Mana Heart Ceremony (Part 3)

"Last but not least, Sethos Silvermoon!" 

The hall immediately became silent as Sethos' name was called. As the son of Theseus Silvermoon, he also received tons of attention and was deemed as the rival of Sophia Silvermoon. 

"Can you believe that we have Madam Seraphina's daughter and Sir Theseus' son in our year? With them by our side, we totally have a chance to defeat our seniors in upcoming competitions!" Someone from the crowd excitedly shouted. 

More than a hundred pairs of expectant eyes stared at the young black haired boy who was sitting in the front row. After hearing his name being called out, the boy calmly stood up from his seat, patted the dust off his suit, and trudged towards the grand and majestic platform. 

Sethos sighed as he tried to delay the inevitable by walking as slowly as he could towards the platform. Though he looked calm and collected in front of the crowd's watchful eyes, his mind was in turmoil as he knew this was the most crucial moment. Whether his plan would be considered a success or a failure all depended on the man in charge of the ceremony, Gerald Silvermoon.

As Sethos stepped onto the platform, he immediately felt the pressure that Gerald exuded, making him feel like he was in the presence of a divine being holding absolute power. 

*sigh*

'Just his presence alone can make people feel this much anxiety.' Sethos pondered as his memories resurfaced in his mind.

As someone who lived in the martial world, Sethos knew the feeling he was experiencing very clearly - it was fear. Fear of the person in front of him, of the authority he held, and the power he possessed. It was the same exact pressure he felt when the leader of the Jade Sword Sect, Kang Him-chan, executed him. Sethos still remembered that aloof expression that Him-chan had when he swung that sword. Uncaring towards the weak, treating his subordinates as mere pawns, having no lenience with others; just thinking about it made Sethos' blood boil. But despite all that, the former spy knew that he could do nothing but endure, endure, and endure until he was strong enough to retaliate. 

'This is the reason I must grow stronger. Until then, I could only bide my time and seek protection from the Silvermoon family.' Sethos thought determinedly. 

As Sethos finally arrived in front of the Demon Abaddon, he felt a sharp gaze piercing at him. He slowly raised his head and what he saw gave him the chills. For the first time, Gerald Silvermoon actually opened his eyes widely, directly staring into his very soul. Sethos was shocked into a fright as his thoughts started to run wild. His relaxed composure was starting to fall apart as drops of sweat began to form all over his body. 

'There is no way that my activated mana heart would get past Gerald Silvermoon's eyes.'

'I must endure this pressure, or else I would become a laughingstock before my life even started!' Sethos clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. 

Just as everything was about to go awry, Gerald Silvermoon suddenly stopped emitting his aura. He then gave Sethos a nasty grin, and proceeded to announce the results. Seeing Gerald's reaction, Sethos closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. 

"Sethos Silvermoon, what an all-rounder! 16% light, 16% water, 16% wind, 16% fire, 16% earth, and 20% dark!" 

After hearing the results, the bunch of children immediately started their discussions once again. 

"Did you hear? Theseus' son could wield all attributes! That's admirable!" 

"What if he wasn't proficient in any element though? That would be a shame."

"Seems he's the exact opposite of Sophia who has 100% in one attribute."

As for Sethos, his mood instantly brightened up knowing that the worst case scenario didn't happen. However, his face changed from a smile to a scowl in a split second after hearing Gerald's telepathic message. 

"You, young lad, come see me at seven o' clock sharp this evening." 

______________________________________________

On a peaceful and quiet morning a few days before the Mana Heart Ceremony, a young black haired boy could be seen laying on his bed with his eyes wide open. The boy was in a daze, and stared straight at the ceiling for hours and hours. 

'What a pain. I've already asked Myra to help me gather information, but nothing seems to be useful.' 

'I've never thought that activating my mana heart this early would result in all this hassle.' 

*sigh*

'I've been thinking about this problem for weeks now. Continuing to ruminate would only be a waste of time. I should probably sneak out and take a breather.' 

Sethos waddled to his closet, tiptoed, and reached for the closet doors. He then took out a white shirt and black pants, quickly changed into them, and walked out of the doors. He then immediately erased his presence using his martial arts, which allowed him to roam the estate as he pleased without any disruptions. 

The young boy wandered aimlessly along the hallways, around the courtyard, outside the ballroom, and even into the kitchens. However, no matter how long or how far he walked, the boy's mind was still in turmoil. 

*sigh*

'This isn't working at all. Despite all the distractions, my thoughts always find themselves back to the upcoming Mana Heart Ceremony.' Sethos shook his head as he grimaced. 

'My newly activated mana heart would never escape the eyes of the fourth demon. If this was reported to the higher-ups, this matter would be blown out of proportion. First of all, I would attract unnecessary attention to myself. With the strength I have now, there is no way I could fend against all those forces who could potentially come after me. And not to mention, in the worst case scenario, I may even get executed if they somehow manage to find out about my past.' 

'It looks like I'll have to take things into my own hands this time.'