When Kin Light and Nell left the library, Nell shouted angrily, "Why did we leave and let that bastard inside without punishment?!"
Kin replied calmly, "I'm sorry, my dear, but there's something I need to do first."
He left her behind as she kept calling his name, but he did not respond until he reached a quiet place alone.
Nell watched Kin walk away, and with every step he took, her heart felt a little heavier. Anger flared inside her chest—how could he leave her so easily after letting that wretch in the library humiliate her? Yet anger wasn't the only thing burning within; a strange unease crept into her thoughts. She knew Kin was hiding something, a secret he refused to share with her. Her fists clenched tightly, her eyes clouded with a mix of resentment and confusion, before she muttered under her breath: "Am I nothing more than a shadow walking beside him? Or is my place in his heart worth less than that sorceress whose name he keeps whispering?"
There, Kin whispered, "Moon Witch! You finally appeared after such a long absence. But why did you urge me to leave the library so suddenly?"
Although no one else was present, a beautiful woman appeared before his eyes. She wore violet robes, her black hair cascading down like a river of night, and her face as pale as the moon in a dark sky.
The Moon Witch spoke softly, "If you hadn't left at that moment, you would have been injured."
Kin frowned, not understanding, so she continued, "Shion Lan is no longer the same as the last time we saw him."
Kin scoffed, "How could he be different? Isn't he still the same cowardly bastard as always?"
"No, he isn't," she replied firmly. "I can feel it—he now holds the skills of both magic and swordsmanship. On top of that, I sense he carries bloodlines as well."
Kin's eyes widened in shock. "A mage, a swordsman, and an heir? You must be joking! How is that even possible?"
He paused, then asked seriously, "The inheritance Shion received… how strong is it?"
The Moon Witch fell silent for a moment before answering, "I believe it rivals the art of the Moon Master… or perhaps even surpasses it."
"What?!" Kin was shaken. His own art, the Moon Master, was a high-level technique, and the Moon Witch herself was in the Eighth Circle—yet she admitted feeling threatened by Shion's inheritance.
"How can you be so sure he's stronger than you—or even equal?" Kin pressed. "We haven't fought him yet."
The witch's voice grew low. "When Shion ignored you earlier and turned toward the window, he was looking at me. When I moved, his eyes followed. His ability to perceive me, and the fact that I can't identify his inheritance, prove just how terrifying it is."
She sighed and added, "But strangely, I feel he isn't using his inherited power… instead, he's fighting with his own strength. The power I saw in him radiated safety to those near him. Yet from his inheritance, I sensed only dread and misfortune. That's why I hope you two will avoid clashing—for your own safety."
Kin exhaled slowly, then smirked. "Since you've appeared… will you finally teach me something about the Crimson Moon?"
"You're still at the Blue Moon," she replied. "Once you master it, I'll teach you the Crimson Moon. For now, train harder—grow stronger."
Meanwhile, back in the library, Shion had been sitting for hours, nearly until closing time. "Finally, I've finished the first shelf. Now I need to find a spear technique, and a light-element technique for Baro."
He wandered into the martial arts section and found a book combining both: Spear of Light. It was fast, and when focused on a point, it could pierce through.
Shion muttered to himself, It looks good… but compared to the techniques of Shi Yonlan's world, this is trash. Still, it's the only light-type skill suitable for Baro. Hmm… I think I can modify it.
Using the knowledge he had gained from stargazing, Shion began reconstructing the technique in his mind. He imagined Baro's body, his strength, and adjusted the points—removing some, adding others. Then, closing his eyes, he entered his spiritual space, facing a thirteen-year-old boy.
"Let's fight!" Shion declared, launching the modified technique.
Shi Yon Lan, who stood opposite, nearly vomited in disgust. What is this? Wasn't he supposed to challenge me? Why does it feel like he's throwing garbage I could deflect with a finger?
Shi Yun Lan shattered the technique effortlessly, then decapitated Shion. Shion snapped back to reality, eyes wide, then suddenly smiled. "I found it!"
He adjusted the points again, refining the spear art until he whispered, "Now this technique deserves to be among the best three-star arts!" Testing it again, the battle lengthened from five seconds to eight—an improvement that proved the refinement worked.
