SWNOVELXO Chapter 53: – Blood Training: Heroes or Shadows?
The Phoenix Guild buzzed with anticipation.
The walls of the special training hall — where Darius, Inavy, Diana, and Rose had once forged their legend — were now about to witness the rise of a new generation.
Diana Flamesoul snapped her fingers. Golden sparks danced in her eyes like embers.
Diana (grinning, merciless):"Alright, Phoenix newbies... Let's see what you're made of."
Her gaze fell directly on Ryu.
Diana:"So, Ryu... we finally get to train together, huh? You'd better brace yourself, kid."
Ryu, sweating already, tried to smile.
Ryu (muttering):"H-Hey, Aunt Diana… long time no see…"
He turned to Ryan and whispered in code:
Ryu:"Let's bail, man. She's crazy!"
Ryan blinked, confused.
Too late.
Ryu tried to flee — but Diana grabbed him by the collar like a stray cat.
Diana:"Where do you think you're going, Ryu Nox?!"
Ryu (screaming):"AAAAAAHH! SENSEI DARIUS HELP! SHE'S GONNA KILL ME!! OH GOD!!"
The guild burst into laughter.
[Special Training Room]
The doors opened.
Dante, Abby, Annie, and Kane walked in together.Annie rushed to Ryan and hugged him tight.
Annie:"Yan!!"
Kane muttered a cold "hey," as usual.Abby paused when she saw Ryu still shaking.
Abby:"What happened to you?"
Ryu (pointing):"Her..."
Abby gasped — and then smiled wide.
Abby:"No way... it's really her! The legendary Diana Flamesoul!"
She and Annie ran over to ask for autographs.Diana, surprised, signed them with a proud smile.
Dante sighed.
Dante:"Mom, take it easy on them, okay?"
Diana (stern):"Here, I'm Sensei. Don't call me 'Mom' on the battlefield."
Dante:"Right, right…"
Diana walked up to Ryan, studying him carefully.
Diana:"Ryan Valeborn... I can't sense anything from your aura. Must be that Reversum that Lorien and Inavy mentioned…You're excused from the exercise. Stay on the sidelines with Dante. Just observe."
Ryan nodded silently, but his eyes remained locked on the field.
Kane, arms crossed, thought to himself:
"That damn nerd… He's already ahead of us. But I won't be left behind."
[Doors open again.]
Zen Kagetsune entered.
The room froze.Instincts sharpened.Hands tightened into fists.Annie and Abby stepped into battle stances.
Annie (low growl):"That bastard…"
But Darius and Kelvin stepped in behind him.
Darius:"Relax. He's one of us now."
Ethan's eyes burned with hatred. He simply muttered:
"Tch."
[Training Begins – Diana at the Center]
Diana stood in the arena, voice clear and sharp.
Diana:"You want to rescue someone from the Renegates?Then prove you can move unnoticed — even with your hearts on fire."
She raised her hand — and the field dimmed.Aura and light faded completely.
Diana:"Today you'll learn Absolute Aura Concealment.I want you to become NPCs. Nonexistent. Invisible."
🔥 Phase One – Sensory Disorientation
Blindfolded, the recruits were dropped into an illusion field:Warped sounds.Unstable gravity.Shifting temperatures.
Ryan, though on the sidelines, closed his eyes and joined voluntarily.The Reversum — used to "nothingness" — guided him.
Dante watched him, confused.
Dante:"Dude… you're not supposed to be in this."
Ryan:"Sorry… I just can't resist the temptation to grow stronger."
⚡ Phase Two – Emotional Reflection
Illusions of trauma.Painful memories.
Ryu saw his father's death.
Ethan watched Rose fall and Inavy collapse.
Annie saw her mother's final breath.
Abby faced the end of the world… and her father Antoine torn apart.
Zen stood alone.Surrounded by the voices of those he had killed.Liv's voice screamed, tears in her eyes:
"Why?"
Kane... saw Ryan as the ultimate hero.And himself?A background character. A nobody.
Even Ryan trembled, reliving the moment he nearly lost his mother.He screamed in silence — but stayed on his feet.
🌑 Final Phase – Night Hunt
Diana turned to Ryan and Dante.
Diana:"Now you're in. Final phase: Night Hunt. Real test.Your hunter… will be Zen Kagetsune."
They were dropped into a shadowed forest, where even breath could betray position.
Ryu merged with the darkness.
Ethan dashed with surgical precision.
Annie, Abby, and Kane were brilliant — masking emotions, silencing steps, vanishing like ghosts.
But Ryan... simply walked.
No aura.No intent.He was zero absolute.Invisible even to Zen, who whispered:
Zen:"That kid… he erased himself completely…"
🌅 After the Training
Everyone was exhausted.
Diana crossed her arms.
Diana:"Good. You're ready. You're dismissed… for now."
But before Ryan could leave, she stopped him.
Diana:"Ryan… a word?"
Ryan:"Of course, Sensei."
She looked him in the eye.
Diana:"I've seen people with immense power...But you're different.This Reversum… it's not just strength.It's purpose.And it's going to either consume you… or save you."
Ryan:"What if it's both?"
For the first time, Diana lowered her gaze.Then smiled — serene.
Diana:"Then make it worth it.Even if it's the last thing you do."
📍End of Chapter 53 – Blood Training: Heroes or Shadows?