The tablet in Ester's hand suddenly erupted with a golden light as brilliant as the sun! It escaped her grasp, drifting into the air.
Above, the sky seemed to be torn open by a giant hand, revealing a sacred golden vortex.
From that blinding radiance, a man clads in a pure white cloak and a silver metallic mask descended step by step down a staircase of void.
His mere presence caused the chaotic physical laws to snap back into place.
The raging gravity stilled instantly.
Hum—!
The moment the man's foot touched the earth, a crisp chime echoed. He extended a hand, and countless specks of light converged into a luxurious, golden sword.
Its hilt was etched with ancient, exquisite runes, and upon the blade sat five gems—crimson, azure, brown, emerald, and yellow—representing the world's primal elements, radiating pulses of terrifying energy.
"My warriors, today is not the day of your end. Accept my blessing."
The voice was powerful, magnetic, and carried a soul-soothing magic.
"Could... could it be..." Ester stared at the sacred silhouette, her lips trembling.
"System Master... has personally graced the battlefield?"
Lawson stared at the man, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
"You... you would descend personally for something as small as this?"
The man did not answer. He simply raised the jewel-encrusted sword and gave a light swing toward the devouring black hole.
There was no explosion, no thunderous roar—only a wave of pure, divine sword energy that swept across the field like a gentle breeze.
The spatial black hole dissolved like spring snow. Even the cursed remains of the Elder Wood were turned to nothingness. The charred forest was instantly replaced by a holy, tranquil silence.
As the man finished purifying the land, the golden sword in his hand dissolved into ten thousand rays of light, before shrinking into a sharp streak of radiance that slammed into Lawson's chest.
DING—!
The phone in Lawson's pocket let out a piercing, long system notification:
[System Prompt: Congratulations! Due to receiving Core Authentication, Armor Smith Lawson has obtained the Legendary Weapon: The Sword of System Authority]
[Item Description: The holder possesses authority equal to the System and retains ownership of the Base.]
Lawson looked at his hands, feeling a power as vast as a sea of stars. He looked up at the masked man in shock. "What? This level of power... you're just giving it to me? What is the meaning of this?"
The man's gaze seemed to pierce through time and space.
"This originally belonged to you, Lawson. I have merely been its caretaker until now. Now, use this power to protect these brave warriors and this crumbling world."
"What do you mean?" Lawson froze. "Are you disappearing? Why does this sound like a final testament?"
The man turned his back to them, his figure becoming transparent and ethereal within the fading holy light.
"The time has come. With the fall of the Elder Wood, the shackles of Nova Star Town are broken. My karma in this place is fulfilled..."
He paused, his white cloak fluttering.
"From this moment forth, I grant you all 'Free Will.' On this liberated land, you may choose your own fate and pursue the ending you truly desire."
With a flick of his wrist, dozens of brilliant reward crates fell precisely before each warrior.
"This is my final gift. I wish you all glory in battle."
With that, the man dissolved into golden light and vanished into the void.
[The Special Rewards of Liberation Completed: Nova Star Town]
The phone panel of everyone (including the sleeping George at the base) flashed with golden updates:
Universal Rewards:
Level Up: Massive attribute leap for crossing ranks to kill an A-Rank Domain Lord.
Armor God's Universal Proxy x3: Can replace any monster material to craft any S-Rank Armor.
Certificate of Rewriting: Allows a choice to remain a Warrior or become a Civilian.Warrior's
Glory Payment Card: For those choosing to be Civilians; grants unlimited funds for all expenses without limit.
Personal Unique Passives:Dodge: [Unyielding Will] — Defense and Strength increase as HP drops.
Phyllis: [Path of the Knight] — Damage reduction based on the number of nearby allies.
Victor & Valerie: [Bond of the Ring] — +20% Attack Power when fighting together.
Emma: [Escaped Canary] — Can now toggle [Taunt] on or off freely.
George (Sleeping): System-Grade Mental Repair Fluid — Recovery time reduced by 80%; gains [Endless Spell] (halves mana cost).
Luther: [Eye of the Battlefield] — Highlights and marks enemy weak points in aim mode.
Katie: [Might of the War God] — Massive stat boost against any confirmed "Enemy."
A-Rank Area Liberation Mission Rewards for All Participating Warriors:
20,000 LP
A-Rank Custom Armor Box Set x1
Power Core A x15
Enhancement Core A x15
Elder Wood 's Malice Core x1
Elder Wood's Sinister Eye x2
{Wood Guard} Armor Blueprint x1
The sun finally broke through the clouds of Nova Star Town, illuminating a park filled with flowers and the scent of fresh earth.
The nightmare of the Secret Forest was gone.
"Don't leave! Master! You haven't given me my next instructions yet!" Ester shook her black-screened tablet like a broken alarm clock. To her, "Freedom" felt like being a lost child.
"Something that belonged to me...?" Lawson whispered, feeling the rhythm of the sword in his soul.
WHACK! Dodge's bear-like hand slammed onto Lawson's shoulder.
"What's with the brooding face? You just got a god-tier weapon! You should be jumping for joy!"
Katie disengaged the armor, crossing her arms.
"Lawson, is the 'cheat' too big? Getting something that can rewrite the system feels like a deathbed gift. That 'System' is definitely planning something huge."
"It's definitely strange," Lawson sighed, rubbing his temples.
"With this sword, I'm basically invincible here. But it feels like he's just dumping the mess on me and running away."
"Master isn't a villain! He is God! He is Light! He is my faith!" Ester snarled, shoving the dark tablet in Lawson's face.
"Apologize to his magnetic, masculine voice right now!"
Lawson recoiled from the spit.
"Ester... you want me to apologize to a brick?"
Ester froze. She looked at the screen—it was pitch black. No light, no warmth.
"No... he really left... DON'T LEAVE ESTER!!" Her scream, boosted by her guide energy, sent a visible shockwave into the sky, vibrating across the town.
Miles away, Rickman, who was repairing gym equipment, let out a massive sneeze.
"A-choo! Who's talking about me?"
"Ester, stop shaking that thing!" Phyllis shouted urgently.
"Open the portal! I need to see my brother! The system said he has repair fluid—I can't wait another second!"
Ester snapped out of it.
"Right! George is still asleep! If the town is liberated, our priority is a full-team recovery."
With a wave of her hand, a soft blue portal formed in the center of the park. Ester, dejected and hugging her tablet, was the first to step through.
"Let's go, warriors," Lawson said, suppressing his doubts.
"No matter what that god is planning, we won this round. Let's go wake up the guy who burned the void and figure out what 'Free Will' really means."