[Location: Camelot – Outer Forest, Early Morning]
The air was cold, damp from the night rain. Mist drifted between the trees like thin smoke.
Ren crouched by a stream, hands submerged in water that glowed faintly blue from residual mana. His reflection looked foreign — drawn, pale, eyes carrying faint luminescent rings.
His breathing was uneven. It's happening faster this time. The energy's out of sync.
He pressed a hand to his chest. The hum under his skin was sharper than usual — unstable, like two frequencies colliding.
From the treeline, a quiet voice spoke. "You've been out here all night."
Ren turned. Merlin stood a few meters away, his cloak pulled tight against the cold.
"Couldn't sleep," Ren said.
"You mean you didn't want to," Merlin replied, stepping closer. "Gaius said your energy's fluctuating. You're fading in and out again."
Ren nodded slightly. "My connection to this world isn't holding. Whatever brought me here… it's ending."
Merlin frowned. "You can't stabilize it?"
"I tried," Ren said, picking up a stone and tossing it into the stream. "This world's mana rejects me. I can adapt for a while, but it's like I'm forcing two circuits to share one current."
Merlin was silent for a long moment. "You're leaving."
Ren gave a faint smile. "Seems so."
[Location: Gaius's Workshop – Later That Morning]
Gaius set down his quill as Merlin entered, pacing.
"He can't stay," Merlin said. "His magic — it's tearing holes in the air around him. The druids said the forest mana is fluctuating wherever he walks."
Gaius nodded slowly. "It's the world's way of correcting itself. He doesn't belong here, Merlin. None of us could stop what's coming."
Merlin clenched his fists. "He doesn't deserve this. He helped us, trained with us, risked his life—"
"And now," Gaius said softly, "he has to go home."
[Location: Forest Edge – Afternoon]
Ren stood in a small clearing surrounded by trees. The same faint geometric markings from his early training were etched into the ground, combined with Aglain's druidic runes.
This was his last experiment — a bridge home.
He pressed his hand to the earth, feeling the hum of mana rise.
Stabilize core… match frequency… guide the flow outward, not inward.
The ground began to glow with soft blue lines.
From behind him, Merlin's voice broke through the noise. "You'll tear yourself apart if you rush it."
Ren looked back, smirking faintly. "You always worry too much."
Merlin stepped closer. "Someone has to."
For a moment, they just stood there — the faint vibration of energy pulsing through the air between them.
"You know," Merlin said quietly, "you could stay. I could find a way—"
Ren shook his head. "No. This world's already doing everything it can to push me out. If I fight it, it'll destroy more than just me."
Merlin exhaled. "Then at least tell me something before you go. Where are you from?"
Ren hesitated. His gaze drifted toward the glowing sigils. "A place that builds power before understanding it. A place that breaks what it can't control."
Merlin didn't press further. He understood more than he let on.
Ren reached out his hand. Merlin clasped it tightly.
"Thank you," Ren said.
"For what?"
"For treating me like I wasn't a mistake."
[Location: Forest Edge – Twilight]
The circle blazed to life, light spilling across the clearing. The sound of crackling energy filled the air.
Ren stepped into the center. The hum around him rose to a sharp vibration.
"Tell Morgana," he called over the rising wind, "to trust what she feels. She's stronger than she thinks."
Merlin tried to step forward, but the pressure forced him back.
The energy surged — and in a single flash, Ren vanished.
The clearing fell silent. Only the scorched sigil remained.
[Location: Camelot – Gaius's Workshop, Night]
Merlin stood by the window, watching the faint shimmer fade from the distant forest.
Gaius joined him quietly. "He's gone?"
Merlin nodded. "Yes. But something tells me we'll see him again."
Gaius sighed. "The world seems smaller than we thought, doesn't it?"
[Location: The Invisible World – City Outskirts, Night]
Cold rain hit metal rooftops. Neon light flickered over the wet pavement.
Ren stumbled out of an alley, coughing, steam rising from his clothes. His mana core pulsed irregularly, leaving faint trails of light under his skin.
He pressed a hand to the wall to steady himself. Same skyline. Same noise. Same smell.
He was home.
But he wasn't alone.
A black drone zipped overhead — scanning. Then another.
Ren exhaled. "Already?"
He turned, pulling his hood up, and started walking toward the dark edge of the street.
Back to running, huh?
His lips curved slightly. "Guess some things never change."
[Author's Note]
This chapter concludes the Merlin Arc and brings Ren back into The Invisible World.
From here begins a new phase — survival, pursuit, and uncovering the truth behind Project Genesis.
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