Day Seven.
I woke before dawn to find Rita already in my chambers, setting out fresh clothes and arranging breakfast on the side table. She moved with her usual efficiency, but I noticed she kept more distance than before, never quite turning her back to me.
The Malevolent Aura. Even someone as skilled as Rita couldn't completely suppress her instincts around it.
"Your father is waiting in the eastern study," she said without preamble. "He requested you come immediately upon waking."
I sat up, running a hand through my hair. "Did he say why?"
"No. But he seemed..." She paused, searching for the right word. "Purposeful."
That could mean anything with Duke Aldric. I dressed quickly, strapped Blackheart to my hip—the weight of it already familiar, comfortable—and made my way through the still-dark estate.
The eastern study was Father's private domain. Unlike the formal office where he conducted business, this was where he kept personal items, family records, things that mattered beyond politics and profit.
I knocked once and entered without waiting for permission. Leon's memories told me Father preferred directness over ceremony in private.
Duke Aldric De Stellis stood before a wall of weapons—swords of various styles, each mounted with care. He didn't turn when I entered, just continued studying the blades.
"You've reached Mortal Mid rank," he said. Not a question.
"Yes."
"In less than two weeks. Most take months to advance from Low to Mid." He finally turned, steel-gray eyes assessing. "You're pushing yourself hard."
"The entrance exam—"
"Is an excuse," Father interrupted. "You would have passed the entrance exam at Low rank. Most applicants are still at that level. Whatever you're preparing for, it's something beyond a basic academy test."
I held his gaze, saying nothing. What could I say? That I knew I was supposed to die at that exam? That I'd claimed a cursed blade to defy my fate?
Father studied me for a long moment, then nodded as if I'd confirmed something. "You have seven days before you leave for the Academy. That's enough time to learn something of value from House Stellis."
He turned back to the wall of weapons, his hand hovering over several blades before settling on empty air—he wasn't selecting a weapon, just gesturing to the collection. "Every noble house has its sword traditions. The Valdris family practices flowing forms, like water. The Carthian house favors brutal efficiency. The Selenar family emphasizes speed above all else."
He moved to the center of the room where space had been cleared for practice. "House Stellis practices the Seven Shadow Arts. Techniques developed over generations, refined through actual combat, designed for those who aren't afraid to embrace darkness to achieve victory."
Seven Shadow Arts. Leon's memories stirred—he'd heard of them but never been taught. The original Leon had been deemed too young, too undisciplined.
"You're going to teach me," I said.
"I'm going to teach you two of the seven," Father corrected. "That's all the time allows, and frankly, all you can handle at your current level. The remaining five require Adept rank minimum, and several can only be properly executed at Master rank or higher."
He drew his own blade—a sword I'd never seen him carry before, dark steel with an edge that seemed to drink the lamplight.
"The Seven Shadow Arts are: Nightfall Strike, Phantom Step, Serpent's Fang, Raven's Wing, Eclipse Guard, Void Slash, and Devouring Dark." Father moved into a ready stance. "The last five you won't learn today. But Nightfall Strike and Phantom Step... those are the foundations. Master them, and you'll be a threat to anyone at your rank."
"Nightfall Strike is our primary attack technique. It combines speed, precision, and mana enhancement to deliver a blow that's faster and harder than your opponent can predict or defend against." He demonstrated—a simple overhead slash that suddenly accelerated mid-swing, the blade becoming a blur.
The impact when it hit the reinforced practice dummy was explosive. The wooden construct split cleanly, the cut so precise it took a moment for the two halves to separate and fall.
"The key," Father continued, already resetting his stance, "is the mana burst. You enhance your muscles for the initial movement, then compress and release additional mana at the moment of impact. It requires perfect timing and control."
He gestured for me to try.
I drew my military-grade sword—the reliable blade I'd been using for standard training—and moved to another practice dummy. The overhead slash was simple enough. The mana enhancement—my Master-tier Circulation made that easy. But the compression and release...
My blade hit the dummy with force but nothing like Father's demonstration. A deep cut, but not the explosive impact I'd seen.
"Again," Father said. "Feel the rhythm. Build, compress, release. It's like a coiled spring."
I tried again. And again. And again.
