---
Chapter 49: Blades of Rivalry
The teleportation light faded.
Ray stumbled slightly as he arrived back at the Academy's main arena, his breath ragged.
Around him, the survivors of all zones — around 1000 students out of the original 10,000 — gathered in a wide, silver-floored hall under the open sky.
Massive floating crystals displayed rankings and live footage.
Ray wiped the blood from his cheek, his frost wolves returning to his domain for recovery.
A system notification blinked in front of him:
> [Achievement: Lone Wolf]
Bonus 100 Academy Points
Reputation Increased: [Academy Instructors: +15 Favorability]
Ray blinked.
> "Points?"
"You can exchange them later," Seventeen explained. "Skills. Equipment. Artifacts. Even property."
Ray's heart thumped faster.
A new world of possibilities opened up.
But he shoved the excitement down.
First... survive.
Then... grow.
---
Announcer's Voice (Magic Amplified):
> "Congratulations, survivors! But your journey is just beginning.
The next challenge... will be a true battle of strength and soul!"
The silver floor beneath them rumbled.
Gigantic metallic walls rose from the ground, forming a labyrinth — hundreds of narrow battle arenas, each about 50 meters wide.
The crystal screens shifted again:
> [Round 2: Duels of Destiny]
[One-on-One Combat. Winner Advances. Loser Eliminated.]
[No Surrender Accepted.]
Ray's eyes sharpened.
This was different.
This was warrior versus warrior.
Not survival.
Not luck.
---
A voice called out names.
"Elinora Brightstar vs Drake Morin!"
"Silas Coldridge vs Mayla Stonehand!"
"Ray Darkthorn vs... Caius Emberlane!"
Ray frowned slightly.
The name felt... familiar.
He looked across the crowd — and locked eyes with a tall boy in crimson armor.
Caius.
Golden hair.
Scar over one cheek.
A blood-red spear slung casually over his shoulder.
Caius smirked.
"So you're the rat everyone's whispering about," he said, voice carrying easily through the buzz.
Ray said nothing.
But the frost in his gaze made a few nearby students shiver.
> "Be careful," Seventeen warned.
"Caius is from the Emberlane Family. Minor nobles, but their bloodline grants natural fire affinity. Dangerous against your frost creatures."
Ray cracked his neck.
Dangerous?
Good.
More experience.
More growth.
---
Inside the Dueling Arena
The walls of silver metal rose around them, sealing off the world.
Referee mages floated above, ready to intervene if fatal blows were struck.
Ray stood silently, arms loose at his sides.
Caius twirled his spear with a lazy grin.
"Summon whatever beasts you want," Caius said, voice full of arrogance. "It won't matter. I'll roast them... and you."
Ray's lips curled into a half-smile.
Finally...
Someone who didn't underestimate him because of his background.
---
> [Duel Start!]
Caius attacked instantly.
A spear strike wrapped in crimson fire streaked toward Ray like a falling star.
Ray sidestepped — barely.
The ground where he had stood exploded, leaving a smoking crater.
He summoned a frost wolf and ordered it forward.
Caius sneered.
"Fire Lance."
With a thrust, a spear-shaped flame pierced the wolf, causing it to burst into icy fragments.
Ray narrowed his eyes.
This wasn't a casual opponent.
Caius was trained.
---
> "Then let's test your limits."
Ray's fingers moved.
Two more wolves appeared, flanking Caius.
The crimson spear danced — fluid, deadly.
Each wolf froze mid-attack, flames searing their fur, forcing them back.
Ray lunged in personally, using Bone Spear.
Spear clashed with bone.
The shockwave cracked the ground.
Caius clicked his tongue.
"Not bad for a street rat," he said.
"But this is where you fall."
He whirled the spear above his head, gathering flames into a spiraling vortex.
> "Sunburst Spear!"
A mini-sun roared into existence, hurling itself at Ray.
Even outside the arena, students shielded their faces from the heat.
Ray's mind raced.
He couldn't block it.
He couldn't dodge in time.
But he could absorb.
"Seventeen!" he roared in his mind.
> "Use emergency domain anchor!"
"Just once!" Seventeen snapped. "Costs 500 energy!"
"DO IT!"
---
The world shimmered.
For just a heartbeat, Ray's hidden domain overlapped reality.
A surge of frost energy shot into Ray's body.
He punched forward.
A wall of glacial ice, thick as a fortress gate, rose between him and the sunburst.
BOOOOM!
The explosion rocked the arena.
Dust and smoke billowed everywhere.
When it cleared...
Caius was panting, spear lowered.
Ray stood.
Bruised.
Burned.
But standing.
And smiling.
---
"You," Ray said, voice low, "are strong."
Caius blinked, startled.
"But not enough."
Ray charged.
No frost wolves.
No summons.
Just pure speed and will.
