Crestfall: Darkness Unveiled

"Aether blade." Sosuke swung his hand, summoning a blade of mana is his hand, its shape akin to a katana. His mana was now full of lightning, his blade spewing sparks of it. He ran toward Arthur, blade ready to strike.

Arthur's reaction was a testament to his instincts, but even they weren't enough. The moment Sosuke vanished, the battlefield seemed to blur, reality itself lagging behind his speed. In an instant, Sosuke materialized behind Arthur, his movements too fast for the eye to follow. For a fleeting moment, it appeared as if nothing had happened. Then, the air around Arthur shimmered, revealing the aftermath of Sosuke's technique—a thousand razor-sharp cuts, almost imperceptible but undeniably lethal. Each slash was precise, deliberate, and infused with crackling blue lightning.

The lightning surged outward from the invisible wounds, locking Arthur in place with a ferocious, paralyzing force. His muscles seized as the electricity coursed through him, sparks dancing around his armor and blade. To the onlookers, it was as if Sosuke had teleported, striking with impossible precision in the blink of an eye. Even Arthur, renowned for his analytical mind and combat prowess, could only piece together what had happened after the fact. It wasn't just speed—it was an unrelenting storm, orchestrated to overwhelm and immobilize. Sosuke had unleashed something beyond the limits of an ordinary fighter, forcing even Arthur to struggle against the tide of power now surging through the battlefield.

"Blue Flash." Sosuke muttered.

Sosuke let his mana blade dissolve into sparks, the crackling energy dispersing into the air. His fists clenched, arcs of blue lightning weaving around them like serpents. Without hesitation, he surged forward, driving his fist into Arthur's gut with a thunderous impact that sent a shockwave rippling through the ground. Arthur's body jolted violently, still locked in place by the paralysis, unable to properly defend himself. Sosuke followed with a relentless flurry of punches, each strike sparking with raw, electric power. His fists connected with Arthur's chest, ribs, and jaw in a brutal rhythm, each hit leaving scorch marks and sending bursts of lightning radiating outward. The air around them seemed alive with electricity, the intensity of Sosuke's attacks echoing his growing rage. The paralyzed Arthur could only grit his teeth against the pain, his composure cracking as the unyielding barrage pushed him further into the brink.

"Time!" Aleron waved his hand. "It's over."

Sosuke stopped, his fist hanging in the air. He stood straight and walked out the exit of the arena. Leaving Arthur behind on his knees. He turned, gazing at Sosuke. "This isn't over!" Sosuke didn't respond, or even turn around.

Aleron grabbed Sosuke's arm as he walked past. "Listen, I don't care if Arthur wanted to keep going. You should've stopped. It's dangerous for you to use that power. Stay after class, I have important things to teach you early." Sosuke was surprised that he wasn't in more trouble and nodded. The feeling of unlocking his technique was exhilarating, but also terrifying. Ren and Rin appeared from the crowd, walking toward Sosuke.

"That was impressive honestly. Maybe I'm not the strongest." Rin said, her tone calm, but with a hint of approval. Sosuke nodded in acknowledgment, feeling a bit of warmth from her words.

Ren, on the other hand, said nothing at first. He stood a few steps back, his arms crossed, his eyes scanning Sosuke with a mixture of scrutiny and something harder to place. A faint sneer tugged at the corner of his lips. "Barely even broke a sweat," he muttered, the words just loud enough for Sosuke to hear. But it wasn't just the words—it was the look in Ren's eyes, that edge of jealousy.

Aleron gazed at Sosuke from a distance. "I'll meet up with you guys later." Sosuke gave Rin a nod and walked away. Sosuke followed Aleron into the classroom, it felt empty with just two people.

"Sit down, Estrella."

Sosuke follows his command and takes a seat in the front row.

"Listen, Sosuke. Core techniques are a difficult thing to achieve for everyone, even prodigies such as yourself. But, there is one thing that makes it easier, extreme emotions or situations. You see, there are mental factors to power. If you are confident and believe you're strong, your power will be more powerful and the opposite is also true." Aleron cleared his throat. "What I'm saying is, when he insulted you and your father in front of everyone, it made you angry didn't it? That rage literally fueled your power to activate. I'll tell you right now, I doubt you can activate your technique at will even after that. It was a emotional situation of you, it makes sense, but that doesn't mean that you've unlocked your technique. You simply… tapped into it."

Sosuke sat down slowly, his posture tense as he processed Aleron's words. His gaze remained fixed on the ground, but there was a quiet understanding in his expression, no anger, just a calm acknowledgment. "So, it wasn't a real breakthrough," he muttered to himself, keeping his tone even. "It was just… a momentary reaction, something I couldn't control." He exhaled slowly, trying to push away the weight of disappointment creeping in. "I thought I'd finally gotten it," he added, more to himself than to Aleron, but he didn't allow his voice to waver. Sosuke glanced up at Aleron, his eyes calm, his mind processing what he'd learned. "So, I need to find a way to unlock it properly. Without the anger." The realization wasn't earth-shattering, but it was humbling. He knew this wasn't the end—just another step in the journey.

"Exactly, you understand now. It's a start definitely, but I'll tell you now. If you use this power in your next match, I won't hesitate to disqualify you. I was aware of Arthur's strength, that's the only reason I didn't forcible take you both out. Anyone else but him, would've gotten killed. Unfortunately, the cube does not reverse death."