By the twentieth attempt, I was getting closer. The blade moved faster, hit harder. My Intermediate Sword Affinity was picking up the technique's nuances, and Master Circulation gave me the control needed to manipulate mana with precision.
By the thirtieth attempt, I managed something resembling the proper execution. The blade accelerated mid-swing, and the impact split the practice dummy nearly in half.
[NEW TECHNIQUE LEARNED: NIGHTFALL STRIKE (BASIC)]
A powerful overhead attack that combines speed and strength through precise mana control. Damage increased by 150%. Strike speed increased by 200%. Requires timing and mana control to execute properly.
Father nodded, the closest he came to praise. "Acceptable. You'll refine it with practice. Now, Phantom Step."
He moved, and suddenly he wasn't where he'd been. Not teleportation—I could track the movement with Combat Instinct—but it was so fast it might as well have been instantaneous. He appeared behind me before I could fully process.
"Phantom Step is our evasion technique. Speed enhancement taken to its limit, combined with mana distribution through your entire body to prevent injury from the acceleration." He demonstrated again, becoming a blur that shifted positions three times in rapid succession.
"Most speed techniques focus only on the legs. Phantom Step enhances everything—legs for movement, core for stability, arms for balance, even your brain to process the increased speed. It's total body enhancement, which makes it mana-intensive but devastatingly effective."
He spent the next hour drilling me on the technique. Teaching me how to distribute mana evenly, how to enhance without overloading, how to move at speeds that would tear normal muscles apart.
It was harder than Nightfall Strike. Required more finesse, more control, more understanding of my own body's limits.
But Master Circulation made it possible. The enhanced efficiency meant I could attempt the technique repeatedly without exhausting my mana. And my Paradox potential meant I could push boundaries that would injure normal practitioners.
By the time the sun had fully risen, I could execute something resembling Phantom Step. Not Father's instant repositioning, but fast enough to be useful. Fast enough to dodge attacks I couldn't block.
[NEW TECHNIQUE LEARNED: PHANTOM STEP (BASIC)]
A movement technique that enhances total body speed through complete mana distribution. Movement speed increased by 300% while active. Allows rapid repositioning and evasion. High mana cost. Requires precise control to prevent self-injury.
Father sheathed his blade. "That's all I can teach you in one session. The techniques are basic level—you'll improve them through practice and combat. But they're the foundation of House Stellis combat style."
He turned to face me fully. "The entrance exam is in seven days. Use what I've taught you. Survive. Make House Stellis proud, or don't bother coming back."
It should have sounded cruel. Instead, it sounded like the most honest affection Duke Aldric De Stellis was capable of expressing.
"I will," I said.
He waved a dismissive hand. "Go. Train. Do whatever it is you've been doing that's made you stronger. Just don't get yourself killed before the exam. The paperwork would be tedious."
I left the study and returned to my chambers to prepare for the ruins.
---
The ride to the eastern ruins was becoming routine. Two hours through Lourven Domain, past subjects who still moved aside with fear, into the wilderness where monsters waited.
I used the travel time to practice channeling mana through the new techniques. Nightfall Strike's compression and release pattern. Phantom Step's total body distribution. Getting the muscle memory down before I needed them in actual combat.
The ruins appeared as always—skeletal, beautiful in their decay, and absolutely crawling with threats according to my Combat Instinct.
I dismounted Shadow, gave the nervous horse a reassuring pat, and drew my military-grade sword first. I wanted to test the new techniques with my standard blade before committing to Blackheart.
Save the corruption for when I truly needed it.
Time to hunt.
---
The first encounter came quickly—a pack of five wolves, standard Mortal Low rank threats that I'd fought dozens of times before.
But this time, I had new techniques.
The wolves spread out in their typical flanking pattern. The pack leader signaled with an ear flick, and two wolves charged from different angles.
I used Phantom Step.
Mana flooded my entire body—legs, core, arms, mind—and suddenly I was moving faster than thought. I blurred to the left, and the two wolves collided with each other instead of me.
Before they could recover, I brought my sword down in Nightfall Strike.
The mana compression happened instinctively—build, compress, release. The blade accelerated mid-swing, became a blur of steel, and the impact when it connected with the first wolf was devastating.
The creature's skull split, and it dropped instantly.
