Chereads / JUST BUSINESS / Chapter 2 - The Sustaining Moon

Chapter 2 - The Sustaining Moon

[Athena's celestial glow remains steady as she watches Leon process her words. The weight of his situation is sinking in, but there's something else—something unspoken in her gaze.]

Leon: "Alright, so I didn't die. I'm being 'claimed' by some mystical force, and now I'm getting thrown into a world where women rule and men are... secondary?"

[Athena nods, but then lifts a delicate hand, the constellations on her gown shifting like a living tapestry.]

Athena: "There's more to it than that. You're not just entering this world as an outsider—you've been altered by the Sustaining Moon. It has already begun shaping your existence."

[Leon raises an eyebrow, arms crossed.]

Leon: "Altered? How so?"

[Athena extends a hand, and before them, a massive astral chart appears, filled with glowing stars. Each star pulses in rhythm, some brighter than others.]

Athena: "Power in this world is structured. It follows a hierarchy, much like an economic system."

Leon: (Scoffs) "Economics? Now you're speaking my language."

[Athena smirks slightly, then points to the first cluster of stars.]

Athena: "Think of it this way—most common people function at what we call 1 to 3 Stars. They are your 'low-income workers' in terms of power. Not remarkable, but essential for the system to function."

[She moves her hand upward, highlighting a collection of brighter stars.]

Athena: "4 to 5 Stars are your skilled professionals—knights, spellcasters, mercenaries. These individuals have unlocked true power, comparable to rising executives in a corporation. They have influence, but they are still bound by the system."

[She then motions to a smaller cluster of dazzling stars—each one pulsating with incredible energy.]

Athena: "6 to 7 Stars… These are the elite. Nobility. Warlords. Those whose names are written in history."

[Leon whistles, eyes trailing the luminous chart.]

Leon: "And let me guess—the CEOs and board members are at the top?"

[Athena's expression hardens slightly as she lifts her gaze to three remaining stars—8, 9, and 10. Their light is unnatural, their energy seemingly bending reality around them.]

Athena: "Exactly. 8 Stars and beyond are beyond reason. They do not follow the rules of the system—they define the rules. Very few exist at this level, and those who do are legends. Gods in all but name."

Leon: (Narrowing his eyes) "And I assume 10 Stars are the real monsters?"

Athena: (Softly) "No. 10 Stars are something more. They are existence itself."

[Leon lets that sink in, before rolling his shoulders]

Leon: "Alright. So where do I stand in all this?"

[Athena's gaze sharpens]

Athena: "The Sustaining Moon has already blessed you with three abilities. They are bound to you, shaping your potential. But where you end up in the hierarchy? That will be determined by your will."

[Athena lifts her hand, and three crimson symbols appear in the air]

1. Authority – A force that bends weaker minds to his will, making his presence undeniable.

2. The Fallen Blood Soldiers – A summoned force of warriors born from his own blood, undying until he falls.

3. Crimson Sky – An ability linked to the heavens, one that has yet to reveal its full nature.

Athena: "These abilities are only the beginning. The path you walk will dictate whether you rise… or whether you are crushed by those above you."

[Leon smirks, reaching out toward the symbols, feeling their power hum beneath his fingertips]

Leon: "Heh. No offense, Goddess, but I don't take well to being placed in a system. If I'm going to climb, I'm going all the way to the top."

[Athena's eyes darken slightly, unreadable]

Athena: "Then prepare yourself, Leon Wanye. The world you enter will not welcome you. It will seek to break you. But if you survive..."

[She extends her hand, and the void begins to shatter. The last thing Leon sees is the Sustaining Moon's crimson glow, pulling him toward the unknown]

Athena: "You may just become something this world has never seen before."

[And with that,Leon's new fate begins,his entire being surrounded in darkness as a faint of light appears]

Leon: "What the hell happened to me? Why the hell do I sound like a damn kid!?-"

[He would open his eyes wide as he hears own voice was changed, he was in a bed as he got up as he looked around finding himself in a room fit for a Nobility, he got up walking towards the mirror as what he saw shock him,he now has a striking appearance with crimson hair fading into abyss black at the tips, sea-blue eyes, and the body of a 12-year-old it seems]

Leon:" What the hell happened!!!?"