The destruction of Shadowfen Coven’s mental domain became the defining moment of the National Championship.

Not merely because Skygate Academy had won.

Victory alone was no longer enough to shock the Imperial City. By this stage of the tournament, every remaining team possessed monstrous talent, elite bloodlines, and terrifying combat capability. Strength itself had become expected.

What unsettled people was the method.

An academy feared across multiple kingdoms for mental warfare and illusion manipulation had been dismantled inside its own specialty.

Not overpowered through brute force.

Not overwhelmed through superior numbers.

Broken.

Systematically.

Completely.

And now, for the first time since the tournament began, uncertainty spread through the empire faster than excitement.

Nobody could confidently predict Skygate Academy’s limits anymore.

That realization changed the atmosphere of the entire tournament.

Hours after the quarterfinal match ended, the Imperial Arena remained overflowing with noise. Scholars, tamers, nobles, merchants, military officers, and academy representatives filled every public space surrounding the stadium district, replaying fragments of the battle through projection crystals again and again.

In taverns across the city, arguments grew so heated that betting tables overturned.

At outdoor plazas, young tamers attempted to imitate Valen’s devastating strikes while others tried recreating Liora’s battlefield redirection patterns using low-level support beasts.

None succeeded.

Inside private noble estates, high-ranking officials gathered around expensive recording arrays, slowing the battle frame by frame in an attempt to analyze Aether’s movements.

Yet no matter how carefully they observed—

One question remained unanswered.

"How did the mental domain collapse?"

Nobody knew.

The projection recordings only showed fragments.

Darkness swallowing the arena.

Cracks spreading through the domain.

A brief pulse of crimson-black distortion.

Then total collapse.

The details hidden inside the mental space itself remained impossible to observe.

And uncertainty—

Created fear far faster than visible strength ever could.

That fear quietly transformed into fascination.

By sunset, the final quarterfinal battle concluded.

The massive golden projection suspended above the central arena shifted once more, illuminating the darkening sky with radiant light visible from nearly every district in the Imperial Capital.

Thousands gathered beneath it immediately.

Voices gradually lowered.

The city watched in silence as the finalized standings appeared.

Only four names remained.

Skygate Academy.

Imperial Royal Team.

Crimson Forge Alliance.

Oceanic Federation Elite.

The crowd erupted instantly.

But unlike earlier rounds, the excitement carried a different tone now.

No laughter.

No dismissive confidence.

No discussions about lucky placements or weak opponents.

Every remaining team possessed terrifying reputations earned through overwhelming victories.

Crimson Forge Alliance specialized in relentless offensive warfare and weapon-linked beasts capable of tearing through fortified defenses.

Oceanic Federation Elite controlled adaptive water formations so refined that entire battlefields could be reshaped within seconds.

Imperial Royal Team carried the authority and monstrous power of Lion Solvaris himself.

And Skygate Academy—

The unpredictable anomaly standing at the center of the tournament’s shifting balance.

Only monsters remained.

Inside Skygate Academy’s temporary residence near the eastern arena district, the atmosphere had changed completely.

The courtyard, once filled with Valen’s loud laughter and Rowan’s endless complaining about noble politics, had grown noticeably quieter after the Shadowfen battle.

Not tense.

Focused.

Even Valen, usually incapable of remaining still for more than a few minutes, sat silently near the strategy table with one arm resting across his knee. The giant projection slate hanging above the chamber displayed the updated semifinal bracket in glowing gold letters.

Two matches remained.

That was all.

Two victories between them and the championship itself.

Valen stared at the bracket for a long moment before finally speaking.

"Two more matches," he muttered quietly.

His voice lacked its usual reckless enthusiasm.

Not because he was nervous.

Because he understood the weight now.

Liora stood near the open window overlooking the distant arena lights, arms folded calmly across her chest. Moonlight filtered through the curtains and reflected faintly across her silver eyes as she observed the city below.

"But the next match decides everything," she replied softly.

Valen glanced toward her.

Neither needed clarification.

Everyone already knew what was coming.

Even before official confirmation.

Across the Imperial City, one topic dominated every conversation.

Skygate Academy versus Imperial Royal Team.

Not because the matchup had been announced.

Because it felt inevitable.

Aether.

Lion Solvaris.

The empire’s rising anomaly against the future ruler of the Imperial Dynasty.

The quiet strategist against the golden prince of overwhelming dominance.

And now, after Shadowfen’s collapse, even tournament organizers understood the sheer value of that confrontation.

The city wanted it.

The nobles wanted it.

The crowd demanded it.

Inside the royal tower overlooking the arena complex, Lion Solvaris stood before a chamber of imperial officials and tournament elders.

The atmosphere inside the room was suffocatingly tense.

