NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15: Moon God?
As Rikuya stared at the spear, his mind swirled with conflicting thoughts. The weight of the moment pressed down on him. Was he really supposed to take this thing? What if—
『Such action could potentially endanger the host. Procedure to do so is ill-advised. Threat level: Delta.』
Rikuya stiffened. His eyes widened slightly.
'Oh, now you speak?' he thought.
'Where the hell was this warning earlier? So Are you finally gonna get me out of here or what?'
A brief pause. Then—
『The system has only identified a potential danger. Direct action will not be necessary unless the threat level rises to Alpha.』
Yup, this confirmed it, the system was useless.
Rikuya's eye twitched.
'Are you serious right now?! His thoughts were practically shaking with rage. You KNOW there's danger, but you're just gonna sit back and do nothing unless I'm about to DIE?!'
No response.
'HELLO?!'
Still nothing.
Rikuya felt his stomach twist into knots. His breathing was uneven now, his fingers twitching at his sides.
Then—
"My lord."
Lilith spoke as she leaned towards him.
"Step forward. There is nothing to fear."
She turned her blindfolded gaze toward him, a soft smile curling her lips.
This was te first tune Rikuya actually saw her up close, she was dazzling... And she gave of the sent of roses.
"Prove to these fools that it is really you."
The room went silent.
All eyes were on him.
Rikuya felt like he was suffocating.
He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as a single thought shot through his mind.
'Fuck.'
His pulse pounded in his ears, and his eyes darted toward the exit. Could he make a run for it? Was that even an option?
'Guardian, what happens if I just... bolt? Like, right now?'
The system responded.
『Several attempts on the host's life would be made. The cult cannot allow a human who has seen their secrets to escape. However, the system will ensure the host's well-being.』
Rikuya's stomach dropped.
'Right, sure. Just like how you "ensured my well-being" the last time I almost died?'
『There were no ill intentions in that instance.』
Rikuya's breath hitched. His thoughts practically screamed in response.
'Like hell there weren't! I felt threatened! I was kidnapped, fucking kidnapped, how they hell dose that nit count as an ill intention?"
No response.
The fact that Guardian didn't even try to argue made his eye twitch.
The worst part? He would have taken his chances. If it weren't for the fact that 'protecting him' apparently had a very loose definition.
Just as he was about to curse again, Guardian spoke once more.
『According to system data, although ill-advised, there is a 9% possibility the host will not die from picking up the spear.』
Rikuya stopped breathing for a second.
'...What the fuck kind of odds are those?!'
Guardian did not respond.
'You know what? Fuck it.'
He exhaled sharply before turning his attention to the man standing beside the glass case.
"What's your name?" Rikuya asked.
The man's emerald-green eyes gleamed, and his lips curved into a knowing smile.
"Dazmar," he said smoothly.
Rikuya gave a slow nod, then lifted a hand and pointed at the glass case.
"Dazmar, step aside."
Dazmar let out a soft chuckle, but he obeyed, taking a single step back, giving Rikuya a clear path.
As Rikuya moved forward, he noticed something shifting above him.
The ceiling, which had once been solid stone, had begun to open—revealing the sky above. A beam of silver light spilled into the chamber, illuminating the display case before him.
The moment the moonlight touched the glass, it reacted. A soft click echoed, followed by a faint hiss as the protective casing slowly slid open.
Rikuya swallowed.
He stared at the spear, the cosmic black metal shimmering under the moonlight, constellations shifting across its blade like living stars.
For a brief second, hesitation gripped him.
Then—
'That said… here goes nothing.'
With a steadying breath, Rikuya reached forward—
And grabbed it.
The moment Rikuya's fingers wrapped around the weapon's hilt—
VOOOOSH!
A violent wave of explosive cosmic energy erupted outward like a supernova.
The sheer force crippled the air itself, sending shockwaves rippling through the chamber. The very ground trembled beneath his feet as mountains of golden coins were instantly leveled, flying to the walls from the sheer shockwave.
Rikuya gritted his teeth, his entire body seizing as an immense wave of energy flooded through him.
It was overwhelming. It felt like his nerves were set ablaze, his brain frying under the sheer intensity.
His vision blurred, static buzzing at the edges of his mind.
Every fiber of his being screamed in pain, his breath hitching as his muscles tensed up.
Yet—he held on.
Dazmar's eyes glimmering with awe.
"…Incredible."
Meanwhile, Lilith's reaction was far more dramatic.
She clasped her hands together, her breath hitching as her knees buckled beneath her.
She collapsed to the ground as she gazed at the radiant aura.
"It's…"
"Beautiful."
Rikuya was starting to think—maybe he could handle this.
The energy was intense, overwhelming, but he was still standing. He just had to—
Then he noticed it.
His skin.
It was turning charred and black, as if the energy was burning him from the inside out. Deep blue cracks began spreading across his arms and chest, glowing like molten fractures in stone.
The pain was unbearable, as if the insides of him were boiling, but it wasn't just his body.
Something far deeper was being affected.
Something at the pit of his stomach—no, his very soul—was twisting, unraveling, it was a strange sensation, like a bed head ache happening in his abdomen. It felt like an invisible force was pulling him apart at the seams, shredding something fundamental within him.
Then—
FLASH!
The Guardian's warnings flooded his vision, blazing red with urgent signals.
