A distant sound echoed through the arena.
Not screams.
Not clashing metal.
Applause.
The crowd—once consumed by Wrath—began to rise as if waking from a collective nightmare. The entire coliseum erupted into clapping. Shouts, roars, broken voices blended into the air:
"They did it!"
"Wrath has fallen!"
"We're free!"
"The champion was defeated!"
And, little by little, the entire city changed.
The red sky brightened.
The heavy aura evaporated.
The ground stopped pulsing with hatred.
It was as if someone had removed a red lens from the world.
Emanueru looked around, awestruck.
"The system… it cleared the Domain of Wrath."
Marcus let out a tired smile.
"Finally… we can breathe."
Ethan remained standing, watching people now hugging, crying, or simply sitting on the ground—feeling relief for the first time.
"One sin less," he murmured.
Elenya knelt beside Sienna, gently running a hand through her hair.
"Let's take her to rest. She deserves it."
Jay tried to stand… and immediately sat back down.
"Okay. I may have broken something. Internally."
Ethan laughed and draped Jay's arm over his shoulder. Elenya helped Emanueru stay upright. Marcus lifted Sienna into his arms, with an unexpected gentleness for someone usually so rough.
As they passed through the coliseum gates, the city parted before them.
Each resident offered a small bow.
Some cried.
Others simply smiled, as if feeling peace for the first time.
An elderly woman grasped Ethan's arm.
"Thank you… for freeing us from ourselves."
Ethan felt the weight of her words.
"It was my entire group's doing. Not just mine."
She smiled.
"Then I'll thank all of them when they wake up."
The inn beside the central market glowed with a soft, welcoming light—as if the system itself had restored the city to receive them.
Sienna was laid on a bed.
Emanueru collapsed onto another and passed out instantly.
Marcus sat down on the floor before even reaching a mattress.
Jay threw himself onto the first soft surface he could find.
Ethan stood still, watching them all.
Elenya approached.
"You always stay awake until you're sure everyone's okay?"
"Always."
She smiled softly.
"They're okay, Ethan. They won."
He finally allowed himself to sit, feeling the weight of the entire day drop onto his shoulders.
"Yeah…"
He looked at Jay, Marcus, Emanueru, and Sienna—completely wrecked.
"They really did."
That quiet night—the first peaceful one on that floor—the city slept in peace.
And so did the group.
The room was silent.
Too silent.
Until—
"AAAAAAAAAAAA—OH MY GOD MY BACK—AAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The scream tore through the air like an arrow.
Jay woke so fast he nearly threw his shield at the ceiling. Marcus fell off his chair. Emanueru rolled onto the floor, hugging his pillow like a terrified koala.
Sienna was sitting upright in bed.
Hair a mess.
Dark circles under her eyes.
With the expression of someone who had just opened their browser history in public.
"What… what happened to me?" she asked, moving her arms. "Why does it feel like a magical boar danced on top of me?!"
Jay opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, and pointed.
"You… passed out. Like—POOF. Candle blown out."
Sienna froze.
Completely froze.
And then—
"I PASSED OUT AT THE BEST PART?!"
The ceiling nearly collapsed.
Marcus raised his hands defensively.
"Hey, calm down! You saved Emanueru first! And then you just—"
He waved vaguely.
"Shut down."
Emanueru, still half-asleep, raised a thumbs-up without opening his eyes.
"You saved my life… thanks… I think… my soul's still loading…"
Sienna pressed the pillow over her face and screamed into it.
Jay scratched the back of his neck.
"Look… it was beautiful. Even passing out, you fell dramatically. Very soap-opera."
"THAT DOES NOT HELP, JAY!"
Before the drama could escalate, the door opened. Ethan and Elenya entered carrying bread, fruit, and water.
Ethan assessed the scene like a father who already knew exactly what he'd find.
"Good morning to you too, Sienna."
"It's not a good morning!" she snapped. "I SLEPT while the group fought a DEADLY SIN!"
"Yes," Ethan replied calmly. "And that's why Emanueru is alive today."
She shut her mouth.
Elenya placed an apple in her hand.
"Eat. Mana doesn't come back from screaming. It comes back from food."
Sienna took a bite—and widened her eyes.
"Wait. Where are the townspeople? Did I miss the parties?! The celebrations?! Children calling me a heroine?!"
Marcus coughed.
"You even missed the elder's speech. It was nice. He praised 'the summoner of great wolves.'"
"AND I WASN'T EVEN THEEEEERE!"
She flopped backward onto the bed, defeated.
Marcus leaned forward.
"On the bright side, nobody saw you drooling on my shoulder while I carried you."
"I D-R-O-O-L-E-D ON YOUR SHOULDER?!"
Marcus went pale.
Jay burst into laughter so hard his chair nearly tipped over.
Emanueru murmured, hugging his pillow:
"I saw it… but I won't say anything… because she saved me."
Sienna pulled the blanket over her head.
"I reject this day. I want a reset. I want a checkpoint. I want to die and be reborn with dignity."
Ethan crossed his arms.
"Sienna—"
"I DO NOT EXIST TODAY."
He continued anyway.
"You were essential in that fight. If you hadn't held off half the enemies with those giant wolves, none of us would be here teasing you right now."
"Mmm…"
Elenya smiled at Ethan.
"Translation: she's happy. She'll never admit it."
Jay stepped closer and rested his shield on the floor.
"Sienna… seriously… thank you."
One eye peeked out from under the blanket.
"…You're being way too nice. You're going to make me cry."
Marcus crossed his arms.
"And besides, you're still in the season's final fight. We'll carry you to the next floor, but you'll be back blowing everything up like always."
Sienna took a deep breath, pulled the blanket down… and sat up.
"Okay. But listen carefully:
If any of you mention that I slept through the fight…
I will summon a ghost bear and make it chase you for three straight hours."
Jay raised his hands.
Marcus laughed.
Emanueru gave a thumbs-up.
Ethan smiled.
Elenya nodded.
"Noted."
The group began to get up, stretch, and recover.
The Fragment of Wrath glowed on the table.
Sienna stretched her arms, still sore.
"Alright. Let's go. Who's next?"
"Pride," Ethan answered.
She smiled.
"Perfect. After yesterday… I really need to step on someone's ego."
The group laughed.
And so, with aches, laughter, and a wounded pride, the Floor of Wrath was left behind.
Before the next chaos.