Aaron had never considered himself brave.
He'd simply learned that when you looked calm—even if you were quietly panicking inside—people assumed you knew what you were doing. And that assumption had carried him through some of the strangest experiences since waking up in this new world.
Like now.
"You want me to… collect herbs?" Aaron blinked, standing in the manor's herb room as the elderly estate herbalist handed him a rough sketch of a leafy plant. "From the Whispering Hollow?"
The old woman nodded. "Don't go too deep. Just pick the blue-leafed Lunaria. It's used to help with burn salves. We're running low."
Aaron glanced at the map. "Whispering Hollow… sounds poetic," he thought. "Alright. Seems like a simple walk. Bit of fresh air."
The guards, overhearing this exchange, went rigid.
"Sir Aaron," one of them said, sweat trickling down his neck, "the Whispering Hollow isn't—uh—it's not the safest. Should we send a squad with you?"
Aaron waved them off. "It's just gathering herbs. I'll be fine. Besides, I could use the exercise."
That's the problem, the guard thought grimly as Aaron casually walked off. No one knows how strong he is—not even him.
---
The Whispering Hollow – Edge of the Forest
Aaron stepped past the threshold of tangled roots and soft moss with an eager breath.
The forest, despite its eerie reputation, felt oddly welcoming.
Sunlight filtered through high branches like melted gold, and a cool breeze brushed past his cheek. Birds chirped in the distance—at first—before silence swept the treetops like a wave.
"Strange," Aaron murmured, peering upward. "Did they fly away?"
In reality, every creature within a five-hundred-meter radius had just entered full retreat mode.
From mana-sensitive birds to magical predators, they sensed the overwhelming celestial pressure Aaron unknowingly emitted and made one unified decision:
Leave. Immediately.
Aaron scratched his head. "It's so… quiet. Peaceful."
---
Deeper In
His boots crunched gently over leaves as he hummed, holding up the herbalist's sketch. "Let's see… blue leaves, speckled edges, grows near water…"
Just ahead, a shimmering pond reflected the light like a mirror. Aaron's eyes lit up as he spotted the distinctive Lunaria herb near the water.
But between him and the pond was a bleeding direwolf, its leg caught in a rusted hunter's trap.
"Oh no." Aaron hurried over and knelt beside the beast.
The wolf snarled instinctively, but the sound died in its throat as Aaron's hand gently touched its fur.
Golden light bloomed where his palm met the wound—his mana flowing without him realizing.
The injury sealed in seconds.
"There, all better," he smiled, rubbing its ears like it was a lost puppy.
The wolf whimpered, then—completely terrified—bolted into the trees, howling.
Watching from the shadows, a group of hidden mercenaries dropped their spyglass.
"D-Don't you see? He healed a feral direwolf with a touch," whispered one. "No chant, no spell circle…"
"That aura… That's celestial-class magic. He's a starlight archmage disguised as a mortal!"
"We must report this," another muttered. "The Celestial Star Walker has returned!"
---
A Small Detour
Aaron continued along the trail, finding another bunch of herbs growing beside a rocky cliff. A small cave entrance, half-blocked by a glowing boulder, stood nearby.
"Huh. That's a weird place for a rock." He stretched his legs and casually tapped the stone with the edge of his boot.
The "rock" exploded into shimmering runes as the ancient sealing magic unraveled.
Aaron blinked. "Was that… fragile moss?"
Inside the cave, something stirred.
Deep, guttural breathing echoed against the walls. The awakening force of a thousand-year-old terror—a sealed calamity known as Thorthazul, The End-Fanged Tyrant—slowly rose from its slumber.
Aaron, oblivious, leaned inside.
"Hello?" he called, tossing a small stone into the dark.
Thunk.
The pebble struck the emerging creature's forehead with an almost comical crack.
A surge of celestial mana, latent in Aaron's body, turned the stone into a meteorite-strength impact.
Thorthazul, destroyer of nations, fainted mid-roar.
The cave trembled.
Dust spilled from the ceiling.
"…Echoes," Aaron muttered. "Yikes. Bit too loud in there."
He turned and walked away.
---
Later That Evening
Back at the manor, the herbalist accepted the pouch of herbs with a grateful nod. "You found them so fast!"
Aaron shrugged. "Wasn't hard. Forest was quiet. Peaceful, even."
---
Meanwhile – In the Forest
A team of high-circle mages arrived at the collapsed cave, trembling with disbelief.
"Thorthazul was sealed here for centuries," the lead mage whispered. "Now it's been knocked out. And resealed again… the runes reformed into a new lock."
Another mage stepped forward, holding a faint trace of mana in his hands. "This signature… It's divine. Celestial."
"Could it be… him?" one whispered. "The Celestial Star Walker?"
"No," another said. "Something more. Something beyond celestial. But… why would such a being wander into this forest?"
They all bowed in silence toward the cave.
---
The Next Morning
Rumors spread like wildfire across the continent.
"Whispering Hollow was purged overnight."
"A celestial sage appeared."
"Thorthazul has fallen. Again."
The name whispered among scholars, nobles, and guilds alike:
Aaron Aetherwyn.
At breakfast, Aaron yawned over his porridge.
"Still sore from yesterday's walk. Hope I didn't catch a cold."
---
End of Chapter 16