Northern stood languidly before Tever, the latter’s cold, deep eyes betraying a maelstrom of emotions raging within him.
It was as though he had been thrust into the eye of a storm before he even had the chance to discern its nature.
However, he knew at least one thing—Northern had unleashed his talent ability at the last moment.
From that, he deduced that this seemingly non-combative student was not adept at close combat. However, his sharp and swift movements were an anomaly among Drifters, especially those whose talents specialized in long-range combat.
Ice manipulation could be versatile, effective at both long and short range, depending on its potency and the wielder’s proficiency. Yet, despite his superior speed, Northern had only dodged rather than attacked. That detail alone told Tever there was more to consider.
That was why he had decided where to mount his advantage—
Close combat.
Like many Drifters, yet unlike several others, Tever was blessed with a rare and formidable talent.
Not only did it complement his fighting style, but it thrived under the canopy of the Lineage Heritage he had inherited.
Lennister was renowned as a prodigy from a young age, but Tever was not far behind. While others might not speak of him as much, there was a reason he was the chairperson of the disciplinary committee.
And today, he would show exactly why.
Northern, however, remained silent, watching, until something popped up before his eyes.
At the same moment, a chilling darkness began to spread beneath Tever’s feet, pooling around him, radiating an ominous, oppressive pressure.
Northern, though, paid it no mind. His attention was elsewhere.
Something else had seized his interest, filling him with such unrestrained joy that a wide grin spread across his face. Your next journey awaits at .Côm
[You have discovered a Talent.]
[Eclipsing Dread (EX)]
[Do you want to copy this talent for 10,000 talent fragments?]
Talent: [Eclipsing Dread]
True Name: [Black Sun]
Description: [When the source of the sun was lost and the world was drenched in eternal darkness, you became the beacon that guided others—not toward salvation, but deeper into the darkness.]
Talent Abilities:
Absolute Shadow: [Your shadow defies conventional physics. It is an extension of your will, consuming and subduing all within its domain.]
Dread Manifestation: [The larger your shadow, the greater the "pressure" it exerts. Weaker minds succumb to overwhelming fear, while stronger opponents experience creeping doubt, clouding their instincts and reactions.]
Shroud of Vanishing: [You can momentarily dissolve into your own shadow, becoming impervious for a brief instant.]
Northern’s fascination with the talent was immediate—it aligned perfectly with his recent desire to add a shadow-based ability to his repertoire.
He had long aimed to acquire every possible elemental talent, as they were the easiest to manifest and build upon in unconventional ways.
Non-elemental talents, such as Dante’s Phantom Strike and Lenn’s Full Impact, were not necessarily difficult to develop, but they required time—time that could otherwise be spent refining multiple elemental abilities.
Focusing too much on non-elemental skills risked regression in other areas. That was why he leaned more heavily on his ice and fire talents. Granted, he had also sidelined Black Flames and Black Lance, feeling he had already attained reasonable proficiency with them.
Moreover, he believed that as his mastery over elemental talents grew, his control over Black Flames and Black Lance would naturally evolve alongside them.
Thus, expanding his repertoire of elemental talents had remained a priority.
But what was especially impressive about Tever’s talent was that it wasn’t just shadow or darkness.
Despite the name, it was entirely different.
It was not merely darkness; it was something carved from the eclipse itself—born from the absence of the sun.
A singularity, forged into a talent and bestowed upon its wielder.
Darkness and shadows normally existed in relation to light: darkness in its absence, shadows in its presence.
But Eclipsing Dread was different. It was its own shadow, its own darkness, untethered to any conventional law.
It existed solely by the will of its user.
It was a rare gem, and the fact that Northern could recognize such a talent immediately was a testament to his growth.
Tever frowned as he watched the sinister grin persist on Northern’s face. Fury leaked insidiously from the white radiance of the disciplinary committee leader’s eyes, despite his cold attempt to suppress it all.
Everyone bore witness to it—Northern was grinning as the pool of darkness beneath Tever slowly expanded.
His grin sent a chill through the crowd.
"Doesn’t he seem so sinister?"
"Oh Stars, is he actually a prodigy?"
"He’s evil. But he’s strong!"
"I think Tever’s going to be defeated!"
Murmurs rippled through the spectators, but none were loud enough to reach Tever or his opponent.
Still, it was evident where the crowd’s expectations were shifting.
"Well, it doesn’t even matter. I will defeat him."
Tever muttered to himself as a whirlwind of sparks ignited around his body.
When the light dimmed, the disciplinary leader—or former—stood clad in a pale black armor, a malevolent tapestry of ebony threads woven tightly upon themselves, wrapping around his frame like the vestments of a dark, atrocious mummy.
Unlike a true mummy, however, his armor bore an open-faced helmet, clearly revealing his features—now etched with a sinister glower.
The darkness pooling beneath his feet grew heavier, more ominous.
Northern’s mind suddenly grew hazy, though calling it mere drowsiness would be an understatement. Yet, fully aware of the effect, he brushed it aside with ease.
His mental fortitude was a fortress. Few things in this life could ever place a hex on his mind.
And then, Tever was already moving. Northern wasn’t sure when he had lost sight of the exact moment Tever summoned two pitch-black short swords, but it hardly mattered.
The darkness trembled, flowing with increasing velocity as Tever lunged forward. His speed was unimpressive—especially when compared to Lenn’s last desperate effort.
Yet, somehow, Northern blinked—and the bastard was already closer than he should have been.
Something was wrong. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
Tever swung one sword from below while hurling the other from behind, trapping Northern in the deadly arc of both blades.
Escape wasn’t impossible. Not after what Northern had demonstrated—his ability to teleport should have made this an easy evasion.
But this trap was not as simple as it appeared.
It ran deeper than what the eye could perceive.
And all Northern had to do was teleport—just like before.