Nightveil: The Forbidden Trait

"Congratulations to all the top 500 participants. You have passed the first round. Please check your watch for your entry pass."

A faint chime rang from our wrists as our watches lit up, displaying a glowing emblem—proof we'd made it. Luci whooped, Eron nodded quietly, and I… I just stared.

A butler approached us, expressionless and crisp in a black uniform. "Follow me."

We exchanged quick glances before walking after him. Down winding stairs, past stone corridors carved with runes, and into a deeper part of the Academy, far below ground level.

He stopped at a large iron door. "This is the entry to the next round. Please enter and take rest. Further instructions will follow."

Just as we were about to head inside, a familiar voice called out.

"Wait for us!"

It was Ritchi and Aerus. Both looked flushed from running, but grinning ear to ear.

"Congratulations on getting second place, Ryan," Aerus said, hands on his knees, catching his breath.

"Yeah," Ritchi added, "We were thinking… since we're already a duo, and you three are a trio—2 plus 3 makes 5. How about we team up?"

I blinked. "Why not go with Arceus? He got first."

They both laughed.

"Not that simple," Aerus said, scratching his head. "First of all, where the hell is he? Second, he's a prince. Doesn't feel right trying to team up with royalty, y'know?"

Luci stepped forward, hand on her hip. "I'm Luci Elenoir, and this is Eron."

I gave a small wave. "Ryan Elenoir."

Ritchi raised a brow. "So… you're related?"

Luci snapped. "No!"

He grinned. "Siblings?"

"We are not siblings!" she growled.

Ritchi chuckled. "Strange. I've never met a couple with the same last name."

Luci turned red. "We're not a couple either!"

She smacked him on the head. Ritchi stumbled back, laughing.

I turned to Aerus, voice lowering. "Hey… who trained you?"

He hesitated, then looked me in the eye.

"I was born without my left eye and right arm. My parents abandoned me."

My chest tightened.

"I was taken in by an old hermit who lived in the mountains. He raised me. Trained me. Told me not to fear pain—because pain was the only thing that made me real."

Now I understood the eye patch and the clunky prosthetic arm. It wasn't for show. It was survival.

"You're strong," I said.

He shrugged. "Just stubborn."

Luci called out, "Are you two done trauma bonding? Can we move now?"

I grinned. "Of course, Miss Commander."

The butler cleared his throat. "This way."

He led us through the massive doorway. Inside, we were met by something none of us expected—a vast underground hall.

It looked like a mix of luxury and danger. Half of the space was lined with private chambers, elegant doors lined with glowing seals. The other half was an arena—circular, with rows of empty stands and a stone floor marked for dueling.

A girl in the same butler attire walked up to us, tablet in hand.

"Please open the interface on your watch and select 'Room Booking.' Rooms are free for qualifiers."

We all tapped in.

Thanks to our early arrival, we were assigned rooms in the same living hall, though separated. Each door bore our names glowing in quiet blue light.

"Please rest well," she said. "The second round begins soon."

We nodded and split up. I walked into my room, the soft click of the enchanted door behind me. Inside, it was pristine: a bed with silk sheets, a writing desk, a personal washroom, and a small window that somehow projected the sky from above.

I collapsed on the bed.

What a day.

My mother flashed into my thoughts. What would she say if she knew I stood second in the royal academy's entry trials? Or that I was walking among princes, guild heirs, and monsters in human form?

No. I couldn't think about that.

I had to stay hidden.

I wasn't just Ryan. I was Nightveil. If Arceus or Kaiser Jnr found out… I'd be dead before I saw sunrise.

Kaiser Jnr… immature, arrogant. Protected by a title he didn't earn. He didn't even realize how fragile his world was. One blow to the foundation, and the boy would crumble.

But Arceus? He was different.

He wasn't just dangerous. He was watching. Every move calculated, every word controlled. He helped Ritchi and Aerus, yes, but I couldn't tell if it was kindness, or strategy.

He didn't flex. He observed. He reminded me of… myself.

I sat up. No one suspected me. Not yet. But after making it into the top two, the eyes of every elder, every official, every noble were now on me.

I had to be more careful.

Far away, in another chamber lit by the fire of a single candle, a man with red hair sipped wine. Behind him, a dragon made of flames coiled and flickered, casting long shadows on the wall.

"Have you seen the results?" he asked his companion, who stood calmly beside him.

"Best we've had in fifty years," the other replied.

The red-haired man smiled, placing his glass down. "Who is this Ryan? Intriguing…"

A knock echoed in my room.

I opened the door.

Luci stood there, damp hair sticking to her forehead, dressed in casual shorts and a loose shirt. She held out a bottle. "Do you have conditioner?"

Before I could respond, she breezed past me into the washroom. Her hair brushed against my shoulder—soft and warm.

"Thanks," she called, already halfway through closing the door.

"Sure. Anytime," I muttered.

A moment later, she stepped out, hair tied up, bottle in hand.

"Good night," she said casually and walked to her room across the hall.

I laughed to myself. "Did she just… seduce me and leave?"

I turned off the lights, pulled the covers, and glanced at the moonlight projection across my wall.

The game had only just begun.

And I was already in too deep.

—End of Chapter 4—