The academy's central arena was alive with tension. The sunlight streaming through the massive stained-glass windows seemed almost muted, as if the world itself anticipated the confrontation. Students from Bronze to Silver ranks had gathered, their murmurs blending into a low, restless hum.
Today was no ordinary training session. A formal duel had been arranged—Cael Ardyn and his secret disciple, Selene, would face three Silver-ranked students handpicked by the elders. The purpose was clear: test Cael's ability to operate under scrutiny, measure Selene's progress, and assert control over what the academy now considered an unpredictable anomaly.
Cael observed silently from the edge of the arena. His eyes, pale yet piercing, scanned the environment and the Silver students—Merrick, a muscular youth with destructive aura techniques; Elara, agile and precise, with a mastery over wind-infused mana; and Tyvos, deceptively calm, specializing in layered suppression wards.
"Remember," Cael whispered to Selene, "this is not about brute force. Observe their intentions, sense their rhythm, and let blood guide you. Control first. Destruction… second."
Selene nodded, her grip tightening around the faint crimson ribbon hovering just above her palm.
The duel began with a signal from Elder Marron. Tyvos activated a suppression dome around the arena, attempting to neutralize Cael's unique techniques. The dome hummed with mana, a low-pitched vibration that resonated in the bones. Most students would be disoriented instantly.
Selene faltered slightly under the pressure.
"Focus on intent, not resistance," Cael murmured.
Cael's eyes glowed faintly crimson. A single drop of his blood emerged, twisting into a thin, nearly invisible filament. It moved through the dome as if the barriers were nothing, seeking the heartbeat of the closest Silver student. Within moments, Tyvos staggered as the invisible force disrupted his circulation subtly—not to harm, but to unbalance.
"Impossible!" Tyvos shouted, instinctively trying to reinforce his dome.
Merrick and Elara advanced. Merrick swung his aura-infused fists in brutal arcs, while Elara struck with blinding speed.
Cael and Selene moved as one. He guided Selene's ribbon to intercept, weave, and redirect, neutralizing attacks without causing permanent injury. Every maneuver was precise, controlled, a dance between life and death that stunned the observers.
Whispers erupted through the gallery. Silver students gasped. Bronze students trembled. Even some instructors had to conceal their shock.
"He's not using mana or aura…" one muttered. "It's… something else. Something alive."
Lyra Noctis, observing from her platform, tilted her head. Even under scrutiny, he manipulates life itself… and teaches her. Her shadow twitched, betraying her curiosity—and perhaps a hint of respect.
As the duel progressed, Selene's control over her blood ribbon improved. She began guiding the ribbon independently, weaving between Silver-ranked attacks, subtly disrupting their movements. Merrick's momentum faltered; Elara misjudged her footwork; Tyvos's dome flickered with instability.
Cael allowed it. Let them learn their limits. Let them see what true control looks like.
Finally, Cael extended his hand, and a thin crimson spear of blood shot from his palm—not lethal, just precise enough to clip Merrick's shoulder, sending him sprawling. The duel ended as the spear dissolved instantly, leaving no lasting injury.
A stunned silence enveloped the arena.
Elder Marron finally spoke, his voice tight with disbelief. "This… is not possible. He is… beyond Bronze. Beyond Silver. The reports… they were not exaggerated."
Later, in a secluded corridor, one of the Top Ten Families' heirs observed the duel through a magically concealed scrying crystal.
"Silvercrest underestimated him," the heir muttered, teeth grinding. "And the academy dares to shelter him. This… Bronze initiate is no ordinary student. He is a threat."
Plans began to form. The families would not allow such an anomaly to exist unchecked. Subtle infiltration, manipulation, and sabotage would follow—lessons Cael anticipated but allowed to unfold.
Back in the dormitory, Selene collapsed onto the floor, exhausted but exhilarated.
"I can't believe I did that," she whispered. "The blood… it moved… by itself. I felt it obey me."
Cael placed a hand on her shoulder. "It obeys those who understand it. Remember, Selene—control is mastery. Strength without it is chaos, and chaos kills."
She nodded, determination flaring in her eyes. "I will master it. I'll follow you anywhere."
Cael allowed a faint smile. Good. This world is unprepared for what comes next.
That night, Lyra Noctis finally approached Cael directly. Shadows enveloped her form as she stopped just beyond the dormitory entrance.
"You've surpassed every expectation," she said softly, voice calm yet edged with calculation. "The elders, the families… they are blind to what you truly are. But I am not. You are dangerous, yes. But perhaps… useful."
Cael tilted his head. "And you? Friend or foe?"
Her shadow twitched, curling subtly around her feet. "That depends on the days to come. For now, I watch… and learn."
Far below, in the shadowed abyss, the Demon King's crimson gaze burned brighter.
"Yes," he murmured, voice reverberating through endless darkness. "The Blood Immortal grows. Students awaken. Families plot. Even allies are forming. Soon, the storm will not just touch this world—it will devour it."
Cael pressed a hand to his chest. His heartbeat echoed faintly in the chamber, a reminder: the blood remembered. It had survived betrayal, death, and a thousand years. And now, in this new world of mana, aura, and monsters, the Blood Immortal was awakening fully.
This is only the beginning.