Silence fell over the square… All eyes were fixed on Lucien's body lying on the ground, with Saruto standing over him, silently proclaiming victory.
But the shock didn't stop the whispers from escalating.
Students here and there began to laugh mockingly:
"Ha! The Ice Heir defeated by a peasant's son!"
"All those legends about the Ice Bloodline… and he ended up on the ground!"
"The Emperor's awakening?! Nonsense."
Despite his pain, Lucien clenched his fist until blood trickled from his palm. His eyes trembled with anger and shame.
Suddenly… a terrifying sensation swept through the square.
A dark aura emanated from Saruto's body, not just an aura, but a genuine, murderous intent, heavy as hell.
The air itself became suffocating.
The students froze in place, some collapsing to their knees, others unable to even lift their heads.
"You're talking nonsense about people," Saruto said in a gruff voice that seemed to emerge from the depths of darkness. "Why don't you step into the ring and prove yourselves?"
Everyone backed away, fear evident in their eyes. Some turned their faces away, others bowed in shame.
But deep in the hall, other eyes were watching him with admiration and respect.
Saruto smiled coldly, then turned to Lucien, raised his hand, and said, "I'm the winner, so I'm the leader now... and you will follow my orders."
Lucien remained silent for a few seconds, then turned away angrily, but didn't protest.
---
Common Room Scene
After receiving treatment, they went to their common room. Lucien sat on the bed, frowning, while Saruto drew lines on a piece of paper, explaining his plan precisely: "The trainer isn't an ordinary opponent. His strength is too great to defeat with direct attacks." We'll divide the roles… between attack and defense. He starts explaining the plan, but we can't hear what he's saying.
Lucian crossed his arms, looked at Saruto for a long moment, then said coldly,
"I'll do as you say… but only for this test. After that, everything goes back to normal."
Saruto smiled confidently.
"Yes, a deal is a deal. Everything will go back to normal after the test."
---
Days later – The challenge begins
In the large training arena, the instructor stood, his presence commanding.
He smiled slyly and said,
"Are you both ready? This won't be an easy test. You're the only two who haven't passed."
Then suddenly… he unleashed his formidable aura. A massive wave of pressure shattered the ground beneath his feet, so that the observing students felt as if a mountain was crushing them.
But Saruto and Lucien took a step forward, directing their auras toward him. The energy of darkness mingled with the frost, forming a terrifying vortex in the center of the arena. They faced the Master's aura and declared a challenge.
The Master raised his hand and announced:
"Let's begin."
And the fight began! ⚔️