Swoosh!

Aestrea’s figure blurred into nothingness, leaving only a faint lavender glow in the air where he once stood.

Yara’s sharp eyes quickly looked around, scanning for any sign of him.

The battlefield had gone completely silent…

But then, it happened.

A crack split through the space in front of her, jagged and raw like shattered glass, followed by an overwhelming lavender energy.

Fwooooom!

A fissure of space tore open a few meters behind her, the lavender mist swirling violently as Aestrea stepped out, his frost-covered sword raised high.

His energy seemed to stretch beyond him, warping the air itself, distorting everything around them.

The ground beneath his feet cracked, unable to handle the weight of his power.

Yara whipped around, her instincts kicking in just a second too late.

“Shi—!”

Before she could fully react, Aestrea swung his sword in a single, devastating arc. The motion was impossibly fast, almost elegant, but the impact was anything but.

BOOM!

The sheer force of the slash didn’t just hit the ground—it ripped through it, sending a shockwave tearing through the arena.

A massive fissure opened up, spreading outward like the earth itself was crying in pain.

The surrounding air exploded into chaos, frost and mana clashing violently, shards of ice shooting in every direction.

The blow missed Yara’s body—but just barely.

She stumbled back, her feet skidding across the cracked earth as the shockwave pushed her away. Her heart pounded in her chest as she locked her gaze on Aestrea, now standing a few meters away.

His head was lowered, his breaths ragged as his lavender energy started flickering just like some kind of dying flame.

And then, he suddenly dropped.

Thud!

Aestrea fell to his knees, his sword slipping from his grasp and hitting the ground with a dull clang.

His entire body was trembling, his face pale from exhaustion. Sweat dripped from his chin, and the frost around him began to fade, melting into the ground.

Yara blinked twice, her eyes wide in disbelief. She had felt powerful opponents before—had fought people who pushed her to her limits—but this?

This was… different.

She opened her mouth to speak, but then—

“BLUEGH—!”

The sound tore through the silence like a blade.

Yara doubled over, clutching her chest as a deep, crimson gash appeared across her torso. Blood poured from the wound, soaking her already tattered clothes.

Her body convulsed, a whole mouthful of blood spilling from her lips as she began to cough uncontrollably.

“What…?” she rasped, muttering to herself as she staggered. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto one hand, desperately trying to steady herself.

The pain was unbearable—but it wasn’t just physical damage.

It was the shock.

She hadn’t even seen the final blow connect.

How had he done it?

When?

Her vision blurred as she turned her head toward Aestrea, who was still kneeling on the ground, his shoulders rising and falling heavily.

“Damn it…!” Yara gritted her teeth, forcing herself to move.

She knew they couldn’t stay here.

Not in the barrier.

Not with injuries like this.

She stumbled toward him, each step feeling heavier than the last. Reaching out, she grabbed his arm, her fingers trembling as they tightened around his sleeve.

“Hold… on,” she muttered to him-

She used her mana, enveloping them both in a grey glow, as she walked to the exit of the barrier around them.

Fwoosh!

As soon as they got out, a strange warmth washed over them. Their wounds—the deep, agonizing cuts and bruises—began to heal instantly.

Skin stitched itself back together, blood vanished, and the pain evaporated as if it had never been there.

But the fatigue on Aestrea’s mind didn’t disappear.

Even as his physical injuries disappeared, he remained slumped over, his head hanging low. His breathing was shallow, his entire body seemed exhausted.

The lavender-colored energy that had once pulsed so brightly around him was now barely alive, flicking ever slightly.

Yara leaned against a nearby stall, her hand clutching her now-healed chest. She stared at him, her grey eyes still wide as her mind raced to process what had just happened.

“Aestrea…” she whispered in a softer tone, quite strange coming from her.

But he didn’t respond.

He just sat there, motionless, with his sword lying beside him.

For the first time in a long while, Yara felt something unfamiliar stir in her chest.

Fear?

No.

Respect?

Maybe.

But it could also be something else.

She wasn’t sure.

All she knew was that, even in this moment of quiet, Aestrea remained strangely interesting—something she couldn’t quite understand.

“You’re… not fucking human,” she muttered under her breath, her voice trembling slightly.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

[Beep~]

[Due to the body tempering caused by the space crack… Your attributes have increased tremendously!]

[Your physical attributes have been enhanced!]

[Your Spirit has reached S+!]

[Many of your talents and skills have evolved!]

[Opening profile…]

[✦ Player Profile ✦]

Name: Aestrea Moon (20)

Identity: Strongest Student of the Weakest Academy, The Moonlight Swordsman, The One Who Loves The Goddess Of The Moon, The Strongest Student, Exchange Student of the Eternum Royal Academy, The One Loved By Dangerous Beings (NEW!!!)

Affinities: Ice

⤬ Aura: S+

⤬ Mana: B

⤬ Strength: B (↑UP)

⤬ Vitality: B (↑UP)

⤬ Agility: A+ (↑UP)

⤬ Spirit: S+ (↑UP)

✦ [Skills & Talents] ✦

[1] Moonlit Ice Lotus Sword Art [S???] ➤ Active Self-Created Skill

[2] Judgement Eye [S] ➤ Active Self-Created Skill

[3] Perfect Memory [Unranked] ➤ Passive Talent

[4] Extreme Combat Instinct [A+] (↑UP) ➤ Passive Talent

[5] Advanced Sword & Gun Mastery [A+] (↑UP) ➤ Passive Skill

[6] Calm Mind [B] (↑UP) ➤ Passive Talent

[7] Blood Eyes [Unranked] ➤ Your eyes ominously glow red.

[8] Blood Contract [???] ➤ You can use Lumi’s Abilities.

