The group arrived at the guest room a little later.
Locarius greeted the two guards stationed at the entrance like old friends, and they returned the gesture with relaxed smiles before stepping aside.
The Crown Prince then knocked on the door. "May we enter?" he asked.
"You may," came the reply from inside.
Locarius opened the door and stepped in, with the rest of the group following after him.
Inside, the Emperor was already seated, and beside him stood the same SSS Rank Messenger who had saved Gara and Leif earlier.
They all greeted the Emperor in their own ways, then turned to the Messenger and did the same.
After a brief pause, Leif spoke up. "May I speak?"
The Emperor nodded.
Leif turned toward the Messenger. "Thank you for saving us," he said seriously. He then shifted his gaze to the Emperor. "And thank you, Your Majesty, for ordering it."
Gara followed, his voice a little stiff. "Y-Yes. Thank you… for both of those."
The Emperor merely nodded in acknowledgment.
The Messenger, however, smiled. "You two have strong Story Names," he said calmly. "A fine foundation. You carry a great destiny ahead of you."
He paused, then added, "I'll be watching your journey."
"Thank you," Leif said.
"Th-Thank you very much," Gara echoed.
Outwardly, Gara remained composed—but inside, his thoughts were spiraling.
An SSS Ranker… watching him?
The sheer weight of it made his chest feel tight. It was an honor so immense it almost didn't feel real.
[White Space] stepped forward. "Thank you for your hospitality over these past two nights," he said. "We are ready to leave the Fragment."
The Emperor nodded. "I will contact Miss Reciter shortly."
Then his gaze shifted.
It settled on Gara and Leif.
The two of them stiffened instinctively. It wasn't an aura, nor was it hostile—but the attention of an X Ranker carried its own weight.
The Emperor spoke again.
"I have yet to decide whether I will stand on your side," he said calmly. "However, I find the two of you… intriguing."
Gara swallowed. Leif remained still, listening.
"For now," the Emperor continued, "should you encounter Rashanz within the Story World, you may feel at ease. You will receive their help."
He paused, his eyes sharp.
"In the future, when you are much stronger—A Rank, for example—return here. Seek an audience with me."
The pressure eased slightly.
"At that time," the Emperor said, "I will give you my answer."
Gara and Leif both nodded their heads slightly.
"Thank you for this honor," Leif said.
"Y-Yes… thank you," Gara added.
The Emperor acknowledged them with a nod, then turned his gaze toward his grandson.
A faint smile appeared on his face. "It seems you and Gara have become good friends," he said.
Locarius smiled brightly and nodded. "We have. I can't wait to leave for the Story World and go on adventures with him."
The Emperor nodded in approval, then looked back at Gara. "I appreciate you befriending my grandchild."
Gara froze for a moment. "I-It's just that Locarius is a go—" He cleared his throat hurriedly. "Ahm… the esteemed Crown Prince is easy to be friends with."
Runa burst out laughing, and Locarius did the same.
"That's fine," the Emperor said, amused. "You may call my grandson by his name. You are friends now."
"Th-Thank you," Gara said, rubbing the back of his head.
The Emperor then turned to [White Space]. "If I hear anything regarding the [Architect of Living Mistakes], I will see that you are informed."
The old man inclined his head. "That would be most appreciated. Your consideration won't be forgotten."
The Emperor then raised his hand, and a black Story System Interface unfolded before him.
With a single motion, he initiated a call.
A moment later, a familiar presence answered. [Why have you called?]
[Best Horror Storyteller] asked.
"The guests wish to exit the Fragment," the Emperor replied calmly.
[Understood,] she said. [Proceed.]
The call ended.
In the very next second, a white portal bloomed open in the guest room, its surface smooth and bright, humming softly with Story energy. The Emperor gestured toward it.
"Safe travels," he added.
[White Space] inclined his head once more. "Your hospitality has been exceptional."
With that, he stepped into the portal, Runa following closely after him. Leif came next, giving a short nod before entering as well.
Gara lingered for a moment. He turned to Locarius, and the two shook hands.
"I'll be waiting for you out there," Gara said with a grin.
Locarius smiled back. "I'll be there soon."
Gara nodded, then turned, stepped into the white light, and disappeared—leaving the Fragment behind.
...
