“Astron.”
“Seek the Moonstone.”
As the contents of that dream echoed in my mind, I couldn’t resist the pull that seemed to be guiding me toward the corner of the museum. There was an inexplicable connection that drew me closer to something hidden there. It was as if an invisible thread tugged at my consciousness.
As I reached the corner, my gaze fell upon a small, faint light emanating from a cage, its glow casting an otherworldly aura. Adjacent to it was a modest stone, its presence bearing an enchanting quality.
<Moonstone.>
That was what was written beside it, as the small and faint light was shining upon the stone.
I didn’t know why, but I felt myself getting enchanted by the stone, like something was pulling me.
The dream was now disappeared from my eyes, but the connection I was feeling with the stone was real.
‘It is the moonstone.’ For this whole time, the contents of the dream had been haunting me. There were words whenever I slept, a silhouette that I was familiar with. But, not even once I could understand what those words meant.
But, now that I was before the stone, the dream was complete.
‘Seek the moonstone, huh? Wasn’t this stone useless?’ I asked myself. In the game, there were not many chances that this stone would appear, and even if it did, most of the time, it was no different from a normal stone that was shining.
That was the reason why this was here, probably. Since it didn’t have any use aside from art and architecture, this stone would be exhibited in a museum in such a way. It didn’t have the property to conduct mana properly, and it was a hard material.
‘But this connection is something that is impossible to ignore.’
Yet, the connection I felt was undeniable. Surreal yet certain, as if a dormant knowledge had been unlocked within me.
I instinctively understood that this stone held some sort of importance, though the details eluded me.
I don’t know if there was such a setting in the game for any affinity, but I knew there was only one person that was using the power of the moon in the game.
She was a villain, and the weapon she was using was also useless.
‘Was her weapon made from moonstone?’ I asked. Since when we beat that villain, as the loot, the blade we got would be useless.
It didn’t have much attack power, and neither did it have good magical abilities.
‘That explains why she was that strong even though her weapon was weak. Maybe, it is a matter of suitability. That might also have something with my mana conduction.’
I thought. That was something I had been wondering for a while, but my mana control was not progressing fast enough.
As the other students around me had already gotten used to imbuing their weapons with their mana, and their power output was higher than mine.
For instance, when I used my dagger. Even though my mana increased its damage, the increased damage was relatively lower than I expected.
‘It was like my mana was not being conveyed enough.’ I thought.
‘But, if it was related to material, then this explains everything. Even though my mana control is still not that strong, the output should be a lot stronger, considering my magic power stat. If it is about the material, then this makes sense.’
This stone’s connection seemed to be tied to something beyond its physical properties. As I pondered the potential implications for my mana control and weapon enhancement, my thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of two people, one small and one slightly taller.
It was a girl with bright and widened eyes. She looked innocent, as her eyes contained a small bright light that was exclusive to children.
The young girl’s eyes widened with excitement as they fell upon the moonstone. “Mommy, look! It’s so pretty!” she exclaimed, her voice carrying pure wonder.
Her mother’s response was less enthusiastic. “Honey, it might look pretty, but it’s just a useless stone. Let’s move on to something more interesting.”
I didn’t know what their names were, but the mother gave a serious vibe, and her presence was strong.
‘She is a hunter.’ I concluded. ‘From the calluses on her hand, the way she walks, and her posture, it seems she is a spear user.’ It was slightly rare for a woman to use a spear rather than a bow or a sword.
Most of the time, the spear rather needed a strong core and heavyweight, which generally didn’t fit the type for women.
THUMP
But just as they were leaving, suddenly, my heartbeat started increasing as I felt something was amiss. The same feeling of death I had been feeling all this time was now here once again.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
‘This time, it’s a lot stronger.’
I concluded as my heartbeat increased further and further. Looking at the woman, I could see she was also tense as goosebumps filled her body. It was evident that she also sensed something was amiss.
BOOM!
