AN UNLIKELY ALLIANCE

The academy halls bustled with students, their laughter and chatter filling the air. It was an ordinary day, or so it seemed. Austin was teaching, the nobles gossiped, and the world moved as it always did.

But today, something different happened.

Selen Vossaria entered the cafeteria, her steps hesitant yet firm. The moment she stepped in, the air seemed to shift. Whispers followed her like a ghost, the weight of her fallen house still shackled to her like chains.

"That's the Vossaria girl, isn't it?"

"What is she even doing here? Her family is ruined—she has no right to sit among us."

"A traitor's daughter dares to walk among nobles?"

Selen ignored them, her violet eyes scanning the room. She wasn't here for them. She was here for one person.

At the royal table, Princess Sonya sat with an elegant poise, sipping her tea as if the world around her was beneath her notice. Nobles of high status surrounded her, but she remained uninterested in their shallow words.

Then, Selen walked towards her.

The murmurs grew louder.

"She's approaching the Imperial Princess? Has she lost her mind?"

"What does she want?"

"Sonya won't entertain her—watch, she'll be humiliated."

Despite the noise, Selen didn't falter. She reached the table and sat beside Sony without hesitation.

Silence.

For a moment, even the air seemed to still.

A noble girl sneered. "How bold. A fallen house sitting next to the imperial princess? Has she forgotten her place?"

Another chuckled. "Maybe she thinks Sonya will take pity on her. How pathetic."

But before their whispers could spread further, Sonya spoke.

"So," she said, placing her teacup down with a soft clink. "What did you think of my offer?"

Her voice was calm, yet there was an undeniable weight behind her words.

Selen, unfazed by the nobles' glares, met Sonya's gaze. "I'll take it."

A small, knowing smile tugged at Sonya's lips. "Good. Then from today onward, we are friends."

And just like that, the entire cafeteria erupted in shock.

Friends? The imperial princess… befriending the daughter of a traitor?

It was unthinkable.

But Sonya didn't care. Because she never did anything without a reason.

Selen adjusted her gloves, her fingers twitching slightly as she glanced around the lavish academy cafeteria. The nobles still whispered, but now there was a different edge to their voices.

Before, they gossiped about her as if she were dirt beneath their feet. But now, after Sonya publicly accepted her as a friend, there was something else—uncertainty.

Fear, even.

Selen leaned in slightly, lowering her voice as she asked, "So now what? What's our first move?"

Sonya took a sip of her tea, unfazed by the shifting eyes around them. Then, in a calm but commanding voice, she said, "The Black Forest Festival is coming up. We will strike then."

Selen raised an eyebrow. "You mean during the tournament?"

"Yes," Sonya confirmed, a small smirk forming on her lips. "That festival will be our perfect opportunity."

The Black Forest Festival – A Stage for Power

The Black Forest Festival was one of the most anticipated events of the year. Held in the heart of the ancient Black Forest, the festival was a ceremonial battleground where students, nobles, and warriors competed in duels, survival challenges, and strategic battles.

It was originally created as a test for the strongest houses, to let the best of each noble family prove their strength before the empire. But over time, it became more than that. It became a political battlefield.

Alliances were made. Betrayals were executed. Titles were won—and lost.

For someone like Sonya, this wasn't just a tournament.

It was an opportunity to shift the balance of power.

The Plan Begins

Selen crossed her arms, thinking deeply. "If we're making a move at the festival, we need a strategy. What's our main goal?"

Sonya's golden eyes gleamed under the sunlight. "We will dismantle our enemies—piece by piece."

"Enemies?" Selen asked, intrigued.

Sonya set down her cup with a sharp clink, her expression cold.

"House Arventis. House Belladona. House Richter. And, most importantly... House Alsiter."

Selen stiffened at the last name.

House Alsiter—the house that supported her family's downfall.

"We're going after Alsiter?" she asked, voice quieter than before.

Sonya leaned in, her voice a whisper. "This is more than revenge, Selen. This is about reshaping power. If we take them out during the festival, we won't just get back at them—we will own them."

Selen's hands clenched into fists. She remembered the sneers, the disgrace, the humiliation her family suffered because of House Alsiter's betrayal.

