838 Back home I
Kyle stepped out of a crack in front of the blue planet with Bia on his shoulder.
It didn't even take him a few seconds to reach it. He only had to tear through space, and he was there. So, he wondered why it had taken him so long to return.
He entered the barrier surrounding the planet, which rippled due to his intrusion. The array set up tried to send signals to the planet's residents, identifying him as an intruder, but he prevented it.
Before long, he was floating outside his home—the one Han had bought for them. But for some reason, it was unoccupied.
The air on the planet was fresh, with everyone going about their work.
As he landed in front of the house, many passerby eyes turned toward his towering figure. They gasped in astonishment.
How tall! And how handsome!
Kyle smiled back, and that was enough to make everyone flustered. Many wanted to talk to him, but for some reason, it felt as if they couldn't cross a certain distance in his vicinity to truly approach him.
He entered the house and looked around. It was well-maintained, but it was clear that no one had lived there for a few years.
Those who saw him entering the house belonging to the owner of the prestigious academy on their planet hurriedly ran away to report to the city governor. That's why it didn't take long for the news to reach Ohan and his two older sons.
Kyle entered the house and went to his room. It was well-kept, with all his clothes, shoes, and even his bed neatly organized.
He took a bath, and with a wave of his hand, a comfortable sweater and trousers appeared out of thin air around his body.
It was a good use of natural laws, as he could manipulate them to create things.
He was seated in one of the armchairs in the living room, sipping the tea he had prepared for himself, with Bia sleeping on the table opposite him, when the entrance of the house was suddenly flung open.
Ray's heavily breathing figure strode in. He glanced around frantically.
"Who entered this house?"
He entered the living room but stopped when he saw an unknown man seated there. His eyes widened when he recognized Bia's familiar figure and then shifted back to the unfamiliar man. Gray eyes and dark hair? Was it really his little brother?
"Kyle?"
He called out, and the man placed the teacup in his hand on the table before standing up with a smile.
"Yes, it's been a while."
Ray stepped toward him slowly, his eyes wide as he had to look up and strain his neck to meet his gaze. Damn, when did the smallest in the house become the tallest?
"Neon did tell me you changed, but so much... I can't even recognize you!"
He punched Kyle's shoulder and pulled him into a hug, patting his back.
"I do want to settle the score with you for not coming back for so long, but I am more glad you are okay."
Kyle returned the hug and Ray stepped back to get a good look at him.
"So, is this your real appearance now?"
Kyle shook his head with a soft chuckle, leaving Ray dumbfounded.
"What? Don't tell me you're even taller than this. That's not humanly possible..."
Bia opened her eyes with a groan before flying to land on Ray's hand, who quickly reached out to catch her with a smile and gave her head pats.
-"It's not about height. It's about his true appearance. His body glows now, which affects others' minds. He is not a normal human anymore, you know. So, he had to conceal his true appearance."
Ray let out an 'oh,' but this only made him more curious about Kyle's appearance. He looked at him with a grin.
"I heard you ascended to the most powerful, Celestial rank. Is it because of that? Can I see your true appearance? Just how much more handsome can you get? The appearance I'm seeing right now is already beyond extraordinary standards."
Kyle raised an eyebrow, intrigue dancing in his eyes. He tapped the teardrop symbol on the back of his neck, and in an instant, his appearance changed. A mesmerizing blue hue radiated from his entire body, casting an ethereal glow around him.
His eyes transformed into a brilliant green, glimmering with an otherworldly light. His facial features sharpened, becoming more defined, as if carved by a master sculptor.
His hair cascaded into a brilliant silver, shimmering like moonlight.
He couldn't quite comprehend why it had darkened for a brief period after he gained profound mastery over the natural law of time, but for some inexplicable reason, his hair reverted to silver when he was seated in the Sea of Consciousness.
Ray's jaw dropped in disbelief.
Was his little brother even human anymore...? He stared in a daze, already affected. Just then, Ohan, Butler Eon, and Neon entered the living room. They halted in their tracks, too stunned to speak.
Bia, who didn't dare to look at Kyle, shook her head. She had already warned Ray that they would be affected by his appearance, but he insisted on seeing it for himself.
Ray reached out to grab Kyle's hand.
"Bro... I will protect you!"
Upon hearing this, Kyle blinked, and his appearance shifted back.
Ray finally snapped out of it and quickly let go of his hand, shuddering. Did he just call Kyle 'bro'? He was the older one! Shouldn't it have been the other way around?
"What the... just now, I felt as if I would give up my life for you if you just asked. Wow... I would do that even without my mind being manipulated. But what just happened with my thoughts was terrifying."
Ohan, Neon, and Eon also snapped out of their daze. Ohan stepped forward.
"Kyle, my son. You are back. This old man has been wanting to see you for so long."
He moved in to give him a hug. Neon punched his back softly, and Eon simply smiled at the scene. Kyle nodded at him, and the butler left to prepare something special for the family. Now that they were all gathered, a feast should be prepared to celebrate the moment. The three brothers and their father settled in the living room. Neon looked him up and down.
"Little brother, I just saw you two years ago. You were so strong back then. Now you've gotten even stronger?"
Bia chuckled evilly, leaning toward him.
Her laughter echoed through the entire house, causing all eyes around to twitch in response. But she was right; 'Kyle' and the term 'little' could no longer coexist. Neon clicked his tongue in mock annoyance.
"I am not that short, alright! And no matter how much taller Kyle grows, he will always be the younger brother we love and protect. That will never change."
They engaged in animated conversation, with a warm atmosphere enveloping every corner of the house. Kyle answered every question honestly, sharing how he met the famous Azazeal and battled him so many times only to lose badly, recounting how he spent many years in No Mana Land, and even narrating the moment when his body was shattered into tiny pieces and he had to construct a new one for his soul.
Eon joined the group shortly after.
However, the more they heard about what Kyle had endured over the years, the sadder they became. They couldn't believe he had gone through so much but never returned to complain like he did when he was young and got beaten up by Ray and Neon due to being a lazy youth with no ambition.
He stood up and ruffled Kyle's hair, snapping him out of whatever thoughts he was lost in. The family ate together, and while they were seated, another familiar face showed up.
09:02
Yue looked a bit flustered when she suddenly appeared without any notice. She had spoken with Kyle, and knowing he was coming back, she also returned to meet her mother and his family.
Kyle paused when he reached the point where he learned the natural laws of time. He never knew he could talk so much. But the more he spoke, it felt as if a huge weight was lifted off his body.
He felt light.
That's why this time he did not hide anything. Seeing him pause, Ohan smiled warmly. The worry in his eyes was evident, but he couldn't help but praise his son.
"You did an incredible job. I am proud of you, my son. I know it was tough, and you may have wanted to give up. But you didn't. You saved countless lives, even if you say you didn't do it for anyone else. You sacrificed your own body to protect your loved ones and friends. So, well done."
Kyle's fingers trembled slightly.
Ohan could see the distant look in his eyes. He was smiling while seated among them, but his smile lacked the glimmer it once had. It was because he had gone through so much that he couldn't even imagine.
"Let's eat while we talk! I'm sure my son, who is a bad cook, hasn't had good food!"
He stood up and ruffled Kyle's hair, snapping him out of whatever thoughts he was lost in. The family ate together, and while they were seated, another familiar face showed up.
Yue looked a bit flustered when she suddenly appeared without any notice. She had spoken with Kyle, and knowing he was coming back, she also returned to meet her mother and his family.
However, the moment Kyle introduced her as his wife, his father's face lit up, and he began showering her with gifts and talking to her as if she were his own daughter.