Chapter 369
The five fundamental elements of the world—fire, water, earth, air, and the mysterious cosmic energy—gathered around him not as a chaotic explosion, but as paint ready to be brushed onto the canvas of reality.
Added to that was Perception Alteration, that difficult-to-comprehend ability which allowed him not only to manipulate the elements, but also to twist the laws of cause and effect and the perception of space around him.
With a slash that appeared simple—perhaps no more than a sweep of his hand through the air—he released his attack.
Yet that slash was a perfect fusion of all six of his powers.
The attack did not shatter the Lanto Baba into fragments.
Instead, it drove the gigantic green creature back with a force that was subtler yet absolute.
An undeniable push of reality forced the Lanto Baba away from the market, tearing space open behind it and compelling it into a portal that suddenly appeared—an exit that may also have been created by the young man.
In an instant, the threat that had invaded the market vanished, sealed away as the portal closed upon itself.
'He is not part of this world—he comes from another universe, a visitor from outside the box.'
After the invisible restraints dissolved and her feet once again touched the chaotic market ground, Myra Astrielle drew in a deep breath, the first that felt truly free since the chaos had begun.
She looked at the young man who had just saved her, a mixture of gratitude, pressing curiosity, and lingering anxiety from the dark cosmic energy she had sensed within him.
With a voice that may still have trembled slightly yet remained clear, she expressed her thanks.
It was a formal acknowledgment, a bridge she built before voicing the question that had burned in her mind since she saw him act.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, and after learning the young man's name—Xavier XVII—Myra immediately posed her true question.
Her voice became more measured, once again reflecting her old observer's instinct.
She asked from which region Xavier originated.
Her inquiry was not mere curiosity, but grounded in her vast knowledge and experience.
To Myra's understanding, having studied much about the world and its possibilities, there had never been a record or legend of anyone born with such a rare and complex combination of powers.
Mastering all five fundamental elements at once was nearly mythical, combined with the almost unheard-of ability of Perception Alteration, and most perplexing of all, the harmonious fusion of bright cosmic light and super dark cosmic energy within a single body.
He was a living paradox, something that should have been impossible according to the laws of energy she understood.
Xavier XVII answered calmly, perhaps with a slight sense of detachment, as though accustomed to such questions.
His reply was simple, yet it opened an entirely new dimension of understanding for Myra.
He stated that he was not from here.
Not from another city, not from a distant continent, but from another universe.
A confession that confirmed Myra's suspicion while simultaneously shattering the boundaries of reality she had long understood.
Furthermore, Xavier explained that his arrival in Myra Astrielle's universe had a specific and scientific purpose.
He was there to analyze cases involving strange phenomena occurring in that world.
He cited the earlier appearance of the Lanto Baba—clearly not part of the world's ecosystem or normal routine—as one of his investigative targets.
"What does it feel like to be the descendant of a murderer?"
After that dramatic encounter in the market, the relationship between Xavier XVII and Myra Astrielle developed in ways neither of them had anticipated.
Gradually, the distance once filled with curiosity and caution thinned, replaced by a closeness that grew organically.
They spent time together, discussing power, reality, and the mysteries of their respective universes.
At times, in comfortable silence or beneath a starlit sky, they conversed casually.
On certain moments, whether unconsciously or with full awareness, their hands clasped together in a bond that felt certain—a physical bridge between two different worlds finding resonance in their shared alienation.
Yet that fragile peace and closeness were shattered by a discovery that shook everything.
One day, through deep research, bitter coincidence, or perhaps an unexpected leak of information from the past, Myra Astrielle uncovered a shocking fact.
Xavier XVII was not merely a wanderer from another universe.
He was the direct great-grandson of Alaric Syah—the man who once, with his super dark cosmic energy, committed a horrific massacre whose victims included Myra's loved ones who had merely been spectators during the ritual of the Inverted Crucifixion.
The blood flowing in the young man she had come to trust, whose hand she had once held, was the blood of her arch-enemy—the source of all the suffering and hatred that had once defined her life.
The discovery struck Myra like a blow to the solar plexus.
All the bitter memories, the suppressed pain, and the vow of revenge that had once faded now returned with multiplied force, this time mixed with a profound sense of betrayal.
Unable to restrain the storm of emotions within her, Myra hurled question after question at Xavier.
Her voice may have sounded flat yet laced with restrained venom, or perhaps trembled with anger and sorrow.
Among the many questions, one cut the deepest, most personal, and most cruel.
She looked directly into Xavier's eyes and asked, in a tone meant to wound, what it felt like to be the descendant of a murderer.
'Cruel irony. A sincere and profound love turned into the very reason to torment me. The same system I once tried to fight has now ensnared me as well.'
After that poisonous question hung between them, the relationship between Myra Astrielle and Xavier XVII began to unravel rapidly and uncontrollably.
The air between them grew thick with discomfort, suspicion, and old wounds suddenly torn open.
Myra, haunted by the ghosts of her past and consumed by the sense of betrayal from her enemy's descendant, could no longer see Xavier as an individual.
She saw only Alaric Syah's bloodline.
In her desperation and rekindled hatred, she made a reckless decision.
She sought help from the religious leaders of that world—the very same people who had once extorted her by taking her loved ones hostage—to capture Xavier XVII.
It was a bitter irony that she now ran to her former oppressors to handle her new problem.
Yet what Myra had not anticipated was that those religious leaders were not allies to be trusted.
They had their own dark and enduring agenda.
Instead of capturing Xavier, they collectively captured Myra Astrielle.
The betrayal was complete and cruel.
They brought the short gray-haired girl, who had already lost so much, to a place all too familiar—a crucifixion pillar.
This time, they saw a golden opportunity.
Myra's love for the loved ones massacred by Alaric Syah had been so vast and profound that it surpassed all boundaries.
Her obsession and immeasurable grief, according to their calculations, made her soul an exceptionally powerful and "suitable" medium for the ritual of the Inverted Crucifixion.
They intended to make her not only a victim, but also a conduit of energy for their unknown purposes.
To be continued…