Chapter: Chapter 110The road back from the Black Hills was heavier than the march east. They carried fewer supplies, fewer voices. Some who had left with Mason did not return. Their bodies lay buried beneath the charred ruins of the village, marked only by scorched stones and the smell of ash.Norra walked beside Mason in silence, her small hands clenched into fists. She had watched him burn shadows with fire that was not his. She had seen him shake after, skin pale, breath ragged.She had wanted to scream at him to stop. But she hadn’t. Because the shadows would have swallowed them all if he hadn’t.Now, with each step, her chest ached with a fear she could not voice. Refugees followed them west. Men, women, children with hollow eyes. They spoke in whispers that spread like smoke. “They say he carries the Saint’s fire.”“They say the silver-eyed warrior burns darkness itself.”“They say Aurora gave him her soul.”Mason heard them. He ignored them. His silver eyes stayed forward, cold as steel, but John
Last Updated: 2025-09-15
Chapter: Chapter 109The courtyard was quiet at dawn. The flame mark pulsed faintly, its glow softer than in the nights before. The pilgrims who had camped at the gates still slept, their breaths rising in steady clouds, but Mason was awake.He stood at the edge of the courtyard, silver eyes fixed on the east. The Black Hills waited there, jagged shadows across the horizon. His jaw was tight, his shoulders squared. He had not spoken much through the night, but all who saw him knew what weighed on him.The messenger’s last words were still sharp in his mind. “They gather. Fragments… shadows… Vazquez’s remnants.”Mason closed his hand into a fist. “Then we’ll meet them.”By midmorning, the survivors gathered in the ruined hall. It was smaller than it had been, half the roof missing, the stone cracked. But the voices inside carried strong.John stood at Mason’s side, his arms crossed, his silver eyes cool. Norra sat on the step nearby, her chin lifted high, defiance glowing in her young face.Students, old
Last Updated: 2025-09-15
Chapter: Chapter 108The courtyard was silent after the blaze. The flame mark glowed faintly in the stone, pulsing like a dying heartbeat. The survivors sat in a circle around it, their faces pale and heavy with grief. Norra had not moved in hours. Her hands rested on the mark, her forehead pressed against the warm stone. Her tears had dried, but her eyes were hollow, her voice faint. “She gave everything,” she whispered. “She was all we had.”The students bowed their heads. No one argued. No one dared until the air stirred. The mark flared suddenly, brighter than before. Sparks rose into the night, golden and silver, swirling together.The students gasped. Some cried out in fear, others in awe. Norra lifted her head sharply, her heart pounding. “Aurora…?”But the light was different this time. Stronger. Sharper. Not soft, like Aurora’s flame, but cutting, like steel through darkness.John stepped forward slowly, his silver eyes narrowing. “Wait. That isn’t her.”The sparks twisted upward, shaping into
Last Updated: 2025-09-14
Chapter: Chapter 107The sun rose over the academy ruins. Its light spilled across shattered walls, broken towers, and scorched earth. Yet even with the dawn, the brightest thing in the courtyard was not the sun.It was the flame mark burned into the stone. It pulsed faintly, gold light rising and falling like a heartbeat.The survivors gathered around it, whispering among themselves. Some bowed their heads in prayer. Others touched the stone carefully, as if afraid it might vanish.Norra sat beside the mark, her hands pressed against it. Her hair was tangled, her clothes torn, but her eyes burned fiercely with determination.She hadn’t left the mark since the night Aurora vanished into fire. When the younger students asked her why, she always gave the same answer. “Because she’s still here. I can feel her.”Her words spread quickly. The children began to sit near the mark with her, some whispering Aurora’s name, others humming softly like a song.Every time the mark glowed brighter, Norra’s heart leapt.
