The academy no longer felt like a place of learning.
It felt like a battlefield.
Not one filled with open war or clashing armies—but something far more dangerous.
A silent war.
Hidden beneath routines.
Masked behind noble smiles.
And now—
Lucien Kael von Kurothar stood at its center… not as prey—
But as a hunter.
—
"You're planning something."
Aurelia's voice was calm, but her eyes were sharp as she walked beside him through the marble corridors.
Lucien didn't slow.
"…Yes."
Freya, walking on his other side, smirked. "Good. I was getting bored watching you react to everything."
Aurelia frowned slightly. "This isn't a game."
Freya shrugged. "Everything's a game. You either win or you die."
Lucien glanced ahead.
"…She's not wrong."
Aurelia let out a quiet breath. "…And what exactly is your plan?"
Lucien stopped walking.
The corridor ahead was empty.
Silent.
"…To find one of them."
The air stilled.
Freya's grin widened.
"…Finally."
Aurelia's expression darkened.
"…You mean—"
"Yes."
Lucien's gaze sharpened.
"Another system user."
—
The academy grounds stretched wide under the afternoon sun, but Lucien's perception field saw far beyond what the eye could.
Patterns.
Disturbances.
Anomalies.
And now—
A presence.
Faint.
But unmistakable.
"…There."
His direction changed instantly.
Without hesitation.
Without doubt.
Freya followed immediately.
Aurelia hesitated for just a moment—
Then followed too.
—
The location was not public.
Not part of the academy's usual routes.
An abandoned training sector—long unused, left to decay.
Perfect.
Isolated.
Controlled.
"Whoever it is," Aurelia said quietly, "they chose this place."
Lucien nodded slightly.
"…Of course they did."
Because this wasn't coincidence.
It was intention.
—
The moment they stepped inside—
The atmosphere changed.
Heavier.
Distorted.
Freya stopped.
"…You feel that?"
Lucien did.
The mana here was unstable.
Warped.
Like something was forcing it into unnatural patterns.
"…So this is what it feels like."
Aurelia's voice lowered. "…Be careful."
Lucien stepped forward.
"…Stay back."
Freya clicked her tongue. "Don't order me around."
Lucien didn't look back.
"…Then don't get in the way."
—
A slow clap echoed through the broken hall.
"Well… well…"
A figure emerged from the shadows.
Tall.
Relaxed.
Smiling.
Too relaxed.
"You found me faster than I expected."
Lucien's gaze locked onto him.
"…You didn't hide well enough."
The man chuckled.
"Or maybe…" he tilted his head slightly, "I wanted you to find me."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Then—
"Name," Lucien said.
The man grinned.
"…Adrian Voss."
A name that didn't belong to any known noble line.
Yet—
His presence spoke otherwise.
Lucien's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…You're a system user."
Adrian laughed.
"No need to state the obvious."
A pause.
Then—
"You too, right?"
—
The air shifted.
Two existences.
Same nature.
Different paths.
Facing each other.
—
Freya stepped forward slightly, excitement flickering in her eyes. "…So this is one of them."
Aurelia remained silent—but tense.
Because she could feel it.
This was different.
This wasn't just a strong opponent.
This was something unknown.
—
Adrian stretched lazily.
"Honestly, I was curious."
His eyes locked onto Lucien.
"Wanted to see what kind of monster they were so worried about."
Lucien didn't respond.
Adrian's smile widened.
"…You don't talk much, do you?"
A pause.
Then—
"Fine."
His expression shifted.
Slightly.
Cold.
"Let's skip that part."
—
The moment he said it—
The air exploded.
Mana surged violently, distorting the space around him. The ground cracked beneath his feet as pressure radiated outward.
Freya's grin sharpened.
"…Now we're talking."
Aurelia's eyes widened slightly.
"…That much power…?"
Lucien didn't move.
But his system activated instantly.
—
"Status Open."
