The moment Leonhart disappeared, the pressure lingering across Floor Sixty-One slowly faded.
The crimson mist settled.
The abyss returned to its usual silence.
Yet my chest felt heavier than it had before he arrived.
I stood there for several seconds, staring at the empty space where he'd been.
Then I opened a portal.
The familiar scenery of Floor Fifty's SafeZone appeared beyond the darkness.
And for the first time in a long while, I didn't immediately return to hunting.
I went looking for Zeref.
I found him near the command center Fiona had established near the heart of the SafeZone. Maps covered several tables. Messengers moved in and out. Reports from climbing parties arrived almost every minute.
The moment Zeref saw me, he stood.
Not because he sensed danger.
Because he immediately noticed something was wrong.
His expression tightened as he walked over.
"What happened?"
I stopped in front of him.
"I met Leonhart."
Every trace of color disappeared from his face.
