HAVEN ACADEMY
I was taking a night stroll because I couldn't sleep, enjoying the midnight breeze and the soft glow of the moon. It was peaceful. Most nights, I sat alone by the lake, gazing at the moon's reflection on the water, imagining a different life—one without pain, suffering, and above all, mockery.
As I walked, appreciating the serenity of the night, I spotted Jaden. The moment our eyes met, I knew trouble was coming. Instinctively, I turned to leave, but it was too late—he had already seen me. A sinister smile spread across his face.
"Piece of trash, come here," he commanded.
Jaden was the son of Master Shane, a superior master at the academy and the first student to break into the Unitary Stage within just five months of joining. He was the strongest disciple in the Junior stage.
Everyone knew Master Shane was arrogant and egotistical. He was known as The Poisonous Cobra. All masters had nicknames, symbolizing their connection to a spiritual animal. As the second-in-command at the academy, he wielded immense power, and his star student, Jaden, was feared—even by some senior platinum-ranked students.
Academy Rankings
Junior Stage
Silver
Gold
Bronze
Platinum
Unitary
Senior Stage
Platinum
Elite
Elite Master
Master
Legendary
Grandmaster
For juniors, each rank had six stages, but the Unitary Stage had ten. Seniors also had ten stages, except for Elite Masters and above, which had twelve.
Jaden was already in the fifth stage of Unitary rank.
Every student was assigned a master. Mine was Master Ashley, also known as The Golden Eagle. Though ranked third in command, he possessed unmatched spiritual prowess and mastery of divinity. His techniques were second to none—until he fell. No one knew what had happened, but when he returned after disappearing for years, he was only a shadow of his former self. Master Shane had seized control, and Ashley's disciples began disappearing—either killed or dismembered by Shane's ruthless followers. The most notorious among them was Jaden. A bitter feud had raged between the two masters ever since.
Reluctantly, I stepped closer to Jaden.
He reached out and touched me. Instantly, my eyelids grew unbearably heavy. The last thing I saw was the sinister gleam in Jaden's eyes—lust, not for me, but for power and blood. Then, darkness consumed me.
---
"Agh… Where am I?" I groaned groggily.
I opened my eyes, but all I saw was pitch-black darkness. Suddenly, a blinding burst of light filled my surroundings, forcing me to squint. When my vision adjusted, my heart began to race.
I was in an arena.
Panic surged through me as I looked up and saw Jaden and his friends lounging in the best seats above me, casually munching on popcorn, their eyes filled with amusement.
Then, a deep, menacing growl sent shivers down my spine. Slowly, I turned around. My breath caught in my throat.
A Wolion stood before me—a rare magical fusion of a lion and a wolf. Strong, swift, and relentless, these creatures never missed their target. This was likely one of Master Shane's prized pets.
A student in the Bronze or Platinum stages might stand a chance against it. But me? A mere Silver first rank? I was as good as dead.
I bolted, running as fast as I could, though I knew it was futile. The Wolion was toying with me, enjoying the hunt. It had sensed I was no threat. Desperately, I scanned my surroundings. No weapons. The iron gates were too heavy to lift. There was no escape.
Was this how I would die?
I had nearly resigned myself to fate when something glinted in the sand. Without thinking, I dashed toward it, the Wolion closing in. I dove to the side, reaching out. My fingers grasped the object—a retractable spear buried in the sand.
I turned just as the beast leaped toward me, jaws wide open, eyes locked onto me.
This was it. My only chance.
I tightened my grip on the spear, my heart pounding. Even with a weapon, my chances were slim.
I stopped running and hid the spear behind my back. The Wolion, confused, dug its claws into the ground to halt its charge.
I could see the unquenchable thirst for blood in its eyes. I had to time this perfectly—or I was a dead man.
Summoning my last shred of courage, I sprinted toward it. As if on cue, it mirrored my movement, charging straight at me. Just as it leaped, expecting an easy kill, I jumped as well—thrusting the spear upward, aiming for its throat.
The Wolion never saw it coming.
The spear pierced its throat. It let out a painful moan, crashing to the ground. But not before its claws raked across my cheek, leaving a deep gash.
I landed opposite the beast, panting. I turned and saw the stunned expressions on Jaden and his friends' faces. No one had ever slain a Wolion before—not without sustaining grievous injuries. And yet, here I stood, with only a cut on my cheek.
Jaden gritted his teeth, rage contorting his face. He screamed so violently that the entire arena trembled.
"Piece of shit!!!"
I smirked, already contemplating my escape—when a deafening growl shattered the moment.
"ROOOAAAARRRR!!!"
I turned slowly, my heart hammering in my chest.
The Wolion was standing again.
Its eyes were bloodshot, its body trembling with fury. It had evolved.
That explained why it had been so easy to kill before. It had only been in its first stage. No wonder its soul crystal hadn't emerged upon death.
I cursed Master Shane a thousand times in my mind. Of course, he wouldn't keep an ordinary Wolion.
Every animal had a single stage. Upon death, a crystal ball containing its soul emblem would emerge. These soul crystals were coveted across the Three Kingdoms—even humans had them. The stronger the being slain, the more powerful the soul crystal. When swallowed, it drastically enhanced the consumer's abilities.
But there were exceptions—beasts with evolutionary abilities. Known as Arakist, they had multiple stages, with the highest recorded being five. Even then, they could continuously evolve, gaining new abilities each time. Once killed, they could reincarnate into stronger versions of themselves.
This Wolion hadn't considered me a threat before. But now? It was enraged.
Jaden smirked and called out loud enough for me to hear.
"You're done for now."
I wanted to argue, but I couldn't. The Wolion was now engulfed in molten rock and lava, its form even more terrifying than before.
It lunged forward, its speed now beyond human perception. It circled me rapidly, generating a fierce windstorm that made it nearly impossible to see.
Then, with all its power, it charged straight at me.
I closed my eyes, bracing for the inevitable.
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