Chapter 106: The Truth

Above the sky, the blue moon loomed ferociously.

A girl stood in midair, her pink nightgown fluttering in the breeze, long white hair scattering outward, glowing faintly with a bluish hue.

Before the massive blue moon that nearly covered half the sky, the girl seemed so small—no more than an insignificant speck of dust.

But the moment she appeared, the deathly ghostly shadows beneath her feet, which had been madly devouring the Academy, suddenly froze.

As if time had halted, those shadows—formless entities that had given Professor Prang a splitting headache—one by one turned into laughably twisted statues.

A terrifying gaze descended from the farthest reaches of the sky. Yet within that overwhelming will of death and madness... was a trace of solemn weight.

"Well now, long time no see."

The girl looked up, her red eyes reflecting the image of the blue moon.

The moon remained silent, but the grotesque shadows formed by its craters and seas grew heavier.

"Seems like you still don’t like me, as always."

She shook her head helplessly and turned her gaze toward the grotesque ball of flesh beside her.

"And you... why is it that every time I see you, you’re always so disgusting? Love God."

The one-eyed ball of flesh began to squirm. Soon, that single eye twisted into a grotesque mouth, emitting an ear-grating screech like metal scraping.

"...You... you’re still alive?"

"Hehe, surprised I’m still breathing?"

The girl smiled. “But how does that saying go again—girls who love to sleep always age slower. For someone like me, a youthful eighteen-year-old who naps for decades at a time, living a few more years is only natural, don’t you think?”

“But really, Love God, during my nap... you seem to have taken a special interest in my Academy.”

She raised her hand and made a loose grasping motion toward the grotesque ball of flesh.

Instantly, it let out a piercing screech and exploded with a bang, scattering into a mist of shredded meat.

“Trying to flee?”

Her baby-fat cheeks now bore a chilling expression.

“Since you’ve dropped by uninvited, isn’t it only polite to leave a little gift behind?”

She flicked her pink star wand.

A deafening rumble echoed out.

Atop the twelve black towers, magic surged—far more immense than what Professor Prang had summoned earlier—glowing crimson from overload.

Under her command, the first layer of the Grand Rite activated. A new structure emerged from the Academy’s deepest foundation and transformed into a sea of silver beneath her feet.

It flowed like endless mercury.

And in the next moment—

The silvery sea solidified.

Smooth as a mirror.

Reflected within the mirror were the massive blue moon... and the fragments of flesh fleeing in every direction.

But those chunks of meat suddenly lost all sense of direction.

The Love God’s remains beyond the mirror had vanished. It was as if the reflections in the mirror had, without notice, become the reality.

The moment the meatball realized it was trapped, it turned toward the white-haired girl outside the mirror and let out a furious screech.

“Stop whining.”

She reached into the mirror with a soft scooping motion.

The meatball instantly withered, and then—she was holding something.

A mass of distorted, formless substance.

She weighed it in her palm, then let out a sigh of pity.

“No wonder you got so weak after losing your Crowned-tier vessel. So it was just a tiny sliver of your will, projected over? Truly fitting of you, Love God—so gutless, the shame of all Evil Gods.”

Losing interest, she casually tossed the twisted essence back into the mirror.

She lifted her head once more and gazed at the blue moon.

The moonlight was cold and lifeless, cascading down like a waterfall.

But that light, which should have traveled infinitely fast, instead seemed to hit some barrier. Under the reflection of the silver mirror, it diffused into drifting pale-blue mist.

The mist hovered above the Academy, blown gently by unseen winds, refusing to descend.

“Now then... it’s your turn, Moon.”

The girl's serene voice, like a lullaby, carried skyward.

As though a blasphemer were declaring defiance beneath the heavens.

And then—

Silent Moon erupted in fury!

Countless shadows surged from behind craters and the dark lunar seas, like thick black ink spreading across the ghostly blue surface.

The spreading shadows formed two inverted arcs and one upright curve.

Together, the shadows of the moons outlined a grotesque jester’s grin.

And within that abyssal darkness, crimson eyes opened, one by one, staring furiously at the insolent speck below!

Boom!

The heavens trembled.

The pitch-black sky, once cloudless, rippled like water struck by an iron ball—visible shockwaves spreading outward.

The barriers between realms seemed on the verge of shattering under some unfathomable force. Moonlight spread, and the shadows of the world stirred.

Even the silver mirror beneath the girl’s feet began to quake.

Within that mirror, the endless spectral shadows that had risen from the land of death broke free of time’s restraints, mutating into unrecognizable black limbs, shrieking and slamming against the Academy’s lowest structures.

In that moment, the Silent Moon abandoned its blockade over this world—unleashing a reckless, all-out assault!

Across the world, powerful individuals awoke in alarm, casting horrified glances toward the heavens.

