Chapter 31: Unwanted Attention

…But talent alone doesn't explain this kind of progress."

Axton exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders as he tried to shake off the weight of their scrutiny. He could feel their gazes on him, probing, questioning, trying to make sense of what they had just witnessed.

Elias crossed his arms. "You're hiding something."

Axton forced a smirk. "I have a great training regimen."

Seraphina arched a brow. "That so?"

The tension in the air thickened. He needed to shift the conversation before they dug too deep.

"Look," Axton said, stretching his arms, "maybe I just had a good day. You're both acting like I suddenly became some kind of prodigy overnight."

Elias shook his head. "You did, though."

Axton bit the inside of his cheek. Damn it.

Seraphina was still watching him, her sharp eyes assessing every subtle movement, every shift in his posture. Axton had never felt so exposed in his life.

Then, as if sensing the unease building, the academy bells tolled in the distance, signaling the next set of scheduled lessons. The sound cut through the tension like a blade, giving Axton the perfect excuse to disengage.

"Classes," he said, gesturing toward the main building. "We should get moving before Salazar decides to lecture us for being late."

Elias narrowed his eyes but didn't push further. "Fine. But this isn't over."

Seraphina didn't say anything. She simply studied him for another long moment before turning on her heel and walking away.

Axton let out a quiet breath.

That was too close.

The system's quests were pushing him into dangerous territory. If even Elias and Seraphina were noticing the changes, how long until the instructors—until Salazar—started asking questions?

And if they did… what would he tell them?

One thing was clear: He needed to be more careful.

That's when he felt it—the unmistakable sensation of being watched.

Axton stiffened.

He knew it wasn't just Salazar. It was something deeper, something older. A silent pressure that pushed against his mind, like a force that had been there for far longer than he cared to admit.

[Warning: Unwanted Attention Detected.]

[Host is under increased surveillance. Proceed with caution.]

The system's voice in his mind was chillingly calm, yet the message sent an immediate shiver down his spine. Unwanted attention? Who was watching him? Salazar? Elias? No… not them. This was something else entirely.

Axton glanced around the hallway, his gaze flicking to every shadow, every corner. His breath grew shallow as his pulse quickened. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone, or something, was watching him—an invisible presence that tracked his every move.

"Get it together," Axton muttered to himself, taking slow, deliberate breaths.

It was then that the system spoke again, this time with a hint of mockery in its tone.

[Warning: Your current emotional state is detrimental to your progress. Engage in physical training to release stress. Suggestion: Visit the forest.]

The forest.

Axton knew exactly what the system was suggesting. The dense woodlands surrounding the academy had always been a place of isolation, of peace, and yet… something darker stirred there. It had become an escape of sorts, a place where he could push himself harder, further, without the prying eyes of the academy staff or his fellow students. The trees, thick with ancient magic, had a way of swallowing sounds, making him feel hidden from the world. It was the one place where he could let his powers run wild without worrying about control.

Without another word, Axton turned on his heel and made his way out of the academy building, heading for the forest's edge. His footsteps were swift, and the weight in his chest seemed to ease with every step he took.

The moon hung low in the sky as Axton entered the forest, the ground soft beneath his boots. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, and the occasional chirp of a nocturnal creature echoed through the trees. His breath steadied as he pushed forward, deeper into the woods, the sounds of the academy growing fainter with each passing moment.

Axton moved with purpose now, his hands twitching at his sides as if the very air around him was calling to his powers. But again, something held him back. A feeling of… emptiness. Like a dam blocking the flow of a river.

He growled low in his throat, frustration creeping up once more. The pressure built, his nerves taut with the need for release. He had to push himself harder—had to reach beyond the limits he'd set for himself. But it was like the moment he tried to channel his energy, it was blocked. The system had said that his Lightning Proficiency needed work, but the sensation was something beyond that. There was a force here in the forest that seemed to resist him.

Suddenly, he froze.

A sound.

Shuffling footsteps.

Then, a muffled cry.

Axton's heart raced, and without thinking, he sprinted toward the source of the noise. His senses flared, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he felt the familiar rush of adrenaline.

