The next morning, when the pair woke up, they were back to normal—albeit noticeably calmer. After their morning routine, they headed downstairs for breakfast and the coffee they'd been craving. Taking their first sip, they sighed blissfully, shoulders sagging in relief as they savoured the delicious brew.
The Mammys couldn't hide the smiles tugging at the corners of their lips as they watched the pair enjoy their coffee, perfectly content while gazing out over the Academy grounds.
Soon enough, Chaos separated, and the trio left for the training arena with their packed lunches, snacks, and, of course, travel mugs full of coffee. Before they left, the Mammys handed over their Elementary armoury. Arriving with twenty minutes to spare, the trio sat and sipped their coffee in contented silence until the Teachers arrived.
"Looks like your time-out is over. Enjoying the coffee?" Azazel quipped as he approached.
The trio greeted the Teachers, pointedly ignoring Azazel's remark. The Teachers greeted them back, visibly relieved to see the trio had returned to normal.
"Okay, get in there and finish the last part of your combined drills training. Afterwards, we'll begin weapons training."
The trio nodded and entered the arena as the Teachers headed for the control room, eager to observe today's progress, since the trio seemed much better than the day before.
Azazel counted them in: "Gravity field engaging, magnifier activated, interferences engaging—START!"
The trio began their individual combined free-form training exactly as they had the previous day—by closing their eyes, letting their bodies move instinctively, gradually finding a rhythm and accelerating. As usual, their Mana swirled around them in a chaotic storm: explosions, shields, spells, and stealth following every move.
"They're faster today than yesterday," Belial observed.
"Probably because they're more energised now that their time-out is over," Azazel replied.
The others nodded, watching as the trio performed more fluidly in their combined styles.
"I can't wait for their weapon drills—especially the Managuns. That'll be a spectacle," Seraphina remarked.
Beelzebub groaned, recalling their previous weapons training.
"Oh? Flashbacks?" Azazel grinned.
"Yeah, they finished weapons training in a way that basically led to all of this," Beelzebub sighed.
"Now that's a story I want to hear," Belial said, leaning in.
"They started with single-handed weapons and mastered them in half an hour each, then took an hour each with dual-wielded weapons and mastered twenty-four weapons by day's end. At the end of the day, they resolved to become strong enough to ignore threats, protect their Mate, the Heavenly Clans, and Tian Dao from all enemies—and Tian Dao resonated with them even though they were still Unawakened.
"The next day, they powered through every remaining weapon in their armoury as if they were seasoned warriors rather than complete novices. That's when we realised Tian Dao had helped them master every piece of Knowledge overnight. And the rest, as they say, is history," Beelzebub recounted.
"Damn, that's wild," Azazel said.
"Such resolve could cause Tian Dao to resonate with any Awakened Clan member, but for Unawakened? Unprecedented," Belial remarked.
"Thankfully, Bane approved—he found their Oath honourable, and still does. That's why things are as they are today," Zera added.
"So that's why they're cohabiting before age ten?" Seraphina asked.
"Yeah, they're Oath-bound since before Chaos underwent his Awakening. Their synchronous Talent-Awakenings the day after they finished weapons training spanned Planets, so the Councils and Nursery Elders thought it safer for them to cohabit—especially after Bane's second Awakening during Chaos Awakening, then the Oath-Awakening," Zera explained.
"Fascinating," Belial said.
Azazel whistled low and slow. Seraphina and Selene swooned, hands over their hearts.
—
Academy Livestream Chat (Ages 9–25)
Lyra, age 12: Did you see how calm they were this morning? That time-out really worked!
Jax, age 14: Right? I never feel that chill before combined drills! Maybe it's the coffee?
Nara, age 11: My Mammy would freak out if I brought a travel mug to morning routines. Those two must be special!
Felix, age 17: Anyone else jealous of their armoury? I haven't even mastered single-blade free-forms yet, and they had everything transferred before breakfast!
Tara, age 13: The gravity field setting gives me anxiety every drill. How do they go straight into free-form without even stretching?
Milo, age 18: They're like legends. Imagine having so much Mana you can trigger a storm every morning… Maybe someday for us!
Rina, age 15: Weapons training next! Place your bets: will they break last year's Managun speed record?
Jax, age 14: No way they beat Tol's record! But with Tian Dao's help… maybe.
Emi, age 20: My Teacher always tells stories about Oath-Awakened pairs. I didn't realise it could happen before the Awakening. That's so rare!
Lyra, age 12: Wait, they've been Oath-Bound since before Chaos Awakened? That explains the huge Talent-Awakening. I heard the Nursery Elders called in the Healers and the Councils!
Milo, age 18: I bet Chaos didn't even break a sweat during stealth drills. Did anyone see that shielding spell double back?
Felix, age 17: Zera said Bane's second Awakening was during Chaos Awakening, right? What did that look like from the Observatory?
Emi, age 20: All I know is, everyone in the senior Dorms talked about it for days. They were impressed—and a little intimidated! I heard it was live-streamed to the Heavenly Clans! Maybe the replay is still there; we should watch it.
Tara, age 13: We should watch this afternoon's weapons session together. Who's in? Everyone: Me! Me!
