Note from the Author:

  Dear Readers,

  Thank you so much for your time and support in reading my work. I would love to hear your thoughts on the Sword Saint and the Demon lord of insanity of the story. If there are any areas you feel could be improved, or if you have suggestions or feedback, please feel free to share. Your insights are invaluable as I continue to develop this narrative.

  Thank you once again for being a part of this journey!

  Warm regards,[Kelvin]

  _______________________________________________________

  Chapter 6: The Covenant of Light

  A hush bnketed the grand hall, thick with the scent of sacred incense and the trembling weight of anticipation.

  The Pope's voice, steady as a heartbeat, carried through the chamber.

  “Children of another world… now is the time.”

  He raised his hand once more, and from within the folds of his robe, another set of radiant spheres emerged—each glowing softly, as if answering the heartbeat of the divine.

  “These are your Soul Mirrors,” he said. “Twin to the fragments already within you. Hold them where your first crystal rests. Let the resonance reveal your path.”

  The priests stepped forward one by one, pcing a second crystal sphere into each student's hands.

  The students obeyed, pressing the cool, pulsing crystal to their chest—exactly where the first one had dissolved into their bodies hours before. For a heartbeat, nothing happened.

  Then—light.

  Soft at first. A glimmer. A spark.

  Miss Aiko’s crystal fred a brilliant green, like fresh leaves in sunlight.

  The Pope’s gaze turned to her, solemn and reverent.

  “You are first. Step forward, servant of protection.”

  Miss Aiko looked momentarily stunned, then nodded. She walked with quiet dignity toward the great statue of the Goddess Aetheria that towered over the altar—her steps gentle with each step, the green light still glowing at her chest.

  She knelt before the statue, pressing both palms to the floor, her head bowed low.

  “Please… let me be strong enough,” she whispered in her heart. “Let me protect them. Whatever trials may come… please let me shield my students from the fate that awaits.”

  For a moment, all was still.

  Then the air shimmered.

  From the raised hand of the statue—where the stone depiction of the goddess extended upward in silent benediction—a cascade of tiny green particles began to fall. Not like dust, but like fragments of light itself, drifting down slowly, reverently.

  The students gasped in unison, their eyes wide. The light was not just seen—it was felt. It caressed their skin, passed through their hearts. Holy. Unmistakably holy.

  A hush, deeper than silence.

  The Pope's voice came again—quiet, but echoing through every soul in the chamber.

  “The Goddess has answered.”

  The st of the luminous green motes vanished into Miss Aiko’s body, absorbed like dew into thirsty earth.

  She remained kneeling, eyes closed, heart steady.

  Then, one of the twelve high priests stepped forward, his robes the shade of sapphire sky, and in his hands he carried a stone tablet—ancient, inscribed with glowing runes that shifted like ink floating through water.

  His voice rang clear, formal and unwavering:

  “Aiko Himura. Your soul has been weighed and accepted. Your role in this world, as decreed by the Goddess, is thus—”

  He turned the tablet toward the Pope, who nodded solemnly, and then the priest announced:

  “SS-Rank Hero of Fertility. Affinities: Water, Wind, Earth. Designation: Guardian of Life’s Harmony.”

  A hush rippled through the hall.

  Hero of Fertility? An SS-Rank?

  The students looked at one another in disbelief, astonishment etched across their faces. Even those who had barely registered Miss Aiko’s quiet strength before now stared with wide, almost reverent eyes.

  A Hero of Fertility… not just a title of nurturing, but of creation, restoration, and sacred bance. A divine protector. A force of peace, and if need be, of overwhelming force.

  Miss Aiko opened her eyes slowly, her breath catching in her throat.

  She hadn’t expected grandeur—only the strength to shield her students.

  But the Goddess had seen her heart… and answered beyond what she had dared hope.

  As the priest stepped back into the line of twelve, the Pope’s voice echoed once more:

  “Let the next soul, whose crystal shines with the truth of their destiny, come forward.”

  A soft hum lit the air again, and this time, the radiant glow pulsed from a girl near the front—Hoshino Mirei.

  Her crystal bzed like a miniature star, its surface swirling with prismatic hues that pulsed in rhythm with her heartbeat.

