A red light illuminated the academy's underground training arena. The magic circle beneath Kaien's feet expanded. A scorching aura surged in all directions, making the air feel dense and heavy. The pack of magical wolves, which had been growling, stopped in unison, their bodies crouching in fear. Even the giant golem that had been charging them seemed hesitant.
A violent tremor ran through the floor as a large shadow formed within the circle. Slowly, a gigantic body emerged—glowing black-and-red scales, reflecting the red light that illuminated the arena. Wide wings spread, each flap of hot wind sending dust flying. As a roar echoed, everyone present simultaneously held their breath.
A dragon rose fully from the circle. Its eyes blazed like embers, its gaze piercing the entire arena.
Damian's eyes widened. His breath hitched, his body nearly frozen in place. "That's... too big."
Elric, blood still dripping down his temple, pointed with a delighted expression. "Wow! That's a real dragon, right?! It's not cosplay, is it?!"
Rin immediately stepped back and half-hid behind Damian. His face was pale, his eyes wide with fear. "T-That size… is too much." His voice trembled.
Tessa swallowed hard. Her feet involuntarily stepped back, her eyes still fixed on the creature. "It's impossible… a normal person wouldn't be able to summon this dragon."
Lucien, still kneeling with his cracked shield in his hand, could only grunt wearily. "This bastard… he's been holding back from the start," he muttered.
Nero remained silent, his eyes slightly narrowed, but his gaze clearly fixed on Kaien.
Amidst all the reactions, Kaien stood calmly, slightly in front of them all. The heat didn't bother him at all. A faint smile appeared on his face, relaxed yet confident.
"Meet me," he said quietly but clearly, his voice echoing throughout the arena. He raised his hand toward the dragon. "One of my partners. Actually, he's the strongest."
The arena fell silent. Even the spectators in the stands didn't know whether to cheer or fear.
A dragon's roar echoed, shaking the entire Zephyrus training arena. All the students in the stands stood up simultaneously, some covering their ears, others simply staring, their faces pale.
The giant golem that had previously overwhelmed Damian's team now seemed small in front of it. With a single blast of fire, the arena's temperature soared dramatically. Orange-black flames swept over the golem's body. The stone that made up its body melted, then large cracks spread across the surface before finally shattering into pieces. A final explosion shook the floor.
The remaining pack of magical wolves wailed in panic, but only briefly. A single flap of the dragon's wings was followed by a second burst of fire, and they were incinerated in an instant. Their final screams vanished, leaving only a thin layer of smoke and a charred smell.
The previously chaotic arena fell silent. The only sound was the heavy breathing of the students still standing in the center of the field.
Damian stared ahead, his eyes still wide with shock. His breath was labored, and his sword fell to the floor with a soft thud. "He had this much power from the start?" he muttered in disbelief.
Lucien stood with his cracked shield in his hand. His shoulders heaved, his body still trembling. He said nothing, simply staring at Kaien with a sharp, questioning gaze.
Nero remained half-hidden in the shadows. His eyes narrowed, his expression cold and unreadable. No comment came from his mouth, but it was clear he was assessing Kaien seriously.
Elric approached with a sour face. Blood was still dripping from his temple, but his voice was as firm as ever. "YOU DID IT ON DEliberateLY, RIGHT?! You waited until we were almost dead to unleash that ultimate move!"
Kaien turned his head casually, his expression calm as if he had just finished a regular training session. "If I unleash it right away, you guys won't learn anything."
"WHAT?!" Elric nearly leaped forward, his face bright red with anger.
Liam quickly held his shoulder. "Hey, calm down! Don't make any more noise."
From the edge of the arena, Instructor Van slowly closed his book. His expression remained impassive, but his eyes lingered on Kaien longer than any of the other students.
The dragon's roar was still echoing when something strange happened. Just below the arena, the room with the ancient murals, which had been locked shut, suddenly trembled. Dust fell from the cracks in the stone door that covered it. Then, a thin white light began to seep out.
Damian turned quickly. His eyes widened, his breath hitching. This feeling… was the same as the one he had seen react to himself. The cold in his body immediately responded, making his fingers tremble slightly.
Lucien, still kneeling with his cracked shield in his hand, also turned in the same direction. His face tensed, his eyes turning serious.
Nero, standing half-hidden in the shadows, remained silent. However, his gaze was fixed in the same direction. His purple eyes narrowed, his expression remaining impassive, but it was clear that he recognized the light.
The three of them—Damian, Lucien, and Nero—gave each other a brief glance in the silence of the arena. No words were exchanged, but the tension between them spoke louder than anything else.
All the other students in the stands were busy cheering or whispering about Kaien's greatness, but only Damian, Lucien, and Nero realized the true meaning of the light.
