Noir stepped onto the stone platform, the weight of the entire classroom—and the skeptical, piercing gaze of Kalego-sensei—pressing down on him. He performed the required procedure with mechanical precision: he let three drops of blood fall onto the summoning circle, their dark crimson instantly absorbed by the ancient runes.
Then came the hard part: channeling his core energy.
He closed his eyes, ignoring the silent, expectant audience. He didn't visualize a spell or a creature; he visualized the separation. He focused entirely on the internal seal that kept the Demonic and Seraphim energies apart, and then, slowly, deliberately, he opened the floodgates—not to one, but to both spiritual rivers.
He didn't let the clashing forces blend; he directed the two distinct, torrential flows into the summoning circle simultaneously, keeping them parallel and separate until the moment they touched the ancient runes of the binding contract.
The effect was not a single explosion of power, but a terrifying, dual surge that instantly destabilized the magical atmosphere of the classroom.
The summoning circle didn't glow uniformly; it split.
On the left half of the circle, the runes blazed with a fierce, obsidian black light. This was the raw, crushing gravitational force of the Primordial Demonic Aura. The air immediately grew thick, heavy, and hot, causing many students to gasp and cover their ears as a low, resonant hum of deep chaos filled the room.
On the right half of the circle, the runes flared with a blinding, intensely cold white-gold light. This was the pure, crystalline essence of the Fallen Seraphim Aura. The light was so demanding and sharp that it felt physically painful, like looking directly into a frozen sun.
The two halves of the circle pulsed violently, their energies battling each other across the dividing line, yet both feeding the same contract. The stone platform itself groaned audibly under the weight of the contradictory power.
Naberius Kalego, who had been expecting a singular, powerful manifestation, felt his composure crack. His eyes widened, fixing on the twin light sources. Contradictory mana flow! What kind of spiritual core can maintain two separate, high-density magical signatures at the same time?!
The chaotic energy of the dual surge ripped into the void, reaching across dimensions for creatures attuned to the deepest abyss and the highest, corrupted order.
The first familiar materialized instantly, drawn by the overwhelming black light and the promise of endless entropy.
It wasn't a snake or a beast; it was a colossal, hulking Black Lion formed entirely of solidified chaos. Its mane was made of pure, rippling shadows that seemed to devour the light around them. Its eyes were two molten red stars burning in an obsidian face. This creature radiated an ancient, untamed power—the embodiment of the Primordial Chaos. It roared, and the sound was a low, vibrational frequency that caused the classroom windows to shatter silently.
The students gasped, stunned by the sheer size and terrifying darkness of the creature.
"A Primordial Chaos Lion!" one student shrieked in disbelief. "It's impossible! That's the highest ranking familiar of the Demon World!"
But the summoning wasn't finished.
Before the Lion could fully solidify, the white-gold light on the right side of the circle exploded, and a second entity was pulled forth, drawn by the essence of corrupted order and absolute celestial authority.
Solidifying beside the Lion, perfectly balanced, was a massive, ethereal White Tiger. Its form shimmered, composed of crystalline, cold light and barely contained, stylized angelic wings etched onto its shoulders. It wasn't a spirit; it was an Aether Phantom, a creature of pure, demanding spiritual law—the embodiment of the Highest Fallen Heavens. It emitted a high, piercing cry that was simultaneously a declaration of judgment and a threat of execution.
The two familiars materialized shoulder-to-shoulder, the black Lion absorbing the light and the white Tiger radiating it, creating a volatile, perfect contrast of destruction and order. They were the physical manifestations of Noir's spiritual affliction.
The reaction of the students was not fear; it was collective, spiritual stupefaction. They couldn't scream or run. They simply stared at the impossible sight—two separate, highest-tier familiars bound simultaneously by a single boy.
Asmodeus Alice was the most severely affected. His Gorgon Snake familiar, still near the platform, instinctively cowered, its fire fizzling into weak embers. Asmodeus himself fell to his knees, his hands trembling. His previous devotion was now cemented by utter, religious ecstasy.
"Two… two separate bindings! At the same time!"
"The Chaos Lion represents the greatest demonic authority! The Aether Tiger represents... purity! They are opposites! How can his core support both?"
"He is not a high-ranking demon! He is a Dual King!"
Naberius Kalego stood frozen on the platform, his usual rigid composure finally shattering. His face was a mask of utter bewilderment, his analytical mind crashing against the impossible reality before him. He saw the separate mana signatures, the twin contracts, and the sheer, unholy magnitude of the summoned creatures.
He quickly lifted his magical quill to record the rank, but the quill sputtered, unable to assign a single grade. The system was only designed to measure one familiar.
Kalego, however, was forced to accept the undeniable truth: Noir Sullivan's summoning was not just high-ranking; it was transcendent. He hadn't just secured the highest rank; he had broken the rules of the entire ceremony.
The Black Chaos Lion let out a deep, possessive growl, settling its massive head near Noir's feet. The White Aether Tiger lowered its crystalline body, its eyes fixed on Noir with fierce, demanding loyalty.
Noir opened his eyes. He looked down at the twin symbols of his duality—his two secret identities made physically manifest. He was terrified of the attention, but deeply, profoundly relieved.
It worked. The lack of control translated into overwhelming binding power.
He had no skill, but now he had two protectors—one representing raw Demonic entropy, the other, divine, cold Order—ready to serve him. His bluff had secured him an unassailable rank.
Kalego, recovering slightly, managed to choke out the only possible summary.
"...Two bindings. Separate and simultaneous. The rank is… unmeasurable." He pinched the bridge of his nose, staring at the boy who had just shattered his classroom and his understanding of spiritual contracts.
Noir, feeling the protective presence of his two behemoths, finally felt the exhaustion catch up to him. He desperately needed to project dominance, but all he wanted was a nap.
He forced a cold, dismissive stare. "Disappointing," he drawled, imitating the aloofness of a powerful demon who was expecting more than just a pair of world-class familiars. "Is the ceremony complete, Sensei?"