And in less than a second, before I could say anything either I could do, a sudden explosion rocked the museum, sending shockwaves through the air.
CRASH
I could see the pieces of door and walls flying across the museum and immediately went to take cover. The woman probably took care of her own child, so there was no need for me to risk myself.
Chaos erupted as panicked shouts filled the space. The lights flickered, and alarms blared, a stark contrast to the peaceful atmosphere that had prevailed just moments before.
TOK TOK TOK
The sound of something heavy walking could be heard as an immense amount of pressure was released from the presence. I could feel it was no ordinary monster.
THUMP
But again, my heart started beating wildly.
‘What is this?’
And another presence made itself known.
‘A demon contractor. And a strong one at that.’
The pressure that was being released from the man was comparable to the monster.
‘At least peak rank 9, or maybe 10.’
From the pressure alone, I could feel my hands shaking.
‘I am feeling fear?’ 𝐎𝑣𝗅xt.
It was the most primordial action one could have. When against an undeniable force, the feeling one would get.
Fear.
My shaking hands were enough to show that.
‘I am feeling fear again? Just like that time.’
I could feel the tremble in my hands.
SPURT SWOOSH CRASH
“AH!” “HELP ME! HELP ME!”
“SOMEONE!”
I could hear the sounds people were making, but I just stood there kneeling and looked at my hands.
They were shaking, probably from the pressure.
‘There is no way.’
But, my head was calm. No, rather than saying calm, it was angry.
I was angry.
‘THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY! AFTER ALL THIS TIME, YOU ARE GOING TO CHICKEN AWAY! AGAIN!’
‘YOU ARE GOING TO LET HER DOWN AGAIN! JUST LIKE AT THAT TIME! ARE YOU GOING TO WATCH?’
THUMP
I could feel my heart beating fast. The demon contractor was close.
I was angry at myself for feeling the difference in power.
I was so weak that my body didn’t even listen to me. Even if my mind was strong, the difference between the raw power was enough to make me freeze.
‘NO! I REFUSE!’ I shouted in my head, I could feel the pleas coming from around me, but my focus was on a different place.
‘IF I AM GOING TO TAKE MY REVENGE, THIS IS THE FIRST STEP I NEED TO TAKE.’
With my trembling hands, I reached for my bracelet and took the dagger from there.
STAB
And stabbed my own leg.
“Huff…Hufff…..” It hurt; it hurt a lot. But, this was a price in order to get rid of the lingering pressure on my body. I needed to make it respond to myself, and it did.
The moment I stabbed myself, I could feel the lingering tremble going away. The pain cleared my head, there was neither anger nor fear.
I could finally think clearly.
WOOSH
As I manipulated the shadows with my trait [Shadowborne], without wasting any more time I hid myself, making my presence unknown. I needed to see what was happening first. I knew I was not going to be any help in this situation. Both the monster and the demon contractor was too strong for me.
“HELP! PLEASE!”
Amidst the chaos, more sounds mingled—shrieks of desperation, pleas for assistance, and cries of anguish. People scattered in every direction, some attempting to escape the menace that had invaded their sanctuary.
The monster’s rampage was relentless. The ground trembled beneath its heavy footsteps, and as its sinister presence neared, its path was marked by destruction. People fell, their fates sealed by an adversary beyond their comprehension.
RING RING
Alarms rang in an incessant, dissonant symphony, their urgent cries melding with the cacophony of terror. The air itself was charged with panic, a thick aura of dread that left little room for rational thought.
In a desperate bid to survive, some fled from the direction the attack had come, their footsteps a frantic rhythm against the backdrop of chaos. Others found themselves cornered, their eyes wide with terror as they confronted a force they couldn’t hope to overcome.
“Mommy, I am scared.” I could see the little girl looking at her mother with a cry, but the woman had a rather cold face. She was looking at the entrance where people were massacred while holding her daughter’s eyes, closing them. Her mana was also covering the girl’s ears, so she probably couldn’t hear anything.