Damian swallowed, his gaze shifting back to Kaien, who stood calmly before his black-and-orange dragon. Deep in his heart, he knew the answer to the question that had been haunting him.
"Kaien... just like them," Damian said quietly.
The arena was silent, but the tension only grew. Not only because of Kaien's newly demonstrated power, but also because the ancient mural now revealed a deeper truth.
A thin layer of smoke still hung over the arena when Instructor Van's voice rang out. He raised his hand slowly. "Enough. Training is over." His voice remained flat, as usual, but his eyes glanced at the ancient mural that still glowed faintly in the adjacent room.
The students who had been fighting so hard began to lower their weapons and deactivate their magic. Their breathing was still heavy, their bodies covered in sweat and dust. Some even collapsed, too exhausted to stand. But no one cheered for their victory. All eyes were focused solely on Kaien... and the giant magic dragon that still stood tall behind him.
The red light beneath Kaien's feet slowly faded. The dragon let out a final roar before its body vanished in an orange glow, vanishing as if it had never existed. Silence fell once more over the arena, but tension still hung in the air.
In the stands, the whispers of the other students were audible. Some were amazed, some were afraid, and still others could only stare in disbelief.
At the side of the arena, Tessa whispered to Rin, her voice still trembling. "He... isn't normal."
Rin nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving Kaien. He remained pressed against Damian's side, as if seeking protection.
Liam walked closer to Damian, his breathing still ragged. "Master Damian... are you okay?" he whispered, his voice filled with concern.
Damian didn't answer. His gaze was fixed solely on Kaien's back, standing upright in the center of the arena.
Elric, despite his wounds, still had the energy to shout. "YOU'RE ANNOYING! You think you're so cool, don't you?!" His voice echoed, causing several students in the stands to turn their heads.
Kaien turned slightly, his expression calm. He shrugged as if unconcerned. "In the end, we won, didn't we?" he said lightly.
Those words further stirred the atmosphere—a mixture of awe, annoyance, and confusion. One thing was for sure: after today, Kaien's name would be the talk of the entire academy.
The training arena began to quiet down. The students sitting in the stands were still whispering, some staring at Kaien in awe, others in fear. In the middle of the field, Damian's team stood unsteadily, each still trying to catch their breath. Only Kaien looked calm, as if it were no big deal.
Up there, from the second-floor balcony overlooking the arena, another figure had been standing there since the beginning. Professor Limbert, the head of the academy, slowly closed his notebook. His eyes were sharp, fixed intently on Kaien, who had just summoned a giant magic dragon. The light from the ancient mural that had been shining for a while now gradually dimmed, then went out completely. The stone door returned to its normal appearance, as if it had never reacted.
Limbert remained motionless for a few seconds. His gaze shifted briefly to Damian, then to Lucien and Nero. All three seemed unusually quiet compared to the other students. As if they knew something others didn't.
"Interesting…" Limbert said softly. A faint smile crossed his face, not the warm smile of a teacher, but rather the look of an observer discovering a new piece of a puzzle.
He closed his book tightly and turned around silently. His steps were quiet, his robes swaying lightly with his movements. None of the students seemed to notice his presence up there.
Only Damian managed to look up. From below, he caught a glimpse of the headmaster leaving the balcony. Damian's eyes widened, his heart beating faster. Professor Limbert had been here all along… and he was definitely the one who had caused it.
A new question arose in his mind, pressing heavier than the fatigue in his body. What did Professor Limbert really know?
Damian gripped Setsu'ryū tightly in his hand, his gaze never leaving the now-empty balcony. Curiosity mixed with a foreboding feeling that this was just the beginning of something much bigger.
The students left the arena with heavy steps. Some still limped, others simply bowed their heads in silence. There was no cheering, no lively conversation as usual after training. All that remained was the sound of their still-unsteady breathing and the echo of footsteps on the stone floor.
At the forefront, Kaien walked leisurely, his expression calm, as if nothing had happened. His body was straight, as if the fight had been just another training session for him.
Damian followed behind with the others. His eyes never left Kaien's back. There was curiosity, but also something heavier—a mix of relief, admiration, and suspicion. In his heart, one sentence repeated itself over and over. Kaien… you really are one of us, aren't you?
Lucien walked silently beside Damian, still carrying his cracked shield. Nero remained a shadow, his face indecipherable. Rin clung to Damian, while Tessa and Liam supported each other to keep up. Despite their differences, one thing was the same: none of them could forget what they had just seen.
The arena slowly emptied. The din in the stands had died down, and the spectators dispersed, whispers soon spreading throughout the academy.
Inside, the ancient murals still gleamed faintly. The white light was dim. And for a moment, the silence felt heavier than the battle that had just ended.