[WOLF DEFEATED]
[EXPERIENCE GAINED: 0.3%]
The remaining wolves hesitated, instinct warring with hunger. I didn't give them time to decide.
Another Phantom Step, repositioning behind the pack. Normal slashes took down two more—quick, efficient kills to conserve mana. The final two wolves attacked together, desperate.
I sidestepped the first, parried the second, and finished both with precise strikes to vital points.
[WOLF DEFEATED] x4
[RANK PROGRESS: 18.0% → 19.5%]
Five wolves, maybe forty-five seconds total. The new techniques made fights that used to take minutes significantly faster.
And I'd done it all without drawing Blackheart. Without increasing my corruption.
Progress.
I moved deeper into the ruins, hunting systematically.
---
Over the next several hours, I practiced the Stellis techniques relentlessly.
Every wolf pack became training. Every goblin patrol a test of Phantom Step positioning. Every cluster of slimes an opportunity to refine Nightfall Strike's timing.
My Intermediate Sword Affinity absorbed the lessons quickly. The techniques started to feel natural, instinctive. Build, compress, release. Distribute, enhance, move.
By midday, I could chain Phantom Step into Nightfall Strike smoothly—blurring into position and delivering a devastating blow before enemies could react.
[NIGHTFALL STRIKE: 23% toward Intermediate level]
[PHANTOM STEP: 31% toward Intermediate level]
The techniques were improving faster than I'd expected. Paradox potential combined with Intermediate Sword Affinity and Master Circulation created a feedback loop of rapid skill development.
But I was also burning through mana quickly. Even with Master-tier regeneration, using Phantom Step repeatedly drained my reserves faster than they could refill.
I needed to be more strategic. Use the techniques when they mattered, rely on standard combat when they didn't.
[RANK PROGRESS: 19.5% → 24.8%]
By early afternoon, I'd gained over five percent rank progress from pure grinding. At this rate, I'd hit thirty percent by tomorrow.
Then I encountered something that required more than just technique.
---
In a collapsed section of the ruins, I found a goblin war party.
Twelve goblins, all armed properly—real weapons, not crude spears. Leather armor, coordinated movements, an actual leader barking orders in their guttural language.
This wasn't a patrol. This was a hunting party.
And I'd just walked into their territory.
The goblin leader—taller than the others, wearing what looked like stolen chainmail—pointed at me and shouted. The war party spread out immediately, flanking positions, cutting off escape routes.
Professional tactics. Dangerous.
I could probably handle them with my military sword and the Stellis techniques. But it would be difficult, risky, and I'd likely take injuries.
Or I could use Blackheart and end this quickly.
I weighed the options. This was exactly the kind of situation where the cursed blade's power was justified. Real threat, significant numbers, combat experience that would be valuable.
Decision made.
I sheathed my military sword and drew Blackheart.
The obsidian blade slid free with that silk-over-stone sound, and immediately the Malevolent Aura pulsed outward. Several goblins actually stumbled back, their instincts screaming danger even if they didn't understand why.
Good.
I channeled mana through my pathways, and Blackheart responded. My mana twisted, corrupted, becoming dark energy that burned cold. The three hundred percent amplification hit, and I felt power flood my system.
My attributes shifted. Strength jumped from twelve to twenty-seven. My movements felt faster, sharper, enhanced beyond what my actual agility score suggested.
The goblin leader snarled and charged, recognizing that hesitation meant death. The others followed, twelve opponents attacking in coordinated waves.
I used Phantom Step enhanced by Blackheart's power.
The difference was staggering. With my military sword, Phantom Step made me fast. With Blackheart, I became something approaching instantaneous. I blurred between goblins before they could track me, and each position change left corrupted wounds in my wake.
First goblin: Nightfall Strike to the chest. The combined power of the technique and Blackheart's corruption created an explosion of dark energy. The goblin didn't just die—it was obliterated, the wound spreading corruption so fast the creature turned to blackened ash in seconds.
[GOBLIN DEFEATED]
[EXPERIENCE GAINED: 0.8%]
Second and third goblins: Phantom Step positioned me behind them. Two quick slashes, both enhanced by the cursed blade's power. Dark veins spread from the wounds, and both goblins collapsed as corruption ate through them.
[GOBLIN DEFEATED] x2
The war party was already breaking. Nine goblins left, and half were trying to flee. But I'd committed to this fight.
