Chapter 30 – Lune Starpiercer (Part 2)
The masses stood in a collective trance, eyes locked on the balcony above as if spellbound. Silence, deep and reverent, rippled across the sea of faces. It wasn't just Lune's beauty that captivated them—though that alone was otherworldly. It was the raw, commanding presence she carried. A gravity. She hadn't even spoken yet, but already, it felt as if she owned the entire world.
Her gaze swept slowly across the plaza, taking in the crowd. Each movent was deliberate, her black eyes calm and cold, dissecting the crowd like a sovereign surveying her realm. Her silence felt eternal, and yet, it had only been a few seconds.
"She's... she's unreal," soone whispered near the front.
"I've never seen anyone like her..."
"She's a goddess, isn't she?"
"Divine... She's divine!"
Whispers turned to murmurs, and murmurs to awe. Even those who rarely spoke had sothing to say. Blushes crept into faces unaccustod to such beauty. Words spilled from lips without thought. But Lune ignored them all, unmoved, untouched by their admiration.
Instead, she stepped forward and placed a hand on the marble railing. Then, finally, she spoke.
"It is an honor," she began, her voice flowing like velvet, "to stand before you on this day, o' people of the city."
The sound of her voice was music. Smooth, refined, and yet filled with strength—not harsh, not overbearing, but welcoming. Like a queen reaching out a hand, not to command, but to lead.
"I never imagined that I would be chosen for such a gift," she continued. "A power so rare that even history seems too small to contain it. And yet, here I stand... blessed."
She paused for just a mont, letting the words sink in. Then she smiled, ever so faintly.
"Our world has suffered long enough. Looked down upon by higher realms. Cast aside, ignored. But that ends now. Today marks a turning point."
Emotion rippled through the crowd like lightning through a storm. People felt sothing shift—not just in their hearts, but in the very air. She was saying everything they'd been too afraid to say, too beaten down to hope for.
Zane, watching from the small television in his apartnt, leaned forward without realizing it. Her presence seeped through the screen. The sheer control she had over the crowd... it was sothing he'd never seen before.
She continued, "To those who call us weak... to those who laugh at our struggles... we will show them that this world is not a footnote in soone else's tale. We have our own story to write. And I—Lune Starpiercer—will carve that story with my own hands."
A flare of energy briefly flashed across her chest, a violet spark that shimred like a falling star before vanishing just as quickly. Most missed it. But not Zane.
'There it is again... That aura,' he thought. 'She really is sothing else. That wasn't for show—that was genuine Core energy. And a lot of it.'
Zane had never seen soone inspire a crowd like this before. Even though he barely understood people, even he could tell Lune had the spirit of a true leader. She wasn't just powerful. She was visionary. The kind of person others followed willingly—eagerly.
"Tch. And fate gives soone like that an S-Rank ability," he muttered. "So people are just built different."
Back on the screen, Lune raised her hand slowly and tapped her chest with her fist—a symbol of unity and resolve.
"All I ask," she said, her voice unwavering, "is that you walk this path with . Believe in this future, believe in yourselves. And know that I will carry your dreams with ... until my last breath."
Then, softly, like a final note in a perfect symphony, she whispered:
"To a better future."
The silence that followed was deafening.
For a mont, no one spoke. No one moved. It was as if the entire plaza had forgotten how to breathe.
And then—
An explosion of noise. Cheers, cries, clapping, chanting. A tidal wave of emotion burst forth from the people. Their joy, their relief, their long-buried hopes—all of it erupted at once.
Zane sat there in silence, the noise from the television washing over him like a distant wave. He stared blankly at the screen, his expression unreadable.
Then he picked up the remote and turned it off.
"Yeah... that's what an S-Rank talent looks like," he muttered, lying back against the couch. "She's destined for things I can't even imagine. I want no part of it."
There was no bitterness in his tone. Just a calm acceptance. He knew where he stood. Lune's path stretched toward the stars, blazing like a cot. His... was more grounded. More personal.
'All I need is enough strength to reach my goal. That's all.'
Stretching his arms, Zane stood up and glanced at his notes. "Right... I should get supplies for the trip."
His body still ached slightly from his earlier training session, and his core energy hadn't fully recovered. Instead of pushing through, he decided to use the downti productively.
Grabbing his wallet and jacket, he stepped outside and headed down the street toward the convenience store nearby.
"I really hope I have enough money for everything. Just need to hold out two more days..."
The store bell jingled as he walked in. Familiar aisles and fluorescent lights greeted him, along with the subtle hum of the old air conditioning unit. He grabbed a basket and began browsing.
"Let's see... energy bars, juice, maybe so vitamins?" he muttered to himself as he paced the aisles. "Where do they even keep those?"
As he rounded a corner, distracted, he accidentally collided with soone. His balance shifted instantly, nearly sending him to the floor.
"Oh, I'm sorry—I wasn't loo—" he began to apologize, but his voice stopped abruptly.
A familiar face stared back at him.
"...Oh?"
"..."
"Fiora?"
Zane's brows furrowed. The last person he expected to see here—of all places—was a high-ranking Dinsional Knight. His eyes dropped to her hand, which was overflowing with... snacks. Chips, gummies, chocolate bars.
A long, awkward silence passed between them.
Fiora quickly coughed and moved her hand behind her back, trying—and failing—to hide the embarrassnt.
"Zane? What an... interesting coincidence," she said, offering a small, awkward smile. She extended a hand to help him up, which he took reluctantly.
"A coincidence indeed..." he replied, brushing himself off. "Didn't think I'd find you shopping at a place like this."
"Well, I was exploring the city and stumbled across it. Thought I'd... check it out," she said, glancing to the side.
Zane gave her a skeptical look. "You ca all the way out here to browse a dusty corner store?"
Fiora looked away, clearly not expecting to be interrogated. "Do you... shop here often?" she asked.
"I live nearby," he replied with a shrug.
"I see..."
Another silence. Zane turned to walk away, muttering, "Well, if you'll excuse ..."
But before he could escape, she called out.
"Wait—Zane!"
He paused, reluctantly turning his head.
"...Yeah?"
Fiora hesitated. Her fingers tightened slightly around the bag in her hands.
"Do you... wanna have coffee with ?"
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