Chương 40: Interlude 4: The Beauty of Space

Mahya stood gazing out of the space station window. The glass stretched wide, revealing a vast sweep of black velvet speckled with endless stars. Distant planets glowed faintly like scattered jewels, and the slow spin of the station offered her a constantly changing view. Some people gave her strange looks for standing there every day and whispered as they passed, but she didn't care. As a Traveler, she was used to it.

She was the daughter of two Travelers who met on the road, traveled together for a while, and settled in a low-mana world to raise a family. The memory of their voices carried warmth. She could almost hear them again—the stories they told at night by the fire, their faces alight with laughter. They shared countless tales of their travels and adventures, both alone and together. They told her about medium-mana worlds with their dungeons, each story laced with adventure and exploration.

About high-mana worlds and the random portals caused by mana accumulation, shimmering like rippling mirrors in the air, opening into miniature worlds rich with resources and fraught with danger. They spoke of wandering through bustling markets on distant worlds where spices filled the air with color and bite, tasting fruits that dripped with sweet juices unlike anything grown at home, and sampling foods that made their tongues burn with strange but addictive heat.

They told her about gazing upon skies lit by three suns, oceans teeming with frightening creatures, and mountain ranges so tall they pierced the clouds like the teeth of some ancient beast. This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. They spoke of clearing dungeons, closing portals, fighting in parties, and making friends, their words heavy with nostalgia. Yet woven into those tales were moments of discovery.

They learned spells, uncovered runes etched into forgotten temples for her father's research, and practiced skills that shaped them as both fighters and Travelers. Each world was a teacher, each trial a lesson, and each victory a memory they carried back to share with her. They described very high-mana worlds with terrifying, powerful monsters and beasts; Wizards who could reshape the landscape with a wave of a hand; and cultivators battling each other and nature.

They mentioned worlds so saturated with magic that trees were sentient and lakes had personalities, where the air itself hummed with mana. They recounted tales of clever Magitech inventions and unique magic that no spell or skill could duplicate. But they never talked about this. Her parents both avoided unintegrated worlds. The sucking sensation was difficult for them, and they disliked the societies.

They said the backward worlds were stinky and superstitious, while the advanced worlds were confusing and run by greed. She experienced their stories firsthand in her travels and encountered many unique worlds until she ventured into an advanced tech world. Cold metal corridors, humming engines, and synthetic air replaced the scents of earth, grass, and wood she had grown up imagining. Despite understanding her parents' perspective, Mahya could not help but feel drawn to the enchanting beauty of space.

It resonated in her soul and wrapped around her like an endless ocean, one she longed to dive into. At that moment, Mahya made a bold decision. Her reflection in the glass looked small against the stars, yet her heart beat with steady resolve. She chose to abandon Gate Traveling and embark on a daring quest to explore the vast unknown of space.