Inside the first chamber of Xyrrhal—
Cold stone.
High ceiling.
Echoes that didn't return properly.
Luna looked at Lior.
"You're soaked. Set a fire."
Lior nodded.
"Inside. Not near the walls."
Students quickly gathered dry material from their packs. A controlled Viora spark ignited the flame.
Warmth slowly pushed back the mountain chill.
Adrian crossed his arms, staring deeper into the structure.
"So this is the place…"
His eyes lifted toward the massive inner gate ahead.
"But how did we open that giant gate outside?"
Lior didn't answer.
He simply walked toward the next set of enormous stone doors inside the hall.
Luna narrowed her eyes.
"Don't tell me you're going to—"
Before she finished—
Lior placed both hands against the stone.
He exhaled once.
Then pushed.
The door didn't crack.
Didn't strain dramatically.
It moved.
Slowly.
Like something that had not been opened in years finally decided to cooperate.
Stone scraped stone.
The entire chamber vibrated faintly.
Students stared in disbelief.
Clara whispered, "That thing weighs thousands of Tin."
Adrian muttered, "He used no visible Viora output."
Luna crossed her arms.
"…Show-off."
The doors fully opened.
Beyond—
A colossal inner structure.
A castle within the ruins.
Massive pillars stretching upward into shadow.
Uncountable stairs spiraling in different directions.
Balconies crossing midair.
Weapon racks lining distant walls.
Ancient banners—color faded, but intact.
It wasn't destroyed.
It was preserved.
Luna's voice turned firm.
"As Lior said—no one touches any weapon."
Students nodded.
They began walking forward.
Halfway across the inner hall—
Lior spoke casually.
"Did anyone notice them?"
Adrian looked around.
"Notice who?"
Lior stopped walking.
"Focus."
The students stood still.
Silence filled the space.
They tried.
Listening.
Feeling.
Nothing.
Clara whispered, "I don't feel anything."
Yura shook her head slightly.
Luna narrowed her eyes.
"…Yes."
She felt it.
Adrian glanced at her.
"What?"
Luna's voice was low.
"It's not movement."
"It's… observation."
Lior nodded.
"It's The Presence."
Students shifted uneasily.
Shura tilted his head.
"So they're saying…"
He squinted slightly.
"'Ascend the Unseen. Unseat the Seated.'"
Lior looked at him sharply.
"Can you hear it?"
Shura blinked.
"…No."
He rubbed his temple.
"But it feels like something is repeating."
Adrian stared at him.
"You're not funny."
Shura smiled faintly.
"I'm not joking."
They continued walking.
The stairs seemed to rearrange subtly as they moved.
Not physically.
Perceptually.
Then—
Shura stopped.
His breathing changed.
The world around him darkened.
The hall vanished.
He stood alone.
Surrounded by thousands of monsters.
Endless.
Crowding.
Whispering.
Not attacking.
Speaking.
But the sound was distorted.
Unintelligible.
Pressure built behind his eyes.
His heart pounded violently.
The monsters leaned closer—
All saying something.
Overlapping.
Layered.
"STOP."
Reality snapped.
Shura screamed.
And his eyes began to bleed.
Not heavily.
But thin lines of red traced down his face.
Yura gasped.
"Shura!"
Adrian froze.
For half a second.
Then panic hit.
"SHURA!"
Before anyone else moved—
Lior reacted.
In one smooth motion—
He grabbed Luna with one arm.
Released a burst of controlled Viora from his feet—
And propelled every student upward.
They were lifted several meters into the air—
Suspended.
Safe.
Away from the ground.
Away from the distortion zone.
Students flailed.
Clara screamed.
"WHY ARE WE FLYING?!"
Lior's voice was calm.
"Reflex check."
Adrian snapped,
"This is not the time!"
Lior's eyes shifted to Shura.
The distortion around him was faint—
But real.
"The Presence reacted."
Luna's gaze sharpened.
"It targeted him."
