“Young Master! Watch out!” Ren had barely registered Juno’s warning before a harsh force slammed into his lower back, kicking him right off the floor and into the air. He crashed with a sickening thud, and a collective gasp echoed across the audience, just a second before cheers of victory rang again.A new table was quickly brought over for the council elders, and placed farther away from the action this time. They quickly took their seats and observed the fight. Masaki Kai wore a victorious grin on his face.The medical experts on ground did not move, as the duel had only just begun. As Ren struggled to crawl away to safety, his blood spilling in torrents down his lips, he realized that this was in fact, realer than he ever imagined. And this Todo student was vicious as fuck. Why did his punches hit so hard? It felt like no ordinary force. The way it slammed into Ren’s heart and rendered him useless in seconds. The way his kick sent him into the air so high up without mercy. M

“Hey! Who are you? Where's everyone else?” Ren demanded again as he tried to lift himself off the ground. His hollow voice surprised him so much that he had to feel his throat with his fingers to be sure his voice was still there. His mind was mired and hazy. He felt out of place.The fair young man was silent. He just stood watching Ren for a long while, his blue eyes beguiling as they were disturbing. The more he looked into them, Ren thought he saw sparkly blue dust swimming around in the irises. In fact, he became convinced as the man drew near and they became clearer. “You're asking all the wrong questions, lad,” the man said. “You must rise up. You can't fulfil the prophecy like this.”Ren’s ears perked up at the mention of the word. “The Prophecy again?” Befuddled, he looked around for Juno. But there was just…no one. “Juno!” “Hey!” “Anyone there?!”The young man watching him heaved a deep sigh and shook his head. “You have a long way to go. But first, you must rise up a

The duel ended in chaos. Students discussing in loud voices about the strange events of the last few moments as they poured out of the arena. Instructors running around to restore order, herding off the students, yelling orders to retreat to their dorms and those in charge of cleaning should do justice to the messed up and bloody battleground. As Ren Carter and a badly injured Saito Tshizo and Masaki Kai were wheeled away, the elders convened in a separate, private room. “He must have tapped into his Ki.” Elder Kenji’s voice was low-strung but the apprehension was easily there. “Ki?” Zoro Hajime, the third ranking elder in the council, seemed very offended as he rose to his feet. “Are you sure that was what it was back there? Just…Ki?”“Elder Zoro, please. Not now.” SLAM! Elder Zoro with the slicked-back hair and a nasty temperament sent his palm flying against the tabletop. “I won't have you shunning me on another important matter! That shit was fucked up! The Young Master was

“Do I really have to be at the ceremony?”It was the coronation night, and after a series of preparation hassles, Ren did not feel like he was up for it. Juno stared at his young master like he just asked an insufferable question. “Of course. The coronation is nothing without your presence. You know that.”Ren heaved a deep sigh and resumed pulling at the lapels of the gold robe wrapped around his body. Just like on the first day he had been brought to the academy, he was really adorned from his head to his feet. But this time, he was properly dressed for the role that he was to be ushered into, tonight. The role of the overall leader of the academy. He was not sure how to feel about that, but yet again, he was genuinely pleased with his appearance in the large mirror. His hair was done halfway up in the most intriguing style he'd ever seen. A few strands dropped down the sides of his face, giving him a messy yet elegant look. The hazel of his eyes were dull but they still sparkled

“W-what?” Hana was horrified as soon as she processed Elder Kenji's words. Ren Carter was unable to believe his ears. Nothing about this heirship had been easy or pleasant ever since he was forced on board a prophecy that may or may not even be true.“I’m sorry if this came as a surprise. But it's a tradition that must be upheld.”“And why does this tradition have to involve us slicing our palms and drawing our blood?” “Because the mixed blood of the Headmaster and his wife seals the position as yours for as long as you live.”“You never told me any of this,” Hana hissed at Ren as she glared up at him. Ren shook his head in disbelief, his gaze transfixed on the blade. “I’m sorry, but this part does not make any sense to me either.” He offered her a weak glance. “I can't even explain it to you.”Elder Kenji kept a straight face as he picked up the blade and presented it to Ren. “Like I said, it’s tradition. And it does not have to make sense to you because these traditions existed l