- After months of rigorous training, Dazai had transformed. His once youthful frame was now firm, his muscles defined, and his voice carried a depth that hadn't been there before. Five months had passed since he began his journey, and as he finished his morning push-ups, a knock at the door signaled a visitor -
Maid: "Good day, young lord. Your mother has summoned you to the prayer hall. The priestess has arrived as requested."
-Dazai stood, wiping sweat from his brow with a towel before draping a dark, silk robe over his shoulders. The maid hesitated, her gaze lingering on his refined physique before quickly gesturing for him to follow-
Maid: "This way, young lord."
-Before she could open the doors, they swung wide on their own. Touka, his mother, stepped inside, her expression brimming with excitement as she looped her arm around his -
Touka: "This is my baby boy, Priestess Hoshi! Look how much he's grown!"
-Dazai sighed, half-exasperated as his mother smothered him with affection -
-Before him stood Celestia Valeheart, the priestess. Her presence alone commanded silence. She was breathtaking, her twilight-colored hair catching the faint candlelight, silver strands shimmering like celestial threads. She walked with an elegance that felt beyond mortal grace, every movement purposeful. As she stepped forward, the scent of sacred incense surrounded her, soothing yet potent. But it was her eyes–deep, boundless blue–that carried weight, a gaze that could see into one's very soul-
Valeheart: "So, this is your son? He looks... different from when we last met."
-Her voice was smooth yet firm, each word carrying a quiet authority. She turned to Touka with an unimpressed glance-
"And I recall telling you not to keep calling me 'Hoshi.'"
-Touka chuckled, waving a dismissive hand-
Touka: "Oh, don't be so cold! Aren't we friends?"
-Dazai, weary of the playful banter, clapped his hands together, stepping forward. He met the priestess's gaze without hesitation, then smoothly took her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers-
Dazai: "A pleasure, Priestess. Soon to be my Hoshi, if I may say."
-A glint of amusement flickered in his eyes as he chuckled. His mother's eyes widened slightly before she laughed, shaking her head-
Touka: "Ah, just like his father... a charmer through and through. Don't let him sweep you off your feet, Hoshi."
-Valeheart, momentarily taken aback, let out a small chuckle before slipping her hand from his grip-
Valeheart: "Youthful arrogance… But let's proceed. We're here for your stars."
-She lifted her hand, and in a shimmer of light, a crystal orb manifested in her palm. The sacred artifact pulsed with energy, resonating with something unseen. -
Valeheart:"Place both hands on the crystal. It will reveal your star level."
–Dazai exhaled, releasing her hand before resting his own against the orb. The moment he made contact–
-CRACK-
-The crystal shattered instantly. A rush of black mist poured from the shards, swirling into the air, defying all reason. Then, amidst the floating fragments, a number emerged–bold, undeniable. 10-
-The room fell deathly silent-
-Touka and Valeheart's eyes widened in horror. Ryuko, having just entered, tilted his head in confusion-
Ryuko: "What's with the expressions? You look like you've seen a ghost."
-Valeheart swallowed hard, struggling to find her words -
Valeheart: "...Dazai possesses the 10th Star… A rank that does not exist in human history."
-Silence. Then-
-Ryuko threw his head back and laughed, not in fear, but in sheer exhilaration -
Ryuko: "Hah! If I can't see it, that must mean those at 7 and 8 can. Well, I'll be damned! The gods favor this boy!"
-Valeheart turned to Touka, her expression grave, her next words almost hesitant-
Valeheart:"How willing are you to let me marry him?"
-Dazai, who had been standing quietly this entire time, finally blinked, processing everything. Then, in the same deep, level tone-
Dazai: "...My stats are what?"