Adrian was already kneeling beside Shura.
Grabbing his shoulders.
"Hey."
No response.
"Shura."
Nothing.
His hands shook slightly.
"Wake up."
Still nothing.
Adrian's voice cracked—
Just slightly.
"This isn't funny."
He leaned closer.
"Don't do this."
His breathing grew uneven.
"Wake up."
The fire crackled nearby.
Students hovered midair awkwardly.
Clara whispered, "Is he—"
"Quiet," Luna said sharply.
Adrian shook Shura harder.
"SHURA!"
His voice broke.
And for a split second—
He looked terrified.
Not annoyed.
Not competitive.
Terrified.
Lior observed him carefully.
Then—
He stepped forward.
Placed two fingers lightly against Shura's forehead.
A small, precise Viora pulse.
Not forceful.
Not overwhelming.
Just enough to disrupt interference.
Shura gasped violently—
And sat up.
"What—"
He blinked.
The monsters were gone.
The hall returned.
The bleeding stopped.
Adrian froze.
Then immediately punched him lightly in the shoulder.
"Idiot."
His voice shook.
Shura blinked at him.
"…You almost cried."
Adrian stood abruptly.
"I did not."
"You did."
"I did not."
Clara whispered to Yura,
"He definitely did."
Yura nodded once.
"Yes."
"Everyone calm."
He looked at Shura.
"What did you see?"
Shura hesitated.
"…Monsters."
"Attacking?"
"No."
He swallowed.
"Speaking."
Luna's eyes widened slightly.
"What were they saying?"
Shura frowned.
"I don't know."
A pause.
"But it felt like they were asking."
"Asking what?"
He looked toward the upper staircases.
"…Who deserves to ascend."
Silence spread again.
The Presence was still there.
Watching.
Testing.
Lior exhaled slowly.
"It did not attack."
He looked at Luna.
"It probed."
Luna nodded.
"This place evaluates."
Adrian muttered,
"Then it better evaluate quietly."
Shura stood up slowly.
He looked steadier now.
"…I'm fine."
Adrian shot him a warning look.
"You're not allowed to collapse again."
Shura grinned faintly.
"Noted."
They climbed the central staircase together.
No one walked alone now.
At the top—
A vast chamber opened before them.
And at its center—
Stood a colossal knight.
Not resting.
Not guarding.
Judging.
Stone armor carved in intricate, unfamiliar design. No crest. No banner. No kingdom claim.
Its feet were planted firmly apart.
Its body leaned slightly forward.
And its sword—
Was not embedded in the ground.
It was extended.
Pointed straight ahead.
Toward the entrance.
Toward them.
The blade's tip hovered inches above the stone floor, perfectly aligned with the path they had just walked.
Clara slowed unconsciously.
"…It's aiming at us."
The knight's helm was angled downward—
Not toward the distance.
Not toward the horizon.
But directly along the line of the blade.
Whoever stepped forward would stand at its tip.
Luna's voice lowered.
"This isn't decoration."
Shura swallowed faintly.
"It's a warning."
Lior studied it in silence.
The firelight flickered across the stone edge of the sword.
For a brief second—
It almost looked sharp.
The Presence pulsed again.
Not hostile.
Not welcoming.
Expectant.
Lior finally spoke.
"We don't cross that line yet."
No one argued.
They set camp behind the boundary.
And the statue continued to point—
Lior turned toward the group.
"We set camp here."
Students nodded silently.
They gathered around the fire.
Breathing steadied.
Heartbeats slowed.
But no one truly relaxed.
Adrian sat beside Shura.
Not looking at him.
"…Don't do that again."
Shura looked at the statue.
"I didn't choose it."
Adrian glanced at him.
"…I know."
The fire crackled.
Above them—
The statue loomed.
And somewhere deep within Xyrrhal—
The Presence adjusted.
They had passed the bridge.
They had entered the hall.
They had been measured.
And one of them—
Had been noticed.