Several days had passed since then. Everything went back to normal along with the ending of the vacation. Everyone resumed their academic routines. Some had spent their vacation in training, while others simply enjoyed their time off in different ways.
As for Raizel, he had spent his entire break trying to uncover some certain secret—very important ones that had been bothering him for a while. Although he hadn't succeeded yet, he was still trying.
It was a fresh and cold morning. A dense fog and the chill in the air blanketed the entire realm in silence. Most of the realm's inhabitants woke up late. Some rose early just to enjoy the cold, while others did it for their living, as a burden similar to a slave.
As usual, Raizel was up pretty early as he always do, before the entire city. Now that the academy vacation was over, he prepared himself for the academy. He wore his long red coat over a shirt—the outfit he typically wore to the academy. After finishing his usual breakfast, he left his home, the grand and lonely golden building fading behind him.
He drew a magic circle and teleported instantly, vanishing in a burst of purple light that surrounded him as he disappeared.
Raizel reappeared in front of the academy with a flash. The building glowed with its usual fresh purple light. It was bustling and loud—revealing that the students are back, filling the space with chatter and stories shared among friends.
Raizel calmly walked toward his classroom, which was just as lively as the rest of the academy.
Someone was standing in front of the classroom—someone familiar. It was Aizis.
"You're late, Raizel," Aizis said.
"That's my usual habit. Maybe I should change it," Raizel replied calmly, he seems much casually than he usually is.
Aizis smiled without responding and walked into the classroom. Raizel followed him inside.
As soon as he entered, he glanced toward his usual seat with narrowed eyes. Tall, dark-haired Marco and auburn-haired Maria looked back at them, smiling.
Raizel and Aizis walked over and took their seats beside them.
Maria spoke first.
"I'm bored. I'm bored with these classes." Maria said with stressed expression.
"Then just end your life—problem solved," Aizis said calmly, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Shut up. You're no one to talk," Maria shouted a bit, clearly annoyed.
"Why, Ms. Maria? Have I committed some unforgivable sin?" Aizis replied, still sarcastic.
"Can you actually shut your mouth, or should I shut it for you?" Maria shot back.
"I apologize, Ms. Maria. I'll do my best to follow your orders," Aizis said, lowering his voice, though the sarcasm was still obvious.
"Aizis, where were you the past few days? I didn't see you even once. What happened?" Raizel asked seriously.
"I was busy with something. Sorry about that," Aizis replied calmly.
"What kept you busy for days?" Marco asked.
"I was reading a book the whole time. That's why I stayed away," Aizis said casually.
"Man, why are you so obsessed with books? Ever since I first met you, whenever you have free time, you just bury yourself in them. Why?" Marco asked curiously.
"Hmm, that's a good question. There's no particular reason. I just enjoy it. I love reading stories, understanding them, and getting lost in their worlds," Aizis replied with a mysterious smile.
Marco stared at Aizis for a moment and then took a deep breath. He didn't show much on his face, but there was a trace of suspicion in his eyes—he was curious about something.
While they were chatting with each other, it was nearly time for class. As the time arrived, the class teacher entered the room.
She walked in gently and calmly. It was a new teacher, unlike the regular one. She was tall with dark pink hair, a gentle gaze, and a warm smile. Her glowing eyes and cheerful expression made her seem even more kind and approachable.
"Dear students, welcome to my class. I hope you all enjoyed your vacation. Now that the break is over, it's time to return to our usual activities. As you know, we've planned an outing to a different world—one said to contain a realm with a 100-layered barrier with outstanding durability. Each layer has a different level of strength and durability."
"Depending on your magic power, you'll choose a layer and try your best to break through it. We'll rank you based on your performance in this event. In the past, students from previous batches failed to destroy even the weakest of the barriers. We hope that some of you will break those records and prove your strength." She finished with a gentle smile on her face.
"Is she referring to Araya's world? The one with the 100-layered barrier?" Aizis asked, curious.
"Yes, it is.''
''Araya left her world long ago to ascend to a higher realm—and she did. I believe the world was left uninhabited after her departure," Raizel replied.
"It's been a while since you created the 100-layered barrier in her world. It's quite something that it's survived for so long," Aizis said with a smile.
"Yes. The barrier was meant to protect Araya from the outer worlds. She asked me to create it so she could train her magic and grow into the protector of her realm," Raizel explained.
"Maybe it wasn't her fate to save her world. That might be why she lost it, even though she survived by hiding in the very world she created—Araya's world. Perhaps she was never meant to be its protector," Aizis said softly, smiling, though there was a hint of sadness in his tone.
"What happened to her and her world?" Maria asked, her voice filled with curiosity and concern.
Aizis took a long breath and began speaking.
"It was the cursed Competitive War again. After Araya shifted to her own world, Araya's world—her original world was completely destroyed. She had no awareness of its destruction. A few years later, after strengthening her magic, she returned."
"But by then, it was already over. Nothing was left—just ashes scattered across what used to be her home," Aizis said, sounding oddly casual.
"Why did she want to ascend to a higher realm? Was there a particular reason?" Maria asked, curious.
Aizis took another breath and wore an expression that was a strange mix of sadness, suspicion, and irritation.
"There was a reason. A clear one. She was obsessed with it, obsessed with the family, friends and the world she lost. She wanted to bring them all back."
"She was told that the higher realm lords might have the power to help her. So, after reaching the Supreme Ruler, she asked Raizel for a favor-one more time. She wanted to know if there was a way to bring them back. The answer? Rewrite the Absolute Story."
"To do that, she would need to meet the True Writer—the original creator—and rewrite the story itself. But for someone like Araya, who knew nothing of creation, of worlds, or the hierarchy that governs everything, it was nearly impossible," Aizis explained.
"She was just a child, lacking awareness of the harsh world and creation. From her earliest years, she had only focused on training her magic and protecting her world and the people she loved."
"After learning the way, she began to ascend. She started to ascend one by one, destroying anything in her way." Aizis said calmly.
"Is she still alive? I want to meet her… somehow," Maria said, a note of desperation in her voice.
"Yes, she's still alive. She's running, fighting… her faith and desperation are what keep her going. Maybe she's somewhere in a higher realm right now, battling for the world she lost and the people she loved," Aizis replied, a lone smile crossing his face.
"Come to think of it… that adorable little girl is now a warrior for her world—a warrior who's been fighting for countless years just to bring back those she loves," Aizis thought to himself, still smiling quietly.
Why do I feel like she's so similar to Raizel? Maria thought to herself, suspicious and confused.
''Why are both of them so desperate to save something, even if it means destroying everything else? Is there a reason behind that? I wonder… what could be the reason?''
While they were still talking, the teacher and the rest of the students began preparing to visit Araya's world. Since it was located far away, they had decided to teleport from their current location.
Following the teacher, the students exited the academy and lined up in a neat formation, standing one after another in a hierarchy.
"I trust that all of you are familiar with teleportation magic and skilled in its use," the teacher announced. "Please teleport now to the destination I've placed in your minds."
"Yes, teacher!" the students responded loudly in unison.
One after another, following the teacher's lead, the students teleported away from the academy, leaving behind flashes of light. Silence fell over the place after their departure.