Mo Zenith's silver gaze bore into me, sharp and unyielding, as if he could unearth every secret I had ever buried. I held his stare, my calm a well-honed blade, and let out a measured exhale when his scrutiny softened. Approval. It was not spoken, but it was there—a fleeting spark in those metallic eyes.
So far, so good.
"I have a gift for you, Arthur," Li Zenith said suddenly, breaking the tension with his usual air of composed nonchalance. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he tapped his spatial ring. With a flicker of light, a scroll materialized in his hand, its parchment radiating a faint, otherworldly aura.
He held it out to me, the gesture unassuming but unmistakably weighted with significance. I accepted it, unrolling the scroll carefully, aware of Seraphina leaning in beside me, her soft breath warm against my cheek as she peered at the contents.
My eyes widened.
Grade 4 art: Spectral Sword.