——+——+——+——

“Agh….”

I groaned softly as I opened my eyes, only to be met by a flood of notifications. This time I had exaggerated a bit, but it seems like it strangely worked in my favor.

I already knew that entering a space crack could temper the body, but I never imagined it would boost me this much.

Sure, it had been dangerous—life-threatening, even—but the payoff was undeniable.

I’ve never tried to use my third move with both Mana and Aura, so I didn’t really expect to open such a deep fissure in space.

But well, it worked in my favor.

Now, I should be considered an A-rank awakened… in attributes at least. If I measured up my battle power… I don’t know what rank it would reach.

My talents were also upgraded, just perfect.

But something bothers me.

By a lot actually.

That new identity that I’ve received.

[The One Loved By Dangerous Beings]

What exactly does it mean?

Did Yara fall in love with me for me to receive such a title?

I don’t know.

Come to think of it, what time is it right now?

I instinctively reached for my phone, patting my pockets—only to realize I wasn’t wearing pants.

Or a shirt.

In fact, I was in nothing but my underwear.

I took a look around.

The room I was in felt too grand to be mine.

Luxurious.

Deep blood-red walls with gold accents, velvet curtains draped elegantly along the windows, and plush rugs that screamed wealth.

The bed I lay on was massive, with satin sheets that clung to my skin.

It looked quite expensive.

But seriously—where the hell was I?

Was this Yara’s bedroom?

Only she could have such an expensive bedroom, no?

Creack…

Before I could think too much, the door creaked open.

My head snapped toward the sound, and there she was—Yara.

I almost froze at her figure.

She stepped inside, wearing nothing but a black bra and matching panties. Her long, jet-black hair fell in sleek waves, stopping just below her waist.

Her body was lean and strong, her figure well-proportioned with a slim waist and curvy hips.

Her abs were lightly defined, with a faint scar running diagonally across her stomach. Scars marked her arms and thighs in a few places, faint but noticeable.

Her gray eyes were sharkled michievously, framed by thick lashes. A thin scar ran through her left eyebrow, breaking the line slightly, but it didn’t take away from her striking features.

She was stunning, no doubt about it, but there was something about her that could make anyone’s instincts scream trouble.

She caught me staring, and her lips curved into a small, teasing smile.

“You like what you see?” she asked, tilting her hips slightly to emphasize her curvy figure.

I blinked.

Did she really fall in love with me?

I was confused by her sudden actions.

“Your face is priceless,” she chuckled, walking toward me.

“You’re probably wondering why you’re here,” she said casually. “Your clothes were completely destroyed during our little fight. Since I couldn’t exactly leave you lying around naked, I brought you here. No man’s clothes were available, so…”

Yara gestured to me with a smirk. “You’ll have to stay like this for now. Don’t worry—one of my servants will bring something appropriate soon.”

She sat down on the edge of the bed, crossing her legs gracefully.

“And, well,” she continued, licking her lips, “since you’re down to your underwear, I thought it’d be rude if I didn’t match the mood. Don’t you agree?”

Her words… strangely made sense.

“…..You really are a crazy bitch, aren’t you?” I couldn’t help but mutter.

Her eyebrows shot up, but instead of being offended, she broke into laughter.

“Oh? Did you just call me a crazy bitch?” she teased, leaning closer.

Ah.

I said that out loud.

Shit.

I instinctively backed away, but instead of being angry, she seemed… entertained. Her eyes narrowed into crescent moons as her smile widened.

“Honestly, I’ve never met someone like you,” she spoke lightly.

“So careless, fearless, and most importantly…” she leaned in, her hand brushing lightly against my chest.

“So damned fascinating and interesting…” she bit her lower lip, looking into my eyes.

Is she trying to seduce me or something?

Her actions were really suggestive, but I remained quiet, staring at her. I needed to confirm it thoroughly, but I was also quite sure that she wasn’t in love with me.

At least not yet.

“By the way, what time is it right now?” I asked, my voice still groggy.

“Hm?” Yara tilted her head slightly before reaching into her cleavage. She casually pulled out a phone like it was the most natural thing in the world and tapped the screen.

“11 PM,” she said, glancing at the screen before looking back at me. “You were out for quite a few hours.”

Her words made my eyes widen.

“The matc—”

“—Relax,” she interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. “The other challenger died. Mysteriously.” She emphasized the word with a sly smirk.

“So, you won. Congratulations.” She shrugged like it was no big deal. “Just take it easy for now. That last attack must’ve drained you completely, right?”

She was right.

I could feel it.

Using that much mana and aura drained more than just my physical body—it took a mental toll too.

It always did, but my spirit was strong enough to handle it. After all, I went through too many difficult situations for me to be able to have such a strong spirit attribute.

And after I tempered my body in the space crack, my spirit had even gone up a level. So, it didn’t damage me that much…

Maybe a bit…

Just a little bit.

“By the way, Aestrea…” Yara’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. She turned toward me, her hand casually resting on my right leg.

I instantly felt uncomfortable. I started to reach for her hand to move it, but before I could, she spoke again.

“How much time do you have left?”

I froze.

“I took a look at your body…” she said slowly, her fingers still lightly resting on my leg. “You don’t have more than a few months left. Honestly, you should have died about a month ago, just a few days before the academy’s competition.”

“How are you alive?” she asked curiously.

I didn’t expect her to say those words.

After all, I did find out the reason why Aestrea wasn’t in the competition just when I had a conversation with Elleonora.

My soul from my old world, had completely fused with Aestrea’s, giving it enough life force for him to survive.

Of course, that had side effects, and the life force of my own soul decreased by a lot.

So, if I didn’t transmigrate here…

Aestrea would have truly died.

Because he didn’t have enough life force to live.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep