The academy’s dical wing was far larger than any ordinary clinic. Entire sections of the building were dedicated to healing magic, ergency treatnt, and recovery rooms for students injured during training or dungeon raids.
Kael sat quietly beside Charlotte’s bed.
The room was silent except for the occasional beeping of magical monitoring devices.
His gaze remained fixed on the unconscious girl.
"If I knew illusion magic, this would have been much easier."
Kael leaned back in his chair.
Demons were naturally talented in ntal and illusion-based abilities. In the ga, there had been several characters capable of creating realistic scenarios that pushed people to their limits without causing actual harm.
Unfortunately, Kael hasn’t tried to learn it at least not yet.
"I really need to learn illusion magic."
He tapped his fingers against the armrest.
There was soone in the academy who specialized in illusion-based techniques. In the ga, she had been considered one of the most talented illusion users among the younger generation.
Maybe later he could find a way to approach her.
His attention returned to Charlotte.
"It’s funny."
Kael shook his head.
"My original plan was to stab her and push her to the edge of death."
He wasn’t joking.
Many elental awakenings occurred under extre stress.
Charlotte’s lightning affinity had awakened during a life-or-death situation in the original ga tiline. Since Kael knew that much, recreating similar conditions seed like the fastest solution.
Of course, his execution had been questionable.
Very questionable.
Still, the result had worked.
Instead of awakening through fear, Charlotte had awakened through rage.
Her desperation to survive had forced her body to instinctively draw upon mana.
The result was the sa.
Lightning.
A rare and powerful affinity.
One with trendous potential.
"I could have spent months training her normally."
Kael sighed.
"But that would’ve taken too long."
The academy tournant was approaching.
He didn’t have months.
Charlotte needed strength now.
His eyes briefly flickered red.
For a mont, he felt the presence of the demonic seed hidden deep within his body.
The sensation disappeared almost instantly.
Kael frowned.
Ever sincen the awakening of the demonic seed things had begun to change whithin Kael but the seed was still dormant.
But not completely inactive.
"One problem at a ti."
A groan interrupted his thoughts.
Charlotte stirred.
Her eyes slowly opened.
The mont she beca conscious, she imdiately sat up.
Pain shot through her body.
"Ah!"
She fell back onto the bed.
Every muscle in her body ached.
The lightning awakening, the gravity chamber, and the injury from Kael’s sword had taken their toll.
Then she noticed who was sitting beside her.
Charlotte’s eyes widened.
"You psychopath!"
Kael looked completely unbothered.
"You awakened your elent."
Charlotte nearly exploded.
"THAT was your thod?!"
Her voice echoed throughout the room.
"Do you realize how insane that was?!"
Kael shrugged.
"It was effective."
"It was suicidal!"
"It still worked."
Charlotte stared at him in disbelief.
She couldn’t even argue against the results.
The mont she had been pushed beyond her limits, lightning mana had erupted from her body.
She had felt it.
The power.
The speed.
The energy coursing through her veins.
It was real.
And that realization only made her more conflicted.
"You seriously planned all of that?"
"Mostly."
"Mostly?!"
Kael nodded.
"The stabbing part happened differently than expected."
Charlotte imdiately grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.
Kael caught it effortlessly.
The sight only annoyed her further.
"You’re unbelievable."
"Thank you."
"That wasn’t a complint."
"I know."
Kael stood from his chair.
"Regardless, your affinity has awakened."
He tossed the pillow back onto the bed.
"Which ans we can finally begin your actual training."
Charlotte blinked.
"Training?"
Kael nodded.
"You’re a Warlock."
The statent imdiately stunned her.
Warlocks were extrely rare.
Most people specialized in either martial combat or magic.
Trying to master both usually resulted in diocrity.
A swordsman focusing on spells would beco weaker than a true mage.
A mage learning weapon arts would lag behind dedicated warriors.
Very few people could successfully walk both paths.
Those individuals were known as Warlocks.
Elite combatants capable of combining magic and martial techniques.
Charlotte stared at him.
"You can’t be serious."
"I am."
Kael crossed his arms.
"Your lightning affinity is naturally suited for both close-range combat and spellcasting."
Lightning enhanced speed.
Reaction ti.
Movent.
And destructive power.
Combined with proper combat training, Charlotte’s future potential was enormous.
Far greater than she currently realized.
Kael smirked.
"Trust ."
Charlotte imdiately frowned.
"After what happened today, I definitely don’t trust you."
"Fair point."
For a mont neither of them spoke.
Then Kael continued.
"The academy tournant begins in two weeks."
Charlotte froze.
She had almost forgotten.
The tournant determined student rankings.
Rewards.
Resources.
Privileges.
Everything.
"I want you in the Top 100."
Charlotte stared at him.
Then pointed at herself.
"?"
"Yes."
"Top 100?"
"Correct."
"There are a thousand students."
"I know."
"I just awakened my affinity today."
"I know."
Charlotte looked ready to scream.
Kael remained completely calm.
"The stronger you beco, the more opportunities you’ll have."
His tone beca slightly more serious.
"Access to advanced training rooms."
"Special missions."
"The academy library."
"Higher-ranked techniques."
"Better instructors."
"The Top 100 receive benefits ordinary students can’t access."
Charlotte quietly listened.
For soone obsessed with obtaining strength, those rewards were impossible to ignore.
Kael noticed the determination slowly returning to her eyes.
Good.
That was exactly what he wanted.
The stronger Charlotte beca, the more useful she would be in the future.
And unlike many of the future villains, Charlotte wasn’t inherently evil.
She was simply desperate.
Desperate people were easy to manipulate.
But they were also easy to save.
Kael preferred the second option.
At least for now.
Charlotte finally broke the silence.
"You still tried to kill ."
Kael paused.
Then he laughed.
"You’re still stuck on that?"
"I got stabbed!"
"Minor detail."
"Minor detail?!"
Charlotte looked ready to throw another pillow.
Kael raised his hands defensively.
"Relax."
He gently patted her head.
The action caught her completely off guard.
"You still have a use."
Charlotte’s eye twitched.
"There it is."
"You aren’t useless yet."
"There it is again."
"So don’t worry about your life."
Charlotte wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or terrified.
Possibly both.
Kael turned toward the door.
"We’ll start training once you’re discharged."
Without waiting for a reply, he left the room.
Charlotte watched him disappear into the hallway.
Silence filled the room once again.
She slowly looked down at her hands.
Tiny sparks of electricity flickered between her fingers.
Lightning.
Real lightning.
The power she had dread about obtaining.
The power she had been willing to do almost anything to gain.
And sohow...
The person responsible was a complete lunatic.
Charlotte sighed.
"Is this really the path I have to walk to beco stronger?"
The small sparks danced across her fingertips.
For the first ti since arriving at the academy, she wasn’t entirely sure of the answer.
Yet despite everything...
She couldn’t deny one fact.
Kael Draven had kept his promise.
He had given her power.
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