**One Month Before Academy Entrance (Twenty-Three Months Total Training)**
The Forgotten Catacombs lay beneath the capital's oldest district, a sprawling network of tunnels that predated the kingdom itself. According to official records, the catacombs had been sealed centuries ago after a plague swept through the underground, killing thousands. The entrance was guarded by Royal Knights, and unauthorized entry was punishable by death.
According to Anthonio's author knowledge, those official records were lies.
The catacombs weren't sealed because of plague. They were sealed because something dangerous resided in the deepest levels—an artifact of shadow essence so powerful it had driven previous owners mad. The Shadow Heart, a crystallized fragment of the Primordial Darkness, counterpart to Anthonio's Primordial Red Lightning.
In the original timeline, Kael would have discovered the catacombs during his third year at the Academy. The Eye of Destiny would have shown him visions of the artifact, and he would have mounted an official expedition with Academy support. He would have claimed the Shadow Heart, using it to enhance his Blade of the Void Divine Essence.
But Anthonio was going to claim it tonight, three years ahead of schedule, with no official sanction and no backup.
"This is insane," Selene said for the third time as they approached the sealed entrance. "Young master, the Royal Knights guarding this location are all Transcendence-level. Even if you defeat them, the commotion will alert the entire capital garrison."
"Then we don't defeat them. We bypass them entirely." Anthonio studied the entrance from their position on a nearby rooftop. Four guards stood watch, their spiritual senses sweeping the area in regular patterns. "The guards are watching for physical intrusion. They're not prepared for someone who can transform into pure lightning."
"The Lightning Step has limited range. You'd need to execute it perfectly, thread through their perception without triggering any alarms, and do it while maintaining enough power to face whatever's inside the catacombs."
"I've been practicing for exactly this scenario." Anthonio created a small lightning construct, watching it crackle between his fingers. "My control is precise enough now. And with the Blade of Eternal Frost as backup, I can handle most threats inside."
"Most threats. Not all threats."
"Life requires some risk." Anthonio dismissed the construct. "Wait here. If I'm not back in three hours, assume something went wrong and extract yourself. Don't attempt rescue—if I fail, you'll need to be free to continue operating."
"Young master—"
"That's an order, Selene." Anthonio's voice was firm but not unkind. "I need to know you'll survive if this goes badly. You're too valuable to lose."
Selene bowed, accepting the command despite obvious reluctance. "Three hours. Not a minute more."
Anthonio moved to the edge of the rooftop, observing the guards' pattern one final time. Their spiritual senses swept in overlapping arcs, creating windows of opportunity that lasted approximately two seconds each. Enough time for a Lightning Step if executed with perfect timing.
*Wait for it... wait for it...*
The moment came. Both guards' attention shifted simultaneously to investigate a noise from the opposite direction—probably a cat or drunk stumbling home. The window opened.
Anthonio transformed into lightning and shot forward, his consciousness fragmenting across electrons as he crossed the fifty-meter gap in less than a second. He passed through the sealed entrance—old iron gates that were closed but not locked by modern standards—and rematerialized inside the catacombs.
The transformation's aftermath left him momentarily disoriented. Dual perspective while in lightning form always took a moment to resolve back into singular awareness. But he recovered quickly, extending his spiritual sense to scan the immediate area.
Empty. The entrance chamber showed no signs of recent activity beyond the guards' occasional patrols. Dust covered everything, and the air tasted stale with centuries of disuse.
*Good. No complications yet.*
Anthonio moved deeper into the catacombs, following the mental map he had memorized. The tunnels formed a maze, but he knew the path—left at the first intersection, straight through the burial chamber, down the spiral stairs to the second level, right at the three-way junction.
He had written every turn, every detail, every trap.
The first trap activated at the burial chamber. Pressure plates hidden beneath centuries of dust, designed to trigger a cave-in that would seal the intruder inside. Anthonio sensed them through his electrical perception—the plates' mechanical triggers creating subtle distortions in the ambient electromagnetic field.
He executed a Lightning Step, phasing through the trapped area entirely. Behind him, the pressure plates remained undisturbed, the trap untriggered.
The second level was darker, the air colder. Ice formations covered the walls despite being underground—a sign that the Shadow Heart's power was affecting the environment even through its containment. Shadow essence was fundamentally opposed to light and heat, creating zones of absolute cold wherever it accumulated.
