The hallways were white and just a little cold—or maybe they weren't, but they felt so to Gara.
Chills crawled over his skin as they walked, every step closer to wherever Locarius was leading them making his thoughts spiral out of control.
His breathing grew a little uneven; his hands kept fidgeting; his eyes darted everywhere.
Leif noticed Gara's disheveled state but said nothing out loud.
Instead, he quietly brought up his black Story System Interface, his fingers gliding across it with calm precision.
A moment later, Gara's golden Interface chimed.
He opened it and saw a message from Leif:
"Stop panicking. The [Rashanz Emperor] is treating us like guests. He's even talking with [White Space], the one who saved us. Just behave decently, don't say anything stupid, and it'll be fine."
Gara blinked… then let out a long breath through his nose.
He looked at Leif and managed a shaky smile.
Leif just gave the smallest nod back—barely a movement, but enough.
And so, steadied just a little, they continued forward.
Locarius kept talking as they walked, his tone light and casual—clearly trying to ease the tension he definitely felt radiating off Gara.
"So, tell me more about this Story World of yours," Locarius asked, glancing back with a grin. "Which territory is the most visited of all?"
Gara latched onto the conversation instantly.
Talking helped.
Talking always helped.
"Oh, that's easy," he said, puffing his chest a bit as the nerves eased off. "The most visited of the 13 Great Territories? Definitely the Wonderlands. Everyone goes there—Players, Reciters, even tourists. It's chaotic but fun."
Locarius hummed, genuinely intrigued, and asked another question, and then another.
Gara answered each one without missing a beat, slowly relaxing with every word.
By the time they reached the end of the corridor, Gara wasn't thinking about the X Ranker anymore—not as intensely, at least.
Locarius lifted a hand, palm down, signaling them to steady themselves.
His voice dropped to a low whisper.
"Hey—relax. My grandpa's a good man. Really. Don't be scared of him. He probably just wants to ask about what happened with those Cover Club members or something simple like that."
Gara nodded quickly.
Leif nodded once, calm as ever.
Locarius added, still hushed, "Just… don't mention the Shadow Circle around him, alright? As long as you avoid that, everything'll be fine."
Both boys nodded again—Gara a little too fast, Leif slow and controlled.
Satisfied, Locarius turned toward the towering white double doors ahead of them, each one carved with twisting black thorn patterns.
He stepped forward and knocked lightly despite their size.
"Grandpa," he called, respectful but warm, "it's me—Locarius. I've brought our two guests over. Can we enter?"
A brief silence.
Then a deep, resonant voice from within:
"You may."
Locarius pushed the doors open, the hinges letting out a soft, heavy groan.
Gara braced himself for a throne room—grand pillars, a massive seat towering like a monument, something worthy of an X Ranker.
But instead, what greeted them was… a room for receiving guests.
Spacious, yes, but simple. Comfortable. Almost homely.
White walls traced with black decorative markings.
Five black couches arranged around a matching black table.
The air was calm, nothing like the suffocating pressure Gara had braced for.
Three figures sat inside.
And on the nearest couch—
Gara froze.
An old human man sat with his hands folded, long white beard flowing past his chest, his head bald and gleaming softly under the lights.
His white robes were slightly tattered, as if he'd traveled far without caring about appearances.
Gara recognized him immediately.
'[White Space]…'
The SS Ranker who had saved his life twice now.
The one he was hoping to ask for help a third time.
His heart lurched, breath catching, the shock almost replacing his fear of the Emperor entirely.
Right beside [White Space] sat another elderly figure—at first glance human, but the details made Gara's breath hitch.
Dark skin.
Crimson eyes that glowed faintly even in the soft lighting.
A long, regal white beard.
And—four arms, arranged neatly, two resting on the couch, two folded.
Two white horns curled gently from his bald head, completing an image that was unmistakably non-human, unmistakably powerful.
A Player.
And from the faint, rumbling pressure of his aura—controlled yet impossible to ignore—Gara could tell instantly.
SSS Ranker.
His throat went dry.
If Gara wasn't mistaken, this was the same person Locarius had mentioned earlier—the one who carried them to the palace after the incident.
Seeing him in person felt different from imagining him.
It was like sitting near a calm volcano—silent, but one wrong breath away from eruption.
Finally, Gara forced himself to look toward the third figure—the one sitting alone on the opposite couch.
And the moment his eyes landed on him, Gara's heartbeat stopped.
A middle-aged man.
