Chapter 27:
CHAPTER 27 - Return to the Upper World
The Human Who Challenged the Heavens
The world around Ivan twisted violently, and the last fragments of the seventh Veil collapsed like shattering glass.His breath was ragged. His body covered in wounds. His mind trembling.
But he survived.
He won.
A blinding white glow enveloped him—
And suddenly…
He was back.
Back on the cold stone floor of the trial chamber.
The heavy silence broke as a calm voice echoed:
“The seventh Veil is complete.”
Ivan slowly opened his eyes.
The Trial Master — Darian — stood alone in the chamber, arms crossed, a faint smirk resting on his lips.
Ivan pushed himself up with shaky arms.
Darian stepped forward, observing him closely.
Then, with a short amused laugh:
“You survived, hhh… that’s good.”
Ivan exhaled sharply.His voice was rough but strong.
“I told you… I would survive.”
Darian nodded, circling him like a teacher inspecting a newly forged blade.
“Look at you now. Even your aura has changed… and your eyes— there’s resolve.”He paused.“Dangerous resolve.”
Ivan ignored the comment.He scanned the chamber carefully.
Empty.
His chest tightened.
“Where are Kael and Liora?”
Darian didn’t hesitate.
His voice was calm and matter-of-fact.
“They left.”
Ivan’s brows furrowed.
“…Left?”
Darian folded his arms behind his back.
“Kael and Liora returned to the Upper World.”A small pause.“Two years ago.”
Ivan froze.
His heart dropped like a stone.
“T… two years…?”
Darian nodded casually, as if discussing the weather.
“Time inside the Veils flows differently.What felt like days for you… became years out here.”
Ivan staggered, gripping his head.
His voice cracked.
“No… Elen… did I make her wait all this time…?”
For the first time, Darian’s expression softened.
“She is in the kingdom of Ridmann.”
Ivan’s breath steadied.His eyes sharpened like a drawn blade.
“Then I’m ready. I will go now.”
He stepped toward the stone walkway—
—but Darian raised a hand, stopping him instantly.
“Passion is a good thing… but it blinds you.”
Ivan clenched his jaw.
“I finished the trial. I can reach the Upper World now. I can find her.”
Darian sighed.
Then chuckled lightly.
“You really don’t listen…”
He flicked his wrist.
A faint glow filled the chamber.
“The Upper World is vast.If you insist so strongly… then I will open the gate for you.”
Ivan steadied his breathing.
“I don’t care how vast it is.I’m strong now.I will not lose again.”
Darian’s eyes narrowed with satisfaction.
“Very well… then take this.”
He extended his hand.
A sword materialized — long, dark silver, runes glowing faintly across the blade.Power pulsed from it like a heartbeat.
Ivan grasped it.
Immediately, the blade resonated — reacting to his new power.
Darian nodded.
“This sword fits you.A weapon worthy of one who survived all seven Veils.”
Ivan bowed his head.
“…Thank you.”
Darian lifted his hand.
The air trembled violently.
A massive circular portal ripped open — swirling with brilliant purple and white light.
Ivan’s eyes widened.
He recognized it instantly.
The same gate that rejected him two years ago.
But now…
It welcomed him.
Darian stepped back.
“Once you walk through… your life will never be simple again.”
Ivan tightened his grip on the sword.
“Nothing in my life was ever simple.”
He looked at the gate—
Took a deep breath—
And stepped through.
Toward the Upper World.
Toward Ridmann.
Toward Elen.
Toward the fate waiting above the gate that once rejected him.
The world around Ivan twisted violently, and the last fragments of the seventh Veil collapsed like shattering glass.His breath was ragged. His body covered in wounds. His mind trembling.
But he survived.
He won.
A blinding white glow enveloped him—
And suddenly…
He was back.
Back on the cold stone floor of the trial chamber.
The heavy silence broke as a calm voice echoed:
“The seventh Veil is complete.”
Ivan slowly opened his eyes.
The Trial Master — Darian — stood alone in the chamber, arms crossed, a faint smirk resting on his lips.
Ivan pushed himself up with shaky arms.
Darian stepped forward, observing him closely.
Then, with a short amused laugh:
“You survived, hhh… that’s good.”
Ivan exhaled sharply.His voice was rough but strong.
“I told you… I would survive.”
Darian nodded, circling him like a teacher inspecting a newly forged blade.
“Look at you now. Even your aura has changed… and your eyes— there’s resolve.”He paused.“Dangerous resolve.”
Ivan ignored the comment.He scanned the chamber carefully.
