The forest was quieter now. Days of relentless fighting had driven the fiercest beasts deeper into the restricted zones, leaving only scattered roars echoing far away. The academy's magical barriers shimmered faintly above the canopy, glowing like a net of stars.
Yet deep within the darkness a lone figure seen walking freely, his crimson hair moving in the wind while the large number 1 written on his black coat glows faintly.
As he enters a large cave multiple sets of red eyes open staring at him with unhinged rage .
Boldly he walks forward releasing a pitch black aura that makes the surroundings rumble.
" I come in peace " he says through the oni mask on his face.
Deeper into the cave another pair of eyes open these ones a piercing black , void of light.
" What do you want human?" The mystic beast says in a low growl
" I just want to give you a proposition" the man replies while holding a syringe filled with a black plasma like energy.
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In an open clearing overlooking the smooth grass filled plains . Leo sits cross-legged on the ground, his breath calm and even. Tiny strands of violet flame licked at his fingertips, weaving into spirals before fading. Each day, the fire responded more smoothly, no longer a wild force but a loyal extension of his will. He couldn't help but smile.
' Back home, this kind of power would've been impossible. Here… ' a broad smile stretches as his mind spirals through his journey so far.
Nearby, Sandra watched him with her usual quiet intensity. "You're improving quickly," she said softly, arms folded. "Almost too quickly."
Leo met her gaze and smirked. "What, worried I'll leave you behind?"
She flushed faintly, eyes darting away. "I'm not the one who needs to catch up."
Before Leo could tease further, Seth walks to them with his usual cocky grin and Veronica by his side. His boots hit the earth with a thud, the ground seeming to tremble more than it should. "You two done flirting? The weapons class is next
Leo raised a brow. "Flirting?"
Sandra's face reddened, but she didn't deny it. Seth chuckled and turned, waving them along. Yet Leo noticed something strange—when Seth walked, the leaves and pebbles around him shifted slightly, as though tugged by an unseen weight. He blinked, dismissing it as a trick of the light.
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In the next class the teacher makes them pick a partner and spar with only weapons for fifteen minutes before switching to another person.
Unsurprisingly no one even the students of the elite class wants to partner with anyone from Leo's group after the events of the verdant Shadow forest. Leaving them to train with A.I robots powered by beast crystals.
"This is boring," Kevin muttered, lightning still flickering faintly around his fingertips.
Seth laughed and clapped him on the back—maybe too hard, because Kael staggered forward with a glare. "Relax. Boredom's better than losing or failing," Seth said lightly, though his eyes glinted with something more calculating.
Leo caught the look. It wasn't the first time he'd noticed Seth watching people, almost as if he were taking mental notes. The grin and bravado were real—but there was something beneath it. Something heavier.
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Before the night set in, the group decided to spar in pairs, both to sharpen their skills and blow off the lingering tension.
Arthur paired with Alec—the clash of ice and water tearing through the clearing. Luna faced Matthew, illusions and shadows twisting against each other in a silent duel of pride.
Leo found himself paired with Seth.
"Don't hold back," Seth said, rolling his shoulders. "I want to see how far you've really come, Leo."
"Don't regret it," Leo replied, violet flame flickering to life around him.
The duel started —Leo surged forward, fire trailing from his fist, while Seth sidestepped with unnatural grace. His counterattack wasn't flashy; he simply swung his arm downward, and suddenly Leo felt heavier. His stride faltered, knees nearly buckling under the invisible weight.
"What— you have advanced to the world saint rank?"
Seth grinned. "Yep .Thought I'd surprise you."
Leo forced his flame to flare hotter, shaking off the pressure just enough to keep moving. Their fight pushed on—Leo's purple fire clashing with Seth's strange, forceful strikes that cracked the ground beneath them. To the others, it might have seemed like raw strength. But Leo had felt it: gravity itself bending against him.
The duel ended when Arthur called it off, but Seth leaned close as they walked back. " I hope we can get to fight all out one day. You're strong, Leo. Stronger than you realize. But strength… it can bury you if you're not careful."
There was a weight to the words that unsettled him.
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Later that night, when most had drifted to rest, Leo sat awake, staring at the stars through the canopy. His thoughts wandered—about his place here, about the strange purple fire, about why he still felt like an outsider.
A voice broke his reverie. "Can't sleep?"
It was Kevin, sitting nearby, tossing a small bolt of red lighting up and down.
Leo gave him a half-smile. "Guess I'm still getting used to all this."
Kevin shrugged. "Don't. Get used to yourself instead. The world changes too much to rely on it." His tone had lost its usual levity; it was serious, almost cold.
Leo tilted his head. "You talk like you've already decided something."
Kevin's grin returned instantly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Maybe I have. Maybe I just like sounding wise." He flicked the lighting into the shadows, where it landed with a flash of light.
For a moment, Leo thought he saw the outline of something vast—like storm clouds—reflected in Kevin's eyes. But then it was gone, replaced by his usual smirk.
Minutes later before sleep finally overtook him, Leo clenched his fists, violet flame sparking faintly in his palms. He didn't know what Kevin was hiding, or why the air seemed to bend when he fought. But deep down, he sensed that whatever path lay ahead, Kevin would be at its center—whether as an ally or as something far more dangerous.
The forest whispered around them, ancient and watchful, as though it too knew that the bonds being forged here were only the beginning of something much greater.
And above, unseen in the distance, storm clouds gathered.
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The morning bells of Starcrest Academy rang like chimes of steel, sharp and unyielding. Students gathered in the central combat arena, a vast coliseum reinforced with enchantments to contain whatever chaos young Celestials unleashed. The stands shimmered with protective runes, glowing faintly against the pale sun.
"Combat Class today will not be simple sparring," master Ren's voice boomed, carrying without effort. The tall, silver-haired instructor stood at the center of the arena, robes fluttering slightly in the wind. His eyes, cold as glaciers, swept across the assembled students.
"You will fight in pairs—but this time, I will choose your opponents. You will face those who challenge your weaknesses, not your strengths. Adapt, or fall... The five people with the most wins will be representing our academy's first years in the inter school tournament. Officially called the nine sovereign tournament.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd . The nine sovereigns were the supreme begins in Aether .
A tournament were gaining their favour was up for grabs was a tempting offer for all of them.
Leo felt his pulse quicken. Combat here wasn't just practice—it was a test of who deserved to stand among the academy's elite.
---
The floor of the arena shifted, glowing lines etching new circles where pairs would fight simultaneously.
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Arthur would be fighting first, his opponent a spear-wielding young man of the elite class whose strikes could phase through solid barriers. Their duel was a clash of precision and discipline,
" I guess the Kincaids are all talk " Max the elite class student says while parrying an attack from Arthur and rapidly thrusting his spear .
Skillfully Arthur uses his odachi to block each attack then jumping back he sends a piller of ice towards Max .
Once again Max thrusts his spear forward, his strike phasing through the ice and towards Arthur. The strike hits Arthur in the chest sending him back but he stabs his odachi into the ground stopping his body.
" Actually I don't like talking but since you want a show so bad... I will give you one " Arthur says , his once calm aura burning wildly in blue and golden colors.
" And here I taught this will be boring .. who would have taught the first years would have four world saints " Max replies unleashing his own aura.
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