Rebirth of Herald

[Item Lore Segment: Whisperers' Cloak] Woven from stardust and void-silk, the Whisperers' Cloak conceals the wearer's presence from most sensory and mana-detection abilities. Only those with awakened perception or divine sight can pierce its veil.

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Year 1125 - The Eastern Sky

The heavens trembled, and clouds twisted into strange shapes as though reacting to an ancient force returning to the world. Somewhere beyond the mortal realms, in a place few dared to imagine, a whisper began to echo.

"The seed has bloomed. The vessel awakens. The Herald shall rise again."

They were known only as The Whisperers, voices that threaded through time, hidden within shadows cast by long-forgotten stars. These beings didn't walk among mortals, but they observed, orchestrated, and whispered fate's instructions into the ears of kings, devils, and gods alike. And now, after three centuries of silence, their attention once again fell upon the continent.

"The barrier weakens. Circle shall fall. The Lee line must be tested."

From the depths of the Null World, a portal blinked open—and from its swirling, dark edge, a figure stepped out. Not fully alive, not fully spirit. A hybrid of memory, power, and sealed wrath.

The Herald had returned.

His long silver hair rippled behind him, stained by the echo of divine bullets once fired in glory. A cloak, identical to the one described in ancient ruins, draped over his armor—a gift from the Whisperers. His eyes glowed like amethyst under starlight, sharp with purpose.

He walked toward the base of the Whisperer Tower—a spire of black ice in the distant north—and bowed.

"I return, as promised."

A dozen voices echoed as one: "Fulfill what your blood could not. Break the cycle. Slay the stars."

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Circle Academy, a Week Later

Headmaster Arcan rubbed his temples, his long grey hair slightly disheveled from stress. He stood within the main council room of Star Academy. Maps floated in the air, marked with glowing red sigils.

"The tremors detected across the mana veil... the star fragments above Mt. Vayne... and now the spike near Whisperer's Reach," he muttered. "Something's coming."

Professor Rowel Vayne—stern, calm, and clad in his usual dark blue robes—stepped forward. "You suspect an Unknown incursion?"

Arcan nodded. "And not just any entity. I fear... it may be a Herald."

Gasps echoed in the chamber.

Professor Avelyn Drake frowned. "The Heralds were defeated 300 years ago during the Battle of Six Nations. They can't return unless—"

"Unless the seal is broken," Arcan finished. "And I believe it has."

Silence hung heavy.

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Elsewhere – Poison Guild Headquarters

Mira Kisaragi stood before her mother, Reina Kisaragi, the guild master of the Poison Guild. Reina wore her signature armor—elegant and flexible, crafted from venom-tempered materials. She sipped tea calmly.

"The Whisperers… they're watching again," Reina said.

Mira blinked. "Do you know what they want?"

"They always want the same thing—chaos disguised as clarity." Reina's voice was low. "And this time, they're sending a Herald to stir the pot."

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Blossom Guild's Hidden Library

In the floating city above Lake Petalshade, Lysander, leader of the Blossom Guild and one of the last known starlight mages, stood before an ancient tome. His long coat fluttered from mana drafts, his hair a pale gold streak.

He muttered, "The Whisperers spoke of a traitor hero... but not Hajin. It was Jin Hajin—the one who tried to make peace through bloodshed."

He traced the name in the book with glowing fingers. "And now… they send a descendant of Lee Hajin as their Herald?"

He slammed the book shut. "Or... has he come to challenge that fate?"

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Outside Circle Academy's Western Border

A rift cracked open.

Out stepped the Herald, the youngest son of Lee Hajin—his name long forgotten by history but now restored through divine awakening.

Yujin stood on a cliff, his black uniform fluttering with each wind gust. His Demon Howl gun gleamed in the morning light. He had tracked the strange mana signature for hours.

When the Herald appeared, he was not surprised.

"So, they sent you," Yujin said.

The Herald smiled. "You carry the blood of my brother. It seems only right I test your resolve."

Their clash shook the skies.

Yujin leapt back, firing energy bullets shaped from mana. The Herald raised a finger and mirrored him—shooting glowing spectral rounds from his bare hands.

"Lee Hajin... was called the Gun Breaker. A man who didn't need guns to shoot. And you inherited that?"

"No," Yujin replied. "I forged it anew."

As they fought, the Herald began to speak—not just with words, but memories.

"Three hundred years ago, we were betrayed not by outsiders, but by one of our own. Jin Hajin wanted unity through fear, not honor. He painted peace with blood. History named me dead, but I was sealed—preserved by the Whisperers."

"Then why fight now?" Yujin demanded. "Why attack Circle?"

The Herald's eyes narrowed. "Because I must know if the bloodline of Hajin still has a purpose. If you can prove that, I shall not destroy your academy. I shall… return."

Their clash grew fiercer, divine energies clashing in mid-air, creating a thunderous boom that echoed across nations.

In the final strike, Yujin's eye-based ability activated—seeing the fracture in the Herald's guard. He lunged, delivering a shot laced with frost and demonic energy.

The Herald staggered and knelt.

"I see now… Lee Hajin's will lives in you. Then I shall wait. When you fight the devils, I will fight by your side."

With that, he vanished into the void.

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Back at Academy's Courtyard

Yujin collapsed in front of Kain, Mira, Sylvia, and Taro.

"Was it him?" Kain asked.

Yujin nodded. "It was the Herald… but not an enemy."

Mira narrowed her eyes. "What does that mean?"

Yujin looked up at the sky.

"It means war is coming. But we won't fight it alone."

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To Be Continued...

Next: Chapter 30 – Fracture of the Stars: The First Breach.