Chapter 17 – The Dawn Guild
Golden feathers drifted across the ruined plaza.
The oppressive aura left behind by the Guardian of Judgment had completely disappeared.
For several seconds, no one dared move.
Then the System announced the end of the event.
Guardian Event Complete
Participants Remaining: 47
Calculating Contributions...
...
Rewards Distributed.
Golden light descended upon every surviving Awakened.
Azrael, Seraphina, and Elena felt warm energy surge through their bodies.
Level Up!
Azrael
Level 6 → Level 7
Seraphina
Level 6 → Level 7
Elena
Level 5 → Level 6
"Nice."
Azrael stretched his shoulders.
"I could get used to leveling like this."
Elena laughed.
"Don’t."
"Boss fights like that aren’t common."
The little girl Azrael had rescued earlier slowly approached him.
She looked to be around ten years old, with dusty brown hair and torn clothes.
"H-Here..."
She held out a small silver bracelet.
"My mom made this before..."
Her voice faltered.
"...before the monsters came."
"I want you to have it."
Azrael knelt.
"You should keep something this important."
She shook her head.
"You saved me."
"My mom always said..."
"...heroes deserve gifts too."
Azrael smiled warmly before accepting the bracelet.
"Then I’ll treasure it."
The little girl smiled brightly for the first time.
As she ran back toward the survivors, the System chimed.
Faith Increased
32 → 41
New Milestone Reached.
Faith Skill Unlocked
Inspiring Presence
Nearby allies gain increased morale and slight resistance against fear.
Passive Skill.
Seraphina read the notification over his shoulder.
"The more people believe in you..."
"...the stronger your leadership becomes."
Azrael nodded thoughtfully.
"So Faith isn’t just a number."
Before he could think further, the massive golden chest slowly descended onto the plaza.
Unlike every previous reward chest, this one radiated a majestic aura.
Its surface was carved with celestial runes, while two enormous golden wings decorated the lid.
The System displayed another notification.
Legendary First-Clear Reward
Only the first group to complete the Guardian Event may open this chest.
Azrael stepped forward.
"Open."
The chest unlocked with a loud click.
Brilliant light erupted into the sky.
Every Awakened instinctively looked toward it.
Three treasures floated into the air.
Obtained
Guild Founder Emblem (Legendary)
Angelic Communication Crystal (Epic)
Evolution Elixir ×3 (Rare)
The golden emblem floated toward Azrael.
The moment he touched it, the System displayed another screen.
Congratulations!
You are eligible to establish Earth’s First Official Guild.
Please enter a Guild Name.
Azrael stared at the screen.
"What should we call it?"
Elena shrugged.
"I’ve never been good with names."
Seraphina looked toward the rising sun breaking through the clouds.
Golden light illuminated the destroyed city.
She smiled.
"How about..."
"...Dawn?"
Azrael looked around.
People were beginning to smile again.
Survivors were helping one another.
Hope was returning.
"Dawn..."
He nodded.
"I like it."
He typed the name.
Guild Name Confirmed
DAWN
Congratulations!
Earth’s First Guild has been established.
Guild Master:
Azrael
Vice Guild Master:
Seraphina
Captain:
Elena
The moment the guild was registered—
A world announcement echoed across Earth.
World Announcement
Congratulations!
The first official guild has been created.
Guild Name: Dawn
Guild Master:
Azrael
Special Founder Rewards Granted.
Across countless cities...
Every awakened human saw the announcement.
Inside the ruins of New York...
A swordsman covered in monster blood looked toward the sky.
"So someone beat us to it."
In Tokyo...
A young shrine maiden smiled.
"Dawn..."
"What a beautiful name."
Inside a military bunker beneath London...
Several officers stared at the announcement in disbelief.
"They’ve already formed a guild?"
Meanwhile...
Far beyond Earth...
Inside an enormous palace floating among the clouds...
A beautiful woman with twelve radiant wings slowly opened her eyes.
A smile appeared on her flawless face.
"The first guild..."
"It has begun."
She looked toward a floating image of Earth.
Her gaze settled on the twins.
"So..."
"The children have taken their first step."
Back in Elysia...
The Founder Rewards continued arriving.
Founder Reward
Guild Hall Blueprint
Guild Storage
Guild Chat
Guild Buff
Guild Territory Marker
Elena whistled.
"This is ridiculous."
"The first guild really gets everything."
Before anyone could celebrate further, the Angelic Communication Crystal suddenly floated into the air.
Cracks of golden light spread across its surface.
The crystal projected a life-sized hologram.
Everyone nearby instinctively stepped back.
Standing before them was a young man with shoulder-length silver hair.
He wore elegant white armor trimmed with gold.
Six magnificent white wings spread behind him.
A radiant halo floated above his head.
Unlike the monsters...
Unlike the Guardian...
He looked completely human.
His golden eyes rested on Azrael and Seraphina.
"So..."
"You truly awakened."
Azrael tightened his grip on his sword.
"Who are you?"
The angel smiled politely.
"My name is Raphael."
"I am an Archangel of the First Heaven."
"My purpose is not to fight you."
"I have come..."
"...to welcome the first Halo Bearers born on Earth."
Silence filled the plaza.
Even Elena forgot to breathe.
An actual angel...
Was speaking to them.
Raphael continued.
"The Celestial Evolution System has watched your progress."
"Earth has successfully survived its first planetary trial."
"But this is merely the beginning."
He raised one hand.
A massive map of stars appeared behind him.
Then the stars multiplied.
Galaxies.
Universes.
Realms.
Infinite layers expanded until even imagining their scale became impossible.
Raphael’s voice grew solemn.
"There are over nine million registered worlds within your universe."
"There are countless universes within the Genesis Realm."
"And above even those..."
"...exist higher realms that even I have never witnessed."
"The strongest beings no longer measure distance in worlds."
"They measure it in universes."
Azrael stared at the projection in silence.
Earth...
Was unimaginably small.
Raphael looked directly into his eyes.
"You possess the Authority of Oblivion."
Then he turned toward Seraphina.
"And you possess the Authority of Genesis."
"The balance between creation and destruction has appeared once more."
His expression suddenly became serious.
"Which means..."
"...the Abyss has already noticed you."
The hologram flickered violently.
Raphael frowned.
"They’ve found my signal already..."
Black cracks spread across the projection.
An unfamiliar laugh echoed through the crystal.
Deep.
Cold.
Filled with endless malice.
"Raphael..."
"You should know better..."
"...than to interfere."
Golden light clashed against crimson darkness inside the projection.
Raphael looked back at the twins one last time.
"I cannot remain connected."
"My final advice..."
He smiled faintly.
"Trust each other."
"No matter what happens..."
"...never let the bond between Genesis and Oblivion be broken."
The projection shattered.
The crystal crumbled into dust.
At that exact moment...
Far beyond the atmosphere...
The colossal golden gate that had appeared days earlier trembled.
Then, with a deafening roar heard across the entire planet...
It opened another inch.
Something...
Was trying to come through.