Training Ground Seven was empty when Rin arrived at dawn.
The circular arena was smaller than the main grounds, ringed by stone walls marked with scorch marks and claw gouges from past training sessions. Morning mist clung to the dirt floor, and the air smelled of dew and lingering magic.
Rin had barely slept. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the fear in his classmates' faces, heard Elena Brightstar's cold dismissal. Demon touched. Corrupted.
"You're early," Professor Corvin's voice cut through his thoughts. She emerged from the opposite entrance, carrying a wooden case under one arm. "Good. That shows discipline."
"I couldn't sleep," Rin admitted.
"Understandable." She set the case down and opened it, revealing an array of crystals, each glowing faintly with different colors. "Before we begin actual training, I need to assess your current bond strength and communication clarity." She selected a blue crystal. "This will measure the stability of your connection. Hold still."
She pressed the crystal to his chest. It flared bright, then began pulsing rhythmically.
"Interesting," she murmured. "Your bond is extraordinarily stable. Most new summoners have fluctuating connections for weeks. Yours is already solidified." She replaced the crystal with a red one. "Now, summon your contracted being. Partially, just his voice."
Rin focused on the mark on his palm, feeling the connection like a thread leading into darkness. "Malachar?"
"What now?" The demon's voice rumbled audibly, making Professor Corvin's eyebrows rise.
"Can you hear me speaking?" she asked.
"Unfortunately, yes. Your voice is grating."
Professor Corvin's lips twitched. Almost a smile. "He has personality. That's actually good. Sentient summons with strong identities make better partners than mindless familiars." She made a note. "Now, Rin. I want you to attempt a partial manifestation. Not his full form, just his hand."
"Is that possible?" Rin asked.
"With a Soul Resonance Bond, yes. You're connected deeply enough to have fine control, once you learn how." She gestured to the center of the arena. "Focus on the bond. Imagine pulling just a piece of him through, like drawing water from a well instead of opening a floodgate."
Rin closed his eyes, reaching for the connection. He felt Malachar's presence, vast and burning like a smoldering forge. Instead of pulling everything, he tried to imagine just one element. A hand.
His shadow rippled. Then erupted.
A massive clawed hand burst from the ground, fingers each the size of daggers, wreathed in crimson energy. It reached toward the sky before Rin lost focus and it dissolved back into shadow.
"Too much power," Professor Corvin noted. "You're letting his full strength bleed through. Think of it like... adjusting water pressure. You need to restrict the flow."
"Easy for her to say," Malachar grumbled. "She's not trying to shove a seven foot demon through a keyhole."
"Actually," Professor Corvin said coolly, "that's an excellent metaphor. Rin, imagine the bond as having a valve. Right now it's fully open. Close it partially."
Rin tried again. This time he visualized a door, opening it just a crack. His shadow stirred, and a smaller hand emerged, still clawed but human sized. It flexed experimentally.
"Better," Professor Corvin said. "Much better. Now dismiss it."
The hand faded.
"This control will be essential," she explained. "In ranking battles, you're only allowed to manifest your summon for a maximum of ten minutes per match. Partial manifestations use less time and less mana. A skilled summoner can stretch their advantage by"
The sound of slow clapping interrupted her.
Three students entered the training ground. Rin recognized the one in front, the boy with slicked back hair who'd followed Elena yesterday. Behind him stood two others, a girl with fire red hair and a stocky boy carrying what looked like a practice sword.
"Look, Marcus," the lead boy said. "The demon lover is getting private lessons. How touching."
Professor Corvin's expression went cold. "This is a closed training session, Adrian. Leave."
"We're just here to use the arena, Professor." Adrian's smile was all teeth. "You can't monopolize the facilities for a scholarship student."
"I reserved this space through proper channels."
"Did you?" Adrian pulled out a paper. "Because I have a reservation for Training Ground Seven at six thirty. Right now." He glanced at Rin. "Unless the demon boy wants to share the space? We could have a friendly spar. Get to know each other."