"Oh? Angered now, are we?"

The girl sighed softly.

"But rules are rules. That world barrier isn’t something so easily broken. This tantrum of yours—besides wasting strength—what else can you really do?"

“So then...”

She stared without fear at the now hideous, beauty-less blue moon, her expression solemn.

"Go back, Moon. This is my domain. Not a place you’re allowed to taint."

As her cold voice fell—

A grand chime rang out.

The great clock tower, tallest of all the Academy’s buildings, cast a sharp shadow across the silver mirror.

Like the hand of a clock.

And the twelve black towers on the Academy’s border—like the hour marks.

The hand tilted, pointing between five and six.

Then shifted faster.

Within a few breaths, it completed its arc from five to six.

An invisible law spread outward.

And so, unnoticed by all but the most elite few—

Half an hour was silently sliced away from this morning’s flow of time.

Six o’clock sharp.

A faint light rose at the edge of the dark horizon.

Dawn.

The chime echoed once more.

The girl—looking a little younger now—reached out, as if to grasp the grotesque blue moon in her palm.

"Look, Silent Moon."

Gazing at the receding night, she declared coolly—

"The sun has risen."

...

...

“It’s over.”

As she watched the gradually brightening sky and the dimming blue moon, the girl finally let out a breath.

After all, this was a god—an Evil God that had nearly descended in full. Even for her, handling it had come with pressure.

“Still... the price paid was barely within my tolerance.”

But tugging at her now [N O V E L I G H T] noticeably looser nightgown, her red eyes flickered with faint irritation.

She couldn’t afford to get any smaller.

"Now then... let me see just why you suddenly came running to my Academy, Moon."

With those cold words, the blue moon in her gaze vanished, replaced by countless stars.

The stars twinkled and shifted, tracing arcane patterns in the endless void.

She stared at those marks, projecting forward the paths of fate.

“You’re... afraid?”

That first reading startled her slightly.

The stars continued to shimmer.

“Because of... the Withering King?”

Her eyes lowered.

She thought of the boy from earlier—the one marked by the Withering King.

But this sliver of fate puzzled her further.

The Silent Moon and the Withering King were Evil Gods of equal rank.

Their authorities opposed, yet complemented one another—natural enemies, yet eerily alike.

By all logic, if they were to clash, neither should be able to best the other.

So why... was the Silent Moon afraid of the Withering King?

And the divination showed clearly: the Withering King was heading toward the Silent Moon with reckless abandon—at most two months, at worst six—and then... a divine war would erupt.

The reason? Unclear.

Too many gods were involved. Reaching this far in the reading was already her limit. Beyond this point, only fog—too many unknowns.

So she stopped divining and began deducing.

Sometimes, you didn’t need to see fate’s full path to understand the truth.

For beings as supreme as gods, there were few reasons that could cause them to change behavior.

And with insight beyond this era—

She quickly arrived at the most likely scenario.

“Perhaps... the Withering King found out your weakness.”

“That’s why he’s coming for you—risking everything to devour your authority.”

“And that’s why you’re afraid. Because the Withering King who knows your weakness... might really succeed.”

“So to gain new power—and to avoid being devoured—you invaded the Academy, trying to seize that thing buried beneath it.”

“I see now. I get the general picture. But...”

Gazing at the fading blue moon, she sighed wistfully.

“As far as I know, in this world, there should only be... one and a half beings who know the gods’ weaknesses.”

“No—one of them died long ago.”

“In other words...”

A flash of light crossed her eyes, and her previously still heart stirred.

“That thing... is still in this world?”

...

...

“Professor Garan.”

“Don’t talk to me!”

Amid the flower field, Professor Garan—scattered in chunks just like Muen—snapped angrily, “We’re not even friends!”

“Professor, could you stop being so childish?” Muen’s mouth twitched.

“Childish? You turned me into this mess and still won’t let me be angry about it?” Professor Garan snapped, eyes wide.

“Wasn’t it you who tricked me first, Professor Garan?”

Muen let out a cold laugh.

“Don’t tell me you actually meant to let me have that piece of candy.”

“...”

Professor Garan guiltily looked away.

“Alright, I just wanted to ask you something.”

Muen sighed quietly, then asked,

“What exactly was that invasion by the Silent Moon about, the one you mentioned before?”

“Huh? Why is a student like you asking about stuff like that?” Professor Garan looked puzzled.

“Curiosity,” Muen replied flatly, completely making it up. “Isn’t it normal to be curious after something like that? I won’t lie to you, Professor. My curiosity’s about to burst—I feel like I’ll die if I don’t know what’s going on.”

“Hmm, fair enough.”

Professor Garan nodded seriously. “A normal person would be curious.”

“But unfortunately, I don’t know the details either. Once Evil Gods get involved, everyone in the know basically has to sign a Silence Contract.”

