#heh...just a glimpse into my dark mind.... :)

[paperstreetlocal]

assorted garbage ft my sisters drawing

[chiamew]

take this game away from me

[iloveslashers69]

Me when I see my S/O in my dr

[jadelemonadee]

sometimes i really wanna see like an evil and fucked up seabury like the one we have is greetings from mary bell township but what if we made him vampire culture

[werewolfmacher]

the friend group when the most jaw dropping toe curling heart stopping mind bending guy that Would Kill You If They Got The Chance appears in any media ever ( im justin bieber )

[wheeboo]

admire me (like I do for you) | choi seungcheol

SYNOPSIS. in which seungcheol shows you his tattoos.  PAIRING. choi seungcheol x gn!reader GENRE. fluff, just very intimate fluff, implied idol au (because his tattoos are dedicated to svt + carats) WARNINGS. some suggestive undertones, cheol takes off his shirt, touching, one curse word, cheol teasing reader, reader jokingly calling themselves a pervert cuz cheol is shirtless, terms of endearment (love), a kiss at the very end WORD COUNT. 1.9k

notes: um this was just a random thought I had. ik we have never gotten a full glimpse of his tattoos so this is just my imagination and from the research i’ve done heh.

You find your body buried deep in the comfort of your blanket, eyes closed shut as the faint moonlight squeezes its way through your closed window blinds. Nothing but peace and quietness floats in your bedroom, but the only thing that is keeping you awake is knowing your boyfriend was still awake right next to you.

Seungcheol thinks you are asleep, often sneaking glances in your direction to make sure before returning his attention to the video game on his phone, the brightness of the screen illuminating his bare face. But when he isn’t looking, you would sneakily peek an eye open, smiling softly under the blanket to his concentration𑁋the subtle furrow of his brow, the way his lips occasionally curve into a satisfied smile of victory, or his quiet whispers of narration to himself.

“No, no, no. Shit,” Seungcheol murmurs to himself, his fingers manuevering expertly on his screen. “Did he have to sneak up on me like that?”

He leaves the game in a pit of disappointment, before realising the awfully late time displayed on his phone. Slowly stretching his arms upwards, Seungcheol lets his gaze flicker towards you.

Somehow, you can feel his eyes on you, even with them closed. There’s a soft smile that plays at his lips as he turns himself around to place his phone on the bedside table, turning on his alarm and shutting off the sound of his notifications. And during this moment, you open one eye, and you manage to catch a glimpse of something that has been running through your imagination for the longest time.

Just barely, you notice the dark ink of his tattoo peeking out of his shirt at the base of his neck. It looks like a tree. You’ve seen many glimpses of it before, but not in its full glory, simply because of your nervousness to ask and how intimate and overwhelming crossing that boundary might feel to you and him. 

The bed dips down from Seungcheol’s shifting movements as he settles himself back in the bed, careful not to make any noise. But you get yourself to elicit a deliberate groan, making Seungcheol glance back down at your worriedly.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” he asks quietly.

You let out a soft chuckle, trying to appear groggy as you shift and open both of your eyes. “No... it’s okay. Could barely fall asleep without you.”

A tender smile eases its way onto his face that deepens his dimples. “Well, I’m here now. Shall we?” 

Seungcheol comfortably scoots himself closer to you, a contented sigh leaving his lips as you feel his hands grab onto your arms to encircle around him. He pulls you closer to him, and you feel the relaxing rise and fall of his chest and the quiet rhythm of his heartbeat sync with yours. 

As the quietness lingers around you both, you still find yourself to be wide awake. Though perfectly content in Seungcheol’s arms, your mind is still clouded with the thoughts of his tattoo. It’s not... that you want to see it right then and there𑁋it’s Seungcheol’s choice, of course𑁋but the curiosity and desire to explore that part of him continue to tug at your heart. 

With a sudden surge of courage, you take a deep breath and muster up the calling his name. “Cheol?” 

He stirs a bit in your hold, or is he holding you? It’s hard to tell. “Hmm?” 

