The next day, things felt... off.
Not imdiately. Not obviously. But to soone like Riku Aoyama—who had grown accustod to quietly watching the world behind a mask of calm intelligence—sothing in the air humd wrong.
A low pressure.
A breath held too long.
A silence too perfect.
Still, classes continued normally—lecture on political mana theory, a practical on fla containnt barriers, even a lunch break with Ayumi where she tried (and failed) to convince him to try spicy soba noodles.
It was during Practical Spellforms that everything shifted.
"Riku Aoyama," ca the voice of Professor Kiriya at the door. "You’ve been summoned."
Riku blinked. "By who?"
The teacher didn’t answer.
Only handed him a sealed envelope.
No na.
No crest.
Just one line:
"Co alone. North Tower. Room B4. Imdiately."
---
[System Alert: Unknown instruction detected. Potential trap probability: 63.4%]
[Accept challenge: Y/N]
Riku narrowed his eyes.
Accept.
---
North Tower – Room B4
The North Tower was rarely used. Mostly reserved for storage or old equipnt. So students even joked it was haunted.
Room B4 was deeper than expected—beneath ground level. When Riku arrived, the only thing waiting for him was a massive steel door... and a masked figure beside it.
"Na," the figure demanded.
"...Riku Aoyama."
The masked figure pressed a rune-stone to the door.
The lock clicked.
Stone groaned.
The door opened.
Darkness swallowed him.
---
Underground Testing Bracket – Initiation Chamber
Inside, the lights flickered on one by one—revealing a circular coliseum-like room far beneath the school. Enchanted torches lined the walls, casting flickering shadows. Dozens of masked observers sat in silence behind magical barriers, watching.
A voice echoed from the ceiling.
"Riku Aoyama. Welco."
"This is the Underground Bracket—a testing ground for those who claim to be more than average."
"No classmates. No systems. No favoritism. Just combat."
Riku stood in the center of the platform, eyes scanning for tricks.
"Your opponent today: a second-year dropout who mastered blood magic... and was expelled for it. For today only, he’s been pardoned."
A new door opened.
From it stepped a lean, pale figure—barefoot, shirtless, eyes glowing red with cursed magic tattoos on his chest and arms.
"Hello again," he said with a cracked smile.
Riku’s heart paused.
"...Souta."
Souta was once his classmate. A prodigy in dark enchantnt. Smart. Obsessive. Dangerous. He had vanished after attempting a forbidden ritual last year.
"I hear you’re the new genius," Souta said, licking his lips. "Let’s see how bright you shine when we cut your nerves apart."
---
System ssage:
[WARNING: Enemy skill signature exceeds formal academy safety paraters.]
[Activating Passive Layer: System Mask – Conceals system usage during illicit matches.]
[Combat Mode: Shadow Duel | Arena Rules: No Fatal Blows, Limbs Optional]
[Initiate.]
---
Round 1 – Riku vs. Souta
Souta struck first.
A flick of his wrist—and blood from his palm twisted into a hundred crimson needles, aid at Riku’s joints.
Riku dropped low, slid sideways, and kicked off a summoned platform of wind.
"Eclipse Step."
He vanished mid-air, reappeared behind Souta.
"Mirror Palm."
A direct hit to the spine—but—
CLANG!
A cursed sigil blocked the blow.
Souta smirked.
"My blood rembers pain. Every injury I’ve suffered... I wear it as armor."
Then he scread.
And the blood in the arena thickened. Rose up like claws. Twisting.
"Crimson Cathedral."
The arena transford—becoming a do of writhing veins and flesh-like walls.
"Let’s see how long you last, system boy."
---
Outside – Ayumi’s Perspective
Back at the dorms, Ayumi sat on her bed, staring at the clock.
He never misses dinner.
She tried ssaging. No response.
She got up.
Grabbed her jacket.
Sothing’s wrong.
---
Back in the Arena
Riku panted, blood on his cheek. He had taken minor hits—but they weren’t just physical.
Each strike from Souta’s blood magic sapped mana, drained stamina, and flooded the mind with hallucinations.
Twice already, Riku had nearly slipped.
But he had been training.
He had been planning.
And—he had been evolving.
Riku exhaled.
Let the pain sharpen his mind.
"System," he whispered. "Buy skill: Counter-Rhythm Flow."
[Skill Purchased – 3,200 Credits Deducted]
[Effect: Allows your body to instinctively sync with erratic or unpredictable combat patterns. Duration: 3 minutes.]
The mont it activated—he moved.
Faster than before.
Not just faster—synchronized.
Every twitch of Souta’s wrist, every flick of blood—Riku anticipated them.
And struck between the beats.
A palm to the liver.
A snap kick behind the knee.
A final blow—
"Void Pinpoint."
A micro-burst of mana compressed into a needle of air—fired into Souta’s shoulder rune.
CRACK!
The sigil shattered.
Souta scread.
His blood magic collapsed.
The arena dimd.
---
System ssage:
[Victory Achieved – Hidden Battle Cleared]
[Opponent: Bloodbound Dropout | Win Conditions: Disable without fatality – SUCCESS]
[Reward: 10,000 Credits | Unique Skill Fragnt: "Sanguine Reversal" obtained]
Riku exhaled.
But before he could speak, the masked announcer’s voice returned.
"You’ve passed. But the bracket has... three levels."
Three?
And then the floor shifted beneath him.
The stone cracked.
He fell.
Reviews
All reviews (0)