The chamber was silent, save for the faint crystalline hum of recovery sigils etched into the obsidian walls. Leon lay in stillness, body immersed in a stasis cocoon of golden light—a field constructed by Roselia and Liliana's combined healing magic. His body, despite surviving Voxian's harmonic onslaught, had microfractures in nearly every bone. Shell Reverb had sustained him. But it was Absolute Return that had brought him victory.
Now, he had to survive the aftermath.
Milim paced like a caged storm. "This is the third time in a week he's walked out of that ring half-dead. What happens when his shell doesn't reverb back?"
Naval stood by the corner, sharpening her spear. "That's why he's learning the Fifth Layer. Karmic Loop isn't about just reflecting damage—it's reconstructive combat. Turning consequence into counterweight."
Roman, seated beside Leon, nodded grimly. "But if he's not ready, it'll rebound on him instead. Rewriting fate isn't just dangerous—it's destructive."
