The cheers of the students thundered across the central courtyard. They formed a circle, their faces twisted with sadistic delight, eager for the first bloodshed of the year.
His opponent, the red-haired boy with wild gleaming eyes, stepped forward. Fire danced in his palm, heating the air around him until it shimmered.
"My name is Ragnar Flare, heir of the Flare bloodline that burned a thousand villages," he said with a proud grin. "You, son of a traitor, will be the first example."
The crowd roared louder.
"Burn him alive, Ragnar!"
"Show us his blood!"
Eiden stood still. His breathing steady, though his heartbeat raced.
"I cannot use Father's light. The moment I show it, they'll know. I have to survive another way."
---
The First Flame
Ragnar swung his hand, and a massive fireball shot forward like a meteor. Its hiss split the air, followed by the crackle of burning heat. The students shouted in excitement.
Eiden bent his knees and leapt aside. The fireball struck the ground, exploding into smoke and setting the grass ablaze.
His eyes sharpened. He snatched a loose stone from the ground and hurled it toward Ragnar—not to wound, but to buy time. Ragnar swatted it aside with fire, laughing mockingly.
"That's it? The son of Valerius is as much a coward as his father!"
---
The Strategy to Survive
Eiden steadied his breath, analyzing. Ragnar was powerful, but reckless. His fire was raw strength without precision, driven by arrogance.
"If I can push him to lose control… he'll defeat himself."
The next fireball came roaring. Instead of retreating, Eiden dashed forward, weaving side to side through the explosions. Murmurs rippled through the crowd—no one expected the quiet boy to charge straight into danger.
Ragnar faltered for a moment, surprised. That moment was enough.
---
The Counterattack
Eiden dropped low, kicking up dust into Ragnar's face. In the same motion, he grabbed a wooden staff lying at the edge of the arena and swung it hard at Ragnar's flaming hand.
Crack!
Ragnar hissed, his fire faltering. The crowd gasped, their cries shifting into shocked laughter.
But rage flared in Ragnar's eyes. Flames erupted across his arm, engulfing him like a human torch.
"You'll regret touching me!"
---
Nearly Exposed
Ragnar slammed his fist into the ground. A fiery shockwave exploded outward. Eiden was thrown back, the heat searing his skin. In that instant, the light inside him—his father's legacy—quivered at the edge of bursting out.
"No… stay hidden! If the light shines now, my cover is ruined…!"
He bit his lip hard, forcing it down. Rolling quickly, he pushed himself to his feet, using the smoke and dust of the blast as cover.
As Ragnar charged his final fireball, Eiden leapt high, staff in hand, and struck Ragnar squarely under the chin.
Thud!
Ragnar collapsed, the flames on his body snuffing out.
---
The Test Concludes
Silence. For a heartbeat, no one spoke. Then the crowd erupted.
"He dropped Ragnar!"
"The traitor's son… he can fight!"
Some students eyed Eiden with a flicker of respect, others with sharpened suspicion.
Eiden stood tall, his body trembling, but his head bowed in calm composure. He masked both his pain and the light that had nearly betrayed him.
"I survived… this time. But how long can I keep pretending?"
And so the first blood test ended—the beginning of a long journey filled with secrets and peril at the Royal Academy of Villains.
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