CHAPTER 265: WEIGHT OF THE SHADOWS

"They dwell in subterranean chambers in the deepest reaches of the cosmos," Altan continued, his voice dropping into a low, solemn pitch. "Born from primordial gloom, these dragon hybrids own the darkness itself. Their claws are forged from pure black energy, capable of rending defensive barriers like wet parchment. Most dangerously, they can manifest a Dominion of Black Sphere, an absolute spatial domain of total dark that severs an opponent's senses and mana circulation."

Altan gestured vaguely into the air. "According to the ancient archives of our sect, their numbers are few, fewer than five hundred in existence. But those records have not been updated in centuries. They breed only once every hundred years, so their numbers may be higher or lower now."

For the first time since stepping through the spatial gate, both Caius and Old Bones looked deeply grave. The silent tension draped over them like a shroud.

Noticing the shift, Altan studied the young sovereign. "Why do you ask of them?"

"Thirty years ago," Caius said softly, his golden-and-obsidian eyes dimming into a cold, dangerous pitch, "my mother was abducted by them. I am going to rescue her."

Altan frowned slightly, glancing toward the shadowed space where the Vel'xul Stalkers had vanished earlier. "With your army, you can easily destroy them."

Caius shook his head, a bitter, grim smile touching his lips. "When we pursued them through the realm gates, an entire realm blocked their path. Five thousand demigods, what your world calls high-tier cultivators, were slaughtered to the last man by just twenty of those beasts. And when they took her..." Caius paused, his hands clenching into tight fists. "The old man of your Veyuun Sect was pinned to the earth, helpless to stop them."

Altan took a deep breath, a cold shiver running down his spine. He had always known the Gatekeepers were ancient monsters, but realizing there were far stronger horrors lurking beyond humbled him to his core.

Caius reached into his Dimension Bead and pulled out a floating, luminescent projection, his incomplete star map of the outer sectors. "My chart of these outer pathways is fractured. Do you have a complete copy of this region's realm gates?"

Altan reached his bare hand toward the floating map. He paused for a long moment, closing his eyes as if extracting massive coordinates stored deep within his five Pillar Cores. A stream of serene, radiant light flowed from his fingertips, merging seamlessly into Caius's projection and instantly filling the blank voids with vast cosmic trajectories.

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Caius leaned over the updated map. Golden and obsidian threads flared from his fingertips, weaving through the glowing pathways as he activated Fate Sight. The Eye of the Loom calculated the trajectories and spatial vectors in real-time.

One by one, the dots connected. The Red Realm where they had just obliterated the rot horde... the spatial gate lying directly ahead...

It was not the Mordrakh's realm.

Three distinct, unfamiliar realm markers manifested along the linear thread.

Caius let out a soft, heavy sigh. Three more realms. Beyond those three, the threads frayed into uncertainty, the sheer distance pushing against the current limits of his Fate Sight. He stared at the vast void on the map, a quiet question echoing in his mind. How many worlds must I break through to find them?

Dismissing the map back into his Dimension Bead, Caius stood up smoothly from the stone table. "Grow stronger, Altan of the Gale."

He bowed formally, then reached into his robes to produce a glowing, amber crystal, setting it on the stone surface. "This is a cultivation method, the Sun Calamity Forge. Your disciples saw how it can destroy the rot. I didn't teach them the cultivation method knowing they already have a master."

Altan looked down at the pulsing stone, then raised his eyes to meet Caius's, bowing his head in deep, profound respect. "Thank you for this cultivation method, and for saving the lives of my disciples. The Gale owes you a debt that will not be forgotten."

"Farewell, Commander," Caius said, a faint, genuine smile touching his features. "If the fates allow, may we meet again as friends, not as enemies."

They walked to the edge of the staging ground where the spatial portal churned. The silver-speckled Tri-Ocular Sovereign glided down from the sky, perching heavily on Caius's shoulder.

Caius halted at the threshold, his voice dropping to a low, quiet murmur. "Know your true enemy, Commander. The Nerathil are merely slaves to the Mordrakh, and by now, they have likely already reported your realm to their masters."

Without waiting for a response, Caius and Old Bones stepped into the portal, leaving the realm of the Gale behind. Commander Altan stood frozen on the dais, staring at the swirling gate in total shock.

Emerging on the other side of the inter-realm boundary, Caius halted in the quiet void. The residual spatial energy swirled around his cloak as he stared out into the dark expanse of the cosmic pathways.

"We need a massive army, Old Bones," Caius said, his voice cold and resolute. "And we need to grow strong. Our strength, it is not enough."

Old Bones stepped up beside him, his shadow-draped frame silent.

"The Nerathil will be back," Caius continued, his golden-and-obsidian eyes narrowing. "Those were just the vanguards we battled back there, not the main army. We need to plan."

Raising his hand, Caius plunged his bare fingers into the void. With a sharp, spatial tear, he ripped open a massive door through the fabric of reality.

"Come. Back to the pyramid."

Without another word, both figures stepped through the spatial rift, vanishing back to their stronghold.