Empty.
His chest tightened.
“Where are Kael and Liora?”
Darian didn’t hesitate.
His voice was calm and matter-of-fact.
“They left.”
Ivan’s brows furrowed.
“…Left?”
Darian folded his arms behind his back.
“Kael and Liora returned to the Upper World.”A small pause.“Two years ago.”
Ivan froze.
His heart dropped like a stone.
“T… two years…?”
Darian nodded casually, as if discussing the weather.
“Time inside the Veils flows differently.What felt like days for you… became years out here.”
Ivan staggered, gripping his head.
His voice cracked.
“No… Elen… did I make her wait all this time…?”
For the first time, Darian’s expression softened.
“She is in the kingdom of Ridmann.”
Ivan’s breath steadied.His eyes sharpened like a drawn blade.
“Then I’m ready. I will go now.”
He stepped toward the stone walkway—
—but Darian raised a hand, stopping him instantly.
“Passion is a good thing… but it blinds you.”
Ivan clenched his jaw.
“I finished the trial. I can reach the Upper World now. I can find her.”
Darian sighed.
Then chuckled lightly.
“You really don’t listen…”
He flicked his wrist.
A faint glow filled the chamber.
“The Upper World is vast.If you insist so strongly… then I will open the gate for you.”
Ivan steadied his breathing.
“I don’t care how vast it is.I’m strong now.I will not lose again.”
Darian’s eyes narrowed with satisfaction.
“Very well… then take this.”
He extended his hand.
A sword materialized — long, dark silver, runes glowing faintly across the blade.Power pulsed from it like a heartbeat.
Ivan grasped it.
Immediately, the blade resonated — reacting to his new power.
Darian nodded.
“This sword fits you.A weapon worthy of one who survived all seven Veils.”
Ivan bowed his head.
“…Thank you.”
Darian lifted his hand.
The air trembled violently.
A massive circular portal ripped open — swirling with brilliant purple and white light.
Ivan’s eyes widened.
He recognized it instantly.
The same gate that rejected him two years ago.
But now…
It welcomed him.
Darian stepped back.
“Once you walk through… your life will never be simple again.”
Ivan tightened his grip on the sword.
“Nothing in my life was ever simple.”
He looked at the gate—
Took a deep breath—
And stepped through.
Toward the Upper World.
Toward Ridmann.
Toward Elen.
Toward the fate waiting above the gate that once rejected him.
But he survived.
He won.
A blinding white glow enveloped him—
And suddenly…
He was back.
Back on the cold stone floor of the trial chamber.
The heavy silence broke as a calm voice echoed:
“The seventh Veil is complete.”
Ivan slowly opened his eyes.
The Trial Master — Darian — stood alone in the chamber, arms crossed, a faint smirk resting on his lips.
Ivan pushed himself up with shaky arms.
Darian stepped forward, observing him closely.
Then, with a short amused laugh:
“You survived, hhh… that’s good.”
Ivan exhaled sharply.His voice was rough but strong.
“I told you… I would survive.”
Darian nodded, circling him like a teacher inspecting a newly forged blade.
“Look at you now. Even your aura has changed… and your eyes— there’s resolve.”He paused.“Dangerous resolve.”
Ivan ignored the comment.He scanned the chamber carefully.
Empty.
His chest tightened.
“Where are Kael and Liora?”
Darian didn’t hesitate.
His voice was calm and matter-of-fact.
“They left.”
Ivan’s brows furrowed.
“…Left?”
Darian folded his arms behind his back.
“Kael and Liora returned to the Upper World.”A small pause.“Two years ago.”
Ivan froze.
His heart dropped like a stone.
“T… two years…?”
Darian nodded casually, as if discussing the weather.
“Time inside the Veils flows differently.What felt like days for you… became years out here.”
Ivan staggered, gripping his head.
His voice cracked.
“No… Elen… did I make her wait all this time…?”
For the first time, Darian’s expression softened.
“She is in the kingdom of Ridmann.”
Ivan’s breath steadied.His eyes sharpened like a drawn blade.
“Then I’m ready. I will go now.”
He stepped toward the stone walkway—
—but Darian raised a hand, stopping him instantly.
“Passion is a good thing… but it blinds you.”
Ivan clenched his jaw.
“I finished the trial. I can reach the Upper World now. I can find her.”
Darian sighed.
Then chuckled lightly.
“You really don’t listen…”
He flicked his wrist.
A faint glow filled the chamber.
“The Upper World is vast.If you insist so strongly… then I will open the gate for you.”
