Grand Return System

A Promise Beneath the Golden Gate

Boom...

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning pierced through the sky.

The deafening roar echoed across the heavens like the anger of an ancient god awakening from a long slumber. The entire Martial Emperor Tomb shook violently. Mountains cracked apart, enormous boulders tumbled into endless ravines, and the once-stable world began collapsing before their eyes.

The ground beneath their feet quivered without pause.

The crimson sea below surged violently as towering waves crashed against the broken cliffs. Above it, the Golden Gate suspended over the blood sea and dark clouds trembled, its radiant light flickering as countless golden runes slowly faded away.

The pocket dimension had reached its end.

Leon slowly lifted his head and watched cracks spread across the sky like shattered glass.

He silently sensed the unstable Mana around him before letting out a quiet sigh.

"Not good..."

His calm voice carried a trace of helplessness.

"This world is disintegrating."

The words fell softly, yet they struck Anna’s heart harder than the thunder above.

The time to part...

Had finally arrived.

The ancient earth-spiky turtle had once again fallen into its endless slumber, and with its sleep, the entire Martial Emperor Tomb had begun sinking back into silence.

Even the Golden Gate suspended above the sea of blood was gradually collapsing.

The Pinnacle Realm within the Golden Gate was breaking apart.

Everything was coming to an end.

Anna quietly lowered her eyes.

Moments ago, they had been smiling together.

Moments ago, they had been teasing one another.

Moments ago...

She had believed time itself had stopped.

Yet reality was merciless.

No matter how beautiful a dream was, dawn would always arrive.

She slowly raised her head.

Those beautiful red-pink eyes looked directly into Leon’s purple eyes.

There was love.

There was trust.

And there was an unwillingness to let go.

"When..."

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"When can we meet again?"

The question carried none of her usual composure.

It was simply the question of a girl who had fallen deeply in love.

Leon looked at her quietly.

The collapsing world around them no longer mattered.

The roaring thunder...

The crumbling mountains...

The endless explosions...

Everything seemed distant.

Only Anna remained reflected within his eyes.

He gently reached forward and brushed away a loose strand of her pink hair that had been carried by the wind.

A warm smile slowly appeared on his face.

"Don’t worry."

His voice was gentle.

"We’ll meet again soon."

Anna stared at him for several silent seconds.

Then...

She smiled.

It was the same smile that had first captured his heart.

Pure.

Beautiful.

Gentle enough to melt winter itself.

She had never doubted him.

Not once.

If Leon made a promise...

He would fulfill it.

He had never deceived her before.

He never would.

She nodded firmly.

"Alright."

"I’ll wait for you."

Her voice became steadier.

"No matter how long it takes..."

"I’ll wait for you."

Those simple words carried a lifetime of determination.

A hundred years.

A thousand years.

Even ten thousand years...

She would still wait.

Because every kindness Leon had shown her...

Every smile...

Every sacrifice...

Every treasure he had placed in her hands...

Every word that had touched her heart...

Had become something worth waiting for.

From the moment she fell in love at first sight...

She had already accepted that one day they would have to part.

She had prepared herself countless times.

Yet...

When this moment truly arrived...

Her heart still ached.

Leon gently took both of her hands into his own.

They were slightly cold.

He smiled softly.

"Anna."

She looked up.

"If one day the distance between us becomes the heavens themselves..."

"I’ll cross them."

"If countless worlds stand between us..."

"I’ll walk through every one of them."

"If someone blocks my path..."

"I’ll defeat them."

"If fate itself tries to stop us..."

"I’ll break fate."

His purple eyes shone with unwavering determination.

"So..."

He squeezed her hands gently.

"Don’t cry."

"Save your smile for the day we meet again."

Anna’s eyes immediately turned red.

She bit her lip, trying desperately to hold back the tears gathering in her eyes.

"You..."

"You always know how to make my heart race."

She laughed softly through trembling breaths.

"But..."

"I don’t want to cry in front of you."

"I want the last thing you remember today..."

"...to be my smile."

With great effort, she smiled again.

Although tears shimmered in her eyes, that smile was brighter than any star.

Leon quietly memorized it.

He wanted to remember this smile forever.

Boom!

Another violent tremor swept across the collapsing world.

A brilliant pillar of golden light suddenly descended from the heavens.

It enveloped both of them.

The Golden Gate had begun calling its travelers home.

Time...

Had truly run out.

Without saying another word, Leon stepped forward.

Anna did the same.

They embraced each other tightly.

Neither wanted to let go.

The surrounding world continued collapsing.

Mountains crumbled.

The sea roared.

Golden fragments drifted through the sky like countless falling stars.

Yet within each other’s embrace...

Everything felt peaceful.

For a long while, neither of them spoke.

Words were no longer necessary.

Their hearts already understood everything.

The light surrounding them grew brighter.

The Golden Gate slowly opened once more above the blood sea and dark clouds.

A powerful force began pulling them toward two different exits.

Their bodies started drifting apart despite their efforts to remain together.

Anna reached out instinctively.

Leon held onto her hand until their fingertips could no longer touch.

"No..."

She whispered.

"Just... one more moment."

Leon smiled gently.

"We’ll meet again."

"I promise."

The pulling force became overwhelming.

Their hands finally separated.

Just before the light completely carried her away, Anna suddenly rushed forward.

She wrapped both arms around Leon one final time.

Then...

With a playful smile hidden beneath her tear-filled eyes, she leaned toward his shoulder.

Nibble.

She gently bit his shoulder through his midnight robe.

It wasn’t painful.

It was warm.

Tender.

Filled with reluctant affection.

When she finally stepped back, she smiled mischievously despite the tears on her face.

"I’m leaving my mark."

She sniffled softly.

"So everyone knows..."

"...you’re already mine."

Leon couldn’t help laughing.

Even at a moment like this...

She still wanted to declare her little victory.

He raised one hand and lightly tapped her forehead.

"Then I’d better keep this mark forever."

Anna giggled.

"You’d better."

The light completely swallowed them.

The Golden Gate slowly closed.

Its ancient radiance faded into the collapsing sky.

The two lovers were pulled toward their respective Domains, disappearing into separate streams of light.

The promise remained.

Their love remained.

Though countless mountains and worlds would soon stand between them...

Neither believed this was the end.

For them...

This was only the beginning of a much longer journey.

At this moment, outside the Martial Emperor Tomb...