Sosuke looked down, and furrowed his brow. "Wouldn't that have been important information? You never mentioned that."

Aleron lean forward on his desk, narrowing his eyes on Sosuke. "Why would anyone try to kill another student?" He stood up from his seat and grabbed his bag. "It's time for you to go have your free time. Your dismissed."

Sosuke didn't say another word. He got up from his seat and walked out the class. As he walked through the hallway he remembered what must be done later. He made his way to the first-year hub, he figured that's where Ren and Rin would be. When he got there, they were sitting down talking to each other as expected.

Sosuke stepped into the hub, his footsteps light against the polished floor. Ren and Rin hadn't noticed him yet, too caught up in their conversation. Rin was leaning forward on the couch, her hands animated as she spoke, while Ren sat back with his arms crossed, looking skeptical.

"I'm telling you, Ren," Rin said, her voice filled with conviction, "if you plant a sunpetal seed under moonlight instead of sunlight, it grows faster. It's been proven."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "That's ridiculous. Plants need sunlight to grow. It's literally in their name. Sunpetal."

"Exactly! That's why it's counterintuitive, but it works. There's this whole theory about lunar mana enhancing growth cycles in rare plants."

Ren snorted. "Sounds like you've been reading too many of Professor Lorne's conspiracy theories again."

"It's not a conspiracy!" Rin protested, her voice rising slightly. "You're just jealous because you don't understand anything about horticulture!"

"I don't need to. Common sense says you're wrong."

Sosuke stood in the doorway, watching the two bicker. He shook his head slightly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "What the hell are you guys talking about?" Sosuke sighed and walked forward. "You guys need to focus. Listen, last night I heard noises coming from the staff building. I want you two to help me figure out what's happening in there tonight."

"Noises? What kind?" Ren asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Screams, something crazy is going on. You need to trust me. At night, all the teachers go home. The suits of armor you see around at night, those are the guards. They wake up at one in the morning, that gives us plenty of time." Sosuke paces around the couch, spewing out ideas for breaking into the building.

"First of all, how do you know there's not other security features in this school like cameras or alarms? Second of all, what makes you think we could even get inside?" Ren crossed arms and leaned back. "I'd prefer to get some sleep, I have studying to do. Making the best of my time while class is watching the tournament."

"I'll go." Rin raised her hand. "I got nothing else to do."

"Thank you. At least someone decides to come. Let's go later, at… 11."

"Sounds like a plan." Rin yawned. "I want to take a quick nap."

11:32PM

Sosuke and Rin snuck through the hallways and outside into the courtyard.

"I swear it really happened. I know what I heard. Come on." Sosuke jog forward, gesturing for Rin to move quicker. The cold night air bit at their faces as Sosuke and Rin crept across the courtyard, shadows stretching long under the pale moonlight. The towering silhouette of the staff building loomed ahead, its windows dark and lifeless. Sosuke slowed to a stop, glancing back to ensure the coast was clear.

"Okay," he whispered, "we'll circle around to the side entrance. If the guards wake up early, we're screwed, so stay quiet."

"Quiet, got it," Rin replied, smirking slightly as she watched Sosuke's hyper-focused demeanor.

The side entrance was just as imposing as the rest of the building—a thick wooden door reinforced with steel bands. Sosuke knelt by the handle, running his fingers over the lock. "Alright, let's think this through. There's probably a key somewhere, or maybe there's a staff member who forgot to lock it properly…"

Rin stared at him, unimpressed. "Seriously? You want to find a key right now?"

Sosuke nodded. "Breaking in isn't the answer. There's a right way to do things, Rin. If we get caught—"

Before he could finish, Rin pulled a thin hairpin from her pocket and crouched next to him. With a few quick twists, the lock clicked open, the heavy door creaking slightly as it shifted ajar. She stood and dusted her hands, grinning. "There, problem solved. You're welcome."

Sosuke blinked, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to respond. "That's—! That's not how we're supposed to—!"

"You wanted in, didn't you?" Rin pushed the door open wider, stepping inside without hesitation. "Stop overthinking everything. Rules are for the day; we're in the night now."

Sosuke let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose before reluctantly following her inside. "You're going to get us expelled one day."

Rin glanced back, her grin widening. "Maybe. But it'll be worth it if we figure out what's going on in here, right?"

The faint echo of their footsteps filled the dim corridor as they ventured further into the staff building. The air was colder here, and a strange, metallic scent lingered. Sosuke's unease deepened with every step.

"It's so, empty in here. Do they even come in here?" Rin said, as she looked at her surroundings. She let out a small scream when she saw a spider. Sosuke's eyes grew wide, he stopped for a moment to listen, then continued when he heard nothing. "I don't know Sosuke, I don't hear anything."

"We'll know where to go when we see it. I'm sure."

"Yeah, right.." Rin spoke with an uneasy feeling in her voice. Rin turned to Sosuke, who stopped upon a door.

"This is it Rin." Sosuke gazed at her with a serious expression. "I know it is." Sosuke was shaking, his hand unable to keep still as it reached for the basement door handle.

"Hurry up, the sooner we leave the better. That's what they say right?" Rin looked around rapidly, her body filling with paranoia.