after.

And just like that

She was gone.

No one spoke again.

The space she left behind felt... empty in a way that was difficult to define, not because of her presence alone, but because of everything that had just passed through that space and vanished with her.

Razeal stood there, his gaze fixed on where the portal had been, his expression unchanged, his posture relaxed as always, but his eyes lingering just a fraction longer than necessary, as if something in him had not entirely moved on yet, even if he forced the rest of himself to do so.

Around him, the others watched.

Sofia’s gaze lingered on him, searching, questioning, but she said nothing.

Maria remained silent, her eyes sharp but thoughtful.

Nancy stood beside him, her expression quieter, heavier.

Riven watched as well, his usual amusement tempered slightly by something more observant.

And Razeal

After a moment, he finally exhaled softly.

"Well..." he thought to himself, his gaze shifting slightly as his mind moved away from the emotional weight of what had just happened, returning instead to something far more analytical, far more controlled.

Nothing that big happened... as I was expecting. There was a faint frown in his thoughts, not visible on his face, but present in the way his mind processed the situation.

It went... suspiciously well? He thought in his head

No chaos. No unexpected disruption. No direct consequence. And that, more than anything it felt wrong. Because if there was one thing he had learned

It was that things never went this smoothly with him. And it was

’Too smooth...’

His thoughts lingered there for a moment longer, a faint confusion settling in.

"What was the point of this?"

If fate or whatever force he believed in had gone out of its way to bring Nova here, then it should have meant something more, something impactful, something that would actually interfere with him, challenge him, disrupt him.

But this?

This was... nothing.

Or at least

It looked like nothing.

And that made it even more suspicious.

Still, he chose not to dwell on it further.

Not now atleast..

Because whether there was a hidden meaning or not

He would deal with it when it revealed itself.

For now

He had no intention of wasting more time on it.

Razeal let the silence sit for a few seconds after the portal closed, his gaze lingering on the empty space where Nova had disappeared as if confirming to himself that nothing remained there anymore, and only then did he finally shift his attention away, turning slightly as his eyes moved across the group before settling on Maria.

There was no particular emotion in his expression, just that same calm, controlled look he always carried, but the question he asked next came almost casually, as if it had just crossed his mind rather than being something he had been considering for long.

"You don’t want to meet your mother and say goodbye or something?" he asked, tilting his head slightly toward her, his tone neutral but not entirely dismissive, more like he was offering an option rather than pushing her toward it.

Maria looked at him for a brief moment, her expression steady, and then shook her head without hesitation. "No."

There was no conflict in her answer, no second thought, just a clear, simple refusal.

Razeal raised his brows slightly, not surprised exactly, but still giving it a second look. "You sure?" he asked, glancing briefly over his shoulder as he jerked his thumb back toward Riven, who stood not too far away, observing everything with quiet interest. "Because right now we have this wish-granting fairy standing here. I don’t know when we’ll get the next chance."

His tone carried a faint hint of dry humor, but the meaning behind it was clear this opportunity wasn’t something that would come easily again.

Maria followed the direction of his gesture for a second before returning her gaze to him, her expression unchanged. "No... it’s alright," she replied calmly. "I already spoke to her. I came to you after explaining everything... And telling her where I was going."

Her voice carried quiet certainty, and there was no regret in it, no lingering attachment that made her hesitate. She had already made her choice before coming with him.

Razeal studied her for a second, then gave a small shrug. "Of course you did."

There was nothing more to say on that.

"Alright then..." he continued, shifting his attention again, this time toward Riven. "Portal to Denvaar Kingdom."

Riven, who had now returned to his original appearance, stood facing him with that familiar, unreadable smile, his presence once again carrying that subtle weight that didn’t need to be announced to be felt. But instead of immediately complying, he lifted his hand slightly, gesturing behind himself.

"First... take this," he said, his tone smooth, controlled. "As you promised."

Razeal’s eyes followed the direction of his gesture, landing on the floating object behind Riven the Dimension Eye, still suspended in place, radiating that strange, unsettling presence that made it feel less like an artifact pr

Object and more like something alive.

"Yeah, sure," Razeal replied without hesitation.

But he didn’t move toward it.

Instead, the shadow beneath Riven’s feet stirred.

It rose.. not violently of abruptly, but extremely smoothly, almost like a living thing responding to its master’s will, stretching upward and forward in a controlled motion until it reached the floating eye, and then, without resistance, without disturbance, it swallowed it whole.

The moment it disappeared into the shadow, it was gone.

Completely.

No trace.

No residue.

No lingering presence.

Razeal didn’t even glance at it again as the shadow receded back to its original place beneath him, as if nothing had happened at all.

He had no intention of touching that thing. Not even coming close to it.

He didn’t trust it.

Didn’t trust what it could do, how it could bind, how it could react.

Something like that an EX-ranked object, something tied to dimensions themselves.. was not something you should casually interacted with.

