Despite his little talk with Zero, nothing of note happened afterwards. The classes progressed surprisingly well, even with Hikari missing.

At least, that was what John assumed based on his discussions with the others. After speaking with all of them, it seemed that nothing unusual was happening. Danjo, Briar, Arthur and Celestia seemed confused when asked if anything seemed different. There was no need to ask Destiny about anything since John was already in the Fighting class. Aurora had expressed some confusion about where Hikari had gone, but otherwise reported that Leora was a great professor as well.

Prota wasn't a good way to tell if the Casting classes were any different, since she had little interest in them to begin with. Thankfully, Ryan and Lilith were more in tune with what the average student thought. In the end, though, they also reported that nothing seemed amiss. Sofya was just as good a professor as Leora was.

So the days passed, paying no attention to John's concerns.

The weather grew cooler. The days grew shorter. Everyone continued to have a good time, getting along and chatting cheerfully, passing tests and learning, as students should.

Interestingly enough, with nothing else to pay attention to, John began to notice the lives of the [Characters] around him. Not just his friends, but the others, too. Things like flings of love, rivalries, friendships and competitions began to stand out. Obviously, he was still paying attention from the perspective of a [Reader], noticing things others wouldn't, but he was paying attention to them nonetheless.

It was more than the perspective of a [Reader], actually. A real [Reader] would never see any of this. They would never see the lives of these individual [Characters] that went about their day, doing things that would never contribute to the [Plot].

More than that, there were things he hadn't even noticed within his own group of friends. He would see Destiny chatting with Aurora, or Briar and Celestia going out for drinks. Arthur and Danjo would nerd out over something magic-related. Destiny might tease Arthur and Danjo over girl trouble while remaining blissfully aware of the looks Celestia gave him. Briar, meanwhile, would tease the princess over how dense Destiny was.

These were things happening without him. These were relationships that had developed over time in his absence.

Yes, he'd been enjoying these last two years of peace. Yes, he was beginning to see these [Characters] as more than tools. But he still failed to treat them as "human," as fellow people. While ignorance was not necessarily a sign of such a mindset, his mindset was what caused such ignorance.

But that was ok with John. In the first place, he'd been under the impression that relationships weren't for him. The fact that he'd developed something resembling friendship was more than he'd hoped for in the first place.

So, even while feeling a little empty inside, the two years of peace he'd experienced were more than enough to somewhat satiate his desire for comfort.

Was this it? Was life just going back to normal? Zero's hints couldn't be interpreted as the loading of Chekov's gun. Just because he said something didn't mean it was going to happen. At this rate, John wouldn't be surprised if the [Author] had given up on trying to write an interesting story. The next chapter, wherever that might be, could simply be the ending to the [Story]. John wouldn't mind if that happened. It would mean nothing of significant note would happen until that point.