"What's the plan?" she asked, her voice now steady.

Sonya smirked.

"First, we need to secure our own strength. We will dominate the tournament, gain influence, and crush anyone in our way."

Selen nodded. "And then?"

Sonya's smirk turned sharp. "And then, we will make them beg."

Selen exhaled.

The nobles around them continued to whisper, still stuck in their petty conversations. They had no idea.

No idea that, in just a few days, everything would change.

Sonya leaned against the ornate balcony of her chamber after the class, her golden eyes fixed on the setting sun. The sky was bathed in hues of orange and crimson, much like the blood she intended to spill.

Her mind was already orchestrating the moment. The day she would finally try to kill him.

She knew one thing for certain—he would survive the first attack.

Austin Ravenclaw wasn't someone who would die so easily. He was a monster. A man who played with power as if it were his birthright.

That's why she had to prepare.

She had to make sure that when she struck, it counted.

And if the first attempt failed… she would use the Jewel of Istha.

A Weapon of Legend

The Jewel of Isthar—a relic of divine energy, said to be capable of ripping the soul from its vessel. It wasn't an artifact for mere mortals. It was a god's tool of destruction.

And she knew exactly how to use it.

Sonya smirked, her fingers lightly tracing the smooth railing as a cold breeze ruffled her long dark hair.

"This power… this natural-born talent for elemental magic," she mused, "It will be my greatest weapon against him."

She had 26 days.

The Path to Power

Twenty-six days to hone her magic.

She had already been practicing with Mira, her most trusted aide and sparring partner, but it wasn't enough.

Not yet.

Mira was talented, but not at Sonya's level. If she wanted to truly push herself to the peak, she needed more than training dummies and controlled sparring sessions.

"I need real combat."

Sonya turned on her heel, determination flickering in her eyes as she strode across her room.

She needed to push herself beyond her limits.

She needed to find a battleground before the festival.

And most importantly—she needed to find someone who could match her.

A Dangerous Training Ground

Her mind raced through possibilities.

The academy had strong opponents, but most of them were predictable, pampered noble brats who never had to fight for survival.

But there was one place where power was real.

The Abyssal Wildlands.

A lawless, untamed territory just beyond the empire's jurisdiction. A land where monstrous beasts and exiled warriors roamed freely. A place where survival meant killing or being killed.

It was dangerous.

It was perfect.

She would go there alone.

If she could survive the Wildlands, she would become something far beyond what she was now.

Sonya's fingers tapped against the wooden desk, her golden eyes dark with contemplation. How should she hone her magic? She had twenty-six days—not nearly enough time. Killing Austin von Ravenclaw wasn't something she could afford to fail at. He was dangerous.

If she attacked and he survived, he wouldn't spare her. No, she had to be prepared. She had to be strong enough to land a killing blow.

Her mind raced through the possible people she could seek out.

There was Witch Ana, the terrifying potions master. Ana's knowledge of alchemy and elixirs was unparalleled. With the right potion, she could enhance her elemental affinity, amplify her mana, or even brew a toxin so deadly that a single drop could end a life. But relying on external substances was a weakness. If she needed alchemy to win, was she really strong enough? And if Ravenclaw saw through it, what then? He wasn't someone she could poison so easily.

Then there was Professor Hugo, the gentle scholar of magical plants. His greenhouse was filled with rare flora—some of which could permanently boost a mage's power. The Lunar Orchid was said to expand one's mana reserves, while the Infernal Rose could increase fire affinity tenfold. But such plants were rare, and even if she got her hands on them, she wouldn't have enough time to master their effects.

The other professors were no better. Byron, Sylvaine, Gallant. Each was skilled in their way, but none could give her what she needed. None of them could make her unstoppable.

Her hands clenched into fists.

She needed someone who truly understood combat. Someone who could push her past her limits.

And then, like a whisper of fate, one name settled in her mind.

Austin von Ravenclaw.

Her stomach twisted at the thought.

The man she despised. The one she planned to kill.

He was the most promising professor in the academy, rumored to be the strongest of his generation. His magic was perfect, his knowledge of battle limitless. He had honed himself into a war machine, someone who had faced real battlefields, not just academy duels.

