The infirmary smelled of antiseptic herbs and cool mana. It was a sterile, white room that reminded Kael too much of the Whitmore facility, but the absence of shackles made it bearable.
He sat on the edge of the bed, shirtless, watching the burns on his arms sizzle and fade. His Regeneration was working overtime, fueled by the steak he had devoured in the cafeteria earlier.
The door creaked open.
He didn't need to turn his head to know who it was. The scent of lavender perfume and the frantic rhythm of a heartbeat gave her away.
"Kael!"
Lyra rushed to his side, her eyes red and puffy. She looked like she had been crying for hours. She stopped just short of touching him, her hands hovering over the bandages on his chest.
"You idiot," she sobbed, her voice cracking. "You absolute idiot! You jumped into the fire? What were you thinking? You could have died!"
Kael looked up at her, his expression softening into the mask he wore so well. "I had to win, Lyra. I had to show them."
"Show them what? That you're suicidal?" She wiped her tears aggressively. "Julius is in the critical ward. Third-degree burns all over his body... from his own backlash. They say he might not be able to hold a sword for months."
"I didn't mean to hurt him that badly," Kael lied smoothly, lowering his eyes. "I just... I saw the opening. I reacted. I wanted to prove I wasn't trash."
Lyra's anger evaporated instantly, replaced by her overwhelming empathy. She sat on the bed beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, careful not to touch the healing burns.
"You're not trash, Kael," she whispered fiercely into his ear. "You're strong. You won. You actually won the Freshman Assessment."
Kael leaned into her embrace with a smirk.
He allowed himself to relax into her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "I couldn't have done it without your training. And the crystal."
He felt her heart skip a beat at the praise.
"Stay here tonight," Lyra whispered, pulling back to look at him. "The nurses won't notice. I... I don't want to be alone. I'm scared the Vane family will try something."
Kael stroked her hair. "They won't try anything. Not tonight. The eyes of the academy are on us."
He paused, looking into her eyes.
"But I do need to rest. Tomorrow is the ceremony, right?"
Lyra nodded. "The Headmaster is presenting the awards. And... the invitation."
The Golden Gala.
"The Gala," Kael repeated. "Will your mother be there?"
Lyra's expression dimmed slightly. "She's supposed to be. But with Julius... the Vane family will be in chaos. Dad says Mom might have to attend alone to represent our interests."
Perfect.
"Then I'll see you there," Kael said.
The Next Morning.
The Great Hall was packed. The entire student body stood in formation, the air buzzing with excitement.
On the raised dais, Headmaster Thorne—a stern man with a beard like steel wool and eyes that seemed to see everything—stood flanked by the instructors.
Kael stood in the center of the stage, flanked by the second and third-place winners. He felt the weight of thousands of stares. Some were admiring. Some were jealous. Many were fearful.
"Kaelyn," Headmaster Thorne's voice boomed, silencing the hall. "Step forward."
Kael walked to the podium.
"For a first-year student to display such tactical prowess and raw power is... unprecedented," Thorne said. His eyes lingered on Kael's face, a flicker of suspicion in them. Kael kept his face neutral, the picture of a humble, scarred survivor.
"For your victory, the Academy awards you five Mid-Grade Mana Crystals, access to the Advanced Library, and a personal stipend of 50,000 credits."
A servant brought forward a velvet box. Kael took it, feeling the hum of the crystals inside.
"And," Thorne continued, holding out a golden envelope sealed with wax, "an invitation to the Golden Gala. This event brings together the leaders of our world. Do not disgrace the Academy's name."
Kael took the envelope. It felt heavy. Heavier than any weapon he had held.
"I won't, Headmaster," Kael said, bowing low.
As he turned to leave the stage, his Keen Hearing picked up a whisper from the VIP section behind the stage curtain.
"That's him? The one who destroyed Julius?"
A woman's voice. Cold. Familiar.
"Yes, madam. The boy with the white hair."
Kael stiffened imperceptibly. He didn't turn around, but he scanned the area with his mind.
There was a faint fluctuation of mana—dark, viscous, like oil. A Curse-type mana signature.
Silas.
She was here. Not in the audience, but backstage, likely meeting with the Headmaster.
Kael's heart hammered, but his face remained a mask of polite gratitude. He walked off the stage, clutching the golden envelope.
Later that night. Dorm Room.
Kael sat on his bed. The room was dark, lit only by the faint blue glow of the mana crystals.
He opened the velvet box. Five crystals, each the size of a thumb, pulsed with condensed energy.
