《Revenge pact》


 Tragedy (1)

    Prologue Saga: Vindicta


    ***


    City of Alex- Miravulum Kingdom, Empire of Caelum


    In the bustling heart of the sprawling city, amidst the vibrant and lively shopping district, a close-knit family of three strolled along with an air of joy.


    Linked hand in hand, the three''s faces lit up with radiant smiles that seemed to be woven into the fabric of their expressions.


    The child was a short boy who looked no older than ten years old, he had short curly brown hair and large brown eyes filled with innocence and excitement.


    The boy was dressed in simple black pants, a beige tunic with his family''s crest, a pair of black wings on its breast, and black leather boots on his tiny feet.


    With a large grin on his face, he swung his arms side to side causing his parents'' arms to do the same motion.


    "Papa, what''re we buying first?" Oizys smiled as he looked at the tall lanky man on his right.


    "The decorations, we have to make the house look pretty for your special day!"


    The boy''s father who had long silky black hair and green eyes smiled softly, revealing his bright white teeth as he replied to his son.


    He too was dressed fairly simply, wearing the same outfit as his son but the tunic he wore was dark red and also bore the same black wings on his breast.


    The man possessed an array of striking facial features that commanded attention.


    His visage was defined by a chiselled jawline, exuding a sense of strength and determination that could captivate any observer. His complexion was nothing short of flawless, resembling a canvas of porcelain that might arouse envy in even the most radiant of maidens.


    However, amidst this portrait of almost ageless handsomeness, subtle indicators of the passage of time could not be ignored.


    The depth of his gaze was emphasised by the presence of dark, haunting circles that lingered beneath his eyes, hinting at sleepless nights or untold worries.


    If anyone looked closely, they''d notice that Oizys'' father walked with a slight limp and any quick movement caused him to wince a little.


    Although he was in a state of constant pain the man acted politely and had an unbothered smile on his face.


    "Can we get tons of balloons?" Oizys asked merrily.


    "Say please, Ozzy." The lady on Oizys'' left said as she squeezed her son''s hand affectionately.


    "Yes, mama. May we please get tons of balloons?" Oizys repeated his question in a more polite tone.


    The mother, Pan, stood a touch shorter than her husband Eurodos, their physical contrast adding a charming dynamic to their familial ensemble.


    Her hair, akin to a chestnut waterfall, framed her countenance in a way that complemented her soft and nurturing demeanour.


    Sharing a bond of similarity with her son, Oizys, Pan bore the same gentle and inviting facial features.


    Her eyes, like his, were a rich shade of brown, conveying an innate warmth and understanding that seemed to connect her with those around her.


    The plumpness of her lips, painted in a natural shade of pink, offered an inviting contrast to her peaceful expression.


    Yet, the passage of time had left its subtle traces upon her as well. The shadows beneath her eyes, reminiscent of her husband''s, were present but more sparingly so.


    An emblem of her identity decorated her simple dress¨C a pair of meticulously embroidered black wings resting on her hip.


    Completing her get-up were simple flat shoes, a practical choice that mirrored her grounded and down-to-earth nature.


    "Yes, we can get all the decorations you want, Ozzy." Eurodos chuckled as he carried on walking at a steady pace, making sure to be mindful of his son and wife.


    "Ozzy, guess what?" Pan looked at her son with a grin on her face.


    "You made carrot cake?!" Looking at his mother, Oizys smiled widely.


    "..." Pan turned her head and looked at Eurodos, stunned by the boy''s quick deduction.


    His father simply chuckled as he looked at the expression on her face, and he simply shrugged.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "You should be used to this by now."


    Pan just sighed defeatedly before she giggled and grabbed Oizys'' cheeks affectionately.


    "That''s my Ozzy, I can never surprise you. My little smarty pants!"


    "Hehe Mama, you''re embarrassing me!" Oizys smiled shyly as he feigned humiliation.


    ***


    After completing their shopping in the bustling district, the family of three made their way back to their expansive residence nestled on the outskirts of the city.


    Crafted from pristine white stone, the home''s architecture exuded an air of solidity and strength. Its fa?ade boasted numerous glass panes adorning both levels, allowing sunlight to penetrate within.


    Like every other building in the Empire, the house''s design was reminiscent of the Renaissance Italian style.


    The family of three spent the rest of the day decorating the house for the celebration, and when they had finished it was already midday.


    Two hours after noon, many different people entered their two-story home, these were the other members of the Hermes clan; in total, there were fifty-six.


    Relatives from all around the world had stopped what they were investigating to celebrate the seventh birthday of their heir.


    The Hermes clan is the largest commoner family in the world and easily the most prestigious and famous. Their wealth surpassed most noble families and their notoriety was comparable to the emperor families. There wasn''t a single person in the world who hadn''t at least heard their name.


    Known all over the world for being investigative journalists who fight for the raw truth and expose corruption, the Hermes family had earned respect, fear, and even resentment from the residents of TC3(The name of the planet).


    Although their wealth was extremely vast, they all lived pretty humbly and didn''t splurge on the superficial things that nobles purchased, this habit wasn''t only because of how often they travelled but also because of their innate principles.


    The whole family had gathered from all five continents to celebrate the 7th birthday of their heir and prodigy, Oizys Hermes.


    The boy had already been recognized as a child genius all over the world for his high Intelligence index score, deductive and calculative abilities, and his potential to be a great war strategist.


    Every Emperor in the world had acknowledged him as a PTC, a great title given to those with a certain attribute or talent capable of helping the Gods in their war against the Devils.


    ***


    Everyone was now seated at a large wooden table smiles on their faces, most of them wearing tiny party hats.


    Oizys stared intensely at the large carrot cake with white cream and multiple candles, his brown eyes glistening greedily as he stared at his cake.


    The candles'' tiny flames danced wildly just waiting to be blown out, the boy smiled swiftly as he internally counted the number of candles.


    ''5...6...7.''


    "Happy birthday to you!"


    "Happy birthday, dear Ozzy!"


    ***


    While the Hermes clan sang to Oizys, two hooded figures stood outside in silence.


    The figures were dressed in long black robes with symbols on their breast. The emblems were red stars with a large eye in their centre.


    The two figures'' clothing hid any identifying features, not even their eyes were visible instead only glowing orbs stood in their places.


    The taller figure with white orbs for eyes looked at the shorter one and spoke in a detached distorted voice.


    "Do it, now." The voice of the assassin was cold and devoid of any emotion, if the person felt anything then it couldn''t be detected at all.


    "Don''t rush me! Using magic that leaves no traces takes time ya know." The shorter figure spoke in the same distorted voice as their comrade, but their tone was whiny and childish.


    The shorter figure extended their arms in the direction of the house in front of them, threads of glowing red magic manifested around their gloved fingertips before they began forming into a magic circle with intricate and mysterious ruins and symbols.


    The circle then grew larger and larger till the radius was the length of the caster, they then clasped their hands together causing the magic circle to disappear and their hands to glow in a red hue.


    The mage then slammed their hands onto the ground causing everything in a 5-mile radius to feel the tremor.


    "This is taking longer than it should... hurry up, at this rate, someone in the house will sense the mana fluctuation." The taller figure commanded.


    "Okay okay, sheesh... So demanding. That family only has a few mages, even then none of them are notable."


    The magic circle suddenly appeared once again, although this time it was much larger and was covering the whole two-story house; causing the home to vibrate slightly.


    "Blaze magi-"


    ***


    "Hm?" Eurodos who was right next to his son suddenly opened his heavy eyes much wider as he noticed the disturbance of mana.


    ''Shit, there''s no time... They made a magic circle this large right under my nose?! I got careless.''


    In less than a fraction of a second, Eurodos shoved his son roughly causing him to go flying at alarming speeds.


    ''Sorry Ozzy.''


    This sent Oizys flying through multiple of the supporting columns and the stone wall.


    All of this, from Eurodos noticing the mana fluctuation to him pushing his son happened in less than a second.


    Oizys had all the wind knocked out of him as his father pushed him with his superhuman strength.


    As he was flying through the columns, he felt multiple of his fragile bones snap instantly.


    SHATTER


    He then lay on the soft green grass of the garden in unbearable pain and completely oblivious to what had just occurred.


    Before anyone could even process what had just happened to their heir, the tiny candles grew into a grand bonfire setting all those closest to the cake on fire.


    Within a few moments, every single member of the Hermes clan had become living walking, screaming candles.


    ***


    Extra Information:


    There are 7 different empires across the 5 inhabited continents.


    Eurodos Hermes married into the Hermes family and took on the Hermes name.


    There are only 14 PTCs recognized around the world currently.

 Tragedy (2)

    Oizys struggled to rise, his injured arms and legs making the effort unsteady.


    After a determined struggle, he eventually managed to stand, but in doing so, he expelled an entire cup of blood, staining the grass a vivid scarlet.


    "Argh!"


    SPLATTER


    As he gazed upon his home, he realized the entire building was engulfed in flames, and every individual within was pleading for mercy.


    None of the figures were familiar to him; all he could distinguish were humanoid shapes frantically scrambling to break free from the chaos.


    "HAAAA!"


    "HELP!"


    "PLEAASSSEEE!!"


    "GODS!"


    The young boy, feeling utterly helpless, attempted to cry out for his parents.


    However, when he tried to part his lips, no sound emerged.


    He couldn''t speak...


    A relentless cascade of tears streamed down his face, mirroring the torrent of emotions welling within him.


    His heart ached as he stood witness to the disturbing scene before him ¨C each of his beloved relatives, trapped in distress, crying out for aid that seemed out of reach.


    The weight of his feelings consumed him, leaving him gasping for breath, the turmoil of emotions causing his blood to constrict his throat.


    His vision, once clear, was now blurred and distorted by the sheer intensity of his sorrow, mixed with the tracks of tears that raced down his cheeks.


    The mixture of pain and helplessness painted a vivid painting, etching a memory that would forever remain etched in his mind.


    He clutched his chest as he breathed heavily and sobbed even more, when he tried to look towards the house, he noticed two familiar figures limping out.


    The weeping boy managed a weak smile as he saw his parents limping out of the burning house.


    Eurodos was walking at a slow pace with his wife in his arms.


    His previously beautiful long black hair had turned to scorched uneven patches, and his clothing was burnt off revealing burning bandages that he wore underneath.


    The flames seemed to only have a cosmetic effect on the middle-aged man, all the damage he had sustained seemed to be from a previous incident.


    Pan on the other hand was in much worse condition, her hair was all gone leaving behind burnt skin tissue and the pores in her body oozing pus and blood.


    It was clear that she couldn''t last long without immediate medical attention.


    Oizys inaudibly screamed unintelligently as he ran toward his almost unrecognizable parents.


    "See what happens, when you work sloppily." A cold distorted voice spoke, drowning out all the screams coming from the house.


    An abrupt chill enveloped the atmosphere, accompanied by a sense that time had come to a standstill.


    CLICK


    Following the soft clicking sound of a cold blade being unsheathed a sharp whistle permeated the ears of everyone present.


    SHING


    A graceful sword arch was drawn in the air heading towards the direction of the staggering journalists.


    In a mere instant, Eurodos vanished from view only to reappear right beside his son, defying the appearance of imminent collapse he had previously exhibited.


    WHOOSH


    "Interesting..." The taller assassin sheathed their blade as they watched Eurodos easily evade their attack.


    "Ozzy...Take your mother and run as far as you can. Code Red." Eurodos ignored the assassin as he turned to look at his son who simply looked confused as to what had just happened.


    The boy still had a dark expression on his face as he listened to the words of his father.


    Despite his desire to react, an inexplicable barrier prevented him from stringing together any coherent words in response.


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    After listening to her husband''s words, Pan coughed out a pool of blood as she laboured to get up on her own.


    Eventually, with her husband''s aid, she managed to stand up.


    "Eurodos...Don''t die."


    Eurodos'' expression didn''t change from his usual cheerfulness as he smiled at his wife.


    "Don''t worry, honey."


    Oizys knew that it was highly unlikely that his father was going to survive in his current condition, but he still tried to stay hopeful.


    Eurodos turned to his son and embraced him tenderly.


    With a warm parting gesture of a gentle kiss on the forehead, he shared some final parting words with his son.


    "Oizys, protect your mother. Okay?"


    "I love you..."


    As his wife and son fled into the forest Eurodos turned his attention back to the two assassins in front of him.


    "So...Which one of you dies first?" Once he spoke those words, Eurodos went through a complete transformation.


    His customary calm smile and cheerful demeanour shifted abruptly into an aura of cold-heartedness and malice.


    "Hahaha! What a bluff...Intel said ya were an intermediate knight at best. Just because you managed to dodge an attack by mere luck, it doesn''t mean you have a chance." The shorter mage assassin spat as they looked at Eurodos.


    It was clear from the words of the mage assassin that they indeed knew nothing about actual combat, as the feat Eurodos demonstrated was far above the capability of any mere knight.


    "Go after Oizys and Pan, I''ll deal with Eurodos." The taller assassin commanded in the same distorted voice, but this time it sounded slightly uneasy.


    "Why? We can kill this guy in one hit then we can track down the others. It''ll barely take five seconds." The shorter assassin whined as they looked at the taller one.


    "Intel was wrong, Eurodos Hermes seems to be at least a Tier 3 Magic knight in his current state."


    ''And that''s him injured... I wonder, who are you, Eurodos Hermes?'' The taller assassin immediately took a defensive stance as they cautiously placed their hand on the hilt of their blade.


    "Hahaha, you can''t be serious... That''d make him vice commander level. If he was half as powerful, I''d at least be able to feel it." The shorter assassin boasted before their right hand set ablaze with a bright red flame.


    FWSHHHH


    "What you should fear is the fact that you can''t feel it," they said coldly.


    "Oh please!" The mage assassin then pointed their open palm at Eurodos and immediately released the blaze magic as a large fireball, the size of a basketball.


    ''A simple fireball should be sufficient.''


    "Blaze magic: Flame Grenade!"


    ''This''ll be a good learning opportunity for you, never underestimate your opponent.'' The taller assassin looked at their comrade calculatingly, trying to evaluate their prot¨¦g¨¦.


    WHOOSH


    Eurodos disappeared from where he stood and all that remained was a spark of pale lighting, when he reappeared he was behind the assassin where he proceeded to sweep their legs.


    Unaware of the impending danger, the oblivious short assassin fell to the ground, before they could do anything about it Eurodos used his right hand to slam their face into the ground forcing the assassin to consume a bunch of dirt and spew blood.


    SLAM


    SPLURT


    "ARGH!"


    A bunch of blood leaked out of the assassin''s hood, they were unconscious...defeated in an instant.


    "Tell me something... I found something odd. You let me fight your companion, knowing I''d beat him. Why is that?" Eurodos looked away from the unconscious assassin deeming them no longer a threat.


    As he looked at his next opponent he tried to control his breathing, under normal circumstances he wouldn''t be anywhere near tired but recent events caused both his rate of recovery and energy reserve to greatly diminish.


    "I had a suspicion, but that just confirmed it... Are you the Thunder Oni, Percy?"


    The taller assassin drew their blade and directed it towards Eurodos. However, there was a distinct shift in their stance this time ¨C a heightened seriousness mixed with an unexpected hint of fear.


    "Is my fighting style that obvious?" Eurodos'' words may have sounded polite, but the truth of the matter was he was fuming.


    ''I''m at a huge disadvantage, my mana core is injured, I don''t have a weapon, I can''t use aura, my body is nowhere near peak condition and I can''t use powerful spells as that''ll give away my location...that''ll be tough.''


    The only reason Eurodos bothered exchanging words with the assassin was because he was buying time. Had he been at full strength, he could''ve killed the assassin before they could blink.


    "The masked revolutionary Percy... a General of the Wakoku Nation, known for his unique magic affinity: a strange white lightning called Storm Magic, his battle IQ, and most importantly speed. Anyone important has studied your fighting style and abilities, I''d be a failure if I didn''t." The assassin spoke in the same indifferent tone not letting their eyes off of ''Percy''.


    "Your partner didn''t seem as bright..." Eurodos/Percy looked at the assassin confusedly.


    "Well he''s a newbie, forgive him. I''m just lucky I found you straight after your battle with Emperor Jupiter, with your death the Wakoku Nation will be way weaker."


    ''Usually, I wouldn''t be able to touch the likes of Percy, but now that he''s weakened I can kill him here and now.''


    "Now that you know who I am... You have to be disposed of."


    "Don''t act like you were going to let me live."


    "Of course not...You killed my family." Percy''s killing intent exploded causing multiple branches to snap and the grass to dance.


    "I wasn''t planning on escaping anyway. Well just answer this one question before one of us dies."


    "What?" Percy was getting extremely impatient and his mana was reflecting that, his lightning danced wildly around his body.


    KRRK KRRK KRRK


    "Why choose the name Percy?" The magic knight assassin asked curiously.


    In an instant, Eurodos vanished from his original position, reemerging directly in front of the assassin.


    His hand was now enveloped in an eerie white lightning, emanating an otherworldly aura.


    KRRK KRRK KRRK


    Using his open hand Eurodos jabbed at the assassin''s torso, intending to stab him with his weaponized bare hand.


    "I stole Jupiter''s Lightning..."

 Tragedy (3)

    3 hours later


    Deep in the forest outside Alex City, Pan Hermes was lying on the ground slipping in and out of consciousness.


    The intense fire had already caused significant injuries to her, and to make matters worse, she had just stumbled over a protruding tree root, falling squarely onto her face.


    As a result, her strength was completely drained, and she continued to bleed heavily.


    Oizys was shaking his mother vigorously trying to get her to come to her senses and continue running with him.


    "Ozzy..." Pan had her hand on her son''s cheek, her eyes were shut and she was smiling softly.


    The boy continued to try and get his mother to get up but his efforts were in vain.


    "Sweetheart... This is as far as I go, run by yourself."


    The boy shook his head, he refused to leave another one of his parents.


    "Ozzy... Listen to me."


    Oizys gradually ceased the shaking of his head, struggling against the impulse to respond in kind.


    However, he recognized the validity of his mother''s words.


    This marked the end of her journey, even if she managed to rise once more, it was inevitable that she would meet her demise within a mere five minutes of fleeing.


    "Oizys Hermes, from the time you were a mere baby, I knew there was something special about you. By the age of two, you were capable of articulating complete sentences with a fluency matching that of adults. When you reached four years old, your deductive prowess rivalled that of your uncles''. And remarkably, at just five years old, you earned admission into the esteemed Minerva''s Scholar Institute."


    "..." He wanted to question his mother, but the words were stuck in his throat. He couldn''t speak.


    "My point is you''re special... You''re destined for greater things than your father and I, you are the one who will unravel all of this world''s secrets and bring about the waves of change. No matter what you face, you should never give up."


    Oizys nodded his head as he squeezed his mother''s hand which was growing colder every second.


    "Ozzy."


    Oizys sniffed as he wiped his tears using his dirty long-sleeved tunic.


    "Even as you stare death in the eyes, never lose yourself. No matter what. As long as you breathe stay true to your morals and judgment. Run my son..." Pan smiled as the light in her eyes vanished like it was never there.


    THUD


    Oizys turned his gaze backwards, directing his attention toward the origin of the sound.


    As soon as he recognized the individual, his eyes, devoid of moisture, widened significantly in disbelief.


    "You traveled pretty far kid...Maybe if your father lasted longer you could''ve escaped." The tall assassin stared down at the child in front of them. Their distorted cold voice echoed through the forest causing dozens of birds to flee into the sky.


    The cloak of the assassin had been stained scarlet with their blood, and several substantial tears impaired the fabric, exposing the sleek bronze skin beneath, now smeared with recent bloodshed.


    Resting on the assassin''s shoulder was a shorter figure draped in a matching cloak, though this person appeared to be in an unconscious state, utterly motionless.


    It was clear that the battle against Percy was extremely long and hard-fought, the assassin was on the verge of collapsing on the spot.


    "Unfortunately you and your talent were born into the wrong family... maybe if the Hermes played their role correctly things would''ve been different. Fate has a weird way of working."


    As the assassin uttered their words, the wind swiftly intensified, and a curious phenomenon occurred¡ªthe temperature rose by several degrees.


    DIMMM


    "Maybe you''ll be reincarnated with the same talents to a more holy famil-" The assassin stopped their sentence midway when they noticed the slight change in the environment and then looked at the boy in front of them.


    After they realized what was going on, the assassin who previously seemed completely emotionless and neutral acted emotionally for the first time in their whole career.


    SLASH


    The next second the head of a young boy was rolling wildly across the grass till it collided with a towering tree.


    TUMBLE


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    ***


    30 minutes later, the magic knight assassin merely stood in the middle of the woods as they stared at the sky still trying to process what they just saw and why they instinctually acted that way.


    "...Did I imagine it?"


    The assassin walked towards the boy''s head to confirm their suspicions. When they picked it up by the boy''s hair, they saw it...


    They were right.


    The expression plastered on the boy''s face shook the seasoned veteran to the bone, not once in their whole career had they ever seen such hatred.


    It was as though anger itself had etched its mark upon the young boy''s visage, akin to the embodiment of Invidia taking hold of him. This was an expression far beyond what a child should be capable of displaying.


    The issue extended beyond the boy''s expression of anger toward his assailant; that reaction could be anticipated.


    The genuine concern lay within the boy''s eyes...


    The gaze within his soft, brown eyes conveyed a message that spoke volumes: "This is far from over."


    This was not a mere display of desperation or a final gamble for victory.


    It was not the gaze of one who had suffered defeat in a single battle; these were the eyes of an individual who held unwavering conviction that they would ultimately triumph in the war.


    Even after Oizys had passed, an atmosphere imbued with unadulterated hatred continued to permeate the air.


    ***


    And like that on the night of the 4th of April in the Empire of Caelum, Miravulum kingdom city of Alex:


    Oizys Hermes a PTC died due to decapitation.


    Eurodos Hermes (A General of the Wakoku Country AKA ''Percy'' and world-renowned journalist) died due to exhaustion.


    Pan Hermes (World Renowned Journalist) died due to blood loss.


    Hermes clan died via burning alive.


    ***


    It took the assassin a couple of hours to cremate the remains of Oizys, Eurodos, and Pan.


    They then took their ashes to what remained of their house to pile their ashes with the rest of their clan, making sure to make the whole incident untraceable back to them.


    The Hermes family had many enemies so it''d be hard to find out who the true murderers were and quite frankly most nobles would be happy they were eliminated, so no one notable would bother investigating.


    After taking care of all the admin, the assassin treated their wounds as well as their partners who had been knocked out by Eurodos earlier.


    ***


    About three days after the assassins left the ashes of the Hermes clan a faint glow could be noticed in the night''s darkness.


    DIMMMM


    One large orb escaped from the ashes and began vibrating wildly, accelerating by the second. After it reached its top speed it was joined by a blue orb that did the same.


    These two orbs vibrated next to each other for dozens of days, never stopping once.


    A week later, these orbs abruptly ceased their movement and combined.


    The conclusion of this merging gave birth to a shapeless, purple entity¡ªan ethereal Phantom.


    A phantom made from both the spirit and soul of Oizys Hermes was born.


    This phantom had no face, limbs, or any physical other features humans possessed; it was simply a lifeform of pure energy.


    The phantom ''looked'' at the ashes of its vessel.


    Usually, phantoms were unable to affect their surroundings under normal circumstances.


    This phantom though, exuded a strong aura and its emotions were out of control.


    This entity emitted unadulterated emotions of sorrow, empathy, and above all, seething rage.


    DIMMMM DUMMMM


    The serene breeze swiftly escalated into a fierce gale, dispersing the ashes of the Hermes family in various directions.


    Within a mere couple of seconds, all that remained was the very earth upon which the house had been constructed.


    It was impossible to believe that a heap of ashes or even a house with a family once existed there.


    Remaining motionless, the phantom lingered in the exact location for several weeks, its presence exerting diverse influences upon the surroundings as it grappled with the intricate tangle of its emotions.


    ***


    After two months the phantom left, and it wandered into Alex City undetectable by anyone.


    Anytime it went through a window it cracked, when it brushed passed a person they received a sudden chill and felt pure fear, and when it passed by a combatant of some sort they felt alert and disturbed.


    The phantom went to multiple places in the Renaissance-style city: stopping at the Hermes office, the park where young children played, the library, the van Alexia estate, and lastly the last place Oizys, Pan, and Eurodos visited.


    After stopping at all the prominent places that Oizys loved, the phantom left the city feeling bitter and angry.


    The phantom went from city to city, for no reason at all.


    The phantom remained devoid of understanding concerning its purpose or the reason behind its transformation into such an entity instead of passing into the afterlife. What it did possess was an overwhelming sentiment of hatred¡ªprofound and intense.


    ***


    A few months later in unclaimed territory in the Caelum Empire.


    BOOM


    A huge tremor could be felt for hundreds of miles as something large collided with the Earth.


    The phantom was fairly close so it noticed the impact first, whether it was out of instinct or curiosity the phantom approached the source.


    Following a span of a few minutes, the phantom arrived within the confines of the Forbidden Forest¡ªan expanse steeped in enigma and peril.


    This woodland was notorious for its mysteries and dangers, a realm that even the most formidable rangers approached with caution.


    Although the phantom recognized its location, it remained indifferent to its surroundings.


    A compelling force seemed to pull it toward the epicentre of the tremor.


    The forest''s trees bore a twisted visage, with branches cloaked in inky blackness, leaves ablaze in vibrant crimson, and trunks of diverse sizes.


    Strangely, the forest, renowned for harbouring the most menacing creatures in the Empire, now lay bereft of life. It appeared as though every creature within had taken refuge as if evading some unseen menace.


    Deep in the forest was a large crater with a radius of a few miles, the crater was incredibly deep, and in its centre was a mysterious figure.

 Rebirth (1)

    At the heart of this scenario stood a colossal creature, its dimensions rivalling that of a large town.


    Its entire form was covered in a coat of pitch-black reptilian hide, adorned with deep gashes from which a dense, golden substance oozed.


    What once were grand wings had been reduced to two stubs on its back, from which the same liquid trickled, bearing testament to their former glory.


    Powerful and robust hind legs projected from its frame, possessed of the might to trample even the most radiant of stars.


    Its front limbs, though slightly smaller, brimmed with sharp talons capable of effortlessly tearing celestial bodies apart.


    The creature''s head remained obscured from view, folded inwardly like a ball, shrouding its features in an enigmatic veil.


    The central being exuded an uncanny influence; the longer one''s gaze remained fixed upon it, the deeper their very soul resonated with an ache.


    A sensation of unadulterated agony and torment surged forth, reaching levels of excruciating intensity.


    Despite the overwhelming pain the phantom experienced, an inexplicable compulsion prevented it from tearing its gaze away.


    This being was a deity and an extremely powerful one at that.


    {Kukuku... A mortal that didn''t run? Is that bold or stupid?} The being''s voice was deep, raspy, playful, and powerful.


    It felt like one word from this being could destroy the world...


    And it could.


    "..." The phantom didn''t say anything as it tried to fight through the pain of staring at the being.


    {Kukuku, what an intriguing mana affinity.} It chuckled,


    Suddenly, the being moved slightly causing the whole world to stumble.


    SLAM


    For some odd reason, despite the deity moving and causing a natural disaster on a world scale none of the magic beasts and monsters in the forest dared to make a sound.


    The deity partially unfurled itself, unveiling its peculiar head. Resembling that of a dragon, the deity''s head bore the distinct absence of a horn and an eye.


    {Those weaklings did quite the number on me, huh?} The being sounded in pain as it struggled to move, it was clearly on the verge of death.


    There was silence between the phantom and the divine being for a couple of minutes, it was finally broken when the being decided to swallow its pride and take its only opportunity of survival.


    {Kukuku... They should''ve killed me. Hey, mortal!} The being decided to present its plan to the phantom which used to be a young boy.


    "..." The phantom didn''t say anything but it made itself clear that it was listening.


    {You became a phantom due to strong spiritual and soul energy, as well as extreme emotion...}


    The phantom didn''t make any ''expression'' as this information was already well known by their world, but the being did use different terms to describe it.


    {Meaning you have unfinished business. Phantoms only live a year at most till they are forced back into the cycle of reincarnation. Judging by the energy you''re radiating, you only have a few weeks left, at best.}


    The phantom''s ''expression'' changed from curiosity to anger. It wasn''t scared of ceasing to exist but rather it was angry its questions weren''t answered.


    {Judging by your reaction you aren''t happy... Well you see, we''re in similar predicaments. And I believe we can help each other.}


    The phantom didn''t speak but its ''expression'' did seem to say. "How?"


