Zane Eltherion Velerion stood before the mirror in the hero cadet's dorm.
Golden hair. Immaculate uniform. Sword blessed by the Church of Radiance.
A symbol of perfection.
A beacon of hope.
And yet—
His fingers twitched.
He clenched his jaw as the scene replayed again in his head.
Arjen. That cursed bastard.
He wasn't supposed to amount to anything.
But he did.
That move in the trial…
That presence...
It wasn't normal.
---
Flashback – The Trial Arena
Zane's heart had pounded—not from admiration, but from something dark.
Fear?
No.
Contempt.
Arjen had humiliated a high-tier summon. Effortlessly.
And then Selene Eiradelle—his Selene—walked up to him like she'd found a shiny new artifact.
The way she looked at him…
That smile.
Zane had never seen her smile like that at anyone.
---
Back in the present, Zane slammed his fist into the wall. Cracks formed.
[System Warning: Emotional Instability Detected – Resolve Dropping]
[Heroic Path Synchronization: 83% → 76%]
He took a shaky breath.
He couldn't afford this.
He was meant to be the hero of House Velerion. The one chosen by the Church. The one who'd face the Demon King.
Not that cursed stain of a bastard.
---
There was a knock.
"Come in," he barked.
Kael entered—the prodigy of mana-forged martial arts and Zane's fiercest loyalist.
His arms were wrapped in reinforced training bands, faintly glowing with runes. Even relaxed, his mana-hardened knuckles radiated tension.
"He's training again," Kael muttered. "Out in the old forest ring. Alone. Midnight."
"Arjen?"
Kael nodded. "He's… different. It's like he's fighting ghosts. His movements aren't polished, but they're dangerous. Sharp."
Zane's eyes narrowed.
"Keep watching him."
"And if he's hiding something?"
Zane's voice went cold.
"Then we strip him bare and remind him where he belongs."
---
Later That Night – Private Church Chamber
Zane knelt before the glowing altar of Radiance. Candles flickered. The holy light pulsed.
[Heroic Path – Private Blessing Sync Initiated]
[Warning: Your heart wavers. Purge all doubt.]
Zane's hands trembled.
"Why… why does he keep appearing in my path?"
He bowed low.
"Give me strength… to eliminate him if I must."
A voice, soft and ancient, echoed in his ears.
"The Demon walks among your blood. Beware the cursed moon."
Zane's breath hitched.
His brother… that bastard…
Could he be—
No. Impossible.
Still…
Just in case.
He stood, resolve hardening.
"If he's the demon…"
"I'll be the one to slay him."
---