In previous days many things happened in the academy. A servant killed the ogre king and because of that dungeon collapsed. These events made nobles doubt their superiority. So, they again wanted to stabilize their superiority.
Principal Gragar was standing on the stage. He was accompanied by Seraphina and contractors. Nobles were sitting on the chairs and servants were standing behind them. But Arin and Naira were sitting on chairs at the end of the hall.
"Students, I know many unfortunate events happened in the following days. But we are not that weak to fear from those events. A noble's path is always filled with stones and spikes. Still he always has to move forward. That's why Aeternum academy decided to announce a New noble ranking duel." The principal announced.
All servants were whispering noble ranking events. Sam and Dravos smirked while sitting on their seats.
"Silence, Yes Noble ranking duel. The winner will get many rewards like access to private rare dungeons, warrior stones, and family sponsorship. It will also decide your year ranking and give you a chance to fight for the council President chair." After that Gragar told them about rules.
When these things were happening Arin was simply sitting on his chair carelessly and Naira, she was sitting straight like a lady should sit. Other students who were sitting in front of Arin and sitting beside them were discussing Blood demon rumours. Arin heard them but ignored them.
"This academy treats every student equal so servants also can fight in these duels. Their performance will affect their masters." Gragar took a pause for a second. "I think that's enough. Now you all can proceed to your classes."
Students, contractors and Gragar left the hall but not Seraphina. She ran away towards Arin, grabbed his hand and took him into a room. Naira also followed them inside the room.
"Arin listen carefully. Do not enter in this duel. I already took out your name from this duel." Seraphina was panicked.
"But why?" Arin asked.
"Do you really think that they think all students are equal. No, they despite servants still allowed them to participate in this duel. Because they want you to participate."
"Then what's the problem with this? I can win against them."
"I know Arin you can win against. But that's not the main problem here. They want to frame you as a monster and try to eliminate you because when you killed Ogre king that hurt their pride and they wants to take revenge."
"Well, that will be interesting."
"That's not interesting, Arin." Seraphina came close to him and touched his cheek with her both hands. "That's dangerous. You may be powerful but you can't win against contractors."
{She is right Arin, you shouldn't participate in this duel.}
"Fine but don't you think if I back out they will label me as a coward." Arin asked Seraphina and indirectly to his sister.
"I don't care what they will say. But I know one thing: Even a lion takes a step back when he hunts. And for me you are not a lion but a dragon. Who grows faster and he is a symbol of force and dominance." Seraphina's eyes were not filled with tears, they were filled with fear and sadness of losing someone.
Arin saw her eyes and he recognised those feelings. He put his hand on her face. "Relax, I'll stay quiet… unless someone begs me otherwise."
After that they both hugged each other.
Clap clap clap.
Naira was clapping from behind. "Princess and master Arin, you both really are made for each other. I never saw tears in princess eyes. She is also famous as an unbreakable warrior. But you did it."
Seraphina hided her face against Arin's chest. He also tightened his hands.
"Stop Naira." She said while her face was embedded in Arin's clothes.
2nd year students got a notification on their Aetherglass about today's training class in the afternoon. Arin saw that notification and they all left the room.
When Arin reached he saw Sam Vitern he was sword practicing with Dravos. Sam also saw Arin entering the training ground.
"Some people's are born to clean dungeons not to survive them." Sam mocked Arin but Arin didn't replied. "Maybe next time, try not to hide behind a princess." He mocked again.
Dravos wasn't involved in direct insult, he smiled. "If a servant dares duel a noble, that would be amusing, wouldn't it Sam?"
"It is, Dravos. but cowards don't know the taste of victory." Sam again mocked Arin. And other students and servants were also smiling at Arin.
Arin was just standing there, his neck was down. Suddenly training ground pressure increased when Seraphina entered the ground. A blue aura was roaming around her body. This was enough to silence everyone.
"He may be a servant but still he is my servant. Any insult on him is considered an insult to me. And I don't think any of you are capable of doing that." Seraphina's words became an arrow that defeated every noble who mocked Arin.
Arin left the ground and Seraphina followed him. Many thought he was scared of Sam and Dravos but no one saw his bloody eyes. Who was trying to devour everything that would stand up between them.
In the evening when Arin entered his room he saw a letter on his desk. He picked up that letter; it was written in blood-red ink: 'If the Blood Demon wants respect, come to the depths beneath the old chapel. At midnight.'
Arin already sensed it's a trap but smiles. "How considerate. They even sent the invitation in my room. Don't worry I'll come."
At midnight Arin left his sword behind and carried only his blood aura, he concealed his identity with a hooded cloak and blood mist spell.
[Blood mist spell activated]
[Your voice has been altered]
The night was cold and quiet. Moonlight barely touched the old chapel's cracked roof, its stone cross leaning as if weary from centuries of sin. Beneath that ruin, a narrow stairway led deep into the ground where whispers of forbidden noble duels echoed.
