Super God Academy: Kabuto

A miniature world of winter cherry blossoms, with wooden cabins by the lake.

Lin Yu and He Xi returned to the room silently, only to find Keisha still leaning against the window, her eyes calmly watching the swaying cherry blossoms outside, like a silent statue.

Lin Yu walked behind her, his warm hand gently resting on her shoulder, his touch steady and gentle: "She is, after all, your sister. If you had truly intended to kill her, she wouldn't have made it this far."

Keisha didn't turn around or answer, her gaze remaining fixed on the distance. Lin Yu looked up at He Xi opposite him. He Xi met his gaze, shrugged helplessly, indicating that she had no way to offer any comfort.

"I don't blame her." After a long while, Keisha's voice finally rang out softly, with a rare, almost sighing quality. "Perhaps, I really was wrong." She said no more, but just gazed out the window for a long time, letting the silence spread in the room.

Just as this silence was about to settle—

Inside the courtyard of the Northern Star, the space rippled slightly. Tsukasa Kadoya appeared first, followed by Kirin, and then an angel with golden hair and blue eyes, whose temperament was clear yet stern—Zhi Xin.

"Brother?" Qi Lin looked around the empty courtyard, somewhat puzzled. "Weren't you supposed to be here? Why is nobody here?"

Tsukasa Kadoya offered no explanation, but simply walked straight to the pavilion, reaching out as if touching an invisible veil. With a flick of his wrist, the card, shimmering with iridescent light, reappeared, and he swiped it lightly in mid-air.

"Sizzle—"

A soft gate of light silently opened.

"Follow me." Tsukasa Kadoya turned and gestured to the two women before stepping through the portal first. Qi Lin and Zhi Xin exchanged a glance, suppressing their surprise, and followed closely behind.

As the light and shadow shifted, the three found themselves in a picturesque world, a veritable scroll painting. In the distance, the lake shimmered, while nearby, winter cherry blossoms bloomed like snow, and a rich yet gentle energy flowed in the air.

"This place...is so beautiful," Qi Lin exclaimed.

Zhi Xin nodded, her eyes revealing amazement: "It is indeed one..."

Tsukasa Kadoya looked around with interest: "Ah, an interesting place."

Their gaze was quickly drawn to the elegant wooden house by the lake. Before they could get close, the door of the house was gently pushed open from the inside by an invisible force.

Lin Yu, who was inside the room, looked up and said, "Qilin and the others have arrived."

"Do I need to avoid it?" Keisha asked calmly.

Lin Yu and He Xi's gazes fell on her at the same time.

"It's up to you," Lin Yu said gently.

Keisha did not move.

The three had arrived at the house. Tsukasa Kadoya pushed open the door, and the scene inside came into view—Lin Yu, He Xi, and the person sitting by the window with cascading silver hair…

Zhi Xin's pupils contracted sharply, her body stiffened instantly, and she gasped in disbelief, "Queen Keisha...you...?!"

He Xi smiled and waved to the door: "Come in and sit down, Xiao Lin'er, Xiao Zhixin."

The three entered the room, and the atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment. Zhi Xin's gaze was fixed on Keisha, hesitant to speak. Qi Lin looked at her brother, then at He Xi and Kadoya Shi, who clearly knew the inside story, and finally looked at Zhi Xin with a puzzled expression.

Lin Yu poured hot tea for the group, breaking the silence: "Ask whatever you want to ask."

"Queen Keisha," Zhixin finally found her voice, filled with shock and deep confusion, "You didn't... log off? You're still alive? Why...?"

Keisha picked up her teacup, the rising steam softening her sharply defined profile. She smiled slightly, a smile that carried a calm born of experience and an indescribable depth: "I did not die. That 'fall' was a necessary illusion, to wait for the real enemy to surface."

"The enemy?" Zhi Xin keenly caught the key phrase. "Karl?"

"No," Keisha shook her head gently, her gaze seemingly fixed on an extremely distant place, "an existence from another universe. Perhaps related to the annihilation of the Divine River civilization."

Upon hearing this, Qi Lin turned to her brother, then glanced around at the other people in the room who appeared perfectly normal, finally fixing her gaze on Kadoya Tsukasa: "You...do you know too?"

Tsukasa Kadoya nodded readily: "Yes."

"Then why didn't you tell me?" Qi Lin grinded her little tiger teeth and stared at him.

"You didn't ask." Tsukasa Kadoya shrugged, looking completely matter-of-fact.

Qi Lin gave him a "sweet" smile: "Okay, wait, I'll 'deal with' you when we get back."

Lin Yu watched the two interacting as if no one else was around, sighed, and shook his head, saying, "Alas, daughters grow up and leave home. She really did get snatched up by some 'pig'."

He immediately stood up and looked at Tsukasa Kadoya: "You, come out with me."

Tsukasa Kadoya raised an eyebrow and put down his teacup. "Okay."

"Brother..." Qi Lin called out with some worry.

"It's alright," Lin Yu ruffled her hair, "Have a good chat with your sisters-in-law. I've already asked Kabuto Zecter to prepare dinner." After saying that, he and Tsukasa Kadoya left the cabin one after the other.

The two did not go far; with a few flashes, they appeared atop a secluded mountain within the small world. Below them, a sea of ​​clouds churned, and in the distance, wooden houses appeared as insignificant as mustard seeds.

Lin Yu cut to the chase: "'Over there'...have you ever been there?"

Tsukasa Kadoya paused for a moment, then understood what he meant: "Another universe? I've never actually been inside. There's an invisible 'wall,' impervious even to the Aurora Veil. However," his tone became more serious, "time is running out. I've investigated; the seal's power is steadily weakening."

"Approximately how much longer?"

"If things go quickly, it will take a dozen or so years. If things go slowly, it might take around a hundred years."

Lin Yu remained silent for a moment, the mountain wind ruffling his clothes: "Is there any way... to strengthen the seal?"

Tsukasa Kadoya stroked his chin, pondering, "There is a way. But 'he' explicitly instructed me not to interfere. Let nature take its course."

Lin Yu knew who "he" referred to. He gazed at the churning sea of ​​clouds and finally nodded: "...I understand. Let's go back."