Last Updated: 2025-09-13
Chapter: Chapter 106The courtyard was silent. The fire had gone, leaving only smoke curling through the broken air. The ground was cracked, the walls scorched, the academy bells silent at last.At the center of it all, burned deep into the stone, was the mark: the shape of a flame. Norra stared at it, her chest heaving, her tears falling freely. She fell to her knees, pressing her hands to the mark as though she could pull Aurora back through it. Her voice broke in a whisper. “You can’t be gone… you can’t…”Around her, the students gathered slowly, their faces pale and hollow. No one spoke. Some were crying quietly, others just staring at the mark in stunned silence. One boy whispered shakily, “She… she saved us.”A girl beside him wept, clutching her arms. “But she’s gone. She’s really gone.”Their voices spread like ripples, sorrow echoing across the courtyard. John stood a few steps away, his silver eyes fixed on the mark. His jaw was tight, his fists clenched, his body trembling with something he c
Last Updated: 2025-09-13
Chapter: Chapter 105The sky split open. From the heavens above the academy, a column of fire descended, vast and bright, tearing through the clouds like the birth of a new sun.Students and teachers staggered back, shielding their eyes. Some cried out in awe, others in terror.Norra stood frozen in the courtyard, her eyes wide, her hands trembling. The warmth pressed against her skin like a tide. Her voice broke in a whisper. “Aurora.”The fire struck the ground in the center of the academy courtyard. The earth cracked, stones shattered, and light spilled across every wall.When the blaze faded, something stood in its heart. It was Aurora, yet not the Aurora they remembered.Her body glowed faintly, her skin traced with lines of light. Her hair burned like fire, flowing endlessly down her back. Her eyes blazed gold, brighter than the sun. Every step she took left sparks on the ground.The students gasped, fear and awe mingling. Some fell to their knees, whispering prayers. Others staggered back, clutchi
Last Updated: 2025-09-12
Chapter: Chapter 282The sword trembled, its edge quivering against Mara’s throat. One drop of shadowfire slid down the blade, searing her skin. She didn’t flinch. Her eyes stayed locked on his, fierce and unyielding.Oliver’s roar split the plain, his body convulsing. Shadows burst outward, wings lashing against the ground, claws digging into stone.[System Alert: Hollow Transformation, 87%][Warning: Host Integrity Near Collapse]The Hollow’s voice thundered through him. “End it! Kill her! Kill the boy! Tear the tether and be free!”His human voice broke through, jagged and torn. “I… won’t.” Elias coughed, his small chest rising and falling shallowly. His eyes fluttered open, glazed with exhaustion. Threads spilled from his trembling hands, brighter now, burning with desperate light.[Threadbind Surge, Maximum Output][Warning: Threadbearer Integrity 0.8%]The golden lines lashed around Oliver’s chest, wrapping his arms, his sword, even his wings. They pulled with impossible force, dragging his body ba
Last Updated: 2025-09-15
Chapter: Chapter 281Oliver’s scream ripped through the plain as black fire poured from his chest, wings unfurling wider, their span blotting out the sky. The ground fractured beneath him, stone splitting into jagged shards.[System Alert: Hollow Transformation, 74%][Warning: Host Integrity Unstable]The rebels collapsed under the pressure, clutching their heads, their weapons forgotten. Garrick staggered, his burned arm trembling, his voice hoarse with rage and fear. “You see?!” he shouted over the storm. “He’s not human anymore! He’s the Hollow itself!”Some of the rebels sobbed, others screamed prayers, but none dared move closer. Mara shielded Elias with her body, her burned arms shaking as she forced herself to her feet. Blood streamed down her skin, her breath ragged, but her eyes locked on Oliver. “Oliver!” she shouted, her voice raw and fierce. “You’re still here! I know you can hear me!”His head turned slowly, crimson eyes burning like twin suns. His sword lifted, dripping shadowfire, the Holl
Last Updated: 2025-09-15
Chapter: Chapter 280The plain burned like the heart of a dying world. Shadows streamed from Oliver’s back, wings spread wide, each feather dripping with fire that hissed against stone. Cracks spread across his skin, glowing with black light, his sword trembling in his grip.[System Alert: Hollow Transformation, 58%][Warning: Host Integrity Failing]His roar shook the air, layered in two voices, one human, one Hollow. The sound drove the rebels to their knees, terror choking them.Mara staggered forward, bloodied but unbroken, Elias clutched against her chest. The boy’s faint threads flickered weakly, tethered to Oliver’s chest. Each flicker dimmed faster, burning the boy out.Mara’s throat tightened. She shouted into the storm, her voice raw. “Oliver! It’s me! Don’t let it take you, fight it!”His head lifted slowly. His crimson eyes locked on her. For one heartbeat, she saw him, the man she knew. His lips parted, his voice breaking. “Mara…”Then his face twisted, eyes blazing brighter, the Hollow voic
