Thunder roared above the academy.
Dark clouds covered the sky as lightning flashed across the battlefield.
Students watching from the academy walls held their breath.
The air was filled with two opposing forces.
Storm.
And shadow.
Raizen stood at the center of the field, lightning flowing across his body like wild energy.
Opposite him, Ren stood calmly as darkness spread beneath his feet.
Shade loomed behind him like a silent guardian.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then Raizen smiled.
"Let's stop warming up."
The lightning around him exploded outward.
CRACK.
He vanished instantly.
A bolt of lightning shot across the battlefield toward Ren.
But Ren moved at the same moment.
His shadow expanded rapidly.
Several dark tendrils burst from the ground.
Raizen's lightning strike smashed through the first shadow barrier—
But the second barrier caught the attack.
BOOM.
Energy exploded across the courtyard.
The ground cracked deeper.
Before the smoke could clear, Raizen appeared directly behind Ren.
His fist glowed with concentrated lightning.
"You're too slow."
The punch shot forward.
But suddenly—
A massive shadow arm blocked the strike.
Shade had moved.
The impact echoed like thunder.
Raizen's lightning fist pressed against Shade's enormous arm.
Electric sparks flew everywhere.
Raizen grinned.
"Good reaction."
Shade pushed forward.
The shadow servant's strength forced Raizen back several meters.
Raizen slid across the ground before stopping.
He looked amused.
"That thing is strong."
Shade stepped forward.
"My duty is to protect the Shadow King."
Raizen cracked his knuckles.
"Then protect him from this."
Lightning surged through his body again.
This time the energy concentrated around both of his arms.
His entire body turned into a blur.
CRACK.
He attacked again.
One strike.
Two.
Three.
Each blow landed like a thunderbolt.
Shade blocked most of the attacks, but the force pushed the giant creature backward.
The ground beneath Shade's feet began to break apart.
Students watching from the walls were stunned.
"That hunter is insane."
Lyra gripped the edge of the wall nervously.
"He's overwhelming Shade."
Captain Kael watched carefully.
"No."
"Shade is learning."
Back on the battlefield, Raizen jumped backward.
His lightning aura flared violently.
"You're tougher than I expected."
Shade's glowing eyes remained fixed on him.
"You are strong."
"But not strong enough."
Raizen laughed.
"I've heard that before."
Suddenly—
Ren moved.
The shadows beneath the battlefield surged like a tidal wave.
Hundreds of dark spikes erupted from the ground.
Raizen jumped into the air again.
Lightning exploded beneath his feet as he launched himself higher.
But Ren raised his hand.
The shadows followed.
They chased Raizen through the air like living creatures.
Raizen twisted his body midair and fired several lightning bolts downward.
The bolts destroyed many of the shadow spikes.
But more continued rising.
Raizen landed again.
His smile had grown wider.
"Now this is fun."
Ren stepped forward.
The shadows around his body had become darker than before.
Shade stood beside him.
Raizen pointed at him.
"You're improving already."
Ren answered calmly.
"I'm learning."
Raizen nodded.
"Good."
Then his expression suddenly became serious.
The lightning around his body condensed into a single point.
The energy grew brighter.
More violent.
Even the instructors watching could feel the pressure.
Varis whispered.
"That attack…"
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"He's going all out."
Raizen raised his arm toward Ren.
"This ends the test."
The lightning in his hand expanded into a massive spear of energy.
Thunder roared across the sky.
Raizen grinned.
"Stormbreaker."
He threw the lightning spear toward Ren.
The attack tore through the battlefield like a falling star.
Students screamed.
Lyra's heart stopped.
But Ren didn't move.
Instead—
The shadows beneath him exploded upward.
The entire battlefield turned dark.
Shade roared.
A massive wall of shadow rose to meet the lightning spear.
The two forces collided.
BOOOOOOM.
A deafening explosion shook the academy.
Stone walls cracked.
Windows shattered.
Dust and debris filled the sky.
For several seconds—
No one could see anything.
Then the dust slowly began to settle.
And everyone stared at the battlefield.
Because something had changed.
Ren was still standing.
But the shadows around him had transformed into something far larger.
Something far more terrifying.
And even Raizen's excited smile slowly faded.