The conference room remained silent.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
The words Aria had just spoken continued echoing through everyone's minds.
I have chosen an outcome... that can still save this world.
For several seconds, the Sovereigns simply stared at her.
Then—
The Martial King slowly leaned forward.
His usually relaxed expression had disappeared completely.
"What if you become corrupted?"
The question was simple.
But everyone understood its weight.
Aria's eyes slowly moved toward him.
There was no fear in them.
No hesitation.
Only calm certainty.
"I've already considered that possibility."
The Martial King's expression tightened.
"Then what will you do?"
Aria didn't answer immediately.
She looked around the table one final time.
At Rylan.
At Seraphine.
At the Martial King.
At the Shadow Queen.
At Shining Radiance.
At the Magical Sorcerer.
At the Queen of Snow.
Then she spoke.
"I'm going to challenge my Divine Trial immediately after this meeting."
Everyone froze.
"Immediately?"
Aria nodded.
"I don't have the luxury of waiting."
Her fingers slowly tightened.
"If I discover that I cannot conquer the Trial..."
She paused.
Her voice remained completely emotionless.
"I will end my life there."
Silence.
Even Rylan's expression changed.
Seraphine's eyes widened.
Aria continued.
"I won't return to the Human World."
"I won't allow the corruption inside me to spread."
"If the Trial proves impossible..."
"...I will simply destroy myself."
The Martial King stared at her.
"And if you succeed?"
Aria's eyes became colder.
"Then I will cleanse the corruption."
She paused.
"And if the corruption cannot be completely removed..."
The room became even quieter.
"I will still end my life."
Nobody spoke.
Aria continued.
"Being corrupted is not something anyone should ever allow themselves to become."
Her voice remained calm.
"Not a Sovereign."
"Not a Transcendent."
"Not even a Divine being."
"Corruption doesn't care about power."
"It doesn't care about status."
"It destroys everything."
She slowly stood.
"But before I leave..."
"I have divided the responsibilities."
Her gaze moved toward the Martial King.
"Martial King."
The powerful Sovereign straightened.
"Yes."
"You will help humanity prepare."
The Martial King frowned.
"Prepare how?"
"Teach."
Aria's answer came immediately.
"Teach every human who is willing to protect this world."
The Martial King's expression changed slightly.
"Even those who haven't been infected by the System?"
"Especially them."
Aria looked directly at him.
"Not every human will become an Initiate."
"Not every human will receive the System."
"But that doesn't mean they should remain helpless."
She continued.
"Teach them martial arts."
"Teach them combat."
"Teach them how to defend themselves."
"Teach them how to survive against monsters."
"You possess centuries of combat knowledge."
"Share it."
The Martial King slowly nodded.
"I understand."
"Don't limit your teachings to government soldiers."
Aria's voice became firmer.
"Train civilians."
"Train workers."
"Train students."
"Train anyone who is willing to stand between humanity and destruction."
The Martial King placed a hand against his chest.
"I'll do it."
Aria nodded.
Then she turned toward Shining Radiance.
"Shining Radiance."
The golden Sovereign immediately looked up.
"Your responsibility will be regeneration."
Shining Radiance raised an eyebrow.
"Regeneration?"
"You will help restore humanity's strongest soldiers."
She paused.
"And those with great potential."
Shining Radiance understood immediately.
"Because I can't be everywhere."
"Exactly."
Aria nodded.
"I know your ability requires enormous amounts of energy when used on large numbers of people."
"So don't waste yourself."
"Prioritize."
"Soldiers with exceptional potential."
"Those capable of becoming future pillars of humanity."
"And those whose survival can change the outcome of major battles."
Shining Radiance remained silent for a moment.
Then nodded.
"I understand."
Aria's gaze shifted.
"Shadow Queen."
The room became slightly darker.
The Shadow Queen slowly lifted her eyes.
"You will hunt humanity's greatest threats."
