The Dawn of Judgment
The sky was still painted in hues of deep indigo when I arrived at the Imperial Academy, its towering spires standing against the first whispers of dawn. The air was crisp, tinged with the scent of morning dew, and yet the world already buzzed with anticipation.
The Royal Examination was more than a simple test. It was a battlefield. A declaration of one's worth.
For the sons and daughters of nobles, it was the first step toward greatness.
For me?
It was a reckoning.
A chance to shatter the chains of my past.
A chance to prove I was no longer the forgotten prince they had cast aside.
Yet, as I stepped forward, I could feel it.
The eyes.
The whispers.
The weight of expectation—or rather, the lack of it.
"Kael Ardent? He's really here?"
"The cursed prince dares to compete?"
"Does he not understand his place?"
My lips curled into the faintest of smiles. They had no idea.
I exhaled slowly, feeling the Cursed Mark pulse beneath my skin.
Last night had changed me.
A new power simmered beneath my flesh, coiling like an untamed beast, waiting to be unleashed.
For the first time since awakening in this world...
I felt ready.
---
The Arrival of the Elite
As the gates of the Examination Grounds creaked open, the atmosphere shifted. A hush fell over the crowd as they arrived.
The prodigies. The destined legends.
First came Lucian Devereux—heir to the House of Devereux, a ducal family that stood just below the royal lineage. His silver armor gleamed under the morning sun, each step he took filled with unshakable confidence. His golden eyes held no arrogance—only the quiet certainty of a man who knew his strength.
Then, Eleanor Vael, daughter of the High Priestess. Her silken silver hair cascaded down her back, catching the light like threads of moonlight. She moved with an ethereal grace, her emerald eyes glowing faintly with divine power. The scent of incense and sacred lilies lingered in her wake, a silent reminder of the gods who blessed her.
And then, there was Damien Crowe.
The illegitimate son of the Crowe family, a house infamous for its dark magic. He was draped in black, his blood-red eyes flickering with amusement as he studied the crowd. Unlike the others, his presence wasn't commanding—it was unsettling. A predator lurking in plain sight.
The crowd whispered in hushed tones.
"These are the ones who will lead the next era."
"The future rulers, the heroes, the untouchable elite."
And then there was me.
A discarded prince.
The one they had already forgotten.
I felt the weight of their gazes, the familiar mixture of pity, contempt, and amusement.
"Why is he even here?"
"He should've disappeared quietly."
"A cursed one in the examination? How laughable."
My fingers curled into a fist.
But anger did not come.
Only a cold, unwavering resolve.
They had no idea what I had become.
---
The Trial of Strength
The first test was simple.
A pillar of enchanted stone stood at the center of the arena, engraved with ancient runes.
Each participant had one strike to test their raw power.
The damage they inflicted would determine their rank.
The strongest would ascend.
The weakest would be discarded.
Lucian went first.
He unsheathed his blade, its golden edge gleaming with divine energy. With a single fluid motion, he struck. The pillar shuddered, a deep golden mark etching itself into the stone.
Rank: A+.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Next, Eleanor stepped forward.
She closed her eyes, lips parting in a silent prayer. Then, with a single touch, radiant holy fire engulfed the pillar, scorching its surface with divine brilliance.
Rank: A.
More applause. More admiration.
Then, Damien.
He did not draw a weapon. Instead, he lifted a single hand.
A pulse of dark energy spiraled forth, wrapping around the stone like serpents of the void. The pillar cracked, its surface splintering under the force.
Rank: A-.
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
"Even the bastard of the Crowe family ranks high..."
"Of course. He's a monster in human skin."
And then, the moment everyone had been waiting for.
My turn.
Silence fell over the arena.
The whispers stopped.
All eyes were on me.
They expected failure.
They expected the weak prince to confirm their beliefs.
I stepped forward, placing my bare hand against the pillar.
I felt it then—the Mark awakening.
A pulse of raw, unfiltered power surged through my veins.
And I struck.
The moment my palm met the stone—
Everything changed.
A violent surge of crimson-black energy erupted, swallowing the pillar in a swirling abyss of destruction.
A deafening crack split the air as the stone shattered—not scarred, not fractured—but completely broken.
The arena fell into stunned silence.
The ranking crystal flickered, as if hesitant—then, finally, it displayed my result.
Rank: S.
---
The Silence of Disbelief
For a moment, no one moved.
No one spoke.
Then—
A single breath of disbelief.
"An S-Rank?"
"Impossible..."
"Wasn't he supposed to be weak?"
Even the examination proctors hesitated, their expressions wavering between shock and uncertainty.
I turned my gaze toward Lucian, Eleanor, and Damien.
Lucian's face was unreadable, but his grip on his sword tightened.
Eleanor's divine aura flickered—just for a second.
Damien?
He simply smirked, his crimson eyes gleaming with interest.
And then, from the highest balcony, a voice rang out.
"Not bad, little brother."
I froze.
A figure stood above, draped in royal garments, exuding an aura of absolute authority.
Crown Prince Adrian Ardent.
The true heir of the empire.
He leaned lazily against the balcony railing, his golden eyes filled with amusement.
"It seems you've finally decided to stop crawling."
The words were not an insult.
They were an acknowledgment.
One he had never given me before.
My grip tightened.
Adrian was everything I was not.
Strong. Respected. Loved.
The kingdom adored him. The people worshipped him.
And he had never once acknowledged me—until now.
But I did not care for his approval.
This wasn't about him.
This was my path.
And I had only just begun.