Chapter 5: Shadows in the Halls
The morning light barely reached the academy's inner halls.
I moved silently through corridors where nobles whispered, their eyes tracking my every step.
The Rift Beast incident yesterday had made me the center of attention.
Not admiration. Not fear yet—but curiosity. Dangerous curiosity.
[Fear Detected: 62 individuals]
+62 Sin Points
I smiled faintly.
Fear was accumulating faster than I expected.
The system was hungry.
I passed the classrooms where students practiced elemental magic.
Some tried to look confident.
Some whispered, afraid to meet my crimson eyes.
And then I noticed the pattern.
There were subtle divisions forming—small groups watching, judging, plotting.
The academy was not just a school.
It was a battlefield.
[Hidden Faction Detected: 1]
Observation Recommended
Good. I liked that.
A sudden vibration in my mind—the system.
[Hidden Path Unlocked: Shadow Veil Technique]
Description: Allows temporary invisibility and manipulation of perception.
Warning: Overuse may alert the world.
I tested it silently in a hallway.
The world shifted subtly. Shadows bent around me.
I was there… and not there.
I could see people moving past me, unaware.
Perfect.
Footsteps approached.
A girl, silver hair tied in a braid, Rank B Water Affinity, approached nervously.
She stopped a few paces away.
"You… you're Lucien Vaelthorne," she whispered.
"Yes," I said calmly.
Her eyes widened. "The Rift… you… you killed it."
I nodded slightly. Not proud. Not apologetic. Just… calculated.
[Fear Detected: 18 individuals]
+18 Sin Points
"Why?" she asked softly.
"Because no one else would," I said simply.
Her brow furrowed. Confused. Respectful. Afraid. Good. Perfect emotional mix.
Classes began, but I did not attend.
Instead, I walked toward the shadowed part of the library, a section reserved for elders and forbidden texts.
A door creaked open.
Inside, I found scrolls older than the academy itself.
Maps of the academy.
Rituals long forgotten.
Artifacts hidden beneath the floors.
[Hidden Knowledge Acquired: Arcane Shadow Codex]
Reward: System Upgrade Pending
This would allow me to manipulate shadows beyond simple combat.
I grinned faintly. The game was becoming more interesting.
Suddenly, a voice echoed from the shadows.
Not the system. Not a teacher.
Cold. Soft. Amused.
"You are moving too fast."
I tensed.
The golden eye? No. This was different.
Older. Watching. Judging.
[Ancient Entity Detected: Observer Unknown]
"You interest me, little villain," the voice continued.
"I will watch… how far you deviate."
The shadows around me shivered.
I realized something: the world itself was not static.
Every choice, every step, every "sin" was being monitored.
Footsteps in the hallway.
A familiar golden aura.
Caelum Ardent.
He stopped at the library's entrance.
"I see you've been busy," he said quietly.
"You're changing things."
"Yes," I replied. "But only enough to survive."
He didn't smile.
He didn't move.
He was studying me. Measuring me. Planning.
[Hero Analysis Detected]
Probability of Conflict Increase: 72%
I stepped into the shadows, disappearing from sight.
He frowned.
He knew. He always knew.
And then… a low rumble shook the library.
Not the academy.
Not the sky.
The ground beneath the outer walls cracked slightly.
A distant roar, barely audible—but real.
[Rift Energy Detected]
Event Probability: Unknown
Warning: High-Risk Deviation
I smiled faintly.
The world was pushing me.
The Hero was watching.
And something else… something ancient, was beginning to intervene.
This is where the real game starts.