    {You are on the border of life and death, you possess a soul and spirit but no vessel to contain it, which is why you''ll be disappearing soon. No being can survive without a vessel.}


    The phantom ''looked'' at the being with an unrecognizable ''expression''. It was confused about what this being''s intentions were. It sounded like they''d be helping each other out, but how could a mere mortal help a divine being?


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    {You couldn''t understand as a mortal...but I''ll give you a brief explanation. My soul is currently extremely damaged, my vessel is gone but my spirit is in full health. For me to survive I need to inhabit a new vessel while simultaneously healing my soul, but with the condition my soul is in. I need another soul to ''assist'' it in a way. So I''ll use your soul, both of our souls will become one but our spirits will stay separate.}


    A flicker of concern crossed the phantom''s formless countenance. It harboured a deep-seated reluctance to vanish without accomplishing its mysterious "purpose."


    {No you idiot! Souls are your life force, spirits are your will and your vessel is your body. If our souls merge, we''ll be one being but two separate ''people!''} The being said irritatedly.


    {Are all mortals this slow?}


    The phantom didn''t make any significant ''expressions'' as it tried to comprehend what was just said.


    The divine being then disturbed its thought process by speaking once more.


    {Kukuku... So that''s why you refuse to rest.} The divine being chuckled as it searched through the phantom''s memories without consent.


    {It seems we have similar objectives then.}


    The phantom''s ''expression'' became curious as it pondered what the being meant.


    {I won''t bore you with the politics of the Deities... but I too wish to have my revenge on those who dared to attack me.}


    "Revenge?" The Phantom''s first utterance since its inception carried a soft tone, tinged with pain as if on the brink of breaking into sobs with each word it formed.


    {Of course revenge! Your family was slaughtered and you refused to die, the only logical action for that is revenge!}


    "I-I''d never want to take revenge. That''s not what Mama and Papa would''ve wanted..." Despite its initial expression, the truth ran deeper than its verbal statement.


    The phantom harboured an intense desire for revenge, a yearning that burned within it with great intensity.


    {Kukuku...Silly mortal. Does that matter? What matters here is justice!} The being chuckled as if what he had just heard was completely preposterous.


    "Justice? Justifying revenge as justice is a common seed for evil."


    {Evil? Kukuku...Call it vengeance then. What about everyone else? Do you think you''re the only people that those assassins have killed? Don''t be na?ve.}


    "..." The phantom didn''t say anything, he knew that the being was at least a bit correct.


    "That isn''t my place to stop them. Some people will fight for us!" The phantom finally responded after a few moments of contemplation.


    {You''re waiting for others to fight for you? Kukuku... I can just hear Pan and Eurodos'' disappointment.}


    DUMMM


    The air in the forest suddenly shifted, and the temperature rose a couple of degrees.


    "D-don''t say their names..."


    {Kukuku, don''t cry now!}


    {That seems to be the only way for you to listen to reason. You need to fight and avenge the Hermes. If you don''t do it, who will? The nobles hate you all, and the Wakoku themselves didn''t even know the identity of their top General, they have no reason to even bat an eye.}


    "Mother told me to always taught me to never hurt anyone."


    {You idiot! What were Pan''s dying words?!}


    "To stay true to my morals..." The phantom said shyly as it steeled its will to not hurt anyone.


    {No dumbass! They were: "As long as you breathe stay true to your morals and judgment Oizys Hermes is dead! You are no longer bound by such restrictions. The only thing left is his soul and hatred.} The Deity chuckled, clearly proud of its ability to find loopholes.


    "Sir, what''re you trying to say?"


    {Become the one who fights for the Hermes family... Become who you need, avenge the fallen, and fight for your desire.}


    The phantom listened to the words of the deity, but it didn''t speak for a couple of hours.


    ***


    Growing tired of the silence the deity decided to voice its impatience.


    {So what''s it going to b-}


    "No." As the phantom spoke, an unusual alteration occurred¡ªthe temperature ceased its ascent and instead dropped. Simultaneously, its voice underwent a transformation; no longer soft and tremulous, it now carried a slightly deeper and colder quality.


    {What was I thinking? tsk tsk tsk¡­ Mortals will be mortals I guess. Get out of my sight!} The deity became cold, the friendly tone it previously bore disappeared as it spoke.


    "No." The phantom spoke without a hint of fear in its voice.


    {Don''t piss me off morta-}


    "You''re right, no one''s going to fight for the Hermes. So I''ll become the one that will."


    {Kukuku... Finally, you''re gaining some sense.}


    "But..."


    {Here we go again with that righteous crap!} The deity whined, sounding bored.


    "I will fight for everyone. The reason Hermes died was because of this dirty, corrupted world. I have to protect and defend those who can''t fight for themselves. Every single one of them will burn like Hermes, every single noble who abuses their power to abuse others... but not in the flames of a magic bonfire but to my... " The phantom paused.


    "Every single one of them, from the nobles who hated them out of jealousy, to the royalty who are obsessed with control... And even the gods that sponsor them!"


    "Let them all burn..." The phantom''s voice resonated with a depth of both hatred and fervor, yet beneath these emotions lay an undercurrent of restraint and concealed emotions.


    {Kukuku...!} The divine being grew excited as it heard the last part of the phantom''s proclamation.


    Although the Deity laughed at the boy''s words, it was almost concerned. The words the boy just uttered weren''t how he felt. There was more...


    The boy struggled to fully acknowledge his genuine emotions, neglecting to address the profound sense of darkness that lay within him. His recent declaration seemed more like a coping mechanism, an attempt to deflect from his authentic intentions and the concealed turmoil that resided within him.

 Rebirth (2)

    The deity spent a couple of hours designing the contract and explaining the benefits to the phantom.


    *Phantom, you are being offered a contract by Eos the Devil God. The terms of this contract are as follows:


    You shall receive:


    A reconstructed body/vessel with the (CENSORED) lineage


    The ability to utilize a Demonic Aura


    Eos'' Odachi (CENSORED)


    Accelerated Growth Rate


    Eos'' Exclusive (CENSORED) magic


    (CENSORED) Form


    (CENSORED) Form


    (CENSORED) Form


    Devil God apprenticeship


    Details of contract:


    The Devil God Eos has offered a divine contract to a Phantom previously known as the human Oizys Hermes, this contract gives the Phantom the benefits of being Cursed, as well as the necessary means to achieve their TRUE goal and purpose, in exchange for The Devil God fusing with the Phantom''s soul.


    Upon signing none of the beings can make any more contracts with any other beings.


    Should any terms be broken the party at fault shall face either DIVINE punishment or a punishment previously stated.


    Upon signing, The Devil God''s soul and the soul of the phantom shall become one.


    The spirit of The Devil God will also inhabit the reconstructed vessel, but control shall be given to the phantom.


    With the phantom''s consent, The Devil God may take control over the vessel for a predetermined period or until the phantom wants control again.


    The Devil God may not willingly do anything that inhibits the goals and objectives of the phantom.


    Although The Devil God may not inhibit the phantom in any way, he is not obligated to help the phantom beyond the already stated obligations.


    Should the phantom accomplish its objective of (censored), control over the reconstructed vessel shall be given over to The Devil God permanently and a new contract will need to be established.


    Should the phantom choose to stop their pursuit of (censored), control over the reconstructed vessel shall be given over to The Devil God permanently and a new contract will need to be established.


    Should the reconstructed vessel die under the control of the phantom, control over the reconstructed vessel shall be given over to The Devil God permanently and a new contract will need to be established.


    *Would you like to accept these terms? <Yes/No>


    "Yes" The phantom didn''t even hesitate to give its answer, it didn''t care to read the terms either it only had one thing on its mind...


    ***


    When the phantom signed the contract it was the dead of night.


    Yet, in a sudden and brilliant spectacle, a blinding white radiance enveloped the entirety of the forest, seemingly transforming the night into a luminous day.


    This radiant glow then extended beyond the forest''s confines, spreading across nearby cities, and further still, permeating nearby Empires.


    Swiftly, the divine light expanded to encompass the entire world, and even beyond, stretching into the furthest reaches of space itself. But as abruptly as it had manifested, the light vanished, retracting to the heart of the Forbidden Forest.


    The being that had occupied the center of the crater had vanished without a trace as if its existence had been erased. Intriguingly, the purple phantom had also disappeared, leaving no evidence of its presence.


    ***


    All over the world people were wondering who was the source of the light that restricted their vision.


    Every single person on TC3 knew exactly what the light meant: A contract between a mortal and a deity had been signed, and not just any deity...


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Typically when a basic angel/demon signs a contract with a mortal the light''s range is a few meters.


    When a Higher archangel/Marquess demon signs a contract with a mortal the light covers a few cities.


    And when a Greater God/Greater Devil signs a contract with a mortal a whole continent or two feels the light ray.


    So what kind of being is powerful enough to light up the whole planet and beyond?


    ***


    Forbidden Forest''s centre


    An hour after the earlier events, within the heart of the expansive crater, a violet luminescence materialized seemingly out of thin air.


    This radiant light transformed into a slender violet thread of mana, intricately weaving itself into a complex pattern.


    The intricate pattern of mana threads wove together and replicated, the threads transforming from their initial violet hue to pure white.


    Gradually widening, they began constructing the form of a small, humanoid male child, culminating in an ivory-hued skeleton.


    The structure of bones gradually became enveloped in crimson muscle tissue, each part taking its place and connecting seamlessly.


    Organs followed suit, arranging themselves meticulously within the newly formed body.


    Finally, flawless, pale skin manifested, unmarred by any imperfections or scars.


    In the centre of the crater stood the naked boy, his short, silky Russian violet hair glistening.


    He regarded his new hands with curiosity, repeatedly opening and closing them.


    Sensing the dirt beneath his feet, he wiggled his toes, resulting in a small grin.


    His mouth boasted a set of pristine teeth, yet his canines and incisors appeared abnormally large and sharp, hinting at a predatory aspect.


    Raising his gaze to the sky, he unveiled stunning silver eyes that seemed to emit their own luminescence.


    A frosty breath escaped his lips, causing the air around him to condense. Taking measured breaths, he cleared his throat before raising his hand. Pointing towards the moon, he emitted a chilling chuckle.


    Was this still Oizys Hermes?


    ***


    The boy left the forest without having to encounter any dangerous beasts or monsters, a feat no one had been able to accomplish in the Forbidden Forest


    He walked for hours till he reached the outskirts of a large city.


    Just outside the city, the boy decided to sleep before he tackled the challenge of tomorrow.


    Although he wore nothing, he was unbothered by the cold at all. He was just happy that he was able to feel the elements, when he was a mere phantom he couldn''t interact with the world unless his emotions got out of hand and even then he was the one affecting it and not the other way around.


    ***


    1 month later.


    Caelum Empire, Minerva (Emperor''s capital)


    Situated within the vast expanse of the Emperor''s capital was an immense city, both in terms of physical area and population.


    A staggering 50 million individuals called this capital their home.


    The streets, meticulously paved with sturdy stone, led to buildings that stood tall and wide, and the atmosphere held a crisp cleanliness. Minerva, the capital, was a living embodiment of a thriving economy.


    At its heart lay an expansive estate that spanned several kilometres, anchored by a grand castle of multiple stories. The palace was a blend of classic Roman architecture intertwined with the elegance of the Renaissance era, a true marvel of design. Its colossal columns bore no signs of wear, scratches, or dust, appearing as though they had just been erected.


    A well-illuminated room occupied the uppermost floor of this stately palace. Positioned upon a dais at its centre was a glorious golden throne. Directly before the dais was a series of less ornate thrones, each occupied by six men respectively.


    Seated upon the golden throne was none other than Emperor Jupiter, the reigning monarch of the Empire of Caelum. The other men, positioned in front of him, were the kings governing the various kingdoms within the empire.


    The reason for this sudden meeting was obvious to everyone. It was to discuss the light that blinded the whole world.


    Previously they were all under the impression the light simply enveloped their kingdoms, but when they all reported the ray. They were shocked to find out that it blinded the whole continent, and after getting reports from other empires they knew the matter was a global issue.


    Due to every empire being on completely different terms with each other, they were unable to come together to discuss it peacefully. So instead each empire had to work by themselves to figure out the issue.


    This poor relationship between empires has been the leading reason why the Wakoku Nation has come this far and grown so much. The Empires were simply too selfish to work together.


    Emperor Jupiter was a tall intimidating man whose presence caused even the Tier 1 kings in front of him to shiver, he was one of the 17 transcendents: Mortals so powerful, they have to consciously restrict their aura to not cause people to die instantly.


    Although Tier 1''s and 0''s were simply separated by one tier, the difference in power was unfathomable. Even if one hundred tier 1''s were to come together, they could never hope to defeat a transcendent.


    Emperor Jupiter''s countenance was marked by a trim, short brown beard, and closely cropped brown hair.


    His pale, silvery blue eyes bore an intensity that seemed to penetrate whatever they fixed upon. Angular and sharp facial features contributed to his imposing appearance, further accentuated by a substantial lightning bolt-shaped scar on the left side of his face.


    His physique, as if sculpted by the hands of a God, was evident even beneath the flowing folds of his long purple robe, outlining his impressive musculature. Adorning his head was a radiant Roman crown that gleamed, accompanied by a selection of rings on his right hand and an array of bracelets adorning his left wrist.


    He maintained perfect posture as he sat upon his throne, arms supporting his chin atop the armrests.


    The kings below him were all arguing passionately as they threw out different theories on what happened a month ago.


    "Silence." The emperor''s voice was deep, loud, and full of vigour, when he spoke all of the kings immediately kept quiet and looked in his direction.

 Rebirth (3)

    "Archangel Gabriel has already informed me of what has happened..." The man spoke calmly with a solemn tone and a hint of curiosity.


    "What is it, Emperor?"


    "Archangel Gabriel spoke to you, Emperor?"


    "If Archangel Gabriel felt the need to explain it means it''s really important."


    The emperor raised his hand to silence the kings who spoke out of turn.


    "As you all know, centuries ago the Gods and Devils paused their war to defeat a common enemy...Eos the Devil God. Not much is known about him other than his otherworldly strength, even among deities. "


    "We already know this Emperor." One of the kings interjected as he looked at the emperor.


    Ignoring one of the king''s rudeness, Emperor Jupiter continued.


    "The war between the deities and the Eos continued for five hundred years, with Eos holding the advantage. But last month, because of some undisclosed circumstances the tables turned and Eos was defeated."


    "WHAT!"


    "That''s great!"


    "Undisclosed?"


    Many of the kings had different reactions to the news but one person''s reaction stood out.


    King Minerva simply raised his eyebrow upon hearing the news before he raised his hand.


    "Minerva, you may speak."


    King Minerva possessed shoulder-length, curly brown hair along with striking green eyes.


    His face was devoid of facial hair, and his complexion boasted clear, unblemished olive skin.


    Adorning his appearance were purple stud earrings and a resplendent golden crown. His attire consisted of an onyx robe that gracefully cascaded to the floor.


    After the emperor, he had the second most oppressive aura although to a far lesser degree.


    Everyone else kept quiet to hear what the smartest man in the empire had to say.


    "That is both good and bad news...This means the war between the Devils and Gods will resume, meaning more people on our planet will be tempted by the demons and devils. Increasing in Cursed individuals and crime. "


    "You have a good point Minerva, which brings me to the conclusion of what Archangel Gabriel said. Eos didn''t die, they defeated him but he ended up crashing into our Planet. Specifically in our Empire, his collision was the source of the worldwide tremors we felt last month."


    "But that doesn''t explain the light, Emperor?" One of the Kings asked uneasily.


    "The source was Eos once again. The Devil God who''s infamous for never even allying himself with Gods and Devils, made a contract with a human."


    King Minerva looked at the Emperor and for the first time, his expression changed; the king was terrified.


    "What kind of human did the Devil God think was worthy of contracting with?"


    ***


    {This mortal... Has no talent at all!} The Devil God was flabbergasted as he observed his vessel.


    In the small region between Minerva and the Forbidden Forest.


    "Lord Eos, I-I''m tired."


    The young boy, sporting Russian violet hair and a complexion of pale skin panted heavily while gripping a lengthy stick firmly with both hands.


    His attire consisted of a weathered, dirt-stained cloth wound around his waist and secured with a robust black rope.


    {Keep swinging weakling!}


    For the next few hours, the boy kept swinging the stick in a vertical slash motion, in an open plain.


    Finally, the child swung the stick perfectly, utilizing the perfect amount of force, and torque and at the perfect angle.


    {It''s About damn time Oizys.}


    The boy instantly dropped the stick in his hand as he heard what his Deity said.


    {I didn''t say sto-}


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    "I can no longer use that name." The boy''s voice was unusually solemn and cold as he gripped the stick slightly tightly.


    {What''re you on about this time, you moper?}


    "Oizys Hermes is dead...So I need a new name."


    -sigh- {Very well then...What should I call you mortal?}


    The boy exhaled as he looked towards the sun which was slowly creeping in.


    "Adonis.."


    {Adonis?}


    "Yes, my name''s Adonis P. Vindicta."


    ***


    A year later.


    The boy who was now almost nine years old was in the heart of a calm forest just outside the city of Minerva.


    The boy was no longer naked and wore a simple cotton cloth which he fashioned into a makeshift toga. His toga was filled with holes and covered in sweat, blood, and dirt indicating that it was the only thing he owned.


    Adonis stood opposite a tall tree with both hands on his knees as he panted heavily.


    {No time for breaks. Attack!} The deity commanded in an irritated tone.


    So he did, the boy delivered another swift blow to the defenceless tree, causing it to shake slightly.


    The boy continued to deliver endless combos to the poor tree, each attack becoming sharper and sharper.


    ***


    By the time he was nine, the boy was fairly decent in hand-to-hand combat and was capable of besting a novice knight in terms of pure skill.


    Every single day he would spend his days doing the same rigorous routines.


    He would wake up at 3 AM


    Run 15km


    Eat mushroom soup


    Hand-to-hand combat training


    Endurance Training


    Muscle building Training


    Eat mushroom soup


    Aura Training


    Weapons training


    Sleep at 11 PM and repeat


    ***


    On this day it was no different, Adonis had a long black stick in both his hands as he stood opposite the same tree he constantly abused.


    {Remember what I said, to tap into your aura you must summon your spirit. Focus on your emotions but be calm, control them, and don''t let them control you. That''s the key. }


    "Yes, Lord Eos."


    The boy gripped the wooden stick tightly till his knuckles turned white as he heightened his focus.


    {Your body is still too premature to use Earthly Aura, but you should be able to tap into my Demonic Aura.}


    The atmosphere grew chilly, coinciding with the ground trembling beneath his unshod feet. A gentle breeze gained strength, prompting nearby birds to depart on pure instinct.


    With determination, the boy clenched his teeth, sensing a surging warmth originating in the core of his chest. His brief purple hair challenged gravity''s pull, extending skyward.


    A prominent vein on his forehead swelled as he persisted, intensifying his focus to access the malevolent energy within.


    {Kukuku...}


    The boy''s pale white skin began to radiate a faint red energy that seemed to want to devour everything it came in contact with. The already worn cloth he wore began to tear even more as the Wicked Aura grew at an alarming rate.


    DEMMM


    The boy opened his bright silver eyes which had turned a dull orange and stared at the tree in front of him, with a look of pure malice.


    The stick in his hand was now completely drenched in energy and was itching to explode into a million pieces, but it managed to hold up because of the lessons Eos gave him on control.


    The boy opened his mouth to exhale, and when he did it revealed another significant change. His already abnormally long canines were now much longer and had managed to pierce his lips causing a stream of blood to drip onto the cold soil.


    {Now do it.}


    "Supreme Devil Art: Earth Splitting Strike!" The boy''s voice was much different from his usual innocent childish tone and pitch, it was now raspy and cold similar to that of The Devil God''s.


    Adonis jumped a few meters into the air with the stick raised above his head, as soon as he reached his peak he swung down with all his might.


    SLASH


    When the stick came in contact with the tree, it simply gave up; like a hot knife cutting through butter Adonis split the tree in half.


    When he landed on the ground, Adonis'' stick shattered into a million splinters.


    The youth simply looked at the tree he toppled with a blank expression on his face.


    {Kukuku...Not bad, mortal.}


    Adonis didn''t hear the words of the Deity due to the constant throbbing in his head, the use of Wicked Aura simply took way too much energy.


    {By human standards, I''m sure you''re a prodigy. But make no mistake, you''re still insignificant...}


    His physical features slowly went back to normal as he fought to stay conscious.


    {When I was your age, I was able to cut a mountain with the same stick... but don''t be sad mortal, comparing yourself to me is something that gets even the ''Gods'' depressed.}


    Adonis'' vision was blurry and he staggered like a drunk man as he walked towards the boulder he had begun to treat like a couch.


    {Even Jupiter gets filled with dread when he compares himself to me. Not the human, the God of course!}


    "..."


    {Oizys, are you listening?}


    As Eos was boasting about his great power, Adonis had already passed out long ago before he even managed to reach the boulder.


    ***


    *Extra Information:


    Knights use aura to fight, Mages use magic and Magic knights use both.


    Magic knights are ranked in tiers: from tier 0 to tier 10, the lower the number the stronger. There are also ranks in the individual tiers. For example, King Minerva is Tier 1 High Rank, meaning he is on the elite spectrum of Tier 1.


    Tier 0 means transcendent.


    Mages and knights are ranked as follows:


    Grandmaster, Master, Expert, Intermediate, and Novice.


    Grandmaster= Tier 5-4


    Master= Tier 6


    Expert= Tier 7


    Intermediate= Tier 8


    Novice= Tier 10-9


    Prologue Arc, Vindicta: End

 Black Market (1)

    1st Saga: Cain


    3 Years after the Massacre of the Hermes clan,


    On a sombre, overcast day, a youthful boy with cascading brown curls and eyes the shade of warm chocolate stood firmly at the water''s edge.


    The waves, like gentle caresses, embraced his knees, their soothing rhythm matching the beat of his hopeful heart.


    With an aura of innocence that clung to him like a second skin, he gazed out at the expanse of the ocean, his eyes alight with anticipation.


    "Ozzy! Come to shore it''s dangerous." A soft feminine voice yelled concernedly as she sat on a large rock on the sand.


    The boy: Oizys, didn''t say anything as he continued to stare at the ocean impatiently.


    "Papa''s late..." He muttered under his breath as he looked at the dull blue water.


    -sigh- "That boy''s just like his father..."


    ''If it''s something he enjoys doing, he''ll hear nothing else.'' Pan giggled to herself as she watched her son.


    Amidst the brooding nimbus clouds, bursts of brilliant white lightning illuminated the sky before a colossal bolt unleashed its raw energy upon the body of water enveloping the young boy.


    KRLK KRLK KRLK


    BOOM


    Yet, as the sky''s fury met the sea''s embrace, an incredible phenomenon occurred.


    Oizys remained untouched by the electric cascade that had just seared through the water around him.


    However, a space a few hundred feet away from him was forever altered ¡ª the water that once danced there vanished, leaving behind a small crater.


    "Three hundred and ninety-three seconds..." The boy whispered to himself as he waited for all the steam in front of him to clear.


    As the dissipating steam unveiled the scene''s secrets, it unveiled a tall and mysterious figure.


    This stranger, garbed in attire that whispered of distant lands, materialized before the boy''s eyes.


    An aura of mystery surrounded him, amplified by the unusual mask that obscured his features, rendering them inscrutable. The mask, reminiscent of an oni with its telltale cracks, seemed to bridge the realm between the living and the ethereal.


    Adorned in a blood-soaked white kimono, a stark and chilling contrast to the paleness of his mask, the man emanated an air of ominous elegance.


    At his hip, a long, ebony katana rested in its scabbard, the blade''s darkness juxtaposed against the vibrant red liquid that tainted it.


    The man clutched his abdomen in pain as he limped towards Oizys.


    "Papa, you travelled twenty megameters, meaning you''re three hundred and forty seconds late." The boy pouted as he walked towards Percy.


    "Sorry Ozzy..." With a tender gesture, Eurodos placed his hand on his child''s head, a gesture of both affection and apology.


    A soft smile graced his lips as he carefully removed his mask using his free hand, revealing the features that had been shrouded in mystery just moments ago.


    Adonis'' dream was interrupted as he felt the movement of the wagon slow down.


    ***


    Phyla City- Facere Kingdom, Caelum Empire


    Now ten years old, Adonis reclined within an aged merchant''s wagon, its weathered wheels turning in sync with the plodding steps of a weary donkey.


    The boy had hitched a ride with a travelling merchant, embarking on a journey that now led them through the gates of Phyla City.


    Facere, one of the five kingdoms of the Caelum Empire is known for its blacksmiths, high economy, and its large population.


    The city of Phyla being one of its six major cities each managed by its own respective Duke.


    The city burst forth with life, an orchestra of children''s laughter echoing through the streets.


    A bustling scene unfolded before Adonis''s eyes: countless children immersed themselves in games, small stalls boasting an array of goods, from low-level magic items to freshly harvested fruits and vegetables.


    Amid this vibrant tapestry of life, tall buildings stood, bearing the weight of centuries gone by.


    The city''s architecture embraced a Renaissance Italian aura, an essence familiar across human cities worldwide.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Yet, there was a touch of otherworldliness woven into these structures, a whisper of magic infused into the mortar and stone, proof of the marvels that humanity and magic together could create.


    From his nest within the cart, Adonis roused from his drowsiness with a yawn that stretched his lips, revealing gleaming white teeth.


    Recognition dawned upon him as the city''s atmosphere seeped into his awareness; he had arrived at his destination.


    Clad in a worn, oversized tunic of a muted white hue, secured by a simple black rope.


    His once-cropped Russian violet hair now cascaded just above his eyebrows and brushed against his upper ears, a tousled mane reminiscent of a bird''s nest.


    A sturdy staff, solid and ebony, stood as his steadfast companion. Three and a half feet in length and four inches thick, the stick exuded an air of strength.


    This pitch-black tool had been Adonis''s partner in countless drills and exercises over nine months, a testament to his tireless commitment.


    As its weight rested in his hand, he was reminded of the journey it had shared with him, a reluctant reminder that it might soon be time to part ways.


    The boy nimbly jumped out of the cart moving cart and used his stick to prevent him from losing balance.


    "Thank you, sir."


    The old man driving the cart nodded silently as he acknowledged the boy''s salutation.


    {Mortal, why come all the way here to buy a blade?}


    ''Lord Eos, I don''t plan on buying a second-rate weapon that''ll break easily. I need a lifelong companion.''


    {Weapons are merely tools, don''t rely on them too much.}


    ''Yes sir.''


    ***


    The boy explored the city''s streets for a few hours looking for his destination.


    His journey brought him to a sprawling estate guarded by imposing iron gates.


    Beyond those gates stood a significant building, its size easily doubling that of a typical Roman bank.


    The bank''s main structure exuded an air of elegance in its pale white fa?ade.


    There are twelve stately columns that stand tall, providing both support and a grand aesthetic.t


    Ascending towards the entrance was a series of elevated steps, welcoming patrons with an air of grandeur.


    The scene before him painted a picture of bustling activity.


    A steady stream of individuals flowed in and out of the bank, each bearing bags of gold or slips of paper that held untold value.


    The hum of transactions and commerce reverberated through the air, a testament to the vital role this institution played in the lives of many.


    {I thought you wanted a blade, what are we doing in this place?}


    ''Collecting the Hermes'' Code Red Fund.''


    {Makes sense.}


    The boy walked up towards the tall iron gates where he was confronted by two guards, one a young man in his early twenties and the other an older woman the two guards stared down at the boy irritably and raised their eyebrows.


    The guards wore Roman iron breastplates on top of their red tunics and had groin protectors covering their crotch area. They also had spears which were about 7 feet long and wore heavy metal helmets.


    {These mortals are fairly weak, the man with short hair doesn''t use magic, meaning he is a Novice knight while the taller woman is a Tier 7 magic knight.}


    ''I don''t plan on fighting, Lord Eos.''


    {Tch...Do you ever want to fig-}


    "What are you doing here peasant?" The guard on the left looked down at the young boy with purple hair in front of him.


    "I''ve come to withdraw funds from an A. account." Adonis tried to sound as polite as he could as he looked up at the guard.


    "An A. account? What kind of joke are you trying to pull?" The guard on the left scrunched his eyebrows as he hissed at the child.


    (A. account- An anonymous account used to store funds. It isn''t registered to any families or names, making it perfect to keep secret money for an emergency)


    Among these guards, one stood distinct with his deep blue eyes that seemed to hold an unspoken story within their depths.


    His short brown hair was neatly groomed, contrasting the chaos surrounding the busy bank. A clean-shaven countenance revealed no traces of past battles, no marks to mar his youthful visage.


