Nova’s mind raced, working at full capacity to grasp the staggering reality before him.

  "Two weeks inside the portal… cost me more than six months outside? I need answers—now."

  His gaze sharpened, cutting through the uncertainty. "Summon my generals," he commanded, his voice firm, controlled—but beneath it, unease simmered. This wasn’t in his plans. He had accounted for some degree of time dilation between Earth and the Blue portal, but he had estimated a margin of days—maybe a couple of weeks at most.

  Six months? That was beyond anything he had foreseen.

  "Yes, sir." Darrik bowed swiftly before rushing off to deliver the order.

  Left alone, Nova clenched his fists, his thoughts spiraling. ‘Six months…’ That was more than enough time for the world to change. Enough for people to rise—perhaps even surpass the strength he once held before stepping into the portal.

  ‘Am I still in the same position I used to be?’

  Doubt crept in, unwelcome but undeniable. ‘Was entering the portal my mistake? Or was it building the academies—training others too soon?’

  The weight of uncertainty pressed down on him. He needed information. And he needed it now.

  Thoughts swirled in his mind, racing at a speed beyond human comprehension. In mere moments, he processed ideas and possibilities that would take others a lifetime to consider.

  ‘No. There was no way I could have foreseen this. This isn't my fault. Is luck toying with me?’

  His gaze sharpened as he recalled what he had gained from the portal. Without hesitation, he reached into his Inventory and retrieved the Fortune Band—a white wristband crafted from leather, likely of a rare beast. Slipping it onto his left wrist, a subtle energy coursed through him, a quiet reassurance settling in as his Luck nearly doubled.

  He took a slow, measured breath. ‘Now I feel better.’

  Closing his eyes, he forced himself into stillness, trying to map out solutions to problems he didn’t yet fully understand. He had no choice—until he gathered information, preparation was all he had.

  Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long. Barely five minutes after Darrik’s departure, Hector arrived.

  Seeing Nova again after so long, Hector couldn't help but sigh. His boss looked the same—yet something felt different. He seemed to be more serious than usual.

  Pushing aside his thoughts, Hector stepped forward and bowed. “Boss, I’ve already notified the others. They should arrive any moment now.”

  “Mhm.” Nova barely acknowledged him, still lost in thought.

  A heavy silence settled between them. The air was thick with unspoken tension, pressing down like an invisible weight. Hector shifted slightly but didn’t dare speak. He hadn’t felt this uncomfortable in a long time.

  Two minutes passed, stretching endlessly—until the quiet was shattered by the sound of rushing footsteps.

  Six figures arrived, moving with urgency before coming to a halt beside Hector. In perfect unison, they bowed.

  “Welcome back, Boss.”

  Nova blinked, his focus snapping back to the present. His gaze swept over the assembled figures—Alaric, Darius, Hector, Adira, Shira, Nox, and Malachi.

  He studied them carefully, one by one. To him, it had only been two weeks. But for them, six months had passed—and it showed.

  They carried an air of hardened experience—something only true veterans could possess. It was clear that the past six months had forged them in ways Nova had yet to understand. Their time both inside and outside the portals had left its mark.

  As Nova observed them, he noted that Alaric stood with unwavering composure, perfectly at ease. The others, however, showed varying degrees of tension.

  “Have you been well?” Nova asked, unsure of the events that happened in his absence he wanted to make sure they were doing fine as his sharp gaze shifted between them.

  Nox and Shira gave a silent nod, while the others responded in unison, “Yes, Boss.”

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  “Mhm.” He gave a slight nod. “Then bring me up to speed. I want a full briefing on everything that has happened in my absence.”

  Alaric took a step forward, meeting Nova’s gaze without hesitation. “After you disappeared, we continued our daily missions and training. We attended classes as usual and participated in the inter-class tournament. I took first place, Darius placed second, and Nox came in third.”

  Nova barely reacted—this outcome didn’t surprise him. “Go on.”

  Alaric nodded. “Following that, we completed numerous Green portals, both solo and in pairs. Along the way, we discovered something unusual—when entering as a team of two, the portal’s difficulty appears to scale dynamically based on our combined strength. However, this slightly increase in difficulty seems to come at a cost—the rewards are reduced.”

  His expression darkened slightly. “At the moment, we don’t have enough data to determine the exact extent of this effect, but we’re actively investigating.”

  ‘Seems like clearing portals in teams is a solid way to accelerate training,’ Nova mused, his expression thoughtful. ‘Especially for those who can handle Green portals with ease but aren’t strong enough to clear Blue ones solo.’

  His mind was already piecing things together. If this method worked, then someone—somewhere—had likely used it to break through the Blue portal barrier. This only reinforced his growing suspicion: people had gotten stronger, maybe too much to his liking.

  “What else?” he prompted.

  Alaric continued without hesitation. “New geniuses have been emerging at the academy. Some are clearing Green portals back-to-back, and there’s already talk of a few attempting to clear Blue ones soon.” He paused. “That’s just public knowledge. Behind the scenes, however, things are different.”

