"Do you think Vale will give you a chance?" Ki Song's voice was calm, almost amused. She leaned forward from her throne, eyes sharp as she studied Jacob, who stood in front of her, looking utterly bored. His posture loose, eyes half-lidded, and a yawn slipping past his lips.
"I don't really care what that hollow husk plans to do," Jacob replied flatly. "The only thing that matters is a future where my students can grow freely, chaotic as they may be, but still filled with joy."
Ki Song laughed, the sound light and melodic as it echoed through the grand hall.
"That's so foolish. Do you truly believe your delusions will ever become reality?"
Jacob merely shrugged, lighting a cigarette. His hands slid behind his head in his usual lazy manner as he turned to leave.
"Who cares?" he said with a small grin. "Dreams are meant for exactly that, to be dreamed, isn't it?"
Ki Song's expression darkened. With a faint flick of her wrist, she dismissed him. "Whatever you say, Dreamspawn."
Hearing that title, Jacob looked back. All humor drained from his face; his eyes grew bleak and inhuman as the throne hall began to tremble. His shadow stretched, extinguishing the light little by little, crawling across the stone like an infection.
And in an instant, everything returned to normal. As for Jacob, he was nowhere to be seen.
***
"You really are handsome, Mr. Medici."
The blonde girl smiled sweetly, her voice dripping with charm. Her hair was tied in a neat bun, her smile was soft, a little shy, but clearly practiced while her sapphire eyes sparkling like she had found her prince.
Medici gave a lazy smile and leaned back in his chair, swirling the wine in his glass like he actually knew what he was doing. He looked effortlessly elegant, crimson hair cascading like molten lava down his shoulders, dark suit perfectly fitted, tie slightly undone to look cool. He seemed calm, confident and cold, exactly how he imagined a man on his first date should look.
In reality, he was one compliment away from short-circuiting.
That made the girl even more flustered. She giggled softly, covering her mouth in embarrassment. Than, she smiled and cupped his cheek. "You don't talk much, do you?" she teased.
Medici chuckled, trying to look mysterious. "I only speak when beauty demands an answer," he said smoothly, proud of himself for remembering that line from a romance movie.
Her blush deepened. She leaned forward and Medici closed his eyes. The air was warm, the music soft and everything was perfect.
But before the date could reach its climax, a voice suddenly rang through the café's PA system.
At first, Medici ignored it. Probably some announcement about half-priced croissants.
Wait a second… why does that voice sound… familiar?
[...I mean, how do you actually do it? Don't you get nervous? What do girls like while doing it? And also-]
Medici froze, his expression shifting from satisfied to horrified as chills ran down his spine.
[Is it better if the size is too big or just normal? I know small isn't...]
He went rigid. His blood turned to ice. Every neuron in his brain screamed the same thing: abort mission!
No. No. No no no no.
The girl sitting next to him froze too. Slowly, she blinked, realization dawning on her face.
It was his voice. His.
In that instant, the fair maiden's romantic fantasy shattered completely. Her charming prince, it turned out, was in fact a desperate pervert begging dead gods for help to get laid.
She stood up stiffly, her eyes bleak and hollow.
"You... recorded yourself asking that?" she whispered, face pale.
"Wait, no! it's not... I mean... it's taken out of context!" Medici sputtered, standing up so fast he nearly flipped the table.
The girl stared at him, her expression blank, as if her soul had left her body. "Uhmm... I just remembered, a gate appeared near my neighborhood, and my little brother got eaten by nightmare creatures, so I, uh, have to go. Goodbye, hotdo... I mean, Mr. Medici."
"W-Wait! This isn't what it looks... Sounds like! I was just asking for educational purpo-" Medici shouted, reaching out for her... But she was already gone.
Just like his dignity.
That was how his first date ended, in complete and utter disaster. So much for building up the courage to ask a girl out. So much for aura farming in peace.
"Fuck my life," he muttered.
Just then, a familiar voice spoke behind him.
"It's been a while, hotdog. How've you been?"
