Chapter 86: The City Beneath Three Moons
The moment Valhalla’s carriages entered Hildgard, Noah understood something.
The city wasn’t built around the tournament.
The tournament had been built around Hildgard.
Ancient stone structures rose between enormous divine trees, their branches twisting over rooftops and bridges. Strange flowers grew along the roads, glowing faintly despite the afternoon sunlight.
Everywhere Noah looked, another academy’s banner hung above the streets.
Fifteen academies.
Fifteen colors.
Fifteen reputations.
And thousands of people had come to watch them collide.
Eric pressed against the carriage window.
"Look at that!"
Sophia glanced over.
"What?"
"That arena!"
Everyone looked.
At the center of Hildgard stood an enormous circular structure.
Its outer walls rose nearly as high as the surrounding towers.
Massive statues guarded each entrance.
The arena itself was surrounded by several enormous platforms.
One for every participating academy.
And above it all floated a gigantic crystal sphere.
It slowly rotated.
Damien stared at it.
"That’s not decorative."
Noah looked at him.
"What is it?"
"Mana observation system."
Damien adjusted his glasses.
"It probably records the entire battlefield."
Eric frowned.
"So..."
"Everyone can watch every match."
"Exactly."
Eric leaned back.
"...Great."
The carriage eventually stopped.
A Hildgard official approached.
"Valhalla Academy?"
Professor Ingrid stepped forward.
"Yes."
"Welcome to Hildgard."
The official bowed.
"Your residence has been prepared."
The Valhalla delegation moved through the streets.
Students from other academies crossed their path constantly.
Some stared.
Some whispered.
Some openly challenged them with their eyes.
The tournament hadn’t begun.
Yet the rivalry was already alive.
A group wearing dark blue uniforms passed.
One of them glanced toward Eric.
"Valhalla?"
Eric looked over.
"Yeah."
The boy smirked.
"Fifth place."
Eric smiled.
"That’s right."
"Planning to stay there?"
Eric cracked his knuckles.
"Planning to move up."
The boy laughed.
"We’ll see."
His group continued walking.
Sophia looked at Eric.
"You couldn’t resist, could you?"
Eric shrugged.
"Nope."
They reached the Valhalla residence.
It was enormous.
A large stone building surrounded by gardens and training grounds.
Inside were private rooms, common areas, dining halls, medical facilities, and even a small library.
Eric stared.
"This is better than our dorm."
Luna looked around.
"Obviously."
Damien inspected the walls.
"Defensive enchantments."
Noah touched one of the stone pillars.
He felt a faint vibration.
Mana.
Ancient mana.
Different from Valhalla’s.
Laura stood beside him.
"You feel it?"
Noah looked at her.
"Yeah."
She glanced toward the floor.
"It’s everywhere."
Neither said anything else.
That evening, the contestants gathered in the main courtyard.
Professor Ingrid addressed them.
"Tomorrow is your free day."
Eric’s eyes widened.
"Free?"
"Within reason."
His expression fell.
"We’ll train in the morning."
"Of course."
"You’ll explore the city afterward."
"Yes."
"And you will not enter the Divine Woodlands."
Everyone nodded.
Professor Ingrid’s eyes became stern.
"That is not a suggestion."
Later...
Noah walked alone through the streets.
Hildgard at night was completely different.
The three moons dominated the sky.
The Crimson Moon cast a dark red glow across the eastern rooftops.
The Blue Moon illuminated the western mountains.
And above them both...
The Scarlet-Violet Starlight Moon shimmered among countless stars.
Noah stopped.
He had never seen anything like it.
A faint breeze moved through the trees.
Their leaves glowed.
Somewhere nearby, music played.
The city was alive.
"Beautiful, isn’t it?"
Noah turned.
Laura stood behind him.
She wore a simple dark cloak over her academy uniform.
"I thought you were asleep."
"I could say the same."
Noah smiled.
"I couldn’t."
"Because of Ragnarok?"
He froze.
Laura looked at him.
She wasn’t accusing him.
