Legacy of the Dark Sage

After Kyran entered the portal leading to the Blade Dancer Clan's plane, he did not step out immediately because his exit would also be recorded.

He might have manipulated the entry log record of the portal at the Junction Port, but because that portal and the portal at the other end were connected through a magic path using entirely different Array Formations, information on every movement was being recorded separately. Thus, Kyran's exit would leave a trace, albeit his entry point would have nothing.

If someone from the Junction Port personnel saw that, they might think he manifested within the magic path like magic.

To avoid leaving a trace, Kyran had to manipulate the exit log of the portal at the Blade Dancer Clan's end. This was also so no one would connect his illegal entry to their plane from the commotion that took place in one of the Junction Ports.

Kyran might not know the internal security protocols of the ports, but he knew they would have to inform the clans about the commotion that happened to one of their ports, even if the follow-throughs would be annoying. They still needed to protect their reputation and credibility, after all.

Besides, they believed that the commotion at the Junction Port had been resolved by the obliteration of the intruder. Thus, they likely believed the follow-throughs would not be as annoying if the intruder succeeded in her plot.

Another thing Kyran had to consider was that he, as the female mage intruder, was aiming at a different portal. He had to be careful not to involve the clan that that portal belonged to.

'Hm?' Kyran frowned the moment his magic sense explored the Blade Dancer Clan's portal. It was fairly small, but he sensed a familiar magic energy circulating within its array formation. However, there was also an oddity within it.

Frankly, it would not have been strange for portals to emit magic energy resembling the Void because it was replicating one of its nature. However, portals replicating a Void's nature were different from one drawing it properly.

Kyran had a bad feeling about it and cautiously explored the Blade Dancer Clan's portal. It did not take long for him to find Void runes mixed in with the common runes in the portal's array formation.

Apparently, the Blade Dancer Clan managed to find and even implement Void runes within their array.

'No,' Kyran thought with narrowed eyes. 'It's probably the Solis Clan who did it and shared their knowledge with the Blade Dancer Clan.'

Either way, it did not forebode well for Kyran.

If any of the clans under The Emperor knew how to read Void runes, it would greatly affect Kyran's advantage.

Although Kyran did not need to summon magic arrays when using Void Magic, it was a different case when he was using Array.

Kyran recalled how The Emperor tracked him in the Land of Desolation. Initially, he believed that the magic item or relic The Emperor used could detect magic energies even when one was concealed. The Emperor then recognized the magic energy as the Void, which was how he recognized Kyran as someone possessing the Void Core.

But what if that was not the case and instead, The Emperor possessed magic items or relics that recognized the Void or even used it?

Kyran always wondered if there used to be beings that possessed Void Cores. Kairos could not provide the answer to that because his knowledge was limited to the past tower Overseers' knowledge.

Kairos only mentioned that the Deity was the only one who could use the Void but the Deity should be part of a family or clan too, right?

If there were beings who possessed Void Cores before, then it would not be strange if they possessed magic items that utilized the Void. Those magic items then might have fallen in the hands of other mages after they…

What?

If there were really beings with natural Void Cores, what happened to them, and where were they now?

Regardless, Kyran was glad he discovered this before confronting The Emperor.

'Confront, huh?' Kyran smiled bitterly, finding how absurd his thoughts seemed. He was aware that currently, there was no way for him to survive if he encountered The Emperor.

Back in the Land of Desolation, if not for The Emperor's inability to use magic energy, the presence of a Black Hole, and Shaiha's support in manipulating it, Kyran would not have survived.

Now that they were in the Higher Realm, with nothing to restrain The Emperor- whether it was the Lower Realm's restrictions of the Land of Desolation's lack of natural magic energy in the surroundings- Kyran was sure to be killed.

Maybe not in an instant, but his struggles would likely be for naught.

Kyran pushed aside those thoughts as that would only hinder his judgments. He looked at the portal, where he could faintly see a large receiving area with mages wearing the Blade Dancer Clan's uniform.

The Emperor was somewhere beyond that portal. Once he exited, if he had not discovered the Void runes on the portal's array formation, someone from the Blade Dancer Clan might have discovered his presence after his magic energy resonated with those runes, even if he tried to manipulate the portal's exit log.

If that happened, it would only be a matter of time before The Emperor arrived and captured him.

Getting captured as a result was Kyran being optimistic. Worst case, The Emperor would outright kill him.

Kyran carefully circulated his Void magic energy and let it slip into the gaps in the portal's array formation.

He was truly grateful that his knowledge of Array grew exponentially after the trip to the Tower of the Ancients. He would not have been able to see those gaps otherwise.

To ensure no one would notice the Void magic energy seeping out of the portal, Kyran utilized one of its theories: the Void is synonymous with nothingness, yet it can be anything and is everything.

Others would not understand what that meant, but Kyran knew. Even if Caelan did not explain it to him, Kyran understood it.

The Void magic energy blended into the magic energies in the surroundings. Kyran then directed it to the left corner, where no mages were on standby. After that, he carefully drew invisible Void runes on the wall's surface.

Beads of sweat trickled down Kyran's face as he worked on the rune writings. It was easier to use his magic sense to write those runes writings at a distance, but because he wanted to avoid detection by those mages actively using their Divine Sense, he could only manipulate the magic energy manually.

Besides, Kyran had to be careful of the Void runes on the portal's array formation.

As Kyran got used to manipulating the Void magic energy covertly outside the portal, he heard a few mages on standby whispering to each other.

"… commotion at the Junc… ort near the far end of…"

"Probably… ne… those indep…. bel groups…"

Kyran frowned. Though he could not hear them clearly, he more or less guessed the topic of their conversation.

'Seems like the Junction Port has already informed the clans about the incident… that's faster than I thought.'

Kyran had expected that the news of what happened at the port would arrive at the clans the following day or after half a day had passed. However, two hours had barely passed, and the port personnel had already informed the clans.

'They will not tighten the security around their portals, or will they?'

As if to answer Kyran's thoughts, one of the mages said, "…waiting for a decision to close the portal for safety measures…"

Kyran could not help but curse under his breath. Still, he did not panic and continued working on the rune writings on the wall.

Soon, three high-ranking mages arrived. Their uniforms were adorned with silver ornaments and the Blade Dancer Clan's insignia, a golden sword pointing downward with engravings on the blade in Ancient language meaning Sword of the Light, stitched at the back.

Kyran's frown deepened when he saw them. Though their uniforms did not indicate their ranks and which department or division they were part of, he sensed that all three were peak Sovereigns and instinctively knew they possessed high proficiency in Array.

Kyran observed them while he continued working with the rune writings on the wall. Since he was working in a blind spot, he was not worried about getting found out. What he was concerned about was those three activating the portal's safety measures and closing it.

Kyran could not even warp out because the portal's receiving area was the only place he knew in the Blade Dancer Clan's plane. If he completed the rune writings on the wall, then that would be a different story.

"… as no visitors… everything is quite…"

Kyran heard the mages outside respond after one of the high-ranking mages asked a question. Though he did not hear what the high-ranking mage asked, Kyran more or less guessed what it was from the few words he heard.

"…peror wants… ere any Water mages…?"

"Two… ago… couple arrived…"

"Send me…eir… cords."

"Yes… tain!"

Kyran raised his brows. He was planning on infiltrating the Blade Dancer's Immigration records to find an appropriate identity he and Leif could use. It seemed like these guys just gave him a good one.

Now, all he needed was to take a quick look at the exit log in the portal's system two weeks or two days ago…

The high-ranking mage to the left shifted in his position and suddenly scanned the receiving area. His brows suddenly furrowed upon seeing something, and he said, "What's that?"