Kaito did not wait for permission.
He collapsed the distant lattice into autonomous rotation and tore open a return corridor toward Earth.
The effort nearly split him in half.
Distance compression while weakened strained the divided Origin violently. His internal rings sparked with unstable interference.
Behind him, across the cosmic network, other Watchers ignited into awareness.
Protocol deviation expanding, one transmitted.
Architect contamination risk detected, said another.
The Watcher who assisted him did not move to stop him.
Instead, it spoke one final warning:
You are no longer the only anomaly.
Kaito entered the corridor at near-failure threshold.
On Earth, the thin filament in the desert lifted slightly—reacting.
As if sensing its counterpart returning.