Dalton Town.

As Leo was reviewing the layout of the new city, his thoughts suddenly stirred.

Lilith!

She had sent out a signal—one that carried her exact location.

Without a moment's hesitation, Leo raised his hand and drew a line across the space before him.

Crack!

Reality itself split open, revealing a view of the snowy wasteland on the other side.

With one calm step, he entered the rift.

The snow-cat chieftain Snowball was still pondering how to persuade Lilith out of her latest impulsive idea when the air around him froze.

Space trembled and hummed as if about to collapse.

The next instant, a terrifying spatial fissure ripped open right beside Lilith, its swirling energy making every hair on Snowball's body stand on end.

Then—

A black-haired, white-robed man stepped through the rift as though merely crossing a doorway.

Snowball's jaw nearly hit the ground, his limbs locking stiff in sheer terror.

Lilith, however, stared at the man, and in that instant, all the years of fear, loneliness, longing, and pent-up sorrow burst forth like a flood breaking a dam.

"Dad!"

Her voice trembled violently.

Seeing how much thinner she had become, Leo's chest tightened painfully. His eyes reddened as he strode forward and pulled his daughter into a tight embrace.

"Lilith… it's my fault. I came too late."

His low voice was thick with remorse.

Feeling the warmth and strength of her father's arms, breathing in his familiar scent, Lilith finally broke down completely.

She sobbed uncontrollably, as though releasing every drop of pain she had carried for the past century.

Father and daughter held each other in silence.

Nearby, Snowball and the other snow-cats who had rushed over stood frozen in place, hardly daring to breathe.

Snowball frantically gestured to his tribesfolk, warning them to keep quiet—

no one wanted to interrupt this reunion with a being so terrifying.

After a long while, Lilith's sobs faded into soft sniffles.

"Lilith," Leo said gently, stroking her hair, "let's go home."

"Mm."

She nodded hard, burying her face against his chest, cherishing this long-lost peace.

As Leo prepared to take her away, Lilith tugged on his sleeve and pointed at the wide-eyed snow-cats behind them.

"Dad, take them with us too.

They sheltered me all these years. They're… well, kind of dumb, but they're good-hearted."

The snow-cats: Huh???

Excuse me, did she just call us dumb—right in front of us?

We have feelings too, you know!

Leo glanced over the furry creatures with their pure, innocent eyes and nodded.

"Alright. They can come."

A wave of invisible power spread outward, enveloping the entire snow-cat settlement.

In the blink of an eye, every snow-cat—along with their stockpile of frozen fish—vanished from the icy plains.

For the snow-cat tribe, this moment would mark the greatest turning point in their history.

"Dad, and Fiona!" Lilith said softly.

"If not for her, I'd have been gone long ago…"

She didn't finish, but Leo understood.

He held her tighter.

"I can sense her slumbering aura. She's sacrificed much for you."

Lilith's thoughts drifted back to those desperate days—

The time three Chosen One rank Starborn hunters had found her. She'd fought back with every artifact she had, but it hadn't been enough.

At the critical moment, Fiona had burned her draconic essence, unleashing a fiery breath that bought Lilith just enough time to escape—

but left the dragon herself grievously weakened, her scales losing their luster.

Then there was that other time—when a group of bounty hunters had tracked her down for a fortune.

She fought desperately but was soon cornered.

Just as a poisoned dagger was about to pierce her heart, a guardian will—Fiona's will—materialized into a barrier that blocked the fatal blow.

It saved Lilith's life, but drained every last ounce of Fiona's strength.

Over and over, Fiona had protected her—not just with power, but with her very life.

Ever since Lilith had ascended to Chosen One rank, she had ventured into the outside world again and again, each time to seek treasures that could heal Fiona's wounds.

Listening to his daughter's recounting, Leo's eyes grew colder. His fury toward the Starborn burned anew—

but mingled with that wrath was a deep gratitude toward Fiona and profound tenderness for his child.

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Perhaps Fiona's fall into the Vidosian Universe Plane and her fateful bond with Lilith had been no accident, but destiny itself.

He didn't even want to imagine what Lilith would have endured alone without her.

"Don't worry, Lilith," Leo said firmly.

"Fiona will be fine. I'll personally restore her—stronger than ever. She's earned that much."

Lilith nodded vigorously, believing every word.

"Let's go home," Leo repeated, his voice resolute this time.

"Back to Dalton. There, you'll rest. No more fear, no more running."

"Okay!"

Lilith smiled through her tears, her expression one of relief and release.

Dalton Town.

As the city's last protective barrier faded away, Dalton revealed its grand silhouette beneath the skies of the Sakend Universe Plane.

Inside, the long-waiting citizens erupted in deafening cheers.

"We made it! We're really here!"

"The mana density—it's incredible! Almost like the outer districts back home!"

"Look outside! That's the new world?"

"When can we explore?"

Amid the noise, Leo appeared silently above the central plaza.

The wind stirred his black hair as his mere presence commanded absolute attention.

Without saying a word, the cheering subsided.

"People of Dalton," his voice resounded clearly in every mind,

"we have arrived in the Sakend Universe Plane.

This world is vast, home to countless races, filled with both opportunity and danger."

Instantly, streams of information poured into every citizen's mind—

the hierarchy of power in Sakend, the dominant factions, the geography of the main continent,

and most of all, the grim reality that humanity here was an oppressed minority.

A moment ago, many had been eager to venture out.

Now, their excitement froze into dread.

"What?! Starlight Tier Seven equals… Starfield Lord rank?"

"Our Starfield Lords are just beginners here?!"

"The outside is all alien races? And humans are at the bottom?!"

"Going out there is suicide!"

"Forget it—better stay inside the city."

Most abandoned any thought of exploration, shuffling back to the taverns or their homes in dismay.

After all, Dalton itself was a near-perfect world—

a city overflowing with resources, prosperity, and safety.

Why risk dying outside?

Of course, not everyone was so easily discouraged.

One particularly brash dwarf warrior, known for his reckless courage, hoisted his storm war axe onto his shoulder.

"Bah! I'll go see how tough these 'otherworld brats' really are!"

Ignoring his friends' frantic warnings, he marched boldly through the shimmering city gate—

and stepped out into the unknown world beyond.

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