The Spear That Pierced the Sky

Time passed quickly, and the sun was now high in the clear sky. While Kassandra might still be in the Aden forest, Eryon had already returned to his villa, refreshed after a bath, and now sat on his bed.

"Status window," he murmured, and instantly, a hologram appeared before him.

[Name: Eryon Ashbourn]

[Age: 18]

[Race: Human]

[Class: -]

[Affiliation: None]

[Strength: 26.5]

[Agility: 22]

[Dexterity: 13.1]

[Intelligence: 14]

[Magic Points: 12.5]

[Wisdom: 14]

[Charisma: 13]

[Talent: Mid-Level Cultivation]

[Equipment: Durandal Sword, Fragment of Gungnir Spear (lost)]

[Essence: Darkness]

[Special Ability: Gravity Manipulation]

[Skills: Paw's Step, Poisonous Bite, Minor Energy Explosion, Moonlight Slash]

[Mount: Energy Horse]

Eryon nodded in satisfaction, stroking his chin as he observed how his stats had drastically increased in just one night. It hadn't even been a full week since he transmigrated into this world.

He let himself fall onto the bed, his eyes still fixed on the hologram, which gradually blurred as drowsiness overtook him. Coincidentally, today was Saturday, and school was on break.

Unknowingly, Eryon drifted off to sleep.

-----

Meanwhile, elsewhere, far from Eryon's villa, in a valley near a towering green mountain, a fierce battle was raging.

Clank!

Stab!

Thud!

On a vast, barren battlefield, twelve individuals clad in matching uniforms with a griffin emblem on their chests stood their ground. These were not ordinary people—they were students of Emberwing Academy, one of the most prestigious academies in the world.

At this moment, they were engaged in combat with a wyvern—a massive dragon-like creature with shimmering green scales that reflected the sunlight. A beast usually found only in fairy tales and legends now stood before them, rampaging with the ferocity of a true apex predator.

Yet, there was no fear or hesitation in the students' faces. Wyverns were not unfamiliar creatures in this world. Even dragons existed, though they were incredibly rare. However, knowing of their existence and facing them in battle were two entirely different things.

Amid the chaotic skirmish, a male student suddenly shot high into the air. Lucci, the young man, hovered gracefully, while below him, a female student swiftly chanted an incantation.

"Divine Blessing!"

A burst of golden light exploded around Lucci, enveloping his body in a radiant energy. The aura enhanced his speed, strengthened his attacks, and granted him additional resistance to incoming blows.

With eyes now glowing a fiery gold, Lucci raised his katana and launched himself toward the wyvern at an inhuman speed.

The wyvern's colossal frame loomed, its size more than ten times that of Lucci. The beast let out a deafening roar, shaking the ground as storm-like winds swirled around it from the sheer force of its wings. Yet, Lucci showed no fear.

"Demonic Slash!"

His voice was barely a whisper, yet the impact was devastating.

For a moment, nothing happened. It seemed as if his attack had been nothing more than a simple, meaningless slash.

But then—

Schraaak!

A deep, gaping wound suddenly appeared across the wyvern's chest. Fresh blood gushed from the newly opened wound, staining the ground below.

"Keaaaaaaarkh!" The wyvern screeched in agony.

A victorious cheer erupted from the students witnessing the strike.

"Woohoo! Great job, Lucci! You actually cut it down!"

Lucci landed lightly on the ground, but his expression remained serious. He was not fooled by premature celebrations. With a commanding voice, he called out to his peers.

"Don't let your guard down!"

As if confirming his warning, the wyvern's weakened eyes suddenly blazed a deep, blood-red hue, overflowing with unrelenting rage and hatred.

With a mighty flap of its wings, it generated a powerful storm, throwing the students backward.

"Damn! It's still attacking!" one student shouted, struggling to regain balance.

They were now in an extremely vulnerable position. And that was when the wyvern began gathering blue energy in its mouth—a rapidly condensing vortex of power.

"Shit... that's a Breath Attack!"

The students' eyes widened in horror as they realized the imminent danger. An enraged wyvern wasn't just a physical threat—it possessed long-range attacks capable of wiping them out in one strike.

The energy in the wyvern's mouth intensified, glowing as brightly as a collapsing star.

Then, someone's voice rang out, loud and urgent.

"Everyone, dodge!"

The command echoed across the valley, carrying a sense of undeniable urgency.

