Lucas – First Person POV
WTF SYSTEM. YOU. SUCK.
I didn't scream, but I mentally shouted that so hard it echoed through my soul.
「BRO. THERE ARE LIKE 37 TRAPS AROUND THIS WHOLE GODFORSAKEN AREA. THIS WAS THE SAFEST ROUTE. UNFORTUNATELY, SMARTASS OVER THERE DECIDED TO GO FULL HOME ALONE AND PLANTED PIT TRAPS.」
You had one job, man. One.
"Dumbass," I muttered under my breath, "why didn't you DETECT the damn trap?"
「OH, SORRY YOUR HIGHNESS, DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE DEALING WITH ETHEREAL SHADOW MIST INFUSED WITH VOID ROOTS. THE GUY USED A NATURALLY OCCURRING MANA-DEAD ZONE TO MASK IT. WHO EVEN DOES THAT?」
"…Kaiser apparently."
My sigh could've powered a windmill. "Pull me up already."
The system let out a tsking noise (I swear it has attitude modules), and a controlled gust of wind erupted beneath me, forming a tight spiral that lifted me up like I was floating on a reverse leaf blower. Graceful.
Until I landed with a thud like a sack of laundry.
Exhale. Reset. Cool.
I dusted myself off and looked up.
Right there, standing in front of me with that same cold, bored look I remembered from years ago…
Kaiser.
"…Halo," I said, raising a brow.
"Yo," he replied, voice flat as ever.
"How's it going?" I kept it casual, hiding my irritation behind a faint grin.
"Nothing much, bro."
I narrowed my eyes. "Where did you learn bro from?"
He tilted his head slightly. "I made it up for dramatic effect. 'Bro' is short for 'brother'—I just use it for convenience."
"So I'm your brother now?"
"Nah man, you look like a thief right now."
"…Rude, bro."
"I openly hate people. You're not an exception."
That hit with zero hesitation. Straight to the ego. I clicked my tongue. "Alright, whatever. Let's talk about the actual issue—why the hell are there over forty traps out here like you're expecting an invasion?"
He gave a short laugh, the kind that said you absolute idiot, then crossed his arms.
"You fell for the oldest trick in the book."
「Even I'm disappointed in you, Lucas. And I'm an artificial intelligence.」
"Oh shut up. You fell for it too."
「My bad, original gangster.」
That actually got a half-smirk out of me.
"You know, Lucas…" Kaiser's voice suddenly shifted as his gaze cut through the banter like a knife through silk. Cold. Serious.
"If it was someone else who stepped foot here… I would've killed them already.."
That wasn't a threat. It was a statement.
I laughed—quiet, short. "You can't do that. You know you can't defeat me."
He didn't flinch. "Arrogant as ever."
I raised an eyebrow. "So I'm wrong?"
"…No," he admitted, "but that's not the reason."
I paused. "Then what is?"
Kaiser glanced toward the cabin behind him. "Let's talk there. I don't like standing around in the forest."
"Bet."
I followed him, silent steps matching his.
It was weird… seeing him again after so long. The traps, the jokes, the tension—Yeah, nothing changed.
Except everything did.
Kaiser leaned against the old wooden railing, arms folded, eyes fixed skyward like the stars were whispering state secrets.
I walked up beside him, trying not to interrupt whatever dramatic internal monologue he was brewing. The night was quiet… too quiet, which meant he was about to say something that'd piss me off.
"You gonna tell me why you're here?" he asked without looking at me.
"I—"
"We're not friends or allies, so don't waste my time with excuses," he cut in, sharp and clean like a blade.
God, this guy was still the same edgy dude from years ago.
"Nahh man," I muttered with a sigh, scratching the back of my head. "You always this serious?"
"Yeah bro, you're the one in my private cabin," he shot back without even blinking.
I stretched both arms above my head, loosening my shoulders as I looked up at the same stars. "You say it so casually. After faking your death at Asura."
He remained silent.
"Not gonna say anything, huh?" I added, tilting my head toward him.
Still nothing.
"I mean, what you did in the trial—wasn't like you."
He finally turned slightly, just enough for me to see his expression under the moonlight.
"You're not the one to start fights. But you killed that guy. The one who hurt her…"
His hand tightened slightly against the railing, jaw flexing—but still, no answer.
