The faint ringing came again.
**Tick...**
...
**Tick...**
It was soft.
Weak.
But unmistakable.
A Chrono Watch.
Not Lin Mo's.
Not Eira's.
Another.
The sound rose from somewhere far below the prison chamber.
Every heartbeat of the imprisoned creature seemed to answer it.
Lin Mo instinctively placed a hand over his own watch.
The Roman numerals **I** and **II** glowed together.
Eira's **III** responded with a pale blue light.
The three watches formed a triangle of silver radiance.
Deep beneath the crystal prison...
A fourth pulse answered.
**Tick.**
The chamber trembled.
The shadow inside the crystal laughed.
"So..."
"He still lives."
The Guardian's voice became unusually tense.
> "Impossible."
> "The Fourth Heir should never have reached this place."
Lin Mo frowned.
"You know who it is?"
The Guardian remained silent.
Too silent.
The Devourer watched Lin Mo carefully.
"You've noticed, haven't you?"
"Your Guardian isn't telling you everything."
The shadow's silver eyes narrowed.
"He remembers."
"But he fears the answer."
Elder Mu stepped forward, her sword blazing with spiritual energy.
"Enough."
"Whether you're ancient or not, you'll reveal nothing."
She slashed toward the crystal.
The blade struck the barrier.
**Clang!**
Instead of damaging the prison...
The spiritual energy vanished.
Simply disappeared.
Elder Mu stared at her sword.
The technique she had cultivated for over a century...
Was gone from her memory.
She looked at her own hands in confusion.
"My..."
"My Azure Sword Art..."
"I..."
"I can't remember it."
The chamber fell deathly quiet.
The Devourer smiled.
"I warned you."
"I don't consume flesh."
"I consume remembrance."
One thread of dark mist drifted toward Elder Mu.
Lin Mo reacted instantly.
"Everyone back!"
**Tick!**
**Borrowed Second.**
Time slowed.
Lin Mo grabbed Elder Mu's shoulder and pulled her away before the mist reached her.
As time resumed, the mist struck the empty ground.
The ancient stone beneath it became smooth and blank.
Every inscription carved there over thousands of years...
Was erased forever.
The Guardian spoke urgently.
> "Do not let it touch your watch."
> "The Chrono Watch stores your memories."
> "If they're devoured..."
> "...your identity itself may disappear."
Lin Mo's expression hardened.
"So that's its goal."
The Devourer nodded approvingly.
"Very perceptive."
"It doesn't matter how powerful a Keeper becomes."
"If they forget who they are..."
"They've already lost."
Suddenly—
The fourth resonance grew stronger.
Not just a ticking.
A heartbeat.
Then...
A voice.
Faint.
Distant.
Yet unmistakably human.
"...Help..."
The chamber froze.
Eira looked toward the depths beneath the prison.
"Someone's alive."
The Devourer sighed dramatically.
"He really is persistent."
"I've been trying to erase him for..."
The shadow tilted its head.
"...I don't even remember how many centuries."
It laughed at its own joke.
Lin Mo stepped closer to the edge of the chamber.
Beyond the prison was a deep abyss.
At the bottom...
Barely visible...
A single silver light flickered.
Like a candle refusing to die.
The Chrono Compass emerged from Lin Mo's robe by itself.
Its needles spun wildly.
Then one stopped.
Pointing directly downward.
A new symbol appeared upon its surface.
**IV**
The Guardian finally spoke.
His voice was filled with regret.
> "His name..."
> "...was Caelan."
Lin Mo turned immediately.
"Was?"
The Guardian closed his eyes.
"He was the youngest disciple ever chosen by the Fourth Hour."
"He entered this prison..."
"...to strengthen the seals."
"He never returned."
Eira whispered,
"How long ago?"
The answer came slowly.
> "Nine thousand, eight hundred and twelve years."
Chen Yu nearly dropped his sword.
"That's impossible!"
"No one can survive that long!"
The Devourer chuckled.
"He didn't survive."
"He endured."
"I've erased his memories."
"His name."
"His family."
"His dreams."
"Again and again."
"But every time..."
The shadow's smile faded slightly.
"...he remembers just enough to rebuild himself."
For the first time, there was something unexpected in its voice.
Not hatred.
Respect.
The abyss suddenly erupted with silver light.
A powerful wave surged upward.
The darkness surrounding the prison recoiled.
The ticking became louder.
**Tick!**
**Tick!**
**Tick!**
From below came the sound of chains breaking.
Not the Devourer's chains.
Different ones.
Older ones.
A young man's voice echoed through the abyss.
Calm.
Steady.
"I told you..."
"...I wouldn't forget forever."
A beam of silver light shot upward from the depths.
Within it stood a young man who looked no older than twenty.
His long silver hair reached his shoulders.
His robes were torn by countless battles.
Around his neck hung an ancient Chrono Watch marked with a glowing **IV**.
His face bore hundreds of scars.
But his eyes...
His eyes carried the weight of ten thousand lonely years.
He looked at Lin Mo.
Then at Eira.
A faint smile appeared.
"So..."
"I'm not alone anymore."
Before anyone could respond—
The Devourer laughed louder than ever before.
"Excellent."
"Now..."
"...all four heirs are finally together."
The last remaining cracks spread rapidly across the crystal prison.
Only **nine** Keeper Chains remained intact.
The true battle for Frostveil had just begun.