Chapter 18: The Duel Before the Storm
"Sometimes, power isn't awakened. It's remembered."
Scene 1: Preparation
Seven days until the Void Duel.
The academy was in chaos.
Posters plastered the halls with "Ren Kamizuki vs. Kael Veylor." Wagers were made. House factions took sides.
Inside the Lunar Tower dorm, Lira tossed Ren a small crystal disk etched with glyphs.
"Tactical vision orb. You'll need to see all of Kael to survive."
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"Are you worried about me?"
Lira hesitated.
"I'm worried about what Kael became. The chains he uses—they weren't forged. They were grown."
Scene 2: The Scholar Appears
In the Academy Library's restricted wing, a woman in scholar's robes waited.
Hair like starlight, and a tattoo of a chain around her wrist.
"You're later than expected," she said as Ren entered.
"I'm not here for riddles," Ren replied.
The scholar smiled.
"Good. Because I brought truths."
She introduced herself:
Professor Naelith – last surviving Whisperkeeper from the Library of Forgotten Tomes.
She laid a silver key on the desk.
"This unlocks a sealed sub-chapter in your Codex. The one that holds the Chain of Origin."
"But there's a price."
Ren narrowed his eyes.
"What kind of price?"
Naelith's gaze turned serious.
"The Codex will start remembering for you."
"And you may not like who you used to be."
Scene 3: Kael's Corruption
Elsewhere, deep in the Hollow Sanctum...
Kael stood shirtless, his back split open by thorned veins. The Cradle of Thorns pulsed like a heart.
"The pain will sharpen you," the weapon whispered.
"Chains are not restraints. They are proof of ownership."
Kael growled, power coursing through him. A second pair of irises ignited in his eyes—like he could see beyond light.
A mysterious figure stepped from the shadows—Councilor Eiran, face hidden beneath a dark veil.
"Make sure Ren doesn't survive. If he unlocks the Chain of Origin…"
"The balance collapses."
Scene 4: Codex Revelation
Back in the tower, Ren opened the Codex using Naelith's key.
Pages fluttered on their own.
A glowing chain unspooled from the book—hovering, alive.
"You who were once sealed," it spoke.
"You who bore the name of the First Null."
"Are you ready to unbind?"
A surge of visions hit Ren: ruins of forgotten pantheons, a throne made of stars, a sword without a handle—Nullfang's true form.
"So this is... the Chain of Origin."
Lore Reveal: Chain of Origin
The Chain of Origin is the Codex's deepest subsystem.
It connects the user to their first incarnation—a godlike being known as the First Null, who defied divine hierarchy and vanished.
Unlocking it grants:
Absolute Rewrite – Overwrite even Divine-Class abilities.
Echo Split – Exist in two timelines briefly to evade or learn from fatal outcomes.
Nullfang Awakening – Begin reshaping the weapon into its primordial form.
But using it too soon may collapse the user's identity...