The next moments were the most intensifying and relieving experience of her life. Mikella watched the scenery around her, their entire group surrounded within Zeke's barrier.

Outside of the dome, where it still kept everyone aloft as though they were on solid ground, they traveled through a stream of ephemeral colors that flashed in their eyes. The colors seem to range from the normal spectrum to even that of colors that don't even exist.

She knew despite her lack of cosmic knowledge that this was the in-between of realities–the shifting planes. Zeke often read about this whenever he would look up information about traveling through different worlds. According to him, there existed several dozens of planes that exist in-between reality and the beyond, something like the high realm and the realm where the angels and those shitty gods resided.

She could figure out that from the outside, where she could see a flowing river of colorful lights that flowed and contorted in every which way, was just one of the pathways that could lead to another realm. It was different from a magic leyline used for traveling across great distances in the physical world. It was a pathway that could only exist within the confines of the planes, used like connectors and receptors to keep the world and their planes stable.

Yet, there was only one person traversing through this outside pathway with ease, carrying the dome like a giant basketball with one hand. Cerulean flew across the stream of lights, her visage only accentuated by the glowing colorful lights. Her crimson hair flowed like water rather than wind drifting about, and her sight never wavered.

This woman was far beyond anyone she had ever seen before. Everyone else around her could only marvel in silence, the sounds that entered their ears just a pleasant stream of a waterfall, yet there was no water.

She would never forget this for the rest of her life, and she only wished she could share this with Clara once they got home. And when she thought of home, her mind relaxed.

Eventually, a bright light consumed them all and pushed them out of the shifting pathways. Just as quickly, she found themselves floating in the middle of the sky, the Studded Star dimming its light and transforming the sky into an orange sunset.

Everyone around her gasped in awe at the sight, the sky no longer fake and distorted. Now they witnessed the true sky, the real one that they were originally supposed to be if not for the strange dungeon.

As for the dungeon itself…

She looked back at the tower and gasped. The tower was, in all sense and purposes, cracking throughout the spiral formed tower. Bits of light were exposed through the dark cracks, and they only shone brighter as the tower started crumbling apart.

As the world shook once more from the tower's breaking, Cerulean flew away with the dome in tow, bringing everyone away and giving them literally front row seats to the tower's breaking.

Finally, the tower broke apart, and a stream of powerful light climbed to the sky. Unlike in the dungeon, the light just continued onwards, piercing through the clouds and reaching ever onwards out of this world.

The ground beneath the tower broke apart and scattered. Normally, this would be dangerous for anyone nearby, but the residents of the town that lived here were evacuated the moment they entered the tower.

She supposed that's one of the things she'll give House Paragle for. The ground continued to break apart, the now empty town getting affected by the destruction of the tower.

She watched it all, as though it was happening inside a TV screen. She couldn't even feel shock or surprise by the destruction. She had seen it multiple times before.

All she did instead was grab hold of the downed Zeke, who was still knocked out. Despite all his wounds and potentially fatal state, he was still holding on. He still breathed, refusing to give in to death.

She could only respond with the same. Once again, they survived. Once again, they can return to Clara with open arms.

…..

The otherworlders looked around, and some took it upon themselves to breathe in and out. One of them even commented on it.

"I don't know why, but this place feels… better, somehow."

"Yeah, it's like I can finally breathe again. Is it because the dungeon wasn't real…?"

Mark, the leader of the otherworlders, spread his arms wide. "Everyone! Take it easy and stay close together. I know we've been through a lot… but we finally managed to survive!"

It's been a while since they arrived here in the gravel plains of the nearby town, or rather the now destroyed ruins that was formerly the town. The barrier disappeared and Mark was trying to keep everyone at bay and ensuring they don't just go off on their own.

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Emmy had tears in her eyes as she felt the words from Mark wash over her. The other folks did as well, and some went as far as kneeling down and crying to the sky. Right now, the Journeymen team Saang and Kote were ensuring them of their potential futures, smiling and giving them hope that everything will be alright. It was a sight to see for Mikella.

However, while the otherworlders were enjoying their new lease on life, Mikella turned to find her team completely out of whack.

Zeke sat on the ground, his knees reaching his chest with his hands joined together. There was an empty look in his eyes, everything hitting him all at once. His body was currently battling the excessive toll he put on himself, and while he looked somber now, he was actually in so much pain that even Mikella wouldn't go through it so easily. Some people just process pain differently.

Janet and Lyle stood by Zeke's side, making sure that he doesn't go through anymore issues regarding his weakening body. Mikella was fine, but seeing him in that state made her more concerned. She looked over the place where the tower formerly stood.

