I focused my mind, drawing on the assassin's knowledge that now flowed through my veins. There was a technique—one that Vex wouldn't learn for another year—that required precise control of both body and shadow.
"Shadow Step," I whispered.
My True Shadow rippled beneath me, then spread outward in a perfect circle. Vex's eyes tracked the movement, her body tensing in preparation for whatever might emerge.
But the attack didn't come from the shadow.
It came from me.
I vanished—not through teleportation, but through such rapid movement that the human eye couldn't track it.
My body left afterimages as I stepped into my own shadow, becoming one with it for a fraction of a second before emerging behind Vex.
My hand shot out, striking three precise points along her spine—not to injure, but to temporarily disrupt her mana flow.
Vex gasped, her daggers clattering to the platform as her fingers went numb.
"That's—" she started, spinning to face me with wide eyes.
"The Phantom Waltz," I finished for her. "Third-tier assassination technique of the Night Veil Guild."
Her face paled. "How do you know that? It's a closely guarded secret, taught only to—"
"Advanced initiates," I said, circling her slowly. "I know."
Twenty seconds left on my Gift. I could feel the borrowed power already beginning to ebb.
Vex recovered quickly, as expected of someone with her talents. She dropped into a defensive stance, eyes never leaving mine.
"You're full of surprises, d'Vyde," she said, a new respect in her voice. "But so am I."
She kicked one of her fallen daggers into the air and caught it with her mouth—a desperate but effective recovery technique. With a quick jerk of her head, she sent the blade spinning toward me.
I twisted to the side, the blade whizzing past my ear. Ten seconds left on my Gift. I needed to end this now.
"Nice trick," I said, "but you're still fighting with only half your arsenal."
Vex lunged for her second dagger, but I was already there. My shadow stretched beneath us both, tendrils wrapping around the weapon and pulling it just beyond her reach.
"That's cheating," she hissed through gritted teeth.
"That's winning," I corrected.
Five seconds.
I feinted left, drawing her attention before dropping low and sweeping her legs. As she fell, I caught her by the collar, preventing her from hitting the ground. Our faces inches apart, I could see the frustration burning in her eyes.
"Yield," I said quietly.
"Never," she spat back.
Three seconds.
I released her collar and stepped back, my shadow receding. "Then get up and prove it."
Vex scrambled to her feet, snatching her remaining dagger from the ground. She charged, blade aimed at my throat.
One second.
I didn't move. Didn't flinch. Just stood there, watching her approach with calculated indifference.
The Gift expired just as her blade stopped a hair's breadth from my neck.
"Match concluded!" Professor Brhaisse's voice echoed through the arena. "Victory to Arcine d'Vyde!"
Vex blinked, confused. "What? I had you!"
"No," I said, pointing to the scoreboard floating above us. "Look."
The timer was up.
The magical display showed our performance metrics. While Vex had dominated in speed and technique, I'd scored higher in strategy and resource management. The final tally gave me a narrow victory.
Vex lowered her dagger, scowling. "This isn't over, d'Vyde."
"I wouldn't expect it to be," I replied, extending my hand. "Good match."
She stared at my outstretched hand for a long moment before clasping it briefly.
"You're not what you seem," she said, voice low enough that only I could hear. "And I intend to find out what you're hiding."
I smiled. "Get in line."
As if to mock me, however, the system's message appeared before me.
—Ding!
[]=[]=[]=[]=[]=[]
PHYSIQUE
> STR: E-Rank (7/9) -> (6/9)
> DEX: E-Rank (7/9) -> (6/9)
> RES: D-Rank (3/27) -> 2/27
MAGIC
> INT: F-Rank (0/3) -> (0/3)
> FLUX: F-Rank (1/3) -> (0/3)
> M-RES: F-Rank (0/3) -> (0/3)
MISC
> LCK: F-Rank (0/3) -> (0/3)
> PER: F-Rank (0/3) -> (0/3)
> CHA: F-Rank (0/3) -> (0/3)
> WIL: B-Rank (49/243) -> (48/243)
[]=[]=[]=[]=[]=[]
* * *
I watched Vex walk away, her shoulders tight with frustration. She'd be trouble later. I'd written her character with an obsessive streak when it came to solving mysteries.
—And now I'd become her newest puzzle.
The arena reset itself as other matches continued around us.
Students who had completed their trials gathered at the edges, watching the remaining fights with varying degrees of interest.
I spotted Kael among them, his eyes fixed on a match between two mages hurling elemental attacks at each other.
My body ached as the borrowed power faded completely. Using Level the Playing Field had been risky—I'd essentially gambled a whole line's worth of attributes on a single match.
But the payoff had been worth it.
I'd established myself as someone to watch, someone with skills that didn't match my unassuming appearance.
I flexed my fingers, feeling the phantom sensation of Vex's strength still lingering in my muscles. The Gift had perfectly matched me to her abilities for that brief minute, giving me access to years of training I hadn't actually undergone.
"Impressive performance," a voice said beside me.
I turned to find Professor Brhaisse standing there, her clipboard hovering in the air beside her.
"Thank you, Professor," I replied, keeping my voice neutral.
She studied me with those penetrating eyes. "Most students rely on brute force or flashy spells in their first combat trial. Your approach was... different."
I shrugged. "I work with what I have."
"Indeed." She made a note on her clipboard. "Shadow manipulation is an uncommon skill set, especially for one so young."
I felt a cold prickle along my spine. "My family has a history with shadow magic."
Not technically a lie. Shadow Demons had a long history with shadows.
"I see." Another note. "Well, Mr. d'Vyde, you've passed all three trials with commendable results. Report to the main hall tomorrow morning for class assignments."
She turned to leave, then paused. "Oh, and Mr. d'Vyde? I'd suggest you visit the academy library. The eastern wing has an excellent section on rare magical affinities. You might find it... educational."