Prologue

(I will update both of these stories "The lone star's epilogue and Aeon LoreKeeper" consistently as they set in the same verse) 

*

The big hall, made from premium interior and filled with hundreds of seats, encircled the central table. All eyes of the spectators were fixed on this table. Although there were hundreds of spectators present, most of them dared not utter a word. And if they did speak, it was only in whispers.

The spectators looked at the two young boys before them with analytical eyes, yet their hearts whispered words of awe and wonder. They were about to witness a miracle - a battle between two of the youngest and most talented chess players in the world, vying for the title of grand master.

For these spectators, it felt like they were witnessing something truly spectacular, something that normal people wouldn't be able to comprehend. They were the elite, the ones who truly appreciated this intellectual game.

Amongst the crowd, a figure with blue hair appear - a renowned billionaire and novelist, known for his ability to capture the essence of human emotions and intellect in his works as he observed the unfolding match with analytical eyes.

But not only the writer was stood out, in fact among these spectators were billionaires and famous celebrities, but in this moment, only two youngsters shone like the brightest stars. The billionaires and celebrities paled in comparison to them.

On the table in the middle of the hall, a chessboard lay with pieces from both sides. There was one king, one knight, one queen, one rook, one bishop, and four pawns. The black pawns were placed on A2, B3, C2, and D4, while the white pawns were placed on A6, B7, C7, and D5. Both kings were protected by a rook and a knight, while the queen occupied the center of the board.

At first glance, both opponents seemed equally matched in strength and resources in the mid-game. Sitting on the black side was a boy with a dark quiff hairstyle that revealed his forehead. He had a proud look of a Japanese with clear brown eyes that intensely focused on the chessboard.

On the opposite side, on the white side, sat a young boy with beautiful blonde hair falling gracefully over his eyebrows. His blue eyes held a hint of golden color, resembling the glow of a sunset on the horizon. His aura exuded authority, yet his eyes were fixed on the dark-haired boy, as if trying to read his thoughts.

The dark-haired boy seemed hesitant, but eventually came to the decision to play offensively by moving his rook to attack the center pawn of the white pieces. The blonde-haired boy responded by moving his rook to stay behind the queen, protecting the pawn.

Suddenly, a calm yet authoritative voice could be heard from the blonde-haired boy. "I can see the future of this game. No one is winning, and we will rely on time. Will you run out of time first, or will it be me?"

The dark-haired boy's mind raced, considering every possibility to defeat the young boy before him. However, fate took a twist. The blonde-haired boy stood up and extended his hand to him.

The dark-haired boy could only look up in shock and widened his eyes, his jaw dropping at the sudden action of the blonde-haired boy. Wearing a black suit, the blonde-haired boy suddenly smiled.

"You need this victory, right?" the blonde-haired boy said. He then looked at two people sitting in the corner of the hall.

The entire hall erupted with noise and confusion. What kind of game was this, where one player had already surrendered? Especially in an international match between a genius kid representing Japan and Germany.

The two individuals, one being the father of the dark-haired boy, sat with crossed legs and a serious expression. His mother, with long brown hair, smiled proudly at her son's victory.

"What are you talking about? The game is not over yet!" the dark-haired boy stuttered.

The blonde-haired boy smiled once again. "No, it is over. Now I can finally free myself. You are the winner."

The dark-haired boy didn't seem to understand his words, but nonetheless, victory was victory. He stood up and shook the hand of the blonde-haired boy.

Some spectators looked disappointed, and others even raged, shouting that this was a predetermined match. They had bet millions of dollars on the blonde-haired boy winning, only to see him surrender.

Then, someone from the parent seat approached the blonde hair boy, a woman with long blonde hair and beautiful looks whispered something to the blonde-haired boy as he was preparing to leave. He turned his back to the dark-haired boy, but before he could leave, the dark-haired boy asked one final question.

"I never really cared about my opponent's name, but what is your name?"

The blonde-haired boy laughed and replied, "Michael Stern." He then walked away, accompanied by the woman in the blue dress with long blonde hair.

Immediately, a voice from a gentleman resounded throughout the hall, announcing, "The winner is Daito Takamori, a young chess player from Japan who obtained the grandmaster title at the age of only eight in this decade!"

Then, someone shouted, "Wie können Sie es wagen, den Ruf des Deutschen zu zerstören? (How dare you destroy the reputation of Germany?)" and leaped to attack the young blonde-haired boy, Michael.

A man in his thirties, carrying a small knife, rushed to attack Michael. However, his hand halted mid-air, just as it almost reached Michael. The young boy stood unfazed. The knife was stopped by a woman with long blonde hair, who then snapped the attacker's hand and threw him to the ground, restraining him with great strength.

Daito, the dark-haired boy, seemed startled, and his mother rushed to hug him with a concerned expression. Meanwhile, his father shouted for the security guard. The hall was filled with chaos, and then a gunshot could be heard. Michael, the blonde-haired boy, had fired a gun, blasting the head of the man who had attacked him, causing blood to paint the face of the young boy.

The hall fell silent once again after the gunshot as security guards dressed in German military uniforms rushed to defend Michael and escorted him outside. The attacker's corpse was also taken outside the hall.

This era was known as the great leap for humanity, as nations competed to showcase their superior genes. It was the year 2044, where Germany and Japan had become superpower nations, while the Empire Of Democracy crumbled due to a civil war and the Eastern Dragon Of The Great People's Empire fallen due to the invasion of a new global power, German. 

However, as a result, both nations transformed into absolute monarchies, with only one empire having the authority to govern the whole world. This resulted in constant conflicts between the two empire on all fronts, yet they eventually reached a peace agreement and decided to divide the world between themselves.