I narrowed my eyes. "Why are you protecting Celia? What use does she have—"
"She's my friend." The words came low, cold, absolute.
"And you know how I protect my friends," he added, eyes now directly on me.
Friends?
I scoffed. "You've only ever had one friend in your life. Elfie."
He went quiet again. But this time it was different. Still as a grave.
I took a step forward, voice lowering. "Do you care for Celia?"
"I don't," he replied instantly.
Bullshit.
"Then why were you prepared to fight the Knight of the Realm alone for her?" I asked, eyebrows raised.
Silence.
"You care for her… don't you."
"I don't care for her." The words were slower this time. Like he was trying to convince himself too.
I laughed softly and shook my head, looking him dead in the eye. "I came here for two reasons. One, to talk to you about something personal. And…"
I took a few steps back, letting the wind fill the pause between us.
"And?" he asked, finally facing me fully.
"To kill Celia." My voice dropped cold.
His expression changed instantly. His eyes didn't widen, they hardened. His entire body went still, like even the air around him froze for a second. That calm, detached look? Gone. Replaced by a raw, murderous intent that was unmistakable.
He took a step toward me.
I raised a brow, smirking. "So you do care."
「Bro. You couldn't have waited, like, five more seconds to ease into that bombshell?」
Shut up.
Kaiser's voice came low and deathly quiet.
"…Leave."
This was the only way. The only shot I had at making him take me seriously.
I wanted to see what I was capable of now — not against some monster or hunter, but against the only person I've ever lost to.
He didn't say anything when I stepped in. He just stood there, arms crossed, leaning on the damn railing... He didn't know he was already in my kill zone.
The System flickered in my peripheral.
「 You're really going to poke the bear, huh? Sure. Great idea. What could possibly go wrong? 」
I gave a tiny nod.
What could possibly go wrong? I don't know, maybe getting folded.
Nah I'd win.
"What are you gonna do, Kaiser?" I asked, my voice level, steady.
He didn't flinch. Didn't even look at me.
"Celia can defend herself," he said.
I smirked. Wrong answer, champ.
"She's injured. She's just waiting to be killed," I said, stepping forward. "I know she's inside there."
His face twitched — subtle, but I caught it. Like something coiled beneath the calm.
"What are you gonna do about it?" I said.
No answer.
So, naturally, I reached into his own coat — the one he left on the railing like an idiot — and pulled a dagger out. Smooth grip.
"I'll protect her," Kaiser finally said.
There it was.
I grinned, taking a step back.
Then the System chimed in fast, like a slap to the brain.
「 MOVE. ILLUSION MAGIC DETECTED. 」
I jumped back, instantly — right off the edge of the railing and into the open clearing behind the cabin. My boots scraped against the rock as I landed, arms out, mind already pulsing.
He was using illusion magic? Him?
That wasn't even his usual style. He must've consumed mana potions to use temporary magic.
Kaiser slowly walked down the slope, casual as hell. His boots barely made a sound.
"Don't tell me you're scared now," he said, eyes locked onto mine.
Yeah okay, sure.
"System. Engage," I muttered.
「 Locked in. Magic Sync: 98.7%. All channels clear. Try not to die. 」
I raised both palms and spread my fingers wide. Light flickered between them, dancing in geometric patterns.
Here we go.
I threw the first one — a shot of concentrated light, compressed through a prism of pure force, then split through three reflective shards I summoned midair. They hovered like floating glass knives, redirecting the beam at impossible angles — one from the right, one from above, one from behind.
Triple blindside.
Even monsters couldn't react that fast.
But Kaiser didn't move.
He just stood there.
Right before the first beam struck, his daggers were in his hands — I don't even know when he pulled them. Just shnk, and they were out.
He twisted one wrist, angled the blade perfectly — ting! — and deflected the beam like it was a fly.
Then the second one came — he leaned just slightly, the other dagger spinning in his hand before knocking the beam straight into the air.
The third one came from behind.
He didn't even turn. He just ducked, letting the light pass over his head like it was a gentle breeze.
I blinked.
"Bro," I muttered under my breath.
「 Analysis: His reaction time is inhuman. Recommend you stop showing off and start fighting smart. 」
Thanks, System. Super helpful right now.
