After crossing the massive wall, Kaigen and Rita were the first to reach the Tower, their unmatched speed carrying them ahead of the rest.

  The powerful gusts from Kaigen’s enormous wings scattered the snow beneath him, revealing the ice-covered ground. His cwed feet dug deep into the frozen surface as he nded.

  Rita leaped off his back, her gaze immediately drawn to the abyssal void swirling above. The sight was both harrowing and mesmerizing. It was a vortex of energy spiraling in violet and gold, crackling with strange lightning that cshed violently against the beacon crowning the Ivory Tower.

  Meanwhile, Kaigen’s colossal dragon form shimmered as it was engulfed by wind and light. In an instant, the massive beast was gone, repced by a middle-aged man cd in green and gold armor. His presence alone was enough to disturb the air around them, a pressure so immense that even Rita, who was hardened by battle, felt its weight.

  This was the presence of a Sorcerer.

  Kaigen’s sharp, intelligent eyes scanned the Ivory Tower, his expression unreadable.

  ‘Hmmm…”

  Despite his heightened awareness, he sensed… nothing. He forced his command onto the wind inside the tower, which freely moved inside, brushing against the smooth pilrs and floor.

  He stayed focused for a while to confirm that there wasn’t anything inside the structure.

  “There’s….”

  Rita narrowed her eyes. “Someone’s inside.”

  “Huh?” Kaigen’s gaze darkened, slightly surprised. ‘Someone beyond the reach of my wind? Interesting. If I didn’t have her by my side, I would’ve messed up.’

  He didn’t say anything to the young woman, only a nod to show that he understood.

  With that, a faint glow flickered within his irises as his jade dao materialized in his right hand, shimmering with ethereal energy.

  “Stay behind me,” he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument as he ascended the white steps leading to the tower’s entrance.

  The cold air bit at their skin, and the dim twilight cast long, eerie shadows across the silent expanse. The stillness here was unnatural, thick, and suffocating. Even the wind, usually ever-present in open spaces, dared not stir. But Kaigen was a Sorcerer. Adaptation was second nature to him.

  With the slightest pulse of his Zenshi, he pressed against the massive white doors. They groaned open, a low, resonant sound breaking the unnatural quiet.

  He scowled. “Hmm…”

  Beyond the threshold y a vast interior, bathed in an eerie, pale glow. White pilrs, impossibly smooth, stretched toward the high ceiling like trees sculpted by divine hands—fwless, yet sterile, as though untouched by time.

  Kaigen tightened his grip on his bde as he stepped into the tower. His movements were precise, slow, deliberate, and utterly soundless.

  Being a sorcerer did not mean he was invincible, as most mundanes thought.

  After taking ten more steps, Kaigen stopped immediately when he sensed something.

  A presence!

  It was subtle at first, like a whisper against his senses, but it struck with enough force to make his instincts fre. Without hesitation, his Battle Aura surged to life like a violent storm.

  "Calm down."

  The voice was smooth and confident. A woman's voice.

  Kaigen’s sharp gaze snapped toward the source.

  She stood partially veiled by the shadows, leaning casually against one of the towering white pilrs. Her arms were crossed over her chest, exuding a calmness that sharply contrasted with the tension in the air.

  She was looking at him with ruby-like eyes.

  ‘She wasn’t there a second ago!’

  Kaigen’s thoughts screamed at him. His grip on his bde tightened, his body coiled like a predator ready to strike.

  The golden-haired woman regarded him with an unreadable expression. Then, with the faintest smile, she spoke:

  “Kaigen the Dragon, I’ve been expecting you.”

  Her voice was calm, unshaken. That alone set off arms in his mind. Most would struggle beneath the weight of someone who had transcended beyond the Third Gate.

  This woman was unfazed!

  His wariness only deepened.

  "Who are you?" Kaigen kept his tone neutral, masking the caution twisting in his gut. If he fought her now, the tower itself might crumble. And if that happened… Rita wouldn’t survive.

  Kaigen chose the path of caution. This woman looked human, and violence wasn’t always the answer, especially against an unknown foe.

  The abilities of Ascenders varied wildly, shaped by the infinite concepts woven into the fabric of the universe. A single misstep could mean disaster.