Ivan steadied his breathing.
“I don’t care how vast it is.I’m strong now.I will not lose again.”
Darian’s eyes narrowed with satisfaction.
“Very well… then take this.”
He extended his hand.
A sword materialized — long, dark silver, runes glowing faintly across the blade.Power pulsed from it like a heartbeat.
Ivan grasped it.
Immediately, the blade resonated — reacting to his new power.
Darian nodded.
“This sword fits you.A weapon worthy of one who survived all seven Veils.”
Ivan bowed his head.
“…Thank you.”
Darian lifted his hand.
The air trembled violently.
A massive circular portal ripped open — swirling with brilliant purple and white light.
Ivan’s eyes widened.
He recognized it instantly.
The same gate that rejected him two years ago.
But now…
It welcomed him.
Darian stepped back.
“Once you walk through… your life will never be simple again.”
Ivan tightened his grip on the sword.
“Nothing in my life was ever simple.”
He looked at the gate—
Took a deep breath—
And stepped through.
Toward the Upper World.
Toward Ridmann.
Toward Elen.
Toward the fate waiting above the gate that once rejected him.
The world around Ivan twisted violently, and the last fragments of the seventh Veil collapsed like shattering glass.His breath was ragged. His body covered in wounds. His mind trembling.
But he survived.
He won.
A blinding white glow enveloped him—
And suddenly…
He was back.
Back on the cold stone floor of the trial chamber.
The heavy silence broke as a calm voice echoed:
“The seventh Veil is complete.”
Ivan slowly opened his eyes.
The Trial Master — Darian — stood alone in the chamber, arms crossed, a faint smirk resting on his lips.
Ivan pushed himself up with shaky arms.
Darian stepped forward, observing him closely.
Then, with a short amused laugh:
“You survived, hhh… that’s good.”
Ivan exhaled sharply.His voice was rough but strong.
“I told you… I would survive.”
Darian nodded, circling him like a teacher inspecting a newly forged blade.
“Look at you now. Even your aura has changed… and your eyes— there’s resolve.”He paused.“Dangerous resolve.”
Ivan ignored the comment.He scanned the chamber carefully.
Empty.
His chest tightened.
“Where are Kael and Liora?”
Darian didn’t hesitate.
His voice was calm and matter-of-fact.
“They left.”
Ivan’s brows furrowed.
“…Left?”
Darian folded his arms behind his back.
“Kael and Liora returned to the Upper World.”A small pause.“Two years ago.”
Ivan froze.
His heart dropped like a stone.
“T… two years…?”
Darian nodded casually, as if discussing the weather.
“Time inside the Veils flows differently.What felt like days for you… became years out here.”
Ivan staggered, gripping his head.
His voice cracked.
“No… Elen… did I make her wait all this time…?”
For the first time, Darian’s expression softened.
“She is in the kingdom of Ridmann.”
Ivan’s breath steadied.His eyes sharpened like a drawn blade.
“Then I’m ready. I will go now.”
He stepped toward the stone walkway—
—but Darian raised a hand, stopping him instantly.
“Passion is a good thing… but it blinds you.”
Ivan clenched his jaw.
“I finished the trial. I can reach the Upper World now. I can find her.”
Darian sighed.
Then chuckled lightly.
“You really don’t listen…”
He flicked his wrist.
A faint glow filled the chamber.
“The Upper World is vast.If you insist so strongly… then I will open the gate for you.”
Ivan steadied his breathing.
“I don’t care how vast it is.I’m strong now.I will not lose again.”
Darian’s eyes narrowed with satisfaction.
“Very well… then take this.”
He extended his hand.
A sword materialized — long, dark silver, runes glowing faintly across the blade.Power pulsed from it like a heartbeat.
Ivan grasped it.
Immediately, the blade resonated — reacting to his new power.
Darian nodded.
“This sword fits you.A weapon worthy of one who survived all seven Veils.”
Ivan bowed his head.
“…Thank you.”
Darian lifted his hand.
The air trembled violently.
A massive circular portal ripped open — swirling with brilliant purple and white light.
Ivan’s eyes widened.
He recognized it instantly.
The same gate that rejected him two years ago.
But now…
It welcomed him.
Darian stepped back.
“Once you walk through… your life will never be simple again.”
Ivan tightened his grip on the sword.
“Nothing in my life was ever simple.”
He looked at the gate—
Took a deep breath—
And stepped through.
Toward the Upper World.
Toward Ridmann.
Toward Elen.
Toward the fate waiting above the gate that once rejected him.
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