Silence Contract...

Muen frowned. “Then... some unimportant intel, maybe...”

“What intel could I even have?”

Garan’s shoulder—still lying a few meters away—shrugged.

“I just vaguely remember that old fart Prang sighing once, saying it might involve a third Evil God. Other than that, I’ve got nothing.”

“A third Evil God?”

Muen fell into thought. Then, he caught a thread of something. His eyes lit up.

“Thank you, Professor Garan. I’m going to sleep.”

“Eh? Sleep?”

Professor Garan stared at Muen, shocked. “How the hell can you sleep at a time like this?”

Muen ignored him and closed his eyes.

His consciousness descended into the Black Book space.

The Black Book—hidden who-knows-where earlier, when that white-haired loli powerhouse showed up—was now floating quietly in front of him.

As if it had been waiting.

“So you already know what I’m here for, huh, Black Book.”

Muen’s eyes flickered as he asked,

“Then I’ll skip the pretense. The ‘third Evil God’ Professor Garan mentioned—it’s the Withering King, right? I mean, besides the Love God, He’s the only one I’ve had contact with.”

【......】

“So the Silent Moon’s behavioral shift... is also because of the Withering King. The only thing that could fully influence an Evil God’s behavior is another Evil God.”

【......】

“And for the Withering King’s behavior to shift like that—something unknown must’ve triggered it. Most likely, our contact. But I’m just a regular mortal. There’s no way I could’ve influenced Him. Which means...”

Muen paused. “The root cause of all this chain reaction... is actually you.”

【......】

“So, Black Book. That page you gave to the Withering King in exchange for power—don’t tell me it was just some IOU.”

【Sigh...】

Faced with Muen’s relentless interrogation, a faint sigh echoed in the space.

The Black Book flipped open, landing on a blank page.

Then, neatly written letters began to emerge on the surface.

【INTEL】

“Intel?”

Muen was confused. “What intel?”

The writing changed.

【The Silent Moon’s weakness.】

“...Hah?”

Muen blinked—then his expression turned to utter horror.

“Weakness? The Silent Moon’s? Wait, wait, wait—you actually know something like that? No, that’s not even the issue. You told the Withering King about the Silent Moon’s weakness, which means—”

These two gods held powers that were complete opposites, yet deeply interconnected. Mortal enemies, and yet, eerily alike.

So once the Withering King learned that piece of intel, there was no way He’d just waltz over to make jokes or play games. He’d immediately skin the Silent Moon alive, crush its bones, drain its blood, and devour its authority.

That’s why the Silent Moon suddenly invaded the Academy.

Muen vaguely remembered—the original text had mentioned something buried beneath the Academy that even gods coveted.

The Silent Moon had come to seize that object. To gain new strength. To resist the Withering King who now came at Him, knife and fork in hand.

“No wonder... that white-haired loli powerhouse said the power I carry isn’t some simple blessing from the Withering King—but Divine Favor.”

Limitless use, a manifestation of a god’s partial authority—Divine Favor...

With a trade that valuable, how could the Withering King not be generous?

“But...”

Muen stared at the Black Book, still bewildered.

“Why do all this? Back then, it was just an emergency—I could’ve traded something way less important.”

【To.】

【Save you.】

The Black Book flipped again.

In the next moment, Muen’s vision blurred.

A scene appeared before his eyes.

Under a pitch-black sky, pure white wings unfurled.

Wearing a brilliant crown, the Saintess of Purification stood before him, her expression one of sorrow and mercy, sword in hand.

Ariel stood a bit farther off, clutching her sword and barely upright. She was pale, severely wounded.

Even farther, Professor Prang was rushing toward them, face full of rage.

And beneath Muen’s feet, a pool of blood—his heart pierced by the Saintess’s sword. That heart had long since stopped beating.

“This is...”

【If the Silent Moon had not intervened,】

【The Love God would never have turned attention to that object.】

More words rapidly appeared on the Black Book.

【Everything would have followed the original plot.】

【The Love God’s invasion would’ve occurred a year later.】

【And the target would no longer have been Ariel—but you.】

“Me...”

Muen’s pupils shrank.

In that instant, he understood the meaning of the scene.

In the original plot, when Ariel faced the Crowned-tier Saintess possessed by the Love God, she could rely on her protagonist halo, her arsenal of plot devices, and hold out until Professor Prang arrived.

But Muen Campbell?

No—he couldn’t.

Because Muen Campbell wasn’t the protagonist.

He had no protagonist halo. No plot armor.

He was just a yellow-haired villain hated by fate itself.

So.

If the original plot had remained unchanged—

Muen Campbell...

Was guaranteed to die.

...

【That... was the original prophetic dream.】

【A future that would have unfolded with certainty—if no great force interfered.】

...