Under Tom's intensive medical care, Himeya Jun's vital signs gradually stabilized, though his severely overtaxed body remained unconscious. The healing would take time—how much time, no one could predict.
Jun's arrival had drawn attention from unexpected quarters. Even the Moral Lord, who rarely emerged from his gaming sanctuary, made a brief appearance to observe the unconscious warrior before returning to his digital pursuits.
"Master, what caught your interest about him?" Gustave asked curiously, intercepting the ancient sage on his way back to the entertainment room.
"Something about him reminds me of one of the greatest beings from a truly magnificent world," the Moral Lord replied with his characteristic gentle smile. "Even within the Primordial Chaos, that figure would be considered extraordinary."
"Master, what exactly qualifies as a 'great world'?" Gustave had heard such terms countless times during his discipleship but never received a proper explanation of the cosmic hierarchy his master casually referenced.
"Since you're feeling particularly studious today, I suppose I can enlighten you," the Moral Lord said, pausing in the corridor with obvious amusement at his student's curiosity.
"Consider the Primordial Chaos where I originated. It was born from Father God Pangu's act of creation—the realm where all truly powerful beings reside. Surrounding this chaos, numerous Great Worlds have gradually formed over the eons."
The sage gestured broadly, as if encompassing vast dimensions. "To put it in terms you might grasp, Great Worlds contain multiple interconnected parallel universes. These cosmic clusters can support immortal beings, though Daluo Golden Immortals represent the absolute peak of their power structure. The Ultraman multiverse you've encountered would qualify as such an existence."
Gustave nodded slowly, beginning to understand the scale his master described.
"Below the Great Worlds lie the Middle Worlds," the Moral Lord continued. "Though ranked lower, they exist independently rather than as subordinates. A Middle World might eventually ascend to Great World status. The determining factor is whether true immortals—beings with genuine eternal lifespans—have been born within their boundaries."
"Beneath those are the Small Worlds, characterized by the presence of world consciousness—what you might call the Heavenly Way. As long as this governing principle exists, regardless of supernatural power levels, the realm qualifies as a Small World. Both our current location and young Shinnosuke's home dimension fall into this category."
The explanation painted a picture of cosmic grandeur that made Gustave's head spin slightly.
"Further down exist countless Infinite Sand Worlds—realms as numerous as grains in an endless desert. These contain life but lack the organized consciousness of higher classifications."
The Moral Lord's expression grew thoughtful. "All of these worlds—Great, Middle, Small, and Infinite Sand—orbit around the Primordial Chaos as their cosmic center."
"Have you ever discovered worlds equal to the Primordial Chaos?" Gustave asked, sensing deeper implications in his master's explanation.
"Do you know why I accepted you as a disciple?" the Moral Lord asked instead, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "A student with mediocre talent and questionable dedication, chosen purely because of an interesting coincidence?"
Gustave's expression crumpled at the brutal assessment. He'd always suspected his master's opinion wasn't entirely flattering, but hearing it stated so bluntly stung.
"Master, please just tell me," he said with resigned humility. "Your foolish disciple lacks the wisdom to guess your meaning."
"Haha! Because you were fortunate enough to stumble across a treasure like the Gate of All Worlds," the Moral Lord revealed with obvious satisfaction. "Every realm connected through your pendant has been a Small World—except for the Great World containing Daigo and Himeya Jun's realities."
His expression grew more serious. "However, none of these dimensions belong to systems connected to the Primordial Chaos. Through the Gate, we might potentially discover existences on par with our cosmic origin."
The ancient sage shook his head with mild disappointment. "Unfortunately, despite investigating each new world the Gate contacts, I've found no connections to chaos-level realities. If I could locate and study such a realm, I might finally break through my current cultivation bottleneck."
"I see," Gustave murmured, his mind racing with implications.
"Now that you understand, I'm returning to my games," the Moral Lord announced cheerfully, already turning toward his room. "Until we discover worlds equal to the chaotic realms, video games remain my priority."
Gustave watched his master's retreating figure with a mixture of exasperation and affection. The most powerful being he'd ever met, reduced to a gaming addict because cosmic exploration had temporarily stalled.
Since Jun's arrival, Daigo's training attitude had undergone a remarkable transformation. Whether inspired by the lone warrior's dedication or simply motivated by a new understanding of true hardship, he no longer complained about Chu Zihang's brutal sessions. His active participation delighted Camearra, who had grown increasingly worried about his previous reluctance.
"Sera... Sera... Sera!"
Jun's unconscious mind trapped him in his most painful memory—watching helplessly as the woman he loved died because of his obsession with capturing the perfect war photograph. If he hadn't ventured onto that battlefield seeking recognition, Sera wouldn't have come looking for him. She wouldn't have been caught in the artillery barrage that claimed her life.
The guilt had consumed him for years, driving his belief that Nexus's power was divine punishment—a burden he must bear to atone for his beloved's death.
"Sera..." he whispered, consciousness gradually returning.
Jun's eyes opened slowly, finding himself in an unfamiliar room with clean white walls and the subtle sounds of ocean waves through an open window. This certainly wasn't anywhere he recognized from his world.
His hand immediately went to his jacket's inner pocket, searching for the Evoltruster. Nothing. Panic flooded his system as he struggled to sit up despite his body's protests.
The power couldn't fall into wrong hands. Whatever his personal feelings about the burden, he couldn't allow Nexus's abilities to be misused for evil purposes. That would be an unforgivable betrayal of everyone he'd fought to protect.
Just as Jun managed to swing his legs over the bed's edge, the door opened. A young man with kind eyes and an immediately trustworthy demeanor entered, radiating a warmth that felt startlingly familiar.
"Mr. Himeya, you're awake!" Daigo's relief was evident as he noticed his patient's consciousness.
"Were you the one who saved me?" Jun asked cautiously. His instincts suggested this stranger posed no threat, but years of isolation had taught him wariness.
"I wouldn't call it saving," Daigo replied modestly, scratching the back of his head. "I just found you collapsed and carried you to our ship's doctor. Tom did all the real work."
"How do you know my name?" Jun's suspicion sharpened slightly. He carried no identification, and his true identity was classified information in his home dimension.
"Let me explain about the Bamboo Staff..." Daigo began, settling into a nearby chair as he launched into the story of their Otherworldly restaurant, the Gate of All Worlds, and the unique time dilation properties that allowed extended visits without consequences in their home realities.
"A gate to other worlds," Jun repeated slowly, memories of the strange door that had appeared in his mind before losing consciousness now making sense. "And time moves differently here?"
The time differential offered something Jun hadn't experienced in years—the possibility of actual rest. For the first time since gaining Nexus's power, he might have space to breathe without alien beasts threatening innocent lives.
"That's right," Daigo confirmed gently. "You can stay as long as you need to recover. No one here will judge you or ask you to fight. We just want to help."
Something in the young man's tone—a understanding born of shared burdens—made Jun's defensive walls crack slightly. Perhaps, just perhaps, he had finally found people who might understand the weight of being humanity's secret guardian.
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