Ryan looked at Soren, his eyes widening in genuine surprise.

Despite the Supervisor’s encouraging smile, a trace of suspicion still flickered in the depths of his gaze, the old instinct of a boy used to being stepped on. But seeing no hidden malice in Soren’s expression, he nodded slowly and pushed himself up.

His legs were shaky, but he managed to walk toward the massive stone doors. As he reached out and pressed his palm against the cold surface, the ancient mechanism groaned.

The doors swung open on their own, revealing an interior that was nothing but pitch-black darkness. It wasn’t just a lack of light; it was a physical, heavy void that made it impossible to discern a single detail inside.

Ryan took a final, hesitant breath and stepped across the threshold.

The moment he crossed over, the darkness swallowed his figure whole, and the heavy doors slammed shut with a thunderous boom that echoed through the hall.

Soren let out a long sigh, the silence returning to the chamber. He didn’t waste time wondering what was happening inside. He sat back down, closing his eyes to focus on the frigid, high-purity mana still swirling in the air. He was close to a breakthrough now; if he pushed himself a little more, perhaps he would be able to reach the 2nd Circle Intermediate Stage.

About half an hour passed in deep meditation.

The sound of stone grinding against stone snapped Soren’s eyes open.

The doors were opening again.

Ryan stepped out into the hall, his face pale and his expression completely unreadable. There was an aura around him now—something subtle yet profound that hadn’t been there before.

Soren stood up, brushing the dust from his clothes.

"Congratulations on your success," Soren said, his voice calm.

Ryan looked up, meeting Soren’s gaze. After a long pause, he bowed his head deeply. "Thank you, sir. I... I heard everything from Master. Thank you for your help."

"Don’t mention it," Soren replied, waving his hand dismissively. He didn’t need to ask who ’Master’ was. "But is it over now? Can we leave this place?"

"Mmm, Master said the reliquary will disappear soon," Ryan said, his voice regaining some of its usual soft tone. He walked toward Soren. "And... he told me to give you this."

Ryan held out his hand, revealing a ring. It was simple in design, but even without touching it, Soren could feel a strange, ancient weight emanating from the metal.

"What is this?" Soren asked, taking the ring and examining it curiously.

"I don’t know the specifics," Ryan admitted. "Master just said you would need it. He called it your compensation and a little gift from him."

Soren nodded, slipping the ring into his inventory for now. He looked toward the empty throne at the far end of the hall. "I see. Then... what happened to Senior? I wanted to express my gratitude one last time."

A small, sad smile touched Ryan’s lips. "Master knew you would be like this, so he said he won’t appear in front of you again. And... since his mission has been fulfilled, he’s..."

Ryan trailed off, his expression turning pained.

Soren didn’t need him to finish the sentence. The Emperor had been a flickering remnant, a ghost held together by a final duty. Now that the duty was done, the anchor was gone.

"I understand," Soren said softly, placing a hand on Ryan’s shoulder. "Alright, then. Let’s take our leave."

Ryan nodded, turning to lead the way back through the sprawling, silent hall. To their surprise, they didn’t have to navigate the maze again. A swirling blue portal was already waiting for them near the entrance, its light casting long shadows against the ancient stone.

Both of them stopped in front of the gateway.

Soren looked back at the vast, sunless world one last time, offering a silent nod of thanks to the man who had ruled it.

Ryan stood beside him, his eyes fixed on the throne he would now, in some way, carry the legacy of.

Without a word, they stepped into the gate together, leaving the tomb of shadow behind.

As the portal’s light consumed their figures, the air in the hall grew still, the swirling currents of golden mist settling for the first time in centuries.

The silence was absolute, yet the space where the throne stood began to ripple.

Slowly, the Emperor’s full figure manifested.

He was no longer a flickering silhouette or a translucent ghost; he stood tall and solid, draped in robes that seemed woven from the very night sky. His expression was no longer one of weary command, but a serene, quiet calm.

He watched the spot where the two had vanished, his gaze lingering on the empty air.

"Do not disappoint me," he muttered, his voice barely a breath. "And do not repeat my mistakes... both of you."

He stood there for a long moment, the ancient hall beginning to crack and crumble around him as the magic sustaining the reliquary finally unraveled. The shadows began to dissolve into starlight, returning to the weave from which they were born.

A sudden, faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, a trace of the man he had been before the world turned grey.

"And... I hope you like my little gift~."

With a soft, knowing chuckle that echoed through the collapsing chamber, the Sunless Emperor, Isac Yochin, faded into the light, leaving nothing behind but the silence of a mission fulfilled.

───────

A short time later.

"Huff... Huff..."

Soren and Ryan stood back to back, their weapons drawn and expressions grim.

"Just how did we end up in this situation?" Soren muttered, his voice barely audible over the rising tension. The air around them felt heavy, charged with a volatile energy that seemed to press against their very skin.

Ryan didn’t turn his head; his focus was locked entirely on what stood before them.

"It is... probably Master’s gift," he replied, his voice laced with a mixture of realization and dread.

Soren let out a sharp, jagged exhale. "I see... This is surely a ’nice’ gift."

Neither moved, their breaths shallow as they braced for the impact of the gift the Emperor had left behind.