Chapter 596: What Remains Hot

A profound, breathless stillness settled over the crystalline amphitheater as the final second of the countdown expired.

"Now... initiate total suppression!" Hajin commanded, his voice ringing like a bronze trumpet across the subterranean cavern.

Nari drove both palms into the flagstones, her four ruby wings detonating in a dazzling shockwave of crimson spatial mana.

"No Exit... absolute territorial lock!" the younger scout shouted, her teeth gritted as the spatial field seized the black iron collar.

The four corrupted purge valves froze instantly in mid-rotation, immobilized beneath sixty seconds of impenetrable ruby paralysis.

Simultaneously, Rumi sprang into the air, her four amber wings unfurling three luminous transit ribbons across the chamber.

"Many Roads... open the channels!" the elder runner called out, rotating the soul flow into the awaiting preservation plates.

The first wave of soprano frequencies surged through the primary conduit, wrapped in Vella’s soothing golden restoration warmth.

Hajin leaped across the reflecting pool alongside Ferra, their bodies moving in flawless, synchronized harmony.

"Aim for the posterior casting seam!" the smith yelled, driving her runic cold-chisel directly into the three-millimeter groove.

"Sever the tyrant’s shackle!" the young lord roared, bringing down his celestial sovereign blade with cataclysmic precision.

The crescent of violet light struck the runic chisel with the force of a falling meteor, slicing clean through the tempered iron.

A blinding flash illuminated every crystal stalactite in the cavern as the tyrannical collar split violently in two.

Deafening acoustic thunder echoed between the high cavern walls, scattering glowing runic embers across the reflecting pool.

A shockwave of released spiritual tension rippled through the subterranean atmosphere, dissolving the ancient curses that poisoned the air.

The blackened iron collar fractured into jagged shards, splashing harmlessly into the dark waters of the reflecting pool below.

Without the oppressive binding compelling their sorrow, the silver organ pipes released a long, harmonious sigh of pure relief.

Thousands of luminous phantom projections drifted out of the apparatus, their translucent faces radiant with newfound peace.

Rumi adjusted the mass flow of Many Roads, guiding the second and third choral waves safely into the silver preservation plates.

"Second wave secure... third wave entering the final plates!" the agile runner reported, her amber wings beating gently in the air.

Each circular plate absorbed dozens of soul imprints, glowing with the gentle, steady warmth of a lit hearth on a winter evening.

Not a single mortal soul was lost, damaged, or redacted during the delicate extraction process.

The little girl’s spirit hovered beside the central plate, smiling with overflowing gratitude as she touched the etched silver rim.

"Our names are safe," she whispered, her translucent form beginning to dissolve into sweet, tranquil slumber.

"Our mothers’ songs and our fathers’ lanterns... they will live on in the light."

"Sleep in peace, little one," Hajin spoke softly, placing a hand near the plate to bless her eternal rest.

"We will guard your memories with everything we have," the young lord promised against the gleaming surface.

Vella knelt beside the plates, tears streaming down her face as she smoothed her golden healing mana across their gleaming surfaces.

"They are resting peacefully," the healer confirmed, her voice choked with joyful emotion.

"Every memory is intact, preserved with absolute fidelity for all eternity."

"No darkness will ever reach their dreams again."

The soft golden radiance of the plates illuminated the quiet pool, casting rippling patterns of serene comfort across the water.

At the very center of the dismantled mechanism, where the silver pipes converged, a brilliant divine light erupted into the cavern.

A flawless crystalline teardrop of pure celestial authority rose from the empty housing, pulsing with ancient maternal resonance.

It was the stolen sliver of the divine mother, kept captive for centuries to power the archive’s extraction engines.

Hajin extended his right hand toward the teardrop, feeling the profound, familiar pull of the celestial fragment in his soul.

The sliver drifted forward, melting smoothly into the palm of his hand and dissolving into his spiritual core like pure sunlight.

[ Sovereign extraction complete: Memory choir collar destroyed ]

[ All mortal memories successfully preserved to storage plates: 0 erased ]

[ Host experience awarded: 50,000,000 EXP ]

[ Hajin host EXP: 630,000,000 / 1,000,000,000 ]

[ Divine fragment reclaimed: Sovereign memory core ]

[ Fragment recovery milestone achieved: 50.00% total restoration ]

A majestic surge of sovereign power cascaded through Hajin’s spiritual pathways, expanding the aura of his six celestial rings.

Fifty million experience points settled into his core, propelling his journey toward the seventh ring to an unprecedented height.

More importantly, the reclamation of the memory sliver pushed his total fragment recovery to exactly fifty percent.

The halfway milestone of his epic divine quest was officially conquered, anchoring his sovereign domain upon unshakable foundations.

"Fifty percent restored," the young lord murmured, watching the golden divine runes weave seamlessly into his flesh.

