Eirian weighed his options before giving a firm nod. "Alright, I'll take a mission."
A question lingered in his mind. "Does this organization have ranks?"
As if reading his thoughts, the middle-aged man gave a faint smile. In the Eclipse Legion, everyone is divided by rank. From lowest to highest:
Initiate Rank: Shadowling
Operative Rank: Nightshade
Officer Rank: Veil Sovereign
High Command: Elite Archon
Supreme Authority: Eclipse Lord
He leaned forward. "You're a newbie. To earn your Shadowling rank, you must complete your first mission within the allotted time."
"Understood," Eirian said. "What mission must I take?"
"There are two paths to official membership," the man explained. "First: Swear allegiance to a Nightshade or higher-ranked member as their follower.
Second: Slay a beast one star above your cultivation level." He paused. "For example, if you're a 1-Star Soulspark cultivator, you must defeat a 2-Star beast."
Eirian's eyes hardened. "I choose option two." He had no intention of bowing to another.
"Follow me to the Ninth Hall," the man—Elder Lucien—said, turning on his heel.
Eirian followed in silence, his boots echoing on the polished obsidian floor.
Their footsteps echoed through the sterile corridor until a lithe figure intercepted them. "Elder Lucien!" The young man's crimson-lined cloak marked him as a Nightshade. His gaze slid past Eirian like wind over stone.
"Kael Voss," Lucien acknowledged. "Our youngest Nightshade in a decade, though he'd never boast of it." Pride colored his words.
Kael dipped his head. "Your praise honors me." Then, with deliberate slowness, his eyes found Eirian. "And this...?"
"Eirian Aurelia," Lucien supplied. "Here for his initiation trial."
Kael's face lit up with performative warmth. "Ohh, that's wonderful!" He thrust his hand forward, fingers splayed with exaggerated enthusiasm. "Welcome, brother Eirian!"
Eirian accepted the handshake, his grip firm but neutral. "Likewise, brother Kael." His smile didn't reach his eyes.
Lucien arched a brow. "Kael, care to observe the trials?"
Of course!
The trio entered Night Hall—a cavernous chamber with deceptively plain stone walls thrumming with concentrated Starflow energy. Eighteen other initiates stood waiting, their cultivations ranging from equal to Eirian's to noticeably stronger. His gaze sharpened. This test hides claws.
Lucien stepped forward. Instant silence.
"I am Lucien Nightshade of the Eclipse Legion," he declared. "Your examiner. Nineteen participants. One rule: defeat a beast one star above your cultivation—barehanded."
Murmurs erupted. Some initiates paled, others clenched their fists. Eirian remained still beside Kael, his mind racing. Too straightforward. There's a catch.
Lucien signaled. Legionnaires dragged in nineteen chained Shade Lizards—their mottled gray-black scales shimmering unnaturally.
Kael leaned close, his whisper carrying deliberate calm: "Tier One Spirit Beasts. No elemental affinity, but their reflexes are... unsettling. And they hunt in packs."
Eirian studied the creatures. Their slit pupils tracked every movement, muscles coiled like spring-loaded traps. Camouflage-capable. Pack hunters. And we're unarmed.
A slow smirk curled Kael's lips as he added: "Oh, and they loathe being separated from their group."
The chains rattled open. The chains hit the stone floor with a thunderous clang.
For a heartbeat, nothing moved.
Then the Shade Lizards rippled—their scales blurring as they melted into the shadows of Night Hall. A collective gasp rose from the initiates. Eirian's muscles coiled, his senses flaring to track the vanishing beasts.
"They're already moving," Kael murmured, too casually. "Their camouflage isn't perfect though. Watch for..."
A scream erupted to their left. A initiate crumpled, his leg gushing blood where invisible jaws had torn through flesh.
...the bloodlust." Kael finished, smiling.
Chaos erupted. Initiates scrambled back-to-back, fists raised against threats they couldn't see. Eirian stood perfectly still, attuning himself to the hall's unnatural energy.
There.
A distortion in the air, a half-second shimmer near his boot. He reacted on instinct, driving his heel down with brutal precision. Bones crunched. The lizard materialized, twitching, its spine shattered.
Kael's eyebrow arched. "Lucky strike."
Eirian ignored him, already pivoting. Two more lizards circled him, their forms flickering at the edges of vision. He exhaled, centering himself in the Soulspark techniques he'd mastered in the wilds.
Let them come!!
Across the hall, Lucien observed silently. His fingers twitched—a nearly imperceptible gesture. The Starflow energy in the walls pulsed darker.
Chaos engulfed Night Hall. Initiates fought desperately—fists flashed, elemental attacks sputtered, and screams echoed as Shade Lizards struck from the shadows.
Eirian found himself cornered by two lizards, their yellowed fangs dripping saliva. They attacked in unison: one lunged from the front, the other from the right.
Crack!
His left fist connected with the first lizard's snout, but its scales burned like heated iron. Pain seared through his knuckles. He barely twisted away as the second lizard's jaws snapped where his throat had been.
"Tch..." Eirian leapt back, adrenaline sharpening his focus. They're faster than I thought.
