Her words shocked them, as it was too unbelievable that the universe they are living in was destroyed nine times.
"Just like that," Astraea continued, her voice steady, "Rion too has faced destruction. Or… to be exact, it regressed—entering a hidden, dormant state after every epoch, every great cycle. What you see now is not its beginning but its reawakening."
She let her words sink in, her eyes sweeping across her family. "Each time the universe collapsed and was reborn, Rion withdrew into itself, preserving its core. That is why it survived when all else perished. That is why it carries echoes of every age, every destruction, every rebirth."
"So the number of powerful ancient figures hidden in the depths of Rion is beyond what you can guess; even if it faces against the entire universe, it will still remain standing tall. Rion can be called the place where only the strongest gather."
