The inner ring was a different world.
Gone were the bloodstained walls and moldy floors. No longer did the air stink of sweat, rot, and hopelessness. Instead, marble towers gleamed under the moonlight, fountains glowed with blue mana, and stone walkways hummed with enchantments that warmed the ground beneath the feet.
Lucien walked slowly through the wide arched gate, chains no longer around his wrists. His cracked collar had been replaced with a silver one — thinner, more elegant, but still enchanted to suppress a portion of his power.
A man beside him, dressed in elegant black robes, held a golden scroll in one hand.
"You are now a candidate for the Hollowspire Core," the man said smoothly, "but be warned: this place will either forge you… or shatter you."
Lucien smiled. "Let's hope it shatters the weak instead."
The man gave him a sideways glance but said nothing more.
[System Notice: Access Granted – Hollowspire Inner Ring][New Quests Unlocked: Shadow Curriculum – Magics of the Ancients][Optional Quest: Locate the Secret Flame Library within 7 days][Hidden Path: Forbidden Branch Detected… Status: Dormant]
Perfect.
That night, Lucien was assigned to a private chamber — a luxury for someone once forced to sleep in chains.
Soft bedding. Warm water. A mirror. Even a desk stacked with beginner spell scrolls.
He sat at the desk and ran a finger across the scrolls.
"Beginner spells?" he chuckled. "Cute."
[Auto-Translate Activated][Available Mana Channels: 2/100][Current Casting Ability: Sealed — 20% Output]
Lucien's grin faded.
Even here, the collar limited him.
No matter.
He had never relied on permission.
The next morning, Lucien was summoned to the Inner Circle's amphitheater. It was a colossal structure, carved into the cliffside, with enchanted torches that danced with violet fire.
Hundreds of Core candidates sat in perfect rows, all wearing tailored uniforms marked with their class rank. Knights, warlocks, blood mages, spiritualists… all arranged like polished weapons.
Lucien's silver collar earned him stares. Few collars were allowed in the inner ring.
The Head Instructor, a sharp-eyed woman with flame-shaped earrings, stood on the platform.
"I am Archmagus Kaelith. Welcome to the second layer of your worthless lives."
Her voice was like a blade.
"Here, we teach real magic. Real pain. And real failure. You will study, bleed, fight, and evolve. If you survive long enough, you may even live to taste power."
She raised her staff, and a bolt of pure black lightning streaked across the sky.
"Begin your awakening trials."
Students were split into groups.
Lucien was placed in Group Thirteen — a collection of misfits, half-formed prodigies, and unstable talents. Elira was among them.
"Again?" she asked, appearing at his side.
Lucien smiled. "Fate enjoys our company."
She didn't return the smile — but she didn't walk away either.
The instructor for Group Thirteen was a skeletal man with red-rimmed eyes.
"I am Instructor Varn. My class has no mercy. You will enter the Trial Gates and awaken your secondary affinity. One mistake, and you die."
Lucien tilted his head. "No pressure."
The Trial Gates stood tall like ancient monoliths, carved with forgotten runes. Each one pulsed with a different magical element — fire, wind, bone, blood, shadow, lightning.
Each student had to step forward and let the gate judge their essence.
One by one, students touched the stone.
Some screamed. Some cried. A few passed out.
Lucien stepped forward when it was his turn.
He pressed his palm against the Gate of Shadow.
[Shadowbrand Synchronizing…][Dragon Lineage Detected][Error: Affinity Overload][Forced Binding – Dual Affinity Triggered][New Affinity: Soul Flame]
The gate exploded in black and blue fire.
Everyone backed away.
Lucien stood still, eyes glowing, the fire licking harmlessly across his skin.
Instructor Varn's lips twitched. "Well… I suppose we have our problem child."
[New Skill Unlocked: Soul Flame – Burn both flesh and spirit][Passive Unlocked: Flame of Rebellion – Immune to Forced Soul Contracts]
Lucien exhaled slowly. His collar sparked violently. The suppression enchantments struggled to keep up.
He was growing too fast. Too dangerous. And too visible.
Just how he liked it.
That night, he sat at the edge of the training courtyard, flipping through a blank spellbook. Elira joined him, quietly placing a wrapped piece of fruit on the ground beside him.
"For not dying again," she said.
Lucien took the fruit, bit into it. "You're becoming oddly reliable."
"You're becoming oddly famous."
Lucien chuckled. "They'll hate me soon enough."
"…They already do."
He glanced at her. "Do you?"
Elira met his gaze. "Not yet."
They sat in silence, shadows dancing on the wall behind them. Their reflections blurred… but somehow overlapped perfectly.
Far above them, in the highest tower of Hollowspire, three cloaked figures watched a glowing orb — inside it, an image of Lucien appeared, surrounded by flickering dragon fire.
One of the cloaks whispered, "The system has chosen another."
Another replied, "But he's different. He laughs at pain."
The third voice was cold. "Keep him close. Or kill him quickly."