Medici turned slowly, dread pooling in his gut. Sitting where he'd been moments ago was a familiar young man with curly black hair and eyes darker than his future, smiling in pure amusement as a glass of wine appeared in his hand out of nowhere, no way that guy was paying for it.
"A-A-A-Amon..." Medici stammered, backing away.
"Sup?" Amon greeted cheerfully, waving.
The café went silent. Medici's face twitched. Slowly, his horror twisted into fury. "You… you damned bastard! How dare you?!" he shouted, his face red with anger.
Before he could finish, a broom smacked the back of his head.
"Silence!" barked the waitress. "Just because a girl dumped you doesn't mean you can terrorize the other customers!"
And that was how Medici's first date ended: with heartbreak, humiliation, and a broom to the skull.
And thus ended Medici's social life… and began his long, painful journey into social anxiety.
***
"So… let me get this straight," Medici said, rubbing his temples. "You ruined my date, my first date! because you want my help promoting your clan? When the hell did you even find time to make a clan, fucker?"
Amon grinned, slinging an arm over Medici's shoulder. "Calm down, my dear hotdog. I will assist your hopeless romantic endeavors and teach you the sacred art of not dying alone."
He patted Medici's back, smiling like a man who had never once known shame. "In return, you shall wield the Dao of Cronyism to help me advertise my clan. Deal?"
Medici stared at him, deadpan. He genuinely wasn't sure if he was happy to see Amon again or if he should just nuke the Forgotten Shore and pretend this man never existed.
"And why the hell would I agree to that? I'm doing perfectly fine in my romantic life-"
["I mean… how do you actually do it? Don't you get nervous? What do girls like while doing it?"]
"Deal."
"Excellent choice, Mr. Medici!" Amon laughed, giving him a thumbs-up. "Your wisdom truly transcends mortal limits."
Medici groaned, kicking a pebble so hard it ricocheted into a trash can. "So, oh great visionary… what's the plan?"
Amon stopped walking, a mischievous smile slowly spreading across his face. He turned dramatically, eyes gleaming with a mischievous spark.
"First," he said, lowering his voice, his expression solemn, "we need to brainwash the children in the academy."
Medici froze. "...What in the actual fuck did you just say?"
Two days later…
Inside the Academy's grand conference hall, the massive monitor on the wall flickered to life, displaying a long list of names: every Awakened who had made it back from the Forgotten Shore.
Before Amon and his cohort returned, the top ranks had been stable for months: Medici, Luna, Nephis, Cassie, Effie, Gemma, and others dominated the list.
But now? Everything had changed.
Updated Rankings:
1. True Creator
2. Blood Son Of Heaven
3. The Changing Star
4. Blasphemer
5. Deadlight
6. The Prince of Motion
7. The Laughing Storm
8. Nightingale
9. Shield Of The Goddess
10. Song of the Fallen
11. Raised by Wolves
12. Blood Flower
13. Slasher
Each name belonged to someone who had earned a True Name, Awakened who could be considered the best of the best. Some of those extraordinary individuals had earned their True Names during their first Nightmare, and others after the Forgotten Shore. But there was no doubt, all of them wielded incredible strength and possessed the potential to become high-ranking Saints.
The new students stared up at the list in stunned silence. Awe, admiration, and a little bit of fear filled the air.
And for good reason.
Amon, the Blasphemer, was now ranked fourth. The revelation that he had received his True Name during his first Nightmare sent shockwaves through the world. A mere Sleeper deceiving the Academy's system? Unthinkable.
After the reports from the Forgotten Shore were released, his name became a bad omen, a symbol of madness and the misfortune. Even now, information about the Blasphemer was so scarce that some wondered if he had ever truly existed. His cohort wasn't much better.
The Prince of Motion was the True Name earned by Caster of the Han Li Clan. He was hailed as a hero, praised for his speed, skill, and bravery. But the greatest reason for his fame was the sheer number of lives he had saved, both in the Battle for the Bright Castle and during the Siege of the Crimson Spire.