The Shadow Queen smiled faintly.
"Assassination?"
"Elimination."
Aria corrected.
"Any monster that ordinary forces cannot handle."
"Any creature capable of destroying an entire region."
"Any threat that must disappear before humanity even realizes it existed."
The Shadow Queen's smile widened.
"That sounds familiar."
Aria ignored the comment.
"Don't fight unnecessary battles."
"Strike only when the target must be removed."
The Shadow Queen nodded.
"Understood."
Aria then looked toward Rylan.
"Rylan."
He straightened.
"You will remain as one of humanity's final defensive pillars."
Rylan nodded.
"If something becomes too powerful for ordinary forces..."
"I'll handle it."
"Yes."
Aria's expression became serious.
"But your role isn't only to defeat monsters."
Rylan frowned.
"What else?"
"Containment."
She pointed toward him.
"If a battle becomes too large..."
"Move it."
"If a creature threatens to destroy an entire continent..."
"Force the battle away from populated regions."
"If necessary..."
"...protect the planet itself."
Rylan's expression became solemn.
"I understand."
Seraphine glanced toward him.
Rylan gave her a small smile.
"Don't worry."
"I'll be careful."
Aria's eyes moved toward the Magical Sorcerer.
"Magical Sorcerer."
The Sovereign immediately became attentive.
"Your responsibility will be in the Spiritual Realm."
The Magical Sorcerer nodded.
"What do you need?"
"A Spirit Gate."
The Magical Sorcerer's expression changed.
"You want me to create a Spirit Gate?"
"Not one."
"Several."
Silence.
The Magical Sorcerer stared at her.
"Creating Spirit Gates in multiple locations is almost impossible."
Aria remained silent.
He continued.
"It requires an enormous amount of essence."
"Maintaining them is even worse."
"One gate would already consume a tremendous amount of energy."
"And you're asking for multiple?"
Aria nodded.
"Yes."
The Magical Sorcerer shook his head.
"Aria..."
"I can't maintain that many permanently."
"I'm not asking you to."
Aria's expression remained calm.
"Create a method."
The Magical Sorcerer frowned.
"A method?"
"A spell."
She looked directly at him.
"You are a Magical Sorcerer."
"Create a spell capable of opening temporary Spirit Gates."
The Magical Sorcerer's eyes narrowed.
Aria continued.
"The System allows infected humans to enter the Spiritual Realm."
"But ordinary humans cannot simply walk through."
"They lack the connection."
"That must change."
She looked around the room.
"Humanity may eventually need to move into the Spiritual Realm."
"Not everyone can remain here."
"Not when the monster outbreaks continue increasing."
The Magical Sorcerer slowly understood.
"So..."
"You want humanity to have another refuge."
"And another battlefield."
Aria nodded.
"A bridge."
"Between both worlds."
She continued.
"Ascendants can already bring ordinary humans into the Spiritual Realm."
"But only one person at a time."
"That is too slow."
"Far too slow."
"If thousands..."
"...or millions..."
"...of humans need to escape..."
"That method is useless."
The Magical Sorcerer remained silent.
Then he sighed.
"You're asking me to create something that doesn't exist."
Aria smiled faintly.
"That's why I'm asking you."
The Magical Sorcerer stared at her for several seconds.
Then laughed.
"Fine."
"I'll create your impossible spell."
Aria nodded.
"Good."
Finally...
Her gaze turned toward Seraphine.
"Seraphine."
Seraphine immediately straightened.
"Your task is different."
Aria's voice became softer.
"You will help claim Citadels."
Seraphine blinked.
"All of them?"
"Even weak Citadels."
Seraphine frowned.
"Why?"
"Because we're going to need them."
Aria looked toward the window.
"The Spiritual Realm will not remain the domain of System users forever."
"Eventually..."
"Ordinary humans will enter."
"Millions may enter."
"Perhaps more."
Her voice became quieter.
"When that happens..."
