Dusk squinted slightly, his voice low but undeniably firm. "You must leave now."
"What?" I froze, frowning. "I still have so many questions to ask you!"
Dusk didn't answer immediately. His gaze, deep and unfathomable, bore into me as he slowly shook his head. "The One Above is already watching this place. I cannot say too much, or I won't be able to protect myself either."
I opened my mouth to protest, but the words caught in my throat, stifled by the depth of his eyes. In the next moment, he raised a hand and gently pushed toward me. The motion seemed effortless, yet it unleashed an overwhelming force.
"Wait—!" I instinctively crossed my arms in front of my chest, trying to block it. But the force was like a tidal wave, consuming me in an instant.
I felt my consciousness swept away, spiraling uncontrollably as if caught in a massive vortex. It wasn't just his world rejecting me—it was the entire dimension.
The moment my awareness returned to reality, my eyes shot open. I gasped for air, drenched in cold sweat. The familiar sight of my room offered little comfort as an unsettling sense of strangeness lingered.
"That power… it was overwhelming. Completely irresistible," I murmured to myself, clenching my fists as conflicting emotions churned within me.
"He's just a follower," I reminded myself, though the thought provided little reassurance. I had no way of knowing how powerful Dusk was compared to other followers, but even this glimpse had left me shaken. "And then there are the Eight Kings… How strong must they be?"
A shiver ran down my spine as the thought crossed my mind. I steeled myself, resolving silently, Next time, I'll have to be more careful.If he had truly wanted to kill me back there , I wouldn't have stood a chance.
I took a few deep breaths, willing my racing heart to slow. Once calm, I stood and did a few light stretches. My gaze drifted to the clock on the wall—it wasn't even 9:00 yet.
"Only an hour passed?" I muttered, furrowing my brow. "But it felt like at least two."
The realization struck me: time flowed differently there than in the real world.
Sitting down at my desk, I opened my laptop and began typing out a record of the day's events. After saving the document to a secure, encrypted folder, I leaned back in my chair, exhaustion washing over me.
"School tomorrow," I sighed, shaking my head at the thought. "Even though there are far more important things to deal with…"
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, pulling me from my slumber. I rubbed my bleary eyes and sat up, readying myself for the day ahead.
Everything was routine. I brushed my teeth, changed clothes, ate breakfast, and prepared to leave. Before stepping out, I paused in front of the mirror by the entryway, taking a moment to examine my reflection.
The person staring back at me had slightly messy black hair, the bangs naturally falling to cover most of his forehead. His complexion was fair, his oval-shaped face soft and unassuming. His features were well-proportioned but not particularly striking. Deep black eyes, a straight but modest nose, and thin lips gave him a look of quiet ordinariness, tinged with a subtle warmth.
Looking at myself in the mirror, I couldn't help but smile.
"Things are about to get interesting."