  Eyes wide, hands trembling ever so slightly, Mirei stepped forward.

  The hall watched in breathless silence as she moved to the foot of the Goddess’s statue. Then, as if drawn by a force deeper than will, she sank to her knees, pced her hand over her heart, and closed her eyes.

  Let me be brave, she whispered in her thoughts. Let me protect them.her.. even if I don't understand everything yet.

  From the raised, outstretched hand of the Goddess, a burst of golden light—soft and divine—descended in a gentle cascade, like petals from an unseen tree. It wrapped around her like a mantle, and when it faded, a faint aura lingered, visible only to those with keen senses.

  The same priest stepped forward once more, raising the stone tablet, the runes now shifting and glowing anew.

  He spoke clearly:

  “Hoshino Mirei. Role: SS-Rank Hero of Light. Affinities: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind... and Light. Designation: Bringer of Hope and Final Fme.”

  A wave of whispers surged through the crowd.

  “Five affinities?!” “Light?! That’s one of the divine elements—” “She’s an SS-rank too...!”

  Mirei stood slowly, her crystal now faded, absorbed fully into her soul. She turned back toward the others, her expression unreadable—composed, but shaken, the weight of it all just beginning to sink in.

  “Next,” the Pope called, voice like the toll of truth.

  A second light bloomed.

  Haruka Nakano—the saintlike girl with flowing silver-brown hair and a calm smile—clutched her shining crystal to her chest and stepped forward with quiet dignity.

  She knelt with a grace that made her seem sculpted from moonlight itself.

  Please... give me the strength to soothe, to mend, to love them all, she prayed silently.

  From the palm of the statue’s hand, a shaft of pure white radiance descended, more brilliant than any before—so bright some students had to shield their eyes. When the light touched Haruka, it softened, turning warm and gentle, as if the very concept of comfort had taken form.

  A sudden wave of warmth flooded the temple as divine light poured down in beams of golden-white. The raised hand of the Goddess statue glowed intensely.

  A reverent silence followed—then gasps.

  The priests nearest the altar froze. One dropped his tablet. Then another fell to his knees.

  One by one, every priest and cleric in the temple knelt in unison, their heads lowered in absolute reverence.

  In broken whispers, they spoke as one:

  “The Holy One has appeared…”

  Haruka opened her eyes slowly, confused—but the light still danced around her. Her cssmates stared in stunned silence.

  Even the Pope closed his eyes in a brief, trembling moment of awe.

  The high priest’s voice cracked as he read from the tablet:

  “Haruka Nakano.

  Role: SS-Rank Saint of Radiance.

  Affinity: Holy Magic.

  Title: Holy Saint, Healer of Sacred Fme.”

  “She’s a real saint?” one student whispered.

  “A saint and a healer... We’re being protected, huh?”

  As Haruka returned to her pce, the air shimmered once more.

  The third crystal fred—pyful, wild, tinged with an untamed rhythm.

  Kasumi stepped forward, average in height, her twin hair clips bouncing as she moved. There was something almost innocent in the way she walked, eyes sparkling with wonder.

  She knelt, pcing her hand near her heart.

  I just want to be useful… help me find….

  This time, a flood of tiny motes in the shapes of beasts—lions, birds, serpents, and more—descended in a swirl around her. They circled once, twice, then vanished into her skin.

  The priest’s voice carried:

  “Kasumi Ayane. Role: SS-Rank Hero, Beast Tamer. Affinity: Linked to the Sacred Beast Path. Title: Voice of the Wild Pact.”

  A few jaws dropped.

  “Beast tamers can command monsters…” “And she’s an SS-rank?”

  The next light was darker—brooding, pulsating with an ominous hue of crimson mixed with deep bck.

  A quiet boy with bck hair and piercing red eyes stepped forward—Takumi Hayashi.

  He didn’t speak. He didn’t even blink. His presence sent a shiver down the spine of several cssmates.

  He knelt.

  The light that descended was like falling blood-roses—terrifyingly beautiful.

  “Takumi Hayashi. Role: SS-Rank Hero. Affinity: Blood Magic. Title: Bearer of the Crimson Thread.”

  Gasps followed.

  “Blood magic?! Isn’t that forbidden in most kingdoms?” “Why is he SS-rank too?!”

