That was all it took.
The panther raised its paw.
Claws gleamed—lightning dancing along their edges.
Shhk—
They sank in.
Deep.
Aaron's body jerked as the claws tore through flesh, embedding into him.
A wet sound followed.
Then—
He coughed.
Blood spilled from his mouth, thick, dark—spattering the ground beneath him.
—
The pain came wrong.
Not heat.
Not cold.
Both.
At once.
A freezing burn that spread through him—flooding his nerves, locking his muscles, devouring thought.
His eyes widened—just slightly.
Not from fear.
From overload.
—
Lightning surged.
The energy that had coiled across the beast's body discharged—
Into him.
Violent.
Unrestrained.
It forced its way through his veins, his chest, his skull—tearing through him from the inside.
His vision fractured.
Blurred.
Warped.
Sound stretched into distant echoes.
—
His body failed.
Knees gave out.
Strength bled away faster than the blood pouring from his wounds.
—
The world tilted.
Voices broke through—distant, distorted.
Shouting.
Panic.
"…losing too much blood—!"
"—get the healers—now!"
—
Darkness crept in.
Slow at first.
Then—
All at once.
It swallowed everything.
—
Silence….
***
Sound came first—faint shuffling, distant movement… proof that he was still alive.
Aaron inhaled sharply, dragging air into his lungs as he forced his eyes open. They felt heavy. The light burned at first, too bright to focus on.
…Feels like waking up in a hospital back on Earth.
Then it hit him.
Blood. Healers. The fight.
Trevor.
The memories returned all at once. Aaron's jaw tightened.
Trevor.
That bastard would pay.
Not now.
But he would.
A female voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"Aaron Veyrath. Junior year… although this is your first visit to the infirmary, your injuries are severe. Multiple fractures—ribs and shoulder. You'll be resting for the next two weeks."
A brief pause.
"But don't slack off."
Her tone shifted slightly.
"And one more thing—consider this personal advice. Here at Horizoncrest, hierarchy follows a single path: rulers… and their lackeys."
Another pause.
"So don't make the mistake of going against a ruler unless you have the strength to survive it."
The voice belonged to a woman seated beside the bed.
"Also, my name is Sera. I'm the medic here." She paused briefly. "I use recovery magic… but strangely, I was only able to heal some of your wounds. The internal damage—and your ribs—will take time."
Her gaze lingered on him for a moment.
"So take care. And try not to end up here again."
Aaron got up from the bed, put on his uniform—already cleaned—and left the infirmary.
By the time he reached his dorm, evening had settled in.
He sat on the edge of his bed, thinking.
He couldn't remain weak.
He needed to do something… anything.
He had to get stronger.
—
He summoned Null.
The shadows stirred.
"Why have you called me, my prince?"
—
POV: Aaron
I reached for the pouch at my side and opened it, pulling out two Minor Plane essence orbs—one Tier 2.4, the other 2.5.
They pulsed faintly, filled with unstable magic.
I tossed them to Null.
"Absorb them. Quickly… before anyone notices."
A brief pause.
"And we need to grow."
Null's metallic voice echoed softly.
"Yes, my prince."
—
The orbs dissolved into him.
His form shifted.
Slowly
Drastically
One pauldron changed first—spikes pushing upward from the metal. The darkened gold deepened further, turning almost black.
A mask began to form beneath the hood. Smooth. Expressionless. Dark gold with faint, intricate inlays.
From the hood, two ears emerged—elongated, angled, resembling those of a wolf… yet sharper, more refined.
The hood itself extended, merging into a grey cloak that draped over one side of his armor. A crescent moon and a dagger were etched into its surface.
Weapons formed next.
Two dark-gold daggers appeared in his hands, linked by a chain.
Behind him, leather holsters took shape—fitted for twin double-barreled hand shotguns.
—
Null stood taller now.
Nearly three meters.
Silent almost as if he was one with darkness itself.
—————————————————————
King of Thieves (Legion Commander)
Herald of the Total Order
Name: Null
Current Tier: 2.3
Description:
A hybrid born of shadow and flesh—an amalgamation of a Shadow Direwolf, Primordial Blood of Respiration, and a mortal vessel.
Refined for a single purpose: silent, merciless execution.
No one knows when their own shadow will turn against them…
The Thief waits within the veil of darkness—patient, unseen, inevitable.
—————————————————————
"My prince… I have grown."
Through the narrow slits of his mask, two golden eyes fixed on me.
"Good, Null."
He felt… quieter.
More complete.
Just as I wanted.
"Let's head to the Guild Hall in the city. Register first… then we'll enter the planes."
Null gave a silent nod.
We stepped out of the dorm.
There was one rule in the Academy—never stay out late.
I ignored it.
I needed this.
I needed to grow.
"Null. Take us through the shadow realm. Get us out of the Academy… somewhere in the city. An alley."
He stepped in behind me, his cloak wrapping around my body.
Darkness swallowed everything.
No sound—
Only distant screeches… warped, stretched… like voices carried by violent wind.
Then—
A shift.
—
Light returned.
Faint.
Street lanterns flickered somewhere ahead.
An alley.
Null gave a slight nod before fading back into the shadows.
Gone.
But not absent.
I could still feel him.
—
"Hey… hey. What are you doing out here?"
A raspy voice.
Behind me.
"You look interesting. Mind handing over that pouch of yours?"
—
"Say that again."
My voice came out low. Steady.
—
"What do I care?" the man snapped. "Hand it over. I bet it's worth a lot. You made a mistake coming here alone."
—
A breath left me.
Slow.
"...What am I going to do with you."
My eyes narrowed.
Slits.
A faint crimson glow surfaced—quiet, controlled.
—
Raiders.
—
"Null. Are you ready?"
"Yes, my prince."
"Let's go."
—
[Phantom's Dash]
—
A dull thud.
I landed behind him.
"You didn't think this through… did you?" I murmured.
My fist drove forward.
Crack—
His body snapped forward from the impact.
Shadows twisted.
Chains burst out—wrapping around his neck with a sharp, metallic clang.
Null.
He held both ends.
Pulled.
Tight.
The man's breath choked off—his body struggling as the chains constricted.
Then—
Null moved.
A sharp motion.
He flung the man away, the chains rattling as they released.
The body lifted—
Mid-air—
An arrow pierced through it.