CHAPTER 56: BANQUET.

Wrapped in each other’s arms, surrounded by spiraling runes and rising light, the world around them seemed to blur.

’Ah, i made her really worried, huh.’

For a moment, there was nothing—no noise, no crowd, no pressure. Just stillness, like time itself had paused to honor the moment between them.

And then, the magic circle flared one last time.

In a blink, they were gone.

The next instant, they stood once more in the center of the grand arena, bathed in golden light.

The thunderous roar of the audience came crashing in like a wave—cheers, gasps, and applause all at once.

Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered open as the real world snapped back into focus. The warmth in her chest slowly gave way to the sharp jolt of awareness.

Her mind caught up with her heart.

She realized what she’d done—hugged him, in front of everyone, with cameras flying above and hundreds of eyes watching.

Her arms quickly dropped from around him as her face flushed a deep shade of red. She stepped back, nearly stumbling.

"I-I—sorry," she stammered, her voice barely audible over the cheers.

Azhriel looked at her, calm as ever, though the faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

It was nice to see her again after so many days—after everything. A quiet warmth lingered in his chest, soft and steady.

"Heh, didn’t think you’d miss me that much?" Azhriel said, his voice light as he teased her gently.

Elizabeth, still flustered and red-faced, narrowed her eyes and gave him a small glare. "I didn’t hug you, I was just... overwhelmed,"

She muttered, crossing her arms, trying to recover her usual composure—but the redness on her cheeks and the knowing what she was saying was dumb exposed her.

Kevin, standing nearby, let out a small whisper just enough for them to hear. "That definitely looked like a hug to me."

Elizabeth shot him a harsh glare. "You be quiet!"

Kevin raised his hands, grinning. "Yes, ma’am. I’m silent."

While they spoke, Raymond and other started to gather around them, curious about what had happened.

But Azhriel and Elizabeth seemed lost in their own world, too focused on each other to notice.

Elizabeth stepped a bit closer, her voice shaky with emotion. "How did you change so much? What happened? No, in the first place where did you go?"

A flurry of questions spilled from Elizabeth’s mouth, one after another, faster than Azhriel could even begin to answer. He raised a hand calmly, a small sigh escaping his lips.

"Slow down. I’ll tell you everything... but let’s at least find a better place first."

Elizabeth blinked, finally realizing they weren’t alone. Her eyes moved to the crowd around them—Kevin, the other cadets, a few instructors—most of whom were staring with open curiosity. She hadn’t even sensed when they came.

Turning her gaze back to Azhriel, she gave a sharp nod. "Fine. But you’re going to explain everything. No skipping anything, or else."

Azhriel gave a short chuckle, raising his hands as if in surrender. "Yes, yes, my lady. I’ll tell you everything."

"Good." Elizabeth smiled slightly, the corners of her lips curving into a soft, almost unnoticeable expression. But for those who knew her well, it was rare... and very real.

Meanwhile, a few steps away, Kevin stood between Raymond and Samuel, arms crossed, eyes still locked on the scene unfolding before them.

He leaned in just a little and whispered, "Okay guys... is it just me tripping, or is she really smiling?"

Raymond blinked once, then nodded. "Nope. I’m seeing the same thing as you."

Samuel let out a low whistle. "Me too. First time I’ve seen that in four days."

The three boys exchanged glances—part impressed, part bewildered.

"I think we just witnessed a miracle," Kevin added dramatically as he joined his hands together and mimicked a prayer like a devoted nun.

Eyes shut tight and face full of mock seriousness, as if offering thanks to some mysterious god of miracles.

Raymond let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "You’re such an idiot."

Samuel chuckled too, nudging Kevin with his elbow. "Still, you’re not wrong."

The three of them stood there for a moment, laughter easing the weight of the intense battles they’d just witnessed.

Around them, cadets and instructors buzzed with excitement, conversations overlapping, praising the fights, and especially the mysterious cadet—Azhriel—who had now become the center of attention.

"Hey, Raymond, can you sense his rank?" Samuel asked, eyes narrowed as he stared at Azhriel and Elizabeth a short distance away. For correct content, please visit

Raymond crossed his arms and frowned. "Nope. Not even a bit. It’s like he doesn’t have a presence at all."

"Huh?" Kevin blinked in surprise. "What? I thought I was just exhausted or something, like my senses were off after the fight. But even you both can’t sense it?"

