Dust lifted from the obsidian-tiled floor as Hikari stepped forward, his breath calm but shallow. The Hall of Trials, though still as majestic as it had been moments ago, now felt like a pressure chamber. Every second ticking by was thunder in his ears.
Polished obsidian tiles stretched across the massive hall like a frozen black sea. Pillars lined the circular arena, carved with glowing runes that pulsed in response to the mounting tension. Above, sunlight streamed through crystalline skylights, catching particles in the air that sparkled like stars caught in a sunbeam. Despite the grandeur, the silence was suffocating.
Before him stood Kaelis Ardent, the Flame Warden, one of the fiercest instructors in the Golden Sanctuary Academy. Her silver hair glimmered faintly with embers, and the long red-and-gold coat she wore flowed behind her as if caught in an eternal blaze. Her presence alone threatened to melt away Hikari's composure.
He stepped into the center circle, which shimmered with ancient runes. Every eye in the gallery above was trained on him—students, teachers, officials. And Master Ryu. Their gazes felt like weights pressing down on his shoulders, but none of it compared to the smoldering intensity in Kaelis's silver-red eyes.
"Kurayami Hikari," Kaelis said, her voice echoing with a subtle crackle of heat, "your irregularity is still in its infancy. But this test isn't about power. It's about control, instinct, and potential. Show me what your shadow can do."
She raised a hand, and the arena pulsed with energy. The air shimmered.
Hikari blinked. Suddenly, the temperature rose by ten degrees. The tiles began to glow faintly underfoot. He took a deep breath and shifted into Shadow Form.
Fwoosh~!
His silhouette deepened, limbs lightening, weight fading. The comforting rush of the dark enfolded him. Shadows clung to his frame like a second skin. But before he could adjust, Kaelis struck.
A flash of flame burst from her foot as she dashed toward him. The force of her movement cracked the tile beneath her. Hikari barely sidestepped, his mind scrambling to keep up. She moved like fire incarnate—fluid, untouchable, and fierce.
He attempted a Shadow Bind, but his timing was off. The tendrils shot from his shadow, sluggish and poorly aimed. Kaelis twirled mid-air, dodging without effort, and answered with a blazing whip of fire that cut across his shoulder. He staggered back, the scent of scorched cloth and seared flesh hitting his nose.
Pain burned through him, but he gritted his teeth. He couldn't lose here. Not now.
Kaelis waited, stance firm, inviting him to move. Her expression wasn't mocking—it was calculating. Testing. She wanted to see how far he could go.
Sweat beaded down his face as he forced himself to move again. This time, he tried Shadow Step, leaping through his own shadow to reappear behind her. It worked. For a second, he was behind her. He struck.
Kaelis ducked, sweeping a leg of fire through him. Hikari was sent rolling, embers trailing after him.
"You have potential," she said, her voice level. "But instinct isn't enough. Think, Kurayami. Fight like the shadow you are."
The words struck deeper than her attacks.
He rose slowly, fists clenched. His breaths grew steady. Again, he moved. This time, more focused. He anticipated her strikes, began reading the flow. When her fire whip lashed, he ducked instead of dodging wide. When she leapt, he predicted her angle of descent.
Bit by bit, his reactions sharpened.
Minutes passed.
The room began to shift in tempo. It no longer felt like a beating—now it felt like a dance.
Shadow Bind lashed from multiple directions. One hit. Then another. Enough to slow her. Kaelis narrowed her eyes, impressed.
"Good. Now, what will you do next?"
Hikari didn't answer. Instead, he closed his eyes. His body stilled.
Within, something surged.
There was no time for doubts. He had to ride the wave and be at one with his shadow.
It felt like ink poured into his veins, an ancient force responding to his call. The darkness didn't just cover him—it became him. His vision deepened. His body lightened. His instincts became refined blades.
And then—
The sword.
It was only a partial manifestation, but the Legendary Shadow Blade appeared right on his hands.
From his hand, a blade took form, glistening like obsidian under moonlight, humming with dark power. It wasn't complete, but it was enough.
Kaelis widened her stance.
They clashed.
Hikari moved like wind through cracks, blade singing with silence. Kaelis's fire danced, licking at him, pressing. They struck, retreated, advanced, parried. Hikari began to hold his own.
Each swing of his blade cut wind. Each move drew a murmur from the watching crowd.
Kaelis grinned for the first time. "Now that's more like it."
She moved faster. Fire burst beneath her, propelling her forward. Hikari reacted. Shadows followed.
He spun, blade clashing against her wrist. His eyes widened—he had an opening.
This was it.
He surged forward, eyes focused on her shoulder. His blade came down—
But then—
"Urk~!"
Kaelis's voice echoed with a grunt. For a brief moment, she lost her focus and her powers went out of control. For once, she felt threatened, and her body instinctively reacted to defend itself.
Of course, who wouldn't go into defense mode when Hikari clearly expressed his bloodthirst in that single attack?
Her body reacted instinctively. Fire burst from her palms.
A searing sphere of flame, faster than sound, launched toward him.
He froze.
There was no time. He couldn't Shadow Step. He couldn't dodge. And Shadow Bind wouldn't save him.
It was too late.
The blast roared toward him, heat tearing at the air.
Kaelis's eyes widened. She screamed again, trying to recall the flame, to draw back what had already been cast. "No! HIKARI!"
From the observation deck, Master Ryu stood abruptly. His face, usually unreadable, twisted in alarm.
"Too fast," he muttered. "She misjudged—"
BAM!
The explosion rocked the arena. Flames engulfed the spot where Hikari stood. Stone cracked, smoke billowed. Runes across the hall dimmed under the intensity.
Kaelis's hand was over her mouth, eyes wild.
She didn't mean to go that far. It was a reflex. She thought he'd block. Or dodge. Or something.
Even Ryu looked like he had stopped breathing.
Silence.
Seconds passed. The flames danced high, twisting and writhing...
... Then began to settle. The smoke curled upward.
A single gust of wind swept across the battlefield.
And from within the smoke—
Fwoooosh~!