Better to keep it contained.

Better to keep it under control.

And much better to keep it just fucking away.

Even if that meant locking it just away..

Riven watched the entire process carefully, his eyes lowering to the shadow beneath his feet, observing the way it moved, the way it consumed, the way it concealed.

"Interesting ability you’ve got there," he said, his tone thoughtful now, lacking his usual lightness.

His gaze lingered on the shadow as it settled back into place, his senses reaching out instinctively but there was nothing.

He couldn’t feel the object anymore.

Couldn’t even detect or trace it actually..

And.. For something to completely disappear from his perception...

That wasn’t normal.

"That’s impressive," he added quietly, before lifting his gaze back to Razeal. "Makes me wonder where you got something like that from."

Razeal though didn’t answer. Didn’t even react beyond a faint, indifferent look.

"I wonder," he said simply, leaving it at that.

Riven held his gaze for a moment longer, as if expecting more, but when nothing came, he let it go, his expression shifting back into that faint smile as he lifted his hand again.

"Anyway..."

He moved his fingers through the air once more, the space in front of him distorting in a far more noticeable way this time, golden light forming and stabilizing into a large, structured portal a short distance away from Razeal and his group.

Unlike the previous one, this one carried a different presence more stable, more defined, its edges glowing with a controlled radiance that made it feel almost ceremonial rather than purely functional.

"Here’s your portal to Denvaar Kingdom," Riven said, his tone casual as if he were offering something trivial rather than something that crossed entire regions of existence. "I keep my word."

Razeal looked at it for a moment, his eyes scanning it briefly not with suspicion, but with quiet confirmation and then he gave a small nod, a faint smile touching his lips.

"Alright. Let’s go, guys." He turned slightly toward his group, his voice steady, decisive, leaving no room for hesitation.

Then, just before moving, he paused and glanced back at Riven one last time.

A small smile remained on his face.

"Sayonara,"

"May we never meet again.. May you die a dogs death.." He said it though there was no hostility in his tone.

And with that, he turned away completely, signaling the others to move.

Yograj was the first to step forward, his expression serious but composed, and beside him, Levy and Aurora exchanged a brief glance before reaching for each other’s hands, a silent reassurance passing between them as they moved together, walking toward the portal with steady steps before crossing through it one after another, their figures disappearing into the golden light without resistance.

Razeal watched them go, his gaze calm, his posture relaxed, as if this was nothing more than another step forward rather than a transition into something uncertain.

Then he turned slightly toward Sofia, Nancy, and Maria.

A small nod.

They hesitated just for a second.

But when they looked at him, when they saw that same calm certainty in his expression, they nodded in return.

Sofia stepped forward first, her movements controlled, her gaze briefly flickering toward him before she turned and walked into the portal.

Nancy followed, her expression quieter now, her thoughts heavier, but her steps steady as she moved through the light and disappeared.

Maria was last among them, her eyes lingering on Razeal for a fraction longer than the others before she turned and walked forward as well, crossing through the portal without another word.

One by one, they were gone.

And Razeal remained standing there.

Still.. Watching.

Then..

Razeal gave one last glance toward Riven as he stepped forward, his body already angled toward the portal, his mind set on leaving, his expression calm and unreadable as ever, and for a moment it seemed like that would be it no more words, no more exchanges, just a clean end to whatever this encounter had been but just as he was about to cross through, Riven’s voice came from behind, cutting through the stillness with a sudden question that carried more weight than its tone initially suggested.

"How did you know?"

Razeal paused mid-step.

Not fully stopping, but just enough for the movement to slow, his attention shifting back slightly without turning completely, as Riven continued, his gaze fixed on Razeal’s back, his expression no longer playful, no longer amused, but genuinely questioning.

"How did you know I could make portals... and teleport people like this?"

There was a brief pause before he added, his tone tightening just a little, "The portals I created in the empire... those were with the help of the Dimension Eye."

Silence stretched for a second.

"Not many know about this," he continued, his voice quieter now, more focused. "Only some high-ranking gods are aware of it. Humans don’t even know teleportation exists yet... so how did you know I could do something like this?"

There was something unsettled beneath his words now, something he couldn’t quite place, because Razeal hadn’t guessed.. he had asked for it with certainty, as if it had already been confirmed in his mind long before this moment.

And that didn’t make sense.

Not from a human.

Not from anyone who shouldn’t have access to that kind of knowledge.

Razeal slowly turned his head over his shoulder, just enough for his gaze to meet Riven’s, and then.. he smiled.

Just a small, quiet smile that carried far more meaning than any direct answer could have.

"Who knows," he said simply.

And that was it. No explanation. No elaboration.

No.. Nothing.

Riven kept looking at him, his eyes narrowing just slightly as he nodded slowly, as if piecing something together in his mind, something that felt incomplete but still close enough to grasp.

