Once Shine finished recounting his tragic past and Ray had promised to support him
in his quest for revenge, the two made their way to Ray’s private training chamber.
Ray signaled for Shine to sit on the floor. Once he was settled, Ray sat directly
behind him, his expression hardening into a look of absolute focus.
"To truly master the Dark Sovereign Technique, you must possess the Body of
Darkness," Ray explained. "It is a rare gift, a trait some lucky few are born with.
I am going to scan your body now to see if you have it.
But do not worry; even if you don't, there are still other paths to mastering this art."
Ray began funneling his mana into Shine, conducting a thorough, deep-tissue scan.
After a few minutes of intense concentration, a wave of genuine surprise washed over Ray.
Shine didn't just have an affinity—he possessed a pure, potent, and rare Body of Darkness.
Immense talent, and a profound synchronization with the shadow element... that explains why he was so
strong, Ray thought, a faint, satisfied smirk creeping onto his face.
This is a massive gain. He will be incredibly useful for my growth.
Ray stood up and looked down at his servant. "Rejoice, Shine. You possess the Body of Darkness."
Shine sat in silence, wondering if this latent gift was a legacy from the father who had abandoned him.
Ray, sensing his distraction, cut through his thoughts.
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"Since you have the body, we move to the second step: acquiring Pure Shadow
Energy and awakening your dormant potential.
Right now, your gift is still sleeping."
Ray raised his hand, and a mass of shadow energy coalesced above his palm.
It looked similar to Shine’s own element, but upon closer inspection, it was visibly denser, purer, and far more lethal.
Ray forged the energy into a blade and swung it toward the corner of the room.
The impact was devastating—far more powerful than any shadow weapon Shine had ever forged himself.
Shine stared, his eyes wide.
"Four elements... just as expected of you, Master."
Ray smiled, keeping his secret hidden. In reality, I only possess three elements, he thought to himself.
But because of the 'Tyrant's Bond' seal, I can channel your power as well.
I can use this Pure Shadow Energy only because I have already mastered it, which is exactly why I recruited you.
The only downside to this technique is that if the person bearing the seal dies, my
access to their power will vanish with them.
"This remains a secret between us," Ray said, his tone chillingly serious. "Do not tell a living soul."
If anyone found out about this, Ray mused, they would become suspicious.
If the 'Tyrant's Bond' were exposed, every major power in this world would hunt me down to claim it.
Acquiring powerful techniques or resources is a blessing, but it can quickly
become a curse if you aren't strong enough to protect them.
Ray stepped forward and placed his hand on Shine’s back to trace an intricate spell.
He ordered Shine to sit within the glowing
circle, then began carving various runes onto the boy’s skin.
Once the preparations were complete, Ray
sat behind him again, pressing his palms against his servant's back.
As the runes and the circle flared to life, Shine gasped, a scream of raw agony tearing from his throat.
"Power is not easily bought," Ray said, his voice cold.
"Didn’t you want revenge? Endure it."
Shine gritted his teeth, his entire body trembling as he fought through the tearing sensation of the awakening process.
Two days of intense, agonizing training passed.
On the other side of the academy, the tournament referee’s voice boomed across
the grounds: "We have returned! Let the matches resume!"
The bouts were underway, though they lacked the spark the crowd craved, despite
the students giving their absolute all and showing a high level of skill.
Finally, the referee announced, "Match twenty-three! Selena versus Dekanis!"
Selena stepped into the arena, her golden hair shimmering under the sunlight, her aura noticeably stronger than before.
From the opposite side, Dekanis entered, her crimson hair gleaming.
"Begin!" the referee shouted.
Selena opened with a relentless assault,
manifesting dozens of spears of light.
Dekanis managed to fend them off with a shimmering golden barrier, but she was
caught off guard when an intense, blinding radiance erupted from deep beneath the arena floor.