Darius Kain stood at the edge of the academy's training grounds, his sharp eyes surveying the gathered crowd of students. His reputation as a legendary hunter and instructor made him a figure of awe—and fear—among them. Yet today, his focus wasn't on the whole; it was on one student in particular.
Noah.
The boy was an enigma, far too precise and composed for someone supposedly at the starting stages of his journey. Something about him didn't add up, and Darius wasn't one to let mysteries go uninvestigated.
"If he's hiding something," Darius thought, his lips curling into a faint smile, "then I'll force him to reveal it."
Raising his voice, he addressed the students. "Listen well, all of you! In three days, the academy will host a tournament for level two students. It will test your strength, wit, and determination. The winner will receive a cache of mana crystals as their prize."
The announcement caused a stir, whispers spreading like wildfire through the crowd. Mana crystals were valuable, even to beginners. For many, this was a chance to boost their growth.
For Darius, it was bait.
---
Noah leaned against the wall at the edge of the crowd, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Unlike the others, he didn't chatter excitedly about the tournament. Instead, he was already calculating his approach.
**"A level-two tournament,"** he mused, his lips curling into a faint smirk. **"So that's your game, Darius."**
He saw through the ploy instantly. The tournament wasn't about fostering competition—it was a trap. Darius wanted to see him fight, to observe his abilities, and perhaps even uncover the truth about his concealed level.
"A clever attempt," Noah thought. "But not clever enough."
The prize, however, was worth the risk. Mana crystals were exactly what he needed to bolster his growth, and his current funds were almost nonexistent. His single mother's meager income barely kept the household afloat, and while he tolerated the woman and her two other sons, he felt no attachment to them.
"This isn't my family," he reminded himself. "This isn't my world. They're just… an inconvenience I have to manage."
With that thought, he resolved to win the tournament—but on his terms.
---
For the next three days, Noah trained in secret. He didn't push his abilities to their limits; that would risk exposing his true power. Instead, he focused on refining his control, ensuring his moves were efficient but not overly impressive.
When not training, he observed his potential opponents. The level-two students were a mixed bag—some were eager novices with little real skill, while others had raw talent but lacked refinement. None of them posed a genuine threat to him, but that wasn't the point.
"I can't just win," Noah thought. "I have to win convincingly, but not suspiciously. It needs to look like I'm struggling just enough."
-
The day of the tournament arrived, and the training grounds had been transformed into a proper arena. Students and instructors alike gathered to watch, the air buzzing with anticipation.
Noah stepped into the ring for his first match, his opponent a broad-shouldered boy wielding a massive warhammer. The crowd cheered as the match began.
The fight was over in less than a minute.
Noah danced around the boy's clumsy swings, his movements efficient and calculated. He struck only when necessary, delivering sharp, precise blows that eventually forced his opponent to yield.
The crowd erupted into applause, but Noah paid them no mind. Instead, he glanced at Darius, who was watching from the sidelines with an inscrutable expression.
"Let him wonder," Noah thought.
---
Match after match followed, and Noah advanced through the brackets with ease. By the time he reached the finals, he had crafted the perfect facade: skilled enough to win but not extraordinary enough to draw suspicion.
His final opponent was a girl named Elyse, a sorcerer specializing in fire magic. She was one of the few students who might have been a genuine challenge—if Noah had been fighting at her level.
The match began, and Elyse wasted no time, launching a barrage of fireballs. Noah dodged gracefully, using the arena's terrain to his advantage. He let her control the pace of the fight, feigning struggle as he closed the distance.
When he finally struck, it was with a calculated flourish. He disarmed her with a quick feint and knocked her staff aside, holding his blade to her throat.
Elyse raised her hands in surrender, and the match was over.
--
The crowd roared as Noah was declared the winner, but he barely registered their cheers. His eyes flicked to Darius, whose expression remained unreadable.
As he accepted the cache of mana crystals, Noah allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. The prize was his, and Darius's trap had failed.
Later, as he returned to his dorm with the crystals tucked safely away, Noah reflected on the day's events.
"Darius thinks he's clever," Noah thought. "But he's underestimating me. He sees me as a puzzle to solve, but I'm the one pulling the strings."
He glanced at the mana crystals, feeling a rare flicker of satisfaction. With these, he could strengthen himself further, inching closer to his ultimate goal.
"This world is dangerous," he reminded himself. **"But I'll be more dangerous. Let them watch, let them wonder. In the end, it won't matter."
As he closed his door, shutting out the world, Noah allowed himself a moment of quiet triumph. The tournament had been a game, one he had played and won on his terms. And in the shadows, he continued to grow stronger, preparing for the day when he would no longer need to hide.