  The boy returned to his pce in silence, his eyes unreadable.

  Then, a new fre burst—orange-red, like a campfire suddenly fed fresh kindling.

  Makabe Jin stepped forward, shoulders squared and smirk in pce, trying to py it cool. His two ever-present sidekicks, Takeshi Okuda and Shun Nakamura, cheered loudly from the back.

  “Go, Makabe!” “Yeah! Show them what a real man’s made of!”

  Makabe rolled his eyes but couldn't help grinning.

  He knelt before the Goddess statue. The light that descended was fierce and hot, like the breath of a dragon—pure fire, wrapping around his figure like a bzing mantle.

  The priest read aloud, voice ringing across the marble chamber:

  “Makabe Jin. Role: S-Rank Magic Swordsman. Affinity: High Fire. Title: Bzing Bde of the Outer Fme.”

  Makabe blinked. “Magic swordsman?” he muttered, almost to himself. Then louder, with a half-cocky grin: “Heh. Guess I’ll need a sword now.”

  Laughter rippled through a few students. Takeshi and Shun whooped in triumph, already imagining their friend as some fming warrior from a manga.

  Makabe returned to his spot, gncing at his hands as if trying to feel the weapon that wasn’t there yet.

  A flicker of violet light rippled across the chamber.

  It was Ririka Kanzaki.

  Her crystal pulsed with a deep, entrancing hue—like moonlight through amethyst, alluring and strange. The aura it gave off was unlike the others—cool, composed, and impossible to look away from.

  She walked with confidence, not pride—shoulders straight, chin raised—like a queen acknowledging her court.

  Every student watched her. Some in awe. Others are in unease.

  Even the priests exchanged gnces.

  Ririka moved to the base of the Goddess’s statue and knelt, but she did not bow her head. Her eyes remained open, steady, and unreadable.

  I will not be a pawn. I will make my destiny. The thought echoed in her mind—not a prayer, but a vow.

  The statue shimmered.

  This time, the light did not fall in cascading motes or blinding rays. Instead, a slow, silken wave of indigo and silver mist enveloped her body—like a veil being drawn by unseen hands. It wrapped around her form, shimmered like a mirage, then sank into her skin.

  Some students shivered.

  The high priest, now visibly tense, stepped forward. The runes on his tablet whirled faster than before, and for a long moment, he simply stared.

  Then, his voice rang out, almost reluctant:

  “Ririka Kanzaki. Role: S-Rank Hero of the Mind. Affinities: Illusion, Charm, Psychic. Designation: Queen of the Thousand Masks.”

  A stunned silence followed.

  Even without divine elements or elemental firepower, the implications were terrifying.

  Illusion and psychic magic—power over perception, emotion, maybe even thought. A mind mage of S-Rank meant more than battle prowess. It meant influence. Subtlety. Dominion of the soul.

  “She’s dangerous,” someone whispered.

  “She’s a queen,” someone else breathed.

  Ririka turned, her eyes locking with no one in particur, yet everyone at once.

  The Queen had arrived.

  The next to step forward was a girl whose presence, though quiet, seemed to draw eyes without effort.

  Shizuka.

  Still dressed in her school uniform, her bck hair tied back into a practical ponytail, she walked with the sure, unhurried steps of someone who disliked unnecessary attention—but did not shrink from responsibility. Her almond-shaped eyes gave her a sharp, calcuting look, but there was no harshness in them. Only quiet resolve. A steady kindness that made her seem cool rather than cold.

  When she knelt, there was no dramatic flourish, no whispered prayer. Just silence.

  The crystal in her hand shimmered in pale blue and silver, casting soft ripples of light across the stone floor. Then, wind stirred through the chamber, brushing the folds of her uniform and lifting strands of her hair.

  From the Goddess’s hand, a gust of air ced with crystalline droplets descended—water and wind dancing together in gentle harmony. They wove around Shizuka’s form like twin serpents, light and graceful, before vanishing into her chest in a burst of glowing mist.

  The priest stepped forward, raising the tablet once more, voice firm.

  “Shizuka Haruno. Role: S-Rank Magic Swordsman. Affinities: Water, Wind. Designation: Galebde of Tranquility.”

