Chapter 141: Outcome Of The Departure

The departure platforms opened at sunrise.

For the first time in days, Hildgard’s academy district was filled with luggage, uniforms, and impatient students.

"Finally."

Eric stretched his arms above his head.

"We’re going home."

Damien glanced at him.

"You said that yesterday."

"Yesterday I was optimistic."

Sophia laughed.

Luna stood beside Laura, watching the platforms being prepared.

Everything appeared ready.

The transportation arrays had been repaired overnight. Mana crystals were glowing along the edges of the enormous platforms, and academy instructors were checking their equipment one final time.

Jordan and Joseph were among the first groups waiting near their assigned platform.

Around them, students from different academies said their last goodbyes.

The tournament was becoming a memory.

At least, that was what everyone believed.

Noah stood with Squad Seven.

His eyes remained fixed on the transportation array.

Something bothered him.

He couldn’t identify it.

"You feel something?" Laura asked quietly.

Noah nodded.

"Maybe."

Eric looked over.

"What?"

"Nothing yet."

Eric sighed.

"You keep saying things like that."

Noah smiled.

"Get used to it."

The academy staff gave the signal.

The transportation array began activating.

Mana surged through the platform.

Light spread across the stone.

Several students stepped forward.

The air vibrated.

And stopped.

The light disappeared.

Everyone stared.

A technician immediately rushed toward the control panel.

"What happened?"

Another technician checked the readings.

"Mana flow collapsed."

"Again?"

"It was stable five seconds ago."

The students began groaning.

Eric looked toward the sky.

"You’ve got to be kidding me."

Damien folded his arms.

"We’re not leaving."

Sophia sighed.

"Apparently not."

Laura looked at Noah.

He wasn’t annoyed.

He was watching the ground.

A faint vibration passed beneath his feet.

Once.

Noah’s expression changed.

"Everyone move back."

Laura immediately turned.

"Why?"

"Just move."

The platform trembled.

Not enough to damage it.

But enough for the mana crystals to flicker.

One by one, the crystals dimmed.

A technician stepped backward.

"What’s happening?"

Noah stared at the center of the platform.

The system appeared.

[Environmental Mana Disturbance Detected.]

[Source: Hildgard Underground Network.]

His eyes narrowed.

Underground network?

That hadn’t appeared before.

The notification flickered.

[Warning.]

[Ancient System Response Detected.]

Then it vanished.

Nobody else could see it.

Noah slowly clenched his hand.

Inside his mind, Dead Zone stirred.

"You felt that."

Noah didn’t answer.

"They’re getting closer."

Who?

Dead Zone remained silent.

Several streets away, Daniella was preparing to return to her academy when the ground trembled.

She stopped.

Her eyes immediately moved toward the old district.

She knew that feeling.

It was the same pressure she’d felt inside the abandoned building.

Daniella reached for her weapon.

"Alcris..."

She didn’t know how.

She didn’t know why.

But she suddenly understood one thing.

Her brother hadn’t been hiding because he was afraid of being found.

He had been hiding because he didn’t want her to find out what he was doing.

And whatever that was...

it had just started.

Deep beneath Hildgard, Alcris opened his eyes.

The three medallions floated before him.

Their golden lines had connected completely.

Balgard.

Sylthin.

Flaros.

A faint pulse passed through all three.

Alcris smiled.

"It’s responding."

The woman’s voice whispered from the darkness.

"The city remembers."

Alcris looked toward the ceiling.

"And now?"

A long silence followed.

"Now we wait."

Above them, fifteen academies remained trapped inside Hildgard.

The departure had failed.

Again.

Nobody knew why.

Nobody knew that this time, the failure wasn’t mechanical.

Hildgard itself had refused to let them leave.

The failed departure left the academy district unusually quiet.

Nobody was laughing anymore.

The instructors gathered around the transportation platform, examining the mana crystals and control mechanisms. Every visible component appeared functional.

That was the problem.

"Run the diagnostic again."

"We already did."

"And?"

"Everything is normal."

The instructor stared at him.

"Normal systems don’t shut themselves down."

The technician had no answer.

Around them, students waited impatiently.

Eric crossed his arms.

"So we’re trapped?"

Damien glanced at him.

"Technically, we’re delayed."

"That’s what they called it yesterday."

Sophia looked toward Noah.

He hadn’t spoken since the platform failed.

Laura noticed too.

"What are you thinking?"

Noah looked down.

"The system said something."

"What?"

"An underground network."

Laura frowned.

"Hildgard has underground structures?"

"Apparently."

Damien overheard them.

"Old cities usually do."

"No," Noah said. "This felt different."

His eyes moved toward the ground.

"Like something was connected to the entire city."

Before anyone could respond, a low vibration passed through the platform.

This time, everyone felt it.

The mana crystals flickered.

Several students stepped backward.

A crack appeared across one of the stone tiles.

It was thin.

Barely visible.

But the crack continued spreading.

Someone shouted.

"Get away from the platform!"

The students scattered.

The crack stopped.

Silence returned.

Eric stared at the floor.

"Okay."

He pointed toward it.

"That’s officially not a transportation problem."

Damien nodded.

"Agreed."

Across the city, Jordan and Joseph felt the vibration as well.

They had been walking toward the central district when the pavement shifted beneath them.

Jordan stopped.

"Again."

Joseph looked around.

People were already emerging from shops.

"What is happening?"

Nobody knew.

A merchant stepped outside.

"Was that another earthquake?"

An elderly man nearby shook his head.

"No."

Jordan looked at him.

"You know something?"

The old man stared toward the ancient towers.

"Hildgard doesn’t shake like that."

Joseph frowned.

"Then what does it do?"

The old man didn’t answer.

He simply walked away.

Jordan watched him disappear into the crowd.

"That was helpful."

Joseph sighed.

"Very."

Daniella reached the old district.

The abandoned building was exactly where she’d left it.

She entered.

The underground chamber was empty.

Alcris was gone.

But the three medallions were no longer there either.

Daniella’s eyes narrowed.

She searched the room.

Nothing.

Only a faint golden mark remained on the stone table.

She touched it.

A pulse ran through her fingers.

Daniella immediately pulled her hand away.

"What are you doing, Alcris?"

Her voice echoed through the chamber.

No answer.

She turned toward the exit.

A faint sound came from beneath the floor.

Thump.

Daniella froze.

Another.

Thump.

She slowly looked down.

The sound wasn’t coming from the building.

It was coming from deeper below.

Something was beating.

Like a heart.

Daniella stepped backward.

Her weapon was already in her hand.

The floor trembled.

A thin golden line appeared between the stones.

Daniella stared at it.

For the first time, she understood why Alcris had been afraid of being found.

He hadn’t discovered an ordinary secret.

He had found something that was still alive.

At Valhalla, Noah suddenly grabbed his chest.

His breathing stopped.

The system appeared.

[Ragnarok Dead Zone Resonance: 8.7%]

The number jumped.

8.8%.

Noah’s eyes widened.

Inside his mind, Dead Zone opened its eyes.

"It’s awake."

Noah swallowed.

"What is?"

Dead Zone looked toward the endless darkness.

"Hildgard."

A deep vibration rolled beneath the city.

And somewhere far below them...

something answered.