Later, back in the solitude of his dorm, Noah barely managed to make it to his bed before collapsing onto it in sheer exhaustion. His body ached with every movement, and his head pounded with the remnants of the day's brutal trials and confrontations. As he lay there trying to catch his breath, he heard a soft fluttering sound near the window. Slowly, he turned his head to see the Abyssal Raven perched casually on the windowsill, its golden eyes fixed on him.
Noah groaned in exasperation. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" The Raven tilted its head as if it shared a private joke with him. Rubbing his temples, Noah couldn't help but scold the creature in a light-hearted manner. "You little…" he began, only to be interrupted by the flicker of the System once again.
Ding!
[Abyssal Pact: Activated.]
[New Passive Skill Unlocked: Abyssal Will – Your bonded beast exists in both physical and non-physical states, allowing selective presence.]
[Skill Rank: ??? (Unclassified)]
[Next Evolution: Unknown]
Noah stared at the glowing text on his mental screen, a mix of wonder and amusement crossing his tired features.
"So…" he muttered, "you're basically a cheat code?"
The Abyssal Raven tilted its head as if in silent agreement, adding an extra layer of surreal humor to the night. Noah sighed deeply, accepting that this strange and dangerous existence was now his life.
…
Meanwhile, far from the chaotic corridors of the Forbidden Library, the situation took a more formal turn at the Academy's Main Tower. In a room filled with hushed voices and stern faces, Instructor Henry Moore stood before the highest-ranking instructors of the Academy. His tone was serious as he reported.
"Something happened in the Forbidden Library tonight." He paused, his arms folded tightly across his chest and continued, "We do not have proof yet… but I believe Noah Green is at the center of it all."
At the head of the long, polished table, Master Robert Blackwood leaned forward, then with a calm that carried a weight of authority, he spoke, "Then watch him closely."
The room fell into a tense silence as every instructor absorbed his directive. Blackwood's gaze, hinted at the underlying belief that if Noah truly was an anomaly, a dangerous and unpredictable force, then the Academy would have to deal with him In a manner that ensured order was maintained. "If he truly is an anomaly… we will deal with him accordingly."
…
Noah walked through the Academy halls with his hands shoved deep in his pockets, his mind replaying the chaos of the last twenty-four hours. His body still throbbed from the Abyssal Trial, and his thoughts couldn't help but circle around the absurdity of bonding with an extinct beast. And now? Now, it felt as if every pair of eyes was glued to him, every whisper pointed in his direction.
The stares, hushed conversations, and sudden silences as he passed groups of students only added to his growing sense of isolation. Before last night, he had already felt like an outcast, but now the atmosphere was laced with suspicion.
He forced himself to ignore the two instructors he passed near the training grounds. One older man with sharp eyes murmured, "Noah Green? The one from last night?" and his colleague nodded, "Keep an eye on him." Noah maintained a neutral face, his pace steady despite the inner irritation. Great, he thought bitterly, now even the instructors saw him as a problem.
He sighed and turned the corner toward the main courtyard, where a crowd of students had gathered around a bulletin board laden with new announcements. Noah already knew what to expect. His suspicion was confirmed when a voice beside him remarked, "Well, this sucks."
He turned slightly to see a tall, wiry student with messy dark brown hair and a confident smirk. "And you are?" Noah asked, raising an eyebrow. "Lucas Miller. Another proud Iron Rank cannon fodder, at your service," the student replied with a grin. Noah blinked, then smirked back. "At least you're self-aware." Lucas chuckled, "Gotta be when you're at the bottom of the food chain."
Noah glanced at the bulletin board without needing to push through the crowd. Henry Moore had already announced that the Iron Rank Trial would begin in two days. For most students, it was merely a rite of passage, a challenging but fair test. For someone like Noah, however, it felt more like a trap, a means for the noble students and instructors to weed out those they didn't want in the Academy.
Lucas sighed and crossed his arms, adding, "I heard this year's trial is supposed to be brutal. Apparently, the upper ranks requested a test to 'evaluate our true potential, which is code for 'get rid of us as fast as possible.'" Noah clicked his tongue. "They really don't bother hiding it, do they?" Lucas laughed and said, "Nope. But I'll tell you this, if we go in without a plan, we're dead. Or worse, we'll end up as 'training dummies' for the Silver Ranks."
Noah frowned, "Training dummies?" Lucas leaned in as if sharing a dark secret. "If you fail the trial, you don't always get expelled. Sometimes, they keep you around to 'assist' the stronger students. That means you get used as a living punching bag during combat training."
Noah stared at him in disbelief, and Lucas nodded, "Yep. Welcome to the Royal Beast Academy." Noah sighed, "Why does everything in this place sound like a death sentence?" Lucas grinned, "Because it is." Noah exhaled sharply, already calculating his next move. The trial wasn't optional, he had to pass, and if Lucas was right, he needed to stand out enough so that he wouldn't be treated like disposable pawn.
Lucas stretched and glanced at him, "So? You in?" Noah raised a brow, "in for what?" With a smirk, Lucas replied, "Partnering up. I don't trust nobles, and you don't look like a total idiot. That's already a good start." Noah considered it. He didn't trust people easily, but for Lucas he saw him different. He wasn't sucking up to nobles or trying too hard to prove himself, he was simply being smart, and in a place like this, that was rare.
"Fine. But if you slow me down, I'm ditching you," Noah warned. Lucas grinned, "Likewise." For the first time since arriving at the Academy, Noah felt the glimmer of a potential ally.
Before he could settle on that thought, a familiar voice interrupted, "Well, isn't this heartwarming?" Noah sighed dramatically, already knowing who it was. With a reluctant turn, he faced Edgar Harrington. "Oh great, it's you. My day just wasn't terrible enough," he muttered. Edgar's smirk twitched before he recovered, his Silverfang Wolf standing by with barely visible fangs. "You seem awfully confident for someone who barely scraped his way into the Academy," Edgar said coolly.
Noah shrugged, "I' would rather be confident than insecure," which made Edgar's eye twitch in annoyance. Lucas couldn't help but laugh, "Wow. I like this guy." Ignoring Lucas, Edgar fixed his gaze on Noah and declared, "Iron Rank students should know their place," as his wolf growled and stepped forward.
Then, with a smirk that turned cold, he challenged, "How about a warm-up before the trial? If you're lucky, maybe you'll last five seconds." Noah tilted his head and replied dryly, "You really want to get embarrassed in public, huh?" Edgar's smirk faltered slightly, and Lucas, sensing the rising tension, quickly stepped in.
"Sorry, Edgar, but if you want to fight my partner, you'll have to wait for the trial. We wouldn't want to embarrass you in front of your noble friends," he said cheerfully. The nobles behind Edgar bristled, and though Edgar's expression darkened, he simply smiled and said, "That's fine. The trial is soon anyway. We'll see if you're still so confident then."
Noah merely smirked, "Looking forward to it," and Edgar turned away, walking off with his group. As he passed, though, Edgar muttered low enough for Noah alone to hear, "You're hiding something, and I swear, I'll figure out what it is." Noah didn't react; he simply watched Edgar disappear into the distance.
Lucas whistled, "Man, that guy hates you." Noah shrugged, "The feeling is mutual," to which Lucas laughed, "Well, whatever. Get some rest. The trial starts tomorrow." Noah exhaled slowly and looked up at the darkening sky. Tomorrow would be his first real test, a battle to prove he belonged here and most importantly, a chance to feed the Abyssal Raven.