Celestial Awakening

The echoes of the ricocheting arrow fade into silence.

The chamber, which had been buzzing with magical energy moments ago, is now deathly quiet. The faint blue and silver glow from Leon's bow still lingers in the air. King Aldric's gaze sharpens. He rises from his seat at the edge of the chamber, his crimson and gold cloak trailing behind him. His piercing blue eyes narrow slightly. His hand rests on the pommel of his sword, though his expression remains measured.

King Aldric's thoughts turned inward. "An archer… Precision like that is rare, but even an archer has limits on the battlefield." His eyes lingered on Leon's bow before he spoke.

"You have been granted the strength of the gods," Aldric said firmly. "Use it wisely."

Queen Isolde stood gracefully beside her husband. Her silver-blue eyes shimmered faintly as she watched Leon lower his bow. Her hand rested lightly on her chin, thoughtful.

"A precise shot," Queen Isolde said softly. "An unnatural level of control."

Prince Adrian stepped forward from his position near the base of the chamber steps. His silver hair caught the blue glow from the bow. His hand rested lightly on the hilt of his sword, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"There's something in him," Adrian said, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Power. Control. I think we've only scratched the surface."

His gaze flicked toward Elara, who stood quietly beside their mother.

"You saw it too, didn't you?" Adrian said.

Elara's violet-blue eyes were wide with quiet awe.

"That arrow… it moved like it was alive," Elara whispered.

Her gaze lingered on Leon longer than necessary. Unlike her brother Julius, there was no suspicion in her expression—only curiosity and quiet admiration.

Prince Julius stepped away from the wall, his sharp green eyes narrowed. His jaw tightened. His earlier mocking smirk faded into a thin line.

"An archer," Julius said coldly. "Impressive shot… but it's still an archer. Let's see how useful that is in a real battle."

Leon's gaze hardened. His grip on the bow tightened briefly before he relaxed.

The other heroes murmured among themselves.

"That was insane," Kara said, her emerald eyes wide with excitement.

"Did you see how it curved?" Daichi grinned. "If I could punch like that, I'd be unstoppable."

Sophia's icy blue eyes narrowed in quiet calculation. "The angle was unnatural… guided by magic?"

Ethan's crimson eyes glinted. "Or instinct."

King Aldric's voice cut through the noise.

"Tomorrow, your training begins," Aldric said. His gaze swept over all the heroes.

He gestured toward a nearby servant. A young woman dressed in a neatly pressed maid uniform stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"Please follow me," the maid said politely. "Your chambers have been prepared."

Leon walked through the hall with the others, his bow resting over his shoulder. His boots made barely a sound against the polished marble floor.

Dante was walking at the front of the group, his golden sword casually resting on his shoulder.

Sophia and Ethan were walking side-by-side, both cold and quiet.

Kara was spinning one of her daggers between her fingers, her green eyes glinting with amusement.

Daichi was talking loudly to Jared about how he was already planning to smash through the training dummies tomorrow.

Isabelle and Mikasa trailed near the back, quiet but observant.

Leon studied the group carefully. He already sensed the potential conflicts brewing beneath the surface.

The Maid Opens the Door to the Lounge

The maid pushed open the double doors at the end of the hallway, revealing the spacious lounge.

"These are your chambers," the maid said with a smile. "Please let me know if you require anything."

She bowed and quietly exited the room.

The Hero Chambers were located in a separate wing of the royal palace—accessible only to the heroes and select members of the royal court.

The hallway was lined with silver torches that emitted a soft blue light.

Massive stained-glass windows overlooked the castle gardens and training grounds.

The chambers themselves were luxurious—each hero had a private room with an attached bath, a fireplace, and a window with a castle view.

The main lounge area featured:

A large round table surrounded by plush chairs. A fireplace crackling with enchanted flames. Shelves lined with books and maps of the kingdom. A large open training mat for sparring sessions.

The heroes looked around in stunned silence.

"Not bad," Dante said, throwing himself onto one of the plush couches near the fireplace. He leaned back, arms behind his head. "Looks like we've got the VIP treatment."

Kara sat sideways on the back of the couch, swinging her legs lazily.