If there was anyone in this wretched place who could push her beyond her limits—it was him.

But asking for his help?

Unthinkable.

He was her enemy.

Her goal was to kill him, not learn from him.

Yet… if she didn't get stronger in these twenty-six days, would she even have a chance?

Would she just be another failure?

Her breathing slowed as she realized the bitter truth.

She had no choice.

If she wanted to ensure Austin von Ravenclaw's death, she would have to learn from him first.

Sonya stood before the grand wooden doors of Austin von Ravenclaw's study, her fingers curling into a loose fist. She hesitated.

It wasn't fear—no, Sonya didn't allow herself the luxury of fear—but rather, calculated hesitation. Asking for help, even in pretense, required careful maneuvering. And Austin was the last person she wanted to owe a favor.

Still, she needed power.

She exhaled, composing herself, and knocked.

Silence.

Her brow twitched. She waited a moment longer before knocking again—firmer this time.

Still, nothing.

Is he not here?

Sonya glanced down the empty corridor. No servants. No students. The academy was vast, and Austin's chambers were in a secluded section. No one would question if she entered.

After a moment of deliberation, she pushed the door open.

The study was immaculate.

Dark wood shelves lined the walls, holding ancient tomes, grimoires, and forbidden manuscripts. The scent of aged parchment and rare ink filled the air, mixed with a faint trace of something… darker. It was a scent Sonya couldn't quite place.

A fireplace flickered at the far end of the room, casting long shadows that danced against the carved wooden floors. A grand desk sat at the center, piled neatly with papers and sealed letters bearing sigils of powerful houses.

Her eyes wandered to the shelves, catching glimpses of titles:

The Ancient Magic of Dandelion

The Mystery of the Black Forest

The Forgotten Arts of the Arcane

Books that shouldn't be here. Books that were either lost to time or locked away in imperial vaults.

How much wealth does he have? she wondered, trailing her fingers along the spines of the books. More than some imperial nobles, it seems.

Her gaze flickered back to the desk, where a stack of parchment lay, half-written and sealed with Austin's insignia.

Sonya approached.

She wasn't foolish—she wouldn't read them, not yet. But the mere fact that these letters existed intrigued her. Austin had influence. Power. If she played this right…

Her fingers barely brushed the top page when—

"What are you doing in my office, Miss Sonya?"

Her breath hitched.

She turned sharply to see Austin von Ravenclaw standing by the door, his expression unreadable. His piercing blue eyes locked onto hers, assessing, calculating.

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him with an almost casual finality.

"Professor Ravenclaw," she said lightly, "what a pleasant surprise."

"That," he said, his voice smooth yet firm, "should be my line. You haven't answered my question."

Sonya forced an easy smile.

Austin's expression didn't shift.

With slow, deliberate movements, he made his way to his desk, his gaze never leaving hers. He reached for the papers she had almost touched, neatly stacking them before locking them away in a drawer.

A silent message.

"You will not see them."

Sonya met his gaze, tilting her head ever so slightly. She wouldn't apologize. That would imply guilt.

Instead, she exhaled and straightened her posture.

"I need something from you."

Austin raised an eyebrow.

"Do you, now?"

"I want you to train me."

The room fell into silence.

Austin blinked once. Then, ever so faintly, he smirked.

"You," he said, dragging the word, "want me to train you?"

Sonya didn't flinch.

"Yes."

Austin chuckled softly, shaking his head as if amused. "Of all the things I expected today, this was not one of them."

Sonya swallowed her pride. "You're the most skilled professor in this academy when it comes to magic. Everyone knows that. If anyone can help me refine my abilities, it's you."

Austin tilted his head slightly. "And why should I?"

She hesitated for a fraction of a second before answering. "Because I'll make it worth your while."

Austin let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "You sound like a merchant trying to strike a deal. Do you even know what you're asking for?"

Sonya clenched her fists slightly, then loosened them. "I know it won't be easy. I know you have no reason to help me. But I'm willing to work for it. Just… name your price."

Austin regarded her in silence for a moment before speaking again. "What are you preparing for?"

Sonya's breath hitched slightly, but she quickly recovered. "The Black Forest Festival."

His expression darkened slightly. "And?"