As he broke through the underbrush, he saw them.

A student—an Adept, his face twisted with a manic hunger—was looming over a girl, who was struggling to get up, her body trembling as she tried to push herself away from him.

The Adept's hands were raised, glowing with unstable energy, and Axton knew instantly that the boy wasn't just training. No. This was something darker. The Adept's movements were erratic, his breath shallow and frantic, his eyes wide with desperation.

"Please…" The girl's voice was barely above a whisper, her hands raised in defense. "Stop!"

But the Adept didn't hear her. Or perhaps, he simply didn't care.

Axton's eyes narrowed. He didn't know this Adept—didn't know what had driven him to this point—but it didn't matter. He couldn't stand by and watch this.

Without thinking, he dashed forward, his body moving before his mind had fully caught up. He reached the Adept just as the boy was about to strike the girl.

"Enough!" Axton's voice was sharp, his tone cutting through the tension in the air like a blade. His hand shot out, grabbing the Adept's wrist before he could unleash his attack.

The Adept froze, his eyes snapping toward Axton. For a brief moment, there was confusion—then, anger.

"Who the hell are you?" the Adept sneered. "This doesn't concern you."

Axton's grip tightened, his jaw set in a hard line. "It does now."

Before the Adept could respond, he wrenched his arm free and spun, delivering a punch that Axton barely managed to dodge. The blow was fast—too fast. And Axton realized immediately just how out of his depth he was. The Adept was stronger than he had anticipated, his control over his elemental power sharper, more refined.

Axton's heart pounded in his chest as he retreated a few steps, trying to recalibrate. His body was sore from the constant training, his powers fluctuating unpredictably. But the Adept was relentless. He attacked again, a flurry of punches and kicks that were far faster than Axton had expected.

Each blow landed with brutal force, and though Axton moved as quickly as he could, he couldn't quite keep up. Pain lanced through his ribs as a fist slammed into his side, and his jaw exploded with a sharp ache as another hit him squarely.

But he didn't back down.

He couldn't. Not when someone else's life was on the line.

Axton staggered back, his breath coming in ragged bursts. His chest burned, his limbs felt like lead, and the Adept loomed before him, eyes wild, his body trembling with the exertion of his frenzied attacks.

The Adept wasn't just strong-he was fast, moving with a precision that Axton couldn't match. The force behind every punch was enough to rattle his bones, sending shockwaves of pain through his body.

Axton barely had time to raise his arms in defense as the next punch landed, a brutal strike that cracked against his ribs with enough force to make him gasp for air. He tried to dodge, but the Adept was relentless, his strikes coming faster and faster, with no sign of slowing down.

His vision blurred as a kick landed hard in his stomach, sending him crashing to the ground. The air whooshed out of his lungs, and he gasped for breath, trying to pull himself up, but his limbs felt weak, his body protesting every movement.

The Adept stood over him, panting, but grinning. "You're pathetic."

Axton's hand trembled on the ground, his fingers brushing against the earth as he fought to rise. His body screamed in pain, his muscles aching, but he didn't want to stay down. He couldn't. He wasn't going to let this boy win.

But no matter how hard he pushed, it felt like something was holding him back, like he couldn't tap into the energy surging inside him. His lightning, the power he'd felt on the verge of awake... it was there, but it was out of reach.

"You're weak." The Adept's voice was low, full of mocking disdain. "I'm an Adept. You don't stand a chance."

Anger surged through Axton like a bolt of electricity, the kind of fire that came when he was pushed to his limits. His heart hammered in his chest, and a dark, flickering surge of energy flickered at the edges of his vision. His entire body tensed as the frustration, the humiliation, the pain- it all pooled together, twisting in his gut.

"I'm not weak!" Axton roared, his voice raw with fury.

The words felt like a declaration, an awakening. He couldn't keep holding back. He wouldn't . A surge of power exploded within him and his vision snapped into focus vision snapped into focus. His body pulsed with energy as he drew on the raw, untamed power that had always lingered beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment.

In that instant, Axton felt it-the power he'd been struggling to unlock for so long. The lightning in his veins. It wasn't just a spark. It was a storm.

