Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls-Chapter 481: Portal created, it’s time to go home.

Umbra remained for a few moments observing the golden fragments scattered across the stone floor of the destroyed chamber. The energy contained in the pieces of Yggdrasil’s root reacted slowly to the Umbral environment, small currents of light flowing between the crystalline fibers of the wood like veins of a still-living organism. The soft glow reflected off the broken walls around and the shadow currents that held Nidhogg captive, creating a strange contrast between the primordial light of the World Tree and the natural darkness of that dimension.

Lyra and Seryth watched in silence.

Umbra slowly lowered herself before the pile of fragments and chose a specific branch, longer and thinner than the others. It was approximately the size of her forearm, and its surface pulsed with greater intensity than the other pieces. Veins of golden energy ran through its structure like small currents of liquid light.

She twirled the fragment between her fingers for a few seconds.

"This should do."

Seryth tilted her head as she watched.

"What exactly is it for?"

Umbra didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she lifted the branch and lightly pressed one end against the stone floor.

The instant the fragment touched the surface, something happened.

The living wood reacted.

A small line of golden light began to trickle from the tip of the branch like liquid ink. The essence of the root seemed to slowly dissolve into pure energy as it came into contact with the Umbral soil.

Umbra moved her hand.

The golden line followed the movement.

Lyra arched an eyebrow.

"You’re using this as a paintbrush."

Umbra nodded calmly as she continued moving the branch across the stone.

"Essence of the world tree."

The line of light continued to spread as she drew on the ground.

"It’s one of the best dimensional conductors that exist."

The stroke began to form a smooth arc.

Umbra walked slowly, dragging the tip of the branch along the ground, creating a continuous line of golden energy that shone intensely against the dark stone of the chamber.

"Portals are essentially controlled wounds in space," she explained casually, as if discussing something trivial. "You create a dimensional tension point, anchor it with a material that has a connection to multiple planes... and then open the passage."

Seryth crossed her arms as she watched the crescent circle form.

"And the root of the world tree does that."

Umbra nodded again.

"Yggdrasil connects worlds."

The circle began to close.

The golden line pulsed slightly as it completed, forming a perfect ring about four meters in diameter in the center of the destroyed chamber.

When Umbra finished the last stroke and lifted the branch, the entire circle shone brighter for a moment, as if recognizing that the basic structure had been completed.

But she wasn’t finished yet.

Umbra observed the circle for a few seconds, analyzing the distribution of energy.

"Now comes the really boring part."

She placed the branch back on the ground.

This time, she began drawing symbols within the circle.

The runes emerged one by one, each stroke made with surgical precision as the golden essence of the tree slowly trickled from the tip of the branch. The symbols were not simple geometric marks; each one possessed multiple layers of arcane meaning, complex structures that manipulated the fundamental rules of space and distance.

Lyra watched with increasing attention.

"These runes..."

Umbra continued drawing without looking at her.

"They are ancient."

Another symbol appeared.

Interconnected curved lines with small points of pulsating energy.

"And extremely dangerous when used incorrectly."

Seryth leaned slightly forward, watching the pattern expand within the circle.

"I find it comforting that you mentioned that."

Umbra drew three more symbols in sequence before responding.

"I said I remembered the theory."

Lyra let out a small sigh.

"That’s not reassuring."

Umbra completely ignored the comment.

The magic circle was becoming increasingly complex. Secondary lines began to connect the main runes, creating a geometric network of energy that vibrated gently on the chamber floor.

The essence of the root reacted to the presence of the Umbral in an interesting way.

The golden light was not being suffocated by the darkness of the dimension. On the contrary, it seemed to strengthen in contrast to it, as if asserting its own primordial nature against the surrounding reality.

Umbra continued moving the branch as if she were truly painting.

Each stroke released more of the energy contained within the wood.

Eventually, the fragment began to crack slightly in her hand.

Small fissures appeared on the crystalline surface as the tree’s essence was drained to nourish the circle.

Umbra didn’t seem to mind.

She finished the last rune and then slowly stood up.

The circle was now complete.

A large golden ring covered the ground, filled with dozens of arcane symbols that pulsed at slightly different rhythms. Lines of energy connected each part of the design like a living network of magic.

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then the energy began to react.

First came a soft glow.

Then a pulse.

The essence of Yggdrasil began to circulate through the magical diagram like blood flowing through a newly created vein system. The runes lit up one by one, each symbol releasing small waves of energy that coursed through the entire circle. Seryth automatically took a step back.

"The ground is vibrating."

She was right.

The stone beneath the circle trembled slightly as the space within the ring began to distort.

Umbra tossed the now brittle branch aside.

The fragment fell to the ground and slowly disintegrated into golden particles that dissipated into the air.

Lyra watched the phenomenon intently.

"It’s working."

Umbra tilted her head slightly as she analyzed the circle’s reaction.

The space in the center of the diagram began to darken.

Not like an ordinary shadow.

But as if reality itself were being pulled into an invisible point.

First a small vortex appeared.

Then it began to grow.

The golden energy of the runes flowed directly to that point, fueling the dimensional distortion that slowly expanded within the circle.

The air in the chamber began to swirl.

Small fragments of dust and stone were pulled into the center of the forming portal.

Seryth watched cautiously. "Where will this lead us?"

