Chapter 171: Before Ragnarok There was….

The realm answered.

Golden light erupted from beneath Noah’s feet, racing across the fractured floor in every direction.

The collapsing crimson world suddenly became silent.

No explosions.

No screams.

No system warnings.

Even the figure stopped moving.

Noah stood alone within the golden radiance, his broken Shadowfang left behind with Dead Zone.

The figure stared at him.

"You finally understand."

Noah shook his head.

"No."

The golden light climbed his body, wrapping around his arms and shoulders.

"I don’t understand anything."

His golden eye burned brighter.

"But I’m done being afraid of what I don’t understand."

The figure raised one hand.

Black symbols appeared across the air.

The golden light immediately recoiled.

[HOST AUTHORITY CONTESTED.]

[UNKNOWN SIGNATURE ATTEMPTING TO ESTABLISH CONTROL.]

Noah felt something pull at his mind.

A thousand voices whispered at once.

Open.

Remember.

Return.

His knees almost buckled.

Dead Zone stepped forward.

"Noah!"

The ancient prisoner struggled against the chains.

"Do not answer the voices!"

Noah gritted his teeth.

"I know."

The figure slowly approached.

"You cannot defeat what is already inside you."

Noah looked directly into its white eye.

"Maybe."

He raised his hand.

"But I can decide what happens next."

The golden light suddenly compressed into his palm.

The figure stopped.

"What are you doing?"

Noah smiled faintly.

"I don’t need to know your name."

The light exploded.

"I only need you to know mine."

The entire realm shook.

"Noah Blackwood."

The words echoed across the darkness.

The broken-crown symbol beneath his chest shattered.

A wave of golden energy erupted outward, ripping through the black symbols surrounding the figure.

For the first time, the figure screamed.

Not from pain.

From recognition.

The Watcher, still barely holding itself together, turned toward Noah.

Its remaining eyes flashed.

[HOST DESIGNATION CONFIRMED.]

[NOAH BLACKWOOD.]

[ERROR.]

[NOAH BLACKWOOD.]

The system repeated his name several times, each notification becoming clearer.

The crimson realm began rejecting the unknown entity.

The figure stumbled backward.

"No..."

Golden chains erupted from the floor and wrapped around its arms.

The ancient prisoner stared in disbelief.

"You remembered yourself."

Noah looked at his hands.

The golden light was fading.

But something had changed.

The pressure inside his chest was quieter.

Not gone.

Contained.

Dead Zone walked toward him, Shadowfang resting against his shoulder.

"You actually did it."

Noah exhaled.

"Apparently."

A crack appeared behind them.

The passage to the forest widened.

Roana’s voice came through.

"Noah!"

He turned.

The figure suddenly smiled again.

"You think this is victory?"

Noah looked back.

The white eye began closing.

"Your name opened the door."

The figure sank into the darkness.

"But something else heard it."

The passage exploded open.

Noah, Dead Zone, and the golden-black entity were thrown toward the light.

The last thing Noah saw before crossing through was the ancient prisoner being dragged beneath the shattered seal.

And the last thing he heard was its voice.

"Do not trust the one wearing your face."

Then Noah woke.

Noah woke to the smell of smoke.

His eyes opened slowly.

Dark branches stretched across the sky.

For several seconds, he simply stared upward, trying to remember where he was.

Then the pain returned.

His ribs burned. His shoulder throbbed. His hands were covered in shallow cuts, and blood had dried across his fingers.

He was back in the forest.

Hrafnviðr.

"Noah!"

Laura’s voice reached him.

She dropped beside him, followed by Sophia, Luna, Eric, and Damien.

Laura immediately checked his condition.

"You’re alive."

Noah managed a weak smile.

"That’s usually considered good news."

Sophia crouched beside him. "You disappeared."

"I noticed."

"You were unconscious for almost a minute."

Noah frowned.

Only a minute?

It had felt like hours.

He pushed himself upright.

Dead Zone was nowhere in sight.

Neither was the golden-black entity.

Noah looked around.

"Where’s the hooded girl?"

The others exchanged glances.

Laura looked toward the trees.

"Roana?"

Noah’s expression changed.

"You know her name?"

Laura nodded slowly.

"She told us."

Noah tried to stand.

His legs nearly gave out.

Eric caught him.

"Easy."

Noah steadied himself against Eric’s shoulder.

"Where is she?"

No answer came.

Then Damien pointed.

"There."

Several meters away, beneath a massive black tree, Roana sat against the trunk.

Her hood was gone.

Long dark hair covered part of her face. Blood stained her clothing, and one hand pressed against her abdomen.

She looked exhausted.

But alive.

Noah started walking toward her.

Roana noticed him.

Her eyes widened.

"You came back."

Noah stopped.

"You sound surprised."

"I was."

She looked down at the ground.

"For a while, I thought you wouldn’t."

Noah studied her.

"You knew what was inside that realm."

Roana’s expression tightened.

"I knew enough to be afraid of it."

"Who sent you?"

Silence.

Sophia and Luna exchanged a glance.

Roana slowly raised her eyes.

"That isn’t something I can tell you."

Noah stepped closer.

"Then tell me what you can."

Roana hesitated.

Her gaze moved toward Laura.

Something unreadable passed through her expression.

Then she looked back at Noah.

"The Watcher wasn’t hunting you because of Ragnarok."

Noah’s face hardened.

"Then why?"

Roana swallowed.

"Because something attached to you before Ragnarok ever did."

Laura went still.

Noah felt the golden seal inside his chest pulse once.

Roana noticed.

Her eyes widened.

"You can feel it."

Noah nodded.

"Barely."

Roana looked genuinely frightened.

"Then we have a bigger problem."

A sound came from the forest.

Snap.

Everyone turned.

Another branch broke.

Then another.

The trees ahead began moving.

Not from wind.

Something was walking between them.

Laura summoned her weapon.

Sophia and Luna moved beside her.

Eric and Damien took defensive positions.

Noah reached for Shadowfang.

The sword was still with Dead Zone.

He cursed quietly.

Roana slowly stood.

Her hand tightened around her silver blade.

"What is it?" Noah asked.

Roana stared into the darkness.

"I don’t know."

A crimson eye opened between the trees.

Then another.

And another.

Roana’s face went pale.

"That shouldn’t be here."

Noah stared at the eyes.

"How many?"

Roana whispered:

"Too many."

Behind Noah, his shadow moved.

But Noah didn’t.

And from somewhere inside that shadow came a quiet voice.

They’re not coming for you.

A pause.

They’re coming for me.