The red-haired young man found himself within a vast, twisting passage—something like a wormhole, with endless space stretching out in every direction. Stars, light, and drifting fragments of Story Energy moved silently around him.
Leif, Runa, and the old man were already there, waiting.
Once Gara joined them, they began walking together toward the distant exit that would lead them back to the Golden Space.
The journey took a few minutes, the surroundings shifting slowly as they moved.
Along the way, Runa couldn't resist teasing him. "You stuttered a lot back there," she said with a grin.
"I did not," Gara shot back quickly, trying to defend himself.
Leif glanced away, the corner of his mouth twitching, while the old man chuckled openly at the exchange.
Before long, the end of the passage came into view. A second white portal waited there, calm and steady.
One by one, they stepped through.
With that, they officially left the SS Ranked Fragment [Rashanz] and returned to the Story World proper—emerging once more into the Golden Space.
...
The group found themselves at the top of a set of golden stairs. Behind them stood the white portal, still open, leading back into the wormhole—and from there, into the [Rashanz] Fragment.
Gara let out a quiet sigh.
His mind drifted back to everything that had happened inside that Fragment. Fighting the Cover Club members. Being struck down by Golden Lightning—dying, if only for a moment. Advancing to E Rank at last, his first level-up in the Story World.
And everything else that followed.
An entire storm of events, packed into such a short time.
Despite himself, a small smile crept onto his face.
With the others, he started down the golden stairs.
Along the line leading to the Storylines within the [Rashanz] Fragment stood several Players—most of them B Rank or higher. Their gazes narrowed when they noticed the group: two E Rankers and an F Ranker with a Borrowed Story.
A strange sight, out of place.
Then they saw who was walking with them.
[White Space].
An SS Ranker.
The looks vanished instantly. Eyes turned away, postures straightened, and no one dared to draw his attention as the group continued down the stairs in peace.
The old man chuckled lightly, paying the onlookers no mind as they stepped onto the Golden Space platform.
The line leading to the actual world of [Rashanz] was empty.
Gara had been half-expecting to run into [Blue Waves] or the remaining Cover Club members waiting for them on the outside, the thought having lingered at the back of his mind ever since they left the Fragment.
Seeing no one there made his shoulders finally relax, and he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
With that worry gone, the group moved away from the stairs, finding a slightly emptier spot where they could speak without too many eyes on them.
[White Space] was the first to speak. "It seems our paths part here," he said gently. "I enjoyed our time together, even if it was brief. It felt… like a grandparent looking after his grandchildren."
Gara smiled at that. "You're a really good guy, Mister [White Space]. It was an honor meeting you."
Leif nodded. "I feel the same."
Runa stayed quiet, but she smiled brightly as she looked between them.
Gara tilted his head, curiosity sparking. "By the way… do you actually have grandkids, Mister [White Space]?"
The old man burst into laughter. "How do you not already know the answer to that?"
Leif rubbed the back of his neck. "I only bought the important information about you," he said honestly. "Not… everything."
[White Space] nodded slowly, then put on an exaggerated sigh. "So the poor old me wasn't important enough for you to buy all my records, hm?"
He laughed a moment later, waving it off. "Don't worry, I'm only teasing."
Then his expression softened. "No, I don't have any grandchildren. I had a son, once, but… things happened." He paused, eyes distant. "He's imprisoned now. Somewhere in the Infinite Prison."
He let out a quiet sigh and shook his head, brushing the thought aside. "But enough of that. What about you two? What will you be doing next?"
Gara straightened a little. "First, I need to fix my cracked Story. After that, I'll prepare as much as I can for the [Ticket Hunting] Event. I want to survive it… and hopefully board the Final Express."
The old man's eyes widened slightly, impressed. "The Final Express, hm? Ambitious. I'll be sure to watch when the event begins."
He then turned his gaze to Leif.
The blonde-haired young man shrugged lightly. "Pretty much the same. Gara and I are planning to stay close to each other for the next two months, until the event closes."
[White Space] smiled at the two of them, clearly pleased by their resolve.
He then nodded approvingly. "You have a good friendship," he said warmly. "I hope you'll protect each other like brothers."
Gara's face warmed at that, a faint blush spreading across his cheeks.
Leif smiled in response. "I'll do my best."
Runa giggled. "You already look like bickering brothers."
