Headmaster

The moment Riven's consciousness snapped back into reality, his body jerked as if he'd been plunged into cold water. The weight of the trial still clung to him—shadows coiling in his veins, the distant echoes of Velmorian's throne room lingering at the edges of his mind. His breath came slow and steady, but his fingers twitched with residual energy, as if his body still expected another fight.

Instinctively, he reached inward and relief flooded through him.

There—at the core of his being—his mana heart pulsed stronger than before, now encircled by two glowing rings of energy, crossing in an unmistakable X.

A slow grin tugged at his lips.

He did it.

He flexed his fingers, watching as shadows crackled at his fingertips, responding faster, sharper than before. The raw potency of his Second Circle was undeniable. His mana reserves had deepened, expanded into something far greater.

His connection to the abyss had evolved.