The Hidden Dragon's Dilemma
After his oath, Aryan had fully recovered and returned to the tournament. However, he no longer sought attention. Instead of fighting with overwhelming strength, he deliberately held back, blending in with ordinary students. He fought just enough to win, ensuring no one suspected his true potential.
As the tournament concluded, the heirs of many powerful families stood out, gaining recognition. Meanwhile, Aryan, despite his momentary display of immense power, was overlooked. Many dismissed his performance as a fluke, assuming he had either gone berserk or used some temporary trick. What no one knew—not his friends, not his opponents, not even his teachers—was that Aryan belonged to the Dragon Clan.
The moment his seal broke, everyone had been stunned by his power. But his decision to fight low-key afterward left them confused. As time passed, they gradually assumed he was just an average student who got lucky once.
A New Encounter
Months later, new students arrived at Aryan's school, some from rural School areas with supernatural abilities. Among them was a girl who, unlike the rest, was curious about Aryan.
One day, she approached him directly. "How did you unleash so much power in your first match, but never used it again in your later fights?"
Aryan, caught off guard, froze. No one had asked him this directly before. He had spent months avoiding such questions.
But this girl was persistent.
For a moment, Aryan's gaze met hers, and suddenly, something stirred inside him. Her eyes... they were mesmerizing. He had never seen such deep, expressive eyes before. He found himself staring, completely forgetting to answer.
She waved her hand in front of his face. "Hello? What are you thinking?"
Snapping out of his daze, Aryan quickly responded, "What?"
She tilted her head slightly. "I asked you a question."
Still unsure how to respond, Aryan simply muttered, "It's nothing." Then, without another word, he stood up and left.
The girl was taken aback by his cold response. She had expected at least a small explanation, but he had just walked away. Frustrated and confused, she returned to her friends, but Aryan remained on her mind.
The next day, She sought Aryan out again. This time, she was determined to get an answer.
First she asked him his name and tell him she is Ananya.
"Aryan" said my name is Aryan.
Now she called out Aryan as she approached him. "Tell me the truth."
Once again, Aryan turned to leave, avoiding her gaze.
But this time, she was ready.
Before he could walk away, she grabbed his wrist.
A strange sensation shot through Aryan's body. His breath hitched, and for a moment, his vision blurred. His heart pounded. This was the first time a girl had ever touched him. He felt himself losing balance but quickly steadied himself.
Ananya tightened her grip. "You're not going anywhere until you tell me why you're hiding your strength."
Aryan hesitated, then asked, "Why do you even care?"
Ananya's expression hardened. "Because everyone is mocking you."
Aryan frowned. "Let them."
She crossed her arms. "They think you cheated in the first match. That you got lucky, or maybe lost control. But now, they think you're weak. They'll keep mocking you unless you prove otherwise."
Aryan remained silent for a moment before responding, "I don't care what they think."
Ananya's eyes flashed with frustration. "So you're just going to let them step all over you?"
Aryan's voice was calm. "I don't need anyone's recognition."
Hearing this, Ananya clenched her fists. "Fine. Stay like this if you want. But don't expect people to respect you."
With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, anger radiating from her every step.
Aryan stood frozen, watching her go. For the first time, he felt conflicted.
Why did it bother him so much? He had decided to stay low-key to protect those around him.
Then why did her words hurt?
As he clenched his fists, a dark thought surfaced.
"If I use my p
ower again... I might hurt someone."
And that fear kept him in chains.