"I just need to be ready."

Austin's eyes bore into hers, as if peeling away every layer of her thoughts. He stepped forward, the space between them shrinking, and Sonya had to fight the instinct to step back.

'' I don't do charity work, princess, what will I get in return?" he said calm as always.

Sonya met his gaze without hesitation. She had expected this—Austin Von Ravenclaw was not a man who did anything for free.

She took a slow breath before answering. "I don't expect charity, Professor. I came prepared to offer something of equal value."

Austin raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Equal value? That's a bold claim. Enlighten me, Princess—what exactly do you have that could be worth my time?"

She said smoothly. "I know my family is making moves against you. The Vipers' Nest, the trade disruptions, the rumors spreading in the capital. I can help you counterbalance them. While they believe I am just another pawn, I can be an inside force, feeding you information, sabotaging their plans. All I ask in return is for you to become my sponsor."

Austin leaned back in his chair, his piercing blue eyes studying Sonya with quiet amusement. She had come prepared—not just with a simple request but with leverage. Smart. Calculated. Not the reckless, pampered royal, he had always dismissed her as in the novel, she was just an imperial princess devoid of any cunningness, she is learning extremely fast, and this is scary. I shall keep an eye on her.

"And why would I trust you?" he asked, tilting his head. "Blood is thicker than ambition, Princess. When the time comes, will you betray them for me?"

Sonya hesitated for only a second.

"I will do whatever it takes to win."

A smirk tugged at Austin's lips. That was a good answer.

Without a word, he raised a hand, and suddenly, the air in the room grew thick, suffocating. Dark energy coiled around his fingers like living shadows, writhing and twisting as if they had minds of their own. The temperature dropped, and the light in the study flickered ominously.

Then, he let her see it.

A vision.

The walls around her seemed to melt away, replaced by an apocalyptic landscape—blood-soaked battlefields, corpses stacked like mountains, rivers of fire carving through the land. She saw a city she recognized, its grand towers crumbling, its people screaming as an unseen force tore through them. She saw hands reaching for mercy, only to be crushed. And at the center of it all was him. Austin Von Ravenclaw. Standing atop the ruin, his expression cold and indifferent, wielding a power that could erase everything in existence.

The vision shifted.

She was no longer a spectator. She was in it. The world burned around her, the screams of the dying filling her ears. She felt a presence behind her, an overwhelming force pressing down on her soul. She turned, and there he was.

Austin.

His eyes glowed like molten gold as he extended a hand toward her. "This is what I am capable of. This is the power I wield. Tell me, Sonya Vossaria, do you still think you can handle training under me?"

Most people would have collapsed. Cried. Run.

Sonya didn't flinch.

She clenched her fists, her voice steady despite the storm raging around her. "Become my sponsor."

The vision shattered.

The study returned, the fire crackling in the background, the cold air fading as if it had never existed. Austin tilted his head slightly, his eyes searching her for any sign of hesitation.

"You're persistent," he murmured, almost to himself.

Sonya exhaled, regaining her composure. "I told you—I'll pay the price."

Austin leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, a smirk played on his lips.

"Very well," he said. "Let's see if you're worth it."

Sonya barely had a moment to react before the world around her shifted. The walls of Austin's study melted away like ink in water, dissolving into an endless stretch of rolling green grasslands. The sky above burned a deep violet hue, with no sun or moon—just an infinite twilight that stretched in all directions.

She took a cautious step forward, feeling the wind whip against her skin. This was no illusion. This was real.

Austin stood beside her, his presence as commanding as ever. His blue eyes gleamed with something between amusement and cruel intent.

"This place…" Sonya muttered, looking around in awe.

Austin smirked, crossing his arms. "This is a Void Room. A space where time flows differently. Two hours in the real world equal a year in here."

Her breath hitched. "A year?"

"You have 26 days before the Black Forest Festival," he continued, his voice even. "That means you'll be training here for 24 hours." He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle. "Or rather, 48 years."

Sonya's blood ran cold.

48 years.

She turned to him sharply. "That's—!"

"You will not reach the level of the Grand Mages," he cut in, his voice as sharp as a blade. "Not because I lack the ability to teach you—but because you lack the talent."

