"I have an idea."
I raised an eyebrow, already expecting something excessive.
"Go on."
Vivi turned mid-air and looked down toward the vast ocean surrounding Gladiara, her small form suddenly radiating a much sharper intent than before.
"We won’t just make the continent difficult," she said. "We’ll make reaching it a trial."
Before I could respond, her wings flared with violet essence.
The ocean below us reacted instantly. At first it was subtle. The surface rippled unnaturally, as if something deep beneath had begun to stir. Then the water started rising in multiple places at once, forming towering pillars that twisted and bent against gravity.
I watched closely.
"What are you doing?"
"Creating guardians," she replied calmly.
The pillars of water began to take shape.
Massive forms emerged from the ocean itself. Serpents longer than warships coiled through the waves, their bodies made entirely of condensed water yet holding structure like living beings. Giant sharks followed, their forms sleek and terrifying, eyes glowing faintly with essence as they circled beneath the surface.
Then came giant humanoids.
Figures rose from the ocean, their bodies sculpted from flowing water but solidified by essence. Some carried spears, others swords, and a few held massive tridents formed from compressed currents. Their presence alone distorted the surrounding sea.
"They’ll guard the waters," Vivi said, watching them with satisfaction. "Anyone who wants to reach Gladiara will have to pass through them."
I scanned the growing army.
"There are a lot of them."
"There will be thousands," she replied. "Different strengths too. Some will be at Master level, others at Grandmaster. And a few stronger ones... just to make things interesting."
The ocean continued to churn as more and more guardians formed, spreading outward in a wide perimeter around Gladiara.
I smiled faintly.
"That should slow people down."
Vivi wasn’t done.
She turned toward the continent itself.
"And inside..."
Her essence surged again.
Gladiara responded.
Across the continent, the elemental zones awakened further. From the volcanic mountains, creatures of fire and molten rock began to emerge, their bodies glowing with internal heat as they moved through lava like it was nothing.
In the storm fields, lightning condensed into forms that flickered between existence and energy—humanoid silhouettes made entirely of thunder, their movements instantaneous and violent.
Within the forests, massive beings formed from roots, bark, and life essence rose slowly from the ground, their presence ancient and heavy.
In the wind canyons, shifting figures made of compressed air took shape, nearly invisible except for the distortion they created as they moved.
Even in the central zone—
Denser, more terrifying entities began to form, shaped by the convergence of multiple elements.
"These will roam Gladiara," Vivi said. "They won’t stay in one place. They’ll move, adapt, and fight anyone who enters."
I observed the continent again. Now it truly felt alive and definitely more dangerous and unpredictable.
I nodded slowly.
"Now it’s perfect."
Vivi turned toward me, clearly pleased.
"Yes."
She looked back at the continent, watching her creations spread across both land and sea.
"Now only those who truly want to grow stronger will make it through."
"Thanks, Vivi. This would have taken me much longer without you. You know... I was thinking something," I said.
She flew up lightly and settled on my shoulder.
"What are you thinking?" she asked.
"We’re going back to Abor," I replied. "The planet we came from. I’m planning to create a second portal on Vaythos and permanently connect the two worlds. So... how about you come with me? Is that even possible?"
For a split second she went still. Then she burst into motion.
She shot off my shoulder and began flying in circles around me, her voice overflowing with excitement.
"Wait, really? You want to take me too? Wow... why didn’t I think of that earlier? This is going to be amazing. I’ve never been that far from Vaythos before. Peanu and Sukra were fine, but they felt... boring. Yes, I want to go. I definitely want to go."
She kept circling me, speaking faster than I could respond.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
"Vivi, calm down," I said. "First tell me if you can actually leave Vaythos without causing any problems."
She stopped mid-air and hovered in front of me.
"Oh, that’s simple," she said casually. "I just need to devour Abor as well. Once I do that, it will be the same as the others."
I blinked once.
"That... sounds a little too easy."
"It is easy," she replied confidently. "And if Abor is a strong planet, then Vaythos will benefit a lot from it."
"It is," I said. "Abor is much larger than Vaythos, and its essence is far denser."
Her eyes lit up instantly.
"Perfect."
She spun once in the air, clearly pleased.
"It’s a deal then. Let’s not waste any more time."
Before I could say anything else, space folded around us. In the next instant, I was back in her garden beneath the massive tree.
Vivi didn’t wait even a second. She dove straight off my shoulder into the essence pool.
"Ahh... I’m so hungry," she muttered as she sank into the glowing liquid.
I shook my head, amused.
"Go ahead and build your portal," she added lazily. "I’ll wait here and fill my stomach first."
"Yes, Your Highness," I said dryly as I expanded the pool and poured more liquid violet essence into it.
"Any other orders?" I asked.
"No, that’s all for now," she replied.
Then her form shifted. Her small phoenix body dissolved and reshaped into a sleek, fish-like form made entirely of violet essence as she began swimming through the pool.
I chuckled and turned away, moving some distance away from the giant tree. The ground there was smooth and stable, perfect for what I had in mind.
Taking a slow breath, I raised my hand.
Violet essence gathered instantly at my palm, dense and controlled, responding without resistance. Then, with a slight motion of my fingers, the first line of the formation carved itself into the ground.
Runes began to flow. Lines of glowing script extended outward from my palm, etching themselves into the earth in precise patterns. Each rune carried intent—space laws to bend distance, sealing laws to stabilize the structure, and time laws to regulate the flow within the tunnel.
The circle expanded steadily.
Layer upon layer formed, each one interlocking with the next in perfect harmony. The outer ring focused on spatial anchoring, ensuring the portal would connect directly to Abor. The inner layers handled stability, preventing collapse or distortion during transit. Between them, threads of time laws wove through the formation, accelerating the passage while maintaining balance.
I worked without pause. Every rune fell into place exactly where it needed to be, guided by my comprehension and experience when I created the same on Abor.
The ground beneath me pulsed faintly as the formation grew more complex.
Hours passed.
The sun slowly dipped toward the horizon, casting long shadows across the garden as the sky turned shades of orange and gold.
By the time the final rune settled into place, evening had arrived. The entire teleportation circle lay complete before me, glowing faintly with layered violet light, its structure stable, precise, and ready to connect two worlds once again.