Azriel and Ragnar both deadpanned at Solomon, who stood with his arms raised, shouting in triumph.
A faint smile tugged at Azriel's lips; the mood had grown a little too intense anyway.
'Not that they're wrong, though… especially Ragnar.'
He couldn't deny a single word Ragnar had spoken.
In this world, weakness was a sin—choosing to remain weak, a disgrace.
Maybe he would have to become a hero first; that didn't mean heroism was the destination.
Leo Karumi had never chased grand dreams—no millionaire fantasies, no idol spotlights, no astronaut ambitions. A wry laugh slipped out before he could stop it.
Ragnar and Solomon stared at him, puzzled.
Azriel shook off the self‑pity.
"So, when are we heading home?"
Ragnar let the odd laugh pass.
"Thomas is arranging everything, but with the Leviathan gone and Europe in blackout, logistics are slow."
"Oh! And don't forget all the Monarch‑ and Titan‑ranked abominations vanishing," Solomon added. Ragnar's expression soured further.
"Right. Every recorded Void creature of those ranks disappeared—and none of us noticed. Something is very—"
"—wrong," Azriel finished, humming in agreement.
"At first," Ragnar continued, "I thought a skinwalker powerful enough to defeat the Leviathan must be involved."
"So a Leviathan‑ranked skinwalker, maybe even a Defiled one," Azriel mused. Ragnar nodded.
"Exactly. Fortunately, I was mistaken…"
'Then what really happened?'
A Leviathan‑ranked void creature and its peers vanishing under constant surveillance should have been impossible—yet it occurred.
"Maybe another Leviathan arrived," Solomon suggested. "Perhaps a Phase‑6 Void rift finally opened after a century, and no one noticed."
Ragnar eyed him skeptically.
"You think none of us would sense such a void rift's mana surge?"
"We are not gods. We don't understand how the Void Realm came to be or why the Void rifts are emerging. We know nothing. So, always be prepared for the unexpected,"editremove
'Not gods… becoming a Saint isn't the pinnacle.'
"Even so," Ragnar said, "if a new Leviathan entered, we'd have sensed their clash for dominance."
The two continued dissecting theories while they waited for Thomas.
If another Leviathan had emerged somewhere in Europe—undetected—it still didn't explain how two such abominations could battle in silence.
While Azriel spiraled through possibilities, the door swung open. Thomas stepped in, bowing to each of them before meeting Azriel's gaze.
"I'm glad to see death couldn't keep you down, Prince Azriel."
Azriel smiled at the greeting.
"It's good to see you too, Thomas."
Thomas straightened.
"A helicopter awaits. For safety, we'll take a longer route to EASC."
EASC—East Asia Sacred Capital—was the region's largest city and the Crimson clan's seat of power. North, West, and South Asia each had their own megacities: NASC, WASC, and SASC, ruled respectively by Frost, Dusk, and Nebula. All four ranked among Asia's safest havens.
At Asia's heart lay CASC—home to the Hero Academy and a neutral city jointly governed by the clans and the government.
"Finally…" Azriel rose, stretching. Ragnar and Solomon followed.
He glanced toward the doorway, anticipation steadying his breath.
'It's finally time to go home.'