Zazm sat cross-legged at the center of the dimly lit chamber—the very room where, not long ago, the ritual to scan the universe's threads had taken place.
Flickering candlelight danced along the ancient runes carved into the walls, casting long shadows across the polished stone floor.
Around him, the other Catalysts were gathered. Jahanox leaned against a pillar, arms crossed and eyes sharp.
Ai sat near Zazm, her fingers quietly fiddling with the corner of her jacket, lips pressed into a focused line. Kiyomasa sat with legs folded under him, looking expectant.
Jennie gently hugged her knees to her chest, while Miwa and Minos leaned back near the far wall—Miwa twirling a strand of her hair absently, Minos quietly alert.
Zazm finally exhaled, then opened his mouth.
"Alright… here's everything I've found."
The room fell into complete silence.
"This universe we're currently in—it's stable. No signs of distortion at all."
Everyone remained quiet, but Ai nodded slowly, affirming what she had confirmed earlier.
"But you need to understand," Zazm continued, "just how far we are from our original universe. This place… this fantasy world? It's at least a few septillion universes away."
Miwa blinked. "Wait… what's a septillion again?"
"A one followed by twenty-four zeroes," Ai murmured without looking up.
"So far," Zazm said, "that its stability doesn't mean our job is done or even close to done. It simply tells us… the entire multiverse hasn't collapsed."
Jahanox finally spoke, voice cool but thoughtful.
"Then how bad is it? Realistically."
Zazm's voice dipped low, serious.
"If I had to estimate roughly a few trillion… maybe quadrillions of universes have been distorted. And those are only the ones close to our own. The last universe we went to? That was a few billion universes away and it wasn't stable either."
There was a weighted pause as that sunk in.
Kiyomasa frowned. "So… our universe caused this much damage?"
"Not exactly," Zazm answered. "But yes—something that happened in our universe… spread like wildfire."
Minos narrowed his eyes. "So, what's next then?"
Zazm's lips curled into a shadow of a smile.
"We find the most distorted universe in the multiverse."
Jennie tilted her head. "Wouldn't the one where it all started be more useful?"
"Not necessarily," Zazm replied. "See, the most distorted universe might not be the origin—but it will be closest to the one where the disruption began."
Ai looked up from her silence. "Because the multiverse tries to heal by gravitating toward its source?"
Zazm nodded, pleased.
"Exactly. The universe attempts to fix itself. So a broken one will cling to the original version—like a child reaching for its mother."
Miwa's voice was soft now, unusually serious.
"So… if we find the most broken one…"
"We'll see the first cracks," Zazm finished. "Maybe even the source."
Jahanox unfolded his arms slowly.
"And what if we don't find it?"
Zazm stood, placing his hands in his pockets, eyes flicking toward the old stone ceiling.
"Then we try again. Until we do."
Silence followed his words like a closing door. They all knew, deep down, this was no longer a journey with an easy end.
This was war against a wound carved into existence itself.
But still… none of them spoke against it.
Jennie gave a small nod. "We'll follow you."
Kiyomasa raised a fist with a confident grin. "And burn whatever's broken."
Miwa leaned on Minos' shoulder. "Guess we're not retiring anytime soon, huh?"
Ai stood up next to Zazm. "Let's get it done. No matter how long it takes."
Jahanox met Zazm's eyes for a long second.
"Lead the way… but you better be right."
Ai got up and stood next to Zazm, "So, have you found out which universe is most distorted or smth?"
Zazm's gaze swept over them, serious and unreadable. Then, his voice broke the silence.
"I've found it," he said, simply.
Ai blinked, leaning forward. "The most distorted universe?"
He nodded.
"Perfect, then we should go," Ai said, her voice firm with resolve, her hand already reaching toward the notebook in her lap.
But Zazm didn't move. Instead, he raised a hand gently, stopping her mid-motion.
"Before that… there's something I need to tell you."
The sudden shift in his tone made everyone look at him. It wasn't just serious—it was heavy. Like he was carrying something for a long time and had finally decided to place it in front of them.
Jennie stood up, worry clouding her soft expression. "Zazm... is everything okay?"
Minos squinted, tilting his head. "You're not usually this dramatic. What is it? Just spit it out."
Zazm let out a quiet sigh, the weight on his shoulders showing for a fleeting moment.
"I'm going to the void," he said.
Silence.
Ai's brow creased. "What do you mean? You said yourself—void training was off the table. You had no way to stay sane."
Miwa chimed in immediately, her voice sharp with concern. "Yeah, and wasn't the void unstable? Like, dangerous-dangerous? You literally told us not to go near it."
Zazm nodded, accepting their concerns without resistance.
"You're both right. All your questions are valid. But I've found a way. I can manage the void now... and I'll be safe."
Ai didn't look convinced. Her eyes searched his face like she was looking for a crack in his confidence.
"How?"
Zazm didn't answer that yet. Instead, a calm voice cut in from behind them.
Jahanox.
He stepped forward slowly, arms crossed but not confrontational.
"The void," he said, "doesn't follow time like we do. You could spend decades in there and return to us as if no time passed. It'll be over in the blink of an eye… for us."
Zazm nodded.
"That's true."
Ai began by saying,"There wasn't any need for you to tell us that," her voice calm but with a sharp edge, "You could've just trained in the void and arrived back and informed us like usual."
Jennie nodded, her brows furrowed with quiet concern. "She's right… You're not telling us everything. If you're bringing it up like this, then there's more you're hiding."
Zazm looked at her and shook his head. "I'm not hiding anything," he said, his tone steady. "I brought this up because I needed to tell you all this."
Minos walked closer, arms crossed. "Then when are you gonna tell us about it?"
