Chapter 11: Clash at the Veil

The wind howled through the ruins of the Serpent's Veil, carrying with it the weight of something unnatural. Shadows twisted where they shouldn't, the air thick with tension. Albert's fingers instinctively curled around Aetherion's hilt, his every sense locked onto the girl standing before him.

Kara.

Kara was the heiress to the Quantum Shroud throne and hence an enemy of EvoTech, she possessed the power of someone at the late phase of the planetary stage while being in Convergence phase, she had gone through multiple battles and was a seasoned warrior, for her to be sent here, it meant there was definitely something deep going on.

Her golden eyes gleamed with something between amusement and challenge. She stood with a casual confidence, her posture relaxed but ready—like a predator that had already decided the outcome of the hunt.

Albert didn't move. Neither did she.

The battlefield waited.

Then, in a blink—she attacked.

Albert barely had time to react.

Kara's form blurred as she closed the distance in an instant, her blade slicing toward his throat. He twisted, instinct kicking in, Aetherion snapping up just in time to parry the strike. The force sent a shockwave through his arms.

Too fast!

Kara's expression didn't change, but her next strike came even faster. A diagonal cut—sharp, precise. Albert dodged, shifting his stance, but she was relentless. A downward strike. A sidelong sweep. A thrust aimed at his ribs.

He blocked. Dodged. Countered.

But he was losing ground.

Kara wasn't just fast—she was skilled. Every move was deliberate, every attack leading into the next, forcing him to react on instinct alone.

Albert grit his teeth, frustration mounting. He had power—more than anyone else at his level. He could feel it in his bones, in the raw strength of his Aetherion-infused strikes. But power without skill meant nothing.

And Kara? She had both.

Their blades clashed again, the force sending a gust of energy outward, scattering dust and debris. Their battle wasn't just a fight—it was a spectacle.

From a distance, the other students had stopped moving.

They were watching.

Even the Shroud agents who lurked in the shadows hesitated, eyes flickering toward the duel unfolding before them.

Albert Faustin, the enigma of Quantum Academy, was fighting Kara—the daughter of their enemy.

And he wasn't winning.

Albert's breath came fast. His body ached. Kara hadn't slowed down—if anything, she was pushing harder. He barely blocked another strike before she twisted, her foot slamming into his side.

He stumbled back, Aetherion's grip slipping slightly.

Damn it.

Kara exhaled, lowering her blade slightly. "You're strong." She tilted her head. "But you fight like someone who doesn't know how to use it."

Albert's fingers twitched around his weapon. He knew she was right.

He could feel the threads of power surging within him, his Law of Binding reacting, his strength eclipsing that of any normal student. But raw strength wasn't enough.

And Kara was proving it.

He lunged forward, swinging Aetherion in a wide arc. She sidestepped with ease, her blade flicking out in a blur of silver. He barely twisted in time, feeling the whisper of cold steel graze his shoulder.

She could have cut deeper.

She didn't.

Albert's frustration boiled over. "Damn it!"

Aetherion pulsed in his grip. The ground beneath him trembled as he let his power surge outward, golden threads of Binding snapping into existence around him.

Kara's eyes flickered with interest. "Finally."

Then she moved again.

The battle reignited, fiercer than before. Albert stopped thinking and simply reacted, his Binding flaring, guiding his movements. Their blades met in a whirlwind of sparks, the force of their strikes sending ripples through the battlefield.

And then—

A voice cut through the chaos.

"Enough."

A surge of authority slammed into them like a tidal wave.

Albert's vision blurred for a split second. The weight of an unfamiliar force pressed down on him, making his body lock up against his will. Even Kara froze, eyes narrowing as she struggled against the sudden pressure.

A figure descended from the sky, robes billowing.

One of the teachers.

Albert barely had time to register the presence before his vision dimmed. The last thing he saw was Kara stepping back, her golden eyes meeting his one last time.

Then—darkness.

Albert woke up in the academy infirmary.

His body ached in ways he didn't know were possible. His mind was still reeling from the battle.

He lost.

No. Not a loss. A draw. But barely.

And that was what infuriated him the most.

He had all this power. But without experience, without skill—what was the point?

The door slid open.

Principal Dren Vax entered, hands clasped behind his back. His expression unreadable.

"You made quite the impression," he said, voice calm.

Albert sat up, wincing. "I should've done better."

"You should have." The principal's gaze sharpened. "And that is why you will be assigned a special instructor."

Albert frowned.

"You fought well, but recklessly," Dren continued. "Your strength is undeniable, but your technique is lacking. If you wish to survive what's coming, you need more than raw power."

Albert's jaw tightened. "Who?"

The principal's lips curled slightly. "One of the instructors from our meeting. Professor Calen Rhyd"

A name flickered in Albert's mind—the meeting where they had discussed the Quantum Shroud, the academy's plans, and the threats looming ahead.

Vax concluded, "You are granted the weekend off to recover. Use this time to reflect on today's events and prepare yourself. Your training under Professor Rhyds will commence on Monday."

Dren turned to leave. "Your training begins soon. Be prepared."

As the door shut, Albert exhaled, gripping the sheets beneath him.

He wasn't angry about the fight.

He was angry at himself.

If he couldn't master his power, then it didn't matter how strong he was.

Kara had shown him his weakness.

And next time—they wouldn't fight to a draw.

Next time, he would win.