I woke up with a start, groaning as the weight of exhaustion melted from my body. My eyes fluttered open, and I pushed myself upright, the familiar sensation of strength coursing through me. I blinked, glancing down at my hands—larger, steadier, more like me.
"I'm back," I muttered, a small grin tugging at the corner of my lips. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, relishing the feeling of solid ground beneath my feet. My height had returned, along with the comforting presence of my full mana reserves. For the first time in days, I felt whole again.
The door creaked open, and the familiar sound of footsteps reached my ears. Turning toward the noise, I was greeted by the sight of Rachel, Cecilia, and Seraphina entering the room. Their smiles were bright—until they noticed me.
"Oh, come on," Rachel groaned, her shoulders sagging in exaggerated disappointment. "It's only been two days!"
I raised an eyebrow. "You're upset I'm back?"
"Yes," she pouted, crossing her arms. "Two days wasn't nearly enough!"
"I didn't even get to tease him properly," Cecilia added with a dramatic sigh, folding her arms beneath her chest. Her crimson eyes sparkled with mischief, but there was a tinge of genuine regret in her voice. "And Seraphina wouldn't let us."
Even the usually stoic Seraphina looked faintly disappointed, though she said nothing. Instead, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.
My instincts prickled. "What are you doing?" I asked, my tone sharp with suspicion.
Seraphina hesitated for a fraction of a second before her fingers brushed the screen. The faint blush on her pale cheeks told me all I needed to know.
In a flash, I crossed the room and plucked the phone from her hand. "Ah!" she gasped, her composed mask cracking as her face turned a vivid shade of red.
I stared down at the screen, and my stomach dropped. There it was: a picture of young me, nestled in Seraphina's arms, my eyes closed as she gently patted my head. The lighting was soft, and the entire image practically radiated a serene, tender warmth.
I froze. Heat rushed to my cheeks. "Y-you took pictures?"
"Only one," Seraphina mumbled, her voice uncharacteristically small as she averted her ice-blue gaze.
I ran a hand through my hair, torn between mortification and begrudging gratitude. The image was... sweet, I supposed, but that didn't mean I wanted it documented.
"Well, unlike these two," Rachel interjected, stepping closer with her usual bright grin, "I'm happy you're back, Arthur." Her sapphire eyes sparkled with unrestrained joy, and her tone carried the warm sincerity that always disarmed me.
"Oh, please," Cecilia scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Keep it in your pants, horny Saintess."
The sharp jab broke through the moment, and Rachel's expression twisted into indignation. "Excuse me?" she retorted, spinning toward Cecilia with a flourish of her hair. "At least I didn't spend two days whining about missing him."
Cecilia's cheeks darkened, but she held her ground, smirking. "Better than obsessing over him like a love-struck puppy."
Before Rachel could reply, I raised a hand, cutting through the bickering. "Enough," I said, my voice firm but amused. "You're both embarrassing yourselves."
They both glared at me for a moment before exchanging begrudging looks, their rivalry momentarily subdued. Seraphina, meanwhile, reached for her phone, but I held it just out of her reach, smirking.
"Let's talk about this," I said, waving the incriminating evidence slightly. "What's your excuse, Seraphina?"
She straightened, her composure slowly returning, though the blush lingered on her cheeks. "You looked peaceful," she said simply. "It was... worth remembering."
Her sincerity caught me off guard, and I found myself lowering the phone. "Fine," I said, handing it back to her. "But no more pictures."
She inclined her head, tucking the device away with a faint smile.
"Well, since Seraphina gets a pass," Cecilia said, stepping closer with her usual confidence, "I think it's time for me to make up for lost teasing."
"Absolutely not," I said, backing away slightly. "I've had enough humiliation for a lifetime, thank you."
Rachel snickered. "Oh, come on, Arthur. Where's your sense of humor?"
"Currently being crushed under the weight of your antics," I deadpanned.
The room erupted into laughter, their teasing tones softening into something warmer, more familiar. Despite their relentless banter, I couldn't deny the comfort their presence brought. They had seen me at my lowest—literally—and yet they stood by me, as steadfast as ever.
And for that, I was grateful. Even if they insisted on testing my patience at every turn.
Rachel crossed her arms as her sapphire gaze locked onto me, her usual playful demeanor replaced by a piercing seriousness that felt like the chill before a storm. "Let's talk," she said, her voice steady but firm. "What excuse do you have for nearly dying this time?"
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Let's sit somewhere. This... isn't a short conversation."
Seraphina and Rachel exchanged a glance—one of those unspoken exchanges that only people who knew each other deeply could share—before nodding. Their expressions softened, but there was still a weight behind their movements.
Cecilia, however, stayed quiet. Her crimson eyes were cast down, her lips pressed into a thin line as though she was trying to stop the words from spilling out.
As we left the room, I let the others walk ahead and placed a hand gently around Cecilia's waist, pulling her close enough to whisper. "It's not your fault," I murmured softly into her ear.
She didn't respond, only leaning slightly into me, her head dipping lower so her golden hair shielded her face from view.
"Ceci," I said, my voice quieter now, laced with the tenderness I reserved only for the girls, "I told you, it was a bad and urgent situation. Don't blame yourself for what happened."
Still, she didn't respond, but the faint tension in her shoulders gave her away. She was holding herself responsible for the sheer desperation of the fight, as though my decision to risk everything had somehow been her burden to bear.
I sighed again, my mind flickering back to the battle. The memory of the Paladin of Void's overwhelming power was fresh, seared into my thoughts like a brand. For me, there had been no other option.
