As the last golden sparkles of Noe Jin Un's spirit faded from view, something extraordinary happened. Instead of disappearing completely, a small orb of soft, warm light remained floating exactly where he had stood, pulsing gently like a miniature sun.
"What is that?" Blood Wolf asked, approaching the phenomenon with cautious curiosity.
Blood Flower examined the orb with intense scholarly interest, his analytical mind racing. "It appears to be a condensed memory fragment. I've read about these in the most ancient texts, but I never thought I'd actually see one. They're supposed to be incredibly rare."
The orb pulsed with a rhythm that somehow felt familiar to Jin Ho, emanating warmth and comfort that seemed to directly counteract the lingering chill left by the Shadow Society's visit. He felt inexplicably drawn to it, as if it were calling to him on a level deeper than conscious thought.
"Jin Ho," came Noe Jin Un's voice, now fainter but still unmistakably clear, seeming to emanate from the golden orb itself. "This is my final gift to you. The real treasure isn't going to be in Jin Noeumu's vault, though you should definitely still check it out because there's important information there."
Jin Ho reached out tentatively and touched the warm surface of the orb. The moment his fingers made contact, a flood of memories washed over him—but these weren't painful ones. These were the good memories, the pure ones, the moments that made friendship worth everything.
Flash: The four of them sitting around a crackling campfire during their first adventure together, laughing until their sides hurt at some ridiculous joke Noe Jin Un had made.
Flash: Noe Jin Un patiently teaching Jin Ho a new lightning technique, encouraging and supportive despite Jin Ho's repeated failures, never showing even a hint of frustration.
Flash: The very first moment they met at the Gangcheon Blood Tomb, when Noe Jin Un had looked at Jin Ho without fear, judgment, or calculation—just genuine, immediate friendship.
Flash: Noe Jin Un defending Jin Ho when others called him weak, saying with absolute conviction: "Jin Ho has the strongest heart of anyone I know, and that's worth more than any technique."
"These memories," Noe Jin Un's voice continued as the warm experiences settled into Jin Ho's heart like precious treasures, "are what true friendship looks like. Don't let Eum Mugeuk or anyone else corrupt that understanding. Don't let them convince you that everything is about power or manipulation."
Jin Ho felt tears welling up in his eyes as the beautiful memories took root in his consciousness, providing a stark contrast to all the betrayal and deception they'd recently discovered.
"But that's not all I'm leaving you," Noe Jin Un's voice grew slightly stronger, as if the act of sharing the memories had somehow recharged his spiritual energy. "I'm giving you something practical too. The vault that Jin Noeumu built? It's not just locked with lightning techniques—it requires a specific emotional resonance to open properly."
『Interesting,』 the Blood Heaven Great Emperor mused with newfound respect. 『Emotional locks are among the most sophisticated magical defenses ever created. They require genuine feeling, not mere technique.』
『But how does understanding emotions help us fight stronger enemies?』 the Thunder Lightning King asked with characteristic confusion about anything not directly combat-related.
"Because," Noe Jin Un's voice replied, apparently still able to hear the demons' mental conversations, "the real treasure isn't weapons or secret techniques. It's understanding. Jin Noeumu's correspondence will show you exactly how deep this conspiracy goes, but more importantly, it will reveal their fundamental weaknesses."
The orb began to pulse more rapidly, and Jin Ho sensed that Noe Jin Un's spiritual energy was nearly exhausted.
"You need to approach the vault with a pure heart," Noe Jin Un continued urgently. "Not one filled with anger or revenge or hatred. If you try to open it while consumed by negative emotions, the lock will reject you completely."
"How do I do that?" Jin Ho asked. "After everything I've learned about the betrayals and manipulation?"
"That's where the memory orb comes in," Noe Jin Un explained. "When you reach the vault, hold onto those good memories I just gave you. Remember what genuine friendship feels like. Remember that not everyone in your life has been lying to you."
Jin Ho nodded, clutching the orb more tightly as he felt its warmth spreading through his entire being.
"There's something else you need to know," Noe Jin Un's voice became urgent. "Eum Mugeuk's greatest weakness is that he genuinely doesn't understand friendship or loyalty. He thinks everything can be bought, controlled, or manipulated through fear and power. That blind spot is going to be his downfall."
"And the Shadow Society?" Blood Flower asked, leaning closer to catch every word.
"They're not nearly as united as they pretend to be," Noe Jin Un revealed with obvious satisfaction. "Some of them are true believers who really think Eum Mugeuk will give them power. But others are just scared people who got in too deep and don't know how to get out."
The orb's light began to flicker, and Jin Ho could feel Noe Jin Un's presence starting to fade.
"Wait, there's one more thing," Noe Jin Un said quickly. "The two demons inside you—they've changed more than they realize. They're not the same entities that got sealed away originally."
『What do you mean?』 the Blood Heaven Great Emperor asked sharply.
『Yeah, what's that supposed to mean?』 the Thunder Lightning King added.
"You've both been influenced by Jin Ho's personality and experiences," Noe Jin Un explained. "You're becoming something new, something better than what you were before. Don't be afraid of that change—embrace it."
Jin Ho felt both demons go silent as they contemplated this revelation.
"The Supreme Demon God failed because he tried to maintain perfect separation between his aspects," Noe Jin Un continued. "But true strength comes from balance and cooperation, not domination. You three are already proving that."
The orb's light was now barely a flicker.
"Remember, Jin Ho," Noe Jin Un's voice was now barely a whisper. "Revenge was just the beginning. Your real purpose is protection. Protect the people who can't protect themselves. Protect the idea that friendship and loyalty still matter in this world."
"I will," Jin Ho promised solemnly.
"I know you will. You've got the strongest heart of anyone I know." With those final words, the orb dissolved completely, but its warmth remained within Jin Ho's chest like a permanent flame.
The hall was quiet for a moment as everyone processed what they had just witnessed.
"Well," Blood Wolf said finally, "I think we have our next move clearly outlined."
Blood Flower nodded enthusiastically. "A vault full of evidence, protected by emotional resonance locks. This should be fascinating from a technical perspective."
Jin Ho looked around at his companions—the Blood Flame Sect members who had stood by him, the Thunder Palace disciples who were now looking to him for guidance, and felt the presence of the two demons who, despite their protests, had become his partners rather than mere tools.
『So we're really doing this?』 the Blood Heaven Great Emperor asked. 『We're going to trust in friendship and positive emotions to unlock ancient secrets?』
『It sounds completely crazy,』 the Thunder Lightning King admitted. 『I love it! Let's go punch some emotional locks!』
Jin Ho smiled, feeling Noe Jin Un's warmth still glowing in his heart. "Let's go find that vault. And remember—we're not going down there as conquerors or thieves. We're going as friends, working together to uncover the truth."
As they headed toward the stairs leading to Thunder Palace's lower levels, Jin Ho felt something fundamental shift within him. The burning need for revenge that had driven him for so long was finally giving way to something more powerful: the determination to protect others from experiencing the kind of loss and betrayal he had endured.
『This feels different,』 the Blood Heaven Great Emperor observed. 『This new motivation... it's actually quite refreshing.』
『Yeah!』 the Thunder Lightning King agreed enthusiastically. 『I like fighting for people instead of just fighting!』
Jin Ho descended the stairs with his companions, carrying Noe Jin Un's final gift in his heart and ready to face whatever truths awaited them in the depths below. The age of revenge was ending, but the age of protection was just beginning.