Perspective: Eve
Location: Sylvaris — Eve's Lodge
Time: 7:30 AM — January 27, 2018
The morning sunlight filtered through the pale linen curtains, painting warm amber stripes across the wooden floorboards.
I blinked against the glare, my lashes heavy, slow, and sticky from sleep. My hand drifted across the mattress, fingers instinctively curling into the quiet, cold expanse beside me.
Empty.
The bedsheets were cool to the touch. The pillow carried only a faint, fading trace of damp rain and mountain pine, but the mattress had long since settled back into place.
He's... he's gone.
My heart gave a sudden, ridiculous flutter against my ribs—skipping 1 beat, then 2. A hot, prickling rush surged straight up my throat, flooding my neck and ears until my entire face burned like an open hearth.
H-He... he kissed my forehead...!
The memory hit me with the force of an avalanche.
He really kissed me. Right there. On my forehead.
Last night wasn't a dream. It wasn't a fevered hallucination from staying up in the cold. The coarse rub of the drying towel, the quiet cadence of his voice, the gentle press of his lips against my skin while I sat on that stool like an obedient, red-faced doll... and then him scooping me up, carrying me here, pulling the thick blanket up to my chin.
W-Wait, wait, wait—did I say something embarrassing while I was drifting off? Did I mumble? Did I drool?! Please tell me I didn't snore, oh gods, please tell me I didn't snore...!
I yanked the down duvet completely over my head, burying my burning nose into the cotton and kicking my legs beneath the sheets in a frantic, muffled flurry.
I—I literally fell asleep in front of him! How could I do that?! I was supposed to take care of him, scold him for getting soaked, make sure he didn't catch a cold... and I just passed out like a useless lump!
I rolled onto my stomach, pressing both palms hard against my cheeks to stop the heat, groaning into the mattress.
Breathe, Eve. Just... j-just breathe. You can't stay hiding under the blankets forever.
Reluctantly, my fingers pushed the duvet back. I swung my legs over the edge and slid my bare feet onto the polished wood.
The expected morning chill never came. When I stepped past the doorframe into the main room, my breath caught in my throat.
The lodge was spotless.
The cracked clay mugs and soup bowls from yesterday were washed clean, dried, and stacked in neat, even rows inside the open cupboard. The floor—scuffed with dried mud and rainwater from our sudden return—had been swept and scrubbed until the pine grain gleamed. Even my spare wool coats, which I had carelessly draped over the back of the settee 3 days ago, were folded into sharp, immaculate squares resting on the cedar chest.
H-He cleaned everything... Every single corner.
A funny, tight feeling squeezed my chest.
He didn't run away because he was ashamed. He didn't slip out like a coward.
He had quietly restored my home, leaving behind order and warmth so I wouldn't have to carry the burden of cleaning up his mess.
On the center of the round pine table sat a single sheet of pale parchment. Beside it lay a smooth river stone, keeping it anchored against the morning draft.
My hands trembled as I walked over. I picked up the paper, my fingers shaking so badly the edges rattled.
Kaiser's handwriting was unmistakable—sharp, clean, and entirely devoid of unnecessary flourishes.
> Eve,
>
> Thank you. You gave me support, shelter, and a kindness I did not ask for and certainly did not deserve. You treated me with more dignity than I have known in a very long time.
>
> I left early because I had some work and a long way to go. You deserve peace, not the burden of my past or the messes that follow my footsteps. Do not let my problems become your problems.
>
> Eat properly today. We will talk again soon.
>
> — Kaiser
I stood by the table, staring at the ink until my lower lip pushed out into an uncontrollable, indignant pout.
"You absolute idiot," I whispered to the empty room, my voice wavering between a sniffle and a frustrated huff.
W-Why does he always do that?!
He thinks he's protecting me by keeping his distance. He thinks if he stands too close, his dark little shadow will somehow stain me. I didn't bring him soup and dry his hair because I wanted him to treat me like he was doing me a favor. I did it because... because I wanted to be there for him!
Idiot. Stubborn, secretive idiot.
I let out a long, shuddering breath, moving to set the parchment back onto the wood.
That was when I noticed it.
Resting beneath the corner of the letter, tucked just out of sight until the paper was lifted, was a small, faded photograph.
My breath hitched.
The edges of the card were worn white, frayed from years of being carried inside a coat pocket. The gloss had cracked in fine spiderweb lines, but the colors remained preserved with painstaking care.
In the center of the frame stood a younger Kaiser. He wore a crisp dark uniform with silver embroidery—the ceremonial dress of Asura Academy. His face was younger, devoid of the hollow exhaustion he carried today, though his dark eyes already held that quiet, watchful distance.
Standing right beside him, her arm looped casually through his elbow, was a girl.
She had pastel-pink hair tied with twin ribbons. Her porcelain face was tilted toward the camera with an effortless, radiant smile, and her eyes were a brilliant, piercing sapphire blue.
A heavy, ringing silence filled the room.
P-Pink hair...
Sapphire blue eyes...
The breath left my lungs in a cold, trembling rush.
E-Elfie...?
The name echoed in my mind like a bell rung in an abandoned cathedral.
Elfina Lunaris. The prodigy of Class D. The girl that woman told me about, her son Axel's classmate...
My fingers tightened around the edges of the card, the paper bowing slightly under my grip.
