The Serpent They called useless

Chapter 7: "You'll Need More Than Magic to Save You"

Astra's cold tongue flicked against Kael's wrist. A steady rhythm against his racing pulse as he stood alone at the forest threshold.

Around him, hundreds of academy students clustered into tightly knit four-man squads. Their laughter and overlapping chatter filling the staging grounds.

Nobody looked Kael in the eye—except Draven.

"Hey, loser."

Draven sneered, stepping up with his arms crossed over his chest. His iron-clawed bear pacing at his heels.

"I hope your little worm makes it out alive today. Without us protecting you, I wonder how you'll even find a single core."

Kael turned his head slightly. Leaned close to Draven's ear.

"Protect me...?"

Kael whispered. His voice dropping to a razor-thin rasp.

"Or do you want me to tell everyone here who actually killed those Rank B serpents the last time we stepped through that gate?"

Draven's face turned instantly red. Blood rushing to his ears as he stumbled back half a step.

He shot a nervous glance at the nearby students before glaring at Kael with pure malice.

"I hope you can still run your mouth like that when we come back out!"

A horn blasted across the plaza as the spatial portal to the Everbeast Forest tore open. Humming with volatile green energy.

The squads began marching through in orderly lines.

When Kael stepped forward to cross the boundary, the head administrator, Mr. Claw, slammed his iron staff horizontally across the archway—blocking Kael's path.

"Solo entry is prohibited." Claw barked. His face set in stone. "The academy will not be held responsible for a support tamer committing suicide."

Before Kael could speak, Nyra Valen glided up to the gate.

She leaned in close to Claw's ear. Her violet-black hair brushing his shoulder.

"Let him pass."

Nyra whispered. Her voice laced with sharp, silent venom.

"Unless you're planning on crossing the Valen family today."

Claw froze.

Sweat broke out on the back of his neck as he slowly lifted his staff, pulling it back from the barrier.

"Pass," he muttered, looking away.

Kael didn't say a word. He stepped through the green light and vanished into the dense timber.

Deep inside the dark canopy of the Everbeast Forest, three hours later, Voss stood over a pile of slain Rank C timber wolves. His newly evolved Rank B Armored Iron Rhinoceros snorting steam into the damp air.

Draven wiped wolf blood from his blade. Approached Voss with a calculating grin.

"Kael's snake has a high-level scouting ability. By now, his pockets must be bursting with rare cores. We go take them, and we knock him out of the trial for good."

Voss's eyes burned with immediate interest.

"Lead the way."

They crept through the thick brush. Stopped behind a cluster of ancient pines.

Through the foliage, they watched in absolute silence.

Astra was a blur of dark blue light. With terrifying speed and raw power, the serpent lashed out—her heavy tail crushing the skull of a Rank B forest panther in a single, fluid strike.

Kael casually reached down. Harvesting the glowing core and slipping it into his already bulging leather pouch.

"That... that's not a support beast," Draven whispered. His throat suddenly dry.

Kael tied his pouch shut. Turned around smoothly. Stepped into a clearing.

"You can come out now."

Voss stepped out from behind the trees. Flanked by Draven and his squad.

The heavy rhino tore up the dirt beneath its hooves as it stepped beside its master.

"Hand over every beast core you've gathered." Voss demanded. Pointed a gloved finger at Kael. "Do that, and we might decide to let you leave this forest in one piece."

Kael let out a soft, sarcastic laugh.

"Let me leave?"

"Scared?" Draven spat. Trying to mask the tremor in his hands. "Don't tell me you're terrified now!"

"I don't have time for worms like you."

Kael said, coiling Astra around his forearm and turning his back on them.

"Attack him!" Voss roared.

The rhino, the iron-clawed bear, and two other combat beasts surged forward in a feral charge.

Kael didn't even turn around.

[ANCIENT BLOODLINE OVERRIDE ACTIVE]

[TETHERING SYSTEM TARGETS: ALL HOSTILE CONTRACT BEASTS]

A gold flash burst from Kael's eyes.

Instantly, the rhino skidded to a dead halt. Its hooves plowing deep furrows into the mud.

The bear, the falcon, and the hound all froze. Their eyes losing their aggression and widening in pure, instinctive terror.

"What are you doing?!" Draven screamed at his bear. "Kill him!"

The bear ignored Draven completely. Sank onto its knees and buried its face in the dirt.

Beside it, the other beasts collapsed into submissive, trembling piles.

Kael turned around slowly. Looked down at Draven and the others.

Draven's knees buckled under the terrifying, silent pressure. He slammed into the mud alongside his teammates.

"Please... please don't tear us apart!" Draven sobbed. Pressing his palms into the dirt.

Only Voss remained standing. His teeth grinding together so hard they bled. His body shaking as he fought against the overwhelming urge to bow.

"I won't... I won't bow to a beggar!"

"Having you bow to me would be a disgrace to my bloodline."

Kael said flatly. Held out his hand.

"Empty your core pouches. All of them."

Without a second thought, Draven and his team unclipped their pouches and threw them at Kael's feet.

Kael gathered the loot. Turned. Disappeared into the shadowed trees—leaving the tamers shivering on the forest floor.

Once the pressure vanished, Voss collapsed onto his hands and knees. Gasping for air.

Draven looked at his hands. His eyes wide with horror.

"He controlled our beasts... he took them over in a second! How?!"

"Dark magic." Voss hissed. His face twisting into pure, unadulterated venom.

"It's forbidden sorcery. He's using forbidden methods. We report this the second we get back!"

At the sunset deadline, Kael met Aurelia near the forest exit. Discreetly tossing her a velvet pouch containing three high-grade Rank B cores.

"For your tab," Kael muttered.

Aurelia accepted it. Her cool gray eyes softening slightly as she nodded in thanks.

Minutes later, the official trial scores flared to life on the massive crystal scoreboard in the center of the academy plaza.

· 1st Place: Aurelia Veyr — 1,400 Points

· 2nd Place (TIED): Kael Veyron / Nyra Valen — 1,100 Points

Murmurs exploded across the crowd.

Nyra's face turned deathly pale as she stared at the board. Her hands balling into fists so tight her nails drew blood.

"A support tamer tied with Lady Nyra?!"

"How is that possible?!"

"Silence!"

Mr. Claw shouted, stepping forward.

"Because of the second-place tie, a tie-breaker duel between Kael Veyron and Nyra Valen will determine who takes second and who drops to third!"

Before Kael could step onto the ring, Voss and Draven rushed to the front of the official podium. Pointing frantically at Kael.

"Master Claw! We demand an investigation!"

Voss yelled. His voice echoing across the plaza.

"Kael didn't hunt those cores! He used forbidden dark magic to steal our beasts and rob us! He's a cheat!"

Draven stepped up. Sweating profusely.

"He's right! He used dark sorcery! Disqualify him and award second place to Lady Nyra immediately!"

Nyra looked down from the platform. A cold, triumphant smile spreading across her lips as the crowd began to roar for Kael's arrest.