You hesitate for a moment, your voice barely above a whisper. "Um... You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but would it be okay if I...” A momentary pause. “...if I could see your tattoo one day?" 

Your words make him pull back from you, but it’s hard to see his face from the pitch blackness of the bedroom. However, you can hear him reach over to turn the lampshade back on, and the room is immediately casted with a warm, dim glow. The two of you sit up in bed together, with Seungcheol criss-crossed right in front of you, and there’s a hint of vulnerabilty in his eyes from the way his lips seem to quiver. 

“Like I said, you don’t have to. It’s just, uh...” You think about the times you’ve caught glimpses of it. The first time was when you accidentally caught him changing to go to the gym, and you caught a fleeting glance of it when he had his back towards you in the doorway and you were quick to dismiss yourself to tend to your racing heart. Ever since then the visual thought had crept up into your mind, and each time he would turn around, you try to visualise what it look like entirely... not in a creepy way, of course. 

Seungcheol moves closer to you on the bed, his eyes seemingly searching through yours.

“I can show it to you,” Then he takes a pause. “but only if you’re really sure, because it’s... in a tough spot, sort of.”

You chuckle lightly. “I just... didn’t know how to ask or if you were, you know, comfortable.”

“Are you comfortable?” he asks. “because you already know I’m willing to do anything for you.”

As his words wash over you, you feel the heat sprouting in your face. You have always loved how he always made sure you were comfortable with anything you do together. He is cautious and careful with you, and understands your reasoning for wanting to take things at your own pace. And he has told you many times just how important you are to him, even more than himself.

But now maybe you can show him just how important he is to you.

“Yeah, I... I’m good,” You tell him, though you can still feel that pint of nervousness inside. But you want this𑁋you want to see this small, meaningful part of him. “Can I... see it?”

His gaze is warm, comforting, as he gives you a nod before positioning himself so that his back was facing towards you. Reaching down to the ends of his shirt, he slowly pulls it upward, gifting you with the sight of the bare skin of his back inch by inch. The dim light of the lamp dances on his skin, casting soft shadows that accentuate the contours of his back muscles along with his arms𑁋you can’t believe these are the same arms that he uses to hug and cuddle you. The sight makes something catch in your throat. 

And as you trail your eyes up his body, you finally see it𑁋the tree tattoo, along with two other small ones you never noticed until now on either side. The tree was larger than you thought, but it wasn’t any less beautiful in your eyes; in fact, you take in its simplistic design with nothing but admiration. 

You couldn't help but reach out, fingers trembling slightly, as if afraid to rub away the ink of the tattoo despite it being permanent. Your touch grazes the edge of the tattoo, tracing the lines that make up the bark of the tree. As your fingertips make contact with his skin, Seungcheol flinches, feeling a sudden shiver run down his spine. 

“Sorry,” You apologise quickly, taking your finger away from his skin. “I should’ve asked.” 

“It’s okay.” You can’t see his face but you know he is. “You can... you can touch it. You can touch me.”

For some reason you feel your heart skip just from that last sentence alone𑁋the way he says it with such vulnerability and intimacy, as if he’s giving you full permission to let your touch wander anywhere. His breath hitches again when your fingers meet his skin once more, this time with more confidence. Instinctively, he feels himself leaning in more to your touch, feeling the way your hands wander over the story etched into his skin. 

“What does J.O.Y mean?” You ask him, bringing your attention to one of his small tattoos. 

“Ah, it’s the name of one of our albums,” he answers willingly. “It’s supposed to symbolise the journey of youth, like a source of motivation to the younger generation.”

The thought makes you grin. Seungcheol has always been proud of his accomplishments for his group, so him putting meaning into his tattoos makes them even more special. 

“I love that,” Then you move onto his other small tattoo. “and you have the date you debuted here?”

His body vibrates from the chuckle that leaves him. “It’s a reminder of when it all began.”

