THE WEIGHT HAS OF LEADERSHIP

Chapter 84: The Weight of Leadership

The war room emptied one by one, but Kael remained still, staring at the holographic projection of Nyx. The ruined city flickered in eerie shades of blue, the underground tunnels pulsating with an ominous red glow.

Xelthar knew they were coming.

A Calamity-Class Beast slumbered beneath the city.

And he was supposed to lead the team into enemy territory.

He exhaled, closing his eyes for a brief moment.

The weight of responsibility pressed against his shoulders like an iron shackle.

"You good?"

Lucian's voice pulled him from his thoughts. The Crown Prince stood beside him, arms crossed, golden eyes sharp.

"Yeah," Kael muttered. "Just processing."

Lucian smirked slightly. "Don't overthink it. You've already led us before—you just didn't have the title."

Kael gave a dry chuckle. "That's comforting."

Selene approached, her silver eyes calm but calculating. "Lucian's right. You already make decisions in battle. This is no different. We'll be there to cover you."

Kael exhaled through his nose. "And if I screw up?"

Selene tilted her head. "Then we adapt."

Lucian shrugged. "Or we all die. Either way, no pressure."

Kael shot him a glare, but Lucian just laughed.

Selene sighed, shaking her head. "We'll all meet at the gates before dawn. Rest while you can."

She walked off, leaving the two boys in silence.

Lucian patted Kael's shoulder. "Don't overthink it. Just do what you always do—survive."

Then, he followed after Selene, leaving Kael alone with the flickering map of Nyx.

He clenched his fists.

This wasn't just survival anymore.

This was war.

And he had no choice but to win.

The Top 9 gathered at their respective quarters, checking their weapons, adjusting their armor, and preparing for the most dangerous mission of their lives.

Mira sat on the edge of her bed, sharpening her sword with slow, deliberate movements.

She had come a long way from the girl who had barely been acknowledged by the nobles of Eldoria.

Now?

She was among the strongest.

And yet, this mission felt different.

The shadows of Nyx weren't just filled with monsters. They were filled with assassins—human enemies, not beasts.

Fighting mana beasts was instinctual. But fighting people?

That was personal.

She finished sharpening her blade and exhaled. She was ready.

Cassian leaned against his room's balcony, flipping a throwing dagger between his fingers.

He wasn't stupid.

This mission was suicidal.

But hell, it wasn't like he had anything better to do.

Still, something gnawed at the back of his mind.

Kael was leading this one. Not Lucian. Not Selene.

And for some reason…

That made Cassian uneasy.

Because if Kael hesitated, even for a second—they'd all be dead.

His grip on the dagger tightened before he forced himself to relax.

Nah.

Kael wouldn't break.

He couldn't.

Evelyne wrapped her hands with leather bindings, rolling her shoulders as she tested her movements.

Darius sat nearby, arms crossed, watching the distant flashes of lightning outside the academy walls.

"You nervous?" Evelyne asked.

Darius scoffed. "We've been through worse."

She raised a brow. "Have we?"

Darius didn't answer.

Evelyne sighed. "I just hope we don't end up fighting that damn Calamity."

Darius chuckled dryly. "Yeah. Because our luck is so good."

Neither of them laughed.

Because they both knew—

They weren't coming back from this without blood on their hands.

Rael Varros adjusted his cloak, testing the weight of his daggers.

Nyx was a city of shadows. And shadows were his domain.

But even he felt the unease lingering in the air.

Xelthar's assassins were waiting.

And the problem with fighting assassins?

They knew how to kill people like him.

He exhaled, cracking his neck.

Fine.

Then he'd just have to kill them first.

The Top 9 stood at the main gate of Eldoria Academy, their cloaks billowing in the cold morning wind.

Their instructor, Seraphine Eldoria, watched them with her arms crossed, her katana resting at her hip.

"You're all still alive. Good start."

Kael stepped forward. "We're ready."

Seraphine smirked. "We'll see about that."

She raised her hand.

A portal of blue mana shimmered into existence before them—an advanced teleportation gate leading directly to the outskirts of Nyx.

Seraphine's silver eyes darkened.

"Remember," she warned, "this is not a test."

"You are stepping into a war zone."

Kael took a breath, then turned to his team.

"Let's go."

One by one, the Top 9 stepped through the portal.

And the moment they emerged—

They were swallowed by the ruins of Nyx.

The mission had begun.