Luna’s expression shifted, becoming more somber.
"My Perception has always been high. Even before awakening, I could sense things others couldn’t. Probably a result of the Empath skill affecting since young."
She paused, choosing her words carefully.
"The Will stat only beca visible on my status screen after it crossed 100. I think... I think it’s because I’ve been handling the side effects of this skill for years."
Her voice dropped slightly.
"Every emotion magnified a hundred tis. Every surrounding feeling affecting tenfold. Every single day, every single mont, with no way to turn it off."
She t his eyes.
"That builds ntal strength whether you want it to or not. Either your mind adapts and gets stronger, or you break completely."
Damian stared at her, really seeing her for the first ti in this context.
’It took my past life mories, decades of Alessio’s experiences with violence and survival, to reach 120 Will.’
’But Luna achieved comparable ntal strength just by existing with this curse of a skill.’
The thought settled in his chest like a weight.
"Does anyone else know about these sub-skills?"
His voice ca out serious.
"No one."
Luna’s response was imdiate.
"Mom and Dad know about the Empath skill itself and the side effects. But these new sub-skills only appeared after awakening, and I haven’t shown anyone my status screen."
"Keep it that way."
Damian’s tone left no room for argunt.
"Don’t ntion your innate skill to anyone."
Luna nodded, understanding the gravity in his voice.
"I know... I won’t."
Damian looked at the holographic display one more ti, his mind already working through strategies and contingencies.
’Saintly Presence explains why everyone imdiately trusts her. It’s passive, always active, affecting everyone around her with lower Will.’
’And Emotional Void... that’s terrifying. The ability to strip emotions entirely, to turn into a purely logical being without fear or moral boundaries.’
His eyes found hers.
’She could use that on herself. Remove her own emotions during combat, eliminate the hundred-tis magnification, and fight without any ntal interference.’
The implications kept expanding in his mind.
He dismissed the holographic display with a gesture.
"Alright."
His voice ca out calr now, more controlled.
"Then let’s get you to your dormitory. Tomorrow’s going to be long."
Once they reached the entrance of the dormitory, Damian continued.
"Get settled in your room and rest if you can. Orientation starts at 10 AM... don’t be late."
"Goodnight, Damian."
"Night."
She left through the main entrance, her footsteps echoing down the stone pathway toward the dormitory wing.
****
[First Year Dormitory]
Luna closed the door behind her, leaned back against it, finally allowing herself to break.
Her legs gave out, sliding down until she sat on the floor, head in her hands, breathing hard.
The accumulated emotions from the entire day crashed over her all at once.
Anger at Felix Onyx for the selective acknowledgnt.
Frustration at Damian’s calm acceptance.
Anxiety about tomorrow’s orientation.
Concern about her own skills being discovered.
All of it magnified a hundred tis, churning in her chest like knives.
She pressed her palms against her eyes, willing herself to calm down.
’In for four counts... hold for seven... out for eight...’
Slowly, gradually, the storm inside her head began to quiet.
Her Empath skill kept working, kept showing her the emotional landscape of nearby students through walls and floors.
Dozens of people settled in for the night, their feelings washing over her in diluted waves.
Excitent for tomorrow.
Nervousness about classes.
Hosickness for family.
All normal, all manageable, all background noise she’d learned to filter.
She pulled herself to her feet, surveyed the small but comfortable room.
It was a standard dormitory setup.
Bed, desk, closet, attached bathroom.
Window overlooking the eastern garden where she’d fought with Damian earlier.
It was her ho for the next year.
Luna walked to the window, looked out at the moonlit campus, and found herself thinking about everything that had changed.
Six months ago, she’d been a normal person attending school.
Now she was the first-ranked student with SSS talent, granddaughter of a powerful military figure, possessing skills that could manipulate entire populations.
And still desperately in love with her Damian who’d rather face Monsters than deal with her feelings.
She laughed quietly, the sound slightly hysterical even to her own ears.
’What a ss.’
Her Academy watch buzzed with incoming ssages.
Friends from the entrance exams welcoming her to campus.
Curious students asking about her background.
A few brave souls trying to arrange study sessions or social gatherings.
She ignored them all, too exhausted to maintain the friendly persona people expected.
Tomorrow.
She’d deal with everything tomorrow.
Tonight, she just needed to survive until morning without drowning in other people’s emotions.
Luna changed into sleeping clothes, crawled into bed, pulled the covers over her head like a child hiding from monsters.
Except the monsters were inside her own mind, and there was no hiding from those.
She closed her eyes, focused on breathing, and prayed for dreamless sleep.
****
Damian stood alone outside the dormitory, watching Luna disappear through the entrance.
His mind drifted to sothing he hadn’t thought about in months.
The knowledge from the novel.
’It’s been a long ti since I considered any of that.’
He walked slowly toward his own dormitory, hands in his pockets, long crimson hair catching the wind.
’First cos the beast tide... Aura density worldwide is about to spike. Everyone will have a chance to advance faster than normal for a few weeks.’
His strategic mind calculated possibilities.
’I need to make sure the Mafia takes advantage of the mont. Get as many people through their bottlenecks as possible. Build strength while–’
CRACK
As he was making plans, suddenly, pain exploded through his skull.
It wasn’t physical pain but sothing deeper, like his soul was being torn in half and rebuilt wrong.
Damian’s legs gave out and he dropped to one knee, one hand pressed against his temple, teeth clenched against the agony.
’What... what the fuck is happening?!’
Then reality shifted.
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