The lizards gave no quarter. They pounced again, eyes gleaming with predatory hunger.
This time, Eirian was ready.
Crunch!
A brutal uppercut shattered the first lizard's jaw, sending it crashing to the ground. The second latched onto his right shoulder, fangs sinking deep. Blood welled, but Eirian didn't flinch.
"Burn," he hissed.
Soulless Flame erupted from his palm—a writhing spiral of ghostly fire—and flooded the beast's maw. The lizard's screech cut off as its body blackened, crumbling to ash.
Kael, watching from the sidelines, stiffened. "What kind of flame…?" he muttered, eyes narrowing. Even high-tier fire cultivators struggle to kill Shade Lizards instantly!!
Eirian didn't pause. He whirled, unleashing another burst of flame at the remaining lizard. It died without a sound.
Clutching his bleeding shoulder, he exhaled. Careless. The wound throbbed—a bitter reminder of his missing right hand, lost long ago to Veilborn Spirit.
Around him, the trial raged on.
A girl in purple robes—her wrists and waist slashed, blood trickling from her lips—fought with ragged determination. Purple energy coalesced into a shimmering orb in her palm. With a cry, she unleashed it.
Boom!
The blast sent the lizard skidding back, scales cracked but not broken. She swayed, exhausted. Not enough..
The girl in purple robes staggered, her breath ragged. The Shade Lizard she'd struck with her condensed energy orb was wounded—but not dead. Its cracked scales oozed black ichor as it circled her, more enraged than before.
Eirian watched from the corner of his eye. She's reached her limit.
The lizard lunged. The girl tried to dodge, but her legs gave out. A claw raked across her back, shredding fabric and flesh. She cried out, collapsing to her knees.
Eirian sighed and Intervenes,"Tch. Annoying."
He flicked his wrist, sending a tendril of Soulless Flame across the hall. It wrapped around the lizard's throat, silencing its snarls as it burned to cinders.
The girl looked up, her dark eyes wide. "I didn't ask for help!," she spat, wiping blood from her mouth.
Eirian shrugged. "Then next time, die quietly."
The girl—Selenia—froze, shocked speechless by his blunt reply. Her delicate features flushed crimson with anger. And her delicate nostrils flared as her entire body tensed, the blood from her wounds momentarily forgotten.
"Dare to say that again?!" she shouted, her voice ringing across the hall.
She was undeniably beautiful—flawless skin, elegant features, and a figure that drew admiring glances. Many noble sons and even imperial princes had tried (and failed) to win her favor. Yet this unknown boy dismissed her so casually!
Eirian, amused, turned back to face her. "Next time, die quietly, peanut~" he repeated mockingly before observing the other participants.
"You—!" Her voice trembled with barely contained fury. The violet energy around her hands flickered dangerously, reacting to her emotions. "Do you have any idea who you're speaking to?"
Eirian finally turned to face her fully, his expression one of bored amusement. "Hmm? Let me guess—some spoiled noble's daughter who's never been told 'no' before?" He tilted his head, pretending to study her. "Or perhaps a runaway princess expecting special treatment?"
The hall fell into stunned silence, other initiates pausing to watch the confrontation. Even the injured stopped groaning to witness the spectacle.
Selenia's cheeks burned crimson. "I am Selenia Zeyrix, heir to the— She paused and said nothing more.
Eirian stepped closer, his face mere inches from hers, and said, "Yeah, maybe you're from some rich noble family—but unlike your sycophantic admirers, I'm not impressed by fancy silks or family names. Your pride nearly got you killed, Peanut."
"You... you don't know anything about me," she whispered, her voice losing some of its venom.
Eirian's smirk faded slightly. "I know you rely too much on that fancy energy of yours." He gestured to her still-glowing hands. "Your form is sloppy, your footwork unbalanced. That lizard should have been dead three moves earlier."
The truth of his words stung more than any insult. Selenia opened her mouth to retort—ENOUGH!
Lucien's voice boomed across the hall, his aura flaring momentarily to silence all chatter. "If you wish to continue this lover's spat, do it elsewhere. The Eclipse Legion has no patience for childish squabbles."
Selenia jerked back as if burned. "L-lover's—?!"
Eirian simply shrugged and turned away, but not before muttering just loud enough for her to hear, "At least try not to die in the next trial, peanut."
As Lucien began announcing the results, Selenia remained rooted in place, her mind racing. No one had ever spoken to her this way. No one had ever seen through her so completely. And most infuriating of all—part of her wanted to prove him wrong rather than demand an apology.
The remaining initiates exhaled in collective relief. Legion medics moved through the hall, collecting the wounded and restraining surviving lizards. The air smelled of blood, sweat, and charred flesh.
One overeager boy punched the air. "Yes! I'm finally a Shadowling!"
Lucien's gaze swept across the survivors. "Of nineteen participants: two surrendered, six failed to complete the trial, and eleven have succeeded." He paused dramatically. "Congratulations. You are now Shadowlings of the Eclipse Legion."
As the new initiates celebrated, Selenia shot Eirian one last glare. This wasn't over.