I smiled faintly before raising my hand casually.
The space around us rippled softly.
Then one after another, figures stepped out from waves of crimson light beside me as though emerging directly from the fabric of reality itself.
Silver appeared first in complete silence, his silver eyes immediately locking onto me while the surrounding essence shifted faintly around his body. Right behind him came Knight, stretching slightly the moment he arrived above the ocean as though he had just woken up from sleep.
Ash stepped out next with both hands in his pockets and his usual lazy expression, though his eyes sharpened slightly after properly sensing my aura.
Aurora emerged calmly afterward surrounded by flowing golden essence.
And finally Lyrate stepped out.
The moment she appeared, the atmosphere subtly changed as nature essence drifted around her instinctively while strands of green light moved through the air like flowing vines.
I have never been able to sense these changes before but now they were clear to my naked eyes.
For a second all of them simply stared at me.
Then Knight blinked once.
"...You look expensive now."
Silence covered the area. Even the ocean breeze seemed to pause awkwardly.
Ash slowly lowered his face into one hand. Silver closed his eyes briefly.
Aurora stared at Knight blankly. Lyrate looked genuinely offended.
Knight frowned slightly. "What? That was funny."
"No," Aurora replied immediately. "It physically hurt me."
"I think Saint rank damaged your sense of humor instead."
Knight pointed at himself proudly.
"See? This is why I’m important to the team. Emotional support."
"You are the emotional damage," Lyrate replied flatly.
Ragnar burst out laughing nearby while even Vivi covered her mouth slightly trying not to smile.
Knight looked toward me for support.
I betrayed him instantly.
"She’s right."
"Unbelievable."
The light banter settled naturally afterward while everyone continued observing me more carefully now that the initial jokes had passed.
Aurora stepped closer first. Golden essence shifted faintly around her while her gaze studied my aura directly.
"Thats a big change," she said quietly.
"Yeah."
"No," she replied while narrowing her eyes slightly. "Not just stronger." Her gaze moved around the distorted space near me. "Your existence itself feels different."
Lyrate nodded slowly beside her.
"The world is reacting to you now."
Then Lyrate suddenly looked toward Aurora.
"You know," she said casually, "for someone everyone calls Lady Order now, you’re surprisingly calm."
Aurora’s expression twitched very slightly. Ragnar immediately grinned.
Aurora crossed her arms.
"And for someone who disappeared into another world," she replied calmly, "you seem very concerned about titles."
"I’m not concerned," Lyrate answered immediately. "I’m judging."
Aurora narrowed her eyes slightly.
"You’re jealous."
Lyrate stared at her blankly.
"Of that title?" She scoffed lightly. "Please. If I wanted a title, I’d choose something better."
Knight raised one hand instantly.
"Lady Photosynthesis."
Lyrate slowly turned toward Knight.
"...Can we send him back?"
"Alright, stop the stupid talks," I said while looking at all of them. "Now that I’ve finished my rank up, nothing is stopping any of you from stepping past the boundary as well." I paused slightly before adding, "Oh, and apparently the ocean bed is the best place for it. Speaking from experience."
Knight immediately nodded seriously.
"Ah yes. Nothing says peaceful spiritual ascension like being crushed under several million tons of water."
"Yet you’re still going," Aurora replied calmly.
"Of course I am. I’m just complaining professionally."
Then suddenly the atmosphere shifted. Everyone looked at each other quietly for a brief second before essence began rising around their bodies almost instinctively.
And then they moved.
Six figures shot downward from the sky simultaneously like meteors tearing toward the ocean beneath us, the sea erupting violently the instant they entered while enormous waves spread across the horizon from the impact.
Vivi floated beside me while watching the chaos below.
"Well," she murmured softly, "there they go."
Far beneath the ocean surface, the pressure of six Transcendent beings beginning Saint ascension spread rapidly through the abyss. Essence currents across the planet destabilized almost instantly while the ocean floor trembled continuously beneath the overwhelming concentration of laws gathering in the depths.
Then the projections appeared.
The skies above Abor darkened again as gigantic manifestations slowly materialized one after another high above the planet.
Knight’s soul appeared first.
A colossal black panther emerged within the heavens, its massive body covered in shifting shadows while enormous wings extended from its back like blades forged from darkness itself. Crimson eyes glowed beneath the creature’s lowered gaze while space distorted faintly around every movement of its tail.
Even standing still, it radiated predatory pressure.
Then Ash’s manifestation appeared.
A gigantic humanoid figure cloaked entirely in white emerged silently within the skies. Its hood remained lowered, hiding everything beneath endless darkness while long white robes drifted unnaturally through empty air despite the violent essence storms surrounding it. Nothing about the figure looked aggressive.
Yet somehow, it felt the most unsettling.
Next came Lyrate.
The skies filled with green light instantly as a gigantic tree erupted upward behind her projection, its branches stretching endlessly across the heavens while countless leaves glowing with life essence drifted around it. At the center sat Lyrate herself upon an enormous wooden throne formed from intertwining roots and vines, looking less like a warrior and more like an ancient queen overseeing creation itself.
Even the air around Abor became richer with life the moment her soul manifested.
Ragnar’s projection appeared right afterward with considerably less elegance.
A gigantic ape towered above the clouds while roaring loudly enough to shake the atmosphere itself. Golden-red fur covered its massive body while a crude crown rested upon its head and an enormous black club remained gripped within one hand. Violent essence storms spiraled around the projection continuously while nearby space cracked slightly beneath the pressure of its roar.
Vivi blinked once.
"...That is exactly what I expected from him."
Aurora’s manifestation followed soon after.
An enormous throne materialized high within dark storm clouds while oceans of lightning spread endlessly around it. Aurora sat calmly atop the throne while silver-gold lightning flowed across her body continuously, the surrounding skies splitting apart every few seconds beneath overwhelming storms that bent naturally toward her presence.
Unlike Ragnar’s violent projection, hers felt controlled. Like judgment waiting silently within the storm.
And finally, Silver’s soul appeared.
A gigantic hawk drifted through the void above the planet while galaxies rotated slowly within its eyes instead of pupils, entire stars reflected endlessly across its silver feathers. Unlike the others, Silver’s projection barely emitted visible pressure.
But the moment it appeared, the surrounding skies became eerily quiet. Like the void itself had descended over Abor.
I watched all six manifestations spread across the heavens while the oceans below continued trembling from their ascensions.
Beside me, Vivi slowly exhaled.
"...The galaxy is going to panic again," she muttered.
I smiled faintly while looking toward the skies filled with gigantic soul projections.
"Ohh it surely will and not just the galaxy."