Word Spreads Like Wildfire
The Dorm E team was never meant to return from that dungeon.
But they did.
Alive.
Victorious.
And rumors swept through the Royal Academy like a storm:
"The powerless prince… defeated level 15 dungeon monsters alone!"
"He touched a relic… and it didn't reject him."
"Was that divine energy I felt on the battlefield…?"
In just one week, Kael's name became a whisper of fear and curiosity.
And envy.
A New Threat Emerges
At the academy's dueling grounds, Kael stood under the noon sun, surrounded by sneering nobles and spectators.
He didn't want attention.
But attention had found him.
Especially in the form of Lord Veyron Dargan, the arrogant son of a Grand Mage Duke — and the top student in the Advanced Division.
"You embarrassed our nobility by stealing the spotlight," Veyron sneered, arms crossed.
"I challenge you, Kael Arclight. Duel me now."
Zara cracked her knuckles.
"Want me to break his jaw?"
Kael raised a hand. Calm. Focused.
"Let him come."
Duel of the Ashen Prince
The bell rang.
Veyron unleashed a high-tier wind spell — a slicing tempest meant to tear armor apart.
Kael didn't move.
He whispered.
And the wind died.
The crowd gasped.
Then Kael stepped forward, slowly.
"Is that all the future of nobility has to offer?"
His eyes gleamed black-gold again.
He raised his hand…
And a wall of invisible pressure slammed into Veyron, pinning him to the ground.
Not a spell.
Not a curse.
Just pure will.
The crowd stood in stunned silence as Kael walked away — not in victory, but in complete control.
A New Companion Appears
Watching from the rooftops was a girl cloaked in feathers and mystery.
Silver hair. Eyes like frost.
She descended like a shadow after the crowd cleared.
"That pressure…" she whispered. "You're not just a prince."
Kael looked at her.
He recognized the aura.
She didn't belong in the mortal world.
"You're not human," he said calmly.
She smirked.
"Neither are you."
Her name was Iris Nightveil — half-fallen angel, half-mortal assassin. She had been spying on Kael since the dungeon.
And now… she offered him a deal.
"Help me uncover the sealed relics hidden in this realm, and I'll help you regain your godhood."
Zara didn't trust her.
Lyra immediately picked a fight with her.
Aeris stared daggers into Iris's soul.
Selene? She simply smiled knowingly.
"The harem grows," she muttered.
Kael just sighed.
The Headmaster Moves
Far above the dueling grounds, the Headmaster stood behind an obsidian window.
An ancient man cloaked in moonlight and silence.
He turned to a robed figure beside him.
"He's awakened the first ember. It's faster than expected."
"Should we inform the Celestial Order?" the figure asked.
The Headmaster narrowed his glowing eyes.
"No. Let the gods keep sleeping."
"But if he remembers who he is—"
"Then this world will burn again."