  A few students murmured in appreciation. A magic swordsman—rare, and highly valued. Especially one with two complementary affinities.

  Shizuka stood without a word, brushing her skirt straight, and turned to rejoin the line. Her expression remained unchanged, calm as ever—but as she passed Mirei, their eyes met for a second.

  Shizuka gave her a small, almost imperceptible smile.

  The silence that followed was broken by the sound of heavy, uncertain footsteps.

  A big guy—tall, broad-shouldered, with a build that belonged more on a pro athlete than a high school student—walked up to the altar. His movements were awkward, like someone trying to squeeze through a doorway that was barely wide enough for him.

  His short brown hair was tousled, like he’d just rolled out of bed before the summoning. His face was flushed—not from shame, but from excitement barely held in check. A wide, goofy grin twitched at the corners of his lips, and his hands fidgeted by his sides like a kid told to sit still at a festival.

  Mirei didn’t know his name. She’d seen him around school, mostly alone or chatting loudly with the gym teachers. One of those oddball types—kind, but too intense for most people to handle for long.

  He dropped to one knee, almost smming the crystal into the ground with the enthusiasm of a shonen protagonist.

  The Goddess flinched. Really?

  The crystal pulsed crimson-red, like a heartbeat caught in a forge. Fmes licked out from beneath it, harmless but searing with heat. A phantom sword shimmered above him—wreathed in fire, gleaming with a primal hunger.

  The priest cleared his throat, tapping at his tablet. Even he looked mildly surprised.

  “Honda Keisuke. Role: S-Rank Magic Swordsman. Affinity: Fire. Designation: Bze Fang of the Scorching Edge.”

  Keisuke stood up fast—too fast. He almost tripped, caught himself, then let out a loud ugh that echoed awkwardly in the sacred chamber.

  “Y-Yeah! This is gonna be awesome!”

  The pope frowned, but the priest just scribbled something quietly onto his ste.

  Mirei sighed.

  Another problem child.

  Following the explosive energy of Keisuke, the next figure stepped forward with quiet composure.

  A tall girl—not just tall for a girl, but tall for a person. She moved with a steady gait, each footfall controlled, measured. Her bck uniform was rolled up slightly at the sleeves, revealing arms that rippled with lean, solid muscle—not from training for looks, but from real bor.

  Her skin had a faint tan, and her hands bore calluses that no nail polish could hide. There was a grounded feel to her presence—like standing next to a mountain that didn’t need to prove anything.

  Mirei recognized her faintly. Not from any css or club, but from town. She worked part-time at her uncle’s hardware store, lifting crates and moving barrels like it was nothing.

  She said nothing as she reached the altar. Just knelt respectfully and pced her palm on the crystal with the quiet confidence of someone who never needed to raise her voice to be heard.

  The crystal responded with a low, heavy rumble—like shifting earth. Brown and golden light coiled around her arm, forming into the vague shape of a gauntlet… then a second, like twin pilrs of strength anchoring her to the world.

  The priest’s voice was calm, almost respectful.

  “Sakura Ayaka. Role: S-Rank Padin. Affinity: Earth. Designation: Titanfist of the Stoneheart Path.”

  The Goddess’s eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than the others. Perhaps even she felt something in this girl’s silent conviction.

  Ayaka rose, nodded slightly, and walked back to her pce with the same slow, unshakable pace.

  And just like that, one by one, the students stepped forward.

  Each carried with them a swirl of emotion—fear, excitement, awe. The sacred crystal pulsed in rhythm with their touch, a soft hum resonating through the chamber as their roles in this foreign world were revealed. For some, the light fred with overwhelming brilliance—Rank S heroes blessed with divine power. For others, the glow was gentler, yet no less meaningful. Whether warriors, mages, priests, or craftsmen, each found their path etched into fate.

  The priest at the altar recorded every name, every css, every affinity with precise strokes, as if writing history itself.

  Shizuka, with her sharp gaze and quiet dignity, was an S-Rank Magic Swordswoman of wind and water.

  The muscur, hot-blooded boy who stammered through his excitement received the same rank—his fme affinity igniting the room with heat.

