《Rise of the White Devil》 Chapter 1 A new life "Ugh, my head hurts," a voice echoed in a luxurious room, emanating from a young human child with white hair and red eyes reclined on his king-sized bed."What happened... last I remember was leaving the dorm room and going to the grocery store since I was out of food... then I saw a truck that was about to hit me when I crossed the road... Ugh, my head!" Suddenly, an influx of memories flooded the mind of the young boy¡ªmemories that weren''t his own but were at the same time-. The boy bolted upright in bed, eyes wide with shock after the sudden surge of memories. "No way... I died and got reincarnated! Hahaha! This is amazing! After all, my previous life was nothing but pain¡ªI was an orphan since birth and got bullied in middle school and college! There was no one who would miss me now that I''ve died especially after everything I have done." He said to himself for who knows what reason... Although transmigration might be a more fitting term for some, in this case, it wasn''t the scenario. Looking through his memories, whenever he went to sleep, he experienced dreams of a previous life¡ªa life where he was alone. It seemed that those memories were blocked by some sort of barrier, but had finally awakened ''Maybe I awakened my memories now because I wouldn''t have been able to handle it before?'' "This world certainly is interesting," he said in his cute, childish voice, recalling the information about his current world. The world he now lived in was called Myrniel, and his name was Lucas Nightstar, the noble son of Alexander Nightstar and Violet Nightstar. His father held the title of viscount, yet the Nightstar family was respected by the royal family due to its history of aiding them in the past. For some unknown reason, both his father and his grandfather had always declined promotions to higher ranks such as count or marquess. Myrniel was currently at war against an invasive race called the Demons, and various other races also inhabited the world. However, the most dominant races were Humans, Elves, and Dwarves. In this world, strength reigns supreme, and those who seek it embark on the path of becoming either a mage or a swordsman. Magicians and swordsmen are categorized into different star levels, ranging from 0 to 12: 0 stars (Dormant) 1 to 3 stars (Awakened) 4 to 7 stars (Master) 8 to 10 stars (Grandmaster) 11 to 12 stars (Saint) Rumors whisper of levels beyond 12 stars, but no one known has ever ascended to the 13th star level. At the age of 12 in this world, individuals typically awaken as either magicians or swordsmen, each displaying varying levels of aptitude. Throughout the years, numerous methods have been developed to measure a person''s affinity for a particular element or property. These assessments unveil the unique talents possessed by each individual, predicting their potential future levels of mastery. 1st pov: sigh- "Well, that was a lot of information to absorb all at once. But in the end, none of it really matters. This is my second chance, and I won''t squander it. I can sense that I''ve not only inherited Lucas''s memories but also his emotions and abilities. Well, they are actually my memories and feelings; I just wasn''t aware of them. Speaking of abilities, they never got to properly test Lucas¡ªno, I mean, my affinity. The affinity orbs that show one''s affinity always seemed to explode, and because of that, many started thinking that perhaps I didn''t have an affinity, and I became depressed." ''hmm'' In this world, everyone possesses a status screen, a private interface that reveals personalized information visible only to the individual. Activating it requires nothing more than a mere thought, allowing one to access their data instantaneously ''status'' ------------------------------------ Status Screen: [Name]: Lucas Nightstar [Age]: 12 [Gender]: Male [Race:] Human [Rank]: low 1-star level (Awakened) [Affinities]: - Fire - Lightning Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. - Space - Chaos (Progenitor) [Special Talent]: Dual Wielder [Physique]: None [BloodLine]: Unawakened [Title]: None [Skills]: None ------------------------------------ Special Talent: [Dual Wielder]: Possesses the ability to wield both aura and mana simultaneously. ------------------------------------ "...." "...." "WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?! OF COURSE THE ORB EXPLODED; IT COULDN''T HANDLE MEASURING MY AFFINITY TO BEGIN WITH!" I practically scream in frustration. "T-this... How am I so talented? What the heck! And what is this Chaos element? And as a progenitor? Am I the first to have this element? The orb must have exploded because of the Chaos element, then? And damn, even the Space element? Space is extremely rare to have, and I have it." ''Why wasn''t all of this shown on my status before my memories returned?'' "Let''s not even start with Lightning and fire, but what is this special talent? I don''t recall anyone ever talking about having a special talent. So, I can be both a swordsman and a mage at the same time since I can use both mana and aura? Isn''t that like overkill?" As my mind was being blown by my own awesomeness, I heard a knock at the door. Knock, knock. "Young master, are you awake?" came the gentle and sweet voice of a mature woman from the other side. Chapter 2 Emotions Lucielle''s POV:Sigh. "I''m worried about the young master. He''s barely left his room since the testing of his affinity... I don''t understand. Is the young master truly someone who doesn''t possess any affinity? If so, why did the orb explode instead of remaining unchanged? It doesn''t make sense. Well, it doesn''t matter for now. I need to find a way to cheer him up somehow, or else Madame and the Master will become even more worried than they already are." Knock, knock I gently tapped on the young master''s door and asked if he was awake. I always did that, knowing he was probably still asleep, especially now that he''s depressed. He definitely wouldn''t be awake¡ªor so I thought¡ªuntil I heard the voice of the young master from inside his room. "Yes, I''m awake. Come in, Lucielle." That voice... It was the young master''s, but it wasn''t the depressed tone he''d had for the last two months. Instead, it was filled with warmth, care, and a hint of nervousness. Why was he nervous? I wondered as I opened the door and saw the young master standing before me with a gentle and innocent expression. "Ah..." I gasped involuntarily at that expression. How long had it been since I''d seen him wear such a happy and innocent face? Lucas'' POV: "Young master, are you alright?" Lucielle asked me as I stood before her. I tilted my head, a cute gesture that I couldn''t resist. "Yeah, of course! Why, is something wrong, Lucielle?" I asked innocently. "N-no, forgive me, young master. I''m just not used to seeing you up this early," Lucielle said. "Ah! Well, yeah, I had a nightmare, you see, and got a headache, so I woke up earlier than usual," I said, hoping to convince her and ease her worries. But it immediately backfired. "Are you alright, young master? Should I call a doctor, perhaps? Or the Master and Madame?" Her tone was extremely gentle and filled with worry. Hearing her tone and seeing her expression, I couldn''t help but let out a gasp. "Ah..." I see, so this is how it feels... to have someone who loves and cares for you... Since my memories returned, it looks like my feelings from my past life did as well. My eyes became a little blurry for some reason. "I see... this isn''t a bad feeling, I suppose..." "Young master, what happened? Why are you crying?" she said while crouching down to meet my gaze. "Huh, crying?" I didn''t realize it, but tears were streaming down my cheeks, and in the end, I started crying. Seeing my state, Lucielle embraced me and pressed my head against her chest. "It will be alright, young master. Everything will be alright," she said in a gentle, caring tone. Hearing her, I couldn''t help but embrace her back and release all the frustration from my previous life. And so, I cried for the first time since I can remember from my previous life, gaining my memories in this life. ******* I finally managed to pull myself together, though my face couldn''t help but turn red with embarrassment. ''Aaah! I want to bury myself in a hole and never come out! Why did I cry like that?'' I lamented inwardly. Seeing my state, Lucielle couldn''t help but comment, further igniting my embarrassment. "Fufu, young master really is cute¡ª" "S-shut up, okay!? Forget about what happened just now," I interrupted, flustered. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Eeh, that''s impossible, young master. This will be ingrained in my mind forever," Lucielle teased. "U-ugh, stop teasing me, Lucielle." "Hehehe." As we bickered, I noticed the face of another woman suddenly appearing at the door. I could see many emotions flickering through her eyes; she must have been there since the moment I was crying. "M-mother," I stammered nervously upon seeing her. Yes, that woman was my mother, with her beautiful, mature face and piercing blue eyes, like the sea itself. She looked at me with such a loving gaze that I couldn''t help but avert my eyes. "How are you doing, dear?" she asked in a gentle, motherly tone that I wasn''t familiar with yet felt comforting at the same time. "I-I am fine now, Mother," I managed to squeeze out, my throat feeling dry and as if I were about to cry again. Why? Why did I feel like crying again? I bit down on my tongue to prevent it from happening. Noticing my state, my mother was suddenly in front of me, crouching down to my level and gently stroking my hair. I couldn''t help but close my eyes at how nice it felt... It was comforting, and without me noticing, I didn''t feel like crying anymore. "Since you''re already up this early, do you want to have breakfast with us, dear? Your father will be there as well," she asked while lovingly stroking my hair. Hearing her question, I snapped out of my daze and responded, "A-ah, yes, sure. I am starting to feel hungry, I guess." And just like that, I started preparing myself for my first breakfast with my parents since regaining my memories, while my mother returned to my father, where both would be waiting for me. Chapter 3 No lies In a luxurious hall, three people could be seen indulging in food that most lower-class individuals could only dream of, even gazing upon the food. A red-haired man with piercing eyes sat at the head of the table, exuding a cold expression and intimidating presence¡ªhe was Lucas''s father, Alexander Nightstar. Seated on his right side was his wife, Violet Nightstar, while Lucas himself dined on his left.''Ugh, this is awkward. I''ve never really had a proper conversation with my father since the affinity test. I avoided him out of fear... Hell, this is the first time we''re eating together since that day. Did Mother tell him about me crying? Probably,'' Lucas thought to himself. Honestly, Lucas didn''t know what to do in this situation. It was way too awkward for him, especially since his memories returned. It seemed like his social skills also regressed. ''We didn''t even greet each other; we just nodded...'' Cough, cough "Father, can I have access to the library?" Lucas asked, hoping to dispel the awkward atmosphere. Intrigued by his question, his father asked in his usual cold voice, "Library? Is there a reason for it, my son?" Though he sounded cold, Lucas''s father was a caring father and loving husband who always put his family first in every situation. ''Now, should I lie to them or just tell them the truth? Hmm... Forget it; they''re my family. I don''t want any misunderstandings to happen. I want to make them proud instead,'' Lucas resolved. "Yes, I think I finally found the reason why the orb couldn''t measure my affinity, Father," Lucas said confidently. "What!?" his mother exclaimed in surprise. No wonder, since she had been extremely worried about him not having an affinity. His father raised his eyebrows in surprise at hearing how confident Lucas sounded¡ªsomething he hadn''t heard from his son before. "And what could the reason be, if you don''t mind me asking, son?" his father inquired. ''Okay, no lies,'' Lucas thought, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before meeting his father''s gaze head-on with a determined look¡ªan expression that surprised his father, who had never seen his son give such a look before. "The reason was because the orb couldn''t handle measuring my affinity. I am a progenitor of an element called Chaos, and because of that, it must have destroyed the orb," Lucas said confidently. "Progenitor of Chaos?" his father asked in surprise, while his mother looked on with extreme joy but equal worry. The element Chaos sounded ominous, and nothing was really known about it¡ªand the unknown was something that everyone feared. "Yes, that''s why I want access to the library¡ªto learn more information about Chaos," Lucas explained. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hmm, I understand, my son," his father said, a smile etching onto his face, happy about his son and how he had matured. "Thank you, Father," Lucas said happily, though he knew he wasn''t done yet. "Father, do you know anything about a person having a special talent?" Frowning upon hearing this question, his father asked, "Do you mean like a special trait that a race would have?" "No, I mean something an individual would have," Lucas clarified. "No, there aren''t any records. And if there were, I doubt someone would be stupid enough to reveal a special talent of theirs," his father replied. ''Makes sense,'' Lucas thought. "Why would you ask something like that, dear?" his mother inquired, sounding worried. "Well..." Lucas decided to tell them everything about what he saw on his status, including his other elements and the special talent he possessed. It was pretty funny since the expressions they made were priceless. Lucas barely held back laughter after seeing how dumbfounded they were. After listening, the first one to snap out of their daze was his father. Sigh "I see..." After thinking for a while, his father turned to meet Lucas''s eyes. His gaze was that of a predator, and his smile turned sadistic. "Heh, to think my son would be so talented..." Gulp "I-it''s not that impressive, if I''m honest, Father..." Lucas said, a little afraid after seeing his father''s expression. "Very well, you can have access to the library. I will also provide you with a training schedule from now on. You will wake up early in the morning at 7 a.m. and head to the training grounds. I will have William be your personal instructor from now on," his father declared. ''Shit, this battle maniac,'' Lucas thought to himself. Lucas had always been lazy in his previous life, and some old habits are hard to lose, so it would be natural for him to be reluctant. But he could understand his father''s reasoning. Understanding didn''t mean he wanted to do it, though. "F-father, wouldn''t Sir William be busy with the knights?" Lucas asked, hoping to get out of this situation. "Nonsense. It''s relatively peaceful these days in our territory, so William has a lot of free time. Besides, after he learns about you, I''m sure he wouldn''t want to do anything else but train you, my son," his father said with a sadistic grin. ''Fuck, these two are battle maniacs,'' Lucas thought. Sir William Rashford was the head knight and leader of the Order of the Falling Stars. The Order of the Falling Stars was composed of elite soldiers under Lucas''s father and the House of Nightstar. Sir William was a middle-aged man with white hair, blue eyes, and a small white beard. But by no means was he someone to be underestimated, as he was a low 10-star level swordsman. ''Yeah, I''m screwed,'' Lucas thought. Sigh. "Fine, I''ll do it. Thank you, Father," Lucas said reluctantly. "Fufu," it seemed like his mother was enjoying his torment. "It''s important to make you as strong as possible, son, since you will be attending Shield at the age of 15," his father said. Shield was the academy in the capital of the human domain, the most elite academy meant to produce the strongest of magicians and swordsmen. To enter Shield, you had to pass an entrance exam first, which was extremely difficult. But it looked like his father believed that Lucas could easily make it, which was 100% true. "Ugh, fine, I understand, Father," Lucas said. After that, they decided to have some small talk, which was enjoyable for the three of them since it had been a while since they could talk together as a family. Afterward, Lucas decided to head to the library accompanied by Lucielle. She really was overprotective of him. ''Alright, let''s hope I can find something about this Chaos element,'' Lucas thought as he walked to the library. ******* "He has matured," his father remarked after Lucas headed to the library. "He has, but I am worried, though," his mother said with concern, fearing that her son might be hiding something since the change seemed too abrupt, especially considering his earlier tears. "Don''t worry, my dear. Those eyes of his seemed determined and brimmed with confidence. I''m sure he knows what he''s doing and has finally found the path he wants to walk," his father reassured her, trusting their son without any hesitation. His mother, looking at his father, couldn''t help but smile. "Yeah, you''re right, darling. Perhaps I''m being a little too overprotective, like Lucielle." "Haha, no worries. We should just support Lucas and his choices from now on and help when he needs us. After all, that''s what parents are for," his father said with pride, recalling his conversation with Lucas earlier. "Fufu, very well. But I am worried. I can see that he hasn''t shed that lazy attitude of his," his mother admitted with a bitter smile. "Haha, at least he accepted and it looks like he won''t cut corners," his father said happily. "That is right, I suppose," his mother said with a bitter smile. ''I wonder, my son, how strong you will become,'' his father thought with a predatory smile, contemplating his son''s future. Smack. "Dear, go easy on Lucas, okay?" his mother said with a smile, yet her eyes were extremely cold. Gulp. "Of course, I would. He is my son. I wouldn''t push him that hard. Haha," he replied nervously. Yes, the Great Alexander Nightstar was easily tamed by his wife, something that would shock thousands of people if they were to learn about it. Chapter 4 Progenitor of Chaos "Young master, I''ll be waiting outside the library. Please call me if you need any assistance," Lucielle said."Thank you, Lucielle. I''ll let you know," Lucas replied as he entered the library. The library was vast, with countless books that would take decades to read. Lucas decided to start with the section on elements, hoping to find anything about Chaos. ****** "Damn, my eyes hurt from all that reading... I still can''t find anything about the Chaos element. There has to be something; there''s no way I''m the only one throughout history to have this element," Lucas muttered to himself. While pondering his dilemma, he noticed an old, ancient book emitting a faint red glow on one of the shelves. "Seriously? Yeah, I''ve read enough novels in my previous life to know what this is... how cliche," Lucas said with exaggerated excitement as he approached the glowing book. Picking up the ancient tome, Lucas felt its age and mystery. It seemed untouched for thousands of years. As he sat down with the book, mysterious red and black energy enveloped him, inducing a chaotic sensation. "What''s happening!?" Lucas exclaimed in panic as his vision blurred, and he lost consciousness. *** "Ugh, what happened?" Lucas groaned as he slowly regained consciousness. Opening his eyes, he found himself lying on a wooden floor. He realized he wasn''t in the library anymore; he was likely inside the book. Surprisingly, he felt calm rather than panicked. As he stood up, he noticed he was in a beautiful forest, illuminated by a crimson moon. "Beautiful," Lucas remarked softly, gazing at the striking red moon surrounded by countless stars. "Hahaha, indeed, it is quite beautiful," a voice chuckled from behind him. Turning around, Lucas saw a middle-aged man with long black hair and blood-red eyes. His presence was overwhelming, exuding an aura of chaos and power. "Who are you?" Lucas inquired, curious yet composed. The man approached him, standing beside him as they both admired the crimson moon. "I am the first progenitor of Chaos," the man answered, his gaze fixed on the celestial spectacle. "The first? Does that mean there were others after you?" Lucas asked, intrigued. "No, you are the second¡ªthe only one who inherited the Chaos element after me," the man clarified. "I see... where are we, by the way?" Lucas inquired further. "We are inside the Book of Chaos. Only those who can wield Chaos can see and touch it. I am but a fragment of my soul, left here by my original self for the next progenitor of Chaos," the man explained. "I see...what do you want to tell me?" Lucas asked calmly. "The Chaos element you possess is one of the most powerful. It embodies both positive and negative energies. I won''t delve into its details; you must forge your own path with Chaos and decide its use," the man advised. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Be cautious, though. Chaos can be highly destructive, potentially harming your loved ones if you lose control. That''s why I''ll offer some guidance before sending you on your way," the man added solemnly. "Why help me?" Lucas inquired. "Because I don''t wish to see the only Chaos user perish due to recklessness," the man responded. "I understand," Lucas acknowledged. The man then pointed his finger at his head and infused Lucas with a surge of chaotic energy of red and black, causing intense pain. "A-argh!" Lucas cried out in pain. His body was boiling from the inside. it hurt a lot. "it hurts, a-argh! fuck! w-what is happening!" Lucas cried out as blood was coming out of eyes. As chaotic energy erupted from Lucas''s body, devastation followed in its wake. Trees were uprooted, animals dead, and the once serene forest turned into a scene of destruction. Gasping for air, Lucas lay on the scorched ground. "If you had attempted to awaken your Chaos element in the real world, it would have unleashed destruction upon everything in its path," the man explained solemnly. "Do you understand now the danger of wielding chaos if you aren''t careful?" he asked. "Y-yes, I understand," Lucas replied, still struggling to catch his breath. "No worries. Now, you can wield it as you wish without something like that happening again, well, unless you do it on purpose. But at your current level, that''s impossible," he said. "T-thank you," he added, his gratitude evident while gasping for air despite the pain he endured. With reassurance from the man, Lucas felt a sense of relief. Though the ordeal was excruciating, he now possessed a deeper understanding of his power. "I will send you back now. It was nice to meet you, Lucas Nightstar. I hope that you will live a good life," the man said, his voice fading as Lucas''s consciousness began to slip away. "Y-yeah thanks" Lucas managed to squeeze out before his vision started to blur and he finally lost consciousness (AN: It was a short chapter; I apologize for that. I''ll strive to write longer chapters in the future. For those who are confused, Lucas''s Chaos element needed to be awakened since he had no control over it and didn''t know how to use it. But now, he finally understands how to use Chaos. The next chapters will be him finally focusing at getting stronger.) Chapter 5 Training "U-ugh, looks like I am back," a young voice echoed through the library."Looks like the book is gone." ''How long was I gone?'' As Lucas pondered the strange event that had just occurred, he heard footsteps approaching him. "Young master, it is already late, and you have missed dinner as well. I think you should stop for today," Lucielle said as she approached him. "Ah, yes, no need, Lucielle. I finally found everything I needed." Lucielle''s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and she asked in a bewildered tone, "Really, young master? Did you already solve your problem with that Chaos element?" "Yeah, look, Lucielle," Lucas said, raising his right hand. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucas began channeling the mana he felt in his body and guided it towards his right hand. Suddenly, his hand was enveloped in a flame-like energy that was red and black. "W-what, young master! Stop, please!" Lucielle exclaimed in panic and bewilderment, concerned that Lucas might harm himself since he hadn''t practiced mana. It was normal for her to react that way, but Lucas felt like he could do it. Suddenly, the energy dissipated. "Hehe, see, I already have control over it, Lucielle," Lucas said in a smug tone while looking at the bewildered Lucielle. "A-ah, yes, I see, young master... But please, for your safety, don''t practice any magic until you have someone to supervise you," Lucielle said in a worried but firm tone that allowed for no refusal. "Ah, yes, sorry, Lucielle. I was just excited," Lucas apologized. "It''s fine, young master. Now, let''s go back to your room; it is already late at night." "Yes, let''s go." ********** In an open field, a young boy with white hair and red eyes could be seen running laps, while a middle-aged man with white hair and blue eyes watched him from a distance. "Young master, for a swordsman, it is important to have a good physique since we move a lot and fight in close-range battles. We must have a strong body," William advised as Lucas continued his laps, gasping for breath. "I-I know, why else am I running around while I am on the verge of death, dammit!" Lucas retorted between breaths. "Haha, you are funny, young master," William chuckled, amused by Lucas''s response. After a while, Lucas finally stopped and lay down on the ground to catch his breath after finishing 50 laps. "I-I am tired," Lucas muttered in a fatigued tone. "Good job, young master," William praised, pleased that Lucas had completed the laps without stopping. "Now, I want you to do 1000 push-ups, 1000 squats, and 1000 sit-ups," William instructed in a friendly tone. Lucas just looked him dead in the eye, swearing in his heart that he would have his revenge against this battle maniac. *** Meanwhile, a red-haired man with a commanding presence approached William, who was watching Lucas train. "659,660,661,662,663,664,665,666" The boy counted while doing his sit-ups, sweat could be seen over his whole body and even on the ground as he was fully focused at completing his sit-ups after doing 1000 push-ups and squats. "So, how is my son doing?" Lucas''s father inquired, observing his determined son. "He is doing amazing, my lord. He doesn''t stop even once until he finishes each task. He is very determined," William replied proudly, watching Lucas complete his sit-ups with focus. "That is good. Keep building up his body until the end of the week. After that, train him in the sword, and I will have Lucielle train him in magic," Lucas''s father decided. Lucielle, a peak 8-star level mage, would be the perfect teacher for Lucas, as she knew him almost as well as his own parents. "My lord, I can''t help but ask, wouldn''t this be too much for the young master? If he starts learning both magic and the sword, wouldn''t that be too much of a burden for him?" William voiced his concern. "Haha, it might be, or it might not. That depends on my son and how much effort he is willing to put into becoming the strongest, don''t you think, William?" Lucas''s father replied with amusement. "I don''t think the young master really cares about becoming the strongest, but the path he has taken will obviously lead him there if he continues training with the same determination he is showing now," William remarked, gazing at Lucas with admiration. "I agree," Lucas''s father nodded in acknowledgment. ****** A week passed by quickly, and now William stood before Lucas, ready to teach him about sword intent. "Young master, what I am about to show you is sword intent. I have mastered my sword intent to the highest degree, to the point where I don''t even need a sword anymore," William explained to Lucas, who watched him intently. With a serious expression, Lucas nodded inwardly, signaling his readiness to learn. Golden aura began emanating from William''s right arm, coalescing into a double-edged sword made of golden energy. "This is what most can do when they become an 8-star level swordmaster, young master. It is called sword intent," William elucidated. "Those at the 4-star level can use their aura to envelop their sword, enhancing its damage and allowing for cleaner cuts. This is called sword aura," William continued his explanation. "At your level currently, you need to learn how to release your aura. When your aura is released, you can make it envelop your body, providing increased durability and strength in combat, in other words this is called aura release." William added. "The same applies to mages who use mana to shield their bodies, providing protection against physical attacks and spells," he explained further. "Then what about me? Can''t I use both mana and aura to envelop my body?" Lucas inquired. William''s expression hardened momentarily before he responded, "Young master, have you been neglecting your studies? You know that mana and aura repel each other, so you can''t mix them, even if you use both simultaneously." "Oh, yeah, I knew that. I was just asking if you knew as well," Lucas replied, feigning ignorance. "Right... Now, young master, please sit cross-legged and close your eyes. We are going to try to release the aura stored inside your body," William instructed. Lucas''s POV "Now, try to feel all the pores around your body. They are your keypoints. Focus on opening them while at the same time feeling the aura inside your body and spreading it out, releasing it through the pores," William instructed me, and I followed his guidance diligently. It was challenging, but eventually, I managed to locate all my keypoints. However, I encountered a problem¡ªI couldn''t release my aura. It felt as though there was a barrier or door preventing my aura from flowing out. As I continued to push my aura out, my body began to sweat profusely. Concerned, William observed my condition closely. Deciding to take a risk, I persisted in pushing my aura against the barrier blocking its release. After a while, cracks started to form in the barrier, indicating that it was about to break. "Young master, please be careful. It''s alright if you fail¡ª" William''s words were cut off as he froze in place, his eyes widening in shock. And then, with a resounding boom, I felt the barrier shatter, and a surge of red aura enveloped my body, matching the color of my eyes. "So, this is what aura release feels like? It''s exhilarating! I feel so powerful right now," I exclaimed with excitement, but when I looked at William, he was staring at me as if I were some kind of monster. "William?" I tilted my head in confusion, unsure of why he was reacting this way. Chapter 6 History of Myrniel Two weeks have passed since Lucas managed to learn aura release. After that, he started sparring with William in the morning, and in the evening, Lucielle would teach him how to use and control mana, helping him master his elements.William could be seen in a luxurious hall walking towards somewhere. Sigh. ''The young master... He is a monster. Every time we spar, he gets better and improves without making the same mistake ever again. And I have heard from Lucielle that his lessons in learning mana and the elements are just as monstrous as his sword training...'' ''I knew he was talented since my lord talked about him and his special talent and elements. I had never seen my lord so happy and excited, which I understood; we both loved to fight someone strong. And if my lord was right, then he would become one of the strongest in the future... But I was wrong. He wouldn''t become one of the strongest... He would become THE strongest in the future. It took me a whole week to learn aura release through constant practice, and my lord, who was considered back in his time, learned it in three days. Yet... he did it on the first try. Fucking first try! Who does that? And after we started sparring, his progress just scared me! He isn''t a monster; that is an insult to monsters! He is an anomaly! Something that shouldn''t exist!'' ''Well, at least I can rest today a little since the knights are doing well on their own, and the young master is forced to take some rest. It isn''t good to constantly push yourself in training since rest is equally important. Madame and my lord are worried about his mental state a lot and forced him to go outside today with Lucielle... I have a bad feeling about this...'' ****** As a viscount, Alexander Nightstar has a lot of responsibilities, one of which is managing the city they are in charge of, called Moon City. Moon City is located outside of the capital but is an important city due to its abundant resources for mining. The capital of Myrniel is named Zaphyr, where Shield Academy resides, and Lucas, at the age of 15, will have to attend for the next three years. Even though we have statuses like Duke, Marquess, and Counts, that doesn''t mean they are the only ones in power. There are multiple guilds in this world as well, who have a lot to say. In this world, power means everything; if you have power, you have a say. You can''t attain a status like Duke or Marquess if you are weak. The weak get devoured by the strong. It''s the law of the jungle. Myrniel is a strange world. 5000 years ago, this world was almost like Lucas''s previous world, but then a calamity descended on Myrniel in the form of a white beam that destroyed multiple countries and killed millions of humans. Dungeons started to appear in this world, and races from other worlds, like Elves and Dwarves, began to arrive. Initially, we almost went to war with the Elves, but after much discussion, we managed to make peace and allowed the Elves to stay on Myrniel. The same went for the Dwarves. Elves are kind beings but can sometimes be prideful since they have better connections than humans with mana. While Dwarves aren''t the best at combat like Elves and humans, they make up for it with their intelligence in creating artifacts. Just when it seemed like everything would be okay, the demons started appearing. They are a hostile race that only seeks destruction. We don''t know much about these demons¡ªhow many there are, where they are from, or how strong they are. We only know that they are dangerous and want to take over Myrniel. The demons appear in strange ways. They don''t come through a world gate like Elves or Dwarves but instead appear when a dungeon break occurs. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A dungeon break happens when no one manages to clear it and kill the boss monster within a certain time frame. When that happens, sometimes a demon seizes the opportunity and manages to come to Myrniel, causing chaos. It doesn''t happen always, but it does happen sometimes. The number or strength of the demons seems to depend on their strength and the level of the dungeon itself. After realizing the threat posed by demons, the races decided to form an alliance. It often takes a common enemy for everyone to work together, and the demons were the perfect catalyst for unity. The Elves began teaching humans and Dwarves more about mana control, while the Dwarves aided in advancing Elven and human technology. Humans made significant progress in technology, while Elves remained more inclined towards nature. Eventually, multiple races started helping each other out. This alliance would be known as the Golden Alliance. ****************** "Young master, are you ready? We should leave before it gets late," Lucielle''s voice was heard as she talked to Lucas, who was changing in his room. They were planning to go out today and enjoy the city and relax, since Lucas had been training nonstop, which worried his parents a lot. Honestly, he didn''t really think it was that taxing; he was fine with training more. But he didn''t want to worry his parents any more than he already did, so to appease their minds, he decided to go out today. The door opened, and Lucas could be seen finally done getting dressed to go outside. He couldn''t just go outside in training clothes since he still was the son of a viscount and needed to maintain an image, which honestly Lucas didn''t care about either. But again, he didn''t want to cause any trouble for his parents. "Well, I am done. Let''s go, Lucielle," Lucas said to Lucielle. Sigh. "Yes, let''s go, young master," Lucielle said while sighing. "Is something wrong, Lucielle?" "No, young master. Please forgive me. Let''s go now," Lucielle said with a face that was hard to read. Lucas narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but in the end, shrugged and let it go. "Fine, let''s head outside and have some fun," Lucas said while walking ahead, and Lucielle started following behind. ''Fun... I have a bad feeling that young master''s idea of fun is a little different from normal people''s. I hope there won''t be any trouble. Ugh.'' (AN: Sorry for the info dump. I just wanted you all to have a better view of the world our protagonist lives in and the history of everything. I know this might seem inspired by a few novels, which, by the way it is, *cough*, but that doesn''t mean it will have the same story. I will try my best to stay original.) Chapter 7 Heir of the Nightstars As they left the Nightstar estate, a luxurious black car was already waiting in front of the gate, hovering a little above the ground. Behind and in front of it were two more cars of the same type. Apparently, Mother was being overprotective of Lucas. Even before his memories returned, Lucas almost never left the estate since there was no need. But if he did, he was always accompanied by a lot of guards, and wherever he went, it would be emptied out beforehand. He had that much authority, being the son of the one who ruled Moon City.Looking at the bodyguards walking behind him and those inside the luxurious cars, he couldn''t help but release a bitter smile. "Lucielle, isn''t this overkill? I''m sure we don''t need so many bodyguards." "Young master, even though you never bothered going out much, that doesn''t mean you won''t be noticed. In fact, being the only son and heir of the Nightstar family made everyone in this city even more curious about what type of person you are. There have even been many times when paparazzi tried to sneak into the Nightstar estate to catch a glimpse of you. In other words, you''re a celebrity because of your own laziness." ''Ugh, paparazzi are always annoying, no matter what world we live in. How bold of them to even think about sneaking into the Nightstar estate,'' Lucas thought. "Fine, but don''t I have you with me, Lucielle? I''m sure you would protect me from anything, right?" Lucas said with innocent and trusting eyes, looking up at Lucielle. ''Ugh!'' Lucielle''s heart took critical damage! "F-fine, young master. I will lower the number of guards accompanying us, but there will be two cars of guards following us, and by NO means are you allowed to leave my side. Understood, young master?" Lucielle said in a strict tone. ''Heheh, who could resist any request in front of the eyes of a child?'' "Yes, I promise, Lucielle. I won''t leave your side. Don''t worry, now let''s go." Lucas was naturally very excited actually, since this is the first time, with his memories, that he is going to explore the city. Even before then, he barely left the estate. ''Damn, what was my old self doing, not exploring father''s city? I was too lazy and a shut-in. I mean, I still am lazy, I guess, just not a shut-in... in this life cough.'' ********** Moon City has always been a relatively peaceful city. Sure, trouble could arise occasionally, but most of the time, it would be resolved by the Order of the Falling Stars. The city was peaceful, and the citizens were usually happy. Civilians could be seen walking through the city, but today was an unusual day. A rumor was circulating that someone extremely important was in the city. How did they know this? Because of the media. Several photos were uploaded of three extremely expensive and luxurious cars driving through the city. Now, it''s normal for important people to visit cities, especially Moon City, but this was different... because the car in the middle had the Nightstar plate on it! This meant that there was a huge chance that someone from the Nightstar family was inside the car. Discussions were buzzing on the internet, trying to figure out which member of the Nightstar family could be inside the car. Most people believed it was Alexander Nightstar, the ruler of the city, while others thought it might be Violet Nightstar. But some were considering the possibility that it could be the heir of the Nightstars who decided to visit the city today. Most people dismissed this idea, thinking it was impossible, since the son of the Nightstars apparently never left the estate. Not much was known about him except that his name was Lucas Nightstar, he was 12 years old, and he had white hair and red eyes. *********** "Was it really smart to drive a car with the Nightstar plate on it?" Lucas couldn''t help but ask. Wouldn''t they basically be telling everyone where he is? "Of course, young master. The moment you step out of the car, it would be inevitable for people not to know who you are. So, we might as well let them know as a warning not to do anything stupid in the city today, since someone from the Nightstar family is here," Lucielle explained. "I see, that does make sense, I suppose. By the way, what is the name of the restaurant we are going to, Lucielle?" Lucas asked, since he didn''t really go out much. He didn''t know what they should do, so he decided to leave it up to Lucielle. Yes, he was actually just being lazy and would follow along. "We are going to a restaurant first since you haven''t eaten dinner. The restaurant is the best one in the city, called Moon Fish," Lucielle said proudly. "Oh, I look forward to a delicious meal then." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Of course, young master. The staff has already been contacted that someone from the Nightstar family will be coming over to eat, and I told them not to empty out the restaurant, as per your request." "By the way, young master, why did you not let the restaurant be emptied out?" Lucielle asked, not understanding Lucas'' reason. "Huh, isn''t that simple? I just don''t want to ruin the atmosphere or the food that they paid for," Lucas said, as if it was obvious. Lucielle had a surprised expression since she didn''t think Lucas would consider someone else''s feelings, except his family''s. "How unexpected of you, young master. I didn''t think you would care about other people." "Huh, I mean it''s not like they have done anything to me, have they? Besides, they are citizens of my father''s city." "And" Lucas suddenly said, as if he was not finished talking. "And?" Lucielle asked. "...I would only destroy someone if they would dare to harm someone I care about," Lucas suddenly said with a cold tone that sent shivers down the spine of the driver and surprised Lucielle even further, since she could see the bloodlust coming out of Lucas. ''To think he could have this amount of bloodlust.'' Lucielle suddenly smiled. "That is wonderful to hear, young master." After that serious conversation, we talked about random things to kill time until we arrived at the restaurant, and everything was back to normal, except for the pale face of the driver. ''The young master is scary!'' After about 15 more minutes, we finally stopped, as we arrived at the restaurant. ********* The Moonfish Restaurant was a three-story tall establishment where it was almost impossible to reserve a spot to eat. You''d have to be rich as well to even order something there. As people walked by the famous Moonfish Restaurant, they suddenly stopped. Everyone ceased moving, even breathing, as if someone had frozen them in place. Why? Because three luxurious cars had pulled up in front of the Moonfish Restaurant. All eyes were drawn to the three cars, particularly the middle one with the Nightstar plate. People were curious about who was inside. Was it the lord? The madame? Or perhaps both? Did they decide to go out on a dinner date? Everyone kept pondering and coming up with theories. However, what they saw made their eyes almost bulge out of their sockets and would become an extremely hot topic for the next few years. The door opened, and one of the bodyguards stepped out of the other two cars, followed by a young 12-year-old boy. The boy had hair as white as snow and eyes as red as blood. He looked young but was incredibly handsome and cute at the same time. Yet... The moment he stepped on the ground, it felt as if a calamity had descended upon them. On this day, Lucas Nightstar revealed himself to the world. Chapter 8 Skills [Skills] Something everyone would want in their life, since it is incredibly hard to obtain, a skillbook is mostly obtained by either a dungeon raid or buying a skillbook, but those are extremely expensive. After all, there is another way: by getting stronger and leveling up, you can also acquire a skill, but the chances are less than 5% of that happening, and it doesn''t even guarantee that the skill would be useful or not.Yet, Lucas, while training, managed to achieve that feat by earning a skill. It was honestly scary how fast he got to a 2-star level in less than a few weeks. (AN: The higher the star-level, the harder it will be to level up) The skill he obtained was called [Monarch of Chaos]. When he obtained the skill, he was surprised, since he could clearly tell that it had to do with him being a progenitor of chaos, and he got a skill of chaos. [Monarch of Chaos] is an extremely useful skill. In short, it lets everyone on Lucas''s level or underneath feel that they are in the presence of a calamity that could destroy everything in its path. The people affected by the skill would start feeling despair and fear. Truly an amazing skill, which Lucas decided to test out. ******** Currently, Lucas was inside his father''s office, where his parents and Lucielle were present. After the experiment that Lucas did, Lucielle was surprised, but since they were in public, she went along, and they went to eat at the restaurant. But afterward, she immediately went back home with Lucas. In short, he screwed up, and they are pissed... well, not everyone. "HAHAHAHA! THAT IS MY SON! GOOD SHOW THEM WHAT IT MEANS TO STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF A NIGHTSTAR!" His father was laughing his ass off with pride after getting to know what happened. Suddenly, it felt as if the room temperature dropped below 0, and his father instantly shut up. "Darling, do you have something else to add?" Lucas''s mother said with a smile, but her eyes and voice were extremely cold, making both Lucas and his father''s hairs stand up! "U-uh, no, honey. I-I was just surprised, you see, at Lucas and his-" With another look, he shut up, knowing that if he spoke again, it might have been his last. ''Rest in peace, father. It was nice knowing you.'' "Now, my dear son," she suddenly said in a cold voice, her cold eyes looking at me with that same smile. "Y-yes, mother?" "Care to explain why, after god knows how long, you finally went outside and decided to make a scene by revealing yourself to the world in such a flashy way?" She said coldly. "W-well, I am a Nightstar and your son, so I couldn''t just make a boring entrance, and I didn''t really want to hide any longer from the world. I wanted to make my presence known, at the very least, and... I wanted to test my skill that I had gotten, so I thought I could kill two birds with one stone," Lucas said in a guilty and nervous tone. "I am sorry, mother. I didn''t mean to upset you." Seeing her son''s expression and genuine guilt, she sighed, and her gaze and smile became warm and caring. "Lucas, I don''t mind you revealing yourself and testing your skill, but I don''t like it when you decide to do something so big and don''t consult us, your parents, about it. We are here to help you, son, so please tell us next time you plan to do something like that." "Yes, mother, I promise I will," Lucas said, still feeling guilty that he hadn''t told her about his plans beforehand. His mother approached him and gently embraced him while stroking his hair. Lucielle was just silently watching from the corner with a happy smile at how much closer Madame and young master had gotten. "Mother, since we are already on the subject of making plans, I want to make a request," Lucas suddenly said with a resolute expression and determination. "What is it, dear? You can tell me anything," his mother said gently. Hearing his mother''s voice, he made up his mind and decided to just say it. "Mother, Father, I want to leave the estate and go out adventuring for the next two years," Lucas suddenly dropped this bombshell. Both parents and Lucielle stared at him wide-eyed in shock. "W-what? You want to go adventuring for the next two years?" His mother asked just to make sure she heard correctly. "Yes, before I enter the academy, I want to gain experience myself without the benefits of being a Nightstar. I will register at an adventurer''s guild and go out and conquer dungeons and explore Myrniel a little bit more," Lucas said, even though inside it hurt since he didn''t want to leave his parents after everything. His father suddenly spoke up in a serious tone before his mother was about to reject. "Violet, my love, please wait. No matter what you say, you can tell by his face that he won''t back down and will go anyway, even if you tell him not to." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "B-but Lucas is still too young. He should train more and-" "Violet, I understand your worries, but Lucas is right. He needs to explore and gain experience without our help; otherwise, he will not grow up into the fine man we believe him to become." Hearing this, his mother became quiet, and Lucas decided to speak up. "Thank you, Father-" "Wait. I am not done yet. Lucas, you will first train for two months here with Lucielle and William, who will also teach you more about the world as well as everything about adventuring. You will only go if you become a 4-star level. Otherwise, forget about adventuring," his father cut in with a strict voice. Hearing this, instead of objecting, Lucas agreed to it since he found it reasonable as well. "Very well, Father, I accept your condition." "Good. And, dear, do you have anything else to add?" His father asked his mother. Sigh. "No, this is reasonable, I suppose," she said reluctantly, but she understood that this was important. However, that didn''t mean she liked it, so she cast a cold gaze implying something at his father, which his father understood instantly. Gulp. ''Looks like he won''t be getting any rest tonight. Rest in peace, Father,'' Lucas silently prayed for his father. (AN: Looks like we''re finally going to start with Lucas exploring more of Myrniel and fighting against monsters. I appreciate everyone who has been reading and been patient with me. I hope you all continue to stay and follow Lucas''s journey with me.) Chapter 9 Blade of Chaos Two months had passed since that conversation with Lucas and his parents about him adventuring. After convincing them and agreeing to his father''s condition, he didn''t waste any time. He started training with Lucielle and William. Even after training with them, he would secretly train by himself, strengthening his body and improving the quantity and quality of his mana. He also practiced and tried to learn new spells suited for his elements. Unfortunately, his space and chaos elements were a problem.Space, being an extremely rare element, didn''t have many spells revealed about it by other mages, except for [Flash Step], where he could teleport a certain distance within sight, using more mana for greater distances, and [Inventory], where he could store items in his own small dimensional pocket, though living things couldn''t be stored since it lacked oxygen. Essentially, it replaced the need for a storage ring. Chaos was a unique challenge for Lucas. Being the first in millennia to possess the element meant that there were no known spells associated with it. In fact, many in Myrniel weren''t even aware of the existence of the chaos element. Perhaps the strongest individuals in Myrniel, such as the Royal Family of the human domain, might have some knowledge about it, but it wasn''t like Lucas could simply approach them and ask. That would undoubtedly invite trouble. Though that doesn''t mean he didn''t create any spells by himself. Lucas had been training diligently for the past months, but that didn''t mean he neglected his family. He spent as much time as he could with them whenever possible, understanding that they were often busy with their own work. After two months of hard work, Lucas finally achieved it. He finally reached the 4-star level and became a Master in both swordsmanship and magic. When his father learned about Lucas''s feat, he was speechless. While he had set the condition that Lucas could only go adventuring if he reached the Master stage, he hadn''t expected it to happen so quickly. He had thought that even with his son''s talent, it would take at least 4-5 months before reaching that level. It seemed he had underestimated just how monstrous his son was. ************** Sigh. Standing with his father and mother in his father''s office, Lucas heard his father audibly sigh, but pride was also evident on his father''s face. It''s every father''s dream for their son to be incredible and strong, and he was extremely happy with Lucas''s achievements over the past months. However, his mother, though happy, looked worried about Lucas leaving today but she didn''t dare to stop him, not after seeing all the hard work her normally lazy son had put in for once. "Well, a deal is a deal, my son," his father said, and suddenly, a long black box and a card appeared on the table, pulled out of his father''s storage ring. Ignoring the black box for now, his father picked up the card and handed it to Lucas. "This is your Identification card as an adventurer. Even though I understand you want to go to an adventurers guild yourself and register, it would be a waste of time for someone of your capabilities. To ease mine and especially your mother''s worries, please accept this card, my son," his father explained the reason for having an adventurer''s card beforehand. The card was made by the best adventurers guild in Moon City, called Lunar Guild, something most adventurers could only dream of registering in. It was sapphire with beautiful silver linings and had five stars on it as well a Moon logo on the top right of the card. "While this card is of high value, it will also help you out of most troubles when you need it. But it won''t mean you have authority in the Lunar Guild; it''s more like people will respect and, of course, fear you if they see you with this card," his father said with a smirk, and Lucas couldn''t help but return one himself. The card was basically a show of strength, letting people know that the holder was of considerable status and strength and someone to be respected. Of course, not many people had this card; instead, they had a normal card with their name and star level displayed. The one Lucas got was called a special card, something you only obtained by special means that could vary for different reasons. ''They really are overprotective, but I guess I should accept it. It will help me skip the boring parts of registering and all the trouble following it, since I was only planning to go to a normal adventurers guild,'' he thought to himself. "I see. This is why you asked beforehand under what name I would register when I go to an adventurers guild," Lucas said, finally understanding why his father had asked him over dinner once. "Yes, though I have to say, I am quite intrigued why you chose that name," his father replied, not understanding why his son had chosen that name. Normally, he would''ve dismissed it as his son just being lazy and picking a random name, but this name felt different, as if it had a meaning behind it. Lucas had decided to go under a different name and wear a disguise while out adventuring for the next two years. If he went as Lucas Nightstar, he would only invoke trouble and defeat the purpose of building experience through his own effort. (AN: That does not mean he will hold back. It will just be for this adventurer arc that he will be in need of a disguise. He won''t be a MC that will take a beating for the sake of hiding his powers, especially in the academy arc later on.) "That name is from a foreign dead language called Latin, though it doesn''t seem to be in the history books, father," Lucas explained. His mother looked at him with suspicious eyes about how he knew of such an ancient language, but she wouldn''t ask her son now. She believed that he would tell her when the time was right, showing how much they had started trusting each other over the past months. ''Though I will definitely confront him about it when he gets back from his adventure," his mother thought, gazing at Lucas with narrowed eyes. ''Even if I trust him, I don''t want him to keep secrets from us that could endanger him.'' Storing the card in his [inventory], Lucas''s gaze fell on the black box. "Father, what is inside the box?" Lucas asked curiously, as it was obvious his father was about to give him something from inside. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Heh, glad you asked, my son," his father replied, opening the box to reveal a beautiful katana lying inside. The blade was pure silver-black, with mysterious engravings on it, and the hilt was red and black. "This here is a Soul Sword, something that has been passed down from my father to me, your grandfather, and now I am passing it down to you. This sword has never been able to find an owner; apparently, neither I nor your grandfather were worthy enough. So, I wanted to test my luck and perhaps let you give it a try." Soul weapons were bound by the user''s soul and evolved as the user did. They could be summoned and desummoned at will, though obtaining one was almost impossible and was only sold at auctions, accessible only to the wealthiest people in the world. Lucas''s grandfather, Magnus Nightstar, was an 11-star level swordsman and the previous lord of the Nightstar, known in his time as the God of Fire. Not many knew about him being an 11-star level swordsman; most believed him to be 9-10 star level, but those who did know felt fear, not understanding why the Nightstars were only a mere Viscount family and not higher. Though Lucas had only seen his grandfather a few times when he was younger, he was a kind man who loved his grandchild. Currently, he was somewhere in seclusion, training to become a 12-star level swordsman. No one knew where he was or had any means of contacting him. Gazing at the sword, Lucas felt nervous, not wanting to disappoint his father. Moreover, he truly desired the sword, feeling as though something was pulling him towards it. He initially thought it was just his childish greed, but then the sword started to vibrate slightly, as if it sensed Lucas''s presence. "That is strange, it never vibrated before..." His father remarked, his nerves tingling with excitement. ''Perhaps he might really do it,'' he thought, feeling a surge of anticipation. As Lucas reached his hand out, he finally grasped the sword. However, instead of ceasing its vibration, the sword intensified its trembling. Lucas could sense its desire to be unleashed, to bring destruction upon others. ''Tch, how troublesome,'' Lucas thought to himself. Activating his skill, [Monarch of Chaos], he released his aura and bloodlust. With his hand firmly on the sword, he surrounded it with his Chaos flames. Then, in a voice commanding obedience, he spoke. "STOP." To everyone''s surprise in the room, the sword obeyed. ******** The sword, dormant for millennia, never believed it would find someone worthy enough to wield it again. But it was wrong. As soon as the white-haired boy laid his blood-red eyes on it, the sword sensed the familiar presence of chaos, reminiscent of its previous master. Trembling with excitement, the sword longed to be unleashed, to bring chaos upon the world once more. However, when the boy commanded it to stop, it felt compelled to obey. The boy emanated the same power and presence as its previous master. For the first time in a millennium, the Blade of Chaos found its new master. Chapter 10 Noctis After bidding farewell to his parents, Lucas stood before the gate of the Nightstar estate, ready to embark on his journey. Dressed in black clothes enchanted for comfort and utility, with a mask concealing his face except for his blood-red eyes, he exuded an air of mystery and intimidation.sniff sniff His mother struggled to hold back tears, while his father looked upon him with pride. Lucas addressed them, his voice steady. "I will be going now, Mother, Father." "Have a safe trip, my son. Remember, we are always here to support you. Don''t hesitate to come back if you need us," his father replied. His mother, unable to contain her emotions, whimpered, "M-my Lucas has grown so much." Moved by her display of emotion, Lucas approached and embraced his parents one last time. "I''ll try to come back as soon as possible," he assured them before finally departing from his home and family. For the next two years, he would no longer be Lucas Nightstar... ********** In an average adventurers'' guild at the edge of Moon City, the atmosphere buzzed with activity. Adventurers mingled, forming parties, discussing strategies, or enjoying meals together. Some were absorbed in selecting suitable missions from the tablets provided, inserting their identification cards to access the available missions. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Several receptionists bustled about, assisting both new and seasoned adventurers with their inquiries and concerns. Some newcomers filled out forms to officially register as adventurers, eager to begin their journey into the unknown. The guild hall was a hub of excitement and anticipation, as adventurers prepared to embark on quests and face the challenges that awaited them in the vast world beyond. Yet, within the adventurers'' guild, there exists a fundamental rule: the strong devour the weak. In this world, strength is all that matters, and those lacking it are swiftly devoured by more powerful adventurers. Adventuring is a high-risk job, with danger at every turn, but the potential rewards can be equally rewarding, depending on the nature of the mission. Missions within the guild are categorized based on their level of difficulty, ranging from E to S rank. Each mission presents its own set of challenges and potential rewards. These tasks can vary widely, from escorting important individuals through dangerous territories to conquering formidable dungeons in remote locations where local forces lack the strength to do so themselves. Navigating this hierarchy of missions requires careful consideration and a keen understanding of one''s own abilities. Adventurers must choose their quests wisely, balancing the potential risks against the promised rewards, all while striving to prove themselves in a world where only the strongest can thrive. As the adventurers went about their business, everyone suddenly stopped and turned towards the door that had just opened. What they saw was a man dressed in black clothes, his face concealed by a mask, revealing only his blood-red eyes. He exuded an air of mystery and intimidation. Seeing the mysterious figure, they all narrowed their eyes at him. It was not uncommon for adventurers to conceal their identities, but the issue was that the man seemed overly confident. Many veteran adventurers and guild members knew each other in these parts of the city, and they could tell that the man was new, never having been there before, indicating he must be a newbie. ''Confident'' they all thought to themselves. "Hey, you''re new here, right, kid?" a bulky, bald-headed man with a scar running from his right eye down to his chin asked, a large axe hanging at his back as he stood in front of the man dressed in black. The mysterious person looked straight back at the bald-headed man with his blood-red eyes, sending shivers down his spine for some reason, and nodded his head without speaking. ''Tsk, how arrogant,'' the bald man thought. ''I need to put him in his place before he gets even more arrogant''. The bald man became angry at the lack of verbal response and the unsettling feeling he got from the man''s red eyes. "Don''t you have a mouth, kid?" he asked, trying to sound intimidating. Ignoring him, the man headed to one of the tablets displayed on the many tables, with cables connecting it. "Huh, you dare to ignore me, you arrogant weakling!?" the bald man screamed in frustration and was about to grab the man''s shoulder while his back was turned. Suddenly, they all felt a pressure descending upon them, as if a calamity had descended to destroy each one of them. The weaker and newer adventurers instantly passed out, while the other veterans, including the bald man, struggled to withstand the pressure, falling to their knees in an attempt not to pass out as well. Then, the pressure faded, and they all looked at the cause of their distress¡ªthe man dressed in black, who calmly and silently watched all the adventurers kneeling before him. All they felt was despair, including the bald man, as they gazed at the man in black. One of the strongest veteran members of the guild, a 4-star swordsman, asked with great difficulty, "W-who are you?" His voice trembled as the man''s blood-red eyes locked onto him after the question was asked. The swordsman felt as if he were naked, being watched by a predator, unable to fight back. The man opened his mouth and uttered a name they would forever remember for the rest of their lives. "Noctis," he said, walking towards the tablet without turning his back. (AN: Noctis is Latin for "night.") Chapter 11 First mission ''Ugh, all these people staring at me are getting annoying... Well, at least they aren''t getting in my way anymore, and a rumor would now spread because of this that would make people more cautious when approaching me,''Lucas thought as he was busy swiping on the tablet, finding a suitable mission for himself. After a while, he finally found a mission that interested him. -------------------------------------- Mission type: Dungeon conquering S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Difficulty: C rank Description: A remote village called Haeril has requested help to conquer a dungeon before a breakdown happens. The inhabitants don''t have enough manpower to do it by themselves. Time limit: 4 weeks remaining until dungeon break. Reward: 5000 golden credits. -------------------------------------- Unlike in Lucas''s previous world, this world had decided to have the same currency everywhere since the emergence of other races. The currency is called Golden Credits, founded by the Golden Alliance. (AN: 1 Golden Credit = 1 Dollar to not make people more confused) Reading the mission, Lucas felt satisfied with the reward and difficulty, so he decided to accept it before anyone else would. He pulled out his sapphire card out of his [Inventory] under everyone''s gazes who were still watching him out of fear and curiosity. The moment Lucas pulled his sapphire card and scanned it on the tablet to accept the mission, everyone froze and stared at him wide-eyed. "T-that is a special card..." someone said under his breath, not believing his eyes. "H-Hey, am I seeing things or is that the L-lunar Guild logo on it?" someone else said with a pale face. ''Just who the hell is he!?'' everyone thought at the same time. Lucas nodded, satisfied that confirmation succeeded and he accepted the mission. Every adventurer has a card, and the card holds their data as well as their mission. They don''t need to go to a specific guild when finishing a mission; they can just go to any guild and scan their card for everything. Really convenient. Ignoring everyone who was watching him like a monster with wide eyes and mouths hanging open, he started walking and left the guild. The moment he left, everyone let out a breath of relief, not realizing how tense they were at the man. "J-Just who the hell was he!?" someone said, still scared at remembering the man''s overwhelming presence. "N-Noctis, that was his name, right? A-and that was a sapphire card of the Lunar Guild. He obviously is someone with considerable strength," someone else said. "Dammit, Karl! You almost got all of us killed," an adventurer said in frustration at the bald man who was still on his knees looking at space while lost in thought. "He definitely was strong; even we 4-star swordsmen and mages didn''t stand a chance under his pressure... Why did a monster like him decide to come to this guild? I don''t understand..." the swordsman who previously asked for Lucas''s name said. It wasn''t as if they were weak; it was that Lucas was too strong already. It would be ridiculous if people found out he is already at the master stage in a few months, something that rivaled the talents of the best of the best in Myrniel''s new generation, which is called the 2nd golden generation after the first golden generation who thousands of years ago fought against the demons and managed to take control over Myrniel again. *********** After booking a cab, Lucas finally arrived at Haeril, now in his disguise as Noctis. Haeril didn''t boast tall, luxurious buildings since it was a village, but he could see people walking around, and kids played with laughter and smiles. Observing this, Lucas entered the village as Noctis. Instantly, the children and adults noticed the man in black and became wary and cautious. The children felt scared looking at him, while the adults were on high alert, sensing his strength. Suddenly, the man in black locked eyes with one of the adults who was holding the hand of what he presumed to be his girlfriend or wife. ''I don''t remember having a girlfriend in my previous life. Well, I don''t even remember my previous name, which I thought was a side effect of having all these memories absorbed from this world, but I don''t know...'' "Where does the village chief reside?" Lucas suddenly spoke to the man holding his girlfriend/wife. The man, meeting Lucas''s blood-red eyes, felt a chill run down his spine as if he were being watched by a predator. "There is no need to look for me; I am already here." Suddenly, Lucas turned to his right and saw an old man walking with a cane. He had grey hair, a grey beard, and wore a gentle smile. "My name is Oliver, also known as the Village Chief of Haeril," the man called Oliver said to Lucas. "May I know your name as well, sir?" "Noctis. I will be the one dealing with the C rank dungeon you guys requested to get rid of," Lucas said to the village chief called Oliver. "O-oh, I see. So you will be the one to help us out then, Noctis," Oliver said in a hesitating tone. "D-does that mean you will be going to conquer this dungeon all on your own?" Oliver said nervously and worriedly. "That is correct," Lucas said without an ounce of worry. "I-i see, Noctis. I don''t want to sound rude, but may I ask to see your Identification card?" "Sure, I don''t mind," Lucas said and pulled it out of his [Inventory]. "Here." When Oliver and the adults saw the card, their eyes widened, and they felt a chill run down their spines. Oliver originally wanted to ask for his card to see what rank he was, since he didn''t want to see a young man die out of arrogance and confidence, but instead, that same man was someone who was a holder of a special card. A special card doesn''t have information of the user''s rank since the card itself should symbolize that there is no need for such a thing as rank to be told. "L-lunar guild!?" Oliver said as he looked at the sapphire card that he was holding with trembling hands. gulp The adults and Oliver, seeing the sapphire card and hearing the words "Lunar guild," didn''t know how to react since they knew how big and prestigious of a guild Lunar is. After all, it is the number 1 adventurers guild in Moon City. "Seen enough?" They suddenly heard and snapped their heads back at the man in black who asked this question as if it was no big deal. "A-ah, yes, please excuse me for my rudeness earlier, Sir Noctis. I didn''t mean to offend you," Oliver said while handing back his sapphire card and bowing his head as an apology. ''I can''t make him angry or he could punish me by unleashing hell on the villagers,'' Oliver thought. "Mm, I don''t mind. Just take me to the dungeon," Lucas said, while not caring about his change of tone or anything. "Y-yes, please follow me," Oliver said, guiding Lucas towards the C rank dungeon under the eyes of the curious and confused kids and the scared adults. Arriving at the dungeon, which was a little outside of the village, Lucas could see a huge metal ancient gate out in the open, adorned with weird ancient engravings that no one could understand. These enormous ancient gates were the entrances that led adventurers into the depths of the dungeon, sealing whatever lay inside for a limited amount of time. "Well, I will be going inside then," Lucas said in an excited tone to Oliver, as this would be the first time he would get to really fight monsters and test out everything he had been practicing. "Alright, let''s do this," he said to himself, calming down his nerves. He could feel the adrenaline and excitement coursing through him, but also a sense of nervousness for entering the dungeon for the first time, and doing it alone. His heart beat loudly and rapidly in his chest. Most people would call Lucas a fool and suicidal for entering a dungeon for the first time in his life alone, especially a C-rank dungeon. But Lucas didn''t see it that way. He knew he was exceptional and one of the strongest in his generation. He believed that if he couldn''t conquer a mere C-rank dungeon on his own, then he wouldn''t be able to face Lucielle and William anymore, considering all they had taught him. As Lucas entered through the gates, which opened automatically as if sensing his approach, he did not know that entering this dungeon would forever change his fate and that of Myrniel. Chapter 12 Dungeon [1] ------------------------------------Status Screen: [Name]: Lucas Nightstar [Age]: 12 [Gender]: Male [Race:] Human [Rank]: low 4 star-level (Master) [Affinities]: - Fire - Lightning - Space - Chaos (Progenitor) [Special Talent]: Dual Wielder [Physique]: None [BloodLine]: Unawakened [Title]: Master of the Blade of Chaos [Skills]: Monarch of Chaos ------------------------------------ As Lucas entered the dungeon, he found himself inside a vast cave illuminated by mana crystals that adorned its walls, casting ethereal hues across the cavern. "It really is beautiful," Lucas mused to himself, "but just as beautiful as this dungeon is, it is equally dangerous, I suppose." Sigh While Lucas marveled at the dungeon''s beauty, a menacing growl echoed from ahead. Turning towards the source of the sound, he laid eyes upon the very first beast he would have to confront in his life. "Grrr...." Before him stood a white-haired wolf, towering at 2.5 meters tall, its body engulfed in blue flames exuding bloodlust and a hunger to devour. Locking eyes with the ferocious wolf, Lucas couldn''t help but feel a twinge of nervousness. This would be his first battle against a beast. The Blue Flame Wolf, a king predator among D rank beasts, was an unexpected and formidable opponent for Lucas to encounter so early in the dungeon. Yet, as his first foe, it elicited a smile from him. "Dog," Lucas called out to the mad wolf, their gazes locked, "let''s see which of us devours the other." In response to his provocation, the wolf growled, its blue flames intensifying with eagerness, ready to pounce. Observing the wolf''s cunning demeanor, Lucas felt the surge of Red Lightning enveloping his body as he positioned himself, prepared to engage in combat. As the wolf released a torrent of blue flame from its jaws, he looked at were Lucas should be only to hear a voice behind him. "Too slow." With a calculated flex of his muscles, Lucas coiled his right arm, infusing it with a crackling aura of red lightning. His fist clenched, he delivered a lightning-imbued punch directly into the wolf''s gut, propelling it towards the cave wall with a resounding crash. The strike was too swift for the wolf to react. BOOOOM!!! As the smoke cleared, the wolf was nowhere to be seen. Lucas''s instincts screamed at him to flee, prompting him to execute a [Flash Step], reappearing five meters away from his previous position. He glanced back, observing the enraged wolf as it swiped its razor-sharp claws that were infused with blue flames at the spot where Lucas had stood moments before, growling in frustration at his escape. ''Tch, this wolf is smart, fast, and durable. I can''t afford to get too close for too long due to the intensity of its flames.'' Lucas pondered his next move, strategizing how to counter the cunning and formidable adversary, which would be a D-ranked boss monster in a lower dungeon. As the mad wolf prepared to unleash another torrent of blue flames from its jaws, Lucas acted swiftly. Channeling mana into his right palm, he formed a fire ball with lightning speed, launching it towards the wolf. The sudden attack interrupted the wolf''s assault, forcing it to evade the incoming fireball. With the wolf now off balance, Lucas seized the opportunity to create multiple javelins of red thunder that crackled with energy. Surrounding himself with the javelins, he began launching them one by one at the wolf, each strike aimed with precision. The wolf was left with no choice but to continuously dodge the barrage of lightning javelins or risk being struck head-on. The intense battle raged on for the next five minutes, with both Lucas and the mad wolf seizing opportunities to attack and counterattack. Despite the wolf''s speed and durability, Lucas skillfully evaded its assaults using his lightning element and [Flash Step] technique, while delivering calculated strikes of his own. Growing weary of the prolonged struggle, Lucas decided to end it once and for all. Channeling his lightning element, he unleashed a powerful spell known as [static field]. In an instant, red lightning surged from Lucas''s body, enveloping the area in a five-meter radius. The mad wolf, caught within the spell''s range, was paralyzed for a few precious seconds. Seizing the opportunity, Lucas used [Flash Step] in front of the immobilized wolf and unleashed a fireball at point-blank range, sending the creature flying several meters back. Though the wolf survived the onslaught, it remained severely injured and dazed. Without hesitation, Lucas used [Flash Step] once more to where the wolf stood, its battered body now within reach. With a final fireball, Lucas delivered the decisive blow, extinguishing the creature''s life as it fell to the ground with a resounding thud. Thud After the intense battle, Lucas collapsed to the floor, his breaths heavy. Not from exhaustion, but from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. His heart pounded loudly in his chest, the realization sinking in that he had just faced death and emerged victorious. It was his first real fight, a momentous occasion, and he had slain a formidable foe - a king predator of D rank. "Damn, I actually did it! I managed to beat it, haha!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with a mixture of exhilaration and disbelief. Gazing at the lifeless body of the wolf, Lucas felt no remorse or guilt for taking its life. In the world of adventurers, survival of the fittest was law. If he hadn''t killed the mad wolf, it would have surely devoured him instead. As his mana began to replenish, Lucas rose to his feet, taking one final look at his fallen adversary. With a sense of respect, he addressed the creature. "You were a formidable foe to face. Thank you for making my first real battle so memorable," he said, acknowledging the wolf''s strength even in death. ************* After the encounter with the mad wolf, Lucas strangely didn''t come across any more king predators of D rank. Instead, he faced smaller D rank creatures, which he dispatched with ease. Before he knew it, two days had already passed. Time seemed to slip away as he focused on honing his skills and testing out his spells, applying the training he had received from William and Lucielle. Unaware of the passing time, Lucas continued his relentless slaughter of foes. His body was sustained by the mana around him, a perk of reaching the master stage. At this level, one could go without food for months without issue, relying solely on the replenishing properties of mana. Only at the grandmaster stage could one truly have no need for food or water, taking sustenance purely for pleasure. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lost in the rhythm of battle, Lucas found himself standing once again in front of a towering ancient gate¡ªthe entrance to the boss room... (AN: Thank you for taking the time to read my first attempt at writing a fight scene! I''d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for improvement. Your comments and thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thank you once again for your support and for being a part of this journey! And yes, for those wondering, I removed the wind element from Lucas''s affinities.) Chapter 13 Dungeon [2] As Lucas approached the towering ancient gate, he lightly touched it, and the gates began to open for him. Nervously, he started walking forward, entering the boss room.Yet... Inside the boss room, he found himself in an old, open, ancient chamber with a throne ahead of him, atop a set of stairs. The room was littered with destruction, as if a fierce battle had taken place, leaving debris strewn everywhere. ''W-what happened here? Where is the boss?'' Lucas scanned the room, his blood-red eyes darting about, but he found no sign of the boss. There was only a single skill book lying in the middle of the room. ''This is obviously a trap. The skill must have belonged to the boss of this dungeon. But who killed it? What happened to the person who defeated it? Shouldn''t a gate appear when you defeat the boss of a dungeon?'' Questions swirled in Lucas''s mind, confusion clouding his thoughts. ''No, this dungeon has been weird from the start. I should have known it wasn''t normal for a king predator to appear so early.'' Cautiously, Lucas approached the skill book, his senses on high alert for any signs of danger. As he reached the book, he hesitantly picked it up, half-expecting an ambush or trap to spring upon him. Yet, to his surprise, nothing happened. No attack came, no trap was triggered. "What should I do? Should I absorb the skill book or keep it with me to sell it?" Lucas pondered his options, weighing the risks and benefits in his mind. In the end, he decided to absorb the skill book and obtain whatever skill lay within it. "Still, for a skill book to appear in my first dungeon..." Lucas mused, contemplating the unusual circumstances. Placing his hand atop the skill book, Lucas infused it with his mana, causing it to vanish into blue particles that seeped into his body. As he did so, a female voice with no discernible emotions whispered in his ear, and a message appeared before his eyes. "[New skill unlocked: Appraisal lvl1] [Appraisal lvl1]: Be able to see basic information of the desired target you use the skill on. Can be living or non-living things." "What a useful skill! And level 1? Does that mean it can evolve? How can I make it level up? Does it depend on me getting stronger?" Lucas''s mind raced with questions and excitement as he pondered the potential of his newfound skill. Deciding to test the skill immediately, Lucas turned his attention to the throne in the room and activated [Appraisal]. -------------------------------------- Status screen: [Name]: Throne of #@!;$ [Description]: Throne of #@!;$, an ancient king who was said to rival the 1st dragon king thousands of years ago and a loyal friend of #@!;$. -------------------------------------- "W-what? Why can''t I read the names of the king whose throne this belonged to, and..." Lucas trailed off, a hint of unease creeping into his thoughts. Gulp "He could rival the 1st dragon king... I didn''t know dragons actually existed in Myrniel... No, I don''t think anyone actually knows. They must have been an ancient race lost in history... And a loyal friend of someone whose name I also can''t read..." Sigh "So many mysteries... Just what is this dungeon?" Lucas pondered, feeling a sense of unease settle over him as he grappled with the enigma of the dungeon''s secrets. Deciding to test the skill once more, Lucas focused on the sword embedded in the floor next to the throne. -------------------------------------- Status screen: [Name]: Key of #@!:$ [Description]: A key of #@!:$ in the form of a sword meant to open the secret room, where the ancient king hid his loyal friend most valuable possession before he left and never to be seen again. -------------------------------------- "Huh? So it isn''t a sword but a key?" Lucas muttered to himself, feeling a surge of anticipation as he realized the significance of the object before him. His heart pounding with excitement, Lucas approached the sword/key, knowing that it held the key to unlocking something incredible hidden within the ancient king''s room. As he stood in front of the sword, Lucas took a deep breath and gripped the double-edged blade with both hands, pulling it effortlessly from the ground. Surprised by how easily it came free, Lucas paused, uncertain of what to do next. But before he could gather his thoughts, the throne room shook violently, causing him to lose his balance and fall backward. Once the shaking subsided, Lucas''s attention was drawn to the right, where he saw an ancient gate adorned with engravings. Determined, he approached and opened it. ''ugh'' As the gate swung open, Lucas was met with a wave of dense mana that made it difficult to breathe. Despite the discomfort, he pressed forward, stepping through the gate. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a start, he realized the gate had closed behind him, leaving him alone in the narrow passageway. Though startled, Lucas remained composed and continued forward. The path ahead was dimly lit by white flaming torches affixed to the walls, casting flickering shadows on mysterious engravings that lined the cave-like corridor. As Lucas continued forward, his gaze wandered to a drawing on the wall to his right. As he studied it, his eyes widened, and his breath caught in his throat. Every hair on his body stood on end. In the intricate illustration, he saw a man surrounded by colossal dragons, engaged in fierce combat with only a single sword in hand. "W-what!? Why... why are you there!?" Lucas exclaimed, his voice filled with confusion as he stared at the ancient drawing. The details were striking, and he recognized the weapon in the man''s hand¡ªit was the Blade of Chaos. Chapter 14 Soul bond After a while, Lucas finally managed to calm down after seeing the Blade of Chaos depicted on the ancient wall drawings. He decided to retrieve the Blade of Chaos from his [inventory] and used his skill [appraisal] on it.---------------------------------- Status screen: [Name]: The Blade of Chaos [Description]: An ancient soul blade, whose previous master was the first progenitor of chaos. He unleashed chaos upon this world with the Blade of Chaos, but his name and deeds were lost in time forever. After millennia, the Blade of Chaos was alone, never to find a new master. Yet, as if by fate, it finally found its new master, the second progenitor of chaos. -------------------------------------- "I see, so it really is you in the drawings with the first progenitor, I assume," Lucas thought. Then, does that mean he is the loyal friend of the ancient king? And why was he fighting dragons in the first place? Every time Lucas discovered something, more questions would arise, giving him a headache. "No use thinking about it anymore. Let''s go further and see what this valuable possession would be," Lucas said as he started heading forward. He decided to contemplate all of this later since he didn''t have enough information. "Ugh, I should''ve asked for his name back then," Lucas regretted not asking the first progenitor more questions when he was inside the book with a piece of his soul. As Lucas kept walking, the drawings and engravings also disappeared from the walls, leaving only the white flaming torches lighting up the path. Finally, after 20 minutes of constant walking, Lucas arrived at an open cave that was simply beautiful in his eyes. The cave was lit up by multiple mana crystals coming out of the walls and floors, and a serene blue lake was also present. As Lucas walked closer to the lake, observing his surroundings in awe, he saw something in the middle of the lake that made him freeze. It was an egg laid on top of a weird type of plants that were making a cushion for it. Lucas wasn''t stupid; he knew what this egg might be. After everything this dungeon had shown him and the drawings previously, he could tell that this egg was the loyal friend''s most valuable possession and what was inside that egg... Lucas knew but didn''t want to believe it, so he used his [appraisal] skill to confirm. Maybe he was wrong... but he wasn''t. ----------------------------- Status screen: [Name]: Dragon egg [Description]: A dragon egg, an ancient race that has fallen long ago. This egg belonged to the 1st dragon king. Inside it is the only unborn daughter of him, who has been asleep for thousands of years... take care of her. ---------------------------------------------- "W-what? It really is a dragon egg, and..." gulp "The first dragon king''s daughter... The description says to take care of her..." Lucas began approaching the egg, walking on water by infusing his sole with mana. Taking a deep breath, he gently picked up the egg, which was the size of a football. He started walking back and sat on the floor, placing the egg gently in front of him, and started pondering what to do. "Should I make it my soul bond? Having a dragon as your bond would help me a lot." A soul bond is the same as a soul weapon, but instead of a weapon, you are bonded with a beast. As your bond grows stronger, you will as well. When you grow stronger, the bond would sometimes acquire traits and characteristics from you, and vice versa. "It did say to take care of her, so I guess I should, but..." Ever since Lucas got his memories from his previous world, it felt like something or someone was leading him to all of these things¡ªfrom having a chaos element to the book of chaos, the blade of chaos, and now this dragon egg. He didn''t like it, but in the end, what could he do? He wasn''t strong enough, and whatever was leading him to these things was clearly helping him by making him stronger. But for what purpose? In the end, Lucas stopped thinking about it again for now. He was too tired and lazy after everything. He placed his hand on the black dragon egg, which felt warm, and he felt a heartbeat inside of it. He decided to infuse his mana in it and make it his soul bond. "W-what the-" Suddenly, Lucas''s mana was being sucked in by the egg at a tremendous speed, and he couldn''t pull away at all. All his mana inside his body kept getting sucked in until it finally stopped, making Lucas fall on his back, breathing heavily. "I-I didn''t expect her to be this greedy-" "AAARGHHHHHH!" Lucas suddenly felt immense pain throughout his entire body. Every part of his body, from the inside and outside, felt like it was being burned, which it literally was. His skin was torn and shredded, blood coming out of his ears, eyes, and mouth as he kept screaming, feeling like he was thrown into hell. ''IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS'' He kept repeating over and over as the pain made him go crazy. His body kept breaking apart and rebuilding itself, becoming stronger each time. After 30 minutes of hell, Lucas''s pain finally subsided as he lay there naked, with no clothes and mask anymore. "Ha... haa..." Breathing heavily, Lucas felt the changes in his body. He sensed the air touching every part of his body, it was easier to breathe, see, and hear. His body had become much more powerful. He grew taller and more handsome, and his blood-red eyes now had vertical pupils. Feeling the change in his body, Lucas felt much more powerful. He felt like he could destroy a mountain with a single punch. But before he could think any further, he heard a sound of something breaking. Crack Turning towards the sound, he saw the egg breaking and a small, cute creature crawling out of it. The creature had scales as black as the night, eyes as red as blood, two little wings on its back, and a small tail swaying left and right as if it was excited. "Kyuuu-" It made an adorable sound towards Lucas and suddenly approached him, biting his hand. "Urgh, what was that for?" Lucas said, but the pain was nothing compared to what he felt just before, so he didn''t really care about it. Suddenly, he saw a weird engraving appearing on top of his hand and disappearing just as fast. A female voice was heard in his ear with no emotion, whispering: [Soul bond acquired]: Dragon Please name the bond... Seeing the message in front of him and the bond next to him staring at him with its blood-red eyes, Lucas decided to name her: "Luna" [Soul bond acquired]: Luna (Dragon) The voice whispered and showed the message again. Hearing the word Luna, the dragon became happy and started hopping around, making cute little noises. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Kyuu-" Seeing Luna act like that, Lucas couldn''t help but smile at her. He stood up, noticing his naked state. He opened his [Inventory] and pulled out the same black clothes and mask he was wearing before and started putting them on. "I am glad I brought spare clothes with me," Lucas thought while checking out and feeling his new body. ''Status'' ------------------------------------ Status Screen: [Name]: Lucas Nightstar [Age]: 12 [Gender]: Male [Race:] Half Dragon [Rank]: peak 4-star level (Master) [Affinities]: - Fire - Lightning - Space - Chaos (Progenitor) [Special Talent]: Dual Wielder [Physique]: Dragon [BloodLine]: Unawakened [Title]: Master of the Blade of Chaos, Dragon Tamer [Skills]: Monarch of Chaos, Appraisal, Dragon''s pride [Soul Bond]: Luna (Dragon) ------------------------------------ Seeing his status, Lucas couldn''t help but suck in a cold breath. He wasn''t a human anymore. He became a half-dragon... does that mean he can become a full dragon in the future if Luna becomes even stronger? He didn''t know how to feel now that he wasn''t fully human anymore, but he knew that he became much stronger with his dragon physique. He was sure he could win against almost anyone at the master stage. Looking at Luna, he knew that bringing her out in the open would cause trouble. "Luna, can you transform perhaps?" He didn''t know, but since dragons were an ancient race, maybe they could do something. Now that he was a half-dragon, he felt that he could change the pupils of his eyes back to normal, so since Luna was a full dragon, maybe she could do it on a bigger scale. "Kyuu-" She said in her adorable voice, which Lucas still understood, maybe due to their bond or him becoming a half-dragon. "Then can you transform into a cat?" Lucas said and shared a memory of how a cat looked like. A perk of having a soul bond was they could share their vision and memories. Perhaps Luna would be able to see Lucas''s entire memories in his past life in the future. "Kyuu-" That was her saying that she could, and so she started transforming as her wings went inside her body, and her black scales started changing. Now in front of Lucas was Luna transformed into a cat with majestic black fur and blood-red eyes, as if the cat was of the highest order. Chapter 15 Dungeon [3] After becoming a half dragon, it looks like Lucas also got a new title. He ranked up from low 4 star level to peak 4 star level and unlocked a new skill called [Dragon''s Pride] and his first skill [Monarch of Chaos] evolved.[Dragon''s Pride]: Dragons are colossal mythical creatures that wreak havoc on anyone they deem their enemy. Their pride is so immense that it won''t allow mere parlour tricks to affect their minds. The user is immune to all types of mental attacks. "So, a passive skill, huh? This is incredible, though, to be immune to mental attacks," Lucas remarked. Deciding to head back towards the boss room, Luna, instead of walking, decided to jump on top of Lucas''s head and lay comfortably in his hair with her eyes closed. It felt quite amusing to see her, being a mighty dragon in the form of a majestic cat, resting atop a 12-year-old boy''s head. Lucas thought as he started walking back towards the boss room. After 20 minutes of walking, he finally arrived, yet there was still no gate to send him back. He could either go back all the way from where he came when he defeated the D-rank king predator, or find the reason why the gate isn''t showing up or how the boss of this dungeon died. As he was thinking while gazing at the throne, something interrupted his thoughts. "Kekeke, took you long enough, you know?" a sinister voice behind him said, making his hair stand on end. In front of him stood a 2-meter-tall demon with dark skin, long legs and arms with sharp nails, two bat-like wings on its back, pure black eyes, and a sinister smile on its dark face, as miasma poured out of its body. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You know how long I was waiting for someone to arrive at this dungeon? I got so bored I decided to explore the dungeon and fell asleep. But, to my surprise, the moment I fell asleep, a noble adventurer decided to solo this dungeon and managed to defeat the pup I sent at the entrance gate of this dungeon, kekekeke." "Not only that, you even managed to enter the hidden room which I was desperately trying to enter. Yet, whenever I tried to enter, some hidden force kept blocking my path. Say, what did you find in there? What did that ancient king hide?" the sinister demon bombarded Lucas with questions. The demon''s rambling was cut off as he gazed at Lucas, who had a grin on his face and his eyes locked onto the demon. The demon felt as if he were being watched by a predator, and a chill ran down his spine for a second before he felt back to normal. ''What was that feeling for a second? Have I been eating too many humans that I became drunk?'' "Hey," the white-haired boy with blood-red eyes and verticle pupils, who wore a mask that had multiple protective spells on it to prevent the demon seeing through it and was hiding his face, interrupted. "Did you kill the boss of this dungeon?" Lucas asked curiously. "Kekeke, I did, yes. So, what of it?" the demon replied. "Nothing. I was just curious why there isn''t a gate that appeared when you defeated the boss," Lucas continued. "Oh, that. Keke. That''s because I used an artifact to delay the gate from interfering." ''Artifact, huh? To think the demons would have something so incredible to interfere with space.'' "I see... So why are you actually here? In a lowly C-rank dungeon?" Lucas inquired further. "Kekeke. How bold of you to keep asking questions. But, I''ll amuse you. You know damn well why I am here. This ancient king was said to be someone who could rival his majesty back in the day! Isn''t that absurd? I know, right? Well, anyway, it was said by his majesty that this king possessed something extremely valuable but was lost in time and ended up in a dungeon for some reason unknown. I searched for more than 100 years for this throne room, and when I finally found it, I saw a secret room where his most valuable item must have been, yet I can''t enter it! Isn''t that annoying!?" "Not as annoying as you are," Lucas retorted after getting all the answers he needed, positioning himself to fight. "Huh? What did you say? You piece of shit!?" Z''riel exclaimed, clearly enraged. "Didn''t you hear me? Don''t tell me you''re fucking deaf as well as being annoying?" Lucas continued, further provoking the demon and aggravating him even more. "YOU DARE CALL ME ANNOYING!? ME!? Z''RIEL, THE SON OF BELPHEGOR!" "I have no fucking idea who that is, and I don''t care either," Lucas replied dismissively. ****** ''I don''t understand why why why ... Why is he insulting me!? Doesn''t he know I am a demon!? Every time a human sees me, they start squealing like pigs and despair! Originally, I thought the human was just good at hiding his despair and was asking questions to stall for time, maybe hoping someone would rescue him! But instead, he dared to INSULT ME! WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS!?'' "I WILL SHRED YOU LIMB TO LIMB, YOU FUCKING WEAK HUMAN!" Z''riel roared, consumed by anger. He couldn''t believe that a lowly human would insult him. His pride was wounded, and he vowed to make the human suffer, tearing him apart slowly limb to limb as he begged for mercy. Only then would Z''riel be able to heal his damaged pride. "Weak? Hahaha, not only are you deaf and annoying, but also blind!" The boy taunted, further enraging Z''riel. ''WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY!? WHY WAS HE INSULTING ME EVEN MORE!?'' Z''riel couldn''t understand it. He could tell that this human was weaker; he was probably a high to peak 4-star level, while he was a mid 5-star level. So why was he so confident? Suddenly, he heard a voice whisper behind his ear, a voice that made his body shudder as if the devil was whispering to him. "What are you thinking so deeply about?" Before he could react, he felt something hit his abdomen with incredible speed and strength, launching him towards the other side of the boss room and crashing directly against the wall, making him vomit black blood. "BLERGH!" As he fell to the ground, he tried to regain his footing, but he was still not stable. He glared at the human standing where he was before, seeing him grin at him. "Oooh? Didn''t you say I was weak? What happened? Don''t tell me you''re spitting out blood because of someone as weak as me just because I punched you? Doesn''t that make you even weaker than me? Hahahaha!" Lucas taunted, with the black cat still sound asleep, as if all of this had nothing to do with it. ********* ''Just an ordinary punch did this much damage?'' Lucas thought as he looked at the demon, who was gazing at him as if he wanted to destroy every part of him. ''It still is a demon, so I should take it more seriously.'' As he said that, he quickly pulled out his Blade of Chaos from his [inventory]. Grasping the sword with one hand, he got into position, and as both he and the demon, who had both arms open wide next to him, using his long nails as weapons, bent their knees, they both disappeared from their spots and reappeared in front of each other. Lucas''s sword clashed with Z''riel''s claws. Clanck Both kept parrying and blocking each other''s strikes, destroying the throne room further. The only thing that remained intact was the throne itself, seemingly indestructible, with a black majestic cat laying on it, gazing at the fight with curiosity and sparkling red eyes. As they continued to fight, the demon would sometimes back off to catch his breath, and Lucas would use spells like lightning javelin or fireball to prevent that from happening. ''HOW IS HE NOT TIRED!? IS HE REALLY HUMAN!? AND WHY IS HE A MASTER OF BOTH THE SWORD AND MAGIC!?'' Z''riel was baffled by the white-haired boy who could keep up with him so easily and effortlessly use both swordplay and magic. ''I must inform his majesty about this quickly! If he grows even more, he might become a hindrance to his plans in the future!'' Z''riel thought while clashing with Lucas''s blade and evading his spells. Lucas was still not tired. Now that he had become a half dragon, his mana quantity had increased significantly, as had his stamina. He could easily go on like this for hours. But he started to notice the demon pulling back little by little and watching around as if trying to find a way to escape. ''I should end this quickly. I can''t let him escape,'' Lucas thought. As they slid back a few meters, Lucas didn''t use any spells this time. Z''riel thought that he must have finally run out of mana and decided to plan his escape. "You are a strong human boy! You have a lot of potential. Why don''t you join us demons? There wouldn''t be a better honor than serving his majesty¡ª" Before he could finish his proposal, trying to fool the human, he felt a tremendous pressure on his shoulder, making the floor underneath his feet crack. Though he didn''t kneel, the pressure was suffocating. Gazing at the source of the pressure, his entire body shuddered. He saw a colossal dragon with white scales as snow and blood-red eyes¡ªthe incarnation of chaos. "A-ah." He fell to his knees, feeling true fear for the first time in decades. ''Why? His majesty said that all dragons perished thousands of years ago!? Why is someone like that here!?'' "W-who are you really!?" He managed to squeak out of his dry throat. But before he could get an answer, he saw a beam of red and black energy heading straight towards him, destroying everything in its path. His brain screamed to dodge, telling him that a single hit would kill him. But he couldn''t move out of primal fear. He heard the monster''s response before the beam of chaos finally hit him, ending his life once and for all. "Lucas Nightstar." The one who defeated the demon, Z''riel, son of Belphegor. Chapter 16 Belphegor After the fight with Z''riel, a huge ancient gate, like the one before he entered the dungeon, appeared close to him, indicating that the dungeon had finally been conquered."It''s amazing that I was able to defeat a demon who was a star level above me so easily. It would have been another story, though, if I had arrived later at the boss room and hadn''t become a half dragon..." Lucas shuddered at the thought of his fate if he had decided to rest more and arrived at the boss room later, having to fight the demon without becoming a half dragon. The only reason it was so easy was because of the amount of mana Lucas now had. The difference was between heaven and earth since he could just keep spamming his skills and spells while fighting him with his vast amount of stamina, wielding the Blade of Chaos, making him a tough opponent to defeat. "Luna, let''s go. We are leaving this dungeon," Lucas called out to Luna, who was approaching from the throne she lay on a few minutes ago while watching Lucas and Z''riel fight. As she heard Lucas, she hopped on top of his head and made herself comfortable there, making Lucas chuckle. As Lucas stood in front of the gate, he couldn''t help but think about what a crazy first dungeon experience he had. From fighting a D-rank king predator from the start to discovering ancient lost history, to getting a dragon as his bond and becoming a half dragon himself, and then fighting a demon... He couldn''t tell if his luck was good or bad. In the end, it didn''t matter since he survived and it made him stronger. Sigh "I have a feeling these next two years will be quite long." "Kyuu-?" Luna cutely tilted her head, not understanding what Lucas meant. It looks like even in cat form, she still couldn''t fully become a cat, perhaps one day when she becomes older. ''I wonder if I would ever be able to unlock my true form,'' Lucas thought as he gazed at his skill [Monarch of Chaos]. [Monarch of Chaos]: You are the one who stands above all. You don''t yield in the presence of calamity, for you are a calamity itself, an incarnation of chaos. The skill can be used on a specific target to show them true despair by them seeing your true form. The skill can be used up to one star level above you, and it won''t work on the target if the target has a stronger will than the user. "It was a long journey, but I suppose I benefited a lot from it," Lucas thought as he walked through the ancient gate with Luna on top of his head, the gate closing behind them forever. *************** In an ancient castle where the sky was dark and ominous, with dark clouds hanging in the air and red lightning flashing, a man sat in the middle of a dark throne with his hand resting on his chin, his expression bored. "Haaa, I don''t understand what His Majesty is doing by closing the gate for now. Why isn''t he revealing his plans to us?" Every word he spoke caused the air to vibrate and the castle to shake. His presence was too intimidating for the attendees who knelt in front of him, their bodies covered in cold sweat. They felt as if they were being crushed just by standing in the man''s presence, and cracks kept appearing all over the castle, only to repair themselves as if by magic. If one looked at the scene, they could deduce who these people were: demons. They were demons in the demon world, and the man sitting on the throne, looking down at the kneeling demons trembling in fear, was none other than Belphegor, a duke-ranked demon of the House of Sloth. In the demon world, instead of star levels, they gave noble titles in a specific order: - Peak 7-star level: A Baron-ranked demon - Peak 8-star level: A Viscount-ranked demon - Peak 9-star level: A Count-ranked demon - Peak 10-star level: A Marquess-ranked demon - Low 11-star level: A Duke-ranked demon - Low 12-star level: A Royal-ranked demon S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Belphegor was a mid-11-star level duke-ranked demon belonging to the House of Sloth, one of the Seven Deadly Sins. In the demon world, most noble demons were divided into seven different types of houses named after the Seven Deadly Sins that represented them: Sloth, Envy, Pride, Gluttony, Wrath, Greed, and Lust. Currently, Belphegor was extremely bored and planning to go and sleep until he suddenly felt a connection break. He felt one of his sons had just died. "Oh? Which one of my sons just died?" His voice sounded carefree, as if he didn''t care, which was true in the demon world; they weren''t bound by family ties, only by fear and power. Besides, Belphegor had hundreds of children, so he couldn''t care less if a few died. "Hmm, so Z''riel died? Interesting. Wasn''t he the brat who wanted to find the hidden treasure of the ancient king who was said to rival His Majesty and the 1st dragon king? Even though everyone gave up searching for it since they deemed it impossible, he never gave up and kept searching for hundreds of years... Haha, in the end, he died." "I wonder how he died... La''el, come out." He called out, and a shadow emerged from the ground, revealing a demon dressed in full black clothes covering everything, even his face. "Yes, my lord." "Is there a way to find out how my son Z''riel died, even with the gates closed?" "His Majesty has forbidden sending demons out to Myrniel, where your son was last, my lord, so it is not possible." "Then is there a way to contact the demons who are hiding in Myrniel?" "Unfortunately, there is not. The demons are on their own over there currently, and we will have to be on standby, waiting for His Majesty''s further orders." The demon called La''el spoke respectfully, trying not to show his fear. "Hmm, I see. Well, I''ll wait and find out what happened after His Majesty opens the gate again." Belphegor said and stood up, walking toward his room to go and sleep. Even though Belphegor didn''t care about his children, he was still interested in some, like Z''riel. He wondered if perhaps he may have found something, a clue, or maybe he actually found the treasure but died in the process due to an unknown factor. In the end, Belphegor couldn''t do anything, at least not for a long time... Chapter 17 2 years and 9 months Inside an orphanage, a 7-year-old boy with black hair and black eyes could be seen. The boy had sickly pale skin and a thin, fragile body. An old woman with grey hair and wrinkles all over her face stood in front of the boy, seemingly scolding him."You ungrateful brat! Who do you think you are? This is the reason your parents left you because you are never grateful for anything! Now, get back to your room!" the woman said, the harsh words falling on the frail child, who obviously wasn''t being properly cared for. He ran back to his room, which only had a single bed in poor condition, a window, and an old wooden table. His parents were kind people, but they died in a car accident when he was a baby, leaving him with no relatives to care for him. Thus, he was sent to an orphanage. The previous caretakers were always kind to him, making sure he had a good room and was always fed well. However, when the owner of the orphanage passed away from a heart attack, the orphanage began to decline. New caretakers, who didn''t have much choice but to accept low pay, were unkind. They barely provided enough food and gave the boy the worst room in the orphanage. He became the main target for their abuse, and the other children avoided him out of fear of receiving the same treatment. At school, he was bullied, with stones thrown at him, his homework stolen, or his backpack thrown into a river. The boy sought solace in a forest where a stray dog would wait for him to play after school. They played together until sunset, when the boy had to return to the orphanage before the caretakers grew suspicious. "I promise I will come tomorrow again Puck!" The boy said waving his hand at the dog while running back "woof!" However, their time together ended tragically when the bullies discovered the boy''s connection to the dog. The next day, when the boy ran to the forest to play, he found the dog lying on the ground, bloodied and wounded. The dog was dead... *************** 2 years and 9 months later... "Ugh..." A tall, handsome boy could be seen lying on a bed in a hotel room, groggily rubbing his eyes as he woke up. His hair was as white as snow, and his eyes were striking blood red with black vertical pupils. Beside him, a majestic black-furred cat slept soundly. The boy and the cat were Lucas and Luna Nightstar. "What was that? A dream? No, those were memories of my previous life..." "Why now again?" Sigh Lucas gently shook Luna. "Luna, wake up. It''s morning already." "[Mm, 5 more minutes...]" "Fine..." Yes, Luna could talk now, albeit only telepathically. They could communicate with each other through their minds. 2 years and 9 months had passed for both of them since the fight with Z''riel, and they had been adventuring since then, deciding to rest at a hotel yesterday. Lucas was now 15 years old, and all his cuteness had been replaced by the appearance of a handsome, tall young man standing at 186 cm tall. Lucas and Luna had grown extremely close during their time together. They had developed a father-daughter relationship. Initially, when Luna first learned to speak, which was 3 months after he made her his soul bond, she kept calling him "dad" or "papa." After persuading her for a whole year, she changed to calling him Lucas, but still referred to him as "father" most of the time. "A father at 15. Damn, my parents would kill me..." He couldn''t help but chuckle at the thought. Since the fight with Z''riel, nothing as crazy as his first mission had happened again. There were a few tough times where they almost got themselves killed fighting strong opponents, but it was nothing compared to their first mission. ''Status.'' ----------------------------- Status Screen: [Name]: Lucas Nightstar [Age]: 15 [Gender]: Male [Race:] Half Dragon [Rank]: Mid 6-star level (Master) [Affinities]: - Fire - Lightning - Space - Chaos (Progenitor) [Special Talent]: Dual Wielder [Physique]: Dragon [Bloodline]: Unawakened [Title]: Master of the Blade of Chaos, Dragon Tamer, Anomaly [Skills]: Monarch of Chaos, Appraisal, Dragon''s Pride, Dragon''s Aura, Mirage, Phase [Soul Bond]: Luna (Dragon) ----------------------------- "I really have come a long way in these 2 years... But what the hell does it mean with ''anomaly''?" "Whatever..." Today, both of them were in Nfael, a city at the border of the elven and human domains, serving as a neutral city where no conflict was allowed unless you wanted to die immediately. Lucas had 2 months left until he would return to his parents, as in 3 months, he would have to attend the Shield Academy. He planned to take a mission that would require him to go to the elven domain, explore the Elven Domain, perhaps even the capital of the elves called Zefirah, and then take a mana teleporter there to go directly to Moon City. "Luna, it''s been 5 minutes. Wake up. Let''s take a shower and leave to find a suitable mission." "[Mm, fine... Wait, no! I don''t want to take a shower, Father!]" Hearing the word "shower," she immediately woke right up. "Pfft! I was joking. Haha, fine. Just wait here while I take a shower, then we can leave," Lucas said while heading towards the bathroom, laughing. "[Ugh... I hate you, Father!]" ********** In a luxurious guild hall, people were more excited than usual. "Hey, have you heard about that one mission?" Jimmy said. "No? What mission? What''s so special about it?" James asked. "It''s an escorting mission. All you have to do is escort some high noble elf to the elven domain, and you would get 500.000 golden credits!" Jimmy answered James'' question. "Idiots! Are you both new here? Have you checked the difficulty of the mission? It goes from B to S rank, meaning that there is a chance that an S rank threat could appear. Of course, the reward would be so high since you could easily die! I''m telling you, this mission is too shady and will get you killed," Thomas said next to them. "Doesn''t matter. I''m still going to try. Apparently, you just have to go to the border of the city where they would be waiting for people who are willing to join the escort mission, and they will see if we are worthy enough," Jimmy explained. "So, they will hold a test? To see if we can handle the mission?" Thomas asked. "Yes, exactly. So it isn''t shady, and I''ll go and get accepted easily and earn the reward, haha!" "Sure, sure, as if someone like you would get accep¡ª" Suddenly, Thomas and everyone stopped talking as they felt the air get tense. They looked towards the entrance of the guild, where they saw a man walking inside with a cat on his shoulder. Step Step "N-no way, is that..." an adventurer said, gazing at the man walking inside. "Why is he here!?" someone else said in a hushed tone. "T-that''s him, isn''t it?" someone whispered with a pale face. His presence was overwhelming as they felt as if they weren''t worthy enough to stand in the same room with him. The man gave off an aura of pride and strength. "H-hey, who the hell is that man?" James asked. "I-idiot, you don''t know who the White Devil is?" Jimmy said. "W-wait, you mean he is THE White Devil!?" James said in a hushed tone. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Y-yes, he''s the one with a 100% completion rate on whatever mission he took for the past 2 years. The one who took down a demon who infiltrated a C rank dungeon on his own, known for always being alone with his cat and soloing multiple dungeons, killing multiple bandits, and destroying an entire criminal organization. He''s the holder of a special card of the Lunar Guild." "He is Noctis, The White Devil." Chapter 18 Escort Mission Lucas heard the whispers of the adventurers in the guild hall but remained calm as he walked confidently to one of the tablets to search for a suitable mission.[Luna, why would they call me a devil and why white? What have I ever done to them?] [Isn''t it because of your white hair, father? And it''s not like you''re an angel with how you scare everyone away...] [I guess you''re right, but I need to have a reputation, you know. And it''s kind of cool, I guess, to be feared...] [Hehe, father is like a little child.] [Shut up.] As they bantered, they arrived at one of the tablets where Lucas found an intriguing mission, which he could hardly believe when he read the details: -------------------------------- Mission Type: Escort Difficulty: B-S Rank Description: Need powerful adventurers to escort a high noble elf to the elven domain. Come to the northern open field at the city border at 5:30 PM for an evaluation if suited for the mission. Time Limit: 5:30 PM Reward: 500 000 golden credits -------------------------------- ''This mission is perfect! But it seems I can''t apply with the card; instead, they will hold a test. Hmm, why not?'' Lucas thought. "Hey," Lucas suddenly called out in a cold voice, causing everyone in the hall to flinch. ''Did we do something wrong?'' They all panicked. "What time is it right now?" Lucas asked. "S-sir Noctis, it is currently 3:46 PM," the receptionist lady replied, trembling. They were all quite scared; they could tell they wouldn''t stand a chance fighting him just from his aura and the way he carried himself. They all feared the man called Noctis, known as The White Devil. You don''t fight someone with such an ominous name unless you are sure of defeating them. "S-sir Noctis," an adventurer called out. Everyone looked at him with pale faces, silently urging him to shut up. Lucas looked at the man who called out to him. "Hmm? What is it?" he asked, making the man flinch under his gaze. gulp The man felt as if he was being watched by a predator, and one mistake could get him killed without knowing why. A human would instinctively know when being watched by a predator, which Lucas was... He was a half-dragon, something above human, a predator among predators. Of course, they would feel fear without knowing why. Of course, Lucas could suppress himself and his Dragon''s Aura as if it were nothing, but why bother? He was having too much fun! S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "A-are you perhaps going to the escort mission at the northern open field?" he asked with difficulty. "That is correct. What of it?" Lucas replied, not understanding the meaning. "W-well, the reward is quite high, so high that it might not be true," the man said nervously. "W-what if they end up betraying or scamming you?" "Well, isn''t that simple? What would I do?" Lucas said, as if the answer was obvious. "I-it is?" the man said, gulping nervously. "Of course, since I would kill all of them," Lucas said, making all the people present pale in fear. [Hahaha! Luna, isn''t their reactions fun?] [Father really is childish...] ******************** In an open field filled with grass, a luxurious carriage could be seen surrounded by a few guards emitting an aura that warned adventurers not to approach too closely. If one took a closer look, they would notice that the four guards surrounding the carriage had long pointed ears, indicating one thing: they were elves. One of the four elf guards stepped forward toward the lineup of adventurers, gazing at those who wished to join the escort mission. The elf had long blond hair and green eyes, and carried a rapier at his waist. Though armed with a rapier, elves were still adept with magic, as they were attuned to mana and nature, resulting in all of them having an affinity with life magic, and almost all elves having more than two basic elements as affinities all because they are supposedly blessed by Yggdrasil, the World Tree. "Sir Gerhald, ten minutes left until we can start selecting them," a short green-haired elf said, who was one of the other four guards. "Hmm, we will wait until the end and pick only a few from the many humans gathered here. Though I can see a few of our own kin... tch, despicable. Rather than serving the royal family, they would rather go out and play like children," Gerhald said. "Sir Gerhald, serving the royal family isn''t a rule or obligation. We elves are allowed to carve our own paths, whether you are a noble elf or not," a voice rang out from inside the carriage, captivating everyone present. Instantly, the crowd quieted down and listened to the speaker. The voice belonged to a female; it was like listening to a beautiful silver bell, gentle and soft. "Y-yes, my lady, I apologize," Gerhald responded respectfully. Raised with the belief that all elves should devote themselves to the royal family, Gerhald had spoken those words. His father and grandfather were royal guards, and he aspired to follow in their footsteps. Achieving success on this mission would bring him closer to joining the royal guards, perhaps even becoming a knight of one of the family members later on. "Sir Gerhald, it is time," the short-haired green elf said. "Hmm, alright. We will now begin with the eval¡ª" Before Gerhald could complete his sentence, he stopped talking as he sensed someone with a strong presence slowly approaching from behind the adventurers. ''Is it a threat?'' he thought, and all the guards got ready in case they needed to fight. Everyone turned around, feeling the strong presence coming from behind them. When the adventurers gazed at the cause of everyone''s alertness, they widened their eyes. "H-hey, is that..." hiss They sucked in a cold breath as they watched a man donned in black clothes and a black mask. His eyes were blood-red, and he had white hair as snow. On top of his shoulder was a majestic-furred cat with the same blood-red eyes. "The White Devil..." one of the adventurers said as they saw him walking towards them. "No way he is joining the mission as well..." Hearing the adventurers whispering to each other, Gerhald and all the other guards became interested, but they couldn''t help but stay on guard after hearing the ominous name of ''The White Devil.'' Except for one person, the green-haired elf. "Sir Gerhald, that is Noctis, The White Devil. He was first seen 2 years ago. He is a pretty famous adventurer and is discussed by many, making theories about who he is on the adventurers'' blog. He is known for a lot of things, like having a 100% completion rate to defeating a Demon. Unfortunately, the rank of the demon is classified information, so we don''t know much about the fight. But it is also known that he is a special cardholder of the Lunar guild," the green-haired elf spoke as if he was fanboying over Noctis, The White Devil. Hearing this, Gerhald and the other guards calmed down considerably, but still, they kept their guard up a little bit more for now until they were sure he wasn''t a threat. As Noctis approached, all the adventurers split into two groups as if the sea was split. No one wanted to stand in his way, either out of curiosity, fear, awe, or indifference. When Noctis finally arrived in front of Gerhald, who was guarding the carriage, he asked, "So what requirements do I need to join this escort mission?" in a cold voice that sent shivers down the spine of most adventurers who weren''t that strong. Hearing his cold voice, Gerhald was a little annoyed. He could tell that the man they called the White Devil didn''t think much of him. Gerhald was a High 7-star level Mage who was also skilled with the sword, to the point where he could rival a mid 4-star level swordsman. He was considered talented in the elven domain, and most would look at him with reverence and awe. So, he didn''t like it when a mere human, whose race he always looked down on, watched him as if he were some sort of ant! "You¡ª" But again, before he could give a response, he heard a gentle and kind voice cutting him off from talking further. "Sir Noctis, since you are willing to join, I doubt a test would be needed to determine if you are capable or not. After all, you have never failed a mission. Instead of a test, I would like to invite you inside the carriage, where we could have a proper talk." The voice sounded like a silver bell, causing the White Devil''s eyes to shoot up in surprise for a second before returning to normal. "Hmm, very well. I will graciously accept your offer then," The White Devil said in his usual cold voice. Hearing this, the adventurers were shocked, and some wanted to protest. But before they could, Gerhald interrupted. "My lady! You can''t invite a stranger like him inside your car¡ª" Once again, he was interrupted by the same voice. "Sir Gerhald, please behave yourself in the presence of others. Whether I invite him or not is none of your business. Your duty is to protect me and get me back to the elven domain. Is that understood?" She said in her usual tone, but this time everyone could tell that she was angry and wasn''t going to take no for an answer. "Y-yes, my lady. I apologize again for this," he said while glaring at the White Devil, who went to the other side of the carriage where no one could see him, further ignoring Gerhald, and stepped inside the carriage. As this mission would change the fate of the entire elven domain. Chapter 19 Noctis, The White Devil ''If only those other four guards hadn''t fallen ill, we wouldn''t have to hire someone to escort us. It''s obvious someone poisoned them, and an attack will happen...''The girl sat inside the carriage, contemplating their predicament, surrounded by green and yellow ethereal orbs, spirits from the realm of Yggdrasil something only she could have, a greater blessing of Yggdrasil. Though she couldn''t directly communicate with them, she could understand their emotions and occasional thoughts. These lesser spirits were her companions, providing solace in her lonely childhood and shielding her from loneliness, where others only sought to exploit her high status. Perhaps one day when she grows stronger, she would be able to talk properly with them and summon higher spirits... sigh ''I hope we find someone strong enough. The time between when we put out the request and the deadline was only two days...'' She harbored little hope, knowing the short notice given for a strong adventurer to answer their call and come to Nfael. As if Yggdrasil itself had heard her, a commotion outside the carriage caught her attention. "H-hey, is that..." "The White Devil..." "No way he''s joining this mission as well..." Fear and awe permeated their voices, and she could sense his formidable presence. But what intrigued and bewildered her more was the tumultuous emotions of the little spirits dancing around inside the carriage¡ªhappiness, sadness, joy, and grief swirling together. Recalling the tales of the White Devil, the renowned adventurer with a flawless mission completion record, she pondered his significance. ''They say he''s on par with multiple A to S rank adventurers,'' she thought. Yet, she couldn''t fathom why the spirits reacted so strongly to him, their feelings a confusing mix of sadness and joy in his presence. ''I want to know more about the White Devil and what makes him so special...'' With resolve in her heart, she spoke, addressing the figure whose name stirred both admiration and trepidation among those around her. "Sir Noctis..." ************ As Lucas sat with Luna on his shoulder in front of the girl inside this huge luxurious carriage, he had only one thought: ''Beautiful.'' No, he wasn''t talking about the carriage. The girl in front of him was simply ''beautiful.'' The way her silver hair was like a reflection of the moon itself, her blue eyes as deep as the ocean, her long lashes glittering in the night, her skin as white as snow. There was no other way to describe her except for beautiful. [Father, why are both of you staring at each other so much?] Thankfully, Luna interrupted in time before she would notice him staring. cough "I appreciate you allowing me to skip the test. So, what did you want to talk about?" Lucas asked in his usual cold voice. "Ah, yes, I apologize. You see, I-" Before she could talk, she noticed he wasn''t looking at her anymore, but instead at the spirits floating around. [Father, can you see those floating balls in the air?] [No, but I can ''feel'' them instead.] ''Luna can see them because she is a full dragon, and I can only feel them because I am a half dragon...'' "You... you can see them, can''t you?" Suddenly, Lucas turned towards the young girl, who looked like his age, as she called out to him in her usual gentle and soft voice, but it was filled with disbelief. "No. I can''t see them, but I can feel them," Lucas answered honestly. "What are they?" sigh "They are spirits... lesser spirits from the realm of Yggdrasil. I have a greater blessing from Yggdrasil, making me able to summon these spirits and talk, or at least have a way to communicate with them, though they are only lesser spirits." She answered honestly as well. It looked like both didn''t like to keep secrets, as they were equally interested in each other. "Can you... summon only these lesser spirits, or can you summon stronger ones?" "No, only these lesser spirits for now. Perhaps one day, when I become stronger," she answered. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucas was surprised at how easily she was revealing this information, but he knew she would want something of equal value. Due to his pride, which he acquired as a trait when becoming a half-dragon, he would have no choice but to give something that would make them even. "My turn," Lucas smiled behind his mask upon hearing the girl. He knew that this might happen the moment she started easily revealing her information, and honestly, he didn''t mind telling her whatever she wanted. He just really didn''t care about keeping secrets, since he was going back in two months anyway. "Sure, go ahead," he said in his still cold voice. In a teasing tone, the girl asked, "Noctis, the White Devil. Who are you behind that mask?" Her grin was something Lucas found extremely cute. Instead of answering, he started taking off his mask. "E-eeh!?" Bewildered at what Lucas was doing, she immediately interrupted and stopped him. "W-what are you doing!? You were actually about to remove the mask hiding your face?!" She asked in disbelief, her voice soft, while swaying her arms around in a panic. ''Looks like she didn''t expect me to actually reveal myself. Well, it''s not like I care anymore; my purpose for this two-year journey has already basically been accomplished, so I don''t mind if people find out if I am Noctis, I suppose.'' "I don''t mind telling you who I am, you know? Besides, you told me something you normally would keep secret as well, so isn''t it fair if I do something of equal value?" Lucas reasoned. "B-but don''t you have some reason why you don''t want to reveal yourself? Why you hide behind a mask?" She asked, still trying to persuade him. ''I don''t know, but I kind of find her bewildered expression cute. I doubt most have seen this type of face of hers...'' "I have already accomplished my goals, so I have no need to wear a mask anymore. Besides, after this escort mission, I was planning to retire as Noctis." "Eh, this is your last mission as an adventurer!?" she said in further disbelief ''Cute...'' "Yes, so do you still want to see my face or not?" "S-sure, if you are fine with it, I guess... I am curious who the White Devil is." The last part was almost inaudible, but with Lucas''s hearing as a half-dragon, he easily heard it. And so he removed his mask, revealing his entire face to the girl in front of him. "I am the one you call Noctis, The White Devil, also known as Lucas Nightstar." Chapter 20 Sylviette Velariah "W-what! The White Devil was Lucas Nightstar all along!? Aren''t you the same age as me, basically!?" The girl said with her mouth basically wide open in shock."Hmm? You heard of me as Lucas Nightstar?" Lucas asked, confused, long having stopped using his Noctis personality with the girl, but he didn''t remember doing anything as his real self for her to recognize him. "You don''t know? You are pretty famous, you know, for that cool entrance you made to the world 3 years ago! Look!" She said while taking her phone out of her storage ring and handing it over to Lucas. ''Huh? Since when the heck did we have phones in this world!? How did I never notice!?'' Lucas was shocked at seeing the phone in hand. [Oi Luna, why did I never buy a phone?] [Huh, Father? Wasn''t it because you never cared about those weird devices?] Luna asked, cutely tilting her head. [.....] [.....] [Remind me to buy a phone when we are free, Luna.] [Hehe, yes, Father.] Without Lucas noticing, the girl somehow was sitting next to him, her silver hair brushing against his face. ''Damn, she smells nice... Wait, no, why is she sitting next to me!? Is she always this carefree? I mean, she doesn''t even know me, dammit!?'' What Lucas didn''t know was that the girl was extremely cautious with most people except for her family, and that was all because of the lesser spirits. The lesser spirits would always surround a person at how likable they found the person and if you can trust them, which they only did for the girl''s family. And now, for the first time, they surrounded Lucas and danced happily around him. They weren''t even doing this with her family. So the girl naturally believed Lucas was someone good and trustworthy, and as this was the first time from someone her age she could trust, she wanted to become friends with Lucas. "Look, Lucas, you were trending on MyTube for an entire year as #1, and even now, you are still trending as people started making edits out of you when you came out of that car and released your scary aura on them." She said as she opened an edit as the phone was in Lucas''s hand. "I-I see. I didn''t realize people were actually making edits about me, and damn, 267 million views..." Lucas was genuinely shocked seeing how popular he actually was for only appearing once, which naturally helped make him popular since people don''t know anything about him. He was like a famous person who would only appear once in a blue moon. sigh "By the way..." Lucas suddenly turned her head to the girl next to him, making their noses almost touch each other. Both froze at the spot until the girl finally came out of it and jumped back to her previous seat, making her sit again in front of Lucas. "Ah! I am sorry. I was excited and got too close..." She said, with the tip of her ears dyed red from embarrassment, and hung her head down. ''Damn, she is cute!'' cough "It is alright. It was no problem, so no need to be upset," Lucas said calmly, showing no trouble on his face, though if one read his thoughts, they would call him one thing: ''King of poker face.'' ''Shit! You fucking heart! Stop beating so loud! Do you want me to rip you out, you pathetic piece of shit!'' sigh Trying to dispel the awkward atmosphere, Lucas suddenly asked a question he probably should have done in the beginning. "So, I was going to ask...what is your name?" "Eh, I didn''t say?" She said, as if in shock, not realizing she never gave her name. "No, you didn''t. I never asked. My bad." "No, it''s fine." She suddenly stood up and gave a gracious bow fit for a noble elven lady in high society. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "My name is Sylviette Velariah. It is nice to meet you, Lucas Nightstar." Seeing this, Lucas couldn''t help but let out a chuckle. "Haha, it is nice to make your acquaintance, Sylviette Velariah." Lucas said while standing up as well and bowing theatrically as well. "Pfft, how dramatic, Lucas." "As long as you are happy, Sylviette." "Please, call me Sylv. No need to be so formal." "Very well, Sylv..." ''Have I heard the name Velariah before? I can''t remember... whatever.'' They both sat back down after formally introducing themselves finally. Suddenly, Sylviette stiffened up as if she realized something. "Hey, Lucas, you are the White Devil, aren''t you?" She suddenly asked this weird question. "Huh, well yeah...?" Lucas answered, confused. "T-then what star level are you? You are the same age as me and yet you are so famous as the White Devil, said to be between B to S rank adventurer. So, how strong are you really..." She asked nervously, understanding that revealing his star level could be a little too personal. "Hmm, oh, I am a Mid 6 star level currently, but I doubt anyone in the Master stage could fight me head-on and win in a 1v1," Lucas said. He wasn''t arrogant; it was just a fact that most people in the Master stage and beneath would simply fail fighting the anomaly known as Lucas Nightstar. "I-I see... I am a high 5 star level and known as one of the best of the best in our generation. But compared to you, all of us ''champions'' in the new generations pale against you. In fact, I was supposedly the strongest of our generation..." Champions were referred to the new generation who possessed the best of the best talent and have the highest potential to become a saint. "Is that so? I really never bothered, comparing myself with our generation." "That is understandable, I suppose. Unless you fight a champion, I doubt even then anyone in our generation would stand a chance. After all, I doubt anyone except for us 2 are even above Mid 5 star level in our generation...so that means that currently the 2 strongest of our generation are inside this carriage, hehe," Sylviette said, realizing that what she said was indeed true. "Hmm, are the others really so weak?" Lucas asked, confused if the 2 of them are the strongest then how weak were the others... sigh "Lucas, you really need to learn more about the world. You have been adventuring too much without understanding how much of a monster you truly are... The average people in Myrniel are only 5 star level, and those are mostly adults or students of Shield in their 2nd to 3rd year. Most people our age currently are barely 3rd to 4th star level," Sylv explained patiently. Lucas, hearing this, had his eyes wide open in surprise. "Huh, so wait, you mean we already surpassed the average star level and only at the age of 15..." "Yes, that is correct. And besides, there aren''t many above the 6-star level due to it just being too hard to advance, especially when you try to get to the Grandmaster stage where only a handful of people are in... In a sense, we are the ones who are too strong for this generation of ours..." Sylviette said with a bitter smile. "I see...thanks, Sylv, for explaining. I didn''t know that I was this abnormal compared to others my age..." "Hehe, no problem. Besides, you will be attending Shield in 3 months as well, right, Lucas?" Sylviette asked with sparkling eyes and hope. "Yes, that is right... I will be attending Shield in 3 months, but before that, I will have to visit my parents a month before Shield in Moon City." "Great! Then we can meet again in Shield after this mission is over. Wait, I''ll also give you a tour in the Elven Capital when we arrive there!" she said enthusiastically. "Sure, I would love that. Thanks," Lucas replied with a soft smile of his own [I feel left out...]" Luna said as she gazed at the spirits in front of her. Suddenly, they heard a voice outside of the carriage. "My lady, we have finished the test and selected 3 of the most capable bunch. We can now leave." Turning off the sound barrier artifact inside the carriage, Sylviette replied with her voice changing to an elegant one, saying in a soft and gentle tone, "Very well, we can now depart." As she said that, the carriage finally started departing towards the elven domain. Chapter 21 A battle to survive [1] Instead of using cars like humans, the elves prefer using carriages to travel around in the elven domain. This is because they are more traditional and like to be as close to nature as possible. However, that does not mean that they forsake all technology. They obviously recognize the usefulness of human inventions.The elven domain, instead of looking futuristic, is filled with nature and pristine white buildings surrounded by nature. At least, that''s what Lucas saw when looking at the videos online that Sylviette was showing him while they were inside the carriage heading towards the Elven domain. More specifically, they were heading straight to the capital of the elven domain, Zefirah. The road to the elven domain was currently calm without any danger in sight, but that didn''t mean Lucas had his guard down. He knew that the reason this mission was ranked from B to S was because there was a guarantee of an attack. Sylv told him that their previous guards had been poisoned, so an attack was likely. Yet... Nothing was happening. This made Lucas nervous, his thoughts racing around. His nerves were on edge, and his heart was beating loudly. He didn''t know who was going to attack or when they were going to attack. He didn''t have any information except for Sylv telling him that they were in the neutral city for diplomatic reasons with Dark Elves, a sub-race of "normal" elves. However, the meeting with them failed, so they were heading back, as the Dark Elves didn''t agree with what Sylviette proposed to them. This made him more curious. Who was Sylviette? She was someone beautiful, smart, and the strongest known champion currently. Lucas was sure he had heard the name Velariah somewhere before, but he just couldn''t remember who they were. He didn''t want to offend Sylv by asking about her family, as it could be personal or something that might offend her if he didn''t even know. As both sat in the carriage, Lucas couldn''t help but think. ''I wonder how strong the attackers would be.'' ''....'' ''Fuck! I am becoming like those two battle maniacs!'' Lucas still got nightmares from the training he received from William, and sometimes even his father would join, resulting in him not being able to move for an entire day. Breathing was extremely painful. "Hey Lucas¡ª I think something is wro¡ª" Before Sylv could finish talking, they heard a loud explosion outside of the carriage, and the ground and carriage shook extremely. BOOOOOM!!! "We are under attack, Lucas!" Sylv exclaimed as Lucas got on guard, with Luna jumping on his shoulder. Deactivating the sound barrier, Sylv tried to communicate outside with the guards. "Sir Gerhald, what happened!?" "My lady, we are under attack by a Dark El¡ª" Before he could finish, Lucas instantly embraced Sylviette, shielding her body. Surprising her, before she could react, she heard another loud explosion, and the next second the whole carriage was destroyed, along with everything around it, resulting in Lucas, Luna, and Sylviette being flung several meters away tumbling on the scorched ground. BOOOOOM!!! ******** Lucas felt cold; he couldn''t see anything, it was all dark, and his ears were ringing constantly. ''W-what happened...am I dead?'' ''No...I don''t want to die...Not again. Not after finally getting a second chance at life...'' ''I-I want to live...'' As Lucas was confused about where he was, he heard a voice calling out to him from somewhere far away. "[...ease! Father!]" "[Wake... father! Please...]" "[Father! Wake up! Please!]" "L-Luna?" Lucas recognized the voice, and instantly his eyes shot open. He saw a black cat on his chest with tears running down its eyes, calling him. "[Father!]" "L-Luna, are you alright?" he asked with confusion, recalling what just happened. [I am alright, father! But are you hurt? You were unconscious for a few seconds! I-I kept calling you, but you didn''t answer. I thought you were d-dead!] Lucas, seeing Luna almost on the verge of tears again, patted her head and let out a small smile. "Here, here, I am fine, Luna. I wouldn''t die from something like that. I am alright, okay? Sorry for making you worry." As Lucas reassured Luna, he looked around at his surroundings. What he saw would make most people vomit. Fire was everywhere, surrounding the open field they were in, the ground scorched, arms and legs burnt and scattered of the guards and adventurers who were outside the carriage. It was chaos all around him. Looking further, he saw Sylv lying on the ground with a few minor scratches but no serious injuries. Just to make sure, he stood up, placed Luna on his shoulder, and used [flash step] to arrive beside her. He checked her body and saw that she was fine but still unconscious. Sigh. "Except for us, it looks like everyone else died in the explosion...." [W-what exactly happened, father?] "If my guess is correct, this was a mana bomb that they used, though I have no idea how they got their hands on it. I only once saw something similar when I fought against that criminal organization a year ago, but they only had one and on a much smaller scale. Yet these attackers had two and on a much bigger scale... I think Sir Gerhald said before the explosion that it was dark elves that were attacking..." "Keke, you are quite composed for someone who is about to die, kid." Suddenly he heard a voice behind him. Turning around, he saw a man standing surrounded by the fire that was wreaking havoc on the ground. The man had white hair and grey skin, he was as tall as Lucas, but what was most notable was that he had pointed ears. "A dark elf..." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing the dark elf, Lucas could tell that the elf was stronger than him. If he had to guess, he would be high to peak 7-star level. Lucas could also tell that he wasn''t normal, so he was cautious about fighting him. "[Luna, go and hide with Sylv.]" "[But father, I can help!]" "[Luna, go.]" Lucas didn''t allow any refusal anymore. Luna was still a child and wasn''t ready to fight a strong opponent like the dark elf in front of him yet. He knew Luna would become one of the strongest in the future, perhaps even stronger than Lucas himself, but not now. He couldn''t take any risks. He took out his blade of chaos from his [inventory], but instead of appearing in his hand, it was on his waist inside a holder. "How many of you are there?" Lucas asked, hoping to get information out of him. "Keke, as if I need help killing the lot of you. I already disposed of that 7-star level elf, so the rest was easy as stealing candy from a baby." ''I doubt he has any mana bombs left since he used them to kill that Gerhald guy.'' "Hmm, kid, let me make an offer. Step aside and give me that elf girl, and I would grant you a quick death. Keke, what do you say?" "Huh, how about you fuck off?" "Kekeke! You''re really going to die just for that elf girl you barely know!?" "Huh, who said I was gonna die? As if someone as fucking weak as you is enough for that." As Lucas said that, he got in position, holding his sword hilt with his left hand from his right waist, activating his skills [Monarch of Chaos] [Dragon''s aura] [Mirage]. Chapter 22 A battle to survive [2] "Ugh, it hurts... W-what happened?" As Sylviette finally regained consciousness, she opened her eyes, revealing their beautiful color, only to see fire and destruction surrounding her.''W-what happened to everyone else...'' As she looked around, she saw burnt body parts, which made her feel sick to her stomach. Looking further ahead in the distance, she spotted Lucas and another person talking to each other, making her eyes go wide open. ''A dark elf!'' ''I need to go help hi-'' [Dont. Father is angry...] Hearing a voice in her head, she panicked and spotted a cat with majestic black fur and blood-red eyes next to her feet. She recognized the cat. It was Lucas''s cat, who didn''t leave his side no matter what. "W-what... did you just speak?" she asked in a bewildered tone. [hmm I can send my thoughts to your mind. You can do the same by just thinking what you want to say to me and saying it in your mind] "I-I see. So, you have the ability to talk..." "What did you mean by ''father is angry''?" [mm, Father, I mean Lucas, is angry at the dark elf. If you help, you will be in the way.] She couldn''t help but furrow her brows at this statement. "I am not so weak, you know that I would be in the way when I want to help him." [mm I know, but what I mean is that even though you are strong, father is stronger. He will destroy everything until he kills that man who almost hurt us... and killed the humans and elves outside the carriage.] Hearing what the black cat said, she couldn''t help but widen her eyes. ''Everyone is dead? Even Sir Gerhald?'' "Then I definitely need to help him. Sir Gerhald was a high 7-star level mage... If even he died, then Lucas can''t handle him alo-" Before she could finish her sentence, she felt a pressure as if a whole planet fell on her shoulder. Cracks started appearing on the ground all around her. Gazing at the source of her discomfort, she saw something she would never forget... Instead of seeing Lucas, she saw a colossal creature with white scales and blood-red eyes. It had two huge wings on its back and a huge tail. Seeing it, she fell on her back out of pure fear, and in the next second when she blinked, the creature was gone, and she saw Lucas with red and black energy type of aura surrounding his body. Then he disappeared from his spot... ********** "Huh, who said I was gonna die? As if someone as fucking weak as you is enough for that." He was pissed hearing the white-haired boy mocking him like that, someone who was obviously weaker than him. As he watched the boy get in position with his knees bent and back bent forward while holding his sword at his waist to fight, he scoffed inwardly. ''Does he really think he stands a chance?'' Before he could finish thinking, he felt as if a planet crashed on top of him as the ground around them began cracking and breaking apart. Gazing at the source, he saw something that almost made him fall back, yet out of sheer will, he held on. He saw a huge colossal creature with white scales as snow and blood-red eyes, the creature had two huge wings on its back and a huge tail. When he blinked, the pressure was gone as if it was never there, and he saw the boy still in his position with red and black energy surrounding him that made him feel like he was extremely inferior to the boy with white hair. The second time he blinked, the boy was gone... The third time he blinked... The boy was suddenly in front of him out of nowhere. He didn''t see him move at all; he was just there as if he always was. His brain screamed for him to dodge or he would die, so he did. He crouched down and saw the boy swing his sword horizontally, meant to decapitate his head. The swing sent out ripples of shockwaves. Again his brain screamed to dodge because of a skill he had, [danger sense], and so he did. He jumped as far back as he could, yet his brain kept screaming to still dodge, so he moved to his left after landing at the first alert. He saw the boy swing his sword vertically with red energy enveloped on his sword, [sword aura], and when the boy finally swung where he previously stood crouched, nothing happened.... As if the world itself still had to register what happened, suddenly the ground exploded and cracked, and a deep long cut appeared where the boy was to where he previously was when he jumped back, and it kept going where even his eyes couldn''t see. ''W-what! What is this kid!? No, no way he is human!? That monster can''t be human!?'' As if the boy himself heard his thoughts, without giving him a chance to catch his breath, the boy aimed his right palm at him while his sword was in his left hand and channeled his mana. The boy closed his hand tightly into a fist. He was confused at first, but then he felt the ground vibrating. He didn''t understand what was happening; his skill [danger sense] kept screaming alarm bells while the ground was vibrating. Suddenly, he felt the ground underneath him heat up, and that''s when he finally understood... ''SHIT!'' He instantly used his mana this time and controlled the wind on his feet, running straight to his left. As he gazed back to where he previously stood, the ground cracked even more, and the next second, a huge pillar of fire erupted out of the ground, reaching the heavens themselves. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''OI OI, YOU HAVE TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME! HOW CAN THIS MONSTER BE SO SKILLED AT SWORD AND MAGIC AT THE SAME TIME? THIS IS UNFAIR!'' As he stopped running, he gazed back at the boy with white hair and saw his right hand aimed above him as hundreds of red lightning javelins surrounded him. When he swung his arm down, all the javelins shot rapidly, one by one, at him. ''Well, fuck...'' He crouched down and put his palm on the ground, sending mana into it as huge stone walls started erupting from the ground, shielding him from the barrage of red lightning javelins. Each time a javelin hit, a wall would break, creating loud explosions. BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! "Shit, if this keeps going, my mana will be depleted! How is he not out of mana yet?" He couldn''t understand the thing he was fighting; he thought he was just a kid, but he had never been more wrong in his life before... Suddenly, something happened that shocked him to his core. He felt a weird type of energy invade his body, and all of his mana was cut off for a few seconds. As his mana was cut off, he couldn''t create any stone walls to protect him, and due to the confusion, he had not enough time to dodge the remaining javelins coming straight at him. When they hit him, it sent him flying dozens of meters back. He blacked out for a second, and when he came back, he saw he was on the ground, feeling a stinging pain on his right side. When he looked at his right side, he saw that his right arm was gone... "A-AAAAARGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!" He screamed in pain as he heard footsteps approaching him on the scorched ground surrounding them with fire and destruction. Step Step Stopping a few meters in front of him, he gazed at the white-haired boy with bloodshot eyes. "What was it that you said again? You would grant me a quick death, right? How about I make a similar offer. You tell me everything about who hired you to attack us, and I will grant you a quick death," the boy said with a sadistic grin on his face as he looked down on the dark elf. Chapter 23 A battle to survive [3] As Lucas gazed at the dark elf lying on the ground without one of his arms, he didn''t get too close to him. His instincts kept warning him that something was wrong. He was missing something. That''s why he didn''t hesitate to spend as much mana as needed to take him down just now.He even used one of his most taxing spells called [Chaos Cut]. With this spell, he could cut the flow of mana of a single target for a few seconds by sending a wave of chaos energy inside his body. He could only use this spell three times in top condition until he would be depleted of all his mana. He already used this spell now, cutting off his mana flow when the dark elf was creating stone walls, and before that, he used a few big spells, resulting in him only being able to use [Chaos Cut] one more time if needed. Suddenly, he saw the man take out a pill that looked ominously black and swallowed it before Lucas could react to it. A burst of ominous black energy burst out of his body, resulting in Lucas retreating a few more meters away from him. What he saw was the dark elf standing with his arm regenerated, his eyes became pitch black, as the black ominous energy was seeping out of his body and his body became much bigger and bulkier. "Miasma..." It was miasma. Lucas recognized it. The man somehow was able to use miasma after consuming the pill. Before he could think further, he heard Sylviette, who apparently regained consciousness, scream at him. "LUCAS, WATCH OUT, DODGE!" Before Lucas could comprehend what she meant, the dark elf wasn''t in front of him anymore. "Keke, behind you..." he heard the ominous voice whisper behind his ear, and the next second, the dark elf punched Lucas''s head from behind, and his head exploded into thousands of pieces... Or at least, that was supposed to happen. All he was met with was Lucas, whom he punched, turning into a gust of wind and disappearing¡ªit was his skill [Mirage]. [Mirage]: Be able to make clones of yourself out of thin air. The more clones, the more mana it will consume. "What? Don''t tell me you actually fucking fell for that." The dark elf suddenly heard Lucas instead behind him, and before he could turn around, Lucas punched him with red lightning surrounding his right fist straight into his gut, making him fly a few meters back and tumble on the ground until finally regaining his balance again. "To think you would actually work with fucking demons just for power... disappointing," Lucas said as he watched the dark elf as if he was some sort of worm. "Haaa, you got me there, keke! But now that I am using this miasma, there is no way you can simply defeat me." "Is that so? All I see is you being a fucking idiot, if I''m honest. You might have a stronger type of power now, but what good is it if you can''t even use it properly?" "Huh!? What are you talking about, kid?" sigh "Fucking stupid. You aren''t a demon; you are an elf! You are meant to be a race that stands at the pinnacle with using mana, but instead, you gave it up for fucking miasma when your body obviously can''t handle something that is the opposite of what your body can handle! In other words, even if you win, you will still die because your body naturally rejects miasma!" Lucas said as if he was talking to an idiot¡ªwhich the dark elf, was by the way. "YOU! SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU DAMN BRAT!" Before Lucas could react by using any skill or spell, the dark elf was in front of him, with his fist pulled back and about to hit Lucas straight in his face. Lucas quickly used his sword to block the attack in front of him. As the punch connected with the blade of chaos, the collision brought shockwaves to their surroundings, and a few seconds later, Lucas was flung back, unable to handle the dark elf''s raw power anymore. As he tumbled on the ground, he used his blade of chaos in his hand and struck it into the ground to regain his balance as he spit out blood from his mouth. "Shit, I can''t drag this out too long, or my mana would deplete before he dies... I will have to use ''that,'' I suppose," Lucas said to himself as he wiped the blood coming out of his mouth. Suddenly, the dark elf was again in front of him, hell-bent on fucking punching Lucas''s face again. But when the punch was about to connect to Lucas''s face, he used another skill, [Phase]. [Phase]: Be able to let any attack pass through you for the next 3 seconds. As the punch went through Lucas, he used the opportunity to [flash step] a few meters ahead to create some distance. Suddenly, the dark elf''s feet were covered in ice, preventing him from moving for a few seconds. Both Lucas and the dark elf looked toward Sylviette, who was the reason for subduing him. "Sylv, hold him there for a few more seconds!" "Alright, but hurry up!" "YOU FUCKING BRATS! YOU THINK THIS WILL HOLD ME!" The dark elf kept thrashing around, trying to free himself. Yet, every time he broke the ice on his feet, a new layer of ice would instantly cover him again up to his knees, making it harder. As Lucas saw that he was distracted, he aimed his right hand upwards and started concentrating by using all his mana for this spell, intending to finish him off. The sky became dark, clouds started emerging above them, as rain and thunder started emerging from the sky and clouds. If not looked closely at the sky, they could tell that instead of blue, the thunder was red and chaotic, going everywhere. As Lucas concentrated, sweat was visible on his face, showing how taxing it was, and the next moment, he uttered the name of his spell... [Judgement of Zeus] A huge red lightning bolt came from out of the heavens and struck straight at the dark elf, making him scream in pain as he was getting electrocuted out of existence. "AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" The lightning bolt destroyed everything in a 15-meter radius, but Lucas already used [flash step] with his remaining mana and ran to Sylviette since she was at a safe distance from the spell. When the lightning bolt disappeared, the dark elf did as well. Nothing was left of him. All that surrounded Lucas, Sylviette, and Luna was destruction. sigh "It is finally over..." Lucas said tiredly. "Yeah... Are you alright, Lucas?" Sylv asked worriedly, since she understood that such a terrifying spell must not have been without cost. "Yeah... I am fine, just a littl-" Before Lucas could finish his sentence, his eyes felt blurry and he felt light-headed, and in the next second, he fell to the ground unconscious, while Sylviette and Luna screamed in worry and approached him. "Lucas!" Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Father!] The battle against the dark elf finally came to an end, resulting in Lucas Nightstar being the victor. Chapter 24 Aftermath Lucas felt pain all over his body. At first, he was confused, but the next second, he remembered what happened, and his eyes shot open, only to be met by what seemed like two mountains blocking his eyesight.He noticed, at the same time, that even though moving caused him pain, he felt warm and comfortable. Looking down at his body, he sensed a subtle green energy surrounding him, causing his comfort as his head was lying on something soft. "M-mngh, Lucas, please don''t move that much..." Suddenly, he looked back up and saw a face behind the two mountains. The face belonged to a girl with eyes as blue as the ocean and beautiful silver hair. She had pointed ears, with a shade of red on the tips, matching the blush on her cheeks. "H-huh, Sylv, I''m sorry, let me get up, u-ugh." Realizing that he was on Sylv''s lap, he immediately tried to rise, but the pain overwhelmed him, and his body refused to move much. Suddenly, a soft hand touched his forehead and gently pushed him back onto her lap. "Stay like this, Lucas, don''t move. I am using life magic to heal you. Currently, your body is still in pain as the aftereffects of depleting your whole mana are still there," Sylv said, holding Lucas in place to prevent him from moving around. Seeing that there was no point in trying to escape her care and that his body still wasn''t healed, he sighed and gave up. "How are you feeling right now?" Sylv asked, concern evident in her eyes as she looked at Lucas. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Warm and comfortable, as long as I don''t move too much." "Good. That means my magic is working. You should be all healed in an hour." "I see. Thanks..." Lucas said awkwardly, unsure of what to say. He didn''t have the best social skills in his previous and current life. Hearing Lucas''s thanks, Sylv shook her head immediately. "No, I should thank you, Lucas! If it wasn''t for you accepting this mission, I would surely have been kidnapped. I am really grateful for you protecting me and hurting yourself in the process." "It''s fine. The mission was said to be between B-S rank, indicating that an attack was bound to happen. So, you don''t need to feel guilty." "I-I see. Thanks, Lucas," Sylv replied, relieved that Lucas wasn''t angry with her. As Lucas listened to Sylv''s reply and noticed her becoming considerably less guilty, he glanced at the black cat with red eyes sitting on his chest. [Is something wrong, Luna?] he asked. [No, father, nothing is wrong...] Luna replied. Despite her words, Lucas couldn''t shake the feeling of a lingering emotion in her voice... fear. sigh [Luna, you know I''ll never replace you, right?] he reassured her. [H-huh? Why would you say something like that, father!?] Luna responded, surprised. [You were scared, right? Scared that by talking with Sylv, I would be replacing you, right?] [N-no, I wasn''t thinking like that!] [Very well, but just know you are my daughter, Luna. Nothing would ever make me replace you]" [M-mh, I-I know, father...] This was all Luna could muster in response after hearing her father''s kind reassurance with his gaze filled with warmth. Dragon or not, she was still a child, and children naturally sought affection. Lucas understood this well all too well. Luna was afraid that Sylv would steal her father''s affection away from her. Lucas had spent all of his time with Luna in the past two years, always protective of her. Once, a member of the criminal organization called ''Smile'' had tried to kidnap Luna in Lucas''s presence. When he found out, he killed the member and then destroyed the entire organization. If Lucas regained his memories in his current life without the feelings and memories he had gained in this life, he would probably have been cold and distant to everyone, not letting anyone get close to him anymore, like in his previous life... He knew the meaning of people betraying and using someone all too well. However, through his experiences in this life, he had learned the warmth and love of family. Still, in his core, he didn''t fully trust anyone except his family. Over the past two years, he had encountered many people with different faces, all seeking favor with "Noctis, the White Devil." Yet, when he met Sylviette Velariah, he didn''t feel suspicious of her. He could sense her pure intentions, and though he still kept his guard up, he wasn''t uncomfortable talking with her. Sylv''s voice interrupted their silent exchange, prompting both Lucas and Luna to look at her. "Are both of you talking telepathically?" she asked curiously, her eyes sparkling with interest. "H-huh, how did you know?" Lucas inquired, puzzled. He couldn''t recall ever mentioning Luna''s ability to communicate telepathically to Sylv. Her observation caught him off guard. "Well, anyone who isn''t stupid could tell you were communicating with her, as you looked at her with a warm gaze I haven''t seen you use once since we met," Sylv explained. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the warmth in Lucas''s gaze directed at Luna. "And besides... I already talked with Luna when you were fighting and unconscious," she added, picking Luna up from Lucas''s chest and snuggling with her. "H-huh, you talked with Luna..." Lucas was bewildered. Since when did Luna have the ability to communicate with others beside him? He looked towards the cat, who was enjoying being spoiled by the elf girl, with a questioning gaze, silently urging her to explain. [I-i recently found out I could talk with others. It was instinctive, I suppose, and I forgot to tell you...sorry,] Luna explained. Forget? She actually forgot to tell him something as important as this? Though he didn''t scold her since he knew he would probably do the same and forget to tell his parents if he were in her shoes... Truly father and daughter. "It''s fine, Luna. At least I can talk normally right now, so Sylv can also hear us," Lucas assured her. As Luna felt relieved that her father didn''t scold her, Lucas turned to Sylv while still lying in her lap. "So, what should we do now that the carriage is destroyed?" Chapter 25 The Princess Of The Elven Kingdom Hearing Lucas''s question, Sylv couldn''t help but shake her head, a bitter smile playing on her lips."Help should arrive soon, since we should''ve reached the border of the elven domain by now and informed my family about what happened with the meeting with the dark elves. But as I have not contacted them, they must have assumed something happened." "If your family were so cautious, wouldn''t it have been better to send more powerful guards to protect you?" Lucas couldn''t help but ask. He knew that if Sylv''s family was someone with enough power to handle diplomatic reasons with the dark elves, they must be a powerful family with probably at least a few in the Grandmaster stage protecting them. Hearing the question, Sylv sighed. "The point of this meeting was to be peaceful with the dark elves and negotiate about them wanting to gain more territory in the elven domain. So if I brought more guards, it would''ve looked like we weren''t planning to negotiate in the first place and only wanted to show off. But since they got greedy and kept biting off more than they could chew, the meeting failed... and now they even dared to attack us the moment we left the neutral city. War would be inevitable now." "Hmm, I see. I understand now, I guess... by not taking a lot of guards, you basically said you wanted to negotiate peacefully..." "Your family must be really powerful for the elves to start a war for you..." Hearing Lucas mumble while recovering on her lap, Sylv couldn''t hold back her laughter anymore. "Pfft!" The way she laughed would charm almost any man, as her voice was like beautiful music to one''s ears. Yet Lucas only felt confusion instead of being charmed. "Huh? Why are you laughing all of a sudden?" he asked, not understanding what happened. "Haha! You really don''t care about most things in Myrniel, do you, Lucas?" She asked, gracefully covering her mouth with her hand, trying to hold back more laughter. What she said was true; all Lucas did in the last two years was train, eat, pick and complete missions, and then sleep, as the cycle kept repeating itself. And before his adventures, he was a lazy introvert who didn''t study at all. "Very well, let me give you a bit more about me. Aside from being beautiful, extremely talented, and smart, I am also the princess of the elven kingdom. Princess Sylviette Velariah, daughter of King Michael Velariah and Queen Amara Velariah," she said with a smile, gazing at Lucas, who was on her lap with his eyes wide open in shock. "W-wait, so you are the princess of the elven kingdom!? Ugh, I knew that I recognized the Velaria- Ouch!" Before Lucas finished speaking, he moved his body too much, causing the pain to return. "Lucas, be still! Didn''t I tell you?" Sylv scolded in an angry tone that was still soft and charming. "Y-yeah, damn... To think you were actually a princess all along..." "Hehe, when I first introduced myself, I was inwardly shocked as well, you know? I thought you just didn''t care, but after talking more with you, I realized you just never bothered about these things," she said, making Lucas avert his eyes in shame. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''Fuck, I should have learned more about this world instead of being lazy!'' "So, how does it feel to be lying on the lap of the sole princess of the elven domain?" she teased with a playful smirk, further teasing Lucas. "Tch, shut up, okay! How does it feel to get your fucking ass saved by someone the same age, Ms. Princess, who is so smart and talented?" Lucas retorted, not holding back. Even if she was a princess, he honestly didn''t care one bit about her status. Lucas hated treating people differently just because of their status, so even if she were the queen, he wouldn''t change the way he treated her. Sylv was surprised at how Lucas still treated her the same as before when they talked in the carriage, but seeing this, she became extremely happy that he didn''t change the way he treated her, and a beautiful smile blossomed on her face, making Luna squint her eyes because it was too bright for her, while Lucas watched in a daze for a few seconds before snapping out of it. No way his pride would allow him to become even more embarrassed than he already was! "Hehe, it is an honor after all to be saved by the White Devil himself, who is the same age as me and already the strongest in our generation," she said smugly, as if she were the one who achieved the feat of becoming the strongest. As they continued to bicker with each other and Luna watched them with amusement, only regretting not bringing food, an hour passed, and the help Sylv mentioned finally arrived, with at least 20 elves and 2 carriages. The elves wore a white uniform with gold lines decorating them further. The uniform was something everyone would recognize (except for Lucas). It was the Royal Guards. When the Royal Guards arrived to rescue the princess, all they could do was freeze and open their eyes and mouths wide as they looked at an extremely handsome white-haired boy with blood red eyes lying with his head on the lap of the princess of their kingdom, as they laughed with each other for some reason. Honestly, the first thing they thought of was taking a picture as they gazed at the silver-haired elf and the white-haired human surrounded by destruction, happily laughing with each other. But they finally realized the reason why they were here in the first place: to rescue the said princess, who was letting a boy lay with his head on her lap... (AN: Life truly is unfair. I wish I were in Lucas''s position instead... I''m sure those royal guards must be feeling the same after witnessing such a handsome man just lazing on the lap of their princess...) Chapter 26 Friends As Lucas and Sylv heard the sounds of footsteps approaching the scorched ground, they gazed ahead and saw the royal guards coming towards them."Ah! Looks like our help arrived, Lucas! The white-uniformed elves you see are the royal guards, which I doubt you knew, hehe." "S-shut up, okay? I already knew that." He obviously lied, not fooling her at all and making her laugh again. As the guards finally approached, they all respectfully got on one knee in front of Lucas and Sylv, as Lucas was still on her lap, even though he had recovered. Both of them chose to stay in this position. "Your Highness, His Majesty ordered us to find you immediately, as he got worried for not receiving any contact from you upon your arrival at our kingdom. The deadline to notify him that you were back in the elven kingdom had passed," one of the royal guards, who was at the grandmaster stage, said. If Lucas had to guess, it would be low to mid 8-star level. "We apologize for arriving so late, Your Highness, and not being able to protect you when your life was in danger," the guard said, glancing at Lucas. "There is no need to worry since Lucas saved me from an attack by a dark elf that unfortunately took down Sir Gerhald." "I see. Sir Gerhald was a talented young man; his father and grandfather will surely want revenge after hearing about this," the guard said, turning his head down towards Lucas, who was still lying on Sylv''s lap, not giving a care if they would get offended. "Kid, we are grateful for saving the life of Her Highness when we failed to," the guard said as he and all the other royal guards bowed their heads to show their thanks. "Mm. It was my mission to escort her safely back, so there is nothing to thank me for," Lucas replied with no emotion on his face and his voice neutral. The guards grew annoyed at the attitude of the white-haired human but didn''t dare to say anything now, since it was obvious he was quite ''close'' with the princess. "We would like to ask you to join us while we escort the princess back to the capital. I am sure His Majesty would like to have a talk with you and reward you personally for your deeds," the guard said, looking hatefully at Lucas, who was still lying on their princess''s lap. "Hmm, sure. I don''t mind following you," Lucas responded in the same tone and face. "Very well, Your Highness, if you would please enter the carriage, while you, kid, please enter the other carriage. I am sure you are still ''tired'', so you can rest there," the guard said, standing back straight up with the other royal guards. Before Lucas could answer, they all heard a cold voice that was soft yet angry. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hey. What is your name?" Sylv asked with a cold expression, her eyes devoid of any kindness, sending shivers down the spine of the guard. "Y-your Highness, my name is Dennis Sendreth," the guard answered nervously, stuttering. Both Lucas and Sylv stood up now. Lucas was curious about what she was planning, so he decided to watch the show play out. "Dennis Sendreth, Lucas is the one who saved my life, so it would be best for you to show respect to him, unless you want to put the reputation of the royal guards to shame and that of the royal family as well. And Lucas will be going in the same carriage as me, as I only trust him the most here. Is that understood?" She said in a soft yet strict and cold voice, making the guard go pale. "Y-yes, understood, Your Highness. Please forgive me, Sir Lucas, for my previous attitude!" The guard said, bowing his head towards him. "Lucas, let''s go inside," Sylv said as she started walking ahead. "Mm, yeah, sure," Lucas said as he followed behind, with Luna sleeping on top of his head comfortably. *************** As they were finally inside the carriage and moving, Lucas decided to talk. "I didn''t expect you to get so mad, you know?" "Huh, of course I would be mad at him if he offends you, who is my savior and friend¡ª" Suddenly, she stopped talking, realizing what she just said. Lucas opened his eyes wide at hearing her words. "A-ah! I''m sorry, I spoke without thinking. W-what I meant was, instead of frie¡ª" Cutting her off, Lucas replied with a small smile. "It''s okay. I consider you my friend also... Pfft!" he answered but laughed in the end. "Why are you laughing!? Are you making fun of me?" she said, her face turning beet red like a tomato, embarrassed about all of this. "No, no! I wasn''t laughing at you, I swear. It was just funny that my first friend is the princess of the elven kingdom," Lucas replied with a bitter smile. Hearing his words, she opened her eyes wide in surprise. "Eh, I''m your first friend!? I thought you would have tons of friends with how popular you are," she said, not expecting him to have any friends. "Haha, unfortunately, before my travels as Noctis, I was a lazy introvert who didn''t leave the house at all. So, you see, I''m not the best with my social skills, so I''m sorry if I say something weird sometimes..." Lucas replied while laughing dryly. Hearing his words, she shook her head frantically, denying his words. "No! You don''t say weird things. You''re my first friend as well, so I''m happy that you''re my friend now!" She said but instantly turned beet red again as a tomato, realizing what she just exclaimed. "Haha! Well, to a new friendship," Lucas said, pretending to hold a glass of wine in the air. "Pffft! Yes, to a new friendship!" Sylv replied, following along with his antics while laughing happily as her face was still a little red. On this day, Lucas Nightstar and Sylviette Velariah started their new relationship. Chapter 27 Queen Amara After Lucas, for the first time, made a friend in his new life, they sat together and talked while on the way to the capital after entering the elven domain, Eldrath. Seven hours passed by when they finally reached the capital, Zefirah. The capital was filled with life: elves, humans, beastfolk, and multiple different races were inside, enjoying themselves. The buildings were almost all white and pristine, and nature could be seen everywhere, with birds and different types of animals roaming around.After another hour, they finally arrived at the castle of the royal elf family. Sylv and Lucas stood in front of the huge, luxurious gate, with the royal guards behind them, occasionally throwing hateful glances at Lucas. As for Luna, she wanted to explore the capital. Lucas gave her the okay since she could always use her link to communicate with him if something were to happen. However, he doubted that anyone would dare to cause trouble inside the capital right now. "Wow..." was the only thing Lucas could say as his eyes were caught by the incredibly huge and majestic castle in front of him. Seeing his reaction, Sylv was satisfied and had a proud smile on her face. "Amazing, isn''t it?" "Yeah... it definitely is. Are you sure a ''human'' like me is allowed to enter?" "Of course. You aren''t the first human to enter our castle, though your reason for entering is definitely a first," she said while chuckling. As the gates opened and they entered the castle, before anyone could react, a silver blur passed by Lucas and went straight for the silver-haired elf next to him. "My daughter, how are you? Are you hurt? It must have been scary!" A mature woman with long silver hair, resembling Sylv''s, and the same eyes as her, hugged Sylv in a tight embrace while bombarding her with questions. Amara Velariah, the queen of Eldrath, the elf kingdom, exuded a motherly aura as she worriedly checked her daughter for injuries. Her face resembled Sylv''s, and Lucas couldn''t help but think that Sylv would grow to look exactly like her in the future. "Mother! You are embarrassing me in front of Lucas!" Sylv screamed with a red face as she tried to pry herself from her mother''s embrace. "Eh? Lucas, you say?" The queen suddenly remembered where she was, straightened her back, and coughed to hide her embarrassment as the guards and Lucas watched her. "Excuse me for showing you such a side of me," the queen said as she finally let go of her daughter and looked at Lucas. Lucas stood with his back straight and his hands behind his back, exuding confidence and pride. He thought that even though she was his friend''s mother, she was still the queen of the entire elven domain, so he should at least look presentable. "It''s alright, Queen Amara. It is normal for a mother to worry about her daughter," Lucas said, looking straight into the queen''s eyes. The queen was surprised at the boy''s attitude and confident demeanor. She was also taken aback by how handsome he was. Suddenly, she bowed her head slightly. "You are right. As a mother, I would like to sincerely thank you for saving my daughter''s life," she said. "M-mother, please lift your head back up!" Sylv was flustered, while Lucas remained composed, though his eyes betrayed his surprise. "It is alright, Queen Amara. Please raise your head. It was my mission to escort her back safely," Lucas said awkwardly. As the queen raised her head, she examined Lucas further. She couldn''t shake the feeling that there was something different about him¡ªhe wasn''t like all the other humans she had met. Despite her efforts, she couldn''t quite put her finger on what it was, except for his confident aura and handsome face. Suddenly, she changed her demeanor to that of the queen of the entire elven race. "Please, Lucas, I would like us to talk further in a private room, without prying eyes." "Sure, I don''t mind," Lucas responded. "Can I join as well, Mother?" Sylv asked nervously, unsure if she was allowed to be part of their conversation. Hearing her daughter''s question, the queen was extremely surprised inwardly, almost breaking her royal facade again. ''Huh, since when did my daughter become so interested in someone?'' She started evaluating Lucas again. She remembered that her daughter never wanted to hang out a lot with other people because she never trusted them. This made her extremely worried, but she knew it was because her daughter was special and had a greater blessing from the World Tree, allowing her to summon spirits. So she was bewildered that her daughter, instead of trying to avoid Lucas, was actually wanting to stay and join them. ''Does that mean she trusts him? And he is a handsome boy as well. Hmm...'' "I-I can''t?" Sylv asked anxiously, thinking that her mother''s silence probably meant it was a problem. As the queen snapped out of her thoughts, she turned towards her daughter and, breaking her queenly facade for a second, said with a teasing smile, meant only for Sylv to see, "Of course, I would love for you to join~" *************** The three of them could be seen sitting on comfy chairs inside a luxurious room with a round table in the middle, all sipping tea. Queen Amara had long abandoned her queenly facade, as there were no guards present. "So, Lucas, you are the son of Alexander Nightstar and Violet Nightstar, huh..." Queen Amara said. ''To think Sylviette finally made a friend, I want to cry tears of joy!'' "You know my parents, Queen Amara?" Lucas said in surprise, feeling a bit more at ease now that the queen was acting informally. "Please call me Amara, Lucas. In fact, just call me aunt, since you are a friend of my daughter~," she said teasingly, glancing at Sylv, who pouted in response. "Mother! Stop being annoying; you''re just making everything awkward!" Sylv said, clearly frustrated. "Ara, are you embarrassed~" the queen teased further. "Ugh... by the way, Mom, where is Father and Brother?" Sylv asked, grumbling at her mother''s teasing while the tips of her ears were a little red. Sylv also had an older brother, Raphael Velariah, who was set to inherit the throne of Eldrath. Despite him being the successor to the throne instead of Sylviette, she didn''t harbor any resentment. She didn''t care much about becoming queen; she just wanted to live her life freely. She loved her family dearly, and they were extremely close, unlike most noble human families. "Your brother and father are currently in a meeting. They should be almost done and are already informed about your return and the attack that happened by the dark elves on you," Queen Amara replied, her voice turning cold at the mention of the attack, sending shivers down Sylv''s spine, though Lucas seemed unaffected. "As for your question, Lucas, I met your parents a few times and talked to them at some social parties," Queen Amara explained. "Though I have to say, the Nightstars certainly are interesting~" she added, hinting at something that only Lucas and Queen Amara understood. "Huh, what do you mean? Is there something with the Nightstar family?" Sylv asked, confused and not understanding the looks exchanged between them. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sighing at the queen''s antics, Lucas answered, "For your information, I don''t really care or know either why we refuse to become a higher class even though we have more than enough power for it." "Huh? Is your family extremely powerful, Lucas?" Sylv asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. She loved mysteries! ''Is his family perhaps some secret powerhouse!?'' she wondered with anticipation. Seeing her look and question, Lucas already knew what she was thinking, but he wasn''t going to confirm her suspicions. "Don''t worry, I won''t pry further into why your parents do as long as it doesn''t endanger Myrniel or the elves," Queen Amara said, not wanting to put Lucas in a difficult position. "Thanks, Queen Amar¡ª cough Aunt," Lucas said with a bitter smile after almost being formal with her, quickly changing his tone after seeing her smile turning cold. ''Her smile reminds me of when mother gets angry!'' he thought. After that, they had a light chat, happily enjoying themselves until they heard a knock on the door. "Yes, you may come in," Sylv''s mother said in her queen-like tone, reverting to her formal demeanor. A butler entered, his head bowed, and spoke, "My queen, His Majesty and the Prince have returned and requested everyone''s presence in the throne room." "Well, let''s get going then, Lucas and Sylv~," Chapter 28 Pride As Lucas arrived with Sylv and her mother at the throne room, luxurious with white and gold, he saw an elf with regal appearance. The elf had long blond hair and deep blue eyes, next to him a younger version of the elf, with much shorter hair.They were Michael and Raphael Velariah. Both were standing in front of the throne, gazing at Lucas, while Sylv and her mother stood at the right side and a bunch of royal guards were next to the sides of the throne, awaiting the king''s orders. "So you are the one who saved my daughter''s life, huh?" The king said as he gazed at the white-haired ''human'' in front of him. While the prince, a little behind, looked worriedly at his little sister to see if she was okay. "That is correct. It was my mission after all," Lucas said, looking directly into the eyes of the king and speaking in a neutral tone. The king was surprised; normally, someone at Lucas''s age would never dare to meet him in the eyes with his back straight and not even an ounce of fear in him. "Then, as a father and king of Eldrath, I would like to convey my thanks to you. I will allow you to pick one skill book in the royal treasury," the king offered, causing everyone to widen in shock, the guards instantly protesting. "My king, you can''t allow a human to enter the royal treasury!" ''Wow, how fearless, to object to their own king''s words¡­ Still, looks like a lot of elves don''t really like humans, huh? Even if they don''t show it, they still feel like humans are disgusting creatures. Well, that is normal, I suppose¡­'' Lucas thought, sighing inwardly. He knew all too well how cruel and disgusting humans could be... "Yes my king! You shou-" "Silence," the king spoke, making the atmosphere in the room freeze and become extremely more tense than it already was. "So, you say I shouldn''t reward the person who saved my daughter''s life? The life of the princess of the elven domain?" He said with cold words, making the guards shrink back in fear. "P-please forgive us, your majesty. We didn''t think about that," the guards said, bowing their heads, realizing their mistakes. Ignoring the guards, the king gazed back at the human who didn''t show any sort of emotion. "Before meeting you, I did a little research. It was said that a famous adventurer called ''Noctis, The White Devil'' was supposed to be protecting Sylviette and escorting her to the elven domain. That is you, correct?" This time, everyone except Sylv, the king, and Lucas was surprised. Even if elves are a traditional race, they still kept up with most things, and Noctis, the White Devil, was a hot topic if one was interested in adventuring, so it wasn''t a stretch to say that most people had heard of his name. The mysterious adventurer who no one knows anything about. "Mm, that is right. I am known as Noctis, The White Devil, though I was planning to retire after the escort mission as an adventurer for a while," Lucas responded calmly. He knew that the king probably would find out about him being the White Devil, but honestly, he didn''t care. "I see," the king said while closing his eyes, after thinking for a few seconds, making almost everyone tense, even Raphael, who was a little behind his father. The king opened his eyes. "Lucas Nightstar. Son of Alexander and Violet Nightstar. Known as Noctis the White Devil and possibly the strongest in your generation." Hearing the last words of the king made almost everyone again gasp in surprise. Everything happened so fast that they forgot a few small details. Sylviette Velariah was supposed to be the strongest champion. Yet, someone her own age saved her and defeated an enemy she couldn''t face without seriously risking her life. So then, how strong is Lucas Nightstar? It isn''t impossible to fight someone of a higher star level if the right conditions are met, like environment, skill, mana, stamina, artifacts, and more. It is possible to win, but that didn''t mean it would make it less impressive. For someone their age that shouldn''t have a lot of experience yet to win is absurd, to say the least. "What are your intentions with my daughter?" The king spoke, making everyone snap out of their thoughts and look at him. Sylv and her mother looked worried as well. "Huh? Intentions with your daughter?" Lucas furrowed his brows, even he was confused at the weird question he didn''t expect from the king. "Hmm, you see, nothing is really known about you, Lucas Nightstar. Almost every noble child has made a few appearances in certain events. Yet, you have never attended any events in your life, making everything about you unknown. The time you finally revealed yourself to Myrniel... if one looked at the famous video, its purpose was to instill fear instead of joy." "Then, after that, you became this ''Noctis, the White Devil'' for the next two years. You were spotted across various places in the human domain, and most of the time picking combat-related missions." "It is also said that you defeated a demon. Why did that demon even appear in a C-rank dungeon? The dungeon wasn''t anything special from the reports, if I recall, so it would only go there if it was looking for something or ''someone''." the king said, looking at Lucas with searching eyes, trying to discern something from his neutral expression. He saved his daughter, so before he returned, he ordered his people to gather everything about him. But almost everything about him was unknown. The king felt suspicious of Lucas Nightstar. He didn''t know why, but he felt that this human was different from all the other humans. He was in the saint stage, so he could easily tell more, unlike his wife, who was in the grandmaster stage as both had their aura supressed. The mana in the air was subtly drawn towards Lucas, elves naturally loved by mana, it gathered to them more easily without them doing anything. This didn''t happen to humans¡ªor so the king thought, as he observed Lucas Nightstar. ''Is he even human? What are his goals? Did he use my daughter to get close to the royal family? He is just as mysterious as his entire family is... no, he is much more different than his parents that I had met,'' the king thought, his mind spinning with questions. "The reason for the demon appearing in the dungeon I have no idea, nor did I care, so I killed him. The reason I became Noctis, the White Devil, was because my status and my appearance to the world wouldn''t have let me become a normal adventurer. The reason I was spotted throughout a lot of places in the human domain and almost always picking combat-related missions was because I wanted to explore more of the world while becoming stronger." "And the reason why I saved your daughter is because it was my mission. I have no intentions or any fucking interest in you or the rest of the elves, except for your daughter, since I consider her as a ''friend'' of mine. Besides, I had no clue your daughter was the princess of the elven race until after I saved her life while ''risking'' mine," Lucas responded, his words sharp and laced with venom. Lucas''s words were cold and borderline disrespectful to the king, making everyone freeze in surprise. Even the king was stunned for a second; he didn''t expect him to become so angry. He was the king of elves, after all, and didn''t he say that his daughter is his friend? Doesn''t that make you naturally more kind to your friend''s father? The reason Lucas was angry right now and disrespectful was simple: pride. He didn''t like how the king was treating him with his stupid mind games. He didn''t like how he suspected him of using such fucking lowly tactics to get close to the royal family. His pride was, after all, that of a dragon in the end. There is only so much he could hold back. Even if he was awkward around people, not knowing how to talk or start conversations, that didn''t mean he would allow the king to disrespect and push him when he considered that king''s daughter a friend. "YOU! DISGUSTING HUMAN! YOU DARE SPEAK LIKE THAT TO THE KIN¡ª" Before the guard could even continue, he and all the other guards felt a massive pressure descending upon their shoulders, making the ground around them crack. Suddenly, they heard a voice as cold as ice, making them shiver. "Hey." "Speak another word and¡ª" Before he was done finishing, the guards, shivering and trying not to fall from the pressure, looked towards where Lucas was, but instead, all they saw was Lucas, his face not visible, surrounded by black and red energy as his red eyes glowed brightly. Black and red energy surrounded his whole body as he pointed his fingers to the guards, who were pale with fear. "¡ªI''ll kill you." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 29 thing As the guards looked at Lucas, or rather the ''thing'' in front of them, and heard his cold words that felt as if they came from the depths of hell itself, almost all fell to their knees out of primal fear. Only three of the grandmaster stage managed to stand, yet even they were trembling with their entire bodies. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Gazing at the ''thing'' in front of them, all they felt was as if death itself was standing before them. The ''thing''s eyes were glowing bright red, and now his entire body was shrouded with black and red energy, going wild and chaotic over his body. They felt as if they were just mere ants¡ªno, less than ants. An ant might have had the primal instinct to run away as fast as it could, but to them, all they could do was freeze. They didn''t dare to blink, to breathe, to scream, or to move. Just as they felt they were about to die, they heard a voice that felt as if an angel had descended upon them. "Enough," King Michael spoke, and in an instant, the atmosphere in the room returned to normal, and Lucas could be seen again with his white hair and blood-red eyes, wearing black clothes. Raphael and Sylv breathed loudly out of relief. Queen Amara, Prince Raphael, and Princess Sylviette were all spared from the pressure because of King Michael shielding them, but that didn''t mean that they felt safe as they gazed at that form of Lucas. "Looks like we all got a little heated and carried away. Lucas Nightstar, I apologize for offending you. It''s just that as a King and father, I sometimes can''t help but think in a more cruel way, though that is no excuse for how I was treating you." Seeing and hearing King Michael''s genuine tone of being apologetic, Lucas sighed. "It is fine, King Michael. It looks like I went a little bit overboard as well, so I apologize for being rude inside your castle." "It is fine. I was the one who started this. Please stay here as long as you would like, and I hope that you continue to be friends with my daughter." "Mm, don''t worry. I won''t let something as insignificant as this get in between the people I care about." Hearing his genuine tone, King Michael released a small smile. ''My daughter, looks like you have found a good person as your friend. Though...'' He narrowed his eyes when Lucas wasn''t looking at him anymore but at his daughter with an apologetic smile. ''What was that form of his? He definitely isn''t human...'' ******** After that incident with King Michael, Sylviette and Lucas were now sitting in a room on a luxurious comfy couch, surrounded by white decor. Raphael was also there with them. Queen Amara had to stay behind as they were going to discuss how to deal with the dark elves. ''I wonder why everything is white with elves?'' Sylv was for some reason sitting at Lucas''s side while Raphael was sitting in front of them. A small table was in the middle with some snacks on it as they ate. ''Damn, it is awkward... they must be scared of me, but then why would they follow me into the same room? And why is Sylv sitting next to them instead of his brother? If she is scared.'' "Lucas Nightstar," suddenly they heard Raphael''s voice as he stood up with a kind smile. "I believe I haven''t introduced myself. My name is Raphael Velariah. I am the prince of the elf kingdom and the brother of Sylviette," he said, stretching his right hand out towards Lucas. "I''d like to apologize for my father''s behavior. You see, he is actually a kind, loving man who is just overprotective. It took me a lot of effort to calm him down when he heard about the attack; he was about to go to the dark elf territory and wipe them all out himself." Lucas decided to stand up, grasping Raphael''s hand and shaking it. He said with a small smile of his own, "You don''t need to worry about your father. I already forgot about it." Lucas wasn''t lying; the moment King Michael apologized and sensing him not lying, he let it go. He was still a father of his friend and well, a king; it would be troublesome if he made an enemy of him right now. As both introduced themselves and sat back down, dispelling the awkward atmosphere they had between them, Sylv finally decided to talk. "Lucas! What was that form? You looked really scary, you know? I genuinely thought you were going to be able to kill all of them." All the guards there were a minimum of the master stage, with three of them being grandmasters, and yet no one doubted Lucas''s words that he would actually kill them all. "Huh. Are you not scared, Sylv? Of me?" Lucas honestly thought she would be scared of him now. Instead, all he saw was her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she gazed at him, anticipating an answer. "Huh, of course not! Besides, the guards were the ones in the wrong, and Father was as well! But more importantly, answer me: What was that?" she asked. Seeing her, he grinned and answered, "That''s a secret~." Seeing him not sharing what the form was, she pouted and turned her face away, as Raphael just stared wide-eyed at his sister who was so close to Lucas. That form of his was one he discovered in his travels. When he tried to learn more about his own race, he managed to find out he could actually transform into his half-dragon form. Though it is still incomplete, it still grants him a huge boost in power. However, since he has no control over it and can harm his human body a lot if used for a long time, he didn''t use the form back when fighting the dark elf. But since his pride was hurt and if needed to fight the king of the elves, he was ready to go all out; that''s why he used that form. His half-dragon form is special; Lucas thinks if any other half dragons before him existed, they wouldn''t have the same form as him. Because his form was a mix of the half-dragon and Chaos. At first, his form was that of Lucas with just white scales on his torso, legs, and arms, and a little on his face. After that, he discovered he could use the chaos element and integrate it with his half-dragon form, them becoming one. Resulting in what was seen of him earlier with King Michael. His form was still incomplete; when he becomes stronger, he believes this form of his would finally be complete and become something that could make him fight grandmasters with ease. Yet Lucas wasn''t satisfied with it. He felt when entering that form that something was missing that hadn''t to do with the half-dragon form itself but his entire being down to his soul. He knew what the problem was... He was a ''half'' dragon. Not a full dragon. Lucas knew it but didn''t know what he should do to finally become a full dragon, and if he did, would he really be ready to give up his humanity? He didn''t know yet; that still scared him, knowing that in the future, he would have to make a choice about keeping his humanity or filling the empty hole inside of him... Chapter 30 Seer [1] The streets of Zefirah were crowded with bustling life; elves, humans, beastfolk, dwarves, and various other races could be seen enjoying themselves as the sun descended and the moon ascended.Today was a special event. On this day, one of the greatest elven heroes died protecting the capital against a demon attack, categorized as an SS+ level threat 70 years ago. The elven hero protected the capital by himself as the demons led an attack composed of multiple marquess-ranked demons and two duke-ranked demons while he was in the saint stage. He held the two duke-ranked demons back to buy enough time for reinforcements to arrive. He managed to hold off long enough until reinforcements arrived from the royal family, but as they managed to fend off the demons and make the two duke-ranked demons retreat, the elf hero took grave injuries that ultimately killed him moments after everything was over. The elf hero was someone who loved to party and drink, so that was what the citizens of the capital would do; they would party in his name. This annual event had become a tradition that everyone loved to enjoy themselves as they partied and drank, and various activities could be done inside the capital. All of this was in the name of the elven hero, Zetriel. ******** As everyone indulged themselves in the festivities, three figures could be seen, one with a cat resting on top of their head. They all wore masks like most people did as they walked down the street, enjoying themselves by sampling food from stalls, shopping for souvenirs, and partaking in various activities. The trio consisted of Lucas, Sylviette, and Raphael, with Luna the cat happily snoozing despite the loud noises and occasional fireworks. Today marked Lucas''s last day in the capital. Tomorrow, he would leave by taking the mana teleporter to Moon City. While mana teleporters were usually only permitted for use within a race''s domain, Lucas, being close to the elven royal family, could use it freely to travel between the human and elven kingdoms. "Hehe, this is fun, isn''t it?" Sylv remarked to the others, who agreed as they strolled down the streets, taking in the sights. "Ugh, we''re going to get in trouble, sister. We didn''t tell Father or Mother anything about this..." Raphael expressed, already resigning himself to taking the blame as the eldest. At 19 years old, Raphael had already graduated from the Shield Academy. He was at the high 7-star level and nearing peak status. Despite his talent, his responsibilities as a prince weighed heavily on him, though he had chosen to forsake them for the day. Two weeks had passed since the incident with King Michael. In that time, Lucas had formed a strong friendship with Raphael, and he and Sylv had grown much closer, teasing and joking with each other without reservation. Perhaps the most surprising development in the past two weeks was Lucas''s relationship with King Michael. They had become close after the king invited Lucas to a game of chess one late night. Lucas, a master at chess, easily defeated the king, whose reaction would have made for a memorable family heirloom. Afterward, they began conversing more, bonding over their shared traits: immense pride, difficulty in social interactions, and unwavering dedication to family. Both had long forgotten the incident, as they had both apologized and moved past it. "That doesn''t matter! This is Lucas''s last day here for who knows how long, so we should make it memorable since he might even forget it," Sylv said. "Hey... since when did I become a person with dementia?" Lucas asked with a deadpan expression. "Huh? What is dementia?" "Forget about it." Looks like there is no dementia in this world. What does she mean about not remembering if we don''t make it memorable? It''s not like Lucas would actually forget his last day spent in the elven kingdom for a while... probably. "Hmph, fine, but let''s go eat something. I am starving!" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Huh, didn''t you just eat? Are you some sort of pig?" "Who are you calling a pig!? You are a pig!?" Sylv said to Lucas, her face turning red with embarrassment. "Lucas, you probably shouldn''t say stuff like that to a girl, you know?" Raphael said awkwardly as they began walking to find something good to eat. "Yes, brother, tell him! He shouldn''t treat a princess like that!" she said, glaring at Lucas. "Oi, sister, quiet down, okay?" "Heh, you must be one hell of a gluttonous princess then," Lucas said with a teasing grin. As they bickered with each other, they finally found a restaurant that wasn''t packed and ordered almost everything on the menu. Sylv, who naturally could eat a lot, and Lucas, being a half-dragon, could eat much more than an average human or elf. Raphael was the only one who just watched as he looked at the two in front of him, thinking that perhaps they shouldn''t insult the poor pigs... After eating, they started heading out, intending to return before anyone noticed. Lucas felt a little sad to leave, but he knew he would one day return here and talk more with Michael, aunt, and Raphael while he would still be in the academy with Sylv. All these feelings were new for him. He wasn''t used to feeling this way, but he kind of liked it... As they walked and visited various stalls on their way, Sylv stopped to gaze at a pair of sapphire earrings placed on a stall. "Hey, pretty lady. You have a good eye, you know? How about I sell these to you for 500 GC?" A bulky person said, with two cat-like ears on his head and a tail behind his back. ''How does he know that she is pretty? Well, I guess even a mask can''t hide how beautiful she is...'' Lucas thought. "Huh, no, I was just watching. I apologize," Sylv said as she started to leave. But before she fully left, Lucas was suddenly standing next to her and gave 500 GC to the owner. "Heh, what a gentleman you have as your boyfriend," the owner said as he gave the earrings to Lucas. "You wanted to make this night memorable, right? So don''t hold back and enjoy yourself," Lucas said as he gave her the earrings. "Consider this my thanks for being friends with me and wanting to have fun with me," Lucas said as he turned his back to Raphael, who was gazing at them with an unreadable expression. ''Damn, what a player! Looks like the boys in the academy are gonna have a hard time winning...'' As Sylv gazed at Lucas, her face and the tips of her ears were red, yet this time it wasn''t out of anger anymore... After 10 more minutes of walking in comfortable silence, just as they were about to leave the area, Sylv suddenly stopped and turned towards a stall. "Lucas! Brother! I want to go and try that!" She said, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she pointed at the stall. "The Seer who sees all..." Lucas read aloud what was written on the board of the stall outside, while the inside was covered by a huge tent. "I...I guess trying it out before calling it a night wouldn''t be bad, right, Lucas?" Raphael said, watching Lucas with an awkward smile. ''Fucking siscon,'' Lucas thought. "Why? It''s probably just a scam. Why would you want to waste your money, Sylv?" "Huh, it''s not like we are short on money. Besides, who knows, maybe it really is a seer!" She said, excited. "...." lucas just looked at her with a deadpan expression. "Come on, please Lucas. It''s not like any harm would be done, right?" She pleaded with puppy eyes. ''Ugh, that is unfair...'' As Lucas pondered, he finally decided to go, sighing. "Fine, no harm would be done, I guess..." And so, they decided to enter the stall of the seer. Chapter 31 Seer [2] As they entered, they saw an elder elf woman with white robes sitting behind a table. Her face was wrinkled, her eyes closed, yet all of them felt her gaze. Her hair was gray, and her body looked frail and thin."I wouldn''t have thought that the crown prince and the princess would visit me, bringing the rising star, the White Devil," the Seer said, startling everyone as they froze in shock. How did she know!? They were still wearing their masks, yet the Seer seemed to see through them. ''No way! Maybe she is actually a real seer!'' Sylv thought, looking at Lucas with eyes saying ''I told you she was real!'' Yet Lucas wasn''t watching Sylv; instead, his eyes were narrowed as he gazed at the Seer suspiciously. ''How does she know I am the White Devil? Did she see our faces? But no one except the royal family and guards know about my identity, so it''s not about seeing my face...'' "I am a Seer, after all, Lucas Nightstar. Isn''t that the reason why you, the crown prince, and princess came here?" The Seer said gently, her closed eyes gazing straight into Lucas''s blood-red eyes. Her gaze made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end! ''How does she know my name!? No, it could be a skill like appraisal, perhaps? A higher level than mine?'' Lucas kept thinkinh theories about the mysterious Seer in front of him. He didn''t believe in this seer stuff and only thought that she was a scammer, so he naturally came to the conclusion that she must have an extremely unique skill instead. "Princess Sylviette, Prince Raphael, I am honored to be in your presence. If you wouldn''t mind, I would like to see your futures," the Seer said. