*BZZZZZZ—*
Sparks exploded as the group tried again to force their way through the barrier. No luck. Not with strength, not with spells. The damn thing didn't budge.
Then Nyx stepped forward.
He didn't speak. Just raised his hand—and activated his mana. But not just that. [Origin] flared from within him, coating the group in a transparent field of energy that shimmered faintly.
The buzzing cut off. The barrier went dead silent. And then—
FWOOOM.
A pure white light erupted from beneath them, swallowing them whole. A second later, they were gone.
---
"Ughh…"
Nyx blinked, groaning as he sat up. His stomach twisted like he'd just survived a blender ride through hell. Everything felt off—his balance, his breath, his bones.
He staggered upright, instinct kicking in first. Check surroundings. Check the team.
The others groaned awake nearby, some coughing, some throwing up. Valon cursed under his breath. Samantha rubbed her temples.
"You all alive?" Nyx asked.
No one answered directly, but they got up. Slowly. Reluctantly.
Then they all looked around—and what they saw killed whatever complaints they had lined up.
A chamber.
No, a fortress carved into the depths of the world. Ancient stone pillars reached higher than the eye could track. The ceiling was lost to shadow. The air was cold, dry, untouched by time.
"This was… inside that temple?" Theo whispered, awe and disbelief clashing in his voice. "What even is this place?"
"No idea," Nyx muttered. "But we move."
He pulled the orb from his system storage. The second it came out, it began to glow—then float—then shoot forward like it knew the damn place.
Nyx followed it without hesitation. The others, a bit less confidently.
"…We're really trusting the floating red ball?" Valon muttered, half-joking, half-tense.
"You got a better lead? Shut up and walk," Nyx snapped.
The orb took a sharp turn down a narrow hallway, weaving through bends and arches until it stopped—right before another chamber.
---
They stepped in—and froze.
The room wasn't like the last one. This wasn't just some oversized cave.
At the center stood an altar—stone, smooth, massive. Surrounding it, six floating statues, all unique, each carved in a completely different style. Robed, armored, monstrous. Each one hovered in place, positioned around the altar like guards on permanent watch.
Nyx didn't say a word. He didn't need to. Every alarm in his gut was ringing.
The orb floated into the chamber—and the statues reacted.
Eyes lit up. Not violently. Not hostile. But with recognition. And then—they knelt.
Each of them shifted silently, descending until they were bowed in reverence. Their forms, massive and ancient, bent toward the altar like it meant everything.
"…I don't like this." Theo whispered.
"If they start chanting, I'm out." Valon muttered, blade already halfway drawn.
The girls didn't speak, but they were already in position.
"Stay back," Nyx ordered, serious and steady. "No one moves until I say."
He stepped forward alone, following the orb's lead as it hovered closer and closer to the altar. His hand twitched near his blade, ready for anything.
He didn't know what this place was.
He didn't care if it was sacred, cursed, or forgotten.
Whatever waited here… he'd face it.
Nyx stepped onto the altar, eyes scanning for traps out of habit. Nothing moved. No aura. No whispers. Just old stone and silence.
The altar itself was plain—just a chunk of rock carved from the same floor it sat on. Nothing divine about it. Except the groove in the center. Small, circular. Same size as the orb.
He didn't waste time.
Click. The orb slotted in perfectly.
Then—boom.
Light. Violent, blinding light.
The entire chamber shook, dust falling like ash from the ceiling. The others readied their weapons, expecting demons, explosions, or hell to break loose. But nothing came.
Except Nyx was gone—swallowed by the light.
---
He opened his eyes, but it wasn't his body that did it.
Everything around him was white. Blank. No up. No down. No noise. Just emptiness stretched to infinity.
Then the voice came. Not loud. Not booming. Just... there
"Not yet."
Nyx didn't react. No surprise. No panic. Just that dead-eyed stare like he'd seen worse than this in a back alley when he was twelve.
"…Huh."
"Collect the keys. They'll help you."
A green light flickered in front of him—dim, slow, then faster—until it slammed straight into his chest. He felt it settle, like something crawling into his bones.
Outside, the rest of the group tensed as the same green light emerged from the altar and pierced each of them in turn.
No pain. No screams. Just silence. Back inside the void, Nyx blinked, unimpressed.
"…Let me guess," he said, dry as hell. "That was [Origin], right?"
The voice paused. Then, it sounded… amused.
"You're not the one we've been waiting for... outsider."
That word hit like a dagger through the ribs.
