Chapter 11: Threads of Influence
The academy grounds were alive with whispers.
"Did you see Kieran Draemore today?"
"The Shadow Boy… he didn't even touch him, and Kieran fell."
"He's dangerous…"
Fear spread like wildfire.
Perfect.
Information spreads faster than fire.
[Fear Detected: 174 individuals]
+174 Sin Points
I walked calmly through the courtyard.
Rival factions eyed me warily.
Each whisper, glance, and hesitation was a thread.
I pulled gently.
The Crimson Fangs, humiliated by Kieran's defeat, began blaming each other.
The Sapphire Tide, another faction, started rumors of secret alliances between me and the Obsidian Veil.
Perfect chaos.
[Faction Manipulation: Partial Success]
+27 Sin Points
I did nothing more than walk among them, letting shadows amplify tension.
Later, in the hidden library, I practiced new Shadow Merge techniques.
Shadow illusions could now:
Distract multiple opponents at once
Create sensory interference
Temporarily hide traces of mana signatures
I smiled.
Each skill made me less predictable.
More dangerous.
[System Alert: Shadow Merge Level 4 Mastery Available]
A soft golden glow appeared across the library window.
Caelum Ardent.
He didn't step inside.
Not yet.
[Hero Monitoring: Level 2 Intervention Likely]
He was testing me. Measuring my strategy.
Good. Let him learn. Let him miscalculate.
Evening came.
The Obsidian Veil gathered.
"Your progress is impressive," Seraphine said, her voice echoing in the dim chamber.
"But there is more to the academy than rival factions."
She gestured to a wall etched with glowing runes.
"The hidden corridors, forbidden rituals, and shadow archives are only the start.
The world outside watches. The world correction responds.
And your actions… yesterday with Kieran… have already sent ripples."
I nodded.
"Then I will ensure the ripples flow my way."
Outside the academy, the sky shifted.
A faint rumble in the distance.
Rift energy, I could feel it.
Not near the academy yet.
But approaching.
[Event Probability: High]
The ancient entity stirred.
Its gaze was no longer passive.
Curious. Interested. Perhaps even amused.
[Narrative Instability: Critical Level 2]
Before returning to my dormitory, I noticed a figure lurking in the shadows.
A student from the Sapphire Tide, Rank B.
He bowed slightly.
"Lucien Vaelthorne… we may need to speak. Alone."
Interesting.
The factions were beginning to approach me, voluntarily.
Power attracts attention.
And now… I was ready to use it.