★60
ASTERI'S POV
Later that day, Atlas and Elaine came to my room.
"Let me guess."
I said calmly, glancing up from where I sat, "you're here because of what happened earlier."
Elaine gave a small, restrained nod.
"Well then, have a seat."
They did, taking the couch across from me. For a while, silence settled over the room, heavy but not hostile. I let it linger before finally speaking.
"I knew you were strong, Elaine. But you still managed to exceed my expectations."
I said honestly.
"Static World was already dangerous enough, but combining it with parasitic roots that drain energy, immobilise the target, and seal their energy flow at the same time… that wasn't something I anticipated."
Elaine lowered her gaze slightly, her expression steady rather than proud.
"I'm still a White Dwarf. I've got a long way to go."
She replied simply. Her words weren't humility for show. They were a statement of fact.
<
"That's the point. A White Dwarf with power that rivals Supergods. Some of my arsenal seems worthless like... and Phylax are so deadly, yet they were forced to deactivate."
"I didn't think it would disrupt a high-ranking Mega Art like that."
"While Phylax blocks all unexpected attacks, it has a big flaw. Any misbehaviour with one's energy will likely reduce its efficiency or even prevent it from activating."
"Is this ok? You tell us your Mega Art's weakness?"
Atlas asked.
"Why not? I have nothing to hide from you guys. Besides, if you truly know me, I don't use the same techniques in fights more than once. It's best to stay unpredictable."
That's how I was thought to fight.
"It was for a moment, but you masked Elaine's Static World with another time stop, right?"
Atlas asked.
"Being able to identify Temporal Twist as active at all is already beyond average. Especially when it comes to time-stop Arts. Most don't even realise they've been caught until everything resumes."
<
"You have a good understanding of your surroundings, Atlas."
"Where did you learn to summon a God-Class weapon?"
Elaine asked.
"I have access to three of the God Class weapons in my arsenal. Severer, Sword of Light, and The Dagger of the Beginning."
"D..dagger of the Beginning?"
She stammered. It wasn't something you hear often. A weapon forged by the Creator itself. Naturally, only the Omnis should wield it, yet Zhou and I are walking anomalies. We don't obey the norms.
"And also the Sword of Light, Ch.."
"I can only wield the Sword of Light for one minute at most. So I'm far behind, too."
I quickly intervene, highlighting I'm not perfect too. It's necessary to appear weak sometimes to soften the atmosphere.
After a short silence, Atlas spoke up.
"You said your False Administrator allows you to overwrite a law? Could it be included..?"
"Yeah. I'm keeping it to a minimum, or I'll end up being punished. I'm preparing to use them well before my next match."
"'Before your next fight?' With who?"
The two kept asking questions like reporters. But I'm the celebrity who'll answer all.
"Red, of course. I want to defeat him this time."
"He's nowhere near your ultimate might... you're just playing along. We all know that."
I chuckled slightly.
"That's right, no one here is ready to take on our main body except...the second son of light, Feldway. The leader of the Seraphim and Grand Lord's right-hand man."
Their faces were stern at the mention of such an important & strong figure. Despite the distance, Feldway is highly respected in the Star Realm.
"Is he here, though?"
Elaine asked.
"According to Dino, who's also a Seraph, he's been trapped in the otherworld when Grand Lord chose to stay dead. He won't be a threat. Besides, he's a spiritual life. He needs a vessel to inhabit the Cardinal World just like us."
"And as a vessel, he can't use the majority of his powers."
"Yep."
Atlas's expression tightened, a rare crease forming between his brows, the aftereffects of the earlier clash still lingering in his posture.
"You seem disturbed about the golden and dark, Atlas?"
I said calmly, turning my gaze towards him.
"Yeah."
Glad I brought it up, he answered firmly.
"Stars can either use one of them but or none or both. Unless you're..."
He paused purposefully, waiting for me to explain myself.
I sighed softly.
"I knew this day would eventually come."
The words carried more weight than I let show.
I paused, my expression hardening as the room grew quiet, the air itself seeming to wait.
"Anyway…"
I straightened, the fleeting hesitation gone, replaced by a firm resolve as I prepared to continue.
"You're right. I'm sure your Omni's must've told you about the First and the Second? Stars with numerical titles. The First One goes by a lot of names, but the most common one is the Golden One."
Their eyes widened instantly, shock and disbelief etched into their faces as recognition struck them at once.