    Yet, as Adonis''s gaze met his, he sensed a flicker of hostility within those azure depths.


    Despite this, it was evident that the young man''s eyes hadn''t witnessed the brutality of a true life-or-death conflict.


    His stance, and his demeanor, bore the innocence of one who hadn''t yet been pushed to the brink, a reminder that behind the facade of sternness lay the untested essence of a mere Novice Knight.


    "Hey... Let him in. There''s no rule against children withdrawing money." The other guard looked at her partner without even glancing at the boy.


    "Senior? " The guard on the left said in a confused tone.


    "Let him in." The female guard with the long hair repeated her statement but with a more intimidating tone.


    "There''s no rule against allowing children inside."


    As the boy walked through the gates, the guard on the right looked at him for the first time and spoke in an intimidating voice.


    "If you cause any trouble commoner, I''ll kill you myself." The guard said flatly as she waited for the boy''s reaction.


    ''There''s that word.'' Adonis thought as he tried to suppress his rage.


    Adonis suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked down at the ground. He sighed and cracked a gentle smile as he looked back at the guard.


    "Don''t worry ma''am, I''ll be out of your hair in an hour!"


    The boy carried on walking with a polite smile plastered on his face till he reached the entrance of the large building where he then completely erased it from his face as if it was never there.


    The building had a large wooden door that was opened widely, although it didn''t look like anything special it was heavily reinforced with mana.


    Roaming the area near the door were dozens of guards of varying strengths looking for suspicious activity.


    {The strongest person here is, 6th Tier Low tier.} The Devil God assessed.


    Adonis nodded as he looked around before walking through the wooden door.


    Although it looked like no one was paying attention to him, he was the most suspicious person there, so he naturally received the most amount of gazes. The seasoned professionals simply knew how to hide it.


    As he walked into the bank, he looked around curiously.


    Inside the bank, numerous sturdy beams extended several meters in height to provide structural support. The floor, a serene pale white canvas, featured intricate artwork depicting celestial figures like angels and deities.


    {Ew!} The deity said as it identified the figures in the art.


    Extra Information:


    There are 5 Kingdoms in the Caelum empire, each boasting a population of about 220-270 million people.


    These kingdoms are larger than countries like the USA in terms of surface area.


    The Planet is 80% water.

 Black Market (2)

    There was a large marble receptionist desk with a middle-aged woman manning it alongside someone who looked to be her daughter.


    A young girl in her teenage years, no older than 17, possessed a striking appearance.


    Bright yellow eyes illuminated her countenance, which featured sand-toned skin that seemed to capture the essence of desert hues. Her pitch-black hair cascaded elegantly, neatly secured by a silver rod. Black glasses adorned her face, adding a touch of scholarly charm to her presence.


    Her mother bore a striking resemblance to her daughter, their features almost eerily identical. The mother''s yellow eyes, though reminiscent of her daughter''s, held a slightly lighter shade. With shoulder-length onyx hair framed her face, a contrast to her daughter''s longer locks.


    The elder woman was helping out the customer in front of Adonis while simultaneously scolding her daughter for being clumsy with the magic orb.


    "Naomi, don''t drop the finance ball!"


    When it was Adonis'' turn in line, the girl''s mother raised her eyebrows slightly in confusion.


    "Sorry, but this place isn''t for childre-"


    Her teenage daughter, Naomi interjected as she peeked at the boy from the elevated desk.


    "Are you lost, little guy?"


    A flicker of irritation momentarily tugged at the corners of Adonis''s mouth before he composed himself into a polite, yet firmly serious smile.


    "Good morning, I''m here to collect money out of an A. Account."


    ***


    After tons of convincing and giving all the appropriate details. The boy received the money from the anonymous Hermes fund, after doing so he also managed to create his bank account and was given the appropriate tools to use it: a golden necklace with a bright gem and a seal of authenticity.


    On his way towards the entrance in which he entered, the guard with short black hair was leaning on the large desk while speaking to Naomi, the young girl at the receptionist''s desk.


    Her mother wasn''t near them for some reason and the two of them were alone.


    Naomi looked extremely uncomfortable and agitated at how close the guard was to her.


    Although Adonis couldn''t hear what the guard was saying, but it was clear that he was hitting on her.


    As he walked closer to the receptionist''s table, he could make out what the two were saying.


    "C''mon Naomi, you come from a commoner family. Just think about what marrying a noble could do for you." The guard''s tone was extremely entitled and forceful, instead of the sweet approach one would normally take.


    "S-sorry Sir Quin, but I haven''t spoken to my parents yet... A-and I don''t think I''m ready for marriage." Her voice was shaky as she tried to respectfully reject the man.


    "You''re sixteen, you''re of age. Why do you need to ask your parents!" The man was getting visibly more irritated the more his advances were rejected.


    Adonis stopped a few meters away from the two as he listened unwillingly.


    "It''s none of my business..." He said as he slowly walked closer and closer to the reception desk. Despite his inner struggle, his fists clenched and teeth gritted, he steadfastly resisted the urge to intervene.


    As he was right next to the desk about to brush shoulders with Quin, Adonis heard a faintly familiar voice call out to him.


    "Ozzy my love, don''t tell me you''re going to ignore a girl in need..." Pan''s voice echoed through Adonis'' head causing him to stop in his tracks.


    "But Mama... What can I do?" The boy''s voice came out in a whisper, the colour draining from his doll-like face in an instant.


    "I raised you better than this." Pan''s voice underwent a subtle transformation, deepening and becoming slightly distorted. The once warm tones now took on a cold and disappointed quality.


    The purple-haired boy began sweating profusely as his nails dug into his palms, causing blood to drip onto the marble mural on the floor.


    '' I''m sorry mama... '' Tears welled up in the boy''s luminous silver eyes as he raised his head ever so slightly.


    "I''ll change your life. C''mon, a commoner like you could never get a better husband than me! " Quin''s demeanour grew increasingly aggressive, his actions escalating as he forcefully seized the teenage girl''s arm.


    Adonis continued to look at the mural on the floor as he contemplated his next move.


    {...}


    "No!" Naomi tried to pull her arm back, but the man increased the strength he exerted, causing her arms to turn slightly red.


    As the girl''s yelp reached his ears, a prominent vein in Adonis''s forehead bulged in response.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "Hey... Leave her alone." Adonis uttered his words, in a soft, hoarse voice tinged with fear.


    "Naomi... I won''t ask you again!" Sir Quin didn''t even acknowledge the words of the boy next to him as he erupted in frustration. Instead increased his grip, causing the girl''s arm to make a loud snapping noise.


    "OWWW!" Naomi screamed in pain as she tried to release her arm from the knight''s clutches, but it was helpless.


    A civilian trying to escape a knight''s grip was impossible, she was completely at his mercy.


    {Don''t do anything dumb Adonis... You aren''t even tier 10 yet. Kukuku... just enjoy the show.}


    Despite the deity''s words echoing in his head, Adonis defied him. With an explosive leap, he soared five feet into the air, his intent directed at delivering a kick to the guard''s arm with all his might.


    WHOOSH


    While Quin''s combat experience was limited, his status as a Novice knight granted him superhuman abilities.


    Swiftly shifting his attention to the sudden threat, he relinquished his grip on the girl, causing her to crumple in agony. He deftly employed the arm that had been targeted by Adonis, effortlessly intercepting the boy''s attack.


    THUD


    The knight''s countenance transformed, into a whirlwind of rage, confusion, and amazement.


    Quin''s astonishment stemmed from the unexpected strength that surged from the young assailant.


    Though the power wasn''t a genuine threat to him, it stirred an unsettling unease. A recognition of a prodigy, an untamed talent that, if cultivated, could become an invaluable asset for the Empire.


    But amidst these realizations, a cocktail of emotions churned within Quin. Rejection''s sting still smarted fresh, this youth impeding his pursuit of the woman he sought.


    A complete disregard for social class inflamed his wrath¡ªhow dared this commoner touch him? Though the promise of discovering rare talent should have incited excitement, the context here altered the sentiment.


    First of all, he had just been rejected by the woman he had been pursuing for multiple months, secondly, this kid was trying to stop him from securing the woman and, thirdly and most importantly he was a filthy commoner who dared to touch him.


    Quin''s reaction was swift. The hand not engaged in defence became an instrument of action, his palm targeting Adonis''s solar plexus.


    BAM


    The impact propelled the ten-year-old through the air, sending him hurtling several meters away.


    Upon landing, Adonis found himself breathless, thirteen feet away from the intensively scrutinizing guard.


    In those charged moments, the air hung heavy, the air molecules bending involuntarily to the tension.


    "How dare a plebian touch me!" Quin spat at the young boy.


    "..." Adonis got up a few seconds later, trying to act nonchalant about the assault.


    However, his pretence of peak health was short-lived.


    Within mere seconds, the fa?ade crumbled. Struggling to maintain composure, he hastily covered his mouth, but it was futile.


    SPLATTER


    A violent fit of coughing seized him, crimson droplets splattering the exquisite marble floor and staining his trembling hand.


    "I suggest you stay down commoner..." Quin released his menacing aura, causing the boy to fall back onto his knees.


    The aura from Quin was pretty weak in the grand scheme of things, but when used against opponents of Adonis'' calibre it was enough to win him the fight without even lifting a finger.


    Remaining on his knees, Adonis''s gaze fixated on the blood staining the floor.


    His eyes seemed to mimic the flickering of a torch caught in the wind, an intensity building within them.


    Raising a trembling hand towards his face, he observed the blood in his palm.


    Yet, this simple act unravelled a cascade of profound experiences.


    As his eyes met the blood, a torrent of images surged through his mind.


    Scenes, emotions, and fragments of memories intertwined like threads weaving a tapestry.


    Amid this internal storm, a specific sequence unfolded vividly¡ªthe tragic events of the Hermes massacre. Among these memories, a particular scene took prominence: the moment when Eurodos'' forceful push sent him sprawling, propelling him out into the garden.


    The sensations, the emotions, all surged back with an intensity that was almost overwhelming.


    {Kukuku... Now it''s getting fun!}


    As Adonis''s internal turmoil escalated, the atmosphere surrounding him seemed to shift. The temperature dropped by a few degrees, an unseen breeze rustling through the indoor space. Even the marble floor beneath him quivered slightly as if resonating with his inner turmoil.


    DUMMMM


    DEM?


    In this crescendo of emotion, a physical transformation took hold.


    His abnormally elongated canines underwent a further shift, lengthening and sharpening until they bit into his lip.


    SPLURT


    The familiar metallic taste of blood began to pool within his mouth, and the deep crimson liquid trickled down his chin, painting his visage with an eerie and unsettling veneer.


    At this moment, he appeared almost feral, a creature driven to the brink.


    "B-Bu, Bur, Bur..." The boy began whispering softly as he struggled to get up under the knight''s pressure.


    "Hm?" Quin felt something was wrong and all the hair on his neck instantly stood up and he stepped back.


    Why was he scared of a mere commoner boy who didn''t even have a tier yet?


    Quin listened intently to the boy''s whispers as he raised his eyebrow in confusion.


    "BUR-" The boy screamed as he stood up shakily, withstanding Quin''s aura.


    "Oizys Hermes, CALM DOWN!"


    The resounding, deep timbre of Eurodos Hermes''s voice reverberated within his mind like a soothing balm.


    Instantly, a sense of tranquillity enveloped him, quelling the tempest within.


    The searing heat that had consumed his chest began to recede, its intensity waning with each passing heartbeat.


    And as if responding to the gentle command, the unsettling Wicked Aura that had surrounded him faded away, leaving him in a state of serenity once more.


    Extra Information:


    100 bronze coins= 1 silver coins


    100 silver coins= 1 gold coin


    1 silver coin can buy a kilogram of apples


    The Finance Necklace is a spatial magic item designed to safeguard one''s wealth. By using this necklace, individuals can conveniently store their riches within a designated space. When making payments, they place the gem on a finance ball, facilitating a direct transfer of coins.


    The necklace has limitations: it exclusively holds bronze, silver, or gold, and only the rightful owner can utilize it. Additionally, the bank possesses restricted access to this spatial dimension. This access allows them to withdraw annual or monthly fees and add interest to the stored wealth, but it is carefully regulated to prevent misuse.

 Black Market (3)

    Adonis exhaled calmly as the silver colour slowly returned to his eyes, making them full of their usual childish innocence.


    {Borrinng!} The Deity exclaimed in disapproval.


    After taking a few more moments to fully regain his composure, Adonis tensed the muscles in his legs; preparing to initiate his next attack.


    WHIZZ


    In a sudden blur of motion, the boy seemed to dissolve from his spot, reappearing in a matter of seconds right before Quin.


    With astonishing swiftness, he leapt into the air, hovering just above the knight''s head.


    Then he executed a swift and precise kick aimed directly at the knight''s head, at a velocity that defied the capabilities of an ordinary human.


    WHOOSH


    "Leave her alone!"


    As the boy''s lightning-quick attack was unleashed, Quin''s heightened reflexes proved their worth.


    He effortlessly evaded the oncoming assault, smoothly ducking his head to avoid the strike. With a swift, fluid motion, he looked up to meet the boy''s gaze, his expression an intriguing blend of surprise and calculation.


    ''Strange... I swore I felt something strange coming from him. His demeanor is back to normal? Well, that doesn''t even matter. Who does this mongrel think he is, trying to fight me!? I''ll put him in his place.''


    With his initial attack deftly evaded, Adonis''s movements exhibited a remarkable fluidity as he landed gracefully before his opponent.


    As he prepared to reposition himself for another attempt, Quin seized the moment.


    In a fluid and controlled motion, Quin''s left leg swung forward, launching a front kick aimed at Adonis''s sternum.


    The strike bore only a fraction of his true strength, yet it remained a testament to the Novice knight''s mastery of combat.


    Miraculously, the boy was just quick enough to use both his arms to block the attack.


    THUD


    "Argh!"


    Though he managed to avert a direct hit, the consequences were far from negligible. The impact took a toll, leaving Adonis with substantial damage.


    His arms bore the evidence, displaying dark blue hues from the heavy bruising inflicted. The force of the blow also propelled him backwards, causing him to stumble several meters away.


    {I suggest you give up mortal, you''re simply too weak.}


    ''I can''t just let him bully an innocent girl...''


    Adonis shed a small tear as he felt a sharp throbbing sensation pulsate through both his arms. The boy grit his teeth in pain as he tried to open and close both his hands to regain the feeling in his fingertips.


    Seeing that the pain wouldn''t subside anytime soon, he decided to simply push through and attack once more.


    Adonis dashed toward the Novice knight as he thought about his next strike.


    ''Punch? No, It''d simply do more damage to me than him... Flying kick? That''ll leave me vulnerable to a throw after he dodges... A flying knee to the head should be adequate; if it lands he''ll at least be staggered, if he dodges I won''t be vulnerable to a counter, if he blocks I can simply attack once more and if he tries to grab my leg I''ll have to resort to using Earthly Aura to avoid being killed or heavily injured.'' By the time Adonis had decided on a clear-cut plan, he was already upon his opponent and within range.


    Executing his strategy, Adonis propelled himself into the air, his left knee extended and aimed at the knight''s nose.


    However, Quin''s response caught Adonis off guard. Instead of attempting to mitigate or evade the impending strike, Quin opted for a different course. He raised his right hand, positioning it just above his chin, and delivered a forceful right hook aimed squarely at the side of the boy''s abdomen.


    {Idiot...}


    CRACK


    As soon as Quin made contact with the boy''s small body, a loud crack could be heard from the boy''s ribs as he was sent flying a few feet backwards.


    "AHHHHHHHH!" Adonis'' pained scream penetrated the ears of every guard and client in the bank.


    "Hehe...Not so tough now, brat!" Quin chuckled as he strolled towards Adonis, preparing to permanently silence the boy.


    "Sir Quin, please stop!" Naomi stepped between the two while facing the knight.


    "Move...I need to teach this commoner a lesson." He didn''t even look at the girl as he swatted her aside.


    After the knight swiped her away, Naomi fell to the floor landing flat on her behind.


    Just as he was about to throw a punch at the boy who was on the floor, he heard the sound of Naomi calling out to him; which stopped him right in his tracks.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "If you let him go, I''ll marry you!" She shrieked desperately, unwilling to let a child get hurt for her sake.


    Upon hearing Naomi''s words, Quin completely ignored Adonis and turned his attention back to his fianc¨¦.


    His twisted enraged smile curved into a large menacing grin after he processed the words of the girl.


    ***


    After witnessing the encounter between the two, a couple of other guards came to escort Adonis out of the bank.


    Although the other guards knew of Quin''s antics and were aware he was the one at fault, they couldn''t do anything about it as he was a noble from a large family.


    Despite his reluctance, Adonis found himself compelled to depart, a bitter taste lingering in his mouth. Naomi''s declaration had stirred something within him, yet circumstances left him with no other choice but to leave.


    ***


    Using his newfound wealth, the first thing Adonis bought were new garments. These were similar to the ones he was currently wearing; but they fit better, were clean, and most importantly didn''t stink. The boy bought multiple sets of these clothes and put them in a small cart he tugged around the cheerful town.


    The reason he was nonchalant about walking around with such a large amount of goods, was simple.


    The crime rate in the major cities was minuscule during the day.


    Continuing his shopping, Adonis entered the tools store and purchased an expensive storage ring eliminating the need for his cart.


    After storing all his items He went to go rent a room at an inexpensive inn, which he reserved for the next few months.


    ***


    At Night.


    When Adonis arrived at the inn, he bathed himself properly for the first time since...


    He died?


    The boy sat on the average-sized bed as he calculated how much money he had left after his shopping spree.


    "Fifteen million, One hundred and fifty-three thousand one hundred and forty-four gold coins."


    {Is that a lot?}


    "It''s just about the yearly income of a smaller Dukedom family."


    {Kukuku...So no more eating mushrooms and dirty water?}


    "Yep!"


    {Then why didn''t you do this sooner?}


    "The assassins sent to kill the Hermes family heard Papa tell me to use Code Red. So If I withdrew a substantial amount of money even from an anonymous account a few months after the Hermes massacre it''d be suspicious. It should be safe now ."


    {Kukuku...Don''t you think that''s a bit too cautious?}


    "Caution breeds success..." Adonis said as he grinned cheerfully


    Rising from the bed, Adonis initiated a series of stretches, working through each limb, although his arms were occasionally disrupted by sharp throbs of pain.


    Emitting a sigh, he retrieved his dependable staff, utilizing it as a means of support for his body''s movements.


    "Let''s go."


    {Go? Do you want to train now?}


    "Ha, of course not." The boy giggled as he heard the outrageous question.


    {Then what else would you want to do...Aren''t the stores all closed?)


    "Not the black market... That''s where we buy what we really came for."


    ***


    Adonis strolled along the empty city streets, his grip firm on the obsidian staff in his right hand.


    His attire had undergone a transformation, now featuring a long black tunic paired with a matching black cloak.


    As for accessories, he sported a modest silver spatial ring adorned with a red gem.


    Completing the ensemble were well-fitted brown leather Roman sandals, securely fastened to his feet.


    Adding to his enigmatic appearance, Adonis donned a peculiar black half-mask with a beak-like design. This unconventional accessory held a particular purpose¡ªit was a requirement for venturing into the black market, a distinctive symbol of participation.


    After a two-hour journey, Adonis arrived at an empty plaza dominated by a stone statue of the Roman God Mercury.


    Recognizing his location, he veered into a nearby alleyway, proceeding until he faced a dead end marked by a towering stone wall. Placing his slender, calloused hand upon the surface, he murmured a phrase under his breath.


    The boy''s words were so quiet that it was almost inaudible.


    "Ni em tel, swodahs eht ni llam."


    [Esoprup ruoy si tahw] A sharp distorted voice replied as the wall vibrated slightly.


    "Tools, weapons and information."


    [Everything under the sun, belongs to who?]


    "No one." The boy gave the password with a flat tone as he looked at the brick wall.


    Immediately after he uttered the words, the individual stones parted, forming a circular opening roughly the size of two human heads. What lay beyond was a mysterious void, an inky expanse that absorbed all light. Its darkness was tinged with an aura of potent mana, casting an eerie and intense presence.


    {This isn''t a portal, but the mana it radiates is similar?}


    "It''s a trans-tube, it turns someone intangible and invisible, and lets them travel to a predetermined destination at high speeds."


    {Interesting, this must be the product of a powerful special affinity.}


    "It is..."


    With his staff strapped to his back, Adonis started by placing his arm into the dark hole was immediately seized by a sensation beyond description.


    Every single cell in his body began to vibrate with a ferocity that seemed to resonate with the very fabric of his being.


    Every particle comprising his flesh and bones dissolved, transmuting into vibrant, shimmering specks of mana. Despite the searing agony that gripped him, he clenched his teeth, bearing witness to the metamorphosis of his once-small limb.


    "Arghh!"


    Adonis placed his other arm into the space and the same thing occurred. This time he bit into his lip as he endured the pain. After he mentally prepared himself for more excruciating pain, he dived into the hole, turning his whole body into yellow mana particles. He felt his whole sense of direction become disorientated and his head started spinning.


    TSU


    The particles of mana that Adonis had become, travelled at a frightening speed through empty darkness in a straight line never turning once nor slowing down. The particles continued at this speed for 5 minutes straight till they suddenly stopped abruptly.


    The next second, the boy''s head emerged out of a dark pool of water.


    Immediately after he was free he greedily inhaled as much air as his little lungs could hold.


    {Where are we mortal?}


    As his silver pupils adjusted to the darkness, Adonis''s eyes dilated, allowing him to navigate his new environment.


    He swivelled his head a few times, meticulously surveying his surroundings to gain a sense of orientation. Focusing intently, he narrowed his eyes upon detecting a distant, faint light that beckoned from a few hundred yards away.


    ''In the great lake outside the international black market, in other words, the entrance.''

 Black market (4)

    SPLASH


    The boy kicked his legs and started using his arms to paddle in the direction of the faint light. Although it seemed close by it took way longer than expected for him to finally reach land.


    After a while, Adonis reached a narrow wooden pier adorned with a few paddle boats tethered to its poles.


    Utilizing both his arms, he pulled himself onto the platform and stood upon its wooden planks.


    This small pier served as a gateway to a sprawling medieval Romanesque shopping district.


    Alongside the path, wooden stands were manned by merchants sporting animal-themed masks, forming a bustling spectacle.


    As Adonis ventured deeper, the pathway led to smaller buildings adorned with enigmatic signs.


    The trajectory of the path wound inward, the structures growing in magnitude while the number of stands dwindled. At the heart of this circular journey loomed a massive dark spire crowned by a towering flame.


    ''This is it, Lord Eos. The black market, Roman Branch.'' Adonis announced as he shook his head vigorously in an attempt to dry himself.


    In a few more minutes he was satisfied with his current state and decided to explore the large plaza.


    Adonis unbuckled his staff from the strap on his back and used it as support as he walked along the pier onto the stone path.


    The district was filled with many masked individuals walking from stand to stand purchasing all sorts of goods or having a particular service such as fortune telling fulfilled.


    As he walked along the path going deeper and deeper into the plaza''s center, the merchants called out to him trying to catch his attention, but the boy ignored all the enticing offers and carried on walking towards his destination.


    He continued to walk for about an hour or so till he came to a halt before a modest, weathered building crafted from grey stone.


    The store''s appearance was humble, its exterior marked by the patina of time. Above the entrance, an aged wooden sign bore inscriptions in Latin, while a small window adorned the space just above the door.


    "Masa''s weapons." He said as he read the sign.


    Adonis opened the wooden door that looked like it was about to fall apart and casually strolled into the store.


    Displayed on the walls were multiple swords of different sizes, each of them all being poorly made and full of flaws.


    Adonis smirked as he observed the weapons and reached for a long curved blade on the wall; when he picked it up he weighed it in his right hand and swung it around a few times.


    "Is that the one you want lad? That''ll be 100 gold coins." A raspy old voice sounded from in front of Adonis.


    Adonis raised his eyebrow as he studied the flawed blade. He threw it up causing the blade to spin in the air multiple times finally as it descended he caught it once again in the opposite hand and studied it once more.


    "You''re kidding... You can do much better than this," he said flatly.


    After sparing the blade one more glance, Adonis turned his attention to the source of the voice before his mouth curved up slightly.


    The source was an elderly man, his age seemingly surpassing seventy years. His long, grey hair cascaded over his shoulders, a testament to the passage of time.


    Deep wrinkles and soot adorned his face, narrating a life well-lived and marked by experience. As the old man''s dull, monolid brown eyes met Adonis''s gaze, an absence of joy seemed to linger within their depths.


    Masa, the store owner looked at the boy uninterestedly as he held out his hand gesturing for payment.


    "Are you going to pay or not kid? If not leave."


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Adonis placed it back onto the wall before he picked up a smaller sword with a straight blade and a leather sheath. With the blade still in its sheath Adonis swung it around a few times and threw it into the air to catch it swiftly immediately after.


    The boy repeated this process with every single weapon on the store''s walls before he was stopped by the swordsmith.


    "If you aren''t going to buy anything, you should leave. This isn''t a place for kids."


    Adonis looked at the old man with the dragon mask, his eyes full of mischievous intrigue and curiosity.


    "You know sir, It''s incredibly difficult to forge dozens of weapons of the same weight, with the same flaws and unbalanced in the same way. So how about we stop wasting each other''s time, and you show me your real weapons? " Adonis smiled politely as he studied the old man.


    "..." The swordsmith raised his eyebrow as he heard the words of the boy.


    "Show me the ones you supply to the Wakoku Nation."


    "What''re you on abou-" The store owner continued to feign ignorance as he listened to the words of the masked young boy in front of him.


    "Buyer Code: 20 8 5- 12 9 7 8 20 9 14 7- 20 8 9 5 6 " Adonis interrupted him as he nonchalantly said the sequence of numbers.


    "G-general Percy?" he said as he choked on his words.


    ***


    The old man led the boy down to the basement, many different thoughts scrambling in his head.


    ''This kid, how''d he know about the basement... How does he know General Percy''s buyer''s code? Who is he?!''


    They eventually descended into the shop''s basement, a space that served as both a repository for the weapons and served as their birthplace.


    Illumination emanated from a central fire, casting its glow upon a colossal iron anvil that supported a substantial hammer. Adjacent to this setup, the basement floor lay cloaked in a thick layer of dark red sand, an unsettling hue reminiscent of bloodstains.


    Within this sea of sand, multiple weapons protruded, their forms bared. Katanas and long yaris jutted from the grains, a testament to the diversity of weaponry stored within.


    With each step, the crunch of Adonis''s sandals resonated in this peculiar sand. He navigated the expanse, methodically assessing and identifying each weapon with a meticulous gaze.


    ''Looks like he just forged these...''


    The old man walked towards the anvil and he took a seat on the wooden chair behind it before he inspected the young boy in front of him, contemplating what to ask him first.


    "Hey, kid... What is your connection to General Percy?"


    ''Straight to the point are we? Old Man Masamune?''


    Adonis smirked as he ignored the words of the old man and approached a long Odachi with a blade the same length as his whole body. The hilt of the sword was a glossy scarlet red with the brass tsuba boasting a strange pattern.


    He placed his hand on the handle and pulled it out of the sand, unexpectedly he was met with great resistance. After tugging with all his might, he managed to pull the blade out.


    He gripped it with both his hands as he swung the blade around gracefully yet slowly, the blade was simply too heavy for the boy.


    After testing the blade for a couple of seconds and deeming it a bad match for him in his current state, he threw it straight at the swordsmith.


    "Catch!"


    "Ahh!" The swordsmith/store owner caught it clumsily as he struggled not to cut himself.


    ''What a bad actor.'' The young child giggled, turning his attention elsewhere.


    Adonis advanced toward a chokuto that stood entrenched.


    The sword bore a unique handle, setting it apart. Crafted from reinforced steel, the blade stretched to an impressive length of 80cm, characterized by its straight form and a sole sharp edge. Remarkably, it lacked a tsuba, the traditional handguard, while the handle was composed of a robust onyx slab of wood.


    Adonis was met with the same level of resistance when he pulled it out of the sand, upon finally retrieving the stubborn blade he repeated his testing process.


    The sword was much lighter than the Odachi the blade was way lighter than it should''ve been for the density and type of metal it was.


    "I pick this one, how much?" Calmly looking at the swordsmith/shop owner, Adonis grinned.


    "I can''t sell to you kid." After thinking for a while Masamune looked at the child in front of him and exhaled frustratingly.


    "Hm?"


