Chương 82: Crossroads

The following day, Noah stood alone beyond the edge of the city. His Regalia cut through the air again and again, each swing carrying all the focus he could gather. The remaining fighters had been given a full week to recover and prepare for the quarterfinals. Noah intended to use every second of it. His sword flashed.

"Two Crows." He stepped forward and swung again.

"First, Inari." The man who had killed him. Noah's blade accelerated, leaving a trail of dark light behind it.

"He's far more skilled than I am." Another slash.

"But unless he possesses a Regalia, he shouldn't be able to overpower me." At least, that was what Noah told himself. He adjusted his grip and continued.

"But Nikolai…" His expression twisted with anger.

"That bastard." The image of Walter's corpse entered his mind. His father's body, devoured and used as nothing more than another source of strength. Another violent swing tore through the air.

"Honestly, I'm angrier about him desecrating my father's remains than I am about Inari killing me." The sword trembled in Noah's hands.

"Can I beat him?" He imagined Nikolai's constantly changing body. His regeneration. The countless creatures he had consumed.

"Maybe if I could use Soul Release…" Noah's voice weakened.

"But even then…" His breathing became unsteady.

"Could I?" Fear crept into his words. Noah tightened his grip until his knuckles turned pale.

"I have to." He swung again.

"I have to defeat him." Darkness gathered along the edge of the blade before the Regalia quickly devoured it.

"I have to kill him." The next strike cut deeply into the ground. Noah remained frozen in place, staring at the scar he had carved through the earth.

"But can I?" His sword slowly lowered. Sweat poured from his body. He had been training alone for nearly five hours, refusing to stop despite the pain spreading through his arms and shoulders. Noah finally allowed himself to breathe. His Regalia rested against the ground.

"I would be willing to offer some assistance." A man chuckled behind him. Noah spun around and raised his sword. A stranger stood several meters away. He had dark skin and striking purple eyes. Messy white hair spilled from beneath a white top hat, matching the immaculate suit wrapped around his frame. A purple shirt showed beneath his jacket, and one gloved hand rested neatly upon the head of a cane. The man smiled as though he had been invited. Noah had never seen him before.

But six months earlier, this same man had appeared within the ruins of Gram. He had taken Isaac moments before Inari could finish killing him. Whether he had rescued Noah's brother— Or kidnapped him— Was still unknown.

"My name is Ashe." The stranger removed his top hat and offered Noah a graceful bow.

"It is a pleasure to meet the Hero of this era." Noah's eyes widened. He knew that name. Everyone did. Ashe Mallory. The headmaster of the Heroes Academy— And the God of Despair. Noah tightened his grip around his Regalia. Ashe placed his hat back upon his head and studied him with open fascination.

"I imagine my blessing would be remarkably compatible with your ability." His purple eyes traced the black spots covering Noah's skin.

"If only I could possess that lovely power for myself." Ashe sighed dramatically.

"Well, I suppose I could." His smile widened.

"But I would need to dismember you first." Noah instinctively took a step back. Ashe chuckled.

"A blessing?" Noah asked cautiously. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Of course." Ashe tapped his cane against the ground.

"I am offering to make you one of my apostles." The air around him grew heavier.

"To grant you a small taste of my divinity." Noah felt the negative energy within his body stir in response.

"Unless one is a Primordial God like Lux—or was born with a particularly unusual soul, such as Sirius Blackwood—ordinary gods like me may only maintain three apostles at a time." Ashe placed one hand against his chest.

"So please understand how valuable this offer truly is." His smile never faded.

"I have already chosen one apostle." He raised one finger.

"And I have selected someone for another of my remaining positions." A second finger joined the first.

"That leaves only one available place." Ashe lowered his hand and leaned closer to Noah.

"Unless one of them happens to die, of course." The God of Despair's purple eyes glowed faintly as he examined the immense amount of negative energy stored within Noah's body. His expression resembled that of a starving man staring at a feast.

"And I believe that final place belongs to you."

"And what do you want in return?" Noah glared at Ashe.

"You don't seem like the kind of man who gives away something this valuable for free." Ashe's purple eyes brightened.

"Oh, how beautifully intelligent." He leaned both hands against the head of his cane.

"My request is quite simple." Noah waited.

"I would like you to enroll in my lovely academy." Ashe smiled.

"And, naturally, abandon your quest as the Hero." Noah's grip tightened around his Regalia.

"Leave the dangerous work to the adults." Ashe waved one hand dismissively.

