The Hall of Oaths vanished behind Noah.
The enormous stone doors groaned shut.
BOOM!
The sound echoed across the Sixth Floor like a mountain collapsing.
For a long moment...
Nobody spoke.
Laura was the first to move.
She sheathed her black sword with practiced ease before walking toward Noah.
Her golden eyes scanned him from head to toe.
No wounds.
No new scars.
No visible injuries.
"...Are you alright?"
Noah nodded.
"I think so."
"You think?"
He scratched the back of his head.
"I honestly don’t know what just happened."
Laura stared at him for another second before giving a small nod.
"...Good."
She turned away as if that was all she wanted to know.
Lucien clicked his tongue.
"So?"
"What treasure did the Hall give you?"
Noah hesitated.
He pulled the rusted iron key from beneath his jacket.
Lucien blinked.
"...That’s it?"
"So it seems."
The Apostle took the key from Noah’s hand.
He examined it carefully.
Turned it over.
Tapped it with a finger.
Even sniffed it.
"...It’s rusty."
Selene sighed.
"You’re impossible."
"What? Maybe it’s magical rust."
The Verdant Guardian stepped forward.
Its massive wooden body creaked with every movement.
Its glowing emerald eyes settled on the key.
For the first time...
The ancient guardian lowered its head.
Not to Noah.
To the key.
"...Guardian?"
Noah whispered.
The Guardian slowly spoke.
Its voice was like ancient trees swaying in a storm.
"...Keep it."
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Noah accepted the key back.
Questions piled higher in his mind.
But he had learned something inside the Hall.
Not every mystery demanded an immediate answer.
A familiar chime echoed.
[Tower Notification]
The Sixth Floor Trial has been completed.
Reward distribution in progress...
Golden light descended over everyone.
Even Lucien raised an eyebrow.
[Reward Received]
+3 Levels
Strength +5
Agility +4
Vitality +5
Mana +3
Skill Proficiency Increased
Noah felt warmth spread throughout his body.
His exhausted muscles recovered.
The bruises from Kael’s training disappeared.
His breathing became lighter.
Level 38 → Level 41
"So that’s how the Tower rewards survivors..."
Noah muttered.
Lucien stretched his shoulders.
"Not bad."
"The old tree wasn’t completely stingy."
The Verdant Guardian ignored him.
Then another notification appeared.
Unlike the first...
This one was crimson.
Only Noah could see it.
[Hidden Quest Updated]
The Inheritance of Ragnarok
Progress: 3%
Objective:
Continue walking the path chosen by Ragnarok.
Reward: ???
Failure: Unknown
Noah frowned.
Three percent.
After everything...
Only three percent.
"...Seriously?"
Ragnar’s amused voice echoed faintly in the back of his mind.
"Did you expect legends to fit inside a single lifetime?"
The voice disappeared before Noah could answer.
Laura glanced toward the distant sky.
"The portal will open soon."
Lucien stretched lazily.
"Finally."
"I’ve had enough forests for one month."
Selene rolled her eyes.
"We’ve been here for two days."
"Felt like a month."
Suddenly...
The forest grew unnaturally quiet.
Even the wind stopped.
The Guardian slowly lifted its head toward the heavens.
Its emerald eyes narrowed.
"...Leave."
Lucien frowned.
"What?"
The Guardian’s voice became deeper.
"Leave. Now."
Every instinct Noah possessed screamed.
Danger.
Not from the Guardian.
From somewhere...
Far above.
A single shadow passed across the sky.
It was enormous.
Far too large to be a wyvern.
Or a dragon.
No details could be seen.
Only a silhouette crossing the clouds.
It disappeared as quickly as it came.
No roar.
No sound.
Nothing.
Laura’s hand instantly moved to her sword.
Her expression...
Changed.
For the first time since Noah had met her...
She looked genuinely shaken.
"...Impossible..."
Noah noticed.
"You know what that was?"
Laura remained silent.
Her grip tightened around the hilt.
"...We have to leave."
She spoke those words more firmly than ever before.
The Guardian stepped backward toward the ancient forest.
Its enormous body slowly merged with the surrounding trees.
Before vanishing completely...
It looked at Noah one last time.
"...Do not lose the key."
Then...
It was gone.
The Tower’s exit portal began to form between the trees.
A swirling gate of silver light.
The way back to Valhalla Academy.
Noah looked back once.
The Hall.
The Guardian.
The endless forest.
Everything already seemed like a dream.
He tightened his grip around the old iron key.
Without another word...
The group stepped into the portal.
None of them noticed...
High above the clouds...
Two crimson eyes silently watched their departure.
Then...
They closed.
The silver portal rippled.
A cool breeze brushed against Noah’s face.
The scent of damp earth disappeared.
