Chapter 17 — The Price of a Miracle
CRAAAAAAAAASH!!
The heavens exploded in golden light.
The moment the singularity core shattered, a massive shockwave tore across the skies above Imperial Soul Academy. Golden gravity storms devoured the remaining black hole while purple corruption scattered through the atmosphere like dying stars.
For several seconds—
The entire world became silent.
No gravity.
No sound.
No movement.
Everything froze beneath the overwhelming pressure of Devouring Gravity reaching its limit.
Then—
Reality returned violently.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The collapsing singularity detonated across the heavens like a newborn sun.
Golden and purple energy flooded the night sky.
Mountains crumbled.
Clouds vanished instantly.
The academy barriers shattered completely under the shockwave.
Students screamed as hurricane-force winds tore through the city.
High above the battlefield—
Reskin's body floated motionless at the center of the explosion.
Golden cracks spread across his skin like breaking glass while gravity currents spiraled uncontrollably around him.
His eyes had lost focus.
His soul energy fluctuated dangerously.
Inside his soul world—
The cosmic realm shook violently.
Ancient gravity symbols shattered across the stars while golden cracks spread endlessly through the spiritual sky.
Even Bali looked tense now.
"You fool…"
The gigantic GOD-HORSIKEN immediately released massive golden energy into Reskin's collapsing soul pathways.
"If your gravity core destabilizes now…"
The soul space trembled harder.
"…you will disappear."
Outside—
Varikon stared upward in disbelief.
The singularity…
Was gone.
Actually gone.
The monster's red eyes widened slowly.
"He devoured it…"
For the first time in millions of years—
Fear appeared on Varikon's face.
Not fear of death.
Fear of possibility.
Because what Reskin accomplished tonight shouldn't have been possible even among ancient GOD-HORSIKENS.
Meanwhile below, students and instructors slowly looked upward through the fading storm clouds.
The black hole had vanished.
The sky returned.
The stars became visible again.
"…We survived?"
Silence spread across the academy.
Then suddenly—
Cheers erupted everywhere.
Students collapsed crying from relief.
Instructors laughed weakly while supporting injured comrades.
Some simply stared upward speechless.
Because Imperial Soul Academy still existed.
And the person responsible—
Was a first-year student floating unconscious above the battlefield.
But the celebration lasted only seconds.
Because suddenly—
Purple gravity exploded violently across the skies again.
BOOOOOOOOM!!
Everyone froze instantly.
Varikon's laughter echoed through the battlefield.
"Hahahahaha…"
The monster slowly rose higher into the air surrounded by unstable corrupted gravity.
Despite losing the singularity—
His killing intent had become even more terrifying.
"So this is the answer…"
Purple cracks spread across his body rapidly now.
"You truly inherited divine authority."
The atmosphere grew colder.
"Then I shall consume you completely."
Seraphina's expression darkened instantly.
"He's lost control."
Kaizen nodded grimly.
Varikon's corrupted gravity core had become unstable after losing the singularity.
The monster was beginning to self-destruct.
But instead of weakening—
The instability increased his destructive power even further.
Purple gravity storms expanded across the battlefield uncontrollably.
The surrounding mountains started collapsing inward again.
Students screamed.
"No…"
"We just survived!"
Varikon slowly raised both arms.
"This world will witness the birth of a new god!"
Inside the sky above him—
Purple gravity condensed into thousands of floating spheres.
Each one radiated enough power to destroy entire academy districts.
Seraphina immediately moved protectively before the evacuation zones.
"All remaining instructors prepare defensive formations!"
Even exhausted and injured—
The academy fighters gathered again.
Because they understood.
If Varikon unleashed those attacks—
The academy city would still fall.
Meanwhile—
High above the battlefield—
Reskin drifted unconscious through the fading golden storm.
Blood floated around him weightlessly.
His breathing had nearly stopped.
Inside his soul world—
Darkness spread rapidly.
Golden gravity symbols disappeared one after another.
Reskin struggled to remain conscious.
"…Did we stop it?"
Bali remained focused on stabilizing his soul.
"Yes."
The ancient GOD-HORSIKEN's voice sounded strained now.
"But your body exceeded all limits."
Golden energy continuously poured into Reskin's cracked meridians.
"You forcibly awakened divine gravity authority too early."
Reskin laughed weakly despite the pain.
"…Sorry."
Bali stared at him silently for several moments.
Then quietly answered—
"I did not say you failed."
Reskin froze slightly.
Because hearing approval from Bali still felt strangely important.
But before either could continue—
The soul world trembled violently again.
BOOOOOOOM!!
Purple corruption spread across the sky.
Varikon's unstable gravity reached them even here.
Bali immediately looked upward.
"He intends to destroy everything before collapsing."
Reskin frowned weakly.
"Can Seraphina stop him?"
Silence.
Then Bali answered quietly—
"Perhaps."
Not reassuring.
Outside—
Varikon's gravity spheres multiplied further.
Hundreds now floated across the heavens like miniature purple moons.
Students below looked horrified.
"That many attacks…"
"We can't survive this…"
Seraphina tightened her grip on her damaged spear.
Silver lightning surrounded her body again.
But even she looked exhausted now.
Her ancient bloodline power consumed enormous energy.
