Chapter 45 - Death at the Horizon

Arcadia Academy – Morning, Week Four

The clang of steel echoed faintly across the empty practice grounds, but today, Luca’s movements were sluggish.

His twin sabers danced in familiar arcs—well-practiced, efficient—but his grip faltered every so often. He paused, panting, staring down at his reflection in one of the blades.

"Focus,"

he muttered, and yet, his mind refused to listen.

Instead of sword forms and aura flow, all he could see was

Aurelia’s face

—furious, red, stunned—and the way their lips had accidentally—

Luca shook his head violently.

"Nope. Stop. Not thinking about that. Again."

His eyes drifted down to the book lying open on the training bench nearby—the one he’d retrieved from the cave during yesterday’s chaos. The

hidden piece

.

He walked over, wiping sweat from his brow, and stared at it.

Bound in dark leather, lined with worn gold etching, the manual looked ancient. There was no clear mention of its origin—no author’s name, no family crest, no historical notes. Just technique after technique... all meant for one thing.

Twin Sabers.

"Was this really just lying in that cave this whole time?" Luca muttered.

He furrowed his brows.

Out of all the characters he remembered from the game... none of them had used twin sabers. Not as a main class, anyway. Was this something he missed? Or—was it truly meant for him?

Because he got it like it was waiting there from the beginning.

He glanced at the technique etched onto the open page:

Twin-Saber: Moon Slayer.

Luca traced the calligraphy with his fingers, the name alone sending a strange thrill down his spine.

"If there’s a Moon Slayer... maybe there’s a Sun Slayer too?" he mused aloud, lips curling slightly. "Sounds like a pair."

Below the technique title were detailed instructions—complicated diagrams and flowing aura patterns. The first lesson wasn’t flashy. It was foundational.

Learning how to circulate aura through dual channels—

one per blade.

"If I get this wrong, the technique will just be a flashy swing," Luca read aloud. "Powerless... all form, no bite."

He sat cross-legged on the grass, blades laid beside him, and began following the described breathing rhythm.

A warm current pulsed beneath his skin as he drew in aura, guiding it to each arm equally. The book made it sound easy.

Reality didn’t agree.

The energy in his right arm surged far too fast, while his left stalled—then surged—then fizzled.

"Again," he said to himself.

And again.

And again.

Sweat gathered on his brow as the sun climbed higher.

After nearly an hour of trial and error, the aura finally

almost

aligned for a full cycle—but just as he thought he had it, the pulse collapsed entirely. His muscles twitched from the internal strain.

Luca collapsed back onto the grass with a groan.

"I still have a long way to go..."

He stared up at the sky, chest heaving.

And yet... despite everything—he smiled.

After a long, frustrating morning of failing to circulate aura properly, Luca finally decided to call it. He left the training grounds, dragged himself through a cold shower, threw on his uniform, and headed for breakfast.

But even the food felt... tasteless.

No, scratch that.

Everything

felt a little off.

And it had everything to do with

yesterday

.

The kiss.

His hand twitched at the memory.

He hadn’t even planned it. Gods, he hadn’t even expected it. One moment he was getting pulled in, the next—

lips. Contact. Full stop.

Aurelia’s face—furious, red, beautiful—flashed across his mind again.

Luca groaned, dragging a hand down his face as he stepped into

Class A

.

He barely took a few steps inside when he spotted

Lilliane

already seated.

Their eyes met—

—and she instantly turned away, her entire face glowing pink.

Luca coughed awkwardly and looked anywhere else.

Right. She and Aiden also witnessed that.

"Great," he mumbled under his breath, heading to his usual back corner seat.

He barely sat down before a familiar figure dropped into the seat beside him with the force of a falling meteor.

"

So.

"

Eric’s voice was filled with pure mischief.

"

How was your little double date, Romeo?

"

Luca stiffened. "Wha—how—?"

Eric leaned in, grinning. "You really thought

no one

would notice the spicy skewer incident? Or that jacket scene in the boutique district? Dude, it’s probably in

three

gossip club newsletters by now."

