《I Was Just a Normal Student until I Made a Contract with a little cute Fox!》 CHAPTER 1: THE CONTRACT The early morning halls were empty, except for the sound of Joine''s footsteps no voices, no laughter just an empty void of silence. It was always like this. Arriving before anyone else, leaving after everyone was gone. He sighed stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Another morning, another day of nothing" But one day when Joine was in class, all of a sudden everyone disappears in front his eyes, puff without a trace, thinking he was hallucinating and then he heard a noise. A loud footstep pounded against the cold floor, slow and menacing, Joine was stuck in place turned frozen as a stone, and a chill ran down his spine as fear tightened around his chest. The air was thick, suffocating. He struggled to breathe and to even move properly, but he forced himself to hold on. "What''s going on?" Joine whispered, his voice barely hearable, "What should I do" Joine panicked and then he heard something in his classroom by the teacher desk, so he went to check it out trembling in fear. He took a peek under the desk and then BAM!!!...... "Ow! Something hit me" after he settle down, he saw a cute fox appeared before him. The fox glanced at him and smiled "Hello there human I''m the great Fu Ju fox, now bow before me!" Joine blinked, "Who now?" The fox narrowed his eyes. "I said¡ª " Joine cut him off, waving his hand "yeah, yeah, you can tell me later. As you can see, we''re in a pickle" The fox tilted his head "what''s a pickle?" Joine sighed. "Never mind" The air suddenly grew heavier. Ominous present comes closer, sending shivers down their spines. Joine whisper "do you feel a present in the hallway" "Yea I do, for a human it''s weird" "What''s weird?" "I mean the thing you''re feeling is dark magic, and it''s surprising you can feel any magic at all" Joine shocked "Hehe I don''t get it either" The fox was interested in this human "Let me run some test on you" Joine yelled "NO TIME ITS ALMOST HERE!!" The fox groaned, and then summoned a small, enchanted sword. "Fine here use this" Joine stared at it. "I don''t know how to fight much less use a sword" He hesitates for a moment and grips his head, "is this real? Or am I dreaming?" The fox suddenly bit his arm. Joine yelled "OW!! What the hell was that for?!" The fox smirked "see? You''re not dreaming," Joine rubbed his arm. "Wait did you read my mind?" "Something like that, but that''s not really important right now but I can tell you this is real, so get yourself together" Joine smiled, took a deep breath, nodded and picked up the sword and got up off the floor. He went toward the door and looks outside and saw an armored knight wielding a rusty halberd in the hallway blocking the stair. Joine tensed. "Hey, you might wanna see this" The fox peeked out. "Oh, my is that an armored knight, I heard of it but never seen one" Joine sighed. "Great so we''re both clueless" "Not fully clueless," the fox corrected. "That sword is embedded with my magic. You can use it to defeat that knight" Joine''s eye twitched. "You want me to fight that thing!!" "You''ll be fine! Just remember try not to get hit" Joine groaned, "Easy said than done!!" Joine took a step in the hall, the knight took a step forward, and Joine had to act now. He took a deep breath and charged at the knight, and the knight reacted instantly, swinging its weapon and WHAM! Joine was flung back, crashing into the wall. The fox gasped. "Joine are you okay?!" Joine slowly got up, "Y-Yeah... DO I LOOK OK!!" Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. "Yea your fine" The fox awkwardly scratched his ear. "O-oh, yeah... I forgot to mention... The knight doesn''t have eyes. So, they detect movement" Joine grabbed lumi by the fur and shook him up and down. "WHAT? You could have told me that sooner!!" "Give me a break I simply forgot but now you know, sooo no need to worry" The knight took another step forward. The fox had to think fast and one flick of his finger he cast a barrier magic to keep the knight back for a moment The fox sighed. "Alright plan B, let''s try forming a contract" Joine hesitated "A-A contract, I don''t know about this" "No time, forming a contract to be one with each other nothing else" Joine clenched his fists. The fox took his hand "I''ve decided to trust you completely. You just have to trust me too." "Trust huh well ok I''ll trust you for now" The fox yelled loudly "before we started, I would like to say my name is lumi, don''t forget that" Joine smiled "that''s a very nice name and yea I won''t forget it" Lumi blush "o-ok Joine! Repeat after me!" ""By morning''s glow and dawning light, Our fates are bound this very night wait, I mean morning!" Joine paused. "You messed up your own spell?" Lumi coughed. "Ahem, give me a break this is the first time actually doing a real contract with a human or anyone at all" After lumi repeat the spell to form the contract, a magic circle glowing pure light surrounded them. Joine looks at the magic circle "this is new" Lumi smiled "yes its working lets continue" "Through trials fierce and battles tight, our souls ignite with magic bright!" Joine hesitated. "Do we have to ignite? Can''t we just lightly warm up?" "SAY IT!" Lumi snapped. "Alright, through trials fierce and battles tight, our souls ignite with magic bright!" The floating symbols from the magic circle flared like sunbursts, encircling them in golden rings. "By floof and fluff, by tail so grand, A warrior''s strength lies in our hand!" Joine blinked. "Did you just rhyme ''grand'' with ''hand''?" "DO NOT QUESTION THE CONTRACT!" Lumi yelled, his ears flattening. Joine groaned. "Fine By floof and fluff, by tail so grand, a warrior''s strength lies in our hand!" BOOM! A sudden explosion of golden light and sparkles sent Joine flying backward, his butt skidding across the dusty floor. "OW." Lumi floated over him, gasping. "Whoa! That was way more dramatic than I expected." Joine sat up, rubbing his head. "Did it work?" Lumi gasped, pointing at Joine''s right hand. "OH! You got a magic crest! It looks super cool! The contract was completed and both of them become one, and the magic crest took the shape of the sun. Joine froze. "Wait. Is it permanent?!" Lumi coughed. "Uh Maybe" Joine grabbed him by the neck. "What Do You Mean Maybe?!" Before Lumi could answer, the armored knight let out a metallic roar, breaking the barrier, stomping toward them. Lumi grinned. "Well! No time to worry about that, NOW GO USE YOUR NEW MAGIC POWERS, PARTNER!" As the knight charged forward, his armor gleaming under the dim light, Joine''s heart pounded like a war drum. He had no time to think¡ªonly to act. With a sharp breath, he thrust out his hand, desperation fueling his voice as he called upon the light. "Come forth and destroy my enemies, Celestial Judgement" Lumi shocked "wow that''s pretty powerful and a badass name" A beam of light energy blast out and destroying the knight and haft the school "Oh shit, lumi what now!" "Uh I don''t know" Before Joine could said anything he fainted and felt on the floor, as his eyes close, he smiled "Well, I sure did a good job" "JOINE"!! 