She was simply asking.
Noah looked toward the moons.
"...Partly."
Laura stood beside him.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then she said:
"Something happened to you after Eldermere."
Noah glanced at her.
"You noticed."
"I notice things."
"Apparently."
She smiled faintly.
"What happened?"
Noah hesitated.
"I don’t know."
Laura studied his expression.
"You really don’t?"
"No."
He looked at his hand.
"Sometimes I feel like there’s something inside Ragnarok that doesn’t belong to me."
Laura’s expression changed.
"Something inside you?"
"Not exactly."
Noah searched for the right words.
"More like..."
He stopped.
"I don’t know."
Laura didn’t press him.
Instead, she quietly said:
"Then we’ll figure it out."
Noah looked at her.
"We?"
Laura realized what she’d said.
Her cheeks warmed.
"I mean..."
She looked away.
"We’re teammates."
Noah smiled.
"Right."
A quiet moment followed.
Laura’s heart beat faster.
She hated that he could probably hear it.
Then Noah suddenly stopped.
The air changed.
A faint heat passed through the street.
His eyes narrowed.
"Did you feel that?"
Laura turned.
"Feel what?"
Noah looked toward the far end of the street.
Nothing.
People walked normally.
Music continued.
But somewhere beyond the buildings...
Something had responded to Ragnarok.
Noah’s right hand warmed.
A tiny flame appeared.
Orange.
Then a faint maroon tint.
Laura noticed.
"Noah."
He closed his hand.
The flame vanished.
"I’m fine."
Laura sighed.
"You really need another sentence."
He laughed.
Several streets away...
A young man stood beneath one of Hildgard’s enormous trees.
Alcris Vannheim.
His eyes were closed.
He was feeling something.
Heat.
A faint pressure.
Then it disappeared.
Alcris opened his eyes.
"...Again."
He smiled.
"That feeling."
He looked toward the distant Valhalla residence.
"What exactly are you hiding, Noah Blackwood?"
Meanwhile...
Inside the Elementro residence...
Daniela Vannheim stood before a mirror.
She stared at her reflection.
Then slowly raised her hand.
A strange divine energy gathered around her fingers.
It was similar to the energy Alcris possessed.
But brighter.
Cleaner.
More refined.
Her eyes narrowed.
She could still remember the sensation she’d felt earlier.
Noah’s power.
It had appeared weak.
But something beneath it had been hidden.
Daniela whispered:
"...That’s not ordinary fire."
A knock came at the door.
Flora entered.
"Daniela?"
Daniela lowered her hand.
"Yes?"
"You coming?"
"Where?"
"The others are exploring Hildgard."
Daniela smiled.
"I’ll join you."
She followed Flora out.
But before leaving...
She looked once more at her reflection.
For a split second...
Her eyes became strangely cold.
Then she closed the door.
At the same time...
Inside the Asgard residence...
Five students sat around a large table.
Jordan Nethem.
Christina Voldem.
Adrian Aterias.
Hastral Rold.
And Joseph Yonder.
Jordan leaned back.
"So."
He smiled.
"Tomorrow we get to see what everyone can actually do."
Christina laughed.
"Elementro will probably steal the attention."
Hastral scoffed.
"They always do."
Adrian remained silent.
Joseph sat slightly apart from them.
His small hood covered part of his face.
Jordan looked toward him.
"Joseph."
Joseph raised his eyes.
"What?"
"You’ve barely spoken."
"I’m listening."
Jordan laughed.
"You’re always listening."
Joseph said nothing.
His eyes drifted toward the window.
Beyond the glass...
The three moons illuminated Hildgard.
He quietly touched the inside of his coat.
Something was hidden there.
A small black object.
He closed his hand around it.
Nobody noticed.
Far beneath Hildgard...
Something moved again.
Thump.
The ancient roots beneath the city trembled.
For the briefest moment...
A symbol appeared deep beneath the stone.
A dragon.
Then it vanished.
Tomorrow...
The fifteen academies would gather.
And for the first time...
The real competition would begin.