Surrounded by broken mountains and scarred ground that bore the marks of blades and scorch marks stood none other than two individuals, both with flapping snow-white hair.
They were none other than MadWhite and Ryuk, and before them was the clear runic line on the ground.
Slowly bringing out the vial, Ryuk passed it to MadWhite, who took it silently and then walked onto the formation. Opening the vial, he poured a tiny amount—two drops—at the very center of the runic line before passing the vial back to Ryuk.
With curiosity, both figures watched as the dropped liquid began swimming along the lines of the formation.
Immediately, the liquid started spreading along the edges of the runic line, soon covering the entire pattern before slowly disappearing. After two minutes of waiting, nothing happened.
"Hmm, is it faulty?" MadWhite was the first to break the silence as Ryuk raised an eyebrow at the man, then stepped onto the hard rock, but nothing changed.
"How weird," he said, standing on the runic portal, yet still, nothing happened. It was almost as if no difference had been made.
"I guess that’s the end of the trail then..." Ryuk stated, a slight, peaceful exhale leaving his heart. But then—
BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURSSSSST!
A bright pillar of blue light burst out from the runic formation, flashing into the sky and carving an arc through the clouds.
The intense light continued for about a minute before it finally started to recede. When Ryuk and MadWhite looked back at the formation, they no longer saw just markings but a wide-open gate. Inside lay pitch darkness—an abyss.
MadWhite and Ryuk turned their heads to look at the portal, but no matter how hard Ryuk stared, he couldn’t see its end.
It was almost like it was bottomless.
"You said you’ve gone in before, right?" Ryuk asked.
MadWhite nodded. "Yes. But the last time I went in, the portal wasn’t resting on the formation—it was like a door above the formation that I entered. And at the end of it, there was a hole I couldn’t get through."
"But this… this is opening up straight into the formation itself," Ryuk noticed, his eyebrows furrowing as MadWhite casually shrugged.
"It’s fine. It might just be taking a different form."
But suddenly, their eyes widened in shock as the portal began shrinking rapidly.
"Get in now!" MadWhite ordered, and in a flash, Ryuk jumped upward above the portal before dropping with gravity.
For a second, his gaze met that of MadWhite, and no more words were needed. Ryuk disappeared down the portal, and a few seconds later, the gate formation shut with a bang before returning to its former previous state.
A deep exhale left MadWhite’s lips after Ryuk’s disappearance. He shut his eyes closed for a while before looking up at the turbid sky. But then—
The sound of ringing rang out, coming from none other than MadWhite’s Apex Watch. He picked it up and raised it to his ear.
"Is he gone?" A thick and slightly old voice came from the other end.
MadWhite exhaled before replying. "Yes. I’ve sent him to that world."
"Good. Good. That’s the only way to protect his life. If he comes back, he will return with enough power to protect himself. And if he never comes back, that must mean he died—the same result that would be waiting for him here in the academy anyway."
The old voice rang out from the other side, its tone suffused with deep scorn that made MadWhite’s eyes narrow.
"They truly seem to have their attention on him. Even the damn Order Guardians…" MadWhite said slowly, stepping away from the portal.
"No, the Order Guardians are nothing compared to the grand scheme of things. The top families know only horror awaits them if he is to grow."
"He’s the only one with the potential, and even the ancient monsters of the families will try to nip him in the bud while he’s still too young—or try to make him ally with them."
"The horror of what they have done to the human race in the past is what scares them. They’re afraid of retribution for their godforsaken actions."
"But I believe in karma. And I know one day, as impossible as it may sound, karma will be delivered, and the races that dare claim our world for their own will be punished and banished away from whatever hell they came from!"
The old voice carried weight—loud with anger.
MadWhite paused in his steps, respectfully listening. But his hands betrayed him—his fists unconsciously clenched at his sides.
The man’s words struck at his heart, and images of the Dark Era flashed in his mind. The era that took everything from them.
The era when humans had their world snatched from them, stabbed in the back by the other races. The day when Earth was changed to Endearth, and humans became slaves!
That era was when MadWhite was born, and being so talented, he had seen the horror of it all vividly.
The Million of Lifes Lost, the rapings, the endless struggle against absolute crushing power.
Humanity fought the invaders with all their power, yet were ruthlessly crushed to nothing.
Now history had been re-written by the Winners, and Humans who once owned it all were now one of the bottommost of racial existence.
Every scene of that Dark Era was carved in Madwhite’s soul itself, something he could never forgot in a Million years from now and doomed to live with forever.
That was why his heart clenched at the words of the man—for this man was one of the only surviving ancient humans alive.
Every word of his dripped with pain and experience. Horror untold to none but himself.
"In the name of Earth!" The old voice said, this time much calmer.
MadWhite replied back.
"In the name of Earth!"
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In and Out_SnowySmoos