Underground, Royal Capital.
The sound of droplets falling onto the damp ground echoed softly against the stone walls of that ancient, abandoned complex. At the center of the hall, a towering man clad in black armor held a strange artifact — a grotesque eyeball, pulsing with malevolent energy.
He stared at the relic for several seconds before addressing his subordinates, who were gathered in a semicircle before him.
"I know you're restless..." he began, his voice low yet firm, laced with resentment.
"But as long as the Eye of Desire remains in my hands, our plan will proceed flawlessly. Nothing can stop us."
His presence was suffocating. The relic seemed to react to his emotions, flickering more intensely with every word.
"This country... will be reduced to ashes," he continued, eyes half-closed.
"And the blame? It will fall entirely on the Night Raid."
He raised the artifact, as if to consecrate the moment.
"Kill anyone who tries to stand in our way. Nobles, soldiers, children... no one is to be spared. The Eye of Desire will make it all possible!"
The soldiers before him shuddered. They took a few steps back, swallowing their fear. The aura radiating from the knight was insane, stained with pure hatred — but no one protested. They knew what that relic was capable of.
"There are still adjustments to be made," he said, walking slowly among his subordinates.
"But with the help of the Prince of the Magic Kingdom, Leon... and the engineer Sherry Barnett... the control device will soon be complete. The final piece is already being fine-tuned."
One of the men, hesitating, broke the silence.
"With all due respect, sir... Prince Leon is powerful. I heard he faced a dragon alone and survived. Even with the relic restored, capturing him won't be easy..."
The knight stopped. He turned slowly, his footsteps echoing like war drums.
"Hmph... fool," the word struck like a dagger.
"Have you forgotten the true power of the Eye of Desire?"
He raised the relic again, which glowed with a sinister purple light.
"What does it matter if he killed a dragon? Without magic, he's nothing but flesh and bone. A man like any other... and ordinary men die easily."
"Yes, sir!" the soldier responded quickly, head bowed.
The knight let out a cold chuckle.
"You all seem to forget that this relic doesn't just drain magic from everything around us. It feeds my body with that power. It makes me more than human."
His gaze pierced through the helm. A feverish madness burned within.
"The Night Raid will try to interfere, of course. But what are they without their magic? Broken weapons, powerless women. I will crush them with my bare hands."
"Yes!" the soldiers echoed in unison.
"When I take their lives, one by one, and reclaim my glory... the Council will no longer be able to ignore me. I will once again be one of the Twelve Knights. And this time... no one will take that from me!"
His laughter echoed through the tunnels, filled with madness. It was the sound of a man consumed by his past — and by the promise of destruction.
A few days later...
Midgard Academy of Magical Swordsmen.
The morning sun gently kissed the rooftops of the academy, where laughter and carefree chatter filled the flower-lined courtyards. Amid that peaceful scene, seated silently by a fountain, were a few girls in school uniforms. But their gazes didn't match the youthful energy around them.
They were members of the Night Raid, undercover among the students.
"So peaceful..." murmured one of them, her voice soft and distant.
"They really have no idea about the world beyond these walls."
"They don't realize how protected they are here," another replied.
"We used to smile like that too..." added a third, looking away.
Their mission was clear: investigate the academy from within, identify suspicious individuals, and act when the time came. Follow the orders of Leon and the Seven Shadows, even if it meant sacrificing any hope of a normal life.
But even hardened warriors, forged by pain and discipline, weren't immune to nostalgia.
They looked around, watching students laugh, play, fall in love. Running through hallways, worried about exams, friends, and parties. A trivial life — but a precious one.
"If it weren't for the Demon Possession... we'd be among them right now," one of them whispered, almost inaudibly.
"Living a beautiful lie... but a comfortable one."
Even knowing it was all just a facade — a fragile illusion like thin glass over a frozen lake — the girls still longed for it.
That fleeting happiness...
That peace that could vanish at any moment, swallowed by the hidden currents beneath the surface.
