Thunder Beneath a Clear Sky
Night Moon City always had a strange way of swallowing sound, but tonight, even the darkness seemed stunned.
KA-THOOM!
A sudden crack of thunder tore through the night like the heavens had ripped open. A shockwave rolled down the streets, rattling windows and spooking pedestrians into freezing mid-step.
Heads turned. People whispered. Fear flickered through the crowd like sparks jumping between wires.
"Did you hear that? A thunderstorm?"
"But the sky's completely clear!"
"Maybe it was an explosion? Should we call the police?"
Their confusion hung in the air, thick and electric.
Meanwhile, Victor Nyxford stood in a narrow alley choked with smoke and the lingering stench of scorched flesh. The spider demon's charred remains sagged into a melted black husk at his feet. The air around him still buzzed with the aftertaste of raw lightning.
Victor exhaled slowly, shoulders sinking with a mix of relief and annoyance.His sharp blue eyes — always cool, always distant — caught the faint shimmer of static still dancing across the ground.
After a beat, he let out a soft, dry laugh.
"So, that's what happens when your fortune hits rock bottom. Clear skies… and it still gets struck by lightning. Absolutely tragic."
Ding!
A floating panel unfolded in his vision.
Congratulations, Master!Quest complete.
Reward: +20 Fortune PointsCurrent Total: 70 Fortune Points
Victor watched the notification fade with a faint twitch of amusement. He could feel the small surge of restored luck settling inside him, like a warm ripple running through his veins.
He made a quiet note to himself:
Luckless people don't survive long in this world.
He wiped the blade of Frost Whisper, sheathed it, and stepped toward the mouth of the alley—only for a voice to bubble inside his mind, amused and a little smug.
"If you hadn't stepped back, Master, you would've been caught in that blast."
Victor smirked. "I'll admit it — good call, Sana."
The soft chiming voice brightened. "It's my duty to protect you, Master."
"You're starting to sound smug."
"I have absolutely no idea what you mean," Sana replied, innocence dripping from every syllable.
Victor rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress the small grin tugging at his lips. He glanced into a darker corner of the alley — something instinctual — then vanished into the night.
What he didn't know was that two pairs of eyes had been observing him from above.
High on a Night Moon Rooftop
The city wind brushed against Kael's blond hair as he crouched on the edge of a small rooftop. His Night Moon Academy uniform rustled softly, the silver trim catching moonlight like a blade's edge.
He kept his gaze fixed on Victor's retreating figure.
"President," he said, voice steady, "his speed is impressive. Although… his attack power leaves much to be desired."
Standing beside him was Aris Silverflame, the famed heiress of the Silverflame lineage and President of the Black Court.
Her long, shimmering silver hair cascaded behind her like moonlit water — each strand catching the night wind, glowing faintly as if the moon itself lived inside her. Her red eyes glimmered with curiosity as she watched Victor disappear into the distance.
Her posture was regal, elegant — arms crossed under the perfect arch of her white shirt and black corset, subtly lifting her proud D-cup chest. The short black skirt hugging her hips made her already legendary curves even harder to ignore. Even the faint rosy tint on her cheeks, the soft shape of her lips, the delicate line of her neck… she looked sculpted for perfection.
"Indeed, Kael," she said softly. "His speed might even surpass yours."
Kael's jaw tightened just a little.
"But his offensive strength is lacking," Aris continued. "That's expected. He's just an ordinary human skilled in swordsmanship. Nothing more."
Yet…Her voice wavered on the last word.
Kael noticed.
"President… you sound almost regretful," he murmured.
Aris hesitated, her silver hair rippling behind her as the wind brushed past.
"It's just a shame… despite his heritage…"
She stopped herself, eyes darkening with something complex — curiosity, sympathy, maybe a memory.
Kael didn't pry. He simply bowed his head.
"Shall we go?"
Aris nodded. "Yes."
A glowing silver teleportation circle bloomed beneath their feet. Yet just before stepping through, Aris glanced one last time toward the alley Victor had walked out of.
Her red eyes softened, curiosity deepening.
"Victor Nyxford… what secrets are you hiding?"
The circle flashed — and they were gone.
Victor's Apartment — A Quiet Refuge
Victor slipped into his tiny rented apartment — a far cry from the luxurious Night Moon mansion he technically owned.
His uncle had offered him anything he needed.Victor refused.
He didn't want the attention.He didn't want the politics.He definitely didn't want to owe the Nyxford family anything.
He preferred peace — even in a cramped apartment with a flickering hallway light.
First thing he did: take a shower to wash off the blood, soot, and exhaustion.
Second thing: cook the simplest meal he could — stir-fried noodles, barely seasoned. He was too tired to care.
Third: flop onto the bed, damp hair soaking into the pillow, staring up at the ceiling like it held answers.
The battle with Magnium, the spider demon, replayed in his head again and again.
His speed was decent.His Perceptual Distortion skill gave him a sharp edge.
Against humanoids?He could handle them.
But against beasts like Magnium…?
A chill crept down his spine.
"I was helpless against its natural defenses," he muttered. "If it weren't for my fortune manipulation, that fight would've dragged on. And if it were a mid-class devil instead…"
He exhaled.
Yeah.I'd be dead.
Night Moon was crawling with devils, angels, monster clans, and things far worse. Mid-class enemies were not rare. Not here.
I need power.Not tricks.Not dodging.Real power.
And beyond that—
His uncle.The man who sacrificed so much for him.
Victor clenched his fist against his chest.
I refuse to stay weak.
And then there was the Nyxford family.
His jaw tightened, eyes narrowing.
"They'll get what's coming to them."
As if sensing his rising anger, Sana chimed in gently:
"Master~ if you want to grow stronger, I have a suggestion!"
Victor groaned. "You always have a suggestion."
Sana ignored the jab. "Use the system's request ticket to the Fortune Goddess! Request her to create your personal Primordial Arsenal! And who knows — meeting her and gaining your arsenal might trigger new quests!"
Victor raised an eyebrow. "That ticket… I can only use it once, right? Use it or lose it?"
"Exactly! And letting it sit there is such a waste!"
He considered it.
She wasn't wrong.A Primordial Arsenal wasn't just equipment — it was destiny. A permanent anchor for growth.
But…
"I'm exhausted," he admitted. "Requesting the goddess to forge my arsenal when I don't even know exactly what I want — while half-asleep — sounds like a great long-term way to die."
Sana huffed. "A fair point, Master. Then we'll save it for tomorrow."
Her tone softened.
"Rest well."
Victor sighed, but a faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Yeah… tomorrow."
As the weight of the day finally crashed down on him, one thought remained bright and unshakeable:
No matter what comes next,I'll carve my own path.
He drifted into sleep, unaware that somewhere under the moonlight, a silver-haired devil with red eyes was thinking about him far more than she should.
Aris Silverflame…had taken interest.
And interest, in this world, was dangerous.