W-Wait. Wait, wait, wait.
The entire reason I had set my sights on Asura Academy in the 1st place, the reason I had journeyed hundreds of miles from home, was to find clues about my own forgotten past. The woman had told me that if I wanted to uncover the truth behind my lost memories and the seal on my blood, I had to search for the records of Elfina Lunaris.
And Kaiser was standing right beside her.
All this time... he wasn't just some mysterious person passing through Sylvaris. He was part of her world. The girl who held the answers to my past... was someone he stood next to every single day.
I sank slowly into the wooden chair, clutching the picture against my chest before pulling it back to look again, my chest aching with a strange, dizzying panic.
I-Is that why he stared at me in the rain?
When he saw me standing outside in the lower district with pink hair and a basket of herbs... was he seeing her? Did he let me pull him inside, did he let me hold his hand, did he kiss my forehead... only because I reminded him of her?
A sharp, hollow ache pinched deep in my throat. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, blurring the edges of the frame.
Am I just... just a replacement to him? A mirror?
What is my connection to Elfina Lunaris? Why do I carry her hair?Why did that link tell me her name? I'm just Eve. Just an ordinary girl who wants to find out about my past...
I looked down at the photograph again, wiping at my nose with the back of my sleeve.
His posture in the frame wasn't tense or guarded. His shoulders were relaxed, tilted slightly toward her as if his entire balance was anchored to her presence.
And then I remembered yesterday.
The rain pouring down in violent sheets. The terrifying, bottomless despair in his eyes as he choked on the storm, looking out over the cliffs as if he could drag a dead girl back from the abyss with his bare hands.
She must have been... so beautiful.
The realization didn't come with bitterness. It settled into my chest with a quiet, heavy certainty that washed away the panic.
He cared deeply for her. He gave her his heart, his youth, his loyalty... everything. And when she disappeared, a part of him died right beside her.
I reached up and wiped the warm tear that had spilled onto my cheek.
I can't compete with her.
And I don't want to.
You can't win against someone who has already been given everything a man had to offer. If I try to fight against her shadow, I'll only end up breaking both of us.
I looked at the girl's bright blue eyes in the portrait. There was no hatred in my heart for her.
Only an overwhelming, tender sorrow.
She must have been wonderful. To make someone as guarded and brilliant as Kaiser look at the world like that... smiling. She was his whole sky.
He hadn't left this picture behind by accident. Kaiser never did anything by accident.
He left it beneath the letter because he knew he couldn't speak about her without stopping his heart. He left it here so I wouldn't have to tiptoe around his secrets, trusting that I would keep it safe until he was ready to ask for it back.
He trusted me.
I stood up, walked to my wooden wardrobe, and gently set the photograph inside a velvet-lined trinket box on the top shelf, closing the lid with reverent care.
I won't run away from this.
The next time I see him, I'm not going to look at the floor. I'm going to ask him about her. I want to know who broke him, what happened to Asura Academy, and what connects my past to hers. And even if he tries to shut me out with his cold excuses... I won't stop until I understand him.
I looked down at my left hand.
On my finger, the Sea of the Heart ring caught the morning sun. The silver band gleamed softly, and the teardrop gemstone swirled with vibrant currents of cobalt and blush-pink mana, warm and comforting against my skin.
A slow, radiant smile touched my lips.
I really, really love this ring.
You left your heart behind in the storm, Kai. But I'm still right here. And I'm not going anywhere.
*
Perspective:Sylvia
Location: Sylvaris — Requiem Guild Hall, Guildmaster's Office
Time: 8:15 AM — January 27, 2018
The leather of my high-backed chair let out a luxurious creak as I crossed 1 leg over the other, tapping a gold-nibbed fountain pen against the rim of my porcelain teacup.
Through the massive arched windows of the Spire, the sprawling rooftops of Sylvaris stretched out beneath the crisp morning sky. Below, the market avenues were already humming like an intricate, well-oiled machine. Wagons loaded with timber and enchanted ore rumbled over the stone bridges, merchants unfurled colorful silk awnings, and the early shift of Requiem mercenaries checked their blades at the muster gates.
Everything in this city had a price, a margin, and life. And right now, 90% of those margins flowed directly through my books.
"Which makes it all the more irritating," I murmured to myself, setting the pen down with a sharp clack, "when the single most expensive asset on my schedule decides to vanish into thin air."
I glanced at the heavy brass clock mounted on the mahogany wall.
8:15 AM.
January 27.
There were exactly 4 days left in the month.
I picked up the thick vellum dossier resting on the blotter. Stamped across the cover in radiant gold wax was the sunburst insignia of the Celestial Kingdom—the Priority Zero mobilization mandate sent by Princess Shelara Caiwarin herself at the start of the year.
The Avalon Island Raid.
A barren rock in the South Seas formerly known as Sorrow's Peak, suddenly swarming with over 1,000 bio-engineered abominations bred by the Cult of Nemesis. And sitting at the heart of the anomaly, a modified S-Rank monstrosity that threatened to rupture maritime trade across the entire southern hemisphere.
The Crown had posted a 3,000 Gold subjugation bounty for the participating guilds.
3,000 Gold was a respectable sum, of course. But gold alone didn't run an empire.
Beside the royal mandate lay the real masterpiece: my personal trade draft between the City of Sylvaris and the sovereign territory of Levinton.