Unfortunately, such thinking was merely that: wishful.

~~~

John was sitting in Lupin's office, but for the first time, the atmosphere wasn't tense. John wasn't here to make a ridiculous deal, and he wasn't in trouble, either. He'd simply asked for a meeting to discuss something of mild importance.

"It is rare for you to reach out first," Lupin said quietly, pouring a cup of goldenrose tea.

Interestingly enough, aside from the moments they spoke of the "truth," Lupin retained his attitude toward John. He still acted as a mentor figure, with a quiet and strict atmosphere about him. There was a slight increase in respect during their conversations, but they maintained the teacher-student relationship.

To be honest, John preferred it this way. He hated it when someone held a position over him; it wasn't a matter of pride, it was a matter of comfort. He didn't care if someone was stronger than him, but if they ever used that power to make him do something he didn't want to do, he'd be more than a little annoyed.

Now that he thought about it, perhaps it was from this mindset that his ability to resist control came. But if his abilities were based on his personality, then…

No, that was stupid. His abilities were primarily based on elements of a [Story], not himself. But then, why gain an ability based on his likes and dislikes? Why was this the one aspect of himself that had been turned into an incredible power?

In the first place, where did his powers even come from?

He shook his head, much to Lupin's confusion. There was no need to get himself confused, especially not when there were more important things to discuss.

"Sofya Ohrein," John said calmly. "How much do you know about her?"

"...is there a reason for intruding upon the headmaster's privacy?" Lupin frowned. "Has mortal society changed to the point where one can ask for such information without shame?"

"No, no," John frowned. "If I was trying to peek into someone's personal life, I'd do that on my own."

"Your… own?"

"Um. Don't worry about that. Forget I said anything," John said quickly. "No, I need to ask for… well, let's say, safety reasons."

"Safety reasons? Do you have reason to suspect that the headmaster is a cultist?" Lupin frowned. "No matter your identity, there is a limit to how rude one can be. I hope you are aware of this."

"I- goddammit," John sighed. "Look, there's this whole explanation I could give about my foresight and why I'm able to predict certain things, but that's going to take way too long. Both me and the [Author] aren't in the mood for an exposition dump at the moment."

"You and the- what?"

"Don't worry about it. The point is, I just gave Sofya a bunch of information, and if she's a villain, I'm fucked, ok? I'm boned. Screwed. Railed. R-"

"Enough!" Lupin exclaimed. "I understand. You are not looking to seek information on her personal life, is that correct?"

"Yes," John nodded. "Just… whether or not she's part of your group, and then, if she's not… what kinds of weaknesses a dragon has."

At that, Lupin's expression went dark.

"Um." John made an awkward face. "Did I touch on something I shouldn't have?"

"You need… the weak points of a dragon?" Lupin said carefully. "You believe you can exploit a weakness to defeat such a creature?"

"Well, I mean-"

"Is this the strategy you employed against Hikari?" Lupin reached over the table, grabbing John by the collar. "Tell me, quick."

"What- no! I fucking obliterated his ass into oblivion! Why would I- oh, I guess… yeah. Why is this such a problem?" John frowned, seemingly unconcerned with being held in such a position. "What's so wrong about weak points? I mean, yeah, it's sensitive information, but-"

"You do not understand. Have you heard that dragons and Mystics are not fond of each other?" Lupin said, releasing John.

"...yeah, something like that," John nodded.

Lupin sighed, trying to calm himself down. He took a sip of tea, pausing before he continued.

"Many Mystics do not believe dragons should exist, as they challenge their existence as gods. Dragons, similarily, do not enjoy the ego Mystics hold."

"You guys here at Scholaris seem pretty chill," John pointed out.

"We are unique in that regard. Our primary goal is the betterment of mortals. We do not care much for our existence as higher beings."

"I see," John said slowly. "And what's the point in telling me all this?"

"The hatred for the two races runs deep. The only reason we are not at war-"

"What, the destruction of the continent?" John snorted. "Sure-"

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"No. To be quite frank, I believe Mystics and dragons would go to war, the lives of mortals be damned," Lupin said, his expression dark. "No, the reason we do not fight is due to how hard it is to kill each other."

John's eyes widened at that.

"A young Mystic is potentially easy to kill. Mystics who have lived less than a hundred years are strong, but they are far more fragile than those over a hundred years. This is because the mana accumulation in their bodies reaches the point that a natural barrier of sorts begins to form, a subconscious aura that protects them from most fatal attacks. We can be injured. We can be maimed, dismembered. But killing us… that is a different story altogether."

"I… I see," John said, but in reality, he hadn't been aware of this.

"Dragons are similar. As a result, injuries heal quickly, and death is hard to come by. A war would result not in the destruction of either race, but simply a prolonged period of pain and suffering. The hatred runs deep, but not to the point that we would openly welcome a world of pain merely to have a chance at eliminating the other."

John nodded. He now understood why Lupin had been so nervous upon hearing that John was asking for a weak point.

"So you thought I might've just stabbed Hikari through the heart or something," he said slowly. "Which would mean they're still alive."

"That is correct. But you say you… obliterated them?"

"I… yeah," John said, pressing his lips together. "Something like that. There isn't anything left that could even remotely resemble flesh. I was a little out of my mind at the time, but unless that cat has the ability to rewind time or reincarnate, there is absolutely no way they're still alive."

Lupin raised an eye. "Then… why do you ask for the weaknesses of a dragon? The orb Hikari used amplified their mana to a level greater than Sofya's. There are few Mystics in the world with greater power than Hikari had at our time of combat. If you were able to defeat them, then…"

John shook his head. "That's not something I can just do whenever. Look, I'm not trying to imply anything. My only point is, if a worst-case scenario breaks out, I need to be ready."

Lupin sighed. "Then, the only advice I can give you is to strengthen your mental state. I know you understand Soul Steal to an extent, but the abilities your sister possesses are nothing compared to a real dragon's. If you can resist Soul Steal and Draconic Speech… you may stand a chance."

"...yeah. Thanks."

John didn't feel like telling the old Mystic that those two abilities didn't work on him in the first place.

"Ah, but… I almost forgot. That alone may not prove to be enough," Lupin cautioned. "Unlike most dragons, the headmaster has studied magic extensively. While she has a much smaller mana pool than others of her race, she has dedicated herself to learning her own magic, something no other dragon has done in quite some time. So… be cautious."

John nodded, standing up. "Thank you. I don't think I'll need to know any of this, but it doesn't hurt to help."

"I pray you will never need to put any of this to use," Lupin nodded. "For all of our sakes."