Black skin.
Crimson eyes that were calm, unreadable, and far too deep.
Four arms resting with perfect composure.
Two white imperial horns.
All the trademark traits of a royal Rashanz… yet somehow sharper.
More defined. More absolute.
Unlike the other two, this man wasn't bald—he had short, sleek white hair, neatly combed back, with a small, immaculate beard of the same color.
He wore a silver imperial coat trimmed with gold, the kind of clothing that spoke of authority without needing to shout it.
One leg crossed over the other, arms folded, he observed the doorway with quiet interest as the three entered.
Nothing loud.
Nothing dramatic.
Just a man.
A man who looked no more extraordinary than the other Rashanz they had seen—
—and yet Gara's entire body trembled, because this was him.
The Emperor of the Rashanz Species.
The Player known as [Rashanz Emperor].
An X Ranker.
The first X Ranker Gara had ever met in his life.
And suddenly, the room felt too small, his breath too thin, and the idea of standing before such a being felt like stepping into the gravity of a star.
Locarius' voice snapped Gara back into himself.
The Crown Prince strode in with zero hesitation, grinning wide as he called out:
"Grandpa! Grandpa! You should've seen them—Gara and Leif were so cool! I sparred with them and yeah, of course I won, but still—they were amazing! They balance each other so well and Gara kept throwing walls at me and Leif had this mask and then—"
He was yapping. Absolutely yapping.
Gara barely processed the words—his eyes were still glued to the Emperor—but the middle-aged man let out a soft chuckle, subtle and controlled.
Then he lifted one of his four hands, raising only his index finger toward his lips.
Locarius froze.
He understood instantly.
"Ah—right." He clamped his mouth shut and shuffled to the side, clearing the space so Gara and Leif stood fully in the Emperor's view.
Gara stood there like a statue.
His mind was a screaming mess—
Was he supposed to greet first?
Was it rude if he didn't?
Or was it even more rude if he spoke before being spoken to?!
He'd never dealt with emperors. Or kings. Or anyone above, like, an A Ranker.
His brain was spiraling so fast he couldn't even remember how to blink.
But he didn't have to figure it out.
Because he had a specialist beside him.
Leif stepped forward half a pace, completely calm, voice steady and cool—like this was just another Tuesday.
"…Greetings."
No bow. No flourish. No stumble.
Just a simple, clean greeting delivered as if the X Ranker sitting before them was any other person.
Gara internally screamed, Does this guy have nerves of steel?!
He swallowed, his brain flipping through every etiquette video, ceremony recording, and Blue Trade clip he'd ever watched about royalty.
No bow? Or bow? No, wait—Dukes didn't bow to the [Last Emperor]… right? Right?!
His mind short-circuited again, rebooted, crashed, rebooted again—
And then he forced himself to speak.
"Uh—h-hello, uh, your— your em— I mean, sir— I mean, uh— g-good… good day…?"
It came out like a grammatical crime scene, each word tripping over the next and dying on impact.
Leif didn't look at him.
Locarius tried very hard not to laugh.
And the [Rashanz Emperor] simply watched, unreadable.
[White Space] couldn't help but chuckle softly before clearing his throat and addressing the emperor, "Don't blame the young kid. He's simply afraid of meeting a presence as high as yours."
The [Rashanz Emperor] nodded, then turned his warm smile toward Gara. "Do not be afraid, child. I mean you no harm. I only wish to speak about what happened."
He then shifted his gaze to Leif.
"And how come you are not fazed at all?"
Leif met the emperor's crimson eyes.
He suspected the [Rashanz Emperor] already knew the answer, but since he had been asked, he responded anyway—calm, steady, composed.
"My late father was an SSS Ranker. I have never met an X Ranker before, your majesty… but I grew up dealing with very strong people. That is all."
The [Rashanz Emperor] stared at Leif for a moment before giving a slight nod. "Hm. I see."
Immediately after, his crimson eyes shifted to Gara.
"And you? Are you alright?"
Gara froze for a heartbeat.
He wasn't sure how to answer.
Was he alright? Physically, yes. But his Story… his Story was cracked.
Was that what the emperor was asking about?
Or was he asking about Gara himself?
The red-haired young man had no idea if X Rankers could see the state of someone's Story just by looking.
Normally, you could only sense a person's power—never their Story Type or its condition unless they willingly revealed their full aura.
But if your Story was damaged… could an X Ranker tell? Gara didn't know.
