Yeah, well. This was Hinata. It didn't surprise me that she could pull off something like that—she was strong, disciplined, and ruthlessly efficient in battle. I'd already tested her strength before—defeated her and even Luminous in single combat. I knew what she was capable of. Hinata was powerful, yes—but against me, she was still just a spark before a blazing star.
Ramiris hovered in front of me, wings flapping fast. "From there, that woman kept charging through the Labyrinth! All of Kumara's guards from Floors 81 to 89—gone! She cut through them one by one!"
Veldora leaned back, crossing his arms with a grin. "Moreover, since Kumara's still inexperienced, Beretta filled in as the guardian of the ninetieth floor. But he didn't stand a chance either."
"I see," I said calmly, resting my hand on the armrest of my seat. "Beretta's grown stronger since the last time I tested him, but someone like Hinata would still outmatch him. Her precision and adaptability are nothing to scoff at."
Ramiris nodded hard. "Mm-hmm! Hinata's so incredibly strong, it makes me wonder why she isn't a Hero!"
I smirked faintly. "Because a Hero isn't defined by title, Ramiris. It's defined by one's heart—and Hinata's heart still belongs to the mortal realm. She's disciplined, not divine."
Ramiris blinked, clearly lost in my explanation, but nodded anyway.
I heard that Hinata had spent the night calmly on the ninety-fifth floor, as though she were royalty visiting her own estate. And just yesterday, she tore through Floors 96 to 99 in one breath—the "Dragon Chambers" that Milim took so much pride in.
Ramiris threw her hands up dramatically. "By the way! Those floors were no joke! We set up earthquakes, lightning storms, burning heat, freezing wind—oh! And the gravity was five times normal strength! But none of it even slowed her down!"
"She's honed her willpower to perfection," I said, my tone calm but weighted. "That kind of mental endurance doesn't come from arrogance. It's something forged through battle and regret. Still—" my eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of my aura rippling through the room, "—even the strongest will bends before absolute power."
Veldora laughed. "GAHAHAHA! And in the end, it was my turn! As the King of the Labyrinth, I welcomed her challenge! No running, no hiding—only glory!"
Masayuki's eyes widened. "Seriously? You actually fought her?"
Veldora nodded proudly. "Of course! I'm no coward! The final boss must meet his challenger head-on!"
I crossed my arms, my gaze sharp. "And? What was the outcome?"
Veldora slammed his fist into his palm, lightning crackling faintly around him. "Of course I won!
She was strong, though. Her swordsmanship reminded me of the Hero who sealed me—but her style was the opposite."
That caught my interest. I leaned forward slightly. "Opposite, you say?"
"Yeah. The Hero was efficient—every movement perfect, every strike measured. Hinata, though—she experimented. She tested everything. Her attacks were sharp, but she wasted energy finding what could hurt me."
I closed my eyes briefly. "That's exactly like her. Calculated chaos. Effective against most opponents… but not against gods."
«Answer. All combat records are saved. However, Master, there's no need to review them. Hinata's power is far beneath yours.»
Solarys's voice—smooth, ethereal, filled with quiet reverence—echoed in my mind. I gave a slight nod, the corner of my mouth lifting. "Understood. You're right, Solarys. There's nothing more to be gained from that data."
Masayuki whistled. "Still… I wish I could've seen that fight."
Veldora puffed up, clearly eager to relive it. "You should've! Her magic was dazzling! Fire, lightning, ice—she threw everything she had at me! Even magic artifacts! It was a glorious clash!"
Ramiris added, "She even unleashed something like the Hero's 'Absolute Severance!'"
Veldora nodded. "Exactly! Her final move—'Melt Slash.' She sacrificed her sword for it. Managed to wound me for a second! GAHAHAHA! But of course, I recovered instantly!"
I smirked. "She's clever. Using sacrifice as leverage to amplify force… That's not something many could attempt. But in the end, it's still futile. Against beings like us, there are limits even talent can't surpass."
"Considering her fighting style," Ramiris asked, "will she be a threat to anyone in Eterna?"
"Not to me," I answered firmly, my tone final. "But yes, she could pose a danger to those careless enough to underestimate her. Still—" I looked at Veldora, "—you know as well as I do, she stands no chance against either of us."
Veldora roared in agreement. "GAHAHA! Of course! She'd need ten times her current magicule reserves just to scratch me again!"
I chuckled lowly, though there was no mockery in my tone—only truth. "Hinata's strong… but she's not divine. Against me, even her sharpest blade turns dull."
Masayuki, uneasy from the godly energy filling the room, managed a weak laugh. "Y-yeah… I think it's safe to say she's strong—but not Atem-strong."
Ramiris looked up, fluttering nervously. "S-so, um… about the floors below fifty-one—they're basically wrecked now because of all this."
"Indeed," I said. "But the guardians should've revived by now, shouldn't they?"
Veldora scratched his chin. "About that… Adalmann's weaker than Gozer. He's a good researcher, sure, but as a floor guardian? Not the best choice."
Ramiris started trembling, eyes filling with tears. "M-my masterpiece, the Elemental Colossus… it's broken! It didn't revive!"
I tilted my head slightly. "Did you forget to bind it with a resurrection bracelet?"
