The next morning, the sun rose over Mythic Union Highschool, casting golden light over the sprawling academy grounds.
Birds sang. Leaves swirled gently in the breeze.
Dominic Feyron, however, was not in the mood for scenery.
He was crouched in the training yard, practicing movements he'd secretly devised last night.
"Gravity Step… Gravity Step… okay, a tiny bit more force…" he muttered, flicking his fingers.
A faint distortion appeared in the air. Dust lifted slightly from the ground.
"Not bad…" he whispered to himself.
Suddenly, a shadow fell across him.
Dominic looked up.
A student stood there, watching him with sharp red eyes.
His hair was jet black, slightly spiked. A crimson aura seemed to drip from his Devil Stone, which floated above his palm.
"Hmm…" the boy said softly. "You're Dominic Feyron, right?"
Dominic stood up, stretching lazily. "Depends… who's asking?"
The boy stepped forward, and the crimson aura shifted, forming faint, dark tendrils of energy that danced along the ground.
"I'm Kael Draven. And I think we're going to have… fun."
Dominic tilted his head. "Fun? Sounds dangerous."
Kael smirked. "For you, yes. For me… probably boring."
Dominic's mind immediately went into overdrive.
'Devil Stone user. Already attacking first-year students. This guy's probably dangerous… and insane.'
---
Meanwhile, at a nearby balcony, Lyra Windvale was observing the scene.
She leaned on the railing, wind circling her hair.
"…Interesting," she whispered. "Another strange one… Dominic isn't just hiding something… he might be more dangerous than I thought."
Her green eyes narrowed as Kael stepped closer to Dominic, the air around him darkening.
---
Kael suddenly laughed, a low, chilling sound.
"You're the Grey Stone guy, huh? I was hoping for a real challenge, but you… you look weak."
Dominic crossed his arms, smirking. "Weak? Let's see about that."
Kael's Devil Stone flared red, swirling around his hand.
Skill: Crimson Blood Fang
The ground cracked beneath his feet. Sharp tendrils of energy shot out, slicing through the air with terrifying speed.
Dominic raised a hand lazily.
'Time to test the Cosmic Stone's tiny fragment.'
A subtle distortion appeared. Space seemed to bend around Dominic's body.
Kael's attack slowed slightly. Just enough to notice.
"…Huh?" Kael muttered.
Dominic grinned. "Oh… you're strong. But I can handle strong."
He flicked his wrist. A ripple of gravity pushed outward. The tendrils bent violently. One snapped in midair.
Kael's eyes widened. "Impossible!"
---
The crowd of students who had gathered gasped.
"Did the Grey Stone guy just bend Devil Stone energy?"
"Impossible!"
Lyra's eyes sparkled. She muttered softly: "So… he does have a secret."
Kael's smirk faded, replaced with irritation.
"You're hiding something. Show me your real power, Grey Stone."
Dominic sighed dramatically, leaning back slightly.
"Sorry. Not yet."
But inside his soul, the Cosmic Stone pulsed stronger than before, responding to Kael's Devil Stone presence.
'Just a tiny taste'… Dominic thought. 'We can play a little longer.'
---
Kael growled and lunged forward, his crimson tendrils aiming straight for Dominic's chest.
Dominic flicked his wrist again, gravity rippling outward.
'BOOM'
Kael was thrown backward a few meters, crashing into a stone pillar. The impact cracked the foundation.
Students screamed.
"Did Grey Stone just do that?!"
Kael struggled to his knees, red energy flickering dangerously.
"You… you cheated!" he spat.
Dominic shrugged, flashing his trademark lazy grin.
"Nope. Just talent."
Kael's Devil Stone flared brighter, almost feeding off his fury.
"This isn't over, Grey Stone. One day… I'll break that smug smile right off your face."
Dominic waved casually. "Looking forward to it."
---
After Kael stormed off, Dominic leaned against the cracked pillar.
Inside his soul, the Cosmic Stone pulsed with a faint, approving hum.
'Hmm… nice first real enemy.'
'And the best part? He doesn't know what's coming next.'
Across the courtyard, Lyra observed silently, a small smile on her face.
"This is going to be… interesting."
And far away, in the dark corners of the academy, other Devil Stone users were already gathering, sensing the anomaly that was Dominic Feyron.
---