[Night – Old Library Vault]
Lohan stared at the envelope in his hand.
The wax seal was unmistakable—marked with the emblem of a phoenix shrouded in flames. His own crest, from a lifetime ago.
He broke the seal.
> To the one who bears my soul,
If you're reading this, then I've failed. But you, who were once me, still breathe. And that means we have a second chance.
They think we're dead. Let them.
But know this: the gods will strike again. And this time, you won't have me. You'll have to become me.
> Floor 10 is the key. Beneath the Trial of Flames, there's a vault only the true Phoenix can unlock. What you find there... will burn the sky.
> Survive. Rise. And make them kneel.
– Hajun Ardyn
Lohan folded the letter, fire flickering in his eyes.
"So even I left a trail…"
---
[Academy Training Field – Pre-dawn]
Kael gritted his teeth, sweat drenching his uniform.
Lohan stood behind him. "Again. Channel your mana through the spine—not just the arms."
Kael tried, hands trembling.
A spark flickered on his palm—red, volatile, untamed.
Winter, watching nearby, stepped forward. "That's not just mana."
> [System Alert – Hidden Trait Detected]
[Name: Phoenix Echo]
[Description: A fragment of the ancient Phoenix's will resides in Kael.]
Lohan's eyes widened for a brief moment. "You…"
Kael collapsed, unconscious—but smiling.
---
[Elsewhere – Justine's Domain]
Justine stood before a mural carved in divine crystal.
It depicted her and Hajun side by side—before the betrayal.
She ran her fingers over his image.
"He's getting stronger again."
Her divine aura shimmered, unstable. A crack of frustration in her mask.
She whispered, "Why does my heart still hesitate… when it's supposed to be dead?"
---
[Top of the Tower – Floor Ten]
A throne carved from obsidian cracked.
A god stirred—one of the old ones who had struck Hajun down.
"He's climbing."
He turned to a shadowy figure kneeling before him.
"Send the Hollow Champion. Let's see if the Phoenix can still burn."
---
[Closing Scene – Lohan's Dorm]
Lohan stood at the window, looking up at the stars.
Winter entered silently.
"He has it," Lohan said.
"Kael?"
He nodded. "He's carrying a spark of what I was. I don't know how, but… the Phoenix chose him too."
Winter walked up beside him, eyes thoughtful.
"Then you're not alone this time."
Lohan turned, his gaze intense but calm.
"No. And I won't let anyone take him away."
---