The battle between Lyrium and Professor Eugene had come to an end, leaving Lyrium injured.
He was promptly taken to the infirmary to receive medical attention.
Meanwhile, Lily’s match also concluded, marking the end of her intense battle to her loss.
As time passed, the remaining group battles reached their conclusion one after another.
Eventually, all the matches came to an end, signaling the completion of the tournament’s latest round.
In a room surrounded by stark white walls, a young boy with white hair lay injured on the bed, his breathing steady but weak.
Beside him, a figure with long red hair, neatly tied back, sat in silence, their gaze fixed on him with an unreadable expression.
The stillness of the room was broken only by the soft sound of the boy’s breathing and the occasional rustle of fabric as the red-haired individual shifted slightly in their seat.
The boy’s fingers twitched slightly, a faint sign of movement breaking the stillness in the room.
Slowly, his eyelids fluttered open, revealing hazy eyes as he regained consciousness.
The red-haired individual beside him suddenly jolted upright, eyes widening in surprise.
New novel chapt𝒆rs are published on ƒгeewebnovёl.com.
Leaning forward, they quickly spoke, their voice filled with urgency and relief.
"Lyrium! Lyrium, mate, are you awake?"
Lyrium groaned softly as he tried to push himself up, his muscles aching from the battle’s aftermath.
His body protested against the movement, but with sheer will, he slowly sat up.
Before he could fully steady himself, a firm yet careful hand grasped his arm, offering support.
Ren, the red-haired young man beside him, helped him up, his expression a mix of concern and relief.
"Easy there, mate,"
Ren muttered, steadying him.
"You just woke up; don’t go collapsing again."
Ignoring the soreness that coursed through his body, Lyrium exhaled sharply before turning his gaze to Ren.
His silver eyes, though slightly dazed, held a sharp focus.
"How long was I out?"
Lyrium asked, his voice hoarse but steady.
Ren blinked before scratching the back of his head.
"Uh, about half a day, give or take. Had me worried there, you know?"
Lyrium furrowed his brows slightly, processing the information.
"Half a day... Tsk, I wasted too much time."
Ren scoffed.
"Wasted time? Mate, you got your ass handed to you by Professor Eugene, nearly passed out on the spot, and now you’re acting like you took a short nap? Seriously, do you ever take a break?"
Lyrium let out a short breath, almost resembling a chuckle.
"I don’t have the luxury to."
Ren shook his head, leaning back in his chair.
"You’re insane, you know that?"
"Maybe,"
Lyrium muttered, cracking his neck slightly.
"But that’s why I’m still here."
*****
After some time, Lyrium had recovered enough to move without pain, though his body still carried the lingering fatigue of battle.
He flexed his fingers, testing his strength before finally sitting up fully.
Ren, who had remained by his side, smirked slightly.
"Well, look at that. Back from the dead."
Lyrium gave him a flat look but said nothing as he stood up.
However, before he could take another step, a sharp knock echoed through the infirmary door.
Both of them turned as the door creaked open, revealing a staff member dressed in academy attire.
The person offered a brief nod before delivering the message in a formal tone.
"Instructor Alicia has requested your presence in her office. Both of you, along with Lily and Silas, are to report immediately."
Ren groaned, running a hand through his tied-up red hair.
"Man, can’t we catch a break? We just got out of one battlefield, and now we’re walking into another."
Lyrium barely reacted.
He simply nodded and started walking, prompting Ren to follow with a sigh.
The hallways of the academy were quieter than usual, the aftermath of the battles still lingering in the air.
As they approached Alicia’s office, they spotted two familiar figures already waiting.
Lily stood near the door, her arms crossed over her chest, eyes closed as if deep in thought.
She barely acknowledged their arrival, only glancing in their direction before refocusing on whatever was on her mind.
Silas, on the other hand, stood slightly apart, his hands in his pockets.
He didn’t make any effort to engage with them, his posture relaxed yet detached, as if he had simply come to fulfill his obligation.
Ren let out a small chuckle.
"Well, isn’t this a lively bunch?"
Lily opened her eyes but didn’t respond, while Silas didn’t even glance their way.
The silence between them wasn’t necessarily awkward—just unspoken understanding that none of them had any interest in small talk.
Lyrium didn’t waste time.
Stepping forward, he knocked firmly on the door.
Knock—!
Knock—!
A crisp voice from inside responded immediately.
"Enter."
Without hesitation, he pushed the door open and stepped inside, with Ren following closely behind.
Lily and Silas exchanged brief glances before walking in after them, the heavy steel door clicking shut behind them.
As the four entered the room, their footsteps barely made a sound against the polished wooden floor.
The atmosphere inside was heavy, not with hostility, but with an unspoken authority that demanded their full attention.