~~~

Lupin tried to get back to his paperwork, but something was bothering him.

"I… yeah. Something like that. There isn't anything left that could even remotely resemble flesh. I was a little out of my mind at the time, but… unless that cat has the ability to rewind time or reincarnate, there is absolutely no way they're still alive."

The boy had said it so casually that he'd almost dismissed it, but such a thing couldn't be ignored.

In the first place, Lupin wasn't sure why he'd glossed over such a thing in the first place. A phrase like that wasn't something somebody could say easily. Of course, John could've been lying. Young children might say such things.

"Yeah. I beat up a god with my fists and reduced them to dust!"

Those were the words of the naive, those without the wisdom or knowledge to understand that such a thing was impossible. To anybody who didn't know John, they would've assumed he was the same. He'd even admitted that he didn't know what kind of protections Mystics bore. He'd been unaware that Hikari possessed a shield that made it hard for even other Mystics to defeat other Mystics in a single shot.

But it was because of this that Lupin suspected John was telling the truth. The boy was cautious. He acted rash and foolish, yes. Sometimes, he was, in fact, far more foolish than the other children attending this school. But for someone who knew the "truth," a matter such as this wouldn't be something he would lie so casually about. Moreover, the boy's lies were clever. He would never lie so blatantly unless he didn't care about revealing the truth.

So, given that he was telling the truth, the statement in itself was terrifying. But it wasn't just the fact that John wielded the power to destroy a Mystic in one shot. No, while that was a ridiculous power in itself, it wasn't what bothered Lupin so. In the history of Mystics, there were occasionally beings that sacrificed everything for absolute power. These beings could similarly destroy fellow Mystics in one blow, but they always met tragic ends.

Their power overcame them. They were hunted down. Regardless of the path taken, their end was the same.

John wasn't a Mystic, and it seemed he was not going to end up like those Mystics, but that wasn't the scary part of things.

Tthe scary part was how casually John had declared such a thing.

He hadn't been aware of how difficult a task this was. He had stated his actions as if they should've been obvious, as if killing Hikari to the point of obliteration was supposed to be normal. And if that was the case, then this implied that doing so hadn't required all of his power.

Mystics, at best, could level a continent by using a Final Stand. A Mystic's soul naturally required more mana to exist than a mortal, and by that logic, a Mystic's Final Stand would be far more powerful. It was this level of power that was needed to, in John's words, destroy a Mystic to the point that "there wouldn't be anything left that could even remotely resemble flesh."

If that wasn't John's limit, what was he capable of? Destroying the entire planet? What kind of being could be allowed to have that kind of power?

Lupin shuddered. In the end, though, he returned to his paperwork. There was nothing he could do about it.

In historic times, the hero was often a beacon of hope. Their power was a light that led the way forward in times of darkness. They wielded a unique strength unseen in any other era, but that unique power was used for the sake of the world.

But what if… what if a great power arose, one separate from the hero? What if an alien being were to come into the world and wield the power for selfish purposes?

If that were the case, it could signal the end of the world. Not just of the continent, but of all life as they knew it. The worst-case scenario would no longer be the rule of the demons.

