Zane stood outside his dorm window, arms crossed. The morning breeze ruffled his shirt slightly.
"Where are you going?" Nyx asked lazily, lounging on his shoulder.
"Senior department," Zane replied, already activating a short-range shadow step. "Just curious."
Nyx tilted her head. "Curious or reckless?"
Zane gave a smirk. "Both."
In a blink, he vanished into a spiral of shadows and reappeared behind a cluster of towering buildings—one of which had an open courtyard surrounded by students in advanced uniforms. A dense crowd had formed around a circular combat ring marked by glowing runes.
The buzz in the air was palpable—cheers, jeers, and sharp gasps as two seniors clashed with explosive spells and elemental strikes.
Zane stepped closer, slipping into the crowd. "What's going on?"
A taller student beside him answered without looking away from the match. "Ranking battle. Number 25 challenged Number 19. Happens a lot here—top 30 get priority access to elite resources. Dueling's the only way up."
Zane watched as Number 19, a broad-shouldered student with a glowing gauntlet, landed the final blow with a thunder-infused punch. Number 25 hit the barrier of the ring and slid down unconscious.
Cheers erupted. Number 19 walked off casually, not even looking back.
Then silence fell as a new voice echoed across the ring.
"I challenge Number One."
Heads turned. Students looked around in confusion, trying to find the source. Zane stepped forward, his hands in his pockets, a cocky grin on his face.
Someone whispered, "Isn't that the kid who cracked the mana orb?"
Another muttered, "He's not even in the rankings..."
A student nearby burst out laughing. "Bro, what number even are you?!"
Zane shrugged. "Negative mystery tier, apparently."
"Are you serious?" a senior girl asked.
"Dead serious," he replied.
Then the murmurs changed tone—amusement mixed with anxiety. From the far side of the ring, someone began walking forward.
Black boots. A long crimson coat. Silver hair tied back. Calm eyes like a winter lake.
A hush fell over the crowd as he stopped just across the ring from Zane. His name wasn't spoken—because it didn't have to be.
"...You'll regret this," he said coldly.
Zane's smirk never faded. "I probably will. But it'll be fun figuring that out."