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Chapter 7 - The first spark of rebellion

He's mocking me.Kael's lips curled into a smirk.

"Bad move. You shouldn't underestimate me!"

He lunged, aiming straight for Salvius's exposed abdomen.

Clack!

Blocked. Effortlessly.

Kael jumped back, breathing hard. Was I wrong? No—try again.

He darted in again, slashing toward Salvius's shoulder.

Clack!

Blocked. Again.

"Damn it!" Kael growled, teeth clenched.

On the sideline, Zane chuckled. "Who challenges a teacher on day one? This kid's either brave or broken."

Ryven leaned toward Lyssandra. "Hey, you think that Kael guy's got a shot?"

She didn't respond. Her eyes stayed fixed on the ground.

Kael refused to stop. He spun, changed angles, feinted—

Clack!

Salvius barely moved. Using only the weight of his blade, he knocked Kael's sword wide, then flung him backward.

Kael hit the ground hard, scraping across the wooden floor. He dropped to one knee, gasping, pain flashing through his spine.

He clenched his jaw.

What do I have to do to win? I grew up in the forest. I survived bandits. I trained with the Ash Crow… but I can't even touch this guy?

He whispered under his breath, "This isn't just a duel… this is humiliation."

Salvius tilted his head. "Confused, Kael? Wondering why you can't land a single hit?"

Kael looked up at him—but there was no way he'd give in. Not after everything. Not after insulting his family.

"RAAAAH!"

Kael charged again, this time reckless and desperate.

He had to prove himself. He had to make this bastard pay for disgracing House Veyron.

Clack! Clack! Clack!

Their wooden swords collided again and again—faster now, sparks of motion and raw fury.

Salvius didn't step back once. He matched every blow without effort.

Despite his inexperience, Kael's movements were sharp. Desperate but refined. He fought like someone who had survived his whole life—not been trained, shaped.

Zane's eyes narrowed. "That stance… he's not just swinging wild. He was trained."

Even the crowd of students fell quiet, watching closely.

Emilio clenched his fists. "I knew this guy was cool."

But Kael wasn't fighting for applause.

He was fighting to breathe.

Every block from Salvius felt like a mountain pressing against him. His arms were screaming. His body wanted to shut down.

He's not even using aether, Kael realized. Not a single drop…

He staggered back, gasping for air, nearly collapsing.

Salvius stood calmly, barely winded.

"Oh…" he said, grinning. "So you noticed."

Kael wiped the sweat from his brow—but then froze.

His hands were trembling.

What… is this?

"Fear?" he whispered.

Salvius pointed his wooden sword at him.

"Now you're starting to see it," he said calmly. "You're not ready for whatever you think you're chasing."

He took a step forward, tone turning clinical.

"What I did earlier—that wasn't power. It was an illusion swing. I channeled all my strength into the angle of your blade. That's why it felt heavy. But the truth is… it wasn't."

He tapped the sword against his shoulder like a teacher with a pointer.

Across the ring, Zane facepalmed. "Is this bastard really giving a lecture mid-duel?"

Kael's eyes burned. "I don't care about your teaching crap!"

He gritted his teeth. "I told you—I want you to take back what you said… about my family!"

Silence fell over the arena.

Salvius's smile faded. His eyes sharpened.

He's still just a kid, he thought. Angry,Blind and deaf to reason.

Fine.Then he'd stop talking.And show him.

"I see," Salvius said, lowering his sword. "Then I'll show you why understanding your divine beast is the difference between life… and death."

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. The air thickened.

Emilio's eyes widened. "What is this pressure?"

Even the elite students watching began to murmur, uneasy.

Zane's expression turned to alarm. "Stop—stop it, bastard! You'll kill the kid!"

But Salvius didn't flinch.

If Kael won't listen… he'll learn the hard way.

Then it appeared.

Behind Salvius, a shape began to manifest—white and coiled, mist curling around it like breath in the cold.

Kael stumbled back a step. "What… is that?"

From Salvius's body emerged the spectral outline of a snake-like form—long, elegant, and gliding through the air without a sound.

His divine beast.

Not smoke. Not fog.

Mist.

A Mid–High tier divine beast, known not for brute strength but for surgical precision. Its element was not just obscurity—it choked sound, blurred vision, dulled reflexes. It silenced the world.

Zane bolted forward, but Salvius blocked him with one arm and shoved him back effortlessly.

"Stay back. This is between me… and my student."

"Instructor Zane!" his students shouted.

Zane held up a hand, gritting his teeth. "Don't. I'm fine."

From the sidelines, Emilio lunged forward—but Neira stopped him with a firm grip.

"Don't go."

"But—!"

"This might be what he needs," Neira said coldly. "Look."

Emilio and Serina turned.

Kael hadn't backed down.

He was… smiling.

He knew what this meant.If Salvius unleashed that beast, Kael could die. He should be terrified.But instead—he felt something else.Excitement.Not adrenaline. Not pride.

It was validation.For the first time, someone was taking him seriously.

And if Salvius was going all out—Then so would he.

Salvius glanced at Kael with amusement. "I see you're enjoying yourself. That means you've got something to show me, don't you?"

Kael smirked. "You're right. I do."

He raised his wooden sword. "Thanks to my mentor, I was taught real swordsmanship—and I'll show you exactly why my family was feared."

He closed his eyes.

A pulse of dark aether rippled outward from his body, swirling low across the ground like coiling smoke.

Zane's eyes widened.

Salvius watched with growing interest. "So it's true… I've heard whispers about the Veyron flame. That black fire that could even burn dragons alive."

Then he smirked. "But what exactly can you do with it, kid?"

Kael's eyes snapped open. "Enough damage to make sure you never forget the insult you threw at my name."

Salvius chuckled. "Kukuku… what a cocky brat. I'm starting to like you."

Kael raised an eyebrow. "Too bad. I don't like you."

"Aww. That hurts."

From the benches, Lyssandra groaned and buried her face in her hand. "Are these two seriously still talking?"

Kael knew the odds were stacked against him. Winning wasn't even on the table anymore.

But if he could land one hit—draw one drop of blood—he'd walk away with something.

Still… why isn't the Ash Crow saying anything?

Salvius adjusted his stance. "Alright, enough jokes. Come at me. Let's end this—I'm freezing out here."

Kael didn't move right away.

"There's something my father used to say," he muttered, lifting his sword high above his head.

"Never back down. No matter how big the enemy is.

Because bearing the name Veyron is a blessing—

—and it must be carried with pride and elegance."

His voice rose.

"So today, in front of everyone, I'll show you why you should never disrespect my family name!"

Salvius yawned. "Save the cheesy lines, kid. You'll always be the traitor's son."

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