  A tall, well-built girl with toned arms and calloused hands stepped up with a proud, steady gait. Earth affinity. S-Rank Padin. She bore the strength of the mountains in her limbs.

  Ririka Kanzaki’s moment was unforgettable—when she stepped forward, the crystal shimmered like a mirror, revealing illusions, truths, and veiled intent. Queen Bee. Rank S. Mind and Illusion magic. A ruler cloaked in beauty and danger.

  And then came others—priests, scouts, assassins, healers, craftsmen. Rank A, Rank B, and even humble C-Ranks stepped into the light, their futures uncertain but no less vital.

  They were all summoned here for a reason.

  The st student to step forward was Shouta Izumi—a boy with messy brown hair and an air of uncertainty about him. He shuffled awkwardly toward the altar, his E-Rank crystal faintly glowing with a hesitant light. The other students, most of them still buzzing with awe over the SS-Rank reveals, turned their eyes toward him, unsure of what to expect.

  Shouta knelt before the Goddess's statue, his hands trembling slightly as he held the crystal to his chest. There was no grand dispy, no radiant burst of light. The air around him remained still and quiet, almost holding its breath.

  From the Goddess’s outstretched hand, a single flicker of electric blue light shot down—sharp and crackling, like the spark of an untamed storm. It flickered in the air around him, dancing pyfully before dissipating into his chest.

  The priest, after a moment of hesitation, read from the tablet with a steady voice:

  “Shouta Izumi. Role: E-Rank Hero. Affinity: Lightning. Designation: Storm’s Edge.”

  Shouta Izumi rose from his kneeling position, his hands still trembling slightly after receiving the blessing. The faint glow of his E-Rank crystal slowly dimmed, leaving behind a quiet, almost apologetic silence. The ritual was far from spectacur—no radiant surge of light, no roaring storm. Instead, a flicker of electricity had danced across the air before settling into his chest, a fleeting spark of the power he was to wield.

  As he returned to the group of students, his gaze stayed fixed on the floor. The murmurs started almost immediately.

  "Did you see that? An E-Rank?" Makabe Jin scoffed, his voice loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. "With that kind of weak blessing, I’m surprised they even bothered to summon him." His two sidekicks chuckled, their smirks growing as they eyed Shouta, who only kept his head down, avoiding their gazes.

  Ririka Kanzaki, standing just behind Makabe, tilted her head slightly, her usual air of arrogance repced by a quiet curiosity. "A lightning affinity, huh? It's rare, but it’s not like it’s a blessing for anything special. And that low of an affinity..." Her tone was dismissive, though there was a hint of something else in her voice, something almost like pity.

  "Honestly, though," one of the students whispered to their friend, "an E-Rank’s common enough. Almost everyone starts there, right?"

  The murmurs grew, but then, a soft voice from the front caught their attention. The Pope, standing next to the high priest, exchanged a brief look before mumbling quietly.

  "An E-Rank... quite common for adventurers in our world. Most start there, regardless of their affinity. But Lightning... that’s a rare gift. Even so, his affinity is rather low. His potential will be... limited."

  The priest nodded in agreement, though there was a touch of sympathy in his voice. "It’s true. Lightning is potent, but low affinity limits the strength of his magic. Perhaps he will find his way, but it will take time."

  Shouta stood there, taking in the whispers with a quiet resignation. He didn’t meet anyone's eyes, not even as Haruka Nakano, standing a little off to the side, gnced at him from her position. Her gaze was worried—yet there was something in her eyes, a flicker of something deeper, like she was considering something only she knew.

  Mirei, standing just a few steps away, couldn't help but feel a slight pang of sympathy for Shouta. While the others were quick to judge him, there was something about his quiet resolve that stood in stark contrast to their boastful arrogance. If nothing else, Shouta would have to carve his path in this new world, but he wasn't the only one who would face that challenge.

  As the final name was called and the st glow faded, a silence lingered in the air. The ritual was complete. The st of the holy light dimmed, leaving only the soft flicker of candles and the echo of breaths held and released.

  The priest closed the sacred tome with a solemn nod. “It is done.”

  Behind them, the crystal darkened, its duty fulfilled—for now.

  But somewhere in the holy cathedral, unseen eyes watched. And somewhere in the world beyond, the gears of fate had begun to turn.