At Magia Veritas Magic Academy…
The academy was in chaos.
The magic corridors were filled with smoke and the sound of alarms. The teachers had been detained. The students were panicking. The guards… had already fallen one by one, lying motionless on the floor.
Mysterious enemies in black cloaks infiltrated the heart of the academy without much resistance.
No warning. No negotiations.
Only power spoke.
They seemed to know exactly how the academy's defense system worked—and how to shut everything down.
"WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE!?"
"BRING THEM ALL TO THE MAIN HALL!"
The atmosphere was filled with shouting. A dark, oppressive aura hung in the air like a poisonous fog.
However...
On the rooftop of the academy…
Kazuki Altherion sat cross-legged, his back leaning lazily against the magic water tank, as if the world below was just a static noise from a boring radio.
The morning breeze blew gently. His white hair fluttered slightly. His purple eyes were half-closed, squinting at the pale blue sky.
"...Well, this is great... I bet it's just another bunch of weaklings again."
He stretched a little, then glanced toward the chaos happening below.
"Couldn't they wait until sunset...? So eager to appear on stage?"
Kazuki took a deep breath... and exhaled slowly.
"...Unfortunately, the White Reaper doesn't perform in the morning."
He stood up. His body sluggish, but his steps calm. His gaze empty... yet sharp.
"I'm not their hero."
"I'm just a side character… far too strong for the role I've been given."
He looked down at the academy hallways now crawling with enemies.
Then smiled faintly.
"And when night falls... the curtain will rise."
"My true role begins."
With that, Kazuki sat back down, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes.
He waited.
Not as a savior.
But as a shadow who knew exactly when the stage would become his.
---
In the Main Hall of Magia Veritas…
All the students and teachers had been gathered in one place.
Their hands were bound by a special restraining magic—a thick black rope that felt like living maggots, choking their wrists without mercy. Some students began to cry. The teachers tried to console them, but there wasn't much they could do.
In front of them stood a group of black-robed figures, their faces hidden behind horned masks.
Their aura was cold. Full of murderous intent.
One male student, with short hair and sharp eyes—shouted as he tried to stand.
"WHO ARE YOU, HUH!? WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM US!?"
One of the enemy guards moved in fast, and without hesitation, BAM!... a hard kick landed on his stomach.
"UAGHH!"
The student was thrown back, crashing onto the stone floor. Blood trickled from the corner of his lips.
"Tch... damn cowards," he muttered, grimacing.
The masked figure who had kicked him looked down coldly.
"Shut up, worthless insect."
He raised his foot again, ready to stomp, but their leader lifted a hand slowly.
"That's enough."
Everything froze on the spot.
The leader stepped forward. His cloak swayed lightly, but each step felt like a small earthquake.
He slightly lifted his mask, revealing glowing red eyes and a thin smile.
"Now listen carefully…"
His voice was quiet, but echoed throughout the hall like a cursed chant.
"Anyone who tries to resist… will be killed on the spot."
Silence filled the entire hall.
No one spoke. Even their breathing paused.
"Don't think you'll be saved. There are no heroes. No hope."
He looked around. Those red eyes tore into anyone who dared to meet his gaze.
"This isn't a fairytale."
"This… is reality."
One of the teachers tried to rise slowly, but was immediately struck down by a wave of heavy magic pressure from one of the enemies.
"Ughh...!" The teacher dropped to their knees, blood dripping from their forehead.
"Lesson one... never trust those above you."
And in the midst of it all…
None of them knew...
Someone was calmly sitting on the rooftop, waiting for the sun to set like counting down the seconds before a grand performance.
---
Back on the rooftop of Magia Veritas Academy…
The sky had begun to turn orange. The sun slowly descended, touching the horizon gently, as if knowing tonight was no ordinary night.
Kazuki was still sitting against the rooftop rail. Legs crossed, eyes gently shut, yet the mana around him was sharply felt.
Suddenly…
The wind shifted.
"I know this mana..." he murmured.
"A familiar scent... from the past."
Footsteps echoed behind him. Light… but not ordinary. Not an enemy. But not just an ordinary friend either.
Kazuki slowly opened his eyes, without turning.
"...Neera?"
The footsteps stopped.
Then a girl's voice replied—firm, yet soft.
