A loud ding echoed in Kael Arden's mind as he and his squad stood over the carcass of a defeated Rank 1 mana beast. His squadmates cheered, basking in their hard-won victory, but Kael's attention was drawn away by the sudden notification from the system.
[System Notification: Host, the progression of the Rank S Villain, Damian Cade, has increased by 23%. He is now significantly more prone to walking the path of villainy.]
Kael's heart skipped a beat, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. He felt a knot form in his stomach as he absorbed the message.
"What?" Kael whispered harshly to the system. "I thought this wasn't supposed to happen until much later. Is this the butterfly effect?"
[Affirmative. The ripple caused by your actions has altered the timeline. Damian Cade's descent into villainy has accelerated. You must act swiftly before his transformation becomes irreversible.]
Kael grit his teeth in frustration. Everything he'd done, every careful step to avoid meddling too much, seemed to be having the opposite effect. It was as if each time he tried to delay Damian's fate, he only sped it up.
"Fine," Kael muttered under his breath, his mind racing with possibilities. He knew he had to intervene had to stop Damian from going further down this path. But how? How could he prevent it without blowing his cover or making Damian suspicious?
[Reminder: Failure to act will result in the host being unable to prevent the Rank S Villain's rise. Immediate intervention is recommended.]
"I know!" Kael snapped, drawing curious glances from his squadmates. He forced a smile to reassure them before turning inward again. "The survival training ends tomorrow. I'll find him then."
The practical survival training was meant to last two days, after which all students would rendezvous at the extraction site for further announcements. It was supposed to be a simple exercise, but Kael had a sinking feeling that things were about to get much more complicated.
The next day, students slowly flocked to the extraction site, one by one, their bodies bruised and battered, but their spirits intact. Kael scanned the crowd, his eyes darting from face to face as he searched for any sign of Damian. His unease grew with every passing minute, wondering what had pushed Damian so far down the path of villainy in such a short time.
As the students gathered, quiet murmurs filled the air. Then, Kael noticed a ripple in the crowd. One of the students elbowed his friend and pointed toward the clearing. The whispers grew louder as heads turned to look.
Walking towards the center of the extraction site was Damian Cade.
His body was caked with dried blood, streaks of it marring his face, hands, and clothes. His fists were raw, his knuckles bruised and swollen. His eyes, cold and emotionless, looked straight ahead as he made his way through the crowd. The other students instinctively stepped aside, giving him a wide berth, as if they could sense something dangerous radiating from him.
Kael's heart pounded in his chest. He felt a chill run down his spine as his gaze locked onto Damian's bloodied figure. For a moment, the image of the boy in front of him blurred, and he saw something else something darker. In Damian's place, Kael could see the Rank S Villain, the one destined to destroy everything in his path.
"What the hell happened?" Kael muttered to himself. His mind whirred as he struggled to comprehend the scene in front of him. Damian's presence now exuded a raw, primal menace, something that hadn't been there before.
Their eyes met.
In that moment, Kael felt an overwhelming wave of fear wash over him. It was as if Damian had seen through him had seen every secret, every intention. Kael clenched his fists, fighting to maintain his composure as he felt the weight of Damian's cold, calculating stare.
Then, just as quickly, Damian averted his gaze and continued walking.
Kael let out a shaky breath, still reeling from the intensity of the brief exchange. He watched as Damian stopped beside Nathaniel Valencrown, the son of the emperor, sending a shock through the crowd.
Students whispered among themselves, confusion and curiosity swirling in the air.
"Why is he with Nathaniel Valencrown?" one student asked.
Another chimed in, "Isn't it obvious? He's become one of Nathaniel's lackeys. I heard that's what happened to other commoners in Nathaniel's dorm."
Before the rumors could spread further, a loud, commanding voice cut through the chatter.
"Attention!"
Sergeant Halford's booming voice silenced the murmurs instantly, and all eyes turned to the instructor standing at the center of the clearing.
"Well done to those who survived the training," Halford began, his stern gaze sweeping over the students. "However, several of your classmates were not able to reach the extraction point in time. Those students have been immediately expelled."
A hushed gasp rippled through the crowd. The reality of the academy's brutal standards hit hard, and Kael could see the tension building among his peers.
Halford continued, unfazed. "With that said, I will now announce the top rankings for this assessment."
Kael stood still, his mind racing with thoughts of Damian, but his attention snapped back to Halford's words.
"First: Nathaniel Valencrown—378 points."
Nathaniel gave a smug smile, his aura of superiority almost palpable.
"Second: Lysander Blackthorn—255 points."
"Third: Arabelle Verdell—249 points."
Kael's ears perked up at the mention of Arabelle.