Bone Spear in hand, he ducked under the exhausted Caius' next strike —
And slammed the butt of his weapon into Caius' gut.
Caius coughed blood.
Ray spun, cracked him across the jaw —
And with a final thrust, pinned Caius' spear arm to the arena floor.
> [Winner: Ray Darkthorn!]
The referee mage floated down, sealing the duel.
Caius lay on the ground, gasping.
Ray offered him a hand.
Caius hesitated...
Then took it.
The crowd watching the duels erupted.
A new name echoed through the Academy.
"Ray Darkthorn! Ray Darkthorn!"
---
Later
Seventeen's voice was smug.
> "You made enemies today."
"But you also made history."
Ray touched his burning chest.
The fire of battle still lingered.
Good.
He would forge himself through it.
Through blood.
Through hardship.
Through glory.
---
To be continued in Chapter 50: The Seeds of Alliance
---
Chapter 50: Seeds of Alliance
The night sky stretched endlessly above the Academy, stars shimmering like silent witnesses.
Ray sat alone at the edge of the courtyard fountain, exhausted but victorious.
His uniform was torn. His knuckles were scraped. But his spirit blazed brighter than ever.
He had won.
He had survived.
And the world had noticed.
---
System Notification:
> [Current Points: 620]
[Rank: Top 200 out of 1000]
[Bonus: Minor Reputation Increase with Academy Staff.]
Seventeen chuckled softly in his mind.
> "You're not invisible anymore, Ray. Eyes are turning your way."
Ray exhaled slowly.
He could feel it too — the sharp glances, the evaluating stares.
Allies.
Enemies.
Opportunities.
This was only the beginning.
---
Footsteps approached.
Ray opened one eye.
A tall girl stood before him — silver hair tied back in a military knot, wearing a crimson cloak over her Academy uniform.
Her eyes, sharp and pale blue, studied him carefully.
"You fought Caius Emberlane and won," she said simply.
Ray shrugged.
"He fought well," he replied.
The girl smiled faintly.
> "I'm Lyra Wrenfall," she said. "Top 10 ranking. First Year Division."
Ray raised an eyebrow slightly.
He'd heard of her —
One of the prodigies from the Central Continent.
Bloodline: Wind Manipulation.
Deadly fast.
Deadly precise.
She sat down next to him casually, tossing him a flask of water.
"You'll need allies," Lyra said. "Sooner than you think."
Ray unscrewed the cap, drank deeply, and wiped his mouth.
"...Maybe."
Lyra leaned forward, voice low.
> "A storm is coming.
Trials, competitions — they're not just games.
They're recruitment grounds."
Ray frowned.
"Recruitment?"
Lyra nodded.
> "Government forces.
Mercenary Guilds.
Even royal families.
They scout here.
They mark potential future commanders... or threats."
Ray's hand tightened around the flask.
The Academy wasn't just about training.
It was about survival.
Politics. Power. Fate.
---
Before he could respond, another voice cut in.
"You forgot to mention the underground," said a boy leaning against a pillar nearby.
Short black hair. Calm brown eyes.
Loose Academy robe. A quiet smirk.
> "Name's Evan Cross," he said lazily.
"Healing Magic major. But don't let that fool you."
Ray blinked.
Healing?
But Evan's aura was sharp — like a hidden blade.
Seventeen chuckled again.
> "That one's dangerous. Plays harmless... but bleeds ambition."
Evan stretched.
"You're strong, Darkthorn. I'm gathering a team for the upcoming Exploration Missions. If you're interested..."
He tossed Ray a silver badge with a serpent symbol.
"Find me before sunset tomorrow."
Without waiting for an answer, Evan disappeared into the shadows.
---
Ray sat still for a long moment.
Two invitations.
Two different kinds of people.
Lyra Wrenfall. Direct. Military. Elite.
Evan Cross. Subtle. Opportunistic. Risky.
And maybe others would come too.
He needed to think carefully.
Allies could build him up — or destroy him faster than any enemy.
---
Seventeen's voice murmured quietly.
> "This is it, Ray.
The moment when you start weaving your own web."
Ray smiled slightly.
Not just a survivor anymore.
A player.
A mover.
A future king.
---
Elsewhere - Academy Staff Tower
An old man with golden glasses, draped in dark robes, watched the recording of Ray's duel against Caius.
He stroked his beard thoughtfully.
Beside him, a woman in crimson armor crossed her arms.
> "Another wildcard?" she asked.
The old man chuckled.
> "No... something rarer."
He tapped the screen where Ray's exhausted, stubborn figure stood against the burning battlefield.
> "A seed.
A storm.
A disaster... waiting to bloom."
He smiled.
> "Let's see how far he can go."
---
---
Chapter 51: The Auction of Dreams
The announcement came at noon.
A bell rang across the Academy grounds, deep and heavy, sending vibrations through the air.
