---
Chapter 58: Return to Academy! Trial Rankings Announced!
The portal shimmered as Ray and his team stepped through, exiting the Rift Dungeon back onto the Academy's main teleportation platform.
The cold air of the outside world hit them instantly — crisp, sharp, and buzzing with mana.
The moment they arrived, several instructors stationed nearby turned toward them.
One instructor, a tall man with a sharp black robe and golden badge, approached.
"You cleared the Rift?" he asked bluntly.
Ray stepped forward, calm.
"Yes, sir.
Mistborn Terror defeated. Core retrieved."
He held out the glowing Elite Beast Core.
The instructor scanned it with a crystal device.
System Notification:
> [Mission Completed: Rift Clearance!]
[Academy Contribution Points: +500 (Team Shared)]
[Academy Rank Points: +100 (Individual)]
The instructor looked surprised.
"Elite Core... impressive.
At your age, clearing a Mistborn Terror is rare."
He scribbled something onto a crystal tablet, then waved them away.
"You're dismissed.
Rest for the day.
Ranking Trials will be announced tomorrow."
---
As the team moved toward the main campus, students passing by began whispering.
"That's Ray's team, right? The new guys?"
"They cleared an Elite Rift already?"
"Monsters..."
Ray ignored the attention.
He had bigger things on his mind.
---
They arrived back at their shared dormitory: a simple but sturdy two-floor house provided by the Academy for team squads.
Inside, everyone slumped down immediately.
Lucas threw himself onto a couch.
"Finally... real beds!"
Ellie stretched her arms lazily.
"I need a bath. Blood's sticking to my hair."
Kai just quietly sharpened his dagger, while Mina started scribbling notes about the fight.
Ray went to his room and opened his Status Screen:
---
[Status Window]
Name: Ray Blackthorn
Race: Human (??? Hybrid Unawakened)
Class: Necromancer (Hidden)
Level: 12 → 14 (after Rift clear!)
Domain Level: 1 (Expansion Available)
Undead Army: 12/50
Frostwolf Tree: Growing (First Wolf spawn: 10 hours)
---
Seventeen's voice echoed inside.
> "Congratulations, little king.
One battlefield conquered.
Thousands more to go."
Ray smiled faintly.
"And we'll conquer them all."
---
Next Morning
The Academy Assembly Hall.
Thousands of students, old and new, gathered, buzzing with excitement.
Standing on the elevated stage was Dean Rodrick, a grim-looking old man with long silver hair, wearing the crest of the Academy.
He raised a hand, and silence fell.
His voice echoed, amplified by magic:
> "Students!
Welcome to the first Major Event of the year — The Academy Trial Rankings!
All students, from Freshmen to Advanced Years, may participate.
The Ranking System will determine:
Mission Eligibility
Access to Secret Classes
Resource Privileges
Future Country or Military Positions."
The crowd roared.
Dean Rodrick smiled coldly.
> "This year... there will be no age restrictions.
Strength decides everything."
Mina's mouth opened slightly.
"Wait... even third and fourth-year students can fight us?"
Lucas smirked.
"Good. More people to crush."
Kai's eyes gleamed with excitement.
Ray simply closed his eyes briefly, gathering his focus.
---
Dean Rodrick continued:
> "The Trials will begin tomorrow.
Format:
1v1 Duels (First Knockout Stage)
Then Team Battles
Then Rift-Diving Contest."
> "Victory earns you points.
Loss — points deducted."
> "Top 500 will gain access to Restricted Zones.
Top 100 — Invitation to Royal Academy Tournament."
System Notification:
> [Academy Trial Rankings Activated!]
[Current Rank: Unranked.]
[First Opponent: Assigned Tomorrow Morning.]
---
After the announcement ended, Ray's team returned to their dorm.
Lucas grinned.
"Man, I'm gonna break some bones tomorrow."
Kai smirked.
"I hope they scream."
Ellie shook her head.
"You two are hopeless."
Mina laughed gently.
Ray, meanwhile, sat down calmly and opened his map.
Seventeen's voice came softly:
> "Tomorrow, little king, the battlefield opens.
Crush them.
Rise."
Ray's lips curved into a cold smile.
He looked at his growing Undead Army.
He thought of his growing Domain.
He thought of his Family, his Promise to protect them.
Tomorrow... I'll take the first real step toward becoming unstoppable.
---
To
---
Chapter 59: First Duel! Ray's True Strength Revealed!
Morning.
The Academy's Main Battle Arena buzzed with excitement.
Thousands of students packed the stands.
Their faces were filled with curiosity, bloodlust, and ambition.
On the giant floating screen above, names began appearing:
Duel 1:
Ray Blackthorn (Freshman) vs. Zachary Roen (Second-Year)
A ripple of murmurs ran through the crowd.
"Who's Ray?"
