CHAPTER 284: CHAPTER 284: SHADOW STEP

The room was quiet save for the faint crackle of the candle burning low on the desk. Charlotte lay fast asleep on the bed, her breathing slow, her face softened by rest. Noel closed the Forgotten Brother’s Manual with care, sliding it back into his pouch. He glanced at Noir, who had settled near the bedside, her violet eyes glowing faintly in the dark.

He crouched beside her, lowering his voice. "Stay here with her."

Noir flicked her ears, tail brushing against the floor. She gave a soft, approving rumble, positioning herself closer to Charlotte as if to underline her promise.

Noel pulled on his cloak and slipped out the door. The hallway of the dormitory was silent, lanterns dimmed to a faint glow. Every step echoed too loudly in the stillness of night, but he moved with practiced quiet. Students and attendants slept behind the rows of doors—none stirred.

His destination was clear. Down one corridor, then another, until he reached Roberto’s quarters. Noel paused, listening. Nothing. He rapped his knuckles lightly against the wood.

No answer.

With a quiet exhale, Noel eased the door open. The room smelled faintly of leather and steel. Roberto was sprawled across his bed, black hair a mess, one arm dangling over the side. He snored once before shifting, mumbling something incoherent.

Noel stepped in, nudged the bedframe with his knee. "Roberto."

A groan. Roberto rolled over, eyes half-opening, his voice rough with sleep. "Noel? It’s the middle of the night... What the hell are you doing?"

Noel smirked faintly, tugging at his sleeve. "I need you awake."

Roberto squinted at him, still dazed. "You’re insane, you know what fucking hour is it?"

Noel only tugged harder. "Get up."

Roberto rubbed his eyes, still half-asleep, and flopped back onto the mattress. "No. Absolutely not. Whatever this is, it can wait until morning."

Noel crossed his arms, tone flat. "I need you for a sparring match."

Roberto groaned loudly, dragging the pillow over his head. "Sparring? At this hour? You’ve officially lost it. I’m not moving."

Noel tugged the pillow away. "I have to test something. It can’t wait."

Roberto rolled over, waving him off. "Too bad. Come back when the sun’s up. I value my beauty sleep more than your training obsession."

Noel paused, then leaned closer, voice low and serious. "Fine. Forget sparring. How about a blind date?"

Roberto shot upright so fast the bedframe creaked. His eyes snapped open, all traces of sleep gone. "A what?"

"A blind date," Noel repeated without blinking.

Roberto was already pulling on his boots. "Why didn’t you say so earlier? You drag me out of bed, wasting precious minutes, when there’s a girl waiting for me? Unbelievable!"

Noel tried not to laugh. "So you’ll come?"

"Of course I’ll come!" Roberto barked a laugh, fastening his belt. "Tell me everything. Hair color? Height? Personality? Don’t tell me she’s shy, I love shy girls—"

Noel shrugged. "Mystery girl. You’ll see when we get there."

Roberto grinned at his reflection as he adjusted his shirt, hair still sticking up in every direction. "Perfect. Mystery makes it more exciting."

Noel opened the door. "Then follow me."

Roberto grabbed his sword and slung it over his back. "For a date? Naturally. If she doesn’t like me, at least I’ll look dangerous."

Noel shook his head, smirking as they slipped into the dark hallway. The "blind date" was waiting—in the shape of a midnight sparring ground.

The training grounds were silent, bathed in the steady glow of mana-crystals fixed high along the cavern walls. Their bluish light shimmered across the stone floor, casting long artificial shadows that stretched and bent—perfect for what Noel needed.

Roberto stopped in the center, glancing around with a yawn. "So... where’s this mystery girl?"

Noel unsheathed Revenant Fang and planted it into the ground. "You’re looking at her. The date’s with me. Now draw your sword—we’re sparring."

Roberto blinked once, then burst out laughing, his voice echoing off the cavern stone. "You dragged me out of bed, promised me a blind date, and it turns out it’s you? Noel, you’re a demon."

Noel smirked. "Shut up. Just help me."

Roberto wiped a tear from his eye, still chuckling. "Fine, fine. But when you fail, I’m not letting you forget it."

Noel steadied himself, shadows curling around his boots in the crystal light. "Shadow Step!" His form flickered, dissolving into black haze. For a heartbeat he vanished—then reappeared face-first on the stone, skidding with a grunt.

Roberto doubled over, nearly dropping his sword. "Hah! That’s karma! That’s what you get for lying about a girl!"

Noel pushed himself up, brushing grit off his cheek. "Again."

He tried a second time. "Shadow Step!" The darkness swallowed him, only to spit him out sideways, tumbling awkwardly onto his shoulder.

Roberto slapped the ground, laughing so hard his voice echoed through the cavern. "Oh, gods, this is perfect. Keep going, I could watch this all night!"

Noel clenched his jaw. "One more."

"Please do," Roberto grinned wickedly.

Noel’s body blurred. "Shadow Step!" He vanished—then slammed into the arena wall with a resounding thud. Cracks spiderwebbed in the stone as he staggered back, dazed.

Roberto fell to one knee, clutching his stomach from laughter. "Karma, Noel! Pure, divine karma!"

The glow of the mana-crystals hummed faintly above, filling the cavern arena with cold, steady light. Noel steadied his breathing, brushing the dust from his clothes. His last three failures had Roberto practically crying with laughter—but he wasn’t about to stop.

This time, he focused deeper. The shadows pooled at his feet, stretching toward the cracks in the stone floor. "Shadow Step!"

His body dissolved into haze and, for once, reappeared cleanly several meters behind Roberto. He stumbled slightly on landing, but it was a success nonetheless. Revenant Fang gleamed faintly in his hand as he straightened.

Roberto blinked, impressed for the first time that night. "Well, look at that. You actually did it."

Noel smirked, brushing his hair back. "Told you."

Roberto’s grin widened. "Not bad. But can you handle this?"

He raised his hand, light swelling between his fingers. "Flash!"

A sudden explosion of golden brilliance detonated from his palm, filling the cavern with blinding radiance. The training ground lit up like a star had been born inside the mountain.

Noel cried out, staggering as the light seared his vision. "You son of a bitch! I can’t see!"

Roberto’s laughter echoed through the stone arena, sharp and unrestrained. "Hah! That’s for tricking me with that fake blind date!"

Noel dropped to one knee, rubbing furiously at his eyes, blinking against the burning afterimages. He swung Revenant Fang wildly, hearing only Roberto’s boots scraping against the floor as he circled.

"I swear—when I can see again, I’ll kill you," Noel growled, still blinded.

Roberto chuckled, lowering his hand as the glow faded. "Relax. You’ll thank me later. If you want to master shadows, you’ll have to deal with light eventually."

Noel finally opened his eyes, vision swimming but slowly returning. He gave Roberto a murderous glare. Roberto just flashed a cocky grin, hands on his hips, proud as ever.

Their midnight spar had ended not with victory or defeat, but with laughter echoing through the cavern—shadows and light colliding in the most unlikely friendship.