Charlotte's (POV)
The world blurred as I was dragged through the dark corridors, shadows wrapping around my limbs like serpents. My vision swam from the drugged tea Arthur offered me earlier that evening. I never imagined… he would be the one.
"Arthur… why?" I whispered.
But his face—once radiant with light and resolve—was now cold, twisted by something… dark. His once golden eyes now swirled with black, like an abyss ready to devour.
"You of all people should know," he said. "You played with power. You toyed with people's hearts. You abandoned those who needed you the most… like Noah."
I froze.
He leaned closer, a bitter smile stretching his lips. "Don't worry, this is justice. I just made sure the karma came early."
Chains of corrupted mana wrapped around my wrists and ankles, latching me to the walls of the ancient basement beneath the academy. The air here was stale, thick with the scent of rot and old blood.
Then he placed the parchment beside me, whispering incantations. Dozens of glowing mana bombs appeared—runic devices that pulsed with Arthur's will.
"I've linked them to my mind. Plan B, in case anyone gets too close." He smirked and turned away. "When they see what I've become, it will already be too late."
And just like that, he vanished into the shadows—leaving me alone, bound and broken.
Hours passed.
I had screamed. Cried. Pleaded.
But no one came.
Not Layla. Not Lyra. Not Olivia. Not him…
" no one coming ...."
I stared at the ceiling as cracks spread across it. Bits of stone began to fall. The world above was breaking—just like I had inside.
Then the guilt came, crawling in.
This is my punishment, isn't it?
For pushing away the one person who truly tried to understand me. For choosing duty over sincerity. For rejecting Noah when he was at his lowest.
Maybe this is what I deserve.
BOOM!
BOOM!
The explosions above rattled the chamber. Rubble fell around me. One of the supporting pillars cracked, making the whole place tremble. Death whispered in the crumbling stone, and I let my eyes drift shut.
I'm sorry… Noah…
Then—
A deafening crash tore through the wall.
Dust. Wind. Light.
And then—
Him.
Silver hair, crimson eyes, sweat-drenched, breathing heavily—
Noah.
My breath hitched. For a moment, I thought I was hallucinating.
He ran toward me—no hesitation, no fear—but I found my voice.
"No—stop!" I gasped. "The bombs—mana bombs! They're linked to him. One wrong move and this whole place will turn to ash."
He froze instantly, eyes wide as he finally noticed the runes glowing faintly around me. His gaze locked with mine—furious, desperate.
"…Who did this?" he asked through gritted teeth.
I didn't answer. I didn't need to.
He closed his eyes.
"Of course… him."
His voice was low, trembling with rage.
"How do I disarm them?" he asked.
"Only… S-rank mages or higher can do it. And even then, if they make a single mistake, the whole system collapses and everything detonates."
"…Tch." He cursed under his breath.
Noah glanced around, scanning the pattern of bombs, the runes, the trap circle—it was masterfully done. Time was ticking.
Then suddenly—
[Ding!]
[ Critical Situation Detected.]
[Suggesting Intervention ]
[ Authority of Creation can be used to bypass required rank and defuse mana bombs ]
Noah (thought): "System… then help me."
[Skill Creation: Emergency Use]
[ Sanctum Code : Runebreaker]
Rank: S
Effect: Instantly deciphers, nullifies, and absorbs any explosive mana-based device within a 10-meter radius. Usable only with precise mental focus. A single miscast may trigger residual magical backlash.
[ CP Cost: 1,500 CP ]
Noah grit his teeth as the cost flashed before him. He didn't hesitate.
{ CP: -1500
Skill Learned: Sanctum Code: Runebreaker }
He stepped forward, now cloaked in radiant light. The air trembled around him as divine threads of creation weaved into his palm.
"I'm getting you out of here," he whispered. "No more chains, Charlotte."
And this time—I believed him.
To be continued…