"Freshman against a Second-Year? Poor kid."
"Wait... isn't that the guy who cleared an Elite Rift?"
---
Inside the waiting room, Ray adjusted his leather gloves.
His eyes were calm, unshaken.
Beside him, Lucas patted his shoulder.
"Crush him, bro."
Kai simply nodded, silent.
Ellie and Mina gave small encouraging smiles.
Ray smiled faintly back.
Time to show them.
Seventeen's voice was a soft whisper in his mind:
> "Make it bloody.
Make it unforgettable."
Ray stepped forward.
---
The Battlefield
A massive stone arena, enchanted with protective barriers.
Instructors sat in the judge seats, ready to intervene if necessary.
Standing across the arena was Zachary Roen — a tall, arrogant-looking boy with spiky red hair.
He wore light armor and carried a heavy sword across his back.
Zachary smirked.
"You sure you're in the right place, freshman?
This is a battlefield, not a playground."
Ray didn't respond.
He just stood there, relaxed, almost lazy.
The referee, an instructor clad in black robes, raised his hand.
"Begin on my mark."
The crowd leaned forward.
---
"Three..."
Zachary crouched into an aggressive stance.
"Two..."
Ray still stood casually, one hand in his pocket.
"One..."
"Fight!"
---
Zachary charged like a bull, sword flashing toward Ray's neck — fast and brutal.
But Ray... simply stepped aside.
Shh.
The heavy blade sliced nothing but air.
Zachary spun around, growling.
"You slippery little—!"
He swung again, overhead.
Ray raised one hand lazily.
[Necromancer's Shield]
A thin, black bone-like shield formed instantly and blocked the strike with a loud clang!
The crowd gasped.
"A shield spell?"
"Already?! At his level?"
Zachary roared and slammed harder.
Ray smirked.
Snap.
With a flick of his fingers, black energy surged under the ground.
[Rise Undead - Minor]
From the cracks beneath the arena, three skeletal wolves erupted — snapping their jaws at Zachary.
"W-what the hell!?"
Zachary stumbled back, swinging wildly to fend them off.
Ray advanced slowly, not rushing, letting the wolves harass his opponent.
---
Seventeen laughed softly in Ray's mind:
> "Dance, little king.
Make him suffer."
Ray raised a hand.
[Bone Spear] — a sharp bone spike materialized and shot forward like a bullet.
Zachary barely dodged, the spear slicing across his armor, leaving a bleeding cut.
"You bastard!" Zachary yelled, enraged.
He activated his skill.
[Blazing Charge]!
His body ignited in red flames, boosting his speed.
In an instant, he was right in front of Ray, sword aiming for Ray's heart.
---
But Ray's eyes gleamed coldly.
Seventeen's voice murmured:
> "Now."
Ray side-stepped at the perfect moment, then reached forward.
In a flash, a black chain formed in his hand — [Gravebind].
He whipped the chain around Zachary's wrist mid-swing.
Clank!
Then pulled.
Hard.
Zachary was yanked off balance, his attack missing entirely.
Ray didn't waste the opening.
He drove his knee into Zachary's stomach.
Thud!
Zachary gasped, the air knocked out of him.
Ray followed up mercilessly.
Another bone spear — aimed directly at Zachary's leg.
Crack!
Zachary screamed as he fell onto one knee, blood gushing from the wound.
The skeletal wolves pounced, biting and dragging him down.
---
The crowd was stunned into silence.
The "weak freshman" was dismantling a second-year like a professional hunter.
Ray calmly walked forward, standing over the broken Zachary.
"You lost the moment you underestimated me."
He summoned a bone dagger and placed it lightly against Zachary's neck.
The referee jumped in, raising a hand.
"Stop! Winner — Ray Blackthorn!"
The barrier fell.
The crowd erupted into a mixture of shocked silence and then deafening cheers.
---
Ray turned away without even looking at Zachary.
In the stands, his friends were shouting wildly.
Lucas:
"That's my boy!! Break them all!!"
Ellie:
"I knew it! I knew he was insane!"
Mina smiled gently, heart racing.
Kai simply smirked, satisfied.
---
System Notification:
> [Duel Won: Points +50]
[Individual Ranking: Updated — Temporary Rank: #800]
> [New Skill Unlocked:
— Necromancer's Grasp (C-Grade Passive)]
(Undead units gain +10% Strength when near you.)
---
As Ray left the battlefield, Seventeen spoke once more:
> "One down.
Hundreds to go.
Keep moving forward, little king."
Ray smiled coldly.
"This
---
Chapter 60: Second Duel! Surprise Attackers Appear!
The cheers of the audience still echoed across the Academy Arena.
Ray walked silently back toward the waiting area, his aura cold and indifferent.
But as he crossed the stone path toward the resting area—
> Tink! Tink! Tink!
