Then footsteps.
Soft. Careful. Coming from the shadows beyond the collapsed stone archway.
He turned sharply, golden eyes glowing. Footsteps? Voices?
"What was that?" he whispered. "It can't be my sister… she just left."
The faint whisper of movement continued something shifting through the brush.
A chill crawled down his spine.
"Wait… did Lunark sneak in? Did he hear everything?" His voice dropped to a low growl. "This is bad. I need to find out who that is."
In a flash, golden, black, and purple energy surrounded him as he activated his Tenshi no Me.
"Velocity Sync," he breathed.
The world slowed. Sound warped into echoes of itself. In an instant, he was gone a golden streak tearing across the dungeon. He connected himself to the life strings, attuning them to the vibration of the voice and threading his own string to its frequency.
When time snapped back to normal, he was already standing behind the intruder.
Ava's voice was cold and low. "Star. What are you doing here?"
The young girl jumped, spinning around, nearly dropping her spellbook. "A Ava?! How did you how did you get behind me?"
Ava said nothing, watching her carefully. His mind raced.
She heard the conversation.
If she connects the dots if she realizes what the professor Lunark meant about The Black Lotus, my family… she'll know who I am.
His jaw tightened. Do I have to kill her?
The thought stung more than he expected. I don't want to… but if she exposes me, everything's over. The Dark Lord must die and I'll let nothing stand in my way.
Star took a cautious step forward, her eyes soft with worry. "Sorry… I just couldn't leave you here alone in the dungeon. I know you're strong, Ava, but still…"
She gave a nervous laugh, scratching the back of her head. "And when I came back, I, uh sort of overheard your conversation."
Ava's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression unreadable.
She raised her hands quickly. "Don't worry! I won't tell anyone your secret."
For a moment, silence. The flames around them flickered, their light reflecting in Ava's golden irises.
Then, slowly, his tense expression softened though the storm in his heart did not.
Star hesitated, her voice quiet but trembling. "When you said all that before… was it true? Your family the rulers of the true Omniverse? And you… you really want to kill the Dark Lord?"
Ava's gaze darkened. His thoughts churned like thunder. How do I know I can trust her?
He stepped closer, then gently took her hand and led her to a flat stone beneath the flickering dungeon light. They sat together, shadows of fire curling around them.
"Listen," he said at last, meeting her eyes. "You can't tell anyone. Anything you heard. Please."
Star nodded quickly, sincerity glowing in her expression. "I won't. I promise." Her voice softened. "I believe the Dark Lord needs to be stopped. The chaos he's caused across the worlds it's beyond repair. So many slaves, so much pain. And the worst part is… most of the students in this Academy worship him. They think chaos and conquest make them powerful."
She lowered her head. "I only joined because of what he did he conquered my planet, my entire universe. He forced us into his wars: conquer for him or be destroyed. I didn't fight for glory. I fought so my world would not be erased." Then she looked up, meeting Ava's gaze again. "But when I saw you in the dungeon that day… the way you fought without killing innocents, how you avoided unnecessary destruction, Chaos I realized you're different. The others revel in it. They burn worlds for points. You didn't."
Ava's voice softened, almost reluctant. "Thank you… for understanding."
Star smiled faintly. "You probably don't want to tell me everything, but… what are you, really?"
Ava paused, his golden eyes glinting like dying stars. Then he exhaled slowly. "I am Avalokita," he said quietly. "The Shinma of Chaos."
Her brows furrowed. "A… Shinma?"
He nodded. "A Shinma is what my brothers and sisters are. We are beings of duality—half demonic, half divine. Our essence is both chaos and harmony. My mother is Lady Death, the Demon Queen who rules the Boundless Hell the hell that spans the entire Omniverse. My father… is the God of the Omniverse. He rules the Boundless Heaven, where all creation finds peace."
Star's eyes widened in awe. "Then… everything makes sense now."
Ava looked away, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Come on," he said, standing. "Let's get something to eat. I'll tell you the rest later."
She laughed softly as he offered his hand again, and together they walked out of the dungeon—through the light of the portal and back toward the Academy.
Later, in the quiet cafeteria, they sat across from each other, laughing between bites of food, trading stories of their worlds one from the stars, the other from the abyss.
And for the first time in what felt like eons, Ava felt… calm.
