Chapter 170: Unexisted Power

The figure smiled.

Not with its mouth.

Its single white eye curved slightly, as though the sight of Noah standing before it had awakened an ancient amusement.

"Why are you wearing his inheritance?"

Noah’s sword trembled against the figure’s finger.

Dead Zone’s crimson aura surged violently.

"Don’t speak his name."

The figure tilted its head.

"Still protective of a stolen identity?"

Shadowfang cracked.

A thin fracture traveled along the blade, spreading toward Noah’s hands. Golden light and crimson energy fought to keep the sword intact, but the pressure coming from the figure was overwhelming.

Noah gritted his teeth.

"What do you mean, wearing his inheritance?"

The figure’s white eye focused on him.

"You were not chosen."

The words struck harder than the force holding back his sword.

"You were placed."

The golden-black entity suddenly moved, slamming its fist into the figure’s shoulder. This time, the invisible barrier weakened. The impact forced the emerging body halfway through the broken seal.

The ancient prisoner followed, ripping its remaining chains apart and driving both hands into the darkness.

"Do not let it finish speaking!"

The figure turned its eye toward them.

"Still hiding the first failure?"

The ancient prisoner froze.

Its body began trembling.

Noah noticed.

So did Dead Zone.

They know each other, Noah thought.

The figure’s attention returned to him.

"Ragnarok was never meant to belong to a human."

Dead Zone’s aura erupted.

"Enough!"

He forced Shadowfang forward.

The figure’s finger finally moved.

The sword snapped.

A shockwave hurled Noah and Dead Zone across the realm. Noah crashed against a floating piece of the shattered seal, pain tearing through his ribs. Dead Zone landed on one knee, his crimson form flickering.

SHADOWFANG INTEGRITY: 61%.

DUAL SYNCHRONIZATION TERMINATED.

CONSCIOUSNESS STABILITY: 17% → 11%.

Noah struggled to breathe.

The broken sword remained in his hands.

Its blade was fractured, but the crimson runes continued glowing.

Dead Zone rose beside him.

"You asked too many questions."

Noah wiped blood from his mouth. "You knew something."

"I knew it was dangerous."

"That isn’t an answer."

"No. It’s survival."

The figure emerged farther from the broken seal.

Its body was covered in dark cloth, but beneath the fabric, golden symbols moved across its skin. The white eye remained fixed on Noah, studying him with unsettling patience.

"You are asking what you inherited," it said.

The realm began folding around its body.

"But the question is wrong."

The figure extended its hand.

"You should ask what inherited you."

Noah felt the golden seal inside his chest respond.

The black mark shaped like a broken crown ignited.

His body locked in place.

Something beneath his heart opened.

The system appeared in a burst of corrupted text.

INTERNAL AUTHORITY OVERRIDE DETECTED.

RAGNAROK SIGNATURE: SUPPRESSED.

SECOND SIGNATURE: AWAKENING.

HOST DESIGNATION:—

The final line vanished.

Noah’s golden eye widened.

The figure stepped closer.

Dead Zone moved in front of him, Shadowfang raised despite its broken blade.

The figure looked at Dead Zone.

"You are the wall."

Its eye shifted toward Noah.

"And he is the door."

The golden-black entity suddenly seized the figure by the throat.

"Do not touch him."

For the first time, the figure’s smile disappeared.

The ancient prisoner whispered from behind them.

"Run, Noah."

The broken realm began collapsing faster.

"Run before it remembers how to open you."

The golden-black entity’s fingers tightened around the figure’s throat.

For the first time, the white eye flickered.

The collapsing realm groaned around them. Pieces of the shattered seal drifted upward, swallowed by the widening darkness overhead. Beneath Noah’s feet, the remaining floor had begun dissolving into black ash.

"Run!" the ancient prisoner shouted again.

Noah looked toward the broken edges of the realm. "Run where?"

The prisoner pointed toward a narrow passage opening behind the golden-black entity. It was barely visible, bordered by golden chains and flickering fragments of forgotten memories.

"Through there!"

Dead Zone glanced at the passage, then back at the figure.

"We’re not leaving that thing behind."

The golden-black entity drove the figure into the ground.

The impact sent a shockwave across the realm. The white eye narrowed, and dark threads erupted from beneath the figure’s clothing, wrapping around the entity’s arm.

The entity tore them away.

"Still weak," it growled.

The figure’s hand snapped upward.

A black symbol appeared against the entity’s chest.

The golden-black armor immediately began cracking.

Noah recognized the mark.

It was the same broken-crown symbol buried in the golden seal.

"Get away from it!" he shouted.

The entity looked down at the mark.

For a fraction of a second, its crimson eye widened.

The figure used that hesitation to break free. Its body blurred, appearing several steps away beside the ancient prisoner.

The prisoner tried to retreat.

The figure caught its wrist.

Golden chains erupted from the prisoner’s body, tightening around its limbs and dragging it toward the broken seal.

"No!" the prisoner roared.

The figure’s white eye turned toward Noah.

"Witness the consequence of remembering."

The prisoner’s body began splitting into golden fragments.

Noah felt its pain surge through the realm.

Dead Zone moved before Noah could react, rushing toward the figure with Shadowfang raised.

The figure flicked its wrist.

Dead Zone was thrown backward.

Noah caught him before he struck the collapsing floor, but the force drove both of them onto their knees.

"Damn it," Dead Zone hissed.

The figure pulled the prisoner closer to the seal.

The ancient being struggled against the chains, its golden blood spilling into the abyss.

"Noah!" it shouted. "The passage! Now!"

Noah looked at the opening.

Beyond it, he could see a faint glow.

Not golden.

Not crimson.

A pale, ordinary light.

The forest.

The physical world.

Roana.

His grip tightened around Shadowfang’s broken hilt.

"If I leave, what happens to you?"

The prisoner’s empty golden eyes fixed on him.

"I have already remained too long."

The figure began dragging it through the shattered seal.

The golden-black entity attacked once more, but a wall of black symbols erupted between them. Its fist struck the barrier and stopped.

The figure spoke without looking away from Noah.

"You cannot save every prisoner."

Noah felt something inside his chest stir.

The unknown presence beneath his golden seal whispered.

But you can open every door.

He ignored it.

Instead, he shoved Shadowfang into Dead Zone’s hand.

Dead Zone stared at him. "What are you doing?"

"Buy me a few seconds."

"You have no weapon."

Noah stood.

Golden light gathered around his injured body.

"I have one."

The figure turned toward him.

Noah stepped forward, directly into the collapsing darkness.

"My name."

The golden seal beneath his chest ignited.

And the entire realm answered.