The golden carriage came to a halt in the middle of the courtyard, its polished surface gleaming under the morning light, ancient glyphs softly pulsing across its sides.
One of the guards dismounted and stepped forward with practiced grace, his armor clinking faintly as he opened the door with a respectful bow.
From within, a tall man stepped out, a middle-aged figure draped in a dark crimson robe embroidered with faint runic threads. His black hair was streaked with grey at the temples, his eyes sharp and steady, and as he set foot on the stone tiles, a wave of pressure rippled through the air.
A powerful aura swept across the region like an invisible tide, making several disciples instinctively clench their fists or stumble back a step.
The clan leader's eyes widened slightly in recognition. He took a step forward without hesitation.
Behind him, the gathered elders followed suit.
"We greet Royal Garrick Vale Lord!" their voices echoed together, filled with respectful gravity.
Lucifer narrowed his eyes. "That name... Garrick Vale? The commander of the Rainey Royal Family's elite army?"
His gaze subtly swept the man, sensing the sheer might behind that calm exterior. "A peak 7th-stage expert of the True Starlet Realm... what is someone like him doing here in person?"
Garrick, however, only smiled. "Darian, let's skip the formalities, will you?"
He stepped forward and gave the clan leader a solid pat on the shoulder, like one would to a comrade after years apart.
Darian let out a soft chuckle. "Still the same, I see. Charging into places without notice."
The two men shared a moment of unspoken understanding—one forged through years of hardship and friendship when both were younger and the world seemed less cruel.
From the side, Lucifer kept his presence faint, quietly hiding his cultivation. Though he had already stepped into the True Starlet Realm, he saw no need to draw unnecessary attention from this man right now. His thoughts, however, stirred with unease.
"Why would someone like Garrick come all the way here just to pick up four clan youths for an institute selection?"
As the casual conversation continued a while longer, Garrick's tone suddenly shifted.
His smile faded. His voice grew lower. "Darian, let's move. Gather your chosen ones, we need to leave soon."
He leaned in, his words dropping into a whisper, but Lucifer's sharp senses caught the tension in his tone.
"I've received internal word. This time, Blazing Sky Institute's entrance test won't be like the years before… it's going to be brutal. Life and death will be very real. I don't know the full reason why, but something has changed behind the scenes."
Darian's brows furrowed, and he instinctively glanced back at the clan grounds where the four young participants—Lucifer, Dennis, Serenya, and Marcellus stood.
Garrick added, "I came personally because we're old friends, and I didn't want your clan to be caught unprepared. Tell your chosen ones, but don't let the news spread. The fewer that panic, the better."
The wind stirred lightly as silence settled for a moment.
Lucifer's jaw tightened. He hadn't heard the exact words, but the gravity on Garrick's face was enough to stir his instincts.
"The selection isn't just a test anymore… it's a battlefield."
Darian Aurelia looked behind and said in a deep voice to the four young members, "We are leaving for the Royal Palace now."
The weight in his voice allowed no questions.
"The elders have already prepared a carriage. It's drawn by a Frost Horse—a rank one beast. They understand the urgency of this matter."
The hooves of the frost horse struck sparks against the stone, its breath frosted the air, and the sigil-etched carriage behind it pulsed faintly with protective runes.
Lucifer remained silent, eyes sharp. The recent news weighed heavily, but his calm demeanor masked the storm brewing within.
Dennis, however, shifted uneasily. His eyes flicked toward Elder Nyra, careful not to be noticed but Nyra Aurelia caught the glance. With a subtle, knowing gaze, she responded without words.
She gave the faintest nod. Leave it to me. The message was clear.
Standing among the elders, Nyra appeared calm and composed. But inside, her thoughts churned cold and calculated.
"I'll need to change my approach..."
Dennis had outlived his usefulness. He had been a pawn, nothing more than a key to pry open the clan's secrets. This minor clan, tucked away from the eyes of greater powers, harbored a hidden artifact of terrifying potential. An artifact even the current clan leader didn't know existed.
And it's still hidden…
She wasn't truly Nyra Aurelia. The real elder was long dead, her corpse left to rot in some forgotten ravine. Nyra's form now belonged to someone else entirely. A spy from beyond the borders. A woman sent by a force far more ancient and ruthless than this kingdom had ever seen.
Through a forbidden secret technique, she had assumed Nyra's appearance flawlessly. No one had noticed. Not even the ancient guardian arrays had rejected her.
She hadn't taken the artifact by force because if she did, powerful bloodlines far outside this land would sense the fluctuation. She needed time, precision, and the perfect moment to strike.
And then Lucifer Aurelia appeared.
Something about him—it made her skin crawl. That aura he released during the trial... it wasn't natural.
It was bottomless, like an ancient abyss staring back at her, that made her blood run cold. Something deep within him defied all logic.
"He must die."
With quiet steps, she made an excuse and left the hall, returning to her chambers. Once inside, she locked the door and waved her hand. A purple token appeared in her palm, etched with strange runes.
She poured spiritual energy into it, and a violet mist rose like smoke. A faint pulse flickered in the air—someone was listening.
Her voice was low, but cold.
"The Aurelia clan is moving toward the Royal Palace. Eliminate the boy before they arrive… Night Reapers!"
The token dimmed and disintegrated in her hand.
A sharp light flickered in her pupils as she turned toward the window, muttering under her breath. "Lucifer... Let's see how long you can survive."
Outside, Lucifer felt a vague unease settling in his chest. His instincts honed sharper than most were rarely ever wrong. Something was off. His gaze shifted unconsciously to the corridor where Elder Nyra had just disappeared.
The carriage stood ready glossy, reinforced with beast-hide plating. The Frost Horse neighed lightly, icy mist rising from its hooves. The wind had grown colder.