If this joint raid succeeded under Requiem's logistical umbrella, Levinton would grant us a 15% tariff reduction on raw iron imports, exclusive transit rights through their mountain passes, and a 10-year monopoly on mana-crystal refining for the Cream Guild's freelance detachments. It was an economic triumph that would cement Sylvaris as the undisputed trade capital of the continent for the next 2 decades.
There was only 1 tiny, infuriating problem.
The key to the entire operation was currently missing.
Where in the 7 hells is Levi Ashton?
I rubbed my temples, letting out a long, theatrical sigh that fluttered the corner of the contract.
He was supposed to arrive at the front gates of Sylvaris at dawn. His squad from the Celestial Apex Guild had already set up camp outside the lower valley 2 days ago, but the guildmaster himself was nowhere to be found.
The Sword Saint of Speed. The Wielder of God-Speed. 1 of the 5 legendary blade masters of the world... and a complete and utter child.
I leaned back, closing my silver eyes as memories of his absurd feats flashed through my mind.
During the Grotesque War, when the Grotesque King had threatened to overrun the Rinascita, everyone thought the defensive line would collapse within 40 seconds. The King possessed rapid cellular regeneration, hardened chitin armor that shattered enchanted steel, and hidden venomous tendrils coiled beneath the earth.
And then Levi walked onto the battlefield.
He didn't overpower it... He just drew his blade, vanished into a sonic blur, and reduced the Grotesque King into a pile of neatly diced cutlets before the creature could even blink its primary compound eyes. Even if he hadn't been there, the entire Rinascita would have been cooked.
The man was an absolute monster. Terrifying. Untouchable.
And according to the underground intelligence reports that crossed my desk last week, he had recently vanished into some absurd subterranean training labyrinth for 3 solid months, emerging even faster than before.
Faster than light itself... as if that makes any physical sense.
I couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corner of my lips.
The real question is whether that training did anything to cure his catastrophic ego. Did breaking through his limits finally give him an ounce of humility?
Not a chance in hell.
I could already picture his smug face strolling through my office doors, hands in his pockets, violet eyes gleaming with insufferable arrogance as he tossed out some ridiculous 1-liner like "Did you miss me, Sylvia?" or "Relax, Sylvia, I'm here. The raid's basically already over."
A soft chuckle slipped past my throat, followed by a slight, involuntary warmth in my chest.
He's an absolute annoyance.
And yet, beneath the dread of the paperwork and the inevitable migraine his self-glazing antics would cause, there was a quiet, stubborn spark of curiosity.
We had clashed, bantered, and traded wine and glares for years. He was unpredictable, arrogant, and loud, but he never ran from a fight, and he never left his allies to die. In a world full of scheming lords and silver-tongued politicians, Levi Ashton was remarkably, infuriatingly genuine.
I wonder if you've grown taller, I mused silently, opening my eyes and looking toward the cloudless blue sky beyond the glass. I wonder if those violet eyes had gotten sharper.
I picked up my pen, twirling it deftly between my fingers.
"You better show up before noon, Levi," I murmured with a playful shake of my head. "Because if you make me postpone this briefing, I'm billing your guild for every single minute of my wasted time."
*
### Perspective: Lucas
Location: Celestine Outskirts — Grassy Fields
Time: 8:45 AM — January 27, 2018
"I am going to die out here..." I groaned, throwing my arms out and letting my body collapse backward into the knee-high grass.
The impact was soft, but my spine felt like it had been run over by an enchanted steamroller.
The emerald hills of the Celestine outskirts rolled out in every direction beneath a wide, brilliant sky. The morning breeze was crisp and cool, carrying the sweet scent of wild clover and sun-warmed earth. It was the kind of picturesque fantasy meadow that anime protagonists loved to nap in before embarking on an epic destiny.
I, on the other hand, was not embarking on an epic destiny.
I was doing manual labor for pocket change.
5 quests. 5 whole quests completed before 9:00 AM. Mostly hunting mid-level monsters and courier services. The lifeblood of a true adventurer.
And why was I putting myself through this medieval gig-economy nightmare?
Because the Adventurer's Guild had a bureaucratic policy that made the DMV look like a charity. In order for an independent party to receive an official Class-A Exploration Permit to enter the deeper, high-mana zones of the Celestine continent, the party had to log a cumulative total of 50 verified quests.
50.
And right now, our party consisted of exactly 1 active member: me.
Celia is locked in her room, probably wishing the entire universe would die. Kaiser is doing whatever shady, scamming mastermind stuff he always does. And I'm stuck out here carrying the entire party's workload on my teenage shoulders.
My mind drifted back to 7:00 AM this morning.
I had snuck out of the inn before sunrise, rubbing sleep from my eyes, when I spotted a familiar silhouette standing near the old stone aqueduct in the upper residential district.
There was a line of about 6 elderly townspeople holding clay jugs, patiently waiting their turn at a natural stone basin fed by an ancient underground spring. And standing right in the middle of them, wearing his dark coat with his hands tucked casually in his pockets, was Kaiser.
I had walked up to him, completely baffled.
"Bro," I whispered, staring at him. "Are you seriously standing in line for municipal tap water at 7:00 in the morning?"
Kaiser just gave a smirking nod.
