The Celestial Hunt

CH 13 Celestial Game Hunt

**Chapter 13: The Unseen Threads**

Yuuto woke to the sound of static humming in his ears. The air around him shimmered like heat haze, though it was cool and quiet inside the old temple where he had passed out. He sat up slowly, heart racing. The feather from the shrine still pulsed faintly in his hand, its glow no longer blinding but soft and steady—as if it had accepted him.

The woman from before—Lyra—was gone.

But something had changed. He could feel it deep in his bones. The world around him felt denser, as though hidden layers had folded themselves into his perception. When he blinked, faint trails of light hung behind moving leaves and insects. A new notification lit up his phone.

[Celestial Hunt Initiated. Tier 1 Access Granted.]

[Skill Unlocked: Thread of Fate - Lv. 1]

[Effect: You can sense thin strands of destiny around people and objects. They can lead you to hidden truths or danger.]

Yuuto stood, brushing dust off his jeans. As he stepped outside, he noticed a shimmer hovering near the edge of the forest. Curious, he followed it.

The thread led him through winding paths, to a forgotten clearing that felt oddly warm despite the overcast sky. There, half-buried in the soil, was a rusted helmet—ancient and cracked, but humming with latent power.

[Item Acquired: Forgotten Guardian Helm - Lv. ?]

[Requires: Celestial Affinity Rank E to equip.]

He pocketed it, unsure of its use yet unable to leave it behind. As he turned to leave, a sound stopped him—a child’s laughter.

He froze.

The sound was coming from nowhere and everywhere at once. Yuuto turned back toward the forest. The thread of fate pulsed in his vision, twisting in the air, and then snapped toward the temple.

He ran.

When he arrived, he found something—or someone—waiting. A boy. No older than ten. Pale, barefoot, and dressed in robes too big for him. His eyes glowed faintly gold.

"You saw the thread," the boy said, smiling.

Yuuto tensed. "Who are you?"

"A Messenger," the boy replied. "The Celestial Hunt isn’t just a game. It's a trial. And the threads you follow... they choose you."

Yuuto's phone vibrated again.

[New Quest: Unravel the Hidden War]

[Objective: Seek the three Celestial Threads that anchor your fate.]

[Reward: Ability Evolution + Unlock Major Arcana]

Before Yuuto could speak, the boy turned and vanished—fading like smoke into the air.

His legs trembled. What was he being dragged into?

---

Back in his apartment, Yuuto collapsed onto his mattress. He stared at the feather, now mounted on his wall like a relic. The day's events clung to him like sweat.

The app wasn’t a game. It was real. And it was alive.

He tapped on the map. Three glowing marks pulsed on the screen. One was in his city. One far up north. The last one? Floating in the sea.

Before he could think, the app’s voice spoke again.

[Celestial Hunt: Phase One begins in 48 hours. Prepare yourself.]

He didn’t sleep that night. Every shadow felt like it watched him. Every creak of the wall sounded like a whisper.

He was in something far bigger than he ever imagined.

And the hunt had only begun.