Dozens of nobles sat around the underground coliseum, their faces hidden behind half-masks and velvet cloaks. Laughter and wine filled the dim air. This was their playground, where rules bent to pride.
Dravos sat at the highest seat like a judge, a faint smirk tracing his lips. "Let the noble blood prove itself," he murmured.
In the ring below, Sam Vitern stood proudly in his combat armor, his newly forged purple-veined spear pulsing with mana. The weapon, made from the Ogre King's core, shimmered arrogantly a symbol of stolen glory.
"Where is this 'Blood Demon' they promised?" Sam scoffed. "Or did he lose his courage too?"
A hush fell when a scarlet mist began to leak through the gate at the far end of the arena. It crawled across the stone like a living thing, swallowing torches one by one.
Then, a cloaked figure stepped out of the haze — his face hidden, his movements silent. His presence was suffocating yet calm, the mist coiling around him as if obeying its master.
Dravos's eyes gleamed. "Interesting… he is not carrying any weapon."
Sam pointed his spear at the figure. "Whoever you are, remember this: You are standing before a noble of Vitern blood. You should bow or bleed."
The cloaked figure tilted his head slightly. His distorted voice echoed from within the mist. "I kneel to none."
Fury twisted Sam's expression. Purple mana surged around his spear as he charged forward. The air cracked, his weapon slicing through the mist with lightning speed.
Bang!
The strike connected yet it felt as though he had hit water. His spear was caught mid-thrust, held in place by writhing blood tendrils that had hardened like steel. The mist shimmered crimson, alive and hungry.
"What—?" Sam staggered back, slashing again and again, each thrust precise and furious. The crimson haze moved with him, redirecting every attack as if mocking his efforts.
Dravos leaned forward on his seat. "Wow, He's not here to fight… but to test us."
The nobles began murmuring, their excitement shifting to unease.
Within the blood mist, the cloaked man moved like a phantom—barely visible, his steps soundless. He raised one hand, and the fog thickened, absorbing the light from the torches.
Sam felt something wrong with his mana flow weakening. "The mist… it's eating my energy!"
Indeed, each clash drained his strength; every wave of purple light disappeared into the scarlet haze like water into sand. His breathing grew harsh, sweat dripping from his temple.
The figure's voice came again—low, calm, unhurried: "Those powers that are borrowed from monsters always become the end of its wealder."
Sam roared and lunged one last time, pouring every drop of mana into a single thrust meant to pierce the heavens.
The spear flashed purple, a beam of pure force cutting through the fog only to find nothing.
Behind him, the mist coalesced into a shape. A voice whispered, close enough to chill his soul.
"You should've stayed in the light, noble. Shadows don't like arrogance."
The mist surged and a sharp hiss filled the arena as dozens of blood-thin blades sliced through the air, carving shallow cuts into Sam's armor; it was clean, surgical, and humiliating. In this duel not even a drop of blood spilled, but Sam's pride was in tatters.
His spear fell from his hands. He dropped to one knee, shaking, the fog swirling around his defeated frame.
Then, as quickly as it had come, the mist withdrew. The cloaked man raised his hand and every torch reignited, filling the coliseum with orange light. The nobles gasped, blinking. Their mysterious fighter was already gone.
Only the faint scent of iron lingered.
Dravos stood, slow applause echoing against the stone. "Remarkable, this monster also knows how to restrain his power." Dravos smiled."Let's see how long the academy can contain you."
As Sam was carried away by his servants, whispers spread like wildfire among the nobles.
"Who was that man?"
"Could it be… the Blood Demon?"
"If it is, we're doomed."
And somewhere in the upper corridors of the academy, Arin wiped blood from his hand, his crimson eyes glowing faintly beneath the hood.
"Next time," he muttered, "I won't hide."
The duel was already over but not plotting. Dravos Varrow secretly met with other nobles and whispered the rumours. 'The Blood Demon fights in secret. He hides behind fog because he fears judgment. If he's not human… should he be allowed to walk among us?' He was planting narratives in every student's minds that Aren is a monster in human skin and he's here to overthrow us from our thrones.
Every nobles agreed with him and this fear spread like fires in the academy. Dravos smiled faintly, afterward he wrote his first report to his father: 'The weapon has awakened. I will make the academy burn itself down before the festival.'
On the other hand Arin laying alone in the garden, watching the faint red crack still glowing in the night sky. Suddenly his sister spoke to him.
{"You know they'll come for you soon. Right."}
"I know but what should I do now?" Arin replies quietly.
{"Become stronger before that happens."}
"And could you explain to me how."
{"By using our treasure that was originally belong to Graven but it was took away from us and placed in this academy."}
"And what is that treasure?" Arin sat up.
{"Agneya Grantha"}
To be continued…