The large wooden doors slowly opened.
A soft fragrance of flowers drifted out before we even stepped inside.
For a brief moment...
I wondered if we had entered the wrong place.
Instead of an office filled with shelves and documents, the room resembled a small garden hidden within the heart of the Fairy Realm. Thick roots stretched across the polished floor like veins of an ancient tree, while countless flowers bloomed around them in every imaginable color. Sunlight poured through openings high above, illuminating floating petals that lazily danced through the air.
At the very center of the room...
An enormous tree rose toward the ceiling.
Its trunk was wide enough that three people together probably couldn't wrap their arms around it. Golden leaves gently rustled despite there being no wind.
Beneath the tree sat a single man.
He wasn't surrounded by guards.
Nor did he wear a crown.
Yet...
The moment my eyes met his...
A chill quietly crawled down my spine.
Black hair rested neatly over his shoulders, while calm brown eyes silently observed each of us. His expression revealed nothing, but the atmosphere around him felt unimaginably heavy.
This...
Wasn't pressure created by strength alone.
It was the weight carried by someone who had stood above others for countless years.
Without saying a word...
The man slowly reached toward the sword resting beside him.
Its sheath was plain.
Almost too plain.
Yet the moment his fingers touched its handle, every instinct inside my body screamed.
Danger.
I had never seen that sword before.
But somehow...
I knew.
If it was drawn...
Someone would die.
The man calmly stood.
His gaze never left us.
Beside me, Tale immediately placed one hand over his chest before lowering his head.
"Greetings, Head Zenithal."
Only then did I realize this was their way of showing respect.
Gray quickly copied Tale's movement.
Alysa did the same.
Not wanting to disrespect their customs on our very first day...
I followed.
"My name is Zaraf."
"I'm Gray."
"I'm Alysa."
Zenithal gave a slow nod.
No smile.
No welcoming words.
Only silence.
Then...
He began walking toward us.
Each step echoed softly across the wooden floor.
For some reason...
The room seemed to become quieter with every step he took.
Eventually, he stopped only a few paces away.
His calm eyes settled upon Gray first.
Without looking at a single document...
He spoke.
"The Fifth Creator..."
"...Gray."
His voice wasn't loud.
Yet every word carried absolute certainty.
"You arrived during the Third Era."
"You have created thirteen different worlds."
"You rarely trained seriously."
"But despite that..."
"You successfully raised the reincarnation child known as Abeth."
Gray's confident posture immediately stiffened.
Zenithal continued as though simply reading from a book.
"Your behavior has remained acceptable."
"You have not abused your authority as a creator."
"You have respected the laws established between our realms."
A brief pause.
"That is why..."
"...I approved your participation in the Battle of the Exil Tree."
Gray blinked several times.
"...You..."
"...know all that?"
Zenithal didn't answer.
He simply shifted his gaze.
This time...
Toward Alysa.
She immediately smiled and waved enthusiastically.
"Hello!"
The Head merely looked at her for several quiet moments.
"The Eighth Creator..."
"...Alysa."
"You also arrived during the Third Era."
"You have created only one world."
"You have yet to receive proper creator training."
Alysa awkwardly scratched her cheek.
"...That's true."
Zenithal continued.
"Your combat experience remains limited."
"Your judgment lacks maturity."
Gray quietly whispered,
"...He's really saying everything to her face."
I almost nodded.
Captain Shin usually softened his words.
Zenithal...
Didn't.
However...
His next sentence surprised all of us.
"Even so..."
"Your natural instincts during combat are exceptional."
"You possess qualities our young fairies would benefit from witnessing."
"That..."
"...is why I approved your participation."
Alysa's eyes immediately sparkled.
"Really?"
He simply nodded once.
"Do not disappoint my expectations."
"I won't!"
She answered without hesitation.
For the first time...
The corner of Zenithal's lips moved ever so slightly.
Not quite a smile.
But enough to reveal he appreciated honest determination.
Then...
His eyes turned toward me.
Instinctively...
