After spending a few more hours with Rachel, Cecilia, and Seraphina, I returned to my room, the quiet hum of the dormitory settling around me like a blanket.
Tonight, there was something I needed to do.
To talk to Luna.
Long ago, she'd promised to tell me more about Julius Slatemark—a name that echoed like thunder in the annals of history—once I'd scaled the Wall. Now that I'd crossed that threshold, it was time to collect on her promise.
Sitting cross-legged on my bed, I took a steadying breath. The mana within me surged, flowing through my veins like a roaring river as I reached out to summon her. The effort was easier now, my newfound strength making the process almost instinctual.
A shimmer of violet light coalesced in front of me, swirling like a miniature galaxy. As the glow dimmed, Luna emerged. No longer the chibi doll-like figure she'd been when I was at Integration-rank, she now appeared as a child—no older than five—with hair like starlight and eyes that seemed to contain the infinite vastness of space.
She tilted her head, her galaxy-like irises locking onto mine. "You're ready," she said softly, her voice holding an ageless weight that belied her appearance.
I nodded, gesturing to the bed opposite me. "Tell me, Luna," I said, my tone steady despite the anticipation thrumming in my chest. "Tell me about Julius."
Luna climbed onto the bed, settling herself with an almost otherworldly grace. "Julius Slatemark," she began, her voice both gentle and firm, "was humanity's first Radiant-ranker. But his power… it was far beyond what you've been told."
I frowned. "He reached high Radiant-rank?" I asked, leaning forward. "You always said he was mid Radiant-rank."
Luna's gaze didn't waver. "I lied."
Her words hung in the air, simple and unyielding. For a moment, I blinked, caught off guard. "Why?" I asked, my voice quieter now. "Why lie? I wasn't even thinking about him back then."
She tilted her head slightly, a flicker of amusement crossing her features. "Because you weren't ready," she said. "If you'd known the truth then, it would have distracted you. And distractions, Arthur, are dangerous when you're climbing."
I exhaled, pushing the thought aside for now. "Fine," I said. "So what happened to him?"
Luna's expression grew somber, her violet eyes darkening. "You've wondered, haven't you?" she asked. "About the rank beyond Radiant-rank. About the force that brought your soul into this world."
I nodded slowly. It wasn't a thought I'd lingered on often, but it had been there—an itch at the back of my mind. "I've suspected," I admitted. "There had to be something higher, something… greater."
Her next words sent a chill down my spine.
"That rank is called Divine-rank," Luna revealed. "And Julius… he died facing it."
The room seemed to grow colder, her words carrying a weight that pressed against my chest.
"Died?" I echoed, the word heavy on my tongue.
Luna nodded, her gaze steady. "He faced a Demon Lord, Arthur. There are seven of them, each one a Divine-rank entity. Each one capable of wiping out humanity with a flick of their fingers."
I swallowed hard, the sheer scale of her words sinking in. "Then how—" I started, but Luna cut me off.
"Julius made a bet," she said, her voice softer now. "A desperate gamble, one that no one else could have made. He won the bet… and in doing so, he saved Earth."
"But at the cost of his life," I finished, my voice barely above a whisper.
Luna's nod was slow, her gaze unfathomable. "Yes. His power, even at high Radiant-rank, wasn't enough to defeat a Divine-rank being outright. But with his Gift—Empyrean Order—and my will, Lucent Harmony, he created a moment. Just one. A chance to force them to stand down. And they did."
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The weight of what she'd told me settled over the room like a thick fog.
"He knew he would die," I said finally, my voice steady despite the storm of thoughts raging in my mind.
"He did," Luna confirmed. "And he accepted it. For humanity."
I leaned back against the headboard, exhaling slowly. Julius Slatemark had always been a legend, a figure larger than life. But now, that legend carried a depth I hadn't fully grasped—a depth that demanded respect.
And, perhaps, a hint of fear.
"So," I said after a moment, looking at Luna again, her galaxy-like eyes glinting with an emotion I couldn't quite place. "What does this mean for me?"
"You aren't Lucifer Windward, destined to become the Emperor of the World," Luna said, her voice carrying a weight that made my chest tighten. "You are Fateless. Like I told you before, someone severed the very Fate tying you."
Her words hit like a blow to the stomach. I had heard her mention this before, but the way she said it now made it feel different. More final.
"Wait," I said, my thoughts racing. "How did you know about my soul not being from this world?"
Luna tilted her head, her lips curving into a faint smile. "That... Art told me."
"Art?" I repeated, confusion threading through my voice.
She nodded. "He explained to me that your soul isn't from this world, and that's why you're Fateless."
The revelation didn't sit easily. I let the silence stretch for a moment, letting my mind parse her words. Then, cautiously, I asked, "And what do you think about the gamble you took on me?"
Her lips quirked into something resembling a smile—proud, but faintly amused. "Pleased," she said with a small nod. "Very pleased. After all, you've proven more capable than I expected. And then there's your Astral Manifestation."
"That's your power," I said, narrowing my eyes. "Isn't it?"
Luna's gaze sharpened, and a quiet chuckle escaped her. "Do you really think I could wield something that powerful, Arthur?"
Her words hung in the air, heavy and foreboding. I opened my mouth to respond, but she cut me off with a flicker of movement, brushing a strand of luminous hair behind her ear. Her tone dropped, and for the first time, it felt as though we were treading dangerous ground.
"It's not my power," she admitted, her voice quieter now but no less intense. "I once believed it was, but someone… manipulated my memories. Art cleared it for me. Whoever gave me Astral Manifestation didn't do it for me. They did it for you."
The room suddenly felt colder, the air heavier. A shiver ran down my spine. Luna was a qilin, a mythical being at low Radiant-rank. The sheer thought of someone being able to tamper with her memories was staggering.
Just how powerful was the being who had orchestrated all of this? Who had brought me here, shaped events to this degree, and left echoes in both my life and Luna's?
"Arthur," Luna said, her voice soft but steady. "You have always been more than what you see. The question is whether you can rise to meet what you've been made for."
Her galaxy-like gaze fixed on mine, unblinking, and I could feel the enormity of her words settle in my chest like a weight I hadn't yet begun to comprehend. I didn't have an answer yet. But I would find one.
I had to.
The stakes were far too high to do otherwise. And whoever had started this game, I intended to finish it.
Whatever it took.
Whatever I had to become.
"Now, there is something important to talk about as well," Luna hummed as I nodded.
"Do you know about the Empire of Void?"