The training wing of Aetherion Academy hummed with the low pulse of mana, the floors made of reinforced obsidian tiles that could withstand even SS-ranked strikes. Kael walked in, his white hair drifting lightly behind him, and his red eyes calmly scanning the area.
He spotted them immediately.
Jin Eldraven the protagonist stood near a corner, casually conversing with a girl.
She was stunning.
Pink hair cascaded past her shoulders in elegant waves, framing a face with seductive sharpness and eyes that shimmered a rich, unnatural purple. Cynthia Elarquist known for her potent charm-type skills and dangerously high success rate in manipulating weaker-willed opponents.
Kael ignored them both.
Instead, he walked across the room and stopped at one of the mana training dummies a humanoid construct forged from enchanted alloys and bound with layered runes. With a sudden burst of movement, he unsheathed his B-rank sword and launched into a flurry of unpredictable strikes.
Clang!
Thud!
Shhhkt!
Each move blurred slightly with Swift Steps activating subtly, and with Calm Mind, his aura stayed perfectly balanced. His movements were precise, swift, and hard to follow even the MC turned slightly to watch.
From the corner of his eye, Kael saw Cynthia glance in his direction then slowly begin walking toward him.
He didn't stop.
Just as he ended a spinning feint-strike combo, she appeared next to him, practically leaning against the edge of the dummy, her voice like silk.
"Hey, handsome," she purred with a teasing smirk. "I'm Cynthia. And I'm guessing you're Kael?"
He turned to face her, his red eyes locking onto hers.
For a split second, he felt it.
A wave of pressure a mental tug at his focus, a subtle distortion in the air. She was using a charm-type skill, aimed at his emotional center.
His head spun faintly, but Calm Mind kicked in immediately. His core pulsed. The dizziness vanished.
Kael's expression remained calm, unreadable.
He didn't step back.
He didn't blush.
He just looked her straight in the eye.
Cynthia blinked, visibly caught off guard. Her playful smirk faltered for just a breath.
"…This just got interesting," she murmured, her purple eyes narrowing slightly with both intrigue and challenge.
Kael tilted his head slightly, his voice neutral.
"Is this how you say hello to everyone?"