    "Although you did use General Percy''s Code... it is clear you are not him. And I only sell goods to those of the Wakoku Nation or those who prove their martial prowess." Shaking his head, Masamune stared at the boy.


    {Just kill him and take the weapon, kuku.} Eos chuckled to himself, amused by his outrageous idea.


    "Hehe... What makes you think I''m not Percy?" Ignoring the Deity''s words, Adonis teased the old man.


    "Well, first of all; you''re barely 5 feet tall," Unamused, Masamune looked at the boy from head to toe.


    "Good point. Well, it''s not like I can convince you otherwise." Looking at his reflection in the blade of the sword, Adonis sighed.


    "Return the blade, and make your way upstairs." Masamune gestured towards the stone stairs.


    "Well I didn''t say I was leaving, now did I?"


    "Hm?" The old man raised his eyebrow.


    "So, what do you wanna see?" Adonis smiled playfully.


    "Kid, don''t waste my time." Masamune waved in an attempt to dismiss the boy.


    "What do you want to see?" He repeated, sounding sterner and slightly colder.

 Black Market (5)

    Scratching his beard in thought, the old man sighed.


    "Very well. Show me a martial technique worthy of my blade, but be warned. If you don''t satisfy me. You won''t leave here alive!"


    DUMMM


    {Kukuku...Tier 3? He was only acting weak? Although I must admit, he''s well out of his prime.} Laughing amusedly, the Deity studied the old man.


    Smiling widely, Adonis gazed into the dull eyes of the swordsmith.


    "You won''t be disappointed."


    Adonis stuck the blade back into the sand and pulled out his jet-black staff.


    "Mind if I use this instead?"


    "Use whatever." The old man said, sounding slightly offended.


    "Show me what you''ve got, kid."


    Adonis elevated the obsidian stick, hoisting it above his head, even as he continued to draw in and assimilate the surrounding air.


    His pupils subtly dilated, and his canines extended, becoming sharper and more prominent.


    The atmosphere in his proximity noticeably chilled, and his knuckles paled as he clutched the sword with determination in his small hands.


    {You plan on using Demonic Aura? Is that wise?} Eos asked with an unfamiliar tone.


    ''He won''t tell anyone, even if he does. What''ll he say? That a young child in a bird mask used Wicked Aura. That''s too unbelievable.''


    {Very well. It''s your life.}


    Watching the boy curiously, Masamune raised his eyebrow.


    ''Supreme Devil Art...''


    "Earth-splitting strike!" Whispering softly, Adonis applied a minute layer of red aura to the obsidian stick. This display showcased a heightened level of mastery and control compared to his abilities of the previous year.


    Executing a fluid motion, Adonis swung the obsidian stick downward. As the stick sliced through the air, grains of sand scattered wildly, leaving a narrow, sand-free path in their wake.


    {Sloppy. } Eos critiqued.


    The effort left him sweating heavily and he collapsed to his knees due to exhaustion.


    "S-so?" Out of breath, the boy raised his eyes transformed eyes to meet the old man''s.


    "Take the blade," Old man Masamune''s words were straightforward, delivered with a seemingly nonchalant demeanour.


    Yet, a discernible shift had taken place within him.


    The previously vacant expression in his eyes was undergoing a nuanced transformation, as a spark of inspiration began to kindle within them.


    ''This new generation...Is simply terrifying.''


    "What are you?" Masamune asked curiously.


    "Hehe...Not sure yet."


    ***


    After a few minutes, Adonis was able to regain his strength and finally stood up to proceed with the payment upstairs.


    Using his dimension ring Adonis took out 1000 gold coins to pay for his new blade.


    When the payment was processed and verified, Masamune gave him the sheath to the blade; a flat long onyx slab of wood with a single opening for the blade.


    On his way out of the shop, Masamune called out to the boy curiously.


    "Boy! At least, tell me your name. What is it?" The old man was desperate to know the identity of the prodigy.


    "Perseus..." Without turning back, Adonis replied casually.


    ***


    After he left Masamune''s weapon store, Adonis walked along the path closer and closer to the plaza''s centre.


    ''I spent so much money...'' He complained, a large tear rolling down his cheek involuntarily.


    He arrived at a much larger building, with a Latin sign reading "Magic Tools".


    Adonis went into the store and bought the following items:


    7m long Aura-reinforced steel chain (Mid Grade); 8 Healing potions (Low Grade); 4 Strength enhancing potions (Low Grade); 50m long Aura-reinforced steel wire (High Grade); 500ml of Pink Rank Viper''s venom; Magic ball (Pink Rank); 3 Mana replenishing potions (Low Grade); 10 Stamina potion (Low Grade); 6 Flame ball magic scrolls (Novice); Aura reinforced steel dagger (Mid Grade)... Total: 10 000 Gold coins.


    Adonis stored all his goods in his dimension ring and continued to his next destination, the information brokers.


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    There he gave a single piece of information that every single military power craved...the identity of Percy, the ''Thunder Oni''.


    He told them the correct name: Eurodos Hermes'', and he gave the necessary evidence to prove his ridiculous claim.


    Making his total wealth: 162 344 510 Gold coins, more than most Noble families and rivaling that of Dukedoms.


    ***


    Continuing his calm stride, Adonis''s contemplative thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a merchant''s stand.


    At the stall stood an elderly lady, her face concealed by an owl mask. Short in stature, her emerald green eyes contrasted with her long, misshapen nose. Hidden beneath a voluminous cowl, her dark and greasy hair was scarcely visible.


    A substantial line of individuals, diverse in form and appearance, queued at the stand run by the seemingly unconventional woman. Positioned on the table was a sizable stone bowl filled with bones, while an adjacent large, sharp steel blade bore a grimy rag.


    "A fortune teller, care to have a go?"


    {You believe in that nonsense Oizys? You''re supposed to be one of the smart mortals. Well, I guess no matter how large the brain, a mortal mind is a mortal mind.}


    "We''re all trapped in the webs of fate, Lord Eos. Maybe she can read those webs."


    {Be the spider that weaves the webs, not a fly at the mercy of them.}


    " Couldn''t hurt to try." Adonis giggled childishly as he went to join the line.


    The passage of time felt endless as Adonis waited his turn. When he was finally at the forefront of the line, the proximity revealed the woman''s true visage¡ªone that could only be described as ugly.


    Her countenance was marked by deformities and warts, far from any semblance of conventional beauty. An unpleasant aroma wafted from her, while her face lacked any semblance of symmetry.


    "Sit child..." The old lady gestured towards the chair as she looked at Adonis.


    Adonis did as he was told as he looked at her wearily.


    Extending her hand, the woman awaited Adonis''s compliance. Obligingly, he placed his hand in hers, and as she clasped it, her gaze fixated on the patterns etched onto his pale palm.


    "You''ve died once already boy." the witch said as she continued to examine the boy''s hand.


    {Kuku...It seems she is using some sort of magic. A special affinity, dare I even guess it might be a divine affinity.}


    "But you couldn''t accept your death, so you continued to wander the world of the living. And due to divine intervention, you received a second chance... but it seems, you will die once more; in eight years."


    "...How?" Adonis was shocked to hear the words of the witch, he could barely push out the question.


    "The person to end your life is no human nor beast... but a being who died long ago, with divine ancestry, and one born of intense emotions."


    {Kukuku, seems like I''ll be gaining control of the body pretty soon.} The deity ridiculed, its menacing laughter echoing through the boy''s ears.


    The old lady picked up the large blade on the table and dug it into Adonis'' wrist, causing blood to flow from the boy''s arm.


    The witch observed as the boy''s blood mingled with the bones within the spacious bowl. Once an adequate quantity had been collected, she retrieved a small vial containing a green liquid. Pouring the elixir onto his arm, the wound was promptly healed, its effects instantaneous.


    "Ow..." he whispered as he waited for what the witch was going to say next.


    Returning his arm to him, the witch lifted the substantial bowl, its contents of bones and Adonis''s blood rattling within. With deft movements, she shook the bone-filled vessel, allowing it to intermingle with his blood.


    The bones danced within the bowl, her keen gaze scrutinizing their interaction.


    Eventually, she cast them upon the table, commencing the process of ''reading'' their symbolic message.


    "Seer Magic: Jaze imitation." The old lady''s emerald eyes glowed mysteriously as she studied the bones in front of her.


    Upon comprehending the message conveyed by the bones, a frown furrowed the witch''s brow.


    A rapid succession of eye movements followed, her expression growing increasingly agitated.


    Suddenly, her mouth began foaming profusely, and her body convulsed before collapsing to the ground.


    Witnessing this distressing scene, Adonis and those in his vicinity gazed upon her with a mixture of worry and concern.


    "A being born from malice shall use its breath to burn the earth, its heart to freeze hell, and the weight of its hate to make the heavens fall."


    {Kukuku...} Hearing the old lady''s words, Eos laughed uncontrollably.


    As the woman''s seizure continued she looked at the boy with nothing but fear in her eyes she pointed at him with her crooked finger.


    Her gaze didn''t seem to be directed at the boy himself but rather something within him.


    "H-he''ll kill us all!"


    Confusion etched across his features, Adonis swivelled to gaze behind him, attempting to discern the subject of the witch''s revelation.


    His uncertainty lingered until he came to a halt, and with a perplexed expression, he pointed toward himself, his eyebrows furrowing in puzzlement.


    "Didn''t she just say I''ll die?"


    ***


    Adonis left in a hurry after he paid the fee, he was worried that he might be held accountable for the seer''s death.


    Walking along the peer with a perplexed expression, Adonis mumbled inaudibly to himself.


    "A being born from malice?"


    {Stop thinking, you''re not good at it.} Eos teased.


    "..." Adonis carried on walking along the pier towards the water.


    {Oizys.}


    "Lord Eos?"


    {How''d you know everything about this, Black market? From the entrance process all the way to the specific weapon store.}


    "Lord Eos, you can look through my memories for yourself. Can''t you?" Looking into the dark water, Adonis asked curiously.


    {I''d rather not witness the memories of you bathing.} Eos said, sounding genuinely disturbed and disgusted.


    "Hehe, okay. Well, as you know Papa was Percy the Thunder Oni, a general of the Wakoku; and well he told me everything about them. You see Papa loved being part of the Wakoku Nation way more than being a journalist, the way he spoke about it... " Recalling his father''s expression, Adonis grinned softly.


    "The look in his eyes... I wish I was that passionate about something."


    {That still doesn''t explain how you knew how to enter the plaza.}


    "I come from a family of investigators...The black market was a huge topic, and my grandfather was the one in charge of investigating it. I helped on multiple occasions to fill in the gaps in the case."


    "Actually, I was the one to crack the codes, all the entrances enter use backward speech as a security measure. Simple yet highly effective."


    With composure and clarity, Adonis began to recount the details about the black market, his words flowing smoothly. A serene smile graced his lips as he reminisced about the time he spent collaborating with his grandfather, the memories evoking a sense of joy and nostalgia that he held dear.


    {You''re just full of surprises, Oizys Hermes.}


    "Hehe..." Adonis chuckled and dived into the cold lake. He used all four of his limbs to navigate through murky water.


    ***


    Extra Information:


    Weapons and magic tools are ranked as follows: Divine, Apex, High, Mid, Low, and Unranked.

 Round 2

    Adonis stood in an expansive grassy plain, gripping a handcrafted wooden sword.


    The boy executed a series of vertical slashes with the wooden blade, each strike being critiqued by the deity within him.


    {Just because that ignorant swordsmith complimented you, it doesn''t mean you can relax. You are still a long way from mastering the technique!}


    {SLASH!}


    Adonis swung his short arms downwards trying to follow the deity''s precise instructions.


    Repeatedly, Adonis performed this one technique until sunset.


    {The fact that you think you deserve rest after not improving in the slightest is disgusting.} Eos snarled as the boy walked back towards the gates of the city.


    "Lord Eos, my arms ache." The boy complained as he dragged his feet.


    This routine persisted for months: early morning runs around the city''s perimeter multiple times, a hearty breakfast, hours of hand-to-hand combat, and devoted sword practice. The boy''s evenings were spent at a bar popular among nobles, savoring substantial suppers.


    After 4 months of doing this same routine, he found himself in the bar eating his favorite meal, a large turkey with a generous portion of rice and a side of freshly squeezed apple juice.


    On this specific day, Adonis was dressed in a green tunic, black pants, a rope belt, and a long black cloak.


    Drenched in sweat the boy displayed his voracious appetite by quickly devouring everything on his plate. Bar patrons had already grown accustomed to his eating habits, so they were no longer fazed by him.


    {Pan is probably rolling in her grave.} Eos said disgustedly as he watched the boy eat.


    "Hehe..."


    A few meters away from Adonis was a familiar figure: Quin Rupert, the bank guard.


    Quin sat amidst his comrade, fellow knights, sharing drinks and exuberantly celebrating the recent completion of his wedding plans.


    Ignoring his presence, Adonis finished his food and went to put his empty plate on the bar counter when a deliberately extended leg obstructed his journey.


    Right as he was preparing to step over the outstretched leg to avoid it, the leg unexpectedly lifted off the ground and swiftly moved towards him.


    Upon contact, the boy toppled face-first, his plate shattering.


    SHATTER


    THUD


    "Since when are Mongrels allowed in this fine establishment?" Watching the child fall, Quin snickered.


    {These are mortal adults? How immature.}


    Adonis didn''t make a single sound when he fell, he merely utilized his arms to regain his footing and rise again; not even looking in Quin''s direction.


    "..."


    Not achieving the expected reaction, Quin scowled, stood, and emptied his drink onto Adonis''s head.


    Splash


    Amidst the onlookers, two of his friends ceased laughter, witnessing the heightened cruelty.


    Showing remarkable composure, Adonis persistently gathered the fragments of the bowl, his demeanor unaffected by the streams of liquor cascading down his purple hair.


    "Huh?" Observing the boy completely disregard him, Quin''s frustration intensified and his smirk disappeared.


    With his anger mounting, Quin raised his foot and forcefully stomped down on Adonis'' hand, inadvertently coming down upon a jagged ceramic fragment embedded within it.


    SPLURT


    Despite the blood oozing from his hand, Adonis remained resolutely silent.  As the knight''s action drew attention, the jovial atmosphere among his friends shifted, with frowns replacing laughter.


    Among the knight''s companions, only one hesitantly continued to chuckle, their amusement now stained by uncertainty.


    {Oizys?}


    "..." Picking up the last few pieces of the shards, Adonis managed to hold in his groan.


    Quin raised his foot and examined the wounded boy''s hand, causing a small smirk to appear on his smug face; reflecting his satisfaction with the damage he had done.


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    While he found a twisted satisfaction in the boy''s pain, there was one aspect that continued to bother Quin: the boy''s refusal to let out a scream or even a soft ''ouch''.


    Adonis stood up and placed the fragments on the table along with the bones of the turkey.


    "Sorry, Mr. Itchy. How much for the plate?" Smiling, Adonis addressed the bartender/owner, a portly middle-aged man.


    "Don''t worry about it, Adonis. It wasn''t your fault." Smiling nervously, Mr. Itchy looked at Quin from the corner of his eye.


    "Then whose fault was it, Old man? If it wasn''t the vermin who was at fault." Quin snarled.


    "Hey, Quin calm down." Tugging the knight''s arm, one of Quin''s companions intervened.


    "N-no ones, young Adonis just tripped." Trying to de-escalate the situation, Itchy smiled timidly.


    "Sounds like, you''re trying to blame me in a roundabout way." Leaning over the counter, Quin released his menacing Earthly Aura.


    DUMMMM


    "N-no, I would never." Feeling the strength in his legs leave him, Itchy yelped.


    "Just because you have more money than most commoners, it doesn''t mean you can speak on equal terms as Nobles. It seems you''ve forgotten that." Quin seized the man''s apron, pulling him closer until their faces were mere inches apart.


    In a display of twisted dominance, he allowed his aura to exert an oppressive pressure on the helpless old man.


    Unlike at the bank, Adonis didn''t hesitate to assist the old man. This fearlessness stemmed from his familiarity with Itchy, his drastic growth in strength as well as a sense of responsibility for the predicament the bartender currently found himself.


    "Can you not go one day without bullying others?" With remarkable fluidity, Adonis sprang onto the counter and executed a swift kick that dislodged Itchy''s apron from Quin''s grasp.


    BAM


    Quin was stunned by the unexpected turn of events, and a similar astonishment rippled through the patrons at the bar.


    All eyes were now fixed upon the unfolding scene, yet a hushed unease prevailed.


    Despite the concern, no one dared to intervene; after all, who were they to impede the actions of a knight?


    "You dare touch me, commoner?" Scowling in disgust, Quin screamed at the boy.


    Quin''s fist struck Adonis''s jaw, propelling him onto an unoccupied table.


    BAM


    Colliding with the table, Adonis heard his back emit an unsettling noise.


    CRACK


    Soundless, Adonis rose shakily and stared daggers at the knight, refusing to display weakness.


    {Show him that you''ve gotten stronger.}


    "I can glare too." Quin turned to face the boy despite many of his friends voicing their concerns for his actions.


    The knight then focused all his aura onto one target, the boy.


    DUMMM


    Contrary to the expected response, Adonis stood his ground and didn''t immediately fold under the knight''s aura.


    Observing his intimidation failing, Quin''s fury intensified, simmering as he anticipated a retaliatory move from the commoner.


    ''This kid! I must kill him.''


    Springing forward, Adonis launched himself at the knight with the intention of delivering a punch to his face.


    However, his attempt proved futile as the knight skillfully intercepted the punch, catching his fist in mid-air.


    Departing from his usual response of hurling away, the knight tightened his grip on the boy''s bloodied hand and unleashed a forceful strike into his abdomen using his free hand.


    BAM


    Upon being struck, Adonis involuntarily coughed out a spray of saliva, a testament to the power of the blow.


    However, Quin didn''t stop there; the strike was followed by another...


    BAM


    , and then yet another


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    Unrelenting, the man continued his assault, delivering a total of five forceful punches before ultimately hurling the boy into the unyielding stone wall.


    THUD


    "Argh..." In a matter of seconds, Adonis stood back up shakily with blood dripping down from the side of his face.


    "Either you have guts or no brains." Strolling towards the boy, Quin chuckled.


    {Oizys, I suggest you kill him.}


    ''Even If I could, taking another''s life is never an option.''


    {Even if you could? Oh please, you know damn well you could.}


    "..."


    Adonis once again propelled himself at the knight at a much more impressive speed than before, surprising Quin and everyone else who was spectating.


    The boy was upon the man in seconds but this time he went for his legs, he slid across the polished wooden floor in an attempt to slide tackle the knight; but just like the last time his attack was thwarted pretty easily.


    {Ahh, so that''s what you''re planning...}


    With a quick motion, Quin executed a controlled hop, descending even more rapidly, aiming at the boy''s extended leg.


    "Peasant!"


    Adonis narrowly escaped the counter by rolling away and getting back to his feet.


    The two stared at each other as the tension in the air became almost permeable.


    For the third time, Adonis dashed at the knight.


    "I''ve finally realized it now, you''re an idiot!" Watching the boy approach him once more, Quin laughed.


    Deviating from his prior strategy of targeting Quins'' head or legs, Adonis chose a different approach.


    He launched into a flying sidekick directed towards Quin''s abdomen.


    Reacting swiftly to the incoming attack, the recipient employed both arms to block the strike.


    As the impact connected, Adonis seamlessly transitioned into his next move.


    Utilizing his right leg, which he had employed for the initial attack, he executed a midair pivot, swiftly launching a side heel kick with his left leg towards the man''s bicep.


    The force from the child wasn''t enough to hurt the knight, but it was more than enough to push him back about five feet like he had hoped.


    "Hm?" Noticing the distance he was forced to travel by a mere child, Quin raised his eyebrow.


    Although he wasn''t going all out and was extremely intoxicated, it shouldn''t have been possible for him to be pushed back by a kid.


    Extra information


    PTC stands for ''Prodigal tide changer'', a prodigy capable of turning the tides of war and bringing about change.

 Hiram (1)

    Adonis positioned his foot on an unoccupied tabletop, and launched himself into the air, nearly reaching the ceiling.


    He followed the manoeuvre by throwing a peculiar elongated object towards the knight''s face with frightening velocity.


    WHOOSH


    Though uncertain about the object''s nature, the knight instinctively sidestepped to avoid it, ensuring his safety.


    In that moment of evasion, Quin''s curiosity got the best of him.


    His gaze shifted towards the object, his inquisitiveness driving him to determine its identity.


    {Rookie...}


    "Got him!"


    The object Adonis threw at him was a 10-inch-long piece of wood from the table, which had broken.


    By the time Quin glanced back in the child''s direction, he was gone.


    Quin immediately scanned the establishment, trying to locate the sneaky brat; yet his efforts were null.


    Unbeknownst to Quin, Adonis had snuck up behind him; preparing the match-ending attack.


    SPLURT


    Swiftly, Adonis used a shard of sharp ceramic to cut both the knight''s Achilles tendons.


    Before Quin could muster a response, Adonis forcefully brought the knight to his knees with a front kick.


    THUD


    {Kukuku...Not bad mortal.}


    Adonis watched as the man before him fell to his knees, his doll-like face displaying an enigmatic expression.


    The emotions behind his luminous eyes were unfamiliar.


    {Now finish him!}


    The deity''s words instantly brought the boy back to his senses, his expression becoming gentle once more.


    ''There''s no need to, I''ve already won.'' He said hesitantly.


    {You think this scum is only going to stop here? End him now to prevent him from hurting anyone else.}


    ''Defeat at the hands of a commoner should be enough.''


    The knight, still on the ground, emitted anguished cries before he reached for his feet in pain. His gaze fixated upon the growing pool of blood.


    ''A mere commoner? Did I just lose to a commoner? And a child at that?!'' A mixture of rage and humiliation surged through his prideful heart.


    Adonis cast a gaze of pity upon his opponent, his eyes conveying a sense of hesitance.


    With a single large stride, he traversed over the fallen knight without bothering to utter a single word.


    The boy advanced towards the counter, approaching Itchy, who stood there with his jaw on the floor.


    When the boy finally reached the counter, the middle-aged man recoiled, visibly in fear.


    Drawing upon his finance necklace, Adonis summoned a few gleaming gold coins, which he placed casually on the table.


    Despite his inner pang of wounded emotions caused by the man''s response, he left the coins behind as a gesture of consideration.


    "For the damages."


    ***


    After applying a low-level healing potion to his wounds, Adonis returned to the inn.


    Once there, he stretched out on the ground and began performing a series of body weight exercises, a routine he faithfully practised as part of his nightly regimen.


    {Disregarding the last part your performance was pretty satisfactory. }


    "87, 88, 89" Continuing with his sit-ups, Adonis listened intently to the Devil God.


    {Your first attack, when you attempted to punch that brat was pretty clever. You anticipated how he would deal with you and manipulated him into throwing you into the table. And from there you took a piece of the wood to slyly use later on.}


    "100, 101, 102,103..." Beads of sweat glistened on the boy''s pale skin while he sweated profusely, unwavering in his dedication to the exercise.


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    {Then your second attack, the sliding tackle. You pretended to target his legs and used the opportunity to grab one of the broken ceramic shards on the ground. Afterwards, you utilized both these tools to deal with your opponent appropriately without revealing your true arsenal...}


    "111,112,113..." The deity''s criticism was nearly drowned out by the rhythmic sound of his breath, which continued to echo loudly in his ears.


    {Overall, I give you an A for adaptability.}


    "Hehe!" Adonis halted his exercise and his lips curved into a proud smile.


    {I didn''t tell you to stop!} Eos retorted.


    "Sorry sir!" Obeying the deity''s command, he resumed his sit-ups till he eventually achieved his goal of two hundred repetitions.


    ***


    Seated on a sandy beach, two males faced each other with their legs crossed, eyes shut in a meditative concentration.


    Slow, deliberate breaths filled their lungs as they embraced the serene atmosphere.


    These two were Eurodos Hermes and his son Oizys, mirroring each other''s attire.


    The waves continued their rhythmic dance as if in sync with the two''s breathing.


    Releasing a profound exhale, Eurodos opened his eyelids, fixing his gaze on his son.


    "What is your dream Oizys?"


    ***


    While Adonis dreamt about his past within the comforts of his bed; Quin had been carried back to his family''s estate by his companions.


    Quin Rupert, the sixth successor of the Vice Commander Count Rupert; compared to his other siblings, Quin was regarded as a failure for his low mana depth, which prevented him from becoming a Magic Knight.


    The weight of his perceived "failures" made Quin the victim of Count Rupert''s unjust treatment, especially when compared to his Magic Knight siblings.


    ***


    The Rupert Compound, even by noble standards was huge, it took on a rectangular form, an arrangement of interconnected structures linked by stone pathways.


    Said paths were lined by lush, neatly trimmed grass, and encircling the estate was an imposing metal fence that deterred any potential intruders.


    In the main building''s study, a tall well-built man with cinnamon-brown hair, cleanly shaved, possessing piercing black eyes stood by a grand window, gazing out at his vast estate.


    The study resembled a spacious bedroom, adorned with a sizable wooden desk and chair, a luxurious leather couch occupied by a young girl with flowing brown hair and captivating green eyes.


    Across the room stretched an extensive bookshelf that held a diverse collection of leather-bound books.


    Engrossing herself in the contents of a thick leather-bound book, the girl maintained an impeccable posture, her delicate features reflecting intense concentration.


    In this room, Count Rupert and his youngest daughter coexisted in peaceful silence, each engaged in their own respective activities. The Count''s contemplative thoughts harmonized with his daughter''s dedicated study session.


    KNOCK KNOCK


    The girl lifted her eyes slowly to look at her father before opening her pink lips to mutter a few soft words at him.


    "Father, the door."


    The man merely nodded without saying a word before continuing to look out the window in seemingly deep thought.


    "Come in!" Unbothered by her father''s dismissive demeanour, Quintina called out.


    The door effortlessly swung open as if choreographed, perfectly synchronized with the girl''s invitation.


    Stepping inside was a commanding figure, a tall and elderly man, his pale skin marked by a tapestry of wrinkles and scars. His short, grizzled beard and radiant blue eyes bore testament to his years of experience.


    There was an undeniable aura of power surrounding him, a hallmark of a highly esteemed veteran magic knight.


    "Good evening Captain Jasper." The girl politely greeted the magic knight.


    "Master Quintina." Sir Jasper offered a subtle nod as he directed his attention to the fifth heir of the household.


    Following his acknowledgement of Quintina, he shifted his gaze to her father, who remained fixated on the vista beyond the windowpane.


    "Count Rupert, I have important news."


    "So important that you came into my home in the middle of the night? Speak."


    "Yes sir...Well, Emperor Jupiter has finally broken through." Undeterred by the Count''s apparent disregard, Jasper continued. The positive tidings he was about to convey had already elevated his spirits to great heights.


    "What!?" As Count Rupert pivoted on his heel to face the man, his countenance underwent a noticeable transformation.


    His typically reserved features now displayed a heightened level of animation, marked by a profound shock.


    Simultaneously, the young lady, who had been engrossed in her book, swiftly lifted her gaze, her expression aglow with uncontained excitement.


    "Yes sir. He broke through this morning, he is now officially Tier 0 High Rank. A fully-fledged transcendent."


    "Father that''s wonderful news!" Relishing the news, Quintina jumped with joy.


    "Yes, it is dear." Rupert let out a sigh of relief, the release of tension evident in his posture.


    The interplay between the Human Empire Caelum and the Elf Empire Fulgar had long been marked by conflict and unending rivalry.


    Fulgar held a significant advantage, especially after the untimely demise of the former emperor during a battle against another transcendent from the Wakoku Nation.


    The abrupt passing of the previous Emperor Jupiter had dealt a significant blow to Caelum''s military prowess, rendering them susceptible to the dominance of Fulgar. The only factor that had prevented them from complete subjugation and colonization by Fulgar was the contribution of the Minerva family''s Transcendent, Cornelius the Third.


    The resurgence of Emperor Jupiter in rank heralded a pivotal turning point. Caelum''s military strength would regain its zenith, its economy would regain its prime standing in the world, and the tumultuous power struggle could finally find a resolution.


    Extra Information:


    King Minerva and Cornelius Minerva the Third are NOT the same person, they are in fact, brothers.


    King Minerva is a Tier 1 High Rank


    Cornelius Minerva is a Tier 0 High Rank

 Hiram (2)

    The world-altering event left no one untouched, regardless of their social status, occupation, or wealth.


    Count Rupert and Sir Jasper curtailed their conversation, prompted by the lateness of the hour.


    The once-cold and distant Count had undergone a noticeable transformation; his demeanor, now warmer and less agitated, conveyed a newfound sense of contentment.