Behind the grand oak desk, Instructor Alicia sat with an air of quiet dominance.
Her long purple hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing her sharp, elegant features.
The soft glow of the lanterns illuminated her face, casting subtle shadows that only accentuated the intensity of her presence.
Her violet eyes, piercing and unwavering, did not wander across the room, nor did they acknowledge the others who had just entered. Instead, they were locked onto one person—Lyrium.
The weight of her gaze was undeniable, like a silent judgment passed before any words were spoken.
A brief pause filled the room, stretching just long enough for the tension to settle into everyone’s skin.
Then, in a voice neither too harsh nor too gentle, Alicia finally spoke, her tone laced with something unreadable.
"Lyrium."
As Alicia spoke his name, Lyrium’s eyes slightly widened in surprise.
There was something about the way she said it—firm, direct, and laced with an emotion he couldn’t quite decipher.
Almost instinctively, he took a step forward, meeting her gaze with a silent stare of his own.
She didn’t say anything else. Instead, without hesitation, she reached into her desk and retrieved a metal box, sleek and compact, its surface smooth with faint glowing lines that hinted at advanced craftsmanship.
The moment it caught the light, a soft pulse of blue flickered across it, resembling a holographic interface.
Alicia held it out toward him, her expression unreadable.
Lyrium hesitated for only a fraction of a second before reaching out and taking it from her hands.
The cool metal pressed against his fingertips, heavier than he expected.
"Watch it later,"
She instructed, her voice firm yet calm.
Lyrium’s grip tightened slightly around the device.
He didn’t ask what it was, nor did he question why she was giving it to him.
There was no need—he could tell from the look in her eyes that whatever was inside, it was important.
The room fell into a brief silence, the weight of the moment lingering in the air.
Alicia let the silence hang for a moment longer before finally breaking it, her voice steady and authoritative.
"The reason I’ve called you all here is to inform you that you will each be assigned to your corresponding dorm rooms,"
She began, her tone formal and composed.
She paused briefly, but in that moment, something in her demeanor shifted.
Her violet eyes darkened, the warmth in her expression fading into something colder—sharper.
And though she addressed the entire group, it was clear that her gaze was locked onto one person in particular.
Lyrium.
Her stare bore into him with an intensity that felt almost suffocating.
Then, in a voice that carried an unmistakable weight, she added,
"And I will be revealing your official ranks."
The air in the room grew heavier.
Even Ren, who usually carried a relaxed attitude, straightened slightly at her words.
Lily and Silas remained silent, though their expressions hardened with anticipation.
Lyrium, however, didn’t react.
He simply held her gaze, his red eyes unreadable, waiting for what was to come next.
*****
Lyrium sat alone in his room, his red eyes wandering across the vast space around him.
The room was massive—so wide and luxurious that an entire family of three could have comfortably lived there.
The high ceiling, the intricate gold-and-black furnishings, the soft velvet carpet beneath his feet—everything screamed opulence.
But was this the same for everyone?
No.
This level of luxury was reserved only for him. Or rather, for the top ten rankers of the first-year students at Deviants Academy.
His mind drifted back to Alicia’s words from earlier.
He could still hear her voice, firm and unwavering, as she made the announcement.
"Lyrium Blackwood, you..."
She had paused, letting the tension settle, before delivering the verdict.
"You are the 1st rank of the 1st year of Deviants Academy. And don’t worry, this ranking wasn’t decided by favoritism or politics—Professor Eugene himself voted you to be Rank 1."
Even now, those words echoed in his head.
Rank 1.
Lyrium leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly.
He had never cared for recognition or prestige, yet here he was, placed at the very top.
And if Eugene—the man who had nearly crushed him in battle—had been the one to decide this, then it meant the ranking was absolute.
He ran a hand through his white hair, eyes narrowing slightly.
"So this is what I’ve been given… But what comes with it?"
There was never power without consequence.
And now, the protagonist?
Silas?
He didn’t give a shit about him anymore.
The so-called
"main character"
of this world, the one fate was supposed to revolve around—Lyrium had long stopped caring.
At first, he had tried to tread carefully, fearing the weight of the original story, afraid that any small action might disrupt the flow of events.
But reality had proven otherwise.
No matter what he did—or didn’t do—the plot always shifted.
The story he once knew was already breaking apart, bending and twisting in ways he never anticipated.
It was no longer something he could predict, nor did he care to.
This wasn’t just a novel anymore.
It wasn’t a world dictated by ink and paper, bound to follow a predetermined script.
This was his reality.
And if fate refused to leave him alone, if the story insisted on changing no matter what… then fine.
He would change it on his terms.
No more following someone else’s path.
No more worrying about "what’s supposed to happen."
From now on, Lyrium Blackwood would carve his own story.
His own ending.
*****