Rachel was tense after the discussion. No, beyond tense. Her heart thudded in her chest, not from Arthur's words but because of Alyssara. That pink-haired woman had always been unsettling, her presence like a song just out of tune—mesmerising yet wrong. Rachel had sensed her interest in Arthur back at the Southern Sea Sun Palace, but this was different. It was invasive, oppressive, a looming shadow against which she felt unbearably small.
'Can I even help him?' The thought festered, heavy and cold. Rachel Creighton, daughter of Alastor, trained in the highest arts of the Creighton family, the future Saintess, destined for greatness—yet now, in the quiet corners of her mind, she doubted herself. The very foundation of her beliefs felt unstable under the weight of the expectations she had placed upon herself.
Arthur's talent was undeniable. It wasn't just talent; it was destiny, a force of nature that swept everything aside. But Rachel doubted her ability to rise with him, to match his ascent. In his absence, during those agonising two months when he had vanished without a trace, Rachel had thrown herself into training. Relentlessly. Desperately. She was nearing the Wall, months away from scaling it but still close. And yet, it wasn't enough.
Even Rachel's historic pace felt eclipsed. This generation wasn't merely talented—it was mythic. Lucifer had already scaled the Wall, his footsteps unyielding. Ren was on its heels, destined to reach Ascendant-rank before the Sovereign's Tournament. By comparison, Rachel's progress felt like a pale echo of what was demanded.
'How high will Arthur have climbed by then?' The question gnawed at her soul.
A sound stirred her, pulling her from her thoughts. "Don't cry, Rach," Arthur said softly, his voice tender and laced with concern. It was only then that Rachel realised her tears had betrayed her turmoil. His hand moved with infinite gentleness, wiping the tears from her cheeks as though they were fragile threads of silk.
"You were hurt," Rachel said, her voice breaking as she struggled to hold his gaze. "And... I wasn't there."
"I know," Arthur replied quietly. His thumb brushed her cheek, his touch warm and grounding. "I'm sorry."
Rachel's breath hitched at his words. "Why are you sorry for our weakness?" she asked, her tone edged with a mix of anger and despair. Her eyes met his, blazing with frustration. "Arthur, why?"
"Rach—" he began, his voice hesitant, but she cut him off.
"We're weak, aren't we?" she demanded. Her lips trembled, but her gaze didn't waver. "We... Do we get in your way, Arthur?"
Arthur stilled, his hand pausing mid-motion. For a moment, there was silence between them, the kind that carried the weight of unspoken truths. Rachel's heart sank further, fearing the answer, dreading the confirmation that her worst fears were true.
Then he spoke, his voice steady and calm. "You don't get in my way."
"But—"
"No." He stepped closer, his hands finding her shoulders, grounding her as though he could anchor her storming thoughts. His gaze was firm, but there was a warmth in it that made her throat tighten. "Rach, listen to me. You're not weak. None of you are. I'd be lying if I said we don't face challenges, but you three are my strength, not my weakness."
Rachel shook her head, her doubts gnawing at her like a relentless tide. "But we can't keep up. Not with you, Arthur."
Her words hung heavy in the room, pulling the air taut. Arthur's gaze flicked to her, his jaw tightening as if he wanted to refute her immediately, but the weight of her voice stilled him.
"You will be able to keep up," he said after a moment, his tone firm yet gentle. "I won't forever be so far above all of you."
"Arthur," Cecilia interjected, her crimson eyes locking onto his, "Rachel isn't wrong. Sure, we may be extraordinary geniuses—even compared to other Radiant-rank prodigies—but we aren't you. How... how do we keep up?"
Arthur's lips pressed together, and his expression darkened as he sank into deep thought. His silence was deafening, and it made Rachel's heart sink further. The way his brow furrowed, the slight tension in his shoulders, the flicker of something unreadable in his eyes—it all made her fear the answer.
Finally, he sighed, the sound heavy and laden with hesitation. "There is a way," he said at last, his voice quiet but steady. "A way for all of you to grow faster than you are now."
"How?" Seraphina asked, her normally serene voice trembling slightly as she stood, her silver hair catching the faint light.
Arthur hesitated, his jaw tightening again as he mumbled something under his breath. His eyes closed briefly, and when he opened them, they were filled with resolve. "Okay," he said, his voice firm now, "the three of you—this can't get out of here. No one else can know about this. Do you understand?"
The three girls nodded without hesitation, their gazes unwavering.
"Also," Arthur added, his tone heavier, "I have to warn you... this method—it's twisted. Dangerous. You'll be risking a lot to get stronger."
"But we will get stronger, right?" Cecilia pressed, her crimson eyes glinting with determination.