『WARNING: LIFE SIGNS CRITICAL!!!』
『 FATAL ENERGY OVERLOAD DETECTED!!!』
『 IMMEDIATE DISENGAGEMENT REQUIRED!!! 』
His heart slammed against his ribs as his vision swam, his limbs feeling both too heavy and too light at the same time. The weapon in his grasp pulsed, almost like it was feeding off him, drawing out more than just his strength.
This was bad. Really bad
『 WARNING: IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!!! 』
『 HOST MUST RELEASE THE WEAPON IMMEDIATELY!!! 』
Through gritted teeth, Rikuya let out a strained yell only guardian could hear in all the chaos. "I—can't!" The burning sensation inside him felt like it was eating away at his very being. Letting go wasn't an option—it was as if the weapon had latched onto him.
『 REPEAT: RELEASE THE WEAPON IMMEDIATELY!!! 』
"I told you—I CAN'T!" Rikuya roared, his body trembling under the overwhelming force surging through him.
『 HOST HAS FAILED TO COMPLY. ENGAGING AUTO-MODE. 』
His vision flickered, and suddenly, his irises turned a deep, unnatural purple. His fingers twitched involuntarily asGuardian attempted to forcefully pry his grip away from the weapon.
『 SYSTEM LOG: FORCEFUL RELEASE ATTEMPT #1—FAILED. 』
『 SYSTEM LOG: FORCEFUL RELEASE ATTEMPT #2—FAILED. 』
A deep hum reverberated through the space as the Guardian initiated an emergency scan.
『 SCANNING HOST... 』
『 ANALYZING SURVIVAL PROBABILITY... 』
『 CRITICAL FAILURE DETECTED. HOST WILL EXPIRE IN 30 SECONDS. 』
The Guardian's algorithms worked at lightning speed, pinpointing the core issue—Rikuya's very essence was incompatible. His Soul ID and race were not suited to wielding this specific type of energy.
『 SOLUTION IDENTIFIED: ADJUSTMENTS REQUIRED. 』
『 ALTERING HOST PARAMETERS TO ENSURE SURVIVAL... 』
A tremor ran through the chamber, rattling the very air as an unseen force wrapped itself around Rikuya.
Then—
Snap.
It was small at first, like the feeling of a joint popping into place, but then the sensation spread. His ribs compressed, his spine elongated, and his skull shifted. Every nerve in his body flared up at once, a tingling heat rippling through his flesh like the prickling sensation of a limb waking up from numbness—but a hundred times more intense.
『 ADJUSTING HOST PARAMETERS… 』
A metallic taste coated his tongue, like he had bitten into cold iron. The air around him grew thick, suffocating—he could almost feel the weight of it pressing against his skin, wrapping around him like damp fabric. The scent of burnt ozone filled his nose, sharp and electric, as though lightning had just struck mere inches from his face.
And then—
A snap.
Like a rubber band being pulled too tight and finally breaking.
A brilliant, silver flash erupted from his body, bathing the chamber in a cold, pale glow. The intense heat from before vanished, replaced by a cooling sensation—like stepping out of a stifling summer afternoon into a crisp autumn night. The relief was so sudden it was almost jarring.
But it didn't stop there.
His hair, once short and disheveled, unraveled down his back in shimmering silver strands, their weight unfamiliar against his shoulders. It felt like the softest silk, yet impossibly light—like moonlight given form. His fingers of his free hand grazed his scalp as he felt something suddenly grow out, only to freeze as they met something solid.
Horns.
A pair of horns.
Not jagged or rough like an animal's, but smooth—almost polished. They were cool to the touch, like marble left outside under the night sky. The moment his fingertips brushed against them, an eerie pulse shivered through his body, like dipping his hand into cold, running water.
『 ADJUSTMENTS COMPLETE. 』
『 NEW SOUL ID REGISTERED: LUNAR ASCENDANT. 』
『 RACE ADJUSTMENT COMPLETE: DIVINE LUNAR ENTITY. 』
『 HOST STABILIZATION: SUCCESS. 』
『CREATING A SUB CLASS DUE TO THE HOST'S NEW ABILITIES.』
『THE HOST HAS OBTAINED THE SUB CLASS: Moon God.』
Rikuya's eyes fluttered open—and the world looked different.
Colors had changed. The dimly lit chamber was now awash in layers of light he had never seen before—soft silver glows danced along the stone walls, outlining every minute crack, every delicate swirl in the marble. The air itself seemed to hum, whispering with faint echoes, like the distant sound of wind chimes in the night.
He exhaled.
The breath that left his lips felt… crisper. As if the air itself had changed—cleaner, smoother, sharper. He could taste it now—cool, with a faint metallic sharpness, like the moment right before snowfall.
He took an unsteady step forward, the movement oddly fluid, his body adjusting to itself like he had been remade from the inside out.
His fingers curled and uncurled, marveling at the new strength coursing through them, he could hear the small hum of power that vibrated beneath his skin like the lingering warmth of an open flame.
His tongue ran over his teeth—were they sharper now? His fingers trailed down his arms, feeling the unfamiliar texture of his new skin—smoother, colder, like polished obsidian even beneath the fabric.
He sucked in a breath, his lungs filling too easily, his chest rising too smoothly. The way the air flowed through him—it wasn't natural.
It was like his body had been stripped of its old functions and replaced with something more… perfected.
"…Guardian." His voice came out different. Richer. Like the whisper of wind over water.
『 Yes, host? 』
His glowing blue cosmic eyes narrowed.
"What the fuck did you do to me?"