Anthonio descended to the third level, where the architecture changed. The rough-hewn tunnels gave way to carved stone passages, decorated with symbols that predated the kingdom. Ancient script covered the walls, warnings in a dead language.
He could read them perfectly—one of the benefits of being the author who had invented the language in the first place.
*"Beyond this point lies the Heart of Darkness. Those who seek its power must prove their worth through trial of shadow. The weak will be consumed. The proud will be broken. Only those who accept the darkness within may claim the darkness without."*
Typical mystical nonsense designed to discourage treasure seekers. But Anthonio knew the real trial—the Shadow Heart's consciousness would attempt to possess anyone who touched it, testing their mental fortitude. Those with weak wills would be consumed, their bodies becoming vessels for primordial darkness.
But Anthonio had claimed the Blade of Eternal Frost through sheer force of will. The Shadow Heart would be no different.
The fourth level opened into a massive chamber. At the center, elevated on a pedestal of black stone, floated the Shadow Heart—a sphere of crystallized darkness roughly the size of a human heart, pulsing with power that made the air itself seem to warp.
*There you are.*
Anthonio approached carefully, his spiritual sense extended to maximum range. The chamber appeared empty, but appearances could be deceiving. The original timeline had mentioned guardians—shadow constructs created by the artifact's leaking power, designed to protect it from unworthy claimants.
As if responding to his thoughts, the shadows in the corners of the chamber stirred. Figures emerged—humanoid shapes made from condensed darkness, their eyes glowing with malevolent intelligence.
*Eight guardians. All Transcendence 4-Star equivalent. This is going to be difficult.*
The guardians attacked simultaneously, moving with inhuman speed. Anthonio executed a Lightning Step, repositioning to the far side of the chamber. Crimson lightning crackled around his body as he drew the Blade of Eternal Frost from his storage ring.
The blade manifested in his hand, its divine ice essence modified by his primordial lightning. The weapon gleamed with both cold white and crimson red, a fusion of opposing elements that shouldn't be possible.
One guardian reached him first. Anthonio swung the blade, and eternal ice met primordial shadow. The guardian's form froze solid, then shattered as lightning coursed through it. One down.
But the other seven were already adapting, spreading out to attack from multiple angles. Shadow essence formed weapons—swords, spears, whips—all aimed at Anthonio simultaneously.
He created five Lightning Clones, the duplicates engaging different guardians while his main body focused on defense. The clones fought with borrowed skill, executing techniques Anthonio had practiced for months. Lightning Spears, electrical barriers, controlled detonations—a display of Manifestation-level combat elevated by primordial essence.
Two more guardians fell, their shadow forms dispersed by overwhelming electrical discharge. But the remaining five were learning, adapting their tactics. They began attacking the clones preferentially, recognizing them as the weaker targets.
*Smart. Too smart for simple constructs.*
Anthonio dismissed the clones and went on the offensive himself. He executed a series of Lightning Steps, appearing and disappearing across the chamber, each materialization accompanied by a strike from the Blade of Eternal Frost. Ice and lightning, working in concert, cutting through shadow essence with devastating efficiency.
The fourth guardian fell. Then the fifth.
The remaining three merged together, combining their essence into a single massive entity—a shadow giant that filled half the chamber, its presence oppressive enough to make breathing difficult.
*Interesting. They're sacrificing numbers for power. Final boss mechanics.*
The shadow giant attacked, its fist the size of a carriage crashing toward Anthonio. He didn't dodge. Instead, he channeled the Primordial Red Lightning through the Blade of Eternal Frost, creating a technique he had been developing for weeks.
**"Crimson Frost Strike!"**
The blade erupted with combined power—eternal ice wrapped in primordial lightning, a fusion of divine and primordial essence. When it met the shadow giant's fist, the resulting explosion of conflicting energies shook the entire chamber.
The shadow giant's arm froze solid, then shattered. Crimson lightning raced up its body, disrupting the shadow essence that formed its structure. The creature tried to regenerate, to reform its damaged limb, but the primordial power prevented reconsolidation.
Anthonio pressed his advantage, executing rapid Lightning Steps that positioned him all around the giant, striking from every angle. Ice and lightning, shadow dispersing under the onslaught, the final guardian falling piece by piece until nothing remained but dissipating darkness.