    Just as Sir Jasper prepared to exit, the door swung open ahead of him, preempting his movement.


    "Quin," Jasper acknowledged the battered man''s presence, though he walked past without acknowledging the wounds that marked Quin''s body.


    A wince flickered across Quin''s expression at the omission of honorifics, a departure from the norm.


    Surprisingly, he refrained from his typical complaints or protests, for reasons not entirely evident.


    With a pronounced limp, the Novice knight entered the room, fixing his father with a gaze imbued with both fury and tears.


    "Brother!" Quintina''s voice rang out in a mix of concern and alarm, propelling her forward as she hastened to his side.


    She made an attempt to assist him onto the couch, only to be brusquely rebuffed by her older sibling.


    He remained standing, his glare directed at her.


    "Leave me alone!"


    Despite his forceful dismissal, her expression of worry persisted, prompting her to reach out toward his bandaged and bloodied leg.


    "Brother, what happened?"


    "Don''t act like you care, Quintina!" His hand swiped her touch away, his features contorting with anger until his face flushed crimson. The intensity of his fury now seemed even greater than when he faced Adonis in combat.


    "Elder brother, what''re you saying?" The girl backed away with glassy eyes and her rosy cheeks becoming brighter.


    "Don''t touch me, you psycho!"


    "Brother, why are you being so mean!" Tears streamed down the girl''s cheeks, her sobs punctuating the tense atmosphere as Quin regarded her with a stern, furrowed brow.


    "Quintina. When are you going to grow up and stop teasing him?" Count Rupert said as he looked at his crying daughter.


    "Hee-hee! It''s gotten boring anyway. " With her tiny hands, she brushed away her tears, her demeanour transforming into an innocent, tinkling giggle.


    "What happened to my wonderful elder brother... He doesn''t care about me anymore!" She exaggeratedly exclaimed.


    "That''s because you''re a lunatic!" Quin screamed.


    What could she have done in the past that''d make her very presence agitate him?


    "C''mon, that''s just not nice, Quinny."


    Her laughter persisted in a joyful cadence as she retrieved her book and settled onto the couch.


    Completely engrossed in her own world, she displayed little interest in her brother, much like a child with a short attention span.


    Indeed, she was just that¡ªa mere 11-year-old.


    "What do you want Quin? All your wedding preparations have been finalized, what more could you want from me?" Rupert''s tone was cold, dismissive and lacked any affection unlike when he spoke to Quintina.


    He momentarily hesitated before responding, his father''s altered attitude toward him no longer causing distress, yet the impact of his words still resonated within him.


    The Knight commenced his explanation, recounting the events at the bar while skillfully omitting details that might shift the blame onto him¡ªsuch as his role in instigating the incident.


    Aware of his son''s tendencies, Count Rupert remained astute, cognizant of the strategic omissions.


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    However, a singular truth couldn''t be overlooked: a member of his own family had been subjected to public humiliation, a situation that compelled him to take action.


    Taking a deep inhalation, Count Rupert locked his gaze on his son, the lines of his face etched with contemplation. His prior buoyant mood had been deflated by the news of his son''s defeat, and this newfound irritation was palpable.


    He exhaled audibly, fixing his son with an unwavering stare that sent shivers rippling through Quin''s entire frame.


    "So what is this commoner''s name?" He asked coldly.


    "I think the bartender called him Adonis, father," Quin said, struggling to remember the words of the bartender.


    "His last name?"


    "I-I''m not sure Father" He looked at the floor ashamed and feeling even more embarrassed.


    The Count didn''t even bother to insult his son''s ignorance as he had simply grown tired of dealing with him.


    "Then I''m sure you can give me a physical description of the man?" For the thirtieth time, the count sighed and simply gazed at his son.


    "W-well, he has short unkept purple hair, pale skin, and silver eyes. You can''t miss him."


    "Silver eyes?" The Count raised his eyebrows upon hearing the last of his son''s description.


    "Yes, Father. He looks pretty peculiar."


    "Hmm...Then how old is this man, if you were to estimate."


    Quin suddenly went silent and broke out into a cold sweat.


    "Slightly younger than Quintina." The young man said inaudibly.


    "What?"


    "Slightly younger than Quintina." He whispered.


    "Speak up, Quin. I don''t have time for this!"


    "Slightly younger than Quintina. Father." He said flatly as he continued to look down.


    Hearing the words of her incompetent elder brother, Quintina raised her eyebrow.


    The countenance adorning Count Rupert''s visage defied simple description. It bore an air of bewilderment, unmistakably reflecting his assumption that his son was engaged in some manner of practical joke.


    "Father?"


    "Get out." With a mere gesture, Count Rupert indicated his desire for his son to depart. He had reached his limit with the recounting of this preposterous tale.


    It was evident that his son harboured no intention of revealing the actual circumstances behind his injuries, and, simply put, the Count held no interest in delving further, so long as his house remained unharmed.


    "Father, I''m serious. This kid i-" The boy looked up at his father for the first time since he entered his study, his eyes full of fear.


    "Quin, stop wasting my time." The Count shooed his son away dismissively and went to sit in his large leather office chair.


    ***


    The next afternoon in the same large study, Quintina laid down lazily on the large leather couch with her feet on the armrest. The young girl had her hands on her stomach as she stared at the distant white ceiling.


    The Count sat in his chair signing off on a few documents using a quilt dipped in ink, he was humming to himself peacefully while he finished up the last of the paperwork for the day.


    The atmosphere in the whole Rupert House had improved since they received the news of the Emperor''s increase in power.


    Quintina''s curiosity finally got the best of her so she decided to call out to her father.


    "Father?" She called out in an innocent sweet tone.


    "No, Quintina." The man said flatly without even bothering to look up from the document he was writing. He knew his daughter too well and knew exactly what she was going to bring up.


    "But father, think about it. The chance might be small but it IS possible."Staring at her father, Quintina''s eyes gleamed curiously.


    "Quintina, your brother may be useless; but he is still a Novice Knight. If a child younger than you managed to beat him, that''d make that child PTC-worthy and an international treasure ."


    Hearing the words escape her father''s lips, the girl couldn''t help but giggle.


    "I know right, so exciting! But father, Scipio Mars was able to beat a tier 10 magic knight at age 10. The feat brother just described is less impressive, so it''s certainly possible."


    The man sighed as he lifted his eyes to meet his daughter''s, but unlike when he looked at her elder brother his eyes weren''t cold at all but rather patient and affectionate.


    "Sure the chances aren''t zero but once we consider all the factors at hand, it becomes extremely unimaginable. Firstly if such a prodigy existed everyone across the Empire would know, it becomes even more doubting when we consider the fact that this prodigy lives in this city. Surely WE at least would know."


    "Secondly, talent needs to be nurtured correctly. One can be a prodigy but if they don''t receive the correct training, they''ll never thrive. Our kingdom isn''t one known for its development of strong magic knights, so the teachers capable of honing a prodigy are few and would cost a fortune only a noble family could afford."


    "Thirdly, Quin said the boy was a commoner. That reason alone is enough to dismiss his claim."


    Quintina listened carefully as her father spoke, but instead of becoming discouraged, her eyes lit up even brighter.


    "So if there was a commoner prodigy and he became that strong despite all those circumstances...That''d mean he''s a monster, right?" She whispered.


    "I''m sure we''ll meet one day, Silver-eyed Adonis."


    Extra Information:


    The average magic knight reaches tier 10 at age 15, prodigies would be at age 13.


    The minimum requirement to be a magic knight captain is Tier 5 Low-level


    Magic knights reach their prime around age 40-50, and their strength begins to decline at age 70.


    The gap between magic knight tiers isn''t consistent eg. It''s easier to advance from Tier 10 to 9 than Tier 8 to 7.

 Hiram (3)

    Within a spacious, dimly lit bedroom, a form wrapped in the covers of a white duvet fidgeted restlessly, the fabric tainted by telltale bloodstains.


    A gravelly voice emitted from beneath the enshrouding layers, a murmur in the obscurity.


    "Adonis, Adonis, Adonis, Adonis, Adonis." Envisioning the boy''s gentle visage, Quin repeated his name.


    ''I''ll kill that mongrel. ''


    "ARRRRHHHHH!"


    ***


    Unaware of the fact that he had unwittingly acquired both an admirer and a sworn enemy, Adonis let out a sneeze amidst his fervent vertical slashes with a wooden sword.


    SLASH


    With each stroke, resonating whistle accompanied the motion, and his hair would dance in tandem, lifted by the force behind his movements.


    {Again!}


    For nearly three years, Adonis dedicated himself to honing a single sword technique, alongside mastering basic hand-to-hand combat and the fundamentals of swordsmanship.


    During this span, the youth had attained the capability to manifest both Earthly and Wicked Aura. He exhibited heightened adeptness with the latter, being able to envelop a weapon in Earthly Aura for a mere fraction of a second and Wicked Aura for half a second.


    While this achievement might warrant commendation by human standards, it fell considerably short of the expectations held by the deity within him.


    {Again! Again! Again!}


    ***


    After swinging his sword more than one thousand times, Adonis finally lay down on the soft grass to stare at the setting sun.


    {You know he will be back right?}


    "..."


    {Oizys, it doesn''t matter what you want to happen. Someone will die soon, either you or him.}


    ***


    The boy spent his days doing his same routine, but this time he changed both his travel route and his preferred eating venues; in an attempt to avoid the vengeful knight.


    A few weeks after the bar incident, the day of Naomi and Quin''s wedding finally came.


    The venue chosen for the occasion was a temple dedicated to the Roman Goddess Juno.


    Within its hallowed space, lush vegetation and vines adorned the walls, while the unblemished, pure white marble floor radiated elegance.


    Seats fashioned from sturdy, light brown wood were strategically arranged, divided by an aisle adorned with rose petals that led to an elevated platform.


    Upon that platform stood Quin, clad in traditional Roman matrimonial attire. His ensemble comprised a knee-length, white Chilton and a crimson toga cascading gracefully over his shoulder. His feet were shod in leather sandals that encased his ankles.


    Beside the young knight, the officiating priest took his place, ready to oversee the ceremony.


    A band stationed in a corner of the temple filled the air with joyful strains from an assortment of Roman instruments.


    Despite the festive atmosphere that pervaded the temple, an incongruous element marred the perfection.


    Seating intended for the bride''s family remained vacant, save for a solitary child.


    Arrayed in traditional Roman clothing, he wore a deep purple toga, accompanied by a golden necklace. A white turban crowned his head, an unorthodox choice that concealed his hair from view. Wrapped snugly around his right middle finger was a simple silver ring engraved with an enigmatic design.


    With gentle silver eyes and porcelain skin that seemed to emit its own luminance, the boy''s countenance diverged markedly from the general air of merriment. His expression bore an undertone of sorrow, tinged with regret.


    Before the groom could discern the boy''s gaze, he shifted his attention to the groom''s family, encompassing around 50 attendees. Seated at the forefront was the Count, his visage registering a distinct lack of interest.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Adjacent to the Count were three young men, each bearing a discernible resemblance to him. These were the Rupert Quintuplets¡ªNova, Octavius, and Paeon. Marceline, the eldest among them, had abstained from attending the ceremony, a decision grounded in ethical concerns.


    Situated beside Paeon was Quintina, who fixated her gaze on the priest''s ornate headwear.


    Upon Adonis'' gaze alighting upon her, she abruptly redirected her attention, narrowing her eyes.


    ''She''s scary...'' Her gesture induced an involuntary shudder of trepidation within him.


    Before anything more could happen, the bells calling for the bride sounded.


    DONG DONG DONG


    Those seconds went by really slowly at first, till they turned into a single minute.


    Then from there, the minutes began to pile on until it became 30 minutes, that''s when everyone''s patience began to waver.


    {Looks like she''s not coming. I wouldn''t either, kukukuku.}


    ''Something''s off.''


    {Shouldn''t you be happy? This means less work for you.}


    ''Let''s hope so.'' The boy sighed as he stuck his head out into the aisle looking for any sign of the teenage girl.


    After 45 minutes there was still no sign of Naomi, and the knight in training''s patience had run dry. His face was bright red with both embarrassment and anger and he decided to simply storm off.


    Many members of the Rupert Family gasped as they watched the young man storm off muttering multiple things under his breath.


    The Priest had tried to stop him and give him some comforting words but he simply smacked away his hand in his temper tantrum.


    The silence was then cut by the giggling of a young girl as she watched her older brother storm off.


    "Hehehe...He''s been stood up!"


    Adonis waited another 20 minutes before he followed the knight to prevent any kind of suspicion.


    ***


    As the anticipation for Naomi''s appearance built among the attendees, an unexpected scene unfolded within a quaint cottage situated in the city''s residential district.


    Within the unpretentious abode resided a teenage girl, attired in an extended white Chilton. A crimson toga draped gracefully over her form, while a garland of blossoms adorned her brow in the semblance of a crown.


    "I''m going to be late!"


    As the girl was heading towards the door a slightly larger hand gripped her dainty forearm.


    "I forbid you from going." Naomi''s mother declared, her gaze fixed upon her sole daughter with an amalgamation of sympathy and sorrow.


    "But mother, I want to marry him," Naomi said as she smiled sweetly at her concerned mother.


    "Naomi, you''re lying. Just because he''s a noble, it doesn''t mean he can just push you around freely."


    "Mother, I''m doing this of my own accord." Glaring at her mother, Naomi snatched her arm away.


    "I''m leaving." Naomi headed for the door, determined to push her mother to the sighed if need be.


    "I know. I know about what happened at the bank with that child." Watching her daughter approach the door, Naomi''s mother suppressed a sob.


    Hearing her mother''s words, Naomi froze.


    "I... I couldn''t just let him kill an innocent child." Gripping the handle weakly, Naomi muttered softly.


    "Not because of my sake." She continued.


    "You don''t have to keep that promise anymore, Naomi. The kid is safe." Embracing her child from behind, Naomi''s mother sniffed.


    "You don''t understand...Sir Quin is, insane." She said, pushing her mother away.


    ***


    The standoff persisted for half an hour, marked by fervent arguments and impassioned debates.


    The girl, motivated by a sense of duty to honour her commitment, locked horns with her mother, driven by an ardent desire to safeguard her daughter who had considerable potential.


    BOOM


    The clash of words between the single mother and her daughter was abruptly silenced by a cacophonous crash¡ªthe door being violently torn from its hinges.


    The door hurtled across the room, commanding the immediate attention of Naomi and her mother. Their gaze converged upon the source of the jarring intrusion.


    And there stood Quin Rupert, attired in his wedding garb, his countenance contorted with unbridled fury.


    "You commoners are becoming extremely bold these days! How dare you!"


    The knight approached the frightened woman as he stretched his thick arm out to grab Naomi.


    "Come on Naomi, you''re coming with me. Whether you want to or not!"


    Moving with haste, Naomi''s mother stood in between the two, a crude attempt at defending her helpless daughter from the forceful knight.


    "Over my dead body!"


    "Very well then. "


    In an explosive surge of his aura, the Novice knight''s energy surged outward as he retracted his fist, coiling it like a spring.


    In a fluid and swift manoeuvre, he relinquished the tautness in his muscles.


    Quin''s augmented fist shot forth propelled through the air with unwavering speed. It found its mark unerringly upon the vulnerable visage of the middle-aged woman. A bone-shattering collision ensued, obliterating the integrity of her skull upon impact.


    SPLATTER


    A grisly aftermath unfolded as a crimson deluge enveloped the room, drenching all present in the unfortunate woman''s life essence.


    A dreadfulmgrin adorned the countenance of her murderer, the act seemingly leaving him oddly jubilant.


    Naomi''s eyes dilated in shock, capturing the brutal and merciless demise of her solitary guardian.


    In the wake of this ghastly sight, the floodgates of her emotions burst open.


    Saline tears traced down her tender, rosy cheeks as a mournful cry escaped her lips.


    She clung to the lifeless, headless form of her mother, the cruelty of the moment etched into her memory.


    "Ahh!"


    {Kukuku... I told you, you should''ve killed this vermin at the bar.} He chuckled in a condescending ''I told you so tone.''


    A sombre expression etched across his features, Adonis loomed in the doorway, his gaze fixed upon the grim aftermath of the heinous murder.


    "Quin..."

 Hiram (4)

    "Tell me how I knew you were going to be here?" Quin pivoted on his heel, fully directing his attention toward the boy.


    A sinister smile curved across the knight''s lips, carrying an air of menace.


    "Don''t be fooled, I won''t make the same mistake twice." The Novice Knight outstretched his right hand and used the spatial ring adorned upon it.


    Soon, a steel gladius materialized in the same hand.


    "Is it fun?" With the same solemn expression, Adonis looked at the Noble.


    "What''re you on about?" Quin dashed towards the boy, wielding the shortsword in his grasp. With swift momentum, he executed a diagonal swing aimed at the boy''s body.


    "Is hurting people weaker than you fun?" Maintaining his composure, Adonis deftly sidestepped the knight''s attack, countering with a precise sidekick at the knight''s thigh.


    "You aren''t people! You''re all merely commoners who leech off of the hard work of the wealthy!" Employing his dominant left hand, Quin adeptly intercepted the young boy''s kick, catching Adonis'' leg with apparent ease.


    Having successfully thwarted the boy''s assault, Quin pivoted once more to retaliate. His gladius arced through the air with controlled force, aiming to take the boy''s leg off.


    "Nobles, Royalty, Emperors, Commoners... Don''t you ever get tired of all the discrimination?" Adonis said in a low gentle voice.


    Displaying jaw-dropping agility, Adonis raised his alternate leg, employing it to execute a skilful manoeuvre. He aimed a forceful kick at the knight''s gladius, successfully disarming him in the process.


    "Tsk!"


    "Of course, you, who know nothing of the world are the first to complain!"


    Seizing the opportunity, Quin harnessed the outstretched leg of Adonis to lift the young opponent. With controlled might, he propelled the youth towards the wall, generating such force upon impact that the stone surface cracked and fractured.


    "Argh!" A sharp exclamation escaped Adonis as he collided with the unyielding wall.


    He instinctively turned his head to the right, his gaze falling upon the young woman who remained engulfed in tears, holding her mother''s warm body in her embrace.


    "Run, I''ll take care of him." The boy''s words entered one ear of Naomi only to swiftly exit the other, having little impact.


    {Useless brat...}


    Quin''s right hand extended with precision, seamlessly snatching his gladius from the mid-air spin it had been executing. He aimed the weapon toward the boy, poised for another imminent attack.


    Meanwhile, Adonis extended his own right hand, sparking glimmers of mana that coalesced, indicating his intention to summon his weapon from his spatial ring.


    Sensing the boy''s intent, Quin anticipated his next move. Recognizing a brief moment of vulnerability, he lunged forward with remarkable speed, rapidly closing the distance between them.


    Capitalizing on this opening, Quin''s gladius glowed with an ethereal aura as he delivered a horizontal slash aimed at the boy''s head.


    SHING


    Responding to the sudden onslaught, Adonis crouched and felt the blade brush against the top of his head covering.


    {That was close!}


    Employing his left leg, Adonis cut through the air to deliver a strong leg sweep at the knight''s ankles.


    Quin harboured a certain level of confidence that the attack wouldn''t inflict significant harm, yet he remained cautious about its potential impact.


    As the skirmish continued, Quin took a measured step backwards, bracing for further engagement. In an unforeseen turn, the boy abruptly surged forward, his chokuto finally materializing from the storage realm.


    However, a peculiar development halted the boy''s swift momentum. Upon attempting to unsheathe the blade held in his right hand, he encountered an unexpected obstruction¡ª


    The sword was stuck...


    ***


    5 years ago


    Within the confines of an underground Hermes compound, a toddler of merely four years old clutched a diminutive tanto within his tiny grasp. His prominent, wide brown eyes radiated with a vibrant curiosity that defined his innocence.


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    With short, curly hair adorning his head, the boy engaged his diminutive fingers in an attempt to free the small blade from its sheath. However, this endeavour was swiftly disrupted by the resonant, yet tender, voice of his father. The father, attired in a white kimono adorned with a delicate pink floral motif, imparted his guidance and presence in a deep and nurturing tone.


    "Ozzy, What''re you doing in the weapon room?"


    "I''m playing! What''s this one called, Papa?" Oizys said as he excitedly showed his father the sheathed dagger.


    "A tanto," With a gentle smile gracing his countenance, Eurodos crouched down, his affable demeanour reflecting in his eyes. He extended his hand, enveloping his son''s shoulder in a warm and reassuring grip.


    "Tanto...How do I unsheathe it?" Brimming with curiosity, Oizys inquired, his expression a mixture of intrigue and determination. He wrestled with the task of unfurling the blade from its wooden sheath, his efforts a testament to his youthful perseverance.


    "Unsheathe it? Who do you plan on killing?"


    "K-kill? I don''t want to kill anyone." A tinge of sorrow coloured Oizys'' voice as he spoke, his gaze shifting toward his father.


    The emotion was palpable in his eyes, hinting at a deeper sentiment that resonated within him.


    "Okay then, I''ll ask you this. Ozzy, why do people unsheathe their weapons?" Eurodos responded, his tone imbued with a blend of understanding and tenderness. He gently retrieved the blade from his son''s diminutive hands,


    "To prepare for a fight, right father?"


    "Sure, you can put it that way; but that''s a shallow way of looking at it. To unsheathe one''s blade it means two things... They are prepared and are willing to kill and are ready to risk their lives to achieve said goal of killing."


    ***


    ''Am I prepared to kill Quin?'' Amidst his ongoing struggle to free his blade from its sheath, Adonis found himself caught in a contemplative moment, battling his moral compass.


    ''Even after everything he''s done, I can''t kill him...''


    {What did I expect?} Eos sighed disappointedly.


    Anticipating a clash as his blade descended in a vertical arc, Quin executed his swing with a predetermined expectation.


    However, the unfolding scene deviated from his anticipation. To his astonishment, the boy chose not to counter with a block using his chokuto.


    Instead, with unexpected agility, the boy sidestepped deftly to the left, avoiding the impending strike. In a dynamic twist, he propelled himself into the air, aiming to deliver an axe kick targeted at the crown of Quin''s head.


    ''Is this some kind of trick?'' Quin thought, surprised by the change in rhythm.


    Amid his attack, the boy seamlessly activated his spatial ring, instructing it to store the sword once more.


    Anticipating the incoming leg attack, Quin promptly lifted his gladius to serve as both defence and a potential counter-offensive, aiming to strike the boy''s leg while parrying the attack.


    With keen awareness, Adonis observed Quin''s tactical response aligning with his intentions. Harnessing his Earthly Aura, he imbued his leg with its power at the very last instant before impact. The aura caused the boy''s foot to subtly expand and emit a faint blue luminescence.


    DUMMMM


    Upon collision, the boy''s augmented foot effortlessly splintered Quin''s blade, a moment that plunged Quin into a brief state of stunned disbelief.


    "Aura?!"


    Although Quin had already suspected that the child was capable of utilizing aura, he had refused to believe it and had written it off due to the insanely low possibility.


    The phenomenon of a ten-year-old wielding Aura was an exceedingly rare occurrence, nearly unheard of. If news of this prodigious feat were to circulate, the entire Empire would undoubtedly be ablaze with celebration, heralding the revelation of such a remarkable talent.


    In the time, before the knight could fully compose himself, Adonis had already manoeuvred from his position above and descended directly in front of Quin.


    Without a moment''s hesitation, he initiated his subsequent assault, capitalizing on the element of surprise.


    In the wake of the previous engagements, the boy''s exertions were evident, his breaths coming in heavy gasps. Nonetheless, he steeled himself for what he anticipated could be his final decisive attack.


    ''Let''s end this.''


    Adonis harnessed his leg''s power to catapult himself from the ground, yet instead of a mere leap, he propelled himself several feet into the air. In a graceful display of agility, he executed a fluid backflip, coordinating his movement with a precise kick aimed at Quin''s chin, the bridge of his foot connecting with astonishing force.


    The impact of the kick outclassed all preceding attacks in terms of sheer strength and rapidity.


    Quin, still grappling with disorientation and confusion, could not entirely evade the strike. However, his reflexes allowed him to mitigate the extent of the blow, tilting his chin upward to align with the direction of the assault.


    The repercussion was palpable as Quin plummeted onto his back, his lips Adonis regarded the fallen knight, his countenance a mixture of hope and exhaustion.


    His own laboured breaths resembled those of a panting dog, underscoring the intensity of the struggle he had just endured.


    "What!?"


    {Kukuku...Looks like you aren''t done yet.}


    Adonis regarded the fallen knight, his countenance a mixture of hope and exhaustion. His laboured breaths resembled those of a panting dog, underscoring the intensity of the struggle he had just endured.


    "Give up..."


    Quin groaned as he took a few moments to get back up.


    "I won''t lose to a mere child! Not again!" The Novice Knight got up as he exuded the full extent of his Earthly Aura.


    DUMMM


    {If you carry on, you''ll lose. You know you can only use Aura once a day... You should''ve used Demonic Aura instead, to kill him in one blow. That naivety is going to cost you your life.}


    Adonis looked at the knight helplessly as he summoned his wooden staff to keep himself on his feet.


    ''He''s unarmed, it should get easier.''


    Adonis'' hope was immediately destroyed as he saw his opponent stretch out his dominant hand to once again summon a weapon, this time it was a long Roman spear with a sharp blade at the end.


    {Kukuku... For someone so smart, you''re a dumbass.} Eos chuckled as he continued to watch the fight amusedly.


    {What''re you going to do now, Oizys?}

 Hiram (5)

    Adonis shifted his gaze to the side, where his eyes met Naomi''s.


    Despite tears and mucus still tracing down her cheeks, her once-piercing cries had subsided, and she now stood in silent support of the boy.


    "Run!"


    Utilizing his final reserve of energy, Adonis forcefully stomped on a wooden floorboard, sending a flurry of splinters scattering in the direction of the approaching knight.


    THUD


    Quick to react, Quin raised his left arm as a shield, guarding his face against the onslaught of splinters that threatened to obscure his vision.


    While he typically would have employed his spear''s rapid rotation to form a protective barrier, the confined space of the cottage denied him that maneuver.


    Without hesitation, Adonis sprang toward the tearful young woman, sweeping her off her feet before she could even comprehend the situation.


    Cradling Naomi securely, Adonis bounded toward a nearby table, using it as a launching pad to propel himself higher.


    With a graceful rebound off the wall, he propelled himself toward a small window.


    In a daring move, Adonis burst through the window, taking the brunt of the impact to ensure Naomi''s safety.


    The window shattered upon collision, yet Adonis skillfully shielded her from harm.


    SHATTER


    Before Quin could fully process the audacious escape plan, Adonis had vanished, leaving only a scattering of glass fragments in his wake.


    Unwilling to waste a moment, Quin immediately initiated pursuit, driven by his determination to capture the young fugitive.


    Despite Adonis''s comparative physical inferiority and slower pace, his superhuman abilities still granted him a remarkable agility that kept him apace with the relentless knight.


    "Get back here, you coward!"


    Adonis maintained his breakneck pace, hurtling forward with unyielding determination.


    He abruptly veered into an empty alleyway, weaving through its confines and executing several sharp turns in an effort to elude the pursuit of the furious knight.


    ***


    Ten minutes of unrelenting sprinting finally yielded results for Adonis as he successfully managed to create a temporary gap between himself and Quin.


    Seeking a respite from the chase, he darted into a secluded alley, where he concealed Naomi and allowed both of them a few precious moments to catch their breath.


    "Where are you Mongrel!" Quin shouted as he continued to roam the maze-like alleys of the residential district.


    Navigating through one alley after another in his relentless pursuit, Quin''s keen eyes caught sight of a distinctive figure.


    Emerging from an empty passage was a figure dressed in a flowing white chiton.


    "I found you!"


    As Quin identified the boy he leaped at the commoner with his spear outstretched, targeting Adonis'' abdomen.


    "Hm?" With lightning reflexes, Adonis sprang sideways in a desperate attempt to evade the impending attack.


    However, his reaction fell short by a mere fraction of a second. The spear''s blade, sharp as it was, breached the fabric of the white chiton, staining the once-pristine cotton with a vivid crimson hue.


    SPLURT


    "Argh!" Adonis was sent rolling by the momentum of the attack as he continued to bleed from the side of his body.


    {I''m not even surprised at this point.} Eos said in a disappointed tone.


    Quin expertly twirled his spear in a fluid motion, its deadly edge glinting in the ambient light.


    A deliberate, measured stride carried him closer to the crouched figure of the young boy, who clung to his injured side with an expression of pain etched across his face.


    "Where''s my bride?"


    "She''s not your bride." Adonis raised his hand and summoned a long black staff.


