---
The shift was instant.
One breath, they were in the heart of Class A's corrupted training sector. The next—
Silence.
Stillness.
But not like before.
The black pool at the far end had gone completely inert. No pulsing. No shape. Just a cooling mass of tar-like substance, hardened into a still mirror. The stench had vanished. The air, once thick with chemical rot, now smelled faintly of pine and clean stone.
Monsters whatever twisted echoes of beasts that had lingered in the ruins were simply gone
No screeches. No flickers of movement from the shadows.
Even the vines had withered. The cursed sigils on the walls dimmed.
It was quiet.
Truly quiet.
And Kai stood in the center of it all, eyes open.
His crown no longer flickered. It glowed. Steady. Pale gold with hints of deeper red curling around the rim like creeping threads of fire. He looked completely at ease. Chest rising slowly, hands relaxed by his sides.
Rose blinked first. "...Kai?"
He turned.
Smiled.