My shoulders tensed.
I expected him to mention my training.
Master Ben.
My students.
Perhaps even Bell.
Instead...
His very first words froze the room.
"The previous Seventh Creator..."
"...of Protection."
Every heartbeat inside my chest slowed.
Previous?
What did he mean...
Previous?
"You arrived during the Third Era."
"You created one world."
"You trained under Ben."
"You currently guide three reincarnated children."
Everything until now sounded ordinary.
Then...
His voice became noticeably colder.
"You defeated the rogue leader of the reincarnations."
"..."
"You violated inter-realm law."
"..."
"You activated a forbidden artifact."
"..."
"And as a consequence..."
"...you released a monster into the Imagery World."
Silence.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Then Zenithal calmly finished.
"For those reasons..."
"...I have not approved your participation in the Battle of the Exil Tree."
"...What?"
Gray's voice broke the silence.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Wait..."
"Not approved?"
Even Alysa looked completely confused.
The surrounding fairies exchanged quiet glances before looking toward me.
Meanwhile...
I simply stood there.
Unable to process what I had just heard.
Not approved?
Then...
Why was I even here?
Before I could ask...
Gray suddenly stepped forward.
"No!"
His voice echoed throughout the room.
"That's not fair!"
Tale's eyes widened.
"Gray..."
"It wasn't Zaraf!"
Gray pointed directly toward Zenithal.
"You've read Captain Shin's report!"
"You know it was Shadow who used the artifact!"
"Not Zaraf!"
The room immediately fell silent again.
Zenithal slowly looked toward Gray.
His expression remained completely unchanged.
"Shadow..."
He repeated calmly.
"And Zaraf."
His gaze sharpened ever so slightly.
"Tell me."
"What was the difference..."
"...between the two..."
"...at that moment?"
Gray opened his mouth.
No words came out.
Zenithal took another step forward.
"You insist they are different."
"Very well."
"Show me proof."
His voice never rose.
Yet somehow...
It became even heavier.
"What evidence do you possess..."
"...that he will never become that monster again?"
Gray's fists slowly tightened.
His jaw clenched.
"I..."
"He..."
For the first time since I had met him...
Gray looked genuinely angry.
Not annoyed.
Not embarrassed.
Angry.
"He would never hurt us."
He finally forced the words out.
"I know him."
Zenithal answered immediately.
"I require proof."
"Not belief."
Gray's breathing became heavier.
Even Tale quietly step beside him, placing a hand against his arm.
"Gray."
He softly whispered.
"That's enough."
But Gray didn't move.
His eyes never left Zenithal.
I quietly stepped forward.
"...Gray."
He didn't respond.
I gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"...Thank you."
His body slightly stiffened.
"I truly appreciate..."
"...that you're standing up for me."
"But..."
I smiled faintly.
"Let me handle this."
For several long seconds...
He simply stared at me.
The anger inside his eyes slowly faded.
Eventually...
He stepped back.
"...Fine."
"But I'm not happy about it."
"I know."
I slowly turned toward Zenithal.
He silently waited.
Almost...
As if he had expected this outcome from the very beginning.
I took a deep breath.
"You said..."
"...I haven't earned your approval."
"Then tell me."
"What must I do?"
"If you truly intended to refuse me..."
"...you wouldn't have allowed me to come all the way to the Fairy Realm."
"So..."
I met his unwavering gaze.
"...what is the condition?"
For the first time since we had entered the room...
Zenithal smiled.
It wasn't warm.
Nor friendly.
It was the smile of someone who had finally found the answer he was waiting for.
"...Interesting."
He turned around.
Then calmly spoke.
"Come."
"...With me."
"Alone."
"...What?"
Gray immediately stepped forward again.
"I'm coming too."
"No."
Zenithal didn't even look back.
"This conversation..."
"...is only for him."
Gray looked ready to argue again.
Before he could...
I shook my head.
"It's alright."
"...Zaraf."
"I'll be fine."
Tale came between them.
"Don't worry."
