In the great Council hall, with stone vaults engraved with ancestral symbols, Li Wei and Mei Ling stood before the Elders of the academy.
Their faces, weathered by time and experience, bore the gravity of unquestioned authority.
The Gold-level detection workshop, which continuously monitored the academy's energies, had detected no anomalies during the night intrusion of the Shadow Cultists. Yet, Li Wei had just reported unexplained events.
Mei Ling spoke first, her voice calm but tinged with concern:
"This evening, during the incident, we observed disturbances that none of our sensors detected, despite the activation of our Gold-level concealment artifacts. Energy traces and inconsistent seals indicate interference... a power that exceeds what we know here."
The Elders exchanged surprised glances. One of them, Master Qian, an elder of the Gold class, whose long gray beard and piercing eyes revealed millennial wisdom, stepped forward.
"Explain to us precisely what you observed. We are here to understand any anomaly, even if it comes from an individual who merely reported the facts."
Li Wei, his heart beating in respectful silence, humbly declared: "I only witnessed what happened.
During the confrontation, my power manifested in an unexpected way – an awakening of strength that I do not yet master.
I did not seek to impose my will. I simply saw, at the crucial moment, a flash of energy... An activation that, according to the system, indicated a power level of 'Divine Iron Low'."
At these words, Master Qian narrowed his eyes and immediately consulted the readings from the academy's protection artifacts.
"Our devices, calibrated to detect up to Gold level, revealed no external anomaly... This phenomenon proves that this power, although classified as 'Divine Iron Low,' interferes with our energy barriers.
The breach should not have occurred if the concealment was functioning correctly."
Tension rose in the room, and one of the Elders, with severe features and a firm voice, added:
"We must strengthen security immediately. We must maximize vigilance and launch a thorough investigation into the origin of this power and the true intentions of the Shadow Cultists."
The council thus concluded a crucial meeting, reinforcing protective measures and deciding to establish a special commission.
The prevailing sentiment was one of urgency mixed with fear: if such an intrusion could manifest energy exceeding their detection threshold, then the established order was in peril.
Meanwhile, far from the vigilant eyes of the academy, the Shadow Cultists returned to their hideout.
In a dark cave, with walls lined with forbidden inscriptions and illuminated by flickering oil lamps, a group of cultists gathered to establish their report following the failure of their mission.
Around a stone altar, their lieutenant, with a grave expression, presented the situation in a measured tone: "My lord, our mission has been compromised.
Despite the full activation of our Divine Iron Low level concealment artifacts, a kid – an individual of insignificant appearance – appeared unexpectedly and sealed the access door to the object of our mission.
The failure of the mission occurred before our eyes, and we had to retreat."
An oppressive silence settled in the hall, then a terrifying aura made the cave vibrate, throwing all the Shadow Cultists into panic.
The lieutenant resumed after a painful pause, feeling the mortal oppression of an aura that foretold his death: "Our... our sensors indicated the presence of disturbances compatible with Gold-level protection.
Yet this kid, through his unexpected presence and actions, neutralized our progress."
As the cultists exchanged worried glances... a silhouette emerged from the darkness. The upper body of a being half-hidden in shadow appeared, his face concealed under a crenellated hood.
He emanated an aura so icy that the ground seemed to vibrate with negative energy, causing slight tremors among the gathered shadows.
In a deep, restrained voice, the mysterious being spoke: "So, this... kid would possess something of the Divine Iron Low level?"
As his words transformed into an icy whisper, two eyes of incandescent red opened in the darkness. A cold laugh, devoid of any human warmth, echoed through the cave, making even the most hardened cultists shudder.
The lieutenant, in a tone he struggled to control, concluded the report: "We cannot tolerate such insubordination. This power, even at Divine Iron Low level, is unacceptable. Our mission was compromised because of a child, and that could well upset the balance of forces..."
Tension mounted in the cave as the aura of the mysterious being enveloped the room with a terrifying cold.
Everyone sensed that this shadow leader, whose face remained hidden, was not simply an executor of dark wills, but the incarnation of anger and vengeance to come.
The chilling laughter continued its echo, foreshadowing an imminent retaliation...