1 hour later Joine wakes up in his class like nothing happened "What happened, a dream" He rubbed his eye and saw the magic crest and screamed "AH!!" The entire class looks at, him he froze in shame "Why did I scream like that" And the bell ring, everyone just thought he was crazy and some just thought he had a bad dream. And they left. He was still frozen "I''m going inane". He took a deep breath, and went outside the class and saw the wall was fixed and he scratch his head, "Lumi must have fixed the wall, I don''t know how but that''s good, thought I was dead meat" It was home time everyone went home but Joine was in the school gym working out and rethinking what happen and where lumi could be, Joine sad expression "Will I ever see him again, is he gone forever, uh my head hurts" 20 minutes later He packs up and was about to leave the school and a heavy rain started to fall "Oh, shit I didn''t bring my umbrella, dam it, what''s my luck" Joine clutched his bag over his head, sprinting through the icy rain. The rain hammered against his skin, soaking through his uniform, each drop colder than the last. His shoes sloshing with every step as he rushed through wet and dark streets. By the time he reached home, his fingers were numb, his body shivering uncontrollably. He fumbled with the keys, his hands trembling from the cold. The moment the door swung open, he rushes straight inside, dripping water all over the floor. Without a second thought, he ripe off his soaked clothes, each piece clinging stubbornly to his skin. Stepping into the shower, the first blast of hot water stung like needles against his frozen body, but soon, Steam curled around him, drowning the world in a fog of silence. After drying himself off and throwing on fresh clothes, he collapsed onto his bed, muscles aching, and eyelids heavy. The soft mattress felt like heaven. He barely had time to pull the blanket over himself before his body gave in. Sleep swallowed him whole. When he finally woke up, the sky outside had shifted from deep night to pale afternoon. He blinked at the ceiling, his mind sluggish. "I slept that long...?" A Background short bonus A Few Years Ago... Joine tightened his grip on the tiny bundle in his arms his newborn sister, Mina. She was barely a few hours old, yet their parents were already gone, leaving nothing behind. He didn''t know why. He didn''t know if they would ever come back. But deep down, something told him they wouldn''t. With no money, no food, and nowhere to go, Joine did what he could to survive. He wandered from place to place, knocking on doors, hoping for a kind soul to take them in. Each rejection stung, but he couldn''t afford to break. Mina needed him. Days turned to weeks. Hunger gnawed at his stomach, exhaustion dulled his senses, and hope faded with every closed door. He was ready to give up until he saw an old woman collapse in the street. Without thinking, he rushed to her side, lifting her frail body and carrying her back to her home. She was unconscious but breathing. Joine waited anxiously by her side, ready to leave if she woke up and screamed at him like everyone else had. Instead, when her eyes fluttered open, she smiled. "You saved me, didn''t you?" she said, her voice gentle. Joine hesitated but nodded. That day changed everything. The woman, known to the neighborhood as Grandma Elya, took them in. She gave Joine work, shelter, and a reason to keep moving forward. For the first time, he felt like he could breathe. Present Day... Years had passed, and now, Joine and Mina now in their own apartment, lived a somewhat normal life going to school, dealing with everyday struggles. Mina, cheerful and full of energy, didn''t remember the hardships they faced, and Joine preferred to keep it that way. But fate wasn''t done testing him yet. Because every day is a new day and new adventures a wait, he hasn''t realized yet, but everything is about to change now. Chapter 2: The Fox Returns Wake up!!! Joine wakes up "Who said that? Could it be Lumi?" Joine was confused but then just leave it for now, as he was mentally drained from yesterday, but he was physical full of energy. He looks at his hand "Looks like its permanent" He just lay there for an hour and then bam!!! Mina launches herself landing on Joine body. "Big bro you overslept again!" She was bursting with energy, like a sun that shone endlessly. As she jumps up and down on the bed "I heard you scream like a girl in class hehe" Joine was embarrassed and cover his face with the sheet "WHAT the WHAT! That''s it I can''t show my face anymore" Joine Dazed Joine, still groggy, brushes it off and prepares for the day. Mina got of the bed. "I''m heading down stairs" "O-ok" Joine just lay there for a while and then went to brush his teeth and look in the mirror "Another day" Joine slowly head down stair and did some morning stretches to start his day. Mina made breakfast, eggs and bacon "Looks goods, well beside the vegetables" "Vegetables are good for you" "Sure..." Joine looks at his plate and eats everything, hesitated on the vegetables but he ate it, mina show a happy smiles. "Mmm worth it, I guess #health" "Joine what you gonna do today" "Sleep" "No you should go outside and stretch your bones" "Fine" Joine put some clothes on and went for a walk outside, when we was walking he heard something "Hey" "What" "Hey" "Where the sound coming from" "It''s me partner" "Lumi"!! "Yep" "HOW"! Lumi explains through telepathy that their contract is still active, meaning they''re linked permanently. He also reveals something shocking: Joine now has magic of his own "I feel another powerful magic power from you" "UH" The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "That explain why you should have sense the dark magic from the knight" "Oh, what does this mean?" "Means your mix with human and something else" Joine Jaw drop "Ehhh!! You really think so" "Yep" Joine didn''t know what to say "Btw where are you?" "I''m in Fu Ju world; it''s another dimension, another world" "Oh sound cool" "Yep" "And one more thing, how you fix the school" "Creation, magic it''s pretty hard to cast and it drains a lot of mana" "Oh wow, that magic sounds amazing" "It''s an S tier magic ofc it''s amazing" "Got it" Joine and lumi continue to chat while he was walking, but just when he thought he was gonna have a normal day, something was watching him but he didn''t sense it, it watched him for a while until, lumi sense something. It was faint but lumi manage to sense it. Lumi warns him: "Joine, listen there is something watching you" "W-what is it?" Joine try not to react, continues to walk like nothing is wrong. But then it appeared behind him, The figure was cloaked in a shifting darkness, its form flickering like a mirage. Though Joine couldn''t make out its face, he felt an eerie pressure, like a predator locking onto its prey. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he instinctively turned but there was nothing. It had vanished, leaving only a lingering presence in the air, thick with an unknown malice. Lumi''s voice echoed in his mind, more serious than before. "Joine... that wasn''t human." Joine swallowed hard, his heart pounding. "Then... what was it?" The silence stretched between them, only broken by the rustling of leaves. Then Lumi spoke, his tone grim. "I don''t know. But whatever it is... it''s looking for you." "WHERE DID IT COME FROM"!! "I feared a calamity is coming, we have to be prepared" A Door appears in front of Joine, it opened, and a bright glowing golden light poured out, so intense that Joine had to shield his eyes. From within the light, a figure emerged Lumi. His blue fur gleamed with an ethereal glow. Joine blinked, still processing what he was seeing. "Lumi... how are you here?" Lumi smirked. "That door? It''s a gateway between worlds" "Oh wow" "Yea let''s get to moving" "Yea but first you can''t go around looking like that" Joine said, eyeing Lumi. "People are gonna freak out if they see a blue floating fox walking flying around." "Oh yea, wait give me a minute" Lumi smirked, backing up. His fur began to glow, his tails swirling like a golden storm. In a flash of light, morphing into a human shape, When the glow faded, Lumi stood there... Joine''s eye twitched. "Lumi, why do you look like that?" Lumi grinned, flipping his hair. "Hey! I went for cute and approachable!" "More like ''kid who got separated from his mom at the mall!''" Lumi crossed his arms. "Well, excuse me for not wanting to look like some old man." Joine sighed, "Great. Now people are gonna think I''m babysitting." Lumi smirked. "Don''t worry, big bro I''ll stick close, so I don''t get lost." He clung to Joine''s arm dramatically. Joine groaned. "This is gonna be a long day..." "Anyways Lumi where you wanna go" "Uh, anywhere is fine with you. I would like to experience human culture" "Oh ok got you" So Joine and lumi went to the Arcade first. "What is this place?" "Well, this is real magic happens my furry friend" "Welcome to the real magic, my furry friend where dreams are crushed, wallets are emptied, and sweaty kids rule the land!" Lumi crosses his arms, pouting. "Tch, this place smells like oil and disappointment. Where''s the real magic?" "Ha-ha" Joine showed lumi around and eagerly dragged lumi from game to game and showed some of his favorite game. With a cocky grin, He absolutely demolished Lumi in every single one. "Ha! Too slow, fuzz ball!" Joine teased, flashing a victory sign. Lumi, fuming, chomped down on Joine''s arm. "Hmph, Cheater! How is this fair? I don''t even know how this ''magic'' works!" "Ow! What kind of sore loser bites people?!" Lumi just laughed, he just brushes it off like nothing happened. Even if he didn''t understand what the magic behind it and how the flashing machines worked, what kept them running all the time without mana, he couldn''t sense anything from it but still he was having fun. Because he with Joine. "Ok where to now" Joine asked, glancing around. "I don''t know" Lumi stomach growls, lumi embarrassed "Ha-ha, looks like you''re hungry, don''t worry let''s go and eat" They headed to a local caf¨¦, as they were about to order a nice maid come to serve them. "Hello meow!" Lumi tilted his head "Are you a cat" "Ha-ha, no, this is a cat caf¨¦ we just have to do it ''meow" Joine awkwardly said "Ahhaa-Aha sorry about him we''d like to a sundae please" "Nah its ok, he''s super cute and I''ll be with you in a minute, meow" Lumi''s eyes sparkled with innocence. "Joine that was rude!" "What did I say?" "You said you wanted a sundae, not a ''meow-sundae!''" Joine laughed, "Okay, lesson one: when in a cat caf¨¦, embrace the meow!" "Meow" Lumi replied, doing his best cat impression, which made Joine burst into laughter. As they waited for their order, Joine couldn''t help but feel grateful for these moments. "You know, Lumi, I''m really glad you''re here. This place is way more fun with you around." Lumi blush till he turned red, he covers his face. "Y-yea same I''m happy because I met you too" After they finish their delicious sundae, lumi transformed back into a fox and went back to his world and Joine wave goodbye. Once home, first thing Joine did he trudged up straight to his room, the day weighing on him. Without saying a word to his sister, he collapsed onto his bed, sinking into its softness. And Bam! He fell into a deep sleep. Chapter 3: The Morning That Changed Everything Joine wakes up to a strange silence, normally, Mina would rush in his room without knocking to wake him up, but instead there was nothing............ For a moment Joine though she finally stopped, but as he steps out of his room, he sees traces of struggle, a fallen chair, and the window slightly open. Mina is gone. "W-wha..." Joine in shock, loss of words, he stood there shaken. "W-what" What could have happened, Joine can''t think or talk properly. His sister wouldn''t just leave the house like this. Joine finally calm down for a bit look around and then, he notices something, a single fox tail charm lying on the floor, glowing faintly. "I-I" He rushes to her room broke the door down and saw blood trail, like she was drag out. Joine was angry and sad at the same time, he doesn''t know what to think. Joine try to contact Lumi through telepathic, but it didn''t work, Joine could only stand there as he thinks what to do but he was determined to find his sister at any means. But first since he couldn''t reach Lumi he prepared for the day and painfully head out for school. After he reaches school, he puts his bag in his locker and head off to math class, and he remember. "O-oh shit... I have a test" He had a test to take, but it was the least of his worries. Still, he gave it his best shot, expecting to fail but refusing to give up. After finishing his test, Joine planned to attempt contracting Lumi. But before he did, he got a random message. "........." The symbols were unreadable, something he couldn''t understand, brushing it off for now. he waited until lunchtime. As soon as the break started, he rushed out of the school, heading to a secluded spot where no one could see him. "HEY!! LUMI WHERE ARE YOU AT" And then a door appears in front of Joine, the same door that Lumi uses to travel. The moment it fully formed, the door creaked open, releasing a gust of energy. And as Lumi steps out Joine notice Lumi was in his human form. Lumi shaken fall in Joine arms. Joine didn''t know what happened and what to think, and without any hesitation he rushes to the house with lumi in his arms, skipping class without a second thought. By the time he reached home, his heart was pounding. He kicks the door open and rushed inside, placing Lumi gently on the bed. Lumi''s breathing was unsteady. "Lumi... what''s wrong with you?" Joine muttered his voice barely above a whisper. But there was no response. Panic started creeping in. Lumi was always full of energy, and annoyingly confident. But now, he looked... drained. Like something had stolen the life from him. Joine stayed there, and then saw Lumi finally woke up. "J-Joine" "Yea I''m here" "I''m sorry" "It''s not your fault; I saw the fox tail charm" "Y-yea but I''m sorry I couldn''t do anything" "What happen tho" Lumi trying to speak but he couldn''t, so he decided to show Joine his memory. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. 12 Hour ago As Joine slept peacefully, a dark gate appeared in front of Joine''s house and something like shadows broke in the front door. Since Joine was protected with the fox''s divine protection, the shadow like things couldn''t hurt him whiles he''s asleep, but his sister wasn''t, so they head to his sister rooms. Mina was sleeping at the time and BAM!! The door was kicked down, while Mina was still lost in slumber. Lumi, sensing the disturbance, and rushes straight towards Joine''s house, The sight of the broken entrance sent a wave of dread through him and he transformed mid step dashing inside, he saw Joine room safe, because of the fox''s divine protection. But then he gazes his eyes to Joine sister room, and saw the door was kicked down. "I should''ve placed the protection over the entire house... they''re after her too!" "AHHHH!!!" Mina screams in terror. "Joine sister!" Lumi''s heart pounded Lumi rushes to Mina''s room and saw some cloaked shadows. They stood Over Mina, their faces obscured, their eerie presence made even more ominous by the fox tail charms dangling from their cloaks. "W-what..?" Before he could have said another word they charged at him, he dodges the first strike, but the other one appears behind, swinging a sword that''s discharging dark energy. Lumi reacted just in time, barely managed to block, the impact sending him hurtling against the wall, Mina, still shaking, crawled toward him "M-mister, are you okay" "..." Before he could respond THUD! Her scream pierced the night. "NOOOO!!" Something inside Lumi snapped. His eyes burned crimson. His energy spiked, raw and untamed, in an instant, his form shifted¡ªhis ears sharpened, a tail sprouted, and his claws extended. The transformation was swift, both terrifying and... strangely beautiful. Looks cute but terrifying, Lumi without a second thought dash to one of them SLAAASH! Lumi manage to hit one of them, and one strike he vanished, PUFF! Disappeared like nothing. But the other one holding Mina had already disappeared. He tries to get info what they are and what''s there plan. Lumi turned sharply to the last one standing "Where did they took her, and why!" The shadow simply smirked before conjuring a magic circle. FWOOOSH! A blast of dark magic erupted toward him. Lumi twisted his body, dodging it with ease before lunging forward. FSHHH! Lumi claws struck through the shadow cloak, dealing a fatal blow, BAM! Crashes to the floor, without hesitation, it got up and turned to flee, its movements slowed. Quickly uses the fox tail charm, open a dark gate and drops the charm. Lumi chased after it, but something on the ground caught his eyes, a fox tail charm. "Wait... how did they use this? Only Fu Ju foxes can" Before he could finish his thought, the gate slowly started to close. He had to go now be for it closes. When he got to the other side he saw his home land was nearly destroyed. The once proud village of the Fu Ju foxes lay in ruin, the air thick with smoke and sorrow. But the worst part, His people and the tribe. As he stood there, he was spaced out not knowing what to do. And saw his people walking like puppets, as they have been controlled, with a big metal chains around there necks and their eyes soul less. Lumi slowly took a step forward, shaking, and then WHAM! A colossal shadowed hand pinned him into the ground. "OWW! W-what... was that?" A figure emerged from the darkness, their presence suffocating. They clutched a wooden staff, its top adorned with a pulsating dark orb, ancient symbols swirling around it. "What do we have here, I sense a powerful magic from you, and mmm yes you are one of those high Fu Ju fox, one that can transform, impressive" Lumi breath was shaky. His body ached but he still tried to move, but before he could attack back SHHK!! The staff pierced through his chest, dark magic surging through his body. His vision blurred, his strength fading fast. The last thing he thought was "I''m sorry, Joine" The cloaked shadows