In its place came polished stone, fresh grass, and the distant chatter of students.
The group stepped out one after another.
They had returned.
Valhalla Academy.
Waiting for them at the teleportation platform stood several instructors dressed in dark academy uniforms.
The moment they appeared...
An instructor shouted,
"They’re back!"
Within seconds, academy staff rushed forward.
Several healers immediately examined the students.
One by one.
Checking injuries.
Mana exhaustion.
Mental fatigue.
Noah looked around.
The academy looked exactly as it had before he entered the Tower.
Students laughed.
Some argued over training matches.
Others hurried between classes.
It felt...
Normal.
Almost too normal.
"Blackwood."
Noah turned.
Professor Astrid approached with her usual composed expression.
She crossed her arms.
"I’ve read the preliminary reports."
"You exceeded expectations."
Noah scratched his cheek.
"I mostly survived."
"...Sometimes that’s enough."
She looked toward Laura.
"...Miss Esteria."
Laura gave a respectful nod.
"Professor."
Astrid’s gaze lingered for only a moment before moving away.
Nothing unusual.
Yet Noah caught something strange.
Laura had become slightly more formal.
Almost...
Cautious.
Lucien yawned loudly.
"Can we go now?"
Astrid sighed.
"Unfortunately... no."
Lucien groaned.
"I hate paperwork."
"So does everyone."
The surviving students were escorted toward the Evaluation Hall.
A large circular building near the center of the academy.
Noah noticed something.
The number of students returning...
Was smaller.
Far smaller.
"..."
Nobody spoke.
Empty spaces in the formation said everything.
Inside the hall...
The atmosphere became even heavier.
Families waited behind velvet ropes.
Some rushed forward the moment they spotted familiar faces.
Tears.
Laughter.
Tight embraces.
Others...
Continued waiting.
Watching the entrance.
Hoping.
An elderly woman clutched a bouquet of flowers.
Her hopeful smile slowly faded as the last student entered.
She looked behind them.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
"...Excuse me."
She asked one of the instructors.
"My grandson..."
"He should be with this group."
Silence.
The instructor lowered his head.
"...I’m sorry."
The bouquet slipped from her hands.
White flowers scattered across the marble floor.
No one dared pick them up.
Noah stood frozen.
This was the first time the Tower’s cost truly felt real.
Not numbers.
Not notifications.
People.
Professor Astrid’s voice broke the silence.
"Today..."
"You survived."
"Never mistake survival for victory."
Her words echoed throughout the hall.
After the memorial ceremony ended, students were dismissed one by one.
Noah stepped outside into the late afternoon sun.
The academy suddenly felt quieter than before.
"Blackwood."
Eric jogged toward him, waving
enthusiastically.
"You idiot!"
Before Noah could react...
Eric pulled him into a rough hug.
"I thought you were dead!"
Noah laughed.
"...Nice to see you too."
Sophia approached more calmly.
Although...
Her relief was obvious.
"I’m glad you’re back."
"We heard things went wrong inside."
"They usually do."
Noah smiled.
Damien leaned against a nearby pillar.
"You’ve gotten stronger."
"A little."
"Hm."
That was all Damien said.
Yet...
For Damien...
It was genuine praise.
Luna walked over last.
She folded her arms.
"You disappeared for two days."
"I know."
"You owe us lunch."
Noah blinked.
"That’s your first concern?"
She nodded seriously.
"Food first."
"Questions later."
Eric burst into laughter.
"There she is."
Even Noah couldn’t help smiling.
For the first time in what felt like forever...
Things almost felt normal.
Almost.
Across the academy courtyard...
Laura stood alone beneath an ancient oak tree.
Watching.
She didn’t approach.
She simply observed Noah laughing with his friends.
A tiny smile appeared on her face.
"...Good."
She whispered.
Then she turned to leave.
Before she could...
A calm voice came from behind her.
"You’ve found him."
Laura stopped instantly.
Without turning around...
She answered.
"...Headmaster."
The Headmaster stood with his hands behind his back.
His expression unreadable.
"I had hoped..."
"...that you wouldn’t involve yourself so soon."
Laura remained silent.
The Headmaster looked toward Noah in the distance.
"He still knows nothing."
"No."
"And you’ll keep it that way."
"...Yes."
A long silence followed.
Finally, the Headmaster spoke.
"Good."
"Then continue watching."
"But remember..."
His eyes sharpened ever so slightly.
"Do not interfere with his path."
Laura lowered her head.
"...Understood."
Neither of them noticed...
High atop the academy’s tallest tower...
A black raven sat upon a weather vane.
Watching.
Its crimson eyes reflected Noah’s smiling face below.
Then...
Without making a sound...
It spread its wings and disappeared into the evening sky.