As the sun finally rose over the town of Ecrin, a lone figure completed his mission.
“Hmm, that was quite an enjoyable experience,” the boy with green hair said, standing up after spending nearly the entire night sitting.
The chaotic aftermath of the battle had given way to an eerie calm. The stench of blood and burnt metal still lingered in the air. The trickster, second seat of the SIN Council, was thoroughly satisfied with what he had witnessed.
Especially Ren’s appearance at the end.
“I knew it,” the boy muttered with a sinister grin. “He really is interesting.”
SIN’s top members were baffled by how Ren had completely evaded their detection and security systems. Even the highest-ranking council members and the priestess herself couldn’t sense him. It was perplexing, to say the least.
“It seems there’s even more mystery to him,” the boy mused, excitement creeping into his voice.
He had seen Ren’s attack on the massive beast firsthand. It had appeared unstable and incomplete at first, yet Ren had managed to wield it perfectly. That alone was incredible.
“It was too fast, even for my engineered eyes. Reus would be very interested in this,” the boy said, holding a strange device.
Surprisingly, he wasn’t frustrated by Ren’s capabilities. On the contrary, he was thrilled.
“Haha, show me more,” the boy said, nearly salivating. “The more you reveal, the better it will be in the end.”
If Velara or Francea had witnessed Ren’s power, they would’ve been frustrated, confident in their own abilities, and unwilling to let an outsider surpass them.
But the boy was different.
He welcomed the challenge.
He was confident in his abilities because it would make things so much sweeter when he finally broke Ren.
He wanted to see Ren’s face when he begged for his life, to witness the moment when all hope was lost.
Why?
Because it would be fun.
It's that simple.
As he activated his teleportation spell, he looked back at the academy with a mischievous smirk.
“I’ll see you later. You can count on it,” he said, his tone playful yet threatening before vanishing into thin air.
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Back at the academy, the atmosphere was still uneasy. Some people were terrified, fearing a second invasion. Others were relieved, grateful to have survived. Some were heartbroken, mourning the loss of loved ones.
Fortunately, no students had lost their lives, but the toll of the battle was visible on their faces. Many were bandaged and bruised, their complexions paled with exhaustion. They gathered in small groups, their expressions a mix of relief and lingering fear.
Inside the infirmary, the mood was a bit lighter, though still weighed down by the aftermath. Shiro, Liana, Lucius, and Rolan had gathered in one of the private rooms along with other students. The atmosphere was tense at first, but Rolan, ever the joker, decided to break the ice.
“Well, that was something, huh?” Rolan grinned despite the weariness in his eyes. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m thinking about retiring from this hero business.”
Lucius chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re too young to retire, Rolan. Besides, who would entertain us with your terrible jokes?”
Liana smiled warmly, doing her best to lift everyone's spirits. “You two are hopeless,” she teased gently, though her eyes betrayed her own exhaustion. “But I’m glad we’re all still here, together.”
The room was filled with conversations, mostly about the battle, the beast, and Shiro’s achievements.
“Hey Shiro, that was awesome what you did back there!” a male student called out.
“Y-Yeah! I loved how your hair turned blue—it was beautiful,” a blushing female student added, clearly impressed.
“Can you show us again?” another excited female student asked.
Suddenly, Shiro found himself swarmed by students, all complimenting and bombarding him with questions. Some of the girls were even blushing when they spoke to him.
“Haha, guys, you're asking too many questions,” Shiro said, clearly embarrassed by his newfound popularity.
Off to the side, Rolan and Lucius exchanged jealous glances, watching as Shiro basked in attention.
“Oh, look—Mr. Popular over there,” Rolan said sarcastically.
“It’s like we didn’t even do anything,” Lucius grumbled, trying to mask his envy.
But then, both of them felt a sudden chill. A cold, unsettling sensation crept up their spines.
Liana sat with her back straight, holding her coffee cup tightly, her gaze icy as she watched the scene unfolding around Shiro. More specifically, she was glaring at the girls surrounding him.
"L-Liana? Are you okay?" Rolan asked cautiously, clearly unsettled by her expression.
