The platform descended slowly, the hum of the Nexus Gate fading into an uneasy silence.
Tobi stumbled slightly as his boots touched the ground. Hannah rushed forward, her hands gripping his arms as if to steady him, though her wide eyes betrayed a mix of relief and awe.
"You did it," she said, her voice wavering slightly. "The Gate's active. I didn't think..." She stopped herself, her gaze flicking toward the pulsating Nexus Gate as it dimmed, leaving behind faint waves of residual energy.
Tobi nodded, his face pale and his breaths shallow. His hand absently rubbed the glowing sigil on his chest, the heat of it persistent and biting.
"Yeah… I did it," he murmured, though his tone lacked triumph. Aligning with the Nexus had felt like opening a door to something ancient and overwhelming, a force that now lingered in his mind, distant but ever-present.
"Let's not celebrate yet," Moritaka said, his hand resting lightly on his blade's hilt.
