Three days later, the slaughter in the Basic Trial Tower finally concluded. In the academy's central plaza, nearly a thousand new students now numbered fewer than five hundred. The air hung with oppressive silence. In the eyes of the survivors, there was relief at having escaped death, but also an undeniable numbness and coldness. They had witnessed the distortion of human nature and had personally stained their hands with blood; this was their brutal coming-of-age ritual as true assassins.
The scar-faced instructor stood on the high platform again, his gaze as cold as ever, but with a hint of satisfaction.
"Congratulations, you who have survived, you weaklings." His voice echoed through the plaza, carrying a faint touch of mockery. "You have passed the basic trial and earned the right to continue existing in Shadow Academy. However, this is just the beginning."
He raised his hand, and the large screen behind him lit up. A list scrolled slowly, displaying the names of the promoted cadets.
"Next, you will enter the even more brutal Advanced Ranking Battle. Here, you will no longer just be the academy's 'weaklings,' but each other's competitors. Every battle will determine your rank, as well as the resources and status you can obtain within the academy."
Rin stood in the crowd, expressionless. He had fully reverted to the state of the "Blade of Demise," his eyes cold and deep, an aloof aura radiating from him that kept others at bay. Under the cruel baptism of the Trial Tower, he had completely discarded the "kindness" that didn't belong to an assassin, becoming once again a ruthless, emotionless weapon that fought only for survival. His name prominently appeared on the promotion list, positioned extremely high.
His gaze unconsciously flickered towards Ye Xue, not far away. She, too, was expressionless, her eyes as calm as still water, as if the three days of slaughter had no effect on her. Her name was also on the promotion list, following closely after Rin's, similarly high-ranked. They were like a pair of born assassins, exuding similar cold auras even across the crowd.
On the high platform, Rin's keen hearing picked up the whispers of several instructors.
"Both of those 'special individuals' have advanced, and their performances were extraordinary," one instructor murmured.
"Especially Rin; his method of killing, those two awakened skills, they're not something a new student should possess," another instructor said, his voice tinged with gravity. "His performance in the Trial Tower was even better than some veteran cadets."
"Ye Xue is no less impressive; her methods are equally ruthless and efficient. And haven't you noticed? There's a strange 'synergy' between her and Rin," the scar-faced instructor's voice was hushed, but Rin heard it perfectly. "Put them on the highest level of observation. They might be hiding secrets beyond our expectations."
A subtle ripple flickered in Rin's eyes. 'Special individuals'? 'Highest level of observation'? It seemed the academy had taken notice of them. This was both a threat and an opportunity.
Night fell, and the dorm room plunged into silence once more. Rin lay on his bed, his body tired, but his mind unusually alert. The day's promotion brought a subtle sense of ease within him. He thought he could finally rest, but the nightmare descended again.
This time, the dream was not blurry. He found himself in an ancient, magnificent underground ruin. The air was filled with the scent of decay and blood. Countless figures in black robes moved through the shadows, their faces bearing expressions of devout fanaticism. He saw a massive altar, and at its center, a pulsating heart bound by dark chains, emitting a faint glow.
He could feel that he was the "Blade of Demise," infiltrating this place on a mission.
Suddenly, a deep, raspy male voice echoed in the dream, resonating directly within his soul.
"Blade of Demise, you have finally awakened."
The voice carried a sense of ancient weariness and a hint of elusive excitement. It belonged to no one he had ever known, yet it filled him with a strange familiarity and dread. As if this voice, from a distant past, had been waiting for his awakening.
"It is time to fulfill your true destiny…" the voice continued to whisper, full of temptation and allure.
Rin's eyes snapped open, his body trembling violently, drenched in cold sweat. He gasped for breath, the eerie voice still seeming to echo in his ears. That voice filled him with immense unease. It knew of the "Blade of Demise" and even seemed to know he had "awakened." What did this mean? Was his rebirth accidental or fated? Was there truly some "destiny" awaiting him?
Meanwhile, in another dorm room.
Ye Xue also woke from a dream. Her face was unusually pale, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat. Her breathing was rapid, her chest heaving violently, as if she had just experienced a desperate struggle.
Her dream, too, was filled with crimson. She knelt in a pool of bright red blood, her hands covered in sticky gore, her body trembling uncontrollably. She couldn't see her surroundings, nor who she was, only that she was in a scene of extreme pain and despair.
In her ears, a broken and sorrowful voice echoed, sounding like her own, yet also like someone else's:
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"
She mumbled the words repeatedly, her voice filled with extreme pain and regret. The regret was so real, it felt as if a dagger was twisting in her heart. She could feel the immense weight, the unbearable guilt, as if she had personally committed an irreparable crime.
Ye Xue abruptly sat up, her eyes wide, filled with confusion and terror. The phrase "I'm sorry" was so clear, carrying a bone-chilling coldness, making it hard to distinguish between dream and reality. Her hands unconsciously clenched tightly, her nails almost piercing her palms.
She thought of her dagger with the snowflake motif, of Rin's deep and questioning eyes, and of the inexplicable familiarity and killing intent she felt deep within her for him.
"What… what did I do?" Ye Xue whispered to herself, her voice trembling slightly. Her cold heart was now enveloped by an unspeakable pain and fear. She suspected she had indeed killed Rin once, and now, this dream seemed to silently confirm her suspicion. To whom was that "I'm sorry" spoken? And why did she harbor such profound, unforgettable regret?
The gears of fate began to turn more deeply between them. Rin's "awakening," Ye Xue's "I'm sorry," and those vague yet bloody fragments of memory, were all pushing them towards a shared truth, full of the unknown and danger. The brutality of the Advanced Ranking Battle was just the true beginning of their trial of fate.