Later, Shion left the library and returned to the training camp. There, he found Baro practicing basic spear forms with the weapon they had bought. Each thrust radiated the aura of a strong warrior.
His first star should form soon, Shion thought. He called out, and Baro quickly ran over to greet him.
"Today, I found a technique I think suits you well within your limits," Shion said, handing him the revised Spear of Light. Baro accepted it eagerly and immersed himself in studying it.
Shion, meanwhile, sat by the river in meditation. His aura glowed faintly, not dazzling but steady, betraying his quiet power. He looked up at the stars, synchronizing his body, mind, and spirit with their rhythm, repeating the process of comprehension over and over.
The elements intertwined, and magic merged with aura. Shion began to glimpse a path leading toward the stars. He felt his magic circle trying to adapt to that path, but soon a flaw appeared.
He tried again and again, yet failure was all he met.
What's wrong? Why can't I merge my circle with the path of the stars? Is my understanding of the star path still too shallow? Or is my energy insufficient? Or… do I first need to awaken a Halo Star?
The questions swirled in his mind, but Shion refused to give in to despair. He decided to train with the element of water, hoping it would lead to the birth of his Halo Star. He practiced until dawn, then returned to the academy's library the next day.
Standing before the librarian, he spoke politely:
"Good morning, sir. I came to read in the theoretical section again. If I have time, I'll also check the martial arts section."
The man gave him a sharp look before granting permission. "That boy from yesterday also came today. I don't want any trouble between you two. If anything happens, I'll throw you both out."
"Yes, sir!" Shion answered immediately, then hurried to the astronomy corner.
For hours he sat there, moving from book to book, scribbling notes onto scraps of paper, crossing them out, rewriting, and starting again. He was so absorbed that he didn't notice the eyes on him.
The Moon Witch was silently watching, observing his every move, looking for any sign of provocation. Yet the longer she watched, the clearer it became: Shion had changed. He was no longer the reckless child she once knew, but someone entirely different. After two days of close surveillance, she left, convinced he had no interest in Kin, Nell, or stirring trouble.
In the evenings, Shion trained at the riverbank. He stilled his magic circle and tried to sense each droplet of water as it flowed past. A mage must grasp a spell with the mind… a warrior must grasp a technique with the body, he told himself as he immersed in the current.
Test after test, a realization dawned on him: If I can gather the raindrops into a stream, and the stream into a river, I'll be closer to the true technique.
Standing on the bank, he raised his sword and shouted:
"Raging River!"
But the strike scattered uselessly. He gave a bitter smile.
"This technique suits the spear better… let's keep it at the stream for now."
He repeated it countless times, eventually managing to draw out a portion of Raindrops without relying entirely on magic. Though he hadn't yet formed his Halo Star, his progress was undeniable.
A week passed like this: the library, training, supervising Baro, then meditation. At last, he finished every book in the astronomy corner. He spotted one volume filled with questions that tugged at his curiosity, but he set it aside. For now, I must focus on Raindrops. That's the key to the exam.
That night, he lay on his bed, whispering to himself:
"The exam is tomorrow… I'll succeed, no matter the cost."
He fell asleep with dreams of stars and the pressure of expectations. The next morning, he dressed quickly, ate in a rush, Shion's mother sat across from him, watching as he hurried through his breakfast as usual. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled warmly.
"Remember, Shion, success isn't only about showing your strength to others—it's about staying true to yourself. The path may be difficult, but you are not walking it alone."
Shion paused for a moment, then lifted his head to meet her eyes. Her words were simple, yet they carried a heavy weight in his heart. He bowed slightly in respect and said quietly,
"I promise, Mother… I won't return in failure."
He rose, grabbed his bag quickly, and just before stepping out the door, he turned to see her waving at him, hiding her worry behind a faint smile. In that instant, Shion felt he had another reason to succeed—not just for himself, but for her as well.
He dashed to the academy, heart pounding as he scanned the exam lists. But the shock was greater than anything he had imagined: his name wasn't there.
Confused, he went straight to the student affairs office to ask. The clerk looked up from his desk and said flatly:
"Your name has been removed from the list of failures. From today, you're officially in the second year. Congratulations."
Shion froze in place. Joy didn't come—only confusion.
What happened? I don't mind skipping the test, but… what's the reason?
He stood silently in front of the clerk, questions crowding his mind, yet no answers came.