However, his association with Amon cast a long shadow over his reputation.
Gunlaug, the Laughing Storm, was perhaps one of the most dangerous Awakened to ever live. The sheer number of people he had killed was staggering. The fact that he ruled the Bright Castle for years with an iron fist and keeping the human settlements from being annihilated by Nightmare Creatures through a mix of cunning and madness earned him a reputation as a tyrannical, merciless ruler.
Kido, the Blood Flower, became known as the lifeline of the Forgotten Shore. She created and managed vital resources, saving countless Sleepers from starvation. Many saw her as a future pillar of humanity, and the government hoped she would one day use her power to improve living conditions in the Dream Realm so that humans would no longer need to venture into dangerous regions for resources.
Kai didn't even need an introduction. The idol-turned-Awakened already had legions of fans, and his transformation into a hero only amplified his fame. People didn't care that he ran with Amon's crowd, the man was simply too damn handsome for logic to apply.
And then there was Harus, the Deadlight, without a shadow of doubt, one of the most cold-blooded killers in the world. He was as mysterious as the Blasphemer, and by far the most terrifying, and for good reasons. Harus had killed dozens of Sleepers on the Forgotten Shore, butchering them as if they were animals.
But the most horrifying part was that no one knew how he had done it. No one had ever seen the victims before their deaths, and every time, there were no signs of struggle, no evidence of a fight. No one ever heard a cry for help. It was as if, when Harus wanted someone dead, they simply… died.
Because of that, Harus was a wildcard. The government didn't know whether he would bring fortune to the world or a disaster.
Aiko hadn't received a True Name yet, nor was she particularly famous. She was acknowledged only because she was part of the Blasphemer's cohort. But what no one knew was that, in the future, Aiko would wield the authority to manage the finances of one of the most powerful clans in existence.
And those seven, for some bizarre reason, came to be known as the Worst Generation, a title personally suggested by the Awakened Blood Son of Heaven himself. "It's a fitting name," he had said.
But right now, none of that mattered.
Because something deeply suspicious, and very, very stupid was happening on the Academy grounds.
At first, it was small. Just a few whispers here and there. But like all truly stupid rumors, it spread fast.
A young girl stood before Nephis's name on the ranking board, eyes shining with adoration. She looked inspired, maybe even a little emotional.
"She's so amazing… so beautiful and brave," she whispered dreamily.
But her admiring expression vanished the moment she noticed another student giving her a pitying look.
"What?" she snapped.
"You actually like the Changing Star?" the boy muttered, disappointed. "Huh? Seriously, girl?
The girl turned, glaring. "What's your problem?"
The boy sighed, shaking his head with an empathetic look. "Oh, nothing. I just think it's really sad that you idolize a fraud."
The girl frowned, already feeling her blood pressure rise. "Huh!? What's wrong with Lady Nephis, you bastard?!"
The boy leaned closer, whispering in her ear, a little hesitant and unsure, as if he didn't want to hurt the girl's feelings. "Do you really want to know? I mean... truth hurts, after all, my friend."
The girl sighed, gesturing for him to continue. That was all the encouragement he needed. He sighed again, his expression full of sympathy as his tone turned conspiratorial.
"Do you really think she uses flames?" he whispered. "Don't you know she just… spills gasoline on her sword to make it look like fire?"
The girl blinked, dumbfounded and angrier now. "…What nonsense are you spouting now?"
The boy shook his head, wiping a tear from his eye, looking as if he, too, was heartbroken by the news. "She's embarrassed, you know? Being the heir of the Immortal Flame Clan but having no actual fire ability? So she fakes it. Do you know the secret about her past?"
The girl just stared at him, eyes wide with fury. "This is ridiculous! What do you mean, her past?!"
He exhaled, shoulders slightly hunched as he gazed into the distance with a lost, tragic look. "Don't you know? She made up her entire backstory so people would feel sorry for her."