The air around him crackled.

[Warning: Host is about to release significant energy.]

Axton's hands shot out instinctively, and lightning arced from his fingertips, illuminating the darkness around him. The Adept's eyes widened in shock as the first bolt struck him, knocking him back several feet, but axton didn't stop.

The lightning surged again more again, more intense this time, crackling with deadly force as it enveloped the Adept.

The Adept screamed, stumbling back, his hands raised defensively. But Axton's power was overwhelming now, the surge of anger fueling it, sharpening it, pushing it to its limits.

For the first time, Axton felt control.

He was the storm.

The Adept's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, smoke rising from his singed clothes. His breath was ragged, his face pale, and for a moment, it seemed like the fight was over.

But Axton wasn't finished. The lightning flickered one last time, a pulse of raw energy that sent the Adept sprawling across the ground. He didn't move again.

Axton stood over him, chest heaving, his limbs still shaking with the aftereffects of the surge. He had done it. He'd beaten him.

And for the first time, Axton felt... something more.

The oppressive weight that had been on his chest-the suffocating uncertainty of his abilities—was gone, replaced by a new clarity. His body was still sore, his muscles aching, but something deep inside him had shifted. His power had awakened in a way he hadn't imagined, and the realization settled into his bones.

Axton's breath slowed, his body still humming with the aftershocks of the lightning coursing through him. The weight of what had just happened hung in the air, a moment of triumph mixed with a lingering sense of danger. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears as the system's rewards rang in his mind.

[Quest Completed]

[Quest: Path of the Bloodline - Step 1]

• Increase Lightning Affinity to 20%.

• Unlock Wisdom Attribute.

• Defeat a Ranked Opponent (Minimum: Adept Level 2).

Reward: Partial Bloodline Awakening (Tier 1).

Additional rewards: 200 Points.

[Lightning Mastery: Level 2]

• Increase Lightning Damage by 25%.

• Unlock new skill: Thunderclap.

• Activate the Storm's Eye.

• Bonus: Lightning Resistance +5%.

A sense of accomplishment surged within him, but so did a fresh wave of fear.

The distant sound of footsteps snapped him out of his thoughts, sharp and quick, moving toward his location. Axton tensed, his instincts kicking in. Instructor Salazar. The last thing he needed was to be caught here, in the middle of this mess, especially with an unconscious Adept on the ground and the air still crackling with electricity.

He could already picture Salazar's steely eyes, his unnerving calm demeanor. If he caught Axton here, he would have a hundred questions, none of them pleasant.

Without hesitation, Axton turned and bolted into the trees, his legs moving faster than they had ever moved before. His new power surged through him, giving him the speed and agility he needed to disappear into the forest's dense cover. He knew this land—he'd spent countless hours here training alone, and now, the forest felt like his ally.

The crackling energy in his hands seemed to hum as he ran, but he forced it to remain under control. The last thing he needed was to draw even more attention. Salazar's keen eyes would detect the remnants of the lightning in an instant if he wasn't careful.

Axton's breath came in ragged gasps, but he didn't dare slow down. He didn't dare risk being caught. The shadows of the trees seemed to bend to his will as he dashed between them, his every movement smooth and swift, like a storm on the move.

He could hear the footsteps getting closer now. He pushed himself harder, navigating the rough terrain with ease, his thoughts a blur of urgency. He had to make it back to the academy without being spotted. The last thing he needed was an interrogation.

Minutes passed, though they felt like hours. Axton's muscles burned, but he didn't let up. His mind was focused entirely on escape.

Finally, he reached the edge of the forest and slowed, panting heavily. The academy grounds were visible in the distance. He knew he had to make his way back, blend in, and act like nothing had happened. He had to pretend he hadn't just defeated an Adept on the verge of losing control, and that he hadn't just leveled up his powers.

Instructor Salazar would be coming for him soon. But for now, he had a moment. A moment to catch his breath, and to let the storm inside him settle.

With one last glance at the darkened forest behind him, Axton turned and made his way back to the academy. He walked steadily, his body still humming with energy, but outwardly calm. It wasn't over. Not yet.