Nyx's fingers twitched. A chill crawled up his spine. He didn't move. Didn't speak. But his instincts screamed.
Then—
[Unknown entity attempting to breach host's veil.]
[Prevention Protocol: Activating.]
The system's voice came in cold and fast—no sarcasm this time. Just warning.
The voice chuckled again.
"Doesn't matter who you are. Just play your part, outsider."
And with that— Snap.
---
Nyx was back. Standing where he'd vanished, like he'd never left. The light was gone, but the pressure in the air hadn't faded.
He dusted himself off like it was just another Tuesday.
"Old bastards. Always throwing me out like I owe them something," he muttered.
The group looked at him—waiting.
Samantha stepped forward. "What the hell happened?"
He didn't answer her. Instead, he asked the only one that mattered.
'It saw through, didn't it… System?'
[Be happy you didn't get turned into cosmic dust.]
"…Tch."
He spat to the side and looked up at the altar again. This wasn't just some dead relic. It was watching.
'What the hell was that green light?'
[Oh! That old geezer just doubled all your stats. And quadrupled your [Origin] stat.]
[Pretty generous, huh?]
'Tch… Gramps was oddly helpful for once.'
Nyx's eyes flicked back to the group. "Did you all get that green light?"
They nodded slowly, still disoriented. Samantha spoke first. "Yeah, but… what was that?"
"An upgrade," Nyx said flatly. "The best one you've had so far."
Confusion lingered for a second—until it hit them.
Suddenly, like someone had pulled the brakes off their bodies, the group felt it. Every breath lighter. Every muscle tighter. Mana pulsing louder through veins they never noticed before. Like their insides had been rebuilt and reinforced with raw power.
Theo clenched his fist, eyes widening. "I… feel stronger."
"Yeah, no shit." Nyx turned, already walking toward the exit. "Let's move. Before Gramps decides to crack us open for overstaying."
"Gramps…?" Reina echoed, blinking.
Ruby gave her a look. "Do you know what he's talking about?"
Reina shook her head. "I never do."
They followed anyway.
---
As they stepped out of the chamber, that same blinding light enveloped them—and just like that, they were back.
The village air hit them first—cool, fresh, and eerily still. Waiting at the edge of the teleport point were two familiar faces.
Gataar. Tara.
The chieftain's face split into a smile that was too damn wide for his usual calm self—like a father seeing his child take their first step.
"I knew it…" he breathed, half-laughing, half-choking on emotion. He ran over, breath ragged. "Wh–What was inside? Tell me!"
Nyx didn't stop. He didn't flinch. Just passed by, eyes ahead.
"We've got a long way to go before any of that matters, Gataar," he said over his shoulder. "But we've started walking it."
He didn't wait for the response. Just kept moving, the group falling in behind him as the village slowly faded behind their steps.
And then—just as they reached the treeline—a voice shouted after him:
"I'll be waiting, friend! Until the day you promised comes!"
Nyx didn't stop. Didn't look back. But a smirk tugged at his lips.
"…Bastard," he muttered under his breath.
---
"Let's go," Nyx said, adjusting his coat with casual finality. "Our next destination—the royal capital."
The words hit harder than any sword could've.
Samantha stiffened immediately. Her breathing hitched, almost imperceptibly—but Nyx noticed. Ruby tensed too, arms folding like she needed to shield something that wasn't even visible. And Valon… his fists were clenched so tightly, his knuckles had turned white.
None of them moved. The wind rustled the trees. Even that sounded too loud.
Nyx scanned their expressions, catching every flinch, every flicker. He didn't need to ask why. He already knew.
"It's not like you can run forever, Sam," he said quietly, stepping up beside her. "So let's face it. Together."
He rested a hand on her shoulder—light, but firm. It wasn't a gesture of comfort. It was a reminder. She wasn't alone anymore. Not in this.
Her eyes met his. Something in them wavered—then steadied.
Nyx turned to Valon next, hand extended. "Shall we?"
Valon didn't respond immediately. His gaze was locked on the ground, as if some piece of it held all the answers. But then—he let out a breath, took Nyx's hand, and pulled himself up straight.
"…Let's do it then," he said, a grin slowly blooming. "Together."
That was all Nyx needed.
He turned around with that same unshakable pace, the one that said he wasn't asking for permission. Just offering a path.
"To the royal capital," he said aloud, voice even, confident.
"To the royal capital," the group repeated—this time with conviction.
A new arc had begun. And behind their steps… the past followed.