The darkness of the abyss was absolute.

Alvian floated in the crushing depths, suspended in the cold, black water like a speck of dust in an infinite void. The chaotic energy of the Draconic Phantom had dissipated, leaving behind a silence so profound it felt heavy. The massive gate of the Draconic Seal loomed before him, now encased in a layer of [Void Ice] thick enough to withstand a nuclear detonation.

It was done. The immediate threat was neutralized.

His [Vestments of the Void Monarch] were cracked. The ethereal fabric, usually fluid as smoke, was rigid and dull, its mana reserves drained to the dregs. His [Lance of the Void Winter] had dematerialized back into his inventory, its durability critically low. Even his bones felt like they had been ground to dust and reformed by a clumsy blacksmith.

"System. Status Check."

[HP: 12,400 / 65,000 (Critical Condition)]

[Mana: 150 / 80,000 (Regenerating)]

[Status: Soul Exhaustion (Moderate), Abyssal Pressure (Active)]

"Inefficient," Alvian muttered, though his voice was a weak rasp in the water.

He reached into his inventory and pulled out a high-grade health potion. He crushed the vial in his hand, letting the red liquid mix with the seawater before absorbing it directly through his skin. The warmth spread through his limbs, knitting torn muscle and soothing the ache in his marrow.

He looked down at the seabed where Ursula had dissolved. The Octopus Queen, a candidate for Guardian turned traitor, had left behind more than just dust. A cluster of items glowed faintly in the silt, pulsating with a dark, rhythmic light.

Alvian drifted down. He didn't rush. The area was sterilized; nothing living would dare approach the site where a Calamity had just manifested.

He picked up the first item. It was a mass of writhing, black tentacles that had shrunk down to the size of a fist, encased in a crystal sphere.

[Item: Essence of the Kraken Queen (Legendary Material)]

[Description: The concentrated life force of a mutated cephalopod lord. Contains high-density Void and Hydro energy. Can be used to upgrade organic equipment or summon abilities.]

"Useful," Alvian noted. He stored it.

Next was a jagged shard of red bone. It was a piece of the Draconic Phantom's horn that had broken off during the final collision. It was heavy, radiating a heat that boiled the water touching it.

[Item: Phantom Dragon Scale (Mythical Material - Fragment)]

[Description: A physical manifestation of a spiritual entity. Contains the will of the Draconic Legion. Extremely volatile.]

[Note: Can be used to reforge weapons to gain [Draconic Slayer] properties.]

Alvian's eyes narrowed. This was the real prize. With this, he could upgrade the [Lance of the Void Winter] to target the Draconic Legion specifically. When the seal eventually broke—and he knew it would, his ice was only a bandage—he would be ready to hunt them.

Finally, he found a ring. It was made of black coral, set with a stone that looked like a trapped storm.

[Item: Ring of the Deep Sovereign (Epic)]

[Attributes: +50 Wisdom, +50 Energy]

[Active Skill: [Tidal Command] - Allows the user to manipulate local water pressure to crush targets. Cooldown: 10 minutes.]

He slipped the ring onto his finger. The stats were good, but the active skill was redundant compared to his [Frost Descent]. Still, it was better than nothing.

"Loot secured," Alvian whispered. "Time to go."

He looked up. The surface was miles away. A long, dark climb. He activated the thrusters on his [Greaves of the Tide-Runner]. They sputtered, low on mana, but they engaged.

He began the ascent.

It was a slow, solitary journey. As he rose through the water column, the pressure eased. The light began to return, shifting from pitch black to a deep, bruising purple, and finally to the clear, vibrant blue of the Azureus waters.

When he broke the surface near the Sea Temple, the scene was one of aftermath.

The water around the temple was calm, but stained with ink and debris. The massive hole in the temple floor had been sealed by emergency wards. On the dock, a small group was waiting.

Valeria stood at the edge, her golden armor dented and scorched, her helmet gone. Her hair was plastered to her face, and she was staring into the water with an intensity that could burn holes in steel. Beside her, Elara was weeping softly, held by Lady Ola. Seraphina was sitting on a piece of rubble, sharpening her daggers, though her eyes kept flicking to the water.

Alvian climbed onto the dock. He didn't make a dramatic entrance. He simply hauled himself up, water streaming from his black coat.

"Alvian!"

Valeria was on him in a second. She didn't hug him this time; she grabbed his shoulders, her grip tight enough to bruise. She shook him, just once.

"You idiot," she hissed, her voice thick with emotion. "You actual, absolute idiot. You stayed behind? With a Calamity?"

Alvian looked at her. He saw the fear in her eyes. Not fear of the enemy, but fear of loss. It was a variable he hadn't accounted for in his calculations.

"I calculated the odds," Alvian said, his voice calm. "The probability of success was 84%."

"I don't care about your math!" Valeria shouted, tears welling in her eyes. "You could have died! We thought you were dead!"

"I am hard to kill," Alvian replied. He reached up and gently removed her hands from his shoulders. "And the mission required it. The seal is frozen. The city is safe."

Seraphina walked over, sheathing her daggers. She looked Alvian up and down, noting the cracks in his armor and the exhaustion in his posture.

"You look like you went through a meat grinder," Seraphina noted.

"I went through a dragon," Alvian corrected.

Lady Ola approached. The Guardian of Chains looked older than she had hours ago. The strain of the ritual and the battle had taken its toll. She looked at Alvian with a mixture of awe and fear.

"The Phantom..." Ola whispered. "Is it...?"

"Gone," Alvian said. "Banished back to the void. The gate is sealed with [Void Ice]. It will hold for a century, provided no one tries to open it from this side again."

Ola let out a long, shuddering breath. She bowed her head. "Azureus owes you a debt it can never repay, Alvian. You saved my apprentice. You saved us all."

Elara stepped forward, her eyes red. "Thank you," she squeaked. "You... you were amazing."

Alvian nodded. "Inefficiency leads to death. I simply removed the inefficiency."

He turned to look at the city skyline. The lights of Azureus were flickering back on as the mana grid restabilized. The panic was subsiding. The war was over for the night.

But Alvian felt no relief. He felt only the weight of the next step.

"We need to rest," Valeria said, her voice softer now. "You need to rest, Alvian. Your mana is unstable. I can feel it vibrating from here."

"Not yet," Alvian said. He looked at Ola. "The Syndicate failed here, but they won't stop. They have agents in the city. Political agents."

"The City Lord," Seraphina realized. "He's been silent this whole time."

"Exactly," Alvian said. "A massive attack on his city, a Calamity manifestation, and the ruler of the ocean does nothing? He's either dead, captured, or compromised."

"Or he's waiting," Ola said, her face grim. "The City Lord... he is a cautious man. He balances the Seven Factions. He would not act until he knew the winner."

"Then we go to him," Alvian said. "We show him the winner."

"Now?" Valeria asked, incredulous. "Alvian, look at yourself. You can barely stand."

"Appearances are irrelevant," Alvian said, straightening his back. The [Vestments of the Void Monarch] rippled, repairing the cosmetic damage with ambient mana. He looked regal, terrifying, and unbroken. "I have the loot. I have the victory. Now, I need the authority."

He looked at his team.

"The game has changed," Alvian said. "We aren't just students saving a city anymore. We are players on the board. And it's time to make a move."

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