The "Charity Admission" was a tradition—one seat for a commoner to show the Emperor's "mercy." To claim it, one had to strike the Sun-Steel Resonance Bell.
The courtyard was packed. Teyrin had already struck it, producing a clear, ringing note that lasted for a minute. The crowd had cheered.
"Your turn, Null," Teyrin called out, leaning against a pillar. "Don't hurt your hand."
Kael stood before the bell. It was ten feet tall, forged from a metal that supposedly absorbed all impact.
He didn't wind up for a punch. He didn't channel "Flow." He stood in a relaxed stance, his eyes fixed on the center of the metal. He saw the microscopic vibrations of the world.
He flicked his middle finger.
Thud.
The sound wasn't a ring. It was the sound of a mountain hitting the floor of the ocean. A shockwave traveled through the flagstones, cracking the marble under Teyrin's feet.
The bell didn't vibrate. It deformed. A deep indentation appeared where Kael's finger had landed, and a jagged crack raced up the side of the "indestructible" steel.
Silence swallowed the courtyard.
Kael turned and walked toward the dormitories. "It's out of tune," he remarked to the Crow.