Whispers exploded with renewed intensity.
"Damian Valcor? As squad leader?"
"Shouldn’t it be the Sword Demon? He’s the strongest and most experienced!"
"Even if Valcor has insane willpower, he’s clearly not the strongest..."
"He’s seventeen years old! How can he lead people with decades more experience?"
"Not to mention he hasn’t even come back since the Mind Tower incident–"
Before the whispers could build further, one of the Hollow Sisters spoke.
Her voice emerged from behind the black mask, serious and certain.
"I can sense his presence."
The statement made several candidates pause.
"Damian Valcor is already here."
More whispers erupted, heads turning as people searched the assembled formation.
"Where? I don’t see him..."
"Is she mistaken?"
"How could he be here without us noticing?"
The Sword Demon’s raspy voice cut across the confusion.
"The girl is right."
His blindfolded face turned toward a specific direction.
"He’s been standing here for some time already."
His smile widened beneath the blindfold, genuine amusement crossing his weathered features.
He looked toward where Regulus stood, where both Icarus and Zara had already turned their attention.
"Do you plan on assassinating the Blackwood heir, Squad Leader Valcor?"
The question hung in the frozen air.
’What?’
Regulus’s head snapped around, his eyes scanning the area immediately surrounding him.
’Where is he? I don’t sense anyone nearby at all...’
Then goosebumps erupted across his entire body as a voice emerged directly behind him.
"I’m curious."
The words came from so close that Regulus could feel breath on his neck.
"How did both of you sense me?"
He spun around.
And Damian stood there, crimson hair tied behind his head, hands in his pockets, expression completely neutral.
"..."
Nobody moved for several seconds, dozens of awakeners staring at the boy who’d materialized behind an Imperial heir without anyone noticing.
Then whispers exploded again.
"When did he–"
"I was looking right at that spot! There was nobody!"
"How long has he been standing there?!"
"What kind of skill can fool all of us?!"
****
Indeed, Damian had been present for some time, having arrived shortly after the squad assignments began.
But he’d activated his Stealth skill immediately, wanting to test its effectiveness.
’My sensitivity to everything including Aura has improved dramatically since hitting 500 Will.’
His thoughts had tracked the candidates as they’d stood listening to Icarus.
’So logically, my ability to hide from their senses should have improved as well.’
It had worked perfectly on almost everyone.
But these two had managed to sense him anyway.
’The Sword Demon and one of the Hollow Sisters...’
His eyes tracked between them, curiosity burning.
’How?’
The Sword Demon’s smile widened as he walked forward, his steps bringing him directly in front of Damian.
"I’m also curious, Squad Leader Valcor~"
His raspy voice carried genuine interest.
"What kind of monster are you?"
He tilted his blindfolded head slightly, as if examining Damian through senses that had nothing to do with sight.
"It’s been only a few days since you left after the Mind Tower assessment."
His voice dropped lower, becoming almost a whisper that somehow still carried clearly.
"But you’ve somehow managed to master Axe Intent and even brought it to Level 3?"
Damian’s eyes widened fractionally.
’He can sense Intent levels?’
The Sword Demon continued, listing facts like he was reading from a status screen.
"Not to mention, your physical stats seem to have hit the natural limit. The Aura density inside your core suggests A+ rank breakthrough. Your willpower is already above mine somehow..."
His smile became sharper.
"Your perception has crossed the natural limit as well, which explains why your stealth skill is so strong."
He leaned closer, his voice becoming even quieter.
"And I can sense this extreme concentration of despair radiating from somewhere deep inside you. Alongside something else... something like..."
His head tilted.
"Hunger?"
’This... how did he sense everything?!’
Damian’s hair stood on end, goosebumps spreading across his skin.
’He even managed to detect my progress in Despair and Devouring principles!’
His mind raced through possibilities.
’Is it some kind of specialized perception skill? Or does his experience let him read things others can’t?’
The conclusion formed with certainty.
’This old man... is far more terrifying than I thought previously.’
Whoosh
Icarus appeared beside them, his hand settling on Damian’s shoulder.
"Candidate Damian, come with me for a moment."
His voice carried authority that brooked no argument.
"Everyone else, get to know your squads. Learn each other’s specialties, combat styles, and how you can work together effectively."
Then space folded around them.
Whoosh
And Icarus and Damian vanished, leaving the assembled candidates staring at empty air.
Silence stretched for several heartbeats.
Then Helena’s voice broke it, turning toward the Sword Demon with awe written across her face.
"Senior, is everything you said really true?"
Her eyes were wide.
"All those improvements in just a few days?! Has he really become so strong already?!"
The Sword Demon nodded slowly, his smile never fading.
"That kid might truly be the greatest human genius this generation has ever produced."
Boom
Discussions exploded across the field, candidates breaking into heated conversations.
"Axe Intent at Level 3?!"
"He has perception stat?! And it crossed the natural limit?"
"Wait, his willpower is higher than the Sword Demon’s?! Wtf man?! How is that possible?!"
"He’s A+ rank already?! Didn’t he break through to A- rank just days ago?!"
"No amount of talent can explain this! It’s probably the Vice Director who–"
Regulus leaned toward Sicar, keeping his voice low despite the chaos around them.
"Oi..."
His tone carried genuine unease.
"Why was he standing behind me specifically?"
Sicar’s lips twitched, fighting back a laugh.
"Has he really taken a liking to me?"
"Man, just shut the fuck up."
Sicar’s voice came out strained.
"Can’t you ever be serious? Just look at his growth rate."
Regulus’s expression shifted, becoming genuinely serious for the first time.
"What did Uncle say?"
His voice dropped even lower.
Sicar remained quiet for a moment, then whispered back.
"He left the choice to me. After all, I’m the confirmed next family head."
His pink eyes tracked toward where Damian had been standing.
"We need to talk with him soon. The Neutral faction needs to recruit Damian Valcor before other factions move first."
****
Icarus walked deeper into the training center, his boots echoing against metal corridors.
Damian followed several steps behind, his eyes tracking their surroundings as they moved through areas he hadn’t seen before.
The General hadn’t said a single word since they’d left the field, just kept walking with purpose.
’Where is he taking m–’
They turned a corner, and Damian’s thoughts cut off completely.
His eyes went wide, his entire body going rigid.
A massive reinforced chamber stretched before them, walls lined with containment equipment and monitoring devices.
And in the center, suspended in some kind of energy field–
’Is that–’
A creature hung motionless, its child-sized body covered in smooth leathery armor.
White pupil-less eyes stared at nothing, blank and empty.
SHRIIIIEK!
The familiar sound tore from its throat, hitting frequencies that made Damian’s ears ring.
’–the controller creature from the second portal?’
The thought finished as recognition slammed into him with absolute certainty.
The same type of monster he’d devoured months ago, the one whose death had granted him Obsidian Hide.
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