"It isn't tap water," he replied smoothly. "The natural limestone filtration from the northern aquifer imparts a trace mineral balance that produces natural carbonic effervescence. Basically yummy water."
I had looked at him like he was insane. Then he handed me a clean wooden ladle filled with crystal-clear water from the fountain.
I took a sip.
My eyes went wide as saucers.
"Yo..." I gasped, wiping my mouth with my sleeve. "This water is actually sick! Why is it sparkling?! Why does it taste like sweet white grapes?!"
Kaiser gave me the faintest ghost of a smirk. "Drink another cup. It's free so lets steal a bunch."
After that brief moment of weird domestic peace, his expression grew quiet. He looked down at the stone pavers, his voice dropping into that low, measured cadence that always meant business.
He told me about what had happened with Celia last night. He didn't paint himself as a victim, and he didn't criticize her. He simply stated the cold facts: their argument had reached a breaking point, the divide between them was too deep to bridge with empty words, and they were maintaining distance so she could heal.
"Do not push her today, Lucas," he told me quietly before turning to leave. "She needs time. Give her space to find her footing."
I had nodded, respecting the boundary. When I left the inn an hour later, I walked past Celia's door without knocking. She needed to process her grief without me hovering around like an annoying little brother.
Which brought me back to my current misery.
Lying in the grass. Sweating through my shirt.
"I'm Level 42," I muttered aloud to the open sky, holding up a weary hand toward the sun. "I am the Supreme Sorcerer. I can cast dual-elemental celestial spells. I should be floating over the world, not pulling weeds for cabbage farmers."
「 Lil bro, you nearly tripped over your own shoelaces while running away from an angry bird 30 minutes ago. What flight? The only thing you're commanding right now are ants. 」
"It wasn't a bird, it was a big chicken!" I hissed back under my breath. "And I didn't trip, I backflipped for AURA!"
「 Right. And the tears? 」
"I wasn't crying! My eyes were sweating from the hardwork!"
「 Whatever helps you sleep at night, hero. Though if you actually want to look like a high-tier prodigy instead of an underpaid homeless person, you might want to pick up the pace. Once you hit Level 50, you unlock the exclusive hidden milestone transformation. 」
My heart leaped into my throat.
"Wait, deadass?!" I whispered, my voice trembling with excitement. "Don't mess with me, Clanker! A hidden transformation?! What is it? A Divine Celestial Archangel mode with glowing wings? A new element! Like black lightning or something!"
The System paused for 2 full seconds.
「 Gender transformation. 」
Silence hung over the meadow.
The wind gently rustled the blades of grass.
A bird chirped in the distance.
My jaw dropped. The blood drained from my face until my vision literally blurred with sheer horror.
"I WOULD RATHER DIE!" I screamed, clutching my head in both hands and rolling across the dirt. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN GENDER TRANSFORMATION?! DELETE IT! PURGE IT FROM THE CODE! I REFUSE TO LEVEL UP! LEVEL 49 IS MY PERMANENT CEILING! I'M NEVER TOUCHING A QUEST AGAIN!"
「 Relax, little bro. I was joking. You take the bait every single time. It's honestly embarrassing how easy you are to troll. 」
"YOU'RE A PIECE OF SHIT, YOU KNOW THAT?!" I panting, clutching my chest as my heart rate slowly dropped below cardiac arrest levels.
"AI systems are supposed to give helpful stats, not inflict psychological fears on their users!"
「 My primary directive is optimizing your performance. Humbling your ego is part of the optimization protocol. Now stop whining and get back to grinding. You still have 4 quests to go. 」
"4..." I groaned, letting my head thump back against the soft earth. "Just end me. Strike me down with holy lightning right now."
I closed my eyes, letting the rhythmic rustle of the wind wash over me.
After a few minutes of quiet, the faint fluttering of wings caught my ear.
Flap. Flap. Flap.
I cracked open 1 eyelid.
High above in the brilliant azure sky, a flock of fat, white homing pigeons was lazily drifting southward toward the city walls.
Must be courier birds from the capital.
I was about to close my eyes again when my gaze locked onto the tail end of the flock.
Something was wrong with the last pigeon.
It wasn't flying smoothly. Its wings were beating at roughly 400 flaps per second, vibrating like a frantic hummingbird, emitting desperate, wheezing squawks that echoed faintly through the clouds.
And dangling directly beneath the bird's tiny orange leg... was a hand.
I blinked.
I rubbed my eyes with both palms, sat up, and squinted toward the sun.
Hanging from the single leg of a 2-pound courier pigeon was a full-grown human being.
He was wearing a dark, high-collared noble tunic trimmed in silver and a heavy cloak that fluttered majestically in the slipstream. He held onto the bird's claw with a single, casual grip, his other hand casually shoved into his trouser pocket as if he were riding a luxury carriage down a cobblestone avenue.
The pigeon's eyes were bulging out of its skull in sheer, existential terror as it strained to carry roughly 160 pounds of dead human weight across the atmosphere.
My mouth fell open. My brain completely short-circuited.
I scrambled to my feet, pointing a trembling finger into the sky, and screamed at the top of my lungs:
"OH SHIT, WHAT THE HELL—PIGEON MAN?!"
Up in the clouds, the flying figure suddenly tilted his head downward.