  “I am Storm Rider, the guardian of this floor.”

  She stepped forward, revealing herself in full. Pale as the moon, her skin was smooth and fwless, almost porcein-like. Her beauty had an ethereal, haunting quality, and her crimson eyes glowed like twin rubies, burning with an ancient intensity.

  She was tall, her presence commanding, cd in radiant silver and gold armor that shimmered under the dim tower light.

  “I am here to guide you and your army to the final level of this tower," she continued, her voice smooth yet carrying the weight of authority. "I will show you how to—”

  She was abruptly cut off by Kaigen’s sharp voice.

  “What do you mean by ‘guide’? What happened to the one you were supposed to watch over?”

  His tone was edged with suspicion. He was already familiar with the system of guardians and prisoners. Rita and Shin had thoroughly reported everything to the Houses.

  Storm Rider exhaled, almost zily, as if the question bored her. “The one I was supposed to watch?” She tilted her head slightly, then smiled. “Oh… I killed them.”

  Her casual admission sent a ripple of tension through the air.

  “I’d love to get into the details, Lord Kaigen,” she continued, her voice unbothered, “but we don’t have time. At this very moment, I’m still fighting the guardian on the next floor. My consciousness is split, and I need to focus on the fight.”

  Kaigen couldn’t make sense of her words.

  Before he could press further, Rita crossed the threshold, her expression shifting into one of surprise.

  “Omniscience…” she murmured, her crimson eyes narrowing. “You’re the one blocking my powers.”

  It wasn’t a question. She had already caught on to the strange woman’s Aura. The eerie stillness of it, the weight it carried. It was too familiar. Too much like her own.

  Storm Rider turned her gaze to the redhead, studying her in silence. Then, with a dismissive snort, she returned her attention to Kaigen.

  “Prepare your army,” she ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument. “That girl and I will open the portal. Inform the other sorcerers of my presence and my intentions to open the gateway.”

  Kaigen clenched his jaw.

  For some reason, he felt compelled to obey. His instincts screamed that this woman was beyond him—something far more dangerous than she appeared.

  A beast dressed in human skin.

  If she were an Ascender, why couldn’t he feel any zenshi coming from her?

  His grip on his bde tightened. His pulse quickened.

  Should he attack now? Strike before she could act? Or should he transform—unleash his full dragon form and see if she was truly untouchable?

  He swallowed hard, weighing his choices.

  Because something in him already knew…

  This woman wasn’t someone he wanted as an enemy.

  As if reading his thoughts, Storm Rider spoke, her voice smooth yet absolute. “I am human, Lord Kaigen. If I wanted you all dead, you wouldn’t have even reached the first tower.” She tilted her head slightly, her crimson eyes gleaming. “I wield the power of the Sun itself. With a thought, I can burn down your army without using even half of my strength. So tell me, what could you have done to stop an immortal?”

  “Immortal… a Visionary?”

  Kaigen’s blood ran cold. The weight of realization settled in his chest like a stone. He kept his expression unreadable, offering no response. Instead, he turned to Rita, meeting her gaze.

  A silent exchange passed between them.

  She understood the unspoken question; Can I leave you here with her?

  With a slight nod, she gave her answer.

  Satisfied, Kaigen turned away, steadying himself as he prepared to face the others. He had no choice but to obey because now, more than ever, he understood.

  They were standing in the presence of something far beyond them.

  His footsteps faded as he walked out of the tower, and the massive doors shut themselves.

  Once they were alone, Storm Rider was the first to break the silence.

  “Call me Emily.”

  Rita hesitated before nodding. “Rita.”

  She kept her expression neutral, though she couldn’t shake the unease creeping up her spine. There was something about this woman, Emily, that made her feel like she was standing before a force of nature rather than a person.

  Emily studied her for a moment before speaking again.

  “You’re the only one here with a deep understanding of enchantments. I need your help to jailbreak this portal.”

  Rita’s gaze followed Emily’s to the intricate magic circle on the floor. Layers of runes and symbols interlocked in a complex weave of power.

  She frowned. “I don’t have enough zenshi for that.”

  “Of course you don’t, Miss Rita.” Emily smiled faintly. “I’ll supply the energy. I just need you to destroy the runes. There’s someone who needs to cross this portal but in its current state…” She gestured toward the circle. “They won’t make it to the other side.”

