The Heavenly Killing Star Germinates
Anyway, I survived, right?
Numerous deaths harvested.
The nutrients from the reaped deaths overflow.
The seed of the Heavenly Killing Star germinates.
When I opened my eyes, I was at the shore of a dark lake. My mind was a bit foggy, so even though I was walking on the water, it didn't strike me as strange.
"Where... is this?"
There was nothing around, so I kept walking until something came into view. Then, when I looked up, a tiny star twinkled in the distance.
It was red.
The Heavenly Killing Star.
The moment I saw the crimson star, I knew it instinctively. I used it as my guide and walked on. Before long, I spotted a door.
It was an old, tattered wooden door.
"It won't open..."
No matter if I pulled or pushed the handle, it stayed firmly shut. As I stood there dumbfounded, wondering what to do next, something dropped from the sky with a thud.
A book?
This, too, was incredibly worn. Faded traces and frayed paper texture. The thread binding it looked like it might snap at any moment. I opened the pitch-black covered book.
"What's it say...?"
It was in an unfamiliar script. With no clue what it might contain, I flipped through it like a picture book. Then my hand stopped on one page.
A human body was illustrated, with a red vortex swirling where the heart should be.
■■.
A bony hand appeared from behind me, pointing at the vortex drawn in the book. The other hand gently rested on my shoulder.
"What does this mean?"
When I asked innocently, the finger that had pointed at the vortex swung back to indicate my heart.
You become aware of dense killing intent.
Awakening Blood Shadow Style.
Thud—my body felt like it was sinking. I closed my eyes again just like that.
When I opened my eyes again, I was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. According to the doctor, I'd been unconscious for a full three days.
"How's your body holding up?"
Instructor Blackrose had come by the infirmary.
"Yes, I think I can move around now."
"The doctor said you burned through your mana to the limit. Not sure if it's related, but even while you were out, your mana flow was surging wildly."
"I see..."
It felt like I'd gone somewhere far away. Like I'd seen something, but it was foggy, like it was shrouded in mist—my memories weren't forming properly.
"No wonder... when I first woke up, my body felt so heavy and limp I could barely move."
It must've been the backlash from the prolonged fights and pushing Death-Seeing Eye to its limits until my mana hit rock bottom.
Yeah... probably just that.
"Do you know how to handle aura?"
"Pardon? No."
Instructor Blackrose rubbed her chin, staring at me intently. She seemed deep in thought.
"Hmm, no idea what you burned all that mana on."
"Eek, ahem!"
I cleared my throat awkwardly and gazed off at some distant mountain.
"Whatever, not my business. Do you remember all the guys you killed?"
"Yeees..."
"One of them was an aura user."
"R-Really?"
"Yeah, a warrior who'd woven one ring. They call it 1st Ring or 1st Circle."
"Ooh..."
Back then, I was so immersed in the fight I didn't have time to think about my opponents. I knew who and how I'd killed, but the sheer volume of info processed unconsciously meant the details didn't stick.
Or maybe I was just too clueless to notice.
"Hmm."
"W-Why are you staring like that...?"
"Looks like you still don't grasp what it means for someone without mana cultivation to kill an aura user."
"Ehehe."
I scratched my cheek with an embarrassed grin.
"Ppikak."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Instructor Blackrose crossed her arms.
"I don't know what amazing secret you're hiding, but you'd better handle it well."
"Well... hehe, who knows..."
"Don't lie so clumsily."
"Eek."
She definitely seemed convinced I was hiding something.
"I'll be going, then."
Instructor Blackrose glanced toward the door.
"Your friends are waiting, after all."
"Pardon?"
She strode to the door and flung it open. There were Bina and Edmon, eavesdropping in some awkward pose.
"Tsk tsk. If you're gonna hide your presence, do it right. Calling that stealth...?"
Even as she left, she had to throw in some advice.
Once Instructor Blackrose was gone, Bina and Edmon finally approached.
"Yufir!"
"Yufir."
Bina rushed over and hugged me tight. She smelled nice; it lifted my spirits. Edmon, unsure what to do, flailed his hands awkwardly.
"Waaah, Yufir~!"
Bina sobbed with her face beet red, kneading my cheeks. She'd stretch them out then let go, checking me all over for injuries.
Then she hugged me again.
"Thank youuu! I survived because of you!"
"Hehe, glad you're safe."
I felt proud and patted Bina's head. Then I noticed Edmon standing awkwardly.
He hesitated before bowing his head.
"Thanks... Embarrassing as it is, if it weren't for you, Yufir, I really don't know what would've happened."
"Yeah, glad you're safe too, Edmon."