Golden flames flickered silently behind Lion’s figure, illuminating the polished black stone walls with sharp reflections while several elderly officials exchanged cautious glances.

Lion’s expression remained cold.

Controlled.

But beneath that control, pressure radiated outward like restrained fire.

"You will arrange it," he said calmly.

One of the senior tournament elders frowned slightly.

"The semifinal bracket follows tournament structure," the elder replied carefully. "Direct interference would damage the credibility of the championship."

Lion’s golden eyes sharpened instantly.

"Then adjust the structure."

Silence filled the chamber.

Nobody spoke immediately.

Because everyone understood exactly what he meant.

For the first time publicly—

Lion Solvaris formally requested a direct semifinal clash against Skygate Academy.

Not subtly.

Not through intermediaries.

Directly.

"I want them before the finals," he stated.

The elder’s expression tightened. "That is tactically irrational. You would face the strongest remaining opponent earlier than necessary."

Lion’s gaze shifted toward the arena beyond the tower windows.

"That is not the point."

And it wasn’t.

This was no longer about bracket efficiency or tournament pacing.

It was personal now.

Skygate Academy’s rise had become disruptive.

Every victory shifted public attention.

Every match weakened the narrative of inevitable royal supremacy surrounding Lion.

And worst of all—

The crowd had begun speaking Aether’s name beside his own.

As equals.

Lion hated that.

Not emotionally.

Strategically.

Perception mattered.

Authority mattered.

And an uncontrollable anomaly gaining influence during the National Championship threatened both.

The request spread rapidly through noble circles before the meeting even concluded.

Within hours, the political atmosphere surrounding the tournament changed again.

Some noble houses immediately supported Lion’s proposal, arguing that the empire deserved the "true final" before the championship itself.

Others opposed the interference fiercely, warning that visible manipulation would permanently damage the legitimacy of the tournament.

Arguments erupted across private estates and political councils throughout the city.

Because denying the crown prince publicly carried consequences.

But obeying him openly carried different consequences.

Meanwhile, far beneath the Imperial City, another gathering took place in silence.

The hidden faction convened once more inside their underground chamber.

This time, however—

The atmosphere was entirely different.

No relaxed observation.

No detached curiosity.

No careful experimentation.

Urgency filled the chamber like poison.

Several cloaked figures stood around the circular projection table while distorted images from the Shadowfen battle flickered repeatedly in pale silver light.

"He destroyed the mental domain from inside," one voice said quietly.

Another responded immediately.

"He possesses anti-perception capabilities far beyond projection estimates."

A third voice added coldly, "The humanoid entity hidden within his spiritual network exceeds previous classifications."

Silence followed.

Long.

Heavy.

Then the faction leader finally spoke.

"Testing phase is over."

Another figure lifted their head slightly.

"New objective?"

The answer came without hesitation.

"Acquisition."

The word settled over the chamber like a blade.

Not recruitment.

Not observation.

Not negotiation.

Possession.

Because Aether was no longer merely interesting.

He had become too valuable to leave uncontrolled.

Orders were issued immediately.

Increase surveillance.

Identify emotional vulnerabilities.

Investigate academy ties.

Monitor beast evolution patterns.

Avoid direct confrontation until certainty is achieved.

After witnessing Shadowfen Coven collapse despite mental superiority, even the hidden faction no longer desired reckless engagement.

Something surrounding Aether remained deeply unknown.

And unknown things were dangerous.

Late that night, while most of the Imperial City remained awake discussing semifinal predictions, Aether sat alone in Skygate’s courtyard beneath the dim glow of hanging lanterns.

The air carried the cool stillness of approaching midnight.

Distant noise from the arena district echoed faintly across the rooftops, softened by wind and distance until it resembled little more than drifting waves.

Several evolution scrolls lay spread open across the stone table before him.

Ancient diagrams.

Beast evolution pathways.

Spiritual synchronization formulas.

The Flame Sovereign Pup slept nearby with its tail curled around itself, faint warmth radiating from its small body in rhythmic pulses.

Above him, the Spirit Fairy floated quietly in the air, glowing softly like drifting moonlight.

And deeper within the shadows—

The Fallen Succubus watched silently.

Aether studied the scrolls without moving for several minutes.

For weeks, he had deliberately delayed further evolution.

Not because he lacked materials.

Not because he lacked knowledge.

Because timing mattered.

Every evolution changed battlefield balance.

Changed visibility.

Changed risk.

But the tournament itself had changed now.

Opponents stronger.

Attention heavier.

Hidden enemies more aggressive.

And most importantly—

His beasts were approaching synchronization limits within their current forms.

The Flame Sovereign Pup shifted slightly in its sleep as Aether reviewed its evolution pathway once more.

