Chapter — Crimson Will vs the Chosen Prodigy
The academy dueling grounds were full.
Too full.
Whispers spread faster than mana pulses.
"Kael challenged Alden."
"The Alden? The one blessed by fate?"
"Isn't Kael just that angry swordsman?"
"He's going to get crushed."
Lucien stood at the edge of the crowd, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
This is it, he thought.
The first great loss in Kael's life. The moment that broke him in the novel.
But something already felt… wrong.
The Two Who Shouldn't Be Equal
Kael stepped onto the arena first.
His uniform was torn at the sleeves, bandages visible beneath. His eyes burned with restrained fury. Crimson patterns faintly pulsed along his forearms—his bloodline reacting even though he tried to suppress it.
Then Alden arrived.
Calm.
Clean.
Confident.
Golden mana shimmered subtly around him, refined and elegant.
The academy announcer swallowed.
"Duel rules are simple. First to yield or lose combat capability."
Alden smiled politely at Kael.
"I don't hate you," Alden said. "But this duel ends quickly."
Kael didn't reply.
He raised his sword.
Crimson Sovereign
The moment the duel started—
Kael moved.
Too fast for an D-rank.
Gasps erupted.
His sword carved forward in a thin, brutal arc.
Crimson Sovereign Sword — First Form: Blood-Cleaving Line
Alden's eyes widened.
He barely blocked.
The impact sent him skidding back several meters, boots screeching against stone.
What—?!
Lucien's pupils shrank.
He's already partially grasped it… he shouldn't be able to yet.
Kael pressed forward relentlessly.
No wasted movements.
No hesitation.
Each slash carried rage, obsession, and refusal.
Alden's golden mana flared as he countered with refined techniques, elegant and precise—but Kael didn't give him space to breathe.
Steel clashed.
Sparks flew.
The crowd fell silent.
Talent vs Obsession
Alden adapted quickly.
His footwork shifted.
Mana output stabilized.
He began reading Kael's rhythm.
"Your sword is violent," Alden said calmly, deflecting another strike.
"But violence alone won't surpass me."
Alden countered.
A clean strike.
Kael blocked—barely.
The shock traveled up his arms.
Pain exploded.
His bloodline surged.
Crimson patterns spread to his neck.
Kael snarled.
"Shut up."
He forced more power.
Too much.
His movements became sharper—but unstable.
Lucien clenched his fists.
Stop. You're forcing it. This is exactly how you lose.
The Turning Point
Alden waited.
Patient.
Then he struck.
A feint.
Kael reacted instinctively—overcommitting.
Alden's blade slipped past Kael's guard and struck his shoulder.
Blood sprayed.
The crowd gasped.
Kael staggered.
But he didn't fall.
He laughed.
Low.
Broken.
"So this is… the gap?"
Alden hesitated.
That hesitation was a mistake.
Kael unleashed everything.
Crimson mana erupted violently, cracking the arena floor.
Crimson Sovereign Sword — Incomplete First Form (Forced)
The slash distorted the air itself.
Alden was thrown back—hard—crashing into the barrier.
Silence.
Smoke.
Lucien's heart pounded.
He shouldn't be able to do that yet…
Victory That Isn't One
When the dust cleared—
Kael was on one knee.
Blood dripping.
Breathing ragged.
Alden stood as well—injured, shaken—but still conscious.
The announcer hesitated.
"…Winner—Alden."
Boos and murmurs filled the arena.
Kael dropped his sword.
Not in defeat—
But in exhaustion.
Alden approached slowly.
"…You almost broke through," he admitted. "But you're destroying yourself."
Kael didn't answer.
He stood.
Walked past Alden.
Past the crowd.
Past Lucien.
For a brief moment, their eyes met.
Kael's were burning.
Not with hatred.
With promise.
Lucien's Realization
Lucien exhaled slowly.
The result is the same… but the process is different.
Kael didn't break today.
He didn't despair.
He didn't submit.
Instead—
He tasted the gap.
And decided to tear it apart.
Lucien smiled faintly.
"…The story really is changing."
Somewhere far beyond the academy—
Something ancient stirred.
Watching the duel.
Interested.