Crimson flames spiraled around Professor Elena.
The air itself shimmered from the intense heat.
Her academy uniform had vanished beneath a suit of ancient crimson armor, every plate etched with glowing phoenix runes.
The students stared in disbelief.
"...Professor..."
Eric whispered.
"No..."
Sophia corrected softly.
"...She’s a war hero."
Noah narrowed his eyes.
"She hid this much power?"
The Commander rested his greatsword on his shoulder.
"So the academy finally unleashed its Crimson Blade."
Elena smiled.
"You should feel honored."
"You’ve survived long enough to see it."
The Commander laughed.
"I’ve been hoping we’d meet again."
BOOM!
Both vanished simultaneously.
The mountain exploded.
A second later...
The sky erupted.
Their swords collided high above the battlefield.
Shockwaves blasted through the valley.
Trees snapped.
Boulders shattered.
Even the professors had to reinforce the protective barriers around the students.
Noah watched silently.
"This is the level I’ll eventually have to reach..."
The Commander attacked relentlessly.
Heavy.
Brutal.
Every swing carried enough force to split a fortress wall.
Elena answered with speed.
Her crimson sword became streaks of light.
One strike.
Two.
Ten.
The Commander blocked them all.
Then...
She disappeared.
The Commander frowned.
"Above?"
Too late.
Elena descended like a crimson comet.
Phoenix Severance.
Her sword crashed downward.
BOOOOOOM!!
The mountain split apart.
Smoke engulfed the battlefield.
Students covered their faces.
When the dust settled...
A massive canyon stretched through Ironwood Pass.
The Commander stood inside it.
One knee on the ground.
Blood trickled from his forehead.
He slowly smiled.
"...Excellent."
Far below...
Noah suddenly stiffened.
Predator’s Instinct screamed louder than ever before.
DANGER!
"Move!"
He tackled Eric to the ground.
At that exact moment...
A black spear of mana shot through the place where they’d been standing.
It pierced three students behind them.
The barrier around them shattered instantly.
Sophia gasped.
"Where did that come from?!"
Noah looked toward the cliffs.
Nothing.
Then...
A second spear.
A third.
The attacks came from invisible enemies.
Professor Elena noticed immediately.
"There are more!"
Hidden across the mountains...
Several hooded mages revealed themselves.
Each stood inside a glowing magic circle.
One of them smiled.
"Primary target located."
"Permission to activate the seal?"
A voice echoed through their communication crystal.
"Granted."
All six mages raised their staffs.
Dark crimson chains erupted from the ground beneath Noah.
They wrapped around his wrists.
His legs.
His chest.
The Broken Crown Mark burned beneath his shirt.
The System flashed violently.
WARNING!
Ancient Sealing Art Detected.
Compatible with Ragnarok: 91%.
Escape Probability: 3%.
Noah pulled against the chains.
They didn’t move.
"What the hell are these?"
The Commander looked toward him instead of Elena.
"So..."
"They prepared that."
Even he sounded surprised.
Professor Elena’s expression changed.
"No!"
She rushed toward Noah.
The Commander intercepted her.
CLANG!
"You aren’t going anywhere."
She pushed against him.
"If that seal finishes..."
The Commander nodded.
"...The Seventh dies."
Noah’s breathing became heavier.
The crimson chains tightened.
Blood ran down his wrists.
The world around him blurred.
Inside his mind...
The heartbeat returned.
THUMP.
THUMP.
THUMP.
Then...
Darkness.
A pair of ancient crimson eyes slowly opened within the void.
A deep voice echoed through Noah’s consciousness.
Calm.
Ancient.
Powerful.
"Will you keep struggling..."
"...or will you finally accept my strength?"
Noah clenched his fists.
He recognized that voice.
It wasn’t Azrael.
It wasn’t the First Successor.
It was something far older.
Something that had slept inside Ragnarok since the beginning.
The voice spoke once more.
"Answer carefully, Noah Blackwood."
"The fate of Ragnarok depends on your next choice."