Feeling mentally exhausted after everything he had just learned, Erend finally lowered himself onto the bed and stared upward at the ceiling above him.

His body itself did not truly feel tired anymore. At his current level, ordinary physical exhaustion barely affected him unless he pushed himself through overwhelming battles continuously. But his mind was different.

The pressure building inside his thoughts had grown heavier with every passing day.

At first he thought resting for a while might help calm his mind enough to sleep, but sleep never came. He simply remained there in silence while the dim light from outside the window stretched across the ceiling above him.

His thoughts drifted slowly afterward.

His level had become unimaginably high compared to the past. Years ago, when he first obtained the System power, he could barely understand the path he had stepped onto. Back then, surviving powerful enemies already felt difficult enough. Yet now he had crossed worlds, fought ancient gods, confronted impossible beings, and reached heights ordinary people could never even imagine.

So many things had happened since then.

And yet despite all the power he possessed now, despite all the battles and growth and attainments he had accumulated through countless struggles, there were still beings and mysteries within the cosmos that remained overwhelmingly beyond him.

The Void Architect was the clearest example of that reality.

That existence already felt like the final enemy standing at the end of everything. And the worst part was that the Void Architect had not even acted directly yet.

He merely extended his will across realities and this world had already descended into chaos beyond control. Entire kingdoms suffered daily attacks. The world itself was destabilizing. Corruption spread endlessly across lands and dimensions.

And now he had even begun attempting to interfere with the System itself.

Erend released a long sigh afterward before muttering quietly beneath his breath.

"The Void Architect really is a problem..."

His eyes remained fixed toward the ceiling while his thoughts continued moving heavily.

Thankfully, he had refused the Void Architect’s request to immediately hand over the Creation when they first connected.

But at this point, the Void Architect probably no longer cared about convincing him anymore.

Erend had already discovered the Creation for him. Now the Void Architect likely believed he could retrieve the Creation through his own power eventually.

The situation had never truly been good from the start, but despite all of it, Erend also realized something else. He was no longer facing this alone.

Eccar remained beside him as always. Aesa had become another reliable force capable of standing against impossible threats. And Sylven’s existence still felt strangely surprising even now, but Erend and the other two genuinely welcomed it.

Another Dragonborn in this world. Another ally capable of understanding the burden they carried. That realization eased some of the heaviness inside him slightly.

Eventually, Erend closed his eyes briefly before giving a small nod to himself.

The next day would arrive soon. There was still too much left to do. He could not continue lying here drowning himself in endless worry and brooding thoughts like this. They needed to just act.

—

Morning eventually arrived.

The four Dragonborn gathered once again inside the living room of Sylven’s house while a tense atmosphere settled around the table between them. Compared to the exhaustion from the previous night, their expressions now looked focused and serious again.

Sylven stood near the table with crossed arms before finally speaking first.

"The Archmages requested all of us to attend a meeting today," he said. "The kings of all five kingdoms will be there as well."

A few hours earlier, he had already received the message directly from Archmage Velrion.

Hearing that immediately confirmed what everyone already expected.

Eccar nodded slowly from his seat. "Yeah. We figured this would happen eventually."

The situation surrounding the Sky Anchor fragments had already become too large for the Archmages alone to handle quietly anymore. Now the kingdoms themselves needed to mobilize fully.

Eccar then stood up afterward. "Let’s get ready then."

Everybody agreed.

—

The great hall normally used by the Archmages for their meetings now felt far more crowded than before, though not uncomfortable. The atmosphere simply carried a heavier sense of importance because this time the rulers of the five kingdoms themselves had gathered together alongside their respective Archmages.

Ten of the most influential figures in the entire world were now present within the same chamber.

The massive circular hall remained illuminated by rotating Magical arrays suspended high above the ancient stone floor while layers of protective enchantments quietly pulsed throughout the walls. Despite the tension lingering in the air, the hall itself remained calm and heavily secured.

The bodyguards, knights, royal escorts, and advisors accompanying each ruler had all been left outside intentionally.

There was simply no need for them here.

Anyone foolish enough to attack this place directly while five Archmages and five rulers occupied the same hall would be committing suicide.

King Darius of Valdros shifted slightly from where he sat before finally speaking with visible impatience. The ruler possessed a broad and imposing body shaped more like a veteran commander than a noble king. Several scars remained visible across his face and hands while his expression carried the constant sharpness of someone accustomed to battlefields rather than politics.

"How long do we need to wait?" he asked.

King Garrie of Leonora remained calmer in comparison. Seated near the opposite side of the table, the king carried his usual composed demeanor despite the exhaustion visible beneath his eyes.

"Just wait," Garrie answered steadily.

Truthfully, none of the rulers had been waiting very long at all.

But the current state of the world made every moment away from their kingdoms feel uncomfortable. Each of them had left behind unstable territories filled with corruption outbreaks, anomalies, and endless military pressure. Even while standing here now, part of their attention remained fixed on whatever disaster might already be unfolding back home.

The atmosphere inside the hall remained tense and restless.

Then suddenly, space distorted near the center of the chamber.

A circular portal opened in the air as waves of immense energy spread quietly throughout the hall.

Immediately, every gaze turned toward it.

Moments later, four figures emerged from the portal together.

—