The path continued.
It always continued.
Arin was starting to hate that.
No matter what they did—running, fighting, fixing whatever broken thing they found—there was always more path. More darkness. More questions.
He walked beside Maya in silence, his steps slower now. Not just from exhaustion, but from the weight of everything he had just experienced.
"…You ever feel like we're going too deep?" he asked.
Maya didn't look at him.
"Yes."
Arin let out a small breath.
"Glad we agree."
The golden path beneath their feet glowed steadily, brighter than before. It wasn't flickering anymore. It felt… stable.
Like it trusted him now.
That thought made Arin uncomfortable.
"I don't like that it listens to me," he muttered.
"It doesn't listen," Maya said. "It responds."
"That's somehow worse."
They walked further.
The air began to change again.
Warmer this time.
But not in a comforting way.
It felt… heavy.
Like the deeper they went, the harder it was to breathe.
Arin adjusted his jacket slightly.
"…Okay, now it feels like we're walking into something bad."
Maya nodded.
"We are."
"Great. At least we're honest about it."
Ahead, the shadow moved more slowly now.
It wasn't keeping its distance as much.
Almost like it was waiting for them to catch up.
Arin noticed.
"…It's acting different."
"Yes," Maya said.
"Why?"
"I don't know."
That didn't help.
Nothing ever helped.
They kept moving until—
The path stopped.
Not gradually.
Not fading.
Just… stopped.
Arin blinked.
"…That's new."
Maya stepped forward carefully.
"What is this place…"
The darkness ahead began to clear.
Not fully.
But enough to reveal something massive.
Arin stepped forward—
And froze.
"…No way."
It was a chamber.
But not like the others.
This one was… structured.
Organized.
Ancient, but untouched.
At the center stood a massive circular platform, surrounded by tall pillars made of the same strange material as the door from before.
And above the platform—
Something floated.
A sphere.
Made entirely of golden light.
But unlike the core from before—
This one was perfect.
Unbroken.
Complete.
Arin's chest tightened.
"…What is that?"
Maya whispered,
"…I think that's the original source."
Arin looked at her.
"Source of what?"
"…Everything."
He blinked.
"…You mean like… Santa's power?"
"Yes."
Arin stared at the sphere.
"…That's not good."
"Why?" Maya asked.
"Because if that's the main power source… then this is probably where the bad guys want to go."
Maya didn't argue.
Because he was right.
The shadow stepped forward.
Closer to the platform.
"This is where it began."
Arin frowned.
"What does that mean?"
The shadow turned slightly.
"The first light."
Arin looked at the sphere again.
"…So this is like… the origin of all that Joy Energy stuff?"
"Yes."
Arin let out a slow breath.
"…Okay. That's kind of huge."
Maya stepped forward.
"But if this place exists… why hasn't it been destroyed like the others?"
The shadow was silent for a moment.
Then—
"It is protected."
Arin raised an eyebrow.
"By what?"
The shadow looked at him.
"…By you."
Arin blinked.
"…Excuse me?"
Before he could say anything else—
A loud sound echoed through the chamber.
A metallic impact.
From behind them.
Arin turned instantly.
"…No."
The entrance they came from—
Was opening.
Forcefully.
The heavy door bent outward.
Cracked.
Then—
It exploded inward.
Debris flew across the chamber.
Maya stepped back, pulling Arin with her.
"They're here."
Arin groaned.
"Of course they are!"
Through the smoke—
Figures stepped in.
Kraven's hunters.
More than before.
Heavily armed.
And behind them—
A tall figure walked slowly into the chamber.
Black coat.
Calm expression.
Sharp eyes.
Kraven Black.
Arin felt a chill run down his spine.
"…That's him."
Maya's voice dropped.
"Stay alert."
Kraven looked around the chamber.
His gaze passed over the pillars.
The platform.
And finally—
The glowing sphere above.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"…So it's true," he said.
His voice echoed smoothly through the chamber.
"After all these years…"
He looked directly at Arin.
"…the key leads us here."
Arin frowned.
"Can people stop calling me that?"
Kraven chuckled softly.
"You don't understand, do you?"
"Yeah, I've been saying that for a while now."
Kraven stepped forward.
His soldiers spread out behind him.
"You're not just connected to Santa," he said.
"You are the failsafe."
Arin blinked.
"…The what?"
Maya's expression darkened.
"…The Santa Protocol."
Kraven nodded slightly.
"Exactly."
He looked at Arin with interest.
"When Santa falls… the power chooses another."
Arin's heart skipped.
"…No."
"Yes," Kraven said calmly.
"That power… is inside you."
Arin shook his head.
"No, I didn't ask for that!"
"It doesn't matter," Kraven replied.
"It already chose you."
Silence filled the chamber.
Arin's thoughts raced.
"…So what, you want to kidnap me now?"
Kraven smiled.
"No."
He raised his hand slightly.
"I want something much simpler."
The soldiers raised their weapons.
Arin tensed.
"…Yeah, this is where it goes bad."
Kraven's eyes locked onto him.
"I want you to open it."
Arin frowned.
"…Open what?"
Kraven pointed upward.
At the glowing sphere.
"The source."
Maya stepped forward instantly.
"No."
Kraven didn't even look at her.
"Whether you want to or not… you will."
Arin laughed nervously.
"Yeah, that's not happening."
Kraven's expression didn't change.
"Then I suppose I'll have to convince you."
He gave a small signal.
One of his soldiers stepped forward—
Holding a device.
The screen turned on.
Arin's eyes widened.
"…No."
It showed his house.
Destroyed.
His parents—
Surrounded.
Alive.
But captured.
Maya's expression hardened.
Kraven spoke calmly.
"You see, Arin… I prefer simple solutions."
Arin's fists clenched.
"You leave them out of this."
Kraven tilted his head slightly.
"That depends on you."
Arin's chest began to glow faintly.
Anger.
Fear.
Both rising at once.
"…If you touch them—"
Kraven interrupted him.
"You will open the source."
Silence.
Heavy.
Tense.
Arin looked at Maya.
Then at the sphere.
Then back at Kraven.
His voice dropped.
"…And if I don't?"
Kraven's smile faded slightly.
"Then they disappear."
Arin's heart pounded.
Everything inside him screamed.
Run.
Fight.
Do something.
But this time—
Running wouldn't work.
Fighting wouldn't work.
This was different.
Maya whispered,
"Arin… don't."
He looked at her.
Then at his parents on the screen.
Then at the glowing sphere above.
His chest burned.
The golden light flickered violently.
Unstable.
Conflicted.
"…I don't have a choice," he said quietly.
Maya shook her head.
"Yes, you do."
Arin took a step forward.
"No… I don't."
Kraven watched with satisfaction.
"Good."
Arin walked toward the platform.
Each step heavier than the last.
The sphere above pulsed.
Reacting.
Calling him.
Maya stood frozen.
"…Arin…"
He didn't stop.
He stepped onto the platform.
The light around him surged.
The chamber began to shake.
Kraven smiled.
"Now… let's see what you really are."
Arin raised his hand slowly.
The golden light gathered around it.
The sphere above responded.
Brighter.
Stronger.
And in that moment—
Arin realized something terrifying.
If he opened it…
There might be no going back.
And the chapter ends with Arin realizing…
Saving his family might cost the entire world.