"Hmm? I'm fine," Liana replied in a cold tone. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"W-Well, it's just... you look a little annoyed by something... or someone." Lucius added, also treading carefully.
"Why? I'm perfectly happy," Liana said, gripping her coffee cup so tightly that it seemed on the verge of cracking. "I'm not upset at all."
"I-I see... well, i'm glad you're fine." Rolan muttered, avoiding her sharp gaze.
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Liana’s cold stare never wavered as Shiro was swarmed by attention and questions. Oblivious to her growing irritation, he continued answering the students.
Amid the chatter, one particular topic dominated the conversation—not just among the students but among everyone present:
The mysterious man who had dealt the final blow to the massive beast. The man who had saved them all from destruction.
"Whoever he was," one student said, "we owe him our lives."
"But what if he's dangerous?" Another countered, their voice tinged with caution. "We don’t even know who he is."
Shiro remained silent, listening with a furrowed brow. Liana noticed his quiet demeanor and nudged him gently. "What do you think, Shiro?"
Shiro glanced at her, deep in thought. "I’m grateful, of course... but something about him feels off. Like there’s more to his story than just saving us."
Something about that man lingered in Shiro's mind, a fragment of memory replaying over and over.
“Beware of the Unseen One”
Where had he heard those words? He couldn’t recall, but the phrase echoed in his thoughts.
Lucius nodded. "We can’t ignore that kind of power. It was beyond anything I’ve ever seen."
Rolan leaned back, crossing his arms. "Whoever he is, he’s definitely caught everyone’s attention."
The group fell into silence, each lost in thought. Before they could delve any deeper into the mystery, a knock on the door interrupted them.
"Shiro, Liana, Lucius, and Rolan," a voice called. "You’re needed in the meeting room."
They exchanged glances before standing up and following the voice down the hall.
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Meanwhile, Ren was walking through the academy grounds. Having just managed to take a quick bath, he felt a bit more refreshed.
"I’ll need to get used to this... doing everything quickly," Ren muttered as he walked, snacking on some food from his bag. He was slowly adjusting to the fast-paced nature of this new life, but at least he knew now that his skill timer could improve with each level-up.
As he wandered through the corridors, Ren's eyes flickered to his latest achievement, earned just before he had passed out.
image [https://i.imgur.com/1YOghWA.jpeg]
"Achievements..." Ren murmured, gazing at the screen.
In Illustria Chronicles, achievements weren’t easy to come by. Unlike other similar games, earning one required something truly extraordinary or completely unforeseen. In terms of rarity, achievements ranked second only to unique items. Sometimes, there were no hints on how to unlock them, leaving players to discover them through sheer luck or ingenuity.
"There was even an entire guide on the game forum dedicated just to achievements." Ren recalled.
But something felt off. Much like the mysterious Origin Metal, Ren had never seen this particular achievement in the game before.
"Just like before... something that doesn’t exist in the game, but it’s here," Ren murmured.
Who—or what—was creating these new elements? How were these added to the system? Were they part of the original design, or were they being introduced now?
There were too many questions and far too few answers.
“The One Who Defies Divine Plan…”
Could it be linked to SIN’s grand plan?
"But why is it called the 'divine plan'?" Ren thought, confused. "Is it connected to the goddess or the sacred beings?"
Nothing seemed to match anything he knew from the game.
"Ugh, at this rate, my brain will explode before I get anywhere," he sighed, finishing the last of his snack.
After walking around for a while, observing the academy, Ren finally spotted a familiar group.
"Ah, there they are," he muttered in relief as he saw Shiro and his classmates. But he noticed that Celes wasn’t with them.
"I wonder where she went," Ren said, a hint of worry creeping into his voice. "I hope nothing’s wrong."
Shiro, Liana, Rolan, and Lucius stepped into the meeting room, their expressions reflecting exhaustion and curiosity. Ren followed quietly behind them, his Unexistence skill still active, allowing him to remain unnoticed. The room was filled with an air of tension, remnants of the recent battle hanging heavy.
Valis and Barran were already seated, looking both tired and accomplished. Despite their fatigue, they smiled as the four students approached.
"Welcome, all four of you. Please take a seat," Valis said, her voice unusually comforting.
