'Rise and shine, Princess~' Blaze's voice pulled out of my sleep as I woke up.
I looked around, breathing heavily—my mouth was dry, and it felt like my whole body was on fire.
"Haa... haa..." I took a mont to calm myself down. It wasn't usual for to dream about that particular mont in my past life.
I still rember the first ti I pulled that trigger. I don't know what was going through Sasha's and Alfred's heads when they handed a teenager that gun, but after that, my life changed for the worse.
Still, it's better that the dream... no, the nightmare, ended after pulling the trigger. Yet, it's hard to feel alive. It's as though leaving that past behind is unnatural—or maybe *this* life is unnatural, sothing that was never supposed to happen.
Massaging my forehead, I left the embrace of my mattress. Smokeball was curled up on top of the desk.
"How's your training going?" I asked aloud.
Blaze lifted his feline body and stretched. 'It's going fine,' he replied.
I still don't understand how a mana beast—if Blaze even is one—gets stronger. He claims it's not tough, just ti-consuming. Whenever he kills, I receive experience and blood points from the kill, but those strengthen *,* not him.
That's why he sotis sneaks off at night to train on his own. It's more about mastering his shadow powers.
Being a Winged Pardus is quite an interesting experience, he says—different from being a dragon, definitely. I'm still not sure how my mother got her hands on the tooth of such a creature, but she did say it was a family heirloom from her side.
I glanced at the clock. It was early in the morning. Checking my status once more, I noted that not much had changed. Sighing, I pulled out a trunk, only to rember it was already packed with my essentials.
I stored it in the system-provided storage void. Inside, I still have Amphiptere's Heart and Ignisara's Blessing, alongside my Convergence Amulet.
I don't know what I can use the heart for, but the other two are straightforward. Ignisara's Blessing can increase my fire affinity—a powerful buff, in my opinion. The Convergence Amulet is a given, though I still need to practice so of the Void abilities granted through my bond with Blaze.
Not going to lie, the power granted by the Convergence Amulet is my biggest surprise attack.
After taking a quick shower, I donned my clothes. I'm not fond of armor, but I don't think I can go without it much longer. I might need to request sothing from Alver—maybe a good piece of armant, a sword, or even a dagger.
I know my limits. I'm not great with weapons. My fighting style relies on instinct more than skill. So say that's the best way to handle a weapon, but only if you've honed your skills to a point where instinct and proficiency rge seamlessly.
In my case, it's like I'm wielding a hockey stick—but sharper.
It gets the job done, but over ti, I've co to notice the difference between fighters like and those like Adam, Vexa, and even Mary.
'Why are you thinking about these things first thing in the morning?' Blaze jumped onto my shoulder as I fixed my hair.
It had grown much longer, now well past my shoulders. The red ends were brighter, while my skin appeared paler. My eyes, which practically glowed whenever I used mana, could probably scare soone in the dark.
I left the room. It was early, with both suns still absent from the sky, but the faint, diffused light gave the world a surreal glow.
Walking along the cobbled pathway outside the dorms, I noticed a crowd of students gathering near a group of individuals. Their excitent was palpable, their voices buzzing as the group at the center drew more attention.
Standing a bit away, I observed, waiting for the right mont.
Then, amidst the throng, a masked man with silver hair erged. The crowd parted, creating a clear path for him. Taking advantage of the distraction, I followed the Prince.
I trailed just behind him, silent enough that when he turned slightly to glance back, he flinched. His expression, though hidden behind the mask, was almost tangible.
He might be thinking sothing like, *Why didn't I sense him?!*
Still, Aron said nothing and continued walking, leading the way until we reached the center of the commotion.
"Looks like you've decided to co. I'm pleased with your decision," Falco said from beneath the hood that concealed his entire face.
I shifted my gaze to Falco's side. Adam stood there, clad in his knightly armor that glead faintly in the morning light. Beside him was a woman in similar attire—Alia, the elven knight from Elishia Forest and personal guard of Elsa, the Elishian princess.
Elsa herself stood nearby, her attention flickering between Adam and a taller girl beside her.
The taller girl, however, was soone I'd rather ignore—and who, I'm sure, would prefer to ignore as well. Mary Klein. My childhood friend. Or rather, the childhood friend of the original owner of this body.
She seed out of it lately, though her eyes were glued in my direction. Was she upset, thinking I followed her here? Or impressed that her once unassuming childhood friend, whom she rejected so rcilessly, now stood stronger than her?
I didn't know. Nor was I curious enough to ask. But I was sure the day would co when we'd have to talk. How would that go? I wasn't eager to find out.
Finally, I turned my attention to the trio at the forefront—Stormborne, his granddaughter Isolde, and Vexa.
Stormborne stood imposingly, while his granddaughter exuded an aura of command. Isolde's silver hair shimred faintly as her sharp eyes surveyed the gathering.
And then there was Vexa. Her silver hair was tied into a single bun, and she wore armor unlike anything I'd seen before. It was as if her breastplate, gauntlets, vambraces, and greaves were forged from incandescent scales. A rapier hung at her side, completing the formidable image.
Vexa stared at , but instead of remaining where she was, she approached.
"You did co," she said, her tone inscrutable.
I couldn't tell if she was happy about it or being sarcastic.
"Yeah, I did." I sighed, the weight of my decision pressing down on .
Why had I co? The answer was simple—I was done running.
Day by day, the situation worsened, and the specter of the *Fate Curse* lood over . Cursed to die on a fated day... I refused to let my life be dictated by that. I needed strength.
For the past year and a half, I had built a life here. A life I didn't intend to lose. I wouldn't bend my knee to fate—and if it ca to it, I wouldn't kneel before a god either.
Fuck that.
Falco flicked his finger, and a portal shimred into existence before us. Through it, I saw an ashen ground strewn with skeletal remains.
"I can't keep this open for longer than a minute because of the distance," Falco said. "So hurry up."
I glanced at Smokeball, determination burning in my chest.
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