God Flash: Singularity.
In that moment, it was the only way I could ensure both of us would survive. Sure, Archmage Charlotte had arrived not long after, saving me from the brink of death, but I hadn't known that would happen. What if she'd been just a moment too late? What if I hadn't pushed myself to that final extreme and both Cecilia and I had paid the ultimate price?
I couldn't gamble with our lives like that.
We entered a small, private room, sparsely furnished but comfortable. The chairs were cushioned, and a low table sat at the center with a tray of tea someone had thoughtfully placed earlier. I motioned for everyone to sit, and they did so, though Cecilia hesitated before finally settling into a chair across from me.
Rachel wasted no time as she crossed her arms and fixed me with a hard stare. "Alright, Arthur," she said, her voice cutting through the tense air like a blade. "No more half-answers. Start from the beginning."
Seraphina sat beside her, quiet but watchful, her ice-blue eyes scrutinizing me. Cecilia, seated closest to me, remained silent, but I could feel the weight of her unspoken questions.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Alright," I said, leaning back slightly. "I'll explain everything. From the start."
I glanced at Rachel, then Seraphina, and finally Cecilia. "None of you knew this, but when I went to the Tower of Alchemy, it wasn't just to investigate their research. It was because I'd learned about something... dangerous."
"Dangerous how?" Rachel pressed, her sapphire gaze unyielding.
"There's a project in the Tower of Alchemy," I began, "called Project Nyxthar. Named after the Legendary-grade sword wielded by the Martial King. It's a top-secret endeavor aimed at reviving a living weapon—a being called the Paladin of Void. The Paladin is someone who has the blood of the Empire of Void and the Gift of Eclipsing Souls. He was made into a weapon by a high noble centuries ago before being killed. But he didn't fully. He survived."
Seraphina's eyebrows lifted slightly, but her expression remained composed. "And this... Paladin? It was at the Tower?"
"Yes," I said. "It was being kept dormant, hidden in a sealed chamber. I didn't know about it at first. My original goal was to uncover evidence of the Tower's unethical experiments and pass it on to the Tower of Magic. I thought I'd have time—time to dismantle their defenses, gather proof, and make sure the project was shut down before it became a threat. That's why I reached out to Rachel's mother, Priscilla Creighton, to help me modify the potion that would allow me to mimic his mana signature and bypass the Tower's security systems. That was the plan: sneak in, get what I needed, and stop the project before it escalated. "
Rachel's frown deepened. "But?"
"But," I said, my voice heavy, "things didn't go as planned. When I was at the Tower, Luna warned me that fate was shifting. She told me the Paladin was waking up—much sooner than expected."
Seraphina's gaze sharpened. "Why?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "Maybe the researchers pushed too hard. Maybe something in the environment triggered it. Either way, it meant I had to act faster than I'd anticipated."
Rachel's expression softened slightly. "And then the Paladin started waking up."
I nodded. "Luna's warning changed everything. I realized I wouldn't have enough time to gather evidence and stop the Paladin through indirect means. By the time we administered the potion and captured Maximus's mana signature, it would already be too late."
Seraphina tilted her head, her voice measured. "You've never faced an Immortal-ranker before, have you?"
"No," I admitted. "Not like this. I've encountered Immortal-rankers, sure. But never with the intent to kill—or survive."
I leaned forward, my voice hardening. "Even with everything I've learned, all the techniques and abilities I've honed, I was barely keeping up. And that was before it reached its full strength. It had just woken up."
Rachel's gaze softened, and Seraphina's usual stoic demeanor cracked ever so slightly. Cecilia placed a hand on my arm, squeezing gently.
"So," Rachel said after a long pause, "that's why you used God Flash: Singularity."
"Yes," I said firmly. "I didn't want to use it. I knew it was dangerous—lethal, even. But in that moment, it was the only way to stop him. He was too strong, too fast. If I'd hesitated, if I'd held back, both Cecilia and I would've been dead."
Seraphina's voice was quiet but resolute. "And now?"
"Now," I said, exhaling deeply, "I know my limits. I survived, but not without consequences. Archmage Charlotte warned me not to attempt Singularity again until I've reached Immortal-rank. And I won't. But in that moment, it was the only option."
The room fell silent, the weight of my words settling over us like a heavy fog.
Cecilia spoke first, her voice trembling slightly. "You can't keep doing this, Arthur," she said, her crimson eyes locking onto mine. "Throwing yourself into impossible situations and expecting us to just... watch."
I opened my mouth to respond, but she cut me off, her voice rising. "Do you know what it felt like? Watching you collapse? Knowing you'd pushed yourself to the brink to save me? I can't—" Her voice broke, and she turned away, her hands trembling.
I stood, crossing the small distance between us. Kneeling in front of her, I took her hands in mine, holding them firmly. "You won't lose me," I said softly, my voice steady and sure. "I promise you, Cecilia. I'll be smarter, stronger. I'll do everything in my power to make sure you never have to feel like that again."
Her eyes searched mine for a long moment before she nodded, a single tear slipping down her cheek. I brushed it away with my thumb, offering her a small, reassuring smile.
Rachel sighed, her usual energy returning as she leaned back. "Well, as long as you try not to die, I guess that's the best we can hope for."
Seraphina's lips twitched into the faintest of smiles, and even Cecilia let out a soft laugh, the tension in the room easing just slightly.
For now, the Paladin was behind us. But I knew this wasn't the end. It was only the beginning. And as I looked at the three of them, their unwavering presence a constant source of strength, I made a silent vow.
Next time, I'd be ready.