Chapter 59: Shadows at the Edge
Second Year – Week Nine
Late evening had descended over Soul Academy. The grand spires of Lafrosa glistened under a sky soaked in starlight, and the sparring rings near the eastern arena hummed with residual soul energy. Karen Lockwood stood in the center of a cracked dueling platform, her chest rising and falling slowly as her training blade dimmed and dissolved into spectral ash.
She'd just won her third official duel in five days—enough to climb from Rank 92 to 87.
On the benches nearby, Leslie and Marie clapped lightly while Jim leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, expression studious.
"You held your aura longer this time," Jim noted. "Good control."
Karen exhaled. "Still too much leakage. I need to compress it more."
As the group packed up, they didn't notice the figure in the upper stands—shrouded in shadow, a black hood over his head and a faint sigil glowing in red along the sleeve of his robe. His eyes watched Karen with unnerving stillness.
"You're not bad," he whispered, almost to himself. "But still just a fledgling. Let's see how long you last."
Then, he vanished into the darkness.
—
The next day, Cassandra received a sealed letter. The envelope was matte black, embossed with the crest of a silver serpent—recognizable immediately to those familiar with the upper echelon of the Rankings.
She opened it quietly in her room, sitting by her window as morning light filtered through the curtains.
> To Cassandra Ikemba,
The Soul Board recognizes your recent rise. However, a name such as yours brings more than honor—it brings expectations.
Rank 26 will meet you in five days. Refuse, and your legacy becomes dust.
—R
Cassandra's eyes narrowed.
"…So it begins," she murmured.
—
Later that afternoon, as the group met in the strategy hall to plan their next wave of advancement, Cassandra entered silently and dropped the letter in the center of the table.
Karen picked it up, reading quickly. Her brow furrowed. "You're being challenged?"
Cassandra nodded once. "By someone from the top 30. Possibly affiliated with the Veil."
Leslie sucked in a sharp breath. "Is that even allowed?"
"Anyone in the Rankings can be challenged or can issue a challenge." Cassandra said coolly. "Refusing without reason results in automatic demotion. But this—" she tapped the crest, "—this is personal."
Jim leaned forward. "Are you going to accept?"
Cassandra didn't answer immediately. Her gaze drifted out the window. "I already have."
Karen stood up, fists clenched. "Then we're helping you prepare."
Cassandra glanced at her, a small nod of appreciation in her eyes. "Good. Because this won't be like the other duels. This one… is designed to break me."
Marie leaned in. "Then let's make sure you walk out of it stronger than ever."
Outside the hall, unseen and unheard, another shadow lingered on the roof—watching, waiting.
The Rankings had begun to shift. And the true battles were only just beginning.
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