Becoming a God Starts with Acting-Chapter 355: Everyone Has Secrets

"Wow, Matthew, that’s awesome."

Silvanus laughed as he patted Matthew’s shoulder, his eyes filled with curiosity as he looked at Matthew’s Lumin.

Vivian also reached out a tiny paw, as if wanting to touch the Lumin.

The Lumin drifted in the air for a moment, then, after shining brightly, it disappeared at once.

Matthew was a bit surprised, and just then, Nicole suddenly appeared, smiling. "You’re not strong enough yet to keep your Lumin around for long. Keep training, and your Lumin will grow stronger with you." She glanced at Matthew and said softly, "You have tremendous potential, Matthew."

Matthew’s eyes widened. He... he was being acknowledged, wasn’t he? Yes—he would grow stronger too.

Instinctively, he turned to look at Silvanus, only to find Silvanus already watching him. When their eyes met, Silvanus nodded and said, "I told you—everything will be fine."

Yes... Everything will be fine.

Matthew blinked rapidly; for a moment, he couldn’t bring himself to look Silvanus in the eye.

This lesson left some people delighted, while others were disappointed, and some felt too conflicted to describe their emotions.

"You should thank me. If I hadn’t nurtured you, there’s no way you could’ve summoned a Lumin on your first try."

Matthew lay on his bed as that eerie voice echoed faintly inside his mind—like a ghost that refused to disappear.

He clenched his fists. Thinking of Silvanus, Matthew’s eyes trembled slightly, and he suddenly said, "I... I don’t want this anymore."

Just like Silvanus said, everything would be fine. As long as he entered Lumina, his future was secure.

Silvanus had protected him all this time, brought him all the way here. Surely not so he could fall into ruin alongside some... some monstrous thing.

Suddenly, Matthew felt a deep, overwhelming sense of regret.

He was disgusting. Pathetic.

The moment he thought that, the world around him spun violently. When he opened his eyes again, he was back in that same gloomy, shadowy place as before.

Except this time, there was one difference—massive coils of black smoke wrapped tightly around him, like a ghost he could never escape.

The mysterious voice echoed: "Don’t want it? Haha... stop pretending you’re some pure and virtuous saint. If the one who summoned a Lumin today had been Silvanus instead of you, would you still be saying these noble words?"

Matthew trembled, pressing his lips tightly together.

The black smoke continued speaking, as though countless mouths were hidden within it, all chanting in unison: "No—you wouldn’t say any of that. You would be driven mad with jealousy."

"Don’t worry. Just close your eyes. I will make you even stronger—strong enough that even Silvanus will look at you with envy."

The creature’s words pierced straight into Matthew’s heart. He hesitated for a moment... but in the end, he let himself sink into the darkness.

Meanwhile, in Silvanus’s room, he lay on the bed, recalling what Nana had said that afternoon.

If a student met the requirements, they could be added to the expedition team for the Relics of the Hobbit.

Silvanus had never even seen that place, nor did he understand the world’s history—but he still felt incredibly excited.

He wanted to go there.

It was as if a powerful voice kept urging him forward.

Silvanus suddenly shook his head hard. Vivian, lying beside him, instinctively shook her own head as well—her little head wobbling like a spinning fan.

Silvanus forgot his previous thoughts entirely. He happily hugged Vivian. "Alright, sleep. When the time comes, I’ll bring you with me."

He should look for something that would allow Vivian to accompany him safely.

Silvanus thought vaguely, drifting off into sleep without realizing it.

...

A pair of golden eyes—beautiful, lovely.

That was the first thought in Silvanus’s mind.

Then his vision expanded into a field of ruins.

This place felt strangely familiar... as if he had dreamed of it once before.

Silvanus realized he was dreaming, yet he still couldn’t escape it.

Instinctively, he lifted his foot and began running forward. But at that moment, a sound like a massive iron machine roared out—and then a giant blade swept across his field of vision. It moved far too fast to follow.

Silvanus even felt as though he had been split clean in half.

Silvanus shuddered, then jerked awake. But before he could even wipe away the cold sweat, he froze—because the sight before him...

Ice. Snow. A freezing chill...

What kind of nightmare was this supposed to be? No—was this even a dream anymore?

"Oh? Look who showed up again."

Nerio’s childish voice echoed out, and Silvanus resigned himself, closing his eyes and staying perfectly still.

Nerio sat on an icy ledge, leaning slightly against Kirin’s massive body.

He lowered his eyes to look at Silvanus, who lay motionless on the ice as if dead. He didn’t rush to act, instead idly playing with his own nails out of boredom.

Everything was unnervingly quiet—so quiet it felt foreign to Silvanus.

He snapped his eyes open. From where he was, he could only see Nerio and Kirin’s figures high above.

Sensing his gaze, Nerio suddenly leaned forward, half his body dangling off the ice ledge. He grinned, revealing eight sharp fangs, staring directly at Silvanus.

Silvanus: "..."

How could someone make such a terrifying expression with such an adorable face?

Kirin said softly, "You should be cautious. If you fall, it will hurt."

Hearing that, Nerio rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue. "If you get hurt it hurts, if you’re sad you cry—other than those things, can you say anything else?"

At the same time, the claws on his hand dragged across his own wrist, leaving behind a long streak of blood. "Anyone could figure that out."

Then he simply jumped off the ice ledge!

Silvanus’s eyes widened. He shot upright, raising both hands as a strong gust of wind formed instantly to catch Nerio’s falling body.

Nerio flicked his fish tail, folding his arms while he lifted his chin toward Silvanus. "Human, based on my analysis, after everything, you should be afraid of me. Why aren’t you?"

Just then, Kirin appeared beside Nerio like a gust of wind, lowering his body. Silvanus immediately released the wind, allowing Nerio to land safely on Kirin’s head.

Nerio tapped Kirin’s head with his tail, muttering, "Kirin doesn’t know anything about the outside world, yet he loves lecturing me. So annoying."

Silvanus looked at Nerio—he seemed like a rebellious child.

He ignored Nerio’s earlier question and instead asked, "You don’t know anything about the outside world?"

Nerio snorted. "Of course I do. No one knows world history better than me!"

Silvanus couldn’t help but ask, "So what exactly are you?"

"Me? I’m Nerio, obviously."

Silvanus: "..."

He realized he simply could not have an everyday conversation with Nerio. And Nerio clearly had no intention of speaking seriously.

"I’m waiting for someone," Nerio suddenly said.

Silvanus looked up. Nerio’s eyes were half-lowered, a deep, unfathomable look in them. Silvanus heard his own voice whisper, "Who?"

"The one who gave me life."