Silence returned to the chamber. Anthonio stood breathing hard, his power reserves depleted by approximately forty percent. The fight had been intense but manageable—his Transcendence 6-Star cultivation enhanced by divine artifact had proven sufficient.
*Now for the real challenge.*
He approached the Shadow Heart, feeling its power intensify with every step. The artifact was aware—he could sense its consciousness, vast and alien, watching him with predatory interest.
Anthonio reached out and touched the crystallized darkness.
Pain exploded through his mind. Not physical pain—mental, spiritual, the sensation of something foreign invading his consciousness. The Shadow Heart's accumulated will pressed against his own, testing, probing, seeking weakness.
*"Who dares claim the Primordial Darkness? Who dares touch what gods fear?"*
The voice resonated directly in his thoughts, ancient and terrible. Anthonio felt his consciousness being pulled into the artifact, his sense of self fragmenting as the Shadow Heart attempted to subsume him.
*This is the trial. The test of worthiness. I need to prove my will is stronger than its accumulated consciousness.*
But Anthonio had an advantage the Shadow Heart didn't expect. He wasn't just strong-willed—he was the author who had created this artifact, who had written its purpose and power, who knew every aspect of its nature.
*"I am Anthonio Crimsonhart,"* he projected back at the consciousness. *"And you will serve me."*
*"Arrogance. You are nothing. A fragment of flesh pretending to matter. The Primordial Darkness predates your species, your kingdom, your gods. What makes you think—"*
*"I know what you are. I know your origin. You're a fragment of the Void Dragon's heart, crystallized when it fell in battle against the Scarlet Dragon three millennia ago. You're powerful, ancient, terrifying. But you're also incomplete. A fragment seeking wholeness."*
The Shadow Heart's consciousness recoiled, shocked that this mortal knew secrets that should be impossible to access.
*"How... how do you know this?"*
*"Because I possess your counterpart. The Primordial Red Lightning, essence of the Scarlet Dragon that defeated you. Fire and shadow, lightning and darkness—we're complementary forces. Which means you need me as much as I need you."*
Anthonio reached deeper into his cultivation base, letting the Primordial Red Lightning surge forward to meet the Shadow Heart's consciousness. Crimson electricity met primordial darkness, and instead of conflicting, they recognized each other.
*Yin and Yang. Light and Dark. Opposing forces that complete each other.*
The Shadow Heart's resistance faltered. It had been incomplete for three thousand years, a fragment of power without purpose. Now it encountered someone who carried its complement, who could provide the balance it had been seeking.
*"You wish to claim me?"* the consciousness asked, its tone shifting from hostile to curious.
*"I wish for us to reach an understanding. You grant me your power. I provide you purpose and completion. Together, we become something neither of us could achieve alone."*
*"And if I refuse?"*
*"Then I leave you here to rot for another three millennia. Or I destroy you with the Primordial Red Lightning, ending your existence permanently."* Anthonio's mental voice carried absolute confidence. *"But we both know you don't want that. You're tired of waiting. Tired of being incomplete. Tired of existing without purpose."*
The Shadow Heart was silent for a long moment. Then:
*"Very well, mortal. I accept your proposal. But know this—if you prove unworthy, if your will falters, I will consume you and take your body as my vessel. This is not a gift. This is a partnership with consequences."*
*"Understood. I wouldn't want it any other way."*
The pain intensified for one final moment as the Shadow Heart fully integrated with Anthonio's cultivation base. Primordial darkness flooded through his essence veins, mixing with the Primordial Red Lightning that already resided there.
For a terrifying instant, Anthonio thought the opposing forces would tear him apart. Fire and shadow, lightning and darkness—they should annihilate each other, should be fundamentally incompatible.
But something unexpected happened.
The two primordial essences didn't conflict. They spiraled around each other, creating a balance, a harmony of opposites. Where before Anthonio had possessed only lightning, now he had both—crimson electricity intertwined with absolute darkness.
His cultivation base exploded with power, the strain of containing dual primordial essences forcing an immediate breakthrough.
**Transcendence 7-Star.**
Anthonio collapsed to his knees, gasping as his body adapted to the transformation. He could feel both essences flowing through him now—lightning that burned with destructive heat, shadow that froze with absolute cold. Yin and Yang in perfect balance.
