Elias continued down the corridor toward Lady Seraphina's court, his footsteps quick and purposeful.
*Anyway, my big sister isn't weak like she used to be. Even though I don't know what that asshole Third Prince is planning right now… this incident might be the perfect chance to test how she handles pressure.*
The thought brought a faint smirk to his lips as he kept walking.
Suddenly, Reginald Voss vanished from his side without a sound.
Elias frowned. "What's happening?"
The corridor grew darker and darker until the shadows swallowed everything. Elias couldn't see his own hand in front of his face. Yet instead of panic, a spark of excitement lit in his dark eyes.
He spoke into the blackness, his voice calm and teasing. "So you broke through again, huh, brother?"
A low, amused chuckle echoed from the darkness. "Well, you're not bad either, little bro. You already jumped from three stars to four stars… and even improved your dark magic. Not bad at all."
Elias's smirk widened.
The voice continued, smooth and playful. "Well then… let me see how much you've really improved."
The instant the words faded, a dark bullet tore through the air. Elias's smirk vanished as he tried to dodge, but the attack was too fast. It sliced across his right cheek, drawing a thin line of blood that trickled down his pale skin.
Then the shadows coalesced, and a figure stepped forward.
A tall, strikingly handsome man emerged from the darkness. He was Lucian von Arcturus—Elias's second older brother. From the vampire lineage on their father's side, Lucian possessed the classic ethereal beauty of his race: porcelain-pale skin that seemed to glow faintly even in the dim corridor, sharp aristocratic features, high cheekbones, and a refined jawline that mirrored Elias's own. His long, sleek black hair fell past his shoulders in silken strands, and his eyes glowed with a deep, blood-red crimson that shared the same intense, devilish shape as Elias's dark ones. He was taller than his younger brother, with an elegant yet unmistakably predatory grace that made every movement feel both refined and dangerous.
Lucian smirked, the faintest hint of fangs glinting as he tilted his head. "Not bad. You actually sensed it coming this time."
The corridor had become a void of pure darkness, the walls and floor swallowed by Lucian's shadow domain.
Lucian stood at the center of it all, hands casually tucked into his pockets, crimson eyes glowing with lazy amusement. "Come on, little bro. Don't hold back just because I'm your big brother."
Elias wiped the thin line of blood from his cheek with the back of his hand, a feral grin spreading across his face. Without a word, he exploded forward.
Dark Magic: Coated Fist.
His right fist ignited with swirling black energy as he threw a straight punch aimed at Lucian's jaw. The air whistled sharply.
Lucian didn't move his feet. He simply tilted his head, and a small, dense dark bullet shot from his fingertip like a bullet from a gun. It collided with Elias's coated fist mid-strike, exploding into black sparks and forcing Elias to skid backward.
"Not bad," Lucian chuckled. "Your dark magic is cleaner than last time."
Elias didn't reply. He dashed in again, this time launching a low spinning kick coated in dark energy. The heel sliced through the air with a vicious whoosh, aiming to sweep Lucian's legs.
Lucian hopped lightly, firing three rapid dark bullets in succession. Two missed on purpose. The third clipped Elias's shoulder, spinning him mid-air and sending him crashing into the shadowy wall.
Elias bounced off the wall and charged once more, eyes blazing. He chained a brutal combination—left hook, right uppercut, spinning back kick—every strike wrapped in thick layers of dark magic. The corridor echoed with the sharp cracks of his coated limbs cutting through the air.
Lucian moved like smoke. He dodged most strikes with minimal effort, occasionally flicking his fingers to launch another dark bullet. Each bullet was precise, fast, and controlled—never enough to seriously injure, but enough to sting, disrupt, and punish every opening Elias left.
A bullet slammed into Elias's ribs. Another grazed his thigh. A third struck his left forearm, numbing it for a split second.
Elias growled in frustration and pushed harder. He feinted a punch, then dropped low into a sweeping kick followed by an upward elbow coated in dark energy. For the first time, the elbow connected with Lucian's forearm.
The impact sent a shockwave through the shadows.
Lucian's eyes widened slightly in genuine surprise. "Huh. You actually touched me."
But that was all Elias got.
In the next instant, Lucian's casual demeanor vanished. He flicked his wrist once. A single, slightly larger dark bullet—still clearly held back—shot forward like a cannonball.
Elias crossed his arms and coated them with every ounce of dark magic he could muster.
The bullet smashed into his guard like a truck.
He was blasted backward, tumbling across the floor until he slammed into the far wall. The impact rattled his bones. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Before he could push himself up, Lucian appeared directly in front of him, still holding back, still smiling.
"Enough, little bro."
He flicked two fingers.
Two dark bullets struck Elias's shoulders at the same time, pinning him against the wall with overwhelming force. A third bullet hit his stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs.
Elias gasped, sliding down the wall until he sat on the floor, breathing hard. His arms and legs felt heavy, his dark magic flickering weakly.
Lucian stood over him, hands back in his pockets, looking completely untouched.
"Not bad at all," he said softly, crimson eyes glowing with approval. "You've grown. But you're still nowhere near my level. Keep training, Elias. Maybe next time you'll actually make me use more than my fingers."
The shadows around them slowly receded, returning the corridor to its normal dim lighting.
Lucian turned and began walking away, his long black hair swaying behind him.
"By the way… the Third Prince has already arrived at the main gate. Try not to embarrass the family too much today."
He disappeared around the corner without another word.
Elias remained sitting against the wall for a long moment, chest heaving, blood on his cheek and lip, a mixture of frustration and burning determination in his dark eyes.
He slowly wiped the blood from his face and muttered under his breath,
"…Next time, brother."