With a thunderous crash, the core of the seal shattered, tearing the air apart as though by an invisible hand and emitting a heart-wrenching, low growl. The walls, ceilings and floors trembled as if the entire academy were being hollowed out. The fissure opened like a colossal eye, slowly unfurling within the space. Its depths were unfathomable and seemed capable of swallowing all light and sound.
Li stood before the fissure, breathing in short, sharp gasps, his heart pounding as though it might burst from his chest. His Judgment Eye flared with heat, drawn by some unseen force. Fear surged through his veins, mingling with an unknown anticipation. In that instant, a form slowly materialised within the fissure — neither creature nor monster, but a transcendent 'concept'. An ethereal blue light drifted through the air, solidifying into shape like intangible breath.
"You have come." The voice was not loud, yet it reverberated in Li's mind with an irresistible sense of urgency.
Li's heart trembled. This was Nihila, the Spirit of the Sealed Rift. Although it had no eyes, it seemed to peer into the depths of his soul; although it had no mouth, its thoughts reverberated directly within his consciousness. Neither benevolent nor malevolent, its existence alone signified the inevitable end of the seal.
"You are not an outsider. You are returning home."
The voice struck his soul like steel, landing with heavy force. Li's heart clenched violently. He felt his blood freeze instantly as countless images flooded his mind: memories he had never had, places he had never seen, and his 'other self' standing on the other side of the rift.
The Eye of Judgement pulsed violently, resonating with the fissure of its own accord. Its pupil appeared scorched by light and reflected a timeline that Li had never perceived before: one in which his existence seemed to be an integral part of the rift and the 'human identity' he had always believed himself to possess was merely a surrogate created by his mother.
Li staggered backwards, feeling as if his entire body were being tugged by some force, and lost control momentarily. He saw his counterpart on the other side of the fissure — that face with its cold, unapproachable gaze overlapping yet distinct from his own as if silently declaring:
"You always thought you were judging the world. In truth, you are the one being judged.'
The space trembled once more. The light from the fissure surged like waves, as if awaiting Li's response while testing his limits. An air of unreality permeated the atmosphere, and each breath felt like inhaling flames. Li clenched his fists; a resolve unlike anything he had ever experienced before rose within him. He must see clearly, he must know—
which side he truly belonged to.
The air within the academy felt as though it had been cut by a blade; a shrill wail emanated from the depths of the fissure. Every wall trembled faintly as the sound of shattering mingled with the students' cries, like the prelude to an apocalypse.
The student council members scrambled around in a panic, only to discover that the barrier was slowly being torn apart by an invisible force. The protective array, which had once been impenetrable, now proved as fragile as paper before the fissures; sharp beams pierced the air, flooding every corner with blinding light.
Gray clenched his fists, breathing raggedly and looking ashen. He ordered the formation to hold, but his voice was swallowed by the wind and utterly lacked authority. Several core members, caught in the resistance, were engulfed by the light. The next instant, their souls were ripped from their bodies and their eyes were instantly hollow and empty. Their bodies remained, but they no longer belonged to them.
Li stood not far away, his gaze fixed intently on the ripples of the fissure. He witnessed those whose souls had been stolen, their bodies wandering the barrier like the walking dead, utterly voiceless. In that instant, he understood: this was no ordinary attack. It was the world reclaiming its 'misplaced existence'.
"Weren't they the enemy?" His muttered words were swept away by the wind as he felt his chest become heavy enough to shatter.
Hui suddenly charged towards the fissure in an attempt to block it, but the light seemed to be alive, warping space autonomously. His attacks struck as though against air, utterly ineffective. Watching his comrades fall one by one, he felt a despair unlike anything he had ever experienced before — this was not a battle, but an inescapable fate.
Li's Judgment Eye resonated once more, reflecting another possible timeline deep within the fissure — one in which the Student Council members had never been captured, yet the world was collapsing even faster. Reality and illusion overlapped, tearing Li's consciousness into shards.
"What should I do?" he murmured, his voice drowned out by the roar.
Final scene: The light within the fissure suddenly expanded, engulfing the entire Student Council Hall. Li watched as the figures of Hui and the other members distorted and tore apart, as if their memories were being ripped from existence. Amidst the wind came Nixira's cold, murmuring voice:
'Do you see? This is the price of choice."
Li clenched his fists; a silent rage welled up inside him. For the first time, he realised that even a Judge might be powerless to stop destiny itself.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version).