You let out an acknowledging hum in response before continuing to graze your finger over his tattoos, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath your touch. Each stroke reveals a little more of his story, his passions, and his journey. He seems to be more relaxed now𑁋at least from what you see. Seungcheol, on the other hand, is trying so hard not to make it obvious the effect your touch has on him is. 

Finally, you make your way towards the tree at the base of his neck. The feeling makes him shiver once more.

“What does the tree represent?”

“It’s an olive tree, the birth flower of our debut date,” Seungcheol explains. “but it also serves as a symbol of peace and growth.”

You take a moment to let the meaning sink in, quietly appreciating his words. The significance of the olive tree as a symbol of peace and growth intertwines just perfectly with the journey he's been on as an artist and as a person.

"It's beautiful," You murmur, voice filled with genuine admiration. "just like you."

A blush creeps onto Seungcheol's cheeks as he turns to look back at you for a moment, a bashful look to his face.

“You can’t say that,” he says, a deep exhale leaving him as his shoulders relax. “You know what it does to me.”

And because of that, you watch as he turns around to face you before you could respond, and your eyes immediately shoot down his bare chest, his abs, and then quickly dart back up to meet his gaze, feeling the embarrassment shoot up your face. Your voice catches in your throat, suddenly feeling the overwhelming nervousness take over. 

Seungcheol notices your sudden shift in gaze and chuckles softly.

"Caught you looking." he teases, a boyish smile tugging at his lips.

Your cheeks heat up even more, and you fumble for words, feeling like a deer caught in headlights. "I... uh... I-I wasn't... I mean..."

Seungcheol's laughter fills the room, and he reaches out to cup your face gently, letting his touch soothe your nerves. 

"I'm just teasing, love," he reassures you, letting his thumb stroke your cheek. "Don’t feel embarrassed.”

“I feel like a pervert,” You admit aloud, an awkward laugh leaving you. You already knew there was no reason for you to feel this way, but you can’t shake the feeling away because your boyfriend is shirtless in front of you and you have no idea how to react other than wanting to sink yourself deep into your bed in a pit of shame.

You feel his hand trail down to your chin, causing you to look back up at him. However, his face contains nothing but affection. How does he manage to look at you like this, nothing but adoration in his eyes but be this attractive right in front of you?

“I love it when you admire me,” He leans in awfully close, voice lowering. “just like I do for you.”

His words send a shiver down your spine, and you can feel the intensity of his gaze as he leans in closer. You swallow a lump in your throat, glancing between his eyes and his mouth. 

And then as his lips brush against yours, it’s like a soft caress on your skin. There’s a surge of warmth that spreads throughout your body as it deepens ever so slightly, and you could feel the smile tug your own face when you feel his own lips curl too.

taglist (open) ʚɞ @enhazen​ @haowrld​ @ylliris-hanniehae​ @icyminghao​

[lietpoland]

Some work doodles... Heh 😏 Just a glimpse into my dark twisted mind

[kismets-barista]

Hold onto your Stetson, @ohposhers; have I got some personal HickDory lore for you 😎💜🌟🫧

Excuse the insanity for those who don't feel compelled towards these two

SO!

Hickory and JD met a few good years before the events of the World Tour when Dory was traveling to find Lonesome Flats, got heatstroke and passed out in the desert. Wakes up to Hickory shadowed in the flickering light of a campfire beneath a canopy of the brightest stars he'd seen since the Neverglades, but it wouldn't be until QUITE a few months later until they really started developing crushes against each other. (Cowboy under the stars, you'd think he'd fall right then and there, right? 🌟)

Why was Hickory already in Lonesome Flats, you might ask? Where was Dickory?

In a glue trap, I say in response. Hickory came from Yodelsberg (is there a canonical name for this?) for international study and to learn about new music. He fell in love with country because yodeling and country music are actually quite gorgeous together. She Taught Me to Yodel, anyone?

Delta Dawn obviously didn't take to Dory showing up and around the town, but after some convincing by Hickory and lots of proving himself (plus a vulture attack that resulted in John Dory saving the very young niece of Delta Dawn- Clampers-) he 'earned' a place there and began to work around town.

It was weird for him.

