The battlefield lay in ruins. The last echoes of the Serpent's death cry faded into the air, leaving only silence — and the scent of blood and scorched earth.
My chest heaved, the weight of exhaustion settling into my limbs. The Crimson Serpent had been far beyond anything we should've faced — but we'd survived.
And survival meant reward.
The air shifted. A presence descended — vast and ancient — pressing against my skin like the weight of the heavens. Yoon-Hee stepped closer to me, her hand brushing against my arm. Her face was pale, her eyes wide.
"We're being watched," she whispered.
I nodded once. "Stay ready."
The pressure grew — and then it spoke.
"You have done well."
The voice was neither male nor female, neither kind nor cruel. It was a force — old and absolute. And in front of us, the air split open. A figure stepped out.
The Seer of Dusk.
She looked human, but no human could possess eyes like those — silver, swirling with galaxies. Her robes shimmered with light and shadow, and when she smiled, it felt like the world itself held its breath.
"You have passed the Serpent's Trial," the Seer said softly. "And so you shall be rewarded."
She raised a hand. The ground trembled.
From the serpent's corpse rose three objects — pulsing with power.
Heaven-Severing Manual — a jade scroll etched with ancient runes, radiating an aura so sharp it felt like it could cut the sky itself.
Crimson Serpent Elixir — a blood-red vial, the liquid within swirling like fire and poison.
Moonshadow Blade — a curved sword forged of night and silver, its edge glinting with cold light.
"The choice is yours," the Seer said. "But choose wisely. Each of these carries a weight — and a destiny."
I looked at Yoon-Hee. She nodded.
I stepped forward.
And I chose power.