Chapter 48: THE DEMON’S EVALUATION
Gareth wiped blood from his mouth and settled into a proper combat stance, his earlier arrogance replaced by wary respect. "Lucky shot, slave-blood," he spat, though his voice lacked its previous confidence. "But now I’m done playing around."
Golden light began to emanate from Gareth’s body as he channeled his aura, the energy crackling around him like visible electricity. His sword gleamed with enhanced power, while his muscles swelled with supernatural strength.
Mira moved to call the fight, recognizing that things had escalated far beyond a simple evaluation, but movement in the observation window caught her eye. A figure stood in the shadowed viewing area, someone who had arrived without announcement but whose presence commanded absolute attention.
Helena Voss.
The Assistant Head rarely observed routine evaluations personally, but something had drawn her here. Mira caught the subtle gesture from the observation window, a slight shake of the head that clearly meant let them continue.
What Helena didn’t reveal was what had truly brought her to this room. She had been in her office reviewing reports when it hit her, a wave of bloodlust so pure and concentrated that it had made her skin crawl with primal fear. It was the kind of killing intent that no human should be capable of generating, the psychic pressure of a true apex predator.
She had followed that aura like a bloodhound following a scent, and it had led her here. To this unassuming Dra’kesh who stood in the center of the training room like death given form.
"Now you die!" Gareth roared, launching himself forward in a technique that made his earlier charge look restrained.
Sword Rush [Lightning Strike].
His blade became a blur of motion wreathed in crackling energy, the technique designed to overwhelm opponents through sheer speed and power. The sword carved luminous trails through the air as Gareth closed the distance in the blink of an eye, his aura-enhanced strike capable of cleaving through steel.