Outside the Tower of Erudition.
The plaza was empty.
The Gas Lamps' light was rendered a ghastly white by the River of Light overhead. Cast onto the bluestone ground, even the shadows looked distorted.
Five figures stood before the Tower of Erudition's Bronze Gate.
Klaus stood at the front.
He wore a dark gray shirt, and flashes of green occasionally flickered across the back of his hand.
He made no effort to conceal his aura.
Behind him, Leike had already returned to human form.
Short brown hair, a gaunt face, and a dark uniform.
He was much shorter now, reaching only about Klaus's chest. The damage to his Pipe Network had yet to fully recover.
Yet he simply stood there quietly, expressionless.
Farther back stood two figures.
They wore Night Watcher robes, their hoods pulled low enough to conceal most of their faces.
Neither their age nor appearance could be seen.
Only when the night wind occasionally lifted the hems of their robes could the dried bloodstains on their boots be glimpsed.
Their auras were extraordinarily restrained.
So restrained that, unless one deliberately sensed them, their presence could almost be ignored.
The last figure stood at the far right.
Ancient.
White-haired.
Black Qi shrouded his entire body.
It was the Guardian.
The five of them stood before the Bronze Gate.
At this moment, the Tower of Erudition had been completely sealed.
The Bronze Gate was tightly shut, and every Inscription on its surface was lit.
The light of the Inscriptions flowed rapidly across the gate.
Beyond the gate, a vast force could vaguely be felt in operation.
The entire Tower of Erudition hummed.
Klaus stared at the gate.
His face was icy.
"I'll give you ten seconds."
His voice was not loud, but it carried far across the empty plaza.