This never-before-seen barrier was like a faint mist, swirling before his eyes. Everything outside the barrier had become blurry, as if shrouded in a layer of fog.
The statue in the distance still stood, though only a faint outline was visible. Just as Starlight squinted to get a better look, a familiar figure suddenly flashed past the statue.
That figure was covered in wounds of all sizes, looking utterly wretched.
Though he couldn't see clearly, he was certain the figure was Carlos. He was about to shout his master's name, but before he could speak, a sharp bolt of purple lightning shot from the distance toward Carlos.
Dust billowed wherever the lightning passed, obscuring most of the already hazy scenery. Starlight could only catch a faint glimpse of a red figure with massive wings flashing through the air.
“Master! Master! Are you all right?!”
Starlight screamed at the top of his lungs from his side of the barrier, his hands pounding relentlessly against it, as if trying to pour out all his anxiety and helplessness.
However, his voice seemed to be ruthlessly swallowed by the barrier, leaving no echo. The ethereal, mist-like barrier remained as solid as a rock, without even a ripple.
That fleeting figure did not appear in his sight again, but the constant flashes of crimson light and the billowing dust on the other side spoke of the fierce battle taking place.
Starlight began to desperately gather magic power. Beams of light in various colors flashed in his hands before he slammed them hard against the barrier. But no matter how hard he tried, the magic that exploded against it vanished like a stone dropped into the ocean, causing no stir.
After countless attempts, the magic power within Starlight's body gradually ran dry, but he still didn't give up.
If there was no magic, he would use his fists!
Like a wild beast, he threw punch after punch at the barrier with all his might. After just a few strikes, blood seeped from his knuckles, blooming on the barrier like tragic flowers.
Even with his hands covered in blood, Starlight continued to pound on the unchanging barrier like a madman until his last ounce of strength was spent.
He knew his only family was fighting a life-and-death battle on the other side. If he could help even a little, he had to get across!
He glanced at his trembling hands. Under the self-destructive barrage, his slender fingers had lost all sensation; he couldn't even manage a simple fist anymore.
Gritting his teeth, Starlight propped himself up against the barrier with his hands to keep from collapsing. Then, using his last bit of strength, he slammed his head against it.
But reality was cruel. Despite exhausting every means at his disposal, he hadn't damaged the barrier in the slightest. Instead, the impact made his vision go black, and he plunged into an endless darkness.
When he woke up again, warm sunlight was shining on his face through the barrier above. He didn't know how long he had been lying there, but his entire body felt like it was being torn apart.
Ignoring his broken body, Starlight scrambled to his feet.
By now, the commotion on the other side of the barrier had long since ceased. The surroundings were as deathly silent as they had been the previous night.
For the first time in his life, a deep sense of despair welled up in the boy's heart. He sat blankly on the ground, staring outside without blinking, hoping that at any moment he would see that familiar figure walking toward him with a yawn as usual.
However, that figure never came.
Before he knew it, the sun was high in the sky, and the noon heat made the top of his head sting. Numb, Starlight didn't move; he just sat there silently, like a statue that had lost its soul.
As the sunlight grew more intense and the temperature rose, the prickly sensation of the heat on his skin became more pronounced.
Suddenly, a flash of realization crossed the boy's eyes, and he snapped his head up to look at the barrier.
“Light... stinging... That's it! That's the key!”
Gritting his teeth against the sharp pain in his hands, Starlight began to guide the light elements in his body to gather slowly in his palms.
During the hours he was unconscious, his magic power had recovered somewhat. Following the method Carlos had taught him, he began to relentlessly compress and refine these elements.
Starlight displayed astonishing focus. Within moments, the light cone in his hand was even more solid than the one he had used to kill the Shadow Leopard, gleaming as if it were a physical object.
But he knew this was far from enough. As he continued to pour in and compress the light elements, even the skin on his palms began to burn.
Still, he didn't stop. Finally, just as he was about to reach his limit, he compressed the magic power as far as he possibly could.
Looking at the half-meter-long, slender, and sharp light cone in his hand, Starlight threw it forward without hesitation.
While gathering his magic, he had also been trying to sense the weakest point of the barrier. He knew that nothing was perfect, and even the churning mist followed a subtle pattern.
Sure enough, after his relentless search, he finally found a relatively weak spot.
The moment the light cone touched the barrier, a violent shockwave erupted from the point of impact. The powerful gust of wind kicked up a cloud of dust and even pushed Starlight back several steps.
As the scene before him cleared, Starlight looked up expectantly at where he had struck.
This time, the attack finally yielded a different result. A striking crack had appeared on the barrier, and the mist-like patterns had gradually stopped their shimmering.
Starlight stared at the crack, knowing that one more attack would surely shatter the barrier. However, in his current physical state, that was clearly an impossible task.
Deep disappointment spread across his young face. In the end, he still hadn't been able to break the mysterious barrier.
Just as he was feeling lost and helpless, the barrier seemed to hear his plea. A faint cracking sound echoed through the silent space.
Starting from that single crack, dense fissures rapidly spread across the surrounding barrier, like a massive sheet of glass on the verge of shattering.
Seeing this, Starlight took a deep breath and charged without hesitation toward the most fractured area. This time, the barrier no longer blocked his path, instead dissolving into countless shimmering fragments.
Passing through the opening, Starlight landed on the familiar square, and the sight that met his eyes left him pale with shock.
Everywhere he looked was a scene of desolation. Shocking, scorched fissures like the claw marks of a giant dragon crisscrossed the earth. The surrounding shrubs and weeds had long since turned to ash, and a faint smell of burning hung in the air, chilling him to the bone.
On this scorched earth ravaged by destructive power, the only things that remained unchanged were the solemn statue of the mysterious creature and the pristine grave.
Starlight stumbled through the wasteland, his eyes searching frantically. Finally, he found Carlos's broken body in a massive, bottomless crater.
He leaped into the crater, several meters deep, without a second thought and rushed to Carlos's side. Although Carlos was covered in fatal wounds, his incredible vitality allowed him to cling to a faint spark of life.
Seemingly sensing Starlight's arrival, Carlos struggled to open his heavy eyelids. He looked at the boy and forced a weak smile.
“Little... Star, I really didn't expect... that you'd be able to break the barrier and get out. And now you have to see me in such a pathetic state.” His words were halting, and each pause was accompanied by blood spilling from the corner of his mouth—a truly harrowing sight.
“Master, stop talking! I'll go get medicine right away! Just hang on!” Starlight tried to help Carlos up, but the blood gushing from the man's mouth soaked his clothes, causing him to panic instantly.
Even though the boy was used to hunting and dressing game, seeing the blood of his only family made it impossible to suppress his inner dread and fear. His hands and feet went cold, and his vision began to blur.
Just as he was about to rush back to their house for herbs, Carlos suddenly grabbed his arm with all his might. The strength in that grip was far beyond what a heavily injured man should have been capable of.
Rate on N.U.
