Chapter 51: The Treasure ***Valley of Shadows - Kael's POV*** Today marks exactly eight days since I first set foot in the Armed Nation of Dwargon, and roughly two weeks since I left Liam's Nation, now known as the Ralix Empire. Initially, my intention was to steal from House Stoneforge, the wealthiest house in Dwargon's history. My mission failed miserably, but fate had other plans. Instead of looting the mansion, I ended up saving it and everyone within. It turned out that Sir Stoneforge was the very man Chief Brakor of the Elvarin Kingdom had spoken to me about. He adopted me without hesitation and secured my place in the competition for the Golden Ticket—a ticket that grants entry to the Nevermore Academy, said to be located in the Kingdom of the Humans. Honestly, I was expecting a sword duel and had been training arduously to conceal my magical essences. However, instead of a duel, we were sent into the Valley of Shadows to search for the Golden Ticket. The name alone is e
Chapter 52 - The Treasure II The four began their sword clash, Kara taking the offensive while Darius focused on defending himself. Suddenly, he sidestepped, causing Kara's sword to strike the ground instead.In a calculated move, he jabbed her nose with his knee, sending her crashing to the ground."Kara!" Mira called, trying to fend off Liam to help her friend, but Liam wasn't giving her any breathing space."Are you giving up so soon?" he asked with a cruel smirk."You'll regret making me bleed," she said, wiping the blood trickling from her nose as she sprang to her feet.Darius kicked Kara's sword back to her, which she caught. Almost immediately, he launched at her with incredible speed.Barely dodging his attack, she flipped to his front, blocking his dagger with her sword without even turning to face him."You must be really bold... Take this!" he shouted, leaping into the air. A dark wave formed on his blade as he slashed it down. Kara blocked it with her sword, but the forc
Chapter 53: Red King Dire The Valley of Shadows stretched out before Red King Dire, an eerie expanse filled with whispers of ancient magic and lurking dangers. The air was thick with a palpable sense of foreboding, and the darkened landscape was shrouded in a mist that clung to the ground like a living entity. His task was clear: retrieve the Ancient Treasure, an amulet of immense power, and return it to Lord Kael, the one true master he served.Red King Dire's imposing figure moved through the valley with purpose, his crimson eyes scanning the environment for any sign of the treasure. He walked with a confidence born of countless battles, his every step deliberate and powerful. As he ventured deeper into the valley, the oppressive silence was broken by the distant howls of creatures unknown, a reminder that the valley was very much alive and aware of his presence. He was a curse, after all, his presence dominating the whole area, causing every other creature to be alert. Despite be
Chapter 54: Dogo Dogour in the Midst of Enemies Alric Balmoral, Borin Akaza, Thalia, and Dogo Dougor could be seen walking along the bushy path of the Valley of Shadows."Are you sure we are still on the right track?" Dogo asked his troops, and they nodded."According to the map... This way leads to the cave," Alric answered."How sure are you that the Golden Ticket is in the cave?" Borin asked, causing Alric to sigh."My sixth sense alerted me... Or where do you think the Golden Ticket could be?" Alric replied.They were taking a straight line with Dogo in the front while Thalia was in the back. Their swords were in their grip, ready for any surprise attack."So, the map and your sixth sense are corresponding?""Exactly, Thalia... My intuition never fails me," Alric boasted as they walked carefully past a horde of stones spread around the vicinity."That's the cave over there," Dogo alerted the others, and they increased their steps. Borin scratched his sword on one of the stones, g
Chapter 55 - The Duel The cave was dimly lit by the torches they carried, casting eerie shadows on the rough, uneven walls. The air was thick with tension as Dogo, Eldric, and Gareth faced each other, swords drawn. The stakes were high, and all three knew that only one would leave the cave victorious."Bring it on," Eldric muttered, charging at Dogo with all his might. Dogo knew he was up against a formidable opponent. Eldric Giyu, the heir to the House Giyuson, was in the same rank as him. They both leveled up to Rank B Swordsmanship at the same time.Dogo took a deep breath, focusing on Eldric's movements. As Eldric swung his sword in a wide arc aimed at Dogo's head, Dogo sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the strike. He countered with a swift slash aimed at Eldric's midsection, but Eldric parried the blow with his sword."Nice move, Dogo," Eldric complimented as he moved back.Gareth took advantage of Dogo’s focus on Eldric and moved in from the side, aiming a precise thrust at Dogo’
Chapter 56 - The Nexus Mage Eldric and Gareth exchanged a quick glance, a silent agreement passing between them. They both attacked Dogo in unison, their swords moving in perfect synchronization. Dogo gritted his teeth, bracing himself for the onslaught."Enough!" Dogo roared, gathering all his energy for a final strike. "Blade of the eternal sky, strike true and end this battle. Sky Cleaver!" His sword glowed with a brilliant blue light as he swung it with all his might. The energy from the attack created a shockwave that rippled through the cave, forcing Eldric and Gareth back.Eldric and Gareth were sent crashing into the cave walls, their swords clattering to the ground.Dogo stood in the center of the cave, breathing heavily, his sword still glowing with residual energy. "I told you," he said between breaths, "the House Dougor never trained a coward.""Hahaha...""Why are you laughing when it's clear you've been defeated?" Dogo asked, surprised, as Gareth struggled to get on his