and there leader head off, and Lumi lay there for 11 hours and has he heard a voice, it was Joine. Lumi still injured, forced himself to reach Joine. And he finally had the little energy to stand up, create a gateway and went through and fainted in Joine''s arm. 12 hours later, back to present. Joine had seen enough, tears welled up in his eyes as he hugged Lumi, and he saw the stab wound lumi chest. "Oh no I forgot about that!" "I-it''s gonna be ok, it will heal itself" But Joine wasn''t convinced. He refused to just stand by, while he still has the strength to help. Determined he focused his energy and began to cast a healing spell. A glowing magic circle around Lumi as he muttered the incantation, slowly the wound started to close. "Y-yeah I did it!" Lumi touches his chest and was shocked. "Joine... you really did it, you''re getting stronger by the second" Joine used too much mana, his body drained, and he collapsed. "Oh no! Joine not again" Lumi panicked, catching him before he hit the ground. Lumi carry Joine to his bedroom and laid him onto the bed slowly "Thank you Joine and we will get back your sister" Lumi whispered Lumi still exhausted from everything that had happened, slowly Lumi crawled onto the bed and fell asleep beside Joine. Chapter 4: A New Adventure Awaits "Wha¡ª?! LUMIII!!!! WHY ARE YOU ON MY BED!!!" Lumi was curled up like a hibernating bear, comfy and peacefully. He wakes up by the sounds of Joine yelling, with a lazy yawn, he finally blinked awake. "What''s all the noise about?" "I''ll tell you what! Why are you on my bed?" Lumi stretched his arms like a cat and let out a satisfied sigh. "Because I was very exhausted¡­. And, you know, my home got destroyed remember" "Yeah, but you could have slept downstairs" "What''s wrong with me sleeping here?" "Ugh, never mind. Let''s just figure out what to do" "Okie dookie" Joine and Lumi both got up, stretching off the last remnants of sleep. Joine let out a tired sigh as he made his way to the bathroom, grabbing his toothbrush. "Another day" Lumi, still sleepy, watches Joine brushes his teeth "Mm¡­. Brush mine too" Joine sighed, squeezing the toothpaste hard "Not happening" Lumi pouted "Oh really, Tch, Fine I see how it is" After Joine brushed his teeth and washes his face, he made his way downstairs to prepare breakfast, meanwhile, Lumi was still lying on the bed, he hasn''t move yet. "Lumi!!! Breakfast is ready" Lumi still lying there didn''t want to get up. "Oh, so that''s how it is, huh" Joine rushes upstairs STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!! Lumi barely peeked, open one eye and saw Joine over him, smiling "Ha-ha, Gotcha! Ass" "AHHH!! Come on Let me stay on the bed!!" "NOOOO!! It''s my bed and I don''t even wanna stay on it all day, and we still have to get my sister" "O-okay!! Fine, put me down! Already" Joine immediately let go. THUMP! Lumi face planted onto the floor, Joine just walked away without a second glance "Your fine, hurry up and eat" Lumi groaned, rubbing his head, before finally dragging himself downstairs. By the time he plopped onto a chair, Joine was already sitting at the dining table, eating like nothing had happened. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. "Wow, here you''re eating like nothing happen" Lumi pouted, crossing his arms. "Uh, Hehe, I don''t know what you''re talking about, just eat" "Mmm... fine, but next time wake me up a little more gently" "You were already awake, and you could''ve gotten up on your own" Joine smirked, chewing casually "Mmm!! Anyways, I wanted to ask you something" "What is it?" "I never actually asked, but what''s your sister''s name?" "Oh yea, sorry about that, her name is ''Mina, my cute little sister" "That''s a cute and amazing name. I won''t forget it" "Hehe, she''s cuter than you" "HEYYY!! Ok yea but I''m still cute" "You''re super cute yeah, for a boy" "Hmph I''ll take that as a compliment" After finishing their breakfast, Joine and Lumi turned their focus to what mattered most getting stronger and rescuing Mina. So, they headed to the back of the house. after regaining some of his mana and strength back, he took a deep breath and raised his hand and first he cast a barrier around them and with his fingertips he traced a pattern in the air. Within seconds a gate formed before them, pulsing with an eerie yet mesmerizing light. "Now Joine, you''ll have to get stronger before even thinking about going through this gate. In your current state, you''d probably be torn apart by its energy or worse. So, you must have a higher energy and capacity to withstand it" "What! Training, do I have too, can''t I just, I don''t know, wing it?" "Oh sure, okay¡­... If you want to evaporate into magical dust" "Ugh fine, I guess training it is¡­. But if I pass out, you''re carrying me back inside" "OK, I can work with that but take it seriously. But no promises on how gently I drop you on the bed" "Yea! Ofc I''ll take this seriously, I have to safe my sister" "You mean us" "Yea, we, us, on an adventure" Joine sits in a meditative pose, while Lumi places an energy barrier around him. Joine must find his center, sense and circulate mana throughout his body. Joine loses focus, the barrier zaps him lightly. "OW!! What''s that about?" "HAHA!!" "Come on, was that necessary" "If you stay focus that wouldn''t happen" Joine tries again and again, determined to push past his limits. After several more attempts and a few more jolts of painful zaps he finally managed to focus. His breathing steadied, and suddenly, the world around him faded into a vast, endless space. Before him two 2 energy cores floating in front of his eyes, radiating opposite auras, one shone bright as the sun, while the other one dark as midnight abyss. As he slowly moves closer and closer to the cores and the dark core flickered, and then without warning WHOOSH! It slowly dissipated into the void, vanishing like mist in the wind. Joine''s eyes widened in confusion, "What just happened? " He didn''t have time to question it. He turned toward the remaining radiant core, its golden light reflecting in his eyes. An invisible force pulled him forward, and as he reached out FWOOOM!!! The core rushed into the magic crest on his right hand, flooding his body with an overwhelming surge of energy. A brilliant glow enveloped him, and at that moment, the space around him trembled. Through