Location: Royal Academy – Grand Colosseum
The morning sun blazed overhead, bathing the Royal Academy's colossal arena in golden light.
Tens of thousands of students, nobles, and visiting dignitaries packed the stands, their cheers shaking the very ground.
Banners fluttered in the wind, each representing one of the powerful factions within the Academy.
At the center of it all, standing in the arena with quiet intensity, was Kael Solaris.
Gone was the scorn, the mocking laughter that once followed him.
Today, there was only awe.Today, there was only fear.
The "Failure Prince" had shattered expectations, defeating genius after genius, noble after noble, all without revealing even a fraction of his true strength.
Now, the final battle loomed.
The Final Opponent: Damian Vaelcrest
Across the arena stood his final opponent: Damian Vaelcrest.
Son of a Grand Duke.
Ranked number one in the Academy for three consecutive years.
A prodigy blessed by an ancient spirit.
Damian wore ornate black and crimson armor, his silver hair fluttering and his icy blue eyes burning with murderous intent.
The ground beneath him cracked as he summoned his weapon — a dark halberd wreathed in cursed flames.
"You should have stayed in the shadows, prince," Damian sneered."Today, your little fairytale ends."
Kael's gaze remained steady.
"Talk less," Kael replied coldly, "fight more."
The referee, sweating profusely from the tension, raised a trembling hand.
"B-Begin!"
The Battle Explodes
Damian struck first — a roar of cursed flames erupting from his halberd, turning the ground black and molten.
Kael moved like a phantom, dodging effortlessly, each step deliberate and precise.
The crowd gasped as Kael weaved through deadly attacks as if he were taking a stroll.
Damian grew more furious, his attacks more violent.
"DIE, YOU WORTHLESS PRINCE!"
He unleashed a hidden technique — Dark Sun Nova — an apocalyptic blast meant to erase everything within the arena.
The crowd screamed, shields erected to protect the audience.
The Academy elders leaned forward, alarmed.
But Kael simply lifted a hand.
A soft ripple of golden light radiated from him — ancient, divine.
The dark energy cracked, shattered… and was consumed.
Silence fell.
Damian's Secret Revealed
Damian staggered back, eyes wide.
"No... it can't be. You… you're not human."
For a brief moment, Damian's own body cracked — revealing the truth:
He was no ordinary prodigy.
He had made a pact with a fallen god, sacrificing part of his soul for unimaginable power.
Kael's gaze hardened.
"Another puppet of the fallen ones," he muttered.
The truth sent shockwaves through the stands.
Nobles whispered in horror.
Teachers exchanged grim looks.
Even the Academy Headmaster narrowed his eyes.
The fallen gods — enemies of the ancient order — had planted seeds even within the Academy!
And Kael had just exposed one.
The Finishing Move
Damian roared in fury and despair, launching himself at Kael in a final suicidal charge.
Kael closed his eyes for a moment — and when he opened them, golden glyphs danced in his pupils.
He thrust out a single finger.
"Begone."
A golden wave of force struck Damian, obliterating the fallen god's corruption and sending him flying across the arena.
He crashed into the walls — unconscious, defeated, broken.
The crowd was silent for a heartbeat… then erupted into deafening cheers.
KAEL! KAEL! KAEL!
The failure prince had become a legend.
In the Shadows: Aria Watches
From a hidden balcony, Aria Nightshade watched, arms crossed, a small smirk tugging at her lips.
"So that's your real power, Kael…" she murmured."How much longer until you remember everything?"
Beside her, Zara, Mira, Velcia, Selene, and Evelyne stood proudly, their hearts swelling with pride—and something deeper.
They had chosen well.
Their prince wasn't just powerful.He was the hope of a new era.