The strongest guild raced forward, hearts pounding and legs burning, through the torrential downpour within the Shadow Realm. Rayne, leading the group, called out confidently, “We’re close now. The barrier to the Cosmic Continent is just ahead!” The curtain of rain grew denser, obscuring their vision, but through the mist, a towering wall became visible, shimmering with ancient energy. Tetsuo chuckled loudly over the storm, his voice carrying genuine enthusiasm, “You know, despite nearly dying, that was kind of fun!” Ryuji scoffed, trying to suppress his grin. “Only you’d enjoy watching two literal titans destroy the world around you.” Yoshinori shook his head, the lightning mage’s expression uncharacteristically grave. “That fight between Thorn and Roman… I’ve never felt anything like it. It makes you realize how insignificant we really are.” Aiko shivered, clinging slightly to herself. “If that’s the kind of power that corrupted beings have, we’re not even close to being ready.” Rayne remained silent for a moment before speaking seriously. “The Shadow Realm isn’t something we can underestimate. Roman and Thorn are examples of the true threats we face out here. We should be grateful we survived.” The guild fell quiet, the severity of Rayne’s words lingering heavily in their minds. Finally, they stepped through the barrier of the Shadow Realm, instantly met with a vicious blizzard. The wind howled ferociously, whipping their drenched clothing against their freezing skin. Their limbs quickly stiffened from the biting cold. Rayne shouted over the howling gale, “We have to push eastward! The Stellar Empire isn’t far from here!” They pressed forward through the biting winds, each step a monumental effort against the raging blizzard. After a grueling journey, the colossal gates of the Stellar Empire rose into view, towering majestically despite the storm. Four armored guards awaited their arrival. Rayne promptly stepped forward, presenting his SS-ranked adventurer badge. “We’re searching for one of our guildmates who’s gone missing. Has anyone suspicious entered recently?” The guards exchanged glances before shaking their heads. “Nobody suspicious,” one replied cautiously, “but we’ll summon a superior to handle this.” Moments later, a figure emerged, lanky and unkempt, with unmistakably pointed elf ears and tired eyes rimmed with dark circles. He yawned lazily, utterly unimpressed by the newcomers. “Ryah,” he introduced himself dryly. “Not thrilled to be awake on my day off.” Rayne, clearly surprised, observed, “You’re an elf.” Ryah shrugged dismissively. “My parents abandoned me, so I couldn’t care less about that.” Tetsuo glanced between the two elves in astonishment. “Man, elves are really something, huh? Look at the difference, Rayne’s built like a mountain, and this guy’s like a stick.” Ryah scanned the guild members discreetly, intrigued by an overwhelming spiritual energy he sensed among them. He noted silently: The healer girl, minimal energy, definitely not her. The two in the back, average. The scar-faced one, potential but still no match. The lightning-user and Rayne himself, impressive but still not the source. Ryah sighed, bored already. “There’s nothing for you here. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to sleep.” Rayne called out urgently, “Wait! I have questions about your heritage!” “Not interested,” Ryah replied coldly, turning away. Suddenly, an immense surge of power surged from the direction of the Shadow Realm. A figure emerged, King Malachi himself, his spiritual energy flooding the area like an overwhelming tide. Without hesitation, Ryah vanished, reappearing instantly beside Malachi, his katana drawn in a flash. Malachi attempted to dodge, but the blade nicked his neck shallowly. Ryah grimaced in annoyance, “What a nuisance, should’ve let Amaya handle this.” Before the situation escalated, a booming voice shouted, “Malachi!” Everyone looked skyward as King Aurelius descended dramatically, wielding his enormous greatsword. Malachi’s eyes twinkled with excitement, shouting joyfully, “Aurelius, you old dog!” Their weapons collided with thunderous force, creating a shockwave powerful enough to dispel the blizzard momentarily, revealing the crisp, cold sun above. The guild staggered, struggling to maintain their footing. Ryah, utterly uninterested now, sheathed his blade and vanished quietly, retreating back to his rest. Aurelius demanded firmly, “Malachi, why have you come here?” “I’m searching for a young lad named Shunjiro,” Malachi declared boldly. Itsuki’s heart nearly stopped. Without thinking, she sprinted into the space between the clashing titans, shouting desperately, “You know Shunjiro?!” Malachi halted abruptly, eyes gentle. “I do. He trained with me in the Shadow Realm about a month ago. He’s tough and resilient; he’ll be fine.” Itsuki’s breath caught, her heart swelling with long-lost hope. Tears welled in her eyes. Aurelius interjected, “Actually, Shunjiro was here just yesterday. He’s likely already back home in Radiance.” Itsuki’s knees nearly gave out, relief washing over her. “Thank you,” she whispered, gratitude overflowing. Ryuji cheered, “Does that mean we can finally go home?” Tetsuo, clearly disappointed, groaned, “But the adventure just started!” King Aurelius laughed heartily, his voice booming, “Why rush off? This calls for celebration! It’s been ages since I’ve seen Malachi!” Malachi roared approvingly, “Now that’s what I’m talking about, old friend!” With a casual snap of Aurelius’s fingers, the guild found themselves transported instantly into a majestic grand hall, opulently decorated and buzzing with warmth and laughter. Aiko spun around, eyes wide with shock. “Did we just teleport?” Ryuji looked around hungrily, his eyes immediately spotting beautiful women in elegant attire, “I could get used to this!” Tetsuo immediately smacked Ryuji’s head, “Behave, man!” Yoshinori sighed in exasperation, muttering to himself about keeping order amidst chaos. Itsuki shyly took a small sip of the provided drink, giggling nervously as her cheeks flushed. “This is way stronger than I thought…” Nearby, Aiko laughed merrily, already tipsy, grabbing Yoshinori’s hand, “Come dance with me, lightning boy!” Yoshinori resisted weakly, a small smile betraying his amusement, “Someone needs to be responsible here.” Amid the festive atmosphere, Rayne sat quietly, contemplative. Aurelius noticed and approached, handing him a drink kindly. “Relax and enjoy, my friend.” Rayne hesitated, still curious about his heritage, but Aurelius’s warm smile convinced him. Malachi stood proudly and raised his giant mug high, voice thundering, “A toast to Shunjiro, wherever he is! May he be safe and return home soon!” The hall erupted into cheers, laughter echoing, mugs clinking, the warmth of camaraderie filling the air, banishing any lingering worries. For one night, they allowed themselves joy and relief, knowing the journey was far from over, but for now, hope burned brightly once again.