A good number of the first years had gathered around the Combat hall, a stone forged platform.
Standing at the center of the pit was Dean Aeryn Velstral, her silver hair pulled back tightly, her piercing blue eyes scanning the gathered crowd. She wore her usual combat attire—sleek, practical, and devoid of decoration, save for the faint lines pulsing through its fabric.
"Welcome to the Combat Arena," she began, her voice sharp enough to cut through the hum of conversation. The noise died instantly.
"This is one of the rare classes where rank and tier mean nothing. Out there in the field, ranks, status, and family name will only take you so far. Survival is earned through strength, skill, and the will to fight." Her gaze swept over the students, coldly.
"Some of you will rise. Many of you will fall. But let me make one thing clear: weakness has no place here. Not in this arena. Not in this academy. And certainly not in the Nexus."
Kael stood near the edge of the arena, arms crossed, his expression blank. The students around him shifted nervously under Velstral's gaze.
Adrian, standing beside him, muttered, "She's not exactly the motivational type, is she?"
A scoffed chuckle escape Kael. His eyes were fixed on the dean, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
"Today," Velstral continued, "you will spar. Each of you will be paired with a partner. Your objective is simple: incapacitate your opponent. Victory is earned when your opponent is no longer able to fight, either by submission or unconsciousness. And before any of you ask—no, there are no restrictions on how you fight. Use what you have. Show me why you deserve to be here."
She clapped her hands, and several instructors appeared, their tablets glowing as they began pairing students.
Kael glanced at Adrian, who gave him a grim smile. "Don't get killed, yeah?"
"I'll try," Kael replied, his voice flat.
The students were called one by one to the center of the arena. Some stepped forward confidently, others hesitated, but all wore the same mix of determination and anxiety.
When Kael's name was called, the murmurs started immediately.
"Kael? Isn't he the bottom-ranked guy?"
"Yeah. What's he even doing here? Waste of space."
Kael ignored the whispers and stepped into the pit, his footsteps steady.
"Your opponent," the instructor called out, "is Darian Velshar."
The murmurs grew louder. Darian stepped forward, his head held high, his posture radiating arrogance. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his uniform adorned with the insignia of the Velshar clan—a mid-tier family known for producing skilled Lightforged.
"This'll be over quick," someone muttered from the crowd.
Darian smirked as he sized Kael up. "You're the bottom ranker? This is going to be embarrassing for you."
Kael said nothing.
Velstral raised her hand. "Begin!"
Darian surged forward, his body glowing faintly as he channeled Etherion into his fists. He moved fast—faster than most first-years—but Kael's gaze didn't falter.
The first punch came in hard and fast, aiming straight for Kael's face. Kael shifted his weight slightly, letting the blow pass an inch from his cheek. Darian followed up with a flurry of strikes, each one glowing with the energy of his Light Core.
Kael didn't fight back. He didn't need to.
He moved with an ease that bordered on laziness, sidestepping and ducking with perfect precision. Every punch, every kick, every Etherion-charged attack missed him by a hair's breadth.
Darian's frustration grew with every failed strike. His movements became erratic, his Etherion flaring wildly.
"Stand still, you bastard!" he snarled, launching a powerful Eth-infused kick.
Kael leaned back, watching the attack sweep past him. To him, Darian's movements were slow, predictable, even childish. Compared to the monstrous entity Kael had faced in the Void Breach, Darian's attacks were little more than clumsy flails.
"Fight me, damn it!" Darian roared, his voice cracking with desperation.
Kael's expression remained neutral, almost bored.
'I expected more from such an arrogant bunch'
The crowd began to take notice. Whispers spread through the stands.
"Is he dodging everything?"
"How is the bottom ranker making Darian look like a fool?"
"This doesn't make sense. Darian's ranked 66th—he should be crushing him!"
Velstral's sharp eyes flicked to the match, her interest piqued.
By the time Darian's Etherion reserves were nearly depleted, his chest heaved with exhaustion. His attacks had slowed to a crawl, each one sloppier than the last.
Kael decided he'd had enough.
With a single fluid motion, he stepped inside Darian's guard and swept his leg out from under him. Darian crashed to the ground with a resounding thud, his pride shattering alongside him.
Kael turned away, disinterested. The whispers grew louder.
"How could he lose so badly?"
"Isn't the Velshar clan supposed to be reputable?"
"What a disgrace."
The words cut deeper than any knife could have. Darian's face twisted with humiliation and rage.
"You… You bastard!" he spat, his voice trembling.
Kael paused, glancing over his shoulder.
Darian's hand darted to his uniform, pulling out a small, ornate dagger engraved with the Velshar crest. He lunged at Kael, his movements fueled by blind fury.
It happened in an instant.
Kael's left eye flared, a surge of energy coursing through his body. He moved on instinct, faster than most could track—even himself.
By the time he realized what had happened, it was too late.
The sickening sound of flesh tearing and bone snapping echoed through the arena.
Gasps of horror rippled through the crowd.
Kael stood over Darian, his hand thrust deep into the boy's chest. Blood dripped from his fingers, pooling on the ground. Darian's wide, panicked eyes met Kael's for a brief moment before his body went limp.
Kael retracted his hand, letting the corpse fall to the ground with a dull thud.
> ◇ Human (Rank D/ Aspirant) Eliminated. 150 VRP Gained.
> ◇ Current Void Resonance: Level 1 (170/1000 VRP).
> ◇ 0.90000% Memory Unlocked. Forgotten Forbidden Arts: Nexus Gate has been Relearned.*
Kael stared at his bloodstained hand, his expression darkened, when did he do this? Why did he do this? The whispers around him faded into a stunned silence.