Chapter 26 – "Shadows in the Archive"
Scene 1: The Headmaster's Summons
Ren is summoned to the headmaster's sanctum, an eerie chamber beneath the central spire of the academy. The headmaster, veiled in divine symbols and flanked by a Divine-Class weapon floating in stasis, questions Ren about the Codex Nullum's awakening.
"There are powers this world buried for a reason," the headmaster warns. "And you, Kamizuki, have unearthed one."
He reveals the Codex was once sealed by the gods and that factions within the academy may try to claim or destroy Ren. Ren is officially marked as a Nullborn, a status not seen since the fall of the last Void-Class wielder.
Scene 2: Rival House Conflict – Kael Strikes
On his way back, Ren is ambushed by Kael Veylor and his elite duelists in the shattered dueling courtyard. Kael, fueled by House pride and mysterious orders, challenges Ren to a mock duel—but quickly escalates it to lethal force.
Ren counters with a Forbidden-Class ability that momentarily overwhelms Kael's divine weapon. This triggers a magical alarm across the academy.
The sky flashes crimson. An ancient seal breaks.
Scene 3: Library of Forgotten Tomes – A Cursed Ally
With the academy in lockdown, Ren is drawn by the Codex's whispers to the sealed library wing. There, he meets Selvara Solmere, a student masked in silver and shadow.
She warns him about the Faction War, reveals that House Solmere once guarded Void-Class secrets, and gives him a cryptic key:
"This opens more than doors. It unlocks memories sealed by gods."
They share a quiet moment—two outcasts bound by secrets the world fears.