I created shadow tendrils—two of them, emerging from my hands like extensions of will. They lashed out, wrapping around fleeing goblins, dragging them back.
While they struggled, I closed distance. Nightfall Strike, enhanced slash, brutal efficiency. Five more kills in rapid succession, my blade a blur of obsidian darkness trailing corruption.
[GOBLIN DEFEATED] x5
Four goblins remained, including the leader. They'd formed a defensive cluster, spears out, trying to create a barrier.
I didn't bother with technique. Just channeled raw power through Blackheart and attacked.
The cursed blade cut through their spears like paper. Through their armor like cloth. Through their bodies like mist.
Each strike left wounds that didn't just kill—they corrupted, decayed, spread darkness through flesh until nothing remained but ash.
[GOBLIN DEFEATED] x4
The ruins fell silent.
Twelve goblins, maybe ninety seconds. And I wasn't even breathing hard.
This was Blackheart's true power. This was what it meant to wield a legendary cursed weapon.
[RANK PROGRESS: 24.8% → 30.4%]
[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 3.8% → 5.2%]
I stared at the ash remains of the goblin war party. The corruption had consumed them so thoroughly there wasn't even blood left. Just darkness and decay.
And I felt... nothing. No guilt, no horror, no satisfaction. Just cold acknowledgment of efficiency.
Was that me? Or was that Blackheart's influence?
I couldn't tell anymore. The line was blurring.
I sheathed the blade, and the Malevolent Aura receded. The corruption level had jumped almost one and a half percent from that single fight—using Blackheart's power in combination with the Stellis techniques accelerated the curse significantly.
But I'd crossed thirty percent rank. Solidly into Mortal Mid now.
Worth it.
I needed to find a quiet spot to practice my dark abilities. Refine my control before the corruption grew too much.
---
I found a secluded chamber in the ruins—some kind of old meditation room, walls still mostly intact, ceiling open to the sky.
Perfect.
I sat cross-legged and drew Blackheart, laying it across my lap. Then I began to practice.
Creating shadow tendrils was easier now after the fight. I could manifest both simultaneously without effort, and they responded to my intentions smoothly.
But I wanted to push further.
I focused, channeling more mana through the dark corruption, and tried to create a third tendril.
It emerged slowly, shakily, from my back. Weaker than the other two, less responsive, but present.
[DARK AFFINITY: 49% → 52%]
[DARK AFFINITY: LEVEL UP]
[DARK AFFINITY → DARK AFFINITY (LEVEL 2)]
[DARK AFFINITY (LEVEL 2)]
Your understanding of darkness manipulation has deepened. Can now create and control more complex shadow constructs. Corruption resistance increased slightly. Dark-element abilities are 25% more effective.
The knowledge integrated smoothly. I experimented with the three tendrils, making them weave patterns in the air, wrap around objects, lift and manipulate.
I could maintain three now, but it required significant concentration. Four would be my absolute limit at this level, and only for brief moments.
But it was progress.
I spent the next hour practicing different applications. Using tendrils to create barriers, to strike like whips, to grab and throw objects. Learning their limitations—they couldn't extend more than ten feet from my body, couldn't lift more than about sixty pounds each, dissipated if I lost focus.
But they were versatile. Could be used defensively or offensively, could create openings in combat, could manipulate the battlefield.
Another tool in my arsenal.
[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 5.2% → 5.9%]
Using the dark abilities increased corruption, but slower than direct combat with Blackheart. The trade-off seemed acceptable.
The sun was past its peak now, shadows growing longer across the ruins. I'd been here for most of the day—should probably head back soon.
But I wanted to test one more thing.
I focused on the darkness, trying to shape it into something beyond just tendrils. Something more complex.
The corruption responded to my will, coalescing in front of me. Not a tendril, but a shape. Crude, unstable, but recognizable—a rough sphere of solid darkness, about the size of my fist.
It hovered in the air for five seconds before collapsing.
But it had existed.
[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 5.9% → 6.1%]
Small price for understanding. I'd work on that ability more later. For now, I needed to head back.
I sheathed Blackheart, gathered my things, and made my way back to where Shadow waited.
---
The ride back gave me time to reflect.
