No one felt what happened inside Kim's mind.
To Iris and Leon...
It took no more than a single second.
A second in which Kim extended his hand toward the sword.
Then, the sword vanished.
And it was all over.
But that single second...
Changed everything.
Silence reigned within the ancient hall.
As for Leon...
He was the first to break it.
> "So..."
>
He let out a faint smile.
> "It seems the treasure chose you."
>
As for Iris...
She didn't look happy.
Instead, she was staring at Kim's hand.
At the black mark that had appeared on it for a split second before vanishing.
Then her eyes narrowed.
> "That was no ordinary treasure."
>
Kim replied calmly:
> "And I am no archaeologist."
>
Leon looked at him.
Then burst into laughter.
> "Terrible liar."
>
Kim smiled.
But he didn't deny it.
In truth...
His mind was preoccupied with something else.
The sword.
The seal.
And the new power.
Since his arrival in this world...
He had relied solely on his wits.
And on his physical strength.
But now...
He finally possessed a new card.
A card he would not reveal.
Because the greatest weapon...
Is the weapon no one knows exists.
Suddenly...
The entire hall shook.
BOOM!!
The ground cracked.
Debris fell from the ceiling.
Iris's eyes widened.
> "The place is collapsing!"
>
As for Kim...
He looked toward the shattered throne.
Then he understood the cause instantly.
The sword was the heart stabilizing this place.
And now...
The heart was gone.
Therefore, the collapse was only natural.
> "Let's get out."
>
He said it calmly.
But before they could move—
A red light flared above the door.
Then, a massive magic circle materialized.
Followed by ancient script.
Leon froze.
As for Iris...
Her face turned pale.
> "Impossible..."
>
The words appeared clearly.
**Annihilation Protocol**
*Sanctuary Guardians Activated*
Silence fell.
Then...
The ground began to shake.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Before the sound came.
The sound of footsteps.
Heavy footsteps.
Colossal.
Approaching.
Step by step.
Then it appeared.
From behind the ruined pillars.
A knight.
But the word 'knight' wasn't enough.
He was ten meters tall.
In pitch-black armor.
With two crimson eyes glowing inside his helmet.
And in his hand...
A massive spear.
As for the aura radiating from him...
It was stronger than anything the students had faced so far.
Even Leon's smile vanished.
> "This isn't exam-level."
>
Iris whispered.
> "This isn't even student-level..."
>
Meanwhile, the guardian...
Raised its head slowly.
Then looked directly at Kim.
Not Leon.
Not Iris.
But Kim.
And suddenly...
It knelt.
Silence engulfed the room.
Iris froze.
As for Leon...
He forgot how to speak for a few seconds.
Then the giant knight bowed.
Placing his spear before him.
Just as knights do before their kings.
Then, his deep voice boomed.
A voice that made the walls tremble.
> "The Heir has been recognized."
>
Everyone's eyes widened.
As for Kim...
He only looked at him in silence.
> "The Heir?"
>
But before he could follow up with a question—
The knight trembled suddenly.
Then cracks began to spread across his body.
One.
Then a hundred.
Then thousands.
Until the black armor turned to dust.
The giant fell to his knees.
Because...
He had been dying for centuries.
And the only thing that had kept him alive...
Was waiting for the return of the sword's wielder.
The knight raised his head one last time.
Then whispered:
> "Beware..."
>
His breath hitched.
> "They are..."
>
His voice froze.
Then he completely collapsed.
And vanished.
As for Kim...
His eyes narrowed.
Because he didn't like that word.
"They."
Who were 'they'?
And who was the knight trying to warn him about?
At that exact moment...
Inside the Academy's tower.
Dozens of magical alerts flared up all at once.
Eldar stood up violently.
Absolute shock written across his face.
Because a name had appeared on one of the screens.
A name that hadn't appeared in four hundred years.
**Sanctuary of the Rift King**
*Status: Unlocked*
Eldar's face turned completely pale.
Then he whispered:
> "Which student..."
>
> "Entered that place?"
>
> *"Some doors do not hide treasures...
>
But secrets that history itself tried to bury."*