I clenched my jaw and fired again, this time arcing the light into a curved crescent — bent with a mirror bend spell that looped it mid-air. It came from above now, like a divine guillotine.
Kaiser raised one hand.
And caught it.
Not blocked. Caught.
His dagger absorbed the light, the metal humming with heat, then let it disperse in a burst of particles.
Okay. Okay. He's flexing now.
No more basic beams.
I shifted tactics. Summoning three mirror panels in a triangle, I stood in the center. The panels began rotating, light bouncing between them, gaining charge. Each reflection amplified the spell's density.
This was going to sting.
I punched the air, firing a compressed lance of hypercharged light that tore through the wind like a railgun blast — and split it mid-flight into five separate spears.
Each one curved around the terrain, arcing from odd angles. One from beneath the rock, two from the sides, and two circling above.
Kaiser tilted his head once — just once — and then moved.
A flicker of motion.
That's all.
Five clangs echoed in the field. Each light spear struck metal — his daggers moved faster than my eyes could track.
He deflected every. Single. One.
「 Wow. Congratulations. What's your move next gangsta? 」
"I am trying!" I whispered under my breath.
I wasn't actually mad, though.
I was grinning.
This guy… was insane.
"You won't leave here alive," Kaiser said.
His voice was calm. Cold. Like he'd already decided this was my grave.
I raised an eyebrow, masking my pulse spike with sarcasm. "Bit dramatic, no?"
But then he followed up, eyes dead serious—
"Your story ends here."
Goosebumps. Not just because of his voice—but because I'd heard that line before.
I remembered it. Clear as day. Back when Rose and I teamed up against Elfina during the academy's Grand Arcane Exam. We shattered her team, her confidence—left her a crying mess who didn't dare step on the field again.
And then this bastard came out of nowhere… fighting for her.
The crowd went silent that day. Because he said those same words. And he meant them.
This time, they were for me.
"…We'll see soon enough," I muttered, all trace of joking gone.
「Activating: Divine Protection of Chaos」
「Buff Applied: Lightstep II – 175% Speed Boost」
「Buff Applied: Visionary Sight – Enhanced Nocturnal Perception」
"System, let's make this quick."
I blitzed.
Light surged from the daggers in my hand—sharpened arcs of radiance trailing through the air like comets. With Lightstep active, I moved faster than sound. My figure blurred through the air, mirrors flashing behind me as spells recalculated and bounced forward in rapid sync.
Left feint. Right curve. Vertical pierce.
"It's over, Kaiser," I growled mid-dash. "You'll fight me for Celia… won't you? You risked your damn life for her. And you've only ever done that for Elfie. So what is she?"
I clenched my dagger tighter.
"She's your Elfie, isn't she?"
The words hung there like a trigger.
"If I target her—you'll finally go all out."
「Enemy Analysis: No guarded stance. Vulnerable. Wide open.」
「Now's the time to hit him, Genius!」
But something was off.
Kaiser… wasn't moving.
Just standing. Watching. Silent. His eyes—
They were burning. Not just glowing blue anymore—no. They were darkening, inverting into the void. Like something ancient and wrong was peering through them.
And the moment I got within three meters—
The world flipped.
A crushing weight fell on everything.
Darkness devoured the field.
「WARNING: 13 Critical System Failures Detected」
「1. Divine Protection of Chaos: Nullified by Area Curse Field」
「2. Lightstep II: Deactivated – Temporal Flow Severed」
「3. Visionary Sight: Corrupted – Darkness Type Override Detected」
「4. Spell Sync Mirrors: Malfunction – No Reflective Light Present」
「5. Atmospheric Particles: Altered – Light Spells Cannot Propagate」
「6. Shadow Field Barrier Detected – Origin: Kaiser」
「7. Magic Vein Circuit Interference – Your mana flow is being redirected」
「8. Celestial Signal Jammed – Unable to access higher spell permissions」
「9. Passive Defense Buffs: Canceled」
「10. Neural Prediction Tracking: Disabled – Interference from localized void trap」
「11. Damage Recovery Boost: Inactive – Divine source blocked」
「12. Internal Visibility: Limited – Your own eyes are starting to go blind」
「13. Final Warning: YOU ARE COMPLETELY SCREWED, SIR.」
"…What…" I muttered, staggering.
