— Dean's Office —
The dimly lit room was silent except for the faint hum of the projector placed at the center of the room. The scene of Kael's spar with Captain Darius played out before them, replaying the heated exchange of fists and flames.
Captain Darius stood stiffly by the window, his hulking form casting a long shadow across the room. His arms were folded tightly, the white bandages wrapped around his scorched hands standing out against his dark combat uniform.
Professor Lysandra sat on a plush chair nearby, her usually calm demeanor replaced by a defensive edge. Her hands rested on the armrests, fingers occasionally tapping as she waited for the Dean's judgment.
Behind the grand desk at the end of the room sat the Academy Dean, an older man with piercing gray eyes. His long silver hair framed his weathered face, a polite smile permanently etched on his face.
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on the projection, which displayed the moment Kael unleashed the azure flames that had scorched the arena.
"This," Darius growled, his voice low and harsh, "Didn't you tell me demi-humans start weak and grow strong."
He turned sharply, pointing at the flickering projection.
"That boy's temperament changed, a coward became a skilled fighter overnight. I don't care what potential you claim he has; he's unstable." Captain Darius argued.
Professor Lysandra straightened in her seat, her tone surprisingly sharp.
"Kael wasn't unstable. He was in perfect control of his power." She argued. "If he wasn't in control, you would be dead by now."
"Control? Do you call this control? If I hadn't transformed, he could have killed me." Darius scoffed, holding up his bandaged hands.
"He could have," Lysandra admitted. "But he didn't. Not once did Kael lose himself. Every strike, every movement was precise. The flames stopped when he willed them to."
Darius was taken aback by Lysandra's courage when it came to defending this boy. His face reddened as his lips parted but the Dean raised a hand, silencing them both.
"Enough." Dean Alaric's was feeble yet both Darius and Lysandra fell silent.
He gestured toward the projector, rewinding the footage to the moment Ra delivered the finishing blow in the form of blue flames.
The Dean's sharp eyes flicked between the frozen image of Ra's transformed state and Lysandra's.
"Explain how a coward can fight like this well overnight." The Dean requested politely.
Professor Lysandra stood up, walking to the projector. She tinkered with the laptop a bit, changing the image to a single word.
"Wild"
"While Bio-fusion Enforcers like Captain Darius instantly gain the full capabilities of their demi-beast after the operation, demi-humans have to undergo the mystical resonance ritual numerous times." Professor Lysandra explained confidently.
"However, demi-humans possess an advantage people like Captain Darius can never have and that's the will of the demi-beast," Lysandra added, flashing a fierce glare at Darius.
She wasn't the same timid woman who let this soldier talk down on her and her life work. If the class coward could muster the courage to defend her life work, she is obligated to repay the favor.
"Bitch!" Darius cursed but the Dean's hand gesture prevented him from speaking further.
"Continue." Dean Alaric said, resting his chin on his interlocked fingers.
Lysandra took a deep breath before she continued.
"Wild is a state in which the soul of the human resonates on a similar wavelength with the will of the demi-beast, creating a perfect blend. In this state, the demi-human acts based on instincts, mimicking the fighting style of the demi-beast. Consider this as Ra guiding his hands."
"Guided his hand?!" Darius snapped, his voice rising. "Are you trying to tell me a coward can suppress the will of the mighty Ra? Can you say for certain he is not being influenced instead of guided?"
Captain Darius turned his attention to Dean Alaric, bowing respectfully before speaking.
"I request that Kael Ardyn be put under heavy surveillance until we can be certain he is in control. We can't leave him unchecked!" Captain Darius demanded.
"Unchecked? He challenged you in a controlled environment, Captain. Not in a fit of rage, not out of malice and let's not forget, he won. Is that why you are so eager to put him down?" Professor Lysandra adjusted her glasses, her words vicious and precise.
Darius clenched his jaw, his fists tightening despite the pain in his bandaged hands.
Professor Lysandra pulled up her tablet, tinkering with it for a few minutes before passing it over to Dean Alaric.
"This is his compatibility rate before the test," Lysandra said.
Dean Alaric took the tablet with an air of indifference. However, his eyes dilated as soon as he saw the comparability test result and the video attached to it.
His reaction caught Captain Darius's interest. He leaned in, looking over Dean Alaric's shoulder.
"What?" Darius snatched the tablet, his eyes widening in shock. "99%?"
He flicked through other results, going through their videos. His eyes narrowed with each, as he realized what Professor Lysandra meant by Kael was talented.
The highest compatibility rate aside from Kael's record belonged to Mark, who had a 90% compatibility rate on a Primordial bloodline demi-beast. Then, there was Eric who also had an 80% compatibility rate on a Primordial bloodline demi-beast.
Ren had a 75% compatibility on a regal bloodline demi-beast and Liora had a 60% compatibility rate on a regal bloodline demi-beast.
"Why did he collapse as soon as the fight was over?" Dean Alaric asked.
Professor Lysandra was stunned when the question came up. She coughed and adjusted her posture before responding.
"The Wild State is physically and mentally taxing. It is the equivalent of human adrenaline. Once used up, his body shut down to recover." Professor Lysandra explained.
Dean Alaric nodded silently while Captain Darius stood in a corner, still watching Kael's compatibility test.
"I see… That means there will be times he will use his power and not display this level of skill?" Dean Alaric asked again.
"Yes, most of the time." Professor Lysandra answered.
Dean Alaric nodded, and he shifted his attention to Captain Darius.
"For three centuries, the empire has tried to create a Pantheon-level Enforcer and failed. Yet, we managed to succeed on our first try. There are a lot of things you do not understand in this field, so I encourage you to seek advice from Professor Lysandra." Dean Alaric was blatant with his words, his voice feeble but cold.