Ankit's gaze hardened.
"And there is also their tendency to grow. I felt it. Those elements became stronger after they integrated with the essence flow inside the fortress. Same as how elements and essence flow integrate inside the solar system to become elemental essence. But outside? They become even more terrifying."
Hearing the long explanation, even Xinxuan—the smartest among them, the one who had read countless novels—was stunned. He opened his mouth, closed it, then finally asked a few careful questions. Others followed—quiet doubts, fears, clarifications.
Ankit answered them all. Patiently. Honestly. Leaving nothing hidden.
Third Eye Clone stood a little apart, listening in silence.
When he heard the explanation, a realization struck him like cold water.
So those who interfered in my calculations were elements.
These elements are above my level. That's why I couldn't predict anything. Their powerful presence distorted my foresight—completely.
He sighed in relief, but it was only partial.
He had feared a powerful being—something sentient, malicious, watching from the dark. Something that could harm his family. The unknown had terrified him more than the attack itself.
But now he knew: it was just elements. Raw. Unbound. Powerful.
Yet the relief didn't last.
There was no guarantee no powerful being existed out there.
The ones who had survived in that outer space… they would be terrifying. Ancient. Unimaginable.
And there was still that one being—the one who had once said, "All things are possible."
Even now, Third Eye Clone didn't know its intentions. Didn't know if it was outside the solar system… or inside. Didn't know if it was far away… or standing right beside him.
The fear lingered.
But he controlled it. Pushed it down.
There was no point dwelling on it.
If those powerful beings truly wanted to kill him, they could. He was weak. He could do nothing but struggle to become stronger.
So he would.
Stronger.
And stronger.
Until no one—not elements, not beings, not anything—could dare harm him or his family.
He looked at Ankit.
And in that moment, he understood.
The path ahead was not safe.
But it was necessary.
And they would walk it together.
On the other side, Ankit was patiently answering the doubts of his family and disciples.
The disciples' families were still in shock—faces pale, eyes distant—so they said nothing. Some were thinking in the wrong direction: fear, doubt, regret, the quiet whisper that perhaps they had made a mistake.
Ankit could feel those thoughts drifting toward him—faint, fragile, like smoke. But he said nothing. Those were their choices. He had made it clear from the beginning: anyone could leave. No one was forced to stay. No one was chained.
He could also feel Third Eye Clone's thoughts—sharp, analytical, tinged with relief and lingering unease. Even he had to admit: Third Eye's reasoning was right. The attack had exposed a truth: outside the solar system, foresight failed. Not because of distance or lack of mastery. But because that space was simply… beyond their current level.
Just then, Rudra—who had finally relaxed enough to speak—raised his hand.
"Brother… what is the name of those forces? And what is the name of the space outside the solar system?"
The question hung in the air.
Ankit paused.
He had thought about this before. He had planned to search the internet for inspiration—names that sounded powerful, fitting, mysterious. He knew he wasn't great at naming. But now, with everyone watching, he couldn't just pull out a device and search in front of them, could he?
So he thought quickly.
Finally, he spoke.
"The forces are called… Errant Tides."
He paused, then continued.
"And the space outside the solar system is… Errant Expanse."
A quiet ripple passed through the crowd.
Everyone nodded slowly—some thoughtfully, some in agreement. The names felt fitting: vast, unpredictable, dangerous.
Only Ankit's family reacted differently.
They laughed.
Soft, warm chuckles—Kamal covering his mouth, Neelam shaking her head, Sanya biting back a grin. Even Rudra couldn't hold it in; a small laugh escaped.
Ankit and his clones understood immediately why they were laughing.
But Ankit didn't get embarrassed. He didn't flush or look away. He simply stood there, calm, expression unchanged—like it didn't bother him at all.
The others didn't understand. The thought didn't even cross their minds.
They couldn't imagine it.
Their master—powerful, handsome, unshakable—having bad naming skills? Impossible.
It wasn't fear that kept them from laughing. It was disbelief. Pure, innocent disbelief.
To them, Ankit was flawless. Untouchable. The idea of him struggling with something as simple as naming… it didn't fit.
So they nodded seriously, accepting the names without question.
Ankit's family kept smiling quietly.
And Ankit… just let it be.
Some things didn't need explaining.
Not yet.