Two days after the shortlist was announced, the elders unleashed another shockwave.
"Elder Bram will oversee the final trial for academy candidates in the inner wild grounds," he declared, standing in the central courtyard with his hands clasped behind his back, just like some old-fashioned school principal.
"Only five will be chosen. You thirteen are on the list. Prepare yourselves." No long-winded lectures. No grand speeches about family honor or destiny—just a single, stark line.
Want that academy badge? Prove it.
Darius positioned himself at the edge of the group, half-shrouded behind a pillar, as was his typical routine. He wasn't caught off guard. In fact, he had anticipated this inevitable twist.
Nothing came easy for his family; everything demanded a price.
The mentioned forest zone wasn't a stranger to him. The Acherons possessed a tightly controlled ki field stretching behind the eastern cliffs. Inside, the energy fluctuated wildly—unpredictable pockets, feral beasts, and remnants of ancient formations that still pulsed with energy. Dangerous? Not necessarily. But certainly not a leisurely romp through the woods.
"Retrieve one of the five marked stones from the central zone and return before sunset," Bram had instructed. "That's your task. Don't die."
Classic clan tactics.
As soon as the word got out, the estate erupted into even more tension. The shortlisted cousins strutted around as though they'd already secured their spots at the academy. Revan swaggered about, acting as if he were the one organizing the trial.
"Five stones," someone murmured in the training hall that evening. "But there are thirteen of us. Do the math."
"They're practically asking us to brawl," Kael commented, grinning with a hint of madness. "Good. I've been itching to knock someone out."
Darius hovered at the periphery, partly tuned in, partly zoning out. No point in getting tangled up in their fervor.
That night, Arjun caught up with him near the old sparring courtyard. "You're going for this, right?" he asked, tossing a pebble toward the fountain with an air of casualness that felt a bit too forced.
"Got no choice," Darius replied, uncertainty creeping into his tone.
Arjun raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Just don't get yourself eliminated within the first ten minutes, okay? Otherwise, I might have to pretend I don't know you."
Darius chuckled nervously. "Fair enough."
After that, he avoided training in the open. Instead, he retreated to his room, letting ki course slowly through his veins to maintain some semblance of balance. No flashy displays. No loud proclamations. Just silent work.
That's when it happened:
[Boundless Nexus – Update]
Passive Skill Unlocked: Camouflage Field – Tier 1
Effect: Conceals presence in natural terrain.
Reduces energy footprint. Duration: Passive (Always On)
Risk Reduction: Moderate
Darius tilted his head thoughtfully. Useful. Very useful, actually. But even with this advantage, he had no intention of setting out to hunt down his cousins. That wasn't his game. If anything, he wanted to wrap this up and slip away before anyone noticed he was there.
The trial day arrived all too quickly. All thirteen were blindfolded and dispersed into separate corners of the sealed forest. No preparation, no warnings. Merely ki bracelets to monitor survival status and a single, chilling instruction:
Get the stone. Get out.
Darius touched down near a sloped hill, encircled by twisted trees and a thick veil of mist. The atmosphere felt charged, as if the energy itself paused in anticipation. He settled into a crouch, fingers skimming the damp earth.
The Boundless Nexus screen remained still, a faint glow pulsing behind his eyes.
He didn't sprint; he didn't unleash his ki in a reckless display like some might. Instead, he moved quietly, steps soft, breath shallow, slipping into shadows as if he belonged to the silence.
Far away, a ki blast shattered the peace, echoing through the trees. The louder ones had already started their skirmishes. Fools.
Darius dismissed the commotion, heading east where the ground dipped and thick underbrush concealed most of his path. The system's barely-there pulse indicated that at least one stone lay within the heart of the valley.
Remaining low, he activated the Camouflage Field. Even mid-tier beasts would overlook him unless he got too close. Two razor-backs ambled by, mere feet away, snorting and sniffing, yet they moved on without a glance in his direction.
Reaching a small ridge, he peered down into the clearing. Two cousins were entangled in battle below. Theo was among them—tall with precise strikes and explosive ki bursts. His opponent, shorter and bulkier, had snatched one of the glowing stones but was clearly on the retreat.
Darius crouched behind a shattered log, still and silent. The outcome held little interest for him; he merely cataloged the stone's location—one of five, and not worth engaging for.
He pivoted to slip away when a soft crunch broke the stillness, freezing him in place.
Slowly, he turned.
Another cousin stood within ten feet, lean and sharp-eyed, dual blades slung across his back, gaze locked onto Darius.
"Been following me?" the stranger queried, his expression narrowing.
Darius remained mute. The man's name eluded him, a sign of side branch ties—perhaps Tier D or low C—and undeniably nervous.
"I saw you just now, hiding behind that log. You're concealing something, aren't you?" the stranger stepped closer, suspicion palpable.
Darius kept his composure. "Just passing through."
"Yeah, right. As if."
The man reached for one of his blades, eyes subtly aglow.
Darius didn't flinch, refraining from summoning ki or revealing his system. He held his ground, thoughts focused on a single resolve:
I seek no conflict. But I will end one if it unfolds.