Gara cleared his throat loudly. "Ahem—" then quickly shifted topics. "Mister [White Space], about that Chimura creature… did you take it out of the Fragment?"
The old man nodded. "I did. It's currently imprisoned within my Domain."
Leif raised his hand slightly. "May I ask something?"
At the old man's nod, Leif continued. "Does it have a Story? And can it think? Otherwise, it shouldn't be able to exist in the Story World, right?"
[White Space] nodded again. "It does. Its thoughts are… simple. Like those of a child. Younger than Runa, even."
He gently ruffled Runa's hair as he said that, making her puff her cheeks in protest.
"I'll be doing my best to extract as much information as I can from it," he went on calmly, "especially anything related to [Architect of Living Mistakes]."
His tone was light, but the weight behind those words was unmistakable.
Gara nodded. "I wish you the best with your hunt for those sick scientists."
The old man inclined his head slightly. "Thank you. And you two—stay alert. Their lackeys are far more widespread than you might think. If you encounter anything even remotely connected to this matter, contact me immediately."
Gara and Leif both nodded in unison.
"We will."
After a brief pause, Gara spoke up again, curiosity clear in his voice. "Where will you be heading next, Mister [White Space]?"
The old man chuckled softly. "For now? The Silver Empire. I have a few old friends there—people I'd like to ask for help in dealing with the creature I'm holding."
His gaze then shifted to Runa, and he gently ruffled her hair once more. "And I'll also be looking for a proper place for this little one."
The girl had been unusually quiet through all of this, and Gara eventually noticed.
"Runa?" he asked gently. "What's wrong?"
She looked down, her shoulders drooping slightly. For a moment she didn't speak, then her voice came out small. "I… I don't want to say goodbye." Her fingers curled into her clothes. "I… I love you guys."
Gara crouched down in front of her and carefully lifted her chin so she had to look into his eyes. His voice was warm, steady. "I won't forget you. Ever. And you know you can always send me messages."
Her eyes wavered, listening closely.
"I'll come visit whenever I can," he continued, smiling. "And when I do, I'll tell you all about my adventures. Amazing ones, which I'll have for sure, you know, cause I'm [Root of All Things] and all!"
That finally made her laugh, a small, shaky sound.
"How about that?" Gara asked softly.
Runa nodded, then suddenly threw her arms around him in a tight hug.
Gara froze for half a second, then hugged her back just as tightly, holding her there as if to make the moment last a little longer.
She slowly let go of him, then turned to Leif.
He hadn't said a word, but he was smiling at her. "You're coming too," she said firmly. "You better."
Leif blinked, clearly caught off guard. After a second, he nodded. "I will."
Runa immediately grinned. "See? You can talk when it matters."
Leif stiffened, eyes widening just a little, while Gara shamelessly added fuel to the fire. "Careful, Leif. She's figured you out already."
The blonde shot him a look, and from behind them, the old man laughed openly, the sound light and amused.
Gara straightened up and faced him. "Once again… thank you. For everything."
Instead of replying right away, the old man extended his hand.
Gara froze for a split second, surprised that an SS Ranker would offer a handshake to someone like him—an E Ranker. Still, he quickly accepted it, gripping the old man's hand firmly.
The old man then turned to Leif and offered the same. Leif took it without hesitation.
"Well then," the old man said warmly, "until we speak again."
"Goodbye, big bro Gara!" Runa said cheerfully, then added with a mischievous smile, "And bye-bye, edgy big bro Leif!"
"Bye, Runa," Gara replied with a smile.
Leif only raised a hand in a short wave, visibly a bit annoyed by the title.
The old man waved as well, and with that, he and Runa turned and headed off, disappearing into the Golden Space as the farewell finally came to an end.
Left alone, Gara turned to Leif. "So… should we get moving?" he asked. "The bus lines should take us straight back to the White Clouds."
Leif nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."
They began walking through the Golden Space together. Around them, Players filled the vast platform—some laughing and talking with their teammates, others shouting names into their Story System Interfaces, calling friends or guild members.
A few stepped into glowing portals, disappearing into Fragments, while others emerged from them, some injured, some excited, some looking hollow-eyed.
Gara glanced around. "It's always like this here," he muttered. "Feels like the whole Story World passes through this place at some point."
Leif hummed quietly in agreement.
Before long, they reached the bus lines. Several lines stretched out before them, some nearly empty, others crowded.
