The air turned heavy.Every breath, every heartbeat in the arena felt louder than thunder.
Kudo stood motionless, his gray eyes locked on Supira—who now trembled with barely contained rage. His spirals twisted wildly, energy spilling from his body like a storm unleashed.
"Supira…" Kudo muttered under his breath.
But it was already too late.
A low growl escaped Supira's throat—animalistic, unrecognizable. His teeth sharpened, and with a sudden burst of energy, a second horn erupted from his forehead. The ground beneath him cracked, light trembling under the sheer force of his power.
Kudo's voice broke through the chaos, calm yet commanding."Listen well, students! The entrance exam… begins now!"
The crowd stirred, fear and excitement clashing in their eyes.
Kudo drew his blade slightly, letting its cold aura sweep across the field. "You will prove your strength through battle. Only the strong shall prevail." His words echoed like a decree of judgment. "There will be three rounds. The final—an elimination. Out of one hundred students, only sixty-four shall remain."
He stepped aside as King Karyu rose, his divine presence silencing the murmurs."Let the exam begin!" the King proclaimed, his hand glowing with radiant light.
The arena shifted and transformed—stone rising, barriers forming, and a glowing sigil of the King's crest burning at its center.
Kudo's gaze turned to the list before him. "First match—Supira versus Kurayami."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Kurayami's smirk widened as he stepped forward. He bowed mockingly toward the throne."It will be my pleasure, Your Majesty," he said with smooth arrogance. Removing his cloak, he revealed the mark on his arm—'No.1' carved in black ink, pulsing faintly with darkness.
King Karyu's expression darkened as he noticed it. That mark… impossible.
Supira crawled onto the arena floor, his body still twitching as dark spirals coiled around him. His second horn shimmered faintly, and his eyes were nothing human anymore. He stood upright—silent, breathing like a beast cornered but ready to kill.
Kudo's voice thundered across the arena."Begin!"
In an instant, Supira vanished. The air exploded as spiral spears shot toward Kurayami, hundreds at once.
Kurayami smirked, slicing through each with effortless grace. "You'll have to do better than that," he taunted. He disappeared in a blur and reappeared beside Supira—his fist slamming deep into Supira's gut.
A brutal thud echoed.
Supira's body hit the ground—lifeless. Kurayami dusted off his hands with a smug grin."Pathetic."
But then… his expression froze.
Supira's body dissolved into spirals of black and violet light, floating upward like smoke. The real Supira descended from above—his knee crashing straight into Kurayami's chest. The ground shook violently, cracks spreading beneath them.
Kurayami coughed blood but laughed through the pain. "Takes more than a transformation to beat me…"
Dark energy began to rise from his body, wild and cold. "Because I can transform too."
His aura twisted—black lightning crawling over his skin. His pupils burned red as a sinister grin crept across his face.
King Karyu leaned forward on his throne, eyes widening. So this is… his power.
Before the King could speak, Supira stood tall again, whispering the same word over and over."Kill… kill… kill…"
His spirals pulsed violently. A tail, long and sleek, emerged from his back. His horns glowed brighter as his body shifted further from human.
Kurayami smiled, blood running down his chin.Supira smiled back, his animalistic snarl turning into a feral grin.
The tension in the air snapped.
With twin roars of power, Supira and Kurayami charged, their auras colliding in a blinding explosion of light and shadow.
The heavens themselves trembled.
And as the dust began to rise—