The morning air was thick with tension. Word of Kaelith's awakening had spread through the Academy like wildfire. Noble-born students scowled from the upper balconies, their whispers sharp with envy and fear. A faint red glow lingered in the sky, unnatural, as if the very world anticipated what was coming.
Lyra clutched Kaelith's arm tightly, her heartbeat syncing with the pulsing aura of his fused power. Shadows danced at his feet, tendrils flickering in response to the emotional density around them. Kaelith's jaw was set, eyes narrowed — calm, but ready.
> [System Status – Nyxion Active]
[Anger: 80/100]
[NP: 5,450]
[Skill Ready: Negative Surge – Optional Activation]
Nyxion's voice purred in his mind, silky and dangerous:
> "Ah… they gather. The Crimson Vanguard comes for you, little pawn. Their pride… their hatred… it will feed your shadow. Will you consume… or falter?"
Kaelith's fingers tightened around his Shadow Dagger. "They'll learn," he muttered. "No one touches Lyra. No one."
---
The Vanguard Arrives
A thunderous rumble echoed across the Academy grounds. Figures descended from the sky, cloaked in crimson and black. Each member radiated power — seasoned upper-years, elite combatants, and assassins, handpicked to test Kaelith.
The leader, a tall man with silver armor engraved in runes, landed before Kaelith. His eyes glinted, sharp with malice. "Kaelith Veyr. Today, we purge the Academy of your… blasphemy. Step aside, or face the consequences."
Lyra's small hands gripped his sleeve. "Brother… there are too many…"
Kaelith exhaled slowly. "Good. Let them come. They'll pay for every insult… every threat."
> [System Alert: Elite Threat Detected – NP Gain Potential: 800+]
The system pulsed like a heartbeat, feeding him the raw negative energy of the Vanguard's disdain and pride.
---
Battle Commences
Kaelith moved first. Shadows erupted from his feet, wrapping around the nearest attackers, immobilizing them instantly. Lyra chanted protective wards, her aura flaring in silver and blue, synchronized with the Heart's energy.
> [Shadow Bind – Level III Active]
[NP Earned: 650]
The Vanguard responded in kind. Spells of fire, ice, and piercing light converged on Kaelith, each attack powered by jealousy and hatred. He absorbed part of the emotional energy through his God of Negative Emotions skill, converting fear and malice into raw NP.
> [NP Earned: 1,200]
[Anger: 90/100]
Kaelith's Shadow Dagger cut through magical projectiles, leaving trails of dark tendrils that bound and redirected enemy attacks. Each strike and counter fed the system. The courtyard became a battlefield of light, shadow, and elemental fury.
---
A Tactical Feint
Recognizing their coordination, Kaelith decided to test the limits of the fusion. He drew Lyra close, whispering instructions:
> "Mirror my moves. Don't fight alone. Flow with me… trust me."
Lyra's aura flared, the Heart's energy amplifying his own. Together, they moved as a single entity, dodging, binding, and countering with precision.
> [NP Earned: 400]
[System Notification: Sister's Grace Passive – Activated]
Kaelith feigned a retreat, luring the Vanguard into a trap. Tendrils of shadow erupted from the ground, snaring their legs and redirecting energy into the earth, amplified by the fusion of his own negative emotions.
> [NP Earned: 300]
[Skill Ready: Negative Surge – Optional]
---
The Vanguard Leader Intervenes
The silver-armored leader surged forward, eyes blazing. "Enough games, boy! Face me!"
Kaelith didn't flinch. Instead, he opened the Shop Menu mid-battle, scanning quickly:
> [SHOP: Negative Points Currency]
– Lesser Lifespan Potion: 950 NP
– Escape Rune (50m): 600 NP
– Forbidden Combat Manual – "Seven Fangs": 2,000 NP
– Emotional Catalyst Gem: 3,500 NP
– Shadow Sigil Enhancement – 4,800 NP
> [NP: 7,200]
He noted the Catalyst Gem, calculating its effect — doubling NP gain for five minutes. Not yet. Timing was crucial.
