A loud clang echoed through the corridor.
Sebastian blinked his eyes open.
His face was buried in the soft linen of his academy-issued pillow, tangled in a blanket that had been half-kicked off during the night. His black hair stuck out in various directions—sleep had clearly won the war last night.
He turned over, eyes squinting toward the ceiling.
"That dream again..."
The vision—the battlefield, the screams, the figure above all—it was haunting. Ten years had passed since the Awakening Ceremony, and yet, the feeling from that night refused to fade.
His hands rested behind his head. Calm. Unbothered.
Until—
"SEBASTIAN!!"
The door to his room exploded open.
Luna stood in the doorway, silver hair flowing behind her, violet eyes filled with fury. She wore the morning training uniform, her blade already strapped to her side.
"You missed sparring! Again!"
Sebastian groaned. "Morning to you too..."
She stomped toward him. "It's not morning—it's practically noon!"
"Time is an illusion," Sebastian replied, rolling over, pulling the blanket with him. "Besides, I trained… in my dreams."
Luna's eyebrow twitched. "If you don't get up in ten seconds, I'm dragging you to the arena myself."
Sebastian peeked out from beneath the blanket. "That's abuse, you know."
"That's called love—tough love."
The Arena Grounds – Midday
The training arena was packed. Students lined up the marble bleachers, all waiting for one thing:
A duel.
The name Sebastian Raizen had always carried weight. After all, he was a member of the legendary Raizen Bloodline. But more than that, he was part of the now-famous Big 8—a group of students from various backgrounds who stood at the peak of the academy. All of them had noble lineage or overwhelming talent.
Except today, the academy buzzed not because of his reputation, but because of a challenge.
A commoner had called him out.
"Is that him…? The challenger?"
"Yeah… I think his name is Garet. He's strong for a commoner, but—he's seriously challenging Sebastian?"
"They say he doesn't even have a proper weapon… just a reinforced practice spear."
Sebastian yawned from the center of the arena. He was dressed casually, sleeves rolled up, posture relaxed.
Across from him stood Garet. A tall, lean boy with sun-tanned skin and a quiet fire in his eyes. His uniform was worn. His hands were calloused. His grip on the practice spear was steady.
He bowed.
"I request a fair match. Thank you for accepting."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "You're polite. That's new."
Garet didn't respond to the sarcasm. His expression was focused, unwavering.
"I want to prove that strength isn't just born from bloodlines."
The arena murmured. A few scoffed. Some stared.
But Sebastian smiled faintly.
"...Alright then."
Academy Leaderboard – Top 20 Students
1. Sebastian Raizen – The Lazy Genius (Raizen Family, Abyssia)
2. Luna Blossomveil – Sword of the Plum blossom (Plum Blossom Sect)
3. Renji Xuanlong – Azure Dragon of Qi (Xuanlong Clan, Cultivation Realm)
4. Jovhan Raizen – Phoenix Heart (Raizen Family, Abyssia)
5. Sylvaine Elowen – Witch of Arcane Thorns (High Elves, Verneville)
6. Kenjie Velstorne – Battle Tactician (Strategists' Guild)
7. Orion Beasthold – Whisperer of Fangs (Monsterborne, Beastlands)
8. Kai Drovian – Sleeping Storm (Drovian Clan)
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