The pressure came from an unknown source. All five Archmages could feel it coming from every direction, as if it originated from the air itself. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"What is happening now?!" Morvain growled while maintaining his concentration. His face was filled with strain.

"Is this the Void Architect again?" Archmage Selena asked, her heart filled with worry.

"This is bad. This Magic pressure could destroy everything we’ve accomplished so far," Lisara said.

Velrion and Kelor remained silent, but they shared the same conclusion as the other three.

The sudden surge of Magic pressure was dangerous.

It could disrupt the rhythm they had painstakingly maintained throughout the ritual. They were only moments away from succeeding, and now they risked suffering the consequences if the process failed. The backlash from a failure of this magnitude would be enormous.

More importantly, they were certain they would not have another chance to begin again if this attempt failed.

"Just keep concentrating," Velrion finally said. "Let’s trust the Dragonborn."

"But aren’t the Dragonborn in another world dealing with a different threat?" Lisara asked.

"Yes," Velrion replied. "But right now, all we can do is trust them to deal with whatever external threat has appeared. Our responsibility is to remain here and finish this."

Lisara and the others could not fully accept that explanation.

Blind trust alone was never reassuring. They wanted to know there was some kind of plan before they could truly feel at ease.

Even so, they also understood that they could not allow themselves to become distracted.

Every bit of their focus had to remain on the ritual.

Because this task would determine everything.

—

Outside the palace, King Garrie of Leonora continued recuperating.

He remained inside the tower he had used earlier to oversee the battle, refusing to return to the palace despite the situation appearing stable.

He could not relax.

Deep inside, he felt that everything was far from over.

The king used the opportunity to recover his wounds and restore his stamina so he would be ready if another battle broke out.

The mages and knights did the same.

King Garrie had ordered that anyone not occupied with evacuation efforts or repairs should use the time to rest.

The knights, mages, and archers all shared the same feeling as their king.

This battle would not truly be over until it had completely ended.

"Your Majesty!"

A scout suddenly rushed toward the tower where the king was resting.

The young man climbed the stairs as quickly as he could before finally arriving in front of the king.

Immediately, King Garrie and everyone nearby became tense, instinctively preparing themselves to hear news of another attack.

From the scout’s expression alone, Garrie could already tell that the report was not good.

"What is it?" the king asked.

"T-There’s... someone outside the gate," the scout replied, his face tense.

"What do you mean, someone?" King Garrie asked with a furrowed brow.

"He requested to meet you. He said that if we want this battle to end quickly, the ruler must face him."

Hearing those words, the king’s expression hardened. "Take me to him."

A minute later, the outer gate slowly opened.

King Garrie walked outside accompanied by several knights and mages.

Standing alone beyond the gate was a tall, imposing man with long black hair and dark crimson armor. A faint smile spread across his face as King Garrie approached.

]]]

The man looked at King Garrie with mysterious eyes and a faint smile that made him seem impossible to understand. There was a depth behind his gaze that no one present could read.

King Garrie stopped several meters in front of him.

The moment he faced the man directly, he felt a familiar aura of power.

The mages and knights behind him sensed it as well.

"This is one of the Void Architect’s manifestations, Your Majesty," one of the senior mages said.

"I know," King Garrie replied without taking his eyes off the man. "But is this his true body?"

"I don’t know. It’s possible. However, this one seems to possess a weaker aura," the senior mage answered.

"But we shouldn’t let our guard down, Your Majesty," one of the knights beside him added. "He may simply be pretending to be weak."

"But why?" the king asked.

"That... I don’t know," the knight admitted.

When no one else spoke, King Garrie concluded that none of them truly knew the answer.

In the end, the decision rested with him alone.

King Garrie stepped forward with his shoulders straight and his eyes sharp. As the ruler, he had to make his position clear.

"Who are you, and what do you want here?" he asked firmly.

"Are you the ruler of this kingdom?" the man asked in return, making no effort to answer the question.

King Garrie remained silent.

His expression alone made it clear that if the stranger refused to answer, he would not continue the conversation either.

The man chuckled in amusement at the king’s attitude.

Then he finally answered.

"I am the Void Architect. I have come to challenge you to a duel for the fate of this kingdom."

Those words nearly caused King Garrie to lose his composure from shock.

Behind him, the mages and knights exchanged surprised glances.

King Garrie slowly took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Explain what you mean," he said.

"Let us make an oath," the Void Architect said. "The two of us will duel. If I win, I will freely claim this kingdom. If you win, I will withdraw from this world. "A smile spread across his face. "Well? Isn’t that a good deal?"

King Garrie did not answer immediately. Placing the fate of the entire kingdom solely in his own hands was an enormous responsibility.

It was also obvious why the Void Architect had targeted Leonora.

Every fragment of the Sky Anchor was gathered within this kingdom.

If he conquered Leonora, he would gain control over all of them.

"I need time to decide," King Garrie finally said.

"I do not have much time," the Void Architect replied. "I will give you some time, but not much. Once that time is over, I will send my army to attack your kingdom again."

"...Very well."

King Garrie turned around and walked back toward the waiting knights and mages.

He needed time to discuss the offer before making a decision that would determine the fate of the entire kingdom.

—