Chapter 57: Conspiracy among The High Council ***The Armed Nation of Dwargon***Instructor Valerie and the members of the High Council gathered before the Valley of the Shadows, waiting impatiently for the outcome of the events. The news about the death of a member had reached their ears, and as they gathered among themselves, the life stone of another member shattered."What is happening? Is the Golden Ticket in a dangerous place?" asked Sir Dwarki, fearing for his niece, Thalie.Fortunately, the life stones that broke belonged to Darius and Liam Firebrand. Sir Giyu started panicking, his heart racing, but Sir Geld signaled him to stay calm.Rustling in the bushes diverted their attention. Two figures emerged from the dense forest, heading toward the High Council members. Sir Giyu's eyes widened immediately—Mira and Kara were the figures. He had ordered Darius to execute Mira, but now Mira stood alive, while Darius's life stone had shattered, indicating his death."Do you have the G
Chapter 58: Conspiracy among The High Council II It turned out to be Kael, carrying the unconscious Dogo Dougor of the Armed Nation of Dwargon on his shoulder. The Golden Ticket was with Dogo, proving that he was the winner of the competition. Kael dropped Dogo on the ground and gazed directly at Sir Geld, a smirk curling on his lips. He released more of his magical essence, forcing the middle-aged men to their knees. His aura was overwhelming. Even the instructor was shocked but kept her cool. She never imagined a Nexus Mage would be in the Armed Nation of Dwargon. Such a talented kid, she couldn't let him slip through her fingers. "Dogo Dougor of the Armed Nation of Dwargon and Kael Stoneforge of the Armed Nation of Dwargon," she called out, and Kael directed his attention toward her. "Welcome to the Nevermore Academy," she said, and vanished from their presence. "Wow, I also got admitted," Kael exclaimed loudly, raising his arms into the air. --- ***Three Days Later
"Get up Kael.. You'll be late to class again." Dogo said, tapping his shoulder. "Allow me to sleep a little bit, just a little bit." Kael protested using the pillow to cover his head when Dogo jumped on the pillow, landing with his butt on it. "I heard an old student of Nevermore Academy has returned.. The most beautiful maiden in the Magic Department." Dogo said with smiles on his face. "And how's that my own business?" Kael groaned from underneath the pillow and Dogo chuckled, rising to his feet. "Everything about it is your business." He said amidst chuckling and walked out of the room. Kael laid on the bed for more than 10 minutes before finally getting on his feet and walked into the bathroom. Within 30 minutes, he had finished dressing up and then proceed towards the class. "I haven't eaten for long." He grumbled, holding his stomach as he managed and enter the class only to interrupt the Teacher's teaching. "Good Morning Ma." He greeted absentmindedly causing the studen
[Two Days Later**** The Aethralis Forest]Yuri could be seen leading a carraige which has the symbol of royalty....the symbol of the Elvarin Kingdom. Yuri is one of the Elites in the Elvarin Kingdom and under the command of General Thalric. He was assigned to accompanied the Princess to the Nevermore Academy with three other soldiers. The Elvarin Kingdom was facing a big threat as Lord Arctic and his deadly armies of Reapers were giving kingdom a tough time. Lord Arctic has almost took half control of the Elvarin Kingdom and was now planning to ambush the East. King Jade won't allow that to happen and he fears it will turn out to an all out war. He didn't want his Daughter to witness this war which was not in their favour so he sent her back to school.. To the Nevermore Academy where he can guarantee her protection. His plans were only knew to few and among the few include General Thalric who serves as a two sided coin. The journey was going on smoothly until a tree branch sudde
Elder Qin looked up to see a large icey ball falling from the sky and before they could make any move, it exploded instantly the force sending the trio crashing to different directions. "Earth Manipulation Technique: Fourth form... Earth binding." Kael cried out as he palm the Earth hard with his hands. The ground rose up swallowing Elder Qin and his clones. Kael spat out blood as his body was breaking due to the amount of force he's using.With all his might, he activated the all crushing skill and crushed the three binded creatures into pieces.He seized his breathe as he couldn't feel his body anymore when he spat out blood and almost collapsed to the ground when he used his hand as a support.For a moment, he thought it was over until he felt a presence behind him and as he turned....a fist plummeted to his face sending him crashing hard on the ground."You thought I would die easily." He heard Elder Qin voice when he was pulled by the leg and flinged away like a weightless pap
