Aris didn't really care about what Selena thought of him, nor did he have the slightest desire to stop her from turning into a villain in the future and causing disasters. On the contrary… if she became a villain, wouldn't that mean they would be preparing for Raphael?
He muttered coldly to himself before his lips moved slowly:
"In the end… Raphael is on the blacklist."
And the mere thought of Raphael lit a deadly glint in his eyes, as if a spark of darkness had ignited inside him, while his breathing grew slightly heavier. A thick killing intent spread, like sticky blood tainting the air, and the energy of chaos resonated with his anger, causing a faint reaction from the phoenix egg settled in his pocket. The egg trembled for a moment, as though it were alive, responding to the boiling of his emotions. But Aris quickly suppressed that dark aura and forced himself to calm down.
He clenched his fist until his fingers cracked lightly, then whispered in a steady voice:
"I must not rush… everything in its time, and I will have my revenge."
He continued on toward the examination hall with firm steps, yet the sound of his footsteps gradually softened, until it seemed as if he were walking lightly over the air. The cold air brushed against his skin, and the scent of old incense seeping from the pillars of the corridor mingled with the heavy sense of anticipation. His chest rose and fell slowly as he repeated deep within himself:
"As they say… the colder the revenge, the sweeter it tastes."
And when he finally reached the hall, he found that the first test had already ended. The students were gathered in tense silence, some exchanging anxious glances, others clenching their fists or biting their lips as they awaited the results. The air was charged with the smell of sweat and psychological pressure, until it almost seemed as if the walls themselves were waiting for the verdict.
The examiner didn't keep the students waiting long, for he emerged from the test hall after he and his assistants finished grading the papers. With a steady hand, he quickly pinned a board listing the names of the students along with their scores and results of acceptance or rejection.
As soon as the examiner stepped away, hundreds of students rushed toward the board, their breathing mixing with the sound of their hurried, stumbling steps, shoving each other in their haste to see who had passed and who hadn't.
Aris remained at the back of the crowd, watching calmly, yet the cold air emanating from his body made a nearby group instinctively step away from him in caution. He wasn't interested in looking at the board, but so as not to appear isolated and strange among the others, he decided to move forward and take a look.
With each step he took, everyone parted for him instinctively, affected by his cold and unique aura.
He quickly reached the list, his eyes glinting with an icy light that touched the hearts of those around him, then his gaze fell on his name at the top:
1: Aris / Score 100 points / First place / Qualified.
Aris had secured first place. Behind his name were the names of others, but Aris didn't bother to look at them; in the end, no one cared about second place, let alone those at the bottom.
He turned to leave, but caught sight of someone hiding behind a corridor pillar, with pure white hair… it was Selena.
"It seems she really is interested in the qualifiers."
Aris remembered from his past life that Selena, before she became a complete villain, used to seek out strong and talented people to recruit into her team.
He raised his lip slightly in a cold smile, then set off toward the second examination site. As he walked, the students once again made way for him, but this time their heads lowered, for they had all recognized him: the first one to leave, and the one who took first place.
"This one's a genius, and he should be respected wherever he goes."
The students' eyes followed him until he vanished down the corridor, before they burst into hurried chatter:
"He placed first in this batch!"
"Yes, and he came out first… I thought he was just arrogant."
"Hmph, I could've done better than him."
"Man, stop bragging! Weren't you the one who nearly wet himself just from his glare?"
Laughter and chatter erupted, filling the place with noise.
Selena, who had been watching from behind the pillar, heard the students' words. Her face didn't look good after seeing Aris once again.
"That insolent… he's first in this batch?"
When she recalled her conversation with Aris and the way he treated her, anger welled up, yet deep in her heart, a seed of interest began to sprout slowly.
Meanwhile, Aris had already reached the hall of the second test and chose a seat to wait for the other students to arrive.
It didn't take long; within half an hour many young men and women had gathered outside the hall. Aris felt many eyes on him, but he didn't really care.
In the end, to them, Aris was a star that could not be touched or approached.
From Aris's batch, fifty students had qualified. Each two or three formed small groups, talking amongst themselves and sharing their fears and dreams.
But, whether they wanted to or not, their eyes always fell on Aris, who remained alone.
Aris closed his eyes slightly, contemplating his plans once he entered the academy: how he would divide his time between training, studying, and researching.
But suddenly, he sensed two presences before him, so he opened his eyes slowly, revealing a violet glow in his gaze.