Even if it was just an empty dream, something inside them still wished to touch it.
In the end, they were just girls.
Seventeen-year-old girls, living out their youth in the shadows of war.
"I wish... I could fall in love for real one day," one murmured, her eyes lost among the ordinary students.
"I wish I could go to school every day without thinking about fights, the Cult of Diablos, or death."
"And maybe have a boyfriend...? Ahh, that's dumb, I know..." another said, laughing nervously.
"You went too far..." muttered a third, though a small smile played on her lips.
We only realize the value of light when we've lived too long in darkness.
Those young members of the Night Raid — silent assassins, trained agents — watched their innocent classmates with eyes full of longing.
Not for friendship.
Not for love.
But for the simple, painful normalcy of life.
Many times, they had thought of stepping out of the shadows, standing in the sun like any other student.
And for some, that desire had turned into doubt.
Into weakness.
Falling in love... is that really so wrong? Living a normal campus life, just for a while... Shouldn't that be possible? Just for a moment, just to feel what it's like...
It was in that instant that two voices sliced through the air like silent blades.
"What are you doing?"
"How is the mission progressing?"
The fantasy world collapsed in a second.
The girl lost in her daydreams shivered. Her muscles tensed, survival instincts kicking in. She turned abruptly, eyes wide.
And then she saw them.
Two imposing figures, standing with poise and razor-sharp gazes.
"M-Mistress Beta...?! Mistress Epsilon...?!"
Shock rippled through the group like a surge of electricity. They all stood at once, backs straight, eyes lowered. Despite the school uniforms, those presences were unmistakable.
The Second and the Fifth of the Seven Shadows.
Second only to Alpha... and the Master.
"Why are you two here...?" one asked, hesitantly.
"By order of the Master, obviously," Beta replied, arms crossed.
"What other reason would we have to come here?" added Epsilon, her tone icy.
"Y-yes! Forgive the foolish question..."
Of course. There was only one person in the world who could summon the Seven Shadows from anywhere: the Master.
Beta and Epsilon exchanged glances, then turned their sharp eyes toward the young women before them. Their gazes were cold, scanning as if to detect invisible cracks.
Then, Beta broke the silence.
"Have any of you... entertained thoughts you shouldn't have?"
The silence was total. But the impact was devastating.
"I understand. It's tempting. It's human. But remember," said Epsilon, meeting each of their eyes.
"There is no place for us in this world. And if you go down that path... you will only find regret."
"F-forgive us..."
The words were whispered, heads bowed, pride wounded.
But deep down, they knew it was true.
They had chosen to follow the Master. Chosen to fight alongside the Night Raid against the Cult of Diablos, diving into darkness for a greater purpose. There was no room for distractions. Not now.
The illusion of a normal life? It was nothing more than a bubble about to burst.
"We are survivors," one of them finally said.
"Victims of the Cult of Diablos... and disciples redeemed by the Master."
Even so, for a moment... they wavered. And that hesitation was far too dangerous.
Beta and Epsilon knew that.
That's why they exchanged a brief glance and turned together toward a specific direction. Their eyes softened — filled with respect... and something else. Devotion.
The girls, confused, followed their gaze.
And when they saw him, their hearts nearly stopped.
Beneath the shade of a tree, sitting with the calm posture of someone who has no fear of the world, was him.
Their Master.
A young man with a serene expression and quiet beauty, flipping through an ancient book as if nothing else existed.
There was something almost sacred about his presence.
Even there, in an ordinary setting, he shone like a star in the darkness.
A breeze stirred, lifting his dark hair gently.
The sunlight touched his face.
For a brief moment, he looked like an angel. A being from another world.
Ba-dum.
The sound of hearts beating echoed within all of them at once.
The girls clutched their chests, stunned. The warmth of faith, of love... of pure loyalty filled them once more. The momentary doubt vanished.
Fall in love...? With anyone else but him?
There was no man in the world who could even touch the Master's shadow.
And in that moment, they remembered who they were.
And who they fought for.
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."