When Hell returned to the training ground at a leisurely pace, Luna had already come back ahead of him.
He walked out from the tree-lined path at the edge of the training field, and the sunlight fell on him once more, dispelling the slight chill he had carried from the small grove.
He still looked as languid as ever—slender build, pale complexion, the dark circles under his eyes even more pronounced in the sunlight.
Hell’s appearance caused no ripple.
Among the students training, some were focused on their own practice, others were chatting and laughing with their companions.
Occasionally, someone’s gaze swept over him, but it was just a brief glance before quickly moving away, as if they had merely seen an unimportant passerby.
No one greeted him.
No one paid him any attention. No one even looked at him a second time.
Hell was long accustomed to this.
He walked at his unhurried pace, intending to return to the tree that was his usual spot and continue being a forgotten observer.
However—
Just as he passed near the rest area, he could feel a gaze falling upon him.
That gaze was very light, so light that if he hadn’t deliberately looked in that direction, he wouldn’t have noticed it at all.
But it was indeed there, like a faint, almost imperceptible thread drifting from a certain direction, landing on his back.
Hell did not turn around.
But he knew who it was.
He kept walking forward, reached the familiar tree, sat down on the grass, leaned his back against the trunk, and slightly turned his head, pretending to look toward the distant training field.
In reality, the corner of his eye was focused on that direction the whole time.
Luna was standing on the training ground not far away.
She was holding a water bottle, seemingly taking a short break, but her gaze, peeking cautiously through the pink bangs falling over her forehead, was directed toward him.
In those pale golden eyes was a trace of barely noticeable concern.
She was checking to see if he was safe and sound.
Confirming that the boy who had almost “sacrificed himself” just moments ago had now returned to the training ground unharmed.
Confirming that the classmate targeted by Arbiter V was, for the moment, not in danger.
Hell maintained his posture of looking into the distance, the corner of his mouth slowly curling upward.
‘How adorable.’
‘Worried sick, yet trying to act as if nothing’s wrong, thinking her gaze won’t be noticed.’
Luna watched for a while, seemingly satisfied that Hell showed no signs of abnormality, then subtly shifted her gaze away, raised the water bottle in her hand, and pretended to drink.
She thought she had done it flawlessly, that no one had noticed.
Little did she know, Hell had seen through it all long ago.
Hell chuckled inwardly.
He withdrew his peripheral gaze, leaned against the tree trunk, and looked at the bustling training scenes in the distance, his expression indifferent, as if nothing had happened.
Since she wanted to pretend nothing happened, he would play along.
After all…
He had plenty of time.
After confirming that Hell was fine, Luna also lost the heart to continue training.
The scene that had just unfolded in the small grove kept replaying in her mind—Hell’s expression of despair, his words “as long as I agree to be your sacrifice,” the Arbiter V disappearing around the corner…
Although she had arrived in time to stop it, V had escaped. But that guy was still lurking in the shadows.
Somewhere in this academy.
Ready to strike again at any moment.
Luna’s fingers tightened slightly, gripping the water bottle. She stood up, walked over to a classmate nearby, and forced an apologetic smile onto her face:
“Sorry, I suddenly don’t feel too well… I want to go rest for a bit.”
“Are you okay? Do you want me to go with you to the infirmary?”
The classmate looked at her with concern.
“No, no, I’m just a bit tired. I’ll just go sit on that bench over there for a while.”
Luna quickly waved her hand. After saying that, she hurried toward the rest area and chose a relatively secluded corner to sit down.
The view here was open; she could see most of the training area, but she wasn’t too close to others. If anyone approached, she would notice immediately.
Sitting on the bench, Luna first warily scanned her surroundings, confirming no one was paying attention to her, then pulled out her smartphone from her pocket.
She decided to inform a few Goddess Angel companions about Arbiter V’s infiltration of Eden Academy.
Originally, after encountering V, Luna hadn’t planned to tell the other Goddess Angels about this.
Her reasoning was simple—she didn’t want to involve others.
That V’s target seemed to be her alone.
Whether it was yesterday in the abandoned warehouse or today on the clock tower, all his words and actions pointed to her, revolved around the word “you.”
He said he was interested in her, he said he would keep watching her, he threatened her with Hestia, but he never mentioned doing anything to other Goddess Angels.
So Luna felt this was her fight alone.
She could handle it by herself.
However—
Now the situation had changed.
That Arbiter V had actually extended his sinister hand toward her classmate Hell.
An ordinary, innocent boy who had nothing to do with the Goddess Angels.
Although she had arrived in time earlier to interrupt V’s “sacrifice” plan, temporarily pulling Hell out of danger. But…
V had escaped.
That guy was still hiding in the shadows.
If he could target Hell, then who could guarantee he wouldn’t target other students? Other teachers? Any other person within Eden Academy?
Luna sat on the bench in the rest area, her fingers tightening slightly, gripping her phone.
She raised her head, her gaze sweeping over the figures training hard on the field—those classmates who attended classes with her, those familiar faces she saw every day, greeted, and joked with.
