A few hours ago, within the city of Lustra.
A girl was wandering. Her black hair was reminiscent of obsidian, and her blue eyes looked at everything curiously.
Nyx.
She had actually stayed behind while everyone from her class had gone back to the academy.
The reason was simple.
She hadn't explored the city properly yet.
There were still many cafes she hadn't tried yet.
So she was doing just that.
"Hmm, the last one had good pastries." She wrote sothing down on her ManaSync. "Definitely going to the gold list."
She had actually created a list for different foods.
If she liked sothing, she would put it in gold. That ant she would visit that place next ti.
Silver ant it was decent, but she wouldn't visit again.
And finally, trash has aning. Sothing she wouldn't even try.
"I had nearly explored all the city, and I only found three gold." She whispered. "So much for such a big city."
She was slightly disappointed.
She typed sothing on her ManaSync. Trying to locate her next destination.
Just then–
Her senses prickled.
She picked sothing up. An ominous energy.
Before she could activate her teleportation to escape, a wave of red energy passed through her body.
Her teleportation failed.
W–what's happening?
Just then a system window appeared in front of her.
[YOUR SOUL IS BEING CORRUPTED]
Her mana core trembled.
Her body felt weaker.
The energy felt too ominous. Sothing ancient was awakening.
Her eyes were darkening.
More importantly, her mind was going blank. All her thoughts were vanishing before they finished forming.
mories of her life started flashing before her.
Most of her mories were of being locked in the cold cage she called ho.
Until she arrived in this world.
Made so friends.
Just then–
Another system window appeared.
[FRAGNT OF ???? HAS RESISTED THE SOUL CORRUPTION]
Nyx released a deep breath. Her clarity returned, and her core turned stable.
What was that?
She didn't know what the corruption was, but if it wasn't for the fragnt she had been given for this mission, she would've died.
The fragnt was the reason she was even able to enter this world.
She didn't have ti to think more. A claw ca flying in her direction.
She tried to activate her teleportation, but it was no use.
Nothing happened.
A greatsword appeared in her hands in an instant as she defended against the claw attack.
The attack was sothing a complete rookie would attempt. It didn't have much strength or speed.
She looked at the perpetrator.
It was a woman.
She had seen that woman normal just a few minutes ago.
But now she has completely changed.
Her nails had elongated to form steel claws. A creepy smile was present on her face. Her eyes have turned completely white.
What's happening?
Nyx still couldn't comprehend the situation.
But she didn't have ti. All the people surrounding her started attacking her.
She didn't feel any mana from the people. Their movents were hollow. chanical. Wrong.
Sothing inside her whispered: They weren't alive anymore.
__
After taking care of the attackers, she ran towards the border of the do.
She was currently near the teleportation hub.
She didn't try to go towards the portals.
If her ability didn't work, that ant the portals are also most likely useless.
Just then–
She heard a loud boom.
Even the ground rumbled slightly.
A fight?
Does that an soone is still alive?
Nyx launched herself across rooftops, her figure flickering like a shadow.
Soon, she found the source.
And froze.
The loud clash of steel echoed through the air as Nyx crouched on a nearby rooftop.
Below, a boy was locked in a brutal duel with a robed figure.
His movents were sharp and precise, but sothing was wrong.
Nyx quickly recognised the boy.
Alden?
Is that him?
The air around him shimred with an oppressive aura.
He didn't look human.
He looked like a god walking among mortals
Even mana itself seed to bow before him.
How is he this strong?
Was he always hiding this much power?
She watched in disbelief as Alden toyed with the enemy — an opponent two major ranks above him — with terrifying ease.
It wasn't a battle. It was a massacre.
The battle, or rather the one-sided massacre, didn't last long.
Soon Alden stood in front of the battered body of the robed figure.
His indifferent expressions changed for the first ti… they had a flash of pity.
He didn't wait any longer as his sword moved in one precise arc.
The Disciple's head dropped.
For a mont, silence fell.
Then the do — the invisible barrier trapping the city— flickered and shattered like glass.