"The Head isn't planning to harm him."
Alysa gently grabbed Gray's sleeve.
"I don't really know what's happening..."
"...but..."
"I think we should trust Zaraf."
Gray looked from her...
To me...
Then finally sighed.
"...Fine."
"But if anything happens..."
"I don't care about the tournament anymore."
"I'm coming after you."
I couldn't help laughing quietly.
"I'll remember that."
Zenithal had already reached another door at the far end of the room.
Without another word...
He opened it.
Bright sunlight spilled inside.
Beyond the doorway...
An endless sea of ancient trees and blooming flowers stretched toward the horizon.
I took one final glance at my friends.
Then...
Followed the Head of the Imagery World Log Department into the silent garden beyond.
The moment we stepped outside...
The atmosphere changed completely.
The silence inside the office had been heavy.
The silence here...
Was peaceful.
An endless garden stretched before us. Flowers of every color swayed gently beneath a warm breeze, while enormous roots from the World Tree curled across the ground like ancient pathways. Somewhere nearby, water quietly flowed through a crystal-clear river, its surface reflecting rays of sunlight that slipped through the endless canopy overhead.
For several moments...
Neither of us spoke.
Zenithal simply walked ahead with both hands resting behind his back.
I followed in silence.
There was no point asking questions.
Someone like him...
Would speak only when he wished to.
Eventually, he stopped beside one of the World Tree's gigantic roots.
It rose several meters above the ground, forming a natural staircase overlooking the valley below.
He quietly looked into the distance.
Without turning toward me...
He finally spoke.
"Tell me."
His calm voice echoed through the garden.
"What exactly do you think escaped from your body?"
I immediately understood who he meant.
"...Shadow."
My answer came almost instinctively.
"I never intended to let him escape."
"I tried to stop him."
Zenithal nodded ever so slightly.
"I know."
"You fought him."
"You resisted."
"You failed."
His words were simple.
Mercilessly simple.
There wasn't a trace of blame in them.
Only facts.
He slowly turned toward me.
"But..."
"What you released..."
"...was never simply another personality."
A strange feeling settled inside my chest.
Zenithal's gaze sharpened.
"Shadow."
"The Seventh Creator..."
"...of Oblivion."
The title alone felt strangely cold.
"He arrived during the Third Era."
"He created twenty-three worlds."
A brief pause followed.
Then...
"He destroyed twenty-three worlds."
...
For several seconds...
My thoughts completely stopped.
"...Destroyed?"
I unconsciously whispered.
"He destroyed..."
"...every world he created?"
Zenithal nodded.
"Every single one."
I stared at him in disbelief.
"...Why?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead...
He slowly resumed walking.
I quietly followed behind him.
"The answer..."
"...is lost."
"We investigated."
"We searched."
"We questioned everyone who had ever encountered him."
"No one discovered his true reason."
"He simply created."
"...Then erased."
My chest gradually became heavier.
Twenty-three worlds...
Countless lives.
Countless stories.
Gone.
Not because of war.
Not because of fate.
Simply...
Because Shadow decided they should disappear.
Zenithal finally continued.
"He never sought recognition."
"He never desired authority."
"He had no interest in ruling others."
"He simply..."
"...kept walking."
His voice remained perfectly calm.
As though he were reciting history from memory.
"And wherever he walked..."
"...the end eventually followed."
A cold breeze passed between us.
For the first time...
I realized something.
I knew almost nothing about Shadow.
Until now...
He had simply been my other half.
Someone who stole my memories.
Someone I wanted to stop.
But listening to Zenithal...
It felt as though he was describing a natural disaster rather than a creator.
I quietly lowered my eyes.
"...I didn't know."
"I expected as much."
Zenithal answered.
"You were separated before learning the truth."
He stopped once more.
This time beside a massive flower larger than either of us.
Its glowing petals slowly opened toward the sunlight.
Then...
He spoke about something entirely different.
"There are..."
"...two paths."
I looked at him.
"To mastering an element."
