Ash waited patiently until his mana reserves had fully recovered, ensuring that they were more than sufficient to reactivate Absolute Concealment.
Only then did he take a calm breath, steadying the subtle acceleration of his heartbeat, which wasn't from fear but from a quiet tension that came with stepping into the unknown.
With focused intent, he wrapped his fingers around the knob and gently pushed the door open.
The instant it creaked ajar, a whirlpool of deep violet energy surged outward from the gap and coiled around his body like a living current.
It didn't resist him with force, but it held him tightly, dragging him in without giving him any chance to pull back or resist its pull.
This sensation... I'm being pulled through a spatial tunnel.
The thought echoed faintly in his mind as the world around him lost all stability.