"You're awfully relaxed for someone who's supposed to be saving the world," Kara grinned.

Dante shrugged. "Relaxation is part of the training, you know."

Sophia took a seat at the round table, her staff resting across her lap. Her icy blue eyes swept the room with quiet calculation.

"We'll need to establish a strategy for tomorrow," Sophia said calmly. "It's unlikely they'll start us with anything too dangerous—but the instructors will be watching."

Ethan scoffed from across the table.

"And?" Ethan said flatly.

"And it would be wise to impress them," Sophia said coolly.

Daichi dropped onto one of the large armchairs, stretching out his arms.

"Or we could just smash everything and call it a day," Daichi grinned.

Jared chuckled from across the room. "Simple. Direct. Effective."

Ethan's red eyes flicked toward Leon. Leon noticed the subtle tension in his gaze—the way his hand tightened briefly around his sword hilt before relaxing.

"Precision's only useful if you can survive the front lines," Ethan said quietly.

Leon raised an eyebrow.

"That's why I don't plan on being on the front lines," Leon said calmly.

Ethan's eyes narrowed—but a small smirk formed at the corner of his mouth.

"We'll see," Ethan said coldly.

Isabelle shifted nervously at the edge of the room. Leon noticed her glancing toward the others, hesitant to speak.

Mikasa stepped beside her and gently touched her arm.

"Sit," Mikasa said softly.

Isabelle nodded and sat down near Mikasa. She glanced toward Leon.

"It's… nice that we all made it through the ceremony safely," Isabelle said quietly.

Leon gave her a small nod. "Yeah."

Kara hopped down from the back of the couch and approached Leon. She was twirling a dagger in her hand, her green eyes flashing mischievously.

"Alright, sniper." Kara tapped the hilt of her dagger against his arm. "That shot you pulled earlier? Curving it midair like that?"

Leon shrugged. "Skill."

"Humble too, huh?" Kara teased.

Suddenly, the doors at the end of the room opened.

Prince Adrian stepped in, his silver hair catching the light. He carried himself with effortless grace, his sword resting at his side.

"I see you're settling in," Adrian said calmly.

The room fell silent as Adrian's gaze swept over the heroes. His eyes lingered briefly on Leon's bow.

"Good," Adrian said with a smirk. "You'll need your strength tomorrow."

Dante's smirk sharpened. "Bring it on, Prince."

Adrian's smile widened. "We'll see how ready you are."

Leon watched as Adrian exited.

A swordmaster, a dark knight, a mage, and a berserker…

Not exactly the squad I'd have chosen.

But if this is the team I've got…

We'll make it work.

Chapter Title: Celestial Awakening

Leon sat on the edge of his bed, the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the stained-glass windows. His room was quiet, save for the distant crackle of enchanted flames in the fireplace. He stretched out his hand, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Status."

A soft blue light formed in the air in front of him, coalescing into a transparent screen filled with glowing text.

Leon's eyes widened. "What the…?"

The glowing blue screen hovered in front of him, displaying lines of detailed information.

"This… is like a game interface."

His eyes narrowed as he scanned the screen, taking in the sheer amount of detail. His gaze lingered on the section marked Unique Skills—all marked as locked.

"Huh…"

He rubbed the back of his neck. His heart was steady, but he couldn't deny the slight thrill he felt.

"Celestial Sight… It's not just about accuracy—it's about perception, control, and power."

His gaze lingered on the list of locked unique skills. Legendary skills.

"So, I have to level up to unlock these… Fine."

His fingers brushed over the surface of the Bow of the Stars. A soft pulse of silver light ran through the bowstring. His lips curled into a faint smirk.

"This might be more interesting than I thought."

Name: Leon Cross

Age: 25

Race: Human

Level: 1

Class: Divine Archer

Blessing: Celestial Sight (Mythical)

Titles: None

Attributes:

Health Points (HP): 150/150

Magic Points (MP): 180/180

Strength: 20

Agility: 30

Endurance: 18

Mana: 28

Luck: 12

Charm: 15

Normal Skills (Archery and Combat Techniques):

Quick Draw – Instantly nock and fire an arrow with increased accuracy.