She clenched her fists, anger flickering in her eyes.

"But," Austin continued, leaning in, "I will make you stronger than anyone in your lineage. More than your father. More than your brothers. When you walk out of here, you will be a force."

Sonya swallowed hard. The weight of what she had asked for was finally sinking in.

"You are entering hell, princess," Austin said, his smirk fading. "I will break you in every way possible—mind, body, and soul. If you survive, you will wield magic like never before. But if you fail…"

He snapped his fingers.

The wind howled. The sky rippled. And suddenly—Sonya could not breathe.

Her knees buckled. The air itself felt like it was crushing her. It was not just magic—it was pure, unrelenting pressure.

Austin watched her struggle, his face devoid of sympathy.

"Lesson one," he said coldly. "The world will never wait for you to be ready."

And then the true suffering began.

Sonya gasped, her chest constricting as if invisible hands were strangling the life out of her. The crushing weight of magic pressed against her body, sinking into her bones. She stumbled forward, her hands grasping at the grass beneath her. But even the grass felt unnatural—it wasn't soft and yielding but rough, almost like blades of metal that cut into her palms.

She looked up at Austin, who stood unmoving, cold, unreadable. His blue eyes bore into her like an executioner gazing at his next victim.

Her lungs burned. Her muscles screamed. This wasn't just magic pressing on her—it was something deeper. A test. A lesson.

"You're suffocating," Austin remarked, voice even. "Your body is telling you to panic. Your mind is screaming at you to run. But the first rule of survival—" He raised his hand, snapping his fingers again, and suddenly the weight doubled.

Sonya collapsed onto all fours, her vision blurring.

"—is to adapt."

Her entire body convulsed. It felt like gravity itself had increased a hundredfold. Her ribs ached, her limbs felt like they would snap under the pressure, and her heartbeat pounded so violently that she thought her veins would burst.

Austin crouched beside her, watching without a shred of sympathy. "You thought magic was graceful? That it was some refined art where you waved your hands and chanted a few words?" He leaned in, his tone mocking. "No, princess. Magic is brutal. It's a force of raw willpower. It's the ability to bend reality to your demands. And right now…" He tapped her forehead lightly. "Reality is crushing you."

Sonya gritted her teeth. She refused to let this be the end. Not here. Not now.

She focused, forcing her mind to push past the pain. If this was magic trying to break her, then she had to break it first.

Austin tilted his head, watching her struggle. He was waiting to see if she would crumble. If she were to cry.

But she wouldn't.

With sheer determination, Sonya forced her arms to straighten. Her body was still shaking, still resisting, but she was learning to breathe under the pressure.

"Good," Austin murmured. He snapped his fingers again, and the weight tripled.

Sonya screamed.

Every nerve in her body felt like it was being ripped apart. Her veins felt like they were burning, and for a moment, she truly believed that her bones would crack from the strain.

"Pain," Austin said, standing tall again, "is the foundation of growth."

She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her skin.

Austin continued, his voice void of warmth. "Magic is boundless, but the one thing that limits it is the user's weakness. Your body is weak. Your mind is weak. Your magic is weak. You came to me for strength, and I will give it to you, but you will hate me for it."

Sonya snarled through clenched teeth. "You—" she gasped for air, sweat dripping down her forehead. "You sound like a tyrant."

Austin chuckled. "Perhaps. But I am a successful tyrant."

She glared at him, but in her heart, she knew—he was right.

The imperial princess of old, the naïve girl who once relied on her royal status to command others, had no place in this world anymore. If she wanted power, true power, she had to earn it with blood, sweat, and suffering.

Austin walked in a slow circle around her. "You have 48 years in this realm. By the time you leave, you'll be stronger. But you won't be the same person anymore."

The next day felt like a lifetime.

Sonya was thrown into one brutal lesson after another. Austin did not simply teach her—he tormented her.

For hours, he forced her to control elemental magic while standing on a thin, unstable platform above a pit of writhing shadows. One wrong move, one moment of hesitation, and the abyss would devour her.

"You fear the dark," Austin had observed. "That's why I put you here. You will master what you fear, or you will die to it."

She had nearly fallen three times. But each time, she caught herself, refusing to give in.