And he absolutely wasn't about to risk lying to one.
So he chose honesty.
He swallowed, stepped forward slightly, and forced the words out—still cut and shaky from the pressure of standing before such a being.
"I–I'm… f–fine… ph–physically, your majesty… b–but my Story… i–it got cracked… during the f–fight earlier."
Again, the [Rashanz Emperor] gave a slight nod. "Hm. I see."
[White Space] said nothing, and neither did the other old Rashanz.
Leif, however, already knew. And he understood perfectly why Gara chose honesty—he would've done the same.
He didn't know whether High Rankers could sense the state of someone's Story either.
He hadn't bought that information from the Blue Trade Records; it didn't seem important enough, and a part of him wanted to see whether the X Ranker would choose to help Gara or not.
But the final person in the room… the Crown Prince…
Locarius' jaw dropped open so wide it almost clicked.
All four of his arms shot up at once, pointing straight at Gara as his crimson eyes bulged.
"W-wait—ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" he blurted, completely unable to contain his shock.
Gara nodded, offering no further explanation.
Before Locarius could fire off another word, he felt a firm tug at his shoulder.
He turned—and immediately froze.
His grandfather, the emperor, had raised his index finger to his lips again, the silent command unmistakable.
Locarius wanted to speak—needed to, even—but he didn't dare disobey his grandfather's authority.
He swallowed his words, stepped aside to the right… yet his eyes never once left Gara.
And in those crimson eyes, emotions flickered one after another—shock, sadness, confusion, a hint of betrayal, then understanding, then something else entirely—layered and tangled, all crashing through him at once as he stared at the red-haired young man whose Story had cracked.
The [Rashanz Emperor] spoke again, his voice calm and steady. "Your situation pains me, child. Especially when your Story bears a name as grand as [Root of All Things]. Still, I wish you strength in your future travels."
Gara's throat tightened for a moment, but he was getting more used to the emperor's presence, and he managed a proper reply. "T-thank you… your majesty."
The [Rashanz Emperor] gave a slow nod before continuing.
"Now… do you know why the Cover Club targeted you? And why [Blue Waves] accompanied them, despite not being affiliated?"
Gara instantly looked toward Leif.
Leif met his gaze, gave the slightest nod, and then answered for them—his voice steady, composed, as if speaking to an X Ranker was no different from breathing.
"I'm not sure why [Blue Waves] was involved," Leif said. "But my family has history with the Cover Club. My late older brother killed one of their members—[Silver Cover]. He was an A Ranker at the time."
He paused for a breath. "So I assume they came for revenge. As for why now, or how they knew I'd be here… I don't know."
The X Ranker's crimson gaze stayed fixed on the blonde young man—long enough for even Leif, ever steady, ever composed, to show the smallest crack in his calm.
A single bead of sweat slipped down his temple.
Then, finally, the [Rashanz Emperor] spoke.
For the third time: "Hmm. I see."
He shifted his attention to the other human in the room—the SS Ranker on the couch.
"[White Space], I'll leave them in your care for now. They may remain in my palace for as long as they wish or need. When they intend to leave my Fragment, they may come bid farewell."
[White Space] immediately nodded his head. "Thank you for your hospitality."
Gara and Leif felt the urge to thank him as well, but they held their tongues. It wasn't their turn to speak, and speaking out of place felt… dangerous.
The [Rashanz Emperor] rose from the couch, and the other old Rashanz—the SSS Ranker—stood as well.
The emperor placed a hand on Locarius's shoulder, tugging gently. "Come."
Locarius clearly wanted to stay—his eyes flicked to Gara, full of a thousand questions burning to be asked—but he obeyed and followed after his grandfather.
Gara and Leif stepped aside, silent, letting the three Rashanz pass.
"I wish you a warm stay in my palace," the emperor said as he walked by.
This time, finally, both Gara and Leif answered in unison.
"Thank you, your majesty."
The emperor and crown prince exited.
The old Rashanz gave them a warm smile before closing the door… leaving the two young Players alone with [White Space].
Neither Gara nor Leif spoke first.
They both turned toward the old man, waiting—silent, tense, unsure if they were even allowed to breathe too loudly.
Fortunately, [White Space] didn't drag out the moment.
He gestured lightly toward the empty couches. "Please, sit first."
Gara and Leif nodded quickly. "Thank you." They said before taking a step toward one of the couches.
They sat side-by-side, straight-backed, still quiet.
Still waiting.
