The world drowned in golden light.
The gate trembled violently.
Ancient chains erupted from every direction, wrapping around its massive structure as reality itself pushed back against what lay beyond.
The figure behind the gate roared.
Not with anger alone.
With desperation.
"NO!"
The sound shattered mountains beyond Blackstone City.
The sky fractured.
The earth screamed.
Yet the gate continued closing.
Slowly.
Relentlessly.
As though an unseen force had awakened and reclaimed authority.
Lin Feng barely noticed.
Because he was trapped inside a memory.
A real memory.
Not a vision.
Not an illusion.
A memory.
He stood beneath a crimson sky.
The air smelled of blood and burning worlds.
Stars hung shattered above him.
Entire galaxies drifted through darkness as broken fragments.
And before him—
Stood the same figure from beyond the gate.
Only this time—
It wasn't smiling.
It was kneeling.
A sword rested against its throat.
And the person holding that sword—
Was Lin Feng.
Or someone who looked exactly like him.
The man wore black armor covered in silver runes.
A crimson cloak flowed behind him.
His eyes contained countless stars.
Ancient.
Cold.
Absolute.
The kneeling figure glared upward.
"You cannot imprison me forever."
The armored Lin Feng answered calmly.
"No."
His voice carried across entire worlds.
"But I can imprison you long enough."
The creature laughed.
"The Throne will fall."
"The Seals will break."
"The Heir will awaken."
A pause.
"And when he does…"
Its smile widened.
"He will become me."
The armored Lin Feng's expression remained unchanged.
"No."
For the first time—
The creature frowned.
The sword pressed deeper against its throat.
And the armored Lin Feng spoke words that echoed across existence itself.
"He will make his own choice."
The memory shattered.
Reality returned.
Lin Feng stumbled backward.
His heart hammered violently.
The gate was still closing.
The figure beyond it was still fighting.
But now—
He understood something.
Something important.
The thing behind the gate wasn't waiting for him.
It was waiting to use him.
The realization made his blood run cold.
The older man appeared beside him instantly.
"What did you see?"
Lin Feng stared at the closing gate.
"…A memory."
The older man's eyes narrowed.
"Whose?"
Lin Feng was silent.
Because he didn't know how to answer.
The memory had felt like his.
Yet impossible.
Ancient beyond reason.
Su Yao stepped closer.
"Lin Feng."
He looked at her.
For a brief moment—
The concern in her eyes steadied him.
Then—
The gate shook again.
The figure beyond it lunged forward one final time.
Its hand emerged through the narrowing opening.
Reaching.
Desperate.
Toward Lin Feng.
"HEIR!"
The city trembled.
The pressure exploded outward.
Even the older man was forced backward.
But before the hand could reach him—
A golden figure appeared.
Not physically.
A projection.
A phantom.
Standing directly between Lin Feng and the gate.
The same armored man from the memory.
His face remained hidden beneath light.
Yet everyone felt his presence.
Ancient.
Unshakable.
The figure raised one hand.
And stopped the reaching hand completely.
Silence.
The being beyond the gate froze.
Its crimson eyes widened.
"…You cannot still exist."
The golden figure answered calmly.
"I do not."
A pause.
"I am merely the promise I left behind."
Then he pushed forward.
The hand shattered.
Not wounded.
Erased.
The gate slammed shut.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact echoed across heaven and earth.
Chains wrapped around the gate again.
Seals reignited.
The crimson light vanished.
And slowly—
The colossal structure began sinking back beneath the city.
The nightmare was ending.
At least for now.
The golden figure turned toward Lin Feng.
For the first time—
They faced each other directly.
Neither spoke.
Yet thousands of emotions seemed to pass between them.
Questions.
Answers.
Recognition.
Then the figure smiled faintly.
A calm smile.
Almost relieved.
"You've grown."
Lin Feng stared.
"…Who are you?"
The figure's outline was already fading.
His answer came softly.
"Someone who once carried your name."
Lin Feng's eyes widened.
Then—
The figure vanished.
Gone.
Without another word.
The city became silent.
No gate.
No crimson sky.
No ancient horror.
Only ruins.
And questions.
A lot of questions.
The older man stood motionless.
Even he looked shaken.
The man from the shadows seemed unable to speak.
Su Yao remained beside Lin Feng.
Watching him carefully.
Because everyone understood now.
This was no longer about Blackstone City.
This was no longer about factions.
Or power.
Or war.
Something much older had awakened.
And Lin Feng stood at the center of it.
Cliffhanger
Deep beneath the sinking gate—
Far below the sealed abyss—
A single crimson eye opened.
Not the creature's.
Something else's.
Something that had watched everything.
And in the darkness—
A voice whispered.
"The First Heir has returned."
Then dozens of other eyes opened beside it.