The doors of the Great Elder's office stood firmly closed.
Inside, the atmosphere was unusually serious.
Great Elder Neil sat behind his large wooden desk, his eyes fixed on the man standing before him.
Lord Chad Grace had finally returned.
His academy uniform was torn in several places. Dust still clung to his clothes, and there were signs that the mission had been far more demanding than an ordinary dungeon expedition.
But Chad remained standing straight.
Great Elder Neil leaned forward slightly.
"Tell me everything."
Chad nodded.
"I will."
He took a breath before beginning.
"The dungeon was far more complicated than we expected."
Neil listened carefully.
"There were Monsters inside that weren't behaving like ordinary dungeon creatures. The deeper I went, the more unusual they became."
Chad's expression became more serious.
"And then I encountered the Goliaths."
Neil's eyes narrowed.
"The Goliaths?"
"Yes."
Chad nodded.
"They were enormous. Much larger than the Monsters we've encountered in ordinary dungeons. Their physical strength was incredible, and their way of life was completely different from what we've documented before."
He continued explaining everything he had witnessed—the size of the creatures, their movements, their behavior, and the environment in which they lived.
But eventually, Chad's voice became quieter.
"There was something else."
Neil waited.
"Humans."
The Great Elder's expression changed.
"Humans?"
"There were prisoners inside the dungeon."
Chad explained how he had discovered hundreds of people being held inside iron cages.
"They had been imprisoned for an unknown period of time. Some were weak, starving, and barely able to stand."
Neil's hands slowly tightened on the desk.
"And the others?"
Chad looked down for a moment.
"Some of them didn't survive."
Silence filled the room.
"They were killed inside the dungeon."
Neil remained completely still.
Chad continued.
"And that's when I discovered something that changes everything we thought we knew about dungeons."
Neil raised his head.
"What did you discover?"
Chad looked directly at him.
"Dungeon rules."
Neil frowned.
"Rules?"
"Yes."
Chad explained what he had learned.
"For years, we've entered dungeons, cleared demons, defeated monsters, rescued survivors, and considered them nothing more than dangerous environments filled with creatures."
He paused.
"But we never understood the laws governing the dungeon itself."
Neil listened without interrupting.
"Inside that dungeon, natural causes of death couldn't claim the prisoners."
Neil's eyes widened.
"What?"
"They couldn't simply die from hunger, dehydration, sickness, or old age while the dungeon was holding them."
Chad's voice became firm.
"They had to be killed."
The words hung heavily in the room.
Neil stared at him.
"So the dungeon…"
"Was forcing their deaths to happen through direct killing."
Neil leaned back slowly.
"That is something we've never recorded."
"Exactly."
Chad nodded.
"After everything we've learned about dungeons over the years, we never knew this was possible."
Neil remained silent for several seconds.
Then his expression softened.
"Still…"
He smiled faintly.
"You succeeded."
Chad looked at him.
"You cleared the dungeon."
Neil stood from his chair.
"You rescued the prisoners and eliminated the monsters responsible."
Chad nodded.
"I did what I could."
"And that," Neil said, "is exactly what a Lord is supposed to do."
Chad smiled.
"The prisoners are already being taken care of at the Academy. They're being fed, clothed, and treated for their condition."
Neil nodded approvingly.
"Good."
"Once they're strong enough, they'll be sent back to their respective homes and villages throughout the Valtheris Kingdom."
Neil smiled.
"Then you've done more than clear a dungeon, Chad. You've brought people back to their families."
Chad gave a small nod.
"That's all that matters to me."
Neil returned to his seat.
"There's something else I wanted to discuss with you."
Chad raised an eyebrow.
"The Lord's Clash."
Chad immediately understood.
"So it's happening?"
"Two days from now."
Neil folded his hands together.
"Every year, before the Legion Academy Entrance Tournament, the Lords gather for the Lord's Clash."
Chad nodded.
"It's more than just a battle."