As Ava and Star ate, laughter echoing softly through the nearly empty cafeteria, they didn't notice the faint shimmer in the corner of the ceiling a floating demonic eye, its pupil spinning slowly like molten glass.
Far away, in the quiet of his office, Professor Lunark Veil leaned back in his chair, one hand pressed against the spell mirror.
"Finally," he muttered. "That kid left the dungeon. Couldn't spy on him there."
He zoomed in on Ava's face, studying every subtle movement. "But so far, he seems like a normal student. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he didn't sneak into the archives. Maybe he's not who I think he is…"
He frowned, drumming his fingers against the desk. "No. I'm not wrong. Those flames… I saw them. The Black Lotus flames. But maybe it was an accident?"
His expression darkened, voice dropping to a whisper. "No. No accident could create something like that. Still… I need proof. I need to see his strength again. I'll keep watching. Maybe he'll slip up."
The mirror rippled as he cast another spell, the demonic eye hovering closer to the students below.
Star smiled, leaning over her plate. "You have so many stories," she said, laughing.
Before Ava could answer, a group of girls passed by their table. One whispered sharply under her breath, just loud enough to hear.
"Look at that traitor."
Star froze. Her gaze dropped to her food as the girls laughed and walked on.
Ava tilted his head. "Why are they calling you a traitor? I saw you with them on the first day. I thought you were friends."
Star's voice was quiet. "We were. Until I broke up with Tavius." She sighed. "Those girls are from my planet Pyraeans, like me. They don't like that I ended it. Our relationship was supposed to unite our families… our worlds. But I couldn't do it."
Ava leaned back, crossing his arms. "Like you said, most kids in this school are idiots. Don't let their opinions matter."
They both laughed lightly and kept talking until the same girls returned, this time with company. Four of them hovered above the table, their energy glowing faintly red.
"So," one sneered, "how does it feel, Star? Being a traitor to your people?"
Another girl smirked, stepping closer to Ava. "Honestly, I can't blame her. He's handsome. Maybe more than Tavius." Her voice turned silky as her fingers traced the edge of Ava's school outfit.
Ava grabbed her wrist, eyes flashing gold. "Stop touching me," he said coldly. His gaze shifted to the rest. "And stop talking to her like that. She's your princess show her some respect."
A heavy thud shook the air. A towering boy stepped into view, his presence radiating menace. He stood nearly seven feet tall, broad-shouldered and wrapped in a mix of sleek armor and the dark-trimmed cloth of the academy uniform. Strapped to his back was a massive sword at least ten feet long its surface pulsing with ripples of black and violet energy.
"Get your hands off my girl," he snarled, voice deep enough to rattle the walls.
Before Ava could reply, the boy swung.
The colossal blade came down with a roar, cleaving the air apart. The strike missed but the Dark Matter unleashed from the swing exploded outward, tearing through the floor and shattering several tables. Shadows rippled across the room as Star leapt aside, her aura flaring in defense while dust and dark energy swirled violently around them.
When it cleared, Ava and Star stood on one side of the cafeteria; the massive boy and his group on the other.
The girls tried to calm him, one shouting, "Stop it! We're not even together anymore!"
But something was wrong. Their eyes glowed crimson, veins darkened with swirling energy.
In his office, Lunark smirked. "Perfect. Let's see what you really are."
He whispered a spell, and demonic symbols flared across his hand. "Corruption Sigil: Mind Bind."
A wave of black magic streamed through the eye. Down below, the students screamed as the energy took hold twisting their thoughts, poisoning their rage.
Ava's eyes widened. "Why are they glowing like that?"
Star gasped. "Ava, that's dark magic!"
The corrupted students lunged forward.
Star reacted first. "Solar Bloom!" she shouted, punching the air. Her fists ignited, tiny pink suns orbiting her knuckles. She dashed forward, striking one girl in the chest sending her flying into the air before slamming her down in a burst of golden light.
Another charged. Star spun, her aura blazing, uppercutting the second into the ceiling, pink energy crackling around her.
Meanwhile, the massive boy roared, swinging wildly at Ava. Each Swing of his sword split the air apart. Ava dodged effortlessly, his speed blurring into golden trails.
"Too slow."
He flicked his wrist, golden life strings bursting from his fingertips. They wrapped around the boy's arms and torso like divine chains.
