They stepped through the towering gates, and the moment they crossed the threshold, the world outside faded. The noise of Lumeris, the distant laughter, and the drifting lanterns felt suddenly far away.
Inside the Pantheon, a reverent silence ruled, making their footsteps instinctively softer. The entrance hall stretched vast and cathedral-like, its high ceiling etched with faint constellations. Mana-light drifted through the air like quiet fireflies, illuminating murals carved along the walls—scenes of wars, sacrifices, and coronations. History itself seemed to breathe here.
Null glanced around slowly. "Okay. Now this is a museum."
Sora didn't respond, already walking deeper into the structure. Null followed, their footsteps echoing faintly against the polished white stone floor. The Pantheon branch expanded into endless corridors, each wing housing relics, preserved weapons, and crystalline memory archives belonging to those who had once shaped the world.
Sora walked with clear purpose. "The Hall of Heroes is at the core of this Pantheon."
"So basically... the final boss room of history," Null murmured.
"Null-san."
"Right. Reverent silence. Got it."
For several moments, the only sound was the quiet rhythm of their steps. Then Sora broke the quiet, her eyes fixed ahead. "This is something you should know about the Mortal Hero summoning ritual that brought you here. Simply put, your unblessed status is anomalous."
Null blinked. "That's a fancy way of saying 'you shouldn't exist.'"
"Correct," she said without hesitation.
Null chuckled faintly. "Good to know my brand remains consistent across worlds."
Sora shot him a sideways glance. "Please do not interrupt."
Null raised his hands slightly. "Right. Sorry. Continue."
"Originally, the otherworldly summoning ritual is a forbidden practice," Sora said as they passed beneath a long archway where glowing runes flowed across the ceiling like a slow river of light. "It has been banned for over a century because of a certain incident.
"Unfortunately, the details were deliberately erased from historical records."
"Completely erased?"
"Almost. Only vague fragments remain, but we know this much: the last batch of otherworlders summoned a century ago were responsible for a catastrophe."
Null raised a brow. "That sounds unpleasant."
"One of them was a crazy scientist," Sora said quietly.
Null made a soft sound. "Ah."
"You already understand?"
"Anyone from the mortal world suddenly thrown into a place filled with mana and supernatural physics, especially researchers or scientists, would go insane with curiosity. Imagine discovering an entirely new system of reality. They'd try to break reality open just to see how it works, even if it meant losing their minds chasing that power."
Sora frowned slightly. "That makes sense. But Null-san, do not interrupt."
"Right. Sorry. Please continue."
Sora sighed quietly. "The crazy scientist from that group slowly rotted with ambition, dabbling in chaotic experiments that eventually caused the total destruction of the very nation that summoned them."
"The surrounding territories were devastated as well, a tragedy known in fragments as the 'Abominable Catastrophe'."
They walked in silence for several steps. The weight of the words lingered.
"Because of that event, all nations of Elpis collectively banned the otherworldly summoning ritual. No exceptions."
Null nodded slowly. "Makes sense. But the prophecy changed that, huh?"
"Yes. The foretold awakening of the Evil Divinity. Without external variables, humanity's chances of survival are uncertain." They turned a corner, and a massive circular chamber entrance came into view. "However, the summoning ritual itself is extremely complex, it is a highly structured invocation system. It requires an immense convergence of space-time manipulation, destiny alignment, and soul selection. It does not randomly select individuals. There are logistical constraints."
Null folded his hands behind his head. "Such as?"
"Those summoned must possess high destiny values and suitable aptitude to bear a Sacred Gift. Even low-grade gifts require compatibility.
Null nodded. "Hmm. So basically… a cosmic recruitment filter."
"For high-grade talents, the ritual demands high-ranking space and time mages alongside rare dimensional catalysts, astral anchors, and massive mana cores." She slowed her pace as they approached the grand doors.
"But the ritual that summoned you was different. It was a Super-Grade Mortal Hero Summoning Ritual."
Null blinked. "That sounds expensive."
"It is. It has only been performed once before in recorded history, designed to summon a single unparalleled talent capable of tilting the fate of the world in humanity's favor. However, the higher the grade of the ritual, the lower the probability of success."
Null let out a quiet whistle. "High risk, high reward."
"Precisely. Fortunately, the ritual succeeded. Two individuals were summoned."
Null smiled faintly. "Lucky us."
"However, the anomaly appears here," Sora continued, a faint tension entering her voice. "Mr. Kouki received the Sacred Gift Sovereign Accession—an ability that matches the highest classification of sacred gifts. That confirms he was the true target of the Super-Grade Ritual."
"Which means he's the intended result,"
Null murmured. "Then why the hell did I show up?"
Sora held his gaze. "At first, I believed it was a malfunction. Or a coincidence. But after analyzing the ritual parameters, that explanation became impossible." She turned her eyes toward the towering doors of the Hall of Heroes. "That's why, after eliminating other possibilities, only one remains: the will of Grandmaster Aurelia."
Null frowned slightly. "Who?"
Sora's fingers curled slightly at her side. "The archmage who performed the ritual. She sacrificed her own life to provide the necessary source of power required to activate the invocation. Her mana became the final catalyst. And because of that... I believe it was her intentional will that brought you here as well."
Silence fell, heavy and absolute. Null stood there, quietly processing the information.
"So you're saying I wasn't supposed to exist in the script, but someone forced the universe to make space for me anyway?"
Sora nodded softly. "Yes."
Null looked at the towering doors ahead, then back at her. A long breath escaped him. "Huh. That's one hell of a cosmic accident."
Sora didn't smile. "I do not believe it was an accident."