Lucifer and the others climbed aboard. This time, the clan leader himself and Elder Hester would be accompanying them. The rest of the elders would remain behind, unaware of the brewing storm.
As the wheels creaked into motion, the road ahead seemed far more dangerous than any of them could yet imagine.
Inside the carriage, Lucifer sat with his eyes half-closed, seemingly calm but his mind was far from at ease.
"Commander Garrick's sudden arrival… the way he whispered to grandfather, and that grim look... something's off," Lucifer thought, glancing at Darian, who hadn't said a word since they boarded.
Opposite him sat Marcellus, posture straight but clearly tense. Dennis leaned against the window, chin resting in his palm, lost in his own thoughts. Only Serenya seemed at ease, her soft humming a strange contrast to the heavy atmosphere.
Two hours into the journey, and the golden carriage's interior had settled into a dull silence.
Lucifer, naturally couldn't stand it.
He turned to Serenya with a lazy yawn, stretching his arms dramatically before scooting just a little too close to her. Close enough that their shoulders brushed.
Serenya stiffened instantly.
She turned, wide-eyed. "W-What are you doing?!"
Lucifer gave her a radiant, kind smile. "I was just thinking… Serenya, has anyone ever told you how dangerously beautiful you are? Honestly, your eyes could cause a global heart attack. I almost fainted just now."
Serenya's face turned a shade of crimson so bright it could've lit up the entire carriage. "Y-You—!" she sputtered, smacking his chest in embarrassment. "How can you say something so ridiculous in front of my father?! And others are watching too!"
She turned away in a flustered panic, her thoughts screaming.
"This shameless devil! Why does he always say these things when everyone's looking?! At least think before pulling this crap. Now how do I even look my father in the eye?!"
But Lucifer remained completely unfazed by her reaction, or by the very real presence of Darian Aurelia across from them her father. If anything, her flustered expression only made him more amused.
Leaning in, he whispered near her ear with a devilish grin, "My head's been aching from all the intense training lately. Think you could give your brother a massage? Just a little one, hmm~?"
Darian Aurelia watched the exchange out of the corner of his eye but didn't say a word. He simply sighed inwardly. "These kids…"
Meanwhile, across from them, poor Marcellus felt as if his chest had been stabbed. His hands clenched into trembling fists as he watched the scene unfold like a nightmare he couldn't wake from. Each word Lucifer said felt like a dagger to his pride.
"This bastard… Flirting in front of her father? In front of me?! Does he have no shame?"
Marcellus's heart pounded from pure emotional damage. Serenya, the girl he'd quietly admired for years, was now blushing and panicking over another man.
His clenched fists on his lap, trembling slightly. He had never told Serenya how he felt. Always waiting for the right moment…
"If strength wasn't a problem... I swear, I'd punch this guy through the damn carriage wall."
But alas, reality was cruel. Lucifer was ridiculously strong!
After a bit of sulking, Serenya finally gave in with an embarrassed huff. "Fine, just for a minute…"
Lucifer flashed a lazy grin and immediately laid his head on her lap, getting comfortable like a pampered cat. His silver hair spilled across her dress as she stiffly placed her hands on his head and began massaging… hesitant at first, but gently easing into it.
Her cheeks were on fire.
He closed his eyes, sighing in contentment. "Mmm~ You have magic in your fingers, dear Serenya… This might be better than training."
Serenya's lips twitched. "Shameless…"
But even she couldn't hide the small, flustered smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
But the peace didn't last long.
Suddenly, the carriage jolted to a halt.
A scream came from the front.
"L-Leader, save me—!!"
The voice was cut off in an instant. Silence followed.
Everyone inside froze.
Lucifer instantly sat up, his lazy expression gone. Serenya's eyes widened in panic.
Elder Hester's face turned grim. "Enemy attack!"
Without wasting a second, he and Darian Aurelia leapt out of the carriage. Before leaving, Darian gave a sharp order:
"No one gets out! Stay inside!"
Outside, three masked figures stood before the halted carriage. They were dressed in flowing black garb, their faces obscured, their presence like coiled serpents ready to strike. Each radiated a suffocating pressure. Their presence alone made the air feel heavier.
Elder Hester narrowed his eyes, drawing his blade with a swift flick. Beside him, Darian did the same. Both felt a creeping chill crawl up their spines because these weren't ordinary attackers.
Hester's gaze shifted to the lifeless body slumped near the beast, blood trickling down from the reins and staining the earth. It was the man who had been driving the carriage moments ago… now nothing more than a corpse with wide, unseeing eyes.
His voice dropped, cold and composed.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
But the masked trio didn't even glance his way. Not a word. As if he wasn't worth acknowledging.
Just then, another carriage screeched to a halt nearby.
Commander Garrick stepped out, his eyes sharp as blades. The seasoned warrior immediately released his aura, a storm of pressure blanketing the area as he drew his weapon.
His killing intent surged.
"Do you fools have any idea what you're doing? Attacking a royal carriage in the heart of the Rainey Kingdom?"
His cultivation flared to the peak of the 7th-stage True Starlet Realm, shaking the surroundings.
But his eyes narrowed further, he had already sensed it.
These three… they weren't weaker than him.
And then, finally, one of the masked figures spoke. His voice was calm, almost casual but it cut through the tension like a dagger.
"We're not here for bloodshed. Our target is one person alone."
He lifted a gloved hand and pointed straight toward the main carriage.
"Lucifer. Step aside, and no one else will be harmed."
A heartbeat later, all three of them released their spiritual pressure of peak 7th-stage True Starlet Realm. The very air rippled as raw force exploded outward.
No more doubts. They had come prepared…
Lucifer's expression turned unreadable as his gaze locked onto the carriage door.
"So this was the reason behind that unease…"
A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Time to greet our guests."