Luca buried his face in his hands. "I want to disappear."

"Too late. You’re a celebrity now." Eric gave him a teasing nudge. "So—spill. How was it? Did you hold hands? Did you—kiss—"

"Wha—?!"

Luca panicked.

Eric blinked. "Wait, wait,

did

you?!"

"Y-You—how do you know? Are you stalking me or something?!"

Eric stared. Then

grinned

, face lighting up like someone had just handed him the juiciest secret in the world.

"

HOLY SHIT.

You really did!!" he whispered loudly.

"Shhh—!" Luca waved his hands frantically, glancing around like the walls had ears. "It was an accident!"

"Oh, yeah, sure. Accident. Did you ’trip’ into her mouth too?"

"I—We—It’s not like that!"

Eric looked like he was about to explode from holding back laughter. "This is gold. Aurelia’s gonna kill you. Or marry you. Or both. In that order."

Before Luca could defend his honor any further—

Click.

The door opened.

And

Seraphina

entered.

Instant silence.

The class froze, posture straightening instinctively as her heels clicked against the polished floor.

Eric immediately sat up straight, but not without whispering one last jab under his breath:

"Guess we’ll talk more later,

Casanova.

"

Luca slumped into his seat, cheeks burning, wishing for nothing more than the floor to swallow him whole.

Professor

Seraphina

stood at the front, her usual calm and commanding presence blanketing the room like a sudden chill.

"I have two announcements to make today," she said, voice cool and clipped.

Luca straightened in his seat, already sensing something big was coming.

"First," she continued, "there will be a transfer student joining our class. Likely from next week."

A low murmur rippled through the classroom.

A transfer? Mid-year? That’s rare...

Luca blinked.

That wasn’t in the game.

He quickly filed it away under

Butterfly Effects

, right next to

Double Date Incident

and

Accidental Kiss of Doom.

Seraphina raised a hand, instantly silencing the chatter.

"And second..." she said, tone dipping into something heavier.

"The

Beastridge Mountain

will open exactly one month from now. All students—first through fourth years—will be allowed to attempt contracting a beast."

The classroom fell utterly silent.

No murmurs. No whispers. Just a heavy, suspended breath.

Luca’s heart gave a jolt.

So this is finally it, huh...?

His mind raced.

The third arc has begun.

Beastridge Mountain. A sacred place sealed by ancient contracts.

It only opens every 50 years.

And somehow... we’re here for it. The protagonist’s batch. Of course.

His fists clenched slightly beneath his desk.

But more than that...

His breath hitched.

This is the arc where Luca Valentina dies.

He stared down at the edge of his desk, the echoes of the original storyline flashing through his head like a cursed prophecy.

But not this time. No. I’ve come too far.

I’ve grown stronger. I’ve trained. I have knowledge they don’t.

This time... it will be different.

He forced his breathing to steady.

Still—what shook him more than the Beastridge announcement... was the

first

one.

A transfer student? That never happened in the original game.There wasn’t even a placeholder for one.

The lecture continued, but very few were truly listening.

By the end of it, the class was practically vibrating with energy and curiosity. Even the usually quiet students had eyes gleaming with ambition—or dread.

Just as everyone was packing their books,

Professor Seraphina’s

voice cut through the noise once more.

"

Student Luca Valentina.

Come to my office."

Heads turned.

Luca stiffened.

Again?

Why do I feel like the problem child who’s always being called in for ’talks’?

He sighed, dragging a hand through his hair as Eric snorted beside him.

"What’d you do this time, kiss the professor too?"

Luca glared. "I hate you."

"Love you too, Romeo."

As the other students filtered out, Luca stood from his seat with a resigned exhale and trudged toward the staff corridor.

One month until Beastridge.

A surprise transfer student.

And Seraphina, likely armed with a dagger made of words.

Great. Just another totally normal day at Arcadia Academy.

Later in Seraphina’s office

"Would you like to go for dinner with me?"

Wait,what?!!