The Serpent They called useless

Chapter 8: "The Bloodline Doesn't Ask for Permission"

"Silence!"

Aurelia's voice cut through the roaring crowd like a silver blade as she stepped down from the podium.

"Slandering a fellow student with unproven dark magic charges carries immediate expulsion. Are you prepared to take that risk?"

"It's not slander!" Voss yelled back. His fists shaking violently. "He controlled our contract beasts without a bond! What else could that be except dark sorcery?!"

The crowd erupted again. Waves of fists pumping in the air.

"Expel him!"

"Burn the dark tamer!"

Behind the grand dais, Mr. Claw stood frozen. His hand tightening around his iron staff.

Controlling another tamer's beast without a contract...

The phrase echoed in his mind. Stirring an ancient, terrifying memory buried deep in the academy's locked archives.

"My father is already on his way," Aurelia said coldly, taking her stand beside Kael. "Until the Headmaster arrives, no one touches him."

Minutes later, two heavy, high-grade carriages pulled up to the edge of the arena plaza.

Lord Valen stepped out from the first. His heavy velvet cloak sweeping the ground. Lord Alaric Veyr descended from the second.

"What is the meaning of this commotion?" Alaric demanded. His sharp gray eyes sweeping across the tense crowd.

Draven rushed forward. Bowing frantically.

"Lord Veyr! Lord Valen! Kael ambushed us in the forest! He used forbidden dark magic to take control of our beasts! That is the only way his useless serpent could have slaughtered my team's summons!"

Lord Valen stepped directly into Alaric's path. His face twisted in a mocking sneer.

"You can't bury the truth this time, Alaric. Just because this boy is friendly with your daughter. Dark magic threatens the whole city."

"A verdict without evidence is merely slander, Valen," Alaric replied calmly. "You ask for evidence? Then let us go to the academy laboratory and test the serpent."

Inside the damp stone chamber of the central laboratory, an official arcana technician carefully hoisted Astra onto the cold brass scanning altar.

Alaric turned to face Lord Valen. His expression impassive.

"I recall the Valen family co-funded the creation of this Dark Sorcery Detector. I take it you won't question its judgment?"

"Of course not." Valen sneered. Crossed his arms. "The machine does not lie."

The technician pulled a brass lever.

Arcs of blue rune-light swept down Astra's scales. Humming softly as the crystal dial on the console spun, calibrated, and slammed into the bright green zone.

"Result: Negative."

The technician announced loudly.

"Zero dark magic detected. The subject possesses an abnormally high bloodline density—allowing it to exert absolute dominance over beasts of equal or lower latent grade. But the energy profile is pure."

Lord Valen's face flushed dark red.

"No! That's impossible! Scan it again! The machine is malfunctioning!"

"Enough!"

Alaric snapped. Shutting him down instantly.

"You just swore you would not question the machine's accuracy, Valen. Or are you calling your own family's foundation fraudulent?"

Valen bit his tongue so hard his jaw muscles bulged. Unable to utter another word.

They returned to the sunlit academy podium. Where the crowd was still chanting for Kael's execution.

Alaric stepped up to the edge of the platform. His voice amplified by wind magic to thunder across the entire stadium.

"The laboratory has concluded its test! Kael Veyron's beast carries zero trace of dark sorcery!"

The crowd fell dead silent.

"No!"

Voss stumbled forward. Pointed a trembling finger.

"Then how did he do it?! How did he make our beasts bow down?!"

All eyes turned to Kael.

Kael shrugged slightly. Keeping his expression neutral.

"It just happened. They stopped moving."

Alaric turned to Kael. His eyes suddenly narrowing as a sudden, impossible realization struck him.

Absolute beast submission without a contract... the Primordial Beast Tamer lineage!

Alaric closed the distance between them. His voice dropping to a harsh whisper.

"What did you say your full name was, boy?"

"Kael Veyron," Kael answered smoothly.

"Veyron...?"

Alaric's breath caught in his throat. His eyes widening in shock.

"You share the true name of the founding house? The academy's lost lineage?"

"Do you know something about my name?" Kael asked. Watching the older man's violent shift in demeanor.

Alaric swallowed hard. Regaining his composure.

"Not here. Once this trial is over, you are coming to my estate. We have much to discuss."

Turning back to the crowd, Alaric's tone hardened.

"Voss Thorne. Draven. You brought unsubstantiated charges against a fellow student. Since you were merely ignorant of advanced beast bloodlines, I will let it slide this time. Clear the arena!"

Mr. Claw raised his staff. Blew his whistle.

"The tie-breaker duel for second place between Kael Veyron and Nyra Valen begins now!"

Lord Valen leaned down over the balcony. Whispering into Nyra's ear. His voice dripping with venom.

"Do not hold back. Destroy him."

Nyra nodded grimly. Stepped into the ring as the translucent barrier locked into place.

TWEEEEEEET!

"Rank B Purple-Flame Tiger! Ultimate Skill: Hellfire Annihilation!"

Nyra roared.

Her massive tiger erupted into waves of searing violet fire. Turning into a fiery blur as it lunged directly at Astra with ferocious speed.

The purple flames roared against Astra's dark blue scales. But the dark water barrier absorbed every drop of heat without leaving a single mark.

Astra lashed out.

Her long tail coiled tightly around the tiger's neck. Lifting the massive beast fifteen feet into the air before slamming it headfirst into the stone floor with a sickening CRACK!

Blood sprayed across the arena floor. The tiger whined pitifully. Its legs twitching.

"Surrender, Nyra," Kael said flatly.

"Never!"

Nyra screamed. Her eyes wide with desperation.

She bit her thumb and slapped her bloody hand onto the red seal on her beast's forehead.

"Forced Awakening!"

The dying Purple-Flame Tiger surged back to its feet. Its eyes burning with unstable purple light as it launched a wild, suicidal charge.

Astra simply opened her jaws. Catching the tiger straight by the throat. Pinning it to the ground under her sharp fangs.

Astra's jaws tightened.

Bone began to creak.

"STOP! I SURRENDER! I SURRENDER!"

Nyra screamed. Falling to her knees in the dirt.

"Please... don't kill him! I submit!"

Astra instantly opened her mouth. Slithered back to Kael's side.

Nyra crawled through the dirt toward her bleeding, unconscious beast. Tears streaming down her face as she cradled its heavy head in her lap.

She sobbed uncontrollably. Her body shaking with grief and exhaustion.

A golden system screen flickered in Kael's field of vision.

[TARGET CONDITION: PURPLE-FLAME TIGER]

· Status: Critical Tracheal Collapse, Internal Flame-Core Rupture

· Recovery Recipe: 2x Solar Lotus Petals, 1x Grade-B Flame Core Dust, Macerated Ember Root

Kael walked slowly across the bloody ring. Stopping right in front of the sobbing girl.

He reached into his belt pouch and tossed three dried herbs onto her lap.

"Macerate ember root with Solar Lotus petals and mix it with Grade-B flame core dust."

Kael said quietly.

"Apply it directly to its neck wound within ten minutes—or its windpipe and fire core will collapse permanently."

Nyra blinked through her tears. Staring down at the herbs. Then up at Kael.

The cold, vicious hatred in her eyes slowly melted. Replaced by a strange, trembling wonder as she held her dying beast tight.