“What are you staring at?” Shogo’s voice cut through her thoughts, rough and impatient.
“Nothing,” she said quickly, l her gaze. Her hands ched in her p, the faint warmth still lingering from Razen’s ritual. She could feel the ge in her body, subtle but undeniable, a sense of energy c through her veins, pooling just beh her skin.
Kirara leaned forward, resting her on her hand as she studied Kaede with an amused grin. “You’re ag all weird. Like did the old man mess up the ritual or something?”
Kaede shook her head, f a nervous smile. “No, I’m fine. Just… adjusting.”
Kyoya g her, flickering in his eyes. “It felt weird for me too. Like something woke up inside me. Maybe that’s normal?”
Kirara snorted. “Normal? Like, nothing about this situation is normal. You’re in another world, surrounded by people who’d rather use you than befriend you. Get used to it.”
Kaede’s stomach twisted at her words. She waue, to g to some shred of hope that things could be different, but she knew Kirara was right. This wasn’t a game, no matter how much it resembled ohere were no do-overs, no respawns.
Shogo stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. “I’m doting around. If they wao train, then fine. I’ll show them what happens whery to trol me.” He shot Kaede a sharp look, his voice dripping with disdain. “Try not to slow us down.”
Before she could respond, he stormed out of the room, the door smming shut behind him.
Kirara stretched zily, her grin never faltering. “Well, he’s in a mood. Like, don’t let it get to you, though. He’s all bark and… okay, like, maybe some bite.”
Kyoya stood as well, his expression thoughtful. “I think I’ll look around. Get a feel for this pce before they start throwing us into battles.” He hesitated, gng at Kaede. “You ing?”
Kaede opened her mouth to respond, but Kirara cut in with a ugh. “Oh, let her stay. She looks like she’s about to faint anyway. You go ahead and py hero, Kyoya. I’ll keep her pany.”
Kyoya frowned but nodded relutly. “Alright. I’ll catch up with you ter.”
As the door closed behind him, the room felt smaller, the air heavier. Kaede shifted unfortably under Kirara’s gaze, her smile now carrying an edge Kaede couldn’t quite pce.
“You’re not looking very good.” Kirara said softly, her tone devoid of its usual pyfulness.
Kaede blinked, startled. “What do you mean?”
Kirara leaned closer, her eyes narrowing. “You’re scared. Shogo’s pissed off, Kyoya’s curious, but you? You’re terrified.”
Kaede’s breath hitched. “I-I don’t—”
Kirara ughed, cutting her off. “Don't get why you're scared though, like, none of this is even real.” She tilted her head, her smile turning thoughtful. “Once we've proven ourselves, Razen will just send us home.”
Kaede’s throat tightened. “Wha... I don’t.”
“I mean.” Kirara’s grin widened, but her eyes had a cold look of despair. “Its not like any of this shit is real. Like, magic? Please."
Kaede swallowed hard, the weight of Kirara’s denial settling on her chest. She wasn't ready to deal with whatever that was. For a brief moment, the blinking i at the edge of her vision pulsed brighter, drawitention again. Without thinking, she focused on it, her vision blurring slightly as a new interfafolded before her.
A feminine voice immediately echoed within her mind.
<
<
Her breath caught as words appeared, faint and shimmering like a hologram. She g Kirara, who was now leaning ba her chair, pletely unaware of what Kaede was seeing.
The text tio scroll.
[New world order: Status]
[Name:]
Kaede Honjou
Age: 19
Species: Human^
Title: None
Magic: Earth Magic ? Ice Magic ? Poison Magic ?