It was like the whole world turned into black. My body wasn't responding like it should. My daggers dimmed out. I couldn't feel the Lightstream anymore.
Even the air was dead.
I looked up—barely.
And saw them.
Two void-like eyes, unblinking, staring through me.
They weren't human. They weren't even Kaiser's.
They were something far older. Colder.
Then suddenly—
He was right in front of me.
No noise. No steps. Just there.
"Wha—"
The blade went in clean.
Right through my chest.
Near the heart.
He didn't scream.
Kaiser just… looked down on me, eyes dull and merciless.
Like he wasn't even angry.
Just disappointed.
"…Shit…" I coughed, feeling the warmth of my own blood soak through my tunic. The system was still screaming warnings—but they were far away now.
The world snapped.
A violent crack echoed through my chest—reality inverted and time twisted like a rubber band finally recoiling.
Kaiser's blade vanished.
I found myself flat on the ground, gasping like I'd been drowning and just resurfaced. My lungs burned, heart thudding, vision blurry—but alive. Barely.
"What the—?"
Kaiser was ten meters away, pushed back by a golden light circle still spinning in the air where I'd been stabbed.
His brows were narrowed—he looked… surprised.
「Skill Activated: Fate Reversal」
「Fatal blow detected. Reversing outcome with a 1 in 9.2 million chance. All system functions restored. Admin-level override triggered.」
System status reset. I could feel everything reconnect at once—mana surged back into my body, spells reignited, nerves calmed. Then came the healing. Warmth coursed through my veins like liquid sunlight.
"…System," I coughed. "Why the hell did everything shut down?!"
「Because that demon-possessed lunatic disguised as your friend placed thirty-nine anti-spell suppressors, two null-magic mine runes, and a sigil-webbed reflection ward in a fifty-meter radius.」
「Each trap was laced with archaic anti-celestial spells—coded to recognize your mana signature, then redirect it into a sleep state, disabling all divine or elemental backups. Even I couldn't override it once it triggered.」
"…Dude what?"
「You heard me. This whole area was a magic kill zone. It's not just tactical—it's evil. A mage's nightmare.」
The wind blew gently across the grass.
「He anticipated your arrival and built the field just to crush you.」
I exhaled a long, ragged breath.
"…Ugh. He's always prepared…"
Footsteps approached. I looked up—
And, of course, it was Kaiser.
Still calm. Still expressionless. The kind of face serial killers probably have before bedtime.
He stood over me, his daggers still drawn.
My entire body hurt.
I slowly raised one trembling hand up at him and muttered—
"Time out."
Kaiser blinked. "What."
"Man I was joking," I said with a lazy grin. "I just wanted to fight with you. No need to kill each other :)"
Kaiser stared.
"…Nice joke, man. I laughed so much," he said dryly.
"Yeah, bro."
"I know you wouldn't kill Celia," he said suddenly.
"…Huh?"
"You were there in the trial. Defending her. You had no reason to hurt her," he continued. "I figured that much out."
I blinked.
"You only wanted to test your skills against me," Kaiser said. "Knowing I wouldn't accept a challenge, you provoked me. Made me think she was in danger. That was the only way to make me really fight."
"…Dang, bro. I got read like a book."
「Dang bro, this smartass is always like this.」
"Yeah man," I whispered, exhaling.
Then Kaiser added, "Plus I noticed your healing backups. You planned to save my vitals if you landed a critical hit. You weren't here to kill me."
He even noticed that?!
I whispered, "System, how?"
「Because this man's eyes aren't just eyes. He has observation skills that are ridiculous. His retina passively records fluctuation frequencies of the backup healing energies. You told me to keep them prepared so he must've felt it around the ground due to his traps. He literally reads intent in real-time.」
Right. Of course he does.
Then Kaiser asked, "So why are you really here?"
He sheathed both daggers with that same smooth motion. No tension. Just quiet finality.
I got to my feet. Slowly. The pain was mostly gone now, thanks to system auto-heal—but I could still feel the edge of death brushing past me. I met his eyes.
I extended my hand.
"Let's team up, Kaiser."
Kaiser raised a single brow at me, his arms still folded, eyes half-lidded.
Yeah, no shock. The guy was the definition of unimpressed.
