The whistle cut through the air like a blade.
In an instant, both brothers moved.
Lee Hyun shot forward first — his blade shimmering with bright crimson mana. The ground beneath his feet cracked from the force of his leap.
Shin parried the first strike, sparks flaring as steel met steel. The impact rattled through his arms, but his stance held firm.
The next swing came faster, sharper — Hyun's swordsmanship was polished, refined through years of elite training.
Shin, however, didn't fight by textbook. His movements were instinctive, forged from real battles, the kind that decided life or death.
The crowd gasped as the clash intensified. Mana ripples surged across the arena floor, distorting the air with heat.
"Stop holding back, Shin!" Hyun roared. "Show me why everyone suddenly praises you!"
Shin's eyes were calm, unreadable. "If you insist."
He pivoted, mana flooding his limbs. In a blur, he closed the distance, his blade sliding past Hyun's guard and striking the younger's shoulder guard with a loud crack. Hyun stumbled back, shock flashing in his eyes.
"That speed—!"
Before he could recover, Shin's next strike followed, precise and merciless. Hyun barely managed to block, his barrier cracking under the pressure.
From the stands, Nonna's hands clenched tightly around the railing. Her breath hitched every time Shin moved — his sword traced arcs of light, beautiful yet deadly.
"Mother's technique…" she whispered. "He's using her old form."
Beside her, Instructor Rho murmured, "He's not just fighting — he's remembering."
Below, Hyun's composure started to break.
"How… how are you doing this? You're a Class D reject!" he spat, aura flaring red. "You don't deserve to be here!"
Shin didn't respond. He sidestepped a thrust and countered with a downward slash. Hyun blocked, but the force drove him to his knees.
Every eye in the arena was on them now — two sons of the same house, divided by blood and pride.
Hyun gritted his teeth. "I'll show you the power of a true heir!"
He thrust his sword into the ground, summoning a massive mana circle. Flames erupted around him, forming a crimson wolf — a high-tier fire spirit.
The temperature spiked instantly. Even the spectators shielded their faces.
Shin exhaled slowly, sweat dripping down his temple.
"So that's your trump card…"
The wolf lunged — a roaring inferno of teeth and flame. Shin raised his sword, bracing for impact.
The flames swallowed him whole.
For a heartbeat, the world went silent.
Then — light.
A surge of golden energy burst from the inferno, shattering Hyun's spirit construct like glass. The flames dissipated, revealing Shin standing unscathed — the ring on his finger blazing with radiant light.
The symbol etched on it glowed — ancient runes pulsing with divine resonance.
Gasps rippled through the audience.
"What… is that?"
"Is that holy mana?"
"That's impossible—he's Class D!"
Hyun stumbled back, his face pale. "What are you…?"
Shin's eyes burned like molten gold. The mana around him was no longer just human — it carried the weight of something otherworldly.
When he spoke, his voice was low but unwavering.
"You wanted power, Hyun? Then watch closely."
He moved — impossibly fast, leaving a streak of light in his wake. Hyun barely raised his weapon before Shin's blade hit his guard, sending him skidding backward across the arena floor.
The shockwave shook the stadium.
Hyun gasped, coughing as he forced himself up. His armor cracked, his mana reserves dwindling. "No… I won't lose to a mistake like you!"
He charged again — reckless, desperate.
Shin stepped forward once, twisted his wrist, and disarmed him in a single motion. Hyun's sword clattered to the ground.
The tip of Shin's blade hovered at his throat.
Silence fell.
For several long seconds, no one moved.
Then Shin lowered his sword. "You're strong, Hyun. But strength isn't about birthright."
Hyun glared up, chest heaving. "You think you've won?"
Shin turned, voice calm. "No. I've proven that I belong here."
The referee raised his hand.
"Winner — Lee Shin of Class D!"
The arena erupted into deafening cheers.
Class D students cried, shouting his name, while the instructors exchanged stunned looks. Even the elite from Class A seemed shaken — they'd witnessed something beyond academy standards.
High above, Nonna's eyes shimmered with tears.
"That's our mother's child," she whispered. "He's finally standing tall."
But in the corner of the VIP gallery, the head of the Lee family, their father, watched with a cold, unreadable gaze.
Beside him, a guild master murmured, "That boy's power… it's not normal. Did you teach him that?"
Lee Soo-Ho didn't answer. His fingers tightened on the armrest. "No. That… isn't something I gave him."
After the match, Shin sat in the quiet locker room, his uniform still faintly steaming from mana discharge. The ring's glow had dimmed, returning to its usual soft pulse.
He stared at it for a long moment.
"What are you?" he whispered.
The air shimmered. A faint voice — neither male nor female — echoed in his mind.
A fragment of what was lost… and what must rise again.
Then it vanished, leaving him in silence.
He exhaled, leaning back against the bench.
For the first time since coming to the academy, he felt something more than survival — he felt purpose.
A knock echoed.
"Come in," he said.
The door opened, revealing Arin, the crimson-eyed girl from Class A. She stepped inside, her gaze sharp but curious.
"You were incredible," she said softly. "That power you used… it's ancient. Older than anything taught here."
Shin met her eyes. "You noticed."
She nodded. "I've seen records of that light. It belonged to the Guardians of the First Era."
Shin frowned. "Guardians?"
Arin's expression softened. "Maybe we can talk about it later. Just know this — you've drawn attention now, from people you don't want watching you."
She turned to leave, but paused at the doorway. "Be careful, Lee Shin. The higher you rise… the more the world will want to pull you down."
When she left, Shin sat alone again, the hum of the arena fading into silence.
He looked down at his hands — the same hands once weak and trembling.
Now, they burned with light.
He smiled faintly.
Let them come. I'm not the same boy anymore.
Outside, rain began to fall again — gentle, cleansing, like the world itself recognizing his awakening.
And far away, in a sealed chamber beneath the academy, an ancient statue flickered with the same golden light as Shin's ring.
Something was awakening.