He'd never quite settled down, until then.

(Now, the specific timeline, yearly I mean is a little muddled because I'm still crafting this, but I'll put them out about three years, now.)

John Dory was still living in Lonesome Flats, and he'd started a relationship with Hickory. They loved each other, as my cohort in crime @protagonist-art (CHECK OUT THEIR ART I LOVE THEM SM MUAH) has Hickory tell John when we get write them, "More than the moon loves the ocean." As surely as the tide pulls in and out, so the lovers return to each other.

So Via, what does Hickory think about BroZone?

Oh, my sweet star.

He doesn't know.

After returning to the devastated Troll Tree, John Dory lost a piece of his heart in the damaged pod they used to live in. It was the first time he went grey, and the memories of his brothers started shifting from what was, to what would never be again. He couldn't find it within himself to talk about them, and has his secrets.

But so does Hickory.

Girl wdym stop being so mysterious.

Heh. I know. It's just a glimpse into my dark mind /ref. Anyways, Hickory never told John Dory he was a Yodeler troll. (Another piece of lore that Quizzy and I worked on together and I think it's brilliant.)

Huh? Aren't they in a long-term relationship? Won't this cause issues later on if they don't share these things with each other?

Oh, they love every aspect of each other too much for their bond to truly be broken.

And yet.

One morning, years after just living and loving, John Dory wakes up with a massive headache and nausea.

"Maybe it's that horse that kicked me yesterday, could've gotten me harder than we both thought."

"Lemme check for a knot, Darlin'."

No knots, but there was an egg.

🌟 (Here I'll say that I'm massively in love with the headcanon that trolls conceive through true love- it isn't quite necessary for them to physically do anything unless they want to. Just them, wholeheartedly trusting and putting everything into their relationship and pouring their heart out to their partner.)

They were absolutely ECSTATIC, and rightfully terrified in their own ways. Neither of them were looking for children but not against it, and after resting for a few days they began to plan. A nursery in the house, baby books with millions of names scattered on the coffee table, toys and cute little baby clothes for when the little one hatched.

Wanna know two of the names John Dory had in mind? Rhonda and Dolly.

They were ecstatic until the night John Dory woke up absolutely ill and with a pit in his stomach.

They lost the egg, and it was the second time John Dory went grey in his life.

A week after this had happened, John Dory left a bundled lock of his hair at Hickory's nightstand and did what he knows how to do all too well. He ran.

Hickory never went too far out of Lonesome Flats in the hopes that John Dory would come back. He couldn't imagine what would happen if his love came back and didn't find him there.

The events of World Tour come about, Hickory meets Branch, and travels for the first time since John Dory left.

John Dory continued to travel, until the events of Band Together.

But don't worry, dear readers, for as surely as the tides come in, so will the lovers meet again. 🌟

Aaaand BOOM! That's it! 💜 I've got lore behind the names Rhonda and Dolly as well, and am SO down to answer any questions about them that anyone has. For you, Posh, thank you for asking and helping me to share a story I've been working on, and for everyone else that read this, thank you kindly! I hope that everyone who made it this far has quite a lovely day, or if you didn't, have a lovely day anyways!

Remember to take your meds, drink water, eat something, and stretch!

💜🌟🫧

[dailyterukane]

i made evil terukane… just a glimpse into my dark & twisted mind, heh…

[patchw0rk-quilt]

sketch crashbox if he was evil and fucked up… heh… just another glimpse into my dark and twisted mind

[regretevator-confessions]

