Next Day

    Head Teacher of the 4th year, Shion, along with other teachers, went to the Gate Chamber where the entrance and exit to this realm existed. They stood there patiently, waiting for the opening of the gate and the arrival of Jake and Ramis.

    Soon, a black dot appeared in the space and gradually transformed into a swirling portal. Seeing this, everyone got ready, knowing that Jake and Ramis would be coming through soon.

    After a few minutes, the portal spat out something—Ramis, battered and in critical condition.

    Seeing this, Shion vanished from her spot and appeared beside Ramis, engulfing him in an emerald light. Her movements were swift, displaying her mastery and concern.

    Ramis, who had half of his body missing, began to heal under the powerful magic of Shion. His right shoulder and legs, along with a good chunk of the right side of his body, started to squirm and regenerate. Shion''s magic worked efficiently, knitting flesh and bone back together.

    Soon, Ramis was fully regenerated under Shion''s powerful healing. She looked at the now-sleeping Ramis, inspecting him for some more time to ensure he was no longer in danger. Satisfied with her work, she stood up and commanded, "Find out what happened."@@@@

    Her cold voice echoed through the chamber, leaving no room for disobedience. The urgency in her tone spurred everyone into action. Teachers and staff scrambled to uncover the reason behind Ramis''s injuries and the whereabouts of Jake, who was now missing.

    Professor Shion''s mind raced as she considered the possibilities. The portal had been stable and secure, and the Academy had not faced such an incident in years. Her brows furrowed as she pondered the circumstances that could have led to such a dire situation.

    One of the teachers, a seasoned tracker, began analyzing the residual energies around the portal. "The distortion here is unusual," he muttered, his eyes narrowing. "It suggests a high-level interference, possibly an attack or a malfunction."

    Another teacher, a healer like Shion, moved to assist Ramis, ensuring he was stable. "This level of injury... it''s a miracle he survived long enough to get here," she said, her voice tinged with awe at Shion''s swift healing.

    Shion''s expression remained stern. "Jake''s absence is concerning. He''s an important asset to the Academy ," she stated, more to herself than anyone else. Her mind flashed back to Jake''s file and the promise he had shown.

    "We need a team to investigate immediately," she ordered. "I want to know who or what is responsible for this, and I want Jake found."

    The teachers nodded, their faces set with determination. The safety of their students was paramount, and this incident was a direct challenge to their security. As teams were formed and plans were made, the air in the chamber was thick with tension and resolve.

    Shion stayed by Ramis''s side, her thoughts a whirlwind of concern and strategy. She knew that whatever had happened, it was a threat they had to neutralize swiftly. The Academy''s reputation and the safety of all their students depended on it.

    As the investigation commenced, Shion silently vowed to uncover the truth and ensure such an event would never happen again. She glanced down at Ramis, still unconscious but healing, and whispered, "We will find him, and we will make this right."

    ********

    The moment Jake and Ramis jumped inside the portal, they found themselves traveling through a long transparent tunnel leading to another end.

    As they floated through the tunnel, they couldn''t help but be amazed by the scenery around them. It was like watching stars from a balcony, but these stars were incredibly close, almost within reach.

    Colorful, bright, and mesmerizing star clusters surrounded them, casting a soft, ethereal glow throughout the tunnel. The celestial display was so stunning that even someone indifferent to nature would become entranced by its beauty.

    "Wow," Ramis breathed out, his eyes wide with wonder. "This is incredible."

    Jake nodded in agreement, his gaze fixed on the cosmic spectacle around them. "I''ve never seen anything like this," he said, his voice filled with awe. "It''s like we''re drifting through a galaxy."

    Jake swallowed hard and asked Nexus for a solution.

    [Jump outside the tunnel. Though it will destroy your physical body, it''s better than being inside the Void Beast''s stomach.] Nexus''s words were cold but practical.

    Without hesitation, Jake jumped outside the tunnel.

    As he leapt, his senses began to disorient. His focus went haywire; he could no longer concentrate on anything. Soon, he fell unconscious.

    If someone were to see it from afar, they would witness a mind-boggling scene: a figure aging back and forth from a baby to an old man and back to a baby. As Jake''s body underwent a series of time and space distortions, a light erupted from him, and his body settled at the stage of a child, no longer undergoing the aging process.

    The light formed a cocoon around him, and Jake raced through space, leaving the Void Beast confused by the sudden disappearance of its prey.

    "Where are we going?" Myne asked Nexus, who was observing the outside scenery, a kaleidoscope of colorful lines due to their rapid travel through space.

    [The Cube is probably taking him to another world,] Nexus shrugged.

    "If it can do that, then why didn''t it allow Astralium to save him? Why did it stop Astralium?" Myne asked, frowning.

    [Celestaria''s world fate detected an imbalance in him, so it began creating more and more accidents to fling Jake outside. It was also due to Fate that they encountered the Void Beast in the protected void space of the Academy,] Nexus explained.

    Myne fell silent, while Astralium nodded, understanding why he was stopped earlier from saving Jake.

    [Jake wasn''t ready to fight Fate yet, not on the scale of an ancient world like Celestaria,] Nexus continued.

    "So we will now be going to lower-ranked worlds?" Myne asked.

    [According to the Cube, yes,] Nexus confirmed, and both fell silent.

    "But will our powers work there?" Myne asked after some time.

    Hearing this question, Astralium also opened his eyes, eager to know the answer.

    [You two are now connected to the Cube, so yes, in any world, as long as you are connected to the Cube, you can utilize your powers,] Nexus reassured them.

    ********

    Vol. II Academy

    End

    Vol. III A new World Again?

    Start