"Exactly."
Neil smiled.
"It allows the kingdoms, villages, aspiring scouts, and future Academy students to witness the power of the Lords."
He continued.
"We want them to see what they're capable of. We want young people to look at those battles and think, 'I want to become a Scout. I want to join Legion Academy. I want to become a demon slayer.'"
Chad smiled.
"And where are we fighting?"
"The Coliseum."
Chad's eyes lit up slightly.
"The entire place?"
Neil chuckled.
"Not quite."
He stood again.
"The Coliseum will be enhanced by myself."
"Enhancement magic?"
"Yes I'll reinforce the entire structure so that the battle doesn't destroy the arena—or the people watching it."
Chad nodded.
"That makes sense."
Neil then revealed the matchups.
"You and Lord Kelvin will fight together."
Chad smiled.
"Against?"
"Lord Ackman and Lady Nerissa."
Chad's smile disappeared for a moment.
"Ackman?"
Neil nodded.
Chad crossed his arms.
"That man is a monster."
Neil laughed.
"You're finally admitting it?"
"I'm not admitting anything."
Chad smirked.
"I'm just saying he's the strongest Lord for a reason."
Neil looked at him with amusement.
"You think you and Kelvin can handle him?"
Chad immediately smiled.
"You already know my answer."
Neil raised an eyebrow.
"Do I?"
"Lord Kelvin and I have fought together for years."
Chad's expression became confident.
"We've faced challenges together. We've trained together. We've fought against each other. We know how the other thinks."
He clenched his fist.
"We're not just teammates."
He smiled.
"We're brothers in battle."
Neil nodded.
"Then I believe in you."
Chad looked at him.
Neil's expression became more sincere.
"You've grown tremendously, Chad. You've proven yourself more times than I expected."
Chad smiled.
"Thank you, Great Elder."
"But don't become overconfident."
Neil's eyes narrowed playfully.
"Ackman is still Ackman."
Chad laughed.
"I know."
"And then there's Lady Nerissa."
Chad nodded.
"She won't be easy either."
"Definitely not."
Neil leaned back.
"Her mastery over water magic makes her one of the most formidable Lords in the Academy's history. And with her Water Fox, she'll be even more difficult to predict."
Chad nodded thoughtfully.
"Water against Kelvin's stone magic."
"And against you."
Chad smiled.
"I'm not worried."
Neil laughed.
"I can see that."
"The battle will be interesting."
"It will."
Neil then looked toward the window.
"The invitations have already been sent."
"To the kingdoms?"
"To kingdoms, villages, and settlements across the world."
Chad's eyes widened slightly.
"So there will be a crowd."
"A very large one."
Neil smiled.
"The Lord's Clash will take place two days from now."
He looked directly at Chad.
"So prepare yourself."
Chad nodded.
"I will."
"And Chad…"
"Yes?"
"Bring Mason."
Chad paused.
"Mason?"
"I want him to watch."
Neil's voice became calmer.
"He needs to see what the Lords are capable of. He'll be entering the Academy eventually, and I believe watching this battle will be valuable for him."
Chad smiled.
"You know I'll bring him."
"Good."
The conversation came to an end.
But neither of them noticed the figure standing outside the office.
Cadoc.
He stood quietly in his human form, his white hair falling naturally around his face and his dark eyes fixed on the closed doors. He wore his Legion Academy uniform as he stood silently in the hallway.
He had heard everything.
His eyes remained fixed on the closed doors.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then a small smirk appeared across his face.
"So…"
He turned around.
"The Lords are going to fight."
Cadoc walked away from the office.
Later — The Village of Cinderval
The sun had already begun to disappear beyond the horizon when Chad finally returned home.
Mason was the first to notice him.
"Dad!"
Chad smiled.
Mason quickly approached him.
"You're finally back!"
Rohan followed behind him while Becca remained nearby.
Mason looked Chad up and down.
Then he noticed his torn uniform.