Moderator: Great insights, everyone! This afternoon: What weapon do you think they'll master first, and which will be hardest? Let's make predictions!
—
By lunchtime, the trio had achieved mastery in their combined forms. They joined the Teachers for lunch before heading to the armouries for their afternoon training.
Lunch was a leisurely affair; playful banter filled the air, and the distinction between students and Teachers faded as everyone chatted animatedly together.
Afterwards, they returned to the training arena, where Azazel had the trio take out their new armouries.
"Alright, you're used to the basic armoury Tian Dao provided before your Awakening. Now you need to become familiar with the new armouries Tian Dao has given you," Azazel began. "Open them up, and we'll go over each weapon. I'll explain their functions. Afterwards, you'll take your armouries into the arena and work through the full drills. We'll continue tomorrow and the next day until you've mastered every single weapon. You can have your preferences, but you MUST master them all."
The trio nodded and retrieved their armouries, each the size of a wardrobe. As they opened them, the Teachers pulled out extra chairs so everyone could sit for the lengthy lesson.
"The main difference between basic and Elementary armouries is this: basic armouries contain only cold weapons, while Elementary armouries are mixed, containing both hot and cold weapons. Hot weapons are what we call Managuns.
"Managuns come in many varieties, from pistols to spell launchers. They use your Mana as ammunition—the amount needed depends on the Managun's calibre. The largest Mana guzzlers are spell launchers; pistols are the most economical, requiring just one point of Mana per round. With each higher calibre, the Mana cost increases. Spell launchers require one hundred Mana points per shot.
"But there's one exception: the Runic Mana Rotary cannon, affectionately called 'The Mana Shredder'. To use it, input your Mana, point it at the target, press the button, and hope your reserves are high enough to last even a minute. Its rate of fire is one thousand rounds per minute, each needing fifty points of Mana. That's where the name comes from—well, that and the fact that it shreds whatever it hits."
Azazel pointed out each weapon in turn, but when he reached the Runic Mana Rotary cannon, the grin on Er's face sent chills down everyone's spine—and not the good kind.
The look on Er's face was disturbingly gleeful. All anyone could think was, 'OH HELLS NO!' It looked like Er had found his dream weapon, and the Teachers could only shudder at the prospect of Er wielding the Mana Shredder.
Azazel carried on, and by the time he introduced the Scryhawk—a one-handed sniper rifle that required seventy-five Mana points per shot—everyone felt another wave of chills as Yi gave it a look of pure reverence, like a man in love. His dream weapon made sense for him, though it didn't feel any safer.
Strangely, Bane hadn't reacted much during the demonstrations, which meant his dream weapon had yet to be revealed.
Then, as if in slow motion, Bane licked his lips and his fingers twitched, itching to grab the weapon Azazel now showcased: a silent needle-gun firing Mana needles. It required ten Mana points per needle and fired one hundred per minute.
The Teachers imagined Bane's stealthy, assassin-like style paired with the needle-gun and blanched: they were perfect for each other—and not in a good way.
By the end of Azazel's overview, the Teachers were drenched in cold sweat.
The trio packed up their armouries, entered the arena, and tackled their cold weapons training with full force, tearing through the drills like there was no tomorrow.
—
Academy Livestream Chat (Ages 9–25)
Lyra, age 11: Did you SEE Er's face when Azazel showed off the Mana Shredder? I would NOT want to be a practice dummy today.
Milo, age 19: Same, Lyra! Er looks like he just got the best birthday present ever. The Teachers looked absolutely terrified, lol.
Felix, age 17: Yi staring at the Scryhawk like it was made of solid gold... dude's in love with that sniper. Wonder how powerful it is in drills?
Nia, age 15: I get why! One-handed sniper that feeds off your Mana? Yi's about to break some records.
Zara, age 12: Someone please protect the Teachers from Bane with that needle-gun. Silent + assassin style = nightmare.
Tara, age 13: You could see the Teachers sweating by the end. Do you think they're regretting the weapon upgrade?
Lucas, age 18: "Perfect for each other—NOT in a good way." Pretty much sums up Bane and that needle-gun! I'm both scared and impressed.
Rina, age 16: Serious question: How do you even train with a Mana Shredder safely? Fifty Mana per bullet times a thousand per minute…
Jax, age 14: Imagine one of us getting our hands on that thing. Azazel's lesson would turn into a full evacuation drill!
Emi, age 20: Hot take—if the trio can master this stuff as fast as they did before, the rest of us are never catching up.
Lyra, age 11: Place your bets: Who'll master their new dream weapon first? My money's on Er, just for that wild grin.
Moderator: Great predictions! Up next: Watch along as the trio tackles their new armouries—we'll track their progress and see which weapon claims the day's top highlight!
—
Control Room, Training Arena – The live holo-feed flickers on.
Belial slams the emergency comm as alarms flash across the displays. The trio's monitors show Mana levels spiking and weapon clearance times plummeting dangerously low. Teachers and Demons cluster anxiously around the controls.
Belial (raising his voice above the noise): "Lilith, we need you in the control room—immediately! It's a full-blown code red down here!"
