Chapter 8: A Month of Growth
One Month Later
A month had passed since the awakening.
Now, all of the human domain knew of the prodigies that emerged—those born with SS-rank talents. Among them were the heirs of the Four Great Families, the princesse of the empire, and the new Saintess of the Church.
But even among these monsters, two names stood above the rest.
Noah Weaverheart. Elijah Stoneheart.
Two SSS-rank talent holders.
Yet Elijah's name was louder.
Not only was he an SSS-rank talent holder, but he was also The Blessed One. The Goddess's Champion. His fame soared like wildfire. Now, he lived under the protection of the Church of Light, undergoing brutal training to match his divine status.
⸻
The Royal Palace
Inside the Imperial Palace, in the heart of Castria, an important conversation unfolded.
Seated upon a golden throne, Emperor Rome Castria frowned, deep in thought. His fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest as he stared at the parchment before him—a contract binding his daughter to Noah Weaverheart.
He sighed. "How should we handle this?"
The Empress, Emily Castria, folded her arms. "Why are you hesitating? The choice is obvious. Elijah is the better option."
She leaned forward, her voice sharp. "He is the Blessed One, handpicked by the Goddess herself. His talents surpass Noah's. He has three talents for God's sake. One is SSS and the two other rare elements like light and space. Why are we even discussing this?"
The Emperor scowled. "Because Selene outplayed me."
Emily raised an eyebrow.
Rome exhaled in frustration. "That woman tricked me into signing an ironclad engagement contract between Sophie and Noah. She helped me deal with a… certain problem back then, and in return, she secured this engagement."
Emily's expression darkened. "Then annul it."
"It's not that simple," Rome muttered. "Selene isn't just some noblewoman. She's an SS-rank powerhouse—one of the strongest humans alive. Her ice concept is a nightmare to deal with."
Emily's lips curled in distaste. "That witch…"
A long silence stretched between them.
Rome rubbed his temples. "We can't confront her directly. If we do, it'll spark unnecessary conflict."
Emily's gaze sharpened. "Then we'll handle it another way. We'll have Sophie meet Noah herself. Make her tell him she has no interest in the engagement."
"As a SSS rank talent holder and just a brat his ego would surely be hurt and he will chose to withdraw himself."
Rome nodded slowly. "If Noah willingly backs off, Selene won't have reason to interfere."
Emily smirked. "Perfect. I'll take Sophie myself."
"Good. But still keep an eye on Selene. She's unpredictable."
Emily simply smiled.
…
Weaverheart Training Grounds
BOOM!
A jagged spear of ice shot out of the ground, narrowly missing Noah's ribs. Another spike followed, forcing him to jump and to twist mid-air. His mother wasn't holding back.
Selene stood a few feet away, her violet eyes glowing with amusement. "Not bad, my baby. Your battle instincts have improved."
Noah barely had time to catch his breath before another barrage of ice shards shot toward him.
"Shit—"
He flicked his wrist. An ice wall formed in front of him.
CRASH!
The force shattered his defense instantly, sending him tumbling across the frozen ground.
Selene clicked her tongue. "Your ice is still too weak."
Noah groaned. "I—know that already…"
Selene smiled. "Then improve it."
Fuck! I am just at E rank damn it.
With a snap of her fingers, the ground beneath Noah shifted. Chains of ice burst forth, wrapping around his legs. Before he could react—
BOOM!
He was slammed into the ground, hard enough to make the earth tremble.
The world spun.
Smoke and frost clouded his vision as he gasped for air.
Selene crouched beside him, a playful smile on her lips. "Oops. Did I go too far?"
Noah coughed, wincing. "No… It was my fault. I asked you to be merciless."
He regretted it dearly.
Selene giggled. "That's my baby." She ruffled his hair before standing up. "You get to rest today. We'll continue tomorrow. I have things to take care of."
And with that, she vanished in a flurry of frost.
Noah lay there, staring at the sky. His body ached everywhere.
One month. One month of pure hell.
His training was brutal.
In the morning, Physical training—ten laps around a stadium-sized training ground, followed by dragging a boulder ten times his weight across a field of sand.
In the midday, it's mana control exercises—absorbing mana in the air, learning to minimize wasting mana , shape ice into precise forms all while increasing the efficiency of his techniques.
And in the afternoon, combat training. Or as Noah called it, "getting my ass handed to me by my mother."
The worst part?
It was his idea.
When he told Selene, "I want to be strong enough to protect you," her reaction surprised him.
Tears welled in her eyes. Pure joy that her son think already of protecting her.
Then—her entire demeanor changed. She vowed herself to train him to its fullest.
Her training became merciless.
Noah sighed. "Damn it… I should've just kept my mouth shut."
But thanks to all this, he is close to rank up.
…
Suddenly his shadow expanded, a presence stirred.
From the shadow, a silhouette emerged.
Noah glanced to the side, not surprised to see her. "Ester."
The woman in black stood there, holding out a small vial. "Young master, drink a healing potion."
Noah took it without hesitation, downing the green liquid in a single gulp. Instantly, his pain dulled.
"Where's Neko?" he asked, stretching his sore muscles.
Ester's red eyes flickered. "Lady Neko is preparing for her rank-up. She wishes to reach B-rank as soon as possible."
Noah grinned. "Good. I'm looking forward to seeing her human form."
Yes because at B rank, Neko would be able to talk and assume human shape.
He studied Ester, his personal shadow guard. She had been assigned to him by his mother after his awakening. She was trained by his mother to be his silent protector. With her rare Shadow Affinity, she could blend into the shadow, and move unseen. Now she is H24 in his shadow. Only out when necessary.
At first, her presence unsettled him. Now? He had gotten used to it.
"Is there something on my face, young master?" Ester tilted her head.
Noah smirked. "You're just too beautiful, Ester. Especially that mole beside your lips. It gives you this… irresistible charm."
He stepped closer, stopping just inches from her face. His silvers eyes locked into her crimson eyes.
Ester froze.
Her heart skipped a beat. A wave of warmth crawled up her neck as she instinctively took a step back.
Noah chuckled, walking past her. "I am going to rest in my room, Ester."
Ester stared after him, her face still flushed.
"…Young master really loves to tease me."
She sighed, pressing a hand to her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.
But she couldn't.
Noah was becoming too handsome for his own good.
She can't resist him. In fact, no one in the house can resist him anymore. Since his awakening, everything changed.
And when she think of the fact that she is with him every day.
A slow smile formed on her lips.
"The others may want him… but I am his shadow."
With that, she melted into the darkness, slipping into Noah's shadow once more.
—End of chapter 8—