The results appeared faster than anyone expected.

Barely two days after the rain had covered the planet, reports started flooding in from every corner of Earth. Entire infected hordes were collapsing where they stood. Cities that had remained death zones for twenty years suddenly fell silent overnight. Surveillance drones captured scenes humanity once believed impossible — infected dropping one after another across highways, forests, underground tunnels, and ruined megacities.

At first, people were cautious.

After surviving through twenty years of nightmares, humanity had learned not to trust hope too quickly.

But then the third day came.

And the fourth.

By the fifth day, the truth became undeniable.

The infected were dying.

Everywhere.

The medicine Dr. Kian spent fifteen years creating worked exactly as intended. Once the compound entered their systems through the rainwater, it destabilized the corrupted energy sustaining them. Their bodies simply couldn’t survive without it.

What followed was perhaps the strangest week in human history.

For the first time in twenty years, people walked through cities without hearing infected screams echoing from dark corners. Roads once considered suicide zones slowly became quiet. Entire military divisions sent to confirm the results returned with the same answer over and over again.

"No infected detected."

By the seventh day...

Earth was finally free from infected.

Twenty years of fear.

Twenty years of watching billions of people turn into monsters.

Gone.

The news spread through the planet like wildfire. Rebuilt cities erupted into celebration. Some people cried openly in the streets while others simply stood frozen in disbelief, unable to process that the nightmare they had grown up with was truly over.

Church bells rang in surviving countries.

Fireworks lit up the skies of newly rebuilt capitals.

And in countless homes, people finally slept peacefully for the very first time in decades.

Of course, humanity’s fight wasn’t completely over.

Monster beasts and shadow beasts still existed across the planet in overwhelming numbers. Entire regions remained under their control, making it impossible for humanity to fully reclaim Earth anytime soon.

But unlike the infected...

These creatures were no longer viewed as purely mindless disasters.

Over the years, Earth had changed too much.

Spirit stones harvested from monster beasts had become the foundation of civilization itself. Their meat fed entire cities. Their bones, skins, horns, and cores were used in weapons, medicine, armor, technology, and energy systems.

And shadow beasts...

Many of them had become companions rather than enemies.

Especially after warriors discovered they could form contracts with shadow beasts once they reached S-rank or higher. The process was difficult and dangerous, but successful bonds created powerful partnerships that completely changed modern warfare.

It wasn’t uncommon anymore to see elite warriors traveling with giant spirit wolves, elemental birds, or massive feline shadow beasts by their sides.

Even children born after the apocalypse viewed such sights as normal.

Another massive change came from Earth’s environment itself.

With the Veil restored and corrupted energy disappearing from the planet, the balance of the world slowly began correcting itself. According to Dr. Kian and his scientific teams, monster beasts were already beginning to show signs of change.

Without corrupted energy feeding their aggression and endless mutations, many species were slowly becoming smaller and less ferocious. Their evolution wasn’t stopping — it was simply stabilizing.

Shadow beasts, however, seemed to thrive.

Elemental energy now naturally flowed through Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, forests, and mountains. Places once barren after monster invasions had started blooming with spiritual vegetation and elemental crystals.

The apocalypse had permanently changed Earth.

And strangely enough...

Not all those changes were bad.

Humanity itself had evolved too.

The current global population was only slightly above six hundred million — a devastating loss compared to the old world — but civilization was steadily recovering. The newly established cities were more than enough to sustain the remaining population, though expansion projects were already underway.

The World Council’s goal now wasn’t survival.

It was rebuilding.

Rebuilding wisely this time. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Because humanity finally understood the truth behind the apocalypse.

The Veil hadn’t weakened randomly.

Human greed, environmental destruction, and imbalance had slowly damaged the world over centuries until the protection surrounding Earth finally collapsed.

Nobody wanted history repeating itself again.

And so, strict global laws were established almost immediately. Environmental preservation became the highest priority across every rebuilt nation. Spiritual energy usage was regulated carefully. Protected zones were established around anchor sites.

The world was learning.

Finally learning.

And at the center of it all stood Grace Blackwood.

The savior of Earth.

The Divine Ascendant.

The woman humanity would remember for the rest of history.

Yet despite everything...

Grace herself was exhausted.

The meetings alone were enough to drive even powerful warriors insane.

Hours upon hours spent discussing rebuilding plans, territorial negotiations, food systems, spirit resource distribution, monster control programs, educational reforms, and diplomatic relations between Earth and the Magik Realm.

By the time Grace finally returned to the villa that evening, she looked more mentally drained than she ever did after battles against Class 24 monsters.

The moment she stepped through the entrance doors, she let out a quiet sigh and rolled her shoulders slightly.

And immediately sensed Davian waiting inside.

A soft smile appeared on her lips the second she saw him leaning casually against the kitchen counter with his arms crossed. There was something warm and peaceful about his presence that instantly eased the exhaustion weighing on her mind.

Davian’s eyes softened the moment they landed on her.

Without saying a word, Grace walked straight toward him and practically melted into his arms the second he opened them for her.

Strong arms wrapped around her waist securely while she rested her head against his chest, finally allowing herself to relax properly for the first time all day.

For the rest of the world, Grace Blackwood was untouchable.

A divine existence.

A woman powerful enough to alter the fate of planets.

But inside these walls...

She was simply Grace.

A woman who still craved warmth.

Affection.

Love.

Davian lowered his head and pressed a slow kiss against her forehead while gently stroking her back. "Long meeting?" he murmured softly.

"You have no idea," Grace muttered against his chest, making him chuckle quietly.

For a few peaceful moments, neither of them moved.

Then suddenly, Davian shifted.

Grace blinked in surprise when he gently turned her around.

"What are you doing?" she asked suspiciously, though amusement already colored her voice.

Davian only smiled behind her.

Instead of answering, he lifted a strip of soft black fabric and carefully wrapped it over her eyes.

The blindfold settled into place.

Darkness covered her vision instantly.

Grace arched a brow beneath the fabric while feeling his hands secure the knot gently behind her head.

And judging by the smug satisfaction radiating from Davian...

He was clearly planning something.