In an instant, the wyvern unleashed a colossal wind blade, slicing through the air toward them, ready to obliterate everything in its path.

Screams filled the valley as the students desperately tried to survive the brutal assault. Howling gales whipped through the battlefield, throwing everything into chaos.

Yet, amidst the carnage, a young male student moved with extraordinary agility, dodging every deadly gust that threatened to tear him apart. He was tall and athletic, his silver-streaked black hair glinting under the light.

His movements were swift, like flickers of lightning, his grip firm on a spear. As the wind blades collided with his weapon, something strange occurred—the deadly gusts seemed to vanish into nothingness, absorbed by the spear that now pulsed with an eerie blue glow.

His sharp gaze locked onto his prey. He saw an opening, and without hesitation, he pushed off the ground with full force. A small explosion erupted beneath him, shattering the earth as his body rocketed skyward at terrifying speed.

His eyes gleamed with lethal intent, fingers tightening around the spear's shaft, muscles coiled with immense strength.

"Die."

His voice was cold and sharp, a whisper of death itself. In the next instant, he hurled his spear.

A streak of blue light shot forth, slicing through the air like a bolt of lightning.

Splash!

The spear pierced straight through the wyvern's skull, embedding deep into its massive body. A heartbeat later, the creature's own wind energy erupted from within, tearing its internal organs apart.

The wyvern's crimson eyes widened in terror before its body lost control mid-air.

Thud!

The beast's colossal corpse crashed onto the ground with an earth-shaking impact, sending tremors through the students' feet.

For a moment, silence.

Then—

"Hell yeah! We won!"

"Wooo! As expected from Julius!"

"We did it!"

Victory cries filled the air, replacing the previous screams of battle.

At the center of the cheering crowd, Julius landed gracefully, satisfaction evident on his face. A triumphant smile played on his lips as he relished the moment.

The students quickly rushed toward the Wyvern's carcass, their admiration focused entirely on Julius.

"Hey, hey, calm down. I'm not going anywhere. Let's start dissecting this Wyvern," Julius said in a relaxed tone.

"Yeah, of course! A creature this big must have at least a hundred crystal cores."

"Its body parts are valuable too! Make sure nothing goes to waste."

"Julius should get the biggest share! He contributed the most to this fight."

The crowd gathered around him, full of awe. Julius simply smiled in satisfaction, enjoying every bit of praise he received. This feeling never got old.

But among them, one student stood still.

Lucci.

There was no excitement on his face, no euphoria like the others.

Julius was never this strong before, but ever since he got that spear—wherever it came from—his entire fighting style had changed.

Lucci stepped closer to the group with a casual expression, though his eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Julius bask in admiration. A faint smile formed on his lips before he finally spoke, his voice light yet carrying a meaning difficult to fully grasp.

"Impressive as always, huh, Julius?"

Julius, who had been giving instructions to some of his friends, was momentarily interrupted. He turned his head, his grin widening. "Hehe, don't say that, Lucci. You're incredible too. Especially that famous slash of yours, 'Demonic Slash.' Wow, I wish I had a signature move of my own," he said, though his tone didn't quite sound like a compliment.

"Oh, don't say that. That spear strike of yours was powerful too. You should name it. And more importantly, you usually fight with a sword, but now you're using a spear. So, where did that come from?" Lucci asked.

"It's a family heirloom. And let's not talk about that. I just did what I could," Julius replied, then gave Lucci a once-over from head to toe. "After all, there comes a time when a star that once shined bright has to make way for another light, don't you think?"

Lucci chuckled softly, as if unfazed. "Of course. But a true star doesn't dim just because another light appears. If anything, the more lights there are, the more beautiful the night sky becomes."

Julius narrowed his eyes slightly before giving a small nod. "That's true. But some believe that too much light can overshadow the rest."

Lucci smiled, but there was something hidden behind it. "Maybe, but a true light never fears losing its place."

Julius didn't respond immediately, but his expression subtly shifted. A quiet tension lingered in the air, one that only those who were perceptive could catch. Some students standing nearby felt the strange atmosphere between them but weren't brave enough to comment on it.

After a few seconds, Julius finally smiled again, though this time, there was a hint of challenge in it. "You're right, Lucci. We'll see who shines the longest."

Lucci didn't reply and eventually walked away from the crowd, leaving Julius surrounded by admirers. On the surface, their exchange had seemed casual, but everyone there knew that the rivalry between them was far from over.