    "Did your parents not teach you how to mind your business?"


    Quin''s derisive snort accompanied his spear''s swift thrust toward the boy''s face.


    Adonis emitted a sharp grunt, his reflexes kicking in as he skillfully employed his staff to divert the knight''s spear thrust to the side.


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    BAM


    Seizing the opportunity, Adonis retreated a step, swiftly assuming a poised combat stance with his improvised bo staff at the ready.


    "This is where you lose your life, mongrel. I''ve grown tired of seeing your face."


    "I was told I''ll die in eight years. I don''t plan on dying prematurely." Adonis said sternly as he dashed towards his opponent.


    Adonis raised his stick and threw his first attack since their encounter in the cottage.


    The young boy swung his staff at Quin''s head and the knight reacted appropriately by ducking and using his own spear to jab at Adonis'' stomach.


    Instead of stepping back or dodging as one would conventionally do, Adonis used his knee to hit the flat underside of the blade interrupting the attack''s momentum and knocking the spear out of his hands.


    THUD


    No longer startled by the boy''s level of creativity, Quin stayed level-headed and grabbed Adonis'' lifted leg to initiate a tackle.


    {Punish it!}


    Adonis launched the leg he stood on towards Quin''s nose who had his head low.


    SMASH


    Although Quin was quick enough to react to the attack, he was still too late to try and evade it entirely because he had already committed to the tackle.


    The boy''s other knee, the one that he hadn''t used to knock the spear back Adonis smashed Quin''s nose in causing blood to flow freely.


    SPLURT


    "Ahh!"


    Resisting the anticipated recoil from his failed attack, Quin maintained his momentum and committed to a fierce tackle.


    Swiftly, his free arm seized the boy''s opposite leg, the grip unyielding as he forcefully slammed Adonis onto the unforgiving, cold ground.


    THUD


    The bo staff that Adonis had wielded was sent spiraling into the air, an unintended result of the impactful collision with the knight.


    CLATTER


    A distant, brittle crack reached Adonis''s ears as his slender frame connected harshly with the ground, the imposing bulk of the knight pressing him down.


    The taste of iron filled his mouth, a telltale sign of blood, as a subdued cry of anguish escaped his lips.


    ''Now''s not the time to dwell on injuries.''


    Quin asserted his dominance by mounting the smaller figure, his weight bearing down to immobilize the boy beneath him. With cruel intent, he unleashed a series of forceful punches upon the boy''s once-angelic visage.


    BANG


    "Tell!" Quin exclaimed before he went ahead and throw another punch.


    BANG


    "Me!"


    BANG


    "Where!"


    BANG


    "Naomi!"


    BANG


    "Is!"


    With each brutal blow, Adonis''s complexion turned increasingly bluish, his features contorting as the assault caused his face to swell significantly.


    "Never!" Adonis raised his arms and tried using them to block the knight''s unrelenting punches.


    Just before Quin could resume his assault, Adonis summoned all his strength and thrust his hips upward, causing the knight''s weight to lift slightly.


    Seizing the moment, Quin swiftly readjusted his position, quashing any escape attempt. Yet, his shift inadvertently gave Adonis a fleeting opening.


    Capitalizing on this chance, Adonis snapped his upper body towards Quin, executing a headbutt that struck the knight''s nose, eliciting a fresh burst of blood.


    BAM


    Adonis then skillfully twisted his body, rolling free from Quin''s hold.


    Once a few feet away, Adonis scrambled upright, his gaze locking onto his discarded staff.


    Quin, back on his feet as well, intercepted Adonis''s intent and charged without relent, allowing no chance for the boy to regain his weapon.


    In a split-second decision, Quin unleashed a menacing punch aimed at Adonis''s battered face.


    However, rather than absorbing the attack, Adonis evaded by swerving beneath the punch, instantly retaliating with a punch of his own.


    Adonis''s strike connected with Quin''s outstretched hand, momentarily forestalling any reprisal.


    Without hesitation, though, Quin absorbed the hit, choosing instead to launch a counter-assault.


    His powerful right hook whistled toward Adonis''s head.


    With unwavering resolve, Adonis embraced the impact, retaliating in kind.


    He pivoted, his left leg executing a swift kick to Quin''s calf, causing the knight''s knee to buckle.


    The force of their simultaneous blows sent both combatants sprawling to the ground, their struggle palpable as they scrambled to regain their footing.


    Once upright, they adopted ragged fighting stances, their intense gazes locking in a testament to their unyielding determination.


    DUMMMM


    DUMMMM


    Initiative returned to Adonis, who surged forward with a swift approach, unleashing a side kick aimed at Quin''s lower abdomen.


    BAM


    Though Quin deflected some of the force with his raised arm, he was still pushed back slightly.


    Anticipating the next move, Adonis pivoted into another kick, this time targeting Quin''s calf.


    Quin, anticipating the maneuver, swiftly lifted his leg to check the attack.


    THUD


    Undeterred by the unsuccessful strikes, Adonis forged ahead with another attempt, employing a different tactic.


    This time, he shifted his weight and launched a hook kick at Quin''s side...


    ***


    After a few more minutes of trading blows, Adonis and Quin were exhausted and covered in bruises and cuts.


    With his hands on his knees, the knight huffed multiple times as he looked at the boy with an expression of realization.


    "Do you know what I find funny mongrel...At first, I thought you were fighting me to merely preserve your life, but that doesn''t seem to be the case. Because if self-preservation was your agenda you would''ve never engaged in this battle and ran away like at the cottage."


    "..." The boy didn''t reply as he kept a solid expression.


    "And there''s been a trend in all of your behavior, you fight to protect... So, in this empty alleyway...What''re you defending?" The knight''s smile curved up as he reached a reasonable and highly likely conclusion.


    "I didn''t realize it before, but I found you as you were leaving a dead end. But I didn''t see you enter said crevice, meaning you stayed there for a couple of minutes and there are only two things you could''ve been doing under such circumstances... You took potions, hence why you came out in better condition and more energized."


    Adonis'' breathing became heavier as he realized where the knight was going with his analysis.


    "And most importantly, you hid the girl in said dead end!" Quin smiled menacingly as he saw the look on Adonis'' face turn to despair.

 Hiram (6)

    The boy''s expression having confirmed his speculation, Quin felt a sense of twisted pride develop within him.


    Buoyed by renewed determination, the knight surged forward with an astonishing burst of speed, that seemed inconceivable for someone fatigued.


    Rather than approaching Adonis, the knight jolted towards the alley behind him; from which Adonis had come.


    WHOOSH


    A realization dawned upon Adonis, his eyes widening as he grasped Quin''s intent.


    He swiftly launched into pursuit, but his strides lacked the remarkable swiftness of the knight''s.


    Quin''s rapid sprint was punctuated by intermittent glances over his shoulder, monitoring the proximity of the persistent boy in his wake.


    At their initial exchange, Adonis had been within a reasonable range, encouraging Quin to kick his pace up a notch.


    The second time he looked back, the boy was a bit further so he smiled arrogantly as he continued to up his speed.


    The final time he looked back, he could no longer see the boy indicating he had left him in the dust; after all the boy was much slower than the knight and lacked the same level of endurance.


    Entering the narrow alley leading to a dead end, Quin deliberately eased his pace, using the opportunity to regain his breath.


    Progressing further into the dimly lit passage, he heard a coarse, crunching sound that resonated through the silence.


    Intrigued by the strange sound, he lowered his gaze to his feet, where he noticed a sight that provoked a sinister smile.


    Scattered across the ground were sizeable glass shards bearing luminous residues- evidence of two shattered magic potion vials.


    The evidence substantiated his suspicions; this alley had served as the boy''s resting point...


    More importantly, it was where he hid Naomi.


    Quin continued to advance towards the dead end, a palpable excitement coursing through his whole body.


    Against the unyielding backdrop of a four-meter stone wall, Naomi sat- a figure both cold and trembling in fear. Her tears had subsided, and though a shiver coursed through her form, a semblance of regained composure was evident.


    She impatiently awaited Adonis'' return, the anticipation evident in her eyes.


    "Adonis?" The girl called out as she saw the distant figure approach her, but when he was close enough she finally realized who it was she screamed in fear.


    "GET AWAY!" A piercing scream escaped Naomi''s lips, a potent mixture of loathing and repulsion. Her eyes bore a stark expression of intense animosity and disgust as they locked onto the knight before her.


    "Naomi? It''s me?" In a sinister undertone tinged with malevolence, Quin''s voice slithered forth as he steadily closed the distance toward the trembling girl.


    {Kukukuku...}


    "You heard her..." Perched atop a tall wall that marked the end of the confined alley, Adonis'' voice carried an air of authority and coldness as he addressed the scene below.


    Balancing atop the wall, Adonis held a triumvirate of corked vials, each containing an iridescent fluid ¨C one green, another vibrant pink, and the last a gentle blue.


    Swift and determined, he uncorked them in rapid succession, imbibing the luminous concoctions with haste.


    GULP


    GULP


    GULP


    A subdued burp followed his hasty consumption, and without hesitation, he discarded the emptied vials, casting them to the ground before the unflinching knight below.


    SHATTER


    Unperturbed by the vials'' destruction, the knight maintained his unwavering gaze on the child positioned high above the wall.


    "No matter how many times you recover, I''ll still defeat you." A derisive scoff mingled with a chuckle as Quin''s amusement surfaced in response to the unsettlingly composed demeanour of the boy.


    In his right hand, Adonis held nought but an empty expanse. Yet, his palm remained oddly open, his fingers contorted into an unusual arrangement, each bending in disparate directions.


    "I suggest you don''t move at all..."


    With deliberate purpose, Adonis''s voice rang out as he began to coil his fingers inward, the motion halting just before his digits could form a complete clench.


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    In a sudden, piercing zip, a metallic resonance filled the atmosphere as the wires he wielded sliced through the air, their swift movement accompanied by a faint brushing sound as they grazed against one another.


    "I''m sure you''re quite familiar with reinforced steel wire... Perfect for traps and capture, at the highest level being capable of completely butchering a magic knight."


    To the discerning eye, a closer inspection would unveil a hidden marvel.


    Intertwined between Adonis''s fingers lay an imperceptible strand of steel, nearly invisible except when viewed from a particular angle, revealing its presence to the astute observer.


    "That''s true, but... Lower-grade steel wire is useless against knights. You expect me to believe you were able to afford high-grade reinforced wire." The knight chuckled mockingly.


    "Go ahead, move. Test the grade yourself." Adonis''s voice resounded once more, laced with an eerie calmness.


    With a subtle adjustment of his thumb''s position, a minuscule shift that held immense consequence, the hidden wire responded. It pressed into the knight''s flesh with a purpose, incising a shallow, stinging cut upon contact.


    "Tch!" Quin grunted as a shallow wound presented itself on his left thigh.


    "So Quin...What''re you going to do?"


    "..." Quin kept silent for a few moments, he was speechless, defeated, outsmarted... by a commoner, a child.


    "I concede... I give up on Naomi, I''ll leave her alone."


    {Don''t take his word for it, kill him now.}


    "And how can I trust you?" Adonis asked as he ignored the deity, but his tone was strange.


    "I swear on my family name. I Quin Rupert promise." The knight''s retort reverberated with a bitter edge, his gaze dropping to the ground below. The truth remained evident in his demeanour¡ªhe harboured a deep-seated dread of the looming spectre of death.


    {That doesn''t mean shit!}


    "Very well then, you can go," Adonis said nonchalantly as he opened his palm widely, releasing all the tension in the wires. Wasting no time he summoned all the wires back into his spatial ring.


    "Huh?" The Novice Knight was flabbergasted.


    {You never learn...} Eos sighed.


    After making sure he was free from the possibility of death the knight stretched his limbs around and glared at the boy.


    "You should''ve killed me when you had the chance." Quin declared as he leapt into the air towards the boy who sat on the wall leisurely.


    Naomi made a strange noise as she saw the knight cover the 15m between the two in a matter of moments.


    Adonis merely sighed as he watched the knight approach him.


    "Mama was right..."


    As the knight closed in on Adonis, swift and determined, he unleashed an immediate assault. His right hand, aglow with a powerful aura, swiped with alarming velocity toward the youth''s countenance.


    "Sometimes just you have to beat the lesson into people..."


    Just before he received the full force of the enhanced attack, Adonis simply disappeared from the knight''s sight.


    In a sudden reversal, Adonis swiftly retaliated, driving his knee forcefully into the side of Quin''s face.


    BAM


    The impact sent the knight hurtling backwards, his body careening several meters until he collided with one of the nearby walls.


    "Huh?" Quin who had just been blitzed looked up confusedly at the boy who approached him, staff in hand.


    ''I-I don''t understand.''


    "You know Quin... Mama taught me how to appropriately deal with a bully. The lesson was, ignore their taunts, defend yourself, and protect others..." Adonis'' tone was cold, uncaring, and most importantly...


    Ruthless.


    Using his black staff, Adonis swung it at the knight''s face hitting him in the jaw, causing it to crack on impact.


    WACK


    The knight went flying as soon as he was assaulted, face-planting on the cold stone floor.


    THUD


    Before he was allowed to look back at his opponent he was greeted by a kick to the jaw which forced him to land on his back.


    "Mama always said, never hurt anyone who didn''t hurt you first. And even then only do what''s necessary." Adonis'' canines grew longer and longer the more he spoke, and the air around him became colder.


    DEMMMM


    "Argh!" Quin screamed as he tried to get off his back to face the kid, but instead, he was met with absolute resistance; he was hit by a thrust of the child''s staff right in the middle of his forehead.


    THUD


    "And Mama''s lessons always worked...By the time I was six, no bully dared to pick on Lutz and me." Adonis''s words echoed with an uncanny intensity as his transformation unfolded.


    His nails, elongating into unnatural points, bore an eerie semblance of claws.


    Simultaneously, his once-ordinary hair darkened considerably, nearing an almost-black hue, marking his metamorphosis into a more formidable presence.


    DEMMM


    This time, however, Quin managed to get up much quicker... although his movements were sluggish, sloppy, and uncoordinated.


    Before the knight could realize it, the boy was in front of him and a similar scene occurred.


    Adonis once again used his staff to assault the knight, this time he hit him much harder.


    WACK


    Employing his staff, Adonis hit the back of Quin''s thigh; forcing him to his knees.


    "AH!!"


    "But you Quin... You''re different from other bullies." Adonis said as he raised the staff once more and delivered another concussing blow to the knight''s cranium.


    WACK


    "No matter how much I stood up to you, you never stopped." With a surge of calculated force, Adonis brought his staff down, the impact striking the guard''s hand with potent accuracy as he lay defenceless on the ground.


    "You even promised to leave Naomi, but seconds later you showed your true colours."


    ''Not that I expected you to change.'' Adonis sighed.


    Adonis raised his foot above his head as he looked at the knight grimly.


    "I realized something Quin..." Using a fraction of his strength, Adonis stomped on the knight''s head causing blood to gush from all the holes in his face.


    SMASH


    Quin was no longer responsive, but he was still alive; Adonis made sure of it.


    He summoned a vial with green liquid labelled "Healing potion- applied" and poured it on the knight''s head.


    As the knight''s wounds quickly healed, Adonis used his hand to grip Quin''s hair to lift him to eye level.


    "You Quin Rupert...Are not a bully."

 Hiram (7)

    Adonis'' gaze remained unflinching as he locked eyes with the knight, his scrutiny delving deep into the labyrinthine recesses of the man''s twisted soul.


    "You Quin are a murderer...You''re no warrior. A warrior kills with the knowledge and acceptance that they too could be killed at any moment."


    As Quin''s eyes fluttered open, a tremor surged shaking his entire being.


    The gaze that met his was frigid and unnerving, a chilling intensity that seeped into his very core.


    The boy''s eyes, now an eerie silvery orange with slit pupils, held a whirlwind of emotions- rage, loathing, and even a trace of pity.


    "My mama never taught me how to deal with your type." Adonis sighed.


    The corners of Quin''s eyes curved slightly as he heard those words, feeling a glimmer of hope.


    "But...Papa taught me thoroughly how to deal with murderers." With an eerie calmness, Adonis''s voice cut through the tension-laden air.


    A palpable shift occurred as he unleashed a sinister aura, its malevolent energy radiating outward.


    DEMMM


    The unsettling presence of this aura even managed to stir unease within Naomi, despite it not being directed at her.


    SLAM


    Using his right hand, Adonis slammed Quin''s head into the ground causing him to break multiple bones in his face.


    "You''re a coward."


    SLAM


    "But that''s not the issue..."


    SLAM


    "The issue is you refuse to accept that..."


    SLAM


    "You''re narcissistic..."


    SLAM


    "You''re classist..."


    SLAM


    "You''re entitled..."


    SLAM


    "You''re a predator..."


    SLAM


    "You''re..."


    Adonis continued this way multiple times, and every time it seemed like the knight would die, he would heal him and then repeat.


    ***


    By around 7 PM, the young boy had exhausted his supply of potions, and his strength-enhancing elixir had waned.


    Adonis found himself succumbing to exhaustion, slumping against the wall beside Naomi.


    While Quin remained in a dire state of unconsciousness, teetering on the brink of a critical condition.


    ***


    10 PM


    "AHHH!" Amid the night, Adonis jolted awake, his slumber interrupted by a high-pitched screech that echoed through the air, reminiscent of a frightened young girl.


    "Get away from me! You''re crazy!" Quin''s distress persisted, his cries full of terror as if he had come face to face with Pluto himself.


    {Kukuku...It''s about damn time.}


    "Is he having a nightmare?" Groaning, Adonis opened his eyes.


    Upon blinking his eyes open even more, Adonis was rendered speechless. The unfolding events held an unforeseen twist.


    "Mongrel, help me! She''s insane."


    A cry of distress escaped Quin''s lips as his gaze snapped toward the slumped figure of the boy against the wall.


    In a stark tableau near Quin, Rupert''s presence loomed.


    His ex-fianc¨¦, her eyes brimming with a rugged blend of tears and loathing, brandished a formidable icicle, its sharpness gleaming ominously above her head.


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    {Finally...Someone with some sense.}


    Adonis jumped up immediately.


    "Naomi! Wait!" Adonis screamed as he cautiously approached the girl who radiated murderess intent.


    "Adonis, thank you. You did your part... but no matter how many ''lessons'' you try to teach him he won''t stop!" Naomi said as she continued to hold the icicle above her head.


    "Naomi, he''s not worth it! If you kill him, you''ll be just like him!"


    {Oh, shut up!}


    "Just like him!? If I kill this piece of shit I''ll be doing the world a favour."


    "Who lives or dies isn''t your call to make, Naomi."


    "And it''s his!? Do you think my mother was the first of his victims?! Quin Rupert is famous in the city for going overboard with his taunts. "


    "Then let someone else do it! Let him be judged by the justice system."


    "Adonis, I know you aren''t stupid." Turning her head gracefully, the girl addressed the boy who was steadily advancing, her gaze meeting his.


    {I beg to differ.} Eos scoffed.


    "Gotcha, bitch!" Quin cried out, his hand moving swiftly as he attempted to push Naomi''s leg, urging her to the ground


    SPLURT


    Before he could execute his push, Naomi swiftly swung the icicle with full force toward his already heavily bruised head.


    Quin Rupert is dead.


    Adonis'' eyes widened in response to the girl''s action, but instead of empathy, an unexpected sensation of relief washed over him.


    Relief that he wasn''t the one who killed him...


    However, after a brief pause, the gravity of their situation finally settled upon him. The weight of his actions became painfully clear...


    Adonis had not only assaulted a noble on multiple occasions, but Naomi had just committed murder.


    Regardless of Quin''s crimes, the justice system was unlikely to side with them.


    Contrary to her anticipation of scolding, Adonis seized her hand and initiated into a full sprint, their feet pounding the ground as they fled.


    "We have to leave the city!"


    Adonis propelled the girl through the alleyway, retracing the exact turns he had taken to arrive there. As they emerged from the passage, his gaze landed on two patrolling knights, their presence immediately catching his attention.


    "Adonis, even if we leave. They will find us." Amidst laboured breaths, Naomi voiced her concern, her words laced with a sense of worry.


    "I have a plan, don''t worry about it." Adonis dismissed, studying the guards who were a few hundred meters away.


    Extending his hand, Adonis conjured an aged scroll from his spatial ring. The weathered, creased paper rested in his palm as he maintained a vigilant eye.


    ''What a waste!'' He thought as he remembered the jaw-dropping price of the scroll.


    Gently unrolling the scroll, Adonis positioned it on the ground before biting his thumb, allowing his blood to drip onto the parchment.


    Upon contact, a gentle vibration emanated from the scroll, and the runes etched upon it emitted a subtle, luminous glow.


    "20 minutes." He whispered to the scroll as he continued to survey his surroundings.


    ''The City gates are more than fifty kilometres away It should take us about five hours on foot; considering the hidden paths we''ll have to take, but I can cut it down to two if I carry Naomi while sprinting and leaping on roofs. Because of the commotion we made, the guards should take about ten minutes. If I can buy us an additional thirty minutes, We can escape into the forest.''


    Adonis held out his hand once again and summoned several other scrolls, to which he did the same thing but whispered at different times.


    The final item Adonis summoned was an enchanted chain. Despite a few minutes of persuasive effort, he succeeded in fastening Naomi securely to his back using the chain.


    "Hey! There''s a dead body here!" A guard yelled as he entered the vacant ally the duo had just escaped from.


    "It''s fresh too!" A different guard elaborated.


    ''Earlier than I thought...'' Adonis complained as he began his dash.


    The youth''s sudden movement garnered the attention of a guard who patrolled the empty streets of the residential district.


    "Hey! You, stop right there!" He commanded as he chased after the boy with a young lady on his back.


    Disregarding the guard''s words, the young boy vaulted onto the roof of an average-sized cottage, causing the structure to quiver under his weight.


    The knight, taken aback by the swift manoeuvre, replicated the action effortlessly and persisted in his pursuit.


    Adonis maintained his breakneck pace, but the knight remained unshaken, outpacing the boy.


    The distance between them diminished rapidly.


    Just as the knight was nearly at his heels, Adonis made an unexpected decision.


    Rather than leaping to another rooftop, he chose to descend. The moment the knight touched the ground after his descent, he realized that the boy had vanished without a trace.


    "Psst!" The guard immediately snapped his head to the side to hear where the call came from, but what he saw was...


    Nothing?


    ***


    A few minutes after Adonis managed to shake the first guard off, he encountered three more who were quicker to notice his presence than the previous one.


    "It''s that dwarf they''re looking for!"


    ''Dwarf? I''m still growing!''


    Adonis pressed on without casting a glance backwards, deftly navigating obstacles like fences, rooftops, and walls in his path.


    These guards were a different challenge altogether, displaying a speed and determination that marked them as Intermediate knights.


    In the past, their presence might have stirred fear in Adonis, but this time an unusual calm enveloped him.


    It wasn''t arrogance, but a deep awareness that he didn''t need to confront them directly; his preparations had positioned him well for this situation.


    As the chase persisted with the knights in relentless pursuit, Adonis once again propelled himself onto a building. However, this time it wasn''t a cottage but a grand temple that he landed upon...


    "Such disrespect!"


    The guards hesitated to pursue him onto the temple''s roof. Instead, one of them halted, swiftly converting their spear into a makeshift javelin.


    Meanwhile, another guard opted to circle to the temple''s right side, while the third guard took the left flank, their collective strategy displaying a coordinated effort.


    Still, atop the temple, Adonis smiled mischievously.


    His smile disappeared as quickly as it came after he noticed the missile of a spear coated in aura approach him.


    "Dammit!"

 Hiram (8)

    "Kyaa!"


    Noticing the spear was just a few meters away from her face, Naomi let out a fearful squeal.


    Naomi''s scream alarmed him, Adonis turned to assess the spear''s proximity.


    Despite the weapon''s imminent danger, Adonis maintained his composure and avoided succumbing to panic.


    His response was swift and calculated, he dove off the ten-meter-tall temple roof, effectively dodging the lethal spear.


    However, his hopes for safety were short-lived.


    THUD


    As he landed, he was greeted by two awaiting knights, their spears aimed squarely at his chest. Their menacing smiles barely visible in the darkness, revealed a sense of triumph.


    "Raise your hands where we can see them!"


    {You can''t see anything shitheads.}


    "You sure?" Amid the dim darkness, Adonis spoke calmly, being able to discern the guard''s faces easily despite the lack of light.


    "Stop playing games! Raise your hands!"


    "Very well." Sighing, he followed the knight''s instructions; although the actions were accompanied by a a strange sequence of movements.


    Adonis used the long nails on his right hand to dig into his right thumb, drawing blood.


    SPLURT


    After successfully making himself bleed, he utilized his left hand to adjust the large chilton, exposing his bare chest and an aged piece of paper fastened to it.


    With remarkable fluidity, Adonis proceeded to smudge the blood from his right thumb onto the inscriptions on the parchment.


    Simultaneously, he whispered something under his breath.


    "Two seconds." Upon completing this sequence of actions, Adonis found his hands raised like he was told.


    "What is your name." The guards demanded as they cautiously approached the boy, being able to only see the boy''s figure due to the lack of light.


    "Boom."


    "What?"


    BOOM


    In swift succession to the boy''s whispered taunt, the mystical scroll on his chest triggered a Novice-level magic spell, resulting in a slight backward jerk of his body.


    The ensuing fireball erupted in a brilliant flash, temporarily blinding the approaching knights it targeted.


    Despite their initial shock at the unexpected spell, the two knights were seasoned and managed to maintain their composed demeanor.


    With practiced precision, the knights twirled their spears adeptly, conjuring a makeshift barrier that effectively dispelled the impending threat posed by the fireball.


    By the time the fireball had dissipated, the boy they had tracked down was just like the spell...


    Gone.


    ***


    Navigating through the familiar alleyways and scaling rooftops, Adonis surged ahead until he reached the city''s main gate.


    However, as escape was in sight, a wave of disappointment washed over him. His heart sank as he discerned the city gates were guarded with even greater vigilance than usual. They knew he was coming.


    "There he is!" A guard who stood near the gate screamed as he saw the figure of the fatigued kid.


    ''I can''t catch a break, can I?'' The boy once again delved into an alley before he was joined by an Intermediate Knight who was committed to capturing him.


    "We have one option left, this better work..."


    For an hour and a half, Adonis continued to push himself to the physical limit, sprinting at full speed with a girl strapped to his back; he remained relentless in the attempt to shake off the knight.


    His evasion tactics against the city''s numerous guards held a straightforward brilliance: As he raced onward, Adonis methodically deposited magic scrolls along his path.


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    Each of these scrolls unleashed spells at varying intervals, resulting in a cascade of disarray and distress across the city. The carefully timed explosions sowed chaos, rendering his exact whereabouts nearly impossible to ascertain.


    ***


    The boy finally ran out of gas as he reached a familiar empty plaza with a statue of Mercury.


    "How fitting that you''ll be the one to save me..." Adonis sighed as he glanced at the statue behind him.


    Summoning his spear, the knight swiftly aimed it at the boy who had abruptly come to a halt, for some reason.


    "If you come with me willingly, I won''t hurt you."


    Adonis exhaled as he held out his hand and summoned his staff, preparing for a confrontation.


    "Don''t tell me, you think you can beat me." The knight scoffed as he pointed his spear in the boy''s direction.


    {Do all humans talk this much during battle?}


    "Unfortunately..." Twirling his staff, Adonis sighed.


    ''Let''s see the gap between me and an Intermediate Knight...'' With the girl still strapped to his back, Adonis charged at the knight with a decreased pace.


    The guard let out a disdainful scoff, strategically manoeuvring his spear to jab at the boy''s leg.


    "Amateur..."


    Despite Adonis'' keen eyes tracking the guard''s movements, his body lagged, struggling to keep up with the guard''s speed.


    Yet, in a miraculous twist, Adonis managed to sidestep the attack, defying the odds.


    Swiftly seizing the opportunity, he wielded his staff with his right hand, executing a horizontal swipe aimed at the guard''s midsection.


    However, the guard seemed unperturbed by the attack''s intentions, deeming it insignificant.


    He opted to counter by raising his spear, slicing the air with a fluid motion directed at the boy''s upper thigh.


    Upon the impact of Adonis'' strike, he encountered an unexpected wall of resistance ¨C his attack proved ineffective.


    Recognizing the futility of his offence and sensing the imminent threat of the incoming spear, Adonis chose to swiftly retreat. Yet, not before the spear managed to graze against his thigh.


    SPLURT


    "Ahhh!"


    The exclamation burst from Adonis as he observed the crimson drops trickling down his soiled chiton.