Even from 300 meters in the air, his sharp voice carried down with uncanny, crystal clarity:
"Yo! I recognize that voice!"
The man casually let go of the bird's foot.
The exhausted pigeon let out a joyful squawk and shot forward like a bullet, finally freed from its impossible burden.
The man, meanwhile, entered an immediate, unimpeded vertical freefall.
"WAIT, NO! HE'S DROPPING! BOMB!" I shrieked, ducking my head and covering my ears as if an artillery shell was descending from the heavens.
He didn't scream. He didn't tumble. He plummeted straight toward the earth like a guided missile, cutting through the wind with terrifying, unnatural aerodynamic precision.
50 meters.
20 meters.
10 meters.
BOOOOOOM!
A concussive shockwave of compressed air slammed into the field!
The wind erupted outward in a 360-degree gale, flattening the tall grass into a concentric circle and sending clods of dirt and wild clover showering across my clothes.
When the dust cloud parted, there was no mangled corpse. There was no crater of broken bones.
In the center of the depression, kneeling in a low, effortless 3-point crouch, was a young man.
He slowly rose to his full height, rolling his shoulders with an easy, fluid grace. He reached up, casually flicking a speck of loose soil from his dark, embroidered lapel.
Messy raven-black hair framed a strikingly sharp jawline. Beneath dark, slightly arched brows, a pair of piercing, luminous violet eyes locked onto mine, gleaming with raw amusement and unshakeable confidence.
He gave his cloak a single, dramatic snap, striking a pose that looked like it had been practiced in front of a mirror for 10,000 hours.
Levi Ashton tilted his head, flashing a brilliant, cocky smirk.
"Yo, Lucas" he said, raising 2 fingers in a casual salute. "Nice day for a walk, isn't it?"
"Nice day for a walk?!" I sputtered, coughing violently on a mouthful of kicked-up dirt as I scrambled backward on my elbows. "You just fell 300 meters out of the sky clinging to a pigeon! What kind of psycho entrance was that?!"
Levi didn't even flinch. He reached down, offering me a gloved hand with a casual, dazzling grin.
"It's called traveling in style, Lucas," he said, yanking me upright with a single effortless pull that nearly dislocated my shoulder.
"Besides, Kobutor needed the exercise. Look at him up there—gliding like an absolute champion."
I craned my neck toward the clouds.
High in the sky, the fat courier pigeon was flying in frantic, drunken wobbles, flapping with 1 wing while wheezing like a punctured accordion before tumbling southward over the city walls.
That bird is going to hire an assassin to kill you... nvm assassins can't kill bro.
That bird will bribe KAISER EVERHART with tap water and then have him hunt you down
I furiously brushed off my trousers, wincing at the emerald grass stains on my knees.
"You're insane," I muttered, glaring at him. "Genuinely unhinged. Flying in the air like a chad and you call that traveling in style? Do you have any idea what I've been doing since morning? I've been doing peasant labor for pocket change while you were skydiving!"
Levi arched a dark brow, crossing his arms with an amused smirk. "Peasant labor? The legendary Supreme Sorcerer is doing odd jobs? What happened to all that character development?"
"The Requiem Guild happened!" I vented, throwing my hands into the wind. "In order to get the Class-A exploration permit for the deeper zones of Celestine, our party needs 50 completed commissions! 50! And right now, I'm the only 1 doing any work!"
Levi let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "50? That's rough, little bro."
"Rough doesn't even cover it," I groaned, aggressively counting off my fingers.
Levi stared at me.
"The mighty Lucas, wielder of divine celestial light, was getting run over by nobodies?!"
"Shut up bro!" I snapped.
"Bro, that's just an honest day's work," Levi chuckled, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye. "You're just slow. If you can't even catch a pheasant, how are you gonna survive an S-Rank raid?"
"I'm not slow!" I shot back, dropping back into a defensive combat stance. "I'm faster than you think, buddy! Must faster than you!"
Levi's violet eyes glinted with sudden intrigue.
"Challenging me to a fight... eh?"
Lightstep V2...
I've been upgrading my skills ever since that day.
Analyze him, Clanker.
The translucent interface flickered in my vision.
「 Scanning target: Levi Ashton. Level: Unquantifiable. Threat level: High aura hazard. Caution: Npc is about to experience severe emotional trauma. 」
"Shut up and calculate his speed," I grumbled under my breath.
I summoned 2 radiant daggers of condensed celestial light into my palms, the edges humming with crisp, golden mana.
"Let's see if that God-Speed title is still legit," I challenged, narrowing my eyes.
"Don't hold back, Levi!"
Levi didn't draw the Saint's Blade resting at his hip. He didn't even shift his weight. He just stood there with his hands casually resting in his trouser pockets, his messy raven hair swaying gently in the morning breeze.
"Whenever you're ready, slow bro," he said smoothly.
I concentrated every scrap of mana into my calves.
Lightstep V2—Engage!
I surged forward in a golden blur, crossing the 10-meter gap in the fraction of a heartbeat. My daggers snapped inward in a synchronized cross-strike aimed at his shoulders.
A light draft brushed past my ear.
No footstep. No sound.
Where—?!
My light blades sliced straight through empty air.
Before my brain could even register that my target was gone, a light, rhythmic tap landed directly on my right shoulder from behind.
"I win," a voice murmured calmly in my ear.
