Noctis sat in his room, fiddling with his newly acquired communication device.
His eyes were wide with curiosity as he stared at the screen. He had seen these devices countless times before but had rarely had the chance to actually hold one.
Now that he finally owned one himself, he felt genuinely happy. Buying it with the credits he had earned made it even more satisfying. The money he used to make from small jobs had always been meager — even basic needs were expensive.
Since Noctis didn't fully understand how to use the device yet, he'd asked Gylani for help.
Now he was scrolling through the virtual network, exploring different pages and feeds.
A few minutes later, a message from the academy popped up — everyone was instructed to head down for breakfast and then proceed to class.
Noctis went downstairs quickly, grabbed a plate of food, and sat beside Gylani.
They chatted for a while until the handsome Awakened from before sat nearby.
Noctis glanced at him once and then ignored him.
He kept talking with Gylani about something he had seen in the virtual network when he suddenly felt someone's gaze on him. He sighed, already knowing who it was, and turned his head.
"Why are you staring at me?"
The Awakened stayed silent, calmly took a spoonful of his food, and gave a polite smile.
"I saw you fight… Join my group.
There's one spot left."
Noctis's expression didn't change. He exhaled quietly and declined the offer.
The man's smile didn't fade — he simply nodded, stood up, and walked away. Noctis stayed on guard for a moment, but when the Awakened passed without another word, he relaxed. Gylani watched him leave for a few seconds, then resumed the conversation as if nothing had happened.
A few minutes later, Nara joined them.
While eating, she turned to Noctis.
"I looked into him a bit… He's Zaria's brother — Carlius."
Noctis blinked, his face blank.
Nara sighed softly.
"The Awakened who came to your table — that was Carlius. The green-eyed girl with him is his sister, Zaria. He's… trouble. There are rumors he once tried to assassinate his older brother to take control of the clan."
Noctis let out a quiet breath, his expression turning wry.
"So I've rejected him twice now…"
They talked for a few more minutes before heading to class. Noctis and Gylani had chosen the same lessons. Noctis struggled again during the stance training, and during the break between sessions, he switched over to core control practice instead.
As he focused on his core, Noctis slowly began to feel it stir awake. The shadow of the statue had fed him for a time, but since he hadn't devoured any shadows in days, his core was far from full. Gradually, he pushed away the hunger and focused completely.
He guided the rippling essence toward his hand. A pleasant warmth and a faint sense of power spread through his palm. Elena instructed the students to gather the essence around their shoulders, but Noctis ignored her.
'What if I try something different?'
He slowly directed the essence upward, toward his core. A soothing heat filled his chest, but it was mixed with something strange. He forced the energy higher, straining to maintain control — until that strange sensation surged, and he lost it completely.
Before he realized how much time had passed, he was already standing and heading toward the gate. As he walked, his eyes caught the Awakened with golden-blonde hair.
'Is that Zaria — the one Nara mentioned?'
He stared for a few seconds, then turned away indifferently and took a different path.
When he sensed Gylani's approaching shadow, he slowed down. They talked for a few minutes before gathering near the gate in an orderly line.
Asvar gave a short speech about the rules and granted permission to enter.
Everyone began stepping through the gate one by one. When Noctis crossed, his head spun for a few seconds.
He gazed at the breathtaking eternal sunset for a brief moment before joining Gylani near the mission board to wait for Nara.
Since the tasks were the same — kill a creature and bring back its core — their plan was simple.
Within minutes, Nara joined them and the group set out. Yet every time Noctis walked beside her, he felt something… off. There was something strange about the aura that radiated from her — especially around her shadow and the source of her magic.
'There's something odd about where her power comes from…'
Noctis focused his senses, extending his perception through the shadows around him.
'I've never actually tested the Moon Seal before… but I should be able to use it. Should I try it on Nara? No… if she senses it, that could cause trouble.'
He thought about it for a while, then decided against it. Minutes passed as the group moved deeper into the realm, approaching the outer limits of the area allowed by the academy. In the distance, a lone statue stood motionless.
Gylani was the first to speak.
"I'll act as the bait. Nara, you support us from a distance. Noctis, you'll deliver the final blow… For the next one, either I or Nara will finish it."
They paused to think, then all agreed.
Noctis was a bit surprised by Gylani's suggestion.
'Putting himself up as bait… does he trust me that much? I hope not.'
Nara readied her bow and took position beside a rock, her movements calm and precise. Noctis crouched behind another rock a few meters away. Gylani began moving closer to the statue, slow and deliberate.
The moment the statue noticed him, it lunged forward with abrupt, jerky steps.
Gylani disrupted its perception and gripped his sword tightly. As the creature charged, Gylani turned sharply toward Noctis's position. Noctis could sense their movements through their shadows — every twitch, every shift.
Nara had her bow drawn, waiting for the perfect moment.
The statue charged at Noctis, its stone limbs clattering. Just as Gylani passed the rock where Noctis hid, Noctis stepped out with a determined expression and swung his sword.
Nara released the arrow, watching it streak forward. Noctis's sudden movement restricted the creature's space. Gylani reacted instantly, cutting off the creature's flank. The disoriented statue staggered, its movements erratic.
An arrow struck its shoulder, sending streams of white sand spilling out. Noctis dashed forward, closing the gap as the statue lost balance. Gylani stood ready behind him.