    The knight regarded the boy with a quizzical expression, momentarily perplexed, as he deftly spun his spear to rid its blade of the bloodstains.


    WHOOSH


    "That''s all? I thought you had more to offer than that..."


    ''One more time...'' Adonis muttered under his breath as he cautiously closed in on the guard once more, adopting a more measured approach to his impending attack.


    Employing his timeworn staff, Adonis executed a vertical swing aimed at the guard''s head.


    However, instead of employing his spear to counter, the knight deftly lifted his arm and nonchalantly used his forearm to deflect the blow.


    In an astonishing display of agility, the knight then capitalized on Adonis'' mid-air vulnerability.


    Moving with remarkable celerity, he executed a swift kick to the boy''s stomach, propelling him forcefully in the opposing direction of the statue.


    BAM


    "ARGH!" Feeling his stomach forcefully cave in, Adonis screamed.


    "Kya!"


    Adonis took his time to get up, and when he finally did he looked at the knight with a look of despair in his innocent eyes.


    "Just come with me already." Leaning on his spear boredly, the knight looked at the distressed boy.


    Adonis picked up the staff that lay on the ground next to him.


    "Attacking again? Haven''t you learned your lesson?" Getting into a defensive stance, the Intermediate Knight sighed once more.


    "Of course not," Coating his staff in a faint blue hue, Adonis tightened his grip on the staff.


    ''Even if I was in perfect condition, I''d still lose a hundred per cent of the time.''


    "Aura?" the guard remarked, his tone reflecting his astonishment as he observed the radiance emanating from the boy''s staff.


    Despite his surprise at witnessing the utilization of Aura, he maintained his mental composure, refusing to be rattled.


    With the glowing stick in his right hand, Adonis tightened his muscles and bent his knees as he prepared to release the tension in them.


    After he successfully prepared the attack, Adonis held the staff above his head and threw it at a frightening speed; hurling the staff towards the knight''s head.


    WHOOSH


    Although the staff was thrown within a short distance and travelled extremely quickly, the knight was more than quick enough to dodge it completely.


    Just as he was about to move out of the way he remembered something, behind him was a statue of a God.


    One thing about the mortals on Earth is that they respected their Gods and any sort of disrespect towards them was completely intolerable.


    Adonis knew this fact and had used it twice now to his advantage: the first time was when he leapt on the temple, knowing the guards wouldn''t follow, and now the second, where he purposefully made the guard stand.


    Realizing that he couldn''t allow the statue to be damaged, the guard dropped his staff and coated his thick forearms in Earthly Aura as he prepared to block the blow.


    BAM


    The blow landed squarely on the knight''s forearms, yet its impact proved surprisingly ineffectual, resulting in little more than a faintly swollen, bluish circle on his arm.


    Upon thwarting the attack, the guard''s exhalation carried a trace of frustration as he shot an irate glare in the boy''s direction, only to find him vanishing.


    Despite his fatigue and minor wounds, Adonis fell short of his peak speed, which inadvertently enabled the knight to detect his fleeting form as he fled.


    "Idiot," the guard''s chuckle was laced with derision.


    "That''s a dead end." With a quick motion, he reclaimed his spear, banishing it into his spatial ring.


    Ensuring the statue remained unscathed, the knight verified its untouched state before resuming his pursuit of the boy.


    However, upon concluding the dead-end passage, he found the boy had once again vanished, leaving behind an empty path.

 Hiram (9)

    SPLASH


    Emerging from the depths of a cold and dark lake, Adonis and Naomi surfaced, and with a sharp gasp, sucked in as much air as their lungs could hold.


    "A-adonis, where are we?" Treading water to Adonis''s left, Naomi shivered, the cold clearly affecting her.


    No longer adorned in her bridal attire, the young lady now wore a long black cloak that concealed her body, without anything beneath it, and sported a black hawk mask, all in stark contrast to her previous appearance.


    "The black market." Similarly, the boy had undergone a change of attire.


    Replacing the bloodied chiton and toga, he now donned a black tunic, matching pants, and a black cloak. Completing the ensemble was the same hawk mask, uniting their appearances.


    "Follow me!" Adonis accelerated and began swimming towards the distant light from the market''s plaza.


    ***


    While the guards within the city continued their search for the pair, Adonis found himself immersed in a black market, indulging in yet another shopping spree.


    This time the child bought:


    25 Healing potions (Low Grade) ; 3 Healing potions (Mid Grade); 10 Strength enhancing potions (Low Grade); 21 Mana replenishing potions ( Low Grade); 25 Stamina potions (Low Grade); 15 Flame ball magic scrolls (Novice Level); Mid-sized storage ring; permanent hair dye (silver); Iris changer (violet); Roman Gladius (Mid Grade); Spatha (Low Grade); Roman spear (Mid Grade); Katana (Mid Grade) (not purchased from Old Man Masamune); 10 Magic crystals (White Rank); Magic staff (Purple Rank); 4 Barrier gems (Yellow Rank); 2 Communication mirrors; 3 Mana binding Bracelets (Master Level) ; 3 Aura binding Bracelets (Master Level); 10 Mana and Aura binding Bracelets (Expert Level); 30x30m protective fabric (Low grade). Total: Around 50,000 Gold coins


    However, this time the boy opted out of having his fortune told, mostly because the woman was dead but also because of the words that constantly replayed in his head.


    During his spending, Naomi was oddly quiet and stuck close to the boy as they roamed the streets of the black market.


    ***


    As soon as the two exited the large building that sold the magic fabric, the boy suddenly fell to his knees and screamed sorrowfully.


    "AHHH!"


    Alarmed by the boy''s howl, Naomi jerked her head down.


    "Adonis!?"


    Clutching his stomach, Adonis emitted a pained wail, drawing the attention of several masked onlookers who cast a range of curious and concerned glances in his direction.


    Witnessing his distress, Naomi''s demeanour shifted to one of panic.


    She swiftly crouched down, her focus entirely on determining the cause of the boy''s agony. She began her investigation by gently shaking him in an attempt to elicit a response.


    "Adonis, what''s wrong ?" Feigning composure, she continued to gently shake him.


    The boy looked up at the teenage girl, his eyes overflowing with clear tears and his pale cheeks a bright red.


    "My money! I spent so much money!" The boy whined as he jumped into the girl''s arms.


    {Cheapskate.}


    ***


    For a span of ten minutes, Adonis mourned the loss of his vanished gold, weighed down by its absence. Eventually, he mustered the will to move forward, his explorations of the market devoid of a specific destination.


    The pair continued to wander aimlessly through the bustling plaza until their attention was stolen by a shabby stall.


    The establishment was overseen by a cryptic young man sporting a lion mask, capturing Adonis'' curiosity.


    "Magic beasts?" Adonis whispered as he read the Latin sign.


    Naomi''s expression became dark as she heard the boy''s words.


    ''Magic beasts are extremely sought after and rare... Selling them out in the plaza is illegal, he should be selling them in the spire with the other special items. Once the Black market authorities find out what he''s doing... he''s dead.''


    "Hello, little one. Looking for a pet?" Noticing the boy''s gaze, the man in the lion mask asked with a hint of nervousness.


    ''This could be an opportunity to buy a beast for a decreased price. A little risky, but it should be worth it.'' Adonis concluded before he approached the wooden stand.


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    On the merchant''s table stand, were multiple drawings of strange creatures along with their names in Latin, Norse, and Japanese as well as a number: the price.


    Adonis'' eyes darted around the many different drawings as he identified each of the beasts.


    ''Caldrius, Catoblespas, Calydonian boar... Most of these are hard to tame or expensive to tame.'' The boy sighed as he continued to look at more drawings.


    {Why do all these beasts start with C?}


    ''I mean, what more did I expect? All the strong beasts are kept deep within in the spir-'' The boy''s train of thought was abruptly derailed when his gaze came to a halt on a question mark symbol, accompanied by a staggering price tag of 57,000,000 gold coins.


    ''An unknown magic beast... with that high a price?! That''s enough money to support multiple noble families!''


    "What''s this?" Adonis asked curiously as he looked up to face the young man who smiled back nervously.


    "I''m not sure if I''m being honest with you... It was one of the most heavily guarded eggs in the Spire, no one knew anything about it. Getting it was such a hassle." He sighed.


    "May I see the egg?"


    "Sure!" The man said enthusiastically before he reached for a small egg from under the counter.


    The egg appeared smaller than a typical chicken''s egg, its surface a deep pitch black adorned with several delicate silver swirls. Emanating an eerie aura, it held an air of mystery.


    {...}


    ''The feeling from this egg... It''s familiar?''


    "Since we both don''t know what it is... Can I buy it for a discount?" Adonis said trying to keep a poker face.


    He really wanted the beast, something about it drew the cheapskate in.


    The merchant''s face twisted as if the boy''s words had physically hurt him.


    "But think about it... Any item above one hundred thousand gold coins has to be sold in the spire, and you stole said item from the Spire. No one in the plaza will be willing to spend anywhere close to fifty million... And anyone who is even remotely interested would rather take their chances and steal it from you."


    "Then I can just take my business elsewhere to another branch." The merchant smugly countered.


    "That is true... But an item of this price and rarity will be blacklisted anyone who tries to sell it will be instantly suspected of its theft. "


    After tons of debating and negotiating, the two settled on a price of twenty million gold coins for the mysterious beast.


    ***


    This time the boy took two hours to mentally recover from the huge blow to his wallet the mysterious beast had just cost him.


    While making their way back towards the pier, Naomi, who had remained mostly silent throughout their time together, finally found her voice and chose to speak up.


    "Adonis."


    "Yes?" The silver-eyed lad replied, trying to mask the pain in his pockets.


    "Won''t they still be looking for us when we get back to the city?" She finally voiced what had been bothering her.


    "We won''t be returning to Phyla. The whole reason we came here was to take advantage of the transport system of the black market. " Adonis remarked in a nonchalant manner, his pace coming to a halt as he directed his attention towards the dark and cloudy water below.


    "Makes sense," She breathed out a heavy sigh of relief.


    ***


    Minerva City- Minerva Kingdom, Caelum Empire. (Empire''s capital)


    Still dressed in their dark black market attire, Adonis and Naomi emerged from a wall in a dark alley as mana particles before their bodies slowly returned to their original states.


    "AHHHH!" A cry of agony escaped the girl''s lips as her limbs completed their painful manifestation.


    "Don''t worry, you''ll get used to it the more you do it." Adonis chuckled as he waited for Naomi''s sense of balance to return.


    "The more I do it?" Naomi asked frightenedly.


    "Yep! So, what do you wanna eat!?" He licked his lips greedily and began walking away from the towering stone wall.


    "..."


    "Hm?" Noticing the absence of anyone beside him, the boy pivoted to find Naomi standing still, her gaze locked on the ground.


    "Have your joints not fully manifested? That''s strange they''re supposed to appear before your skin." Studying the teenage girl intently he muttered.


    "How can you be so casual about all of this?" She uttered solemnly, her gaze remaining fixed on the ground.


    "About what to eat? I mean this is the capital... There are many options."


    "NOT ABOUT THE FOOD! MY MOM IS DEAD I''M AN OUTLAW AND I HAVE NO HOME!" Naomi''s mask of strength finally shattered, and she let out a piercing scream.


    Tears streamed down her face, baring the depth of her emotions.


    "...So?" The boy replied nonchalantly as he blankly stared at the girl.


    Taken aback by the boy''s apparent indifference, Naomi found herself staring at him in disbelief for a few moments, struggling to put her thoughts into words.


    "So?! SO?! This is all your fault! You''re the one who decided to play hero! You''re the one who made me make that promise!"


    Resting his hand against his chin, the boy assumed a contemplative posture, delving into his thoughts regarding the events of the past few months.


    "Hmm... My only mistake was not killing Quin at the bar. Other than that, that was all your fault."


    "Had I not stepped in at the bank, you would''ve still married that creep; the only difference would be you''d be critically hurt. Your mother would still stop you from going to the wedding, and she''d still die. So had I not existed in this equation everything would not only be the same they''d be much worse...Quin would still be alive, your mother would be dead and you would''ve probably killed yourself out of guilt a few months into your marriage."


    "Put simply Naomi... You were too weak."


    "..."


    "So tell me, Naomi, is that the outcome you would''ve preferred?" Adonis asked coldly.


    "I-" No matter who she wanted to blame, the girl couldn''t deny that Adonis was right, cruel but right.


    "All of that is in the past and we can''t change it... You have two options, will you fall into despair or will you use this experience as motivation to improve and get stronger? I won''t blame nor judge you for whichever option you choose..."


    Adonis turned away from the teenage girl and continued to walk towards the grand city''s main road.


    "I''ll wait for you at Dale''s Inn for one week... Come to me if you pick the latter."

 Hiram (10)

    The room Adonis secured at Dale''s inn proved more spacious than the one he had rented in Phyla. Notably, it accommodated two single beds, in contrast to the solitary one he had encountered before.


    Upon entering the room, Adonis threw himself onto the soft mattress and sighed in exasperation; releasing all the tension from the previous day.


    {I didn''t think you could be so cruel, kukuku. I''m proud.} The Devil God chuckled amusedly to himself.


    "It wasn''t cruel... I told her the truth, what she needed to hear." In a solemn tone, Adonis spoke while fixing his gaze upon the stone ceiling.


    {That was the truth? So you DO agree that you should''ve killed Quin back at the bar?}


    "Although I hate to admit it, I was na?ve," Adonis replied bitterly before he turned to his side.


    {Of course, you were! So what are you going to do moving forward? When are you going to grow up?}


    "I don''t know..." He curled his form into a ball.


    ***


    5 years ago.


    "My dream?" a 5-year-old Oizys opened his large brown eyes to look at his father.


    "Yes Ozzy, your dream. No matter how big or small it might be... What is your dream?" Eurodos clarified.


    "My dream? I don''t really have a goal in mind Papa..."


    "You don''t have a dream?" Eurodos asked being slightly taken aback as his son was usually pretty ambitious.


    "Not a dream... But I do have an image of how I want to live."


    "How you''d like to live?"


    "Yep! I''d love to live peacefully! I''d like to get rid of all bullies!" Oizys smiled, his large brown eyes lighting up happily.


    {How childish.}


    As the deity''s words reverberated, the boy''s dream underwent a transformation, shifting into an entirely different memory.


    ***


    6 years before the present.


    In a diminutive park adorned with small wooden football goals at opposite ends, a cluster of four boys encircled a slightly smaller lad who clutched a leather ball in his hands.


    The young boy in possession of the ball was dressed in notably finer attire compared to the rest.


    His ensemble featured long brown pants, meticulously polished black leather shoes, a crisp white shirt with its collar unfastened, and a blue jacket layered over the shirt.


    This four-year-old boasted short, golden locks and captivating cyan eyes. Evidently, his attire and healthy appearance marked him as a noble.


    "C''mon, no need to be selfish Lutz." One of the boys surrounding him sneered.


    "Yeah, you''re a noble. You can afford plenty of other balls... Just give us this one." Another interjected.


    Opposed to Lutz who was dressed pretty nicely, the other boys were dressed in plain tunics and pants which had a few holes in them.


    "B-but... My Mother bought me this ball." Lutz said timidly in retaliation.


    "She can always buy another one!" Amidst the group, one of the boys hollered, and they collectively initiated their approach toward the boy, their intent clear as they readied themselves to wrest the ball from his possession through sheer force.


    "P-please... No!"


    The group''s apparent leader, a seven-year-old with closely cropped brown hair, propelled himself forward, targeting Lutz.


    With a suddenness that caught Lutz off guard, the leader delivered a sucker punch directly to Lutz''s stomach.


    The force of the blow caused the noble lad to crumple to the ground, clutching his abdomen in agony.


    Gasping for air, he struggled to recover from the unexpected attack.


    "Ow!"


    "Stop being so stingy! Your parents will buy another one." The seven-year-old snatched the ball.


    "M-my ball!"


    "C''mon everyone, let''s go play!" The seven-year-old bellowed triumphantly, his gaze shifting around to his companions, seeking their validation and approval for his action.


    Approximately thirty minutes later, Lutz found himself sulking, seated upon the grass, a disheartened observer as he watched the other children engage in play with his ball.


    "Hey... Are they not letting you play?" A four-year-old Oizys asked, with a red lollipop in his mouth.


    "..." Lutz, still harbouring bitterness over the pilfering of his ball, remained silent, his gaze fixed on the boys enjoying themselves, his emotional turmoil unspoken.


    "Hello?" Puzzled, Oizys took the lollipop out his mouth and addressed Lutz once more.


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    "No..."


    "Why? What''d you do? Don''t tell me you''re one of those kids who cry after being tackled." Oizys said as he narrowed his eyes.


    "I didn''t do anything... They took my ball." Lutz said, sounding irritated.


    "And you just let them?" Oizys asked confusedly.


    "What was I supposed to do?!" Lutz redirected his attention toward the curly-haired boy, who maintained a nonchalant demeanour while continuing to lick his lollipop.


    "I don''t know... I just know I wouldn''t let them take my ball." Oizys merely shrugged.


    "It''s not that easy..."


    "It''s not?"


    "No, Brandon hit me then took my ball."


    "And? Just hit him back..." Oizys turned back to watch the kids, itching to go join the fun.


    "Brandon''s seven. He''s way bigger than me."


    "You sure have a lot of excuses."


    "Shut up! I just want my ball back." Lutz said, his voice breaking and the waterworks resuming once more.


    After a few seconds of watching the noble cry, Oizys sighed.


    "Then let''s go get it."


    "Hm? How? Brandon''s seven!"


    "Seven or not... All bullies are the same."


    After Oizys got Lutz to stop crying, the two walked onto the field to confront Brandon.


    "Hey! Brandon!" Oizys screamed as he approached the group.


    The boys who were playing in groups of two stopped abruptly to listen to the boy who approached.


    "What?" Brandon, the seven-year-old scooped up the ball and watched the two who called his name.


    "Who''s ball is that?" In a relaxed manner, Oizys asked; alternating between talking and taking his lollipop in and out of his mouth.


    "It''s mine now." He replied smugly.


    "Now? Did you take it from this guy?" Oizys pointed at Lutz using his left hand.


    "So what if I did?"


    "Give it back." He said sternly.


    "And If I don''t?"


    "Then I''ll take it."


    "Try" The seven-year-old dared as he grinned at the curly-haired four-year-old.


    "Hold my lollipop..." Oizys turned to face Lutz and handed him his lollipop.


    ***


    20 minutes later.


    After a one-sided beating, both Oizys and Lutz found themselves sprawled side by side in the now deserted field, covered in light bruises.


    "I thought you could fight!" Lutz screamed as he turned to face Oizys.


    "What made you think that?" He inquired, while he attempted to rid his lollipop of sand, his tone casual despite the circumstances.


    "Well... You sounded like some kind of hero earlier."


    "Hehe, thanks!" Oizys smiled brightly.


    "You''re a fraud!"


    "That''s mean." Oizys put the lollipop back in his mouth.


    "Sorry."


    "Why try to fight when you knew you''d lose?" Lutz asked curiously.


    "Because Brandon is a bully... No matter how much stronger a bully is, you must stand against them. The moment you give up is the moment you''ve lost."


    "..."


    "By the way, I''m Oizys Hermes... You can call me Ozzy though." Oizys smiled softly, turning to Lutz.


    "I''m Lutz... Lutz van Alexia. Let''s be friends!"


    "Nice to meet you, Lutz. Sorry that we didn''t get your ball back." Oizys said regretfully.


    "It''s fine, don''t worry about it!"


    "Hey Ozzy."


    "Yes?"


    "You talk funny... Like a grown-up."


    "Hehe..."


    ***


    The present


    KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK


    After 69 hours of straight sleep, Adonis was woken up by the sound of someone knocking on the door.


    Rubbing his eyes wearily, Adonis dragged his feet towards the wooden door.


    "Naomi?" He reached for the brass handle.


    "Good morning young Adonis, I noticed you haven''t left your room in three days; so I thought I''d bring you some food!" Dale: A short old man, stood outside the boy''s door with a tray of food in his pruny bronze hands.


    "Three days?!"


    "Being inside the whole day isn''t healthy for a growing boy! You should eat something and take a walk later."


    "Sorry to make you worry sir. Thank you." The boy chuckled as he thanked the man and took the tray.


    After he left, Adonis closed the door and put the tray on the small table next to the bed he slept in.


    {Don''t tell me you thought that girl was coming back. I bet she already killed herself. Kukuku!}


    "She''ll come," Adonis said determinedly.


    {Enough with wishful thinking, let''s evaluate your performance.} The deity sighed.


    {Your clash with the knight at the house was pretty satisfactory other than your use of Earthly Aura instead of Demonic Aura. Had you opted to coat your foot in Demonic Aura instead you would''ve not only shattered his blade but also would''ve broke his skull. House encounter: C plus}


    "..."


    {It gets more impressive when we move onto your second encounter in the alleys, your hand-to-hand combat was below average but for your age, I guess you were impressive. You outclassed him tactically and still managed to hold your own despite your disadvantage in physical capabilities and experience. Alley encounter: B}


    The boy grinned slightly as he heard the Deity''s words.


    {It gets very interesting when we begin to look into the dead end... the climax of your battle. Your prep was simply phenomenal... From the very beginning, you were three steps ahead of the knight. You made him chase you around for a while acting like you were scared of him. You hid the girl in the alley, devoured a stamina and healing potion and most importantly set up the steel wire trap around the girl. You then went back to the knight and acted like he was the one who caught you and purposefully let him wound you to sell the idea that he caught you off guard. You let him conclude that you hid Naomi in the dead end when in reality you left her there as bait.}


    "Bait is a strong word." Adonis sighed.


    {As he headed towards the dead end you collected your staff and took a shorter route which you had surveyed earlier. You then activated the steel wire trap as he got closer to the girl. Using the brief moments in which he was trapped, you drank three potions: Healing, Stamina recovery, and Strength enhancement. With your newfound vigour, you then dominated your opponent. The impressive part wasn''t the trap you set but rather your use of psychological warfare... You made sure to coat the steel wires in Black Serpent''s venom so that your opponent would become slower and weaker, making your opponent feel like you were leagues above him; further impacting their mental state.... A plus.}


    (Pink Viper''s venom: a venom from the Pink Rank rank magic beast, the beast''s venom slows down the opponent''s motor skills and makes them experience a slightly distorted version of reality. The more venom the prey is exposed to, the higher the effect. )


    "Surprised you praised me so much, thanks, Lord Eos." Adonis smiled softly.


    {Don''t get used to it.} Eos scoffed.


    KNOCK KNOCK


    "I haven''t even started eating yet."


    Adonis jumped up and dashed towards the door, getting ready to greet Dale.


    To his astonishment, as Adonis swung the door open, he was met with the sight of a lovely teenage girl.


    She stood at a diminutive stature, her appearance characterized by long, ebony hair and striking yellow eyes that held a captivating allure.


    "Naomi?"

 Academy Admission (1)

    5 years later


    Ox City- Chorus Kingdom, Caelum Empire


    In a dim chamber built from fortified white marble, a youthful figure toiled with fervour.


    The air within the room held a palpable intensity as a lithe muscular teenager with porcelain skin and messy, eyebrow-length Russian violet hair in engaged a mesmerizing display.


    His body''s exertions were the embodiment of strength and grace, as he executed handstand pushups with almost effortless fluidity.


    "Four hundred and thirty-two, four hundred and thirty-three..." A voice of depth, gentle in its resonance yet tinge with a subtle rasp, emanated from the sweaty youth.


    Dressed in black pants and a grey tunic, its sleeves neatly rolled up, the young man''s attire echoed practically. His feet, however, were bare, as they were erected above the rest of his body.


    The teenager''s rigorous training regime came to a halt as the room''s strange ambience was abruptly disturbed.


    The wooden door swung open with a certain urgency, granting entrance to a striking presence.


    A vision of beauty, the young lady that now crossed the threshold bore long silver hair cascading like moonlight and eyes of a vivid violet.


    "Adonis, you should take it easy... You still have to take the entrance exam in three days."


    "Don''t worry Hiram, I am taking it easy." Adonis, who was now a teenager, chuckled while he continued his one-handed handstand pushups.


    "If you say so..." Hiram said concernedly.


    "Adonis."


    "Yes, Hiram?"


    "I doubt anyone would buy that the two of us are siblings, I mean we look nothing alike."


    "Why would we tell them we are siblings?" Confusion etched into his alluring voice as he gazed at the young lady from his upside-down perspective.


    "I mean... What else would we tell them? We share the same last name."


    "You''re my fianc¨¦..." The teenager said flatly.


    "Eh??" Hiram''s mouth dropped to the floor as she heard Adonis'' words.


    "That''s the only reasonable explanation. Even if we had changed your eye and hair colour to resemble mine, the similarities would stop there... So the only reasonable explanation as to why we share the same last name would be, marriage. This also helps us in the future."


    "In the future?" She looked puzzled, raising an eyebrow.


    "Yeah, after I graduate from the Magic Knight''s Academy. There will be many noble families trying to get me to marry their daughters, so if I already have a fianc¨¦ I have an easy excuse to reject them. This also works in your favour, due to your beauty and magical talent many men will try to marry you. "


    ''Beauty?'' Upon hearing the last part, warmth tinged Hiram''s cheeks.


    "Okay then... I''ll be your fianc¨¦." As soon as the words left her mouth, Hiram felt even more embarrassed.


    {Seems Quin wasn''t the only predator.} The Devil God teased.


    ''Don''t make it weird.'' Adonis said dismissively.


    "Just tell me when you meet someone you ACTUALLY want to marry someone, so we can sort everything out."


    The twenty-one-year-old young lady paused, lost in thought.


    "I''ll go double-check that everything is packed." Feeling embarrassed, Hiram hastily made up a reason to leave the training room.


    {That girl has changed quite a bit.}


    ''I''m pretty proud of her.'' Adonis smiled softly.


    {You have no room to be proud of anyone mortal. Carry on training!}


    Over the past five years, Adonis P. Vindicta and Hiram Vindicta (formerly known as Naomi) resided in a large home within Ox City. Despite the events in Phyla City, they reconciled and formed a close bond.


    Their coexistence was harmonious with minimal conflicts between the two, apart from instances when Adonis chose to cheap out on the groceries.


    While Adonis dedicated himself to relentless training, Hiram enrolled at the nearby mage academy, successfully graduating two years ago. Her swift progression led to her becoming a low-level Expert mage, evidence of her innate magical talent.


    Guided by the Devil God Eos, Adonis honed his skills and finally obtained the capabilities of a high-level Novice knight. However, despite his noteworthy accomplishments, his growth remained restricted due to a perceived lack of talent, according to the all-powerful deity. To apparently compensate, Eos drove Adonis to his limits, who began to foster resentment towards the dreaded training.


    The long-anticipated day, Adonis had yearned for was drawing near: his enlistment in the academy, liberating him from Eos'' rigorous regime.


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    Completing his training circuits, Adonis meticulously inspected his spatial ring, ensuring the presence of all his essential tools before departing to the academy.


    ''A hundred and fifteen throwing knives, I think I''ll need a few more as I won''t be going shopping for quite a while.''


    {Adonis...}


    ''Hm?''


    {You have two problems going into the academy. You should aim to solve them both in the next two months. Or I guarantee you''ll lose your life.}


    "I''m well aware."


    "Adonis, the carriage is here." As if on cue, Hiram swung open the door to the underground training room, alerting Adonis that it was time to leave.


    "Okay, I''ll be out in a sec."


    "Let''s go, Minnie!" Adonis initiated a series of stretches while he called out to his beast.


    Barely had the words left his lips when a black blur darted through the room, before landing on the crown on his head.


    Perched upon the teenager was a peculiar bat-like creature, characterized by prominent fangs and fiery red eyes. Four compact limbs, each tipped with razor-sharp claws capable of injecting venom in combat, adorned its form. The creature''s unique attributes included extended distinctive bat-like ears and imposing horns.


    "You full?" Adonis lifted his gaze to regard the vampire bat-like creature perched upon his head.


    "Ksk Ksk." The beast croaked, its voice scratchy and high-pitched.


    "Then we''re good to go."


    ***


    3 days later


    Hero City- Robur Kingdom, Caelum Empire


    Adonis positioned himself within the expansive outdoor lobby of an imposing castle-like structure.


    He found himself amidst a gathering of peers, all of similar age, each armed with their chosen weaponry.


    Patiently, the youth with violet hair stood, his purple locks a distinct contrast against the backdrop.


    At his side hung a sheathed steel gladius, a silent sentinel of his readiness. Clutched within his left hand was a small piece of paper bearing a number, a symbol of his place in line.


