"Ruby…?"
The first thing I saw upon opening my eyes was her.
Truly a blessing.
Holding by my shirt, my head was rested on her lap.
Lying motionless, I gasped for air, my eyes were burning, it’s pain surging through .
It was so painful that—
It made clench my teeth and shut my eyes.
"Ugh!"
"Z-Zane?!"
Noticing in pain, her grip tightened on my shirt, I could feel her hands trembled.
Her voice cracked with worry, and a sob escaped her lips.
"H-Hold on, Zane! I’m here…"
I forced my eyes open again, but my vision was hazy, a familiar purple screen hovered before my eyes—Fate’s Interface. The text on it was blurry, almost unreadable.
"Are you okay…?" Ruby’s voice trembled.
She was partially hidden behind the translucent purple interface, but I could make out the outlines of her face.
I squinted my eyes, blinking rapidly to clear my vision.
And almost instantly, the Interface vanished, and everything ca into focus.
There she was—
Her crimson hair tied back in a loose ponytail, strands of her hair slipping free to fra her delicate face. Her blood-red eyes glistening with tears.
She was staring at , her expression was a mixture of relief and concern.
How many days has it been, since I last saw her?
If my calculations were correct, then maybe two days—that’s how long we had been trapped in this Demon Continent.
"I’m fine…" I murmured.
I forced myself to sit up.
Blinking around, I noticed that both Anna and Julius were lying flat on the ground.
Their bodies were covered in green vines, which was once glowing with a greenish-yellow light when we ca here. But now… the glow was gone.
Hmm?
"Wait... where’s Aria?"
I asked in a hurried tone.
"She’s fine."
I froze.
Turning my head, I found Aria, unconscious—resting on my Master’s lap.
I haven’t even sense her.
Sigh…
’At least all are safe.’ Relief washed over .
I pushed myself to my feet, and scanned my surroundings.
I found nothing.
No movent. No sound except the faint rustling of leaves in the distance. It was just us.
Frowning, I turned toward Envy.
"Did you two co alone?"
She and Ruby exchanged glances before Envy shook her head.
"No. There were others, single rankers. Three more."
I figured as much.
The Hero Association wouldn’t send only two single rankers into the Demon Continent. At least five would be a decent powerhouse.
But…
"Where are they?"
Only Ruby and Master stood before . The others were missing.
"We split midway to search for the remaining students," Ruby explained. "And on the way, we found you guys, but..."
Her voice halted as her gaze flickered to a large tree behind , its huge trunk nearly obliterated. The ground beneath it had a huge pit, cracks spreading out through all its veins. A section of the forest looked as if sothing massive had happened.
"What happened here?"
Ruby continued.
"We felt a huge Essence explosion—"
"We’ll discuss it later," I cut in, my tone sharper than intended. There were more pressing matters.
I walked further, but my mind was elsewhere.
Sera.
Where is she?
I was certain I had seen her before the explosion.
My eyes scanned the surrounding, searching desperately.
But she was nowhere to be found.
"Zane?" Ruby called, her voice laced in concern.
I turned to them, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Have you two seen soone with silver hair and pointy ears?"
I know.
This question sounded ridiculous, even to . But I needed to ask.
Ruby and Envy exchanged glances first, before shaking their heads.
I was felt frustrated, I took a deep breath, then tried shouting her na.
"Se—!"
’Human.’
A voice suddenly echoed inside my mind.
I stiffened. My breadth caught in my throat as I slowly turned.
There, standing right before was Sera.
Her silver hair shimred, without the air current. Her ocean-blue eyes locked onto mine, Her pointed ears, adorned with diamond earrings. But there was sothing wrong.
She was transparent.
"Zane?"
This ti, it was Envy who spoke.
She stepped closer.
And then—her next words sent a cold chill down my spine.
"Why are you staring over there?"
I blinked.
"What?" My voice ca out hoarse.
"Is… soone there?"
I snapped my gaze to her, then back to Sera. She was still standing there, clear as day. But Envy… Envy saw nothing.
"Master… you really don’t see her?" I asked, this ti—pointing directly at Sera.