He extended one hand.
A tiny sphere of wind gently formed above his palm before quietly dispersing.
"The first path..."
"...is the one every creator follows."
"Training."
"Practice."
"Experience."
"Years."
"Sometimes centuries."
He closed his hand.
The wind disappeared.
"It is slow."
"But stable."
"It builds a solid foundation."
I nodded.
That was exactly how Master Ben had been teaching me.
Zenithal raised one finger.
"The second path..."
"...is far rarer."
His voice became noticeably quieter.
"You abandon technique."
"You abandon formulas."
"You abandon imitation."
"You observe."
"You listen."
"You understand."
His eyes slowly lifted toward the leaves of the World Tree.
"Eventually..."
"You touch..."
"...the true Essence of an element."
The words lingered in the air.
"Essence..."
I quietly repeated.
"It is the original nature of the element."
"The truth that existed before anyone gave it a name."
His gaze returned to mine.
"Very few creators ever glimpse it."
"And those who do..."
"...usually spend decades reaching it."
My heartbeat gradually accelerated.
Because...
I already knew what he was about to say.
Zenithal nodded.
"Shadow..."
"...did it in thirteen minutes."
The world suddenly felt silent.
"...What?"
"He received the Dark element."
"Thirteen minutes later..."
"...he awakened its true Essence."
No excitement existed in Zenithal's voice.
Only concern.
"Impossible..."
I whispered.
"It should have been."
He answered.
"But Shadow never cared what was considered impossible."
My memories immediately returned to our battle.
The black sphere.
The overwhelming darkness.
The strange feeling that reality itself had been collapsing.
"...The black hole..."
I murmured.
"That..."
"...was the Essence?"
Zenithal nodded once.
"Only a fragment."
"Even then..."
"It nearly destroyed everything around it."
He looked toward the distant horizon.
"As the years passed..."
"He continued creating."
"And destroying."
"With every world..."
"His understanding deepened."
"His power evolved."
"Until eventually..."
"...we could no longer classify him alongside ordinary creators."
The air suddenly became heavy.
Zenithal slowly looked back at me.
"Our records classify creators by threat."
His voice carried an authority that made every word feel absolute.
"From the lowest..."
"...to the highest."
His next words echoed inside my mind.
"Shadow..."
"...received the designation..."
'X-Level Threat.'
A strange chill spread throughout my body.
"Only two creators..."
"...have ever been given that title."
"And even among them..."
"Shadow stood apart."
I couldn't speak.
I couldn't even breathe properly.
The person I wanted to surpass...
Had already reached a place beyond imagination.
Zenithal quietly continued.
"When someone reaches X-Level..."
"They no longer threaten a city."
"Or a kingdom."
"They threaten..."
"...the balance between realms."
Silence followed.
Long...
Heavy silence.
Then...
He spoke the words I hadn't expected.
"So..."
"We prepared."
I slowly raised my head.
"The Fairy Realm assembled its strongest forces."
"The Imagery World gathered every available creator."
"Captain Shin."
"Ben."
"The Guardians."
"The Elder Fairies."
"Thousands..."
"...stood ready."
His eyes reflected memories far older than mine.
"It was to be a war."
"A war unlike any before it."
I swallowed.
"...Then?"
Zenithal quietly smiled.
Not with happiness.
But with disbelief.
"When we arrived..."
"...Shadow was gone."
"...Gone?"
"He vanished."
"No traces."
"No battle."
"No farewell."
"No explanation."
"He simply..."
"...ceased to exist."
The garden suddenly felt colder.
"For years..."
"We searched."
"Nothing."
"Our final conclusion..."
"...was that he somehow returned to the Human Realm."
My thoughts became completely chaotic.
Returned?
Why?
After everything...
Why would Shadow simply leave?
There were too many questions.
None of them had answers.
Zenithal slowly turned toward me once more.
His expression remained unreadable.
"But if he returns."
"And that time..."
His eyes locked onto mine.
"...the question is whether history will repeat itself."