Seeing this, [White Space] let out a small chuckle. "You're free to speak normally to me, you know. I'm of the kinder, more tolerant sort—you should already know that."
Leif nodded calmly. "I bought some Records about you earlier. They said the same. But… better to be sure. We can't afford to offend an SS Ranker when we're just new E Rankers."
The old man laughed, stroking his long beard. "Smart boy. And yes, you did the right thing. But now that this is clarified—you may ask your questions."
He then raised his index finger before either of them could open their mouths. "But please… one question at a time."
Gara and Leif exchanged a look—and nodded.
The red-haired young man spoke first. "Mister [White Space]… is it possible you could explain your reason for helping us twice?"
The old man gave a slight nod. "I was contracted by a certain someone I cannot mention for now," he said.
"My task was to head to the [Rashanz] Fragment and help the two of you survive your trial there."
Gara thanked him quietly.
Then Leif asked his question. "Do you know why [Blue Waves] and the two Cover Club members were here to kill us?"
The old man stroked his beard and nodded. "An enemy of my Contractor hired [Blue Waves] to escort the two Cover Club members and help kill the both of you," he said.
"And though [Blue Waves] isn't part of the Cover Club, both belong to the same wider organization. The Cover Club operates separately, but it is affiliated with that shadowy and dangerous group."
He went on, "They chose the Cover Club because they have history with your family, Leif. There were other branch groups—other members—who could have been sent instead."
Leif thanked him for the explanation.
Gara asked next. "Do you know the organization's name—and can you reveal it to us?"
The old man answered calmly, "I know the name, but I cannot reveal it at the moment."
Gara accepted that with a short nod and thanked him.
Leif leaned forward slightly. "Then… why didn't the organization send more E Rankers? Or D Rankers? Or even C Rankers and above?"
The old man folded his hands. "Because my Contractor and that enemy organization have an agreement—specific rules and laws binding both sides. Under those terms, the enemy organization was allowed to send only one D Ranker and one E Ranker. My Contractor, in turn, was permitted to send only one D Ranker."
Leif thanked him for the answer.
Gara continued, "So the other D Ranker in the Fragment—the one you mentioned earlier—was that the one keeping [Black Cover] in check?"
The old man nodded. "Yes. He was the one. Unfortunately, he lost. He didn't die, fortunately, and has already left the Fragment."
Gara thanked him again.
Leif asked quietly, "Do you know why your Contractor and that enemy organization have rules and laws they need to follow? And… what does it have to do with us?"
The old man stroked his beard and replied, "I cannot reveal why the two sides adhere to these strange rules. As for why this involves both of you… it is because you, Gara, and Leif are both Champions, are you not?"
Gara and Leif froze, eyes widening as the words sank in.
Silence stretched for a few moments before Gara spoke first, his voice hesitant, "Yes… we are Champions, but we don't know anything about the ongoing Competition."
Leif nodded and said, "Thank you for your answer."
Gara leaned forward, asking, "So… Mister [White Space]'s Contractor, was he the one who chose Leif—or me, maybe?"
The old man shook his head. "No, my Contractor isn't the one who chose either of you. But he is on your side in the Competition. The enemy organization that sent the Cover Club members and [Blue Waves] to kill you… obviously, are not."
Gara thanked him for the clarification.
Leif then asked, "Is Mister [White Space] part of the Contractor's organization?"
The old man chuckled lightly. "I never said my Contractor had an organization. But yes, you are correct—he does, and I am part of it. Though it's not as tightly organized as other major Factions in the Story World, like the Grey Rose Organization of the CEM Hunters, for example."
Leif thanked him for the answer.
Gara spoke next, his voice hesitant, "Mister [White Space], could you… tell us the rules and laws of the Competition? Or at least its goal?"
The old man shook his head gently. "It is not my place to explain anything about that. My contract was simply to help you survive your trials in the [Rashanz] Fragment."
Gara nodded, thanking him for the answer.
Leif then spoke, calm as always, "How… how did you save us from [Black Cover] earlier? We both lost consciousness, so we have no idea."
The old man explained, "I revealed my Full Aura. That drew the attention of the Fragment's Reciter. She arrived and kicked both [Blue Waves] and the Cover Club members outside the Fragment."
Both E Rankers froze, processing his words.
The [Rashanz] Fragment's Reciter was a famous one.
An X Ranker with the Original Story [Best Horror Storyteller], and a close connection of the even more famous Z Ranker, [Beast King], Ruler of one of the 13 Great Territories of the Story World.