The entire area was just a giant crater that seemed to go on endlessly to the core of the world. There was nothing left behind, and even the sky above felt emptier now that the tower had been destroyed. That was also the first time Mikella saw a tower actually breaking apart, all due to the power struggle between two powerful fighters.

Mikella turned to find Cerulean herself standing by, her eyes fixed on the empty plain. She wasn't sure what she was doing, but she can at least tell that Cerulean was busy with something on her own end. She approached the downed Zeke and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," She spoke softly. "How are you feeling?"

"...Like shit," Zeke said, his voice muffled by his hands covering his mouth. Now that she looked closer at him, he was sweating profusely and looked ready to puke. "But I'll survive."

"Could've fooled me," Lyle said indignantly, shaking his head. "You come to my shop looking like that, I would have sent you to the morgue."

"You're actually used to this?" Janet asked, almost incredulously. "All the time?"

"All the time," Mikella answered, not caring a whiff about Zeke's honor. "And somehow this son of a bitch keeps surviving."

"Huh…" Zeke spoke up, slowly but surely. "I think I'm hearing someone whining around me. I can't tell…"

Mikella kicked Zeke's back, but only gently since he was injured. Zeke chuckled, though he coughed wildly afterwards just from the laugh. Mikella shook her head along with Janet and Lyle considering Zeke is doing well enough to make crappy jokes like that.

"So, now what?"

Lyle's question completely took everyone off guard. He didn't mean to, but that question changed the atmosphere around them.

Zeke looked down at his hands, still bruised and flaking at the skin from his skill. "Now… there's a lot of things we gotta do. Otherworlders to take care of, other creatures from the system to look out for, and people that want to hunt us down."

The last part got Mikella's heckles to rise. Not only did the noble house go and assassinate Hamil to infiltrate their group, they tried to slaughter innocent otherworlders for being invaders against their own will. Not just that, but two of the noble houses were in on this, and it's no wonder that the word would spread and make themselves even more enemies.

"There's a lot to do," Zeke said. "But what we need to focus on is getting stronger. Even after two years, we're still not ready to face that bastard knight."

Mikella looked at her own blistered-filled hand. Neither Zeke in his giant form or her pulling everything out of her arsenal even made a scratch at the knight. It was frustrating–humiliating, and worse yet the knight even used their own skills against them.

Worser still, it was better with the skills than they were.

"Is it possible that the boss from our own tower might come after us?" Lyle asked, getting their attention.

"Probably," Zeke said grimly. "It's possible that it would come back and go after you two."

Lyle grimaced and Janet paled. They saw the fight that occurred between themselves and the knight. They were stronger than their two allies, and yet they were completely dominated.

"Well shit," Lyle cursed. "We're kinda screwed, huh?"

"Not yet," Mikella said firmly. "We're still alive. And as long as we're still kicking, we can get stronger. Plus, we got our own intel to rely on for stuff like this."

Zeke looked back at her, a puzzled look on his face. "What are you… wait, are you talking about Zoan?"

"Who else?" Mikella said with a grim stare. "We need more information. Clearly, it's way too strong for us to face. I'm admitting that. That's why I want to know what else we can do. If she doesn't give us an answer, then we'll beat it out of her."

"Kinda extreme, isn't it?" Lyle asked. "She looks just like your sister, y'know."

"That's still no excuse," Mikella grimaced harder at the mention of that. "We can't die and leave Clara alone, so even if I have to beat someone that looks just like her to near-death, I would."

Even Zeke nodded in approval, though his face didn't show enthusiasm. "You're right. There's too many things we don't know. We need to use everything in our arsenal, including Zoan."

Zeke balled his hands into fists. His skin started to bleed again, but his rage took over the slight discomfort.

"I don't ever want to be humiliated like that again…I'll get stronger, and show that fucker what for. I swear…"

Mikella grinned. "Don't forget me. You're not the only one who has a grudge against that fucker."

"I wouldn't dream of leaving you out of this," Zeke smiled back. His own grin matched her feral one.

This would normally put off any normal person, but Lyle and Janet nodded in agreement. Whether they like it or not, they're a part of this group of survivors. When the atmosphere was getting better to breathe, Cerulean walked towards them.

"Hey, so I just contacted my pops, and he's gonna bring us back to Arcelot. I'll be coming over too, since apparently there's a lot of things he wants to ask me."

Cerulean stared at the four in front of her, and flashed a grin.

"So… while we're waiting, care to tell me your story? I'm dying to know who you are."

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