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes! Please, may I go first!" Sylv exclaimed like an excited child, her hand shooting up as if asking for permission. ''You are the princess, you know? And what the heck, shouldn''t you act more like one?'' "Sure, go ahead, sister, but please behave yourself a little..." Raphael said with an awkward smile. "Yes, thank you, brother!" She exclaimed, totally ignoring her brother''s lecture and hopping over to sit in front of the Seer. "Now, princess, if I may, please give me your right hand," the Seer said. Sylv stretched out her right hand towards the Seer, who took hold of it gently with both hands and then opened her eyes. Her eyes were pitch black, with countless stars inside, as if you were watching the vast space itself in her eyes. She looked towards Sylv, yet Sylv couldn''t feel her gaze anymore. It was as if she wasn''t looking at her anymore, but beyond her. "Princess Sylviette, you are as free as the wind, going wherever your feet take you, yet just like the wind, you move without purpose. In the near future, you will finally find that purpose," the Seer said, while Sylv listened intently. As she absorbed the Seer''s words, all she could do was sit in shock. She was right. She had no purpose; she didn''t know what she should do in her life. Yes, she might be the princess of Eldrath, yes, she might be the current strongest champion, yet she had no interest in leading the elves, she had no interest in saving lives, defeating foes. She had no real interest in anything. "Sister?" "You alright, Sylv?" Snapping out of her daze, she spoke, easing the worries of her brother and Lucas, knowing that they might get suspicious and kill the Seer if they thought she harmed her. "A-ah, yes, sorry, don''t worry, I am fine!" she said, putting up her cheery attitude again. Both stared at her suspiciously but let it go for now since they didn''t see anything wrong happen. "Now, Prince Raphael, would you like to try now?" The Seer said with a gentle smile. "Hmm, I would try to, if it doesn''t bother you," Raphael said with a stoic face as he approached and sat in front of her, already extending his right hand. The Seer gently took it and opened her eyes again. ''Those eyes... is that to do with her ability, perhaps?'' Lucas thought. "You will be a light that will guide the way for the elven race, though your path will be filled with loss, but gain. You will never yield in the face of the impossible and continue to carve the path for taking the elven race to newer heights," the Seer said, while Raphael just sat there, contemplating her words. "My prince, do what you keep doing. Though I told the future, I can''t tell you what you must do since the future could always change as if on the constant run," the Seer said, helping Raphael out. "I see. Thank you for the advice," Raphael said sincerely. "It is my duty as an elder to guide the young, my prince," the Seer said. The Seer, as she said, then turned her face towards Lucas, who was watching her without any expression on his face, nor could anything be seen in his eyes except for a cold glint that sent shivers down everyone''s spines. "Lucas Nightstar, what about you? Do you want me to tell you your future?" The Seer said as she gazed into Lucas''s eyes again, her own still closed. "I don''t believe in you being a Seer. Just like you said, the future is always on the run, meaning the future isn''t set in stone. Even if you had the ability to see the future, what you saw might have been just a variant of many, and by telling us ours, you might have already altered the future. You might have some sort of weird skill that makes your eyes like this, but in the end, you are just a scammer in my eyes," Lucas said as he kept staring at her closed eyes. "Perhaps... Perhaps not. Maybe by giving them a glimpse of their future, it will change, or maybe by exactly doing that, it would lead to the said future I saw. I believe that, in the end, everything is connected. And after all, what I see always comes true. And if you don''t believe me..." The Seer suddenly sneered, "I''ll tell you one thing about your future. Ask me anything," she said. As Lucas stared at the Seer, the room grew tense as both fell into silence. After a while, Lucas spoke. "Fine. Tell me..." "How do I die?" Lucas said, shocking everyone in the room except for the Seer, who asked, "Are you sure knowing how you might die could have dire consequences?" She wanted to make sure of Lucas''s decision. "Mm, I am sure," he said as he sat in front of the Seer. "H-Hey, Lucas, maybe you shouldn''t do this. I don''t have a good feeling about this..." Sylv said in a worried tone, not liking the idea of knowing about her friend''s death. Unlike Lucas, she actually believed a little in the Seer, and it scared her since everyone knows that knowing how you die never ends well. "Yeah, my sister is right, Lucas. Perhaps you should reconsider," Raphael said, also worried. Sigh "It is fine. If she is an actual Seer, I am curious how I would die in the future," Lucas said as he stretched out his right hand, and the Seer gently took it as she opened her eyes and peered into it. "I see..." she spoke, her brows furrowing for the first time in confusion. Chapter 32 A Kind Person He wanted to forget...Lucas wanted to forget about everything that happened back in his previous life. He tried... He tried his best to forget, yet no matter how many times he tried to suppress his memories and forget about them, they would always come back, even in his dreams. He wanted to forget about everything he did in his previous life, everything that had happened to him in his previous life. He never thought that the seer could see his memories of his previous life. ''Should I kill her?'' Lucas didn''t know what to do. Everything he tried to forget came back to him as if his attempts were a mere joke. He wanted to forget how cruel the world had been to him. He wanted to forget what he had become. He wanted to forget how cruel he had become to the world itself as revenge. He wanted to forget all those screams, all those pleas, all those cries¡ªhis screams, his pleas, his cries¡ªall the lies and all the truths. He wanted to forget everything. Just like his name. No... he hadn''t forgotten his name. He just didn''t want to remember. If he remembered, then he had to accept that he hadn''t forgotten anything. He wanted to use this life as a second chance, a second chance at protecting what he held dear, protecting his loved ones, never losing anyone he cared about, living his life the way he wanted to¡ªa life full of happiness and laughter. He wanted to become a kind person... ***** S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Today was the day Lucas would be departing Eldrath and returning to the human domain. Lucas was currently in a carriage with Sylv and Queen Amara as they wanted to see him off at the mana teleporter, Luna sleeping on his head. He had already said his goodbyes to King Michael and Raphael. Queen Amara and Sylv insisted on seeing him off at the mana teleporter. After yesterday''s incident, the walk back to the castle was silent, yet awkward. They didn''t know if it was because of Sylv and Lucas holding hands until they arrived at the castle or because of everything that happened with the seer. Perhaps both... When they arrived at the castle, they unfortunately got caught. Raphael received a rough scolding from his mother as he was the oldest and should have been more responsible, and Lucas and Sylv received lighter scoldings in comparison. Life isn''t fair, Raphael... As they sat in the carriage, Sylv kept looking at Lucas with sadness and worry. Sadness because he would be leaving, even though they would meet up at the academy, and worry about what happened last night. "Did something happen between the two of you?" Queen Amara suddenly spoke. She wasn''t a fool; she could tell there was something up since the two kept looking at each other without speaking. "N-nothing happened, mother! Right, Lucas?" Sylv said, trying to sound normal. "Yeah, nothing happened, Aunt. Don''t worry," Lucas replied calmly, with a small, stiff smile. "Heh, is that so?" She said suspiciously. "Well, whatever... By the way, a rumor is starting to spread about you being the White Devil," Queen Amara spoke, making both Sylv and Lucas show shocked expressions. "Huh, Aunt, didn''t you say that my identity would stay hidden for a while?" "I did, but you see, the royal guards back then had already seen you as Lucas Nightstar when you rescued Sylv. After further investigation, it was revealed that the White Devil joined the escort mission, and no one known as Lucas Nightstar did. It wasn''t hard for the royal guards to figure it out, and after that ''incident'' with the king, even more royal guards knew about your identity as the White Devil. Besides, as the rumor already spread throughout the whole castle, it will soon spread throughout Myrniel. Since we need to have a valid excuse to retaliate against the Dark Elves without other races getting involved, we can''t hide the details for too long about what happened to Sylviette." "I see... Well, it isn''t like I really care anymore, so I don''t mind if rumors start going around about who I really am," Lucas said, not really caring. "I see, that is good then." After talking more with Sylv''s mother, as Sylv was just silently watching and Luna sleeping, they finally arrived at the mana teleporter. As they stood in front of the mana teleporter, Lucas saw a huge circular floor with weird engravings, and he could sense the space element on them. The mages who built mana teleporters are the ones with the space element. If word got out about his affinity with space, everyone would want to get in his good books. Who knows, Lucas might learn to create something similar with space magic and the help of engineers. "So, this is it, huh..." Lucas said, as Luna was awake, sitting on his shoulder. "[I had a lot of fun playing with the animals...]" Luna said sadly, as she enjoyed her time a lot here. Queen Amara approached Lucas and gently ruffled his hair as she said, "You are always welcome in Eldrath, as our gates will always be open for you, Lucas. Make sure you come back here when you have the chance." "Hm, will do, Aunt. Thank you for taking care of me," Lucas said a little sadly. "Fufu, no worries. Take care, Lucas," Queen Amara said, as she walked back inside the carriage, leaving some space for Sylv and Lucas. "So, you really are going..." Sylv said sadly, with her head a little down. Lucas approached her and gently patted her head. "Don''t be sad, alright? We will meet again in a few months at the academy, where we can spend a lot of time together," Lucas said gently. He didn''t know why he suddenly patted her head, but his body moved on its own. He was scared she might get angry, but instead, her ears only turned a little red, as her eyes were closed, enjoying Lucas''s caress on her head. ''Cute...'' "Mm, you are right. We will meet again at the academy!" She said suddenly full of vigor again. Though suddenly she turned a little serious and asked nervously, "Hey Lucas... Are you alright, right? About everything that happened last night..." Seeing her worried, he patted her head again. "You can tell me if something is wrong or if you need to talk to someone... I am your best friend, right?" She said as he gently patted her head. Seeing her, he released a gentle smile and responded, "Don''t worry, I am fine right now. But you will be the first person I will tell if I ever feel like I need to talk to someone, Sylv," Lucas spoke. "Hehe, then it''s a promise, Lucas!" She said giggling "Well, see you later, Sylv, at the academy," Lucas said, as he stepped on the circular platform and bright blue lights started releasing out of the engravings. "Yeah, see you, Lucas, and you too, Luna!" Sylv said, waving her hand to the departing figures. "[Bye, mother!]" "Huh!? Wait, what do you mean, moth-" Before Lucas could finish, he was engulfed by the bright light with Luna, and they were finally gone. As Sylv now watched the empty platform, she felt a little sad, already missing Lucas... ''Ugh, no! Bad Sylv. I will meet him in a few months! I should go train and become stronger and not be left behind!'' "Ara, missing your boyfriend''s head pats already, dear~" She suddenly heard her mother''s teasing words and turned around, seeing her standing outside the carriage. "M-mother!? You were watching!?" Sylv said in a panic, her cheeks and ears turning red with embarrassment. "Heh, how could I miss my daughter acting so smitten with her boyfriend~" She said teasing her further. "H-He is not my boyfriend!" Sylv said, as her mother continued to tease her, even in the carriage, until they got back home. She felt like digging herself a hole and never leaving it... Chapter 33 Return He was back.After almost three whole years, he had finally returned to Moon City. Lucas was honestly filled with nostalgia at his return. He could currently be seen wearing black cargo pants with a black hoodie that covered his head as he walked through Moon City with Luna on top of his shoulder. "[Father is this the city where you live?]" Luna asked. "[That is correct. I was raised here all my life, Luna,]" Lucas replied. "[So does that mean we are meeting Grandpa and Grandma?]" Hearing Luna''s nervous yet excited tone, he couldn''t help but chuckle. He was currently walking his way toward the destination where he ordered an Uber so he could get back to the Nightstar Estate. He could have gone himself, but he wanted to enjoy Moon City first and take his time going to the Nightstar Estate. He hadn''t told anyone except for Sylv and her family about his return, so not even his parents knew about him coming back at this time. They should suspect Lucas coming back somewhere around this time, but they didn''t know anything yet. "[You don''t need to be nervous, Luna. I am sure my parents would love you... well, unless you act like an actual cat, then they would treat you like one without knowing... but they would still love you.]" "[I wouldn''t do that father!]" ''Though so much has happened... I-I don''t know if I should tell them about me becoming a half-dragon and about Luna so perhaps her acting like a cat would be better... and should I tell them about my relationship with Sylv and her family?'' While Lucas was pondering, he finally arrived in front of a black car that was parked but still hovering slightly in the air. As Lucas saw the car in front, he entered the passenger''s seat without waiting. Inside, a man was there smoking his cigar. "Where to?" He asked without looking at Lucas at all. "Nightstar Estate," Lucas answered without care, while Luna got on top of his lap instead of his shoulder now. "[I don''t like this smell...]" Luna commented. "[Yeah, me too, but deal with it just for a little bit, okay?]" Lucas responded telepathically. Hearing the location Lucas wanted to go, the Uber driver froze and finally turned his head to his client, who was covering his face with a hoodie. "W-what did you say? Nightstar Estate? Kid, you can''t go there. They will just kick you out, perhaps even kill you for trespassing," the driver said, trying to persuade him. He honestly was ready to kick Lucas out himself; he didn''t want to get killed. Sigh Seeing that the driver wasn''t going to accept going there without proper reason, Lucas decided to lower his hoodie, revealing his face much clearer. The cigar in the driver''s mouth just dropped on his lap as he stared wide-eyed, mouth open, pointing his trembling finger toward his client, who had snow-white hair and blood-red eyes. It didn''t take a genius to know who was in front of him. "Y-you are Lucas Nightstar! Aren''t you?" The driver said, pale-faced and in sheer disbelief. Seeing his reaction, Lucas couldn''t help but release a bitter smile while chuckling as he answered the driver. "Yeah, that is right. I need a ride to my home, so can we go now?" Lucas asked. "A-ah, y-yeah, of course!" He said. He wasn''t stupid to disobey the son who ruled the city. ''I don''t think he knows I am the Noctis, the White Devil yet... The rumors would still take some time to spread, probably a few weeks before the academy starts, will it reach Moon City.'' "[Hehe, he is scared of you, Father,]" Luna commented. "[Well, my father is the one who rules this entire city, of course he would be scared to meet his only son,]" Lucas said telepathically with Luna, as the driver finally started driving toward the Nightstar Estate, though his hands could be seen trembling a lot as he kept glancing at Lucas. ''Dude, this man better not crash the car...'' ************* S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. sigh "When will the lord and madam arrive again?" Mike asked Lenard as both stood guard at the Nightstar Estate. "I don''t know the exact time, but it should be in about five hours. Why?" Lenard replied, facing Mike. "Well, look behind you, a car is coming, I think toward our direction." "Tch, doesn''t matter. It for sure isn''t the lord or madam. Must be some idiot thinking he is a big shot. Just send him away, and if he refuses, kill him since the lord and madam aren''t home," Lenard said. "Hmm, alright." As they conversed, the car finally arrived and stopped right in front of them and the huge gate of the Nightstar Estate. As they watched the car, they saw the door open, and a handsome boy with snow-white hair and blood-red eyes stepped out, while a cat was on his shoulder, with majestic black fur and the same blood-red eyes, lazily watching the guards. Both were honestly stunned at the duo that stepped out. If they had their phones on them, they would''ve definitely asked to take some pictures. ''Is he some kind of model? And why does he look familiar? Doesn''t matter,'' Mike thought as he snapped out and addressed the boy. "Kid. The lord and madam aren''t here today, and no one is allowed to enter the Nightstar Estate. Please leave," Mike said, while Lenard was still stunned for some reason. ''What happened to him?'' "Oh, you don''t know who I am?" The boy said to Mike in a playful manner. ''Urg, another young master with a big ego. Great...'' "Kid, I don''t care. There are rules. Leave now or be prepared to be ki-" Before he could finish, he heard a shout right next to his ear as his head was suddenly forced downwards in a bowing position. "YOUNG MASTER LUCAS! WE ARE DELIGHTED AT YOUR RETURNING BACK SAFELY!" Lenard suddenly shouted as he bowed 90 degrees straight while holding Mike, making him bow with him. ''Huh? The fuck did he just say!? YOUNG MASTER LUCAS!?'' Hearing his companion shout, who had worked longer than him, his face went pale in fear as he stopped resisting and bowed even lower. "Y-young master, please forgive me for not recognizing you!" Mike said in a fearful voice. Helping him out, Lenard interjected while bowing, "Yes, young master, you see he is new here and so he didn''t know or has seen you yet! Please forgive him this one time. I will make sure to educate him properly!" Lenard said, hoping to convince the young master and not get his friend killed. Suddenly, as they were thinking of ways to get out of this situation, they heard a laugh. "Pfft! Hahaha! Gosh, you guys are so tense!" the young master started laughing as he clutched his stomach hard, while the cat looked with an amused expression, feeling as if she was laughing as well with her eyes. "Relax, alright? I understand, and stop bowing, okay?" He said as the both hurriedly complied. "Y-yes, thank you, young master!" Lenard said. "So, what is your name?" The young master asked as he gazed at Mike, who felt as if he was watched by a predator as he gazed at the young master. "M-my name is Mike, y-young master, a-and I was recruited two years ago by the Order of the Falling Stars," Mike said while stuttering. "I see. I hope you have been enjoying being part of the Falling Stars?" the young master asked. "A-ah yes, young master, I am extremely pleased and honored to be part of the Nightstar Elite." "Haha, that is great to hear," as Lucas decided this was enough light talk, he asked a question. "So, I heard Mother and Father aren''t home today?" "Ah, yes, young master. We don''t know the details, but they went on a date today and would be returning late at night, so in five to six hours," Lenard answered. ''W-wait, the young master has been gone for almost three years, and I am sure probably doesn''t know about ''her'' yet...'' Lenard thought with a chill running down his spine. ''D-damn it! Why did the lord and madam decide to go out today!?'' He was panicking now. "Hmm? A date? How romantic~" Lucas said while chuckling, amused at how much they love each other to still go on dates. "A-hahaha, y-yeah, young master, t-they sure are romantic," Lenard said, stuttering, while Mike just didn''t dare to speak again. He didn''t want to mess up! "Is something wrong, Lenard?" the young master asked, a little confused, as Lenard stuttered out of nowhere. ''W-what!? He knows my name!? I told him that three years ago only once, but he still remembers!'' Honestly, he would be extremely happy normally for the young master to actually remember him still. If it wasn''t for ''that'' problem. "A-ah, no, young master, just a little shaken up at your surprising return still." "Ah, I see, that is understandable. Well, can you open the gate? I will want to see Lucielle and William if he is also here." "Ah, yes, young master, please go ahead," Lenard said as he opened the gates with Mike. ''Fuck it! Not my fault or problem that the lord and madam aren''t home,'' he thought as the young master passed them and entered the Nightstar Estate after almost three years for the first time... ********** As Lucas entered the mansion, he saw a few maids here and there doing housework. Yet when he entered, they all looked towards him and froze. "Yo, been a while," Lucas said casually, lifting his right hand as a gesture. "Y-y-y-young M-master Lucas!?" One of the maids struggled to speak, helping everyone snap out of it, finally bowing their heads. They were still professionals. "Hmm, good to see you all. I will talk to all of you later though. So, anyone know where Lucielle or William is?" "Ah! Yes, young master, they are at the backyard, with Lady L-" Before she could finish, her mouth was suddenly clamped shut by another maid''s hand. "Ah, young master, sorry, but p-please, I request you to go see them before asking us any more," one of the maids said, bowing. ''Just what the heck is going on?'' Lucas wondered. "[They are hiding something, father,]" Luna chimed in telepathically. "[Yeah, I noticed, Luna. Thanks for clarifying,]" Lucas replied. "[Hehehe]" Instead of complaining, Lucas decided to do what they said and went to the backyard. He missed walking the hallways and seeing all the familiar walls and ceilings. When he finally arrived, he saw something that shook him to his core. Lucielle was there in her maid outfit, with William as well in his butler outfit. Both looked the same as when he left, but... In Lucielle''s arms was a little girl... The child had long white hair like snow and blood-red eyes. She looked no older than three years old, her face cute with plump cheeks as she dozed off in Lucielle''s arms. "W-what the fuck..." Chapter 34 Lena Nightstar As they heard the bewildered voice, Lucielle and William turned around to find the one person they least expected to be here, accompanied by a majestic black cat gazing intensely at them with its blood-red eyes."YOUNG MASTER!?" They both screamed in unison. Honestly, Lucas would''ve loved to take a picture or something. Their faces were comical to say the least, but he didn''t care. Even if it was a rare expression for both of them, he didn''t care right now. His eyes were only on the little girl who snapped out of her drowsiness because of the screams, making her scared. "What is her name?" Lucas said in a cold voice that made everyone except Luna flinch. His face showed no emotion currently, nor did his eyes. ''He knows...'' They both thought in unison as they gazed at Lucas, who had grown so much. Lucille honestly thought that it wouldn''t be a stretch to call Lucas one of the most handsome boys alive, while William could sense how much stronger he had gotten. His body was reeling for a fight, yet... Both knew they had to hold back with everything. All the things they wanted to say, they couldn''t right now, as Lucas never even looked at them once. "L-lena, young master. Her name is Lena Nightstar. Your younger sister," Lucielle said, guilt written all over her face. ''Young master must be hurt and confused...'' "Younger sister, huh." Lena suddenly wiggled out of Lucielle''s arms and landed on the ground. After that, she hid herself behind Lucielle''s legs, fearfully watching Lucas. "Y-young master, please wait and don''t misunder-" Before William could continue, Lucas''s gaze landed on him, making him shut up instantly. ''Shit, he is mad...'' "Let''s go inside and talk," Lucas said as he turned around and went inside, with the cat still on his shoulder. Both having no choice but to comply with the young master''s order, they followed while holding Lena''s small hands. ************* Four people could be seen inside the living room, with three sitting on one couch facing directly towards another where an extremely handsome white-haired boy with blood-red eyes sat, looking extremely identical to the little girl in the middle of the three. She looked at the others with an anxious expression. [Why are you angry, father?] [I am not angry, Luna,] Lucas said telepathically, though from the outside, he looked cold and emotionless. The atmosphere in the room was tense, with no one wanting to start the conversation. [You are, father...] *Sigh* [I am not angry, Luna. I am just confused and a little upset... How old is Lena? Why didn''t they tell me that mother was pregnant or contact me? I missed her birth even if I wanted to gain experience, I could have done that anytime, but the birth of my younger sister? How many chances would I have gotten?] [I-I am sorry, father...] [Don''t be, it''s not your fault, Luna.] [mm...] Deciding that he should start talking and not make them any more tense, he spoke up. "How old is she?" His voice was less cold this time and a little gentler, but his face was still emotionless. Talking with Luna helped him calm down a little. "S-she is almost 3 years old, young master," Lucielle said, not daring to meet Lucas''s eye currently. Seeing her and hearing how old she is, Lucas couldn''t help but bite down his lips to calm further down. "Why?" He asked. "Y-young master?" Lucielle asked, not understanding what he meant. "Why didn''t anyone tell me before I left? Or did anyone tell me after?" Lucas asked with a hoarse voice. His mother was a grandmaster and a Nightstar; it wouldn''t be hard for her to hide the identity of her child and have some spells or artifact hide her stomach''s growth. As a grandmaster, your body is naturally superior to that of a master or awakened because of mana, meaning that the time it would take for a child to be born would be much less than that of a master or awakened. A dormant average expectancy is 9 months, an awakened could go to 7 months, and a master could go to 5-6 months, but for a grandmaster like his mother, it would only take 3-4 months. Seeing that Lena is already almost 3 years old, her birth must have happened right after he left. "Y-young master, madame told us not to tell anyone, including you..." William, who was silent, decided to speak, yet even he didn''t want to look at Lucas and meet his eye right now. He felt too ashamed. sigh "I see... " If mother said so, then he can''t do anything right now but wait until she returns. Before he could think of anything else, he heard a trembling voice. "S-stop b-being mean to Lucielle and William!" Lena suddenly said, standing up from the couch with her arms spread wide as if shielding William and Lucielle from Lucas while tears were forming in her eyes and her legs were trembling. Obviously, she was scared. A random man came into her home not knowing who he was, and the people she cared about were scared of him. In Lena''s eyes, that meant that the man wasn''t a good person. Seeing her act like this, everyone just stood there frozen, wide-eyed, even Luna. They didn''t expect her to step in yet when she did, they felt as if a cold bucket of water was poured on all three, as they finally realized they were having such a heavy conversation in front of a mere child who obviously must be scared and confused. ''Great... already failing as an elder brother and scaring my little sister,'' Lucas bitterly thought. He also stood up from the couch, making Lena flinch and her legs tremble even more, yet she had a determined expression on her face, not yielding. Lucas took a few steps towards her and then he crouched down at her level, as his expression changed to a gentle smile and eyes filled with warmth and affection. "I am sorry, Lena. I didn''t mean to scare you," Lucas said as he made sure to lock all of the painful emotions he was feeling currently and deal with it later. "Do you know who I am?" Lucas asked in a warm and gentle voice, making Lena feel weird and confused again, but she responded by shaking her head cutely left and right. "N-nn." ''Damn, she is adorable.'' "My name is Lucas Nightstar, Lena." "Lucas Nwitstar?" she repeated while cutely tilting her head, while failing to pronounce her last and Lucas''s last name properly, making Lucas chuckle a little. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucielle and William sighed in relief and relaxed a little, understanding that this problem will be dealt with when his parents return. "You are family?" she asked hesitantly. "That is correct. I am your big brother, Lena," Lucas said as he stretched his arm and gently caressed his little sister''s head. Lena was scared seeing his hand approach her face and squeezed her eyes shut tightly, yet instead, all she felt was the warmth her mother always has when she also caresses her head. It made her relax and open her eyes again. She asked again while enjoying Lucas''s caress. "Big browther?" as she looked towards Lucielle and William. "That is correct, Lady Lena. Master Lucas is your elder brother. Don''t you remember your mother speaking stories about him a lot?" Instantly after those words, her eyes opened wide as she finally recalled that her mother always tells her stories about her supposed big brother. "Well, Lucielle, is there any food? I am starving. You wanna eat with me, Lena?" Lucas asked as she shyly nodded her head. ''She still needs to warm up, I guess,'' Lucas thought as they headed to the dining room while Lucielle went to prepare dinner. Chapter 35 Reunited Two people could be seen stepping outside of a luxurious car hovering right in front of a massive gate leading to a huge mansion.One was a man with red hair and eyes, wearing a three-piece black suit. The other was a woman with white hair and blue eyes, wearing a one-piece red dress. Both were the parents of Lena and Lucas Nightstar, Alexander Nightstar and Violet Nightstar. As they stepped out, the two guards in front of the gate bowed their heads and greeted them. "Welcome back, Lord Alexander and Madame Violet!" "At ease," Alexander said, making them stop bowing. "So, did anything troublesome happen?" Violet asked one of the guards, Lenard. Lenard and Mike both broke into a cold sweat as he answered, stuttering. "W-well, I-I don''t know about t-troublesome, Madame, b-but..." "But?" Violet asked, her eyes narrowing as she inquired for him to continue. "P-please, Madame, Lord, it would be best to enter the mansion and see for yourself," Lenard said with fear, knowing it was a little disrespectful not to answer them, but he just didn''t want to get caught in the crossfire! "Hmm, I see. Very well, then, this better be worth the trouble," Lucas''s father said, deciding to enter with Lucas''s mother while holding hands. Yet both, for some reason, were a little nervous and had some dread in their hearts. As they entered the mansion, they saw a maid cleaning the hallways. "Bruna, where is Lena?" Lucas''s father asked. "M-my lord, uh, Lena is currently in the dining room eating," the maid answered, whose name was Bruna. "Already?" Lucas''s mother asked. ''She must have gotten really hungry from playing with Lucielle and William,'' she thought. "Y-yes," Bruna stuttered nervously, making both narrow their eyes again. ''Why is everyone acting so scared?'' they both thought in unison. "Well, let''s go, dear," Lucas''s father said as both headed towards the dining room. As they both arrived at the dining room, they instantly froze with wide eyes as they finally understood why everyone was scared the moment they arrived. Before they could think or do anything, Lena, upon seeing them, instantly ran up to them and hugged her mother''s leg. "Mommy!" Instinctively, Violet picked up her daughter, yet both parents weren''t looking at her at all. Their eyes were fixed on the boy who had snow-white hair like Violet and blood-red eyes like Alexander, with the only difference being vertical pupils and a black majestic cat with the same eyes on his shoulder looking at them. He was silently eating his spaghetti without looking at the people who are his parents. They both knew they were in trouble now. His father glanced at William and Lucielle, who were at the side of the room with both of their heads turned sideways, not intending to get involved at all. ''Please ignore us...'' they both thought in unison. "It''s been a while, hasn''t it, mother, father?" Lucas said without looking at them while eating his spaghetti. His voice wasn''t cold, but it wasn''t warm either. There was no emotion in his voice nor on his face. "Y-yes, it has been, hasn''t it, dear? W-we missed you a lot," his mother said nervously. Hearing his mother, Lucas''s eyebrows shot upwards in surprise as he glanced at her. "Really? Would it be hard for me to believe since the moment I left, both of you didn''t waste any time to replace me." Hearing his words, both his mother and father''s hearts clenched out of sadness. "N-no! Lucas, that isn''t true!" his mother practically screamed. Hearing her mother''s desperate words and seeing tears forming in her eyes, and his father not even daring to look at him out of pure guilt, he couldn''t hold back but laugh. ''I should push them more,'' Lucas thought. "Then care to explain how I acquired a sister without me knowing about it?" Lucas asked innocently while finally looking at them, making both feel like arrows pierced their hearts. "T-that, we wanted to surprise you, son!" his mother practically screamed. "Surprise me?" Lucas said with no emotion. "Surprise me how? By hiding the fact you were pregnant? That I had a little sister? Making me miss her birth? Making me oblivious to all of that while I was out adventuring?" "T-that..." His mother couldn''t say anything anymore. She felt as if she would talk anymore, she would start crying, and Lena was already looking anxiously between them, and she didn''t want to increase her worries. Lucas, in his previous life, was never this attached to anyone. He had no parents. No sister. No friends. He had nothing. In his previous life, he only had a single thing, and that was... Suddenly, his father finally decided to speak up, helping Lucas''s mother out. "Enough, Lucas. We just wanted to surprise you. You never took the initiative to do anything in your life. For once, you decided to do something willingly, and that was adventuring and exploring the world. If we told you about Lena, all of us knew you would have stopped everything you were planning and stayed with us. You shouldn''t be this harsh on your mother." Hearing his father''s words, the atmosphere got tense as Lucas decided to finally stop eating and stand up. Luna got off his shoulder and sat on the table with worried eyes. "Harsh? Stop adventuring?" Lucas''s eyes got cold as ice as the same could be said for his voice, making everyone in the room shudder. They had never heard him or seen him this cold ever in their lives. Lucas''s father clenched his jaw, understanding he was being unfair to his son. "My little sister''s birth is something I missed forever. You could have told me, and I would have dropped adventuring instantly, you are right. But why the hell would I drop it instantly? Because I could have explored this world anytime!" Lucas said as anger started rising in his voice. "Tell me, father, since when did my adventures become more important than my little sister!?" Subconsciously, killing intent started leaking out of Lucas, making everyone shudder, especially Lucielle. ''It is the same as back then...'' she remembered the time when right before he revealed himself to the world, he released some of his killing intent. Feeling it this time made her shudder again but much worse. Not because of the intent itself but something else. Something she, for some reason, without her realizing, missed back then... His Killing intent never changed. It was the same as back then. It felt as if she and everyone were surrounded by blood and the bodies of thousands of people. ''W-why? Why does it feel like he killed so many people? Even back then, it was the same, yet I ignored it... no, it felt as if I was compelled to ignore it!'' "Young master Lucas!" The first one to snap out was William. Hearing him, Lucas instantly suppressed his intent, making everyone finally breathe out of relief while Lena was trembling out of fear in her mother''s arms. Lucas could only look apologetically at his younger sister. ''I made her scared again... Why can''t I ever do anything right? I-I even was thinking about k-killing my own father...'' Lucas''s face was clouded as dark thoughts kept rampaging inside his mind. Suddenly, before it could get any worse, he felt two soft hands pulling him into a warm and comfortable embrace. "I am sorry, my son. Please forgive us. I promise we will make it up to you," his mother said, comforting her son with a gentle and warm tone. Understanding and stopping his son from having any more troublesome thoughts, while Lena was now in his father''s arms. "I-I am sorry as well, Mother, Father." Lucas said while embracing his mother finally as well as his father, with Lena coming over and embracing him and his mother as well. Lucielle and William looked warmly over the Nightstar family as they are finally reunited as a whole again after almost three years. ************* In a huge and luxurious living room, Lucas''s father sat on one couch with his little sister on his lap, while Lucas himself sat on the couch in front with his mother next to him and Luna perched on his head. Lena was still a little scared of Lucas but understood that he was her brother and that he wasn''t a bad person. She was a smart child for someone her age. Lucielle stood behind the couch where Lucas and his mother sat, while William stood behind Lena and his father. The atmosphere was a little awkward but warm at the same time. Lucas''s mother decided to start the conversation to dispel the awkwardness. "You have grown a lot, dear," his mother said as she checked his body, but froze as she looked at his eyes, which now had vertical pupils. She then looked up, as everyone else did also, at the black cat who was looking at his mother. "Cat..." Lena whispered. Ever since she met her brother, she looked more at the cat than her brother with sparkling eyes. She wanted to hug and play with it but was too scared of her brother. "Dear, that cat, is it a soul bond?" His mother asked curiously, understanding that the change in his eyes must be because of the cat. It was normal for some people to have soul bonds, and depending on the creature, it could change your body as well. "That is correct. Her name is Luna," Lucas answered with a bitter smile. ''Now... should I tell them the truth? Screw it, if I don''t, then I had no right to be angry at them in the first place.'' "Actually, mother, father... Luna isn''t a cat," Lucas clarified. "S-she isn''t?" His mother asked. While sighing, he decided to reveal everything to them. "No, she is actually a dragon." "A dragon?" His father asked, not understanding what a dragon is. And so, Lucas began explaining everything. From the time he was in the C-rank dungeon, exploring the boss room with the appraisal skill he got, everything he learned about the dragon race and the Blade of Chaos, finding Luna and becoming her bond, also about Lucas himself becoming a half-dragon, and then even the fight with the demon, to the point of meeting Sylviette on an escort mission who was the Elven princess and meeting the royal family to getting close with all of them and friends with Sylv and Raphael. Obviously, Lucas didn''t tell them how painful the transformation was when he became a half-dragon or how close of friends he was with Sylv. The attack on the princess would still take a week to reach the human domain, to say the least, so they knew nothing about it yet except for the demon attack and me being Noctis and my achievements that have been talked about online. It was to say while Lena, still being smart, didn''t understand everything and was mostly confused, the others weren''t. They were looking at Lucas with wide eyes and open mouths. They were extremely amazed and worried while processing into their brains everything they had just learned from Lucas. "An ancient race called dragons lost in time..." His father said with gleaming eyes, the same as William, as both wanted to fight dragons now. "So you are now a dragon? Well, a half-dragon?" His mother said in worry, knowing it wasn''t normal in the slightest to get a soul bond and your race changed to its and that Lucas was holding back when talking about becoming a half-dragon. "Well, yeah, I suppose..." he said, not looking at his mother''s intense gaze. "And the ca- I mean Luna is also a dragon, huh?" She said. "Yeah. Oh, Luna, you don''t need to be so nervous, go greet them," Lucas said, throwing all the attention from him to his daughter without shame. Suddenly, they all heard a voice in their heads. "[H-hello...]" she said, extremely nervous. "Huh, she can talk!?" his father said in surprise, while the rest just stared at her with wide eyes. Lucas was getting honestly more scared of the look his little sister was giving Luna. Instead of Lucas responding, it was Luna. "[M-mm, it is nice to meet you all. F-father talked a lot about everyone here.]" Suddenly, there was pin-drop dead silence in the room. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "E-eh?" Was the only thing Lucielle could exclaim from behind. "I-i am a grandfather already?" His father said with lifeless eyes. "F-father!?" His mother practically screamed. While Lucas just looked sideways while whistling. ''Shit! Forgot to tell Luna not to call me father here!'' Understanding that dragons are a race above all the others in Myrniel and the only living dragon alive is calling Lucas her father, his mother suddenly smirked as Lucas glanced at her, getting an ominous feeling. "Ara~ My son just not keeping an eye on you for almost three years, and you already became a father and got the Elven princess herself as your girlfriend~" His mother started teasing him. "Huh, since when did Sylv become my girlfriend!?" Lucas exclaimed. "Hee~ so you call her Sylv and not Sylviette~" ''Shit'' He realized the blunder he made and averted his eyes from his mother''s and looked at his father who was also looking at him with a teasing smirk, yet pride was in his eyes, while Lena was eyeing Luna the whole time, making her even more nervous. He didn''t dare to look behind him or at William at all. "She isn''t my girlfriend, alright? She is just a friend like Raphael," Lucas defended himself. ''I''d rather deal with being called father by Luna in front of them, ugh...'' "That doesn''t explain that when you talked about her, only then your eyes turned gentler and a small smile appeared on your face, my son~" "E-eh, did I really do that?" Lucas asked, not believing what his mother just said. "Fufu, of course you didn''t show that expression at all when you talked about anyone else." Hearing her mother, he couldn''t help but sigh. Perhaps he did have some sort of feeling for her that wasn''t meant for friends, but that didn''t mean he loved her. Well, now that he thought about it, how does one know that he loves a person? He never loved anyone in his previous life; he doesn''t understand loving someone else who isn''t family. Maybe his mother was right, but he would deal with it just some other time. "I just care about her, alright? I don''t see her as a lover but more like a best friend," he said, trying to convince his mother. "Whatever you say, my son~" In the end, after some more teasing and talking about his adventures, they decided to call it a day, as Lena was beginning to doze off. So Lucas and everyone else decided to go to sleep as well since everyone was also tired from today, but not before Lena kidnapped Luna to sleep with her, which Lucas, by the way, ignored as she cried for his father''s help. [AN: Wow, that was a long chapter. I wanted to make up for not publishing one yesterday! Please tell me if the pace is too slow. I wanted to include more interactions with the family!] Chapter 36 Dark Rose In a forest where the moon shone and leaves rustled, a boy could be seen. He looked no older than 7, with dark hair and eyes. His eyes looked cold and lifeless as he gazed in front of him at the bodies of three little children, with puddles of blood surrounding them.''So I finally did it, huh...'' Behind him lay the body of a dog, while next to his feet was a knife, stained with fresh blood, indicating how the three boys died. Yet the dog didn''t look like it was stabbed; it seemed beaten to death... Suddenly, the boy heard footsteps approaching from ahead of him. He instantly picked up the knife stained with fresh blood and aimed it towards whoever was approaching. It didn''t matter to him anymore. If the person was innocent or not, he couldn''t have any witnesses. As he looked ahead, he saw a man wearing a long black coat with black pants. He had a small gray beard and a black hat on his head, yet strands of white hair could be seen on his forehead. The man looked old yet stern. The boy simply felt inferior standing in front of the man. The man halted a few meters in front of the boy, gazing straight into his eyes, making the boy shudder and tremble out of fear. Yet he didn''t run away; instead, he gritted his teeth and firmed his feet more on the ground as his eyes got more fierce and determined. "Ooh~ I like those eyes, kid," the man spoke, gazing at his eyes, which he liked. Instead of answering, the boy decided to stay silent and be on high alert if the man took any action in front of him. He didn''t know if the man had a gun or knife with him, hidden in his coat. All he knew was one thing: the man in front of him was strong. That was what his instincts were screaming at him. "Heh," the man scoffed at seeing the boy staying silent. "You caused quite a mess, didn''t you, kid? Who would''ve thought that a mere orphan kid would be responsible for burning his own orphanage while all the other innocent little kids and caretakers were inside being burnt alive," he said, as he gazed at the far distant behind him, seeing black smoke still coming out into the air. "And now I see three bodies of little children in front of us and you holding the same knife that probably took their lives. If I am right with my guess, then the kids in front of us died before the orphanage was set on fire by you." "Why did you return?" he asked. He was curious what made this boy return to the bodies of the children he killed himself instead of running away. He probably would''ve gotten away with everything as well, since they would''ve thought he died in the fire as well. ''Did he perhaps feel guilt about killing the kids? His eyes certainly don''t show any guilt...'' Then, after pondering, he noticed the body of someone else... The body of a dog that the kid was protecting by standing in front of it. "Oh~ So you came back for your dog? But he is dead without any knife wounds. Instead, he looked beaten to death... Ah, I see. So you took revenge for your dog by killing these people," the man said to himself out loud as he finally realized the boy''s action. "Tell me, was it really worth it to kill all these innocent people just for a mere dog?" the man said curiously. He wasn''t sad nor angered; all there was was an amused and curious expression and tone from him as he asked the boy. The boy, hearing him question, finally decided to speak. "What makes you think they are innocent? What makes you be the one to decide who was worth more than the other?" the boy asked. ''Heh,'' the man couldn''t help but try his hardest to suppress his grin that was threatening to show on his face, so instead he looked at the boy inquiring him to continue. "For me, Puck, who was just ''a mere dog,'' was worth more than these humans. In my eyes, the lives of them weren''t worth anything if I compared them to Puck. The least I could do was take their lives just like they did to Puck," the boy said, yet no emotion of sadness or anger could be seen on his face or heard. "Hmm. Then why did you return if he already died?" "Because he was there for me for a long time when I was sad, so at the very least, I could bury his body," the boy said, gazing at the man''s eyes this time. ''This kid!'' The man couldn''t hold back anymore as a sadistic grin appeared on his face, making the boy creeped out, though he didn''t show it on his face. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA," the man started laughing like a madman without control. After a good five minutes of laughing, tears started forming in his eyes. He looked back at the kid, who was cautiously but curiously looking at him. "Kid, how about you join me and my organization?" "Organization?" the kid asked. "Yes, I am the leader of an assassin organization called Dark Rose. You can just call me Aushburn," the man said to the kid, whose expression turned into surprise. ''So that is why he was so calm... he could kill me anytime.'' "What do you say, kid? I will personally adopt you, feed you, give you a roof over your head, and make you the best assassin there would be!" the man said with a wicked grin. ''I don''t have anything left. I have no goal anymore. I have nothing left to do. Now I will probably die by myself if I don''t accept this...'' The boy didn''t think for long as he stared back at the man. "I accept," the boy said, as the moon shone on his face, illuminating his black hair and dark lifeless eyes, bodies surrounded them with the thick scent of blood oozing out of them, wild black smoke behind in the far distance caused all by a 7-year-old child. As the man gazed at his lifeless eyes and he gazed back at him, he felt a shudder for the first time in a while run through his spine. He truly felt that the sentence "if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you" was most fitting here in this moment as they both looked at each other''s eyes. "What is your name, kid?" "#$!@" **************** sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In a luxurious room, a boy lay on a huge king-sized bed that felt as comfortable as if he were lying on the clouds themselves. Lucas''s eyes fluttered open as he groaned and got up. As he checked the time, he saw it was only 8:43 AM. He always loved to sleep as long as he could, but it looked like his mind wouldn''t allow him any rest. "Again..." His eyes turned cold, surpassing even the coldness he showed his family yesterday, before returning to normal. He didn''t understand why he kept getting more memories of his past life in his dreams. It felt like the more he tried to suppress them, the more they would show up, and each time they would get more vivid. "I don''t understand... Did I get this nightmare because of all the things that happened yesterday?" Lucas thought that it must be because of yesterday for his memories of his previous life to show up. In a single day, he found out he had a little sister, which his parents hid from him, almost thought about killing his own father, made his own mother cry and his sister scared twice, and then started revealing everything that happened when he adventured but then got teased because of Luna and Sylv. Yet he didn''t know if the cause was mental exhaustion. Perhaps it was one of the causes. He didn''t want to remember his name, even if he tried subconsciously his brain wouldn''t allow that. His feelings were chaotic; it was a mix of his previous life and current life. He felt happy having a loving family, but it was still a basic instinct for him to solve every problem by killing. It had become a habit of his... As he gazed at his own room, he felt happy and nostalgic. It had almost been 3 years since he slept in his own room, and he really missed it. He felt like his emotions weren''t suppressed at all when he was with his family or in his house, nor was it with someone who would manage to earn his trust and get close enough to him, but he understood that he still must have looked extremely cold to strangers, especially those he didn''t like. But that was only when his parents or someone he cared about wasn''t around. Yet in those 3 years, it had gotten worse as his emotions started getting more suppressed again. If it wasn''t for Luna always being with him, he wouldn''t know what he would have done. As he pondered, he finally decided to freshen up instead of going to sleep. He took a shower, wore some casual clothes, and left his room quietly, making no sound at all, since everyone was probably still asleep or at least most would be. As he went to the garden, he froze in surprise as he saw his mother sitting on the grass, watching Lena running around playing with Luna. Noticing a gaze on her, she turned her head and was equally surprised to see her son up so early. "Lucas!? What happened, dear? Why are you up so early!?" She said, running so fast that Lucas barely could see her, and she was in front of him with a worried face. Seeing her act like that, Lucas couldn''t help but release a soft smile while looking at her with a warm gaze. ''Yeah, I really love these feelings, don''t I?'' His mother was surprised as she watched in worry and suddenly saw her son smiling warmly at her with affection, making her heart melt. "I am fine, mother. I just couldn''t sleep, so I decided to just wander around," he said, reassuring her that everything was fine, though she still wasn''t convinced. "Really? What happened? Why couldn''t you sleep? Did something happen?" She asked rapidly, with worry. He couldn''t help but sigh at her worried behavior. She still must be a little on edge about yesterday, even though they both made up. Lucas decided to just take her hand gently, surprising her, as they both walked towards where she previously sat and decided to sit with her on the grass as well. His mother obviously complied without hesitation and decided to sit next to him. But after that, she did something that surprised Lucas instead. She placed his head on her lap, making him lie down as well, as she started gently caressing his cheeks and hair, making his ears turn a little red. He still really wasn''t used to this type of affection. Even when his memories returned, he didn''t really spend much time with them before he left for his adventures. "Mother, I am not a child anymore," he said, trying to stop her from treating him like a baby. "Fufu, don''t tell me you are getting embarrassed, my dear~," she said, gently teasing him. "In my eyes, you will always be my little baby Lucas. I am your mother, after all. There is no need for you to be embarrassed or shy when you seek affection," she said gently, while Lucas just had his eyes wide open as he listened to her attentively. "I-I see," he eventually said, while averting his eyes, still feeling embarrassed. ''I can''t just accept being treated like a child so easily after everything, I suppose...'' Seeing Lucas still finding it difficult, she couldn''t help but sigh, but there was still nonetheless a warm smile on her face as she gently caressed his face. "So, want to tell me what woke you up so early? Surely this bad habit of yours for sleeping so long wasn''t fixed after starting to adventure?" she asked. Hearing her, he couldn''t help but chuckle a little but still had his eyes averted. "No, I still haven''t fixed that. I just woke up early today because I had a small nightmare, that''s all..." Lucas said vaguely. "You know you can always talk to me about it, dear?" she said, a little worried. This time, Lucas decided to meet her in the eyes and smiled warmly. "I know, mom. Thanks," he said in a gentle tone filled with love. His mother, though, instantly froze for a second and looked at her son with wide eyes. "E-eeh?" "Huh, is something wrong?" "N-no, it is just I can''t remember the last time you called me m-mom instead of mother..." she said, a little dazed and happy. ''Now that she mentions it, I really had stopped calling her mom.... I guess I found it embarrassing back then before my memories? Well, I don''t really think it is so embarrassing anymore...'' "I wish you would call me mom every time again..." she said, a little sad and in a small voice, not intending to let him hear it, but who was Lucas? He was a half-dragon, of course, his ears could easily pick up her voice. "Hmm, well, I don''t mind calling you mom again instead of mother." "E-eh, really? Then do it, call me mom from now on!" she said excitedly, with sparkling eyes. Lucas found it adorable that his mother was acting so spoiled and childlike; he couldn''t help but chuckle. "Sure, mom." "Hehe~" she started giggling happily as both enjoyed the warm sun while lying on the soft grass, enjoying each other''s warmth as they gazed warmly at Lena and Luna playing and running around together without them noticing anything else... Chapter 37 Family Date [1] As they enjoyed each other''s company and talked about trivial things, Lena and Luna finally noticed them together and ran up."Mommy!" "[Father!]" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As both ran up to them, Lena abruptly stopped upon seeing Lucas on her mother''s lap. She was still a little scared of him, even though she knew Lucas was her brother. She still got shivers from the killing intent he unconsciously released back when her father and brother almost fought each other. She didn''t understand much of the situation, only knowing it had to do with her and that''s why they fought, making her extremely guilty yet scared. She had only met her brother for a day, and she didn''t know how to approach him or talk to him. Seeing them so happy together, she didn''t want to get close and ruin it, since she thought they might fight again because of her. Seeing his sister frozen in place, Lucas decided to get up, thinking she was still scared of him. Yet, when he tried, he felt a soft hand on his forehead gently pushing him back down. "Stay," his mother gently said. "But..." "No ''buts.'' Lena, come here," his mother called out to Lena. As she started slowly approaching nervously, while Luna watched from the sidelines, she arrived in front of them. "Lena, Lucas is your brother, alright? You don''t need to be scared of him, and if he does something stupid, you can always tell us, and we can punish him, alright?" She gently said, yet for Lucas, that last part only felt ominous. ''Why the hell does she think I would do something stupid?'' he thought, but then he remembered how he made his little sister scared already twice and decided to stay quiet. "But I don''t want you both to fight because of me again..." She said in a small voice, tears starting to form in her eyes. "We won''t fight with your brother ever again, Lena. We promise you, Lena, so will you forgive us and your stupid brother?" ''Isn''t she my mother? Why does she keep calling me stupid...'' "Promise?" She said as she looked at both of them with a little hope. "Yes, we promise, dear. How about to make up for it, we all go outside today with your father?" She said, honestly shocking both Lucas and Lena at the same time. "Really!?" She said excitedly. She barely went outside since her parents both wanted to prevent her existence from being known until Lucas returned. But now that he is back, their mother thought it would be a good idea to go outside together as a family. "Are you sure, mother? Aren''t you and father busy?" Lucas asked, still a little hesitant since it could lead to some problems. "Fufu, don''t worry. We are free for today, so let''s all go outside today, alright?" "Yes!" Lena exclaimed excitedly, already forgetting her previous attitude. Seeing his mother''s eagerness to go outside as a family and Lena being this excited, he could only sigh and release a bitter smile. "Sure, why not." He only hoped no trouble would find their way when they were outside. **************** In a luxurious car, Lucas could be seen sitting inside with his parents and little sister, all dressed up to enjoy the day out as they headed to the famous restaurant, Moon Fish. They were happily talking to each other, especially with smiles directed at the excited Lena. Luna decided to stay back at home and relax, which Lucas didn''t mind. However, even though everything seemed perfect, it wasn''t. Both his father and Lucas didn''t really talk much to each other or meet each other''s eyes. Though no one else really noticed, since his mother was busy with Lena. Both felt guilty for their actions yesterday. His father felt guilty for being so harsh and unfair to his son. He knew Lucas was right and shouldn''t have kept him from when Lena was born, making him miss three years of her growth. Even if Lucas finally decided to do something on his own, he was still right. His little sister''s birth wasn''t something he should have missed. As for Lucas, he was feeling guilty for almost wanting to kill his father yesterday. Just for a split few seconds, he thought about blasting his head. Even though he loved his father dearly, he couldn''t help but think like that yesterday after his father scolded him. Truly, everything inside of him was a mess. His feelings, emotions, thoughts, and habits. All of them were a mix of his previous life and current life. It was like they were fighting for domination. He felt like he had to work much harder to stop letting everything from his previous life influence him anymore. This was supposed to be his second chance at life. Currently, they were headed to Moon Fish restaurant to eat. After that, they were planning to just go around wherever interested them in the city. Lucas honestly thought this wasn''t a good idea, since they, for some political reason, decided not to bring almost any guards with them. At least in the public eye, it would seem that no one was guarding them, except for highly elite guards following them around and protecting them from unforeseen situations in the shadows. Only Lucielle and William would be with them openly, as they were currently behind them in another car. Even if it was for political reasons, Lucas still found it reckless. But it wasn''t like he could judge. He had made countless reckless decisions over the years, getting scolded and making Luna almost cry every time. As they enjoyed each other''s company, Lucas decided to let them be without interfering while starting to think about something that had bothered him a lot yet he had decided not to dwell on. Back in Eldrath when he had the seer reveal how he would die yet... It didn''t reveal only one death but multiple of those. His death wasn''t set in stone; it kept changing by his own decisions, and she even saw his past life without understanding anything. He didn''t understand why the seer could see his previous life and who the being surrounded by darkness was. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he gritted his teeth. ''Shit'' That same being was the one that killed him in his previous life according to the seer. He never saw who the driver was, yet it was the being in darkness... He, who would kill him in various different ways in the future. He didn''t understand, yet just thinking about him made his heart fill with dread as his face became grim. The dark being... maybe it was a different person, and she couldn''t see the one who killed him yet... something was telling him he felt something that it was the same being who killed him in all his different deaths. Why? Just why... he didn''t understand; he thought that this life was a coincidence, a second chance, but... was it really? Just why was he reincarnated and his memories only returning at the age of 12... why was he the progenitor of chaos when there was another one before him... is he really also a progenitor? He said he was the first... he had the blade of chaos before him and after the blade of chaos only recognized Lucas as his second master. So then why is he also a progenitor of chaos... Just what happened to him? To the dragons? How did they die? No, are they even dead? He felt scared and anxious; he didn''t know anything. Every time he tries to find out something only more and more things become unknown to him. Just thinking about the dark being made him for some reason shiver in fear. "...cas" Just who or what is that being? Why was it seen in both of his lives? Does that mean it reincarnated as well? Or is it something so mysterious and powerful that it can go between his current world and previous one? "Lu.." But he is supposed to fight that thing in the future... he dies by its hands countless times in the future. Every time it would take someone he cares about away from him... he can''t let that happen no matter what. He started clutching his own hands hard as his nails started digging into his palms. He can''t let that being toy with his life anymore if it is true that it killed him the previous time then he won''t let him get away with that and more importantly he will do whatever it takes to kill it so it won''t harm anyone he cares about even if it means to kill hims- "LUCAS!" Suddenly a voice screamed at him, making him flinch and snapping him out of his thoughts. Looking in front, he saw his mother''s face inches apart from his as she looked at him filled with anxiety and worry. "H-huh m-mother what happened?" He asked worried, not understanding the situation. "What do you mean what happened!? Look at yourself!" She screamed at his state as he was bewildered, not understanding what he did. He turned around looking at the window, seeing his own reflection. His face looked pale as white as sweat was visible around his whole face, making his hair stick to him. Looking down, he saw that he dug his own nails deep into his own palms as blood came out of it. "Ah... I-i am sorry I didn''t notice" He said still perplexed at how lost he was in front of his own family. "W-what happened dear? Just what were you thinking about to behave like that?" She asked in worry. "I..." He tried to speak yet nothing came out of his mouth. His words were stuck in his throat. "Did something happen son?" His father asked also worried after seeing his behavior as Lena just watched in worry, not understanding fully what just happened but got scared seeing blood on her brother''s hand. ''S-should I really tell them about what I was thinking? about my previous life, about the dark being and how it will kill me in the future... No I can''t do that I don''t think I just can..." "Sorry mom dad I was just thinking something stupid and got lost in thought" He said with a bitter smile and reassuring them while scratching his cheek. "Are you sure dear? I-i have said it before but please tell us when you feel hurt... We are your parents. I am your mother I won''t ever want you to feel burdened or hurt Lucas." His mother said seeing through his lies. He could only warmly smile and answer "mm I know mom just... maybe one day I will tell you just not now please..." "Luc-" before his father could say something the car stopped by the driver as they finally arrived at the restaurant stopping the conversation they had. "Looks like we''ve arrived. Let''s just go and have fun, right Lena?" Lucas looked at Lena, hoping she would save him from his situation. Luckily for him, that is exactly what she did. "Unn! Food!" She happily nodded and wanted to go and eat outside. Seeing her excited expression, everyone released a warm smile as well, and his father and mother decided to let it go for now. "Lucas, your hands are still injured. Take this before leaving the car," his mother said as she pulled out a 3-star health potion, which he thought was overkill. As he stretched out his hand to take it, he suddenly froze as he watched his hand. The wound he inflicted was already healed, and there was only blood left... ''D-did my wound just regenerate?'' Lucas was perplexed once again. Only when someone reached the Grandmaster stage would their wounds start regenerating, though if you lost a limb, then that would be impossible to regenerate unless you had multiple 5-star health potions, which were the highest grade a potion could get. Health potions, mana potions, skillbooks, and weapons were all divided by star levels. The higher the star level, the harder to get and the more expensive one would be. For health and mana potions, it would go from 1-star level to 5-star level. 1-2-star health potions were mostly used for when you were sick or had small wounds, while 3-4-star levels, which were only for the rich, could heal extreme wounds to the point where a 4-star could reconnect a limb. As for 5-star level health potions, those could potentially regenerate a limb depending on the limb and body itself. For mana potions, the higher the star level, the faster your mana would recover. Weapons and skillbooks, on the other hand, were different. They were divided instead into 7-star levels. The higher the star level of a weapon, the better it would be, though that wouldn''t mean you would be able to wield them properly. The same could be said for skill books, as you wouldn''t be able to use every skill properly unless you were strong enough. Soul weapons and skills you acquire by yourself by breaking through to the next star level don''t have a star level since they evolve with the person itself always. As Lucas knew, he didn''t have any regenerative skills. Even the one he picked at the treasury in Eldrath wasn''t a regenerative type of skill, so what could possibly lead to this? Lucas already knew it like it was basic instinct. It was because he was a dragon, or at least a half-dragon, making his body already regenerate to the point he wouldn''t need a 1 or 2-star level health potion, and he wasn''t even a Grandmaster yet! Dragons really are an awesome race! But he had never regenerated before, so that means that he is still growing and unlocking new traits as a half-dragon. "S-son, your wound, it healed?" his father asked, not believing his own eyes. "A-ah, yes, you see, since I am a half-dragon, it looks like small wounds like these regenerate themselves," Lucas said as he pulled his hand back. "So no need for using a health potion, mom." "R-right, well, give me your hand, dear, and don''t move. Let me freshen you up a little bit. You still look like a mess," she said as she used her cleansing spell to wash his hands and face, and she fixed his hair as well, as Lena giggled happily from behind, calling him a ''Clumsy brother." After that, they finally decided to exit the car and enter the restaurant, which had been emptied beforehand to eat. Though he was sure almost everyone knew they were outside, since the main family car had been spotted multiple times on the street, and afterward, they would be walking around on foot as well... ''Yeah, I really hope nothing goes wrong...'' Chapter 38 Family Date [2] As they all entered the restaurant, William and Lucielle decided to stay behind in the car. The staff had been informed beforehand about the Nightstar family visiting, but seeing all four of them still made the staff tremble out of fear. What if they offended them? They didn''t dare to think of the consequences. Moon City, the city they lived in, was way too important and big for a mere viscount to handle alone. Yet the Nightstars could, and were allowed. Knowing that made everyone apprehensive, understanding that they were not what they seemed to be.But what shocked them even more was the little girl with snow-white hair and blood-red eyes, the newest member of the Nightstar family, which almost no one knew of. Seeing her, almost all the staff members felt like they wanted to protect her and her precious smile. Then they looked at the heir of the Nightstars, Lucas Nightstar, who had the same hair and eyes as his little sister. The female staff members kept their eyes glued to him, their cheeks flushed red, while the male staff members didn''t even want to know what they were thinking about, as a few were even clamping their own legs... As the family sat together at a luxurious table with Lucas and Lena next to each other and their parents in front of them, a female waiter came to take their order after 10 minutes. The female waiter, as she wrote down the order on her tablet, kept stealing glances at Lucas, her cheeks taking on a red shade before she hurriedly left. "Oh my, toying with the hearts of so many innocent maidens~" His mother teased Lucas as she sat in front of him, bringing a scowl to his face. "What toying with the hearts? It''s not like I did anything." "Fufu, that is true, after all, only the elven princess''s heart is the one you want~" "What? No! Can''t I just have a female friend? Besides, we barely spent a month together!" He said through gritted teeth. ''It''s not like I can fall in love so fast! I don''t even know how that would feel!'' "Love is strange, after all, dear. Your father and I fell in love at first sight," his mother said, shocking him honestly. "First sight? Really?" He said, not believing them. "Of course. It was back at the academy when I saw your mother at the entrance ceremony. It was like all sound faded from the room, and only your mother and I were there, looking into each other''s eyes for seemingly an eternity," his father answered with a distant gaze as Lucas glanced at his mother, seeing a small blush forming on her face. ''Well damn... they totally fell for each other.'' As he watched both of them now looking at each other as if they were in their own little world, he couldn''t help but interrupt and ask a weird question. "U-um, so how exactly does it feel to... you know? Love?" Hearing his question, they both snapped out of their daze and looked at him with intense gazes. He couldn''t help but avert his eyes. ''Ugh, this is embarrassing! I have never talked to anyone about something like this! I should''ve just stayed quiet! But I am way too curious!'' Hearing such a question coming from their son''s mouth, they were honestly shocked. Lucas had never asked them such questions, no. In fact, Lucas barely asked for much at all. He almost never even started a conversation or continued one, as if he didn''t know how to... His mother really wanted to tease her son right now, but knowing that this was a rare moment, she decided to answer seriously with a warm smile. "Mm... well, it is different for everyone. Love isn''t the same for everyone; it differs from person to person." "Huh? It isn''t the same?" Lucas didn''t understand. ''How can a feeling be different for everyone yet still be called the same?'' "Isn''t love... you know, just love?" he couldn''t help but ask. "Hmm, that is true, dear, but love doesn''t have only one emotion. It could have a mix of respect, admiration, and friendship, or it could have darker aspects like obsession, hatred, jealousy, or even lust, as in sexual desires." ''Lust? So love is a mix of different emotions? I thought it would be something like a different type of emotion... besides I never really had s-sex before.'' He didn''t really understand, but he did at the same time. He wasn''t the smartest when it came to emotions and feelings, yet his mother''s words still caught in his mind, repeating over and over again. "Well, that is my opinion on it, at least, dear. It could be different for another person as well," she said while smiling warmly at seeing her son pondering deeply about her words. ''Fufu, what a troublesome child~'' she thought. "Mm, I think I understand? Thanks, Mom," Lucas said. In the end, he would have to experience it himself to fully understand what she meant. But perhaps it isn''t just meant for him. Perhaps love is a feeling he has lost forever due to his previous life. "No problem, dear. Just take your time in living your life without rushing," she said while his father gently watched over, but then all of them heard a voice that made them freeze. "Mommy, what is sewual dessire?" Lena asked cutely, tilting her head, not understanding in the slightest what they were talking about. ************** Currently, they were heading to a famous shopping center in Moon City which has at least 15 floors and dozens of shops. It was only 15 minutes away from Moon Fish. They were lucky that before they could try to come up with an answer for Lena''s question, the waitress arrived with the food distracting her completly. The food was delicious, and Lena kept ordering more, though not as much as Lucas did. Honestly, his parents kept looking worried at him for ordering so much that his mother couldn''t help but ask if he hadn''t been eating properly during his adventures. Only when he explained that he was a half-dragon did they understand that he needed to eat much more than humans. Though because of that, his mother became angry, knowing that Lucas barely ate properly yesterday. ''If they think I eat much, they should see Sylv! God! She isn''t even a half-dragon, so where does all that food go? Wait, perhaps that is why they are so bi-...'' He didn''t dare to finish that thought. He felt like something ominous would happen if he did. As they walked the streets, people could be seen looking at them with various reactions: some out of fear, some out of admiration, some out of shock, some out of joy, some out of hate. Yet no one dared to come too close. They weren''t stupid to know that if they got too close, something dreadful might happen to them. So instead, they decided to take a bunch of photos from afar as they kept walking towards the entrance of the center. Once they were inside, the same scene happened: people stood still with various reactions, whispering to each other in a hushed tone. Of course, Lucas and his parents could hear everything as he walked behind his parents holding Lena''s hand. She has become much more relaxed in his presence. "H-hey, am I dreaming or..." "N-no way, the Nightstar family is here..." "Who is that little girl... she is so damn cute! Don''t tell me did Lord Nightstar have a daughter!?" "Hey... God, just look how handsome the young master is... I want him to devour me..." Various people could be whispering to each other while taking pictures or videos, some of which were extremely questionable and should''ve just been kept in their heads, especially those of the females. "Brother, why is everyone looking at us?" Lena asked while holding his hand as she nervously glanced at the people who were watching them like hawks. "It''s because we are famous people, little sis. We barely appear in public, so they can''t help but talk about us. After all, mom and dad are the ones who rule this city. Do you understand?" Lucas said, though he wasn''t sure if Lena understood what he just said. He knew she was much smarter than most her age but didn''t know by how much. "Unn. We are like those famous people on TV, right!?" She said excitedly, luckily understanding what Lucas meant. "Yes, that''s right. You sure are smart, Lena," Lucas said, praising her by patting her head with a warm smile, doing critical damage to the hearts of all the women watching. In their eyes, Lucas, though barely seen, always has a cold face yet the moment he talked to his sister, his facial expression instantly shifted to that of a loving brother. "Hehehe~" Lena happily giggled at her brother patting her head. As they arrived at the middle of the mall where an indoor fountain was located, their parents turned around, smiling warmly at them. "My, am I glad to see you two getting along~" their mother said, elated at them finally getting along together like brother and sister as all four of them just ignored all the people watching them not caring in the slightest. "Well, right now, I am planning to go with Lena and buy ''some'' clothes for her. So what are Darling and Lucas going to do? Do you want to join us?" Their mother asked. ''By some clothes, she probably means buying the entire store. Yeah, hell no, don''t wanna get stuck with that,'' Lucas thought to himself. "I''m good, Mom, thanks. I think I''ll just walk around and see what interests me," Lucas said, as he had no plans to sit there for hours, even though he knew that everything Lena would wear would be cute and adorable. He still probably wouldn''t be able to handle being there for so long. "Hmm, alright. What about you, Darling?" his father who looked over at Lucas and then their mother barely waited for her to finish before responding. "Ahaha, you see, I haven''t spent much time with my son, you know, honey? So I think it''s best for us to have some father-son bonding time, right, Lucas?" His father said, looking at him with pleading eyes. He didn''t want to be stuck either! ''We barely have had a proper conversation with each other... especially after what happened yesterday. Yeah, I guess we should have some proper talk,'' Lucas thought. "Hmm, sounds good, Dad. Let''s go together," Lucas said, deciding they should have a talk. He was sure his father knew his intentions and wanted to have a talk as well. "Hmm, very well. Let''s meet up here in 5 hours," their mother said as she took Lena from Lucas and ran off. ''Huh! 5 hours!? Are the shops even open after 5 hours!? The hell!'' Lucas thought, perplexed inside his mind at how long they would be buying clothes. As he was lost in thought, he suddenly felt a hand firmly pressing on his shoulder. Glancing at his right, he saw his father with a bitter smile on his face, yet he didn''t look at Lucas. "Your mother has always been like that since Lena was born. She always wanted a daughter, you see. So since her birth, she would always empty the shopping center or order thousands of clothes for her to wear. Lena, of course, enjoys them all as well," he said, as he gazed where they had run off to. "Hmm, I see. Wanna go grab a drink?" Lucas asked. He really didn''t know how he should handle it with his father now, so he thought it would be best to sit somewhere where they could drink something like coffee or tea. "Sounds like a good idea. Let''s go," his father said, as both started to walk towards a famous coffee shop on the 3rd floor under the gazes of everyone.. ''I wonder how they will react when they find out in a week or two that I am the White Devil. Haha, that would be fun,'' he thought as they finally arrived at the coffee shop. One of the female staff members came to greet them to guide them towards a seat. She froze in her place as her face became pale as snow. "Welcome, please foll- e-eh!?" Hearing her sudden scream, everyone stopped what they were doing and gazed at her direction as they saw something that made them all tremble. She was frightened as her clients were the current patriarch of the Nightstars and the current heir of the Nightstars. Seeing her so scared and his father looking down at her with a cold gaze, making her tremble even more as her legs started shaking as if she might fall any moment, he couldn''t help but sigh. He decided to ease her with a small smile on his face, which shocked almost everyone there. "I am sorry for frightening you. Is there a table free for the both of us?" Lucas asked, hoping to ease her a little and focus more on him instead of his father. It worked; she wasn''t scared anymore as she looked at Lucas. Yet, instead, she was as if in a trance, staring at his face for a good minute almost. ''What happened? Is she also scared of me? I didn''t think I was so scary as father was...'' After a few more seconds, she finally snapped out of her daze as a red shade appeared on her cheeks. "A-ah y-yes! Please! Follow me! There is a table free for you! And your father, of course!" she said while stuttering as she guided them with hurried steps to a free table under everyone''s terrified gazes, while Lucas just chuckled, following her with his father. ''Hmm, she isn''t scared of Dad anymore? Haha, it''s more like she fully forgot about him.'' After that, they finally sat at a table opposite of each other while the waitress brought them both coffee. The shop got emptied out without them saying anything else. The staff members had enough sense to understand that it would be best for no one to be in the presence of Nightstars currently. As they drank their coffee, his father suddenly spoke out. "You have grown." Hearing him, he couldn''t help raise his eyebrows in surprise. "Well, yeah. It has almost been 3 years, I guess." "No, not like that. I mean stronger. You have become stronger. If we talk about intelligence, well then you were always smart yet too lazy to apply them to anything. What is your current star level?" ''Oh right, I forgot to say what star level I was yesterday, but I guess he is right. Even before my memories, I was always too smart for someone my age. Even in my previous life, I remembered whenever Ausburn taught me something, I easily learnt it, be it maths, science, or how to kill someone. I didn''t even have to attend high school and only went to college after all the other things happened...'' Now that Lucas thought about it, he really was a genius in everything in his previous life. Just born in the wrong environment. No, that isn''t the case. He was never normal. He never was interested in retaliating against those caretakers or those bullies back in middle school. As long as he was the one who was hurt, he didn''t care. Even when he killed for the first time when he killed his entire orphanage and those children who killed Puck, he never felt a single thing. No guilt. No regret. Nothing. He felt nothing except his body being cold from the inside whenever he killed. Perhaps that is why Aushburn liked him so much... "Lucas? Are you alright?" his father suddenly asked, snapping him out of his daze. "Huh? Oh yeah, sorry, was just thinking about what you said," Lucas said. Hearing him, he couldn''t help but sigh. "This is really one of those bad habits of yours, son. You always go into your own head when someone is there with you. Try to fix that." "Mm, I will. Oh yeah, I am mid 6-star level currently, and I think I am close to breaking through to high 6-star level soon." As he said that, all he was met with was his father looking at him with wide eyes, frozen in shock. "Father?" He asked, not understanding the problem. ''"You... you already surpassed Princess Sylviette Velariah, the strongest champion of your generation... ah, right, of course you did. You are even so close with her..." he started mumbling random things as Lucas enjoyed it honestly since it was rare seeing his father so shocked. "Well, what can I say? I am a genius." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "And looks like you are a narcissist as well." "Nah, I am a dragon after all. Even I have my own pride, so I can''t be weak." Both suddenly burst out laughing at their conversation. After a while, as they were done drinking and laughing at each other, Lucas somberly spoke as his expression turned grim. "Father." "Hmm, son?" "I am sorry." His father was perplexed at the sudden apology. He never expected his son to apologize since he knew that his son said that dragons have immense pride and they would almost never apologize. Yet, it looks like that the people he cares about are the exception. And before he could speak up, Lucas continued. "I am sorry for my sudden outburst against you yesterday. It is just for a split second...I felt like I wanted to kill you, to blast your brains into pieces and rip you apart. And I lost control of myself." ''I am sorry for almost becoming my old self again...'' he said the last part in his mind. "Lucas," his father said, pulling his attention towards him, stopping him from going into his head again. "I don''t know what you went through when you left for these past 3 years. I don''t know how you have such a terrifying killing intent. If that was something you acquired before your adventures, then how? Did you sneak out under our noses without us noticing? If so, how? Or you must have had a extremly hard time on your own adventures all this time? I am fine if you won''t tell me anything, but what I do know was I was equally at fault for pushing you to that point, as was your mother. We shouldn''t have kept Lena a secret from you." "You are my son. You became someone known as Noctis the White Devil. Do you know how proud you have made me? I am here always for you if you want to talk about your struggles. Even if the world stood against you, I will be standing right next to you against the whole world, as that is what it means to be your father." Hearing his father''s words, he grit his teeth as hard as he could, holding back the tears that were threatening to spill. He looked up right into his father''s eyes for the first time today and smiled warmly, speaking with as much affection as he could. "Thanks, Dad." Chapter 39 A champions Turmoil After the conversation with his dad, Lucas felt more at ease, and they decided to spend their time just talking and walking around shops without buying anything. They visited multiple different shops, including those for weapons or armor, each time under the shocked gazes of everyone around them. It especially didn''t help how pressured the shopkeepers were under the cold gaze of his father, who scared the hell out of each of them every time.Just like that, 5 hours passed, and they both arrived back at the indoor fountain. Lucas''s mother was already there with Lena, holding her hand. Multiple bodyguards could be seen holding dozens of bags of clothes. ''How can they buy so much, and how are both of them not looking tired yet...'' "Both of you finally made it back. Let''s head home now since the sun is already starting to set. I already called William to bring the car out front," his mother said. "No! Mommy, I wanna stay and go with Fawther and Browther ewcploring!" Lena said, not wanting to leave the center yet, as she hadn''t really spent much time with Lucas or her father at all. ''Damn, how energetic,'' Lucas thought, gazing at her with his father, a bitter smile forming on both of their faces. "Lena. Enough. It is already getting late, and it is almost bedtime for you, young lady," their mother said sternly, making Lena pout and turn her head away as tears started forming in her eyes. Lucas decided to approach her and kneel in front of her, gently patting her head. "There, there, Lena. How about the both of us go outside another time, doing whatever you want, without Mom and Dad interrupting?" Lucas said with a small smile, damaging the hearts of many maidens who were watching while feeling his mother''s angry gaze on him. "Really!?" She said with sparkling eyes and her vigor returning. ''What happened to those tears...'' "Yes, really. It is a promise between the both of us. So let''s head home for now." "Unn!" Like that, they finally managed to get back home, even though their mother was angry, saying that Lucas shouldn''t spoil her too much. ****** In a huge open field, a beautiful female elf with silver hair that reflected the moonlight and deep blue eyes that looked like the ocean itself could be seen alone, surrounded by frozen grass and huge ice pillars. Currently, she was training. Her mother, Amara Velariah, Queen of Eldrath, could be seen watching her from a distance, worried yet proud. She was happy since her daughter finally decided to train seriously. Sylv is currently known as the strongest champion, yet she knows that is temporary. She doesn''t care about the title. She never really cared about such things. What she does care about is that she doesn''t want to be left behind by Lucas, her best and only friend. She was a High 5-star level mage. She was the princess of elves, yet she didn''t care about any of that. She was always better than her generation; she never really had to try; she never really wanted to try. She always stood above everyone of her generation. She became the champion with almost no effort. No one known was able to rival her. She understood that perhaps there could be people that hid their abilities for reasons unknown, yet even then, she didn''t have much hope of anyone being her equal. She was wrong... The moment she met Lucas and found out he was Noctis the White Devil, she understood that he was above her. He was better. He was the true champion. It wasn''t her who had no rivals; it was him who had none. It wasn''t her who had no equal; it was him. And what was worse? He never knew or cared about any of that, just like her. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She didn''t resent him for that; she didn''t hate him for that. She honestly was only curious about the boy known as the White Devil. Yet that same boy who was her age was loved by spirits. Why does he have such an ominous nickname? Why do the spirits love him? How does he feel the spirits? She knew she couldn''t just ask why he was loved by spirits, how he could feel their presence. She knew he had secrets he didn''t want to tell her yet. She understood that when he didn''t speak about that scary form of his back when he and her father almost clashed. She honestly thought Lucas was crazy. He didn''t care that in front of him was her father. She was glad that her parents respected him as well to not ask questions, for now, at least... The king of Elves. A saint level being. No, he didn''t care if he had to fight such a being if it was for his goals. She respected that. Admired that. To not care, not be afraid at no matter what was in front of your path. Even if her father didn''t suppress himself, Lucas didn''t care; he would have still fought against him no matter how scary or impossible that was. She wanted to be closer to the person who saved her life and be friends with him. But it was truly at that moment when she looked into his eyes, unyielding and filled with pride. The way he stood in front of her father without an ounce of fear. Only confidence. She wanted to be closer to him. She wanted to know more about him. To understand him. And that was exactly what she did. Both of them became close with each other and formed a bond. They spent the last 2 weeks in the castle almost 24/7 together, doing various things. They went outside a few times. They always ate together, and they sparred together. Sylv who always lost shocking everyone watching each time... Because of all of that, she started training seriously now. She doesn''t care about anything else, but she doesn''t want to be left behind by her only friend. She wants to stand at Lucas''s side as an equal. And perhaps one day, maybe the both of them can love each¡ª ''What! No, bad Sylv! No love! Focus on training!'' She thought as she shook her head, while her ears burned red. ''Argh! I can''t concentrate!'' She screamed in her mind as she stomped the ground, and a colossal pillar of ice erupted. "Why does his face keep appearing in my mind! It''s only been a week since he left! How can I already miss him so much! And is he even alright? He looked really hurt because of that seer! Was he scared? Ugh, I can''t even contact him since he never bought a phone, saying he would buy one when he was back! I forgot to give him my number! No, no, I can ask mom and dad to contact him, but I don''t want that!" "They will think I am crazy and in love with him! I am not, I am just worried about him..." ''There is no way I am in love with him, right... I mean, he is handsome, yes, no, he is probably one of the most handsome men alive and strong and talented. But he is human, so it is not like we can be together... Wait, no, is he human? Yes, his parents are human, but Father did tell me that he didn''t feel like a human, something only Saints could tell... W-wait, why am I even thinking about how we can get together when I don''t love him! Right!?'' Her mother, who was watching from afar with an amused expression, did her best to hold back her laughter as she saw how frustrated her daughter was. ''Ah, how smitten my daughter has become~'' she thought to herself, enjoying the sight of Sylv''s turmoil. After that, Sylv finally started to calm down and train again. She was planning to get to at least a low 6-star level before the academy starts. She knows she can do it and will, no matter what it takes! Chapter 40 Lucas Nightstar, son of a viscount [1] In a dark, eerie room where normal people would freeze to death, multiple beings could be seen inside, seemingly unaffected by the cold or the darkness.The beings inside were demons. "Is everything ready?" A demon asked, his mere presence enough to make most faint. "Yes, we can finally start the mission," another demon replied. "Is it really smart? That kid is part of them, and didn''t Lord Diablo say that we should avoid that family for the time being?" A demon interjected, expressing doubts about the mission. "That was before His Majesty ordered all others not to leave our world. If Lord Diablo knew about such a talented boy of a mere viscount, he would surely approve of this! Besides, if we are correct, he is also the reason for Z''riel''s death. When the gates open again, not only will Lord Diablo be pleased, but also Lord Belphegor, kekeke!" the intimidating demon said, a bloodthirsty grin spreading across his face. "He is right. We won''t kill him anyway, so what is the problem? The timing is perfect now; we won''t get an easier opportunity than this, even if he is the son of a viscount," another demon interjected. "Fine..." the demon finally relented. After that, the demons left for their mission: to capture Lucas Nightstar, killer of Z''riel, heir of the Nightstar, rumored to be the White Devil, and rumored to be a champion as strong as the elven princess. ********* A few weeks had passed since Lucas went shopping with his family. Rumors had started to spread about him being the White Devil. The media had been thrown into chaos for the past week: the Elven princess being attacked, the mysterious White Devil being the one to help her, Lucas Nightstar being the White Devil, and even the entire Nightstar family being seen in public, with the newest member being Lena Nightstar. The repeated mention of the Nightstar name had stirred curiosity, anger, jealousy, and hatred among many nobles and other bigshots. After everything that had been happening, the attention of the royal family had turned to Lucas, inviting him to meet with them in three days to discuss these rumors. It was nighttime, and his parents had decided to go outside with Lena today while she kidnapped Luna with her. Lucas also received a message that they would be staying in a hotel tonight. Luckily, they had brought William and Lucielle with a few other guards, so there wasn''t much need for him to worry. Besides, Luna could communicate with him if there were any problems, though he doubted he could do anything about them, as his father and mother would be much more suitable to handle any problems if they arose. Currently, Lucas was in an open training ground with the vice-commander, watching the knights duel each other and having fun betting golden credits on who would win. There was no real training happening here, as they were all free, and since Lucas was bored, he decided to join them, eliciting excitement from everyone present. Observing the duels, the vice-commander next to him spoke. "Haha, seeing you here must have motivated them even more to impress you, young master." "Hmm, I can see that, Dylan. Though I do wonder if William approved of these games you''re all playing without him knowing," Lucas answered with a small smile, causing Dylan to break out in a cold sweat, quickly composing himself as he realized Lucas was teasing him. Dylan was the vice-commander of the Falling Stars. He had short brown hair and emerald eyes, and while his appearance was above average, he wasn''t to be underestimated, being a 9-star level swordsman. This was a level of skill that not even most count families would have in their captains. "Haha, I didn''t think the young master would actually be able to joke. You sure have changed," Dylan remarked. "I did?" Lucas replied. "Yes, that''s right. I remember when you were young; you would always be quiet and hardly talk to anyone except Lucielle or my lord and madame. You would always just walk around the mansion or be in your room." Now that Dylan mentioned it, Lucas realized he was right. He recalled memories of himself aimlessly wandering and hardly speaking to anyone. It was more like he felt disconnected. Was it perhaps because he didn''t feel complete due to his memories being blocked? He always felt like he was missing something before his memories... Seeing Lucas lost in thought and a little sad, Dylan quickly reassured him. "Ah, but young master, that was all in the past! Now you have become much more open to everyone. You have made all of us proud by reaching the mid-6-star level already, not to mention being rumored to be the mysterious White Devil!" "Ah, yes... I suppose that is true," Lucas said, looking away and coughing, hiding his embarrassment at losing himself in thought again. ''Father is right; this really is a bad habit of mine.'' "Haha, it is, as Sir Williams says. You really get lost in your own head most of the time," Dylan said, laughing, further igniting Lucas''s embarrassment. ''Oi, I know that, dammit! Why are you laughing? Shouldn''t you show some respect?'' Lucas screamed inside his mind, yet didn''t show any of that on his face except for his mouth twitching a little at Dylan''s laughter. "By the way, young master, it looks like your academy year won''t be peaceful, will it? Since not only the Elven princess and multiple other big shots will be attending, but also the hero himself," Dylan suddenly spoke. The hero, Klaus, one of the champions of his generation said to have even more potential than Sylviette Velariah. Klaus was also the reason for this generation being called the second golden generation, as it had a hero for the first time in millennia. It was said that the first hero was the strongest of Myrniel, surpassing all other races even. He was the one who managed to stop the descent of the Demon King on Myrniel and even defeated him, though he didn''t manage to kill him, stating that the Demon King ran away. Whether the latter part was true or not, no one knew, as after thousands of years, many stories had been made about the first hero. They titled Klaus as the 2nd hero of humanity due to him having an affinity to Light, something only the first hero was rumored to have had. He also had an affinity for all four basic elements and something else that was revealed a year ago, shocking Lucas back then when he heard about it to his core. Klaus, the second hero, had something called a special talent, allowing him to wield both mana and aura simultaneously, just like Lucas. It was something unheard of, something no one should be able to do except the hero could. Klaus was supposed to be an orphan who lost his parents during a dungeon break where demons emerged and killed everyone in his town when he was a child. He even has the perfect backstory of a hero. He is apparently already in Shield for protection, since he didn''t really have a place to stay, most of the time he used the money the government gave him to adventure out and book hotels when needed. He would''ve already joined one of the top 10 biggest guilds, probably, if it weren''t for the fact that it''s illegal to recruit until you turn 20. Yes, in Myrniel, you are considered an adult at the age of 20, unlike in Lucas''s previous life where you had to be 18 to be considered an adult. It took a whole year for the media to calm down about Klaus and his special talent and with the affinity to Light and all other four basic elements. Myrniel was currently said to be at peace, yet those at the higher circle, like high nobles, the biggest guilds, the government, the royal family, Lucas and his family, and those known to be smart, and the golden alliance, knew that this peace was probably only a calm before the storm. That''s why the government had decided to reveal Klaus and his abillities to Myrniel, to give them hope for when the time came that something would go wrong; he would be there in the future to save them all. Honestly, Lucas thought it was a stupid idea to reveal such a valuable trump card this early and also his affinity and special talent. Yet what could he do about it? It''s not like he cared a lot. He wasn''t stupid and wouldn''t reveal all his cards like them. Who knows, maybe the hero still had some trump cards as well... Realizing he had been lost in thought again, he decided to respond to Dylan. "Hmm, well, I will just try my best to live peacefully my academy life and enjoy it to the fullest. Though perhaps you are right; some people with their huge egos might be annoying..." "Haha, that is true," Dylan agreed. As Lucas and Dylan conversed with each other and gazed at the duels happening in front of them, filled with joy and laughter, a guard who was supposed to be standing at the gates approached them. "Hmm? Mike, what are you doing here? Shouldn''t you be on duty?" Dylan asked with a frown, gazing at Mike as he approached. "Haha, Mike, don''t tell me you are jealous and want to join in on the fun!" the others, still in a joyous mood, started teasing him. Yet Mike never looked at them or Dylan; instead, he slowly kept walking towards Lucas and looked only at him. As Lucas saw him approaching, he noticed that his eyes... they looked hollow. Seeing no response as they watched him, everyone felt something was terribly wrong. Dylan, Lucas, and everyone else instantly got on guard. They were all seasoned warriors who had faced death multiple times. Lucas had a skill that he picked up at the royal treasury back in Eldrath, called [Danger Sense]. Even though with his experience in both lives, he could rely on instinct, he knew that it was better to be safe than sorry, so he picked a skill that could negate almost any surprise attack on him and never let him be caught off guard when his life would be in danger. And currently, [Danger Sense] was loudly screaming alarm bells inside his head. He didn''t know what the danger was as he kept his guard up in the tense atmosphere, as Mike silently kept approaching. Dylan instantly got in front of Lucas, protecting him from any danger that would come, as the others also got serious and ready for any type of danger. Each step Mike took felt like an eternity, each time he took a step forward, Lucas''s skill kept getting louder and louder. Everyone''s instincts were screaming; their hearts were filled with sudden dread, yet no one understood what was happening. Everyone started gritting their teeth as they kept watching Mike approach, ignoring them. "Mike! Final warning! If you don''t stop now, I swear I will cut you down this instant!" Dylan screamed at him, which finally made him stop in his tracks, letting a few young ones breathe out of relief. Yet for the others, seasoned warriors and Lucas, they felt no sort of relief; the dread filling their hearts hadn''t dissipated in the slightest. As he finally stopped, he gazed with his hollow eyes directly at Lucas, who cautiously came beside Dylan. Lucas, gazing back, felt a chill run down his spine, making him grit his teeth even harder as his skill kept being on edge. Suddenly, Mike opened his mouth, his voice twisted in agony, hoarse, and filled with pain and despair. "P-please... help... m-" Before he could finish, his head exploded, sending blood and pieces of his brain everywhere, even onto the others and Dylan and Lucas, as they all stood there shocked and bewildered. "W-w-what happened?" "S-shit, everyone, weapons out!" "We are being fucking attacked inside the Nightstar estate!" Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "W-what the fuck, who is crazy enough for this!?" The knights kept shouting at each other as they got ready for any other surprise attacks. Lucas summoned his Blade of Chaos as Dylan unsheathed his long sword. Everyone was tense as they looked around, their eyes scanning their surroundings. It was quiet, eerily quiet, making everyone''s face turn grim and their hearts beat loud, as every hair on their neck stood up. And in the next second... The ground shook. Chapter 41 Lucas Nightstar, son of a viscount [2] The grounds of the Nightstar Estate shook violently as everyone tried their best not to fall. Lucas, using his Blade of Chaos, stabbed it into the ground, anchoring himself. It wasn''t just the Nightstar Estate that shook; the entire Moon City shook.As the ground continued to quake, they were suddenly hit by an extremely violent gust of wind, making a few of the awakened-ranked knights fly away as the entire mansion trembled, with cracks starting to appear around it. Lucas and the others gritted their teeth, enduring the shaking for what felt like an eternity, until finally, the tremors subsided and the violent gust of wind dissipated. Suddenly, before anyone could collect their thoughts, say anything, or look around, they heard a sound like glass shattering. The sound was so loud that it made a few of the knights'' ears bleed as they screamed out in pain. Turning towards the sound, everyone''s faces turned even grimmer as they saw the barrier of the Nightstar Estate break apart. The barrier was set up by an artifact that could only be destroyed if a saint attacked or multiple grandmasters at the same time. Either way, whether it was a saint or multiple grandmasters, the situation didn''t look good for Lucas and the knights. ''Shit, just what the fuck is happening? I can''t even contact Luna,'' Lucas thought, trying to reach Luna through their mental link, yet something was interfering. "I can''t communicate with Sir William... something must be interfering," Dylan suddenly spoke up, holding an emergency communicator device that should have allowed him to interact with William. As everyone kept their guards up, ignoring the comrades who were still on the ground panting, they suddenly heard the ominous laughter of something above them. Turning their heads towards the source, they saw a demon¡ªa demon with long legs and arms, his face contorted into a bloody grin, his eyes pitch red. As his black batlike wings extended out, yet they weren''t flapping in the air at all... it was as if they were just to intimidate them even more as he just stood on the air itself, looking down on Lucas and everyone else. "Ah! Now I finally have the attention of you fine gentlemen! May I be allowed to introduce myself? Yes? Thank you! I am a demon, you see! Shocking, right!? My name is Count Karciel of the House of Greed! An honor to be in your presence, heir of the Nightstar, Lucas Nightstar, the White Devil himself!" the demon called Karciel said theatrically, bowing 90 degrees with his right hand on his chest while standing in the air. "W-what did he just say..." "A C-count-ranked demon is here..." "No way we can fight that monster..." As the demon heard the despairing voices, his grin only broadened on his face. "Ah, you must be worried, right? Right!? Well, there is no need, for I came not alone! So don''t be afraid! You see, if you look behind you, you may see my brothers who are here for this amazing show!" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As they heard the mad demon''s voice, they all abruptly turned around with wide-open eyes, feeling despair fill their entire bodies as they saw at least seven other demons in front of them. Not just any demons. Lucas and the rest could tell... at least two were Baron-ranked demons, and one was a Viscount-ranked demon... ''W-what do I do... I can''t fight them. I am not strong enough yet to fight all of them. If perhaps it was only one baron ranked I could stand a chance but... this is just impossible. I-if father and William perhaps make it in time we might win this but will they make it in time even? They must have felt the tremors of the barrier breaking...'' Lucas rapidly thought of any way to deal with this situation, yet nothing came to his mind on how to win this fight. The only thing he could do was hope... hope that his father and William would make it in time, perhaps they could stall a little bit with the mad demon. Yet... as if the gods heard his thoughts and decided to mock him, he and the rest heard the words of the mad demon once again. "You see, Sir Lucas, you Nightstars certainly are interesting, don''t you think? To have a vice-commander at a low 9-star level!? And then not just that, but the commander being a low 10-star level swordsman!? And your father, the great Alexander Nightstar, a mid-10-star level mage! And wait, we are not done yet, my friends! His personal maid being a peak 8-star level mage herself! Truly interesting, don''t you think? This was supposed to be an easy mission where we simply kill a mere viscount family and capture you! But who would''ve thought you lot reeked of so much mystery, it ended up calling me for more of my brothers and a certain annoying somebody as backup, you see!" ''What, so they are here for me? But why...'' Suddenly, Lucas realized the reason. It was because he was the White Devil. The mad demon said it himself; they must''ve come here to capture him for whatever reason, yet they went overboard due to the Nightstars being more special than they thought? But what did he mean by a certain annoying somebody? Lucas, Dylan, and the others, already figuring out the reason for the attack, only had determination in their eyes at protecting the heir of the Nightstars... that determination didn''t last long when they finally looked back at the seven demons as they parted ways for the certain annoying somebody... As Lucas and the others gazed at the new arrival, all of them broke out in a cold sweat as their whole bodies started being covered by it and trembled. Their breaths became labored, their teeth shattered, and in the end, more than half of the knights dropped their weapons and fell on their knees. Gazing at the person or thing in front of them, its face couldn''t be seen, nothing could be seen except for it wearing a dark cloak covering its face as an insane amount of miasma poured out of it. It must have had some mental attack that made most of the knights kneel and drop their weapons by staring at it, except for the knights like Dylan with stronger wills or Lucas, who was immune to mental attacks... or perhaps it was because of another factor... fear. A factor that they all felt and weren''t immune to in the slightest as they gazed at the being. Not even Lucas or Dylan were spared, as they only felt sheer fear looking at the thing. "J-just what is that demon? N-no, is that thing even a demon?" Dylan said in a shaky voice. "W-whatever that thing is, it is not supposed to be alive. G-gods! Is it even alive?" another knight said. "We can''t know since no one knows... t-that thing has never been spotted in Myrniel before... it is a first," Lucas said with great difficulty. "Hahahaha! Great guess, Lucas Nightstar! You guessed correctly, as expected of someone like you! Allow me to introduce you! Someone who is not a demon but a wraith! Yes, you heard me, a wraith!" "An infamous wraith as well, you know! Not even us demons dare to mess with him or his kind!" "He who sleeps in the shadows itself!" "He is Abadux, The Hunter!" Chapter 42 Lucas Nightstar, son of a viscount [3] Alexander, Violet, Lena, and Luna were currently in their hotel room. Alexander was finishing some paperwork while sitting at the desk, feeling the angry gaze of Violet, who was lying down on the bed with Lena and Luna next to her, watching videos on her phone happily.He understood why she was angry; this was supposed to be a free day, yet here he was, doing paperwork just before bed. It wasn''t his fault, okay? He just forgot that the deadline was due tomorrow... After 10 minutes, he was finally done with his work, enduring the angry gaze he felt at his back, making him break out in a cold sweat. He got up from his chair and started walking towards his angry wife, who was now pouting and turned her head away from him while still gently stroking Lena''s hair. He couldn''t help but smile bitterly at her cute antics as he approached her. Yet... Right before he arrived next to the bed, everything started to shake violently. Not just the room, not just the hotel, but the entire Moon City was shaking. Bewildered by the sudden turn of events, he instantly looked at his wife and daughter, seeing his wife embracing Lena while she screamed out of fear. As the shaking finally subsided, everyone in Moon City heard the sound of glass shattering loudly, reverberating inside their ears, making some even pass out. Alexander didn''t understand what was happening anymore. Everyone was moving too fast for him to even comprehend the situation. "Is Moon City being attacked?" He didn''t have to think too long, as the sound dissipated, and Lucielle and William instantly barged into the room with frightened expressions. "M-my lord! The barrier of the Nightstar Estate has been broken! I can''t contact Vice Commander Dylan or anyone else!" William said with panic on his face, much like Lucielle. Hearing the reason for the sudden chaos in Moon City, Alexander''s face turned grim. Only if a saint or extremely powerful grandmasters attacked could they break the barrier. Cold sweat started breaking out as he began to panic as well. His son, Lucas, was inside the Nightstar Estate... ["I can''t contact father anymore... T-this has never happened before," Luna suddenly spoke to everyone, making their faces even more grim as their heads spun with countless thoughts. "Mommy, I am scared." Snapping out of everyone''s dark thoughts was the frightened Lena, who was sobbing in her mother''s embrace. "It''s alright, Lena... everything will be alright," Violet spoke, trying to soothe her, yet the others could see clearly how frightened and scared she was for Lucas. "Lucielle, stay here and protect my wife and daughter with the other knights, and contact Lunar Guild immediately to calm everyone in Moon City down. William, let''s prepare for battle," Alexander spoke out his orders as they started to move out immediately. "Please save Lucas, dear..." Hearing his wife''s desperate plea, he turned around and gently assured her. "Don''t worry, I won''t let anything happen to him. Besides, he is my son; he wouldn''t go down without a fight." Those were the last words he spoke before leaving with William. As he stepped outside the hotel, William, using his superior physique, started running at a speed that no one could see as a burst of wind hit everyone nearby, and Alexander burst out in violent flames, making the already panicking people outside even more frightened as he launched himself into the air, forming a crater at his previous position towards the Nightstar Estate, hoping he could arrive in time... ***** After 5 minutes, William and Alexander both arrived in front of the broken gate of the Nightstar Estate. Alexander landed in front of the already broken gate, forming a crater. In front of them lay a broken gate in thousands of pieces and a headless body, with blood everywhere around them. "If I am correct, his name was Lenard, one of the knights in charge of guarding the gate this month..." William spoke with sorrow as he gazed at the headless body. "It must be the demons that have attacked us... it has been more than 7 years since such a large-scale attack has been carried out by them..." "Let''s proceed fast. I can sense the overwhelming presence of two beings at the training grounds," Alexander spoke as both made their way towards the training ground hurriedly. ''Please be safe, son...'' Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Finally, both of them arrived at the training grounds. Gazing at the scene, both couldn''t help but grit their teeth as flames started appearing on Alexander''s body and William gripped his greatsword harder. ''A count-ranked demon? No... something is off about him... and just what the hell is that thing... I have never seen anything like that ever in my life...'' The count-ranked demon was one thing, the baron-ranked demons and viscount-ranked demon with a few lesser demons were another... but that ominous being between them, just gazing at it, felt like a thousand insects were crawling on the skins of William and Alexander. ''A mental attack just looking at him!'' Alexander instantly realized what was happening and why so many were kneeling already. He was glad at least that his son was holding up fine as it could be. Noticing them, hope started filling the eyes of everyone present except for Lucas and Dylan. "Commander!" "Lord Alexander!" The knights who were despairing before were now full of hope at seeing the patriarch of the Nightstar and the commander of the Falling Stars'' arrival. ''If I or William engage in battle here, everyone around us will perish... I need to find a way to get that count-ranked demon and whatever that thing is out of here.'' The mad demon, noticing Alexander and William as well, turned around and spoke as he extended his long arms out. "Ah! Well, if it isn''t the patriarch of the Nightstars! With the commander of the Falling Stars! Ah, I am honored to be in your presence, Lord Alexander and Lord William! But alas, I already am booked today with a meeting with your son, Lord Alexander!" "Just what do you mean by-" Before Alexander could finish speaking, the mad demon count suddenly disappeared and appeared right behind Lucas. ''Space magic!? By a demon, how!?" Never had there been a record of demons being able to use space magic, yet right in front of him was one who teleported behind Lucas. "Well then, it was fun while it lasted. Please don''t worry, I am sure my friend here will keep you both accompanied, Lord Alexander and Lord William!" The mad demon said as he gripped Lucas''s shoulder before he or anyone else could react, both suddenly disappeared under everyone''s eyes. "Lucas!" Alexander shouted from the top of his lungs as fire started enveloping his whole body, while at the same time, William gripped his greatsword tighter and a golden aura shot out of him. Abadux and the viscount-ranked demon did the same as both unleashed their miasma as well. The viscount-ranked demon, though, paled in comparison to the wraith. Dylan, not wanting to be left behind, unleashed as blue aura started to shoot out of him as he gripped his sword even tighter. Pillars of fire, gold, blue, and black could be seen piercing the heavens from everyone inside Moon City and a few neighboring cities. Everyone under the grandmaster stage, including the baron-ranked demons, felt as if they were mere ants in their presence, as all of them knew if they stayed any longer, they would die in an instant, so they ran as fast as they could. No matter if enemy or not, they knew just standing a second longer would end in their deaths. And as they all fled, Chaos finally descended on Moon City. Chapter 43 Lucas Nightstar, son of a viscount [4] [WARNING: Please feel free to skip this chapter and also the next chapter that I will upload later on since they will be quite dark. I highly recommend leaving right away if you are not good with torture! Please note that this will not be the only time that I will write something dark!]Cold. That was the first thought that appeared in Lucas''s mind as he woke up. He felt cold. All he saw was darkness. He felt that his eyes were open yet he could see nothing. He heard the sound of water slowly dripping, echoing in the room he presumed he was in. He felt weak. He couldn''t use any spells or skills. He couldn''t move, he felt like he was sitting on a chair, yet his arms were bound on what must be a table in front of him as his feet were bound on the legs of the chair he was sitting in. He realized the reason he couldn''t see was because he was blindfolded. All he could remember was that at one moment he saw his father and William coming to rescue him at the Nightstar estate and the next moment the mad demon was behind him and gripped his shoulder, and then... he was here. ''I must have fallen unconscious...'' Lucas thought. He was calm. Even if he was in one of the worst possible situations at the moment, he was still calm. In his previous life, he went through a few similar situations of being kidnapped and even went through extreme torture as training by Aushburn. He was still worried a little bit though. Even if he was used to torture in his previous life, his current body wasn''t. He was sure that his mind wouldn''t break as long as it was the same level of torture he experienced back in his previous life, but... this was a new world. He didn''t know what he would have to endure until someone came to rescue him, if he would even be rescued... As his mind was being plagued by dark thoughts, he suddenly heard the sound of heavy footsteps echoing throughout the room. Step. Step. Step. Finally, sensing the heavy footsteps stopping right in front of him, he heard the voice of the last person he wanted right now. "Kekeke! I hope you have had a good sleep, Lucas! I''ve been waiting for hours now for you to wake up, but seeing you sleep so peacefully, ah! I didn''t want to disturb you so I did what any gentleman would do and gave you a sleeping mask, was it? Oh, and alas, I didn''t have a bed so I had no choice but to put you in this position so you wouldn''t fall in your sleep." Hearing Karciel''s rambling, all he could do was grit his teeth as he didn''t want to entertain him in the slightest. "Keke, I see you are very grateful for my politeness, aren''t you, Lucas Nightstar?" "Well, no matter, we have plenty of time, to warm up to each other." "What do you want?" Lucas finally decided to speak as he was getting sick of hearing the mad demon''s rambling. "Oh my! To be this calm even knowing how despairing the situation you found yourself in! As expected of the White Devil!" Karciel exclaimed with great enthusiasm. "To answer your question, it is quite simple, Lucas Nightstar. I want you to answer my questions. Answer them truthfully and you shall be rewarded; answer them falsely and you shall be..." Stopping what he was going to say, Lucas suddenly felt a sharp finger gently brush his right cheek, making his whole body shudder in fear. "Now let''s start, shall we?" "My first question, Lucas. Why are you Nightstars only titled with Viscount? If I recall, in your human domain, only those with noble titles like ours or guilds are the ones who are strongest. The higher they are the stronger they are. So why is it that a mere Viscount family is so strong?" Karciel asked with great curiosity as he was eager to know just what was special with Lucas''s family and why His Majesty ordered to be clear of them... "I don''t know," Lucas answered. He truly didn''t know the answer since he trusted his father, yet such a reason wasn''t enough to satisfy Karciel. Snap. "Ag-mnngghhh!" Lucas tried his best by suppressing his screams, not wanting to give Karciel the pleasure at all, yet the pain of his right index finger suddenly getting snapped like a twig, he couldn''t help but violently shake and try to free himself from his restraints. "Didn''t I tell you to answer me truthfully?" "I-I don''t know, d-dammit! I truly don''t. I never asked him, knowing that he would tell me one day when the time was right!" "Hmmm, it seems you are not lying... oh well, time will due tell what is up with your family." "Now, second question. Are you the one who killed Z''riel back in the C rank dungeon?" Karciel truly was curious about this one also; it was reported that the White Devil once fought and killed a demon in a C rank dungeon. Karciel also knew that Z''riel was last spotted in that area before he was never seen again. Hearing the question, he remembered the time he spent in the C rank dungeon and everything he discovered. If Karciel somehow gets even more curious by him answering the question truthfully, he might find out about Luna perhaps. He couldn''t let that happen. ''I need to hold on...'' Seeing Lucas not answering the question, he couldn''t help but sigh. Snap. "Mmmnffffggg!" "Oh, how touching! A mere kid this courageous and bold! Willing to endure so much! Let''s see how long you will be able to last, Lucas Nightstar..." Karciel said as the last part was whispered ominously in his ear as he violently tried to shake out of his restraints due to the pain of his right thumb getting snapped. Snap. Snap. Snap. Suddenly, in rapid succession, all his other fingers on his right hand were snapped, making Lucas halt his movement for a second and then... "A-AAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!" His scream echoed in the room where only Karciel and him were present as no one would be able to hear him and save him. He was used to torture in his previous life, but it was meant to always be slow to give him as much pain as possible, not so fast at breaking all his fingers one by one. Before he could get used to the pain or gather his thoughts, Karciel forcefully opened his mouth and made him drink some strange bitter liquid that burnt down his throat and as well slid down his chin. Lucas violently started coughing as Karciel was finally done pouring down the strange liquid inside his throat. "Kekeke! You just drank my very own special healing potion you see! It not only heals your broken bones and cuts but also makes your body extremely sensitive temporarily! Ah, but don''t worry, Lucas! I am a master alchemist as well, you see, so you won''t be having any type of permanent damage done by your body! Oh, and also I have plenty of these here so that we can go for years if needed! I have all kinds of potions here with me! Like potions that will make you stay awake no matter what! Or something like this that can enhance all pain by 5 folds! Or perhaps something like this that will make your entire body feel as if it is being burnt alive or this one that will make you feel like you are starving!" "So many choices to choose from, isn''t that right, Lucas!" As he barely managed to hear what Karciel just said, he couldn''t help but feel dread filling his entire body as at the same time his fingers were healing back to normal... What he feared the most that might happen in his situation has finally happened... "I understand it has been a long day for you, Lucas, so how about this? I will let you off the hook with these questions of mine for today!" ''Thank god...'' "Instead!" "Lets have some fun and make use of all these potions we have here lying around!" S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He suddenly spoke, making Lucas''s face go pale in fear and his body started to tremble. Hearing him approach him again, Lucas couldn''t help but become desperate as he started to dread the hell he was about to have to endure. He started to shake violently as his chains rattled and tried to think of any type of way to get out of his situation... "W-WAIT, PLEASE DON- A -ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Those were the last words Lucas managed to say before his agonizing screams echoed throughout the room for the entire day. Chapter 44 Lucas Nightstar, son of a viscount [5] Hell.If there was one word to describe the type of situation Lucas felt he was in. It was hell. He honestly thought that he died again and got sent to hell this time. Where he probably should have been sent all along... It had been 5 days since he had been in this hell, or at least that''s what Lucas thought. Perhaps it had been even weeks or years... he had lost his sense of time after the second day. The blindfold and restraints were never removed. Karciel was a demon of his word. He made Lucas drink various different potions. His body felt as if it was on fire 24/7. He so desperately wanted to eat and drink something. Just moving an inch felt like sandpaper was scrubbing violently all over his body. After the second day, Karciel enjoyed all of his screams so much that he even stopped interrogating him. All he did was torture him over and over again... He couldn''t fall asleep no matter how much he wanted to. He couldn''t become numb to the pain no matter how much he wanted to. His eyes had become dry from all the tears he had shed. His voice had become hoarse from all the screams he had unleashed. The pain he felt was increased by tenfold. He wanted to get a break from the pain so badly. Even a second of no pain would suffice at this point. Yet... Fate was cruel to him. "AAARRRGGGHHHHH!!! P-please...stop M-Mnggffffhhh!" Currently, Karciel was peeling the skin off Lucas''s right forearm as he relished in his screams and pleas while laughing madly, seeing Lucas trying to escape his restraints. "Ah! to think after all of this you can still speak! It is amazing, isn''t it, how your mind still hasn''t been broken into thousands of pieces!" "You are truly incredible, Lucas! Even after 9 days of continuous torture, you still haven''t lost your sanity! Well, at least not all of it... but nonetheless! Be proud of yourself, Lucas! Most would''ve already been broken on the 3rd day!" ''W-what... 9 days... no...'' Lucas''s face couldn''t help but become pale as he heard that he had been here for 9 days. No one had come to rescue him yet. Every second in this hell felt like an eternity. His mind started to deteriorate even more as his hope was diminishing. Suddenly, space started fluctuating inside the room, creating gusts of winds. After a few seconds, the fluctuations disappeared, as did the gusts of winds. Lucas, though he couldn''t see, felt that something ominous appeared inside the room they were in, making his body shudder. "He. Had your fun already, Abadux~" ''Abadux? No... does that mean Father and William...'' "No. They were stronger than I anticipated, and before I could get serious... I detected a saint heading towards where I was fighting..." His voice made Lucas grit his teeth. His voice didn''t sound alive at all. He shouldn''t be allowed to talk. The voice of Abadux was so harrowing that it felt like thousands of glass shards were scraping the insides of Lucas''s ears. "A saint?" Karciel couldn''t help but narrow his red eyes at what Abadux said. "Impossible. I planned everything perfectly. There should be no Saint at this time, this close to Moon City to make it until another 2 or 3 days. I even sent a few lesser demons to distract them so they can play detective! You must have been mistaken and got scared!" "Silence." Abadux suddenly commanded, and his voice shook Lucas''s entire body with fear. "Whether the person or whomever was approaching was a saint or not, I knew I couldn''t fight them without destroying this body I have acquired." "Did you at least see the saint?" Karciel asked, still in doubt that a saint was actually already here. "No. All I saw was something like a huge star surrounded by white flames heading towards us at a speed I barely could follow. So I instantly fled here." "It won''t be long now until that saint or someone else traces me back here..." ''White flames... could it be?'' "Tch, how annoying it is to think I planned so much and all for it to go to waste because of an unexpected factor! Help me collect my stuff in the other room, and then we depart." Karciel said as both started heading out and collected whatever stuff they needed, leaving Lucas alone in the room. As Lucas was now left alone in the room, piecing together the conversation he heard, he couldn''t help but feel a little hope ignite in his heart again. Perhaps there was still a chance for him to be saved. It was getting harder for him to maintain his sanity in here. There were two things he dreaded the most in his time spent in this room. One was whenever he got tortured, no matter how gruesome, agonizing, or harrowing. In the end, Karciel would heal his body back to its previous top condition as if all of the pain was a mere dream, only for it to happen all over again. Only he would know what he went through, as every single detail of his suffering was engraved in his mind, making him shudder each time. The second was what he was currently experiencing. Time to time, Karciel would sometimes leave him here all alone... no one to be around him except the darkness that embraced him, making him drown in it. No one to share his suffering with, no one to console him, no one to help him. He hated it. He hated being all alone... he felt cold. ''Just... hold on... I need to hold on... just a little more...'' As he started resolving his mind a little and clung to the last bit of hope he had in the vast darkness, he suddenly heard an extremely cold familiar voice that made his heart tremble. "Pathetic." His eyes suddenly widened behind his supposed mask as his face shot up in the vast darkness around him. Even though it hurt like hell moving even an inch of his body, he tried his best, gritting his teeth and ignoring the pain. As he gazed in front of him, even though he wasn''t supposed to see anything or anyone, he saw a person. The last person he ever thought he would see in his entire life. The person he hated the most in both of his lives. The person he wanted to kill the most. The person had black clothes on, ensuring no one should be able to see him in the dark. Though that didn''t matter, since Lucas could see him perfectly even in the dark surrounding them. The person had pitch-black eyes as he coldly gazed straight down into Lucas''s eyes as he wasn''t wearing a blindfold anymore. He felt as if he was gazing into the abyss. His hair was the same as his eyes, matching each other. The person standing in front of him was Lucas himself. The person he was in his previous life... "What... how?" Lucas couldn''t help but ask in his hoarse voice as he was shaken to his core. Never did he think that he would have to see his old self again. This entire time he tried to get rid of his past and now... Now it''s standing right in front of him. "Pathetic. to think we have fallen so low" "How else? we are currently inside our mind" His former self said while shaking his head in disappointment "Just a few years of a little happiness and this is what we become after a little bit of suffering?" "Pathetic" "Shut up..." Hearing Lucas''s hoarse voice his former self couldn''t help but look at him in disdain "Tch. honestly just what am I seeing. You are just a former shell of what we used to be" "no... I am tryi-" Before Lucas could finish talking his former self cut him off as he coldly venomously spat "Trying what? to become a kind person? please what a load of crap! you have already changed in the worst possible way!" "no that is not..." "Not true? please not once have you considered a way to get out of this mess. Every single time you only begged for fucking mercy and clinged to some pathetic hope that someone will come rescue us!" "You haven''t even tried to think how to get out of this situation yourself! back then no matter how screwed we were we would find a way no matter how hard to get out of our troubles! no matter the cost!" "no... the cost we paid was... too much" "Too much? was it really? at least no one dared to mess with us back then. what? don''t tell me you still regret your actions back then?" "no...shut up..." "Do you regret what happened to Aushburn?" "shut up..." "Do you regret what happened to Frederick?" "shut up..." "Or what happened to Jeanne?" "Shut-" "Ah no it must have been Victor?" "no stop talk-" "Wait! Now I get it!" "No... don''t you dar-" "It was Alicia!" "SHUT UP!" "DONT YOU DARE SPEAK OF HER NAME!" Lucas suddenly shouted at himself with bloodshot eyes as his throat felt like it was being set on fire yet he didn''t care he was too angry to care right now "You have no right to speak that name ever!" Seeing his crazed state his former self just scoffed without an ounce of fear as a grin appeared on his face "We know you claimed not to know anything about love... yet what is this state you are in then? just merely mentioning her name makes you go this crazy." "NO! i-it wasn''t like that! I never loved her!" "Really? tell me who are you trying to fool here?" "N-no I..." "Stop this. stop trying to fool yourself any longer!" He suddenly coldly shouted at Lucas "you are no kind person!" "no i am tryin-" "stop trying! stop trying to reject yourself stop trying to run away from who you really are!" "You are a monster! even this new life recognizes that and gave you the chaos element which only meant for destruction!" "We, who have killed 26 people, and at least 18 of them were children who were innocent just because of a fucking dog we considered as a friend and some bullying!" "no... that..." "That what? There is a reason why you only posses the abilities meant for destruction. it is because that is all we are capable off!" "You are not meant to be a hero a savior. You are meant to be a villain a destroyer." "That is who we are." Lucas couldn''t say anything anymore. all he could do was grit his teeth with his head down as every word that was spoken by his former self felt like lightning that struck him. ''no matter how much I try to run... isn''t what he says the truth...'' "Good. don''t reject yourself anymore. show these people who we are. even if it takes a thousand years have your revenge on everyone who made you suffer! no matter the cost!" ''No I-i don''t want that anymore... not again.... again?'' "Stop running away. have you ever wondered why there are 2 progenitors of chaos instead of one? have you ever wondered who was pulling the strings behind your back? you have noticed right? the blade of chaos and the dragon egg it wasn''t just a coincidence. Stop running away from all of this even if your enemy is stronger stop running away and face him head on." "Are you just going to use this half dragon prides of yours as an excuse to come up for yourself?" "Tell me. What is our no your name?" Hearing his question he couldn''t help but grit his teeth harder and his body started to shake "Lucas Nightstar..." "no. not that name. our original name. our first name." "I-i don''t remember..." "stop lying." "I am no-" "I said stop Lying! if you cant remember make yourself remember! have you forgotten what they used to call you!?" "You were known as the infamous Reaper of Night!" "In this life you are known as The white Devil!" "You who is meant to conquer all! Stand above all! Rule all!" "Who are you!?" "My n-nam-" "WHO ARE YOU!?" "N-NOAH!" "D-dammit my name is Noah! Noah reaper of Night killer of thousands! the most dangerous human alive! Hunted by the entire damn fucking world!" Lucas shouted from the top of his lungs with his eyes wide open as his body trembled his breath became short and laboured. his body was covered in cold sweat as he grit his teeth and clenched his hands until they were pale white. Seeing Lucas now his old self couldn''t help but smile for the first time, a smile that would make almost any human terrified. "good. remember that. remember our no your past and never forget that ever again. make everyone understand who they are messing with even if it takes thousands of years." "Lets meet each other one day again..." Those were the last words Noah left behind before disappearing in the darkness ********** Karciel didn''t have much time anymore as he realized what Abadux said was true. He felt a huge spike of mana suddenly in the area he covered with his space element, making sure nothing escapes his senses. Even though a saint was currently rushing towards them, he wasn''t afraid since he could just teleport to another place he marked in time. So right now, he was standing in front of Lucas, who had his head down. "Ah! It looks like our date has to come to an end, Lucas! Alas, I can''t take you with me due to some circumstances, but do not worry. Fate will have it we will meet again in the future!" Karciel said as he gently brushed his sharp, grotesque fingers across Lucas'' cheeks. "Have you finally gone crazy? I heard you shouting some weird things in the other room," he asked Lucas. He couldn''t help but be disappointed as Lucas wasn''t responding to him and just had his head down. ''Has he finally been broken?'' he thought, sighing in disappointment as he started to head out. But right before he was about to exit the room, as he was about to open the door to leave, he heard Lucas'' hoarse voice speak to him. "Karciel." Surprised at Lucas suddenly mentioning his name, which he thought he must have forgotten, he turned around with a smile on his face, which quickly froze, as did his entire body. With his disheveled hair, his naked upper body covered with dried blood stains, and his face as well, he still relished how he broke every single bone in his body and the screams he made. If it wasn''t for the blood, he was sure that most females would start drooling at his current appearance. That same Lucas was currently looking straight into his eyes, even though he was still wearing a blindfold. He still felt Lucas'' gaze through it. And what was most disturbing about all of this was... He was wearing a menacing grin like some psychopath, with his face covered in dried blood. Seeing him made, for some reason, Karciel''s entire body shudder, as his heart started beating louder in his chest. He narrowed his eyes at the current situation. ''Something happened... he changed... his entire demeanor just changed...'' Before he could think of what happened to make him change so drastically like that, he heard Lucas chuckling. "What... why are you laughing? Have you gone mad?" "I have always been mad, you see... but that doesn''t matter anymore." "I swear on my name. You better fucking kill me right now, Karciel. If you don''t, I swear... I will hunt you down, no matter the cost... even if it takes me a thousand years, I will hunt you down to the ends of this universe. I will make you fucking pay everything a thousand folds for every single bit of suffering you have made me experience. I will make you beg for mercy as you grovel beneath my feet, not knowing anymore if death would be a mercy or not," Lucas spat with a mad grin on his face, making Karciel''s entire body turn cold. "You..." Before Karciel could even finish speaking, the entire room and the area he was in started trembling. Everything became warm as the heat started to melt a few of his empty potions on the ground. ''Shit, he is already here.'' before he left he turned towards Lucas again and spoke. "Seeing you... I can''t help but think which one of us is the actual demon here..." Those were the last words he said to Lucas before he teleported away. And then... Everything was engulfed in white flames... S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [AN: Ah, what an intense last few chapters we had. Well, it was necessary for Lucas. I think I like it when he suffers... perhaps I am a sadist. Suffer -> Character development -> Repeat!] Chapter 45 Lucas Nightstar, son of a viscount [6] Inside the torture chamber, engulfed in white flames, two people could be seen opposite each other.One was Lucas himself, with his disheveled snow-white hair and naked upper body covered in dried blood stains, much like his face, which almost matched his blood-red eyes with vertical pupils. He rubbed his wrists a little, as the restraints and blindfold had melted from the heat of the flames. Yet, unsurprisingly, the white flames never reached him or the man in front of him, causing no damage to either of them. The second person in the room was a man taller than Lucas, standing at least two meters tall. He had short grey hair and blood-red eyes like Lucas, along with a grey beard and a burly physique. There was an old cut, presumably from a blade, running from the top of his left eye to the end of his left cheek. White flames danced around a few parts of his body, and Lucas felt as if he were standing in front of an immovable colossal mountain, whose presence reeked of authority, rivaling that of the elven king Michael. Though most would cower in fear at such a being, Lucas wore only a silly smile as he gazed at the man, whose face was unreadable. "It''s been a while, gramps! How long has it been? Seven years since we last saw each other? Ha! To think you actually managed to become a saint," Lucas said, his voice still hoarse from the recent torture. Talking and moving still hurt like hell, but Lucas decided to ignore the pain as much as he could. After all, it had only been an hour since he was last tortured. The effects of all the potions that Karciel fed him would still probably take a day or two to fade away, at least physically... Magnus Nightstar, hearing Lucas''s nonchalant voice, didn''t answer and kept gazing at him amidst the dancing white flames surrounding them. His face didn''t show any emotions, yet Lucas didn''t need to see his face, as his eyes conveyed enough of the chaos he was feeling inside. Narrowing his eyes, Lucas scoffed as he spoke again, "Don''t tell me you''re feeling guilty? For what? For not arriving earlier? For taking so long to find me and save my fucking ass out of this hell I''ve been enduring for the past nine days? Are you perhaps feeling pity for me? Sympathy?" "Lucas..." Snapping out of his rambling, his grandfather''s heavy yet sorrowful voice interrupted. Hearing him, Lucas couldn''t help but look down in shame, gritting his teeth. "S-sorry, I didn''t mean to say all that. I am not in my right mind currently; please ignore what I said. This wasn''t your fault but my own." "Lucas, that isn''t true¡ª" Cutting him off, Lucas continued, "It is. It is my fault and no one else''s. I should have known this would happen when I carelessly revealed my identity as the White Devil. I should''ve taken more precautions. I am only to blame for this huge mess..." Seeing his state, all Magnus could do was walk right in front of him, attempting to grip his right shoulder gently, yet that mere action made Lucas unconsciously jump back. Realizing what he did, both stared wide-eyed at each other. "Ah, sorry, I¡ªI didn''t mean to..." Magnus understood his reaction and merely shook his head, cutting in, "It is alright. You don''t need to apologize, Lucas." As he spoke, he gazed straight into his grandson''s eyes and spoke with a heavy determination that would shake many if heard. "I promise you, Lucas, that I will find every single demon responsible for this and make them suffer for trying to mess with us Nightstars, especially that demon that made you suffer¡ª" "No," S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucas suddenly cut him off coldly, surprising him as his face changed for the first time at seeing Lucas now in front of him. His entire demeanor changed as he gazed straight back at Magnus, his eyes now so cold that they would make most dormant and awakened freeze their hearts. Red and black energy started chaotically surrounding Lucas''s body and around him. Heavy killing intent started filling the entire room, making the white flames dance even more chaotically. For a few seconds, Magnus found himself surrounded by thousands of dead bodies of women, men, and even some children. ''What... just how many people has he killed... since when... and why?'' Magnus was truly startled, a mere 15-year-old boy making a saint startled by his presence alone. Something many wouldn''t believe except Lucas''s family and even the elven royal family. Disrupting his thoughts was Lucas''s hoarse voice, cold but so chilling that it felt like the temperature of the room was starting to freeze even amidst the chaotic white flames that were dancing around them. "Karciel is mine. Mine alone. No one will ever lay a hand on him except for me. His life is mine to take. His death is mine to decide. I will be the one to make him suffer. I will be the one to have my revenge on Karciel. And no one else, not even you, grandfather." Hearing his words, which felt like a statement, an order, a command, just like that of a king, Magnus couldn''t help but narrow his eyes and ask his grandson, as he tried his best to suppress the grin that was threatening to form on his face. "And... what if I refuse and go after him myself?" "I wouldn''t let that happen." "And how would you do that? I have, after all, just become a saint. So how will you manage to stop me, my dear grandson?" Magnus said, greatly anticipating Lucas''s answer, while he heard the loud thumping of his heart against his chest. "Isn''t that answer simple?" Lucas declared. "I would become stronger than a saint." ****** Currently in the rebuilt mansion inside the Nightstar Estate were Alexander, Violet, William, Lucielle, Luna, and Lena. The fight where Alexander, William, and Dylan fought against Abadux and the viscount destroyed the entire Nightstar Estate. Luckily, unlike Lucas''s previous world, this world''s technology was so advanced that it didn''t take more than a few days to rebuild everything, which should have taken years. Dylan was currently patrolling Moon City with other knights and calming the citizens down, as all were still quite shaken up from finding out about the demon attack. Such a large-scale attack hadn''t happened in a long time inside the human domain, which required the immediate attention of the royal family and the government. They were sending their people, who should be arriving in a few days, to find out more about the situation. All the public knew was that demons had attacked the Nightstars, and the king was being extremely quiet, not giving any public statement for the time being. Alexander knew, though, that it was because they were all in chaos and setting up countermeasures everywhere inside every city to prevent such an attack from happening again. Naturally, the meeting with the king had to be canceled due to the attack, but also another thing which the public didn''t know about except for the king or anyone similar in status: Lucas Nightstar was kidnapped and missing. Nine days had passed since he was kidnapped right in front of Alexander''s eyes. All he wanted to do was go and shred every single demon in Myrniel until he found his son, but he knew he had to stay calm as his father was currently tracking the wraith that fled three days ago. They were in a stalemate in their fight, not because of the viscount but because of the cunning wraith, who was almost as strong as a Marquess-ranked demon. It was extremely hard to touch a wraith who could teleport around everywhere and was highly resistant to magic. They were lucky though, since Alexander''s father arrived on time. He broke through the Saint stage finally and felt the commotion going on in Moon City. The wraith sensing him and seeing a white flaming star charging directly towards the battlefield instantly fled. The viscount wasn''t so lucky, as he got cut down by William at that instant. When his father arrived, Alexander instantly just told him about what happened to Lucas as fast as he could, instead of greeting him. Hearing what happened, his father luckily didn''t waste any time and left as well, chasing after the wraith. The atmosphere currently was extremely somber. Everyone''s faces were grim as their heads were down. All of them were sitting on the couches as Lena and Luna were asleep on Lucielle''s lap, and Violet was crying while being embraced by Alexander tightly. "My son... please be alive..." She kept weeping the entire time, the moment she found out what happened to Lucas. All the rest could do was hang their heads down and wait for some news. Luckily, as if the gods had heard their prayers, they felt the atmosphere heating up and heard the sound of something fast and extremely loud shooting through the air. They didn''t wait for a second as each of them instantly ran towards the front yard of the mansion as Lucielle gently placed Lena and Luna without waking them up on the couch and followed. As they all arrived, they saw a white flaming star descending straight towards the front yard as well. Honestly, Alexander and William were worried that it might destroy everything again upon impact like last time, but luckily, the moment it was getting close to the ground, it slowed down considerably. As the huge white fireball finally landed on the ground, the white flames dissipated, revealing the figures of two people they hoped to see so badly. As each one of them looked towards the two, they all fell on their knees out of extreme relief and the fatigue that had been building up for the past three days, as they were in the same room waiting for any news, not knowing if Lucas was alive or not... "T-thank the gods..." Violet said under her breath, yet everyone could hear her relief as tears streamed down her cheeks. Seeing Lucas''s current appearance and the blood stains, each of their hearts felt like it was broken into thousands of pieces. They couldn''t and didn''t dare to imagine what he must have been through. Yet... At the very least... Lucas Nightstar is Alive. Chapter 46 Resolve Five days have passed since Lucas returned to the Nightstar Estate.The moment they collected themselves, his mother Violet instantly tried to rush towards him and hug him, ignoring his appearance. Yet, Lucas managed to stop her in time by stretching his bloodied hand in front of her, giving the excuse that it was better not to touch him due to all the dried blood and effects of the potions he took. They weren''t stupid; everyone there, including Violet, understood what he really meant when he asked not to be touched... After that, he went to his room and asked for some days alone to collect himself and rest, which they naturally had no choice but to oblige his request. It took at least 16 hours for most of the effects to leave his body. At the very least, he could finally fall asleep, and that is what he did. On the fifth day, he was still asleep on his bed, recovering. ********** Currently inside Lucas''s room was Violet as she was sitting on a chair besides Lucas''s bed, who was sleeping on the edge in front of her. His sleeping face was honestly quite cute as he seemed to be sleeping peacefully. The moment Lucas went inside his room, she waited until he fell asleep, even if it took almost 16 hours, so she could properly check up on him. After 2 days of continuously sleeping, she got worried that he wasn''t waking up and called for a doctor. Luckily, as the doctor examined him, he told her that he was just extremely exhausted and would wake up in a few days. After that, she hasn''t left his side and kept tending to him. Her health didn''t deteriorate, luckily, since Alexander or Lucielle kept checking up on her as well. Black bags could be seen beneath her eyes that had dried out from crying as she gently kept stroking Lucas''s cheeks. Even though she was relieved about his physical state, she was still worried sickly about his mental state, seeing how he didn''t let her get too close. "I am sorry, dear... I failed you as a mother," she said under her breath. Immense guilt was all that she felt currently as she gazed at her son. Like that, she sat there with her son as 5 hours had passed, and the sun started to set and the moon started to rise. Suddenly, Lucas''s eyes started to twitch and then fluttered open slowly, surprising Violet immensely, but she collected herself and backed away a little scared that she might frighten him. Still a little dazed from waking up after 5 days and feeling extremely sluggish, he pushed himself up against the side post of his bed. "Hmm? So the effects are finally gone, huh..." Lucas said a little tired as he noticed that his body is back to normal. Noticing a gaze directed at him, he turned to his right surprised seeing his mother there watching him silently with a small smile yet worried look. "Mom..." His heart felt like it was getting ripped apart as he saw the dry tear marks on her cheeks and the baggy eyes. "How are you feeling right now, dear?" She asked a little nervous still while in dilemma if she should approach him or not she doesn''t want to see such a reaction of him again when he rejected her 5 days ago... "A little sluggish but fine for the most part," Lucas said with a small smile as he looked down noticing he his wearing a sleeveless black t-shirt and black pajamas. He didn''t take a shower or anything like that because of the effects of the potions so he just lay down on his bed until he finally managed to fall asleep. It was a little embarrassing to know that someone must''ve dressed him but as long as it was his mother or Lucielle he didn''t mind it too much. "Are you sure you are fine? I could call a healer to come and check you again," snapping him out of his thoughts was his mother''s worried voice. ''Again?'' He was a little suspicious at what she meant with again but decided to let it go. "Mm, I am sure. I am feeling much better now; you don''t have to worry," Lucas said nonchalantly yet his mother didn''t really believe him. As he took a good look at his mother, he noticed she was fidgeting with her body a little. ''Why is she so nervous around me? And what is with this weird distance I feel between us...'' Suddenly he remembered that when he arrived with his grandfather, he was still a little out of it and didn''t let his mother approach him due to him not wanting to instinctively back away from someone touching him. ''I still hurt her in the end huh...'' Realizing why she is so nervous he got off the bed making his mother even more worried as she complained, "Lucas wait you should still lie down for now and rest a little more." "It is fine mom I must have been asleep for a few days right?" Lucas said as he started walking towards her. Arriving in front of her, his mother looked nervously at Lucas, not understanding what he is thinking currently. Suddenly surprising her even further and making her entire body go stiff was Lucas who suddenly gently embraced her. Realizing what happened her body relaxed as she hugged him back as her head was leaning on his chest since she was a head shorter than Lucas now. As she was finally relaxing and feeling the warmth of her son, she started noticing that his body was trembling, understanding that Lucas was pushing himself for her. She embraced him more tightly as she whispered, "It is okay... you are safe now, Lucas." "...I am sorry." Hearing his sudden apology in a hoarse voice, she looked up to him only to see his face turned sideways. He didn''t want his mother to see his expression right now. "Lucas... this isn''t your fault... you experienced something that no one ever should have, especially a child your age." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "No. I... I knew that revealing my identity as the White Devil would have consequences... I was arrogant and thought I could handle them all by myself. Everything that happened was my own fault; it was my punishment." Lucas spoke, still not meeting looking at her face and preventing her from seeing his. "...Punishment?" his mother asked bewildered, not understanding just what he did to deserve such punishment. "Yes... for being too arrogant... for being too weak... for taking this life of mine for granted... for being a coward... for acting like someone I am not..." He spoke each reason through gritted teeth. His mother looked surprised as she looked at the side of Lucas''s face as he told him his reasons. He wasn''t done... "I don''t want to experience these feelings ever again. I swear, Mom, I will not hold myself back anymore... I will destroy anyone from now on who threatens you or anyone else I care about. I will have my revenge on Karciel... no, not just him but the entire demon race; I will make each one of them suffer. I will make anyone suffer who stands in my way. I will destroy anyone who dares to stop me. Even if the world will hate me ''again''. I want to make sure I enjoy my life no matter the cost and live with everyone I care about peacefully in the end. Even if I sound selfish, I will not stop until I reach my goals." Lucas said with great resolve as his eyes darkened a little, any normal person hearing him would start to fear him and get as far as possible away from him. As Lucas turned his head slowly around, scared to see his mother''s reaction and finally saw the expression on her face, his heart trembled, and his eyes widened as his mother was... smiling. She was smiling while looking straight into Lucas''s eyes with relief and pride in her own eyes. "I see..." She said as she placed both of her hands on each side of Lucas''s cheeks, cupping them gently. "I am glad, dear. Glad that you finally found a path you want to take. Just know that as your mother, I will always support you on your path and never hate you even if everyone else does..." ''It is almost exactly what father said... are they both crazy? No... this is what actual parents are, something that... My previous self couldn''t understand.'' "I see... thanks, Mom," Lucas said as he genuinely smiled for the first time since the incident. He felt like the chains that bound his entire two lives were finally gone. He felt like he could see more clearly now. He felt like he could breathe much easier now... He felt free. Chapter 47 Recovering Three more days have passed since Lucas woke up.It was a little awkward and hard to talk to everyone at first after everything that happened, but after a few hours, they warmed up to each other. At least that was true for everyone except for Luna. She was feeling guilty again that she wasn''t there and kept crying in his embrace after not seeing him for more than 9 days. It took Lucas an entire day just to comfort and spoil her until she calmed down. He also got much closer with Lena after everything. Though she didn''t understand everything that happened, she was smart enough to know that Lucas went through something horrible. Yesterday, two royal guards and one person from the government came by to ask for more details of everything that happened. His father naturally talked the most about the wraith he fought since it was a new type of enemy they had never encountered, making everyone nervous. He didn''t have much information about the count-ranked demon except from Lucas. Since these people knew that Lucas was kidnapped by him, they wanted to question him. Naturally, his father got enraged by that and was about to kill the lot of them without hesitation of their ranks, but Lucas stepped in on time, calming him down and saying that he didn''t mind telling them. He just told them about what he experienced for those 9 days and lied to them that Karciel didn''t ask any questions to him and simply tortured him. He even went into detail about what Karciel did to him, making them all feel weird, including his father. They weren''t shocked because of the details since this wasn''t the first time they heard about torture or seen it. What disturbed them most was... how calm Lucas was telling everything, as if it didn''t bother him. After that, they decided to leave under the threatening gaze of his father. Currently, Lucas was again in the training grounds but this time by himself. He was sitting cross-legged and had his eyes closed as if he was meditating. He was close... Lucas felt that he was extremely close to breaking through to the next substage of his star level. ''Any moment now...'' He was guiding the mana in the atmosphere into his body. He kept making the mana enter his veins and letting them spread out to every part of his body. Ranking up to the next star level always hurt. This process is done by everyone no matter if you are a mage or swordsman; you need mana from the atmosphere to enter and refine the body or the aura inside your body to get stronger by training. For Lucas, though, since he was extremely talented and had the special talent dual wielder, he could advance in both at the same time easily. Of course, this meant he had to train even more than the average mage or swordsman who wanted to become a famous hero or adventurer. The process should hurt even more for someone like Lucas as well due to being a dual wielder. But since he was a half dragon, it was surprisingly much easier than before for him to absorb mana in the air. So he only had to properly focus on his aura by himself, and it didn''t hurt as much as it should. In fact, it barely hurt at all. If his theory is correct, then that means the extinct race of dragons before could have easily advanced to the next star level, standing easily above any other race except for the demons. Perhaps there were many saints even before in the dragon race. ''I wonder how they perished...'' Lucas believes that the dragons had achieved stages higher than Saint. He is sure of it. Perhaps there are even some in Myrniel who have reached a higher stage than Saint. if that were true... almost every race in Myrniel would be thrown into chaos... sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he was lost in thought, he suddenly felt his body heating up and his body starting to absorb even more mana in the atmosphere at a much faster rate. Gusts of winds were starting to form around him as his snow-white hair kept dancing around. He felt the mana starting to course and violently dance inside every inch of his body as more and more kept coming in. He gritted his teeth hard to stop himself from groaning from the weird sensation he was feeling. Suddenly the weird sensation was gone, and he stopped trying to absorb more mana since he felt a change in his body. He opened his eyes as he took some deep breaths. Clenching his hands, he felt how the quality and quantity of his mana changed. He felt much stronger now. "It really is true what they say... the higher you advance, the higher the difference becomes... I wonder how many times I should''ve died if it wasn''t for all the abnormal things I possessed." "...Hahah! I am starting to understand why I am titled as an Anomaly!" Having the chaos element. Being a dual wielder which only the future Hero Klaus Ceviel should have. Being a half dragon. Having a baby dragon as a soul bond. Already reaching the High 6-star level as a mage and being a Mid 6-star level swordsman. ''I should try to become a High 6-star level swordsman before the academy'' "I wonder how much chaos the world will be in after I reveal myself in the academy as the strongest champion. I wonder how strong the other champions are... Well, the only one who is currently known closest to my level of this generation is Sylv. The future hero of humanity should catch up to us soon with his talent, after he can properly train in the academy, perhaps even some other champions or some dark horses will surprise me." Honestly, Lucas didn''t really need to go to the academy for the purpose of advancing star levels. If he wanted to get stronger, he could just keep training here, but there were some advantages to going. He could start honing his powers more there under the guidance of the teachers. Though he had William and Lucielle, they didn''t have a lot of time to train him and mostly just taught him the basics of mana control, spells, and swordplay perfectly. After that, he had to improve a lot on his own when he was adventuring in Myrniel as Noctis. Inside the academy, he could just focus on training more and improving his spells and swordsmanship without having to deal with any other annoying issues. Perhaps there were people in his generation who were more skilled with the sword and magic, but unlike them, who weren''t as crazy as Lucas, he has much, much more experience than them. In the end, his main purposes of going to Shield are getting stronger while at the same time trying to experience his academy life, which he never really got the chance to back when he was Noah. ''A monster...'' Remembering the words of his previous self, he couldn''t help but scoff as a grin appeared on his face. "Heh. Noah, you said that I am destined to become a villain. A destroyer. That I cannot change. You are right; I shouldn''t hide from my past anymore, but I won''t be the same person I was before either. Perhaps you are right... perhaps it is my fate to become a villain. But... If that is true. Then... I will simply destroy my own Fate." Chapter 48 The White Devil vs The God of Fire [1] "Are you ready?""As much as I can be when fighting against a Saint," Lucas scoffed as he answered Magnus'' question. Only a week is left before the academy entrance exam, and Lucas was planning to leave tomorrow for The capital, Zaphyr where Shield is. Ever since he has returned from being kidnapped by Karciel, he has been training by himself, honing his spells with Lucielle or improving his swordsmanship with William. Of course, he spent as much time as he could with his family, but it was mainly with Lena the most since their parents were most of the time busy. Both brother and sister have gotten awfully close to the point that Lena didn''t want to leave Lucas'' side and wanted to sleep with him as well. He really didn''t mind, so Lucas let her sleep with him most of the time as well after their parents allowed for it. As he was preparing to get ready for his departure tomorrow, his grandfather, who he hasn''t seen for some reason after he saved him and brought him back to the Nightstar Estate, barged into his room suddenly, asking, no demanding for a duel. Lucas, not having a choice really, accepted the duel, and so now they were currently at the training grounds of the Nightstar Estate facing each other, getting ready to fight. His entire family was on the sidelines watching with Lucielle, William, and even Dylan. "I will be only using spells, and I will limit myself to your level, so you don''t need to worry about me killing you since you can tank most of the spells that are of the same level of your current star level, right?" ''The quality of your spells will still be better though... so how can you limit the quality of your mana? Is that a perk of being a saint?'' Seeing him pondering so much, Magnus couldn''t help but smirk and tease him. "Heh, what is it? Are you doubting me, my grandson? You are not afraid, are you? After all, weren''t you the one who said that you would surpass the saint stage even? You aren''t going to back down like a coward now, are you?" Hearing him provoke him, his lips twitched a little. ''Seriously... does he really think that would work on me...'' As he thought about the stupid provocation that obviously didn''t work, both suddenly heard a cold chilling voice making bodies shudder. "Hey." "Speak like that to my son again, and I will make you fasten your retirement plans." His mother suddenly spoke in a voice so chilling that made everyone break out in a cold sweat, especially his father Alexander, who tried to take a few steps back with William. A black type of energy could be seen seeping out of her body slowly. ''Shadow magic...'' Lucas gulped at seeing his mother actually getting so angry. It looks like she still hasn''t recovered from almost losing him back when Nightstar Estate got attacked. "A-ah, please calm down, my dear daughter! I-it was just a joke, I didn''t mean it! Lucas understood that right, Lucas?" "Y-yeah, it is alright, mom, don''t worry, I am fine." Hearing them both, she calmed down, and the shadow energy she was releasing disappeared, making everyone silently sigh out of relief as she grabbed Lena and carried her in her arms. All Lena could do was look at her brother with pleading eyes asking for help. Seeing the pleading eyes of his little sister, he used every strength inside his body to turn away from those eyes. ''Sorry... your sacrifice won''t be in vain, little sis.'' Snapping him out of his thoughts was his grandfather who coughed. "Right... shall we start?" "Mm, sounds good." Confirming he was ready without getting the chance to take another breath, a white fireball suddenly launched at a speed he barely could follow at him. Even though [danger sense] was warning him, it wasn''t fast enough until the fireball was a meter from his face. All he could do was crouch on instinct as he managed to barely dodge the fireball from taking his entire face off. The fireball exploded on itself after a few meters, creating a loud white explosion and strong gust of winds. Luckily, the spectators can protect themselves and the others like Lena and Luna, who was on top of Lena''s head. ''W-what the.. how can it be so fast!.'' "Keep your eyes ahead, Lucas! Never look back!" "And never be lost in thought mid-battle!" His grandfather shouted as his heavy voice boomed across the field. Two more white fireballs shot towards him, but this time he was more prepared and easily dodged them by sidestepping to the left and right as both exploded again behind him. "Didn''t you say you would limit yourself at my level!?" Lucas shouted at Magnus. These fireballs were clearly not the level of a master stage mage. "I am. I will be only using fire-type spells on the level of a peak 7-star level mage. Not everyone has the capabilities like us Lucas to advance to the next stage. So instead they hone their spells to the max creating what you have just seen." ''I see...'' "Very well. Then I won''t hold back. You can take it right? After all... you are a saint, no?" Lucas said as a grin appeared on his face and a subtle glint in his eyes. "Heh, do your best as defeat will be inevitable." As Magnus responded to Lucas'' provocation, he did exactly what he said. Lucas suddenly aimed his right hand at Magnus, and a huge beam of red and black energy shot towards him that destroyed the ground beneath. Magnus narrowed his eyes out of wariness at seeing the spell that was causing destruction at everything that stood on its path. Magnus easily dodged [chaos beam] as if it was nothing, of course, but then as he looked at Lucas, he was suddenly gone. He forgot that his grandson was a monster who not only was a progenitor of a new element but can wield space magic. At a speed that Lucas barely could follow as he was behind Magnus and was about to unleash another [chaos beam]. His grandfather stomped his right foot on the ground, and a pillar of white flames erupted in front of Lucas, making him jump back to a safe distance from the heat. As the pillar of flames disappeared, he saw 5 spears of white flames that were about to reach him. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Chaos infusion] Lucas whispered another spell as his body started merging with the chaos energy, enhancing his physical abilities temporarily. Making him easily dodge the spears of fire as he started dancing around them as Magnus kept sending more spears of fire and fireballs at him. Having enough of this and not wanting to waste more mana than needed for keeping the spell active, he stopped suddenly and whispered another spell. [Chaos devourer] Suddenly a wall of red and black energy appeared in front of Lucas as all the spears and fireballs started getting absorbed by it. "What?" "Did the spell just disappear?" He heard Magnus and his father exclaim out of shock as he felt his mana getting replenished as all the spells his grandfather launched was getting devoured rapidly. [Chaos Devourer] might seem overpowered, but Lucas knew if he used it one or two more times serious consequences would start happening as his body won''t be able to handle and start getting destroyed from the inside. Some small internal damage has already happened from using the spell, but since he is a half-dragon, his body was regenerating from the inside even though it was at a slow pace. The only reason he can even use this spell is that he has a much stronger body than other races. If any other race would use the spell he did they would destroy their bodies in an instant except for demons. Perhaps if a saint with the chaos affinity tried they might be able to handle it once or twice... The chaos element doesn''t give anything for free. If it replenishes your mana, it will always demand for something else. As all the spells were devoured, he canceled his spell before more consequences could start happening since using it without it devouring any spells it would start trying to eat Lucas mana instead. Looking at his grandfather who was a distance away with his hands behind his back, he could see a bloodthirsty grin appear on his face. ''Now I see how father became a battle maniac... it is because of this freak.'' "Lucas. Don''t tell me that was all you had? I expected more from a half-dragon and a progenitor!" ''Again, does he think that he is actually provoking me?'' Lucas said a little annoyed inside his mind. But... A grin appeared on his face as well, matching his grandfather''s. ''Ah, Fuck it... how long has it been since I genuinely let loose!'' "Alright, you fucking asked for this." Lucas said without care anymore as suddenly chaotic energy of red and black shot out of him. Strong gusts of winds started appearing around the entire field. Luna suddenly felt her connection with Lucas deepen and getting stronger. As they all looked back at Lucas, every single one of them felt a chill run down their spine. His entire body and face couldn''t be seen anymore as it was covered with red and black energy swirling around him. Only his red eyes, which were glowing immensely, could be seen. A low growl could be heard coming out of Lucas. The sound felt as if it came from the depths of his very being. A sound that made each of them unconsciously step back. The sound wasn''t anything remotely human. It felt as if a being of the highest order was in front of them. Magnus realizing that he just took a step back, he, a saint, just took a step back by someone who is only a master... His grin turned even more mad as his heart started to pound against his chest louder and louder. His body was starting to tremble out of excitement. ''Ah... such a wonderful feeling!'' "Prepare." As he was rejoicing at the feeling of taking a step back by his own grandson who only is a master, he and everyone else heard a voice that was so deep and full of authority that it made almost Lena, Dylan, and Lucas'' mother want to bow their own heads down if it wasn''t for Alexander and William releasing their aura and mana to prevent any mental attacks from accidentally hitting them... or whatever that voice was. That voice that sounded so inhuman... That didn''t sound like Lucas at all... A voice of a dragon. Chapter 49 The White Devil vs The God of Fire [2] Powerful...He felt so much more powerful right now. He felt like he could breathe and move much easier. He could see much farther now with his eyes. His physical abilities got enhanced much more than when he used [Chaos Infusion]. He could feel the mana in the air being passively absorbed into his body now even more. It was all coursing through his veins. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His mana pool has increased by bounds rivaling at least those of high to peak 7-star level mages. He felt so much more free that he couldn''t help but let out a low satisfied growl. ''I need to hurry; I can''t keep my form up for long...'' Currently, Lucas could only hold onto his dragon form for about 10 minutes once a week without having any dangerous consequences come onto him. Some might think that it was better to save this form for the entrance exam in Shield, but he would never reveal all his cards like that. He wasn''t someone like the hero who wanted to show off to the world without reason. No... perhaps he does have a reason he shouldn''t judge. But in the end, it doesn''t matter. He won''t reveal himself being a half-dragon to the entire world; that would be plain stupidity... Realizing he was lost in thought again, he snapped out of it and eyed his grandfather who was watching him like a madman as his body trembled violently with a bloodthirsty grin that would make most cower in fear. Luckily, his mother already shielded Lena from looking at the fight anymore as Luna distracted her as well. "Prepare." Lucas deeply said as he suddenly bent his knees as the ground beneath cracked even more. And in the next second, he launched himself towards Magnus at a speed that was almost impossible to catch unless you were a mid 7-star level. The man dubbed as the god of fire didn''t even try to dodge as he saw Lucas launching himself at him while the ground beneath him kept exploding apart. Instead, he did something which would be considered foolish for someone who is normally a mage. But who was he? He was a fucking saint, someone who is considered to be one of the strongest. Seeing his grandfather not moving away an inch, he pulled back his right arm and clenched his hand tightly. Arriving in front of him, he punched out intending to hit his face yet Magnus easily blocked his fist by crossing his arms in front of him. ''Strong!'' His grandfather didn''t even move an inch from his spot as it felt like he was punching a mountain made out of titanium. The collision made the ground underneath them explode as gusts of winds violently swirled around. Seeing that he was dealing no damage, he started throwing barrages of punches at his crossed arms as shockwaves started to form in the air. Yet... No matter what he did, Magnus didn''t move an inch as his face still had that annoying grin. Jumping a few meters back as he saw that he wasn''t doing any damage to him, he let out a low frustrated growl. "Hahahaha! Amazing that actually tickled!" Magnus exclaimed while laughing. ''Tickled!? Aren''t you supposed to be a mage? How is your body so strong!'' Lucas screamed inside his mind. Frustrated, he kept launching himself over and over again at Magnus as he sent countless punches and kicks towards him that generated numerous shockwaves yet he effortlessly tanked all of them each time. ''I can''t continue much longer in this form... looks like I am way too weak to deal physical damage to a saint.'' Backing away once again, he suddenly felt the atmosphere heat up as he heard the deep voice of Magnus resounding. "My turn." As his grandfather said, a huge wave of white flames was coming straight towards him engulfing the entire ground at the same time. ''Shit! I didn''t even notice him casting that spell so I could use [chaos cut].'' As he saw the wall of flames approaching, he used [teleportation] to get out of the range as he luckily made it in time as the white flames devoured his previous spot. Yet... As if mocking him without getting the chance to collect himself, he looked up in the sky and saw a rain of white fire descending straight to him. ''You have to be fucking joking...'' "You better have a way to counter it if you don''t want to be burnt alive!" Lucas was truly astonished at just how much mana a saint could have to cast such large-scale spells over and over. And that as well as he was limiting himself to the point that he should be able to handle most of his grandfather''s spells. ''Seems like the perfect opportunity to try this spell I have been thinking about using for a while... but all of my mana will be drained using this spell even in this form if it works.'' Lucas said as he aimed his right hand towards the rain of white flames that was descending on him while gritting his teeth. ''This better work!'' Suddenly as he directed his mana towards his hand, he felt a stinging pain in his head as the spell he was about to cast was being harmful towards his body and his mana was starting to dance violently in his body. Sweat started rolling down his face yet no one could see it as he was still in his half-dragon form which he couldn''t keep much longer unless he wanted to take permanent damage. He gritted his teeth even harder than before as his body started visibly trembling, and the chaos energy around started to violently swirl around him even more. As the rain of fire started to get even closer, he finally managed to grasp the spell and instantly activated it. [Noir] Everyone heard a sound of something being torn apart as they gazed at the sky they suddenly saw a black sphere appear as the rain of fire above the sphere suddenly stopped. Gazing at the sphere, nothing could be seen except an endless void that made everyone feel uncomfortable, including Magnus as he furrowed his brows. Suddenly a chill ran down everyone''s spine, including Magnus, as they realized what spell Lucas just cast. A BlackHole... He created a black hole... There are barely any mages with the space element in this age of time, and most aren''t combat mages so not many spells are known meant for fighting. Theoretically it was possible to create such a spell, but... Seeing a black hole suddenly being created reminded them of the stories their parents used to tell about how, in the first golden generation, mages could effortlessly create such phenomena. "Beautiful..." Everyone could hear Magnus exclaim yet no one objected to what he said. As harrowing as the spell itself was, it was strangely at the same time just beautiful... As they marveled at the black hole in the air, they suddenly felt that it was getting hard to breathe. And then... The rain of fire which was paused in the air suddenly all got sucked in by the black hole like a vacuum which no one could stop. All of it got sucked in so fast that it took less than 3 seconds for everything to be gone. As the rain of fire instantly disappeared so did the black hole. Still awestruck at the sight of something which they only heard stories about, Lucas suddenly fell on his knees as his half-dragon form came undone. He was panting heavily as sweat was visible on his face and his body was trembling a lot. His face was extremely pale as he suddenly started violently coughing out blood. "Lucas!" His mother exclaimed worriedly as she ran to him as they all heard his coughing making them snap out of their daze. And then... He fell unconscious. Chapter 50 Zaphyr "Reckless! Just how reckless can the both of you be?"Violet shouted at Lucas and Magnus as she coldly gazed down at them, seated on the couch in front of her. Currently, it was nighttime as she scolded both of them for the ''spar'' they had four hours ago. Just half an hour ago, Lucas woke up in his bed after he fell unconscious from using all his mana. "Did you think about what would happen if Lucas didn''t manage to counter your spell?" "You don''t need to worry; I knew he would do something to get out of that situation," Magnus tried to reason. "You knew? How would you know? Is that some sort of special ability of a saint?" "Liste-" "Shut up, enough of those excuses of yours," his mother said coldly to Magnus. Hearing her cold voice, he instantly shut up, not wanting to kick the hornet''s nest even further. "And you," she suddenly turned towards Lucas, who was trying to be so still that perhaps she had forgotten his presence. "Have you gone mad? You are about to leave tomorrow for the academy, so I thought it was good for you to have a light spar with your grandfather to loosen up. But instead, you and him didn''t spar but decided to use such devastating spells on each other as if you wanted to kill the other! What if you lost control of the situation, and the cost wasn''t just mana exhaustion? You could have killed yourself with how dangerous each spell you cast was!" Her mother said, not in a cold voice but in an extremely worried tone as tears welled up in her eyes. "...I am sorry, mom... I didn''t mean to make you worry this much." Lucas said guiltily, his head down, as he really didn''t intend to make her worry. He was fighting a saint and knew it wouldn''t be easy to go against him even if he was limited. He knew that this spar was the perfect opportunity to test out some new spells he never got the chance to try. He realized that after seeing how powerful each spell he cast was and was even more sure that he wouldn''t be able to lay a scratch on him after even his half-dragon form was nothing against him. He wanted to do something... he didn''t want the fight to end so anticlimactically. "I-I already lost you almost once, Lucas... please, I don''t want to go through that pain ever again..." Her mother said as Lucas snapped his head up, gazing at her face, seeing tears streaming down her face as Magnus just could only look down himself. Standing up, he gently embraced her. "I am sorry... I promise, mom, I won''t do something like this ever again..." "So please stop crying; it hurts me as well when you cry..." Lucas spoke softly as he caressed her soft hair while she cried in his embrace. ''Noah... perhaps you are right, maybe I really am a monster even in this life but... at least this time I won''t mind being one I won''t unlike last time lose my reason for being one... perhaps I am a coward but unlike you... I won''t have any regrets. not ever again...'' ********** S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was awestruck. As he came out of the mana teleporter and exited the building it resided in, he was simply awestruck as he viewed the capital, Zaphyr. Zaphyr was the capital in the human domain, as well as where Shield is located. Strangely enough, the royal family doesn''t reside inside the capital. Zaphyr is also dubbed as the capital of Myrniel, where all races come together. Even though it was in the human domain, no one actually minded, or at least the higher-ups didn''t. Human domain or not, there wasn''t any bias in the capital, as every race would be treated equally. The capital looked even better than Moon City; it was even more advanced and futuristic than Moon City. Tall, beautiful skyscrapers pierced the clouds. Different types of cars hovered around the city as the streets were filled with life. Humans, dwarves, beastfolk, elves, and a variety of other races could be seen walking around. "Fufu. is it your first time here, Lucas? Didn''t you come here while you were out adventuring?" His mother, who was next to him, asked as she enjoyed the expression he was making since it was rare seeing him break his calm demeanor. But it wasn''t just him; in her arms was Lena, with Luna nestled on top of her head. Both were as awestruck as Lucas was as they gazed at the capital. "Pretty..." Lena said as her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Mm, I avoided going to the capital since it seemed too troublesome... I slightly regret that now, though..." "[Father... can I go explore?]" Luna asked with enthusiasm; she really wanted to go and adventure out in the capital. "Not yet, Luna; let''s first get settled in our hotel and unpack our stuff there." "The driver should arrive any moment now, Young Master and Madame," Lucielle said from behind as next to her was Dylan. They didn''t bring anyone else since these two would suffice as the capital was already an extremely safe place where fighting was almost impossible. Especially with the recent demon attack at the Nightstar Estate, a huge fuss was created, and extra security measures had been taken in the capital and almost every other city. His father couldn''t come, and neither could William since it was best for both to stay at Moon City as they still have to deal with the aftermath of the demon attack and control the public since a rumor has started to spread inside the city that the Nightstars have a saint. "Mommy! Let''s go, I want to explore!" Lena said with excitement as she gazed with her innocent sparkling eyes directly at their mother''s eyes, making an arrow pierce the hearts of anyone watching. ''Damn, she is adorable!'' Lucas thought. "Fufu. calm down, dear, didn''t you hear what your brother just told Luna? We are going to the hotel first and rest a little bit. After that¡ª" "But! I wanna go now!" She said impatiently as tears were starting to appear in her eyes. Seeing the situation might escalate and not wanting her to cry, especially in public before anyone recognizes them, he approached her and gently wiped the tears away. "Don''t cry, okay? How about after we unpack, we go buy some candy together?" "Really!?" She said as her whole demeanor changed again to excitement. ''Seriously...'' "Lucas. Don''t spoil her too much; she already ate some snacks yesterday," their mother said sternly, not wanting Lena to get her way every time she is about to cry. Hearing her mother''s words, she started pouting and turned away as if emphasizing she was angry. "Hmph!" He just smiled at the scene, finding it quite amusing as he started patting Lena''s head, who closed her eyes enjoying his touch. "It''s fine, isn''t it? Today is a special day, after all. We should just enjoy ourselves for the time being," Lucas said as his mother in the end finally relented, albeit reluctantly, making Lena break out in a big smile. It looks like his mother can''t say no to him after everything that happened... Chapter 51 Shield Academy Shield AcademySaid to be the most prestigious and best academy in all of Myrniel, only the most elite and talented could join the academy. And that is only if they pass the entrance exam of Shield. In Shield, everyone is equal. It doesn''t matter what status or race you are. All that matters is that you have strength. The academy is meant to nurture their students into heroes. Though that is what they say at least... Currently, Lucas was standing in front of the academy as it was bustling with people of various races entering. He was wearing some wireless headphones. Yes... He finally bought a phone, and not only that but also some wireless headphones, while listening to classical music. Even in his previous life, he always preferred classical music as it calmed his mind most of the time. Mozart and Beethoven were his favorites to listen to. Today was the entrance exam of the academy. He was dumbfounded as he gazed at the ''academy.'' It looked like a whole mini-city instead! He could see three different paths that led to the academy. The first path was for those who wanted to join the academy, and they would have to do various tests first to see if they were even qualified to participate in the entrance exam. At least 80% of the people on the first path would fail the tests. The second path was for those who wished to watch the entrance exam. His mother, who was with Lena, Luna, Lucielle, and Dylan, must already be inside one of the exclusive rooms where they would watch the entrance exam, as they left earlier than him. A privilege a mere viscount family shouldn''t have... Lucas was currently taking the third path as he arrived in front of a gate with a guard standing by. This path was meant for high nobles or famous people that would cause a ruckus if they took the first path. So much for equality... Not many people were on this path as he took off his wireless headphones and put them in his [inventory]. "Name?" the guard asked without glancing at him, as he kept watching some list on the board he was holding. ''In this day and age?'' "Lucas Nightstar." Hearing his name, the guard suddenly snapped his head towards him. He kept looking at his face as if scrutinizing him. Lucas was used to this ever since he arrived in Zaphyr. Rumor of being The White Devil, rumor of being involved in the kidnapping attempt of the elven princess, rumored to rival even her who is the strongest champion currently, and the recent attack on the Nightstar estate¡ªLucas was basically a celebrity at this point. Though he didn''t show anything on his face, he kept his unfazed and calm demeanor. After a while, the guard realized that he was taking too long and snapped out of it. "R-right, apologies. You may enter. Please keep going straight until you reach the main academy building." Hearing him, Lucas nodded as the gate opened and finally entered Shield. ''I wonder if Sylv is already here...'' ******** After some more walking, since any vehicle isn''t allowed in the academy, he arrived in front of the main building. It was honestly quite huge, but as futuristic as it was, it was also beautiful, filled with green life at the same time. Looks like the academy wants to make all races comfortable. Entering the main building, he found a reception desk meant for those who were qualified for the entrance exam. Walking towards the reception, he saw an old woman with glasses typing something on the computer. ''How come she isn''t as old-fashioned as that guard...'' "Name?" "Lucas Nightstar." The same scene happened again like with the guard. But not just that, the moment he said his name, the entire room got awfully quiet as they silently all gazed at Lucas. After a while, she snapped out of her daze as well and apologized. "Please follow the hallway to the right and enter room number 12." Lucas nodded and did what she said while ignoring the annoying gazes. Arriving in front of the room, he heard sounds of people talking lively and enjoying themselves. As he opened the door and entered the full white room with no windows or anything, he gazed at every person inside. He didn''t see Sylv anywhere, as she must not have arrived or was probably in another room. The room suddenly became dead silent. Everyone''s gaze turned towards Lucas. Annoyed, yet not showing anything on his face, he calmly walked towards one of the walls and sat down, closing his eyes. As he tried to enjoy the peaceful quiet, which he actually just found awkward, he could hear the people inside start whispering. "Hey, is that..." "Lucas Nightstar, who is known to be The White Devil..." "S-scary... just being in the same room as him feels like I can''t breathe properly..." "Yeah, tell me about it..." ''Huh!? What do you mean scary? I haven''t even done anything to all of you!'' Lucas screamed inside his mind, though his face remained calm as if he didn''t hear them say anything. "It is rumored, right? That he rivals the elven princess..." "Crazy... this whole year is crazy. How are we supposed to pass this entrance exam?" "R-right, I already heard that the second hero of humanity is here and also the elven princess..." ''Hmm? So she is already here, but then she must be in another room, huh.'' "It isn''t just that... I heard a rumor that one of the three great dukes'' sons is attending the academy as well. Leonne Velheim." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Not only that, even the daughter of Richard Frostheart, who is the founder of the number one guild in the human domain, Frost Guild, is rumored to be here as well. Amaya Frostheart." "C-crazy... this whole year is crazy." "No wonder our generation is called the second golden generation..." "All of these people are champions... and one of them is currently in the same room as us." "Holy shit..." "But those are rumors, right? Perhaps they aren''t real." "You think these rumors just appeared out of thin air? Just look at him, I can already tell that he is just above us all." "Yeah, you are right..." "Monsters... This whole year is filled with monsters..." ''Looks like this entrance exam is going to be quite interesting.'' Suddenly, all the whispers and Lucas'' thoughts came to a halt as they all felt the presence of someone appearing in the room. Without anyone noticing, a man wearing a black suit with black hair and grey eyes was suddenly standing in the middle of the room. Lucas snapped his eyes open and narrowed them at the mysterious man. ''A grandmaster, huh... and was that space magic or something else?'' Before he could think any further, the man spoke. "Welcome to Shield Academy. I am one of the teachers here in the academy. My name is Julius Cordis. Now, if you all would please follow me, we can finally begin the entrance exam." As he said that, a door suddenly appeared on the wall behind him and opened. Everyone, without objecting, followed the man inside the room and saw comfortable chairs for all of them with a headset on top of those seats connected with some thick and long cables into the ground. ''Aren''t those VR headsets?'' "For the entrance exam, you will all be sent with the other participants that are in the other rooms into a virtual post-apocalyptic city that is overrun with monsters. You don''t need to worry, as when you get killed by a monster, you will simply be sent back to reality, but that would mean instant disqualification." "What you must do to pass the exam and enter the academy, you will know once you enter the virtual world." "Now, any questions?" No one asked a question since it was pretty straightforward and easy to understand. "Good. Please select a seat and wear the headset so the exam can finally begin." He ordered, and everyone picked a seat and started wearing the headset on their heads. As Lucas wore the headset, he only saw darkness surrounding him as he looked around. After 10 more minutes, he heard a voice coming from the room he was still in. "The exam shall now begin," Julius said as Lucas suddenly saw countless stars appearing in his vision. In the next second, he felt his consciousness being pulled somewhere as he didn''t resist the sensation. The last thing he heard before his consciousness finally slipped away was Julius saying "I wish all of you the best of luck." Chapter 52 Survive As Lucas regained his consciousness and opened his eyes slowly, he found himself on a broken highway surrounded by rubble and old abandoned cars that resembled those of his previous world.Standing up, he checked his surroundings only to feel melancholic. He saw broken, abandoned buildings, their rubble being everywhere. As he felt the warm sunlight on his skin, he pinched his arm and could feel the pain. Everything felt so real that it brought back some old, painful memories... Everything around him resembled chaos and destruction. "Still, it really is incredible that everything feels so real..." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he said that, he tried to summon the Blade of Chaos, and somehow even that was possible. "How does that even work? Is it because it is connected with my soul?" Lucas didn''t ponder too much since he knew that he wouldn''t get an answer to this question. Placing the sword at his right waist, he began walking around. He found himself alone, as everyone else who was with him in the room must have been teleported somewhere else. "Now what?" As he said that, he suddenly heard the sound of something on his wrist. Glancing at it, he saw he was wearing a modern watch with a golden shield logo on it. Tapping on it, a holographic screen appeared in front of him: ------------------ Name: Lucas Nightstar Year: ??? Rank: ??? Status: Entrance Exam Objective: Survive and kill the 3 Great Calamities Time limit: 2 weeks ------------------ "Interesting, so it already knows my name." "So I need to survive and kill the 3 Great Calamities in order to pass this exam. I doubt that defeating those 3 monsters is meant to be done alone. So they want us to survive against the monsters lurking around the city and find each other so we can work together in defeating the 3 Great Calamities..." ''Just what are those three, and how strong could they really be?'' Lucas honestly doubted that this exam was really a problem for him. Sure, perhaps the three calamities might give him some trouble, but would he lose? ''Nah, I''d win.'' Lucas thought while shaking his head. This exam was too easy, so easy that it might be a little boring if he ended it all like that. "I should put some restrictions on myself to prevent from finishing this exam too fast." As he was thinking about how to take the exam, he suddenly heard the sound of a car getting toppled over behind him. Turning around, he saw something he wished he had never seen. Looming over him were three monster spiders, their monstrous bodies pulsating with a sickening rhythm. Each spider was the size of a car, covered in matted, filthy hair that oozed with putrid, black ichor. Their legs, twisted and knotted with bulbous joints, their fangs, long and jagged like rusted knives, dripped with a viscous, green venom that hissed as it hit the ground, sending up small plumes of acrid smoke. The air was thick with the overpowering stench of decay and rot. "What... just what type of spiders are these?" The sight before him was so grotesque and repulsive that he felt an urge to retch. He had never seen such harrowing beasts ever. He had met countless types of different beasts while he adventured, but this... this was too much. It wasn''t that they were strong or that he was afraid... they were just too disgusting. Gritting his teeth and trying not to inhale their disgusting scent, he placed his left hand on his blade. ''Lightning... I will only use my lightning and blade for this exam. I need to improve both of them.'' Making up his mind, he steeled himself against the harrowing creatures before him. Red lightning started to crackle around him as he inhaled deeply. The red lightning danced along the edge of his sword, amplifying its lethality. The first spider lunged at him, its fangs bared and dripping venom. He ducked under its grotesque mandibles, slashing upward with his lightning-infused blade. The strike cleaved through the creature''s leg, sending a spray of black ichor into the air. The spider screeched in pain, its leg twitching and sparking where the lightning had seared through flesh and bone. He didn''t pause, his movements a blur of speed and precision as he plunged his blade straight into its brain. The second spider lunged from his left, but he was ready. Channeling his lightning, he thrust his palm forward, releasing a bolt of red lightning that struck the spider square in its grotesque maw. The creature convulsed, its body spasming as the lightning fried its insides. Its many eyes exploded in a shower of viscous fluid, and it collapsed in a twitching heap. The third spider, larger and more menacing than the others, advanced with terrifying speed. It reared back, preparing to strike, but he was already in motion. Using his lightning to propel himself, he dashed forward. He feinted to the right, then spun left, avoiding the spider''s snapping fangs. With a powerful upward slash, he carved a deep gash into the spider''s abdomen. The creature screamed, a high-pitched wail that echoed through the abandoned city. The spider, enraged and in agony, swung its massive legs at him in a desperate attempt to crush him. He weaved between the strikes and leaped high into the air, his blade raised above his head. He brought the sword down, slicing through the spider''s head and splitting it in two. The creature''s body convulsed violently before collapsing, lifeless, to the ground. He landed lightly as the red lightning surrounding him died down. Exhaling loudly the breath he had been holding, he looked at the scene of the three dead spiders. If he had to guess, they were C-rank king predators... but to have three C-rank king predators together was strange... Not wanting to stay any longer, he decided to head out of there as he didn''t want to inhale their disgusting scent any longer. For a half-dragon, his sense of smell was far better than most, after all... ''I should go and search for others, perhaps even Sylv, since it would be no fun to finish this exam on my own... I wonder what the people watching outside thought of my little show.'' Lucas chuckled at what he imagined the reactions outside must be to how he had conquered such an unfair situation where most would run or give up. Little did he know what a big commotion he had started by defeating three C-rank predators by himself... ******* Inside a colosseum-like building, in the middle, three huge screens were hovering in the air, viewing the participants of the exam. The modern colosseum was filled with parents, family, and others seeking entertainment. Many high-ranking people were present, such as heroes, guild masters, government officials, and high nobles. They were all in separate boxes above the public, scouting out future talents and those who were said to be the second golden generation. Lucas'' family was also in one of the luxurious separate boxes, watching with pride as the screen was focused on Lucas, who was the first to encounter a monster, or at least monsters that would be an extremely unfortunate situation for most... "W-what..." That was all the commentator could say as she watched how Lucas dealt with the grotesque spiders. The stadium was filled with dead silence as they all watched, dumbfounded, at the gigantic screens. "Young master certainly has become strong, hasn''t he, madame?" Lucielle said with pride from behind Lucas'' mother as Lena was currently being distracted by Dylan and Luna. They didn''t want her to watch such a scene, though Luna and Dylan were, at the same time, making sure to follow everything that was happening. "Yes, indeed... I am proud of him," his mother responded with a small smile as she gently gazed at Lucas, who was being broadcast to everyone present. She wasn''t worried, as she knew Lucas was much stronger and could easily pass this exam, but she was a little annoyed... annoyed that he was restricting himself since she could tell he could have dealt with that situation in countless other ways but chose not to... it was reckless in her opinion. A mother can only worry, no matter the situation. "Ah..." The commentator exclaimed, snapping out of her thoughts. "Lucas Nightstar... known as the White Devil, has just defeated three C-rank king predators... all by himself! Does this mean that all the rumors surrounding him are actually true? Does he actually rival the strongest champion, the Elven Princess? The way he danced with his blade between those spiders was beautiful yet so merciless! A-and did he use both magic and the sword? Though he didn''t use any aura, he certainly seems highly skilled in both magic and swordsmanship! Almost as if he were a dual wielder!" The commentator started narrating as her voice only got louder and louder, hyping the crowd up and snapping them out of their stupor. As they all heard the commentator and looked at Lucas on the screens... The stadium shook from loud cheers. Chapter 53 Group of Monsters Three days have passed since the exam began...Lucas hasn''t encountered any harrowing creatures like the three spiders in the beginning. Most were just D or C rank creatures, which were pretty mild compared to the three spiders. They weren''t as grotesque or revolting as them, so he easily breezed past them. Currently, he was sitting on the edge of a broken building on the top floor as he gazed down at the ruined city. His feet were dangling in the open air as the wind brushed past his face, making his white hair flutter, creating quite a scene that would get pictured and become trending online later on. "I wonder where those three calamities are..." He had been trying to find them, yet he wasn''t so lucky with his search no matter how hard he tried. He had a theory that one of the three calamities was a spider like the ones he fought at the beginning, since he had found quite a few spiders but not like the ones at the start. "Hmm? Is that..." As he was enjoying his peace, he suddenly saw a group of people together on one of the broken streets. This wasn''t his first time seeing other people; he had met a few, but none were worth caring about since they were quite pathetic in his eyes... But this group was different... Sylviette was in that group. Her silver hair was fluttering in the air as her beautiful eyes were silently gazing like calm water at the group. The black combat suit that she was wearing, like everyone else inside this virtual world, really suited her as it showed off her perfect figure. She was like a contrast as she stood in the middle of this ruined city filled with monsters. Narrowing his eyes, he could not only see Sylviette there but also a boy with blonde hair and golden eyes. His entire aura was that of a cheerful person as if everything was going to be alright. "So that is Klaus, huh, the second hero..." Lucas mumbled as he gazed at the boy who was said to surpass even Sylv in talent. Checking out the rest, he could see a bunch of random nobodies that didn''t impress him at all except for two others. One was a boy with fiery red hair and blazing red eyes. If Lucas recalled correctly, that should be Leonne Velheim. And the other was another beautiful girl who was only slightly inferior to Sylviette. Only slightly. She had beautiful blonde wheat hair and sky-blue eyes. Amaya Frostheart. Both of them were champions of the current generation like Klaus and Sylviette. That made four people out of the nineteen in the group being among the top of the current generation. "Heh." "How about I finally have some fun in this annoying world?" Lucas said as he was starting to get bored constantly searching for the three calamities. Red lightning started surrounding his body, and he suddenly disappeared, leaving only a trail of red lightning behind. ***** Bored Sylviette was feeling extremely bored. Three days had passed since the exam began. On the first day of arriving in this apocalyptic city, she was all alone and hadn''t found anyone. Only on the second day did she find a group of a few elves and humans who were being attacked by a herd of huge rats. She was planning to leave them be, but one of the elves spotted her and called out for help. Having no choice, she decided to save them since she couldn''t ruin her princess facade after all... Since then, they decided to stick close to her in hopes of passing the exams while staying under her shadow. On the third and current day, she found another group that was being led by the second hero of humanity or something... That was a few hours ago, and now they were out in the open trying to come up with a strategy to find and face the three great calamities. At least that is what the others were doing as she didn''t bother with all that since there was only one thing, or better said, a person on her mind. Lucas. Though she didn''t show it on her face, she really wanted to see Lucas. She was extremely worried and anxious about Lucas. She had heard from her father about the attack on his city and how he got kidnapped and even tortured. She felt helpless as her only and best friend got kidnapped and tortured while all she could do was stay in her home. She couldn''t go and help him unless she wanted to cause a big commotion that would only make the situation escalate. Rumor has it that a saint managed to rescue Lucas on time. Neither she nor her father knew who the saint was that managed to rescue him, but she was incredibly grateful to him or her for saving him. Honestly, all she wanted to do was leave this stupid group and go find Lucas in this ruined city. ''I hope he is okay... Knowing him, he won''t be in a group, but he must have figured out how to complete this exam. He won''t complete this exam on his own... right?'' Suddenly, she grew even more anxious that Lucas might complete this entire exam on his own by defeating the three great calamities. She was probably one of the only few people who knew just what type of monster he really was... Snapping out of her thoughts was the voice of one of the members in their group. "We are getting nowhere with this... shouldn''t we wait until we gather more people, and shouldn''t we choose someone to lead this group of ours?" "You are right, we should wait for more just to be sure. And isn''t it obvious who should lead us? It should be her highness who is the strongest among us all." One of the elves said who was saved by her yesterday, as the others who were previously in her group agreed, nodding their heads. "Hah, what are you talking about? It should obviously be the hero, Klaus! Even though he isn''t the strongest, he is the most talented out of all of us!" "What type of stupid reason is that to lead us? Sure, he might have more talent, but that''s it. He still isn''t strong enough. And besides, stop calling him a hero. We all are here meant to become heroes!" ''Seriously...'' She could only sigh in her mind as she saw how they decided to stupidly argue with each other as the supposed hero kept darting his eyes around, flustered, thinking of a way to solve this situation. "Shut up." Suddenly, they heard Leonne ordering every single one of them to be quiet as he furrowed his brows, and they all instantly listened, not wanting to get on the bad side of a champion. "Is something wrong, Leo?" Amaya asked, looking up to him worriedly. "I feel a gaze on us. Someone must be watching us. Be on guard." He said, making everyone nervous as they got ready for any danger that might come. ''A gaze? But why haven''t my spirits warned me that someone is watching us...'' Suddenly, before she could find out the reason, everyone heard a bone-chilling voice that made Sylviette and the rest freeze on the spot. "Don''t move." A blade was pointed at her neck by someone who was standing behind her. ''W-what... I didn''t even feel anything, nor did my spirits warn me again!?'' "H-her highness! You! Do you know who you are threatening!" Another one of the elves said with a trembling voice as he looked towards the person threatening the princess. Though no one made a move since the person was obviously very skilled and strong enough to sneak behind the strongest champion without any of the other three champions noticing. It wasn''t like she would actually die, but to have the strongest champion be killed in the exam... "Be quiet. Unless you want to lose one of the key factors in defeating the three calamities." The voice responded behind her. ''Wait... that voice. Don''t tell me...'' Sylviette''s eyes widened as she found the voice sounding familiar to someone she knew. "L-Lucas?" she asked as her voice trembled a little. As she spoke, the blade that was on her neck suddenly disappeared, and everyone heard the voice changing from cold to amusement as he laughed. "Pfft! Looks like I got you good this time, Sylv." Turning around, she saw Lucas, who she hadn''t seen in months, trying to hold back his laughter. "Lucas!" She exclaimed loudly as she ran right in front of him, yet she wasn''t angry or anything at the prank he pulled on her; only worry could be seen in her eyes. She had totally forgotten about her image... "You actually came for the exam!? Are you sure you should be here? You aren''t hurt, right?" She started barraging him with questions as she kept checking his upper body for any injuries... "H-huh! Calm down, Sylv, I am fine. Why are you so worried?" Lucas said, bewildered, as he held both of her shoulders to stop her from pacing around him. "What do you mean why!? Of course I would be worried! After everything you went through!" She said as if she couldn''t understand why Lucas would ask her that. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Finally, after hearing her, his eyes widened for a second as if he realized something before his face relaxed with a small smile appearing on his face. "I see you have heard about ''it''... you don''t need to worry. I am perfectly fine now." Lucas said with a gentle voice, making her finally calm down a little. "Are you sure?" "I am. Don''t worry, we can talk about this after the exam, alright?" he said as both realized what they had done as they glanced at everyone who was watching the two of them bewildered. ''Ah! I just ruined my perfect image!'' Sylviette shouted in her mind but didn''t show anything on her face as it returned to that before Lucas'' prank. Releasing his hands from her shoulders, she suddenly felt a little disappointed from the warmth leaving her. Lucas turned towards the group of people, or better yet, the three other champions as they all looked at him as well. His face turned to that of no emotion, as did his eyes, bewildering most again at the sudden switch. ''Ugh, please don''t cause any trouble, Lucas...'' Sylviette prayed in her mind, but her hopes vanished as she looked towards Lucas and heard his next words. "So these three are the current champions of the human domain, huh?" he said as his voice wasn''t cold anymore but neither was it warm or gentle like when he talked to Sylviette a moment ago. The three, hearing his voice, narrowed their eyes at him as they didn''t like how he looked at them. They felt as if they were not his equal at all... Before anyone could object, Lucas''s body was suddenly in red lightning as he suddenly disappeared from his spot, leaving only a trail of red lightning behind. And then... He was in front of the hero, Klaus. Chapter 54 The White Devil and The Hero As Lucas stood face to face with the future face of humanity, he only had one thought as he looked at him.Pathetic. The one who was said to become the strongest was simply pathetic. "What are you doing?" Lucas questioned coldly. The hero in front of him was just frozen like a statue. Unlike him, the other two champions at least got ready to fight the moment Lucas moved. Leonne Velheim had his double-edged sword out, surrounded by a red aura. Amaya Frostheart''s hair fluttered in the air as the wind went wild around her. "W-what..." Klaus asked, confused, not understanding what Lucas meant. "You could clearly tell that I was about to attack you. I even slowed myself down so you could see me, yet instead of taking any action, you just stand here not moving at all..." "Honestly, it is just pathetic." "But..." "What do you expect, Lucas Nightstar? You just came out of nowhere and attacked Klaus when he was least expecting it. There was no reason for him to be on guard," Amaya Frostheart responded cutting in, trying to defend the hero. Hearing her defense for such a pathetic display, he coldly looked at her and spoke: "Least expected? We are in an apocalyptic city overrun by monsters. No one knows where the three calamities are. No one knows what other creatures could be lurking around the corners. You are meant to be always on guard in such a situation unless you just want to die and fail the exam. Besides the three calamities aren''t the only threat in this city." "It looks like you lot haven''t really encountered many creatures that reside in this city. Truly amazing luck since you are just standing here in the open street with none of your guards up as if offering yourself up as prey. Oh, and do not forget that it never stated that we couldn''t kill each other." Lucas kept going as he venomously spat each reason why they shouldn''t be this relaxed. He was honestly feeling a little bitter since the moment he arrived he had to fight three disgusting king predators of C rank. ''So unfair...'' Hearing his cold words, all Amaya could do was close her mouth and avert her eyes. Leonne didn''t even bother to argue with him since everything he said was true after all... They shouldn''t have been this relaxed. ''This Leonne really reminds me of Victor for some reason...'' "And you guys..." Lucas said as he turned towards the other members of the group, and more specifically to the people who were arguing before, which Lucas had heard everything about. "You are all seriously having an argument in the middle of the street, attracting every beast''s attention that could be sleeping beneath your feet? Are those heads of yours just for decoration or something? Just hiding in the shadows of the other champions hoping to pass this exam easily? You really think they aren''t monitoring our every action? They obviously wouldn''t allow such people to enter the academy." Lucas spoke annoyed at the leeches trying to easly pass the exam while sticking close to the champions. "You! You dare speak to me this way! Even if perhaps these rumors of you are true, you still aren''t officially a champion! And besides, know your place. You are only a son of a mere viscount! You have a little sister, right? If not yours don''t think I won''t be able to make her life miser-" "Hey." Before the human, who was probably of a higher status than Lucas, could finish speaking, everyone heard the cold voice of Lucas that sent chills down their spines as he suddenly stood behind the boy. ''Fast!'' That was everyone''s thought as they didn''t even see him move as red lightning crackled around his body, not even leaving a trail this time. "Huh?" The boy suddenly exclaimed, confused. Lucas, holding the right arm of the boy which he had ripped off, had claws made out of red lightning on his hand. He continued to speak as if unfazed by the bloody arm he was holding. "Just who gave you permission to speak and especially dare to threaten me?" As he spoke, the boy slowly glanced at his right side only to see that blood was spurting from where his entire right arm should have been. "A-AAAAARRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!" The boy shouted as he fell on the ground and started rolling around, hoping to lessen the pain he was feeling from having his entire arm ripped off. Not being done with him, Lucas stabbed his sword right into the boy''s left shoulder, keeping him in place on the ground as he unleashed another wail of agony. Yet Lucas was merciless and didn''t show the boy any compassion. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Consider this your final warning. Threaten anyone I care about ever again, and you could be the crown prince himself. I will still kill you in this world and the other," Lucas stated coldly without an ounce of remorse as the boy could only weakly look up at him with just fear. "I-I am s-sorry... p-please forg-give me..." He said weakly as all the others watched in horror, not being able to do anything. Well, not everyone watched in horror. Leonne, Sylviette, and Amaya all watched neutrally at the scene, as they weren''t bothered by it at all. They all felt that what Lucas did was justified since the boy dared to threaten him when he gave them advice. But... The face of the hero, Klaus. It wasn''t neutral in the slightest. His pathetic demeanor of rainbows and sunshine finally disappeared, as well as his bewildered face from before. He was currently looking at Lucas with immense anger, and golden aura was oozing out of his body surrounding him. Holding on his right hand was a beautiful silver sword with engravings that would make people do anything to obtain it in the name of greed. "Get away from him," he said coldly while pointing his sword at Lucas. This time everyone except for Lucas was surprised at the sudden change in Klaus''s behavior. Lucas didn''t do what he asked, and only a grin appeared on his face as he straightened his back and looked straight into his golden eyes with his blood-red dragon eyes. "What if I don''t?" Lucas asked, amused at his sudden behavior. "I''ll become your enemy," Klaus responded as he narrowed his eyes at him. This time it was Lucas''s turn to narrow his eyes as he heard what the hero said. "Was that supposed to be a threat? What makes you think I care whether you are my ally or enemy?" Lucas asked, intrigued by what Klaus meant by becoming his enemy. Everyone here could tell that if Lucas wanted, he would easily be able to kill him. Even Klaus knew that perfectly. The atmosphere was getting quite tense as most stood watching with bated breath, expecting to witness a confrontation between the white devil and the hero. "I might not be able to defeat you now, Lucas Nightstar, but I will one day. Being my enemy would also make you the enemy of humanity," Klaus said, though only the last part was true in Lucas'' eyes. Hearing his response, Lucas only shrugged his shoulder in amusement as he answered "Been there, done that already once. Wouldn''t mind becoming the enemy of humanity for a second time." Lucas''s answer confused everyone, furrowing their brows as they tried to understand how he could have been the enemy of humanity before. "Besides, what makes you think that you would actually surpass me? Don''t get confident, Klaus Ceviel, just because humans believe that you will become the strongest. It is, after all, only a belief and not a reality at the moment. I could always just kill you in real life before you reach your peak." Lucas stated bluntly, causing Klaus to grip his sword tighter, acknowledging the truth in Lucas''s words. It was obvious to everyone here that Lucas didn''t care in the slightest about what race he belonged to and would simply kill if he deemed you an enemy. It was as if he didn''t see himself as part of the human race at all, disturbing many present... "Even then, that would be for me to worry about later. Right now, I''ll ask you again: please step aside and let the boy go. There was no need for you to be so cruel towards him since he only used empty words against you." "Naive, just how naive are you, Klaus Ceviel? Just because you are the hero of humanity doesn''t mean you are meant to be every human''s hero. How would you know if what this boy said was just empty words, huh? Why should I wait and let him grow until he becomes a thorn in my path?" Lucas said, annoyed at Klaus''s reason for pointing his sword at him. "Even then, there is always a better way to solve this. We shouldn''t act like demons; we aren''t like those vile creatures. We should act better," the hero suddenly said, leaving Lucas and the rest dumbfounded. "Are you stupid?" Lucas honestly asked, bewildered this time, as he heard what the hero just said. "Sure, I agree that demons are vile creatures that need to be exterminated, but... this world isn''t just black and white, Klaus. This isn''t a fairy tale where humans are good and demons are bad. There are plenty of humans who would do far worse than demons would. Don''t let your hatred for demons cloud your judgment," Lucas warned. "The same could be said for this boy here..." Lucas continued as he gripped his sword and twisted it slightly, making the person beneath him cry out in pain. Klaus''s face became only more complex at hearing Lucas''s words and witnessing the actions he performed in front of him. He felt that what Lucas said was right, but at the same time, he believed that Lucas shouldn''t be this cruel. He could only grit his teeth as he contemplated what his next actions should be against Lucas. "Enough," Sylviette suddenly cut in between them, calming the atmosphere down a little and causing everyone to release a breath of relief. Turning towards Lucas, Sylv spoke gently, making everyone feel complicated. "Lucas, can you play with him later on? We need to save our energy, which we have already wasted a lot today, to fight the calamities later on." she asked, hoping Lucas would understand¡ªluckily, he is a very understanding person who always listens... yes, definitely. ''She is right; I shouldn''t push him too much for now...'' "Mm, you are right. Let''s go relocate somewhere safe instead, where we can talk about how we should handle this exam and the calamities" Lucas said as all nodded their heads and started leaving the streets, trying to find a perfect place to camp for now. Pulling out his blade from the boy, he walked over to Sylv and walked together with her as everyone only looked at the boy with pity, since no one wanted to help him. In the end, this was still an exam where it was only necessary to team up to defeat the calamities, and right now, Lucas Nightstar and the other champions are their best bet. So they decided to ignore him and follow the champions silently, not wanting to get on Lucas''s bad side at the same time. Everyone did that except for Klaus, who walked over to the beaten boy and gave him a healing potion to stop the bleeding and ease the pain. That was all he could do as he started carrying him towards the rest. The other members glanced at him and then at Lucas to see if he would get angry. Lucas, though, was unbothered by his actions and kept conversing with Sylv as they tried to find a camp to rest. ''I wonder how long this exam will take...'' Chapter 55 Wings of Despair [1] Currently, both Lucas and Sylv were sitting on the edge of the rooftop of an old abandoned parking garage they found, gazing at the stars illuminating the dark night.The parking garage had three floors and was perfect to act as a temporary base. On the second floor was where the other members with the three champions currently were residing. A few hours had passed since Lucas had joined the group and confronted the hero. While they went out searching and before finding this base, they only got attacked once by a few undead, mainly skeletons. Having a total of four champions, or better said, five since Lucas will most definitely be an official champion after the exam, they easily took care of the undead. Both decided to leave for some fresh air and get away from all the gazes directed at them after they found their camp. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "To think you already reached the next star level... and they call me a monster." "Hmph! It is because you are a monster! There is no way you could deny that, you freak." "Besides, you got to fight three C-rank king predators and actually defeated them while limiting yourself! So stop complaining, you know how much I want to fight those spiders now!" Sylv said, turning her head away and pouting ''Great, another one...'' "Perhaps, but so are you, you know? Did you hide most of your talent then? They did say that Klaus has more talent than you, but now I highly doubt that since you managed to surpass two substages, reaching a new star level in a few months'' time," Lucas said calmly while gazing at the beautiful stars shimmering in the dark. "Hehe, well, I had no real reason to try that hard back then," Sylv said happily for some reason, making Lucas intrigued as he turned his face towards her. "Oh? So what has changed for you to finally start trying?" As Lucas asked, Sylv turned her face towards him, gazing straight into his red dragon eyes. "You." ''''Eh?'''' Lucas was bewildered as Sylv suddenly declared her reason for becoming stronger while looking straight into his eyes as if peering into his soul. Her eyes were full of determination and resolve as Lucas stared back at her with wide eyes. ''I have never seen her this serious...'' "I don''t want to be left behind. It is obvious that us champions are all going to be in the middle of all future events that would make drastic changes in Myrniel, but... out of all us champions, you would be ahead of us, always standing in front of us. I don''t want that. I want to be able to fight with you." "You are my only and best friend, Lucas. I want to be standing next to you at your side," Sylv spoke with such resolve that, as her silver hair reflected the moonlight, was fluttering around, Lucas could only watch her in a daze after finally snapping out of it before she noticed. ''Best friend, huh...'' Lucas thought as a small smile appeared on his face as he turned back to watching the stars. "I see. Thanks for telling me, Sylv; it means a lot." "Mm, always." "Still... to think that they managed to replicate such a disastrous place so perfectly..." "Huh? Replicate what? What do you mean by that?" Lucas asked, turning his head in confusion towards her after hearing what Sylv said. Sylv only furrowed her brows as she gazed back at Lucas. "You don''t know? Didn''t the teacher in charge tell you about this city?" "No? The man just said that we would be sent into an apocalyptic city overrun by monsters." "Well, the teacher in charge of us told us that this city was based on a real-life disaster that happened a century ago." "So all of this really happened? How, though?" "A dungeon break was the cause, apparently." "I see, that makes sense..." Lucas muttered under his breath. "By the way, what was the name of your teacher that was in charge?" "Hmm, if I recall correctly, his name was Julius Cordis." "As I suspected... you really got him, huh?" Sylv suddenly said as she gazed back at the stars. "Is something up with the guy?" "Well, yeah. Julius Cordis is one of the only few space users in Myrniel besides you, of course. The man is said to be a genius, and what makes it more special is that he is actually a half-elf. Though most wouldn''t be able to notice. He is a real monster, if I am honest. He is only 21 and already at the Peak 9-star level." Hearing her praise for the man named Julius Cordis, Lucas also got intrigued and was getting more curious about him. Before he could ask more questions, though, he saw something weird. In the corner of his eyes, he saw somewhere far in the sky a black dot. "Hmm? Do you see that black dot as well, Sylv?" Lucas asked since he was not sure if he was going crazy... going even more crazy, or if it genuinely was something. Hearing his question, Sylviette also turned her head to where Lucas was gazing and also saw the black dot. "Yeah, I can see it as well. Just what is that weird spot?" "Hey... is it me, or is that black dot getting bigger and bigger?" As Lucas said that and gazed at the black dot, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. His heart started beating louder and louder for some reason... "L-Lucas... something is wrong. I have never seen the spirits be this scared..." As Sylviette spoke, the air around them started to shake, and the winds got even wilder. Both their hairs started fluttering violently because of the sudden change. As both stood up, Lucas summoned his Blade of Chaos while Sylviette had dozens of ice spears suddenly floating around her. As the danger they felt increased with each passing second, the black dot in the distance grew larger and larger until it was close enough to reveal its true form. They saw something that made their hearts tremble with terror. Both unconsciously gripped their hands tight until their knuckles turned white. Cold sweat was dripping down on the ground from the both of them. Their eyes were wide open, and their bodies visibly trembled with fear... In the dim, eerie light of the night, they saw a harrowing sight: a grotesque, nightmarish moth, towering at a staggering 20 meters. Its form was as black as the void, covered in twisted, jagged scales that seemed to writhe and pulse. Its enormous wings, while adorned with beautiful yet ominous white patterns, were frayed and tattered, edges ragged as if torn by countless battles. The stark contrast was chilling, an eerie beauty amidst utter horror. The moth''s dark red eyes glowed menacingly, bulging out grotesquely, casting a sickly, crimson hue that pierced through the darkness with a gaze that seemed to see straight into their souls. With each sinister flap of its massive wings, it created thunderous shockwaves, the air vibrating violently with every beat. The once gentle night breeze transformed into a howling gale, tearing at their clothes and making the buildings tremble. Its wings, covered in rough, spiny protrusions, cut through the air with a sound that was both deafening and otherworldly. As the monstrous moth descended, it landed on a broken building with an unsettling, bone-chilling grace, the structure trembling under its weight. The impact sent debris tumbling down, the building groaning as if in pain, on the verge of collapse. Its body, segmented and bristling with sharp, chitinous spines, exuded a putrid stench that filled the air, making their stomachs churn. The moth''s antennae, long and whip-like, writhed in the air, sensing and probing, adding to its nightmarish appearance. The sight of the giant moth, with its grotesque presence and the devastation it wrought, left them paralyzed with fear, their minds struggling to comprehend the nightmare unfolding before them. Before them stood one of the three great calamities. The calamity of Despair. Chapter 56 Wings of Despair [2] As both gazed at the nightmarish behemoth, Lucas''s heart kept beating loudly against his chest.After an entire minute of watching the colossal insect, Lucas finally snapped out of his daze as a bitter laugh escaped his mouth. He was actually feeling nervous... Hearing the laugh next to her, Sylviette also snapped out of it and looked at Lucas with worry. "I have been trying to find the three great calamities for days, and the one day I decide not to search for them, one instead finds me..." Lucas said as he gazed at the creature, which, with its massive, jagged legs ending in razor-sharp claws, dug into the crumbling concrete, causing the structure to groan under its immense weight. "I am starting to see how this city fell..." Sylviette spoke as she gazed back at the colossal moth as well. ''I was confident in fighting the three calamities before, but now... That thing is at least a B-ranked beast.'' The difference from C-rank to B-rank is immense, to the point that B-ranked dungeons are most of the time only allowed to be entered if you are at least a grandmaster and have the approval of the human government in the human domain. Lucas was confident he could fight a B-ranked beast, even though he had never done it before or seen one. But seeing the stark difference now, he had to reconsider his remark about defeating the three calamities at the beginning of the exam. ''No... I can win by myself, but only if I don''t limit myself against the thing. Though that would mean revealing too much to the public.'' As both were lost deeply in their own thoughts, they suddenly heard a bewildered voice behind them. "What..." Turning around, they could see Amaya, Leonne, Klaus, and the others on the rooftop with their weapons out, looking towards one of the calamities. Most could be seen trembling, their bodies shaking as their faces became pale. Just a glance at it was enough for everyone to know that it is incredibly dangerous and harrowing to fight the grotesque creature. Even if they worked together, most wouldn''t be able to survive the battle... "So what is the plan to kill it?" Suddenly, everyone heard a voice and snapped their heads towards it. The one who asked the question was none other than Leonne Velheim himself. He didn''t look pale or scared at all, watching the moth with his usual stoic face. Amaya could be seen shaking her head as if she was used to this... "Y-you are crazy! Don''t you see that thing? How are we supposed to fight something like that?" Someone decided to voice out the thoughts of many present who were starting to despair. "Yeah... I mean, come on, just how are we supposed to defeat that... and there are two more after." "It''s impossible to pass this exam..." "Wait... do we really need to kill the calamities to pass? I mean, it did say that we should also survive and there is a time limit." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yeah, and didn''t the teacher say that we would only fail if we die?" "...No way, so if we just survive until the time limit ends, we can pass?" As the realization hit them, they all started quietly arguing about leaving the three calamities and just surviving until the time ends. Klaus, seeing all of this, decided to calmly intervene under the amused gaze of Lucas and Sylviette, who was annoyed yet hid it. "Guys, I know this situation doesn''t seem ideal, but we shouldn''t run away from our problems." ''This guy...'' Everyone suddenly became quiet as they looked towards the hero who started calmly looking towards the behemoth with fiery determination in his eyes as he continued. "We are here to become heroes, all of us. The whole point of becoming a hero is to protect the innocent. How can we do that if we start running away like cowards whenever we face a despairing situation?" The hero spoke with such conviction, managing to actually change the opinions of quite a few surprisingly. ''I really feel like punching the guy...'' Though not everyone was convinced, another managed to speak up against the hero after resolving himself. "T-that doesn''t mean anything if we are guaranteed to fail this exam if we choose to fight that thing! Sure, what you say might be right, but we aren''t as strong as you are currently! The only way for some of us to become heroes is if we can enter the academy! I don''t know about you guys, but I am leaving. There is no way I am giving up my future for some words of yours." The boy said as he was starting to head out of there. "Wait-" Before Klaus could catch up to him and try to convince him, Lucas spoke for the first time, making everyone present freeze and turn to look at him. "Let him go." "What?" Klaus questioned, confused at what Lucas just told him. "I said let him go. In fact, everyone here who wants to leave, just leave. The speculations you guys have about the three calamities not being needed to kill to pass the exams are probably true. No, I am certain it is true. But do remember that every action of ours is monitored; perhaps you might still pass though..." "So for anyone who wants to leave, now is your chance, since I will be engaging in combat soon with the behemoth." As Lucas calmly spoke, many were hesitating and deeply pondering what their next action should be. "Do you have a plan to fight it? It is just sitting there, gazing at some random spot. Perhaps we could take it by surprise?" Leonne asked with his stoic face, as he intended to stay and fight the behemoth as well. "I don''t have a plan, since it is pointless because it isn''t just sitting there doing nothing. It has been observing our every action since the very beginning and listening to what we are saying, though I doubt it understands what we are saying." As they listened to his words, almost everyone here felt a chill run down their spine. They were being observed... Even though, as they glanced at the behemoth that wasn''t looking at them with its dark red bulging eyes, they suddenly felt a wave of despair hit them. They suddenly felt like they were being watched. "N-no way... doesn''t that mean that we can''t even run away now?" Someone decided to ask Lucas as she was extremely pale. "I don''t know," Lucas said as he shook his head a little. "But what I do know is that it is currently extremely interested in us¡ªor better said, in me and the other champions here. It probably sensed the quality of our mana and thinks we are delicious food for it. So maybe you might have some luck as it deems you insignificant trash," Lucas remarked, his tone carrying an edge of grim humor. The girl who asked the question wasn''t offended in the slightest by Lucas''s remark. Instead, she felt relief at hearing his words. In a way, they were quite reassuring to her and the others who wanted to get away from here. "How is it observing us, though? I don''t see its gross eyes watching us at all, but I still feel like it is watching us at the same time... It is strange," Amaya spoke up, voicing the unsettling feeling that had been gnawing at her. "I''m not sure... but it probably has to do with those two antennae, I think? I''m not a genius when it comes to insects," Lucas replied, his own confusion evident. However, being a half-dragon and more experienced than the rest, he could easily tell that they were being intensely observed since the moment the behemoth landed. The Shroud of Despair''s antennae moved with a life of their own, undulating and twitching in the air. These sensory appendages were more than just physical extensions¡ªthey were the creature''s primary means of perceiving its surroundings. They could detect the faintest traces of mana, the subtle shifts in the air, and the quiet whispers. Even without its eyes looking at them, the moth could ''see'' them. Every slight movement, every whisper, and every heartbeat within its vicinity was registered by the antennae, allowing it to observe them with an unnerving precision. This method of perception made the creature even more terrifying, as it didn''t need to rely on sight to track its prey. It was an all-seeing harbinger of despair, its focus unwavering and its hunger insatiable. ''We shouldn''t waste too much time and let it attack us first...'' "Okay, time is up." Lucas suddenly spoke coldly again, making most straighten their backs as they heard his words. "It probably won''t sit there watching us calmly forever; it may attack us now at any moment, so I recommend for those who want to flee to do it now and fast before it is too late." Chapter 57 Wings of Despair [3] Silence.Silence was all that filled the stadium as each spectator watched the floating screens projecting Lucas Nightstar. Ever since he defeated the three C-rank king predators, he had been watched 24/7. A screen always projected him in the stadium. But now... All screens in the stadium, and even those outside, were solely streaming him. Every single time Lucas Nightstar made a move, it shocked each one of them. From the moment he defeated the C-rank king predators, he suddenly started exploring around the city as if looking for something, making people confused about what or whom he was searching for. That confusion then turned into shock as they started to realize what he was searching for: the three great calamities. He was searching for them on his own the entire time. He never joined any groups or tried to stay too long with them, breezing past everyone in the city just to find the three great calamities on his own. The spectators thought he was stupid and crazy for being alone, yet at the same time, they felt he was courageous and brave, making them cheer for him. It kept going like that until the third day arrived. For the first time, Lucas Nightstar did something that stopped his usual routine. He saw a group of people yet didn''t ignore them; instead, he approached them. His every action was like a lightning bolt hitting the crowd as they watched him threaten the life of the elven princess, making a lot of people start to hate him. But that soon turned into bewilderment after they realized it was just a prank between two friends. Friends... Lucas Nightstar and Sylviette Velariah are friends. And extremely close as well. Two people who should have nothing to do with each other were, in fact, friends. It didn''t end there... Suddenly, surprising every single person, Lucas did something that no one expected, causing everyone to have various reactions. They all saw as he suddenly appeared face-to-face with the hero of humanity, Klaus, and was... disappointed. They heard everything Lucas told him and the rest of the group. At that moment, only three words registered in their minds when they looked at him: ''Cruel, Merciless, and Crazy.'' He didn''t hesitate to strike down someone who insulted him, ripping his arm off so fast that no one could even see. He challenged three champions and their entire team without an ounce of fear or hesitation. Directly challenging the hero of humanity himself. Declaring in front of everyone that he wouldn''t care about becoming the enemy of humanity. Not many people took lightly to that declaration. And now they were all watching in dead silence as they listened to the conversation between Lucas and the rest about how to deal with one of the calamities that suddenly showed up. This year''s exam was much harder than all the previous ones because of how talented this generation was. And as everyone watched the B-ranked behemoth, some felt like they would pass out. Everyone had their eyes wide open and were watching with bated breath to see what this generation of top talents would do to deal with this situation. All except for one person... In a dimly lit room, a man sat on a dark throne, watching a holographic screen that showcased Lucas. The young man had black hair and golden eyes, as if you were gazing into the sun itself. His eyes were devoid of any emotion, as if the man wasn''t even alive. Yet, if one looked closely enough, they would see a small smile on his face as he gazed at Lucas. Just looking at the man would make most fall unconscious out of pure fear. His mere presence was that overwhelming, even surpassing that of Magnus. Suddenly, the man spoke with his heavy voice that resounded throughout the room, his voice containing not a single emotion in it. "Lucas Nightstar... you really are an interesting one." "Let''s just see what more surprises you have in store for me... as I can''t wait to meet you." ***** Nine people. That''s how many decided to leave and run away before the calamity could reach them. The behemoth, noticing the sudden movement, only turned its head towards them, making many shiver in fear. Yet... Those eyes were only directed at a single person¡ªthe strongest of them all: Lucas. Lucas could feel its entire gaze focused solely on him, making him grit his teeth as he tried to calm down. ''It only cares about me and the other champions, but... I can tell it will only move if I move.'' Lucas wasn''t going to back down and decided to stare straight back at it. Despite the distance between them, they looked straight into each other''s eyes. A staring contest had begun between Lucas Nightstar and the Calamity of Despair. Sylviette had a deadpan look as she watched Lucas actually messing around at a time like this. They were currently thinking of a way to fight the behemoth, yet Lucas, instead of helping, was playing games with it! sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But that was only how it appeared to Sylviette and the others. In reality, both were measuring each other''s strength, a fact noticed only by the strong individuals in the outside world who were watching. ''This is troublesome... It probably isn''t physically strong but will be exceptionally fast and can fly, and who knows what else it could be hiding.'' Lucas was trying his best to come up with a way to deal with the behemoth while being limited, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. ''Should I reveal another affinity of mine or reveal that I am a dual wielder?'' In the end, Lucas decided not to reveal anything yet. He would only do so when it was truly necessary or if he became bored. "Lucas." Suddenly, Sylv called out his name, but Lucas didn''t break eye contact with the behemoth for even a second. "What is it, Sylv?" "We have a plan to fight the behemoth, but..." "But?" Lucas asked, furrowing his brows a little at hearing her hesitation. "Well... it''s just that I think it''s a reckless plan..." "Klaus is also the one who came up with it." "Alright... just tell me what the plan is." "Klaus says he has a few skills that make him look harmless and friendly towards creatures. He would try to distract the calamity by himself with his skill while we try to kill it when it doesn''t notice us." Hearing the plan, he honestly thought a bunch of amateur kids could have come up with something better... but he couldn''t complain since he was keeping the beast focused on him. Not having much choice and with no other plan in sight, Lucas decided to agree, feeling that they didn''t have much time left. He could feel the impatient gaze of the moth as it seemed to invite him to get closer. "Fine... but if he dies, that''s on him, alright?" "Mm, I will tell them that you approved of the plan." She said as she walked back over to the other champions to inform them. They were a distance away with the other members of the team. ''Hmm? Why would it matter if I approve or not... I never said that I was their leader, did I?'' Chapter 58 Wings of Despair [4] The plan was set, and everyone was ready to execute it.Lucas was still standing on the rooftop, knowing that the moment he moved, so would the behemoth. Klaus, Sylviette, and the others slowly moved away from the parking garage and towards the open streets. ''So this moth is one of the three calamities... I wonder what the other two would be. If my theory is correct, then the second calamity should be a spider since I met quite a few of them...'' As he was pondering, he suddenly felt a shift in the air around him. The moth did as well, stopping its gaze on him and turning its head away for the first time. Lucas let out a deep breath and did the same, turning towards the source of the shift. He and the moth suddenly saw Klaus standing alone in the middle of the abandoned streets. A golden hue surrounded Klaus. Lucas somehow felt calm as he gazed at Klaus, as if he could finally relax. He felt like he could let go of all his worries, as if the boy in front of him would handle everything for him. Klaus felt like a light shining in the vast darkness of Lucas''s mind, like he was someone divine... Lucas didn''t like that feeling. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t like it at all, and suddenly, the annoying sensation he got from Klaus disappeared instantly as his passive skill [Dragon''s Pride] activated. ''So it affects the mind, huh...'' As Lucas realized the reason, he glanced back at the moth and saw that it was now looking only at Klaus. The calamity suddenly descended from the broken building, its massive form moving with a nightmarish grace. The ground shook violently as it landed, cracks spiderwebbing through the pavement beneath its weight. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the night sky momentarily. With unnerving precision, the moth stood directly in front of Klaus, its entire attention fixated on him. The creature''s dark red eyes seemed to burn with newfound intensity, locking onto Klaus with a gaze that felt both ancient and malevolent. The antennae, now fully extended, pointed towards him, twitching and writhing as they sensed the potent mana radiating from his body. Klaus could feel the immense pressure of the Calamity of Despair''s presence bearing down on him. The air grew thick with dread, and his every instinct screamed at him to flee. Yet, he stood his ground, his heart pounding like a war drum. The moth''s wings fluttered slightly, the resulting shockwave sending a violent gust of wind that almost knocked Klaus off his feet. It was as if the creature was testing him, gauging his strength and resolve. The sheer power of its focus was overwhelming, a tangible force that threatened to crush his spirit. For a moment, everything else faded away. There was only Klaus and the Calamity of Despair, locked in a silent, harrowing confrontation. ''Now is the perfect chance...'' Lucas thought as he gazed from the rooftop, seeing them face to face. Suddenly, before anyone else could take action, a strange blue hue began to pulsate throughout the behemoth''s entire body, ending at its two antennae. The eerie glow spread rhythmically, as if the creature were charging up some formidable energy within itself. Confusion and bewilderment spread among the onlookers. The pulsating blue light intensified, then abruptly disappeared. Silence filled the city, and everyone was left wondering what had just transpired. ''Just what did it try to¡ª'' Lucas''s thought was cut off as an intense shockwave erupted. Blue energy shot out of the behemoth, sending Klaus hurtling through the air. He crashed into an abandoned car with a violent impact, the metal crumpling beneath him. Before Lucas could jump in and take action, the behemoth vanished from its spot, and a gust of wind hit everyone hard again. In an instant, it reappeared right in front of Klaus, its dark red eyes gleaming with malevolent intent. The speed and precision of its movement were terrifying. The behemoth raised its grotesque right leg, its jagged claws poised to strike down on Klaus. In a split second, Klaus summoned his silver sword, the gleaming blade intercepting the attack just in time. However, facing off against a B-ranked beast like the Calamity of Despair, Klaus knew he couldn''t hold out for long. With a mighty crash, he was sent tumbling across the streets, using his sword to anchor himself and halt his momentum. Before Klaus could regain his bearings, the behemoth vanished with a swirl of wind, only to reappear in front of him once more. This time, as it swung its jagged leg, Leonne intervened, positioning himself between Klaus and the calamity. A red aura enveloped Leonne and his weapon as he deflected the attack with expert precision. Not content with just a defensive stance, Leonne countered, launching himself into the air with a graceful leap, intent on striking at the behemoth''s bulging eyes. However, the creature proved to be quicker, blocking Leonne''s assault with its razor-sharp claws. A fierce battle ensued, the clash of sword against claw echoing through the deserted streets. Despite Leonne''s skill and determination, the behemoth''s overwhelming strength began to overpower him. With a brutal force, it crashed him into a nearby building, leaving him dazed and wounded. Intending to finish him off, the behemoth was about to leave when its legs were suddenly ensnared by ice thorns, halting its retreat. Not done yet, sharp blades of wind began to assail it, slicing through its thick hide and drawing annoyed screeches from the creature rather than agonized cries. Turning its head, the behemoth saw that it was surrounded by multiple people, most of whom were visibly terrified. Yet, amidst the fear, it could sense two girls who exuded an aura of strength, the source of its annoyance. Before anyone could react, the behemoth broke free from the ice thorns with a powerful burst of strength, closing the distance between itself and the group in an instant. With a lightning-fast motion, it swung down both its legs, the sheer force of the strike cleaving three of the examinees in half, their gruesome demise inducing retching from those who witnessed it. But the behemoth wasn''t finished. Its two antennae began to pulsate with another blue hue, and in an instant, a shockwave of blue energy erupted from them. This time, instead of being flung away, most people fell to their knees, overcome by agonizing screams that echoed through the air. Even Amaya and Sylviette were not spared. Though they remained standing, their faces twisted in pain as the relentless assault continued. Summoning her strength amidst the torment, Sylviette raised her arm, causing dozens of icicles to materialize around her before launching towards the behemoth in a deadly storm. As the creature prepared to evade the icy onslaught, Klaus suddenly materialized beside it, his silver blade flashing with a golden aura as he delivered a deep, searing cut to its left leg. With a pained screech, the behemoth staggered, unable to retaliate as the barrage of icicles rained down upon it, tearing through its flesh and leaving a myriad of wounds in their wake. Before it could recover, a barrage of wind struck, further impeding its movements. In the midst of the chaos, Leonne who was bleeding reappeared, slicing through one of the behemoth''s eyes with precision. The others didn''t dare to approach the behemoth, fully aware of its formidable speed and power, unwilling to risk getting too close. The creature''s piercing screeches echoed relentlessly throughout the city, sending waves of fear and panic rippling through all who heard it, whether human or beast, compelling some to flee while others were drawn towards the source of the disturbance. Despite the chaos and danger, the group continued their relentless assault on the behemoth, each member unleashing their own unique attacks in a desperate attempt to overwhelm and subdue the monstrous creature. Meanwhile, Lucas remained unperturbed, perched on the rooftop with an air of calm detachment. His legs dangled over the edge as he observed the unfolding battle with a faint smile playing on his lips. Chuckling softly to himself amidst the cacophony of destruction below, he remarked with an amused glint in his eyes "I wonder when it''s my turn..." Chapter 59 Wings of Despair [5] Thirty minutes.Thirty minutes had passed since the battle began between the Calamity of Despair and the examinees. In those thirty minutes, Lucas hadn''t moved an inch as he gazed at the chaos happening beneath him. The moth had countless injuries, but none were fatal. It was starting to show signs of exhaustion from battling the examinees. Klaus, Leonne, and Amaya had a few wounds, with Amaya being more exhausted than wounded since she wasn''t a close-combat mage. Sylviette, on the other hand, didn''t have a single wound and didn''t even look tired. Since the mental attack by the beast, she had stayed far back, assisting them with her ice magic. Two more examinees had died in those thirty minutes, their bodies disappearing and leaving blue particles in the air. The sound of the battle and the behemoth''s screeches attracted a lot of attention in the city, causing more beasts and examinees to appear. The newcomers instantly helped the champions when they saw they were facing one of the calamities. Confirming Lucas''s theory, many of the new beasts were spiders, ranked between D and C, but no C-rank king predators like the ones Lucas encountered earlier. He was sure now that the second great calamity was a spider, leaving only the third unknown... for now. He knew other beasts must be in the city, but most were spiders, as if the other beasts had been killed by them. The examinees decided to put themselves to good use by fighting the spiders to prevent them from interfering with the champions and the behemoth. Even though Lucas could have prevented the five deaths that occurred, he didn''t. He just sat there, occasionally receiving hateful glares from the examinees. The newcomers were especially enraged, not knowing him well and thinking he was just being lazy. Sylviette also kept glancing at him, annoyed, knowing that he could end this already. The reason he didn''t help prevent the deaths or try to kill the calamity was simple... He didn''t want to. There was no reason for him to prevent the deaths of others since he had already figured out how the exam worked. You could pass this exam in three different ways if he was right. The first way was what those who fled did before the battle against the Calamity of Despair happened. If they managed to survive until the time limit, they would pass the exam. The second way was killing one or all three of the great calamities, resulting in an instant pass. The third and final way was also really simple. Shield was a place for nurturing future heroes. What are they going to do if they see someone stand up and face a situation knowing they wouldn''t win but still give their all, even if it results in death? It was obvious that such a person has the potential to become a hero. If you fight against one of the three calamities, it wouldn''t matter if you died by it or survived¡ªyou would still pass. The last way was the reason for Lucas not preventing them from dying. In the end, they should be grateful to him, no? By not helping them, they passed the exam and could already go and rest! As for why he didn''t help them kill the beast... he was in a dilemma, that is why. He didn''t know if he should fight the beast or not. He was confused, knowing that if he stepped in, the fight would be over much faster. Especially now, even if he was limited, the behemoth was weakened enough for Lucas to end it. But the words of his grandfather still echoed in his mind as he gazed at the battle still happening. "Should I fight or not? And if I do fight, should I reveal more of my affinities or not?" Lucas was thinking about how to face the calamity. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not the Calamity of Despair that the champions were fighting, but the calamity that was currently approaching them... Even though he didn''t see anything, he could hear and occasionally see buildings and other structures falling down far away, getting closer and closer to them. He knew the sound of battle would attract many beasts, but apparently, even one of the calamities was interested... perhaps even both. "Do not attract the attention of unwanted guests." Those were the words Magnus left him with before Lucas left the estate. Lucas agreed with what his grandfather said, or at least he would have if it wasn''t for the fact that he firsthand saw the difference between a C-ranked beast, a B-ranked beast, and... Karciel. He needed more power... and fast. He felt like the time when Karciel and he would meet again wasn''t far off, and when that time came, he would make sure to make him pay for everything. Not just him but Abadux as well. The both of them shall suffer until they beg him for mercy, and he wouldn''t grant it. He would make them face despair as they cry out in agony... Lucas''s face suddenly became darker as his eyes took on a dark shade. A subtle, dangerous energy of red and black started leaking out of him, alerting everyone present as they felt the shift in the air from something dangerous. Everyone froze and stopped fighting as they sensed something perilous. Looking toward the source of the dread they felt, they saw it was Lucas, casually sitting on the edge of the rooftop of the parking garage. His face, however, was not the same as before. His face was frightening. Everyone suddenly panicked and became confused at Lucas''s sudden change as he was lost in thought. The behemoth was the first to snap out of it, seizing the opportunity to strike at the annoying little bugs in front of it. Suddenly, before anyone could react, it appeared in front of Amaya, its grotesque claw poised to strike. But before the deadly blow could land, Klaus interceded, his sword intercepting the attack just in time. A golden trail shimmered in his wake, marking the path from where he had been standing. "Not this time," Klaus declared, his golden eyes burning brightly like the sun as he faced the monstrous moth. Enraged, the behemoth flapped its colossal wings, generating powerful shockwaves that forced Amaya and Klaus to stagger backward. Several people and beasts were sent hurtling away by the force. Taking to the air, the behemoth created even louder shockwaves, its single red eye fixed intensely on Klaus, radiating pure malevolence. Its annoyance was palpable. The creature''s intentions were clear: it aimed to quickly dispatch these persistent foes and then confront the enigmatic figure on the rooftop, whom it instinctively knew was the most dangerous of all. Despite its arrogance, the behemoth couldn''t shake the unsettling feeling that this person was a being of greater power and danger. An annoyed screech echoed from the moth as it soared above, dodging a barrage of ice spears and wind blades. Though it danced through most of the attacks, a few ice spears managed to graze it, exacerbating its irritation. Locking eyes with Sylviette was its fatal mistake. In that brief moment of distraction, a beam of light shot towards it, burning a hole through one of its wings. The behemoth hurled downwards, crashing hard to the ground with an agonized screech. As it staggered back to its feet, its remaining bulging eye locked onto Klaus with a hatred so intense it seemed to pulse visibly. A familiar blue hue began to pulsate throughout its body, just as it had before, signaling the buildup of another devastating attack. Everyone around tensed, alert to the imminent threat. "Enough." Suddenly, before the two could clash again, an extremely cold voice resonated through the battlefield, freezing everyone in place. Lucas was suddenly standing between the hero and the Calamity of Despair. His face and eyes were devoid of any emotion, as was the strange aura that had been surrounding him earlier. Lightning crackled around his body as he calmly watched the moth in front of him. Most of the newcomers were shocked; no one had even seen him arrive. As they glanced at his face, they felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort. His presence surpassed even that of the champions, causing many to gulp in apprehension. Not only were the humans affected, but even the spiders were fleeing as they felt the presence of another strong being. Though the Calamity of Despair was formidable, they had deemed it manageable to get some prey for themselves. However, the moment they sensed Lucas''s presence¡ªa presence that rivaled the calamity itself¡ªthey instantly began to flee, their instincts screaming of danger. The spiders perceived that Lucas was fundamentally different, far more dangerous than any other being on the battlefield. He was not like anyone else here, and his very essence radiated a lethal threat. Many were surprised to see the other beasts suddenly flee, but there were no cheers. All eyes were now locked on Lucas and the behemoth, who stared intently at each other. The blue hue on the behemoth''s body pulsated even faster as it remained on high alert. As the tension thickened, Lucas''s cold voice cut through the silent battlefield. "I''ll take over from now on. You can all go and rest... Good job." [AN: Have you been enjoying my novel so far? I hope so! Anyway, if you have been enjoying it, consider writing a review and throwing your power stones at me so my novel gets recognized more... Please.] Chapter 60 Fall of Despair Both Lucas and the Calamity of Despair stood in front of each other, waiting for who would be the first to strike.Klaus didn''t hesitate and backed away along with the others, feeling extremely tired and their mana exhausted. Everyone watched amidst the harrowing silence with bated breath as Lucas confronted the Calamity of Despair. As for why Lucas suddenly decided to enter the fight, there were two simple reasons. The first reason was... ''Fuck it...'' He wasn''t stupid; he knew perfectly well what type of uninvited guests could come knocking at his door. He had already experienced it countless times in his previous world. He needed to get the attention of a specific type of uninvited guests, but getting them in his current world was much harder, and he needed to get their attention... He needed more power and something or someone backing him up so that a situation like Karciel could never happen again. He would garner their attention and welcome the guests he wants to show up with open arms gladly if it meant his family''s protection and getting stronger. The second reason for entering the fight was that the second calamity was approaching fast, and he knew that it would get more dangerous as time kept going. Everyone could now properly hear amidst the silence the loud crashing and groaning sounds of buildings getting closer and closer, making everyone nervous as their faces turned grim at what could be approaching them. They all finally understood why Lucas decided to intervene now. It wasn''t just him; he could see that the moth was staring at him intensely with its single eye but at the same time was extremely impatient as well. Not to eat Lucas anymore but to end the fight as fast as possible as well. The most dangerous opponent suddenly decided to enter the fight, and at the same time, it could sense the one being it hated the most approaching them. It needed to finish this fight fast! Suddenly, as Lucas held his blade of chaos in his right hand, he disappeared. He was suddenly gone under everyone''s bewildered and shocked eyes. Even the behemoth didn''t understand what happened, until... Before anyone could understand what happened, the behemoth let out an agonizing screech as a deep cut formed on its side. Turning around quickly while swinging its right jagged leg out of instinct, it and everyone else saw Lucas standing there. As the leg was about to impale him on the spot and was inches from reaching his face, he disappeared again... Everyone, no matter if they were inside or outside this virtual world, opened their eyes wide and their bodies trembled upon realizing what happened... Space magic... Lucas Nightstar had just used space magic to teleport himself. A new space user has finally appeared in Myrniel... Appearing at the other side of the beast, Lucas thrust his blade forward with lightning crackling around it, intending to impale its head. But the moth, sensing his presence this time as it was no longer confused, shifted its body out of the way as the blade only met open air. As the behemoth''s claws descended upon him, Lucas met each strike with his blade enveloped in crackling lightning. The clash between them was intense, each blow ringing out like thunder as they moved with blinding speed. Lucas refused to yield, his determination matching the ferocity of the behemoth''s onslaught. Despite the creature''s size and strength, he held his ground, parrying and deflecting each blow with precision. Their movements created a tempestuous frenzy, whipping up gusts of wind that tore through the air and sent shockwaves reverberating in every direction. Nearby buildings groaned under the strain, unable to withstand the sheer force of their battle. The streets beneath them crumbled, unable to contain the immense destructive power unleashed by Lucas and the behemoth. Debris rained down as they danced across the broken terrain, their duel escalating into a cataclysmic clash of titans. For those below the level of a master, the spectacle was incomprehensible. The speed and ferocity of their combat surpassed what their eyes could see, leaving them in awe and terror as they struggled to keep up with the chaos unfolding before them. Lucas instantly decided to teleport away to a safe distance as he was annoyed that his surprise attack didn''t work. ''It should be fine and enough for them as long as I keep my dual-wielder talent and Chaos element hidden for now...'' As he thought that under the wary gaze of the behemoth and everyone else, Lucas suddenly uttered a word that made everyone look at him horrified, especially the Calamity of Despair. "[Infernal Chains]." As he spoke, chains of fire erupted out of the ground and started binding the behemoth''s legs and wings, burning it as it unleashed a wail of agony. Not done with the beast, Lucas was suddenly surrounded by dozens of red lightning javelins. As he aimed his right finger pointing at the behemoth, making a gun motion, they all launched at the beast. It kept screaming as it was getting electrocuted and burnt at the same time. Being sent into a maddening crazed state, it managed to break free from the burning chains as it lunged towards Lucas, creating shockwaves in the air. Suddenly, it was in front of Lucas, no longer holding back and decided to finish him as fast as possible as the sounds of buildings crashing could be heard getting closer and closer. It swung its jagged left leg at Lucas as he managed to dodge it by teleporting away again. As he was again at a safe distance, he didn''t get enough time to take a breath as the pulsation of the creature finally stopped. Aiming its two antennae at Lucas, which were writhing and extending fully towards him, a blue beam of energy shot towards him, destroying everything and creating multiple shockwaves in the air. Instead of dodging the beam of energy, Lucas put his blade over his head and swung down vertically as the beam was about to hit him, making it split in two, shocking many again. Cutting through the attack that would have killed most masters, Lucas disappeared again and appeared right above the nightmarish moth. Sensing Lucas above it, it tried its best to move away as fast as possible. It was too late... It didn''t manage to move in time, resulting in one of its wings getting cut down as blood spurted out of its previous place. The moth screamed in extreme agony as it was blinded by pain. Lucas wasn''t done with him as he sent multiple fireballs straight towards him, increasing his agony and burning him even more. After that, a five-meter-wide field of electricity shot out of Lucas, stunning the beast momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Lucas was suddenly right in front of the moth as he swung his blade down and finally cut its head off. The blade sliced through flesh with a sickening sound, the air filled with the scent of blood as the creature''s head separated from its body in a gruesome display. Blood spurted out of its neck as its lifeless body fell to the ground. Everyone just watched in stunned silence at how overwhelmingly Lucas managed to defeat the colossal beast. One of the three great calamities... S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Calamity of Despair... had finally died. Chapter 61 Dark Horse Sitting atop the lifeless body of one of the three great calamities was Lucas.He was calmly looking at the stars, illuminated by the moonlight, as everyone watched in stunned silence. Wasn''t it a little too easy? The moment he stepped in, he easily handled the moth as if it was nothing. Sure, the moth was weakened, but it still shouldn''t have been defeated this easily... right? The sound of buildings collapsing was getting closer and closer, yet no one moved as they just watched Lucas gazing at the stars silently. Breaking the silence for the first time between everyone was Sylviette as she spoke sarcastically, "Thanks for saving us by stealing the kill in the end." Lucas turned to face her with an annoyed look as he responded, "Steal? If you didn''t want me to steal the kill, then you should have properly fought yourself instead of hiding in the back like some scared little girl." Lucas said, annoyed at the fact that she could''ve done more herself. "Why should I when I can let you do all the work?" Sylviette retorted. Lucas''s lips twitched as he heard her bold remark. The newcomers watched, stunned, as they heard how casually the two talked to each other. Suddenly, breaking everyone''s thought was the sound of the ground trembling. "W-what is happening?" Someone said bewildered, not figuring out what caused the trembling. "What else? The second calamity or perhaps even the last are approaching us," Lucas responded. As he said this, all the examinees who hadn''t figured that out beforehand now paled. Before they could panic, though, they heard Leonne''s words, making them all look at him with a deadpan face. "So what is the plan to fight it or them?" he asked. Even Lucas looked at him with a deadpan face this time. "You nor anyone else is in the condition to fight another calamity or two, so just go somewhere safe unless you want to get yourself killed. Since I won''t be saving anyone who stays," Lucas stated. As Lucas spoke, Leonne furrowed his eyebrows and spoke once again with a little confusion evident in his voice. "You plan to fight one or two calamities all by yourself?" "Do you see someone else who could? Sure if perhaps the great princess of the elven race decided to grace us and not being lazy I wouldn''t need to fight alone," Lucas said, looking at Sylviette to annoy her. "You would make a lonely princess fight against two calamities responsible for destroying an entire city? How cruel..." Sylviette shot back, faking wiping her tears, making Lucas click his tongue and turn away as he said underneath his breath that she was lazy. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She wasn''t wrong; there was no need for her to fight anymore, nor did she have any interest, so she was just going to enjoy the rest of the show. "I can still fight so I''ll help you," Klaus suddenly interjected, making everyone look at him. The future hero of humanity was severely wounded, blood dripping down his head. "Sure, go fight and die. I won''t help nor support you, though," Lucas said, and before Klaus could talk, he continued, "Nevermind. Don''t be a stupid idiot, Sylv. At the very least, heal him." As Lucas said this, Sylviette obliged and headed towards Klaus, extending her hands at him as a green hue enveloped him, healing his wounds slowly. The ground was trembling even more as the buildings started to groan. "Alright, time for you guys to lea-" Lucas suddenly stopped talking, making everyone look confused at him. ''Something is wrong...'' Lucas kept looking around with his head as he suddenly felt a gaze on him. ''Someone or something is watching me.'' ''Is it one of the calamities?'' The gaze, for some reason, made him uncomfortable; not even the moth made him this uncomfortable. He kept darting his eyes around as everyone watched his actions, confused, and most even got their weapons ready and on alert. They didn''t know what made Lucas suddenly so quiet and alert, but if he was, then they must be as well. ''Where...'' No matter where he looked, he couldn''t find the source of his discomfort anywhere. ''It feels like the gaze is directed at me from everywhere...'' ''I don''t like this...'' The ground kept trembling more and more, the buildings started to groan louder and louder, and some debris started falling from the buildings close by. Suddenly, Lucas jumped off the lifeless body of the calamity. "Let''s leave now... We can figure out how to fight the other calamities later on," he suddenly spoke, making everyone look at him in surprise. Just what could have made him back off suddenly at fighting the calamities by himself? Did he realize that he can''t fight them on his own in the end? Questions started filling everyone''s mind as Lucas already started walking, lightning beginning to crackle around him. "Wait, Lucas, what happened? Why did you suddenly decide to run?" Sylviette spoke, the question that was on everyone''s mind as they watched him. Lucas didn''t turn back as he spoke, "I don''t know." Everyone was again confused at his answer. He didn''t know? Before she or anyone else could question him again, Lucas spoke again. "The calamity will arrive here in about a minute if I am right. I will be going now. I will meet you and rest again for when you find a new base." As he said this, he suddenly disappeared, leaving only a trail of red lightning behind. "Huh!? Lucas, wait!" Sylviette shouted after him, but it was too late... Lucas was gone. Everyone was bewildered at the sudden turn of events but didn''t wait long as they hurriedly left as well, the tremors getting closer and closer. ******** Deciding he was far away from the calamity sensing or reaching him or anyone, he entered an old abandoned building as he kept calmly walking on the stairs until he reached the rooftop. He wanted to test if he could feel the gaze even inside a building... he could. Opening the door, he entered the rooftop as a gust of wind hit his face, making his hair flutter. Walking a little further, he suddenly stopped and turned around, facing the open door again. "You can show yourself now," Lucas suddenly spoke out, and as he did, a figure emerged from out the shadows of the door. The source of his previous discomfort closed the door gently as it walked further. Being illuminated by the moonlight was Lucas and... a girl. The shadows became deeper around them as the night felt like it grew darker. The girl had black hair like onyx, that felt like it was absorbing the light around them. Her blood-red eyes were just like Lucas''s except for the dragon pupils. Her figure was that of perfection, as she was only a head shorter than Lucas. A small smile was on the girl''s face as she stood face to face with Lucas. The smile, for some reason, made his heart race... ''As I thought, there would be a dark horse appearing...'' Lucas thought, gazing at the girl who would rival... no, perhaps even surpass Sylviette in beauty and... strength. Lucas could feel it; the girl in front of him was strong, exceptionally strong. Though most could also call Lucas a dark horse as he surpassed everyone''s expectations. Snapping out of his thoughts was the girl''s voice, like a beautiful string of harmony. "You didn''t need to isolate yourself from the others, you know?" "I thought that was the reason you were hiding while intensely gazing at me." "Sorry for that. You can''t blame me, right? Anyone would get shy gazing at someone as handsome as Lucas Nightstar himself?" Lucas looked amused at hearing the girl''s response. "I am sure someone as beautiful as you has seen plenty of shy men around you," Lucas said, making the girl in front of him chuckle a little. The way she laughed felt like someone he knew in the past... "What is your name? Only fair for me to know if you know mine," Lucas asked curiously about the mysterious girl in front of him. "I am quite popular, you know?" She said cutely, pouting but continued again, "Though that is only in name since I didn''t reveal myself much to the public like you. My name is Seraphina Darkcrest." Lucas was surprised hearing her name, especially her last name, since the Darkcrests were one of the three great dukes along with Velheim. Though surprised, he quickly composed himself. Who was he? He was a half-dragon and friends with the princess of the elven race! "Mind telling me the real reason you were hiding in the shadows, then, Lady Seraphina?" ''To be so proficient with shadow magic that she could see me from everywhere around...'' "Just Seraphina is fine for someone like you or Sera perhaps~" "As I said before, you were the reason..." Lucas furrowed his brows at how vaguely she spoke, but before he could respond, she suddenly walked right in front of him, leaning her face close to his left ear, a transparent dome of darkness suddenly surrounded them on the rooftop, isolating the sound outside and ensuring no one could hear them. The words she whispered made Lucas''s entire body freeze as his eyes shot wide open. His face became pale as the hair on his nape stood on end. "My Reaper~" Chapter 62 The Massacre of Shibuya Hospital. Blood.The scent of blood was everywhere. It seeped into the air, reaching far beyond the hospital''s cold, sterile walls, pervading the night. Bodies littered the ground outside, a grotesque display of men, women, and even children. Innocence and guilt no longer mattered. One of the hospital wings was engulfed in flames, an inferno that seemed to burn straight from Hell. Inside the hospital, the horror only deepened. Blood pooled in every corner, a macabre flood that painted the walls, floors, and ceilings in a sickening red. Dead bodies, lay scattered like discarded dolls. The air was thick with the coppery tang of blood and the stench of death. Brains were splattered against the walls, leaving behind a grotesque mosaic of gray matter. Throats were slit, the gaping wounds grinning in a sinister mockery. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearts were stabbed, the still-warm flesh twitching in silent agony. Grotesque. The scene was beyond grotesque¡ªit was a nightmarish tableau of carnage and despair. Sirens wailed, their piercing screams echoing through the halls, a haunting symphony of chaos. Red lights flashed, casting eerie, pulsating shadows over the mutilated corpses. A building meant to save lives had become a slaughterhouse. Down one of the corridors, the floor was slick with blood. Bodies of armed men lay in heaps, their faces frozen in final expressions of terror and pain. They had all fallen to brutal stab wounds or vicious gunshots. Blood and brains mingled in a gruesome collage. At the end of the corridor, behind a door smeared with bloody handprints, lay the source of this unimaginable horror... Three people could be seen: one was a handsome young boy with black hair and eyes like onyx, bloodstains were all over him. The boy was no older than 19, standing in front of a kneeling girl the same age as him, with beautiful brown hair and emerald green eyes. Her face and entire body were filled with bloodstains, indicating she and the boy were the cause of this nightmare. Only a single wound could be seen on her left leg from a gunshot wound as at the same time Noah could be seen holding with his right trembling hand a Desert Eagle towards Alicia''s face. On the patient bed was a handsome man with white hair and purple eyes; a stab wound could be seen on his right shoulder as he gripped it tightly. "Why... dammit... why... I told you, didn''t I, Alicia? I would handle this..." Noah spoke through gritted teeth in a hoarse voice as he looked at Alicia. "This bastard wanted to kill my little sister... just to get revenge on us, Noah. Why else..." "Didn''t I tell you that I would fucking deal with it myself!? Why did you have to make this more complicated!" Noah spoke, raising his voice as he glared at Alicia. "I can''t let you fucking kill him, not now. Why didn''t you listen to me! Now it is too late!" The wound on her leg was because Alicia didn''t listen and wanted to take the man''s life, making Noah shoot her but unfortunately she managed to stab the man in his right shoulder before he stopped her. "Enough of this..." Suddenly the white-haired man sitting on the bed spoke up, his voice icily cold. "Enough with all of this... because of you two, and especially you, girl, no matter which one of us comes out of this hospital alive, that person will become the most wanted person alive as the whole entire world will be hunting him." "All of this because the both of you took the one person I loved the most! My wife! So isn''t it fair I tried to take your little sister whom you cared for the most, Red Spider?" Noah could only grit his teeth at his current situation. He could already hear the sound of dozens of police cars arriving outside the hospital as the sound of helicopters started to fly in the air. If he needed to leave, he had to do it soon. Tsukasa, the man talking to them with hatred burning in his eyes, was right... every single one of them was fucked. "Keep in mind that I gave the last of my men a simple order before they are hunted down as well. This will be my revenge on the both of you. Reaper, no one knows your real identity, meaning you still have a chance..." "A chance? What fucking chance do we have? We are fucking surrounded! They won''t even hear us out as they will just shoot on sight!" As he screamed at him, Tsukasa suddenly picked up his phone with his left hand and dialed a number. "Do it." He spoke and put his phone back. As he did, everyone inside the room heard the sound of an explosion outside the hospital. Noah widened his eyes in realization. "A bomber..." "Correct. I have a few more secret suicide bombers disguised as police officers outside the hospital. Not just that... on the first floor, at the staff room, there is an emergency exit where all the officers there are my men. Those men are the ones I ordered to kill her little sister unless... they see you go to them. They will give you everything to hide yourself and start a new life. They will also help you sneak out of this hospital safely." "In eight minutes, all the suicide bombers will go off, distracting everyone there, giving you five minutes to escape this hospital." "Wha¡ª" Before Noah could talk, Tsukasa interrupted him as a menacing grin appeared on his face. "But. Didn''t I say I would have my revenge on the both of you?" Noah suddenly widened his eyes at hearing the man. "Your gun is already at the perfect place, Reaper... pull the damn trigger. By tomorrow, when her death is confirmed, no one will lay a hand on her little sister, I promise you that. But that would only happen if she is dead." "No... I can''t do that." Noah spoke with a cold voice suddenly as he glared at Tsukasa, who had a grin on his face like a psychopath. "Reaper, you have become fucking weak! All because of this stupid girl, you have become so soft... and now because of the both of you, Dark Rose, Tsukasa Tech, and the entire 68 team is gone! So as punishment for all of this, for my wife and everyone who has suffered because of her... you kill her. Her sister will be safe, you will finally be free, and this entire hell will finally be over." "Noah..." Before Noah could retort, he turned his head back to Alicia, who was looking at him with a small smile on her face. "Do it." "What..." "Please... shoot me, pull the trigger and finally end this miserable life... our lives were unfair, we were unlucky since the beginning, but... at the very least, I want to die by your own hands as at the same time it would mean saving my little sister who is innocent and giving you your freedom. Please, Noah, let me take this luck for once..." Noah could only grit his teeth at her. "Alicia..." "It''s fine, Noah... so please..." "Please don''t make me..." "Noah!" "Please...Alicia." "Kill me, my reap¡ª" BAM Before she finished her sentence, Noah pulled the trigger, ending the life of the Red Spider once and for all. Her lifeless body fell to the ground with a resounding thud, making Noah turn his head away as he bit his lip to prevent himself from crying. "Good... it sucks, doesn''t it? To have the one person you care about die in front of you..." Tsukasa said, no longer smiling as he gazed at the dead body of Alicia with a neutral gaze now. "Yeah... it really does suck, doesn''t it?" Noah responded with a hoarse voice as he suddenly aimed his Desert Eagle at Tsukasa''s head. BAM Like that, as another thud resounded in the room, Noah, the Reaper, was the only one left alive in the hospital that would later be known as The Massacre of Shibuya Hospital. Chapter 63 Seraphina Darkcrest The words she whispered made Lucas''s body freeze in shock as he looked at her wide-eyed. His mouth kept opening and closing like a fish out of water.As if proud and satisfied by his reaction, Seraphina, previously known as Alicia, nodded in approval and began to step back to give him some space. But before she could turn around again, she was suddenly smashed against the concrete wall next to the door behind her, with both her hands sealed above her head and a blade placed at her throat. She stared wide-eyed as Lucas''s face was inches from hers, devoid of any emotion, with a cold glint passing through his eyes. Both their warm breaths touched each other''s faces as Lucas''s grip on her wrists tightened even more. Seraphina, after realizing what happened, suddenly grinned a little after composing herself. "Noah, or should I say Lucas now? You should really stop pointing your blade at everyone you meet~" she teased him, causing Lucas''s eyelid to twitch slightly. "How... and why?" Lucas asked, staring right into her blood-red eyes. "Well, I got reincarnated after you killed me. That''s what happened to you as well, right? You must have died and got reincarnated too..." She responded, her face becoming a little sad at the end. "Why are you here, Alicia? What is your goal? To get revenge on me for what I have done?" Seraphina only furrowed her brows at hearing Lucas''s question, looking a little angry. "Why would I want to take revenge on you? Don''t forget that it was me who told you to shoot and kill me. None of that was your fault, everything that happened was on me and me alone. In fact, if you wanted to kill me now, I would fully understand that. Also, please call me Seraphina, or at least Sera. I don''t go by that name anymore." She said as Lucas''s grip on her wrists loosened up a little, looking at her with complicated eyes. "I was the one who still killed you, though... and prevented you from killing Tsukasa as well," he said, not willing to accept this situation so easily. Seraphina responded with a gentle tone. "Noa¡ªLucas... If you hadn''t stopped me, my little sister would have been killed. So I can only be grateful to you..." As she spoke, Lucas finally released her wrists and pulled back his blade from her throat. Sheathing his blade back into the holster on his right waist just in case he needed it again, he backed away from her, creating some distance. Taking a few deep breaths, he looked back at her, who hadn''t moved an inch and was staring at him with a small smile. "Lucas... my little sister Sophia, is she..." "You don''t need to worry. After I escaped the hospital, I returned to the U.S. where she was. She was perfectly fine. She even found a family that loves her... I secretly gave them enough money to last for a few generations as well." Lucas''s response eased her worries. He knew that Alicia, now Seraphina, loved her sister dearly. Sophia was only 13 years old and an orphan like her older sister. Seraphina, though, was just like Lucas, picked up by Aushburn, but she never stopped looking out for her little sister, whom she loved dearly with all her heart... even though her little sister never knew about Seraphina. But she didn''t mind, as protecting her from within the shadows was enough for her. Lucas had known her since the moment he got adopted by Aushburn, they both arrived in his care at the same time and practically grew up together. Hearing what Lucas did and how Sophia found a good family, Seraphina looked relieved and grateful, giving him a loving smile. "What is it?" Lucas asked, feeling weird and unsure how to proceed as she kept smiling at him. "Nothing... I have just missed you, you know? I didn''t even know if it was really you, but when I was listening in on you and the other champions and you said you didn''t mind becoming the enemy of humanity a second time... I really started hoping that it was perhaps you by some miracle." As she said that, her voice became emotional, and she looked straight into his eyes with a smile that took the breath away of anyone watching. "You don''t know how glad and relieved I am that my gamble turned out to be true." Lucas watched wide-eyed and dazed at her as it finally started to kick in for him as well... A small smile finally appeared on his face as he gazed back at her. "I have missed you as well, Al¡ª I mean, Seraphina." "Hehe~ You have changed a lot, I see. You look more... alive?" She said, a little confused at how to describe him now. "You seriously implying I looked dead before?" He asked jokingly, making her laugh a little. After that, they both decided to sit on the edge of the rooftop as they started catching each other up with their current lives. Lucas even told her about how he started attending college and on the very first day even died as a truck ran over him. The face she made was priceless as she couldn''t believe that the infamous Reaper of Night actually perished by a truck... Lucas also learned from Seraphina that she awakened her memories at the age of 10, two years earlier than Lucas. She started accepting her new life and wanted to explore more about this world, but being the daughter of a duke, it was hard for her to go adventuring like Lucas did. So instead, she did what any sensible person would do: sneak out whenever she found the opportunity. Lucas couldn''t help but laugh out loud after hearing what she did and how her father scolded her harshly, making her pout and turn away. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucas, after hesitating a little but ultimately realizing that he could still trust her, decided to reveal his adventures of how he became a half-dragon, his affinities, and even his special talent. When she heard that, instead of being shocked, she became jealous... She also wanted to be a progenitor and a half-dragon! But after it was her turn to speak, it was Lucas who became shocked instead. She also had a dual-wielder talent just like him. She was more proficient with daggers than swords and had the affinity for shadow, sound, and... space. She was a space user just like Lucas, making him extremely surprised, but it didn''t end there. She was also a mid 6-star level dual-wielder already! She was close to catching up to Lucas... she was just as talented as him, perhaps even more... Sera had shadow magic just like Lucas''s mother, but that didn''t mean it was a common affinity just like sound. Although not as rare as the space affinity, shadow and sound affinity were still uncommon and not many people possessed it. Lucas found it amusing since if Sera decided to reveal that she was also a tri-elemental mage with space affinity, the world would go crazy. In their eyes, there would be at least two tri-elemental mages attending the academy, both possessing space affinity. He was sure the world was currently streaming his every move and now watching them as well. However, since Sera had put up a barrier, no one would be able to hear their conversation. Although, given that he had pushed her against a wall, he was sure he would get a lot of hate for that and perhaps some other reactions as people noticed their sudden close relationship. Both enjoyed each other''s company, reminiscing about how they used to always spend time together. Like that, they kept talking to each other about their new lives for hours without noticing until the sun started to rise. Chapter 64 Reactions SilenceAs usual, silence filled the stadium as everyone watched Lucas. Shock, awe, and admiration were what everyone felt as Lucas entered the fight against the calamity. The way he fought alone against the calamity and danced around it, he made it look so effortless as if the calamity wasn''t a problem at all. The way he revealed that he was a tri-elemental mage, which was almost as rare as a space user which he also was at the same time, left everyone shocked and in awe. No one, no matter how high their status, dared to make fun of Lucas as they saw how skilled he was with the sword and magic. Lucas Nightstar was, in everyone''s eyes, a once-in-a-lifetime genius, and no one could deny that. No one did or had the need to deny that, as most in the VIP rooms were already thinking about how to form connections with him or the Nightstars. A few days had passed since the entrance exam started. Most of the Dormant had already left so that they could sleep, but those of Awakened and above could easily manage to go days without sleep. Especially those in the VIP rooms, and if they needed to rest, there were rooms connected to theirs that had all the necessary amenities for them to stay as long as they wished. The commentator didn''t even do her job anymore, but no one blamed her... how could they? Just watching Lucas sit on the lifeless body of the calamity as if it was nothing, they felt that it would be an insult to his every action and would only degrade what they felt as they watched his every move. Everyone was first shocked as they listened and heard how he would handle the calamities approaching himself, but then that shock turned into confusion as Lucas stopped talking midway and cautiously started looking around his surroundings. What made everyone even more bewildered was the fact that he suddenly revealed that he would be leaving and searching for them later. Everyone was confused and shocked as they saw Lucas run away, leaving a trail of red lightning behind. They didn''t understand what he was thinking at all. That was until they saw what happened next... Standing on the rooftop, they heard him call someone, making everyone confused and thinking he had gone even crazier. That was until everyone saw a girl emerge out of the shadows. The girl was, in everyone''s eyes, simply beautiful, rivaling the Elven princess, perhaps even surpassing her. Suddenly, everyone heard the voice of the commentator for the first time in a while as she said in a nervous voice, "Seraphina Darkcrest... The youngest child of Alaric Darkcrest..." Hearing what she said, everyone couldn''t help but gulp as their eyes widened in shock. Seraphina Darkcrest, just like Lucas Nightstar, was basically a mystery as no one knew how strong she even was. She never revealed herself to the public, and everyone knew that her family was extremely overprotective of her. What they did know was that she had an older brother who was in his second year at the academy. No one really knew if she would attend the academy or not, but now that it was confirmed... Everyone''s attention was fixated solely on Lucas and Seraphina, intending not to miss a single thing that was about to happen. As they listened more and more to the conversation, they realized something that made them even more baffled and confused... they were flirting. Lucas Nightstar and Seraphina Darkcrest were flirting with each other, making many have mixed feelings about this. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Some even started shipping the two as they found them to be a perfect match. But then suddenly, they saw Seraphina lean towards him, whispering something in his ear. No one could listen since she cast a sound barrier around them, making many complain, but nothing could be done... they wanted to listen in on the drama that might happen! Drama... was exactly what they got as they suddenly saw Lucas standing in shock like a fish out of water, many very curious and confused at what she said to make someone like him react like that. But... Everything that happened after that made their brains freeze as they couldn''t comprehend and follow up with what was happening anymore. ****** In one of the VIP rooms, the sound of glass could be heard shattering. A man with dark hair and red eyes, just like Seraphina''s, could be seen sitting on a luxurious couch. Alaric Darkcrest, who had just crushed the glass of wine in his right hand, was seething with anger as he looked at Lucas Nightstar pinning his daughter against the wall while holding a blade to her throat. He had first respected Lucas a lot. The boy was obviously a genius. He liked the way he carried himself and how he didn''t care about anyone except for the people he loved. He wouldn''t hesitate to strike down someone of a higher status than him and even directly challenge all the champions. He wouldn''t even mind if the boy asked for his daughter''s hand... The man even dared to prank the Elven princess! But now... He wanted to personally go and kill him, seeing his actions. He was ready to intervene and cause chaos if he dared to do anything to his daughter! His butler next to him, who had long white hair and a long mustache while wearing a monocle on his right eye, suddenly spoke with equal anger, "My lord, should we destroy the Nightstars for this?" Oliver the butler said, and as he heard what he said, he calmed down a little. "Don''t. Let''s just watch for now and intervene if necessary," Alaric suddenly spoke with a cold, icy tone as he knew he couldn''t mess with the Nightstars. He wasn''t stupid, he knew about the attack that happened and also figured out that they must have a Saint of their own who managed to finish off everything faster than it should have. The king even respects them and gives them a lot of freedom for a viscount, making everyone cautious about them. He knew that if the Nightstars wanted, the three great duke families could change to four. Continuing to watch his daughter pinned against the wall, he suddenly saw something that made his face turn weird... his daughter was grinning. ''Is she into these types of things...?'' As he thought this, he could see her mouth moving but couldn''t figure out what she was saying due to her barrier playing tricks with the spectators. ''Why does she even have this barrier in the first place...'' Suddenly he saw Lucas and his daughter talking to each other, his daughter even seeming sad a little at first as she talked. He didn''t understand what was happening anymore. ''Do they know each other? Since when? She did sneak out a lot, is that how they met?'' He kept intently watching as he saw his daughter looking a little angry. ''That look reminds me of Miranda...'' Suddenly he started to feel a little pity for Lucas... perhaps he was the victim instead. ''But at the beginning, they obviously didn''t know each other... or was that all an act? They look like they know each other quite well.'' Alaric didn''t understand anymore, he was getting a headache from thinking about what their relationship was... the headache only increased as he saw Lucas suddenly back away and start saying something that made his sad daughter feel relief and look grateful at him. He saw her suddenly talk, noticing her becoming emotional for some reason as tears welled up in her eyes. ''Why... just what the hell are they saying!'' He was getting extremely frustrated and wanted to pull them out of the exam to understand what the hell was even going on! And then... His brain froze as did time for him as he saw his daughter flash a smile so bright that it took his breath away. The same smile she was giving currently that made him always overprotective of her and making sure no harm was done to her. The same smile she only gave to him and her mother and brother. That smile... that she was currently giving to a boy who wasn''t even her family. ''D-don''t tell me... are they both in...'' He didn''t dare to finish his thought as a dark aura started leaking out of him, making the room tremble. "M-my lord! Please calm down, you can''t lose control in the capital!" his butler suddenly shouted, making him reel back his aura, realizing what he had done. "R-right, thank you, Oliver." "My lord, if I may give you some advice, let''s just wait for the exam to end so we can question them. It is obvious that their relationship goes... deeper than we know of." "You are right, let''s just do that." Alaric, in the end, agreed as he watched them both sit next to each other, talking about something happily until the sun rose... Chapter 65 The Voidwalkers Five days.Five whole days had passed since Lucas left, and now everyone was gathered inside an old grocery store. As usual, everyone was discussing a strategy for how to find and defeat the remaining calamities or whether they should wait until the time limit. "You think something happened to him? He did act weird all of a sudden..." Amaya said, referring to how Lucas suddenly changed his attitude and ran off somewhere. "It''s easy to tell that Lucas is stronger than all of us. If something happened to him, we are as good as screwed," Leonne responded calmly. "Do you think he could have defeated the second calamity that was approaching?" Amaya asked curiously, wondering what would have happened if he hadn''t left. Leonne didn''t answer for a second as he stared at the others, who were either listening or sleeping. Sylviette and Klaus were both close by, listening. "I think he would win." Everyone looked at him, surprised, as they didn''t expect him to say that. "Why would you think that? He is still only a single person," Amaya challenged. "Simple, really. He defeated the moth without breaking a sweat. Even though it was injured, he still won by a large margin. He is extremely skilled and knows how to think fast mid-battle. He isn''t someone stupid, every action he takes is already calculated by him... at least that''s what I think." "So you think he already calculated his chances and they were in his favor of winning against one or two calamities?" Amaya asked, voicing the question everyone was thinking, except for Sylviette. "I wonder how he got so strong..." Klaus suddenly said out loud. "He must have trained hard. How else? He didn''t even bother attending any social gatherings," Leonne said, answering his question. As everyone heard him, they started admiring Lucas a little since, in their eyes, he must have trained always instead of attending parties... though he was actually just lazing around most of the time. As they were lost in their own thoughts, they suddenly heard the doors slide open, alerting everyone present as they turned their heads. What they saw was Lucas casually walking inside, gazing at everyone present, and next to him was Seraphina. "Who is that goddess..." someone whispered, echoing what most were thinking. "Is she the reason he suddenly left?" another said. Sylviette and Amaya both furrowed their eyebrows, gazing at the girl. Answering everyone''s question was Leonne, who looked at the girl with narrowed eyes. "Seraphina Darkcrest..." Hearing the name, most widened their eyes in surprise, not expecting her to be here. Everyone kept glancing between Seraphina and Lucas. Both were mysterious, nothing was known about them as both never attended social gatherings. Did they know each other before the exams? Is that why he suddenly left¡ªbecause it was something to do with her? Both calmly walked toward where the other champions were, ignoring everyone''s wary gazes. "Where have you been for the past five days?" Sylviette asked, but no one''s eyes were on him as everyone was currently watching Seraphina like a hawk. Most could tell... she was strong. Stronger than them. As Lucas and Seraphina arrived in front of the champions, he just looked at her and answered calmly, "I was busy dealing with things... complicated things." ''I can''t tell them that we were basically lazing around and talking to each other for the past five days...'' Lucas thought as he saw many of them now looking at him. "The reason you suddenly left... it was because of her, right?" Leonne suddenly asked. Lucas, hearing his question, just glanced at Seraphina and saw that she was looking at the champions with a curious gaze, like a cat. "That is correct." That was all Lucas said, as he didn''t want to explain more to them. He had no reason to, not even to Sylviette. Yes, she might be a friend of his, but that didn''t mean he trusted her enough to share all his secrets, like the fact that he was a half-dragon and other things. "I think everyone has gotten enough rest to finish this exam once and for all," Lucas said, diverting the topic. "You''re planning to finish this exam already?" Klaus asked, raising his eyebrows. Did this mean he had a plan? "That is correct. We shall simply fight the remaining calamities at once and end this exam," Lucas replied calmly, as if what he said wasn''t simply ridiculous... right? "How are you even planning to fight both of them at once? We don''t even know how to find one, let alone two," Amaya interjected, knowing that finding them was extremely hard. Even the colossal moth only showed up by itself and found them instead! As if reading what she was thinking, a maddening grin appeared on Lucas''s face, making most feel extremely uncomfortable. "Simple, really. We won''t need to find them, as they will simply come to us." "How would that even happen? How could you possibly make two calamities come to you?" Klaus asked skeptically. He knew Lucas must have a plan for what he was saying, but he still didn''t trust him, not after how different their views were and their earlier confrontation. Hearing his question, Lucas simply scoffed as he suddenly walked behind Seraphina and placed both his hands on her shoulders, making everyone look at him in surprise at his actions, except for Seraphina herself. "How else? We are going to use this little vixen for that," Lucas suddenly said, making Sera pout and turn away. "How rude, calling me a vixen! I am just an innocent young maiden, you know?" Lucas rolled his eyes at hearing her rebuke. "Sure, and I am an angel..." As he said this, he noticed that it was unusually quiet. Suddenly, he realized everyone was looking at the two with a weird gaze. "What?" Lucas asked, not understanding what their problem was. "What... what is your relationship with the duke''s daughter?" Sylviette asked as she kept glancing between the two. Hearing her question, both Lucas and Seraphina looked at each other for a moment, then looked at Sylviette and answered at the same time. "Old friends." ******** The sun was shining brightly as Lucas and Seraphina stood atop an abandoned skyscraper, giving them a perfect view of the ruined city. "You sure you want to do this?" Seraphina asked curiously. Lucas was planning to fight one of the two calamities while the others would be fighting the remaining one. "I am. Besides, you''re going to help me fight it, so it''ll be fine, right?" Lucas said, and Seraphina flashed a small smile. A black, transparent dome suddenly surrounded them. She didn''t want anyone to hear their conversation. "Of course. Hehe~ this is reminding me of the old days when we used to take missions together," Sera said, giggling as she reminisced about her previous life a little. "I wonder how Sophia is doing now..." she said under her breath while gazing at the city. "Probably enjoying her life with all that money I gave them¡ªunless they spent it all somehow..." Lucas said with a little humor, easing her worries as she heard what he said. As both were enjoying the view a little bit more before it was time for their plan to start, Seraphina suddenly spoke in a complicated tone. "Hey, Lucas..." "What is it?" S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I don''t mind that you are playing such a big role in this exam... but you have a reason for that, right? What are you planning exactly?" Hearing her question, Lucas didn''t answer for a few seconds. "Did you know about the attack on my city?" Lucas suddenly asked, making her look at him. Her eyes became sad, yet anger could also be seen on her face as she realized what he was implying. "Yeah... I know. I know about everything since Dad told me..." "Mm, I want revenge, Sera, but... I am too weak currently. I was so weak back then that I couldn''t even put up a fight. I hate that. I hate that I couldn''t do anything. The gap is just way too big to even think about getting my revenge against Karciel and Abadux. I need power... not just for myself, but I need the power of others as well. So, I am trying to garner the attention of a certain organization." Seraphina''s eyes widened as she listened to Lucas''s reasoning. She was starting to understand what Lucas meant and where he was getting at. "Lucas... whose attention are you trying to get?" she asked hesitantly, a bad feeling creeping over her. "An organization cloaked in countless myths and legends. An organization that almost no one in this world could possibly confirm as real. An organization that, if I join, will ensure that everyone I care about will be protected. But, if I manage to get their attention, it will be a gamble with my life¡ªwhether they kill me or make me one of them." The bad feeling only increased with every word Lucas spoke. She grew extremely nervous as she gazed into his blood-red eyes, which were filled with a flame she couldn''t recognize. "Who are they..." she asked, her voice barely a whisper. Lucas responded with the last name she ever wanted to hear or get involved with. A name that made her entire body tremble. As her face became even more pale and her eyes shot wide open, he said the name that could get him killed merely for mentioning it. "The Voidwalkers." Chapter 66 Crazy Lucas Nothing is known about them.They appear multiple times throughout history. In every major historical event, there were traces of the Voidwalkers. They say that the Voidwalkers are immortals who existed even before the first golden generation. Perhaps they are followers of the demon king. That they are the rulers of the underworld and black market. Some say they are the cause of countless tragedies that have occurred. Others suggest that perhaps they are the ones who rule above everyone. Or that they are guardians of Myrniel protecting the inhabitants against terrors one couldn''t imagine... But no matter what one thinks, it is undeniable that in every big change of Myrniel, they are there. How would one know that? It is simple... There would always be a few words written somewhere at those historical events that no one knows who wrote them. They could be on the walls or somewhere else, but... one would always find them. Countless conspiracy theories started forming about who they actually were online. Historians always discovering the same words. It became so popular that some started acting as if they were one of the Voidwalkers, trying to fool many. Saying weird words that sounded familiar to the ones discovered in the tragedies of time. But... No one could understand those words. They were written in a language that no one could decipher. No matter how many years have passed, no one managed to figure out except for one word. Vacui... meaning void. Leading to them being called The Voidwalkers. The name which became taboo to even speak of and was banned from talking anywhere, not even online, unless you wanted to invite the authorities. They think that the language used was an ancient one so old that it is impossible to trace back. Becoming known as the Void Language. Except there was one person who could understand those words written... "In tenebris mortis et vacui, ubi animae perire incipiunt..." Those words were always left behind... an incomplete sentence. Lucas, who had been doing his research on the Voidwalkers secretly ever since he got saved by Magnus, discovered a shocking fact... The incomplete sentence was in Latin... Which Lucas knew what the complete version of it was. An old dead language in his previous world was for some reason in his current world. He didn''t understand why but it led him to believe that perhaps someone from his previous world got reincarnated here as well. That belief only intensified as he discovered the existence of Seraphina, formerly known as Alicia in his previous world. They were the most mysterious yet at the same easiest for Lucas to get a hold of them. "Crazy... you are fucking crazy, do you know that!?" Seraphina screamed as she heard what Lucas said. Of course, she knew about the Voidwalkers, though she wasn''t knowledgeable in Latin like Lucas is; she understood that the dead language was from her previous world. She knows the trouble of secret organizations like the Dark Rose perfectly well as Lucas. But this... this wasn''t just a secret organization... it was much worse. It was like he was planning to make a deal with the devil. "Just for revenge, you would go this far? You would sell your soul just for that?" Seraphina asked. She couldn''t believe that he would actually try to contact them. "Yes... and no." Hearing Lucas reply, she only got more confused. What does he mean by that? Lucas visibly sighed as he looked towards her and spoke. "This world... our reincarnation... everything feels like it was set up for us, don''t you think? Don''t you feel the strings being pulled by someone as well? Someone who is messing with us, with me? It isn''t just about Karciel nor Abadux; it is about the one who is responsible for everything that happened to me." "What do you mean by that exactly... what about that happened to you?" "The way I died in my previous life... I don''t think it was a mere coincidence. Someone did it on purpose, making me reincarnate in this world. You being reincarnated is perhaps also not just a coincidence. Someone is messing with us, Seraphina. There are so many things happening that we don''t know nor have the power to handle it. So... I will get that power no matter the cost." "Just how did the dragons become extinct... what exactly are the demons planning and where did they come from? What are their goals? Is it really just to conquer us? Then what, live a peaceful life for eternity? Please, that is all a load of crap. The Voidwalkers apparently knowing Latin and then what happened to the first progenitor of chaos and why there even is a fucking second that is me." "So many questions, yet I don''t have a single answer to any of them! This is the closest I am currently to trying to get some of these mysteries revealed. Even if it is a dangerous gamble of my life, I won''t back off now." Hearing the sheer resolve in his voice as he spoke each word, she knew she couldn''t stop him in the slightest... his mind was set. "Lucas... what if it isn''t just you, but what if they come for your entire family as well? You care for them, right? This... what you are trying has too many things that could go wrong." Hearing her, Lucas didn''t answer and kept quiet. He knew... he knew what he was about to try could endanger his family, but if he doesn''t do that... If those words of the seer actually became true... everyone would be as good as dead. He couldn''t let that happen no matter what. Seeing him not replying, she could only bite her lip in frustration. "What does it even mean..." "What?" Lucas asked this time, not understanding what she meant. "What do those words even mean that they leave behind..." A few seconds passed, making her think he wasn''t going to answer her again. As she was about to speak, she heard Lucas answering her. "In tenebris mortis et vacui, ubi animae perire incipiunt... meaning In the darkness of death and the void, where souls begin to perish..." "Why did you stop?" she asked, confused. "I didn''t. That was it, that was all they said. It is an incomplete sentence that they always wrote. You would know if you ever listened to Aushburn''s lessons... and they dare call me lazy." Hearing the name Ausburn, she became a little angry as she remembered how pestering he was at education. "Why should I listen to the lessons of a dead stupid language that wouldn''t have helped me at all! Hmph!" "Can you still say that? You knew it was from our old world but didn''t even know what they meant," Lucas asked as she decided not to answer and turned her head away. "So? Do you know what the full sentence is?" Seraphina suddenly asked as she was actually getting curious about what it all meant. "Yes... I know what it all means. The complete sentence is what I will use to lure them out. When it becomes complete, you realize that it actually is... a warning. A warning for the future." As Lucas said this, she got an ominous feeling for a second at hearing the last bit. A warning... "What is the warning?" She asked. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I''ll tell you after this exam," he said, annoying her as she was curious about what it all meant. She should have listened to Aushburn! She only sighed and shook her head as she returned to watching the broken city. "Very well... please just... just be careful, Lucas. I just found you after all," she spoke with a complicated voice. "Don''t worry, I won''t die easily... not this time." As both gazed at the city, waiting for the inevitable battle against the remaining calamities, they saw a huge pillar of ice being created in one of the streets close to them. "Looks like that is our signal," Seraphina said. "Yeah... I guess it is time to ace this exam and let everything turn into chaos." Chapter 67 Calamity of Dread [1] "Allow me to keep your ears safe~"Seraphina playfully said as she removed the sound barrier around them and created a new one solely around Lucas, shielding him from what was about to happen next. The barrier formed around Lucas as Seraphina stepped forward, standing at the edge of the abandoned skyscraper and looking out over the ruined city. Lucas watched as she inhaled deeply, and in the next second... a loud screech erupted from her throat. The screech perfectly mimicked the agonized cry of the Moth Lucas had defeated, reverberating throughout the entire city and causing nearby buildings to tremble. Seraphina had managed to replicate the sound of the Moth with her sound affinity. The plan was simple: attract the remaining calamities by mimicking the screech of their dead sibling, making them curious as to why they heard the sound of someone who should be dead. As both beasts approached, Lucas and Seraphina would take on one of the calamities, while Sylviette and the other champions would deal with the other. When Seraphina stopped screaming and the barrier around Lucas was removed, he walked to her side as they both stood on the edge of the skyscraper. "What do you think the remaining calamities will look like?" Seraphina asked faintly. "Hmm, well, one is a spider, if I''m right... as for the other, perhaps a giant bunny?" Lucas replied. Hearing his words, she visibly grimaced. "Ugh, I hate spiders... but please don''t make me hate bunnies now as well." Finding it amusing to see her reaction, he was about to tease her when the ground suddenly started to rumble. Both looked ahead and saw something approaching them fast¡ªfaster than when Lucas had fought the Moth. Buildings trembled all around them as something massive moved closer, shrouded in dust. "Please don''t be a bunny... please don''t be a bunny... please no bunnies," Lucas heard Seraphina praying next to him in a low voice. ''Are the two of us really enough?'' S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucas began to have doubts as he saw the cloud of dust getting closer. Not just that, he was also nervous. Fighting the calamity with only himself and Seraphina was one thing, but... The moment he would fight the calamity, there would be no going back as he would be willingly inviting the ancient terrors known as The Voidwalkers to his doorstep. Placing his left hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist, he got ready to fight. Seraphina held her two beautiful obsidian black daggers in her hands. "How much are you going to hold back?" Lucas heard her whisper so only he could hear. He didn''t respond for a few seconds, silently watching the cloud of dust getting closer every second. "Not much." ''As long as I don''t reveal being a half-dragon... I won''t use chaos element either, not yet at least.'' Hearing his reply, she smiled slightly. "Good. Then I can''t let you steal all the spotlight." Seeing her mischievous eyes, he was getting a little curious about what she was planning but didn''t dwell on it for too long. The other champions were some distance away from them, preparing to fight the calamity that was approaching, while Lucas and Seraphina waited for the second one to show up to attack it immediately. There were at least a hundred gathered to fight one of the calamities. If they couldn''t win with those numbers, even Lucas would be dumbfounded. Over the days Lucas was with Seraphina away from the champions, more and more people started joining them. As they watched the cloud of dust get closer, it suddenly stopped. When the cloud of smoke started to dissipate, everyone saw something that made them grimace. Emerging from the dust was a colossal spider, its monstrous body covered in matted, oily fur that glistened sickeningly under the light. The creature''s legs ended in razor-sharp claws that clicked against the ground. Its bloated abdomen pulsated, a web of throbbing veins and embedded, putrid eggs that seemed ready to burst. Its six eyes glowed with madness. The air filled with a nauseating stench, a foul mixture of decay and venom. Surrounding the giant spider were countless smaller spiders, each one grotesque in its own right. They scuttled around their queen, their bodies twitching and jerking. These spiders, with their tiny, red, soulless eyes and fangs dripping with venom, swarmed over the ground. The others recoiled in terror, gagging and almost retching. Some fell to their knees, clutching their stomachs, while others stumbled backward. The colossal queen let out a hissing screech, a sound that seemed to vibrate through the air, making most skin crawl and hearts race. The calamity of agony. "Called it," Lucas spoke, a little happy that he was right. ''At least Sylviette will get her wish of fighting C-rank king predators,'' Lucas thought as he saw a few C-rank king predator spiders protecting the queen. Most of the tiny spiders were E-ranked or king predators of the said rank, so Lucas was sure they could handle most... he hoped. Suddenly, the countless eyes of the queen of spiders shot toward Lucas and Seraphina, making them alert as their bodies stiffened. ''Don''t tell me it wants us and will ignore the others...'' Lucas''s thought proved false as he and Seraphina noticed that the eyes weren''t looking at them but behind them. Both felt an immense gaze suddenly behind them, a pressure descending on them that made the floor crack beneath them. Turning quickly around, Lucas and Seraphina gripped their weapons tightly, gritting their teeth as they saw something that made even them shudder. An eye. Mere inches from their faces was a colossal red eye with a black slit, pulsing with an ancient, malevolent intelligence. It stared at them unblinkingly, the size and proximity of it freezing them in place, caught in a moment of sheer, disbelieving surprise. "What..." Lucas whispered, barely able to form the word. As they stood on the rooftop of the skyscraper, they slowly began to comprehend the calamity they were facing as the eye pulled itself back... The eye belonged to a colossal black serpent, its scales as dark as the abyss, shimmering with an oily sheen. The serpent had silently coiled itself around the entire building. The serpent''s head, crowned with ridges and horns, loomed above them, its red eyes the only splash of color against the void-like blackness of its scales. It moved with an unsettling silence, as if it had been born from the shadows themselves. The air was heavy. The serpent seemed to regard them with a detached curiosity, as if weighing their worthiness. Its tongue flicked out, tasting the air around them. A deep hiss resonated through the air, and for a moment, time itself seemed to stand still. The wind howled around the rooftop, but neither of them moved. The serpent''s immense form slowly coiled tighter around the building, the skyscraper groaning under its weight. The serpent showed no intention of harm... yet. Lucas only had one word as he looked at the colossal serpent right in front of them, realizing it had arrived without them ever noticing. "...Fuck." It had managed to fool Lucas''s half-dragon senses effortlessly. Lucas and Seraphina exchanged a quick glance. They knew they had to face this colossal serpent on their own... Gripping the obsidian black daggers gleaming in her hands tighter, her eyes, usually filled with mischief, now glinted with determination and focus. Lucas was gripping the hilt of his sword with his left hand as well, tight... until his hands were white. He was feeling nervous... The serpent hissed again, a sound that seemed to vibrate through their bones. He could already hear the angry screeches of the queen of spiders echoing through the ruined city. The others must have already tried to engage in battle, oblivious to the fact that the second calamity had already arrived. He couldn''t figure out just how it managed to sneak behind them. If it could, does it mean it passed them countless times without anyone noticing? How many times has it already seen them? Was it watching them when the calamity of despair fell? Perhaps it had always been watching. Watching them, the final calamity. The Calamity of Dread. Chapter 68 Calamity of Dread [2] Reaper of NightA single assassin known by an ominous name... The mere mention of that name brought dread into one''s heart. A name that everyone in the entire world feared. Everyone feared him. Not because he was the strongest¡ªthere were countless men who could beat him physically, but that didn''t mean he was the weakest. Not because he was the smartest¡ªthere were countless men who were smarter than him, but that didn''t mean he was the dumbest. Not because he was the craziest¡ªthere were countless men crazier than him, but that didn''t mean he wasn''t crazy. The reason why everyone feared him was simple... He was the most Dangerous. He was the most Unpredictable. He was the most Unknown. Every victim of the Reaper of Night was marked, for he always left his signature: a black rose, on the body or nearby. They say a man is most dangerous when he has nothing left to lose. Perhaps that was most fitting for the Reaper of Night... On June 17th, 2016, it was reported that the Reaper of Night''s activities had drastically decreased, as almost no black roses were found near the bodies of the assassinated. Many believed he had died or retired. Countless theories on the dark web and social media speculated on what might have happened to him. But one thing was certain: Everyone felt relief. Relief that he was finally gone. Or so they thought. On April 21st, 2019, two months after the tragic massacre at Shibuya Hospital, after two whole years, a victim was discovered... A black rose lay atop the victim''s dead body. The Reaper of Night had returned. From that day forward, A garden of black roses could have been made from the number of people who died by the Reaper of Night. The victims, though, were always reported to be criminals or worse, making many believe that perhaps the Reaper of Night was a hero of justice... No one knew why he returned. But His return only brought ruin to countless criminal organizations. He became even more deadly, Even more crazy, Even smarter, Even stronger. He was dubbed the most dangerous assassin. ***** "Curse this luck of mine!" He didn''t know what to do. Fighting on top of a skyscraper was a terrible idea, especially against a giant serpent that could easily take it down with them on top of it. The whole point of being this high up was that, in case the calamity could fly, it would be easier to spot it here and perhaps even fight it. But it wasn''t a beast that could fly; it was a giant serpent that managed to sneak around them without them noticing. If they had known about the black serpent approaching, they would have easily repositioned themselves to fight in a more convenient place. ''Now what...'' He knew that fighting the calamity here would be a bad idea. Lucas could tell that out of the two calamities, he and Seraphina got the most dangerous one. Those eyes... It was smarter than its siblings. It wasn''t attacking; it was simply staring at them. All Lucas could sense was curiosity and something else he couldn''t understand. Both eyes were gazing at Lucas intensely as its tongue kept flicking out. Lucas felt like the serpent was peering down his soul for a second. The black slits in its red eyes kept shrinking and expanding. "Shadow magic..." Suddenly he heard Seraphina whisper next to him, but he didn''t turn his head away from the calamity. "That must be how it managed to sneak behind us without even making a sound." What she said made sense to Lucas. Since Seraphina also knows shadow magic, she might be able to prevent it from sneaking up on them again. ''I should be able to teleport away a good distance from here, preventing the fight from happening here and far away from the other calamity. But the problem is if Sera wants to reveal her space magic or not... using shadow magic to escape would be too big of a gamble against it.'' ''I should have asked her beforehand...'' Lucas sighed inwardly at seeing how complicated it had become. ''What if I just grab her and teleport away? Hmm, yes, that might work perfectly. She would be able to keep her secret safe, and at the same time, we could fight it properly.'' As Lucas finally reached a solution for their problem, the building suddenly started to shake. Looking at the serpent, Lucas and Seraphina saw something that left them bewildered. The colossal serpent suddenly backed away a little as it looked at Lucas with... trembling eyes. The calamity of dread was looking at Lucas with fear. "Huh... Lucas, what did you do?" Seraphina asked in a low, trembling voice as she looked bewilderedly at the serpent, which was trembling and gazing at Lucas while making the building tremble along with it. "Nothing... I did absolutely nothing this time," Lucas said, as even he didn''t understand what caused this type of reaction. ''Just why does it look at me so scared...wait.'' Suddenly, Lucas''s eyes widened as he thought of something. ''Did it perhaps sense that I am a half-dragon? But if it did, then how? It is looking at me with fear, so that is the only solution. Did it see a dragon before? Isn''t this just a virtual world? No... they must have managed to replicate everything perfectly here, meaning that it would recognize me as above it. Does it recognize me as a half-dragon or just someone above it?'' Lucas could only think of this as he gazed at the serpent, which was watching him now with a wary gaze. ''No, I feel like it doesn''t know about dragons...still, it must be really perceptive to recognize that I am not human. Or is it perhaps because it is a serpent''s trait?'' The colossal serpent hissed, looking at Lucas with hostility, feeling threatened that someone of a higher order was in its territory. "We should get out of here and lead it to fight us somewhere else," Lucas said, not caring in the slightest about being quiet anymore since he knew it probably didn''t even matter with a serpent that could deduce he wasn''t human. "Mm, I thought you were thinking to fight it here. Good, let''s teleport somewhere suitable." Lucas, for the first time, broke contact with the serpent and looked at Seraphina with a deadpan face. ''Has she forgotten that they can probably hear us...'' As he thought this, he suddenly saw her looking at him with a sly grin on her face. "What? I told you I wouldn''t let you steal the entire spotlight~" As she said that, she suddenly teleported away, making Lucas''s mouth twitch. Snapping him out of his annoyance while still balancing himself amidst the trembling building was the black serpent, which, with an angry hiss, lunged at him, its entire maw open, revealing two sharp fangs and an endless void inside its stomach. As the serpent''s mouth was mere inches away, Lucas grinned, looking the serpent dead in the eye before he teleported as well, letting the mouth that snapped shut meet nothing but air. Meeting his view was Seraphina standing next to him. Both were now a few blocks away, gazing at the skyscraper that was surrounded by the calamity. They could see debris falling down as a cloud of dust started to form around the building. Suddenly, making everyone freeze in place and stopping the battle against the queen of spiders, was the maddening shriek of the calamity of dread. The skyscraper it was coiled around began to tremble. Its body, wrapped tightly around the structure, tightened even more, causing more debris to fall. The sound of the structure groaning echoed throughout the ruined city and, in the next second... The entire building started collapsing, making the ground tremble. ''Strong...'' The serpent was extremely strong physically. ''I''ll have to use my aura to even make a cut on it, probably.'' As Lucas thought this, the cloud of dust cleared away, but the calamity of dread was no longer there. Suddenly, as Lucas was gazing at the ruins of the collapsed building, [Danger sense] began loudly ringing alarm bells in his head, warning that he was about to die at any moment from an attack. ''What? Just where the hell is it?'' Lucas''s eyes widened at the same time he heard Seraphina shout. "Lucas, get away from there!" She was suddenly on top of a broken building, looking down at him with anxiety. Not thinking twice about the warning, he teleported next to her as a giant maw suddenly shot out of the shadows beneath Lucas''s previous position. ''What the hell... I am glad we aren''t fighting the bastard at night.'' Lucas was extremely relieved that they were fighting the calamity in daylight as he gazed at the serpent emerging from the shadows. He didn''t want to think about what would happen if it were nighttime. "We should end this fight as soon as possible before the sun starts setting." Lucas spoke to Seraphina, who nodded her head seriously as she gazed at the serpent. "Well then, there is no need for me to hold back, is there?" She said as suddenly an energy of black and white burst out of her. Aura. Seraphina had just revealed herself as a dual wielder while at the same time also having a space affinity. ''What a beautiful aura...'' Lucas honestly thought that the combination of black and white was simply beautiful. The color of her aura was extremely rare; in fact, he had never heard of anyone having a black and white aura. ''Not letting me steal the entire spotlight, eh? Let''s see about that.'' Lucas suddenly grinned as an aura of red and black intensely shot out of him as well, making both the cautious and angry serpent and Seraphina surprised. ''Hmm? Why has it changed...'' Lucas glanced at his aura, noticing that it had suddenly turned into black and red when it was only red before. It looked like when he used the Chaos mana around him. ''Let''s think about this later.'' As he thought this, he gripped his hilt again, letting the aura surround his blade. Seraphina did the same with her daggers. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Both got ready as they took proper positions to fight the calamity. The calamity, getting angrier, let out a deep, growl-like hiss from its mouth. Its eyes looked at them with intense fury, especially at Lucas. And in the next second... Both Lucas and Seraphina disappeared from their positions. Chapter 69 Calamity of Dread [3] Appearing underneath the serpent was Lucas, swinging his blade diagonally while it was still in its sheath.Surrounded by his aura, the blade of chaos formed a cut beneath the serpent''s head, causing it to let out an annoyed shriek as it wasn''t deep enough. Lucas, teleporting back atop an old building, looked at the serpent, which was glaring at him with fury. Green venom could be seen starting to drip from its sharp fangs. The ground started to dissolve, with smoke beginning to rise from it. Just as it was about to lunge at Lucas, Seraphina jumped out of the shadow beneath the serpent, leaping mid-air as she was about to cut its right eye out. Her dagger hummed through the air, leaving a trail of black and white behind. Just as it was about to hit the serpent''s eye, it twisted its head in time to the right, avoiding the strike as it swung its tail faster than she could react. As it was about to hit her, Lucas appeared in front of her, his blade clashing with its giant tail, sending sparks flying. ''Shit, it''s fucking strong,'' Lucas gritted his teeth hard as he tried to endure and push the serpent''s tail back. Suddenly, making matters worse, the serpent let out a shriek, tearing through the air and making their hair flutter. It lunged with its head straight at both Seraphina and Lucas, its maw wide open. ''Just how is it so fucking flexible!'' Lucas cursed inside his mind while holding the tail at bay, making more and more sparks fly out. Seraphina dissolved back down into the shadows, giving Lucas more space. [Phase] Using his skill, he let the tail pass by him as it absolutely destroyed everything behind Lucas'' path. Making the ground tremble, chunks of debris were sent flying everywhere. Snapping its mouth shut, it met nothing but air yet again as it twisted its entire body to position itself properly again, raising its head and half of its body. Appearing on top of one of those big chunks was Seraphina, bending her knees and launching herself straight at the serpent. As she launched herself, the serpent did the same with its mouth open again, intending to eat the two. As both got closer to each other, Seraphina opened her mouth wide as well, taking a deep breath in. Suddenly, a high-pitched scream was released from her throat, disorienting the serpent, which looked away, shrieking, trying to avoid the deafening sound. Lucas was suddenly in front of him, grinning, as lightning crackled around him as well, now using both lightning and aura. Leaving a trail of red lightning behind, he was next to the calamity as he slashed vertically, taking out its right eye, making it release a screech of agony as blood spurted out of it. Before Lucas could react, though, it swung its tail so fast, making it hit Lucas and sending him crashing through dozens of buildings. "Lucas!" Seraphina shouted as she watched him get hit for slashing its eye. Gripping her daggers tighter, angrily as her aura shot out even more and went wild, she aimed her right hand at the serpent, which was shaking its head madly while blood still kept spurting out. A sonic boom of soundwaves shot out of her hand, hitting straight the calamity''s head, as an even louder shriek echoed throughout the entire city, sending it flying, crashing through a few buildings. Not being done with the serpent, she teleported on top of it, slashing her daggers at its upper body extremely fast, so fast that most wouldn''t even be able to follow, blood started appearing around its body. The cuts weren''t deep enough to threaten it, but it was still annoying. It twisted its entire body as it managed to shake her off, as she lightly landed a few distances away from it. Suddenly, spikes of shadows emerged from the ground, trying to pierce it, but the scales were preventing it from penetrating as the spikes broke. Clicking her tongue, Lucas was suddenly teleported on top of its head as he placed his hand fast on the serpent as he spoke. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ignite." Flames started to surround its entire body as Lucas jumped off and landed next to her. Lucas could see her looking worriedly at him as a little bit of blood was trickling down his face. But except for that and some dust on his body, he seemed perfectly okay. "Don''t worry; it''s just a little scratch. Besides that, it didn''t do anything else," Lucas said, calming her down as they watched the serpent cautiously, which was shrieking in agony and thrashing around, destroying the streets and buildings. Suddenly leaving them, alerted, the calamity melted into the shadows beneath it, with the flames burning it. Glancing at each other and instantly understanding the other, both teleported on top of another building. The serpent emerged out of the shadows in front of both of them as its scales sent sparks flying around it, slithering towards them extremely fast, destroying the ground beneath it. Lucas could see that the fire did some damage, but it wasn''t that much. Aiming his hand at the fast-approaching serpent, a red lightning bolt shot out, hitting the serpent but... It didn''t do any damage this time. Narrowing his eyes, he felt something was extremely wrong suddenly. ''What just happened?'' Before he could think any further, it lunged at both of them straight again. Lucas teleported away, but Seraphina did not. Instead, she just stood there, grinning at the serpent. As it appeared right in front of her, it snapped its jaw shut with her in it and pulled its head up as it swallowed her. Or so it thought. Suddenly, a sound bomb exploded inside the serpent, making its stomach bulge for a second. It spat out blood as it looked furiously at Lucas and... Seraphina. She created an illusion out of her shadow magic, making it think it had actually swallowed her. But all it did was swallow a shadow copy of her that was being charged with sound waves until it couldn''t handle the strain anymore and exploded. ''Even after all of this, it still doesn''t feel like it has become much weaker... but it hasn''t really done anything as we keep overwhelming it.'' As Lucas thought at the exact same time, the serpent pulled its upper body backward with its face as it looked menacingly at Lucas and Seraphina. "What is it doing?" He could hear her mumble as she was confused at its action. [Danger sense] suddenly went off again, warning him that something disastrous was about to happen. "Get ready to flee," Lucas warned as he was getting a bad feeling. The serpent''s entire demeanor changed. It felt suffocating as it was starting to leak killing intent heavily. Suddenly, it opened its maw wide open again, and... A burst of black energy shot out of it straight at Lucas and Seraphina. ''A beam of shadow magic!'' As Lucas thought, he teleported some distance away, as Seraphina did as well, to the other side. The beam hit their previous spot where they stood and kept going deeper and deeper into the ground as if it were never-ending until it finally did. Glancing at the hole made, he couldn''t see an end... All there was, was pitch black darkness. Chapter 70 Calamity of Dread [4] Blood.Blood and blood was everywhere. Disgusting green blood flowed down the streets like a river as a horde of spiders was being slaughtered by the examinees. Those at the frontlines could be seen fighting even more grotesque spiders. The queen was all the way at the back, surrounded by harrowing abominations that should not be allowed to be called spiders, as they protected her. Amidst the chaos, though, she wasn''t looking at the slaughter of her children for even a second. Her gaze was solely focused on the far distant fallen skyscraper. ''Dammit, just how did it manage to sneak up like that!'' Klaus was screaming inside his mind while swinging his sword, fighting against a C-ranked king predator. Though as he did, he would occasionally lose focus and gaze at the same place where the queen of spiders was looking. Like everyone else did. Just a while ago, they were shocked at suddenly seeing a colossal dark serpent with its onyx-like scales wrapped around the skyscraper, making the structure groan and debris fall down. It was screeching loudly in immense anger as the building started to fall apart. The shriek managed to resound throughout the entire city as it suddenly disappeared with the building, making everyone even more grim as they saw that. They didn''t know what had happened to Lucas and Seraphina. Until they heard the sound of their battle, making many react with complicated expressions. Klaus blocked one of the spider''s legs as it tried to impale him with his sword, making sparks fly everywhere. ''I don''t want him to lose...'' Even if Klaus wasn''t a fan of Lucas, he still didn''t want something bad to happen. He believed that even if they had different views in this world, they shouldn''t have a reason to hate each other. He was worried. Not just him, but everyone else as well. Sylviette was like a monster, killing every spider with her ice spells, impaling or slashing them. Amaya could be seen using her wind magic as blades of wind shot out of her hands, slicing the spiders apart. Leonne was close to him, fighting another C-ranked king predator. The sound of buildings getting destroyed. The loud shrieks of the serpent. The sound of devastating spells being used, roaring throughout the streets. It all echoed to their battle, making everyone nervous and extremely curious about just what the hell was going on there. As Klaus was surrounded by a golden aura and his sword as well, he dodged to the left and leaped into the air faster, then shot out a beam of light, making the spider dodge to the right. Finally giving Klaus the opportunity to finish it. Throwing his sword at the surprised spider at a speed it could barely follow. His sword shot through its head, making green blood flow out heavily as the sword struck the ground again. With a light thud, the C-ranked king predator fell to the ground with green blood flowing out of its head. Casting a light barrier around him as he caught his breath, he glanced at the place where he could hear the sound of buildings collapsing, creating clouds of smoke rising in the air. Klaus was looking bitterly at the place where Lucas and Seraphina were fighting. He could tell they got the most troublesome calamity as he wanted to just leave and help them fight. But... He knew that wasn''t his job. He had to carry through and kill the calamity fast to help Lucas and Seraphina out. ''I need to trust him...'' He thought as he picked up his sword and took a deep breath. Removing the barrier around him, he saw he was surrounded by countless red eyes looking at him. "Heh." A smirk appeared on his face as he looked at the spiders. "I can''t let him have all the attention." ''I am the second hero of humanity, after all...'' He said the last part in his head as the golden aura surrounded him again. And then... A sea of green blood was created. ******** Lucas clicked his tongue for the hundredth time as he dodged another shadow beam from the serpent. The serpent wasn''t holding back anymore; it was hell-bent on killing Lucas and Seraphina. It kept shooting beams from its mouth, shadow beams that devoured everything they touched. "Annoying..." Lucas gritted his teeth as he mumbled, teleporting to the rooftop of another building where Seraphina was. "Something is wrong, Lucas," Seraphina suddenly said as the serpent slowly slithered its way toward them, looking at them with mockery. Lucas narrowed his eyes at it. "Yeah... I''ve noticed as well." "It is getting more and more confident by the second... I feel like it is getting stronger and its scales harder," she said as spikes of shadows shot out of the ground, trying to impale the serpent. But it simply destroyed them without any resistance this time. "See... it has become stronger. Even though I am not using a lot of mana on those spikes, it should have been enough to slow it down or scratch it," she observed. "It didn''t even take any effect from the bolt of lightning I shot at it either," Lucas said, supporting her suspicions. "What do you think it is?" she asked Lucas, feeling nervous as she saw it stop and prepare to shoot another beam of shadows. Lucas sighed as the beam approached, and they both teleported to one of the few remaining buildings nearby, dodging the dark beam. ''This can''t go on much longer or our mana will run out from all the teleportation we''ve done.'' Standing back next to each other, Lucas decided to tell her his thoughts. "...Adaptability." She shot her head towards Lucas as she heard what he said. "I think it is starting to adapt to the spells we''ve fired at it and the cuts we''ve made, making its scales harder." "I see... that does make sense, but isn''t that a little bit too ridiculous?" What she said was right; it was honestly ridiculous that it could adapt so fast, but nothing could be done now. "It might be dangerous, but we should try to minimize using spells on it since the scales aren''t that hard yet, meaning we might still be able to defeat it more easily with our blades," Lucas advised, making her nod in agreement. Pursing his lips, he thought as he looked at the serpent, which was watching them warily with its single red eye, unable to continuously shoot out beams of shadows anymore. ''Now is our chance while it is still charging and exhausted. I doubt using my skills would work on it since it is much smarter and has already deduced that I am not human and something even above it. It wouldn''t be as surprised or fear my [Monarch of Chaos] that much. [Dragon''s Aura] is currently suppressed; if I use it, I doubt Seraphina will be able to fight, and the bastard would probably adapt as well.'' He knew using [Mirage] would be useless in this fight as Seraphina did almost the same thing, ensuring that the serpent wouldn''t fall for it again, but also that it was always watching Lucas the most. He couldn''t really see another way except for using his half-dragon powers or chaos element. That was out of the question. At least for now, it was. He needed to keep those two a secret for when the time was right. He couldn''t have them revealed yet, as they would be his trump card for the situation he was already predicting might happen. "Let''s go," Lucas said as they both teleported again. Lucas appeared behind the serpent, while Seraphina was on the ground right in front of it. Before the serpent could retaliate, chains made of shadows appeared from the ground beneath it, managing to bind the serpent in place as it shrieked in anger. Stabbing his sword, Lucas managed to strike it straight into its back before he teleported some distance away as the chains broke, unable to hold such a colossal beast. Its shriek resounded throughout the entire city, not because of Lucas, but because of Seraphina. The moment it got distracted by the cut on its back, Seraphina leaped and stabbed both of her daggers into the underbelly of the serpent, the only part where the scales weren''t that hard yet. She slid down all the way, cutting the underbelly of the serpent, and then teleported back just in time before the serpent was about to crush her. Blood was spurting everywhere as it shrieked in agony, thrashing around on the ground, creating huge clouds of dust. "I don''t have more mana left to teleport again, Lucas... and I am getting tired," she said, sweating heavily while trying to keep her aura, which was starting to waver. "It''s fine... you can sit back now. This fight will be finished any moment." ''I still have enough mana, but... maintaining my aura is getting a little troublesome.'' Lucas realized that it was much harder trying to wield aura and mana at the same time while fighting such a high-ranking beast. It was straining on his mind and body a lot, but he held on, being a half-dragon helped him a lot. She nodded and took some safe distance from them while her aura disappeared. Lucas planted his feet firmly on the ground and raised his Blade of Chaos above him vertically while grinning. The serpent raised its upper body a little, glaring with intense madness at Lucas, while blood still kept leaking out. It swayed around a little, weakened from the blood loss. "What? You can''t adapt from a few little scratches?" Lucas taunted, making the serpent narrow its single eye at him. Seeing him in a fighting stance and not knowing what he was about to pull, it opened its maw wide, finally recharging for another beam, and shot another shadow beam at Lucas. But... That grin on his face didn''t disappear, nor did Lucas, making it feel unsettled. Alarm bells were ringing inside Lucas''s mind, but he kept ignoring them, gritting his teeth and pushing even more aura into his blade. As the beam of shadows approached him, mere inches from his face, he swung his blade down. The beam of shadows was suddenly split in two around Lucas, continuing to destroy the ground and beyond. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not being done, a vertical arc of red and black shot out of his Blade of Chaos, heading straight towards the calamity of dread. The serpent watched with shocked eyes, trying to dodge the fast-approaching arc. Suddenly, as it moved to the right, Lucas was there, surrounded by red lightning, grinning at the serpent. Unable to dodge in time because of Lucas, the arc hit its tail, making a deep cut but not enough to sever it. Leaving a trail of red lightning behind, Lucas was suddenly next to the beast''s head, mid-air, and plunged his sword, covered in red and black aura, straight into the remaining eye of the serpent. An agonizing screech was unleashed from the serpent, thrashing around everywhere, making the ground tremble and the winds howl. Lucas gripped his sword tight, twisting it in place where the eye was. Not finished, Lucas''s Blade of Chaos was suddenly surrounded by red lightning, something that shouldn''t have been possible, as it mixed with his aura. But who was Lucas? A half-dragon who was a dual wielder. He could handle the strain of mixing his mana with his aura. Fused with his aura, the lightning coursed throughout the entire inside of the serpent, frying its brain. With a final screech that everyone in the city could hear, the serpent fell with a thud on the ground, creating clouds of smoke. Removing the Blade of Chaos from its head, blood splattered all over Lucas, but he did nothing about it and calmly turned around, jumping away from its head. Landing lightly on the ground, he took a final look at the calamity of dread before turning away and walking towards Seraphina, who was watching with a small smile while sitting on some debris. The calamity of dread was finally dead. Chapter 71 Light of Judgement "Shouldn''t you go help the others?"Seraphina asked as she and Lucas sat next to each other, leaning against a broken wall to rest. Lucas looked at her with a deadpan expression. "Why do I need to go help? Didn''t we agree we would take care of this calamity and they would do the others? If they can''t even do that, then they don''t deserve my help. Besides, you aren''t even injured, so you should go help." Lucas retorted at Seraphina, making her pout. "You would make an innocent girl who is tired after just fighting for her life fight again?" "It''s not like you would actually die... Besides, I am tired as well, alright? Believe it or not, infusing mana with aura isn''t really the healthiest thing to do." Seraphina raised her eyebrows at that statement and looked at him worriedly. "Sorry... Are you sure you are alright? Last time I tried infusing my mana with my aura, it felt like my body was being engulfed in fire. I think I would at least need to reach seven-star level or become a grandmaster to properly infuse them with each other." "I am fine. It didn''t hurt that much since I am stronger than you, after all." She narrowed her eyes, hearing Lucas sound a little... smug. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I''ll just simply surpass you, then." She said, making Lucas raise his eyebrows. Before Lucas could continue, they both turned their heads to the side as they saw a pillar of light piercing the sky. ***** "Klaus, behind!" Leonne shouted as he blocked one of the spider''s legs trying to pierce him. Klaus, being close to him, just cut another in half as a second jumped on him from behind, forcing him to jump to the side. He didn''t waste any time as he created a few swords out of light around him and sent them piercing the spider. ''Almost there...'' Klaus was thinking as he summoned fireballs around him and started launching them at nearby spiders, burning them to ashes. He and Leonne were getting close to the queen. As he glanced back, he could see Amaya and Sylviette holding most spiders back, keeping them from reaching them and saving the other examinees from getting overwhelmed. ''What a scary duo they are.'' Klaus honestly was impressed at how powerful both were and how well they managed to work together. Even though Sylviette was stronger, Amaya managed to keep up with her. But it didn''t mean they were going to last this long. Everyone, including Klaus, was feeling tired, and their mana was getting depleted rapidly. They had to finish this fight fast, since if they dragged this any longer, they would get overwhelmed by the countless spiders. Suddenly both Klaus and Leonne heard a screech ahead, looking towards the sound. They saw three C-rank king predators looking at the both of them menacingly. The three strongest C-rank king predators who were supposed to guard the queen were now in front of them as the queen was behind, watching warily. ''The calamity itself isn''t that strong... the only reason it is a calamity is because of all the spiders it has control over.'' He thought as he waved his hand upward, making spikes of stone shoot out of the ground. But the spiders, being faster, managed to dodge in time as they launched themselves at Klaus and Leonne. "Don''t lose focus, Klaus. I''ll take on two of them while you finish off yours quickly and help me out." Leonne said beside him and ran forward with his red aura coated around him as he swung his blade at the two closest spiders while the last one jumped towards Klaus. Klaus didn''t have time to react to Leonne and could only jump to his right, avoiding getting pierced by the spider. The spider suddenly shot out webs out of its mouth as Klaus quickly drew his sword and managed to cut most in half, but a few managed to hit him, making his feet stuck on the ground. But suddenly, the webs sticking on him ignited in flames as they melted away, and Klaus merely smiled slightly. He launched himself at the spider and clashed his sword with its sharp leg. Both kept clashing with each other, sending sparks flying, and a few scratches started to appear on both as they managed to graze each other. Suddenly Klaus backed away and aimed his palm forward at the spider as it suddenly flashed a light, blinding the spider and disorienting it. Letting out a pained screech, it backed off with its red eyes closed. Taking the chance, he jumped forward and was about to cleave the spider in half. But surprisingly, it recovered much faster than Klaus thought, catching him off guard as one of its legs managed to pierce his right shoulder blade, making him spit out blood. Seeing another leg about to pierce him, he was thinking about how to get out of this situation. But suddenly, a huge amount of ice spears descended and pierced the spider, killing it instantly. Cutting the leg off, he looked to his left, seeing Sylviette panting heavily as if out of breath. She came to him and placed her hands on his wound as a green hue started to envelop him and heal him. "Thanks..." Klaus murmured as she just focused on healing him. Looking around, he saw that Leonne and Amaya were fighting together now against the two spiders. One was already badly injured, but so was Leonne as he was bleeding from his right leg and left chest were he was pierced before. "I am running out of mana from all the healing and other spells I have used. I won''t be able to fight for long now, so kill the calamity before it is too late." Klaus had a bitter expression as he heard what she said. They were getting overwhelmed one by one, and if Sylviette falls, it won''t be long before the rest of them fall as well. He needed to kill the calamity fast and end this battle. But would he still be able to even help Lucas and Seraphina fight the serpent after this? ''No... I need to believe that they can handle it. Lucas is strong; he won''t die easily, and he seems close with Seraphina, meaning they might be able to work together enough to defeat it...'' Just as he thought that, he and everyone else froze, even the spiders did, as all looked towards where they heard the sound of the serpent''s loud screech. Its dying screech... Everyone could tell that the screech was different from the others. It was filled with agony, dread, and despair. As they listened to the serpent''s screech echoing throughout the entire city, it suddenly felt deadly silent. No sound was made as everyone kept silent with bated breath. They didn''t hear the sound anymore of the distant battle. They didn''t hear the sound of devastating attacks being released anymore. They didn''t hear the sound of the serpent anymore. "No way... did they actually kill it?" Someone said amidst the silence, which everyone could hear. Everyone thought the same as they all started to fill with some hope and energy at hearing the last cry of the fallen calamity. ''Fuck, of course... I have become too arrogant to think he would ever need my help.'' Klaus berated himself while clenching his fist, yet a smile was on his face. He was excited! He never expected to meet two dark horses that could defeat a calamity by themselves. ''I can''t get left behind.'' As he said that, his golden aura started to surge even more. Gripping his sword tighter, he ran straight ahead as everyone started getting back to fighting the spiders with even more vigor and hope. Klaus kept slashing through the minor spiders trying to intervene as he finally arrived in front of the queen of spiders. Klaus ran towards her, and as she swung her huge leg down at him, he rolled to the right, feeling the rush of air as the leg smashed into the ground where he had just been. He kept moving forward, his heart pounding in his chest. The queen, enraged, kept trying to pierce him with her legs, but... her attacks were slow and predictable. Klaus parried two of her legs with his sword, the impact jolting up his arms, but he held firm. With a swift counterattack, he managed to slash another leg, almost severing it. The queen let out an agonizing screech, the sound echoing across the battlefield. As he kept dodging her increasingly frantic attacks, Klaus saw an opening. He leaped into the air, his sword raised high. Time seemed to slow as he descended, his blade aimed at the queen''s head. With a powerful swing, he brought the sword down, the edge biting deep into the queen''s carapace. The queen shrieked again, this time in desperation. Klaus landed and immediately rolled to avoid a retaliatory strike. The queen''s movements grew more erratic, her strength waning. Klaus pressed his advantage, darting in and out of her range, landing blow after blow. Each strike weakened her further, her once mighty form now riddled with wounds. Suddenly, the queen of spiders swung one of its legs down faster than he anticipated in desperation, managing to pierce his left leg as he let out a pained scream. ''Shit! It fucking hurts!'' He cursed inside his mind as the pain was making his mind almost blank. Another one of her legs was about to pierce him, making him panic. ''NO! I can''t end it like this! I can''t just die, not after how Lucas and Seraphina managed to defeat a calamity even stronger without help!'' As the spider was about to pierce him with her final desperate attempt, Klaus did the same as he activated a skill he didn''t want to use since it would normally deplete him of all his mana instantly and cause catastrophic damage to his body. But he was in a virtual world meaning that his real body would be fine. And he didn''t want Lucas and Seraphina to be the only one to defeat the calamities. [Light of Judgement] The moment he activated the skill, a beam of light fell from the sky directly at the queen of spiders looming above him, engulfing her in a bright light that blinded everyone for a few seconds. As the light faded and everyone regained their vision, the spiders around them, the buildings, debris, and everything else started fading into blue particles. Nothing of the Calamity of Agony was left as only a huge amount of blue particles danced around. The Calamity of Agony was dead. Everything faded away. Until nothing except an endless black void was surrounding them entirely. The exam was finally over. Chapter 72 Genius Removing the headset from his face, Lucas let out a deep breath.He recalled back to just when the last calamity died; he managed to quietly say the last sentence in time. Most would have thought he was whispering something inaudibly, but only if the voidwalkers watched and listened would they tell it wasn''t an audible whisper. ''Finally... done with this stupid exam.'' Standing up from the comfortable chair he was in, he stretched his body a little. His body had gone stiff from being seated in the same position for so long, but apart from that, he felt perfectly fine. Snapping him out of his thoughts was the sound of someone clapping. Looking to his right, he saw the teacher who had told him about the exam at the beginning, leaning against the wall with a small smile on his face. Julius Cordis. Looking around, he saw that he and Julius were the only ones in the room. ''The others who were with me must have failed or passed by dying to one of the calamities.'' "Congrats are in order, Lucas Nightstar. You have certainly made this entire exam the most fun everyone has had in years." "Well, I am pleased that everyone enjoyed watching us fight for our lives," Lucas replied. Julius raised his eyebrows in amusement at hearing Lucas. "For our lives? Says the one who killed two of the three great calamities with barely any injuries. This entire exam was to test how strong this generation of ours would be, especially your monstrous year, but who would have thought that two of the most unknown would be the strongest?" "It looks like Princess Sylviette''s title of strongest champion will have to be revoked." Hearing his words, Lucas spoke. "You belong to the same generation as ours, making you a champion as well, right? So why aren''t you called the strongest champion?" Julius laughed a little before responding. "Yeah, I have heard you and the princess talking. Thanks to that, everyone now knows that I actually am a half-elf, by the way. But no, I am not called the strongest because I don''t specialize in combat. I would rather spend my time creating new spells or exploring ruins lost in time." "But aren''t you still a peak 9-star grandmaster, meaning you could beat her easily?" "I am sure you know the answer to that question already, Lucas Nightstar." He was right; Lucas already knew that even though he is a grandmaster and currently one of the strongest champions, it doesn''t mean it would stay that way in the future. Sylviette would probably surpass him. But not just that, there is always a chance that he could die to a group of masters somehow. "Besides, I am sure that you might be able to defeat me by some luck if you didn''t hold back like you did with the other calamities, or at least that is what my gut tells me." Lucas raised his eyebrows in surprise. ''So he knows I held back...'' Julius smiled a little more as he saw Lucas''s surprised eyes. ''He''s joking... he knows I would still lose fighting him unless I got lucky since he must have thousands of spells in his arsenal.'' "It is obvious that you held back. Every time I watched you, I felt like you were more struggling with how you should defeat it while not using your full strength." "You have some crazy instincts," Lucas said with narrowed eyes at him. ''I understand now why he is called a genius...'' Lucas thought, though ridiculous since he was just as much a genius as Julius. "Ha! That is no way to speak to your teacher now, is it?" Julius said jokingly as he suddenly extended his right hand out. "To think we would have two tri-elemental dual wielders joining this year who have the space affinity. The princess of the elven race, two children of the great dukes, the heir of the mysterious Nightstars, the daughter of the strongest guild master, the second hero of humanity. Certainly, as calling our generation the second golden generation is justified. Your year should be called the golden year with how many monsters are in it." Lucas merely smiled and shook his hand with his. "Congratulations on becoming a student in Shield, Lucas Nightstar. I am sure this year will probably be one of the most fun I will have." ******** S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A week had passed since the exam ended. In two days, Lucas would have to leave for the academy. He had spent the last week just relaxing and enjoying his time with Lena and his mom inside the hotel, not even bothering to go outside. He hadn''t seen or spoken with Seraphina or the others from the exam since the death of the final calamity. He had become one of the most famous people in the world after his performance. The internet was still going crazy about the entire exam, making edits of the champions and mostly of Lucas, who defeated 2 of the calamities. There were also some... ''interesing'' edits made of him from when he interacted with Sylviette and Seraphina. He felt weirded out seeing so much attention on him. He wasn''t used to all this attention in his previous life, or at least not with his actual face. He decided not to use the internet for some time. ''Still no sign of contact from the Voidwalkers though... I''m sure it will take a while, or perhaps they are watching my movements for the time being.'' Currently, he was eating some chips while on the bed, watching a show about a female detective having a psychopath who thinks he is the demon king''s reincarnation as her partner, and they solve crimes together. "Using their own kind against them... smart." He was alone as the others went to explore the city some more before they would leave tomorrow. He wasn''t really interested and used the excuse of resting up, being tired from the exam, which they naturally didn''t believe but still accepted. ''I have no rush to explore this city anyways...'' He was being lazy. As he was enjoying his well-deserved rest and peace, he suddenly heard a voice in his head. [Father...] Lucas raised his eyebrows in surprise at suddenly hearing Luna''s voice, who should be with Lena and his mother outside. She sounded like she was hesitating. [What is it, Luna? Is there any problem?] [No, everything is fine, but...] He could hear her being nervous for some reason, so he decided to let her take her time. ''If nothing happened, then why is she even hesitating?'' [Father... can I stay with you at the academy?] "Huh?" Lucas was confused and bewildered at hearing her question. He didn''t even respond for a few seconds, making her more nervous as she continued. [I-if it is a problem, then it''s fin-] [Luna... why would you even think that I wasn''t planning to let you stay with me?] Lucas said, cutting her off from finishing what she was about to say. Hearing what Lucas said, she was surprised. [E-eh! You mean I wasn''t going back home?] [Do you want to go back home with Lena and Mom?] Lucas asked her. [N-no! I want to stay... in the academy with you... Father.] She raised her voice in the beginning, vehemently denying going back, but her voice then started to get lower and lower, turning into a whisper at the end. Lucas smiled warmly at hearing her. [Well then, enjoy yourself with Lena and Mom until they have to go back, and you will stay with me.] [...Mm.] "I am glad she at least didn''t hold back what she wanted to do..." Lucas said with a sigh, happy that she wasn''t bottling her feelings up. Chapter 73 Reckless "Make sure you eat enough, especially since you are a half-dragon now. And make sure you sleep enough and are always rested. Oh, and make sure not to get in trouble and especially not to mess around with girls, alright?"Lucas''s mother said, lecturing him as everyone was currently in front of the mana teleporter about to head back, except for Lucas and Luna, who was on his head. ''Why would I mess around with girls anyway?'' Lucas thought as he merely nodded every time she lectured him on something. "...and last but most important of all," sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. his mom said as she suddenly hugged him tightly, as if afraid to let him go. "Please take care of yourself." Surprised by the sudden warmth he felt and hearing her slightly hoarse voice, he hugged her back gently. "Mm, I will, Mom...thanks." After an entire minute, she finally let go, looking at him with warm yet sad eyes. "Bwother, are you leawing me?" Glancing a little down at his right, he saw Lena gripping his pants as tears were forming around her eyes. ''Ugh!'' It felt like an arrow had just pierced everyone''s heart. Quickly crouching down to her level, he gently patted her head with his right hand and wiped her tears away with the other. "Don''t cry, okay? I am not leaving you forever. I just won''t be around that much, but I promise I will visit you, Mom, and Dad as much as I can while bringing lots of gifts, alright?" Lucas said, hoping that this might calm her down. He had learned that the best way to comfort children is to bribe them! "R-reawly?" she asked as her mood brightened up considerably in an instant, making Lucas narrow his eyes a little but nonetheless comfort her. "Yes... really. So don''t cry, okay? And don''t make Mom or Dad angry." "Unn!" ''Is she perhaps doing this on purpose, knowing I would spoil her? No... can''t be. Besides, it isn''t spoiling her. I am just being a good elder brother!'' Lucas thought as he suddenly nodded his head as if convinced of something. Standing back up as his mom picked Lena up and carried her, Lucas turned towards the final people present he had to say goodbye to. Walking in front of Lucielle and Dylan, he hugged Lucielle, making her surprised at first but then hugging him back. "I would tell you to take care and all the other things, young master, but madame has already said everything." "Mm, don''t worry. I''ll be fine." As he said that, they broke off the hug and Lucielle went inside the mana teleporter where Lena and his mom were. Turning his face to Dylan, he saw him watching him seriously with his emerald eyes. "Is something wrong, Dylan?" Lucas asked as he felt the intensity of his gaze. "Forgive me, young master, if I overstep, but... I can''t help but be overcome with curiosity and unable to keep it in check like everyone else does." Confused by what Dylan was saying, he kept quiet, waiting for him to continue. "Young master... are you perhaps planning something reckless?" He spoke in a low enough voice so no one but Lucas could hear. Surprised, Lucas glanced at the others, seeing his mom and Lucielle furrow their brows in confusion at the sudden secrecy between the two. Looking back at Dylan, he merely sighed before responding with a question. "Why would you think I would be doing something reckless?" "A gut feeling..." ''What is it these days with everyone and their gut feeling about me?'' "I understand that you held back in the exam, but... I can''t help but feel that every action you took was precisely calculated the moment you met the first calamity. It felt that from then on, your every action was just a means to a greater end. The entire exam was. I can''t help but worry for some reason, feeling you are planning something big." Hearing him, Lucas was inwardly extremely surprised, but he already collected and composed himself and didn''t show any type of emotion that would betray him. But the next words Dylan spoke made his eyes and the entire atmosphere cold, surprising everyone present. "Are you planning something reckless just for revenge?" Luna, feeling uncomfortable, jumped off Lucas''s head and took some distance from him. ''Just for revenge?'' He narrowed his blood-red eyes and spoke quietly. "And what if I am?" Hearing his cold voice and gaze, Dylan didn''t get fazed in the slightest and warned him. "Young master, just so you know, me and everyone else care deeply about you, and our goal will always be to protect the Nightstar family. But... if you perchance do something reckless that would endanger the family I have sworn to protect, and under the orders of my lord who has my full loyalty, I would dispose of the threat immediately." ''If Father or anyone else just heard what he said, some serious trouble could fall on him...'' As Lucas thought, his eyes softened a little bit and a small smile formed on his lips. Glancing back at his mom, Lena, and Lucielle, he saw they were worried and starting to become impatient, feeling the atmosphere but holding themselves back and giving them both their privacy. "Good. You should do just that." Dylan furrowed his brows at hearing what Lucas just said. "Young master, did you not understand what I just said?" "I did, and I am saying you should do exactly what you said." He shot his eyes open in surprise as he heard what Lucas just told him. "What... young master, do you unders-" "Be a man of your words, Dylan. If at any given time I, by some chance, do something that would surely harm the people I love, I want you to kill me since that person wouldn''t even be me anymore." ''It would be the reaper of night...'' Dylan simply stared in shock at what he just heard from Lucas. Suddenly, he bowed his head as he quietly spoke apologetically. "I understand, youn- I mean, Master Lucas. Please forgive me for my rudeness, and... I really hope that time never comes." Standing back straight, he and Dylan shook hands as Lucas then bid a final farewell to everyone before a blue light shot out of the mana teleporter and then... They were finally gone. Seeing now the empty grounds, he let out an audible sigh as he started to quietly walk back to his hotel with Luna on his shoulder sleeping. "Dispose of the threat, huh..." Repeating Dylan''s words, he merely chuckled and shook his head amidst the countless stars shimmering in the night. [AN: Hello readers! I hope you have enjoyed everything that happened during the exam! Lucas will finally be entering the academy while at the same time trying to get in contact with the Voidwalkers. The last chapters have been filled with action and more mysteries. What do you guys think, Seraphina or Sylviette? Though I think the answer is obvious... Anyways, the next few chapters will be more focused on slice of life and other stuff, with less action. If you have enjoyed the story till now, please leave a review and gift me more power stones!] Chapter 74 Elizabeth Thorne It was currently 2 a.m. as Lucas was walking down the streets of Zaphyr.When he returned to his hotel room, he couldn''t sleep and merely tucked Luna in comfortably so she wouldn''t wake up and left. He was wearing some black cargo pants and a black hoodie, covering his face while looking down a little. Walking down late at night, instead of being empty, the streets were filled with people, mainly couples enjoying themselves, partying, or going on late-night dates. He suddenly felt a little lonely... ''Now what should I do...'' Lucas thought while walking down the streets, trying to avoid being close to as many people as he could. He suppressed his presence to the max since he didn''t want people to bother him. In the exam, he could hold back and deal with the strangers, but he was reaching his limit... The torture back then still left some scars on him, not physically but mentally. Back then, he couldn''t even let someone get close to him without feeling like he wanted to jump back. It took him a lot of effort and the support of his mom to let others he cared about get close to him and actually be able to even have physical contact with them. But with strangers, he still didn''t feel comfortable or want them to touch him out of nowhere. Though he had learned to just try to ignore it as much as he could, like in the exam, even though he felt extremely uncomfortable, that was why he tried to stay away from as many as possible. He only felt normal around Sylviette and Seraphina. ''Only time heals scars, I guess...'' Suddenly he saw a cafe that was open. ''I haven''t had coffee in this life ever... it is impressive that almost everything is still open this late.'' Not pondering too much, he decided to enter the cafe and was surprised at seeing how lively it was inside with people eating and drinking. Walking towards an empty table, he sat on a comfortable chair and picked up the tablet connected to it. Scrolling through the menu, he ordered a slice of chocolate cake and an espresso as he paid for them through the tablet. Not even an entire minute later, his order arrived as the waitress set it in front of him on the table. The waitress, looking a little closer at Lucas, widened her eyes in recognition, making Lucas put his finger on his lips indicating not to make a fuss. Luckily, the waitress understood and quietly left as if nothing happened. ''Being famous is troublesome...'' Lucas sighed as he picked up his fork and dug into the cake, taking a bite. It melted in his mouth and assaulted his taste buds, making him form a small smile unconsciously. "Delicious..." He murmured as he kept eating the cake until it was finished without him noticing. ''Should I order another one...?'' Deciding not to, he picked up his drink and took a sip, making him grimace slightly. "Disgusting..." Saying that, he still continued drinking, finishing it in one go as he didn''t want to waste the food. ''No matter what world, coffee still is disgusting, I suppose...'' As he thought, a woman with amethyst hair and eyes, wearing a white blouse and blue jeans, sat on the chair in front of him while smiling slightly. "Can I sit here?" As she asked, Lucas nodded, indicating that she could. ''I should leave...'' As he was about to stand up and leave, the woman spoke up. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Wait, let me treat you to a slice of cake before you leave." Lucas froze for a moment hearing her offer. ''Didn''t Mom just tell me not to mess with girls... Not even an entire day since she left, and it''s late at night while I have an older woman sitting in front of me offering cake... Sorry, Mom.'' He got himself comfortable back on his chair as the temptation won him over. The woman merely smiled at Lucas before, after another minute of waiting, the same waitress arrived from earlier with another slice of chocolate cake and a cappuccino for the woman in front of him. Placing the order on the table, the waitress looked suspiciously between the two with narrowing eyes before she left. "Fufu, to think you are so popular with the ladies~" Hearing her, Lucas merely ignored her teasing and decided to eat his cake fast since he was feeling uncomfortable here. ''Just what is her deal...'' The woman merely smiled a little bitterly at Lucas ignoring her and sometimes glancing at her suspiciously. "I should introduce myself, I guess... It is nice to meet you, Lucas. My name is Elizabeth Thorne, and I am one of the teachers at Shield." Hearing her introduction, Lucas''s worries eased a little as his eyes softened a bit. ''So she is or will be a teacher of mine.'' "Nice to meet you..." As Lucas said that, he relaxed some more and started enjoying his cake. "So you can make a smile that suits your age, which I have never seen in the exam." She said, making Lucas look up at her as he tilted his head in confusion. ''Smiling? Me?'' He touched his face and, to his surprise, he was actually smiling a little. Snapping him out of his bewilderment was Elizabeth chuckling a little at seeing him so surprised. "So, want to tell me why you are here instead of sleeping so you can wake up in 7 hours for the entrance ceremony? You haven''t registered yourself for the dormitory at the academy even." Hearing her question, Lucas stopped eating and answered calmly. "Nothing really... I just couldn''t sleep and wanted some fresh air, so I started walking outside until I ended up here." She furrowed her brows at hearing his words. "What about your parents? Do they know you are outside this late?" "Well, no... everyone is already back home, so I am staying at the hotel with my cat." ''What is her problem?'' "So you are alone without anyone being your guardian?" she said in a worried tone while looking at him, making him feel weird. ''Didn''t I just say Luna is with me?'' "It''s fine, I am used to it anyway." She narrowed her eyes hearing Lucas''s response. "What hotel are you staying in?" Lucas narrowed his eyes this time at her. ''Huh, is she trying to follow me where I sleep when I am a minor and she is a teacher? Wasn''t that illegal back on Earth and even here in Myrniel? I should''ve listened to Mom...'' Her eyebrows twitched as she saw the weird look Lucas was giving her, as she could tell what he was thinking. "Don''t give me that look. I am a teacher of yours. It is our duty to make sure the students of ours are safe and protected, especially when you are only 15... even if you are ''used'' to being alone." He relaxed again at hearing her explanation. "Mm, I understand." "Good." Hearing him, Elizabeth nodded, satisfied before she spoke again. "Now finish your cake so we can go where you are staying." "Eh?" That was all Lucas could say as he heard the ridiculous words from her. ''Huh, was I wrong? Is she seriously trying to commit a crime on me!'' Lucas was starting to panic inwardly as he should''ve listened to his mom. "Don''t look at me like that!" She raised her voice, annoyed at seeing his weird and panicked look at her again. "Seriously... you are only 15, not even an adult, so no way I am leaving you to stay alone. I will book a room at the hotel you are staying in, and we can discuss all of this tomorrow after the entrance ceremony then." ''She really worries a lot about her students, huh...'' "Yeah... I guess that is fine, I suppose." "Seriously, to think the strongest student is so troublesome..." She said with a sigh as she shook her head a little. After that, he finished his cake as both left together for the hotel he was staying at, marking the end of one of the weirdest nights in Lucas''s life to date. Chapter 75 Entrance Ceremony A tired sigh left Lucas''s lips as he looked at himself in the mirror.It was currently 8 a.m., an hour before the entrance ceremony. He was wearing the Shield uniform consisting of black pants, a black tie, a black jacket with a golden shield logo on the right side, and a white shirt underneath. Nodding as if satisfied with himself, he turned around, gently picked up Luna, and placed her on his shoulder. She was still sleeping. ''Seriously, how much can she sleep...'' Unlike her, after he and Elizabeth departed to their respective rooms to rest, he still couldn''t get an ounce of sleep. In the end, he just sat on a chair while playing with his phone. Even though he could go for days without sleep normally, for some reason he already felt tired. He was consciously breathing and blinking constantly, making him extremely annoyed and tiring him further. ''Just what is happening to me... is it because I am anxious?'' Perhaps it was the anxiety of inviting a secret organization to his doorstep, not knowing when they would arrive and if they were an ally or enemy. ''I didn''t have a choice... the exam was the best and easiest way to get their attention...'' All he could do now was relax and wait for them to contact him, but of course, it wasn''t that easy for him to relax. Every day just became harder and harder for him to stay calm, especially now that his family, with whom he felt most comfortable and happy, had left. Snapping him out of his thoughts was a gentle knock on his door. Walking up to it and opening it, he saw Elizabeth standing outside wearing the same clothes as earlier. "The uniform certainly suits you. Are you ready to leave?" "I am." As he said this, both started walking together towards the academy. After exiting the hotel, he decided to start a conversation while walking down the streets. "Is it a good idea to even walk with a student of the academy?" "Hmm? Of course it is. There aren''t any weird rules like that preventing me from interacting with other students." "I see... I still think it is too troublesome, though." He said as he noticed the surprised looks of people who started to take pictures of both of them. They weren''t only looking at him but also at Elizabeth. It was safe to say that she was extremely beautiful, as many were charmed and some men were starting to drool at seeing her. ''Have I become immune to beautiful women?'' He didn''t find it that weird that she didn''t affect him that much with the number of gorgeous women that Lucas had already met. He simply decided to ignore the people. "Does all the attention bother you? That''s weird though... with everything you pulled in the exam, I thought you liked it... no, actually even last night you tried to avoid people as much as you could, covering yourself with your hood." She said as they walked, giving him a curious look. "That is right. I don''t like being close to people." He said shortly, not intending to delve deeper, which she luckily understood and didn''t pry any further. "I should warn you then that after the entrance ceremony, parents will be allowed to enter the academy for an hour until the classes start." ''Great... so now I have to avoid the students and parents for an hour... if that is even possible.'' "By the way, Teacher Elizabeth, are you going to be one of my teachers?" Lucas asked, making her smile a little. "I am not allowed to tell you that normally until you get your curriculum, but as long as you don''t tell anyone else, it''s fine. So yes, I am actually the head teacher of your class." "I see..." Lucas said as they started walking without talking anymore. Yet, it wasn''t awkward as both were just enjoying the peacefulness and ignoring the stares they were getting. ''I wonder how strong she is... I can''t tell since she has suppressed herself, but she must be a grandmaster as well like most teachers would be.'' After 20 minutes, they finally arrived at the academy as countless students wearing the same uniform could be seen. The moment he arrived, everyone looked at him and Elizabeth. "I will go now and meet up with the other teachers to prepare. I will see you later, Lucas." She said as she suddenly disappeared under the eyes of everyone, surprising them. Except for Lucas. ''Illusion magic? Well, I''ll ignore it and act like I can''t see through her.'' As he thought, he started walking towards where the entrance ceremony would be. ****** S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Arriving at the hall, Lucas could see that no one was seated in the rows of chairs. On the podium, there was a mic placed on a stand. Most people had already arrived and were in groups talking to each other. He could see Seraphina, Sylviette, and Amaya all talking with a group of girls. Not just them, even Klaus and Leonne were together, conversing with others. ''Looks like everyone is warming up with the others...'' As he thought this, he calmly walked towards the last row of seats and sat on the right end. The moment he sat down, everything became quiet as everyone looked at him in surprise. Annoyed but not showing any of his emotions on his face, he simply closed his eyes, hoping to relax a little, even though he couldn''t sleep. But of course, this world was cruel... "Lucas! You are finally here." Opening his eyes reluctantly amidst the silent hall, Lucas saw Seraphina suddenly standing next to him, surprising many. Not just her, even Sylviette came and stood next to her with a small smile. "Mm, I am. How have you both been?" Lucas asked simply, knowing he wouldn''t be able to rest anymore. Suddenly, Leonne, Klaus, and Amaya joined in as well, making the group bigger than before. ''Great...'' Leonne had his usual stoic face and just nodded at him, while Amaya looked a little nervous but stuck close to Leonne. ''Are they perhaps a thing?'' He didn''t dwell too deeply on it. As for Klaus, he was just... looking weirdly at Lucas, making him even more uncomfortable than he already was. After Lucas greeted everyone, the others sat down amidst the countless gazes focused on them. "So these are all the champions of our year..." "Lucas Nightstar, the white devil... to think he is stronger than all of them." "What do you think his relationship is with one of the three great dukes'' daughters and the princess of Eldrath?" People were starting to whisper among each other, each sitting down as well, following Lucas and the others'' example. Though no one sat in the remaining few seats of the last row where Lucas and the others were. ''Do they really think we can''t hear them?'' As Lucas thought this, Seraphina suddenly got close to his face, whispering, making many look at them even more surprised. "Lucas... um, we have a small problem?" ''We?'' Looking at Seraphina, who was darting around nervously for some reason, he furrowed his brows and asked, matching her tone. "What is it? Did something happen?" "N-no, it isn''t something bad... I think. But you see, for the past week, my father and brother kept asking questions about us since they have never met you and were surprised at how close we were. I just kept telling them we were friends, but... He is already here and will probably try to talk to you after the ceremony..." ''Her father... Alaric Darkcrest, was it?'' "It''s alright, I''ll talk to them..." Lucas said a little softer to ease her worries. "...Sorry." She mumbled, not wanting to trouble him more than necessary. "I said it''s fine, alright? You don''t need to feel so down because of it." As he said this, she looked at him with a small grateful smile. After that, he just conversed with her and Sylviette for a while, sometimes even with Leonne or Amaya. But he and Klaus didn''t talk to each other, as Lucas felt a little weirded out since Klaus kept looking at him determinedly for some reason... As the time for the entrance ceremony started and every student took their seats, the room darkened and only the podium was lit up. Standing at the back of the podium was a line of teachers. Lucas could spot Julius and Elizabeth standing next to each other among some other teachers. In front of the teachers and behind the stand, a man with black hair and blue eyes appeared out of nowhere, surprising everyone. Even though he was suppressing himself, it became a little difficult to breathe for most who were new to the master stage. It felt like an invisible pressure was pressing on most. His presence was just that overwhelming, making a few break out in cold sweat, realizing who was in front of them. Eldric Stormrider. The vice principal of the Shield Academy. ''A saint, huh...'' Lucas, narrowing his eyes at him, could tell that he was much more experienced and stronger than his grandfather. ''He might be on par with King Michael.'' As he thought this, he and the vice principal suddenly made eye contact. Eldric merely smiled a little at him before looking at the other students again with a stoic face. "Welcome and congratulations to everyone here for passing the entrance exam. My name is Eldric Stormrider and I am the vice principal of Shield. I am sure most don''t want to hear this boring speech of mine, but unfortunately, I don''t have a choice since I still want to get paid." Finishing what he just said, he coughed a little after receiving a few glares from the teachers behind him. "Right... so before I start, let me tell you that not just me but everyone is extremely pleased by the results of the exam. This exam was made harder than the previous one since this year was supposed to be the most talented of the golden generation. But to think it was true, we would have so many talented students this year. Some even surprised us more than others." Saying the last part, he and most glanced at Lucas and Seraphina. "It makes me glad to think we will have such strong future pillars protecting Myrniel from any dangers that might arise." "Now, let''s get on to the boring part..." It took more than 40 minutes for the vice principal to finish his speech. Everyone got extremely bored and Lucas''s eyes kept closing, but he still couldn''t fall asleep since his body would start getting annoyed for some reason... After the vice principal released a big tired sigh, the entrance ceremony was finally over, meaning that they could go and wander around the academy to enjoy themselves until classes started. Though... For Lucas, this meant something else instead of enjoying himself... He would have to face a Duke instead. ''Truly a cruel world indeed...'' Chapter 76 Alaric Darkcrest Standing in front of a cafe in Shield was Lucas and Seraphina, where they would meet her father.He left Luna, who had finally woken up, with Sylviette, since after hearing a bit about how overprotective Seraphina''s father is, it would be best for Luna not to be there if something went wrong. Walking inside the shop, he could see that it was empty, and the staff who noticed their presence froze in shock. One of the staff members, snapping out of their shock, bowed his head while greeting them. "L-lady Seraphina and Master L-lucas, please follow me. Lord Alaric is already waiting for you!" As he spoke, Lucas and Seraphina both nodded and started following him under the nervous glances of the staff members. ''I feel bad for them...'' Glancing to his left, he could see Seraphina being nervous as well, fidgeting a little. Arriving in front of a table, he could see a man with black hair and red eyes sitting on one of the chairs, sipping his tea casually. Alaric Darkcrest. ''Seraphina looks a lot like him.'' The staff member, after guiding them, instantly ran away fearfully. Though no one blamed him; being in the presence of a great duke and two of the most famous people currently in Myrniel would make almost anyone nervous. Putting his cup back on the table, Alaric looked first towards Seraphina with a gentle smile and eyes. "My princess, how was the entrance ceremony?" "I-it was fine, Dad... just a little boring," she said. Lucas could tell she wasn''t expecting that he would ask this first, but hearing his question, Lucas could see she released a small smile. ''Looks like she at least is enjoying her new life while being loved... I am happy for her.'' As Lucas thought this, he heard Alaric speak again. "That is understandable, though I would like to ask if I can have some privacy with your ''friend,'' princess." Discover more stories at empire "But..." Seeing her glance at him as she was nervous to leave him alone with her father, Lucas smiled slightly. "It''s fine, I don''t mind." Reassuring her, she finally relented and sighed as she started to walk away. Lucas could feel a cold gaze piercing his side. ''...She has become much less stubborn. Back then, she would hardly listen to Aushburn properly.'' He thought as he warmly gazed at her back leaving the shop until a cold voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Are you going to keep looking at my daughter''s back or finally sit down?" ''Fuck, I forgot about him...'' "Sure..." Saying that, his face became neutral, and he sat down in front of him as he picked up a tablet and ordered a chocolate cake for himself. ''At the very least, I should take advantage of this.'' Alaric didn''t interrupt him or get offended seeing his behavior of ignoring him while ordering food. Putting the tablet back, Lucas finally looked at him with neutral eyes, as Alaric did as well. At least 10 seconds went by as both didn''t talk to each other and merely stared into each other''s blood-red eyes without blinking. ''Am I supposed to talk? He is the one who invited me and wanted to talk to me alone.'' As he thought this, Alaric finally spoke up, breaking the awkward atmosphere. "So... tell me, Lucas Nightstar, what exactly is your relationship with my daughter?" Lucas tilted his head a little in confusion at hearing his question. "Didn''t Sera tell you that we are friends?" Hearing his answer, Alaric narrowed his eyes. "Sera, huh... And what type of friend would pin the other against a wall after meeting each other?" Lucas''s right eyelid twitched at hearing his question. ''Fuck... I panicked back then, okay... ugh, what do I say.'' "Well... I could feel her watching me since the fight against the first calamity, so when I confronted her, I wasn''t sure if she was an ally or not. For the exam, it''s not like we couldn''t kill each other." Lucas said, hoping that he would buy it, but... of course, he didn''t. "Then why the sound barrier? And the amount of different expressions the both of you made while talking in the sound barrier didn''t seem like just a confrontation. Also, on the skyscraper before you both fought against the other calamity together." "Well fought, by the way... To think the both of you know each other so well to the point a mere glance at each other was enough to understand the other." ''Fuck.'' Lucas had no words this time and just decided to stay quiet. Seeing him reluctant to talk about it, Alaric decided to ask another question, which made Lucas narrow his eyes. "What are your intentions with my daughter?" "I don''t understand what you mean." "Are you really just a friend of hers, or are you just using her for something?" Lucas clenched his hands under the table, annoyed at hearing his question, but didn''t show anything on his face. However, his voice did get colder, as did his eyes. "And why would you think that I am using your daughter?" As Lucas asked, a waiter came and placed his chocolate cake in front of him with trembling hands before running away as fast as he could, sensing the atmosphere. "Don''t take me for a fool, Lucas Nightstar. You have fooled most, but you can''t fool me. Those eyes of yours gave everything away. They aren''t the same as those foolish, naive eyes of that of the second hero of humanity or the other students. I have seen you battle with those eyes, hiding something cold and dangerous deep within you." Hearing him speak, Lucas was surprised as his eyes widened. "You... you have killed before, haven''t you? And not just once or twice, but many, many times..." He said with a small smile on his face as he looked at Lucas as if he were proud of himself. "What..." Lucas didn''t know how to respond to what he was saying in the slightest. He was already on high alert and was ready to summon the blade of chaos and fight his way out of here if he needed to. He knew fighting him would result in his loss, so all he could do was probably run away. ''I can''t reveal my chaos element and being a half-dragon no matter what...'' "Relax, I won''t harm you. All I am is just curious how someone so young has those eyes and is so strong." Though he said that, Lucas wasn''t relaxed in the slightest. "Though curious, I am not one to pry deeply into one''s life and secrets. But since you are someone who is close to my daughter, all I want is for her to be safe and happy..." As he said this, his red eyes suddenly started to glow, making Lucas even more alert but not doing anything as his [danger sense] hadn''t been activated yet. "Answer me these questions truthfully, and I will let you off. If you lie, I will know because of the skill I just activated, and trust me... I wouldn''t recommend lying to me." His voice became cold at the end, but Lucas, hearing the threat, wasn''t happy in the slightest. The entire atmosphere just felt like it dropped beneath 0 degrees, making the staff members inside the shop tremble out of cold and fear. Lucas''s eyes became extremely cold as he spoke in a voice so cold it surprised Alaric for a second. "Speak then." "Very well... Lucas Nightstar, are you intending to harm my daughter?" Hearing his question, Lucas responded in a cold voice. "I would never harm her no matter what, since she is one of the few people I care the most about in my life." Hearing his words and sensing no lies, Alaric widened his eyes in surprise. "I see... then are you planning to ask my daughter for revenge against the demons who kidnapped you and tortured you?" ''Right, he fucking knows... calm down, Lucas... calm down, he is still Seraphina''s father.'' "No, I won''t allow anyone to intervene with my revenge against the demons that tortured me. Not even my own family." Sensing again no lies, Alaric''s eyes became softer, as did his voice. "Then are you planning to get close to her so you can have connections with us?" "Don''t ask questions you know the answers to, Alaric Darkcrest. I don''t give a shit, nor do I need anything from your family. If I do, I can simply ask mine, and you know the reason perfectly well why." Hearing the answer with no lies again, he sighed as he closed his eyes for a second and opened them again as they weren''t glowing anymore. Lucas sighed as well, as the atmosphere was still tense but eased up a little. ''Seriously, first it was Sylv''s dad and now Sera''s. Why can''t I ever have a good first impression with people''s fathers?'' "I would like to apologize, Lucas, for my rude behavior. It is just I want the best for my daughter and sometimes can go overboard... I don''t want her to get hurt, you see." ''I can''t blame him, I guess... I did just come out of nowhere from his perspective, and seeing me so close with Sera must have made him suspicious.'' Sighing again, the cold and tense atmosphere was gone as Lucas looked at him. "It''s fine. I forgive you. I understand your reasons perfectly well. But... just know that I would never do anything to harm Sera in the slightest." A small smile formed on Alaric''s lips as his eyes softened considerably. "I am glad to hear that she has found a good friend like you... I am sorry once again." "I told you it''s fine." As Lucas reassured him, he finally started to eat his chocolate cake as it melted in his mouth, making him unleash an unconscious smile. Alaric, surprised at seeing him smile, suddenly looked at him with a warm gaze. "It seems you really love cake, huh?" Looking up at him, Lucas tilted his head at the question before narrowing his eyes. ''Don''t tell me I am smiling again...'' Touching his face, he noticed that he actually was. Embarrassed at how easily he smiled from some cake, he looked back down and started eating his cake again, ignoring his question. Alaric merely laughed a little at seeing him. ''Ugh... well, this is better than almost getting into a fight with him.'' Thinking that, he finally finished his cake. Checking the time on his phone, he saw that he had only 15 minutes left before his first class would start. Standing up as both decided they had to leave since Alaric had to go back to Crest City before tomorrow, they shook hands. "I hope you continue to stay good friends with my daughter, Lucas... Please make sure you visit Crest City with her once you find the time." "I''ll take you up on that offer then." Lucas said with a small smile on his face before both finally left the shop, making all the staff members fall on the floor out of relief. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As they finally separated after exiting the shop, Lucas decided to head to his classroom. Chapter 77 Class S-1 With five minutes left until his class would start, Lucas stood in front of the door."Class S-1..." Lucas muttered, reading the plate on the door. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, he entered the classroom. The moment he entered, everyone became quiet as all eyes turned to him. ''I really fucking hate this.'' Annoyed yet not showing any emotion on his face, he calmly looked for an open seat. Luckily, Seraphina was all the way at the back, and the seat on her left next to the window was free as she waved at him. He could see Amaya seated in front of her with Leonne. Luna was on top of Seraphina''s desk, sleeping peacefully once more... Scanning a little more, he noticed that Sylviette and Klaus weren''t there. ''So they have been placed in another classroom, huh.'' Walking towards her, he took the seat next to her and got comfortable in his chair. Suddenly, Seraphina shuffled closer to Lucas under everyone''s gaze. "Hey, so what happened with you and Dad?" she asked, whispering as Lucas turned his face towards her. Her face was uncomfortably close to Lucas, allowing him to see every detail of her blood-red eyes and glistening onyx-black hair. The strands shimmered like polished stone, contrasting starkly with her delicate, beautiful skin, which looked as pale as freshly fallen snow. "Lucas?" Snapping him out of his daze was Seraphina, who was looking at him with worried eyes, seeing him zone out so suddenly. "Ah, sorry... don''t worry, nothing happened between us to make you worry. He just questioned me about a few things, but I handled it." Lucas said as he turned his face from her, staring down at the empty teacher''s desk. ''Just what is wrong with me these days...'' "Really? Dad didn''t try to hurt you, right? If he did, just tell me," Seraphina asked, surprised yet not fully convinced, making him smile a little, though he still didn''t look in her direction. "He didn''t hurt me at all, you don''t need to worry. He was just worried about what our sudden relationship was, that is all. He didn''t touch a finger on my body." ''Almost did though...'' Saying the last part in his mind, he heard Seraphina release a relieved sigh. Thinking he finally convinced her, he started relaxing a little more before he felt her intense gaze on him again. "Hey, Lucas." "...Yes?" Lucas asked, confused yet still not looking at her as he felt a little weird still from earlier. Just for a moment, when he saw her worried face so close to him, he felt like she was... cuter and more beautiful than usual. "Are you alright? You seem a little out of it today," she asked with a worried tone, noticing him acting strangely. "Did something happen? Like did ''they'' contact you?" she asked again, a little more quietly, making sure no one could hear them at all. Finally looking at her and seeing her worried eyes on him, he answered, "I am fine, don''t worry. Just... a little tired, I suppose, since I didn''t get any sleep today." "Huh? But shouldn''t yo¡ª" Before she could finish what she was saying, as she wasn''t convinced in the slightest by Lucas''s excuse, they suddenly heard the door open, making everyone go quiet and look at who entered. Seeing Elizabeth enter the classroom, Lucas observed as she calmly and gracefully walked and stood in front of her desk. He could see several boys already starting to drool over her. Suddenly, a pressure descended on the students as almost everyone watched with bated breath, feeling the mana she was releasing to snap them out of their weird thoughts. ''So, a grandmaster... If I had to guess, Julius seems to be stronger, so perhaps an 8-star level?'' As Lucas thought, she suppressed her mana again, making almost everyone sigh in relief. "Good morning. As you all might have guessed, I will be the headteacher of this class and responsible for all of you for the next three years unless you get expelled. My name is Elizabeth Thorne." Hearing what she said, he noticed her warmly glancing subtly at him for a second without anyone noticing except for Seraphina next to Lucas, making her furrow her brows for some reason. ''Why does it feel like she treats me so differently?'' He honestly found it weird how worried she was last night about him, but she shouldn''t be anymore, right? He didn''t know why but could tell that she was going to treat him differently than the other students. Enjoy more content from empire ''Is it because of my performance at the exams? It doesn''t seem like the reason though...'' At first, he thought it was just because she was a kind teacher who cares about the students of the academy. Lucas, in fact, still believes that but is at least suspicious since even if she is a kind teacher, there is no need for her to be kinder to him than others unless she has a reason other than being kind. ''Should I ask her lat¡ª'' Before Lucas could finish his thought, while Elizabeth was answering the questions of the eager students who wanted to know more about her, he suddenly felt extremely lightheaded as drowsiness was trying to take over. Not even a second had gone by, and everything he felt was replaced with a sharp pain piercing throughout his head, making him bite his lip hard to prevent himself from crying out in pain and clutch his head with his left hand while slightly leaning for support on the desk. He felt cold sweat sticking on his left hand that was placed on his forehead as breathing became more difficult. Making matters worse, he suddenly became extremely conscious of his body, like breathing and blinking. ''Fuck! It''s getting only worse and worse!'' Screaming inside his mind as he clutched his head tighter, the pain finally started to subside a little. "Lucas? Seriously, what is happening? Are you alright?" He heard Seraphina whisper worriedly next to him but couldn''t answer as he tried to focus on breathing properly. ''Just what is happening to me...?'' As he thought, he could feel a burning sensation in the middle of his back for some reason. After a few seconds, the burning sensation disappeared, as did the pain, making him breathe a sigh of relief quietly. Finally glancing to his right at Seraphina, he could see she was looking at him silently in extreme worry, giving him some breathing space. "Lucas..." As he was about to respond to her, he heard Elizabeth''s voice resounding throughout the room. "Is something wrong, Student Lucas?" Looking up, he finally looked towards Elizabeth, who was looking at him with furrowed brows, noticing something odd going on. Suddenly, everyone was gazing at Lucas, making him feel uncomfortable. "No, I apologize for disturbing the class, Teacher Elizabeth." "It''s alright, but are you alright? You look pale... Are you sick perhaps?" Everyone glanced weirdly at Elizabeth upon hearing what she said, since getting sick as a master would be hard, especially for someone as strong as Lucas, but perhaps she was right as everyone saw how pale Lucas looked. "Ah, no, it is nothing. Just a little tired, I suppose..." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucas said shortly as he truly didn''t know how to escape this situation and didn''t want to reveal what was going on yet until he was sure. Luckily, she understood his reluctance and decided to let it go for now, but he could see she was looking at him in a way that told him this wasn''t over. ''Looks like I will be leaving the academy late today...'' [Father, are you alright? I feel something weird from our connection in your body...] He heard Luna speak inside his head as she woke up and was still lying down on top of Seraphina''s desk looking at him, but he could hear the clear worry in her voice. [Don''t worry, I felt it as well. I''ll check what is wrong with me after I am done with everything today.] As he said, he heard Elizabeth''s voice again addressing the entire class. "Right now, let''s head to the training ground where we will spar with each other since there is no better way to know each other than fighting against one another." Saying that, everyone finally got up excitedly as Luna jumped on top of Lucas''s shoulder. Noticing something interesting, he realized he was the only one with a bond in his class. ''Well, it is rare to get a bond that suits you, I suppose...'' As he thought, he noticed the intense gazes of most girls focused on Luna, sometimes even on him, making him feel uncomfortable. Trying to ignore them, he looked to his right again where someone else stood with an intense gaze, looking at him full of worry. Sighing as he understood she wasn''t buying any of it and not wanting to hurt her, he spoke. "I''ll tell you what is wrong after school, alright? I promise." "Fine... but I am sticking close if something happens to you again." "...Sure." Saying that, they both started walking out as well, following the rest to the training grounds. ''She always really worries a lot about me... though I guess it doesn''t feel bad.'' He thought while ignoring the intense gazes of Luna on his shoulder and Seraphina at his side as both kept looking at him worried. ''This is going to be a long day...'' Chapter 78 Sparring Lucas and the rest of his classmates were inside the huge training room, all wearing the black combat suits they wore during the entrance exam.They were lined up next to each other as Elizabeth stood in front of them, counting all 27 students in the class. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After a few seconds, she finally spoke. "Alright, now I''ll be calling your name as I hand out the shield watches you wore in the virtual world for the entrance exam. The watch will display your rankings and your current year. Please make sure not to lose it, as it will be your companion for the next three years, as long as you don''t get expelled." As she called each person''s name one by one, she handed them their watch, and they returned to the line, wearing them on their wrists. When Lucas''s name was called, he went to Elizabeth, and she handed him his watch before he returned to the line, wearing it on his left wrist. Standing back in line, he decided to tap on it. A holographic screen appeared in front of him, and he decided to read what was shown, just like everyone else did with their screens. ------------------ Name: Lucas Nightstar Year: 1st year Rank: 1/1889 Status: Attending class Objective: ??? Time limit: ??? ------------------ ''So I am first, huh... no surprise really,'' he thought as he gazed at the holographic screen showcasing his ranking. He wasn''t surprised that he got first place, considering he defeated and fought two of the three great calamities, even one with only Seraphina. Enjoy new chapters from empire ''Speaking of Seraphina...'' Closing the screen on his watch, he glanced to his right and saw her gazing intently at her holographic screen, which was hard to read from the sides. But since Lucas was a half-dragon, he could easily read what was written on the holographic screen. "So you are third, huh... not bad," Lucas said, congratulating her on becoming 3rd place in the entire first year. Hearing his voice, she snapped out of it, closed her screen quickly, and looked angrily at Lucas. "Congratulations? For what? I didn''t become first or even second! How is that even possible..." She said, pouting, which only made her look cuter in Lucas''s eyes. "Well, they probably didn''t measure it by how strong a person is, but by how useful one was. If I''m right, then Klaus would be second since he fought two out of the three calamities as well, dealing the finishing blow to the last." "Makes sense, I guess..." She said reluctantly. "Alright, I hope you all have already read your rank among your fellow first years. Some might be disappointed, but don''t worry, as you can improve your ranking with upcoming exams. For those who are satisfied with their ranks, don''t get overconfident, as your ranking can easily be snatched away before you know it. Make sure to train hard every day and strive to be first," Elizabeth said seriously as she lectured everyone in the room, who were quietly absorbing everything she said. Hearing the words about striving to become first, everyone looked at Lucas for a second. It didn''t take a genius to understand that Lucas would obviously be ranked first. ''This is going to invite some annoyances, no doubt...'' Understanding that he was first in his year, Lucas knew many people would probably try to form connections with him or perhaps cause some trouble, not believing that a mere viscount''s son deserved to be first, even though everyone had seen his performance at the exam. Some people are just like that, with their huge egos not wanting to accept reality because they were spoiled by their families, who made them believe that they are the best and should be ranked first no matter what. ''I''ve seen some of those in my previous life...'' his thought was broken once again by Elizabeth addressing the class. "Alright, now each of you should find a partner to spar with. Make sure not to use your real weapons if you use aura, and instead, use the training weapons placed on the side of the wall over there." Pointing at one of the walls, everyone followed where she was looking. Lucas could see a variety of training weapons meant not to do a lot of damage to opponents displayed inside the walls, ready to be used. He noticed that there were not only different types of swords but also bows, daggers, axes, and spears. Lucas honestly found this weird since you can, of course, use your aura not only on swords but also on other weapons, yet you are still called a swordsman since the other weapons are looked down upon as most think that the sword is just a superior weapon. ''Honestly, it should depend on the wielder on what weapon is better or not...'' [Swords are just cooler, Father...] Luna said to him through their link, making Lucas smile a little. [Mm, I agree that swords are indeed cooler, at the very least...] As he said to her, he could see all the people who use aura heading towards the wall displaying the weapons. As Lucas and Seraphina were about to join Amaya and Leonne, they heard Elizabeth addressing them. "Wait, Student Lucas and Student Seraphina, please follow me instead of joining the others." Both glanced at the others before nodding and following her to a more open space in the room, far from the others who were occasionally glancing at them curiously. "It would just be a waste for both of you to use those weapons to spar and to hold back since there are other students close to you. So instead, I want both of you to use your real weapons here as you spar under my supervision until we find a better way to make sure you both don''t waste your time." Hearing her explanation, both nodded in agreement. ''I guess she is right; it would indeed just be a waste of time...'' As he thought this, he suddenly felt a terrifying gaze from his right side, making Luna jump away and run a safe distance away from him. Looking toward the source, he saw Seraphina watching him with predatory eyes and a grin on her face. "So that means we will fight each other, huh, Mister Rank 1?" she said, as both Lucas and Elizabeth could sense the jealousy in her voice. ''You shouldn''t have hid yourself back then!'' he screamed inside his mind as he and Seraphina distanced themselves from the others, getting ready to fight. "Remember... you are supposed to spar, so don''t use anything lethal," Elizabeth warned from the sidelines, starting to regret her decision after seeing the way Seraphina was acting. Getting into an appropriate position, he summoned his blade of chaos to his right waist and suddenly grinned at her. "Rank 1, huh? Well, yeah, I suppose you have the honor to fight someone stronger than you..." Hearing his taunt, she narrowed her eyes as the grin on her face disappeared. "Stronger? You can say that again after I take that rank from you," she said, gripping her daggers in front of her body. Glancing to the side for a second, he noticed that no one was sparring; everyone had gotten a little closer and was watching their exchange intently. "Alright, are both of you ready?" Lucas and Seraphina nodded without looking at her. Seeing them both nodding, Elizabeth sighed a little. "Very well... Begin!" Chapter 79 A monster [1] Seraphina didn''t dare to blink as her entire focus was on Lucas, who stood in front of her alone.He was simply holding the hilt of his sword with his right hand, not unsheathing it in the slightest. The entire training room was silent, everyone focused on her and Lucas: the one who placed third in the entire first year and the one who placed first. The emotionless face Lucas wore was something she was most familiar with in her previous life. ''It makes me sad...'' Seraphina felt sad as she remembered the Lucas who was previously known as Noah in her last life. She remembered how he barely showed any emotions at all back then. He was like an emotionless machine, carrying out every order diligently. At first, she found it uncomfortable to be around him when she first met Lucas. She always tried to avoid him since it creeped her out how one could be so... dead. His eyes looked so dark as if there wasn''t any sign of light in them, as if he was just dead. When Aushburn had told her his story, it only intensified her belief in staying far away from him. ''A monster...'' Those were the only thoughts she had whenever she saw him again after returning from a mission. His eyes only turned darker every time she saw him again. No emotions could be seen in those dark eyes of his. An emotionless monster who was never meant to be born. She had killed before just like Lucas, so when they were trained to be assassins, she knew that killing innocents would be part of the job. She remembered the first mission they carried out together. An innocent boy, barely 13 years old, became collateral damage because of a small mistake she made. The boy had nothing to do with their mission, just a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time when they killed his parents. She was accustomed to killing people, but anyone in her position would naturally hesitate to kill an innocent child because of their own error. Or so she thought. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When Lucas found out what had happened and saw the boy, he didn''t waver. The boy was hugging his knees, tears streaming down his face, his body trembling with fear. Lucas simply raised his gun, aimed it at the terrified child, and pulled the trigger. He didn''t hesitate in the slightest. The gunshot echoed through the alley, and pieces of flesh and brain splattered everywhere. The boy''s lifeless body slumped to the ground, eyes still wide with the terror of his final moments. She recalled how she just stood there, frozen in shock at how cruel and merciless he was. She recalled how his eyes didn''t change in the slightest at killing the innocent boy. She recalled how he simply walked away without sparing a glance at what he had done. ''A monster...'' Those words kept echoing through her mind back then as she gazed at his back. When they arrived back at their home and briefed Ausburn personally instead of anyone else, he simply nodded and gave both of them a break for a month to recover. She didn''t get punished in the slightest, and instead, both of them got a break to rest and make sure that failure of their mission didn''t affect them. She thought about why he would need a break; he looked like he didn''t care in the slightest. When they walked away from his office, she couldn''t help but talk to him for the first time ever willingly. When they both stopped in the hallway, she asked him a simple question that she had always been curious about: "Don''t you feel anything when you kill?" The question was so simple, yet it was something she wanted to know. She had heard from rumors just how eerie he was for killing without any emotion, like it never affected him in the slightest. When she asked the question, he stopped without turning around to face her. Read exclusive adventures at empire She waited an entire minute for his answer, and yet he was quiet. Thinking he wasn''t going to answer, she was about to ask again before he finally spoke to her. "Having feelings about anything is a waste... they will only hurt you instead of healing you." That was all he replied back then before leaving her as she watched wide-eyed at his departing figure. It was at that moment that both their lives finally started to change because she finally understood that he wasn''t really emotionless. He was just acting like that, hiding his true feelings, burying them deep down. Never to get hurt again. Snapping her away from thinking more about their past life together was the teacher signaling the start of their duel. "Begin!" She didn''t hesitate as she lunged at him instantly with her daggers in her hands. Lucas didn''t move in the slightest as he calmly watched her with his blood-red eyes. Arriving close to him, she swung her left dagger horizontally as it cut through the air. Lucas just calmly bent his back, avoiding the dagger that went past him. Suddenly surprising her was Lucas, who then gripped her left wrist tightly with his left hand at a speed she could barely follow ¡ªbarely. With his back still bent, he clenched his hand into a fist, ready to drive it into her face. ''Crap!'' Gritting her teeth, she allowed herself to be swallowed by her own shadow as his fist just went past her. Emerging from Lucas''s shadow, she then thrust her dagger forward at the back of his head, yet he merely tilted it to the left, narrowly avoiding her dagger before spinning around and swinging his right leg at her. Instinctively, she crossed her arms as his leg hit her hard, making her slide a few meters back while gritting her teeth. ''He isn''t taking me seriously... not even unsheathing his sword'' She was annoyed that he wasn''t using anything to fight her except for his own body, yet she understood that is who Lucas really is¡ªhe would never want to harm anyone he cares about. If he could avoid it, he would, no matter what. She understood that since now, in this life, he definitely had the power and potential to avoid harming anyone he loves. Knowing that he wasn''t unsheathing his sword against her made her feel extremely happy, meaning that he cared about her deeply, yet it frustrated her as well. ''Ugh, I don''t know if I should be mad or not! I want to fight him seriously, even if I would lose!'' As she thought, she kept walking around Lucas, eyeing him with frustrated eyes. ''Will he just keep dodging me... I need him to take me more seriously.'' ''I can''t use any lethal spells either and only use my daggers to harm him... She didn''t say anything about not using aura, did she?'' As she thought, her black and white aura shot out from her, surrounding her and coating her daggers, taking the breath away from most of the students watching. Lucas, though, simply watched calmly, unsurprised at her actions. Seeing his emotionless demeanor, she simply scoffed. ''Let''s see how long you can keep that act of yours.'' Chapter 80 A monster [2] ''Annoying...''Lucas thought as he gazed at Seraphina circling around him like a predator waiting for the right opportunity to strike. He could see the clear frustration in her eyes, yet he tried to ignore it. He didn''t like harming the people he cared about in the slightest, but that didn''t mean he was afraid to spar with someone. Seraphina, however, was different from anyone else he cared about... She was perhaps the only person in the entire world who knew him the best. Suddenly, her aura flared as she coated her daggers with it. She shot towards him at a speed that almost no one watching could follow except for a few. A series of thrusts were thrown at Lucas as he kept dancing around them, barely avoiding the daggers. To others, it might seem he was playing around, but in truth, he was having a hard time focusing solely on dodging her attacks. He continued to dodge as she imbued even more of her aura into her daggers, increasing her speed. ''Annoying... just why is it so hard...'' He thought as he tilted his head to the right, barely missing the dagger that was about to impale his face. Jumping back a few meters to distance himself, Lucas saw her gritting her teeth in frustration. He put his left hand on the hilt of his sword, hesitating again to draw it. Every second he thought of fighting back, memories of their last battle flashed in his mind. The last time he fought Seraphina... he had to kill her. ''This is different... it is just a spar. So why am I hesitating?'' He thought as Seraphina suddenly appeared on his right side using teleportation. Lucas didn''t waste any time and tilted his body, avoiding her right dagger aimed at his face, which managed to cut a few strands of his snow-white hair. Using teleportation himself, he distanced himself a few meters from her. Yet, as if knowing what he was about to do, she teleported right in front of him, avoiding at the same time the left hook he threw at her. Crouching down to avoid his fist, she suddenly thrust her left dagger at Lucas''s... crotch. ''What the¡ª?!'' Instinctively, without realizing it, he unsheathed the Blade of Chaos, blocking the incoming dagger and protecting his manhood. The sudden sound of steel clashing echoed throughout the entire training room. Seraphina instantly jumped back, looking at Lucas with a proud grin as he stood frozen, still processing what had just happened. "Heh~ looks like I finally got you to unsheathe your sword." She said with a grin. Lucas, watching her in surprise, let his emotionless mask slip. "You... you are crazy..." He said, shocked, gripping the hilt of his sword tighter unconsciously. "I wouldn''t have to resort to this if you had just used your sword from the beginning," she said, frustration evident in her tone. Continue your adventure at empire ''She''s right, I suppose,'' Lucas thought, calming down as he took a deep breath. ''Right... things are different now. Both of us aren''t as powerless as we were before, and... she is different as well. Not Alicia anymore, but Seraphina.'' Exhaling the breath he had been holding, he looked at Seraphina with a much more determined gaze, making her clutch her daggers tighter. "Very well... don''t regret your actions now," S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucas said as his aura flared, surrounding him and his Blade of Chaos in red and black. ''Not enough...'' Under everyone''s bewildered eyes, red lightning started to fuse with his aura. The second Seraphina blinked, Lucas appeared in front of her, swinging his blade diagonally. Instinctively, she crossed both daggers together and blocked the strike, her arms trembling from the force. Gritting her teeth, she pushed his sword back and swung her daggers at him, but Lucas parried each strike with his blade. The sound of steel clashing echoed throughout the room as everyone watched the battle intensely. With each clash, it felt less like a fight and more like a dance. Beautiful. The same thought ran through everyone''s mind, even Elizabeth''s, as they watched the battle¡ªLucas''s red and black aura and Seraphina''s black and white aura trying to devour each other. Each time he clashed his sword with her daggers while dancing around the room, Lucas noticed something he was lacking that Seraphina had: a battle style. Even though he had mastered the basics of swordsmanship, he had no unique battle style. His swings lacked the distinctiveness hers had, making the difference between him and Seraphina glaringly obvious to him. ''The battle style of the Darkcrests, huh...'' He thought bitterly, remembering how his father refused to teach him the old battle style of the Nightstars, saying it wouldn''t suit him and that he should find his own. He knew William had his own battle style, not inherited from his family but one he had created himself¡ªa feat most swordsmen would envy. And now it wasn''t just William, but even Seraphina who had a battle style. ''Damn, I am jealous!'' Each of her strikes was precise, cutting through the air with a hum. Her attacks were meant to be fast and swift, only aiming at vital points to finish the enemy as quickly as possible. ''It strangely suits her a lot for an ex-assassin... now that I think about it, don''t even her affinities make her the perfect assassin?'' As they clashed, Lucas finally broke off the beautiful dance that had captivated everyone. He jumped back a few meters, distancing himself from Seraphina. He could see Seraphina not following him, taking a few controlled breaths. She wasn''t a half-dragon like Lucas, so her stamina was obviously a lot less than his. "Should we finish this?" he asked as Seraphina bent her knees and leaned forward, holding her daggers in front of her face. "I would love that," she said with a small grin that Lucas reciprocated. ''This is fun...'' He honestly found this duel of theirs extremely fun¡ªsomething he hadn''t experienced in a while. ''Ah, I really want to keep fighting her!'' He missed the times they sparred together in their previous world and the time they used to spend with each other. All sounds around him faded, as did his surroundings. In front of him was simply Seraphina, enveloped by an aura of black and white, while both of them were surrounded by pitch-black darkness. Placing his sword in front of him, he bent his knees as lightning started to crackle around him again. Both their auras flared even more, dancing wildly. And in the next second... "S-STOP! That is enough!" Everything fell apart as they heard the panicked scream of Elizabeth, who finally realized the situation they were in. Chapter 81 Curse As all the students finally started to spar amongst each other, Seraphina and Lucas remained in the open space, standing in front of Elizabeth."I told you guys to spar... in what way was that called a spar? Almost every attack from both of you could have actually killed the other," she said sharply, lecturing them for the last fifteen minutes about how dangerous their fight was and could have become. "With all due respect, Teacher Elizabeth... you never stopped us to begin with and only watched us escalate our duel," Lucas said, making her lips twitch as she tried to suppress her facial expression. "That was... that doesn''t matter. The point is that the both of you need to control yourselves the next time you spar, understood?" she said sternly, allowing no refusal. Both nodded their heads, understanding they would just be stuck with the same lecture. "Good, now that we are done with that..." As she spoke, Lucas suddenly felt light-headed again as the same drowsiness he felt earlier in class started to envelop him. ''Damn it...'' Gritting his teeth while clenching his hands behind his back, he looked down, hoping to hide the sudden sharp pain coursing through his head. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Lucas?" Of course, Seraphina noticed, standing right next to him. Even Elizabeth instantly realized something was wrong as she stopped talking. "Student Lucas, is everything alright?" ''Damn it, just what is wrong...'' [Father... I sense the same weird energy on your back from earlier,] Luna said in his mind as she ran to him worriedly. Continue your adventure with empire "I-I''m fine, just a headache..." He felt the burning sensation on his back before it disappeared, clutching his forehead with his right hand. After a few seconds, the pain entirely vanished, making him let out a breath of relief. Looking back up, he saw that Luna, Seraphina, and Elizabeth were all staring at him with worried eyes. "Lucas, are you fine now?" Seraphina asked, gazing at him intently, seeing the pained expression he tried to hide but failed to moments ago. "Yes, don''t worry, I am fine now," he tried to reassure with a small smile, yet of course, no one believed him. "Student Lucas, what is happening exactly? And tell me without lying this time. I noticed this happened earlier in class as well," Elizabeth said with a stern voice, not wanting him to lie to her as she was worried about this weird headache of his. Sighing, he decided to tell them as he didn''t see any harm in it. "I don''t know... it happens randomly. At first, I feel light-headed, then I feel a sudden wave of drowsiness that just gets replaced with a headache... After that, I feel a burning sensation on my back before it all disappears..." Lucas''s voice got lower and lower with each word as he started to piece the puzzle together for why this was happening. [Luna... you felt a weird sensation on my back, right?] [Yes, but it goes away after a few seconds as if it got destroyed.] ''The moment I feel the burning sensation on my back, she feels the weird energy in me...'' As he thought, his eyes suddenly widened as he realized the cause of all of this. ''Was it Julius or perhaps Elizabeth? No, I would have known instantly, and the other staff members would as well... then the only one left is...'' "Lucas, we should get you check¡ª" Before Seraphina could finish speaking, Lucas interrupted, making everyone widen their eyes at his words. "There is a curse placed on me..." "What?" Elizabeth said, bewildered. A curse placed on someone''s body would only be possible if they had an affinity for curses, which is as rare as a sound affinity, and they''d have to be at least a skilled grandmaster. "Just who would place a curse on you... wait, don''t tell me it is..." As Seraphina spoke, she glanced at Lucas''s face, which had grown extremely cold, sending shivers down everyone''s spine. She realized the only time he gave such a reaction was for a certain person, or better said... demon. "Karciel." Lucas growled as he spoke the name of the one who placed the curse on him. ''He must have placed it when I was unconscious before he brought me to that torture room. But why didn''t it affect me before? No, it must be because I am a half-dragon; my body must have been fighting the effects without me ever noticing, but it has been getting more troublesome to fight it.'' ''The weird energy Luna felt and the burning sensation on my back must have been the curse mark appearing and disappearing...'' "Karciel? The count-ranked demon that attacked your estate? But how did he place a curse on you..." As she spoke, her eyes widened as she saw the worried look Seraphina was giving Lucas, and even Luna was concerned. Lucas himself was deep in thought with cold eyes, his killing intent leaking out despite his efforts to suppress it. "The report was false..." she muttered as she realized the reason for Lucas''s intense behavior. She could see his suppressed killing intent, making shivers run down her spine. "Lucas, we should go to a healer," Seraphina''s voice snapped everyone out of their thoughts. He looked towards her, who was now standing closer to him, and then glanced at Elizabeth, whose face became unreadable as she spoke. "Student Seraphina is right. We need to bring you to a healer as fast as possible before your situation worsens," she said. Lucas merely nodded before Luna jumped on his shoulder, and he and Seraphina started to follow Elizabeth, ignoring the curious gazes of everyone present. ******* Lucas was currently inside his new room with Luna sleeping on the bed again. After following Elizabeth with Seraphina to one of the healers at the academy, they discovered a curse mark on his back that appeared and disappeared intermittently. Luckily, they could easily remove it since it hadn''t merged with him properly, as his body was fighting the curse, surprising both the healer and Elizabeth. Withstanding a curse placed by a grandmaster was no easy feat. The curse was intended to drive him insane if it had worked properly. He was glad that, out of consideration, the healer and Elizabeth didn''t ask any questions about Karciel and his connection to him. After that, he got the rest of the day off. Elizabeth informed him that he could now stay in the academy dormitory. Surprisingly, everyone else he knew also stayed in the dormitories, even though they could have just gotten apartments. He wouldn''t be missing anything important today, as their lessons would start properly tomorrow with their curriculum sent to their watches or the app on their phones. "Now that the curse is finally lifted, I should make up for what I''ve missed," he said as he undressed and put on some comfortable clothes. He gently placed Luna to the side of the bed, where she was curled up sleeping peacefully, and joined her, lying down. ''I''ll deal with everything tomorrow...'' It didn''t take long before he finally fell asleep, something he had dearly wished for over the past few days. Chapter 82 Death Zone a tired sigh left karciel''s lips as he exited the colossal silver gates, which disappeared into white particles a few seconds later."nothing again..." he muttered, gazing at the trees surrounding him. "this is the fifth dungeon today with us leaving empty-handed. are you sure the obtelux is even in a death zone and not already in the hands of someone?" the uncomfortable voice of abadux reached his ears as he leaned against a tree, gazing at the sky. death zones are perilous areas where dangerous beasts from dungeon breaks roam. these places are shrouded in mystery and are so treacherous that anyone entering risks their life. most of the beasts inside a death zone are at least b-rank king predators. some even say there are beasts above s-rank residing there. rumors suggest that the deepest parts of a death zone house ominous creatures beyond imagination. "his majesty was certain that the obtelux would be in a death zone''s dungeon," karciel said seriously, his playful demeanor absent, unlike when he attacked the nightstar estate and tortured lucas. "should we go deeper to check for more dungeon gates?" abadux suggested, making karciel scowl. "we can''t... i feel a presence of something dreadful residing in the deeper parts." "if the obtelux is in the deeper parts, then we have a problem... do remember that time is running out and that we are the highest ranks currently in myrniel." "you think i don''t know that!" karciel snarled at him. he knew that he and abadux were the strongest of their respective races in myrniel. the gates were closed for some reason, ensuring no one from the demon world would enter myrniel. the only order he got before the gates closing was from lord diablo, saying that his majesty wanted them to find an ancient artifact consumed by the void and that they would find it inside a dungeon. ''just what the hell does consumed by the void even mean?'' he thought, confused. he didn''t even know what the obtelux looked like! ''i wonder how strong this weapon must be for his majesty to want it...'' as he thought, his pitch-red eyes widened in shock as he felt a connection sever. ''the curse is gone... of course it would be.'' he remembered when he placed a curse on lucas that would only activate when he was away from him, intended to drive him insane. but he never heard anything about lucas going crazy. confirming his suspicion was when he watched the entrance exam and saw lucas perfectly fine as if the curse was never there. at first, he thought lucas must have removed it, but then he would have felt that. ''he really isn''t human, is he?'' karciel was sure of it now that the curse was removed so easily. he could feel that the curse wasn''t connected properly with its host, meaning that lucas managed to fight it with or without realizing it. ''just what the hell is he... his skin was much tougher than a normal human of his stage to the point i had to actually try and...'' as he thought, he remembered their last moment together before he fled from the mysterious saint. that smile of his... ''i can''t put my finger on it, but why does he remind me of someone... my mind keeps going blank the moment i almost figure out who the person he reminds me of is.'' that smile when he saw it for some reason made his body tremble. ''fear... to think he would actually make me feel fear for a second.'' he laughed bitterly out of nowhere, making abadux look at him weirdly. ''to think i placed a curse to make one go crazy when he already was. i should have killed him...'' experience exclusive tales on empire he didn''t know why, but ever since their last moment together, he felt his chest tighten considerably remembering lucas''s expression. ''i am starting to understand a little bit why his majesty said to be clear of that family... everything is just full of questions with them.'' breaking him out of his thoughts was the feeling of multiple beings approaching him and abadux. looking ahead, he saw three demons and a wraith running towards them. ''so they are here... empty-handed.'' he clicked his tongue as he already noticed that they must have failed as well in finding the obtelux. as they arrived in front of him and abadux, they kneeled in their presence. "lord karciel, lord abadux, we are sorry but we didn''t find anything..." they said regretfully with their heads down. "so what now, karciel?" abadux asked as they were now stuck and knew they couldn''t go any deeper into this death zone. "we are leaving and going to another death zone for the time being... if we keep having no luck, we might have to risk going deeper into the death zones," karciel said, making the demons and the wraith tremble in fear as they felt the ominous presence all the way from the deeper part of the death zone. "very well, let''s leave this death zone for the time being then," abadux said as karciel nodded and a small mark appeared beneath him. "abadux, let''s split up. i''ll be going to a death zone i marked while you go to another. this way we will be faster," he said as abadux merely nodded and disappeared, leaving a trail of miasma behind, corrupting the ground he was standing on. "as for you lot... there is something else i need you to deal with for the time being." "anything you wish, lord karciel," one of the demons said, bowing his head again while all of them were still on their knees. they knew they had no choice but to obey either karciel or abadux as they were the strongest and had to fulfill an order of the demon king. "i need you to find a person and kill him when the opportunity arises." "just say the name, lord karciel." he didn''t answer for a few seconds as he pondered the order he was about to give. ''perhaps they can be of some use as well...'' "lucas nightstar." everyone looked up weirdly at him upon hearing the name of the intended target. "is there a problem?" he scowled at seeing their expressions. "n-no, forgive us, lord karciel. it is just... why?" ''idiots...'' "we don''t know his exact star level, but he must be already at the 7-star level if he can fight a b-ranked beast alone. on top of that, he has shown to be a tri-elemental mage and a swordsman, making him a dual wielder... all of this at the age of 15. i have a feeling as well... that he will stand in the way of his majesty in the future if we don''t get rid of him now." they shuddered at hearing the last part from karciel. being able to stand against the demon king? the mere thought seemed ridiculous to them, but the feats that lucas had already shown made them rethink if such a thing was really ridiculous. "as you wish, lord karciel. we will make sure he will be dead when we get the chance." "good. also, be careful... i am not sure, but i believe that he actually isn''t a human." he said, making everyone open their eyes wide in shock. "not human... then what is he?" "i don''t know." as he spoke, the mark beneath him started to glow with a white light. "don''t take him lightly. he isn''t to be underestimated even if he is 15. remember, he is called the white devil for a reason, so make sure you get some backup before fighting him." ''if only i asked him more questions back then... to think i let such a monster get away. just how many secrets are you really hiding, lucas nightstar?'' "how many demons and wraiths should we take with us, lord karciel?" "not demons nor wraiths, but another race." his face turned into disgust, showing his sharp teeth as he spoke the words of the race he despised the most. "leeches." s§×ar?h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 83 Fried Eggs four days had passed since lucas had the curse removed.he slept for two entire days, realizing how tired his body must have been. s§×arch* the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. on the third day, he decided to stay in his room with luna, not going to his classes. seraphina and sylviette both came up to check on him on the third day. sylviette became worried as she heard from seraphina about the curse mark that was placed on him, but both became relieved at seeing him. "i still feel like sleeping..." lucas muttered as he wore his uniform and fixed the watch on his left wrist. finally done, he glanced at luna, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed. ''just how can she sleep so much... i guess i should let her sleep in,'' he thought. as he left his room and silently closed his door not to wake her up, the door next to his room opened. emerging from the room, lucas saw for the first time who his neighbor was. "klaus," lucas spoke casually, greeting him as he stood there wide-eyed, looking at him in shock. ''guess he never knew about me being his neighbor.'' "you... you decided to live in the dormitories?" klaus asked, surprised, since he thought that lucas had somewhere else to stay. "mm. it was more convenient for me to stay here, and... teacher elizabeth insisted a little as well, i suppose," he said as klaus nodded his head in understanding. "yes... she can be quite strict at times but is quite caring for us at the same time." after he said, both stood there in silence, making the atmosphere awkward. ''i should leave...'' before he could decide to leave and go to his class, klaus decided to speak again. "i heard from sylviette that you were sick for the last couple of days. are you feeling better now?" he asked, concern evident in his eyes, while lucas raised his eyebrows a little. ''so they are on speaking terms?'' as he thought, he decided to answer him truthfully, not really finding a reason to lie. "mm. i was cursed, but luckily the healers managed to remove it on time before anything serious could have happened," he said, and klaus''s eyes widened in surprise. "you got cursed!?" he shouted worriedly across the hallway, luckily though no one was close by to hear him. ''a hero is a hero after all, even worrying for someone like me after our little fight in the virtual world.'' "keep it down, alright? i don''t need the entire academy to hear it," lucas said annoyed. "a-ah, yeah, my bad. it''s just... who would want to curse you?" ''an entire planet...'' "i have a few in mind, but it doesn''t matter. i''ll deal with them when the time comes," lucas said, dismissing any further conversation about this topic, which klaus understood. "what class do you have right now?" klaus asked, trying to change the topic. "mana theory, if i am right," lucas said. he had already checked his curriculum but hadn''t attended his classes, meaning this would basically be his first time. ''i am not really off to a good start, am i?'' "oh, then you should be getting teacher julius. his lessons are quite boring, like most, and honestly, they are pretty hard to understand." "well, he is a genius after all who focuses more on his intelligence than physical strength." "that is true..." klaus said, acknowledging what lucas said. "well, i will be going now. i don''t want to be late for my first actual class." "ah, yes, good luck," klaus said awkwardly as he just stood there instead of going to his own class. ''this was weird...'' lucas thought as he left the dormitories and went to his class. ****** entering the class, the entire room descended into silence as they noticed his presence. ignoring the curious stares he was getting from being absent for the past few days, he simply walked to his seat where seraphina was waving at him with a small smile. walking past amaya and leonne, he just gave both of them a nod, which they returned before he took his seat. "how are you feeling right now?" seraphina asked, a little worried as she put a sound barrier around them to block out the annoying students trying to eavesdrop. "like i said yesterday, i feel perfectly fine now." "if you say so..." she said, narrowing her eyes a little in suspicion, not entirely believing him, which made lucas sigh. "seriously, you worry too much. nothing happened since the curse was lifted." "fine... but can you blame me? you are the exact person who would somehow manage to burn the kitchen down just trying to make some fried eggs." "just what the hell do you see me as..." lucas asked, wide-eyed in shock at hearing the ridiculous comparison from her. ''i mean, making fried eggs can''t be that hard... right?'' lucas suddenly started to doubt himself as he thought about how to make fried eggs. ''i mean, it sounds a little complex, but i wouldn''t burn the kitchen... i think.'' "pfft!" continue your adventure with empire snapping him out of his thoughts was seraphina''s beautiful laughter as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "you look like you are making a strategy to fight some troublesome villains," she said, putting her hand in front of her mouth, trying to hold back her laughter. pursing his lips, he just looked away, annoyed at her antics, making her giggle. "what, giving up already? don''t tell me you admit that you can''t cook~" she teased further, making his forehead crease as he looked back at her and spoke. "okay, fine. let''s have a match sometime. i''ll cook something for you and make it the best thing you''ve ever eaten," he said confidently, making seraphina''s eyes widen for a few seconds before they returned to normal. "you are serious?" "i am." "hmm... okay, fine, i am in!" she said excitedly at the prospect of having lucas cook for her. lucas narrowed his eyes a little at her, seeing the abrupt excitement as if she was waiting for this. ''she didn''t do this on purpose so she could have me cook for her, did she? nah, no way...'' ''tch, how troublesome,'' he thought as seraphina removed her sound barrier. everyone was glancing at them with shock evident in their eyes. ''right, they saw the expressions we made,'' he thought as the teacher for his class finally entered the room. ''julius cordis...'' Chapter 84 A Saints Dread [1] bored.lucas was bored as he fought to stay awake in class. currently, julius was giving a lecture about something lucas didn''t even bother to understand. ''not like i have an actual reason to learn this...'' ''now that i think about it, we didn''t even do any theoretical exams...'' snapping him out of his thoughts was the voice of julius. "student lucas, is something the matter?" he looked toward julius, who had noticed him staring into space absentmindedly, not following the lesson at all. his lips twitched as everyone suddenly looked toward him as well. "no, nothing is wrong. please continue..." "mm, alright. do take it easy since you were ''sick'' for the past few days." julius''s sarcasm was evident, not believing in the slightest the excuse of lucas missing classes because he was sick. ''looks like he doesn''t know yet about the curse that was placed on me.'' lucas smiled a little as he looked straight into julius''s eyes. "of course, i will make sure to tell you the moment i feel ''sick'' again." lucas said, making julius''s lips twitch before he turned his back on him and continued with his lecture. "right... so, as i said, beasts inhabiting these mana-rich areas experience what we can describe as accelerated evolution. the mana infuses their very being, altering their physiology and genetic makeup over generations. this results in the emergence of enhanced physical traits¡ªstrength, speed, and resilience¡ªthat far surpass those of their counterparts in mana-poor regions." ignoring julius and his lecture, lucas glanced at seraphina, who was diligently taking notes on everything julius was writing on the board or saying. ''funny how it used to be the opposite for both of us back on earth...'' as he thought, he looked out the window, gazing at the grey sky. ''...so much has changed.'' sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ****** landing lightly on the ground as the white flames around him disappeared was magnus. "halt! identify yourself and do not move or we will cut you down this instant!" a man said, pointing his sword at magnus as did the others. the humans surrounding him were all wearing white and gold uniforms. "cease your weapons immediately before you get burnt to ashes without even knowing." the authoritative voice boomed across the dead forest, coming from behind the one who shouted at magnus. "l-lord hugo! but he might be a¡ª" cutting him off was the voice of the same man who appeared suddenly out of nowhere right in front of him. "are you going against my orders?" the man said, narrowing his eyes, making the person in front of him tremble as he broke out in a cold sweat. "n-no, please forgive me, lord hugo!" he said, bowing his head out of fear to the man with long black hair and blue eyes. hugo aurelia, the former king of the human domain and father of the current king, sebastian aurelia. ''he hasn''t changed in the slightest...'' magnus thought, gazing at hugo as he smiled at him and walked towards him. "hahaha! it has been a while, magnus! how have you been?" hugo said, laughing as both embraced each other after not seeing each other in years. both go way back with each other despite the difference in their status. "i have been doing good, hugo. how about you?" "same as always, you know?" he said while the royal guards were watching in shock at the sudden change in his attitude and the entire situation. breaking out of their hug, hugo smiled proudly as he spoke, making all the royal guards feel like cold water was thrown over them. "to think you have finally managed to become a saint after all these years, huh? i honestly thought you would have died of old age before reaching the saint stage." magnus clicked his tongue at hearing him as he knew he was actually bragging about becoming a saint before him. experience tales at empire "yeah, yeah, unfortunately, i was never as awesome as you, right? becoming a saint at the age of 49." "haha, you get it, but alas, it has already been 102 years and i have only managed to go up by 2 sub-stages." he said bitterly, as a lifespan of a saint obviously goes higher than that of a normal human. "how has sebastian been? i imagine being a king must be a burden to someone like him?" magnus said, changing the subject, which hugo appreciated. "ah, you know, always complaining about dealing with so much political stuff. he has been overworking himself a lot. honestly, i have told him dozens of times already to just find a beautiful queen and get an heir. for god''s sake, i am more than a hundred years old and not even a grandfather yet!" he said, making magnus laugh out loud. "a saint... he is a saint..." "the nightstars have a saint... b-but aren''t they just a viscount family?" "w-we pointed our swords towards an actual saint... a-and just how close are they?" the guards were in a chaotic state as they tried to make sense of everything happening in front of them. the atmosphere turned serious suddenly as both hugo and magnus stopped joking around and got down to business. "so what is the reason for meeting me here?" magnus said, a little confused about why they were in a death zone in the human domain. he could feel the presence of multiple strong beasts and... something else. something dreadful. ''just what the hell could be in here to have such an ominous presence?'' he thought as hugo spoke. "you can feel it, right? the presence of something harrowing residing in this death zone. magnus, most of our saints have had their hands full with the death zones, as in each one, a similar presence has been felt... and¡ª" "and?" magnus asked as he saw hugo hesitating. "a few saints who tried to go deeper into the death zone to see what was leaking such presence... have been lost ever since." hearing his words, magnus widened his eyes as the royal guards around him were looking fearfully around. ''just what the hell is happening... if each death zone in our domain has a beast strong enough to kill a saint, it means that it won''t be long before the human domain will fall by the unknown beasts or some idiotic races seeking more territory...'' "i need your help to try to find out just what type of beast is lurking in here... perhaps deal with it if possible." hugo said, and magnus nodded in understanding. "very well, let''s¡ª" before magnus could finish speaking, they heard another voice cutting him off. "i would advise you against all of this." without wasting any time, the guards brandished their swords again as hugo and magnus got on guard. ''i didn''t feel anyone approaching us...'' as he pondered, a man suddenly appeared right in front of him. with pitch-black hair resembling endless darkness and golden eyes that glowed like the sun, his presence was both mesmerizing and intimidating. it felt as if a shadow loomed over their surroundings, making the shadows around them grow darker and deeper. and his presence... surpassed both magnus and hugo. ''what...'' suddenly, before they could make sense of the mysterious man that had each of their instincts screaming of danger, another person appeared. a woman with fiery red hair and piercing red eyes appeared suddenly beside the man, her presence both startling and commanding. her hair cascaded in waves, shimmering like flames dancing in the wind, adding an otherworldly glow to her striking features. "ah, nyx! why did you suddenly approach them without telling me!" she said, frustrated at the man with black hair and golden eyes called nyx. smiling helplessly like a father who was listening to the tantrum of his daughter, he merely patted her head as he spoke. "sorry, sorry, aurora. i was just getting impatient, you know? i can''t just have two extremely important people walk towards their deaths." nyx spoke, soothing aurora as she calmed down and merely pouted a little. ''just what the hell is happening... and... deaths?'' magnus and hugo were extremely confused at the situation as they were on high alert. it didn''t help that the two strangers in front of them were so casual and how the man known as nyx spoke about them walking towards their deaths. "who are you people?" the first one to compose himself was hugo, as he addressed the strangers cautiously. hearing his voice, nyx looked toward him and magnus, making them feel... pressured. "ah, yes! my apologies, lord hugo, lord magnus. i didn''t mean to ignore the both of you." nyx said, bowing his head a little before standing straight back up as aurora merely stood at his side, not intending to involve herself. "there is no harm done... though i would like to ask again, who are you people?" it was obvious the two weren''t normal in the slightest, perhaps even enemies. magnus could tell, just like hugo, that the both of them were strong. especially the man called nyx. while the woman''s presence managed to rival that of just magnus, the man called nyx... he easily surpassed the both of them combined. "who are we? well, i guess the easiest name to give is the one you all gave us..." he said, making everyone confused until he revealed their names... "the voidwalkers." Chapter 85 A Saints Dread [2] "what did you just say?" magnus asked, bewildered at what nyx had just told them.the voidwalkers? the secret organization that was said to be a mere myth. countless theories formed about them and whether they were real or not. and now, two of their members were standing right in front of them, making everyone who listened doubt their own ears. "you two are one of the voidwalkers?" hugo had to ask again, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. he couldn''t just think of this as a mere joke. perhaps they really were part of the voidwalkers... but if they really were the voidwalkers who never revealed themselves... why now? "that is correct. my name is nyx, sovereign of shadows, holder of the second seat and this little girl is aurora, sovereign of fire, holder of the seventh seat." as he said this, the eyes of magnus, hugo, and the royal guards widened even more. ''second seat and seventh seat... does that mean their standing and how powerful they are? if that is true, then we might be dealing with one of the most important members of the voidwalkers...'' magnus shuddered at just what the meaning of all of this could be. "is the reason for you two revealing yourselves as one of the voidwalkers because of the mysterious beast at the deeper part of the death zone?" "that is correct, lord hugo. i decided to come to this particular death zone since it seemed like the beast would be a little bit too troublesome for a saint to deal with unlike the others which could be dealt with if a few saints work together." as he said this, everyone except for aurora looked complex at him. "you say it as if you aren''t a... saint," magnus spoke, as nyx merely smiled mysteriously at him. everyone gulped, realizing that before them was someone above the saint stage. "how..." hugo muttered, shocked. "so you being here means that the beast is capable of taking down two saints easily?" magnus asked, still trying to make sense of all of this. "that is correct, lord magnus. the beast you were about to face, and that would have killed you, is one that rivals the strength of a saint but is much more dangerous than an s-rank beast you are normally used to." "there have been multiple saints of ours gone missing... why now and not earlier?" hugo asked, feeling bitter that perhaps they could have prevented the deaths of the saints. "it was simply not worth our time. why else... the truth about all these beasts appearing will get revealed in due time anyways for you to understand most things. as for why now, it is because you two are extremely important for humanity and myrniel." "lord hugo, your influence is something that will be helpful in the future, and not just that, you also have the potential to surpass the saint stage." "of course, you do as well, lord magnus, but the main reason for preventing you from dying is because you are the grandfather of lucas." the moment he said those last words, it felt like time seemed to freeze as the royal guards started to tremble in fear out of instinct. magnus''s face became extremely cold as he narrowed his eyes at nyx. "what did you just say?" "hmm?" nyx tilted his head, merely not bothered by the sudden shift in the atmosphere or his cold voice. "didn''t i tell you? you are the grandfather of lucas. i can''t have you die for his sake," he said, making magnus adopt a weird expression on his face. ''lucas... just what the hell have you been hiding from all of us to be connected with the voidwalkers...'' he thought before asking nyx directly, "what is your relationship with my grandson?" hearing his words, nyx merely smiled mysteriously, not giving him an answer. seeing this, he clicked his tongue as he decided to visit the academy to ask lucas after all of this later. suddenly, aurora spoke up, ending their conversation as everyone, including nyx, faced became serious. "it has sensed your presence, nyx." "took longer than i expected. you should all get out of here quickly, especially you, royal guards, unless you want to become collateral damage," nyx said, making everyone have complicated faces at the sudden order. "the moment i fight it, the entire death zone will be destroyed. aurora, please accompany lord magnus and lord hugo in evacuating the nearby villages, as our battle might reach them and kill everyone there." aurora merely nodded as she walked up towards magnus and hugo. both wanted to protest but became quiet the moment they felt the dreadful presence getting closer, making their bodies shudder. ''just what the hell is approaching us...'' "lets go," aurora said impatiently for some reason, as they just merely nodded, and everyone started to leave except for nyx, who just calmly looked in the direction of the approaching beast. as everyone hurried to leave, magnus couldn''t shake the feeling of unease creeping over him. his gaze flickered back to nyx, who stood unwavering, her eyes fixed on the approaching terror. as magnus stole a glance, his breath caught in his throat. emerging from the shadows was a colossal creature unlike anything he had ever seen. it moved with a predatory grace, its form reminiscent of a sabertooth tiger, yet twisted and distorted. its fur was a deep, abyssal black, seeming to absorb the very light around it. its eyes, pools of darkness devoid of any emotion, bore into magnus''s soul with an unsettling intensity. but it was the writhing tentacles that protruded from its back that truly chilled him to the bone. the tentacles waved and twisted with an eerie fluidity, each movement sending shivers down magnus''s spine. they seemed to have a mind of their own, undulating in a macabre dance that defied all reason. as the creature drew closer, magnus felt a primal fear gnawing at his insides. there was something inherently wrong about this beast, something that struck at the very core of his being. "what... just what the hell is that thing?" as he spoke, the abomination suddenly roared at nyx, as if enraged at him invading his territory, the sound shook the trees, echoing throughout the entire forest, making any beast hearing run far away from the source. discover exclusive tales on empire the roar of the beast made his entire body shudder, and he broke out in a cold sweat. ''run...'' s§×ar?h the n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. his mind kept screaming for him to run as he gazed at the abomination. fighting that thing wasn''t even an option for magnus; he could see death itself standing before him. he didn''t even realize that his legs started to move on their own as he started to run away, trying to get far away from the abomination. ''run...'' ''run...'' ''run...'' the same thought kept screaming inside his mind as he managed to see the backs of hugo and aurora and the other royal guards; even they were running without looking back, not wanting to get caught with what was about to happen. as they and the rest were on the verge of escaping the death zone, the beast''s roar pierced the air once more. its thunderous bellow echoed like relentless lightning strikes, each reverberation shaking the very ground beneath their feet. the winds, already fierce, intensified into a maelstrom of fury, as if driven to madness by the creature''s wrath. they tore through the landscape with savage force, their violent gusts threatening to shred their clothing and drag them back into peril. nyx and the beast had started their battle. ''d-dammit, lucas! just what the hell are you involved in exactly!'' Chapter 86 Idiots the day before magnus went to the death zonecurrently, lucas was walking on his own, leaving the academy building to grab a bite somewhere outside in the capital instead. seraphina was planning to go eat with the other champions in the cafeteria, and she invited him to join. naturally, he declined since he didn''t really feel comfortable and knew it would just be a headache to eat there. instead, he just wanted some alone time while peacefully finding a place to eat some cake. ''i think i am becoming addicted...'' walking in the capital, he noticed most people looking at him while secretly trying to take pictures of him. it wasn''t because he was wearing the academy uniform; he could see multiple other students of shield roaming around the capital just like him. it was just that lucas was, well, lucas. ''sometimes i really wish i was just born as a normal nobody...'' as he thought this, he kept walking around, trying to find an interesting enough place to eat at. ''i have 2 hours until combat class... teacher elizabeth should be, if i am right, giving us combat class.'' while thinking, he found a fast food restaurant that didn''t look as full as the other places. ''why not...'' entering, he just walked towards a table in the corner where the least people were and sat down, ordering his food on a tablet. it only took a few minutes before someone came over and set the food on his table while looking at lucas nervously. it was just a simple order of fries and fried chicken with dessert: chocolate cake. as he started to eat, enjoying his food, he heard the whispers of the other customers and staff members looking towards him. "that is lucas nightstar..." "to think someone like him is just eating here in a fast food restaurant." "... he feels just like a normal person seeing him eat junk food like us..." ''it''s because i am the most normal person in this entire world!'' lucas said inside his mind, hearing the last part of one of the whispers before he started to ignore them and tried to enjoy his food again. tried... not even a second after, he noticed a few people wearing the shield uniform walk towards him. ''i swear... this is why i didn''t want to go to the cafeteria. i might as well have joined seraphina and the others if this was going to happen,'' he thought bitterly as the students approached his table, standing in front of him. he could see the number 2 inside the golden shield logo, indicating them being second years. surprising him, actually, was the fact that out of the five people present, two were of the beastfolk. both had grey cat ears and a tail. ''interesting... i haven''t seen many beastfolk, if i am honest. except for a few in my class, now that i think about it, there are barely any dwarves in the academy. well, they are not really a race keen on becoming stronger, instead focusing on intelligence and creating artifacts in their own domain, i suppose.'' as he thought this, one of the humans looked down at him while lucas was just eating, acting as if he didn''t see them standing in front of his table, and spoke. "well, if it isn''t lucas nightstar, ranked first of his year!" he said with his arms wide open as the customers and staff members looked worried at the sudden scene. lucas, finally being done with his fries, looked up at him and tilted his head. "i am glad you know me, but who are you? if you are here for an autograph, i am sorry, i don''t do those," he said, making the boy''s lips twitch as the others looked at him, scowling in anger. "heh, please, everyone knows who master allen is. he is ranked seventh place in the second year, already a mid 5-star level mage! he is the heir of the valester family, son of marquis dirik valester." "of course, someone of a low status as yours wouldn''t recognize master allen right away since you were never worthy enough before to attend any gatherings of his," the others chimed in, annoying lucas a little since his food was getting cold. ''couldn''t they have come after i ate my cake... bunch of weird stalkers they are, and not just them...'' "don''t worry, lucas nightstar. even though you are eating at this pathetic place, something that is barely worthy of the likes of you, we invite you to join our group. having connections with master allen will surely help you rise to great ranks and in the future directly serve master allen himself!" this time one of the cat folk spoke. ''so they want to use me to control the first years... and have control over me at the same time.'' allen could be seen merely nodding proudly at each word his subordinates spoke. sighing, lucas spoke bluntly, making everyone freeze and look at him in shock, including the customers and staff members listening worriedly. "can you just fuck off? you are ruining my food." "what...?" allen said in shock, not expecting to hear this type of response in the slightest. "you... you actually dare speak to us and master allen like that!" the other cat folk shouted this time at lucas, making him even more annoyed. "lucas nightstar, i will ignore these ''words'' of yours and forgive you if you kneel this second and apologize to me," allen spoke again, cutting the others from speaking any further and making matters more complicated. s~ea??h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "you are, after all, just a son of a viscount. even if you are more talented than us, you shouldn''t become too arrogant like you were against the hero and the other champions who didn''t care about what you said. know your place when speaking to me." "why should i give a fuck about you people? just get lost before you ruin my food," lucas said dismissively, as he didn''t even register half of the words allen spoke to him, finishing his fried chicken finally as he placed the chocolate cake in front of him, ready to eat it. allen glared at lucas angrily before one of the beastfolk lunged at him, trying to teach him a lesson. ''fucking idiots...'' lucas thought as he stopped himself from taking the first bite of his cake before he suddenly disappeared under everyone''s bewildered eyes. for a second, everyone heard the sound of lightning sizzling before it stopped. suddenly, lucas was already behind allen as the beastfolk and the other subordinates crashed against the hard concrete ground with their faces smashed in. experience exclusive tales on empire "w-what?" allen said in shock. "what are you surprised by? everyone knows who i am, after all, no?" lucas said behind allen, whispering in his ear, making his entire body shudder as he jumped back, distancing himself from lucas. glancing at his subordinates, he was dumbfounded that they were all unconscious on the ground. he didn''t even see lucas attacking them! "you dare attack me!" allen shouted at lucas, who was just standing there without any expression on his face. "you guys attacked me first, breaking multiple laws in this city... so are we done now?" lucas asked with no emotion in his voice or face as he started to head back to his table, avoiding the bodies on the ground. the spectators were already recording the entire thing on their phones, so lucas wouldn''t get in trouble for fighting back since he never started anything. though not everyone was as calm as him, allen, with his pride being hurt, shot a barrage of stone spikes at him, making lucas''s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. ''is he willing to get in this much trouble when i haven''t even harmed him in the slightest?'' as he thought this, he faced the barrage of spikes calmly, ready to fight him. but before he could retaliate, the stone spikes, under everyone''s surprised eyes, suddenly froze mid-air. ''huh?'' "that is enough," everyone suddenly heard the cold voice, freezing most people''s blood, coming from behind allen. looking behind allen like everyone else, lucas saw the person, unsurprised unlike the others, as he muttered his name. "teacher julius..." Chapter 87 Julius Cordis "t-teacher julius!?"allen said, flustered, as he jumped back in surprise at hearing his cold voice behind him. the cold eyes of julius swept over everyone inside the fast food restaurant before eventually landing on lucas. "i thought you were smart enough to know that no fights are allowed in the capital." hearing his cold words directed at him, lucas narrowed his eyes. "all i did was act in self-defense. i haven''t even summoned my sword once. did you instead want me to get injured or worse because of some spoiled brat?" lucas spat venomously at julius without an ounce of fear, making everyone present dumbfounded except for... julius. instead of getting angry, a small smile appeared on julius''s face. s§×arch* the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "you are correct. you are definitely not in the wrong here, student lucas. instead..." he looked back towards allen, who was nervously watching julius. "student allen, for someone who is in his second year and ranked seventh, we expected more maturity from you, but it looks like that is only a distant dream for us." "y-you can''t speak to me like that, even if you are a teacher!" allen shouted at julius, and as he did, a tremendous pressure suddenly bore down on him, making him fall to his knees as the ground beneath him cracked. the spectators broke out in cold sweat, feeling the sudden shift in the air, making it hard to breathe properly. "oh yes, i can speak to you like that. i can speak to you however i like." "you know why? because of a few simple reasons." "because i am more important than you are." "because i am stronger than you are." "because i am smarter than you are." ''show off...'' "t-that... khh-y-you will regret this!" allen said as he tried to keep himself from falling down on his face, enduring the pressure julius was releasing on him with his mana. naturally, lucas and the others were spared from being sent to the same position as allen. "regret?" julius merely scoffed at hearing allen''s empty threats. "make me. this is all being recorded right now by almost everyone here, right? what are you going to do to me when you can''t even stand up properly?" hearing his cold voice humiliating him even more, allen gritted his teeth as he spoke. "m-messing with me means that you are messing with my f-fat- akh!" before he could finish, the pressure only increased on him, making him crash face-first into the ground. "your father? that is your way of getting out of this mess you created? running straight to your daddy the moment you get in trouble?" "if that is what you want, then fine. i will personally greet your father when you call him here, and i will welcome him with open arms!" julius said, his voice and eyes growing even colder as the others started to tremble hearing his words. yet no one fled as they understood that he wouldn''t harm them since he was a teacher of shield. ''to think he would challenge a marquis without care... impressive.'' walking towards allen, who was face-down on the ground, julius stopped in front of him, crouched down, and lifted allen''s bloodied and mangled face by pulling his hair up. glaring with chilling intent at allen, who could barely see properly anymore or speak, he spoke. "following a student of shield academy, openly starting a fight in the capital against someone who is younger and also a part of the academy, endangering the lives of innocent civilians by carelessly using magic at someone who didn''t even try to fight you back after defending himself rightfully!" julius spoke, each word tightening his grip on allen''s hair, threatening to pull it out. "staining the name of shield itself!" "you and your friends will be coming to my office tomorrow at 6 am for the punishment i will bestow." he stood back up, his right hand still gripping allen''s hair. looking towards the manager who had already come out since lucas defended himself, he addressed him while bowing his head. "i would like to apologize on behalf of these students for causing the mess inside your restaurant. i will make sure the academy sends you compensation for all the damage and other disruptions they caused." "a-ah yes, i understand... thank you," the manager said, flustered, before julius turned towards the spectators who were still recording the entire incident. "i would also like to apologize to all of you as your lives could have been in danger because of the foolish actions of these students. i hope you can forgive the academy. we will make sure to place stricter rules on the students to prevent this from happening again," he said, addressing the crowd and those who would watch the recordings later when they were posted online. done with apologizing to everyone involved, he finally turned towards lucas. "now, student lucas, if you- eh?" for the first time, julius broke his composure as he became dumbfounded at seeing lucas... who was casually eating his chocolate cake while watching the entire scene unfold before him. enjoy new adventures from empire ****** lucas was currently sitting on a chair across from julius, who was sitting behind his desk, as they were now inside his office. after the incident, julius created a few portals, sending the unconscious students and allen to the infirmary. probably. after that, he and julius entered another portal created by him, leaving everyone else behind and arriving here inside his office. "so, what do you want to speak to me about? it must be something important for you to stalk me the entire time," lucas said, fully aware that he was being followed by someone the moment he left the academy. he just wasn''t sure who it was at first until julius revealed himself. being exposed, julius merely smiled as he interlocked his fingers, putting his elbows on his desk as he leaned forward. "can you really blame me? you are perhaps the most interesting student i have seen since i entered the academy. hell, even when i was a student here, no one was as interesting as you are." "to have a curse placed on you is basically what got my curiosity the better of me, making me follow you and keeping a closer eye on you," he said casually, as if what he said wouldn''t creep most people out. lucas, though, merely raised his eyebrows a little at hearing his response. "so, have you had your fun? or are you going to keep stalking me forever?" hearing lucas''s words, julius merely chuckled before responding. "please, how can i already have had my fun this early? there is so much i have yet to learn and understand about you... there is no way this is over yet." ''why are all the teachers so weird here... should i just report him to the police? this is illegal, right? stalking a minor?'' "so, i take it that teacher elizabeth must have told you about me being cursed." hearing lucas, he merely shrugged before responding. "yeah, she did, but don''t worry. she only told me since we are... kinda close to each other. we have known each other for a long time since i attended the academy as a student after all," he said bitterly, making lucas''s eyes widen at his expression. "don''t tell me that the both of you..." "yeah... we used to date, though she dumped me after a few months for some reason..." julius said with a bitter expression as he reminisced about the past a little. "really... i couldn''t guess why she would dump you..." lucas said sarcastically, making julius laugh out loud at hearing him. after that, no one talked for an entire minute, making things awkward between them. ''seriously, why am i still here... wait, isn''t this a golden opportunity?'' as he thought, he decided to break the atmosphere by speaking up again. "teacher julius, you are planning to keep following me, right?" he said, making julius nod his head casually before responding. "that is right. i have no plans to stop keeping an eye on you. after all, who knows what interesting thing you might do?" ''as i thought... i can''t let this chance go.'' "then how about we make a deal?" "a deal?" he asked, a little confused by what lucas was saying. "yes, a deal. in exchange for you spending more time with me and getting to know me better, you personally teach me space magic." as he spoke, julius''s eyes widened in surprise before his lips curled up in a smile. "i didn''t think you were this bold, student lucas, but definitely not something i dislike!" "very well. in exchange for getting to understand you better, i will help you improve your space magic by teaching you everything i know!" he said as he extended his hand, which lucas grasped and shook. ''looks like i can finally improve on my space affinity.'' lucas thought as he finally got someone to help him improve his space affinity, which he had been stuck with for a while. after that, he finally left julius''s office as the lunch break was about to end and he had to head to combat class. ''who would have thought that those idiots would have their uses after all...'' Chapter 88 Nyx, Sovereign of Shadows [1] walking towards his room, lucas couldn''t help but feel happy about what he gained today.he had been stuck for a while with how to proceed with his space affinity. sure, he managed to create a black hole, but that would deplete all his mana currently. he didn''t want to have spells that would drain all his mana instantly. so, having julius as his personal teacher would help him gain more spells that would be useful. there were not many mages with the space affinity, and those who did have it rather kept their spells to themselves. after making a deal with julius, he only had combat class left for the day, which was just sparring with others. as he was about to arrive in front of his door, he suddenly felt his phone vibrate. taking it out of his pocket, he saw that he had a message. as he read the message, the expression on his face turned complex. ''could it be...'' an unknown number had sent him a message saying to meet at a park in the capital. ''the voidwalkers? who else could it be? but i really didn''t expect that they would contact me like that.'' sighing, he put his phone back into his pocket and entered his room, changing his uniform to a normal black hoodie and some cargo pants. walking towards his bed, he saw luna still asleep and just left her as he pulled the hood over his head. ''she has been sleeping more often than usual...'' standing before his door, ready to leave, he put his hand on his head, rubbed it a little, and sighed to calm his nerves. ''if it really is the voidwalkers... no, if it is them, i have no choice but to go. if they kill me, then that is that. i made my choice, and i need to live with it now.'' resolving his mind for what might come, he opened his door and closed it behind him. but before he could leave the building, he suddenly heard the voice he least wanted to hear at the moment. "lucas?" explore stories on empire glancing to his right, he saw klaus exiting his room at the same time lucas did. "klaus," lucas merely greeted him before calling his name and walking past him. but, as he expected, klaus called his name again. "w-wait, lucas, are you free at the moment? want to hang out?" turning around to look at klaus, he responded, "no, unfortunately, i have some things i need to do, so i won''t be free today." lucas spoke, trying to end the conversation here, but klaus wouldn''t let go so easily. "oh, is that so? is it that important that you even had to change your clothes?" klaus asked, since normally most students just wore their uniforms outside the academy as it represented a symbol of pride. "i''d just rather not have people recognize me. these clothes will help me." "i see... i understand that. but are you sure? leo is joining me as well. we were planning to hit the arcade." s§×arch* the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''should i just knock him out...'' "no, i''m fine. thank you for the offer, but i really need to go now," lucas said, not intending to listen to him anymore. he left even though he heard klaus call his name again. he didn''t know how long the person would wait for him, so he was in a hurry. ***** "why was he much ruder than usual..." klaus asked himself as he looked at the empty hallway where he had been conversing with lucas just a second ago. he wanted to shrug it off but... something felt off about lucas this time. he was used to lucas talking to him with no expression on his face, but this time he noticed something that just made him confused and question everything that happened. "why did he seem... nervous?" what could make a monster like lucas so nervous? klaus kept thinking about how much lucas wanted to leave. he even went all the way back to his room just to change his clothes. "why does he not want to be recognized by anyone? is he meeting someone so important?" klaus knew that he wasn''t meeting with sylviette or seraphina since the two were actually already together with amaya. they had gotten much closer after eating together in the cafeteria and were planning to hang out today after the academy. klaus was planning to hang out with leo and perhaps even join the girls and wanted to invite lucas, but... "something is wrong..." even though he wanted to dismiss everything that happened, the nervous expression lucas made for some reason kept appearing in his mind. he felt like something important was about to go down with lucas at the center of it. "i really shouldn''t but..." in the end, his curiosity got the better of him as he ran towards the exit. but as he exited the building, he saw leonne standing there already waiting for him. "why do you also seem in a hurry?" leonne asked klaus with a frown on his face. "also?" klaus asked, noticing the words he chose. "yeah, i just saw lucas. he just nodded and left as if he needed to go somewhere fast." ''should i tell him... i can''t just leave him here.'' "that is why i was in a hurry, actually. i am trying to follow him since something seems up with him. he actually seemed... nervous." hearing him, leonne''s eyebrows shot up, intrigued. "nervous? him? and so you are planning to tail him to find out what is happening?" "y-yeah, i know i shouldn''t do something like that but¡ª" "count me in." before klaus could finish, leonne cut in, making klaus''s eyes widen in surprise. "w-what..." "as i said, count me in. i will join you." he said, and this time there was a small smile on his face unlike his normal stoic face. klaus smiled as well, a little relieved that instead of scolding him, leonne wanted to join. "alright, did you see what direction he went?" klaus asked. "i did. he went that way. let''s hurry up before we lose him." leonne answered, pointing the way lucas went. klaus nodded, and both ran towards the direction lucas left. ***** they had been following him for a while and ended up in a park. the sun had already set, and the place was devoid of any people for some reason. they had to put a lot of effort into keeping up with lucas. even though he wasn''t running, he wasn''t exactly walking either. they also had to make sure to stay far enough for him not to sense them. they knew lucas was much stronger than them and could easily sneak up on them without them ever noticing, meaning he probably could detect others sneaking up on him as well. ''just why the hell is he here?'' klaus thought as he and leonne followed him into the park. the park was quite huge, filled with trees and other typical park features. it was eerily quiet, with no one inside except for lucas and them. realizing that they would be easier to sense due to the lack of people serving as cover, they had to let him get further ahead until they couldn''t even see him anymore. "something feels wrong..." leonne said next to him, making klaus nod in agreement. "yeah, it is quiet... too quiet, even if the sun has already set." "who do you think he could be meeting?" "don''t know, but it must be someone important and perhaps... dangerous for being so secretive." klaus responded, but he really hoped that the last part about being dangerous would be false. he and leonne both felt their hearts beating against their chests in the desolate park. it felt like they were thrown straight into a horror movie, ready to be attacked by a monster at any moment. "just who is he meeting to make him this cautious and nervous..." klaus and leonne retraced lucas''s steps, their every footfall echoing in the suffocating silence. as they ventured deeper, they felt as if a sinister presence began to close in, making them feel suffocated. they felt it first in the prickling of their skin, the hairs on their necks rising as if electrified. a primal instinct screamed at them to run, but their legs refused to obey. cold sweat trickled down their spines, freezing their limbs. in the next heartbeat, an overwhelming force crushed down upon them, driving them to their knees. the ground beneath them fractured with a bone-chilling crack. "k-khuh!" klaus and leonne gasped. the sheer weight of the unseen entity pressed their bodies, forcing blood to gush from their mouths, mingling with the taste of terror. ''w-what!?'' klaus screamed inside his mind at the sudden turn of events. he felt paralyzed as he and leonne both couldn''t move an inch under the tremendous pressure bearing down on them. making things worse, they suddenly heard a voice so cold it chilled their entire bodies and bones. "i did not expect two champions of this generation to follow a fellow classmate of theirs. just what type of devious schemes could you two have been planning, leonne velheim and klaus ceviel?" Chapter 89 Nyx, Sovereign of Shadows [2] the voice behind them was an icy whisper, seeping into their bones and amplifying their dread.they couldn''t turn around, as if an invisible force held them in place. they had never felt such a presence before¡ªthat made their entire existence feel like mere specks of dust in an endless void. ''h-he knows our names?!'' panic surged through klaus, but before he could react, another voice cut through the oppressive silence, coming from ahead. it was familiar, making both him and leonne''s eyes widen in recognition. "i would appreciate it if you let these two go." klaus glanced up, his vision hazy. lucas stood before them, his aura flaring, one hand gripping the hilt of his sword. his eyes were cold, his face eerily expressionless. before klaus could process the situation, lucas released a wave of killing intent. "a-ah¡­" for a moment, klaus felt like he was drowning in an endless sea of blood. he couldn''t breathe, suffocating under the weight of unseen corpses¡ªchildren, men, and women¡ªall surrounding him in a macabre dance. ''what¡­'' his mind went blank, unable to comprehend the horrors he just witnessed. the voice behind him spoke again, breaking the nightmarish trance. "oh? to think a mere 15-year-old boy would have such a killing intent... it makes me wonder what kind of life you have lived, lucas nightstar." amusement and intrigue laced the voice, as lucas merely scowled, his eyes narrowing. "nyx! stop bullying these kids! can''t you see you are using too much pressure on them?" a feminine voice interjected, cutting through the tense atmosphere. instantly, the oppressive force lifted, allowing klaus and leonne to breathe again, their bodies trembling with relief. "ah, sorry, sorry, i didn''t realize i was still holding them down." ''y-you didn''t realize you were using so much mana on us?!'' klaus screamed internally, exchanging a glance with leonne, whose usual stoic face mirrored his disbelief. "now¡­" nyx behind them resumed, dripping with amusement. "let''s get down to business." ***** ''dammit! why the fuck are these two idiots here!?'' lucas screamed inside his mind as he looked towards klaus and leonne before glancing at the man with pitch-black hair like onyx and golden eyes that glowed like the sun, his presence as intimidating as one could get, and the girl with fiery red hair and piercing red eyes beside the man. he instantly realized that these two must be some of the voidwalkers he was supposed to meet... alone, not with these two idiots who followed him here! he had actually long felt he was being followed but thought it was the voidwalkers. he knew it wouldn''t be julius, as he made a deal with him that included not following lucas anymore like a stalker. but who would have thought that he would gain two more stalkers! he couldn''t let those two die; there were too many consequences for that. and... the idiots were friends of seraphina and sylviette or at least something like that. read new adventures at empire he didn''t know how close they were to each other, but he didn''t want to risk hurting the girls. especially seraphina... not ever again. ''i really miss not caring for anyone...'' lucas thought as he looked towards the two again and spoke coldly. "leave." the two hesitated, but glancing at the voidwalkers and lucas with his cold eyes, they knew they had to leave before lucas himself would become the threat. after they finally left, lucas looked towards the other two, mainly at the man called nyx by the girl next to him. "we shouldn''t really talk out here in public, you know?" the girl beside nyx said, making him nod in agreement. "hmm, i suppose you''re right. how about this?" as nyx spoke, he snapped his fingers. instantly, a wave of shadows erupted from the ground, engulfing lucas and the others. though lucas kept his blade of chaos tightly gripped, surrounded by his aura, the shadows moved too swiftly for him to react. in the blink of an eye, he found himself somewhere else. surrounded by luxurious furniture, lucas realized he was in an unfamiliar living room. ''how...?'' he thought, bewildered. he hadn''t even had time to react to being transported here. he didn''t understand what had happened. glancing at nyx, a wave of panic washed over him. ''i can''t even fight him if i wanted to. i''m dead the moment he decides.'' as he thought, nyx spoke up, breaking his thoughts. "i suppose introductions are in order, no? after all, we know you, but that isn''t the same for you." "we are, as you people have dubbed us, the voidwalkers... my name is nyx, sovereign of shadows, holder of the second seat of shadows, and this little one..." as he spoke, he went behind the girl who was next to him and gripped her shoulders from behind, making her pout. "is aurora, sovereign of fire, holder of the seventh seat of fire." hearing him, lucas didn''t respond as he was too stunned to do so. ''second seat and seventh seat... meaning i am dealing with possibly the second and seventh strongest of the voidwalkers...'' "hmph! i am only seventh because i don''t try my best!" aurora said as she released the grip on her shoulder and sat on the couch. nyx merely smiled bitterly as he followed her and sat next to her. not wanting to be left standing alone, lucas sat on the couch opposite of them. "want something to drink or to eat?" nyx asked, making lucas shake his head in refusal. "no need, thank you for the offer, though," lucas said. nyx merely nodded as aurora, for some reason, lied down on the couch with her legs on top of nyx''s lap. ''they seem close...'' "you certainly are full of surprises, lucas... to be a tri-elemental mage, a dual wielder in this era, at least hold the power of rivaling anyone in your stage almost, being only 15 years old and-" he spoke, praising lucas with each one of his feats, but when he got to the last part, his voice turned cold, making lucas''s spine shudder as the atmosphere seemed to cool down significantly. "-to be able to speak the, what was it that it''s called these days? ah, yes... the void language. it really makes me wonder how they managed to decipher the word void even." "how do you even know the void language?" aurora cut in, as her interests were also piqued. she was eyeing him like a curious cat trying to figure everything about him, making him more uncomfortable than he already was. lucas didn''t respond; he didn''t know how to. it''s not like he could tell them that he was reincarnated and the void language was actually latin in his previous world. even though latin was considered a dead language, it was one of the only things he really was interested in, making him learn the entire language. nyx suddenly spoke amidst the silence formed inside the living room. "in tenebris mortis et vacui, ubi animae perire incipiunt-" "-tantum consumi ab iis qui intus habitant, expectantes sigillum ligandi ut frangant." lucas cut in, ending the last part of the sentence they always wrote wherever they were present. hearing him, aurora could be seen looking at him wide-eyed while nyx only had a small smile on his face. "to speak so fluently as if you are used to it... how intriguing. tell me, do you know what the sentence means?" nyx spoke as his entire focus was on lucas. seeing those golden eyes, it felt like he was piercing his soul, like it was impossible to deceive him even in the slightest. "i do." "eh?" lucas spoke as aurora could be heard releasing a bewildered sound as she finally stopped lying down. in an instant, she was suddenly in front of lucas, her face mere inches from his, making him feel her warm breath touching his cheeks. she had both her hands placed on his shoulders tightly, making him unable to move even an inch. ''d-damn it, she''s way too strong!'' as he thought, aurora screamed at him with questions. "you do!? how!? i have been trying for years to even decipher what it means, but nyx would never tell me! only that i should get stronger for when the time comes!" she said frustrated as she released her right hand and pointed it to nyx, accusing him like some criminal. nyx merely chuckled, though, as only amusement could be seen flashing through his eyes. "now, now, i only say that because you aren''t ready... well, you are now, i suppose, or at least you have no choice anymore..." he said with a somber voice, making aurora become serious as well, releasing lucas as he breathed out of relief. "what do you mean i don''t have a choice?" she asked confused yet wary at seeing the complicated expression nyx was making. "lucas... if you would be so kind, please tell and translate the meaning of the sentence." hearing him, lucas merely nodded as he took in a deep breath. sea??h th§× n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''this is it...'' he thought as the next words would possibly change everything everyone had ever known forever. aurora sat back in front of lucas, her expression dead serious as was nyx, making him feel on edge. "in the darkness of death and emptiness, where souls begin to perish... only to be consumed by those who dwell within, awaiting the binding seal to break." Chapter 90 The Void "just what the hell does that mean... those who dwell within awaiting the binding seal to break?"aurora''s voice trembled as she turned to lucas, trying to decipher the cryptic message. "i don''t know," lucas responded, his voice equally uncertain. he had theories, but nothing concrete, nothing that made sense. as the weight of the enigma settled upon them, nyx sighed and rose from the couch, drawing lucas''s attention. he was in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by the unknown. lucas knew he was at their mercy. nyx walked to the window, his gaze lost in the sea of trees outside. ''where are we even?'' lucas wondered, his mind racing. "you''ve managed to translate it perfectly... it''s uncanny. you remind me of master," nyx murmured, sorrow lacing his tone as he continued to stare into the distance. ''master?'' aurora and lucas exchanged puzzled glances. nyx''s words hung heavily in the air. "i have lived for over a thousand years... i think," nyx said, his voice barely above a whisper. find more to read at empire aurora and lucas''s eyes widened in shock. ''can one even live that long? and why is he unsure?'' lucas thought, bewildered. saints were rumored to live up to 500 years, but nyx''s age seemed to surpass any known records. ''is he even a saint?'' the question gnawed at lucas, as nyx''s presence eclipsed even the most powerful figures he knew. glancing at aurora, he noticed she was equally confused at what she was hearing and was about to hear... nyx continued, his voice tinged with pain. "i remember little of my life before the last 900 years. my earlier memories feel... altered, fragmented. nothing makes sense before that." lucas and aurora listened, their bodies tense, absorbing every word. "i have memories that feel foreign, yet they are mine. and the memories that should be mine... they''re lost," nyx said, his confusion palpable. then, a shift. his eyes closed, a faint smile gracing his lips. "but those memories... they are so beautiful." his arms extended as if embracing an invisible world. lucas saw his reflection in the mirror, a man lost in reverie. "this world is but a shadow of its former glory. once, it was filled with life. a simple mage could summon thousands of fireballs in seconds, the air thick with mana. aura users could cleave mountains with a single swing, even in the master stage. what is now a rarity was once commonplace." nyx''s voice grew wistful as he painted a picture of a forgotten era. "ancient buildings, colossal trees, mountains that pierced the skies. the air was rich with mana, an endless supply. beasts of unparalleled strength roamed the land. races we can scarcely imagine walked among us, guardians of myrniel, their beauty and power beyond comprehension." he spoke as if in a trance, reliving memories of a lost world. lucas was spellbound, every word resonating deep within him. "dragons," nyx continued, his voice filled with awe. "creatures with vast wings, standing atop myrniel. they were magnificent, commanding respect, fear, and awe. guardians of myrniel. and not just them¡ªcolossal, bird-like beings surrounded by flames, with mesmerizing red feathers, capable of rebirth." "phoenixes." ''ah...'' lucas''s mind struggled to keep up, overwhelmed by nyx''s recollections. every word nyx uttered seemed to vibrate through lucas''s soul, shaking his very core. nyx''s memories were a mix of beauty and sorrow. "a massive beast with countless tentacles emerging from the great ocean, its mere swipe altering the entire current of the sea. creatures dwelling in the depths, places no one would dare to explore," nyx''s voice was a mix of awe and sorrow, as if recounting a forgotten legend. "a mere saint back then could easily take down dozens of our greatest saints now. space affinity, now so rare, was common back then." "being a grandmaster was considered weak." he paused, his eyes reflecting the weight of what he recalled. s§×ar?h the nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "the great yggdrasil, towering above all, piercing space itself. dragons, the guardians of yggdrasil, circled it, ensuring no one came near. they flew with a beauty and grace that was beyond words." nyx''s voice softened, tinged with melancholy. "phoenixes, with their fire and healing aspects, ensured that almost no deaths occurred. humans coexisted easily with other races. it felt like a dream... yet it was real, all of it." his voice broke slightly, laden with pain. lucas couldn''t tell if nyx was speaking from his own memories or those of another, but the emotions were raw, palpable. "it was all real... but everything must come to an end." "the end, though, was the worst possible way." suddenly, the room trembled. lucas found himself on his knees, gasping for air, as did aurora. they were helpless under the immense pressure emanating from nyx. as he spoke, his voice was laced with fury and a desire to destroy. "a war began, marking the beginning of the end," nyx''s voice grew heavier, each word a burden of sorrow. "everything green turned red with blood. buildings, trees, mountains¡ªeverything was destroyed." his eyes glazed over as if witnessing the devastation anew. "races united, working together to ensure their survival," he continued, his tone somber. lucas felt a shiver run down his spine as nyx''s words painted a picture of unimaginable horror. "on one side, the creatures of the demon world attacked with relentless fury... children were forced to fight the vile races of the demon world. for some reason, the ancient races like the dragons decided to stay neutral, avoiding the war against the demons..." the pressure in the room intensified, and it was as if they could hear the echoes of that ancient war, feel the ground tremble beneath their feet. "but like a ray of hope, the seven heroes appeared, making the people of myrniel regain their hope." the way nyx spoke felt like a bedtime story, as if he were recounting a tale from his head rather than recalling his memories. it was as if he were telling forgotten legends of old. lucas and aurora listened intently, trying to ignore the pressure nyx unconsciously was releasing. "finally, when it looked like myrniel was winning against the demons, turning the tides after so many deaths, victories, and losses... something changed." "the demon king was descending on myrniel, forcing the seven heroes to prevent it from happening. the descent of the demon king might have created a battle so fierce that it would force the dragons or other powerful races to intervene, resulting in the loss of almost everyone..." he paused, the room growing colder with his silence. "i don''t know what happened in their fight... who won or who lost... i only know one thing¡ªthat a new threat appeared out of nowhere..." his voice grew colder with each word, confusion etched on his face. lucas and aurora, still on their knees, absorbed every word. "a threat forcing the involvement of all the other powerful races who were meant to be neutral..." "nothing is known of where the threat came from, how it came, or why it came..." "the void," nyx said, his voice a mere whisper but carrying the weight of the world. "it consumed everything. light, life, hope¡ªall swallowed by the creatures of the void." "at the arrival of the creatures of the void, yggdrasil suddenly disappeared..." "the creatures were so harrowing, as the dragons and the other powerful races fought them head-on at the frontlines, protecting myrniel from destruction and fighting for their own lives." "such dreadful creatures that one had to rank each one of them," nyx said, his voice heavy with the weight of their names. "voidspawns, netherbeasts, dreadnaughts, abyssals, nihiliths, and devourers..." the ranks he spoke of sounded ominous,. just how terrifying were these beings to warrant such names? it wasn''t just their names that instilled fear; it was the knowledge that they each had different stages of ranks. lucas''s mind spun as he tried to absorb everything nyx was saying. "primordial, great, defiled, apocalyptic..." nyx didn''t know exactly how strong each rank was; he merely spoke of what he somehow knew. how these creatures looked, nyx couldn''t say. but it was easy to understand that they must have been extremely formidable to force the most powerful beings to unite against them. "yet..." "they all failed... and in the end..." "everything was forgotten." "which races lost, who died, what happened to the heroes, the demon king..." "it''s as if reality itself changed... nothing makes sense anymore..." "what happened to everyone?" "to myrniel?" "to the void?" "to me?" "an history which has been consumed by the void..." his eyes, distant and haunted, met lucas''s for a moment, and in them, lucas saw a reflection of age-old sorrow, a grief that time had not dulled. "forgotten by everyone and everywhere only for me to vaguely remember... and..." "that they have returned marking the continuation of what i call..." "the void war." "a war that was never finished, just paused." "none of us are ready for this war." "all we can do is wait for our demise." "as it will be our turn to be consumed by... "the void." Chapter 91 Denial as they listened to what nyx had just told them, the room descended into a deadly silence.no one spoke as lucas and aurora tried to digest what they had just been told. nyx merely let them be lost in their own thoughts, trying to swallow everything he had just said. he simply looked out the window at the sea of trees, watching the leaves ruffle in the wind howling outside. the sound of a clock ticking echoed throughout the entire room. an entire minute passed without anyone making the slightest sound. no one spoke... two minutes. three minutes. four minutes. after five minutes, the silence was finally broken by lucas, who... laughed. "pfft!" a hollow laugh escaped from his lips as aurora broke out of her own thoughts and looked at him weirdly. nyx also finally turned around and looked at lucas curiously, his eyebrows shooting up. "is there something amusing?" nyx asked, tilting his head, curious about what he had said that made lucas laugh. lucas, noticing the stares he was getting, simply shook his head as he looked straight into nyx''s golden eyes. "of course there is... there is so much you have just said that i find amusing," he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "the void? is this all some sort of fucking joke?" "am i supposed to believe in the bullshit you have just told me?" "control your tongue," aurora spoke, getting angered at lucas''s tone. she was about to unleash her mana, intending to teach him a lesson, but a mere intense gaze from nyx stopped her, confused. lucas didn''t bother with her and merely continued. "wait for our fucking demise and be consumed by those creatures? please, how can you be sure what you know is even real?" "your entire head is fucked up, not even knowing what is a lie and what is the truth! perhaps those void creatures are fake and implanted in you by someone trying to mess with you." lucas said, not wanting to believe in the slightest what he had just heard. the entire reason he made contact with the voidwalkers was to get more power and protect his loved ones. and now their second-highest member is telling him that they are all doomed? the world will descend into chaos and everyone will die? his revenge on karciel and abadux, living a peaceful life with his family, and enjoying his second chance... was it all just a mere dream impossible to achieve from the start? ''no way i am fucking accepting this!'' aurora was gritting her teeth as she listened to lucas insult nyx. but she didn''t scold him. how could she? she understood his reaction perfectly, and he had just met nyx. of course, he couldn''t just believe everything that was told... but... reality was often known to be cruel. "you are in denial," nyx said, his face unreadable, no emotion in his voice. s§×ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. lucas scoffed as he glared at nyx. "i am not in denial. you don''t have proper proof to suggest that those void creatures are real and would wage a war against us again," lucas spoke, denying nyx''s accusation of being in denial. a small smile appeared on nyx''s face as he spoke. "funny that you only deny the existence of the void." lucas was confused as he listened to him speaking, but before he could respond, he widened his eyes, as did aurora, when nyx spoke again. "you didn''t deny the existence of anything else i said before. dragons, phoenixes, and all the other things i mentioned before the void." "surprised you certainly were, but you didn''t deny their existence as if you already knew some of the stuff i said... just like how you somehow know the void language on par with myself, perhaps even better." biting his lip, lucas looked down. he couldn''t refute his words this time as everything nyx just said was true. he indeed knew of the existence of the dragons. the existence of powerful beings roaming around myrniel thousands of years ago. though he didn''t know anything about phoenixes, other powerful races, and that there were seven heroes who fought the demon king instead of one. history wasn''t right; he didn''t know anymore what to believe. read exclusive content at empire it was known that there was only one hero who was called the hero of humanity and defeated the demon king, resulting in myrniel''s victory against the demons. the formation of the golden alliance even came from that. or was he wrong like everyone else? ''just why is everything so complicated... '' ''he didn''t speak of the progenitor of chaos... i still don''t know why he fought against the dragons. does he even know about the first progenitor?'' his mind was racing as aurora and nyx merely looked at him, lost in thought. ''who are the seven heroes exactly... if the hero of humanity is one, what happened to the other six?'' ''what happened to their fight against the demon king... do the demons even know about all of this?'' ''the void... they can''t be real...'' he didn''t want to accept the fact that the creatures of the void were real. but... even though nothing made sense of what nyx said, in a way, it still did. explaining the disappearances of the dragons. the demon king not being heard of again, no one knowing if the demon king was alive or not. as he thought, he realized he doesn''t even know the name of the hero of humanity. does anyone even know his name? it was never mentioned in any books what his name was. lucas''s face became more complicated as his mind was spinning. ''if they are real... just what the hell can i do? if even dragons, phoenixes, and other powerful races fell... just what can i do?'' sure, he might be more powerful and talented than his generation. but what about the void era? only being a progenitor of chaos would''ve been something special about him. ''are we really all just going to be consumed by the void...'' "i am sorry." suddenly breaking his thoughts and making his head snap up was the sudden apology he heard from nyx. not just him, even aurora looked wide-eyed at nyx, not expecting him to apologize so suddenly. "i am sorry... a mere child like you shouldn''t be burdened with this knowledge." lucas and aurora froze with wide eyes as nyx suddenly bowed his head towards lucas. his voice was filled with guilt and pity... "you should have been instead enjoying your life, studying in the academy, striving to become a hero, hanging out with your friends. having fun and living life like a normal student but..." his eyes looked straight at lucas, hardening, making him unconsciously straighten his back. "you are no normal student, lucas nightstar." "you are as unknown as the void." "the same could be said for your family and its origin." "i have done my research on you nightstars, and all i got was nothing..." "nothing about your family and their reason for declining to become one of the great dukes, why they have such powerful servants and... a saint." a saint who has become extremely rare in this time and age, yet the nightstars had one. a mere viscount family who has close ties with the royal family more than one should have. a family whose origins are filled with mysteries, not making sense in the slightest. aurora kept quiet as her face became unreadable as well, gazing at lucas. smiling bitterly, lucas spoke, deciding to be a little truthful. if the world was going to end, he had to gamble more than he originally thought. he could see the perfect dream he had envisioned starting to crack. "i didn''t deny the existence of the other races because i knew they weren''t lies..." they didn''t interrupt him as they listened to him attentively, their faces unreadable. that soon changed as they heard his words. "i am a half-dragon." "what..." "eh?" both exclaimed as they looked at him in disbelief until they looked into his eyes... blood red eyes with vertical pupils. sure, that didn''t mean he was a half-dragon; he might have gotten those eyes because of a soul bond or something else, but... as nyx stared deeper into his eyes, he scrunched his face. he felt something familiar... like he had seen those types of eyes before. "like a dragon in its human form..." he muttered, making aurora look at nyx in surprise. "w-wait, he is actually a half-dragon!? didn''t you just say that they all died!?" aurora exclaimed as smoke could be seen starting to rush out of her head. her brain couldn''t handle anymore what was all happening. nyx ignored her as he looked at lucas with complex eyes. "you are not lying, are you..." shaking his head, lucas looked at him sincerely. "i am not." [an: due to exams, i won''t be able to upload two chapters a day. my exams will end in two weeks, but as compensation, i will try to write one chapter every day and make it as long as possible. for those who want more details about the void, check the auxiliary chapter explaining each rank and stage. some things might not make sense right now, but trust me, it will all get cleared up. it''s no fun to have everything revealed right away, is it? i am sorry and hope you all are enjoying the story.] Chapter 92 Sovereign of Chaos they both looked at him in awe and disbelief at hearing his story."a dragon as your soul bond... an actual dragon." nyx''s voice quivered at finding out that they were still not extinct. "the first dragon king''s daughter... i don''t know anything about that. unfortunately, i don''t have memories of the first dragon king, or perhaps i just wasn''t born back then..." "but why was she in a suspended state preventing her from being born? didn''t the void appear much later? was the first dragon king even still alive at the void war?" lucas asked the questions he had been dying to get answers for. unfortunately, nyx merely shook his head as aurora just listened blankly, already fried. "i don''t know... all i knew before the void war i have already told." sighing in disappointment, he realized that though he got some answers, he also in return got many more unanswered questions now. ''fucking mysteries... just how is this fair?'' ''wait, maybe he doesn''t, but someone else does...'' his eyes lit up with a little hope as perhaps this person might have the answers he was looking for. "what about your master? for someone as old as you to call him master means that he lived longer than you and is stronger and more knowledgeable, right?" lucas asked, making nyx''s lips twitch at hearing the word "old" labeled on him. he was still young at heart! though hearing his question, his face became complex as he didn''t speak for a few seconds, making lucas await his answer nervously until he heard it. "i don''t know." lucas pursed his lips as he clenched his hands into fists. "you don''t know?" "i don''t... i can''t seem to remember my master at all... what his name was, what he looked like, and what happened to him..." "all i know is that he was the one who originally taught me the void language and..." "is or was the holder of the first seat... and the founder of the voidwalkers." lucas and even aurora looked at him wide-eyed. it looked like aurora was hearing a lot of things for the first time as she never had even met the first seat and who the person was. "doesn''t that mean that you are the highest member..." lucas asked as he started to realize that the person in front of him is the current leader of the voidwalkers and not just the second. the first seat holder wasn''t even there. nyx smiled bitterly as he nodded his head. "that is correct. currently, i am the one who is basically leading the voidwalkers," nyx said, as aurora just looked blankly at him, not believing that she was actually with the leader of the voidwalkers. ''great, more mysteries...'' "enough with this..." aurora suddenly decided to speak as she had a few questions of her own. she looked at lucas with narrowed eyes as she asked a question that had been bugging her since the beginning. most would tremble out of fear or be intimidated enough to not look directly into her eyes, as she was a saint. her presence wasn''t a joke about, even if she suppressed her mana. but lucas... he was getting used to all of this. "lucas nightstar, why do you know the void language?" hearing aurora''s question, lucas didn''t answer. narrowing her eyes at being ignored, she changed the question. "why did you never show yourself until now?" "what are your goals exactly?" "how did you get such killing intent?" "how many have you actually killed?" to aurora, lucas was a mystery, and she had nothing but piles of questions for him. yet, every time she asked something about lucas, he remained silent. she could see the reluctance in his eyes, unwilling to give her the answers she sought. "it looks like lucas has a lot of secrets that he doesn''t wish to reveal now... in due time, all the answers each one of us seeks shall be revealed," nyx suddenly spoke, causing aurora to fall silent. she understood what nyx meant. they had already spent a lot of time discussing and arguing here. "we will have enough time later on to open up to each other," nyx said, turning towards lucas. "though you have now discovered a lot of things, was that the main reason you tried to contact us?" shaking his head, lucas replied, "no. even though i wanted answers to a lot of questions, i originally wanted to request to join the voidwalkers." "you want to become one of us?" aurora asked with a tired voice, while nyx looked at him with a small smile. lucas understood why she was tired¡ªlearning the entire world is doomed isn''t easy to accept in a single day. lucas felt like he had aged a hundred years mentally from all he had heard today. being in the same room, talking with one of the strongest saints alive, felt surreal. a part of him honestly wished he had never sought them out after hearing about the void. ''ignorance truly is bliss...'' "joining the voidwalkers, huh... certainly, with the threat we are about to face, it would be beneficial for all of us to stay connected. it would be only a matter of time with your talent to at least become a grandmaster," he could hear nyx talking to himself as he deliberated over lucas joining the voidwalkers. ''still hesitating, huh... i''m surprised it''s not enough to convince him.'' he was, after all, a half-dragon. he knew the void language. he was the strongest student of the academy. the voidwalkers were, of course, much different than lucas had thought. there was one thing that made nyx hesitate: strength. lucas could easily be killed by the two here without ever knowing how. even though he was probably one of the most talented of his generation, it still wasn''t enough to guarantee him joining the voidwalkers. reaching the saint stage would have guaranteed his acceptance, but he hadn''t achieved that yet. no one spoke as both aurora and lucas looked towards nyx, who had his eyes closed and was leaning against the wall. he was in a dilemma about letting lucas join or not. lucas would be extremely important for future events, that was certain, but he was still too weak to get involved with them directly. ''he won''t accept me. looks like i have no choice but to reveal my last card,'' lucas thought. your next read awaits at empire everything that had happened during his meeting with the voidwalkers was unexpected. learning about what happened in the void era, the possibility that history and everyone''s memories had been altered, and being in the presence of the current leader of the voidwalkers... so much had happened and would happen that lucas now realized he couldn''t stay behind. if a war does happen, he won''t be the one sitting back, cowering in fear. he needs power¡ªpower to survive. lucas needs to make them invest in him, make them support him in any way possible. taking a deep breath and exhaling, lucas spoke amidst the silent room. "there is something else you might want to hear..." nyx and aurora looked at him with furrowed brows. he could see the expression on aurora''s face basically saying, "please, no more," while nyx, intrigued, raised his eyebrows. ''no going back... there never was an option of going back.'' as he thought this, lucas spoke, shocking both aurora and nyx. "i am the progenitor of chaos." he had to suppress a chuckle at seeing the looks of two of the most powerful people on myrniel. though aurora was a saint, she didn''t look or even really act like one most of the time, lucas noticed. nyx... he didn''t really know how to describe him. one moment he would be unreadable, and the next, he wouldn''t. breaking his thoughts, nyx spoke in doubt, "you are a progenitor of... chaos?" lucas nodded, noting the skeptical look nyx was giving him. ''yeah, i really am too tired for this.'' not wanting to explain everything, he merely raised his right hand, which suddenly became enveloped in red and black energy, making aurora stand up in alert. nyx''s entire gaze was focused on lucas''s hand, making him feel a little uncomfortable. "h-how... a progenitor of an element in this era..." disbelief was written all over aurora as she pointed her trembling finger at lucas. ''father never reacted as surprised as her...'' he remembered telling his parents everything about his status after regaining his memories. ''well, he is never one to show much emotion.'' "so this was your final trick up your sleeve to convince me to let you join, huh? quite clever, i might say. hiding so many mysteries yourself, aren''t you, lucas nightstar?" lucas looked at nyx, who was smiling at him, yet those bright golden eyes were devoid of any warmth or emotion previously shown in them. he knew this was a risky gamble, but he wanted to show them that he trusted them enough to work with them when the war started. shrugging, lucas spoke towards nyx as aurora looked at him warily, "as you said, we have enough time to know each other and open up to each other." no one would ever believe a progenitor of an element would exist in this era. most probably don''t even know about progenitors, believing instead in the gods. smiling, nyx chuckled a little at hearing lucas''s words, finding them amusing. "certainly, that is what i have said..." suddenly, his face became extremely cold as he looked at lucas, making him shiver. he felt an invisible pressure weighing down on him just from nyx''s cold eyes. "joining us, are you really sure about that? there will be no going back. you will be part of the voidwalkers forever, even if you want to leave." lucas stood up straight, walking towards him until they were face to face. aurora looked at nyx in shock at the words he had spoken. "i am sure. all i want is for the people i care about to be protected," lucas said with a determined gaze, impressing nyx as he smiled again a little. "protecting your family but not you?" nyx asked, wanting to confirm. nodding, lucas answered, "no, i only want the people i love to be safe. what happens to me is my own business." he didn''t want to be under the constant watch of the voidwalkers. he knew he wouldn''t get stronger if he was constantly protected from danger. he needed to become strong on his own without the assurance that he would be fine. he wouldn''t want to grow like that. "good... then i accept. i will make sure everyone you love is protected, except for you. become stronger on your own so we can fight this war together, lucas nightstar," nyx said, smiling under aurora''s disbelieving eyes. she didn''t expect lucas to join this easily. perhaps it wasn''t easy... she understood lucas was special and different, but still... extending his hand, lucas grasped it as well, shaking it, relieved that in the end, he managed to join them. he didn''t know how effective their protection would actually be when the void war finally erupted, but it still made him feel reassured. s§×ar?h the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. though, the next words nyx spoke made lucas and aurora doubt their ears as their minds blanked under nyx''s mysterious smile. "welcome to the voidwalkers, lucas, sovereign of chaos, holder of the 11th seat of chaos." Chapter 93 Church exiting the park, lucas noticed that it was still desolate. not many people roamed around this part of the capital since they didn''t really have a reason to.there was almost nothing here except for a few buildings that opened only during the daytime and the park itself. lucas sighed as he fiddled with the black ring on his left ring finger. it had beautiful engravings, showing off how special it was. he had been suddenly teleported back after hearing the last sentence he least expected from nyx. nyx had told him to meet up at a place in the capital''s black market and handed him this ring. the ring was supposed to show his power or authority. everyone was tired, and nyx and aurora apparently had some things they still had to do, so lucas could finally go after becoming one of the highest members of the voidwalkers. ''i wanted to join them, but i didn''t expect to get my own seat...'' he had two days until he had to meet nyx again in the black market. lucas had never really visited the black markets in myrniel, but he knew it was only a matter of time. ''even though we have no curfew, the guards at the dormitory will be suspicious about what i was doing so late... i also need to deal with klaus and leonne,'' he thought, his mind spinning with everything he had discovered today. the void. nothing was known about them, and it made lucas feel uneasy. not once did he stop thinking about the void. he felt helpless as his mind tried to come up with ways to protect his loved ones. but he was too weak. as he walked, he suddenly heard the familiar emotionless female voice, as if whispering next to his ear: "[new titles acquired]: congratulations." he always wondered just how or from where exactly the voice came from. who or what was it actually that spoke? he knew that everyone could hear the voice of their status, but it wasn''t female for everyone¡ªsome had a male voice. he wondered why he heard a female voice... he knew some people thought that it was the gods speaking to them; others thought it was like a video game simply. bewildered, he opened his status screen. ''status.'' ----------------------------- status screen: [name]: lucas nightstar [age]: 15 [gender]: male [race:] half dragon [rank]: high 6-star level (master) [affinities]: - fire - lightning - space - chaos (progenitor) [special talent]: dual wielder [physique]: dragon [bloodline]: unawakened [title]: master of the blade of chaos, dragon tamer, anomaly, progenitor of chaos, cursed by the stars [skills]: monarch of chaos, appraisal, dragon''s pride, dragon''s aura, mirage, phase, danger sense [soul bond]: luna (dragon) ----------------------------- read exclusive content at empire stopping in the middle of the street, he noticed the two new titles he had acquired. "progenitor of chaos" seemed to be a recognition of his revealing it to a few more people, or perhaps it was for another reason. but reading the second title... a dry chuckle escaped his lips as he stood in the middle of the empty streets. if anyone saw him, they would think of him as some crazy handsome psychopath in the middle of the night. "cursed by the stars." "just what the fuck does that even mean?" he muttered. it was obvious it wasn''t anything good; it felt like fate was screwing him over, waiting for everything to crash down on him and break him. here he thought he was becoming more free. how wrong he was. he could feel the chains of fate wrapping around his body again. "haha, this is truly fucking amazing, isn''t it?" he muttered, laughing under his breath with sarcasm. he felt so tired, so tired that he just wanted to sleep. he was glad that today was friday, meaning he had the weekend and wouldn''t have to attend school tomorrow. learning that the world was going to be attacked by an unknown species hellbent on destroying them wasn''t easy for him. suddenly, he felt droplets of water falling down on him. not even a few seconds later, it suddenly started to rain heavily, making lucas laugh at the irony of it all. "i should''ve brought an umbrella," he said as he started walking again, now drenched in the rain. he could have ordered an uber to get back to shield, but after everything, he needed some time for himself. so, lucas decided to simply walk his way towards the academy, which would take him a while. but it wasn''t like he was in a rush. he started to slowly walk amidst the rain as the streets cleared out, his clothes becoming heavy with water. or perhaps it was the weight of everything else on his shoulders. he didn''t tell nyx or aurora about the first progenitor of chaos. he doubted that anyone would know, not after understanding how complex nyx''s mind is. no one even knew when the war would actually begin. nyx told him that they appear from something similar to a dungeon gate, but these aren''t the same gates that everyone is used to. there is no boss that you have to defeat, and there is no dungeon itself that you have to conquer. the gate isn''t meant for them to enter but for the void creatures to exit. ''i should have asked more questions... i''ll just ask more in two days,'' s~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. lucas thought as he kept walking, drenched by the rain. he didn''t even bother to pull his hood up as there was no point. "i wonder how strong each rank really is since nyx said that it''s extremely dangerous and perhaps suicidal to fight a single rank on your own..." it didn''t make sense in lucas''s eyes. he felt like nyx was still withholding information, which he understood, but it annoyed him since he couldn''t grasp what nyx knew and what he didn''t. "i wonder what he wants to give me." nyx had told him that he had something for lucas for when they meet again. he was curious about what he would get. it was probably going to be something beneficial to him since he was now one of the voidwalkers. even though nothing grand really happened, he knew the title he received would probably send ripples in the underworld soon. "i''ll need to get some clothes so people won''t recognize me in the black market." he couldn''t risk people finding out about him and perhaps him being one of the voidwalkers, who were meant to be a myth. though it wouldn''t be long now for the voidwalkers to stop hiding themselves. "even though i am probably the weakest seat, people wouldn''t be able to tell that." he didn''t even know how many seats there were until nyx suddenly made him one of them. he expected to start from the bottom of the voidwalkers, not from the top instantly. but he wasn''t going to complain now since it was beneficial to him and to nyx for investing in him. it was a win-win situation for everyone, after all. he wondered when he would get to meet the other seats. how strong were they exactly, and what were they like? and just who was the founder and the first seat? nyx couldn''t remember his name, face, or anything about him. "did his master mess with his mind and disappear, or was it something else..." he didn''t understand how so many things seemed to be wrong. he wondered if there was someone else who lived as long as nyx, or was he the only one who survived the void era? ''so many questions... no use thinking about them for today,'' he thought as he kept walking amidst the heavy rain. the sound of thunder echoed through the air, and the skies rumbled above. the downpour soaked him to the bone, each step creating ripples in the growing puddles. the cold wind brushed against his face. as he kept walking, unbothered by the weather, he suddenly noticed something that intrigued him¡ªa beautiful church came into view. its tall spires soared gracefully into the stormy sky, their elegant silhouettes a stark contrast to the dark clouds. the stained-glass windows, despite the dreary weather, shimmered with vibrant colors, casting a soft, ethereal glow on the wet cobblestone path leading to the entrance. intricate stonework adorned the facade, depicting scenes of peace and serenity that seemed almost magical in the rain. the heavy wooden doors, carved with meticulous detail, stood slightly ajar. surrounding the church, well-tended gardens, though drenched, still displayed blooming flowers and lush greenery, their scents faintly mingling with the fresh smell of rain. chuckling at the sight, he broke course and decided to walk towards the beautiful church. he had never really gone to a church in his previous life or this one. going to a church, which is said to be one of the closest places to meet god or at least the gods in this world, felt odd to him. lucas knew he was the last person who should be allowed to visit a church, at least in his previous life, though no one except for seraphina knew. but did it matter? in the end, no matter what world he was in, it was still him who had killed so many. he wondered about the gods in this world, if he was honest. he had never really bothered with religious stuff in either of his lives. ''why not...'' it looked like this particular church was open even this late at night, even though no one sane enough would come this far in this weather. Chapter 94 The Devil Goes to Church as he stepped inside the church, he was greeted by a warm, serene atmosphere.soft candlelight flickered along the walls, casting gentle shadows on the intricately carved wooden pews. the air was filled with the faint scent of incense, and the polished stone floor reflected the colorful light streaming in from the stained-glass windows. high above, the vaulted ceiling was adorned with delicate frescoes depicting scenes of peace and devotion. the quiet stillness of the interior provided a stark, comforting contrast to the storm raging outside. slowly, lucas walked towards the front row, looking around the church. ''certainly is beautiful... and looks like this entire place is blessed, huh,'' he thought as he sat in the front row, his drenched clothes leaving a trail of water behind. gazing ahead, he saw four faceless statues towering above him. each had a pair of angelic wings on their backs. as he gazed at the four figures, lucas felt small. he felt inferior, even though they were only statues. one statue held a scythe and was dressed in a robe that covered everything, including its head¡ªthe god of death. another was dressed in battle armor, holding a sword embedded in the ground with both hands¡ªthe god of swords. the third wore scholar-like robes, held a book in its left hand, and had its right hand raised in the air¡ªthe god of mana. the last statue, which appeared female, was dressed in a simple tunic with its hands clasped together in front of its chest as if praying¡ªthe god of life. these were the four gods the religious people in myrniel believed in. it was said that one who could use mana was loved by the god of mana, and one who could use aura was loved by the god of swords. many such beliefs surrounded the four gods. the church held significant political power due to its many followers. it was said that if you chose and worshipped one of the gods, you would be blessed by them. the type of blessing one received was always different and unpredictable; even gaining a skill was possible. lucas was surprised that everyone close to him didn''t believe in the four gods, even though they could get a blessing. ''no... with all the monsters surrounding me, it makes sense why they don''t believe in these gods,'' he thought. instead, the people around him, like lucas himself, preferred to get stronger on their own rather than rely on a god''s blessing. ''a blessing that is granted can as easily be taken away,'' he mused. perhaps there was some merit to the belief that these gods actually existed, or at least some sort of gods, since people did get blessings. but lucas would never waste his time devoting it to a god for a few blessings. of course, not everyone was a monster like lucas. for example, people who felt they couldn''t advance yet still sought strength might become believers for a blessing. or simply someone who was an actual believer in the gods. the reason to believe in the gods was different for everyone. in the end, these four gods were also a mystery to lucas. he didn''t really believe in them after all. ''still, why the god of swords? is that why the sword is so revered?'' he wondered. as he pondered, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him and a kind voice addressing him. "the devil goes to church¡ªi am sure i have heard that before." the man chuckled at his own joke before continuing. "or was it the white devil? forgive me; i don''t really have the best memory when it comes to the nicknames these younger generations give out these days." a small smile appeared on lucas''s face as he kept his gaze ahead, answering the man who now stood behind him. "it is quite rude to call a mere kid the devil himself, don''t you think, father?" hearing the man laugh behind him, he walked forward, standing in front of lucas, who was seated, and finally looked towards the priest. continue reading at empire "a mere kid, you say? i didn''t think the newer generation, especially someone like you, would have the respect and generosity to call me father," the man said, amused, as lucas gazed at him with raised eyebrows. the priest was an elderly man with silver hair that framed his kind, weathered face. his deep blue eyes sparkled with wisdom and compassion. he wore a simple yet elegant white robe adorned with gold embroidery depicting sacred symbols. a string of beads hung from his neck, clicking softly as he moved. "you haven''t done anything to earn my ire, have you, father? well, at least not yet..." smiling softly, the elderly priest turned around, gazing at the four statues. "so what brings you all the way here, so far from the academy, and especially in this weather? you don''t seem injured, though perhaps you might catch a fever with how drenched you are." "want me to bring you a health potion?" lucas shook his head, answering the question. "i''m good; i don''t easily get sick, father." if lucas could, he would rather never take another potion in his life again. "as for why i''m here... call it curiosity." "ah, you are at the age where you get curious about countless things after all," the priest said, nodding to himself as if in understanding. "so, are you interested in becoming a believer?" the priest asked, turning back to lucas, facing him with the same smile on his face. shaking his head in denial, lucas answered. "no, i don''t really believe in the gods since i have no reason to. their blessing won''t benefit me in the long run." at this, the priest sighed softly before speaking to him, his voice turning even softer. "child, you are thinking about all of this the wrong way." the wrong way? lucas furrowed his brows, tilting his head slightly. just what did he think wrong exactly? "do you know why one would believe in the gods?" lucas didn''t think too much before answering. "what else but strength¡ª" "hope," the priest interrupted, his voice cutting through lucas''s response. he moved closer, reaching out his hand. lucas''s body tensed up for a second, but sensing no ill intentions, he bit the inside of his cheeks, letting the priest do what he wanted since he was curious. tapping lucas''s chest with his right finger at where his heart was, ignoring the drenched hoodie, the priest spoke again. "one believes in a god not for strength but for hope." "hope to have good health." "hope to find one''s soul mate." "hope for a better future." "hope in the darkest of times." "hope to live." "those blessings that we have are proof that we believe in hope." every word the priest spoke resonated deeply within lucas. he had never really thought of it like that and wondered if it was perhaps the same in his previous life. "hope that we haven''t given up no matter what." pursing his lips and looking down with his head, lucas clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. "what if there is no hope to believe in? hope to live? hope for a better future? what if there are only the darkest of times, never to have hope in them again?" the priest was surprised by lucas''s behavior and the questions he asked. it felt odd for a child to ask such questions, especially from the most talented and famous student. but considering the entire situation, he realized it was indeed odd. the priest wondered what lucas was really struggling with and decided to go with the flow, treating lucas as he normally would with anyone else. "that is why we pray. praying to the gods gives us hope, and by praying, we believe. you cannot hope without believing, just as you cannot believe without hope," the priest said gently. lucas turned his head up, looking at him. "that makes no sense," he muttered, making the priest laugh out loud. "i understand, but for it to make sense, you have to try instead of think. that way, you will truly understand the meaning of hope and belief." lucas merely nodded as he started to grasp a little of what the priest said. ''but... will it really give me the strength to get through the disaster we will have to face?'' as if reading his thoughts, the priest spoke again. "in the end, it is not the blessing that gives you strength but hope." before lucas could question him again, the priest asked, "tell me, lucas, what are your dreams?" lucas didn''t know why he would suddenly ask that, but he decided to entertain him and answer truthfully. "i want lena, my little sister, to be happy and to protect that smile of hers. i want my parents to live long, not worry, and live in peace. everyone i care about to be just... happy," he spoke, his voice getting a little hoarse. just thinking about these things made him realize how bleak it seemed with the threat they were about to face. hearing his words, the priest spoke softly, "isn''t that what you would call hope?" ''huh?'' "your dreams are your hope, no? you hope for them all to be happy. doesn''t that give you the strength to face whatever life throws at you?" lucas widened his eyes as he heard the priest''s words. "hope..." he muttered under his breath as he realized what the priest meant, his head bowing down again. "i don''t know what you are struggling with, child," the priest said, gripping lucas''s shoulder. "but i want you to know... i have hope in you. hope that you will overcome whatever challenges you will have to face." hearing his words, lucas stared at his clenched fist. ''i see...'' he had to suppress a laugh as he realized how pathetic he had become ever since learning about the void. his entire mind had become a mess after getting just a few answers to dozens of questions. he was sure this wouldn''t be the only threat, not the only mystery that didn''t make sense and needed to be solved. ''this had always been a problem of mine, right, aushburn?'' he thought, recalling how he would lash out whenever he faced something he couldn''t understand or handle, never trying to face it head-on calmly. there had always been someone to pull him back, but now he understood. ''hope.'' a smile appeared on his face, a smile so natural that it would have made anyone freeze if they saw him. this was perhaps the first time since he could remember that he smiled so naturally without needing to try. ''to think going to church really helped the devil.'' "lucas?" a bewildered voice called out, making his eyes go wide as he looked toward the wooden doors. sear?h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. the priest did the same, and they both saw... seraphina standing there, and not just her¡ªsylviette and amaya were there as well, looking at him in shock, their bodies frozen in place. ''fuck.'' Chapter 95 Vulnerable even though the weather was terrible, they had no trouble walking in the open.they had checked the weather forecast beforehand and knew it was going to rain, resulting in them bringing their umbrellas. even though amaya could use her wind magic to ensure no raindrops reached her, or sylviette could employ her ice magic against the rain, and seraphina could use her space magic or dive into the shadows, they chose not to spend unnecessary mana. "seriously, where are you taking us?" seraphina asked sylviette as she led her and amaya somewhere. seraphina might have thought sylviette was leading them into an ambush if not for their friendship and her connection with lucas. she knew lucas was extremely picky about who he spent his time with. if sylviette was friends with lucas, that meant she could also trust her, right? ''i swear i better not get kidnapped...'' "you don''t need to worry this much, sera," amaya interjected, shooting a glare at sylviette. "you know how late it already is? we should be asleep right now," amaya added, her irritation evident. "you also don''t need to worry this much, amaya. it''s not like anyone would judge us. besides, it''s weekend," sylviette said, chuckling. "i guess you are right. at least answer where we are going," amaya sighed as they continued following sylviette. ''my feet are killing me... why can''t we just get a taxi or something!'' "fine, fine. if you really want to know, we are going to a church," sylviette revealed. both seraphina and amaya looked at her weirdly. "you are making us go so far by foot just to pray?" amaya glared at her. "i didn''t know you are a believer... on second thought, you are an elf, and they do worship the god of mana and the god of life more than the other two gods," seraphina remarked. "yes, so it would make sense for her to want to go to church," amaya nodded proudly as if discovering something significant. "i''m sorry to say this, sylv, but i really am not in the mood to pray this late," amaya said apologetically, making sylviette grit her teeth. "actually why even this late?" seraphina asked, noticing sylviette glaring at them, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and anger. "why would i go this late at night and in this weather to pray!?" she shouted. sear?h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "besides, i don''t go to church anyway, even though we elves mainly worship the god of life and the god of mana." "so you are an actual believer, though, right? makes sense for the princess of the elven race," seraphina asked, eyebrows raised in intrigue. "hmph! i am, but i am not as devoted as most are, so i don''t have any blessing or such," sylviette admitted, though she secretly valued a particular blessing that she had not belonging to any of the four gods. "we have arrived," sylviette announced after they walked an entire hour to get to the church. glancing back, she saw the awestruck looks of seraphina and amaya, making her puff out her chest with pride. "see, told you it would be worth it," sylviette said, breaking them from their daze. amaya merely nodded in agreement as seraphina spoke, "yeah, it certainly is beautiful... is the whole church blessed?" just looking at the church made her feel warm and comfortable, even though it was raining and cold. "yes, it is. this is one of the most famous churches in the capital. normally it would be filled with people, but since it''s late at night and the weather is terrible, this is the perfect opportunity for us to check it out without drawing too much attention," sylviette explained. ''to think she knows more than us humans about the churches in our domain...'' seraphina thought. she realized sylviette must have visited some churches in the human domain to get better at her affinity for life magic. "mm, you are right. this is the perfect chance. but is it even open?" amaya asked, knowing most churches in the capital would be closed at this time, especially in this weather. sylviette chuckled before answering, "don''t worry. father franky never sleeps and is always here, no matter the time." "father franky?" seraphina tilted her head. "yes, the priest who resides in this church. he maintains the entire church by himself. i have to say, he is a genius in life magic, probably one of the best healers that you humans have," sylviette said. "huh, wait, for real?" amaya asked, bewildered. "ah!" seraphina suddenly exclaimed as she recognized who sylviette was talking about. "wait, you mean the father franky? the apostle of life? i''ve heard he managed to heal dozens of people on a battlefield in mere seconds, all the wounds gone as if they were never there." sylviette proudly nodded her head, "yep, exactly, that''s him." "wow... i am sure leo would have wanted to meet him as well..." amaya sighed. "your boyfriend still didn''t answer your calls?" sylviette asked, making amaya glare at her. "he is not my boyfriend! and no, he didn''t. what about you? did you call klaus?" amaya asked, knowing sylviette was the closest to klaus since they were both in the same class. "nope, he didn''t answer my calls either... weird," sylviette replied. "what about lucas?" sylviette asked seraphina, knowing she was the closest to lucas out of everyone. shrugging her shoulders, seraphina answered, "no, but i am sure lucas is just either asleep or training." "still, what if something happened to them?" amaya asked, concerned. "you worry too much, amaya. leonne is a champion, remember? besides, no one in the capital would be crazy enough to attack one of the three great duke''s sons without anyone noticing," sylviette reassured her. "i guess you are right, yeah..." amaya conceded. "by the way, have you seen that video of lucas?" amaya suddenly asked, making both of them nod their heads. the video she was referring to was of lucas getting into a fight in a fast food restaurant during lunch break. the video had only been up for a few hours but had already become extremely trending on social media. "to think he would actually face that allen guy. his father is a marquis, after all, yet he isn''t scared in the slightest," amaya remarked. seraphina merely smiled as sylviette scoffed, "scared of him? please. he even almost got into a fight with father once. he was actually prepared to fight him and everyone in the castle back then." ''eh?'' amaya and seraphina looked at her with wide eyes. "h-he almost fought against the king of elves?" amaya asked in disbelief. "yes... it''s as if that crazy maniac isn''t scared of anything. i mean, you heard him tell everyone that he wouldn''t mind becoming the enemy of humanity back at the entrance exam," sylviette confirmed solemnly. "i didn''t think he was actually serious... crazy, he is actually crazy," amaya muttered. ''just what the hell are you even doing, lucas?'' seraphina wondered, unable to figure out his actions. "ugh, please, let''s forget about lucas for today," seraphina grumbled, not wanting to get a headache worrying about him. "i agree. now let''s go. i don''t want to stand in the rain all night," sylviette said, leading them to the wooden gate. but as they were about to enter the church, they heard someone talking inside, though they couldn''t understand what was being said. furrowing her brows, sylviette spoke, "what type of weird people would still be inside the church this late?" "well, let''s find out, shall we?" seraphina said, using her sound magic to create a dark, transparent dome around them. "no one will be able to hear us now, and everything we touch as well." "isn''t this going a little too far?" amaya asked, confused by their spy-like behavior. "it''s exciting, no?" seraphina said, making amaya in the end nod in agreement. what if something extremely shady was going on this late at night? seeing this, sylviette opened the gate, allowing them to enter inside. their eyes widened as they saw who was inside. ''huh?'' seraphina''s mind blanked at the scene before her. lucas was seated, and in front of him was a priest standing. none of them expected to find lucas here, of all people. he was the last person one would expect to see in a church. ''why...'' she was sure lucas would have normally sensed someone watching him by now, but he didn''t. her heart ached as she looked at his appearance. his clothes were drenched, his hair a mess, and he looked extremely tired. she barely managed to register the priest''s words to lucas, both of them focused on each other, oblivious to the newcomers. ''hope... just what are they talking about?'' she wondered. explore more stories at empire "what if there is no hope to believe in? hope to live? hope for a better future? what if there are only the darkest of times, never to have hope in them again?" lucas''s voice was desperate, like a child pleading to its mother for answers. seraphina couldn''t remember the last time she had seen such a vulnerable side of him. the strongest student, the most talented of their generation, the white devil, yet he looked so fragile and weak now, nothing like the image everyone saw him as. suddenly, sylviette stepped forward, intending to leave the sound dome and approach lucas, but amaya grasped her hand, preventing her. "don''t," amaya said, shaking her head, gazing into sylviette''s eyes as seraphina looked at her too. before sylviette could retort, amaya spoke again, "we aren''t supposed to be here... not this time. let''s leave." they felt reluctant to leave but understood amaya''s point. they shouldn''t be intruding on lucas''s struggles. each of them respected lucas for different reasons and didn''t want to hurt him more. but before they could leave, they glanced at him once more. seraphina felt her heart skip a few beats, sure it wasn''t just hers. lucas... the smile he suddenly showed. she had never seen such a smile on him. it was a smile that made them want to protect him naturally. ''a-arg, what is going on? no way i am leaving now!'' she screamed in her mind, removing the sound barrier around them. she knew she wouldn''t rest until she found out what was happening. "lucas?" Chapter 96 Cursed by the Stars ''since when were they here?''lucas thought as he gazed at seraphina, amaya, and sylviette, bewildered. he hadn''t even noticed them entering the building. ''why do they look so shocked?'' ''did they hear everything i said?'' he couldn''t tell how long they had been standing there, but he knew it must have been a while for them to be frozen in place. ''still... why are they acting so weird?'' as he thought this, he suddenly saw his reflection in the floor for a second. ''ah...'' he had totally forgotten how drenched he was. he had never shown anyone this side of him, and of course, they would be shocked if they heard him speaking to father franky while looking this horrible. standing up from his seat, he was about to speak to them, but before he could, seraphina disappeared before everyone''s eyes, only to reappear right in front of lucas again. her face was only mere inches apart from his, making him feel her hot breath. continue reading on empire feeling the sudden warmth on his cheeks, he realized how cold his body had gotten. "what happened?" seraphina asked, her eyes gazing straight into lucas''s eyes. he could clearly see the worry in her eyes, making him feel a little warm. ''i shouldn''t tell her.'' lucas felt reluctant to speak about everything that had happened today. he didn''t want to tell them about the void. he just couldn''t. lucas didn''t want them to be burdened with the knowledge like he was, knowing that the world would be thrown into literal chaos. they didn''t need to know, not yet at least, not until the time was right. it was he who sought the voidwalkers out for knowledge. he was the one who wanted to solve the mysteries, not them. in the end, he would rather keep everything to himself while letting them enjoy their lives. ignorance is bliss, after all. he couldn''t take that bliss from them, especially not seraphina. he had never seen her so bright, even in her previous life. the way she smiles, laughs, and even hangs out with friends¡ªshe deserves to enjoy her life. he would rather take everything on himself, letting her stay out of this game of chess with fate. smiling softly, lucas spoke to her and also to sylviette and amaya, who stood a little behind seraphina now. "you don''t need to worry. i just came here to shelter myself from the rain." lucas said as seraphina narrowed her blood-red eyes at him. father franky merely stepped aside, intending to stay out of all of this, watching over them with a small smile. "you think anyone would believe that?" "even a child could tell you weren''t here just for shelter." "what were you both exactly talking about?" lucas''s lips twitched, seeing how she wouldn''t let the matter go. sighing, he spoke again, a little annoyed. ''i really should get some sleep.'' "i just lost my cool for a bit, alright? you don''t need to worry about me. i am perfectly fine now." as he said this, he started to walk past her towards the gates. he knew it was a little rude, and that they were curious, but he felt like he was about to fall asleep at any moment. he was just that mentally tired. perhaps there was another reason... "wait." surprisingly, he heard amaya speak from behind him, making him turn around. "where is leo? oh, and also klaus? were they with you? we can''t seem to contact them, even though they were supposed to be outside together still." raising his eyebrows, he forgot that klaus tried to invite him and hang out with all of them. "i met them briefly. they looked tired and probably went back to sleep." saying that, lucas turned around as red lightning started to envelop him. normally, using magic wasn''t allowed in the open streets of the capital, but who was going to stop him, especially in this weather? after finally arriving at the academy dormitory building, sneaking past the guards at the gate by teleporting, he finally arrived in front of the door of his room. glancing to his left, he saw klaus''s room closed. he wondered if he should go talk to him now, but in the end, he decided it would be best to get some sleep first. walking straight to his bed, luna was curled up at the side, sleeping peacefully. ''this isn''t normal... just how much can one sleep? i should get a doctor or something later, just in case.'' as he thought this, he quickly changed his clothes and simply laid down on his bed, not intending to take a shower. he was too tired by everything that had happened today. ----------------------------- status screen: [name]: lucas nightstar [age]: 15 [gender]: male [race:] half dragon [rank]: high 6-star level (master) [affinities]: - fire - lightning - space - chaos (progenitor) [special talent]: dual wielder [physique]: dragon [bloodline]: unawakened [title]: master of the blade of chaos, dragon tamer, anomaly, progenitor of chaos, cursed by the stars [skills]: monarch of chaos, appraisal, dragon''s pride, dragon''s aura, mirage, phase, danger sense [soul bond]: luna (dragon) ----------------------------- staring at his status screen again, lucas wondered about it all. he was still only at a high 6-star level, which was not enough in the slightest to face the demons and the void. hell, even before them, he still needed to settle the matter with karciel and abadux. he hadn''t forgotten about them in the slightest, after all. s§×arch* the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. another thing he realized was that he needed more skills. even though powerful skills could consume a lot of mana, he was confident that his mana pool could handle it. he didn''t know exactly what his bloodline was, but he had an inkling it was related to his family and its mysteries. ''i am starting to feel a little impatient, i guess...'' he knew his family was far from normal, but he decided to wait until they told him everything. however, he was starting to get impatient with all the threats he was going to have to face. one''s bloodline would only be able to be unlocked after becoming a saint. lucas was still far from becoming one, resulting in him having to depend on acquiring more skills. there were a lot of things he needed to start preparing, he thought. but, as he kept looking at his status, he couldn''t help but feel bitter about reading the titles. mainly two of them. the first being "anomaly." he originally thought it was something to do with him being reincarnated, but after speaking with seraphina about it, he realized that she never got such a title. ''does it have to do something with me being a progenitor then? or something else?'' as he thought this, he glanced at the second title, "cursed by the stars." he didn''t understand exactly what it meant. did it mean he was cursed? or did it have some different sort of meaning? he didn''t understand what he had done to earn such a title, but he felt like the title was anything but good news. stars... ''a lot of things seem to be connected with stars,'' lucas thought, recalling one of his deaths the seer had told him about. ''surrounded by destruction as you die, with stars falling on you and destroying everything in their path.'' just what the hell did he do to have stars falling onto him? why him? what had he done to earn such a cosmic punishment? and why didn''t the seer ever say anything related to the void? couldn''t she see the future? ''did she know?'' or was there something about the void that even she couldn''t penetrate? lucas felt the urge to go back to the elven capital and speak to her once more, if she was even still there... ''no point in worrying about it now...'' he thought while yawning, his eyes starting to become heavier. ''perhaps i should find a way to become a full dragon...'' he thought, but he hadn''t the slightest clue how, and would it even matter? in the end, the void still managed to wipe out almost the entire dragon race, including countless other ancient races forgotten by everyone. "phoenixes," lucas muttered as he recalled the stories about them in his previous life. not just them, but also the dragons. countless mythologies and stories were made about these creatures in his previous life. he had never thought them to be actually real in this world. he wondered how they all looked... ''now that i think about it, just how strong is nyx exactly?'' he thought as he never got to confirm him being a saint or not. but he couldn''t ponder for too long as his eyes started to drift closed. he finally fell asleep, marking the end of perhaps one of the longest days he had ever had. [an: sorry if this chapter seemed boring. i am currently busy with my exams and was feeling sick while writing this. anyway, i hope you are enjoying the story. if so, please give me all those power stones and reviews!] Chapter 97 Nightmare "you damn brat!"the sound of the slap echoed through the dimly lit dining room. the room was small and cramped, with peeling wallpaper and a flickering light bulb that cast a dim glow. the wooden table was old and scratched, and the mismatched chairs creaked under the children''s weight. the floor was bare, worn-down wood, and a single, cracked window let in a draft, making the room chilly. noah placed his hand on his swollen right cheek where the caretaker had slapped him. the sting was still fresh, and his skin throbbed under his touch. the children at the table dared not lift their heads, silently nibbling on their single piece of bread with trembling hands. "how ungrateful can one really be, huh?" the caretaker shrieked at noah. she kicked him in the stomach, sending him sprawling. he clutched his stomach in agony, already weakened from days without food. his crime? daring to ask for bread. it had been three days since he had last eaten. forced to sit with the others as they ate, he received nothing. all because he had dared to complain about the lack of food for everyone. he remembered a time before these new caretakers arrived when there was at least enough for everyone. now, these cruel overseers kept the food for themselves, tossing only scraps to the orphans. tears streamed down his face as he bit his lip, stifling his sobs. he wouldn''t give them the satisfaction. "this is why your parents abandoned you in the first place." "they never loved you." "who would?" "seeing the ungrateful brat they brought into this world, they decided to leave it, running far away from you." every word was a dagger to his heart, shattering it into thousands of pieces, only to rebuild and break again. he was just a child, and their relentless words made him start to believe them. perhaps his parents did hate him, regretted having him, and took their own lives to escape him. the room''s gaze bore into him¡ªpity, hate, anger, fear, and even twisted glee. the shadows around him deepened and began to stir. he glanced up to see the caretaker frozen, her eyes hollow and pitch black. before he could comprehend, every head in the room snapped towards him, making the hairs on his neck stand up. their eyes were all black, devoid of emotion, fixated on noah. in the blink of an eye, he was alone. darkness surrounded him, endless and suffocating. ''what...?'' confused, he heard an almost inaudible voice from all around. "...up." the whisper was indistinct, neither male nor female. he looked up, seeing nothing but endless darkness. his heart pounded. he didn''t understand what was happening. "...up." again, nothing. only darkness surrounded him. ignoring the strange voice, he took a step forward. "ah!" as he did, it felt like he was falling into the abyss. his senses were confused, unable to discern if he was falling or standing still. in the next blink, he found himself in an unfamiliar, massive backyard¡ªthe backyard of the nightstar estates. ''where am i?'' noah wondered, walking further. he saw a mist ahead and stepped inside. as it dissipated... read latest stories on empire he vomited at the sight revealed. before him stood three wooden crosses with bodies crucified on them. to the left was a child with snow-white hair, her eyes empty as crows pecked at her sockets. her stomach was ripped open, her organs dangling out. "a-ah, what is this... what is happening?" he didn''t know them, yet it felt like he did. he felt he had known and cared for them deeply. his heart shattered at the sight, and he vomited again, falling to his knees. as he retched, he weakly looked up to see the face of one of them inches from his own¡ªthe older woman with snow-white hair, her eyes empty, her face bloodied, her stomach a gaping wound. noah''s mind went blank. he was paralyzed, unable to process the horror. suddenly, the woman''s torn lips parted, and she screamed, "wake up!" with a jolt, noah was back in the dining room, gasping for breath. the children still ate silently, and the caretaker stood over him, her expression twisted with anger and disgust. "get up, you wretched boy!" she snarled, yanking him to his feet. the room seemed colder, the shadows longer and darker. noah''s vision blurred with tears. the other children avoided his gaze, their eyes downcast, hands shaking. they knew better than to show any sympathy; it would only bring the caretaker''s wrath upon them too. as the caretaker dragged noah out of the room, he caught sight of the reflection in a broken mirror on the wall. his face was pale, eyes hollow, and for a fleeting moment, he thought he saw those same pitch-black eyes staring back at him. the door slammed shut behind him, and he was thrown into a small, dark closet. the only sound was his own ragged breathing and the faint, echoing whispers "...wake up..." he huddled in the corner, wrapping his arms around himself. the darkness pressed in, suffocating and cold. he didn''t know how long he sat there, trembling and alone. time seemed to stretch, each second an eternity. "wake up! "haa!" jolting awake, lucas looked around to find himself inside his room again at the academy. ''what just happened...?'' his heart still pounded loudly against his chest, and his entire body was covered in cold sweat. "haa... haa..." he kept breathing heavily, trying to comprehend what happened until he finally calmed down a little. "it wasn''t real..." he muttered under his breath. the strange dream was just a nightmare. yet, it felt so real. he felt like he was actually noah again, not remembering anything of his current life. he clenched his loose hands into fists, making the knuckles go white to stop himself from trembling. looking next to him, he noticed luna wasn''t there, making him panic. [luna? where are you?] his mind still wasn''t in the right state. not seeing luna, who was next to him when he fell asleep, made him think that he was perhaps still in the nightmare. luckily, his thoughts were proven false. [father?] appearing from out of the door, luna entered the room and jumped on the bed. lucas sighed in relief at seeing her. [are you okay, father?] she asked, noticing the state he was in. he tried to reassure her, but she continued to look at him worriedly. "how about you? you''ve been sleeping a lot lately," he said, attempting to change the subject and distract both her and himself. [mm, i feel tired a lot...] "are you getting bored? if you want, i can drop you off at home so you can have fun with lena," he said, thinking that perhaps she was sleeping so much since she didn''t have anyone to play with. lucas had been busy these last few days to the point he hadn''t even gotten to enjoy his life at the academy or spend time with anyone, even luna. [no! it is not that.] she raised her voice slightly, surprising lucas as she shook her little head fast. [it''s not that i''m bored; i just feel tired easily but whenever i wake up again, i feel like i got... a little... stronger?] she said this, not understanding herself what it exactly was. lucas narrowed his eyes as he thought about what made her so tired. "stronger, huh?" he pondered if it had something to do with dragons. if it was, he knew he wouldn''t be getting many answers currently. ''i should ask nyx tomorrow,'' he thought, remembering that he would meet him again tomorrow. perhaps nyx knew more about dragons and could shed light on luna''s situation. ''i should also go to the library to find some clues about the void era,'' lucas thought, knowing that the shield had one of the biggest libraries in myrniel. he was sure if he wanted to find clues to a lot of questions, he should first look there before anywhere else. "alright," he nodded to himself. he stood up from his bed and looked at the mirror, seeing the messed-up state he was in. ''the library can wait.'' "luna, let''s go," he said suddenly, causing luna to gaze at him bewilderedly as he picked her up firmly, not letting her go. [huh? where are we going, father?] she had a bad feeling about this as she felt like she couldn''t escape lucas''s grip. "to take a shower," he said, making luna''s eyes go wide in dread. [wait! no, father, please! i don''t need to shower. i am perfectly clean!] she screamed, flailing around yet not escaping his grip in the slightest. in the end, lucas didn''t listen to her desperate pleas. both needed a shower, and he wasn''t going to give in to her cuteness this time. ''sorry, my daughter...'' [author''s note: exams aren''t done yet, though i have managed to survive most of them (except math...). i will be going back to uploading two chapters a day sometime between this and next week.] sea??h th§× n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 98 The Black Market [1] rubbing his eyes, lucas released a tired sigh.piles of books were stacked in front of him on the table as he turned the page of yet another thick volume. he had no idea how much time had passed since he took a shower and made his way to the library. each of these books was related to history, and he had already read dozens of them trying to find any connection with the void or the ancient races. unfortunately, he hadn''t been lucky in the slightest. the most he had found were theories about unknown races from thousands of years ago, but nothing was confirmed since there wasn''t any proof. "at this rate, i won''t even have to attend any history classes anymore," he muttered to himself, finally deciding to take a break. he opened his phone only to see that it was already 2 a.m. "huh," he rubbed his eyes again, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him, but the time remained the same¡ª2 a.m. eight hours had passed. apparently, he had been there for eight hours. he hadn''t even noticed how long he had been engrossed in the books. the library had been empty the entire time since no one wanted to come here during the weekend. putting his phone back on the table, he released another tired sigh. "looks like some mysterious book won''t appear this time..." lucas chuckled, recalling how easy it had been the first time when he searched for clues about the chaos element. just a few hours in the library and he had found his answers so easily. recalling the time his memories returned, it felt like a lifetime ago already. a lot of things were starting to change and would keep changing. he wondered just what the outcome would be after all the changes that were happening. "call me surprised by your actions again, lucas," suddenly, he heard a familiar voice calling to him this late at night. lucas turned to see professor julius walking towards him. "professor julius." julius stood in front of lucas, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "i didn''t expect someone to be here this late and on a weekend as well," he said as he gazed at the piles of books on the table. "...i don''t recall any of the professors giving you this much work in a mere week in the academy, and you didn''t attend almost the entire week." lucas''s lips twitched. "they''re not for any of my classes, professor. you could say i was doing my own personal research, though i think i''m done for the day." julius looked at him strangely, making lucas furrow his brows. "you read all of these books?" "well, yeah... it has been more than eight hours after all," lucas said, starting to realize why julius looked at him so oddly. find your next read on empire who in their right mind would read all of these old books in a single day? and the one reading them being lucas nightstar himself. honestly, lucas didn''t expect himself to be reading all of this in a single day either¡ªall of that for eight hours straight continuously. no wonder his eyes were stinging so much. "you know, you always manage to surprise me more than the previous time i meet you," julius said bluntly, making lucas''s lips twitch again. "why are you even here this late at night?" lucas asked, smirking. "i got bored, what else? thought i would waste some time reading some old books," julius answered, then shifted his gaze to the pile of books. "but it looks like you beat me to it." ''right, he did say that he was more interested in this kind of stuff instead of fighting...'' lucas thought. ''perhaps he might know something?'' deciding to gamble on julius''s knowledge, he asked, "professor, do you know something about the void?" hearing his question, julius furrowed his brows in confusion. "the void? is that some sort of spell?" he asked curiously, making lucas inwardly disappointed. ''as expected, even someone like him who has done a lot of research and explored ancient ruins doesn''t know anything about the void.'' not giving up, lucas asked another question, hoping for a different result. "do you think it''s true that there were races that we didn''t know of thousands of years ago?" the questions and their strange relationship clearly intrigued julius. the piles of history books that lucas had read through gave him enough to at least speculate on his own research. "i do, actually," he answered, surprising lucas as he continued. "but what races roamed around and what happened to them, i don''t. i can go on for hours about the theories i have, but i''m sure you wouldn''t be interested in them." "actually, i wouldn''t mind hearing them," lucas said, making julius raise his eyebrows in surprise before a small smile appeared on his face. "good, let''s talk about these things when i teach you how to properly use space magic," julius said, making lucas nod in agreement before asking another question. "when will my training begin, by the way?" "after the school trip to sky city," julius replied. lucas nodded again, knowing they were going on a school trip to sky city in the human domain this week. they would be staying there for an entire night. "what will we actually be doing there except for sightseeing?" lucas asked, but julius merely shook his head. "you''ll find out once we are there. i can''t exactly tell you now, can i? i don''t want to look like i''m picking favorites," he said, making lucas narrow his eyes. ''but you can stalk me?'' he thought, though julius noticed the look lucas was giving him, causing him to look away and cough before recollecting himself, already knowing what lucas was thinking about. "why are you even researching ancient races?" julius asked, returning to their previous conversation. his curiosity was piqued by lucas''s sudden interest in history. lucas had originally seemed like someone who didn''t bother with academics, especially since he hadn''t paid any attention in class last time. julius was now seeing him in a more favorable light, impressed by lucas''s willingness to read so many books for his own research. "curiosity," lucas replied simply, making julius narrow his eyes slightly but then let it go. he was a bit suspicious that it wasn''t just curiosity driving lucas to read so many books. as someone who did a lot of research himself, he knew that curiosity often led to deeper investigations. ''he''ll find out the real reason soon enough,'' lucas thought. he wasn''t ready to reveal the void and the ancient races to julius¡ªnot yet at least. he knew it was only a matter of time before all of this would be revealed to the public by the voidwalkers when the void war resumed. ''perhaps the royal family knows as well,'' he pondered. he stood up from his chair, stretching a bit before speaking to julius again. "i''ll be going to sleep now, professor. thanks for spending some of your time with me." julius waved his hand dismissively. "no need. it''s always interesting being in your presence, lucas," he said with a glint in his eyes, making lucas a bit uncomfortable. lucas didn''t waste more time and finally decided to leave and get some sleep since he had an important meeting the next day. ******** standing in front of the mirror in his hotel room, lucas adjusted his outfit. s§×arch* the n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. he had chosen to stay away from the dormitory after his conversation with julius to avoid unwanted attention and potential followers. luna sat on his shoulder, observing him curiously. lucas nodded in satisfaction at his reflection. instead of his usual clothes or academy uniform, he wore something much more distinctive¡ªclothes he kept in his inventory for occasions like this. ''always good to be prepared,'' he thought. he wore sleek black pants tucked into well-worn boots, topped with a soft black coat with a matte surface. his face was concealed by a mask made of dark metal, etched with intricate, ominous engravings. the mask covered his entire face except for his eyes and hair, which glowed a vivid crimson from behind the mask''s narrow slits. two horns protruded from the mask, adding to his fearsome appearance. the mask was enchanted to prevent anyone from focusing on him for too long. to complete the look, lucas draped a long black furred coat over his shoulders. the coat was luxurious and dense, providing warmth and an extra layer of protection. he secured the blade of chaos at his right waist inside a black holster, adding to his intimidating presence. "this should do, right?" lucas asked luna, who looked at him with a hint of fear in her eyes. ["are you planning to kill someone, father?"] she asked hesitantly. "of course not. why would you think that?" lucas replied, puzzled. after all, he considered himself one of the most peaceful people around. ["it''s just... you look a little scary, that''s all,"] luna said vaguely. lucas narrowed his eyes for a moment, which made luna even more apprehensive. "well, that is good then. being scary is exactly what i am going for," he said with a grin. it was finally time for him to visit the black market. Chapter 99 The Black Market [2] as one would expect from the underground world, it was filled with numerous people of different races walking around the dark streets.stalls and shop buildings lined the streets, selling items that were hard to come by legally. the black market was a place where the laws of the surface held no meaning. there was no law here to protect buyers and sellers; anything could happen if one wished. but to prevent chaos and bloodbaths, some unspoken rules were in place that everyone abided by. one: the strong are always above the weak. sea??h th§× n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. just like in the world of adventurers, the strong had more advantages and were favored over the weak. two: be civil. do not cause a bloodbath unless you have a good reason. and lastly: do not oppose the council of nightfall unless you wish to die. these three unspoken rules were the only things you had to follow when visiting the black market. the council of nightfall held full control over the underworld, with each of its highest members ruling their own territory. the black market of the capital in the human domain was ruled by nyx. nyx and the voidwalkers had been around for hundreds of years, hidden in countless places. underworld or not, it was the best way for them to place their men in strategic positions, ensuring they had power and information. the only reason the black market was so civil and upheld the three unspoken rules was thanks to the council of nightfall. the currency system of the black market was the same as on the surface, using golden credits, but everything here was priced much higher. no one in the underworld was kind. selfish, cunning, dangerous, and strong¡ªthese were the most common types one would find in the black market, a place where almost everyone''s hands were dirty. ***** as lucas walked the streets of the underworld in his disguise, his gaze swept everywhere. he could see people, some not bothering to hide their faces, while others did. stalls, buildings, and shops sold illegal stuff, information, or offered assassination services. whatever you thought to do, it was possible here. even though he wore an intimidating disguise that earned him curious glances, that was all. after all, most mistook him for an assassin due to his attire and the blade of chaos at his waist. he wasn''t the only one dressed like that, nor was lucas currently releasing his dragon''s aura to intimidate those around him¡ªnot yet, at least. speaking of the blade of chaos, he could feel it trembling with bloodlust. for some reason, his katana seemed eager to be used here. ''calm down,'' lucas ordered silently through his soul link with the blade, gripping its hilt firmly. whenever lucas visited shady places during his adventuring days, the lust for blood became apparent on the blade of chaos. this time was no different, but it calmed down a little upon hearing its master''s command. lucas kept walking, knowing where he had to go¡ªtowards where he would meet with nyx. well, not the exact location, but he knew what the place was called: the night stalkers. in the eye of the public and mainly the underworld, it was a mercenary guild with highly skilled members boasting impressive contract completion rates. but deep down, at its core, it was actually one of the bases of the voidwalkers. explore more at empire nyx used the silent stalkers as a cover to rule his part of the underworld while maintaining secrecy about his true identity. only people of higher status in the underworld knew that the mercenary guild was actually a cover for the ruler of this part of the underworld. though no one knew that the night stalkers were also the voidwalkers. ''what the hell kind of name is that?'' lucas thought, finding the name of the mercenary guild rather odd. shaking his head, he kept roaming around, taking in everything on display. he hadn''t brought luna and left her at the hotel room, as it would be safer for her there than here. he didn''t know what he could encounter here, after all. for example was what he was currently seeing at the side of one of the roads... he stopped walking as he furrowed his brows for a second, then relaxed them again as he gazed at the open carriage on the side of the road, unloading what most here would call products... the products were inside an iron cage, getting released only to be bound by iron shackles on their ankles and wrists. ''slaves...'' lucas thought, gazing at the slaves, each wearing only a thin, single piece of white cloth meant to cover their entire body, walking barefoot on the ground. most had lost the light in their eyes, accepting their fate, but there were some who still had defiance in their eyes, unwilling to become mere toys for the rich. "move it!" "ahh!" one of the men who was escorting the slaves wherever they went said, whipping the young girl''s back with his whip, tearing her clothing and marking her back with blood. the young girl merely sobbed in silence, hastening her small footsteps to ensure she did not incur further punishment. she looked no older than twelve years old, yet here she was, no longer seen as human. "oh, are those the new goods for today''s auction?" "ah yes, the slave establishment sold their best to the auction. these must be the best of this month." "fufu, they seem promising~" "i can''t wait for today." he heard the passersby talk to each other without care as they stopped as well, gazing at the slaves. hearing them, lucas managed to somehow hold back his anger at killing everyone here at hearing their remarks. he understood they were slaves and knew this was how the dark side of life was, but that didn''t mean he liked it. even though he had seen some similarities in his previous life with slaves, he had never been fond of it. one should be able to stand up for themselves and fight back. he wasn''t stupid enough to act out here; he knew it was useless if he tried to help these slaves. it wouldn''t matter in the end. how they became a slave, he didn''t know, and he knew there was a chance for them to just get caught again and be brought back to the slave establishment. the only thing that made it hard for him to keep it together, though, was the fact that out of the slaves being escorted in shame underneath everyone''s gaze, quite a few were mere children... perhaps it had to do with his own childhood, but he never liked the thought of children getting hurt. of course, even though he would try to help a child if he could, it didn''t mean he would be stupid about it. if it meant he had to kill the child for the sake of his family, he would without hesitation. ''forget it... maybe one day,'' he thought as he started to walk again, ignoring the slaves who kept walking inside a building with their heads down. Chapter 100 The Black Market [3] the night stalkers building was 4 stories tall and quite wide as well. the members currently inside were all working diligently with paperwork, multiple receptions set out front for clients willing to hire their services.it was evident that the night stalkers, despite their questionable name, were quite popular, judging by the long lines outside waiting to enter the building. yet, for some reason, the night stalkers would only be accepting requests later today, making everyone wait in line to be the first. what most outside didn''t know was that inside this guild, every single person who worked there was part of the voidwalkers. everyone there was of lower ranks than the sovereigns. "why do you think they are opening later today?" one possible future client said to another waiting in line. "don''t know, something must have happened, i presume," the man answered, confused as well, before another chimed in. "perhaps some extremely important client is visiting? it would make sense since they don''t want anyone to offend the client," he said, and nearby people agreed with his words. "you know the rumors that the owner of this place is actually one of the members of the council of nightfall," another said, causing some to nod while others looked at him in disbelief. "that can''t be true..." "yeah, no way. it is just a rumor, after all, right?" he said, but most here didn''t agree in the slightest. "rumors don''t appear out of thin air." "especially this one." everyone loved gossiping in the underworld, no matter what. hearing rumors and spreading them was one of the most fun things for daily visitors. though some might get twisted and change in the end, they appeared out of somewhere, especially in the underworld. having a rumor that someone is part of the council of nightfall meant that person''s head would be rolling in seconds. yet, no one here had ever seen or heard anything about the owner of the night stalkers. who he is, but if the mercenary guild is still standing, that must mean the owner is as well... they loved creating theories about everything. "if it really is true, that would explain why this is perhaps one of the best mercenary guilds ever..." most nodded their heads in agreement; the discussion had attracted a lot of curious people, making them all listen and talk while waiting for the guild to open. "hey..." suddenly, the man who brought up in the first place that the owner was a member of the council of nightfall spoke up again, looking hesitantly at everyone who gazed at him. "if the owner is a member of the council... then what reason would he have to be scared to offend whomever the client is that is visiting?" he said, as most already assumed that it must be someone important visiting for it being closed. many started to ponder at his finding it true. why would a member of the council be scared, after all? it was obvious that the people who ruled the underworld possessed unimaginable strength, after all. "if he really is a member of the council..." "then who the hell is visiting that forced even someone like a member of the council to be cautious?" "another member of the council," someone said, making everyone look wide-eyed. they wanted to rebuke him, but could they? what he said actually made sense for most, since who else could make a council member close his entire building for a visit of someone except for another member of the council of nightfall being the visitor? "no way, right..." "two council members in the same place?" it was known for most regulars that only one member of the council always ruled their part. as they started to create even more absurd theories to help themselves from being bored, they suddenly heard a commotion as people shouted, getting closer and closer. "get back here!" "you think you can just cut the line?" "i''ll slit this fucker''s throat!" your next read is at empire "break his legs first!" people that were waiting far back at the line kept shouting as everyone suddenly looked towards whom they were shouting. what they saw was a man clad in black walking towards the entrance of the building, ignoring everyone shouting at him and ready to attack him. killing one person wasn''t a bloodbath after all, especially if everyone would agree. the mysterious person walked confidently and without any hesitation. he wore sleek black pants tucked into well-worn boots, topped with a soft black coat with a matte surface. the person''s face was concealed by a mask made of dark metal, etched with intricate, ominous engravings. the mask covered his entire face except for his eyes and hair, which glowed a vivid crimson from behind the mask''s narrow slits. two horns protruded from the mask, adding to his fearsome appearance. most who tried to look at his face for longer than 3 seconds started to feel lightheaded and couldn''t keep concentrating. it felt like the person''s face kept disorienting them the longer one looked. the people who were at the front of the lines, previously discussing the council, stepped in front of the man''s path, not wanting to let him go further. they had been waiting for hours, after all; there was no way they would allow someone to skip ahead. "just who the hell does that man think he is?" "get back to your line before i break every bone in your body," one of the men said in front of him, as the man in black stopped moving, gazing at them with his red eyes glowing, making them feel even more uncomfortable. s§×arch* the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. seeing the man not move, a few of them released their mana or aura to intimidate him, as some had a sadistic grin on their faces, wanting to punish the man. almost everyone here was at the master stage and awakened; they were more than enough to teach the man a lesson, or at least that is what one would have thought. "move." the simple word that left through the mask made almost everyone present''s hair on their necks stand up. the voice was like a low growl, and it didn''t sound human. they could hear the frustration and anger in the voice. not wanting to give in, everyone present released their mana or aura, ready to take the man down. if one on the surface would see this, they would have thought an attack on the capital was about to happen, intending to destroy everything. suddenly, before anyone could move, they felt a tremendous pressure bearing down on them, making almost everyone fall on the hard concrete with their faces or knees. only a few of the master stages were left standing, yet their legs were trembling violently, with cold sweat on everyone''s face. each one of their faces was filled with horror as they looked in fear at the man in black who released the pressure. they couldn''t see him releasing his mana or aura in the slightest, yet they were all already to the point of being defeated without the man lifting a finger. the crimson eyes glowed even brighter, and with the intimidating presence and appearance of them, they all started to tremble out of pure fear. "move" Chapter 101 The Black Market [4] they couldn''t comprehend who was in front of them as the man spoke again, his voice eerily calm now instead of the earlier anger and frustration."move." he repeated again, this time sounding more human than before, yet no one was relieved in the slightest. it wasn''t as if it was impossible to move; it was just that they felt compelled not to. that they should be down on the ground in the man''s presence. even the ones who were barely standing previously started to get on their knees now. ''w-who is he!? d-don''t tell me he is a saint! is this what it feels like to be in front of a saint?'' the man who started everything with his question thought as he didn''t dare to look into the mysterious person''s eyes anymore. he nor anyone here had ever met a saint, but from the way they were all powerless, that was the only logical conclusion that came to their minds. no one noticed as they subconsciously made way for the man, who calmly walked ahead, ignoring everyone''s fearful gaze. as they were about to breathe out of relief, suddenly another tremendous presence appeared out of nowhere, forcing everyone to spit out blood as the floor beneath them cracked. ''w-what is happening!'' as he thought, a voice filled with authority and amusement traveled through everyone''s ears. "you have made quite a mess, haven''t you, sovereign of chaos?" ******** ''so this is the result when i don''t hold back my dragon''s aura?'' lucas thought as he silently walked forward, everyone around him on their knees. discover hidden stories at empire pure fear was seen in the eyes of each person gazing at him. he had never had the opportunity or need to use his entire dragon''s aura, so he was happy to have the excuse to use it this time. still, he didn''t expect it to be so effective. ''anyone weaker than me is basically as good as dead if i unleash my entire dragon''s aura since they can''t even move,'' he thought, noting how useful his skill would be if he had to fight a large swarm of enemies in the future who were weaker than him. unfortunately, that happiness didn''t last long as he started to notice a side effect while unleashing his entire dragon''s aura. his body and mind started to feel tired. it was taxing to keep unleashing his dragon''s aura for so long, apparently. even though it wasn''t consuming his mana, it was consuming his mental and physical energy instead. ''how troublesome,'' he thought. even though it was taxing, he was still glad it didn''t have a massive side effect. he was sure that when he grew stronger, he would have plenty of energy in his body. as he started walking towards the building, he and everyone else felt a tremendous pressure bore down on them. lucas''s knees started to bend as the pressure, like an entire planet on his shoulders, tried to make him kneel. ''like hell i will!'' screaming inside his mind, he gritted his teeth behind his mask as he fought off the pressure, ignoring the others around him who coughed out blood and had their faces smashed into the hard floor. with some difficulty, he managed to straighten himself as he glared at the source of his discomfort. "you have made quite a mess, haven''t you, sovereign of chaos?" nyx stood in front of the glass doors of the night stalkers building, his golden eyes like mini suns staring at lucas, and his black onyx-like hair fluttered in the wind. he didn''t bother to disguise himself in the slightest, revealing himself to the public. he could see staff members inside the building, curiously peeking at the show happening outside. he wondered if they were all voidwalkers. breaking his gaze from them, he stared right into nyx''s eyes. ''as i thought.'' he had been suspicious before, but now he could confirm it. all these people around him¡ªnyx could have easily sent them away with countless means, yet he didn''t. instead, he let everyone stay here with the excuse that their services would open a little later. his intentions were clear to lucas: nyx wanted him to be known. not just him, but also himself for some reason. he narrowed his eyes with his eyebrows furrowed, looking at him underneath his mask. ''why did he call me sovereign of chaos? it''s a title only for me as a voidwalker. is it really smart to reveal that here?'' even though he was disguised, he was still a little confused about how he should represent himself as one of the voidwalkers and what exactly he should do. he was sure nyx or someone else would ask him to do stuff. his questions were simply answered the moment someone on their knees, spitting out some stones that got in his mouth, spoke with a trembling voice. "w-who are you?" he asked as everyone, except for lucas and the others inside the building, gazed at him curiously. "who am i? well, i go by a lot of names, but these days people call me nyx. one of the members of the council of nightfall, the ruler of the black market in this capital," he said, making most tremble out of fear, realizing what type of powerful person was in front of them. they couldn''t believe that the rumors they were talking about turned out to be true so fast. it didn''t end there, apparently, as nyx spoke again, making everyone''s mind go blank, even lucas this time. "also, i am part of a secret organization called the voidwalkers, which i am sure you have heard of, so let me formally introduce myself." s~ea??h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. grinning, he placed his right hand towards his chest and made a modest bow fitting of those in higher society. "my name is nyx, sovereign of shadows, representing the second seat of the voidwalkers." they were barely able to register his words as lucas looked at him dumbfounded behind his mask. ''huh.'' he was glad that no one could see his face currently as he tried to comprehend what nyx had just done exactly. ''just what the fuck is he doing?'' he thought as nyx suddenly looked towards him again. lucas felt like his disguise was useless in front of those golden sun-like eyes of his. the mask was just mere decoration that didn''t work in the slightest against nyx. speaking again, lucas felt his hair on his neck stand up as he heard his words. "and the person you all just tried to attack is... well, his name isn''t something for me to reveal, so let''s skip that part, shall we?" nyx said. "the sovereign of chaos, representing the eleventh seat of the voidwalkers." saying that, everyone''s head snapped towards him, even those behind the glass doors watching. their faces were filled with utter horror and shock at hearing nyx''s words from the beginning, but the moment he introduced lucas, everyone looked at him as if they had just seen the sun explode. lucas didn''t move as he ignored everyone, looking at nyx. ''why is he revealing the voidwalkers?'' ''what is he planning exactly?'' ''why now?'' he had a lot of questions as he didn''t expect his meeting with nyx to go this way. he had hoped for it to be much calmer than last time, but it seemed that it was his fate to fight for his sanity in the presence of nyx. he could see his golden eyes filled with mischief and amusement, his face showing satisfaction as if happy with a small prank he had pulled, making lucas''s lips twitch beneath his mask. suddenly clapping his hands together, nyx got the attention of everyone again. "now i hope everyone here has enjoyed the show. you may all be on your way now," he said, and everyone simply obliged. they were still registering everything they had heard. surprise, doubt, fear, disbelief¡ªvarious emotions were directed at him and nyx, but their gazes instantly retracted as well as they hurriedly left. even though everyone here waited hours, they knew they were dead the moment they decided to disobey nyx. nyx''s intent was clear as day to everyone here with him letting everyone simply go. it was to spread what had happened here today. he intended to let the rumors about the voidwalkers ignite again, a flame that was not going to extinguish anymore and would only keep burning until nothing was left for it to burn. [author''s note: hello, dear readers! i just wanted to say that we have finally surpassed a century of chapters, which makes me extremely happy and pleased, especially since it hasn''t even been two months since i started writing. i know my writing wasn''t the best and was perhaps even terrible in the beginning, but i feel like i am improving. of course, i will continue to improve and try my best to upload every day. anyway, i just wanted to thank you all for making it this far and supporting me until now. i hope you all will continue to support me!] Chapter 102 Supreme inside the top floor where nyx''s office was, lucas sat on a couch, while nyx sat opposite him.a small table in the middle separated them, and a brunette-haired maid with brown eyes was filling their cups with tea. both men noticed how the maid kept nervously glancing between lucas and nyx. she was used to being a maid and knew about the voidwalkers, having served nyx for years, but being in the presence of another sovereign was nerve-wracking, especially with everyone that felt lucas''s dragon''s aura throughout the building. finished with pouring their cups, the maid hurriedly bowed to both of them and left the room as fast as possible. seeing that they were now alone, lucas removed his mask from his face. picking up the cup, he brought it to his lips, feeling the warmth go down his throat, making his body relax. "you have been doing better than i thought," nyx said suddenly. lucas placed his cup back on the table. ''i really don''t understand this man,'' lucas thought, pursing his lips at nyx''s words, which sounded... relieved. after all, it wasn''t easy knowing at fifteen years old that the world might be destroyed in the near future. it was a heavy burden to place on anyone, no matter their age. lucas shook his head as he replied truthfully to nyx. "i am, or at least now i finally am. the same day you told me about the void, i was a complete mess until i pulled myself back together," he said, smiling bitterly at the memory of how he had even gone to a church. "you were scared after all..." nyx spoke, making lucas bite his lips as he looked down. he couldn''t refute his words; he had been scared. he didn''t want his family to be in danger as the world would be fighting to survive. "it''s normal to be scared, lucas. i would have been worried if you weren''t. though i am impressed at how fast you pulled yourself together. even aurora is still trying to wrap her head around it as she is currently on an errand," nyx said, reassuring lucas as he looked towards his golden eyes again. "why did you reveal all of that just now?" lucas asked curiously, wondering why nyx put on such a show in front of everyone, revealing the sudden existence of the voidwalkers. "simple. we can''t be hiding for too long anymore since we will have to start acting in the open for when the seal breaks. the best way to do that, though, is to slowly start coming to the public as we let rumors spread about our existence again and one by one reveal ourselves, making first the entire underworld recognize us as i am working with the council of nightfall, getting it under my control. then after that, we will reach out to the public on the surface, as it wouldn''t be as much of a shock when we reveal our existence since they will already suspect we are real by then." lucas nodded his head at nyx''s explanation; it made sense. it wouldn''t be smart to reveal the voidwalkers to everyone so suddenly, as it would just cause uncontrollable chaos. "the seal, what is it exactly?" "it is just a theory of mine, but myrniel''s core mana is, as i suspect, along with that of the demon world, being used to seal the void from coming to us and the demon world. how this is possible and who did it, i don''t know, but it''s breaking. when the seals break, the mana in myrniel and in the demon world will increase significantly, making everyone able to get stronger. people like you and aurora, who is also a monster just like you, will have the greatest advantage in becoming a saint as fast as possible since you are already this talented with the limited mana that is available in myrniel." hearing nyx''s lengthy explanation, lucas tried to register all of it in his mind. he didn''t expect to hear about how the mana would increase in myrniel in the future, meaning that everyone here would have the potential to become stronger. ''wait,'' he thought, narrowing his eyes as he realized that the races in the demon world would also gain as much benefit as people in myrniel. "stop thinking so much about it right now. you should focus on getting stronger instead of thinking about plans to deal with future threats you are too powerless to face currently," nyx advised, making lucas nod in agreement. "can i ask you something?" lucas said hesitantly, and nyx merely nodded. "sure, go ahead. it''s only fair that you have a lot of questions," nyx acknowledged, as last time they hadn''t been in the mood for more questions. "what stage are you in?" lucas asked. he was curious to know how strong the monster in front of him exactly was. "well, if we speak specifically, then i am mid 12-star level, almost at high 12-star level," nyx said, making lucas look at him wide-eyed. he didn''t know how to feel; he expected him to be extremely strong, but he thought he was already above the saint stage. ''just how big is the difference between an 11-star and a 12-star saint...'' he wondered. as if reading his thoughts, nyx spoke again. "as most have said already, the higher stage you are in, the greater the difference will be with each star level, especially in becoming a saint. do well to remember that." lucas nodded his head, listening to his words. he was a little disappointed since he hoped to meet someone above being a saint. "disappointed?" nyx asked with a smirk, as if reading his thoughts again. lucas merely nodded since he was. "they exist," nyx said, making lucas look at him in surprise. "people above the saint stage, they actually exist. in fact, one of the voidwalkers is above a saint." "huh," lucas exclaimed, never thinking that there would be a voidwalker stronger than nyx, perhaps his master, but he was clearly missing or dead. "the stage above saint, we call it¡ª" sea??h th§× n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "supreme." "...supreme," lucas repeated the word that rolled from his tongue. ''so that is the next stage, huh...'' "vaelith, sovereign of the black blade, representing the third seat of the voidwalkers," nyx spoke, revealing the name of who was a supreme. "he is the one you will have to catch up to, as do i. even though he is younger than me, the man is an absolute monster. i must say i have never seen anyone this skilled with the sword." he spoke only praises of the man named vaelith, making lucas even more curious about him. he really wanted to meet this guy now. he wanted to have a glimpse of it¡ªa glimpse of what is on the top. "don''t rush. take it at your own pace," nyx advised, seeing the eager eyes of lucas, making him look away and cough out of embarrassment. nyx merely chuckled at seeing his reaction. "the seats don''t represent how strong one is, only at what order one joined the voidwalkers. you being eleventh is also the latest of the sovereigns, as normally i was only planning to have ten, but you were an exception. i suppose i made another seat just for you," nyx said, as lucas listened attentively. ''so even if i become stronger, i will still be representing the eleventh seat,'' lucas thought. he didn''t mind the numbers; he was just simply curious about how all of this hierarchy in the voidwalkers worked. explore more adventures at empire "enough of these questions. now on to the part that will help you get stronger." Chapter 103 Battle Style "right, you did mention something like that," lucas nodded as he remembered the last time they met, nyx had something for him to help him get stronger.getting something from a saint who is perhaps the oldest in myrniel currently would surely benefit him. ''i wonder just how much he exactly knows and has,'' he thought, as he wondered what exactly it was that would help someone like him. an old book jumped out of the shadows beneath nyx''s feet as he grabbed it with his right hand. the thin book''s cover was pitch black, and lucas found it hard to concentrate on looking at it. "here," nyx handed it over to him under lucas''s puzzled gaze. "it''s a battle style," he elaborated, and lucas''s eyes widened. ''he knew?'' as if reading his thoughts, nyx answered calmly, leaning back on the couch with his eyes closed and crossing his arms. "i have seen your performance at the entrance exam. truly remarkable with how skilled you are with the sword and magic at the same time. but when i saw you fighting against that little moth and snake, i noticed that it was a battle style that you lacked." lucas''s lips twitched at hearing nyx''s words. ''little? they were little in his eyes?'' he started to question if perhaps old age had gotten to nyx''s brain. ''if that is little, what does he consider big?'' he shuddered at that thought. he didn''t want to think about all of this currently, so he instead kept listening to nyx, distracting his mind. "your movement with your sword is good, but it''s too basic. i can see that you have clearly mastered the basics perfectly, but that was it." lucas nodded at his words, as he knew that nyx was right. he didn''t have a battle style and didn''t know how to create one either. instead, he had focused on at least mastering the basics to make it easier for him in the future when he figures out how to make a battle style. his family wasn''t one to have a line of swordsmen; instead, everyone was a mage who had nightstar as their name, making him the first to be a swordsman in the nightstar family, or at least that is what his father had told him. he could''ve chosen another weapon like the spear or daggers like seraphina, but lucas didn''t for a simple reason¡ªswords are cool. lucas didn''t really believe his words, since his father did tell him that the nightstars actually had a battle style yet no swordsmen. it was strange to say the least, but nonetheless, lucas didn''t push it. "though i have to say i never thought i''d see the day again where a dual wielder would be able to fuse their element with their aura," nyx said, praising lucas as he stared at him, bewildered, picking up on the certain words nyx chose¡ªagain. "what do you mean by again?" lucas asked. nyx smirked at him before responding. "you don''t really think you, klaus ceviel, and seraphina darkcrest are the only dual wielders that ever lived, do you? in the void era, being a dual wielder was as common as it could get. but alas, for some reason after the void war, when everything became lost, so did the ability to dual wield. perhaps it is because of the seal making it difficult to use their mana and aura simultaneously since they don''t have enough," he said, as lucas listened attentively. "are you a dual wielder?" lucas asked, and nyx nodded, making lucas even more curious about how strong everyone was back in the void era. lucas accepted the book as nyx spoke again about it. "the book will teach you an incomplete battle style. in fact, it could barely be called a battle style, but for someone like you, it would be enough. use this to make your own battle style, lucas, something that belongs to you alone." he said, making lucas nod, albeit a little reluctantly, since he had gotten his hopes up about getting an actual battle style. ''i should be grateful that i know how to finally start, i guess,'' he thought as he put the book in his inventory. he wondered just about nyx''s shadow abilities. ''his shadow magic has a lot of spatial features.'' "by the way, can you tell me some more stuff about dragons?" lucas asked a little hopefully, since he thought that perhaps nyx might still know a little bit more about the dragons. this could help him figure out why luna slept so much and felt stronger. he was worried that it might be something that could turn out to be troublesome if he didn''t know the reason for it. sea??h th§× n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "dragons, huh..." pinching his chin as if in deep thought, nyx spoke again. "well, for starters, from what i can recall, dragons have an affinity to all four basic elements..." ''so that doesn''t apply to half-dragons, huh.'' "also, the ability to change to their human or true form." lucas nodded, as he could transform into his half-dragon form as well, though not fully... yet. suddenly, nyx looked at him with a smirk, making lucas annoyed for some reason. "oh, and they are, of course, extremely prideful, no matter how strong the opponent," he said, making lucas avert his gaze. no matter the person, lucas never backed down, even if it meant his death. he knew it was foolish, but he just couldn''t admit defeat. ''i really should keep these things in check...'' he thought before nyx continued. "right, they also get stronger by absorbing the mana in the air subconsciously, no matter what they are doing. even if it''s sleeping, they will only get stronger. truly unfair, if i may say..." hearing his last words, lucas looked at him wide-eyed. ''is that why luna feels stronger every time she sleeps?'' "your bond has been sleeping a lot while getting stronger, right?" nyx said as lucas nodded his head, since it wasn''t a secret between him and nyx about luna. "you don''t need to worry. being lazy and sleepy is a common trait for dragons, especially baby dragons, as they get stronger as well," he said, assuring him, making lucas relieved. "the same could be said for you as well." lucas looked at him, puzzled at his sudden words. "though no one can see except for a saint, you are subconsciously absorbing the mana around here in this room," he said, making lucas shocked as he didn''t ever know about that. ''only a saint... wait, does that mean that the elven king and the vice principal know?'' lucas was panicking inwardly as he knew that absorbing the mana subconsciously isn''t normal, especially for humans and most races. stay updated via empire ''why haven''t they done or said anything...'' "it won''t be long now before you become a peak 6-star level," nyx said as lucas pursed his lips, not responding to his obvious voice filled with envy. it looked like he still had a lot of things to learn about being a half-dragon. not wanting to let the tea get any colder, he picked it up and drank it all in one go, while nyx just drank at his own pace, taking sips in between. lucas wondered about the man in front of him. mysterious, mischievous, and obviously dangerous. he pitied the people that made an enemy of the sovereign of shadows. as he thought, nyx spoke again. "ah yes, i forgot, but there is someone i''d like you to meet," he said, making lucas puzzled but nodded nonetheless. as he was about to pick up his mask again to cover his face, nyx stopped him. "don''t. i''d like it if you showed your real face to him. also, don''t use your dragon''s aura." "he should be arriving here any minute now," this made lucas even more curious about just who he was about to meet and wondered how nyx contacted him. ''it''s not like he knew exactly when our conversation would stop... right?'' as he thought, the door opened as someone walked in, making lucas and nyx turn their heads towards the person he was supposed to meet. the person had his black obsidian-like hair combed back and his eyes were as red as blood itself. the man was quite handsome, lucas thought. as he entered, he didn''t dare to look up towards lucas and nyx''s faces as he stood in front of them and bowed. "i am honored to meet the great sovereigns," he said, respect filling his voice. as lucas observed the person nyx wanted to introduce to him, he couldn''t help but feel like he had seen this person before. ''why does he feel so familiar...'' "at ease, damien, you may look up," nyx said as the man called damien complied. but the moment his gaze met that of lucas, he froze, wide-eyed. ''damien... where have i heard this name before exactly?'' before lucas could finish his thought, he blinked and suddenly saw a fist mere inches from his face. "you son of a bitch!" Chapter 104 Damien Darkcrest damien darkcrestknown as the most talented student of his year. s§×ar?h the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. a champion who is ranked first in the entire second year. also the current student council president of shield. heir of the darkcrest family, one of the three great dukes. mid 6-star level spear user. if it weren''t for the current first-year students, he would have been the most talked about in the academy and outside. unfortunately, he has been overshadowed by the likes of the next hero of humanity, klaus ceviel, or the elven princess sylviette velariah, even his own little sister, seraphina darkcrest. but the one that overshadowed him the most, not just him but everyone else, no matter the person, was a single first-year student. lucas nightstar. a mere son of a viscount, yet a dual-wielder with the rare affinity to wield space, fire, and lightning magic. there has been much gossip about him rivaling, or perhaps even surpassing, the third-year students of shield. he is rumored to be as strong as a 7-star level already. a genius that appeared out of nowhere. one random day, everyone started talking about him, whispering rumors that he was the famous adventurer called the white devil. apparently, he was directly involved in a kidnapping attempt on the princess and even saved her. he had heard from his father that a war might start brewing between the elves and the dark elves. it is rumored that the dark elves are working together with the demon races. though no one really knows the exact details, perhaps his father did, but he didn''t tell him much more than that. though his own little sister got more attention than him, that never bothered him in the slightest. there was only one thing he cared for in his entire life, and that was family. family above all. those simple words made him work hard and become someone his family could be proud of. currently, he was sitting in his office at the night stalker building, working on his student council tasks he couldn''t finish at the academy. yes, damien darkcrest is a voidwalker. a secret he has kept from everyone in his family, even his little sister he adores so much. ''i hope this building doesn''t collapse...'' damien thought, recalling the events that happened earlier outside the building. the new sovereign suddenly showed up, and not just the sovereign of chaos, but even the sovereign of shadows, who he had worked for the past year since joining the academy. both standing face to face, and everyone outside was on the ground, trembling in their presence. everyone inside the building could clearly feel the presence of the sovereign of chaos. the scene would be engraved in his mind forever. the presence that the sovereign of chaos was releasing even now made him shudder as he thought about how the two sovereigns were directly above him, discussing whatever important things they were. ''just what the hell is he even... he didn''t feel like a human at all, and why the hell did the great sovereign of shadows reveal the voidwalkers to them...?'' his mind was reeling as he couldn''t concentrate on his work anymore. he, and not just him, everyone else were thinking about what happened earlier and how two sovereigns were above their heads. ''i wonder how sera is doing...'' as he thought about his cute little sister, who he wished to see but couldn''t since the entrance ceremony due to being the student council president of shield and at the same time a member of the voidwalkers. the maid who directly served the sovereign of shadows suddenly appeared in front of him, making him shocked inwardly but not showing anything on his face. ''just how strong is she...?'' "master damien, the great sovereigns have requested your presence." she said with her head bowed as she spoke to damien with respect. ''eh.'' his mind blanked at hearing the maid''s words. he had only met the sovereign of shadows twice since he had become a voidwalker. apparently, the great sovereign wanted a direct report of everything that happens in the academy from damien every six months. whenever he was in his presence, he felt like running away as he didn''t even want to meet those scary eyes of his. ''did i do something wrong...?'' his mind started spinning with endless thoughts as he knew he wasn''t getting called for the half-year report. he didn''t know what he did to exactly be summoned by the two sovereigns, but he had no choice as he calmed himself down and started walking towards the sovereign of shadows'' office. ''i am sorry, sera. your favorite person and big brother might not make it back... please forgive me.'' as he prayed to his little sister for forgiveness, he arrived in front of the sovereign''s office. cold sweat started to break out on his body as he felt his right hand trembling the moment he touched the doorknob. ''calm down... calm down, damien.'' he repeated as he finally relaxed a little, making sure nothing was wrong with him and his expressions, he entered the office. the moment he did, he made sure not to look at the two sovereigns and kept his head down, walking towards where they were. he couldn''t afford to disrespect them in the slightest, as it could cost his life. he could feel their eyes boring down on him. it felt like both of them were looking straight into his soul, making the hairs on his nape stand on end. ''calm down, calm down, calm down, calm down.'' repeating the same words, he arrived in front of them where they were seated, only looking at their feet. "i am honored to meet the great sovereigns." "at ease, damien, you may look up." hearing the words of the great sovereign of shadows, his body trembled for a second. ''can i really? they won''t behead me and put my head in a glass box as a souvenir, right?'' as he thought, he slowly looked up, trying to make his face as expressionless as possible. his gaze first landed on the sovereign of shadows, making him want to run on the spot as he looked at those bright golden eyes and the smirk on his face for some reason. every time he was in the presence of the sovereign of shadows, he felt like there was no point in hiding anything from him, as if the man could see through everything with those golden eyes. not being able to bear looking at him, he turned towards the sovereign of chaos. he was inwardly surprised as he saw that he wasn''t wearing a mask anymore; instead, he was calmly looking at him, making damien''s body tremble again. those blood-red eyes of the chaos sovereign didn''t feel like they belonged to any human or race he had ever seen. and his white snow hair... he had only seen a single person who looked as handsome as him. ''truly, he looks just like...'' his mind trailed off as he suddenly started to piece together who he was looking at. ''huh!?'' like a movie reel, the scenes of his little sister getting pinned against the wall in the entrance exam appeared in his mind. find adventures at empire the way the sovereign in front of him and his little sister talked to each other with such emotions on their faces. the beautiful, perfect smile that could kill any dormant and perhaps awakened being by merely looking. her smile was radiant, a beacon of light that could pierce through the darkest of times. it was the kind of smile that could make the coldest heart melt, and bring hope to the hopeless. it was the smile that he lived for, the smile that gave him strength and purpose. the smile that he wished to protect and made him always push through no matter how hard. it was his driving force, the reason he endured endless trials and hardships. no matter how brutal the training, how grueling the battles, or how insurmountable the odds, the thought of her smile kept him going. it was his anchor, his beacon, his unwavering motivation. he would face any challenge, overcome any obstacle, and fight any foe, all to see that smile remain untainted and bright. if it wasn''t for the other student council members stopping him, he would have tried to kill him during the entrance exam. no one dares to lay their hands on his little sister! he had seen those tears in her eyes as well when they were talking about something. yet his little sister refused to speak about what their actual relationship was. there was no way they were ''friends.'' his little sister must have been threatened by this vile person. there could be no other choice. the surroundings around him disappeared as everything turned pitch black, making him see only the sovereign of chaos in front of him. he forgot about the sovereign of shadows as anger boiled from within, clouding his mind. before he knew what he was doing, his right fist was inches away from lucas nightstar as he shouted from the top of his lungs at him. "you son of a bitch!" Chapter 105 Partners not wasting any time, lucas teleported away before the punch could hit his face.the punch probably wouldn''t have done much damage, if anything, but he didn''t want anyone to punch his face nonetheless. spinning around, he didn''t get time to breathe as a spear was suddenly inches away again. ''very well.'' deciding not to dodge this time, he unsheathed the blade of chaos from his waist and blocked the spear from impaling his face. as both weapons clashed, the sound reverberated through the room. both jumped back, taking some distance from each other, their weapons in front of them, as damien glared at him while lucas was devoid of any emotions. "insulting my mother? do you have a death wish?" the cold voice of lucas cut through the air as damien only glared at him. "and you harmed my little sister. i will kill you for that." discover more stories at empire ''little sister, huh? wait...'' lucas''s eyes widened as he realized who was in front of him. "you are damien darkcrest, aren''t you?" "good, you know my name. remember it for when i kill you." he spat as he smiled like a madman at lucas. lucas''s lips twitched as he pieced together the cause for all of this. ''damn it, i really shouldn''t have pinned her against the wall...'' "listen, this is all a misunderstanding. i only pushed her back then bec¡ª" lucas tried to reason, but damien just cut in. "i don''t need excuses! you touched my sister! and that smile she gave you..." ''this fucking siscon!'' lucas screamed inside his mind at how unreasonable the person in front of him was. ''she told me that her family is extremely overprotective of her, but seriously, this much?'' as he tried to come up with something else to convince damien, since he was seraphina''s brother and didn''t want to cause problems, damien spoke again. "you have a little sister as well, don''t you? what if i¡ª" damien didn''t get a chance to finish speaking, as in the next second, lucas disappeared from his line of sight. the room suddenly felt like it was freezing. before he could turn around, sensing lucas behind him, lucas punched him with fire engulfing his right fist as damien crashed against the hard wall, forming a web. "argh!" a groan escaped his lips as he spit out the blood that was in his mouth. it didn''t take long for damien to get himself together as the spear that was on the ground suddenly appeared back in his hand. ''a soul weapon, huh...'' lucas thought, narrowing his eyes at the spear in damien''s hands pointed towards him. both lucas and damien''s auras shot out of their bodies, making the room shake. but before anything else could happen, a clap resounded throughout the room, making both their auras disappear instantly. lucas and damien''s eyes widened as they spun towards nyx, who was watching everything with a smile and amusement in his eyes. clearly, he was enjoying the entire thing but cut in before anything worse could happen. "if the both of you continue this and harm each other, it will only hurt seraphina, whom you both care for the most." the moment he said those words, both froze in shock. ''right, he is still her brother...'' lucas thought bitterly as both glanced at each other. the sudden mention of his own little sister made him lose his cool, intending to kill damien. he was angry now. damien had not only insulted his mother but also talked about his little sister... yet he couldn''t do anything now because of him being seraphina''s brother and nyx being here. both dismissed their soul weapons as they looked at nyx. lucas glared at the sovereign of shadows as damien became pale, realizing what he had done. ''he is really enjoying this, isn''t he?'' lucas thought as he held the urge to punch nyx and that stupid smile on his face. "please forgive me, great sovereign. i let my emotions get the better of me and was extremely disrespectful in your presence." damien calmly suddenly said, making him and nyx look towards him. he was on one knee with his head down. "stand up, damien." nyx spoke as damien complied before he continued. "i am glad to see the both of you getting along so well and acting like children your age." he said, making both lucas and damien''s lips twitch. ''get along?'' "is old age finally starting to catch up to you now as well?" lucas said, narrowing his eyes at nyx, making him merely chuckle. damien looked wide-eyed at lucas and nyx in disbelief. "what are you so shocked about, damien? if you haven''t forgotten, you should know that lucas is the sovereign of chaos." "eh?" damien exclaimed in disbelief as he looked at lucas. ''what is this guy planning? why reveal my identity as a sovereign to him?'' lucas thought before damien suddenly spoke. "you are the sovereign of chaos... am i dreaming? is this a nightmare?" damien mumbled to himself, not wanting to believe what he heard. "what are you doing?" lucas asked nyx directly as he was starting to get impatient. "what am i doing? well, isn''t it obvious? i want the both of you to get to know each other." "stop playing around." "fine, fine, but i am serious. i want the both of you to get to know each other and... work together." "eh?" "huh?" nyx said, making lucas and damien look at him wide-eyed. "in other words, become partners." "why..." lucas asked as he didn''t really want to be partners with damien in the slightest since they would probably try to kill each other. "both the first and second years are about to go to sky city, which the both of you are in, and i want you both to accompany and stay together as much as you can." he said, making lucas and damien look dumbfounded at him. "why? is something going to happen?" lucas asked as he didn''t understand why they had to be together, but nyx merely smiled mysteriously and shook his head. "i won''t tell you, since it would ruin the surprise, wouldn''t it?" lucas was really starting to get annoyed at nyx but cooled himself as he knew it was pointless. "even though you are a sovereign, lucas, you still aren''t a saint, which is no problem since most of the sovereigns weren''t saints either when i took them in." nyx said, addressing lucas suddenly with a change of topic. "for what is to come, it is important that you have someone to watch your back, and both of you have the potential to fight alongside each other." nyx said as lucas understood that he was now talking about the void. ''watching each other''s backs, huh...'' lucas wasn''t familiar with someone fighting alongside him, really, since most of the time he fought alone. if nyx wanted him to work together with damien, even though he was a sovereign, it meant that damien had the potential to be a saint and perhaps even a supreme. ''well, he is stronger than seraphina, that is for sure.'' "does he know about the void?" lucas asked, without any intention of keeping it a secret in front of him. if he was going to have to trust damien and let him fight alongside him, he wanted to make sure damien knew about most of the stuff, even though he is already a voidwalker. he knew that probably only the sovereigns would know about the void. ''it would be better if he knows about the void as well.'' he was surprised that damien is a voidwalker as well, but perhaps it was for the best¡ªto have someone who knows as much as he does and is as close as possible to him. ''i will still pay him back though...'' "he doesn''t, but there is no reason to hide it from him since the both of you will work together from now on," nyx said, thinking the same as lucas before he looked at damien who was silently watching the both of them speak. "it would be best for you to sit down, damien." *********** damien was silent as he tried to grasp everything he was told by nyx. he didn''t try to deny the existence of the void or anything about the ancient races that perished. lucas even allowed himself to tell damien that he was a half-dragon. s~ea??h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. the way seraphina spoke about damien in the entrance exam made him at least know that he could trust the guy a little. even though he attacked him, it was because he loves his little sister a lot. perhaps a little too much. but lucas respected the fact that damien didn''t care that lucas was a sovereign and nyx was in the same room before he attacked. ''he is doing better than me. hell, even aurora wasn''t this calm.'' he felt annoyed at the fact that damien managed to compose himself much better than he and aurora, who is a literal saint. "well, i have said what i need to. the both of you should probably leave, since you need to depart to sky city in four hours." lucas didn''t realize how he had spent the entire night here, making him release a tired sigh before looking at damien and then at nyx again, who spoke again. "i wish the both of you good luck." Chapter 106 Crimson Eyes verniona mid-7-star level demon, tasked with the elimination of lucas nightstar directly by karciel. ''ah, i really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. as he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. one mistake. that is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "you demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" the voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "l-lord elijah..." "just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing vernion''s brain directly. "lord karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. please forgive me, lord elijah!" vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. his whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. he didn''t want to be eaten alive! he couldn''t find elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. so, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "heh, how courageous of karciel. but has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making vernion tremble even more. vampires. a race that came directly from the demon world who serve the vampire king. originally, the vampires and demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. trying to gain more territory in their world. but for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the vampire king and the demon king made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. ever since that day, the vampire king hasn''t been seen again... the vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. the vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the vampire king, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. but they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the demon king or a demon of a higher status. the vampire king is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the demon king directly. though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "please forgive me, lord elijah..." ''ah, just how strong is he really... this isn''t even his real body!'' the elijah in front of vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. he didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in myrniel. being the strongest vampire in myrniel currently, elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. just like how karciel has authority over the demons and abadux on the wraiths. though there are barely any wraiths in myrniel currently. "hmm, now what should i do..." the amusement in his voice never left, but vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. the room being devoid of any sound and light as elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to vernion. ''ah, why did i have to do all of this!'' he screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders karciel gave him. ''shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird obtelux!?'' "are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "eek!" a high-pitched sound left vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "n-no, my lord, i would never!" he tried to reason. "so you are suggesting that i am lying now?" elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. experience new tales on empire "i..." "hahahaha!" "relax, you are way too tense." elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making vernion even more scared. ''how can i relax!'' he screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "well, enough of all this. let me ask you a simple question, and i will let you off the hook only this once." "y-yes, ask me anything." vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. he could finally go back! "who did karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" he asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making vernion fear for his life all over again. he felt like the next words were going to be his last. "h-he wants to kill lucas nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his majesty." he spoke in a trembling voice as elijah merely listened in silence. ''why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''wait... am i already dead?'' unfortunately or not, the next second he heard elijah speak again. "lucas nightstar, huh..." vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. he was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. he was right. "let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" elijah said, making vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "y-yes, my lord..." besides, perhaps it was better if elijah gets involved directly with this mission. he knew that lord karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with lucas nightstar. however, if elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. they could even eliminate the other champions. ''this is another good opportunity...'' he could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left luna in. damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. both hadn''t said a word to each other. lucas understood that damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. he wasn''t in the mood to talk with damien either, especially after their fight. he was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. he was a petty person. but perhaps it was better that damien, seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. it helped him feel better, at the very least. "perhaps i should join the student council..." he didn''t know how much time they had left, as nyx never specified when the seal would break. he wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since nyx had chosen damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. he wondered what was going to happen in sky city that nyx knew of. "why does he always have to be so mysterious..." arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. he planned to pick luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. he wasn''t going to bring her to sky city, unsure of how dangerous it might be. it would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. there were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to sky city. "i really want to go back to sleep again..." as he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. he stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. the man was looking at luna with a gentle expression, ignoring lucas. he might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. but lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "grandfather..." ''why is he here, and wait, how did he even know i was going to be here?'' lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. hearing lucas''s voice, magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making lucas break out in a cold sweat. "did something happen?" lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''did something happen to mom, dad, or perhaps lena?'' he wondered if another attack had occurred. why else would magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "yes, something did happen," magnus replied, causing lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. until he heard magnus''s next words. "tell me, lucas... what do you know about the voidwalkers?" "eh?" lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing magnus''s words. ''voidwalkers? why would he suddenly start asking about...'' the annoying grin on nyx''s face appeared in his mind, making him grit his teeth in anger. "that bastard!" [an: go check out my new novel that i am writing path of the extra] s§×arch* the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 107 ERROR CHAPTER verniona mid-7-star level demon, tasked with the elimination of lucas nightstar directly by karciel. ''ah, i really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. as he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. one mistake. that is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "you demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" the voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "l-lord elijah..." "just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing vernion''s brain directly. "lord karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. please forgive me, lord elijah!" vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. his whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. he didn''t want to be eaten alive! he couldn''t find elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. so, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "heh, how courageous of karciel. but has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making vernion tremble even more. vampires. a race that came directly from the demon world who serve the vampire king. originally, the vampires and demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. trying to gain more territory in their world. but for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the vampire king and the demon king made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. ever since that day, the vampire king hasn''t been seen again... the vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. the vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the vampire king, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. but they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the demon king or a demon of a higher status. the vampire king is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the demon king directly. though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "please forgive me, lord elijah..." ''ah, just how strong is he really... this isn''t even his real body!'' the elijah in front of vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. he didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in myrniel. being the strongest vampire in myrniel currently, elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. just like how karciel has authority over the demons and abadux on the wraiths. though there are barely any wraiths in myrniel currently. "hmm, now what should i do..." the amusement in his voice never left, but vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. the room being devoid of any sound and light as elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to vernion. ''ah, why did i have to do all of this!'' he screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders karciel gave him. ''shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird obtelux!?'' "are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "eek!" a high-pitched sound left vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "n-no, my lord, i would never!" he tried to reason. "so you are suggesting that i am lying now?" elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "i..." "hahahaha!" "relax, you are way too tense." elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making vernion even more scared. ''how can i relax!'' he screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "well, enough of all this. let me ask you a simple question, and i will let you off the hook only this once." "y-yes, ask me anything." vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. he could finally go back! "who did karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" he asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making vernion fear for his life all over again. he felt like the next words were going to be his last. "h-he wants to kill lucas nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his majesty." he spoke in a trembling voice as elijah merely listened in silence. ''why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''wait... am i already dead?'' unfortunately or not, the next second he heard elijah speak again. sear?h the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "lucas nightstar, huh..." vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. he was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. he was right. "let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" elijah said, making vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "y-yes, my lord..." besides, perhaps it was better if elijah gets involved directly with this mission. he knew that lord karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with lucas nightstar. however, if elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. they could even eliminate the other champions. ''this is another good opportunity...'' he could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left luna in. damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. both hadn''t said a word to each other. lucas understood that damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. he wasn''t in the mood to talk with damien either, especially after their fight. he was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. he was a petty person. but perhaps it was better that damien, seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. it helped him feel better, at the very least. "perhaps i should join the student council..." he didn''t know how much time they had left, as nyx never specified when the seal would break. he wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since nyx had chosen damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. he wondered what was going to happen in sky city that nyx knew of. "why does he always have to be so mysterious..." arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. he planned to pick luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. he wasn''t going to bring her to sky city, unsure of how dangerous it might be. it would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. explore more at empire there were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to sky city. "i really want to go back to sleep again..." as he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. he stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. the man was looking at luna with a gentle expression, ignoring lucas. he might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. but lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "grandfather..." ''why is he here, and wait, how did he even know i was going to be here?'' lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. hearing lucas''s voice, magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making lucas break out in a cold sweat. "did something happen?" lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''did something happen to mom, dad, or perhaps lena?'' he wondered if another attack had occurred. why else would magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "yes, something did happen," magnus replied, causing lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. until he heard magnus''s next words. "tell me, lucas... what do you know about the voidwalkers?" "eh?" lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing magnus''s words. ''voidwalkers? why would he suddenly start asking about...'' the annoying grin on nyx''s face appeared in his mind, making him grit his teeth in anger. "that bastard!" Chapter 108 Hiatus + announcement (check discord) hello readers!i just wanted to give a heads up that my novel "rise of the white devil" will be going on hiatus for a while. this is only a hiatus; it does not mean that i will be dropping the novel anytime soon. i have been finding it a little difficult to continue writing the novel, but i will definitely continue it again in the near future, so don''t worry. i understand that those who bought premium chapters might hate me or get angry about this, and i am truly sorry for that. i will try my best to make up for it somehow when i continue my book again. i hope you will forgive me. please do not buy the chapters that will be published today and until the end of next month. (a man''s gotta get food somehow...) i will make sure to edit them all when i am back to writing for this novel. anyways, i have decided in the meantime to write another novel, which i will be putting as much effort into as i have in "rise of the white devil" and will continue writing chapters for both novels in the future. i will be announcing my new novel later on discord today! *********************** vernion a mid-7-star level demon, tasked with the elimination of lucas nightstar directly by karciel. ''ah, i really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. as he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. one mistake. that is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "you demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" the voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "l-lord elijah..." "just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing vernion''s brain directly. "lord karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. please forgive me, lord elijah!" vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. his whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. he didn''t want to be eaten alive! he couldn''t find elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. so, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "heh, how courageous of karciel. but has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making vernion tremble even more. vampires. a race that came directly from the demon world who serve the vampire king. originally, the vampires and demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. explore more at empire trying to gain more territory in their world. but for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the vampire king and the demon king made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. ever since that day, the vampire king hasn''t been seen again... the vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. the vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the vampire king, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. but they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the demon king or a demon of a higher status. the vampire king is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the demon king directly. though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "please forgive me, lord elijah..." ''ah, just how strong is he really... this isn''t even his real body!'' the elijah in front of vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. he didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in myrniel. being the strongest vampire in myrniel currently, elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. just like how karciel has authority over the demons and abadux on the wraiths. though there are barely any wraiths in myrniel currently. "hmm, now what should i do..." the amusement in his voice never left, but vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. the room being devoid of any sound and light as elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to vernion. ''ah, why did i have to do all of this!'' he screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders karciel gave him. ''shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird obtelux!?'' "are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "eek!" a high-pitched sound left vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "n-no, my lord, i would never!" he tried to reason. "so you are suggesting that i am lying now?" elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "i..." "hahahaha!" "relax, you are way too tense." elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making vernion even more scared. ''how can i relax!'' he screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "well, enough of all this. let me ask you a simple question, and i will let you off the hook only this once." "y-yes, ask me anything." vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. he could finally go back! "who did karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" he asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making vernion fear for his life all over again. he felt like the next words were going to be his last. "h-he wants to kill lucas nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his majesty." he spoke in a trembling voice as elijah merely listened in silence. ''why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''wait... am i already dead?'' unfortunately or not, the next second he heard elijah speak again. "lucas nightstar, huh..." vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. he was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. he was right. "let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" elijah said, making vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "y-yes, my lord..." besides, perhaps it was better if elijah gets involved directly with this mission. he knew that lord karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with lucas nightstar. however, if elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. they could even eliminate the other champions. ''this is another good opportunity...'' he could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left luna in. damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. both hadn''t said a word to each other. s~ea??h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. lucas understood that damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. he wasn''t in the mood to talk with damien either, especially after their fight. he was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. he was a petty person. but perhaps it was better that damien, seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. it helped him feel better, at the very least. "perhaps i should join the student council..." he didn''t know how much time they had left, as nyx never specified when the seal would break. he wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since nyx had chosen damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. he wondered what was going to happen in sky city that nyx knew of. "why does he always have to be so mysterious..." arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. he planned to pick luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. he wasn''t going to bring her to sky city, unsure of how dangerous it might be. it would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. there were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to sky city. "i really want to go back to sleep again..." as he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. he stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. Chapter 109 (Do not read yet) VernionA mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. Enjoy new adventures from empire He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 110 (do not read yet) A mid-7-star level demon,Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. Your next journey awaits at empire He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 111 (Do not read yet) Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel.''