And after fighting Varikon continuously—
Her condition had worsened badly.
Purple blood stained parts of her silver uniform.
Varikon noticed immediately.
"You are weakening."
The monster smiled cruelly.
"Excellent."
BOOOOOOOM!!
The floating gravity spheres launched downward simultaneously.
The sky itself turned purple.
Kaizen shouted desperately—
"DEFENSIVE FORMATIONS!"
Academy instructors released every remaining ounce of soul energy into barrier arrays.
Massive blue shields rose above the academy city.
Then—
Impact.
CRAAAAASH!!
Explosions swallowed the battlefield instantly.
One barrier shattered immediately.
Another collapsed seconds later.
The gravity spheres detonated endlessly across the city.
Buildings vanished.
Roads collapsed.
Students screamed beneath the destruction.
Even Seraphina struggled to intercept the attacks fast enough.
Silver lightning flashed repeatedly across the battlefield while she destroyed gravity spheres one after another.
But there were too many.
Far too many.
Meanwhile—
Deep underground—
The hidden observers finally moved.
One shadow-covered figure stood slowly.
"The vessel's condition is critical."
Another nodded calmly.
"And Varikon is approaching complete collapse."
The crystal screens showed the battlefield in chaos.
"It is time."
Ancient mechanisms activated beneath the academy.
Unknown seals hidden for centuries slowly awakened.
Back above—
One gravity sphere broke through the defensive formations.
It fell directly toward the evacuation shelters filled with students.
Dugu looked upward in horror.
The sphere was enormous.
There was no escape.
Several instructors tried intercepting it—
But they were too far away.
Students screamed desperately.
Then suddenly—
Golden gravity appeared.
WHOOSH!!
The falling sphere stopped mid-air.
Everyone froze.
Reskin floated above the shelter.
Barely conscious.
Golden blood covered his face while unstable gravity spiraled around him wildly.
Yet somehow—
He was still standing.
Dugu's eyes widened completely.
"Reskin…"
Varikon laughed loudly.
"You still rise?"
Reskin breathed heavily.
Every movement felt like death.
But below him—
Thousands of terrified students stared upward hoping someone would save them.
And for some reason—
That mattered now.
Golden gravity slowly crushed the sphere inward.
CRACK.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!!
It exploded harmlessly high above the shelter.
Cheers erupted instantly below.
But Reskin nearly collapsed afterward.
Inside his soul world, Bali's voice became sharp.
"Stop moving!"
"If I stop…"
Reskin coughed blood.
"…people die."
The ancient GOD-HORSIKEN remained silent briefly.
Then unexpectedly—
Golden gravity expanded around the soul space.
"You humans truly are irrational creatures."
Despite the words—
Bali released more power into Reskin's failing body.
Outside—
Varikon's expression slowly changed.
Not anger.
Not amusement.
Something stranger.
Confusion.
The monster stared toward Reskin silently for several moments.
"You continue protecting weaklings…"
Purple gravity fluctuated around him.
"…even while dying."
Reskin slowly looked upward toward the ancient monster.
"…Yeah."
Varikon's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Why?"
The battlefield grew quieter.
Even Seraphina stopped briefly.
Because the question sounded genuine.
After millions of years—
Varikon truly no longer understood.
Reskin stayed silent briefly.
Then quietly answered—
"Because being strong alone sucks."
The words echoed unexpectedly across the battlefield.
Varikon froze slightly.
Reskin continued weakly—
"I spent my whole life alone."
Golden gravity flickered around him.
"No family."
"No future."
"No one who cared whether I existed."
Students below listened silently.
"But after coming here…"
Reskin looked toward the academy city.
Toward the shelters.
Toward Dugu.
Toward Seraphina.
"…I finally found people worth protecting."
Silence filled the battlefield.
Even Varikon stopped moving completely.
The monster stared toward Reskin strangely.
Then slowly—
Its expression twisted.
Not with rage.
With pain.
Purple gravity fluctuated violently around his unstable body.
"…Worth protecting…"
For a brief second—
The madness faded from Varikon's eyes.
And beneath it—
Loneliness appeared.
A loneliness older than civilizations.
Inside his soul world, Bali quietly whispered—
"He remembers."
Varikon slowly lowered his head.
The gravity storms around him weakened slightly.
Ancient memories surfaced across his corrupted mind.
A lost world.
Comrades.
Battles fought beside Bali millions of years ago.
A civilization long dead.
For the first time in countless ages—
The fallen king hesitated.
But then—
Purple corruption exploded violently across his body again.
AAAAAAARGHH!!
Varikon screamed in agony.
The corrupted gravity core inside his chest cracked uncontrollably.
Dark energy spread through his entire body.
"No…"
The monster grabbed his own chest violently.
The corruption had gone too far.
Far beyond sanity.
Far beyond redemption.
Its red eyes snapped toward Reskin again.
And this time—
Pure madness returned.
"If I cannot evolve…"
Purple gravity erupted across the heavens.
"…THEN EVERYTHING SHALL DIE WITH ME!"
The corrupted gravity core began collapsing.
Kaizen's face turned pale instantly.
"He's going critical…"
Seraphina immediately realized the horror.
Varikon was about to explode.
And the resulting gravity collapse—
Could erase the entire region from existence.