Umbra crossed her arms as she watched the vortex grow. "Well, if all is well, I’ll stop exactly where Kael is," she said slowly, "You’ll stay here for now; as soon as I return safely, I’ll establish a permanent portal so we can come and go. It’s time for the Umbral to reconnect with the mortal world."

Lyra and Seryth remained silent for a few moments after hearing this. The portal continued to spin before them like an open eye in the fabric of reality, slowly sucking dust and small fragments of stone into the undulating darkness. The golden light of the runes reflected on their faces as the energy pulsed in increasingly stable cycles. Still, there was something in what Umbra had said that made them both exchange a lingering look.

Reconnecting the Umbral to the mortal world was no small decision.

Seryth was the first to speak again.

"Won’t this attract attention?"

Umbra remained watching the portal as she replied, her tone still casual despite the magnitude of the matter.

"Go."

She took a small step closer to the circle.

"The world tree connects all planes. When you use a real piece of it to tear space, the echoes propagate."

Lyra crossed her arms.

"So various things can sense it."

Umbra nodded slowly.

"Yes."

She then tilted her head slightly, analyzing the stability of the portal once more.

"But considering a root-devouring dragon just destroyed half of the Umbral prison..."

She made a small, vague gesture around the destroyed chamber.

"...I think we’re past the stage of trying to be discreet."

Seryth let out a low sigh.

It was difficult to argue with that logic.

The portal continued to grow slowly. The dark center was now about two meters wide, and the surface of the opening resembled a lake of liquid darkness, rippling with invisible currents of dimensional energy.

Umbra slowly extended her hand toward the opening.

The tips of her fingers touched the surface of the portal.

For an instant, the space around her hand distorted slightly, as if reality were being pulled in opposite directions. Small golden sparks raced across the runes on the floor.

She observed the reaction attentively.

"Stable."

Lyra arched an eyebrow.

"Does that mean we’re not going to explode?"

Umbra withdrew her hand from the opening.

"It means the chance of us exploding is acceptably low."

Seryth murmured softly.

"That’s still not reassuring."

Umbra ignored the comment again.

She turned to the two of them.

Even with her dress partially destroyed by Nidhogg’s corrosive saliva, Umbra still maintained that utterly tranquil posture that always seemed to suggest that nothing in the universe was truly capable of surprising her.

"Stay here and keep Nidhogg contained."

She pointed briefly to the dragon bound by the shadow chains.

The creature was still breathing slowly, each exhalation releasing waves of hot air that swept through the chamber.

"If he wakes up before I get back..."

Lyra raised an eyebrow.

"You want us to fight him?"

Umbra thought for a second.

"No."

She pointed to one of the broken columns in the chamber.

"Run."

Seryth let out a small, involuntary laugh.

"I can execute this part of the plan."

Umbra looked back at the portal.

The energy was now completely stabilized. The runes glowed in constant cycles, powering the dimensional passage opened in the center of the circle.

She took a single deep breath.

Not out of nervousness.

More like someone mentally organizing their next steps.

Kael. She needed to confirm two things.

First, if he was still alive.

Second, if he was still himself.

The last time she had left him in the mortal world, things were... complicated.

Umbra narrowed her eyes slightly.

The portal’s energy reacted faintly to her presence.

She could sense something on the other side.

A signature.

Fat, but familiar.

She murmured softly.

"So you’re still there."

Lyra heard this.

"Can you sense him?"

Umbra nodded.

"Yes."

She tilted her head slightly, as if listening to something distant.

"The connection between us hasn’t disappeared."

Seryth observed this with interest.

"Is that because of the shared soul?"

Umbra answered without taking her eyes off the portal.

"Partly."

The dark surface of the opening rippled again.

Umbra took a step forward.

Then another.

She stopped right at the edge of the magic circle.

For a moment, she stood there silently observing the portal.

Lyra spoke again.

"If something goes wrong on the other side..."

Umbra glanced over her shoulder.

"Something always goes wrong."

She then shrugged slightly.

"I usually just survive anyway."

Seryth crossed her arms.

"Admirable confidence."

Umbra turned completely towards the portal.

The undulating darkness vaguely reflected her silhouette.

"If I don’t return in a few hours..."

Lyra spoke immediately.

"We’ll assume you’re dead."

Umbra replied without hesitation.

"Assume I’m busy."

Seryth chuckled softly.

"That’s plausible too."

Umbra then stepped forward.

Her foot crossed the edge of the circle.

The instant it touched the portal’s surface, the space around her leg distorted like water being traversed. The golden energy of the runes shone intensely for a moment.

She didn’t hesitate.

She kept walking.

Her body was slowly swallowed by the dimensional opening.

First her leg.

Then her torso.

The torn dress disappeared into the undulating darkness.

Her arm was the last to disappear.

For a moment, only her hand remained visible outside.

Then even that vanished.

The portal reacted immediately.

The dark surface spun faster for a few seconds, as if compensating for the newly created dimensional shift.

Lyra and Seryth stood silently watching.

The energy eventually returned to its previous steady rhythm.

The portal remained open.

Spinning slowly.

Waiting.

Lyra sighed.

"Well."

She looked at the gigantic dragon bound by the chains. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Nidhogg let out a heavy breath that echoed through the chamber.

Seryth followed his gaze.

"Do you think he’ll wake up?"

Lyra thought for a moment.

"With our luck?"

She looked again at the spinning portal.

"Probably."