Bang!
The heavy wooden doors crashed open with a resounding bang that made the old, creaky bookshelves shake with the force of their impact.
Noah's heart pounded inside his chest like a drum, each beat louder than the last and his senses overwhelmed by the sudden intrusion. Every muscle in his body still screamed in protest from the brutal trials of the Abyssal Test, yet, in this very moment of heightened danger, he knew that any hint of weakness might spell disaster. His eyes darted around as he tried to calm his racing thoughts and muster a plan.
From the darkened hallway came several figures whose imposing silhouettes were sharply outlined by the flickering torchlight. These were the Academy security officers, their presence marked by the crisp lines of their black and silver uniforms that glimmered under the shifting light. Every badge on their polished chests caught the stray gleam of enchanted lanterns, reflecting a cold authority. Alongside them, their loyal beasts, The Tracking Hounds with glowing blue eyes and the swift, sharp-winged aerial scouts.
At the very front of this group marched instructor Henry Moore, a senior instructor with a reputation that sent shivers down the spines of many. Known for his strict discipline and ability to sense lies.His narrowed eyes locked onto Noah immediately, Noah's thoughts raced as he realized that this stern gaze was a direct invitation to trouble and he fought hard to slow his ragged breathing.
"Stay calm, think," he urged himself silently, aware that even the smallest sign of panic could worsen his already dangerous predicament.
In the back of his mind, Noah recalled the existence of the Abyssal Raven, the creature that had bonded with him during the brutal trial. Its presence was a secret that he could not afford to reveal, If the Academy learned of his connection to an extinct beast, his fate would be sealed without mercy. With a shiver running down his spine, he scanned his surroundings, wondering how he might hide such a dangerous truth in a room filled with suspicious eyes and prying beasts.
Just then, the Abyssal Raven, resting quietly at his side, tilted its head so slightly. Its golden eyes shone with a calm intelligence, there was no panic in its look, then, it simply melted into the surrounding shadows. In that subtle act of disappearing, it left Noah with an odd mix of relief and anxiety and he felt a pull in his soul, as if a hidden part of him had shifted. A safe sensing noise tension the familiar hum of the System began to flicker in his consciousness.
Ding!
[Abyssal Pact Passive Skill Activated: Void Cloak.]
[Warning! Beast Status Unstable. Entity Exists in Dual Form.]
The magical texts flashed in his mind, confirming what he feared and hoped for all at once.
The officers began scanning every dark corner of the room with practiced precision. Yet, strangely, they discovered nothing out of the ordinary. Instructor Henry Moore's sharp gaze continued to sweep over the chamber, his fingers twitching at his side as if waiting for an answer. Finally, his eyes landed on Noah, and with a voice low and authoritative, he called out, "Noah Green. Why are you here?"
Noah's throat suddenly felt parched, and his mouth went dry. He forced himself to breathe evenly, his mind already racing to construct a response that would deflect suspicion.
"I got lost," he replied, trying to sound casually annoyed as though his presence in the chamber were nothing more than a minor inconvenience. "I was exploring. I didn't realize I triggered an alarm." His tone was light and humorous despite the tension thick in the air.
Henry's lips pressed into a thin, disbelieving line. Clearly, he found Noah's excuse unconvincing. At that precise moment, the Tracking Hound next to him stiffened; its glowing blue eyes widened, and its ears perked up as it suddenly froze in place. The animal's rigid stance suggested that it had detected something deeply unnatural. A cold sweat broke out on Noah's neck as he sensed the danger intensify, and his mind scrambled to react.
The System within him responded instantly, displaying another alert:
[Warning: Host's presence is under investigation.]
[Activating Abyssal Suppression.]
A silent wave of mysterious energy pulsed outwards, the Hound, unable to reconcile the abnormal signal, let out a low, pitiful whimper and slowly backed away. Henry's frown deepened as he observed this unusual behavior from his loyal companion, a behavior he never witnessed before . The other officers exchanged puzzled glances, and even their own beasts showed signs of hesitation and confusion.