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' Find adventures at empire The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 112 (do not read yet) VernionA mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 113 (do not read yet) VernionA mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 114 (do not read yet) VernionA mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 115 (Do not read yet) VernionA mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 116 (do not read yet) VernionA mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 117 (do not read yet) VernionA mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 1 - 1: A new life "Ugh, my head hurts," a voice echoed in a luxurious room, emanating from a young human child with white hair and red eyes reclined on his king-sized bed. "What happened... last I remember was leaving the dorm room and going to the grocery store since I was out of food... then I saw a truck that was about to hit me when I crossed the road... Ugh, my head!" Suddenly, an influx of memories flooded the mind of the young boy¡ªmemories that weren''t his own but were at the same time-. The boy bolted upright in bed, eyes wide with shock after the sudden surge of memories. "No way... I died and got reincarnated! Hahaha! This is amazing! After all, my previous life was nothing but pain¡ªI was an orphan since birth and got bullied in middle school and college! There was no one who would miss me now that I''ve died especially after everything I have done." He said to himself for who knows what reason... Although transmigration might be a more fitting term for some, in this case, it wasn''t the scenario. Looking through his memories, whenever he went to sleep, he experienced dreams of a previous life¡ªa life where he was alone. It seemed that those memories were blocked by some sort of barrier, but had finally awakened ''Maybe I awakened my memories now because I wouldn''t have been able to handle it before?'' "This world certainly is interesting," he said in his cute, childish voice, recalling the information about his current world. The world he now lived in was called Myrniel, and his name was Lucas Nightstar, the noble son of Alexander Nightstar and Violet Nightstar. His father held the title of viscount, yet the Nightstar family was respected by the royal family due to its history of aiding them in the past. For some unknown reason, both his father and his grandfather had always declined promotions to higher ranks such as count or marquess. Myrniel was currently at war against an invasive race called the Demons, and various other races also inhabited the world. However, the most dominant races were Humans, Elves, and Dwarves. In this world, strength reigns supreme, and those who seek it embark on the path of becoming either a mage or a swordsman. Magicians and swordsmen are categorized into different star levels, ranging from 0 to 12: 0 stars (Dormant) 1 to 3 stars (Awakened) 4 to 7 stars (Master) 8 to 10 stars (Grandmaster) 11 to 12 stars (Saint) Rumors whisper of levels beyond 12 stars, but no one known has ever ascended to the 13th star level. At the age of 12 in this world, individuals typically awaken as either magicians or swordsmen, each displaying varying levels of aptitude. Throughout the years, numerous methods have been developed to measure a person''s affinity for a particular element or property. These assessments unveil the unique talents possessed by each individual, predicting their potential future levels of mastery. 1st pov: sigh- "Well, that was a lot of information to absorb all at once. But in the end, none of it really matters. This is my second chance, and I won''t squander it. I can sense that I''ve not only inherited Lucas''s memories but also his emotions and abilities. Well, they are actually my memories and feelings; I just wasn''t aware of them. Speaking of abilities, they never got to properly test Lucas¡ªno, I mean, my affinity. The affinity orbs that show one''s affinity always seemed to explode, and because of that, many started thinking that perhaps I didn''t have an affinity, and I became depressed." ''hmm'' In this world, everyone possesses a status screen, a private interface that reveals personalized information visible only to the individual. Activating it requires nothing more than a mere thought, allowing one to access their data instantaneously ''status'' ------------------------------------ Status Screen: [Name]: Lucas Nightstar [Age]: 12 [Gender]: Male [Race:] Human [Rank]: low 1-star level (Awakened) [Affinities]: - Fire - Lightning - Space - Chaos (Progenitor) [Special Talent]: Dual Wielder [Physique]: None [BloodLine]: Unawakened [Title]: None [Skills]: None ------------------------------------ S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Special Talent: [Dual Wielder]: Possesses the ability to wield both aura and mana simultaneously. ------------------------------------ "...." "...." "WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?! OF COURSE THE ORB EXPLODED; IT COULDN''T HANDLE MEASURING MY AFFINITY TO BEGIN WITH!" I practically scream in frustration. "T-this... How am I so talented? What the heck! And what is this Chaos element? And as a progenitor? Am I the first to have this element? The orb must have exploded because of the Chaos element, then? And damn, even the Space element? Space is extremely rare to have, and I have it." ''Why wasn''t all of this shown on my status before my memories returned?'' "Let''s not even start with Lightning and fire, but what is this special talent? I don''t recall anyone ever talking about having a special talent. So, I can be both a swordsman and a mage at the same time since I can use both mana and aura? Isn''t that like overkill?" As my mind was being blown by my own awesomeness, I heard a knock at the door. Knock, knock. "Young master, are you awake?" came the gentle and sweet voice of a mature woman from the other side. Chapter 2 - 2: Emotions Lucielle''s POV: Sigh. "I''m worried about the young master. He''s barely left his room since the testing of his affinity... I don''t understand. Is the young master truly someone who doesn''t possess any affinity? If so, why did the orb explode instead of remaining unchanged? It doesn''t make sense. Well, it doesn''t matter for now. I need to find a way to cheer him up somehow, or else Madame and the Master will become even more worried than they already are." Knock, knock I gently tapped on the young master''s door and asked if he was awake. I always did that, knowing he was probably still asleep, especially now that he''s depressed. He definitely wouldn''t be awake¡ªor so I thought¡ªuntil I heard the voice of the young master from inside his room. "Yes, I''m awake. Come in, Lucielle." That voice... It was the young master''s, but it wasn''t the depressed tone he''d had for the last two months. Instead, it was filled with warmth, care, and a hint of nervousness. Why was he nervous? I wondered as I opened the door and saw the young master standing before me with a gentle and innocent expression. "Ah..." I gasped involuntarily at that expression. How long had it been since I''d seen him wear such a happy and innocent face? Lucas'' POV: "Young master, are you alright?" Lucielle asked me as I stood before her. I tilted my head, a cute gesture that I couldn''t resist. "Yeah, of course! Why, is something wrong, Lucielle?" I asked innocently. "N-no, forgive me, young master. I''m just not used to seeing you up this early," Lucielle said. "Ah! Well, yeah, I had a nightmare, you see, and got a headache, so I woke up earlier than usual," I said, hoping to convince her and ease her worries. But it immediately backfired. "Are you alright, young master? Should I call a doctor, perhaps? Or the Master and Madame?" Her tone was extremely gentle and filled with worry. Hearing her tone and seeing her expression, I couldn''t help but let out a gasp. "Ah..." I see, so this is how it feels... to have someone who loves and cares for you... Since my memories returned, it looks like my feelings from my past life did as well. My eyes became a little blurry for some reason. "I see... this isn''t a bad feeling, I suppose..." "Young master, what happened? Why are you crying?" she said while crouching down to meet my gaze. "Huh, crying?" I didn''t realize it, but tears were streaming down my cheeks, and in the end, I started crying. Seeing my state, Lucielle embraced me and pressed my head against her chest. "It will be alright, young master. Everything will be alright," she said in a gentle, caring tone. Hearing her, I couldn''t help but embrace her back and release all the frustration from my previous life. And so, I cried for the first time since I can remember from my previous life, gaining my memories in this life. ******* I finally managed to pull myself together, though my face couldn''t help but turn red with embarrassment. ''Aaah! I want to bury myself in a hole and never come out! Why did I cry like that?'' I lamented inwardly. Seeing my state, Lucielle couldn''t help but comment, further igniting my embarrassment. "Fufu, young master really is cute¡ª" "S-shut up, okay!? Forget about what happened just now," I interrupted, flustered. "Eeh, that''s impossible, young master. This will be ingrained in my mind forever," Lucielle teased. "U-ugh, stop teasing me, Lucielle." "Hehehe." As we bickered, I noticed the face of another woman suddenly appearing at the door. I could see many emotions flickering through her eyes; she must have been there since the moment I was crying. "M-mother," I stammered nervously upon seeing her. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yes, that woman was my mother, with her beautiful, mature face and piercing blue eyes, like the sea itself. She looked at me with such a loving gaze that I couldn''t help but avert my eyes. "How are you doing, dear?" she asked in a gentle, motherly tone that I wasn''t familiar with yet felt comforting at the same time. "I-I am fine now, Mother," I managed to squeeze out, my throat feeling dry and as if I were about to cry again. Why? Why did I feel like crying again? I bit down on my tongue to prevent it from happening. Noticing my state, my mother was suddenly in front of me, crouching down to my level and gently stroking my hair. I couldn''t help but close my eyes at how nice it felt... It was comforting, and without me noticing, I didn''t feel like crying anymore. "Since you''re already up this early, do you want to have breakfast with us, dear? Your father will be there as well," she asked while lovingly stroking my hair. Hearing her question, I snapped out of my daze and responded, "A-ah, yes, sure. I am starting to feel hungry, I guess." And just like that, I started preparing myself for my first breakfast with my parents since regaining my memories, while my mother returned to my father, where both would be waiting for me. Chapter 3 - 3: No lies In a luxurious hall, three people could be seen indulging in food that most lower-class individuals could only dream of, even gazing upon the food. A red-haired man with piercing eyes sat at the head of the table, exuding a cold expression and intimidating presence¡ªhe was Lucas''s father, Alexander Nightstar. Seated on his right side was his wife, Violet Nightstar, while Lucas himself dined on his left. ''Ugh, this is awkward. I''ve never really had a proper conversation with my father since the affinity test. I avoided him out of fear... Hell, this is the first time we''re eating together since that day. Did Mother tell him about me crying? Probably,'' Lucas thought to himself. Honestly, Lucas didn''t know what to do in this situation. It was way too awkward for him, especially since his memories returned. It seemed like his social skills also regressed. ''We didn''t even greet each other; we just nodded...'' Cough, cough "Father, can I have access to the library?" Lucas asked, hoping to dispel the awkward atmosphere. Intrigued by his question, his father asked in his usual cold voice, "Library? Is there a reason for it, my son?" Though he sounded cold, Lucas''s father was a caring father and loving husband who always put his family first in every situation. ''Now, should I lie to them or just tell them the truth? Hmm... Forget it; they''re my family. I don''t want any misunderstandings to happen. I want to make them proud instead,'' Lucas resolved. "Yes, I think I finally found the reason why the orb couldn''t measure my affinity, Father," Lucas said confidently. "What!?" his mother exclaimed in surprise. No wonder, since she had been extremely worried about him not having an affinity. His father raised his eyebrows in surprise at hearing how confident Lucas sounded¡ªsomething he hadn''t heard from his son before. "And what could the reason be, if you don''t mind me asking, son?" his father inquired. ''Okay, no lies,'' Lucas thought, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before meeting his father''s gaze head-on with a determined look¡ªan expression that surprised his father, who had never seen his son give such a look before. "The reason was because the orb couldn''t handle measuring my affinity. I am a progenitor of an element called Chaos, and because of that, it must have destroyed the orb," Lucas said confidently. "Progenitor of Chaos?" his father asked in surprise, while his mother looked on with extreme joy but equal worry. The element Chaos sounded ominous, and nothing was really known about it¡ªand the unknown was something that everyone feared. "Yes, that''s why I want access to the library¡ªto learn more information about Chaos," Lucas explained. "Hmm, I understand, my son," his father said, a smile etching onto his face, happy about his son and how he had matured. "Thank you, Father," Lucas said happily, though he knew he wasn''t done yet. "Father, do you know anything about a person having a special talent?" Frowning upon hearing this question, his father asked, "Do you mean like a special trait that a race would have?" "No, I mean something an individual would have," Lucas clarified. "No, there aren''t any records. And if there were, I doubt someone would be stupid enough to reveal a special talent of theirs," his father replied. ''Makes sense,'' Lucas thought. "Why would you ask something like that, dear?" his mother inquired, sounding worried. "Well..." Lucas decided to tell them everything about what he saw on his status, including his other elements and the special talent he possessed. It was pretty funny since the expressions they made were priceless. Lucas barely held back laughter after seeing how dumbfounded they were. After listening, the first one to snap out of their daze was his father. Sigh "I see..." After thinking for a while, his father turned to meet Lucas''s eyes. His gaze was that of a predator, and his smile turned sadistic. "Heh, to think my son would be so talented..." Gulp "I-it''s not that impressive, if I''m honest, Father..." Lucas said, a little afraid after seeing his father''s expression. "Very well, you can have access to the library. I will also provide you with a training schedule from now on. You will wake up early in the morning at 7 a.m. and head to the training grounds. I will have William be your personal instructor from now on," his father declared. ''Shit, this battle maniac,'' Lucas thought to himself. Lucas had always been lazy in his previous life, and some old habits are hard to lose, so it would be natural for him to be reluctant. But he could understand his father''s reasoning. Understanding didn''t mean he wanted to do it, though. "F-father, wouldn''t Sir William be busy with the knights?" Lucas asked, hoping to get out of this situation. "Nonsense. It''s relatively peaceful these days in our territory, so William has a lot of free time. Besides, after he learns about you, I''m sure he wouldn''t want to do anything else but train you, my son," his father said with a sadistic grin. ''Fuck, these two are battle maniacs,'' Lucas thought. Sir William Rashford was the head knight and leader of the Order of the Falling Stars. The Order of the Falling Stars was composed of elite soldiers under Lucas''s father and the House of Nightstar. Sir William was a middle-aged man with white hair, blue eyes, and a small white beard. But by no means was he someone to be underestimated, as he was a low 10-star level swordsman. ''Yeah, I''m screwed,'' Lucas thought. Sigh. "Fine, I''ll do it. Thank you, Father," Lucas said reluctantly. "Fufu," it seemed like his mother was enjoying his torment. "It''s important to make you as strong as possible, son, since you will be attending Shield at the age of 15," his father said. Shield was the academy in the capital of the human domain, the most elite academy meant to produce the strongest of magicians and swordsmen. To enter Shield, you had to pass an entrance exam first, which was extremely difficult. But it looked like his father believed that Lucas could easily make it, which was 100% true. "Ugh, fine, I understand, Father," Lucas said. After that, they decided to have some small talk, which was enjoyable for the three of them since it had been a while since they could talk together as a family. Afterward, Lucas decided to head to the library accompanied by Lucielle. She really was overprotective of him. ''Alright, let''s hope I can find something about this Chaos element,'' Lucas thought as he walked to the library. ******* S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "He has matured," his father remarked after Lucas headed to the library. "He has, but I am worried, though," his mother said with concern, fearing that her son might be hiding something since the change seemed too abrupt, especially considering his earlier tears. "Don''t worry, my dear. Those eyes of his seemed determined and brimmed with confidence. I''m sure he knows what he''s doing and has finally found the path he wants to walk," his father reassured her, trusting their son without any hesitation. His mother, looking at his father, couldn''t help but smile. "Yeah, you''re right, darling. Perhaps I''m being a little too overprotective, like Lucielle." "Haha, no worries. We should just support Lucas and his choices from now on and help when he needs us. After all, that''s what parents are for," his father said with pride, recalling his conversation with Lucas earlier. "Fufu, very well. But I am worried. I can see that he hasn''t shed that lazy attitude of his," his mother admitted with a bitter smile. "Haha, at least he accepted and it looks like he won''t cut corners," his father said happily. "That is right, I suppose," his mother said with a bitter smile. ''I wonder, my son, how strong you will become,'' his father thought with a predatory smile, contemplating his son''s future. Smack. "Dear, go easy on Lucas, okay?" his mother said with a smile, yet her eyes were extremely cold. Gulp. "Of course, I would. He is my son. I wouldn''t push him that hard. Haha," he replied nervously. Yes, the Great Alexander Nightstar was easily tamed by his wife, something that would shock thousands of people if they were to learn about it. Chapter 4 - 4: Progenitor of Chaos "Young master, I''ll be waiting outside the library. Please call me if you need any assistance," Lucielle said. "Thank you, Lucielle. I''ll let you know," Lucas replied as he entered the library. The library was vast, with countless books that would take decades to read. Lucas decided to start with the section on elements, hoping to find anything about Chaos. ****** "Damn, my eyes hurt from all that reading... I still can''t find anything about the Chaos element. There has to be something; there''s no way I''m the only one throughout history to have this element," Lucas muttered to himself. While pondering his dilemma, he noticed an old, ancient book emitting a faint red glow on one of the shelves. "Seriously? Yeah, I''ve read enough novels in my previous life to know what this is... how cliche," Lucas said with exaggerated excitement as he approached the glowing book. Picking up the ancient tome, Lucas felt its age and mystery. It seemed untouched for thousands of years. As he sat down with the book, mysterious red and black energy enveloped him, inducing a chaotic sensation. "What''s happening!?" Lucas exclaimed in panic as his vision blurred, and he lost consciousness. *** "Ugh, what happened?" Lucas groaned as he slowly regained consciousness. Opening his eyes, he found himself lying on a wooden floor. He realized he wasn''t in the library anymore; he was likely inside the book. Surprisingly, he felt calm rather than panicked. As he stood up, he noticed he was in a beautiful forest, illuminated by a crimson moon. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Beautiful," Lucas remarked softly, gazing at the striking red moon surrounded by countless stars. "Hahaha, indeed, it is quite beautiful," a voice chuckled from behind him. Turning around, Lucas saw a middle-aged man with long black hair and blood-red eyes. His presence was overwhelming, exuding an aura of chaos and power. "Who are you?" Lucas inquired, curious yet composed. The man approached him, standing beside him as they both admired the crimson moon. "I am the first progenitor of Chaos," the man answered, his gaze fixed on the celestial spectacle. "The first? Does that mean there were others after you?" Lucas asked, intrigued. "No, you are the second¡ªthe only one who inherited the Chaos element after me," the man clarified. "I see... where are we, by the way?" Lucas inquired further. "We are inside the Book of Chaos. Only those who can wield Chaos can see and touch it. I am but a fragment of my soul, left here by my original self for the next progenitor of Chaos," the man explained. "I see...what do you want to tell me?" Lucas asked calmly. "The Chaos element you possess is one of the most powerful. It embodies both positive and negative energies. I won''t delve into its details; you must forge your own path with Chaos and decide its use," the man advised. "Be cautious, though. Chaos can be highly destructive, potentially harming your loved ones if you lose control. That''s why I''ll offer some guidance before sending you on your way," the man added solemnly. "Why help me?" Lucas inquired. "Because I don''t wish to see the only Chaos user perish due to recklessness," the man responded. "I understand," Lucas acknowledged. The man then pointed his finger at his head and infused Lucas with a surge of chaotic energy of red and black, causing intense pain. "A-argh!" Lucas cried out in pain. His body was boiling from the inside. it hurt a lot. "it hurts, a-argh! fuck! w-what is happening!" Lucas cried out as blood was coming out of eyes. As chaotic energy erupted from Lucas''s body, devastation followed in its wake. Trees were uprooted, animals dead, and the once serene forest turned into a scene of destruction. Gasping for air, Lucas lay on the scorched ground. "If you had attempted to awaken your Chaos element in the real world, it would have unleashed destruction upon everything in its path," the man explained solemnly. "Do you understand now the danger of wielding chaos if you aren''t careful?" he asked. "Y-yes, I understand," Lucas replied, still struggling to catch his breath. "No worries. Now, you can wield it as you wish without something like that happening again, well, unless you do it on purpose. But at your current level, that''s impossible," he said. "T-thank you," he added, his gratitude evident while gasping for air despite the pain he endured. With reassurance from the man, Lucas felt a sense of relief. Though the ordeal was excruciating, he now possessed a deeper understanding of his power. "I will send you back now. It was nice to meet you, Lucas Nightstar. I hope that you will live a good life," the man said, his voice fading as Lucas''s consciousness began to slip away. "Y-yeah thanks" Lucas managed to squeeze out before his vision started to blur and he finally lost consciousness (AN: It was a short chapter; I apologize for that. I''ll strive to write longer chapters in the future. For those who are confused, Lucas''s Chaos element needed to be awakened since he had no control over it and didn''t know how to use it. But now, he finally understands how to use Chaos. The next chapters will be him finally focusing at getting stronger.) Chapter 5 - 5: Training "U-ugh, looks like I am back," a young voice echoed through the library. "Looks like the book is gone." ''How long was I gone?'' As Lucas pondered the strange event that had just occurred, he heard footsteps approaching him. "Young master, it is already late, and you have missed dinner as well. I think you should stop for today," Lucielle said as she approached him. "Ah, yes, no need, Lucielle. I finally found everything I needed." Lucielle''s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and she asked in a bewildered tone, "Really, young master? Did you already solve your problem with that Chaos element?" "Yeah, look, Lucielle," Lucas said, raising his right hand. Lucas began channeling the mana he felt in his body and guided it towards his right hand. Suddenly, his hand was enveloped in a flame-like energy that was red and black. "W-what, young master! Stop, please!" Lucielle exclaimed in panic and bewilderment, concerned that Lucas might harm himself since he hadn''t practiced mana. It was normal for her to react that way, but Lucas felt like he could do it. Suddenly, the energy dissipated. "Hehe, see, I already have control over it, Lucielle," Lucas said in a smug tone while looking at the bewildered Lucielle. "A-ah, yes, I see, young master... But please, for your safety, don''t practice any magic until you have someone to supervise you," Lucielle said in a worried but firm tone that allowed for no refusal. "Ah, yes, sorry, Lucielle. I was just excited," Lucas apologized. "It''s fine, young master. Now, let''s go back to your room; it is already late at night." "Yes, let''s go." ********** In an open field, a young boy with white hair and red eyes could be seen running laps, while a middle-aged man with white hair and blue eyes watched him from a distance. "Young master, for a swordsman, it is important to have a good physique since we move a lot and fight in close-range battles. We must have a strong body," William advised as Lucas continued his laps, gasping for breath. "I-I know, why else am I running around while I am on the verge of death, dammit!" Lucas retorted between breaths. "Haha, you are funny, young master," William chuckled, amused by Lucas''s response. After a while, Lucas finally stopped and lay down on the ground to catch his breath after finishing 50 laps. "I-I am tired," Lucas muttered in a fatigued tone. "Good job, young master," William praised, pleased that Lucas had completed the laps without stopping. "Now, I want you to do 1000 push-ups, 1000 squats, and 1000 sit-ups," William instructed in a friendly tone. Lucas just looked him dead in the eye, swearing in his heart that he would have his revenge against this battle maniac. *** Meanwhile, a red-haired man with a commanding presence approached William, who was watching Lucas train. "659,660,661,662,663,664,665,666" The boy counted while doing his sit-ups, sweat could be seen over his whole body and even on the ground as he was fully focused at completing his sit-ups after doing 1000 push-ups and squats. "So, how is my son doing?" Lucas''s father inquired, observing his determined son. "He is doing amazing, my lord. He doesn''t stop even once until he finishes each task. He is very determined," William replied proudly, watching Lucas complete his sit-ups with focus. "That is good. Keep building up his body until the end of the week. After that, train him in the sword, and I will have Lucielle train him in magic," Lucas''s father decided. Lucielle, a peak 8-star level mage, would be the perfect teacher for Lucas, as she knew him almost as well as his own parents. "My lord, I can''t help but ask, wouldn''t this be too much for the young master? If he starts learning both magic and the sword, wouldn''t that be too much of a burden for him?" William voiced his concern. "Haha, it might be, or it might not. That depends on my son and how much effort he is willing to put into becoming the strongest, don''t you think, William?" Lucas''s father replied with amusement. "I don''t think the young master really cares about becoming the strongest, but the path he has taken will obviously lead him there if he continues training with the same determination he is showing now," William remarked, gazing at Lucas with admiration. "I agree," Lucas''s father nodded in acknowledgment. ****** A week passed by quickly, and now William stood before Lucas, ready to teach him about sword intent. "Young master, what I am about to show you is sword intent. I have mastered my sword intent to the highest degree, to the point where I don''t even need a sword anymore," William explained to Lucas, who watched him intently. With a serious expression, Lucas nodded inwardly, signaling his readiness to learn. Golden aura began emanating from William''s right arm, coalescing into a double-edged sword made of golden energy. "This is what most can do when they become an 8-star level swordmaster, young master. It is called sword intent," William elucidated. "Those at the 4-star level can use their aura to envelop their sword, enhancing its damage and allowing for cleaner cuts. This is called sword aura," William continued his explanation. "At your level currently, you need to learn how to release your aura. When your aura is released, you can make it envelop your body, providing increased durability and strength in combat, in other words this is called aura release." William added. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The same applies to mages who use mana to shield their bodies, providing protection against physical attacks and spells," he explained further. "Then what about me? Can''t I use both mana and aura to envelop my body?" Lucas inquired. William''s expression hardened momentarily before he responded, "Young master, have you been neglecting your studies? You know that mana and aura repel each other, so you can''t mix them, even if you use both simultaneously." "Oh, yeah, I knew that. I was just asking if you knew as well," Lucas replied, feigning ignorance. "Right... Now, young master, please sit cross-legged and close your eyes. We are going to try to release the aura stored inside your body," William instructed. Lucas''s POV "Now, try to feel all the pores around your body. They are your keypoints. Focus on opening them while at the same time feeling the aura inside your body and spreading it out, releasing it through the pores," William instructed me, and I followed his guidance diligently. It was challenging, but eventually, I managed to locate all my keypoints. However, I encountered a problem¡ªI couldn''t release my aura. It felt as though there was a barrier or door preventing my aura from flowing out. As I continued to push my aura out, my body began to sweat profusely. Concerned, William observed my condition closely. Deciding to take a risk, I persisted in pushing my aura against the barrier blocking its release. After a while, cracks started to form in the barrier, indicating that it was about to break. "Young master, please be careful. It''s alright if you fail¡ª" William''s words were cut off as he froze in place, his eyes widening in shock. And then, with a resounding boom, I felt the barrier shatter, and a surge of red aura enveloped my body, matching the color of my eyes. "So, this is what aura release feels like? It''s exhilarating! I feel so powerful right now," I exclaimed with excitement, but when I looked at William, he was staring at me as if I were some kind of monster. "William?" I tilted my head in confusion, unsure of why he was reacting this way. Chapter 6 - 6: History of Myrniel Two weeks have passed since Lucas managed to learn aura release. After that, he started sparring with William in the morning, and in the evening, Lucielle would teach him how to use and control mana, helping him master his elements. William could be seen in a luxurious hall walking towards somewhere. Sigh. ''The young master... He is a monster. Every time we spar, he gets better and improves without making the same mistake ever again. And I have heard from Lucielle that his lessons in learning mana and the elements are just as monstrous as his sword training...'' ''I knew he was talented since my lord talked about him and his special talent and elements. I had never seen my lord so happy and excited, which I understood; we both loved to fight someone strong. And if my lord was right, then he would become one of the strongest in the future... But I was wrong. He wouldn''t become one of the strongest... He would become THE strongest in the future. It took me a whole week to learn aura release through constant practice, and my lord, who was considered back in his time, learned it in three days. Yet... he did it on the first try. Fucking first try! Who does that? And after we started sparring, his progress just scared me! He isn''t a monster; that is an insult to monsters! He is an anomaly! Something that shouldn''t exist!'' ''Well, at least I can rest today a little since the knights are doing well on their own, and the young master is forced to take some rest. It isn''t good to constantly push yourself in training since rest is equally important. Madame and my lord are worried about his mental state a lot and forced him to go outside today with Lucielle... I have a bad feeling about this...'' ****** As a viscount, Alexander Nightstar has a lot of responsibilities, one of which is managing the city they are in charge of, called Moon City. Moon City is located outside of the capital but is an important city due to its abundant resources for mining. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The capital of Myrniel is named Zaphyr, where Shield Academy resides, and Lucas, at the age of 15, will have to attend for the next three years. Even though we have statuses like Duke, Marquess, and Counts, that doesn''t mean they are the only ones in power. There are multiple guilds in this world as well, who have a lot to say. In this world, power means everything; if you have power, you have a say. You can''t attain a status like Duke or Marquess if you are weak. The weak get devoured by the strong. It''s the law of the jungle. Myrniel is a strange world. 5000 years ago, this world was almost like Lucas''s previous world, but then a calamity descended on Myrniel in the form of a white beam that destroyed multiple countries and killed millions of humans. Dungeons started to appear in this world, and races from other worlds, like Elves and Dwarves, began to arrive. Initially, we almost went to war with the Elves, but after much discussion, we managed to make peace and allowed the Elves to stay on Myrniel. The same went for the Dwarves. Elves are kind beings but can sometimes be prideful since they have better connections than humans with mana. While Dwarves aren''t the best at combat like Elves and humans, they make up for it with their intelligence in creating artifacts. Just when it seemed like everything would be okay, the demons started appearing. They are a hostile race that only seeks destruction. We don''t know much about these demons¡ªhow many there are, where they are from, or how strong they are. We only know that they are dangerous and want to take over Myrniel. The demons appear in strange ways. They don''t come through a world gate like Elves or Dwarves but instead appear when a dungeon break occurs. A dungeon break happens when no one manages to clear it and kill the boss monster within a certain time frame. When that happens, sometimes a demon seizes the opportunity and manages to come to Myrniel, causing chaos. It doesn''t happen always, but it does happen sometimes. The number or strength of the demons seems to depend on their strength and the level of the dungeon itself. After realizing the threat posed by demons, the races decided to form an alliance. It often takes a common enemy for everyone to work together, and the demons were the perfect catalyst for unity. The Elves began teaching humans and Dwarves more about mana control, while the Dwarves aided in advancing Elven and human technology. Humans made significant progress in technology, while Elves remained more inclined towards nature. Eventually, multiple races started helping each other out. This alliance would be known as the Golden Alliance. ****************** "Young master, are you ready? We should leave before it gets late," Lucielle''s voice was heard as she talked to Lucas, who was changing in his room. They were planning to go out today and enjoy the city and relax, since Lucas had been training nonstop, which worried his parents a lot. Honestly, he didn''t really think it was that taxing; he was fine with training more. But he didn''t want to worry his parents any more than he already did, so to appease their minds, he decided to go out today. The door opened, and Lucas could be seen finally done getting dressed to go outside. He couldn''t just go outside in training clothes since he still was the son of a viscount and needed to maintain an image, which honestly Lucas didn''t care about either. But again, he didn''t want to cause any trouble for his parents. "Well, I am done. Let''s go, Lucielle," Lucas said to Lucielle. Sigh. "Yes, let''s go, young master," Lucielle said while sighing. "Is something wrong, Lucielle?" "No, young master. Please forgive me. Let''s go now," Lucielle said with a face that was hard to read. Lucas narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but in the end, shrugged and let it go. "Fine, let''s head outside and have some fun," Lucas said while walking ahead, and Lucielle started following behind. ''Fun... I have a bad feeling that young master''s idea of fun is a little different from normal people''s. I hope there won''t be any trouble. Ugh.'' (AN: Sorry for the info dump. I just wanted you all to have a better view of the world our protagonist lives in and the history of everything. I know this might seem inspired by a few novels, which, by the way it is, *cough*, but that doesn''t mean it will have the same story. I will try my best to stay original.) Chapter 7 - 7: Heir of the Nightstars As they left the Nightstar estate, a luxurious black car was already waiting in front of the gate, hovering a little above the ground. Behind and in front of it were two more cars of the same type. Apparently, Mother was being overprotective of Lucas. Even before his memories returned, Lucas almost never left the estate since there was no need. But if he did, he was always accompanied by a lot of guards, and wherever he went, it would be emptied out beforehand. He had that much authority, being the son of the one who ruled Moon City. Looking at the bodyguards walking behind him and those inside the luxurious cars, he couldn''t help but release a bitter smile. "Lucielle, isn''t this overkill? I''m sure we don''t need so many bodyguards." "Young master, even though you never bothered going out much, that doesn''t mean you won''t be noticed. In fact, being the only son and heir of the Nightstar family made everyone in this city even more curious about what type of person you are. There have even been many times when paparazzi tried to sneak into the Nightstar estate to catch a glimpse of you. In other words, you''re a celebrity because of your own laziness." ''Ugh, paparazzi are always annoying, no matter what world we live in. How bold of them to even think about sneaking into the Nightstar estate,'' Lucas thought. "Fine, but don''t I have you with me, Lucielle? I''m sure you would protect me from anything, right?" Lucas said with innocent and trusting eyes, looking up at Lucielle. ''Ugh!'' Lucielle''s heart took critical damage! "F-fine, young master. I will lower the number of guards accompanying us, but there will be two cars of guards following us, and by NO means are you allowed to leave my side. Understood, young master?" Lucielle said in a strict tone. ''Heheh, who could resist any request in front of the eyes of a child?'' "Yes, I promise, Lucielle. I won''t leave your side. Don''t worry, now let''s go." Lucas was naturally very excited actually, since this is the first time, with his memories, that he is going to explore the city. Even before then, he barely left the estate. ''Damn, what was my old self doing, not exploring father''s city? I was too lazy and a shut-in. I mean, I still am lazy, I guess, just not a shut-in... in this life cough.'' ********** Moon City has always been a relatively peaceful city. Sure, trouble could arise occasionally, but most of the time, it would be resolved by the Order of the Falling Stars. The city was peaceful, and the citizens were usually happy. Civilians could be seen walking through the city, but today was an unusual day. A rumor was circulating that someone extremely important was in the city. How did they know this? Because of the media. Several photos were uploaded of three extremely expensive and luxurious cars driving through the city. Now, it''s normal for important people to visit cities, especially Moon City, but this was different... because the car in the middle had the Nightstar plate on it! This meant that there was a huge chance that someone from the Nightstar family was inside the car. Discussions were buzzing on the internet, trying to figure out which member of the Nightstar family could be inside the car. Most people believed it was Alexander Nightstar, the ruler of the city, while others thought it might be Violet Nightstar. But some were considering the possibility that it could be the heir of the Nightstars who decided to visit the city today. Most people dismissed this idea, thinking it was impossible, since the son of the Nightstars apparently never left the estate. Not much was known about him except that his name was Lucas Nightstar, he was 12 years old, and he had white hair and red eyes. *********** "Was it really smart to drive a car with the Nightstar plate on it?" Lucas couldn''t help but ask. Wouldn''t they basically be telling everyone where he is? "Of course, young master. The moment you step out of the car, it would be inevitable for people not to know who you are. So, we might as well let them know as a warning not to do anything stupid in the city today, since someone from the Nightstar family is here," Lucielle explained. "I see, that does make sense, I suppose. By the way, what is the name of the restaurant we are going to, Lucielle?" Lucas asked, since he didn''t really go out much. He didn''t know what they should do, so he decided to leave it up to Lucielle. Yes, he was actually just being lazy and would follow along. "We are going to a restaurant first since you haven''t eaten dinner. The restaurant is the best one in the city, called Moon Fish," Lucielle said proudly. "Oh, I look forward to a delicious meal then." "Of course, young master. The staff has already been contacted that someone from the Nightstar family will be coming over to eat, and I told them not to empty out the restaurant, as per your request." "By the way, young master, why did you not let the restaurant be emptied out?" Lucielle asked, not understanding Lucas'' reason. "Huh, isn''t that simple? I just don''t want to ruin the atmosphere or the food that they paid for," Lucas said, as if it was obvious. Lucielle had a surprised expression since she didn''t think Lucas would consider someone else''s feelings, except his family''s. "How unexpected of you, young master. I didn''t think you would care about other people." "Huh, I mean it''s not like they have done anything to me, have they? Besides, they are citizens of my father''s city." "And" Lucas suddenly said, as if he was not finished talking. "And?" Lucielle asked. "...I would only destroy someone if they would dare to harm someone I care about," Lucas suddenly said with a cold tone that sent shivers down the spine of the driver and surprised Lucielle even further, since she could see the bloodlust coming out of Lucas. ''To think he could have this amount of bloodlust.'' Lucielle suddenly smiled. "That is wonderful to hear, young master." After that serious conversation, we talked about random things to kill time until we arrived at the restaurant, and everything was back to normal, except for the pale face of the driver. ''The young master is scary!'' After about 15 more minutes, we finally stopped, as we arrived at the restaurant. ********* The Moonfish Restaurant was a three-story tall establishment where it was almost impossible to reserve a spot to eat. You''d have to be rich as well to even order something there. As people walked by the famous Moonfish Restaurant, they suddenly stopped. Everyone ceased moving, even breathing, as if someone had frozen them in place. Why? Because three luxurious cars had pulled up in front of the Moonfish Restaurant. All eyes were drawn to the three cars, particularly the middle one with the Nightstar plate. People were curious about who was inside. Was it the lord? The madame? Or perhaps both? Did they decide to go out on a dinner date? Everyone kept pondering and coming up with theories. However, what they saw made their eyes almost bulge out of their sockets and would become an extremely hot topic for the next few years. The door opened, and one of the bodyguards stepped out of the other two cars, followed by a young 12-year-old boy. The boy had hair as white as snow and eyes as red as blood. He looked young but was incredibly handsome and cute at the same time. Yet... S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The moment he stepped on the ground, it felt as if a calamity had descended upon them. On this day, Lucas Nightstar revealed himself to the world. Chapter 8 - 8: Skills [Skills] Something everyone would want in their life, since it is incredibly hard to obtain, a skillbook is mostly obtained by either a dungeon raid or buying a skillbook, but those are extremely expensive. After all, there is another way: by getting stronger and leveling up, you can also acquire a skill, but the chances are less than 5% of that happening, and it doesn''t even guarantee that the skill would be useful or not. Yet, Lucas, while training, managed to achieve that feat by earning a skill. It was honestly scary how fast he got to a 2-star level in less than a few weeks. (AN: The higher the star-level, the harder it will be to level up) The skill he obtained was called [Monarch of Chaos]. When he obtained the skill, he was surprised, since he could clearly tell that it had to do with him being a progenitor of chaos, and he got a skill of chaos. [Monarch of Chaos] is an extremely useful skill. In short, it lets everyone on Lucas''s level or underneath feel that they are in the presence of a calamity that could destroy everything in its path. The people affected by the skill would start feeling despair and fear. Truly an amazing skill, which Lucas decided to test out. ******** Currently, Lucas was inside his father''s office, where his parents and Lucielle were present. After the experiment that Lucas did, Lucielle was surprised, but since they were in public, she went along, and they went to eat at the restaurant. But afterward, she immediately went back home with Lucas. In short, he screwed up, and they are pissed... well, not everyone. "HAHAHAHA! THAT IS MY SON! GOOD SHOW THEM WHAT IT MEANS TO STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF A NIGHTSTAR!" His father was laughing his ass off with pride after getting to know what happened. Suddenly, it felt as if the room temperature dropped below 0, and his father instantly shut up. "Darling, do you have something else to add?" Lucas''s mother said with a smile, but her eyes and voice were extremely cold, making both Lucas and his father''s hairs stand up! "U-uh, no, honey. I-I was just surprised, you see, at Lucas and his-" With another look, he shut up, knowing that if he spoke again, it might have been his last. ''Rest in peace, father. It was nice knowing you.'' "Now, my dear son," she suddenly said in a cold voice, her cold eyes looking at me with that same smile. "Y-yes, mother?" "Care to explain why, after god knows how long, you finally went outside and decided to make a scene by revealing yourself to the world in such a flashy way?" She said coldly. "W-well, I am a Nightstar and your son, so I couldn''t just make a boring entrance, and I didn''t really want to hide any longer from the world. I wanted to make my presence known, at the very least, and... I wanted to test my skill that I had gotten, so I thought I could kill two birds with one stone," Lucas said in a guilty and nervous tone. "I am sorry, mother. I didn''t mean to upset you." Seeing her son''s expression and genuine guilt, she sighed, and her gaze and smile became warm and caring. "Lucas, I don''t mind you revealing yourself and testing your skill, but I don''t like it when you decide to do something so big and don''t consult us, your parents, about it. We are here to help you, son, so please tell us next time you plan to do something like that." "Yes, mother, I promise I will," Lucas said, still feeling guilty that he hadn''t told her about his plans beforehand. His mother approached him and gently embraced him while stroking his hair. Lucielle was just silently watching from the corner with a happy smile at how much closer Madame and young master had gotten. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Mother, since we are already on the subject of making plans, I want to make a request," Lucas suddenly said with a resolute expression and determination. "What is it, dear? You can tell me anything," his mother said gently. Hearing his mother''s voice, he made up his mind and decided to just say it. "Mother, Father, I want to leave the estate and go out adventuring for the next two years," Lucas suddenly dropped this bombshell. Both parents and Lucielle stared at him wide-eyed in shock. "W-what? You want to go adventuring for the next two years?" His mother asked just to make sure she heard correctly. "Yes, before I enter the academy, I want to gain experience myself without the benefits of being a Nightstar. I will register at an adventurer''s guild and go out and conquer dungeons and explore Myrniel a little bit more," Lucas said, even though inside it hurt since he didn''t want to leave his parents after everything. His father suddenly spoke up in a serious tone before his mother was about to reject. "Violet, my love, please wait. No matter what you say, you can tell by his face that he won''t back down and will go anyway, even if you tell him not to." "B-but Lucas is still too young. He should train more and-" "Violet, I understand your worries, but Lucas is right. He needs to explore and gain experience without our help; otherwise, he will not grow up into the fine man we believe him to become." Hearing this, his mother became quiet, and Lucas decided to speak up. "Thank you, Father-" "Wait. I am not done yet. Lucas, you will first train for two months here with Lucielle and William, who will also teach you more about the world as well as everything about adventuring. You will only go if you become a 4-star level. Otherwise, forget about adventuring," his father cut in with a strict voice. Hearing this, instead of objecting, Lucas agreed to it since he found it reasonable as well. "Very well, Father, I accept your condition." "Good. And, dear, do you have anything else to add?" His father asked his mother. Sigh. "No, this is reasonable, I suppose," she said reluctantly, but she understood that this was important. However, that didn''t mean she liked it, so she cast a cold gaze implying something at his father, which his father understood instantly. Gulp. ''Looks like he won''t be getting any rest tonight. Rest in peace, Father,'' Lucas silently prayed for his father. (AN: Looks like we''re finally going to start with Lucas exploring more of Myrniel and fighting against monsters. I appreciate everyone who has been reading and been patient with me. I hope you all continue to stay and follow Lucas''s journey with me.) Chapter 9 - 9: Blade of Chaos Two months had passed since that conversation with Lucas and his parents about him adventuring. After convincing them and agreeing to his father''s condition, he didn''t waste any time. He started training with Lucielle and William. Even after training with them, he would secretly train by himself, strengthening his body and improving the quantity and quality of his mana. He also practiced and tried to learn new spells suited for his elements. Unfortunately, his space and chaos elements were a problem. Space, being an extremely rare element, didn''t have many spells revealed about it by other mages, except for [Flash Step], where he could teleport a certain distance within sight, using more mana for greater distances, and [Inventory], where he could store items in his own small dimensional pocket, though living things couldn''t be stored since it lacked oxygen. Essentially, it replaced the need for a storage ring. Chaos was a unique challenge for Lucas. Being the first in millennia to possess the element meant that there were no known spells associated with it. In fact, many in Myrniel weren''t even aware of the existence of the chaos element. Perhaps the strongest individuals in Myrniel, such as the Royal Family of the human domain, might have some knowledge about it, but it wasn''t like Lucas could simply approach them and ask. That would undoubtedly invite trouble. Though that doesn''t mean he didn''t create any spells by himself. Lucas had been training diligently for the past months, but that didn''t mean he neglected his family. He spent as much time as he could with them whenever possible, understanding that they were often busy with their own work. After two months of hard work, Lucas finally achieved it. He finally reached the 4-star level and became a Master in both swordsmanship and magic. When his father learned about Lucas''s feat, he was speechless. While he had set the condition that Lucas could only go adventuring if he reached the Master stage, he hadn''t expected it to happen so quickly. He had thought that even with his son''s talent, it would take at least 4-5 months before reaching that level. It seemed he had underestimated just how monstrous his son was. ************** Sigh. Standing with his father and mother in his father''s office, Lucas heard his father audibly sigh, but pride was also evident on his father''s face. It''s every father''s dream for their son to be incredible and strong, and he was extremely happy with Lucas''s achievements over the past months. However, his mother, though happy, looked worried about Lucas leaving today but she didn''t dare to stop him, not after seeing all the hard work her normally lazy son had put in for once. "Well, a deal is a deal, my son," his father said, and suddenly, a long black box and a card appeared on the table, pulled out of his father''s storage ring. Ignoring the black box for now, his father picked up the card and handed it to Lucas. "This is your Identification card as an adventurer. Even though I understand you want to go to an adventurers guild yourself and register, it would be a waste of time for someone of your capabilities. To ease mine and especially your mother''s worries, please accept this card, my son," his father explained the reason for having an adventurer''s card beforehand. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The card was made by the best adventurers guild in Moon City, called Lunar Guild, something most adventurers could only dream of registering in. It was sapphire with beautiful silver linings and had five stars on it as well a Moon logo on the top right of the card. "While this card is of high value, it will also help you out of most troubles when you need it. But it won''t mean you have authority in the Lunar Guild; it''s more like people will respect and, of course, fear you if they see you with this card," his father said with a smirk, and Lucas couldn''t help but return one himself. The card was basically a show of strength, letting people know that the holder was of considerable status and strength and someone to be respected. Of course, not many people had this card; instead, they had a normal card with their name and star level displayed. The one Lucas got was called a special card, something you only obtained by special means that could vary for different reasons. ''They really are overprotective, but I guess I should accept it. It will help me skip the boring parts of registering and all the trouble following it, since I was only planning to go to a normal adventurers guild,'' he thought to himself. "I see. This is why you asked beforehand under what name I would register when I go to an adventurers guild," Lucas said, finally understanding why his father had asked him over dinner once. "Yes, though I have to say, I am quite intrigued why you chose that name," his father replied, not understanding why his son had chosen that name. Normally, he would''ve dismissed it as his son just being lazy and picking a random name, but this name felt different, as if it had a meaning behind it. Lucas had decided to go under a different name and wear a disguise while out adventuring for the next two years. If he went as Lucas Nightstar, he would only invoke trouble and defeat the purpose of building experience through his own effort. (AN: That does not mean he will hold back. It will just be for this adventurer arc that he will be in need of a disguise. He won''t be a MC that will take a beating for the sake of hiding his powers, especially in the academy arc later on.) "That name is from a foreign dead language called Latin, though it doesn''t seem to be in the history books, father," Lucas explained. His mother looked at him with suspicious eyes about how he knew of such an ancient language, but she wouldn''t ask her son now. She believed that he would tell her when the time was right, showing how much they had started trusting each other over the past months. ''Though I will definitely confront him about it when he gets back from his adventure," his mother thought, gazing at Lucas with narrowed eyes. ''Even if I trust him, I don''t want him to keep secrets from us that could endanger him.'' Storing the card in his [inventory], Lucas''s gaze fell on the black box. "Father, what is inside the box?" Lucas asked curiously, as it was obvious his father was about to give him something from inside. "Heh, glad you asked, my son," his father replied, opening the box to reveal a beautiful katana lying inside. The blade was pure silver-black, with mysterious engravings on it, and the hilt was red and black. "This here is a Soul Sword, something that has been passed down from my father to me, your grandfather, and now I am passing it down to you. This sword has never been able to find an owner; apparently, neither I nor your grandfather were worthy enough. So, I wanted to test my luck and perhaps let you give it a try." Soul weapons were bound by the user''s soul and evolved as the user did. They could be summoned and desummoned at will, though obtaining one was almost impossible and was only sold at auctions, accessible only to the wealthiest people in the world. Lucas''s grandfather, Magnus Nightstar, was an 11-star level swordsman and the previous lord of the Nightstar, known in his time as the God of Fire. Not many knew about him being an 11-star level swordsman; most believed him to be 9-10 star level, but those who did know felt fear, not understanding why the Nightstars were only a mere Viscount family and not higher. Though Lucas had only seen his grandfather a few times when he was younger, he was a kind man who loved his grandchild. Currently, he was somewhere in seclusion, training to become a 12-star level swordsman. No one knew where he was or had any means of contacting him. Gazing at the sword, Lucas felt nervous, not wanting to disappoint his father. Moreover, he truly desired the sword, feeling as though something was pulling him towards it. He initially thought it was just his childish greed, but then the sword started to vibrate slightly, as if it sensed Lucas''s presence. "That is strange, it never vibrated before..." His father remarked, his nerves tingling with excitement. ''Perhaps he might really do it,'' he thought, feeling a surge of anticipation. As Lucas reached his hand out, he finally grasped the sword. However, instead of ceasing its vibration, the sword intensified its trembling. Lucas could sense its desire to be unleashed, to bring destruction upon others. ''Tch, how troublesome,'' Lucas thought to himself. Activating his skill, [Monarch of Chaos], he released his aura and bloodlust. With his hand firmly on the sword, he surrounded it with his Chaos flames. Then, in a voice commanding obedience, he spoke. "STOP." To everyone''s surprise in the room, the sword obeyed. ******** The sword, dormant for millennia, never believed it would find someone worthy enough to wield it again. But it was wrong. As soon as the white-haired boy laid his blood-red eyes on it, the sword sensed the familiar presence of chaos, reminiscent of its previous master. Trembling with excitement, the sword longed to be unleashed, to bring chaos upon the world once more. However, when the boy commanded it to stop, it felt compelled to obey. The boy emanated the same power and presence as its previous master. For the first time in a millennium, the Blade of Chaos found its new master. Chapter 10 - 10: Noctis After bidding farewell to his parents, Lucas stood before the gate of the Nightstar estate, ready to embark on his journey. Dressed in black clothes enchanted for comfort and utility, with a mask concealing his face except for his blood-red eyes, he exuded an air of mystery and intimidation. sniff sniff His mother struggled to hold back tears, while his father looked upon him with pride. Lucas addressed them, his voice steady. "I will be going now, Mother, Father." "Have a safe trip, my son. Remember, we are always here to support you. Don''t hesitate to come back if you need us," his father replied. His mother, unable to contain her emotions, whimpered, "M-my Lucas has grown so much." Moved by her display of emotion, Lucas approached and embraced his parents one last time. "I''ll try to come back as soon as possible," he assured them before finally departing from his home and family. For the next two years, he would no longer be Lucas Nightstar... ********** In an average adventurers'' guild at the edge of Moon City, the atmosphere buzzed with activity. Adventurers mingled, forming parties, discussing strategies, or enjoying meals together. Some were absorbed in selecting suitable missions from the tablets provided, inserting their identification cards to access the available missions. Several receptionists bustled about, assisting both new and seasoned adventurers with their inquiries and concerns. Some newcomers filled out forms to officially register as adventurers, eager to begin their journey into the unknown. The guild hall was a hub of excitement and anticipation, as adventurers prepared to embark on quests and face the challenges that awaited them in the vast world beyond. Yet, within the adventurers'' guild, there exists a fundamental rule: the strong devour the weak. In this world, strength is all that matters, and those lacking it are swiftly devoured by more powerful adventurers. Adventuring is a high-risk job, with danger at every turn, but the potential rewards can be equally rewarding, depending on the nature of the mission. Missions within the guild are categorized based on their level of difficulty, ranging from E to S rank. Each mission presents its own set of challenges and potential rewards. These tasks can vary widely, from escorting important individuals through dangerous territories to conquering formidable dungeons in remote locations where local forces lack the strength to do so themselves. Navigating this hierarchy of missions requires careful consideration and a keen understanding of one''s own abilities. Adventurers must choose their quests wisely, balancing the potential risks against the promised rewards, all while striving to prove themselves in a world where only the strongest can thrive. As the adventurers went about their business, everyone suddenly stopped and turned towards the door that had just opened. What they saw was a man dressed in black clothes, his face concealed by a mask, revealing only his blood-red eyes. He exuded an air of mystery and intimidation. Seeing the mysterious figure, they all narrowed their eyes at him. It was not uncommon for adventurers to conceal their identities, but the issue was that the man seemed overly confident. Many veteran adventurers and guild members knew each other in these parts of the city, and they could tell that the man was new, never having been there before, indicating he must be a newbie. ''Confident'' they all thought to themselves. "Hey, you''re new here, right, kid?" a bulky, bald-headed man with a scar running from his right eye down to his chin asked, a large axe hanging at his back as he stood in front of the man dressed in black. The mysterious person looked straight back at the bald-headed man with his blood-red eyes, sending shivers down his spine for some reason, and nodded his head without speaking. ''Tsk, how arrogant,'' the bald man thought. ''I need to put him in his place before he gets even more arrogant''. The bald man became angry at the lack of verbal response and the unsettling feeling he got from the man''s red eyes. "Don''t you have a mouth, kid?" he asked, trying to sound intimidating. Ignoring him, the man headed to one of the tablets displayed on the many tables, with cables connecting it. "Huh, you dare to ignore me, you arrogant weakling!?" the bald man screamed in frustration and was about to grab the man''s shoulder while his back was turned. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, they all felt a pressure descending upon them, as if a calamity had descended to destroy each one of them. The weaker and newer adventurers instantly passed out, while the other veterans, including the bald man, struggled to withstand the pressure, falling to their knees in an attempt not to pass out as well. Then, the pressure faded, and they all looked at the cause of their distress¡ªthe man dressed in black, who calmly and silently watched all the adventurers kneeling before him. All they felt was despair, including the bald man, as they gazed at the man in black. One of the strongest veteran members of the guild, a 4-star swordsman, asked with great difficulty, "W-who are you?" His voice trembled as the man''s blood-red eyes locked onto him after the question was asked. The swordsman felt as if he were naked, being watched by a predator, unable to fight back. The man opened his mouth and uttered a name they would forever remember for the rest of their lives. "Noctis," he said, walking towards the tablet without turning his back. (AN: Noctis is Latin for "night.") Chapter 11 - 11: First mission ''Ugh, all these people staring at me are getting annoying... Well, at least they aren''t getting in my way anymore, and a rumor would now spread because of this that would make people more cautious when approaching me,'' Lucas thought as he was busy swiping on the tablet, finding a suitable mission for himself. After a while, he finally found a mission that interested him. -------------------------------------- S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mission type: Dungeon conquering Difficulty: C rank Description: A remote village called Haeril has requested help to conquer a dungeon before a breakdown happens. The inhabitants don''t have enough manpower to do it by themselves. Time limit: 4 weeks remaining until dungeon break. Reward: 5000 golden credits. -------------------------------------- Unlike in Lucas''s previous world, this world had decided to have the same currency everywhere since the emergence of other races. The currency is called Golden Credits, founded by the Golden Alliance. (AN: 1 Golden Credit = 1 Dollar to not make people more confused) Reading the mission, Lucas felt satisfied with the reward and difficulty, so he decided to accept it before anyone else would. He pulled out his sapphire card out of his [Inventory] under everyone''s gazes who were still watching him out of fear and curiosity. The moment Lucas pulled his sapphire card and scanned it on the tablet to accept the mission, everyone froze and stared at him wide-eyed. "T-that is a special card..." someone said under his breath, not believing his eyes. "H-Hey, am I seeing things or is that the L-lunar Guild logo on it?" someone else said with a pale face. ''Just who the hell is he!?'' everyone thought at the same time. Lucas nodded, satisfied that confirmation succeeded and he accepted the mission. Every adventurer has a card, and the card holds their data as well as their mission. They don''t need to go to a specific guild when finishing a mission; they can just go to any guild and scan their card for everything. Really convenient. Ignoring everyone who was watching him like a monster with wide eyes and mouths hanging open, he started walking and left the guild. The moment he left, everyone let out a breath of relief, not realizing how tense they were at the man. "J-Just who the hell was he!?" someone said, still scared at remembering the man''s overwhelming presence. "N-Noctis, that was his name, right? A-and that was a sapphire card of the Lunar Guild. He obviously is someone with considerable strength," someone else said. "Dammit, Karl! You almost got all of us killed," an adventurer said in frustration at the bald man who was still on his knees looking at space while lost in thought. "He definitely was strong; even we 4-star swordsmen and mages didn''t stand a chance under his pressure... Why did a monster like him decide to come to this guild? I don''t understand..." the swordsman who previously asked for Lucas''s name said. It wasn''t as if they were weak; it was that Lucas was too strong already. It would be ridiculous if people found out he is already at the master stage in a few months, something that rivaled the talents of the best of the best in Myrniel''s new generation, which is called the 2nd golden generation after the first golden generation who thousands of years ago fought against the demons and managed to take control over Myrniel again. *********** After booking a cab, Lucas finally arrived at Haeril, now in his disguise as Noctis. Haeril didn''t boast tall, luxurious buildings since it was a village, but he could see people walking around, and kids played with laughter and smiles. Observing this, Lucas entered the village as Noctis. Instantly, the children and adults noticed the man in black and became wary and cautious. The children felt scared looking at him, while the adults were on high alert, sensing his strength. Suddenly, the man in black locked eyes with one of the adults who was holding the hand of what he presumed to be his girlfriend or wife. ''I don''t remember having a girlfriend in my previous life. Well, I don''t even remember my previous name, which I thought was a side effect of having all these memories absorbed from this world, but I don''t know...'' "Where does the village chief reside?" Lucas suddenly spoke to the man holding his girlfriend/wife. The man, meeting Lucas''s blood-red eyes, felt a chill run down his spine as if he were being watched by a predator. "There is no need to look for me; I am already here." Suddenly, Lucas turned to his right and saw an old man walking with a cane. He had grey hair, a grey beard, and wore a gentle smile. "My name is Oliver, also known as the Village Chief of Haeril," the man called Oliver said to Lucas. "May I know your name as well, sir?" "Noctis. I will be the one dealing with the C rank dungeon you guys requested to get rid of," Lucas said to the village chief called Oliver. "O-oh, I see. So you will be the one to help us out then, Noctis," Oliver said in a hesitating tone. "D-does that mean you will be going to conquer this dungeon all on your own?" Oliver said nervously and worriedly. "That is correct," Lucas said without an ounce of worry. "I-i see, Noctis. I don''t want to sound rude, but may I ask to see your Identification card?" "Sure, I don''t mind," Lucas said and pulled it out of his [Inventory]. "Here." When Oliver and the adults saw the card, their eyes widened, and they felt a chill run down their spines. Oliver originally wanted to ask for his card to see what rank he was, since he didn''t want to see a young man die out of arrogance and confidence, but instead, that same man was someone who was a holder of a special card. A special card doesn''t have information of the user''s rank since the card itself should symbolize that there is no need for such a thing as rank to be told. "L-lunar guild!?" Oliver said as he looked at the sapphire card that he was holding with trembling hands. gulp The adults and Oliver, seeing the sapphire card and hearing the words "Lunar guild," didn''t know how to react since they knew how big and prestigious of a guild Lunar is. After all, it is the number 1 adventurers guild in Moon City. "Seen enough?" They suddenly heard and snapped their heads back at the man in black who asked this question as if it was no big deal. "A-ah, yes, please excuse me for my rudeness earlier, Sir Noctis. I didn''t mean to offend you," Oliver said while handing back his sapphire card and bowing his head as an apology. ''I can''t make him angry or he could punish me by unleashing hell on the villagers,'' Oliver thought. "Mm, I don''t mind. Just take me to the dungeon," Lucas said, while not caring about his change of tone or anything. "Y-yes, please follow me," Oliver said, guiding Lucas towards the C rank dungeon under the eyes of the curious and confused kids and the scared adults. Arriving at the dungeon, which was a little outside of the village, Lucas could see a huge metal ancient gate out in the open, adorned with weird ancient engravings that no one could understand. These enormous ancient gates were the entrances that led adventurers into the depths of the dungeon, sealing whatever lay inside for a limited amount of time. "Well, I will be going inside then," Lucas said in an excited tone to Oliver, as this would be the first time he would get to really fight monsters and test out everything he had been practicing. "Alright, let''s do this," he said to himself, calming down his nerves. He could feel the adrenaline and excitement coursing through him, but also a sense of nervousness for entering the dungeon for the first time, and doing it alone. His heart beat loudly and rapidly in his chest. Most people would call Lucas a fool and suicidal for entering a dungeon for the first time in his life alone, especially a C-rank dungeon. But Lucas didn''t see it that way. He knew he was exceptional and one of the strongest in his generation. He believed that if he couldn''t conquer a mere C-rank dungeon on his own, then he wouldn''t be able to face Lucielle and William anymore, considering all they had taught him. As Lucas entered through the gates, which opened automatically as if sensing his approach, he did not know that entering this dungeon would forever change his fate and that of Myrniel. Chapter 12 - 12: Dungeon [1] ------------------------------------ Status Screen: [Name]: Lucas Nightstar [Age]: 12 [Gender]: Male [Race:] Human [Rank]: low 4 star-level (Master) [Affinities]: - Fire - Lightning - Space - Chaos (Progenitor) [Special Talent]: Dual Wielder [Physique]: None [BloodLine]: Unawakened [Title]: Master of the Blade of Chaos [Skills]: Monarch of Chaos ------------------------------------ As Lucas entered the dungeon, he found himself inside a vast cave illuminated by mana crystals that adorned its walls, casting ethereal hues across the cavern. "It really is beautiful," Lucas mused to himself, "but just as beautiful as this dungeon is, it is equally dangerous, I suppose." Sigh While Lucas marveled at the dungeon''s beauty, a menacing growl echoed from ahead. Turning towards the source of the sound, he laid eyes upon the very first beast he would have to confront in his life. "Grrr...." Before him stood a white-haired wolf, towering at 2.5 meters tall, its body engulfed in blue flames exuding bloodlust and a hunger to devour. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Locking eyes with the ferocious wolf, Lucas couldn''t help but feel a twinge of nervousness. This would be his first battle against a beast. The Blue Flame Wolf, a king predator among D rank beasts, was an unexpected and formidable opponent for Lucas to encounter so early in the dungeon. Yet, as his first foe, it elicited a smile from him. "Dog," Lucas called out to the mad wolf, their gazes locked, "let''s see which of us devours the other." In response to his provocation, the wolf growled, its blue flames intensifying with eagerness, ready to pounce. Observing the wolf''s cunning demeanor, Lucas felt the surge of Red Lightning enveloping his body as he positioned himself, prepared to engage in combat. As the wolf released a torrent of blue flame from its jaws, he looked at were Lucas should be only to hear a voice behind him. "Too slow." With a calculated flex of his muscles, Lucas coiled his right arm, infusing it with a crackling aura of red lightning. His fist clenched, he delivered a lightning-imbued punch directly into the wolf''s gut, propelling it towards the cave wall with a resounding crash. The strike was too swift for the wolf to react. BOOOOM!!! As the smoke cleared, the wolf was nowhere to be seen. Lucas''s instincts screamed at him to flee, prompting him to execute a [Flash Step], reappearing five meters away from his previous position. He glanced back, observing the enraged wolf as it swiped its razor-sharp claws that were infused with blue flames at the spot where Lucas had stood moments before, growling in frustration at his escape. ''Tch, this wolf is smart, fast, and durable. I can''t afford to get too close for too long due to the intensity of its flames.'' Lucas pondered his next move, strategizing how to counter the cunning and formidable adversary, which would be a D-ranked boss monster in a lower dungeon. As the mad wolf prepared to unleash another torrent of blue flames from its jaws, Lucas acted swiftly. Channeling mana into his right palm, he formed a fire ball with lightning speed, launching it towards the wolf. The sudden attack interrupted the wolf''s assault, forcing it to evade the incoming fireball. With the wolf now off balance, Lucas seized the opportunity to create multiple javelins of red thunder that crackled with energy. Surrounding himself with the javelins, he began launching them one by one at the wolf, each strike aimed with precision. The wolf was left with no choice but to continuously dodge the barrage of lightning javelins or risk being struck head-on. The intense battle raged on for the next five minutes, with both Lucas and the mad wolf seizing opportunities to attack and counterattack. Despite the wolf''s speed and durability, Lucas skillfully evaded its assaults using his lightning element and [Flash Step] technique, while delivering calculated strikes of his own. Growing weary of the prolonged struggle, Lucas decided to end it once and for all. Channeling his lightning element, he unleashed a powerful spell known as [static field]. In an instant, red lightning surged from Lucas''s body, enveloping the area in a five-meter radius. The mad wolf, caught within the spell''s range, was paralyzed for a few precious seconds. Seizing the opportunity, Lucas used [Flash Step] in front of the immobilized wolf and unleashed a fireball at point-blank range, sending the creature flying several meters back. Though the wolf survived the onslaught, it remained severely injured and dazed. Without hesitation, Lucas used [Flash Step] once more to where the wolf stood, its battered body now within reach. With a final fireball, Lucas delivered the decisive blow, extinguishing the creature''s life as it fell to the ground with a resounding thud. Thud After the intense battle, Lucas collapsed to the floor, his breaths heavy. Not from exhaustion, but from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. His heart pounded loudly in his chest, the realization sinking in that he had just faced death and emerged victorious. It was his first real fight, a momentous occasion, and he had slain a formidable foe - a king predator of D rank. "Damn, I actually did it! I managed to beat it, haha!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with a mixture of exhilaration and disbelief. Gazing at the lifeless body of the wolf, Lucas felt no remorse or guilt for taking its life. In the world of adventurers, survival of the fittest was law. If he hadn''t killed the mad wolf, it would have surely devoured him instead. As his mana began to replenish, Lucas rose to his feet, taking one final look at his fallen adversary. With a sense of respect, he addressed the creature. "You were a formidable foe to face. Thank you for making my first real battle so memorable," he said, acknowledging the wolf''s strength even in death. ************* After the encounter with the mad wolf, Lucas strangely didn''t come across any more king predators of D rank. Instead, he faced smaller D rank creatures, which he dispatched with ease. Before he knew it, two days had already passed. Time seemed to slip away as he focused on honing his skills and testing out his spells, applying the training he had received from William and Lucielle. Unaware of the passing time, Lucas continued his relentless slaughter of foes. His body was sustained by the mana around him, a perk of reaching the master stage. At this level, one could go without food for months without issue, relying solely on the replenishing properties of mana. Only at the grandmaster stage could one truly have no need for food or water, taking sustenance purely for pleasure. Lost in the rhythm of battle, Lucas found himself standing once again in front of a towering ancient gate¡ªthe entrance to the boss room... (AN: Thank you for taking the time to read my first attempt at writing a fight scene! I''d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for improvement. Your comments and thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thank you once again for your support and for being a part of this journey! And yes, for those wondering, I removed the wind element from Lucas''s affinities.) Chapter 13 - 13: Dungeon [2] As Lucas approached the towering ancient gate, he lightly touched it, and the gates began to open for him. Nervously, he started walking forward, entering the boss room. Yet... Inside the boss room, he found himself in an old, open, ancient chamber with a throne ahead of him, atop a set of stairs. The room was littered with destruction, as if a fierce battle had taken place, leaving debris strewn everywhere. ''W-what happened here? Where is the boss?'' Lucas scanned the room, his blood-red eyes darting about, but he found no sign of the boss. There was only a single skill book lying in the middle of the room. ''This is obviously a trap. The skill must have belonged to the boss of this dungeon. But who killed it? What happened to the person who defeated it? Shouldn''t a gate appear when you defeat the boss of a dungeon?'' Questions swirled in Lucas''s mind, confusion clouding his thoughts. ''No, this dungeon has been weird from the start. I should have known it wasn''t normal for a king predator to appear so early.'' Cautiously, Lucas approached the skill book, his senses on high alert for any signs of danger. As he reached the book, he hesitantly picked it up, half-expecting an ambush or trap to spring upon him. Yet, to his surprise, nothing happened. No attack came, no trap was triggered. "What should I do? Should I absorb the skill book or keep it with me to sell it?" Lucas pondered his options, weighing the risks and benefits in his mind. In the end, he decided to absorb the skill book and obtain whatever skill lay within it. "Still, for a skill book to appear in my first dungeon..." Lucas mused, contemplating the unusual circumstances. Placing his hand atop the skill book, Lucas infused it with his mana, causing it to vanish into blue particles that seeped into his body. As he did so, a female voice with no discernible emotions whispered in his ear, and a message appeared before his eyes. "[New skill unlocked: Appraisal lvl1] [Appraisal lvl1]: Be able to see basic information of the desired target you use the skill on. Can be living or non-living things." "What a useful skill! And level 1? Does that mean it can evolve? How can I make it level up? Does it depend on me getting stronger?" Lucas''s mind raced with questions and excitement as he pondered the potential of his newfound skill. Deciding to test the skill immediately, Lucas turned his attention to the throne in the room and activated [Appraisal]. -------------------------------------- Status screen: [Name]: Throne of #@!;$ [Description]: Throne of #@!;$, an ancient king who was said to rival the 1st dragon king thousands of years ago and a loyal friend of #@!;$. -------------------------------------- "W-what? Why can''t I read the names of the king whose throne this belonged to, and..." Lucas trailed off, a hint of unease creeping into his thoughts. Gulp "He could rival the 1st dragon king... I didn''t know dragons actually existed in Myrniel... No, I don''t think anyone actually knows. They must have been an ancient race lost in history... And a loyal friend of someone whose name I also can''t read..." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sigh "So many mysteries... Just what is this dungeon?" Lucas pondered, feeling a sense of unease settle over him as he grappled with the enigma of the dungeon''s secrets. Deciding to test the skill once more, Lucas focused on the sword embedded in the floor next to the throne. -------------------------------------- Status screen: [Name]: Key of #@!:$ [Description]: A key of #@!:$ in the form of a sword meant to open the secret room, where the ancient king hid his loyal friend most valuable possession before he left and never to be seen again. -------------------------------------- "Huh? So it isn''t a sword but a key?" Lucas muttered to himself, feeling a surge of anticipation as he realized the significance of the object before him. His heart pounding with excitement, Lucas approached the sword/key, knowing that it held the key to unlocking something incredible hidden within the ancient king''s room. As he stood in front of the sword, Lucas took a deep breath and gripped the double-edged blade with both hands, pulling it effortlessly from the ground. Surprised by how easily it came free, Lucas paused, uncertain of what to do next. But before he could gather his thoughts, the throne room shook violently, causing him to lose his balance and fall backward. Once the shaking subsided, Lucas''s attention was drawn to the right, where he saw an ancient gate adorned with engravings. Determined, he approached and opened it. ''ugh'' As the gate swung open, Lucas was met with a wave of dense mana that made it difficult to breathe. Despite the discomfort, he pressed forward, stepping through the gate. With a start, he realized the gate had closed behind him, leaving him alone in the narrow passageway. Though startled, Lucas remained composed and continued forward. The path ahead was dimly lit by white flaming torches affixed to the walls, casting flickering shadows on mysterious engravings that lined the cave-like corridor. As Lucas continued forward, his gaze wandered to a drawing on the wall to his right. As he studied it, his eyes widened, and his breath caught in his throat. Every hair on his body stood on end. In the intricate illustration, he saw a man surrounded by colossal dragons, engaged in fierce combat with only a single sword in hand. "W-what!? Why... why are you there!?" Lucas exclaimed, his voice filled with confusion as he stared at the ancient drawing. The details were striking, and he recognized the weapon in the man''s hand¡ªit was the Blade of Chaos. Chapter 14 - 14: Soul bond After a while, Lucas finally managed to calm down after seeing the Blade of Chaos depicted on the ancient wall drawings. He decided to retrieve the Blade of Chaos from his [inventory] and used his skill [appraisal] on it. ---------------------------------- Status screen: [Name]: The Blade of Chaos [Description]: An ancient soul blade, whose previous master was the first progenitor of chaos. He unleashed chaos upon this world with the Blade of Chaos, but his name and deeds were lost in time forever. After millennia, the Blade of Chaos was alone, never to find a new master. Yet, as if by fate, it finally found its new master, the second progenitor of chaos. -------------------------------------- "I see, so it really is you in the drawings with the first progenitor, I assume," Lucas thought. Then, does that mean he is the loyal friend of the ancient king? And why was he fighting dragons in the first place? Every time Lucas discovered something, more questions would arise, giving him a headache. "No use thinking about it anymore. Let''s go further and see what this valuable possession would be," Lucas said as he started heading forward. He decided to contemplate all of this later since he didn''t have enough information. "Ugh, I should''ve asked for his name back then," Lucas regretted not asking the first progenitor more questions when he was inside the book with a piece of his soul. As Lucas kept walking, the drawings and engravings also disappeared from the walls, leaving only the white flaming torches lighting up the path. Finally, after 20 minutes of constant walking, Lucas arrived at an open cave that was simply beautiful in his eyes. The cave was lit up by multiple mana crystals coming out of the walls and floors, and a serene blue lake was also present. As Lucas walked closer to the lake, observing his surroundings in awe, he saw something in the middle of the lake that made him freeze. It was an egg laid on top of a weird type of plants that were making a cushion for it. Lucas wasn''t stupid; he knew what this egg might be. After everything this dungeon had shown him and the drawings previously, he could tell that this egg was the loyal friend''s most valuable possession and what was inside that egg... Lucas knew but didn''t want to believe it, so he used his [appraisal] skill to confirm. Maybe he was wrong... but he wasn''t. ----------------------------- Status screen: [Name]: Dragon egg [Description]: A dragon egg, an ancient race that has fallen long ago. This egg belonged to the 1st dragon king. Inside it is the only unborn daughter of him, who has been asleep for thousands of years... take care of her. ---------------------------------------------- "W-what? It really is a dragon egg, and..." gulp "The first dragon king''s daughter... The description says to take care of her..." Lucas began approaching the egg, walking on water by infusing his sole with mana. Taking a deep breath, he gently picked up the egg, which was the size of a football. He started walking back and sat on the floor, placing the egg gently in front of him, and started pondering what to do. "Should I make it my soul bond? Having a dragon as your bond would help me a lot." A soul bond is the same as a soul weapon, but instead of a weapon, you are bonded with a beast. As your bond grows stronger, you will as well. When you grow stronger, the bond would sometimes acquire traits and characteristics from you, and vice versa. "It did say to take care of her, so I guess I should, but..." Ever since Lucas got his memories from his previous world, it felt like something or someone was leading him to all of these things¡ªfrom having a chaos element to the book of chaos, the blade of chaos, and now this dragon egg. He didn''t like it, but in the end, what could he do? He wasn''t strong enough, and whatever was leading him to these things was clearly helping him by making him stronger. But for what purpose? In the end, Lucas stopped thinking about it again for now. He was too tired and lazy after everything. He placed his hand on the black dragon egg, which felt warm, and he felt a heartbeat inside of it. He decided to infuse his mana in it and make it his soul bond. "W-what the-" Suddenly, Lucas''s mana was being sucked in by the egg at a tremendous speed, and he couldn''t pull away at all. All his mana inside his body kept getting sucked in until it finally stopped, making Lucas fall on his back, breathing heavily. "I-I didn''t expect her to be this greedy-" "AAARGHHHHHH!" Lucas suddenly felt immense pain throughout his entire body. Every part of his body, from the inside and outside, felt like it was being burned, which it literally was. His skin was torn and shredded, blood coming out of his ears, eyes, and mouth as he kept screaming, feeling like he was thrown into hell. ''IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS'' He kept repeating over and over as the pain made him go crazy. His body kept breaking apart and rebuilding itself, becoming stronger each time. After 30 minutes of hell, Lucas''s pain finally subsided as he lay there naked, with no clothes and mask anymore. "Ha... haa..." Breathing heavily, Lucas felt the changes in his body. He sensed the air touching every part of his body, it was easier to breathe, see, and hear. His body had become much more powerful. He grew taller and more handsome, and his blood-red eyes now had vertical pupils. Feeling the change in his body, Lucas felt much more powerful. He felt like he could destroy a mountain with a single punch. But before he could think any further, he heard a sound of something breaking. Crack Turning towards the sound, he saw the egg breaking and a small, cute creature crawling out of it. The creature had scales as black as the night, eyes as red as blood, two little wings on its back, and a small tail swaying left and right as if it was excited. "Kyuuu-" It made an adorable sound towards Lucas and suddenly approached him, biting his hand. "Urgh, what was that for?" Lucas said, but the pain was nothing compared to what he felt just before, so he didn''t really care about it. Suddenly, he saw a weird engraving appearing on top of his hand and disappearing just as fast. A female voice was heard in his ear with no emotion, whispering: [Soul bond acquired]: Dragon Please name the bond... Seeing the message in front of him and the bond next to him staring at him with its blood-red eyes, Lucas decided to name her: "Luna" [Soul bond acquired]: Luna (Dragon) sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The voice whispered and showed the message again. Hearing the word Luna, the dragon became happy and started hopping around, making cute little noises. "Kyuu-" Seeing Luna act like that, Lucas couldn''t help but smile at her. He stood up, noticing his naked state. He opened his [Inventory] and pulled out the same black clothes and mask he was wearing before and started putting them on. "I am glad I brought spare clothes with me," Lucas thought while checking out and feeling his new body. ''Status'' ------------------------------------ Status Screen: [Name]: Lucas Nightstar [Age]: 12 [Gender]: Male [Race:] Half Dragon [Rank]: peak 4-star level (Master) [Affinities]: - Fire - Lightning - Space - Chaos (Progenitor) [Special Talent]: Dual Wielder [Physique]: Dragon [BloodLine]: Unawakened [Title]: Master of the Blade of Chaos, Dragon Tamer [Skills]: Monarch of Chaos, Appraisal, Dragon''s pride [Soul Bond]: Luna (Dragon) ------------------------------------ Seeing his status, Lucas couldn''t help but suck in a cold breath. He wasn''t a human anymore. He became a half-dragon... does that mean he can become a full dragon in the future if Luna becomes even stronger? He didn''t know how to feel now that he wasn''t fully human anymore, but he knew that he became much stronger with his dragon physique. He was sure he could win against almost anyone at the master stage. Looking at Luna, he knew that bringing her out in the open would cause trouble. "Luna, can you transform perhaps?" He didn''t know, but since dragons were an ancient race, maybe they could do something. Now that he was a half-dragon, he felt that he could change the pupils of his eyes back to normal, so since Luna was a full dragon, maybe she could do it on a bigger scale. "Kyuu-" She said in her adorable voice, which Lucas still understood, maybe due to their bond or him becoming a half-dragon. "Then can you transform into a cat?" Lucas said and shared a memory of how a cat looked like. A perk of having a soul bond was they could share their vision and memories. Perhaps Luna would be able to see Lucas''s entire memories in his past life in the future. "Kyuu-" That was her saying that she could, and so she started transforming as her wings went inside her body, and her black scales started changing. Now in front of Lucas was Luna transformed into a cat with majestic black fur and blood-red eyes, as if the cat was of the highest order. Chapter 15 - 15: Dungeon [3] After becoming a half dragon, it looks like Lucas also got a new title. He ranked up from low 4 star level to peak 4 star level and unlocked a new skill called [Dragon''s Pride] and his first skill [Monarch of Chaos] evolved. [Dragon''s Pride]: Dragons are colossal mythical creatures that wreak havoc on anyone they deem their enemy. Their pride is so immense that it won''t allow mere parlour tricks to affect their minds. The user is immune to all types of mental attacks. "So, a passive skill, huh? This is incredible, though, to be immune to mental attacks," Lucas remarked. Deciding to head back towards the boss room, Luna, instead of walking, decided to jump on top of Lucas''s head and lay comfortably in his hair with her eyes closed. It felt quite amusing to see her, being a mighty dragon in the form of a majestic cat, resting atop a 12-year-old boy''s head. Lucas thought as he started walking back towards the boss room. After 20 minutes of walking, he finally arrived, yet there was still no gate to send him back. He could either go back all the way from where he came when he defeated the D-rank king predator, or find the reason why the gate isn''t showing up or how the boss of this dungeon died. As he was thinking while gazing at the throne, something interrupted his thoughts. "Kekeke, took you long enough, you know?" a sinister voice behind him said, making his hair stand on end. In front of him stood a 2-meter-tall demon with dark skin, long legs and arms with sharp nails, two bat-like wings on its back, pure black eyes, and a sinister smile on its dark face, as miasma poured out of its body. "You know how long I was waiting for someone to arrive at this dungeon? I got so bored I decided to explore the dungeon and fell asleep. But, to my surprise, the moment I fell asleep, a noble adventurer decided to solo this dungeon and managed to defeat the pup I sent at the entrance gate of this dungeon, kekekeke." "Not only that, you even managed to enter the hidden room which I was desperately trying to enter. Yet, whenever I tried to enter, some hidden force kept blocking my path. Say, what did you find in there? What did that ancient king hide?" the sinister demon bombarded Lucas with questions. The demon''s rambling was cut off as he gazed at Lucas, who had a grin on his face and his eyes locked onto the demon. The demon felt as if he were being watched by a predator, and a chill ran down his spine for a second before he felt back to normal. ''What was that feeling for a second? Have I been eating too many humans that I became drunk?'' "Hey," the white-haired boy with blood-red eyes and verticle pupils, who wore a mask that had multiple protective spells on it to prevent the demon seeing through it and was hiding his face, interrupted. "Did you kill the boss of this dungeon?" Lucas asked curiously. "Kekeke, I did, yes. So, what of it?" the demon replied. "Nothing. I was just curious why there isn''t a gate that appeared when you defeated the boss," Lucas continued. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Oh, that. Keke. That''s because I used an artifact to delay the gate from interfering." ''Artifact, huh? To think the demons would have something so incredible to interfere with space.'' "I see... So why are you actually here? In a lowly C-rank dungeon?" Lucas inquired further. "Kekeke. How bold of you to keep asking questions. But, I''ll amuse you. You know damn well why I am here. This ancient king was said to be someone who could rival his majesty back in the day! Isn''t that absurd? I know, right? Well, anyway, it was said by his majesty that this king possessed something extremely valuable but was lost in time and ended up in a dungeon for some reason unknown. I searched for more than 100 years for this throne room, and when I finally found it, I saw a secret room where his most valuable item must have been, yet I can''t enter it! Isn''t that annoying!?" "Not as annoying as you are," Lucas retorted after getting all the answers he needed, positioning himself to fight. "Huh? What did you say? You piece of shit!?" Z''riel exclaimed, clearly enraged. "Didn''t you hear me? Don''t tell me you''re fucking deaf as well as being annoying?" Lucas continued, further provoking the demon and aggravating him even more. "YOU DARE CALL ME ANNOYING!? ME!? Z''RIEL, THE SON OF BELPHEGOR!" "I have no fucking idea who that is, and I don''t care either," Lucas replied dismissively. ****** ''I don''t understand why why why ... Why is he insulting me!? Doesn''t he know I am a demon!? Every time a human sees me, they start squealing like pigs and despair! Originally, I thought the human was just good at hiding his despair and was asking questions to stall for time, maybe hoping someone would rescue him! But instead, he dared to INSULT ME! WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS!?'' "I WILL SHRED YOU LIMB TO LIMB, YOU FUCKING WEAK HUMAN!" Z''riel roared, consumed by anger. He couldn''t believe that a lowly human would insult him. His pride was wounded, and he vowed to make the human suffer, tearing him apart slowly limb to limb as he begged for mercy. Only then would Z''riel be able to heal his damaged pride. "Weak? Hahaha, not only are you deaf and annoying, but also blind!" The boy taunted, further enraging Z''riel. ''WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY!? WHY WAS HE INSULTING ME EVEN MORE!?'' Z''riel couldn''t understand it. He could tell that this human was weaker; he was probably a high to peak 4-star level, while he was a mid 5-star level. So why was he so confident? Suddenly, he heard a voice whisper behind his ear, a voice that made his body shudder as if the devil was whispering to him. "What are you thinking so deeply about?" Before he could react, he felt something hit his abdomen with incredible speed and strength, launching him towards the other side of the boss room and crashing directly against the wall, making him vomit black blood. "BLERGH!" As he fell to the ground, he tried to regain his footing, but he was still not stable. He glared at the human standing where he was before, seeing him grin at him. "Oooh? Didn''t you say I was weak? What happened? Don''t tell me you''re spitting out blood because of someone as weak as me just because I punched you? Doesn''t that make you even weaker than me? Hahahaha!" Lucas taunted, with the black cat still sound asleep, as if all of this had nothing to do with it. ********* ''Just an ordinary punch did this much damage?'' Lucas thought as he looked at the demon, who was gazing at him as if he wanted to destroy every part of him. ''It still is a demon, so I should take it more seriously.'' As he said that, he quickly pulled out his Blade of Chaos from his [inventory]. Grasping the sword with one hand, he got into position, and as both he and the demon, who had both arms open wide next to him, using his long nails as weapons, bent their knees, they both disappeared from their spots and reappeared in front of each other. Lucas''s sword clashed with Z''riel''s claws. Clanck Both kept parrying and blocking each other''s strikes, destroying the throne room further. The only thing that remained intact was the throne itself, seemingly indestructible, with a black majestic cat laying on it, gazing at the fight with curiosity and sparkling red eyes. As they continued to fight, the demon would sometimes back off to catch his breath, and Lucas would use spells like lightning javelin or fireball to prevent that from happening. ''HOW IS HE NOT TIRED!? IS HE REALLY HUMAN!? AND WHY IS HE A MASTER OF BOTH THE SWORD AND MAGIC!?'' Z''riel was baffled by the white-haired boy who could keep up with him so easily and effortlessly use both swordplay and magic. ''I must inform his majesty about this quickly! If he grows even more, he might become a hindrance to his plans in the future!'' Z''riel thought while clashing with Lucas''s blade and evading his spells. Lucas was still not tired. Now that he had become a half dragon, his mana quantity had increased significantly, as had his stamina. He could easily go on like this for hours. But he started to notice the demon pulling back little by little and watching around as if trying to find a way to escape. ''I should end this quickly. I can''t let him escape,'' Lucas thought. As they slid back a few meters, Lucas didn''t use any spells this time. Z''riel thought that he must have finally run out of mana and decided to plan his escape. "You are a strong human boy! You have a lot of potential. Why don''t you join us demons? There wouldn''t be a better honor than serving his majesty¡ª" Before he could finish his proposal, trying to fool the human, he felt a tremendous pressure on his shoulder, making the floor underneath his feet crack. Though he didn''t kneel, the pressure was suffocating. Gazing at the source of the pressure, his entire body shuddered. He saw a colossal dragon with white scales as snow and blood-red eyes¡ªthe incarnation of chaos. "A-ah." He fell to his knees, feeling true fear for the first time in decades. ''Why? His majesty said that all dragons perished thousands of years ago!? Why is someone like that here!?'' "W-who are you really!?" He managed to squeak out of his dry throat. But before he could get an answer, he saw a beam of red and black energy heading straight towards him, destroying everything in its path. His brain screamed to dodge, telling him that a single hit would kill him. But he couldn''t move out of primal fear. He heard the monster''s response before the beam of chaos finally hit him, ending his life once and for all. "Lucas Nightstar." The one who defeated the demon, Z''riel, son of Belphegor. Chapter 16 - 16: Belphegor After the fight with Z''riel, a huge ancient gate, like the one before he entered the dungeon, appeared close to him, indicating that the dungeon had finally been conquered. "It''s amazing that I was able to defeat a demon who was a star level above me so easily. It would have been another story, though, if I had arrived later at the boss room and hadn''t become a half dragon..." Lucas shuddered at the thought of his fate if he had decided to rest more and arrived at the boss room later, having to fight the demon without becoming a half dragon. The only reason it was so easy was because of the amount of mana Lucas now had. The difference was between heaven and earth since he could just keep spamming his skills and spells while fighting him with his vast amount of stamina, wielding the Blade of Chaos, making him a tough opponent to defeat. "Luna, let''s go. We are leaving this dungeon," Lucas called out to Luna, who was approaching from the throne she lay on a few minutes ago while watching Lucas and Z''riel fight. As she heard Lucas, she hopped on top of his head and made herself comfortable there, making Lucas chuckle. As Lucas stood in front of the gate, he couldn''t help but think about what a crazy first dungeon experience he had. From fighting a D-rank king predator from the start to discovering ancient lost history, to getting a dragon as his bond and becoming a half dragon himself, and then fighting a demon... He couldn''t tell if his luck was good or bad. In the end, it didn''t matter since he survived and it made him stronger. Sigh "I have a feeling these next two years will be quite long." "Kyuu-?" Luna cutely tilted her head, not understanding what Lucas meant. It looks like even in cat form, she still couldn''t fully become a cat, perhaps one day when she becomes older. ''I wonder if I would ever be able to unlock my true form,'' Lucas thought as he gazed at his skill [Monarch of Chaos]. [Monarch of Chaos]: You are the one who stands above all. You don''t yield in the presence of calamity, for you are a calamity itself, an incarnation of chaos. The skill can be used on a specific target to show them true despair by them seeing your true form. The skill can be used up to one star level above you, and it won''t work on the target if the target has a stronger will than the user. "It was a long journey, but I suppose I benefited a lot from it," Lucas thought as he walked through the ancient gate with Luna on top of his head, the gate closing behind them forever. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. *************** In an ancient castle where the sky was dark and ominous, with dark clouds hanging in the air and red lightning flashing, a man sat in the middle of a dark throne with his hand resting on his chin, his expression bored. "Haaa, I don''t understand what His Majesty is doing by closing the gate for now. Why isn''t he revealing his plans to us?" Every word he spoke caused the air to vibrate and the castle to shake. His presence was too intimidating for the attendees who knelt in front of him, their bodies covered in cold sweat. They felt as if they were being crushed just by standing in the man''s presence, and cracks kept appearing all over the castle, only to repair themselves as if by magic. If one looked at the scene, they could deduce who these people were: demons. They were demons in the demon world, and the man sitting on the throne, looking down at the kneeling demons trembling in fear, was none other than Belphegor, a duke-ranked demon of the House of Sloth. In the demon world, instead of star levels, they gave noble titles in a specific order: - Peak 7-star level: A Baron-ranked demon - Peak 8-star level: A Viscount-ranked demon - Peak 9-star level: A Count-ranked demon - Peak 10-star level: A Marquess-ranked demon - Low 11-star level: A Duke-ranked demon - Low 12-star level: A Royal-ranked demon Belphegor was a mid-11-star level duke-ranked demon belonging to the House of Sloth, one of the Seven Deadly Sins. In the demon world, most noble demons were divided into seven different types of houses named after the Seven Deadly Sins that represented them: Sloth, Envy, Pride, Gluttony, Wrath, Greed, and Lust. Currently, Belphegor was extremely bored and planning to go and sleep until he suddenly felt a connection break. He felt one of his sons had just died. "Oh? Which one of my sons just died?" His voice sounded carefree, as if he didn''t care, which was true in the demon world; they weren''t bound by family ties, only by fear and power. Besides, Belphegor had hundreds of children, so he couldn''t care less if a few died. "Hmm, so Z''riel died? Interesting. Wasn''t he the brat who wanted to find the hidden treasure of the ancient king who was said to rival His Majesty and the 1st dragon king? Even though everyone gave up searching for it since they deemed it impossible, he never gave up and kept searching for hundreds of years... Haha, in the end, he died." "I wonder how he died... La''el, come out." He called out, and a shadow emerged from the ground, revealing a demon dressed in full black clothes covering everything, even his face. "Yes, my lord." "Is there a way to find out how my son Z''riel died, even with the gates closed?" "His Majesty has forbidden sending demons out to Myrniel, where your son was last, my lord, so it is not possible." "Then is there a way to contact the demons who are hiding in Myrniel?" "Unfortunately, there is not. The demons are on their own over there currently, and we will have to be on standby, waiting for His Majesty''s further orders." The demon called La''el spoke respectfully, trying not to show his fear. "Hmm, I see. Well, I''ll wait and find out what happened after His Majesty opens the gate again." Belphegor said and stood up, walking toward his room to go and sleep. Even though Belphegor didn''t care about his children, he was still interested in some, like Z''riel. He wondered if perhaps he may have found something, a clue, or maybe he actually found the treasure but died in the process due to an unknown factor. In the end, Belphegor couldn''t do anything, at least not for a long time... Chapter 17 - 17: 2 years and 9 months Inside an orphanage, a 7-year-old boy with black hair and black eyes could be seen. The boy had sickly pale skin and a thin, fragile body. An old woman with grey hair and wrinkles all over her face stood in front of the boy, seemingly scolding him. "You ungrateful brat! Who do you think you are? This is the reason your parents left you because you are never grateful for anything! Now, get back to your room!" the woman said, the harsh words falling on the frail child, who obviously wasn''t being properly cared for. He ran back to his room, which only had a single bed in poor condition, a window, and an old wooden table. His parents were kind people, but they died in a car accident when he was a baby, leaving him with no relatives to care for him. Thus, he was sent to an orphanage. The previous caretakers were always kind to him, making sure he had a good room and was always fed well. However, when the owner of the orphanage passed away from a heart attack, the orphanage began to decline. New caretakers, who didn''t have much choice but to accept low pay, were unkind. They barely provided enough food and gave the boy the worst room in the orphanage. He became the main target for their abuse, and the other children avoided him out of fear of receiving the same treatment. At school, he was bullied, with stones thrown at him, his homework stolen, or his backpack thrown into a river. The boy sought solace in a forest where a stray dog would wait for him to play after school. They played together until sunset, when the boy had to return to the orphanage before the caretakers grew suspicious. "I promise I will come tomorrow again Puck!" The boy said waving his hand at the dog while running back "woof!" However, their time together ended tragically when the bullies discovered the boy''s connection to the dog. The next day, when the boy ran to the forest to play, he found the dog lying on the ground, bloodied and wounded. The dog was dead... *************** 2 years and 9 months later... "Ugh..." A tall, handsome boy could be seen lying on a bed in a hotel room, groggily rubbing his eyes as he woke up. His hair was as white as snow, and his eyes were striking blood red with black vertical pupils. Beside him, a majestic black-furred cat slept soundly. The boy and the cat were Lucas and Luna Nightstar. "What was that? A dream? No, those were memories of my previous life..." "Why now again?" Sigh Lucas gently shook Luna. "Luna, wake up. It''s morning already." "[Mm, 5 more minutes...]" "Fine..." Yes, Luna could talk now, albeit only telepathically. They could communicate with each other through their minds. 2 years and 9 months had passed for both of them since the fight with Z''riel, and they had been adventuring since then, deciding to rest at a hotel yesterday. Lucas was now 15 years old, and all his cuteness had been replaced by the appearance of a handsome, tall young man standing at 186 cm tall. Lucas and Luna had grown extremely close during their time together. They had developed a father-daughter relationship. Initially, when Luna first learned to speak, which was 3 months after he made her his soul bond, she kept calling him "dad" or "papa." After persuading her for a whole year, she changed to calling him Lucas, but still referred to him as "father" most of the time. "A father at 15. Damn, my parents would kill me..." He couldn''t help but chuckle at the thought. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since the fight with Z''riel, nothing as crazy as his first mission had happened again. There were a few tough times where they almost got themselves killed fighting strong opponents, but it was nothing compared to their first mission. ''Status.'' ----------------------------- Status Screen: [Name]: Lucas Nightstar [Age]: 15 [Gender]: Male [Race:] Half Dragon [Rank]: Mid 6-star level (Master) [Affinities]: - Fire - Lightning - Space - Chaos (Progenitor) [Special Talent]: Dual Wielder [Physique]: Dragon [Bloodline]: Unawakened [Title]: Master of the Blade of Chaos, Dragon Tamer, Anomaly [Skills]: Monarch of Chaos, Appraisal, Dragon''s Pride, Dragon''s Aura, Mirage, Phase [Soul Bond]: Luna (Dragon) ----------------------------- "I really have come a long way in these 2 years... But what the hell does it mean with ''anomaly''?" "Whatever..." Today, both of them were in Nfael, a city at the border of the elven and human domains, serving as a neutral city where no conflict was allowed unless you wanted to die immediately. Lucas had 2 months left until he would return to his parents, as in 3 months, he would have to attend the Shield Academy. He planned to take a mission that would require him to go to the elven domain, explore the Elven Domain, perhaps even the capital of the elves called Zefirah, and then take a mana teleporter there to go directly to Moon City. "Luna, it''s been 5 minutes. Wake up. Let''s take a shower and leave to find a suitable mission." "[Mm, fine... Wait, no! I don''t want to take a shower, Father!]" Hearing the word "shower," she immediately woke right up. "Pfft! I was joking. Haha, fine. Just wait here while I take a shower, then we can leave," Lucas said while heading towards the bathroom, laughing. "[Ugh... I hate you, Father!]" ********** In a luxurious guild hall, people were more excited than usual. "Hey, have you heard about that one mission?" Jimmy said. "No? What mission? What''s so special about it?" James asked. "It''s an escorting mission. All you have to do is escort some high noble elf to the elven domain, and you would get 500.000 golden credits!" Jimmy answered James'' question. "Idiots! Are you both new here? Have you checked the difficulty of the mission? It goes from B to S rank, meaning that there is a chance that an S rank threat could appear. Of course, the reward would be so high since you could easily die! I''m telling you, this mission is too shady and will get you killed," Thomas said next to them. "Doesn''t matter. I''m still going to try. Apparently, you just have to go to the border of the city where they would be waiting for people who are willing to join the escort mission, and they will see if we are worthy enough," Jimmy explained. "So, they will hold a test? To see if we can handle the mission?" Thomas asked. "Yes, exactly. So it isn''t shady, and I''ll go and get accepted easily and earn the reward, haha!" "Sure, sure, as if someone like you would get accep¡ª" Suddenly, Thomas and everyone stopped talking as they felt the air get tense. They looked towards the entrance of the guild, where they saw a man walking inside with a cat on his shoulder. Step Step "N-no way, is that..." an adventurer said, gazing at the man walking inside. "Why is he here!?" someone else said in a hushed tone. "T-that''s him, isn''t it?" someone whispered with a pale face. His presence was overwhelming as they felt as if they weren''t worthy enough to stand in the same room with him. The man gave off an aura of pride and strength. "H-hey, who the hell is that man?" James asked. "I-idiot, you don''t know who the White Devil is?" Jimmy said. "W-wait, you mean he is THE White Devil!?" James said in a hushed tone. "Y-yes, he''s the one with a 100% completion rate on whatever mission he took for the past 2 years. The one who took down a demon who infiltrated a C rank dungeon on his own, known for always being alone with his cat and soloing multiple dungeons, killing multiple bandits, and destroying an entire criminal organization. He''s the holder of a special card of the Lunar Guild." "He is Noctis, The White Devil." Chapter 18 - 18: Escort Mission Lucas heard the whispers of the adventurers in the guild hall but remained calm as he walked confidently to one of the tablets to search for a suitable mission. [Luna, why would they call me a devil and why white? What have I ever done to them?] [Isn''t it because of your white hair, father? And it''s not like you''re an angel with how you scare everyone away...] [I guess you''re right, but I need to have a reputation, you know. And it''s kind of cool, I guess, to be feared...] [Hehe, father is like a little child.] [Shut up.] As they bantered, they arrived at one of the tablets where Lucas found an intriguing mission, which he could hardly believe when he read the details: -------------------------------- Mission Type: Escort Difficulty: B-S Rank Description: Need powerful adventurers to escort a high noble elf to the elven domain. Come to the northern open field at the city border at 5:30 PM for an evaluation if suited for the mission. Time Limit: 5:30 PM Reward: 500 000 golden credits -------------------------------- ''This mission is perfect! But it seems I can''t apply with the card; instead, they will hold a test. Hmm, why not?'' Lucas thought. "Hey," Lucas suddenly called out in a cold voice, causing everyone in the hall to flinch. ''Did we do something wrong?'' They all panicked. "What time is it right now?" Lucas asked. "S-sir Noctis, it is currently 3:46 PM," the receptionist lady replied, trembling. They were all quite scared; they could tell they wouldn''t stand a chance fighting him just from his aura and the way he carried himself. They all feared the man called Noctis, known as The White Devil. You don''t fight someone with such an ominous name unless you are sure of defeating them. "S-sir Noctis," an adventurer called out. Everyone looked at him with pale faces, silently urging him to shut up. Lucas looked at the man who called out to him. "Hmm? What is it?" he asked, making the man flinch under his gaze. gulp The man felt as if he was being watched by a predator, and one mistake could get him killed without knowing why. A human would instinctively know when being watched by a predator, which Lucas was... He was a half-dragon, something above human, a predator among predators. Of course, they would feel fear without knowing why. Of course, Lucas could suppress himself and his Dragon''s Aura as if it were nothing, but why bother? He was having too much fun! "A-are you perhaps going to the escort mission at the northern open field?" he asked with difficulty. "That is correct. What of it?" Lucas replied, not understanding the meaning. "W-well, the reward is quite high, so high that it might not be true," the man said nervously. "W-what if they end up betraying or scamming you?" "Well, isn''t that simple? What would I do?" Lucas said, as if the answer was obvious. "I-it is?" the man said, gulping nervously. "Of course, since I would kill all of them," Lucas said, making all the people present pale in fear. [Hahaha! Luna, isn''t their reactions fun?] [Father really is childish...] ******************** In an open field filled with grass, a luxurious carriage could be seen surrounded by a few guards emitting an aura that warned adventurers not to approach too closely. If one took a closer look, they would notice that the four guards surrounding the carriage had long pointed ears, indicating one thing: they were elves. One of the four elf guards stepped forward toward the lineup of adventurers, gazing at those who wished to join the escort mission. The elf had long blond hair and green eyes, and carried a rapier at his waist. Though armed with a rapier, elves were still adept with magic, as they were attuned to mana and nature, resulting in all of them having an affinity with life magic, and almost all elves having more than two basic elements as affinities all because they are supposedly blessed by Yggdrasil, the World Tree. "Sir Gerhald, ten minutes left until we can start selecting them," a short green-haired elf said, who was one of the other four guards. "Hmm, we will wait until the end and pick only a few from the many humans gathered here. Though I can see a few of our own kin... tch, despicable. Rather than serving the royal family, they would rather go out and play like children," Gerhald said. "Sir Gerhald, serving the royal family isn''t a rule or obligation. We elves are allowed to carve our own paths, whether you are a noble elf or not," a voice rang out from inside the carriage, captivating everyone present. Instantly, the crowd quieted down and listened to the speaker. The voice belonged to a female; it was like listening to a beautiful silver bell, gentle and soft. "Y-yes, my lady, I apologize," Gerhald responded respectfully. Raised with the belief that all elves should devote themselves to the royal family, Gerhald had spoken those words. His father and grandfather were royal guards, and he aspired to follow in their footsteps. Achieving success on this mission would bring him closer to joining the royal guards, perhaps even becoming a knight of one of the family members later on. "Sir Gerhald, it is time," the short-haired green elf said. "Hmm, alright. We will now begin with the eval¡ª" Before Gerhald could complete his sentence, he stopped talking as he sensed someone with a strong presence slowly approaching from behind the adventurers. ''Is it a threat?'' he thought, and all the guards got ready in case they needed to fight. Everyone turned around, feeling the strong presence coming from behind them. When the adventurers gazed at the cause of everyone''s alertness, they widened their eyes. "H-hey, is that..." hiss They sucked in a cold breath as they watched a man donned in black clothes and a black mask. His eyes were blood-red, and he had white hair as snow. On top of his shoulder was a majestic-furred cat with the same blood-red eyes. "The White Devil..." one of the adventurers said as they saw him walking towards them. "No way he is joining the mission as well..." Hearing the adventurers whispering to each other, Gerhald and all the other guards became interested, but they couldn''t help but stay on guard after hearing the ominous name of ''The White Devil.'' Except for one person, the green-haired elf. "Sir Gerhald, that is Noctis, The White Devil. He was first seen 2 years ago. He is a pretty famous adventurer and is discussed by many, making theories about who he is on the adventurers'' blog. He is known for a lot of things, like having a 100% completion rate to defeating a Demon. Unfortunately, the rank of the demon is classified information, so we don''t know much about the fight. But it is also known that he is a special cardholder of the Lunar guild," the green-haired elf spoke as if he was fanboying over Noctis, The White Devil. Hearing this, Gerhald and the other guards calmed down considerably, but still, they kept their guard up a little bit more for now until they were sure he wasn''t a threat. As Noctis approached, all the adventurers split into two groups as if the sea was split. No one wanted to stand in his way, either out of curiosity, fear, awe, or indifference. When Noctis finally arrived in front of Gerhald, who was guarding the carriage, he asked, "So what requirements do I need to join this escort mission?" in a cold voice that sent shivers down the spine of most adventurers who weren''t that strong. Hearing his cold voice, Gerhald was a little annoyed. He could tell that the man they called the White Devil didn''t think much of him. Gerhald was a High 7-star level Mage who was also skilled with the sword, to the point where he could rival a mid 4-star level swordsman. He was considered talented in the elven domain, and most would look at him with reverence and awe. So, he didn''t like it when a mere human, whose race he always looked down on, watched him as if he were some sort of ant! Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You¡ª" But again, before he could give a response, he heard a gentle and kind voice cutting him off from talking further. "Sir Noctis, since you are willing to join, I doubt a test would be needed to determine if you are capable or not. After all, you have never failed a mission. Instead of a test, I would like to invite you inside the carriage, where we could have a proper talk." The voice sounded like a silver bell, causing the White Devil''s eyes to shoot up in surprise for a second before returning to normal. "Hmm, very well. I will graciously accept your offer then," The White Devil said in his usual cold voice. Hearing this, the adventurers were shocked, and some wanted to protest. But before they could, Gerhald interrupted. "My lady! You can''t invite a stranger like him inside your car¡ª" Once again, he was interrupted by the same voice. "Sir Gerhald, please behave yourself in the presence of others. Whether I invite him or not is none of your business. Your duty is to protect me and get me back to the elven domain. Is that understood?" She said in her usual tone, but this time everyone could tell that she was angry and wasn''t going to take no for an answer. "Y-yes, my lady. I apologize again for this," he said while glaring at the White Devil, who went to the other side of the carriage where no one could see him, further ignoring Gerhald, and stepped inside the carriage. As this mission would change the fate of the entire elven domain. Chapter 19 - 19: Noctis, The White Devil ''If only those other four guards hadn''t fallen ill, we wouldn''t have to hire someone to escort us. It''s obvious someone poisoned them, and an attack will happen...'' The girl sat inside the carriage, contemplating their predicament, surrounded by green and yellow ethereal orbs, spirits from the realm of Yggdrasil something only she could have, a greater blessing of Yggdrasil. Though she couldn''t directly communicate with them, she could understand their emotions and occasional thoughts. These lesser spirits were her companions, providing solace in her lonely childhood and shielding her from loneliness, where others only sought to exploit her high status. Perhaps one day when she grows stronger, she would be able to talk properly with them and summon higher spirits... sigh ''I hope we find someone strong enough. The time between when we put out the request and the deadline was only two days...'' She harbored little hope, knowing the short notice given for a strong adventurer to answer their call and come to Nfael. As if Yggdrasil itself had heard her, a commotion outside the carriage caught her attention. "H-hey, is that..." "The White Devil..." "No way he''s joining this mission as well..." Fear and awe permeated their voices, and she could sense his formidable presence. But what intrigued and bewildered her more was the tumultuous emotions of the little spirits dancing around inside the carriage¡ªhappiness, sadness, joy, and grief swirling together. Recalling the tales of the White Devil, the renowned adventurer with a flawless mission completion record, she pondered his significance. ''They say he''s on par with multiple A to S rank adventurers,'' she thought. Yet, she couldn''t fathom why the spirits reacted so strongly to him, their feelings a confusing mix of sadness and joy in his presence. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''I want to know more about the White Devil and what makes him so special...'' With resolve in her heart, she spoke, addressing the figure whose name stirred both admiration and trepidation among those around her. "Sir Noctis..." ************ As Lucas sat with Luna on his shoulder in front of the girl inside this huge luxurious carriage, he had only one thought: ''Beautiful.'' No, he wasn''t talking about the carriage. The girl in front of him was simply ''beautiful.'' The way her silver hair was like a reflection of the moon itself, her blue eyes as deep as the ocean, her long lashes glittering in the night, her skin as white as snow. There was no other way to describe her except for beautiful. [Father, why are both of you staring at each other so much?] Thankfully, Luna interrupted in time before she would notice him staring. cough "I appreciate you allowing me to skip the test. So, what did you want to talk about?" Lucas asked in his usual cold voice. "Ah, yes, I apologize. You see, I-" Before she could talk, she noticed he wasn''t looking at her anymore, but instead at the spirits floating around. [Father, can you see those floating balls in the air?] [No, but I can ''feel'' them instead.] ''Luna can see them because she is a full dragon, and I can only feel them because I am a half dragon...'' "You... you can see them, can''t you?" Suddenly, Lucas turned towards the young girl, who looked like his age, as she called out to him in her usual gentle and soft voice, but it was filled with disbelief. "No. I can''t see them, but I can feel them," Lucas answered honestly. "What are they?" sigh "They are spirits... lesser spirits from the realm of Yggdrasil. I have a greater blessing from Yggdrasil, making me able to summon these spirits and talk, or at least have a way to communicate with them, though they are only lesser spirits." She answered honestly as well. It looked like both didn''t like to keep secrets, as they were equally interested in each other. "Can you... summon only these lesser spirits, or can you summon stronger ones?" "No, only these lesser spirits for now. Perhaps one day, when I become stronger," she answered. Lucas was surprised at how easily she was revealing this information, but he knew she would want something of equal value. Due to his pride, which he acquired as a trait when becoming a half-dragon, he would have no choice but to give something that would make them even. "My turn," Lucas smiled behind his mask upon hearing the girl. He knew that this might happen the moment she started easily revealing her information, and honestly, he didn''t mind telling her whatever she wanted. He just really didn''t care about keeping secrets, since he was going back in two months anyway. "Sure, go ahead," he said in his still cold voice. In a teasing tone, the girl asked, "Noctis, the White Devil. Who are you behind that mask?" Her grin was something Lucas found extremely cute. Instead of answering, he started taking off his mask. "E-eeh!?" Bewildered at what Lucas was doing, she immediately interrupted and stopped him. "W-what are you doing!? You were actually about to remove the mask hiding your face?!" She asked in disbelief, her voice soft, while swaying her arms around in a panic. ''Looks like she didn''t expect me to actually reveal myself. Well, it''s not like I care anymore; my purpose for this two-year journey has already basically been accomplished, so I don''t mind if people find out if I am Noctis, I suppose.'' "I don''t mind telling you who I am, you know? Besides, you told me something you normally would keep secret as well, so isn''t it fair if I do something of equal value?" Lucas reasoned. "B-but don''t you have some reason why you don''t want to reveal yourself? Why you hide behind a mask?" She asked, still trying to persuade him. ''I don''t know, but I kind of find her bewildered expression cute. I doubt most have seen this type of face of hers...'' "I have already accomplished my goals, so I have no need to wear a mask anymore. Besides, after this escort mission, I was planning to retire as Noctis." "Eh, this is your last mission as an adventurer!?" she said in further disbelief ''Cute...'' "Yes, so do you still want to see my face or not?" "S-sure, if you are fine with it, I guess... I am curious who the White Devil is." The last part was almost inaudible, but with Lucas''s hearing as a half-dragon, he easily heard it. And so he removed his mask, revealing his entire face to the girl in front of him. "I am the one you call Noctis, The White Devil, also known as Lucas Nightstar." Chapter 20 - 20: Sylviette Velariah "W-what! The White Devil was Lucas Nightstar all along!? Aren''t you the same age as me, basically!?" The girl said with her mouth basically wide open in shock. "Hmm? You heard of me as Lucas Nightstar?" Lucas asked, confused, long having stopped using his Noctis personality with the girl, but he didn''t remember doing anything as his real self for her to recognize him. "You don''t know? You are pretty famous, you know, for that cool entrance you made to the world 3 years ago! Look!" She said while taking her phone out of her storage ring and handing it over to Lucas. ''Huh? Since when the heck did we have phones in this world!? How did I never notice!?'' Lucas was shocked at seeing the phone in hand. [Oi Luna, why did I never buy a phone?] [Huh, Father? Wasn''t it because you never cared about those weird devices?] Luna asked, cutely tilting her head. [.....] [.....] [Remind me to buy a phone when we are free, Luna.] [Hehe, yes, Father.] Without Lucas noticing, the girl somehow was sitting next to him, her silver hair brushing against his face. ''Damn, she smells nice... Wait, no, why is she sitting next to me!? Is she always this carefree? I mean, she doesn''t even know me, dammit!?'' What Lucas didn''t know was that the girl was extremely cautious with most people except for her family, and that was all because of the lesser spirits. The lesser spirits would always surround a person at how likable they found the person and if you can trust them, which they only did for the girl''s family. And now, for the first time, they surrounded Lucas and danced happily around him. They weren''t even doing this with her family. So the girl naturally believed Lucas was someone good and trustworthy, and as this was the first time from someone her age she could trust, she wanted to become friends with Lucas. "Look, Lucas, you were trending on MyTube for an entire year as #1, and even now, you are still trending as people started making edits out of you when you came out of that car and released your scary aura on them." She said as she opened an edit as the phone was in Lucas''s hand. "I-I see. I didn''t realize people were actually making edits about me, and damn, 267 million views..." Lucas was genuinely shocked seeing how popular he actually was for only appearing once, which naturally helped make him popular since people don''t know anything about him. He was like a famous person who would only appear once in a blue moon. sigh "By the way..." Lucas suddenly turned her head to the girl next to him, making their noses almost touch each other. Both froze at the spot until the girl finally came out of it and jumped back to her previous seat, making her sit again in front of Lucas. "Ah! I am sorry. I was excited and got too close..." She said, with the tip of her ears dyed red from embarrassment, and hung her head down. ''Damn, she is cute!'' cough "It is alright. It was no problem, so no need to be upset," Lucas said calmly, showing no trouble on his face, though if one read his thoughts, they would call him one thing: ''King of poker face.'' ''Shit! You fucking heart! Stop beating so loud! Do you want me to rip you out, you pathetic piece of shit!'' sigh Trying to dispel the awkward atmosphere, Lucas suddenly asked a question he probably should have done in the beginning. "So, I was going to ask...what is your name?" "Eh, I didn''t say?" She said, as if in shock, not realizing she never gave her name. "No, you didn''t. I never asked. My bad." "No, it''s fine." She suddenly stood up and gave a gracious bow fit for a noble elven lady in high society. "My name is Sylviette Velariah. It is nice to meet you, Lucas Nightstar." Seeing this, Lucas couldn''t help but let out a chuckle. "Haha, it is nice to make your acquaintance, Sylviette Velariah." Lucas said while standing up as well and bowing theatrically as well. "Pfft, how dramatic, Lucas." "As long as you are happy, Sylviette." "Please, call me Sylv. No need to be so formal." "Very well, Sylv..." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''Have I heard the name Velariah before? I can''t remember... whatever.'' They both sat back down after formally introducing themselves finally. Suddenly, Sylviette stiffened up as if she realized something. "Hey, Lucas, you are the White Devil, aren''t you?" She suddenly asked this weird question. "Huh, well yeah...?" Lucas answered, confused. "T-then what star level are you? You are the same age as me and yet you are so famous as the White Devil, said to be between B to S rank adventurer. So, how strong are you really..." She asked nervously, understanding that revealing his star level could be a little too personal. "Hmm, oh, I am a Mid 6 star level currently, but I doubt anyone in the Master stage could fight me head-on and win in a 1v1," Lucas said. He wasn''t arrogant; it was just a fact that most people in the Master stage and beneath would simply fail fighting the anomaly known as Lucas Nightstar. "I-I see... I am a high 5 star level and known as one of the best of the best in our generation. But compared to you, all of us ''champions'' in the new generations pale against you. In fact, I was supposedly the strongest of our generation..." Champions were referred to the new generation who possessed the best of the best talent and have the highest potential to become a saint. "Is that so? I really never bothered, comparing myself with our generation." "That is understandable, I suppose. Unless you fight a champion, I doubt even then anyone in our generation would stand a chance. After all, I doubt anyone except for us 2 are even above Mid 5 star level in our generation...so that means that currently the 2 strongest of our generation are inside this carriage, hehe," Sylviette said, realizing that what she said was indeed true. "Hmm, are the others really so weak?" Lucas asked, confused if the 2 of them are the strongest then how weak were the others... sigh "Lucas, you really need to learn more about the world. You have been adventuring too much without understanding how much of a monster you truly are... The average people in Myrniel are only 5 star level, and those are mostly adults or students of Shield in their 2nd to 3rd year. Most people our age currently are barely 3rd to 4th star level," Sylv explained patiently. Lucas, hearing this, had his eyes wide open in surprise. "Huh, so wait, you mean we already surpassed the average star level and only at the age of 15..." "Yes, that is correct. And besides, there aren''t many above the 6-star level due to it just being too hard to advance, especially when you try to get to the Grandmaster stage where only a handful of people are in... In a sense, we are the ones who are too strong for this generation of ours..." Sylviette said with a bitter smile. "I see...thanks, Sylv, for explaining. I didn''t know that I was this abnormal compared to others my age..." "Hehe, no problem. Besides, you will be attending Shield in 3 months as well, right, Lucas?" Sylviette asked with sparkling eyes and hope. "Yes, that is right... I will be attending Shield in 3 months, but before that, I will have to visit my parents a month before Shield in Moon City." "Great! Then we can meet again in Shield after this mission is over. Wait, I''ll also give you a tour in the Elven Capital when we arrive there!" she said enthusiastically. "Sure, I would love that. Thanks," Lucas replied with a soft smile of his own [I feel left out...]" Luna said as she gazed at the spirits in front of her. Suddenly, they heard a voice outside of the carriage. "My lady, we have finished the test and selected 3 of the most capable bunch. We can now leave." Turning off the sound barrier artifact inside the carriage, Sylviette replied with her voice changing to an elegant one, saying in a soft and gentle tone, "Very well, we can now depart." As she said that, the carriage finally started departing towards the elven domain. Chapter 21 - 21: A battle to survive [1] Instead of using cars like humans, the elves prefer using carriages to travel around in the elven domain. This is because they are more traditional and like to be as close to nature as possible. However, that does not mean that they forsake all technology. They obviously recognize the usefulness of human inventions. The elven domain, instead of looking futuristic, is filled with nature and pristine white buildings surrounded by nature. At least, that''s what Lucas saw when looking at the videos online that Sylviette was showing him while they were inside the carriage heading towards the Elven domain. More specifically, they were heading straight to the capital of the elven domain, Zefirah. The road to the elven domain was currently calm without any danger in sight, but that didn''t mean Lucas had his guard down. He knew that the reason this mission was ranked from B to S was because there was a guarantee of an attack. Sylv told him that their previous guards had been poisoned, so an attack was likely. Yet... Nothing was happening. This made Lucas nervous, his thoughts racing around. His nerves were on edge, and his heart was beating loudly. He didn''t know who was going to attack or when they were going to attack. He didn''t have any information except for Sylv telling him that they were in the neutral city for diplomatic reasons with Dark Elves, a sub-race of "normal" elves. However, the meeting with them failed, so they were heading back, as the Dark Elves didn''t agree with what Sylviette proposed to them. This made him more curious. Who was Sylviette? She was someone beautiful, smart, and the strongest known champion currently. Lucas was sure he had heard the name Velariah somewhere before, but he just couldn''t remember who they were. He didn''t want to offend Sylv by asking about her family, as it could be personal or something that might offend her if he didn''t even know. As both sat in the carriage, Lucas couldn''t help but think. ''I wonder how strong the attackers would be.'' ''....'' ''Fuck! I am becoming like those two battle maniacs!'' Lucas still got nightmares from the training he received from William, and sometimes even his father would join, resulting in him not being able to move for an entire day. Breathing was extremely painful. "Hey Lucas¡ª I think something is wro¡ª" Before Sylv could finish talking, they heard a loud explosion outside of the carriage, and the ground and carriage shook extremely. BOOOOOM!!! "We are under attack, Lucas!" Sylv exclaimed as Lucas got on guard, with Luna jumping on his shoulder. Deactivating the sound barrier, Sylv tried to communicate outside with the guards. "Sir Gerhald, what happened!?" "My lady, we are under attack by a Dark El¡ª" Before he could finish, Lucas instantly embraced Sylviette, shielding her body. Surprising her, before she could react, she heard another loud explosion, and the next second the whole carriage was destroyed, along with everything around it, resulting in Lucas, Luna, and Sylviette being flung several meters away tumbling on the scorched ground. BOOOOOM!!! ******** Lucas felt cold; he couldn''t see anything, it was all dark, and his ears were ringing constantly. ''W-what happened...am I dead?'' ''No...I don''t want to die...Not again. Not after finally getting a second chance at life...'' ''I-I want to live...'' As Lucas was confused about where he was, he heard a voice calling out to him from somewhere far away. "[...ease! Father!]" "[Wake... father! Please...]" "[Father! Wake up! Please!]" "L-Luna?" Lucas recognized the voice, and instantly his eyes shot open. He saw a black cat on his chest with tears running down its eyes, calling him. "[Father!]" "L-Luna, are you alright?" he asked with confusion, recalling what just happened. [I am alright, father! But are you hurt? You were unconscious for a few seconds! I-I kept calling you, but you didn''t answer. I thought you were d-dead!] Lucas, seeing Luna almost on the verge of tears again, patted her head and let out a small smile. "Here, here, I am fine, Luna. I wouldn''t die from something like that. I am alright, okay? Sorry for making you worry." As Lucas reassured Luna, he looked around at his surroundings. What he saw would make most people vomit. Fire was everywhere, surrounding the open field they were in, the ground scorched, arms and legs burnt and scattered of the guards and adventurers who were outside the carriage. It was chaos all around him. Looking further, he saw Sylv lying on the ground with a few minor scratches but no serious injuries. Just to make sure, he stood up, placed Luna on his shoulder, and used [flash step] to arrive beside her. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He checked her body and saw that she was fine but still unconscious. Sigh. "Except for us, it looks like everyone else died in the explosion...." [W-what exactly happened, father?] "If my guess is correct, this was a mana bomb that they used, though I have no idea how they got their hands on it. I only once saw something similar when I fought against that criminal organization a year ago, but they only had one and on a much smaller scale. Yet these attackers had two and on a much bigger scale... I think Sir Gerhald said before the explosion that it was dark elves that were attacking..." "Keke, you are quite composed for someone who is about to die, kid." Suddenly he heard a voice behind him. Turning around, he saw a man standing surrounded by the fire that was wreaking havoc on the ground. The man had white hair and grey skin, he was as tall as Lucas, but what was most notable was that he had pointed ears. "A dark elf..." Seeing the dark elf, Lucas could tell that the elf was stronger than him. If he had to guess, he would be high to peak 7-star level. Lucas could also tell that he wasn''t normal, so he was cautious about fighting him. "[Luna, go and hide with Sylv.]" "[But father, I can help!]" "[Luna, go.]" Lucas didn''t allow any refusal anymore. Luna was still a child and wasn''t ready to fight a strong opponent like the dark elf in front of him yet. He knew Luna would become one of the strongest in the future, perhaps even stronger than Lucas himself, but not now. He couldn''t take any risks. He took out his blade of chaos from his [inventory], but instead of appearing in his hand, it was on his waist inside a holder. "How many of you are there?" Lucas asked, hoping to get information out of him. "Keke, as if I need help killing the lot of you. I already disposed of that 7-star level elf, so the rest was easy as stealing candy from a baby." ''I doubt he has any mana bombs left since he used them to kill that Gerhald guy.'' "Hmm, kid, let me make an offer. Step aside and give me that elf girl, and I would grant you a quick death. Keke, what do you say?" "Huh, how about you fuck off?" "Kekeke! You''re really going to die just for that elf girl you barely know!?" "Huh, who said I was gonna die? As if someone as fucking weak as you is enough for that." As Lucas said that, he got in position, holding his sword hilt with his left hand from his right waist, activating his skills [Monarch of Chaos] [Dragon''s aura] [Mirage]. Chapter 22 - 22: A battle to survive [2] "Ugh, it hurts... W-what happened?" As Sylviette finally regained consciousness, she opened her eyes, revealing their beautiful color, only to see fire and destruction surrounding her. ''W-what happened to everyone else...'' As she looked around, she saw burnt body parts, which made her feel sick to her stomach. Looking further ahead in the distance, she spotted Lucas and another person talking to each other, making her eyes go wide open. ''A dark elf!'' ''I need to go help hi-'' [Dont. Father is angry...] Hearing a voice in her head, she panicked and spotted a cat with majestic black fur and blood-red eyes next to her feet. She recognized the cat. It was Lucas''s cat, who didn''t leave his side no matter what. "W-what... did you just speak?" she asked in a bewildered tone. [hmm I can send my thoughts to your mind. You can do the same by just thinking what you want to say to me and saying it in your mind] "I-I see. So, you have the ability to talk..." "What did you mean by ''father is angry''?" [mm, Father, I mean Lucas, is angry at the dark elf. If you help, you will be in the way.] She couldn''t help but furrow her brows at this statement. "I am not so weak, you know that I would be in the way when I want to help him." [mm I know, but what I mean is that even though you are strong, father is stronger. He will destroy everything until he kills that man who almost hurt us... and killed the humans and elves outside the carriage.] Hearing what the black cat said, she couldn''t help but widen her eyes. ''Everyone is dead? Even Sir Gerhald?'' "Then I definitely need to help him. Sir Gerhald was a high 7-star level mage... If even he died, then Lucas can''t handle him alo-" Before she could finish her sentence, she felt a pressure as if a whole planet fell on her shoulder. Cracks started appearing on the ground all around her. Gazing at the source of her discomfort, she saw something she would never forget... Instead of seeing Lucas, she saw a colossal creature with white scales and blood-red eyes. It had two huge wings on its back and a huge tail. Seeing it, she fell on her back out of pure fear, and in the next second when she blinked, the creature was gone, and she saw Lucas with red and black energy type of aura surrounding his body. Then he disappeared from his spot... ********** "Huh, who said I was gonna die? As if someone as fucking weak as you is enough for that." He was pissed hearing the white-haired boy mocking him like that, someone who was obviously weaker than him. As he watched the boy get in position with his knees bent and back bent forward while holding his sword at his waist to fight, he scoffed inwardly. ''Does he really think he stands a chance?'' Before he could finish thinking, he felt as if a planet crashed on top of him as the ground around them began cracking and breaking apart. Gazing at the source, he saw something that almost made him fall back, yet out of sheer will, he held on. He saw a huge colossal creature with white scales as snow and blood-red eyes, the creature had two huge wings on its back and a huge tail. When he blinked, the pressure was gone as if it was never there, and he saw the boy still in his position with red and black energy surrounding him that made him feel like he was extremely inferior to the boy with white hair. The second time he blinked, the boy was gone... The third time he blinked... The boy was suddenly in front of him out of nowhere. He didn''t see him move at all; he was just there as if he always was. His brain screamed for him to dodge or he would die, so he did. He crouched down and saw the boy swing his sword horizontally, meant to decapitate his head. The swing sent out ripples of shockwaves. Again his brain screamed to dodge because of a skill he had, [danger sense], and so he did. He jumped as far back as he could, yet his brain kept screaming to still dodge, so he moved to his left after landing at the first alert. He saw the boy swing his sword vertically with red energy enveloped on his sword, [sword aura], and when the boy finally swung where he previously stood crouched, nothing happened.... As if the world itself still had to register what happened, suddenly the ground exploded and cracked, and a deep long cut appeared where the boy was to where he previously was when he jumped back, and it kept going where even his eyes couldn''t see. ''W-what! What is this kid!? No, no way he is human!? That monster can''t be human!?'' As if the boy himself heard his thoughts, without giving him a chance to catch his breath, the boy aimed his right palm at him while his sword was in his left hand and channeled his mana. The boy closed his hand tightly into a fist. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was confused at first, but then he felt the ground vibrating. He didn''t understand what was happening; his skill [danger sense] kept screaming alarm bells while the ground was vibrating. Suddenly, he felt the ground underneath him heat up, and that''s when he finally understood... ''SHIT!'' He instantly used his mana this time and controlled the wind on his feet, running straight to his left. As he gazed back to where he previously stood, the ground cracked even more, and the next second, a huge pillar of fire erupted out of the ground, reaching the heavens themselves. ''OI OI, YOU HAVE TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME! HOW CAN THIS MONSTER BE SO SKILLED AT SWORD AND MAGIC AT THE SAME TIME? THIS IS UNFAIR!'' As he stopped running, he gazed back at the boy with white hair and saw his right hand aimed above him as hundreds of red lightning javelins surrounded him. When he swung his arm down, all the javelins shot rapidly, one by one, at him. ''Well, fuck...'' He crouched down and put his palm on the ground, sending mana into it as huge stone walls started erupting from the ground, shielding him from the barrage of red lightning javelins. Each time a javelin hit, a wall would break, creating loud explosions. BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! "Shit, if this keeps going, my mana will be depleted! How is he not out of mana yet?" He couldn''t understand the thing he was fighting; he thought he was just a kid, but he had never been more wrong in his life before... Suddenly, something happened that shocked him to his core. He felt a weird type of energy invade his body, and all of his mana was cut off for a few seconds. As his mana was cut off, he couldn''t create any stone walls to protect him, and due to the confusion, he had not enough time to dodge the remaining javelins coming straight at him. When they hit him, it sent him flying dozens of meters back. He blacked out for a second, and when he came back, he saw he was on the ground, feeling a stinging pain on his right side. When he looked at his right side, he saw that his right arm was gone... "A-AAAAARGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!" He screamed in pain as he heard footsteps approaching him on the scorched ground surrounding them with fire and destruction. Step Step Stopping a few meters in front of him, he gazed at the white-haired boy with bloodshot eyes. "What was it that you said again? You would grant me a quick death, right? How about I make a similar offer. You tell me everything about who hired you to attack us, and I will grant you a quick death," the boy said with a sadistic grin on his face as he looked down on the dark elf. Chapter 23 - 23: A battle to survive [3] As Lucas gazed at the dark elf lying on the ground without one of his arms, he didn''t get too close to him. His instincts kept warning him that something was wrong. He was missing something. That''s why he didn''t hesitate to spend as much mana as needed to take him down just now. He even used one of his most taxing spells called [Chaos Cut]. With this spell, he could cut the flow of mana of a single target for a few seconds by sending a wave of chaos energy inside his body. He could only use this spell three times in top condition until he would be depleted of all his mana. He already used this spell now, cutting off his mana flow when the dark elf was creating stone walls, and before that, he used a few big spells, resulting in him only being able to use [Chaos Cut] one more time if needed. Suddenly, he saw the man take out a pill that looked ominously black and swallowed it before Lucas could react to it. A burst of ominous black energy burst out of his body, resulting in Lucas retreating a few more meters away from him. What he saw was the dark elf standing with his arm regenerated, his eyes became pitch black, as the black ominous energy was seeping out of his body and his body became much bigger and bulkier. "Miasma..." It was miasma. Lucas recognized it. The man somehow was able to use miasma after consuming the pill. Before he could think further, he heard Sylviette, who apparently regained consciousness, scream at him. "LUCAS, WATCH OUT, DODGE!" Before Lucas could comprehend what she meant, the dark elf wasn''t in front of him anymore. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Keke, behind you..." he heard the ominous voice whisper behind his ear, and the next second, the dark elf punched Lucas''s head from behind, and his head exploded into thousands of pieces... Or at least, that was supposed to happen. All he was met with was Lucas, whom he punched, turning into a gust of wind and disappearing¡ªit was his skill [Mirage]. [Mirage]: Be able to make clones of yourself out of thin air. The more clones, the more mana it will consume. "What? Don''t tell me you actually fucking fell for that." The dark elf suddenly heard Lucas instead behind him, and before he could turn around, Lucas punched him with red lightning surrounding his right fist straight into his gut, making him fly a few meters back and tumble on the ground until finally regaining his balance again. "To think you would actually work with fucking demons just for power... disappointing," Lucas said as he watched the dark elf as if he was some sort of worm. "Haaa, you got me there, keke! But now that I am using this miasma, there is no way you can simply defeat me." "Is that so? All I see is you being a fucking idiot, if I''m honest. You might have a stronger type of power now, but what good is it if you can''t even use it properly?" "Huh!? What are you talking about, kid?" sigh "Fucking stupid. You aren''t a demon; you are an elf! You are meant to be a race that stands at the pinnacle with using mana, but instead, you gave it up for fucking miasma when your body obviously can''t handle something that is the opposite of what your body can handle! In other words, even if you win, you will still die because your body naturally rejects miasma!" Lucas said as if he was talking to an idiot¡ªwhich the dark elf, was by the way. "YOU! SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU DAMN BRAT!" Before Lucas could react by using any skill or spell, the dark elf was in front of him, with his fist pulled back and about to hit Lucas straight in his face. Lucas quickly used his sword to block the attack in front of him. As the punch connected with the blade of chaos, the collision brought shockwaves to their surroundings, and a few seconds later, Lucas was flung back, unable to handle the dark elf''s raw power anymore. As he tumbled on the ground, he used his blade of chaos in his hand and struck it into the ground to regain his balance as he spit out blood from his mouth. "Shit, I can''t drag this out too long, or my mana would deplete before he dies... I will have to use ''that,'' I suppose," Lucas said to himself as he wiped the blood coming out of his mouth. Suddenly, the dark elf was again in front of him, hell-bent on fucking punching Lucas''s face again. But when the punch was about to connect to Lucas''s face, he used another skill, [Phase]. [Phase]: Be able to let any attack pass through you for the next 3 seconds. As the punch went through Lucas, he used the opportunity to [flash step] a few meters ahead to create some distance. Suddenly, the dark elf''s feet were covered in ice, preventing him from moving for a few seconds. Both Lucas and the dark elf looked toward Sylviette, who was the reason for subduing him. "Sylv, hold him there for a few more seconds!" "Alright, but hurry up!" "YOU FUCKING BRATS! YOU THINK THIS WILL HOLD ME!" The dark elf kept thrashing around, trying to free himself. Yet, every time he broke the ice on his feet, a new layer of ice would instantly cover him again up to his knees, making it harder. As Lucas saw that he was distracted, he aimed his right hand upwards and started concentrating by using all his mana for this spell, intending to finish him off. The sky became dark, clouds started emerging above them, as rain and thunder started emerging from the sky and clouds. If not looked closely at the sky, they could tell that instead of blue, the thunder was red and chaotic, going everywhere. As Lucas concentrated, sweat was visible on his face, showing how taxing it was, and the next moment, he uttered the name of his spell... [Judgement of Zeus] A huge red lightning bolt came from out of the heavens and struck straight at the dark elf, making him scream in pain as he was getting electrocuted out of existence. "AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" The lightning bolt destroyed everything in a 15-meter radius, but Lucas already used [flash step] with his remaining mana and ran to Sylviette since she was at a safe distance from the spell. When the lightning bolt disappeared, the dark elf did as well. Nothing was left of him. All that surrounded Lucas, Sylviette, and Luna was destruction. sigh "It is finally over..." Lucas said tiredly. "Yeah... Are you alright, Lucas?" Sylv asked worriedly, since she understood that such a terrifying spell must not have been without cost. "Yeah... I am fine, just a littl-" Before Lucas could finish his sentence, his eyes felt blurry and he felt light-headed, and in the next second, he fell to the ground unconscious, while Sylviette and Luna screamed in worry and approached him. "Lucas!" [Father!] The battle against the dark elf finally came to an end, resulting in Lucas Nightstar being the victor. Chapter 24 - 24: Aftermath Lucas felt pain all over his body. At first, he was confused, but the next second, he remembered what happened, and his eyes shot open, only to be met by what seemed like two mountains blocking his eyesight. He noticed, at the same time, that even though moving caused him pain, he felt warm and comfortable. Looking down at his body, he sensed a subtle green energy surrounding him, causing his comfort as his head was lying on something soft. "M-mngh, Lucas, please don''t move that much..." Suddenly, he looked back up and saw a face behind the two mountains. The face belonged to a girl with eyes as blue as the ocean and beautiful silver hair. She had pointed ears, with a shade of red on the tips, matching the blush on her cheeks. "H-huh, Sylv, I''m sorry, let me get up, u-ugh." Realizing that he was on Sylv''s lap, he immediately tried to rise, but the pain overwhelmed him, and his body refused to move much. Suddenly, a soft hand touched his forehead and gently pushed him back onto her lap. "Stay like this, Lucas, don''t move. I am using life magic to heal you. Currently, your body is still in pain as the aftereffects of depleting your whole mana are still there," Sylv said, holding Lucas in place to prevent him from moving around. Seeing that there was no point in trying to escape her care and that his body still wasn''t healed, he sighed and gave up. "How are you feeling right now?" Sylv asked, concern evident in her eyes as she looked at Lucas. "Warm and comfortable, as long as I don''t move too much." "Good. That means my magic is working. You should be all healed in an hour." "I see. Thanks..." Lucas said awkwardly, unsure of what to say. He didn''t have the best social skills in his previous and current life. Hearing Lucas''s thanks, Sylv shook her head immediately. "No, I should thank you, Lucas! If it wasn''t for you accepting this mission, I would surely have been kidnapped. I am really grateful for you protecting me and hurting yourself in the process." "It''s fine. The mission was said to be between B-S rank, indicating that an attack was bound to happen. So, you don''t need to feel guilty." "I-I see. Thanks, Lucas," Sylv replied, relieved that Lucas wasn''t angry with her. As Lucas listened to Sylv''s reply and noticed her becoming considerably less guilty, he glanced at the black cat with red eyes sitting on his chest. [Is something wrong, Luna?] he asked. [No, father, nothing is wrong...] Luna replied. Despite her words, Lucas couldn''t shake the feeling of a lingering emotion in her voice... fear. sigh [Luna, you know I''ll never replace you, right?] he reassured her. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [H-huh? Why would you say something like that, father!?] Luna responded, surprised. [You were scared, right? Scared that by talking with Sylv, I would be replacing you, right?] [N-no, I wasn''t thinking like that!] [Very well, but just know you are my daughter, Luna. Nothing would ever make me replace you]" [M-mh, I-I know, father...] This was all Luna could muster in response after hearing her father''s kind reassurance with his gaze filled with warmth. Dragon or not, she was still a child, and children naturally sought affection. Lucas understood this well all too well. Luna was afraid that Sylv would steal her father''s affection away from her. Lucas had spent all of his time with Luna in the past two years, always protective of her. Once, a member of the criminal organization called ''Smile'' had tried to kidnap Luna in Lucas''s presence. When he found out, he killed the member and then destroyed the entire organization. If Lucas regained his memories in his current life without the feelings and memories he had gained in this life, he would probably have been cold and distant to everyone, not letting anyone get close to him anymore, like in his previous life... He knew the meaning of people betraying and using someone all too well. However, through his experiences in this life, he had learned the warmth and love of family. Still, in his core, he didn''t fully trust anyone except his family. Over the past two years, he had encountered many people with different faces, all seeking favor with "Noctis, the White Devil." Yet, when he met Sylviette Velariah, he didn''t feel suspicious of her. He could sense her pure intentions, and though he still kept his guard up, he wasn''t uncomfortable talking with her. Sylv''s voice interrupted their silent exchange, prompting both Lucas and Luna to look at her. "Are both of you talking telepathically?" she asked curiously, her eyes sparkling with interest. "H-huh, how did you know?" Lucas inquired, puzzled. He couldn''t recall ever mentioning Luna''s ability to communicate telepathically to Sylv. Her observation caught him off guard. "Well, anyone who isn''t stupid could tell you were communicating with her, as you looked at her with a warm gaze I haven''t seen you use once since we met," Sylv explained. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the warmth in Lucas''s gaze directed at Luna. "And besides... I already talked with Luna when you were fighting and unconscious," she added, picking Luna up from Lucas''s chest and snuggling with her. "H-huh, you talked with Luna..." Lucas was bewildered. Since when did Luna have the ability to communicate with others beside him? He looked towards the cat, who was enjoying being spoiled by the elf girl, with a questioning gaze, silently urging her to explain. [I-i recently found out I could talk with others. It was instinctive, I suppose, and I forgot to tell you...sorry,] Luna explained. Forget? She actually forgot to tell him something as important as this? Though he didn''t scold her since he knew he would probably do the same and forget to tell his parents if he were in her shoes... Truly father and daughter. "It''s fine, Luna. At least I can talk normally right now, so Sylv can also hear us," Lucas assured her. As Luna felt relieved that her father didn''t scold her, Lucas turned to Sylv while still lying in her lap. "So, what should we do now that the carriage is destroyed?" Chapter 25 - 25: The Princess Of The Elven Kingdom Hearing Lucas''s question, Sylv couldn''t help but shake her head, a bitter smile playing on her lips. "Help should arrive soon, since we should''ve reached the border of the elven domain by now and informed my family about what happened with the meeting with the dark elves. But as I have not contacted them, they must have assumed something happened." "If your family were so cautious, wouldn''t it have been better to send more powerful guards to protect you?" Lucas couldn''t help but ask. He knew that if Sylv''s family was someone with enough power to handle diplomatic reasons with the dark elves, they must be a powerful family with probably at least a few in the Grandmaster stage protecting them. Hearing the question, Sylv sighed. "The point of this meeting was to be peaceful with the dark elves and negotiate about them wanting to gain more territory in the elven domain. So if I brought more guards, it would''ve looked like we weren''t planning to negotiate in the first place and only wanted to show off. But since they got greedy and kept biting off more than they could chew, the meeting failed... and now they even dared to attack us the moment we left the neutral city. War would be inevitable now." "Hmm, I see. I understand now, I guess... by not taking a lot of guards, you basically said you wanted to negotiate peacefully..." "Your family must be really powerful for the elves to start a war for you..." Hearing Lucas mumble while recovering on her lap, Sylv couldn''t hold back her laughter anymore. "Pfft!" The way she laughed would charm almost any man, as her voice was like beautiful music to one''s ears. Yet Lucas only felt confusion instead of being charmed. "Huh? Why are you laughing all of a sudden?" he asked, not understanding what happened. "Haha! You really don''t care about most things in Myrniel, do you, Lucas?" She asked, gracefully covering her mouth with her hand, trying to hold back more laughter. What she said was true; all Lucas did in the last two years was train, eat, pick and complete missions, and then sleep, as the cycle kept repeating itself. And before his adventures, he was a lazy introvert who didn''t study at all. "Very well, let me give you a bit more about me. Aside from being beautiful, extremely talented, and smart, I am also the princess of the elven kingdom. Princess Sylviette Velariah, daughter of King Michael Velariah and Queen Amara Velariah," she said with a smile, gazing at Lucas, who was on her lap with his eyes wide open in shock. "W-wait, so you are the princess of the elven kingdom!? Ugh, I knew that I recognized the Velaria- Ouch!" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before Lucas finished speaking, he moved his body too much, causing the pain to return. "Lucas, be still! Didn''t I tell you?" Sylv scolded in an angry tone that was still soft and charming. "Y-yeah, damn... To think you were actually a princess all along..." "Hehe, when I first introduced myself, I was inwardly shocked as well, you know? I thought you just didn''t care, but after talking more with you, I realized you just never bothered about these things," she said, making Lucas avert his eyes in shame. ''Fuck, I should have learned more about this world instead of being lazy!'' "So, how does it feel to be lying on the lap of the sole princess of the elven domain?" she teased with a playful smirk, further teasing Lucas. "Tch, shut up, okay! How does it feel to get your fucking ass saved by someone the same age, Ms. Princess, who is so smart and talented?" Lucas retorted, not holding back. Even if she was a princess, he honestly didn''t care one bit about her status. Lucas hated treating people differently just because of their status, so even if she were the queen, he wouldn''t change the way he treated her. Sylv was surprised at how Lucas still treated her the same as before when they talked in the carriage, but seeing this, she became extremely happy that he didn''t change the way he treated her, and a beautiful smile blossomed on her face, making Luna squint her eyes because it was too bright for her, while Lucas watched in a daze for a few seconds before snapping out of it. No way his pride would allow him to become even more embarrassed than he already was! "Hehe, it is an honor after all to be saved by the White Devil himself, who is the same age as me and already the strongest in our generation," she said smugly, as if she were the one who achieved the feat of becoming the strongest. As they continued to bicker with each other and Luna watched them with amusement, only regretting not bringing food, an hour passed, and the help Sylv mentioned finally arrived, with at least 20 elves and 2 carriages. The elves wore a white uniform with gold lines decorating them further. The uniform was something everyone would recognize (except for Lucas). It was the Royal Guards. When the Royal Guards arrived to rescue the princess, all they could do was freeze and open their eyes and mouths wide as they looked at an extremely handsome white-haired boy with blood red eyes lying with his head on the lap of the princess of their kingdom, as they laughed with each other for some reason. Honestly, the first thing they thought of was taking a picture as they gazed at the silver-haired elf and the white-haired human surrounded by destruction, happily laughing with each other. But they finally realized the reason why they were here in the first place: to rescue the said princess, who was letting a boy lay with his head on her lap... (AN: Life truly is unfair. I wish I were in Lucas''s position instead... I''m sure those royal guards must be feeling the same after witnessing such a handsome man just lazing on the lap of their princess...) Chapter 26 - 26: Friends As Lucas and Sylv heard the sounds of footsteps approaching the scorched ground, they gazed ahead and saw the royal guards coming towards them. "Ah! Looks like our help arrived, Lucas! The white-uniformed elves you see are the royal guards, which I doubt you knew, hehe." "S-shut up, okay? I already knew that." He obviously lied, not fooling her at all and making her laugh again. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the guards finally approached, they all respectfully got on one knee in front of Lucas and Sylv, as Lucas was still on her lap, even though he had recovered. Both of them chose to stay in this position. "Your Highness, His Majesty ordered us to find you immediately, as he got worried for not receiving any contact from you upon your arrival at our kingdom. The deadline to notify him that you were back in the elven kingdom had passed," one of the royal guards, who was at the grandmaster stage, said. If Lucas had to guess, it would be low to mid 8-star level. "We apologize for arriving so late, Your Highness, and not being able to protect you when your life was in danger," the guard said, glancing at Lucas. "There is no need to worry since Lucas saved me from an attack by a dark elf that unfortunately took down Sir Gerhald." "I see. Sir Gerhald was a talented young man; his father and grandfather will surely want revenge after hearing about this," the guard said, turning his head down towards Lucas, who was still lying on Sylv''s lap, not giving a care if they would get offended. "Kid, we are grateful for saving the life of Her Highness when we failed to," the guard said as he and all the other royal guards bowed their heads to show their thanks. "Mm. It was my mission to escort her safely back, so there is nothing to thank me for," Lucas replied with no emotion on his face and his voice neutral. The guards grew annoyed at the attitude of the white-haired human but didn''t dare to say anything now, since it was obvious he was quite ''close'' with the princess. "We would like to ask you to join us while we escort the princess back to the capital. I am sure His Majesty would like to have a talk with you and reward you personally for your deeds," the guard said, looking hatefully at Lucas, who was still lying on their princess''s lap. "Hmm, sure. I don''t mind following you," Lucas responded in the same tone and face. "Very well, Your Highness, if you would please enter the carriage, while you, kid, please enter the other carriage. I am sure you are still ''tired'', so you can rest there," the guard said, standing back straight up with the other royal guards. Before Lucas could answer, they all heard a cold voice that was soft yet angry. "Hey. What is your name?" Sylv asked with a cold expression, her eyes devoid of any kindness, sending shivers down the spine of the guard. "Y-your Highness, my name is Dennis Sendreth," the guard answered nervously, stuttering. Both Lucas and Sylv stood up now. Lucas was curious about what she was planning, so he decided to watch the show play out. "Dennis Sendreth, Lucas is the one who saved my life, so it would be best for you to show respect to him, unless you want to put the reputation of the royal guards to shame and that of the royal family as well. And Lucas will be going in the same carriage as me, as I only trust him the most here. Is that understood?" She said in a soft yet strict and cold voice, making the guard go pale. "Y-yes, understood, Your Highness. Please forgive me, Sir Lucas, for my previous attitude!" The guard said, bowing his head towards him. "Lucas, let''s go inside," Sylv said as she started walking ahead. "Mm, yeah, sure," Lucas said as he followed behind, with Luna sleeping on top of his head comfortably. *************** As they were finally inside the carriage and moving, Lucas decided to talk. "I didn''t expect you to get so mad, you know?" "Huh, of course I would be mad at him if he offends you, who is my savior and friend¡ª" Suddenly, she stopped talking, realizing what she just said. Lucas opened his eyes wide at hearing her words. "A-ah! I''m sorry, I spoke without thinking. W-what I meant was, instead of frie¡ª" Cutting her off, Lucas replied with a small smile. "It''s okay. I consider you my friend also... Pfft!" he answered but laughed in the end. "Why are you laughing!? Are you making fun of me?" she said, her face turning beet red like a tomato, embarrassed about all of this. "No, no! I wasn''t laughing at you, I swear. It was just funny that my first friend is the princess of the elven kingdom," Lucas replied with a bitter smile. Hearing his words, she opened her eyes wide in surprise. "Eh, I''m your first friend!? I thought you would have tons of friends with how popular you are," she said, not expecting him to have any friends. "Haha, unfortunately, before my travels as Noctis, I was a lazy introvert who didn''t leave the house at all. So, you see, I''m not the best with my social skills, so I''m sorry if I say something weird sometimes..." Lucas replied while laughing dryly. Hearing his words, she shook her head frantically, denying his words. "No! You don''t say weird things. You''re my first friend as well, so I''m happy that you''re my friend now!" She said but instantly turned beet red again as a tomato, realizing what she just exclaimed. "Haha! Well, to a new friendship," Lucas said, pretending to hold a glass of wine in the air. "Pffft! Yes, to a new friendship!" Sylv replied, following along with his antics while laughing happily as her face was still a little red. On this day, Lucas Nightstar and Sylviette Velariah started their new relationship. Chapter 27 - 27: Queen Amara After Lucas, for the first time, made a friend in his new life, they sat together and talked while on the way to the capital after entering the elven domain, Eldrath. Seven hours passed by when they finally reached the capital, Zefirah. The capital was filled with life: elves, humans, beastfolk, and multiple different races were inside, enjoying themselves. The buildings were almost all white and pristine, and nature could be seen everywhere, with birds and different types of animals roaming around. After another hour, they finally arrived at the castle of the royal elf family. Sylv and Lucas stood in front of the huge, luxurious gate, with the royal guards behind them, occasionally throwing hateful glances at Lucas. As for Luna, she wanted to explore the capital. Lucas gave her the okay since she could always use her link to communicate with him if something were to happen. However, he doubted that anyone would dare to cause trouble inside the capital right now. "Wow..." was the only thing Lucas could say as his eyes were caught by the incredibly huge and majestic castle in front of him. Seeing his reaction, Sylv was satisfied and had a proud smile on her face. "Amazing, isn''t it?" "Yeah... it definitely is. Are you sure a ''human'' like me is allowed to enter?" "Of course. You aren''t the first human to enter our castle, though your reason for entering is definitely a first," she said while chuckling. As the gates opened and they entered the castle, before anyone could react, a silver blur passed by Lucas and went straight for the silver-haired elf next to him. "My daughter, how are you? Are you hurt? It must have been scary!" A mature woman with long silver hair, resembling Sylv''s, and the same eyes as her, hugged Sylv in a tight embrace while bombarding her with questions. Amara Velariah, the queen of Eldrath, the elf kingdom, exuded a motherly aura as she worriedly checked her daughter for injuries. Her face resembled Sylv''s, and Lucas couldn''t help but think that Sylv would grow to look exactly like her in the future. "Mother! You are embarrassing me in front of Lucas!" Sylv screamed with a red face as she tried to pry herself from her mother''s embrace. "Eh? Lucas, you say?" The queen suddenly remembered where she was, straightened her back, and coughed to hide her embarrassment as the guards and Lucas watched her. "Excuse me for showing you such a side of me," the queen said as she finally let go of her daughter and looked at Lucas. Lucas stood with his back straight and his hands behind his back, exuding confidence and pride. He thought that even though she was his friend''s mother, she was still the queen of the entire elven domain, so he should at least look presentable. "It''s alright, Queen Amara. It is normal for a mother to worry about her daughter," Lucas said, looking straight into the queen''s eyes. The queen was surprised at the boy''s attitude and confident demeanor. She was also taken aback by how handsome he was. Suddenly, she bowed her head slightly. "You are right. As a mother, I would like to sincerely thank you for saving my daughter''s life," she said. "M-mother, please lift your head back up!" Sylv was flustered, while Lucas remained composed, though his eyes betrayed his surprise. "It is alright, Queen Amara. Please raise your head. It was my mission to escort her back safely," Lucas said awkwardly. As the queen raised her head, she examined Lucas further. She couldn''t shake the feeling that there was something different about him¡ªhe wasn''t like all the other humans she had met. Despite her efforts, she couldn''t quite put her finger on what it was, except for his confident aura and handsome face. Suddenly, she changed her demeanor to that of the queen of the entire elven race. "Please, Lucas, I would like us to talk further in a private room, without prying eyes." "Sure, I don''t mind," Lucas responded. "Can I join as well, Mother?" Sylv asked nervously, unsure if she was allowed to be part of their conversation. Hearing her daughter''s question, the queen was extremely surprised inwardly, almost breaking her royal facade again. ''Huh, since when did my daughter become so interested in someone?'' She started evaluating Lucas again. She remembered that her daughter never wanted to hang out a lot with other people because she never trusted them. This made her extremely worried, but she knew it was because her daughter was special and had a greater blessing from the World Tree, allowing her to summon spirits. So she was bewildered that her daughter, instead of trying to avoid Lucas, was actually wanting to stay and join them. ''Does that mean she trusts him? And he is a handsome boy as well. Hmm...'' "I-I can''t?" Sylv asked anxiously, thinking that her mother''s silence probably meant it was a problem. As the queen snapped out of her thoughts, she turned towards her daughter and, breaking her queenly facade for a second, said with a teasing smile, meant only for Sylv to see, "Of course, I would love for you to join~" *************** The three of them could be seen sitting on comfy chairs inside a luxurious room with a round table in the middle, all sipping tea. Queen Amara had long abandoned her queenly facade, as there were no guards present. "So, Lucas, you are the son of Alexander Nightstar and Violet Nightstar, huh..." Queen Amara said. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''To think Sylviette finally made a friend, I want to cry tears of joy!'' "You know my parents, Queen Amara?" Lucas said in surprise, feeling a bit more at ease now that the queen was acting informally. "Please call me Amara, Lucas. In fact, just call me aunt, since you are a friend of my daughter~," she said teasingly, glancing at Sylv, who pouted in response. "Mother! Stop being annoying; you''re just making everything awkward!" Sylv said, clearly frustrated. "Ara, are you embarrassed~" the queen teased further. "Ugh... by the way, Mom, where is Father and Brother?" Sylv asked, grumbling at her mother''s teasing while the tips of her ears were a little red. Sylv also had an older brother, Raphael Velariah, who was set to inherit the throne of Eldrath. Despite him being the successor to the throne instead of Sylviette, she didn''t harbor any resentment. She didn''t care much about becoming queen; she just wanted to live her life freely. She loved her family dearly, and they were extremely close, unlike most noble human families. "Your brother and father are currently in a meeting. They should be almost done and are already informed about your return and the attack that happened by the dark elves on you," Queen Amara replied, her voice turning cold at the mention of the attack, sending shivers down Sylv''s spine, though Lucas seemed unaffected. "As for your question, Lucas, I met your parents a few times and talked to them at some social parties," Queen Amara explained. "Though I have to say, the Nightstars certainly are interesting~" she added, hinting at something that only Lucas and Queen Amara understood. "Huh, what do you mean? Is there something with the Nightstar family?" Sylv asked, confused and not understanding the looks exchanged between them. Sighing at the queen''s antics, Lucas answered, "For your information, I don''t really care or know either why we refuse to become a higher class even though we have more than enough power for it." "Huh? Is your family extremely powerful, Lucas?" Sylv asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. She loved mysteries! ''Is his family perhaps some secret powerhouse!?'' she wondered with anticipation. Seeing her look and question, Lucas already knew what she was thinking, but he wasn''t going to confirm her suspicions. "Don''t worry, I won''t pry further into why your parents do as long as it doesn''t endanger Myrniel or the elves," Queen Amara said, not wanting to put Lucas in a difficult position. "Thanks, Queen Amar¡ª cough Aunt," Lucas said with a bitter smile after almost being formal with her, quickly changing his tone after seeing her smile turning cold. ''Her smile reminds me of when mother gets angry!'' he thought. After that, they had a light chat, happily enjoying themselves until they heard a knock on the door. "Yes, you may come in," Sylv''s mother said in her queen-like tone, reverting to her formal demeanor. A butler entered, his head bowed, and spoke, "My queen, His Majesty and the Prince have returned and requested everyone''s presence in the throne room." "Well, let''s get going then, Lucas and Sylv~," Chapter 28 - 28: Pride As Lucas arrived with Sylv and her mother at the throne room, luxurious with white and gold, he saw an elf with regal appearance. The elf had long blond hair and deep blue eyes, next to him a younger version of the elf, with much shorter hair. They were Michael and Raphael Velariah. Both were standing in front of the throne, gazing at Lucas, while Sylv and her mother stood at the right side and a bunch of royal guards were next to the sides of the throne, awaiting the king''s orders. "So you are the one who saved my daughter''s life, huh?" The king said as he gazed at the white-haired ''human'' in front of him. While the prince, a little behind, looked worriedly at his little sister to see if she was okay. "That is correct. It was my mission after all," Lucas said, looking directly into the eyes of the king and speaking in a neutral tone. The king was surprised; normally, someone at Lucas''s age would never dare to meet him in the eyes with his back straight and not even an ounce of fear in him. "Then, as a father and king of Eldrath, I would like to convey my thanks to you. I will allow you to pick one skill book in the royal treasury," the king offered, causing everyone to widen in shock, the guards instantly protesting. "My king, you can''t allow a human to enter the royal treasury!" ''Wow, how fearless, to object to their own king''s words¡­ Still, looks like a lot of elves don''t really like humans, huh? Even if they don''t show it, they still feel like humans are disgusting creatures. Well, that is normal, I suppose¡­'' Lucas thought, sighing inwardly. He knew all too well how cruel and disgusting humans could be... "Yes my king! You shou-" "Silence," the king spoke, making the atmosphere in the room freeze and become extremely more tense than it already was. "So, you say I shouldn''t reward the person who saved my daughter''s life? The life of the princess of the elven domain?" He said with cold words, making the guards shrink back in fear. "P-please forgive us, your majesty. We didn''t think about that," the guards said, bowing their heads, realizing their mistakes. Ignoring the guards, the king gazed back at the human who didn''t show any sort of emotion. "Before meeting you, I did a little research. It was said that a famous adventurer called ''Noctis, The White Devil'' was supposed to be protecting Sylviette and escorting her to the elven domain. That is you, correct?" This time, everyone except Sylv, the king, and Lucas was surprised. Even if elves are a traditional race, they still kept up with most things, and Noctis, the White Devil, was a hot topic if one was interested in adventuring, so it wasn''t a stretch to say that most people had heard of his name. The mysterious adventurer who no one knows anything about. "Mm, that is right. I am known as Noctis, The White Devil, though I was planning to retire after the escort mission as an adventurer for a while," Lucas responded calmly. He knew that the king probably would find out about him being the White Devil, but honestly, he didn''t care. "I see," the king said while closing his eyes, after thinking for a few seconds, making almost everyone tense, even Raphael, who was a little behind his father. The king opened his eyes. "Lucas Nightstar. Son of Alexander and Violet Nightstar. Known as Noctis the White Devil and possibly the strongest in your generation." Hearing the last words of the king made almost everyone again gasp in surprise. Everything happened so fast that they forgot a few small details. Sylviette Velariah was supposed to be the strongest champion. Yet, someone her own age saved her and defeated an enemy she couldn''t face without seriously risking her life. So then, how strong is Lucas Nightstar? It isn''t impossible to fight someone of a higher star level if the right conditions are met, like environment, skill, mana, stamina, artifacts, and more. It is possible to win, but that didn''t mean it would make it less impressive. For someone their age that shouldn''t have a lot of experience yet to win is absurd, to say the least. "What are your intentions with my daughter?" The king spoke, making everyone snap out of their thoughts and look at him. Sylv and her mother looked worried as well. "Huh? Intentions with your daughter?" Lucas furrowed his brows, even he was confused at the weird question he didn''t expect from the king. "Hmm, you see, nothing is really known about you, Lucas Nightstar. Almost every noble child has made a few appearances in certain events. Yet, you have never attended any events in your life, making everything about you unknown. The time you finally revealed yourself to Myrniel... if one looked at the famous video, its purpose was to instill fear instead of joy." "Then, after that, you became this ''Noctis, the White Devil'' for the next two years. You were spotted across various places in the human domain, and most of the time picking combat-related missions." "It is also said that you defeated a demon. Why did that demon even appear in a C-rank dungeon? The dungeon wasn''t anything special from the reports, if I recall, so it would only go there if it was looking for something or ''someone''." the king said, looking at Lucas with searching eyes, trying to discern something from his neutral expression. He saved his daughter, so before he returned, he ordered his people to gather everything about him. But almost everything about him was unknown. The king felt suspicious of Lucas Nightstar. He didn''t know why, but he felt that this human was different from all the other humans. He was in the saint stage, so he could easily tell more, unlike his wife, who was in the grandmaster stage as both had their aura supressed. The mana in the air was subtly drawn towards Lucas, elves naturally loved by mana, it gathered to them more easily without them doing anything. This didn''t happen to humans¡ªor so the king thought, as he observed Lucas Nightstar. ''Is he even human? What are his goals? Did he use my daughter to get close to the royal family? He is just as mysterious as his entire family is... no, he is much more different than his parents that I had met,'' the king thought, his mind spinning with questions. "The reason for the demon appearing in the dungeon I have no idea, nor did I care, so I killed him. The reason I became Noctis, the White Devil, was because my status and my appearance to the world wouldn''t have let me become a normal adventurer. The reason I was spotted throughout a lot of places in the human domain and almost always picking combat-related missions was because I wanted to explore more of the world while becoming stronger." "And the reason why I saved your daughter is because it was my mission. I have no intentions or any fucking interest in you or the rest of the elves, except for your daughter, since I consider her as a ''friend'' of mine. Besides, I had no clue your daughter was the princess of the elven race until after I saved her life while ''risking'' mine," Lucas responded, his words sharp and laced with venom. Lucas''s words were cold and borderline disrespectful to the king, making everyone freeze in surprise. Even the king was stunned for a second; he didn''t expect him to become so angry. He was the king of elves, after all, and didn''t he say that his daughter is his friend? Doesn''t that make you naturally more kind to your friend''s father? The reason Lucas was angry right now and disrespectful was simple: pride. He didn''t like how the king was treating him with his stupid mind games. He didn''t like how he suspected him of using such fucking lowly tactics to get close to the royal family. His pride was, after all, that of a dragon in the end. There is only so much he could hold back. Even if he was awkward around people, not knowing how to talk or start conversations, that didn''t mean he would allow the king to disrespect and push him when he considered that king''s daughter a friend. "YOU! DISGUSTING HUMAN! YOU DARE SPEAK LIKE THAT TO THE KIN¡ª" Before the guard could even continue, he and all the other guards felt a massive pressure descending upon their shoulders, making the ground around them crack. Suddenly, they heard a voice as cold as ice, making them shiver. "Hey." "Speak another word and¡ª" Before he was done finishing, the guards, shivering and trying not to fall from the pressure, looked towards where Lucas was, but instead, all they saw was Lucas, his face not visible, surrounded by black and red energy as his red eyes glowed brightly. Black and red energy surrounded his whole body as he pointed his fingers to the guards, who were pale with fear. "¡ªI''ll kill you." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 29 - 29: thing As the guards looked at Lucas, or rather the ''thing'' in front of them, and heard his cold words that felt as if they came from the depths of hell itself, almost all fell to their knees out of primal fear. Only three of the grandmaster stage managed to stand, yet even they were trembling with their entire bodies. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Gazing at the ''thing'' in front of them, all they felt was as if death itself was standing before them. The ''thing''s eyes were glowing bright red, and now his entire body was shrouded with black and red energy, going wild and chaotic over his body. They felt as if they were just mere ants¡ªno, less than ants. An ant might have had the primal instinct to run away as fast as it could, but to them, all they could do was freeze. They didn''t dare to blink, to breathe, to scream, or to move. Just as they felt they were about to die, they heard a voice that felt as if an angel had descended upon them. "Enough," King Michael spoke, and in an instant, the atmosphere in the room returned to normal, and Lucas could be seen again with his white hair and blood-red eyes, wearing black clothes. Raphael and Sylv breathed loudly out of relief. Queen Amara, Prince Raphael, and Princess Sylviette were all spared from the pressure because of King Michael shielding them, but that didn''t mean that they felt safe as they gazed at that form of Lucas. "Looks like we all got a little heated and carried away. Lucas Nightstar, I apologize for offending you. It''s just that as a King and father, I sometimes can''t help but think in a more cruel way, though that is no excuse for how I was treating you." Seeing and hearing King Michael''s genuine tone of being apologetic, Lucas sighed. "It is fine, King Michael. It looks like I went a little bit overboard as well, so I apologize for being rude inside your castle." "It is fine. I was the one who started this. Please stay here as long as you would like, and I hope that you continue to be friends with my daughter." "Mm, don''t worry. I won''t let something as insignificant as this get in between the people I care about." Hearing his genuine tone, King Michael released a small smile. ''My daughter, looks like you have found a good person as your friend. Though...'' He narrowed his eyes when Lucas wasn''t looking at him anymore but at his daughter with an apologetic smile. ''What was that form of his? He definitely isn''t human...'' ******** After that incident with King Michael, Sylviette and Lucas were now sitting in a room on a luxurious comfy couch, surrounded by white decor. Raphael was also there with them. Queen Amara had to stay behind as they were going to discuss how to deal with the dark elves. ''I wonder why everything is white with elves?'' Sylv was for some reason sitting at Lucas''s side while Raphael was sitting in front of them. A small table was in the middle with some snacks on it as they ate. ''Damn, it is awkward... they must be scared of me, but then why would they follow me into the same room? And why is Sylv sitting next to them instead of his brother? If she is scared.'' "Lucas Nightstar," suddenly they heard Raphael''s voice as he stood up with a kind smile. "I believe I haven''t introduced myself. My name is Raphael Velariah. I am the prince of the elf kingdom and the brother of Sylviette," he said, stretching his right hand out towards Lucas. "I''d like to apologize for my father''s behavior. You see, he is actually a kind, loving man who is just overprotective. It took me a lot of effort to calm him down when he heard about the attack; he was about to go to the dark elf territory and wipe them all out himself." Lucas decided to stand up, grasping Raphael''s hand and shaking it. He said with a small smile of his own, "You don''t need to worry about your father. I already forgot about it." Lucas wasn''t lying; the moment King Michael apologized and sensing him not lying, he let it go. He was still a father of his friend and well, a king; it would be troublesome if he made an enemy of him right now. As both introduced themselves and sat back down, dispelling the awkward atmosphere they had between them, Sylv finally decided to talk. "Lucas! What was that form? You looked really scary, you know? I genuinely thought you were going to be able to kill all of them." All the guards there were a minimum of the master stage, with three of them being grandmasters, and yet no one doubted Lucas''s words that he would actually kill them all. "Huh. Are you not scared, Sylv? Of me?" Lucas honestly thought she would be scared of him now. Instead, all he saw was her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she gazed at him, anticipating an answer. "Huh, of course not! Besides, the guards were the ones in the wrong, and Father was as well! But more importantly, answer me: What was that?" she asked. Seeing her, he grinned and answered, "That''s a secret~." Seeing him not sharing what the form was, she pouted and turned her face away, as Raphael just stared wide-eyed at his sister who was so close to Lucas. That form of his was one he discovered in his travels. When he tried to learn more about his own race, he managed to find out he could actually transform into his half-dragon form. Though it is still incomplete, it still grants him a huge boost in power. However, since he has no control over it and can harm his human body a lot if used for a long time, he didn''t use the form back when fighting the dark elf. But since his pride was hurt and if needed to fight the king of the elves, he was ready to go all out; that''s why he used that form. His half-dragon form is special; Lucas thinks if any other half dragons before him existed, they wouldn''t have the same form as him. Because his form was a mix of the half-dragon and Chaos. At first, his form was that of Lucas with just white scales on his torso, legs, and arms, and a little on his face. After that, he discovered he could use the chaos element and integrate it with his half-dragon form, them becoming one. Resulting in what was seen of him earlier with King Michael. His form was still incomplete; when he becomes stronger, he believes this form of his would finally be complete and become something that could make him fight grandmasters with ease. Yet Lucas wasn''t satisfied with it. He felt when entering that form that something was missing that hadn''t to do with the half-dragon form itself but his entire being down to his soul. He knew what the problem was... He was a ''half'' dragon. Not a full dragon. Lucas knew it but didn''t know what he should do to finally become a full dragon, and if he did, would he really be ready to give up his humanity? He didn''t know yet; that still scared him, knowing that in the future, he would have to make a choice about keeping his humanity or filling the empty hole inside of him... Chapter 30 - 30: Seer [1] The streets of Zefirah were crowded with bustling life; elves, humans, beastfolk, dwarves, and various other races could be seen enjoying themselves as the sun descended and the moon ascended. Today was a special event. On this day, one of the greatest elven heroes died protecting the capital against a demon attack, categorized as an SS+ level threat 70 years ago. The elven hero protected the capital by himself as the demons led an attack composed of multiple marquess-ranked demons and two duke-ranked demons while he was in the saint stage. He held the two duke-ranked demons back to buy enough time for reinforcements to arrive. He managed to hold off long enough until reinforcements arrived from the royal family, but as they managed to fend off the demons and make the two duke-ranked demons retreat, the elf hero took grave injuries that ultimately killed him moments after everything was over. The elf hero was someone who loved to party and drink, so that was what the citizens of the capital would do; they would party in his name. This annual event had become a tradition that everyone loved to enjoy themselves as they partied and drank, and various activities could be done inside the capital. All of this was in the name of the elven hero, Zetriel. ******** As everyone indulged themselves in the festivities, three figures could be seen, one with a cat resting on top of their head. They all wore masks like most people did as they walked down the street, enjoying themselves by sampling food from stalls, shopping for souvenirs, and partaking in various activities. The trio consisted of Lucas, Sylviette, and Raphael, with Luna the cat happily snoozing despite the loud noises and occasional fireworks. Today marked Lucas''s last day in the capital. Tomorrow, he would leave by taking the mana teleporter to Moon City. While mana teleporters were usually only permitted for use within a race''s domain, Lucas, being close to the elven royal family, could use it freely to travel between the human and elven kingdoms. "Hehe, this is fun, isn''t it?" Sylv remarked to the others, who agreed as they strolled down the streets, taking in the sights. "Ugh, we''re going to get in trouble, sister. We didn''t tell Father or Mother anything about this..." Raphael expressed, already resigning himself to taking the blame as the eldest. At 19 years old, Raphael had already graduated from the Shield Academy. He was at the high 7-star level and nearing peak status. Despite his talent, his responsibilities as a prince weighed heavily on him, though he had chosen to forsake them for the day. Two weeks had passed since the incident with King Michael. In that time, Lucas had formed a strong friendship with Raphael, and he and Sylv had grown much closer, teasing and joking with each other without reservation. Perhaps the most surprising development in the past two weeks was Lucas''s relationship with King Michael. They had become close after the king invited Lucas to a game of chess one late night. Lucas, a master at chess, easily defeated the king, whose reaction would have made for a memorable family heirloom. Afterward, they began conversing more, bonding over their shared traits: immense pride, difficulty in social interactions, and unwavering dedication to family. Both had long forgotten the incident, as they had both apologized and moved past it. "That doesn''t matter! This is Lucas''s last day here for who knows how long, so we should make it memorable since he might even forget it," Sylv said. "Hey... since when did I become a person with dementia?" Lucas asked with a deadpan expression. "Huh? What is dementia?" "Forget about it." Looks like there is no dementia in this world. What does she mean about not remembering if we don''t make it memorable? It''s not like Lucas would actually forget his last day spent in the elven kingdom for a while... probably. "Hmph, fine, but let''s go eat something. I am starving!" "Huh, didn''t you just eat? Are you some sort of pig?" "Who are you calling a pig!? You are a pig!?" Sylv said to Lucas, her face turning red with embarrassment. "Lucas, you probably shouldn''t say stuff like that to a girl, you know?" Raphael said awkwardly as they began walking to find something good to eat. "Yes, brother, tell him! He shouldn''t treat a princess like that!" she said, glaring at Lucas. "Oi, sister, quiet down, okay?" "Heh, you must be one hell of a gluttonous princess then," Lucas said with a teasing grin. As they bickered with each other, they finally found a restaurant that wasn''t packed and ordered almost everything on the menu. Sylv, who naturally could eat a lot, and Lucas, being a half-dragon, could eat much more than an average human or elf. Raphael was the only one who just watched as he looked at the two in front of him, thinking that perhaps they shouldn''t insult the poor pigs... After eating, they started heading out, intending to return before anyone noticed. Lucas felt a little sad to leave, but he knew he would one day return here and talk more with Michael, aunt, and Raphael while he would still be in the academy with Sylv. All these feelings were new for him. He wasn''t used to feeling this way, but he kind of liked it... As they walked and visited various stalls on their way, Sylv stopped to gaze at a pair of sapphire earrings placed on a stall. "Hey, pretty lady. You have a good eye, you know? How about I sell these to you for 500 GC?" A bulky person said, with two cat-like ears on his head and a tail behind his back. ''How does he know that she is pretty? Well, I guess even a mask can''t hide how beautiful she is...'' Lucas thought. "Huh, no, I was just watching. I apologize," Sylv said as she started to leave. But before she fully left, Lucas was suddenly standing next to her and gave 500 GC to the owner. "Heh, what a gentleman you have as your boyfriend," the owner said as he gave the earrings to Lucas. "You wanted to make this night memorable, right? So don''t hold back and enjoy yourself," Lucas said as he gave her the earrings. "Consider this my thanks for being friends with me and wanting to have fun with me," Lucas said as he turned his back to Raphael, who was gazing at them with an unreadable expression. ''Damn, what a player! Looks like the boys in the academy are gonna have a hard time winning...'' As Sylv gazed at Lucas, her face and the tips of her ears were red, yet this time it wasn''t out of anger anymore... After 10 more minutes of walking in comfortable silence, just as they were about to leave the area, Sylv suddenly stopped and turned towards a stall. "Lucas! Brother! I want to go and try that!" She said, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she pointed at the stall. "The Seer who sees all..." Lucas read aloud what was written on the board of the stall outside, while the inside was covered by a huge tent. "I...I guess trying it out before calling it a night wouldn''t be bad, right, Lucas?" Raphael said, watching Lucas with an awkward smile. ''Fucking siscon,'' Lucas thought. "Why? It''s probably just a scam. Why would you want to waste your money, Sylv?" "Huh, it''s not like we are short on money. Besides, who knows, maybe it really is a seer!" She said, excited. "...." lucas just looked at her with a deadpan expression. "Come on, please Lucas. It''s not like any harm would be done, right?" She pleaded with puppy eyes. ''Ugh, that is unfair...'' As Lucas pondered, he finally decided to go, sighing. "Fine, no harm would be done, I guess..." And so, they decided to enter the stall of the seer. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 31 - 31: Seer [2] As they entered, they saw an elder elf woman with white robes sitting behind a table. Her face was wrinkled, her eyes closed, yet all of them felt her gaze. Her hair was gray, and her body looked frail and thin. "I wouldn''t have thought that the crown prince and the princess would visit me, bringing the rising star, the White Devil," the Seer said, startling everyone as they froze in shock. How did she know!? They were still wearing their masks, yet the Seer seemed to see through them. ''No way! Maybe she is actually a real seer!'' Sylv thought, looking at Lucas with eyes saying ''I told you she was real!'' Yet Lucas wasn''t watching Sylv; instead, his eyes were narrowed as he gazed at the Seer suspiciously. ''How does she know I am the White Devil? Did she see our faces? But no one except the royal family and guards know about my identity, so it''s not about seeing my face...'' "I am a Seer, after all, Lucas Nightstar. Isn''t that the reason why you, the crown prince, and princess came here?" The Seer said gently, her closed eyes gazing straight into Lucas''s blood-red eyes. Her gaze made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end! ''How does she know my name!? No, it could be a skill like appraisal, perhaps? A higher level than mine?'' Lucas kept thinkinh theories about the mysterious Seer in front of him. He didn''t believe in this seer stuff and only thought that she was a scammer, so he naturally came to the conclusion that she must have an extremely unique skill instead. "Princess Sylviette, Prince Raphael, I am honored to be in your presence. If you wouldn''t mind, I would like to see your futures," the Seer said. "Yes! Please, may I go first!" Sylv exclaimed like an excited child, her hand shooting up as if asking for permission. ''You are the princess, you know? And what the heck, shouldn''t you act more like one?'' "Sure, go ahead, sister, but please behave yourself a little..." Raphael said with an awkward smile. "Yes, thank you, brother!" She exclaimed, totally ignoring her brother''s lecture and hopping over to sit in front of the Seer. "Now, princess, if I may, please give me your right hand," the Seer said. Sylv stretched out her right hand towards the Seer, who took hold of it gently with both hands and then opened her eyes. Her eyes were pitch black, with countless stars inside, as if you were watching the vast space itself in her eyes. She looked towards Sylv, yet Sylv couldn''t feel her gaze anymore. It was as if she wasn''t looking at her anymore, but beyond her. "Princess Sylviette, you are as free as the wind, going wherever your feet take you, yet just like the wind, you move without purpose. In the near future, you will finally find that purpose," the Seer said, while Sylv listened intently. As she absorbed the Seer''s words, all she could do was sit in shock. She was right. She had no purpose; she didn''t know what she should do in her life. Yes, she might be the princess of Eldrath, yes, she might be the current strongest champion, yet she had no interest in leading the elves, she had no interest in saving lives, defeating foes. She had no real interest in anything. "Sister?" "You alright, Sylv?" Snapping out of her daze, she spoke, easing the worries of her brother and Lucas, knowing that they might get suspicious and kill the Seer if they thought she harmed her. "A-ah, yes, sorry, don''t worry, I am fine!" she said, putting up her cheery attitude again. Both stared at her suspiciously but let it go for now since they didn''t see anything wrong happen. "Now, Prince Raphael, would you like to try now?" The Seer said with a gentle smile. "Hmm, I would try to, if it doesn''t bother you," Raphael said with a stoic face as he approached and sat in front of her, already extending his right hand. The Seer gently took it and opened her eyes again. ''Those eyes... is that to do with her ability, perhaps?'' Lucas thought. "You will be a light that will guide the way for the elven race, though your path will be filled with loss, but gain. You will never yield in the face of the impossible and continue to carve the path for taking the elven race to newer heights," the Seer said, while Raphael just sat there, contemplating her words. "My prince, do what you keep doing. Though I told the future, I can''t tell you what you must do since the future could always change as if on the constant run," the Seer said, helping Raphael out. "I see. Thank you for the advice," Raphael said sincerely. "It is my duty as an elder to guide the young, my prince," the Seer said. The Seer, as she said, then turned her face towards Lucas, who was watching her without any expression on his face, nor could anything be seen in his eyes except for a cold glint that sent shivers down everyone''s spines. "Lucas Nightstar, what about you? Do you want me to tell you your future?" The Seer said as she gazed into Lucas''s eyes again, her own still closed. "I don''t believe in you being a Seer. Just like you said, the future is always on the run, meaning the future isn''t set in stone. Even if you had the ability to see the future, what you saw might have been just a variant of many, and by telling us ours, you might have already altered the future. You might have some sort of weird skill that makes your eyes like this, but in the end, you are just a scammer in my eyes," Lucas said as he kept staring at her closed eyes. "Perhaps... Perhaps not. Maybe by giving them a glimpse of their future, it will change, or maybe by exactly doing that, it would lead to the said future I saw. I believe that, in the end, everything is connected. And after all, what I see always comes true. And if you don''t believe me..." The Seer suddenly sneered, "I''ll tell you one thing about your future. Ask me anything," she said. As Lucas stared at the Seer, the room grew tense as both fell into silence. After a while, Lucas spoke. "Fine. Tell me..." "How do I die?" Lucas said, shocking everyone in the room except for the Seer, who asked, "Are you sure knowing how you might die could have dire consequences?" She wanted to make sure of Lucas''s decision. "Mm, I am sure," he said as he sat in front of the Seer. "H-Hey, Lucas, maybe you shouldn''t do this. I don''t have a good feeling about this..." Sylv said in a worried tone, not liking the idea of knowing about her friend''s death. Unlike Lucas, she actually believed a little in the Seer, and it scared her since everyone knows that knowing how you die never ends well. "Yeah, my sister is right, Lucas. Perhaps you should reconsider," Raphael said, also worried. Sigh "It is fine. If she is an actual Seer, I am curious how I would die in the future," Lucas said as he stretched out his right hand, and the Seer gently took it as she opened her eyes and peered into it. "I see..." she spoke, her brows furrowing for the first time in confusion. