Chapter 270: Beyond the Boundaries of the Known World

Chapter 270: Chapter 270: Beyond the Boundaries of the Known World

"I’ll be leaving for quite a while."

The words settled between them, and Ji-won’s expression gradually became more serious.

"Leaving? Where are you going?"

"There are several things I need to take care of, and they cannot be resolved by remaining here. I don’t know exactly how long I’ll be gone, so I’d rather tell you now than leave without giving you any explanation."

Ji-won studied him for several seconds, searching his face for some indication of what he meant.

"How long are we talking about?"

Ares considered the question before answering.

"I honestly don’t know."

’It could be years before I return.’

The thought passed through his mind with an unsettling clarity.

His situation had reached a point where remaining on the World indefinitely was no longer a practical option. The power he had accumulated, the authorities he had awakened, and the increasingly profound connection between his existence and the Eclipse were approaching a threshold that could not be crossed through ordinary training alone.

His coming evolution would not be a simple increase in strength.

It would require him to refine the foundations of his existence, harmonize the countless forces he had gathered, and bring his body, soul, mana, and authorities into a state capable of sustaining the next stage of his power. The Eclipse was no ordinary ability that could be mastered through repetition, nor was it a force whose true nature could be understood by remaining within the limits of a single world.

If he intended to complete his evolution, he would have to venture into those places.

He needed to uncover the deeper nature of the Eclipse, confront the restrictions that still remained within his existence, and seek out the resources, knowledge, and experiences required to advance beyond his current state. Some answers might lie within the territories of ancient civilizations, while others could only be found by entering worlds whose very existence remained unknown to the inhabitants of the Otherworld

There was also the matter of The Eclipsed Order.

Ares had never intended for the organization to remain confined to a single world, and its influence would eventually extend far beyond the territories where its members currently operated. Before that could happen, however, he needed to ensure that his own power had reached a level where no unforeseen threat could compromise everything he had built.

His departure was therefore not merely a journey in search of greater strength.

It was a necessary step toward the next stage of his existence.

’If everything proceeds as expected, I may not return for several years. By the time I come back, I want to have reached a level where the obstacles that once required my attention will no longer be worth a moment of consideration.’

Ares looked at Ji-won again, his expression returning to its usual calmness.

"I have some important matters to settle, and they may take longer than I initially anticipated. I can’t promise that I’ll be back within a few months."

Ji-won lowered his gaze briefly, absorbing the information before slowly nodding.

"I understand. If it’s something you really need to do, then I won’t ask you to stay just because I don’t want you to leave. I would prefer it if you told me when you’re planning to go, though, rather than disappearing without a word."

"I’ll tell you before I leave," Ares promised.

"All right," Ji-won replied, forcing a small smile. "Then I’ll wait for you to come back, no matter how long it takes."

Ares regarded him quietly for a moment.

There were very few people on Earth whose presence had become familiar enough to make an ordinary conversation feel meaningful, and Ji-won was one of them. Their circumstances had brought them together through events that neither of them could have entirely anticipated, yet the friendship that had developed between them had remained refreshingly free of the expectations that so often accompanied power.

Ares had no intention of allowing his departure to become a farewell that could never be reversed.

There were simply things he needed to accomplish before he could return.

"By the way," he said, deliberately shifting the conversation toward a more practical subject, "I’m going to leave one of my summons with you while I’m away."

Ji-won blinked.

"Your summon?"

"Yes. She’ll remain here and protect you in case anything dangerous happens. It might not look particularly intimidating, but she’s powerful enough to defeat an S-Rank boss, so you don’t need to worry about being left without protection."

For several seconds, Ji-won merely stared at him.

"W-Wait a moment. Did you just say that your summon can defeat an S-Rank boss?"

Ares nodded as though he had just explained that the apartment had a spare key.

"That’s right."

Ji-won’s mouth opened slightly before he finally managed to gather his thoughts.

"I knew your summons were powerful, but I didn’t expect one of them to be that strong. Are you sure it’s all right to leave her with me? Isn’t she one of your valuable summons?"

Ares laughed softly at his reaction.

"I have quite a few summons, Ji-won, and I’ve already spoken to her about this. She understands what I need her to do and has agreed to remain here until I return. You won’t need to give her complicated instructions, either. As long as you tell her when something seems wrong, she’ll know how to handle the situation."

’Besides, anyone foolish enough to threaten Ji-won while she’s nearby will quickly discover that an apparently harmless summon can be considerably more dangerous than it looks.’

Ji-won rubbed the back of his neck, still struggling to process the information.

"I don’t even know what to say. You’re leaving me with a summon capable of defeating an S-Rank boss as casually as someone might leave a friend in charge of a pet."

Ares chuckled.

"Please don’t compare her to a pet. She has her own intelligence and personality, and I’m certain she would take offense if she heard you describe her that way."

"Then I suppose I should be careful about what I say around her," Ji-won replied, finally managing a nervous laugh of his own.

"That would probably be wise."

The conversation continued for some time, covering the practical arrangements Ares intended to make before his departure and the precautions Ji-won should take while he was away. Ares reassured him that the summon would not interfere with his ordinary life unless there was a genuine reason to do so, and that he would provide a means of contacting him should an unusual situation arise.

Eventually, Ji-won leaned back against the sofa and released a long breath.

"Well, I can’t say I’m happy about you leaving f, but I suppose I have no right to complain when you’ve already made up your mind."

Ares laughed, genuinely amused by the remark.

Far beyond the territories Ares D’Averon had explored, beyond the kingdoms whose histories had been preserved in ancient records and the continents divided by the ambitions of powerful races, countless worlds extended across an expanse so vast that even the oldest civilizations possessed only fragments of its true scale.

