CHAPTER 126: SHADOW MASTERY AND MORNING CHAOS

But Alex didn’t stop.

In one fluid motion, he lunged upward, his shadow dagger slicing through the dark in an upward arc—like an uppercut made of shadow.

CRACK!

SQUELCH!

He felt the blade connect—striking something hard, like a shell—and then a warm, sticky liquid splattered over his hand.

The putrid stench intensified, making him grimace as he yanked the dagger free.

THUD!

A heavy body crashed to the ground, exhaling a final guttural growl before silence reclaimed the space.

Alex stepped back, crouched once more. His ears honed in, filtering through the thick darkness.

He didn’t relax.

Then—

Fluttering.

Not one. Not two.

Dozens.

Wings beating the air in erratic rhythm—like a swarm of flying insects, closing in fast.

Alex retracted his daggers, dismissing the shadows into thin wisps, and reached into his spatial ring.

With a flash of green light, he drew out the Emerald Spear—its shaft gleaming faintly even in the darkness.

He lowered his stance, knees bent, every muscle tensed.

The spear glinted faintly as he raised it in front of him.

Then—like a bullet—a sharp fluttering sound shot toward him from the front.

Alex twisted his body, turning to the left and thrusting the emerald spear in a long, clean arc.

Shling!

Squelch!

The spear struck true, piercing the petite body of a flying insect-like creature. Its wings gave a final twitch.

Without hesitation, he yanked the spear free and flung the corpse aside. He rolled to the ground, dodging just in time as four more fluttering sounds zipped past his right side.

He sprang up and thrust his spear again—

Squelch!

Only one hit. The rest slipped through.

Then—pain.

A burning stab in his lower leg.

"Arghhh!"

A muffled groan escaped his lips as he stumbled, biting back the pain.

He drove the spear downward with force.

Squelch!

Cling!

The tip tore through the insect and scraped the floor below.

His face twisted with rage.

"Fuck! These goddamn things—are they injecting pain-enhancing poison?!"

He dropped to a knee and quickly circulated his wood elemental energy, green threads of healing light rushing to the wound.

The pain dulled slightly.

He then pushed dark elemental power outward—forming a crude, swirling shield of shadows around his body.

But something was... different.

It’s easier here. The shadows respond faster...

A realization sparked.

With a flick of his hand, he summoned several shadow daggers—long, sleek, and sharp—floating mid-air around him like a dark halo of blades.

His purple eyes narrowed. His breath steadied.

"Go."

The daggers launched—fired like lances toward every direction where the fluttering sound echoed.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

The shadow daggers cut through the air like black arrows.

Thud! Thud!

Several bodies hit the ground with soft, wet crashes. The fluttering stopped.

Alex smiled faintly, breath still controlled.

"That’s a good technique..." he murmured to himself.

"It doesn’t use much dark elemental power, and it feels... effortless. But that’s just because this training room is saturated with darkness."

Over the next few hours, Alex continued refining the technique—controlling the number, speed, and precision of each shadow dagger. His instincts sharpened, his casting became smoother.

With each repetition, the connection between him and the dark element deepened—no longer foreign, but familiar. Almost like it clung to him—as close and natural as his own clothes.

Finally, the shrouded darkness dissolved.

The training room returned to its neutral state.

Alex blinked at the sudden shift in brightness. He looked around with squinted eyes. His clothes were torn, his breathing ragged.

Strangely—there were no signs of the monsters he had fought. No carcasses. No smelly ichor. No blood.

As if the room had swallowed every trace.

He turned his head.

Hati was still sleeping peacefully in the corner, tail curled over his nose.

Alex let out a laugh—hoarse and tired—and collapsed onto the floor.

His chest rose and fell, rising in rhythm with the high of battle still pulsing through him.

"That... felt good."

"I have to do this more often."

Alex stood and called to Hati, "Let’s go. I think it’s dinner time—then we’ll head back to the dorm to rest."

Hati opened one eye, yawned, stretched his body, and slowly trotted toward Alex.

Alex let out a tired sigh and walked out the door.

The Next Day...

A dark-haired boy lay tangled in silk sheets. His violet eyes opened lazily as morning light filtered through the window. Riven sat up, stretched, and stepped down from the comfort of his luxurious bed.

He glanced outside, then disappeared into the washroom. A few minutes later, he emerged, freshened up and dressed in a navy-blue T-shirt and black jeans. After adjusting his collar and running a hand through his hair in front of the full-length mirror, he finally left his dorm.

Not far down the corridor, he spotted a familiar figure.

Lyra, wearing her blue blazer and black leggings, walked slowly toward the cafeteria. Her steps were light—almost hesitant—as if she were waiting for someone.

Riven’s lips curled into a mischievous grin. He sped up, closing the distance, then suddenly leaned in—face just inches away from her.

"Kyaaaaaa!"

Lyra jumped back, screaming at the top of her lungs.

Riven laughed, utterly unfazed. "Hello there, lovely lady. I’m no devil—don’t scream like that!"

Lyra pouted, stomped her foot, and shouted, "Why would you do that?!"

Still grinning, Riven extended his arms theatrically.

"To atone for my grievous sins," he said with mock solemnity, "may I treat you to a hearty breakfast, my lady?"

Lyra smiled. "You better!"

Riven and Lyra entered the cafeteria together—for the first time in a long while.

Immediately, all heads turned. Gasps echoed from the tables, especially from the girls.

Lyra felt a chill run down her spine. She could feel it—the glares, the jealousy, the silent storm of daggers aimed at her back.

She turned her head slightly and saw the crowd of girls glaring at her with open resentment.

And then she smiled—triumphantly.

Whatever hesitation she’d carried vanished. Now she felt proud.

They stepped into the private area of the cafeteria, slipping away from the judging eyes of admirers and haters alike.

In the far corner of the cafeteria, away from the buzz of the crowd, a boy and a wolf were eating in peaceful silence.

Alex and Hati sat together, entirely detached from the world.

Alex nibbled slowly on his sandwich, washing it down with warm, bitter coffee.

Hati, on the other hand, was savouring his breakfast with obvious pleasure: a juicy, steaming steak, its drippings still sizzling on the plate. He ate it slowly, enjoying every bite—in stark contrast to his partner’s quiet restraint.

Once they finished, the two stood up and left the cafeteria quietly.

Outside, on the path toward the Elemental Cultivation Hall, Alex spoke softly.

"We’ve got 800 credits left," he said, eyes focused. "Only got three hundred from the semifinal match... We can’t keep training like this forever. But it’s necessary."

"Woof," Hati barked, a faint growl in his tone.

Alex chuckled. "Don’t worry—we’ve got enough for food."

Hati nodded, tail wagging as he trotted ahead, his mood lighter than his master’s.

They reached a high-ceilinged hall, its dark grey walls embedded with glowing yellow stones that bathed the space in a warm, golden light.

Above, tall glass windows let sunlight stream in, casting long, soft beams onto the grey-tiled floor.

Several small doors—each a different color—were set into the stone walls. Most had students lining up in front of them, talking or waiting in silence.