CH 18: Reflections & Future Path

Cipher stood alone in the quiet aftermath, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The Dark Beast's lifeless body lay before him, its blood staining the ground around it. For a brief moment, everything felt unreal. He had done it. He had slain a Dark Beast.

But as the weight of victory settled over him, there was no time to savor it. He recalled what he had been taught: all weapons provided by the Goddess of the Void had the ability to remove the Darkness. Once a Dark Beast was defeated, the proper spell, extradict, was required to send it back to the Void.

"Well done, Cipher," DEM said, its voice gentler than usual. "You've come a long way."

Cipher nodded, still catching his breath. "Yeah. It doesn't feel as... rewarding as I thought it would."

He stared down at the beast's fallen body, his thoughts drifting to the lessons Yuri and the others had taught him. Fighting wasn't just about strength or skill—it was about survival. He had survived. That was the important thing. Ahead of him lay a journey that would take him far from Sol, far from the safety of the city.

Wiping sweat from his brow, Cipher's mind cleared. He glanced down at the beast's corpse, feeling the weight of what he had just done. He had trained for this moment, but no amount of preparation could have truly readied him for the reality of it.

After the body had completely dissolved, Cipher opened the system display to check if any of his stats had changed.

[System Display]

Name: Cipher Starlight

Age: 17

Role: Knight of Light (Immortal)

Strength: B-Class (12%)

Magic: C-Class (75%)

Endurance: B-Class (15%)

Intelligence: A-Class (27%)

Weapons: Twin Stars {Mastery Level 12%}

Learned Magic:

Amplification {Mastery Level 100%} | Sound Manipulation {Mastery Level 60%} | Reinforcement Magic {Mastery Level 65%} | Sound Magic {Mastery Level 100%} | Dimensional Magic {Mastery Level 2%} | Void Magic ?????????

Extradict {Mastery Level 100%}

Dream Credits: 200

Cipher blinked at the numbers. His stats had increased, but it didn't feel like enough. There was still so much more to learn, so much more to experience. He wasn't ready, not yet. But he didn't have a choice.

His fingers hovered over the Void Magic entry, the mysterious ????????? still lingering there. He couldn't quite understand it, but the pull of the unknown was almost comforting. There was always more to discover, more to unlock. He just had to keep going.

His gaze shifted to the distant silhouette of Sol, the city now a blur against the dark sky. It felt strange—like he had just stepped into another world. A world where victory was not an end, but a moment in an ongoing journey. He wasn't done. Not by a long shot.

He turned away from the dissolving remnants of the beast and made his way back toward the city gates. The journey ahead was daunting, but there was no turning back. Cipher had made his choice, and the path was his to walk.

As he neared the inn, the familiar warmth of its light drew him in. His muscles ached from the battle, but he knew rest was necessary. Tomorrow would be the start of something far greater than he could understand.

Later that evening, as Cipher sat across from Toli at a small table in the inn's dimly lit corner, his mind was full of mixed emotions—relief, exhaustion, and a nagging sense of uncertainty. Toli's voice broke through his reverie.

"You've done well," Toli said, his grin wide. "You've earned your rest. You leave tomorrow, and I'm sure you'll do great things. Just don't forget about us when you're famous, okay?"

Cipher chuckled, feeling a warmth spread in his chest at the kindness in Toli's words. "Thanks, Toli. I won't forget. I won't be gone long, I hope."

Toli's eyes sparkled with understanding, and his smile softened. "You've got a lot ahead of you. But first, take the night. It's your last chance to enjoy a peaceful moment."

Cipher nodded, the weight of those words sinking in. Tomorrow would change everything. No longer would he be a part of the quiet routine at the inn. He would step into the unknown, where every step was a new challenge.

For a long moment, the two sat in silence. The sounds of the inn—the clink of mugs, low conversations, and the crackling of the fire—felt distant, almost unreal. Everything seemed to slow down as Cipher reflected on the life he was leaving behind.

"I never thought it would be like this," Cipher said softly, almost to himself. "I thought... I thought it would be more, you know? Victory should feel different. Like... it should be enough to change something."

Toli regarded him with a thoughtful look. "That's the thing about change. It's not always as grand as we think it'll be. Sometimes, it's quiet. It's gradual. You won't always feel like a hero. But you are one. And that's enough for now."

Cipher met Toli's gaze, his heart swelling with gratitude. "I guess... maybe you're right. But I don't know if I can do this alone."

"You're not alone," Toli said, his voice steady and reassuring. "You've got people behind you. And you've got yourself. You're stronger than you think."

Cipher let the words sink in. For the first time in a long while, he felt like he wasn't carrying the weight of everything on his own shoulders. There were others. People who believed in him, even when he struggled to believe in himself.

With a deep breath, Cipher pushed aside his lingering doubts. Tomorrow, his journey would begin. And no matter how uncertain it seemed now, he knew he had to keep moving forward.

After a long silence, Toli stood up, stretching. "You've earned that rest, Cipher. Tomorrow's another day. Another step toward the future."

Cipher stood as well, a quiet determination settling over him. He had a journey ahead—one filled with unknowns, challenges, and moments that would test him like never before. But with a friend like Toli, and the strength he had found within himself, Cipher felt ready to face whatever came next.

"Thanks, Toli," he said, offering a small smile.

"Anytime, Cipher," Toli replied, clapping him on the shoulder before heading off to his own room.

Cipher watched him go, the warmth of the inn wrapping around him like a familiar embrace. Tomorrow would come, but for tonight, he would rest. And when the dawn arrived, he would be ready to meet with Axel.