Born in Blood



World essence started to gather around a large mass of thick vines, which twirled and twisted to conjoin with each other.

Liam watched with a tense gaze as the giant mass started to take a disturbing shape. 

A giant pincer resembling a venus flytrap emerged at its front, adorned with razor-sharp spikes for teeth. Hook vines shot out of its rear, front and sides, clinging to the surrounding trees as it released a low, deep growl.

Liam didn't need to watch the rest, activating Fleeting Foot and running away at full speed

'What is that thing?!' he cursed with a frown, looking over his shoulder to track the giant monstrosity. 'Rank 4?'

It started to chase, its hooks clipping to trees to catapult itself forward – its giant pincer closed and shut repeatedly, splintering the thick, towering trees with ease.

Hooks shot at Liam's body, but Lethality Mantle, the second and first form of his martial art, severed the chain-like vines and withered them.

'It's not! If it was, I wouldn't be able to cut or dodge that,' he thought with relief, but didn't stop his speed. 

Incoherent shouts, shrieks and screams of fear and anger gathered volume throughout the jungle.

At first, Liam thought the nobles spotted him and wanted to take revenge… then realized they were being chased by the same thing he was.

…All around, bright flashes lit up the shaded jungle. 

One by one, the fear-struck participants decided they had enough, activating their bracelets and teleporting back home.

The giant monstrosities softened their growls as they saw the humans disappearing… all except one.

Instantly, their bloodthirsty focus shifted to him, their low growls sending vibrations through the air.

Just before the figure was to be converged on from all angles, his body began to glow, before disappearing in the nick of time.

Liam's consciousness went through the same rollercoaster drag, but he'd never been happier to experience it.

His surroundings changed again, the inscribed platform filled with dread-faced youths that looked traumatized. Those aware, stared at Liam's figure with shock in their eyes.

'What's with them?' Liam's gaze narrowed, a bad feeling stirring in his chest. The grip on his blades subconsciously tightened.

He shifted his gaze above – Kalia still stood in the air, shooting him a knowing grin, staring at him with a probing and amazed gaze.

'What's with her?' 

Then he realized it.

Towards the once empty front of the platform, now rested a giant inscribed leaderboard that illuminated the names of the participants.

[1. Lawrence – 73 Gems.]

[2. Rin – 34 Gems.]

[3. Sveinn Horst – 18 Gems.]

Liam looked dumbfounded, a grimace growing on his face. He cursed himself for wishing there to be a leaderboard, especially when he overdid it to such an extent.

"How is this not foul play?!" a chubby young man shouted from among the crowd, his fat cheeks red from anger as he pointed at Liam. "He stole my flower right beneath my nose, then made the monkeys piss on me!"

Liam didn't even glance at the noble, his uneasy gaze fixed on the leaderboard.

Before long, others started to protest as well.

"After two whole hours, I had finally found a flower… just for this vagrant to shatter it in front of my eyes!"

That… had been by mistake, but Liam didn't care to explain. He would, if Kalia pressed him on it, but her attention wasn't on him.

Kalia looked at the youths with a piercing glare, causing a lump to form in their throats.

"Silence."

And silence followed.

"He didn't cause any harm, nor did he steal it from your hands. So long as the flowers were on their base, they were free for the taking. Let this be a lesson. Your families will not grant you everything."

Then, Kalia alternated her attention between five youths among the crowd.

"Well done, you all," she waved her hand, a glow basking Liam's body. 

With an indifferent tone, she added: 

"The rest can leave."

Once again, the rollercoaster drag weighed against Liam's mind, forcing him to squint under the pull – he just couldn't get used to the sensation. 

This time, it lasted nearly a whole minute before he could open his eye.

When he did, he found himself in a cold, well-ventilated but small rectangular room. 

The floor and walls were made out of marble, and towards his left and right were a series of windows – the outside of which was a blurry streak of fast moving lines – lined with comfy seats.

Behind him were four youths, two male, two female – laying on the ground as they waited to pick up their senses.

A smooth, whirring sound played in the background, the source of which was vents that circulated cold air throughout the space.

Liam noticed how the entire place was stacked with inscriptions and precise, glowing writings.

Kalia stood in front, looking at Liam with an assessing gaze.

'Is this… a train?' he wondered incredulously, instantly picking himself off the cold floor to greet the Royal.

"I've never seen a non-noble with a golden eye before," Kalia teased with a smile, assessing Liam's figure top to bottom. 

Non-noble… a pleasant way of saying peasant.

"I've never seen a royal with golden eyes either, your majesty," Liam made his usual respectful gesture and responded. "It's my mothers color."

"So you're not afraid to talk back? You'll be an interesting one to follow. Your future already looks bright, by the way," Kalia praised with a sly smile. 

"And you can spare me the pleasantries, Kalia is fine – you're all students of the Royal Academy now."

By then, the students behind Liam awoke, giving him a chance to assess their auras and features.

One of them was a square faced youth, his black eyes looked valiant and sharp, dark red hair tied to a man-bun. From those present, he looked the oldest, donning a crimson robe.

The remaining male student looked like a delinquent. His vermillion eyes held a hostile gaze, while his smooth dark hair fell over his shoulders. A natural frown rested on his face, donning a black robe that didn't look like it was from noble origin.

Beside him was a young girl, the youngest from the bunch.

She had a bashful demeanor and light blue hair that fell gracefully over her ears - azure eyes, blushed cheeks, donning a violet robe that highlighted her soft shoulders. 

The last was a young girl with hooded violet eyes and tied, dark purple hair that flowed wildly. She had a quiet, solemn disposition compared to the others there, and wore a black one-piece that extended past her shins.