(POV: Zane Elcross)
The morning sun cast golden rays through the training courtyard of the Imperial Hero Academy, but Zane Elcross's sword was already stained with blood.
> "Next."
His voice echoed with the firm tone of someone used to winning.
Another challenger rushed forward—an elite cadet of the Empire, armed with wind-infused daggers.
Zane's blade hummed with divine light.
> Flash Technique: Radiant Step.
He vanished.
Then reappeared behind the cadet, sword already sheathed.
> Thud.
The cadet collapsed, unconscious.
Applause followed, but Zane didn't smile. He wasn't here to impress—he was here to ascend.
> "Is this all?" he muttered, wiping his blade.
"Where's the challenge in being the chosen?"
---
Observation Deck – Above the Courtyard
A robed man stepped forward. One of the Empire's Intelligence Priests.
> "Zane Elcross, we require your attention."
"Report."
"A demon-wielding assassin has eliminated three heroes in the western region. All with precision, no wasted movement, and signs of… tainted power."
Zane raised a brow.
> "Demon? No demon survives long without being hunted."
"This one doesn't run," the man said. "He ambushed two mid-rank heroes. And most concerning—he vanished under our detection magic."
Zane's expression hardened. "Was a name identified?"
> The priest hesitated. "No name. Only one witness."
---
Cut to: Imperial Interrogation Chamber
The female knight Arjen had outsmarted now sat, bound in magical restraints. Her face bruised, ego shattered.
> "He knew. He let me think it was a trap—then turned it on me," she rasped. "That wasn't just a demon."
"Then what was he?" a voice asked.
> "A monster... who used to be human."
---
Back to Zane
His heart skipped a beat. That description—it echoed something.
A faint memory.
A boy once mocked for being weaker.
A boy who vanished two years ago after being banished from the Elcross estate.
Zane clenched his fist.
> "...Arjen?"
His mother had always whispered that the bastard son held a dangerous spark. One that must be snuffed.
> "You think it's him?" the priest asked.
Zane didn't answer right away.
Instead, he stepped forward, lifting his sword skyward.
> "If he's alive," Zane said coldly, "I'll kill him myself. A demon doesn't deserve our bloodline."
---
Meanwhile, In the Shadows…
Inside a mountain cave cloaked in demonic mist, Arjen opened his system panel.
> [New Target List Updated]
1. Gareth – Eliminated
2. Lexin – Eliminated
3. Zane Elcross – Status: Active
Luck: 843 | Hero Title: "Radiant Blade"
Arjen's eyes narrowed. A name from the past.
His lips curved into a cold grin.
> "So you're climbing high, little brother."
---