Zazm turned his head, first looking at Jahanox standing on his right, then slowly letting his eyes move across the room, meeting every Catalyst's gaze—one by one.
He inhaled softly, voice lowering as he asked, "Let me ask you all a question. What do you think would happen if a human were to stay in a dark room for several decades… all alone? No voices, no warmth, no friends, no love?"
Kiyomasa answered without hesitation, his voice calm but grave. "They'd go insane… and not in decades. In a quarter of that time. Maybe even less."
Zazm nodded. "Yes… they would."
He paused. "But I won't."
Ai stepped forward now, crossing the room until she was just a few steps from him.
"How are you so sure?" she asked, eyes sharp. "How do you know you won't go insane? How do you know you'll keep fighting after all that? How do you know you'll still be able to lead us?"
Her voice cracked slightly, her breath unsteady.
Before Zazm could respond, she cut him off, voice rising.
"I need you to answer that," she demanded. "Because let me say one thing. I don't care what happens to you… You're the one who dragged us into all this. If something happens to you, it's game over. For us. For the multiverse."
Jahanox stepped forward, his expression serious. "He didn't drag anyone. Every single person here is standing by their own choice."
But before he could say more, Zazm lifted a hand—stopping him.
"She's right," Zazm said, calmly. "I brought all of you together. I can't deny that. And she's right to ask me these questions."
He looked directly at Ai. "But I've never been good at explaining things with words."
His voice dropped, softer now.
"I believe in showing rather than answering."
Ai's expression didn't change. "Then what did you mean by all that?"
Zazm took a slow breath.
"What I meant is… when I return, I might not be the same," he said. "I might stop talking. I might lose all my emotions. But one thing I can promise—all of you—is that I'll never stray from the goal."
He turned, looking every Catalyst in the eye as he said each name clearly:
"Jahanox Nova… Kiyomasa Saito… Jennie Aurelia… Myeong-hwa… Min-Seok… and Ai Hoshino…"
He smiled.
"You are my family. And no matter what happens to me in there… I will make sure, in the end, you're all happy. So please—trust me."
Jennie smiled first, her eyes soft. "I trust you," she said gently. "That's why I'm here."
Jahanox stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder. "There was no need to get all dramatic," he said with a chuckle. "We already trust you."
Miwa stepped in and lightly punched Zazm's chest with a small grin. "Stop saying stuff like that, dummy."
Kiyomasa nodded with a straight face. "I trust you more than I trust my own shadow. If you want me dead for a good cause, just say the word."
Minos tilted his head with a smirk. "Didn't think you remembered our full names. Guess you do pay attention."
Zazm smiled faintly. "I remember everything."
Ai was the last to speak.
She looked at him, her eyes softer now.
"I lost my emotions there for a second," she said. "But I trust you too."
Zazm's smile deepened, and his voice was filled with quiet gratitude.
"Thank you… all of you."
Zazm stepped forward, brushing off the dust on his sleeves as he turned to the others.
"Then it's time for us to leave," he said, his voice steady, yet touched with something soft—final.
With a simple wave of his hand, a portal unfolded into the air.
It bloomed open slowly like the petals of a flower born from starlight—shimmering layers of translucent blue, violet, and gold spiraling outward. The edges of the portal flickered with constellations that shifted like liquid, their glow casting soft ripples of celestial light across the room. Within the gateway, a vast corridor of swirling space could be seen—beautiful, chaotic, and endless.
One by one, the Catalysts walked through it—Jennie first, offering Zazm a bright nod, followed by Kiyomasa who glanced at him with unshaken trust.
Min-Seok dragged a very chaotic Myeong-hwa through while she waved both hands wildly.
"You worry too much." Jahanox said before walking in next with a smile.
Ai paused at the portal, glancing back at Zazm briefly before vanishing into the flow.
Zazm stood there for a moment, alone at the threshold.
He turned back slowly to gaze at the fantasy world one last time—the glimmering skies, floating islands, mythical creatures, elven cities bathed in twilight. A place that had once felt like a dream and now was about to be just another step in their journey.
But before he could step through, a quiet voice spoke from behind.
"So… you're not even going to mention my name?"
He turned to see Zephyra, arms lazily crossed, floating a few inches above the ground like always. Her violet hair shimmered in the portal's light, drifting slightly in the breeze. Her expression was blank, her usual dull and bored gaze settled calmly on him—lips barely curled into the faintest pout.
Zazm smiled gently.
"Sorry," he said, "but do I need to? You're always with me… no matter what."
For a second, something subtle changed in Zephyra's face—almost too small to notice. A flicker in her gaze. A twitch in her lips.
"…That's right," she replied, her voice as detached as always. "I'm the reason you can even step into a place like the Void without losing yourself."
Zazm chuckled quietly, shaking his head.
"Then thank you. Really."
He looked back toward the portal.
"Let's go. Everyone's waiting."
And with that, he stepped through, his figure slowly swallowed by the golden-blue light—until he vanished.
Zephyra stayed behind.
She stared at the portal quietly, suspended in the silence of the room.
Her usual blank stare wavered. Slowly, her eyes softened. Her lips trembled faintly, and then—finally—she smiled.
Not faintly.
Not blankly.
A real, quiet, sad smile.
"So once again… it's time," she whispered to herself.
Her arms lowered as she gazed into the portal.
The usual veil of boredom and detachment melted away, revealing something raw beneath. Her amethyst eyes glimmered with something heavy—something almost human.
"I just…" she breathed softly, "wish I could really help you."
And with that, she stepped forward—into the light, the soft wind of the portal brushing past her as she vanished into the stream after him.
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[Volume 1: The End]
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