Three months later.
The world had changed.
Not overnight.
Not dramatically.
But undeniably.
The Sovereign Citadel still stood.
The Academies still trained awakeners.
The Titans still existed.
Yet something fundamental had shifted.
Choice.
The Path of Possibility had spread farther than anyone expected.
Awakeners who once followed rigid advancement routes began discovering unique evolutions.
Titan users found pathways no system had ever recorded.
Entire research divisions dedicated themselves to studying the phenomenon.
And nobody understood it better than Harold.
Mostly because he didn't understand it at all.
Storm dropped a stack of reports onto a table.
"Explain this."
Harold glanced at the papers.
"…No."
Storm pointed aggressively.
"Exactly!"
Frost sighed from nearby.
"You asked the wrong person."
Storm looked horrified.
"HE STARTED IT!"
Harold leaned back in his chair.
"I didn't start anything."
The Monkey King immediately laughed.
"Sure."
The Devourer rumbled.
"…Technically inaccurate."
Unity remained amused.
"Evidence suggests otherwise."
Harold ignored them.
The Academy had rebuilt quickly after the Boundary crisis.
Most students had returned to normal training.
Most.
Because a growing number of awakeners had begun experiencing unusual developments.
Abilities evolving unexpectedly.
New powers appearing.
Previously impossible combinations emerging.
The old advancement models were becoming unreliable.
Storm threw another report onto the pile.
"This guy awakened a water Titan."
Harold nodded.
"Okay."
Storm pointed dramatically.
"Then it evolved into a lightning phoenix."
Silence.
Harold blinked.
"…What?"
Frost rubbed his forehead.
"Exactly."
The Academy's understanding of progression was collapsing.
And everyone blamed Harold.
Not openly.
But definitely internally.
A knock interrupted them.
Before anyone answered—
The door opened.
An instructor entered hurriedly.
His expression immediately drew attention.
Concern.
"Headmaster requests your presence."
Storm groaned.
"There it is."
Harold stood.
"…What happened?"
The instructor hesitated.
Then answered quietly.
"A gate appeared."
Silence.
Frost frowned.
"…A dungeon gate?"
The instructor shook his head.
"No."
A pause.
"…A world gate."
The room went still.
Because world gates didn't exist.
Or at least—
They weren't supposed to.
The Boundary had sealed realities apart for countless ages.
Now—
Something new had appeared.
Harold's eyes narrowed.
Inside—
The Counter-Sovereign stirred immediately.
"Unknown phenomenon detected."
Unity pulsed softly.
"Possibility pathway expanding."
The Monkey King grinned.
"Ooooh."
The Devourer rumbled.
"…Interesting."
Minutes later—
Harold stood atop the Academy's highest observation platform.
The Headmaster waited there.
Alongside Lucien.
And several Sovereigns.
None looked relaxed.
The Headmaster pointed upward.
"…See for yourself."
Harold followed his gaze.
And froze.
A massive circular opening floated in the sky.
Not a crack.
Not a tear.
A doorway.
Beyond it—
Another world was visible.
Floating continents.
Golden oceans.
Multiple moons.
An entirely different reality.
Storm arrived moments later.
Looked up.
Then immediately pointed.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"I think that's another world."
Lucien nodded.
"It is."
Silence.
Harold stared at the impossible gateway.
Inside—
The system reacted differently than expected.
Not warning.
Not concern.
Recognition.
The Counter-Sovereign whispered.
"…Pathway established."
Unity glowed softly.
"Connection accepted."
The Headmaster looked toward Harold.
"…Any idea what caused this?"
Harold answered honestly.
"No."
Then—
A voice echoed from the gateway.
Clear.
Strong.
Unknown.
"Attention."
Everyone looked up.
A figure stood on the opposite side.
Human.
Young.
And staring directly at Harold.
"We finally found you."
Silence.
Storm slowly turned toward Harold.
"…Why does everyone keep saying that?"
The stranger smiled.
Then said the words that changed everything.
"Welcome to the greater worlds."
End of Chapter 1 (Volume 2)