The group sat down, nervous. They hadn’t forgotten Valis’s earlier warning about their punishment once the situation was under control.
Valis, sensing their unease, chuckled softly. "Don’t be so nervous. I won’t do anything… for now."
"F-For now?" Rolan asked cautiously.
"Of course. You don’t expect me to forget about the punishment I promised, do you, Rolan?" Valis said, her tone playfully menacing.
"Uhh, no ma’am." Rolan replied quietly, unable to meet her gaze.
"Good. Then there’s nothing to worry about, as long as you all know what you did wrong, right?"
The group fell silent, avoiding Valis’s piercing stare.
"Right?" she repeated, her voice cold.
"Y-Yes ma’am." they all mumbled in unison, unable to deny it.
Satisfied, Valis’s expression softened, and she smiled at them with pride. "You all did exceptionally well last night. Shiro, Liana, Rolan, Lucius… you showed great courage and skill. As the principal of this academy, I’m impressed. Thank you for defending it."
Shiro bowed his head slightly, trying to hide the small blush of pride creeping onto his cheeks. "Thank you, Principal Valis."
Barran nodded, his gaze shifting to Rolan and Lucius. "Rolan, Lucius, your efforts were commendable. You held your ground and fought bravely. The academy is proud to have students like you."
Rolan grinned, his usual cocky demeanor returning. "Well, I try my best."
Lucius, ever composed, gave a respectful nod. "We’re just glad we could contribute."
Valis turned to Liana, her tone warmer. "Liana, your support spells were crucial in keeping everyone on their feet. You’ve truly mastered your craft."
Liana smiled softly. "Thank you, Principal Valis. I’m just glad I could help."
Valis let out a small sigh of relief. "The battle was difficult, and we’ve lost many good people, but we won. That’s something to be proud of."
The mood lightened slightly, though the exhaustion remained evident. Valis’s tone turned more serious. "We’ve restored communication with the capital. Reinforcements and supplies are on their way. And… the emperor himself has extended an invitation to all of you. Next week, you’ll be traveling to the capital for a formal audience."
The room fell silent as Shiro and his friends processed the news. Rolan’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "We’re going to meet the emperor? I wonder what kind of rewards we’ll get!"
Lucius rolled his eyes and gave Rolan a light smack on the back of the head. "Don’t embarrass us in front of the emperor, Rolan."
Barran chuckled softly. "Don’t worry about that for now. Focus on recovering. You’ve all earned it."
Valis’s voice turned more serious once again. "But for now, we need to discuss a more pressing matter," she said, glancing at Barran. "Especially regarding the battle."
The room went still, the weight of the topic settling over everyone. It was a difficult subject to broach, especially when the battle had just ended hours ago.
Suddenly, Liana spoke up, directing her question to Barran. "Vice Principal, what’s Instructor Eslis’s condition?"
Barran’s expression darkened. "She’s still unconscious. There’s no danger to her life, but it seems the side effects were stronger than we anticipated."
"I see…" Liana said softly, her voice tinged with sadness.
Valis cleared her throat before continuing. "We’ve also tallied the total number of casualties. Seventy-six people lost their lives, and among them, fifteen were citizens." She paused, her voice heavy with grief.
"And… out of those fifteen… four were children under the age of ten." Valis struggled to maintain her composure, her fists clenched as she fought to suppress her anger and frustration.
The group was stunned into silence. The numbers were far greater than they had anticipated. Seventy-six lives lost. Each one of them had families, friends, and loved ones, and now they were gone.
"We've already begun preparations for a ceremony to honor their lives and sacrifice," Barran spoke softly, his voice filled with the weight of loss. "At the very least, it will provide some comfort to the victims' families..."
Shiro and his classmates remained quiet, absorbing the gravity of the situation. They could fight, but at the end of the day, they were still children. No amount of training at the academy could have prepared them for this—the reality of war, of death.
The weight of it pressed down on them, unyielding. Whether they liked it or not, this was their new reality. They weren’t just students anymore—they were survivors, warriors, and defenders. And they would carry this weight, these memories, with them.
Life, though, would move forward. It always did.
And it will not wait for anyone.