The car moved silently through the morning fog, its black frame cutting across the countryside like a shadow on a mission. Inside, Vincent Valenciari sat alone, his sharp gaze fixed on the road ahead through tinted windows.
He didn't fidget. He didn't speak.
Instead, he sat with his legs crossed, one arm draped casually over the seat, the other resting near the Iron Creed—the brass knuckles tucked snugly into his inner coat pocket. Each turn of the wheel brought him closer to the place where heirs either rose or shattered: Ardent Academy.
The landscape slowly shifted into towering walls, floating sigils, and arcane towers.
He had arrived.
The front gates opened with an eerie rumble—runic glyphs glowing as ancient mechanisms unlocked. The car pulled up to the grand courtyard. Vincent stepped out, not a word spoken.
Already, the Academy grounds were swarming with students—each one an elite, a bloodline heir, a prodigy of their own twisted legacy.
To his left, a lean boy stepped out of a blazing sports car. Aiden Ryun, the heir to the Eastern Tempest Clan. Lightning coiled around his wrists like pets.
Above, a golden-winged chariot descended with shimmering brilliance. A girl stepped out, her silver-blue eyes glowing faintly. Cassandra Voss, of the Moonfire Court.
Then, a pale, barefoot youth emerged from a dark mist that crept like ivy over the marble. Elliot Grave, heir of the Church of Thorns.
Each arrival was like a declaration: "I am here. I will not be ignored."
Vincent said nothing.
But when he walked forward, the crowd made way—without being told to.
> [System Notification: Passive Trait Activated — "Unshakable Presence"]
Your presence instinctively causes hesitation in lower-ranked opponents. Aura automatically scales with bloodline superiority.
Even among monsters, he felt no pressure.
If anything, they were prey in royal clothing.
"Hey, uh… excuse me?"
Vincent turned slightly, his eyes landing on a small red-haired girl awkwardly dragging a massive suitcase behind her.
She looked barely fifteen, her sleeves swallowing her hands, and a bulky revolver poking out from under her belt. Her nervous smile was entirely too honest for a place like this.
"You a mafia heir too?" she asked.
Vincent nodded once.
"I'm Clara Moretti," she said. "My family's from the Cerulean Circle up north."
She fidgeted. "My uncle's… well, never mind. This place is insane. I've never seen so many weird bloodlines in one spot. Kinda exciting, though."
Vincent's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I take it you've heard of the Consigliere of the Valenciari family?"
He gave a low smirk. "Who hasn't?"
Clara exhaled in relief, clearly hoping to make a decent impression. "Great! I guess I'll be sticking close to you if I don't want to get eaten alive."
He said nothing. She followed anyway.
> [System Notification: Social Trait Strengthened – "Underestimated Presence"]
New dynamic formed. Allies may rally to your shadow even without your command.
Suddenly, a voice boomed across the entire academy.
> "All first-years—report to the Grand Arena for your Initial Bloodline Evaluation!"
The announcement shook the stone pathways and pulsed with authority. From every direction, students began moving toward the heart of the Academy.
Vincent followed, Clara stumbling behind him, suitcase clanking with every step.
The Grand Arena was a beast of architecture—an open coliseum shaped like a ring of floating platforms, glowing with lines of ancient energy. Each stone tile felt older than most bloodlines here.
High above sat masked evaluators. Their gazes pierced the crowd without judgment, like scholars watching ants under glass.
> "Welcome to Ardent Academy," the same voice thundered.
"This is no place for hunters. No stage for heroes."
"We do not raise dominions. We forge bloodline masters. Kings. Assassins. Tyrants. Unshakable legacies."
"You were born into greatness. Now prove you deserve it."
One by one, students began stepping forward onto the central platform.
Vincent didn't wait for a name to be called.
He walked up slowly, coat fluttering behind him, as all eyes shifted toward him. The others paused. Some whispered. Some scoffed. Some just watched, curious.
He stepped onto the platform—and smiled faintly.
They didn't know who he was yet.
But they would.
---
TO BE CONTINUED…