The ruins no longer trembled. The Gate of the Forgotten stood sealed once more, its surface dull and lifeless, the last of its corrupted energy fading into nothing. But everyone could feel it. The world had changed. The seal had worked—but at a cost. And Ethan was no longer the same. Ethan stared at his hands, his body numb, his breath ragged. Something inside him had shifted. The mark on his chest still pulsed faintly—but it wasn’t the same as before. Before, it had been a burden. Now— It felt like a key.

  [System Override Detected.]

  [Warning: You Have Interacted With An Entity Beyond System Classification.]

  [Processing Changes…]

  Ethan’s vision blurred as a new status screen forced its way into his mind.

  [STATUS UPDATE: Ethan Voss]

  [Class Evolution: Abysswalker]

  [Title Earned: Warden of the Forgotten]

  [New Passive Ability Unlocked: Eternal Chain]

  [New Skill Unlocked: Abyssal Lock]

  His heartbeat slammed against his ribs. This isn’t just an upgrade… The System is rewriting me. Leah’s voice broke through his haze. “Ethan?” He looked up. His friends, the S-Rank team— they were all staring at him. And he realized—they had seen it. The moment the seal completed, something about him had changed.

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  Lira Moonveil, the Celestial Healer, stepped forward, her golden eyes scanning him with an unreadable expression. “You’re… different.” Ethan swallowed. “Yeah.” Kaela Ravencrown, the Arcane Executioner, crossed her arms. “The System gave you a title, didn’t it?” He hesitated. “…Warden of the Forgotten.” The air grew colder. Even the S-Rank adventurers reacted. Veylan Stormrider’s gaze hardened. “That’s not just a title,” he said. “That’s a binding.” Darius Ironheart frowned. “You don’t earn something like that without a cost.” Razik Thornfang, the Phantom Slayer, tilted his head. “So what did you lose?” Ethan clenched his fists. That was the problem. He didn’t know yet. But he could feel it. The weight. The chains. He wasn’t just connected to the seal. He was part of it now. And that meant—if the gate ever broke again… So would he.

  Gareth placed a heavy hand on Ethan’s shoulder. “You shouldn’t carry this alone.” Leah nodded, her expression full of worry. “You always act like you can handle everything. But this is different.” Kara, for once, didn’t argue. She just muttered, “Yeah. This one’s a bit above your pay grade.” Ethan let out a weak laugh. “…Understatement of the year.” But deep down—he knew. This was his burden now. And nothing was ever going to change that.

  Veylan studied Ethan for a long time before speaking. “…You’ve been marked by something beyond the System.” His silver eyes darkened. “This isn’t over. Not for you.” Ethan nodded. “I know.” Veylan exhaled. “We’ll report this to the capital,” he said. “But you need to understand something.” Kaela picked up where he left off. “You’re not just some B-Rank adventurer anymore,” she said. “You’re something else.” Razik smirked. “Something dangerous.” Orin chuckled. “Yeah, that title of yours? That’s gonna make you real popular with people who want to know what you are now.” Ethan’s stomach twisted. So it’s not just the Master I have to worry about… It’s everyone else, too. A New Path—A New Threat The capital would learn of this. The Adventurer’s Guild would learn of this. And soon—so would the Master. Because even though they had sealed the gate again… Ethan could still hear it. A whisper. Faint. Lingering. “This is not the end.” “The chains will break again.” “And next time, little Warden…” “You will not stop us.” Ethan closed his eyes. Because he knew one thing for certain.