The chamber remained quiet.
A small fire burned near the outer wall.
Shura lay unconscious, bandaged heavily.
The sword rested beside him.
Yura stood a little away from everyone.
Arms crossed.
Eyes sharp.
Angry.
Adrian noticed.
He walked toward her slowly.
"Come."
She didn't move at first.
He lowered his voice.
"Not here."
They stepped behind one of the massive pillars.
Out of hearing range.
Or so they thought.
Clara lingered nearby quietly.
Yura spoke first.
"Why did he do that?"
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
"He knew," Adrian finally said.
"Knew what?"
"That it would focus on Us."
Yura's brows tightened.
"And you're calm about that?"
"I'm not calm."
His jaw tightened.
"But if he hadn't done it, that killing intent would've split."
Yura went silent.
Clara stepped slightly closer.
"Then why don't you tell everyone?"
Adrian looked at her.
"Would they believe it?"
Clara opened her mouth—
Then closed it.
Silence.
She lowered her gaze.
"…No."
Then she looked up again.
"How did you know?"
Adrian's eyes sharpened.
"Shh."
His mind was elsewhere.
No. That's not the point.
He was never the type to sacrifice like that.
He jokes. He experiments. He pushes limits.
So why stand still?
Why smile?
That smile meant something.
He got an answer.
But what answer?
Adrian turned and walked back toward Shura.
Lior was finishing fresh bandages.
Careful.
Precise.
Lior's thoughts were quiet but heavy.
Damage that badly…
Still had the guts to stand.
Students gathered nearby.
One muttered,
"Why are you pretending like nothing happened?"
Another added,
"He caused this."
Lior didn't look up.
"Nothing would have happened," he said calmly, "if he hadn't touched that weapon and drawn its attention."
Students frowned.
"That's still defending him."
Lior finally stood.
Silence followed.
Time passed.
The chamber air settled.
Then—
Shura's fingers twitched.
Yura noticed first.
"He's waking."
His eyes slowly opened.
Blank at first.
Then focused.
His lips moved before his body did.
"Ascend the Unseen.
Unseat the Seated."
The chamber froze.
Lior's eyes narrowed slightly.
Adrian leaned closer.
Shura blinked.
"…Let's go to the Throne Room."
Students exploded.
"Are you insane?!"
"You almost died!"
"You act like nothing happened!"
Without hesitation—
Shura rolled off the stone slab.
Dropped to his knees.
And bowed.
Forehead touching the ground.
"I'm very sorry."
Silence fell instantly.
"I caused trouble again."
He lifted his head slightly.
"…But the sword still looks cool."
No one reacted.
The silence hurt more than any reprimand.
He tried to stand—
His leg gave out immediately.
He fell sideways—
But Lior caught him.
"I think I was right."
Lior's voice was calm.
"Your leg is injured badly."
Shura avoided his eyes.
"…Sorry for kicking you."
Lior's expression didn't change.
But in his mind—
If he hadn't kicked me…
My ribs would have been crushed by the redirected pressure wave.
But how?
How did he predict the Presence's compression shift before I even reacted?
Lior didn't ask.
Instead—
He lifted Shura onto his back.
Students stared.
"Sir—"
"We're moving," Lior said.
They left the weapon chamber through a side corridor.
This path was narrower.
Carved deliberately.
Luna began speaking as they walked.
"Xyrrhal isn't just a ruin."
"It's a layered system."
Students listened quietly.
"Outer ring — combat calibration."
"Second chamber — synchronization trial."
"Underground water systems — endurance and adaptability."
Clara looked up.
"The warm river?"
"Yes."
"Natural geothermal flow redirected intentionally."
"Heat from below. Pressure from above."
"This mountain isn't random. It was chosen."
They crossed a narrow internal stone bridge suspended inside a vertical shaft.
Far below—
Water flowed through carved channels.
"Emergency tunnels exist beneath nearly every major kingdom structure," Luna continued.
"Secret exits."
"Supply passages."
"Air regulation shafts."
Students blinked.
"Kingdoms survive because of controlled systems beneath what you see."
She placed her hand against the wall.
"This bridge isn't decorative."
"It separates airflow layers."
"Prevents condensation decay."
"Channels resonance vibrations safely."
Adrian muttered,
"So it's like a living organism."
Luna smiled slightly.
"Exactly."
"Xyrrhal was built as both fortress and filter."
"Surface entrances test the reckless."
"Underground passages test the patient."
"And the Throne Room…"
She paused.
"…is not about ruling."
Students swallowed.
"Then what is it?"
Luna looked forward.
"That is still debated."
Lior walked quietly ahead.
Carrying Shura.
Shura's eyes were open—
But distant.
Lost in the words.
Ascend the Unseen.
Unseat the Seated.
His fingers tightened slightly on the sword handle.
Lior spoke softly without turning his head.
"Don't push your brain too much."
"It's just a fun riddle."
Shura smiled faintly.
"…If it was just fun, it wouldn't hurt that much."
Lior didn't reply.
The corridor opened slowly.
Ahead—
A massive door carved directly into mountain stone.
One colossal seated armored female figure carved into the wall.
In front of her — The actual throne.
Empty.
Aligned to vertical axis.
Waiting.
And this time—
No one rushed forward.