In the now silent shrine, the trio stood frozen, the weight of what had just happened refusing to settle. Altherion was gone, leaving behind his legacy—or perhaps, blessings—for the battles to come.
It was Lyr who finally broke the heavy silence.
"The light touched Lyr... Altherion appeared before me. He looked like a half-dragon... and spoke …dragon's tongue. He gave Lyr a title... and skills."
"He appeared to me too! But... he looked like the first King of Solaria." - Serenya's eyes widened – "He spoke of the responsibility I must bear...". Her voice wavered, but she pressed on, "He said it will hurt... but he wants me to stay strong…for the people's soul."
Jin just listened, still silent but nodding slowly. Words seemed heavy on his tongue.
Finally, they stepped out of the shrine. Outside, the spirits were gone. The once bustling village now lay truly abandoned; silent and hollow. As they walked through these empty streets, their steps slowing down. Their eyes observed on every detail, wanting to etched it all in their mind, as if to honor the lives and stories that once abandoned here.
At the village's entrance, something new awaited them: a blurry, misty film stretched across the gate like a barrier.
They approached cautiously.
Suddenly, Lyr clutched his head lightly.
"Lyr... sees something. A vision. It said... 'Portal'? What's a portal?"
"Me too! It said... 'Dungeon's Portal'...?" - Serenya blinked rapidly.
They both turned to Jin, who looked just as confused—until his eyes sharpened.
"Wait... now I... I can see Jin's name too! And... and something red and blue... bars? What's 'level'? What's the number 61?!" - Serenya cried, panicking a little.
"Calm down. Lyr sees it too. Lyr sees... 'level' like Jin sometimes mutters about," - Lyr said, steadying her.
"You guys can see... HP and MP bars now? And my level?!" - Jin finally spoke, frowning.
"Jin knew about this?! And Lyr too?!" - Serenya exclaimed.
"Yes," - Lyr said simply.
"Yes," - Jin agreed. "But... listen, Serenya. There's something I haven't told you, yet. Not because I wanted to hide it... but because it's complicated."
And there, standing under the ghostly mist, Jin told her everything…about his past life, the Life and Death God, the skills, the truth of how he came to this world.
When he finished, Serenya's mouth hung open.
"So... you're saying... now I can see the world... the way Jin does? Through your eyes?" - she gasped.
"That's your takeaway from all this?" - Lyr deadpanned.
"What?! Yes—and no! I mean—did you even hear everything he said?!" - Serenya sputtered.
"You got the gist, at least. Yes. I'm not from this land" - Jin chuckled dryly.
"Y…You're like Altherion…a hero, a god's apostle." – Serenya muttered.
Then, Serenya bit her lip and muttered under her breath
"Now... now I can get stronger... strong enough to finally stand by his side…"
Lyr gave her a sidelong glance but wisely said nothing. Instead, he turned back to Jin.
"So... what's a portal?"
"Ah. A Portal's like a gate; you pass through it and either move deeper into the dungeon, or sometimes it can take you back to the surface." - Jin snapped back to the present.
"So... it's a gate. Got it," - Lyr nodded, satisfied. "Then no point lingering. Let's move."
Without further hesitation, they stepped toward the mist.
The moment they stepped into the mist, the world twisted.
It wasn't the clean, glorious teleportation Jin had always imagined in the novels he once read. No. This felt more like being shoved into a washing machine set on "maximum betrayal" mode.
The ground vanished beneath their feet. Colors smeared. Their bodies flipped and tumbled through empty space, weightless and heavy all at once.
And then
Thud.
They slammed onto solid ground, sprawling in a heap.
"Ugh...what...what just happened..." - Lyr groaned, clutching his head like it might float away if he let go. His wings twitched weakly behind him.
Jin tried to get up, but his knees buckled like wet paper.
"...Nope. I'm staying down."
He collapsed back onto the ground with a grunt.