Magic Shot – Fires a mana-infused arrow that pierces magical defenses.

Rapid Fire – Temporarily increases firing speed and accuracy.

Deadeye – Increases critical hit chance for a short period.

Ricochet Shot – Arrow bounces off surfaces to strike hidden targets.

Trick Shot – Fires a curved arrow that bends around cover.

Focus Aim – Slows down perception of time while aiming, increasing accuracy.

Arrow Storm – Fires multiple arrows in quick succession, targeting enemies in a wide area.

Ability Skills (Celestial-Infused Shots):

Starfall Shot – Fires a radiant arrow that explodes into smaller homing arrows.

Moonlight Arrow – Fires an arrow infused with light magic that blinds enemies.

Shadow Piercer – Fires an arrow that travels through shadows, striking enemies from behind.

Wind Flare – Fires a wind-element arrow that knocks back enemies.

Eclipse Shot – Fires an arrow infused with light and dark magic, causing confusion and damage over time.

Light Weaver – Temporarily coats all arrows with holy light, increasing damage to dark-aligned enemies.

Magic Bow Skills (Celestial Sight-Specific):

Astral Rain – Fires multiple light-infused arrows that rain down from above.

Starbound Volley – Creates floating arrows of light that hover and automatically target enemies.

Twilight Fang – Fires a charged arrow that drains mana and life force from the target.

Phantom Arrow – Fires an arrow that phases through solid objects to strike the target.

Radiant Shot – Fires an arrow that explodes into a sphere of light, burning enemies in the area.

Silent Eclipse – Temporarily cloaks Leon in shadow energy, increasing his evasion and accuracy.

Elemental Magic Skills:

Flame Arrow – Fires a fire-element arrow that explodes on impact, causing burn damage over time.

Frost Arrow – Fires an ice-element arrow that slows down and freezes enemies.

Thunder Arrow – Fires a lightning-element arrow that chains to nearby enemies.

Earth Fang – Fires an earth-element arrow that creates spikes upon impact, damaging multiple enemies.

Aqua Surge – Fires a water-element arrow that pierces through armor and barriers.

Gale Shot – Fires a wind-element arrow that pierces through multiple enemies in a straight line.

Unique Skills (Locked – Requires Celestial Sight Evolution):

Celestial Barrage – Fires a barrage of light-infused arrows that seek out enemies. (Locked)

Lunar Phalanx – Creates a shield of light arrows that block incoming attacks. (Locked)

Astral Shift – Teleports Leon to a marked arrow's location. (Locked)

Void Snare – Fires an arrow that creates a gravity well, slowing and damaging enemies. (Locked)

Final Eclipse – Fires a massive arrow infused with all celestial elements, causing massive area damage and debuffs. (Locked)

Weapons:

Bow of the Stars – A legendary bow gifted by the gods of light and shadow. Its form shifts to match Leon's grip and its power increases with the wielder's proficiency. It allows Leon to tap into celestial energy and fire magical arrows without needing a quiver.

Items:

Quiver of Endless Arrows – A magical quiver that regenerates arrows automatically.

Moonstone Pendant – Increases mana regeneration rate.

Silver Cloak of Evasion – Increases agility and evasion in combat.

Blessing: Celestial Sight (Mythical):

Leon's blessing is considered one of the rarest in existence. Celestial Sight grants Leon enhanced perception, magical affinity, and unmatched accuracy with ranged weapons.

Enhanced Vision: Leon can see across long distances with absolute clarity, even in darkness or through magical fog and illusions.

Mana Perception: Leon can see the flow of mana in living beings, objects, and the environment. This allows him to target weak points and detect hidden enemies.

Predictive Aim: Celestial Sight enhances Leon's reaction time, allowing him to anticipate an enemy's movements before they happen.

Elemental Adaptation: Leon can see the elemental composition of attacks and defenses, allowing him to adjust his strategy in real time.

Celestial Energy Absorption: When striking with an arrow infused with celestial energy, Leon can absorb some of that energy to restore his mana or health.

Homing Precision: Arrows fired with Celestial Sight will naturally curve toward the intended target, making it nearly impossible to miss.