  Rita’s fingers twitched as she studied the damaged runes, her mind already working through possible solutions.

  Her eyes flicked back to Emily.

  “Who exactly needs to cross?”

  “Would you believe me if I said Everlight?”Storm Rider’s smile was almost too calm, too knowing.

  The Servant of Light and her allies were forbidden from entering Artemis’s Garden from any point in the divine realm.

  This was a problem because Storm’s goal could only be accomplished if the Everlight descended, even for a split second. If the Servant came down, her effect on the world would create a brief rift between heaven and earth, a tear in the divine boundary.

  Storm Rider would then anchor herself to that rift. With the power of omniscience, she could see beyond the realms, beyond the limitations of time and space. The True Celestials understood the gravity of what she could accomplish, so they anchored her to this tower as a prisoner.

  But of course, using omniscience to that level as a human came with risks. Risks she was ready to take to satisfy the hunger she had for revenge.

  On the other hand, Rita’s pupils contracted, the weight of the name pressing against her chest like a crushing force. Everlight—that Everlight! The Servant of Light, the harbinger of divine judgment. How could this woman even speak so casually of such a being?

  Her mind raced with questions, but the fear that surged through her body left her speechless.

  Her gaze flickered to the magic circle again, her fingers hovering over the intricate runes. The task at hand suddenly seemed like a task of monumental significance—one that would shape more than just their fates.

  But fear gnawed at her as she realized the depth of this woman’s pns.

  Thanks to her unique vision, she could decipher all the runes with ease, courtesy of the small red bird flitting around her. It served as her second pair of eyes, soaring through the chamber, reading the inscriptions on the walls and the countless ancient runes etched into the tower.

  Each rune bore significance, crafted for a distinct purpose. Some were protective sigils, while others carried cryptic messages left behind by an unknown hand.

  Fascination stirred within Rita. As someone deeply drawn to the art of sorcery, she felt an undeniable urge to study the runes further.

  ‘But that’s impossible… I don’t have time for this!’

  Suppressing her desires, she forced her attention back to the magic circle. With deliberate focus, she began transting the runes that leaned toward messages.

  This is one of the doors to the sacred Sanctuary of the Moon—the resting pce of the first mortal star.

  Her breath hitched as she continued.

  Here, I wept for my child’s death. Here, I carried out my vengeance as the Daughter of Creation. My blood and fury bind him, even as the shadows consume me.

  A sudden chill crawled up Rita’s spine. Her hands trembled slightly as a realization dawned upon her.

  Since when could she read these runes so effortlessly?

  Ancient inscriptions of this caliber should have posed a challenge… shouldn’t they?

  Nearby, Storm Rider observed her reaction with a knowing smile. She had seen that look countless times before. The girl’s crimson hair and piercing eyes stirred memories from a distant past of someone she had once known, thousands of years ago, back when she was still a mere student of true sorcery.

  That man was special, even to her eyes. He was almost as special as Hamido. As special as Lunaris.

  She sighed, a small, knowing smile pying on her lips. “….In this world, there are people who are special and some aren't. Though in times like these, the special ones are many. But people like you… true anomalies… are only born once every thousand years.”

  Rita furrowed her brows. ‘Special?’

  “What do you mean?” she asked, confusion cing her voice.

  Storm Rider’s crimson eyes gleamed. “Your eyes are like mine. But the difference is that mine are a result of my Soul Gates while yours are not.”

  Rita’s frown deepened. What the hell is she talking about? Of course, her red eyes were a product of her ascension!

  “What are you talking about?” she demanded.

  Storm Rider simply chuckled. “You’ll figure it out in time, hopefully. All you need to do is ascend to the Fourth Gate. Then, and only then, will you understand the truth about yourself… and your eyes. Now, get back to reading.”

  Rita hesitated, her mind still reeling from the cryptic words. ‘To learn more about myself… I have to ascend to the Fourth Gate?’

  The thought echoed within her as she forced herself to focus on the runes once more. The transtion continued:

  Those who seek to free him shall know my wrath. They shall know my pain. They will face true death. This is my warning to you who read these words.