I'd gained over twelve percent rank progress today. Learned two Stellis techniques. Leveled up my Dark Affinity. And only increased corruption by about two percent.
Efficient training.
Seven days until the entrance exam. At this rate, I'd easily hit forty percent rank, maybe even pushing toward forty-five. Combined with Blackheart and my techniques, I'd be a genuine threat.
Not to Arielle De Luna—not yet. She was the protagonist, would probably be near fifty percent or higher, with Silverbright and plot armor.
But I wouldn't be cannon fodder anymore. Wouldn't be an easy kill for her character development.
I'd be a real fight.
Lourven Domain appeared as twilight painted everything in shades of purple and gold. The estate gates opened for me, and I rode through to find Rita waiting in the courtyard.
"Young master," she said, her tone carefully neutral. "You're back at a reasonable hour for once."
"I learned to pace myself."
She studied me with those assassin eyes that missed nothing. "You're stronger again. I can feel it—not just your rank, but something else. The techniques you're using are different."
"Father taught me two of the Seven Shadow Arts this morning."
Rita's eyes widened fractionally—the most extreme reaction I'd seen from her. "The Duke taught you personally? He hasn't trained anyone in those techniques in years."
"Apparently, he thinks I'm ready for them."
"Or he thinks you'll need them." Rita stepped closer, lowering her voice. "The Seven Shadow Arts aren't just techniques, young master. They're House Stellis's legacy. The Duke doesn't share them lightly."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that whatever he sees coming, whatever he thinks you'll face at that Academy, it's serious enough that he's giving you real tools to survive it." She paused. "Be careful. House Stellis doesn't prepare heirs for basic entrance exams."
She left before I could respond, melting back into the estate shadows.
I dismounted, handed Shadow to a stable boy, and headed to my chambers.
The implication of Rita's words sat heavy in my mind. Did Father know something? Did he suspect I was in real danger?
Or was he just being pragmatic, ensuring his heir was as prepared as possible?
I couldn't know. But it didn't change anything. I'd keep training, keep growing stronger, keep preparing.
Seven days.
That's all the time I had.
---
My chambers were quiet when I entered. Dinner had been left on the side table—Rita's work, probably. I ate mechanically while reviewing my status.
[STATUS DISPLAY]
NAME: Leon De Stellis
AGE: 17
RANK: Mortal (Mid, 30.4%)
AFFINITY: [??????]
ATTRIBUTES:
- Strength: 12 (27 with Blackheart)
- Agility: 17
- Endurance: 13
- Mana Pool: 10
- Mana Control: 9
- Intelligence: 18
- Wisdom: 16
- Charisma: 14
TALENTS:
- Sword Affinity (Level 2)
- Mana Circulation (Master)
- Combat Instinct (Passive)
- Dark Affinity (Level 2)
TECHNIQUES:
- Nightfall Strike (Basic)
- Phantom Step (Basic)
DARK ABILITIES:
- Shadow Tendril (Max: 3 simultaneous)
- Shadow Sphere (Unstable)
CORRUPTION LEVEL: 6.1%
ACTIVE QUESTS:
- Survive the Astral Academy Entrance Exam (9 days remaining)
- Master the Darkness (A-Rank, complete before 50% corruption)
Thirty percent rank progress. Two combat techniques from House Stellis. Level 2 Dark Affinity with tendril manipulation. And corruption still well below the danger threshold.
Solid progress for one day.
I practiced my shadow tendrils for another hour before bed, making them more responsive, learning to use them naturally. By the end, I could create and control three tendrils while simultaneously maintaining my mana circulation—true multitasking that would have been impossible before Master-tier control.
[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 6.1% → 6.3%]
Small increase from practice. Acceptable cost for the skill development.
Finally, exhaustion caught up with me. I lay down fully clothed, one hand on Blackheart's hilt, and let Master Circulation work while I slept.
Tomorrow I'd train more. Push toward forty percent. Refine my techniques. Practice my dark abilities.
Seven days until the entrance exam.
Seven days until I faced Arielle De Luna and proved I was strong enough to survive.
I closed my eyes and let sleep take me, the familiar pulse of Blackheart's corruption beating in time with my heart.
One day at a time.
One quest at a time.
One percentage point at a time.
Until I became strong enough that fate itself had to acknowledge me.