Last Updated: 2025-09-14
Chapter: Chapter 279The storm of shadow raged outward, cracks splitting the jagged plain. Black fire spilled into the fissures, spreading like veins beneath the ground. Each pulse of Oliver’s heart shook the air, each breath thick with Hollow fire.[System Alert: Corruption, 112%][Warning: Host Integrity Failing]Mara forced her steps forward. Each shadow lash cut shallow lines into her arms and legs, burning with searing cold. Blood welled, but she clenched her jaw and kept moving.Her voice cut through the storm. “Oliver! It’s me! You’re still in there, I know you are!”For a moment, his head lifted. His crimson eyes flickered. But the Hollow’s voice drowned everything. “She lies. She fears you. Strike her down. Claim your freedom.”His sword twitched in his grip, swinging an inch toward Mara. The rebels flinched. One whispered, “He’s going to kill her.”Another stumbled back. “We should run.”But Garrick’s scarred face twisted in rage. His voice cut sharp, slicing the air like a blade. “Run? And let
Last Updated: 2025-09-14
Chapter: Chapter 278The Envoy screeched, its cracked mask glowing with blinding green fire. Black wings of shadow burst from its back, spreading wide across the jagged plain. The broken ground trembled as it lunged again, faster than before, both arms forming jagged new blades.Oliver met it with a roar, his sword blazing. Sparks and shadowfire exploded with every strike, the air filled with shrieks and steel.[System Alert: Stability, 20 Seconds Remaining][Warning: Corruption Lock Failing]The Hollow Seed screamed inside him, hungry. “Yes! Tear it apart! Devour it! This is your birthright!”Mara fought beside him, knives darting in and out, carving shallow cuts across the Envoy’s cloak. Each strike tore a piece of shadow away, but the enemy reformed instantly, laughing through the pain.“Fragile,” it hissed, its blades clashing against Oliver’s sword. “You hold back. You fear yourself. That fear will be your end.”Oliver’s chest burned hotter. His crimson eyes glowed too bright, his vision swimming.
Last Updated: 2025-09-13
Chapter: Chapter 277The Hollow Envoy stood tall, its cracked mask glowing faint green, shadows curling off its body like smoke caught in endless wind. The jagged plain trembled beneath its steps as it advanced.Oliver braced himself, sword gripped tight. His chest burned with every breath, shadows bleeding from his skin. His crimson eyes glowed too bright, as though something inside was about to split.The Envoy’s laughter echoed in every direction, wrong and endless. “Seeker… look at you. Neither man nor Hollow, trapped in between. You bleed, and yet you do not die. You fight, and yet you do not win. You are perfect.”Oliver’s jaw tightened. His voice came rough, layered with an echo not his own. “I’m nothing like you.”The Envoy tilted its mask, the cracks glowing wider into a grin. “You’re exactly like me. You just haven’t stopped pretending yet.”It struck first. The Envoy’s blade-arm swept across the plain in a wide arc. The air screamed as black fire followed the strike. Oliver blurred forward.[Sk
Last Updated: 2025-09-13
Chapter: Chapter 221The university admissions agents started arguing loudly.Draken stood there watching them fight over which of them would win him over to attend their school but deep inside, he was not interested.Draken had other ambitions. He didn’t want to take the normal journey anymore, as he had been through things none of them could bear.The homeroom teacher noticed and hurried over. "Draken, hurry and choose which school you want to attend!"The admissions agents quieted down and turned to Draken.Draken replied calmly, "Thank you for your offers, but I want to try to create my own academy into the top-ranked space for talents."Everyone fell silent.Draken had thought about this for a while and knew it was his goal. With his talent and strength, he felt he should aim for the best school in the country.The other admissions agents quickly tried to change his mind."Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?""Berserk College didn’t even send anyone to invite you. They don’t seem serious.""Th
Last Updated: 2024-08-16
