While the higher-ups of the Solaris House were all suffering from severe migraines trying to figure out how to navigate the turbulent times, the two individuals who caused their mental anguish were busy minding their own business in a remote corner of the palace.
Leon was particularly excited. Overnight, he had turned from a young cadet who would be bullied occasionally into a celebrity that no one could hope to touch. The number of people who sought an audience with the young sixteen-year-old was incalculable. Anyone from courageous and opportunistic families to distinguished Knights who were living legends. They were eager to meet the young man who summoned the Holy Sword.
Such was the prestige of Ascalon.
Ascalon was the Solaris House's most significant treasure. Some might say it was revered as a guardian deity of the legendary lineage. The two most incredible humans to ever live wielded Ascalon, and if history were to repeat itself, Leon would eventually turn into this generation's hero as well.
Amon was in a similar situation.
Due to the Solaris House suppressing information, the rumours weren't as widespread as Leon's. However, the magnitude of his deeds couldn't be covered up forever.
Widely regarded as the most talented youth of his generation, his summoning had destroyed the mystical Sword Garden. The foreign sword he'd called from another dimension was also widely regarded as a Heroic-grade weapon.
For Ascalon and a new Heroic-grade sword to be summoned simultaneously… it was the undisputed news headline of the century.
While information was being suppressed, it was only a matter of time before the rest of the world uncovered the full facts. When that happens, all of Amon's plans would eventually go up in smoke, and he would have to return to the drawing board if he wished to save Hyades.
That's why the young man glared menacingly at his fiancée while she grinned from ear to ear.
"Why didn't you tell me I would summon this sword?"
"Hmmmm? Was it important? I didn't know."
Yue stuck her tongue out to act cute and cushion the scolding she would receive. However, it only gave Amon a worse headache.
"... hah, I guess I can't blame you."
Amon was distraught that Yue hid this fact from him, but in the other corner of his mind, he was glad to have reunited with his most trusted partner. He raised the black katana and carefully examined every nook and cranny of the blade.
It was designed just as he remembered. Carved from a mysterious astral meteorite, it was meticulously polished to a deep, reflective black sheen that cascaded in its razor-sharp edge. It was a sword that never broke, even after the siege of a thousand Transcendents. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that this sword was as good as Amon's hand, and no better weapon suited him.
"Nyx… That's what it's called, right?"
"Nyx? I named it that in your timeline?"
"Is there a problem?"
"... I didn't think that I would be that sentimental."
Nyx was also the name of the sword in his previous life. Named after the Goddess Nyx in popular mythology, the smith who created the sword aimed for it to be a weapon of the night, a blade that eradicated its enemies before they could even realise what hit them.
However, for Amon, or rather, Number 23, the name had a wholly different meaning.
"No, that name is good. While it can handle my Solar mana, the moment I channel my Lunar mana through this sword…"
Six Moons orbited around the young Knight, and a silver hue coated the ominously shimmering black blade. Amon's Aura created a perfect resonance with the sword, and a dense pressure was emitted. Cracks formed beneath the blade's tip, making breathing hard in the atmosphere. Fortunately, only Yue and Amon were present in the training facility. If there were anyone present that were weaker than them, they would unquestionably feel a heavy tightness in their chest, possibly even fainting on the spot.
"Transcendent's Authority… I'd never thought I would use it again in this world."
Transcendent's Authority was a unique ability that allowed Number 23 to reign as the top warrior in his original world. By channelling his Ether into the sword, he could weaken any of his opponents and turn the tables against them.
Also, when Amon summoned Nyx, he felt the final puzzle piece had been found.
He'd been trying his best to balance the dual mana affinities within his soul all his life. And while he'd done so spectacularly, Amon often felt like his Lunar mana was weaker than expected. Now that he'd reunited with Nyx, his past abilities have returned to its prime.
"Once I readapt myself to the sword and my newly found Lunar mana, I will become much stronger. Perhaps we'll need to revisit Yval for a new blessing."
Amon thought out loud without thinking of the consequences of his words. If Alrock or any other Solaris members heard him, they would likely faint out of exasperation and jealousy.
Amon wasn't satisfied with one blessing from the Golden Dragon Progenitor and wished for another. That wasn't just greed; it was pure avarice. Fortunately, he was in the room with the only human who truly understood why Amon wished for such a thing.
"Your Lunar mana is causing an imbalance again?"
"Regrettably, yes." The young Knight sighed deeply while raising his precious sword. "My soul wasn't originally from this world, and my mana affinity has always been skewed towards Lunar mana. But I was born with a Solaris body. With my soul returning to its original state, I would need to strengthen my vessel to contain my soul."
