ONLINE: Blades of Eternity-Chapter 153: THE POWER RANKINGS

As Kaelen bid farewell to Christopher, he awkwardly raised his hand in an exaggerated, cringeworthy gesture, grinning in an overly serious manner. "You did well, young one," he said, his tone full of false bravado. "Learn from this defeat, and perhaps one day, you’ll reach my level."

Christopher stared blankly at him for a moment, unsure how to respond. He gave a stiff nod, still processing his loss, while Kaelen turned on his heel and walked off the platform with a confident, almost theatrical stride.

As Kaelen approached Eldric and Lila, both of them looked amused by his behavior. Eldric raised an eyebrow, half-smiling. "You’re really getting into this ’senior’ role, huh?" he teased.

Lila chuckled, a bright sparkle in her eyes. "I think someone’s been in the Academy too long. Next thing you know, Kaelen, you’ll be giving lectures on swordsmanship to freshmen."

Kaelen rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Hey, it’s weird being called a senior now. I had to lean into it."

Lila, still smiling, then suggested, "We should check the power rankings. It might be useful for you to stay updated with who’s where now. I mean, you almost forgot the rankings existed."

Kaelen blinked, realizing she was right. "Good idea. Let’s go."

Together, they made their way toward the place where the Academy’s power rankings were posted—a large, enchanted stone board that updated itself with the latest changes in ranking. The area around it was bustling with students, all eager to see the current standings.

When they reached the board, Kaelen’s eyes scanned the names, and Lila leaned in closer with a smug expression already forming.

The first name at the top was no surprise: The Mysterious Swordsman. His presence loomed over the academy like a legend, and everyone acknowledged his skill as untouchable.

Next came The Dark Prince, holding onto second place. Kaelen nodded. That was expected.

Then his gaze fell on the third position, and he froze.

Lila smirked smugly as her name shone proudly in third place. "Lila Rosary." She shot Kaelen a look of triumph, crossing her arms. "Surprised?"

Kaelen was indeed caught off guard. "I—how? I mean, I knew you were strong, but—third? You’re ranked above the Ice Jade Princess?"

Lila puffed out her chest in mock pride. "It’s no big deal, Kaelen. Just me being awesome."

Kaelen shook his head, a laugh escaping him. "I’ll never hear the end of this."

They continued down the list. In fourth place was The Ice Jade Princess, another formidable name, and in fifth was The Fleeting Spear. Kaelen’s own name appeared in sixth position.

"Sixth isn’t bad," Kaelen muttered, though he felt a twinge of competitiveness rising within him. He wasn’t far from the top.

Eldric leaned in closer, squinting at the list. "Wait, where am I?"

Kaelen scanned downward until he reached the thirteenth position, where Eldric was listed. Eldric blinked, clearly stunned. "Thirteenth? Thirteenth?! How am I thirteenth? I—"

Kaelen bit back a grin. "That’s not bad."

Eldric, looking increasingly flustered, waved a hand. "Not bad? It’s terrible! I should be higher than Christopher at least!"

As they continued down the rankings, they found Morris ranked at tenth. Kaelen gave a small nod. "He’s climbing fast."

In ninth place was Guinevere. Lila glanced at the name, giving a satisfied nod. "I knew she’d be up there."

Next, they saw Ethan ranked eighth. Kaelen raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Ethan’s been keeping busy."

Further down the list, they spotted Sofia in the fifteenth position. Kaelen smiled softly at that—Sofia was strong, no doubt, but she still had room to grow.

And, finally, there was Christopher at twelfth. Eldric’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. "He’s ahead of me?! How—he just lost to you!"

The discovery seemed to infuriate Eldric even more, his face turning red as Kaelen and Lila exchanged amused glances.

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"Well," Lila said, patting Eldric on the back, "I guess you’ve got some work to do, huh?"

Eldric grumbled under his breath, glaring at the rankings. "I’ll fix this. Just you wait."

...

An uproar echoed across the grounds of the Valen Military Academy, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. The commotion seemed to come from the sparring grounds, where crowds of students had gathered, their murmurs growing louder with every passing moment. Word spread quickly: a new student, someone unfamiliar to most, was demolishing everyone in sight.

Inside the Academy, the headmaster’s office was filled with the sound of hurried footsteps as one of his aides burst in. "Headmaster, there’s a situation at the sparring grounds. You need to come immediately."

The headmaster, a tall man with graying hair and a stern, disciplined demeanor, stood abruptly. His eyes narrowed as he grabbed his cloak, his military boots clicking against the floor as he hurried out of the room. The sparring grounds? He rarely needed to deal with such matters personally, but this uproar was no ordinary disruption.

When the headmaster finally arrived at the sparring grounds, he pushed his way through the crowd, his heart pounding with anticipation. As the students parted to make way for him, the sight that met his eyes left him momentarily stunned.

In the center of the grounds stood Kelvin, the very same boy he had encountered during the Rookie tournament at Pacesetters Academy. Kelvin was unrecognizable from the timid, revenge-driven youth he had seen back then. His eyes now burned with a fierce intensity, his movements brutal and precise as he dismantled yet another opponent with savage efficiency. The defeated students lay scattered around him, groaning in pain, while Kelvin stood tall, breathing heavily but entirely unscathed.

The headmaster’s eyes widened. This was no simple sparring match. Kelvin was systematically crushing the elite students of the military academy without mercy.

He stepped forward, ready to intervene and stop the madness. "That’s enough!" the headmaster shouted, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "Kelvin, stand down immediately!"

But before the headmaster could make another move, a sudden and chilling presence emerged beside him.

It was the man who had brought Kelvin to the Academy. His dark figure seemed to materialize from the very shadows, blocking the headmaster’s path. The headmaster’s breath caught as he recognized the man’s aura—an overwhelming, primal force that far surpassed anything he’d encountered in the Academy.

The man looked at the headmaster with an amused smirk, his eyes gleaming with dangerous intent. "I wouldn’t do anything reckless if I were you," he said in a voice dripping with menace.

Before the headmaster could respond, a crushing pressure enveloped him. It was as if a mountain had suddenly descended on his shoulders. His knees nearly buckled under the sheer weight of the man’s aura, sweat beading on his forehead as he struggled to remain upright.

The headmaster’s hands clenched into fists as he tried to resist the overwhelming force. "You... What are you doing here? This is an Academy for the elite—"

The man chuckled darkly, cutting him off. "I’m not interested in your Academy’s rules or your students, Headmaster. I’m here for Kelvin. And as far as this situation goes... I suggest you yield."

The headmaster could barely breathe under the intense pressure, and the warning in the man’s tone was unmistakable. He gritted his teeth, realizing that any attempt to confront Kelvin or the man now would only end in disaster. His eyes flicked back to the sparring grounds, where Kelvin stood tall amidst the fallen students, the crowd around them watching in stunned silence.

Reluctantly, and with great bitterness, the headmaster stepped back. "Fine. But don’t think this will go unanswered. I will report this to the higher authorities."

The man’s smile didn’t falter. "Do what you must, Headmaster. But for now, you’ll let Kelvin finish what he’s started."

The headmaster turned away, his chest tight with frustration and helplessness. The balance of power had shifted drastically, and it was clear that Kelvin and the man who had brought him were now forces to be reckoned with—forces that could not be so easily stopped.

As the headmaster left, the man turned back to the sparring grounds, his dark eyes fixated on Kelvin with a sense of satisfaction. "Good. Keep going, Kelvin. Your path is just beginning."