We silently watched the family reunion.
Neither Azharyon nor I had completely recovered from our earlier embarrassment.
Through their conversation, we finally learned the man's name.
Zeranyx.
Meaning—Sovereign of Eternal Balance.
Standing beside him was his wife...
Our aunt.
Zeraphine.
Alongside her were their children.
Our cousins.
Kaelith.
And his younger sister...
Elira.
The atmosphere quickly became lively.
Father and Uncle Zeranyx laughed together, exchanging stories from years gone by.
Compared to Father, who rarely smiled...
Uncle Zeranyx was an endless source of jokes.
Within moments...
The awkwardness surrounding Azharyon and me disappeared completely.
Even the surrounding elders smiled helplessly.
Then...
Whether intentional...
Or completely accidental...
Aunt Zeraphine calmly looked toward Grandfather.
"Father..."
"I have something to report."
The cheerful atmosphere instantly froze.
Uncle Zeranyx stiffened.
"...Honey?"
She smiled sweetly.
"I'd like to report my husband."
"...For neglecting his family."
...
Silence.
Complete silence.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
I blinked.
Azharyon blinked.
Then both of us slowly turned toward Grandfather.
His smile...
Disappeared.
Immediately.
Lightning quietly crackled around his body.
Tiny violet arcs danced across his robes.
Perfectly restrained.
Yet every person present felt an overwhelming pressure descend upon the island.
Apparently...
This wasn't the first time.
Grandfather had practically forced Zeranyx into marriage years ago.
Not because he doubted his son.
But because he knew him too well.
More than ninety percent of Zeranyx's life had been spent inside Neraphyx.
He only returned home briefly...
Before disappearing again the first chance he found.
Even after marrying Aunt Zeraphine...
He had remained for less than a month.
Then vanished into Neraphyx once more.
When Grandfather discovered what happened...
He locked Uncle inside the clan for an entire month.
House arrest.
Even then...
The fool escaped again at his first opportunity.
When Kaelith was born...
He stayed exactly one week.
One week.
Despite missing the entire pregnancy.
Grandfather had been so furious that he personally established a massive formation around Uncle's residence.
Thousands of meters wide.
Impossible to destroy quietly.
Impossible to escape unnoticed.
Elders guarded every entrance day and night.
For three months...
Uncle behaved.
The formation was removed.
The elders returned to their duties.
...
Three days later...
He disappeared into Neraphyx again.
Aunt Zeraphine never complained.
Never blamed him.
She quietly waited.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Until today.
She finally spoke.
Not for herself...
But for her children.
Her voice remained gentle.
"I can endure waiting..."
"But they deserve to know their father."
The entire island fell silent.
Even Uncle's usual smile faded.
Grandfather slowly opened his eyes.
The lightning surrounding him intensified.
Then—
"ZERANYX."
His voice wasn't loud.
Yet it echoed across the island like heavenly judgment.
"You are forbidden..."
"...from entering Neraphyx."
Uncle froze.
"...F-Father?"
"For ten years."
The surrounding elders nodded.
Then Grandfather looked toward the guardians of the Artificial Breach.
His expression became terrifying.
"If he attempts to cross..."
"Break both of his legs."
The elders saluted.
"Yes, Patriarch."
Grandfather wasn't finished.
"And if he still insists..."
"Break his arms as well."
Uncle's face instantly turned pale.
Grandfather looked at him one final time.
"...One hundred years."
The entire island became deathly quiet.
Even Father silently looked away.
There would be no changing Grandfather's decision.
Uncle slowly crouched on the ground.
His soul appeared to leave his body.
"...I'm finished..."
He whispered.
"I should've stayed in Neraphyx..."
Even I couldn't help but pity him.
Unfortunately...
He deserved it.
The laughter gradually faded.
Grandfather's expression softened.
His gaze slowly turned toward me.
For the first time today...
He smiled.
A genuine smile.
He walked forward...
And embraced me.
A firm embrace.
The embrace of a grandfather sending his grandson into the most dangerous realm in existence.
"...Grow stronger."
"...But return alive."
I nodded silently.
Father stepped forward next.
His embrace was brief.
Yet powerful.
"You already know what I want to say."
"I do."
Mother hugged me tightly.
Longer than everyone else.
Neither of us spoke.
Words weren't necessary.
Then...
Azharyon hugged me.
Our foreheads touched briefly.
"I'll catch up soon."
He grinned.
"I know."
One after another...
I embraced Uncle Zeranyx...
Aunt Zeraphine...
Kaelith...
Elira...
The elders I had grown close to...
Everyone.
Finally...
I turned toward the Artificial Breach.
The portal shimmered endlessly.
Beyond it...
Awaited Neraphyx.
I took one step.
Then another.
The wind gently brushed against my clothes.
One more step...
Then...
I stopped.
Everyone watched in confusion.
Slowly...
I turned around.
My gaze settled on Azharyon.
He tilted his head.
"...What?"
I calmly walked toward him.
Father frowned.
Perhaps he thought I had forgotten to say something.
My footsteps became faster.
Then faster.
Until—
BOOOOOM!!!
The ground exploded beneath my feet.
My body shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
My fist pierced through the air.
There was no warning.
No hesitation.
Only absolute speed.
Straight toward Azharyon's face.
BAMMMMMM!!!
The air exploded.
A deafening shockwave swept across the island.
Dust rose into the sky.
Everyone widened their eyes.
Then...
Silence.
I stared ahead.
My fist...
Had stopped.
A single hand...
Caught it.
Azharyon's palm firmly held my fist in place.
Without taking a single step backward.
Without the slightest strain.
He smiled.
"...Leaving without testing me?"
My pupils contracted.
For the first time since awakening...
Shock appeared on my face.
"...Impossible."
To Be Continued...