𝕙𝕖𝕙.. 𝕪𝕖𝕒𝕙… 𝕚 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕞𝕪𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕗 𝕒 ℙ𝕣𝕠𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕣….. 𝕚'𝕞 𝕒 𝕓𝕚𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝔻𝕒𝕣𝕜 𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕣…. 𝕁𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕒 𝕘𝕝𝕚𝕞𝕡𝕤𝕖 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕪 𝕋𝕨𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕕……… 𝕀 𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕔𝕒𝕦𝕤𝕖 𝕀 𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡 𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕞𝕓𝕠 𝕩 𝔹𝕦𝕔𝕜… 𝕒𝕟𝕕 ℙ𝕚𝕝𝕓𝕪 𝕩 𝔻𝕠𝕦𝕘….. ℍ𝕖𝕙……… 𝕀 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝔻𝕠𝕦𝕘 𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕒𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕘𝕠𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕪 𝕖𝕡𝕚𝕔, 𝕙𝕖𝕙𝕖𝕙… ＤＯＮ＇Ｔ ＭＥＳＳ ＷＩＴＨ ＭＥ．

(Translation:

heh.. yeah... i consider myself a Proshipper..... i'm a bit of a Dark shipper.... Just a glimpse into my Twisted Mind......... I lost all my friends because I ship Jermbo x Buck... and Pilby x Doug..... Heh......... I think Doug tearing them apart all goretastically would be pretty epic, heheh... DON'T MESS WITH ME.)

[snookie-pookie]

Heh… this is just a glimpse into the dark and twisted parts of my mind..

[george-mullner-mailbox]

george am i skibidi enough to be your friend... i have leeks...

you’re skibidi…… perhaps even……. fantum tax….? heh…. listen to me…… guess im just different….. just a glimpse into my dark and twisted mind…. 😈

[lordoftheweevils]

heh… just a glimpse into my dark and twisted mind…

My humor is so broken help

[gozine-translate]

Terminally-ill Genius Dark Knight - 166

166: The Fire Spirit’s Pendant [1]

[You’re no different from Nox. Yoochan is Nox. Nox is Yoochan.]

[The two are the same person.]

[My one and only child…]

—————————————————

The moment my consciousness fades, the pure white monitor disappears. But I knew for sure.

I am… Nox von Reinhaver. From the beginning. Yes, from the beginning.

Now, the outline finally seems to look clear. On the once-blurry path, rails are laid, and a train is placed upon them.

Destination. The end of the story. To reach that place, I busily pour my time into it.

Yoochan and Nox von Reinhaver are the same person—— The voice that sinking into my consciousness told me so.

The same voice that rang directly in my mind when I first opened the letter. The voice that welcomed my return reaches me.

Heh. A chuckle escapes me. The waves of emotion filling me have been focused into one. Excitement, fluttering, and such positive feelings. At that moment, I was able to reflect on who I really am.

So that's it. From the very beginning, I was envious of Nox.

That's why I wandered, hesitated, and still drew a faint line among the people around me.

At one point. The truths I had suffered and ignored raised their heads and looked at me. You’re not Nox. You already know, no? Everything you possess, the connections. They aren’t yours. The nightmares that came every night. The habits that formed after coming here. The constant thought that I was nothing more than an outsider in this place. Because of that, I couldn't completely accept myself. Sometimes, I hated the character called Nox.

It was because I could feel in here, the family I desperately longed for, the warmth of people who cared for you. Nox, that ruffian, had so much more than me. This silent scream kept repeating in my mind. Because that was all I could do.

It just keeps repeating like that, suffocating me.

But. Now, the fact that I no longer need to do that lifts my spirits. If the infamous Nox von Reainhver is mine, then I’ll gladly accept it. and use it to survive whatever it takes.

For this, I don't care no matter how many times I have to risk my life.

Dragon's breath.

The last condition to master it. I've reached the end of opening my lower dantian.

I’ve arrived at my mental world—the white room too. I can now see a glimpse of the secrets that had been haunting me through that mysterious voice. Even though my body is collapsed and I’m in no condition to use magic, I know it.

The mana I’ve exhausted…. is connected to upper and middle dantian.

Once I open the last lower dantian, I can overcome all penalties and rise again. Though I’ll have to face the risk of death in return, at this point, I don’t think such things hold much meaning anymore.

At some point, it's like I can hear Astrid's lazy voice in my ear

— It’ll take at least a year to open the lower dantian.

— Of course, it’s not that there aren’t faster ways to open it, but

I asked, what is that way?

— Stop your heart. And not just your heart. You have to stop all your body senses. Stop all of your breathing.