Before him stood two people with the same fiery red hair, their features so similar that one of their faces looked more feminine. Aris recognized them immediately… the twins. He looked at them with calm, cold eyes.
The three of them continued staring at each other in silence, until the atmosphere felt like a silent staring contest.
The other students noticed and whispers spread among them like ants crawling:
"Look at what they're doing…"
"Are they fools to challenge the one in first place?"
The hushed whispers continued to circulate, while the twins kept staring into Aris's eyes, which to them seemed like bottomless abysses.
Suddenly, the twins blinked at the same time, then looked at each other in embarrassment.
"Damn it… I lost."
"Me too."
They spoke in unison, their voices so in sync that if not for the difference in tone between the boy and the girl, one would think it was the same person speaking.
Aris exhaled coldly and said quietly, his voice like an icy thread piercing the air:
"Are you done staring? Then step aside."
He looked at these "fools," as he described them inwardly.
He knew they had a strange ability to see "soul projections," yet they also possessed remarkable talent in swordsmanship and an affinity with the fire element, which earned them the title "Twin Flames."
Even Arthur in his past life had recruited them to become knights at his side.
Aris muttered inwardly as he observed them:
"I had so many annoying conversations with them in my previous life…"
He recalled their first official meeting on a battlefield when he had already become a six-star knight; back then, he nearly smashed his head against a rock from their endless chatter.
At first he wondered why Arthur had recruited them, but once he realized their strange ability to see the essence of beings, he understood.
For that ability was a double-edged sword, capable of revealing hidden talents just as it exposed buried wounds.
When the twins heard Aris's words, they quickly sat beside him, one on his right and the other on his left, in the empty seats that everyone else avoided out of fear.
Aris shot them a sideways glance in silence, then returned to his thoughts, only to be interrupted again by their voices.
"Hello, serious first place, I'm Kai."
"And I'm Kira, what's your name, Mr. Serious?"
Their annoying voices echoed in his ears once again. Aris took a deep breath, and when he looked at them, he remembered his desire to form a group of his own.
And what better than twins who naturally possessed loyalty and talent? Why leave them for someone else?
It was true that the King's Eye granted him the ability to see information, but there was no harm in adding more trump cards.
He smiled inwardly and decided simply: stealing them from Arthur would be an interesting move.
"I'm Aris. Not first, not serious. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Mr. Serious." ×2
Aris's eyebrows rose slightly as he thought sarcastically:
"Maybe it's better not to recruit them at all… their brains work the opposite of everyone else's."
"Si–…"
Before they could finish, he cut them off with a single glance.
His deadly eyes made it crystal clear that anyone who uttered the words "Mr. Serious" again would meet a swift end.
The twins swallowed their words, but the surprise didn't end there.
For Aris's "Ashura Projection," which had never moved before, shifted its gaze directly at them right after Aris himself looked.
Their eyes widened in utter shock, for it was the first time in their lives they had seen someone control their projection.
Even the strongest beings in this world couldn't do that, for in the end it was only a hidden inner aspect.
They then remembered their father's words before he died:
"Kai, Kira… your ability is special, revealing the essence of beings. But if the day comes when you see someone capable of controlling his own essence, follow him… for he will be the source of a new era. And perhaps with him, our family will rise again."
Kai inhaled slowly, his voice this time devoid of jest:
"So… Master Aris, what do you think about being our first?"
Kira followed with a confident smile:
"Yes, Master Aris, tell me your opinion. After all, I'm in second place."
Aris stared at them, then replied with a coldness tinged with curiosity:
"First of all, my name is only Aris. Second… I don't quite know the feeling of being first. But tell me, what's the feeling of being second?"
Kira answered firmly, her eyes gleaming with defiance:
"The feeling of being in second place is terrible… especially when first place is right in front of you."
Aris chuckled lightly with sarcasm:
"Then my answer about being first… it's enjoyable. Enjoyable to look down on everyone from above. Don't you think so?"
Kira quickly said:
"Yes, exactly. I look down on my brother, which means I'm better than him."
Kai smirked coldly and replied:
"Stop… you're in second place, not first. And I'm in third, just one rank below you."
The conversation quickly devolved into a childish quarrel between them.
As for Aris, he looked at them with a rare small smile, feeling a hidden amusement as he watched the "Twin Flame" bicker passionately as if they enjoyed every moment.