The battlefield had become a scorched, shadow-stained wasteland. Every breath I took burned in my lungs. Across from me stood Nyx — the final obstacle. Her eyes glowed with mystic flame, her aura surging, volatile. My hands trembled, my mana drained, but I wasn't going to lose.
She raised her staff.
I drew my blade.
And then—
BOOM!
Fire and shadow collided. Explosions lit the field as spells and swordplay danced in deadly harmony. We clashed midair, her fire meeting my blade, her wind slicing past my cloak.
"Shadow Bind!" I shouted, attempting to hold her.
She snapped her fingers. "Mana Flash!"
A burst of light magic broke the hold, and her kick sent me flying. I hit the dirt hard.
[System: HP 17%]
I struggled up, blood dripping.
"Still standing?" she taunted.
"Always."
We rushed again.
SLASH—FWOOSH—BLOCK—PARRY—EXPLODE.
It felt endless — like we were reflections of each other. Perfect, mirrored destruction. Her staff glowed, my shadows pulsed. Every movement took a toll, every attack hurt.
Then—
[System: ALERT – HP Dropped to 4%]
The world dimmed.
I fell to one knee, gasping. This is it...
But Nyx didn't strike.
Instead… she lowered her staff, her body flickering.
"I surrender," she whispered.
My eyes widened.
She walked toward me slowly, bits of code fading from her frame.
"You're impressive… You won fair and square. I have no mana left. I didn't lose because I was weak. I lost… because you were stronger today."
She gave a soft, genuine smile — then dissolved into virtual dust.
[VR Message: Congratulations. Trial Cleared. Ejecting Player…]
Exit
My eyes snapped open.
The headset detached.
I was back — in the VR chamber, surrounded by cold light.
I sat up…
Only to find myself surrounded.
Whitehounds. Rin. Seraphina. Liora Nowa. Cecilia Thorne. Juliana. Even professors.
They stared at me, frozen.
I stood, walked toward the camera, and stared straight into it — into the eyes of the entire academy.
"This… is just the beginning."
"If anyone dares to fight me — this is your warning. Plot behind my back? Doesn't matter. You'll lose."
"And if you're wondering why you lost… let me make it clear: it wasn't your fault."
"It was your parents' fault… for giving birth to you in my era."
"My ruling era."
"I will continue to reign. I will continue to rise."
"So give up your hopes… before I crush them."
Gasps. Silence. Shock.
Only Nyx and Cecilia… weren't stunned. They were smiling like they'd seen something they already believed.
I looked away. "Fuck this system," I muttered under my breath. "*If those two ever propose to me—I'll use the previous Ashen method. What was it again? Oh, right—sleep with me, Liora. Hah. LOL."
Aftermath
I returned to the hotel.
Collapsed onto the bed.
Slept like a baby.
When I woke up, my screen was flooded.
Hundreds of messages. Unknown numbers. My DMs overflowed. Dozens of missed calls — even from family members who barely acknowledged me before.
Now they see me.
I scrolled past all the noise…
Then saw the academy notification:
Academy Message
Congratulations. Your combined score is 1st overall.
Assigned Class: 1A
Starting Ceremony: Tomorrow, 8 AM
Uniform will be delivered shortly.
[System Notification: Main Quest Completed]
Reward: Lightning Affinity Unlocked
Stats +30 distributed automatically.
Ashen – Current Stats
Level: C
Class: Shadowbound Duelist
Subclass: Tactical Summoner
Affinities:
Shadow (Advanced)
Lightning (Unlocked)
Strength: C
Mana: SS
Agility: C
Intelligence: S
Charisma: S
Luck: E
Skills:
Shadow Echo – Create up to 10 active clones.
Shadow Bind – Restrict enemy movement with dark tendrils.
Bomb Shadow Creation – Exploding shadows deal AoE damage.
Echo Step – Instant teleport between shadow markers.
Shadow Pierce – High-speed targeted strike from shadows.
Shadow Slip – Temporarily phase through damage.
Return to Shadows – Send allies or summons back to the shadow realm.
Lightning Barrage – Rapid lightning projectiles (unlocked from side quest).
Summon:
Doggo – D-Rank loyal battlehound with dark mana-enhanced fangs.
Passives:
Mana-Body Sync Boost (+20%)
Lightning Affinity (C)