CHAPTER 1 – NOTHING LASTS FOREVER
A dense forest stretched endlessly under the fading sunlight, its canopy thick with cobwebs swaying gently in the breeze. Beneath the towering trees, a young boy with white hair stood motionless, his palm pressed against the rough bark of a tree. He exhaled, a thin mist escaping his lips as frost crept along the trunk, encasing it in ice. With a sharp inhale, he clenched his fist and struck the frozen bark. A loud crack echoed through the forest as the tree splintered and collapsed.
Shinjo smirked. Freezing the trunks first makes it easier to bring them down.
But then his expression soured as he turned to look at his so-called companions. Just a few feet away, two boys were locked in a heated argument.
"You got a death wish, bastard?" growled the first, a blue-haired boy, cracking his knuckles.
The second, a red-haired boy, chuckled and tilted his head, a cocky grin stretching across his face. "You talk like you can actually hit me."
Shinjo's eyebrow twitched. He let out a deep sigh before muttering, "I might just kill those two myself... Are they seriously playing around right now?"
Without warning, Shinjo charged forward and delivered a sharp punch to each of them, sending both tumbling to the ground.
"You think these trees will cut themselves?" he scolded.
Oli, the red-haired boy, rubbed the back of his head and laughed. "Alright, alright! I'll handle the chopping!"
Arisu, the blue-haired one, groaned. "That means I have to carry them... again."
With a single swift motion, Oli cleaved through the fallen tree, reducing it to firewood in an instant.
Shinjo blinked in surprise. "That was fast."
Oli grinned. "I know, right?"
As the evening rolled in, the three boys parted ways. Oli left for his home, while Arisu hoisted a stack of firewood onto his shoulder, grumbling under his breath.
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On the way back, Shinjo glanced at him. "Oli’s a good guy. He helps us out every day, even though he doesn’t have to."
Arisu let out a tired sigh. "Yeah… maybe because he's just like us."
---
MATO VILLAGE – ONE OF THE 50 PEASANT VILLAGES IN THE REALM. LOCATED FAR FROM THE CENTRAL CAPITAL, ITS PEOPLE LIVE HUMBLE LIVES, BOUND BY A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
Shinjo and Arisu stepped into their modest home, greeted by the warm glow of candlelight. A man with white hair, appearing to be in his late 40s, welcomed them with open arms.
"Took you two long enough," he said, his voice a mixture of concern and relief.
Shinjo's eye twitched. Here we go again…
Before either of them could react, the man wrapped them in a tight embrace. "I don’t know what I’d do without you boys!" he cried dramatically.
Shinjo groaned. "Get off me, old man!"
Arisu, though equally exasperated, patted his guardian’s back. "It's okay, Faru. We're home now."
From the kitchen, a woman called out, "Dinner’s ready!"
Martha, their guardian’s wife, stepped into view, a gentle smile on her face. Though frail in appearance, she possessed a bit of levitation magic that made housework easier.
The family gathered at the table, sharing stories over a simple yet fulfilling meal.
---
Later that night, under the vast, star-speckled sky, Arisu lay on the grass atop a nearby cliff, staring into the heavens. Just a few steps away, Shinjo continued training, encasing tree trunks in ice before shattering them with precise strikes.
"You take joining the Luminary Order as a joke," Shinjo muttered. "That’s an insult to the Almighty One."
Arisu let out a dry chuckle. "Almighty One? Seriously?" He turned his gaze toward Shinjo. "You do realize I’m stronger than you, right? Do you really think peasants like us stand a chance? If so, you’re not even becoming—"
---
THE LUMINARY ORDER – AN ELITE FORCE OF SELECTED INDIVIDUALS WHO POSSESS EXCEPTIONAL MAGIC ABILITIES. EVERY CITIZEN OF THE NATION IS BORN WITH MAGIC, BUT ONLY THOSE WHO PROVE THEMSELVES IN THE SELECTION EXAM EARN THE RIGHT TO JOIN. THEY EXIST TO PROTECT THE NATION’S INTERESTS, IN TIMES OF PEACE AND WAR.
THE ALMIGHTY ONE – THE STRONGEST HUMAN IN THE NATION, STANDING AT THE PINNACLE OF THE LUMINARY ORDER.
---
A deafening explosion shattered the peaceful night.
Arisu shot up, his breath hitching. "What the hell was that?!"
Shinjo’s eyes widened as he turned toward the distant glow of fire. Without hesitation, both boys sprinted toward the village.
When they arrived, a wave of heat washed over them. The village was in flames.
Shinjo’s blood ran cold. "Oh my God…"
Everywhere, fire crackled, consuming the wooden homes. Screams of terror echoed through the streets. But what truly sent a chill down their spines were the creatures lurking amidst the flames.
Golden spiders.
Dozens of them, their metallic bodies glinting under the firelight, scuttled across the village, their gleaming fangs dripping with a strange yellow substance.
Arisu swallowed hard. "What the hell are those?!"
One of the spiders suddenly reared back, a golden light gathering in its open maw. Before either boy could react, it released a concentrated energy blast.
BZZT!
The air vibrated violently as the golden beam shot toward Arisu at blinding speed.
But before it could make contact, Shinjo lunged, shoving Arisu out of the way.
The blast missed them by inches, slamming into a nearby rock with a thunderous explosion.
Shinjo and Arisu lay on the ground, panting heavily. The sound of chittering filled the air as more spiders crept closer.
Arisu clenched his fists. "Shinjo… we need to fight."
Shinjo pushed himself up, ice forming at his fingertips. He locked eyes with Arisu and nodded.
Their peaceful life was gone.
But if nothing lasts forever…
Then neither would this nightmare.
TO BE CONTINUED…