"Whoa."
He pointed at the damaged clothing.
"Dad, your uniform is torn."
Chad looked down at himself.
"Oh."
Mason stared at him.
"That must've been a really hard battle."
Chad laughed.
"I wouldn't say hard."
Mason raised an eyebrow.
"I'd just say I was in trouble a few times."
Rohan chuckled.
Chad immediately raised his fist confidently.
"But you know me."
He grinned.
"I come out on top in every situation."
Mason stared at him.
Rohan covered his mouth.
Becca smiled.
Mason and Rohan looked at each other.
For a few seconds, neither said anything.
Then Mason started laughing.
Rohan couldn't hold it in anymore.
Both of them burst into laughter.
Chad's confident expression slowly disappeared.
He looked embarrassed.
"What's so funny?"
Mason continued laughing.
"You really said that with a straight face."
Rohan shook his head.
"That's exactly what a man says after nearly getting himself killed."
"Hey!"
Chad crossed his arms.
"I survived, didn't I?"
That only made them laugh harder.
Chad sighed.
"Fine. Laugh all you want."
That evening, the family gathered around the table for dinner.
The meal was larger than usual.
Chad had returned with another paycheck from the Academy, and as always, he intended to use part of it to provide food and supplies for the village.
Everyone ate together.
Mason was still curious about the dungeon.
"So, Dad…"
Chad looked at him.
"What?"
"What actually happened in there?"
Chad smiled.
"You want the whole story?"
"Yes!"
Rohan laughed.
"You've already asked him about it five times."
"I want to hear it again."
Becca smiled.
Chad shook his head.
"All right."
He began explaining some of what had happened.
The demons.
The Goliaths.
The prisoners.
The dungeon itself.
Mason listened carefully.
But eventually, Chad changed the subject.
"There's something else."
Mason looked up.
"What?"
"The Lord's Clash."
Mason froze.
"The Lord's Clash?"
Chad nodded.
"It's happening in two days."
Mason's eyes widened.
"Wait… really?"
"Yes."
Mason leaned forward.
"Are you fighting?"
Chad smiled.
"Of course."
"Who are you fighting?"
"Lord Kelvin and I will be fighting Lord Ackman and Lady Nerissa."
Mason's excitement grew instantly.
"I'm going!"
Chad laughed.
"I knew you'd say that."
"This is going to be my first time seeing the Legion Academy Coliseum!"
Mason couldn't hide his excitement.
Then he turned toward Rohan.
"Rohan, you're coming too, right?"
Rohan paused.
He looked at Becca.
Then at Mason.
"I'd love to."
Mason smiled.
"But?"
Rohan sighed.
"I'm not really interested in the Academy itself."
Mason's expression softened.
"Why?"
"I just don't want anything to do with it."
Rohan looked around the village.
"And besides, if all three of us leave, who's going to protect Becca and the village?"
Mason understood immediately.
Chad nodded.
"That makes sense."
He looked at Rohan with respect.
"I understand."
Rohan smiled.
"Someone has to stay behind."
Chad nodded.
"You're right."
Mason looked slightly disappointed, but he didn't argue.
"Okay."
Rohan smiled.
"You go."
Mason nodded.
"I will."
He looked down at his plate for a moment.
Then a huge smile appeared on his face.
"I can't believe I'm actually going to Legion Academy."
Chad laughed.
"Just remember why you're going."
Mason looked at him.
"To watch the Lords fight."
Chad smiled.
"Exactly."
Mason leaned back in his chair, already imagining the sight.
Lord Ackman.
Lord Kelvin.
Lady Nerissa.
And his father.
All four Lords standing inside the Coliseum.
Thousands of people watching.
The greatest warriors of the kingdom fighting before his eyes.
For Mason, this wasn't just a battle.
It was the first time he would step into the world of Legion Academy.
And he had no idea that the Lord's Clash would be far more important than he imagined.
Two more days remained