Royal-tier bloodline.

One successful evolution completed.

Extreme offensive capability.

Rapidly improving energy efficiency.

Its growth rate exceeded projections already.

But the problem was becoming increasingly obvious.

Its destructive capability was beginning to surpass concealment thresholds.

Soon, suppressing its full power during public matches would become nearly impossible.

The Spirit Fairy floated lower curiously as Aether opened another scroll layered with delicate soul-binding diagrams.

High soul affinity.

Exceptional synchronization support.

Rapid intelligence development.

But prolonged mental warfare consumed too much spiritual energy.

During the Shadowfen battle, the strain placed upon the Spirit Fairy had increased dramatically despite successful battlefield support.

Its current form was approaching inefficiency.

Then—

Aether’s gaze shifted toward the shadowed pillar nearby.

The Fallen Succubus smiled immediately.

"Oh?" she purred softly. "Finally thinking about me?"

Aether ignored the tone entirely.

Unevolved.

Hidden potential enormous.

Spiritual pressure increasingly difficult to suppress.

And that—

Was becoming dangerous.

Every partial manifestation during battle increased exposure risk.

Especially after Shadowfen.

The Succubus watched him quietly for several seconds before speaking again, her usual teasing expression fading slightly.

"You already know the answer."

"No," Aether replied calmly.

"Yes."

She stepped closer slowly, crimson eyes reflecting faint lantern light.

"You don’t need more fire," she murmured. "You already have enough destruction to terrify half the tournament."

Her gaze narrowed slightly.

"What you need... is control over what’s already waking up."

Silence followed.

Because for once—

She sounded completely serious.

Aether understood exactly what she meant.

The Succubus was becoming harder to conceal.

Not because she disobeyed him.

Not because she sought exposure.

Because her existence itself was evolving naturally.

Growing.

Awakening.

And if her true pressure leaked fully during the tournament—

Everything would change instantly.

Footsteps interrupted the silence.

Liora entered the courtyard quietly, silver hair moving gently beneath the lantern glow. She stopped near the entrance the moment she noticed the spread evolution scrolls covering the table.

Her eyes sharpened slightly.

"Evolution?" she asked.

"Considering it."

She approached slowly, gaze briefly shifting toward the shadows behind him where the Fallen Succubus lingered partially concealed.

Then away again.

Smart enough not to ask directly.

Liora rested one hand lightly against the stone railing overlooking the courtyard.

"The semifinals won’t resemble previous battles," she said quietly.

"I know."

"Lion has changed."

Aether nodded once.

"He adapted."

And that was what made Lion dangerous now.

Not arrogance.

Not overwhelming power.

Adaptation.

The prince had learned from defeat and observation alike.

Liora’s expression remained calm, though faint concern lingered beneath her composure.

"Before," she said carefully, "he relied too heavily on dominance. Now he’s thinking strategically."

Aether remained silent.

Because she was right.

Lion had stopped trying to prove superiority through force alone.

Now he wanted certainty.

And certainty made powerful people far more dangerous.

For several moments, neither spoke.

The distant city lights flickered beyond the courtyard walls while cold wind drifted softly through the open space.

Then Liora asked quietly,

"Are you finally going to stop holding back?"

The question lingered in the air between them.

Aether looked toward the distant arena skyline glowing beneath the night sky like a sea of gold and fire.

Tournament projections shifted slowly above the city.

Semifinal announcements approaching.

Political pressure rising.

Hidden factions moving beneath the surface.

Lion preparing openly for confrontation.

And surrounding all of it—

Attention.

More eyes watching with every victory.

Finally, Aether answered calmly.

"That depends on how much they force me to reveal."

Liora studied him silently for a moment.

Then nodded once.

Not satisfied.

But understanding.

Because both of them knew the truth now.

The tournament had already stopped being merely a competition.

It had become a battlefield layered with politics, hidden agendas, evolving power, and forces moving far beyond the arena itself.

And somewhere deep within that growing pressure—

Something inside Aether continued waking.

High above the Imperial City, the final projection arrays shifted again across the midnight sky.

Semifinal structures updated slowly.

Crowds gathered beneath the floating displays despite the late hour, waiting for official confirmation while rumors spread faster than the announcements themselves.

Inside noble estates, political alliances shifted quietly.

Inside hidden chambers, faction observers recalculated risk assessments.

Inside the royal tower, Lion Solvaris prepared for war.

And at the center of it all—

Aether sat silently beneath the night sky.

Evolution scrolls spread before him.

Ancient power hidden behind him.

Danger growing around him from every direction.

While somewhere deep within his consciousness—

The Fallen Succubus smiled slowly.

Because she could already feel it.

The moment her true evolution finally began—

The world surrounding Aether would never remain the same again.