Noctis lunged and drove the Rusted Chain into the creature's shadow — but the statue shifted mid-motion, and the blade pierced only its arm's shadow instead.
The statue slammed into Noctis, trying to push past, but Gylani's distortion made it lose direction — it crashed into a nearby rock, shattering part of it. Gylani seized the opportunity and leapt onto it with full force.
He drove his blade into the statue's back and forced it downward with all his strength.
The statue tilted its head toward the crimson sky as if letting out a silent scream, then spun around and struck Gylani hard.
Noctis quickly recovered and stabbed the Rusted Chain into its shadow once again — this time, the creature couldn't move.
He slashed through the shadow of its leg. The shadow remained still for a second before slowly flowing into Noctis like black smoke.
Wasting no time, he lunged at its head's shadow and sliced it clean.
The statue froze, then shattered into fragments. Its bright core, no larger than his palm, reflected Noctis's face back at him.
[ You have slain Suara's Statue ]
[ The shadow is being devoured ]
[ Your soul has grown stronger ]
[ You have received a reward ]
Noctis sank to the ground, breathing deeply.
Gylani crouched beside him and placed the core in the bag while Nara stood watch, scanning the surroundings.
'Hopefully, the reward is actually useful.'
After resting for a few minutes, Noctis summoned the runic script.
He scrolled to the section listing his rewards.
[ Rewards: Moon Seal, Vile Shroud, Rusted Chain, Alabaster Armor ]
'Armor…'
Noctis's eyes widened slightly as he focused on the new reward.
[ Designated Name: Alabaster Armor ]
[ Type: Armor ]
[ Tier Level: 2nd Tier ]
'Second Tier… that's incredible.'
[ Potential: Low ]
[ Memory of the Alabaster Armor: A sculptor once carved armor from stone so that his statues would never feel the cold. ]
'Could that sculptor be the Suara they mentioned?'
[ Magic Traits: Stone Cloth, Sudden Step ]
[ Stone Cloth — balances the wearer's body temperature. ]
'Situational, but it could be useful…'
[ Core insufficient. Sudden Step cannot be activated. ]
'Guess my essence isn't enough for the other one.'
Noctis dismissed the runes and slowly stood up. Nara and Gylani were staring at him with puzzled looks.
Noctis summoned the Alabaster Armor.
In an instant, a thin layer spread from his chest across his entire body — its texture was stone-like yet unnaturally smooth.
He had expected white armor, but all rewards adapted to the user. The armor turned into a dark, rock-like material that encased his entire body. When it reached his head, it sealed seamlessly — not a single trace of skin remained visible.
His face was completely hidden.
Like the statues, he now had no visible features — yet he could still breathe and see.
His vision remained mostly unchanged, though everything seemed slightly brighter.
Gylani dropped his sword in shock.
Nara's eyes widened as she stared at him in disbelief. Noctis smiled faintly, though none of them could see it beneath the armor.
"How do I look?"
Gylani stepped closer after a few seconds and touched the armor. His fingers slid over the black, stone-like surface.
"This is… unnerving. Noctis, your face is gone.
You look just like those statues.
If I hadn't seen you put it on, I would've thought you were one of them."
Nara shook her head. It wasn't unexpected — after reading the armor's memory, she had already guessed it would look something like that. Noctis dismissed the helmet portion, and his face reappeared.
The stone-like texture made his already lean frame appear even slimmer. He performed a few quick tests — then struck a nearby rock with moderate strength. Pain flared through his knuckles, but it was dull and insignificant.
Satisfied, Noctis gave a faint nod.
After a short rest, the group set out again. They left the main paths, walking across wide, emerald-green plains and over several hills. Along the way, they passed multiple groups battling statues.
They moved to a new area, only to find more groups there too. The moment Noctis noticed them, he dismissed the armor — it drew too much attention. The last thing he wanted was unnecessary trouble.
Eventually, the group stopped near the borders of the academy's permitted zone. Gylani sighed heavily.
"All the statue zones are taken… and we still need two more cores."
Nara glanced around for a few seconds.
"What if we go a little past the border? We could hunt there."
Noctis frowned.
"That's too dangerous… We could get expelled."
They discussed it for a few minutes before Noctis finally stood up.
"There's nothing else we can do… Let's head back to the gate."
As Nara and Gylani rose to their feet, a scream echoed across the plains. The group immediately turned toward the sound and rushed forward. From what Noctis could see, there were four people — and three statues chasing them.
But one of the statues was larger than the rest, with strange, pulsating lines across its body. Noctis's eyes widened.
"Second Tier… That's a Second-Tier statue."
Nara's expression twisted as she watched the fleeing group.
"They're beyond the boundary… We should call the instructors."
Gylani's breathing quickened, panic setting in.
"The gate's too far… We— we have to help them!"
Noctis's brow furrowed deeply.
"That's too dangerous. We can't—"
Gylani shot him an intense glare.
"So we just watch them die? That's your plan?"
He took a few steps forward, voice steady but burning with resolve.
"Whether you come or not, I'm going."
He started running, his pace quickening with each step. Nara looked from Noctis to Gylani, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.
"Noctis… should we go?"
Noctis remained silent, his face calm and unreadable. After a few long seconds, Nara took a breath — and began walking after Gylani.