Chapter 11

"Vanguards and demons share an identical ranking system, with Type one being the lowest and Type five being the highest," Nova stated, standing beneath the vibrant morning sun and observing Kyle, who was executing one-handed push-ups and dripping with sweat.

"At present, you're classified as a Type 2," she informed Kyle while continuing to watch him as he worked out.

"Seventy-eight, seventy-nine... how can I advance through the ranks?" Kyle inquired, maintaining his exercise routine.

"Advancing isn't simple; it relies on your abilities and combat intelligence. Additionally, you need to eliminate thirty demons of your current rank to progress," Nova explained, moving towards a tree to seek shade from the sun.

"Oh, so you're a Type five vanguard then?" Kyle remarked, persisting with his one-handed push-ups.

Nova lapsed into silence and chose to disregard his question as she approached the tree and settled against it.

"Your physical capabilities are commendable, but your control over your soul is far from satisfactory," she stated coldly to Kyle.

"One hundred and fifty... You mentioned you can't detect my soul signal, does that imply I'm lacking something to train with?" Kyle replied as he concluded his exercise.

"Every living being possesses a soul; if you didn't, you wouldn't be alive," Nova said, resting against the tree with her arms crossed.

"Then why can't you sense mine if I do have one?" Kyle countered, brushing off dirt from himself.

"It's clearly the monolith causing some anomaly within you; aside from that, there are no other residual effects," Nova said with a chill in her tone.

"I'm not entirely convinced. Sometimes, I perceive and hear things differently," Kyle remarked as he approached the tree where she was resting.

This statement seemed to pique Nova's interest, causing her to slowly turn her head to face Kyle, who was nearing her.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"Well, occasionally everything I see turns overwhelmingly white, and then I notice a sort of red energy pulsating within objects," Kyle explained calmly to Nova.

His revelation further captivated Nova's attention as she uncrossed her arms in astonishment, trying to grasp the implications of Kyle's words.

"You can actually see it—the soul?" Nova questioned him, taken aback.

"Huh... yeah, if that's what it is," Kyle replied, wearing a slightly perplexed expression.

Despite her shock, Nova remained unmoved.

"When did you begin to perceive things this way, and why are you only telling me now?" Nova questioned Kyle.

"It came to me in a moment of clarity during our training, especially when it becomes overwhelming for me. I start to see things differently, but I didn't mention it because I thought it would make you view me more as a demon than as a human," Kyle responded, his mood darkening.

Nova regarded him with a piercing gaze for several moments before replying.

"You've always been a demon in my eyes; there's no point in trying to convince me otherwise," she stated coldly.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted them, "Oh my, what do we have here? Two lovebirds beneath a tree?"

Sphen appeared from the nearby area, and both Kyle and Nova turned to face him, only for Sphen to adopt a surprised expression as he glanced over his shoulder.

Next to Sphen stood a striking young woman dressed in a white shirt, black shorts, and black leggings with arm sleeves. She had gadget bags fastened around her waist and looked to be of a similar age to Kyle.

It was the first time Kyle had encountered someone in veilwatch aside from Nova and Sphen. Her beauty caused a blush to creep onto his face, leaving him feeling shy and ill at ease.

"Watch your words, Sphen," Nova said sharply as he and the attractive young lady approached them.

"Good to see you, Nova," the lovely girl said gently before turning to Kyle, who was blushing so fiercely that his entire face turned red.

"Oh, hello there!" She smiled and waved at Kyle.

Kyle was rendered speechless, his words too tangled to express anything as he caught a pleasant scent wafting from her as she got closer.

"Oh yes, Keala, this is Kyle. Kyle, meet Keala," Sphen softly introduced them.

"Hi, I'm K-Kyle. Nice to… meet you," Kyle stammered, the beauty before him utterly distracting him.

"Please, just stop," Nova said irritably, glancing at him before making her way to Kaela.

"It's nice to see you! How was your time at Heaven's Keep?" Nova inquired as she approached Kaela.

"It was mostly boring, but guess what? You've been assigned as my instructor again," Kaela replied with a bright smile that completely unsettled Kyle; her smile matched her beauty.

Upon hearing Kaela's words, Nova's expression hardened with frustration, clearly displeased by what she heard.

"Oh, is that so?" she replied coldly, fixing her gaze on Kaela.

"Today marks the day of her Holiday Trial, and you'll be by her side as both her watcher and instructor," Sphen informed Nova, crossing his arms with a gentle smile, relishing the moment he witnessed her in.

"Kyle, you're also assigned to accompany Kaela on this mission. It's time to test the skills you've trained for with your inaugural assignment," Sphen continued, placing a reassuring hand on Kyle's shoulder.

"Oh, that's wonderful! Having someone join me would be amazing," Kaela exclaimed, her face lighting up as she spoke to Kyle.

Kyle was taken aback by the news of leaving Veilwatch for the first time and returning to Earth.

"No, no, I'm not prepared... I'm not sure I can handle all of this," Kyle expressed with concern, his demeanor shifting dramatically.

"What do you mean you're not prepared? Aren't you a Vanguard?" Kaela inquired, her gaze fixed curiously on Kyle.

"Actually, he isn't one. Didn't Sphen mention that to you yet?" Nova said, leaning back against the tree and crossing her arms.

"Wait, so you're that half-demon," Kaela exclaimed in surprise, her eyes widening.

"Anyway, as I was saying, you both will be embarking on a mission tonight. Nova will provide you with all the necessary details and accompany you, ensuring there's nothing to fret about," Sphen interjected intentionally, addressing the group.

"Understood!" Kaela affirmed in reply to Sphen.

"Great. Now, Kyle, here's your uniform. You'll require this for your mission tonight," Sphen stated, presenting a set of clothes to Kyle.

"Oh, okay," Kyle responded.

Moments later, Kyle donned an all-black uniform that fit him flawlessly. He was astonished at how stylish the outfit looked on him; it gave him the feeling of being a ninja or something similar.

"Perfect! Now, take these," Sphen said, tossing a pair of short daggers wrapped together towards Kyle.

"What are these for?" Kyle asked, curiosity evident in his voice as he caught them.

"They're for eating, obviously," Nova retorted coldly, teasing him.

"The only weapons capable of harming demons are those forged in Veilwatch, which is why you need one—unless, of course, you're an Ascendant," Kaela explained to Kyle.

"Ascendant??" Kyle repeated, confusion evident on his face.

Sphen then approached Kyle and whispered softly, "Just so you know, this mission and Kaela are the surprise I told you about."

"I can see it on your face; you think she's attractive," Sphen murmured gently in his ear.

Kyle was left utterly speechless and astounded.