The girl blinked, now more confused, and furious than ever. "This doesn't make sense! The government announced that she has fire-based abilities! Even the survivors said the same, I asked them! And her past is real, too!"
The boy patted her shoulder, looking at her with genuine pity. "And you trust them? Don't you know the government and survivors aren't reliable sources?"
"They literally were there!" the girl shouted, her voice trembling with rage as the boy walked away, wiping tears from his eyes.
Meanwhile, in the dojo of the Academy, another crime against logic was unfolding.
"Yo, man, you seriously simp for Effie?" a boy said, grinning like he'd just uncovered top-secret government intel. "Don't you know her True Name, when translated from runes, literally means 'Raised by Hoes'?"
The new student frowned, clearly disgusted. "Watch your mouth. She's a hero. She fought for-"
The boy interrupted, waving him off. "Hero? You mean 'Fatass Athena'?" he scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief."You think she got that strength from training? Nah, dude. Word is, she endured the nastiest backshots in entire world from Tessai himself. Man, that girl's a hoe. Everyone knows it."
The new student froze, mortified. "W-what?"
"Oh come on," the boy continued, lowering his voice dramatically. "Don't pretend. We all know what's gonna happen when you get back to your dorm, lights off, hand under the blanket, whispering 'oh yeah~'"
The poor guy turned pale as chalk, utterly speechless. The boy smirked and walked away like he'd just completed a mission. Which, in a way, he had. He'd been paid handsomely for spreading all this nonsense. Not to mention, it was fun.
And that was how it all began: a slow, creeping infection of disinformation and degeneracy.
By noon, every cafeteria, dojo, and hallway was buzzing with "top-secret leaks" from totally reliable sources. Apparently, the government and the survivors themselves were no longer considered reliable at all.
Whatever was being said was so vile, so slanderous, that even the birds stopped chirping and the wind itself refused to blow.
And then it happened again.
And again.
Different courtyards. Different rumors.
Each conversation grew stranger by the minute.
It was spreading, like an infection.
By evening, half the Academy believed Nephis was a pyromaniac scam artist, Effie was a girl in a wheelchair who "loved backshots," and Cassie? Seeing the future was a total scam. She just said a few cryptic words to sound like a mysterious seer while, in truth, she was bullshitting the whole time.
No one knew where the rumors came from.
But one thing was certain, corruption knew no end.
Four Days Later...
Nephis, Effie, and Cassie had just returned from the Dream Realm. But something felt… off.
Everyone was staring at them.
Of course, they were used to attention. After all, they were practically celebrities vut today was different.
People weren't just staring. They were looking at them weirdly.
"Look at her… that's the Fraudulent Star."
"I know, right? And beside her, in that wheelchair… that's Raised by Hoes."
"And that petite girl must be the Con Artist, the one who 'researched' the history of the Forgotten Shore, said a few cryptic words, and called it prophecy… hsss, they're scary."
"Where's their femboy?"
Effie blinked, dumbfounded by their words, and glanced around in disbelief. "Hey… I think they're talking about us. What the heck is going on?"
Cassie frowned, tilting her head in confusion, while Nephis remained calm, her face expressionless, though her gray eyes shimmered with a mix of embarrassment and bewilderment.
"Don't react yet," Nephis said with a quiet sigh. "We need to find out what happened first."
But before they could investigate, something else caught their attention.
Posters. Dozens of them, maybe even hundred, plastered across the walls. Each one was ridiculous, confusing, and utterly out of place.
But what truly stood out was the man printed on them.
It was Amon.
Nephis's pupils shrank for a split second before she forced herself to stay composed.
He's back, she thought grimly. I don't know if that's good… or bad.
She still remembered their last conversation. And despite all their differences, she had to admit one thing, Amon was an incredibly intelligent and dangerously capable individual.
What Nephis didn't know was that Amon didn't really care whether they reconciled or not. Even if it had been Medici or Luna instead of her, he would've done the exact same thing.
The reason was simple, Rose Redemption had only eight members.
