[Academy – Winter's Dormitory]
Winter sat cross-legged, her palms glowing with icy mist. Her breath came in ragged gasps. The ancient prophecy echoed in her head like a curse:
> "The girl of frost shall temper the flame…"
Her veins shimmered faintly, like ice threads winding beneath her skin. The mana around her fluctuated wildly, as if afraid or… in awe.
> [System Notification: Draconic Resonance – Phase One]
[Partial Awakening in Progress…]
[Warning: Blood pressure spiking – Ancient lineage unstable]
Winter clutched her chest.
> "What the hell is happening to me…?"
She collapsed to the floor, vision spinning.
And in the shadows, someone watched her from the window—eyes glowing gold.
---
[Training Grounds – Midnight]
Lohan slashed through six golems in one breath.
Ashen Vow thrummed with energy, the runes along its edge pulsing like a heartbeat. His movements were sharp, efficient, merciless.
But even in the silence, he could feel her.
A shift in the wind.
A scent of betrayal.
> "You can come out, Justine."
From the darkness, she stepped forward—cloak torn, face pale, eyes fierce.
> "You remembered me," she said softly.
> "How could I forget my greatest mistake?"
Justine's lips curled into a smile—part hurt, part amusement.
> "I came to see if you were really alive. And to ask… will you kill me?"
> "I haven't decided yet."
They stood still, the moonlight caught between them.
She took one step forward—and vanished.
---
[Winter's Room – Moments Later]
Winter jolted awake to find a strange sigil etched on her door—a dragon's eye, burning faintly.
Someone had been here.
She touched the mark. Magic surged through her fingertips—raw and ancient.
> [Trait Update: Draconic Resonance → Awakened Core: Iceborne Dragon]
[Skill Gained: "Frostflare Pulse" – Releases a shockwave of freezing magic that temporarily halts all mana flow within 10 meters.]
Winter gritted her teeth.
> "Whoever's playing with my bloodline, I'll make them regret it."
---
[Council Tower – The Headmaster's Office]
News of a divine signature breaking through mortal boundaries spread fast. The Headmaster sat stone-faced, reading the mana reports.
"First, Lohan awakens an ancient artifact… now Justine returns from the divine realm…"
A voice behind him whispered:
> "The gods are watching again."
The Headmaster stood, grim. "Then we prepare for war."
---