The morning mist hadn't lifted, yet whispers already echoed through the academy walls.
"Did you hear? Someone awakened a dual class."
"Impossible. That's just a myth—right?"
"Not anymore."
Riven walked with his hood drawn low, footsteps silent as shadow over stone. Despite the crowd, none noticed him. That wasn't due to stealth—it was fear. Not theirs. His.
He still felt it. The heat. The voice. The System's cold whisper when he awakened his second class.
[You have unlocked: Necromancer – Tier S][Chaos Compatibility: High. Hidden Potential detected.][Merging protocols possible. Warning: Unknown consequences.]
Riven hadn't told anyone. Not about the merge. Not about the pain. Not even about the Saint class that came first, or the swirling dark energy that now curled around his veins like a snake waiting to strike.
Because even he didn't understand it.
A healer… and a deathweaver? It was blasphemy. A paradox.
No one should have both.
And yet he did.
And worse? The merge had already begun.
"Is it true?" a voice called behind him—sharp, feminine, used to authority.
He turned. Uniform sharp. Gaze sharper. The girl was only twelve—maybe a year older than his sister—but her presence crackled with power. She had the noble crest pinned to her chest and mana so dense it made the air hum.
"The Headmaster called for you," she said. "He's summoned all Awakening anomalies. You're on the list."
Riven didn't reply. He didn't need to. The mark glowing faintly beneath his glove said enough.
She narrowed her eyes.
"…You're the one who shouldn't exist."
In the heart of the academy, inside a sealed chamber lined with ancient runes and glowing sigils, the Headmaster stood waiting.
So did five others—each older, taller, confident. But all stared at him like he didn't belong.
"You are Riven, son of the blacksmith," the Headmaster said, his voice like steel drawn from a forge. "We reviewed your Awakening record. It's incomplete."
Riven said nothing. He wasn't ready to lie—but he couldn't tell the truth either.
Then the room darkened.
A presence entered. Cold. Immense. Like a void staring back.
Riven's body locked. His instincts screamed. Whatever it was—it wasn't human.
The Headmaster frowned, glancing toward the sealed door. "Interesting timing."
Then—
[Skill unlocked: Deathsense – Passive][Alert: Chaos Class merging at 2.4%. External presence accelerating sync rate.]
And as the others took a step back, Riven stood his ground. Not because he wanted to. But because he couldn't move.
Not now.
Not when the Chaos inside him began to stir… and hunger.