"It's been a while, kid," the tall man said, his voice calm but carrying an unmistakable weight.

Ryuji hadn't noticed him approaching; he had been completely absorbed in his book. But the familiar voice sent shivers down his spine. His eyes widened, and his hands began to tremble.

Slowly, Ryuji lifted his head. Towering over him stood a man he knew all too well: Shun Sato, Lord of the Tower and third hero of the demon war—his father.

"W-What are you doing here…?" Ryuji asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"I thought today was all about parents and children," the tall man replied, a cheeky smile tugging at his lips. "And as such, I came to see my kid."

Nori, curious about the conversation, stepped closer.

"Excuse me," he said softly, his dark blue hair falling over one eye. "Did you need something from our king?"

The lord's gaze flicked toward the shy young boy. His expression didn't change, but there was a quiet, assessing look in his eyes as he took in Nori's presence.

"And who might you be? A friend of Ryuji's?" the lord asked, his tone sharp and probing.

"W-Well… I don't know if he considers me a friend, but…" Nori began, only to be cut off by the lord.

"Oh, so you're not his friend!" the lord exclaimed, spinning to glare at Nori. His eyes bore into the young boy, the intensity of his stare almost overwhelming.

"Then get lost, kid," the lord said coldly, his eyes glowing crimson as a suffocating aura of death burst forth. The malice pouring from his body spread like a flood, swallowing the room in pitch-black darkness. The only light that remained was the eerie red gleam of Shun's eyes.

Nori's body refused to move. Paralyzed by fear, he felt as if he were sinking into an endless void. His lungs burned for air, his limbs trembled violently, and his teeth clattered uncontrollably. Cold sweat ran down his face as his legs gave out, sending him crashing to the floor.

He sat there, trembling, unable to tear his gaze from the monster standing before him.

"I'm gonna die… He's gonna kill me…" The thoughts echoed in his mind, each repetition louder than the last. "I don't wanna die… I don't wanna die… I don't wanna die…" The mantra screamed inside his head as tears welled in his eyes and his ears filled with a deafening, high-pitched ring.

"Stop! That's enough!" Ryuji shouted, stepping forward to shield his classmate.

The lord's bloodlust faltered slightly as he turned, his gaze locking onto Ryuji with piercing intensity.

Ryuji flinched at the sight but forced himself to stand firm, chest rising and falling with rapid breaths.

"J-Just tell me! What brought you here?!" he demanded, his voice cracking but resolute.

The lord let out a slow, almost weary sigh. "I'm here to take you home."

"H-Huh?!" Ryuji stuttered, confusion written across his face.

Nori could do nothing but tremble on the floor. His vision blurred, and his ears still rang violently. Through the haze, he caught glimpses of Ryuji and his father seated, their voices rising, anger threading every word. The ringing in his ears and the weight of his fear made it impossible for him to understand what they were saying or why Ryuji seemed so furious.

Finally, their heated exchange ended. Shun rose from his seat and began walking toward the exit, Ryuji following closely behind. Before leaving, however, Ryuji bent down toward Nori, who remained frozen on the floor, too terrified to move.

Ryuji placed a hand on Nori's shoulder. "I'm very sorry…"

Nori was too terrified to respond, but Ryuji's gentle voice helped steady him. Slowly, his vision cleared, and Ryuji's words became audible again.

"Come, let's not waste any more time… the arena awaits," Shun said, his tone carrying an unmistakable menace.

Nori felt the tremor in Ryuji's hand; he was just as terrified as Nori. He continued to watch as Ryuji followed his father out of the classroom, noting the anger and determination etched across his face, fury directed squarely at Shun.

After a few minutes, Nori finally managed to calm himself slightly. He could sense the imminent danger surrounding his king and bolted to find his friends.

"H-His father… Ryuji is the son of the Lord of the Tower?!" Yuki's shocked shout echoed in Nori's ears, yanking him out of his memories and back to the present.

"Y-Yes…" Nori replied, his voice trembling.

"Did you know about this?! Headmaster?!" Yuki demanded, panic and disbelief mixing in his tone.

The headmaster slowly turned his sorrowful face toward Yuki.

"Of course I did…" he replied softly, his voice tinged with sadness.

Nori clutched at Yuki's clothes desperately.

"You must not let him fight!" he shouted.

"Y-You have to help him! T-That… that thing! He's not human! No matter how strong Ryuji is… he cannot defeat him!" Nori continued, his voice breaking with fear.

Yuki glanced around the stands, which were gradually filling with students, guests, and staff alike. Amid the growing crowd, he could just make out the headmaster whispering quietly to his pupils, his words barely audible.

"Do not interfere, young ones…" the headmaster whispered, his voice carrying an unexpected menace.

The warning struck them to their core. The gaze he cast was not that of the kind, gentle teacher they knew, but of a seasoned archmage brimming with malicious intent.

"I see he has finally made his way here…" a voice called from behind Yuki.

He turned to see his father, along with the duchess, had finally caught up and arrived at the stands.

"He's gotten older, and his face is as annoying as ever," Reiko said with a teasing tone. He frowned at Shun, though a flicker of concern lingered in his expression.

"F-Father… Did you know about Ryuji?!" Yuki demanded, his voice rising as anger began to build.

"Of course we did. He's a spitting image of his father, after all," Kimiko interjected, cutting off the exchange between father and son.

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Yuki demanded, his voice tight with frustration.

His father let out a slow sigh.

"If Ryuji didn't tell you, then clearly there's a reason for it," he replied calmly. "For now, let us observe and see what unfolds."

The children and their parents held their tongues, standing silently as they watched the imminent confrontation between Ryuji and his father.

Shun scanned the crowd gathered around the arena. Among them, he spotted the headmaster and his two old friends. A cheeky smile crossed his face briefly before he turned his focus back to his son.

"How would you like to fight?" Shun asked, his voice calm but carrying a hint of curiosity.

Ryuji didn't answer. He simply flung his hand aside, and his shadows began to twist and writhe, distorting as they obeyed his will. From the dark mass, his blade emerged once again from its shadow storage. He snatched the hovering weapon and swiftly drew it from its sheath.

"Swords, huh?" Shun remarked, an amused glint in his eyes.

"How typical," he added mockingly, a faint smirk curling his lips.

Shun mirrored his son's movements, flinging his arm to summon his blade from the shadows and drawing it from its sheath. They assumed identical fighting stances, sword arms raised to shoulder height, the sheath held firmly at their hips.

The two began circling the arena, eyes locked. Ryuji's expression was serious and calculating, while his father wore a relaxed, arrogant smile. They moved in a careful, measured circle, maintaining their stances, studying each other for weaknesses.

After completing half a rotation around one another, Ryuji launched himself forward with a burst of speed. He swung his blade downward in a fierce strike—one Shun had anticipated.

Shun held his ground, countering each of Ryuji's strikes with ease, his cocky expression only fueling the young man's frustration. What followed was a lightning-fast barrage, moves so swift that most of the audience could barely track them. Each of Ryuji's attacks was met with flawless deflection, and with every clash, shockwaves rippled across the arena, shaking the soil beneath them.

Sawano and Yuki watched intently. It was clear Ryuji had improved tremendously thanks to their training, but their eyes widened in alarm. Shun hadn't budged a single inch, effortlessly parrying each blow without retreating. Ryuji himself realized it, yet he pressed on, hoping to find an opening.

Finally, their swords locked. Ryuji dropped his sheath and gripped his sword with both hands, channeling all his strength into the push. A clever technique, but useless. No matter how hard he pushed, Shun didn't give an inch, holding firm with just his sword arm. It was like trying to move a mountain with bare hands.

Seeing his son struggle, Shun raised his free hand, placing the sheath against his blade and pushing. Ryuji's strength faltered almost immediately, and he was forced backward. He fought to hold his ground, but it was futile.

"Is that all?" Shun said mockingly.

Annoyed by his father's words, Ryuji quickly summoned a shadow puppet behind him, a sword of shadows clutched in its hand, aiming for Shun's back. But his father noticed immediately.

Shun responded by summoning a puppet of his own, wielding a similar shadow sword. With ease, he blocked Ryuji's puppet and pushed back, forcing Ryuji to stagger and buckle to the ground.

"You dare use my own power against me?!" Shun growled, leaning close to Ryuji with a menacing glare that made the young man flinch.

Realizing that victory through sheer strength was impossible, Ryuji dove into his shadows, attempting to escape his father's grasp and buy himself a moment to rethink his strategy. He surrendered the contest of strength, letting Shun force him further down before vanishing into the darkness.

But Shun was quick to react. He thrust his arm deep into Ryuji's shadow, sheath in hand, and dragged his son out of the shadowy sanctuary.

Gasps echoed through the crowd. Shun hoisted Ryuji by the collar, leaving him dangling helplessly. The boy struggled violently, trying to break free, and even attempted a desperate downward slash with his sword. Shun deflected it effortlessly, the strike disarming Ryuji and sending his blade flying to the edge of the arena, where it embedded firmly in the wall. Ryuji hung there, completely at his father's mercy.