Then there was the combat training. Austin did not spar with her—he hunted her.

"You must learn to fight while exhausted," he had said, forcing her to run for ten hours straight before letting her face an opponent.

She barely held her own against his summoned constructs. Her body was in agony, but she learned to move past it.

Her body hardened. Her mind sharpened.

And Austin never let up.

Days passed in that realm. Then months. Then years.

Sonya lost track of time. She had long since stopped crying.

Pain became a companion, and hardship became her teacher.

Austin watched with satisfaction as she broke past her old limits.

When he first met Sonya, she was a pampered princess who thought herself clever. Now, she was something else. Something more.

The imperial flower was burning away.

And in its place, a warrior was about to be born.

Sonya barely had the strength to stand. Her legs trembled, her breath came in ragged gasps, and her body felt like it had been set on fire from the inside. Every part of her screamed for rest, for reprieve, but Austin's cold blue eyes held no mercy.

With a snap of his fingers, the ground around them cracked and twisted. From the darkness, grotesque figures emerged.

They were hunched, their skin a sickly shade of green, their eyes gleaming with predatory hunger. Their jagged teeth dripped with saliva as they grinned, their clawed fingers twitching as if imagining ripping through flesh. Their bodies were thin yet wiry, radiating a vicious, feral energy.

"These are magic goblins," Austin said, his voice calm, unaffected. "C-ranked monsters. A single goblin might not be much, but in groups…" He smirked. "They overwhelm, maim, and devour."

Sonya's eyes widened as she instinctively took a step back. There were ten of them.

Her hands clenched, but when she tried to summon magic, nothing came.

She was drained. Utterly exhausted.

"I can't," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. "I have nothing left."

Austin raised an eyebrow. "Nothing left?" He took a slow step toward her, his boots clicking against the cracked ground. "You think the monsters in the Black Forest will care whether you're tired?" His voice dropped lower, carrying an edge of something dangerous. "You think they'll stop and let you rest?"

The goblins took a step forward, their grins widening as they sniffed the air.

"No, princess," Austin continued, his eyes cold. "They will tear you apart. They will feast on your flesh while you scream."

Sonya swallowed hard.

Her mind was screaming at her to run. But her body was too weak to obey.

Austin's voice didn't waver. "You have two choices," he said, tilting his head. "Fight, or die."

Her breathing was erratic, her hands trembling. "I… I can't."

Austin sighed as if disappointed. "Then let me tell you why my family—why I—am feared, even by the royal family."

He snapped his fingers again.

The space around them shifted.

Suddenly, Sonya was no longer in the training ground. She was in a ruined battlefield. The sky above was choked with smoke, the scent of burning flesh and blood so thick in the air that it made her gag. Corpses littered the ground—hundreds of them, thousands. Soldiers, mages, knights.

And at the center of it all stood a single man.

Austin.

But he looked different. His uniform was stained with blood, his face emotionless. Bodies lay in pieces at his feet, rivers of crimson pooling around him.

Sonya could barely process what she was seeing before a group of elite knights charged toward him. Their auras burned with power, their armor gleamed, their swords glowed with enchantments.

He killed them in seconds.

It wasn't a fight. It was a slaughter.

One moment they were attacking, the next, their heads were rolling on the ground. Limbs severed. Chests caved in. The knights didn't even have time to scream.

And Austin's expression never changed.

He stepped over their bodies like they were nothing.

Then, he turned—staring directly at her.

Sonya stumbled back, her heart hammering against her ribs.

Just as suddenly, the vision vanished.

She was back in the training ground, gasping for air, her entire body shaking.

Austin's voice cut through the haze. "That was one of my battles." His tone was almost bored. "One of many."

Sonya looked at him, unable to form words.

Austin exhaled. "People fear me because I do not hesitate. I do not show mercy. I do not fight fair." He met her gaze, his piercing blue eyes freezing her in place. "Power is not about strength alone. It is about knowing when to be cruel."

He gestured toward the goblins.

"And this is your lesson, princess. You think exhaustion is an excuse?" His voice sharpened. "If you cannot fight while exhausted, you will never survive."

The goblins hissed, their patience wearing thin.

