The summons came at dawn. Kael was woken by the tolling of the academy’s iron bell, its deep resonance rolling across the grounds. He rose immediately, already sensing what awaited him. The Elders had wasted no time; the trials they had spoken of were upon him. As he dressed in his training robes, he caught his reflection in the bronze mirror. His golden-flecked eyes glowed faintly even in the dim light, the aura pulsing beneath his skin like a restless beast. He took a slow breath, steadying himself. This was not just about survival—it was about proving he could master the power that had chosen him. When he stepped into the courtyard, the academy was already alive. Students gathered in clusters, their whispers thick in the air. “That’s him—the boy who beat Dorian.” “Today he faces the Trial of Essence.” “They say even prodigies have failed it…” Ka

The academy’s alarm bells had not tolled in over a decade. Their heavy clang carried far across the city, summoning both students and instructors into uneasy assembly. Kael stood silently in the courtyard as the sound reverberated. The fight with the assassins still lingered on his body—scratches along his arms, dust staining his robes, the faint glow of his aura simmering beneath his skin. Around him, students clustered in tight groups, whispering frantically. “Who would dare attack inside the academy walls?” “Assassins? For him?” “This is madness—the Elders will never allow this to go unanswered.” Yet beneath the outrage was fear. Kael could feel it pressing against his skin like a second atmosphere. To them, he wasn’t just the victim of the attack. He was the reason it had happened. Selene stood close at his side, her hand brushing the hilt of her sword. She said no

The trial ground shifted again.Kael had already broken through illusions of fire and shadows, his Dominating Aura tearing down false worlds like paper walls. But now, the very stone beneath his feet groaned, glowing with crimson runes. He felt weight press down on his shoulders, heavier than any mountain, thicker than any storm.Gravity suppression? No… this is different.It wasn’t just weight—it was chains of will, a pressure that clamped down on his spirit, suffocating his thoughts. Every heartbeat became a roar. Every breath was agony.A disembodied voice echoed in the chamber:"Power is not freedom. Only those who can break the chains of the mind may ascend."The invisible bindings thickened, wrapping around his limbs. Kael’s knees buckled. For the first time since stepping into the trial, his aura flickered.From the observation platform above, the Elders watched in silence.“He’s reached the third stage alread

The mist parted. Kael stepped into the next chamber. Unlike the crushing chains or the shadowed void, this place resembled a vast courtyard lit by a blood-red sky. The air was heavy, vibrating with sorrow.He looked around, muscles tense. The aura within him stirred, restless.Then the voice came, deep and unrelenting."Strength bends flesh. Will breaks chains. Fear reveals truth. But power demands sacrifice. What will you surrender, Kael Ardent? What will you bleed for your dominion?"The ground rippled. Figures appeared—familiar figures.Selene. Standing proud, arms folded, watching him with sharp green eyes.Beside her, Elias, the quiet scholar Kael had befriended in early training.And then—his mother. Gentle-eyed, her figure almost too fragile to be real. Kael’s breath caught. He hadn’t seen her in years, not since she had vanished from his life under circumstances no one dared explain.Each figure stood be

The silver arena dissolved into fragments of light. Kael staggered forward, his body trembling with exhaustion, his chest heaving like he had run a thousand battles.Then, silence.The next step landed him on solid stone again, but it wasn’t inside the chamber. The oppressive aura, the voice of the trial, the endless tests—it all faded away.Kael blinked, adjusting to the sudden brightness. He stood once more in the grand trial hall of the academy.The massive crystalline gate behind him sealed shut with a resonant hum, as though declaring: The trial is complete.The observation gallery erupted in whispers.“He… he made it out?”“Impossible. Not a single student has completed all six stages in decades!”“And in such little time…?”Elder Mael rose from his seat, his aged face unreadable, but his eyes gleamed with something sharp. “Kael Ardent. Step forward.”Kael steadied himself, forcing strength in