The arena was silent. Not even the wind dared to whisper as Zeref and Darius stood across from one another, the dust of their earlier clash still swirling around them. Above, the twin stars shone faintly even in daylight, casting an ethereal light over the battlefield as if the heavens themselves were watching.
"Begin!" Instructor Liang's voice thundered once more, and in the next instant, the calm shattered.
Darius moved first, his greatsword roaring with fiery aura. Flames burst from the ground as he swung downward, the heat distorting the air. Zeref met it head-on, his Eclipsera flashing with radiant silver light. The blades collided, and the resulting shockwave sent cracks through the crystalline tiles of the arena.
Cheers erupted from the stands. "Go, Darius!" some shouted, while others yelled, "Zeref! End him!"
Darius's strength had grown—his movements sharper, his strikes more disciplined. The once-arrogant noble now fought like a seasoned warrior, every swing of his blade precise and purposeful.
"You're not the same boy I fought before," Zeref said calmly between clashes.
Darius smirked, sweat glinting on his brow. "And you're not the only one who can evolve, Zeref Ying!"
His aura flared crimson, spiraling around him like a storm. He drove forward, forcing Zeref onto the defensive. For the first time, Zeref slid back a step, the ground fracturing beneath his boots.
"Impressive," Zeref murmured. "But power without control—"
Before he could finish, Darius roared and unleashed his ultimate technique, the Infernal Sky Rend. Flames erupted from the blade, twisting into the shape of a dragon that soared toward Zeref with a deafening roar.
The crowd gasped, the temperature surging so high that even the air seemed to burn.
But Zeref didn't move. His eyes gleamed faintly silver as he raised Eclipsera, whispering something under his breath. The blade pulsed, and from its edge burst a silvery wave of energy, cold and shimmering—a perfect contrast to Darius's fire.
"Eclipsera—Resonance Veil."
The energies collided. Fire and light spiraled into a vortex that devoured the arena, exploding outward in a storm of colors. The shockwave rippled through the coliseum, forcing students to shield their eyes.
When the haze cleared, both stood their ground—Zeref's robes tattered slightly, Darius's sword chipped but still glowing.
From the stands, Chen Ruo clenched his fists. "They're pushing each other past their limits."
Lin Yuexin nodded, eyes wide. "Zeref's… enjoying this."
Indeed, he was. For the first time, Zeref felt something stirring deep within—an echo of the ancient energy sleeping in his veins. The mark on his chest pulsed faintly beneath his clothes, synchronizing with the beat of his heart and the hum of Eclipsera.
Darius charged again, this time faster, his aura boiling with fury. He leapt high, swinging down with every ounce of strength he had left.
Zeref raised his sword to block, but instead of resisting, he stepped in. Their blades crossed, sparks scattering in a blinding arc. For a brief heartbeat, both stood motionless, locked in the moment.
Then Zeref whispered, "Checkmate."
With a twist of his wrist, he channeled pure resonance through Eclipsera. The sword hummed with celestial power, glowing brighter until its edge shone like a piece of the night sky. He swung once—swift, clean, and absolute.
The impact unleashed a blinding surge of energy that threw Darius across the arena. His greatsword shattered, fragments scattering like dying embers. When the light faded, Darius was on one knee, panting heavily, his aura flickering.
The coliseum went silent again.
Zeref stood tall, lowering his blade. He wasn't gloating—just calm, serene, his silver eyes reflecting quiet resolve.
Instructor Liang raised his hand. "Winner—Zeref Ying."
The arena erupted in thunderous applause. Disciples cheered, some in awe, others in disbelief. Even the senior elders in the higher stands nodded in quiet approval.
But not everyone was smiling. Darius slowly rose, his face shadowed by fury and humiliation. His clenched fists trembled as he glared at Zeref, his pride burning hotter than his flames. "You think this is over?" he muttered through gritted teeth. "One day, I'll crush that calm mask of yours."
Zeref didn't respond. He simply sheathed Eclipsera, turning away as the crowd's cheers grew louder.