Kael’s poison resistance skill helped him nullify the poison, and as he got to his feet, Elder Qin emerged from the root cage with sharp talons in place of fingers.Elder Qin charged wildly at Kael, who punched the earth hard, throwing sand into the air. This didn't affect Elder Qin, who clawed his way through the sand, advancing toward Kael's stomach. Kael didn't see him coming as the claw slashed his shirt, ripping off his clothes and causing him to crash to the ground."Flower Magic: Gerit Trapatea," Elder Qin chanted, causing flowers to grow from the ground and trap Kael’s legs and arms, immobilizing him."You can't win against me, Kael. Not in this life. Not this way," Elder Qin said, walking up to him with the intent of finishing him off. But as he advanced, his bones started to crack.The rain had stopped drizzling as his talons grew longer, and he fell on all fours as his backbone crawled out of his back.Elder Qin was transforming, and Kael knew it. Gathering all his strength
"We are both Nexus Mages, but while you're at the Middle Stage of the Radiant Adept, I am at the Last Stage of the Radiant Adept. I'm afraid to say, Kael Stoneforge, the price of the antidote is your life, and you're going to pay for it in a brutal way," Kael heard the voice of Elder Qin as the cave wall cracked heavily, releasing overwhelming magical essences into the air."Freya, get up and find a place to hide. I'll show this guy why I'm called Kael," Kael screamed out loud as he released his own overwhelming essence into the air, summoning his sword to him.He charged at Elder Qin at once, who summoned a staff into his grip, countering Kael's attack with it. Kael glared hard as he pressed against the staff, causing his blade to break through it. Elder Qin made the staff vanish, ducking to avoid Kael's blow, which swung through the air instead. In that moment, Elder Qin planted a kick on Kael's chin, sending him soaring through the air and crashing into the cave wall before slumpin
[Two Hours Later]Kael was heading towards his room after fruitlessly waiting for Freya. He had been in the library, occupying himself with books and waiting for her to show up, but she didn't.He thought of heading to the restroom but dismissed the idea. He decided to head home instead.He turned the doorknob and found that the door was locked. It was strange not to find Dogo home by this time of day. His suspicion arose as he input his passkey and entered the room.As expected, it was empty, but something felt strange to him."Someone has been here," he said to himself, sniffing the air. He was perceiving a scent... a scent different from that of Dogo or Freya.He squinted his eyes around the room and found a letter lying on the bed. He quickly rushed and picked it up. It was a letter of invitation.He opened it and read the contents aloud, "If you want your servant, come to the cave in the woods and come alone. The Qin Family.""Oh, fuck..." he gnashed his teeth as he clenched his
[Two Days Later]"You mean Kael did this?" Qin Chun asked with a shocked expression."Yes, he did. He sabotaged our plan and exposed Qin Meng to the authorities of Nevermore Academy. Qin Meng is now a prisoner at the Academy, and he also shattered the bones of Qin Feng," Jahel answered Qin Chun as they both stood on the rooftop of Nevermore Academy, watching the students move around."Kael has caused a lot of trouble for us. It's high time we put him in his place," Qin Chun added with a frown."Kael isn't just any student. He's a noble and the heir of the House Stoneforge of the Armed Nation of Dwargon, and you're aware of the relationship between the Western Nation. Kael's not someone we can just rashly attack," Jahel revealed, causing Qin Chun to let out a sigh."We won't attack him rashly. We are going to invite him over.""Invite him over? Only a fool would accept the invitation of his enemy," Jahel stated, causing Qin Chun to chuckle."Send word to all members of the Qin Family
The Next Morning**Kael woke up late as usual, but this time he had a headache. He sat up on the bed, the events of the previous day lingering in his mind."Oh no... What have I done?" he asked himself as he flung the bedsheets aside and jumped out of bed, realizing he was naked. This was not his bed; it was Dogo's. He hadn't slept in his own bed the previous night.The door to the room opened, and Kael quickly grabbed the bedsheets as Freya entered with a smile on her face.She looked beautiful, dressed in her uniform and holding a tray of food."Oops. You're awake. I guess I'm late then," she said, dropping the tray on the table at the right corner of the room. Kael studied her expression; she had a calm look as if nothing had happened."Freya, how are you feeling now?" asked Kael, and she smiled broadly."I'm doing fine, Master, thanks to you. I never knew you'd go the extra mile even though you learned the poison was incurable," she said, and Kael chuckled."That was nothing, Frey
Chapter 82: The IntimacyKael was tired when he got back to Nevermore Academy. It was already nightfall, and the moon cast his shadow in the hallway. Althea had frustrated his life to the extent that he almost thought of harming her.His mind was filled with different thoughts as he staggered towards his room."Kael," he heard a familiar voice call out to him. He tilted his head to see Dogo approaching. A smile formed on his face as he tried hard to compose himself before he started thinking nonsense."I've been waiting for a while. I thought something bad happened to you," Dogo said, tapping his shoulder."No. I'm fine. I told you I can take on Gareld. He's a small fry for me," Kael boasted."Are you trying to brag or what?" Dogo arched a brow."Ain't doing nothing of such, brother," Kael defended."I see you trying to brag about your success because you possess some magic skills, but that doesn't change the fact that you're a 3-star..."Dogo paused immediately after turning towards