The sheer, physical presence of the two summoned behemoths—the Black Primordial Chaos Lion and the White Aether Phantom Tiger—was enough to silence the entirety of Babyls Academy, despite the ceremony being confined to the Arcane Fundamentals classroom. The raw magical feedback from the dual binding had pulsed through the mountain structure, a wave of contradictory, impossible power that resonated across the campus.
Inside the Arcane Fundamentals classroom, the silence was absolute, broken only by the faint crackling of the Seraphim energy and the deep, possessive rumbling of the Primordial Lion.
Noir Sullivan stood utterly still on the platform, flanked by creatures that should, by all known demonic law, destroy each other. He maintained his mask of profound disdain, trying to appear annoyed by the triviality of summoning two legendary familiars.
Inner Dialogue (Noir):
I'm going to throw up. I actually did it. I didn't know it was possible, but the plan worked. It wasn't a plan; it was desperation. Thank you, Opera, for teaching me how to force the two streams apart. Thank you, Grandfather, for teaching me that pure, reckless volume is sometimes the only answer.
I'm safe. My power is contained, and now I have camouflage. Nobody will dare challenge a student who can summon the physical embodiments of Chaos and Order simultaneously. I don't need to know a single spell. I just need to pretend these two terrifying cats are normal household pets.
Naberius Kalego was the first faculty member to move, though his actions were stiff and disbelieving. He circled the platform, his eyes darting between the Chaos Lion, whose shadowy mane seemed to pull mana from the air, and the Aether Tiger, whose crystalline form demanded instant compliance.
His magical quill, designed to record a single rank from \alpha (lowest) to \theta (highest), continued to sputter, unable to reconcile the dual signatures.
"This… this is a violation of the binding principle," Kalego muttered, more to himself than the class. "A single core cannot align with two such antithetical concepts, let alone secure a binding of this magnitude." He pointed at the Lion. "That is a rank \theta creature—a reflection of pure abyssal dominion." He pointed at the Tiger. "That is... something that defies our system entirely. It shouldn't exist in the netherworld, let alone be bound by a student."
Kalego looked back at Noir, his expression transforming from skepticism to absolute, confounded respect. He was unable to logically explain what he was seeing, but his professional judgment was inescapable: this boy possessed an authority that transcended the Babyls ranking system.
"The ceremony is complete, Sensei?" Noir repeated, keeping his voice flat and perfectly controlled.
Kalego swallowed, fighting to regain his composure. He snapped his wings, forcing his focus. "...Yes, Mr. Sullivan. The summoning is complete. Your familiar rank is… undetermined. You may dismiss your familiars."
Noir gave a curt, almost bored nod, and released the mana flow. With a quiet WUMPH, the Chaos Lion and Aether Tiger dissolved back into their respective energy streams and retreated into Noir's core, leaving behind only the lingering heat and cold, and the profound silence.
The student body, already stunned by the duel, now reached a fever pitch of stunned admiration. The previous awe was replaced by an almost fanatical acceptance of Noir's superior status.
Asmodeus Alice was already prostrate on the floor, weeping tears of ecstasy. He didn't see an anomaly; he saw the ultimate sign of his master's rightful, dual reign over reality.
"My Lord! My Lord!" Asmodeus cried, scrambling to his feet to stand guard. "A twin binding of Chaos and Order! The ultimate expression of universal mastery! The Gorgon Snake is dust before your might! There is no doubt of your supremacy!"
The other students, including several high-ranking demons who had summoned solid mid-tier familiars, immediately crowded around Noir, not in challenge, but in eager proximity. They wanted to bask in the reflection of such immense power.
High-ranking students:"His power is layered! He's not just strong, he's conceptually complex! We must study his method!""Forget the ranks; he created his own classification! We must follow the strongest!"
The competitive spirit of the Royal One students instantly shifted from trying to beat Noir to trying to impress Noir.
The energy pulse was too great to ignore. News of the Double Familiar Summoning spread through the rest of the academy like wildfire, warping itself into legend before the ceremony was even over.
The Legend: "Sullivan's grandson summoned two \theta-ranked creatures, one of darkness and one of light, and they were fighting each other to serve him!"
The Reality: "Noir accidentally channeled his spiritual instability into a binding contract and now has two horrifying celestial bodyguards."
Noir's Inner Dialogue: The Thankful Fraud
Noir finally stepped off the platform, Asmodeus practically clearing the spiritual air around him. The relief was overwhelming, but it had to be suppressed immediately to maintain the persona.
Inner Dialogue (Noir):
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you to the arbitrary nature of mana contracts. If that machine had measured my power, it would have read '100% Chaos, 100% Order, 0% Control.' Instead, it reads 'Unmeasurable Rank.' I have to lean into this. I have to make everyone believe this was my intention.
I'm safe for now. Kalego-sensei is terrified of me, Asmodeus worships me, and the school thinks I'm the ultimate authority. I have my camouflage. I can go to class now and spend the next semester learning how to make a fireball without dissolving my own hand.
The greatest threat to my survival is not outside; it's the lack of skill inside my head. But now, thanks to the Lion and the Tiger, I have the time to learn.
Noir maintained his cold gaze, accepting the reverence and the open path. He nodded once to Kalego—a gesture that implied the teacher was adequate, but barely—and allowed Asmodeus to usher him toward the exit.
"My Lord, your spiritual might has been eternally recorded!" Asmodeus gushed, his eyes shining. "We must celebrate this profound establishment of your authority!"
"Lead the way, Asmodeus," Noir commanded, his voice deep and steady. Don't panic. Don't panic. Just keep walking. The internal strain remained, a constant, low-grade spiritual torture, but now, it was torture with a purpose: protecting his miraculous, unearned rank.