Chapter 127: Time Difference

Nolan was still Nolan, yet something in his eyes no longer matched the version Vivi remembered. They were still deep and bright, but hidden beneath them now were emotions that did not seem like they belonged to him.

She had once seen similar eyes in Veli City, among weary travelers finally returning home after long journeys. Exhausted, yet reignited with warmth and hope at the sight of home.

Suddenly, before the normally sharp and agile Vivi could even react, a pair of powerful arms wrapped tightly around her, pulling her completely into Nolan’s embrace so firmly she could barely breathe.

Nolan buried his face against her neck and inhaled deeply, as if savoring the familiar scent lingering on her body. “…I’m back.” His voice was hoarse.

One second ago, Vivi had still been grieving for him. The next, she was pressed tightly against his chest. Nolan’s embrace was so strong she could hardly move. Tears still clung to her eyelashes, and her hands hovered helplessly, unsure where to place them.

“Ah! Nolan…!”

“Brother Nolan!”

“Lord Nolan!”

Little Donnie and Renee practically jumped at the same time, their joyful cries echoing across the empty altar.

Even the ever-composed Romina let out a long breath of relief. She exchanged a glance with Ailindel, and both women saw the same release of tension reflected in each other’s eyes.

Vivi had been pouring out her emotions without restraint moments ago, but now that Nolan was holding her like this, her cheeks instantly burned crimson again.

Nolan himself had only acted out of overwhelming emotion and did not continue taking advantage of the moment. He released the half-beast girl, who already looked ready to melt from embarrassment, then turned toward the companions hurrying over and forced out a smile.

“After Qroshu’s consciousness collapsed, I drifted through a void. I kept trying to break free from the restraints of his mental world, but no matter what I did, I couldn’t find the way back.” His gaze fell on Vivi’s reddened eyes, and realization seemed to strike him. “Just now, I vaguely heard someone calling for me. I threw myself toward the sound with everything I had, and somehow I really did break through the darkness… You all… waited for me the entire time?”

Little Donnie slapped his chest proudly. “Of course we did! I always knew Brother Nolan was the strongest! I never doubted you’d come back! My confidence in my big brother is one hundred percent!”

“Really?” Renee quietly recalled the scene from earlier. “But weren’t you the one panicking the most? Your face went completely white, like the sky was about to collapse.”

Little Donnie’s face immediately reddened after being exposed so mercilessly. Scratching his head awkwardly, he let out a sheepish laugh. “Well… you know… when you care too much, you panic too much!”

Vivi took two hurried steps back and wiped at her face frantically, trying her best to sound calm, though the trembling at the end of her words betrayed her completely. “…Anyway, now that Nolan’s back, we should hurry and leave this place.”

The instant he heard the word “leave,” the smile vanished from Nolan’s face. The light in his eyes dimmed abruptly.

“But…” His voice came out painfully strained. “It’s already too late.”

He shook his head in anguish, his gaze sweeping across everyone’s concerned faces before dropping weakly to the floor.

“Forget the fact that the seal on the Gap of Ages has probably closed already. I don’t even know how to open it from the inside… The world outside… it’s probably already fallen into disaster all over again… I failed everyone outside. I failed Elfin. I failed the Wood Elves waiting for rescue. And I failed all of you too.”

He could not continue. Endless guilt and regret gnawed at his heart like starving beasts.

Nolan slumped down beside the altar, burying his fingers in his hair as he covered his face in pain.

The sudden shift left everyone who had just been celebrating completely bewildered. They exchanged confused looks, utterly unable to understand what had happened to Nolan so suddenly. His words were incoherent, and his emotions had plummeted from elation into despair within seconds. Had he suffered some kind of mental trauma inside Qroshu’s spiritual world? Or had he been affected by some lingering negative influence?

Little Donnie cautiously stepped closer and asked carefully, “Brother Nolan… what are you talking about? What do you mean it’s too late? Shouldn’t we leave first? Didn’t you say earlier that the seal on the Gap of Ages still had less than ten minutes before it fully closed?”

“What did you say?!”

Nolan froze for a split second before abruptly shooting to his feet. He stared at Little Donnie so intensely that the young man instinctively flinched. He had never seen Nolan this agitated before.

Little Donnie stumbled half a step backward, stammering nervously. “I-I wasn’t trying to question or order you around, Brother Nolan…”

“Not that!”

Nolan ignored the explanation completely. In two quick strides, he rushed over and grabbed Little Donnie by the shoulders with such force that the young man winced in pain.

“The part after that! You said there’s still less than ten minutes left before it closes?!”

“Y-yeah.” Little Donnie was badly frightened by Nolan’s almost crazed expression, but he still nodded honestly. “Didn’t you say the seal could only last around two hours? Since you entered Qroshu’s mental world, it’s only been a little over ten minutes. We really don’t have much time left.”

Nolan went completely blank. His hands slowly slipped from Little Donnie’s shoulders. He stood there frozen, mouth slightly open, eyes unfocused.

Ten minutes?

Only ten minutes?!

He slowly turned toward Ailindel and asked in a voice almost like sleep-talking, “What he said… is true? From the moment I entered until now, only a little over ten minutes passed?”

Ailindel stepped forward and nodded. “He’s right. It only took you a little more than ten minutes to bring destruction to Qroshu.”

“But… how is that possible…” Nolan muttered to himself.

Within mere seconds, the expression on his face shifted from numbness, to confusion, to utter disbelief—

and finally exploded into overwhelming ecstasy.

Looking at everyone’s baffled expressions, he drew in a deep breath and spoke with a trembling voice.

“Ten minutes…? But I never stopped struggling to come back. I was trapped in that endless darkness… For three whole years!”

This time, everyone else was stunned speechless.

Three years?!

No wonder. No wonder Nolan had looked so hopeless when Vivi mentioned leaving. No wonder he said everything was already too late.

In his own perception, he had been trapped there for three entire years. Three years were enough for the outside world to change beyond recognition, enough for all his plans and efforts to turn to dust. The agony of believing he had failed everyone and missed every opportunity was enough to crush even the strongest will.

At that moment, everyone finally understood the despair behind his earlier breakdown.

And for Nolan himself, this was nothing short of miraculous joy. The feeling was like discovering thousands of dollars in the pocket of an old pair of pants you had not worn in years. Or finding a wedding ring you once lost down a sewer inside the belly of a fish during some random fishing trip years later.

One of the greatest joys in life was recovering what had once been lost. That was exactly what Nolan was experiencing now, the sensation of ascending from hell straight into heaven. Nothing was over yet. Everything could still be saved. He had not failed anyone. He still had a chance to make things right.

The overwhelming joy erupted like a volcano. In a burst of excitement, Nolan’s overheated brain acted before he could think. He grabbed the person beside him, planted a fierce kiss on them without hesitation, then burst into loud laughter.

“Hahaha, this is amazing… hahahahahaha!”

His laughter was filled with relief and the exhilaration of surviving disaster.