Chapter 27: The Arrival of the Acced

The next day, the entire academy gathered on the Grand Field, the largest open space in the school, capable of holding thousands of students, teachers, and officials.

Excitement buzzed in the air as students murmured among themselves.

Today was the official announcement of the top five fighters who had earned the right to participate in the upcoming Inter-Academy Tournament.

A senior professor, clad in a futuristic blue and silver robe, floated onto the stage using his Hover-Step Boots. With a wave of his hand, the holographic screen behind him lit up, displaying the names of the five warriors who had risen above the rest.

"The top five competitors who have proven their worth and will represent our academy in the tournament are:"

The screen flickered as the names were revealed:

Sarah Valen – Master of the Magic Tay, a prodigy known for her spellcraft.

Aristotle Kryous – Owner of the legendary Morningstar Tay, whose radiant light could pierce through darkness.

Crystal Heart– The mysterious transfer student who wielded the rare Vampire Tay.

Jasper Fenix – A genius from an original family, known for his mastery of Tech Tay.

Alex Vonn – The rising enigma, feared and respected under the alias Epsilon Shadow.

The crowd erupted into cheers, but beneath the celebration, whispers of speculation ran wild.

"So it's true… Alex Vonn is Epsilon Shadow!"

"How strong is he, really?"

"And Crystal Heart… wasn't she labeled as a failure before? How did she rise so quickly?"

Alex ignored the murmurs. His eyes remained locked on the professor, waiting for the official tournament entry letters.

The five competitors stepped forward, their tournament letters waiting on a floating silver tray. But just as the professor reached out to hand them over—

BOOOOOOOOM!

A massive explosion rocked the sky, and suddenly, the entire academy was cast into shadow.

Every head snapped upward, gazes filled with fear and confusion.

Above them loomed a colossal spaceship, unlike anything ever seen before.

It was organic in appearance, its surface covered in black, pulsating blue veins that glowed faintly. The ship wasn't just flying—it looked alive, as though it were breathing in the very air around it.

A suffocating pressure filled the field.

Panic set in.

"That's not a human ship!"

"Are we being invaded?!"

"Someone call the military!"

Before anyone could act, a hatch opened at the bottom of the ship. A glowing blue portal materialized, and then—

THUD!

Something leapt down, slamming into the field, cracking the reinforced ground beneath its weight.

Then another.

And another.

More of them descended, each landing with inhuman grace despite their immense size.

They stood over seven feet tall, their scaled bodies glistening under the academy's artificial sun. Their muscular forms rippled with unnatural power, and their six side fins twitched in rhythm with the eerie, crackling energy surrounding them.

Each had four piercing yellow eyes, deeply embedded in their sockets, giving them an unnervingly intelligent yet predatory look.

Their huge mouths, filled with razor-sharp teeth, curled into sneers, as though amused by the humans' fear.

But what sent shivers down everyone's spine was their horn-covered skin, lined with small, smooth scales that shimmered like liquid metal.

These weren't ordinary aliens.

They were monsters.

One of them stepped forward. He was taller than the rest, his horns larger, and his scales darker, almost obsidian. His four glowing eyes swept over the trembling crowd with amusement.

Then, in perfect English, he spoke.

"We are the Acced."

His voice boomed, reverberating unnaturally across the field.

"We come from a galaxy far beyond your reach. And we have come… to claim this planet."

For a moment, there was nothing but silence.

Then—

Screams erupted.

Students panicked, running in all directions. Some desperately tried to contact authorities, but all communication devices failed—blocked by an unseen force.

Professors and school guards rushed forward, forming defensive lines, activating their Tay abilities in preparation for combat.

The Acced leader let out a chilling chuckle.

"Your resistance is meaningless."

Before anyone could react—

BOOM!

The Acced warriors charged.

One of them swung its muscular tail, striking a professor and sending him flying through the air.

Another lunged at a group of students, clawing through their energy shields like paper.

A female professor attempted to launch a fireball, but an Acced warrior dodged effortlessly before grabbing her face and slamming her into the ground.

The field descended into chaos.

"They're attacking us!"

"Someone stop them!"

"Where is the military?!"

Amidst the chaos, Alex's expression remained calm but focused.

"This isn't just a tournament anymore… this is war."

Jasper stood beside him, his Tech Tay-infused goggles scanning the Acced.

"They've disabled all electronic communications," Jasper said grimly. "We're cut off."

Crystal, her Vampire Tay aura flickering, clenched her fists. "We need to fight. If we let them kill too many, they'll have full control before reinforcements arrive."

Alex nodded.

The Acced leader turned toward them, its four eyes narrowing in recognition.

"Interesting," it murmured. "A Tech user, a Vampire… and you."

Its gaze locked onto Alex.

For the first time, Alex felt a strange sensation.

As though the creature recognized him.

A slow smirk formed on Alex's face.

"Let's see if these aliens can handle me."

He activated his Tay powers, his shadow energy surging as he prepared to fight.

The battle for survival had just begun.