– Frey Starlight's Pov –
I wonder… when did it all begin?
The turning point that changed everything—and toyed with the fate of mankind itself.
I suppose it started when Phoenix returned with the prince and Ghost, after spending a full seven hours exploring the isolated city we'd found earlier.
Upon their return, Phoenix reported that the place was a ghost town .. completely devoid of human life. The entire city had been abandoned just before we arrived.
The bad news was that despite its size, the city held nothing of real value that could help our group survive in the hellish lands of the Ultras.
Still, it wasn't all meaningless. We decided to stay in the city for the time being. One of the buildings contained a few beds and some clean clothes, at least.
Setting up camp there wasn't the worst idea, given that it was a fully enclosed area. If something happened, we could respond properly.
That was Phoenix's current decision—and that was where his report ended.
Yet for some reason… the somber look on his face raised many questions. As if he had seen something no one should ever witness—something tragic enough to etch that expression into his features.
Phoenix had clearly chosen to hide the truth, along with Ghost and the prince, hoping to avoid further crushing the group's already fragile morale.
Unfortunately for them, I had already seen everything.
Using my Third-Person Pov skill—and leveraging the 50 Affection Points I had with Ghost—I'd been following them from the very start, completely undetected.
And that's how I saw what they saw.
Third-generation contracts. Demons. And the truth that the seal had already been broken.
Fully aware of those horrifying facts, I concealed everything behind my usual cold expression. But deep down, I was shaken too.
The real problem wasn't the demonic breeding or the reopening of the gates. I'd known about those things for a long time—they were, after all, part of the story I once wrote.
The problem… was the timing.
They came early. Far, far too early. Frighteningly early.
These events weren't supposed to unfold until long after the coming war with the Ultras—years from now, at least.
Yet somehow, we'd jumped ahead in the timeline so drastically that the gates had already opened.
At this rate, this wasn't a war anymore. It was a gamble.
A gamble where all we could do was raise our hands in prayer… and hope nothing truly monstrous walked through those gates now opened anew.
Because any demon from the upper 15 seats alone would be enough to wipe out the entire Imperial Army.
We could only pray… that Earth—the little planet at the end of the world—wasn't appealing to them.
Anyway, I got so lost in thought that I didn't snap out of it until we reached the empty city wall.
Phoenix came to a deliberate stop at the top.
"Everyone, head to the city center and get some rest."
"What about you?"
The Sunlight twins, who had been sticking to Phoenix like shadows, spoke up, clearly wanting to stay close to him.
"I'll remain on the wall, in case something happens."
"Then we'll stay with you!"
Phoenix raised an eyebrow as he looked at Ivan and Scarite, who insisted on staying.
They would only slow him down if something happened, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to refuse his cousins.
"I wouldn't recommend it… but I won't stop you either."
Judging by how he treated them, it was easy to tell something deeper existed between the members of the Sunlight family.
But that wasn't the concern at the moment.
"Are you sure about this, Professor Phoenix? You're clearly the strongest among us. If something happens and you're not in top shape, it could be disastrous."
Taking the watch alone without even a moment of sleep might've been a terrible decision.
But Phoenix shook his head with resolve.
"I'll be fine. Don't underestimate the stamina of an SS ranked Awakened. I could go a week like this before my energy starts to run dry."
His response left me with nothing else to say.
Phoenix really did intend to carry the entire burden on his own.
Some of the students visibly relaxed just from hearing that. They were completely relying on him.
But that wasn't good. This land was vast, and the enemy surrounded us from every side. What if Phoenix were somehow separated from us?
That would be the end for many of them…
I wanted to say something—but chose to hold my tongue. My position within the group was still uncertain.
So, for now, I decided to keep moving forward.
…
…
…
After leaving Phoenix and his cousins behind, the rest of us made our way to the city center ... the same administrative building where they'd found the corpses.
The irony was absurd. We were about to sleep in the very place where all those bodies had once been.
But Phoenix had incinerated everything down there, so there wasn't a single trace of what had been done.
"There's clean water, blankets, and beds here. Pick what suits you and take care of yourselves," Ghost said plainly as he guided us to the right place.
Once everyone confirmed his words, they immediately erupted with excitement and noise, their faces bright with relief.
Water for bathing, clean places to sleep… just the fact that we wouldn't have to camp out in the open brought immense joy to everyone—especially the girls.
"What are they making all that fuss about? We've barely made it through our first day here."
I nodded in agreement with Danzo. It didn't seem reasonable to be celebrating this much after just a single day.
"Are these kids really the elite humanity's counting on?"
Danzo kept grumbling, and I couldn't help but laugh.
"You do realize you and I are the same age, right?"
"Take a look at this."
He pointed to his bulging biceps—two slabs of muscle stacked onto his arms—along with his broad chest, solid abs, and towering frame.
"Does this wrecking machine look anything like those clowns?"
I didn't know how to respond. Danzo did have a point. His gray hair, pale skin, and the countless scars on his body made him look far older than he actually was.
"You're right… you even look older than Phoenix himself, my dear friend."
Not that he was the only one. Daemon, who had stripped down in front of everyone for a shower, wasn't exactly lacking either—and neither was the solitary Ragna.
"I've still got more to give."
Danzo clenched his fist, his face hardening.
"Something on your mind?"
He looked a little surprised by my question before exhaling deeply.
"Am I really that easy to read?"
"Not at all. I've just spent enough time with you to know when something's off."
After two whole years, it wasn't hard to understand Danzo—no Affection System needed.
Danzo sat against the wall beside me, eyes locked on the ceiling.
"It's not even worth talking about, really. I just…"
He opened his palm, allowing his aura to take shape—forming the image of a circular silver dragon.
"I barely made it through the last battle. Even though our enemies were weak, the shield drained me completely… Meanwhile, Daemon Valerion didn't even break a sweat."
Danzo grit his teeth, his frustration spilling out.
"I want to get stronger."
"You already are."
"Heh… I don't need to hear that from you, genius."
Genius.
I echoed the word to myself quietly, realizing just how much others' perceptions of me had changed.
"Do I really look like one?"
I asked without thinking. Danzo replied without hesitation.
"Yeah. You're a genius. All someone like me can do is try to keep up."
There was depth to his words—this wasn't just talk.
Danzo was the hardest-working person I knew. He trained day and night, constantly striving to refine himself.
And yet, no matter how hard he worked, he was often overtaken by others—those born under the label of "genius."
Geniuses blessed with overwhelming power that allowed them to surpass someone like Danzo with far less effort.
Somehow, I had become one of them.
But I hated being called that. After all, the power that dazzled everyone wasn't even mine to begin with—it was borrowed.
Unconsciously, I reached into my clothes and touched the dark Nameless Mask I always kept hidden.
I was the one relying on a strength that didn't even belong to me, while Danzo had built his power from the ground up.
I didn't have the right to call myself a genius in front of someone like him.
"But I won't give up!"
Ignoring me as I sank into my thoughts again, Danzo suddenly stood, eyes burning with renewed determination.
"If what I'm doing isn't enough… then I'll just double the effort!"
For a moment, I stood stunned by him ... and by how he always managed to keep moving forward.
With a talent that might never take him to SS-rank… he still wanted to fight. Still wanted to challenge geniuses like Daemon Valerion, who was born with everything.
In that moment… I found myself truly admiring him.
"You really are something else ..."
"No need to tell me. I already know."
With a smile, I followed him toward the showers. I was genuinely glad to have someone like him by my side. His presence had saved me in more ways than one.