I took a breath, planting my feet a little firmer.
"I need your help to hunt down the three Primordial Beasts of Celestine," I said.
His expression didn't shift.
"Their power is immense," I continued, "and they're tied to something deeper—something ancient. If we bring them down, we can save Celestine from what's coming. These things are classified as disaster-level threats. The moment they awaken fully... millions could die."
Still nothing. He blinked once.
Then—
"…How does that benefit me?"
Classic Kaiser.
I scratched my head, sighing. "Well, because each of those beasts holds a Soul Crest."
That made him pause. Just for a second. His head tilted slightly, like I'd said something actually worth his time.
"Yeah," I nodded, "not just any magical artifact. I'm talking about the original Soul Crests—items that predate even magical laws. They weren't forged. They were born—directly from the gods during the Age of Shattering."
Kaiser narrowed his eyes. I could tell he wanted more.
So I gave him the whole damn story.
—
"A thousand years ago," I began, "when the gods still walked among mortals, there was a war—not between men and gods, but between order and origin."
"Origin?" Kaiser asked, finally speaking.
"Yeah. The purest form of creation," I explained. "Back then, the land of Celestine wasn't like it is now. It was divided into three elemental dominions, ruled by three Primordial Beasts born directly from the origin core of the world."
I raised three fingers.
"Leviathan—the Earth Womb. A titanic creature sleeping beneath the roots of the world. They say it's claws and armor are indestructible. No one's ever seen his full body—only its head before they were eaten alive..."
Kaiser just nodded.
I raised another finger.
"Myriacron —the Sky's ruler. A draconic entity with wings larger than what you've ever seen. It's said it controls the flow of time and space around itself. The last time it woke up, the sky shattered and hundreds were killed in thousands of kilometers."
Still no reaction.
"And finally…"
I hesitated.
"…Naegalth, the Abyss itself. The oldest, most feared being of the three. The moment it surfaces, the sea dies. No light, no sound, just endless pressure and darkness. Eyes alone are said to kill anyone's will to live. It's said the tentacles it has broke the ocean floor and caused the Great Hollow Trench."
I dropped my hand.
"These three beasts were sealed by the gods at the cost of their own forms, and as a result, each left behind a fragment of their true form—an Aspect of Origin embedded in their cores. And those cores?"
"They became the first three Soul Crests."
—
Kaiser finally unfolded his arms. His eyes flickered slightly with something new—curiosity… or maybe greed.
"Each Soul Crest enhances more than just mana," I added. "It rewrites your very fate. Control one, and you become immune to death itself for a time. Control all three…"
I met his gaze.
"You can rewrite causality."
"Rewrite… fate?" Kaiser asked low.
"Change history. It holds the power of all magical cores, but the moment they vanish—Celestine will lose its balance."
Kaiser looked away, staring into the stars again.
"You said they're awakening," he muttered.
"Signs of it, yeah," I said. "Tremors from the West. Gravity shifts in the High Sky. And fishermen going mad near the Hollow Trench. It's only a matter of time."
"You want me to help you stop them?"
"I want us to hunt them," I corrected. "Together."
Kaiser looked at me again, eyes colder this time.
"What's your real reason, Lucas?"
"…Because I know what happens if they fall into the wrong hands," I said. "You've seen what the cult of Nemisis is capable of…"
I didn't need to finish.
Kaiser's gaze drifted toward the cabin—toward Celia, probably.
Then, with a sigh, he muttered something under his breath.
"…Rewrite fate, huh."
「He's thinking about Elfie.」
「Want me to tell him you know?」
"No," I whispered back. "Let him make the choice."
Kaiser stood silent, hand on the door of the cabin.
"I'm not interested. It's your problem."
Wait... what?
I blinked. Did he seriously just say that?
He turned his head slightly, voice cold and sure.
"Those beasts are mainly a threat to Celestine. Asura and Valerion can handle themselves. And as for the Soul Crests..." he narrowed his eyes, "those primordial creatures aren't going to die to just magic."
I scoffed. "You're saying the Cult of Nemisis isn't capable of killing them either?"
"They aren't," he said. "They've lived long enough to know the true limits of magic. They know what can and can't be killed."
"We can't do it." He said flatly.