"Yes, Lord Kazuki… I mean… White Reaper."
Kazuki stood up slowly. His body hardly moved, yet the aura around him shifted dramatically.
He turned slightly.
There stood five girls in dark cloaks, the symbol of Nocturne Eclipse emblazoned on their chests. Among them, Neera stood at the front. Her purple hair fluttered slightly, her sharp eyes filled with respect and nostalgia.
Kazuki smirked faintly.
"Hmph… So you're all still alive."
"We're alive… because of the magic you once gave us," Neera replied with a small bow.
"Even when time separated us… your magic continued to flow within us. We... merely followed its call."
Kazuki walked slowly toward them. His voice calm and low, but each word felt like lines from a shadow play script.
"So you came… not as enemies, but fragments of the past."
Neera nodded.
"We came to return… and wish to rejoin Nocturne Eclipse."
Kazuki stopped one step in front of them. His gaze sharp, a faint smile on his face.
"In that case... you're worthy of returning."
He glanced at the night sky that had begun to stretch overhead.
"Because my magic… never froze in the past."
Neera and the others knelt one by one, bowing deeply in loyalty.
Kazuki crossed his arms, the night wind howling behind the tower's shadow.
"Welcome back...
This stage will soon be flooded with blood and lies.
And the long-forgotten shadows... shall dance again."
Neera smiled softly, her eyes gleaming.
"White Reaper… has returned."
Kazuki turned, his uniform cloak fluttering, his silhouette melting into the descending night.
The next move... belonged to the shadows.
---
Inside Magia Veritas Academy…
The students and teachers were still bound by the powerful magic ropes. Some tried to squirm free, but none succeeded. The room was filled with tension, whispers of fear, and gloomy stares.
Yet among them, one male student moved silently.
With subtle and careful motions, he managed to loosen his restraints. His trembling hand gripped a small magic sword hidden beneath his cloak.
His gaze burned with rage.
"YOU BASTARDS!!!" he shouted loudly.
Without hesitation, he jumped and attacked one of the masked guards.
CLANG!
His blade glowed with magic, sharp, fast, filled with determination.
However…
One of the mysterious figures moved immediately. In a single motion, he caught the blade with his bare hand.
"How dare you, brat!" he roared.
The student was kicked hard in the stomach.
THUD!
His body slammed into the wall with a heavy crash. Dust scattered, and groans echoed from behind the rubble.
One of them spat on the ground.
"Tch. Weak."
The masked leader stepped forward, glaring at the other students.
"Anyone who tries to resist…"
He raised his hand, and a blaze of fire magic ignited in his palm.
"…will die like insects."
No one dared speak. Silence reigned. Only the sound of restrained breathing and terrified heartbeats filled the air.
And at that moment, just as the tension peaked...
…a shadow from above began to move.
Suddenly—
A massive explosion rocked the entire academy.
DOOOM!!!
The main wall cracked, then blew open, debris and smoke bursting into the air.
From the wreckage emerged figures in black cloaks one by one. Their aura was dense, mysterious, and beyond reason.
They were the shadows long forgotten.
They were… Nocturne Eclipse.
One of the masked guards reacted instantly—but in a flash, his body froze.
SREEK!
A white light streaked past...
And the guard's body collapsed lifelessly. Sliced clean.
Through the smoke and swirling debris... Kazuki appeared slowly. His steps calm. His shadow stretched long in the dim morning light.
He stood atop the ruins, holding a radiant white sword—White Blade.
His eyes were sharp. His voice calm… yet thunderous.
"We are… Nocturne Eclipse."
Kazuki's voice echoed through the ruined hall.
Then… his members stepped forward, continuing with powerful voices:
"We… shall emerge from behind shadows and light… to purge the filth from this world's stage."
Kazuki raised his White Blade forward.
The wind howled. His cloak fluttered dramatically.
His gaze locked on the masked enemies before him, as if looking at insects unworthy of this world.
"…Attack."
With that single word—
The members of Nocturne Eclipse leapt into battle. Their formation precise, their movements lethal.
The air was filled with magic, explosions, and clashing steel.
The once-dominant enemies were now pushed back, falling one by one.
And Kazuki stood unwavering, like the center of all chaos.
He didn't need to move much. Because tonight…
…the stage was his.
And with that...
This chapter ends.