The underground prison glowed with brilliant silver light.
Ancient runes once buried beneath
corruption now pulsed steadily across the walls and floor. The suppression array had stabilized far beyond anyone's expectations after Lunafang's bloodline awakened further.
At the center of the chamber, the silver crescent mark on the wolf's forehead radiated pure moonlight powerful enough to force back corruption itself.
Even the air felt cleaner.
But the atmosphere remained tense.
Because everyone had heard the imprisoned creature's words clearly.
Moon Sovereign bloodline.
Dev stared openly at Lunafang.
"So your wolf is secretly some legendary ancient monster now?"
Lunafang immediately growled at him.
Dev raised both hands.
"
"Right. Powerful and sensitive."
Despite the situation, Raghav laughed quietly.
Even Ananya looked relieved for the first time since entering the ruins.
But Krishak's attention remained elsewhere.
The invader's reaction had been genuine.
Fear.
Not toward Krishak.
Toward Lunafang.
Which meant the Moon Sovereign bloodline held significance even among ancient cosmic civilizations.
That was no small matter.
Within the suppression array, Krishak maintained his connection with the seventh core carefully.
The pressure on his consciousness remained immense, but now the moonlight flowing from Lunafang eased much of the burden.
The two energies resonated naturally.
Stars and moon.
He could feel the prison stabilizing layer by layer.
Yet deep beneath the restored balance
The corruption still existed.
Waiting.
Watching.
The invader's voice echoed once more through his mind.
This time quieter.
More cautious.
"How did such blood survive on this abandoned world"
Krishak responded calmly.
"You know more about this bloodline."
Silence lingered briefly.
Then the creature answered.
"The Moon Sovereigns once hunted corruption across countless realms."
Images flashed through Krishak's mind.
Silver beasts standing beneath cosmic skies.
Entire worlds illuminated by moonlight.
Dark creatures erased by pure lunar energy.
The visions vanished instantly.
"They should have vanished long ago."
Krishak looked toward Lunafang beside him.
The silver wolf stood proudly despite the overwhelming aura surrounding the prison.
Perhaps his encounter in the wild had never been coincidence.
Perhaps fate itself had guided him there.
Suddenly, the suppression pillar trembled lightly.
Not from instability.
From activation.
Additional runes slowly emerged beneath layers of ancient stone around the chamber floor.
Ishita immediately noticed.
"The formation is changing."
Krishak's eyes narrowed slightly.
No..
Not changing.
Unlocking.
The combined resonance of the Starheart inheritance and Lunafang's awakened bloodline had triggered deeper mechanisms within the prison.
Ancient silver light gathered near the base of the crystalline pillar.
Then a hidden compartment slowly opened.
Inside rested a small object wrapped in silver cloth.
Everyone stared carefully.
Dev frowned.
"Please tell me that isn't another cursed ancient item."
Krishak rose slowly despite the strain on his body.
The moment he approached the compartment, the surrounding moonlight intensified.
Lunafang stepped closer instinctively.
Carefully, Krishak unwrapped the silver cloth.
Inside lay a crystal pendant shaped like a crescent moon.
The pendant emitted pure lunar energy far denser than anything they had encountered before.
And engraved on its surface.
Was the same crescent symbol now glowing on Lunafang's forehead.
The imprisoned creature reacted violently.
"Impossible.."
The prison chains rattled as corruption surged angrily against the seal.
"The Moon Sovereign Crest"
Krishak immediately understood.
This item belonged to the ancient lunar bloodline.
Possibly even one of their inheritance relics.
The moment Lunafang touched the pendant with his nose, silver light exploded across the chamber.
Ancient runes appeared in the air automatically.
Then-
A voice echoed softly throughout the prison.
Unlike the invader's horrifying presence
This voice felt calm.
Warm.
Ancient.
"To the inheritor of moonlight."
Everyone froze instantly.
The voice continued.
"If this message awakens, then our era has already fallen."
A projection of silver light formed before the chamber.
The image of a woman appeared.
Tall.
Dressed in flowing silver robes.
A crescent moon glowing above her forehead.
Her eyes resembled Lunafang's exactly.
Even Krishak became serious immediately.
This was no ordinary remnant.
The pressure radiating from the projection surpassed anything he had felt on Earth so far.
The woman looked toward Lunafang first.
Then toward Krishak.
A faint smile appeared.
"A child of stars walks beside the heir of moonlight.."
Her gaze softened slightly.
"Then perhaps fate has not abandoned this world completely."
The projection slowly turned toward the prison sphere suspended above the chamber.
Its expression became colder instantly.
"The invaders must never awaken fully."
The imprisoned creature roared furiously in response.
Silver moonlight surged from the projection, suppressing the prison further immediately.
The woman continued calmly.
"Long ago, Earth severed itself from the greater realms to survive."
Images appeared around the chamber.
Ancient cultivators destroying gateways between worlds.
Massive formations isolating the planet.
Entire civilizations sacrificing themselves to preserve humanity's future.
"The Great Severing preserved Earth."
Her voice grew heavier.
"But it also trapped humanity in decline."
Krishak listened silently.
Everything was connecting now.
The weakened spiritual environment.
The fragmented cultivation systems.
The hidden ruins.
All consequences of Earth sealing itself away.
The projection finally looked directly at Krishak.
And for the first time
Her expression became serious.
"The barriers are weakening faster than expected."
The chamber darkened slightly.
"If Earth reconnects to the greater cosmos before humanity regains sufficient strength"
She did not finish the sentence.
She didn't need to.
Krishak already understood.
Earth would become vulnerable again.
The woman raised one hand gently toward Lunafang.
The crescent pendant floated into the air before merging into the silver wolf's forehead mark.
Moonlight erupted brilliantly.
Lunafang howled.
His aura surged dramatically.
The silver crescent symbol became fully complete.
And for a brief moment...
Behind the wolf, the phantom silhouette of a gigantic silver celestial beast appeared beneath an endless moonlit sky.
Everyone stared speechlessly.
The projection smiled faintly.
"The Moon Sovereign bloodline has acknowledged its heir."
Then her gaze returned to Krishak one final time.
"Child of stars."
Her voice grew solemn.
"Prepare Earth."
The projection dissolved into silver particles.
And deep within the prison..
The ancient invader fell completely silent.