And they were broke.
That's why he needed capable Awakened for his new clan. Not to mention, Nephis's admirers were flocking to the Valor Clan, and that was something he couldn't tolerate.
Anvil gaining more soldiers? Pfthhh, dream on.
There was no way Amon would let that sulking old geezer strengthen his forces. Every Awakened with potential, those with potent, unique Aspects, would belong to him.
And, of course, the funny ones too. Amon was nothing if not biased.
That was why he created all those slanders, to destroy reputations, so that instead of joining Valor, they would turn to Rose Redemption.
Now, he was taking it a step further. He was using propaganda to draw them in.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
Aiko stood on a raised platform, wearing a sharp black suit and a grin that could bankrupt nations. Her arms spread dramatically toward the crowd.
"Amon, the Blasphemer, proudly sponsors and hosts…" She paused, milking the tension. "'SHOW ME THE ADVENTURERS!' The ultimate recruitment event for the legendary organization: [Insert Name Here]"
The courtyard erupted in confused cheers.
Effie blinked. "What the hell is a [Insert Name Here]?"
Cassie pinched the bridge of her nose. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's illegal."
Nephis didn't answer, she was staring at the posters.
The first one showed Amon in a sleek black suit and fedora, pointing dramatically at the gathered people with a solemn look.
Below him, bold letters read:
['INSERT NAME HERE' NEEDS YOU!]
The second poster was even worse. Amon and his entire cohort were sprawled across piles of Soul Shards, gold, and glowing Memories.
[MONEY, FAME, AND POWER!]
The third looked almost saintly, Amon sitting atop a mountain of Soul Shards, weeping as he tossed them to the poor.
[SHARING IS CARING!]
And the final poster…
Amon and his cohort stood heroically atop the Dark City's wall, cloaked and majestic, their robes billowing in the wind like a Chinese cultivators.
[SHOW ME THE ADVENTURERS!]
Nephis blinked, and than decided to ignore the self-advertisements and turned to the other posters.
One showed Caster saving people in the Bright Castle, fighting with all his strength to rescue as many as he could.
Another poster depicted him on the battlefield during the siege: standing amidst the chaos, pulling wounded Sleepers from the jaws of nightmare creatures. A beam of light pierced the dark sky, bathing him in its glow as he charged back into the fray, like an angel who refused to leave anyone behind, even if it cost him his life.
Near his face, in bold letters, were his supposed thoughts:
[Please, Lord… help me get one more.]
The next poster featured Kido, a wheats and fruits in her hands, offering food to the poor Sleepers of the Dark City so they wouldn't starve. She looked frail, her body thin and weak, as if she had given away every last scrap of food, even while she herself went hungry.
[Everyone can be a hero!]
Beside that one was a poster of Harus, fighting mid-air, despite not having the ability to fly. He was surrounded by the Spire Messengers, cutting through them one after another, his eyes cold and focused as he tore the nightmare creatures apart.
Kai was shown flying around him, loosing arrow after arrow with unyielding precision.
And beside them, the mysterious Raven helped from above, ensuring that the entire Dreamer Army was saved from being crushed beneath the falling corpses of nightmare beasts.
[The coward found courage, and the devil found something worth fighting for!]
The last poster depicted Gunlaug, leading everyone out of the battlefield, hands gripping the wheel as he declared himself the captain of the ship. It showed the moment when the ship soared through the air, crashing down upon the Crimson Spire.
It was the scene where Gunlaug saved everyone with his bold actions… though, in truth, it had been Amon's mad plan, and his equally insane subordinate carrying it out.
[Even the Forsaken can find redemption!]
Nephis stared at all of it, stunned into disbelief. The posters were so emotional, so beautifully crafted, that for a moment, she almost believed them.
Even knowing how vile those people truly were (well, excluding Kai), she couldn't help but feel something stir in her chest.
She muttered, her voice low and incredulous.
"What the hell is this?"
***
[A/N: Agenda Piece... Is REAL!!!]
***