Year 8 – Winter, Lunaris Academy
The moon above Lunaris burned red, its reflection rippling across the floating academy's shadow. Beneath it, in the silent meditation hall, Ketsuraku sat cross-legged inside a ring of spider lilies.
The air hummed with Blood Qi and Void Qi, pulsing between his veins like twin currents struggling to merge.
A familiar chuckle echoed behind him.
"Trying to run a business with one employee, little merchant?"
He didn't turn. He already knew the voice.
Ix, the Aeon of Nihility, stood half-visible in the dim light—black suit, strange cane in hand, and eyes glowing like broken code.
"You gave me the Red Code Dragon long ago," Ketsuraku murmured. "It's kept my sanity.""Good investment," Ix said, spinning his cane. "Now it's time for growth. Split your assets."
The Red Code Dragon stirred from the blood markings behind him, a vast serpentine shape woven from glowing symbols. Its voice was deep and mechanical.
"Connection stable. Synchronization ready."
Pain lanced through Ketsuraku's skull as his consciousness divided. One half shimmered red; the other blue. The dragon roared, encircling both halves with streams of living code.
[System Update]
Astral Capacity – 2 / 7 (Two Active Projections)
New Skill: Parallel Command – Control two astral forms simultaneously.
Two versions of Ketsuraku opened their eyes in the Astral River, the crimson reflection realm beneath the academy.
The Goblin Hunt
Rosa and Luminous arrived soon after, their astral forms shimmering like translucent flame. Rosa twirled her dagger.
"So, boss, what's today's lesson?""Efficiency," Ketsuraku replied. "We need herbs for our shop, and the fastest way is to hunt the goblins nesting near the Bloodlight Vale."
They descended into the red woods where the river's light leaked through the trees. The goblins were waiting—small, twisted creatures, their bodies made of glimmering greed. They carried cracked coins, whispering fragments of trade offers in distorted voices.
"Give… price… gold… blood…"
Rosa smirked. "Looks like customers."
The first wave rushed them. Ketsuraku's first astral cleaved with his blood scythe, cutting a crimson arc through the crowd. The second astral followed, a blur of blue energy dissolving their shadows.
Luminous raised her hand, weaving an illusion field. The world bent; the goblins' vision flickered between reality and mirrored nightmare.
"Let's see how greed handles confusion," she whispered.
Rosa's Awakening
One goblin lunged from behind, its claws grazing Rosa's arm. Blood splattered across the soil. Her pupils glowed gold.
"You shouldn't have done that."
Her aura flared. Starlight erupted from her chest, forming the spectral image of a Celestial Wolf—white fur laced with veins of blood. It howled once, and the goblins burst apart in radiant flame.
[Summon Unlocked]
Celestial Wolf – Rosa Seraphiel
Element: Light/Blood
Role: Guardian Spirit
Ketsuraku's first clone turned briefly, nodding. "Good. Keep control of it."
Rosa grinned, wiping the blood from her lip. "Control? I'm enjoying it."
Luminous's Fox of Illusion
The ground near Luminous cracked. Three goblins crawled toward her, chanting in digital static.
"Mirror… mirror… mirror…"
She didn't flinch. Her voice was calm.
"Enough reflection. Time to burn the image."
Nine tails unfurled behind her, each tail woven from crimson smoke and flickering blue flame. The goblins froze as reality rippled.
[Summon Unlocked]
Blood Nine-Tail Fox – Luminous Akari Noctelle
Element: Illusion/Flame/Blood
Role: Deceiver Spirit
The fox opened its maw; fire poured forth, consuming the goblins in an elegant spiral of red light.
The Red Code Dragon's Descent
More goblins emerged—hundreds now, drawn by the scent of fear. Ketsuraku's dual astrals faltered, their rhythm breaking apart under the strain of two minds.
Ix's voice echoed from nowhere.
"Balance your books, merchant. One debt, one profit."
The Red Code Dragon descended through the clouds, splitting the sky into strings of code. It wrapped around both astral bodies, syncing them perfectly.
[System Sync: Red Code Dragon Online]
Astral Link – Stabilized
Twin Command – Engaged
Ketsuraku's two reflections moved as one. His scythe split into twin blades—one bleeding light, one swallowing it.The dragons of Blood and Void spiraled out beside him, merging with Rosa's Wolf and Luminous's Fox.
The world went silent for one heartbeat.
Then everything exploded in red light.
When the mist cleared, only ashes remained.
After the Hunt
They rested beneath a glowing tree by the Blood River's edge. Rosa leaned back, smiling proudly.
"Well, I call that a success.""Statistically improbable," Luminous said, hiding her faint smile."Statistically adorable," Rosa teased back.
Ketsuraku chuckled softly, gazing at the reflections of their new summons in the water.
"You both did well. The first hunt always defines the bond."
The System pulsed.
[System Update]
Astral Capacity – 2 / 7 Active
Party Summons Registered:– Celestial Wolf (Rosa)–
Blood Nine-Tail Fox (Luminous)–
Red Code Dragon (Ketsuraku)
Shared Resonance: Triad of Blood and Stars – Initiated.
[Skill Progression]
Blood Magic level 1 – 27% Mastery
Nihility Magic level 1 – 21% Mastery
Alchemy level 1 – 58% Mastery
Silver Tongue level 1 – 31% Mastery
They watched the last fragments of code fade into the river's current.Rosa looked over. "So… what now?"Ketsuraku smiled faintly. "Now we build something worth defending."
And above them, the Red Code Dragon coiled through the crimson clouds like a living promise.