crown of shadow

Velucia Academy – Combat Arena: Sector 3

The training grounds of Velucia Academy were vast—repurposed dungeon zones reinforced with anti-collapse enchantments and mana-absorbing tiles. The arena shimmered with old magic, tuned to detect the intent behind every strike, spell, or summon.

Class A1 stood in a perfect semicircle as Instructor Daemon Kray paced before them.

> "You've all been tested on paper. Magic. Theory. Gate aptitude."

"But now we see how you fight."

Behind him, the floor split apart with a low rumble, revealing a subterranean dueling platform—a perfect circle marked by glowing glyphs.

> "This is the Combat Synchronization Test."

> "You will fight in pairs—partners or provisional partners."

"We assess more than power: movement sync, reaction speed, intent."

---

Zian Glances at Kaen

> "You ready?" she asked, her tone calm but curious.

Kaen simply nodded. "Are you?"

She smiled faintly—something no one else had ever seen.

---

First Match Begins: Pair 7 – Kaen & Zian

Their names floated mid-air in glowing gold script.

Whispers erupted again in the crowd.

> "Zian's fighting?"

"With Kaen? Is this for real?"

"They just met—how are they a team already?"

Kaen walked into the dueling ring like it was just another hallway.

Zian followed, her footsteps measured, precise.

Across from them, the system generated two illusionary combat constructs—copies of S-rank creatures with dulled lethal capabilities.

One: a fire-element berserker.

The other: a mid-tier wyvern forged from wind and steel.

---

The Fight Begins

A chime rang out.

The berserker charged toward Kaen.

The wyvern took flight, aiming for Zian.

> "Don't hold back," Kaen said softly.

> "Don't get in my way," Zian replied.

Kaen stepped forward—not dodging, not summoning a weapon—just raising one hand.

From his palm, a black ripple of void pulsed outward.

The berserker froze mid-charge, its fire dying as shadow tendrils wrapped around it, draining its essence.

But Kaen didn't kill it—he controlled it.

> "Let's test control… not destruction."

Zian, meanwhile, vanished in a streak of white lightning—her spear (a conjured practice version) appearing mid-spin. She appeared above the wyvern, spun once in midair, and shattered its wing with a single precise thrust.

She landed without sound. Graceful. Terrifying.

The wyvern crashed.

Kaen turned his new puppet—the berserker—and had it turn on the wyvern.

A few elegant moves later, it was over.

The simulation broke apart.

The class stared in stunned silence.

---

Instructor Kray's Eyes Narrowed

> "Interesting…"

He hadn't seen perfect synchronization on a first-day test in years.

> "Kaen. Zian. 998 points."

A brief pause.

> "You lose 2 points for showing restraint. But that restraint showed control. Impressive."

Zian bowed lightly.

Kaen gave no response.

---

Later – After Class, Sword Practice Field

Kaen sat under a tree, watching other students spar.

His hands were in his lap, fingers barely twitching.

From his shadow, a small lump formed… shifting… pulsing.

A tiny black slime emerged, wiggling.

Cute. Round. Shiny.

It made a tiny sound, like a purring chirp.

> "You're my first creation in this world," Kaen whispered.

"Let's see what shape you take…"

The slime shifted again—stretching briefly into a feminine figure, then collapsing into a blob.

> "Not yet," Kaen murmured. "We'll figure it out together."

---

Zian Approaches

She stood over him, arms crossed.

> "What was that thing during the fight?" she asked. "You didn't use any known technique."

Kaen looked up at her, crimson eyes steady.

> "It's something old. Like me."

Zian didn't press.

> "You fight well," she said instead.

> "So do you."

> "You're not tenth rank," she said. "You just let them think that."

> "You're not just a student," Kaen replied.

A silence passed between them.

Something ancient stirred just below her skin.

> She doesn't remember yet… but she's close.

---

Unknown to Them – A Tower Above

Serin Yuhara stood in a quiet observatory hall.

She had watched the entire test.

Watched Kaen raise his hand and steal the essence of a fire-berserker without a chant, rune, or sacrifice.

Watched the shadow ripple.

> "That... wasn't magic," she whispered.

She turned away from the mirror.