the blinding light, a faint yet majestic presence emerged¡ªa colossal, beautiful white divine fox, its fur shimmering like stardust. Its golden eyes met Joine''s, filled with ancient wisdom and power. "Joine" Its voice echoed softly through his mind, both gentle and commanding. And just as quickly as it appeared SHWOOOSH! The fox vanished into the light Joine gasped, snapping back to reality. He was still seated in his meditation state, his body glowing faintly with divine energy. His heart pounded. Lumi looked at Joine as he glows. "Oh wow, it actually worked" "What do you mean, ''it actually worked" "Oh, hehe, nothing, it just that it takes days or sometimes it never happens for someone to unlock there inter core" "It''s just that¡­ unlocking one''s inner core usually takes days, sometimes even weeks. And in rare cases, it never happens at all." "Oh, well, I don''t really get it, but I finally did it" "Yes, you did. But that''s just the first phase, so don''t get too cocky. You''re still a beginner, rookie" "Geez, can''t a guy enjoy the moment for once" "Fine, fine, enjoy your little victory. But don''t forget this is only the first step." And now, as Joine and Lumi stood before the swirling gateway, its energy pulsating like a heartbeat, casting eerie reflections in the air, a gust of wind rushed past them, pulling at their clothes as if urging them forward. Joine smirked "See you on the other side" "Try not to embarrass yourself" FWOOSH! The gate sealed shut behind them in an instant, its presence erased as if it had never been there. And just like that, they were gone. Off to face the unknown. Off to a new adventure that awaited them. Chapter 5: Alone in a Strange World "WAKE UP CHILD!" A deep thunderous voice, spoken to Joine "W-wha, who''s there?" He blinked, but no matter where he looked, he saw nothing, just endless darkness stretching infinitely in all directions. It was as if he had been swallowed by the abyss itself. Then, out of nowhere in the endless void, a familiar pulse caught his eye. It was the dark energy core. the same one, that he had seen before. It hovered in the distance, beating like a heart. "What''s going on? The last thing I remember is when I and Lumi went through the gate" "You will soon find out, boy, soon enough" Joine clenched his fists. "Where are we?" "Mmm... we are nowhere. Between dimensions... a place where light and shadow loses meaning, where time drifts without purpose. "Nowhere, really" "Yes, but soon, you will be on the other side, A world of magic, where anything you can imagine exists¡­, demon, beast, and monster" "Ok, Thanks for the heads up" "Don''t thank me yet, Haha!!" And then POOF!! The energy core disappears, leaving a think Black Fog, and an evil smile appear for a second and vanish. "Oh Wow, creepy" After the fog fade away a door opened up, and Joine slowly walked up to it, He hesitated for a moment, glancing around the empty void, then took a deep breath and stepped inside. And then, WHOOSH! A swirling vortex erupted from the air, pushing him out. "W-Wha¡ªAHHHHHHHH!!!" Joine screamed After what seemed like an eternity, He finally passed the clouds and saw a River, SPLASH! He crashed into a river, the cold water shocking his entire body. Gasping, he flailed his arms and kicked his legs, struggling against the current. Coughing and sputtering, he dragged himself onto the muddy riverbank, collapsing on his hands and knees. His heart pounded as he choked out the water he had swallowed. "W-Where am I¡­?" he muttered, his breath uneven. As Joine lifted his head, he realized he was surrounded by towering trees. The forest was silent, too silent. A cold chill ran down his spine as an unsettling feeling crept over him. Something was watching him, but what?! But before Joine could react, a sudden wave of weakness crashed over him. His body felt impossibly light, as if something had ripped the strength from his very core. The gate had drained him, his energy, and his mana, nearly everything. A cold, hollow sensation spread through his body, his vision distorting as if the world itself was slipping away. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. "N-No... what... is this...?" he murmured, barely able to keep his footing. His legs gave out. Thud! He collapsed onto the cold, damp ground, his fingers trembling as he fought to stay conscious. His breath came in ragged gasps, his eyelids growing heavier. Just before he passed out, he saw it. A figure slowly approaches him, its presence felt ominous, yet strangely familiar. Was it friend or foe? Joine''s vision blurred. The last thing he heard was the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps drawing closer. And then everything faded to black. Meanwhile¡­.. Lumi realize something was wrong "No! No! What happened?" Lumi Panic, looking around, searching desperately, but Joine was nowhere to be seen. His heart pounded. This wasn''t supposed to happen. They were supposed to arrive together. "W-where could he be!! I have to find him fast!! He better not be in any danger" Without wasting another second, Lumi took off, his body shifting mid-stride as a flash of light enveloped him. In an instant, he had returned to his true fox form, but speed alone wouldn''t be enough. He has to find a way to cover more ground and then he thought of something. Summoning his strength, Lumi formed a complex magic circle beneath his paws. His breath grew heavy as the air crackled with energy¡ªthis wasn''t an easy spell to cast. "Celestial Divide!!" Celestial Divide, B-tier Ability, demanding absolute concentration and endurance, It''s an overpowered ability, but due to its major drawback, making it the only reason it isn''t an A-tier ability, because while active, it completely restricts the user from casting any other magic and it also drains alot of mana, knowing this Lumi didn''t care because right now, Joine was out there somewhere alone. "Spread out! Find him, no matter what!" he commanded His clones dashed off in different directions, vanishing into the thick forest mist. Lumi narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath, and took off. He bolted forward, pushing himself beyond his limits. "Hang in there, Joine! I''ll find you, no matter what it takes!" .............. As Lumi desperately searched for Joine¡­.. Joine slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurry from exhaustion. The warmth of the sunlight filtering through the trees "W-where¡­ am I?" Joine blinked and looked up. Standing over him was a beautiful girl. Long Orange hair, her eyes as bright as the morning sun, her presence made him felt somewhat at ease. She smiled. "My name is Akari. It means light. What''s yours?" "Nice to meet you Akari, But where are we exactly" "Where in the great forest, Tensh¨­ Mori, a sacred forest swallowed by an eternal veil, It is said that gods once walked these lands, leaving behind echoes of their power¡­ but now, something far more sinister lurks within." Haha¡­. Great!! First I fall out the sky, nearly die, and now I''m in some evil forest¡­. Just my luck, but I guess there''s no point worrying about it now, we''ll just have to be ready for whatever comes next" "Yea, we will, for sure" "Btw I never got the change to say this, but thanks for saving me" "Ofc np, actually I''m glad I found you, I was starting to feel lonely out here" "Hehe¡­ Well, guess that makes two of us. Being lost in some creepy mysterious forest wasn''t exactly on my to do list, but at least I''m not alone" Joine stretches his arms, sighing. "Well alright Akari, since I''m new here, you''ll have to help me, what lurks in the forest and how to survive" "Yea ofc" "How long you been on this island tho?" "Well, I guess been here for a while, I forgot¡­." "Oh, sorry to hear that" "Don''t worry about, it''s actually not bad. This forest has some amazing wildlife animals" "Well ok, but don''t worry we''ll get out of here, trust me" "Yes, I feel I can put my trust in you" After they talked, it started to become night, and in this forest, the real evil starts to lurk the most. "Oh No!" Akari took Joine by the arm and rushes to the shelter. "H-hey! What''s the hurry about?" "You don''t wanna be out here at night" "O-oh Ok got you" After they reached the shelter, there breathing grow heavy, but lucky they made it in time "Don''t worry, this is my base protected by the Divine light, magic," "Mmm, Light huh" "Yea, anyways, I''m SOOO! tired, so we can talk in the morning" "Ofc yea, you did a lot for me already, Good night" "Yea, Good night" Akari curl up in a ball and fell fast asleep, Joine watches her while she sleeps "Hehe, so cute, well guess I should catch some sleep myself, don''t worry Lumi I''m ok, Hope you aren''t to worry about me, well knowing you" Joine slowing lay down on the bed and slowly closes, his eyes, what awaits them next, guess we''ll have to see in the morning" Chapter 6: Akari鈥檚 Secret A mysterious voice echoing in Joine¡¯s mind "Awaken..." ¡°WHA!!¡± Joine sprung awake, his heart pounding. ¡°Geez, the voice again¡­. I swear the voice just gets louder, like its tryna tell me something, I still don¡¯t get where does voice are coming from¡± Shaking off the lingering drowsiness, he sat up and stretched letting out a deep sigh. "Mmm, another day, another adventure" He glanced around, taking in the warm morning light filtering through the shelter. Then he notices, Akari was already up ¡°Mm seems like she¡¯s already up and ready, well guess I should get moving too¡± Joine Stretched one last time before stepping outside, and then he saw Akari, sitting on the cold, hard, ground, lost in thought But just he was about to call out to her, his eyes caught something, her right arm, glowing with ancient, intricate runes As Joine took a step closer, the symbols shimmered. But before he could say anything, Akari quickly pulled her sleeve down, her expression unreadable. Akari, last in words, she quickly stood up and run quickly as fast as she can. Joine shocked ¡°W-What!!!¡± Joine without hesitating, sprinted after Akari into the forest, leaving the shelter wide open and unprotected Akari Breathing grows heavily ¡°Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Hah¡­. P-please stay away from me, I¡¯m just...¡± Before she could finish, she failed to notice the sudden drop ahead, her foot slipped and tumbled off the edge of a steep hill. ¡°OHH!! NOOO!!! AKARI!!¡± Joine¡¯s heart pounded as panic surged through him. He had to act fast, but there wasn¡¯t enough time. Without thinking, he pushed his body forward with all his strength, leaping off the edge and stretching his hand toward her ¡°Hold On¡± ¡°O-okay¡± And then something happens, As Joine clutched Akari¡¯s hand, a sudden surge of energy pulsed between them. Their arms ignited with a radiant glow, Joine¡¯s right arm and Akari¡¯s right arm both pulsing with ancient symbols, intertwining like threads of fate A shockwave erupted from their contact, suspending them mid-air and everything around them froze, like time itself had stopped ¡°Ehhh!! What¡¯s going on?¡± Akari¡¯s panicked voice echoed through the stillness ¡°Geez, no need to shout¡± But!! We¡¯re literally frozen in midair!!¡± ¡°Yea, but look on the bright, side, Hehe, get it, because we¡¯re glowing¡± ¡°This is not the time for jokes!!¡± Akari eye twitches ¡°I¡¯m serious! At least we¡¯re not plummeting to our deaths.¡± Akari hesitated¡­ ¡°Okay, fair point. But what happens when time unfreezes?¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Joine paused. ¡°Mmm¡­ well, we¡¯re probably screwed.¡± Then, a third presence surged between them, an unseen force pressing against reality itself. Suddenly, the magic curst on Joine right Hand, and the ancient mark on Akari right Arm, fainted slowly, then the sky split open, revealing a pair of glowing eyes, massive, endless, watching them from beyond the fabric of existence. A voice, neither kind nor cruel, spoke with an eerie calm ¡°You have strayed from fate. Return¡­ or be remade¡± Before they could react, a bright light shined on them, and the world around them shattered like fragile glass. Joine opened his eyes, gasped as he found himself standing in a temple, ancient writing embedded onto the walls. Akari was curl up on the floor, trembling ¡°Where are we?