After a moment passed, Leif nodded slightly, his voice calm. "Thank you for your answer, Mister [White Space]."
Gara leaned forward a bit, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Mister [White Space], does the Reciter… or the Rashanz Species know about the Competition? And our role in it?"
The old man stroked his beard and gave a slight nod. "The Reciter was skeptical about which side to take, but in the end, she decided to help you and join your side, even if not fully."
He continued, "As for the Rashanz Species, the [Rashanz Emperor] hasn't decided whether to join you or not, but he's leaning toward being friendly, as you can see—allowing you into his palace is no small gesture."
Gara thanked him again, while Leif's hands rested calmly on his knees.
Both of them wanted to ask more, but for a few moments, neither spoke, the weight of the information settling in.
There was one question they wanted to bring up, but didn't.
[White Space] let out a soft chuckle, as if he could read their thoughts. "I suppose you two want to ask why I didn't reveal my full aura before Gara's Story cracked," he began before they could speak.
"It was simple—I wanted to see how you'd react in a desperate situation. What you'd do, and what you'd be willing to sacrifice. I already had a sense of Leif, and I liked him, but Gara… I wasn't so sure. After seeing you go so far to protect Leif's life, I finally decided I liked you too—and chose to act. Beyond that, I wanted to see how the Reciter would respond, and with Gara wielding the Geru, I thought it best to wait and watch how things would unfold."
Both of them stared at him for a moment, before Gara spoke first. "Thank you… for the answer, and for saving our lives." Leif spoke next saying something similar.
[White Space] chuckled softly. "It's not really me who should be thanked," he said. "You should be thanking my Contractor—the one who gave me the job of protecting you two in the first place."
Gara nodded firmly. "Mister [White Space] is correct, of course we should thank your Contractor too. But… you're the one who actually saved us. You deserve more than just thanks."
The old man laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. I'll accept your thanks."
The room was quiet for a few moments, the tension thick, before [White Space] finally spoke. "Do either of you have any more questions for me?"
Gara smiled faintly, still trying to process everything. "I… I'm still thinking, trying to figure out what to ask."
Leif's voice was calm, steady. "Same here."
The old man nodded. "Well, then why not ask if I can help with Gara's current situation?"
Gara froze at the words.
Of course that was exactly what he wanted to ask… but how could he ask an SS Ranker for help when that same SS Ranker had already saved his life twice?
Noticing his hesitation, [White Space] chuckled softly. "No need to worry. I won't ask for payment for my help. I've already been compensated by my Contractor. And, truth be told, it was partially my fault your Story cracked. If I had revealed my full aura sooner, you wouldn't have been pushed to drink that second Energy Potion."
Gara opened his mouth to protest, to say that no, it wasn't Mister [White Space]'s fault and that he was already incredibly thankful for all the help, but the old man raised a hand to stop him.
"I know a few ways to fix a cracked Story," he said calmly.
The words hit both Gara and Leif at once.
They went silent, their expressions sharpening as they leaned in, listening intently.
"There are a few methods I could share," [White Space] continued, "but one is the most guaranteed, safest, and easiest in your case—especially since you're only E Rankers."
With that, he reached into empty space and pulled out a white vial, filled with a liquid that shimmered faintly with a soft, pure glow.
Gara and Leif's eyes stayed locked on the strange, glowing vial as [White Space] explained.
"This potion," he said, "was not made for fixing cracked Stories, and under normal circumstances, you should not drink it. It can be dangerous if used incorrectly." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"But," he continued, "if you can acquire a Red Balatasia and, with the help of a professional Alchemist, properly mix it into this potion, the result—once consumed by Gara—will restore [Root of All Things] fully, repairing the Story completely."
Both Gara and Leif exchanged glances, the gravity of the opportunity settling over them like a heavy, electrifying weight.
—End of Chapter.
-------
That was a lot, wasn't it?
Gara: I mean, you have to agree that it was, right?
Leif: Agreed.
Gara: But still, it was interesting, even if most of it was coded and hidden behind I can't answer that cause too early in the Story.
Leif: Agreed once more.
Gara: Anyways, at least my Story can be fixed, so that's good. Imagine if this was it and [Root of All Things] was gone? I wouldn't even be able to create a new Original Story. Tsk!
Leif: Tsk indeed.
Gara: You know you sound like a robot, right?
Leif: I do.