"Null Abysmal," she said evenly, her voice carrying across the chamber. "It is now your turn."
Null simply nodded.
He stepped forward, his movements unhurried, almost restrained. As he approached the pedestal, the atmosphere shifted—not with excitement, but with expectation sharpened by Kouki's display. Priests leaned forward. Guards tightened their grips on their spears. Even Kouki attention shifted, curiosity burning behind his confidence about this fellow otherworlder.
Null raised his hand.
For a fleeting instant, his fingers hesitated—just long enough to betray a hint of nervousness—before settling against the crystal's surface.
The World Connection Crystal flared.
Light surged—brief, sharp, promising.
Then—
It dimmed.
Instantly.
The glow collapsed inward like a candle snuffed by the unseen. The crystal returned to its dormant state, silent and inert, its inner light fading to nothing more than a faint, lightless sheen and
"…Huh?"
A priest blinked, staring at the crystal in disbelief. Another frowned, tapping a rune array that stubbornly refused to respond.
"That's impossible," another whispered. "There should at least be a resonance…"
Sora's brow furrowed slightly, her blue eyes fixed on the crystal as if willing it to respond.
But the crystal remained dark.
Null slowly withdrew his hand, looking at the crystal, then at his own palm.
"…Did something go wrong?" he asked quietly.
Sora inhaled softly.
"…Null-san. Please excuse us. This… is unexpected."
She inclined her head toward him—an awkward, apologetic gesture unbefitting a Saintess accustomed to certainty.
"There may be an irregularity with the World Connection Crystal," she continued. "Elder
Ozag, would you verify its condition at once?"
At her command, a senior priest with silver-threaded robes—pressed his staff against the pedestal. Runes ignited along its length as he began a thorough inspection, fingers moving with practiced precision.
"Leyline alignment… stable."
"Divine channel… open."
"Resonance capacity… intact."
The elder frowned, then straightened.
"…Saintess," he said slowly, confusion evident in his tone, "the World Connection Crystal is functioning perfectly. There are no faults, no disruptions. Its capacity remains unchanged."
Sora's fingers tightened within her sleeves.
"No abnormalities whatsoever?" she asked.
"None," Elder ozag replied firmly. "By all measures, the crystal responded as it always does. The connection initiated… and then ceased."
A ripple of unease spread through the chamber.
Sora fell silent, her gaze drifting back to Null—standing quietly before the pedestal, expression subdued, unreadable. Her thoughts raced.
Impossible.
In all recorded history, every summoned otherworldly hero had received a gift—whether minor or great.
To receive nothing…
Her blue eyes narrowed slightly, perplexity settling deep within her chest.
This has never happened before.
Not once in scripture. Not once in the annals of summoning rites.
"…Pfft—ahahaha!"
Several heads snapped toward the sound.
"Did you see that?" Kouki said, clutching his stomach as his laughter continued, golden eyes gleaming with unrestrained amusement. "The crystal didn't even respond."
He straightened, wiping at the corner of his eye as if tears had formed—not from sorrow, but from ridicule.
"Seriously?" he scoffed, glancing at Null. "You were summoned as a 'hero' and the World just… ignored you?"
A few priests shifted uncomfortably. One guard frowned, but none spoke.
"I guess that settles it," He tapped his chest lightly with his thumb.
"I'm the one the World chose."
His grin widened, sharp with pride.
"Sovereign Ascension. The rarest of the rare." He laughed again, lower this time. "And you?"
He gestured vaguely toward the dormant crystal.
"Nothing."
Kouki shook his head, disbelief mixed with condescension.
"Maybe the summoning pulled in extra baggage,"
How dare this bastard have a more handsome face than me, Kouki thought bitterly. Serves him right.
"…That's enough, Mr. Kouki."
Sora's voice cut through the chamber.
It was still soft—still composed—but the warmth that had colored it moments ago vanished completely. The air seemed to tighten as she turned toward him, blue eyes no longer gentle, but clear and unyielding.
Kouki's laughter faltered.
"Your reaction," she said evenly, "is unbecoming of one who has received the World's favor."
Her gaze sharpened, carrying the quiet authority of both Saintess and representative of the Divine Church.
"To mock another summoned individual—especially under circumstances we do not yet understand—is neither heroic nor acceptable."
Kouki opened his mouth. "But—"
She raised a hand.
Silence fell instantly.
"Do not mistake power for entitlement," Sora continued, her tone now unmistakably cold. "The World grants blessings to aid this realm, not to inflate one's ego."
Several priests lowered their heads. Even the guards straightened, sensing the shift.
Her gaze flicked briefly toward Null, who showed no reaction to the scorn and was staring absentmindedly into space.
"This summoning was conducted at great cost and grave risk," Sora said. "Every individual brought here is under the protection of the Divine Church until their role is properly determined."
She stepped closer, voice lowering just enough to sting.
"Your blessing does not grant you the right to demean others."
Kouki's grin stiffened. His confidence wavered, just slightly, under the weight of her stare.
"…Understood?" Sora asked.
A tense pause followed.
"…Yeah," Kouki muttered at last, looking away. "I get it."
Sora held his gaze a moment longer, ensuring the message settled, then turned back toward Null.
Her expression softened again—but something cautious lingered beneath it now.
"Null-san," she said quietly, "I apologize for what you have witnessed."
"This anomaly will be investigated thoroughly," Sora continued. "Until then, you will be treated with the same respect and protection as any other summoned individual."
The chamber remained hushed.
And in that silence, the unanswered question lingered heavier than any verdict:
Why had the World remained silent?