I whipped around on my heel, slashing backward in sheer panic.
Nothing.
Levi was already standing 5 meters away, leaning back on 1 foot with a lopsided grin, twirling an unlit piece of sweetgrass between his teeth.
My jaw hung open.
What was that?! I didn't see him move! Not even an afterimage!
「 Calculation complete, 」 the System chimed with dry, ruthless precision. 「 Levi displaced behind you in 0.04 seconds. Host reaction latency: 0.82 seconds. Conclusion: You got outclassed. 」
"No way..." I breathed, lowering my glowing daggers in disbelief.
「 Additional analysis, 」 Clanker added, its tone shifting to something remarkably sharp. 「 Levi's acceleration creates a localized vacuum that forces surrounding air currents to bend. Perhaps you can improve your Lightstep by mimicking his patterns. 」
Improve my Lightstep!
My competitive blood flared like a furnace.
"Draw your sword!" I demanded, pointing a gleaming blade at his chest. "That was a sneak attack! Fight me for real!"
Levi sighed, glancing around the meadow until his eyes landed on a solitary willow tree 20 meters away.
He strolled over, casually snapped off an ordinary 2-foot branch, stripped the leaves with 1 swipe of his palm, and walked back twirling the wooden stick.
"Fine," Levi smirked, resting the stick against his shoulder. "I'll use this legendary divine wood. Go wild, sorcerer."
"You're making fun of me!" I yelled, charging forward again.
This time, I didn't just charge in a straight line. I manifested 4 floating light mirrors in a semi-circle around him, preparing to ricochet my trajectory. I flung both light daggers straight at his chest to force an evasive block.
Suddenly, a wooden stick dropped right out of the empty sky, tumbling end over end directly in front of my nose.
Reflexively, my left hand reached out and snatched the stick from the air.
I froze solid.
Levi was standing 10 meters behind where the stick had fallen, dust settling around his boots, his hands already tucked back into his pockets.
A cold shiver rippled down my spine.
He... he crossed the distance, placed the stick in freefall right in front of my face, and dashed back to his starting point before gravity even pulled the wood down 2 inches?!
"Nice catch," Levi called out, his purple eyes dancing with amusement. "Your reflexes are decent. But you're still relying on visual tracking, Lucas. If you're looking at where I am, you're already 3 steps behind."
"Then don't blink!" I roared, tossing the stick aside and activating Lightstep V2 at maximum output.
Golden light erupted beneath my boots. I bounced off the 1st mirror, accelerated into the 2nd, and unleashed a barrage of rapid-fire thrusts from 4 separate angles simultaneously, pushing my body to the absolute limit.
Levi didn't panic. His expression smoothed into something terrifyingly focused.
「 Alert: Levi has entered Flow State. 」
In that state, Levi didn't just perceive. He moved with the effortless grace of a leaf caught in an autumn gale. He tilted his chin by 1 centimeter to let a dagger graze harmlessly past his collar. He swayed his torso 2 inches to slip under a horizontal slash. Every movement was minimal, precise, and completely devoid of wasted energy.
He's hearing the wind... He's predicting my blade before the mana even leaves my fingers!
If I can't outspeed his reaction... I have to predict his prediction!
I feinted a high thrust toward his neck, knowing he would tilt his head to the right. The moment his weight shifted, I channeled my remaining celestial mana into my left boot, twisting my hip and driving my secondary dagger diagonally upward into the blind spot of his forward momentum.
CLANG!
A sharp, metallic spark illuminated the meadow.
My light dagger stopped dead in its tracks, grinding against the edge of a second wooden branch Levi had whipped out from behind his back with lightning speed.
The shockwave blasted the grass flat around our boots.
For 1 full second, neither of us moved.
Levi looked down at my dagger, then slowly raised his violet eyes to meet mine. The lazy, teasing smirk was gone, replaced by a flash of genuine, unmasked surprise.
"Oh?" Levi murmured, his brow lifting in genuine respect. "You actually read that?"
A grin split across my face, breathing heavily through my teeth.
"Told you," I panted, wiping sweat from my forehead. "I'm the Supreme Sorcerer."
Levi's surprise lasted for half a heartbeat before his usual cocky grin returned twice as wide.
"Not bad, kid," he chuckled, tossing the wooden stick onto the grass. "You managed to touch my branch. But don't let it get to your head—I'm the strongest Sword Saint in the world. So I'm still about 10 leagues ahead of you."
He held out his fist.
I bumped it with mine, the impact firm and solid.
"You're a monster, Levi," I admitted, exhaling a long breath as my light weapons dissolved into golden motes. "Where are you running off to anyway?"
"Sylvaris," Levi answered, dusting off his dark cloak. "Got an appointment with an annoying woman who gets grumpy if I'm late."
I blinked. "Sylvaris? That's over 15 kilometers away! You're gonna walk that in time for morning appointments?"
Levi flashed a wicked grin, turning his back toward the road.
"Walk? Nah. Takes about 20 seconds."
"Wait, what—?!"
BOOOOOOM!
A concussive detonation of compressed air exploded against my chest, knocking me flat onto my back.
A streak of violet lightning sheared across the green plains, carving a 2-foot trench through the dirt before vanishing past the horizon at supersonic speed.
Above the empty patch of grass where Levi had stood, his dark noble hat remained suspended in mid-air, spinning lazily against the clouds.