—three loud metallic sounds rang out, followed by a chilling announcement:
[Special Duel Challenge Activated!]
The big floating screen flashed brightly.
> Special Match:
Freshman Ray Blackthorn vs. Second-Year Twin Duo — Arin & Erin Bloodthorn!
The crowd went absolutely wild.
"WHAT!? A two-versus-one!?"
"That's illegal, right?"
"No, no! Special Challenge rules allow it if the side agrees!"
Everyone turned their eyes to Ray, waiting.
Would he back down?
Would he refuse?
---
Ray stood quietly for a second.
Then smiled coldly.
"I accept."
BOOM!
The entire arena trembled with excitement.
---
The New Opponents
The Bloodthorn Twins — Arin and Erin — were infamous second-years.
Both specialized in rapid assassination techniques and blood magic.
Short silver hair, cruel smirks, and matching dark red uniforms.
Their stats displayed on the screen:
Arin Bloodthorn:
Rank: F+ Peak
Class: Blood Assassin
Speciality: Silent Kills, Critical Strikes
Erin Bloodthorn:
Rank: F+ Peak
Class: Blood Assassin
Speciality: Dual Dagger Combat, Poison Skills
They moved like shadows, synchronized perfectly, always finishing their enemies with coordinated ambushes.
Students gulped.
"This is unfair..."
"No freshman could survive that combo..."
Except for one freshman.
Ray.
---
The Battlefield Reset
The Arena ground shimmered and shifted.
New terrain appeared — rocky outcrops, small ruined walls, and mist swirling low around the ground.
It was a "Partial Assassination Zone."
Perfect for the Bloodthorn Twins.
Bad terrain for a Necromancer.
Too many blind spots.
But Ray… only smiled deeper.
Seventeen whispered in his mind:
> "Perfect hunting ground... for death."
Ray touched the ground.
Black mist leaked from his fingertips and spread over the stones.
---
Fight Start!
Immediately, the Twins vanished into the mist.
> Swish! Swish!
Silent footsteps echoed everywhere.
Left? Right? Behind?
Most people would panic.
Ray closed his eyes.
[Undead Sense] Activated.
Through the thin black mist he'd spread, Ray could feel every step, every breath, every drop of blood in the zone.
He moved calmly.
---
Suddenly—!
Arin lunged from behind, dagger flashing toward Ray's spine.
But Ray had already moved.
He ducked low and kicked backward, smashing into Arin's ribs.
At the same time, Erin struck from the side — two daggers coated with paralyzing poison.
Ray smirked.
Snap!
He activated [Necromancer's Shield], blocking Erin's strike.
Then — without warning — the ground under their feet split open.
From the black cracks, two massive bone hands shot out.
[Grave Grasp]!
Both twins were grabbed by skeletal claws, holding their legs tight.
Arin cursed and tried to stab the bones, but they only regenerated faster.
Ray whispered coldly:
"You're not the only ones who like ambushes."
---
He raised both arms.
From his domain, he summoned—
Six Skeletal Frost Wolves appeared, surrounding the twins with cold growls.
The wolves' eyes glowed blue, frost mist trailing from their fangs.
Each wolf was Level 10 with the passive skill:
> [Frostbite Claws]: Reduces target movement by 20% per hit.
The crowd gasped.
"S-summoned beasts!? He can summon beasts too!?"
"How many summons does he have!?"
The wolves lunged at once.
Chomp! Slash! Bite!
The Bloodthorn Twins struggled, slashing furiously, but with their legs trapped and movement slowed, they were overwhelmed.
Frost spread over their bodies.
Their limbs turned sluggish.
---
Ray walked forward slowly, expression cold.
"You ambushed the wrong prey."
He clenched his fist.
A massive bone spear formed overhead — [Bone Lance] — and slammed down.
BOOM!!
Dust exploded everywhere.
When the smoke cleared—
Both Arin and Erin were lying unconscious, bodies frozen and restrained by black bone vines.
The referee, stunned, raised his trembling hand.
"W-Winner — Ray Blackthorn!!"
---
Aftermath
The entire stadium was dead silent for a moment.
Then—
"RAY!!"
"BLACKTHORN!!"
"UNDEFEATED!!"
The crowd roared so loud the arena shook.
Students chanted his name like a war cry.
In the VIP area, even a few instructors looked impressed.
"That boy... He's not just talented."
"He's dangerous."
---
System Notification:
> [Victory: +150 Academy Points]
[Individual Ranking: Updated — Temporary Rank: #300]
> [Special Reward Unlocked!]
[You have earned the Skill Scroll: Shadow Movement (C-Grade Active)]
(Move instantly within 20 meters through shadows.)
Seventeen whispered smugly:
> "Little King...
Your legend has just begun."
Ray smirked as he turned toward the next battlefield.
Next... higher-ranked prey.
-