Chapter 17: The Tournament Trap
The sun rose over Aelthar Academy, and excitement buzzed through the air. Today, the tournament was not just for the school it had become a showcase between kingdoms, a chance for knights, prodigies, and nobles from other realms to demonstrate their strength.
Cael Renard, quiet and unassuming, entered the arena with his usual calm demeanor, carrying only a small satchel of ingredients as if for a snack. No one suspected that beneath his unassuming appearance, he was the Phantom Sovereign, master of shadows, atomic energy, and near-limitless power.
Even his sister, Selene, arrived, radiant in full knightly armor, eager to show off her skill to visiting nobles. She waved at Cael as she took her position, unaware that her brother was about to outshine everyone in ways impossible to comprehend.
The opening rounds began normally, but the atmosphere shifted instantly. A red teleportation portal erupted in the center of the arena, its energy rippling violently. From it emerged Cael and seven of the Umbra Circle's most powerful operatives, each radiating silent, terrifying power.
The crowd froze. Nobles, students, and visiting knights had never seen anything like this. But before anyone could react, a faction of the Crimson Veil, still alive and desperate to resurrect the Devil, intervened.
One of their leaders, a dark figure obsessed with preventing outsiders from witnessing the Witch of Creation, snarled, "No one may enter! She is our secret weapon!"
Inside the portal, a figure cloaked in shimmering magic appeared the Witch of Creation. Her eyes glimmered with curiosity, almost playful. Yet the moment she saw Cael, something unexplainable stirred in her chest. Despite being a legendary magical being, she felt an unfamiliar pull toward him.
Cael's calm voice carried across the arena: "Step aside. This dimension is mine."
With a gesture, his Atomic Form fused with Shadow Dominion, his aura erupting across the arena in blinding darkness intertwined with atomic energy. Shadows twisted and extended, enveloping the dimension itself. With a whisper, he declared: "I am the All-Range Atomic."
Reality bent to his will. The Crimson Veil's forces were swept away by waves of concentrated shadow and atomic energy, unable to resist. The portal's unstable magic collapsed, failing to contain either the Witch or Cael.
The Witch of Creation, both intrigued and challenged by his power, approached him cautiously. Her voice, soft yet commanding, said, "You… are unlike anyone I've ever seen."
Cael tilted his head, calm and unreadable. "I protect this world, and everything within it."
One by one, he demonstrated his abilities:
All-Range Atomic: Complete control over destructive atomic energy across any range.
Dimension Warp: Manipulating entire spaces, controlling the battlefield.
Shadow Dominion: Total command over all shadows, creating phantom armies at will.
Voidstep: Instantaneous movement across dimensions and shadows.
Illusions of the Absolute: Manipulating perception across multiple planes simultaneously.
The arena and battlefield dissolved into a display of his overwhelming power. Even visiting princes and knights from other kingdoms fell silent, recognizing that this was no ordinary participant this was a force of nature.
Despite the chaos, Selene, unaware of the full scale, shouted encouragement. Cael glanced at her briefly, then turned to secure the battlefield, ensuring no innocents were harmed.
The Witch of Creation, still observing him with fascination, began to smile faintly, sensing a future connection with the boy who could bend atoms, shadows, and dimensions at will.
By the end, the Crimson Veil was defeated, the portal sealed, and the tournament turned into a silent acknowledgment: Cael Renard, the quiet background noble boy, was untouchable, unstoppable, and more than anyone could imagine.
Shadows stretched across the arena as he whispered softly:
"The kingdom believes in heroes in the light.
The Devil's cult fears the Phantom in the shadows.
And I… am the All-Range Atomic."