"Aww... He''s so cool~," the girls murmured, their voices soft but filled with admiration for Pyris''s actions.


    "So romantic! If only they weren''t siblings, I''d swear they were together," one girl whispered, her voiceced with longing.


    "Mhmm~ Can we swap ces, youngdy Aurelia?" another teased shyly, though she ensured her voice didn''t reach Pyris or Aurelia. But Aurelia heard them, and instead of pulling away, she held Pyris even tighter, unwilling to let go.


    "So fast!" gasped one of the golden-haired twins, her eyes struggling to follow Pyris''s speed. Only those at Rank 5 and higher could see his movement clearly, though even for them, it was a blur.


    The twins, with their natural connection to space, could sense him moving, but only barely.


    "Sister, he''s bending space and time with his speed. He''s defying everyw of nature—space, time, gravity—it''s insane!" the observant twin eximed, his voice tinged with awe.


    "I know," she replied, her tone equally impressed but focused, her gaze so sharp trying to discern Pyris to the very core of his being, ultimately failing though.


    Not far from them, another group was just as intrigued by the unfolding drama.


    "How domineering! The way he handled that vampire… and how Aurelia—always so cold and aloof—fell into his arms like she belongs there," remarked a girl who sat in a rxed posture at a prime spot in the cafeteria.


    Her crop top left little to the imagination, while her grey pants hugged her figure. She wore a cap, light brown hair cascading down her back, with a few strands framing her face. She exuded a certain beauty, but more so, an undeniable authority. Five girls stood around her, clearly following her lead.


    (Comment if you like the image)


    "I''ve never seen Aurelia act like that with anyone," one of the girls muttered, clearly astonished. "She''s actually smiling!"


    "I''d say it''s because they''re siblings," another girl chimed in. "But even with her big sister, Anastasia, Aurelia is still frosty. There''s something deeper here, I swear. A secret just waiting to unravel!"


    "Stop with your wild fantasies, you mutt!" snapped the bossy girl, cutting her off.


    "But boss, there''s some truth to it!" another girl interjected. "Their bond is deep, but I don''t think it goes beyond them being super close siblings."


    "Exactly. I bet she''s his soft spot," the bossy one mused. "She was off in thest lecture. Maybe she was worried—it''s her brother''s first day here, and she feared something might happen to him."


    "I like him!" she suddenly dered, her eyes glinting with interest, just before—


    "Who the hell are you?!" Ragna, the Vampire prince, shouted after recovering from his shock.


    ____


    The warm moment between Pyris and Aurelia was abruptly shattered by Ragna''s outburst. Pyris turned reluctantly, loosening his embrace but still holding Aurelia''s hand in his left.


    "Hoho~ If it isn''t our esteemed Obsidian Young Lord," Ragna sneered, bowing mockingly. "What an honor to meet you."


    Pyris stared at the ck-haired, red-eyed vampire with cold indifference. They were the same height, both equally striking in appearance, still Pyris would win by far.


    Ragna, with his paleplexion, wore neatly pressed grey trousers, a casual cored shirt, and ck designer shoes—smart but exuding arrogance.


    His demeanor screamed disrespect, especially towards women, something Pyris had already picked up on.


    "Why did you try to hit my sister?" Pyris asked, his voice eerily calm as he let go of Aurelia''s hand and slowly approached Ragna, all while peeking into the vampire''s status.


    [Name: Ragna Count Drac.


    Race: Original Vampire


    Bloodline: Blood Ruler Bloodline


    Race Trait: Blood Cord, Stun


    Rank: Rank 6


    Elements: Blood, Earth


    Strength: 100/150


    Agility: 200/150


    Vitality: 200/150


    Stamina: 100/150


    INT: 150/200]


    ''His INT stats are lowerpared to the rest, as expected,'' Pyris thought. ''His agility, though, far surpasses the standard for Rank 6s—typical for a vampire.'' He calcted quickly.


    The leap between Rank 5 and Rank 6 was massive—each rank gained sixty points, a significant gap. Aurelia, being Rank 5, likely hadn''t even seen Ragna move. But Pyris, with his super speed, had been able to step in just in time.


    ''He''s stronger than me, but I''m faster, which I can use to my advantage. And with a few tricks up my sleeve, I can hold him off—just enough to keep Aurelia safe,'' Pyris reasoned, his mind clear even as the tension in the air thickened.


    "Your sister? Hahaha!" Ragnaughed loudly, his voice cutting through the silence that had fallen over the cafeteria. "I wasn''t going to answer you, but since you''re so eager… I''ll humor you. And you won''t be able to do a damn thing about it."


    By now, a huge crowd had gathered, nearly half of the academy. The cafeteria,rge as it was, had plenty of room to amodate the spectators, and it seemed everyone was captivated by the unfolding drama.


    Ragna''s goons, sensing their prince''s growing amusement, began scanning the room. "Everyone sit down! Now!" one of them bellowed. Most of the students obeyed, hurrying to their seats, not daring to anger Ragna.


    Only a few remained standing—those with noble blood or significant magical talent, individuals who refused to be cowed by a royal bully.


    The remaining defiant students caught Ragna''s attention, and his goons backed off slightly, unsure of how to handle them. Even they knew better than to push certain people too far.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Interesting," Ragna mused, his voice oozing smugness. "Close the doors." The order was obeyed immediately. In the back, the bossy girl and her group grabbed popcorn, clearly intending to enjoy the spectacle.


    Now, only Pyris, Aurelia, Ragna, and his three goons stood in the center of the room.


    "You really think I won''t do anything?" Pyris''s voice cut through the tension, his confidence palpable.


    "Pyris…" Aurelia tugged at his shirt, her voice filled with concern. She knew the danger—Pyris was only Rank 3. Going up against someone like Ragna was practically suicide, unless Pyris used his full power and every element at his disposal.


    But even then, the risk was high.


    "Don''t worry," Pyris said softly, his hand gently patting her head. "I won''t overdo it. Just trust me." He smiled, but it was a smile that belied the growing storm inside him.


    "I''ll handle this. And don''t worry, I''ll go easy on him."


    Laughter erupted from the crowd, Ragna included. "Go easy on me? Hahaha! You must be joking!"


    "Why did you do it?" Pyris asked again, his voice calm butced with an undercurrent of fury.


    "He doesn''t seem too worried about the difference in their power levels," the golden-haired twin murmured, her brow furrowing. "What''s he ying at?"


    "I''m wondering the same thing," her brother replied, eyes locked on Pyris.


    Ragna continued his act, grinning wickedly. "Why did I do it? Hmm, let''s see... Because your sister acts all high and mighty? No, that''s not enough to bother me." He smirked, clearly enjoying the game he was ying. "Maybe because she thinks she''s a princess?


    Annoying, but not the real reason."


    "I think I can guess why," Pyris interrupted, his voice suddenly sharper, his anger now barely restrained. The crowd fell silent as the real confrontation loomed.


    ****


    Power stones and review dear readers!