"Legacy isn't inherited. It's stolen—one blade at a time."— Old Verdane Saying
The Ember Arena had fallen quiet.
The Trial by Fire was over. Of the original two hundred fighters, only eight remained.
They were no longer contestants.
They were candidates.
Kai stood before a towering gate of crimson and gold—the entrance to the Flamewind Sanctum, home of the great Verdane clan who oversaw the southern martial tournaments.
The gate opened with a thunderous groan.
And inside… were the true architects of the martial world.
The Flamewind Hall wasn't an arena. It was a temple of ambition.
Dozens of sect banners lined the walls—House Flamewind, the Serpent Thorn Sect, the Jade Seers, and more. Each had sent emissaries. Masked, cloaked, or armored—every figure radiated quiet power.
In the center, a ring of carved blackstone. The Council Circle.
And seated above it, robed in fire-trimmed gold, was Lady Aenra Flamewind, Matriarch of the Flamewind Clan.
She rose, eyes sharp as glass blades.
"Kai of no name," she called. "Step forward."
Kai stepped into the ring.
He felt every gaze pin him like a blade.
[System Update:]You have entered a High Authority Domain.Scans are limited. Power suppression engaged.
⚠️ Hidden Appraisals Detected.
[Stealth Insight Lv.1 – Passive Activation]You are being judged by:— Flamewind Matriarch (Unknown Rank)— Whispering Eye of the Jade Seers— Three Inner Council Representatives— [???] Unknown Observer – Perception Unmatched
He didn't flinch.
He just breathed.
Lady Aenra's voice rang again.
"You have no clan, no mentor, no background. Yet you've survived where bloodlines failed. You've even engaged a void-class candidate and lived to speak of it."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
One emissary scoffed. "He's just lucky."
Another, veiled in green silk, spoke softly, "Luck isn't consistent. That boy has a system."
That silenced the room.
Aenra raised her hand. "We do not confirm or deny forbidden talents. What matters is strength."
She turned to Kai directly.
"You stand on a knife's edge, Kai. The Flamewind name could lift you. But if your ambition offends us—we will bury you in ash."
A tense beat.
Then:
[System Prompt: Choose Your Response]
"I ask for nothing but the chance to fight."
"If power offends you, then you've already lost."
Say nothing. Meet her gaze.
Kai exhaled—and chose.
3. Say nothing. Meet her gaze.
It was a dangerous silence.
But a powerful one.
And Aenra smiled.
"Very well," she said. "Then let your sword speak."
She waved her hand.
"Prepare for the Inner Circle Trials."
As Kai stepped back, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
He turned.
It was Mako Rin, bruised and bandaged but grinning.
"You really don't talk much," he said. "I like that. Keeps people guessing."
Kai gave him a nod.
Mako leaned in closer.
"Word is… the next fight isn't in the arena. It's outside the city walls. Forbidden grounds. Real spirit beasts. Real death. No spectators."
Kai's jaw tightened.
"What kind of trial is that?"
Mako's voice dropped.
"The kind that thins the chosen."
[System Alert:]Inner Circle Trial Begins in 24 HoursLocation: Gravepath GorgeSurvival Rate (Past Five Years): 16%Reward: Conditional Sect Sponsorship – Tier B or higher
Bonus Objective: Eliminate a marked Candidate
A mark has been placed on your back, Kai.
Someone had already chosen him as a threat.
The question was:
Who?