I stared at it for another moment before speaking again.
"I have another question."
The cat looked at me quietly and gave a small nod. I raised my hand slightly and projected several images into the air between us using soul energy.
The Naga Matriarch. The Demon Monarch.
And the others who had entered the Crimson Zone long ago.
The projections floated silently above the fountain while the cat’s golden eyes slowly moved across each of them.
For a few seconds it said nothing.
Then its eyes suddenly began glowing brighter, deep golden light spreading through its pupils while the atmosphere around the fountain became strangely still.
The cat continued staring at the projections.
Then finally it shook its head.
"Stupid people," it muttered. "They are fighting the Crimson Zone," it said calmly.
I narrowed my eyes slightly. "Fighting it where?"
"Deep inside it."
The projections vanished slowly afterward while the cat continued sitting comfortably in the air.
"If you wish to find them," it continued, "then stop using tokens and shortcuts like you did to come here."
Its golden eyes settled directly on me.
"Go deep into the Crimson Zone yourself. The people you seek are there."
The cat’s golden eyes continued watching us silently for a few moments after that. Then the Terminal disappeared. There was no warning this time.
One moment I was still standing beside the fountain beneath the endless fog-filled skies, and the next my soul was pulled away violently as reality collapsed inward around me. Countless stars stretched into long streams of light while I felt myself moving through space at tremendous speed, entire galaxies flashing past like sparks before dissolving behind me.
The sensation lasted only a few seconds.
Then there was a sharp jerk. Consciousness slammed back into something heavy.
My eyes opened and I stared at the darkness.
For a moment I didn’t understand where I was until memory settled properly and I realized I was back inside the coffin where my body had been resting before entering Oriel.
I tried to move immediately but nothing happened. Not even my fingers responded.
A system notification appeared in front of my vision.
[Welcome Back!]
I frowned slightly and attempted to move again, forcing strength through my body harder this time.
But could not do it.
"What now," I muttered mentally before directly asking the system, "why can’t I move?"
The response came instantly.
[Body-Soul Synchronization Currently Incomplete]
[Estimated Completion Time: 2 Hours]
[Cause: Extended Soul Separation Duration]
That explained it.
The system continued afterward.
[Would the host like their summons to be informed about their return?]
"No." I responded immediately.
For a few moments I remained still inside the coffin before extending my thoughts outward through the connection linking me to Knight and Lyrate.
"Hey," I sent mentally, "you two hear me?"
Knight responded first almost instantly.
"Yes."
Lyrate’s voice followed right after. "I hear you."
"Good," I replied mentally. "Don’t tell the others we’re back yet."
Knight responded. "Sure"
"Let’s have some fun first." I chuckled.
I could practically feel Knight grinning through the connection after hearing that.
Then I added, "Also the system says it’ll take around two hours before our bodies fully synchronize again."
Lyrate immediately replied, "Thank god my body is still safe."
Knight snorted mentally. "That’s your first concern?"
"Yes."
I ignored both of them afterward and instead allowed my restored perception to spread outward from inside the coffin.
The effect was immediate.
My awareness flooded through the surrounding base effortlessly, passing through coffin walls and defensive formations without resistance, and within seconds I understood exactly where we were.
We were still at the same base outside the Crimson Safe Zone. Then my perception reached farther outward and I stopped.
A figure sat quietly outside the formation protecting our coffins.
It was Amun.
The moment my perception washed over him, his eyes opened instantly.
Then slowly he smiled. I heard Amun’s voice directly inside my head.
"Look who is back."
There was amusement in his tone.
"You returned surprisingly fast. Only thirty-seven days." He chuckled softly afterward. "I assumed you would remain gone for at least half a year."
That actually caught me off guard.
"Thirty-seven days?" I asked mentally. "How? One day there was supposed to equal one month here."
"That is what should have happened," Amun replied calmly. "But apparently reality decided to ignore expectations this time."
I frowned slightly inside the coffin.
"I didn’t even notice the passage of time there properly."
"Now isn’t that an interesting mystery, Billion," Amun said with clear amusement in his voice. "Who knows how such things happen." He paused briefly before adding, "But I have been counting the days personally, so my calculations are correct."
Then I felt his attention sharpen slightly.
"Now," he continued with faint excitement, "tell me the good news."
"Good news?" I replied lazily. "Nope. I’m not telling you anything until I get out of this coffin."
Amun immediately sounded offended.
"What do you mean, Billion? You don’t trust me?"
"Of course there’s no one I trust more than you, Amun," I replied smoothly. "But you see, I would first like to flex my muscles a little. I’ve been stuck too long already."
Amun laughed quietly after hearing that.
"Fine," he said. "Keep your secrets for now."
I shifted the topic afterward.
"Anyway," I asked, "how’s the Prime Universe doing in my absence?"
This time Amun remained silent for several seconds before answering.
"The Prime Universe remains largely the same," he replied eventually. "But your home galaxy has caused... noticeable waves recently. The council has officially taken notice of you," he continued calmly. "It is only a matter of time before you receive an invitation to the Prime Galaxy itself."
"The Blue Spiral Galaxy," Amun went on, "is now completely free of Eternal presence, and your Order of Absolute has become far more dominant than before." There was faint amusement in his tone again afterward. "At this point, I would say nearly every major and minor organization within the Prime Galaxy is aware of the Order of Absolute."
I smiled slightly inside the coffin after hearing that. Things had moved far faster than I originally expected.
The Order of Absolute growing stronger, the Blue Spiral Galaxy stabilizing, major organizations in the Prime Galaxy already becoming aware of us... it was more progress than I had anticipated making in such a short time.
Then another thought crossed my mind.
"Hey," I asked Amun, "any news about Theras?"
This time Amun didn’t answer immediately.
"There is news," he replied eventually, "but nothing you should concern yourself with for now."
I frowned slightly.
"You still need to become much stronger before facing him."
"I know that," I replied mentally, "but wasn’t he planning to attack us eventually?"
Amun chuckled softly after hearing that.
"He will."
There was certainty in his voice.
"Just not yet."
Outside the coffin, I could still feel him sitting calmly while the Crimson Zone stretched endlessly farther in the distance.
"He is preparing," Amun continued. "Theras understands very well that attacking too early would be pointless while I still remain here."
I narrowed my eyes slightly at that.
"I am still a significant obstacle for him if he wishes to completely take over the Prime Universe," Amun said casually, almost amused by the idea itself. "So right now he is gathering strength. Expanding. Preparing enough power to overcome me first."
A faint pause followed.
"Once he believes he is ready..." Amun added calmly, "then he will come."
"Okay, so he’s preparing," I replied mentally. "What about you?"
Amun laughed softly after hearing that.
"I am preparing as well, aren’t I?"
Something about the amusement in his voice immediately made me suspicious. Then he continued.
"I have you."
He actually laughed loudly this time.
"You will be my trump card, Billion. My ultimate weapon against Theras." There was clear satisfaction in his tone now. "How does that make you feel? Good, right?"
I almost facepalmed inside the coffin. Even after everything, this man somehow still spoke like an overly excited child.
"Just leave it," I sighed mentally.