Grand Return System

Hope Within Despair

"Your father was a great man."

"He fulfilled his duty to the very end."

A brief silence followed.

Then Maya gently rested a comforting hand upon Shan’s trembling shoulder.

"But from this day onward..."

"The heavy responsibility of Secret Sword Summit will fall upon you."

"You must not collapse."

Her voice was soft, yet every word carried undeniable weight.

Shan lowered his head. His fingers tightened around his father’s cold hand, refusing to let go.

Around them, the elders and students of Celestis Academy silently shook their heads.

A heavy sigh escaped one elder after another.

No one blamed Shera.

No one blamed Shan.

Instead, every person present blamed themselves.

If only they had been stronger...

If only they had arrived sooner...

If only they could have shared even a fraction of the burden Shera had carried alone.

Perhaps...

Things would have ended differently.

Unfortunately, there was no "perhaps" in reality.

The battlefield had already claimed its answer.

The wind carried the faint scent of blood across the ruined land.

Broken weapons lay scattered among cracked stones.

The setting sun dyed the horizon crimson, as though heaven itself mourned those who had fallen.

For a long while, no one spoke.

The oppressive silence settled over everyone like an invisible mountain.

Not far away, Maya slowly walked toward Leon.

Her blue hair swayed gently behind her as she stopped beside him.

For a moment, she simply stood there.

Neither of them spoke.

Her beautiful eyes quietly observed Leon’s profile.

He looked calm.

Too calm.

Yet Maya knew him well enough to understand that the quieter he became, the heavier the emotions hidden beneath that calm exterior.

She finally let out a soft sigh.

"I keep wondering..."

"If either of us had arrived just a little earlier..."

"Would Guardian Elder Shera still be standing here?"

Her voice carried deep regret.

Leon remained silent for several breaths.

His purple eyes never left Shera’s peaceful face.

Finally, he answered quietly.

"Perhaps."

"...Or perhaps this was the choice he had already made."

Maya lowered her gaze.

She knew Leon wasn’t comforting her with empty words.

Shera truly had chosen that path himself.

Leon slowly turned toward her.

His expression softened ever so slightly.

"This isn’t your fault."

"You fought with everything you had."

"So did everyone else."

Maya bit her lower lip.

"But..."

"I still can’t help blaming myself."

Leon smiled faintly.

It wasn’t a joyful smile.

It was gentle.

The kind of smile that quietly reassured others even while carrying pain himself.

"If we spend our lives blaming ourselves for everything we couldn’t change..."

"Then the people who sacrificed themselves..."

"They would have protected us for nothing."

Maya’s eyes trembled slightly.

Those simple words reached her heart far more deeply than elaborate comfort ever could.

Leon looked toward the distant horizon where Headmaster Mike and the others had already disappeared.

"We honor the dead..."

"Not by drowning beside them."

"But by carrying their wishes forward."

A gentle breeze passed between them.

Maya slowly closed her eyes.

The heaviness weighing upon her heart eased ever so slightly.

When she opened them again, a faint smile finally appeared.

"...Thank you."

Leon simply nodded.

"We’ll carry this burden together."

Those five words made Maya’s smile become warmer.

She had long understood Leon’s feelings.

Likewise...

Leon understood hers.

Neither needed to confess.

Their mutual trust had long surpassed spoken words.

Standing quietly beside him was enough.

The silence between them no longer felt painful.

Instead...

It became a source of quiet strength.

Not far away, Shan’s cries gradually subsided.

His red eyes were swollen from weeping.

After remaining silent for a long time, he slowly raised his head.

His grief remained.

But beneath that grief...

A new determination had taken root.

He looked toward the elders gathered around him.

"I understand."

His voice was hoarse but steady.

"I will continue to inherit my father’s last wish."

"I will not let Secret Sword Summit collapse like this."

The determination in his eyes surprised many of the elders.

Just moments ago...

He had looked like a lost child.

Now...

He resembled someone prepared to shoulder an entire inheritance.

Several elders nodded approvingly.

Shera’s spirit...

Would likely rest easier seeing this.

Leon quietly watched Shan.

He remained silent for quite some time.

The atmosphere grew increasingly solemn.

Everyone believed the matter had reached its conclusion.

Leon slowly rubbed his forehead.

A helpless sigh escaped his lips.

"...This atmosphere."

He looked around at the mournful crowd.

Every face carried grief.

Every pair of eyes reflected loss.

Leon couldn’t help finding the situation strangely ironic.

"They’re all acting as though..."

"...he’s already gone forever."

The thought almost made him laugh.

He coughed lightly before stepping forward.

"Kid."

His calm voice broke the suffocating silence.

"What are you saying?"

Shan looked up blankly.

Leon smiled faintly.

"It’s still too early..."

"...for you to inherit the position of Secret Sword Summit’s Division Master."

The words fell like thunder.

Everyone froze.

The expressions on every elder instantly stiffened.

The surrounding students looked at one another in confusion.

Someone whispered nervously,

"Guardian Elder Leon and Guardian Elder Shera have never gotten along..."

"Surely..."

"He doesn’t intend to dismantle Secret Sword Summit at a time like this?"

Another elder frowned.

"I don’t know..."

"Shan is the eldest student of Secret Sword Summit."

"After Guardian Elder Shera’s passing, he’s naturally the first successor."

"Why would Guardian Elder Leon say something like that?"

"Could it be..."

"He doesn’t want Shan to inherit?"

Speculation quickly spread through the crowd.

Even Maya stared at Leon in astonishment.

She knew his character.

She refused to believe the man she loved would choose this moment to humiliate Shera’s final student.

There had to be another reason.

Shan’s face remained filled with grief.

Confusion slowly replaced the determination in his eyes.

Looking at Leon, he asked in a low voice,

"Guardian Elder..."

"I don’t understand what you mean..."

Among everyone present, no one understood the complicated relationship between Secret Sword Summit and Amethyst Summit Division better than Shan.