  Rita exhaled sharply, stepping back from the circle. A shiver ran down her spine as fear cwed its way into her mind.

  Who had angered the Moon Goddess to such an extent?

  And more importantly, did she truly want to risk testing her wrath by tampering with this portal?

  ‘But the gods have been dead for years now.’ Rita stubbornly told herself. On top of that, she was burning with curiosity.

  "How do I dismantle the security system?" Rita turned to Storm, who had been watching her in silence.

  "Simple, by altering the runes," Storm replied. "I can manipute them to a degree, but my power alone isn't enough to destroy them completely. But with your help, we can break the circle."

  Rita's gaze locked onto the intricate markings etched into the floor. A cold shiver ran down her spine. This was defiance—an act against the will of the gods.

  "H-How?" Her voice trembled, betraying the fear she could no longer suppress.

  "Let me show you."

  Storm Rider stepped into the center of the circle, lowering herself to touch the floor with her bare hand. As her fingers brushed the ancient surface, her crimson eyes began to glow. A golden aura pulsed from her small frame, saturating the air with heavy, electrifying energy. The room tensed as if the very walls were holding their breath.

  Despite her youthful appearance, Storm had lived for centuries, mastering the intricate arts of sorcery beyond mortal comprehension. Her sorcery had divine limits, for she was neither god nor deity. Yet, the knowledge she had amassed over time far surpassed anything the mortals could ever wield.

  With precise control, she slowed the flow of her essence, careful not to trigger the circle's defenses too soon. As her power connected with the runes, ethereal aqua threads slithered to life, rising to defend the structure. But they met their match; fiery strands of magic erupted in response, consuming them instantly.

  Storm clenched her teeth, her body taut with exertion. The delicate bance between offense and restraint was razor-thin, and she had to maintain both. One misstep could cost them everything.

  On the next level, a version of herself was already locked in an intense battle against Dorous.

  The intensity of their fight was already alerting the other guardians of the Garden. Very soon, the entire ndscape was going to be leveled by these monsters if she didn't hurry up and kill Dorous.

  ‘This is bad. The sorcerers need to get to the other side.’ She panicked, though her face showed something completely different.

  About a minute passed, and the runes started to flicker. They were losing their purpose.

  It was time for the next step.

  “I need you to think of destruction while feeding a good portion of your essence into the magic circle. I will alter the runes, you will destroy the security system.”

  If she was right, zenshi and qi were very simir in terms of construction. Zenshi was clearly made to reference qi, hence why the humans who wielded it still shared a connection with sacred realms like the Void.

  However, when the two energies touch, a powerful reaction is born. In other words, they repel each other violently. So, if they collided inside the circle, destruction is born.

  Rita nodded, determination flickering in her eyes. She rushed forward, pressing both hands against the center of the circle. With a sharp exhale, luminous blue threads unraveled from her body. They were delicate and weaved through the air like strands of living fire.

  As an enchantress and a diviner, her mastery over zenshi was near perfect. She focused on destruction, channeling her intent into the threads. The moment they made contact with the magic circle, ripples of resistance spread across its surface like a stone shattering still water.

  A violent tremor surged through her soul gates. The circle fought back.

  A whirlwind of foreign emotions crashed into her mind—rage, grief, despair. Then, the whispers began. Soft at first, slithering from the edges of her consciousness.

  "Those who seek to free him shall face my WRATH..."

  The words echoed through her very bones.

  "Those who seek to free HIM shall face my WRATH..."

  The whispers grew louder.

  "THOSE WHO SEEK TO FREE HIM SHALL FACE MY WRATH!"

  The goddess’s voice was no longer a whisper—it was a deafening roar, raw and unrelenting. The scriptures had spoken of her voice as divine and melodious. But this? This was not the voice of a benevolent deity. It was fury incarnate, an unholy thunder that could split mountains and shatter the sky.

  Yet Rita did not falter. Even as the rage cwed at her mind, even as her soul gates screamed in protest, she held her ground. With gritted teeth, she pushed her will against the portal, pouring her essence into the battle.

  The tower trembled in response. Dust and debris rained from above. Cracks slithered up the stone pilrs. The air itself shuddered under the weight of divine fury.

  But still, she pressed on.

