Three years later.
Within the Star Curtain World, apart from the marine tribes hiding in the Inner Earth and struggling to survive, nearly every civilization with Curvature Spacetime technology had gathered beneath the Sky Pillar of the Absolute Zero civilization.
When the White-headed Eagle and Snow Deer saw how weak Reilo was, they couldn't help frowning slightly. Their eyes seemed to hold a trace of worry.
"Is it because of the Gamma Arc?"
"Mm."
After hearing Reilo confirm it, the two seemed to blame themselves.
After all, in their plan, Reilo should have been one of the main forces in this war. But given his current condition, he could only be a backup. They had no doubt that if he suffered a serious injury, his rootless source might shatter at any moment.
"We were too eager to get results. We thought that, with your wisdom and experience, you might be able to unravel its mysteries. We never expected that we'd end up harming you instead."
Reilo said nothing more about it. He truly was weak at the moment, and he didn't want the early fighting in this war to affect him—or force him to use his final measure.
Neither of them had meant to harm him. He could only blame his bad luck for failing to open the other side of parallel creation.
With that, he took out the bronze fragment.
"But at least I escaped with my life, and it's not as if I gained nothing. I'm sure I can help you both in another way. So this belongs to you. I'm returning it."
Snow Deer took the bronze fragment and sighed. "You shouldn't take part in the early battles."
Reilo nodded and left, returning to the Academic World's main base.
This was not a war between the