CHAPTER 56: THE AFTERMATH

The transition was instant.

Heat turned to humidity. Silence turned to chaos.

And just like before, the Earth’s skies loomed over the Rift site—this time swollen with more eyes, more drones, and more noise.

Crowds had tripled. The Astral Guild enforcers were lined up with scanning units, shouting commands. Media teams screamed over each other. Broadcasters held up holograms of my previous feats.

"—Blank cleared the 8th Floor!"

"Confirmed!"

"Where is he?! Where is Blank?!"

They were ravenous for a glimpse, but I was already walking past them.

The moment I returned to earth, the Nullshade Set activated fully.

My aura didn’t ripple. My steps made no sound. Even the scanner drones passed right by me without so much as a flicker.

In their eyes... I wasn’t even there.

It was as if Blank never returned.

And that’s exactly how I wanted it.

I weaved through the crowd—past a merchant selling instant Rift-stims, past a group of low-ranked Vassals arguing over floor tactics—and no one turned their head.

It felt like walking through fog.

Invisible. Untouchable.

-

I unlocked the door, stepped in, and let the weight of the day collapse over me.

I tossed the Nullshade Veil on the kitchen table and peeled off the gloves. My fingers trembled—not from fear, but the aftermath of battle. Mana fatigue pulsed in my veins like aftershocks.

I leaned against the wall, slid down to the floor, and finally—finally exhaled.

I closed my eyes, letting the silence of my apartment wrap around me.

Not even the Labyrinth could steal this moment.

"...Just two more."

My voice was a whisper to no one.

-

The knock came barely five minutes after I collapsed on the floor.

I didn’t move. I just called out, "It’s open."

The door creaked open. Noel stepped in, wide-eyed, holding a drink tray in one hand and a grimace on his face. "Bro—what the hell. You cleared the 8th already?"

I gave him a slow, tired nod. "Yep. Still warm from the fight."

He walked over, placed the tray on the counter, then pointed at me with both hands. "You said I could enter after the 9th. You didn’t say you’d clear the 8th in a few hours!"

I smirked, rubbing my neck. "Plans changed."

Before he could reply, my comm crystal pulsed.

Astraia.

I sighed. "Again?"

Noel leaned over to glance. "She knows?"

"She knows." I tapped to accept, then held it up to my ear.

Her voice came sharp and immediate.

"You cleared the 8th Floor without even taking a full day off?! Are you trying to provoke the guild masters, or is this just some Vassal death wish?"

I chuckled under my breath. "Neither. Just keeping the promise to myself."

"You’re insane, Blank. The top guilds are rattled. There’s a betting pool going against you on when you’ll fall. Guess what? They’re losing a lot of credits."

"Good," I muttered, glancing at the city lights outside the window. "Let them bleed."

She paused—then added quietly,

"You’re going to make enemies you can’t avoid if you keep this up."

I didn’t reply. We both already knew that was the point.

-

Elsewhere – Astral Community Feed

The world has exploded again.

[CRIMSON UPDATE – FLOOR 8 CLEARED]

"BREAKING: ’Blank’ just cleared the 8th floor. Fastest solo clear ever recorded. Estimated time: 1 Hour, 49 Minutes, 26 Seconds."

@AscendedDawn

HOW IS THIS GUY REAL?!

@StellarHuntress

If Astraia is Top 1, Blank is literally Top 0.

@GuildIntelCrow

Three Guild Masters were seen having a closed-door emergency meeting. Coincidence?

@CharterOfTheWind

Proud doesn’t even cut it. He’s already doing what they said was impossible. Floor 9 is next. You’ll all see.

@TheBrokenChalice

Blank isn’t a player. He’s a warning.

@ManaWhisperer

If he’s not registered, and he’s stronger than Astraia, then he’s a ghost. A damn dangerous one.

The threads were endless. Analysis videos. Speculations. Fan theories. Leaks. Doomsayers.

But one thing echoed through all the noise:

Blank had changed the game. Again.

And the world couldn’t stop watching.

-

Room 307 – Moments Later

Noel slumped into the single worn-out chair in the corner of the apartment, arms crossed, brow furrowed.

"You’re telling me..." he began slowly, "that the eighth floor threw waves of magical beasts at you? Like some arena-style hell zone?"

I nodded while sipping the last of the healing potion. "Survival format. Couldn’t exit unless I cleared every single wave."

His eyes widened. "And they kept getting harder?"

"Yeah," I said, leaning back. "First wave was manageable. Just some mana-fused hyenas and serpents—burned through them quickly."

Noel raised an eyebrow. "Sounds easy enough."

"It was. Because I remembered the patterns from last time," I said, then added with a bitter edge, "but then came the second wave—less beasts, but smarter ones. Ambush tactics, coordinated attacks. I took a hit to the ribs. Still sore."

Noel blinked. "And you handled them?"

"Barely. Had to rotate between Precision Flame and Explosive Ember stances. Good thing I upgraded Emberfang Style—burn stacking gave me the edge."

"Then what?" he asked, leaning in.

I exhaled slowly. "Wave three was a nightmare. A mana-warped basilisk leading the charge, cloaked wyverns acting as its aerial support. Took everything I had to ground them. And by wave five..."

I paused.

He saw the hesitation.

"What happened, Nile?"

I met his gaze. "One enemy. Titan-class construct. Copied my fighting style. Adapted to every move I made like it had studied me its whole life."

Noel paled. "Wait... how did you win?"

"I didn’t," I said flatly. "It tried to self-destruct. Poured all the ambient mana into one final blast, thinking it would take me down with it."

His jaw dropped. "But you’re here."

"I rushed it." My voice grew quieter. "Poured every ounce of mana, strength—everything—into stopping it. Spammed my entire arsenal. Barely survived."

Noel stared for a while, then leaned back with a long, low whistle.

"You’re not just clearing the Rift anymore. You’re speed running it!"

I smirked faintly. "Seems like someone up top agrees."

He raised a brow. "Ignil?"

I nodded once.

Noel let out a nervous chuckle, running a hand through his hair. "Damn, Nile. You really picked a fight with the Warden of the Abyss himself."

I tilted my head. "No. I challenged him."

A silence passed between us.

Then Noel stood and stretched, cracking his neck. "Guess I better start preparing for my turn. You promised to escort me to Floor 10, right?"

"You’ll get there," I said, eyes narrowing. "But not yet. I clear Floor 9 first."

He grinned. "You’re insane."

"And still breathing," I replied.