As evening settled over the academy, the atmosphere across the central district shifted once again, the earlier ceremonial formality gradually giving way to smaller gatherings spread throughout the enormous upper terraces and noble halls surrounding the arena, and while students moved through the illuminated bridges beneath floating mana lanterns, countless conversations now carried beneath the surface of the event itself.
Observation.
Evaluation.
Negotiation.
Kael noticed it immediately as he walked through the eastern terrace corridor alongside Aren and the others, because almost every noble representative they passed glanced toward them at least once, some with open curiosity, others with restrained calculation.
Aren muttered quietly beside him.
"…I'm starting to understand why people hate noble events."
Cassian smirked faintly.
"You noticed that only now?"
Aren gestured vaguely around them.
"They're all staring at everyone like they're pricing equipment."
Lyra answered calmly.
"…In a way, they are."
Draven added.
"…Potential matters more than status inside the academy."
That explanation fit perfectly with what Kael had already begun noticing.
Outside the academy, noble bloodlines and political influence likely defined most interactions.
But here—
Capability changed hierarchy.
And after the tournament rankings, Kael had become impossible to ignore.
Several passing students from other divisions openly whispered as they crossed the upper bridge ahead.
"That's him."
"The one who fought Princess Elaris."
"I heard he has no noble backing at all."
"That makes no sense."
Aren grinned slightly.
"…Congratulations. You officially became a rumor."
Kael ignored the comments.
Because something else had drawn his attention.
At the far end of the terrace stood one of the beast-human students he had noticed earlier during the introductions, the silver-haired girl with sharp golden eyes and a long wolf-like tail moving slowly behind her as she leaned against the outer railing overlooking the academy below.
Unlike most nobles surrounding the district, she carried no visible attempt at formality.
And more importantly—
She was staring directly at Kael without hiding it at all.
Aren noticed immediately.
"…Uh."
Cassian followed his gaze and sighed quietly.
"…That explains it."
Lyra tilted her head slightly.
"You know her?"
Cassian nodded once.
"…Selene Varis."
Draven's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…The northern wolf clans."
Aren blinked.
"…Wait, she's important?"
Selene pushed herself away from the railing and walked toward them calmly before anyone answered, her movements smooth but carrying the restrained sharpness Kael had already started associating with beast-humans.
"Yes," she said casually as she stopped a few steps away. "Unfortunately."
Aren coughed awkwardly.
"…Right. You heard that."
Selene's golden eyes shifted briefly toward him.
"Your voice isn't exactly quiet."
Cassian rubbed his forehead slightly.
"…Selene."
She ignored him completely.
Instead, her attention remained on Kael.
"So you're the one everyone's talking about."
Kael answered simply.
"…Probably."
That response made the corner of her mouth lift slightly.
Not amusement.
Interest.
"I expected someone louder."
Aren immediately pointed at Kael.
"Oh no, he's always like this."
Lyra glanced at Aren briefly.
"…You aren't helping."
Selene's tail moved lazily once behind her as she studied Kael more carefully.
"You fought Elaris directly."
Not a question.
Kael nodded once.
"Yes."
"And survived long enough to force her serious."
Kael remained silent.
Because denying it would be pointless.
Selene's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Interesting."
Cassian sighed quietly beside them.
"You're doing that thing again."
Selene glanced at him.
"What thing?"
"The 'I found someone strong so now I want to fight them immediately' thing."
Aren blinked.
"…Wait, seriously?"
Selene ignored the comment entirely.
Instead, she looked back toward Kael.
"You move differently from academy fighters."
Kael answered calmly.
"…Probably."
This time she actually smiled faintly.
"You really don't waste words."
Before the conversation could continue further, another presence approached from the upper bridge connecting the western terrace.
Heavy footsteps.
Measured.
Several students nearby immediately shifted aside as a broad figure with dark bronze skin and short black hair approached slowly, layered rune markings visible across both arms beneath sleeveless reinforced academy attire.
A dwarf.
But unlike the heavily armored representatives from earlier, this one looked younger.
Student-aged.
And built like a fortress.
Aren stared slightly.
"…Okay, why does he feel like he could punch through a building?"
The dwarf stopped near the group, his sharp gray eyes moving briefly across everyone present before landing on Kael.
"…So this is him."
Cassian exhaled quietly.
"…Please don't start too."
The dwarf ignored him completely.
"Hammer Deepforge," he introduced simply.
His voice carried weight naturally.
Not loud.
Dense.
Kael nodded slightly.
"Kael."
Hammer crossed his arms.
"I watched your match."
Aren muttered quietly.
"…Apparently everyone did."
Hammer continued.
"You held your ground against royal magic longer than expected."
Selene smirked faintly nearby.
"That's your version of a compliment?"
Hammer glanced toward her briefly.
"It's accurate."
Kael observed both of them carefully.
And for the first time since entering the academy, he could clearly feel how different races carried different presences even among students.
Selene felt sharp.
Instinctive.
Always ready to move.
Hammer felt immovable.
Compressed power hidden beneath calm stillness.
Neither resembled the structured fighting styles most academy students used.
Lyra noticed Kael observing them.
"…Different combat traditions."
Draven nodded slightly.
"…Different instincts."
Hammer looked toward Kael again.
"You're going beyond the outer sectors soon."
Not a question.
Kael answered calmly.
"Yes."
The surrounding atmosphere shifted slightly at those words.
Even Selene's expression sharpened subtly.
Because unlike tournament rankings and academy status—
That topic carried real danger.
Selene leaned lightly against the railing again.
"The clans already heard rumors about the northeastern distortions."
Cassian frowned slightly.
"…The information spread that far already?"
Hammer answered before Selene could.
"The academy isn't the only organization monitoring instability."
Kael understood immediately.
Of course the other races were watching.
The distortions threatened the entire continent.
Not just human territories.
Selene's gaze moved briefly toward the distant northeastern horizon beyond the academy walls.
"…My father thinks the old boundaries are weakening again."
Aren frowned.
"…Old boundaries?"
For the first time, Selene's casual tone faded slightly.
"The ones that were sealed after the first collapse centuries ago."
Silence settled instantly.
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly.
Because that—
Was new information.
Cassian looked genuinely surprised now.
"…Your clan believes this is connected to the ancient collapse?"
Hammer answered quietly.
"The Deepforge archives suggest similar patterns."
Lyra crossed her arms slightly.
"…The academy never mentioned historical records."
Draven's voice remained steady.
"…Because they likely lack confirmation."
Kael remained silent.
Thinking.
Because if distortions similar to this had existed before—
Then the academy might not be discovering something entirely new.
It might be facing something—
Returning.
The academy bells echoed faintly across the evening sky once more as mana lanterns illuminated the upper terraces fully.
Students continued moving through the gathering.
Nobles continued observing.
But now—
The world felt larger again.
Older.
Connected to histories Kael still didn't fully understand.
Selene pushed herself away from the railing.
"Well," she said casually, "…if the world's ending again, at least the academy's interesting this year."
Aren stared at her.
"…That's your reaction?"
She shrugged lightly.
"What else am I supposed to do? Panic?"
Hammer nodded once.
"…Fear changes nothing."
Cassian sighed quietly.
"You two are impossible."
But Kael noticed something important beneath the conversation.
None of them seemed surprised anymore.
Not truly.
Because the heirs of powerful races and noble houses had likely grown up hearing fragments of these old stories already.
Which meant the academy's current situation was only part of something much older.
And somewhere beyond the northeastern sectors—
That history was beginning to wake up again.