"Half of her scattered essence has returned to the light, and the remaining half will follow."

A profound sense of celestial wholeness resonated through his marrow, elevating his sovereign senses to an entirely new plane of existence.

The mechanical humming of the ancient organ subsided entirely, leaving the crystalline cathedral in sacred, reverent silence.

The silver conduits hung motionless above the reflecting pool, emptied of their forced sorrow and returned to peaceful rest.

"The cavern feels completely different now," Lucan observed, carefully sealing the twenty preservation plates inside padded cases.

"The acoustic pressure that crushed our chests for hours has vanished into thin air."

"Their long suffering is finally finished," the smith stated, wiping sweat and soot from her face as she secured her tools.

"The machine has stopped shouting at the world."

Hajin walked slowly along the edge of the reflecting pool, looking at the quiet silver pipes with deep, respectful solemnity.

"The voice is gone, but the memories are not," the summoner spoke aloud, his words carrying the quiet permanence of truth.

"A tyrant built this organ to weaponize their grief, but love took off their chains and gave them back their peace."

Nari stepped beside him, her four ruby wings resting gently against her back as she looked at the stacked cases.

"We kept our promise to that little girl," the younger scout whispered, her feline eyes glistening with tender pride.

"We did not throw away a single song or a single tear."

"That is what makes this victory worth fighting for," Rumi agreed, resting her head affectionately against her sister’s shoulder.

"We walked through the dark, and we brought everyone home."

"Not a single soul was abandoned to the frost."

The water of the reflecting pool lay completely still, mirroring the peaceful crystal arches like an undisturbed mirror of liquid silver.

The companions gathered upon the marble platform beside the reflecting pool, preparing for the journey back to the surface.

Lucan finished labeling each preservation case with meticulous care, indexing every village and family name in his record.

"These plates will be transported to the provincial sanctuary," the scholar reported, securing the brass locks.

"Their descendants will be able to visit them, read their names, and hear their original voices whenever they wish."

"A true sanctuary of remembrance, not an instrument of royal extraction," Hajin approved, nodding with profound satisfaction.

The young lord reviewed the operational window, confirming that the party’s logistical parameters remained entirely uncompromised.

"Our record holds seventy-four thousand four hundred thirty-five credits," he confirmed to his companions.

"Host experience stands at 630 million points, and fragment recovery holds firm at fifty percent."

"Both scout sisters have fully integrated their fourth-wing authorities into practical team coordination."

Ferra let out a hearty, booming laugh, clapping both feline scouts warmly on their backs.

"You two fought like seasoned veterans of the vanguard today," the smith praised proudly.

"Tonight, we celebrate with roasted meats and sweet pastries back at the capital camp!"

"I am holding you to that promise, smith!" the elder scout laughed, her stomach letting out an energetic rumble.

"Running three spatial routes makes a girl exceptionally hungry!"

"Then let us pack the gear and head toward the hearth fires," the younger sister chimed in cheerfully.

The companions hoisted their supply bags and secured the preservation crates, their spirits lifted by the triumphant conclusion of the ordeal.

High above the subterranean ruins, the celestial stream broadcast erupted into a historic, universe-shaking celebration.

[ Seoul_Tactician: "Half the fragments are back! Does anyone know what the other half still holds?" ]

[ StarlightScholar: "’The voice is gone, but the memories are not!’ What an unforgettable philosophical triumph!" ]

[ IronVanguard: "Fifty million EXP awarded! Hajin reaches 630,000,000 EXP! The seventh ring is drawing closer!" ]

[ HearthKeeper: "Zero memories erased! Every single soul preserved with warmth and dignity! Pure tears of joy!" ]

[ VoidWatcher_42: "Exact record verified! 74,435 credits untouched, Hajin at 630M EXP, FR at 50.00%!" ]

[ BattleMage_Jin: "That bloodline answer is still ahead! The mystery of Permanent Bloodline Integration begins!" ]

Hajin stood beneath the glowing crystal ceiling, feeling the profound transformation resonating within his divine core.

The halfway milestone was far more than an abstract percentage, as it proved that mortal compassion could triumph over ancient tyranny.

"We completed the extraction without compromising our humanity," the young lord declared, looking upon his loyal companions.

Yet immediately ahead lay deeper philosophical questions that no simple physical battle could ever hope to resolve.

The offer of Permanent Bloodline Integration awaited them, presenting five profound limits that demanded complete ethical clarity.

The family left the girl’s answer untouched for the night, giving her the quiet she asked for.

The hearth fire called to them, promising warmth and shelter before the dawn of another difficult choice.

"You can decide after breakfast," Hajin told the child, leaving her hand free.

Hajin closed the registry without pressing her for a decision, and the child carried her own blanket toward supper.