After completing the mission plan, Reilo and the Ancient Ones chose completely different escape routes to avoid the Superhumans' orbital railguns.
After ordering the last tenth of the Academic World's elite forces to withdraw, Reilo flew alone toward the Star Curtain World at full speed, while the Ancient Ones pressed straight ahead toward Superbody Star.
"How reckless!"
Reilo couldn't understand the Ancient Ones' choice.
Time passed.
As he continued onward and drew closer to the Star Curtain World, the peaceful void along the way began to unsettle him. Perhaps it was because the fighting in recent days had been so intense. When he saw the endless yellow sands covering the Storm Continent, he felt the same sorrow at the continent's desolation, but his heart gradually settled.
The Academic World wasn't the only one retreating.
Though the Storm Continent coalition's expedition had ultimately failed—and not a single creature had set foot on Superbody Star—the civilizations had all tried to carry out their plans, including the Academic World.
Beep, beep, beep.
Reilo, flying at high speed through the void, answered a call on his communicator. It was a message from the flagship he had been aboard.
The Academic World had gained an initial grasp of short-range communications across the cosmic void. But communicating in such a noisy void battlefield consumed astronomical amounts of energy every second.
"What is it?"
Reilo had expected something like an attack on the mothership, or news that one of his close friends had died. Instead, Orn spoke from the other end of the communicator. "We have reliable news. The Space-Time Channel ruins opened by the Central Civilization have closed again."
"Hmm?"
After a moment's thought, Reilo asked, "Is the Central Civilization preparing some kind of contingency?"
"I've already confirmed it with a Domain Lord. The Central Civilization