"N-no!" she cried. "It's the same as when you destroyed it! My golems just won't revive!"
I closed my eyes for a moment, considering her words. "Hmm. Then it's likely because your creation lacks a soul."
Ramiris blinked, wings freezing mid-flap. "Eh?"
"Think about it," I said, standing. My shadow stretched across the room, my voice steady, commanding. "Beretta revives because he has a soul. The Colossus doesn't. Without essence, resurrection is meaningless. Your magic can restore form—but not life."
Veldora crossed his arms, nodding deeply. "Atem speaks the truth. The Colossus was powerful, but it was an item—not a living being. No soul means no revival."
Ramiris looked crestfallen. "So even if I build another one, it'll just break again…"
"Possibly," I said, my tone softening slightly. "But every failure teaches you something. You'll create something greater next time."
Ramiris sniffled, nodding slowly.
The air settled, and silence followed. For a moment, even Veldora's usual laughter quieted.
Hinata's strength, the Labyrinth's shifting balance, the guardians' revival—it all painted a picture of Eterna in flux. The Labyrinth was alive, evolving with every challenger. But even amidst that evolution, one thing was clear.
No matter how far they climbed, no matter how powerful they became—
In Eterna, I was the final truth.
"It takes a long time to make that thing, doesn't it?" Atem asked, his voice calm but carrying the weight of authority that silenced the room.
"Yeah… that's why there's no guardian on Floor 70…" Ramiris admitted hesitantly, shrinking a little under his gaze.
Of course. Atem folded his arms, his expression thoughtful yet stern. "So, the entire seventieth floor is left unguarded because of one construct?"
Ramiris nodded quickly. "Mhm! It's not like I didn't try, you know. But those golems take forever to rebuild…"
Atem let out a controlled sigh, the kind that made even Veldora stand up straighter. "Understood. Continue."
"Also," Veldora interjected, "Zegion on Floor 80 will need more time to recover. Apito has gotten much stronger, but her combat experience is still lacking. If she's going to hold the position of guardian, she'll need more training."
Atem's crimson eyes narrowed slightly. "And you plan to train her yourself, Veldora?"
"Of course!" the storm dragon boomed proudly. "Who better than I to teach her the way of battle?"
Atem tilted his head slightly, his tone even. "Just make sure your 'training' doesn't destroy half the labyrinth again."
Veldora froze. "A-ah, yes, yes, of course! I'll… restrain myself this time."
According to Veldora, he'd been giving Apito some one-on-one training, even convincing Hinata to mentor her as well. Apparently, he had lured her in with the promise of a rematch. Typical of him.
"So, Hinata agreed to teach her?" Atem asked, his expression unreadable.
Ramiris nodded. "Yep! She's already tutoring the kids, so she didn't seem to mind training Apito too. It's kind of amazing, honestly."
Atem said nothing for a moment. Hinata had proven her strength before, but even she was no match for him. Still, her discipline and precision were unmatched—qualities he respected.
There was also Kumara. Floors 81 through 89 were under the watch of her subordinates, creatures born from her own tails. Each had its own will and instincts, learning and evolving with each battle. However, by releasing all of them into active duty, Kumara had drained much of her magicule reserves.
"Because of that," Ramiris continued, "Kumara's going to be studying under Hinata too, along with Chloe, Alice, and the others."
Atem nodded slowly. "Training the next generation to maintain the balance of Eterna… That's acceptable."
—As of yesterday, that decision had been finalized.
"In other words," Atem said, his tone low and precise, "we currently have no active guardians from Floors 60 to 90?"
"Yes!" Ramiris and Veldora answered in unison, far too enthusiastically for the situation.
Atem's sharp gaze flicked between them. "…And you're both proud of that?"
"U-uh… well," Ramiris stammered, rubbing the back of her head, "we were gonna fix it! Eventually!"
"For now," Veldora added, trying to sound confident, "we just thought you'd like to know!"
Atem's golden aura faintly shimmered, the atmosphere tightening for a moment. "You two," he said slowly, "find amusement in testing my patience?"
They both straightened instantly. "N-no, of course not!" Ramiris squeaked.
"The timing," Atem said with a restrained sigh, "is simply horrible."
Myourmiles and Masayuki, who had been listening quietly, exchanged nervous glances.
"My Lord," Myourmiles said cautiously, "this means almost half the labyrinth is undefended…"
Masayuki added, "We might need to reorganize everything before the next expedition. It's… kind of a disaster."
Atem rubbed his temples, his expression unreadable. The aura around him settled, calm yet heavy. "I see," he said finally, his voice carrying a quiet finality. "I understand the situation."
He exhaled, slow and deliberate, before turning his gaze toward the empty projection of the labyrinth's interior. His tone was low, calm—but the authority in it silenced every breath in the room.
"…I got the gist of things," Atem said, the faint echo of power lingering in his words. "Let's fix this—immediately."
The command was absolute.
Everyone straightened instinctively. Ramiris and Veldora exchanged terrified looks, realizing what came next.
And with that, Atem—King of Eterna—stood, his eyes gleaming with resolve and dominion.
The empty floors of Eterna would not remain empty for long.