Ava yanked downward, slamming him into the ground so hard the tiles cracked. The boy groaned, the black mist peeling off his skin before vanishing entirely.
One by one, the corrupted students fell unconscious.
Ava stood there, chest heaving slightly, eyes darting toward the ceiling toward where he could feel the gaze watching him.
Was that… him?
"Lunark," he thought. Trying to test me. Trying to make me slip.
He clenched his fist. I can't show my full strength. Especially not the Black Lotus powers.
Star looked around, still catching her breath. "That was… weird. What was that black energy?"
"I don't know," Ava said, forcing calm into his voice. "But it's getting late. I'll walk you to the dorms."
They left together, the cafeteria quiet again except for the hum of broken lights. Outside, beneath the moons, they exchanged a soft hug before parting ways.
And as Ava stepped into his room, the golden glow of his eyes dimmed.
Ava sat on the edge of his bed, the faint hum of the Academy's energy fields echoing through the room. Moonlight filtered in through the tall glass window, reflecting in his golden eyes.
He seen it and felt it. That demonic presence in the air. The unseen gaze.
His jaw tightened. I have to find a way to get rid of him without anyone finding out.
He ran a hand through his hair, staring at the wall as if the answers were written there. I can't have that eye following me everywhere. As long as it's there, I can't use omnipresence. I can't move through the halls unseen or gather the information I need.
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. The moment I activate it, he'll know. He's always watching. Always waiting for me to slip.
His fists clenched. Am I even strong enough to defeat someone like him yet?
He glanced down at his hands scarred, trembling slightly. This weak human body… I can't even use my Black Lotus Wings for long without burning out.
He closed his eyes. The golden glow dimmed.
"It's fine," he muttered under his breath. "I'll stay low. Keep training in the dungeons. Until I'm strong enough to end him."
The air in the room stilled. His conviction hardened.
"Until then," he whispered, "I'm just another student."
Two Months Later
Time moved quietly in the Academy of Realms. Two moons passed, each cycle marked by classes, duels, and expeditions into the endless dungeons below.
Ava and his team adapted quickly. They learned new spell forms no longer limited to flame, but water, wind, and even elemental fusions that shimmered with higher-dimensional light.
Each day after classes, they descended into the dungeon worlds, facing monsters, traps, and corrupted entities. Their teamwork grew sharper. Their coordination, seamless.
Star's magic deepened with every battle. Her strength and dimensional presence expanded, her Dimension ascensions spreading wider and more defined with each duel. She grew faster, deadlier, and more elegant with her sword the Starbreaker wielding it like a comet cutting through darkness. Many nights, she and Ava trained together in the dungeons until dawn, pushing the limits of their power.
Dallas, ever determined, trained tirelessly with the sword he had claimed that day the Engine Sword. He grew more confident in its use, channeling its raw kinetic energy with greater precision. Though still the weakest in magic, he steadily improved, learning to cast new spells and control his mana flow. Dimensional Ascension still eluded him, but his resolve never wavered.
Demeter's spellcraft grew more refined, her mastery unmistakable. She kept learning new spells at a remarkable pace, and she still did not need to speak them aloud, proof that she was a born prodigy. At the same time, her Dimension Ascensions advanced in scope and precision. She learned to fold their layers into her own body, channeling them through her staff and even into her fists. With a single strike she could open brief, shimmering dimensional rifts that nicked matter and space, anchor micro-rifts as traps, and then seal them again with a touch.
Every day, Ava grew stronger in power, speed, and magic alike. His progress was impossible to ignore. He demonstrated new spell forms to his teachers and teammates, seamlessly merging them with his Higher-Dimensional Cards. Each week, his team claimed first place in the dungeon rankings, conquering entire worlds not through destruction, but through precision and balance.
His Dimension Ascensions became terrifyingly powerful vast, intricate domains of light and geometry that could rewrite the very structure of space. But Ava always pretended they were less than what they were. He laughed off his victories, hid his strength behind careful restraint, and fought just below the threshold of suspicion.
All the while, the demonic eye continued to watch him. From the corners of mirrors, from the quiet edges of classrooms, from the shadows of the dungeon halls it never blinked.
Day by day, Ava held his power in check, pretending to be an ordinary student. Yet beneath the surface, his divine energy coiled tighter, waiting for the moment when restraint would no longer be needed. Waiting for the day he would finally strike Lunark.