Hoshigami Style.

It was Lumina's personally created sword art.

She took inspiration from Shin's sword art and his family's technique to create a deadly combination that would result in absolute destruction.

This technique worked better with the Moonblade, as the Moonblade allowed channelling a huge amount of mana into the body.

Though, without the Moonblade, the Hoshigami Style could be near impossible to use, Miss Lumina could still do it with any sword.

She could draw mana of that calibre without the Moonblade.

Leon was stunned when he found out.

But he soon figured out how she was able to pull it off. She must have used the sword style so many times that her body was now able to perform it naturally.

On the other hand, Leon failed.

"How did I even mess up the aim?" He muttered under his breath as he kept on walking.

"Did I apply too much force?"

"No, no," Leon shook his head, denying his own question, "the force was perfect, just like her, or it could be because—"

"Ugh! Will you please shut the fuck up?"

Alice barked at him in annoyance; her voice was sharp enough to snap Leon out of his thoughts.

He blinked and looked at her.

They were still walking through the narrow ridge of Icy Mountain; the wind was colder up here, sending a chill down his skin.

Their destination was Black Mountain, where the demonic necromancers had their hideout.

According to Lumina, they had about twenty minutes left before they would reach the outer boundary. But thanks to the Chimeras prowling below, Lumina had chosen the mountain tops instead of the direct path. Which meant it would take them double the time.

Leon sighed inside.

'Just bad luck, I wanted to use those Chimera's as a dummy practice, such a shame…'

"What's with that face?" He glanced at Alice, his voice calm, way too calm. "I was just murmuring to myself. If you have a problem, then don't listen."

Alice's vein popped, her face twitching with irritation.

"Wow, look at you. What now, mood swings? What are you, a girl?"

"You're annoying," Leon muttered. "I wasn't even speaking that loudly."

"Loudly my ass!" Alice snapped back. Her eyes narrowed as she stomped along beside him.

At the front, Lumina walked with steady steps, her attention fixed ahead of her.

She couldn't hear them unless they raised their voices or she focused her ears on them. Which was probably the only reason Alice dared to act this way.

"I can see you got your hands on her blade," Alice said, looking down at his waist, her tone dripping with envy. "Man, I'm jealous. First, she teaches you her sword art, and now she gifts you her weapon. I have to agree; you are smooth at this."

Leon smirked. He couldn't help it.

"See? That's what you can get when you don't act annoyingly."

"Oh, shut up." Alice clicked her tongue, clearly irritated at his smug face.

After a pause, she added, "But I want to know… the sword art is one thing. But, how are you going to take the Moonblade with you outside? I mean, it's just a story. Right?"

Her words stabbed right into the one thought Leon had been keeping hidden.

He knew it was a valid question. Alice, for once, wasn't actually dumb.

The Moonblade wasn't his to carry out of this Astral world. He couldn't just walk away with it if he wanted.

But Leon had already figured out a way.

He remembered the feeling when he first held the blade.

The mana signature of the Moonblade was unique, unlike anything else. Just by touching it, just by channelling his mana through it once, he had memorized that unique signature. With that, when he returned to the real world, he could claim it.

After clearing the story, the system would grant him a reward, a teleportation coordinate leading directly near the region where the Moonblade was kept. And once he was there, he would trace the weapon by that exact mana signature.

That was how Ethan had done it in the game. Though Ethan didn't know the mana signature, it took him many days to get his hands on it. Leon remembered it clearly.

"Well, that's just bad luck." Leon sighed, pretending her question didn't matter to him.

Alice frowned.

"Hmm, so no Moonblade for you?"

"That's right." Leon nodded.

"Nice," she said.

Leon had no intention of telling her the truth. If Alice knew, she would demand to tag along. She was exactly the type to stick her nose in whenever there was an ancient weapon or artifact involved. And Leon did not want her there.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

Alice walked with her arms crossed, a scowl plastered on her face. She muttered something under her breath, probably another insult directed at him, but Leon ignored it.

'Yeah, I'll just ask Myra instead,' he thought. 'With her, the journey would be smooth.'

That decision was already made in his head.

Alice was too much of a headache. Her sharp tongue, her constant mocking, the way she always turned simple things into an argument, it was all exhausting.

Myra, on the other hand, was calm. She understood him. And she would not drag him into endless bickering.

Leon looked back ahead. Lumina's long white hair fluttered as she led them forward, silent as ever, like a lone figure born to stand above anything else.

'So, after it all ends, I won't be seeing her again?'

Behind her, the sky had started to get dark. The Black Mountain tip was visible from this distance.

The closer they walked, the heavier the air felt.

Alice broke the silence again. "So, what happens when we reach them? You think those necromancers are just gonna bow down and say, Welcome~?"

Leon shot her a blank look.

"Maybe they'll be too scared after seeing your face."

Alice's mouth fell open.

"You—!"

She raised a fist, but Leon had already turned away, smirking faintly to himself.

Well, she had her own unique charm.

But, not the kind of charm that Leon liked.

Walking behind Lumina, Leon's mind drifted.

A memory that doesn't belong to him surfaced. It belonged to Shin.

'I wonder… are these feelings because of his memories?' he thought.

Every time his eyes fell on Lumina, something stirred inside him.

A sudden urge to protect her, no matter what.

'Damn it, I don't like it at all.'

His palm brushed against his cheek, trying to cool himself down. His face was hot, and that heat annoyed him more than anything.

'I hate it.'

Alice noticed the shift right away.

She caught him staring too long at Lumina's back, the way his eyes lingered on her white hair fluttering against the wind.

Her brow arched. She quickened her steps, walking beside him, a sly smile tugging her lips.

She coughed, leaning closer, and making her voice low.

"You do know she's dead, right?"

Leon turned his head slightly, his eyes half-lidded.

He understood the meaning of her statement.

"Please. Leave me alone."

Alice smirked.

"Heh. Didn't know you of all people had that side."

"Shut it."

"Wow… so what's her age? Twice yours? Pfttt—" she snickered. "I've never seen this. Falling for someone ol—"

Her words caught in her throat when she saw his eyes. The warmth there. It wasn't lust. It wasn't an obsession. It was something heavier either.

It was… real.

And then the truth she had spoken earlier hit her again.

'She's dead.'

Alice's grin faded. The weight of it pressed on her chest. She thought back on her time with Lumina.

The nights they had shared quiet talks. The times Alice had let her guard down, telling Lumina things she never told anyone else. Her family, she hated. The nobles she despised. The anger that ate away every day.

And Lumina… she had listened. She didn't judge. She didn't look at Alice like she was broken. She simply accepted it.

Alice bit her lip.

She realized Lumina had become something like an elder sister to her. Someone who gave her a place to spill her heart without shame.

But once this story ended… she would never see her again.

The thought stabbed deeper than she expected.

"Sorry," Alice muttered, her voice softer than usual.

"..."

The silence lingered.

Leon stared at Lumina's back once more, and for a fleeting moment, he wished time would just stop here.

But he knew better.

It was not his memory.

He clenched his fist, pressing it against his chest.

'…why do I even care?' He thought.

— — —

Minutes passed, and soon they reached the foot of Black Mountain.

"From this point on, do only as I say." Lumina's voice was calm.

Alice and Leon both nodded without question.

"Understood, Miss Lumina."

The mountain loomed ahead; it was enormous.

Leon tilted his head up, eyes narrowing.

It was as big as the one Lumina had blown apart a few hours ago.

'Is she going to blow this one too?' Leon thought.

His lips curled slightly.

'That would be fun.'

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.