If V targeted them…
If, because of her hesitation, her “not wanting to involve others,” some innocent student got hurt…
Luna’s heart clenched violently.
No.
This was no longer a situation she could handle alone.
If she continued stubbornly, deciding to shoulder it all by herself as before, it was very likely—no, it was certain—that she would delay the timing.
And the price of delaying could be a classmate’s life.
Luna took a deep breath, lowered her head, and looked at the white software icon with the Goddess prayer pattern on her phone screen.
Of course, she didn’t open that main group chat.
That main group had Goddess Angels from various cities and regions, with a large number of members and chaotic messages. If she posted the matter there, it might cause unnecessary panic or attract some “attention” she didn’t need.
What Luna needed was—companions who could take immediate action and genuinely help.
So, she tapped into another group chat.
This was a small group with only five people. The group name was simple—”Watch Eden.”
Including Luna, there were five people in the group.
They were all Goddess Angels whose IP addresses showed they were in Academy City Eden.
Though scattered in various corners of the city, and though they had never met in reality, they had spent a considerable amount of time together in the virtual space of “Starlight Covenant.”
Luna looked at these familiar profile pictures and took a deep breath. Then, she began typing in the group.
“Sisters, I have something important to tell everyone.”
“Arbiter V—that Arbiter from Eternal Night Gospel—has been active near Eden Academy recently.”
“I saw him with my own eyes.”
“He’s very likely infiltrated Eden Academy—could be a student, a teacher, or other staff.”
“Just now, he targeted an ordinary student—tried to use that student as some kind of ‘sacrifice.’ I arrived in time to stop him, but he escaped.”
Luna’s finger hovered over the screen, hesitating for a moment.
She didn’t mention yesterday’s events.
She didn’t mention V saving her from T, didn’t mention V’s words in the abandoned warehouse, didn’t mention V threatening her with Hestia on the clock tower, didn’t mention the chilling note V left for her, and certainly didn’t mention those strange “transactions” between her and V.
Those… were too complicated.
So complicated she didn’t know how to bring them up.
So complicated she felt mentioning them would only make things more chaotic.
So, she only mentioned what had just happened.
The group chat quickly became lively.
Hestia replied almost instantly: “Artemis, be careful! The Arbiters of Eternal Night Gospel are unpredictable in strength and full of tricks. Never confront him one-on-one head-on. If there’s another emergency, contact us anytime, we’ll come to support quickly!”
It was followed by a fist emoji with the text “Let’s do this together.”
Looking at that emoji, Luna’s mouth unconsciously curled up slightly. Immediately after, an avatar she wasn’t very familiar with also popped up.
“Gale Angel” Sylph—another Goddess Angel stationed in Eden. Her abilities leaned toward speed and wind magic; her combat style was said to be extremely agile, the type that came and went like the wind. She usually didn’t talk much in the group, but every time she spoke, she was reliable.
“Received. I’ll also keep an eye on my surroundings.”
Sylph’s message was concise and clear.
“Since he might be in Eden Academy, let’s find him. Acting together is better than fighting alone.”
Hestia added: “Exactly! Let’s find him together! Artemis, don’t worry too much, we’re all by your side.”
Luna looked at the messages popping up line by line on the screen, at those familiar avatars and words of concern. The tightly wound string in her heart finally loosened a little.
She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.
Yes.
As long as the Goddess Angels worked together, no matter the difficulty, they could overcome it.
She had so many reliable companions by her side. What was there to fear?
No matter how strange or powerful that V was, he was just one person. And she—had Hestia, had Sylph, and had other Goddess Angel sisters.
Five against one.
Even if they couldn’t defeat him, they could hold him off.
A trace of a relieved smile finally appeared at the corner of Luna’s mouth.
However—
Right at that moment.
Her phone suddenly vibrated.
Not a group chat message.
It was a private message.
Luna looked down. That familiar black avatar was quietly sitting at the top of her chat list.
Nickname: V.
The girl’s face instantly changed.
The relief and warmth that had just appeared in those pale golden eyes were extinguished in an instant, as if a candle flame blown out by a cold wind.
Replacing them was a kind of barely concealed tension and… a trace of fear.
The girl’s fingers trembled slightly, hovering over the screen. She hesitated for several seconds before finally tapping to open the message.
A line of cold text appeared on the screen:
“Ruining my plans, huh, Miss Luna.”
Luna’s pupils contracted slightly.
“But you can’t always be around, can you.”
“Then don’t blame me… for picking targets at random.”
Luna’s heart clenched violently, a chill rising up her spine.
Picking targets at random?
What did that mean?
Was it a threat to target other students? Teachers? Anyone she couldn’t protect at all times?
Luna’s fingers trembled even more. Almost instinctively, she typed a reply:
“No!”
“Don’t hurt innocent classmates!”
Send.
The girl’s heart was beating fast, so fast it felt like it would leap out of her chest. She stared at the screen, waiting for the other party’s response. One second, two seconds, three seconds—
The “typing” indicator flashed.
Then, a new message popped up.
“If you don’t want anything to happen to other classmates…”
“Then you be my experimental subject instead.”