"Welcome to Ragnarok. Finally got here after so long," Ryder said with a sigh that was half relief, half quiet triumph. The glint in his eyes was different from his usual calm — this was a man who had been carrying responsibilities for far too long. Now, at last, he could set them down. No more strange incidents to clean up, no more unexpected dangers to shield them from. For him, this was the end of a chapter.
He parked the sleek black car in front of the sprawling campus gates, the polished emblem of Ragnarok University gleaming in the morning sun. Students in tailored uniforms bustled about, the air buzzing with chatter and the faint scent of freshly cut grass.
"You guys come with me. I need to get you registered," Ryder said as he stepped out, his shoes crunching lightly on the stone path.
Aaron and Alice followed without a word, their eyes moving across the towering academic buildings and the enormous glass dome that reflected the sky like a giant crystal.
