The Forsaken Heir's Ascension
Chapter 110: Arena Battle with the Noctshade Club Begins!

Chapter 110: Arena Battle with the Noctshade Club Begins!

Meika stared into Lyra’s deep blue eyes.

Then she asked quietly, "Why are you here, Lyra?"

Lyra opened her mouth... but nothing came out. She hesitated. Collected herself. Then finally said,

"We’re friends. Why wouldn’t I be here?"

But Meika didn’t look away. She just kept watching her — waiting. Waiting for the real answer.

Lyra’s posture softened. Her voice dropped, almost a whisper.

"I’m sorry... for what happened with Riven."

Meika shook her head slightly. Her voice was calm, steady.

"You and Riven are two different people. We were in battle — on opposite sides. So what happened... that’s not something you should apologize for."

She glanced away.

"The ones who should say sorry... are my own teammates. But I know they won’t."

Lyra exhaled, as if a heavy weight had finally been lifted from her chest. Like a boulder pressing on her shoulders had been quietly taken away.

In the quiet corner of the infirmary, a brown-skinned boy wrapped in bandages stirred.

With a low groan, Kaelan opened his blue eyes. He blinked, disoriented, taking in the white curtains, clean walls, and sterile scent. The infirmary, he realized.

Then came a cold voice, hesitant.

"Sir Kaelan... I’m sorry, I don’t mean to offend you, but—"

A shout thundered into his ears, sharp and scolding:

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU IN THE TOWER?! YOU USED TO BE CLEVER — NOT RECKLESS LIKE THIS!"

Kaelan turned his head with a groan, the movement sparking pain so intense he nearly blacked out. He bit it down, gritted his teeth, and forced himself to look.

His captain stood beside him, furious, arms crossed, face red with rage.

Kaelan could only meet his eyes with a silent, apologetic gaze.

The captain sighed heavily, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"Sir Kaelan... your elder brother is here."

Kaelan’s eyes widened.

No.

His breath caught.

He wanted to scream.

He wanted to shake his head.

He wanted to run.

But his body refused to move.

Footsteps approached.

A shadow loomed.

Then a tall figure stood above him — dark hair, sharp jaw, golden eyes that burned with a fierce light.

His brother.

The older boy’s voice was deep and cutting, like thunder in Kaelan’s ears.

"Little brother... why did you become stupid?"

"I asked Mother — she swears you never fell as a kid. But did you hit your head so many times it turned your brain into shit?"

Kaelan closed his eyes. Each word stabbed deeper than the last.

"Did I not teach you how to act? How to think? How to lead?"

"You little—!"

He caught himself. Paused. Took a breath. Then spoke in a low, cold voice.

"Father is really disappointed in you."

And without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked away.

Kaelan lay there, tears sliding down the sides of his face.

Why did it come to this?

Did I get infected by that Drakthorn oaf?

No... it wasn’t that.

It was the darkness realm.

I felt powerless in there.

Surrounded by shadows, nowhere to go, not able to use my power to summon... I felt like a commoner.

When I got out, I swore I’d never feel that way again.

So I drowned myself in power.

In shallow confidence.

And I forgot everything else.

I became reckless.

I became blind.

I became... stupid.

"I really am... stupid," he whispered to himself, as the tears kept falling.

As Kaelan wrestled with the truth of his actions, in another quiet corner of the infirmary, Selene slowly stirred.

Her eyes fluttered open, only to freeze as she saw the familiar figure sitting beside her.

Mama...?

Panicked, she quickly shut her eyes again.

What is Mama doing here?! What do I say? Should I pretend I’m still asleep?

Before she could decide—

"I know you’re awake."

Her mother’s calm voice cut through the silence. Gentle, but unmistakably knowing.

Selene opened her eyes slowly, caught in the act. A stiff smile formed on her lips as she looked at Sara.

Sara returned the smile, warm and proud.

"Don’t worry, I’m not angry," she said. "You did well. You tapped into that power. Remember that feeling — don’t ever let it go."

At her words, Selene’s awkward smile bloomed into a bright one.

"Okay, Mama," she said with a cheerful nod.

Sara reached into her spatial ring and pulled out two snow-colored boxes that shimmered in the light. She placed them gently beside the bed.

Selene’s eyes lit up instantly. She gasped, her voice shooting up with delight.

"Chocolates!"

She bolted upright on the bed, grabbing the boxes and hugging them like precious treasure.

Sara chuckled.

"Looks like you’re doing just fine."

"Thank you, Mama! I missed chocolates so much!" Selene grinned, rubbing the boxes against her cheeks as if they were beloved pets.

Sara smiled patiently.

"Alright, alright. Calm down. I’ll walk you to your dorm, then I’ll be heading out."

Selene hopped out of the bed, still hugging her chocolates, nodding enthusiastically.

"I can’t wait to eat chocolates. Chocolates, chocolates, chocolates..."

She sang the word under her breath all the way to her dorm, skipping lightly, completely lost in joy.

Sara followed behind, saying nothing, a small smile tugged on her lips.

Next Day...

Click—clack.

The sound of her boots echoed through the silent corridor of the Academy.

In the dim morning light, a tall girl emerged—raven-black hair, emerald eyes that gleamed with quiet intensity.

Serene walked with a grace that was almost predatory, her emerald-green T-shirt hugging her slender frame, sleeves rolled up to reveal soft, pale arms. The shirt was tucked neatly into tight black jeans that outlined her figure.

She moved toward the Arena, bypassing the cafeteria without a glance.

Even the thought of food made her stomach twist.

There was no time—not today.

She had to win the match. Quickly.

Then, preparations would begin—to save her sister.

Something felt wrong. A sense of dread pulsed beneath her skin.

If I don’t hurry... I might lose her forever.

The urgency pushed her onward, her footsteps growing faster.

At the Arena gates, she paused and scanned the crowd. Students and families were just beginning to file in, their chatter blending into a rising murmur.

She stepped inside.

The seating was only half-filled, but growing steadily. Parents, siblings, and supporters were flowing in to witness the battle.

She looked at the battle arena—freshly repaired.

A strange thought crossed her mind.

Was it always this big?

Or did it only seem larger now that the barrier had changed—from its usual blue to a glowing golden hue?

She shook her head. Useless thought.

Descending the stairs, she joined her team at the staging area. As she approached, all members gave a slight respectful bow.

She nodded once, curtly.

The vice captain stepped forward, sensing her cue.

"Captain," he said politely, "our match will begin shortly. Fifteen minutes. The opponent is the Noctshade Clan."

Serene’s eyes darkened, a cold gleam sharpening them like a blade. She nodded without a word and turned toward the arena.

She stood still, watching it in silence, her blank gaze fixed—yet her mind far, far away.

The arena began to fill. The rising hum of the crowd swelled to a roar.

The umpire stepped into the center of the arena and raised a hand.

"WILL THE SERAPH TEAM AND NOCTSHADE TEAM PLEASE ENTER THE BATTLE ARENA!"

Both teams moved forward, stepping into the glowing battleground.

Serene walked with calm purpose, her emerald eyes unreadable.

From the opposite side, Ethan stepped forward to meet her.

He smirked, his voice laced with arrogance.

"Hello, my future fiancé."