SYSTEM ASCENSION

The flowers needed to make the medicine for the students were picked up and stuffed in a bag.

The work only took an hour, and they were done. Afterwards, Sienna suggested a spar between the students. Of course like she had expected, they all rejected a spar. Jordan case still lingered in their minds.

She then suggested a tour of the school, to which they all agreed.

Veil academy was much more than they had anticipated. It was carved into a rock, while its top stretched into the sky. The wall and jagged edges were obsidian, and the land itself stretched several magnitudes.

They would barely walk a half in a day if they tried it. Due to this ridiculous size, teleportation gates were installed everywhere.

Sienna led them to the practical knowledge room, and they were surprised when they saw a crowd.

This was because of the incident between the teacher and Elias, now all the students want to see him.

After news spread that he went to the practical knowledge room, all the students gathered outside, lingering but not quite disturbing.

”Excuse me. Coming through.” Sienna clapped.

The students parted ways.

”Greetings, your highness!”

She waved.

”What is going on here?”

”Prince Jordan said he has an elder brother.” A student replied.

”Wait, Elias is here?”

She pushed through with the students, and entered the hall.

The practical room was built in a circular shape, with tall windows installed in every angle. Mounted on the windows were strange devices the Salvador students had never seen before.

Elias was close to a window, holding one of them—a handheld piece of engraved metal, about the length of a forearm. A solid frame with a grip shaped to fit a palm. A smooth hollow tube. A small curved lever right where his finger rested. Too little notches for aiming.

”It’s called a gun,” Tiana said to the students. ”I’m not sure what it’s used for though.”

”Isn’t this the blueprint that was sold?” Quil asked. ”I saw it during my travelling days.”

”What’s it for?” Coco used that opportunity to step closer to Quil.

”Find out. He’s about to use it.”

All attention returned to Elias. He raised his right hand, manifesting energy thread from his fingers and weaved it right before their eyes into a bullet.

They gasped.

”What is that?”

He loaded it, pulled back a slide and aimed it towards the mountain barely seen, because of its distance.

Puna and standing close to Jordan, glaring at Tiana who was holding his hand.

She tried to initiate a conversation. ”I don’t think he’ll be able to fire it.”

”You’re underestimating Elias.” Both Jordan and Tiana said without even sparing her a glance.

Elias was still blindfolded, not seeing the target, but he squeezed and pulled the trigger. The energy bullet was released at an alarming speed, the force blowing their hairs and clothes.

No one saw where the bullet went, but after a while a whistling sound rang through the air, and the mountain top exploded.

All the students flinched.

They didn’t make a sound. They watched chunks of stones rain down on the academy walls, with a baffling expression.

Elias leaned back and grabbed Jordan by the head, pulling him closer.

”Next.”

Jordan’s eyes brightened. ”Let’s ride the aircraft!”

”Lead the way.”

The brothers walked away, leaving all the students staring in shock. Tania’s eyes followed them, her mind lingering on his words.

’What are you, Elias?’

They stood and eventually recovered, spending the day following Elias around. He rode the aircraft with Jordan. Then they moved to the gryphon race. After that, they went boat riding.

Throughout the day, the Salvadoran Empire students avoided a duel at all costs. Only Anny and Coco spared twice, and it ended in a tie.

At last, they called it a day and headed back to the fortress.

The students were tired and murmuring words. Tania walked with Jordan behind. She tilted his head and looked at him.

”What are we doing tomorrow?”

His eyes narrowed. ”An execution.”

”An execution?”

”You’ll see.”

”Execution is no fun.”

”A tournament is coming up too. It’s be spectacular.” He chuckled and patted her head. ”Get some sleep princess.”

Her face flushed. She hugged his leg before running off.

He watched her disappear into the fortress before turning around and staring into the distance. He stared for a moment, eyes narrowing every passing second.

But then he caught sight of Elias in the distance. He immediately ran after.

The night over the Black Empire became quiet.

No birds called from the trees. No wind disturbed the leaves. Even the distant sounds of the city seemed to have faded, as though the entire empire had fallen into an unnatural silence.

Then, a thin line of darkness appeared in the air.

It stretched slowly from one end to the other, splitting the empty space like a tear in reality.

The line widened, and a deep violet light flickered behind it.

WHOOOM.

The portal opened. For a moment, nothing came through. It continued to spin lazily until a shadow stepped out. Its shape was barely visible against the darkness.

Another followed.

Then another.

One after another, figures emerged from the portal, their movements slow and deliberate.

Some were tall. Some were short. Some seemed almost human. Some were clearly not. Others moved with strange, unnatural silhouettes.

The last figure stepped through. The portal remained open behind them, swirling silently.

The leader looked ahead.

Beyond the distant hills stood the massive structures of the Black Empire in the middle, their towers faintly illuminated beneath the night sky.

The figure remained motionless for several seconds. Then, in a calm voice:

”So this is Black Empire.”

A few shadows shifted behind them.

One tilted its head. ”Exactly like the imaginations.”

Another slowly looked toward the towering city.

The leader continued staring.

”We have one week. One week to prepare. No one attacks before then.”

”How do we find all the marked ones at once?” One of them asked.

”They can track themselves,” the leader replied. ”We’ll make use of the one we captured.”

Behind them, the portal began to collapse, concealing their arrival.