A wave of wind rushed in. The mana which was starting to get corrupted... was reinforced by the ambient mana rushing in.
The corruption receded.
One by one, the corrupted people fell, lifeless, like broken puppets.
But it was already too late.
They were gone.
Nyx's chest tightened.
As the barrier broke, Nyx felt a sudden rush — like a dam inside her had burst.
Without hesitation, she activated her teleportation.
In an instant, she was at Alden's side.
His body was sprawled across the ground.
His normal features had returned. His body was bleeding from almost every pore.
Whatever the power he has used…it cost his body imnse strain.
His breathing was shallow, barely a whisper. His body was growing colder and colder.
"No," she whispered.
She crouched beside him.
Her hands trembled as she took out a healing potion from her storage ring.
She opened the vial and lifted it to his lips, but his mouth barely opened.
His body was rejecting it.
What should I do now?
Think..
She swallowed hard, recalling — all the books she'd read, every guide on ergency healing she'd studied through different novels.
His breathing slowed further.
His pulse was faint beneath her fingers.
He was dying.
The world around her seed to blur, ti stretching thin.
Then she rembered.
The final desperate step.
She needed to force the potion down.
She had read it within one of the popular novels.
And the only way was mouth-to-mouth.
Her cheeks burnt with heat at the thought.
It's not like I like him or anything, but I can't just let him die.
She told herself fiercely.
The only reason for even trying to save him was because of her mission.
There were no emotions involved.
There was a slight chance he was "Him" — the one ntioned in her assignnt.
That's all this was.
With trembling hands, she pressed the vial to her lips. She swallowed the potion.
She leaned closer, heart hamring in her throat.
The faint scent of him — faintly tallic, faintly earthy — was overwhelming.
She could feel his breath over her face. It carried warmth.
His face looked pained.
Her face was completely flushed.
She closed her eyes.
There are no emotions involved.
Definitely.
I'm only saving him because of my mission and nothing else.
She convinced herself. But her loudly thumping heart ignored her reasons completely.
It continued to roar wildly within her ribcage.
She closed in on his lips.
Let's just get this over with.
Her soft lips touched his.
She felt a soft sensation as a spark of electricity ran through her body.
Her heart started to make even louder noise.
Her mind went blank.
No thoughts. No sounds.
Only his faint breath brushing her cheek — and the roar of her own heartbeat in her ears.
No…
Focus.
Then, gently, she coaxed the potion down his throat.
Once she emptied the potion, she pushed herself back.
Alden didn't wake up.
He still lay there unconscious. But the wounds on his body started to heal rapidly.
His breathing was still shallow, but after a few agonising seconds, it began to deepen.
The potion she had fed him was one of the highest quality she had bought with her for the mission.
His injuries healed rapidly.
The mont felt electric and impossible.
Her face burnt hotter than ever.
Nyx let out a shaky breath she hadn't realised she was holding.
"It's okay," she whispered, more to herself than him. "You're going to live."
For a long mont, she simply stared at him.
Then, almost unconsciously, her fingers touched her lips.
Her heart continued to pound. But she steadied herself.
It's not like I like him, she repeated quietly.
There was no response from Alden. He still hasn't woken up.
She didn't feel disappointed.
That's fine.
He must've undergone imnse ntal strain due to whatever that power he used was.
It would take ti.
Nyx helped him sit up slowly, supporting his weight.
"Let's get you sowhere safe," she said softly.
She didn't wish to stay within the city any longer. She had no idea if the robed man had allies nearby.
She lifted Alden.
As her figure started to vanish.
She vanished from the city, his unconscious body in her arms… and her heartbeat still refusing to calm.
__
In a dark space.
Unbeknownst to Alden, his awakening had drawn the attention of soone terrifying—soone watching from the shadows.
A quiet voice whispered, almost amused:
"Finally, the pieces are moving... Let's see where this ga takes us."
__
[END OF VOLU 2 ]
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Author's Note:
Hey, thanks for sticking with this far! I really appreciate all the support and love—it ans a lot.
Things are about to get way crazier and more chaotic from next volu onwards. So, stay tuned.
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