They spent a while filling me in on exactly what went down during the evaluation day. And maybe for my sake? They didn't ask how I'd taken out those six hunters.
They probably knew it'd put me in a tough spot.
Everyone's so nice.
They were great friends.
"So what happens to our evaluation now?"
When I asked, Bina thrust up her thumb.
"They said there was an Al Miraz corpse nearby anyway, and they'd score us taking the situation into account."
"Yeah, it's not like there are actual points. It's more like leaving an evaluation on each of us—whether this trainee's fit to be a full agent, from the instructors' perspective. Like a student record."
The agent evaluation was a bit unique, from what I'd heard. Based on regular training results and the evaluation, each instructor writes up whether the trainee in question is suitable for official duty. Kinda like a permanent record.
"Yufir, yours might even get written up positively."
Edmon's words made me flush bashfully.
"Ehehe, you think~?"
I did fight pretty well. Thanks to the Heavenly Killing Star, though.
Blackrose tucked the document envelope under her arm and headed to headquarters. It was the largest conference room in the Central Intelligence Agency, used only for gatherings of high-ranking personnel.
"You've arrived."
"Yes, 3rd-grade agent Blackrose reporting."
The staffer at the door nodded and opened it. Inside, opinions were already flying hot and heavy. All of them were 1st- or 2nd-grade elite agents.
"No, our team's the most urgent, that's what I'm saying!"
"Come on, you swept up all the S-grades from last year's batch and you're whining?"
"Hold up, our team took heavy losses too, so let us in on the recruits?"
"Senior... this seems a bit too heated for us to squeeze in."
"Shut it, all of you. Priority goes to me—I lost two rookies on the last op."
"Save your men for once, you idiot."
"You bastards! Watch your mouths in front of the Director!"
Bam bam. Some slammed desks, others hurled objects across tables.
"Haa..."
Blackrose sighed deeply as she entered. One thing she'd learned in her dozen-plus years at the agency: those who survived long in this brutal line of work, or posted freakishly outstanding results, were all a bit off. Not a normal one in the bunch.
She didn't count herself as that normal, but she was a hell of a lot more sane than the 1st- and 2nd-grades gathered here.
"3rd-grade agent Blackrose."
As she stood before them, the old man at the head table smiled and raised a hand to quiet the brawling agents. Director Hendrum of Central Intelligence. At his gesture, the rowdy agents' volume dropped.
"Come on in. Heard the trainee evaluations wrapped up well."
"Yes, there were variables, but minimal casualties. And some rather intriguing points."
"Let's hear it."
Blackrose distributed the documents as she began her report. The content was straightforward: metrics on the trainees' levels from training records and evaluations. Most crucially, the monster hunters during the evaluation.
"I see. Didn't expect them to move even this close to the capital. Must've been desperate for cash."
Blackrose nodded at Hendrum's words.
"Seemed like they were collecting Al Miraz horns."
"Sophia, you mentioned black-market monster parts circulation spiking recently?"
1st-grade agent Sophia nodded.
"Hmm..."
Hendrum flipped through the pages, then nodded as if piecing it together.
"A few puzzle pieces missing, but the picture's forming."
He still wore a gentle smile, but veins bulged in his hand as he crumpled a page.
"Brazen cockroaches crawling under the Empire's bed..."
The sudden burst of pressure silenced the 1st- and 2nd-grades, who stared straight ahead. Blackrose visibly tensed.
"Haha, sorry. The older I get, the worse I am at controlling my emotions."
Hendrum eased the heavy air and withdrew his aura. Then something on the crumpled page's underside caught his eye.
"But... who's this kid?"
A lone trainee who'd taken out six monster hunters. Other teams had spotted hunters too, but only this one engaged—and survived thanks to one team member's exploits. The pink-haired girl was the star.
"Cute."
"Whoa, same height as my niece!"
"Who dragged a kid into training camp this time?"
"Not even from the academy... wait, she's a total civilian?"
"Hold on, usually it's that guy who shoves weirdos from outside."
The agents' suspicions converged on one person: the 1st-grade agent at the far end, napping with a notebook over his face.
"Obvious suspect."
"Edwin's got a good eye for talent, if nothing else."
"Don't wake him—let's talk amongst ourselves. Good stuff's for sharing..."
Thud.
The notebook snapped shut. Edwin stretched with a massive yawn, then narrowed his eyes at the agents.
"Why're you lot discussing the gem I so carefully brought in?"
Edwin jabbed his notebook at each one in warning.
"Touch my kid and I'll flip the agency upside down that day. Got it? That goes for you too, Director. Watch it."
The agents shook their heads at Edwin's lack of hierarchy. Director Hendrum, watching fondly, naturally moved the meeting along.
"Alright, on to the next item."