SYSTEM SCANITEM: MID-GRADE MANA CRYSTAL
MANA CONTENT: 500 PER CRYSTAL
TOTAL POTENTIAL MANA: 2500
WARNING: DIRECT CONSUMPTION WITHOUT FILTERING CAN DAMAGE MERIDIANS.
Kael scoffed. "My body isn't like others."
He picked up the first crystal. He closed his eyes and activated Devour.
The crystal didn't just dissolve; it shattered into pure energy that rushed into his core. It was agonizing. It felt like swallowing liquid fire. His veins bulged, steam rising from his skin.
GAAAAH—!
He bit his lip to keep from screaming, drawing blood.
MANA ABSORBED: 500MANA ABSORBED: 500MANA ABSORBED: 500...
He devoured three crystals in rapid succession. His mana pool expanded violently, straining the boundaries of his D-Rank vessel.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATIONLEVEL UP!LEVEL 22 → 24LEVEL 24 → 26
MANA RESERVES: 1200/1200
He stopped, gasping, sweat dripping from his nose. He saved the last two crystals. Overloading now might hinder his control for the Gala.
He opened his status screen.
HOST: KAELLEVEL: 26 (D-RANK MID-STAGE)MANA: 1200ABILITIES:
DEVOUR (???)REGENERATION (A)TELEKINESIS (D+)STRENGTH ENHANCEMENT (D)LIGHTNING MANIPULATION (C-)ENERGY PROJECTION (C)HARDENED SKIN (F+)DARK ADAPTATION (E)
He was growing fast. Terrifyingly fast. But he knew it wasn't enough.
C-Rank. That was the next wall. Once he hit C-Rank, he would be officially recognized as an elite force. But Silas was B-Rank.
He needed an edge.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Kael's eyes snapped to the door. He extinguished the crystal light.
"Who is it?"
"It's me," a trembling voice whispered.
Kael frowned. He walked to the door and opened it a crack.
Sophia Vane stood there. She looked haggard, dark circles under her eyes. She was clutching a letter.
"Let me in," she pleaded. "Please. Before someone sees."
Kael hesitated, then stepped aside. She slipped in, trembling.
"Did anyone follow you?" Kael asked, his voice low.
"No. I... I took the back stairs."
She turned to him, tears welling in her eyes. "My family... they're planning something."
Kael crossed his arms. "What do you mean?"
"My father," Sophia stammered. "He's furious. Julius is... he's crippled. The healers say his mana channels are burned. He can't awaken further. The Vane family has lost their heir."
She looked up at Kael with terror.
"They're going to petition the Academy to strip your winnings. They're saying you used a forbidden dark art to cheat. They're calling for your execution."
Kael laughed. It was a dry, humorless sound.
"Let them try."
"But that's not all," Sophia continued, her voice dropping to a terrified whisper. "They know about the Gala. My father... he's hired a mercenary group. The 'Red Jackals'. They're going to ambush you on your way there."
SYSTEM ALERTINTEL RECEIVED: ASSASSINATION PLOTTARGET: HOSTTHREAT LEVEL: HIGH
Kael's eyes narrowed. "The Red Jackals?"
"They're D-Rank killers. Ruthless. They work for the underworld families." Sophia grabbed his sleeve. "You have to run, Kael. Please. If you go to the Gala, you'll die."
Kael looked at her hand on his sleeve. He felt a surge of dark amusement.
She was trying to save him. The sister of the boy he had crippled was trying to save him. Fear was a powerful motivator, but so was the breaking of family bonds.
He reached out and tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at him.
"You came to warn me," he said softly. "Why?"
"Because..." she choked on a sob. "Because if you die... you'll haunt me. And if you live... maybe you won't hurt me."
Kael smiled. A genuine, terrifying smile.
"Smart girl."
He released her.
"Go back to your room, Sophia. Don't tell anyone you were here."
"What will you do?"
Kael picked up the golden invitation from his desk. He ran his thumb over the wax seal.
"The Red Jackals want to hunt me?" Kael whispered, lightning crackling faintly around his fingertips. "Tell your father I'll be waiting."
Sophia shrank back, nodding frantically. She slipped out the door and vanished into the hallway.
Kael closed the door and locked it.
He looked at the invitation.
The Golden Gala.
He had planned to go as a student. But now?
Now he would go as a reaper.
The Red Jackals were D-Rank. Strong, organized, deadly.
But to him, they were just food.
He sat back on his bed, picking up the fourth mana crystal.
He had two days until the Gala.
He had two days to prepare a slaughter.