Kael watched in horror as Suhan mercilessly dismantled his party, comrades falling one by one under a cold, methodical assault. The rogue was missing his arm and his head, the female warrior was also missing her head, the healer's lifeless and headless body crumpled beside him, and the warrior's head rolled a few feet away. Kael's hands trembled around his sword, his heart pounding in his chest, knowing he was next.
Amidst the chaos, a memory surfaced—he recalled the name Suhan. The black blur of Suhan's movements, his love for toying with enemies, prolonging fights when he could end them with a single blow, and his penchant for decapitation, it all clicked into place.
Kael's mind raced, remembering stories from the Adventurer's Guild about a boy who rose from nothing, from an academy where the irredeemable, trash, and unwanted of noble households were sent, a dumping ground for society's scum.
Suhan. The name alone evoked fear among those who knew the stories. Suhan wasn't just any Mystic warrior; he was a product of the infamous Pit of Aurelia, an academy known to the few who understood its true nature.
To outsiders, the The Aurelia Academy of Mystics and Magic. sounded like any other prestigious institution, but to those who knew better, it was "The Delinquent's Academy." A place where weak, discarded nobles, though stronger than ordinary people, were sent to be forgotten.
The teachers were powerless, and the students, delinquents, misfits, and the unwanted, ruled themselves in a twisted hierarchy where the strong preyed on the weak.
In such an environment, Suhan thrived. Kael recalled the whispers in the Adventurer's Guild, rumors of a boy who rose from the depths of Aurelia Academy, carving a path of blood and terror.
They called him the Aurelia's Killer Star of the for his actions on the schoolgrounds and in his missions as well as his actions against those he deemed enemies. He had become the stuff of legends, though many dismissed them as mere myths as his rise was too meteoric for someone belonging to lowest rung.
Now, facing Suhan on the battlefield, Kael knew the stories were true. Suhan's precision, the way he toyed with his victims, it all matched the tales Kael had heard. Standing in the shadow of this living nightmare, Kael realized the full extent of his mistake.
"You… You're Suhan… the Killer Star Suhan," Kael stammered, piecing together the stories with the events unfolding before him. The legends spoke of a boy who didn't just survive the academy—he thrived, carving a path of blood and terror that left no doubt as to who was the strongest.
Suhan's expression remained cold, a grin fixed on his face as he met Kael's gaze. "Correct," he said with chilling calm. "And for figuring that out, your reward… is death."
Desperation took hold of Kael as he steeled himself for his final stand. He had no choice but to fight, even though he knew he was outmatched. Suhan's gaze was unfeeling, a predator sizing up his prey. The distance between them felt like an eternity, but Kael forced himself to move.
"Steel Wall Breaker!" Kael roared, summoning every ounce of strength as he charged at Suhan, his sword blazing with mana. The powerful skill was meant to crush through any defense, a move that had never failed him before.
But Suhan remained unfazed. With an almost bored expression, he sidestepped Kael's attack, letting the blade pass harmlessly by. Kael stumbled, his momentum carrying him forward, and before he could recover, Suhan's sword was at his throat.
Kael gritted his teeth and swung again, desperation driving his movements. But Suhan was toying with him, easily dodging each strike, making it clear he could end this fight whenever he wished.
Kael's attacks grew frantic, wild, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't land a blow. Suhan's movements were precise, his counterattacks brutal. He sliced at Kael's arm, his leg, deliberately inflicting shallow wounds that sapped Kael's strength without delivering a killing blow.
It was torture, slow, agonizing death that Suhan seemed to be unloading onto him.
Kael's breathing grew ragged, his body trembling from exhaustion and blood loss. He knew he was beaten, but he couldn't stop fighting. Not now, not after everything. He had to do something, anything, to survive.
But Suhan had other plans. With a swift, decisive strike, he knocked Kael's sword from his hand, sending it clattering to the ground. Kael dropped to his knees, clutching his wounded side, his vision blurring as he looked up at Suhan.
Suhan's blade hovered inches from Kael's throat, the cold steel gleaming ominously in the dim light. Kael shut his eyes, bracing for the end—but it didn't come. Instead, Suhan withdrew his sword, stepping back with a calculated expression.
Kael opened his eyes, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he realized he was still alive. Confusion flickered in his gaze, but Suhan's icy stare silenced any questions he might have had.
"You're lucky," Suhan said, his voice devoid of warmth, still with his devilish grin on his face. "Your life isn't yours to lose just yet."
Kael blinked, trying to make sense of Suhan's words. It took him a moment to understand—Suhan wasn't sparing him out of mercy. There was a deeper reason.
"You've been in contact with the half-demon youth," Suhan continued, his tone sharp as a blade. "That makes you a traitor to humanity, and there are questions you need to answer—questions that might determine the fate of many."
Kael's heart sank. He knew what that meant. Being labeled a traitor was a fate worse than death. Interrogation, torture, and ultimately, a slow and painful execution awaited those who turned against humanity. But at that moment, he was powerless to change his fate.
Cruzer, watching from the sidelines, felt a chill run down his spine. This was the power that Tessa commanded, and these were the people under her control. He couldn't help but clench his fist as he was in awe to the fact that despite having faced advanced and intermediate Mystics, neither Suhan nor Sansha had shown their true abilities.
The fights before him lit a fire in his soul. Though he had just started his journey, he was almost an Adept Mystic himself, with just one mission to complete before he ascended. With his system, he thought he would not be any less stronger than the people before him. As he pondered these thoughts, Suhan had already crippled Kael and thrown him near Tessa's feet.
But Tessa didn't bother with Kael, focusing instead on the ongoing battle between Reinhardt and the half-demon youth.