The monstrous skeletal hand of fog froze inches from Kaelen's face. Kaelen stood paralyzed, eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the end. When the crushing blow didn't come, he dared to peek. The hand hung suspended in the air like a grotesque statue.
"Stay your ground, boy," a voice boomed, vibrating through the very marrow of Kaelen's bones. "I see a spark in you that separates you from the rest of the cattle in this academy."
Kaelen swallowed hard, his voice trembling but defiant. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"I am the shadow that rules this institution. I am Gorbal Saku, the Principal of this Academy," the voice crackled from within the fog. "You have guts, boy, to crawl this close to the SSS-Rank Sanctuary without a death wish."
Kaelen's fear was suddenly replaced by his signature arrogance. He crossed his arms, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I'm the first O-Negative case this place has ever seen. I don't do 'low-level' fear. Now, why the fog hand? Why not show your face and talk like a man?"
Gorbal's laughter was like grinding stones. "You are rare, little bloodling, but you are not yet worthy to look upon my face. I know the system Ailza gifted you. Don't let it go to your head."
"Famous on my first day," Kaelen chuckled darkly. "Just imagine where I'll be in a year. I'll be the one looking down on you."
"Arrogance is a quick road to the grave!" Gorbal's voice turned thunderous. "Leave! You aren't strong enough to step foot inside this building. Come back when you can actually carry the weight of your own power. Now, vanish!"
Kaelen gripped the hilt of his Heavy Battle Axe, his eyes flashing with sudden rage. "Why wait? Let's settle this now. I challenge you!"
The fog hand dissipated instantly into the wind. "Ambitious. I promise you this—the day you become a true monster, I will be the one to put you down."
As the fog cleared, the atmosphere shifted. The Steel Arch Heroes had returned, surrounding Kaelen once more. But something was different. Kaelen's eyes weren't their usual color—they were glowing with a terrifying, electric Blue Aura.
"Look at him..." Belina moaned, her breath hitching as she stared at Kaelen's glowing eyes. "He looks so... incredibly hot like that."
"He's consumed by rage," Warsan noted, his body tensing. "That blue glow... it's not just for show."
"If he's looking for a fight, let's give him one!" Tansu snapped.
Before they could even blink, Kaelen vanished. A trail of blue sparks was the only thing left in the air. In a heartbeat, Kaelen was inches from Warsan's face. Time seemed to slow to a crawl.
"Impressive speed," Warsan whispered with a demonic grin. "But you'll regret targeting me first!"
Warsan's hands transformed into two massive, blood-red claws, intercepting Kaelen's lightning-fast strike. The collision sent a shockwave through the plaza. The two became blurs of blue and red lightning, clashing with such ferocity that the other students could only hear the thunderous cracks of their impact.
"They're too fast!" Belina cried out, shielding her eyes. "The naked eye can't track them!"
Tansu was breakng into a cold sweat. "An E-Rank holding his own against an A-Elite? This is impossible!"
In the heat of the sky, Warsan was struggling. Those blue eyes... they've unlocked something raw and primal in him. He has no control, but his power is limitless!
Suddenly, the blue light in Kaelen's eyes flickered and died. The exhaustion hit him like a mountain. He began to fall from the sky, unconscious. Before he hit the pavement, Warsan caught him mid-air.
Tansu and Belina rushed over. "How was he swinging that massive axe so fast?" Tansu asked, breathless.
Belina looked at Kaelen's sleeping face and whispered to herself, "My first true love..."
Warsan looked down at the boy in his arms. "He's no ordinary student. He has an innate power—an Emotion-Based Trigger—but his control is zero. He's a diamond in the rough."
Kaelen woke up with a pounding headache. He felt a soft, warm weight on his chest. Shifting his gaze, he froze.
Ailza.
She was lying next to him, completely naked, covered only by a thin, silken sheet that did little to hide the curves of her body. Her hand was draped possessively over his chest.
"Sleep, Kaelen," she murmured sleepily, her eyes half-closed. "It's late. We'll talk in the morning."
Kaelen's face turned a violent shade of red. He tried to look away, but as the sheet slipped slightly, revealing the swell of her breasts, his heart hammered against his ribs. He turned his back to her, trying to breathe, but Ailza leaned in, pressing her bare body against his back.
Kaelen could feel the soft, firm pressure of her breasts against his spine. The heat from her skin radiated through him, making his blood boil. This is a disaster, he thought, drenched in a cold sweat. I can't take this much longer!
The next morning, Kaelen was at the mirror, fumbling with his clothes when Ailza sat up, stretching like a cat.
"Good morning, Kaelen," she purred. "I haven't slept that well in years."
"Cover yourself, Ailza!" Kaelen snapped, refusing to turn around. "Then we talk."
"Oh, don't be such a prude," she teased. "I wouldn't mind if you took a peek."
"I'm not that kind of guy!"
Ailza laughed, pulling the sheet around her chest. "Fine, fine. You can turn around now."
Kaelen spun around, his eyes blazing. "What was that? You said you don't sleep with anyone! Why were you in my bed?"
"We just slept, didn't we? Nothing 'sinister' happened," she said with a wink. "Though you missed a golden opportunity to see everything. My body is a masterpiece, you know."
Kaelen's cheeks burned. "Where is the food? I'm starving."
"Stay here. I'll cook for you myself," Ailza said, standing up. "We need to talk about what you did yesterday."
A while later, Ailza returned carrying a tray of steaming seafood. She was wearing nothing but a skimpy kitchen apron.
"Can you not put on some actual clothes?!" Kaelen yelled, his face heating up again.
"I can't cook with clothes on, it's too restrictive," she replied nonchalantly, setting the food down. "Try the shrimp. It's my specialty."
Kaelen took a bite, and his eyes widened. "This is... actually incredible."
Ailza's expression turned serious. "Kaelen, do you remember the fight? You reached the SSS-Rank and challenged Gorbal. Then you fought Warsan to a standstill. Your eyes... they turned electric blue."
Kaelen thought back. "I remember the rage. The Principal refused to fight me, and I lost control. Everything after that is a blur of lightning."
"You have an Innate Emotion Power," Ailza explained, her eyes shining with pride. "It's extremely rare. When your emotions peak, your speed and strength multiply. You're a natural monster, Kaelen."
Kaelen smirked, regaining his confidence. "I don't need the compliments, but I'll take them."
"So," Ailza asked, leaning in. "How do you plan to kill the Reaper with that axe when you don't even know where he is?"
Kaelen stood up and walked to the window, looking out toward the horizon. "It's simple. I'm going back to my village. I have one month to train, and I know that Reaper will come back to my home to finish what he started. And when he does... I'll be the one waiting to tear him apart."