Chapter: Chapter 220When Gaffa announced Draken as first place, the entire room fell silent.Everyone thought they misheard, but recalling Draken’s performance, they realized it made sense.Class Two students cheered collectively.“Draken is amazing!”“He’s the pride of F-level talent!”“Number one in the entire state! Draken made a miracle happen!”The students in other classes had mixed emotions. They didn’t feel great knowing the top student was from another class.“Prepare for the second stage of the exam, now we will have a halftime break,” Gaffa said.The mages began to rest as they stopped their formations. The students returned to their classrooms to rest.Draken also went back to his class to rest. Many people approached him, curious about his strength improvement.“Draken, how did you get so strong?”“Yeah, how can an F-level talent improve so quickly? Any tips for us?”“I understand Draken comes from a low-income family and can’t afford good equipment and potions. He’s extraordinary to have im
Last Updated: 2024-08-09
Chapter: Chapter 219Draken turned to Lord Luke and said, “The exam rules require me to accept the first two matches. If I win, I can choose whether to accept the next match.”“I also have the right to pick my opponent.”Lord Luke frowned and asked, “Are you saying you’re rejecting my challenge? Are you a coward?”Draken glanced at the black horse behind Luke. Using his Eye of Truth, he saw the horse’s stats.Night Spirit HorseAttack: 40Speed: 700Health: 930Mana: 100Defense: 200 The horse’s speed and health were impressive. Draken thought having this horse would make his travels easier. Although cars existed in this world, rare mounts like this were more valuable.Draken decided it would be great to have this horse. “Lord Luke, if you want to fight me, you must place a bet.”“If I win, I get your horse!”Luke clenched his teeth. The horse was his prized possession. How did it quit just like that? But he thought beating an F-level talent would be easy, so he agreed.“No problem, but what if you lose?
Last Updated: 2024-08-07
Chapter: Chapter 218Draken activated his Split Claw skill, and in an instant, he destroyed all the vampire bats flying towards him!Everyone watching was shocked.“What just happened? Did he really kill all those bats in a split second?”“This doesn’t seem like F-level strength.”“These bats are Lord Nazzy’s strongest attack, and Draken just blew right through them!”Even Lord Nazzy himself was stunned. He knew how powerful his vampire bats were, and normal attacks wouldn’t usually harm them much.Lord Nazzy glanced at Draken and started to rethink Draken’s power. Seeing Draken’s sharp claws made him nervous. He realized he might not be able to beat Draken.Draken, not wanting to waste time, charged at Lord Nazzy. Seeing Draken rush at him, Lord Nazzy tried to run away, but Draken was too fast. In the blink of an eye, Draken was right in front of him.“Damn it. He’s too quick!” Lord Nazzy shouted in shock.“Didn’t you say you found me a grave?” Draken asked coldly. “You’re the one who’s dead!”Draken sa
Last Updated: 2024-08-06
Chapter: Chapter 217Akpi was shocked by Draken’s words.He quickly backed away, trying to put some distance between them.“Why aren’t my attacks working?” Akpi wondered aloud.After thinking for a moment, he reassured himself, “You must have focused all your training on defense. That has to be it. Your attack, speed, and health must be much weaker than mine.”Confident once again, Akpi decided he could break through Draken’s defenses with his speed over time.Just then, Draken’s figure flickered and vanished!In a flash, Draken reappeared right in front of Akpi.Akpi’s eyes widened in disbelief. Draken’s speed was faster than his!Draken raised his right hand, which transformed into a powerful dragon claw. His muscles expanded, scales emerged, and five sharp claws gleamed menacingly.Akpi was stunned. How could such a fierce-looking dragon claw be considered the weakest F-level talent?Swallowing hard, Akpi stammered, “Bro, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those things…”Draken remained calm. “I told you
Last Updated: 2024-08-05
Chapter: Chapter 216Gaffa stood in the center of the formation and shouted, “Start now! Find your opponents! You have one minute!”Immediately, more than half of the male students in Class Two locked their eyes on Draken and moved toward him.One student rushed forward and yelled, “Draken! Let me be your opponent!”This made the others panic. They all wanted to face Draken and didn't expect someone to cut in line.“Draken, come and fight me. I’ll be gentle!”“Draken, we used to be friends. Let me have this opportunity!”“Grant me this opportunity, and I’ll make it up to you!”The scene was chaotic as everyone rushed toward Draken. He gave a faint smile, finding it ironic how they had just comforted him in class. Their hypocrisy was now clear.A quick-footed student reached Draken first. “I’m the first here. I’m Draken’s opponent. The rest of you are too late!” he announced proudly, thinking his ranking would improve easily.The others stopped, filled with regret.“This guy sure runs fast!”“I missed it.
Last Updated: 2024-08-02
