---
The ruins of the cathedral were still burning, casting a haunting glow over the shattered battlefield.
Chunks of blackened stone floated in the air, defying gravity as the last echoes of the High Demon Acolyte's death faded.
The system window popped up, but Lian barely saw it.
His focus was locked on Elric, lying motionless among the rubble.
No magic core.
No aura.
Just a broken body clinging to life.
Lian dropped to his knees beside him, gripping his shoulder tightly.
"You idiot..." Lian muttered, voice shaking.
"You gave up everything for us."
Elric gave a small, painful smile. "That's… what friends do, right?"
Tears blurred Lian's vision, but he blinked them away.
There was no time to mourn.
Not yet.
---
Jayce and Demist Return
---
Demist arrived first, carrying two exhausted survivors on his broad back.
Jayce stumbled in, dragging the third — a boy no older than twelve — with him.
Elyra, the silver-haired mage they rescued earlier, immediately rushed forward to stabilize Elric.
"Don't move him too much!" she barked, her voice cutting through the grief.
She pulled out a glowing artifact from her satchel — a Life Seed — and pressed it against Elric's chest.
The seed pulsed once, wrapping him in a faint golden glow.
"It'll stabilize him. But his magic is gone. Forever."
Lian clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms.
---
System Notification
> [ Mission Success: Demon Ritual Disrupted. Survivors Rescued. ]
[ Rewards: +10,000 Coins | +2 Talent Shards | Vehicle Upgrade Voucher ]
[ Special Reward: Oath of the Fallen — Unlocked. ]
A new panel opened before them.
It was unlike any system window they had seen before — dark, ancient, almost… alive.
---
[ Oath of the Fallen ]
Description:
A ritual that binds the survivors of catastrophic battles. Those who take the Oath are forever linked — gaining power at the cost of taking on each other's burdens.
Benefits:
+30% All Stats while in proximity to Oath Members.
+50% Resistance to Corruption Zones.
Unlocks Combined Talents (fusion of two talents).
Costs:
If any Oath Member dies, all others suffer a permanent -10% to all stats.
Breaking the Oath (by abandoning an Oath Member) leads to instant death.
Warning:
Taking the Oath cannot be undone.
The more members, the stronger — but the greater the risk.
---
The group stood in silence, reading the terrifying terms.
Jayce scratched his head.
"Man, this is like... marriage, but worse."
Demist grunted, "It's life or death."
Lian turned to the others.
He didn't hesitate.
"I'm taking it. Elric deserves that much."
One by one, the others agreed.
Even Elyra — who had just met them — stepped forward without flinching.
Together, they each placed a hand on Elric's chest where the Life Seed glowed.
---
[ Oath of the Fallen: Formed. ]
> Current Members: Lian, Jayce, Demist, Elric, Elyra
---
Nightfall
---
They made camp inside the ruined cathedral, using the broken pillars for cover.
Jayce worked on fortifying the perimeter with traps.
Demist sharpened his axe silently.
Elyra sat cross-legged, focusing her mana into healing Elric as best she could.
Lian walked a patrol around the area, alone, lost in thought.
The world felt... heavier.
The stakes were no longer just survival.
Now, every life he protected was tied to his own.
Every decision, every risk, would carve scars into them all.
The road ahead wasn't going to get easier.
It was going to get worse.
Much worse.
---
[ System Warning ]
> New Threat Detected Nearby!
Species: Demon Beast — Abyss Warden
Class: Tier 3 Corrupted Predator
Estimated Arrival Time: 3 Hours
---
Elyra limped over to Lian, her silver hair catching the firelight.
"I need to tell you something," she said seriously.
"This world… Inferna... isn't just another random stop."
Lian narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
Elyra whispered:
"There's a key hidden here.
A World Key that can change everything.
If we get it… we can choose where the Road leads us next.
If the demons get it first... they'll unleash Tier 5 worlds into the Multiverse."
Lian's heart dropped.
Tier 5.
That was beyond apocalyptic — worlds where even gods fell.
He swallowed hard.
The real battle hadn't even started yet.
---
End of Chapter 32
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