Chapter 3: The Rules of Power

Adam settled into his new quarters in House Noctis—a dimly lit yet elegant dormitory, lined with black marble and flickering blue torches. It exuded a sense of mystery, a fitting environment for those who wielded forbidden magics.

He placed his hand against the wall, feeling the lingering enchantments embedded in the structure.

"This entire place is covered in wards. Whoever controls the tower controls the House."

In the novel, House Noctis had always been fragmented, full of internal rivalries and betrayals. It was a House that produced assassins, spies, and ambitious nobles seeking power at any cost.

And Adam? He wasn't planning to be a pawn in anyone's game.

He had his own plans.

The Hierarchy of House Noctis

A sharp knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Open up, Rothveil," a voice commanded.

Adam smirked, recognizing the tone—a noble, but not one of high status. A classic case of someone trying to establish dominance early.

Opening the door, he found a tall, broad-shouldered young man with dark brown hair and piercing gray eyes.

"Reynard Vale," Adam said, recalling the name from his inherited memories.

Reynard was a mid-tier noble, someone who relied on intimidation to climb the ranks. In the novel, he had been one of the many stepping stones for the protagonist.

And now, he was trying to intimidate Adam.

"You're new here, Rothveil," Reynard said, folding his arms. "You may come from a big family, but in House Noctis, that doesn't mean shit. Here, strength is everything. If you want to survive, you need to know your place."

Adam raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly are you suggesting?"

Reynard smirked. "A duel. Tonight. Midnight Courtyard. Unless you're too scared?"

A challenge. A test of dominance.

In the novel, Adam's previous self would have hesitated, backed down, and eventually faded into obscurity. But this wasn't the old Adam.

This was his story now.

Adam stepped forward, his blue eyes glowing faintly with mana. "I'll be there," he said smoothly. "Try not to disappoint me, Vale."

Reynard's smirk faltered for just a second before he scoffed and turned away.

As soon as the door shut, Adam chuckled.

"A duel, huh? Perfect."

Studying His Own Power

With a few hours before the duel, Adam needed to test his magic properly.

In the novel, Dark Magic was feared for its destructive capabilities, but it wasn't just about destruction—it was about control.

Likewise, Spatial Magic was rare, often considered an auxiliary power, but in the right hands, it could be deadly.

Adam sat cross-legged on the floor, closing his eyes. He focused inward, reaching for his mana core.

Immediately, he felt two forces inside him—one was the cold, creeping tendrils of darkness, the other was the unpredictable distortion of space.

"Let's start with Dark Magic."

He stretched out his hand, calling upon the shadows. Instantly, black mist coiled around his fingers like living snakes, pulsing with latent power.

"Fascinating. This body is much stronger than I expected."

Now, for Spatial Magic.

He concentrated, willing the space in front of him to bend—and suddenly, a ripple formed in the air, like a distorted mirror.

Adam reached forward. His fingers vanished into the distortion before reappearing a few inches to the right.

"Short-range spatial displacement. This could be useful."

But this was just the beginning.

The Duel Begins

At midnight, Adam arrived at the courtyard. The moon hung high, casting an eerie glow over the stone arena.

A small crowd had gathered—mostly House Noctis students eager to see blood spilled.

Reynard stood at the center, already surrounded by his lackeys. He smirked as Adam approached.

"Glad you showed up, Rothveil," Reynard said. "Would've been embarrassing if you ran."

Adam sighed dramatically. "You talk too much, Vale. Let's just get this over with."

Reynard's smirk faltered for a second before he stepped forward.

"The rules are simple," one of the senior students announced. "No killing. First one to be knocked out or surrender loses."

Adam smirked. I won't need to kill you. I'll just break your spirit.

"Begin!"

Shadow and Space

Reynard attacked immediately, launching a dark purple spell at Adam.

"Night Shackle!"

Tendrils of dark energy shot forward, attempting to bind Adam's limbs.

But Adam had already moved.

One moment, he stood in front of Reynard. The next—he was behind him.

A ripple in space marked his instantaneous displacement.

Gasps erupted from the spectators.

Reynard stumbled forward, blinking in confusion. "Wha—?"

Adam didn't give him time to react. He raised his hand—shadowy chains shot out, wrapping around Reynard's arms and legs.

"Y-You bastard!" Reynard struggled, but the more he fought, the tighter the chains became.

"You wanted a duel," Adam said, stepping closer. "So fight. Unless this is all you have?"

With a roar, Reynard unleashed a burst of mana, shattering the chains. He spun, gathering energy for a high-powered spell—

But Adam had already disappeared again.

Another spatial ripple, another instantaneous movement.

And then—

Adam appeared above Reynard, hand outstretched.

"Dark Lance."

A spear of pure shadow slammed into Reynard's chest, sending him crashing into the ground.

The entire courtyard fell silent.

Reynard lay on the ground, groaning, his uniform torn and burned by Adam's attack.

A senior student stepped forward. "Reynard Vale is unable to continue. The winner is—Adam Rothveil!"

The Beginning of Fear

As the students murmured amongst themselves, Adam turned away, already bored.

He had made his statement.

House Noctis was ruled by strength. And tonight, Adam had claimed his place among them.

As he walked past the stunned crowd, a voice called out.

"Interesting."

Adam stopped, turning toward the speaker—

Evangeline Nacht.

She watched him with narrowed crimson eyes, the moonlight casting shadows over her pale skin.

"You're stronger than I expected," she said. "Perhaps you're worth keeping an eye on after all."

Adam smirked. "And here I thought you already were."

For the first time, Evangeline actually smiled—cold, calculating, but intrigued.

"Good," Adam thought. One step closer to changing the story.

End of Chapter 3