Gara pointed at one that was almost full. "That one should leave soon."
Leif nodded again and headed for it. At the counter, he took out his Cores and paid for the both of them without a word.
Gara noticed but didn't bother stopping him. The blonde was clearly loaded, and arguing over it felt pointless. "I'll get the next one," Gara said casually.
Leif shrugged. "Sure."
They stepped onto the bus and found a pair of empty seats next to each other. As they sat down, the low hum of the vehicle filled the air, signaling that departure wasn't far off.
Once seated, Gara sighed once more before speaking up.
"So… how are you feeling right now?" he asked quietly.
Leif blinked, a little confused. "Normal?"
"Really?" Gara whispered back. "Because this all feels weird to me. We were just with an SS Ranker… a Crown Prince… and even an Emperor at X Rank."
He made sure to keep his voice low so no one else on the bus could hear.
Leif thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, I guess it does sound weird," he admitted. "But if we're being honest… going forward, it's probably only going to get even weirder than that."
Gara could only take a deep breath in response.
Then he smiled slightly as a thought crossed his mind.
He turned to Leif. "So…" he started, "now that we've finished the mission—you know, getting to the Fragment, the lightning stuff and all—"
Leif nodded, signaling for him to continue.
Gara went on, "The rest of the payment?"
He paused for a beat, then added, "…and of course, you'll teach me both Lightning and Shadow Techniques, right?"
Leif shook his head immediately. "Only Lightning, Gara. No Shadow."
Gara wagged a finger at him, grinning. "No, no, no. We're friends now, that's our deal! Friends share everything—including Shadow Techniques!"
Leif raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Being friends doesn't mean you get to take lessons you haven't earned yet."
Gara leaned closer, a sly smile on his face. "Oh, come on! We're friends! You can't say no to friends, can you?"
Leif didn't answer right away, instead crossing his arms. "We should check up on your friends first, we'll talk about Shadow Techniques after."
Gara's expression immediately darkened as memories of Dante and Lavia—and the prison break from two nights ago—flashed through his mind.
He rubbed his chin. "Yeah… first I want to check on Dante. See how he's doing. Especially with his sister breaking out of the prison and all…"
Leif gave a small nod. "Agreed."
"And… we probably shouldn't talk to him about the Competition for now," Gara added, frowning. "Better to leave that for later, since he's probably not doing great at the moment."
Leif nodded in reply.
Gara leaned back in his seat, thinking aloud. "Other than Dante, I also want to go visit Lavia in the hospital… see how she's doing."
He hesitated for a moment, then added quietly, "…and I also want to clarify the whole marriage situation with her, tell her my actual feelings about it."
Leif gave another nod in reply.
Gara continued, "Other than that… I want to visit Jack and Elena... And, yeah… that's about it, really."
Leif didn't nod this time, instead, he opened his black Story System Interface and tapped a few buttons.
Almost immediately, Gara's golden one pinged with a message: "We should probably also look for a Red Balatasia and an Alchemist. Confirm with Dante if he knows anything."
Gara nodded toward Leif. "Yeah… that too."
As they spoke, the bus lifted off the platform. Through the window, the Golden Space slowly shrank behind them as the bus sped farther away.
It would take them a while to reach the White Clouds, and Gara had a lot he wanted to discuss with Leif. Most of it, though, he held back—there were too many other Players on the bus with them.
Most were F or E Rank, but a few D Rankers were scattered among the seats as well.
Usually, as a Player grew stronger, they opted for more private or luxurious means of travel. Still, there were always exceptions—cases where an A Ranker would end up sitting beside an F Ranker on the same bus or train, blending in with the crowd.
...
Gara tapped on his golden Story System Interface, sending a message to Leif: "Did you agree to join the Competition, or were you forced like me?"
A moment later, Leif's reply appeared: "Kind of a choice… but not really. The person who picked me said I could refuse, but warned I'd regret it forever if I did. So… I agreed. He saved me when I was alone and helped me get started in the Story World after all."
Gara read it and simply replied: "Got it."
He decided not to push the topic any further for now.
Since he couldn't talk about the Competition for now because of his surroundings, and didn't want to keep typing question after question in his Interface, Gara decided to leave it be.
Leif didn't seem to have much he wanted to discuss either, at least he didn't make any attempts, so Gara thought for a moment before breaking the silence.