"What do you mean we can't?" I asked, stepping forward.
Kaiser's gaze didn't even waver.
"The Leviathan's body is made of geocryptic plating—resistant to both cursed, celestial and elemental magic. It absorbs the mana you try to destroy it with."
He raised one finger.
"Myriacron, the Sky Sovereign, doesn't just fly—it exists in a different gravitational veil. It's immune to spells cast from below and physical combat is impossible mid-flight. It will crush anything that touches its airspace."
A second finger.
"And Naegalth, the Abyss... it's not even a beast. It's a concept. A living darkness that exists only in pressure and absence below the depths of the sea. There's no reaching it. No man-made vessel can survive that depth. The moment you try, your mind collapses from the weight."
He dropped his hand.
Then looked straight at me, calm as hell.
"You're delusional, thinking you and I can kill them."
My jaw clenched. So did my fists.
Because deep down... I knew he was right.
The system told me the same damn thing.
I looked up with him as his voice followed.
"I may not know the depth of the ocean," he said, "but I know the vastness of the stars."
His words lingered like frost.
"Those Primordial Beasts can't be hunted by anyone."
「He's completely accurate. There is no known force in recorded history that has successfully defeated a Primordial. Even the gods sealed them, not killed them.」
So that was it.
I watched as Kaiser turned his back to me, walking toward the cabin, his hand reaching for the doorknob.
"So Lucas," he said, not even turning, "I can't help you in your suicidal mission."
I grit my teeth harder. His voice—calm, emotionless—pierced deeper than if he had yelled.
He was right.
No one can hunt the beasts…
But I never said anything about hunting alone.
And I never said this was just about Celestine.
"...You can bring back Elfie."
Kaiser froze. His hand paused on the knob mid-turn.
He didn't look at me.
His voice, low and ice-cold:
"Don't joke about that."
I stepped forward, this time without a trace of sarcasm.
"I'm not joking," I said, steady. "You know I'm a researcher. You know I study deeper than most mages even dare to think."
He still didn't turn, but I saw the tension in his fingers.
"Each of those Soul Crests… they represent something beyond power. They're the physical manifestations of the sealed laws of magic—Elemental, Cursed, and Celestial."
I exhaled slowly.
"They're not just links to origin, Kaiser. When brought together, the three Crests form something ancient—something the gods tried to erase from existence…"
"The Miracle Cure."
Kaiser's fingers twitched slightly. That name wasn't a joke. It was a legend even he knew.
"The Miracle Cure is the only known alchemical result of combining those three primordial crests. It doesn't just heal flesh, or cleanse eternal curses… it restores what's been erased."
I took another step forward.
"I'm talking about soul-thread resurrection. With just a drop of the Miracle Cure… you could bring Elfie's soul back."
Kaiser remained motionless.
"You could see her again," I said, quietly now.
"You could talk to her. Like you used to."
Kaiser stayed quiet for a long moment. His silhouette still against the moonlight, the wind brushing past us like the world was holding its breath.
Then he said it.
"The Miracle Soul Resurrection…"
A pause.
"What are the odds of it working on her?"
I immediately asked the system to run a probability matrix. It wasn't going to be easy, not with how chaotic and ancient the crests were.
「Beginning multi-phase analysis. Phase 1: Soul Alignment Coherence with Crest Resonance.
Analyzing magical entropy decay coefficient… √Δ(λ-CrestTier²) × [ManaDensity⁵ / NullSpaceEntropy]...
Phase 2: Interference from Celestial Obstruction. Calculating Temporal Desync Risk…
Phase 3: Quantum Reversal Pressure due to Reanimation Laws – accounting for Spirit-Erosion feedback loop...」
It was deep math. Magic theory. Interdimensional friction. All of it.
「Phase 4: Thread-of-Fate Severance Restoration Test… Predictive Outcome: Estimated chance of successful resurrection—」
But Kaiser interrupted before it finished.
"It's a 1% chance it'll bring back Elfie." His voice was flat. Hollow. Dead serious.
I stared at him, stunned.
1%?
No way he just said that like it was normal.
But then…
「Final Analysis Complete: Probability = 1.027%」
The system confirmed it. 1%... and a decimal. That's it.
And that meant Kaiser was right. Again.
So that's how it is.