Austin tilted his head. "You came to me for power. This is where it begins."

Sonya felt a pulse of rage deep in her chest.

She had asked him for help. She had swallowed her pride, lowered herself before this man—and he was breaking her down, piece by piece.

I won't break.

Her hands tightened into fists.

Austin raised a hand and flicked his fingers. "Kill her."

The goblins lunged.

Sonya's mind went blank.

Move!

Her body screamed in protest, but she pushed herself forward. A goblin slashed at her face—she barely ducked, rolling aside as another one swung at her legs.

No time. No magic.

She grabbed a fallen branch, swinging it like a weapon. It collided with a goblin's head—it stumbled, shrieking, but recovered instantly.

Too weak.

Too slow.

A goblin rushed her from behind.

Instinct took over. She spun, swinging the branch as hard as she could. It connected with the creature's throat. A sharp, wet crack rang out—Sonya felt the vibration shoot up her arms as the goblin choked, clawing at its neck.

The others hesitated.

Austin watched, unimpressed. "Still too slow."

A goblin lunged at her chest. She twisted just in time, barely dodging, but the beast's claws tore into her arm.

Pain exploded through her body.

She stumbled back, blood dripping from the wound.

The goblins grinned. They smelled blood.

Sonya gritted her teeth.

Pain was irrelevant.

Fear was irrelevant.

If she wanted to survive, she had to kill.

Austin's voice rang in her ears. Magic is a force of willpower.

Bend reality to your demands.

She demanded survival.

Summoning every ounce of hatred, frustration, and desperation, Sonya forced the magic inside her to ignite.

The air around her crackled. The goblins' smiles vanished.

A rush of fire exploded from her fingertips, engulfing the creatures in an inferno.

They shrieked, thrashing as their flesh sizzled, their bodies collapsing into ash.

Silence.

Sonya stood in the aftermath, panting, shaking, blood dripping down her arm.

Austin clapped. Once.

"Better," he mused. "Still pathetic, but better."

Sonya's body swayed.

Austin walked toward her, stopping just a breath away. "You survived your first real fight." He looked at the scorch marks, at the ashes of the goblins. "Barely."

Sonya didn't respond. She had nothing left.

Austin smirked. "Rest now. Because tomorrow, princess…"

He leaned in, whispering against her ear.

"Tomorrow will be hell."

Austin crouched beside her, his blue eyes piercing. "We're taking a short break. Don't think this is over."

Sonya panted, trying to catch her breath. "I… I need… time…"

He scoffed. "The monsters in the Black Forest won't wait for you to rest, Princess. The assassins your family sent after me didn't ask if I was tired before attacking. This world is cruel. And if you want to survive, you will keep moving—or you will die."

His words struck deep, but Sonya didn't flinch. Instead, she pushed herself up with shaking arms. "Then let's continue."

Austin smirked. Good. She wasn't broken yet.

He snapped his fingers.

A new wave of monsters emerged from the void. This time, they weren't mere goblins.

Wraithhounds—beasts of shadow and mist, known for devouring the souls of the weak.

Sonya's heart pounded. No magic reserves left. No energy to fight. And yet… if she stopped, she was dead.

Austin crossed his arms. "Kill them. No spells, no tricks. Use your instincts."

She grit her teeth. Damn him. Damn him to hell.

But she had no choice.

Sonya stood, fists clenched, and faced the beasts. If she wanted to survive Austin Von Ravenclaw, she had to become something just as terrifying.

…forty-eight grueling years.

Austin removed his coat, tossing it over the chair before leaning against his desk. His body still felt the phantom exhaustion of endless battles, drilling spells into Sonya until she collapsed, only to force her back up again.

"She's good… but still weak."

He had honed her skills, crushed her weaknesses, and rebuilt her into something far stronger than before. Yet, it wasn't enough. Time was against him. He had fewer years now—less time to act, less room to make mistakes.

"I need to think. I need speed."

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the academy, Sonya sat on her bed, her hands trembling. Not from fear—but from the sheer intensity of what she had endured.

She clenched her fists. Her body ached, but her mind was sharper than ever.

"Just you wait, Austin…" she thought, her golden eyes burning with determination. "No matter what, I will kill you before you kill me."