Arthur nodded slowly. "You will," he said. "Without a doubt. At first, the effects won't be much, but over time, you'll grow faster and faster. Eventually, you'll reach a level where you can fight alongside me."
Rachel wiped at her tears, her gaze steady despite the lingering fear in her heart. "Arthur," she said, her voice trembling with conviction, "all three of us are willing to die for you. We can't live like this anymore—watching you fight alone, defending us while we can barely stand beside you. Please... tell us how we can get stronger."
Arthur's hands balled into fists at his sides, his shoulders taut with tension. "This isn't about dying for me," he said, his voice sharp with emotion. "It's about living. Living to fight, to protect, to stand beside each other. If you take this path, it's not just for me. It has to be for yourselves too."
"We understand," Seraphina said softly, her ice-blue eyes blazing with quiet determination. "But we've already made our choice."
Arthur's jaw clenched again, the weight of their words sinking into him. For a long moment, he stood silent, wrestling with his thoughts. Finally, he let out a slow breath, his expression softening as he looked at the three of them.
"All right," he said, his voice steady but laden with gravity. "Then I'll show you."
Rachel hesitated for only a moment before nodding resolutely. "If this is what it takes, then I'll do it."
Arthur's expression didn't soften. If anything, it hardened with determination. "Rachel, you first. Take off your clothes and sit with your back facing me."
Without a word, Rachel began taking off her t-shirt, her movements slow but purposeful. Cecilia and Seraphina exchanged uneasy glances, but they didn't speak. Rachel sat cross-legged in front of Arthur, her pale back turned to him, her long hair swept aside.
"Luna," Arthur called softly.
From seemingly nowhere, a young girl appeared, her violet hair shimmering like liquid starlight, her eyes twin galaxies brimming with unknowable depths. Her mere presence shifted the air in the room, making it hum faintly with energy.
"What the—?" Cecilia yelped, jumping slightly in her seat.
"That's Luna," Arthur said, his voice calm but firm, as if addressing her sudden manifestation was no more surprising than naming the weather. "She's a qilin, the one who gave me Lucent Harmony, my first Gift."
The girls stared at her, their questions teetering on the edge of their tongues, but none of them dared interrupt.
"Arthur," Luna said, her voice soft but laden with concern, "are you sure about this? It's not exactly… gentle."
Arthur's eyes didn't leave Rachel. "It's what they need," he said simply.
Rachel, curiosity briefly flickering through her tense expression, finally spoke. "What exactly are you doing, Arthur?"
Arthur let out a slow breath, as if bracing himself. "First, a question. Do all of you know the peak age for when humans typically stop growing stronger?"
"Before forty," they replied almost in unison.
Arthur nodded. "Exactly. Most humans hit the limit of their potential by then. Their mana stagnates, their growth slows to a crawl, and they plateau. But here's where geniuses—true prodigies—are different."
The girls leaned in slightly, their attention sharpening.
"The more talented you are, the faster you grow because you have more to achieve before you stop. But it's not just speed. Prodigies hit their peak earlier, hold onto it longer, and even extend their potential beyond normal limits. Look at Archmage Charlotte—she reached Radiant-rank at twenty-eight, a feat no one else has matched."
Cecilia furrowed her brow. "So, this process… you're just accelerating that natural growth?"
"Mind, soul, and body," Arthur said, ticking them off on his fingers. "Most people focus on the body and soul, including the current mana ranks. The mind gets neglected because it's considered less important for mana cultivation, which is true. But by altering the mind, we can accelerate your rate of growth—reaching your peak faster and increasing your potential, focusing on the former."
"That doesn't sound too bad," Cecilia said, though her voice carried a hint of skepticism. "Why is it dangerous?"
Arthur's jaw tightened, his hesitation palpable. "Because there isn't a clean or easy way to do this. And while I'll make sure not to damage your minds, the method I'm using is twisted. It relies on death."
Seraphina's calm mask faltered for the briefest moment. "Death?"
Arthur's gaze didn't waver. "Not literal death. But you'll have to confront the essence of it—your mortality, your fears, your weaknesses. It's a simulated death. A complete unraveling of your ego. And when you rebuild from that… you'll be different. Stronger."
Rachel glanced over her shoulder at him. "You've done this before, haven't you?"
Arthur's silence was answer enough. His hands clenched briefly before he relaxed them. "I've walked that path. It worked for me. But I'm warning you now—this will change you. Growth always comes with a cost."
Rachel's voice was steady, her conviction unshaken. "If it means we can fight beside you, instead of being protected by you, then it's worth it."
Cecilia and Seraphina nodded in agreement, their gazes meeting Arthur's.
Arthur sighed deeply, his hands resting lightly on Rachel's back. "All right," he said, his tone both resigned and determined. "Let's begin."