Chapter 30: The Second Stage: Part II

As Avaline Ravespire entered the arean, Eric, noticing their interest, leaned in and began to explain. "The Ravenspire family has the Darkwing Raven bloodline. Those are shadow manipulators. Family members of the House Ravenspire can conjure themselves within a shroud of shadows, becoming almost impossible to detect during combat.".

Kai watched Aveline with renewed interest, curious to see what her bloodline ability did. The gates at the other end of the arena creaked open and a Essence Calibration realm Swiftclaw Lynx padded out, its sleek, furred body coiled in lean muscle as its sharp, glinting claws flexed poised to strike. The lynx was known for its agility, making it a formidable opponent for any cultivator at the Essence Calibration Realm.

Aveline took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing as she focused. Gradually, dark folds enshrouded her body; she became part of the darkness that encircled her. The lynx faltered, lost for a moment in its glancing movement from side to side as it failed to follow her, silent upon the sands of the arena.

"See that?" he whispered, eyes on the arena. "Darkwing Raven power. She is using shadow to make herself nearly invisible."

Kai nodded curiously. It wasn't just a strength; this was a tactic: blindside, and gone unnoticed.

Inside the arena, the lynx roared in frustration for not being able to find its opponent. Suddenly, Aveline appeared at its side, her hand darting out as she struck the beast's flank. The lynx spun, trying to swipe at her with its claws, but she vanished into the shadows again, reappearing moments later to land another hit.

She started moving in and out of shadows, her attack swift and controlled; every step appeared to increase her speed, telling the world that the lynx was confused and couldn't continue chasing her; with a few more strikes, finally a crucial last blow told the tale by sending the lynx thrashing to the ground.

As she straightened, the dark shroud faded, and she stepped back, her face calm and collected. The nobles in the crowd nodded in approval, murmuring their admiration for her skill and technique.

Eric let out a low whistle. "Now that's impressive. Aveline's control over her bloodline ability is sharp. She didn't even break a sweat.".

Kai watched her thoughtfully. Aveline's techniques were polished, and her uses of shadows unlike anything he had seen yet. Even so, though the battle had taken its time, it told him that no matter how specialized and sophisticated the nobility was, they still had bounds to what they could do.

As the whispers continued, Aveline left the arena. She walked out with steps full of confidence, not even a glimpse of acknowledgment of the whispers that the crowd had regarding her. She did not crave any applause and just went past the candidates to resume her seat with silent dignity.

Kai found himself with mixed feelings somehow. So far, each "prodigy" he had seen was impressive but hadn't reached the lofty expectations he had of noble power. Darian Asher, with all his lightning-enhanced strikes, had taken several minutes to bring down a boar. Aveline Ravenspire, though skilled, had taken multiple attempts to subdue the lynx. The strength and the speed were there, but seemed to depend on abilities more than on pure strength.

By his side, Lia murmured in a whisper. "Strange, isn't it? They all seem… slower than I thought. Is this what they mean by talent?"

Kai nodded slightly, gazing back to the arena, his resolve hardening. If these were the best of the nobles, then perhaps the gap between commoners and the so-called elite wasn't as wide as everyone claimed.

The courtyard was highly tensed as the entry exam continued with the next round. More candidates moved into the arena, all confrontations being a symbol of their training, their bloodline, or their pure grit. Kai, Lia, and Eric remain standing near the edge of the crowd, watching interestedly, from slightly amused to very disinterested.

Finally, a voice booms out, "Eric Wells from Sandstone Village!"

Eric tensed, a nervous twitch passing across his features. He grinned back at Kai and Lia over his shoulder, but there was an obvious edge to it.

"Well, that's me," he said, adjusting his hold on the little dagger he carried. "Wish me luck, you two."

"You're gonna do fine, Eric," Kai said, offering him a reassuring nod.

Lia gave him a thumbs up, smiling at him warmly. "Go show them what you're made of!"

Taking a deep breath, Eric stepped into the arena, his shoulders set with determination. The crowd of candidates, including several nobles, turned their attention toward him, some of them murmuring quietly. As a commoner, Eric didn't have the advantage of a noble bloodline. They watched with thinly veiled disdain, expecting little from him.

The gates on the opposite side of the arena creaked open and a lumbering form came shambling out, Eric's opponent: a Stage 1 Ironclaw Badger. This thing was fearsome enough for its level, with its low, muscular body and iron-tipped claws to rip stone apart. The badger growled low in its chest, small, sharp eyes fixed on Eric as it scraped the ground to charge.

Eric adjusted his stance, gripping the dagger tightly. He gazed at the badger, his eyes narrowing with concentration. He had no bloodline or extraordinary powers, but he was soundly based, having trained hard for years. When the badger came for him, he darted to the side quickly enough to avoid its claws by mere inches as he made a swift slice to the side of the beast. The creature let out a deafening roar, spinning around with an incredible velocity.

Again and again, Eric dodged successfully and landed several hits upon the badger. Stiffness crept through his movements as he started to keep up with that aggressive badger. Refusing to give up was Eric; his quick reaction would not let the brief touches of the badger's claws fully reach and hold onto him. He saw an opening and awaited it.

Finally, after a few more exchanges, he managed to get in close, landing a solid strike to the badger's neck. The beast staggered, and with a final, precise jab, Eric brought it down. He let out a breath of relief as the badger fell, its body still.

The crowd murmured with approval, impressed by his resilience. Though he'd taken some injuries, Eric's persistence and control had carried him through.

Coming towards the others, Eric walked very panting but flashed out a wide grin due to his scraped arms

"Great job, Eric", Lia said with an eyebrow thumbed up expression by pointing toward him. "That Was quite solid."

Kai patted him on the back. "Not bad at all. You fought well."

"Thanks, guys," Eric said with a grin as he wiped at one of the scrapes on his arm. "Didn't make it look as easy as some of those nobles, but… a win's a win."

Kai smiled, admiring the determination of the commoner. He didn't have the innate advantages of the bloodline, but grit had gotten him through.

The nobles surrounding them continued whispering among themselves, their eyes flitting towards Kai and Lia periodically. The two commoners who had stunned everyone in the first round hadn't had their turn here yet, and the atmosphere was full of expectation.

Finally, the inner disciple Orin called out his name, reverberating through the courtyard: "Kai from Elaris Village!"

A wave of mumbled whispers swept through the assembly, and all eyes watched Kai. The nobility watched him in great interest, their faces a display of curiosity to open, pure disdain. After his impressive result in the first stage, many were eager to see if he could live up to the hype, or if his strength was merely a fluke.

He felt their view on him but kept gazing straight, unwavered, as he made his way to the area. He heard bits and pieces of conversations around as he walked to the arena.

"Let's see if he is strong, or was it luck that did this? His strength is probably just a hollow shell, merely a flash in the pan."

Kai ignored their words, focusing solely on the task ahead. On his side was Lia who gave him an encouraging nod, with shining glint in her eyes. She whispered secretively, "Show them what true strength looks like.""

He took another deep breath before entering the arena and all the whispering people went silent; there remained heavy anticipation.