"Void Realm Turbulence? Void Realm Passages?"
Ash didn't find it odd that Igula had to explain—it wasn't exactly common knowledge.
"It's a rare mage-related disaster," Igula began. "When a mage establishes a connection with the Void Realm through the Gate of Truth, unstable areas within the Void Realm can cause knowledge to spill back through the gate, warping the physical space in our world."
He made a vague gesture with his hands. "Imagine the Void Realm as a giant jelly, and the mage's Gate of Truth is a straw poking into it. Normally, everything is fine, but if part of the jelly rots, the liquid inside leaks back through the straw into the real world, corroding it. That's what we call Void Realm Turbulence."
"And Void Realm Passages?" Ash asked, intrigued.
"These form when that spilled knowledge tries to return to the Void Realm. Most of the time, the turbulence dissipates quickly. But when the knowledge is dense and sticky enough, it solidifies into a passage, like a one-way door trying to find its way back into the Void Realm," Igula explained.
"But here's the catch: the knowledge doesn't have the power to open the Gate of Truth. So, it just hovers there, stuck halfway between worlds. That's what we call a 'half-passage.'"
"Half-passage?" Ash was puzzled. "How does it become a full passage?"
"Remember the rotting jelly?" Igula said. "When Void Realm Turbulence occurs, it doesn't just happen in one spot—it pops up worldwide. Mages who've visited the same rotten area might accidentally trigger turbulence in different places, creating multiple half-passages."
"Now, if two half-passages point toward the same Void Realm coordinate, they might connect, forming a complete passage between two real-world locations."
It sounded complicated, but Ash pieced it together with his limited math skills.
Half-passage A wants to return to Void Realm coordinate C, forming an AC path. Meanwhile, half-passage B also aims for C, creating a BC path. But since C's "gate" remains closed, A and B, both stranded, decide to link up instead, forming a complete AB passage.
"So, the closer two Gates of Truth are to each other, the easier it is to form a passage?"
Igula nodded. "That's the theory, but it's nearly impossible to deliberately create one this way."
Ash's expression grew serious. "Doesn't that make it incredibly dangerous for mages? If they open the Gate of Truth in a rotten area, wouldn't their bodies be sucked into the turbulence?"
"Not at all. Void Realm knowledge never harms mages."
"Why not?"
"It fears us," Igula said with a smirk. "Even Void Spirits flee at the sight of us. Why would the knowledge that forms them dare to challenge us?"
There was even a saying in mage circles: mages are like plundering invaders to the Void Realm, and the knowledge that spills into our world is like terrified refugees. They'd rather run and hide than pick a fight with their predators.
"That's why Void Realm knowledge often escapes to mage-scarce areas, like deep underground or high in the sky, where it can settle and attempt to return to the Void Realm. This process is what causes turbulence or passages," Igula concluded.
Despite the eerie premise, Igula's explanation made Void Realm Turbulence sound almost pitiful.
Ash glanced at the bustling recruitment table. "So, is exploring Void Realm passages dangerous?"
"No idea!" Igula admitted cheerfully. "But not all passages are complete. Now, imagine being the first to step into a half-passage. What do you think happens?"
"Point taken."
"If they find a stable passage to another nation and make it back alive, the reward might indeed justify pardoning their death sentences," Igula mused.
"It sounds straightforward," Ash said. "Go in, take a look, and run back if you don't die. Why do they need survival and escape skills?"
Igula shook his head. "If the other side is uninhabited, sure, they can return immediately. But what if it's an unknown nation? They won't be able to come back right away."
"Why not? Do they have to go through customs first?"
"Think about it," Igula said. "If an enemy from an unknown nation could invade through a Void Realm passage, wouldn't you take precautions?"
Ash opened his mouth to respond but stopped short. This was a world of miracles, where the impossible was often just a high-level mage's routine task.
"Blood Moon Nation has global surveillance miracles," Igula explained. "If a foreigner enters, the church alerts the local crime hunters. At the same time, the Blood Moon descends with a curse, preventing the intruder from teleporting or communicating for forty-eight hours."
"When I was seven, my city, Dreamfen, experienced a foreigner incursion. The Bloodhunt Hunters turned our orphanage upside down looking for them."
"You're not from Kaimon City?"
Igula shrugged. "Once I'd conned all the idiots in Dreamfen, I moved on to new markets."
Void Realm passages were undoubtedly a big deal, but for Ash and his prison escape crew, it was just another obstacle. The allure of redemption only made recruitment harder.
As Ash mulled over their next move, a commotion broke out at the registration desk.
"Please! Pick me! I'm the Golden Beak of the Woodpecker Gang, a master of assassination techniques. I really want to join—please!"
"You're skilled in water magic, firearms, light magic, earth magic, explosives, and trap-setting miracles. But you only have single-wing mana. You don't meet the minimum requirement. Sorry."
The crowd turned to stare at the kneeling man.
"That's Ronald Wade," Igula said. "Known as the Golden Beak of the Woodpecker Gang. He's assassinated high-profile targets—politicians, merchants, even mages. His missions are as challenging as killing a dual-wing mage."
Ash squinted. "Isn't he Ronald's 'friend'?"
"Exactly. He's also a recent arrival." Igula's smile grew sharp. "He's realized something—and he's desperate to save himself."
"Save himself? Is he in danger?"
"Do you know Ronald's nickname?"
"Yeah, 'The Gourmet.' It's because of his... unusual tastes, right?"
Igula smirked. "Most people only notice the surface. But Ronald doesn't stop at the surface."
"What do you mean?"
"Let's just say, Ronald doesn't waste any part of his meals."
Ash's eyes widened, then gleamed with sudden inspiration.
He looked at the panicked Ronald and said, "Maybe we just found ourselves a teammate."