Lord Veran drove the stolen foundation key deeper into the fractured floor, compelling five surviving occupied circles to constrict around his stance.
No uncounted anchor lines remained: Ferra grounded the spare routes, leaving only the five captive branches entering the chamber from their mapped positions.
The complete hostage inventory stood verified upon Didi's chalk slate, comprising exactly two unwilling healers and three trapped palace guards.
[Anchors: 5]
[Inventory: 2 healers / 3 guards]
Aria projected a private status overlay before Hajin as the ward circuits flared with malevolent intensity.
"The fused incarnation core contains reclaimable authority that dwarfs your remaining 5,520,000 experience threshold by several multiples," she whispered through their mental link.
"A single uninhibited severance strike would instantly propel you across the fifth Ring milestone without further combat."
