The transition from the Wood Shard to the next fragment of reality was not a physical journey. It was a step sideways through the code of the universe. Alvian held the [Soul Vessel] containing the essence of Echo Jiaojiao, the corrupted gardener, and used it as a compass. The [Reality Anchor] inside hummed, pulling him toward its siblings.
"Hold on," Alvian ordered.
Seraphina gripped his arm. Her face was pale, the exhaustion of the endless battle in the Wood Shard still clinging to her. She looked at the grey mist swirling around them—the Dimensional Gap. It was a place where physics went to die, a graveyard of deleted assets and corrupted timelines.
"Where are we going?" Seraphina asked, her voice thin in the airless void.
"To the bank," Alvian replied.
He stepped forward. The grey mist tore open, revealing a blinding, golden light.
They fell through the tear.