"I… it can't be."
Atlas muttered.
"Y–you're a..."
Elaine tried to speak, but the words died in her throat. The title itself carried terror. It was not about rank, nor numbers, nor the mere balance of light and dark. It was something far deeper, something absolute beyond us, the title bearers.
"Including the two of you, only four beings know my true nature."
I said calmly.
"The fact that only four within the entire Star Realm are aware of it should tell you how strictly this secret is guarded."
They nodded slowly. They understood. Knowledge like this was not meant to spread.
"But don't misunderstand. Being one of them doesn't make me invincible. Never forget what I told you."
A heavy silence followed.
"Two endless voids ahead…"
Atlas finally spoke, his voice low, edged with unmistakable fear.
"That's one of the reasons I decided to train with you guys.."
Without knocking, the door creaked open, and someone stepped inside.
All three of us turned our heads toward the uninvited guest... it was Hinata. She froze the moment she saw us, three otherworlders mid-conversation, our eyes now fixed on her.
"I... I'm sorry… I'll leave now."
She stammered, already turning to go.
"No need."
Atlas interjected calmly.
"We were just about to leave anyway."
Elaine rose to her feet, floating already.
"We might not be finished, but the Master can always answer our questions later."
She added.
With that, she vanished into thin air, followed closely by Atlas.
And so, the room fell quiet again, leaving just the two of us.
"Don't just stand there. Have a seat."
I gestured for her to sit, and after a brief hesitation, she moved closer, taking the seat opposite me.
"What's the deal, Hinata?"
I asked, my tone calm but probing.
Her fingers tightened on her lap, eyes fixed on the floor. With a voice barely above a whisper, she spoke.
"I… I'm sorry."
"Sorry? You did nothing wrong. You thought I got mad because I left you?"
She nodded without lifting her head.
"After all that's happened, you still shy around me?"
I am positive the first image that came to her mind was the kiss she gave me. That explains why her face turns tomato red. Seeing this, I giggle.
"So, are you actually here to apologise or...?"
"I...I want to tell you about the dream..the nightmare I had the other night."
"I hope you're not doing this to make it up to me or anything?"
Confession due to guilt.
"It is part of it, but who can I tell besides you?"
"...ok.."
I closed my eyes for a brief moment, and the room sealed itself completely.
Space tightened, layers overlapping until even concepts struggled to pass through. The two demons who usually lingered in spirit form were violently expelled, forced to materialise as the seal rejected all unseen presences.
"Stand back, Majo. King,"
I ordered, my voice steady.
"Roger."
"As you wish."
They dematerialised at once outside the room and taking position by the door.
"It's safe now. And I also have a secret to tell you in exchange."
Trading secrets might just be a good thing in a time like this.
"S..ok..."
She explained everything, every detail, every action in that dream.
With each scene, my jaw tightened. By the time she finished, my fist was clenched so hard that faint cracks formed in the air around it. I gritted my teeth, holding back the storm rising inside me.
<>
"I..it's just a dream, why are you so..."
"It's not a dream. It's one out of two. A possible future or another timeline."
"Timeline?.."
"Yeah. Different occurrences do exist. In some timelines, I didn't get to meet you, I became a bad demon lord and many more."
"If you're one of the existing timeline. How can you know what's happening to the others?"
"Our true body isn't bound by the cause of the timeline. Only one Antares exists, but there are countless Asteris out there. I can't shake it off.."
I shook my head.
<>
<
"The you here is all that matters."
My eyes widened at her words, though I forced my expression to remain calm, only a faint trace of excitement slipping through.
"That's right… It has to be."
I said quietly, as if confirming it to myself.
"The Balance Dragons are also free from such a cause, so this is the original timeline. You are the one and only Queen of Dragons."
Hinata's lips parted in disbelief before a bright smile bloomed on her face. For the first time in seconds, she looked truly happy.
"The other versions of you didn't come in contact with the dragons, so they'll be living normal lives. But once you've awakened, they'll disappear IF you wish."
"If?"
"By transcending the human race and the cause of timelines, you can choose to free yourself. That decision is totally up to you, I won't give you any advice or anything regarding that."
I said immediately, not wanting to be the cause of all her decisions.
"I..understand."
"The names you mentioned are all familiar."
I said, leaning back slightly, eyes narrowing in thought.
"Except Rimuru. I wonder who that is."
