Cassian vanished.
Then reappeared behind them.
Steel howled.
A flash of crimson—
—and both demons dropped.
Headless. Lifeless. Their blood soaked the forest floor, steaming against the cool earth.
Cassian stood for a heartbeat longer, his red eyes flickering—
Then dimmed.
Back to gold.
He collapsed.
---
Silvermoon Tournament Checkpoint
Kaito Tenma arrived at the checkpoint, breathing heavily. His shirt was torn, his knuckles bloodied, and his satchel bulging with monster cores.
He slammed the pouch onto the examiner's table.
The closest examiner raised a brow. "Three hundred and fifty? Not bad, Tenma."
Before Kaito could respond, a voice pierced the air—
A scream.
A girl's voice, hoarse and desperate.
> "Help—Cassian—!"
The examiners froze for less than a second—
Then bolted into the forest, Kaito close behind.
---
They found Aika slumped against a tree, blood smeared across her robes. Her arms shook as she tried to hold herself upright.
One examiner dropped to her side immediately, beginning a rapid healing chant.
"Aika!" he said. "What happened?"
She winced as the magic began to close her wounds. Her voice rasped:
> "Ren and Subaru… they weren't students. They were demons… spies of Sloth. They ambushed me. Cassian… he saved me… told me to get help…"
The examiners exchanged looks—faces pale, breath caught in their throats.
Then, wordlessly, they sprinted into the forest.
---
The clearing was devastation incarnate.
Trees were cleaved clean through, the air scorched and heavy with residual mana. The earth was torn, as if something ancient and wrathful had passed through.
At the center, two bodies—
No. Two demonic corpses, their twisted forms barely recognizable. Decapitated. Mangled.
Their heads were nowhere to be found.
An examiner dropped to his knees beside one corpse, inspecting its gnarled horns and charred armor.
> "These aren't minor shades…" he whispered. "These were full-blooded demons. First Rank… at least."
Another stepped toward Cassian's unconscious form.
Bloodied. Motionless.
Golden hair matted with dirt. Breathing faint.
> "He did this?" the examiner murmured, eyes wide. "Alone?"
> "It should've taken a team of Silver-ranked hunters to bring down even one…"
> "This isn't possible," said the third, voice trembling. "This isn't human."
Still, they said nothing more.
Only began healing him—gently, reverently.
---
Five Days Later – Silvermoon Infirmary
Sunlight pooled through pale curtains, warming the white sheets where Cassian lay.
He stirred.
Slowly, his eyes opened—golden, clear.
And the first thing he saw—
Felicia.
She was slumped over the edge of his bed, a book still in her hand, hair disheveled, eyes swollen from crying.
When she noticed him awake, she froze.
Then launched forward, gripping his hand tightly.
> "You stubborn idiot," she whispered, voice cracking. "Do you always have to wake up like a tragic hero?"
She tried to sound amused, but tears spilled anyway. She laughed as she cried.
Cassian blinked, dazed. "Felicia…?"
> "You've been out for five days," she said, brushing his hair from his face. "But you saved her. You won."
> "I… won?" His voice was rough.
Felicia nodded, smiling despite herself.
> "First place. Five hundred monster cores. You shattered every record since the Academy was founded."
She reached into the small chest beside his bed and handed him a glowing book.
> "Your reward. Passive Skill: Healing Veil. Two-star. Heals minor injuries automatically, even while unconscious. I read the manual three times already."
Cassian took it.
As his fingers touched the cover, the book pulsed.
The runes shifted—glowed brighter—until the entire book shimmered with a renewed, radiant power.
> [Passive Skill: Healing Veil – ★★ ➜ ★★★★]
Felicia gaped.
> "Wh—what?! A four-star evolution?! That's not supposed to be possible! These books are fixed tier!"
But Cassian said nothing.
He just stared at the book, heart heavy.
He understood.
It hadn't just empowered him.
It had merged.
Because he'd always had that ability.
Passive regeneration.
Since birth.
He wasn't just healing. He was evolving.
And he knew why.
He hadn't killed those demons.
Something else had.
The red eyes. The voice. The presence clawing beneath his skin.
> "You're weak. I am you. And I'm only getting stronger."
Cassian clenched the bedsheets in his fists.
Felicia noticed.
Her teasing smile faded. She looked at him closely—more serious now.
> "Cassian… what happened to you out there? What did you feel?"
He hesitated.
Then forced a smile.
> "I'm fine."
But deep down, he knew—
This wasn't victory.
It was just the start of war.