Chapter 66 - Moon and Star

"Yeah… the demons and angels will flood the world if I don't train and stop them. So stay away from me—it's for your own good."

"...What kind of jok—"

Elysia stopped mid-sentence.

The words died on her lips, stuck somewhere between disbelief and realization.

She didn't move.

Didn't breathe.

Her eyes fixed on the glowing letters that suddenly appeared before her.

He kept walking without stopping, as if he hadn't said something absurd—something that, until now, she would've laughed at and brushed off.

But now… now her skill confirmed it.

She stared at the word, her mind spiraling.

He wasn't lying.

He really meant it.

She stood there in silence, she didn't know what to do.

The demons. The angels. The end of the world.

The training....the reason for staying away from me...his change in nature....it all makes sense now.

She bit her lip, unsure of what to do next.

"Ray, over there," Irvin said, snapping his fingers right in front of Ray's face.

Ray blinked, pulled from his wandering thoughts as his eyes followed the direction Irvin pointed.

"See her? At the front of the seniors' formation. That's her. The undefeated first ranker of the second years."

A hush settled over Ray's thoughts as his gaze fell on the girl.

She moved with quiet authority, Midnight-black hair flowed behind her in smooth waves, catching the sunlight just enough to appear almost cosmic. While her soft pink eyes shimmered like stardust trapped in glass, catching reflections no normal eyes should.

The crowd moved with her, not around her—like she was the axis, and they the orbiting mass.

"She's... beautiful," Ray muttered, the words slipping from his mouth before his thoughts could catch up.

Irvin snorted, the sound full of mockery and amusement, though his eyes remained locked on the same figure. "You say that every time you see someone with long hair and shimmering eyes."

A flush crept up Ray's neck as he looked away, muttering something incoherent under his breath, "I do not."

"You do. Pretty sure you said the same about instructor Elva last month."

"That was different! She... she had charisma!"

"Charisma, my ass," Irvin said, grinning as he clapped Ray on the back hard enough to make him stumble a step, "You've just got a thing for powerful women. Admit it."

Ray tried to hide his face, pretending to study the clouds, but the truth was written all over his blush.

{Tsk. Truly pitiful. Your generation has no restraint. Always distracted. Always led by desire. Where is your discipline?}

You sound bitter for someone who is a sword.

{Watch your tongue. I am not just any sword—I am Aetheris, The God Slayer, feared and worshipped across realms. I once made dragons kneel and gods cry.}

Ray sighed, trying to block out the spirit's dramatic rants, but Irvin hadn't stopped talking.

"Wanna know what really makes her special?" he said, his voice dropping like he was about to reveal some ancient secret.

Ray turned back to the girl, now walking steadily forward.

"She's not just the strongest in the second year. She's got a unique class too—*Star Mage*."

"She's not just a beauty, man. That's the strongest First-NO!, Second-year in the entire academy.

Star Mage… huh.

{—WHAT DID YOU SAY?!}

Before Ray could process the sudden rush of thoughts, Aetheris's voice exploded in his mind—a thunderclap that shook him to his core, far more violent than anything he'd experienced from the sword before.

Why are you screaming?!

{You absolute fool! You told me you had eyes for that Moon girl… what was her name again? Elysia?The one you can't stop thinking about.}

I— Ray hesitated, suddenly unsure how to answer.

Ray hesitated, his heart suddenly awkward in his chest.

Yeah... maybe a little. What's your point?

{Moon and Star… together in the same era....the balance will be shattered...Oh, No!!....the heavens will collapse...}

Aetheris's voice trembled—not in fear, but in a deeper, more dangerous emotion.

What? You're not making any sense—

{LISTEN, YOU INSIGNIFICANT WORM.}

Ray nearly tripped.

{Listen carefully. This is a paradox. A mistake in the threads of fate. Moon and Star are not meant to shine together. Do you even know what it means for the Moon and the Star to shine at once?}

Something about the way Aetheris said it made it feel real. Dangerous.

You're freaking me out.

{Good. You should be scared. Even with the fragments of memory I have left, even with all that's been locked away by your weakness, I remember enough to know this—Moon and Star were never meant to coexist in the same era.}.

Ray's mouth went dry.

What are you saying? That something bad will happen if they both exist?

{No. I'm saying something worse will come if they remain. Their presence creates noise where there should be harmony. A dissonance in the divine rhythm, You must choose one, Or end other...before it's too late.}

What will come..?

You're not making sense—just tell me what you know!

{I don't remember clearly. Most of it is locked behind your pathetic weakness. But I remember enough to know this: One of them must die. If they stay alive together, the sky itself will fracture, and when it does, something else will answer the call.}

You're saying—if they both stay alive… something worse will come?

{Worse? Ha! That word isn't enough. Think of it like this—two divine melodies clashing, trying to play at once. The song becomes noise. Harmony becomes chaos. And from chaos…nothing comes good.}

This is insane. You're telling me to kill someone just because of some cosmic symbolism?

{I'm not asking. I'm warning. I don't even remember the full story yet, but I know now why I've awakened. It wasn't just coincidence. Fate—it pulled me out of my slumber. It called for a weapon. And you, Ray… you're that weapon. You are the chosen one.}

Chosen…?

Irvin glanced at him, frowning. "Hey, you good?"

Ray didn't answer.

{You may deny it now, but fate will make you choose.}

Ray clenched his fists. But his thoughts quickly faded, drowned by the growing tension in another corner of the academy—Ash, too, was moving fast, his heart heavy with uncertainty.

In the novel, an Elite Demon (B-Rank) had entered the academy... but Ray was able to overcome it by using Overclock,

Ash bit down on his lower lip, his brows furrowed.

He previously handled that demon in the dungeon without much trouble, so I thought this would be a piece of cake too... but everything's turning to shit.

Ash moved quickly, his footsteps echoing softly against the floor as he crossed the hallway. His heart wasn't pounding, but his head was loud—too loud.

In the novel, the demons only came for Ray... because of his protagonist halo. They wanted to cut the roots before the tree could grow.

But now... I don't know anymore. I don't know how any of this will play out.

His mind felt like it was splitting. He didn't know the strength of the enemy. He didn't even know who they were. And that uncertainty clawed at him.

The Principal must've left the academy... probably with the other Seven Saints. All because of 'that' bastard. So that means only Vice Principal Elva is here now—and she's the strongest one left.

He tried not to think about it too much. Mythical-ranked people weren't easy to find. Most were out fighting or managing dungeons across the continent. And demons weren't exactly being subtle anymore.

From what I know, that demon used some space isolation device. Something that created a barrier... a separate space that cut Ray and the others off from the world. No one sensed anything until Ray destroyed the device—and only then did the instructors arrive and save everyone.

Ash took a quick look in his space ring, I have prepared lots of stuff, smoke bomb, a teleportation scroll, 2-3 mana potion, 2-3 healing potions, and other stuff—I need to either fight or somehow get help.

Should I tell Vice Principal Elva...? But what would I even say? That I just... know it's coming?

He pressed a hand against his forehead, fingers dragging through his hair.

I can't risk drawing attention. If I say something and she asks me how I know, then what? Say That I read it in a novel?

She'll think I'm insane.

And yet, doing nothing felt worse.

"I'll feel like shit if I don't try to stop it... if people die and I just watch it happen."

The words came out soft, barely a whisper—but they felt heavy.

"There were only a few who worked in pairs on the demon's side..."

He muttered under his breath, words of novel creeping in like a cold draft

Please don't let it be them... Miraak and Zeraak—the Twin Calamity.

He felt his fingers twitch

"If it's those two... we're screwed."

A/N: This one was written in a little rush, so if anything feels off—blame the clock, not me ???? Still, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Drop your thoughts below, I'm always reading ????