Hinata tilted her head, curious.
"Whoever it is, we'll soon meet them."
She said softly, a small smirk playing on her lips
"Yeah. Looks like I don't need to tell you my secret."
"Heh?"
"Yep, you already know it, but I'll explain despite it still being a mystery since the O-Class.
All we know about the Twin Stars is that they are unlike any Stars. They can wield both Mega Arts and Dark Nova, light and void in perfect balance. Dark Nova, as you know, is the art of shaping darkness and bending the void itself. It's what separates us from the Dark Stars. But the Twins… they can use both. That alone makes them terrifying."
I paused, lowering my voice.
"Only two have ever existed, the First One, and the Fallen One. Both were O-Class Stars, this alone naturally makes them the pinnacle of Stars and Dark Stars.
For countless generations, they waited for another Twin Star to be born… but it never happened. The war between Stars and Dark Stars raged on, neither side gaining ground. The birth of a new Twin Star could tip the balance depending on which side it chose."
My expression darkened.
"Then, after ages of silence, something changed. An anomaly was born, not within the Star Realm, but above it. Even among the Omni, only two know of this: Lord First and Lady Elara. Later, Zhou learned of it… Then Atlas and Elaine. And now you."
I drew a slow breath, gaze steady.
"This is my greatest secret. I'm entrusting it to you."
Her eyes widened, not expecting me to reveal such valuable information.
"Your words are safe with me..with the power of the dragons, I'll use it to protect them."
"Power of the dragons, huh? Well, once you awaken, all dragons will be at your command. But you'll awaken with entirely new powers. I'm looking forward to that.."
She wore a gentle, hesitant smile.
"Umm… what about Queen Towa? What will she become in the future?"
"Honestly, I don't know."
I answered after a brief pause.
"But she will become like us—Stars—though inferior. I'm not even sure whether what I'm doing is right, or if it will end up harming any of you. Still… you two mean a great deal to me. That much is true."
As I spoke, Antares averted his gaze from my vision, his fingers tracing silent patterns across the ground, lines of intent rather than symbols.
<
Entares teased, a faint smirk tugging at his expression. Antares ignored him, as he always did.
"I… I feel the same."
A calm voice echoed within the room.
"You saved my Kingdom. You broke the curse that bound it's rulers. I'm not following you merely to repay a debt, but because… being with you puts me at ease. Life feels lighter, simpler—to the point where nothing truly worries me."
Hinata stiffened at the sound, eyes widening as she turned toward the source.
"Q… Queen Towa?"
"She was here all the while. I thought you'd fallen asleep."
"Of course not, I was just… hmph. I don't need to explain myself."
She cut herself off like a sulking child, a side of the Queen rarely seen. It was oddly endearing. I smiled faintly, but the expression faded as my thoughts aligned and my decision settled.
"I have somewhere to go. I'll be leaving tomorrow."
My voice was calm, deliberate, cutting cleanly through the light atmosphere. It had to be said now. Delaying it would only make things worse.
Hinata stiffened. Her eyes widened, and for a brief moment she forgot to hide her emotions.
"Where are you going?"
Her voice trembled despite her effort to steady it, fingers tightening around the hem of her dress as if anchoring herself in place.
"Don't worry, I'll be back in no time. As for where I'll be going, I'll be visiting a certain world... outside the Base World."
"For what purpose, if I may ask?"
Hinata's voice was soft but searching.
"In three days, I'll be back. I promise."
I said nothing further, cutting the question short before she could dig deeper. Some things were not meant to be revealed; I had already said too much.
After a few more words, the night quietly drew to a close. Hinata offered a gentle goodnight before leaving, her footsteps fading along the corridor. Towa followed, though her presence was subtle, vanishing without a trace.
They might find it unsettling, but it was simply the way things had to be.
Once the room was quiet, I summoned Atlas and Elaine. I briefed them on my sudden departure, laying out the essentials.
After dismissing Atlas, I leaned closer to Elaine and murmured something only she could hear. Her eyes widened briefly, uncertainty flashing across her face, but in the end, she nodded. She would comply.
By morning, I was gone, no trace, no farewell. The halls of Star Island felt heavier without me there.
In my absence, Atlas and Hinamatsuri took command. Though leadership wasn't her strongest suit, Hinata quickly delegated authority to Elaine, who accepted the role in composed silence, burdened now with the weight I'd left behind.
To be continued...