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The world around Yuki trembled.
The ground cracked beneath his feet, yet the void energy circling him began to calm—not by force, but by choice. He wasn't wrestling the power anymore. He was listening to it.
Each breath was heavier than the last, but it came with clarity.
"I can feel it…" Yuki whispered. "It's not just emptiness. It's… alive."
Himari stood a few meters away, arms crossed, observing closely. Her expression hadn't changed, but there was a subtle shift in her aura—an interest. For once, she didn't interrupt. She simply watched.
Yuki closed his eyes. The energy surged around his arms, flickering with black and violet threads. His heartbeat synced with the rhythm of the void, and instead of falling into chaos, he shaped it—like clay in his hands.
Then, he saw her.
Not in front of him—but in the stillness of his mind.
Aiko.
She was reaching for him. Lost. Scared. But not broken.
Yuki's eyes shot open. "She's not okay."
Himari tilted her head. "You saw something?"
"She's trapped. Somewhere deep." Yuki turned, his voice desperate. "I need to help her."
"You're not ready," Himari said quietly.
"I don't care." The void flared at his feet. "She's part of why I've made it this far."
Himari walked toward him, stopping just inches from him. "Then prove you're strong enough. If you want to tear through the veil between worlds, you'll need to pierce it with more than power."
Her finger tapped his chest. "With purpose."
Yuki gritted his teeth. "I have it."
A crack echoed through the sky.
The void behind him twisted and bloomed, like a portal—or a scar.
Yuki stepped forward, void energy condensing in his palm like a blade.
"I'm coming, Aiko."
And then—he vanished into the tear.
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