He's not teaming up with me. Not for Celestine. Not for saving lives. Not even for hunting beasts.
That 1% chance wasn't good enough for him.
...But it was good enough for me.
Even if I had to do it alone.
I clenched my fists, heart beating fast. "I'll do it without you then… because I have to."
I'll bring back my mother and my sister. Even if it kills me.
「You will die, Lucas. There is a 0% chance of victory if you proceed alone.」
"I don't care."
I turned. My boots scraping softly against the old wood floor of the porch as I started walking toward the forest, into the night. I could feel the weight of it all again. Of knowing the odds.
Knowing I was probably going to die.
But then…
His voice came behind me.
"Even if it's a 1% chance... that's a chance I'd never take."
I stopped.
"But it's about Elfie," he said. "I'll do anything for her."
I turned slowly to face him. And what I saw… was him again. That spark. The same look he had the day he went against the Asura Knights. The same guy that made the world fear someone they didn't even understand.
Kaiser looked right into my eyes and smirked.
"Welcome to hell, Lucas."
I blinked.
He tilted his head slightly. "When do we begin?"
I grinned. "So the cold bastard does care."
「Your odds of defeating the Primordials have increased. New estimate: 1%」
"…That's good enough."
I crossed my arms. "What happened to 'they're unkillable', 'you're suicidal', 'we can't do it' huh?"
He laughed—arms behind his back, stretching slightly.
"Don't forget who I am, Lucas."
"Trust me," I said, stepping forward, "I know who you are."
"The anomaly between creations."
Kaiser nodded. "That's right… sorcerer."
We closed the distance and met halfway.
Then high-fived—
The sky behind us swirling with the stars that would soon watch us fight.
After a bit of silence passed between us, the night still, only broken by the faint rustle of trees and the stars above humming like they were listening, Kaiser leaned his elbow against the railing again, that same casual posture, and said,
"You know bro… asking an E-rank guy who can't use magic like me to help hunt three primordial beasts? That's suicidal."
I scoffed.
"Man, you might be useless—but—you can be useful when the time's right."
"Trust," he said, chuckling like it was the easiest thing in the world.
I couldn't help but laugh too. Just like that... it felt like nothing changed.
It reminded me of back in Year Three… when the three of us—me, him, Elfie—used to talk under the academy tower lights, planning things we never thought we'd live long enough to carry out. Things were... different back then.
Us three.
Wait… three?
I paused, my brows furrowing a bit. "Hold up. What about Celia?"
Kaiser blinked like I'd pulled him out of a memory.
Then he looked at me, a hint of surprise. "She'll help us hunt them."
"Ohhh so we got the Queen of Curses too?" I smirked. "The full squad, huh?"
"Relax, sorcerer," Kaiser said, almost like a proud older brother. "She's a sweet girl."
I raised an eyebrow at that. Did this guy even know how she was acting after he faked his death?
Because I sure did.
Before I came here, I spoke with Levi. The guy looked shaken when he talked about Celia. Told me how messed up she got after Kaiser's "death"—depressed, broken, desperate.
Levi said she was obsessed.
Not crush-level obsessed. Like cut-the-world-down for-him obsessed.
System chimed in with that signature sass.
「She might be a yandere, bro. This is a bad idea.」
"Yeah…" I muttered. "True."
I glanced at Kaiser. "Bro, I don't think she'll want to help. She's not exactly stable right now."
Kaiser just laughed.
"Trust me. She'll definitely come with us," he said with a little smirk. "She's a sweetheart when it comes to me."
Dang this guy...
I rubbed the back of my neck, sighing.
"So it'll be us three then, huh?"
Kaiser looked at me with that same unreadable coolness and nodded. "Indeed. The Heavenly Sorcerer… the Queen of Curses… and the E-ranker."
"You mean Dirty-Tactician. Not E-ranker."
Kaiser actually laughed at that. "Yeah, true true."
We both went quiet for a bit again, the kind of quiet that isn't awkward—it's just two guys holding weight too heavy to speak about constantly.
Then I exhaled slowly and said it.
"I'm doing this for my family, my reason for fighting. My little sister… my mom. I need that cure. You know how much this means to me."
Kaiser nodded. Eyes colder now, more focused.
"And you're doing this for Elfie. She was your everything, right?"
