The roar of battle ceased, leaving a tense, reverberating silence in the shattered chamber. The newly formed prison, a colossal mass of reconfigured symbiote and luminous chains, stood firm in the center, containing Knull's impotent fury. His oppressive presence was still felt, but it was a muted power, a roar confined behind cosmic walls.
Cid removed his trembling hands from the node, his posture, for the first time in a long time, not completely rigid. He exhaled a deep breath, the stale air of the domain burning his lungs. The effort of maintaining the activation of the final protocol had been immense, even for him.
Jinwoo collapsed to one knee, leaning on his fist. Every muscle ached, his shadow energy almost completely depleted. The resonance with Knull had dwindled to a faint echo, but the fatigue from the internal and external struggle was overwhelming. He looked at the prison, the physical manifestation of his exhausting triumph. Knull was contained. They had succeeded.
They stared down at the immense, restrained form, Knull's red eyes blazing through the restraints with silent rage. It was the hardest, strangest, most cosmic victory they had ever achieved.
Then the vast presence of the System filled the chamber once more. There was no sound, only a direct, omnipresent communication that echoed in their minds, a sense of immense intelligence assessing the scene.
[The System: Primordial Entity Containment Operation... Completed.] The System's communication was concise, direct. [Knull... Contents. Prison stability... Optimal.]
The confirmation. It was real. They had contained a primordial god.
[The System: Your unique energy signatures... the Level 7 Agent's fundamental manipulation of the domain structure... combined with the Designated Shadow Asset's resonance anchoring into the fabric of the Void... created a structural disruption that allowed for the reinforcement of the primal prison. An... efficient result.]
Cid straightened his posture, despite the tension in his muscles. Validation. The System, the highest cosmic authority, confirmed the success of the mission.
Cid thought: Alpha-Cosmic Level Operational Validation! The superior has confirmed the success of the imprisonment protocol. The execution of the 'Containment Protocol' was a textbook example of the Level 7 Agent's ability to manipulate environmental variables and neutralize high-priority targets. The Designated Shadow Asset performed its role as 'resonance anchor' with... acceptable efficiency. My 'performance report' will be stellar.
Jinwoo listened to the System's technical explanation and the confirmation of success. A wave of relief washed over his exhausted body. He looked at Knull's prison. It was still there, the power palpable, but no longer an active threat. "How long... will he be contained?" he asked, his voice hoarse with fatigue. The peace of his world depended on it.
[The System: The stability of the current containment is... significant.] The System's response was measured. [Time... is a fluid concept on this plane. The direct threat from Knull is neutralized for now. Containment is to be monitored by designated operatives.]
Neutralized for now. It wasn't an absolute end, but a postponement. The cosmic-scale struggle wasn't really over, it was just shifting phases. But the task entrusted to them... they had completed it.
[The System: Your purpose in this sector has ended. Initiating dimensional transit and recovery protocol. Prepare for extraction.]
A gentle energy began to envelop them, the same sensation they had experienced upon arriving at the domain. In the air, far from the prison and the wreckage of the battle, a rift in reality began to open, not violent like a Gate portal, but controlled and luminous, a path back.
Cid nodded, his Level 7 Agent composure reasserted. "Extraction protocol activated," he said, his voice returning to its usual tone (in his mind). He headed toward the portal, without looking back.
Jinwoo stood up, though his legs trembled slightly. He looked one last time at Knull's prison, at the primordial god held in darkness, and at the shattered chamber that had been the scene of a battle beyond any nightmare. He had seen the true scale of the universe, the threats that lurked, and the strange connection his own power had with the Abyss.
With a sigh, she turned and followed Cid toward the light of the portal. The mission was over. It was time to return. To leave the Black King's dominion behind and return to reality, to face whatever came next, now with the knowledge and weight of having contained a god.
The portal opened fully, revealing a passage of pulsating energy. Cid entered first, his cloaked figure disappearing into the light. Jinwoo entered behind him, feeling the oppression of the Void recede as the portal closed behind him.
They left the Shrine of the Black King behind, the echo of their victory silent in the newly contained darkness.
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