The entire chamber fell into a stunned silence.
The awakening orb—meant to reveal one's element—didn't just glow. It shattered. A twisting storm of black and violet light exploded upward like a geyser. Winds howled, shadows danced along the stone walls, and a strange pressure swept through the air.
And then—nothing. Just quiet. The kind that made hearts race.
---
"…Did it break?" someone whispered.
"No… look!"
"The colors—it's… Darkness and… is that Shadow?"
"Two elements?"
"No way. That's got to be High-grade. Both of them."
"Shadow's one of the rarest elements in the entire sect! And to awaken it with Darkness? That's… that's insane."
---
Gasps erupted across the rows of outer sect disciples and young hopefuls. A few older disciples exchanged glances, murmuring warily.
In the raised seats reserved for inner sect members, the expressions were far more measured—but the tension was unmistakable.
---
Elder Gwak, second in command of the Inner Sect, slowly stood.
His sharp eyes studied the kneeling figure at the center of the ritual circle.
"High-grade Darkness… and Shadow," he muttered.
"Is that even possible without guidance?" another elder whispered.
Gwak said nothing.
Because deep down, he already knew the answer.
---
A hush fell over the chamber as Jin Tae entered from the side corridor.
Clad in black silk robes with crimson trim, the famed Sword Demon of the Demonic Sword Sect strode with quiet authority. Disciples—even inner ones—immediately straightened. Outer elders bowed slightly. The air felt heavier with him present.
He stopped near the circle, looking down at his son—Jin Ryu.
---
The boy's breathing was ragged. One hand twitched. His eyes flickered with traces of the elements still swirling around him.
Jin Tae's gaze softened for just a second. No one noticed.
You're just like her.… he thought.
Ever since Jin Ryu's mother passed away, the boy had been his only light in the world. And while Jin Tae was feared and respected across the entire sect, he'd been guilty of one thing—spoiling his son.
He gave him the best manuals, the most advanced tutors, even a private courtyard. He rarely said "no." It was a quiet, desperate compensation for a child who had grown up motherless in a cold, competitive sect.
But right now, none of that mattered.
---
"Two elements," Elder Gwak said aloud, stepping forward. "Both high-grade. Unassisted. Without any stabilizing techniques."
The disciples murmured louder now. One of them muttered, "Must be nice to be the son of someone like Jin Tae…"
"Shut it," another snapped. "You think bloodline alone can do that?"
---
"By sect rules," Elder Gwak declared, "he qualifies for direct entry into the Inner Sect."
Whispers turned into chaos.
"Already?!"
"But what about the trial?!"
"Just because he's Jin Tae's son—"
Jin Tae raised a hand.
The entire hall went quiet.
He glanced at Elder Gwak. "He'll take the trial. Tomorrow."
Gwak's brow rose. "You're certain?"
Jin Tae didn't waver. "If he can't crush it with those elements, then everything I gave him was a waste."
---
Jin Ryu opened his eyes. The world was slightly tilted. His heart thudded in his ears, but the noise around him started to make sense again.
[System Initialization Completed]
[Mission World Incoming]
[Failure = Death]
[Countdown : 14 days]
---
Not now, he thought, blinking.
Not in front of everyone.
He pushed himself up, steadying his stance despite the shakiness in his legs. The cold from the Shadow element still coiled around his left arm like a ghost. Darkness crackled faintly from his right shoulder like smoke.
And hundreds of eyes were watching.
Some in awe.
Some in resentment.
Some in fear.
Good.
Let them watch.
---
He bowed—not to the crowd, but to the elders.
"I will take the trial tomorrow. And I'll pass it."
---
Elder Gwak turned to the disciples.
"Let this be known," he said, voice ringing through the hall. "Not even the son of Jin Tae can escape our standards. Talent earns entry. Effort earns respect."
He glanced at Jin Ryu once more.
"But those with both… "