Chapter 12:The Rising Storm

(风暴初起 - Fēngbào Chūqǐ)

The cool night breeze swept through Azure Sky Academy, rustling the lanterns that lined the walkways. The academy grounds, usually quiet at this hour, held a strange unease an unspoken tension settling over the students like a looming storm.

Raiko Yun sat cross-legged on the rooftop of his dormitory, his eyes locked onto the moonlit sky. His encounter with Xue Lian had left him unsettled.

"Like you, I know what it means to hide in plain sight."

Her words echoed in his mind. Who was she? And more importantly, how much did she know?

Below, the academy was still alive with murmurs. Rumors of his fight with Wu Jiang had spread like wildfire, and now, everyone was talking about him. Worse yet, the elders were watching him closely.

Raiko clenched his fists. If they ever discovered his right-hand power, everything would fall apart.

As Raiko descended from the rooftop, a shadow moved behind him. Before he could react, a folded slip of paper fluttered onto his shoulder.

He grabbed it instinctively and turned, but whoever had left it was already gone.

Frowning, he unfolded the note:

"Meet me at the Crimson Lotus Pavilion. Midnight. Come alone."

There was no signature.

Raiko narrowed his eyes. The Crimson Lotus Pavilion was an old training hall near the academy's southern wall rarely used since stronger academies had outshined Azure Sky Academy.

This could be a trap.

But something in his gut told him that whoever sent this note had answers.

At the stroke of midnight, Raiko approached the abandoned training grounds. The pavilion's red-painted beams were faded, and the scent of old wood filled the air.

A single lantern flickered in the darkness.

Raiko stepped inside cautiously. "Who's there?"

A figure emerged from the shadows.

Xue Lian.

She leaned against a pillar, arms crossed, her silver hair catching the lantern's glow. "You actually came. That's a good sign."

Raiko kept his guard up. "Why did you call me here?"

Xue Lian smirked. "Because we have something in common, Raiko Yun. We're both hiding what makes us dangerous."

Raiko's expression didn't change, but his mind raced.

"You're awfully bold," he said. "And how do you know what I'm hiding?"

Xue Lian took a step forward, her sharp eyes locking onto his. "I see things others don't. Your movements, the way you held back against Wu Jiang… A person with one ability wouldn't fight like that. You knew exactly what you were doing."

Raiko exhaled slowly. This girl was dangerous.

"And what do you want from me?" he asked.

Xue Lian's smirk faded slightly. "I want to know if you're worth trusting. Because something big is coming, and the weak will be the first to fall."

Before Raiko could respond, a distant explosion rocked the air.

Both of them turned sharply toward the academy's main courtyard. Smoke and flames erupted in the distance.

Xue Lian cursed. "Damn it. It's starting already?"

Raiko's instincts kicked in. "What's happening?"

She glanced at him, her expression serious. "Your academy isn't as weak as you think, Raiko Yun. There's something buried here something that the outside world has forgotten."

The academy bells clanged loudly, signaling an emergency.

Xue Lian took a step back. "Looks like we'll have to continue this later. Try not to die before then."

And before Raiko could stop her, she vanished into the night.

Raiko turned toward the burning academy, his pulse steady.

The academy bells echoed through the night, their sharp clang piercing the heavy silence. Raiko Yun's instincts flared as he turned toward the source of the explosion. Smoke billowed into the sky, and distant shouts filled the air.

"An attack? At this hour?"

Xue Lian had already disappeared, but her words lingered in his mind.

"Your academy isn't as weak as you think, Raiko Yun."

Something was happening something bigger than he had anticipated.

Without hesitation, he dashed toward the main courtyard, his robes fluttering in the wind. He couldn't use his right-hand power, not yet. If anyone saw, his father's warning would become reality.

"Hide it. Until you reach the level of the gods."

For now, he had to fight like an ordinary student.

As Raiko arrived, the sight before him made his breath hitch. The central courtyard, once a place of training and sparring, was in ruins. Large craters marred the ground, and collapsed buildings smoldered from the explosion.

Students and teachers scrambled in panic, some engaging in battle, others retreating.

But it wasn't just an attack.

It was a massacre.

Dark figures clad in black cloaks with crimson markings moved like shadows, cutting down students effortlessly.

Raiko's eyes narrowed.

"Assassins?"

Then, he recognized them.

The Blood Phantom Sect.

A notorious group of killers who only took on high-paying contracts. If they were here, it meant someone powerful wanted Azure Sky Academy destroyed.

Raiko clenched his fists. His school was weak in reputation, mocked by the greater sects but it was still his home.

"Not tonight."

A Blood Phantom assassin lunged toward him.

Raiko sidestepped, grabbing the attacker's wrist and twisting it sharply. A pained grunt escaped the assassin's lips before Raiko struck his chest, sending him flying into a broken pillar.

Another came from behind. Raiko ducked under a flashing dagger, sweeping his leg and knocking the assassin off balance. Before the enemy could recover, he delivered a swift blow to the temple, knocking him unconscious.

More assassins closed in, sensing Raiko was no ordinary student.

Three against one.

He took a deep breath, adjusting his stance.

"I can't reveal my right hand's power. But that doesn't mean I can't fight."

The first attacker charged. Raiko sidestepped again, catching the assassin's blade between his palms before twisting the weapon out of their grip. In one smooth motion, he flipped the assassin over his shoulder, slamming them into the ground.

The second and third came together, their movements fluid.

Raiko leaped back, avoiding a deadly swipe to his throat. He countered with a precise strike to the ribs of one assassin, followed by a spinning kick to the other's jaw.

Blood splattered the ground as they collapsed.

Too easy.

That's when he felt it killing intent.

A figure stood at the far end of the courtyard, watching him. Unlike the assassins, this man wore no cloak. His presence alone made the air feel heavier.

Raiko met his gaze, heart pounding.

"Who is he?"

The man's cold eyes locked onto him. "You fight well for a loser."

Raiko didn't answer.

The man stepped forward. "Tell me, boy. Why are you hiding your true strength?"

Raiko's pulse quickened. Did this man know?

Before he could respond, a teacher from Azure Sky Academy Elder Zhou intervened, stepping between them.

"Enough!" Elder Zhou's voice thundered. He unleashed a powerful wave of energy, forcing the enemy back. "You dare attack my students?"

The man smirked. "Your students?" He glanced at the fallen assassins. "Then why are they dying so easily?"

Elder Zhou's eyes burned with fury. "Who sent you?"

The man chuckled. "You'll find out soon enough… if you survive."

With a flick of his hand, a wave of dark energy erupted from his palm, heading straight for Elder Zhou.

Raiko barely had time to react before the impact shattered the ground.

The dust settled. Elder Zhou knelt on one knee, blood trickling from his lips. The man had vanished, his assassins retreating as quickly as they had appeared.

Azure Sky Academy had survived the attack. But at what cost?

Raiko clenched his fists.

Tonight proved one thing this academy was in danger. And if he stayed hidden forever, it would fall.

He turned toward the ruins, his mind made up.

"If I want to protect them… I have to get stronger."

And for that he needed to win the tournament. The one tournament where all the academies would gather.

The one place where the world's strongest would be watching.