Kael stood atop the crumbling walls of the academy's outer courtyard, watching the storm clouds swirl in a dark vortex above. The shadowy figure from the previous battle was gone—but he knew it wouldn't stay away. The System's pulse reminded him:
"Threat Level: Escalating. Probability of enemy encounter: 78%."
A gust of wind carried faint whispers—some haunting, some warning. Kael's instincts sharpened. Every battle he had survived before had been practice. This world… was testing him in ways he had never imagined.
"Kael!" Lyra's voice called from below. She stood near the training grounds, hands glowing with light magic. She's getting stronger too… he thought. He jumped down, landing with a controlled roll, dust rising around him.
"You're late for training," she said, but there was a smirk in her tone. Kael grinned back.
Before he could reply, a deafening roar echoed from the northern tower. Dark tendrils of energy erupted from the structure, twisting into monstrous forms that scrambled toward the courtyard. Students screamed and scattered.
Kael activated Shadow Strike and charged, blade slicing through the first wave of creatures. Lyra channeled a barrier spell, protecting those who couldn't move fast enough. The courtyard became a chaotic battlefield.
As he cut down the last of the creatures, Kael noticed something strange—the tendrils were moving toward the academy's core, not random. A surge of alarm rose in his chest. The System flashed:
"Objective Update: Protect the Core. Danger Level: Critical."
Kael sprinted toward the academy's heart, Lyra close behind. The ground cracked beneath them, molten energy oozing from fissures as shadows poured from the walls. Kael's power surged as he fought—every strike releasing more energy than the last.
Finally, they reached the core chamber. Inside, a colossal shadow figure waited, larger and more terrifying than any they had faced. Its eyes burned like molten gold, and the air around it twisted with raw dark energy.
Kael smirked, feeling the thrill he had missed for so long. This is why I came back.
The figure spoke in a voice that rumbled like thunder:
"You dare protect this world? Then prove your worth, Dark Sovereign."
Kael's blade ignited with dark energy as he lunged forward. The battle was far from over…