Chapter 298

Ansu... your intentions are completely exposed.

Give you souls—and you’ll use my power to break free.

Ansu believed it could escape. That was its true thought. It was convinced that as long as it obtained enough souls, no matter what, Kanzaki Rei wouldn’t be able to restrain it.

But—

that was only its assumption.

Whether it could actually do it... was another matter entirely.

"Kid, think this through carefully."

"You know I can’t lie to you. If that thing is allowed to run rampant, it won’t just be the Secret Sea—even the Moonsea you intend to stay in will be in danger."

"The reason you’ve remained here... is because you sensed something, right?"

"That kind of crossroads of fate."

"When a person stands at a major turning point in life, they often hear certain ’voices’..."

"Especially you... a Seer."

"Your destiny may very well be to stop this from happening."

"All of fate is pushing you... toward this outcome."

Ansu’s voice echoed within Kanzaki Rei’s mind.

And in that instant—

a memory surged back.

In the timeline of his future simulations...

he had once made a wish.

A wish—to save the Secret Sea.

But after making that wish...

on April 1st, nothing had happened.

Yet now—

an absurd feeling rose within him.

A ridiculous hypothesis formed.

Could it be...

that even wishes made during simulated timelines... can take effect?

Kanzaki Rei looked down at the Pure White Descent Ritual below.

Splatter—!

Another massive seventh-tier claw burst from the sea, lunging toward him!

"Get lost."

He casually swung his leg in a horizontal kick.

Bang!

A dull, heavy impact rang out—

and in the next instant, the massive claw shattered, its armored shell breaking apart into fragments.

There were many monsters around.

But for now—

nothing posed a real threat to him.

Nothing capable of harming him had appeared yet.

"...Something is calling me."

Just as Kanzaki Rei was weighing his decision, Kumironi’s voice sounded softly beside him.

"Kanzaki Rei."

"Do you hear it?"

He shook his head. "No. I don’t hear anything."

Frowning, he glanced downward at Yelia.

Her expression was off as well.

With a thought, he released the restraints binding her.

"You feel it too?" he asked directly through telepathy.

Yelia lifted her head. Bound like a worm, she could only squirm slightly on the ground.

"I do... something is calling me too!"

The world had changed. The Secret Sea had risen.

This phenomenon alone proved—

this had nothing to do with Kanzaki Rei.

The destruction of the Secret Sea had another cause.

"What exactly are you hearing?" he pressed.

Yelia replied, "A divine oracle..."

"A divine oracle?"

But the one who followed up wasn’t Yelia—

it was Kumironi.

"I hear it too. From within the Secret Sea... a faint call from Sophia..."

"There’s something in the Secret Sea that we must do."

Kanzaki Rei’s expression hardened. "Now?"

Kumironi nodded firmly. "Yes. Now."

He stared out over the dark ocean.

The entire sea before them glowed with a deep, eerie green—

radiating a strange, unsettling light.

"Where exactly?" he asked.

"...I don’t know."

"Could it be an illusion?"

Kumironi paused. "I’ve already attempted to cleanse myself of any illusion effects. I don’t think... I’d fall for something like that so easily."

Her combat strength might have been a mystery—

but as a healer, her capabilities were beyond doubt.

Kanzaki Rei was about to argue further when—

suddenly—

his gaze pierced into the deep sea.

And there—

it was as if he saw a distant planet.

Earth.

No—no, no, no...

How is that possible?

How could Earth be inside the Secret Sea?

So the Secret Sea really could produce illusions that affected perception—

Thump!

Suddenly, his heart pounded violently.

In that instant, within his God-Tier Talent: Hidden Origin, the direction connected to Earth—

became crystal clear.

That direction—

pointed straight into the depths of the Secret Sea.

Not across the surface—

but downward.

Into the abyss.

What the hell is this?

Don’t tell me this illusion can even influence my talent?

Kanzaki Rei clenched the fabric over his chest tightly.

His talent activated again.

[God-Tier · Hidden Origin]

It revealed his origin with absolute clarity.

He came from Earth.

His parents were still alive—

and their location...

right now—

was unmistakably clear.

Deep within the Secret Sea.

Kanzaki Rei stared into the ocean.

He had always assumed that if Earth existed in this world, it would be somewhere in the vast Astral Realm.

After all, the Astral Realm was said to resemble a universe—countless massive stars, each moving along their own trajectories.

Some places even lacked mana or magic entirely.

It had sounded just like his original universe.

He had thought that one day, when he became strong enough, he could travel the Astral Realm and find Earth.

But now—

he was being told—

that Earth was beneath the Secret Sea.

What does that even mean?

His thoughts spiraled.

Even his breathing grew unsteady.

After steadying himself, Kanzaki Rei asked, "Kumironi... the direction of the call you hear—where is it?"

Kumironi looked out over the eerie ocean—

and pointed.

Toward the depths of the Secret Sea.

It was the exact same direction his talent indicated.

Her expression turned hesitant.

"Lady Sophia... wouldn’t normally deliver an oracle like this."

"This might... really be some kind of trap."

"Kanzaki Rei, what do you think we should do?"

"Do you understand what’s happening now?"

She was starting to lose her grasp on the situation.

Without something like Ansu—

she couldn’t see the full picture.

Kanzaki Rei organized the information in his mind before answering:

"It seems... some kind of ancient, powerful existence has awakened."

"Something comparable to a god."

"It’s triggered a tide of monsters... and it intends to spread to other seas as well."

"This is no longer a disaster we can handle with our current strength."

Kumironi paused, then asked,

"...Are you planning to activate this ritual?"

Kanzaki Rei looked at the Pure White Descent Ritual.

A divine descent ritual.

It wasn’t just a summoning—

it was effectively a temporary transaction with a god.

By fulfilling the conditions for descent, the caster allowed that god to manifest briefly in the world.

In return—

the summoned deity would respond to the summoner’s request.

At the very least, a temporary contractual bond would be formed.

Kanzaki Rei shook his head.

Instead of answering directly, he said:

"I heard a call too."

"One that’s... extremely important to me."

"Before deciding what to do..."

"I want to go take a look."

That was—

Earth.

If it were somewhere in the Astral Realm, or another distant location—

and returning home carried extreme danger—

he might not have risked it.

But this was the Secret Sea.

If the Secret Sea were destroyed—

would his home disappear along with it?

A burning urgency gripped his chest.

He couldn’t ignore it.