1. [The Obsidian Bloodline]:
Description: The ruling dynasty and the "Pure-Bloods"—the founding nobles of the clan.
Authority: They possess exclusive rights over all resources and property. They are not subject to ordinary laws, answering only to the commands of those higher within their own lineage.
2. [The Sworn Nobles]:
Description: Powerful families that pledged their fealty to the Obsidian Bloodline centuries ago.
Role: They serve as military commanders and governors of the clan's territories. They are obsessed with maintaining the prestige of their names, constantly sending their heirs to the Dusk Academy to prove their worth.
3. [The Adopted – The "Borrowed Blades"]:
Description: Gifted individuals who lack pure noble blood (such as Adrian and Niko) but are adopted by a high-ranking noble. They are derogatorily referred to as "Borrowed Blades."
Status: Treated as high-value combat instruments. While they enjoy martial privileges, they are stripped of all political rights within the clan. They cannot inherit property or titles from their "father"; they are expected to carve out their own names from nothing.
4. [The Shadow Serfs]:
Description: Represents the common populace and ordinary individuals who lack significant magical talent.
Fate: Compared to the nobility, they are viewed almost entirely as a slave class, existing only to serve the machine of the clan.
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The Four Halls of Darkness (The Academy Registry)
Power within the clan is distributed across four educational strongholds, ranked in descending order of prestige and lethality:
1. [Dusk Academy] – (Rank I):
Location: Erected near the "Tomb of the First Founder."
Students: Exclusive to the Pure-Bloods and high-ranking nobility.
Specialty: Offers first-class education and resources. It occasionally accepts elite noble exchange students from academies outside the clan.
2. [Raven Academy] – (Rank II):
Location: A fortress suspended amidst the Mist Mountains.
Students: Dedicated to noble students; a fierce, continuous rivalry has existed between Raven and Dusk since their founding.
Specialty: Its curriculum is nearly equal to Dusk Academy, though it holds slightly less prestige due to receiving less financial backing from the Great Houses. It also opens its doors to noble students from foreign clans.
3. [Dark Shield Academy] – (Rank III):
Location: An icy citadel situated on the northern frontiers of the clan's territory.
Students: Welcomes gifted commoners, field warriors, and lesser nobles seeking to join the military ranks.
Specialty: Harsh military discipline. It acts as a specialized military academy and strictly forbids enrollment of students from outside the clan.
4. [Abyss Academy] – (Rank IV):
Location: Perched upon a towering, secluded mountain peak.
Status: .......
Objective: Rumors suggest its ultimate goal is to evolve into the premier institution, eventually eclipsing the prestige of the other three academies.
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Dear readers, the veil has finally been lifted from the hierarchy of the Dark Clan!
Which academy do you find the most terrifying?
Do you think "Adrian" can survive in an academy designed to crush him—not just physically, but socially?
Your interactions in the comments are the sparks that ignite the upcoming chapters!
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