*This changes everything.*
He had gained not just one primordial essence but two. The Primordial Red Lightning and the Primordial Darkness, complementary forces that amplified each other when used in concert. His combat capabilities had just multiplied exponentially.
Anthonio stood slowly, testing his new power. He raised his right hand, and crimson lightning crackled to life. He raised his left hand, and absolute darkness coalesced around it.
Then he brought his hands together, and the two essences merged—a sphere of crackling shadow-lightning that pulsed with reality-warping power.
*This is what I was meant to become. Not just a lightning cultivator. Something more. Something that transcends normal cultivation entirely.*
He dismissed the merged essence and checked his internal state. The Shadow Heart had fully integrated, its consciousness now residing alongside his own—not controlling him, but advising, providing knowledge accumulated over three millennia.
*"You are stronger than I expected,"* the Shadow Heart's voice echoed in his thoughts. *"This partnership may actually work."*
*"It will work because we both benefit. Now, shall we leave before the Royal Knights realize someone broke into their sealed catacombs?"*
*"A sensible plan. Though I am curious—how do you intend to explain suddenly possessing shadow essence when you're known as a lightning cultivator?"*
*"I don't. I'll continue displaying only lightning to the outside world. The shadow essence remains our secret weapon."*
*"Deceptive. I approve."*
Anthonio made his way back through the catacombs, retracing his path with the Shadow Heart's guidance making navigation even easier. The artifact's consciousness could sense the tunnels' layout, could detect traps and hazards that even his electrical perception might miss.
He reached the entrance and paused, extending his spiritual sense. The four guards remained at their posts, unaware that anyone had breached their security. Perfect.
Anthonio waited for the next window in their perception pattern, then executed a Lightning Step back to the rooftop where Selene waited.
She materialized from shadows immediately, her eyes widening when she sensed his transformed cultivation.
"Young master... your power signature has changed. You're Transcendence 7-Star now? And there's something else, something I can't quite identify—"
"Mission successful." Anthonio smiled, letting a trace of shadow essence leak through his control. Selene's eyes went even wider when she recognized what she was seeing.
"Primordial Darkness. You claimed the Shadow Heart." Her voice carried awe and concern in equal measure. "Young master, possessing two primordial essences... that's unprecedented. The strain on your body, the risk of essence conflict—"
"Is manageable. The two essences are complementary, not conflicting. Yin and Yang." Anthonio created a small sphere of merged shadow-lightning. "Together, they're more powerful than either could be alone."
"You're becoming something beyond normal cultivation categories. Something that shouldn't exist according to traditional theory."
"Good. Normal categories are for normal cultivators." Anthonio dismissed the sphere and started moving across the rooftops, away from the catacombs. "Let's return to the Pavilion. I need to stabilize this advancement before Academy entrance in one month."
They traveled back to the mountains in silence, Anthonio processing the implications of his transformation. He now possessed:
- **Primordial Red Lightning** (Offensive, destructive, overwhelming power)
- **Primordial Darkness** (Defensive, concealing, reality-warping)
- **Blade of Eternal Frost** (Divine artifact, ice/lightning fusion)
- **Ring of Crimson Shadows** (Cultivation suppression, unlimited storage)
Combined with his Transcendence 7-Star cultivation and author's knowledge of future events, he had become something that no one in this world was prepared to face. Not the Royal Knights. Not the Academy instructors. Not even Kael Stormborn with his three Divine Essences.
*In the original timeline, Kael would have claimed both the Blade of Eternal Frost and the Shadow Heart during his Academy years. Those artifacts, combined with his Divine Essences, would have made him unstoppable.*
*Now I have both. And he has nothing but the power he was born with.*
*The gap between protagonist and author continues to widen.*
---
**One Week Before Academy Entrance**
Anthonio stood before the full-length mirror in his room, examining his reflection. He looked the same as always—seventeen years old, lean build, crimson eyes that glowed faintly when his power activated. But appearances were deceiving.
Beneath the surface, he was a monster. Transcendence 7-Star cultivation, two primordial essences, divine artifact, centuries of accumulated knowledge from the Shadow Heart's consciousness.
But to the world, he would appear as Manifestation 9-Star. Strong for his age, impressive given his background, but not exceptional. Not threatening.
Perfect.
The final letter from Seraphina had arrived that morning:
---
*Anthonio,*
*One week until we both arrive at the Academy. I'm nervous, excited, terrified—every emotion simultaneously. Father has been lecturing me constantly about maintaining family honor, forming appropriate connections, avoiding "unsuitable influences."*
*By "unsuitable influences," he means you. He somehow discovered our correspondence and was not pleased. Said I was wasting time on someone beneath my station. I told him you were the most interesting person I'd met in years and that he could disapprove all he wanted.*
*We argued. Badly. He threatened to forbid me from continuing our friendship. I threatened to refuse the Nightshade family engagement to Kael Stormborn entirely if he interfered with my personal relationships. He backed down, but barely.*
*I need to see you when we arrive. There's so much I need to say, so many things I can't write in letters. Meet me at the Academy gardens on the first evening? There's a fountain near the eastern wall that's supposedly beautiful at sunset.*
*One week. Then everything changes.*
*- S.*
---
Anthonio folded the letter carefully and stored it in his ring. Seraphina was making her position clear—she was choosing him over her father's wishes, over political advantage, over the "suitable" match with Kael Stormborn.
*Eight months of correspondence. Eight months of building connection, establishing trust, creating rapport. All leading to this moment.*
"Young master," Selene entered without knocking—a privilege she'd earned over two years of service. "The arrangements are complete. We depart for the Academy tomorrow morning."
"Everything prepared?"
"Your official identity is established—Anthonio Crimsonhart, exiled fifth son, Manifestation 9-Star cultivation achieved through mysterious resources found during exile. Your enrollment was approved based on cultivation level and family name."
"And my actual capabilities?"
"Hidden perfectly. The Ring of Crimson Shadows will suppress your true cultivation to display as Manifestation 9-Star. The Blade of Eternal Frost and Shadow Heart will remain concealed. As far as anyone knows, you're a moderately talented lightning cultivator who got lucky."
"What about intelligence on other students?"
"Comprehensive reports compiled." Selene handed him a thick folder. "Kael Stormborn will be attending, obviously—Manifestation 3-Star now, advancing rapidly with his Divine Essences. Lady Seraphina Nightshade, Transcendence 3-Star, will be among the strongest first-year students. Beyond them, there are approximately two hundred admitted students, ranging from Consolidation 7-Star to Transcendence 2-Star."
Anthonio flipped through the reports, memorizing faces and cultivation levels. Most of the names were familiar from his original novel—characters he had created for various plot purposes. Some were allies in the original timeline, others enemies, most just background characters to fill out the Academy scenes.
Now they were real people with real lives, completely unaware they existed in a story someone had written.
"There's one more thing," Selene said carefully. "A name that wasn't in any of my preliminary research but appeared in the final enrollment list."
"Who?"
"Lyra Shadowmere. Shadow Class cultivator, Transcendence 2-Star. Young master... Shadowmere is my family name. This girl might be related to me."
Anthonio looked up sharply. He didn't remember writing a character named Lyra Shadowmere into his novel. Which meant either she was so minor he had forgotten her, or she was a butterfly effect—something his presence had changed.
"Investigate her. Carefully. If she's related to you, we need to know whether she's an asset or a complication."
"Understood."
Anthonio closed the folder and moved to the window. Outside, the sun was setting over the Crimson Mountains, painting the peaks in shades of gold and crimson. Twenty-three months ago, he had stood in these same mountains as worthless F-Rank trash, exiled by his family, seemingly without future.
Now he was Transcendence 7-Star with dual primordial essences and a divine artifact. Now he had claimed two of the protagonist's destined treasures and stolen his first love interest. Now he was ready to enter the Royal Academy as a hidden monster disguised as mediocre talent.
*Tomorrow, everything changes. Tomorrow, I walk into the Academy as Anthonio Crimsonhart, barely adequate Manifestation cultivator.*
*And when the time is right, when everyone has underestimated me completely...*
Crimson lightning and absolute darkness swirled around his hands, merging into shadow-lightning that crackled with reality-warping power.
*I'll reveal what the exiled trash has become. And this entire kingdom will realize that the villain was always more dangerous than the hero.*
*Welcome to the rewritten story, Kael Stormborn.*
*Your nightmare is about to begin.*
---
**END OF CHAPTER 12**