Chapter 22: Weights of the Chosen
Gun Saint's POV
I was never one to be favored by the constellations. Not because I was unworthy—but because I never gave them the time of day.
Call it arrogance. Call it pride. Call it paranoia. I didn't care. I believed I could reach their level through sheer effort. When the Seals were first placed, I had only just become a Rank 8 Saint. I was raw. New to power and newer to the politics that came with it.
But unlike the others, I didn't rely on a constellation's blessing. That meant when the seals fell, I wasn't weakened.
Yet even now, I lag behind those who forged bonds with higher beings. Still… I would surpass them. My path wasn't borrowed. It was forged.
I earned every ounce of strength I had, clawed from the edge of death and honed in fire.
The other Saints? They call me a "training nutjob." Honestly? They're not wrong.
A decade ago, the Monkey Saint approached me with a name.
Vijay.
The boy before me now.
The key to everything.
I watched him as he sat there, unaware of the gravity he carried. He wasn't weak. In fact, he was above average for a newly awakened hunter. His mana pool pulsed with potential. But compared to the monsters I'd seen—true geniuses born with gifts that defied logic—he was still unrefined.
Not enough.
His burden was too large for a boy who barely knew how to wield power.
"Fate will be cruel to you, boy," I said quietly before fading into the shadows.
I hadn't come to judge. Only to observe.
And while I wasn't entirely disappointed… he would need allies. A team. Guidance. Perhaps even a mentor. The seals were ancient forces—far more than even Saints fully understood. After sparring with that monkey bastard earlier, I'd shaken off rust I didn't know I had.
And it felt good.
India had been sleeping. Shackled. But we were healing.
Soon, we would rise.
And I'd make sure the boy was ready for it.
Vijay's POV
"Fate will be cruel to you, boy."
The Gun Saint's words lingered long after he vanished.
He disappeared into shadow like mist swallowed by midnight. A master of stealth and silence.
I turned to Monkey Saint, who stood leaning casually against the wall.
He was smiling. That same half-amused, half-incredulous look he always wore.
"What's so funny?" I asked.
He chuckled, rubbing his chin. "He's right, you know. You're walking a path carved in suffering. But your reaction was hilarious. You looked like someone slapped you with a spiritual frying pan."
"I—" I tried to respond, but honestly? I had nothing.
I couldn't look him in the eyes.
Monkey Saint took a step closer, becoming serious.
"You understand the nature of the seals now, don't you?"
I nodded slowly. "I'm connected to all of them. I can feel it. The circles… the pull. It's like they whisper when I'm close to something."
"Good. The keys attract each other. When one is close, you'll sense it. Sometimes they warn each other. So don't be reckless. If you think you can break one, try. If not, contact me."
He handed me a small card—black with silver ink, numbers etched like runes.
It looked too much like a business card.
"Really?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Hey," he shrugged, "we Saints have to keep up with the times. Besides, I'm your best bet. Most of the other Saints don't know you. They're only vaguely aware that the Sealbreaker has emerged."
He tapped the card.
"This number connects you to me. Use it."
I held it tighter than I should have.
"Also," he continued, pacing slightly, "after each seal breaks, it leaves behind a fragment of power. That fragment can become a skill. In your case, the first seal—maybe because you didn't direct it—shaped itself into Hanuman's gaze."
"The eye skill," I murmured.
"Yes. It's powerful but not tailored to you. If you'd shaped it properly, it could've been more aligned. Still, it's rare. You'll need to uncover what it truly does. From what I saw, it alters your perception of time. Reflex enhancement, maybe. Or predictive tracking. It's for you to explore."
I nodded, absorbing his words. He wasn't overexplaining. He was warning me.
"What next?" I asked.
"Training."
His expression turned steel-hard.
"I'll arrange Rank 1 dungeons for you. Easy enough to survive, dangerous enough to learn. You have a constitution we barely understand and a destiny tied to ancient forces. You can't afford to be weak."
I nodded again.
Then I noticed something.
He was getting ready to leave.
No spell, no magic. He just… blurred.
He vanished.
But I was ready this time.
I activated the Eye.
The world slowed. My vision tunneled, focused.
I saw it.
A flicker. A silhouette. Like a streak of lightning wrapped in flesh. The Monkey Saint didn't teleport.
He moved.
Too fast for most to comprehend.
I grinned slightly. Just a little.
I sat on the bed.
Let out a long breath.
Everything was still. The air, the stars outside my window, the hum of mana in my veins.
For the first time in a long while, sleep came easily.
And dreamlessly.