"Who's your favorite Reciter?" He asked casually, leaning back in his seat a little.
Leif blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic. He tilted his head, thinking, and then replied slowly, "[Informant Z]."
Gara squinted at him for a second, nodding. "Of course. Makes sense. Calm, collected, and mysterious—exactly your type."
Leif's eyes flicked up at him, a slight edge in his tone. "And yours? Probably the [Traveler], huh? Loud, reckless, always showing off…"
Gara's expression tightened for a moment, his pride pricked by the comment. "Hey! Unruly and adventurous is not the same as reckless!"
The two stared at each other for a beat, the tension almost comical.
Then Gara chuckled, shaking his head, and Leif gave a faint smile in response, the smallest crack in his usually stoic demeanor.
"Well, I'll give you that," Leif said, "but seriously… the [Traveler] has a way of overdoing everything."
"And yet," Gara shot back with a grin, "he gets the job done every time!"
Leif gave a nod in reply, "I'll give him that."
The conversation shifted naturally after that, flowing into a heated but friendly debate about different Reciters, their strengths, quirks, and who could handle what kind of Fragment best.
Their voices rose and fell with laughs, teasing, occasional playful insults, and neither seemed to notice the time pass.
The bus continued its journey toward the White Clouds, the chatter between the two of them filling the cabin until, finally, an hour later, they reached their destination.
The bus slowly docked on the decking for buses in Third Town, its engines humming softly as it came to a stop. Gara and Leif stepped down alongside the other passengers, the air crisp and carrying the faint scent of street food and city life.
Gara's eyes roamed over the shops lining the streets, the colorful banners and the various signs almost dizzying after the calm of the [Rashanz] Fragment.
He glanced down at the white clouds beneath his feet, a solid surface that seemed so surreal—after all, it was literally the ground in the White Clouds.
He shifted his weight slightly, marveling at the sensation.
Leif walked silently beside him, his usual calm and unreadable expression in place, hands tucked in his pockets. Gara, however, couldn't stop himself from taking it all in.
"It's… kind of amazing," Gara muttered, almost to himself.
He continued, "It's only been two days, but it feels like so much longer than when I was in [Ice Ninja]. So many huge things happened in the [Rashanz] Fragment in just two days… it's insane."
Leif cast a sideways glance at him but said nothing, letting Gara's words hang in the air.
Gara's gaze then returned to the streets, taking in the bustling crowd, the buildings stretching high into the sky, and the floating platforms in the distance.
"Everything… just happened so fast," Gara continued quietly, shaking his head in disbelief, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"I guess… that's what adventures are supposed to feel like."
Leif's silence persisted, but Gara could sense a subtle acknowledgment in the way the blonde kept pace with him, a shared understanding of what they had just been through.
Together, they walked deeper into the streets of Third Town, the city alive around them, and yet a quiet moment of reflection settled between the two Players.
Just then, a voice called out, sharp and familiar. "Gara!"
The red-haired young man and Leif turned, and walking briskly toward them was a young man with short white hair and piercing crimson eyes.
He wore tactical, police-like gear, a black cap perched low on his head, and his movements were precise, purposeful.
Gara's eyes immediately widened in recognition.
"Jordan," he muttered under his breath, the name carrying weight.
Leif's gaze followed his, and even without knowing the man personally, he could sense the air of authority and alertness around him.
He had met him only once, but back then Jordan had been relaxed, out of uniform.
Now, he felt like a proper guard.
Jordan was Lavia's older brother, a C Ranker with the Original Story [Guard X]. Gara's chest tightened slightly at the sight, memories of the recent prison events and Lavia's injuries surfacing instantly.
—End of Chapter.
-------
We're back, finally!!!
Gara: Yup yup, finally back home.
Leif: It seems we are, Jordan huh... What's he doing here?
Gara: I don't know, something probably, but who cares? I'm the mc again!!
Leif: Sigh, Nero literally took just one chapter from you.
Gara: Yeah, an entire chapter were the Readers were robbed of me, that's 4k words without the amazing [Root of All Things]... I mean, how could he?
Leif: Tania did the same.
Gara: Yup, and she's just as bad for it. Actually, just the fact that there are other events ongoing that don't feature me in the least is insulting... Like, really??
Leif: I... No comment.