It was a logical conclusion.
Amon's wild mana imbalance had cost him everything during Yue's timeline. If he wished to succeed, Amon had to thread the fine margins of having two mana affinities, even if it meant being greedy for multiple blessings.
"Just how much stronger do you want to get?"
Yue raised her brows and shot the young man a sceptical look. She'd always known that Amon was the greatest prodigy she'd ever seen, but to improve at a greater rate than before? That just terrified the young woman.
"Strong enough to take down the Demon Cult, Yue. We'll need at least that much."
"Hah, eventually, you'll be powerful enough to take on a Demon Lord." Yue teased with jest. Though, hidden within that tone was a tinge of her true feelings.
Amon was growing at an astonishing rate. He could easily stand among the top hundred Knights in the Solaris House with Six Suns alone. But Amon had Six Moons, too! Adding the fact that he'd received Yval's blessing plus reuniting with Nyx… Amon's true strength should be equal to that of the top ten Knights in the Solaris House.
All at eighteen years old…
"If that's the case, let's visit Sister Yval soon!"
"About that… I don't think we should try eloping anytime soon."
"Hmmm? Why?"
"Haven't you heard?" Amon gave the young woman a side-eye and sighed. "After summoning our swords, the Solaris House has given greater emphasis to monitoring Leon and me. Additionally, because of our engagement, the Elders are especially anxious. They may even call off the engagement altogether."
"W-What? This is the first time I've heard of this!"
Drenched with melancholy eyes, the young beauty showed an expression as if her world was crashing down. Over the past two days, she had been drunk with celebration, replaying the scene where Amon summoned the Lunar Blade repeatedly—and that moment of weakness had caused her to slack in information gathering.
"It's natural, right? They discovered I'm a pivotal resource, so they're unwilling to let me go."
Amon spat with a sliver of disgust. Even in this world, he would be a tool for others. However, there were multiple differences. For one, he wouldn't let himself be exploited as before.
"Now that they've realised my potential, they won't be able to order me like a lapdog anymore. I can move freely in my Knight Order, and the missions I will go on will align with my interests. It's a win-win for everyone."
As with every Solaris Knight, Amon joined a Knight Order and was required to complete missions of varying difficulties. Over the years, he faithfully followed orders, completing hundreds of missions with a perfect clearance rate. It was one of the reasons why he was widely considered a rising rookie among the Knights.
However, not all of the missions aligned with his goals.
Amon wished to weaken the Demonic Cult and prevent future Calamities. Most missions he was sent on brought him to different locations and had little relation to the Demonic Cult. But now that he was granted a new identity, Amon would be given much more autonomy to do his thing.
"Now, all we're missing is to plan how we will proceed. The next major event will be… why are you sulking?"
Lost in his thoughts, Amon realised his fiancée's upside-down smile late. Yue's lips were puckered in a pout, and her feet were swaying off her chair. Resting her head on the table, she said:
"And here I thought we could have a Spring wedding. Now they're thinking of cancelling our engagement?! No, we can't have that happen. I'll need to pull some strings and make this wedding happen!"
When Amon heard Yue's brazen words, his head began to throb. Cracking a vein on his forehead, he slapped Yue on the back of her head to get her attention.
"Hey! What's that for?!"
"Listen to me, will you?"
"Tch, sometimes I miss the days when you're a robot. At least you wouldn't resort to physical violence then!"
"..."
Yue's words brought more significant irritation to the adolescent Knight. It was true that since he'd transmigrated, Number 23 had learnt various human emotions once again, and his actions had become even more animated. Still, hearing it from the person who annoyed him the most sent a sticky itch flying towards his heart.
Ignoring Yue's protest, Amon continued with his train of thought:
"Leon summoning Ascalon is to be expected. But, my summoning of Nyx is a wide deviation. If it changes the Knight Order that Leon would be assigned to, there will be a big problem."
Leon's Knight Order was a pivotal part of [Bright] as most scenarios occurred when he was sent on missions with them. If there were even a deviation from where he was posted, the scenarios would be exceedingly difficult to predict moving forward.
"Not to worry, Leon would be assigned to the same Knight Order as planned."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Grandpa Alrock would want to keep him close, after all. As the wielder of Ascalon, Leon is widely considered the most precious treasure of the Solaris House. It would be mental to assign him someplace else."
"I see…"
Yue's logic was sound. If Alrock wished to keep a close eye on Leon, it made sense to assign him to an Order that the office of the Solaris Lord closely managed. However, Amon couldn't shake the ominous feeling that crept up his spine.
And alas… his worries were vindicated a few hours later.
"Amon… From now on, Leon will be your squire."
"... what?"