Serenya wasn't so lucky. She staggered two steps forward…eyes wide, mouth opening…and then…
"Bleeaarrghh!"
She emptied the contents of her stomach right onto the nearest patch of dirt.
Lyr immediately scooted three meters away with surprising speed for a half-dizzy draconic boy.
Jin didn't even try to move. He just tilted his head sideways, muttering,
"Well. Don't worry, I assume this will soon go away…"
Serenya wiped her mouth, her face flushed redder than a fresh apple.
"I-I'm fine! I'm fine!" - she squeaked, avoiding eye contact.
"You are not fine," - Jin said, half laughing, half groaning as he finally rolled onto his side.
"Lyr is... still standing, Lyr's fine," - Lyr said proudly—and then immediately flopped over onto his back.
They lay there for a while, catching their breaths, letting the world stop spinning.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Jin forced himself to sit up.
Serenya still looked queasy but managed a shaky smile. "Maybe... maybe next time it'll be better?"
Jin raised a brow. "Next time? We survived this one. Don't think it will happen soon."
With no monsters, no more surprises (thank the gods), they stumbled their way out of the dungeon grounds and headed back toward the edge of the forest. Fortunately, or not, the horses are still teethed there.
Each step felt heavier than the last, not because they were injured, but because they were drained—body, mind, and soul. The events at the shrine, the portal's assault on their senses, the sheer emotional weight of it all—it clung to them like heavy cloaks.
The evening sky was painted with the faint amber of a setting sun as the trio rode up to the western gate of the Radiant Dominion. Their horses, worn but steady, clopped over the cobblestone road with a rhythm that somehow soothed the exhaustion hanging over them like a shroud.
As they approached, one of the gate guards raised a hand.
"Halt! Identify your…"
The moment his eyes settled on the trio; he blinked in surprise. "Oh, it's you lot…"
His gaze darted to the badges on their cloaks, the Adventurer Guild's insignia glinting in the fading light.
"Didn't recognize you for a second; you look like you got dragged through three dungeons and spat out the wrong way," - he muttered. Then, more seriously, "Guild Master VeilQuinn's been asking about you. Said he didn't know where you'd gone. Not urgent, just… looking for you."
"Thanks. We'll head there now." - Jin gave a tired nod.
The guard stepped aside.
"Welcome back, then. Hope the mission was worth the dirt on your faces."
They passed through the gate and head onto the noble's district, lanterns beginning to flicker to life on every corner. Familiar sights returned to greet them: the cobbled paths, distant market chatter, the sweet scent of baked bread mixing with the chill of dusk.
When the Adventurers' Guild came into view—tall, proud, and lit from within—it felt like returning home from a storm.
Inside, the usual din of voices, clinking mugs, and casual boasts met their ears. Adventurers filled the main floor, but as the trio entered, a few heads turned. Even among the rough and seasoned, the three of them looked... different. Changed.
The receptionist behind the counter gasped when she saw them.
"You're back! Gods, we thought you'd left the city entirely!" - She glanced around, then leaned closer. "Guild Master VeilQuinn's been asking after you. Wait here, I'll fetch him."
She disappeared up the stairs.
Moments later, VeilQuinn himself descended; silver hair slightly out of place, his expression taut with concern. He spotted them and let out a slow breath.
"Where in the seven suns have you been?" - he said, gesturing for them to follow him. "I thought you were just resting at the inn before coming here for training. The duel is tomorrow at noon. Were you planning to skip practice for a holiday?"
They followed him up the stairs without complaint.
Inside his office on the second floor, VeilQuinn shut the door behind them and turned, arms crossed. "Explain."
Serenya looked at Jin, then Lyr. Jin stepped forward.
"We received an anonymous letter the night we reunited with Lyr. It mentioned a hidden shrine in the forest northwest of the city. It… intrigued us. We thought it might've been a minor old ruin or forgotten place of interest. So, we left to investigate it at dawn, next morning without notifying you."
