Volume 3, Chapter 8: The Shadow Revealed
The tournament grounds of the neighboring kingdom were alive with nobles, students, and royalty. Among them stood Prince Ravel, the last of the rival princes, observing the events with sharp eyes.
> "There's something… off," he muttered, sensing faint, hidden movements around a seemingly weak noble.
Cael strolled calmly through the grounds, Selene and the Seven Shadows moving invisible and silent, a subtle aura of absolute control radiating from him.
The Shadow Revealed
Prince Ravel's gaze caught a flicker of unnatural motion shadows moving independently, forming shapes that didn't match any person present.
One of the Seven Shadows intercepted a minor threat before it could reach Cael, leaving the prince stunned.
Selene's crimson eyes glimmered, an entire army of shadows lurking unnoticed around him.
> "Impossible… there are forces here I can't see, yet I can feel them," Ravel muttered.
"This noble… he's not what he appears to be."
Cael's Calm Observation
Cael noticed Ravel noticing, but said nothing. His aura remained suppressed, but the Seven Shadows and Selene subtly positioned themselves, testing the prince's perception.
> "He must understand only fragments," Cael whispered.
"If he sees too much too soon, the game is lost. Shadows must dominate unseen, their presence known only to those who seek them."
Ravel continued to observe, confused yet fascinated.
The Seven Shadows moved in perfect synchronization, demonstrating glimpses of Cael's immense power, but without fully revealing Absolute Atomic.
Even the prince, with keen perception, could only see shadows and fleeting afterimages never the true sovereign behind them.
A Silent Warning
> "He is no ordinary noble… and yet, he hides more than even I can sense," Ravel murmured, a mixture of fear and intrigue in his voice.
Cael walked past, calm and composed, barely noticeable.
> "Let him chase shadows," Cael whispered to Selene.
"Every glimpse, every perception… it teaches them. And the Absolute Atomic Sovereign remains untouchable."
The sun set over the tournament grounds. Shadows moved silently, unseen by all but the most observant, and the true power of Cael and his organization remained hidden, preparing for the next stage of the multiversal game.