Samuel nodded slowly. "Yeah... It’s weird. Even the Headmaster’s grand daughter has a readable aura. But him? It’s like he’s just... nothing. No flow, no pulse, no wave."

"Which makes it even scarier," Raymond muttered. "Because to mask your rank like that, especially from us three... you’d need insane control. Like really some good control."

They all went quiet for a moment, the atmosphere shifting. The cheers in the background faded under the weight of the thought.

Kevin ran a hand through his hair. "Man... who the hell is this guy?"

None of them had the answer. But one thing was clear—they were no longer looking at just another cadet. Azhriel was something different entirely.

"But, you know what?" Kevin said after a moment, a small grin forming on his face. "He didn’t seem like a bad guy. Quiet a bit, mysterious, definitely. But not... like evil or anything."

Raymond raised a brow. "You’re thinking of talking to him?"

"Yeah," Kevin nodded confidently. "I mean, we fought. We nearly broke each other’s bones. That’s enough to count as bonding, right?"

Samuel chuckled. "You and your strange ideas of friendship."

Kevin shrugged, already starting to walk. "Better to make friends with someone that strong than wait for him to become an enemy, right?"

The other two exchanged glances.

"Well, if he gets his eye swollen we’ll know how it went," Raymond muttered.

"Yep," Samuel smirked. "We’ll send flowers."

"Tch, you both are such scaredy cats," Kevin scoffed, tossing a glance over his shoulder.

Raymond crossed his arms. "It’s called caution and etiquette. You know, one thing that keeps you from getting blasted into a wall, while other helps you maintain respect.?"

Samuel nodded. "Yeah. There’s a difference between brave and stupid, and you’re toeing the line."

Kevin just grinned. "Well, someone’s got to be the fearless one in the group."

"Fearless or brainless?" Raymond muttered under his breath.

Kevin smirked. "Both has less in the end, so I guess it works."

Kevin waved them off and kept walking. "Laugh all you want. I’m telling you, the guy’s probably just a little awkward. Once he opens up, I bet he’s chill."

Raymond leaned toward Samuel and said, "Place your bets. Ten seconds before Kevin says something dumb and gets a death glare."

Samuel smirked. "Five."

However before Kevin could make his way over, a surge of wind rushed across the arena, and all eyes turned to the sky.

High above, a figure descended slowly, his dark coat rippling like a banner behind him. Alaric, the Vice Headmaster and one of the strongest figures in the Academy, hovered above the arena grounds.

His presence alone silenced the crowd. The sky dimmed slightly as if the sun itself paused in respect.

With a single motion of his hand, he landed gently on the center platform. His eyes swept across the field, sharp and unwavering, pausing briefly on the cadets who remained, especially on Azhriel and Raymond.

"Congratulations," Alaric’s voice echoed, calm and deep, infused with subtle power that made the very air hum.

"To all those who made it this far—well done. You’ve endured more than just combat. You’ve shown discipline, growth, and the will to rise beyond limits."

A soft glow shimmered across many of the students’ badges—specifically, those who had passed. Golden light sparkled from the runes engraved in their insignias, illuminating each of them clearly.

"For those whose badges now glow with gold," Alaric continued, "you have officially passed this stage of the selection. Proceed to the upper dormitory sector. You will be assigned your rooms there and provided with the necessary items. Rest well, as for tonight..."

His voice boomed slightly.

"...you will attend the Welcoming Banquet."

A mix of excitement and nervous murmurs passed through the crowd. Several cadets looked at each other, grinning. Others simply sighed in relief.

"Dismissed," Alaric said at last, and his figure slowly rose again into the sky, fading from view in a swirl of mana particles.

Kevin now returned let out a low whistle. "Man knows how to make an entrance."

Samuel chuckled. "And an exit."

Raymond nodded. "So... upper dorms?"

Kevin glanced at his glowing badge and grinned. "Looks like we made the cut."

A few feet away, Azhriel quietly examined his badge, the golden light softly pulsing. Elizabeth stood beside him, arms crossed, her expression returning to calm.

"Come on," she said, looking at him. "We should head to the dorms too. You need to clean up before the banquet. You look like a disaster."

Azhriel gave a rare smirk. "Says someone who hugged a disaster."

Her face turned slight red again, and she jabbed his shoulder lightly. "Don’t push your luck."

Together, the groups began walking toward the exit gates, golden light still glowing on their badges as the next Chapter of their journey awaited them.