Chapter 455
He would follow every movement of Ilux Rediona, the main character in the game Flo Viva Mythology who had long been the axis of various major events along the Multiverse Path.
Not because he was obsessed, not because he wished to interfere with a destiny that had already been written, but because he knew that Arc One Episode Eleven (End), the episode currently unfolding, the episode that was about to reach its climax, revolved around the suffering, sorrow, and fear that Ilux was experiencing.
That suffering was not merely ordinary emotion that came and went like passing wind.
It was the foundation, the raw material, the catalyst that would trigger the greatest transformation in the existence of Ilux Rediona.
From the crushing weight of unbearable pain, from sorrow that shattered the soul, from fear that paralyzed every corner of consciousness, something new would be born.
Something that, in ancient records, in prophecies scattered across various layers of reality, in the small yellow book that Theo always carried wherever he went, was referred to as the Nothingness.
An entity whose existence could only be born from total destruction, from absolute despair, from the loss of every hope that had ever taken root.
"That is enough."
The corridor grew quieter as his steps continued forward, leaving behind the bustle of the west wing still filled with new students and their characteristic noise.
The sound of Theo's footsteps echoed softly against the stone walls that began to show their age, fine cracks telling the story of thousands of years the Star Academy had stood, witnessing the coming and going of generations.
The crystal lamps hanging from the ceiling emitted a dim yellow glow, creating shadows that made the corridor feel like a passage of time connecting the past and the future.
At this point, there was almost no laughter or conversation left, only the faint whisper of wind from an unknown source, carrying murmurs from other layers of reality that happened to intersect with this silent corridor.
The wall to his right began to change, from solid stone into thick glass panels that revealed the view of the Multiverse Path outside, a universe in constant motion within a vortex of colors that never ceased to transform.
Theo's right hand lifted in a motion that was almost imperceptible, too fast for ordinary eyes to catch yet slow enough to be a deliberate ritual.
His index and middle fingers met his thumb in a brief pressure, and when the snap occurred, the sound was no more than a whisper swallowed instantly by the vast corridor.
Yet within the depths of his consciousness, in the silent space where the four aspects of his extended creativity resided together with Aldraya's newly joined white light, that snap echoed like the beat of war drums awakening soldiers from a long sleep.
Resolve opened its eyes first, its gaze immediately sharp even though its body remained seated cross-legged.
Will stretched its fingers one by one with slow, graceful movements, as if preparing to write a new chapter in the scenario of life.
Intent stirred like a cat waking from a midday nap, its eyes half-closed yet a faint smile already forming at the corner of its lips.
And Ambition, whose response felt the most intense, immediately stood upright, a flicker of darkness flashing briefly before turning into pure determination.
The four moved simultaneously without coordination, without words, because they were parts of the same whole.
From the depths of that consciousness, they surged outward like unseen light, flowing through bloodstreams, through nerve fibers, through every cell that formed Theo's physical existence.
When they reached the surface, at the boundary between flesh and the external air, they spread out and formed a thin layer that immediately adhered to the skin, seeping into the pores while also radiating outward within a radius of several centimeters.
That layer was invisible to ordinary eyes, and even to most beings along the Multiverse Path, yet to Human Change, humans blessed with extraordinary power, it would appear as a faint shimmer following Theo's every movement.
An invisible cloak made from the essence of Resolve, Will, Intent, and Ambition, merging into a shield that not only protected but also concealed the true existence of the Great Author from those unworthy of seeing.
Theo felt that familiar warmth envelop his body, a sensation like being wrapped in a thin mist carrying the scent of eternity.
He moved his shoulders slightly, feeling how the invisible cloak followed every motion of his body perfectly, like a second layer more faithful than his own skin.
Then without pause, without the slightest hesitation, he changed the direction of his steps.
His right foot, which had been moving straight forward, now shifted slightly to the left, guiding his entire body toward the path leading to the east wing of the Academy, the wing where Ilux Rediona's class was located.
"Even before I truly step into this class, the air already feels different."
The moment he crossed the threshold, Theo immediately sensed it.
Not something captured by ordinary senses, but a subtle vibration that spread through his pores and went straight to the center of his consciousness where Resolve, Will, Intent, and Ambition usually resided before being summoned to envelop his body.
The air inside this classroom felt heavy, dense with invisible particles carrying negative charge, like a room recently abandoned by a storm, yet its lingering destruction still floated in every corner.
The desks were neatly arranged according to Academy protocol, the digital board at the front displayed lesson material about the stability of reality pathways, and a teacher stood beside the desk holding a pointer, explaining something in a monotonous tone.
Yet behind all that normal appearance, behind the faces of students who seemed focused on listening, behind the orderly and structured layout, something was eroding the harmony from within.
The atmosphere of hostility was so thick it could almost be tasted, like metal freezing on the tongue, like smoke piercing the nose even though no fire was visible.
Not a single student in this room was free from that poison.
Theo observed them one by one with an unmoving gaze, only his pupils narrowing slightly to capture details overlooked by ordinary observation.
A student in the front row hid a cynical smile behind a serious expression, the corner of his lips twitching whenever his eyes unintentionally glanced toward the corner of the room.
Two female students on the right whispered with their heads lowered, yet the hiss of their voices carried a tone of satisfaction that could not be fully concealed.
Even the student sitting at the very back with the most neutral expression, when his hand moved to take notes, the motion was too fast, too eager, like someone writing not lesson material but a long list of another person's faults to be used as a weapon later.
The teacher himself, despite standing at the front with the authority attached to his position, could not escape this atmosphere.
His tone was flat and lifeless, his eyes more often directed at the board than at his students, and once or twice when his gaze accidentally passed over the corner of the room, there was a brief blink that could only be interpreted as avoidance, as an unwillingness to become more deeply involved in what was truly happening in this class.
To be continued…