The remaining battles followed—Chen Ruo fought valiantly but lost narrowly, Yuexin's match ended in a spectacular draw, and others showed incredible displays of skill. But Zeref's duel overshadowed them all, the echoes of his power still lingering in the arena air.
When the final gong sounded, Instructor Liang stepped forward once more, his expression solemn yet proud. "All disciples," he announced, "you have fought bravely. The four rounds of the Celestial Resonance Ceremony have come to an end. Each of you has shown growth, resilience, and spirit worthy of the Heavenly Blade Sect."
He gestured, and golden scrolls appeared in the air, unraveling to reveal the Top Eight rankings.
"Eighth—Fei Yulan.
Seventh—Tao Feng.
Sixth—Wei Lian.
Fifth—Chen Ruo.
Fourth—Lin Yuexin.
Third—Bai Jian.
Second—Darius Han.
And first…"
The crowd leaned forward, breathless.
"…Zeref Ying."
The cheers that followed shook the mountain.
"Star Disciple," Liang continued, "a title reserved for those who shine brightest among their peers. Zeref Ying, step forward."
Zeref walked toward the platform, his calm demeanor masking the flicker of surprise in his chest. Liang raised his hand, and from the air descended a crystalline object shaped like a star—its core pulsing with gentle, cosmic light.
"This is the Astral Core of Aetherion," Liang said. "An ancient relic discovered centuries ago. It amplifies spiritual energy and can synchronize one's resonance with the stars themselves. Treat it with reverence, for its power is immense."
Zeref accepted the core with a small bow. The moment his fingers touched it, the relic pulsed—once, twice—and for a brief second, faint threads of silver light extended from it toward his chest, merging with the unseen mark beneath his robes. The crowd saw only the glow, unaware of what had truly happened.
"Congratulations, Zeref," Liang said with a rare smile. "May your path lead you to greater heights."
Zeref bowed once more. "Thank you, Instructor."
As he stepped back, disciples surrounded him, some clapping him on the shoulder, others whispering praise or envy.
"Unbelievable…"
"He's just a new disciple, and yet—"
"I heard Darius trained under the elders. How could he lose?"
But beneath the celebration, darker murmurs stirred too—jealousy, resentment, curiosity. And from the shadows, Darius stood silently, his eyes cold and burning.
Suddenly, a faint tremor rippled through the ground. At first, it seemed minor—just the aftershock of the energy lingering in the arena. But within moments, the tremor grew stronger.
The cheers faltered. Cracks spread across the platform. Instructor Liang's smile vanished.
"What's happening?" Yuexin cried out.
"Get back!" Liang ordered. But before anyone could move, a thunderous crack split the earth. The very center of the arena caved in, shards of crystal and stone collapsing into a gaping chasm.
Students screamed, scrambling to escape as dust and energy filled the air. Zeref stumbled as the ground beneath him shattered completely.
"Zeref!" Chen Ruo shouted, reaching out, but it was too late. The platform gave way entirely, and Zeref fell into the darkness below, the Astral Core still glowing faintly in his hand.
He kept falling, the roar of chaos fading into silence, the world above vanishing from sight. The deeper he fell, the stranger the air became—cold, ancient, almost alive. Threads of starlight drifted around him, whispering in a language he didn't understand.
As his vision blurred, he saw something moving far above—a figure descending swiftly, light glinting off her flowing white robes.
It was Lin Zhiyao.
She dove into the rift, her eyes glowing with determination. "Zeref…!"
But he didn't hear her. The last thing he saw before darkness took him was the faint pulse of the Astral Core—and the mark on his chest flaring in response.
Then, silence.
The surface above sealed shut, leaving no trace of the fall. The arena was in ruins, disciples scattered and terrified, instructors shouting to restore order.
Miss Lin's absence went unnoticed amid the chaos.
And somewhere deep beneath the Heavenly Blade Sect, in the forgotten chambers below the world's surface, the heir of Aetherion continued to fall—toward a destiny that even the heavens feared.
---
To be continued...