Headmistress Lilith's holographic form materialises, arms folded, eyebrow raised.
Lilith: "Please tell me this isn't just about another broken training bot."
Seraphina (half laughing, half panicking): "If only! Yi, Er, and Bane are almost done with cold weapons. At this pace, they'll be on Managuns in minutes—and you saw their Mana outputs today!"
Beelzebub: "No one's ever torn through drills like this. If they get to the Managuns before we rein them in… Last time was chaos. This time? Off the charts!"
Selene (wringing her hands as a monitor blinks red): "We need every fail-safe, every barrier up. Er's already grinning at the Mana Shredder like it's festival day, and Bane… (shudders). If they all grab their favourites at once, there's too much at stake."
Zera: "I'd say flood the chamber, but if the rotary cannon overheats, I doubt it'd help."
Azazel (nervous laugh): "I thought I'd seen everything, Lilith. These three are rewriting the Academy's safety manual—line by line. We need backup."
The camera zooms to the training floor, where the trio move impossibly fast amid sparks and Mana flares.
Lilith (grim, with a flicker of excitement): "Lock down Section 3. Double the field dampeners. Zera, get rescue teams ready—I want Medbay on standby. Supply office needs to brace for losses. I'm on my way."
She glances at the arena glass, where elemental flashes ricochet.
Lilith: "Try not to level the arena. But if you do, make sure we're recording—this will be one for the archives."
As Lilith's image fades, Teachers and Demons exchange glances—equal parts dread and awe—as they dash to reinforce their stations.
—
Training Arena, Academy — Minutes Later
The alarms give way to a tense hush—the kind that grips everyone when something big is about to happen. In the control room, Teachers and Demons watch the monitors as the trio step up to their weapons rack, eyes wide with anticipation. Each picks up their dream Managun.
Yi cradles the Scryhawk sniper, fingers instantly adapting to its sleek weight. Er caresses the Mana Shredder, his breath quickening as his Mana surges into the weapon. Bane slips on the silent needle-gun with a predator's focus, a dangerous glint in his eyes, sending chills through the room.
Azazel, whispering: "May the Ancients have mercy."
Seraphina starts the recording. "For… archival purposes."
On the Arena Floor:
A loudspeaker countdown. "Three… two… one—"
The arena erupts into motion.
Yi vanishes, reappearing atop a distant obstacle, the Scryhawk sighted. Silver Mana crackles as he fires—each shot ricocheting through shielded targets with pinpoint precision. The data feed glitches, unable to keep pace.
Er, whoops, squeezing the Mana Shredder's trigger. The weapon roars, unleashing a thousand Mana-laced rounds per minute into reinforced targets. Shields buckle, alarms shriek, and energy readouts drop off the charts.
Teachers scramble to activate emergency dampeners, but it's like bailing a sinking ship with a teacup.
Bane moves like a shadow—nearly invisible—as the needle-gun spits silent devastation. Targets freeze, pinned by clusters of Mana needles. Each time Bane reappears, another training dummy is down—the casualty count spinning faster than the Shredder's rotary.
Finally, with swirling Mana filling the air and the last target vaporised, emergency lights flare. Lilith's hologram reappears, eyebrow arched dangerously high.
Lilith: "Congratulations, you three. Next time, try to leave the arena standing. Medbay is already on standby—don't make me use them. Clean up, and someone bring Azazel a chair before he passes out."
The trio—sweaty, exhilarated, and grinning—are already plotting their next round.
—
Academy Livestream Chat (Ages 9–25)
Lyra, 12: Did you SEE how Yi teleported up there? The Scryhawk's like, part of him now!
Lyra, 11: Did you catch that ricochet?! Yi's unstoppable!
Felix, 17: The data feed glitched. Never seen that. Yi's rate of fire is ACTUAL insanity.
Milo, 19: Meanwhile, Er looked like he won the lottery—the Mana Shredder could melt a mountain!
Felix, 17: Er's gonna MELT the arena! Can you do that? LOL
Nara, 11: I thought the shields would hold, but then the alarms went crazy…
Jax, 14: Bane is terrifying with the needle-gun. Blink, and another dummy's down! Is he invisible??
Rina, 15: Did y'all hear Seraphina hit RECORD? This is Academy legend material. Hope they post the replay!
Tara, 13: I'm with Belial. Has anyone ever set off THAT many alarms in a Managun drill?
Emi, 20: The Teachers looked totally panicked but… impressed? Pretty sure Lilith was angry AND proud.
Lucas, 18: "Make sure we're recording." She knows no one will believe this otherwise!
Nia, 15: Seriously, how do you even stop three people like that? Double dampeners and STILL not enough!
Felix, 17: Betting Er breaks the next sim. That grin's unhinged.
Milo, 19: Someone PLEASE check on the Teachers. They look faint.
Lyra, 12: Lilith was secretly loving it, you could tell. Footage for the archives for sure!
Moderator: "Reminder—DO NOT try this at home."
Moderator: Epic round, everyone! Place bets for next session: Whose favourite weapon gets banned first? Who's shattering the record? Next stream at 3—get your predictions in!