Reinhard fell silent before asking. "There was a Chemira in the old Autumn Town, was it you?"

Charles paused before shaking his head and saying. "It wasn't me, it must have been the researchers."

Reinhard blinked before asking. "And Honor state… Was it by them?"

"No, it was by an organization they were a part of. But they destroyed it last time I checked, and I simply took Honor."

Reinhard's brows furrowed, his mind processed implications, and connected pieces. "Those people who saved you... Who are they?"

Charles chuckled. "You should be familiar with the group. You already met two of them."

Reinhard blinked before his eyes widened in realization. "The Sinners!?"

Charles laughed once more, amusement and a bit of joy could be heard before he turned into dust completely. The fragments dispersed in the wind that shouldn't exist, creating a cloud of particles that drifted upward. The black mask crumbled last, revealing nothing beneath, and just more dust joining the rest.

Reinhard blinked, staring at the empty space where First Ancestor had existed moments before. His hand tightened around the spear, still gripped in his palm. He turned, following the dust cloud's drift, and his eyes tracked particles carried by the gentle breeze.

But at that moment, the spear shattered.

The weapon exploded into golden specs of light without warning. Fragments dispersed like dust, drifting alongside Charles's remains in synchronized dance. Gold and grey mixed, intertwining as they rose.

Before then, light bloomed before Reinhard.

An explosive radiance swept out, forcing him to squint. His free hand rose instinctively, shielding his eyes from the brilliance that painted everything white.

The light faded slowly.

Reinhard's eyes adjusted, and he saw shapes emerging from dispersing radiance. Then he realized it was a figure standing where nothing had existed.

Wait… They are… The Forerunners.

People he had never met stood at the front, all of them had grins on their faces as they glanced all around with some sighing. While others were staring at him with a warming expression and caring one, as if he was something precious.

Behind them stood all the other Golden Melo Warriors.

Bargest with wild expression, and Erza with a soft smile. Voyer, Garius, Thane, Corvin, Mira, and Senna were all here. Also, the warriors who'd sacrificed themselves in the final charge.

All intact, and glowing with golden radiance.

But it wasn't just them.

Behind the Melo Warriors stretched an army of people. The entire Forerunner people appeared, men, women, children, elderly, warriors, and civilians.

Over a hundred thousand figures materialized across the restored landscape, each one bearing the same golden translucence. They stood on grass that hadn't existed minutes before, beneath the sky untouched by centuries of roots and malice.

All of them were smiling.

Every face showed expressions mixing pride, joy, and satisfaction at witnessing that their home was not only saved but will be fine from now on. Seeing their sacrifices validated not through erasure but through continuation.

Golden figures stretched across the restored landscape as far as eyes could perceive, each one radiating approval.

They began laughing and started to celebrate with the sound rolling across the plains like thunder, building from individuals into a collective roar that shook the air itself.

"Thank you!" One voice called out from the crowd.

"You ridded the darkness!" another joined.

"And helped protect our home!" A third added.

The voices overlapped, building into a chorus that carried across the entire area. Each statement added to the growing symphony of gratitude.

"You stopped our past from being erased!"

"Help us display that our light still shines bright enough to save our house."

"You helped make our sacrifices matter and worth it!"

"Saved what we built!"

The praise continued, waves of appreciation washing over Reinhard from a hundred thousand sources simultaneously. Each voice carried individual gratitude but blended into a unified message. The acknowledgment of what Second Class Beast Master had accomplished against impossible odds.

Reinhard stared at them in daze.

His light blue eyes moved across countless faces without focusing on any specific individual. His mouth opened slightly but produced no sound, his mind struggling to process the magnitude of what stood before him.

Before he felt his legs tremble, exhaustion from constant fighting throughout the entire day left him weak. He stumbled a bit before blinking as he tried to steady himself on nothing and then stared at them again.

Bargest stepped forward from the group. His wild grin was unmistakable even among the crowd of smiling faces. Erza, Voyer, Garius, Thane, Corvin, Mira, and Senna all moved together as well with varying expressions.

"What's wrong, Supreme Commander?" Bargest's voice carried across distances with a familiar teasing edge. "You look like a fool right now."

Reinhard blinked rapidly, consciousness slowly returning from a dazed state. His jaw worked several times before words formed. "I... you all..." His voice cracked. "Thank you for saving me when I fell into the tide."

The memory surfaced clearly now, him plunging into crimson-black flames alongside Honor. But a golden light had wrapped around him before curses could penetrate, creating a barrier that prevented instant breakdown.

The protection had stopped him from becoming like other golden warriors in that odd space. While also giving him time to meet Angra Mainyu, and offer a choice that transformed the Source of All Evil into something more.

"Of course we'd save you!" Bargest laughed, the sound carrying genuine affection. "We owed you that much at least."

"But we wanted to give you something more permanent." Erza's soft smile appeared. "Something to help in the future rather than just that moment."

Reinhard's brows furrowed as confusion appeared on his face. "What do you mean?"

Bargest and the others laughed in amusement before Bargest gestured broadly, grin widening impossibly. "Well, we wanted to help take on some of your burden in the future!"

Voyer stepped forward with a chuckle. "But who would have thought it would come in handy so soon after."

Reinhard's eyes widened before he said. "You mean the golden light was meant to help me with absorbing souls?"

"Exactly!" Multiple warriors responded simultaneously, voices overlapping in agreement.

Reinhard nodded slowly before smiling faintly and saying. "You guys didn't have to do that…"

"Nonsense! We want to help you in the best way we can… Unfortunately, we are dead and can only leave behind some of our magic."

Reinhard's expression softens before his lips shift into a slight smile despite exhaustion. "Did you guys also punch him?"

The question hung for a single second before Bargest and all other Golden Melo Warriors erupted in laughter. The sound was pure delight and satisfaction at fulfilling a promise made in a white void before departure.

"Of course we did!" Bargest roared, practically vibrating with joy.

"Punched him right in his smug face!" Voyer added.

"Multiple times!" Garius contributed.

"He complained so much!" Erza laughed, composure completely abandoned.

"He kept saying we were being unfair!" Thane grinned.

"We told him he deserved it for leaving all the work to us!" Corvin added.

"Then punched him again!" Mira finished.

"It was glorious!" Senna concluded with satisfaction.

They all spoke over each other, recounting encounters with Commander Dune. Their voices mixed into a chaotic symphony of vindication, of promise fulfilled, of long-awaited revenge delivered with enthusiasm.

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