—
Name: Lucien Kael von Kurothar
Level: 1 / ∞
Titles: Reincarnated Soul, Heir of the Black Dragon Duke, System Anomaly, System Interferer
Skills: All Element Affinity (Partially Unlocked), Infinite Growth, Adaptive Evolution, System Interference
Magic Affinity: All Elements (Including Rare & Lost)
Stats:
Strength — Beyond Scale
Speed — Beyond Scale
Intelligence — Exceptional
Mana — Limitless (Partially Unsealed)
Luck — Unknown
Synchronization: 53%
—
His gaze lifted.
Calm.
Unshaken.
"…So this is one of them."
—
Adrian smirked.
"Show me."
And then—
He vanished.
—
Faster than before.
Faster than Freya.
Faster than anything Lucien had faced so far.
But—
Lucien moved.
Not after.
Not reacting.
But at the same time.
Their movements collided.
A shockwave erupted.
The entire structure trembled.
Freya's eyes widened.
"…He kept up."
Aurelia whispered.
"…No."
Her gaze sharpened.
"He predicted it."
—
Adrian slid back slightly, his grin widening.
"…Now this is interesting."
Lucien stood still.
Unmoved.
"…You're weaker than I expected."
Silence.
Then—
Adrian laughed.
Loudly.
"…Good."
His eyes darkened.
"Then I don't have to hold back."
—
The ground beneath him shattered completely.
Mana surged again—
But this time—
It twisted.
Changed.
Something unnatural.
Something unstable.
Lucien's eyes narrowed.
"…So your system is different."
Adrian smirked.
"Of course it is."
A pause.
Then—
"Every system evolves differently."
—
That confirmed it.
Not identical.
Not controlled.
Unpredictable.
—
The system within Lucien reacted violently.
—
[Synchronization Progress: 60%]
[Combat Against System User Detected]
[New Function Unlocked: System Interference]
—
Lucien's gaze sharpened.
"…Interference?"
Adrian lunged again—
But this time—
Lucien raised his hand.
And the world—
Stuttered.
—
For a brief moment—
Adrian's movement slowed.
Not physically.
But something deeper.
His flow.
His control.
Disrupted.
—
His eyes widened.
"…What did you just do?"
Lucien stepped forward.
"…I don't know yet."
A pause.
Then—
"But I'll figure it out."
—
The fight resumed—
But now—
It wasn't equal.
Not because of strength.
But because of control.
Lucien was adapting.
Faster than anything Adrian had ever seen.
Every move.
Every shift.
Every technique—
Understood.
Copied.
Improved.
—
Freya watched with burning excitement.
"…He's evolving mid-fight."
Aurelia's voice was quieter.
"…No…"
Her eyes stayed locked on Lucien.
"He's dominating."
—
Adrian was pushed back.
For the first time—
His smile faltered.
"…What are you?"
Lucien stopped.
Just a few steps away.
His expression calm.
But absolute.
"…The one who ends this."
—
Silence.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
—
Adrian stepped back slowly.
Then—
He laughed again.
But this time—
There was tension in it.
"…Yeah…"
A pause.
Then—
"This isn't over."
—
And in the next moment—
He vanished.
Not speed.
Not movement.
But disappearance.
Gone.
—
The pressure faded.
The hall fell silent.
—
Freya clicked her tongue. "…He ran."
Aurelia exhaled slowly.
"…No…"
Her gaze remained sharp.
"He retreated."
—
Lucien stood still.
Unmoving.
His eyes focused on the space where Adrian had been.
"…So this is how it starts."
—
The system flickered again.
—
[Synchronization Progress: 60%]
[Target Marked: Adrian Voss]
[Directive Updated: Eliminate or Assimilate]
—
Lucien's expression didn't change.
But something within him had.
A line had been crossed.
—
"I'll find you."
His voice was quiet.
Cold.
Certain.
—
Behind him—
Elara stood in the shadows, unseen by Aurelia and Freya.
Watching.
Observing.
Her lips curved slightly.
"…So it begins."
—