It felt like they had arrived at the edge of the world itself.

The Border towered endlessly before them, stretching across the horizon so far that none of them could see where it ended. Massive hexagonal structures layered together formed its foundation, each segment nearly three feet tall and stacked four levels high like colossal honeycomb plates forged from some unknown metallic material.

Above those physical layers—

An enormous energy barrier rose into the sky.

It was also hexagonal in design, glowing faintly as countless translucent cells connected together endlessly upward, disappearing into the clouds far above.

Standing before it, Tyler and the others felt smaller than ants.

The SUV itself looked insignificant in comparison.

A strange silence lingered around the Border. No noise. No life. Only the faint hum of energy flowing through the massive structure.

And yet—

Despite its cold appearance, something about the outside called to them.

Just as Ariel had said.

The world beyond the Border felt... beautiful.

Not because they could see it clearly.

But because something deep inside them resonated with it.

Lonely.

Mysterious.

Ancient.

It felt less like staring into the unknown—

And more like looking toward home.

The feeling was irrational. Unexplainable.

Yet Tyler felt it.

Tansy felt it.

Rose felt it.

Even someone with no memories, no knowledge, no understanding of the world would probably feel the same. It was almost instinctive, buried deep within humanity itself.

Tyler stepped out of the vehicle slowly, his eyes fixed on the gigantic barrier.

"I thought there would be military guarding this place," he said.

Ariel leaned casually against the SUV.

"There are military forces," she replied. "Just not at every Border sector."

She pointed toward the endless structure.

"The Capital mainly guards routes where escape attempts happen frequently. Most of the soldiers aren’t here to stop things from entering..."

Her smile faded slightly.

"They’re here to stop people from leaving."

Rose stared upward quietly.

"So nobody can cross this?"

Ariel picked up a small stone from the ground.

"Watch."

She tossed it casually upward.

The stone flew toward the glowing energy barrier.

The instant it touched the surface—

It disintegrated.

Not shattered.

Not burned.

It simply vanished into particles.

The exact same type of barrier used during the death games.

Tansy instinctively tightened her grip on her bow.

"That’s insane..."

Ariel dusted off her hands.

"See? Not easy to cross."

Then she looked toward them.

"Can you see outside?"

Tyler, Tansy, and Rose focused beyond the barrier.

At first, all they saw was fog.

Dense white mist stretched endlessly on the other side, obscuring everything beyond a certain distance. Occasionally faint shadows shifted within it, but none of them could tell whether they were mountains, forests, or simply illusions caused by the haze.

Still—

The pull remained.

That strange feeling.

Like the world outside was alive and waiting.

Ariel’s voice became quieter.

"The outside world feels like home to everyone," she said. "No one really knows why."

Her eyes lingered on the barrier.

"Even before the Capital existed... these walls were already here."

Tyler glanced at her sharply.

"What?"

She nodded.

"The old records say humanity was already divided by the Border. There is nothing alive in outside world."

The atmosphere became heavier.

"Aircraft that attempted to fly beyond the walls never returned," Ariel continued. "Communication signals disappear completely after crossing a certain distance."

Rose frowned slightly.

"So nobody actually knows what’s outside?"

"Not officially."

Tyler walked closer to the barrier, observing the faint streams of energy flowing between the hexagonal cells.

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"How are these barriers powered?" he asked.

Ariel answered immediately.

"Not by Carbonyx."

That alone surprised Tyler.

Carbonyx powered nearly all advanced technology within the Capital.

But Ariel shook her head.

"These barriers draw energy from outside the Border."

Silence followed her words.

Tyler slowly looked beyond the fog again.

For the first time since arriving—

He truly felt it.

The outside world wasn’t simply dangerous.

It was hiding something enormous.

Tyler walked toward the towering hexagonal wall, his footsteps echoing softly against the metallic ground. Up close, the structure felt even more overwhelming. Countless hexagonal plates were stacked together like giant scales, stretching endlessly to both sides. Faint streams of energy flowed between the gaps, glowing like veins beneath the surface.

Without hesitation, Tyler raised his hand and casually touched the wall.

The moment his fingers made contact, the hexagons rippled.

A deep humming noise resonated through the air.

Before anyone could react, the wall swallowed him whole.

His body vanished instantly, as if the barrier had opened its mouth and dragged him inside.

Everything happened so fast that the group froze in shock.

"...Tyler?" Tansy shouted

For a brief second, silence dominated the area. Even the wind seemed to stop moving.

Then panic exploded.

Rose’s eyes widened as she sprinted toward the wall. "TYLER!"

Tansy and Ariel quickly followed behind her. Rose slammed both hands against the hexagonal surface, expecting to pass through just like Tyler had.

But nothing happened.

The wall remained solid and unmoving.

Rose stumbled back in disbelief before punching the barrier again. The impact sent pain shooting through her fist, yet the wall did not even tremble.

"What the hell?! Sister Ariel, what happened?!" Rose shouted, her voice filled with panic and confusion.

Ariel stepped closer, her expression unusually tense. She slowly placed her palm against the strange wall, carefully feeling the faint energy flowing beneath it.

But unlike Tyler, she wasn’t pulled inside.

Nothing reacted to her presence.

"I think..." Ariel hesitated, narrowing her eyes at the glowing hexagons. "Tyler went outside."

Even as she said it, uncertainty filled her voice.

The idea itself sounded absurd.

Outside?

Beyond this gigantic border?

Nobody truly knew what existed outside the wall. For generations, people only spoke about it in myths and rumors. Some believed paradise existed beyond the barrier. Others believed only death and monsters waited there.

Rose and Tansy turned pale.

"You mean... he’s alone out there?" Tansy asked quietly.

Ariel didn’t answer immediately.

The faint glow of the wall reflected in her golden eyes as countless thoughts raced through her mind.

Finally, she spoke in a low voice.

"...I’m not sure."