The way she had used her mana in such a precise manner was enough to show that the mother was someone that was very proficient with using mana.
‘Is she some sort of celebrity?’ I asked myself, watching the scene unfolding. It didn’t make sense to see a hunter with such precise control. ‘She must be disguising herself.’ Both the woman and the little girl seemed normal at first, but as I paid more attention now, I could see a small interference was messing with my sight.
With a stern yet gentle expression, the woman crouched to meet her daughter’s eyes, speaking with a hushed tone. “Jane, don’t leave this place, okay? Mama will return immediately.”
“You will go and kill those bad guys, right?” The girl replied with a small tone; she looked really scared.
“Yes. Mama will deal with those guys. You know Mama is strong, right?”
“Un. I know, mama is strong.”
“Then, just wait and never move from here.”
As she uttered those words, the woman’s mana surged, forming a protective barrier around the girl’s whole body. It was a mother’s instinctive urge to shield her child from the horror unfolding around them.
TOK
As the woman rose to her feet, her eyes shifted from her daughter to the chaos around her. The urgency of the situation was not lost on her. With a glance that carried a mixture of resolve and authority, she assessed the situation and quickly formulated a plan.
“Hey, what is your name?”
She asked a woman who was hiding behind with a scared face.
“Anna.”
“Good Anna, help the wounded! Keep them stable until the medical team arrives!” The woman’s instructions were firm and immediate, leaving no room for hesitation. However, the girl still hesitated as she didn’t want to put herself in danger, knowing such strong opponents were there.
“Who are yo-”
Just as the girl was about to react, suddenly, an immense amount of pressure enveloped her. It was even stronger than the monster and the demon there as a Hunter; the girl seemed to know the person before she was someone with a prominent aura.
Before the question could fully form, the air itself seemed to bend under immense pressure, as if the very atmosphere recognized the person who had arrived. The woman’s appearance underwent a subtle transformation as if her mere presence commanded attention and respect.
The girl’s eyes widened as realization struck. “Kaya… Kaya Hartley?”
Before the girl could talk further, the woman’s cold gaze was on her. “Just listen to what I am saying, you insect. If you don’t listen, it will be your family that will suffer.” As the woman spoke those words, a shiver went down the girl’s spine.
She was an incredibly cold woman who slaughtered monsters non-stop, even after she gave birth to children. A prominent hunter that was constantly on the news, a woman came from the family of Hartley’s.
‘I see…Here I thought, why hasn’t she ever flinched. If it was this woman, then it makes sense.’ As I thought about that, I just stood there and watched the scene.
TOK TOK TOK
The heavy footsteps grew louder, a reverberating cadence that announced the approach of the monstrous threat. The ground shook beneath its weight, the sheer size and power of the creature making it a fearsome adversary.
“EVERYONE!” As the woman shouted with a loud tone, the people who scattered around, the bodies that were about to die, everyone gathered their attention on her.
As the woman shouted with a loud tone, the people who scattered around, the bodies that were about to die, everyone gathered their attention on her. She quickly assessed the situation, her eyes locking onto the wounded and those in danger.
“Listen to me!” Her voice, calm yet commanding, cut through the panic. “We’re in a dire situation, but we can overcome this if we work together. Those who can fight assist the injured. Form groups and defend yourselves.”
As her voice carried through the air, a sense of reassurance began to spread. The woman’s presence, her aura of authority and confidence, had a calming effect even in the face of danger.
“Hunters, mages, lend your strength to those who need it most. Remember, unity is our greatest weapon.”
Amidst the chaos, her words became a rallying point. Those who had been paralyzed by fear found their resolve renewed. With her guidance, makeshift teams formed, their efforts becoming a coordinated response against the looming threats.
“Ah…You finally revealed yourself.”
But following Kaya, a new presence emerged—one that struck dread into the hearts of those present. The air itself seemed to grow colder, a malevolent energy radiating from the depths of the museum.
THUMP
The reason for my hatred to grow.
The demon contractor made his appearance.