Noah maintained a calm and neutral expression, determined not to reveal any hint of his inner turmoil. He kept his silence, even as the System's text blinked rapidly with reassuring messages:
[Stealth Effect from Abyssal Pact Activated: No traces of fusion energy detected.]
Henry studied Noah for what felt like an eternity, his eyes piercing through the dim light as if searching for a hidden truth.
Then, as if the tension had reached its peak, a familiar voice broke the heavy silence. "Lost, huh?"
The tone dripped with sarcasm and a hint of amusement. Noah recognized the voice instantly, it was Edgar Harrington the son of a high-ranking Academy Council member, a noble-born Beast Tamer known for his ruthless ambition and arrogance.
Edgar stepped forward, beside was his imposing Silverfang Wolf, whose sleek silver fur bristled and fangs were faintly visible, reflecting the same sharpness of its master's character. Then with a smirk full of self-assured mischief he added, "That's an interesting excuse for someone with no business being here."
Noah sighed inwardly, wishing that Edgar's presence could vanish as quickly as the raven had, but he knew there was no escape from his rival. He said nothing in return, Edgar took yet another deliberate step closer, his Silverfang Wolf growling softly in warning. "You look half-dead," Edgar remarked casually, though his voice carried a dangerous edge that hinted at deeper suspicions. "And this room, it still feels strange. Something big happened here, something you were part of."
Meeting Edgar's steely gaze, Noah allowed himself a dry, almost mocking smile. "Yeah," he admitted with a frustrated exhale. "I tripped on a book." His attempt at humor was both a deflection and a small jab at the absurdity of the situation. One of the officers coughed into his fist, struggling to suppress a chuckle at the absurdity of it all, which caused Edgar's smug expression to twist ever so slightly.
However, Henry was far from amused by the banter. His deep, steady voice broke through the murmurs of the room.
"Noah," he said evenly, his tone laced with a measured seriousness, "the alarms detected an unnatural surge of energy in this chamber. If you were merely exploring, then why does this room feel so… wrong?"
His question hung heavily in the air, and Noah's mind raced with the dilemma of truth versus deceit. He knew he had two choices, continue lying and risk them digging deeper, or admit that something strange had happened without giving away the true secret of his bond. In that fleeting moment, his heart pounded with the weight of the decision.
Opting for the lesser of two evils, Noah chose honesty, at least a version of it. "I don't know what happened," he said, his voice tinged with frustration as he rubbed his temples. "I walked in, and the air just felt strange, almost cursed. Maybe there is something in here that changed everything." His words were laced with genuine bewilderment, and though they did little to ease the tension, they were the best he could offer at that moment.
Henry's expression remained unreadable as he weighed Noah's words, his eyes narrowing slightly in thought. Meanwhile, Edgar was not convinced in the slightest. He stepped even closer, his Silverfang Wolf snarling softly by his side, and hissed, "This is ridiculous. I can feel it, you did something here. I can sense that something is off." His voice was low and his eyes burned with a mix of suspicion and ambition that chilled Noah even further.
After a long, tense pause where every eye in the room seemed locked on Noah, Henry finally exhaled slowly through his nose. "We have no proof," he said, his tone firm yet grudgingly lenient. With a gesture that barely contained his displeasure, he signaled for the officers to stand down. "Let him go… for now." His decision was met with murmurs of discontent, and Edgar's expression darkened.
As Noah walked past him, Edgar suddenly grabbed his arm. His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper, "You're hiding something, and I swear, I'll figure out what it is." In that charged moment, Noah couldn't help but smirk as he jerked his arm free. "You can try," he replied coolly, his tone laced with mockery. "Just don't cry when you fail."
Edgar's eye twitched in annoyance, and Noah turned away, leaving behind the heavy air of confrontation and the lingering threat of future encounters and just like that, he was free at least for the time being.