"Just how far did he go into future...?" Riven thought to himself as wondered.. his mind already moving in a completely different direction. "How much did he see?" Because to him, there was only one explanation.

Razeal had experienced it. Had lived through it. Had seen things no one else had.

Obiously he didn’t know about novels as from where Razeal knowledge comes from.. So his conclusion bent toward what made sense to him

That Razeal had gone further than he should have. And come back.

Riven’s expression didn’t change outwardly, but internally, his thoughts were shifting, recalculating, trying to measure something he no longer felt confident about measuring.

Razeal, however, didn’t care about any of that.

He had already turned his attention away again..

But then suddenly he paused. Just slightly.

"I have a question too," he said, his voice calm, almost casual, as he looked back toward Riven again.

Riven’s eyes sharpened faintly.

"What is it?" he asked, curiosity slipping into his tone, because if there was one thing he couldn’t deny it was that Razeal’s questions could never be simple.

Kid’s quite mysterious.. like literally get to know about destiny and fate plans by himself.

Razeal looked at him for a moment, his gaze steady, something quieter and deeper settling into it now.

"I’ve been curious about this for a while," he said.

"Do these portals and rifts... appear in the heavens too?" A small pause followed.

"Or are these problems only for us?"

Another slight pause.

"Only for the people down here?"

And the moment the question left his mouth

Everything stopped.

Riven didn’t react immediately.

Didn’t frown, didn’t shift, didnt even speak. He simply looked at Razeal.

Completely still.

His expression unchanged. But the silence

That silence spoke louder than anything he could have said.

Razeal just kept watching him.

As he Waited.

Giving him time.

Because if there was one thing he knew

It was that Riven couldn’t lie.

So if he chose not to answer.. That itself was an answer.

A very clear one.

Seconds passed.

No response.

Not even a single word.

And slowly

Razeal’s smile began to grow. Not out of amusement alone, but out of confirmation.

The doubt he had carried until now. The suspicion that had been sitting in the back of his mind.. It was starting to solidify.

After all

Why would someone who cannot lie... choose silence? Isn’t that more suspicious than any answer?

Isn’t that worse?

Razeal let out a low laugh, the sound cutting through the stillness with a sharp, almost mocking edge.

"Hahaha..." He shook his head slightly, looking at Riven with that same grin still on his face.

"That’s quite hypocritical of you, isn’t it?" he said, his tone light, but every word carrying weight.

He took a small step closer, just enough to make the distance between them feel more deliberate.

"Let me guess," he continued, his voice slowing down, each word placed carefully. "You gods used this eye... one way or another..."

"And then you chose to save your own place..."

"Heavens. For Peace."

"But let all these portals and rifts... open only here?" His voice lowered slightly.

"In the mortal world?" Another pause.

"For monsters to roam freely..."

"For people to die..." His eyes didn’t leave Riven’s for even a second. "Or something like that?"

The accusation wasn’t loud. It didn’t need to be.

It landed exactly where it was meant to.

And still

Riven said nothing. Not a single fucking word.

He just stood there, looking at Razeal, his silence now heavier than before, more deliberate, more controlled.

And that.. That was enough.

As.. Razeal’s grin widened further.

"Interesting..." he murmured softly.

Then he tilted his head slightly, his tone shifting again, mockery slipping back into it. "I wonder why that is..."

"Let me Guess."

A small pause.

"For the greater good?" The words came out with clear sarcasm, the kind that didn’t need emphasis to be understood.

Still

No answer. Not even a reaction.

And Razeal didn’t push further. Didn’t need to. He had already gotten what he wanted.

"Hah..." he let out another quiet laugh, shaking his head once as if amused by the irony of it all.

"Hypocrites." He didn’t say anything more after that. There was nothing left to ask. Nothing left to confirm.

And without another glance

He turned. And walked forward.

This time, he didn’t stop or look back.

He stepped through the portal, his figure disappearing into the golden light, leaving behind nothing but the faint ripple of its surface settling once again.

And just like that

He was gone so..

Now only.. Riven stood there.

Still and very Silent.

His eyes fixed on the portal long after Razeal had disappeared through it, as if expecting something more to happen, something to follow, something to reveal itself.. but nothing did.

Only silence remained.

Minutes passed.

Slowly. Very slowly.. almost Deliberately.

And then, finally..

Riven let out a long, deep sigh, the sound quiet but heavy, carrying something that hadn’t been there before.

"...That was bad..," he murmured under his breath.

He raised his hand again, snapping his fingers lightly, and the portal vanished instantly, the golden light collapsing into nothing as if it had never existed in the first place.

The space returned to what it had been before.

Empty.

Nothing but stone floors stretching across the area, scattered rocks lying here and there, no presence left behind, no trace of what had just happened except for the lingering weight in the air.

Riven stood there for a moment longer.

Then

He disappeared as well.

And just like that

The place was left completely empty.

——