¡± Joine Muttered to himself Joine looked, step over to her and put out his hand ¡°It¡¯s gonna be ok¡± Akari, suddenly, stop tremble and hold Joine by the hand, and Joine pulled her up and slap her, and smiled, she rubs her face, be she didn¡¯t get mad or anything. ¡°Ow, but thanks I needed that¡± Akari smiled Joine stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. "No more secrets, Akari. What are you running from?" Finally, she exhaled. "Alright... I''ll tell you everything." "I wasn¡¯t always alone. I come from a place that no longer exists¡ªthe city of Solmara. It was home to my people, the Luminara Order. We were guardians of the divine light, protectors of an ancient power." She paused. eyes shadowed with old pain. "But then... they came." Joine¡¯s expression hardened. "Who?" Akari swallowed. "The Voidborn, Creatures of pure darkness, they wiped us out, erased my home, my family, everything. I was the only one who survived." Joine clenched his fists. "Then those runes... they¡¯re not just for show, are they?" Akari shook her head. "No. They¡¯re a gift... but also a curse. They¡¯re what kept me alive that night, but they also mark me as the last of my kind. If the Voidborn ever find me..." Her voice trailed off, but she didn¡¯t need to finish. The weight of her words settled like a storm between them. Joine took a deep breath and then smirked. "Well, guess it¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re not alone anymore." Akari blinked. "What?" Joine crossed his arms. "You¡¯ve been running your whole life, right? Hiding? Well, I say you stop running. If those void-whatever things are looking for you, then they¡¯ll have to deal with me too." For the first time in years, Akari felt something she thought she¡¯d lost hope. She smiled. "You really are reckless, you know that?" Joine grinned. "I prefer ¡®fearless.¡¯" Akari laughed softly. "Alright, fearless, then let¡¯s face whatever comes next, ¡®together." Joine and Akari Laughed together "By the way, Joine, I''ve been meaning to ask you... What''s your goal? Why are you here?¡± And Akari''s eyes narrowed, glancing at his hand. "That mark... what is it?" "Damn, one question at a time, will ya?" He rubbed the back of his head. "But to start... I¡¯m from Earth¡± Akari''s eyes widened. "Wait, really?! I¡¯ve heard stories about that place! But how did you end up all the way out here?" "Some shadow freaks broke into my house" he muttered, his voice lower, strained. "I don¡¯t know what they wanted, but they were after me. But before they could lay a hand on me¡­. The divine protection, Lumi cast around my room prevented them from entering my room whiles I was asleep, guess I got lucky¡± Joine looked down, his expression darkened ¡°B-but my sister wasn¡¯t¡± Akari gasped ¡°wait what! You have a sister and what you mean she wasn¡¯t¡± ¡°Those¡­ Those!! Dam bastards took her¡± ¡°WHAT!!¡± ¡°While I was sleeping, I couldn¡¯t do anything, my friend, Lumi tried to save her, but he couldn¡¯t do it alone¡± "Those disgusting, heartless, AARGH!! This makes me SO MAD!" "Whoa chill out!" Akari¡¯s body trembled, her aura flaring wildly. "How do you expect me to chill after hearing THAT?! They took your sister! ¡°Yeah, I know¡­ but right now, we need to focus on getting out of here¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll find her. No matter what, even if I have to tear through every damn shadow in this world¡± ¡°Damn Right, hey, but who¡¯s Lumi¡± Joine smirked. ¡°Mm, he¡¯s a beast literally. From some ancient tribe¡­ the Fu Ju, A powerful fox with abilities that are on a whole other level¡± Akari¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Oh wow, he sounds awesome!¡± Joine chuckled. ¡°Yeah, just wait till you meet him¡± Akari grinned. ¡°Can¡¯t wait¡± ¡°Wait Akari, you hear that¡± Rrrrrrrrmmmm¡­ Grrrkkk¡­ Shhhkkkk¡­ RMMMMM! A deep, earth-shaking rumble tore through the air. The ground trembled beneath their feet ¡°Sounds like a bolder!!¡± Joine Shouted And then it came into view. A massive, unstoppable boulder, easily twice their size, thundered toward them, there was no way around it. No space to dodge. Their backs hit the cold, unyielding wall of stone behind them, ¡®Trapped¡¯. ¡°This is the end¡­¡± she whispered, already accepting her fate. ¡°NO! I refuse to believe that!!¡± he roared, his voice echoing through the temple hall There had to be a way. A chance, even without powers, there had to be something. The boulder thundered closer¡­¡­¡­. and Then To be continued¡­. Chapter 7 Filter: The Last Light of Solmara This is a filter Chapter, telling you, the reader. The backstory of Akari Homeland Long ago, before the world was torn by shadows and strife, there existed a beacon of hope, ¡®Solmara¡¯, the City of Eternal Light. Built upon sacred ground where the divine once walked, its people flourished under the guidance of The Luminara Order, an ancient sect of mages chosen by celestial forces. Their magic was unlike any other, pure and radiant, a gift from the heavens themselves. They were healers, protectors, and guardians of balance, wielding the very essence of the stars. To be chosen as a Luminara was an honor beyond measure, for it meant carrying the weight of the world''s last divine power. Among them was Akari, the youngest disciple in centuries to bear the mark of the Celestial Runes, a testament to her boundless potential. She was raised within the grand temple. Her days spent studying sacred texts, mastering the art of healing, and learning to summon light as effortlessly as drawing breath. She dreamt of the day she would take her place alongside her masters, defending the world from the creeping darkness that lurked beyond Solmara¡¯s golden gates. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. But fate is cruel. One night, beneath an ominous Blood Moon, the sky darken, thick black clouds, started to form. The radiant barriers that had safeguarded Solmara for centuries flickered¡­it started to crack more and more, and then the 7 layers of the barriers, shattered. From the abyss beyond the Veil, they came. Twisted, living shadows, creeping through the city like an unstoppable tide. No blade could cut them. No fire could burn them. They devoured the very light itself. The battle was swift. The High Sage, the leader of the Luminara, called upon every last drop of his power to fight back. One by one, the mages fell. Ancient spells turned to dying embers, divine light swallowed by a void that knew no mercy. In the midst of it all, Akari stood frozen, helpless, her hands trembling as she watched the only family she had ever known fall before her eyes. And then¡­ the High Sage turned to her. His once-strong hands, now weak and shaking, traced glowing symbols upon her right arm, a final gift, a final curse, like a double edge sword. "You must live¡­ the light must not fade¡­"