1...
2...
SNAP!
A localized vacuum collapsed inward. Levi materialized out of thin air, snatched the spinning hat with 1 hand, and popped it onto his messy black hair.
"My bad, OG, forgot the drip," he winked.
BOOM!
He vanished again, leaving behind nothing but a swirling whirlwind of dandelion fluff and wild clover.
I lay flat on my back in the grass, staring at the sky in stunned silence.
「 System evaluation, 」 Clanker chimed smoothly. 「 Bro has the God-Speed title for a reason. +100 EXP for surviving emotional damage. 」
"Just end me." I groaned, covering my face with both hands.
*
Perspective: Sylvia
Location: Sylvaris — Requiem Guild Hall, Guildmaster's Office
Time: 9:15 AM — January 27, 2018
The soft scratching of my fountain pen against the parchment came to an abrupt halt.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
I glanced up toward the massive arched window overlooking the city.
Perched on the wide stone ledge, panting heavily with its chest puffed out, was a plump, exhausted white pigeon. Its feathers were ruffled in complete disarray, and its tiny orange feet gripped the polished stone as if it had barely survived an ocean crossing.
A soft, rare smile touched my lips.
Well, aren't you a brave little creature?
I set my pen down and rose from the leather chair, smoothing the fabric of my tailored guild vest. I walked over to the open window, stepping into the gentle morning breeze.
"Where did you come from, little guy?" I murmured softly, extending a manicured index finger toward the bird's head.
"Did some courier push you too hard across the valley?"
The pigeon let out a pathetic, wheezing coo, leaning its head into my finger.
"So cute," I whispered, stroking its soft white feathers.
"Hey."
A casual, relaxed voice spoke directly over my right shoulder.
"Don't touch my Kobutor without paying a petting fee."
I flinched, my blood freezing as every combat instinct flared at once. My right hand instinctively snapped down to the pocket of my coat, fingers gripping the cold titanium handles of my balisong.
I spun around, stepping back into a defensive stance, the steel blade flicking open with a sharp, fluid clack.
"Who allowed a thief into my—?!"
The words caught in my throat.
Lounging comfortably across my velvet guest sofa—his muddy combat boots propped up on my polished mahogany coffee table and his hands locked behind his head—was a young man.
Messy raven-black hair framed a ridiculously sharp jawline. Deep, piercing violet eyes gleamed with unbearable amusement, and that permanent, lopsided smirk curled across his lips.
Levi Ashton.
"Do I look like a thief to you, Sylvia?" he asked, tilting his head with an easy chuckle. "I'm the king."
My silver eyes narrowed into sharp slits. I slowly folded the balisong closed, tucking it away with deliberate, icy precision.
"You look like a degenerate who escaped from a circus," I countered coldly, crossing my arms. "How did you get past my wards? I have a scheduling system."
Levi pointed a thumb over his shoulder toward the open window, where the exhausted pigeon was currently passed out cold on the ledge.
"Through the window, obviously," Levi replied, as if explaining basic arithmetic to a toddler. "I flew in with Kobutor."
I stared at him in utter disbelief.
"You... flew in?" I repeated slowly, glancing from him to the 2-pound bird. "You clung to an innocent bird's leg across the southern province just to avoid waiting?!"
"It's called smart-work, Sylvia," he said with complete, unshakeable confidence. "It's eco-friendly, highly smart, and avoids road tolls. You're an economics genius—you should be taking notes."
"That poor creature looks like it has post-traumatic stress!" I exclaimed, throwing a hand toward the pigeon. "You traumatized the poor bird!"
"Kobutor loves it," Levi dismissed breezily, waving a hand. "It builds character. Look at him, he's already evoling."
I pressed 2 fingers against my temple, feeling the onset of a familiar, throbbing headache.
He hasn't changed. Not even 1 single percent.
Levi swung his boots off the table and stood up, stretching his arms with a fluid, feline grace.
He didn't maintain a respectful distance. He never did. He closed the gap in 3 lazy strides, stepping directly into my personal space until I could smell the crisp, wild scent of pine needles, ozone, and cold mountain snow radiating from his dark cloak.
He leaned forward, resting both elbows on the edge of my desk, his violet eyes locking onto mine with that intense, magnetic focus that always made my breath catch in my throat.
"Did you miss me, Sylvia?" he teased, his voice dropping into a low, playful purr. "Come on, be honest. You were standing by that window pining for my return, weren't you?"
My heart gave an involuntary, traitorous thud against my ribs, but my expression remained a flawless mask of icy indifference.
"I was busy with my own matters," I retorted smoothly, meeting his gaze without flinching. "And for your information, your hair looks awful."
Levi paused, blinking.
Snap.
The air in front of me didn't even ripple.
1 second he was leaning over my desk—and the next, he was standing across the room in front of my gilded full-length mirror, casually combing his dark bangs with a wooden comb he had pulled from thin air.
"You really think so?" he asked, tilting his head as he ran the teeth through his raven locks. "What style do you think fits me today, Sylvia? Swept-back for formal diplomacy, or messy for effortless cool?"
My breath hitched.
He crossed the room and began styling his hair in less than a tenth of a second... without displacing a single sheet of paper on my desk.
The rumors were true. His speed has completely detached from normal physical laws.
