The sun had long set, and the town of Valerra lay quiet under a sky filled with a blanket of stars.
Noah sat at the edge of a small hill, overlooking the town that had been spared by sheer will and determination—determination he wasn't sure he fully possessed.
The battle against the Corruption Queen had been fierce, brutal, and painful. He had fought with everything he had, yet the truth still gnawed at him.
He wasn't strong enough.
Despite the Azure Blue Flame that had devoured the shadows, despite the skills he had unlocked, the abilities he had cultivated, it had been Layla—her power, her domain—that had made the difference. Without her, without the Fallen Bridal Dress and the Scythe with the power of Corruption , the town of Valerra would have been consumed. The battle, though won, still felt like a personal loss to him.
He clenched his fist, feeling the weight of his weakness.
If I had been stronger…
It was a thought that played over and over in his mind like a haunting refrain. If he had been stronger, could he have prevented the damage? Could he have stopped the Corruption Queen earlier, before so many innocent lives were lost?
The land had been healed, yes, but it wasn't enough. The Corruption Queen's death didn't undo the damage. People had died.
Families had been torn apart. He could still see the faces of those who had fallen in the battle, their eyes filled with pain and fear, begging for a future they would never see.
Layla… she saved them all.
Noah's gaze drifted over to the town, where the last few embers of the banquet were fading into the night.
The townspeople had celebrated their survival, but the shadows of loss lingered. He could still hear their voices, their thanks, their praises.
But deep inside, he knew they were just trying to hold onto something in the wake of what had happened. They couldn't see the cracks, the darkness beneath the surface that Noah himself couldn't escape.
"Pathetic."
He whispered the words to himself, his own inner voice bitter and cruel. He had faced the Corruption Queen, fought with everything he could summon, yet still felt like a child fumbling in a world that demanded more.
The Celestial Blade Master he was becoming, the power of his Divine Dragon blessing, the skills of the system—none of it was enough when it mattered the most. He wasn't ready. Not yet.
I should have done more. I should have been enough.
The cold night air hit his face, pulling him from his dark thoughts. He looked up at the stars, his breath a cloud in the chill.
"Why do I feel so empty?" he muttered, his voice barely audible. "Why do I feel like I'm failing them all?"
He had always been told that strength would solve everything. That power was the only answer to survival, to victory.
But no matter how strong he became, no matter how many abilities he unlocked, something was always missing. And that something had been glaringly evident in the aftermath of the battle.
Layla had been his equal in power, if not surpassing him. Her domain had been the shield that protected Valerra, her Corrupted Scythe–The weapon that ended the Corruption Queen's reign. And Noah had stood there, watching her, while his own power felt… insufficient. Weak.
What did it mean to be a Celestial Blade Master if he couldn't even protect those he cared about?
"Why didn't I do more?" His voice cracked, and he ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
The echoes of his past life came rushing back. His mother's teachings, his rejection of destiny, the constant striving to be the one to change the world. But now, faced with the reality of this new world, of the power he had only just begun to understand, he wondered if that striving was enough. If it would ever be enough.
I have to be stronger. I can't rely on others to carry the weight.
He closed his eyes, focusing on the deep well of mana inside him. It was a feeling he had become familiar with over the months—the power, the potential, that could change the tide of battle.
Yet, something still felt… incomplete. His will, the thing that should drive his power, was clouded, uncertain. It had been shattered by the fight with the Corruption Queen, leaving him questioning the very nature of his strength.
He thought about his training. About the battles he had won. About his growing bond with Scarlett, Olivia, Lyra, and Layla. They had each given him something to strive for, to fight for. But what about himself?
What about the world?
Noah's eyes snapped open. A sharp, burning sensation filled him. His muscles tensed, and a strange energy surged within him.
It wasn't just mana—it was the realization that he needed to fight for himself. He had spent so long carrying the burdens of others' expectations, of the weight of his past, but he couldn't afford that anymore. He had to carve his own path forward.
"I can't afford to be weak."
The words felt final, like the first step of a long journey. He had seen what Layla could do. She didn't fight with just her power—she fought with purpose.
She had a reason to live, to protect, and to grow stronger. He had to find that same purpose. He had to make sure that next time, he wouldn't be the one watching from the sidelines, helpless and weak.
He would fight for his own future.
A shadow fell across his path as someone approached. Noah looked up to find Layla, standing silently a few feet away. Her eyes, always so distant, were softer now—concerned, though she didn't say anything. Instead, she walked over and sat beside him, her presence comforting in its quiet strength.
"You're still thinking about it, aren't you?" she asked, her voice low but knowing.
Noah didn't answer immediately, but he didn't need to. She already understood.
"It's not over, is it?" he finally said, looking at her. "I thought I was ready, but I'm still so far from being the man I want to be."
Layla smiled faintly, her gaze drifting over the town below. "None of us are ready, Noah. We never will be. But that's what makes us human. The fight isn't about being ready—it's about doing what we can, even when we're not."
Noah turned to her, surprised. "What do you mean?"
"You're always so focused on strength," she said, her eyes meeting his. "But strength isn't just power. It's purpose. It's heart. It's the willingness to fight not because you're invincible, but because you're human."
Noah blinked, trying to understand her words. "You mean… you fight because it matters to you?"
"Exactly. And...My heart is you ."
For the first time, Noah felt a small flicker of hope, an ember igniting deep within. His journey was far from over, and there was so much more to learn. But now, he understood one thing: true strength didn't come from power alone. It came from the heart.
And he wasn't alone on this path.
End of the chapter..