  Alaric’s gaze landed on Shira, prompting her to explain as this was her field.

  Noticing Alaric’s gaze Shira stepped forward, her voice calm but sharp. “I managed to acquire some reports. Many have already attempted Blue portals—but most of them never came back.”

  Nova’s gaze darkened. That was expected. He knew all too well the dangers of that portal—he could have perished inside if not for achieving One with the World through both his spear and footwork.

  “But,” Shira added, “there are two exceptions—though they entered together.”

  Nova’s eyebrow arched slightly. “Do you know who?”

  “Yes,” Alaric said, his voice steady but carrying a faint trace of yearning. “They’re your friends—Jack and Victor.”

  Nova’s lips curled into a small smile. ‘So, they’ve already reached this level, huh?’

  He wasn’t surprised. Jack and Victor were maniacs—relentless in their pursuit of strength. It was only natural that they’d be among the first to clear a Blue portal. His curiosity flickered. ‘Which civilization did they encounter?’

  Before he could dwell on the thought, Alaric’s voice pulled him back.

  “There’s… something else.”

  For the first time, hesitation flickered across Alaric’s usually composed face.

  Nova’s expression hardened. A bad premonition settled in his chest.

  Taking a deep breath, Alaric braced himself.

  “Cassidy entered a Blue portal alone.”

  The weight of those words settled over the group like a storm cloud. Alaric fell silent, unwilling to say more. Everyone present knew Cassidy. Shira had gathered intelligence on every rising talent in the academy, be they students or professors, and the generals understood the dynamics of Nova’s friendships.

  Yet none of them knew how he would react to this. Would he become enraged? Sad? Start a killing spree? Or would he become depressed? Alaric tensed, preparing for the worst. But what he feared—never came.

  Nova stood in silence, his eyes closed as his thoughts raced.

  ‘Why did she enter a Blue portal alone?’

  ‘Who allowed it? Did Jack and Victor thought this was a good idea?’

  ‘Does that mean she’s strong enough… or—'

  His eyes snapped open. The air around him seemed to grow colder, his gaze as sharp as ice.

  “Do you know why she went in?” His voice was calm, but the weight behind it was unmistakable.

  Shira, sensing the pressure bearing down on Alaric, immediately spoke up. “It seems she wanted to grow stronger—quickly. She snuck out of the academy, leaving behind nothing but a note with the word ‘Blue’ on it.” She exhaled softly. “That’s all we know. We can only assume she’s inside one.”

  Nova pushed down the surge of worry rising in his chest. ‘Speculation won’t help. I need to meet them.’

  Taking a slow breath, he gave Shira a small nod before shifting focus. “How’s your progress?”

  Alaric exchanged glances with the others—speaking through glances. Whatever he was questioning, they had clearly discussed it beforehand. One by one, they nodded.

  A faint smile touched Alaric’s lips as he turned back to Nova.

  “Based on your friends’ Blue portal records… we believe we’re strong enough to clear one alone.”

  “Oh?” Nova’s cold gaze softened slightly, the corner of his lips curving upward. Curious about his generals’ confidence he decided to spend some time with them before meeting his friends.

  “I’ll be the judge of that. Let’s head to my courtyard for a proper spar.”

  Not waiting for a reply, he turned and strode inside the villa.

  Left behind, Alaric, Darius, Hector, Adira, Shira, Nox, and Malachi exchanged looks—half amused, half resigned.

  Adira let out a small huff, crossing her arms. “Seriously? He just got back, and we’re already getting tested?” Her gaze lingered on the villa’s entrance, where Nova had just disappeared.

  Darius sighed. “We haven’t spent that much time with him, but by now, you should know how the Boss operates.”

  Nox added in an indifferent tone, “Darius is right. Besides…” His eyes flickered over his companions. “Aren’t you curious how strong he is now?”

  Shira’s voice was quiet, almost thoughtful.

  “Some of us might be stronger than him.” Her gaze settled on Alaric.

  Hector shook his head. “You’d better not underestimate him.”

  “He’s our Boss for a reason,” Malachi added with a small grin.

  “Sure, but there’s also a monster among us” Adira, unfazed, pointed at Alaric.

  Alaric remained silent, his eyes fixed on the villa. Then, finally, he spoke, his tone serious. “If we had trained for the same amount of time, I wouldn’t stand a chance against him… but I have a six-month head start. So maybe—”

  “Come in.”

  Nova’s voice cut through the air, traveling from the courtyard to the entrance.

  The group stopped talking and sighed in unison. Exchanging glances they slowly made their way inside.

  Bonus Chapter Count: 0

  Extra chapter for each milestone              Ratings 54/200

  ?????????? 40%

  Reviews 5/20

  Followers 380/500

  Whoever wants to help and read advanced chapters can check out my .

  Thank you for reading.