There were empires whose dominions encompassed entire continents, ancient races that had maintained their sovereignty since the earliest recorded ages, and powerful beings whose names had become inseparable from the histories of the worlds they ruled. Dragons older than kingdoms, demon sovereigns commanding territories filled with innumerable subordinates, celestial monarchs presiding over radiant dominions, and creatures whose existence defied the classifications of ordinary races all continued to pursue their own ambitions, unconcerned with the lives of civilizations that existed far beneath their notice.

They had not appeared recently, nor had they emerged from some forgotten slumber.

They had always been there.

Some ruled openly, their authority recognized by entire worlds, while others remained concealed behind ancient covenants, spatial barriers, or the simple indifference of beings who possessed no reason to reveal themselves to those they considered insignificant. There were also those who belonged to no kingdom, served no ruler, and acknowledged no authority beyond their own strength, wandering through distant realms according to purposes that remained incomprehensible to the civilizations they passed.

Their existence was not a secret to everyone.

It was simply a truth that few possessed the power, knowledge, or opportunity to understand.

Within one such world, far from the territories familiar to Ares, an enormous city stretched across the slopes of a mountain range whose peaks pierced the clouds. Towering fortresses overlooked bustling districts, ancient formations shimmered beneath the streets, and bridges of white stone connected structures that had endured for thousands of years. Beings of countless races moved through its avenues, from ordinary merchants and traveling adventurers to warriors whose presence alone commanded the respect of entire regions.

At the city’s highest elevation stood a grand palace, its outer walls extending across the mountainside like the ramparts of an impregnable kingdom.

Inside one of its vast chambers, a man stood before a window overlooking the distant horizon.

He appeared to be in the prime of his life, with long silver hair falling across the shoulders of an immaculate dark robe. A faint pattern resembling interwoven stars marked the fabric, while a ring bearing an unfamiliar crest rested upon his right hand. His appearance was unassuming compared with the elaborate garments worn by many rulers, yet the attendants stationed outside the chamber maintained a respectful distance, and none would have dared interrupt him without permission.

The man was examining a collection of reports delivered from distant territories.

Most concerned ordinary matters: disputes between neighboring dominions, fluctuations in the prices of rare resources, and requests for assistance from subordinate territories. Such matters were familiar enough that he could have dismissed them with a few words, but one particular report had caught his attention.

It described an unfamiliar presence that had passed through a region beyond the jurisdiction of the surrounding kingdoms.

There had been no invasion, no declaration of hostility, and no visible disturbance in the territories along its path. The local authorities had reported neither a battle nor any significant destruction. In fact, the region had remained remarkably peaceful.

The only unusual detail was the response of an ancient formation situated near the border.

The formation had registered an energy signature it could not properly classify.

The man read the report again before setting it upon the table.

"An unclassified signature," he murmured. "And the authorities responsible for investigating it have provided no further explanation."

He did not appear particularly concerned. The countless worlds contained too many unusual beings, forgotten techniques, and unfamiliar forms of power for every unexplained phenomenon to warrant immediate intervention. Even the most experienced investigators occasionally encountered something beyond their knowledge, and an inability to identify a presence did not necessarily indicate a threat.

Nevertheless, the report had reached his desk through channels normally reserved for matters of considerable importance.

That alone made it worth examining.

He turned toward the chamber’s entrance.

"Summon the regional observer responsible for that territory. I want the original records, not a summary prepared by someone who has never visited the location."

A nearby attendant bowed.

"Immediately, my lord."

As the attendant departed, the man returned his gaze to the window.

Beyond the palace, the city continued its ordinary activities. Merchants negotiated their prices, adventurers prepared for expeditions, and powerful warriors crossed the streets without drawing more than passing attention from the inhabitants. Far beyond the city’s walls, the surrounding territories extended toward distant mountain ranges, ancient forests, and vast expanses that remained only partially explored.

This world, vast as it was, represented only one portion of a much greater expanse.

There were other worlds beyond its boundaries, each with its own history, races, rulers, and powers. Some were governed by civilizations far more advanced than the kingdoms surrounding this city, while others were dominated by beings whose individual strength could determine the fate of entire continents. Still others remained largely unknown, their internal affairs concealed by distance, powerful barriers, or the deliberate isolation of their inhabitants.

No single ruler possessed complete knowledge of them all.

No ancient record contained every truth.

And no matter how powerful a being became, there would always be territories beyond its immediate reach, histories it had never witnessed, and existences whose true capabilities it could not accurately measure.

The man understood this better than most.

He had lived long enough to recognize that strength and knowledge were not the same thing, and that even the greatest powers could remain ignorant of events unfolding beyond their own dominions. The world was not a stage built around a single kingdom, nor was its history determined exclusively by the beings whose names appeared most frequently in ancient records.

It was an endless convergence of ambitions, conflicts, alliances, and individual journeys.

Somewhere within that immense expanse, an unknown individual might be gathering strength, pursuing a goal that would eventually bring them into contact with powers they had never imagined. Somewhere else, an ancient ruler might be preparing to settle a grievance that had endured for millennia, while a young warrior in a distant kingdom might be taking the first step toward a destiny that would eventually alter the balance of an entire region.

Most of these events would never intersect.

Others, however, would eventually collide in ways no one could have anticipated.

The man picked up the report once more, his expression thoughtful.

"Interesting," he said quietly. "Let us see whether this is merely another unexplained phenomenon or the beginning of something worth our attention."

He placed the document among the others and turned away from the window.

Beyond the palace, the countless territories continued to move according to their own laws, and the beings who inhabited them pursued their ambitions without waiting for the permission of history.

The world had never been still.

It had simply been too vast for any single observer to see everything happening within it.

And somewhere, far beyond the reach of this distant palace, another journey was about to begin.

Volume Five — End