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Kaipo stood in stunned silence, his eyes wide as he processed the words of the man before him—Archanos ‘Kasumi’ Solara. His mouth hung open, trying to form a coherent thought, but nothing made sense. The weight of this revelation hit him like a tidal wave.
Kasumi? Kaipo thought to himself, his mind racing. Did he say Kasumi?
"Hey, kid, you alright?" Archanos chuckled, noticing Kaipo's bewildered expression. "Oh yeah, that’s your last name, isn’t it?"
Kaipo blinked, snapping out of his daze. "Yeah... that’s my last name. What do you mean by that?"
Archanos grinned. "Kasumi, huh? That was the name I became known for during the wars between the Clan of Solara and the other clans. You know, back when things were a bit more... complicated." He paused, his tone shifting from casual to serious. "But that’s a story for another time."
Kaipo tried to push for more information, but Archanos cut him off with a wave of his hand. "How about we continue to the tube?" He pointed towards the horizon where the large, glowing tube connecting the second planet to the third was visible.
The goblin driving their cart turned back, flashing a toothy grin and giving them a thumbs-up. Kaipo couldn’t help but laugh a little at the creature’s enthusiasm, despite the overwhelming confusion and shock swirling in his mind. He wasn’t sure what to make of this entire situation, but for now, he had no choice but to go along with it.
As they rode through the strange landscape, Kaipo tried to collect his thoughts. "So, you’ve been here... for how long exactly?"
Archanos chuckled, shaking his head. "Longer than you’ve been alive, kid. But it’s not the years that matter in here. The Time Gap Portal is unlike anything you’ve ever known. These ten planets, they’re small, compact worlds, and they don’t follow the rules you've probably heard."
Kaipo nodded slowly. He’d already noticed that the first planet was significantly smaller than anything he’d expected. "Yeah, I realized that, but I didn’t say anything. It felt... off."
Archanos smirked. "That’s because these planets weren’t built for training or growth like the stories back in your universe suggest. They’re a trap—designed to lure mages seeking the ‘Perfect Mage’ title."
"The Perfect Mage?" Kaipo asked, his curiosity piqued. "I heard about that from the High Mage."
Archanos raised an eyebrow. "Oh? The High Mage?"
Kaipo nodded. "Yeah, the High Mage said, ‘The Time Gap Dimension contains ten planets, each taking a hundred years to conquer. The challenges intensify with each planet. A millennium could pass inside, while only a second elapses in our world.’"
Archanos snorted, a mocking laugh escaping his lips. "Is that what they’re telling you? That old fool, their clan always twisting things to suit their narrative."
"Wait," Kaipo interrupted, confused. "What do you mean?"
Archanos sighed. "Let me explain. The stories you’ve heard, the records from your universe—they’re incomplete, full of half-truths. The Time Gap Portal wasn’t built as a path to becoming stronger. It’s a snare. The first person to go in and come out with all that ‘knowledge’ about the Time Gap Portal disappeared only 24 hours later. And do you know why?"
Kaipo shook his head, eyes wide with anticipation.
"Because he created it," Archanos said, his voice low and dangerous. "The Time Gap Portal, these planets, the idea of becoming the Perfect Mage—it was all a ruse. A trap to devour the souls of those foolish enough to believe it."
Kaipo’s jaw dropped. "So... all those people who entered to become the Perfect Mage...?"
"Never came back," Archanos confirmed. "The Portal fed off their energy, their souls. The creator fed on them, gaining power. It was a twisted cycle."
Kaipo sat in stunned silence, trying to wrap his head around the magnitude of what he’d just learned. "But how did the High Mage know about this? And if it’s a trap, why do people keep coming?"
Archanos leaned back, arms crossed. "That’s the tricky part. Firstly, no one has even been in the Time Gap Portal for at least the past 200 years. Secondly, the Clan of Astralith—they’ve always had a way of twisting the truth. I suspect your High Mage is none other than Astralith herself."
"Astralith?" Kaipo repeated, the name unfamiliar. "Who is that?"
"A long time ago, there was a clan known as the Clan of Astralith. Their leader always took the title of ‘High Mage,’ and they had access to secrets no one else did. But their knowledge wasn’t always used for the right reasons," Archanos explained, his tone turning grim. "They had their own agendas, and their influence stretched far."
Kaipo’s mind swirled with new questions, but one burned brighter than the rest. "Where are you from, then?"
Archanos laughed, though it lacked the warmth it once had. "I’m from Solara, on the opposite side of the Land of Spade. Back in my day, it was called the Kingdom of Solara. Now... it seems it’s been forgotten to you people."
Kaipo frowned. "The Land of Spade... That’s the region in the middle of the four Kingdoms, right?"
Archanos shook his head. "You’ve been fed lies, Kaipo. The Land of Spade isn’t just the center of the four Kingdoms. It’s the nexus of everything—the heart of five universes, all connected by a common land. You’ve been brainwashed into thinking your world is the only one that matters."
"Five universes?" Kaipo was reeling now. Everything he had been taught, everything he believed, was being torn apart.
"Yes," Archanos said with finality. "Five universes, all linked by this strange and dangerous place."
"But how do you know all this?" Kaipo asked, still struggling to keep up. "If you’ve been trapped here for so long, how can you be so sure?"
Archanos’s eyes gleamed with something Kaipo couldn’t quite place. "My power is vast, Kaipo. And when the time comes, I’ll share it with you. But first, we have other things to deal with."
As they spoke, the cart finally came to a stop. The tube connecting the second planet to the third loomed ahead, glowing faintly in the dim light. Archanos and Kaipo hopped off the cart, and Archanos paid the goblin driver, who waved at them cheerfully before heading off into the distance.
"Shall we?" Archanos asked, his smile returning as he motioned toward the tube.
Kaipo nodded, still digesting the flood of new information. Together, the two stepped into the tube, ready for whatever awaited them on the third planet.
The chapter ended there, leaving Kaipo filled with more questions than answers as his journey continued.36Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYWlieiboD
