Chapter 356 82.5 - What the heart sees
As Irina wandered the academy grounds, her mind consumed by anger and hurt, she found herself drawn to the training grounds.
It was a familiar place, a sanctuary where she could unleash the full extent of her powers without fear of judgment or reprisal.
The air was crisp with the chill of winter, but Irina hardly noticed as she entered the expansive training grounds.
Her footsteps echoed against the stone pathways, the sound a steady rhythm that matched the pounding of her heart.
Normally, she would train in the place dedicated to the high-ranking students in their dorms. However, right now, she didn't want to return to her room.
She didn't want to face the people she knew. She didn't want to deal with any type of those things.
She just wanted to burn these thoughts, and the normal training grounds were okay for that.
[Identity confirmed. Irina Emberheart. Freshmen, rank 3.]
She entered the individual training lounge.
Her eyes scanned the area, taking in the rows of golems standing at attention, waiting for their next challenger.Exxploore uptodate stories at novel/bin(.)com
These golems, imbued with powerful magic, were designed to test the skills of even the most seasoned mages.
[Which stage do you wish to set?]
"Set it to stage 7."
[Stage 7. Are you sure? This stage is not advised for freshmen.]
"Yes. Proceed."
Her voice was chilly, yet she knew getting angry at the artificial intelligence of the training grounds wouldn't help with anything.
It would rather make her look more stupid than ever.
[Understood. Stage 7 is being activated.]
RUMBLE!
As the training grounds shook beneath her feet, Irina felt a surge of anticipation coursing through her veins.
The familiar sensation of fire and fury welled up inside her, fueling her resolve as the walls of the lounge began to shift and groan.
CREAK!
From the depths of the room, golems emerged one by one, their metallic forms gleaming in the dim light. Each one stood tall and imposing, a formidable opponent that would test even the most seasoned mage.
But Irina was undeterred. With a flick of her wrist, flames erupted from her fingertips, dancing in the air like angry spirits eager for battle. Her eyes blazed with determination as she locked onto the approaching golems, her heart pounding with adrenaline-fueled fervor.
"Come on then," she growled, her voice a low rumble that echoed through the room. "Let's see what you've got."
As the first golem stepped forward, Irina launched herself into action. Fire trailed behind her as she moved, a fiery aura enveloping her form like a protective cloak. With lightning-fast reflexes, she dodged the golem's initial attack, retaliating with a powerful blast of flames that sent it staggering backward.
One by one, the golems advanced, their movements precise and calculated. But Irina met each challenge head-on, her fists blazing with the intensity of her emotions.
With every strike, she poured more and more mana into her attacks, pushing herself to the brink of exhaustion in her quest for release.
The temperature in the room soared as Irina's aura grew stronger, the flames swirling around her like a tempest unleashed.
Sweat dripped from her brow, mingling with the heat of her fiery energy as she fought with a ferocity born of desperation.
But even as the golems closed in, Irina refused to back down. She was a force to be reckoned with, a tempest of fire and fury that would not be extinguished.
As she faced down her opponents, slowly but surely, she thought the things that were bothering her would go away.
But as she stood there, her breath misting in the cold air, Irina felt a strange sense of clarity wash over her.
Different from other people, Irina was an Emberheart. She had the blood of ancient mages. Her body had already recovered to some extent.
The intrinsic characteristics of her body started showing its effects as the heat gradually overlapped the coldness, removing it.
"Ahh....It is over...."
Though her mana reserves had yet to be started filled, at the very least, her basal mana reserves were filled. Now, her body was operating just as it should.
"Ho.....What do we have here?"
Suddenly, she heard an unfamiliar voice from the side. It was the voice of a girl.
"To think that I would find the great Irina Emberheart in such a state.....Even as a non-believer, I can't help but think this is a play of fate."
SHIVER! Irina's body shivered. Not because of the cold this time but because of the chilliness and intent behind the voice.
As the unfamiliar voice pierced the silence of the night, Irina's instincts kicked in, and she tilted her head to the side to check who it was. Her muscles tensed, ready to react at a moment's notice.
But as she tried to summon her fire magic, she felt a sudden emptiness wash over her. Her mana reserves, depleted from her intense training session, left her unable to tap into her powers.
Panic flickered in her chest as she realized her vulnerability, her heart pounding in her ears as she turned her attention to the girl before her. The stranger revealed a smile, but to Irina, it looked sinister, sending a shiver down her spine.
The aura emanating from the girl was suffocating, a palpable sense of darkness that made Irina's stomach churn. She knew all too well what this aura meant - the unmistakable presence of a demon.
'A demon contractor!' In that moment, realization dawned on her like a bolt of lightning. The girl before her was not just any ordinary stranger; she was a demon contractor, someone who had made a pact with demons for power.
Despite the fear coursing through her veins, Irina forced herself to stand her ground, her eyes narrowing as she met the demon contractor's gaze. She may have been weakened, but she refused to show any sign of weakness in the face of this threat.
"What do you want?" Irina demanded, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke. She couldn't let this demon sense her fear, couldn't let it know just how vulnerable she truly was in this moment.
"What do I want?" The girl smirked, revealing her teeth. "Nothing much. I just want your everything."
The girl said as she started releasing an aura of the demon. A dark smoke slightly started dissipating, and in an instant, it started approaching Irina.
'This!'
Realizing what was about to happen, Irina's mind rapidly worked, trying to find something.
GRAB!
The smoke first swallowed her whole arms and legs, restraining her and preventing her from moving.
"Since such a fine gift was given to me right at the moment I needed it, I will not refuse it."
The girl said as her smoke penetrated Irina's pores, infiltrating her body. And following that, Irina felt the connection between her mana and her consciousness lost.
Her mana was sealed.
"Well, have a good sleep, Miss Irina. Since it will be your last one."
THUD!
With that, the last thing Irina saw was the hand approaching 02:15
her face. And then she lost her consciousness.
"Now, I should move quickly."
With that, the girl grabbed Irina and started moving in the shadows hurriedly.
Yet, she hadn't noticed a certain smartwatch on the ground, with its screen shining to Mother Earth.
