[Master, I think it’s time you learned some of the secrets about this world.]

Astra’s voice echoed through his mind, calm and unhurried.

Logan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’Some secrets about this world?’ he muttered, suspicion surfacing almost instantly.

[This world is... well, a little different from what one would expect.]

Astra’s tone carried an unusually human cadence as she spoke.

[in this world, gods fight for supremacy, selecting their specific ’chosen’ one to rule the era.]

Shock rippled through Logan’s chest.

He fell silent.

Yet the confusion in his eyes betrayed him completely.

Already aware he wouldn’t fully understand, Astra continued slowly.

[In essence, it’s just as you’ve guessed. The goddess of lust chose you, the god of war and battle chose Ethan, the shadow god chose Raven. There are also others that’s been chosen to rule the era. The world is going to become an intermingled battlefield between all the chosen ones.]

[There are those who are deeply scheming and wouldn’t reveal themselves until the right time, like Raven and Collete, and a few others. While there are also those who are unaware they’ve long since been chosen. Like Ethan, and previously you.]

’Wait.’

Logan frowned faintly, struggling to process the information.

’What’s going on? Wasn’t this a novel I’d written?’

Shock and disbelief churned beneath his thoughts.

[Initially it was. However the story was altered by the primordial of creation.]

’Primordial of creation?’ Logan asked quietly.

[As you know, there are countless artifacts. Some belonging to those who had long since transcended godhood. The primordial of creation is one of such artifacts. Previously, the gods were engaged in a battle for it which resulted in it accidentally activating unknowingly, killing you, while also turning this into a real world, rebuilding its histories and everything else, while altering many events in the process.]

As Astra’s explanation settled into the silence, Logan’s thoughts drifted back to the moment before his death.

That blinding instant.

That overwhelming pressure.

’So that had been an... accident?’

[Yes. The main goal is to reach the end of the novel, eliminating every possible ’chosen’ one. To obtain the acknowledgement of the primordial of creation and become its master.]

Logan sank into silence.

His gaze darkened slightly.

After several moments, he finally spoke.

’In essence everyone is merely just a pawn of the gods? Including me, Raven and the other ’chosen’ ones?’

Thankfully, Astra communicated with him mentally.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared discuss this while The Shadow could potentially be listening.

[for others yes. But for you, that’s not completely true.]

Astra’s voice came after nearly a minute of silence.

Logan’s eyes darkened further.

’What’s that supposed to mean?’

Before Astra could answer, a faint disturbance came from the door.

Click.

The handle turned.

A chilly breeze swept through the room before a figure materialised inside.

Luna froze the instant she saw him.

Shock spread across her face.

"Logan? How are you here? Weren’t you just at..."

Her voice trailed off in disbelief.

Logan frowned slightly.

"I found a way to escape."

He offered no further explanation.

Luna slowly closed the door behind her before turning toward him.

"So? Did you get what you were looking for?"

Logan’s expression darkened at the question.

He exhaled softly and shook his head.

"No."

A brief pause followed before he added,

"I’ll still help you find the dragon heart fruit."

Luna released a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding.

"Thank you."

"It’s nothing."

Silence settled between them once more.

The room felt strangely heavy now.

Luna could vaguely sense Logan’s disorientation, as though his mind was still trapped somewhere far away.

Remembering what had happened earlier, curiosity eventually got the better of her.

"Do you know what that monster was?"

Logan thought briefly.

Although she’d been dragged into his mess, he knew she wasn’t in danger for now.

At least not immediately.

So he simply shook his head.

"Don’t worry about that for now. Try to act normal over the next few days. The academy should notice something’s wrong and conduct an investigation."

"Oh. Alright."

Luna sat down on the edge of the bed, fingers lightly clutching her damp palms.

Logan’s gaze drifted toward the clock hanging on the wall.

Past ten already.

He didn’t feel comfortable returning home right now.

’Daenerys must be worried about me.’

There was also Snow.

He hadn’t seen the little creature since arriving at the academy.

If his guess wasn’t wrong, Snow was probably wandering around the academy right now, casually stealing every origin ability above S-rank.

Honestly, that thought alone was oddly comforting.

"I’d have to pass the night here."

"That’s alright."

Luna answered almost too quickly before catching herself.

The tension in the room was beginning to affect her composure.

Logan walked toward the table and sat down quietly.

Sleep was impossible.

Not while he knew The Shadow could be watching him even now.

’I need to get Snow...’

His absolute defense would be useful.

Suddenly, another thought crossed Logan’s mind.

A few years later, Ethan was supposed to meet a woman with a light affinity.

Although she wasn’t a heroine, she played an important role.

’Her ability is at S-rank. Not particularly high, but if Snow copies it... it could erase every shadow no matter where it hides once activated.’

The ability wasn’t merely light-related.

It erased darkness, poison, sickness, corruption, and nearly everything negative within its range.

By the time Ethan encountered her in the novel, she was already thirty years old.

More than six years into the story.

Before then...

Logan recalled writing that she lived in Bronson Town, relatively close to the academy.

’Seems I’ll need to head to Bronson Town.’

But he couldn’t take a mission alone.

That meant he needed someone to accompany him.

"Hey, Luna?"

"Yes?"

"Are you interested in taking a mission with me?"

"Again? Are you trying to get me killed?"

Luna immediately sat upright.

The last time, she wouldn’t have agreed if not for the dragon heart fruit.

This time there was supposedly nothing to gain.

Naturally, she wasn’t eager to risk her life again.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Logan’s lips.

"There’s information about the dragon heart fruit there."

Luna instantly fell silent. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Logan already knew exactly how to bait her every single time.

Eventually, she released an exhausted sigh and reluctantly nodded.

"Alright. However you know we can’t accept missions from the academy after just arriving, right? Only after a week can we accept missions."

"Right..."

Logan muttered quietly before falling silent again.

A week.

He just needed to survive for one week.

Then suddenly, Astra’s voice echoed inside his mind once more.

[Ding! You have received 2 new missions.]

[First mission: Kill Ethan.]

[Second mission: The Shadow watches your every movement even at this moment. Escape its gaze.]