Silence.
Heavy.
Unnatural.
The kind that followed something no one was supposed to see.
Kael stood at the center of the ruined training ground, his chest rising and falling slowly as the last traces of dark energy faded from his body.
The monster was gone.
Completely.
Not even a body remained—just fragments of fading energy dissolving into the air.
"…He killed it," someone whispered.
"No… he erased it…"
The words spread like wildfire.
Students stared at him as if he wasn't human anymore.
Instructors stood frozen, their expressions no longer calm or controlled—but shaken.
Even the strongest among them had expected a prolonged fight.
Not… this.
Kael lowered his hand slowly.
His fingers trembled slightly.
Not from fear.
From something else.
That feeling again.
The Abyss Core pulsed deep within him.
Hungry.
Satisfied.
And yet…
Still wanting more.
"…So that's what happens," he murmured under his breath.
When he takes too much power.
For a moment—
His vision flickered.
Darkness crept at the edges.
A faint whisper echoed in his mind.
More…
Kael's eyes snapped open.
"…Not now."
He clenched his fist tightly, forcing the energy down.
Suppressing it.
Controlling it.
But it didn't disappear.
It never did.
"KAEL VARYN."
The voice cut through the silence like a blade.
Sharp.
Authoritative.
Kael turned.
An instructor stood before him—tall, imposing, with a presence that made even the air feel heavier.
This wasn't one of the regular trainers.
This was someone stronger.
Much stronger.
"Follow me."
No explanation.
No praise.
Just an order.
Kael stared for a second… then nodded.
"…Alright."
Behind him, whispers exploded again.
"They're calling him already?!"
"That's a senior instructor…"
"He's definitely getting re-evaluated!"
Drex watched from a distance, his jaw clenched tightly.
"…Tch."
Flames flickered violently around his hand.
"…I'm not falling behind."
Luna, on the other hand, watched quietly.
"…Kael…" she whispered.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"That power…"
"It's not just dangerous."
"…It's changing him."
Inside the Inner Hall
The academy's inner hall was nothing like the training grounds.
Clean.
Silent.
Powerful.
The moment Kael stepped inside, he felt it—pressure.
Not physical.
But something deeper.
Like every person in this place was on a completely different level.
The instructor stopped walking.
"Stand there."
Kael obeyed.
Moments later—
Another figure appeared.
Older.
Calm.
But his presence…
Was overwhelming.
Kael's instincts screamed.
Danger.
"…So you're the one," the man said.
His eyes scanned Kael carefully.
Not impressed.
Not surprised.
Analyzing.
"…That power you used."
"It's not registered."
Kael stayed silent.
"…Explain."
Kael frowned slightly.
"I don't fully understand it myself," he said honestly.
The man's gaze sharpened.
"…Yet you used it to eliminate a breach-level creature."
Silence.
Then—
A faint smile.
Not friendly.
Not warm.
"…Interesting."
He turned slightly.
"To think something like this would appear now…"
Kael caught that.
"…What do you mean?"
The man looked back at him.
For a moment—
Something cold flashed in his eyes.
"…Nothing you need to worry about."
A lie.
Kael could feel it.
"Your Rank."
The instructor from before spoke.
"It will not change."
Kael blinked.
"…What?"
"You will remain F-Rank."
Silence.
Even Kael was surprised.
"…After what I just did?"
"Yes."
The older man stepped forward.
"Your power is unstable."
"Unpredictable."
"And potentially dangerous to the academy."
Kael's eyes darkened slightly.
"…So you're holding me back."
"No," the man replied calmly.
"We're observing you."
That was worse.
Much worse.
Kael understood immediately.
He wasn't being ignored.
He was being watched.
"From this point forward…"
The instructor continued:
"You are not allowed to participate in group missions."
"You will train separately."
"And…"
A pause.
"…You will be monitored."
The air grew heavier.
Kael felt it clearly now.
They didn't trust him.
Not his power.
Not him.
"…Fine," he said.
But inside—
Something shifted.
If they wanted to watch him…
Then he would give them something worth watching.
Later That Night
Kael stood alone.
Far from the academy buildings.
Far from everyone.
The night was quiet.
But not peaceful.
He raised his hand slowly.
Dark energy appeared again.
Stronger than before.
More controlled.
More alive.
"…You reacted to that monster," he said quietly.
The energy pulsed.
As if responding.
"…Why?"
No answer.
But the feeling was there.
That connection.
That hunger.
Kael closed his eyes.
"…Then let's test it."
He focused.
Pulled.
Drew out more power than before.
The energy surged—
Then—
For a split second—
It changed.
Not just dark.
Deeper.
Colder.
Something else mixed within it.
Kael's eyes snapped open.
"…What was that?"
Before he could react—
The ground beneath him cracked.
A ripple of energy spread outward.
Unnatural.
Wrong.
Far away—
Deep beneath the academy—
Something stirred.
A presence.
Ancient.
Watching.
"So… it's finally begun."
A voice echoed in the darkness.
Low.
Amused.
Hungry.
Back Outside
Kael stood frozen.
His heart beating faster.
"…What… did I just trigger?"
The energy in his hand slowly faded.
But the feeling remained.
He wasn't just getting stronger.
He was waking something up.
And whatever it was—
It wasn't human.