The lake continued to batter the Stygian Shell in relentless waves of KANG—KANG—KANG.
Each impact rang like a vengeful deity demanding release.
Behind the trembling barrier, Lucien stood motionless. His eyes narrowed in deep calculation.
Eirene watched him with focus.
Marie hugged her arms, voice barely above a whisper.
"...So how do we retrieve something sitting inside a lake that wants to erase our breath?"
Lucien exhaled slowly.
"The Stygian Shell is shielding us… but it's also trapping the Key inside with it. If I remove the shield, we're immediately targeted. If I keep it up, no one can enter."
For a heartbeat, only the pounding lake responded.
Then—
A spark of insight flickered behind Lucien's eyes.
Thanks to Photographic Memory, the events of earlier did not fade. They lived in his mind with perfect clarity, preserved with sharper detail than any scroll.
The resurrection. The breath imprints. The metaphysical mechanics unveiled by the Samsara Crown.