It wasn't a friendly offer. Rin could see the hunger in Adrian's eyes, the way his companions were already moving to flank.
"Rin doesn't have combat clearance yet," Professor Corvin said firmly.
"Shame." Adrian stepped closer. "I was hoping to see the famous demon lord. The one that nearly got everyone killed yesterday." His voice dropped. "My sister was in that auditorium. She had nightmares last night because of you."
"I didn't mean for any of that to happen," Rin said quietly.
"Didn't mean to?" Adrian's hand moved to his own summoning mark, a silver seal on his wrist. "You brought a demon into our academy. You put everyone at risk. And the headmaster just lets you stay?" He shook his head. "Someone needs to show you that you don't belong here."
"Adrian, I'm warning you," Professor Corvin began.
But Adrian had already activated his summon.
Light burst from his mark, coalescing into a creature of crystalline edges and flowing water. A Water Sentinel, ranked high Silver tier. It towered eight feet tall, humanoid but translucent, with blades for fingers.
"Oops," Adrian said innocently. "It activated on its own. How clumsy of me."
The Sentinel lunged at Rin.
Time seemed to slow. Rin saw Professor Corvin reaching for her own summon, saw the other two students moving to block her, saw the crystalline blades descending toward his face.
His shadow exploded upward.
Malachar manifested in full, his massive form appearing between Rin and the attack. He caught the Sentinel's arm mid strike, his clawed hand crushing the crystalline limb like glass.
"How disappointing," Malachar said, his voice a thunderous growl. "In my world, ambushing children made you a coward, not a warrior."
He hurled the Sentinel across the arena. It crashed into the stone wall hard enough to crack the barrier.
Adrian staggered backward, his face going white. "I... I didn't..."
"Didn't what?" Malachar took a step forward, his sword materializing in his hand. "Didn't expect consequences? Didn't think the demon would fight back?" His eyes burned brighter. "Let me educate you, boy. Where I come from, challenge meant death. Be grateful your summoner codes are more civilized."
"Malachar, enough!" Professor Corvin's voice cracked like a whip. Her own summon, a spectral owl with wings of pure starlight, materialized beside her. "Stand down. Now."
Malachar glanced at Rin, who nodded shakily. The demon lord dissolved back into shadow, but his presence remained, coiled and ready.
Professor Corvin turned her full attention to Adrian. "You just violated three academy regulations. Unauthorized summon activation, assault on a fellow student, and disrupting official training. Report to Headmaster Silvanus immediately."
Adrian and his friends fled.
The training ground fell silent except for Rin's ragged breathing.
"Are you hurt?" Professor Corvin asked.
Rin shook his head. His hands were trembling. "Is it always going to be like this?"
"Probably," she said honestly. "You represent something they fear. Fear makes people stupid." She began packing her crystals. "But you also just demonstrated something important. Your bond with Malachar is strong enough that he manifested to protect you instinctively. That's rare, even among Soul Resonance pairs."
From his shadow, Malachar spoke. "The whelp attacked my summoner. In any world, that means retaliation."
"Thank you," Rin said quietly. "For protecting me."
Malachar didn't respond immediately. Then: "Don't mistake necessity for sentiment, boy. Your death is my death. I acted in self preservation."
But something in his tone suggested that wasn't entirely true.
Professor Corvin shouldered her case. "Tomorrow, same time. We'll work on your control. And Rin? What happened here will spread through the academy by lunch. Be prepared."
She left, leaving Rin alone in the damaged training ground.
"Welcome to academy life," Malachar said dryly. "Still think this will end well?"
Rin looked at his marked hand, at the black and red seal that bound him to a demon lord from another world.
"I don't have a choice," he said. "So I might as well make the best of it."
From his shadow, he felt something that might have been approval.
Or maybe just amusement at his naivety.
Either way, the first battle was over.
Many more would follow.