The soft golden light of dawn crept through the inn's windows, casting a warm glow across the wooden floors. I stirred awake, the slight pressure against my side reminding me Layla had fallen asleep clinging to me.
Her breathing was calm. Peaceful. She looked so serene, wrapped in a thick blanket, her fingers still curled loosely in my shirt. The pain that once twisted her face was now gone. In its place… peace. And something else. Something dangerous.
I shifted carefully, laying her gently on the pillow again before brushing her bangs aside.
"Noah…" she mumbled, her voice husky. "Stay…"
I froze, looking down at her flushed cheeks and the way her eyes barely opened. Crimson. Alive again.
"Just a little longer," she whispered.
I sat back down beside her in silence. The faint throb of mana in the air around her wasn't wild or erratic anymore—it was sharp. Precise. Beautiful and terrifying all at once.
Eventually, she sat up with a little effort, her expression gleaming with pride.
"Okay… now I'm ready," she said, smirking.
"Ready for what?" I asked.
"To show you all what I became."
—
Scarlett and Lyra arrived minutes later, half-dressed and half-worried. But when they saw Layla sitting upright, legs crossed, mana gently flickering around her shoulders like a cloak of fireflies—they paused.
"You… you look different," Scarlett said.
"She's glowing," Lyra muttered. "That's not just mana. That's something else…"
Layla flicked her fingers.
A familiar status window shimmered into existence, suspended in the air between us.
[Status Window]
Name: Layla
Race: Human
Age: 17
Class: Heartseeker (Unique)
Potential: SSS+
[Elements]: Curse, Corruption! , ???!
[Titles]:
★ The Cursed Child
★ The Corrupted Heart!
★ The One Who Overcame Curse and Corruption!
Traits: Yandere, Possessive, Devoted, Undying Love
[Base Stats]
Strength: A++
Agility: A++
Endurance: A+
Intelligence: A+
Mana: S-
Charm: SS+
[Class Abilities]:
Scythe of Obsession
Sinful Desires
Lover's Embrace
Abysmal Flames
[Weapon Art: Wraith's Scythe Art]
First Form: Reaper's Slash
Second Form: Dark Spiral
Third Form: Soul Harvest
Fourth Form: Phantom Grasp
Fifth Form: Eternal Nightfall
[Skills]:
Cursed Flame
Cursed Touch
Cursed Thread
Touch of Decay!
Whispering Will (Passive)!
Wings of Curse & Corruption!
[Spells]:
Hex of Misfortune
Weight of the Damned
Curse of Weakness
Shadow Bind
Cursed Reflection
Soul Drain
Reverse Curse
Silence.
Scarlett's lips parted. "This… this isn't just an evolution. It's like she's become something beyond human."
Lyra stepped forward slowly, her eyes narrowed. "Unique class. SSS+ potential. Two corrupted elements… and she overcame them? That's not just strength. That's identity. She became the curse and still won."
"Yeah," Layla whispered, eyes glowing faintly red. "I made peace with the parts of me that hurt the most. The love that felt like chains… I broke them. And now I wear them like armor."
She turned her head and smiled at me. "And I survived because you never left."
I didn't say anything, but I could feel it—the presence rolling off her. This wasn't the same chaotic Layla who used to pout and tease with reckless abandon. This version had purpose. Passion. Power.
"You idiot," Scarlett muttered, stepping forward with red-rimmed eyes. "We thought we were going to lose you. And now you're standing there with wings and glowing eyes like you own the world."
Layla just tilted her head. "Do I look cool?"
Scarlett clicked her tongue and hugged her tightly. "You look terrifying."
Lyra… hesitated for a second. Then walked over and placed a hand on her head.
"I'm glad you're back," she said quietly.
"Don't make us worry again," Scarlett added.
Layla smiled. "Sorry… for making you cry."
Then she glanced at me, her eyes playful and dark all at once. "As for you, my dearest Noah…"
"I didn't even say anything," I muttered, backing away slightly.
"I'll make it up to you with a very, very good night soon," she purred.
Chills ran down my spine.
Scarlett groaned. "She's back alright."
Lyra… actually chuckled. "Yeah. That's definitely her."
Layla threw her arms around both girls and pulled them into a sudden hug. "I love you both, you know that? Even when we fight. Even when you lecture me. You're my family now."
Scarlett blinked in surprise.
Lyra didn't pull away either.
The three of them embraced in a tight circle of warmth and silence. And I… just watched.
I remembered all the times Scarlett and Layla argued like cats and wolves. All the times Lyra rolled her eyes at Layla's teasing. Now, here they were—three girls who had once felt like opposites, bound by something deeper than blood.
"I'll protect this bond," Layla whispered.
And I believed her.
-To be continued....
A/N:
The Heartseeker is a warrior forged in the flames of obsession and love, where the lines between devotion and destruction blur.
Harnessing the dark forces of curse and corruption, this class allows its wielder to channel their emotions into deadly precision and unyielding power.
Their scythe is both a symbol of death and a tool for their boundless affection, ready to sever not just life, but the very bonds that hold hearts together.
In the presence of their loved one, their power becomes a terrifying force—both protective and dangerous—driven by an all-consuming love that cannot be extinguished.
I hope this helps you understand layla's class -
See you all in next chapter....