"A child prodigy like you should be attending classes, making friends, and sneaking alcohol into his dormitory with his girlfriend." He chuckled.

"That is what adolescence is meant for." Noah's expression remained cold.

"Naturally, I would like Ava to attend as well," Ashe added.

"The two of you would make wonderful students."

"I can't speak for Ava." Noah raised his sword slightly.

"But I have to continue as the Hero." The black spots covering his skin pulsed.

"Until The Crows are defeated, I can't stop." He stared directly into the God of Despair's eyes.

"Not yet." Ashe's smile weakened.

"They will be defeated." For the first time, a trace of anger entered his voice.

"Just not by a child like you." The air around him grew heavy. Noah felt his knees threaten to buckle beneath the pressure of Ashe's divinity. Before the god could continue, a sphere of golden light descended from the sky. It struck Ashe directly in the face. More accurately— Lux's foot struck Ashe directly in the face. The God of Despair was sent tumbling across the ground, his top hat flying from his head as Lux landed gracefully between him and Noah.

"You scoundrel!" Her butterfly mask glowed with furious light.

"I will not allow you to poach my Hero!" Ashe pushed himself upright and wiped blood from his lip. Lux pointed accusingly at him.

"Not again!" Her divine pressure crashed against his own.

"I lost three potential Heroes to this bastard during the Seventh Era!" Noah blinked.

"Three?"

"So what?" Ashe retrieved his top hat and placed it back upon his head.

"You ended up finding the strongest Hero in history because of it." Lux folded her arms.

"I had to travel all the way to Helheim to find him." She stuck her tongue out at Ashe.

"Far beyond your jurisdiction."

"Not anymore." Ashe's grin returned.

"Thanks to the lovely—and completely sincere—peace negotiations between our nations, residents of Helheim will soon be permitted to attend my academy." He rested both hands on his cane.

"If I'm fortunate, perhaps the young prince will become one of my students in a few years." Lux's gaze sharpened.

"You're planning to steal another child?"

"Steal is such an unpleasant word." Ashe chuckled.

"While I obey his laws, I personally despise the Emperor. I would never allow the young heir to come to harm." His purple eyes gleamed.

"At most, I might convince him to abandon his homeland and become my newest personal project."

"That is stealing!"

"I prefer rescuing." Lux turned her back on him and seized Noah by the shoulders.

"Listen carefully, Noah." Her usual arrogance had vanished.

"I won't allow you to go with this bastard." Ashe sighed.

"How possessive." Lux ignored him.

"I was already considering making you my apostle." Noah's eyes widened.

"You were?"

"Even I have limits on how many people can directly carry my power," Lux said.

"I wanted to be certain you were truly worthy before offering you a place." Her grip tightened.

"But I've decided." Golden light flickered around her body.

"I'll place all my bets on you." There was no teasing in her voice. No playful cruelty. Only desperation.

"So choose me." Noah stared at her. The God of Hope was begging him. Ashe stepped closer.

"Or choose me." Darkness gathered faintly around his cane.

"A peaceful life awaits you at my academy." He gestured toward the city behind them.

"You can study. Grow stronger. Spend time with the girl you love." His smile softened.

"You can live like a child instead of allowing Lux to drag you through endless pain and misery."

"I'm preparing him to save the world," Lux snapped.

"You're preparing him to die for it." The words silenced her. Ashe looked toward Noah again.

"You have already lost your home, your parents, and nearly your entire family." His voice was unusually gentle.

"How much more must Hope take from you before you decide that you have suffered enough?" Lux stepped between them.

"And how many people will suffer if Noah abandons them?" She looked up at him.

"I cannot promise you peace." Golden butterflies gathered around her.

"I cannot promise that you will survive." The black spots across Noah's body stirred.

"But I can give you the strength to protect the people who remain." Ashe extended one gloved hand.

"And I can give you the strength to protect yourself." Lux extended hers as well. The two gods stood on either side of Noah. Hope and Despair. Light and darkness. Both awaiting his answer.

"Who will you choose?" they asked in unison. Lux's golden eyes shone behind her butterfly mask.

"To become the Apostle of the God of Hope?" Ashe's purple gaze settled upon Noah.

"Or the Apostle of the God of Despair?" Noah looked between their waiting hands. Lux smiled faintly.

"Light and darkness mean nothing to someone like you." The black marks covering his skin pulsed as golden light reflected from one side and violet shadows from the other.

"Whichever path you choose…" Her voice softened.

"You will become a star."