Students stopped what they were doing.
Conversations died mid-sentence.
Everyone instinctively turned toward the towering central plaza — where the first true opportunity was about to be revealed.
---
System Notification:
> [Academy Auction Event Initiated!]
[Eligible Participants: Top 500 students (First Year Division)]
[Exclusive Rewards: Artifacts, Skill Scrolls, Bloodline Catalysts, Beast Contracts, Special Resources.]
[Currency: Academy Points / Contribution Medals.]
---
Ray, standing among the gathering crowd, felt his heart beat faster.
This was what Seventeen had mentioned before —
The real battles weren't always fought with fists or swords.
Sometimes, they were fought with resources.
And whoever controlled the resources... controlled the future.
---
A grand stage rose at the center of the plaza, white marble laced with golden vines.
Above it floated massive transparent screens showing the current rankings:
> Top 1: Ardyn Valen – (3200 Points)
Top 2: Lyra Wrenfall – (3000 Points)
Top 3: Cassius Draven – (2800 Points)
...
Rank 198: Ray Darkthorn – (620 Points)
Ray chuckled bitterly.
He had clawed his way up... but compared to the monsters at the top, he was still just a minnow.
Seventeen's voice was calm and practical.
> "Don't worry.
You don't need to buy the most expensive items.
You need to buy the right ones."
Ray nodded silently.
Patience. Strategy. Timing.
---
The crowd grew silent as a middle-aged man in black robes — the Auction Master — stepped onto the stage.
He was accompanied by several powerful instructors, their auras heavy and suffocating.
The Auction Master raised a hand.
> "Welcome to the Auction of Dreams," he said, his voice amplified magically.
"Today, your points will determine your fate. Choose wisely."
With a snap of his fingers, golden panels lit up, showing the first batch of auction items.
---
First Round Items:
1. Flameheart Sword (F-Rank Artifact) – Starting bid: 100 Points
2. Minor Beast Contract: Ember Hound (F-Rank) – Starting bid: 120 Points
3. Skill Scroll: [Steel Body] (F-Rank Defensive Skill) – Starting bid: 90 Points
4. Bloodline Catalyst: Minor Earth Affinity – Starting bid: 250 Points
5. Domain Seed: Twilight Grassland (Tiny Fragment) – Starting bid: 300 Points
---
Ray's eyes narrowed instantly.
Domain Seed.
His heart raced.
Seventeen whistled inside his mind.
> "Bingo. That's your key, Ray.
Twilight Grassland — a low-grade domain.
Weak now... but with enough investment, it could evolve."
Ray clenched his fists.
But he had only 620 points.
And he still needed supplies for the future missions!
He had to think carefully.
---
The bidding began.
The Flameheart Sword quickly shot up to 300 points.
The Ember Hound was snatched up at 400 points by a bulky boy in metal armor.
The [Steel Body] scroll ended up in a healer's hands.
When the Domain Seed appeared, the energy of the entire plaza shifted.
The crowd roared into action.
"350 points!"
"400!"
"500!"
Ray gritted his teeth.
So fast!
Seventeen murmured urgently.
> "Bid now. If it crosses 600, you can't afford it!"
Ray shot his hand up.
"550 points!"
The crowd paused slightly.
A few students looked over, curious.
Who was this upstart?
A thin boy in the front row — wearing the Academy gold badge — smirked.
"600 points," he said casually.
Ray cursed under his breath.
Now it was dangerous.
Should he push further?
Seventeen spoke again, sharp.
> "Risk it. Domain seeds don't appear every day."
Ray inhaled deeply.
"620 points!" he called.
Silence.
Even the Auction Master blinked.
Someone whispered:
"Who is that?"
"Darkthorn... from the recent trials..."
"Tch, a gambler."
---
System Notification:
> [Congratulations! You have successfully bid for: Domain Seed: Twilight Grassland.]
> [620 Academy Points deducted.]
> [Item will be delivered to your Dormitory Vault.]
---
Ray exhaled heavily, sitting down.
He was broke.
Flat broke.
Zero points left.
But in his chest... a fire burned brightly.
He had bet everything.
And he had won.
---
Above the stage, the next batch of items began to appear.
But Ray ignored them now.
He had what he came for.
The seed of his future.
The foundation of his personal world.
---
Later that Night
Inside his small Academy dorm room, Ray stared at the small glowing crystal lying on his desk.
The Domain Seed pulsed faintly.
A connection tugged at his soul — whispering promises of power, of growth, of a sanctuary he could build with his own hands.
Seventeen floated beside him, smiling.
> "Today, a pebble.
Tomorrow, a mountain."
Ray reached out and touched the seed.
A rush of energy flooded his body —
visions of endless green plains, misty rivers, and fertile earth.
Twilight Grassland.
His first true step... toward becoming more than human.
Toward building a Kingdom of the Dead.
And