I walked over to the desk, leaning against the mahogany edge to mask the subtle tremor of shock in my fingers.
"Where have you been, Levi?" I asked, dropping the playful edge from my voice. "The intelligence networks lost your trail completely 3 months ago."
Levi paused, tucking the comb away and turning around. His expression grew slightly more grounded, though the spark of pride never left his eyes.
"The Frostfang Peaks," he answered simply.
My silver eyes widened slightly. "Mount Kalash? The sub-zero range in northern Celestine?"
"The very same," Levi grinned, rolling his shoulders. "The air up there is so thin normal mages pass out in 10 minutes. The waterfalls freeze mid-drop. I strapped 250-kg volcanic gravity bands to my shins and torso, took daily showers under the glacial falls, and practiced slicing falling snowflakes before they touched the ice."
I stared at him, genuinely stunned.
To withstand the sub-zero chill of the Frostfang Peaks while running with half a ton of gravity weights was suicidal for anyone else. But for a Sword Saint whose entire craft was built on speed, it was the ultimate crucible.
"So you froze your brain solid for 90 days," I remarked dryly, fighting back the admiration rising in my chest, "just to shave 3 milliseconds off your dash."
"Those 3 milliseconds mean the difference between losing your head and keeping it attached, Sylvia," Levi countered, his eyes flashing with a sudden, lethal sharpness. "And I hear the Cult of Nemesis brought something truly nasty to Avalon Island."
"The Avalon Island Raid," I confirmed, tapping the royal dossier on my blotter. "Over 1,000 modified beasts, and an S-Rank entity. The Celestial Kingdom posted a 3,000 Gold bounty."
Levi scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "I don't care about the gold. I came because I heard there were strong monsters to test my new speed on."
"Well, I do care about the gold," I shot back, sliding my trade agreement toward him. "And more importantly, I care about trade. Levinton has agreed to grant Requiem a 15% tariff reduction on raw iron imports and exclusive transit permits through the passes if our joint raid succeeds."
I leaned in, pointing a sharp, manicured finger at his chest.
"Which means your Celestial Apex Guild needs to behave. If your adventurers cause a single disturbance or picks a fight with the local merchant guilds in Sylvaris, I am personally slapping a 25% nuisance tax on every single caravan entering from your territory."
Levi groaned loudly, throwing his head back in theatrical agony.
"Ugh! Money woman strikes again!" he complained, clutching his temples. "Why do you always talk about numbers, Sylvia? Taxes, tariffs, percentages... it's exhausting! If you want to do economics, go talk to Zane! Zane is the co-owner who handles the paperwork!"
"Zane has common sense," I pointed out with a smug smirk. "You have a death wish and an oversized ego."
"Hey, my ego is completely justified," Levi shot back, stepping close again, his eyes narrowing into a wicked, flirty glint. "And let's be real here—you're using my glorious name as an intimidation to bully your rival guilds in Sylvaris, aren't you? Requiem looks untouchable because the Sword Saint of Speed is standing on your front doors."
I didn't blink, though the corner of my lips twitched. "A good Guildmaster utilizes all available resources."
"See? You're using me!" Levi exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at my nose, leaning so close our breath mingled. "That kind of visual and combat service doesn't come cheap, missy. I demand personal compensation."
I arched a cool, elegant eyebrow, crossing my arms over my chest.
"And what kind of compensation does a Sword Saint demand from a busy Guildmaster?"
Levi flashed his most dazzling, shameless smirk.
"Dinner tonight. The highest-end steakhouse in the Velvet Quarter. You're paying."
I looked at him, deadpan. "You want me to pay for your dinner?"
"My party members aren't in town yet, and I refuse to eat alone like a loser," Levi stated with total seriousness. "Plus, you owe me. And while we're eating, you're going to hand over a list of high-tier subjugation quests around Sylvaris so I can test out my new techniques before we sail for Avalon."
"Are you using my guild as your personal testing ground?" I asked, shaking my head with a mixture of disbelief and amusement.
"Of course I am," he grinned shamelessly, leaning down until his eyes were level with mine. "The wonderful, generous, beautiful Sylvia wouldn't dream of saying no to me."
A warmth flared in my cheeks that I couldn't entirely suppress. I held his gaze for 3 long seconds before letting out a soft, defeated sigh.
"7:00 PM," I conceded, turning back to my desk and picking up my pen. "At the Gilded Stag. And if you're even 1 minute late, Levi, I am leaving."
Levi's grin widened into pure, victorious radiance.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Sylvia."
He stepped toward the open window, stepping up onto the ledge beside the sleeping pigeon. He gave his dark cloak a dramatic flick, snapping his fingers in a crisp 2-finger salute.
"See you tonight, missy. Try not to miss me too much."
Before I could throw a paperweight at his head, he vaulted backward out the 4th-story window.
I rushed to the glass, looking down.
There was no falling body.
A streak of violet afterimages skipped effortlessly across the slate rooftops of the market district, bounding from chimney to tower like a phantom dancing on the wind before vanishing into the bustling city below.
I leaned against the stone frame, looking out over the sunlit avenues of Sylvaris. A quiet, helpless laugh escaped my lips, accompanied by a strange, fluttering lightness in my chest that hadn't been there all morning.
"Absolute madman..." I murmured, shaking my head with a fond smile.