Only Yeyan stood frozen in place. Even though she was already familiar with the Fire Picker in theory, this sudden first encounter still hit her with a wave of shock.
So this is... the Fire Picker...
It's...
So cool!!!
Yeyan clasped her hands to her cheeks, eyes sparkling, her mind racing with thoughts.
If it had been Zane appearing, she might not have reacted so strongly—but the Fire Picker...
Who could possibly resist someone who looks like that?
"Zane..."
Qingyi's eyes went wide, joy and excitement lighting up her face. She couldn't hold herself back and instinctively ran toward her disciple.
Zhu Yuan also showed a look of surprise, relaxing slightly. She had intended to go over as well and stepped toward Zane.
If he was awake, then that little black sphere was no longer a threat.
Behind them, Shin smiled faintly. She had known this guy wouldn't be in trouble. Just as she was about to follow the others forward, someone tugged on her sleeve.
Turning in surprise, she saw Yeyan staring in astonishment, disbelief mixed into her expression as she pointed at Zane.
"Shin... look at him... isn't he an Ethereal?"
Her voice was quiet, and Shin, still confused, gave Zane a closer look—only to suddenly realize something.
Zane was standing in sunlight, snow falling onto him, looking perfectly normal.
It was rare for a Fire Picker to move about outside the Hollows. The Mars District had been one instance, and another was when he was caught on camera by the Sixth Division.
From the hard-won photos she'd managed to obtain, she knew a Fire Picker's energy would constantly leak away outside the Hollows, their radiance far from dim—much like any other Ethereal outside. But right now...
"This guy..."
Shin's pupils shrank. If an Ethereal no longer feared the world beyond the Hollows, then...
Standing where the Ether Crystal had been, Zane took in the changes in his body.
The world outside the Hollows could no longer drain him—a tremendous leap forward for an Ethereal.
Lowering his gaze, he spotted Qingyi running toward him. Memories of recent events flashed through his mind as he slowly raised his arm.
Qingyi hesitated for only a moment at his gesture before continuing forward. Reaching him, she paused briefly, then opened her arms for a hug.
A master giving her long-absent disciple a reassuring embrace—nothing unusual about that.
But before she could wrap her arms around him, Zane's own arms closed first, pulling her in and lifting her completely off the ground.
Qingyi blinked in surprise, instinctively kicking her legs, swinging them forward and back to find a foothold—only to come up empty every time.
With the Fire Picker's height, she was now entirely suspended, like a doll in her disciple's arms...
"Master, thank you."
His quiet words came as his towering figure began to shrink within a haze of shimmering light.
Qingyi had been about to say something, but after hearing his voice, she swallowed the words. Something about his mood felt... off.
The radiance was dazzling, and she closed her eyes, resting against him. Forget it—floating was fine. It wasn't like she'd be held for long.
A few breaths later, his human form returned, and her feet touched the ground again.
Shin had already approached. Zane glanced at her, gave a faint smile, and said,
"As you wished—I'll work to save the world from now on."
"We'll likely be seeing each other a lot. I'll be counting on your guidance."
His tone was polite, though he hadn't forgotten about that hair-pulling incident—just postponed it.
Shin blinked at first, a faint chill brushing over her, though she dismissed it as the cold weather.
"Save the world? When did you come up with that? And you say it so... casually?"
"I've been through some things."
He didn't elaborate, just gave a vague reply to show he meant it.
The greater the power, the greater the responsibility—especially for someone like him, created to bear a unique role. But responsibility wasn't something to be taken lightly.
His earlier words in Dead End Hollow had been more of an impulse than a plan.
But in the endless cycle of battling monsters there—through the crushing hopelessness and countless deaths—he'd realized something.
Life comes from death, and death from life.
That experience had reshaped his heart.
He now knew what he needed to do.
Follow his own will. Do what he believed was right.
Of course, he wasn't pretending to be noble. "Saving the world" sounded grand; in simpler terms, it was just protecting his world.
When the nest is destroyed, no egg remains intact.
"Tsk, tsk... 'Save the world' sounds like a child's fantasy. Not exactly an easy job..." Shin said with a small smile.
"Hey, are you still holding me...?"
A quiet voice reached his ear. Zane blinked, realizing he was still holding his master. Loosening his arms, he looked at Shin with a faint curve of his lips.
"No matter how hard it is... my resolve is set."
"There are always things more important than the rest."
"It's only a matter of time."
He tilted his head back, watching snowflakes drift from the sky. Raising his hand, he caught a few, watching them melt in his palm before lowering it.
Hold them too long, and snowflakes can only vanish.
His eyes gleamed as he murmured,
"Divinity or humanity—it doesn't matter."
"I know what kind of god I want to be."
"And I know what kind of person I want to be."
Waving once, Zane turned to leave. Then, as if remembering something, he produced a mask in his hand like a magician's trick, holding it by his face but not putting it on yet. He glanced back over his shoulder.
With a soft chuckle, he said,
"Praise the fools."
"Those who were never meant to exist in this world."
With that, he slipped the mask on and strode away, his figure calm yet carrying an untouchable air as he walked through the snow.
Qingyi, who had only just steadied her emotions after that embrace, blinked—then frowned and quickly followed.
Shin was still mulling over his words, about to say her farewell, when she stopped short—watching Qingyi drag her disciple back.
"Your hair's gotten longer, and your courage with it, huh? Playing the hero and trying to walk off—where exactly are you rushing to?"
"What, not planning to spend some time with your master? I've been waiting for you for ages... And shouldn't you first let the people who care about you know you're safe?"
Qingyi plucked the mask off his face with a cheerful smile.
Zane looked at her, offering a sheepish grin as he raised both hands in surrender.
"Master, I wouldn't dare..."
Off to the side, Shin couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.
This guy, who always seemed fearless—turns out there was someone who could put him in his place. Truly, they were master and disciple.