The days following the night of the awakening were anything but peaceful for Zeref. Ever since the moment that ancient guardian stirred beneath the earth, he felt as if the world itself was breathing differently—exhaling deeper, whispering colder, and watching him with unseen eyes. Though he told no one of the strange presence he sensed from the depths, its echo lingered like a shadow behind his heart.
Miss Lin increased his training as though she, too, sensed the shift in the winds of fate. Each morning, before the sun lifted over the cloud-kissed peaks, Zeref stood beneath the pale light and forced the wild pulse of Aetherion through his channels. It was not easy. It was never easy.
Aetherion was alive. It was not a tool or a simple form of energy. It was the universe itself condensed into a single essence—creation, destruction, time, memory, and celestial will bound in a form that no mortal was ever meant to wield.
And yet, it responded to him.
Sometimes it flowed smoothly, humming like a river touched by moonlight. Other times it jolted like a beast refusing to be tamed, surging with cosmic force so intense that Zeref nearly collapsed under the pressure.
But he improved.
Slowly, painfully, steadily.
Miss Lin watched his progress with a mixture of awe and worry. She rarely commented out loud, but her searching gaze whenever he completed an exercise said enough. She could see his rapid development—and she understood better than anyone what that implied.
One morning, after a particularly intense session where Zeref had managed to gather Aetherion into a stable orb of light no larger than his palm, Miss Lin stepped toward him, breaking her usual silence. Her voice was soft but firm when she said, "Your control has improved. Not perfect… but enough to prevent the energy from overflowing."
Zeref was panting, sweat dripping from his chin onto the marked stones below. "I can't… fully use it yet," he admitted. "Whenever I try to push past a certain point, it feels like something is pulling back. As if Aetherion is choosing how much I can use."
"That is because it is choosing," Miss Lin replied quietly. "Aetherion does not bend to will. It negotiates. And you are not yet strong enough to demand more than it allows."
He nodded, breathing steadying. "But at least… I can channel it now."
"Yes," Miss Lin said. "And for now, that is enough."
It was the first praise she had given him in days. Hearing it made Zeref straighten, a faint spark of pride warming his tired limbs. Ren and Yuxin arrived moments later, each carrying bundles of herbs and restorative teas, cheering him on with their usual enthusiasm. Their presence eased the heavy atmosphere.
But the uneasy undercurrent lingered.
The guardian's awakening still echoed faintly inside him, a sign that something in the world had begun to stir—and that Zeref was unknowingly standing at the center of it.
That afternoon, an abrupt ringing echoed through the entire sect—the deep, thunderous chime of the Heavenly Summoning Bell. It was a sound that rarely rang, and when it did, it meant something monumental.
Disciples looked up from their training grounds. Teachers paused their lessons. Even the wind seemed to hush for a moment.
Ren gulped. "That's… the Grand Summoning Bell. Why now?"
Yuxin bit her lip. "It only rings during sect upheavals or major announcements. Something big must be happening."
Miss Lin's eyes narrowed slightly, though her expression remained composed. "Come. We must gather at the Grand Hall."
The disciples hurried along the stairs that spiraled up the mountain. The enormous structure came into view—a shimmering temple carved from pale stone, supported by towering pillars etched with ancient runes. All the disciples and teachers of the Heavenly Blade Sect were already gathering inside, filling the hall with murmurs and tense whispers.
At the far end stood the seven Elders, their robes heavy with embroidered constellations. In the center, seated upon a grand seat shaped like an open lotus of light, was the Grandmaster himself—Elder Mingyuan, a man whose age was impossible to guess, yet whose presence alone made the atmosphere feel heavier.
When he rose to his feet, silence fell instantly.
"Children of the Heavenly Blade Sect," Elder Mingyuan began, his voice resounding across the chamber, "the time has come once again for a tradition long honored across the realm."
A ripple of anticipation moved through the crowd.
"The Astral Sovereign Championship," he announced.
Gasps burst across the hall. Even the teachers exchanged glances of surprise.
The Grand Competition was a legendary event—one held only when the celestial calendar aligned perfectly, once every few years. It was an honor, a challenge, and a terrifying battlefield all at once.
Zeref felt his heartbeat tighten.
This was no ordinary event.
Elder Mingyuan continued, "This year, the competition will be held at the The Celestial Convergence Arena, the greatest arena ever built by mortal hands. All seven of our elders will attend, along with the high masters of six other elite academies."
Ren whispered under his breath, "Six academies… that means thousands of disciples."
Yuxin exhaled shakily. "And only the strongest survive those matches…"
Elder Mingyuan lifted a hand, and the hall fell silent once more.
"You will face disciples of the Seven Peaks Academy Heavenly Blade Sect, Jade Serpent Pavilion, Crimson Ember Institute, Skyforge Academy, Moonshadow Temple, Iron Phoenix Fortress, Cloudsong Sect."
Those names alone were enough to make even the bravest disciples tense. These academies were famed for producing prodigies—some ruthless, some extraordinary, all terrifying in their own right.
Miss Lin remained outwardly calm, though her fingers tightened around her sleeves.
"We will depart at dawn tomorrow," the Grandmaster declared. "You will stay in the Colosseum barracks for the duration of the competition. It will be a test of strength, mind, strategy, and resilience. This is not merely a battle… it is an opportunity to forge your names into history."
A low tremor of excitement raced through the hall. Adrenaline, anxiety, and pride mingled together until the atmosphere was almost electric.
"Prepare yourselves," Elder Mingyuan concluded. "For the world will be watching."
With a wave of his hand, the elders dismissed the gathering.
As disciples began flooding out of the hall in a mix of excitement and dread, Zeref stood rooted in place, staring ahead as if lost in thought. Ren clapped him on the shoulder with a grin that masked his nerves.
"Well, looks like we don't get to rest after all," he laughed shakily.
Yuxin crossed her arms, though a smile tugged at her lips. "I guess this is our chance to prove ourselves."
Miss Lin approached her three students. Her eyes rested on Zeref a moment longer than the others before she spoke softly, "Prepare well. The competition is not merely a show of strength—it reveals one's heart."
Zeref met her gaze. "Master… do you think we're ready?"
Miss Lin didn't answer immediately. Then, after a brief pause, she said, "Readiness is not certainty. It is resolve. And that, Zeref… you possess."
Her words settled something inside him.
The guardian he sensed days ago.
The pulse of Aetherion awakening inside him.
The storms forming beyond the horizon.
Everything was building toward something larger than he understood.
But for now—
All he could do was take one step at a time.
Ren punched the air. "Tomorrow, we head to the Colosseum! I can't believe we're actually doing this!"
Yuxin laughed. "Just don't embarrass us in front of the other academies."
Their chatter, full of awkward confidence, washed away some of the tension tightening Zeref's chest. The sect's pathways buzzed with energy as hundreds of disciples rushed to pack, clean their weapons, gather talismans, and practice techniques before nightfall.
Excitement.
Fear.
Anticipation.
It swirled together in the air like a rising storm.
Zeref looked up at the sky, the faint glimmer of starlight settling over the peaks like silver dust. The world felt alive—changing, shifting, preparing for something monumental.
And tomorrow, everything would begin.
The Drums of Distant Glory were beating already.
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To be continued...