Chapter 7: Blutduell am Flammentor – Blood Duel at the Flame Gate

The courtyard beneath the Flame Gate was never quiet.

Even at dawn, dozens of first-phase students sparred under the heat of summoned suns and whirling ember wards. Training dummies exploded. Flames hissed over stone. The sky itself shimmered from the discharge of mana auras.

But today, the fire whispered louder.

Because today, a Blood Duel had been declared.

 House Challenge: Haus Pyrolith vs. Maximilian Kriegswald

Issuer: Falko Grauwind – Ranked 3rd of Haus Pyrolith, grandson of Grand Marshal Grauwind, flame-blooded, known for brutal shield-burn tactics.

Challenge: "To force affiliation through open combat."

Terms: "Winner determines House alignment."

Maximilian had no intention of submitting to anyone. But denying the duel would weaken his standing—and raise suspicions about his S+ rank concealment.

"Fine," he said, brushing a strand of soot-dark hair from his eye."Let's entertain them."

Arena: The Crucible of Living Flame

Spectators gathered in tiers above the central crater coliseum—rings of molten glass and obsidian curved outward like an inverted volcano. Magical glyphs shimmered at the edges, designed to protect onlookers from aura shockwaves.

The Chancellor herself, Ignatia Vulkrand, presided from the obsidian throne.

"Begin when the flame speaks," she declared.

The Arena Core lit.

Duel Initiated: Falko Grauwind vs. Maximilian Kriegswald

"Bloodline Advantage Activated: Grauwind Flame Vortex"

"Warning: Opponent's Aura exceeds registered Tier"

Falko charged, trailing a spiral of compressed fire.

His warplate radiated heat signatures like a supernova. His shield erupted with volcanic pulses that slammed into Maximilian's aura barrier.

Maximilian remained still.

"He's not activating his Soul Weapon?" someone murmured.

"Does he even have one?"

Falko sneered and raised his spear of cindered sunbone—

Only to find the world slowing.

Temporal Resonance Activated

"Skill Fragment: Temporal Anchor – Status: 58%""Form Switch: Zeitbrecher: Longsword to Chakram Mode"

The spinning blade curved around Falko's strike, carving a scar of blue starlight through the shield's edge.

"W-what?" Falko gasped.

Maximilian stepped forward, aura collapsing and re-igniting in perfect rhythm.

He didn't just overpower.

He predicted.Corrected.Rewrote.

Duel Result: Victory – Maximilian Kriegswald

"Haus Pyrolith must acknowledge independent affiliation."

"Standing: Ranked Dueler. Potential House Lord Candidate."

Observers & Political Ripples

From the private observatory:

Professor Kaas adjusted her monocle: "He's not a standard S+."

House Wyrmbinder's Warden, a drake-scaled warlady, licked her fangs: "He fights like a dragon unbound."

Albrecht Stahlgrau simply grunted: "Dangerous."

And somewhere deeper—far below in the flame-locked vaults of forbidden knowledge—something ancient stirred at the echo of Maximilian's aura.

 System Notification (Hidden)

"Temporal Flow exceeded class expectations.""SSS+ traits nearing exposure threshold."

"Class Evolution Path Fragment Unlocked: Path of the Star Soul – Stage 1: Stellarweave Initiate."

"Unique Evolution Signature Detected: 1 of 1."

Post-Duel: The Flame Parliament's Interest

Maximilian received three invites that night:

Join Haus Wyrmbinder as their Scion-Protected Dueler.

Enter Haus Vulcanos and train as a Soul-Forge Apprentice.

Accept the position of Independent Seat Candidate—with access to the university's private dungeon reserves.

He chose none—for now.

"The path to truth," he whispered, "is never crowded."

Lore Drop: Aura Tiers (Expanded)

Known Aura Ranks:

 E – Embers

 D – Sparkline

 C – Ignition

 B – Kindled

 A – Blazing Core

 S – Flame Sovereign

 S+ – Solar Resonance

 SS – Starfire

 SS+ – Nova Chain

 SSS – Dragonflame Root

 SSS+ – Worldforge Flame (Rare – Divine Bloodlines Only)

Maximilian's aura pulses dangerously between S+ and SSS+, requiring immense mental suppression to avoid detection.

Epilogue: The Watching Flame

That night, Maximilian wandered to the edge of the Eternal Flame's heart—a sacred chamber only Throne Key bearers could enter.

There, an old man sat beside a fire that burned with no fuel. His robes were threadbare. His eyes, endless.

"You walk with time and shadow," the old man said. "But the flame remembers."

"Who are you?"

"The last of the Starforgers. And your next teacher."

End of Chapter 7: Blutduell am Flammentor – Blood Duel at the Flame Gate