At the busy heart of Ikerite Academy stood a colossal building, towering with imposing grandeur.
It marked the very center of the campus, encircled by the grounds of the four great colleges.
Though the diverse classical and modern architecture throughout the academy each possessed a unique charm, they all paled slightly in comparison to this massive central edifice.
This was not merely due to its gigantic size, but because its presence stood in stark contrast to everything around it.
Compared to the surrounding Gothic or Renaissance structures steeped in history, this place looked more like a military fortress.
Its walls were a deep, iron-hard blue, surrounded by layers of powerful barrier formations. A soft golden radiance enveloped the building, forming visible barriers of magical protection.
For students, merely sensing its presence from afar exerted an invisible pressure.
One could only enter by presenting proper identification and passing through several security checkpoints via the sole main entrance corridor.
Patrolling the perimeter of this barrier were numerous members of the Royal Knights clad in splendid armor.
They were no ordinary academy guards, but elite knights dispatched by the Hutton Kingdom. Anyone daring to force their way inside would surely never return.
All of this was for one reason alone: deep within this building stood a Void Gate leading to the Shadow World.
To prevent cultists or outlaws from entering the Shadow World, every permanent Void Gate on the Southern Continent was guarded and controlled with maximum vigilance by the Shadow World Management Association and the Southern Continent United Council.
There were five major Void Gates throughout the Hutton Kingdom where Lanqi resided, and one of them stood right here inside Ikerite Magic Academy.
Or rather, this academy had originally been founded around the gate as a vital bastion of research and study that gathered elite combat power.
As the sun neared the western horizon,
Ikerite Academy was bathed in molten gold, forming a tranquil, dreamlike panorama.
The figures of Lanqi and Hyperion made their way through the building's checkpoints, casting long shadows stretched straight across the wide avenue.
Until at last, they stepped inside the building.
In the vast space before them stood nothing but an enormous Void Gate.
Its appearance was eerie and mysterious, yet possessed a breathtaking beauty akin to divine artistry. Its frame was forged from a meteorite-like substance, its surface smooth as a mirror, while liquid starlight seemed to flow along its edges, colors shifting ceaselessly between dark violet and silver-white.
A faint purple glow rippled across the entire gate like the deepest light in the night sky—flickering, elusive, and enigmatic, as though countless stars gently swirled within a vortex.
"What should our team be called?"
Hyperion glanced at the final security checkpoint and its counter ahead, then at the cavernous hall, speaking to Lanqi.
All they needed to do here was register their registered challenger licenses, let the staff inspect their equipped [Shadow World Recording Program], and then proceed to the Void Gate ahead for matching.
If they also wished to challenge it as a party using a "party card," they needed to register a team name as well.
A "party card" was another utility magic card, officially titled [Shadow World Synergy Program].
Lanqi pondered for a moment, figuring anything would do.
Then he might as well base it on their traits as a duo.
"Let's put down the Civilized Role Models Squad," Lanqi replied.
Hyperion opened her mouth, hesitated, and ultimately nodded.
She felt an overwhelming urge to complain, but let it go.
Whatever made him happy...
With that, the two handed their respective licenses along with their two utility magic cards over the security counter, waiting for the staff member to process them.
"Once you step through the Void Gate, the Shadow World will automatically begin matching you with a suitable existing Shadow World. This cannot be controlled manually. Once you enter the matching state, do not step back out of the gate on a whim, or you might be separated. You both know this, right?"
The staff member in a military uniform registered their cards with a magical device in hand. Noticing that both of their challenge counts were zero, he briefly explained the basic precautions.
"Understood."
Both of them nodded.
"Since there are many other challengers at ports across the world matching at the same time, low-tier challengers like you usually won't have to wait long."
The staff member kept his eyes on the crystal display of the magical device, continuing to walk them through typical scenarios.
Even though Lanqi and Hyperion were already familiar with this knowledge, they listened attentively.
In the real Shadow World, lower-tier challengers found matches far more easily, as low-tier Shadow Worlds appeared frequently and in large quantities.
High-tier Shadow Worlds, on the other hand, appeared much less often. Sometimes, even when challengers were ready and willing, there simply wasn't a Shadow World available for them to attempt.
As for Tier 7 and above Cataclysm-grade Shadow Worlds, once detected by the Association, the Southern Continent United Council would issue warnings to every nation. Multiple countries would enter negotiations to deploy their most powerful and suitable challengers and teams.
The higher a Shadow World's tier, the more devastating the disaster upon failure.
While the real-world erosion caused by failing a Tier 2 or Tier 3 Shadow World was mere child's play, failing a Tier 7 or higher Shadow World would unleash a true, colossal cataclysm.
Consequently, every nation and faction treated high-tier Shadow Worlds with utmost gravity.
This was also why high-tier Shadow World challengers held such exalted status.
Not only in their own kingdoms, but even within the Southern Continent United Council, their voices carried immense weight!
As for ensuring a fixed group entered the same Shadow World together, there were two methods.
One was for top-tier challengers: because their numbers were few and suitable Shadow Worlds equally rare, entering at the same time almost guaranteed they would be matched together.
The other, reliable method was carrying a "party card"—
[Shadow World Synergy Program]
[Type: Spell Card]
[Rarity: White Common]
[Tier: 1]
[Passive Effect: Matches the user into the same Shadow World as companions carrying a Synergy Program with the identical serial number.]
[Note: Party Card No. 891852279]
This was the party card Lanqi and Hyperion had purchased at the service counter by the entrance.
Jointly issued by the Southern Continent Shadow World Management Association and the Card Makers Association, it was a utility tool card replicated and processed from natural grouping cards born directly from the Shadow World.
Generally, the more people in a party, the harder it was to match into a Shadow World, the longer the wait, and the challenge's difficulty would slightly increase compared to venturing solo.
However, for a party of just two, the drawbacks were minimal.
"All right. When you come out, hand me your [Shadow World Recording Program] for a readout, and you can retrieve your challenger licenses and leave."
The staff member returned their utility magic cards, and the turnstile gate before them swung open.
He waved a hand, signaling that they could proceed.
Lanqi and Hyperion took back their utility magic cards, expressed their thanks, and walked toward the Void Gate.
Over the course of several hundred paces, neither spoke a word until they arrived directly before the Void Gate.
"Ready?"
Lanqi turned his head and smiled at Hyperion.
"Of course," Hyperion replied with a nod.
Unlike the portals produced by artificial Shadow World terminals, a genuine Void Gate was a bottomless black hole. Merely drawing near brought an invisible pull, as if seeking to draw the onlooker's very soul into an endless, unknown world.
Yet Lanqi did not hesitate. Stepping straight forward, he crossed the threshold as if passing through the surface of water.
In an instant, sound, vision, consciousness, and even time vanished.
All that remained was the breath of the cosmos, boundless stars, and a bottomless void.
As if two worlds were weaving into each other, taking shape in mutual embrace, everything flipped and inverted until, at long last, they arrived in an entirely new world.
[The tale interwoven of shadow and reality unravels once more today.]
Chapter 44