---
[Unique Skills:]
Absolute Defense
Devour
Saturating Chaos
Mae God
Martyr's Devotion
Bug Urn Curse
Twisted Resurre
Dark Rebirth
---
[Extra Skills:]
Inspire
Hydra Eater
Pandemonium
Sheep Eater
Apex of Authority
Meditation
Bomb Eater
Glow of deliverance
Heaven's Throne
---
[Ultimate Skills:]
New World Order: Lord of Fate ainy, Ananke
---
[Arts:]
Psychokinesis
Cataclysmic Eruption
Zone freeze
Crystallization
Earth Wielding
"Whoa..." Kaede whispered as she scrolled through all her skills. "This feels a little too much don't you think, weird voice?" She whispered again not really expeg an answer.
[Query]
<
<
<
<
<
"...." Kaede trembled, frozen with shock as she scroll through her status and its ext.
The s flickered once more, and the interface appeared, glowing softly in front of Kaede. The numbers and titles seemed to pulse with an almost ominous energy, as though the very status of her being had shifted. She hesitated before fully looking at it, the weight of the power now tethered to her identity.
---
[Status - New World Order: Lord of Fate ainy, Ananke]
Name: Kaede Honjou
Age: 19
Species: Human^
Title: None
Magic: Earth Magic ? Ice Magic ? Poison Magic ?
---
[Unique Skills:]
Absolute Defense
Devour
Bug Urn Curse
---
[Extra Skills:]
Inspire
Hydra Eater
Sheep Eater
Meditation
Bomb Eater
---
[Ultimate Skills:]
New World Order: Lord of Fate ainy, Ananke
Artificia, Lord of Mae
Guanyin, Lord of Mercy
Nyarthotep, Lord of Seeping Chaos
Persephone, Lord of Abyssal Rebirth
---
[Arts:]
Psychokinesis
Cataclysmic Eruption
Zone Freeze
Crystallization
Earth Wielding
---
Kaede's thoughts trembled as she scrolled through the glowi, her mind struggling to process the overwhelming flood of information. The words seemed to blur together, their weight pressing down on her chest like an iron shackle. Lord of Fate ainy, Ananke... Artificia, Lord of Maes... Guanyin, Lord of Mercy... Nyarthotep, Lord of Seeping Chaos... Persephone, Lord of Abyssal Rebirth... eaame was more absurd tha. They sounded like the titles of a gods, not something she should have been ected to.
A cold sweat beaded on her forehead. This isn't real. This 't be real...
But the sensation in her body—the surge of power that seemed to throb beh her skin—was undeniable. Kaede ched her fists, trying to calm the panic rising in her chest, but the pulse of the power only seemed to grow stronger, as though something inside her was awakening, stretg, yearning to break free.
"What the hell is all this?" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes flicked back to the interface, but the more she read, the more her vision seemed to blur.
Artificia, Lord of Maes... what does that even mean? She felt a dizzying mix of awe and dread.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft sound of a chair scraping the floor. Kaede's heart leapt in her chest, her gaze snapping toward the source of the noise. Kirara was standing, her hands resting on her hips, a bemused expression on her face.
“You’ve been staring off in space fes,” she said, her voice ced with curiosity and amusement. “Are you gonna freak out or what?”
Kaede didn't answer. She couldn't. The words on the s felt like they were sinking into her very soul, embedding themselves deep in her being. I’m not supposed to have this kind of power. Am I?
Kirara raised an eyebrow. “Kaede?” Her tone shifted slightly, the teasing edge gone, repced by a hint of genuine . “You good?”
Kaede swallowed hard, her throat dry. She managed a tight nod, her eyes never leaving the s. “I’m fine.” Her voice wavered, but she didn’t care. You have to keep it together, Kaede. You don’t have a choice.
But as she scrolled further, the numbers, the titles, the raw potential of it all, ed in her mind like a storm. She could feel her heartbeat thrumming in her ears, louder with each passing sed. Lord of Maes... Lord of Chaos... Lord of Rebirth... Why me? Her thoughts hovered over the glowi, the weight of the decision pressing down on her. She had never asked for any of this. She had never wahis kind of responsibility, this kind of power.
But here she was. What now?
SaberGlory