— After you’ve exhausted all your mana, If you do that… Naturally, you’ll either survive using the mana in the lower dantian or you'll die. Just one of the two

Those casual words she said. Perhaps, with her [Tender Feelings] trait, Astrid must think it's an act that absolutely shouldn't be done. But with the normal method, I, Yoochan. and Nox von Reinhaver wouldn't be able to survive.

Because that’s how this character was designed from the start.

I began to stop all of my breath, all of those moments. The inhalation and exhalation intermittently escaped through my nose and mouth. The pounding heart. Even suppressing the weak pulsation of every blood vessel in my body.

[3 seconds until the player’s heart stops.]

[2 seconds until the player’s heart stops.]

[1 second until the player’s heart stops.]

My consciousness drifts far beyond to a place even I don’t know. What was at that end? Even as my heart stopped beating, I felt the illusion of a throbbing pulse. And then, with a system message ringing in my ears, my heart stopped precisely. In order to make it beat again, my final gamble will have to succeed. But, despite that, it was still fortunate. If others had been here, especially if Rona or Zitri were on my side, they would have been greatly shocked. From that perspective, Though I feel a bit bad, but I’m glad that someone like Eleanor, who’s cold and detached, is outside.

Someone who can’t help but hate me.

Because she’s someone who can't help but detest me, she might be able to become even more ruthless. If anything, it's because she’s someone who weighs profit and loss, I find I can trust her transparently. As my consciousness gradually sinks, I focus on everything I have.

From now on, not a single moment of mistake will be allowed. I am Nox von Reinhaver. Even if I’ve never felt that way before, just for a moment, I need to be arrogant.

I am a genius with two [Genius] traits. Because I'm terminally-ill, I don’t fear death and am able to face it calmly. That's who Nox von Reinhaver is. I defined him that way at that moment.

—————————————————

He’s someone who despised me. No, he’s someone who saved me twice. The two thoughts clashed, but in the end, it leaned toward the latter. Otherwise, there’d be no reason for him to risk his life to save me multiple times. As I think of Nox von Reinhaver, who is collapsed now, my vision blurs as I face the dragon in front of me. No, that’s not the right expression. I'm just being beaten one-sidedly. Blood pours from my abdomen, one arm is completely unusable, and I’m barely stopping the bleeding. The only reason I can still survive is because I'm smaller than the dragon, so I can barely hold on in this tight space.

Either way, I’ll die today. No matter how much I step up right now, I can’t face a dragon.

It's because I’m weak.

It’s a helpless reality, but it’s the truth. But I don’t regret it. Why? I don’t really know either. The only one thing I do know for sure is.

'This is something I’d never do under normal circumstances.'

Just that.

[I told you—— move aside——!]

The dragon’s furious roar. Even though my body is a wreck and barely able to move, I still do not back down. I can't let the enemy get past me.

If I’m going to die anyway, I’d rather die here together. Now even gold, flowing gold coins. They no longer have meaning. I just want to talk to the person who believed in me, the one who saved me. I want to thank them and ask for forgiveness for my mistakes.

[You can't even dodge anymore now. How pathetic.”]

I know that too. Now, there really is no way out. I can’t avoid it. For the last time, I wanted to say goodbye and thank Shane too, but… He was the one who genuinely saved me, so I trusted him. In this harsh world, maybe genuine was a luxury for me. Maybe I was drawn to that kindness and beauty, swayed here and there like a moth.

But… Even saying that goodbye seems not easy for me. I squeezed out my remaining mana to leave my final words

[Shane… if you ever hear this later, please listen and don’t be too surprised.]

As if the enemy didn’t want to even allow me to give a proper farewell, attack came flying. Smooth stance and movement. There's no doubt, it'll be over if it hits.

I know. Now, I no longer have the strength to dodge.

In the last moment when my life flashes before my eyes, I am swept up in the illusion that time is blurring. With tears running down my face, I close my eyes and bite my lip tightly.

