The Star Domain blazed to life.
Constellations wheeled across a boundless night sky, each star pulsing like a heartbeat. Fire and light spread beneath Andy and Nia's feet, weaving a radiant platform where no walls confined them, no shadows could hide. Their rings glowed like twin suns, pulses syncing until their breaths and heartbeats moved as one.
Across from them, the Hunter stilled. For the first time, the easy smile faded from his lips. His crimson eyes narrowed, glinting with something sharp. Not fear—respect.
"So… you've lit your first star," he said quietly. His voice carried differently here, stripped of mockery. "Interesting. Show me if you can wield it."
Andy lifted his blade. Flames spiraled along its edge, no longer chaotic but refined, steady, each ember carrying weight. His wounds closed, his body felt reborn. The fire didn't devour him—it obeyed him.
Beside him, Nia's staff shimmered like a column of starlight, her silver aura flowing outward into the Domain. Her hair drifted as though touched by cosmic winds, her eyes glowing brighter than the constellations themselves.
Andy met her gaze. She nodded once. "Together."
He smirked faintly. "Always."
The Hunter moved. His speed was still blinding, his twin blades slashing in a storm of shadows. But here, within the Domain, Andy's Dragon Sense expanded. The Hunter's movements slowed just enough for him to see, to react. Andy blocked, sparks bursting as steel clashed.
Nia's voice rang out. "Twin Star Barrier!"
The shield erupted, but this time, fire wove through the silver. The barrier pulsed with their unity, holding against the Hunter's blades. For the first time, the impact drove him back a step.
Andy's flames surged. "Stellar Flame Judgment!"
A torrent of fire roared, searing brighter than before. The Hunter slashed through it, his scales glowing red, but Nia raised her staff. Her silver light bent the flames, shaping them into spears that struck from every angle.
The Hunter grunted, twisting, deflecting most—but not all. A spear of fire and light carved across his chest, leaving blackened armor cracked and smoking.
His smile returned, but it was sharper now, tinged with challenge. "Better. Much better. But let's see if you can stand when I stop holding back."
His aura flared. Shadows erupted, consuming constellations, his blades singing with power. He lunged, faster than before, driving Andy to the edge. Sparks blinded him, his arms shook with the force.
Nia poured her mana into him through Shared Heartbeat, her light entwining his fire. Their rings burned against their skin.
The System's voice thundered.
> [Stellar Resonance: Active]
Dragonheart Unity prepared.
Andy and Nia shouted as one. "Dragonheart Unity!"
Flame and starlight exploded, coalescing into an astral dragon larger than before. Its wings spanned the Domain, its body forged of fire wrapped in silver constellations. Its roar was not sound—it was the voice of their bond, their vow.
The dragon surged forward, jaws snapping at the Hunter. He crossed his blades, shadows screaming as he pushed back. The impact shook the Domain, stars shattering and reforming. For a heartbeat, it seemed equal.
Then their bond surged. Their rings flared, fire and light pulsing stronger. The dragon's eyes blazed, its wings beating with fury. It broke through the Hunter's guard, its flames searing across his body, silver light piercing his shadows.
The Hunter staggered, blood hissing as it struck the radiant ground. For the first time, his crimson eyes widened.
Then he laughed. Low, rough, but not mocking. "So… the fire really does burn again."
He sheathed one blade, blood dripping down his arm. "You've lit your first star. Impressive. But remember—every star burns out eventually."
Before they could strike again, shadows swallowed him whole. He vanished, his laughter echoing faintly across the fading Domain.
Silence fell.
The stars above dimmed, the Domain dissolving into reality. Andy and Nia collapsed to their knees, their bodies trembling, exhaustion washing over them.
The System's chime rang clear.
> [Bond 100% – First Star Complete]
Rewards Unlocked:
– Andy: Stellar Flame Judgment (Ultimate)
– Nia: Celestial Resonance Band (Artifact)
– Shared: Star Domain (Battlefield Skill)
The chamber walls reformed around them. Outside, voices rose—the knights, the nobles, the people of Everhart, all who had felt the quake of the Domain. They had seen the light spill across the city, seen the stars blaze in the night.
Andy staggered, his blade dissolving into embers at his side. He turned to Nia, who leaned heavily on her staff, her silver aura flickering faintly. She was pale, her eyes weary—but she smiled.
"We… did it," she whispered.
He pulled her into his arms, pressing his forehead to hers. "We did. Together."
Her hand found his cheek, her touch soft despite the tremor in her fingers. "That's our first star."
He nodded, a faint laugh escaping despite the weight in his chest. "Then let's make sure it won't be the last."
They held each other in the wreckage, their rings glowing brighter than ever.
And far away, in a place where no light could reach, the Dragon Hunter nursed his wounds, crimson eyes smoldering. His smile returned, sharper than before.
"The first star has risen," he whispered. "Good. Now the real hunt begins."
The Star Domain dissolved. Constellations dimmed, the battlefield of starlight fading into shards of silver that rained softly to the ground before vanishing. Andy and Nia collapsed together, exhausted yet still holding onto each other's hands. Their rings glowed faintly, the pulse steady—Bond 100%.
The chamber around them reformed. Where once shadows had prowled, now only silence remained. Smoke curled from shattered walls, and fragments of stone lay strewn across the floor.
Knights and servants burst into the ruined hall, their eyes wide. They froze at the sight: Andy standing, battered but unbroken, flames still flickering faintly at his shoulders; Nia beside him, silver aura shimmering like dawn after the longest night.
Whispers spread like wildfire. The Dragon Warrior… The Everhart heiress… Did they just summon the stars themselves?
Andy leaned on his blade, every muscle screaming, but he stood tall. His golden eyes swept the hall, meeting the fear and awe in their gazes. For once, there was no shame in his wounds. They weren't weakness. They were proof.
Nia stepped closer, slipping her hand into his, lifting it high for all to see. Her voice, steady though her body trembled, rang through the chamber. "This is the bond the System has chosen. This is the flame that will not be extinguished."
The murmurs stilled. Awe replaced doubt. Even the harshest noble among them bowed their heads—not in submission, but in recognition.
Andy looked down at Nia, his lips curving into a weary smile. "Guess they finally believe us."
She squeezed his hand, her silver eyes soft. "Let them. We already knew."
Together, they stepped forward through the ruined doors of the chamber. The night outside greeted them with starlight—real this time, the constellations above shining brighter as though saluting their victory.
Behind them, Everhart stirred with whispers of hope. Ahead of them, shadows still lingered, promises of hunts yet to come.
But hand in hand, hearts united, they had lit their First Star.
And nothing—not curses, not politics, not even the Hunters—could snuff it out.
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