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 32 - 32: A Kind Person He wanted to forget... Lucas wanted to forget about everything that happened back in his previous life. He tried... He tried his best to forget, yet no matter how many times he tried to suppress his memories and forget about them, they would always come back, even in his dreams. He wanted to forget about everything he did in his previous life, everything that had happened to him in his previous life. He never thought that the seer could see his memories of his previous life. ''Should I kill her?'' Lucas didn''t know what to do. Everything he tried to forget came back to him as if his attempts were a mere joke. He wanted to forget how cruel the world had been to him. He wanted to forget what he had become. He wanted to forget how cruel he had become to the world itself as revenge. He wanted to forget all those screams, all those pleas, all those cries¡ªhis screams, his pleas, his cries¡ªall the lies and all the truths. He wanted to forget everything. Just like his name. No... he hadn''t forgotten his name. He just didn''t want to remember. If he remembered, then he had to accept that he hadn''t forgotten anything. He wanted to use this life as a second chance, a second chance at protecting what he held dear, protecting his loved ones, never losing anyone he cared about, living his life the way he wanted to¡ªa life full of happiness and laughter. He wanted to become a kind person... ***** Today was the day Lucas would be departing Eldrath and returning to the human domain. Lucas was currently in a carriage with Sylv and Queen Amara as they wanted to see him off at the mana teleporter, Luna sleeping on his head. He had already said his goodbyes to King Michael and Raphael. Queen Amara and Sylv insisted on seeing him off at the mana teleporter. After yesterday''s incident, the walk back to the castle was silent, yet awkward. They didn''t know if it was because of Sylv and Lucas holding hands until they arrived at the castle or because of everything that happened with the seer. Perhaps both... When they arrived at the castle, they unfortunately got caught. Raphael received a rough scolding from his mother as he was the oldest and should have been more responsible, and Lucas and Sylv received lighter scoldings in comparison. Life isn''t fair, Raphael... As they sat in the carriage, Sylv kept looking at Lucas with sadness and worry. Sadness because he would be leaving, even though they would meet up at the academy, and worry about what happened last night. "Did something happen between the two of you?" Queen Amara suddenly spoke. She wasn''t a fool; she could tell there was something up since the two kept looking at each other without speaking. "N-nothing happened, mother! Right, Lucas?" Sylv said, trying to sound normal. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yeah, nothing happened, Aunt. Don''t worry," Lucas replied calmly, with a small, stiff smile. "Heh, is that so?" She said suspiciously. "Well, whatever... By the way, a rumor is starting to spread about you being the White Devil," Queen Amara spoke, making both Sylv and Lucas show shocked expressions. "Huh, Aunt, didn''t you say that my identity would stay hidden for a while?" "I did, but you see, the royal guards back then had already seen you as Lucas Nightstar when you rescued Sylv. After further investigation, it was revealed that the White Devil joined the escort mission, and no one known as Lucas Nightstar did. It wasn''t hard for the royal guards to figure it out, and after that ''incident'' with the king, even more royal guards knew about your identity as the White Devil. Besides, as the rumor already spread throughout the whole castle, it will soon spread throughout Myrniel. Since we need to have a valid excuse to retaliate against the Dark Elves without other races getting involved, we can''t hide the details for too long about what happened to Sylviette." "I see... Well, it isn''t like I really care anymore, so I don''t mind if rumors start going around about who I really am," Lucas said, not really caring. "I see, that is good then." After talking more with Sylv''s mother, as Sylv was just silently watching and Luna sleeping, they finally arrived at the mana teleporter. As they stood in front of the mana teleporter, Lucas saw a huge circular floor with weird engravings, and he could sense the space element on them. The mages who built mana teleporters are the ones with the space element. If word got out about his affinity with space, everyone would want to get in his good books. Who knows, Lucas might learn to create something similar with space magic and the help of engineers. "So, this is it, huh..." Lucas said, as Luna was awake, sitting on his shoulder. "[I had a lot of fun playing with the animals...]" Luna said sadly, as she enjoyed her time a lot here. Queen Amara approached Lucas and gently ruffled his hair as she said, "You are always welcome in Eldrath, as our gates will always be open for you, Lucas. Make sure you come back here when you have the chance." "Hm, will do, Aunt. Thank you for taking care of me," Lucas said a little sadly. "Fufu, no worries. Take care, Lucas," Queen Amara said, as she walked back inside the carriage, leaving some space for Sylv and Lucas. "So, you really are going..." Sylv said sadly, with her head a little down. Lucas approached her and gently patted her head. "Don''t be sad, alright? We will meet again in a few months at the academy, where we can spend a lot of time together," Lucas said gently. He didn''t know why he suddenly patted her head, but his body moved on its own. He was scared she might get angry, but instead, her ears only turned a little red, as her eyes were closed, enjoying Lucas''s caress on her head. ''Cute...'' "Mm, you are right. We will meet again at the academy!" She said suddenly full of vigor again. Though suddenly she turned a little serious and asked nervously, "Hey Lucas... Are you alright, right? About everything that happened last night..." Seeing her worried, he patted her head again. "You can tell me if something is wrong or if you need to talk to someone... I am your best friend, right?" She said as he gently patted her head. Seeing her, he released a gentle smile and responded, "Don''t worry, I am fine right now. But you will be the first person I will tell if I ever feel like I need to talk to someone, Sylv," Lucas spoke. "Hehe, then it''s a promise, Lucas!" She said giggling "Well, see you later, Sylv, at the academy," Lucas said, as he stepped on the circular platform and bright blue lights started releasing out of the engravings. "Yeah, see you, Lucas, and you too, Luna!" Sylv said, waving her hand to the departing figures. "[Bye, mother!]" "Huh!? Wait, what do you mean, moth-" Before Lucas could finish, he was engulfed by the bright light with Luna, and they were finally gone. As Sylv now watched the empty platform, she felt a little sad, already missing Lucas... ''Ugh, no! Bad Sylv. I will meet him in a few months! I should go train and become stronger and not be left behind!'' "Ara, missing your boyfriend''s head pats already, dear~" She suddenly heard her mother''s teasing words and turned around, seeing her standing outside the carriage. "M-mother!? You were watching!?" Sylv said in a panic, her cheeks and ears turning red with embarrassment. "Heh, how could I miss my daughter acting so smitten with her boyfriend~" She said teasing her further. "H-He is not my boyfriend!" Sylv said, as her mother continued to tease her, even in the carriage, until they got back home. She felt like digging herself a hole and never leaving it... Chapter 33 - 33: Return He was back. After almost three whole years, he had finally returned to Moon City. Lucas was honestly filled with nostalgia at his return. He could currently be seen wearing black cargo pants with a black hoodie that covered his head as he walked through Moon City with Luna on top of his shoulder. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "[Father is this the city where you live?]" Luna asked. "[That is correct. I was raised here all my life, Luna,]" Lucas replied. "[So does that mean we are meeting Grandpa and Grandma?]" Hearing Luna''s nervous yet excited tone, he couldn''t help but chuckle. He was currently walking his way toward the destination where he ordered an Uber so he could get back to the Nightstar Estate. He could have gone himself, but he wanted to enjoy Moon City first and take his time going to the Nightstar Estate. He hadn''t told anyone except for Sylv and her family about his return, so not even his parents knew about him coming back at this time. They should suspect Lucas coming back somewhere around this time, but they didn''t know anything yet. "[You don''t need to be nervous, Luna. I am sure my parents would love you... well, unless you act like an actual cat, then they would treat you like one without knowing... but they would still love you.]" "[I wouldn''t do that father!]" ''Though so much has happened... I-I don''t know if I should tell them about me becoming a half-dragon and about Luna so perhaps her acting like a cat would be better... and should I tell them about my relationship with Sylv and her family?'' While Lucas was pondering, he finally arrived in front of a black car that was parked but still hovering slightly in the air. As Lucas saw the car in front, he entered the passenger''s seat without waiting. Inside, a man was there smoking his cigar. "Where to?" He asked without looking at Lucas at all. "Nightstar Estate," Lucas answered without care, while Luna got on top of his lap instead of his shoulder now. "[I don''t like this smell...]" Luna commented. "[Yeah, me too, but deal with it just for a little bit, okay?]" Lucas responded telepathically. Hearing the location Lucas wanted to go, the Uber driver froze and finally turned his head to his client, who was covering his face with a hoodie. "W-what did you say? Nightstar Estate? Kid, you can''t go there. They will just kick you out, perhaps even kill you for trespassing," the driver said, trying to persuade him. He honestly was ready to kick Lucas out himself; he didn''t want to get killed. Sigh Seeing that the driver wasn''t going to accept going there without proper reason, Lucas decided to lower his hoodie, revealing his face much clearer. The cigar in the driver''s mouth just dropped on his lap as he stared wide-eyed, mouth open, pointing his trembling finger toward his client, who had snow-white hair and blood-red eyes. It didn''t take a genius to know who was in front of him. "Y-you are Lucas Nightstar! Aren''t you?" The driver said, pale-faced and in sheer disbelief. Seeing his reaction, Lucas couldn''t help but release a bitter smile while chuckling as he answered the driver. "Yeah, that is right. I need a ride to my home, so can we go now?" Lucas asked. "A-ah, y-yeah, of course!" He said. He wasn''t stupid to disobey the son who ruled the city. ''I don''t think he knows I am the Noctis, the White Devil yet... The rumors would still take some time to spread, probably a few weeks before the academy starts, will it reach Moon City.'' "[Hehe, he is scared of you, Father,]" Luna commented. "[Well, my father is the one who rules this entire city, of course he would be scared to meet his only son,]" Lucas said telepathically with Luna, as the driver finally started driving toward the Nightstar Estate, though his hands could be seen trembling a lot as he kept glancing at Lucas. ''Dude, this man better not crash the car...'' ************* sigh "When will the lord and madam arrive again?" Mike asked Lenard as both stood guard at the Nightstar Estate. "I don''t know the exact time, but it should be in about five hours. Why?" Lenard replied, facing Mike. "Well, look behind you, a car is coming, I think toward our direction." "Tch, doesn''t matter. It for sure isn''t the lord or madam. Must be some idiot thinking he is a big shot. Just send him away, and if he refuses, kill him since the lord and madam aren''t home," Lenard said. "Hmm, alright." As they conversed, the car finally arrived and stopped right in front of them and the huge gate of the Nightstar Estate. As they watched the car, they saw the door open, and a handsome boy with snow-white hair and blood-red eyes stepped out, while a cat was on his shoulder, with majestic black fur and the same blood-red eyes, lazily watching the guards. Both were honestly stunned at the duo that stepped out. If they had their phones on them, they would''ve definitely asked to take some pictures. ''Is he some kind of model? And why does he look familiar? Doesn''t matter,'' Mike thought as he snapped out and addressed the boy. "Kid. The lord and madam aren''t here today, and no one is allowed to enter the Nightstar Estate. Please leave," Mike said, while Lenard was still stunned for some reason. ''What happened to him?'' "Oh, you don''t know who I am?" The boy said to Mike in a playful manner. ''Urg, another young master with a big ego. Great...'' "Kid, I don''t care. There are rules. Leave now or be prepared to be ki-" Before he could finish, he heard a shout right next to his ear as his head was suddenly forced downwards in a bowing position. "YOUNG MASTER LUCAS! WE ARE DELIGHTED AT YOUR RETURNING BACK SAFELY!" Lenard suddenly shouted as he bowed 90 degrees straight while holding Mike, making him bow with him. ''Huh? The fuck did he just say!? YOUNG MASTER LUCAS!?'' Hearing his companion shout, who had worked longer than him, his face went pale in fear as he stopped resisting and bowed even lower. "Y-young master, please forgive me for not recognizing you!" Mike said in a fearful voice. Helping him out, Lenard interjected while bowing, "Yes, young master, you see he is new here and so he didn''t know or has seen you yet! Please forgive him this one time. I will make sure to educate him properly!" Lenard said, hoping to convince the young master and not get his friend killed. Suddenly, as they were thinking of ways to get out of this situation, they heard a laugh. "Pfft! Hahaha! Gosh, you guys are so tense!" the young master started laughing as he clutched his stomach hard, while the cat looked with an amused expression, feeling as if she was laughing as well with her eyes. "Relax, alright? I understand, and stop bowing, okay?" He said as the both hurriedly complied. "Y-yes, thank you, young master!" Lenard said. "So, what is your name?" The young master asked as he gazed at Mike, who felt as if he was watched by a predator as he gazed at the young master. "M-my name is Mike, y-young master, a-and I was recruited two years ago by the Order of the Falling Stars," Mike said while stuttering. "I see. I hope you have been enjoying being part of the Falling Stars?" the young master asked. "A-ah yes, young master, I am extremely pleased and honored to be part of the Nightstar Elite." "Haha, that is great to hear," as Lucas decided this was enough light talk, he asked a question. "So, I heard Mother and Father aren''t home today?" "Ah, yes, young master. We don''t know the details, but they went on a date today and would be returning late at night, so in five to six hours," Lenard answered. ''W-wait, the young master has been gone for almost three years, and I am sure probably doesn''t know about ''her'' yet...'' Lenard thought with a chill running down his spine. ''D-damn it! Why did the lord and madam decide to go out today!?'' He was panicking now. "Hmm? A date? How romantic~" Lucas said while chuckling, amused at how much they love each other to still go on dates. "A-hahaha, y-yeah, young master, t-they sure are romantic," Lenard said, stuttering, while Mike just didn''t dare to speak again. He didn''t want to mess up! "Is something wrong, Lenard?" the young master asked, a little confused, as Lenard stuttered out of nowhere. ''W-what!? He knows my name!? I told him that three years ago only once, but he still remembers!'' Honestly, he would be extremely happy normally for the young master to actually remember him still. If it wasn''t for ''that'' problem. "A-ah, no, young master, just a little shaken up at your surprising return still." "Ah, I see, that is understandable. Well, can you open the gate? I will want to see Lucielle and William if he is also here." "Ah, yes, young master, please go ahead," Lenard said as he opened the gates with Mike. ''Fuck it! Not my fault or problem that the lord and madam aren''t home,'' he thought as the young master passed them and entered the Nightstar Estate after almost three years for the first time... ********** As Lucas entered the mansion, he saw a few maids here and there doing housework. Yet when he entered, they all looked towards him and froze. "Yo, been a while," Lucas said casually, lifting his right hand as a gesture. "Y-y-y-young M-master Lucas!?" One of the maids struggled to speak, helping everyone snap out of it, finally bowing their heads. They were still professionals. "Hmm, good to see you all. I will talk to all of you later though. So, anyone know where Lucielle or William is?" "Ah! Yes, young master, they are at the backyard, with Lady L-" Before she could finish, her mouth was suddenly clamped shut by another maid''s hand. "Ah, young master, sorry, but p-please, I request you to go see them before asking us any more," one of the maids said, bowing. ''Just what the heck is going on?'' Lucas wondered. "[They are hiding something, father,]" Luna chimed in telepathically. "[Yeah, I noticed, Luna. Thanks for clarifying,]" Lucas replied. "[Hehehe]" Instead of complaining, Lucas decided to do what they said and went to the backyard. He missed walking the hallways and seeing all the familiar walls and ceilings. When he finally arrived, he saw something that shook him to his core. Lucielle was there in her maid outfit, with William as well in his butler outfit. Both looked the same as when he left, but... In Lucielle''s arms was a little girl... The child had long white hair like snow and blood-red eyes. She looked no older than three years old, her face cute with plump cheeks as she dozed off in Lucielle''s arms. "W-what the fuck..." Chapter 34 - 34: Lena Nightstar As they heard the bewildered voice, Lucielle and William turned around to find the one person they least expected to be here, accompanied by a majestic black cat gazing intensely at them with its blood-red eyes. "YOUNG MASTER!?" They both screamed in unison. Honestly, Lucas would''ve loved to take a picture or something. Their faces were comical to say the least, but he didn''t care. Even if it was a rare expression for both of them, he didn''t care right now. His eyes were only on the little girl who snapped out of her drowsiness because of the screams, making her scared. "What is her name?" Lucas said in a cold voice that made everyone except Luna flinch. His face showed no emotion currently, nor did his eyes. ''He knows...'' They both thought in unison as they gazed at Lucas, who had grown so much. Lucille honestly thought that it wouldn''t be a stretch to call Lucas one of the most handsome boys alive, while William could sense how much stronger he had gotten. His body was reeling for a fight, yet... Both knew they had to hold back with everything. All the things they wanted to say, they couldn''t right now, as Lucas never even looked at them once. "L-lena, young master. Her name is Lena Nightstar. Your younger sister," Lucielle said, guilt written all over her face. ''Young master must be hurt and confused...'' "Younger sister, huh." Lena suddenly wiggled out of Lucielle''s arms and landed on the ground. After that, she hid herself behind Lucielle''s legs, fearfully watching Lucas. "Y-young master, please wait and don''t misunder-" Before William could continue, Lucas''s gaze landed on him, making him shut up instantly. ''Shit, he is mad...'' "Let''s go inside and talk," Lucas said as he turned around and went inside, with the cat still on his shoulder. Both having no choice but to comply with the young master''s order, they followed while holding Lena''s small hands. ************* Four people could be seen inside the living room, with three sitting on one couch facing directly towards another where an extremely handsome white-haired boy with blood-red eyes sat, looking extremely identical to the little girl in the middle of the three. She looked at the others with an anxious expression. [Why are you angry, father?] [I am not angry, Luna,] Lucas said telepathically, though from the outside, he looked cold and emotionless. The atmosphere in the room was tense, with no one wanting to start the conversation. [You are, father...] *Sigh* [I am not angry, Luna. I am just confused and a little upset... How old is Lena? Why didn''t they tell me that mother was pregnant or contact me? I missed her birth even if I wanted to gain experience, I could have done that anytime, but the birth of my younger sister? How many chances would I have gotten?] [I-I am sorry, father...] [Don''t be, it''s not your fault, Luna.] [mm...] Deciding that he should start talking and not make them any more tense, he spoke up. "How old is she?" His voice was less cold this time and a little gentler, but his face was still emotionless. Talking with Luna helped him calm down a little. "S-she is almost 3 years old, young master," Lucielle said, not daring to meet Lucas''s eye currently. Seeing her and hearing how old she is, Lucas couldn''t help but bite down his lips to calm further down. "Why?" He asked. "Y-young master?" Lucielle asked, not understanding what he meant. "Why didn''t anyone tell me before I left? Or did anyone tell me after?" Lucas asked with a hoarse voice. His mother was a grandmaster and a Nightstar; it wouldn''t be hard for her to hide the identity of her child and have some spells or artifact hide her stomach''s growth. As a grandmaster, your body is naturally superior to that of a master or awakened because of mana, meaning that the time it would take for a child to be born would be much less than that of a master or awakened. A dormant average expectancy is 9 months, an awakened could go to 7 months, and a master could go to 5-6 months, but for a grandmaster like his mother, it would only take 3-4 months. Seeing that Lena is already almost 3 years old, her birth must have happened right after he left. "Y-young master, madame told us not to tell anyone, including you..." William, who was silent, decided to speak, yet even he didn''t want to look at Lucas and meet his eye right now. He felt too ashamed. sigh "I see... " If mother said so, then he can''t do anything right now but wait until she returns. Before he could think of anything else, he heard a trembling voice. "S-stop b-being mean to Lucielle and William!" Lena suddenly said, standing up from the couch with her arms spread wide as if shielding William and Lucielle from Lucas while tears were forming in her eyes and her legs were trembling. Obviously, she was scared. A random man came into her home not knowing who he was, and the people she cared about were scared of him. In Lena''s eyes, that meant that the man wasn''t a good person. Seeing her act like this, everyone just stood there frozen, wide-eyed, even Luna. They didn''t expect her to step in yet when she did, they felt as if a cold bucket of water was poured on all three, as they finally realized they were having such a heavy conversation in front of a mere child who obviously must be scared and confused. ''Great... already failing as an elder brother and scaring my little sister,'' Lucas bitterly thought. He also stood up from the couch, making Lena flinch and her legs tremble even more, yet she had a determined expression on her face, not yielding. Lucas took a few steps towards her and then he crouched down at her level, as his expression changed to a gentle smile and eyes filled with warmth and affection. "I am sorry, Lena. I didn''t mean to scare you," Lucas said as he made sure to lock all of the painful emotions he was feeling currently and deal with it later. "Do you know who I am?" Lucas asked in a warm and gentle voice, making Lena feel weird and confused again, but she responded by shaking her head cutely left and right. "N-nn." ''Damn, she is adorable.'' "My name is Lucas Nightstar, Lena." "Lucas Nwitstar?" she repeated while cutely tilting her head, while failing to pronounce her last and Lucas''s last name properly, making Lucas chuckle a little. Lucielle and William sighed in relief and relaxed a little, understanding that this problem will be dealt with when his parents return. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You are family?" she asked hesitantly. "That is correct. I am your big brother, Lena," Lucas said as he stretched his arm and gently caressed his little sister''s head. Lena was scared seeing his hand approach her face and squeezed her eyes shut tightly, yet instead, all she felt was the warmth her mother always has when she also caresses her head. It made her relax and open her eyes again. She asked again while enjoying Lucas''s caress. "Big browther?" as she looked towards Lucielle and William. "That is correct, Lady Lena. Master Lucas is your elder brother. Don''t you remember your mother speaking stories about him a lot?" Instantly after those words, her eyes opened wide as she finally recalled that her mother always tells her stories about her supposed big brother. "Well, Lucielle, is there any food? I am starving. You wanna eat with me, Lena?" Lucas asked as she shyly nodded her head. ''She still needs to warm up, I guess,'' Lucas thought as they headed to the dining room while Lucielle went to prepare dinner. Chapter 35 - 35: Reunited Two people could be seen stepping outside of a luxurious car hovering right in front of a massive gate leading to a huge mansion. One was a man with red hair and eyes, wearing a three-piece black suit. The other was a woman with white hair and blue eyes, wearing a one-piece red dress. Both were the parents of Lena and Lucas Nightstar, Alexander Nightstar and Violet Nightstar. As they stepped out, the two guards in front of the gate bowed their heads and greeted them. "Welcome back, Lord Alexander and Madame Violet!" "At ease," Alexander said, making them stop bowing. "So, did anything troublesome happen?" Violet asked one of the guards, Lenard. Lenard and Mike both broke into a cold sweat as he answered, stuttering. "W-well, I-I don''t know about t-troublesome, Madame, b-but..." "But?" Violet asked, her eyes narrowing as she inquired for him to continue. "P-please, Madame, Lord, it would be best to enter the mansion and see for yourself," Lenard said with fear, knowing it was a little disrespectful not to answer them, but he just didn''t want to get caught in the crossfire! "Hmm, I see. Very well, then, this better be worth the trouble," Lucas''s father said, deciding to enter with Lucas''s mother while holding hands. Yet both, for some reason, were a little nervous and had some dread in their hearts. As they entered the mansion, they saw a maid cleaning the hallways. "Bruna, where is Lena?" Lucas''s father asked. "M-my lord, uh, Lena is currently in the dining room eating," the maid answered, whose name was Bruna. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Already?" Lucas''s mother asked. ''She must have gotten really hungry from playing with Lucielle and William,'' she thought. "Y-yes," Bruna stuttered nervously, making both narrow their eyes again. ''Why is everyone acting so scared?'' they both thought in unison. "Well, let''s go, dear," Lucas''s father said as both headed towards the dining room. As they both arrived at the dining room, they instantly froze with wide eyes as they finally understood why everyone was scared the moment they arrived. Before they could think or do anything, Lena, upon seeing them, instantly ran up to them and hugged her mother''s leg. "Mommy!" Instinctively, Violet picked up her daughter, yet both parents weren''t looking at her at all. Their eyes were fixed on the boy who had snow-white hair like Violet and blood-red eyes like Alexander, with the only difference being vertical pupils and a black majestic cat with the same eyes on his shoulder looking at them. He was silently eating his spaghetti without looking at the people who are his parents. They both knew they were in trouble now. His father glanced at William and Lucielle, who were at the side of the room with both of their heads turned sideways, not intending to get involved at all. ''Please ignore us...'' they both thought in unison. "It''s been a while, hasn''t it, mother, father?" Lucas said without looking at them while eating his spaghetti. His voice wasn''t cold, but it wasn''t warm either. There was no emotion in his voice nor on his face. "Y-yes, it has been, hasn''t it, dear? W-we missed you a lot," his mother said nervously. Hearing his mother, Lucas''s eyebrows shot upwards in surprise as he glanced at her. "Really? Would it be hard for me to believe since the moment I left, both of you didn''t waste any time to replace me." Hearing his words, both his mother and father''s hearts clenched out of sadness. "N-no! Lucas, that isn''t true!" his mother practically screamed. Hearing her mother''s desperate words and seeing tears forming in her eyes, and his father not even daring to look at him out of pure guilt, he couldn''t hold back but laugh. ''I should push them more,'' Lucas thought. "Then care to explain how I acquired a sister without me knowing about it?" Lucas asked innocently while finally looking at them, making both feel like arrows pierced their hearts. "T-that, we wanted to surprise you, son!" his mother practically screamed. "Surprise me?" Lucas said with no emotion. "Surprise me how? By hiding the fact you were pregnant? That I had a little sister? Making me miss her birth? Making me oblivious to all of that while I was out adventuring?" "T-that..." His mother couldn''t say anything anymore. She felt as if she would talk anymore, she would start crying, and Lena was already looking anxiously between them, and she didn''t want to increase her worries. Lucas, in his previous life, was never this attached to anyone. He had no parents. No sister. No friends. He had nothing. In his previous life, he only had a single thing, and that was... Suddenly, his father finally decided to speak up, helping Lucas''s mother out. "Enough, Lucas. We just wanted to surprise you. You never took the initiative to do anything in your life. For once, you decided to do something willingly, and that was adventuring and exploring the world. If we told you about Lena, all of us knew you would have stopped everything you were planning and stayed with us. You shouldn''t be this harsh on your mother." Hearing his father''s words, the atmosphere got tense as Lucas decided to finally stop eating and stand up. Luna got off his shoulder and sat on the table with worried eyes. "Harsh? Stop adventuring?" Lucas''s eyes got cold as ice as the same could be said for his voice, making everyone in the room shudder. They had never heard him or seen him this cold ever in their lives. Lucas''s father clenched his jaw, understanding he was being unfair to his son. "My little sister''s birth is something I missed forever. You could have told me, and I would have dropped adventuring instantly, you are right. But why the hell would I drop it instantly? Because I could have explored this world anytime!" Lucas said as anger started rising in his voice. "Tell me, father, since when did my adventures become more important than my little sister!?" Subconsciously, killing intent started leaking out of Lucas, making everyone shudder, especially Lucielle. ''It is the same as back then...'' she remembered the time when right before he revealed himself to the world, he released some of his killing intent. Feeling it this time made her shudder again but much worse. Not because of the intent itself but something else. Something she, for some reason, without her realizing, missed back then... His Killing intent never changed. It was the same as back then. It felt as if she and everyone were surrounded by blood and the bodies of thousands of people. ''W-why? Why does it feel like he killed so many people? Even back then, it was the same, yet I ignored it... no, it felt as if I was compelled to ignore it!'' "Young master Lucas!" The first one to snap out was William. Hearing him, Lucas instantly suppressed his intent, making everyone finally breathe out of relief while Lena was trembling out of fear in her mother''s arms. Lucas could only look apologetically at his younger sister. ''I made her scared again... Why can''t I ever do anything right? I-I even was thinking about k-killing my own father...'' Lucas''s face was clouded as dark thoughts kept rampaging inside his mind. Suddenly, before it could get any worse, he felt two soft hands pulling him into a warm and comfortable embrace. "I am sorry, my son. Please forgive us. I promise we will make it up to you," his mother said, comforting her son with a gentle and warm tone. Understanding and stopping his son from having any more troublesome thoughts, while Lena was now in his father''s arms. "I-I am sorry as well, Mother, Father." Lucas said while embracing his mother finally as well as his father, with Lena coming over and embracing him and his mother as well. Lucielle and William looked warmly over the Nightstar family as they are finally reunited as a whole again after almost three years. ************* In a huge and luxurious living room, Lucas''s father sat on one couch with his little sister on his lap, while Lucas himself sat on the couch in front with his mother next to him and Luna perched on his head. Lena was still a little scared of Lucas but understood that he was her brother and that he wasn''t a bad person. She was a smart child for someone her age. Lucielle stood behind the couch where Lucas and his mother sat, while William stood behind Lena and his father. The atmosphere was a little awkward but warm at the same time. Lucas''s mother decided to start the conversation to dispel the awkwardness. "You have grown a lot, dear," his mother said as she checked his body, but froze as she looked at his eyes, which now had vertical pupils. She then looked up, as everyone else did also, at the black cat who was looking at his mother. "Cat..." Lena whispered. Ever since she met her brother, she looked more at the cat than her brother with sparkling eyes. She wanted to hug and play with it but was too scared of her brother. "Dear, that cat, is it a soul bond?" His mother asked curiously, understanding that the change in his eyes must be because of the cat. It was normal for some people to have soul bonds, and depending on the creature, it could change your body as well. "That is correct. Her name is Luna," Lucas answered with a bitter smile. ''Now... should I tell them the truth? Screw it, if I don''t, then I had no right to be angry at them in the first place.'' "Actually, mother, father... Luna isn''t a cat," Lucas clarified. "S-she isn''t?" His mother asked. While sighing, he decided to reveal everything to them. "No, she is actually a dragon." "A dragon?" His father asked, not understanding what a dragon is. And so, Lucas began explaining everything. From the time he was in the C-rank dungeon, exploring the boss room with the appraisal skill he got, everything he learned about the dragon race and the Blade of Chaos, finding Luna and becoming her bond, also about Lucas himself becoming a half-dragon, and then even the fight with the demon, to the point of meeting Sylviette on an escort mission who was the Elven princess and meeting the royal family to getting close with all of them and friends with Sylv and Raphael. Obviously, Lucas didn''t tell them how painful the transformation was when he became a half-dragon or how close of friends he was with Sylv. The attack on the princess would still take a week to reach the human domain, to say the least, so they knew nothing about it yet except for the demon attack and me being Noctis and my achievements that have been talked about online. It was to say while Lena, still being smart, didn''t understand everything and was mostly confused, the others weren''t. They were looking at Lucas with wide eyes and open mouths. They were extremely amazed and worried while processing into their brains everything they had just learned from Lucas. "An ancient race called dragons lost in time..." His father said with gleaming eyes, the same as William, as both wanted to fight dragons now. "So you are now a dragon? Well, a half-dragon?" His mother said in worry, knowing it wasn''t normal in the slightest to get a soul bond and your race changed to its and that Lucas was holding back when talking about becoming a half-dragon. "Well, yeah, I suppose..." he said, not looking at his mother''s intense gaze. "And the ca- I mean Luna is also a dragon, huh?" She said. "Yeah. Oh, Luna, you don''t need to be so nervous, go greet them," Lucas said, throwing all the attention from him to his daughter without shame. Suddenly, they all heard a voice in their heads. "[H-hello...]" she said, extremely nervous. "Huh, she can talk!?" his father said in surprise, while the rest just stared at her with wide eyes. Lucas was getting honestly more scared of the look his little sister was giving Luna. Instead of Lucas responding, it was Luna. "[M-mm, it is nice to meet you all. F-father talked a lot about everyone here.]" Suddenly, there was pin-drop dead silence in the room. "E-eh?" Was the only thing Lucielle could exclaim from behind. "I-i am a grandfather already?" His father said with lifeless eyes. "F-father!?" His mother practically screamed. While Lucas just looked sideways while whistling. ''Shit! Forgot to tell Luna not to call me father here!'' Understanding that dragons are a race above all the others in Myrniel and the only living dragon alive is calling Lucas her father, his mother suddenly smirked as Lucas glanced at her, getting an ominous feeling. "Ara~ My son just not keeping an eye on you for almost three years, and you already became a father and got the Elven princess herself as your girlfriend~" His mother started teasing him. "Huh, since when did Sylv become my girlfriend!?" Lucas exclaimed. "Hee~ so you call her Sylv and not Sylviette~" ''Shit'' He realized the blunder he made and averted his eyes from his mother''s and looked at his father who was also looking at him with a teasing smirk, yet pride was in his eyes, while Lena was eyeing Luna the whole time, making her even more nervous. He didn''t dare to look behind him or at William at all. "She isn''t my girlfriend, alright? She is just a friend like Raphael," Lucas defended himself. ''I''d rather deal with being called father by Luna in front of them, ugh...'' "That doesn''t explain that when you talked about her, only then your eyes turned gentler and a small smile appeared on your face, my son~" "E-eh, did I really do that?" Lucas asked, not believing what his mother just said. "Fufu, of course you didn''t show that expression at all when you talked about anyone else." Hearing her mother, he couldn''t help but sigh. Perhaps he did have some sort of feeling for her that wasn''t meant for friends, but that didn''t mean he loved her. Well, now that he thought about it, how does one know that he loves a person? He never loved anyone in his previous life; he doesn''t understand loving someone else who isn''t family. Maybe his mother was right, but he would deal with it just some other time. "I just care about her, alright? I don''t see her as a lover but more like a best friend," he said, trying to convince his mother. "Whatever you say, my son~" In the end, after some more teasing and talking about his adventures, they decided to call it a day, as Lena was beginning to doze off. So Lucas and everyone else decided to go to sleep as well since everyone was also tired from today, but not before Lena kidnapped Luna to sleep with her, which Lucas, by the way, ignored as she cried for his father''s help. [AN: Wow, that was a long chapter. I wanted to make up for not publishing one yesterday! Please tell me if the pace is too slow. I wanted to include more interactions with the family!] Chapter 36 - 36: Dark Rose In a forest where the moon shone and leaves rustled, a boy could be seen. He looked no older than 7, with dark hair and eyes. His eyes looked cold and lifeless as he gazed in front of him at the bodies of three little children, with puddles of blood surrounding them. ''So I finally did it, huh...'' Behind him lay the body of a dog, while next to his feet was a knife, stained with fresh blood, indicating how the three boys died. Yet the dog didn''t look like it was stabbed; it seemed beaten to death... Suddenly, the boy heard footsteps approaching from ahead of him. He instantly picked up the knife stained with fresh blood and aimed it towards whoever was approaching. It didn''t matter to him anymore. If the person was innocent or not, he couldn''t have any witnesses. As he looked ahead, he saw a man wearing a long black coat with black pants. He had a small gray beard and a black hat on his head, yet strands of white hair could be seen on his forehead. The man looked old yet stern. The boy simply felt inferior standing in front of the man. The man halted a few meters in front of the boy, gazing straight into his eyes, making the boy shudder and tremble out of fear. Yet he didn''t run away; instead, he gritted his teeth and firmed his feet more on the ground as his eyes got more fierce and determined. "Ooh~ I like those eyes, kid," the man spoke, gazing at his eyes, which he liked. Instead of answering, the boy decided to stay silent and be on high alert if the man took any action in front of him. He didn''t know if the man had a gun or knife with him, hidden in his coat. All he knew was one thing: the man in front of him was strong. That was what his instincts were screaming at him. "Heh," the man scoffed at seeing the boy staying silent. "You caused quite a mess, didn''t you, kid? Who would''ve thought that a mere orphan kid would be responsible for burning his own orphanage while all the other innocent little kids and caretakers were inside being burnt alive," he said, as he gazed at the far distant behind him, seeing black smoke still coming out into the air. "And now I see three bodies of little children in front of us and you holding the same knife that probably took their lives. If I am right with my guess, then the kids in front of us died before the orphanage was set on fire by you." "Why did you return?" he asked. He was curious what made this boy return to the bodies of the children he killed himself instead of running away. He probably would''ve gotten away with everything as well, since they would''ve thought he died in the fire as well. ''Did he perhaps feel guilt about killing the kids? His eyes certainly don''t show any guilt...'' Then, after pondering, he noticed the body of someone else... The body of a dog that the kid was protecting by standing in front of it. "Oh~ So you came back for your dog? But he is dead without any knife wounds. Instead, he looked beaten to death... Ah, I see. So you took revenge for your dog by killing these people," the man said to himself out loud as he finally realized the boy''s action. "Tell me, was it really worth it to kill all these innocent people just for a mere dog?" the man said curiously. He wasn''t sad nor angered; all there was was an amused and curious expression and tone from him as he asked the boy. The boy, hearing him question, finally decided to speak. "What makes you think they are innocent? What makes you be the one to decide who was worth more than the other?" the boy asked. ''Heh,'' the man couldn''t help but try his hardest to suppress his grin that was threatening to show on his face, so instead he looked at the boy inquiring him to continue. "For me, Puck, who was just ''a mere dog,'' was worth more than these humans. In my eyes, the lives of them weren''t worth anything if I compared them to Puck. The least I could do was take their lives just like they did to Puck," the boy said, yet no emotion of sadness or anger could be seen on his face or heard. "Hmm. Then why did you return if he already died?" "Because he was there for me for a long time when I was sad, so at the very least, I could bury his body," the boy said, gazing at the man''s eyes this time. ''This kid!'' The man couldn''t hold back anymore as a sadistic grin appeared on his face, making the boy creeped out, though he didn''t show it on his face. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA," the man started laughing like a madman without control. After a good five minutes of laughing, tears started forming in his eyes. He looked back at the kid, who was cautiously but curiously looking at him. "Kid, how about you join me and my organization?" "Organization?" the kid asked. "Yes, I am the leader of an assassin organization called Dark Rose. You can just call me Aushburn," the man said to the kid, whose expression turned into surprise. ''So that is why he was so calm... he could kill me anytime.'' "What do you say, kid? I will personally adopt you, feed you, give you a roof over your head, and make you the best assassin there would be!" the man said with a wicked grin. ''I don''t have anything left. I have no goal anymore. I have nothing left to do. Now I will probably die by myself if I don''t accept this...'' The boy didn''t think for long as he stared back at the man. "I accept," the boy said, as the moon shone on his face, illuminating his black hair and dark lifeless eyes, bodies surrounded them with the thick scent of blood oozing out of them, wild black smoke behind in the far distance caused all by a 7-year-old child. As the man gazed at his lifeless eyes and he gazed back at him, he felt a shudder for the first time in a while run through his spine. He truly felt that the sentence "if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you" was most fitting here in this moment as they both looked at each other''s eyes. "What is your name, kid?" "#$!@" **************** In a luxurious room, a boy lay on a huge king-sized bed that felt as comfortable as if he were lying on the clouds themselves. Lucas''s eyes fluttered open as he groaned and got up. As he checked the time, he saw it was only 8:43 AM. He always loved to sleep as long as he could, but it looked like his mind wouldn''t allow him any rest. "Again..." His eyes turned cold, surpassing even the coldness he showed his family yesterday, before returning to normal. He didn''t understand why he kept getting more memories of his past life in his dreams. It felt like the more he tried to suppress them, the more they would show up, and each time they would get more vivid. "I don''t understand... Did I get this nightmare because of all the things that happened yesterday?" Lucas thought that it must be because of yesterday for his memories of his previous life to show up. In a single day, he found out he had a little sister, which his parents hid from him, almost thought about killing his own father, made his own mother cry and his sister scared twice, and then started revealing everything that happened when he adventured but then got teased because of Luna and Sylv. Yet he didn''t know if the cause was mental exhaustion. Perhaps it was one of the causes. He didn''t want to remember his name, even if he tried subconsciously his brain wouldn''t allow that. His feelings were chaotic; it was a mix of his previous life and current life. He felt happy having a loving family, but it was still a basic instinct for him to solve every problem by killing. It had become a habit of his... As he gazed at his own room, he felt happy and nostalgic. It had almost been 3 years since he slept in his own room, and he really missed it. He felt like his emotions weren''t suppressed at all when he was with his family or in his house, nor was it with someone who would manage to earn his trust and get close enough to him, but he understood that he still must have looked extremely cold to strangers, especially those he didn''t like. But that was only when his parents or someone he cared about wasn''t around. Yet in those 3 years, it had gotten worse as his emotions started getting more suppressed again. If it wasn''t for Luna always being with him, he wouldn''t know what he would have done. As he pondered, he finally decided to freshen up instead of going to sleep. He took a shower, wore some casual clothes, and left his room quietly, making no sound at all, since everyone was probably still asleep or at least most would be. As he went to the garden, he froze in surprise as he saw his mother sitting on the grass, watching Lena running around playing with Luna. Noticing a gaze on her, she turned her head and was equally surprised to see her son up so early. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Lucas!? What happened, dear? Why are you up so early!?" She said, running so fast that Lucas barely could see her, and she was in front of him with a worried face. Seeing her act like that, Lucas couldn''t help but release a soft smile while looking at her with a warm gaze. ''Yeah, I really love these feelings, don''t I?'' His mother was surprised as she watched in worry and suddenly saw her son smiling warmly at her with affection, making her heart melt. "I am fine, mother. I just couldn''t sleep, so I decided to just wander around," he said, reassuring her that everything was fine, though she still wasn''t convinced. "Really? What happened? Why couldn''t you sleep? Did something happen?" She asked rapidly, with worry. He couldn''t help but sigh at her worried behavior. She still must be a little on edge about yesterday, even though they both made up. Lucas decided to just take her hand gently, surprising her, as they both walked towards where she previously sat and decided to sit with her on the grass as well. His mother obviously complied without hesitation and decided to sit next to him. But after that, she did something that surprised Lucas instead. She placed his head on her lap, making him lie down as well, as she started gently caressing his cheeks and hair, making his ears turn a little red. He still really wasn''t used to this type of affection. Even when his memories returned, he didn''t really spend much time with them before he left for his adventures. "Mother, I am not a child anymore," he said, trying to stop her from treating him like a baby. "Fufu, don''t tell me you are getting embarrassed, my dear~," she said, gently teasing him. "In my eyes, you will always be my little baby Lucas. I am your mother, after all. There is no need for you to be embarrassed or shy when you seek affection," she said gently, while Lucas just had his eyes wide open as he listened to her attentively. "I-I see," he eventually said, while averting his eyes, still feeling embarrassed. ''I can''t just accept being treated like a child so easily after everything, I suppose...'' Seeing Lucas still finding it difficult, she couldn''t help but sigh, but there was still nonetheless a warm smile on her face as she gently caressed his face. "So, want to tell me what woke you up so early? Surely this bad habit of yours for sleeping so long wasn''t fixed after starting to adventure?" she asked. Hearing her, he couldn''t help but chuckle a little but still had his eyes averted. "No, I still haven''t fixed that. I just woke up early today because I had a small nightmare, that''s all..." Lucas said vaguely. "You know you can always talk to me about it, dear?" she said, a little worried. This time, Lucas decided to meet her in the eyes and smiled warmly. "I know, mom. Thanks," he said in a gentle tone filled with love. His mother, though, instantly froze for a second and looked at her son with wide eyes. "E-eeh?" "Huh, is something wrong?" "N-no, it is just I can''t remember the last time you called me m-mom instead of mother..." she said, a little dazed and happy. ''Now that she mentions it, I really had stopped calling her mom.... I guess I found it embarrassing back then before my memories? Well, I don''t really think it is so embarrassing anymore...'' "I wish you would call me mom every time again..." she said, a little sad and in a small voice, not intending to let him hear it, but who was Lucas? He was a half-dragon, of course, his ears could easily pick up her voice. "Hmm, well, I don''t mind calling you mom again instead of mother." "E-eh, really? Then do it, call me mom from now on!" she said excitedly, with sparkling eyes. Lucas found it adorable that his mother was acting so spoiled and childlike; he couldn''t help but chuckle. "Sure, mom." "Hehe~" she started giggling happily as both enjoyed the warm sun while lying on the soft grass, enjoying each other''s warmth as they gazed warmly at Lena and Luna playing and running around together without them noticing anything else... Chapter 37 - 37: Family Date [1] As they enjoyed each other''s company and talked about trivial things, Lena and Luna finally noticed them together and ran up. "Mommy!" "[Father!]" As both ran up to them, Lena abruptly stopped upon seeing Lucas on her mother''s lap. She was still a little scared of him, even though she knew Lucas was her brother. She still got shivers from the killing intent he unconsciously released back when her father and brother almost fought each other. She didn''t understand much of the situation, only knowing it had to do with her and that''s why they fought, making her extremely guilty yet scared. She had only met her brother for a day, and she didn''t know how to approach him or talk to him. Seeing them so happy together, she didn''t want to get close and ruin it, since she thought they might fight again because of her. Seeing his sister frozen in place, Lucas decided to get up, thinking she was still scared of him. Yet, when he tried, he felt a soft hand on his forehead gently pushing him back down. "Stay," his mother gently said. "But..." "No ''buts.'' Lena, come here," his mother called out to Lena. As she started slowly approaching nervously, while Luna watched from the sidelines, she arrived in front of them. "Lena, Lucas is your brother, alright? You don''t need to be scared of him, and if he does something stupid, you can always tell us, and we can punish him, alright?" She gently said, yet for Lucas, that last part only felt ominous. ''Why the hell does she think I would do something stupid?'' he thought, but then he remembered how he made his little sister scared already twice and decided to stay quiet. "But I don''t want you both to fight because of me again..." She said in a small voice, tears starting to form in her eyes. "We won''t fight with your brother ever again, Lena. We promise you, Lena, so will you forgive us and your stupid brother?" ''Isn''t she my mother? Why does she keep calling me stupid...'' "Promise?" She said as she looked at both of them with a little hope. "Yes, we promise, dear. How about to make up for it, we all go outside today with your father?" She said, honestly shocking both Lucas and Lena at the same time. "Really!?" She said excitedly. She barely went outside since her parents both wanted to prevent her existence from being known until Lucas returned. But now that he is back, their mother thought it would be a good idea to go outside together as a family. "Are you sure, mother? Aren''t you and father busy?" Lucas asked, still a little hesitant since it could lead to some problems. "Fufu, don''t worry. We are free for today, so let''s all go outside today, alright?" "Yes!" Lena exclaimed excitedly, already forgetting her previous attitude. Seeing his mother''s eagerness to go outside as a family and Lena being this excited, he could only sigh and release a bitter smile. "Sure, why not." He only hoped no trouble would find their way when they were outside. **************** S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In a luxurious car, Lucas could be seen sitting inside with his parents and little sister, all dressed up to enjoy the day out as they headed to the famous restaurant, Moon Fish. They were happily talking to each other, especially with smiles directed at the excited Lena. Luna decided to stay back at home and relax, which Lucas didn''t mind. However, even though everything seemed perfect, it wasn''t. Both his father and Lucas didn''t really talk much to each other or meet each other''s eyes. Though no one else really noticed, since his mother was busy with Lena. Both felt guilty for their actions yesterday. His father felt guilty for being so harsh and unfair to his son. He knew Lucas was right and shouldn''t have kept him from when Lena was born, making him miss three years of her growth. Even if Lucas finally decided to do something on his own, he was still right. His little sister''s birth wasn''t something he should have missed. As for Lucas, he was feeling guilty for almost wanting to kill his father yesterday. Just for a split few seconds, he thought about blasting his head. Even though he loved his father dearly, he couldn''t help but think like that yesterday after his father scolded him. Truly, everything inside of him was a mess. His feelings, emotions, thoughts, and habits. All of them were a mix of his previous life and current life. It was like they were fighting for domination. He felt like he had to work much harder to stop letting everything from his previous life influence him anymore. This was supposed to be his second chance at life. Currently, they were headed to Moon Fish restaurant to eat. After that, they were planning to just go around wherever interested them in the city. Lucas honestly thought this wasn''t a good idea, since they, for some political reason, decided not to bring almost any guards with them. At least in the public eye, it would seem that no one was guarding them, except for highly elite guards following them around and protecting them from unforeseen situations in the shadows. Only Lucielle and William would be with them openly, as they were currently behind them in another car. Even if it was for political reasons, Lucas still found it reckless. But it wasn''t like he could judge. He had made countless reckless decisions over the years, getting scolded and making Luna almost cry every time. As they enjoyed each other''s company, Lucas decided to let them be without interfering while starting to think about something that had bothered him a lot yet he had decided not to dwell on. Back in Eldrath when he had the seer reveal how he would die yet... It didn''t reveal only one death but multiple of those. His death wasn''t set in stone; it kept changing by his own decisions, and she even saw his past life without understanding anything. He didn''t understand why the seer could see his previous life and who the being surrounded by darkness was. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he gritted his teeth. ''Shit'' That same being was the one that killed him in his previous life according to the seer. He never saw who the driver was, yet it was the being in darkness... He, who would kill him in various different ways in the future. He didn''t understand, yet just thinking about him made his heart fill with dread as his face became grim. The dark being... maybe it was a different person, and she couldn''t see the one who killed him yet... something was telling him he felt something that it was the same being who killed him in all his different deaths. Why? Just why... he didn''t understand; he thought that this life was a coincidence, a second chance, but... was it really? Just why was he reincarnated and his memories only returning at the age of 12... why was he the progenitor of chaos when there was another one before him... is he really also a progenitor? He said he was the first... he had the blade of chaos before him and after the blade of chaos only recognized Lucas as his second master. So then why is he also a progenitor of chaos... Just what happened to him? To the dragons? How did they die? No, are they even dead? He felt scared and anxious; he didn''t know anything. Every time he tries to find out something only more and more things become unknown to him. Just thinking about the dark being made him for some reason shiver in fear. "...cas" Just who or what is that being? Why was it seen in both of his lives? Does that mean it reincarnated as well? Or is it something so mysterious and powerful that it can go between his current world and previous one? "Lu.." But he is supposed to fight that thing in the future... he dies by its hands countless times in the future. Every time it would take someone he cares about away from him... he can''t let that happen no matter what. He started clutching his own hands hard as his nails started digging into his palms. He can''t let that being toy with his life anymore if it is true that it killed him the previous time then he won''t let him get away with that and more importantly he will do whatever it takes to kill it so it won''t harm anyone he cares about even if it means to kill hims- "LUCAS!" Suddenly a voice screamed at him, making him flinch and snapping him out of his thoughts. Looking in front, he saw his mother''s face inches apart from his as she looked at him filled with anxiety and worry. "H-huh m-mother what happened?" He asked worried, not understanding the situation. "What do you mean what happened!? Look at yourself!" She screamed at his state as he was bewildered, not understanding what he did. He turned around looking at the window, seeing his own reflection. His face looked pale as white as sweat was visible around his whole face, making his hair stick to him. Looking down, he saw that he dug his own nails deep into his own palms as blood came out of it. "Ah... I-i am sorry I didn''t notice" He said still perplexed at how lost he was in front of his own family. "W-what happened dear? Just what were you thinking about to behave like that?" She asked in worry. "I..." He tried to speak yet nothing came out of his mouth. His words were stuck in his throat. "Did something happen son?" His father asked also worried after seeing his behavior as Lena just watched in worry, not understanding fully what just happened but got scared seeing blood on her brother''s hand. ''S-should I really tell them about what I was thinking? about my previous life, about the dark being and how it will kill me in the future... No I can''t do that I don''t think I just can..." "Sorry mom dad I was just thinking something stupid and got lost in thought" He said with a bitter smile and reassuring them while scratching his cheek. "Are you sure dear? I-i have said it before but please tell us when you feel hurt... We are your parents. I am your mother I won''t ever want you to feel burdened or hurt Lucas." His mother said seeing through his lies. He could only warmly smile and answer "mm I know mom just... maybe one day I will tell you just not now please..." "Luc-" before his father could say something the car stopped by the driver as they finally arrived at the restaurant stopping the conversation they had. "Looks like we''ve arrived. Let''s just go and have fun, right Lena?" Lucas looked at Lena, hoping she would save him from his situation. Luckily for him, that is exactly what she did. "Unn! Food!" She happily nodded and wanted to go and eat outside. Seeing her excited expression, everyone released a warm smile as well, and his father and mother decided to let it go for now. "Lucas, your hands are still injured. Take this before leaving the car," his mother said as she pulled out a 3-star health potion, which he thought was overkill. As he stretched out his hand to take it, he suddenly froze as he watched his hand. The wound he inflicted was already healed, and there was only blood left... ''D-did my wound just regenerate?'' Lucas was perplexed once again. Only when someone reached the Grandmaster stage would their wounds start regenerating, though if you lost a limb, then that would be impossible to regenerate unless you had multiple 5-star health potions, which were the highest grade a potion could get. Health potions, mana potions, skillbooks, and weapons were all divided by star levels. The higher the star level, the harder to get and the more expensive one would be. For health and mana potions, it would go from 1-star level to 5-star level. 1-2-star health potions were mostly used for when you were sick or had small wounds, while 3-4-star levels, which were only for the rich, could heal extreme wounds to the point where a 4-star could reconnect a limb. As for 5-star level health potions, those could potentially regenerate a limb depending on the limb and body itself. For mana potions, the higher the star level, the faster your mana would recover. Weapons and skillbooks, on the other hand, were different. They were divided instead into 7-star levels. The higher the star level of a weapon, the better it would be, though that wouldn''t mean you would be able to wield them properly. The same could be said for skill books, as you wouldn''t be able to use every skill properly unless you were strong enough. Soul weapons and skills you acquire by yourself by breaking through to the next star level don''t have a star level since they evolve with the person itself always. As Lucas knew, he didn''t have any regenerative skills. Even the one he picked at the treasury in Eldrath wasn''t a regenerative type of skill, so what could possibly lead to this? Lucas already knew it like it was basic instinct. It was because he was a dragon, or at least a half-dragon, making his body already regenerate to the point he wouldn''t need a 1 or 2-star level health potion, and he wasn''t even a Grandmaster yet! Dragons really are an awesome race! But he had never regenerated before, so that means that he is still growing and unlocking new traits as a half-dragon. "S-son, your wound, it healed?" his father asked, not believing his own eyes. "A-ah, yes, you see, since I am a half-dragon, it looks like small wounds like these regenerate themselves," Lucas said as he pulled his hand back. "So no need for using a health potion, mom." "R-right, well, give me your hand, dear, and don''t move. Let me freshen you up a little bit. You still look like a mess," she said as she used her cleansing spell to wash his hands and face, and she fixed his hair as well, as Lena giggled happily from behind, calling him a ''Clumsy brother." After that, they finally decided to exit the car and enter the restaurant, which had been emptied beforehand to eat. Though he was sure almost everyone knew they were outside, since the main family car had been spotted multiple times on the street, and afterward, they would be walking around on foot as well... ''Yeah, I really hope nothing goes wrong...'' Chapter 38 - 38: Family Date [2] As they all entered the restaurant, William and Lucielle decided to stay behind in the car. The staff had been informed beforehand about the Nightstar family visiting, but seeing all four of them still made the staff tremble out of fear. What if they offended them? They didn''t dare to think of the consequences. Moon City, the city they lived in, was way too important and big for a mere viscount to handle alone. Yet the Nightstars could, and were allowed. Knowing that made everyone apprehensive, understanding that they were not what they seemed to be. But what shocked them even more was the little girl with snow-white hair and blood-red eyes, the newest member of the Nightstar family, which almost no one knew of. Seeing her, almost all the staff members felt like they wanted to protect her and her precious smile. Then they looked at the heir of the Nightstars, Lucas Nightstar, who had the same hair and eyes as his little sister. The female staff members kept their eyes glued to him, their cheeks flushed red, while the male staff members didn''t even want to know what they were thinking about, as a few were even clamping their own legs... As the family sat together at a luxurious table with Lucas and Lena next to each other and their parents in front of them, a female waiter came to take their order after 10 minutes. The female waiter, as she wrote down the order on her tablet, kept stealing glances at Lucas, her cheeks taking on a red shade before she hurriedly left. "Oh my, toying with the hearts of so many innocent maidens~" His mother teased Lucas as she sat in front of him, bringing a scowl to his face. "What toying with the hearts? It''s not like I did anything." "Fufu, that is true, after all, only the elven princess''s heart is the one you want~" "What? No! Can''t I just have a female friend? Besides, we barely spent a month together!" He said through gritted teeth. ''It''s not like I can fall in love so fast! I don''t even know how that would feel!'' "Love is strange, after all, dear. Your father and I fell in love at first sight," his mother said, shocking him honestly. "First sight? Really?" He said, not believing them. "Of course. It was back at the academy when I saw your mother at the entrance ceremony. It was like all sound faded from the room, and only your mother and I were there, looking into each other''s eyes for seemingly an eternity," his father answered with a distant gaze as Lucas glanced at his mother, seeing a small blush forming on her face. ''Well damn... they totally fell for each other.'' As he watched both of them now looking at each other as if they were in their own little world, he couldn''t help but interrupt and ask a weird question. "U-um, so how exactly does it feel to... you know? Love?" Hearing his question, they both snapped out of their daze and looked at him with intense gazes. He couldn''t help but avert his eyes. ''Ugh, this is embarrassing! I have never talked to anyone about something like this! I should''ve just stayed quiet! But I am way too curious!'' Hearing such a question coming from their son''s mouth, they were honestly shocked. Lucas had never asked them such questions, no. In fact, Lucas barely asked for much at all. He almost never even started a conversation or continued one, as if he didn''t know how to... His mother really wanted to tease her son right now, but knowing that this was a rare moment, she decided to answer seriously with a warm smile. "Mm... well, it is different for everyone. Love isn''t the same for everyone; it differs from person to person." "Huh? It isn''t the same?" Lucas didn''t understand. ''How can a feeling be different for everyone yet still be called the same?'' "Isn''t love... you know, just love?" he couldn''t help but ask. "Hmm, that is true, dear, but love doesn''t have only one emotion. It could have a mix of respect, admiration, and friendship, or it could have darker aspects like obsession, hatred, jealousy, or even lust, as in sexual desires." ''Lust? So love is a mix of different emotions? I thought it would be something like a different type of emotion... besides I never really had s-sex before.'' He didn''t really understand, but he did at the same time. He wasn''t the smartest when it came to emotions and feelings, yet his mother''s words still caught in his mind, repeating over and over again. "Well, that is my opinion on it, at least, dear. It could be different for another person as well," she said while smiling warmly at seeing her son pondering deeply about her words. ''Fufu, what a troublesome child~'' she thought. "Mm, I think I understand? Thanks, Mom," Lucas said. In the end, he would have to experience it himself to fully understand what she meant. But perhaps it isn''t just meant for him. Perhaps love is a feeling he has lost forever due to his previous life. "No problem, dear. Just take your time in living your life without rushing," she said while his father gently watched over, but then all of them heard a voice that made them freeze. "Mommy, what is sewual dessire?" Lena asked cutely, tilting her head, not understanding in the slightest what they were talking about. ************** Currently, they were heading to a famous shopping center in Moon City which has at least 15 floors and dozens of shops. It was only 15 minutes away from Moon Fish. They were lucky that before they could try to come up with an answer for Lena''s question, the waitress arrived with the food distracting her completly. The food was delicious, and Lena kept ordering more, though not as much as Lucas did. Honestly, his parents kept looking worried at him for ordering so much that his mother couldn''t help but ask if he hadn''t been eating properly during his adventures. Only when he explained that he was a half-dragon did they understand that he needed to eat much more than humans. Though because of that, his mother became angry, knowing that Lucas barely ate properly yesterday. ''If they think I eat much, they should see Sylv! God! She isn''t even a half-dragon, so where does all that food go? Wait, perhaps that is why they are so bi-...'' He didn''t dare to finish that thought. He felt like something ominous would happen if he did. As they walked the streets, people could be seen looking at them with various reactions: some out of fear, some out of admiration, some out of shock, some out of joy, some out of hate. Yet no one dared to come too close. They weren''t stupid to know that if they got too close, something dreadful might happen to them. So instead, they decided to take a bunch of photos from afar as they kept walking towards the entrance of the center. Once they were inside, the same scene happened: people stood still with various reactions, whispering to each other in a hushed tone. Of course, Lucas and his parents could hear everything as he walked behind his parents holding Lena''s hand. She has become much more relaxed in his presence. "H-hey, am I dreaming or..." "N-no way, the Nightstar family is here..." S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Who is that little girl... she is so damn cute! Don''t tell me did Lord Nightstar have a daughter!?" "Hey... God, just look how handsome the young master is... I want him to devour me..." Various people could be whispering to each other while taking pictures or videos, some of which were extremely questionable and should''ve just been kept in their heads, especially those of the females. "Brother, why is everyone looking at us?" Lena asked while holding his hand as she nervously glanced at the people who were watching them like hawks. "It''s because we are famous people, little sis. We barely appear in public, so they can''t help but talk about us. After all, mom and dad are the ones who rule this city. Do you understand?" Lucas said, though he wasn''t sure if Lena understood what he just said. He knew she was much smarter than most her age but didn''t know by how much. "Unn. We are like those famous people on TV, right!?" She said excitedly, luckily understanding what Lucas meant. "Yes, that''s right. You sure are smart, Lena," Lucas said, praising her by patting her head with a warm smile, doing critical damage to the hearts of all the women watching. In their eyes, Lucas, though barely seen, always has a cold face yet the moment he talked to his sister, his facial expression instantly shifted to that of a loving brother. "Hehehe~" Lena happily giggled at her brother patting her head. As they arrived at the middle of the mall where an indoor fountain was located, their parents turned around, smiling warmly at them. "My, am I glad to see you two getting along~" their mother said, elated at them finally getting along together like brother and sister as all four of them just ignored all the people watching them not caring in the slightest. "Well, right now, I am planning to go with Lena and buy ''some'' clothes for her. So what are Darling and Lucas going to do? Do you want to join us?" Their mother asked. ''By some clothes, she probably means buying the entire store. Yeah, hell no, don''t wanna get stuck with that,'' Lucas thought to himself. "I''m good, Mom, thanks. I think I''ll just walk around and see what interests me," Lucas said, as he had no plans to sit there for hours, even though he knew that everything Lena would wear would be cute and adorable. He still probably wouldn''t be able to handle being there for so long. "Hmm, alright. What about you, Darling?" his father who looked over at Lucas and then their mother barely waited for her to finish before responding. "Ahaha, you see, I haven''t spent much time with my son, you know, honey? So I think it''s best for us to have some father-son bonding time, right, Lucas?" His father said, looking at him with pleading eyes. He didn''t want to be stuck either! ''We barely have had a proper conversation with each other... especially after what happened yesterday. Yeah, I guess we should have some proper talk,'' Lucas thought. "Hmm, sounds good, Dad. Let''s go together," Lucas said, deciding they should have a talk. He was sure his father knew his intentions and wanted to have a talk as well. "Hmm, very well. Let''s meet up here in 5 hours," their mother said as she took Lena from Lucas and ran off. ''Huh! 5 hours!? Are the shops even open after 5 hours!? The hell!'' Lucas thought, perplexed inside his mind at how long they would be buying clothes. As he was lost in thought, he suddenly felt a hand firmly pressing on his shoulder. Glancing at his right, he saw his father with a bitter smile on his face, yet he didn''t look at Lucas. "Your mother has always been like that since Lena was born. She always wanted a daughter, you see. So since her birth, she would always empty the shopping center or order thousands of clothes for her to wear. Lena, of course, enjoys them all as well," he said, as he gazed where they had run off to. "Hmm, I see. Wanna go grab a drink?" Lucas asked. He really didn''t know how he should handle it with his father now, so he thought it would be best to sit somewhere where they could drink something like coffee or tea. "Sounds like a good idea. Let''s go," his father said, as both started to walk towards a famous coffee shop on the 3rd floor under the gazes of everyone.. ''I wonder how they will react when they find out in a week or two that I am the White Devil. Haha, that would be fun,'' he thought as they finally arrived at the coffee shop. One of the female staff members came to greet them to guide them towards a seat. She froze in her place as her face became pale as snow. "Welcome, please foll- e-eh!?" Hearing her sudden scream, everyone stopped what they were doing and gazed at her direction as they saw something that made them all tremble. She was frightened as her clients were the current patriarch of the Nightstars and the current heir of the Nightstars. Seeing her so scared and his father looking down at her with a cold gaze, making her tremble even more as her legs started shaking as if she might fall any moment, he couldn''t help but sigh. He decided to ease her with a small smile on his face, which shocked almost everyone there. "I am sorry for frightening you. Is there a table free for the both of us?" Lucas asked, hoping to ease her a little and focus more on him instead of his father. It worked; she wasn''t scared anymore as she looked at Lucas. Yet, instead, she was as if in a trance, staring at his face for a good minute almost. ''What happened? Is she also scared of me? I didn''t think I was so scary as father was...'' After a few more seconds, she finally snapped out of her daze as a red shade appeared on her cheeks. "A-ah y-yes! Please! Follow me! There is a table free for you! And your father, of course!" she said while stuttering as she guided them with hurried steps to a free table under everyone''s terrified gazes, while Lucas just chuckled, following her with his father. ''Hmm, she isn''t scared of Dad anymore? Haha, it''s more like she fully forgot about him.'' After that, they finally sat at a table opposite of each other while the waitress brought them both coffee. The shop got emptied out without them saying anything else. The staff members had enough sense to understand that it would be best for no one to be in the presence of Nightstars currently. As they drank their coffee, his father suddenly spoke out. "You have grown." Hearing him, he couldn''t help raise his eyebrows in surprise. "Well, yeah. It has almost been 3 years, I guess." "No, not like that. I mean stronger. You have become stronger. If we talk about intelligence, well then you were always smart yet too lazy to apply them to anything. What is your current star level?" ''Oh right, I forgot to say what star level I was yesterday, but I guess he is right. Even before my memories, I was always too smart for someone my age. Even in my previous life, I remembered whenever Ausburn taught me something, I easily learnt it, be it maths, science, or how to kill someone. I didn''t even have to attend high school and only went to college after all the other things happened...'' Now that Lucas thought about it, he really was a genius in everything in his previous life. Just born in the wrong environment. No, that isn''t the case. He was never normal. He never was interested in retaliating against those caretakers or those bullies back in middle school. As long as he was the one who was hurt, he didn''t care. Even when he killed for the first time when he killed his entire orphanage and those children who killed Puck, he never felt a single thing. No guilt. No regret. Nothing. He felt nothing except his body being cold from the inside whenever he killed. Perhaps that is why Aushburn liked him so much... "Lucas? Are you alright?" his father suddenly asked, snapping him out of his daze. "Huh? Oh yeah, sorry, was just thinking about what you said," Lucas said. Hearing him, he couldn''t help but sigh. "This is really one of those bad habits of yours, son. You always go into your own head when someone is there with you. Try to fix that." "Mm, I will. Oh yeah, I am mid 6-star level currently, and I think I am close to breaking through to high 6-star level soon." As he said that, all he was met with was his father looking at him with wide eyes, frozen in shock. "Father?" He asked, not understanding the problem. ''"You... you already surpassed Princess Sylviette Velariah, the strongest champion of your generation... ah, right, of course you did. You are even so close with her..." he started mumbling random things as Lucas enjoyed it honestly since it was rare seeing his father so shocked. "Well, what can I say? I am a genius." "And looks like you are a narcissist as well." "Nah, I am a dragon after all. Even I have my own pride, so I can''t be weak." Both suddenly burst out laughing at their conversation. After a while, as they were done drinking and laughing at each other, Lucas somberly spoke as his expression turned grim. "Father." "Hmm, son?" "I am sorry." His father was perplexed at the sudden apology. He never expected his son to apologize since he knew that his son said that dragons have immense pride and they would almost never apologize. Yet, it looks like that the people he cares about are the exception. And before he could speak up, Lucas continued. "I am sorry for my sudden outburst against you yesterday. It is just for a split second...I felt like I wanted to kill you, to blast your brains into pieces and rip you apart. And I lost control of myself." ''I am sorry for almost becoming my old self again...'' he said the last part in his mind. "Lucas," his father said, pulling his attention towards him, stopping him from going into his head again. "I don''t know what you went through when you left for these past 3 years. I don''t know how you have such a terrifying killing intent. If that was something you acquired before your adventures, then how? Did you sneak out under our noses without us noticing? If so, how? Or you must have had a extremly hard time on your own adventures all this time? I am fine if you won''t tell me anything, but what I do know was I was equally at fault for pushing you to that point, as was your mother. We shouldn''t have kept Lena a secret from you." "You are my son. You became someone known as Noctis the White Devil. Do you know how proud you have made me? I am here always for you if you want to talk about your struggles. Even if the world stood against you, I will be standing right next to you against the whole world, as that is what it means to be your father." Hearing his father''s words, he grit his teeth as hard as he could, holding back the tears that were threatening to spill. He looked up right into his father''s eyes for the first time today and smiled warmly, speaking with as much affection as he could. "Thanks, Dad." Chapter 39 - 39: A champions Turmoil After the conversation with his dad, Lucas felt more at ease, and they decided to spend their time just talking and walking around shops without buying anything. They visited multiple different shops, including those for weapons or armor, each time under the shocked gazes of everyone around them. It especially didn''t help how pressured the shopkeepers were under the cold gaze of his father, who scared the hell out of each of them every time. Just like that, 5 hours passed, and they both arrived back at the indoor fountain. Lucas''s mother was already there with Lena, holding her hand. Multiple bodyguards could be seen holding dozens of bags of clothes. ''How can they buy so much, and how are both of them not looking tired yet...'' "Both of you finally made it back. Let''s head home now since the sun is already starting to set. I already called William to bring the car out front," his mother said. "No! Mommy, I wanna stay and go with Fawther and Browther ewcploring!" Lena said, not wanting to leave the center yet, as she hadn''t really spent much time with Lucas or her father at all. ''Damn, how energetic,'' Lucas thought, gazing at her with his father, a bitter smile forming on both of their faces. "Lena. Enough. It is already getting late, and it is almost bedtime for you, young lady," their mother said sternly, making Lena pout and turn her head away as tears started forming in her eyes. Lucas decided to approach her and kneel in front of her, gently patting her head. "There, there, Lena. How about the both of us go outside another time, doing whatever you want, without Mom and Dad interrupting?" Lucas said with a small smile, damaging the hearts of many maidens who were watching while feeling his mother''s angry gaze on him. "Really!?" She said with sparkling eyes and her vigor returning. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''What happened to those tears...'' "Yes, really. It is a promise between the both of us. So let''s head home for now." "Unn!" Like that, they finally managed to get back home, even though their mother was angry, saying that Lucas shouldn''t spoil her too much. ****** In a huge open field, a beautiful female elf with silver hair that reflected the moonlight and deep blue eyes that looked like the ocean itself could be seen alone, surrounded by frozen grass and huge ice pillars. Currently, she was training. Her mother, Amara Velariah, Queen of Eldrath, could be seen watching her from a distance, worried yet proud. She was happy since her daughter finally decided to train seriously. Sylv is currently known as the strongest champion, yet she knows that is temporary. She doesn''t care about the title. She never really cared about such things. What she does care about is that she doesn''t want to be left behind by Lucas, her best and only friend. She was a High 5-star level mage. She was the princess of elves, yet she didn''t care about any of that. She was always better than her generation; she never really had to try; she never really wanted to try. She always stood above everyone of her generation. She became the champion with almost no effort. No one known was able to rival her. She understood that perhaps there could be people that hid their abilities for reasons unknown, yet even then, she didn''t have much hope of anyone being her equal. She was wrong... The moment she met Lucas and found out he was Noctis the White Devil, she understood that he was above her. He was better. He was the true champion. It wasn''t her who had no rivals; it was him who had none. It wasn''t her who had no equal; it was him. And what was worse? He never knew or cared about any of that, just like her. She didn''t resent him for that; she didn''t hate him for that. She honestly was only curious about the boy known as the White Devil. Yet that same boy who was her age was loved by spirits. Why does he have such an ominous nickname? Why do the spirits love him? How does he feel the spirits? She knew she couldn''t just ask why he was loved by spirits, how he could feel their presence. She knew he had secrets he didn''t want to tell her yet. She understood that when he didn''t speak about that scary form of his back when he and her father almost clashed. She honestly thought Lucas was crazy. He didn''t care that in front of him was her father. She was glad that her parents respected him as well to not ask questions, for now, at least... The king of Elves. A saint level being. No, he didn''t care if he had to fight such a being if it was for his goals. She respected that. Admired that. To not care, not be afraid at no matter what was in front of your path. Even if her father didn''t suppress himself, Lucas didn''t care; he would have still fought against him no matter how scary or impossible that was. She wanted to be closer to the person who saved her life and be friends with him. But it was truly at that moment when she looked into his eyes, unyielding and filled with pride. The way he stood in front of her father without an ounce of fear. Only confidence. She wanted to be closer to him. She wanted to know more about him. To understand him. And that was exactly what she did. Both of them became close with each other and formed a bond. They spent the last 2 weeks in the castle almost 24/7 together, doing various things. They went outside a few times. They always ate together, and they sparred together. Sylv who always lost shocking everyone watching each time... Because of all of that, she started training seriously now. She doesn''t care about anything else, but she doesn''t want to be left behind by her only friend. She wants to stand at Lucas''s side as an equal. And perhaps one day, maybe the both of them can love each¡ª ''What! No, bad Sylv! No love! Focus on training!'' She thought as she shook her head, while her ears burned red. ''Argh! I can''t concentrate!'' She screamed in her mind as she stomped the ground, and a colossal pillar of ice erupted. "Why does his face keep appearing in my mind! It''s only been a week since he left! How can I already miss him so much! And is he even alright? He looked really hurt because of that seer! Was he scared? Ugh, I can''t even contact him since he never bought a phone, saying he would buy one when he was back! I forgot to give him my number! No, no, I can ask mom and dad to contact him, but I don''t want that!" "They will think I am crazy and in love with him! I am not, I am just worried about him..." ''There is no way I am in love with him, right... I mean, he is handsome, yes, no, he is probably one of the most handsome men alive and strong and talented. But he is human, so it is not like we can be together... Wait, no, is he human? Yes, his parents are human, but Father did tell me that he didn''t feel like a human, something only Saints could tell... W-wait, why am I even thinking about how we can get together when I don''t love him! Right!?'' Her mother, who was watching from afar with an amused expression, did her best to hold back her laughter as she saw how frustrated her daughter was. ''Ah, how smitten my daughter has become~'' she thought to herself, enjoying the sight of Sylv''s turmoil. After that, Sylv finally started to calm down and train again. She was planning to get to at least a low 6-star level before the academy starts. She knows she can do it and will, no matter what it takes! Chapter 40 - 40: Lucas Nightstar, son of a viscount [1] In a dark, eerie room where normal people would freeze to death, multiple beings could be seen inside, seemingly unaffected by the cold or the darkness. The beings inside were demons. "Is everything ready?" A demon asked, his mere presence enough to make most faint. "Yes, we can finally start the mission," another demon replied. "Is it really smart? That kid is part of them, and didn''t Lord Diablo say that we should avoid that family for the time being?" A demon interjected, expressing doubts about the mission. "That was before His Majesty ordered all others not to leave our world. If Lord Diablo knew about such a talented boy of a mere viscount, he would surely approve of this! Besides, if we are correct, he is also the reason for Z''riel''s death. When the gates open again, not only will Lord Diablo be pleased, but also Lord Belphegor, kekeke!" the intimidating demon said, a bloodthirsty grin spreading across his face. "He is right. We won''t kill him anyway, so what is the problem? The timing is perfect now; we won''t get an easier opportunity than this, even if he is the son of a viscount," another demon interjected. "Fine..." the demon finally relented. After that, the demons left for their mission: to capture Lucas Nightstar, killer of Z''riel, heir of the Nightstar, rumored to be the White Devil, and rumored to be a champion as strong as the elven princess. ********* S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A few weeks had passed since Lucas went shopping with his family. Rumors had started to spread about him being the White Devil. The media had been thrown into chaos for the past week: the Elven princess being attacked, the mysterious White Devil being the one to help her, Lucas Nightstar being the White Devil, and even the entire Nightstar family being seen in public, with the newest member being Lena Nightstar. The repeated mention of the Nightstar name had stirred curiosity, anger, jealousy, and hatred among many nobles and other bigshots. After everything that had been happening, the attention of the royal family had turned to Lucas, inviting him to meet with them in three days to discuss these rumors. It was nighttime, and his parents had decided to go outside with Lena today while she kidnapped Luna with her. Lucas also received a message that they would be staying in a hotel tonight. Luckily, they had brought William and Lucielle with a few other guards, so there wasn''t much need for him to worry. Besides, Luna could communicate with him if there were any problems, though he doubted he could do anything about them, as his father and mother would be much more suitable to handle any problems if they arose. Currently, Lucas was in an open training ground with the vice-commander, watching the knights duel each other and having fun betting golden credits on who would win. There was no real training happening here, as they were all free, and since Lucas was bored, he decided to join them, eliciting excitement from everyone present. Observing the duels, the vice-commander next to him spoke. "Haha, seeing you here must have motivated them even more to impress you, young master." "Hmm, I can see that, Dylan. Though I do wonder if William approved of these games you''re all playing without him knowing," Lucas answered with a small smile, causing Dylan to break out in a cold sweat, quickly composing himself as he realized Lucas was teasing him. Dylan was the vice-commander of the Falling Stars. He had short brown hair and emerald eyes, and while his appearance was above average, he wasn''t to be underestimated, being a 9-star level swordsman. This was a level of skill that not even most count families would have in their captains. "Haha, I didn''t think the young master would actually be able to joke. You sure have changed," Dylan remarked. "I did?" Lucas replied. "Yes, that''s right. I remember when you were young; you would always be quiet and hardly talk to anyone except Lucielle or my lord and madame. You would always just walk around the mansion or be in your room." Now that Dylan mentioned it, Lucas realized he was right. He recalled memories of himself aimlessly wandering and hardly speaking to anyone. It was more like he felt disconnected. Was it perhaps because he didn''t feel complete due to his memories being blocked? He always felt like he was missing something before his memories... Seeing Lucas lost in thought and a little sad, Dylan quickly reassured him. "Ah, but young master, that was all in the past! Now you have become much more open to everyone. You have made all of us proud by reaching the mid-6-star level already, not to mention being rumored to be the mysterious White Devil!" "Ah, yes... I suppose that is true," Lucas said, looking away and coughing, hiding his embarrassment at losing himself in thought again. ''Father is right; this really is a bad habit of mine.'' "Haha, it is, as Sir Williams says. You really get lost in your own head most of the time," Dylan said, laughing, further igniting Lucas''s embarrassment. ''Oi, I know that, dammit! Why are you laughing? Shouldn''t you show some respect?'' Lucas screamed inside his mind, yet didn''t show any of that on his face except for his mouth twitching a little at Dylan''s laughter. "By the way, young master, it looks like your academy year won''t be peaceful, will it? Since not only the Elven princess and multiple other big shots will be attending, but also the hero himself," Dylan suddenly spoke. The hero, Klaus, one of the champions of his generation said to have even more potential than Sylviette Velariah. Klaus was also the reason for this generation being called the second golden generation, as it had a hero for the first time in millennia. It was said that the first hero was the strongest of Myrniel, surpassing all other races even. He was the one who managed to stop the descent of the Demon King on Myrniel and even defeated him, though he didn''t manage to kill him, stating that the Demon King ran away. Whether the latter part was true or not, no one knew, as after thousands of years, many stories had been made about the first hero. They titled Klaus as the 2nd hero of humanity due to him having an affinity to Light, something only the first hero was rumored to have had. He also had an affinity for all four basic elements and something else that was revealed a year ago, shocking Lucas back then when he heard about it to his core. Klaus, the second hero, had something called a special talent, allowing him to wield both mana and aura simultaneously, just like Lucas. It was something unheard of, something no one should be able to do except the hero could. Klaus was supposed to be an orphan who lost his parents during a dungeon break where demons emerged and killed everyone in his town when he was a child. He even has the perfect backstory of a hero. He is apparently already in Shield for protection, since he didn''t really have a place to stay, most of the time he used the money the government gave him to adventure out and book hotels when needed. He would''ve already joined one of the top 10 biggest guilds, probably, if it weren''t for the fact that it''s illegal to recruit until you turn 20. Yes, in Myrniel, you are considered an adult at the age of 20, unlike in Lucas''s previous life where you had to be 18 to be considered an adult. It took a whole year for the media to calm down about Klaus and his special talent and with the affinity to Light and all other four basic elements. Myrniel was currently said to be at peace, yet those at the higher circle, like high nobles, the biggest guilds, the government, the royal family, Lucas and his family, and those known to be smart, and the golden alliance, knew that this peace was probably only a calm before the storm. That''s why the government had decided to reveal Klaus and his abillities to Myrniel, to give them hope for when the time came that something would go wrong; he would be there in the future to save them all. Honestly, Lucas thought it was a stupid idea to reveal such a valuable trump card this early and also his affinity and special talent. Yet what could he do about it? It''s not like he cared a lot. He wasn''t stupid and wouldn''t reveal all his cards like them. Who knows, maybe the hero still had some trump cards as well... Realizing he had been lost in thought again, he decided to respond to Dylan. "Hmm, well, I will just try my best to live peacefully my academy life and enjoy it to the fullest. Though perhaps you are right; some people with their huge egos might be annoying..." "Haha, that is true," Dylan agreed. As Lucas and Dylan conversed with each other and gazed at the duels happening in front of them, filled with joy and laughter, a guard who was supposed to be standing at the gates approached them. "Hmm? Mike, what are you doing here? Shouldn''t you be on duty?" Dylan asked with a frown, gazing at Mike as he approached. "Haha, Mike, don''t tell me you are jealous and want to join in on the fun!" the others, still in a joyous mood, started teasing him. Yet Mike never looked at them or Dylan; instead, he slowly kept walking towards Lucas and looked only at him. As Lucas saw him approaching, he noticed that his eyes... they looked hollow. Seeing no response as they watched him, everyone felt something was terribly wrong. Dylan, Lucas, and everyone else instantly got on guard. They were all seasoned warriors who had faced death multiple times. Lucas had a skill that he picked up at the royal treasury back in Eldrath, called [Danger Sense]. Even though with his experience in both lives, he could rely on instinct, he knew that it was better to be safe than sorry, so he picked a skill that could negate almost any surprise attack on him and never let him be caught off guard when his life would be in danger. And currently, [Danger Sense] was loudly screaming alarm bells inside his head. He didn''t know what the danger was as he kept his guard up in the tense atmosphere, as Mike silently kept approaching. Dylan instantly got in front of Lucas, protecting him from any danger that would come, as the others also got serious and ready for any type of danger. Each step Mike took felt like an eternity, each time he took a step forward, Lucas''s skill kept getting louder and louder. Everyone''s instincts were screaming; their hearts were filled with sudden dread, yet no one understood what was happening. Everyone started gritting their teeth as they kept watching Mike approach, ignoring them. "Mike! Final warning! If you don''t stop now, I swear I will cut you down this instant!" Dylan screamed at him, which finally made him stop in his tracks, letting a few young ones breathe out of relief. Yet for the others, seasoned warriors and Lucas, they felt no sort of relief; the dread filling their hearts hadn''t dissipated in the slightest. As he finally stopped, he gazed with his hollow eyes directly at Lucas, who cautiously came beside Dylan. Lucas, gazing back, felt a chill run down his spine, making him grit his teeth even harder as his skill kept being on edge. Suddenly, Mike opened his mouth, his voice twisted in agony, hoarse, and filled with pain and despair. "P-please... help... m-" Before he could finish, his head exploded, sending blood and pieces of his brain everywhere, even onto the others and Dylan and Lucas, as they all stood there shocked and bewildered. "W-w-what happened?" "S-shit, everyone, weapons out!" "We are being fucking attacked inside the Nightstar estate!" "W-what the fuck, who is crazy enough for this!?" The knights kept shouting at each other as they got ready for any other surprise attacks. Lucas summoned his Blade of Chaos as Dylan unsheathed his long sword. Everyone was tense as they looked around, their eyes scanning their surroundings. It was quiet, eerily quiet, making everyone''s face turn grim and their hearts beat loud, as every hair on their neck stood up. And in the next second... The ground shook. Chapter 41 - 41: Lucas Nightstar, son of a viscount [2] The grounds of the Nightstar Estate shook violently as everyone tried their best not to fall. Lucas, using his Blade of Chaos, stabbed it into the ground, anchoring himself. It wasn''t just the Nightstar Estate that shook; the entire Moon City shook. As the ground continued to quake, they were suddenly hit by an extremely violent gust of wind, making a few of the awakened-ranked knights fly away as the entire mansion trembled, with cracks starting to appear around it. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucas and the others gritted their teeth, enduring the shaking for what felt like an eternity, until finally, the tremors subsided and the violent gust of wind dissipated. Suddenly, before anyone could collect their thoughts, say anything, or look around, they heard a sound like glass shattering. The sound was so loud that it made a few of the knights'' ears bleed as they screamed out in pain. Turning towards the sound, everyone''s faces turned even grimmer as they saw the barrier of the Nightstar Estate break apart. The barrier was set up by an artifact that could only be destroyed if a saint attacked or multiple grandmasters at the same time. Either way, whether it was a saint or multiple grandmasters, the situation didn''t look good for Lucas and the knights. ''Shit, just what the fuck is happening? I can''t even contact Luna,'' Lucas thought, trying to reach Luna through their mental link, yet something was interfering. "I can''t communicate with Sir William... something must be interfering," Dylan suddenly spoke up, holding an emergency communicator device that should have allowed him to interact with William. As everyone kept their guards up, ignoring the comrades who were still on the ground panting, they suddenly heard the ominous laughter of something above them. Turning their heads towards the source, they saw a demon¡ªa demon with long legs and arms, his face contorted into a bloody grin, his eyes pitch red. As his black batlike wings extended out, yet they weren''t flapping in the air at all... it was as if they were just to intimidate them even more as he just stood on the air itself, looking down on Lucas and everyone else. "Ah! Now I finally have the attention of you fine gentlemen! May I be allowed to introduce myself? Yes? Thank you! I am a demon, you see! Shocking, right!? My name is Count Karciel of the House of Greed! An honor to be in your presence, heir of the Nightstar, Lucas Nightstar, the White Devil himself!" the demon called Karciel said theatrically, bowing 90 degrees with his right hand on his chest while standing in the air. "W-what did he just say..." "A C-count-ranked demon is here..." "No way we can fight that monster..." As the demon heard the despairing voices, his grin only broadened on his face. "Ah, you must be worried, right? Right!? Well, there is no need, for I came not alone! So don''t be afraid! You see, if you look behind you, you may see my brothers who are here for this amazing show!" As they heard the mad demon''s voice, they all abruptly turned around with wide-open eyes, feeling despair fill their entire bodies as they saw at least seven other demons in front of them. Not just any demons. Lucas and the rest could tell... at least two were Baron-ranked demons, and one was a Viscount-ranked demon... ''W-what do I do... I can''t fight them. I am not strong enough yet to fight all of them. If perhaps it was only one baron ranked I could stand a chance but... this is just impossible. I-if father and William perhaps make it in time we might win this but will they make it in time even? They must have felt the tremors of the barrier breaking...'' Lucas rapidly thought of any way to deal with this situation, yet nothing came to his mind on how to win this fight. The only thing he could do was hope... hope that his father and William would make it in time, perhaps they could stall a little bit with the mad demon. Yet... as if the gods heard his thoughts and decided to mock him, he and the rest heard the words of the mad demon once again. "You see, Sir Lucas, you Nightstars certainly are interesting, don''t you think? To have a vice-commander at a low 9-star level!? And then not just that, but the commander being a low 10-star level swordsman!? And your father, the great Alexander Nightstar, a mid-10-star level mage! And wait, we are not done yet, my friends! His personal maid being a peak 8-star level mage herself! Truly interesting, don''t you think? This was supposed to be an easy mission where we simply kill a mere viscount family and capture you! But who would''ve thought you lot reeked of so much mystery, it ended up calling me for more of my brothers and a certain annoying somebody as backup, you see!" ''What, so they are here for me? But why...'' Suddenly, Lucas realized the reason. It was because he was the White Devil. The mad demon said it himself; they must''ve come here to capture him for whatever reason, yet they went overboard due to the Nightstars being more special than they thought? But what did he mean by a certain annoying somebody? Lucas, Dylan, and the others, already figuring out the reason for the attack, only had determination in their eyes at protecting the heir of the Nightstars... that determination didn''t last long when they finally looked back at the seven demons as they parted ways for the certain annoying somebody... As Lucas and the others gazed at the new arrival, all of them broke out in a cold sweat as their whole bodies started being covered by it and trembled. Their breaths became labored, their teeth shattered, and in the end, more than half of the knights dropped their weapons and fell on their knees. Gazing at the person or thing in front of them, its face couldn''t be seen, nothing could be seen except for it wearing a dark cloak covering its face as an insane amount of miasma poured out of it. It must have had some mental attack that made most of the knights kneel and drop their weapons by staring at it, except for the knights like Dylan with stronger wills or Lucas, who was immune to mental attacks... or perhaps it was because of another factor... fear. A factor that they all felt and weren''t immune to in the slightest as they gazed at the being. Not even Lucas or Dylan were spared, as they only felt sheer fear looking at the thing. "J-just what is that demon? N-no, is that thing even a demon?" Dylan said in a shaky voice. "W-whatever that thing is, it is not supposed to be alive. G-gods! Is it even alive?" another knight said. "We can''t know since no one knows... t-that thing has never been spotted in Myrniel before... it is a first," Lucas said with great difficulty. "Hahahaha! Great guess, Lucas Nightstar! You guessed correctly, as expected of someone like you! Allow me to introduce you! Someone who is not a demon but a wraith! Yes, you heard me, a wraith!" "An infamous wraith as well, you know! Not even us demons dare to mess with him or his kind!" "He who sleeps in the shadows itself!" "He is Abadux, The Hunter!" Chapter 42 - 42: Lucas Nightstar, son of a viscount [3] Alexander, Violet, Lena, and Luna were currently in their hotel room. Alexander was finishing some paperwork while sitting at the desk, feeling the angry gaze of Violet, who was lying down on the bed with Lena and Luna next to her, watching videos on her phone happily. He understood why she was angry; this was supposed to be a free day, yet here he was, doing paperwork just before bed. It wasn''t his fault, okay? He just forgot that the deadline was due tomorrow... After 10 minutes, he was finally done with his work, enduring the angry gaze he felt at his back, making him break out in a cold sweat. He got up from his chair and started walking towards his angry wife, who was now pouting and turned her head away from him while still gently stroking Lena''s hair. He couldn''t help but smile bitterly at her cute antics as he approached her. Yet... Right before he arrived next to the bed, everything started to shake violently. Not just the room, not just the hotel, but the entire Moon City was shaking. Bewildered by the sudden turn of events, he instantly looked at his wife and daughter, seeing his wife embracing Lena while she screamed out of fear. As the shaking finally subsided, everyone in Moon City heard the sound of glass shattering loudly, reverberating inside their ears, making some even pass out. Alexander didn''t understand what was happening anymore. Everyone was moving too fast for him to even comprehend the situation. "Is Moon City being attacked?" He didn''t have to think too long, as the sound dissipated, and Lucielle and William instantly barged into the room with frightened expressions. "M-my lord! The barrier of the Nightstar Estate has been broken! I can''t contact Vice Commander Dylan or anyone else!" William said with panic on his face, much like Lucielle. Hearing the reason for the sudden chaos in Moon City, Alexander''s face turned grim. Only if a saint or extremely powerful grandmasters attacked could they break the barrier. Cold sweat started breaking out as he began to panic as well. His son, Lucas, was inside the Nightstar Estate... ["I can''t contact father anymore... T-this has never happened before," Luna suddenly spoke to everyone, making their faces even more grim as their heads spun with countless thoughts. "Mommy, I am scared." Snapping out of everyone''s dark thoughts was the frightened Lena, who was sobbing in her mother''s embrace. "It''s alright, Lena... everything will be alright," Violet spoke, trying to soothe her, yet the others could see clearly how frightened and scared she was for Lucas. "Lucielle, stay here and protect my wife and daughter with the other knights, and contact Lunar Guild immediately to calm everyone in Moon City down. William, let''s prepare for battle," Alexander spoke out his orders as they started to move out immediately. "Please save Lucas, dear..." Hearing his wife''s desperate plea, he turned around and gently assured her. "Don''t worry, I won''t let anything happen to him. Besides, he is my son; he wouldn''t go down without a fight." Those were the last words he spoke before leaving with William. As he stepped outside the hotel, William, using his superior physique, started running at a speed that no one could see as a burst of wind hit everyone nearby, and Alexander burst out in violent flames, making the already panicking people outside even more frightened as he launched himself into the air, forming a crater at his previous position towards the Nightstar Estate, hoping he could arrive in time... ***** After 5 minutes, William and Alexander both arrived in front of the broken gate of the Nightstar Estate. Alexander landed in front of the already broken gate, forming a crater. In front of them lay a broken gate in thousands of pieces and a headless body, with blood everywhere around them. "If I am correct, his name was Lenard, one of the knights in charge of guarding the gate this month..." William spoke with sorrow as he gazed at the headless body. "It must be the demons that have attacked us... it has been more than 7 years since such a large-scale attack has been carried out by them..." "Let''s proceed fast. I can sense the overwhelming presence of two beings at the training grounds," Alexander spoke as both made their way towards the training ground hurriedly. ''Please be safe, son...'' Finally, both of them arrived at the training grounds. Gazing at the scene, both couldn''t help but grit their teeth as flames started appearing on Alexander''s body and William gripped his greatsword harder. ''A count-ranked demon? No... something is off about him... and just what the hell is that thing... I have never seen anything like that ever in my life...'' The count-ranked demon was one thing, the baron-ranked demons and viscount-ranked demon with a few lesser demons were another... but that ominous being between them, just gazing at it, felt like a thousand insects were crawling on the skins of William and Alexander. ''A mental attack just looking at him!'' Alexander instantly realized what was happening and why so many were kneeling already. He was glad at least that his son was holding up fine as it could be. Noticing them, hope started filling the eyes of everyone present except for Lucas and Dylan. "Commander!" "Lord Alexander!" S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The knights who were despairing before were now full of hope at seeing the patriarch of the Nightstar and the commander of the Falling Stars'' arrival. ''If I or William engage in battle here, everyone around us will perish... I need to find a way to get that count-ranked demon and whatever that thing is out of here.'' The mad demon, noticing Alexander and William as well, turned around and spoke as he extended his long arms out. "Ah! Well, if it isn''t the patriarch of the Nightstars! With the commander of the Falling Stars! Ah, I am honored to be in your presence, Lord Alexander and Lord William! But alas, I already am booked today with a meeting with your son, Lord Alexander!" "Just what do you mean by-" Before Alexander could finish speaking, the mad demon count suddenly disappeared and appeared right behind Lucas. ''Space magic!? By a demon, how!?" Never had there been a record of demons being able to use space magic, yet right in front of him was one who teleported behind Lucas. "Well then, it was fun while it lasted. Please don''t worry, I am sure my friend here will keep you both accompanied, Lord Alexander and Lord William!" The mad demon said as he gripped Lucas''s shoulder before he or anyone else could react, both suddenly disappeared under everyone''s eyes. "Lucas!" Alexander shouted from the top of his lungs as fire started enveloping his whole body, while at the same time, William gripped his greatsword tighter and a golden aura shot out of him. Abadux and the viscount-ranked demon did the same as both unleashed their miasma as well. The viscount-ranked demon, though, paled in comparison to the wraith. Dylan, not wanting to be left behind, unleashed as blue aura started to shoot out of him as he gripped his sword even tighter. Pillars of fire, gold, blue, and black could be seen piercing the heavens from everyone inside Moon City and a few neighboring cities. Everyone under the grandmaster stage, including the baron-ranked demons, felt as if they were mere ants in their presence, as all of them knew if they stayed any longer, they would die in an instant, so they ran as fast as they could. No matter if enemy or not, they knew just standing a second longer would end in their deaths. And as they all fled, Chaos finally descended on Moon City. Chapter 43 - 43: Lucas Nightstar, son of a viscount [4] [WARNING: Please feel free to skip this chapter and also the next chapter that I will upload later on since they will be quite dark. I highly recommend leaving right away if you are not good with torture! Please note that this will not be the only time that I will write something dark!] Cold. That was the first thought that appeared in Lucas''s mind as he woke up. He felt cold. All he saw was darkness. He felt that his eyes were open yet he could see nothing. He heard the sound of water slowly dripping, echoing in the room he presumed he was in. He felt weak. He couldn''t use any spells or skills. He couldn''t move, he felt like he was sitting on a chair, yet his arms were bound on what must be a table in front of him as his feet were bound on the legs of the chair he was sitting in. He realized the reason he couldn''t see was because he was blindfolded. All he could remember was that at one moment he saw his father and William coming to rescue him at the Nightstar estate and the next moment the mad demon was behind him and gripped his shoulder, and then... he was here. ''I must have fallen unconscious...'' Lucas thought. He was calm. Even if he was in one of the worst possible situations at the moment, he was still calm. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In his previous life, he went through a few similar situations of being kidnapped and even went through extreme torture as training by Aushburn. He was still worried a little bit though. Even if he was used to torture in his previous life, his current body wasn''t. He was sure that his mind wouldn''t break as long as it was the same level of torture he experienced back in his previous life, but... this was a new world. He didn''t know what he would have to endure until someone came to rescue him, if he would even be rescued... As his mind was being plagued by dark thoughts, he suddenly heard the sound of heavy footsteps echoing throughout the room. Step. Step. Step. Finally, sensing the heavy footsteps stopping right in front of him, he heard the voice of the last person he wanted right now. "Kekeke! I hope you have had a good sleep, Lucas! I''ve been waiting for hours now for you to wake up, but seeing you sleep so peacefully, ah! I didn''t want to disturb you so I did what any gentleman would do and gave you a sleeping mask, was it? Oh, and alas, I didn''t have a bed so I had no choice but to put you in this position so you wouldn''t fall in your sleep." Hearing Karciel''s rambling, all he could do was grit his teeth as he didn''t want to entertain him in the slightest. "Keke, I see you are very grateful for my politeness, aren''t you, Lucas Nightstar?" "Well, no matter, we have plenty of time, to warm up to each other." "What do you want?" Lucas finally decided to speak as he was getting sick of hearing the mad demon''s rambling. "Oh my! To be this calm even knowing how despairing the situation you found yourself in! As expected of the White Devil!" Karciel exclaimed with great enthusiasm. "To answer your question, it is quite simple, Lucas Nightstar. I want you to answer my questions. Answer them truthfully and you shall be rewarded; answer them falsely and you shall be..." Stopping what he was going to say, Lucas suddenly felt a sharp finger gently brush his right cheek, making his whole body shudder in fear. "Now let''s start, shall we?" "My first question, Lucas. Why are you Nightstars only titled with Viscount? If I recall, in your human domain, only those with noble titles like ours or guilds are the ones who are strongest. The higher they are the stronger they are. So why is it that a mere Viscount family is so strong?" Karciel asked with great curiosity as he was eager to know just what was special with Lucas''s family and why His Majesty ordered to be clear of them... "I don''t know," Lucas answered. He truly didn''t know the answer since he trusted his father, yet such a reason wasn''t enough to satisfy Karciel. Snap. "Ag-mnngghhh!" Lucas tried his best by suppressing his screams, not wanting to give Karciel the pleasure at all, yet the pain of his right index finger suddenly getting snapped like a twig, he couldn''t help but violently shake and try to free himself from his restraints. "Didn''t I tell you to answer me truthfully?" "I-I don''t know, d-dammit! I truly don''t. I never asked him, knowing that he would tell me one day when the time was right!" "Hmmm, it seems you are not lying... oh well, time will due tell what is up with your family." "Now, second question. Are you the one who killed Z''riel back in the C rank dungeon?" Karciel truly was curious about this one also; it was reported that the White Devil once fought and killed a demon in a C rank dungeon. Karciel also knew that Z''riel was last spotted in that area before he was never seen again. Hearing the question, he remembered the time he spent in the C rank dungeon and everything he discovered. If Karciel somehow gets even more curious by him answering the question truthfully, he might find out about Luna perhaps. He couldn''t let that happen. ''I need to hold on...'' Seeing Lucas not answering the question, he couldn''t help but sigh. Snap. "Mmmnffffggg!" "Oh, how touching! A mere kid this courageous and bold! Willing to endure so much! Let''s see how long you will be able to last, Lucas Nightstar..." Karciel said as the last part was whispered ominously in his ear as he violently tried to shake out of his restraints due to the pain of his right thumb getting snapped. Snap. Snap. Snap. Suddenly, in rapid succession, all his other fingers on his right hand were snapped, making Lucas halt his movement for a second and then... "A-AAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!" His scream echoed in the room where only Karciel and him were present as no one would be able to hear him and save him. He was used to torture in his previous life, but it was meant to always be slow to give him as much pain as possible, not so fast at breaking all his fingers one by one. Before he could get used to the pain or gather his thoughts, Karciel forcefully opened his mouth and made him drink some strange bitter liquid that burnt down his throat and as well slid down his chin. Lucas violently started coughing as Karciel was finally done pouring down the strange liquid inside his throat. "Kekeke! You just drank my very own special healing potion you see! It not only heals your broken bones and cuts but also makes your body extremely sensitive temporarily! Ah, but don''t worry, Lucas! I am a master alchemist as well, you see, so you won''t be having any type of permanent damage done by your body! Oh, and also I have plenty of these here so that we can go for years if needed! I have all kinds of potions here with me! Like potions that will make you stay awake no matter what! Or something like this that can enhance all pain by 5 folds! Or perhaps something like this that will make your entire body feel as if it is being burnt alive or this one that will make you feel like you are starving!" "So many choices to choose from, isn''t that right, Lucas!" As he barely managed to hear what Karciel just said, he couldn''t help but feel dread filling his entire body as at the same time his fingers were healing back to normal... What he feared the most that might happen in his situation has finally happened... "I understand it has been a long day for you, Lucas, so how about this? I will let you off the hook with these questions of mine for today!" ''Thank god...'' "Instead!" "Lets have some fun and make use of all these potions we have here lying around!" He suddenly spoke, making Lucas''s face go pale in fear and his body started to tremble. Hearing him approach him again, Lucas couldn''t help but become desperate as he started to dread the hell he was about to have to endure. He started to shake violently as his chains rattled and tried to think of any type of way to get out of his situation... "W-WAIT, PLEASE DON- A -ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Those were the last words Lucas managed to say before his agonizing screams echoed throughout the room for the entire day. Chapter 44 - 44: Lucas Nightstar, son of a viscount [5] Hell. If there was one word to describe the type of situation Lucas felt he was in. It was hell. He honestly thought that he died again and got sent to hell this time. Where he probably should have been sent all along... It had been 5 days since he had been in this hell, or at least that''s what Lucas thought. Perhaps it had been even weeks or years... he had lost his sense of time after the second day. The blindfold and restraints were never removed. Karciel was a demon of his word. He made Lucas drink various different potions. His body felt as if it was on fire 24/7. He so desperately wanted to eat and drink something. Just moving an inch felt like sandpaper was scrubbing violently all over his body. After the second day, Karciel enjoyed all of his screams so much that he even stopped interrogating him. All he did was torture him over and over again... He couldn''t fall asleep no matter how much he wanted to. He couldn''t become numb to the pain no matter how much he wanted to. His eyes had become dry from all the tears he had shed. His voice had become hoarse from all the screams he had unleashed. The pain he felt was increased by tenfold. He wanted to get a break from the pain so badly. Even a second of no pain would suffice at this point. Yet... Fate was cruel to him. "AAARRRGGGHHHHH!!! P-please...stop M-Mnggffffhhh!" Currently, Karciel was peeling the skin off Lucas''s right forearm as he relished in his screams and pleas while laughing madly, seeing Lucas trying to escape his restraints. "Ah! to think after all of this you can still speak! It is amazing, isn''t it, how your mind still hasn''t been broken into thousands of pieces!" "You are truly incredible, Lucas! Even after 9 days of continuous torture, you still haven''t lost your sanity! Well, at least not all of it... but nonetheless! Be proud of yourself, Lucas! Most would''ve already been broken on the 3rd day!" ''W-what... 9 days... no...'' Lucas''s face couldn''t help but become pale as he heard that he had been here for 9 days. No one had come to rescue him yet. Every second in this hell felt like an eternity. His mind started to deteriorate even more as his hope was diminishing. Suddenly, space started fluctuating inside the room, creating gusts of winds. After a few seconds, the fluctuations disappeared, as did the gusts of winds. Lucas, though he couldn''t see, felt that something ominous appeared inside the room they were in, making his body shudder. "He. Had your fun already, Abadux~" ''Abadux? No... does that mean Father and William...'' "No. They were stronger than I anticipated, and before I could get serious... I detected a saint heading towards where I was fighting..." His voice made Lucas grit his teeth. His voice didn''t sound alive at all. He shouldn''t be allowed to talk. The voice of Abadux was so harrowing that it felt like thousands of glass shards were scraping the insides of Lucas''s ears. "A saint?" Karciel couldn''t help but narrow his red eyes at what Abadux said. "Impossible. I planned everything perfectly. There should be no Saint at this time, this close to Moon City to make it until another 2 or 3 days. I even sent a few lesser demons to distract them so they can play detective! You must have been mistaken and got scared!" "Silence." Abadux suddenly commanded, and his voice shook Lucas''s entire body with fear. "Whether the person or whomever was approaching was a saint or not, I knew I couldn''t fight them without destroying this body I have acquired." "Did you at least see the saint?" Karciel asked, still in doubt that a saint was actually already here. "No. All I saw was something like a huge star surrounded by white flames heading towards us at a speed I barely could follow. So I instantly fled here." "It won''t be long now until that saint or someone else traces me back here..." ''White flames... could it be?'' "Tch, how annoying it is to think I planned so much and all for it to go to waste because of an unexpected factor! Help me collect my stuff in the other room, and then we depart." Karciel said as both started heading out and collected whatever stuff they needed, leaving Lucas alone in the room. As Lucas was now left alone in the room, piecing together the conversation he heard, he couldn''t help but feel a little hope ignite in his heart again. Perhaps there was still a chance for him to be saved. It was getting harder for him to maintain his sanity in here. There were two things he dreaded the most in his time spent in this room. One was whenever he got tortured, no matter how gruesome, agonizing, or harrowing. In the end, Karciel would heal his body back to its previous top condition as if all of the pain was a mere dream, only for it to happen all over again. Only he would know what he went through, as every single detail of his suffering was engraved in his mind, making him shudder each time. The second was what he was currently experiencing. Time to time, Karciel would sometimes leave him here all alone... no one to be around him except the darkness that embraced him, making him drown in it. No one to share his suffering with, no one to console him, no one to help him. He hated it. He hated being all alone... he felt cold. ''Just... hold on... I need to hold on... just a little more...'' As he started resolving his mind a little and clung to the last bit of hope he had in the vast darkness, he suddenly heard an extremely cold familiar voice that made his heart tremble. "Pathetic." His eyes suddenly widened behind his supposed mask as his face shot up in the vast darkness around him. Even though it hurt like hell moving even an inch of his body, he tried his best, gritting his teeth and ignoring the pain. As he gazed in front of him, even though he wasn''t supposed to see anything or anyone, he saw a person. The last person he ever thought he would see in his entire life. The person he hated the most in both of his lives. The person he wanted to kill the most. The person had black clothes on, ensuring no one should be able to see him in the dark. Though that didn''t matter, since Lucas could see him perfectly even in the dark surrounding them. The person had pitch-black eyes as he coldly gazed straight down into Lucas''s eyes as he wasn''t wearing a blindfold anymore. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He felt as if he was gazing into the abyss. His hair was the same as his eyes, matching each other. The person standing in front of him was Lucas himself. The person he was in his previous life... "What... how?" Lucas couldn''t help but ask in his hoarse voice as he was shaken to his core. Never did he think that he would have to see his old self again. This entire time he tried to get rid of his past and now... Now it''s standing right in front of him. "Pathetic. to think we have fallen so low" "How else? we are currently inside our mind" His former self said while shaking his head in disappointment "Just a few years of a little happiness and this is what we become after a little bit of suffering?" "Pathetic" "Shut up..." Hearing Lucas''s hoarse voice his former self couldn''t help but look at him in disdain "Tch. honestly just what am I seeing. You are just a former shell of what we used to be" "no... I am tryi-" Before Lucas could finish talking his former self cut him off as he coldly venomously spat "Trying what? to become a kind person? please what a load of crap! you have already changed in the worst possible way!" "no that is not..." "Not true? please not once have you considered a way to get out of this mess. Every single time you only begged for fucking mercy and clinged to some pathetic hope that someone will come rescue us!" "You haven''t even tried to think how to get out of this situation yourself! back then no matter how screwed we were we would find a way no matter how hard to get out of our troubles! no matter the cost!" "no... the cost we paid was... too much" "Too much? was it really? at least no one dared to mess with us back then. what? don''t tell me you still regret your actions back then?" "no...shut up..." "Do you regret what happened to Aushburn?" "shut up..." "Do you regret what happened to Frederick?" "shut up..." "Or what happened to Jeanne?" "Shut-" "Ah no it must have been Victor?" "no stop talk-" "Wait! Now I get it!" "No... don''t you dar-" "It was Alicia!" "SHUT UP!" "DONT YOU DARE SPEAK OF HER NAME!" Lucas suddenly shouted at himself with bloodshot eyes as his throat felt like it was being set on fire yet he didn''t care he was too angry to care right now "You have no right to speak that name ever!" Seeing his crazed state his former self just scoffed without an ounce of fear as a grin appeared on his face "We know you claimed not to know anything about love... yet what is this state you are in then? just merely mentioning her name makes you go this crazy." "NO! i-it wasn''t like that! I never loved her!" "Really? tell me who are you trying to fool here?" "N-no I..." "Stop this. stop trying to fool yourself any longer!" He suddenly coldly shouted at Lucas "you are no kind person!" "no i am tryin-" "stop trying! stop trying to reject yourself stop trying to run away from who you really are!" "You are a monster! even this new life recognizes that and gave you the chaos element which only meant for destruction!" "We, who have killed 26 people, and at least 18 of them were children who were innocent just because of a fucking dog we considered as a friend and some bullying!" "no... that..." "That what? There is a reason why you only posses the abilities meant for destruction. it is because that is all we are capable off!" "You are not meant to be a hero a savior. You are meant to be a villain a destroyer." "That is who we are." Lucas couldn''t say anything anymore. all he could do was grit his teeth with his head down as every word that was spoken by his former self felt like lightning that struck him. ''no matter how much I try to run... isn''t what he says the truth...'' "Good. don''t reject yourself anymore. show these people who we are. even if it takes a thousand years have your revenge on everyone who made you suffer! no matter the cost!" ''No I-i don''t want that anymore... not again.... again?'' "Stop running away. have you ever wondered why there are 2 progenitors of chaos instead of one? have you ever wondered who was pulling the strings behind your back? you have noticed right? the blade of chaos and the dragon egg it wasn''t just a coincidence. Stop running away from all of this even if your enemy is stronger stop running away and face him head on." "Are you just going to use this half dragon prides of yours as an excuse to come up for yourself?" "Tell me. What is our no your name?" Hearing his question he couldn''t help but grit his teeth harder and his body started to shake "Lucas Nightstar..." "no. not that name. our original name. our first name." "I-i don''t remember..." "stop lying." "I am no-" "I said stop Lying! if you cant remember make yourself remember! have you forgotten what they used to call you!?" "You were known as the infamous Reaper of Night!" "In this life you are known as The white Devil!" "You who is meant to conquer all! Stand above all! Rule all!" "Who are you!?" "My n-nam-" "WHO ARE YOU!?" "N-NOAH!" "D-dammit my name is Noah! Noah reaper of Night killer of thousands! the most dangerous human alive! Hunted by the entire damn fucking world!" Lucas shouted from the top of his lungs with his eyes wide open as his body trembled his breath became short and laboured. his body was covered in cold sweat as he grit his teeth and clenched his hands until they were pale white. Seeing Lucas now his old self couldn''t help but smile for the first time, a smile that would make almost any human terrified. "good. remember that. remember our no your past and never forget that ever again. make everyone understand who they are messing with even if it takes thousands of years." "Lets meet each other one day again..." Those were the last words Noah left behind before disappearing in the darkness ********** Karciel didn''t have much time anymore as he realized what Abadux said was true. He felt a huge spike of mana suddenly in the area he covered with his space element, making sure nothing escapes his senses. Even though a saint was currently rushing towards them, he wasn''t afraid since he could just teleport to another place he marked in time. So right now, he was standing in front of Lucas, who had his head down. "Ah! It looks like our date has to come to an end, Lucas! Alas, I can''t take you with me due to some circumstances, but do not worry. Fate will have it we will meet again in the future!" Karciel said as he gently brushed his sharp, grotesque fingers across Lucas'' cheeks. "Have you finally gone crazy? I heard you shouting some weird things in the other room," he asked Lucas. He couldn''t help but be disappointed as Lucas wasn''t responding to him and just had his head down. ''Has he finally been broken?'' he thought, sighing in disappointment as he started to head out. But right before he was about to exit the room, as he was about to open the door to leave, he heard Lucas'' hoarse voice speak to him. "Karciel." Surprised at Lucas suddenly mentioning his name, which he thought he must have forgotten, he turned around with a smile on his face, which quickly froze, as did his entire body. With his disheveled hair, his naked upper body covered with dried blood stains, and his face as well, he still relished how he broke every single bone in his body and the screams he made. If it wasn''t for the blood, he was sure that most females would start drooling at his current appearance. That same Lucas was currently looking straight into his eyes, even though he was still wearing a blindfold. He still felt Lucas'' gaze through it. And what was most disturbing about all of this was... He was wearing a menacing grin like some psychopath, with his face covered in dried blood. Seeing him made, for some reason, Karciel''s entire body shudder, as his heart started beating louder in his chest. He narrowed his eyes at the current situation. ''Something happened... he changed... his entire demeanor just changed...'' Before he could think of what happened to make him change so drastically like that, he heard Lucas chuckling. "What... why are you laughing? Have you gone mad?" "I have always been mad, you see... but that doesn''t matter anymore." "I swear on my name. You better fucking kill me right now, Karciel. If you don''t, I swear... I will hunt you down, no matter the cost... even if it takes me a thousand years, I will hunt you down to the ends of this universe. I will make you fucking pay everything a thousand folds for every single bit of suffering you have made me experience. I will make you beg for mercy as you grovel beneath my feet, not knowing anymore if death would be a mercy or not," Lucas spat with a mad grin on his face, making Karciel''s entire body turn cold. "You..." Before Karciel could even finish speaking, the entire room and the area he was in started trembling. Everything became warm as the heat started to melt a few of his empty potions on the ground. ''Shit, he is already here.'' before he left he turned towards Lucas again and spoke. "Seeing you... I can''t help but think which one of us is the actual demon here..." Those were the last words he said to Lucas before he teleported away. And then... Everything was engulfed in white flames... [AN: Ah, what an intense last few chapters we had. Well, it was necessary for Lucas. I think I like it when he suffers... perhaps I am a sadist. Suffer -> Character development -> Repeat!] Chapter 45 - 45: Lucas Nightstar, son of a viscount [6] Inside the torture chamber, engulfed in white flames, two people could be seen opposite each other. One was Lucas himself, with his disheveled snow-white hair and naked upper body covered in dried blood stains, much like his face, which almost matched his blood-red eyes with vertical pupils. He rubbed his wrists a little, as the restraints and blindfold had melted from the heat of the flames. Yet, unsurprisingly, the white flames never reached him or the man in front of him, causing no damage to either of them. The second person in the room was a man taller than Lucas, standing at least two meters tall. He had short grey hair and blood-red eyes like Lucas, along with a grey beard and a burly physique. There was an old cut, presumably from a blade, running from the top of his left eye to the end of his left cheek. White flames danced around a few parts of his body, and Lucas felt as if he were standing in front of an immovable colossal mountain, whose presence reeked of authority, rivaling that of the elven king Michael. Though most would cower in fear at such a being, Lucas wore only a silly smile as he gazed at the man, whose face was unreadable. "It''s been a while, gramps! How long has it been? Seven years since we last saw each other? Ha! To think you actually managed to become a saint," Lucas said, his voice still hoarse from the recent torture. Talking and moving still hurt like hell, but Lucas decided to ignore the pain as much as he could. After all, it had only been an hour since he was last tortured. The effects of all the potions that Karciel fed him would still probably take a day or two to fade away, at least physically... Magnus Nightstar, hearing Lucas''s nonchalant voice, didn''t answer and kept gazing at him amidst the dancing white flames surrounding them. His face didn''t show any emotions, yet Lucas didn''t need to see his face, as his eyes conveyed enough of the chaos he was feeling inside. Narrowing his eyes, Lucas scoffed as he spoke again, "Don''t tell me you''re feeling guilty? For what? For not arriving earlier? For taking so long to find me and save my fucking ass out of this hell I''ve been enduring for the past nine days? Are you perhaps feeling pity for me? Sympathy?" "Lucas..." Snapping out of his rambling, his grandfather''s heavy yet sorrowful voice interrupted. Hearing him, Lucas couldn''t help but look down in shame, gritting his teeth. "S-sorry, I didn''t mean to say all that. I am not in my right mind currently; please ignore what I said. This wasn''t your fault but my own." "Lucas, that isn''t true¡ª" Cutting him off, Lucas continued, "It is. It is my fault and no one else''s. I should have known this would happen when I carelessly revealed my identity as the White Devil. I should''ve taken more precautions. I am only to blame for this huge mess..." Seeing his state, all Magnus could do was walk right in front of him, attempting to grip his right shoulder gently, yet that mere action made Lucas unconsciously jump back. Realizing what he did, both stared wide-eyed at each other. "Ah, sorry, I¡ªI didn''t mean to..." Magnus understood his reaction and merely shook his head, cutting in, "It is alright. You don''t need to apologize, Lucas." As he spoke, he gazed straight into his grandson''s eyes and spoke with a heavy determination that would shake many if heard. "I promise you, Lucas, that I will find every single demon responsible for this and make them suffer for trying to mess with us Nightstars, especially that demon that made you suffer¡ª" "No," Lucas suddenly cut him off coldly, surprising him as his face changed for the first time at seeing Lucas now in front of him. His entire demeanor changed as he gazed straight back at Magnus, his eyes now so cold that they would make most dormant and awakened freeze their hearts. Red and black energy started chaotically surrounding Lucas''s body and around him. Heavy killing intent started filling the entire room, making the white flames dance even more chaotically. For a few seconds, Magnus found himself surrounded by thousands of dead bodies of women, men, and even some children. ''What... just how many people has he killed... since when... and why?'' Magnus was truly startled, a mere 15-year-old boy making a saint startled by his presence alone. Something many wouldn''t believe except Lucas''s family and even the elven royal family. Disrupting his thoughts was Lucas''s hoarse voice, cold but so chilling that it felt like the temperature of the room was starting to freeze even amidst the chaotic white flames that were dancing around them. "Karciel is mine. Mine alone. No one will ever lay a hand on him except for me. His life is mine to take. His death is mine to decide. I will be the one to make him suffer. I will be the one to have my revenge on Karciel. And no one else, not even you, grandfather." Hearing his words, which felt like a statement, an order, a command, just like that of a king, Magnus couldn''t help but narrow his eyes and ask his grandson, as he tried his best to suppress the grin that was threatening to form on his face. "And... what if I refuse and go after him myself?" "I wouldn''t let that happen." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "And how would you do that? I have, after all, just become a saint. So how will you manage to stop me, my dear grandson?" Magnus said, greatly anticipating Lucas''s answer, while he heard the loud thumping of his heart against his chest. "Isn''t that answer simple?" Lucas declared. "I would become stronger than a saint." ****** Currently in the rebuilt mansion inside the Nightstar Estate were Alexander, Violet, William, Lucielle, Luna, and Lena. The fight where Alexander, William, and Dylan fought against Abadux and the viscount destroyed the entire Nightstar Estate. Luckily, unlike Lucas''s previous world, this world''s technology was so advanced that it didn''t take more than a few days to rebuild everything, which should have taken years. Dylan was currently patrolling Moon City with other knights and calming the citizens down, as all were still quite shaken up from finding out about the demon attack. Such a large-scale attack hadn''t happened in a long time inside the human domain, which required the immediate attention of the royal family and the government. They were sending their people, who should be arriving in a few days, to find out more about the situation. All the public knew was that demons had attacked the Nightstars, and the king was being extremely quiet, not giving any public statement for the time being. Alexander knew, though, that it was because they were all in chaos and setting up countermeasures everywhere inside every city to prevent such an attack from happening again. Naturally, the meeting with the king had to be canceled due to the attack, but also another thing which the public didn''t know about except for the king or anyone similar in status: Lucas Nightstar was kidnapped and missing. Nine days had passed since he was kidnapped right in front of Alexander''s eyes. All he wanted to do was go and shred every single demon in Myrniel until he found his son, but he knew he had to stay calm as his father was currently tracking the wraith that fled three days ago. They were in a stalemate in their fight, not because of the viscount but because of the cunning wraith, who was almost as strong as a Marquess-ranked demon. It was extremely hard to touch a wraith who could teleport around everywhere and was highly resistant to magic. They were lucky though, since Alexander''s father arrived on time. He broke through the Saint stage finally and felt the commotion going on in Moon City. The wraith sensing him and seeing a white flaming star charging directly towards the battlefield instantly fled. The viscount wasn''t so lucky, as he got cut down by William at that instant. When his father arrived, Alexander instantly just told him about what happened to Lucas as fast as he could, instead of greeting him. Hearing what happened, his father luckily didn''t waste any time and left as well, chasing after the wraith. The atmosphere currently was extremely somber. Everyone''s faces were grim as their heads were down. All of them were sitting on the couches as Lena and Luna were asleep on Lucielle''s lap, and Violet was crying while being embraced by Alexander tightly. "My son... please be alive..." She kept weeping the entire time, the moment she found out what happened to Lucas. All the rest could do was hang their heads down and wait for some news. Luckily, as if the gods had heard their prayers, they felt the atmosphere heating up and heard the sound of something fast and extremely loud shooting through the air. They didn''t wait for a second as each of them instantly ran towards the front yard of the mansion as Lucielle gently placed Lena and Luna without waking them up on the couch and followed. As they all arrived, they saw a white flaming star descending straight towards the front yard as well. Honestly, Alexander and William were worried that it might destroy everything again upon impact like last time, but luckily, the moment it was getting close to the ground, it slowed down considerably. As the huge white fireball finally landed on the ground, the white flames dissipated, revealing the figures of two people they hoped to see so badly. As each one of them looked towards the two, they all fell on their knees out of extreme relief and the fatigue that had been building up for the past three days, as they were in the same room waiting for any news, not knowing if Lucas was alive or not... "T-thank the gods..." Violet said under her breath, yet everyone could hear her relief as tears streamed down her cheeks. Seeing Lucas''s current appearance and the blood stains, each of their hearts felt like it was broken into thousands of pieces. They couldn''t and didn''t dare to imagine what he must have been through. Yet... At the very least... Lucas Nightstar is Alive. Chapter 46 - 46: Resolve Five days have passed since Lucas returned to the Nightstar Estate. The moment they collected themselves, his mother Violet instantly tried to rush towards him and hug him, ignoring his appearance. Yet, Lucas managed to stop her in time by stretching his bloodied hand in front of her, giving the excuse that it was better not to touch him due to all the dried blood and effects of the potions he took. They weren''t stupid; everyone there, including Violet, understood what he really meant when he asked not to be touched... After that, he went to his room and asked for some days alone to collect himself and rest, which they naturally had no choice but to oblige his request. It took at least 16 hours for most of the effects to leave his body. At the very least, he could finally fall asleep, and that is what he did. On the fifth day, he was still asleep on his bed, recovering. ********** Currently inside Lucas''s room was Violet as she was sitting on a chair besides Lucas''s bed, who was sleeping on the edge in front of her. His sleeping face was honestly quite cute as he seemed to be sleeping peacefully. The moment Lucas went inside his room, she waited until he fell asleep, even if it took almost 16 hours, so she could properly check up on him. After 2 days of continuously sleeping, she got worried that he wasn''t waking up and called for a doctor. Luckily, as the doctor examined him, he told her that he was just extremely exhausted and would wake up in a few days. After that, she hasn''t left his side and kept tending to him. Her health didn''t deteriorate, luckily, since Alexander or Lucielle kept checking up on her as well. Black bags could be seen beneath her eyes that had dried out from crying as she gently kept stroking Lucas''s cheeks. Even though she was relieved about his physical state, she was still worried sickly about his mental state, seeing how he didn''t let her get too close. "I am sorry, dear... I failed you as a mother," she said under her breath. Immense guilt was all that she felt currently as she gazed at her son. Like that, she sat there with her son as 5 hours had passed, and the sun started to set and the moon started to rise. Suddenly, Lucas''s eyes started to twitch and then fluttered open slowly, surprising Violet immensely, but she collected herself and backed away a little scared that she might frighten him. Still a little dazed from waking up after 5 days and feeling extremely sluggish, he pushed himself up against the side post of his bed. "Hmm? So the effects are finally gone, huh..." Lucas said a little tired as he noticed that his body is back to normal. Noticing a gaze directed at him, he turned to his right surprised seeing his mother there watching him silently with a small smile yet worried look. "Mom..." His heart felt like it was getting ripped apart as he saw the dry tear marks on her cheeks and the baggy eyes. "How are you feeling right now, dear?" She asked a little nervous still while in dilemma if she should approach him or not she doesn''t want to see such a reaction of him again when he rejected her 5 days ago... "A little sluggish but fine for the most part," Lucas said with a small smile as he looked down noticing he his wearing a sleeveless black t-shirt and black pajamas. He didn''t take a shower or anything like that because of the effects of the potions so he just lay down on his bed until he finally managed to fall asleep. It was a little embarrassing to know that someone must''ve dressed him but as long as it was his mother or Lucielle he didn''t mind it too much. "Are you sure you are fine? I could call a healer to come and check you again," snapping him out of his thoughts was his mother''s worried voice. ''Again?'' He was a little suspicious at what she meant with again but decided to let it go. "Mm, I am sure. I am feeling much better now; you don''t have to worry," Lucas said nonchalantly yet his mother didn''t really believe him. As he took a good look at his mother, he noticed she was fidgeting with her body a little. ''Why is she so nervous around me? And what is with this weird distance I feel between us...'' Suddenly he remembered that when he arrived with his grandfather, he was still a little out of it and didn''t let his mother approach him due to him not wanting to instinctively back away from someone touching him. ''I still hurt her in the end huh...'' Realizing why she is so nervous he got off the bed making his mother even more worried as she complained, "Lucas wait you should still lie down for now and rest a little more." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It is fine mom I must have been asleep for a few days right?" Lucas said as he started walking towards her. Arriving in front of her, his mother looked nervously at Lucas, not understanding what he is thinking currently. Suddenly surprising her even further and making her entire body go stiff was Lucas who suddenly gently embraced her. Realizing what happened her body relaxed as she hugged him back as her head was leaning on his chest since she was a head shorter than Lucas now. As she was finally relaxing and feeling the warmth of her son, she started noticing that his body was trembling, understanding that Lucas was pushing himself for her. She embraced him more tightly as she whispered, "It is okay... you are safe now, Lucas." "...I am sorry." Hearing his sudden apology in a hoarse voice, she looked up to him only to see his face turned sideways. He didn''t want his mother to see his expression right now. "Lucas... this isn''t your fault... you experienced something that no one ever should have, especially a child your age." "No. I... I knew that revealing my identity as the White Devil would have consequences... I was arrogant and thought I could handle them all by myself. Everything that happened was my own fault; it was my punishment." Lucas spoke, still not meeting looking at her face and preventing her from seeing his. "...Punishment?" his mother asked bewildered, not understanding just what he did to deserve such punishment. "Yes... for being too arrogant... for being too weak... for taking this life of mine for granted... for being a coward... for acting like someone I am not..." He spoke each reason through gritted teeth. His mother looked surprised as she looked at the side of Lucas''s face as he told him his reasons. He wasn''t done... "I don''t want to experience these feelings ever again. I swear, Mom, I will not hold myself back anymore... I will destroy anyone from now on who threatens you or anyone else I care about. I will have my revenge on Karciel... no, not just him but the entire demon race; I will make each one of them suffer. I will make anyone suffer who stands in my way. I will destroy anyone who dares to stop me. Even if the world will hate me ''again''. I want to make sure I enjoy my life no matter the cost and live with everyone I care about peacefully in the end. Even if I sound selfish, I will not stop until I reach my goals." Lucas said with great resolve as his eyes darkened a little, any normal person hearing him would start to fear him and get as far as possible away from him. As Lucas turned his head slowly around, scared to see his mother''s reaction and finally saw the expression on her face, his heart trembled, and his eyes widened as his mother was... smiling. She was smiling while looking straight into Lucas''s eyes with relief and pride in her own eyes. "I see..." She said as she placed both of her hands on each side of Lucas''s cheeks, cupping them gently. "I am glad, dear. Glad that you finally found a path you want to take. Just know that as your mother, I will always support you on your path and never hate you even if everyone else does..." ''It is almost exactly what father said... are they both crazy? No... this is what actual parents are, something that... My previous self couldn''t understand.'' "I see... thanks, Mom," Lucas said as he genuinely smiled for the first time since the incident. He felt like the chains that bound his entire two lives were finally gone. He felt like he could see more clearly now. He felt like he could breathe much easier now... He felt free. Chapter 47 - 47: Recovering Three more days have passed since Lucas woke up. It was a little awkward and hard to talk to everyone at first after everything that happened, but after a few hours, they warmed up to each other. At least that was true for everyone except for Luna. She was feeling guilty again that she wasn''t there and kept crying in his embrace after not seeing him for more than 9 days. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It took Lucas an entire day just to comfort and spoil her until she calmed down. He also got much closer with Lena after everything. Though she didn''t understand everything that happened, she was smart enough to know that Lucas went through something horrible. Yesterday, two royal guards and one person from the government came by to ask for more details of everything that happened. His father naturally talked the most about the wraith he fought since it was a new type of enemy they had never encountered, making everyone nervous. He didn''t have much information about the count-ranked demon except from Lucas. Since these people knew that Lucas was kidnapped by him, they wanted to question him. Naturally, his father got enraged by that and was about to kill the lot of them without hesitation of their ranks, but Lucas stepped in on time, calming him down and saying that he didn''t mind telling them. He just told them about what he experienced for those 9 days and lied to them that Karciel didn''t ask any questions to him and simply tortured him. He even went into detail about what Karciel did to him, making them all feel weird, including his father. They weren''t shocked because of the details since this wasn''t the first time they heard about torture or seen it. What disturbed them most was... how calm Lucas was telling everything, as if it didn''t bother him. After that, they decided to leave under the threatening gaze of his father. Currently, Lucas was again in the training grounds but this time by himself. He was sitting cross-legged and had his eyes closed as if he was meditating. He was close... Lucas felt that he was extremely close to breaking through to the next substage of his star level. ''Any moment now...'' He was guiding the mana in the atmosphere into his body. He kept making the mana enter his veins and letting them spread out to every part of his body. Ranking up to the next star level always hurt. This process is done by everyone no matter if you are a mage or swordsman; you need mana from the atmosphere to enter and refine the body or the aura inside your body to get stronger by training. For Lucas, though, since he was extremely talented and had the special talent dual wielder, he could advance in both at the same time easily. Of course, this meant he had to train even more than the average mage or swordsman who wanted to become a famous hero or adventurer. The process should hurt even more for someone like Lucas as well due to being a dual wielder. But since he was a half dragon, it was surprisingly much easier than before for him to absorb mana in the air. So he only had to properly focus on his aura by himself, and it didn''t hurt as much as it should. In fact, it barely hurt at all. If his theory is correct, then that means the extinct race of dragons before could have easily advanced to the next star level, standing easily above any other race except for the demons. Perhaps there were many saints even before in the dragon race. ''I wonder how they perished...'' Lucas believes that the dragons had achieved stages higher than Saint. He is sure of it. Perhaps there are even some in Myrniel who have reached a higher stage than Saint. if that were true... almost every race in Myrniel would be thrown into chaos... As he was lost in thought, he suddenly felt his body heating up and his body starting to absorb even more mana in the atmosphere at a much faster rate. Gusts of winds were starting to form around him as his snow-white hair kept dancing around. He felt the mana starting to course and violently dance inside every inch of his body as more and more kept coming in. He gritted his teeth hard to stop himself from groaning from the weird sensation he was feeling. Suddenly the weird sensation was gone, and he stopped trying to absorb more mana since he felt a change in his body. He opened his eyes as he took some deep breaths. Clenching his hands, he felt how the quality and quantity of his mana changed. He felt much stronger now. "It really is true what they say... the higher you advance, the higher the difference becomes... I wonder how many times I should''ve died if it wasn''t for all the abnormal things I possessed." "...Hahah! I am starting to understand why I am titled as an Anomaly!" Having the chaos element. Being a dual wielder which only the future Hero Klaus Ceviel should have. Being a half dragon. Having a baby dragon as a soul bond. Already reaching the High 6-star level as a mage and being a Mid 6-star level swordsman. ''I should try to become a High 6-star level swordsman before the academy'' "I wonder how much chaos the world will be in after I reveal myself in the academy as the strongest champion. I wonder how strong the other champions are... Well, the only one who is currently known closest to my level of this generation is Sylv. The future hero of humanity should catch up to us soon with his talent, after he can properly train in the academy, perhaps even some other champions or some dark horses will surprise me." Honestly, Lucas didn''t really need to go to the academy for the purpose of advancing star levels. If he wanted to get stronger, he could just keep training here, but there were some advantages to going. He could start honing his powers more there under the guidance of the teachers. Though he had William and Lucielle, they didn''t have a lot of time to train him and mostly just taught him the basics of mana control, spells, and swordplay perfectly. After that, he had to improve a lot on his own when he was adventuring in Myrniel as Noctis. Inside the academy, he could just focus on training more and improving his spells and swordsmanship without having to deal with any other annoying issues. Perhaps there were people in his generation who were more skilled with the sword and magic, but unlike them, who weren''t as crazy as Lucas, he has much, much more experience than them. In the end, his main purposes of going to Shield are getting stronger while at the same time trying to experience his academy life, which he never really got the chance to back when he was Noah. ''A monster...'' Remembering the words of his previous self, he couldn''t help but scoff as a grin appeared on his face. "Heh. Noah, you said that I am destined to become a villain. A destroyer. That I cannot change. You are right; I shouldn''t hide from my past anymore, but I won''t be the same person I was before either. Perhaps you are right... perhaps it is my fate to become a villain. But... If that is true. Then... I will simply destroy my own Fate." Chapter 48 - 48: The White Devil vs The God of Fire [1] "Are you ready?" "As much as I can be when fighting against a Saint," Lucas scoffed as he answered Magnus'' question. Only a week is left before the academy entrance exam, and Lucas was planning to leave tomorrow for The capital, Zaphyr where Shield is. Ever since he has returned from being kidnapped by Karciel, he has been training by himself, honing his spells with Lucielle or improving his swordsmanship with William. Of course, he spent as much time as he could with his family, but it was mainly with Lena the most since their parents were most of the time busy. Both brother and sister have gotten awfully close to the point that Lena didn''t want to leave Lucas'' side and wanted to sleep with him as well. He really didn''t mind, so Lucas let her sleep with him most of the time as well after their parents allowed for it. As he was preparing to get ready for his departure tomorrow, his grandfather, who he hasn''t seen for some reason after he saved him and brought him back to the Nightstar Estate, barged into his room suddenly, asking, no demanding for a duel. Lucas, not having a choice really, accepted the duel, and so now they were currently at the training grounds of the Nightstar Estate facing each other, getting ready to fight. His entire family was on the sidelines watching with Lucielle, William, and even Dylan. "I will be only using spells, and I will limit myself to your level, so you don''t need to worry about me killing you since you can tank most of the spells that are of the same level of your current star level, right?" ''The quality of your spells will still be better though... so how can you limit the quality of your mana? Is that a perk of being a saint?'' Seeing him pondering so much, Magnus couldn''t help but smirk and tease him. "Heh, what is it? Are you doubting me, my grandson? You are not afraid, are you? After all, weren''t you the one who said that you would surpass the saint stage even? You aren''t going to back down like a coward now, are you?" Hearing him provoke him, his lips twitched a little. ''Seriously... does he really think that would work on me...'' As he thought about the stupid provocation that obviously didn''t work, both suddenly heard a cold chilling voice making bodies shudder. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hey." "Speak like that to my son again, and I will make you fasten your retirement plans." His mother suddenly spoke in a voice so chilling that made everyone break out in a cold sweat, especially his father Alexander, who tried to take a few steps back with William. A black type of energy could be seen seeping out of her body slowly. ''Shadow magic...'' Lucas gulped at seeing his mother actually getting so angry. It looks like she still hasn''t recovered from almost losing him back when Nightstar Estate got attacked. "A-ah, please calm down, my dear daughter! I-it was just a joke, I didn''t mean it! Lucas understood that right, Lucas?" "Y-yeah, it is alright, mom, don''t worry, I am fine." Hearing them both, she calmed down, and the shadow energy she was releasing disappeared, making everyone silently sigh out of relief as she grabbed Lena and carried her in her arms. All Lena could do was look at her brother with pleading eyes asking for help. Seeing the pleading eyes of his little sister, he used every strength inside his body to turn away from those eyes. ''Sorry... your sacrifice won''t be in vain, little sis.'' Snapping him out of his thoughts was his grandfather who coughed. "Right... shall we start?" "Mm, sounds good." Confirming he was ready without getting the chance to take another breath, a white fireball suddenly launched at a speed he barely could follow at him. Even though [danger sense] was warning him, it wasn''t fast enough until the fireball was a meter from his face. All he could do was crouch on instinct as he managed to barely dodge the fireball from taking his entire face off. The fireball exploded on itself after a few meters, creating a loud white explosion and strong gust of winds. Luckily, the spectators can protect themselves and the others like Lena and Luna, who was on top of Lena''s head. ''W-what the.. how can it be so fast!.'' "Keep your eyes ahead, Lucas! Never look back!" "And never be lost in thought mid-battle!" His grandfather shouted as his heavy voice boomed across the field. Two more white fireballs shot towards him, but this time he was more prepared and easily dodged them by sidestepping to the left and right as both exploded again behind him. "Didn''t you say you would limit yourself at my level!?" Lucas shouted at Magnus. These fireballs were clearly not the level of a master stage mage. "I am. I will be only using fire-type spells on the level of a peak 7-star level mage. Not everyone has the capabilities like us Lucas to advance to the next stage. So instead they hone their spells to the max creating what you have just seen." ''I see...'' "Very well. Then I won''t hold back. You can take it right? After all... you are a saint, no?" Lucas said as a grin appeared on his face and a subtle glint in his eyes. "Heh, do your best as defeat will be inevitable." As Magnus responded to Lucas'' provocation, he did exactly what he said. Lucas suddenly aimed his right hand at Magnus, and a huge beam of red and black energy shot towards him that destroyed the ground beneath. Magnus narrowed his eyes out of wariness at seeing the spell that was causing destruction at everything that stood on its path. Magnus easily dodged [chaos beam] as if it was nothing, of course, but then as he looked at Lucas, he was suddenly gone. He forgot that his grandson was a monster who not only was a progenitor of a new element but can wield space magic. At a speed that Lucas barely could follow as he was behind Magnus and was about to unleash another [chaos beam]. His grandfather stomped his right foot on the ground, and a pillar of white flames erupted in front of Lucas, making him jump back to a safe distance from the heat. As the pillar of flames disappeared, he saw 5 spears of white flames that were about to reach him. [Chaos infusion] Lucas whispered another spell as his body started merging with the chaos energy, enhancing his physical abilities temporarily. Making him easily dodge the spears of fire as he started dancing around them as Magnus kept sending more spears of fire and fireballs at him. Having enough of this and not wanting to waste more mana than needed for keeping the spell active, he stopped suddenly and whispered another spell. [Chaos devourer] Suddenly a wall of red and black energy appeared in front of Lucas as all the spears and fireballs started getting absorbed by it. "What?" "Did the spell just disappear?" He heard Magnus and his father exclaim out of shock as he felt his mana getting replenished as all the spells his grandfather launched was getting devoured rapidly. [Chaos Devourer] might seem overpowered, but Lucas knew if he used it one or two more times serious consequences would start happening as his body won''t be able to handle and start getting destroyed from the inside. Some small internal damage has already happened from using the spell, but since he is a half-dragon, his body was regenerating from the inside even though it was at a slow pace. The only reason he can even use this spell is that he has a much stronger body than other races. If any other race would use the spell he did they would destroy their bodies in an instant except for demons. Perhaps if a saint with the chaos affinity tried they might be able to handle it once or twice... The chaos element doesn''t give anything for free. If it replenishes your mana, it will always demand for something else. As all the spells were devoured, he canceled his spell before more consequences could start happening since using it without it devouring any spells it would start trying to eat Lucas mana instead. Looking at his grandfather who was a distance away with his hands behind his back, he could see a bloodthirsty grin appear on his face. ''Now I see how father became a battle maniac... it is because of this freak.'' "Lucas. Don''t tell me that was all you had? I expected more from a half-dragon and a progenitor!" ''Again, does he think that he is actually provoking me?'' Lucas said a little annoyed inside his mind. But... A grin appeared on his face as well, matching his grandfather''s. ''Ah, Fuck it... how long has it been since I genuinely let loose!'' "Alright, you fucking asked for this." Lucas said without care anymore as suddenly chaotic energy of red and black shot out of him. Strong gusts of winds started appearing around the entire field. Luna suddenly felt her connection with Lucas deepen and getting stronger. As they all looked back at Lucas, every single one of them felt a chill run down their spine. His entire body and face couldn''t be seen anymore as it was covered with red and black energy swirling around him. Only his red eyes, which were glowing immensely, could be seen. A low growl could be heard coming out of Lucas. The sound felt as if it came from the depths of his very being. A sound that made each of them unconsciously step back. The sound wasn''t anything remotely human. It felt as if a being of the highest order was in front of them. Magnus realizing that he just took a step back, he, a saint, just took a step back by someone who is only a master... His grin turned even more mad as his heart started to pound against his chest louder and louder. His body was starting to tremble out of excitement. ''Ah... such a wonderful feeling!'' "Prepare." As he was rejoicing at the feeling of taking a step back by his own grandson who only is a master, he and everyone else heard a voice that was so deep and full of authority that it made almost Lena, Dylan, and Lucas'' mother want to bow their own heads down if it wasn''t for Alexander and William releasing their aura and mana to prevent any mental attacks from accidentally hitting them... or whatever that voice was. That voice that sounded so inhuman... That didn''t sound like Lucas at all... A voice of a dragon. Chapter 49 - 49: The White Devil vs The God of Fire [2] Powerful... He felt so much more powerful right now. He felt like he could breathe and move much easier. He could see much farther now with his eyes. His physical abilities got enhanced much more than when he used [Chaos Infusion]. He could feel the mana in the air being passively absorbed into his body now even more. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was all coursing through his veins. His mana pool has increased by bounds rivaling at least those of high to peak 7-star level mages. He felt so much more free that he couldn''t help but let out a low satisfied growl. ''I need to hurry; I can''t keep my form up for long...'' Currently, Lucas could only hold onto his dragon form for about 10 minutes once a week without having any dangerous consequences come onto him. Some might think that it was better to save this form for the entrance exam in Shield, but he would never reveal all his cards like that. He wasn''t someone like the hero who wanted to show off to the world without reason. No... perhaps he does have a reason he shouldn''t judge. But in the end, it doesn''t matter. He won''t reveal himself being a half-dragon to the entire world; that would be plain stupidity... Realizing he was lost in thought again, he snapped out of it and eyed his grandfather who was watching him like a madman as his body trembled violently with a bloodthirsty grin that would make most cower in fear. Luckily, his mother already shielded Lena from looking at the fight anymore as Luna distracted her as well. "Prepare." Lucas deeply said as he suddenly bent his knees as the ground beneath cracked even more. And in the next second, he launched himself towards Magnus at a speed that was almost impossible to catch unless you were a mid 7-star level. The man dubbed as the god of fire didn''t even try to dodge as he saw Lucas launching himself at him while the ground beneath him kept exploding apart. Instead, he did something which would be considered foolish for someone who is normally a mage. But who was he? He was a fucking saint, someone who is considered to be one of the strongest. Seeing his grandfather not moving away an inch, he pulled back his right arm and clenched his hand tightly. Arriving in front of him, he punched out intending to hit his face yet Magnus easily blocked his fist by crossing his arms in front of him. ''Strong!'' His grandfather didn''t even move an inch from his spot as it felt like he was punching a mountain made out of titanium. The collision made the ground underneath them explode as gusts of winds violently swirled around. Seeing that he was dealing no damage, he started throwing barrages of punches at his crossed arms as shockwaves started to form in the air. Yet... No matter what he did, Magnus didn''t move an inch as his face still had that annoying grin. Jumping a few meters back as he saw that he wasn''t doing any damage to him, he let out a low frustrated growl. "Hahahaha! Amazing that actually tickled!" Magnus exclaimed while laughing. ''Tickled!? Aren''t you supposed to be a mage? How is your body so strong!'' Lucas screamed inside his mind. Frustrated, he kept launching himself over and over again at Magnus as he sent countless punches and kicks towards him that generated numerous shockwaves yet he effortlessly tanked all of them each time. ''I can''t continue much longer in this form... looks like I am way too weak to deal physical damage to a saint.'' Backing away once again, he suddenly felt the atmosphere heat up as he heard the deep voice of Magnus resounding. "My turn." As his grandfather said, a huge wave of white flames was coming straight towards him engulfing the entire ground at the same time. ''Shit! I didn''t even notice him casting that spell so I could use [chaos cut].'' As he saw the wall of flames approaching, he used [teleportation] to get out of the range as he luckily made it in time as the white flames devoured his previous spot. Yet... As if mocking him without getting the chance to collect himself, he looked up in the sky and saw a rain of white fire descending straight to him. ''You have to be fucking joking...'' "You better have a way to counter it if you don''t want to be burnt alive!" Lucas was truly astonished at just how much mana a saint could have to cast such large-scale spells over and over. And that as well as he was limiting himself to the point that he should be able to handle most of his grandfather''s spells. ''Seems like the perfect opportunity to try this spell I have been thinking about using for a while... but all of my mana will be drained using this spell even in this form if it works.'' Lucas said as he aimed his right hand towards the rain of white flames that was descending on him while gritting his teeth. ''This better work!'' Suddenly as he directed his mana towards his hand, he felt a stinging pain in his head as the spell he was about to cast was being harmful towards his body and his mana was starting to dance violently in his body. Sweat started rolling down his face yet no one could see it as he was still in his half-dragon form which he couldn''t keep much longer unless he wanted to take permanent damage. He gritted his teeth even harder than before as his body started visibly trembling, and the chaos energy around started to violently swirl around him even more. As the rain of fire started to get even closer, he finally managed to grasp the spell and instantly activated it. [Noir] Everyone heard a sound of something being torn apart as they gazed at the sky they suddenly saw a black sphere appear as the rain of fire above the sphere suddenly stopped. Gazing at the sphere, nothing could be seen except an endless void that made everyone feel uncomfortable, including Magnus as he furrowed his brows. Suddenly a chill ran down everyone''s spine, including Magnus, as they realized what spell Lucas just cast. A BlackHole... He created a black hole... There are barely any mages with the space element in this age of time, and most aren''t combat mages so not many spells are known meant for fighting. Theoretically it was possible to create such a spell, but... Seeing a black hole suddenly being created reminded them of the stories their parents used to tell about how, in the first golden generation, mages could effortlessly create such phenomena. "Beautiful..." Everyone could hear Magnus exclaim yet no one objected to what he said. As harrowing as the spell itself was, it was strangely at the same time just beautiful... As they marveled at the black hole in the air, they suddenly felt that it was getting hard to breathe. And then... The rain of fire which was paused in the air suddenly all got sucked in by the black hole like a vacuum which no one could stop. All of it got sucked in so fast that it took less than 3 seconds for everything to be gone. As the rain of fire instantly disappeared so did the black hole. Still awestruck at the sight of something which they only heard stories about, Lucas suddenly fell on his knees as his half-dragon form came undone. He was panting heavily as sweat was visible on his face and his body was trembling a lot. His face was extremely pale as he suddenly started violently coughing out blood. "Lucas!" His mother exclaimed worriedly as she ran to him as they all heard his coughing making them snap out of their daze. And then... He fell unconscious. Chapter 50 - 50: Zaphyr "Reckless! Just how reckless can the both of you be?" Violet shouted at Lucas and Magnus as she coldly gazed down at them, seated on the couch in front of her. Currently, it was nighttime as she scolded both of them for the ''spar'' they had four hours ago. Just half an hour ago, Lucas woke up in his bed after he fell unconscious from using all his mana. "Did you think about what would happen if Lucas didn''t manage to counter your spell?" "You don''t need to worry; I knew he would do something to get out of that situation," Magnus tried to reason. "You knew? How would you know? Is that some sort of special ability of a saint?" "Liste-" "Shut up, enough of those excuses of yours," his mother said coldly to Magnus. Hearing her cold voice, he instantly shut up, not wanting to kick the hornet''s nest even further. "And you," she suddenly turned towards Lucas, who was trying to be so still that perhaps she had forgotten his presence. "Have you gone mad? You are about to leave tomorrow for the academy, so I thought it was good for you to have a light spar with your grandfather to loosen up. But instead, you and him didn''t spar but decided to use such devastating spells on each other as if you wanted to kill the other! What if you lost control of the situation, and the cost wasn''t just mana exhaustion? You could have killed yourself with how dangerous each spell you cast was!" Her mother said, not in a cold voice but in an extremely worried tone as tears welled up in her eyes. "...I am sorry, mom... I didn''t mean to make you worry this much." Lucas said guiltily, his head down, as he really didn''t intend to make her worry. He was fighting a saint and knew it wouldn''t be easy to go against him even if he was limited. He knew that this spar was the perfect opportunity to test out some new spells he never got the chance to try. He realized that after seeing how powerful each spell he cast was and was even more sure that he wouldn''t be able to lay a scratch on him after even his half-dragon form was nothing against him. He wanted to do something... he didn''t want the fight to end so anticlimactically. "I-I already lost you almost once, Lucas... please, I don''t want to go through that pain ever again..." Her mother said as Lucas snapped his head up, gazing at her face, seeing tears streaming down her face as Magnus just could only look down himself. Standing up, he gently embraced her. "I am sorry... I promise, mom, I won''t do something like this ever again..." "So please stop crying; it hurts me as well when you cry..." Lucas spoke softly as he caressed her soft hair while she cried in his embrace. ''Noah... perhaps you are right, maybe I really am a monster even in this life but... at least this time I won''t mind being one I won''t unlike last time lose my reason for being one... perhaps I am a coward but unlike you... I won''t have any regrets. not ever again...'' ********** He was awestruck. As he came out of the mana teleporter and exited the building it resided in, he was simply awestruck as he viewed the capital, Zaphyr. Zaphyr was the capital in the human domain, as well as where Shield is located. Strangely enough, the royal family doesn''t reside inside the capital. Zaphyr is also dubbed as the capital of Myrniel, where all races come together. Even though it was in the human domain, no one actually minded, or at least the higher-ups didn''t. Human domain or not, there wasn''t any bias in the capital, as every race would be treated equally. The capital looked even better than Moon City; it was even more advanced and futuristic than Moon City. Tall, beautiful skyscrapers pierced the clouds. Different types of cars hovered around the city as the streets were filled with life. Humans, dwarves, beastfolk, elves, and a variety of other races could be seen walking around. "Fufu. is it your first time here, Lucas? Didn''t you come here while you were out adventuring?" His mother, who was next to him, asked as she enjoyed the expression he was making since it was rare seeing him break his calm demeanor. But it wasn''t just him; in her arms was Lena, with Luna nestled on top of her head. Both were as awestruck as Lucas was as they gazed at the capital. "Pretty..." Lena said as her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Mm, I avoided going to the capital since it seemed too troublesome... I slightly regret that now, though..." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "[Father... can I go explore?]" Luna asked with enthusiasm; she really wanted to go and adventure out in the capital. "Not yet, Luna; let''s first get settled in our hotel and unpack our stuff there." "The driver should arrive any moment now, Young Master and Madame," Lucielle said from behind as next to her was Dylan. They didn''t bring anyone else since these two would suffice as the capital was already an extremely safe place where fighting was almost impossible. Especially with the recent demon attack at the Nightstar Estate, a huge fuss was created, and extra security measures had been taken in the capital and almost every other city. His father couldn''t come, and neither could William since it was best for both to stay at Moon City as they still have to deal with the aftermath of the demon attack and control the public since a rumor has started to spread inside the city that the Nightstars have a saint. "Mommy! Let''s go, I want to explore!" Lena said with excitement as she gazed with her innocent sparkling eyes directly at their mother''s eyes, making an arrow pierce the hearts of anyone watching. ''Damn, she is adorable!'' Lucas thought. "Fufu. calm down, dear, didn''t you hear what your brother just told Luna? We are going to the hotel first and rest a little bit. After that¡ª" "But! I wanna go now!" She said impatiently as tears were starting to appear in her eyes. Seeing the situation might escalate and not wanting her to cry, especially in public before anyone recognizes them, he approached her and gently wiped the tears away. "Don''t cry, okay? How about after we unpack, we go buy some candy together?" "Really!?" She said as her whole demeanor changed again to excitement. ''Seriously...'' "Lucas. Don''t spoil her too much; she already ate some snacks yesterday," their mother said sternly, not wanting Lena to get her way every time she is about to cry. Hearing her mother''s words, she started pouting and turned away as if emphasizing she was angry. "Hmph!" He just smiled at the scene, finding it quite amusing as he started patting Lena''s head, who closed her eyes enjoying his touch. "It''s fine, isn''t it? Today is a special day, after all. We should just enjoy ourselves for the time being," Lucas said as his mother in the end finally relented, albeit reluctantly, making Lena break out in a big smile. It looks like his mother can''t say no to him after everything that happened... Chapter 51 - 51: Shield Academy Shield Academy Said to be the most prestigious and best academy in all of Myrniel, only the most elite and talented could join the academy. And that is only if they pass the entrance exam of Shield. In Shield, everyone is equal. It doesn''t matter what status or race you are. All that matters is that you have strength. The academy is meant to nurture their students into heroes. Though that is what they say at least... Currently, Lucas was standing in front of the academy as it was bustling with people of various races entering. He was wearing some wireless headphones. Yes... He finally bought a phone, and not only that but also some wireless headphones, while listening to classical music. Even in his previous life, he always preferred classical music as it calmed his mind most of the time. Mozart and Beethoven were his favorites to listen to. Today was the entrance exam of the academy. He was dumbfounded as he gazed at the ''academy.'' It looked like a whole mini-city instead! He could see three different paths that led to the academy. The first path was for those who wanted to join the academy, and they would have to do various tests first to see if they were even qualified to participate in the entrance exam. At least 80% of the people on the first path would fail the tests. The second path was for those who wished to watch the entrance exam. His mother, who was with Lena, Luna, Lucielle, and Dylan, must already be inside one of the exclusive rooms where they would watch the entrance exam, as they left earlier than him. A privilege a mere viscount family shouldn''t have... Lucas was currently taking the third path as he arrived in front of a gate with a guard standing by. This path was meant for high nobles or famous people that would cause a ruckus if they took the first path. So much for equality... Not many people were on this path as he took off his wireless headphones and put them in his [inventory]. "Name?" the guard asked without glancing at him, as he kept watching some list on the board he was holding. ''In this day and age?'' "Lucas Nightstar." Hearing his name, the guard suddenly snapped his head towards him. He kept looking at his face as if scrutinizing him. Lucas was used to this ever since he arrived in Zaphyr. Rumor of being The White Devil, rumor of being involved in the kidnapping attempt of the elven princess, rumored to rival even her who is the strongest champion currently, and the recent attack on the Nightstar estate¡ªLucas was basically a celebrity at this point. Though he didn''t show anything on his face, he kept his unfazed and calm demeanor. After a while, the guard realized that he was taking too long and snapped out of it. "R-right, apologies. You may enter. Please keep going straight until you reach the main academy building." Hearing him, Lucas nodded as the gate opened and finally entered Shield. ''I wonder if Sylv is already here...'' ******** After some more walking, since any vehicle isn''t allowed in the academy, he arrived in front of the main building. It was honestly quite huge, but as futuristic as it was, it was also beautiful, filled with green life at the same time. Looks like the academy wants to make all races comfortable. Entering the main building, he found a reception desk meant for those who were qualified for the entrance exam. Walking towards the reception, he saw an old woman with glasses typing something on the computer. ''How come she isn''t as old-fashioned as that guard...'' "Name?" "Lucas Nightstar." The same scene happened again like with the guard. But not just that, the moment he said his name, the entire room got awfully quiet as they silently all gazed at Lucas. After a while, she snapped out of her daze as well and apologized. "Please follow the hallway to the right and enter room number 12." Lucas nodded and did what she said while ignoring the annoying gazes. Arriving in front of the room, he heard sounds of people talking lively and enjoying themselves. As he opened the door and entered the full white room with no windows or anything, he gazed at every person inside. He didn''t see Sylv anywhere, as she must not have arrived or was probably in another room. The room suddenly became dead silent. Everyone''s gaze turned towards Lucas. Annoyed, yet not showing anything on his face, he calmly walked towards one of the walls and sat down, closing his eyes. As he tried to enjoy the peaceful quiet, which he actually just found awkward, he could hear the people inside start whispering. "Hey, is that..." "Lucas Nightstar, who is known to be The White Devil..." "S-scary... just being in the same room as him feels like I can''t breathe properly..." "Yeah, tell me about it..." ''Huh!? What do you mean scary? I haven''t even done anything to all of you!'' Lucas screamed inside his mind, though his face remained calm as if he didn''t hear them say anything. "It is rumored, right? That he rivals the elven princess..." "Crazy... this whole year is crazy. How are we supposed to pass this entrance exam?" "R-right, I already heard that the second hero of humanity is here and also the elven princess..." ''Hmm? So she is already here, but then she must be in another room, huh.'' "It isn''t just that... I heard a rumor that one of the three great dukes'' sons is attending the academy as well. Leonne Velheim." "Not only that, even the daughter of Richard Frostheart, who is the founder of the number one guild in the human domain, Frost Guild, is rumored to be here as well. Amaya Frostheart." "C-crazy... this whole year is crazy." "No wonder our generation is called the second golden generation..." "All of these people are champions... and one of them is currently in the same room as us." "Holy shit..." "But those are rumors, right? Perhaps they aren''t real." "You think these rumors just appeared out of thin air? Just look at him, I can already tell that he is just above us all." "Yeah, you are right..." "Monsters... This whole year is filled with monsters..." ''Looks like this entrance exam is going to be quite interesting.'' Suddenly, all the whispers and Lucas'' thoughts came to a halt as they all felt the presence of someone appearing in the room. Without anyone noticing, a man wearing a black suit with black hair and grey eyes was suddenly standing in the middle of the room. Lucas snapped his eyes open and narrowed them at the mysterious man. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''A grandmaster, huh... and was that space magic or something else?'' Before he could think any further, the man spoke. "Welcome to Shield Academy. I am one of the teachers here in the academy. My name is Julius Cordis. Now, if you all would please follow me, we can finally begin the entrance exam." As he said that, a door suddenly appeared on the wall behind him and opened. Everyone, without objecting, followed the man inside the room and saw comfortable chairs for all of them with a headset on top of those seats connected with some thick and long cables into the ground. ''Aren''t those VR headsets?'' "For the entrance exam, you will all be sent with the other participants that are in the other rooms into a virtual post-apocalyptic city that is overrun with monsters. You don''t need to worry, as when you get killed by a monster, you will simply be sent back to reality, but that would mean instant disqualification." "What you must do to pass the exam and enter the academy, you will know once you enter the virtual world." "Now, any questions?" No one asked a question since it was pretty straightforward and easy to understand. "Good. Please select a seat and wear the headset so the exam can finally begin." He ordered, and everyone picked a seat and started wearing the headset on their heads. As Lucas wore the headset, he only saw darkness surrounding him as he looked around. After 10 more minutes, he heard a voice coming from the room he was still in. "The exam shall now begin," Julius said as Lucas suddenly saw countless stars appearing in his vision. In the next second, he felt his consciousness being pulled somewhere as he didn''t resist the sensation. The last thing he heard before his consciousness finally slipped away was Julius saying "I wish all of you the best of luck." Chapter 52 - 52: Survive As Lucas regained his consciousness and opened his eyes slowly, he found himself on a broken highway surrounded by rubble and old abandoned cars that resembled those of his previous world. Standing up, he checked his surroundings only to feel melancholic. He saw broken, abandoned buildings, their rubble being everywhere. As he felt the warm sunlight on his skin, he pinched his arm and could feel the pain. Everything felt so real that it brought back some old, painful memories... Everything around him resembled chaos and destruction. "Still, it really is incredible that everything feels so real..." As he said that, he tried to summon the Blade of Chaos, and somehow even that was possible. "How does that even work? Is it because it is connected with my soul?" Lucas didn''t ponder too much since he knew that he wouldn''t get an answer to this question. Placing the sword at his right waist, he began walking around. He found himself alone, as everyone else who was with him in the room must have been teleported somewhere else. "Now what?" As he said that, he suddenly heard the sound of something on his wrist. Glancing at it, he saw he was wearing a modern watch with a golden shield logo on it. Tapping on it, a holographic screen appeared in front of him: ------------------ S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Name: Lucas Nightstar Year: ??? Rank: ??? Status: Entrance Exam Objective: Survive and kill the 3 Great Calamities Time limit: 2 weeks ------------------ "Interesting, so it already knows my name." "So I need to survive and kill the 3 Great Calamities in order to pass this exam. I doubt that defeating those 3 monsters is meant to be done alone. So they want us to survive against the monsters lurking around the city and find each other so we can work together in defeating the 3 Great Calamities..." ''Just what are those three, and how strong could they really be?'' Lucas honestly doubted that this exam was really a problem for him. Sure, perhaps the three calamities might give him some trouble, but would he lose? ''Nah, I''d win.'' Lucas thought while shaking his head. This exam was too easy, so easy that it might be a little boring if he ended it all like that. "I should put some restrictions on myself to prevent from finishing this exam too fast." As he was thinking about how to take the exam, he suddenly heard the sound of a car getting toppled over behind him. Turning around, he saw something he wished he had never seen. Looming over him were three monster spiders, their monstrous bodies pulsating with a sickening rhythm. Each spider was the size of a car, covered in matted, filthy hair that oozed with putrid, black ichor. Their legs, twisted and knotted with bulbous joints, their fangs, long and jagged like rusted knives, dripped with a viscous, green venom that hissed as it hit the ground, sending up small plumes of acrid smoke. The air was thick with the overpowering stench of decay and rot. "What... just what type of spiders are these?" The sight before him was so grotesque and repulsive that he felt an urge to retch. He had never seen such harrowing beasts ever. He had met countless types of different beasts while he adventured, but this... this was too much. It wasn''t that they were strong or that he was afraid... they were just too disgusting. Gritting his teeth and trying not to inhale their disgusting scent, he placed his left hand on his blade. ''Lightning... I will only use my lightning and blade for this exam. I need to improve both of them.'' Making up his mind, he steeled himself against the harrowing creatures before him. Red lightning started to crackle around him as he inhaled deeply. The red lightning danced along the edge of his sword, amplifying its lethality. The first spider lunged at him, its fangs bared and dripping venom. He ducked under its grotesque mandibles, slashing upward with his lightning-infused blade. The strike cleaved through the creature''s leg, sending a spray of black ichor into the air. The spider screeched in pain, its leg twitching and sparking where the lightning had seared through flesh and bone. He didn''t pause, his movements a blur of speed and precision as he plunged his blade straight into its brain. The second spider lunged from his left, but he was ready. Channeling his lightning, he thrust his palm forward, releasing a bolt of red lightning that struck the spider square in its grotesque maw. The creature convulsed, its body spasming as the lightning fried its insides. Its many eyes exploded in a shower of viscous fluid, and it collapsed in a twitching heap. The third spider, larger and more menacing than the others, advanced with terrifying speed. It reared back, preparing to strike, but he was already in motion. Using his lightning to propel himself, he dashed forward. He feinted to the right, then spun left, avoiding the spider''s snapping fangs. With a powerful upward slash, he carved a deep gash into the spider''s abdomen. The creature screamed, a high-pitched wail that echoed through the abandoned city. The spider, enraged and in agony, swung its massive legs at him in a desperate attempt to crush him. He weaved between the strikes and leaped high into the air, his blade raised above his head. He brought the sword down, slicing through the spider''s head and splitting it in two. The creature''s body convulsed violently before collapsing, lifeless, to the ground. He landed lightly as the red lightning surrounding him died down. Exhaling loudly the breath he had been holding, he looked at the scene of the three dead spiders. If he had to guess, they were C-rank king predators... but to have three C-rank king predators together was strange... Not wanting to stay any longer, he decided to head out of there as he didn''t want to inhale their disgusting scent any longer. For a half-dragon, his sense of smell was far better than most, after all... ''I should go and search for others, perhaps even Sylv, since it would be no fun to finish this exam on my own... I wonder what the people watching outside thought of my little show.'' Lucas chuckled at what he imagined the reactions outside must be to how he had conquered such an unfair situation where most would run or give up. Little did he know what a big commotion he had started by defeating three C-rank predators by himself... ******* Inside a colosseum-like building, in the middle, three huge screens were hovering in the air, viewing the participants of the exam. The modern colosseum was filled with parents, family, and others seeking entertainment. Many high-ranking people were present, such as heroes, guild masters, government officials, and high nobles. They were all in separate boxes above the public, scouting out future talents and those who were said to be the second golden generation. Lucas'' family was also in one of the luxurious separate boxes, watching with pride as the screen was focused on Lucas, who was the first to encounter a monster, or at least monsters that would be an extremely unfortunate situation for most... "W-what..." That was all the commentator could say as she watched how Lucas dealt with the grotesque spiders. The stadium was filled with dead silence as they all watched, dumbfounded, at the gigantic screens. "Young master certainly has become strong, hasn''t he, madame?" Lucielle said with pride from behind Lucas'' mother as Lena was currently being distracted by Dylan and Luna. They didn''t want her to watch such a scene, though Luna and Dylan were, at the same time, making sure to follow everything that was happening. "Yes, indeed... I am proud of him," his mother responded with a small smile as she gently gazed at Lucas, who was being broadcast to everyone present. She wasn''t worried, as she knew Lucas was much stronger and could easily pass this exam, but she was a little annoyed... annoyed that he was restricting himself since she could tell he could have dealt with that situation in countless other ways but chose not to... it was reckless in her opinion. A mother can only worry, no matter the situation. "Ah..." The commentator exclaimed, snapping out of her thoughts. "Lucas Nightstar... known as the White Devil, has just defeated three C-rank king predators... all by himself! Does this mean that all the rumors surrounding him are actually true? Does he actually rival the strongest champion, the Elven Princess? The way he danced with his blade between those spiders was beautiful yet so merciless! A-and did he use both magic and the sword? Though he didn''t use any aura, he certainly seems highly skilled in both magic and swordsmanship! Almost as if he were a dual wielder!" The commentator started narrating as her voice only got louder and louder, hyping the crowd up and snapping them out of their stupor. As they all heard the commentator and looked at Lucas on the screens... The stadium shook from loud cheers. Chapter 53 - 53: Group of Monsters Three days have passed since the exam began... Lucas hasn''t encountered any harrowing creatures like the three spiders in the beginning. Most were just D or C rank creatures, which were pretty mild compared to the three spiders. They weren''t as grotesque or revolting as them, so he easily breezed past them. Currently, he was sitting on the edge of a broken building on the top floor as he gazed down at the ruined city. His feet were dangling in the open air as the wind brushed past his face, making his white hair flutter, creating quite a scene that would get pictured and become trending online later on. "I wonder where those three calamities are..." He had been trying to find them, yet he wasn''t so lucky with his search no matter how hard he tried. He had a theory that one of the three calamities was a spider like the ones he fought at the beginning, since he had found quite a few spiders but not like the ones at the start. "Hmm? Is that..." As he was enjoying his peace, he suddenly saw a group of people together on one of the broken streets. This wasn''t his first time seeing other people; he had met a few, but none were worth caring about since they were quite pathetic in his eyes... But this group was different... Sylviette was in that group. Her silver hair was fluttering in the air as her beautiful eyes were silently gazing like calm water at the group. The black combat suit that she was wearing, like everyone else inside this virtual world, really suited her as it showed off her perfect figure. She was like a contrast as she stood in the middle of this ruined city filled with monsters. Narrowing his eyes, he could not only see Sylviette there but also a boy with blonde hair and golden eyes. His entire aura was that of a cheerful person as if everything was going to be alright. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "So that is Klaus, huh, the second hero..." Lucas mumbled as he gazed at the boy who was said to surpass even Sylv in talent. Checking out the rest, he could see a bunch of random nobodies that didn''t impress him at all except for two others. One was a boy with fiery red hair and blazing red eyes. If Lucas recalled correctly, that should be Leonne Velheim. And the other was another beautiful girl who was only slightly inferior to Sylviette. Only slightly. She had beautiful blonde wheat hair and sky-blue eyes. Amaya Frostheart. Both of them were champions of the current generation like Klaus and Sylviette. That made four people out of the nineteen in the group being among the top of the current generation. "Heh." "How about I finally have some fun in this annoying world?" Lucas said as he was starting to get bored constantly searching for the three calamities. Red lightning started surrounding his body, and he suddenly disappeared, leaving only a trail of red lightning behind. ***** Bored Sylviette was feeling extremely bored. Three days had passed since the exam began. On the first day of arriving in this apocalyptic city, she was all alone and hadn''t found anyone. Only on the second day did she find a group of a few elves and humans who were being attacked by a herd of huge rats. She was planning to leave them be, but one of the elves spotted her and called out for help. Having no choice, she decided to save them since she couldn''t ruin her princess facade after all... Since then, they decided to stick close to her in hopes of passing the exams while staying under her shadow. On the third and current day, she found another group that was being led by the second hero of humanity or something... That was a few hours ago, and now they were out in the open trying to come up with a strategy to find and face the three great calamities. At least that is what the others were doing as she didn''t bother with all that since there was only one thing, or better said, a person on her mind. Lucas. Though she didn''t show it on her face, she really wanted to see Lucas. She was extremely worried and anxious about Lucas. She had heard from her father about the attack on his city and how he got kidnapped and even tortured. She felt helpless as her only and best friend got kidnapped and tortured while all she could do was stay in her home. She couldn''t go and help him unless she wanted to cause a big commotion that would only make the situation escalate. Rumor has it that a saint managed to rescue Lucas on time. Neither she nor her father knew who the saint was that managed to rescue him, but she was incredibly grateful to him or her for saving him. Honestly, all she wanted to do was leave this stupid group and go find Lucas in this ruined city. ''I hope he is okay... Knowing him, he won''t be in a group, but he must have figured out how to complete this exam. He won''t complete this exam on his own... right?'' Suddenly, she grew even more anxious that Lucas might complete this entire exam on his own by defeating the three great calamities. She was probably one of the only few people who knew just what type of monster he really was... Snapping out of her thoughts was the voice of one of the members in their group. "We are getting nowhere with this... shouldn''t we wait until we gather more people, and shouldn''t we choose someone to lead this group of ours?" "You are right, we should wait for more just to be sure. And isn''t it obvious who should lead us? It should be her highness who is the strongest among us all." One of the elves said who was saved by her yesterday, as the others who were previously in her group agreed, nodding their heads. "Hah, what are you talking about? It should obviously be the hero, Klaus! Even though he isn''t the strongest, he is the most talented out of all of us!" "What type of stupid reason is that to lead us? Sure, he might have more talent, but that''s it. He still isn''t strong enough. And besides, stop calling him a hero. We all are here meant to become heroes!" ''Seriously...'' She could only sigh in her mind as she saw how they decided to stupidly argue with each other as the supposed hero kept darting his eyes around, flustered, thinking of a way to solve this situation. "Shut up." Suddenly, they heard Leonne ordering every single one of them to be quiet as he furrowed his brows, and they all instantly listened, not wanting to get on the bad side of a champion. "Is something wrong, Leo?" Amaya asked, looking up to him worriedly. "I feel a gaze on us. Someone must be watching us. Be on guard." He said, making everyone nervous as they got ready for any danger that might come. ''A gaze? But why haven''t my spirits warned me that someone is watching us...'' Suddenly, before she could find out the reason, everyone heard a bone-chilling voice that made Sylviette and the rest freeze on the spot. "Don''t move." A blade was pointed at her neck by someone who was standing behind her. ''W-what... I didn''t even feel anything, nor did my spirits warn me again!?'' "H-her highness! You! Do you know who you are threatening!" Another one of the elves said with a trembling voice as he looked towards the person threatening the princess. Though no one made a move since the person was obviously very skilled and strong enough to sneak behind the strongest champion without any of the other three champions noticing. It wasn''t like she would actually die, but to have the strongest champion be killed in the exam... "Be quiet. Unless you want to lose one of the key factors in defeating the three calamities." The voice responded behind her. ''Wait... that voice. Don''t tell me...'' Sylviette''s eyes widened as she found the voice sounding familiar to someone she knew. "L-Lucas?" she asked as her voice trembled a little. As she spoke, the blade that was on her neck suddenly disappeared, and everyone heard the voice changing from cold to amusement as he laughed. "Pfft! Looks like I got you good this time, Sylv." Turning around, she saw Lucas, who she hadn''t seen in months, trying to hold back his laughter. "Lucas!" She exclaimed loudly as she ran right in front of him, yet she wasn''t angry or anything at the prank he pulled on her; only worry could be seen in her eyes. She had totally forgotten about her image... "You actually came for the exam!? Are you sure you should be here? You aren''t hurt, right?" She started barraging him with questions as she kept checking his upper body for any injuries... "H-huh! Calm down, Sylv, I am fine. Why are you so worried?" Lucas said, bewildered, as he held both of her shoulders to stop her from pacing around him. "What do you mean why!? Of course I would be worried! After everything you went through!" She said as if she couldn''t understand why Lucas would ask her that. Finally, after hearing her, his eyes widened for a second as if he realized something before his face relaxed with a small smile appearing on his face. "I see you have heard about ''it''... you don''t need to worry. I am perfectly fine now." Lucas said with a gentle voice, making her finally calm down a little. "Are you sure?" "I am. Don''t worry, we can talk about this after the exam, alright?" he said as both realized what they had done as they glanced at everyone who was watching the two of them bewildered. ''Ah! I just ruined my perfect image!'' Sylviette shouted in her mind but didn''t show anything on her face as it returned to that before Lucas'' prank. Releasing his hands from her shoulders, she suddenly felt a little disappointed from the warmth leaving her. Lucas turned towards the group of people, or better yet, the three other champions as they all looked at him as well. His face turned to that of no emotion, as did his eyes, bewildering most again at the sudden switch. ''Ugh, please don''t cause any trouble, Lucas...'' Sylviette prayed in her mind, but her hopes vanished as she looked towards Lucas and heard his next words. "So these three are the current champions of the human domain, huh?" he said as his voice wasn''t cold anymore but neither was it warm or gentle like when he talked to Sylviette a moment ago. The three, hearing his voice, narrowed their eyes at him as they didn''t like how he looked at them. They felt as if they were not his equal at all... Before anyone could object, Lucas''s body was suddenly in red lightning as he suddenly disappeared from his spot, leaving only a trail of red lightning behind. And then... He was in front of the hero, Klaus. Chapter 54 - 54: The White Devil and The Hero As Lucas stood face to face with the future face of humanity, he only had one thought as he looked at him. Pathetic. The one who was said to become the strongest was simply pathetic. "What are you doing?" Lucas questioned coldly. The hero in front of him was just frozen like a statue. Unlike him, the other two champions at least got ready to fight the moment Lucas moved. Leonne Velheim had his double-edged sword out, surrounded by a red aura. Amaya Frostheart''s hair fluttered in the air as the wind went wild around her. "W-what..." Klaus asked, confused, not understanding what Lucas meant. "You could clearly tell that I was about to attack you. I even slowed myself down so you could see me, yet instead of taking any action, you just stand here not moving at all..." "Honestly, it is just pathetic." "But..." "What do you expect, Lucas Nightstar? You just came out of nowhere and attacked Klaus when he was least expecting it. There was no reason for him to be on guard," Amaya Frostheart responded cutting in, trying to defend the hero. Hearing her defense for such a pathetic display, he coldly looked at her and spoke: "Least expected? We are in an apocalyptic city overrun by monsters. No one knows where the three calamities are. No one knows what other creatures could be lurking around the corners. You are meant to be always on guard in such a situation unless you just want to die and fail the exam. Besides the three calamities aren''t the only threat in this city." "It looks like you lot haven''t really encountered many creatures that reside in this city. Truly amazing luck since you are just standing here in the open street with none of your guards up as if offering yourself up as prey. Oh, and do not forget that it never stated that we couldn''t kill each other." Lucas kept going as he venomously spat each reason why they shouldn''t be this relaxed. He was honestly feeling a little bitter since the moment he arrived he had to fight three disgusting king predators of C rank. ''So unfair...'' Hearing his cold words, all Amaya could do was close her mouth and avert her eyes. Leonne didn''t even bother to argue with him since everything he said was true after all... They shouldn''t have been this relaxed. ''This Leonne really reminds me of Victor for some reason...'' "And you guys..." Lucas said as he turned towards the other members of the group, and more specifically to the people who were arguing before, which Lucas had heard everything about. "You are all seriously having an argument in the middle of the street, attracting every beast''s attention that could be sleeping beneath your feet? Are those heads of yours just for decoration or something? Just hiding in the shadows of the other champions hoping to pass this exam easily? You really think they aren''t monitoring our every action? They obviously wouldn''t allow such people to enter the academy." Lucas spoke annoyed at the leeches trying to easly pass the exam while sticking close to the champions. "You! You dare speak to me this way! Even if perhaps these rumors of you are true, you still aren''t officially a champion! And besides, know your place. You are only a son of a mere viscount! You have a little sister, right? If not yours don''t think I won''t be able to make her life miser-" "Hey." Before the human, who was probably of a higher status than Lucas, could finish speaking, everyone heard the cold voice of Lucas that sent chills down their spines as he suddenly stood behind the boy. ''Fast!'' That was everyone''s thought as they didn''t even see him move as red lightning crackled around his body, not even leaving a trail this time. "Huh?" The boy suddenly exclaimed, confused. Lucas, holding the right arm of the boy which he had ripped off, had claws made out of red lightning on his hand. He continued to speak as if unfazed by the bloody arm he was holding. "Just who gave you permission to speak and especially dare to threaten me?" As he spoke, the boy slowly glanced at his right side only to see that blood was spurting from where his entire right arm should have been. "A-AAAAARRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!" The boy shouted as he fell on the ground and started rolling around, hoping to lessen the pain he was feeling from having his entire arm ripped off. Not being done with him, Lucas stabbed his sword right into the boy''s left shoulder, keeping him in place on the ground as he unleashed another wail of agony. Yet Lucas was merciless and didn''t show the boy any compassion. "Consider this your final warning. Threaten anyone I care about ever again, and you could be the crown prince himself. I will still kill you in this world and the other," Lucas stated coldly without an ounce of remorse as the boy could only weakly look up at him with just fear. "I-I am s-sorry... p-please forg-give me..." He said weakly as all the others watched in horror, not being able to do anything. Well, not everyone watched in horror. Leonne, Sylviette, and Amaya all watched neutrally at the scene, as they weren''t bothered by it at all. They all felt that what Lucas did was justified since the boy dared to threaten him when he gave them advice. But... The face of the hero, Klaus. It wasn''t neutral in the slightest. His pathetic demeanor of rainbows and sunshine finally disappeared, as well as his bewildered face from before. He was currently looking at Lucas with immense anger, and golden aura was oozing out of his body surrounding him. Holding on his right hand was a beautiful silver sword with engravings that would make people do anything to obtain it in the name of greed. "Get away from him," he said coldly while pointing his sword at Lucas. This time everyone except for Lucas was surprised at the sudden change in Klaus''s behavior. Lucas didn''t do what he asked, and only a grin appeared on his face as he straightened his back and looked straight into his golden eyes with his blood-red dragon eyes. "What if I don''t?" Lucas asked, amused at his sudden behavior. "I''ll become your enemy," Klaus responded as he narrowed his eyes at him. This time it was Lucas''s turn to narrow his eyes as he heard what the hero said. "Was that supposed to be a threat? What makes you think I care whether you are my ally or enemy?" Lucas asked, intrigued by what Klaus meant by becoming his enemy. Everyone here could tell that if Lucas wanted, he would easily be able to kill him. Even Klaus knew that perfectly. The atmosphere was getting quite tense as most stood watching with bated breath, expecting to witness a confrontation between the white devil and the hero. "I might not be able to defeat you now, Lucas Nightstar, but I will one day. Being my enemy would also make you the enemy of humanity," Klaus said, though only the last part was true in Lucas'' eyes. Hearing his response, Lucas only shrugged his shoulder in amusement as he answered "Been there, done that already once. Wouldn''t mind becoming the enemy of humanity for a second time." Lucas''s answer confused everyone, furrowing their brows as they tried to understand how he could have been the enemy of humanity before. "Besides, what makes you think that you would actually surpass me? Don''t get confident, Klaus Ceviel, just because humans believe that you will become the strongest. It is, after all, only a belief and not a reality at the moment. I could always just kill you in real life before you reach your peak." Lucas stated bluntly, causing Klaus to grip his sword tighter, acknowledging the truth in Lucas''s words. It was obvious to everyone here that Lucas didn''t care in the slightest about what race he belonged to and would simply kill if he deemed you an enemy. It was as if he didn''t see himself as part of the human race at all, disturbing many present... "Even then, that would be for me to worry about later. Right now, I''ll ask you again: please step aside and let the boy go. There was no need for you to be so cruel towards him since he only used empty words against you." "Naive, just how naive are you, Klaus Ceviel? Just because you are the hero of humanity doesn''t mean you are meant to be every human''s hero. How would you know if what this boy said was just empty words, huh? Why should I wait and let him grow until he becomes a thorn in my path?" Lucas said, annoyed at Klaus''s reason for pointing his sword at him. "Even then, there is always a better way to solve this. We shouldn''t act like demons; we aren''t like those vile creatures. We should act better," the hero suddenly said, leaving Lucas and the rest dumbfounded. "Are you stupid?" Lucas honestly asked, bewildered this time, as he heard what the hero just said. "Sure, I agree that demons are vile creatures that need to be exterminated, but... this world isn''t just black and white, Klaus. This isn''t a fairy tale where humans are good and demons are bad. There are plenty of humans who would do far worse than demons would. Don''t let your hatred for demons cloud your judgment," Lucas warned. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The same could be said for this boy here..." Lucas continued as he gripped his sword and twisted it slightly, making the person beneath him cry out in pain. Klaus''s face became only more complex at hearing Lucas''s words and witnessing the actions he performed in front of him. He felt that what Lucas said was right, but at the same time, he believed that Lucas shouldn''t be this cruel. He could only grit his teeth as he contemplated what his next actions should be against Lucas. "Enough," Sylviette suddenly cut in between them, calming the atmosphere down a little and causing everyone to release a breath of relief. Turning towards Lucas, Sylv spoke gently, making everyone feel complicated. "Lucas, can you play with him later on? We need to save our energy, which we have already wasted a lot today, to fight the calamities later on." she asked, hoping Lucas would understand¡ªluckily, he is a very understanding person who always listens... yes, definitely. ''She is right; I shouldn''t push him too much for now...'' "Mm, you are right. Let''s go relocate somewhere safe instead, where we can talk about how we should handle this exam and the calamities" Lucas said as all nodded their heads and started leaving the streets, trying to find a perfect place to camp for now. Pulling out his blade from the boy, he walked over to Sylv and walked together with her as everyone only looked at the boy with pity, since no one wanted to help him. In the end, this was still an exam where it was only necessary to team up to defeat the calamities, and right now, Lucas Nightstar and the other champions are their best bet. So they decided to ignore him and follow the champions silently, not wanting to get on Lucas''s bad side at the same time. Everyone did that except for Klaus, who walked over to the beaten boy and gave him a healing potion to stop the bleeding and ease the pain. That was all he could do as he started carrying him towards the rest. The other members glanced at him and then at Lucas to see if he would get angry. Lucas, though, was unbothered by his actions and kept conversing with Sylv as they tried to find a camp to rest. ''I wonder how long this exam will take...'' Chapter 55 - 55: Wings of Despair [1] Currently, both Lucas and Sylv were sitting on the edge of the rooftop of an old abandoned parking garage they found, gazing at the stars illuminating the dark night. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The parking garage had three floors and was perfect to act as a temporary base. On the second floor was where the other members with the three champions currently were residing. A few hours had passed since Lucas had joined the group and confronted the hero. While they went out searching and before finding this base, they only got attacked once by a few undead, mainly skeletons. Having a total of four champions, or better said, five since Lucas will most definitely be an official champion after the exam, they easily took care of the undead. Both decided to leave for some fresh air and get away from all the gazes directed at them after they found their camp. "To think you already reached the next star level... and they call me a monster." "Hmph! It is because you are a monster! There is no way you could deny that, you freak." "Besides, you got to fight three C-rank king predators and actually defeated them while limiting yourself! So stop complaining, you know how much I want to fight those spiders now!" Sylv said, turning her head away and pouting ''Great, another one...'' "Perhaps, but so are you, you know? Did you hide most of your talent then? They did say that Klaus has more talent than you, but now I highly doubt that since you managed to surpass two substages, reaching a new star level in a few months'' time," Lucas said calmly while gazing at the beautiful stars shimmering in the dark. "Hehe, well, I had no real reason to try that hard back then," Sylv said happily for some reason, making Lucas intrigued as he turned his face towards her. "Oh? So what has changed for you to finally start trying?" As Lucas asked, Sylv turned her face towards him, gazing straight into his red dragon eyes. "You." ''''Eh?'''' Lucas was bewildered as Sylv suddenly declared her reason for becoming stronger while looking straight into his eyes as if peering into his soul. Her eyes were full of determination and resolve as Lucas stared back at her with wide eyes. ''I have never seen her this serious...'' "I don''t want to be left behind. It is obvious that us champions are all going to be in the middle of all future events that would make drastic changes in Myrniel, but... out of all us champions, you would be ahead of us, always standing in front of us. I don''t want that. I want to be able to fight with you." "You are my only and best friend, Lucas. I want to be standing next to you at your side," Sylv spoke with such resolve that, as her silver hair reflected the moonlight, was fluttering around, Lucas could only watch her in a daze after finally snapping out of it before she noticed. ''Best friend, huh...'' Lucas thought as a small smile appeared on his face as he turned back to watching the stars. "I see. Thanks for telling me, Sylv; it means a lot." "Mm, always." "Still... to think that they managed to replicate such a disastrous place so perfectly..." "Huh? Replicate what? What do you mean by that?" Lucas asked, turning his head in confusion towards her after hearing what Sylv said. Sylv only furrowed her brows as she gazed back at Lucas. "You don''t know? Didn''t the teacher in charge tell you about this city?" "No? The man just said that we would be sent into an apocalyptic city overrun by monsters." "Well, the teacher in charge of us told us that this city was based on a real-life disaster that happened a century ago." "So all of this really happened? How, though?" "A dungeon break was the cause, apparently." "I see, that makes sense..." Lucas muttered under his breath. "By the way, what was the name of your teacher that was in charge?" "Hmm, if I recall correctly, his name was Julius Cordis." "As I suspected... you really got him, huh?" Sylv suddenly said as she gazed back at the stars. "Is something up with the guy?" "Well, yeah. Julius Cordis is one of the only few space users in Myrniel besides you, of course. The man is said to be a genius, and what makes it more special is that he is actually a half-elf. Though most wouldn''t be able to notice. He is a real monster, if I am honest. He is only 21 and already at the Peak 9-star level." Hearing her praise for the man named Julius Cordis, Lucas also got intrigued and was getting more curious about him. Before he could ask more questions, though, he saw something weird. In the corner of his eyes, he saw somewhere far in the sky a black dot. "Hmm? Do you see that black dot as well, Sylv?" Lucas asked since he was not sure if he was going crazy... going even more crazy, or if it genuinely was something. Hearing his question, Sylviette also turned her head to where Lucas was gazing and also saw the black dot. "Yeah, I can see it as well. Just what is that weird spot?" "Hey... is it me, or is that black dot getting bigger and bigger?" As Lucas said that and gazed at the black dot, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. His heart started beating louder and louder for some reason... "L-Lucas... something is wrong. I have never seen the spirits be this scared..." As Sylviette spoke, the air around them started to shake, and the winds got even wilder. Both their hairs started fluttering violently because of the sudden change. As both stood up, Lucas summoned his Blade of Chaos while Sylviette had dozens of ice spears suddenly floating around her. As the danger they felt increased with each passing second, the black dot in the distance grew larger and larger until it was close enough to reveal its true form. They saw something that made their hearts tremble with terror. Both unconsciously gripped their hands tight until their knuckles turned white. Cold sweat was dripping down on the ground from the both of them. Their eyes were wide open, and their bodies visibly trembled with fear... In the dim, eerie light of the night, they saw a harrowing sight: a grotesque, nightmarish moth, towering at a staggering 20 meters. Its form was as black as the void, covered in twisted, jagged scales that seemed to writhe and pulse. Its enormous wings, while adorned with beautiful yet ominous white patterns, were frayed and tattered, edges ragged as if torn by countless battles. The stark contrast was chilling, an eerie beauty amidst utter horror. The moth''s dark red eyes glowed menacingly, bulging out grotesquely, casting a sickly, crimson hue that pierced through the darkness with a gaze that seemed to see straight into their souls. With each sinister flap of its massive wings, it created thunderous shockwaves, the air vibrating violently with every beat. The once gentle night breeze transformed into a howling gale, tearing at their clothes and making the buildings tremble. Its wings, covered in rough, spiny protrusions, cut through the air with a sound that was both deafening and otherworldly. As the monstrous moth descended, it landed on a broken building with an unsettling, bone-chilling grace, the structure trembling under its weight. The impact sent debris tumbling down, the building groaning as if in pain, on the verge of collapse. Its body, segmented and bristling with sharp, chitinous spines, exuded a putrid stench that filled the air, making their stomachs churn. The moth''s antennae, long and whip-like, writhed in the air, sensing and probing, adding to its nightmarish appearance. The sight of the giant moth, with its grotesque presence and the devastation it wrought, left them paralyzed with fear, their minds struggling to comprehend the nightmare unfolding before them. Before them stood one of the three great calamities. The calamity of Despair. Chapter 56 - 56: Wings of Despair [2] As both gazed at the nightmarish behemoth, Lucas''s heart kept beating loudly against his chest. After an entire minute of watching the colossal insect, Lucas finally snapped out of his daze as a bitter laugh escaped his mouth. He was actually feeling nervous... Hearing the laugh next to her, Sylviette also snapped out of it and looked at Lucas with worry. "I have been trying to find the three great calamities for days, and the one day I decide not to search for them, one instead finds me..." Lucas said as he gazed at the creature, which, with its massive, jagged legs ending in razor-sharp claws, dug into the crumbling concrete, causing the structure to groan under its immense weight. "I am starting to see how this city fell..." Sylviette spoke as she gazed back at the colossal moth as well. ''I was confident in fighting the three calamities before, but now... That thing is at least a B-ranked beast.'' The difference from C-rank to B-rank is immense, to the point that B-ranked dungeons are most of the time only allowed to be entered if you are at least a grandmaster and have the approval of the human government in the human domain. Lucas was confident he could fight a B-ranked beast, even though he had never done it before or seen one. But seeing the stark difference now, he had to reconsider his remark about defeating the three calamities at the beginning of the exam. ''No... I can win by myself, but only if I don''t limit myself against the thing. Though that would mean revealing too much to the public.'' As both were lost deeply in their own thoughts, they suddenly heard a bewildered voice behind them. "What..." Turning around, they could see Amaya, Leonne, Klaus, and the others on the rooftop with their weapons out, looking towards one of the calamities. Most could be seen trembling, their bodies shaking as their faces became pale. Just a glance at it was enough for everyone to know that it is incredibly dangerous and harrowing to fight the grotesque creature. Even if they worked together, most wouldn''t be able to survive the battle... "So what is the plan to kill it?" Suddenly, everyone heard a voice and snapped their heads towards it. The one who asked the question was none other than Leonne Velheim himself. He didn''t look pale or scared at all, watching the moth with his usual stoic face. Amaya could be seen shaking her head as if she was used to this... "Y-you are crazy! Don''t you see that thing? How are we supposed to fight something like that?" Someone decided to voice out the thoughts of many present who were starting to despair. "Yeah... I mean, come on, just how are we supposed to defeat that... and there are two more after." "It''s impossible to pass this exam..." "Wait... do we really need to kill the calamities to pass? I mean, it did say that we should also survive and there is a time limit." "Yeah, and didn''t the teacher say that we would only fail if we die?" "...No way, so if we just survive until the time limit ends, we can pass?" As the realization hit them, they all started quietly arguing about leaving the three calamities and just surviving until the time ends. Klaus, seeing all of this, decided to calmly intervene under the amused gaze of Lucas and Sylviette, who was annoyed yet hid it. "Guys, I know this situation doesn''t seem ideal, but we shouldn''t run away from our problems." ''This guy...'' Everyone suddenly became quiet as they looked towards the hero who started calmly looking towards the behemoth with fiery determination in his eyes as he continued. "We are here to become heroes, all of us. The whole point of becoming a hero is to protect the innocent. How can we do that if we start running away like cowards whenever we face a despairing situation?" The hero spoke with such conviction, managing to actually change the opinions of quite a few surprisingly. ''I really feel like punching the guy...'' Though not everyone was convinced, another managed to speak up against the hero after resolving himself. "T-that doesn''t mean anything if we are guaranteed to fail this exam if we choose to fight that thing! Sure, what you say might be right, but we aren''t as strong as you are currently! The only way for some of us to become heroes is if we can enter the academy! I don''t know about you guys, but I am leaving. There is no way I am giving up my future for some words of yours." The boy said as he was starting to head out of there. "Wait-" Before Klaus could catch up to him and try to convince him, Lucas spoke for the first time, making everyone present freeze and turn to look at him. "Let him go." "What?" Klaus questioned, confused at what Lucas just told him. "I said let him go. In fact, everyone here who wants to leave, just leave. The speculations you guys have about the three calamities not being needed to kill to pass the exams are probably true. No, I am certain it is true. But do remember that every action of ours is monitored; perhaps you might still pass though..." "So for anyone who wants to leave, now is your chance, since I will be engaging in combat soon with the behemoth." As Lucas calmly spoke, many were hesitating and deeply pondering what their next action should be. "Do you have a plan to fight it? It is just sitting there, gazing at some random spot. Perhaps we could take it by surprise?" Leonne asked with his stoic face, as he intended to stay and fight the behemoth as well. "I don''t have a plan, since it is pointless because it isn''t just sitting there doing nothing. It has been observing our every action since the very beginning and listening to what we are saying, though I doubt it understands what we are saying." As they listened to his words, almost everyone here felt a chill run down their spine. They were being observed... Even though, as they glanced at the behemoth that wasn''t looking at them with its dark red bulging eyes, they suddenly felt a wave of despair hit them. They suddenly felt like they were being watched. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "N-no way... doesn''t that mean that we can''t even run away now?" Someone decided to ask Lucas as she was extremely pale. "I don''t know," Lucas said as he shook his head a little. "But what I do know is that it is currently extremely interested in us¡ªor better said, in me and the other champions here. It probably sensed the quality of our mana and thinks we are delicious food for it. So maybe you might have some luck as it deems you insignificant trash," Lucas remarked, his tone carrying an edge of grim humor. The girl who asked the question wasn''t offended in the slightest by Lucas''s remark. Instead, she felt relief at hearing his words. In a way, they were quite reassuring to her and the others who wanted to get away from here. "How is it observing us, though? I don''t see its gross eyes watching us at all, but I still feel like it is watching us at the same time... It is strange," Amaya spoke up, voicing the unsettling feeling that had been gnawing at her. "I''m not sure... but it probably has to do with those two antennae, I think? I''m not a genius when it comes to insects," Lucas replied, his own confusion evident. However, being a half-dragon and more experienced than the rest, he could easily tell that they were being intensely observed since the moment the behemoth landed. The Shroud of Despair''s antennae moved with a life of their own, undulating and twitching in the air. These sensory appendages were more than just physical extensions¡ªthey were the creature''s primary means of perceiving its surroundings. They could detect the faintest traces of mana, the subtle shifts in the air, and the quiet whispers. Even without its eyes looking at them, the moth could ''see'' them. Every slight movement, every whisper, and every heartbeat within its vicinity was registered by the antennae, allowing it to observe them with an unnerving precision. This method of perception made the creature even more terrifying, as it didn''t need to rely on sight to track its prey. It was an all-seeing harbinger of despair, its focus unwavering and its hunger insatiable. ''We shouldn''t waste too much time and let it attack us first...'' "Okay, time is up." Lucas suddenly spoke coldly again, making most straighten their backs as they heard his words. "It probably won''t sit there watching us calmly forever; it may attack us now at any moment, so I recommend for those who want to flee to do it now and fast before it is too late." Chapter 57 - 57: Wings of Despair [3] Silence. Silence was all that filled the stadium as each spectator watched the floating screens projecting Lucas Nightstar. Ever since he defeated the three C-rank king predators, he had been watched 24/7. A screen always projected him in the stadium. But now... All screens in the stadium, and even those outside, were solely streaming him. Every single time Lucas Nightstar made a move, it shocked each one of them. From the moment he defeated the C-rank king predators, he suddenly started exploring around the city as if looking for something, making people confused about what or whom he was searching for. That confusion then turned into shock as they started to realize what he was searching for: the three great calamities. He was searching for them on his own the entire time. He never joined any groups or tried to stay too long with them, breezing past everyone in the city just to find the three great calamities on his own. The spectators thought he was stupid and crazy for being alone, yet at the same time, they felt he was courageous and brave, making them cheer for him. It kept going like that until the third day arrived. For the first time, Lucas Nightstar did something that stopped his usual routine. He saw a group of people yet didn''t ignore them; instead, he approached them. His every action was like a lightning bolt hitting the crowd as they watched him threaten the life of the elven princess, making a lot of people start to hate him. But that soon turned into bewilderment after they realized it was just a prank between two friends. Friends... Lucas Nightstar and Sylviette Velariah are friends. And extremely close as well. Two people who should have nothing to do with each other were, in fact, friends. It didn''t end there... Suddenly, surprising every single person, Lucas did something that no one expected, causing everyone to have various reactions. They all saw as he suddenly appeared face-to-face with the hero of humanity, Klaus, and was... disappointed. They heard everything Lucas told him and the rest of the group. At that moment, only three words registered in their minds when they looked at him: sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''Cruel, Merciless, and Crazy.'' He didn''t hesitate to strike down someone who insulted him, ripping his arm off so fast that no one could even see. He challenged three champions and their entire team without an ounce of fear or hesitation. Directly challenging the hero of humanity himself. Declaring in front of everyone that he wouldn''t care about becoming the enemy of humanity. Not many people took lightly to that declaration. And now they were all watching in dead silence as they listened to the conversation between Lucas and the rest about how to deal with one of the calamities that suddenly showed up. This year''s exam was much harder than all the previous ones because of how talented this generation was. And as everyone watched the B-ranked behemoth, some felt like they would pass out. Everyone had their eyes wide open and were watching with bated breath to see what this generation of top talents would do to deal with this situation. All except for one person... In a dimly lit room, a man sat on a dark throne, watching a holographic screen that showcased Lucas. The young man had black hair and golden eyes, as if you were gazing into the sun itself. His eyes were devoid of any emotion, as if the man wasn''t even alive. Yet, if one looked closely enough, they would see a small smile on his face as he gazed at Lucas. Just looking at the man would make most fall unconscious out of pure fear. His mere presence was that overwhelming, even surpassing that of Magnus. Suddenly, the man spoke with his heavy voice that resounded throughout the room, his voice containing not a single emotion in it. "Lucas Nightstar... you really are an interesting one." "Let''s just see what more surprises you have in store for me... as I can''t wait to meet you." ***** Nine people. That''s how many decided to leave and run away before the calamity could reach them. The behemoth, noticing the sudden movement, only turned its head towards them, making many shiver in fear. Yet... Those eyes were only directed at a single person¡ªthe strongest of them all: Lucas. Lucas could feel its entire gaze focused solely on him, making him grit his teeth as he tried to calm down. ''It only cares about me and the other champions, but... I can tell it will only move if I move.'' Lucas wasn''t going to back down and decided to stare straight back at it. Despite the distance between them, they looked straight into each other''s eyes. A staring contest had begun between Lucas Nightstar and the Calamity of Despair. Sylviette had a deadpan look as she watched Lucas actually messing around at a time like this. They were currently thinking of a way to fight the behemoth, yet Lucas, instead of helping, was playing games with it! But that was only how it appeared to Sylviette and the others. In reality, both were measuring each other''s strength, a fact noticed only by the strong individuals in the outside world who were watching. ''This is troublesome... It probably isn''t physically strong but will be exceptionally fast and can fly, and who knows what else it could be hiding.'' Lucas was trying his best to come up with a way to deal with the behemoth while being limited, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. ''Should I reveal another affinity of mine or reveal that I am a dual wielder?'' In the end, Lucas decided not to reveal anything yet. He would only do so when it was truly necessary or if he became bored. "Lucas." Suddenly, Sylv called out his name, but Lucas didn''t break eye contact with the behemoth for even a second. "What is it, Sylv?" "We have a plan to fight the behemoth, but..." "But?" Lucas asked, furrowing his brows a little at hearing her hesitation. "Well... it''s just that I think it''s a reckless plan..." "Klaus is also the one who came up with it." "Alright... just tell me what the plan is." "Klaus says he has a few skills that make him look harmless and friendly towards creatures. He would try to distract the calamity by himself with his skill while we try to kill it when it doesn''t notice us." Hearing the plan, he honestly thought a bunch of amateur kids could have come up with something better... but he couldn''t complain since he was keeping the beast focused on him. Not having much choice and with no other plan in sight, Lucas decided to agree, feeling that they didn''t have much time left. He could feel the impatient gaze of the moth as it seemed to invite him to get closer. "Fine... but if he dies, that''s on him, alright?" "Mm, I will tell them that you approved of the plan." She said as she walked back over to the other champions to inform them. They were a distance away with the other members of the team. ''Hmm? Why would it matter if I approve or not... I never said that I was their leader, did I?'' Chapter 58 - 58: Wings of Despair [4] The plan was set, and everyone was ready to execute it. Lucas was still standing on the rooftop, knowing that the moment he moved, so would the behemoth. Klaus, Sylviette, and the others slowly moved away from the parking garage and towards the open streets. ''So this moth is one of the three calamities... I wonder what the other two would be. If my theory is correct, then the second calamity should be a spider since I met quite a few of them...'' As he was pondering, he suddenly felt a shift in the air around him. The moth did as well, stopping its gaze on him and turning its head away for the first time. Lucas let out a deep breath and did the same, turning towards the source of the shift. He and the moth suddenly saw Klaus standing alone in the middle of the abandoned streets. A golden hue surrounded Klaus. Lucas somehow felt calm as he gazed at Klaus, as if he could finally relax. He felt like he could let go of all his worries, as if the boy in front of him would handle everything for him. Klaus felt like a light shining in the vast darkness of Lucas''s mind, like he was someone divine... Lucas didn''t like that feeling. He didn''t like it at all, and suddenly, the annoying sensation he got from Klaus disappeared instantly as his passive skill [Dragon''s Pride] activated. ''So it affects the mind, huh...'' As Lucas realized the reason, he glanced back at the moth and saw that it was now looking only at Klaus. The calamity suddenly descended from the broken building, its massive form moving with a nightmarish grace. The ground shook violently as it landed, cracks spiderwebbing through the pavement beneath its weight. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the night sky momentarily. With unnerving precision, the moth stood directly in front of Klaus, its entire attention fixated on him. The creature''s dark red eyes seemed to burn with newfound intensity, locking onto Klaus with a gaze that felt both ancient and malevolent. The antennae, now fully extended, pointed towards him, twitching and writhing as they sensed the potent mana radiating from his body. Klaus could feel the immense pressure of the Calamity of Despair''s presence bearing down on him. The air grew thick with dread, and his every instinct screamed at him to flee. Yet, he stood his ground, his heart pounding like a war drum. The moth''s wings fluttered slightly, the resulting shockwave sending a violent gust of wind that almost knocked Klaus off his feet. It was as if the creature was testing him, gauging his strength and resolve. The sheer power of its focus was overwhelming, a tangible force that threatened to crush his spirit. For a moment, everything else faded away. There was only Klaus and the Calamity of Despair, locked in a silent, harrowing confrontation. ''Now is the perfect chance...'' Lucas thought as he gazed from the rooftop, seeing them face to face. Suddenly, before anyone else could take action, a strange blue hue began to pulsate throughout the behemoth''s entire body, ending at its two antennae. The eerie glow spread rhythmically, as if the creature were charging up some formidable energy within itself. Confusion and bewilderment spread among the onlookers. The pulsating blue light intensified, then abruptly disappeared. Silence filled the city, and everyone was left wondering what had just transpired. ''Just what did it try to¡ª'' Lucas''s thought was cut off as an intense shockwave erupted. Blue energy shot out of the behemoth, sending Klaus hurtling through the air. He crashed into an abandoned car with a violent impact, the metal crumpling beneath him. Before Lucas could jump in and take action, the behemoth vanished from its spot, and a gust of wind hit everyone hard again. In an instant, it reappeared right in front of Klaus, its dark red eyes gleaming with malevolent intent. The speed and precision of its movement were terrifying. The behemoth raised its grotesque right leg, its jagged claws poised to strike down on Klaus. In a split second, Klaus summoned his silver sword, the gleaming blade intercepting the attack just in time. However, facing off against a B-ranked beast like the Calamity of Despair, Klaus knew he couldn''t hold out for long. With a mighty crash, he was sent tumbling across the streets, using his sword to anchor himself and halt his momentum. Before Klaus could regain his bearings, the behemoth vanished with a swirl of wind, only to reappear in front of him once more. This time, as it swung its jagged leg, Leonne intervened, positioning himself between Klaus and the calamity. A red aura enveloped Leonne and his weapon as he deflected the attack with expert precision. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not content with just a defensive stance, Leonne countered, launching himself into the air with a graceful leap, intent on striking at the behemoth''s bulging eyes. However, the creature proved to be quicker, blocking Leonne''s assault with its razor-sharp claws. A fierce battle ensued, the clash of sword against claw echoing through the deserted streets. Despite Leonne''s skill and determination, the behemoth''s overwhelming strength began to overpower him. With a brutal force, it crashed him into a nearby building, leaving him dazed and wounded. Intending to finish him off, the behemoth was about to leave when its legs were suddenly ensnared by ice thorns, halting its retreat. Not done yet, sharp blades of wind began to assail it, slicing through its thick hide and drawing annoyed screeches from the creature rather than agonized cries. Turning its head, the behemoth saw that it was surrounded by multiple people, most of whom were visibly terrified. Yet, amidst the fear, it could sense two girls who exuded an aura of strength, the source of its annoyance. Before anyone could react, the behemoth broke free from the ice thorns with a powerful burst of strength, closing the distance between itself and the group in an instant. With a lightning-fast motion, it swung down both its legs, the sheer force of the strike cleaving three of the examinees in half, their gruesome demise inducing retching from those who witnessed it. But the behemoth wasn''t finished. Its two antennae began to pulsate with another blue hue, and in an instant, a shockwave of blue energy erupted from them. This time, instead of being flung away, most people fell to their knees, overcome by agonizing screams that echoed through the air. Even Amaya and Sylviette were not spared. Though they remained standing, their faces twisted in pain as the relentless assault continued. Summoning her strength amidst the torment, Sylviette raised her arm, causing dozens of icicles to materialize around her before launching towards the behemoth in a deadly storm. As the creature prepared to evade the icy onslaught, Klaus suddenly materialized beside it, his silver blade flashing with a golden aura as he delivered a deep, searing cut to its left leg. With a pained screech, the behemoth staggered, unable to retaliate as the barrage of icicles rained down upon it, tearing through its flesh and leaving a myriad of wounds in their wake. Before it could recover, a barrage of wind struck, further impeding its movements. In the midst of the chaos, Leonne who was bleeding reappeared, slicing through one of the behemoth''s eyes with precision. The others didn''t dare to approach the behemoth, fully aware of its formidable speed and power, unwilling to risk getting too close. The creature''s piercing screeches echoed relentlessly throughout the city, sending waves of fear and panic rippling through all who heard it, whether human or beast, compelling some to flee while others were drawn towards the source of the disturbance. Despite the chaos and danger, the group continued their relentless assault on the behemoth, each member unleashing their own unique attacks in a desperate attempt to overwhelm and subdue the monstrous creature. Meanwhile, Lucas remained unperturbed, perched on the rooftop with an air of calm detachment. His legs dangled over the edge as he observed the unfolding battle with a faint smile playing on his lips. Chuckling softly to himself amidst the cacophony of destruction below, he remarked with an amused glint in his eyes "I wonder when it''s my turn..." Chapter 59 - 59: Wings of Despair [5] Thirty minutes. Thirty minutes had passed since the battle began between the Calamity of Despair and the examinees. In those thirty minutes, Lucas hadn''t moved an inch as he gazed at the chaos happening beneath him. The moth had countless injuries, but none were fatal. It was starting to show signs of exhaustion from battling the examinees. Klaus, Leonne, and Amaya had a few wounds, with Amaya being more exhausted than wounded since she wasn''t a close-combat mage. Sylviette, on the other hand, didn''t have a single wound and didn''t even look tired. Since the mental attack by the beast, she had stayed far back, assisting them with her ice magic. Two more examinees had died in those thirty minutes, their bodies disappearing and leaving blue particles in the air. The sound of the battle and the behemoth''s screeches attracted a lot of attention in the city, causing more beasts and examinees to appear. The newcomers instantly helped the champions when they saw they were facing one of the calamities. Confirming Lucas''s theory, many of the new beasts were spiders, ranked between D and C, but no C-rank king predators like the ones Lucas encountered earlier. He was sure now that the second great calamity was a spider, leaving only the third unknown... for now. He knew other beasts must be in the city, but most were spiders, as if the other beasts had been killed by them. The examinees decided to put themselves to good use by fighting the spiders to prevent them from interfering with the champions and the behemoth. Even though Lucas could have prevented the five deaths that occurred, he didn''t. He just sat there, occasionally receiving hateful glares from the examinees. The newcomers were especially enraged, not knowing him well and thinking he was just being lazy. Sylviette also kept glancing at him, annoyed, knowing that he could end this already. The reason he didn''t help prevent the deaths or try to kill the calamity was simple... He didn''t want to. There was no reason for him to prevent the deaths of others since he had already figured out how the exam worked. You could pass this exam in three different ways if he was right. The first way was what those who fled did before the battle against the Calamity of Despair happened. If they managed to survive until the time limit, they would pass the exam. The second way was killing one or all three of the great calamities, resulting in an instant pass. The third and final way was also really simple. Shield was a place for nurturing future heroes. What are they going to do if they see someone stand up and face a situation knowing they wouldn''t win but still give their all, even if it results in death? It was obvious that such a person has the potential to become a hero. If you fight against one of the three calamities, it wouldn''t matter if you died by it or survived¡ªyou would still pass. The last way was the reason for Lucas not preventing them from dying. In the end, they should be grateful to him, no? By not helping them, they passed the exam and could already go and rest! As for why he didn''t help them kill the beast... he was in a dilemma, that is why. He didn''t know if he should fight the beast or not. He was confused, knowing that if he stepped in, the fight would be over much faster. Especially now, even if he was limited, the behemoth was weakened enough for Lucas to end it. But the words of his grandfather still echoed in his mind as he gazed at the battle still happening. "Should I fight or not? And if I do fight, should I reveal more of my affinities or not?" Lucas was thinking about how to face the calamity. Not the Calamity of Despair that the champions were fighting, but the calamity that was currently approaching them... Even though he didn''t see anything, he could hear and occasionally see buildings and other structures falling down far away, getting closer and closer to them. He knew the sound of battle would attract many beasts, but apparently, even one of the calamities was interested... perhaps even both. "Do not attract the attention of unwanted guests." Those were the words Magnus left him with before Lucas left the estate. Lucas agreed with what his grandfather said, or at least he would have if it wasn''t for the fact that he firsthand saw the difference between a C-ranked beast, a B-ranked beast, and... Karciel. He needed more power... and fast. He felt like the time when Karciel and he would meet again wasn''t far off, and when that time came, he would make sure to make him pay for everything. Not just him but Abadux as well. The both of them shall suffer until they beg him for mercy, and he wouldn''t grant it. He would make them face despair as they cry out in agony... Lucas''s face suddenly became darker as his eyes took on a dark shade. A subtle, dangerous energy of red and black started leaking out of him, alerting everyone present as they felt the shift in the air from something dangerous. Everyone froze and stopped fighting as they sensed something perilous. Looking toward the source of the dread they felt, they saw it was Lucas, casually sitting on the edge of the rooftop of the parking garage. His face, however, was not the same as before. His face was frightening. Everyone suddenly panicked and became confused at Lucas''s sudden change as he was lost in thought. The behemoth was the first to snap out of it, seizing the opportunity to strike at the annoying little bugs in front of it. Suddenly, before anyone could react, it appeared in front of Amaya, its grotesque claw poised to strike. But before the deadly blow could land, Klaus interceded, his sword intercepting the attack just in time. A golden trail shimmered in his wake, marking the path from where he had been standing. "Not this time," Klaus declared, his golden eyes burning brightly like the sun as he faced the monstrous moth. Enraged, the behemoth flapped its colossal wings, generating powerful shockwaves that forced Amaya and Klaus to stagger backward. Several people and beasts were sent hurtling away by the force. Taking to the air, the behemoth created even louder shockwaves, its single red eye fixed intensely on Klaus, radiating pure malevolence. Its annoyance was palpable. The creature''s intentions were clear: it aimed to quickly dispatch these persistent foes and then confront the enigmatic figure on the rooftop, whom it instinctively knew was the most dangerous of all. Despite its arrogance, the behemoth couldn''t shake the unsettling feeling that this person was a being of greater power and danger. An annoyed screech echoed from the moth as it soared above, dodging a barrage of ice spears and wind blades. Though it danced through most of the attacks, a few ice spears managed to graze it, exacerbating its irritation. Locking eyes with Sylviette was its fatal mistake. In that brief moment of distraction, a beam of light shot towards it, burning a hole through one of its wings. The behemoth hurled downwards, crashing hard to the ground with an agonized screech. As it staggered back to its feet, its remaining bulging eye locked onto Klaus with a hatred so intense it seemed to pulse visibly. A familiar blue hue began to pulsate throughout its body, just as it had before, signaling the buildup of another devastating attack. Everyone around tensed, alert to the imminent threat. "Enough." Suddenly, before the two could clash again, an extremely cold voice resonated through the battlefield, freezing everyone in place. Lucas was suddenly standing between the hero and the Calamity of Despair. His face and eyes were devoid of any emotion, as was the strange aura that had been surrounding him earlier. Lightning crackled around his body as he calmly watched the moth in front of him. Most of the newcomers were shocked; no one had even seen him arrive. As they glanced at his face, they felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort. His presence surpassed even that of the champions, causing many to gulp in apprehension. Not only were the humans affected, but even the spiders were fleeing as they felt the presence of another strong being. Though the Calamity of Despair was formidable, they had deemed it manageable to get some prey for themselves. However, the moment they sensed Lucas''s presence¡ªa presence that rivaled the calamity itself¡ªthey instantly began to flee, their instincts screaming of danger. The spiders perceived that Lucas was fundamentally different, far more dangerous than any other being on the battlefield. He was not like anyone else here, and his very essence radiated a lethal threat. Many were surprised to see the other beasts suddenly flee, but there were no cheers. All eyes were now locked on Lucas and the behemoth, who stared intently at each other. The blue hue on the behemoth''s body pulsated even faster as it remained on high alert. As the tension thickened, Lucas''s cold voice cut through the silent battlefield. "I''ll take over from now on. You can all go and rest... Good job." [AN: Have you been enjoying my novel so far? I hope so! Anyway, if you have been enjoying it, consider writing a review and throwing your power stones at me so my novel gets recognized more... Please.] S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 60 - 60: Fall of Despair Both Lucas and the Calamity of Despair stood in front of each other, waiting for who would be the first to strike. Klaus didn''t hesitate and backed away along with the others, feeling extremely tired and their mana exhausted. Everyone watched amidst the harrowing silence with bated breath as Lucas confronted the Calamity of Despair. As for why Lucas suddenly decided to enter the fight, there were two simple reasons. The first reason was... ''Fuck it...'' He wasn''t stupid; he knew perfectly well what type of uninvited guests could come knocking at his door. He had already experienced it countless times in his previous world. He needed to get the attention of a specific type of uninvited guests, but getting them in his current world was much harder, and he needed to get their attention... He needed more power and something or someone backing him up so that a situation like Karciel could never happen again. He would garner their attention and welcome the guests he wants to show up with open arms gladly if it meant his family''s protection and getting stronger. The second reason for entering the fight was that the second calamity was approaching fast, and he knew that it would get more dangerous as time kept going. Everyone could now properly hear amidst the silence the loud crashing and groaning sounds of buildings getting closer and closer, making everyone nervous as their faces turned grim at what could be approaching them. They all finally understood why Lucas decided to intervene now. It wasn''t just him; he could see that the moth was staring at him intensely with its single eye but at the same time was extremely impatient as well. Not to eat Lucas anymore but to end the fight as fast as possible as well. The most dangerous opponent suddenly decided to enter the fight, and at the same time, it could sense the one being it hated the most approaching them. It needed to finish this fight fast! Suddenly, as Lucas held his blade of chaos in his right hand, he disappeared. He was suddenly gone under everyone''s bewildered and shocked eyes. Even the behemoth didn''t understand what happened, until... Before anyone could understand what happened, the behemoth let out an agonizing screech as a deep cut formed on its side. Turning around quickly while swinging its right jagged leg out of instinct, it and everyone else saw Lucas standing there. As the leg was about to impale him on the spot and was inches from reaching his face, he disappeared again... Everyone, no matter if they were inside or outside this virtual world, opened their eyes wide and their bodies trembled upon realizing what happened... Space magic... Lucas Nightstar had just used space magic to teleport himself. A new space user has finally appeared in Myrniel... Appearing at the other side of the beast, Lucas thrust his blade forward with lightning crackling around it, intending to impale its head. But the moth, sensing his presence this time as it was no longer confused, shifted its body out of the way as the blade only met open air. As the behemoth''s claws descended upon him, Lucas met each strike with his blade enveloped in crackling lightning. The clash between them was intense, each blow ringing out like thunder as they moved with blinding speed. Lucas refused to yield, his determination matching the ferocity of the behemoth''s onslaught. Despite the creature''s size and strength, he held his ground, parrying and deflecting each blow with precision. Their movements created a tempestuous frenzy, whipping up gusts of wind that tore through the air and sent shockwaves reverberating in every direction. Nearby buildings groaned under the strain, unable to withstand the sheer force of their battle. The streets beneath them crumbled, unable to contain the immense destructive power unleashed by Lucas and the behemoth. Debris rained down as they danced across the broken terrain, their duel escalating into a cataclysmic clash of titans. For those below the level of a master, the spectacle was incomprehensible. The speed and ferocity of their combat surpassed what their eyes could see, leaving them in awe and terror as they struggled to keep up with the chaos unfolding before them. Lucas instantly decided to teleport away to a safe distance as he was annoyed that his surprise attack didn''t work. ''It should be fine and enough for them as long as I keep my dual-wielder talent and Chaos element hidden for now...'' As he thought that under the wary gaze of the behemoth and everyone else, Lucas suddenly uttered a word that made everyone look at him horrified, especially the Calamity of Despair. "[Infernal Chains]." As he spoke, chains of fire erupted out of the ground and started binding the behemoth''s legs and wings, burning it as it unleashed a wail of agony. Not done with the beast, Lucas was suddenly surrounded by dozens of red lightning javelins. As he aimed his right finger pointing at the behemoth, making a gun motion, they all launched at the beast. It kept screaming as it was getting electrocuted and burnt at the same time. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Being sent into a maddening crazed state, it managed to break free from the burning chains as it lunged towards Lucas, creating shockwaves in the air. Suddenly, it was in front of Lucas, no longer holding back and decided to finish him as fast as possible as the sounds of buildings crashing could be heard getting closer and closer. It swung its jagged left leg at Lucas as he managed to dodge it by teleporting away again. As he was again at a safe distance, he didn''t get enough time to take a breath as the pulsation of the creature finally stopped. Aiming its two antennae at Lucas, which were writhing and extending fully towards him, a blue beam of energy shot towards him, destroying everything and creating multiple shockwaves in the air. Instead of dodging the beam of energy, Lucas put his blade over his head and swung down vertically as the beam was about to hit him, making it split in two, shocking many again. Cutting through the attack that would have killed most masters, Lucas disappeared again and appeared right above the nightmarish moth. Sensing Lucas above it, it tried its best to move away as fast as possible. It was too late... It didn''t manage to move in time, resulting in one of its wings getting cut down as blood spurted out of its previous place. The moth screamed in extreme agony as it was blinded by pain. Lucas wasn''t done with him as he sent multiple fireballs straight towards him, increasing his agony and burning him even more. After that, a five-meter-wide field of electricity shot out of Lucas, stunning the beast momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Lucas was suddenly right in front of the moth as he swung his blade down and finally cut its head off. The blade sliced through flesh with a sickening sound, the air filled with the scent of blood as the creature''s head separated from its body in a gruesome display. Blood spurted out of its neck as its lifeless body fell to the ground. Everyone just watched in stunned silence at how overwhelmingly Lucas managed to defeat the colossal beast. One of the three great calamities... The Calamity of Despair... had finally died. Chapter 61 - 61: Dark Horse Sitting atop the lifeless body of one of the three great calamities was Lucas. He was calmly looking at the stars, illuminated by the moonlight, as everyone watched in stunned silence. Wasn''t it a little too easy? The moment he stepped in, he easily handled the moth as if it was nothing. Sure, the moth was weakened, but it still shouldn''t have been defeated this easily... right? The sound of buildings collapsing was getting closer and closer, yet no one moved as they just watched Lucas gazing at the stars silently. Breaking the silence for the first time between everyone was Sylviette as she spoke sarcastically, "Thanks for saving us by stealing the kill in the end." Lucas turned to face her with an annoyed look as he responded, "Steal? If you didn''t want me to steal the kill, then you should have properly fought yourself instead of hiding in the back like some scared little girl." Lucas said, annoyed at the fact that she could''ve done more herself. "Why should I when I can let you do all the work?" Sylviette retorted. Lucas''s lips twitched as he heard her bold remark. The newcomers watched, stunned, as they heard how casually the two talked to each other. Suddenly, breaking everyone''s thought was the sound of the ground trembling. "W-what is happening?" Someone said bewildered, not figuring out what caused the trembling. "What else? The second calamity or perhaps even the last are approaching us," Lucas responded. As he said this, all the examinees who hadn''t figured that out beforehand now paled. Before they could panic, though, they heard Leonne''s words, making them all look at him with a deadpan face. "So what is the plan to fight it or them?" he asked. Even Lucas looked at him with a deadpan face this time. "You nor anyone else is in the condition to fight another calamity or two, so just go somewhere safe unless you want to get yourself killed. Since I won''t be saving anyone who stays," Lucas stated. As Lucas spoke, Leonne furrowed his eyebrows and spoke once again with a little confusion evident in his voice. "You plan to fight one or two calamities all by yourself?" "Do you see someone else who could? Sure if perhaps the great princess of the elven race decided to grace us and not being lazy I wouldn''t need to fight alone," Lucas said, looking at Sylviette to annoy her. "You would make a lonely princess fight against two calamities responsible for destroying an entire city? How cruel..." Sylviette shot back, faking wiping her tears, making Lucas click his tongue and turn away as he said underneath his breath that she was lazy. She wasn''t wrong; there was no need for her to fight anymore, nor did she have any interest, so she was just going to enjoy the rest of the show. "I can still fight so I''ll help you," Klaus suddenly interjected, making everyone look at him. The future hero of humanity was severely wounded, blood dripping down his head. "Sure, go fight and die. I won''t help nor support you, though," Lucas said, and before Klaus could talk, he continued, "Nevermind. Don''t be a stupid idiot, Sylv. At the very least, heal him." As Lucas said this, Sylviette obliged and headed towards Klaus, extending her hands at him as a green hue enveloped him, healing his wounds slowly. The ground was trembling even more as the buildings started to groan. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Alright, time for you guys to lea-" Lucas suddenly stopped talking, making everyone look confused at him. ''Something is wrong...'' Lucas kept looking around with his head as he suddenly felt a gaze on him. ''Someone or something is watching me.'' ''Is it one of the calamities?'' The gaze, for some reason, made him uncomfortable; not even the moth made him this uncomfortable. He kept darting his eyes around as everyone watched his actions, confused, and most even got their weapons ready and on alert. They didn''t know what made Lucas suddenly so quiet and alert, but if he was, then they must be as well. ''Where...'' No matter where he looked, he couldn''t find the source of his discomfort anywhere. ''It feels like the gaze is directed at me from everywhere...'' ''I don''t like this...'' The ground kept trembling more and more, the buildings started to groan louder and louder, and some debris started falling from the buildings close by. Suddenly, Lucas jumped off the lifeless body of the calamity. "Let''s leave now... We can figure out how to fight the other calamities later on," he suddenly spoke, making everyone look at him in surprise. Just what could have made him back off suddenly at fighting the calamities by himself? Did he realize that he can''t fight them on his own in the end? Questions started filling everyone''s mind as Lucas already started walking, lightning beginning to crackle around him. "Wait, Lucas, what happened? Why did you suddenly decide to run?" Sylviette spoke, the question that was on everyone''s mind as they watched him. Lucas didn''t turn back as he spoke, "I don''t know." Everyone was again confused at his answer. He didn''t know? Before she or anyone else could question him again, Lucas spoke again. "The calamity will arrive here in about a minute if I am right. I will be going now. I will meet you and rest again for when you find a new base." As he said this, he suddenly disappeared, leaving only a trail of red lightning behind. "Huh!? Lucas, wait!" Sylviette shouted after him, but it was too late... Lucas was gone. Everyone was bewildered at the sudden turn of events but didn''t wait long as they hurriedly left as well, the tremors getting closer and closer. ******** Deciding he was far away from the calamity sensing or reaching him or anyone, he entered an old abandoned building as he kept calmly walking on the stairs until he reached the rooftop. He wanted to test if he could feel the gaze even inside a building... he could. Opening the door, he entered the rooftop as a gust of wind hit his face, making his hair flutter. Walking a little further, he suddenly stopped and turned around, facing the open door again. "You can show yourself now," Lucas suddenly spoke out, and as he did, a figure emerged from out the shadows of the door. The source of his previous discomfort closed the door gently as it walked further. Being illuminated by the moonlight was Lucas and... a girl. The shadows became deeper around them as the night felt like it grew darker. The girl had black hair like onyx, that felt like it was absorbing the light around them. Her blood-red eyes were just like Lucas''s except for the dragon pupils. Her figure was that of perfection, as she was only a head shorter than Lucas. A small smile was on the girl''s face as she stood face to face with Lucas. The smile, for some reason, made his heart race... ''As I thought, there would be a dark horse appearing...'' Lucas thought, gazing at the girl who would rival... no, perhaps even surpass Sylviette in beauty and... strength. Lucas could feel it; the girl in front of him was strong, exceptionally strong. Though most could also call Lucas a dark horse as he surpassed everyone''s expectations. Snapping out of his thoughts was the girl''s voice, like a beautiful string of harmony. "You didn''t need to isolate yourself from the others, you know?" "I thought that was the reason you were hiding while intensely gazing at me." "Sorry for that. You can''t blame me, right? Anyone would get shy gazing at someone as handsome as Lucas Nightstar himself?" Lucas looked amused at hearing the girl''s response. "I am sure someone as beautiful as you has seen plenty of shy men around you," Lucas said, making the girl in front of him chuckle a little. The way she laughed felt like someone he knew in the past... "What is your name? Only fair for me to know if you know mine," Lucas asked curiously about the mysterious girl in front of him. "I am quite popular, you know?" She said cutely, pouting but continued again, "Though that is only in name since I didn''t reveal myself much to the public like you. My name is Seraphina Darkcrest." Lucas was surprised hearing her name, especially her last name, since the Darkcrests were one of the three great dukes along with Velheim. Though surprised, he quickly composed himself. Who was he? He was a half-dragon and friends with the princess of the elven race! "Mind telling me the real reason you were hiding in the shadows, then, Lady Seraphina?" ''To be so proficient with shadow magic that she could see me from everywhere around...'' "Just Seraphina is fine for someone like you or Sera perhaps~" "As I said before, you were the reason..." Lucas furrowed his brows at how vaguely she spoke, but before he could respond, she suddenly walked right in front of him, leaning her face close to his left ear, a transparent dome of darkness suddenly surrounded them on the rooftop, isolating the sound outside and ensuring no one could hear them. The words she whispered made Lucas''s entire body freeze as his eyes shot wide open. His face became pale as the hair on his nape stood on end. "My Reaper~" Chapter 62 - 62: The Massacre of Shibuya Hospital. Blood. The scent of blood was everywhere. It seeped into the air, reaching far beyond the hospital''s cold, sterile walls, pervading the night. Bodies littered the ground outside, a grotesque display of men, women, and even children. Innocence and guilt no longer mattered. One of the hospital wings was engulfed in flames, an inferno that seemed to burn straight from Hell. Inside the hospital, the horror only deepened. Blood pooled in every corner, a macabre flood that painted the walls, floors, and ceilings in a sickening red. Dead bodies, lay scattered like discarded dolls. The air was thick with the coppery tang of blood and the stench of death. Brains were splattered against the walls, leaving behind a grotesque mosaic of gray matter. Throats were slit, the gaping wounds grinning in a sinister mockery. Hearts were stabbed, the still-warm flesh twitching in silent agony. Grotesque. The scene was beyond grotesque¡ªit was a nightmarish tableau of carnage and despair. Sirens wailed, their piercing screams echoing through the halls, a haunting symphony of chaos. Red lights flashed, casting eerie, pulsating shadows over the mutilated corpses. A building meant to save lives had become a slaughterhouse. Down one of the corridors, the floor was slick with blood. Bodies of armed men lay in heaps, their faces frozen in final expressions of terror and pain. They had all fallen to brutal stab wounds or vicious gunshots. Blood and brains mingled in a gruesome collage. At the end of the corridor, behind a door smeared with bloody handprints, lay the source of this unimaginable horror... Three people could be seen: one was a handsome young boy with black hair and eyes like onyx, bloodstains were all over him. The boy was no older than 19, standing in front of a kneeling girl the same age as him, with beautiful brown hair and emerald green eyes. Her face and entire body were filled with bloodstains, indicating she and the boy were the cause of this nightmare. Only a single wound could be seen on her left leg from a gunshot wound as at the same time Noah could be seen holding with his right trembling hand a Desert Eagle towards Alicia''s face. On the patient bed was a handsome man with white hair and purple eyes; a stab wound could be seen on his right shoulder as he gripped it tightly. "Why... dammit... why... I told you, didn''t I, Alicia? I would handle this..." Noah spoke through gritted teeth in a hoarse voice as he looked at Alicia. "This bastard wanted to kill my little sister... just to get revenge on us, Noah. Why else..." "Didn''t I tell you that I would fucking deal with it myself!? Why did you have to make this more complicated!" Noah spoke, raising his voice as he glared at Alicia. "I can''t let you fucking kill him, not now. Why didn''t you listen to me! Now it is too late!" The wound on her leg was because Alicia didn''t listen and wanted to take the man''s life, making Noah shoot her but unfortunately she managed to stab the man in his right shoulder before he stopped her. "Enough of this..." Suddenly the white-haired man sitting on the bed spoke up, his voice icily cold. "Enough with all of this... because of you two, and especially you, girl, no matter which one of us comes out of this hospital alive, that person will become the most wanted person alive as the whole entire world will be hunting him." "All of this because the both of you took the one person I loved the most! My wife! So isn''t it fair I tried to take your little sister whom you cared for the most, Red Spider?" Noah could only grit his teeth at his current situation. He could already hear the sound of dozens of police cars arriving outside the hospital as the sound of helicopters started to fly in the air. If he needed to leave, he had to do it soon. Tsukasa, the man talking to them with hatred burning in his eyes, was right... every single one of them was fucked. "Keep in mind that I gave the last of my men a simple order before they are hunted down as well. This will be my revenge on the both of you. Reaper, no one knows your real identity, meaning you still have a chance..." "A chance? What fucking chance do we have? We are fucking surrounded! They won''t even hear us out as they will just shoot on sight!" As he screamed at him, Tsukasa suddenly picked up his phone with his left hand and dialed a number. "Do it." He spoke and put his phone back. As he did, everyone inside the room heard the sound of an explosion outside the hospital. Noah widened his eyes in realization. "A bomber..." "Correct. I have a few more secret suicide bombers disguised as police officers outside the hospital. Not just that... on the first floor, at the staff room, there is an emergency exit where all the officers there are my men. Those men are the ones I ordered to kill her little sister unless... they see you go to them. They will give you everything to hide yourself and start a new life. They will also help you sneak out of this hospital safely." "In eight minutes, all the suicide bombers will go off, distracting everyone there, giving you five minutes to escape this hospital." "Wha¡ª" Before Noah could talk, Tsukasa interrupted him as a menacing grin appeared on his face. "But. Didn''t I say I would have my revenge on the both of you?" Noah suddenly widened his eyes at hearing the man. "Your gun is already at the perfect place, Reaper... pull the damn trigger. By tomorrow, when her death is confirmed, no one will lay a hand on her little sister, I promise you that. But that would only happen if she is dead." "No... I can''t do that." Noah spoke with a cold voice suddenly as he glared at Tsukasa, who had a grin on his face like a psychopath. "Reaper, you have become fucking weak! All because of this stupid girl, you have become so soft... and now because of the both of you, Dark Rose, Tsukasa Tech, and the entire 68 team is gone! So as punishment for all of this, for my wife and everyone who has suffered because of her... you kill her. Her sister will be safe, you will finally be free, and this entire hell will finally be over." "Noah..." Before Noah could retort, he turned his head back to Alicia, who was looking at him with a small smile on her face. "Do it." "What..." "Please... shoot me, pull the trigger and finally end this miserable life... our lives were unfair, we were unlucky since the beginning, but... at the very least, I want to die by your own hands as at the same time it would mean saving my little sister who is innocent and giving you your freedom. Please, Noah, let me take this luck for once..." Noah could only grit his teeth at her. "Alicia..." "It''s fine, Noah... so please..." "Please don''t make me..." "Noah!" "Please...Alicia." "Kill me, my reap¡ª" BAM Before she finished her sentence, Noah pulled the trigger, ending the life of the Red Spider once and for all. Her lifeless body fell to the ground with a resounding thud, making Noah turn his head away as he bit his lip to prevent himself from crying. "Good... it sucks, doesn''t it? To have the one person you care about die in front of you..." Tsukasa said, no longer smiling as he gazed at the dead body of Alicia with a neutral gaze now. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yeah... it really does suck, doesn''t it?" Noah responded with a hoarse voice as he suddenly aimed his Desert Eagle at Tsukasa''s head. BAM Like that, as another thud resounded in the room, Noah, the Reaper, was the only one left alive in the hospital that would later be known as The Massacre of Shibuya Hospital. Chapter 63 - 63: Seraphina Darkcrest The words she whispered made Lucas''s body freeze in shock as he looked at her wide-eyed. His mouth kept opening and closing like a fish out of water. As if proud and satisfied by his reaction, Seraphina, previously known as Alicia, nodded in approval and began to step back to give him some space. But before she could turn around again, she was suddenly smashed against the concrete wall next to the door behind her, with both her hands sealed above her head and a blade placed at her throat. She stared wide-eyed as Lucas''s face was inches from hers, devoid of any emotion, with a cold glint passing through his eyes. Both their warm breaths touched each other''s faces as Lucas''s grip on her wrists tightened even more. Seraphina, after realizing what happened, suddenly grinned a little after composing herself. "Noah, or should I say Lucas now? You should really stop pointing your blade at everyone you meet~" she teased him, causing Lucas''s eyelid to twitch slightly. "How... and why?" Lucas asked, staring right into her blood-red eyes. "Well, I got reincarnated after you killed me. That''s what happened to you as well, right? You must have died and got reincarnated too..." She responded, her face becoming a little sad at the end. "Why are you here, Alicia? What is your goal? To get revenge on me for what I have done?" Seraphina only furrowed her brows at hearing Lucas''s question, looking a little angry. "Why would I want to take revenge on you? Don''t forget that it was me who told you to shoot and kill me. None of that was your fault, everything that happened was on me and me alone. In fact, if you wanted to kill me now, I would fully understand that. Also, please call me Seraphina, or at least Sera. I don''t go by that name anymore." She said as Lucas''s grip on her wrists loosened up a little, looking at her with complicated eyes. "I was the one who still killed you, though... and prevented you from killing Tsukasa as well," he said, not willing to accept this situation so easily. Seraphina responded with a gentle tone. "Noa¡ªLucas... If you hadn''t stopped me, my little sister would have been killed. So I can only be grateful to you..." As she spoke, Lucas finally released her wrists and pulled back his blade from her throat. Sheathing his blade back into the holster on his right waist just in case he needed it again, he backed away from her, creating some distance. Taking a few deep breaths, he looked back at her, who hadn''t moved an inch and was staring at him with a small smile. "Lucas... my little sister Sophia, is she..." "You don''t need to worry. After I escaped the hospital, I returned to the U.S. where she was. She was perfectly fine. She even found a family that loves her... I secretly gave them enough money to last for a few generations as well." Lucas''s response eased her worries. He knew that Alicia, now Seraphina, loved her sister dearly. Sophia was only 13 years old and an orphan like her older sister. Seraphina, though, was just like Lucas, picked up by Aushburn, but she never stopped looking out for her little sister, whom she loved dearly with all her heart... even though her little sister never knew about Seraphina. But she didn''t mind, as protecting her from within the shadows was enough for her. Lucas had known her since the moment he got adopted by Aushburn, they both arrived in his care at the same time and practically grew up together. Hearing what Lucas did and how Sophia found a good family, Seraphina looked relieved and grateful, giving him a loving smile. "What is it?" Lucas asked, feeling weird and unsure how to proceed as she kept smiling at him. "Nothing... I have just missed you, you know? I didn''t even know if it was really you, but when I was listening in on you and the other champions and you said you didn''t mind becoming the enemy of humanity a second time... I really started hoping that it was perhaps you by some miracle." As she said that, her voice became emotional, and she looked straight into his eyes with a smile that took the breath away of anyone watching. "You don''t know how glad and relieved I am that my gamble turned out to be true." Lucas watched wide-eyed and dazed at her as it finally started to kick in for him as well... A small smile finally appeared on his face as he gazed back at her. "I have missed you as well, Al¡ª I mean, Seraphina." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hehe~ You have changed a lot, I see. You look more... alive?" She said, a little confused at how to describe him now. "You seriously implying I looked dead before?" He asked jokingly, making her laugh a little. After that, they both decided to sit on the edge of the rooftop as they started catching each other up with their current lives. Lucas even told her about how he started attending college and on the very first day even died as a truck ran over him. The face she made was priceless as she couldn''t believe that the infamous Reaper of Night actually perished by a truck... Lucas also learned from Seraphina that she awakened her memories at the age of 10, two years earlier than Lucas. She started accepting her new life and wanted to explore more about this world, but being the daughter of a duke, it was hard for her to go adventuring like Lucas did. So instead, she did what any sensible person would do: sneak out whenever she found the opportunity. Lucas couldn''t help but laugh out loud after hearing what she did and how her father scolded her harshly, making her pout and turn away. Lucas, after hesitating a little but ultimately realizing that he could still trust her, decided to reveal his adventures of how he became a half-dragon, his affinities, and even his special talent. When she heard that, instead of being shocked, she became jealous... She also wanted to be a progenitor and a half-dragon! But after it was her turn to speak, it was Lucas who became shocked instead. She also had a dual-wielder talent just like him. She was more proficient with daggers than swords and had the affinity for shadow, sound, and... space. She was a space user just like Lucas, making him extremely surprised, but it didn''t end there. She was also a mid 6-star level dual-wielder already! She was close to catching up to Lucas... she was just as talented as him, perhaps even more... Sera had shadow magic just like Lucas''s mother, but that didn''t mean it was a common affinity just like sound. Although not as rare as the space affinity, shadow and sound affinity were still uncommon and not many people possessed it. Lucas found it amusing since if Sera decided to reveal that she was also a tri-elemental mage with space affinity, the world would go crazy. In their eyes, there would be at least two tri-elemental mages attending the academy, both possessing space affinity. He was sure the world was currently streaming his every move and now watching them as well. However, since Sera had put up a barrier, no one would be able to hear their conversation. Although, given that he had pushed her against a wall, he was sure he would get a lot of hate for that and perhaps some other reactions as people noticed their sudden close relationship. Both enjoyed each other''s company, reminiscing about how they used to always spend time together. Like that, they kept talking to each other about their new lives for hours without noticing until the sun started to rise. Chapter 64 - 64: Reactions Silence As usual, silence filled the stadium as everyone watched Lucas. Shock, awe, and admiration were what everyone felt as Lucas entered the fight against the calamity. The way he fought alone against the calamity and danced around it, he made it look so effortless as if the calamity wasn''t a problem at all. The way he revealed that he was a tri-elemental mage, which was almost as rare as a space user which he also was at the same time, left everyone shocked and in awe. No one, no matter how high their status, dared to make fun of Lucas as they saw how skilled he was with the sword and magic. Lucas Nightstar was, in everyone''s eyes, a once-in-a-lifetime genius, and no one could deny that. No one did or had the need to deny that, as most in the VIP rooms were already thinking about how to form connections with him or the Nightstars. A few days had passed since the entrance exam started. Most of the Dormant had already left so that they could sleep, but those of Awakened and above could easily manage to go days without sleep. Especially those in the VIP rooms, and if they needed to rest, there were rooms connected to theirs that had all the necessary amenities for them to stay as long as they wished. The commentator didn''t even do her job anymore, but no one blamed her... how could they? Just watching Lucas sit on the lifeless body of the calamity as if it was nothing, they felt that it would be an insult to his every action and would only degrade what they felt as they watched his every move. Everyone was first shocked as they listened and heard how he would handle the calamities approaching himself, but then that shock turned into confusion as Lucas stopped talking midway and cautiously started looking around his surroundings. What made everyone even more bewildered was the fact that he suddenly revealed that he would be leaving and searching for them later. Everyone was confused and shocked as they saw Lucas run away, leaving a trail of red lightning behind. They didn''t understand what he was thinking at all. That was until they saw what happened next... Standing on the rooftop, they heard him call someone, making everyone confused and thinking he had gone even crazier. That was until everyone saw a girl emerge out of the shadows. The girl was, in everyone''s eyes, simply beautiful, rivaling the Elven princess, perhaps even surpassing her. Suddenly, everyone heard the voice of the commentator for the first time in a while as she said in a nervous voice, "Seraphina Darkcrest... The youngest child of Alaric Darkcrest..." Hearing what she said, everyone couldn''t help but gulp as their eyes widened in shock. Seraphina Darkcrest, just like Lucas Nightstar, was basically a mystery as no one knew how strong she even was. She never revealed herself to the public, and everyone knew that her family was extremely overprotective of her. What they did know was that she had an older brother who was in his second year at the academy. No one really knew if she would attend the academy or not, but now that it was confirmed... Everyone''s attention was fixated solely on Lucas and Seraphina, intending not to miss a single thing that was about to happen. As they listened more and more to the conversation, they realized something that made them even more baffled and confused... they were flirting. Lucas Nightstar and Seraphina Darkcrest were flirting with each other, making many have mixed feelings about this. Some even started shipping the two as they found them to be a perfect match. But then suddenly, they saw Seraphina lean towards him, whispering something in his ear. No one could listen since she cast a sound barrier around them, making many complain, but nothing could be done... they wanted to listen in on the drama that might happen! Drama... was exactly what they got as they suddenly saw Lucas standing in shock like a fish out of water, many very curious and confused at what she said to make someone like him react like that. But... Everything that happened after that made their brains freeze as they couldn''t comprehend and follow up with what was happening anymore. ****** In one of the VIP rooms, the sound of glass could be heard shattering. A man with dark hair and red eyes, just like Seraphina''s, could be seen sitting on a luxurious couch. Alaric Darkcrest, who had just crushed the glass of wine in his right hand, was seething with anger as he looked at Lucas Nightstar pinning his daughter against the wall while holding a blade to her throat. He had first respected Lucas a lot. The boy was obviously a genius. He liked the way he carried himself and how he didn''t care about anyone except for the people he loved. He wouldn''t hesitate to strike down someone of a higher status than him and even directly challenge all the champions. He wouldn''t even mind if the boy asked for his daughter''s hand... The man even dared to prank the Elven princess! But now... He wanted to personally go and kill him, seeing his actions. He was ready to intervene and cause chaos if he dared to do anything to his daughter! His butler next to him, who had long white hair and a long mustache while wearing a monocle on his right eye, suddenly spoke with equal anger, "My lord, should we destroy the Nightstars for this?" Oliver the butler said, and as he heard what he said, he calmed down a little. "Don''t. Let''s just watch for now and intervene if necessary," Alaric suddenly spoke with a cold, icy tone as he knew he couldn''t mess with the Nightstars. He wasn''t stupid, he knew about the attack that happened and also figured out that they must have a Saint of their own who managed to finish off everything faster than it should have. The king even respects them and gives them a lot of freedom for a viscount, making everyone cautious about them. He knew that if the Nightstars wanted, the three great duke families could change to four. Continuing to watch his daughter pinned against the wall, he suddenly saw something that made his face turn weird... his daughter was grinning. ''Is she into these types of things...?'' As he thought this, he could see her mouth moving but couldn''t figure out what she was saying due to her barrier playing tricks with the spectators. ''Why does she even have this barrier in the first place...'' Suddenly he saw Lucas and his daughter talking to each other, his daughter even seeming sad a little at first as she talked. He didn''t understand what was happening anymore. ''Do they know each other? Since when? She did sneak out a lot, is that how they met?'' He kept intently watching as he saw his daughter looking a little angry. ''That look reminds me of Miranda...'' Suddenly he started to feel a little pity for Lucas... perhaps he was the victim instead. ''But at the beginning, they obviously didn''t know each other... or was that all an act? They look like they know each other quite well.'' Alaric didn''t understand anymore, he was getting a headache from thinking about what their relationship was... the headache only increased as he saw Lucas suddenly back away and start saying something that made his sad daughter feel relief and look grateful at him. He saw her suddenly talk, noticing her becoming emotional for some reason as tears welled up in her eyes. ''Why... just what the hell are they saying!'' He was getting extremely frustrated and wanted to pull them out of the exam to understand what the hell was even going on! And then... His brain froze as did time for him as he saw his daughter flash a smile so bright that it took his breath away. The same smile she was giving currently that made him always overprotective of her and making sure no harm was done to her. The same smile she only gave to him and her mother and brother. That smile... that she was currently giving to a boy who wasn''t even her family. ''D-don''t tell me... are they both in...'' He didn''t dare to finish his thought as a dark aura started leaking out of him, making the room tremble. "M-my lord! Please calm down, you can''t lose control in the capital!" his butler suddenly shouted, making him reel back his aura, realizing what he had done. "R-right, thank you, Oliver." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "My lord, if I may give you some advice, let''s just wait for the exam to end so we can question them. It is obvious that their relationship goes... deeper than we know of." "You are right, let''s just do that." Alaric, in the end, agreed as he watched them both sit next to each other, talking about something happily until the sun rose... Chapter 65 - 65: The Voidwalkers Five days. Five whole days had passed since Lucas left, and now everyone was gathered inside an old grocery store. As usual, everyone was discussing a strategy for how to find and defeat the remaining calamities or whether they should wait until the time limit. "You think something happened to him? He did act weird all of a sudden..." Amaya said, referring to how Lucas suddenly changed his attitude and ran off somewhere. "It''s easy to tell that Lucas is stronger than all of us. If something happened to him, we are as good as screwed," Leonne responded calmly. "Do you think he could have defeated the second calamity that was approaching?" Amaya asked curiously, wondering what would have happened if he hadn''t left. Leonne didn''t answer for a second as he stared at the others, who were either listening or sleeping. Sylviette and Klaus were both close by, listening. "I think he would win." Everyone looked at him, surprised, as they didn''t expect him to say that. "Why would you think that? He is still only a single person," Amaya challenged. "Simple, really. He defeated the moth without breaking a sweat. Even though it was injured, he still won by a large margin. He is extremely skilled and knows how to think fast mid-battle. He isn''t someone stupid, every action he takes is already calculated by him... at least that''s what I think." "So you think he already calculated his chances and they were in his favor of winning against one or two calamities?" Amaya asked, voicing the question everyone was thinking, except for Sylviette. "I wonder how he got so strong..." Klaus suddenly said out loud. "He must have trained hard. How else? He didn''t even bother attending any social gatherings," Leonne said, answering his question. As everyone heard him, they started admiring Lucas a little since, in their eyes, he must have trained always instead of attending parties... though he was actually just lazing around most of the time. As they were lost in their own thoughts, they suddenly heard the doors slide open, alerting everyone present as they turned their heads. What they saw was Lucas casually walking inside, gazing at everyone present, and next to him was Seraphina. "Who is that goddess..." someone whispered, echoing what most were thinking. "Is she the reason he suddenly left?" another said. Sylviette and Amaya both furrowed their eyebrows, gazing at the girl. Answering everyone''s question was Leonne, who looked at the girl with narrowed eyes. "Seraphina Darkcrest..." Hearing the name, most widened their eyes in surprise, not expecting her to be here. Everyone kept glancing between Seraphina and Lucas. Both were mysterious, nothing was known about them as both never attended social gatherings. Did they know each other before the exams? Is that why he suddenly left¡ªbecause it was something to do with her? Both calmly walked toward where the other champions were, ignoring everyone''s wary gazes. "Where have you been for the past five days?" Sylviette asked, but no one''s eyes were on him as everyone was currently watching Seraphina like a hawk. Most could tell... she was strong. Stronger than them. As Lucas and Seraphina arrived in front of the champions, he just looked at her and answered calmly, "I was busy dealing with things... complicated things." ''I can''t tell them that we were basically lazing around and talking to each other for the past five days...'' Lucas thought as he saw many of them now looking at him. "The reason you suddenly left... it was because of her, right?" Leonne suddenly asked. Lucas, hearing his question, just glanced at Seraphina and saw that she was looking at the champions with a curious gaze, like a cat. "That is correct." That was all Lucas said, as he didn''t want to explain more to them. He had no reason to, not even to Sylviette. Yes, she might be a friend of his, but that didn''t mean he trusted her enough to share all his secrets, like the fact that he was a half-dragon and other things. "I think everyone has gotten enough rest to finish this exam once and for all," Lucas said, diverting the topic. "You''re planning to finish this exam already?" Klaus asked, raising his eyebrows. Did this mean he had a plan? "That is correct. We shall simply fight the remaining calamities at once and end this exam," Lucas replied calmly, as if what he said wasn''t simply ridiculous... right? "How are you even planning to fight both of them at once? We don''t even know how to find one, let alone two," Amaya interjected, knowing that finding them was extremely hard. Even the colossal moth only showed up by itself and found them instead! As if reading what she was thinking, a maddening grin appeared on Lucas''s face, making most feel extremely uncomfortable. "Simple, really. We won''t need to find them, as they will simply come to us." "How would that even happen? How could you possibly make two calamities come to you?" Klaus asked skeptically. He knew Lucas must have a plan for what he was saying, but he still didn''t trust him, not after how different their views were and their earlier confrontation. Hearing his question, Lucas simply scoffed as he suddenly walked behind Seraphina and placed both his hands on her shoulders, making everyone look at him in surprise at his actions, except for Seraphina herself. "How else? We are going to use this little vixen for that," Lucas suddenly said, making Sera pout and turn away. "How rude, calling me a vixen! I am just an innocent young maiden, you know?" Lucas rolled his eyes at hearing her rebuke. "Sure, and I am an angel..." As he said this, he noticed that it was unusually quiet. Suddenly, he realized everyone was looking at the two with a weird gaze. "What?" Lucas asked, not understanding what their problem was. "What... what is your relationship with the duke''s daughter?" Sylviette asked as she kept glancing between the two. Hearing her question, both Lucas and Seraphina looked at each other for a moment, then looked at Sylviette and answered at the same time. "Old friends." ******** The sun was shining brightly as Lucas and Seraphina stood atop an abandoned skyscraper, giving them a perfect view of the ruined city. "You sure you want to do this?" Seraphina asked curiously. Lucas was planning to fight one of the two calamities while the others would be fighting the remaining one. "I am. Besides, you''re going to help me fight it, so it''ll be fine, right?" Lucas said, and Seraphina flashed a small smile. A black, transparent dome suddenly surrounded them. She didn''t want anyone to hear their conversation. "Of course. Hehe~ this is reminding me of the old days when we used to take missions together," Sera said, giggling as she reminisced about her previous life a little. "I wonder how Sophia is doing now..." she said under her breath while gazing at the city. "Probably enjoying her life with all that money I gave them¡ªunless they spent it all somehow..." Lucas said with a little humor, easing her worries as she heard what he said. As both were enjoying the view a little bit more before it was time for their plan to start, Seraphina suddenly spoke in a complicated tone. "Hey, Lucas..." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What is it?" "I don''t mind that you are playing such a big role in this exam... but you have a reason for that, right? What are you planning exactly?" Hearing her question, Lucas didn''t answer for a few seconds. "Did you know about the attack on my city?" Lucas suddenly asked, making her look at him. Her eyes became sad, yet anger could also be seen on her face as she realized what he was implying. "Yeah... I know. I know about everything since Dad told me..." "Mm, I want revenge, Sera, but... I am too weak currently. I was so weak back then that I couldn''t even put up a fight. I hate that. I hate that I couldn''t do anything. The gap is just way too big to even think about getting my revenge against Karciel and Abadux. I need power... not just for myself, but I need the power of others as well. So, I am trying to garner the attention of a certain organization." Seraphina''s eyes widened as she listened to Lucas''s reasoning. She was starting to understand what Lucas meant and where he was getting at. "Lucas... whose attention are you trying to get?" she asked hesitantly, a bad feeling creeping over her. "An organization cloaked in countless myths and legends. An organization that almost no one in this world could possibly confirm as real. An organization that, if I join, will ensure that everyone I care about will be protected. But, if I manage to get their attention, it will be a gamble with my life¡ªwhether they kill me or make me one of them." The bad feeling only increased with every word Lucas spoke. She grew extremely nervous as she gazed into his blood-red eyes, which were filled with a flame she couldn''t recognize. "Who are they..." she asked, her voice barely a whisper. Lucas responded with the last name she ever wanted to hear or get involved with. A name that made her entire body tremble. As her face became even more pale and her eyes shot wide open, he said the name that could get him killed merely for mentioning it. "The Voidwalkers." Chapter 66 - 66: Crazy Lucas Nothing is known about them. They appear multiple times throughout history. In every major historical event, there were traces of the Voidwalkers. They say that the Voidwalkers are immortals who existed even before the first golden generation. Perhaps they are followers of the demon king. That they are the rulers of the underworld and black market. Some say they are the cause of countless tragedies that have occurred. Others suggest that perhaps they are the ones who rule above everyone. Or that they are guardians of Myrniel protecting the inhabitants against terrors one couldn''t imagine... But no matter what one thinks, it is undeniable that in every big change of Myrniel, they are there. How would one know that? It is simple... There would always be a few words written somewhere at those historical events that no one knows who wrote them. They could be on the walls or somewhere else, but... one would always find them. Countless conspiracy theories started forming about who they actually were online. Historians always discovering the same words. It became so popular that some started acting as if they were one of the Voidwalkers, trying to fool many. Saying weird words that sounded familiar to the ones discovered in the tragedies of time. But... No one could understand those words. They were written in a language that no one could decipher. No matter how many years have passed, no one managed to figure out except for one word. Vacui... meaning void. Leading to them being called The Voidwalkers. The name which became taboo to even speak of and was banned from talking anywhere, not even online, unless you wanted to invite the authorities. They think that the language used was an ancient one so old that it is impossible to trace back. Becoming known as the Void Language. Except there was one person who could understand those words written... "In tenebris mortis et vacui, ubi animae perire incipiunt..." Those words were always left behind... an incomplete sentence. Lucas, who had been doing his research on the Voidwalkers secretly ever since he got saved by Magnus, discovered a shocking fact... The incomplete sentence was in Latin... Which Lucas knew what the complete version of it was. An old dead language in his previous world was for some reason in his current world. He didn''t understand why but it led him to believe that perhaps someone from his previous world got reincarnated here as well. That belief only intensified as he discovered the existence of Seraphina, formerly known as Alicia in his previous world. They were the most mysterious yet at the same easiest for Lucas to get a hold of them. "Crazy... you are fucking crazy, do you know that!?" Seraphina screamed as she heard what Lucas said. Of course, she knew about the Voidwalkers, though she wasn''t knowledgeable in Latin like Lucas is; she understood that the dead language was from her previous world. She knows the trouble of secret organizations like the Dark Rose perfectly well as Lucas. But this... this wasn''t just a secret organization... it was much worse. It was like he was planning to make a deal with the devil. "Just for revenge, you would go this far? You would sell your soul just for that?" Seraphina asked. She couldn''t believe that he would actually try to contact them. "Yes... and no." Hearing Lucas reply, she only got more confused. What does he mean by that? Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucas visibly sighed as he looked towards her and spoke. "This world... our reincarnation... everything feels like it was set up for us, don''t you think? Don''t you feel the strings being pulled by someone as well? Someone who is messing with us, with me? It isn''t just about Karciel nor Abadux; it is about the one who is responsible for everything that happened to me." "What do you mean by that exactly... what about that happened to you?" "The way I died in my previous life... I don''t think it was a mere coincidence. Someone did it on purpose, making me reincarnate in this world. You being reincarnated is perhaps also not just a coincidence. Someone is messing with us, Seraphina. There are so many things happening that we don''t know nor have the power to handle it. So... I will get that power no matter the cost." "Just how did the dragons become extinct... what exactly are the demons planning and where did they come from? What are their goals? Is it really just to conquer us? Then what, live a peaceful life for eternity? Please, that is all a load of crap. The Voidwalkers apparently knowing Latin and then what happened to the first progenitor of chaos and why there even is a fucking second that is me." "So many questions, yet I don''t have a single answer to any of them! This is the closest I am currently to trying to get some of these mysteries revealed. Even if it is a dangerous gamble of my life, I won''t back off now." Hearing the sheer resolve in his voice as he spoke each word, she knew she couldn''t stop him in the slightest... his mind was set. "Lucas... what if it isn''t just you, but what if they come for your entire family as well? You care for them, right? This... what you are trying has too many things that could go wrong." Hearing her, Lucas didn''t answer and kept quiet. He knew... he knew what he was about to try could endanger his family, but if he doesn''t do that... If those words of the seer actually became true... everyone would be as good as dead. He couldn''t let that happen no matter what. Seeing him not replying, she could only bite her lip in frustration. "What does it even mean..." "What?" Lucas asked this time, not understanding what she meant. "What do those words even mean that they leave behind..." A few seconds passed, making her think he wasn''t going to answer her again. As she was about to speak, she heard Lucas answering her. "In tenebris mortis et vacui, ubi animae perire incipiunt... meaning In the darkness of death and the void, where souls begin to perish..." "Why did you stop?" she asked, confused. "I didn''t. That was it, that was all they said. It is an incomplete sentence that they always wrote. You would know if you ever listened to Aushburn''s lessons... and they dare call me lazy." Hearing the name Ausburn, she became a little angry as she remembered how pestering he was at education. "Why should I listen to the lessons of a dead stupid language that wouldn''t have helped me at all! Hmph!" "Can you still say that? You knew it was from our old world but didn''t even know what they meant," Lucas asked as she decided not to answer and turned her head away. "So? Do you know what the full sentence is?" Seraphina suddenly asked as she was actually getting curious about what it all meant. "Yes... I know what it all means. The complete sentence is what I will use to lure them out. When it becomes complete, you realize that it actually is... a warning. A warning for the future." As Lucas said this, she got an ominous feeling for a second at hearing the last bit. A warning... "What is the warning?" She asked. "I''ll tell you after this exam," he said, annoying her as she was curious about what it all meant. She should have listened to Aushburn! She only sighed and shook her head as she returned to watching the broken city. "Very well... please just... just be careful, Lucas. I just found you after all," she spoke with a complicated voice. "Don''t worry, I won''t die easily... not this time." As both gazed at the city, waiting for the inevitable battle against the remaining calamities, they saw a huge pillar of ice being created in one of the streets close to them. "Looks like that is our signal," Seraphina said. "Yeah... I guess it is time to ace this exam and let everything turn into chaos." Chapter 67 - 67: Calamity of Dread [1] "Allow me to keep your ears safe~" Seraphina playfully said as she removed the sound barrier around them and created a new one solely around Lucas, shielding him from what was about to happen next. The barrier formed around Lucas as Seraphina stepped forward, standing at the edge of the abandoned skyscraper and looking out over the ruined city. Lucas watched as she inhaled deeply, and in the next second... a loud screech erupted from her throat. The screech perfectly mimicked the agonized cry of the Moth Lucas had defeated, reverberating throughout the entire city and causing nearby buildings to tremble. Seraphina had managed to replicate the sound of the Moth with her sound affinity. The plan was simple: attract the remaining calamities by mimicking the screech of their dead sibling, making them curious as to why they heard the sound of someone who should be dead. As both beasts approached, Lucas and Seraphina would take on one of the calamities, while Sylviette and the other champions would deal with the other. When Seraphina stopped screaming and the barrier around Lucas was removed, he walked to her side as they both stood on the edge of the skyscraper. "What do you think the remaining calamities will look like?" Seraphina asked faintly. "Hmm, well, one is a spider, if I''m right... as for the other, perhaps a giant bunny?" Lucas replied. Hearing his words, she visibly grimaced. "Ugh, I hate spiders... but please don''t make me hate bunnies now as well." Finding it amusing to see her reaction, he was about to tease her when the ground suddenly started to rumble. Both looked ahead and saw something approaching them fast¡ªfaster than when Lucas had fought the Moth. Buildings trembled all around them as something massive moved closer, shrouded in dust. "Please don''t be a bunny... please don''t be a bunny... please no bunnies," Lucas heard Seraphina praying next to him in a low voice. ''Are the two of us really enough?'' Lucas began to have doubts as he saw the cloud of dust getting closer. Not just that, he was also nervous. Fighting the calamity with only himself and Seraphina was one thing, but... The moment he would fight the calamity, there would be no going back as he would be willingly inviting the ancient terrors known as The Voidwalkers to his doorstep. Placing his left hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist, he got ready to fight. Seraphina held her two beautiful obsidian black daggers in her hands. "How much are you going to hold back?" Lucas heard her whisper so only he could hear. He didn''t respond for a few seconds, silently watching the cloud of dust getting closer every second. "Not much." ''As long as I don''t reveal being a half-dragon... I won''t use chaos element either, not yet at least.'' Hearing his reply, she smiled slightly. "Good. Then I can''t let you steal all the spotlight." Seeing her mischievous eyes, he was getting a little curious about what she was planning but didn''t dwell on it for too long. The other champions were some distance away from them, preparing to fight the calamity that was approaching, while Lucas and Seraphina waited for the second one to show up to attack it immediately. There were at least a hundred gathered to fight one of the calamities. If they couldn''t win with those numbers, even Lucas would be dumbfounded. Over the days Lucas was with Seraphina away from the champions, more and more people started joining them. As they watched the cloud of dust get closer, it suddenly stopped. When the cloud of smoke started to dissipate, everyone saw something that made them grimace. Emerging from the dust was a colossal spider, its monstrous body covered in matted, oily fur that glistened sickeningly under the light. The creature''s legs ended in razor-sharp claws that clicked against the ground. Its bloated abdomen pulsated, a web of throbbing veins and embedded, putrid eggs that seemed ready to burst. Its six eyes glowed with madness. The air filled with a nauseating stench, a foul mixture of decay and venom. Surrounding the giant spider were countless smaller spiders, each one grotesque in its own right. They scuttled around their queen, their bodies twitching and jerking. These spiders, with their tiny, red, soulless eyes and fangs dripping with venom, swarmed over the ground. The others recoiled in terror, gagging and almost retching. Some fell to their knees, clutching their stomachs, while others stumbled backward. The colossal queen let out a hissing screech, a sound that seemed to vibrate through the air, making most skin crawl and hearts race. The calamity of agony. "Called it," Lucas spoke, a little happy that he was right. ''At least Sylviette will get her wish of fighting C-rank king predators,'' Lucas thought as he saw a few C-rank king predator spiders protecting the queen. Most of the tiny spiders were E-ranked or king predators of the said rank, so Lucas was sure they could handle most... he hoped. Suddenly, the countless eyes of the queen of spiders shot toward Lucas and Seraphina, making them alert as their bodies stiffened. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''Don''t tell me it wants us and will ignore the others...'' Lucas''s thought proved false as he and Seraphina noticed that the eyes weren''t looking at them but behind them. Both felt an immense gaze suddenly behind them, a pressure descending on them that made the floor crack beneath them. Turning quickly around, Lucas and Seraphina gripped their weapons tightly, gritting their teeth as they saw something that made even them shudder. An eye. Mere inches from their faces was a colossal red eye with a black slit, pulsing with an ancient, malevolent intelligence. It stared at them unblinkingly, the size and proximity of it freezing them in place, caught in a moment of sheer, disbelieving surprise. "What..." Lucas whispered, barely able to form the word. As they stood on the rooftop of the skyscraper, they slowly began to comprehend the calamity they were facing as the eye pulled itself back... The eye belonged to a colossal black serpent, its scales as dark as the abyss, shimmering with an oily sheen. The serpent had silently coiled itself around the entire building. The serpent''s head, crowned with ridges and horns, loomed above them, its red eyes the only splash of color against the void-like blackness of its scales. It moved with an unsettling silence, as if it had been born from the shadows themselves. The air was heavy. The serpent seemed to regard them with a detached curiosity, as if weighing their worthiness. Its tongue flicked out, tasting the air around them. A deep hiss resonated through the air, and for a moment, time itself seemed to stand still. The wind howled around the rooftop, but neither of them moved. The serpent''s immense form slowly coiled tighter around the building, the skyscraper groaning under its weight. The serpent showed no intention of harm... yet. Lucas only had one word as he looked at the colossal serpent right in front of them, realizing it had arrived without them ever noticing. "...Fuck." It had managed to fool Lucas''s half-dragon senses effortlessly. Lucas and Seraphina exchanged a quick glance. They knew they had to face this colossal serpent on their own... Gripping the obsidian black daggers gleaming in her hands tighter, her eyes, usually filled with mischief, now glinted with determination and focus. Lucas was gripping the hilt of his sword with his left hand as well, tight... until his hands were white. He was feeling nervous... The serpent hissed again, a sound that seemed to vibrate through their bones. He could already hear the angry screeches of the queen of spiders echoing through the ruined city. The others must have already tried to engage in battle, oblivious to the fact that the second calamity had already arrived. He couldn''t figure out just how it managed to sneak behind them. If it could, does it mean it passed them countless times without anyone noticing? How many times has it already seen them? Was it watching them when the calamity of despair fell? Perhaps it had always been watching. Watching them, the final calamity. The Calamity of Dread. Chapter 68 - 68: Calamity of Dread [2] Reaper of Night A single assassin known by an ominous name... The mere mention of that name brought dread into one''s heart. A name that everyone in the entire world feared. Everyone feared him. Not because he was the strongest¡ªthere were countless men who could beat him physically, but that didn''t mean he was the weakest. Not because he was the smartest¡ªthere were countless men who were smarter than him, but that didn''t mean he was the dumbest. Not because he was the craziest¡ªthere were countless men crazier than him, but that didn''t mean he wasn''t crazy. The reason why everyone feared him was simple... He was the most Dangerous. He was the most Unpredictable. He was the most Unknown. Every victim of the Reaper of Night was marked, for he always left his signature: a black rose, on the body or nearby. They say a man is most dangerous when he has nothing left to lose. Perhaps that was most fitting for the Reaper of Night... On June 17th, 2016, it was reported that the Reaper of Night''s activities had drastically decreased, as almost no black roses were found near the bodies of the assassinated. Many believed he had died or retired. Countless theories on the dark web and social media speculated on what might have happened to him. But one thing was certain: Everyone felt relief. Relief that he was finally gone. Or so they thought. On April 21st, 2019, two months after the tragic massacre at Shibuya Hospital, after two whole years, a victim was discovered... A black rose lay atop the victim''s dead body. The Reaper of Night had returned. From that day forward, A garden of black roses could have been made from the number of people who died by the Reaper of Night. The victims, though, were always reported to be criminals or worse, making many believe that perhaps the Reaper of Night was a hero of justice... No one knew why he returned. But His return only brought ruin to countless criminal organizations. He became even more deadly, Even more crazy, Even smarter, Even stronger. He was dubbed the most dangerous assassin. ***** "Curse this luck of mine!" He didn''t know what to do. Fighting on top of a skyscraper was a terrible idea, especially against a giant serpent that could easily take it down with them on top of it. The whole point of being this high up was that, in case the calamity could fly, it would be easier to spot it here and perhaps even fight it. But it wasn''t a beast that could fly; it was a giant serpent that managed to sneak around them without them noticing. If they had known about the black serpent approaching, they would have easily repositioned themselves to fight in a more convenient place. ''Now what...'' He knew that fighting the calamity here would be a bad idea. Lucas could tell that out of the two calamities, he and Seraphina got the most dangerous one. Those eyes... It was smarter than its siblings. It wasn''t attacking; it was simply staring at them. All Lucas could sense was curiosity and something else he couldn''t understand. Both eyes were gazing at Lucas intensely as its tongue kept flicking out. Lucas felt like the serpent was peering down his soul for a second. The black slits in its red eyes kept shrinking and expanding. "Shadow magic..." Suddenly he heard Seraphina whisper next to him, but he didn''t turn his head away from the calamity. "That must be how it managed to sneak behind us without even making a sound." What she said made sense to Lucas. Since Seraphina also knows shadow magic, she might be able to prevent it from sneaking up on them again. ''I should be able to teleport away a good distance from here, preventing the fight from happening here and far away from the other calamity. But the problem is if Sera wants to reveal her space magic or not... using shadow magic to escape would be too big of a gamble against it.'' ''I should have asked her beforehand...'' Lucas sighed inwardly at seeing how complicated it had become. ''What if I just grab her and teleport away? Hmm, yes, that might work perfectly. She would be able to keep her secret safe, and at the same time, we could fight it properly.'' As Lucas finally reached a solution for their problem, the building suddenly started to shake. Looking at the serpent, Lucas and Seraphina saw something that left them bewildered. The colossal serpent suddenly backed away a little as it looked at Lucas with... trembling eyes. The calamity of dread was looking at Lucas with fear. "Huh... Lucas, what did you do?" Seraphina asked in a low, trembling voice as she looked bewilderedly at the serpent, which was trembling and gazing at Lucas while making the building tremble along with it. "Nothing... I did absolutely nothing this time," Lucas said, as even he didn''t understand what caused this type of reaction. ''Just why does it look at me so scared...wait.'' Suddenly, Lucas''s eyes widened as he thought of something. ''Did it perhaps sense that I am a half-dragon? But if it did, then how? It is looking at me with fear, so that is the only solution. Did it see a dragon before? Isn''t this just a virtual world? No... they must have managed to replicate everything perfectly here, meaning that it would recognize me as above it. Does it recognize me as a half-dragon or just someone above it?'' Lucas could only think of this as he gazed at the serpent, which was watching him now with a wary gaze. ''No, I feel like it doesn''t know about dragons...still, it must be really perceptive to recognize that I am not human. Or is it perhaps because it is a serpent''s trait?'' The colossal serpent hissed, looking at Lucas with hostility, feeling threatened that someone of a higher order was in its territory. "We should get out of here and lead it to fight us somewhere else," Lucas said, not caring in the slightest about being quiet anymore since he knew it probably didn''t even matter with a serpent that could deduce he wasn''t human. "Mm, I thought you were thinking to fight it here. Good, let''s teleport somewhere suitable." Lucas, for the first time, broke contact with the serpent and looked at Seraphina with a deadpan face. ''Has she forgotten that they can probably hear us...'' As he thought this, he suddenly saw her looking at him with a sly grin on her face. "What? I told you I wouldn''t let you steal the entire spotlight~" As she said that, she suddenly teleported away, making Lucas''s mouth twitch. Snapping him out of his annoyance while still balancing himself amidst the trembling building was the black serpent, which, with an angry hiss, lunged at him, its entire maw open, revealing two sharp fangs and an endless void inside its stomach. As the serpent''s mouth was mere inches away, Lucas grinned, looking the serpent dead in the eye before he teleported as well, letting the mouth that snapped shut meet nothing but air. Meeting his view was Seraphina standing next to him. Both were now a few blocks away, gazing at the skyscraper that was surrounded by the calamity. They could see debris falling down as a cloud of dust started to form around the building. Suddenly, making everyone freeze in place and stopping the battle against the queen of spiders, was the maddening shriek of the calamity of dread. The skyscraper it was coiled around began to tremble. Its body, wrapped tightly around the structure, tightened even more, causing more debris to fall. The sound of the structure groaning echoed throughout the ruined city and, in the next second... The entire building started collapsing, making the ground tremble. ''Strong...'' Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The serpent was extremely strong physically. ''I''ll have to use my aura to even make a cut on it, probably.'' As Lucas thought this, the cloud of dust cleared away, but the calamity of dread was no longer there. Suddenly, as Lucas was gazing at the ruins of the collapsed building, [Danger sense] began loudly ringing alarm bells in his head, warning that he was about to die at any moment from an attack. ''What? Just where the hell is it?'' Lucas''s eyes widened at the same time he heard Seraphina shout. "Lucas, get away from there!" She was suddenly on top of a broken building, looking down at him with anxiety. Not thinking twice about the warning, he teleported next to her as a giant maw suddenly shot out of the shadows beneath Lucas''s previous position. ''What the hell... I am glad we aren''t fighting the bastard at night.'' Lucas was extremely relieved that they were fighting the calamity in daylight as he gazed at the serpent emerging from the shadows. He didn''t want to think about what would happen if it were nighttime. "We should end this fight as soon as possible before the sun starts setting." Lucas spoke to Seraphina, who nodded her head seriously as she gazed at the serpent. "Well then, there is no need for me to hold back, is there?" She said as suddenly an energy of black and white burst out of her. Aura. Seraphina had just revealed herself as a dual wielder while at the same time also having a space affinity. ''What a beautiful aura...'' Lucas honestly thought that the combination of black and white was simply beautiful. The color of her aura was extremely rare; in fact, he had never heard of anyone having a black and white aura. ''Not letting me steal the entire spotlight, eh? Let''s see about that.'' Lucas suddenly grinned as an aura of red and black intensely shot out of him as well, making both the cautious and angry serpent and Seraphina surprised. ''Hmm? Why has it changed...'' Lucas glanced at his aura, noticing that it had suddenly turned into black and red when it was only red before. It looked like when he used the Chaos mana around him. ''Let''s think about this later.'' As he thought this, he gripped his hilt again, letting the aura surround his blade. Seraphina did the same with her daggers. Both got ready as they took proper positions to fight the calamity. The calamity, getting angrier, let out a deep, growl-like hiss from its mouth. Its eyes looked at them with intense fury, especially at Lucas. And in the next second... Both Lucas and Seraphina disappeared from their positions. Chapter 69 - 69: Calamity of Dread [3] Appearing underneath the serpent was Lucas, swinging his blade diagonally while it was still in its sheath. Surrounded by his aura, the blade of chaos formed a cut beneath the serpent''s head, causing it to let out an annoyed shriek as it wasn''t deep enough. Lucas, teleporting back atop an old building, looked at the serpent, which was glaring at him with fury. Green venom could be seen starting to drip from its sharp fangs. The ground started to dissolve, with smoke beginning to rise from it. Just as it was about to lunge at Lucas, Seraphina jumped out of the shadow beneath the serpent, leaping mid-air as she was about to cut its right eye out. Her dagger hummed through the air, leaving a trail of black and white behind. Just as it was about to hit the serpent''s eye, it twisted its head in time to the right, avoiding the strike as it swung its tail faster than she could react. As it was about to hit her, Lucas appeared in front of her, his blade clashing with its giant tail, sending sparks flying. ''Shit, it''s fucking strong,'' Lucas gritted his teeth hard as he tried to endure and push the serpent''s tail back. Suddenly, making matters worse, the serpent let out a shriek, tearing through the air and making their hair flutter. It lunged with its head straight at both Seraphina and Lucas, its maw wide open. ''Just how is it so fucking flexible!'' Lucas cursed inside his mind while holding the tail at bay, making more and more sparks fly out. Seraphina dissolved back down into the shadows, giving Lucas more space. [Phase] Using his skill, he let the tail pass by him as it absolutely destroyed everything behind Lucas'' path. Making the ground tremble, chunks of debris were sent flying everywhere. Snapping its mouth shut, it met nothing but air yet again as it twisted its entire body to position itself properly again, raising its head and half of its body. Appearing on top of one of those big chunks was Seraphina, bending her knees and launching herself straight at the serpent. As she launched herself, the serpent did the same with its mouth open again, intending to eat the two. As both got closer to each other, Seraphina opened her mouth wide as well, taking a deep breath in. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, a high-pitched scream was released from her throat, disorienting the serpent, which looked away, shrieking, trying to avoid the deafening sound. Lucas was suddenly in front of him, grinning, as lightning crackled around him as well, now using both lightning and aura. Leaving a trail of red lightning behind, he was next to the calamity as he slashed vertically, taking out its right eye, making it release a screech of agony as blood spurted out of it. Before Lucas could react, though, it swung its tail so fast, making it hit Lucas and sending him crashing through dozens of buildings. "Lucas!" Seraphina shouted as she watched him get hit for slashing its eye. Gripping her daggers tighter, angrily as her aura shot out even more and went wild, she aimed her right hand at the serpent, which was shaking its head madly while blood still kept spurting out. A sonic boom of soundwaves shot out of her hand, hitting straight the calamity''s head, as an even louder shriek echoed throughout the entire city, sending it flying, crashing through a few buildings. Not being done with the serpent, she teleported on top of it, slashing her daggers at its upper body extremely fast, so fast that most wouldn''t even be able to follow, blood started appearing around its body. The cuts weren''t deep enough to threaten it, but it was still annoying. It twisted its entire body as it managed to shake her off, as she lightly landed a few distances away from it. Suddenly, spikes of shadows emerged from the ground, trying to pierce it, but the scales were preventing it from penetrating as the spikes broke. Clicking her tongue, Lucas was suddenly teleported on top of its head as he placed his hand fast on the serpent as he spoke. "Ignite." Flames started to surround its entire body as Lucas jumped off and landed next to her. Lucas could see her looking worriedly at him as a little bit of blood was trickling down his face. But except for that and some dust on his body, he seemed perfectly okay. "Don''t worry; it''s just a little scratch. Besides that, it didn''t do anything else," Lucas said, calming her down as they watched the serpent cautiously, which was shrieking in agony and thrashing around, destroying the streets and buildings. Suddenly leaving them, alerted, the calamity melted into the shadows beneath it, with the flames burning it. Glancing at each other and instantly understanding the other, both teleported on top of another building. The serpent emerged out of the shadows in front of both of them as its scales sent sparks flying around it, slithering towards them extremely fast, destroying the ground beneath it. Lucas could see that the fire did some damage, but it wasn''t that much. Aiming his hand at the fast-approaching serpent, a red lightning bolt shot out, hitting the serpent but... It didn''t do any damage this time. Narrowing his eyes, he felt something was extremely wrong suddenly. ''What just happened?'' Before he could think any further, it lunged at both of them straight again. Lucas teleported away, but Seraphina did not. Instead, she just stood there, grinning at the serpent. As it appeared right in front of her, it snapped its jaw shut with her in it and pulled its head up as it swallowed her. Or so it thought. Suddenly, a sound bomb exploded inside the serpent, making its stomach bulge for a second. It spat out blood as it looked furiously at Lucas and... Seraphina. She created an illusion out of her shadow magic, making it think it had actually swallowed her. But all it did was swallow a shadow copy of her that was being charged with sound waves until it couldn''t handle the strain anymore and exploded. ''Even after all of this, it still doesn''t feel like it has become much weaker... but it hasn''t really done anything as we keep overwhelming it.'' As Lucas thought at the exact same time, the serpent pulled its upper body backward with its face as it looked menacingly at Lucas and Seraphina. "What is it doing?" He could hear her mumble as she was confused at its action. [Danger sense] suddenly went off again, warning him that something disastrous was about to happen. "Get ready to flee," Lucas warned as he was getting a bad feeling. The serpent''s entire demeanor changed. It felt suffocating as it was starting to leak killing intent heavily. Suddenly, it opened its maw wide open again, and... A burst of black energy shot out of it straight at Lucas and Seraphina. ''A beam of shadow magic!'' As Lucas thought, he teleported some distance away, as Seraphina did as well, to the other side. The beam hit their previous spot where they stood and kept going deeper and deeper into the ground as if it were never-ending until it finally did. Glancing at the hole made, he couldn''t see an end... All there was, was pitch black darkness. Chapter 70 - 70: Calamity of Dread [4] Blood. Blood and blood was everywhere. Disgusting green blood flowed down the streets like a river as a horde of spiders was being slaughtered by the examinees. Those at the frontlines could be seen fighting even more grotesque spiders. The queen was all the way at the back, surrounded by harrowing abominations that should not be allowed to be called spiders, as they protected her. Amidst the chaos, though, she wasn''t looking at the slaughter of her children for even a second. Her gaze was solely focused on the far distant fallen skyscraper. ''Dammit, just how did it manage to sneak up like that!'' Klaus was screaming inside his mind while swinging his sword, fighting against a C-ranked king predator. Though as he did, he would occasionally lose focus and gaze at the same place where the queen of spiders was looking. Like everyone else did. Just a while ago, they were shocked at suddenly seeing a colossal dark serpent with its onyx-like scales wrapped around the skyscraper, making the structure groan and debris fall down. It was screeching loudly in immense anger as the building started to fall apart. The shriek managed to resound throughout the entire city as it suddenly disappeared with the building, making everyone even more grim as they saw that. They didn''t know what had happened to Lucas and Seraphina. Until they heard the sound of their battle, making many react with complicated expressions. Klaus blocked one of the spider''s legs as it tried to impale him with his sword, making sparks fly everywhere. ''I don''t want him to lose...'' Even if Klaus wasn''t a fan of Lucas, he still didn''t want something bad to happen. He believed that even if they had different views in this world, they shouldn''t have a reason to hate each other. He was worried. Not just him, but everyone else as well. Sylviette was like a monster, killing every spider with her ice spells, impaling or slashing them. Amaya could be seen using her wind magic as blades of wind shot out of her hands, slicing the spiders apart. Leonne was close to him, fighting another C-ranked king predator. The sound of buildings getting destroyed. The loud shrieks of the serpent. The sound of devastating spells being used, roaring throughout the streets. It all echoed to their battle, making everyone nervous and extremely curious about just what the hell was going on there. As Klaus was surrounded by a golden aura and his sword as well, he dodged to the left and leaped into the air faster, then shot out a beam of light, making the spider dodge to the right. Finally giving Klaus the opportunity to finish it. Throwing his sword at the surprised spider at a speed it could barely follow. His sword shot through its head, making green blood flow out heavily as the sword struck the ground again. With a light thud, the C-ranked king predator fell to the ground with green blood flowing out of its head. Casting a light barrier around him as he caught his breath, he glanced at the place where he could hear the sound of buildings collapsing, creating clouds of smoke rising in the air. Klaus was looking bitterly at the place where Lucas and Seraphina were fighting. He could tell they got the most troublesome calamity as he wanted to just leave and help them fight. But... He knew that wasn''t his job. He had to carry through and kill the calamity fast to help Lucas and Seraphina out. ''I need to trust him...'' S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He thought as he picked up his sword and took a deep breath. Removing the barrier around him, he saw he was surrounded by countless red eyes looking at him. "Heh." A smirk appeared on his face as he looked at the spiders. "I can''t let him have all the attention." ''I am the second hero of humanity, after all...'' He said the last part in his head as the golden aura surrounded him again. And then... A sea of green blood was created. ******** Lucas clicked his tongue for the hundredth time as he dodged another shadow beam from the serpent. The serpent wasn''t holding back anymore; it was hell-bent on killing Lucas and Seraphina. It kept shooting beams from its mouth, shadow beams that devoured everything they touched. "Annoying..." Lucas gritted his teeth as he mumbled, teleporting to the rooftop of another building where Seraphina was. "Something is wrong, Lucas," Seraphina suddenly said as the serpent slowly slithered its way toward them, looking at them with mockery. Lucas narrowed his eyes at it. "Yeah... I''ve noticed as well." "It is getting more and more confident by the second... I feel like it is getting stronger and its scales harder," she said as spikes of shadows shot out of the ground, trying to impale the serpent. But it simply destroyed them without any resistance this time. "See... it has become stronger. Even though I am not using a lot of mana on those spikes, it should have been enough to slow it down or scratch it," she observed. "It didn''t even take any effect from the bolt of lightning I shot at it either," Lucas said, supporting her suspicions. "What do you think it is?" she asked Lucas, feeling nervous as she saw it stop and prepare to shoot another beam of shadows. Lucas sighed as the beam approached, and they both teleported to one of the few remaining buildings nearby, dodging the dark beam. ''This can''t go on much longer or our mana will run out from all the teleportation we''ve done.'' Standing back next to each other, Lucas decided to tell her his thoughts. "...Adaptability." She shot her head towards Lucas as she heard what he said. "I think it is starting to adapt to the spells we''ve fired at it and the cuts we''ve made, making its scales harder." "I see... that does make sense, but isn''t that a little bit too ridiculous?" What she said was right; it was honestly ridiculous that it could adapt so fast, but nothing could be done now. "It might be dangerous, but we should try to minimize using spells on it since the scales aren''t that hard yet, meaning we might still be able to defeat it more easily with our blades," Lucas advised, making her nod in agreement. Pursing his lips, he thought as he looked at the serpent, which was watching them warily with its single red eye, unable to continuously shoot out beams of shadows anymore. ''Now is our chance while it is still charging and exhausted. I doubt using my skills would work on it since it is much smarter and has already deduced that I am not human and something even above it. It wouldn''t be as surprised or fear my [Monarch of Chaos] that much. [Dragon''s Aura] is currently suppressed; if I use it, I doubt Seraphina will be able to fight, and the bastard would probably adapt as well.'' He knew using [Mirage] would be useless in this fight as Seraphina did almost the same thing, ensuring that the serpent wouldn''t fall for it again, but also that it was always watching Lucas the most. He couldn''t really see another way except for using his half-dragon powers or chaos element. That was out of the question. At least for now, it was. He needed to keep those two a secret for when the time was right. He couldn''t have them revealed yet, as they would be his trump card for the situation he was already predicting might happen. "Let''s go," Lucas said as they both teleported again. Lucas appeared behind the serpent, while Seraphina was on the ground right in front of it. Before the serpent could retaliate, chains made of shadows appeared from the ground beneath it, managing to bind the serpent in place as it shrieked in anger. Stabbing his sword, Lucas managed to strike it straight into its back before he teleported some distance away as the chains broke, unable to hold such a colossal beast. Its shriek resounded throughout the entire city, not because of Lucas, but because of Seraphina. The moment it got distracted by the cut on its back, Seraphina leaped and stabbed both of her daggers into the underbelly of the serpent, the only part where the scales weren''t that hard yet. She slid down all the way, cutting the underbelly of the serpent, and then teleported back just in time before the serpent was about to crush her. Blood was spurting everywhere as it shrieked in agony, thrashing around on the ground, creating huge clouds of dust. "I don''t have more mana left to teleport again, Lucas... and I am getting tired," she said, sweating heavily while trying to keep her aura, which was starting to waver. "It''s fine... you can sit back now. This fight will be finished any moment." ''I still have enough mana, but... maintaining my aura is getting a little troublesome.'' Lucas realized that it was much harder trying to wield aura and mana at the same time while fighting such a high-ranking beast. It was straining on his mind and body a lot, but he held on, being a half-dragon helped him a lot. She nodded and took some safe distance from them while her aura disappeared. Lucas planted his feet firmly on the ground and raised his Blade of Chaos above him vertically while grinning. The serpent raised its upper body a little, glaring with intense madness at Lucas, while blood still kept leaking out. It swayed around a little, weakened from the blood loss. "What? You can''t adapt from a few little scratches?" Lucas taunted, making the serpent narrow its single eye at him. Seeing him in a fighting stance and not knowing what he was about to pull, it opened its maw wide, finally recharging for another beam, and shot another shadow beam at Lucas. But... That grin on his face didn''t disappear, nor did Lucas, making it feel unsettled. Alarm bells were ringing inside Lucas''s mind, but he kept ignoring them, gritting his teeth and pushing even more aura into his blade. As the beam of shadows approached him, mere inches from his face, he swung his blade down. The beam of shadows was suddenly split in two around Lucas, continuing to destroy the ground and beyond. Not being done, a vertical arc of red and black shot out of his Blade of Chaos, heading straight towards the calamity of dread. The serpent watched with shocked eyes, trying to dodge the fast-approaching arc. Suddenly, as it moved to the right, Lucas was there, surrounded by red lightning, grinning at the serpent. Unable to dodge in time because of Lucas, the arc hit its tail, making a deep cut but not enough to sever it. Leaving a trail of red lightning behind, Lucas was suddenly next to the beast''s head, mid-air, and plunged his sword, covered in red and black aura, straight into the remaining eye of the serpent. An agonizing screech was unleashed from the serpent, thrashing around everywhere, making the ground tremble and the winds howl. Lucas gripped his sword tight, twisting it in place where the eye was. Not finished, Lucas''s Blade of Chaos was suddenly surrounded by red lightning, something that shouldn''t have been possible, as it mixed with his aura. But who was Lucas? A half-dragon who was a dual wielder. He could handle the strain of mixing his mana with his aura. Fused with his aura, the lightning coursed throughout the entire inside of the serpent, frying its brain. With a final screech that everyone in the city could hear, the serpent fell with a thud on the ground, creating clouds of smoke. Removing the Blade of Chaos from its head, blood splattered all over Lucas, but he did nothing about it and calmly turned around, jumping away from its head. Landing lightly on the ground, he took a final look at the calamity of dread before turning away and walking towards Seraphina, who was watching with a small smile while sitting on some debris. The calamity of dread was finally dead. Chapter 71 - 71: Light of Judgement "Shouldn''t you go help the others?" Seraphina asked as she and Lucas sat next to each other, leaning against a broken wall to rest. Lucas looked at her with a deadpan expression. "Why do I need to go help? Didn''t we agree we would take care of this calamity and they would do the others? If they can''t even do that, then they don''t deserve my help. Besides, you aren''t even injured, so you should go help." Lucas retorted at Seraphina, making her pout. "You would make an innocent girl who is tired after just fighting for her life fight again?" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It''s not like you would actually die... Besides, I am tired as well, alright? Believe it or not, infusing mana with aura isn''t really the healthiest thing to do." Seraphina raised her eyebrows at that statement and looked at him worriedly. "Sorry... Are you sure you are alright? Last time I tried infusing my mana with my aura, it felt like my body was being engulfed in fire. I think I would at least need to reach seven-star level or become a grandmaster to properly infuse them with each other." "I am fine. It didn''t hurt that much since I am stronger than you, after all." She narrowed her eyes, hearing Lucas sound a little... smug. "I''ll just simply surpass you, then." She said, making Lucas raise his eyebrows. Before Lucas could continue, they both turned their heads to the side as they saw a pillar of light piercing the sky. ***** "Klaus, behind!" Leonne shouted as he blocked one of the spider''s legs trying to pierce him. Klaus, being close to him, just cut another in half as a second jumped on him from behind, forcing him to jump to the side. He didn''t waste any time as he created a few swords out of light around him and sent them piercing the spider. ''Almost there...'' Klaus was thinking as he summoned fireballs around him and started launching them at nearby spiders, burning them to ashes. He and Leonne were getting close to the queen. As he glanced back, he could see Amaya and Sylviette holding most spiders back, keeping them from reaching them and saving the other examinees from getting overwhelmed. ''What a scary duo they are.'' Klaus honestly was impressed at how powerful both were and how well they managed to work together. Even though Sylviette was stronger, Amaya managed to keep up with her. But it didn''t mean they were going to last this long. Everyone, including Klaus, was feeling tired, and their mana was getting depleted rapidly. They had to finish this fight fast, since if they dragged this any longer, they would get overwhelmed by the countless spiders. Suddenly both Klaus and Leonne heard a screech ahead, looking towards the sound. They saw three C-rank king predators looking at the both of them menacingly. The three strongest C-rank king predators who were supposed to guard the queen were now in front of them as the queen was behind, watching warily. ''The calamity itself isn''t that strong... the only reason it is a calamity is because of all the spiders it has control over.'' He thought as he waved his hand upward, making spikes of stone shoot out of the ground. But the spiders, being faster, managed to dodge in time as they launched themselves at Klaus and Leonne. "Don''t lose focus, Klaus. I''ll take on two of them while you finish off yours quickly and help me out." Leonne said beside him and ran forward with his red aura coated around him as he swung his blade at the two closest spiders while the last one jumped towards Klaus. Klaus didn''t have time to react to Leonne and could only jump to his right, avoiding getting pierced by the spider. The spider suddenly shot out webs out of its mouth as Klaus quickly drew his sword and managed to cut most in half, but a few managed to hit him, making his feet stuck on the ground. But suddenly, the webs sticking on him ignited in flames as they melted away, and Klaus merely smiled slightly. He launched himself at the spider and clashed his sword with its sharp leg. Both kept clashing with each other, sending sparks flying, and a few scratches started to appear on both as they managed to graze each other. Suddenly Klaus backed away and aimed his palm forward at the spider as it suddenly flashed a light, blinding the spider and disorienting it. Letting out a pained screech, it backed off with its red eyes closed. Taking the chance, he jumped forward and was about to cleave the spider in half. But surprisingly, it recovered much faster than Klaus thought, catching him off guard as one of its legs managed to pierce his right shoulder blade, making him spit out blood. Seeing another leg about to pierce him, he was thinking about how to get out of this situation. But suddenly, a huge amount of ice spears descended and pierced the spider, killing it instantly. Cutting the leg off, he looked to his left, seeing Sylviette panting heavily as if out of breath. She came to him and placed her hands on his wound as a green hue started to envelop him and heal him. "Thanks..." Klaus murmured as she just focused on healing him. Looking around, he saw that Leonne and Amaya were fighting together now against the two spiders. One was already badly injured, but so was Leonne as he was bleeding from his right leg and left chest were he was pierced before. "I am running out of mana from all the healing and other spells I have used. I won''t be able to fight for long now, so kill the calamity before it is too late." Klaus had a bitter expression as he heard what she said. They were getting overwhelmed one by one, and if Sylviette falls, it won''t be long before the rest of them fall as well. He needed to kill the calamity fast and end this battle. But would he still be able to even help Lucas and Seraphina fight the serpent after this? ''No... I need to believe that they can handle it. Lucas is strong; he won''t die easily, and he seems close with Seraphina, meaning they might be able to work together enough to defeat it...'' Just as he thought that, he and everyone else froze, even the spiders did, as all looked towards where they heard the sound of the serpent''s loud screech. Its dying screech... Everyone could tell that the screech was different from the others. It was filled with agony, dread, and despair. As they listened to the serpent''s screech echoing throughout the entire city, it suddenly felt deadly silent. No sound was made as everyone kept silent with bated breath. They didn''t hear the sound anymore of the distant battle. They didn''t hear the sound of devastating attacks being released anymore. They didn''t hear the sound of the serpent anymore. "No way... did they actually kill it?" Someone said amidst the silence, which everyone could hear. Everyone thought the same as they all started to fill with some hope and energy at hearing the last cry of the fallen calamity. ''Fuck, of course... I have become too arrogant to think he would ever need my help.'' Klaus berated himself while clenching his fist, yet a smile was on his face. He was excited! He never expected to meet two dark horses that could defeat a calamity by themselves. ''I can''t get left behind.'' As he said that, his golden aura started to surge even more. Gripping his sword tighter, he ran straight ahead as everyone started getting back to fighting the spiders with even more vigor and hope. Klaus kept slashing through the minor spiders trying to intervene as he finally arrived in front of the queen of spiders. Klaus ran towards her, and as she swung her huge leg down at him, he rolled to the right, feeling the rush of air as the leg smashed into the ground where he had just been. He kept moving forward, his heart pounding in his chest. The queen, enraged, kept trying to pierce him with her legs, but... her attacks were slow and predictable. Klaus parried two of her legs with his sword, the impact jolting up his arms, but he held firm. With a swift counterattack, he managed to slash another leg, almost severing it. The queen let out an agonizing screech, the sound echoing across the battlefield. As he kept dodging her increasingly frantic attacks, Klaus saw an opening. He leaped into the air, his sword raised high. Time seemed to slow as he descended, his blade aimed at the queen''s head. With a powerful swing, he brought the sword down, the edge biting deep into the queen''s carapace. The queen shrieked again, this time in desperation. Klaus landed and immediately rolled to avoid a retaliatory strike. The queen''s movements grew more erratic, her strength waning. Klaus pressed his advantage, darting in and out of her range, landing blow after blow. Each strike weakened her further, her once mighty form now riddled with wounds. Suddenly, the queen of spiders swung one of its legs down faster than he anticipated in desperation, managing to pierce his left leg as he let out a pained scream. ''Shit! It fucking hurts!'' He cursed inside his mind as the pain was making his mind almost blank. Another one of her legs was about to pierce him, making him panic. ''NO! I can''t end it like this! I can''t just die, not after how Lucas and Seraphina managed to defeat a calamity even stronger without help!'' As the spider was about to pierce him with her final desperate attempt, Klaus did the same as he activated a skill he didn''t want to use since it would normally deplete him of all his mana instantly and cause catastrophic damage to his body. But he was in a virtual world meaning that his real body would be fine. And he didn''t want Lucas and Seraphina to be the only one to defeat the calamities. [Light of Judgement] The moment he activated the skill, a beam of light fell from the sky directly at the queen of spiders looming above him, engulfing her in a bright light that blinded everyone for a few seconds. As the light faded and everyone regained their vision, the spiders around them, the buildings, debris, and everything else started fading into blue particles. Nothing of the Calamity of Agony was left as only a huge amount of blue particles danced around. The Calamity of Agony was dead. Everything faded away. Until nothing except an endless black void was surrounding them entirely. The exam was finally over. Chapter 72 - 72: Genius Removing the headset from his face, Lucas let out a deep breath. He recalled back to just when the last calamity died; he managed to quietly say the last sentence in time. Most would have thought he was whispering something inaudibly, but only if the voidwalkers watched and listened would they tell it wasn''t an audible whisper. ''Finally... done with this stupid exam.'' Standing up from the comfortable chair he was in, he stretched his body a little. His body had gone stiff from being seated in the same position for so long, but apart from that, he felt perfectly fine. Snapping him out of his thoughts was the sound of someone clapping. Looking to his right, he saw the teacher who had told him about the exam at the beginning, leaning against the wall with a small smile on his face. Julius Cordis. Looking around, he saw that he and Julius were the only ones in the room. ''The others who were with me must have failed or passed by dying to one of the calamities.'' "Congrats are in order, Lucas Nightstar. You have certainly made this entire exam the most fun everyone has had in years." "Well, I am pleased that everyone enjoyed watching us fight for our lives," Lucas replied. Julius raised his eyebrows in amusement at hearing Lucas. "For our lives? Says the one who killed two of the three great calamities with barely any injuries. This entire exam was to test how strong this generation of ours would be, especially your monstrous year, but who would have thought that two of the most unknown would be the strongest?" "It looks like Princess Sylviette''s title of strongest champion will have to be revoked." Hearing his words, Lucas spoke. "You belong to the same generation as ours, making you a champion as well, right? So why aren''t you called the strongest champion?" Julius laughed a little before responding. "Yeah, I have heard you and the princess talking. Thanks to that, everyone now knows that I actually am a half-elf, by the way. But no, I am not called the strongest because I don''t specialize in combat. I would rather spend my time creating new spells or exploring ruins lost in time." "But aren''t you still a peak 9-star grandmaster, meaning you could beat her easily?" "I am sure you know the answer to that question already, Lucas Nightstar." He was right; Lucas already knew that even though he is a grandmaster and currently one of the strongest champions, it doesn''t mean it would stay that way in the future. Sylviette would probably surpass him. But not just that, there is always a chance that he could die to a group of masters somehow. "Besides, I am sure that you might be able to defeat me by some luck if you didn''t hold back like you did with the other calamities, or at least that is what my gut tells me." Lucas raised his eyebrows in surprise. ''So he knows I held back...'' Julius smiled a little more as he saw Lucas''s surprised eyes. ''He''s joking... he knows I would still lose fighting him unless I got lucky since he must have thousands of spells in his arsenal.'' "It is obvious that you held back. Every time I watched you, I felt like you were more struggling with how you should defeat it while not using your full strength." "You have some crazy instincts," Lucas said with narrowed eyes at him. ''I understand now why he is called a genius...'' Lucas thought, though ridiculous since he was just as much a genius as Julius. "Ha! That is no way to speak to your teacher now, is it?" Julius said jokingly as he suddenly extended his right hand out. "To think we would have two tri-elemental dual wielders joining this year who have the space affinity. The princess of the elven race, two children of the great dukes, the heir of the mysterious Nightstars, the daughter of the strongest guild master, the second hero of humanity. Certainly, as calling our generation the second golden generation is justified. Your year should be called the golden year with how many monsters are in it." Lucas merely smiled and shook his hand with his. "Congratulations on becoming a student in Shield, Lucas Nightstar. I am sure this year will probably be one of the most fun I will have." ******** A week had passed since the exam ended. In two days, Lucas would have to leave for the academy. He had spent the last week just relaxing and enjoying his time with Lena and his mom inside the hotel, not even bothering to go outside. He hadn''t seen or spoken with Seraphina or the others from the exam since the death of the final calamity. He had become one of the most famous people in the world after his performance. The internet was still going crazy about the entire exam, making edits of the champions and mostly of Lucas, who defeated 2 of the calamities. There were also some... ''interesing'' edits made of him from when he interacted with Sylviette and Seraphina. He felt weirded out seeing so much attention on him. He wasn''t used to all this attention in his previous life, or at least not with his actual face. He decided not to use the internet for some time. ''Still no sign of contact from the Voidwalkers though... I''m sure it will take a while, or perhaps they are watching my movements for the time being.'' Currently, he was eating some chips while on the bed, watching a show about a female detective having a psychopath who thinks he is the demon king''s reincarnation as her partner, and they solve crimes together. "Using their own kind against them... smart." He was alone as the others went to explore the city some more before they would leave tomorrow. He wasn''t really interested and used the excuse of resting up, being tired from the exam, which they naturally didn''t believe but still accepted. ''I have no rush to explore this city anyways...'' He was being lazy. As he was enjoying his well-deserved rest and peace, he suddenly heard a voice in his head. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Father...] Lucas raised his eyebrows in surprise at suddenly hearing Luna''s voice, who should be with Lena and his mother outside. She sounded like she was hesitating. [What is it, Luna? Is there any problem?] [No, everything is fine, but...] He could hear her being nervous for some reason, so he decided to let her take her time. ''If nothing happened, then why is she even hesitating?'' [Father... can I stay with you at the academy?] "Huh?" Lucas was confused and bewildered at hearing her question. He didn''t even respond for a few seconds, making her more nervous as she continued. [I-if it is a problem, then it''s fin-] [Luna... why would you even think that I wasn''t planning to let you stay with me?] Lucas said, cutting her off from finishing what she was about to say. Hearing what Lucas said, she was surprised. [E-eh! You mean I wasn''t going back home?] [Do you want to go back home with Lena and Mom?] Lucas asked her. [N-no! I want to stay... in the academy with you... Father.] She raised her voice in the beginning, vehemently denying going back, but her voice then started to get lower and lower, turning into a whisper at the end. Lucas smiled warmly at hearing her. [Well then, enjoy yourself with Lena and Mom until they have to go back, and you will stay with me.] [...Mm.] "I am glad she at least didn''t hold back what she wanted to do..." Lucas said with a sigh, happy that she wasn''t bottling her feelings up. Chapter 73 - 73: Reckless "Make sure you eat enough, especially since you are a half-dragon now. And make sure you sleep enough and are always rested. Oh, and make sure not to get in trouble and especially not to mess around with girls, alright?" Lucas''s mother said, lecturing him as everyone was currently in front of the mana teleporter about to head back, except for Lucas and Luna, who was on his head. ''Why would I mess around with girls anyway?'' Lucas thought as he merely nodded every time she lectured him on something. "...and last but most important of all," his mom said as she suddenly hugged him tightly, as if afraid to let him go. "Please take care of yourself." Surprised by the sudden warmth he felt and hearing her slightly hoarse voice, he hugged her back gently. "Mm, I will, Mom...thanks." After an entire minute, she finally let go, looking at him with warm yet sad eyes. "Bwother, are you leawing me?" Glancing a little down at his right, he saw Lena gripping his pants as tears were forming around her eyes. ''Ugh!'' It felt like an arrow had just pierced everyone''s heart. Quickly crouching down to her level, he gently patted her head with his right hand and wiped her tears away with the other. "Don''t cry, okay? I am not leaving you forever. I just won''t be around that much, but I promise I will visit you, Mom, and Dad as much as I can while bringing lots of gifts, alright?" Lucas said, hoping that this might calm her down. He had learned that the best way to comfort children is to bribe them! "R-reawly?" she asked as her mood brightened up considerably in an instant, making Lucas narrow his eyes a little but nonetheless comfort her. "Yes... really. So don''t cry, okay? And don''t make Mom or Dad angry." "Unn!" ''Is she perhaps doing this on purpose, knowing I would spoil her? No... can''t be. Besides, it isn''t spoiling her. I am just being a good elder brother!'' Lucas thought as he suddenly nodded his head as if convinced of something. Standing back up as his mom picked Lena up and carried her, Lucas turned towards the final people present he had to say goodbye to. Walking in front of Lucielle and Dylan, he hugged Lucielle, making her surprised at first but then hugging him back. "I would tell you to take care and all the other things, young master, but madame has already said everything." "Mm, don''t worry. I''ll be fine." As he said that, they broke off the hug and Lucielle went inside the mana teleporter where Lena and his mom were. Turning his face to Dylan, he saw him watching him seriously with his emerald eyes. "Is something wrong, Dylan?" Lucas asked as he felt the intensity of his gaze. "Forgive me, young master, if I overstep, but... I can''t help but be overcome with curiosity and unable to keep it in check like everyone else does." Confused by what Dylan was saying, he kept quiet, waiting for him to continue. "Young master... are you perhaps planning something reckless?" He spoke in a low enough voice so no one but Lucas could hear. Surprised, Lucas glanced at the others, seeing his mom and Lucielle furrow their brows in confusion at the sudden secrecy between the two. Looking back at Dylan, he merely sighed before responding with a question. "Why would you think I would be doing something reckless?" "A gut feeling..." ''What is it these days with everyone and their gut feeling about me?'' "I understand that you held back in the exam, but... I can''t help but feel that every action you took was precisely calculated the moment you met the first calamity. It felt that from then on, your every action was just a means to a greater end. The entire exam was. I can''t help but worry for some reason, feeling you are planning something big." Hearing him, Lucas was inwardly extremely surprised, but he already collected and composed himself and didn''t show any type of emotion that would betray him. But the next words Dylan spoke made his eyes and the entire atmosphere cold, surprising everyone present. "Are you planning something reckless just for revenge?" Luna, feeling uncomfortable, jumped off Lucas''s head and took some distance from him. ''Just for revenge?'' He narrowed his blood-red eyes and spoke quietly. "And what if I am?" Hearing his cold voice and gaze, Dylan didn''t get fazed in the slightest and warned him. "Young master, just so you know, me and everyone else care deeply about you, and our goal will always be to protect the Nightstar family. But... if you perchance do something reckless that would endanger the family I have sworn to protect, and under the orders of my lord who has my full loyalty, I would dispose of the threat immediately." ''If Father or anyone else just heard what he said, some serious trouble could fall on him...'' As Lucas thought, his eyes softened a little bit and a small smile formed on his lips. Glancing back at his mom, Lena, and Lucielle, he saw they were worried and starting to become impatient, feeling the atmosphere but holding themselves back and giving them both their privacy. "Good. You should do just that." Dylan furrowed his brows at hearing what Lucas just said. "Young master, did you not understand what I just said?" "I did, and I am saying you should do exactly what you said." He shot his eyes open in surprise as he heard what Lucas just told him. "What... young master, do you unders-" "Be a man of your words, Dylan. If at any given time I, by some chance, do something that would surely harm the people I love, I want you to kill me since that person wouldn''t even be me anymore." ''It would be the reaper of night...'' Dylan simply stared in shock at what he just heard from Lucas. Suddenly, he bowed his head as he quietly spoke apologetically. "I understand, youn- I mean, Master Lucas. Please forgive me for my rudeness, and... I really hope that time never comes." Standing back straight, he and Dylan shook hands as Lucas then bid a final farewell to everyone before a blue light shot out of the mana teleporter and then... S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They were finally gone. Seeing now the empty grounds, he let out an audible sigh as he started to quietly walk back to his hotel with Luna on his shoulder sleeping. "Dispose of the threat, huh..." Repeating Dylan''s words, he merely chuckled and shook his head amidst the countless stars shimmering in the night. [AN: Hello readers! I hope you have enjoyed everything that happened during the exam! Lucas will finally be entering the academy while at the same time trying to get in contact with the Voidwalkers. The last chapters have been filled with action and more mysteries. What do you guys think, Seraphina or Sylviette? Though I think the answer is obvious... Anyways, the next few chapters will be more focused on slice of life and other stuff, with less action. If you have enjoyed the story till now, please leave a review and gift me more power stones!] Chapter 74 - 74: Elizabeth Thorne It was currently 2 a.m. as Lucas was walking down the streets of Zaphyr. When he returned to his hotel room, he couldn''t sleep and merely tucked Luna in comfortably so she wouldn''t wake up and left. He was wearing some black cargo pants and a black hoodie, covering his face while looking down a little. Walking down late at night, instead of being empty, the streets were filled with people, mainly couples enjoying themselves, partying, or going on late-night dates. He suddenly felt a little lonely... ''Now what should I do...'' Lucas thought while walking down the streets, trying to avoid being close to as many people as he could. He suppressed his presence to the max since he didn''t want people to bother him. In the exam, he could hold back and deal with the strangers, but he was reaching his limit... The torture back then still left some scars on him, not physically but mentally. Back then, he couldn''t even let someone get close to him without feeling like he wanted to jump back. It took him a lot of effort and the support of his mom to let others he cared about get close to him and actually be able to even have physical contact with them. But with strangers, he still didn''t feel comfortable or want them to touch him out of nowhere. Though he had learned to just try to ignore it as much as he could, like in the exam, even though he felt extremely uncomfortable, that was why he tried to stay away from as many as possible. He only felt normal around Sylviette and Seraphina. ''Only time heals scars, I guess...'' Suddenly he saw a cafe that was open. ''I haven''t had coffee in this life ever... it is impressive that almost everything is still open this late.'' Not pondering too much, he decided to enter the cafe and was surprised at seeing how lively it was inside with people eating and drinking. Walking towards an empty table, he sat on a comfortable chair and picked up the tablet connected to it. Scrolling through the menu, he ordered a slice of chocolate cake and an espresso as he paid for them through the tablet. Not even an entire minute later, his order arrived as the waitress set it in front of him on the table. The waitress, looking a little closer at Lucas, widened her eyes in recognition, making Lucas put his finger on his lips indicating not to make a fuss. Luckily, the waitress understood and quietly left as if nothing happened. ''Being famous is troublesome...'' Lucas sighed as he picked up his fork and dug into the cake, taking a bite. It melted in his mouth and assaulted his taste buds, making him form a small smile unconsciously. "Delicious..." He murmured as he kept eating the cake until it was finished without him noticing. ''Should I order another one...?'' Deciding not to, he picked up his drink and took a sip, making him grimace slightly. "Disgusting..." Saying that, he still continued drinking, finishing it in one go as he didn''t want to waste the food. ''No matter what world, coffee still is disgusting, I suppose...'' As he thought, a woman with amethyst hair and eyes, wearing a white blouse and blue jeans, sat on the chair in front of him while smiling slightly. "Can I sit here?" As she asked, Lucas nodded, indicating that she could. ''I should leave...'' As he was about to stand up and leave, the woman spoke up. "Wait, let me treat you to a slice of cake before you leave." Lucas froze for a moment hearing her offer. ''Didn''t Mom just tell me not to mess with girls... Not even an entire day since she left, and it''s late at night while I have an older woman sitting in front of me offering cake... Sorry, Mom.'' He got himself comfortable back on his chair as the temptation won him over. The woman merely smiled at Lucas before, after another minute of waiting, the same waitress arrived from earlier with another slice of chocolate cake and a cappuccino for the woman in front of him. Placing the order on the table, the waitress looked suspiciously between the two with narrowing eyes before she left. "Fufu, to think you are so popular with the ladies~" Hearing her, Lucas merely ignored her teasing and decided to eat his cake fast since he was feeling uncomfortable here. ''Just what is her deal...'' The woman merely smiled a little bitterly at Lucas ignoring her and sometimes glancing at her suspiciously. "I should introduce myself, I guess... It is nice to meet you, Lucas. My name is Elizabeth Thorne, and I am one of the teachers at Shield." Hearing her introduction, Lucas''s worries eased a little as his eyes softened a bit. ''So she is or will be a teacher of mine.'' "Nice to meet you..." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As Lucas said that, he relaxed some more and started enjoying his cake. "So you can make a smile that suits your age, which I have never seen in the exam." She said, making Lucas look up at her as he tilted his head in confusion. ''Smiling? Me?'' He touched his face and, to his surprise, he was actually smiling a little. Snapping him out of his bewilderment was Elizabeth chuckling a little at seeing him so surprised. "So, want to tell me why you are here instead of sleeping so you can wake up in 7 hours for the entrance ceremony? You haven''t registered yourself for the dormitory at the academy even." Hearing her question, Lucas stopped eating and answered calmly. "Nothing really... I just couldn''t sleep and wanted some fresh air, so I started walking outside until I ended up here." She furrowed her brows at hearing his words. "What about your parents? Do they know you are outside this late?" "Well, no... everyone is already back home, so I am staying at the hotel with my cat." ''What is her problem?'' "So you are alone without anyone being your guardian?" she said in a worried tone while looking at him, making him feel weird. ''Didn''t I just say Luna is with me?'' "It''s fine, I am used to it anyway." She narrowed her eyes hearing Lucas''s response. "What hotel are you staying in?" Lucas narrowed his eyes this time at her. ''Huh, is she trying to follow me where I sleep when I am a minor and she is a teacher? Wasn''t that illegal back on Earth and even here in Myrniel? I should''ve listened to Mom...'' Her eyebrows twitched as she saw the weird look Lucas was giving her, as she could tell what he was thinking. "Don''t give me that look. I am a teacher of yours. It is our duty to make sure the students of ours are safe and protected, especially when you are only 15... even if you are ''used'' to being alone." He relaxed again at hearing her explanation. "Mm, I understand." "Good." Hearing him, Elizabeth nodded, satisfied before she spoke again. "Now finish your cake so we can go where you are staying." "Eh?" That was all Lucas could say as he heard the ridiculous words from her. ''Huh, was I wrong? Is she seriously trying to commit a crime on me!'' Lucas was starting to panic inwardly as he should''ve listened to his mom. "Don''t look at me like that!" She raised her voice, annoyed at seeing his weird and panicked look at her again. "Seriously... you are only 15, not even an adult, so no way I am leaving you to stay alone. I will book a room at the hotel you are staying in, and we can discuss all of this tomorrow after the entrance ceremony then." ''She really worries a lot about her students, huh...'' "Yeah... I guess that is fine, I suppose." "Seriously, to think the strongest student is so troublesome..." She said with a sigh as she shook her head a little. After that, he finished his cake as both left together for the hotel he was staying at, marking the end of one of the weirdest nights in Lucas''s life to date. Chapter 75 - 75: Entrance Ceremony A tired sigh left Lucas''s lips as he looked at himself in the mirror. It was currently 8 a.m., an hour before the entrance ceremony. He was wearing the Shield uniform consisting of black pants, a black tie, a black jacket with a golden shield logo on the right side, and a white shirt underneath. Nodding as if satisfied with himself, he turned around, gently picked up Luna, and placed her on his shoulder. She was still sleeping. ''Seriously, how much can she sleep...'' Unlike her, after he and Elizabeth departed to their respective rooms to rest, he still couldn''t get an ounce of sleep. In the end, he just sat on a chair while playing with his phone. Even though he could go for days without sleep normally, for some reason he already felt tired. He was consciously breathing and blinking constantly, making him extremely annoyed and tiring him further. ''Just what is happening to me... is it because I am anxious?'' Perhaps it was the anxiety of inviting a secret organization to his doorstep, not knowing when they would arrive and if they were an ally or enemy. ''I didn''t have a choice... the exam was the best and easiest way to get their attention...'' All he could do now was relax and wait for them to contact him, but of course, it wasn''t that easy for him to relax. Every day just became harder and harder for him to stay calm, especially now that his family, with whom he felt most comfortable and happy, had left. Snapping him out of his thoughts was a gentle knock on his door. Walking up to it and opening it, he saw Elizabeth standing outside wearing the same clothes as earlier. "The uniform certainly suits you. Are you ready to leave?" "I am." As he said this, both started walking together towards the academy. After exiting the hotel, he decided to start a conversation while walking down the streets. "Is it a good idea to even walk with a student of the academy?" "Hmm? Of course it is. There aren''t any weird rules like that preventing me from interacting with other students." "I see... I still think it is too troublesome, though." He said as he noticed the surprised looks of people who started to take pictures of both of them. They weren''t only looking at him but also at Elizabeth. It was safe to say that she was extremely beautiful, as many were charmed and some men were starting to drool at seeing her. ''Have I become immune to beautiful women?'' He didn''t find it that weird that she didn''t affect him that much with the number of gorgeous women that Lucas had already met. He simply decided to ignore the people. "Does all the attention bother you? That''s weird though... with everything you pulled in the exam, I thought you liked it... no, actually even last night you tried to avoid people as much as you could, covering yourself with your hood." She said as they walked, giving him a curious look. "That is right. I don''t like being close to people." He said shortly, not intending to delve deeper, which she luckily understood and didn''t pry any further. "I should warn you then that after the entrance ceremony, parents will be allowed to enter the academy for an hour until the classes start." ''Great... so now I have to avoid the students and parents for an hour... if that is even possible.'' "By the way, Teacher Elizabeth, are you going to be one of my teachers?" Lucas asked, making her smile a little. "I am not allowed to tell you that normally until you get your curriculum, but as long as you don''t tell anyone else, it''s fine. So yes, I am actually the head teacher of your class." "I see..." Lucas said as they started walking without talking anymore. Yet, it wasn''t awkward as both were just enjoying the peacefulness and ignoring the stares they were getting. ''I wonder how strong she is... I can''t tell since she has suppressed herself, but she must be a grandmaster as well like most teachers would be.'' After 20 minutes, they finally arrived at the academy as countless students wearing the same uniform could be seen. The moment he arrived, everyone looked at him and Elizabeth. "I will go now and meet up with the other teachers to prepare. I will see you later, Lucas." She said as she suddenly disappeared under the eyes of everyone, surprising them. Except for Lucas. ''Illusion magic? Well, I''ll ignore it and act like I can''t see through her.'' As he thought, he started walking towards where the entrance ceremony would be. ****** Arriving at the hall, Lucas could see that no one was seated in the rows of chairs. On the podium, there was a mic placed on a stand. Most people had already arrived and were in groups talking to each other. He could see Seraphina, Sylviette, and Amaya all talking with a group of girls. Not just them, even Klaus and Leonne were together, conversing with others. ''Looks like everyone is warming up with the others...'' As he thought this, he calmly walked towards the last row of seats and sat on the right end. The moment he sat down, everything became quiet as everyone looked at him in surprise. Annoyed but not showing any of his emotions on his face, he simply closed his eyes, hoping to relax a little, even though he couldn''t sleep. But of course, this world was cruel... "Lucas! You are finally here." Opening his eyes reluctantly amidst the silent hall, Lucas saw Seraphina suddenly standing next to him, surprising many. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not just her, even Sylviette came and stood next to her with a small smile. "Mm, I am. How have you both been?" Lucas asked simply, knowing he wouldn''t be able to rest anymore. Suddenly, Leonne, Klaus, and Amaya joined in as well, making the group bigger than before. ''Great...'' Leonne had his usual stoic face and just nodded at him, while Amaya looked a little nervous but stuck close to Leonne. ''Are they perhaps a thing?'' He didn''t dwell too deeply on it. As for Klaus, he was just... looking weirdly at Lucas, making him even more uncomfortable than he already was. After Lucas greeted everyone, the others sat down amidst the countless gazes focused on them. "So these are all the champions of our year..." "Lucas Nightstar, the white devil... to think he is stronger than all of them." "What do you think his relationship is with one of the three great dukes'' daughters and the princess of Eldrath?" People were starting to whisper among each other, each sitting down as well, following Lucas and the others'' example. Though no one sat in the remaining few seats of the last row where Lucas and the others were. ''Do they really think we can''t hear them?'' As Lucas thought this, Seraphina suddenly got close to his face, whispering, making many look at them even more surprised. "Lucas... um, we have a small problem?" ''We?'' Looking at Seraphina, who was darting around nervously for some reason, he furrowed his brows and asked, matching her tone. "What is it? Did something happen?" "N-no, it isn''t something bad... I think. But you see, for the past week, my father and brother kept asking questions about us since they have never met you and were surprised at how close we were. I just kept telling them we were friends, but... He is already here and will probably try to talk to you after the ceremony..." ''Her father... Alaric Darkcrest, was it?'' "It''s alright, I''ll talk to them..." Lucas said a little softer to ease her worries. "...Sorry." She mumbled, not wanting to trouble him more than necessary. "I said it''s fine, alright? You don''t need to feel so down because of it." As he said this, she looked at him with a small grateful smile. After that, he just conversed with her and Sylviette for a while, sometimes even with Leonne or Amaya. But he and Klaus didn''t talk to each other, as Lucas felt a little weirded out since Klaus kept looking at him determinedly for some reason... As the time for the entrance ceremony started and every student took their seats, the room darkened and only the podium was lit up. Standing at the back of the podium was a line of teachers. Lucas could spot Julius and Elizabeth standing next to each other among some other teachers. In front of the teachers and behind the stand, a man with black hair and blue eyes appeared out of nowhere, surprising everyone. Even though he was suppressing himself, it became a little difficult to breathe for most who were new to the master stage. It felt like an invisible pressure was pressing on most. His presence was just that overwhelming, making a few break out in cold sweat, realizing who was in front of them. Eldric Stormrider. The vice principal of the Shield Academy. ''A saint, huh...'' Lucas, narrowing his eyes at him, could tell that he was much more experienced and stronger than his grandfather. ''He might be on par with King Michael.'' As he thought this, he and the vice principal suddenly made eye contact. Eldric merely smiled a little at him before looking at the other students again with a stoic face. "Welcome and congratulations to everyone here for passing the entrance exam. My name is Eldric Stormrider and I am the vice principal of Shield. I am sure most don''t want to hear this boring speech of mine, but unfortunately, I don''t have a choice since I still want to get paid." Finishing what he just said, he coughed a little after receiving a few glares from the teachers behind him. "Right... so before I start, let me tell you that not just me but everyone is extremely pleased by the results of the exam. This exam was made harder than the previous one since this year was supposed to be the most talented of the golden generation. But to think it was true, we would have so many talented students this year. Some even surprised us more than others." Saying the last part, he and most glanced at Lucas and Seraphina. "It makes me glad to think we will have such strong future pillars protecting Myrniel from any dangers that might arise." "Now, let''s get on to the boring part..." It took more than 40 minutes for the vice principal to finish his speech. Everyone got extremely bored and Lucas''s eyes kept closing, but he still couldn''t fall asleep since his body would start getting annoyed for some reason... After the vice principal released a big tired sigh, the entrance ceremony was finally over, meaning that they could go and wander around the academy to enjoy themselves until classes started. Though... For Lucas, this meant something else instead of enjoying himself... He would have to face a Duke instead. ''Truly a cruel world indeed...'' Chapter 76 - 76: Alaric Darkcrest Standing in front of a cafe in Shield was Lucas and Seraphina, where they would meet her father. He left Luna, who had finally woken up, with Sylviette, since after hearing a bit about how overprotective Seraphina''s father is, it would be best for Luna not to be there if something went wrong. Walking inside the shop, he could see that it was empty, and the staff who noticed their presence froze in shock. One of the staff members, snapping out of their shock, bowed his head while greeting them. "L-lady Seraphina and Master L-lucas, please follow me. Lord Alaric is already waiting for you!" As he spoke, Lucas and Seraphina both nodded and started following him under the nervous glances of the staff members. ''I feel bad for them...'' Glancing to his left, he could see Seraphina being nervous as well, fidgeting a little. Arriving in front of a table, he could see a man with black hair and red eyes sitting on one of the chairs, sipping his tea casually. Alaric Darkcrest. ''Seraphina looks a lot like him.'' The staff member, after guiding them, instantly ran away fearfully. Though no one blamed him; being in the presence of a great duke and two of the most famous people currently in Myrniel would make almost anyone nervous. Putting his cup back on the table, Alaric looked first towards Seraphina with a gentle smile and eyes. "My princess, how was the entrance ceremony?" "I-it was fine, Dad... just a little boring," she said. Lucas could tell she wasn''t expecting that he would ask this first, but hearing his question, Lucas could see she released a small smile. ''Looks like she at least is enjoying her new life while being loved... I am happy for her.'' As Lucas thought this, he heard Alaric speak again. "That is understandable, though I would like to ask if I can have some privacy with your ''friend,'' princess." "But..." Seeing her glance at him as she was nervous to leave him alone with her father, Lucas smiled slightly. "It''s fine, I don''t mind." Reassuring her, she finally relented and sighed as she started to walk away. Lucas could feel a cold gaze piercing his side. ''...She has become much less stubborn. Back then, she would hardly listen to Aushburn properly.'' He thought as he warmly gazed at her back leaving the shop until a cold voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Are you going to keep looking at my daughter''s back or finally sit down?" ''Fuck, I forgot about him...'' "Sure..." Saying that, his face became neutral, and he sat down in front of him as he picked up a tablet and ordered a chocolate cake for himself. ''At the very least, I should take advantage of this.'' Alaric didn''t interrupt him or get offended seeing his behavior of ignoring him while ordering food. Putting the tablet back, Lucas finally looked at him with neutral eyes, as Alaric did as well. At least 10 seconds went by as both didn''t talk to each other and merely stared into each other''s blood-red eyes without blinking. ''Am I supposed to talk? He is the one who invited me and wanted to talk to me alone.'' As he thought this, Alaric finally spoke up, breaking the awkward atmosphere. "So... tell me, Lucas Nightstar, what exactly is your relationship with my daughter?" Lucas tilted his head a little in confusion at hearing his question. "Didn''t Sera tell you that we are friends?" Hearing his answer, Alaric narrowed his eyes. "Sera, huh... And what type of friend would pin the other against a wall after meeting each other?" Lucas''s right eyelid twitched at hearing his question. ''Fuck... I panicked back then, okay... ugh, what do I say.'' "Well... I could feel her watching me since the fight against the first calamity, so when I confronted her, I wasn''t sure if she was an ally or not. For the exam, it''s not like we couldn''t kill each other." Lucas said, hoping that he would buy it, but... of course, he didn''t. "Then why the sound barrier? And the amount of different expressions the both of you made while talking in the sound barrier didn''t seem like just a confrontation. Also, on the skyscraper before you both fought against the other calamity together." "Well fought, by the way... To think the both of you know each other so well to the point a mere glance at each other was enough to understand the other." ''Fuck.'' Lucas had no words this time and just decided to stay quiet. Seeing him reluctant to talk about it, Alaric decided to ask another question, which made Lucas narrow his eyes. "What are your intentions with my daughter?" "I don''t understand what you mean." "Are you really just a friend of hers, or are you just using her for something?" Lucas clenched his hands under the table, annoyed at hearing his question, but didn''t show anything on his face. However, his voice did get colder, as did his eyes. "And why would you think that I am using your daughter?" As Lucas asked, a waiter came and placed his chocolate cake in front of him with trembling hands before running away as fast as he could, sensing the atmosphere. "Don''t take me for a fool, Lucas Nightstar. You have fooled most, but you can''t fool me. Those eyes of yours gave everything away. They aren''t the same as those foolish, naive eyes of that of the second hero of humanity or the other students. I have seen you battle with those eyes, hiding something cold and dangerous deep within you." Hearing him speak, Lucas was surprised as his eyes widened. "You... you have killed before, haven''t you? And not just once or twice, but many, many times..." He said with a small smile on his face as he looked at Lucas as if he were proud of himself. "What..." Lucas didn''t know how to respond to what he was saying in the slightest. He was already on high alert and was ready to summon the blade of chaos and fight his way out of here if he needed to. He knew fighting him would result in his loss, so all he could do was probably run away. ''I can''t reveal my chaos element and being a half-dragon no matter what...'' "Relax, I won''t harm you. All I am is just curious how someone so young has those eyes and is so strong." Though he said that, Lucas wasn''t relaxed in the slightest. "Though curious, I am not one to pry deeply into one''s life and secrets. But since you are someone who is close to my daughter, all I want is for her to be safe and happy..." As he said this, his red eyes suddenly started to glow, making Lucas even more alert but not doing anything as his [danger sense] hadn''t been activated yet. "Answer me these questions truthfully, and I will let you off. If you lie, I will know because of the skill I just activated, and trust me... I wouldn''t recommend lying to me." His voice became cold at the end, but Lucas, hearing the threat, wasn''t happy in the slightest. The entire atmosphere just felt like it dropped beneath 0 degrees, making the staff members inside the shop tremble out of cold and fear. Lucas''s eyes became extremely cold as he spoke in a voice so cold it surprised Alaric for a second. "Speak then." "Very well... Lucas Nightstar, are you intending to harm my daughter?" Hearing his question, Lucas responded in a cold voice. "I would never harm her no matter what, since she is one of the few people I care the most about in my life." Hearing his words and sensing no lies, Alaric widened his eyes in surprise. "I see... then are you planning to ask my daughter for revenge against the demons who kidnapped you and tortured you?" ''Right, he fucking knows... calm down, Lucas... calm down, he is still Seraphina''s father.'' "No, I won''t allow anyone to intervene with my revenge against the demons that tortured me. Not even my own family." S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sensing again no lies, Alaric''s eyes became softer, as did his voice. "Then are you planning to get close to her so you can have connections with us?" "Don''t ask questions you know the answers to, Alaric Darkcrest. I don''t give a shit, nor do I need anything from your family. If I do, I can simply ask mine, and you know the reason perfectly well why." Hearing the answer with no lies again, he sighed as he closed his eyes for a second and opened them again as they weren''t glowing anymore. Lucas sighed as well, as the atmosphere was still tense but eased up a little. ''Seriously, first it was Sylv''s dad and now Sera''s. Why can''t I ever have a good first impression with people''s fathers?'' "I would like to apologize, Lucas, for my rude behavior. It is just I want the best for my daughter and sometimes can go overboard... I don''t want her to get hurt, you see." ''I can''t blame him, I guess... I did just come out of nowhere from his perspective, and seeing me so close with Sera must have made him suspicious.'' Sighing again, the cold and tense atmosphere was gone as Lucas looked at him. "It''s fine. I forgive you. I understand your reasons perfectly well. But... just know that I would never do anything to harm Sera in the slightest." A small smile formed on Alaric''s lips as his eyes softened considerably. "I am glad to hear that she has found a good friend like you... I am sorry once again." "I told you it''s fine." As Lucas reassured him, he finally started to eat his chocolate cake as it melted in his mouth, making him unleash an unconscious smile. Alaric, surprised at seeing him smile, suddenly looked at him with a warm gaze. "It seems you really love cake, huh?" Looking up at him, Lucas tilted his head at the question before narrowing his eyes. ''Don''t tell me I am smiling again...'' Touching his face, he noticed that he actually was. Embarrassed at how easily he smiled from some cake, he looked back down and started eating his cake again, ignoring his question. Alaric merely laughed a little at seeing him. ''Ugh... well, this is better than almost getting into a fight with him.'' Thinking that, he finally finished his cake. Checking the time on his phone, he saw that he had only 15 minutes left before his first class would start. Standing up as both decided they had to leave since Alaric had to go back to Crest City before tomorrow, they shook hands. "I hope you continue to stay good friends with my daughter, Lucas... Please make sure you visit Crest City with her once you find the time." "I''ll take you up on that offer then." Lucas said with a small smile on his face before both finally left the shop, making all the staff members fall on the floor out of relief. As they finally separated after exiting the shop, Lucas decided to head to his classroom. Chapter 77 - 77: Class S-1 With five minutes left until his class would start, Lucas stood in front of the door. "Class S-1..." Lucas muttered, reading the plate on the door. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, he entered the classroom. The moment he entered, everyone became quiet as all eyes turned to him. ''I really fucking hate this.'' Annoyed yet not showing any emotion on his face, he calmly looked for an open seat. Luckily, Seraphina was all the way at the back, and the seat on her left next to the window was free as she waved at him. He could see Amaya seated in front of her with Leonne. Luna was on top of Seraphina''s desk, sleeping peacefully once more... Scanning a little more, he noticed that Sylviette and Klaus weren''t there. ''So they have been placed in another classroom, huh.'' Walking towards her, he took the seat next to her and got comfortable in his chair. Suddenly, Seraphina shuffled closer to Lucas under everyone''s gaze. "Hey, so what happened with you and Dad?" she asked, whispering as Lucas turned his face towards her. Her face was uncomfortably close to Lucas, allowing him to see every detail of her blood-red eyes and glistening onyx-black hair. The strands shimmered like polished stone, contrasting starkly with her delicate, beautiful skin, which looked as pale as freshly fallen snow. "Lucas?" Snapping him out of his daze was Seraphina, who was looking at him with worried eyes, seeing him zone out so suddenly. "Ah, sorry... don''t worry, nothing happened between us to make you worry. He just questioned me about a few things, but I handled it." Lucas said as he turned his face from her, staring down at the empty teacher''s desk. ''Just what is wrong with me these days...'' "Really? Dad didn''t try to hurt you, right? If he did, just tell me," Seraphina asked, surprised yet not fully convinced, making him smile a little, though he still didn''t look in her direction. "He didn''t hurt me at all, you don''t need to worry. He was just worried about what our sudden relationship was, that is all. He didn''t touch a finger on my body." ''Almost did though...'' Saying the last part in his mind, he heard Seraphina release a relieved sigh. Thinking he finally convinced her, he started relaxing a little more before he felt her intense gaze on him again. "Hey, Lucas." "...Yes?" Lucas asked, confused yet still not looking at her as he felt a little weird still from earlier. Just for a moment, when he saw her worried face so close to him, he felt like she was... cuter and more beautiful than usual. "Are you alright? You seem a little out of it today," she asked with a worried tone, noticing him acting strangely. "Did something happen? Like did ''they'' contact you?" she asked again, a little more quietly, making sure no one could hear them at all. Finally looking at her and seeing her worried eyes on him, he answered, "I am fine, don''t worry. Just... a little tired, I suppose, since I didn''t get any sleep today." "Huh? But shouldn''t yo¡ª" Before she could finish what she was saying, as she wasn''t convinced in the slightest by Lucas''s excuse, they suddenly heard the door open, making everyone go quiet and look at who entered. Seeing Elizabeth enter the classroom, Lucas observed as she calmly and gracefully walked and stood in front of her desk. He could see several boys already starting to drool over her. Suddenly, a pressure descended on the students as almost everyone watched with bated breath, feeling the mana she was releasing to snap them out of their weird thoughts. ''So, a grandmaster... If I had to guess, Julius seems to be stronger, so perhaps an 8-star level?'' As Lucas thought, she suppressed her mana again, making almost everyone sigh in relief. "Good morning. As you all might have guessed, I will be the headteacher of this class and responsible for all of you for the next three years unless you get expelled. My name is Elizabeth Thorne." Hearing what she said, he noticed her warmly glancing subtly at him for a second without anyone noticing except for Seraphina next to Lucas, making her furrow her brows for some reason. ''Why does it feel like she treats me so differently?'' He honestly found it weird how worried she was last night about him, but she shouldn''t be anymore, right? He didn''t know why but could tell that she was going to treat him differently than the other students. ''Is it because of my performance at the exams? It doesn''t seem like the reason though...'' At first, he thought it was just because she was a kind teacher who cares about the students of the academy. Lucas, in fact, still believes that but is at least suspicious since even if she is a kind teacher, there is no need for her to be kinder to him than others unless she has a reason other than being kind. ''Should I ask her lat¡ª'' Before Lucas could finish his thought, while Elizabeth was answering the questions of the eager students who wanted to know more about her, he suddenly felt extremely lightheaded as drowsiness was trying to take over. Not even a second had gone by, and everything he felt was replaced with a sharp pain piercing throughout his head, making him bite his lip hard to prevent himself from crying out in pain and clutch his head with his left hand while slightly leaning for support on the desk. He felt cold sweat sticking on his left hand that was placed on his forehead as breathing became more difficult. Making matters worse, he suddenly became extremely conscious of his body, like breathing and blinking. ''Fuck! It''s getting only worse and worse!'' S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Screaming inside his mind as he clutched his head tighter, the pain finally started to subside a little. "Lucas? Seriously, what is happening? Are you alright?" He heard Seraphina whisper worriedly next to him but couldn''t answer as he tried to focus on breathing properly. ''Just what is happening to me...?'' As he thought, he could feel a burning sensation in the middle of his back for some reason. After a few seconds, the burning sensation disappeared, as did the pain, making him breathe a sigh of relief quietly. Finally glancing to his right at Seraphina, he could see she was looking at him silently in extreme worry, giving him some breathing space. "Lucas..." As he was about to respond to her, he heard Elizabeth''s voice resounding throughout the room. "Is something wrong, Student Lucas?" Looking up, he finally looked towards Elizabeth, who was looking at him with furrowed brows, noticing something odd going on. Suddenly, everyone was gazing at Lucas, making him feel uncomfortable. "No, I apologize for disturbing the class, Teacher Elizabeth." "It''s alright, but are you alright? You look pale... Are you sick perhaps?" Everyone glanced weirdly at Elizabeth upon hearing what she said, since getting sick as a master would be hard, especially for someone as strong as Lucas, but perhaps she was right as everyone saw how pale Lucas looked. "Ah, no, it is nothing. Just a little tired, I suppose..." Lucas said shortly as he truly didn''t know how to escape this situation and didn''t want to reveal what was going on yet until he was sure. Luckily, she understood his reluctance and decided to let it go for now, but he could see she was looking at him in a way that told him this wasn''t over. ''Looks like I will be leaving the academy late today...'' [Father, are you alright? I feel something weird from our connection in your body...] He heard Luna speak inside his head as she woke up and was still lying down on top of Seraphina''s desk looking at him, but he could hear the clear worry in her voice. [Don''t worry, I felt it as well. I''ll check what is wrong with me after I am done with everything today.] As he said, he heard Elizabeth''s voice again addressing the entire class. "Right now, let''s head to the training ground where we will spar with each other since there is no better way to know each other than fighting against one another." Saying that, everyone finally got up excitedly as Luna jumped on top of Lucas''s shoulder. Noticing something interesting, he realized he was the only one with a bond in his class. ''Well, it is rare to get a bond that suits you, I suppose...'' As he thought, he noticed the intense gazes of most girls focused on Luna, sometimes even on him, making him feel uncomfortable. Trying to ignore them, he looked to his right again where someone else stood with an intense gaze, looking at him full of worry. Sighing as he understood she wasn''t buying any of it and not wanting to hurt her, he spoke. "I''ll tell you what is wrong after school, alright? I promise." "Fine... but I am sticking close if something happens to you again." "...Sure." Saying that, they both started walking out as well, following the rest to the training grounds. ''She always really worries a lot about me... though I guess it doesn''t feel bad.'' He thought while ignoring the intense gazes of Luna on his shoulder and Seraphina at his side as both kept looking at him worried. ''This is going to be a long day...'' Chapter 78 - 78: Sparring Lucas and the rest of his classmates were inside the huge training room, all wearing the black combat suits they wore during the entrance exam. They were lined up next to each other as Elizabeth stood in front of them, counting all 27 students in the class. After a few seconds, she finally spoke. "Alright, now I''ll be calling your name as I hand out the shield watches you wore in the virtual world for the entrance exam. The watch will display your rankings and your current year. Please make sure not to lose it, as it will be your companion for the next three years, as long as you don''t get expelled." As she called each person''s name one by one, she handed them their watch, and they returned to the line, wearing them on their wrists. When Lucas''s name was called, he went to Elizabeth, and she handed him his watch before he returned to the line, wearing it on his left wrist. Standing back in line, he decided to tap on it. A holographic screen appeared in front of him, and he decided to read what was shown, just like everyone else did with their screens. ------------------ Name: Lucas Nightstar Year: 1st year Rank: 1/1889 Status: Attending class Objective: ??? Time limit: ??? ------------------ ''So I am first, huh... no surprise really,'' he thought as he gazed at the holographic screen showcasing his ranking. He wasn''t surprised that he got first place, considering he defeated and fought two of the three great calamities, even one with only Seraphina. ''Speaking of Seraphina...'' Closing the screen on his watch, he glanced to his right and saw her gazing intently at her holographic screen, which was hard to read from the sides. But since Lucas was a half-dragon, he could easily read what was written on the holographic screen. "So you are third, huh... not bad," Lucas said, congratulating her on becoming 3rd place in the entire first year. Hearing his voice, she snapped out of it, closed her screen quickly, and looked angrily at Lucas. "Congratulations? For what? I didn''t become first or even second! How is that even possible..." She said, pouting, which only made her look cuter in Lucas''s eyes. "Well, they probably didn''t measure it by how strong a person is, but by how useful one was. If I''m right, then Klaus would be second since he fought two out of the three calamities as well, dealing the finishing blow to the last." "Makes sense, I guess..." She said reluctantly. "Alright, I hope you all have already read your rank among your fellow first years. Some might be disappointed, but don''t worry, as you can improve your ranking with upcoming exams. For those who are satisfied with their ranks, don''t get overconfident, as your ranking can easily be snatched away before you know it. Make sure to train hard every day and strive to be first," Elizabeth said seriously as she lectured everyone in the room, who were quietly absorbing everything she said. Hearing the words about striving to become first, everyone looked at Lucas for a second. It didn''t take a genius to understand that Lucas would obviously be ranked first. ''This is going to invite some annoyances, no doubt...'' Understanding that he was first in his year, Lucas knew many people would probably try to form connections with him or perhaps cause some trouble, not believing that a mere viscount''s son deserved to be first, even though everyone had seen his performance at the exam. Some people are just like that, with their huge egos not wanting to accept reality because they were spoiled by their families, who made them believe that they are the best and should be ranked first no matter what. ''I''ve seen some of those in my previous life...'' his thought was broken once again by Elizabeth addressing the class. "Alright, now each of you should find a partner to spar with. Make sure not to use your real weapons if you use aura, and instead, use the training weapons placed on the side of the wall over there." Pointing at one of the walls, everyone followed where she was looking. Lucas could see a variety of training weapons meant not to do a lot of damage to opponents displayed inside the walls, ready to be used. He noticed that there were not only different types of swords but also bows, daggers, axes, and spears. Lucas honestly found this weird since you can, of course, use your aura not only on swords but also on other weapons, yet you are still called a swordsman since the other weapons are looked down upon as most think that the sword is just a superior weapon. ''Honestly, it should depend on the wielder on what weapon is better or not...'' [Swords are just cooler, Father...] Luna said to him through their link, making Lucas smile a little. [Mm, I agree that swords are indeed cooler, at the very least...] As he said to her, he could see all the people who use aura heading towards the wall displaying the weapons. As Lucas and Seraphina were about to join Amaya and Leonne, they heard Elizabeth addressing them. "Wait, Student Lucas and Student Seraphina, please follow me instead of joining the others." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Both glanced at the others before nodding and following her to a more open space in the room, far from the others who were occasionally glancing at them curiously. "It would just be a waste for both of you to use those weapons to spar and to hold back since there are other students close to you. So instead, I want both of you to use your real weapons here as you spar under my supervision until we find a better way to make sure you both don''t waste your time." Hearing her explanation, both nodded in agreement. ''I guess she is right; it would indeed just be a waste of time...'' As he thought this, he suddenly felt a terrifying gaze from his right side, making Luna jump away and run a safe distance away from him. Looking toward the source, he saw Seraphina watching him with predatory eyes and a grin on her face. "So that means we will fight each other, huh, Mister Rank 1?" she said, as both Lucas and Elizabeth could sense the jealousy in her voice. ''You shouldn''t have hid yourself back then!'' he screamed inside his mind as he and Seraphina distanced themselves from the others, getting ready to fight. "Remember... you are supposed to spar, so don''t use anything lethal," Elizabeth warned from the sidelines, starting to regret her decision after seeing the way Seraphina was acting. Getting into an appropriate position, he summoned his blade of chaos to his right waist and suddenly grinned at her. "Rank 1, huh? Well, yeah, I suppose you have the honor to fight someone stronger than you..." Hearing his taunt, she narrowed her eyes as the grin on her face disappeared. "Stronger? You can say that again after I take that rank from you," she said, gripping her daggers in front of her body. Glancing to the side for a second, he noticed that no one was sparring; everyone had gotten a little closer and was watching their exchange intently. "Alright, are both of you ready?" Lucas and Seraphina nodded without looking at her. Seeing them both nodding, Elizabeth sighed a little. "Very well... Begin!" Chapter 79 - 79: A monster [1] Seraphina didn''t dare to blink as her entire focus was on Lucas, who stood in front of her alone. He was simply holding the hilt of his sword with his right hand, not unsheathing it in the slightest. The entire training room was silent, everyone focused on her and Lucas: the one who placed third in the entire first year and the one who placed first. The emotionless face Lucas wore was something she was most familiar with in her previous life. ''It makes me sad...'' Seraphina felt sad as she remembered the Lucas who was previously known as Noah in her last life. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She remembered how he barely showed any emotions at all back then. He was like an emotionless machine, carrying out every order diligently. At first, she found it uncomfortable to be around him when she first met Lucas. She always tried to avoid him since it creeped her out how one could be so... dead. His eyes looked so dark as if there wasn''t any sign of light in them, as if he was just dead. When Aushburn had told her his story, it only intensified her belief in staying far away from him. ''A monster...'' Those were the only thoughts she had whenever she saw him again after returning from a mission. His eyes only turned darker every time she saw him again. No emotions could be seen in those dark eyes of his. An emotionless monster who was never meant to be born. She had killed before just like Lucas, so when they were trained to be assassins, she knew that killing innocents would be part of the job. She remembered the first mission they carried out together. An innocent boy, barely 13 years old, became collateral damage because of a small mistake she made. The boy had nothing to do with their mission, just a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time when they killed his parents. She was accustomed to killing people, but anyone in her position would naturally hesitate to kill an innocent child because of their own error. Or so she thought. When Lucas found out what had happened and saw the boy, he didn''t waver. The boy was hugging his knees, tears streaming down his face, his body trembling with fear. Lucas simply raised his gun, aimed it at the terrified child, and pulled the trigger. He didn''t hesitate in the slightest. The gunshot echoed through the alley, and pieces of flesh and brain splattered everywhere. The boy''s lifeless body slumped to the ground, eyes still wide with the terror of his final moments. She recalled how she just stood there, frozen in shock at how cruel and merciless he was. She recalled how his eyes didn''t change in the slightest at killing the innocent boy. She recalled how he simply walked away without sparing a glance at what he had done. ''A monster...'' Those words kept echoing through her mind back then as she gazed at his back. When they arrived back at their home and briefed Ausburn personally instead of anyone else, he simply nodded and gave both of them a break for a month to recover. She didn''t get punished in the slightest, and instead, both of them got a break to rest and make sure that failure of their mission didn''t affect them. She thought about why he would need a break; he looked like he didn''t care in the slightest. When they walked away from his office, she couldn''t help but talk to him for the first time ever willingly. When they both stopped in the hallway, she asked him a simple question that she had always been curious about: "Don''t you feel anything when you kill?" The question was so simple, yet it was something she wanted to know. She had heard from rumors just how eerie he was for killing without any emotion, like it never affected him in the slightest. When she asked the question, he stopped without turning around to face her. She waited an entire minute for his answer, and yet he was quiet. Thinking he wasn''t going to answer, she was about to ask again before he finally spoke to her. "Having feelings about anything is a waste... they will only hurt you instead of healing you." That was all he replied back then before leaving her as she watched wide-eyed at his departing figure. It was at that moment that both their lives finally started to change because she finally understood that he wasn''t really emotionless. He was just acting like that, hiding his true feelings, burying them deep down. Never to get hurt again. Snapping her away from thinking more about their past life together was the teacher signaling the start of their duel. "Begin!" She didn''t hesitate as she lunged at him instantly with her daggers in her hands. Lucas didn''t move in the slightest as he calmly watched her with his blood-red eyes. Arriving close to him, she swung her left dagger horizontally as it cut through the air. Lucas just calmly bent his back, avoiding the dagger that went past him. Suddenly surprising her was Lucas, who then gripped her left wrist tightly with his left hand at a speed she could barely follow ¡ªbarely. With his back still bent, he clenched his hand into a fist, ready to drive it into her face. ''Crap!'' Gritting her teeth, she allowed herself to be swallowed by her own shadow as his fist just went past her. Emerging from Lucas''s shadow, she then thrust her dagger forward at the back of his head, yet he merely tilted it to the left, narrowly avoiding her dagger before spinning around and swinging his right leg at her. Instinctively, she crossed her arms as his leg hit her hard, making her slide a few meters back while gritting her teeth. ''He isn''t taking me seriously... not even unsheathing his sword'' She was annoyed that he wasn''t using anything to fight her except for his own body, yet she understood that is who Lucas really is¡ªhe would never want to harm anyone he cares about. If he could avoid it, he would, no matter what. She understood that since now, in this life, he definitely had the power and potential to avoid harming anyone he loves. Knowing that he wasn''t unsheathing his sword against her made her feel extremely happy, meaning that he cared about her deeply, yet it frustrated her as well. ''Ugh, I don''t know if I should be mad or not! I want to fight him seriously, even if I would lose!'' As she thought, she kept walking around Lucas, eyeing him with frustrated eyes. ''Will he just keep dodging me... I need him to take me more seriously.'' ''I can''t use any lethal spells either and only use my daggers to harm him... She didn''t say anything about not using aura, did she?'' As she thought, her black and white aura shot out from her, surrounding her and coating her daggers, taking the breath away from most of the students watching. Lucas, though, simply watched calmly, unsurprised at her actions. Seeing his emotionless demeanor, she simply scoffed. ''Let''s see how long you can keep that act of yours.'' Chapter 80 - 80: A monster [2] ''Annoying...'' Lucas thought as he gazed at Seraphina circling around him like a predator waiting for the right opportunity to strike. He could see the clear frustration in her eyes, yet he tried to ignore it. He didn''t like harming the people he cared about in the slightest, but that didn''t mean he was afraid to spar with someone. Seraphina, however, was different from anyone else he cared about... She was perhaps the only person in the entire world who knew him the best. Suddenly, her aura flared as she coated her daggers with it. She shot towards him at a speed that almost no one watching could follow except for a few. A series of thrusts were thrown at Lucas as he kept dancing around them, barely avoiding the daggers. To others, it might seem he was playing around, but in truth, he was having a hard time focusing solely on dodging her attacks. He continued to dodge as she imbued even more of her aura into her daggers, increasing her speed. ''Annoying... just why is it so hard...'' He thought as he tilted his head to the right, barely missing the dagger that was about to impale his face. Jumping back a few meters to distance himself, Lucas saw her gritting her teeth in frustration. He put his left hand on the hilt of his sword, hesitating again to draw it. Every second he thought of fighting back, memories of their last battle flashed in his mind. The last time he fought Seraphina... he had to kill her. ''This is different... it is just a spar. So why am I hesitating?'' He thought as Seraphina suddenly appeared on his right side using teleportation. Lucas didn''t waste any time and tilted his body, avoiding her right dagger aimed at his face, which managed to cut a few strands of his snow-white hair. Using teleportation himself, he distanced himself a few meters from her. Yet, as if knowing what he was about to do, she teleported right in front of him, avoiding at the same time the left hook he threw at her. Crouching down to avoid his fist, she suddenly thrust her left dagger at Lucas''s... crotch. ''What the¡ª?!'' Instinctively, without realizing it, he unsheathed the Blade of Chaos, blocking the incoming dagger and protecting his manhood. The sudden sound of steel clashing echoed throughout the entire training room. Seraphina instantly jumped back, looking at Lucas with a proud grin as he stood frozen, still processing what had just happened. "Heh~ looks like I finally got you to unsheathe your sword." She said with a grin. Lucas, watching her in surprise, let his emotionless mask slip. "You... you are crazy..." He said, shocked, gripping the hilt of his sword tighter unconsciously. "I wouldn''t have to resort to this if you had just used your sword from the beginning," she said, frustration evident in her tone. ''She''s right, I suppose,'' Lucas thought, calming down as he took a deep breath. ''Right... things are different now. Both of us aren''t as powerless as we were before, and... she is different as well. Not Alicia anymore, but Seraphina.'' Exhaling the breath he had been holding, he looked at Seraphina with a much more determined gaze, making her clutch her daggers tighter. "Very well... don''t regret your actions now," Lucas said as his aura flared, surrounding him and his Blade of Chaos in red and black. ''Not enough...'' Under everyone''s bewildered eyes, red lightning started to fuse with his aura. The second Seraphina blinked, Lucas appeared in front of her, swinging his blade diagonally. Instinctively, she crossed both daggers together and blocked the strike, her arms trembling from the force. Gritting her teeth, she pushed his sword back and swung her daggers at him, but Lucas parried each strike with his blade. The sound of steel clashing echoed throughout the room as everyone watched the battle intensely. With each clash, it felt less like a fight and more like a dance. Beautiful. The same thought ran through everyone''s mind, even Elizabeth''s, as they watched the battle¡ªLucas''s red and black aura and Seraphina''s black and white aura trying to devour each other. Each time he clashed his sword with her daggers while dancing around the room, Lucas noticed something he was lacking that Seraphina had: a battle style. Even though he had mastered the basics of swordsmanship, he had no unique battle style. His swings lacked the distinctiveness hers had, making the difference between him and Seraphina glaringly obvious to him. ''The battle style of the Darkcrests, huh...'' He thought bitterly, remembering how his father refused to teach him the old battle style of the Nightstars, saying it wouldn''t suit him and that he should find his own. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He knew William had his own battle style, not inherited from his family but one he had created himself¡ªa feat most swordsmen would envy. And now it wasn''t just William, but even Seraphina who had a battle style. ''Damn, I am jealous!'' Each of her strikes was precise, cutting through the air with a hum. Her attacks were meant to be fast and swift, only aiming at vital points to finish the enemy as quickly as possible. ''It strangely suits her a lot for an ex-assassin... now that I think about it, don''t even her affinities make her the perfect assassin?'' As they clashed, Lucas finally broke off the beautiful dance that had captivated everyone. He jumped back a few meters, distancing himself from Seraphina. He could see Seraphina not following him, taking a few controlled breaths. She wasn''t a half-dragon like Lucas, so her stamina was obviously a lot less than his. "Should we finish this?" he asked as Seraphina bent her knees and leaned forward, holding her daggers in front of her face. "I would love that," she said with a small grin that Lucas reciprocated. ''This is fun...'' He honestly found this duel of theirs extremely fun¡ªsomething he hadn''t experienced in a while. ''Ah, I really want to keep fighting her!'' He missed the times they sparred together in their previous world and the time they used to spend with each other. All sounds around him faded, as did his surroundings. In front of him was simply Seraphina, enveloped by an aura of black and white, while both of them were surrounded by pitch-black darkness. Placing his sword in front of him, he bent his knees as lightning started to crackle around him again. Both their auras flared even more, dancing wildly. And in the next second... "S-STOP! That is enough!" Everything fell apart as they heard the panicked scream of Elizabeth, who finally realized the situation they were in. Chapter 81 - 81: Curse As all the students finally started to spar amongst each other, Seraphina and Lucas remained in the open space, standing in front of Elizabeth. "I told you guys to spar... in what way was that called a spar? Almost every attack from both of you could have actually killed the other," she said sharply, lecturing them for the last fifteen minutes about how dangerous their fight was and could have become. "With all due respect, Teacher Elizabeth... you never stopped us to begin with and only watched us escalate our duel," Lucas said, making her lips twitch as she tried to suppress her facial expression. "That was... that doesn''t matter. The point is that the both of you need to control yourselves the next time you spar, understood?" she said sternly, allowing no refusal. Both nodded their heads, understanding they would just be stuck with the same lecture. "Good, now that we are done with that..." As she spoke, Lucas suddenly felt light-headed again as the same drowsiness he felt earlier in class started to envelop him. ''Damn it...'' Gritting his teeth while clenching his hands behind his back, he looked down, hoping to hide the sudden sharp pain coursing through his head. "Lucas?" Of course, Seraphina noticed, standing right next to him. Even Elizabeth instantly realized something was wrong as she stopped talking. "Student Lucas, is everything alright?" ''Damn it, just what is wrong...'' [Father... I sense the same weird energy on your back from earlier,] Luna said in his mind as she ran to him worriedly. "I-I''m fine, just a headache..." He felt the burning sensation on his back before it disappeared, clutching his forehead with his right hand. After a few seconds, the pain entirely vanished, making him let out a breath of relief. Looking back up, he saw that Luna, Seraphina, and Elizabeth were all staring at him with worried eyes. "Lucas, are you fine now?" Seraphina asked, gazing at him intently, seeing the pained expression he tried to hide but failed to moments ago. "Yes, don''t worry, I am fine now," he tried to reassure with a small smile, yet of course, no one believed him. "Student Lucas, what is happening exactly? And tell me without lying this time. I noticed this happened earlier in class as well," Elizabeth said with a stern voice, not wanting him to lie to her as she was worried about this weird headache of his. Sighing, he decided to tell them as he didn''t see any harm in it. "I don''t know... it happens randomly. At first, I feel light-headed, then I feel a sudden wave of drowsiness that just gets replaced with a headache... After that, I feel a burning sensation on my back before it all disappears..." Lucas''s voice got lower and lower with each word as he started to piece the puzzle together for why this was happening. [Luna... you felt a weird sensation on my back, right?] [Yes, but it goes away after a few seconds as if it got destroyed.] ''The moment I feel the burning sensation on my back, she feels the weird energy in me...'' As he thought, his eyes suddenly widened as he realized the cause of all of this. ''Was it Julius or perhaps Elizabeth? No, I would have known instantly, and the other staff members would as well... then the only one left is...'' "Lucas, we should get you check¡ª" Before Seraphina could finish speaking, Lucas interrupted, making everyone widen their eyes at his words. "There is a curse placed on me..." "What?" Elizabeth said, bewildered. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A curse placed on someone''s body would only be possible if they had an affinity for curses, which is as rare as a sound affinity, and they''d have to be at least a skilled grandmaster. "Just who would place a curse on you... wait, don''t tell me it is..." As Seraphina spoke, she glanced at Lucas''s face, which had grown extremely cold, sending shivers down everyone''s spine. She realized the only time he gave such a reaction was for a certain person, or better said... demon. "Karciel." Lucas growled as he spoke the name of the one who placed the curse on him. ''He must have placed it when I was unconscious before he brought me to that torture room. But why didn''t it affect me before? No, it must be because I am a half-dragon; my body must have been fighting the effects without me ever noticing, but it has been getting more troublesome to fight it.'' ''The weird energy Luna felt and the burning sensation on my back must have been the curse mark appearing and disappearing...'' "Karciel? The count-ranked demon that attacked your estate? But how did he place a curse on you..." As she spoke, her eyes widened as she saw the worried look Seraphina was giving Lucas, and even Luna was concerned. Lucas himself was deep in thought with cold eyes, his killing intent leaking out despite his efforts to suppress it. "The report was false..." she muttered as she realized the reason for Lucas''s intense behavior. She could see his suppressed killing intent, making shivers run down her spine. "Lucas, we should go to a healer," Seraphina''s voice snapped everyone out of their thoughts. He looked towards her, who was now standing closer to him, and then glanced at Elizabeth, whose face became unreadable as she spoke. "Student Seraphina is right. We need to bring you to a healer as fast as possible before your situation worsens," she said. Lucas merely nodded before Luna jumped on his shoulder, and he and Seraphina started to follow Elizabeth, ignoring the curious gazes of everyone present. ******* Lucas was currently inside his new room with Luna sleeping on the bed again. After following Elizabeth with Seraphina to one of the healers at the academy, they discovered a curse mark on his back that appeared and disappeared intermittently. Luckily, they could easily remove it since it hadn''t merged with him properly, as his body was fighting the curse, surprising both the healer and Elizabeth. Withstanding a curse placed by a grandmaster was no easy feat. The curse was intended to drive him insane if it had worked properly. He was glad that, out of consideration, the healer and Elizabeth didn''t ask any questions about Karciel and his connection to him. After that, he got the rest of the day off. Elizabeth informed him that he could now stay in the academy dormitory. Surprisingly, everyone else he knew also stayed in the dormitories, even though they could have just gotten apartments. He wouldn''t be missing anything important today, as their lessons would start properly tomorrow with their curriculum sent to their watches or the app on their phones. "Now that the curse is finally lifted, I should make up for what I''ve missed," he said as he undressed and put on some comfortable clothes. He gently placed Luna to the side of the bed, where she was curled up sleeping peacefully, and joined her, lying down. ''I''ll deal with everything tomorrow...'' It didn''t take long before he finally fell asleep, something he had dearly wished for over the past few days. Chapter 82 - 82: Death Zone A tired sigh left Karciel''s lips as he exited the colossal silver gates, which disappeared into white particles a few seconds later. "Nothing again..." he muttered, gazing at the trees surrounding him. "This is the fifth dungeon today with us leaving empty-handed. Are you sure the obtelux is even in a death zone and not already in the hands of someone?" The uncomfortable voice of Abadux reached his ears as he leaned against a tree, gazing at the sky. Death zones are perilous areas where dangerous beasts from dungeon breaks roam. These places are shrouded in mystery and are so treacherous that anyone entering risks their life. Most of the beasts inside a death zone are at least B-rank king predators. Some even say there are beasts above S-rank residing there. Rumors suggest that the deepest parts of a death zone house ominous creatures beyond imagination. "His majesty was certain that the obtelux would be in a death zone''s dungeon," Karciel said seriously, his playful demeanor absent, unlike when he attacked the Nightstar estate and tortured Lucas. "Should we go deeper to check for more dungeon gates?" Abadux suggested, making Karciel scowl. "We can''t... I feel a presence of something dreadful residing in the deeper parts." "If the obtelux is in the deeper parts, then we have a problem... do remember that time is running out and that we are the highest ranks currently in Myrniel." "You think I don''t know that!" Karciel snarled at him. He knew that he and Abadux were the strongest of their respective races in Myrniel. The gates were closed for some reason, ensuring no one from the demon world would enter Myrniel. The only order he got before the gates closing was from Lord Diablo, saying that his majesty wanted them to find an ancient artifact consumed by the void and that they would find it inside a dungeon. ''Just what the hell does consumed by the void even mean?'' he thought, confused. He didn''t even know what the obtelux looked like! ''I wonder how strong this weapon must be for his majesty to want it...'' As he thought, his pitch-red eyes widened in shock as he felt a connection sever. ''The curse is gone... of course it would be.'' He remembered when he placed a curse on Lucas that would only activate when he was away from him, intended to drive him insane. But he never heard anything about Lucas going crazy. Confirming his suspicion was when he watched the entrance exam and saw Lucas perfectly fine as if the curse was never there. At first, he thought Lucas must have removed it, but then he would have felt that. ''He really isn''t human, is he?'' Karciel was sure of it now that the curse was removed so easily. He could feel that the curse wasn''t connected properly with its host, meaning that Lucas managed to fight it with or without realizing it. ''Just what the hell is he... his skin was much tougher than a normal human of his stage to the point I had to actually try and...'' As he thought, he remembered their last moment together before he fled from the mysterious saint. That smile of his... ''I can''t put my finger on it, but why does he remind me of someone... my mind keeps going blank the moment I almost figure out who the person he reminds me of is.'' That smile when he saw it for some reason made his body tremble. ''Fear... to think he would actually make me feel fear for a second.'' He laughed bitterly out of nowhere, making Abadux look at him weirdly. ''To think I placed a curse to make one go crazy when he already was. I should have killed him...'' He didn''t know why, but ever since their last moment together, he felt his chest tighten considerably remembering Lucas''s expression. ''I am starting to understand a little bit why his majesty said to be clear of that family... everything is just full of questions with them.'' Breaking him out of his thoughts was the feeling of multiple beings approaching him and Abadux. Looking ahead, he saw three demons and a wraith running towards them. ''So they are here... empty-handed.'' He clicked his tongue as he already noticed that they must have failed as well in finding the obtelux. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As they arrived in front of him and Abadux, they kneeled in their presence. "Lord Karciel, Lord Abadux, we are sorry but we didn''t find anything..." they said regretfully with their heads down. "So what now, Karciel?" Abadux asked as they were now stuck and knew they couldn''t go any deeper into this death zone. "We are leaving and going to another death zone for the time being... if we keep having no luck, we might have to risk going deeper into the death zones," Karciel said, making the demons and the wraith tremble in fear as they felt the ominous presence all the way from the deeper part of the death zone. "Very well, let''s leave this death zone for the time being then," Abadux said as Karciel nodded and a small mark appeared beneath him. "Abadux, let''s split up. I''ll be going to a death zone I marked while you go to another. This way we will be faster," he said as Abadux merely nodded and disappeared, leaving a trail of miasma behind, corrupting the ground he was standing on. "As for you lot... there is something else I need you to deal with for the time being." "Anything you wish, Lord Karciel," one of the demons said, bowing his head again while all of them were still on their knees. They knew they had no choice but to obey either Karciel or Abadux as they were the strongest and had to fulfill an order of the demon king. "I need you to find a person and kill him when the opportunity arises." "Just say the name, Lord Karciel." He didn''t answer for a few seconds as he pondered the order he was about to give. ''Perhaps they can be of some use as well...'' "Lucas Nightstar." Everyone looked up weirdly at him upon hearing the name of the intended target. "Is there a problem?" He scowled at seeing their expressions. "N-no, forgive us, Lord Karciel. It is just... why?" ''Idiots...'' "We don''t know his exact star level, but he must be already at the 7-star level if he can fight a B-ranked beast alone. On top of that, he has shown to be a tri-elemental mage and a swordsman, making him a dual wielder... all of this at the age of 15. I have a feeling as well... that he will stand in the way of his majesty in the future if we don''t get rid of him now." They shuddered at hearing the last part from Karciel. Being able to stand against the demon king? The mere thought seemed ridiculous to them, but the feats that Lucas had already shown made them rethink if such a thing was really ridiculous. "As you wish, Lord Karciel. We will make sure he will be dead when we get the chance." "Good. Also, be careful... I am not sure, but I believe that he actually isn''t a human." He said, making everyone open their eyes wide in shock. "Not human... then what is he?" "I don''t know." As he spoke, the mark beneath him started to glow with a white light. "Don''t take him lightly. He isn''t to be underestimated even if he is 15. Remember, he is called the White Devil for a reason, so make sure you get some backup before fighting him." ''If only I asked him more questions back then... to think I let such a monster get away. Just how many secrets are you really hiding, Lucas Nightstar?'' "How many demons and wraiths should we take with us, Lord Karciel?" "Not demons nor wraiths, but another race." His face turned into disgust, showing his sharp teeth as he spoke the words of the race he despised the most. "Leeches." Chapter 83 - 83: Fried Eggs Four days had passed since Lucas had the curse removed. He slept for two entire days, realizing how tired his body must have been. On the third day, he decided to stay in his room with Luna, not going to his classes. Seraphina and Sylviette both came up to check on him on the third day. Sylviette became worried as she heard from Seraphina about the curse mark that was placed on him, but both became relieved at seeing him. "I still feel like sleeping..." Lucas muttered as he wore his uniform and fixed the watch on his left wrist. Finally done, he glanced at Luna, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed. ''Just how can she sleep so much... I guess I should let her sleep in,'' he thought. As he left his room and silently closed his door not to wake her up, the door next to his room opened. Emerging from the room, Lucas saw for the first time who his neighbor was. "Klaus," Lucas spoke casually, greeting him as he stood there wide-eyed, looking at him in shock. ''Guess he never knew about me being his neighbor.'' "You... you decided to live in the dormitories?" Klaus asked, surprised, since he thought that Lucas had somewhere else to stay. "Mm. It was more convenient for me to stay here, and... Teacher Elizabeth insisted a little as well, I suppose," he said as Klaus nodded his head in understanding. "Yes... she can be quite strict at times but is quite caring for us at the same time." After he said, both stood there in silence, making the atmosphere awkward. ''I should leave...'' Before he could decide to leave and go to his class, Klaus decided to speak again. "I heard from Sylviette that you were sick for the last couple of days. Are you feeling better now?" he asked, concern evident in his eyes, while Lucas raised his eyebrows a little. ''So they are on speaking terms?'' As he thought, he decided to answer him truthfully, not really finding a reason to lie. "Mm. I was cursed, but luckily the healers managed to remove it on time before anything serious could have happened," he said, and Klaus''s eyes widened in surprise. "You got cursed!?" he shouted worriedly across the hallway, luckily though no one was close by to hear him. ''A hero is a hero after all, even worrying for someone like me after our little fight in the virtual world.'' "Keep it down, alright? I don''t need the entire academy to hear it," Lucas said annoyed. "A-ah, yeah, my bad. It''s just... who would want to curse you?" ''An entire planet...'' "I have a few in mind, but it doesn''t matter. I''ll deal with them when the time comes," Lucas said, dismissing any further conversation about this topic, which Klaus understood. "What class do you have right now?" Klaus asked, trying to change the topic. "Mana theory, if I am right," Lucas said. He had already checked his curriculum but hadn''t attended his classes, meaning this would basically be his first time. ''I am not really off to a good start, am I?'' "Oh, then you should be getting Teacher Julius. His lessons are quite boring, like most, and honestly, they are pretty hard to understand." "Well, he is a genius after all who focuses more on his intelligence than physical strength." "That is true..." Klaus said, acknowledging what Lucas said. "Well, I will be going now. I don''t want to be late for my first actual class." "Ah, yes, good luck," Klaus said awkwardly as he just stood there instead of going to his own class. ''This was weird...'' Lucas thought as he left the dormitories and went to his class. ****** Entering the class, the entire room descended into silence as they noticed his presence. Ignoring the curious stares he was getting from being absent for the past few days, he simply walked to his seat where Seraphina was waving at him with a small smile. Walking past Amaya and Leonne, he just gave both of them a nod, which they returned before he took his seat. "How are you feeling right now?" Seraphina asked, a little worried as she put a sound barrier around them to block out the annoying students trying to eavesdrop. "Like I said yesterday, I feel perfectly fine now." "If you say so..." she said, narrowing her eyes a little in suspicion, not entirely believing him, which made Lucas sigh. "Seriously, you worry too much. Nothing happened since the curse was lifted." "Fine... but can you blame me? You are the exact person who would somehow manage to burn the kitchen down just trying to make some fried eggs." "Just what the hell do you see me as..." Lucas asked, wide-eyed in shock at hearing the ridiculous comparison from her. ''I mean, making fried eggs can''t be that hard... right?'' Lucas suddenly started to doubt himself as he thought about how to make fried eggs. ''I mean, it sounds a little complex, but I wouldn''t burn the kitchen... I think.'' "Pfft!" Snapping him out of his thoughts was Seraphina''s beautiful laughter as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "You look like you are making a strategy to fight some troublesome villains," she said, putting her hand in front of her mouth, trying to hold back her laughter. Pursing his lips, he just looked away, annoyed at her antics, making her giggle. "What, giving up already? Don''t tell me you admit that you can''t cook~" she teased further, making his forehead crease as he looked back at her and spoke. "Okay, fine. Let''s have a match sometime. I''ll cook something for you and make it the best thing you''ve ever eaten," he said confidently, making Seraphina''s eyes widen for a few seconds before they returned to normal. "You are serious?" "I am." "Hmm... okay, fine, I am in!" she said excitedly at the prospect of having Lucas cook for her. Lucas narrowed his eyes a little at her, seeing the abrupt excitement as if she was waiting for this. ''She didn''t do this on purpose so she could have me cook for her, did she? Nah, no way...'' ''Tch, how troublesome,'' he thought as Seraphina removed her sound barrier. Everyone was glancing at them with shock evident in their eyes. ''Right, they saw the expressions we made,'' he thought as the teacher for his class finally entered the room. ''Julius Cordis...'' S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 84 - 84: A Saints Dread [1] Bored. Lucas was bored as he fought to stay awake in class. Currently, Julius was giving a lecture about something Lucas didn''t even bother to understand. ''Not like I have an actual reason to learn this...'' ''Now that I think about it, we didn''t even do any theoretical exams...'' Snapping him out of his thoughts was the voice of Julius. "Student Lucas, is something the matter?" He looked toward Julius, who had noticed him staring into space absentmindedly, not following the lesson at all. His lips twitched as everyone suddenly looked toward him as well. "No, nothing is wrong. Please continue..." "Mm, alright. Do take it easy since you were ''sick'' for the past few days." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julius''s sarcasm was evident, not believing in the slightest the excuse of Lucas missing classes because he was sick. ''Looks like he doesn''t know yet about the curse that was placed on me.'' Lucas smiled a little as he looked straight into Julius''s eyes. "Of course, I will make sure to tell you the moment I feel ''sick'' again." Lucas said, making Julius''s lips twitch before he turned his back on him and continued with his lecture. "Right... so, as I said, beasts inhabiting these mana-rich areas experience what we can describe as accelerated evolution. The mana infuses their very being, altering their physiology and genetic makeup over generations. This results in the emergence of enhanced physical traits¡ªstrength, speed, and resilience¡ªthat far surpass those of their counterparts in mana-poor regions." Ignoring Julius and his lecture, Lucas glanced at Seraphina, who was diligently taking notes on everything Julius was writing on the board or saying. ''Funny how it used to be the opposite for both of us back on Earth...'' As he thought, he looked out the window, gazing at the grey sky. ''...so much has changed.'' ****** Landing lightly on the ground as the white flames around him disappeared was Magnus. "Halt! Identify yourself and do not move or we will cut you down this instant!" A man said, pointing his sword at Magnus as did the others. The humans surrounding him were all wearing white and gold uniforms. "Cease your weapons immediately before you get burnt to ashes without even knowing." The authoritative voice boomed across the dead forest, coming from behind the one who shouted at Magnus. "L-Lord Hugo! But he might be a¡ª" Cutting him off was the voice of the same man who appeared suddenly out of nowhere right in front of him. "Are you going against my orders?" The man said, narrowing his eyes, making the person in front of him tremble as he broke out in a cold sweat. "N-no, please forgive me, Lord Hugo!" He said, bowing his head out of fear to the man with long black hair and blue eyes. Hugo Aurelia, the former king of the human domain and father of the current king, Sebastian Aurelia. ''He hasn''t changed in the slightest...'' Magnus thought, gazing at Hugo as he smiled at him and walked towards him. "Hahaha! It has been a while, Magnus! How have you been?" Hugo said, laughing as both embraced each other after not seeing each other in years. Both go way back with each other despite the difference in their status. "I have been doing good, Hugo. How about you?" "Same as always, you know?" He said while the royal guards were watching in shock at the sudden change in his attitude and the entire situation. Breaking out of their hug, Hugo smiled proudly as he spoke, making all the royal guards feel like cold water was thrown over them. "To think you have finally managed to become a saint after all these years, huh? I honestly thought you would have died of old age before reaching the saint stage." Magnus clicked his tongue at hearing him as he knew he was actually bragging about becoming a saint before him. "Yeah, yeah, unfortunately, I was never as awesome as you, right? Becoming a saint at the age of 49." "Haha, you get it, but alas, it has already been 102 years and I have only managed to go up by 2 sub-stages." He said bitterly, as a lifespan of a saint obviously goes higher than that of a normal human. "How has Sebastian been? I imagine being a king must be a burden to someone like him?" Magnus said, changing the subject, which Hugo appreciated. "Ah, you know, always complaining about dealing with so much political stuff. He has been overworking himself a lot. Honestly, I have told him dozens of times already to just find a beautiful queen and get an heir. For God''s sake, I am more than a hundred years old and not even a grandfather yet!" He said, making Magnus laugh out loud. "A saint... he is a saint..." "The Nightstars have a saint... b-but aren''t they just a viscount family?" "W-we pointed our swords towards an actual saint... a-and just how close are they?" The guards were in a chaotic state as they tried to make sense of everything happening in front of them. The atmosphere turned serious suddenly as both Hugo and Magnus stopped joking around and got down to business. "So what is the reason for meeting me here?" Magnus said, a little confused about why they were in a death zone in the human domain. He could feel the presence of multiple strong beasts and... something else. Something dreadful. ''Just what the hell could be in here to have such an ominous presence?'' He thought as Hugo spoke. "You can feel it, right? The presence of something harrowing residing in this death zone. Magnus, most of our saints have had their hands full with the death zones, as in each one, a similar presence has been felt... and¡ª" "And?" Magnus asked as he saw Hugo hesitating. "A few saints who tried to go deeper into the death zone to see what was leaking such presence... have been lost ever since." Hearing his words, Magnus widened his eyes as the royal guards around him were looking fearfully around. ''Just what the hell is happening... if each death zone in our domain has a beast strong enough to kill a saint, it means that it won''t be long before the human domain will fall by the unknown beasts or some idiotic races seeking more territory...'' "I need your help to try to find out just what type of beast is lurking in here... perhaps deal with it if possible." Hugo said, and Magnus nodded in understanding. "Very well, let''s¡ª" Before Magnus could finish speaking, they heard another voice cutting him off. "I would advise you against all of this." Without wasting any time, the guards brandished their swords again as Hugo and Magnus got on guard. ''I didn''t feel anyone approaching us...'' As he pondered, a man suddenly appeared right in front of him. With pitch-black hair resembling endless darkness and golden eyes that glowed like the sun, his presence was both mesmerizing and intimidating. It felt as if a shadow loomed over their surroundings, making the shadows around them grow darker and deeper. And His presence... Surpassed both Magnus and Hugo. ''What...'' Suddenly, before they could make sense of the mysterious man that had each of their instincts screaming of danger, another person appeared. A woman with fiery red hair and piercing red eyes appeared suddenly beside the man, her presence both startling and commanding. Her hair cascaded in waves, shimmering like flames dancing in the wind, adding an otherworldly glow to her striking features. "Ah, Nyx! Why did you suddenly approach them without telling me!" She said, frustrated at the man with black hair and golden eyes called Nyx. Smiling helplessly like a father who was listening to the tantrum of his daughter, he merely patted her head as he spoke. "Sorry, sorry, Aurora. I was just getting impatient, you know? I can''t just have two extremely important people walk towards their deaths." Nyx spoke, soothing Aurora as she calmed down and merely pouted a little. ''Just what the hell is happening... and... deaths?'' Magnus and Hugo were extremely confused at the situation as they were on high alert. It didn''t help that the two strangers in front of them were so casual and how the man known as Nyx spoke about them walking towards their deaths. "Who are you people?" The first one to compose himself was Hugo, as he addressed the strangers cautiously. Hearing his voice, Nyx looked toward him and Magnus, making them feel... pressured. "Ah, yes! My apologies, Lord Hugo, Lord Magnus. I didn''t mean to ignore the both of you." Nyx said, bowing his head a little before standing straight back up as Aurora merely stood at his side, not intending to involve herself. "There is no harm done... though I would like to ask again, who are you people?" It was obvious the two weren''t normal in the slightest, perhaps even enemies. Magnus could tell, just like Hugo, that the both of them were strong. Especially the man called Nyx. While the woman''s presence managed to rival that of just Magnus, the man called Nyx... he easily surpassed the both of them combined. "Who are we? Well, I guess the easiest name to give is the one you all gave us..." He said, making everyone confused until he revealed their names... "The Voidwalkers." Chapter 85 - 85: A Saints Dread [2] "What did you just say?" Magnus asked, bewildered at what Nyx had just told them. The Voidwalkers? The secret organization that was said to be a mere myth. Countless theories formed about them and whether they were real or not. And now, two of their members were standing right in front of them, making everyone who listened doubt their own ears. "You two are one of the Voidwalkers?" Hugo had to ask again, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. He couldn''t just think of this as a mere joke. Perhaps they really were part of the Voidwalkers... But if they really were the Voidwalkers who never revealed themselves... Why now? "That is correct. My name is Nyx, Sovereign of Shadows, holder of the second seat and this little girl is Aurora, Sovereign of Fire, holder of the seventh seat." As he said this, the eyes of Magnus, Hugo, and the royal guards widened even more. ''Second seat and seventh seat... Does that mean their standing and how powerful they are? If that is true, then we might be dealing with one of the most important members of the Voidwalkers...'' Magnus shuddered at just what the meaning of all of this could be. "Is the reason for you two revealing yourselves as one of the Voidwalkers because of the mysterious beast at the deeper part of the death zone?" "That is correct, Lord Hugo. I decided to come to this particular death zone since it seemed like the beast would be a little bit too troublesome for a saint to deal with unlike the others which could be dealt with if a few saints work together." As he said this, everyone except for Aurora looked complex at him. "You say it as if you aren''t a... saint," Magnus spoke, as Nyx merely smiled mysteriously at him. Everyone gulped, realizing that before them was someone above the saint stage. "How..." Hugo muttered, shocked. "So you being here means that the beast is capable of taking down two saints easily?" Magnus asked, still trying to make sense of all of this. "That is correct, Lord Magnus. The beast you were about to face, and that would have killed you, is one that rivals the strength of a saint but is much more dangerous than an S-rank beast you are normally used to." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "There have been multiple saints of ours gone missing... why now and not earlier?" Hugo asked, feeling bitter that perhaps they could have prevented the deaths of the saints. "It was simply not worth our time. Why else... The truth about all these beasts appearing will get revealed in due time anyways for you to understand most things. As for why now, it is because you two are extremely important for humanity and Myrniel." "Lord Hugo, your influence is something that will be helpful in the future, and not just that, you also have the potential to surpass the Saint stage." "Of course, you do as well, Lord Magnus, but the main reason for preventing you from dying is because you are the grandfather of Lucas." The moment he said those last words, it felt like time seemed to freeze as the royal guards started to tremble in fear out of instinct. Magnus''s face became extremely cold as he narrowed his eyes at Nyx. "What did you just say?" "Hmm?" Nyx tilted his head, merely not bothered by the sudden shift in the atmosphere or his cold voice. "Didn''t I tell you? You are the grandfather of Lucas. I can''t have you die for his sake," he said, making Magnus adopt a weird expression on his face. ''Lucas... just what the hell have you been hiding from all of us to be connected with the Voidwalkers...'' he thought before asking Nyx directly, "What is your relationship with my grandson?" Hearing his words, Nyx merely smiled mysteriously, not giving him an answer. Seeing this, he clicked his tongue as he decided to visit the academy to ask Lucas after all of this later. Suddenly, Aurora spoke up, ending their conversation as everyone, including Nyx, faced became serious. "It has sensed your presence, Nyx." "Took longer than I expected. You should all get out of here quickly, especially you, royal guards, unless you want to become collateral damage," Nyx said, making everyone have complicated faces at the sudden order. "The moment I fight it, the entire death zone will be destroyed. Aurora, please accompany Lord Magnus and Lord Hugo in evacuating the nearby villages, as our battle might reach them and kill everyone there." Aurora merely nodded as she walked up towards Magnus and Hugo. Both wanted to protest but became quiet the moment they felt the dreadful presence getting closer, making their bodies shudder. ''Just what the hell is approaching us...'' "Lets go," Aurora said impatiently for some reason, as they just merely nodded, and everyone started to leave except for Nyx, who just calmly looked in the direction of the approaching beast. As everyone hurried to leave, Magnus couldn''t shake the feeling of unease creeping over him. His gaze flickered back to Nyx, who stood unwavering, her eyes fixed on the approaching terror. As Magnus stole a glance, his breath caught in his throat. Emerging from the shadows was a colossal creature unlike anything he had ever seen. It moved with a predatory grace, its form reminiscent of a sabertooth tiger, yet twisted and distorted. Its fur was a deep, abyssal black, seeming to absorb the very light around it. Its eyes, pools of darkness devoid of any emotion, bore into Magnus''s soul with an unsettling intensity. But it was the writhing tentacles that protruded from its back that truly chilled him to the bone. The tentacles waved and twisted with an eerie fluidity, each movement sending shivers down Magnus''s spine. They seemed to have a mind of their own, undulating in a macabre dance that defied all reason. As the creature drew closer, Magnus felt a primal fear gnawing at his insides. There was something inherently wrong about this beast, something that struck at the very core of his being. "What... just what the hell is that thing?" As he spoke, the abomination suddenly roared at Nyx, as if enraged at him invading his territory, the sound shook the trees, echoing throughout the entire forest, making any beast hearing run far away from the source. The roar of the beast made his entire body shudder, and he broke out in a cold sweat. ''Run...'' His mind kept screaming for him to run as he gazed at the abomination. Fighting that thing wasn''t even an option for Magnus; he could see death itself standing before him. He didn''t even realize that his legs started to move on their own as he started to run away, trying to get far away from the abomination. ''Run...'' ''Run...'' ''Run...'' The same thought kept screaming inside his mind as he managed to see the backs of Hugo and Aurora and the other royal guards; even they were running without looking back, not wanting to get caught with what was about to happen. As they and the rest were on the verge of escaping the death zone, the beast''s roar pierced the air once more. Its thunderous bellow echoed like relentless lightning strikes, each reverberation shaking the very ground beneath their feet. The winds, already fierce, intensified into a maelstrom of fury, as if driven to madness by the creature''s wrath. They tore through the landscape with savage force, their violent gusts threatening to shred their clothing and drag them back into peril. Nyx and the beast had started their battle. ''D-dammit, Lucas! Just what the hell are you involved in exactly!'' Chapter 86 - 86: Idiots The day before Magnus went to the death zone Currently, Lucas was walking on his own, leaving the academy building to grab a bite somewhere outside in the capital instead. Seraphina was planning to go eat with the other champions in the cafeteria, and she invited him to join. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Naturally, he declined since he didn''t really feel comfortable and knew it would just be a headache to eat there. Instead, he just wanted some alone time while peacefully finding a place to eat some cake. ''I think I am becoming addicted...'' Walking in the capital, he noticed most people looking at him while secretly trying to take pictures of him. It wasn''t because he was wearing the academy uniform; he could see multiple other students of Shield roaming around the capital just like him. It was just that Lucas was, well, Lucas. ''Sometimes I really wish I was just born as a normal nobody...'' As he thought this, he kept walking around, trying to find an interesting enough place to eat at. ''I have 2 hours until combat class... Teacher Elizabeth should be, if I am right, giving us combat class.'' While thinking, he found a fast food restaurant that didn''t look as full as the other places. ''Why not...'' Entering, he just walked towards a table in the corner where the least people were and sat down, ordering his food on a tablet. It only took a few minutes before someone came over and set the food on his table while looking at Lucas nervously. It was just a simple order of fries and fried chicken with dessert: chocolate cake. As he started to eat, enjoying his food, he heard the whispers of the other customers and staff members looking towards him. "That is Lucas Nightstar..." "To think someone like him is just eating here in a fast food restaurant." "... He feels just like a normal person seeing him eat junk food like us..." ''It''s because I am the most normal person in this entire world!'' Lucas said inside his mind, hearing the last part of one of the whispers before he started to ignore them and tried to enjoy his food again. Tried... Not even a second after, he noticed a few people wearing the Shield uniform walk towards him. ''I swear... this is why I didn''t want to go to the cafeteria. I might as well have joined Seraphina and the others if this was going to happen,'' he thought bitterly as the students approached his table, standing in front of him. He could see the number 2 inside the golden Shield logo, indicating them being second years. Surprising him, actually, was the fact that out of the five people present, two were of the beastfolk. Both had grey cat ears and a tail. ''Interesting... I haven''t seen many beastfolk, if I am honest. Except for a few in my class, now that I think about it, there are barely any dwarves in the academy. Well, they are not really a race keen on becoming stronger, instead focusing on intelligence and creating artifacts in their own domain, I suppose.'' As he thought this, one of the humans looked down at him while Lucas was just eating, acting as if he didn''t see them standing in front of his table, and spoke. "Well, if it isn''t Lucas Nightstar, ranked first of his year!" He said with his arms wide open as the customers and staff members looked worried at the sudden scene. Lucas, finally being done with his fries, looked up at him and tilted his head. "I am glad you know me, but who are you? If you are here for an autograph, I am sorry, I don''t do those," he said, making the boy''s lips twitch as the others looked at him, scowling in anger. "Heh, please, everyone knows who Master Allen is. He is ranked seventh place in the second year, already a mid 5-star level mage! He is the heir of the Valester family, son of Marquis Dirik Valester." "Of course, someone of a low status as yours wouldn''t recognize Master Allen right away since you were never worthy enough before to attend any gatherings of his," the others chimed in, annoying Lucas a little since his food was getting cold. ''Couldn''t they have come after I ate my cake... Bunch of weird stalkers they are, and not just them...'' "Don''t worry, Lucas Nightstar. Even though you are eating at this pathetic place, something that is barely worthy of the likes of you, we invite you to join our group. Having connections with Master Allen will surely help you rise to great ranks and in the future directly serve Master Allen himself!" This time one of the cat folk spoke. ''So they want to use me to control the first years... and have control over me at the same time.'' Allen could be seen merely nodding proudly at each word his subordinates spoke. Sighing, Lucas spoke bluntly, making everyone freeze and look at him in shock, including the customers and staff members listening worriedly. "Can you just fuck off? You are ruining my food." "What...?" Allen said in shock, not expecting to hear this type of response in the slightest. "You... You actually dare speak to us and Master Allen like that!" the other cat folk shouted this time at Lucas, making him even more annoyed. "Lucas Nightstar, I will ignore these ''words'' of yours and forgive you if you kneel this second and apologize to me," Allen spoke again, cutting the others from speaking any further and making matters more complicated. "You are, after all, just a son of a viscount. Even if you are more talented than us, you shouldn''t become too arrogant like you were against the hero and the other champions who didn''t care about what you said. Know your place when speaking to me." "Why should I give a fuck about you people? Just get lost before you ruin my food," Lucas said dismissively, as he didn''t even register half of the words Allen spoke to him, finishing his fried chicken finally as he placed the chocolate cake in front of him, ready to eat it. Allen glared at Lucas angrily before one of the beastfolk lunged at him, trying to teach him a lesson. ''Fucking idiots...'' Lucas thought as he stopped himself from taking the first bite of his cake before he suddenly disappeared under everyone''s bewildered eyes. For a second, everyone heard the sound of lightning sizzling before it stopped. Suddenly, Lucas was already behind Allen as the beastfolk and the other subordinates crashed against the hard concrete ground with their faces smashed in. "W-what?" Allen said in shock. "What are you surprised by? Everyone knows who I am, after all, no?" Lucas said behind Allen, whispering in his ear, making his entire body shudder as he jumped back, distancing himself from Lucas. Glancing at his subordinates, he was dumbfounded that they were all unconscious on the ground. He didn''t even see Lucas attacking them! "You dare attack me!" Allen shouted at Lucas, who was just standing there without any expression on his face. "You guys attacked me first, breaking multiple laws in this city... So are we done now?" Lucas asked with no emotion in his voice or face as he started to head back to his table, avoiding the bodies on the ground. The spectators were already recording the entire thing on their phones, so Lucas wouldn''t get in trouble for fighting back since he never started anything. Though not everyone was as calm as him, Allen, with his pride being hurt, shot a barrage of stone spikes at him, making Lucas''s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. ''Is he willing to get in this much trouble when I haven''t even harmed him in the slightest?'' As he thought this, he faced the barrage of spikes calmly, ready to fight him. But before he could retaliate, the stone spikes, under everyone''s surprised eyes, suddenly froze mid-air. ''Huh?'' "That is enough," everyone suddenly heard the cold voice, freezing most people''s blood, coming from behind Allen. Looking behind Allen like everyone else, Lucas saw the person, unsurprised unlike the others, as he muttered his name. "Teacher Julius..." Chapter 87 - 87: Julius Cordis "T-teacher Julius!?" Allen said, flustered, as he jumped back in surprise at hearing his cold voice behind him. The cold eyes of Julius swept over everyone inside the fast food restaurant before eventually landing on Lucas. "I thought you were smart enough to know that no fights are allowed in the capital." Hearing his cold words directed at him, Lucas narrowed his eyes. "All I did was act in self-defense. I haven''t even summoned my sword once. Did you instead want me to get injured or worse because of some spoiled brat?" Lucas spat venomously at Julius without an ounce of fear, making everyone present dumbfounded except for... Julius. Instead of getting angry, a small smile appeared on Julius''s face. "You are correct. You are definitely not in the wrong here, student Lucas. Instead..." He looked back towards Allen, who was nervously watching Julius. "Student Allen, for someone who is in his second year and ranked seventh, we expected more maturity from you, but it looks like that is only a distant dream for us." "Y-you can''t speak to me like that, even if you are a teacher!" Allen shouted at Julius, and as he did, a tremendous pressure suddenly bore down on him, making him fall to his knees as the ground beneath him cracked. The spectators broke out in cold sweat, feeling the sudden shift in the air, making it hard to breathe properly. "Oh yes, I can speak to you like that. I can speak to you however I like." "You know why? Because of a few simple reasons." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Because I am more important than you are." "Because I am stronger than you are." "Because I am smarter than you are." ''Show off...'' "T-that... khh-y-you will regret this!" Allen said as he tried to keep himself from falling down on his face, enduring the pressure Julius was releasing on him with his mana. Naturally, Lucas and the others were spared from being sent to the same position as Allen. "Regret?" Julius merely scoffed at hearing Allen''s empty threats. "Make me. This is all being recorded right now by almost everyone here, right? What are you going to do to me when you can''t even stand up properly?" Hearing his cold voice humiliating him even more, Allen gritted his teeth as he spoke. "M-messing with me means that you are messing with my f-fat- akh!" Before he could finish, the pressure only increased on him, making him crash face-first into the ground. "Your father? That is your way of getting out of this mess you created? Running straight to your daddy the moment you get in trouble?" "If that is what you want, then fine. I will personally greet your father when you call him here, and I will welcome him with open arms!" Julius said, his voice and eyes growing even colder as the others started to tremble hearing his words. Yet no one fled as they understood that he wouldn''t harm them since he was a teacher of Shield. ''To think he would challenge a marquis without care... impressive.'' Walking towards Allen, who was face-down on the ground, Julius stopped in front of him, crouched down, and lifted Allen''s bloodied and mangled face by pulling his hair up. Glaring with chilling intent at Allen, who could barely see properly anymore or speak, he spoke. "Following a student of Shield Academy, openly starting a fight in the capital against someone who is younger and also a part of the academy, endangering the lives of innocent civilians by carelessly using magic at someone who didn''t even try to fight you back after defending himself rightfully!" Julius spoke, each word tightening his grip on Allen''s hair, threatening to pull it out. "Staining the name of Shield itself!" "You and your friends will be coming to my office tomorrow at 6 am for the punishment I will bestow." He stood back up, his right hand still gripping Allen''s hair. Looking towards the manager who had already come out since Lucas defended himself, he addressed him while bowing his head. "I would like to apologize on behalf of these students for causing the mess inside your restaurant. I will make sure the academy sends you compensation for all the damage and other disruptions they caused." "A-ah yes, I understand... thank you," the manager said, flustered, before Julius turned towards the spectators who were still recording the entire incident. "I would also like to apologize to all of you as your lives could have been in danger because of the foolish actions of these students. I hope you can forgive the academy. We will make sure to place stricter rules on the students to prevent this from happening again," he said, addressing the crowd and those who would watch the recordings later when they were posted online. Done with apologizing to everyone involved, he finally turned towards Lucas. "Now, Student Lucas, if you- eh?" For the first time, Julius broke his composure as he became dumbfounded at seeing Lucas... Who was casually eating his chocolate cake while watching the entire scene unfold before him. ****** Lucas was currently sitting on a chair across from Julius, who was sitting behind his desk, as they were now inside his office. After the incident, Julius created a few portals, sending the unconscious students and Allen to the infirmary. Probably. After that, he and Julius entered another portal created by him, leaving everyone else behind and arriving here inside his office. "So, what do you want to speak to me about? It must be something important for you to stalk me the entire time," Lucas said, fully aware that he was being followed by someone the moment he left the academy. He just wasn''t sure who it was at first until Julius revealed himself. Being exposed, Julius merely smiled as he interlocked his fingers, putting his elbows on his desk as he leaned forward. "Can you really blame me? You are perhaps the most interesting student I have seen since I entered the academy. Hell, even when I was a student here, no one was as interesting as you are." "To have a curse placed on you is basically what got my curiosity the better of me, making me follow you and keeping a closer eye on you," he said casually, as if what he said wouldn''t creep most people out. Lucas, though, merely raised his eyebrows a little at hearing his response. "So, have you had your fun? Or are you going to keep stalking me forever?" Hearing Lucas''s words, Julius merely chuckled before responding. "Please, how can I already have had my fun this early? There is so much I have yet to learn and understand about you... there is no way this is over yet." ''Why are all the teachers so weird here... Should I just report him to the police? This is illegal, right? Stalking a minor?'' "So, I take it that Teacher Elizabeth must have told you about me being cursed." Hearing Lucas, he merely shrugged before responding. "Yeah, she did, but don''t worry. She only told me since we are... kinda close to each other. We have known each other for a long time since I attended the academy as a student after all," he said bitterly, making Lucas''s eyes widen at his expression. "Don''t tell me that the both of you..." "Yeah... we used to date, though she dumped me after a few months for some reason..." Julius said with a bitter expression as he reminisced about the past a little. "Really... I couldn''t guess why she would dump you..." Lucas said sarcastically, making Julius laugh out loud at hearing him. After that, no one talked for an entire minute, making things awkward between them. ''Seriously, why am I still here... wait, isn''t this a golden opportunity?'' As he thought, he decided to break the atmosphere by speaking up again. "Teacher Julius, you are planning to keep following me, right?" he said, making Julius nod his head casually before responding. "That is right. I have no plans to stop keeping an eye on you. After all, who knows what interesting thing you might do?" ''As I thought... I can''t let this chance go.'' "Then how about we make a deal?" "A deal?" he asked, a little confused by what Lucas was saying. "Yes, a deal. In exchange for you spending more time with me and getting to know me better, you personally teach me space magic." As he spoke, Julius''s eyes widened in surprise before his lips curled up in a smile. "I didn''t think you were this bold, student Lucas, but definitely not something I dislike!" "Very well. In exchange for getting to understand you better, I will help you improve your space magic by teaching you everything I know!" he said as he extended his hand, which Lucas grasped and shook. ''Looks like I can finally improve on my space affinity.'' Lucas thought as he finally got someone to help him improve his space affinity, which he had been stuck with for a while. After that, he finally left Julius''s office as the lunch break was about to end and he had to head to combat class. ''Who would have thought that those idiots would have their uses after all...'' Chapter 88 - 88: Nyx, Sovereign of Shadows [1] Walking towards his room, Lucas couldn''t help but feel happy about what he gained today. He had been stuck for a while with how to proceed with his space affinity. Sure, he managed to create a black hole, but that would deplete all his mana currently. He didn''t want to have spells that would drain all his mana instantly. So, having Julius as his personal teacher would help him gain more spells that would be useful. There were not many mages with the space affinity, and those who did have it rather kept their spells to themselves. After making a deal with Julius, he only had combat class left for the day, which was just sparring with others. As he was about to arrive in front of his door, he suddenly felt his phone vibrate. Taking it out of his pocket, he saw that he had a message. As he read the message, the expression on his face turned complex. ''Could it be...'' An unknown number had sent him a message saying to meet at a park in the capital. ''The Voidwalkers? Who else could it be? But I really didn''t expect that they would contact me like that.'' Sighing, he put his phone back into his pocket and entered his room, changing his uniform to a normal black hoodie and some cargo pants. Walking towards his bed, he saw Luna still asleep and just left her as he pulled the hood over his head. ''She has been sleeping more often than usual...'' Standing before his door, ready to leave, he put his hand on his head, rubbed it a little, and sighed to calm his nerves. ''If it really is the Voidwalkers... no, if it is them, I have no choice but to go. If they kill me, then that is that. I made my choice, and I need to live with it now.'' Resolving his mind for what might come, he opened his door and closed it behind him. But before he could leave the building, he suddenly heard the voice he least wanted to hear at the moment. "Lucas?" Glancing to his right, he saw Klaus exiting his room at the same time Lucas did. "Klaus," Lucas merely greeted him before calling his name and walking past him. But, as he expected, Klaus called his name again. "W-wait, Lucas, are you free at the moment? Want to hang out?" Turning around to look at Klaus, he responded, "No, unfortunately, I have some things I need to do, so I won''t be free today." Lucas spoke, trying to end the conversation here, but Klaus wouldn''t let go so easily. "Oh, is that so? Is it that important that you even had to change your clothes?" Klaus asked, since normally most students just wore their uniforms outside the academy as it represented a symbol of pride. "I''d just rather not have people recognize me. These clothes will help me." "I see... I understand that. But are you sure? Leo is joining me as well. We were planning to hit the arcade." ''Should I just knock him out...'' "No, I''m fine. Thank you for the offer, but I really need to go now," Lucas said, not intending to listen to him anymore. He left even though he heard Klaus call his name again. He didn''t know how long the person would wait for him, so he was in a hurry. ***** "Why was he much ruder than usual..." Klaus asked himself as he looked at the empty hallway where he had been conversing with Lucas just a second ago. He wanted to shrug it off but... Something felt off about Lucas this time. He was used to Lucas talking to him with no expression on his face, but this time he noticed something that just made him confused and question everything that happened. "Why did he seem... nervous?" What could make a monster like Lucas so nervous? Klaus kept thinking about how much Lucas wanted to leave. He even went all the way back to his room just to change his clothes. "Why does he not want to be recognized by anyone? Is he meeting someone so important?" Klaus knew that he wasn''t meeting with Sylviette or Seraphina since the two were actually already together with Amaya. They had gotten much closer after eating together in the cafeteria and were planning to hang out today after the academy. Klaus was planning to hang out with Leo and perhaps even join the girls and wanted to invite Lucas, but... "Something is wrong..." Even though he wanted to dismiss everything that happened, the nervous expression Lucas made for some reason kept appearing in his mind. He felt like something important was about to go down with Lucas at the center of it. "I really shouldn''t but..." In the end, his curiosity got the better of him as he ran towards the exit. But as he exited the building, he saw Leonne standing there already waiting for him. "Why do you also seem in a hurry?" Leonne asked Klaus with a frown on his face. "Also?" Klaus asked, noticing the words he chose. "Yeah, I just saw Lucas. He just nodded and left as if he needed to go somewhere fast." ''Should I tell him... I can''t just leave him here.'' "That is why I was in a hurry, actually. I am trying to follow him since something seems up with him. He actually seemed... nervous." Hearing him, Leonne''s eyebrows shot up, intrigued. "Nervous? Him? And so you are planning to tail him to find out what is happening?" "Y-yeah, I know I shouldn''t do something like that but¡ª" "Count me in." Before Klaus could finish, Leonne cut in, making Klaus''s eyes widen in surprise. "W-what..." "As I said, count me in. I will join you." He said, and this time there was a small smile on his face unlike his normal stoic face. Klaus smiled as well, a little relieved that instead of scolding him, Leonne wanted to join. "Alright, did you see what direction he went?" Klaus asked. "I did. He went that way. Let''s hurry up before we lose him." Leonne answered, pointing the way Lucas went. Klaus nodded, and both ran towards the direction Lucas left. ***** They had been following him for a while and ended up in a park. The sun had already set, and the place was devoid of any people for some reason. They had to put a lot of effort into keeping up with Lucas. Even though he wasn''t running, he wasn''t exactly walking either. They also had to make sure to stay far enough for him not to sense them. They knew Lucas was much stronger than them and could easily sneak up on them without them ever noticing, meaning he probably could detect others sneaking up on him as well. ''Just why the hell is he here?'' Klaus thought as he and Leonne followed him into the park. The park was quite huge, filled with trees and other typical park features. It was eerily quiet, with no one inside except for Lucas and them. Realizing that they would be easier to sense due to the lack of people serving as cover, they had to let him get further ahead until they couldn''t even see him anymore. "Something feels wrong..." Leonne said next to him, making Klaus nod in agreement. "Yeah, it is quiet... too quiet, even if the sun has already set." "Who do you think he could be meeting?" "Don''t know, but it must be someone important and perhaps... dangerous for being so secretive." Klaus responded, but he really hoped that the last part about being dangerous would be false. He and Leonne both felt their hearts beating against their chests in the desolate park. It felt like they were thrown straight into a horror movie, ready to be attacked by a monster at any moment. "Just who is he meeting to make him this cautious and nervous..." Klaus and Leonne retraced Lucas''s steps, their every footfall echoing in the suffocating silence. As they ventured deeper, they felt as if a sinister presence began to close in, making them feel suffocated. They felt it first in the prickling of their skin, the hairs on their necks rising as if electrified. A primal instinct screamed at them to run, but their legs refused to obey. Cold sweat trickled down their spines, freezing their limbs. In the next heartbeat, an overwhelming force crushed down upon them, driving them to their knees. The ground beneath them fractured with a bone-chilling crack. "K-khuh!" Klaus and Leonne gasped. The sheer weight of the unseen entity pressed their bodies, forcing blood to gush from their mouths, mingling with the taste of terror. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''W-what!?'' Klaus screamed inside his mind at the sudden turn of events. He felt paralyzed as he and Leonne both couldn''t move an inch under the tremendous pressure bearing down on them. Making things worse, they suddenly heard a voice so cold it chilled their entire bodies and bones. "I did not expect two champions of this generation to follow a fellow classmate of theirs. Just what type of devious schemes could you two have been planning, Leonne Velheim and Klaus Ceviel?" Chapter 89 - 89: Nyx, Sovereign of Shadows [2] The voice behind them was an icy whisper, seeping into their bones and amplifying their dread. They couldn''t turn around, as if an invisible force held them in place. They had never felt such a presence before¡ªthat made their entire existence feel like mere specks of dust in an endless void. ''H-he knows our names?!'' sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Panic surged through Klaus, but before he could react, another voice cut through the oppressive silence, coming from ahead. It was familiar, making both him and Leonne''s eyes widen in recognition. "I would appreciate it if you let these two go." Klaus glanced up, his vision hazy. Lucas stood before them, his aura flaring, one hand gripping the hilt of his sword. His eyes were cold, his face eerily expressionless. Before Klaus could process the situation, Lucas released a wave of killing intent. "A-ah¡­" For a moment, Klaus felt like he was drowning in an endless sea of blood. He couldn''t breathe, suffocating under the weight of unseen corpses¡ªchildren, men, and women¡ªall surrounding him in a macabre dance. ''What¡­'' His mind went blank, unable to comprehend the horrors he just witnessed. The voice behind him spoke again, breaking the nightmarish trance. "Oh? To think a mere 15-year-old boy would have such a killing intent... it makes me wonder what kind of life you have lived, Lucas Nightstar." Amusement and intrigue laced the voice, as Lucas merely scowled, his eyes narrowing. "Nyx! Stop bullying these kids! Can''t you see you are using too much pressure on them?" A feminine voice interjected, cutting through the tense atmosphere. Instantly, the oppressive force lifted, allowing Klaus and Leonne to breathe again, their bodies trembling with relief. "Ah, sorry, sorry, I didn''t realize I was still holding them down." ''Y-you didn''t realize you were using so much mana on us?!'' Klaus screamed internally, exchanging a glance with Leonne, whose usual stoic face mirrored his disbelief. "Now¡­" Nyx behind them resumed, dripping with amusement. "let''s get down to business." ***** ''Dammit! Why the fuck are these two idiots here!?'' Lucas screamed inside his mind as he looked towards Klaus and Leonne before glancing at the man with pitch-black hair like onyx and golden eyes that glowed like the sun, his presence as intimidating as one could get, and the girl with fiery red hair and piercing red eyes beside the man. He instantly realized that these two must be some of the Voidwalkers he was supposed to meet... alone, not with these two idiots who followed him here! He had actually long felt he was being followed but thought it was the Voidwalkers. He knew it wouldn''t be Julius, as he made a deal with him that included not following Lucas anymore like a stalker. But who would have thought that he would gain two more stalkers! He couldn''t let those two die; there were too many consequences for that. And... the idiots were friends of Seraphina and Sylviette or at least something like that. He didn''t know how close they were to each other, but he didn''t want to risk hurting the girls. Especially Seraphina... not ever again. ''I really miss not caring for anyone...'' Lucas thought as he looked towards the two again and spoke coldly. "Leave." The two hesitated, but glancing at the Voidwalkers and Lucas with his cold eyes, they knew they had to leave before Lucas himself would become the threat. After they finally left, Lucas looked towards the other two, mainly at the man called Nyx by the girl next to him. "We shouldn''t really talk out here in public, you know?" the girl beside Nyx said, making him nod in agreement. "Hmm, I suppose you''re right. How about this?" As Nyx spoke, he snapped his fingers. Instantly, a wave of shadows erupted from the ground, engulfing Lucas and the others. Though Lucas kept his Blade of Chaos tightly gripped, surrounded by his aura, the shadows moved too swiftly for him to react. In the blink of an eye, he found himself somewhere else. Surrounded by luxurious furniture, Lucas realized he was in an unfamiliar living room. ''How...?'' he thought, bewildered. He hadn''t even had time to react to being transported here. He didn''t understand what had happened. Glancing at Nyx, a wave of panic washed over him. ''I can''t even fight him if I wanted to. I''m dead the moment he decides.'' As he thought, Nyx spoke up, breaking his thoughts. "I suppose introductions are in order, no? After all, we know you, but that isn''t the same for you." "We are, as you people have dubbed us, The Voidwalkers... My name is Nyx, Sovereign of Shadows, holder of the second seat of shadows, and this little one..." As he spoke, he went behind the girl who was next to him and gripped her shoulders from behind, making her pout. "Is Aurora, Sovereign of Fire, holder of the seventh seat of fire." Hearing him, Lucas didn''t respond as he was too stunned to do so. ''Second seat and seventh seat... meaning I am dealing with possibly the second and seventh strongest of the Voidwalkers...'' "Hmph! I am only seventh because I don''t try my best!" Aurora said as she released the grip on her shoulder and sat on the couch. Nyx merely smiled bitterly as he followed her and sat next to her. Not wanting to be left standing alone, Lucas sat on the couch opposite of them. "Want something to drink or to eat?" Nyx asked, making Lucas shake his head in refusal. "No need, thank you for the offer, though," Lucas said. Nyx merely nodded as Aurora, for some reason, lied down on the couch with her legs on top of Nyx''s lap. ''They seem close...'' "You certainly are full of surprises, Lucas... to be a tri-elemental mage, a dual wielder in this era, at least hold the power of rivaling anyone in your stage almost, being only 15 years old and-" He spoke, praising Lucas with each one of his feats, but when he got to the last part, his voice turned cold, making Lucas''s spine shudder as the atmosphere seemed to cool down significantly. "-To be able to speak the, what was it that it''s called these days? Ah, yes... the void language. It really makes me wonder how they managed to decipher the word void even." "How do you even know the void language?" Aurora cut in, as her interests were also piqued. She was eyeing him like a curious cat trying to figure everything about him, making him more uncomfortable than he already was. Lucas didn''t respond; he didn''t know how to. It''s not like he could tell them that he was reincarnated and the void language was actually Latin in his previous world. Even though Latin was considered a dead language, it was one of the only things he really was interested in, making him learn the entire language. Nyx suddenly spoke amidst the silence formed inside the living room. "In tenebris mortis et vacui, ubi animae perire incipiunt-" "-tantum consumi ab iis qui intus habitant, expectantes sigillum ligandi ut frangant." Lucas cut in, ending the last part of the sentence they always wrote wherever they were present. Hearing him, Aurora could be seen looking at him wide-eyed while Nyx only had a small smile on his face. "To speak so fluently as if you are used to it... how intriguing. Tell me, do you know what the sentence means?" Nyx spoke as his entire focus was on Lucas. Seeing those golden eyes, it felt like he was piercing his soul, like it was impossible to deceive him even in the slightest. "I do." "Eh?" Lucas spoke as Aurora could be heard releasing a bewildered sound as she finally stopped lying down. In an instant, she was suddenly in front of Lucas, her face mere inches from his, making him feel her warm breath touching his cheeks. She had both her hands placed on his shoulders tightly, making him unable to move even an inch. ''D-damn it, she''s way too strong!'' As he thought, Aurora screamed at him with questions. "You do!? How!? I have been trying for years to even decipher what it means, but Nyx would never tell me! Only that I should get stronger for when the time comes!" She said frustrated as she released her right hand and pointed it to Nyx, accusing him like some criminal. Nyx merely chuckled, though, as only amusement could be seen flashing through his eyes. "Now, now, I only say that because you aren''t ready... well, you are now, I suppose, or at least you have no choice anymore..." He said with a somber voice, making Aurora become serious as well, releasing Lucas as he breathed out of relief. "What do you mean I don''t have a choice?" She asked confused yet wary at seeing the complicated expression Nyx was making. "Lucas... if you would be so kind, please tell and translate the meaning of the sentence." Hearing him, Lucas merely nodded as he took in a deep breath. ''This is it...'' He thought as the next words would possibly change everything everyone had ever known forever. Aurora sat back in front of Lucas, her expression dead serious as was Nyx, making him feel on edge. "In the darkness of death and emptiness, where souls begin to perish... only to be consumed by those who dwell within, awaiting the binding seal to break." Chapter 90 - 90: The Void "Just what the hell does that mean... those who dwell within awaiting the binding seal to break?" Aurora''s voice trembled as she turned to Lucas, trying to decipher the cryptic message. "I don''t know," Lucas responded, his voice equally uncertain. He had theories, but nothing concrete, nothing that made sense. As the weight of the enigma settled upon them, Nyx sighed and rose from the couch, drawing Lucas''s attention. He was in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by the unknown. Lucas knew he was at their mercy. Nyx walked to the window, his gaze lost in the sea of trees outside. ''Where are we even?'' Lucas wondered, his mind racing. "You''ve managed to translate it perfectly... it''s uncanny. You remind me of Master," Nyx murmured, sorrow lacing his tone as he continued to stare into the distance. ''Master?'' Aurora and Lucas exchanged puzzled glances. Nyx''s words hung heavily in the air. "I have lived for over a thousand years... I think," Nyx said, his voice barely above a whisper. Aurora and Lucas''s eyes widened in shock. ''Can one even live that long? And why is he unsure?'' Lucas thought, bewildered. Saints were rumored to live up to 500 years, but Nyx''s age seemed to surpass any known records. ''Is he even a saint?'' The question gnawed at Lucas, as Nyx''s presence eclipsed even the most powerful figures he knew. Glancing at Aurora, he noticed she was equally confused at what she was hearing and was about to hear... Nyx continued, his voice tinged with pain. "I remember little of my life before the last 900 years. My earlier memories feel... altered, fragmented. Nothing makes sense before that." Lucas and Aurora listened, their bodies tense, absorbing every word. "I have memories that feel foreign, yet they are mine. And the memories that should be mine... they''re lost," Nyx said, his confusion palpable. Then, a shift. His eyes closed, a faint smile gracing his lips. "But those memories... they are so beautiful." His arms extended as if embracing an invisible world. Lucas saw his reflection in the mirror, a man lost in reverie. "This world is but a shadow of its former glory. Once, it was filled with life. A simple mage could summon thousands of fireballs in seconds, the air thick with mana. Aura users could cleave mountains with a single swing, even in the master stage. What is now a rarity was once commonplace." Nyx''s voice grew wistful as he painted a picture of a forgotten era. "Ancient buildings, colossal trees, mountains that pierced the skies. The air was rich with mana, an endless supply. Beasts of unparalleled strength roamed the land. Races we can scarcely imagine walked among us, guardians of Myrniel, their beauty and power beyond comprehension." He spoke as if in a trance, reliving memories of a lost world. Lucas was spellbound, every word resonating deep within him. "Dragons," Nyx continued, his voice filled with awe. "Creatures with vast wings, standing atop Myrniel. They were magnificent, commanding respect, fear, and awe. Guardians of Myrniel. And not just them¡ªcolossal, bird-like beings surrounded by flames, with mesmerizing red feathers, capable of rebirth." "Phoenixes." ''Ah...'' Lucas''s mind struggled to keep up, overwhelmed by Nyx''s recollections. Every word Nyx uttered seemed to vibrate through Lucas''s soul, shaking his very core. Nyx''s memories were a mix of beauty and sorrow. "A massive beast with countless tentacles emerging from the great ocean, its mere swipe altering the entire current of the sea. Creatures dwelling in the depths, places no one would dare to explore," Nyx''s voice was a mix of awe and sorrow, as if recounting a forgotten legend. "A mere saint back then could easily take down dozens of our greatest saints now. Space affinity, now so rare, was common back then." "Being a grandmaster was considered weak." He paused, his eyes reflecting the weight of what he recalled. "The great Yggdrasil, towering above all, piercing space itself. Dragons, the guardians of Yggdrasil, circled it, ensuring no one came near. They flew with a beauty and grace that was beyond words." Nyx''s voice softened, tinged with melancholy. "Phoenixes, with their fire and healing aspects, ensured that almost no deaths occurred. Humans coexisted easily with other races. It felt like a dream... yet it was real, all of it." His voice broke slightly, laden with pain. Lucas couldn''t tell if Nyx was speaking from his own memories or those of another, but the emotions were raw, palpable. "It was all real... but everything must come to an end." "The end, though, was the worst possible way." Suddenly, the room trembled. Lucas found himself on his knees, gasping for air, as did Aurora. They were helpless under the immense pressure emanating from Nyx. As he spoke, his voice was laced with fury and a desire to destroy. "A war began, marking the beginning of the end," Nyx''s voice grew heavier, each word a burden of sorrow. "Everything green turned red with blood. Buildings, trees, mountains¡ªeverything was destroyed." His eyes glazed over as if witnessing the devastation anew. "Races united, working together to ensure their survival," he continued, his tone somber. Lucas felt a shiver run down his spine as Nyx''s words painted a picture of unimaginable horror. "On one side, the creatures of the demon world attacked with relentless fury... children were forced to fight the vile races of the demon world. For some reason, the ancient races like the dragons decided to stay neutral, avoiding the war against the demons..." The pressure in the room intensified, and it was as if they could hear the echoes of that ancient war, feel the ground tremble beneath their feet. "But like a ray of hope, the seven heroes appeared, making the people of Myrniel regain their hope." The way Nyx spoke felt like a bedtime story, as if he were recounting a tale from his head rather than recalling his memories. It was as if he were telling forgotten legends of old. Lucas and Aurora listened intently, trying to ignore the pressure Nyx unconsciously was releasing. "Finally, when it looked like Myrniel was winning against the demons, turning the tides after so many deaths, victories, and losses... something changed." "The demon king was descending on Myrniel, forcing the seven heroes to prevent it from happening. The descent of the demon king might have created a battle so fierce that it would force the dragons or other powerful races to intervene, resulting in the loss of almost everyone..." He paused, the room growing colder with his silence. "I don''t know what happened in their fight... who won or who lost... I only know one thing¡ªthat a new threat appeared out of nowhere..." His voice grew colder with each word, confusion etched on his face. Lucas and Aurora, still on their knees, absorbed every word. "A threat forcing the involvement of all the other powerful races who were meant to be neutral..." "Nothing is known of where the threat came from, how it came, or why it came..." "The void," Nyx said, his voice a mere whisper but carrying the weight of the world. "It consumed everything. Light, life, hope¡ªall swallowed by the creatures of the void." "At the arrival of the creatures of the void, Yggdrasil suddenly disappeared..." "The creatures were so harrowing, as the dragons and the other powerful races fought them head-on at the frontlines, protecting Myrniel from destruction and fighting for their own lives." "Such dreadful creatures that one had to rank each one of them," Nyx said, his voice heavy with the weight of their names. "Voidspawns, Netherbeasts, Dreadnaughts, Abyssals, Nihiliths, and Devourers..." The ranks he spoke of sounded ominous,. Just how terrifying were these beings to warrant such names? It wasn''t just their names that instilled fear; it was the knowledge that they each had different stages of ranks. Lucas''s mind spun as he tried to absorb everything Nyx was saying. "Primordial, Great, Defiled, Apocalyptic..." Nyx didn''t know exactly how strong each rank was; he merely spoke of what he somehow knew. How these creatures looked, Nyx couldn''t say. But it was easy to understand that they must have been extremely formidable to force the most powerful beings to unite against them. "Yet..." "They all failed... and in the end..." "Everything was forgotten." "Which races lost, who died, what happened to the heroes, the demon king..." "It''s as if reality itself changed... nothing makes sense anymore..." "What happened to everyone?" "To Myrniel?" "To the void?" "To me?" "An history which has been consumed by the void..." His eyes, distant and haunted, met Lucas''s for a moment, and in them, Lucas saw a reflection of age-old sorrow, a grief that time had not dulled. "Forgotten by everyone and everywhere only for me to vaguely remember... and..." "That they have returned marking the continuation of what I call..." "The Void war." "A war that was never finished, just paused." "None of us are ready for this war." "All we can do is wait for our demise." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "As it will be our turn to be consumed by... "The void." Chapter 91 - 91: Denial As they listened to what Nyx had just told them, the room descended into a deadly silence. No one spoke as Lucas and Aurora tried to digest what they had just been told. Nyx merely let them be lost in their own thoughts, trying to swallow everything he had just said. He simply looked out the window at the sea of trees, watching the leaves ruffle in the wind howling outside. The sound of a clock ticking echoed throughout the entire room. An entire minute passed without anyone making the slightest sound. No one spoke... Two minutes. Three minutes. Four minutes. After five minutes, the silence was finally broken by Lucas, who... Laughed. "Pfft!" A hollow laugh escaped from his lips as Aurora broke out of her own thoughts and looked at him weirdly. Nyx also finally turned around and looked at Lucas curiously, his eyebrows shooting up. "Is there something amusing?" Nyx asked, tilting his head, curious about what he had said that made Lucas laugh. Lucas, noticing the stares he was getting, simply shook his head as he looked straight into Nyx''s golden eyes. "Of course there is... There is so much you have just said that I find amusing," he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "The void? Is this all some sort of fucking joke?" "Am I supposed to believe in the bullshit you have just told me?" "Control your tongue," Aurora spoke, getting angered at Lucas''s tone. She was about to unleash her mana, intending to teach him a lesson, but a mere intense gaze from Nyx stopped her, confused. Lucas didn''t bother with her and merely continued. "Wait for our fucking demise and be consumed by those creatures? Please, how can you be sure what you know is even real?" "Your entire head is fucked up, not even knowing what is a lie and what is the truth! Perhaps those void creatures are fake and implanted in you by someone trying to mess with you." Lucas said, not wanting to believe in the slightest what he had just heard. The entire reason he made contact with the Voidwalkers was to get more power and protect his loved ones. And now their second-highest member is telling him that they are all doomed? The world will descend into chaos and everyone will die? His revenge on Karciel and Abadux, living a peaceful life with his family, and enjoying his second chance... Was it all just a mere dream impossible to achieve from the start? ''No way I am fucking accepting this!'' Aurora was gritting her teeth as she listened to Lucas insult Nyx. But she didn''t scold him. How could she? She understood his reaction perfectly, and he had just met Nyx. Of course, he couldn''t just believe everything that was told... But... Reality was often known to be cruel. "You are in denial," Nyx said, his face unreadable, no emotion in his voice. Lucas scoffed as he glared at Nyx. "I am not in denial. You don''t have proper proof to suggest that those void creatures are real and would wage a war against us again," Lucas spoke, denying Nyx''s accusation of being in denial. A small smile appeared on Nyx''s face as he spoke. "Funny that you only deny the existence of the void." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucas was confused as he listened to him speaking, but before he could respond, he widened his eyes, as did Aurora, when Nyx spoke again. "You didn''t deny the existence of anything else I said before. Dragons, phoenixes, and all the other things I mentioned before the void." "Surprised you certainly were, but you didn''t deny their existence as if you already knew some of the stuff I said... just like how you somehow know the void language on par with myself, perhaps even better." Biting his lip, Lucas looked down. He couldn''t refute his words this time as everything Nyx just said was true. He indeed knew of the existence of the dragons. The existence of powerful beings roaming around Myrniel thousands of years ago. Though he didn''t know anything about phoenixes, other powerful races, and that there were seven heroes who fought the demon king instead of one. History wasn''t right; he didn''t know anymore what to believe. It was known that there was only one hero who was called the Hero of Humanity and defeated the demon king, resulting in Myrniel''s victory against the demons. The formation of the Golden Alliance even came from that. Or was he wrong like everyone else? ''Just why is everything so complicated... '' ''He didn''t speak of the Progenitor of Chaos... I still don''t know why he fought against the dragons. Does he even know about the first Progenitor?'' His mind was racing as Aurora and Nyx merely looked at him, lost in thought. ''Who are the seven heroes exactly... if the Hero of Humanity is one, what happened to the other six?'' ''What happened to their fight against the demon king... do the demons even know about all of this?'' ''The void... they can''t be real...'' He didn''t want to accept the fact that the creatures of the void were real. But... Even though nothing made sense of what Nyx said, in a way, it still did. Explaining the disappearances of the dragons. The demon king not being heard of again, no one knowing if the demon king was alive or not. As he thought, he realized he doesn''t even know the name of the Hero of Humanity. Does anyone even know his name? It was never mentioned in any books what his name was. Lucas''s face became more complicated as his mind was spinning. ''If they are real... just what the hell can I do? If even dragons, phoenixes, and other powerful races fell... just what can I do?'' Sure, he might be more powerful and talented than his generation. But what about the void era? Only being a Progenitor of Chaos would''ve been something special about him. ''Are we really all just going to be consumed by the void...'' "I am sorry." Suddenly breaking his thoughts and making his head snap up was the sudden apology he heard from Nyx. Not just him, even Aurora looked wide-eyed at Nyx, not expecting him to apologize so suddenly. "I am sorry... a mere child like you shouldn''t be burdened with this knowledge." Lucas and Aurora froze with wide eyes as Nyx suddenly bowed his head towards Lucas. His voice was filled with guilt and pity... "You should have been instead enjoying your life, studying in the academy, striving to become a hero, hanging out with your friends. Having fun and living life like a normal student but..." His eyes looked straight at Lucas, hardening, making him unconsciously straighten his back. "You are no normal student, Lucas Nightstar." "You are as unknown as the void." "The same could be said for your family and its origin." "I have done my research on you Nightstars, and all I got was nothing..." "Nothing about your family and their reason for declining to become one of the great dukes, why they have such powerful servants and... a saint." A saint who has become extremely rare in this time and age, yet the Nightstars had one. A mere viscount family who has close ties with the royal family more than one should have. A family whose origins are filled with mysteries, not making sense in the slightest. Aurora kept quiet as her face became unreadable as well, gazing at Lucas. Smiling bitterly, Lucas spoke, deciding to be a little truthful. If the world was going to end, he had to gamble more than he originally thought. He could see the perfect dream he had envisioned starting to crack. "I didn''t deny the existence of the other races because I knew they weren''t lies..." They didn''t interrupt him as they listened to him attentively, their faces unreadable. That soon changed as they heard his words. "I am a half-dragon." "What..." "Eh?" Both exclaimed as they looked at him in disbelief until they looked into his eyes... Blood red eyes with vertical pupils. Sure, that didn''t mean he was a half-dragon; he might have gotten those eyes because of a soul bond or something else, but... As Nyx stared deeper into his eyes, he scrunched his face. He felt something familiar... like he had seen those types of eyes before. "Like a dragon in its human form..." He muttered, making Aurora look at Nyx in surprise. "W-wait, he is actually a half-dragon!? Didn''t you just say that they all died!?" Aurora exclaimed as smoke could be seen starting to rush out of her head. Her brain couldn''t handle anymore what was all happening. Nyx ignored her as he looked at Lucas with complex eyes. "You are not lying, are you..." Shaking his head, Lucas looked at him sincerely. "I am not." [AN: Due to exams, I won''t be able to upload two chapters a day. My exams will end in two weeks, but as compensation, I will try to write one chapter every day and make it as long as possible. For those who want more details about the Void, check the auxiliary chapter explaining each rank and stage. Some things might not make sense right now, but trust me, it will all get cleared up. It''s no fun to have everything revealed right away, is it? I am sorry and hope you all are enjoying the story.] Chapter 92 - 92: Sovereign of Chaos They both looked at him in awe and disbelief at hearing his story. "A dragon as your soul bond... an actual dragon." Nyx''s voice quivered at finding out that they were still not extinct. "The first dragon king''s daughter... I don''t know anything about that. Unfortunately, I don''t have memories of the first dragon king, or perhaps I just wasn''t born back then..." "But why was she in a suspended state preventing her from being born? Didn''t the void appear much later? Was the first dragon king even still alive at the void war?" Lucas asked the questions he had been dying to get answers for. Unfortunately, Nyx merely shook his head as Aurora just listened blankly, already fried. "I don''t know... all I knew before the void war I have already told." Sighing in disappointment, he realized that though he got some answers, he also in return got many more unanswered questions now. ''Fucking mysteries... just how is this fair?'' ''Wait, maybe he doesn''t, but someone else does...'' His eyes lit up with a little hope as perhaps this person might have the answers he was looking for. "What about your master? For someone as old as you to call him master means that he lived longer than you and is stronger and more knowledgeable, right?" S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucas asked, making Nyx''s lips twitch at hearing the word "old" labeled on him. He was still young at heart! Though hearing his question, his face became complex as he didn''t speak for a few seconds, making Lucas await his answer nervously until he heard it. "I don''t know." Lucas pursed his lips as he clenched his hands into fists. "You don''t know?" "I don''t... I can''t seem to remember my master at all... what his name was, what he looked like, and what happened to him..." "All I know is that he was the one who originally taught me the void language and..." "Is or was the holder of the first seat... and the founder of the Voidwalkers." Lucas and even Aurora looked at him wide-eyed. It looked like Aurora was hearing a lot of things for the first time as she never had even met the first seat and who the person was. "Doesn''t that mean that you are the highest member..." Lucas asked as he started to realize that the person in front of him is the current leader of the Voidwalkers and not just the second. The first seat holder wasn''t even there. Nyx smiled bitterly as he nodded his head. "That is correct. Currently, I am the one who is basically leading the Voidwalkers," Nyx said, as Aurora just looked blankly at him, not believing that she was actually with the leader of the Voidwalkers. ''Great, more mysteries...'' "Enough with this..." Aurora suddenly decided to speak as she had a few questions of her own. She looked at Lucas with narrowed eyes as she asked a question that had been bugging her since the beginning. Most would tremble out of fear or be intimidated enough to not look directly into her eyes, as she was a saint. Her presence wasn''t a joke about, even if she suppressed her mana. But Lucas... he was getting used to all of this. "Lucas Nightstar, why do you know the void language?" Hearing Aurora''s question, Lucas didn''t answer. Narrowing her eyes at being ignored, she changed the question. "Why did you never show yourself until now?" "What are your goals exactly?" "How did you get such killing intent?" "How many have you actually killed?" To Aurora, Lucas was a mystery, and she had nothing but piles of questions for him. Yet, every time she asked something about Lucas, he remained silent. She could see the reluctance in his eyes, unwilling to give her the answers she sought. "It looks like Lucas has a lot of secrets that he doesn''t wish to reveal now... In due time, all the answers each one of us seeks shall be revealed," Nyx suddenly spoke, causing Aurora to fall silent. She understood what Nyx meant. They had already spent a lot of time discussing and arguing here. "We will have enough time later on to open up to each other," Nyx said, turning towards Lucas. "Though you have now discovered a lot of things, was that the main reason you tried to contact us?" Shaking his head, Lucas replied, "No. Even though I wanted answers to a lot of questions, I originally wanted to request to join the Voidwalkers." "You want to become one of us?" Aurora asked with a tired voice, while Nyx looked at him with a small smile. Lucas understood why she was tired¡ªlearning the entire world is doomed isn''t easy to accept in a single day. Lucas felt like he had aged a hundred years mentally from all he had heard today. Being in the same room, talking with one of the strongest saints alive, felt surreal. A part of him honestly wished he had never sought them out after hearing about the void. ''Ignorance truly is bliss...'' "Joining the Voidwalkers, huh... Certainly, with the threat we are about to face, it would be beneficial for all of us to stay connected. It would be only a matter of time with your talent to at least become a Grandmaster," He could hear Nyx talking to himself as he deliberated over Lucas joining the Voidwalkers. ''Still hesitating, huh... I''m surprised it''s not enough to convince him.'' He was, after all, a half-dragon. He knew the void language. He was the strongest student of the academy. The Voidwalkers were, of course, much different than Lucas had thought. There was one thing that made Nyx hesitate: strength. Lucas could easily be killed by the two here without ever knowing how. Even though he was probably one of the most talented of his generation, it still wasn''t enough to guarantee him joining the Voidwalkers. Reaching the Saint stage would have guaranteed his acceptance, but he hadn''t achieved that yet. No one spoke as both Aurora and Lucas looked towards Nyx, who had his eyes closed and was leaning against the wall. He was in a dilemma about letting Lucas join or not. Lucas would be extremely important for future events, that was certain, but he was still too weak to get involved with them directly. ''He won''t accept me. Looks like I have no choice but to reveal my last card,'' Lucas thought. Everything that had happened during his meeting with the Voidwalkers was unexpected. Learning about what happened in the void era, the possibility that history and everyone''s memories had been altered, and being in the presence of the current leader of the Voidwalkers... So much had happened and would happen that Lucas now realized he couldn''t stay behind. If a war does happen, he won''t be the one sitting back, cowering in fear. He needs power¡ªpower to survive. Lucas needs to make them invest in him, make them support him in any way possible. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Lucas spoke amidst the silent room. "There is something else you might want to hear..." Nyx and Aurora looked at him with furrowed brows. He could see the expression on Aurora''s face basically saying, "Please, no more," while Nyx, intrigued, raised his eyebrows. ''No going back... there never was an option of going back.'' As he thought this, Lucas spoke, shocking both Aurora and Nyx. "I am the progenitor of chaos." He had to suppress a chuckle at seeing the looks of two of the most powerful people on Myrniel. Though Aurora was a saint, she didn''t look or even really act like one most of the time, Lucas noticed. Nyx... he didn''t really know how to describe him. One moment he would be unreadable, and the next, he wouldn''t. Breaking his thoughts, Nyx spoke in doubt, "You are a progenitor of... chaos?" Lucas nodded, noting the skeptical look Nyx was giving him. ''Yeah, I really am too tired for this.'' Not wanting to explain everything, he merely raised his right hand, which suddenly became enveloped in red and black energy, making Aurora stand up in alert. Nyx''s entire gaze was focused on Lucas''s hand, making him feel a little uncomfortable. "H-how... a progenitor of an element in this era..." Disbelief was written all over Aurora as she pointed her trembling finger at Lucas. ''Father never reacted as surprised as her...'' He remembered telling his parents everything about his status after regaining his memories. ''Well, he is never one to show much emotion.'' "So this was your final trick up your sleeve to convince me to let you join, huh? Quite clever, I might say. Hiding so many mysteries yourself, aren''t you, Lucas Nightstar?" Lucas looked at Nyx, who was smiling at him, yet those bright golden eyes were devoid of any warmth or emotion previously shown in them. He knew this was a risky gamble, but he wanted to show them that he trusted them enough to work with them when the war started. Shrugging, Lucas spoke towards Nyx as Aurora looked at him warily, "As you said, we have enough time to know each other and open up to each other." No one would ever believe a progenitor of an element would exist in this era. Most probably don''t even know about progenitors, believing instead in the gods. Smiling, Nyx chuckled a little at hearing Lucas''s words, finding them amusing. "Certainly, that is what I have said..." Suddenly, his face became extremely cold as he looked at Lucas, making him shiver. He felt an invisible pressure weighing down on him just from Nyx''s cold eyes. "Joining us, are you really sure about that? There will be no going back. You will be part of the Voidwalkers forever, even if you want to leave." Lucas stood up straight, walking towards him until they were face to face. Aurora looked at Nyx in shock at the words he had spoken. "I am sure. All I want is for the people I care about to be protected," Lucas said with a determined gaze, impressing Nyx as he smiled again a little. "Protecting your family but not you?" Nyx asked, wanting to confirm. Nodding, Lucas answered, "No, I only want the people I love to be safe. What happens to me is my own business." He didn''t want to be under the constant watch of the Voidwalkers. He knew he wouldn''t get stronger if he was constantly protected from danger. He needed to become strong on his own without the assurance that he would be fine. He wouldn''t want to grow like that. "Good... then I accept. I will make sure everyone you love is protected, except for you. Become stronger on your own so we can fight this war together, Lucas Nightstar," Nyx said, smiling under Aurora''s disbelieving eyes. She didn''t expect Lucas to join this easily. Perhaps it wasn''t easy... she understood Lucas was special and different, but still... Extending his hand, Lucas grasped it as well, shaking it, relieved that in the end, he managed to join them. He didn''t know how effective their protection would actually be when the void war finally erupted, but it still made him feel reassured. Though, the next words Nyx spoke made Lucas and Aurora doubt their ears as their minds blanked under Nyx''s mysterious smile. "Welcome to the Voidwalkers, Lucas, Sovereign of Chaos, holder of the 11th seat of Chaos." Chapter 93 - 93: Church Exiting the park, Lucas noticed that it was still desolate. Not many people roamed around this part of the capital since they didn''t really have a reason to. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There was almost nothing here except for a few buildings that opened only during the daytime and the park itself. Lucas sighed as he fiddled with the black ring on his left ring finger. It had beautiful engravings, showing off how special it was. He had been suddenly teleported back after hearing the last sentence he least expected from Nyx. Nyx had told him to meet up at a place in the capital''s black market and handed him this ring. The ring was supposed to show his power or authority. Everyone was tired, and Nyx and Aurora apparently had some things they still had to do, so Lucas could finally go after becoming one of the highest members of the Voidwalkers. ''I wanted to join them, but I didn''t expect to get my own seat...'' He had two days until he had to meet Nyx again in the black market. Lucas had never really visited the black markets in Myrniel, but he knew it was only a matter of time. ''Even though we have no curfew, the guards at the dormitory will be suspicious about what I was doing so late... I also need to deal with Klaus and Leonne,'' he thought, his mind spinning with everything he had discovered today. The Void. Nothing was known about them, and it made Lucas feel uneasy. Not once did he stop thinking about the Void. He felt helpless as his mind tried to come up with ways to protect his loved ones. But he was too weak. As he walked, he suddenly heard the familiar emotionless female voice, as if whispering next to his ear: "[New titles acquired]: Congratulations." He always wondered just how or from where exactly the voice came from. Who or what was it actually that spoke? He knew that everyone could hear the voice of their status, but it wasn''t female for everyone¡ªsome had a male voice. He wondered why he heard a female voice... He knew some people thought that it was the gods speaking to them; others thought it was like a video game simply. Bewildered, he opened his status screen. ''Status.'' ----------------------------- Status Screen: [Name]: Lucas Nightstar [Age]: 15 [Gender]: Male [Race:] Half Dragon [Rank]: High 6-star level (Master) [Affinities]: - Fire - Lightning - Space - Chaos (Progenitor) [Special Talent]: Dual Wielder [Physique]: Dragon [Bloodline]: Unawakened [Title]: Master of the Blade of Chaos, Dragon Tamer, Anomaly, Progenitor of Chaos, Cursed by the Stars [Skills]: Monarch of Chaos, Appraisal, Dragon''s Pride, Dragon''s Aura, Mirage, Phase, Danger Sense [Soul Bond]: Luna (Dragon) ----------------------------- Stopping in the middle of the street, he noticed the two new titles he had acquired. "Progenitor of Chaos" seemed to be a recognition of his revealing it to a few more people, or perhaps it was for another reason. But reading the second title... A dry chuckle escaped his lips as he stood in the middle of the empty streets. If anyone saw him, they would think of him as some crazy handsome psychopath in the middle of the night. "Cursed by the Stars." "Just what the fuck does that even mean?" he muttered. It was obvious it wasn''t anything good; it felt like fate was screwing him over, waiting for everything to crash down on him and break him. Here he thought he was becoming more free. How wrong he was. He could feel the chains of fate wrapping around his body again. "Haha, this is truly fucking amazing, isn''t it?" he muttered, laughing under his breath with sarcasm. He felt so tired, so tired that he just wanted to sleep. He was glad that today was Friday, meaning he had the weekend and wouldn''t have to attend school tomorrow. Learning that the world was going to be attacked by an unknown species hellbent on destroying them wasn''t easy for him. Suddenly, he felt droplets of water falling down on him. Not even a few seconds later, it suddenly started to rain heavily, making Lucas laugh at the irony of it all. "I should''ve brought an umbrella," he said as he started walking again, now drenched in the rain. He could have ordered an Uber to get back to Shield, but after everything, he needed some time for himself. So, Lucas decided to simply walk his way towards the academy, which would take him a while. But it wasn''t like he was in a rush. He started to slowly walk amidst the rain as the streets cleared out, his clothes becoming heavy with water. Or perhaps it was the weight of everything else on his shoulders. He didn''t tell Nyx or Aurora about the first Progenitor of Chaos. He doubted that anyone would know, not after understanding how complex Nyx''s mind is. No one even knew when the war would actually begin. Nyx told him that they appear from something similar to a dungeon gate, but these aren''t the same gates that everyone is used to. There is no boss that you have to defeat, and there is no dungeon itself that you have to conquer. The gate isn''t meant for them to enter but for the void creatures to exit. ''I should have asked more questions... I''ll just ask more in two days,'' Lucas thought as he kept walking, drenched by the rain. He didn''t even bother to pull his hood up as there was no point. "I wonder how strong each rank really is since Nyx said that it''s extremely dangerous and perhaps suicidal to fight a single rank on your own..." It didn''t make sense in Lucas''s eyes. He felt like Nyx was still withholding information, which he understood, but it annoyed him since he couldn''t grasp what Nyx knew and what he didn''t. "I wonder what he wants to give me." Nyx had told him that he had something for Lucas for when they meet again. He was curious about what he would get. It was probably going to be something beneficial to him since he was now one of the Voidwalkers. Even though nothing grand really happened, he knew the title he received would probably send ripples in the underworld soon. "I''ll need to get some clothes so people won''t recognize me in the black market." He couldn''t risk people finding out about him and perhaps him being one of the Voidwalkers, who were meant to be a myth. Though it wouldn''t be long now for the Voidwalkers to stop hiding themselves. "Even though I am probably the weakest seat, people wouldn''t be able to tell that." He didn''t even know how many seats there were until Nyx suddenly made him one of them. He expected to start from the bottom of the Voidwalkers, not from the top instantly. But he wasn''t going to complain now since it was beneficial to him and to Nyx for investing in him. It was a win-win situation for everyone, after all. He wondered when he would get to meet the other seats. How strong were they exactly, and what were they like? And just who was the founder and the first seat? Nyx couldn''t remember his name, face, or anything about him. "Did his master mess with his mind and disappear, or was it something else..." He didn''t understand how so many things seemed to be wrong. He wondered if there was someone else who lived as long as Nyx, or was he the only one who survived the Void Era? ''So many questions... no use thinking about them for today,'' he thought as he kept walking amidst the heavy rain. The sound of thunder echoed through the air, and the skies rumbled above. The downpour soaked him to the bone, each step creating ripples in the growing puddles. The cold wind brushed against his face. As he kept walking, unbothered by the weather, he suddenly noticed something that intrigued him¡ªa beautiful church came into view. Its tall spires soared gracefully into the stormy sky, their elegant silhouettes a stark contrast to the dark clouds. The stained-glass windows, despite the dreary weather, shimmered with vibrant colors, casting a soft, ethereal glow on the wet cobblestone path leading to the entrance. Intricate stonework adorned the facade, depicting scenes of peace and serenity that seemed almost magical in the rain. The heavy wooden doors, carved with meticulous detail, stood slightly ajar. Surrounding the church, well-tended gardens, though drenched, still displayed blooming flowers and lush greenery, their scents faintly mingling with the fresh smell of rain. Chuckling at the sight, he broke course and decided to walk towards the beautiful church. He had never really gone to a church in his previous life or this one. Going to a church, which is said to be one of the closest places to meet God or at least the gods in this world, felt odd to him. Lucas knew he was the last person who should be allowed to visit a church, at least in his previous life, though no one except for Seraphina knew. But did it matter? In the end, no matter what world he was in, it was still him who had killed so many. He wondered about the gods in this world, if he was honest. He had never really bothered with religious stuff in either of his lives. ''Why not...'' It looked like this particular church was open even this late at night, even though no one sane enough would come this far in this weather. Chapter 94 - 94: The Devil Goes to Church As he stepped inside the church, he was greeted by a warm, serene atmosphere. Soft candlelight flickered along the walls, casting gentle shadows on the intricately carved wooden pews. The air was filled with the faint scent of incense, and the polished stone floor reflected the colorful light streaming in from the stained-glass windows. High above, the vaulted ceiling was adorned with delicate frescoes depicting scenes of peace and devotion. The quiet stillness of the interior provided a stark, comforting contrast to the storm raging outside. Slowly, Lucas walked towards the front row, looking around the church. ''Certainly is beautiful... and looks like this entire place is blessed, huh,'' he thought as he sat in the front row, his drenched clothes leaving a trail of water behind. Gazing ahead, he saw four faceless statues towering above him. Each had a pair of angelic wings on their backs. As he gazed at the four figures, Lucas felt small. He felt inferior, even though they were only statues. One statue held a scythe and was dressed in a robe that covered everything, including its head¡ªthe God of Death. Another was dressed in battle armor, holding a sword embedded in the ground with both hands¡ªthe God of Swords. The third wore scholar-like robes, held a book in its left hand, and had its right hand raised in the air¡ªthe God of Mana. The last statue, which appeared female, was dressed in a simple tunic with its hands clasped together in front of its chest as if praying¡ªthe God of Life. These were the four gods the religious people in Myrniel believed in. It was said that one who could use mana was loved by the God of Mana, and one who could use aura was loved by the God of Swords. Many such beliefs surrounded the four gods. The church held significant political power due to its many followers. It was said that if you chose and worshipped one of the gods, you would be blessed by them. The type of blessing one received was always different and unpredictable; even gaining a skill was possible. Lucas was surprised that everyone close to him didn''t believe in the four gods, even though they could get a blessing. ''No... with all the monsters surrounding me, it makes sense why they don''t believe in these gods,'' he thought. Instead, the people around him, like Lucas himself, preferred to get stronger on their own rather than rely on a god''s blessing. ''A blessing that is granted can as easily be taken away,'' he mused. Perhaps there was some merit to the belief that these gods actually existed, or at least some sort of gods, since people did get blessings. But Lucas would never waste his time devoting it to a god for a few blessings. Of course, not everyone was a monster like Lucas. For example, people who felt they couldn''t advance yet still sought strength might become believers for a blessing. Or simply someone who was an actual believer in the gods. The reason to believe in the gods was different for everyone. In the end, these four gods were also a mystery to Lucas. He didn''t really believe in them after all. ''Still, why the God of Swords? Is that why the sword is so revered?'' he wondered. As he pondered, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him and a kind voice addressing him. "The Devil Goes to Church¡ªI am sure I have heard that before." The man chuckled at his own joke before continuing. "Or was it the White Devil? Forgive me; I don''t really have the best memory when it comes to the nicknames these younger generations give out these days." A small smile appeared on Lucas''s face as he kept his gaze ahead, answering the man who now stood behind him. "It is quite rude to call a mere kid the devil himself, don''t you think, Father?" Hearing the man laugh behind him, he walked forward, standing in front of Lucas, who was seated, and finally looked towards the priest. "A mere kid, you say? I didn''t think the newer generation, especially someone like you, would have the respect and generosity to call me Father," the man said, amused, as Lucas gazed at him with raised eyebrows. The priest was an elderly man with silver hair that framed his kind, weathered face. His deep blue eyes sparkled with wisdom and compassion. He wore a simple yet elegant white robe adorned with gold embroidery depicting sacred symbols. A string of beads hung from his neck, clicking softly as he moved. "You haven''t done anything to earn my ire, have you, Father? Well, at least not yet..." Smiling softly, the elderly priest turned around, gazing at the four statues. "So what brings you all the way here, so far from the academy, and especially in this weather? You don''t seem injured, though perhaps you might catch a fever with how drenched you are." "Want me to bring you a health potion?" Lucas shook his head, answering the question. "I''m good; I don''t easily get sick, Father." If Lucas could, he would rather never take another potion in his life again. "As for why I''m here... call it curiosity." "Ah, you are at the age where you get curious about countless things after all," the priest said, nodding to himself as if in understanding. "So, are you interested in becoming a believer?" the priest asked, turning back to Lucas, facing him with the same smile on his face. Shaking his head in denial, Lucas answered. "No, I don''t really believe in the gods since I have no reason to. Their blessing won''t benefit me in the long run." At this, the priest sighed softly before speaking to him, his voice turning even softer. "Child, you are thinking about all of this the wrong way." The wrong way? Lucas furrowed his brows, tilting his head slightly. Just what did he think wrong exactly? "Do you know why one would believe in the gods?" Lucas didn''t think too much before answering. "What else but strength¡ª" "Hope," the priest interrupted, his voice cutting through Lucas''s response. He moved closer, reaching out his hand. Lucas''s body tensed up for a second, but sensing no ill intentions, he bit the inside of his cheeks, letting the priest do what he wanted since he was curious. Tapping Lucas''s chest with his right finger at where his heart was, ignoring the drenched hoodie, the priest spoke again. "One believes in a god not for strength but for hope." "Hope to have good health." "Hope to find one''s soul mate." "Hope for a better future." "Hope in the darkest of times." "Hope to live." "Those blessings that we have are proof that we believe in hope." Every word the priest spoke resonated deeply within Lucas. He had never really thought of it like that and wondered if it was perhaps the same in his previous life. "Hope that we haven''t given up no matter what." Pursing his lips and looking down with his head, Lucas clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. "What if there is no hope to believe in? Hope to live? Hope for a better future? What if there are only the darkest of times, never to have hope in them again?" The priest was surprised by Lucas''s behavior and the questions he asked. It felt odd for a child to ask such questions, especially from the most talented and famous student. But considering the entire situation, he realized it was indeed odd. The priest wondered what Lucas was really struggling with and decided to go with the flow, treating Lucas as he normally would with anyone else. "That is why we pray. Praying to the gods gives us hope, and by praying, we believe. You cannot hope without believing, just as you cannot believe without hope," the priest said gently. Lucas turned his head up, looking at him. "That makes no sense," he muttered, making the priest laugh out loud. "I understand, but for it to make sense, you have to try instead of think. That way, you will truly understand the meaning of hope and belief." Lucas merely nodded as he started to grasp a little of what the priest said. ''But... will it really give me the strength to get through the disaster we will have to face?'' As if reading his thoughts, the priest spoke again. "In the end, it is not the blessing that gives you strength but hope." Before Lucas could question him again, the priest asked, "Tell me, Lucas, what are your dreams?" Lucas didn''t know why he would suddenly ask that, but he decided to entertain him and answer truthfully. "I want Lena, my little sister, to be happy and to protect that smile of hers. I want my parents to live long, not worry, and live in peace. Everyone I care about to be just... happy," he spoke, his voice getting a little hoarse. Just thinking about these things made him realize how bleak it seemed with the threat they were about to face. Hearing his words, the priest spoke softly, "Isn''t that what you would call hope?" ''Huh?'' "Your dreams are your hope, no? You hope for them all to be happy. Doesn''t that give you the strength to face whatever life throws at you?" Lucas widened his eyes as he heard the priest''s words. "Hope..." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He muttered under his breath as he realized what the priest meant, his head bowing down again. "I don''t know what you are struggling with, child," the priest said, gripping Lucas''s shoulder. "But I want you to know... I have hope in you. Hope that you will overcome whatever challenges you will have to face." Hearing his words, Lucas stared at his clenched fist. ''I see...'' He had to suppress a laugh as he realized how pathetic he had become ever since learning about the void. His entire mind had become a mess after getting just a few answers to dozens of questions. He was sure this wouldn''t be the only threat, not the only mystery that didn''t make sense and needed to be solved. ''This had always been a problem of mine, right, Aushburn?'' he thought, recalling how he would lash out whenever he faced something he couldn''t understand or handle, never trying to face it head-on calmly. There had always been someone to pull him back, but now he understood. ''Hope.'' A smile appeared on his face, a smile so natural that it would have made anyone freeze if they saw him. This was perhaps the first time since he could remember that he smiled so naturally without needing to try. ''To think going to church really helped the devil.'' "Lucas?" a bewildered voice called out, making his eyes go wide as he looked toward the wooden doors. The priest did the same, and they both saw... Seraphina standing there, and not just her¡ªSylviette and Amaya were there as well, looking at him in shock, their bodies frozen in place. ''Fuck.'' Chapter 95 - 95: Vulnerable Even though the weather was terrible, they had no trouble walking in the open. They had checked the weather forecast beforehand and knew it was going to rain, resulting in them bringing their umbrellas. Even though Amaya could use her wind magic to ensure no raindrops reached her, or Sylviette could employ her ice magic against the rain, and Seraphina could use her space magic or dive into the shadows, they chose not to spend unnecessary mana. "Seriously, where are you taking us?" Seraphina asked Sylviette as she led her and Amaya somewhere. Seraphina might have thought Sylviette was leading them into an ambush if not for their friendship and her connection with Lucas. She knew Lucas was extremely picky about who he spent his time with. If Sylviette was friends with Lucas, that meant she could also trust her, right? ''I swear I better not get kidnapped...'' "You don''t need to worry this much, Sera," Amaya interjected, shooting a glare at Sylviette. "You know how late it already is? We should be asleep right now," Amaya added, her irritation evident. "You also don''t need to worry this much, Amaya. It''s not like anyone would judge us. Besides, it''s weekend," Sylviette said, chuckling. "I guess you are right. At least answer where we are going," Amaya sighed as they continued following Sylviette. ''My feet are killing me... why can''t we just get a taxi or something!'' "Fine, fine. If you really want to know, we are going to a church," Sylviette revealed. Both Seraphina and Amaya looked at her weirdly. "You are making us go so far by foot just to pray?" Amaya glared at her. "I didn''t know you are a believer... On second thought, you are an elf, and they do worship the god of mana and the god of life more than the other two gods," Seraphina remarked. "Yes, so it would make sense for her to want to go to church," Amaya nodded proudly as if discovering something significant. "I''m sorry to say this, Sylv, but I really am not in the mood to pray this late," Amaya said apologetically, making Sylviette grit her teeth. "Actually why even this late?" Seraphina asked, noticing Sylviette glaring at them, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and anger. "Why would I go this late at night and in this weather to pray!?" she shouted. "Besides, I don''t go to church anyway, even though we elves mainly worship the god of life and the god of mana." "So you are an actual believer, though, right? Makes sense for the princess of the elven race," Seraphina asked, eyebrows raised in intrigue. "Hmph! I am, but I am not as devoted as most are, so I don''t have any blessing or such," Sylviette admitted, though she secretly valued a particular blessing that she had not belonging to any of the four gods. "We have arrived," Sylviette announced after they walked an entire hour to get to the church. Glancing back, she saw the awestruck looks of Seraphina and Amaya, making her puff out her chest with pride. "See, told you it would be worth it," Sylviette said, breaking them from their daze. Amaya merely nodded in agreement as Seraphina spoke, "Yeah, it certainly is beautiful... Is the whole church blessed?" Just looking at the church made her feel warm and comfortable, even though it was raining and cold. "Yes, it is. This is one of the most famous churches in the capital. Normally it would be filled with people, but since it''s late at night and the weather is terrible, this is the perfect opportunity for us to check it out without drawing too much attention," Sylviette explained. ''To think she knows more than us humans about the churches in our domain...'' Seraphina thought. She realized Sylviette must have visited some churches in the human domain to get better at her affinity for life magic. "Mm, you are right. This is the perfect chance. But is it even open?" Amaya asked, knowing most churches in the capital would be closed at this time, especially in this weather. Sylviette chuckled before answering, "Don''t worry. Father Franky never sleeps and is always here, no matter the time." "Father Franky?" Seraphina tilted her head. "Yes, the priest who resides in this church. He maintains the entire church by himself. I have to say, he is a genius in life magic, probably one of the best healers that you humans have," Sylviette said. "Huh, wait, for real?" Amaya asked, bewildered. "Ah!" Seraphina suddenly exclaimed as she recognized who Sylviette was talking about. "Wait, you mean the Father Franky? The Apostle of Life? I''ve heard he managed to heal dozens of people on a battlefield in mere seconds, all the wounds gone as if they were never there." Sylviette proudly nodded her head, "Yep, exactly, that''s him." "Wow... I am sure Leo would have wanted to meet him as well..." Amaya sighed. "Your boyfriend still didn''t answer your calls?" Sylviette asked, making Amaya glare at her. "He is not my boyfriend! And no, he didn''t. What about you? Did you call Klaus?" Amaya asked, knowing Sylviette was the closest to Klaus since they were both in the same class. "Nope, he didn''t answer my calls either... Weird," Sylviette replied. "What about Lucas?" Sylviette asked Seraphina, knowing she was the closest to Lucas out of everyone. Shrugging her shoulders, Seraphina answered, "No, but I am sure Lucas is just either asleep or training." "Still, what if something happened to them?" Amaya asked, concerned. "You worry too much, Amaya. Leonne is a champion, remember? Besides, no one in the capital would be crazy enough to attack one of the three great duke''s sons without anyone noticing," Sylviette reassured her. "I guess you are right, yeah..." Amaya conceded. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "By the way, have you seen that video of Lucas?" Amaya suddenly asked, making both of them nod their heads. The video she was referring to was of Lucas getting into a fight in a fast food restaurant during lunch break. The video had only been up for a few hours but had already become extremely trending on social media. "To think he would actually face that Allen guy. His father is a marquis, after all, yet he isn''t scared in the slightest," Amaya remarked. Seraphina merely smiled as Sylviette scoffed, "Scared of him? Please. He even almost got into a fight with Father once. He was actually prepared to fight him and everyone in the castle back then." ''Eh?'' Amaya and Seraphina looked at her with wide eyes. "H-he almost fought against the king of elves?" Amaya asked in disbelief. "Yes... It''s as if that crazy maniac isn''t scared of anything. I mean, you heard him tell everyone that he wouldn''t mind becoming the enemy of humanity back at the entrance exam," Sylviette confirmed solemnly. "I didn''t think he was actually serious... Crazy, he is actually crazy," Amaya muttered. ''Just what the hell are you even doing, Lucas?'' Seraphina wondered, unable to figure out his actions. "Ugh, please, let''s forget about Lucas for today," Seraphina grumbled, not wanting to get a headache worrying about him. "I agree. Now let''s go. I don''t want to stand in the rain all night," Sylviette said, leading them to the wooden gate. But as they were about to enter the church, they heard someone talking inside, though they couldn''t understand what was being said. Furrowing her brows, Sylviette spoke, "What type of weird people would still be inside the church this late?" "Well, let''s find out, shall we?" Seraphina said, using her sound magic to create a dark, transparent dome around them. "No one will be able to hear us now, and everything we touch as well." "Isn''t this going a little too far?" Amaya asked, confused by their spy-like behavior. "It''s exciting, no?" Seraphina said, making Amaya in the end nod in agreement. What if something extremely shady was going on this late at night? Seeing this, Sylviette opened the gate, allowing them to enter inside. Their eyes widened as they saw who was inside. ''Huh?'' Seraphina''s mind blanked at the scene before her. Lucas was seated, and in front of him was a priest standing. None of them expected to find Lucas here, of all people. He was the last person one would expect to see in a church. ''Why...'' She was sure Lucas would have normally sensed someone watching him by now, but he didn''t. Her heart ached as she looked at his appearance. His clothes were drenched, his hair a mess, and he looked extremely tired. She barely managed to register the priest''s words to Lucas, both of them focused on each other, oblivious to the newcomers. ''Hope... Just what are they talking about?'' she wondered. "What if there is no hope to believe in? Hope to live? Hope for a better future? What if there are only the darkest of times, never to have hope in them again?" Lucas''s voice was desperate, like a child pleading to its mother for answers. Seraphina couldn''t remember the last time she had seen such a vulnerable side of him. The strongest student, the most talented of their generation, the White Devil, yet he looked so fragile and weak now, nothing like the image everyone saw him as. Suddenly, Sylviette stepped forward, intending to leave the sound dome and approach Lucas, but Amaya grasped her hand, preventing her. "Don''t," Amaya said, shaking her head, gazing into Sylviette''s eyes as Seraphina looked at her too. Before Sylviette could retort, Amaya spoke again, "We aren''t supposed to be here... Not this time. Let''s leave." They felt reluctant to leave but understood Amaya''s point. They shouldn''t be intruding on Lucas''s struggles. Each of them respected Lucas for different reasons and didn''t want to hurt him more. But before they could leave, they glanced at him once more. Seraphina felt her heart skip a few beats, sure it wasn''t just hers. Lucas... The smile he suddenly showed. She had never seen such a smile on him. It was a smile that made them want to protect him naturally. ''A-arg, what is going on? No way I am leaving now!'' she screamed in her mind, removing the sound barrier around them. She knew she wouldn''t rest until she found out what was happening. "Lucas?" Chapter 96 - 96: Cursed by the Stars ''Since when were they here?'' Lucas thought as he gazed at Seraphina, Amaya, and Sylviette, bewildered. He hadn''t even noticed them entering the building. ''Why do they look so shocked?'' ''Did they hear everything I said?'' He couldn''t tell how long they had been standing there, but he knew it must have been a while for them to be frozen in place. ''Still... why are they acting so weird?'' As he thought this, he suddenly saw his reflection in the floor for a second. ''Ah...'' He had totally forgotten how drenched he was. He had never shown anyone this side of him, and of course, they would be shocked if they heard him speaking to Father Franky while looking this horrible. Standing up from his seat, he was about to speak to them, but before he could, Seraphina disappeared before everyone''s eyes, only to reappear right in front of Lucas again. Her face was only mere inches apart from his, making him feel her hot breath. Feeling the sudden warmth on his cheeks, he realized how cold his body had gotten. "What happened?" Seraphina asked, her eyes gazing straight into Lucas''s eyes. He could clearly see the worry in her eyes, making him feel a little warm. ''I shouldn''t tell her.'' Lucas felt reluctant to speak about everything that had happened today. He didn''t want to tell them about the void. He just couldn''t. Lucas didn''t want them to be burdened with the knowledge like he was, knowing that the world would be thrown into literal chaos. They didn''t need to know, not yet at least, not until the time was right. It was he who sought the voidwalkers out for knowledge. He was the one who wanted to solve the mysteries, not them. In the end, he would rather keep everything to himself while letting them enjoy their lives. Ignorance is bliss, after all. He couldn''t take that bliss from them, especially not Seraphina. He had never seen her so bright, even in her previous life. The way she smiles, laughs, and even hangs out with friends¡ªshe deserves to enjoy her life. He would rather take everything on himself, letting her stay out of this game of chess with fate. Smiling softly, Lucas spoke to her and also to Sylviette and Amaya, who stood a little behind Seraphina now. "You don''t need to worry. I just came here to shelter myself from the rain." Lucas said as Seraphina narrowed her blood-red eyes at him. Father Franky merely stepped aside, intending to stay out of all of this, watching over them with a small smile. "You think anyone would believe that?" "Even a child could tell you weren''t here just for shelter." "What were you both exactly talking about?" Lucas''s lips twitched, seeing how she wouldn''t let the matter go. Sighing, he spoke again, a little annoyed. ''I really should get some sleep.'' "I just lost my cool for a bit, alright? You don''t need to worry about me. I am perfectly fine now." As he said this, he started to walk past her towards the gates. He knew it was a little rude, and that they were curious, but he felt like he was about to fall asleep at any moment. He was just that mentally tired. Perhaps there was another reason... "Wait." Surprisingly, he heard Amaya speak from behind him, making him turn around. "Where is Leo? Oh, and also Klaus? Were they with you? We can''t seem to contact them, even though they were supposed to be outside together still." Raising his eyebrows, he forgot that Klaus tried to invite him and hang out with all of them. "I met them briefly. They looked tired and probably went back to sleep." Saying that, Lucas turned around as red lightning started to envelop him. Normally, using magic wasn''t allowed in the open streets of the capital, but who was going to stop him, especially in this weather? After finally arriving at the academy dormitory building, sneaking past the guards at the gate by teleporting, he finally arrived in front of the door of his room. Glancing to his left, he saw Klaus''s room closed. He wondered if he should go talk to him now, but in the end, he decided it would be best to get some sleep first. Walking straight to his bed, Luna was curled up at the side, sleeping peacefully. ''This isn''t normal... just how much can one sleep? I should get a doctor or something later, just in case.'' As he thought this, he quickly changed his clothes and simply laid down on his bed, not intending to take a shower. He was too tired by everything that had happened today. ----------------------------- Status Screen: [Name]: Lucas Nightstar [Age]: 15 [Gender]: Male [Race:] Half Dragon [Rank]: High 6-star level (Master) [Affinities]: Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. - Fire - Lightning - Space - Chaos (Progenitor) [Special Talent]: Dual Wielder [Physique]: Dragon [Bloodline]: Unawakened [Title]: Master of the Blade of Chaos, Dragon Tamer, Anomaly, Progenitor of Chaos, Cursed by the Stars [Skills]: Monarch of Chaos, Appraisal, Dragon''s Pride, Dragon''s Aura, Mirage, Phase, Danger Sense [Soul Bond]: Luna (Dragon) ----------------------------- Staring at his status screen again, Lucas wondered about it all. He was still only at a high 6-star level, which was not enough in the slightest to face the demons and the void. Hell, even before them, he still needed to settle the matter with Karciel and Abadux. He hadn''t forgotten about them in the slightest, after all. Another thing he realized was that he needed more skills. Even though powerful skills could consume a lot of mana, he was confident that his mana pool could handle it. He didn''t know exactly what his bloodline was, but he had an inkling it was related to his family and its mysteries. ''I am starting to feel a little impatient, I guess...'' He knew his family was far from normal, but he decided to wait until they told him everything. However, he was starting to get impatient with all the threats he was going to have to face. One''s bloodline would only be able to be unlocked after becoming a saint. Lucas was still far from becoming one, resulting in him having to depend on acquiring more skills. There were a lot of things he needed to start preparing, he thought. But, as he kept looking at his status, he couldn''t help but feel bitter about reading the titles. Mainly two of them. The first being "Anomaly." He originally thought it was something to do with him being reincarnated, but after speaking with Seraphina about it, he realized that she never got such a title. ''Does it have to do something with me being a progenitor then? Or something else?'' As he thought this, he glanced at the second title, "Cursed by the Stars." He didn''t understand exactly what it meant. Did it mean he was cursed? Or did it have some different sort of meaning? He didn''t understand what he had done to earn such a title, but he felt like the title was anything but good news. Stars... ''A lot of things seem to be connected with stars,'' Lucas thought, recalling one of his deaths the seer had told him about. ''Surrounded by destruction as you die, with stars falling on you and destroying everything in their path.'' Just what the hell did he do to have stars falling onto him? Why him? What had he done to earn such a cosmic punishment? And why didn''t the seer ever say anything related to the void? Couldn''t she see the future? ''Did she know?'' Or was there something about the void that even she couldn''t penetrate? Lucas felt the urge to go back to the elven capital and speak to her once more, if she was even still there... ''No point in worrying about it now...'' He thought while yawning, his eyes starting to become heavier. ''Perhaps I should find a way to become a full dragon...'' He thought, but he hadn''t the slightest clue how, and would it even matter? In the end, the void still managed to wipe out almost the entire dragon race, including countless other ancient races forgotten by everyone. "Phoenixes," Lucas muttered as he recalled the stories about them in his previous life. Not just them, but also the dragons. Countless mythologies and stories were made about these creatures in his previous life. He had never thought them to be actually real in this world. He wondered how they all looked... ''Now that I think about it, just how strong is Nyx exactly?'' He thought as he never got to confirm him being a saint or not. But he couldn''t ponder for too long as his eyes started to drift closed. He finally fell asleep, marking the end of perhaps one of the longest days he had ever had. [AN: Sorry if this chapter seemed boring. I am currently busy with my exams and was feeling sick while writing this. Anyway, I hope you are enjoying the story. If so, please give me all those power stones and reviews!] Chapter 97 - 97: Nightmare "You damn brat!" The sound of the slap echoed through the dimly lit dining room. The room was small and cramped, with peeling wallpaper and a flickering light bulb that cast a dim glow. The wooden table was old and scratched, and the mismatched chairs creaked under the children''s weight. The floor was bare, worn-down wood, and a single, cracked window let in a draft, making the room chilly. Noah placed his hand on his swollen right cheek where the caretaker had slapped him. The sting was still fresh, and his skin throbbed under his touch. The children at the table dared not lift their heads, silently nibbling on their single piece of bread with trembling hands. "How ungrateful can one really be, huh?" the caretaker shrieked at Noah. She kicked him in the stomach, sending him sprawling. He clutched his stomach in agony, already weakened from days without food. His crime? Daring to ask for bread. It had been three days since he had last eaten. Forced to sit with the others as they ate, he received nothing. All because he had dared to complain about the lack of food for everyone. He remembered a time before these new caretakers arrived when there was at least enough for everyone. Now, these cruel overseers kept the food for themselves, tossing only scraps to the orphans. Tears streamed down his face as he bit his lip, stifling his sobs. He wouldn''t give them the satisfaction. "This is why your parents abandoned you in the first place." "They never loved you." "Who would?" "Seeing the ungrateful brat they brought into this world, they decided to leave it, running far away from you." Every word was a dagger to his heart, shattering it into thousands of pieces, only to rebuild and break again. He was just a child, and their relentless words made him start to believe them. Perhaps his parents did hate him, regretted having him, and took their own lives to escape him. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The room''s gaze bore into him¡ªpity, hate, anger, fear, and even twisted glee. The shadows around him deepened and began to stir. He glanced up to see the caretaker frozen, her eyes hollow and pitch black. Before he could comprehend, every head in the room snapped towards him, making the hairs on his neck stand up. Their eyes were all black, devoid of emotion, fixated on Noah. In the blink of an eye, he was alone. Darkness surrounded him, endless and suffocating. ''What...?'' Confused, he heard an almost inaudible voice from all around. "...up." The whisper was indistinct, neither male nor female. He looked up, seeing nothing but endless darkness. His heart pounded. He didn''t understand what was happening. "...up." Again, nothing. Only darkness surrounded him. Ignoring the strange voice, he took a step forward. "Ah!" As he did, it felt like he was falling into the abyss. His senses were confused, unable to discern if he was falling or standing still. In the next blink, he found himself in an unfamiliar, massive backyard¡ªthe backyard of the Nightstar estates. ''Where am I?'' Noah wondered, walking further. He saw a mist ahead and stepped inside. As it dissipated... He vomited at the sight revealed. Before him stood three wooden crosses with bodies crucified on them. To the left was a child with snow-white hair, her eyes empty as crows pecked at her sockets. Her stomach was ripped open, her organs dangling out. "A-ah, what is this... what is happening?" He didn''t know them, yet it felt like he did. He felt he had known and cared for them deeply. His heart shattered at the sight, and he vomited again, falling to his knees. As he retched, he weakly looked up to see the face of one of them inches from his own¡ªthe older woman with snow-white hair, her eyes empty, her face bloodied, her stomach a gaping wound. Noah''s mind went blank. He was paralyzed, unable to process the horror. Suddenly, the woman''s torn lips parted, and she screamed, "WAKE UP!" With a jolt, Noah was back in the dining room, gasping for breath. The children still ate silently, and the caretaker stood over him, her expression twisted with anger and disgust. "Get up, you wretched boy!" she snarled, yanking him to his feet. The room seemed colder, the shadows longer and darker. Noah''s vision blurred with tears. The other children avoided his gaze, their eyes downcast, hands shaking. They knew better than to show any sympathy; it would only bring the caretaker''s wrath upon them too. As the caretaker dragged Noah out of the room, he caught sight of the reflection in a broken mirror on the wall. His face was pale, eyes hollow, and for a fleeting moment, he thought he saw those same pitch-black eyes staring back at him. The door slammed shut behind him, and he was thrown into a small, dark closet. The only sound was his own ragged breathing and the faint, echoing whispers "...wake up..." He huddled in the corner, wrapping his arms around himself. The darkness pressed in, suffocating and cold. He didn''t know how long he sat there, trembling and alone. Time seemed to stretch, each second an eternity. "WAKE UP! "Haa!" Jolting awake, Lucas looked around to find himself inside his room again at the academy. ''What just happened...?'' His heart still pounded loudly against his chest, and his entire body was covered in cold sweat. "Haa... Haa..." He kept breathing heavily, trying to comprehend what happened until he finally calmed down a little. "It wasn''t real..." he muttered under his breath. The strange dream was just a nightmare. Yet, it felt so real. He felt like he was actually Noah again, not remembering anything of his current life. He clenched his loose hands into fists, making the knuckles go white to stop himself from trembling. Looking next to him, he noticed Luna wasn''t there, making him panic. [Luna? Where are you?] His mind still wasn''t in the right state. Not seeing Luna, who was next to him when he fell asleep, made him think that he was perhaps still in the nightmare. Luckily, his thoughts were proven false. [Father?] Appearing from out of the door, Luna entered the room and jumped on the bed. Lucas sighed in relief at seeing her. [Are you okay, Father?] she asked, noticing the state he was in. He tried to reassure her, but she continued to look at him worriedly. "How about you? You''ve been sleeping a lot lately," he said, attempting to change the subject and distract both her and himself. [Mm, I feel tired a lot...] "Are you getting bored? If you want, I can drop you off at home so you can have fun with Lena," he said, thinking that perhaps she was sleeping so much since she didn''t have anyone to play with. Lucas had been busy these last few days to the point he hadn''t even gotten to enjoy his life at the academy or spend time with anyone, even Luna. [No! It is not that.] She raised her voice slightly, surprising Lucas as she shook her little head fast. [It''s not that I''m bored; I just feel tired easily but whenever I wake up again, I feel like I got... a little... stronger?] She said this, not understanding herself what it exactly was. Lucas narrowed his eyes as he thought about what made her so tired. "Stronger, huh?" He pondered if it had something to do with dragons. If it was, he knew he wouldn''t be getting many answers currently. ''I should ask Nyx tomorrow,'' he thought, remembering that he would meet him again tomorrow. Perhaps Nyx knew more about dragons and could shed light on Luna''s situation. ''I should also go to the library to find some clues about the void era,'' Lucas thought, knowing that the Shield had one of the biggest libraries in Myrniel. He was sure if he wanted to find clues to a lot of questions, he should first look there before anywhere else. "Alright," he nodded to himself. He stood up from his bed and looked at the mirror, seeing the messed-up state he was in. ''The library can wait.'' "Luna, let''s go," he said suddenly, causing Luna to gaze at him bewilderedly as he picked her up firmly, not letting her go. [Huh? Where are we going, Father?] She had a bad feeling about this as she felt like she couldn''t escape Lucas''s grip. "To take a shower," he said, making Luna''s eyes go wide in dread. [Wait! No, Father, please! I don''t need to shower. I am perfectly clean!] she screamed, flailing around yet not escaping his grip in the slightest. In the end, Lucas didn''t listen to her desperate pleas. Both needed a shower, and he wasn''t going to give in to her cuteness this time. ''Sorry, my daughter...'' [Author''s Note: Exams aren''t done yet, though I have managed to survive most of them (except math...). I will be going back to uploading two chapters a day sometime between this and next week.] Chapter 98 - 98: The Black Market [1] Rubbing his eyes, Lucas released a tired sigh. Piles of books were stacked in front of him on the table as he turned the page of yet another thick volume. He had no idea how much time had passed since he took a shower and made his way to the library. Each of these books was related to history, and he had already read dozens of them trying to find any connection with the Void or the ancient races. Unfortunately, he hadn''t been lucky in the slightest. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The most he had found were theories about unknown races from thousands of years ago, but nothing was confirmed since there wasn''t any proof. "At this rate, I won''t even have to attend any history classes anymore," he muttered to himself, finally deciding to take a break. He opened his phone only to see that it was already 2 a.m. "Huh," he rubbed his eyes again, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him, but the time remained the same¡ª2 a.m. Eight hours had passed. Apparently, he had been there for eight hours. He hadn''t even noticed how long he had been engrossed in the books. The library had been empty the entire time since no one wanted to come here during the weekend. Putting his phone back on the table, he released another tired sigh. "Looks like some mysterious book won''t appear this time..." Lucas chuckled, recalling how easy it had been the first time when he searched for clues about the chaos element. Just a few hours in the library and he had found his answers so easily. Recalling the time his memories returned, it felt like a lifetime ago already. A lot of things were starting to change and would keep changing. He wondered just what the outcome would be after all the changes that were happening. "Call me surprised by your actions again, Lucas," suddenly, he heard a familiar voice calling to him this late at night. Lucas turned to see Professor Julius walking towards him. "Professor Julius." Julius stood in front of Lucas, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "I didn''t expect someone to be here this late and on a weekend as well," he said as he gazed at the piles of books on the table. "...I don''t recall any of the professors giving you this much work in a mere week in the academy, and you didn''t attend almost the entire week." Lucas''s lips twitched. "They''re not for any of my classes, professor. You could say I was doing my own personal research, though I think I''m done for the day." Julius looked at him strangely, making Lucas furrow his brows. "You read all of these books?" "Well, yeah... it has been more than eight hours after all," Lucas said, starting to realize why Julius looked at him so oddly. Who in their right mind would read all of these old books in a single day? And the one reading them being Lucas Nightstar himself. Honestly, Lucas didn''t expect himself to be reading all of this in a single day either¡ªall of that for eight hours straight continuously. No wonder his eyes were stinging so much. "You know, you always manage to surprise me more than the previous time I meet you," Julius said bluntly, making Lucas''s lips twitch again. "Why are you even here this late at night?" Lucas asked, smirking. "I got bored, what else? Thought I would waste some time reading some old books," Julius answered, then shifted his gaze to the pile of books. "But it looks like you beat me to it." ''Right, he did say that he was more interested in this kind of stuff instead of fighting...'' Lucas thought. ''Perhaps he might know something?'' Deciding to gamble on Julius''s knowledge, he asked, "Professor, do you know something about the Void?" Hearing his question, Julius furrowed his brows in confusion. "The Void? Is that some sort of spell?" he asked curiously, making Lucas inwardly disappointed. ''As expected, even someone like him who has done a lot of research and explored ancient ruins doesn''t know anything about the Void.'' Not giving up, Lucas asked another question, hoping for a different result. "Do you think it''s true that there were races that we didn''t know of thousands of years ago?" The questions and their strange relationship clearly intrigued Julius. The piles of history books that Lucas had read through gave him enough to at least speculate on his own research. "I do, actually," he answered, surprising Lucas as he continued. "But what races roamed around and what happened to them, I don''t. I can go on for hours about the theories I have, but I''m sure you wouldn''t be interested in them." "Actually, I wouldn''t mind hearing them," Lucas said, making Julius raise his eyebrows in surprise before a small smile appeared on his face. "Good, let''s talk about these things when I teach you how to properly use space magic," Julius said, making Lucas nod in agreement before asking another question. "When will my training begin, by the way?" "After the school trip to Sky City," Julius replied. Lucas nodded again, knowing they were going on a school trip to Sky City in the human domain this week. They would be staying there for an entire night. "What will we actually be doing there except for sightseeing?" Lucas asked, but Julius merely shook his head. "You''ll find out once we are there. I can''t exactly tell you now, can I? I don''t want to look like I''m picking favorites," he said, making Lucas narrow his eyes. ''But you can stalk me?'' he thought, though Julius noticed the look Lucas was giving him, causing him to look away and cough before recollecting himself, already knowing what Lucas was thinking about. "Why are you even researching ancient races?" Julius asked, returning to their previous conversation. His curiosity was piqued by Lucas''s sudden interest in history. Lucas had originally seemed like someone who didn''t bother with academics, especially since he hadn''t paid any attention in class last time. Julius was now seeing him in a more favorable light, impressed by Lucas''s willingness to read so many books for his own research. "Curiosity," Lucas replied simply, making Julius narrow his eyes slightly but then let it go. He was a bit suspicious that it wasn''t just curiosity driving Lucas to read so many books. As someone who did a lot of research himself, he knew that curiosity often led to deeper investigations. ''He''ll find out the real reason soon enough,'' Lucas thought. He wasn''t ready to reveal the Void and the ancient races to Julius¡ªnot yet at least. He knew it was only a matter of time before all of this would be revealed to the public by the Voidwalkers when the Void War resumed. ''Perhaps the royal family knows as well,'' he pondered. He stood up from his chair, stretching a bit before speaking to Julius again. "I''ll be going to sleep now, professor. Thanks for spending some of your time with me." Julius waved his hand dismissively. "No need. It''s always interesting being in your presence, Lucas," he said with a glint in his eyes, making Lucas a bit uncomfortable. Lucas didn''t waste more time and finally decided to leave and get some sleep since he had an important meeting the next day. ******** Standing in front of the mirror in his hotel room, Lucas adjusted his outfit. He had chosen to stay away from the dormitory after his conversation with Julius to avoid unwanted attention and potential followers. Luna sat on his shoulder, observing him curiously. Lucas nodded in satisfaction at his reflection. Instead of his usual clothes or academy uniform, he wore something much more distinctive¡ªclothes he kept in his inventory for occasions like this. ''Always good to be prepared,'' he thought. He wore sleek black pants tucked into well-worn boots, topped with a soft black coat with a matte surface. His face was concealed by a mask made of dark metal, etched with intricate, ominous engravings. The mask covered his entire face except for his eyes and hair, which glowed a vivid crimson from behind the mask''s narrow slits. Two horns protruded from the mask, adding to his fearsome appearance. The mask was enchanted to prevent anyone from focusing on him for too long. To complete the look, Lucas draped a long black furred coat over his shoulders. The coat was luxurious and dense, providing warmth and an extra layer of protection. He secured the Blade of Chaos at his right waist inside a black holster, adding to his intimidating presence. "This should do, right?" Lucas asked Luna, who looked at him with a hint of fear in her eyes. ["Are you planning to kill someone, Father?"] she asked hesitantly. "Of course not. Why would you think that?" Lucas replied, puzzled. After all, he considered himself one of the most peaceful people around. ["It''s just... you look a little scary, that''s all,"] Luna said vaguely. Lucas narrowed his eyes for a moment, which made Luna even more apprehensive. "Well, that is good then. Being scary is exactly what I am going for," he said with a grin. It was finally time for him to visit the black market. Chapter 99 - 99: The Black Market [2] As one would expect from the underground world, it was filled with numerous people of different races walking around the dark streets. Stalls and shop buildings lined the streets, selling items that were hard to come by legally. The black market was a place where the laws of the surface held no meaning. There was no law here to protect buyers and sellers; anything could happen if one wished. But to prevent chaos and bloodbaths, some unspoken rules were in place that everyone abided by. One: The strong are always above the weak. Just like in the world of adventurers, the strong had more advantages and were favored over the weak. Two: Be civil. Do not cause a bloodbath unless you have a good reason. And lastly: Do not oppose The Council of Nightfall unless you wish to die. These three unspoken rules were the only things you had to follow when visiting the black market. The Council of Nightfall held full control over the underworld, with each of its highest members ruling their own territory. The black market of the capital in the human domain was ruled by Nyx. Nyx and the Voidwalkers had been around for hundreds of years, hidden in countless places. Underworld or not, it was the best way for them to place their men in strategic positions, ensuring they had power and information. The only reason the black market was so civil and upheld the three unspoken rules was thanks to The Council of Nightfall. The currency system of the black market was the same as on the surface, using golden credits, but everything here was priced much higher. No one in the underworld was kind. Selfish, cunning, dangerous, and strong¡ªthese were the most common types one would find in the black market, a place where almost everyone''s hands were dirty. ***** As Lucas walked the streets of the underworld in his disguise, his gaze swept everywhere. He could see people, some not bothering to hide their faces, while others did. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Stalls, buildings, and shops sold illegal stuff, information, or offered assassination services. Whatever you thought to do, it was possible here. Even though he wore an intimidating disguise that earned him curious glances, that was all. After all, most mistook him for an assassin due to his attire and the Blade of Chaos at his waist. He wasn''t the only one dressed like that, nor was Lucas currently releasing his Dragon''s Aura to intimidate those around him¡ªnot yet, at least. Speaking of the Blade of Chaos, he could feel it trembling with bloodlust. For some reason, his katana seemed eager to be used here. ''Calm down,'' Lucas ordered silently through his soul link with the blade, gripping its hilt firmly. Whenever Lucas visited shady places during his adventuring days, the lust for blood became apparent on the Blade of Chaos. This time was no different, but it calmed down a little upon hearing its master''s command. Lucas kept walking, knowing where he had to go¡ªtowards where he would meet with Nyx. Well, not the exact location, but he knew what the place was called: The Night Stalkers. In the eye of the public and mainly the underworld, it was a mercenary guild with highly skilled members boasting impressive contract completion rates. But deep down, at its core, it was actually one of the bases of the Voidwalkers. Nyx used the Silent Stalkers as a cover to rule his part of the underworld while maintaining secrecy about his true identity. Only people of higher status in the underworld knew that the mercenary guild was actually a cover for the ruler of this part of the underworld. Though no one knew that The Night Stalkers were also The Voidwalkers. ''What the hell kind of name is that?'' Lucas thought, finding the name of the mercenary guild rather odd. Shaking his head, he kept roaming around, taking in everything on display. He hadn''t brought Luna and left her at the hotel room, as it would be safer for her there than here. He didn''t know what he could encounter here, after all. For example was what he was currently seeing at the side of one of the roads... He stopped walking as he furrowed his brows for a second, then relaxed them again as he gazed at the open carriage on the side of the road, unloading what most here would call products... The products were inside an iron cage, getting released only to be bound by iron shackles on their ankles and wrists. ''Slaves...'' Lucas thought, gazing at the slaves, each wearing only a thin, single piece of white cloth meant to cover their entire body, walking barefoot on the ground. Most had lost the light in their eyes, accepting their fate, but there were some who still had defiance in their eyes, unwilling to become mere toys for the rich. "Move it!" "Ahh!" One of the men who was escorting the slaves wherever they went said, whipping the young girl''s back with his whip, tearing her clothing and marking her back with blood. The young girl merely sobbed in silence, hastening her small footsteps to ensure she did not incur further punishment. She looked no older than twelve years old, yet here she was, no longer seen as human. "Oh, are those the new goods for today''s auction?" "Ah yes, the slave establishment sold their best to the auction. These must be the best of this month." "Fufu, they seem promising~" "I can''t wait for today." He heard the passersby talk to each other without care as they stopped as well, gazing at the slaves. Hearing them, Lucas managed to somehow hold back his anger at killing everyone here at hearing their remarks. He understood they were slaves and knew this was how the dark side of life was, but that didn''t mean he liked it. Even though he had seen some similarities in his previous life with slaves, he had never been fond of it. One should be able to stand up for themselves and fight back. He wasn''t stupid enough to act out here; he knew it was useless if he tried to help these slaves. It wouldn''t matter in the end. How they became a slave, he didn''t know, and he knew there was a chance for them to just get caught again and be brought back to the slave establishment. The only thing that made it hard for him to keep it together, though, was the fact that out of the slaves being escorted in shame underneath everyone''s gaze, quite a few were mere children... Perhaps it had to do with his own childhood, but he never liked the thought of children getting hurt. Of course, even though he would try to help a child if he could, it didn''t mean he would be stupid about it. If it meant he had to kill the child for the sake of his family, he would without hesitation. ''Forget it... maybe one day,'' he thought as he started to walk again, ignoring the slaves who kept walking inside a building with their heads down. Chapter 100 - 100: The Black Market [3] The Night Stalkers building was 4 stories tall and quite wide as well. The members currently inside were all working diligently with paperwork, multiple receptions set out front for clients willing to hire their services. It was evident that the Night Stalkers, despite their questionable name, were quite popular, judging by the long lines outside waiting to enter the building. Yet, for some reason, the Night Stalkers would only be accepting requests later today, making everyone wait in line to be the first. What most outside didn''t know was that inside this guild, every single person who worked there was part of the Voidwalkers. Everyone there was of lower ranks than the sovereigns. "Why do you think they are opening later today?" one possible future client said to another waiting in line. "Don''t know, something must have happened, I presume," the man answered, confused as well, before another chimed in. "Perhaps some extremely important client is visiting? It would make sense since they don''t want anyone to offend the client," he said, and nearby people agreed with his words. "You know the rumors that the owner of this place is actually one of the members of the Council of Nightfall," another said, causing some to nod while others looked at him in disbelief. "That can''t be true..." "Yeah, no way. It is just a rumor, after all, right?" He said, but most here didn''t agree in the slightest. "Rumors don''t appear out of thin air." "Especially this one." Everyone loved gossiping in the underworld, no matter what. Hearing rumors and spreading them was one of the most fun things for daily visitors. Though some might get twisted and change in the end, they appeared out of somewhere, especially in the underworld. Having a rumor that someone is part of the Council of Nightfall meant that person''s head would be rolling in seconds. Yet, no one here had ever seen or heard anything about the owner of the Night Stalkers. Who he is, but if the mercenary guild is still standing, that must mean the owner is as well... They loved creating theories about everything. "If it really is true, that would explain why this is perhaps one of the best mercenary guilds ever..." Most nodded their heads in agreement; the discussion had attracted a lot of curious people, making them all listen and talk while waiting for the guild to open. "Hey..." Suddenly, the man who brought up in the first place that the owner was a member of the Council of Nightfall spoke up again, looking hesitantly at everyone who gazed at him. "If the owner is a member of the Council... then what reason would he have to be scared to offend whomever the client is that is visiting?" he said, as most already assumed that it must be someone important visiting for it being closed. Many started to ponder at his finding it true. Why would a member of the council be scared, after all? It was obvious that the people who ruled the underworld possessed unimaginable strength, after all. "If he really is a member of the council..." "Then who the hell is visiting that forced even someone like a member of the council to be cautious?" "Another member of the council," someone said, making everyone look wide-eyed. They wanted to rebuke him, but could they? What he said actually made sense for most, since who else could make a council member close his entire building for a visit of someone except for another member of the Council of Nightfall being the visitor? "No way, right..." "Two council members in the same place?" It was known for most regulars that only one member of the council always ruled their part. As they started to create even more absurd theories to help themselves from being bored, they suddenly heard a commotion as people shouted, getting closer and closer. "Get back here!" "You think you can just cut the line?" "I''ll slit this fucker''s throat!" "Break his legs first!" People that were waiting far back at the line kept shouting as everyone suddenly looked towards whom they were shouting. What they saw was a man clad in black walking towards the entrance of the building, ignoring everyone shouting at him and ready to attack him. Killing one person wasn''t a bloodbath after all, especially if everyone would agree. The mysterious person walked confidently and without any hesitation. He wore sleek black pants tucked into well-worn boots, topped with a soft black coat with a matte surface. The person''s face was concealed by a mask made of dark metal, etched with intricate, ominous engravings. The mask covered his entire face except for his eyes and hair, which glowed a vivid crimson from behind the mask''s narrow slits. Two horns protruded from the mask, adding to his fearsome appearance. Most who tried to look at his face for longer than 3 seconds started to feel lightheaded and couldn''t keep concentrating. It felt like the person''s face kept disorienting them the longer one looked. The people who were at the front of the lines, previously discussing the Council, stepped in front of the man''s path, not wanting to let him go further. They had been waiting for hours, after all; there was no way they would allow someone to skip ahead. "Just who the hell does that man think he is?" "Get back to your line before I break every bone in your body," one of the men said in front of him, as the man in black stopped moving, gazing at them with his red eyes glowing, making them feel even more uncomfortable. Seeing the man not move, a few of them released their mana or aura to intimidate him, as some had a sadistic grin on their faces, wanting to punish the man. Almost everyone here was at the master stage and awakened; they were more than enough to teach the man a lesson, or at least that is what one would have thought. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Move." The simple word that left through the mask made almost everyone present''s hair on their necks stand up. The voice was like a low growl, and it didn''t sound human. They could hear the frustration and anger in the voice. Not wanting to give in, everyone present released their mana or aura, ready to take the man down. If one on the surface would see this, they would have thought an attack on the capital was about to happen, intending to destroy everything. Suddenly, before anyone could move, they felt a tremendous pressure bearing down on them, making almost everyone fall on the hard concrete with their faces or knees. Only a few of the master stages were left standing, yet their legs were trembling violently, with cold sweat on everyone''s face. Each one of their faces was filled with horror as they looked in fear at the man in black who released the pressure. They couldn''t see him releasing his mana or aura in the slightest, yet they were all already to the point of being defeated without the man lifting a finger. The crimson eyes glowed even brighter, and with the intimidating presence and appearance of them, they all started to tremble out of pure fear. "Move" Chapter 101 - 101: The Black Market [4] They couldn''t comprehend who was in front of them as the man spoke again, his voice eerily calm now instead of the earlier anger and frustration. "Move." He repeated again, this time sounding more human than before, yet no one was relieved in the slightest. It wasn''t as if it was impossible to move; it was just that they felt compelled not to. That they should be down on the ground in the man''s presence. Even the ones who were barely standing previously started to get on their knees now. ''W-who is he!? D-don''t tell me he is a saint! Is this what it feels like to be in front of a saint?'' The man who started everything with his question thought as he didn''t dare to look into the mysterious person''s eyes anymore. He nor anyone here had ever met a saint, but from the way they were all powerless, that was the only logical conclusion that came to their minds. No one noticed as they subconsciously made way for the man, who calmly walked ahead, ignoring everyone''s fearful gaze. As they were about to breathe out of relief, suddenly another tremendous presence appeared out of nowhere, forcing everyone to spit out blood as the floor beneath them cracked. ''W-what is happening!'' As he thought, a voice filled with authority and amusement traveled through everyone''s ears. "You have made quite a mess, haven''t you, Sovereign of Chaos?" ******** ''So this is the result when I don''t hold back my dragon''s aura?'' Lucas thought as he silently walked forward, everyone around him on their knees. Pure fear was seen in the eyes of each person gazing at him. He had never had the opportunity or need to use his entire dragon''s aura, so he was happy to have the excuse to use it this time. Still, he didn''t expect it to be so effective. ''Anyone weaker than me is basically as good as dead if I unleash my entire dragon''s aura since they can''t even move,'' he thought, noting how useful his skill would be if he had to fight a large swarm of enemies in the future who were weaker than him. Unfortunately, that happiness didn''t last long as he started to notice a side effect while unleashing his entire dragon''s aura. His body and mind started to feel tired. It was taxing to keep unleashing his dragon''s aura for so long, apparently. Even though it wasn''t consuming his mana, it was consuming his mental and physical energy instead. ''How troublesome,'' he thought. Even though it was taxing, he was still glad it didn''t have a massive side effect. He was sure that when he grew stronger, he would have plenty of energy in his body. As he started walking towards the building, he and everyone else felt a tremendous pressure bore down on them. Lucas''s knees started to bend as the pressure, like an entire planet on his shoulders, tried to make him kneel. ''Like hell I will!'' Screaming inside his mind, he gritted his teeth behind his mask as he fought off the pressure, ignoring the others around him who coughed out blood and had their faces smashed into the hard floor. With some difficulty, he managed to straighten himself as he glared at the source of his discomfort. "You have made quite a mess, haven''t you, Sovereign of Chaos?" Nyx stood in front of the glass doors of the Night Stalkers building, his golden eyes like mini suns staring at Lucas, and his black onyx-like hair fluttered in the wind. He didn''t bother to disguise himself in the slightest, revealing himself to the public. He could see staff members inside the building, curiously peeking at the show happening outside. He wondered if they were all Voidwalkers. Breaking his gaze from them, he stared right into Nyx''s eyes. ''As I thought.'' He had been suspicious before, but now he could confirm it. All these people around him¡ªNyx could have easily sent them away with countless means, yet he didn''t. Instead, he let everyone stay here with the excuse that their services would open a little later. His intentions were clear to Lucas: Nyx wanted him to be known. Not just him, but also himself for some reason. He narrowed his eyes with his eyebrows furrowed, looking at him underneath his mask. ''Why did he call me Sovereign of Chaos? It''s a title only for me as a Voidwalker. Is it really smart to reveal that here?'' Even though he was disguised, he was still a little confused about how he should represent himself as one of the Voidwalkers and what exactly he should do. He was sure Nyx or someone else would ask him to do stuff. His questions were simply answered the moment someone on their knees, spitting out some stones that got in his mouth, spoke with a trembling voice. "W-who are you?" He asked as everyone, except for Lucas and the others inside the building, gazed at him curiously. "Who am I? Well, I go by a lot of names, but these days people call me Nyx. One of the members of the Council of Nightfall, the ruler of the black market in this capital," he said, making most tremble out of fear, realizing what type of powerful person was in front of them. They couldn''t believe that the rumors they were talking about turned out to be true so fast. It didn''t end there, apparently, as Nyx spoke again, making everyone''s mind go blank, even Lucas this time. "Also, I am part of a secret organization called The Voidwalkers, which I am sure you have heard of, so let me formally introduce myself." Grinning, he placed his right hand towards his chest and made a modest bow fitting of those in higher society. "My name is Nyx, Sovereign of Shadows, representing the second seat of the Voidwalkers." They were barely able to register his words as Lucas looked at him dumbfounded behind his mask. ''Huh.'' He was glad that no one could see his face currently as he tried to comprehend what Nyx had just done exactly. ''Just what the fuck is he doing?'' he thought as Nyx suddenly looked towards him again. Lucas felt like his disguise was useless in front of those golden sun-like eyes of his. The mask was just mere decoration that didn''t work in the slightest against Nyx. Speaking again, Lucas felt his hair on his neck stand up as he heard his words. "And the person you all just tried to attack is... well, his name isn''t something for me to reveal, so let''s skip that part, shall we?" Nyx said. "The Sovereign of Chaos, representing the eleventh seat of the Voidwalkers." Saying that, everyone''s head snapped towards him, even those behind the glass doors watching. Their faces were filled with utter horror and shock at hearing Nyx''s words from the beginning, but the moment he introduced Lucas, everyone looked at him as if they had just seen the sun explode. Lucas didn''t move as he ignored everyone, looking at Nyx. ''Why is he revealing the Voidwalkers?'' ''What is he planning exactly?'' ''Why now?'' He had a lot of questions as he didn''t expect his meeting with Nyx to go this way. He had hoped for it to be much calmer than last time, but it seemed that it was his fate to fight for his sanity in the presence of Nyx. He could see his golden eyes filled with mischief and amusement, his face showing satisfaction as if happy with a small prank he had pulled, making Lucas''s lips twitch beneath his mask. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly clapping his hands together, Nyx got the attention of everyone again. "Now I hope everyone here has enjoyed the show. You may all be on your way now," he said, and everyone simply obliged. They were still registering everything they had heard. Surprise, doubt, fear, disbelief¡ªvarious emotions were directed at him and Nyx, but their gazes instantly retracted as well as they hurriedly left. Even though everyone here waited hours, they knew they were dead the moment they decided to disobey Nyx. Nyx''s intent was clear as day to everyone here with him letting everyone simply go. It was to spread what had happened here today. He intended to let the rumors about the Voidwalkers ignite again, a flame that was not going to extinguish anymore and would only keep burning until nothing was left for it to burn. [Author''s note: Hello, dear readers! I just wanted to say that we have finally surpassed a century of chapters, which makes me extremely happy and pleased, especially since it hasn''t even been two months since I started writing. I know my writing wasn''t the best and was perhaps even terrible in the beginning, but I feel like I am improving. Of course, I will continue to improve and try my best to upload every day. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you all for making it this far and supporting me until now. I hope you all will continue to support me!] Chapter 102 - 102: Supreme Inside the top floor where Nyx''s office was, Lucas sat on a couch, while Nyx sat opposite him. A small table in the middle separated them, and a brunette-haired maid with brown eyes was filling their cups with tea. Both men noticed how the maid kept nervously glancing between Lucas and Nyx. She was used to being a maid and knew about the Voidwalkers, having served Nyx for years, but being in the presence of another Sovereign was nerve-wracking, especially with everyone that felt Lucas''s dragon''s aura throughout the building. Finished with pouring their cups, the maid hurriedly bowed to both of them and left the room as fast as possible. Seeing that they were now alone, Lucas removed his mask from his face. Picking up the cup, he brought it to his lips, feeling the warmth go down his throat, making his body relax. "You have been doing better than I thought," Nyx said suddenly. Lucas placed his cup back on the table. ''I really don''t understand this man,'' Lucas thought, pursing his lips at Nyx''s words, which sounded... relieved. After all, it wasn''t easy knowing at fifteen years old that the world might be destroyed in the near future. It was a heavy burden to place on anyone, no matter their age. Lucas shook his head as he replied truthfully to Nyx. "I am, or at least now I finally am. The same day you told me about the Void, I was a complete mess until I pulled myself back together," he said, smiling bitterly at the memory of how he had even gone to a church. "You were scared after all..." Nyx spoke, making Lucas bite his lips as he looked down. He couldn''t refute his words; he had been scared. He didn''t want his family to be in danger as the world would be fighting to survive. "It''s normal to be scared, Lucas. I would have been worried if you weren''t. Though I am impressed at how fast you pulled yourself together. Even Aurora is still trying to wrap her head around it as she is currently on an errand," Nyx said, reassuring Lucas as he looked towards his golden eyes again. "Why did you reveal all of that just now?" Lucas asked curiously, wondering why Nyx put on such a show in front of everyone, revealing the sudden existence of the Voidwalkers. "Simple. We can''t be hiding for too long anymore since we will have to start acting in the open for when the seal breaks. The best way to do that, though, is to slowly start coming to the public as we let rumors spread about our existence again and one by one reveal ourselves, making first the entire underworld recognize us as I am working with the Council of Nightfall, getting it under my control. Then after that, we will reach out to the public on the surface, as it wouldn''t be as much of a shock when we reveal our existence since they will already suspect we are real by then." Lucas nodded his head at Nyx''s explanation; it made sense. It wouldn''t be smart to reveal the Voidwalkers to everyone so suddenly, as it would just cause uncontrollable chaos. "The seal, what is it exactly?" "It is just a theory of mine, but Myrniel''s core mana is, as I suspect, along with that of the demon world, being used to seal the Void from coming to us and the demon world. How this is possible and who did it, I don''t know, but it''s breaking. When the seals break, the mana in Myrniel and in the demon world will increase significantly, making everyone able to get stronger. People like you and Aurora, who is also a monster just like you, will have the greatest advantage in becoming a saint as fast as possible since you are already this talented with the limited mana that is available in Myrniel." Hearing Nyx''s lengthy explanation, Lucas tried to register all of it in his mind. He didn''t expect to hear about how the mana would increase in Myrniel in the future, meaning that everyone here would have the potential to become stronger. ''Wait,'' he thought, narrowing his eyes as he realized that the races in the demon world would also gain as much benefit as people in Myrniel. "Stop thinking so much about it right now. You should focus on getting stronger instead of thinking about plans to deal with future threats you are too powerless to face currently," Nyx advised, making Lucas nod in agreement. "Can I ask you something?" Lucas said hesitantly, and Nyx merely nodded. "Sure, go ahead. It''s only fair that you have a lot of questions," Nyx acknowledged, as last time they hadn''t been in the mood for more questions. "What stage are you in?" Lucas asked. He was curious to know how strong the monster in front of him exactly was. "Well, if we speak specifically, then I am mid 12-star level, almost at high 12-star level," Nyx said, making Lucas look at him wide-eyed. He didn''t know how to feel; he expected him to be extremely strong, but he thought he was already above the saint stage. ''Just how big is the difference between an 11-star and a 12-star saint...'' he wondered. As if reading his thoughts, Nyx spoke again. "As most have said already, the higher stage you are in, the greater the difference will be with each star level, especially in becoming a saint. Do well to remember that." Lucas nodded his head, listening to his words. He was a little disappointed since he hoped to meet someone above being a saint. "Disappointed?" Nyx asked with a smirk, as if reading his thoughts again. Lucas merely nodded since he was. "They exist," Nyx said, making Lucas look at him in surprise. "People above the saint stage, they actually exist. In fact, one of the Voidwalkers is above a saint." "Huh," Lucas exclaimed, never thinking that there would be a Voidwalker stronger than Nyx, perhaps his master, but he was clearly missing or dead. "The stage above saint, we call it¡ª" "Supreme." "...Supreme," Lucas repeated the word that rolled from his tongue. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''So that is the next stage, huh...'' "Vaelith, Sovereign of the Black Blade, representing the Third Seat of the Voidwalkers," Nyx spoke, revealing the name of who was a Supreme. "He is the one you will have to catch up to, as do I. Even though he is younger than me, the man is an absolute monster. I must say I have never seen anyone this skilled with the sword." He spoke only praises of the man named Vaelith, making Lucas even more curious about him. He really wanted to meet this guy now. He wanted to have a glimpse of it¡ªa glimpse of what is on the top. "Don''t rush. Take it at your own pace," Nyx advised, seeing the eager eyes of Lucas, making him look away and cough out of embarrassment. Nyx merely chuckled at seeing his reaction. "The seats don''t represent how strong one is, only at what order one joined the Voidwalkers. You being eleventh is also the latest of the sovereigns, as normally I was only planning to have ten, but you were an exception. I suppose I made another seat just for you," Nyx said, as Lucas listened attentively. ''So even if I become stronger, I will still be representing the eleventh seat,'' Lucas thought. He didn''t mind the numbers; he was just simply curious about how all of this hierarchy in the Voidwalkers worked. "Enough of these questions. Now on to the part that will help you get stronger." Chapter 103 - 103: Battle Style "Right, you did mention something like that," Lucas nodded as he remembered the last time they met, Nyx had something for him to help him get stronger. Getting something from a Saint who is perhaps the oldest in Myrniel currently would surely benefit him. ''I wonder just how much he exactly knows and has,'' he thought, as he wondered what exactly it was that would help someone like him. An old book jumped out of the shadows beneath Nyx''s feet as he grabbed it with his right hand. The thin book''s cover was pitch black, and Lucas found it hard to concentrate on looking at it. "Here," Nyx handed it over to him under Lucas''s puzzled gaze. "It''s a battle style," he elaborated, and Lucas''s eyes widened. ''He knew?'' As if reading his thoughts, Nyx answered calmly, leaning back on the couch with his eyes closed and crossing his arms. "I have seen your performance at the entrance exam. Truly remarkable with how skilled you are with the sword and magic at the same time. But when I saw you fighting against that little moth and snake, I noticed that it was a battle style that you lacked." Lucas''s lips twitched at hearing Nyx''s words. ''Little? They were little in his eyes?'' He started to question if perhaps old age had gotten to Nyx''s brain. ''If that is little, what does he consider big?'' He shuddered at that thought. He didn''t want to think about all of this currently, so he instead kept listening to Nyx, distracting his mind. "Your movement with your sword is good, but it''s too basic. I can see that you have clearly mastered the basics perfectly, but that was it." Lucas nodded at his words, as he knew that Nyx was right. He didn''t have a battle style and didn''t know how to create one either. Instead, he had focused on at least mastering the basics to make it easier for him in the future when he figures out how to make a battle style. His family wasn''t one to have a line of swordsmen; instead, everyone was a mage who had Nightstar as their name, making him the first to be a swordsman in the Nightstar family, or at least that is what his father had told him. He could''ve chosen another weapon like the spear or daggers like Seraphina, but Lucas didn''t for a simple reason¡ªswords are cool. Lucas didn''t really believe his words, since his father did tell him that the Nightstars actually had a battle style yet no swordsmen. It was strange to say the least, but nonetheless, Lucas didn''t push it. "Though I have to say I never thought I''d see the day again where a dual wielder would be able to fuse their element with their aura," Nyx said, praising Lucas as he stared at him, bewildered, picking up on the certain words Nyx chose¡ªagain. "What do you mean by again?" Lucas asked. Nyx smirked at him before responding. "You don''t really think you, Klaus Ceviel, and Seraphina Darkcrest are the only dual wielders that ever lived, do you? In the Void Era, being a dual wielder was as common as it could get. But alas, for some reason after the Void War, when everything became lost, so did the ability to dual wield. Perhaps it is because of the seal making it difficult to use their mana and aura simultaneously since they don''t have enough," he said, as Lucas listened attentively. "Are you a dual wielder?" Lucas asked, and Nyx nodded, making Lucas even more curious about how strong everyone was back in the Void Era. Lucas accepted the book as Nyx spoke again about it. "The book will teach you an incomplete battle style. In fact, it could barely be called a battle style, but for someone like you, it would be enough. Use this to make your own battle style, Lucas, something that belongs to you alone." He said, making Lucas nod, albeit a little reluctantly, since he had gotten his hopes up about getting an actual battle style. ''I should be grateful that I know how to finally start, I guess,'' he thought as he put the book in his inventory. He wondered just about Nyx''s shadow abilities. ''His shadow magic has a lot of spatial features.'' "By the way, can you tell me some more stuff about dragons?" Lucas asked a little hopefully, since he thought that perhaps Nyx might still know a little bit more about the dragons. This could help him figure out why Luna slept so much and felt stronger. He was worried that it might be something that could turn out to be troublesome if he didn''t know the reason for it. "Dragons, huh..." Pinching his chin as if in deep thought, Nyx spoke again. "Well, for starters, from what I can recall, dragons have an affinity to all four basic elements..." ''So that doesn''t apply to half-dragons, huh.'' "Also, the ability to change to their human or true form." Lucas nodded, as he could transform into his half-dragon form as well, though not fully... yet. Suddenly, Nyx looked at him with a smirk, making Lucas annoyed for some reason. "Oh, and they are, of course, extremely prideful, no matter how strong the opponent," he said, making Lucas avert his gaze. No matter the person, Lucas never backed down, even if it meant his death. He knew it was foolish, but he just couldn''t admit defeat. ''I really should keep these things in check...'' he thought before Nyx continued. "Right, they also get stronger by absorbing the mana in the air subconsciously, no matter what they are doing. Even if it''s sleeping, they will only get stronger. Truly unfair, if I may say..." Hearing his last words, Lucas looked at him wide-eyed. ''Is that why Luna feels stronger every time she sleeps?'' "Your bond has been sleeping a lot while getting stronger, right?" Nyx said as Lucas nodded his head, since it wasn''t a secret between him and Nyx about Luna. "You don''t need to worry. Being lazy and sleepy is a common trait for dragons, especially baby dragons, as they get stronger as well," he said, assuring him, making Lucas relieved. "The same could be said for you as well." Lucas looked at him, puzzled at his sudden words. "Though no one can see except for a Saint, you are subconsciously absorbing the mana around here in this room," he said, making Lucas shocked as he didn''t ever know about that. ''Only a Saint... wait, does that mean that the Elven King and the Vice Principal know?'' Lucas was panicking inwardly as he knew that absorbing the mana subconsciously isn''t normal, especially for humans and most races. ''Why haven''t they done or said anything...'' S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It won''t be long now before you become a peak 6-star level," Nyx said as Lucas pursed his lips, not responding to his obvious voice filled with envy. It looked like he still had a lot of things to learn about being a half-dragon. Not wanting to let the tea get any colder, he picked it up and drank it all in one go, while Nyx just drank at his own pace, taking sips in between. Lucas wondered about the man in front of him. Mysterious, mischievous, and obviously dangerous. He pitied the people that made an enemy of the Sovereign of Shadows. As he thought, Nyx spoke again. "Ah yes, I forgot, but there is someone I''d like you to meet," he said, making Lucas puzzled but nodded nonetheless. As he was about to pick up his mask again to cover his face, Nyx stopped him. "Don''t. I''d like it if you showed your real face to him. Also, don''t use your dragon''s aura." "He should be arriving here any minute now," this made Lucas even more curious about just who he was about to meet and wondered how Nyx contacted him. ''It''s not like he knew exactly when our conversation would stop... right?'' As he thought, the door opened as someone walked in, making Lucas and Nyx turn their heads towards the person he was supposed to meet. The person had his black obsidian-like hair combed back and his eyes were as red as blood itself. The man was quite handsome, Lucas thought. As he entered, he didn''t dare to look up towards Lucas and Nyx''s faces as he stood in front of them and bowed. "I am honored to meet the great Sovereigns," he said, respect filling his voice. As Lucas observed the person Nyx wanted to introduce to him, he couldn''t help but feel like he had seen this person before. ''Why does he feel so familiar...'' "At ease, Damien, you may look up," Nyx said as the man called Damien complied. But the moment his gaze met that of Lucas, he froze, wide-eyed. ''Damien... where have I heard this name before exactly?'' Before Lucas could finish his thought, he blinked and suddenly saw a fist mere inches from his face. "You son of a bitch!" Chapter 104 - 104: Damien Darkcrest Damien Darkcrest Known as the most talented student of his year. A champion who is ranked first in the entire second year. Also the current student council president of Shield. Heir of the Darkcrest family, one of the three great dukes. Mid 6-star level spear user. If it weren''t for the current first-year students, he would have been the most talked about in the academy and outside. Unfortunately, he has been overshadowed by the likes of the next hero of humanity, Klaus Ceviel, or the elven princess Sylviette Velariah, even his own little sister, Seraphina Darkcrest. But the one that overshadowed him the most, not just him but everyone else, no matter the person, was a single first-year student. Lucas Nightstar. A mere son of a viscount, yet a dual-wielder with the rare affinity to wield space, fire, and lightning magic. There has been much gossip about him rivaling, or perhaps even surpassing, the third-year students of Shield. He is rumored to be as strong as a 7-star level already. A genius that appeared out of nowhere. One random day, everyone started talking about him, whispering rumors that he was the famous adventurer called the White Devil. Apparently, he was directly involved in a kidnapping attempt on the princess and even saved her. He had heard from his father that a war might start brewing between the elves and the dark elves. It is rumored that the dark elves are working together with the demon races. Though no one really knows the exact details, perhaps his father did, but he didn''t tell him much more than that. Though his own little sister got more attention than him, that never bothered him in the slightest. There was only one thing he cared for in his entire life, and that was family. Family above all. Those simple words made him work hard and become someone his family could be proud of. Currently, he was sitting in his office at the Night Stalker building, working on his student council tasks he couldn''t finish at the academy. Yes, Damien Darkcrest is a Voidwalker. A secret he has kept from everyone in his family, even his little sister he adores so much. ''I hope this building doesn''t collapse...'' Damien thought, recalling the events that happened earlier outside the building. The new Sovereign suddenly showed up, and not just the Sovereign of Chaos, but even the Sovereign of Shadows, who he had worked for the past year since joining the academy. Both standing face to face, and everyone outside was on the ground, trembling in their presence. Everyone inside the building could clearly feel the presence of the Sovereign of Chaos. The scene would be engraved in his mind forever. The presence that the Sovereign of Chaos was releasing even now made him shudder as he thought about how the two Sovereigns were directly above him, discussing whatever important things they were. ''Just what the hell is he even... He didn''t feel like a human at all, and why the hell did the great Sovereign of Shadows reveal the Voidwalkers to them...?'' His mind was reeling as he couldn''t concentrate on his work anymore. He, and not just him, everyone else were thinking about what happened earlier and how two Sovereigns were above their heads. ''I wonder how Sera is doing...'' As he thought about his cute little sister, who he wished to see but couldn''t since the entrance ceremony due to being the student council president of Shield and at the same time a member of the Voidwalkers. The maid who directly served the Sovereign of Shadows suddenly appeared in front of him, making him shocked inwardly but not showing anything on his face. ''Just how strong is she...?'' "Master Damien, the great Sovereigns have requested your presence." She said with her head bowed as she spoke to Damien with respect. ''Eh.'' His mind blanked at hearing the maid''s words. He had only met the Sovereign of Shadows twice since he had become a Voidwalker. Apparently, the great Sovereign wanted a direct report of everything that happens in the academy from Damien every six months. Whenever he was in his presence, he felt like running away as he didn''t even want to meet those scary eyes of his. ''Did I do something wrong...?'' His mind started spinning with endless thoughts as he knew he wasn''t getting called for the half-year report. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t know what he did to exactly be summoned by the two Sovereigns, but he had no choice as he calmed himself down and started walking towards the Sovereign of Shadows'' office. ''I am sorry, Sera. Your favorite person and big brother might not make it back... please forgive me.'' As he prayed to his little sister for forgiveness, he arrived in front of the Sovereign''s office. Cold sweat started to break out on his body as he felt his right hand trembling the moment he touched the doorknob. ''Calm down... calm down, Damien.'' He repeated as he finally relaxed a little, making sure nothing was wrong with him and his expressions, he entered the office. The moment he did, he made sure not to look at the two Sovereigns and kept his head down, walking towards where they were. He couldn''t afford to disrespect them in the slightest, as it could cost his life. He could feel their eyes boring down on him. It felt like both of them were looking straight into his soul, making the hairs on his nape stand on end. ''Calm down, calm down, calm down, calm down.'' Repeating the same words, he arrived in front of them where they were seated, only looking at their feet. "I am honored to meet the great Sovereigns." "At ease, Damien, you may look up." Hearing the words of the great Sovereign of Shadows, his body trembled for a second. ''Can I really? They won''t behead me and put my head in a glass box as a souvenir, right?'' As he thought, he slowly looked up, trying to make his face as expressionless as possible. His gaze first landed on the Sovereign of Shadows, making him want to run on the spot as he looked at those bright golden eyes and the smirk on his face for some reason. Every time he was in the presence of the Sovereign of Shadows, he felt like there was no point in hiding anything from him, as if the man could see through everything with those golden eyes. Not being able to bear looking at him, he turned towards the Sovereign of Chaos. He was inwardly surprised as he saw that he wasn''t wearing a mask anymore; instead, he was calmly looking at him, making Damien''s body tremble again. Those blood-red eyes of the Chaos Sovereign didn''t feel like they belonged to any human or race he had ever seen. And his white snow hair... He had only seen a single person who looked as handsome as him. ''Truly, he looks just like...'' His mind trailed off as he suddenly started to piece together who he was looking at. ''Huh!?'' Like a movie reel, the scenes of his little sister getting pinned against the wall in the entrance exam appeared in his mind. The way the Sovereign in front of him and his little sister talked to each other with such emotions on their faces. The beautiful, perfect smile that could kill any dormant and perhaps awakened being by merely looking. Her smile was radiant, a beacon of light that could pierce through the darkest of times. It was the kind of smile that could make the coldest heart melt, and bring hope to the hopeless. It was the smile that he lived for, the smile that gave him strength and purpose. The smile that he wished to protect and made him always push through no matter how hard. It was his driving force, the reason he endured endless trials and hardships. No matter how brutal the training, how grueling the battles, or how insurmountable the odds, the thought of her smile kept him going. It was his anchor, his beacon, his unwavering motivation. He would face any challenge, overcome any obstacle, and fight any foe, all to see that smile remain untainted and bright. If it wasn''t for the other student council members stopping him, he would have tried to kill him during the entrance exam. No one dares to lay their hands on his little sister! He had seen those tears in her eyes as well when they were talking about something. Yet his little sister refused to speak about what their actual relationship was. There was no way they were ''friends.'' His little sister must have been threatened by this vile person. There could be no other choice. The surroundings around him disappeared as everything turned pitch black, making him see only the Sovereign of Chaos in front of him. He forgot about the Sovereign of Shadows as anger boiled from within, clouding his mind. Before he knew what he was doing, his right fist was inches away from Lucas Nightstar as he shouted from the top of his lungs at him. "You son of a bitch!" Chapter 105 - 105: Partners Not wasting any time, Lucas teleported away before the punch could hit his face. The punch probably wouldn''t have done much damage, if anything, but he didn''t want anyone to punch his face nonetheless. Spinning around, he didn''t get time to breathe as a spear was suddenly inches away again. ''Very well.'' Deciding not to dodge this time, he unsheathed the Blade of Chaos from his waist and blocked the spear from impaling his face. As both weapons clashed, the sound reverberated through the room. Both jumped back, taking some distance from each other, their weapons in front of them, as Damien glared at him while Lucas was devoid of any emotions. "Insulting my mother? Do you have a death wish?" The cold voice of Lucas cut through the air as Damien only glared at him. "And you harmed my little sister. I will kill you for that." ''Little sister, huh? Wait...'' Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lucas''s eyes widened as he realized who was in front of him. "You are Damien Darkcrest, aren''t you?" "Good, you know my name. Remember it for when I kill you." He spat as he smiled like a madman at Lucas. Lucas''s lips twitched as he pieced together the cause for all of this. ''Damn it, I really shouldn''t have pinned her against the wall...'' "Listen, this is all a misunderstanding. I only pushed her back then bec¡ª" Lucas tried to reason, but Damien just cut in. "I don''t need excuses! You touched my sister! And that smile she gave you..." ''This fucking siscon!'' Lucas screamed inside his mind at how unreasonable the person in front of him was. ''She told me that her family is extremely overprotective of her, but seriously, this much?'' As he tried to come up with something else to convince Damien, since he was Seraphina''s brother and didn''t want to cause problems, Damien spoke again. "You have a little sister as well, don''t you? What if I¡ª" Damien didn''t get a chance to finish speaking, as in the next second, Lucas disappeared from his line of sight. The room suddenly felt like it was freezing. Before he could turn around, sensing Lucas behind him, Lucas punched him with fire engulfing his right fist as Damien crashed against the hard wall, forming a web. "Argh!" A groan escaped his lips as he spit out the blood that was in his mouth. It didn''t take long for Damien to get himself together as the spear that was on the ground suddenly appeared back in his hand. ''A soul weapon, huh...'' Lucas thought, narrowing his eyes at the spear in Damien''s hands pointed towards him. Both Lucas and Damien''s auras shot out of their bodies, making the room shake. But before anything else could happen, a clap resounded throughout the room, making both their auras disappear instantly. Lucas and Damien''s eyes widened as they spun towards Nyx, who was watching everything with a smile and amusement in his eyes. Clearly, he was enjoying the entire thing but cut in before anything worse could happen. "If the both of you continue this and harm each other, it will only hurt Seraphina, whom you both care for the most." The moment he said those words, both froze in shock. ''Right, he is still her brother...'' Lucas thought bitterly as both glanced at each other. The sudden mention of his own little sister made him lose his cool, intending to kill Damien. He was angry now. Damien had not only insulted his mother but also talked about his little sister... Yet he couldn''t do anything now because of him being Seraphina''s brother and Nyx being here. Both dismissed their soul weapons as they looked at Nyx. Lucas glared at the Sovereign of Shadows as Damien became pale, realizing what he had done. ''He is really enjoying this, isn''t he?'' Lucas thought as he held the urge to punch Nyx and that stupid smile on his face. "Please forgive me, Great Sovereign. I let my emotions get the better of me and was extremely disrespectful in your presence." Damien calmly suddenly said, making him and Nyx look towards him. He was on one knee with his head down. "Stand up, Damien." Nyx spoke as Damien complied before he continued. "I am glad to see the both of you getting along so well and acting like children your age." He said, making both Lucas and Damien''s lips twitch. ''Get along?'' "Is old age finally starting to catch up to you now as well?" Lucas said, narrowing his eyes at Nyx, making him merely chuckle. Damien looked wide-eyed at Lucas and Nyx in disbelief. "What are you so shocked about, Damien? If you haven''t forgotten, you should know that Lucas is the Sovereign of Chaos." "Eh?" Damien exclaimed in disbelief as he looked at Lucas. ''What is this guy planning? Why reveal my identity as a Sovereign to him?'' Lucas thought before Damien suddenly spoke. "You are the Sovereign of Chaos... am I dreaming? Is this a nightmare?" Damien mumbled to himself, not wanting to believe what he heard. "What are you doing?" Lucas asked Nyx directly as he was starting to get impatient. "What am I doing? Well, isn''t it obvious? I want the both of you to get to know each other." "Stop playing around." "Fine, fine, but I am serious. I want the both of you to get to know each other and... work together." "Eh?" "Huh?" Nyx said, making Lucas and Damien look at him wide-eyed. "In other words, become partners." "Why..." Lucas asked as he didn''t really want to be partners with Damien in the slightest since they would probably try to kill each other. "Both the first and second years are about to go to Sky City, which the both of you are in, and I want you both to accompany and stay together as much as you can." He said, making Lucas and Damien look dumbfounded at him. "Why? Is something going to happen?" Lucas asked as he didn''t understand why they had to be together, but Nyx merely smiled mysteriously and shook his head. "I won''t tell you, since it would ruin the surprise, wouldn''t it?" Lucas was really starting to get annoyed at Nyx but cooled himself as he knew it was pointless. "Even though you are a Sovereign, Lucas, you still aren''t a saint, which is no problem since most of the Sovereigns weren''t saints either when I took them in." Nyx said, addressing Lucas suddenly with a change of topic. "For what is to come, it is important that you have someone to watch your back, and both of you have the potential to fight alongside each other." Nyx said as Lucas understood that he was now talking about the void. ''Watching each other''s backs, huh...'' Lucas wasn''t familiar with someone fighting alongside him, really, since most of the time he fought alone. If Nyx wanted him to work together with Damien, even though he was a Sovereign, it meant that Damien had the potential to be a Saint and perhaps even a Supreme. ''Well, he is stronger than Seraphina, that is for sure.'' "Does he know about the Void?" Lucas asked, without any intention of keeping it a secret in front of him. If he was going to have to trust Damien and let him fight alongside him, he wanted to make sure Damien knew about most of the stuff, even though he is already a Voidwalker. He knew that probably only the Sovereigns would know about the Void. ''It would be better if he knows about the Void as well.'' He was surprised that Damien is a Voidwalker as well, but perhaps it was for the best¡ªto have someone who knows as much as he does and is as close as possible to him. ''I will still pay him back though...'' "He doesn''t, but there is no reason to hide it from him since the both of you will work together from now on," Nyx said, thinking the same as Lucas before he looked at Damien who was silently watching the both of them speak. "It would be best for you to sit down, Damien." *********** Damien was silent as he tried to grasp everything he was told by Nyx. He didn''t try to deny the existence of the void or anything about the ancient races that perished. Lucas even allowed himself to tell Damien that he was a half-dragon. The way Seraphina spoke about Damien in the entrance exam made him at least know that he could trust the guy a little. Even though he attacked him, it was because he loves his little sister a lot. Perhaps a little too much. But Lucas respected the fact that Damien didn''t care that Lucas was a sovereign and Nyx was in the same room before he attacked. ''He is doing better than me. Hell, even Aurora wasn''t this calm.'' He felt annoyed at the fact that Damien managed to compose himself much better than he and Aurora, who is a literal Saint. "Well, I have said what I need to. The both of you should probably leave, since you need to depart to Sky City in four hours." Lucas didn''t realize how he had spent the entire night here, making him release a tired sigh before looking at Damien and then at Nyx again, who spoke again. "I wish the both of you good luck." Chapter 106 - 106: Crimson Eyes Vernion A mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' The annoying grin on Nyx''s face appeared in his mind, making him grit his teeth in anger. "That bastard!" [AN: Go check out my new novel that I am writing Path of the Extra] Chapter 107 - 107: ERROR CHAPTER Vernion A mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' The annoying grin on Nyx''s face appeared in his mind, making him grit his teeth in anger. "That bastard!" Chapter 108 - 108: Hiatus + announcement (check discord) Hello readers! I just wanted to give a heads up that my novel "Rise of the White Devil" will be going on hiatus for a while. This is only a hiatus; it does not mean that I will be dropping the novel anytime soon. I have been finding it a little difficult to continue writing the novel, but I will definitely continue it again in the near future, so don''t worry. I understand that those who bought premium chapters might hate me or get angry about this, and I am truly sorry for that. I will try my best to make up for it somehow when I continue my book again. I hope you will forgive me. Please do not buy the chapters that will be published today and until the end of next month. (A man''s gotta get food somehow...) I will make sure to edit them all when I am back to writing for this novel. Anyways, I have decided in the meantime to write another novel, which I will be putting as much effort into as I have in "Rise of the White Devil" and will continue writing chapters for both novels in the future. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I will be announcing my new novel later on discord today! *********************** Vernion A mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. Chapter 109 - 109: (Do not read yet) Vernion A mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 110 - 110: (do not read yet) A mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 111 - 111: (Do not read yet) Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 112 - 112: (do not read yet) Vernion A mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 113 - 113: (do not read yet) Vernion A mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 114 - 114: (do not read yet) Vernion A mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 115 - 115: (Do not read yet) Vernion A mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 116 - 116: (do not read yet) Vernion A mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 117 - 117: (do not read yet) Vernion A mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. ''Did something happen to Mom, Dad, or perhaps Lena?'' He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...'' Chapter 118 - 118: (do not read yet) + check discord + Hiatus Vernion A mid-7-star level demon, Tasked with the elimination of Lucas Nightstar directly by Karciel. ''Ah, I really hate this,'' he thought as he entered a room that was pitch black, devoid of any light. Every step he took made a creaking sound on the wooden floor. As he walked further into the dark room, he felt the presence of someone, making him instantly go on one knee. Two dark crimson eyes suddenly were visible, being the only source of light inside the room. Vernion trembled, feeling the predatory gaze on him. One mistake. That is all it would take currently for someone like him to die. "You demons have certainly become bold, haven''t you?" The voice belonging to those crimson eyes echoed throughout the room. "L-lord Elijah..." "Just who gave you the authority to summon my people?" Every word the being spoke felt like it was piercing Vernion''s brain directly. "Lord Karciel ordered me to ask for your people''s help. Please forgive me, Lord Elijah!" Vernion shouted as he got even lower towards the ground. His whole body was trembling, feeling like the gaze on him became more intense. He didn''t want to be eaten alive! He couldn''t find Elijah when he tried to ask for permission to use his kind for the mission. So, he thought it would be fine if he rented a few of them for a day without telling him. "Heh, how courageous of Karciel. But has he forgotten that we vampires don''t answer to him or you directly?" Elijah said with amusement laced in his voice, making Vernion tremble even more. Vampires. A race that came directly from the demon world who serve the Vampire King. Originally, the Vampires and Demons were rivals that hated each other for millennia. Whenever they met, they would try to kill one another. Trying to gain more territory in their world. But for some reason, on one normal day for the two races, the Vampire King and the Demon King made an alliance, resulting in the two races working together. Ever since that day, the Vampire King hasn''t been seen again... The vampires had to stop trying to gain control of their world and forced to live with the demons. The vampires who were most loyal still respected the alliance made by the Vampire King, even though their king has for some reason disappeared. But they wouldn''t take any orders from anyone in the demon race unless it''s the Demon King or a demon of a higher status. The Vampire King is said to be at least a thousand years old, being able to rival the Demon King directly. Though if those rumors are true, no one really knows... "Please forgive me, Lord Elijah..." ''Ah, just how strong is he really... This isn''t even his real body!'' The Elijah in front of Vernion was just a mere clone of his, yet even then, it was in the grandmaster stage. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t know where the real body of the vampire was, but he knew it was somewhere in Myrniel. Being the strongest vampire in Myrniel currently, Elijah has full authority over the vampires in this world. Just like how Karciel has authority over the demons and Abadux on the Wraiths. Though there are barely any Wraiths in Myrniel currently. "Hmm, now what should I do..." The amusement in his voice never left, but Vernion knew that he was seriously thinking about killing him or not. The room being devoid of any sound and light as Elijah was thinking felt almost unbearable to Vernion. ''Ah, why did I have to do all of this!'' He screamed inside his mind as he remembered the orders Karciel gave him. ''Shouldn''t this stupid leech use his clones to find that weird Obtelux!?'' "Are you thinking something you shouldn''t about me?" Elijah suddenly calmly asked, with his eyes narrowed on him. "Eek!" A high-pitched sound left Vernion as he almost fainted from feeling those terrifying eyes on him that were basically ready to eat him. "N-no, my lord, I would never!" He tried to reason. "So you are suggesting that I am lying now?" Elijah said as he watched the trembling demon cowering in fear at his words. "I..." "Hahahaha!" "Relax, you are way too tense." Elijah suddenly said while laughing out loud, making Vernion even more scared. ''How can I relax!'' He screamed again inside his mind; he has already started to pray for his life. "Well, enough of all this. Let me ask you a simple question, and I will let you off the hook only this once." "Y-yes, ask me anything." Vernion said happily as his heart was thumping loudly against his chest. He could finally go back! "Who did Karciel want dead so badly that he needed my people''s help?" He asked as his voice suddenly got serious, making Vernion fear for his life all over again. He felt like the next words were going to be his last. "H-he wants to kill Lucas Nightstar since he thinks that he isn''t human and... a future threat against his Majesty." He spoke in a trembling voice as Elijah merely listened in silence. ''Why isn''t he saying anything?'' ''Wait... Am I already dead?'' Unfortunately or not, the next second he heard Elijah speak again. "Lucas Nightstar, huh..." Vernion heard an emotion in his voice he couldn''t recognize. He was starting to get a bad feeling from all of this. He was right. "Let''s have a change of plans, shall we?" Elijah said, making Vernion nod since he couldn''t do anything. "Y-yes, my lord..." Besides, perhaps it was better if Elijah gets involved directly with this mission. He knew that Lord Karciel had warned them to be cautious when dealing with Lucas Nightstar. However, if Elijah himself got directly involved, then they had nothing to worry about. They could even eliminate the other champions. ''This is another good opportunity...'' He could only hope nothing goes wrong knowing the rumors that surround the vampire in front of him. *************** Lucas walked towards the hotel room he had left Luna in. Damien was waiting outside the hotel, having already changed his clothes. Both hadn''t said a word to each other. Lucas understood that Damien must still be trying to calm his mind after everything he had heard. He wasn''t in the mood to talk with Damien either, especially after their fight. He was definitely going to get his revenge somehow. He was a petty person. But perhaps it was better that Damien, Seraphina''s brother, was the one he had to work with¡ªsomeone who was easy to reach out to and talk to when needed. It helped him feel better, at the very least. "Perhaps I should join the student council..." He didn''t know how much time they had left, as Nyx never specified when the seal would break. He wanted to ensure they could work together properly, but since Nyx had chosen Damien as his partner, it probably meant they could. He wondered what was going to happen in Sky City that Nyx knew of. "Why does he always have to be so mysterious..." Arriving in front of his hotel room, he opened the door and entered. He planned to pick Luna up and let her rest in the academy dormitory until he got back. He wasn''t going to bring her to Sky City, unsure of how dangerous it might be. It would ease his mind knowing that she would be safe in the academy. There were only two hours left before the first and second-year students had to leave for their departure to Sky City. "I really want to go back to sleep again..." As he walked towards the bed, his entire body froze. He stared wide-eyed as he saw a man sitting on a chair next to his bed. Luna was currently on his lap, being caressed as she was in a deep sleep. The man was looking at Luna with a gentle expression, ignoring Lucas. He might have believed that the person in front of him hadn''t heard him enter the room. But Lucas knew that this man knew he was here. "Grandfather..." ''Why is he here, and wait, how did he even know I was going to be here?'' Lucas''s mind was reeling at the sight of Magnus suddenly seated in the chair next to his bed. Hearing Lucas''s voice, Magnus finally looked up towards him, his face expressionless this time, making Lucas break out in a cold sweat. "Did something happen?" Lucas asked again, growing anxious at the sudden visit. He wondered if another attack had occurred. Why else would Magnus be here without notifying him in advance? "Yes, something did happen," Magnus replied, causing Lucas''s heart to skip a beat as he started to inwardly panic. Until he heard Magnus''s next words. "Tell me, Lucas... What do you know about the Voidwalkers?" "Eh?" Lucas froze again as his mind blanked for a second upon hearing Magnus''s words. ''Voidwalkers? Why would he suddenly start asking about...''