"Humanity will need territory."
"Safe zones."
"Food."
"Resources."
"Defenses."
"Transportation."
"Government."
"Everything."
Seraphine slowly understood.
"A nation..."
Aria nodded.
"Sooner or later..."
"A human nation will be formed inside the Spiritual Realm."
The room fell silent.
It was a massive thought.
A civilization split between two worlds.
Humanity would no longer have only one home.
It would have another.
A dangerous one.
A world filled with monsters.
But also...
Resources.
Opportunities.
Ancient ruins.
Forgotten knowledge.
And perhaps answers.
Seraphine slowly nodded.
"I'll begin claiming Citadels."
"Even the weak ones?"
"Even the weak ones."
"Understood."
Aria looked around the table one final time.
Everything had been assigned.
Everyone had a purpose.
The Human World would continue.
Even without her.
She slowly stood.
For a brief moment...
Her expression became strangely distant.
Then the pale appearance returned.
Her body looked even more exhausted than before.
Rylan stared at her.
"Aria."
She looked toward him.
"Are you sure?"
Aria smiled.
"Yes."
"You know what happens if you fail."
"I do."
"And if you become corrupted..."
"I won't."
Rylan remained silent.
Aria's expression softened slightly.
"I've already chosen my outcome."
Then—
Her body began glowing.
Not with golden light.
Not with silver light.
Her entire body simply began breaking apart.
Tiny particles of light emerged from her skin.
Her fingers dissolved first.
Then her arms.
Her shoulders.
Her chest.
Her face.
Seraphine's eyes widened.
"Aria..."
Aria didn't respond.
She simply looked at them one final time.
Then—
Her human form completely disintegrated.
Dust-like particles drifted through the conference room.
The Master-rank body she had used to work with humanity...
Was gone.
Destroyed by her own decision.
There would be no return to it.
No safety net.
No second body waiting behind her.
Aria's spiritual form had already begun moving toward the Spiritual Realm.
Her two children would remain behind.
Their father would take care of them.
She didn't look back.
She didn't hesitate.
There was no room for such emotions anymore.
Not now.
She had already made her choice.
The spiritual form of Aria emerged within the Spiritual Realm.
Her presence immediately distorted the surrounding space.
The Spiritual Realm itself seemed to recognize her.
She stood alone beneath the strange sky.
Her eyes remained completely calm.
Then—
Two figures appeared behind her.
"You're not leaving without us, are you?"
Aria slowly turned.
Two familiar Transcendents stood behind her.
Jason.
The Transcendent of Catalyst.
And Clara.
The Transcendent of Impurity.
The two smiled.
For the first time that day...
Aria's expression softened.
"I thought you two would take an eternity."
Jason laughed.
"You know us."
Clara smiled.
"We were deciding who would explain this to our children."
Aria's gaze remained calm.
"They don't know?"
Jason shook his head.
"No."
"They don't know that we're challenging the Divine Trial."
"They don't know what we're preparing to do."
Clara's smile faded slightly.
"They'll learn eventually."
Aria nodded.
The three Transcendents stood together.
There was something strange about them now.
Their spiritual forms were different from their human forms.
More distant.
More detached.
The emotions that had once bound them to ordinary life felt increasingly insignificant.
They had already stepped beyond much of what humans considered natural.
Now...
They were preparing to step beyond even that.
Jason looked toward the distant darkness.
"So..."
"Ready?"
Aria smiled.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
Clara laughed.
"Then let's go."
The three figures turned toward the depths of the Spiritual Realm.
Their destination was beyond ordinary Citadels.
Beyond the territories controlled by humans.
Beyond the places where even Sovereigns dared to wander.
The path toward godhood.
The path toward the Divine Trial.
The path toward Apotheosis.
And without another word...
The three Transcendents disappeared into the distance.
They had chosen to seek godhood.
And whether they returned as gods...
Or never returned at all...
Humanity could only wait.