"A shrine?" - VeilQuinn's brow furrowed.
Jin nodded and handed him the letter—now blank, its writing vanished as though it had never existed.
"This is what's left of it. Doesn't say anything now."
Then, with measured detail, he recounted their journey:
How they rode to the northwest edge of the forest.
How they found a marking seal which lead to undiscovered dungeon… and then the Shrine.
VeilQuinn listened without interrupting.
Jin told him of the strange trials: Curiosity, Discipline, Comradeship, and Inner Self.
Of the spirit murals that pulled them into illusions.
Of the figure they met before every trial…the calm presence that later called Altherion.
VeilQuinn had remained still the whole time…until that name was spoken.
"Altherion…?" he echoed, straightening. "His Majesty the First—Altherion Solvane Radiant?"
Serenya answered softly, "Yes… we met him. At first, we didn't realize who he was. He seemed like just another spirit. Beside… we didn't know what the first king even looked like."
"After the murals… after his… illusion… we knew." - Lyr added, slowly "He said things. About the future. About what was to come. Then… gave us his blessing."
VeilQuinn's eyes widened, lips parting in stunned silence.
"His blessing…?" he whispered. "You received his blessing?"
He let out a shaky breath, almost laughing in disbelief.
"There's no treasure, no crown, no divine relic in the world that could compare. To see His Majesty… let alone be blessed by him…"
"And through that blessing, it seems Serenya and Lyr…" - Jin added quietly "can see the system now too. About levels, races, HP, MP bars."
"So, you can see them as well?" - VeilQuinn turned sharply toward Serenya and Lyr.
Serenya's eyes narrowed.
"Wait. Too? You knew about this system already, didn't you? That's why you asked me to leave the other day—so you could speak with Jin alone!"
"Yes." - VeilQuinn didn't deny it. "Despite I couldn't see it, I've known of the system long before meeting you all. I've encountered someone like Jin before… a long time ago. But you and Lyr are the first natives I've ever seen awaken to it."
He looked between them, then lowered his voice.
"You need to understand. This power… it's no gift. It's dangerous. In the wrong hands, the system could destroy this world. People like Jin… like Altherion… are this world's only irregulars."
He turned to Lyr, then Serenya. His voice softened, but it held weight.
"And now that you both carry this power, your paths will change too. This system isn't just numbers. It will test your soul. Just like it did to Jin. If you choose to continue, there's no turning back. This path is long… painful. Full of burden."
A quiet pause.
Lyr looked at Serenya. She met his gaze. Neither needed words.
"As holy dragon kin… bestowed by His Majesty Altherion… Lyr will always stand at Jin's side."
Serenya followed, voice firm.
"As Saintess of Light, also blessed by Altherion… I will carry my duty—to heal the souls of our people. The task I've been given is sacred. I will not turn away."
VeilQuinn exhaled, lips curling into a rare, soft smile.
"Well said. You've done him proud. All three of you."
He stepped back behind his desk and gave a slow nod.
"Then I, VeilQuinn of the Radiant Adventurer's Guild, will do what I can to support you. On behalf of His Majesty Altherion… I'll stand with you."
Jin, still processing, paused. Something in that last sentence stuck.
"Wait… what do you mean 'on his behalf'?" - He frowned.
VeilQuinn's eyes flicked to Jin.
And then… he smiled. But this time, there was something else behind it. Regret? Respect?
He didn't answer.
"Well then," VeilQuinn said, moving toward the door. "It's late. You all look half-dead. Get back to the inn. This time, don't run off into the mist. You've got a duel to win tomorrow, Jin."
"Wait…Guild Master…VeilQuinn…I need an answer" – Jin exclaimed.
Before they could press further, he opened the door and all but shoved them gently out.
Later that night, some swore they saw VeilQuinn ride toward the palace in haste—cloak billowing behind him like wings of silver.
And he didn't return until the duel was over.