Back in the human world, Nora slowly opened her eyes.
Golden sunlight streamed through the curtains of Sophia's room, painting the walls with a warm glow.
For a few moments she simply stared at the ceiling.
Everything felt peaceful.
Too peaceful.
After everything that had happened in the Spiritual Realm, the silence almost felt unnatural.
Nora sat up and rubbed her eyes.
She glanced at the clock resting on a nearby table.
8:00 AM.
A small yawn escaped her lips.
"So late..."
Normally she woke much earlier than this.
But yesterday had been exhausting.
The battle against Death Dealer.
Her half-awakening.
Her newly acquired slave.
Her uncle's mysterious ascension.
Everything felt like a dream.
Yet she knew it had all happened.
As Nora stretched her arms, a sudden chill ran through her body.
Her eyes lost focus.
The world around her blurred.
A vision appeared.
Countless initiates.
Thousands.
No.
Hundreds of thousands.
Across cities.
Across continents.
Across kingdoms.
People were awakening.
People were becoming initiates.
Children.
Teenagers.
Adults.
Even elderly men and women.
The entire world seemed to be changing.
Nora frowned.
This wasn't normal.
Most of her visions involved blood.
Death.
Disaster.
Murder.
War.
This vision was different.
No rivers of blood.
No corpses.
No screaming.
Only change.
Massive change.
Then the vision vanished.
Nora blinked.
"What was that?"
For the first time in a long while, she genuinely couldn't understand one of her visions.
Before she could think further, the familiar whisper of the system echoed inside her mind.
"Your slave has evolved."
Nora froze.
Again.
That word again.
Slave.
Yesterday she had received a notification about gaining a slave.
Now the system was mentioning it again.
Curiosity immediately overwhelmed her.
Nora summoned her profile.
A translucent screen appeared before her eyes.
Name: Nora
Rank: Initiate
Class: Devil
Data: None
Flaw: Cannot use enchanted weapons granted by the system.
God Body: Seven Arms of Destiny
Devil Core: 0/4000
Spirits:
Guiding Light,
Monstrous Fate Wolf,
Blind Owl
Legacy Practice:
The Thread of the Seven Arms
Mastery Level: 2
Power: False Glimpse
True Name:
Heir of Crimson Fate
Description:
You received a legendary gift from Fate God.
You are controlled by Fate.
You are the sole remaining guardian connected to the Blood King.
When the Blood King calls your name aloud, you shall become his slave, yet also become free from your Flaw.
Heir of Crimson Fate.
Your treachery truly knows no bounds.
Master: None
Citadel: None
Spirit Gained: 1/64,000
Memory: 2/2,000
Shards: 50/500
Nora slowly read everything.
Nothing seemed unusual.
Until she reached the newest section.
Slave.
Lost From Crimson Fate.
Her eyes widened.
Nora immediately opened the profile.
Name: Mason
Rank: Initiate
Class: Demon
Data:
Red Teeth Knife
Dragon Balls
Ice Sword
Ice Charm
Dragon bow
Flaw:
You can never be free from your master.
If your master dies, you die.
God Body:
Blind Bat
Demon Core:
2500/3000
Echoes:
Dragon Ploy
Legacy Practice:
Soul Evolution
Mastery Level:
0
Power:
Fate Mark
True Name:
Lost From Crimson Fate
Description:
You became a slave out of your own will.
You tried resisting but could not.
You tried your best and yet the bond remained unchanged until you accepted your fate.
Master:
Heir of Crimson Fate
Citadels:
Moonlight Citadel
Lava Citadel
River Shell Citadel
Death Lava Citadel
Flames Citadel
Diamond Flame Citadel
Cold Frost Citadel
Nora stared.
Then stared again.
Then a third time.
Her expression became increasingly strange.
Those citadels...
She knew those citadels.
Everyone knew those citadels.
They belonged to Death Dealer.
One of the strongest Sovereigns alive.
The legendary man who had risen without the system.
The Death Dealer feared across countless regions.
Yet according to the system...
Death Dealer had become Mason.
And Mason had become her slave.
Nora lowered the profile.
Her mind felt blank.
"Did I..."
"Did I actually enslave Death Dealer?"
The thought sounded absurd.
Ridiculous.
Impossible.
Yet the system wasn't known for joking.
Could this be the true ability of her Memory power?
Could forcing someone through her memories actually rewrite them?
Nora didn't know.
And honestly—
she didn't want to know right now.
Thinking about it made her head hurt.
Today she had academy duties.
There would be plenty of time later to investigate Mason.
For now...
she needed breakfast.
Nora climbed out of bed and left Sophia's guest room.
The hallway was quiet.
Morning light illuminated the academy-style decorations scattered throughout Sophia's home.
Nora walked toward Sophia's room and knocked.
A moment later the door opened.
Sophia appeared.
Already dressed.
Already prepared.
Already awake.
She wore the official academy uniform.
Black fitted trousers.
A crisp white shirt.
A dark navy academy jacket lined with silver trims.
The academy crest was embroidered over her chest.
The uniform looked elegant without being overly flashy.
Sophia looked every bit like a proper academy student.
Nora smiled.
"So you're already dressed."
Sophia rolled her eyes.
"Unlike someone who sleeps until eight."
Nora laughed.
"Fair."
Sophia then became serious.
"Thank you."
Nora blinked.
"For what?"
Sophia folded her arms.
"For saving me yesterday."
"If not for you, I probably wouldn't be standing here."
Nora shook her head.
"What are friends for?"
Sophia smiled.
A genuine smile.
Not one of her sarcastic ones.
One that showed genuine gratitude.
The atmosphere became warm.
Comfortable.
For a moment they looked like ordinary teenagers.
Not initiates.
Not survivors.
Not warriors.
Just friends.
Nora stretched again.
"Anyway, I need to go home."
"Freshen up."
"Eat."
"Probably get lectured by my parents."
Sophia laughed.
"That sounds about right."
Nora started walking away.
"I'll see you at the academy."
Sophia nodded.
"See you there."
With that, Nora left.
The morning breeze greeted her as she stepped outside.
The city was already awake.
People moved through the streets.
Shops were opening.
Vehicles traveled along the roads.
Everything looked normal.
Yet after her vision, Nora couldn't help but feel that something was changing.
Something massive.
Something that would affect the entire world.
Far away.
Inside the trial.
A forgotten warrior continued fighting for people who no longer remembered him.
While here in the real world—
the gears of fate had already begun to turn.