Chapter 74: The Hunt Begins

Chapter 74: The Hunt Begins The morning after the festival was eerily quiet. The chaotic symphony of music, laughter, and sizzling food had been replaced by the gentle rustle of leaves in the Academy gardens and the distant chime of the Grand Hall clock. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I woke up not to the pressure of an impending battle, but to the soft, steady breathing of the small vampire girl curled up beside me. Yumi had migrated to my bed sometime in the night, a tiny refugee from a bad dream, her white curls splayed across my pillow. I lay still for a moment, just watching her, a strange warmth spreading through my chest. This was my new reality. Not just shadows and schemes, but plush rabbits and whispered goodnights. "Ashy," she mumbled in her sleep, clutching the hem of my shirt. I couldn’t help but smile. My path had been irrevocably altered, not by a legendary sword or a system quest, but by a six-year-old girl. A little later, Masha entered with her usual silent efficiency, a tray of warm milk and honey cakes in hand. She took one look at the scene, her lips twitching into a familiar, knowing smirk. "You’re spoiling her, you know," she whispered, setting the tray down. "Someone has to," I replied, gently untangling myself from Yumi’s grip. The goodbye at the dorm entrance was a small, domestic ritual I was already growing used to. Masha handed me my satchel, her expression a perfect blend of professional duty and personal concern. "Try not to get into any fights today," she advised. "The festival is over. You’re allowed to be boring." "Boring is for people who haven’t declared themselves the ruler of their era," I said with a straight face. She rolled her eyes. Yumi ran up and hugged my leg tightly. "Don’t forget the candy you promised!" I ruffled her hair. "I won’t. Be good for Masha. Don’t burn the dorm down." "Okay!" she chirped, her rose-pink eyes sparkling. With one last wave, I mounted my bike, the engine roaring to life with a satisfying hum. The ride to the main Academy building was a blur of cobblestone and mist. The weight of the last few days was gone, replaced by a clear, sharp focus. Today, I was just a student. Naturally, I was late. I strode into Professor Vael’s Advanced Mana Theory classroom seven minutes after the final bell, my boots echoing in the sudden silence. Every head turned. At the front of the room, standing beside the lectern with her arms crossed, was Headmistress Evelyn. Her silver braids were coiled as tightly as a whip, and her violet eyes locked onto me with an expression that was equal parts amusement and exasperation. "Well, well," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Look what the storm dragged in. I trust you had a productive morning, Mr. Crimson?" "Immensely, Headmistress," I replied with a disarming bow. "The fate of the world rested on my decision between honey cakes and fruit tarts." A few students snickered. Evelyn’s expression didn’t change, but a flicker of something that might have been a smile touched her eyes. "Take a seat. You were about to miss the most important announcement of the semester." I nodded and began walking toward my usual spot beside Sasha. She offered a small, welcoming smile, already shifting her books to make room. But before I could reach her, a hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. I turned. Seraphina. She didn’t look at me, her gaze fixed firmly on the front of the classroom, but her grip was like steel. With a single, decisive tug, she pulled me into the empty seat beside her. The classroom erupted in a chorus of whispers. I saw Liora’s jaw tighten, and Sasha’s welcoming smile crumble into a confused frown. I turned to Seraphina, my brow arched in a silent question. She still didn’t look at me. "You need to get used to it," she murmured, just loud enough for me to hear. [System: Congratulations. You are now officially property.] ’Shut up,’ I thought, settling into the chair with a resigned sigh. Evelyn watched the entire exchange with the air of a predator enjoying a good show. Once the whispers died down, she cleared her throat. "Alright," she announced, her voice cutting through the tension. "I have an announcement. As of this morning, the Rank Challenge has been made available. You may now go on and challenge anyone from your year." A wave of excitement rippled through the room. "The rules are simple," Evelyn continued, her gaze sweeping over us. "You can reject a challenge a total of two times. The third will be inevitable. If you lose, your rank will be swapped with your opponent’s. Furthermore, any student who participates in a duel cannot challenge or be challenged for one week." The moment she finished, it felt as if every eye in the room swiveled to land on me. Rank 1. The biggest, most tempting target in the entire Academy. Before the silence could stretch, Rin stood up from his seat in the back. His expression was determined, his mana already humming with intent. "Ashen, I challenge you—" "I reject," I said flatly, not even bothering to turn around. A loud laugh echoed from the front. Evelyn shook her head. "That’s not how it’s done, Mr. Elvareth. This isn’t a schoolyard brawl. You must follow the proper procedure. In your magic wristwatches, you will find a feature to formally challenge anyone. It contains all the rules, schedules, and protocols. You are all educated, so just read it and do as you wish." Rin sat back down, a flush creeping up his neck, but his gaze remained fixed on me. "Now, enough," Evelyn said, turning to the board. "Let’s not waste time. Our lesson today is on thaumaturgic resonance and its application in destabilizing large-scale barriers." The class droned on, but I couldn’t focus. I could feel the weight of dozens of stares, each one a potential challenge, a potential threat to the fragile peace I was trying to build for Yumi. I murmured under my breath, "This is bad." When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the lecture, a swarm of students immediately started tapping at their wristwatches. I felt a buzz of incoming notifications but ignored them. Just as I stood to leave, one of the elves I’d clashed with during the council war—a particularly arrogant one named Lirien—stepped in front of me. "Just you wait, Crimson," he sneered. "That top rank is a fluke. I will have my revenge." Before I could even formulate a suitably scathing reply, Seraphina moved. She stepped between us, her movement a fluid, predatory grace. She grabbed Lirien’s wrist, her nails digging into his skin just enough to make him wince. "How dare you insult him in front of me," she hissed, her voice low and dangerous. The elf paled, stammering an apology before scrambling away. I was taken aback, not by her protectiveness, but by the sheer possessiveness in her eyes. She was marking her territory. I saw Rin across the room, his brow furrowed as he stared at his watch. Ding. A message appeared on my own watch. [Rin Elvareth has requested a duel for Rank 1.] I tapped the screen without a second thought. [REJECT OFFER] Ding. [Cecilia Thorne has requested a duel for Rank 1.] [REJECT OFFER] This was going to be a long week. My gaze swept the classroom and landed on one person who hadn’t moved. Nyx Voxx. She was glaring at me from her seat, her crimson eyes glowing with a cold, analytical fury. A chill went down my spine. ’Shit,’ I thought, my heart sinking. ’No, don’t do that, you bitch.’ I knew, with a certainty that settled like ice in my gut, that she was the strongest first-year student right now. Her control of void magic was on another level entirely. Rin, even with his plot armor and Holy Sword, probably couldn’t take her down in a straight fight. If she challenged me, I would lose my rank. There was no doubt in my mind. The two rejections were a temporary shield, but her challenge was inevitable. I watched as she slowly lifted her hand, her slender fingers moving toward her own wristwatch. This was it. The end of my short-lived reign. Ding. The notification sound made me flinch. I braced myself, slowly lifting my wrist to face my fate. But the name on the screen wasn’t Nyx’s. [Noora Whitehound has challenged you to a duel for Rank 1.] [You are now in the queue for a Rank-Up Battle. Queue Number: 1. Schedule and place will be informed soon.] I stared at the message, stunned. I looked up and met Noora’s gaze from across the room. She gave me a tiny, almost imperceptible nod, a faint smirk playing on her lips. She had challenged me first, pushing herself to the front of the line and blocking any other challenges for a week. She had just saved me from Nyx. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. A genuine, relieved smile touched my face. ’You saved me, girl,’ I thought, my mind already spinning with strategies for a fight I was now surprisingly looking forward to.