The leader lunged, forcing Kaelith to fully engage. Shadow Veil expanded, cloaking him as he advanced, each movement a blend of shadow and silver energy. Lyra's protective spells amplified the Heart's resonance, creating a feedback loop of NP generation.
> [NP Earned: 900]
[Anger: 95/100]
---
Emotional Surge
The leader's strikes grew more vicious, aimed at Kaelith's core — not just body, but his mind. Each blow was designed to provoke anger, fear, and despair. Kaelith's internal meter crested at 100/100.
> [System Alert: Anger Threshold Reached – Berserk State Optional]
Kaelith clenched his fist. The temptation to unleash Negative Surge burned at the edge of his mind, 15 years of lifespan shimmering like a heavy coin.
Lyra's small voice cut through the chaos: "Brother… don't… please!"
Kaelith's hand softened slightly. Strategy and restraint still ruled. He instead channeled every emotion into a controlled pulse, releasing tendrils of shadow that immobilized the leader's arms temporarily while Lyra cast a reinforcement spell.
> [NP Earned: 1,100]
The remaining Vanguard members were caught in the residual shockwave. Their fear and awe funneled even more energy into Kaelith, amplifying his aura.
> [System Status – God of Negative Emotions Level 1 Active]
[NP: 9,500]
---
The Tide Turns
Seeing their leader struggling, the remaining elite members attempted to regroup. Kaelith moved like a storm, combining Shadow Bind with precise strikes. Lyra, still synchronizing her Heart energy, unleashed a pulse that disrupted the remaining attacks.
> [NP Earned: 800]
[Shadow Bind Mastery – Level Up]
The courtyard now resembled a battlefield from legend: shattered marble, scorched runes, tendrils of shadow, and flickering protective wards illuminating Kaelith and Lyra's coordinated movements.
The students watching from afar gasped. Nobles who had whispered derision now watched in awe, fear, and disbelief. The commoner boy who had been mocked, the girl who had been scorned — now untouchable in the display of raw emotion-fueled power.
> [NP Multiplier x2 – Emotional Resonance Active]
---
Closing the Battle
The Vanguard, seeing their numbers decimated and their leader restrained, retreated in unison. Shadows pulled them from the battlefield as Kaelith allowed the aura to recede, slowly, controlled. Lyra staggered slightly, exhausted but safe.
> [System Notification: Battle Concluded]
[NP Earned Total: 2,800]
[Anger: 85/100]
Kaelith opened the Shop Menu, evaluating items. The battlefield had been costly in energy, but NP accumulation allowed for strategic purchases later:
> [SHOP: Negative Points Currency]
– Lesser Lifespan Potion: 950 NP
– Escape Rune (50m): 600 NP
– Forbidden Combat Manual – "Seven Fangs": 2,000 NP
– Emotional Catalyst Gem: 3,500 NP
– Shadow Sigil Enhancement – 4,800 NP
> [NP: 12,300]
---
Aftermath and Foreshadowing
The Academy was silent for hours. Whispers began: "Commoners… no… gods…" and "He survived… he survived the Crimson Vanguard."
Kaelith and Lyra retreated to a secluded corner of the Academy grounds. Lyra leaned against him, her aura flickering faintly with residual Heart energy.
> Lyra: "Brother… we… we did it."
Kaelith: "Yes… but this is just the beginning. There are greater forces watching. Forces that will not forgive weakness."
Nyxion's voice purred darkly:
> "Excellent. Witnessed by many… feared by all. Yet, little pawn… the true trials are only beginning. The world will not wait for you to grow. It will test you… and break you. And we… will rise above all."
Kaelith's eyes hardened, reflecting molten light and distant portals: a reminder that challenges awaited far beyond the Academy, far beyond mortal comprehension.
> [System Status – God of Negative Emotions Level 1 Fully Active]
[Skill Ready: Negative Surge – Optional Activation]
[NP: 12,300]
The chapter closed with Kaelith standing tall,