Envy hesitated. A flicker of concern crossed her face before she slowly shook her head. "I… don’t."
My heart pounded.
This doesn’t make sense.
Sera was right in front of . I could see every detail of her features, the soft glow of her silver hair, the way her ocean blue eyes looked at .
And yet… no one else noticed her.
My stomach twisted.
"Ruby," I turned to her.
She flinched the mont our eyes t. That reaction alone told my face must have looked awful.
"Can you see her?" I asked.
Ruby’s face blobbed as she gulped. But then—her answer ca.
The sa as my master’s.
"No."
A chill ran down my spine.
Was this a dream too? Was any of this even real?
A bad feeling settled in my guts—sothing was very wrong.
’Human! Listen to us!’
Sera’s voice echoed in my mind again, she sounded urgent
Her lips didn’t move, yet I heard her clearly, as if she had spoken directly into my brain.
Telepathy?
I have experienced ntal interference before, but nothing like this.
This doesn’t feel like an illusion, it was a direct contact.
I swallowed my questions and focused on her words.
’Look at your neck.’
My neck?
I lowered my head and saw the pendant, Aegis, hanging around my neck.
The small golden clock, its thirteen-hour face encased in a sapphire blue crystal, glead brightly.
My eyes widened.
I traced its surface with my fingers.
"How did it get here?"
Sera’s voice was calm as she explained.
’Its look like we wasn’t just imprisoned in that demon’s dream.’
In reality that demon had captured her soul, bind her to its dream world.
But… thinking back to when we fought, her attacks had felt real.
And this pendant—this very sa pendant—had once belonged to her.
So why was this the only thing that existed physically while Sera herself did not?
I couldn’t find the answer.
Not yet.
Sera continued.
’Our brain waves are tied to yours now.’
I froze.
’Tied to ?’
What did she an?
According to her, our minds were now linked through a constant flux of electrical waves.
Which ant…
She only existed inside my mind.
Her physical body was gone.
Her presence—her entire being was nothing more than a projection, an imitation of thoughts of how she once looked before.
And now, she could talk to freely.
Inside my head.
Without anyone noticing.
Which also ant—
’Wait… so you can hear everything I think?!’
This is insane!
What about my privacy?!
As if reading my mind—which, let’s be honest, she literally did—she left a soft chuckle.
"Heeehee, relax. We won’t invade your private thoughts. And don’t worry, we won’t judge, you’re still young."
Is she serious?!
She just read my mind, and now she expects to believe that she won’t do it again?!
Her explanation ended.
I exhaled slowly.
Behind , I heard voices.
"Umm… Zane…?"
Both Master and Ruby were looking at with concern.
I turned to them, forcing a small smirk on my face.
"Nothing to worry about. I was just hallucinating."
’Hey! That’s rude!’ Sera scolded, pouting.
Sera, the queen of elves, she was now floating mid air.
I ignored her pouted face, for now at least.
’Lets think about her later.’
’Correct decision, let’s first get out from this place.’
My eyebrow twitched.
’Please, Miss Sera, stop listening to my thoughts.’ I pleaded.
I held the pendent Aegis, and tugged it inside my shirt, turning to other’s, Anna, Julius and Aria on the ground I instructed.
"Master, Ruby follow my lead," my voice was serious, "first let’s find the remaining students."
Ruby and Envy both nodded.
I continued.
"We were up against a demon, and… it’s far too powerful than a fallen."
Both gulped.
A single Fallen alone were enough to evoke fear in humanity, let alone a being more powerful than that—
It’s beyond common sense.
None of the two question my decision—
Why would they be?
After all, I once was the Rank-1 Hero.
Focusing on my mind, I let the Fate’s interface appeared, and activated one of my new skill.
____________________________
★〘Ruler〙[S-Rank]
«The user exerts imdiate dominance over their surroundings, making the weak willed individual submit»
«The user can enter in absolute state of calm, this allows split second decision to be made with perfect accuracy»
«The user gets restricted to ntal interference, illusion, or fear based attack»
_____________________________
"Alright, let’s move."
End of Chapter.
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