"Fourth: Kael Arden—245 points."
Kael barely registered his own rank. His thoughts remained on Damian and the unsettling aura that had surrounded him just moments before.
"Fifth: Freya Eldwyn—234 points."
The rankings continued, with each name drawing cheers or gasps from the crowd. But Kael's focus returned when Halford neared the end of the list.
"Nineteenth: Damian Cade—177 points."
The students fell silent, many casting curious or wary glances toward Damian. Despite his bloodied and beaten appearance, he had still managed to place within the top 20 a feat not many had expected.
As the rankings concluded, Halford addressed the group one last time. "This concludes your assessment. Dismissed."
Kael couldn't shake the unease that gnawed at him. Damian's ranking, his condition, his interaction with Nathaniel it all painted a picture that was growing darker by the minute.
As the students dispersed, Kael stood rooted in place, his gaze following Damian as he walked away.
The aftermath of the survival training hung heavily in the air. The remaining students began to scatter, their chatter mingling with nervous laughter and disbelief. Kael Arden felt the weight of the moment settle on his shoulders as he watched Damian Cade disappear into the throng of students. He fought against the instinct to follow, knowing he had to strategize rather than act impulsively.
He needed to know more about what had transpired during the training, what had driven Damian into such a brutal state.
"Kael!" A voice broke through his thoughts. He turned to see Arabelle Verdell approaching, concern etched across her face. "Are you okay? You look pale."
"I'm fine," he replied, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Just… processing everything."
Her brow furrowed. "Did you see Damian? He looked like he'd been through hell."
Kael nodded, feeling the weight of her gaze. "I did. It's not like him to get into fights like that… at least, not without reason. Something must have happened out there."
Arabelle crossed her arms, her expression shifting to one of determination. "We should talk to him. Maybe he needs help."
"I agree," Kael replied, a twinge of hesitation lingering in his voice.
She gave him a pointed look. "We won't know unless we try. If we wait, it could be too late."
The urgency in her voice struck a chord within Kael. He thought of the system's warning—how Damian's progression toward villainy was accelerating. "Alright, let's find him."
As they made their way through the crowd, Kael kept his senses sharp, scanning the faces around him. He hoped to catch a glimpse of Damian before he lost him entirely. They navigated past clusters of students celebrating their victories or mourning their losses, the mood swinging like a pendulum.
Finally, they spotted him leaning against a tree at the edge of the extraction area, his expression unreadable. The dried blood still marked his skin and clothes, a testament to whatever chaos had unfolded during the training.
"Damian!" Arabelle called, her voice cutting through the murmur of students.
His head snapped up, and for a moment, Kael saw the cold glint in Damian's eyes again, that intimidating presence that had unsettled him before. But beneath that, he detected a flicker of recognition and confusion.
"What do you want?" Damian asked, his tone clipped.
"Are you alright?" Arabelle pressed, stepping closer. "You looked… different. We're worried about you."
He smiled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Worried? You shouldn't be.... I am fine."
"What do you mean?" Kael asked, moving closer to get a better look at Damian's bruised hands. "What happened out there?"
Damian's gaze shifted from Kael to Arabelle and back again. "Nothing just some trouble within the practical training." he replied, his voice steady but his eyes betraying a hint of vulnerability. "I did what I needed to do."
Kael could sense the distance growing between them, the walls Damian had built rising higher. "You are lying tell us the truth what really happened."
Damian's laughter was hollow. "C'mon guys its really nothing."
"You know you can tell me" Arabelle urged, her voice softening. "We're friends aren't we."
"I don't need help," he snapped, pushing off from the tree and taking a step back. "I don't need anyone."
Arabelle clenched his fists, frustration boiling over. "Hey fish eyes just tell me what happened or I will make you spit it out."
Damian's eyes narrowed, and Kael felt the shift in the air, the tension thickening like a storm cloud. "Is it my obligation?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You don't know what I'm capable of."
With that, Damian turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving Kael and Arabelle in stunned silence.
"Kael…" Arabelle whispered. "What do we do now?"
Kael stared after Damian, the sense of urgency crashing over him like a tidal wave. If he truly was on the path to becoming a villain, they needed to act fast.
That evening, the atmosphere in the academy felt charged with anticipation. The students who had survived the practical training were buzzing about their experiences, sharing tales of triumph and danger. Kael and Arabelle spent their time gathering snippets of information, piecing together what had led to Damian's transformation.
As night fell, Kael sat alone in his dormitory, deep in thought. He glanced at the system interface hovering in front of him, the soft glow illuminating the dark room.
[Host's progress is being monitored. New missions available: Investigate Damian Cade's recent activities, and discover the influences driving him toward villainy.]