[Thank you… for protecting me… So please, you must live…]

[Such farewell]

It was at that moment. In the silence where I could hear nothing, suddenly, the dragon’s swift attack became vividly clear to my eyes again.

Pang—— she could hear a sharp sound.

'Does he wake up just now? If so, I need to ask him to protect Nox…'

[Shane…. I have a request. Please, save Nox! He’s at the back of the cave…]

[No. There’s no need to save him.]

A strangely different tone of voice. Even Eleanor, who had been shouting frantically, sensed something off.

Whoooosh!

A massive flame erupted. At the same time two lines were drawn, the ground caved in. Eleanor looked up. There, standing boldly, was someone who had blocked the dragon’s attack with a sword. Her pupils narrowed.

How? The question didn’t last long.

Silver hair, lavender eyes. The person I hated, no, I deceived myself that I had to. Nox von Reinhaver.

He stood before me once again.

[There’s no need to save him.]

With those words, something strange began to happen. The pendant I had began to glow. The keepsake from my mother, the same one I had given to Shane. It was the item she told me to give when I found someone I loved. An artifact that can confirm each other's location when equipped.

I haven’t been able to use it yet since it requires a higher rank, but…

At that moment, as I lifted my head and looked at Nox’s neck. It was just a coincidence.

And that coincidence turned into inevitability for me.

"That necklace… You … don't tell me…"

"Yeah."

Around Nox’s neck hung a pendant. The one I had handed to Shane.

The item I thought no longer mattered now, why was it in Nox’s possession?

The answer was already clear.

The stance when they drew their sword, the two flickering swordsmanship, Even though both of them had different personalities, but when they coexisted, Nox looked weakened. Habits, and behavior patterns.

Everything told me the answer.

"You were… Shane, weren’t you?"

"I’ll apologize for deceiving you later."

At that moment, something powerful, almost overwhelming, surged from Nox’s body. A shocking amount of flames erupted.

It was more fitting to express it as a blaze. Flickering.

It was beautiful like a flutter of a mayfly burning its life.

Behind Nox's back, a dark effect appeared, and soon a single crimson pupil emerged.

The bright red flames soon turned black, responding to Nox’s dark magic. As the sword in Nox’s hand sliced through the dark flames, it looked quite different from the one he used before.

"You’d have to keep quiet about this."

Moonlight Sword. First form (Transcend)

The shimmering sword, holding a sharp edge, was nothing like the glow of the Stormbringer. It was engraved vividly. That's… it belonged to Shane.

The same one he had used to help me. I had seen it often.

But now wasn’t the time to dwell on the suspicion. Nox just remained focused.

Moonlight Sword, Second form (Full Moon).

— Player has activated [Light Step].

— Step 1.

Nox lightly took a step forward, completely disappearing from the dragon’s vision in an instant.

[Sure enough, it was you who woke me up after all!]

The ice dragon spoke with excitement. I searched for any trace of Nox, who had vanished. He reappeared outside the cave, gradually pushing the dragon back as a faint smile spread across his face.

"You woke up and made things annoying as you please… Die."

Then, a brilliant white light began flickering before my eyes. Nox’s white hair, like moonlight, scattered as he shot forward toward the enemy.

Moonlight Sword, Third form (Moon Split).

With swift footwork, Nox’s sword aimed directly at the dragon, hitting it precisely. I couldn’t help but be stunned.

It was a shocking scene. Where was that enormous black flame coming from? And that crimson vertical pupil. what exactly was that?

Before I could even finish thinking, Nox’s sword, now blazing with entirely different power, slashed toward the dragon’s weak spot. Then.

Ssshhk! The sword sliced cleanly through the ice dragon’s shoulder, cutting through the wing joint with the ease of slicing tofu, despite its notoriously thick hide.

What… what is this?

Before that, I couldn't help but think. How did Nox, Shane, wake up from such a terrible condition? Why did he save me three times?

When this battle is over, he'll give me a chance to ask it. I know that too.

[deer-vertebrae]

to me, he's normal might... heh... just a glimpse into my dark and twisted mind...