Chapter 10

Kyle felt an overwhelming pressure as he sprinted through the dense forest, doing his utmost to navigate his way out while breathing heavily and sidestepping the obstacles and trees in his path, all while shirtless.

(BOOM)

The earth exploded, shattering into fragments and sending stones, dust, and dirt flying in every direction as a mysterious figure landed forcefully next to Kyle.

Although he was close to breaking free from the thick timber, the explosion was powerful enough to propel Kyle straight out of the forest.

"Damn,"

Kyle exclaimed as he steadied himself outside the woods, adopting a defensive posture with his fists raised.

"I've noticed that I can't detect your soul signal for some reason,"

Nova's voice resonated through the forest as Kyle held his defensive stance, anticipating another assault.

"There are even more reasons for you to be eliminated,"

Nova stated, appearing before Kyle instantaneously, catching him completely by surprise.

She swung her blade to launch an attack, but Kyle managed to dodge by bending backward, though it caused him to fall to the ground.

"Your back is on the ground; you've failed,"

Nova observed coldly, looking down at him.

**Sigh**

Exhaling wearily, Kyle rose from the ground and brushed the dirt off his body.

"Is it common for you to sense presences during a fight?"

Kyle inquired, still brushing himself off.

Nova paused for a moment, silently regarding Kyle before responding. She then unbuttoned her suit's collar to reveal a spiral marking on her neck.

"This is a Veilbrand; all vanguards bear one of these,"

Nova explained to Kyle.

"The Veilbrand translates the raw intensity of a demon's soul into signals that vanguards can read, based on the demon's soul signature,"

she continued.

"This enables us to discern whether a demon is nearby and determine its rank. With this ability, a demon's shape-shifting makes it nearly impossible to conceal itself,"

she elaborated further.

"Every living being has a soul; some can control it, while others cannot. Humans, for example, emit a different kind of signal, one that I don't sense from you,"

Nova remarked coldly to Kyle.

"Isn't that a positive thing for me?"

Kyle asked curiously.

"No, it isn't; it only demonstrates how perilous you are. We will resume your training tomorrow,"

Nova replied coldly as she turned to walk away.

Kyle observed her departure, watching as she distanced herself from him more and more.

"I wish she could be a little easier on me," he muttered to himself while sitting on the ground, legs crossed, gazing at the sunset.

"She's quite a handful, isn't she?" a voice rang out from behind Kyle.

"Sphen!" he exclaimed in astonishment, turning around to face him.

"Good to see you! How long has it been?" Sphen asked as he approached and settled down beside Kyle, both admiring the sunset.

"About three months and two weeks, I suppose," Kyle replied, his face showing concern as he continued to watch the horizon.

"You've changed remarkably in such a brief period; you seem different," Sphen observed kindly.

"Yeah, I guess that's true," Kyle responded softly, his voice lacking energy.

"Is something bothering you? What's on your mind?" Sphen inquired.

"It's just that I'm struggling to accept all of this as my reality. I'm doing my best to grasp how this new world operates, but Nova isn't making it easy for me," Kyle confessed to Sphen.

"There's a reason she's been appointed to guide you," Sphen stated.

"Well, it's just not working out for me," Kyle sighed, resting his head on his knees.

A moment of silence passed between them until Sphen placed a reassuring hand on Kyle's shoulder and gently urged him to stand.

"Go and get some rest. A big surprise awaits you tomorrow; you'll need all your energy," Sphen said with a friendly smile.

"Huh? Surprise? What surprise?" Kyle inquired, squinting in confusion as he tried to comprehend Sphen's words.

"You'll find out when the time is right, I assure you," Sphen replied calmly.

"Alright, I'm heading to the cabin. I'll see you tomorrow," Kyle said, waving goodbye to Sphen, who stayed behind to watch him depart.

Later that night, Sphen sat on a bench, contemplating the stars that dotted the sky, completely alone in the stillness of the night.

As he admired their beauty, he began to hear footsteps approaching.

"Ever wondered why there are so many stars when you only need one to illuminate the darkness?" Sphen said, turning his head to face the newcomer.

"May I ask what brings you here, Sphen?" Nova questioned as she reached the bench.

"It's because even though a single star shines brightly, it still requires other stars to create a stunning night sky," Sphen replied softly.

"You still haven't answered my question: Why are you here, Sphen?" Nova asked coldly.

"It's not appropriate to greet someone you haven't seen for a while like that," Sphen remarked to Nova, who remained motionless, giving him a frosty stare from beneath her blindfold.

"I find your presence unnecessary; we have no connection, so I repeat: why are you here?" Nova replied coldly to Sphen.

Sphen smiled upon hearing Nova's words and positioned his legs together.

"You were entrusted to train Kyle, and I am his watcher, which means we do have business to attend to. Please sit; there are matters we need to discuss," Sphen stated gently, maintaining a calm demeanor.

Nova paused in silence for a moment before approaching Sphen.

"You have five minutes," she said curtly as she settled onto the bench.

"There are many things you're withholding from the boy. Why is that?" Sphen inquired.

"A demon has no place in Veilwatch, and he should remain unaware of our ways," Nova responded.

"Yet he isn't a demon; as far as I can tell, he is still human," Sphen remarked, pondering Kyle's apparent innocence.

"I have my doubts. For the past few weeks, I've observed that my veilbrand doesn't react to him; it's as if he has no soul," Nova told Sphen with an expressionless face, leaning back to gaze at the stars.

"In what way?" Sphen asked, puzzled.

"I initially thought I had lost touch with myself, but the more time I spent with him, the clearer it became that I was not the one malfunctioning," Nova revealed as her eyes were fixed on the stars.

"You claim he is still human, yet I cannot perceive a human soul within him. I say he is a demon, but I also detect no demonic presence. It's as if he is entirely invisible," Nova continued.

"If you, of all people, can't sense him, doesn't that simplify things for us?" Sphen suggested while turning his gaze toward Nova.

"What do you mean by that?" Nova questioned, intrigued as she sought to grasp Sphen's implication.

"It's merely a theory, but I suspect that Hell would respond similarly," Sphen replied with a grin.

"Are you saying that if this holds true, it would be impossible for anyone to identify him as the one possessing the Monolith?" Nova asked Sphen.

"I'm pleased to see you're starting to understand. Given this, wouldn't it be advisable to enhance his training and set up a test to validate the theory?" Sphen proposed to Nova.

"He is not permitted to leave Veilwatch, Sphen; the rules must be strictly enforced," Nova insisted.

Sphen rose calmly from his seat, turning away from Nova as he prepared to depart.

"The moment he arrived, the rules were disregarded. Learning this about the boy only highlights his potential; it's about time you begin to acknowledge him seriously," Sphen remarked to Nova before he walked away.

"Where do you think you're going?" Nova questioned Sphen, her expression icy as she turned to face him.

"My five minutes are over; it was a pleasure to talk," Sphen replied, moving further away from Nova.

Moments later, Sphen vanished from view, leaving Nova alone in the darkness.

She leaned back against the bench, her gaze drifting back up to the stars.