There was a pause. And then—he didn't hesitate.
"She was… my everything. Yes."
Then a small smile broke across his face. Not cocky. Not calculated. Just… himself.
"I'll bring Elfie back." Kaiser said.
From Celia's Perspective:
Behind the wall near the window, knees tucked in and heart crawling up my throat, I sat still—listening.
Their voices carried through the wooden cabin like ghosts in the dark.
His voice.
Kaiser's.
He was smiling… saying he'd bring back his "Elfie."
Oh honey…
So you'll bring her back, huh?
I whispered to myself under my breath, voice soft but soaked in venom. In the dark room, I sat still, curled near the cold wall, my fingers digging into my palms.
"I'll help you bring her back... then," I muttered.
Then I smiled, a soft giggle escaping my mouth.
"I'll kill her." A little louder, sharper now.
So that you can only care for me.
That's how it should be.
What a joke.
What a sad little joke.
She's dead, isn't she?
She died, Kaiser.
And I was the one still here.
I'm the one who waited.
Who cried.
Who screamed into her pillow and cursed the world every night when you didn't come back.
I was the one who clung to the thought of you so hard I almost forgot myself.
But sure, let's go ahead and resurrect some dead bitch. A dead bitch I've never even met, but who makes you look that happy just imagining...
Stupid.
Ugly.
Rotten. Corpse. Of. The. Past.
I hate her.
I hate that you still care for her.
I clenched my fists tighter as I sat in the dark, shaking.
Why her?
Why not me?
I've been here. I am here. I've bled for you. Screamed for you. I gave up everything—my pride, my peace, my mind—all for you.
But no, let's go bring her back, right? Let's go dig her up from the dirt and pretend like I haven't always been right here waiting!
My eyes began to glow, deeper red, like wine turning black.
Something within me stirred.
A voice.
From Obsession.
Don't lose him again. Now that you have him.
"…I won't," I whispered back.
"I'll do anything."
And I meant it.
Anything.
It's a good thing Evelina and I spoke in the dream realm last night. She told me something very, very interesting…
The soul crests.
The key to it all.
They could be used to craft the Miracle Cure—to bring someone back from the dead.
Or…
Hehehe…
They could be confused—corrupted, rewritten—by someone like me.
By someone with a cursed soul.
If I consume the soul crests…
If I devour the power of the three magic cores—Cursed, Celestial, and Elemental—
Then I will become something else.
The End of Curses.
A final calamity to all suffering.
And in that calamity, I'll keep Kaiser safe. Always. Like he once protected me.
No one would be able to hurt him. No one would dare look at him. No one would be worthy of even breathing near him.
I'll be so powerful, they'll fear even speaking his name in vain.
I'll tear The Leviathan in half.
I'll slaughter The Myriacron if I have to.
I'll drown the Naegalth in it's own sea.
I smiled wide—teeth showing, eyes hollow.
Then I whispered sweetly into the air.
"If that Elfie ever comes back…"
I dragged my fingers across my lips like a blade.
"I'll rip her heart out. Myself."
"And any other girl that ever touched him—looked at him—breathed near him?"
"I'll kill them. With my own hands."
I stood up slowly, brushing my dress down and adjusting my hair, a cute little pout shaping my lips.
Then I skipped lightly back to bed and slipped under the sheets, pulling them up to my chin.
"I have to pretend to sleep now," I giggled softly.
"But my mind is set."
I'll help Kaiser.
I'll help Lucas.
We'll go on this little mission, all smiles and games.
After all, he did say I'm a sweet little girl.
So I'll act like one. For now.
But once I get the Miracle Cure…
Once I have that power…
I'll be me.
And I'll have him.
Forever.
A soft hum slipped out of my mouth as my curse moved like a whisper beneath the sheets, slithering around me protectively.
From my shadow, they stirred.
Ronan…
The former Swarm Tyrant…
Now known as Crownless…
Their glowing eyes blinked from the depths of the hell, watching me. Obeying.
I looked back at them, smiling like a child given a secret.
"You two will have a lot of work to do… so be prepared."
And then, in the stillness of my heart, I whispered one final vow.
"And Kaiser…"
"Enjoy your time for now."
"Because no one… and I mean no one… can have you."
I swear that.