Lost In Chaos

Axion's gaze locked onto Kaz, his diamond-shaped eyes cold and unreadable.

"Ryuma Bloom of the Darkbloom Clan, can you leave me with Kazeem Steel, the unaffiliated?" Axion's voice was smooth, but there was an undertone of something undeniable—authority.

Kaz stiffened. Kazeem Steel.

It had been years since anyone had used his full name.

Axion studied him closely, eyes tracing over Kaz's Milky Way irises, where glimmers of light flickered like distant stars. His hair, a shade of violet so pale it looked nearly white, contrasted against his caramel brown skin, which held a soft radiance even in the dim lighting.

Kaz met his gaze, unflinching. Strong, but wary.

A tense silence filled the room, but suddenly—

Ryuma burst into laughter.

It wasn't his usual cocky smirk or easygoing grin.

This was something else.

His heartbeat pounded like war drums.

His body burned with anticipation.

Then it hit Kaz.

Ryuma's Riftborn Talisman was evolving.

A name appeared in his mind, etched into reality itself.

"Dragon's Honor."

Kaz had known Ryuma long enough to understand what this meant.

A new feature. A new hunger.

Ryuma couldn't stop himself.

"How about we fight?" he blurted out.

Axion barely reacted. He simply stared.

Ryuma grinned, stepping forward. "If you win, I'll let you talk to my friend."

Kaz's eyes widened slightly. "Ryuma—"

Ryuma ignored him. His blood was singing for battle.

"You know, back in the Rift, Kaz and I spent many nights alone," Ryuma continued. "Not just that—we killed two Rift Spawns. One was an Aberration rank… and the other?"

He smirked.

"An Abyssal Rift Spawn."

For the first time, Axion's gaze shifted.

Kaz caught it—just a flicker of something.

Interest?

Doubt?

Ryuma went further.

"Oh, and go ahead and destroy my clan," he added, casually, recklessly. "I couldn't care less. I was planning to do it myself once I became a Lord."

Kaz stared at him.

Ryuma had always been unpredictable, but this?

Even Axion seemed to consider the words for a moment. Then—

"Fine."

Axion's tone was even, unbothered.

"I'll fight you."

Ryuma led them through the academy halls, his energy barely contained.

Kaz followed, still trying to make sense of what was happening.

Ryuma's Talisman had changed.

He could feel it—a shift in his presence.

Could it be… Lord's Strength evolving?

Last Kaz knew, Ryuma's trait craved battle. But now?

It felt like something more.

He didn't know if that was a good thing.

Inside the sparring hall, Kaz took a seat on the bench as Ryuma and Axion squared off in the center.

Steel Meets Dragon

Ryuma's transformation was immediate.

A long, scaled tail coiled behind him.

His wings, black and violet, unfolded.

The energy in the room grew thicker.

Axion, however, just stood there.

Silent. Still.

Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he unsheathed his sword.

A black blade, edge shimmering like liquid shadow.

Kaz felt an unease settle in his gut.

Ryuma moved first.

He closed the gap in an instant, sword arcing downward—

A crushing vertical strike.

No Initiate should've been able to block that.

His strength was boosted—not just by his trait, Dragonling, but by his desire to fight someone truly strong.

Yet—

Axion didn't even flinch.

He simply raised his sword, tilting it diagonally.

Ryuma's blade slid off like water, deflected effortlessly.

And in the same breath—

Axion stepped onto Ryuma's own sword.

Then countered with a lightning-fast slash.

But Ryuma was faster.

With a single flap of his wings, he launched himself upward and lashed out with a brutal kick.

The force should've sent Axion flying.

Instead—

He simply slid back.

Ryuma narrowed his eyes.

The fight escalated.

Strike after strike, clash after clash—

Axion parried every attack.

He never faltered. Never hesitated.

But what made Kaz's stomach twist wasn't Axion's skill.

It was the realization that Axion hadn't used a single ability.

Not once.

And yet—

Ryuma was struggling.