Sudden change

There was silence for a full minute. A breathless, tense hush—then the hall exploded with accusations and protests.

"Respected Guardian Spirit, are you certain there is no issue with this pillar?" Kael Dorn demanded, his voice strained and tight, gaze flitting between Ricky's unmoving form and the ethereal spirit floating before them.

The question hung heavy in the air.

They could somehow accept that a mysterious sixteenth participant had managed to grasp the inheritance technique, but to believe that a mere pest—an insect, and only at Stage 2—was ahead of them all? That was far harder to stomach.

His words struck a chord with the others. One by one, gazes sharpened and turned toward the Guardian Spirit. Silent stares begged for clarity, disbelief thick in the air.