  Moments passed, and neither woman wavered. Locked in their purpose, they held their ground against the storm of divine resistance.

  The trembling intensified, a violent crescendo shaking the very foundation of the tower. The runes crackled, their glow turning erratic, flickering between defiance and surrender.

  And then, with a final, deafening surge—

  BOOM.

  The magic circle shattered. A whirlwind of raw essence and smoke erupted outward, hurling both women apart like ragdolls caught in a hurricane.

  Storm Rider crashed against a pilr, her body flickering like a dying ember before vanishing into thin air—her purpose was fulfilled when she saw a tear in space.

  They had hijacked the portal. She was no longer bound to this floor!

  Rita, on the other hand, was smmed into the cold stone wall, the impact knocking the air from her lungs. Her vision blurred, the edges fading into darkness. The st thing she felt was the lingering heat of shattered magic before unconsciousness cimed her.

  ***

  Five figures entered the tower minutes after the explosion, their footsteps silent against the debris-littered floor. None of them spoke as they took in the aftermath of the explosion—the scorched stone, the lingering energy, the faint scent of burnt magic.

  "This is the portal?" Lord Artemis’s voice was sharp, slicing through the silence like a bde. His dark eyes locked onto the growing tear in space, its radiant light pulsing and stretching wider. A slow, dark smile curved his lips as he watched the rift expand.

  "Looks like they succeeded," Kaigen murmured, his tone thoughtful.

  The youngest among them let out an unimpressed sigh as his gaze swept the ruined chamber. "And where’s the guardian you mentioned?" His voice carried a bored edge before he smirked. "Don’t tell me the great Dragon Lord is seeing things?"

  Kaigen exhaled through his nose, ignoring the jab as he stepped forward. The explosion had occurred mere minutes after he had left to summon the others. He could still feel its lingering turbulence in the air, disrupting the natural flow of the wind inside the tower.

  Closing his eyes for a moment, he inhaled deeply. His heightened senses picked up traces of scorched magic, singed stone, and the faint but unmistakable presence of Rita. He followed the scent, his gaze settling on her motionless form.

  She y sprawled on the ground, unconscious, her energy nearly depleted. For a fleeting moment, Kaigen recalled Storm Rider’s crimson eyes and feared the worst.

  But no. Rita was alive. Just drained.

  "We’ll leave a few soldiers to guard her until she wakes," Mao Feng announced. Though Rita wasn’t from her cn, she had pyed a crucial role in the subjugation. Scouts of her caliber were rare.

  "Alright, so what’s next?" The Phoenix’s voice rang out, his tone ced with anticipation.

  Mao Feng’s gaze flickered toward the portal, then to Lord Artemis, who stood motionless beside her. His cold smile lingered, his dark eyes gleaming with reflected light from the rift.

  She wasn’t a fool. She knew exactly why Artemis had insisted on coming. This subjugation wasn’t just about eliminating a threat—it was an expedition for him. He wanted the tower for himself, even if it meant cshing with his fellow sorcerers.

  Fights between sorcerers were rare, but when they happened, they were nothing short of camities.

  Mao Feng knew this firsthand. She had once faced the Night Queen in a friendly duel in Antarctica. But the fight escated beyond control and an isnd was wiped off the map due to their excitement.

  However, this time around, Mao Feng wasn’t going to let herself get excited. If she decided to go all out, Luna would not survive. On top of that, she didn’t want a blood bath. Ascenders were too precious to just let die.

  “I will go through first.” Mao Feng opened her mouth after a brief moment of overthinking.

  “I will come with you!” Astrid said, absentmindedly.

  With her shades on, it wasn’t easy to tell what she was expressing.

  Mao Feng only nodded and walked towards the portal. The silver parts of her armor started glowing when she opened her second gate. The grey in her eyes changed to blue as wisps of silver fmes surrounded her.

  This was an act of intimidation. She was letting the robust Lord of Time know she was ready for anything he threw at her. Subjugations were neutral ground after all.

  Lord Artemis smirked, his hands tingling with excitement when he felt the Fme’s Aura.

  Her and Astrid’s forms disappeared after stepping through the rift.

  Lord Artemis stayed alone, gring at the rift with sparkling eyes.

  “Let’s go save humanity.”