But of the erasure of all life.

~~~

Prota and Lilith were sparring in the training grounds, exchanging blows and tips. Both were noticeably different from when they'd first started their schooling at Scholaris. Their rates of growth were a little different, though.

Prota couldn't deny that, relative to where they'd begun, her friend had improved more than she had. However, that was to be expected. Lilith hadn't been a very good combatant when she'd first entered Scholaris, similar to how Prota had been back when she'd first gone on adventures.

If they were to compare linear growth, it might be fair to say Prota had improved more. Then again, it would be odd if she hadn't. Although the past two years had been relatively peaceful, she'd still been through a few life-or-death scenarios that had forced growth out of her.

Then, despite all this, Prota couldn't help but feel as if Lilith was holding something back. As they took a break, she noticed her friend seemed to be struggling with something.

"...ok?" Prota said quietly.

"Hm?" Lilith turned to Prota in surprise. "Oh, no, I'm fine. I just… I was wondering if I can show it to you…"

She seemed a lot happier these days. Prota wasn't sure what had happened, but ever since Lilith had returned to Scholaris after the summer vacation, she seemed even more cheerful than before.

Had John been there, he would've been able to figure out what had happened. With the knowledge Prota had, there were enough hints to guess at what change had caused Lilith's newfound energy. But Prota wasn't John, and it wasn't yet in her nature to immediately make these kinds of connections.

It didn't matter. She'd find out in due time.

"Ah, whatever. What's the point in learning magic if you can't use it, right?"

Lilith was about to stand up when the girls felt a presence behind them. Lilith slowly turned around to see Ryan, who had a look of disappointment on his face.

"I let you go for a moment, and you're already causing trouble?"

"Oh, come on!" Lilith protested. "Things are going well now, are they not? Besides, Prota is a close friend! Why can't I show her something cool?"

Prota's interest was piqued, although you wouldn't have been able to tell based on her facial expression.

"I mean… haah. Fine," Ryan sighed. "Nobody else is around, right? Are you sure about this?"

"Come on, what's so bad about showing off once in a while?" Lilith pouted. "It's not like someone's gonna copy our magic just by seeing it, right? Besides, if they could do that, they'd likely be able to do something more impressive, anyway."

Prota felt a twinge of guilt enter her heart. Lilith was about to show her impressive magic. While Prota didn't mean to steal magic, she'd likely want to copy it anyway.

She tried to console herself by saying that it was for a good cause. That she was using her magic to destroy the Demon King. Yeah. That was a good reason to copy someone's magic, right?

As she went back to listening to the conversation, she resolved herself to tell the twins about her unique powers someday.

"Come on, Prota, check this out!" Lilith said excitedly.

It seemed she received permission from Ryan.

The two made their way to a secluded training ground area, where Lilith took a deep breath.

"This is our family's special technique. It's… well, it's not meant to be taught to anyone else. But, to be honest, I wouldn't mind if you used it," Lilith said with a wink. "But I won't teach you, alright? You'll have to see if you can figure it out on your own."

Closing her eyes, Lilith began to chant. Prota didn't bother to pay attention to the words; chants were something she'd never bothered with in the first place. She instead paid attention to the gathering of mana.

It was ice mana. That much was certain. But it was so cold, so bitter, like a chilling winter wind biting at you in a blizzard. That mana gathered before Lilith, compressing and taking shape. So far, this wasn't anything unique. It was definitely bound to be a powerful spell, but so far, it seemed to only sit around the fifth circle of magic.

What was so special about this?

Suddenly, the pressure in the air began to increase. The mana was taking shape, a giant structure forming before the Rose daughter. It was similar to how Prota made her Blossom, but far more intricate and unique. The way the mana was manipulated was far more fine-tuned than any of Prota's current spells.

Lilith finished her chant, a giant cat-like figure forming before her. Mist poured off its body from the sheer difference in temperature.

"Go. Frozen Lion."

The figure launched itself forward, pouncing and dashing through the air. It ploughed through several trees, instantly freezing them and everything in its path. Everything it touched was frozen over, eventually shattering as the material within could no longer maintain its structure.

"Haah… cool, isn't it?" Lilith said, her eyes sparkling. "It's such a cool spell! Granted, it takes me way too long to cast, but eventually… eventually, I'll be able to use it well. And once I can do that, then I'll be able to call myself a good caster."

She sighed, staring up at the sky as she recovered her breath.

"When that happens, I'd like to have a serious duel with you, ok?"

Prota nodded slowly, but she felt a little guilty. She had yet to truly go all out against Lilith for fear of hurting her friend. Lilith didn't know what a serious duel with Prota looked like.

"And you'd better use all of your abilities, got it?"

Prota couldn't help but flinch. How did Lilith know?

"I don't mind," Lilith laughed. "But I know you're hiding something. I've seen you fight during the exams, when our lives were in danger. You fight differently. A different kind of light enters your eyes. And you become a lot more deadly than when you spar in class."

Prota didn't say anything. She hadn't realized Lilith was so attentive.

"I won't pry," Lilith said, waving her hands. "But when that day comes… don't hold back, ok?"

Prota nodded, a smile forming in her eyes.

She was lucky to have friends like this.

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