    "The written portion was fairly easy."


    {It was wise of you to purposefully miss a few of the questions, to avoid suspicion.}


    ''It''s strange to see you praising me all of a sudden, Lord Eos.''


    Having recently concluded the written segment of the entrance exam, he now anticipated the forthcoming physical assessment.


    This phase of the exam involved transporting applicants within a magical realm, where the objective was to defeat as many goblins as possible.


    "Can applicant triple-four please come to take the exam?"


    Hearing his number be called out, Adonis brushed passed through the people ahead, forging a path to the forefront of the aspiring teens. There, he was met by a tall, bald man sporting a trim black beard.


    The man''s attire included a red cloak, a telltale sign of his role as a professor. A badge adorning the cloak confirmed his noble sentence.


    Before Adonis stood Sir Fitzburg, the name and identity of the Magic Knight supervising the exam.


    ''Lord Eos, what are the chances of me beating the man in front of me?''


    {Kukuku don''t get ahead of yourself now. 1/100 and that''s even if you use all your potions. He is Mid-level 6th tier.}


    ''The gap''s that big!''


    Guided by Sir Fitzburg, Adonis ventured into the heart of the main school building.


    Their steps resonated in a wordless exchange as they traversed the corridors.


    Eventually, their journey concluded outside a huge wooden door embellished with a polished brass handle.


    "Okay, this is the end of my guidance... Beyond this door is a separate dimension, where you will be fighting the goblins. Your task is to defeat as many as you can, a pass is three and a guaranteed Class A admission is if you beat forty goblins. You may only forfeit after you have defeated three."


    "Is that to say some people will die?" The silver-eyed youth looked at the noble with a worried expression.


    "That''s to be expected... To be a magic knight is to put one''s life on the line." Sir Fitzburg''s lips curved into a chuckle, responding to Adonis'' query.


    {Kukuku... seems you''re the only na?ve one here.} The deity chuckled to himself as he observed his host.


    "Oh I almost forgot, The first minor part of the test is opening the door, should you fail to do so you''ll be sent home immediately."


    "What''s so special about the door?" Adonis walked towards the giant door placing his palm on the wood and ran his finger along the grain.


    "It''s reinforced with mana, mundane humans won''t be able to open it because of how heavy it is. And even many first-year students of the academy won''t be able to do so using just their physical strength."


    "So this is a test of aura?" Adonis turned back to the cheerful old man with the same blank expression on his face.


    "Yes, unless you have the physical strength of a 9th Tier Low-rank knight," Fitzburg answered honestly.


    "Might I add... this is your last chance to tap out."


    "I''m good." Adonis declined as he looked back at the door and gripped the iron handle.


    {So what''re you going to do, Mortal?}


    "Open it." Adonis shrugged.


    The youth''s toned physique tensed and the veins in his bicep bulged, as he channelled increased force into the handle, determined to overcome its resistance.


    ''He''s using one hand? That''ll never get the job done.'' Fitzburg shook his head as he frowned at the youth.


    ''This is heavier than I thought.''


    {Pitiful mortal.}


    "AARGHH!!"


    Summoning every ounce of strength, Adonis harnessed his might, resulting in the wooden door emitting a resonant creak.


    With an ultimate, determined pull, the door yielded, bursting open with a sudden release of energy. The force generated triggered a small shockwave, ruffling his already-tousled hair into a semblance of a bird''s nest.


    His gaze then shifted towards the professor, his expression a mixture of amusement and triumph. The young man''s visage, a blend of confusion and delight, underscored the achievement.


    "You didn''t even use aura? Hahaha, these commoners are just full of surprises these days." Sir Fitzburg said as he remembered one of the other commoner applicants.


    Adonis walked towards the open door while attempting to fix his hair.


    "Where the hell did all that wind come from anyway?"


    ***


    The pocket dimension materialized as a vast expanse of pristine white, punctuated by a central vortex of obsidian-hued mana.


    This swirling abyss represented the other side of the door''s threshold.


    {Eww!}


    "What?" Adonis asked cautiously as he got into a fighting stance.


    {This is the result of a blessed individual''s magic.}


    "Blessed? So they had an angel''s help?"


    {That''s what blessed means dumbass...}


    "Funny." The mortal uttered sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.


    The vacant expanse exuded disorienting qualities, unravelling one''s sense of direction and making it arduous to gauge distance accurately.


    "This place is strange..."

 Academy Admission (2)

    [Adonis P. Vindicta... Goblin Simulator. Begin!]


    Right after the unfamiliar feminine voice declared the commencement of his test, a skeleton materialized seemingly from nowhere.


    Subsequently, layers of muscles and skin manifested in a chronological sequence.


    "They take two seconds to form huh?"


    The entity''s stature fell nearly a full foot below that of Adonis, its height registering at five feet. Its skin tone bore a light green hue, and its body exhibited a robust build marked by pronounced vascularity.


    Adorned in medieval-style brown leather armor from the waist downward, the being left its upper body exposed. Equipped with a short sword and a lightweight iron shield, it held both items in its grasp.


    The instant its gaze met that of the human, a remarkable transformation overcame the creature. Initially, its emotionless and serene eyes gave way to a wild fervor, and its unattractive visage contorted into a sinister grin.


    "AG AG AG AG!"


    The goblin dashed at Adonis with its sword swinging wildly, towards his torso.


    ''Not much fighting prowess? Just pure malice I see.'' The youth observed.


    Employing his blade''s scabbard, Adonis deftly deflected the initial slash, while simultaneously pivoting to position himself beside the goblin.


    Seizing the advantageous opportunity, Adonis swiftly descended into a crouch as he moved behind the goblin. With a deft motion, he skillfully swept both of the creature''s legs from under it, forcing the goblin''s countenance to meet the ground with force, resulting in a broken nose.


    CLANG


    The creature''s weapon clattered loudly as it dropped to the ground, accompanied by a resonating rattle. Emitting a grunt, it extended its hand in an attempt to reclaim the blade.


    Reacting quickly, Adonis ascended to a standing position in one fluid motion. Placing his boot onto the goblin''s outstretched right hand, he immobilized it.


    Without hesitation, he seized the goblin''s steel sword and employed it to puncture the creature''s hand, securing it firmly to the ground.


    {That''s breaking the rules...}


    ''What the hell is the floor here even made of.'' The youth wondered curiously, ignoring the deity.


    "SKREE!"


    {Finish it!}


    ***


    "That was pretty impressive, he didn''t even seem fazed..." An amused deep voice said casually.


    ***


    Two additional goblins materialized from a single dark swirl of mana, their entry accompanied by resounding battle cries.


    Adonis sighed as he looked at the creatures being conjured. "Two now?"


    Instead of waiting for the goblins to attack him first, Adonis made the first move, lunging toward the one on the right.


    Springing into action, he leapt upward, his knee raised and poised to strike, aiming directly at the goblin''s face in a flying knee attack.


    SMASH


    The creature was forcefully propelled backwards, its grip on its weapon relinquished in a helpless manner.


    Just as his feet approached the ground, Adonis swiftly ensnared the abomination''s comparatively larger head within his hand.


    Tapping into his superhuman strength, he forcefully drove the creature''s head into the ground, inducing cracks to form and blood to flow from the goblin''s skull.


    CRUSH


    The second goblin, which had emerged alongside the now heavily wounded one, struggled to react to the rapid sequence of events that had transpired within the span of just three seconds.


    Only belatedly comprehending that its companion had been defeated, the remaining goblin swung its blade with both hands, targeting the teenager''s head.


    WHOOSH


    In a last-second maneuver, Adonis executed a ducking motion, narrowly avoiding the strike that managed to shear off a few strands of his hair.


    {Kukuku...I''ve been saying you need a haircut.}


    As the Deity continued to amuse himself with his quips, Adonis threw a devastating punch at the goblin''s sternum, causing the armor to instantly tear apart upon impact.


    "KAAKK!"


    ''Was that too much?''


    Deprived of even a moment''s respite, three more goblins manifested into existence.


    This new trio differed slightly from their predecessors, adorning themselves in dark steel armor and displaying a deeper shade of green skin. Towering slightly taller at 5''5, these creatures presented an altered yet formidable appearance.


    Unfurling a coordinated advance, the creatures charged straight ahead, moving as a synchronized unit.


    Upon meeting their eyes, Adonis detected a flicker of intelligence that sent a disquieting sensation through his stomach.


    Despite the unsettling feeling, Adonis pressed forward, resolute in the face of the goblins'' challenge.


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    As Adonis closed the distance to the fresh adversaries, they surged in speed, lunging menacingly in his direction, their blades slicing through the air in diverse trajectories.


    SLASH


    Adonis''s gaze stayed fixed on each individual strike. His body and head shifted with meticulous precision, evading the separate attacks of all three goblins with a calculated finesse.


    ''What''s the most practical way to deal with them?'' He pondered to himself.


    {Don''t think for a second that I''ll give you an answer.} Eos scoffed sounding disgusted.


    ''I wouldn''t expect you to be THAT helpful.'' Adonis replied sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.


    {Ungrateful brat!}


    ''Hehe, kidding.'' He playfully chuckled before he made up his mind.


    As he continued to effortlessly evade each of the goblin''s attacks, Adonis stretched his left arm out and grabbed the goblin on the left''s attacking arm.


    This strange gesture caused the other two to be slightly confused, but they still continued in their assault, desperately trying to cut up the young man.


    Still dodging the attacks despite the increased intensity, Adonis slammed the goblin he had grabbed into the rest; sending them all flying, one on top of another.


    THUD


    Adonis swiveled his head to observe additional goblin skeletons materializing, readying himself for yet another round of combat.


    Swiftly responding to their manifestation, Adonis surged forward, taking them by surprise and incapacitating all four before they could mount an attack.


    As the subsequent wave of goblins commenced their manifestation, Adonis gazed out into the vacant expanse of white and decided to make an attempt, summoning his voice with a hint of hope.


    "May you please just bring them all at once?"


    {Show off...}


    "This is just taking way too long." Adonis sighed.


    [Are you sure?]


    "Yes please."


    [Spawning the remaining forty-five goblins... Excluding the boss.]


    ''Excluding the boss?''


    ***


    "Is he that confident?" The mystery man chuckled.


    ***


    Suddenly, the whole space was filled with dozens of creepy goblins all itching to kill the teenage boy in front of them.


    "SKREEE!!"


    {So loud.}


    ''I know right?''


    Adonis lunged towards the throng of goblins, his demeanor untouched by fear, ready to engage.


    The first goblin he confronted seemed initially taken aback by Adonis''s swiftness, yet it clung to its determination to eliminate this human threat.


    However, that resolve crumbled swiftly as Adonis unleashed a powerful blow, striking the goblin''s jaw with devastating force before it could act upon its unyielding resolve.


    BAM


    Rather than succumbing to fear after witnessing their companion''s quick defeat, the remaining goblins responded with heightened screeches, channeling their energy into a surge of bloodlust and aggression.


    "SKREEE!"


    {When will they realize that screeching won''t help?} The Devil God sighed.


    After vanquishing one goblin, Adonis pressed on without respite, leaving a trail of chaos in his wake as he advanced.


    The teenager propelled himself into the oncoming wave of monsters, unleashing a frenzy of punches and kicks in all directions.


    Simultaneously, he deftly avoided each incoming attack, displaying an exceptional combination of offense and defense.


    In the midst of his relentless assault, Adonis encountered a goblin that eluded his line of sight.


    Unexpectedly, this hidden adversary hurled its blade toward Adonis''s head while he executed a kick against another goblin''s cranium.


    Rather than evading the projectile, Adonis caught the blade in his teeth, his abnormally robust jaw effortlessly reducing it to pieces.


    SHATTER


    {Now that was just unnecessary...}


    ***


    "That''s something I''ve never seen before..."


    ***


    This feat of strength was enough to send chills throughout the bodies of every single goblin that surrounded him.


    For the first time in their two minutes of life, they felt pure dread...


    Adonis''s prowess didn''t halt at that display; following his consumption and subsequent expulsion of the disintegrated steel blade, he aimed the shrapnel toward the midsections of five surrounding goblins.


    SPLURT


    SPLURT


    SPLURT


    SPLURT


    SPLURT


    This tactic inflicted injuries that were severe enough to incapacitate them without being fatal, leaving them sidelined for the remainder of the confrontation.


    Vaulting three feet into the air to evade a lateral sword sweep launched by a separate goblin, Adonis''s sharp perception revealed the intentions of two other goblins.


    Positioned as if they were anticipating his jump, they thrust their blades toward his chest in a coordinated assault.


    ''Was that intentional?''


    {You give them too much credit.}


    Leveraging his elongated legs, which exceeded the length of the shortsword, Adonis simultaneously extended them in opposite directions. With calculated precision, he delivered forceful kicks to the upper chests of both goblins.


    THUD


    ''This is growing tiresome.''


    ***


    The youth fought goblin after goblin. Making light work of every single one of them.


    Following the brief skirmish, he found himself drenched in the warm, freshly spilled blood, yet none of it belonged to him...


    As soon as every single goblin was knocked out, the familiar mana particles manifested themselves at the center of the dimension.


    This time, the summoned goblin emerged with an imposing stature of 6''5, boasting a pine green complexion and a notably robust musculature.


    Eschewing armor, the creature instead adorned itself with a lengthy black cloth cinched around its waist.


    Despite its nudity, a mere glance revealed the formidable resilience of its hide, surpassing even the durability of the armor worn by its predecessors.


    This goblin forsaken the use of a shield, opting instead for a massive broadsword that seemed to weigh half its own body.


    {You won''t be able to defeat this one without your weapon.}


    ''I know...'' Adonis sighed as he observed the goblin.


    Adonis turned his attention from the goblin as if it wasn''t even there and stared into the empty white space.


    The youth raised his hand and cleared his throat before he uttered a sentence that shocked all the spectators.


    "I resign."


    ***


    "What?" A man exclaimed loudly as he witnessed the boy''s actions.


    "Is this a joke?" A middle-aged woman spat.


    "Disrespectful commoner."


    "Does he think this is a game?"


    ***


    "What a strange boy."


    ***


    As soon as he said those words, the injured goblins, and the lone Goblin Warrior began disintegrating and they all screamed in terror.


    Soon the space around him was back to plain white as if a battle had never occurred.


    The same soft soothing voice echoed through the space as Adonis began walking towards the portal that emerged.


    [Adonis Vindicta... Opponents defeated:55 Opponents killed: 0]


    [Status: Passed]


    [All the requirements for Class A have been achieved.]


    [Please make your way to hall Jupiter, as you have been nominated for the First Year Rising Star Rankings.]

 Rising Stars (1)

    In a bright room with a grand crescent table in its center sat seven adults dressed in large red cloaks.


    "So who do you think should take the top spot for the Rising Star spot?" An old man seated in the center of the round table spoke up as he stroked his beard.


    "I personally think Lutz van Alexia is the obvious option, he demonstrated a mastery of aura none of the others managed to replicate and his physical strength is off the charts." A middle-aged lady with pink eyes was the first to speak, every word she spoke carried an allure to it.


    "Hahaha, you''re all joking right... The ''light prodigy'' is the obvious option, she is one of the only two in this year who was blessed... And she was blessed by a lesser god nonetheless." A chubby old man with brown eyes and brown hair spoke up.


    "I agree... her compatibility with magic is simply unheard of."


    "I disagree, Luna Triksta may be inferior to Lutz in aura use and the Light Prodigy in magic, but her use of both is unmatched among all the first years."


    "Don''t you think we''re forgetting someone very important?" A middle-aged woman with olive skin, brown eyes, and long brown hair decided to voice her opinion after listening for a while.


    "I hope you don''t mean that commoner do you?" A pale old man with a short grey beard snarled as he glared at the lady.


    "His social status has nothing to do with his achievements... He demonstrated 10th-tier high-rank physical strength and he didn''t even use aura at all throughout the whole test. Tarzy Goliath deserves to be number one."


    The chubby old man''s jaw dropped upon hearing the lady say this. "I can''t believe you''re endorsing a man, I never thought I''d see the day."


    ***


    The Academy Elders argued and discussed for what felt like forever trying to figure out the Rising Star rankings until they came up with a dissection.


    "Taking into account everyone''s votes, we have decided this is the Rising Star Ranking:" The old man who had announced the meeting spoke as he continued to stroke his beard. His expression was completely neutral and seemed to lack any emotion.


    "But sir, you haven''t named your nominee. Your vote counts the most after all"


    "There''s no need..." He said dismissively


    Abruptly, the door to the council room swung open, revealing the entrance of a tall, weary-looking young man. His burgundy hair framed his face, beneath which rested dark bags under his crimson eyes. With an air of nonchalance, he strolled into the room.


    -Yawn- "The discussion already over? Bummer..." The man sighed.


    A middle-aged lady with straight black hair and rose-red lips scrunched her eyebrows as she watched the youth casually stroll into the formal meeting.


    "Vice Commander Mars! You''re three hours late!"


    "Shut up Granny! Lemme see the list." The young councilman walked towards the piece of paper with the names and sighed.


    "Who''re you calling ol-" The middle-aged woman was about to retaliate when she was stopped by the head councilman who for some reason is always stroking his beard.


    "So what do you think Young One?" The old man chuckled slightly before asking the youngest councilman for his opinion.


    Vice Commander Mars frowned upon reading the list.


    "Why isn''t he higher?" Mars looked at the head councilman.


    "See, I told you John should''ve been way higher " A councilman wasn''t shy to voice her unhappiness.


    Ignoring the words of the unhappy councilwoman, the head looked at Vice Commander Mars.


    "Who?"


    "This Vindicta kid... He''s clearly the strongest here." Mars threw the list back onto the table as if it disgusted him.


    The head''s plain expression changed for the first time since the meeting started, turning into a slight grin.


    "That''s preposterous... Sure his physical strength was pretty impressive, but it still perils in comparison to Tarzy''s, he didn''t demonstrate any aura nor magic and most importantly he didn''t even defeat the boss." The chubby old man''s face turned red as he spat out his argument.


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    "No, let him speak... What makes you say this Adonis kid is in the top five?" The lady with long brown hair looked at the Duke with eyes full of curiosity.


    "Simple really... He held back, but since voting''s over there''s nothing we can do about it." Mars shrugged as if he no longer cared about the matter, realizing it was out of his hands.


    The Head councilman chuckled causing everyone except for Mars to snap their heads in his direction.


    "Hahaha...I get what you mean grandson... but please elaborate for your peers."


    -Sigh- "Well he was the only contestant that killed zero goblins but he also managed to defeat every single one of them... In battle, you must be considerably stronger than your opponent to be able to spare their life. That becomes even more impressive when we consider at one point he was fighting over forty goblins at the same time. We should also consider the fact that this kid didn''t use any weapons in this whole ordeal while still blitzing them. And to top it all off he is the only contestant who didn''t receive a single blow."


    "This is just my vague estimation, but I think we didn''t even see half of what that kid is capable of."


    ***


    Adonis was still in hall Jupiter with the rest of those nominated to be Rising Stars.


    {Oizys.}


    ''Lord Eos?''


    {What''s a Rising Star?}


    ''It''s nice for you to be the one asking questions for a change.'' The boy smiled.


    ''The Rising Stars list is a list of the top ten students each year. Each semester it is reevaluated, in the Magic Knights academy it is one of the biggest signs of prestige.''


    {Seems like the only sensible system you mortals have.}


    ***


    2 hours later.


    They were all patiently waiting for the rankings to be announced. Well everyone but one person was waiting patiently.


    [Newly admitted students, thank you for waiting. We are now proud to announce this year''s first-year R.S Rankings]


    "ITS ABOUT DAMN TIME!" A young man the same age as Adonis screamed loudly in celebration.


    {See, he gets it. what the hell were they discussing in there? Pineapple belonging on pizza?}


    ''What''s pizza?''


    {You people of this world wouldn''t know... for that, I give you my pity.}


    Adonis was still in hall Jupiter with the rest of the Rising Stars, they were all patiently waiting for the rankings to be announced.


    #1. Tarzy Goliath


    #2. Luna Triksta


    #3. Amber Shine (The Light Prodigy)


    *


    #4. Lutz van Alexia


    #5. Jerald Cecil


    #6. Marie Jupiter *


    #7. Adonis P. Vindicta


    #8. Maxwell Aster


    #9. John van Ani


    #10. Wendy Carter


    * =Blessed by a deity


    "Seventh huh? So these nobles are that strong?" Adonis shrugged as he saw the list that was projected onto the white wall using magic.


    {There are six other mortals your age stronger than you? Do better.} The Devil God said disappointedly.


    "..." Amber, renowned as a famous PTC, stood among the gathering.


    She was a petite, visually appealing young woman, her platinum hair cascading gracefully. Golden eyes adorned her face, set against her bronze skin. Draped in a flowing white cloak and donning a matching veil, she observed the names before her without any discernible emotion.


    "I''m only fourth?" Lutz, a tall and handsome youth with a cascade of golden hair and vibrant cyan eyes, spoke up. His tone carried a touch of arrogance as he posed his question.


    "The princess is fifth? Those from fifth and above should be absolute beasts!" Maxwell Aster shouted in an excited voice.


    ***


    Those in the Rising Star rankings were assigned to class A, a class of thirty-three of the top students in the year.


    Adonis and the other rising stars went outside into the courtyard to do the mandatory mana pool quantity test.


    The courtyard matched the academy''s opulence, boasting a grandeur befitting its surroundings.


    A sizable fountain occupied its centre, flanked by numerous statues depicting legendary magic knight heroes. Adjacent to the fountain stood a prominent brass stand supporting a large, transparent magic ball.


    This magic tool served as a means of evaluating mana depth.


    All the new recruits lined up in class to have their mana depths evaluated. Although most people knew their mana depth, it didn''t hurt to test the students and it also gave the teachers reliable intel on them.


    #1. Tarzy Goliath 60


    #2. Luna Triksta 63


    #3. Amber Shine * PTC 91


    #4. Lutz Van Alexia 67


    #5. Jerald Cecil 65


    #6. Marie Jupiter * 76


    #7. Adonis Vindicta 67


    #8. Maxwell Aster 50


    #9. John van Ani 53


    #10. Wendy Carter 62


    Extra Information:


    (Mana depth is defined as the quantity of one''s mana pool, so how much mana they are able to access.


    20 is the average mana depth for a mundane human, 35 is the average for a magic knight or mage and 50 is considered prodigious. The mana depth system isn''t linear and the difference between 25 and 26 isn''t the same as 34 and 35.


    The gap between mana depths begins to become even greater after 50.


    The pinnacle of recorded mana depth in history belongs to the renowned PTC, Amber Shine. Achieved at the tender age of three, her remarkable score of 82 remains unmatched. Notably, she stands as the sole mortal to have attained a score exceeding 75 without the aid of a blessing.


    After she got blessed by a deity at age seven she then again broke a record by becoming the only individual to cross a mana depth of above 90.


    Mana depth doesn''t change unless someone becomes blessed or cursed by a deity.)

 Rising Stars (2)

    Just as Adonis contemplated leaving the crowded courtyard to checkout his new dormitory, a large green magic circle manifested itself beneath his boots.


    "Hm?"


    The sudden emergence of the magic circle was soon followed by an eruption of thick tree roots that forcefully emerged from the ground, shattering the stone slabs.


    "Nature Magic: Vines of vengeance!"


    Keeping his composure, Adonis swiftly launched himself into the air, swiftly landing a few meters away to evade being caught in the sudden onslaught of vines.


    "Magic?"


    John van Ani, a tall and well-built young man with a fair complexion, had cast a spell aimed at Lutz.


    The wild roots hurtled towards the blonde noble with remarkable velocity. However, displaying a sense of grace and skill, the cyan-eyed Lutz, effortlessly dismantled them using his rapiers.


    The malicious appendages were sliced apart as if they were nothing more than benign weeds in a garden.


    "So you don''t greet family friends anymore, dear Lutz?!" With a frenzied grin adorning his face, John shouted out, before summoning a fresh onslaught of vines directed at his opponent.


    "Is this the greetings the van Ani family teaches its heir? No wonder your family is a joke." Lutz replied


    "Gale magic: endless lacerations."


    Lutz continued to enhance his Earthly Aura-infused rapier, enveloping it in a thick layer of Gale magic. This augmentation further heightened the weapon''s strike velocity as well as its attacking properties; enabling him to exert greater force and deal more critical damage.


    Employing this empowered rapier, Lutz thrust repeatedly, inflicting substantial and deep gashes in the vines that assaulted him.


    "I don''t get why they put you over me! You''re pathetic!"


    John imbued his grand spear with the same vibrant blue hue, then he hurled it through the tangled mass of roots that confronted Lutz.


    The spear cleaved through the obstructing vegetation with remarkable ease, as if cutting through paper. As it connected, the vines disintegrated into minuscule particles of mana, dissipating into the air.


    "Ani arts: Conquer!"


    John''s mighty spear didn''t lose any speed even after it dissipated the large vines, in fact, it seemed to speed up.


    ZOOM


    Lutz looked at the spear that signified impending doom and gripped his rapier tightly as he raised it above his head.


    "Alexian Armour."


    With the spear rapidly approaching and closing in to within three meters, Lutz swiftly executed a jab with his Aura-coated rapier. His strike targeted the very tip of the javelin''s blade.


    " Ahh, so this was all about jealousy? That''s not surprising considering your family''s history."


    Upon contact, John''s spear was sent flying back in his direction at a much faster speed than he had initially thrown it.


    {Kukuku... Are mortal children usually this fun? Looks like I picked the wrong one!}


    ''Ouch!''


    {Say, Adonis. Isn''t tha-}


    ''Yes, it is... It''s Lutz. Lutz van Alexia, my brother.'' Adonis smiled bitterly, his eyes gleaming with nostalgia and pain as he observed his best friend fight.


    "Impressive, but don''t think you''ve won!"


    John''s confident grin remained as he observed his approaching spear. However, in a surprising turn of events, the noble youth, John, executed an unexpected action.


    Stretching out his hand, he deftly intercepted the spear''s trajectory, capturing the large weapon with seemingly effortless nonchalance.


    Swiftly recovering his weapon, John promptly closed the gap between himself and his adversary.


    Within striking range, John thrust the spear towards Lutz''s abdomen, aiming to conclude the encounter in a single decisive blow.


    Anticipating John''s move, Lutz responded adeptly by using his blade to deflect the incoming attack.


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    Unwilling to be deterred, John adjusted his strategy and wielded the opposite end of the spear, aiming a forceful strike at Lutz''s head.


    BAM


    The blunt end of John''s spear collided with Lutz''s face, resulting in a nosebleed for the young man.


    "Fuck!"


    Using the other end of the spear: the one with the blade; John continued with his combo and slashed at Lutz''s thigh causing it to spray blood onto the stone paving.


    SPLURT


    "Lutz!" A cry of concern escaped Adonis''s lips as he witnessed his friend get wounded.


    {He doesn''t know you, idiot.}


    Despite Adonis'' screaming, John wasn''t distracted; he was determined to win the fight.


    As Lutz endeavored to retreat and recuperate, the skilled magic spearman seized the opportunity to assist, delivering a swift kick to Lutz''s abdomen.


    THUD


    "You''ve gotten stronger van Ani..." Lutz admitted as he softly rubbed the spot where he was kicked.


    "You say that as if you''re superior!" John chuckled as he began to circle his wounded opponent.


    "Is that not the case?" Lutz asked casually as he straightened his back and got into a fighting stance.


    "This fight says otherwise."


    "Don''t get cocky..."


    Lutz''s brows furrowed, his gaze sharpening with intensity as he directed his focus toward his adversary.


    With purposeful intent, the blonde youth unleashed a potent and concentrated Aura, channeling it solely towards his opponent.


    DUMMMM


    "Hm?" An eyebrow raised in John''s expression as an unfamiliar sensation began to manifest within his stomach.


    ''This is stronger than before.'' A bead of sweat developed on John''s eyebrow.


    "Let me demonstrate...Why the van Alexia family is superior!" Lutz declared before his rapier greedily absorbed all the aura he manifested.


    {Tier 10 Mid rank.} Eos observed


    ''He''s that strong?'' Adonis marveled.


    The moment Lutz moved all the tiles underneath him ripped apart in all sorts of directions.


    In a matter of seconds, he was already in front of his opponent, ready to end the whole fight.


    "You think I''d just let you do as you please?" John spat as he slammed his spear into the ground.


    "Nature Magic: Sanguinary Creepers!"


    The vegetation that lived peacefully deep directly below the first year was interrupted for the first time since its inception; John''s spell caused the peaceful tap roots to rise causing even more of the stone tiles to scatter.


    Abruptly, four sizable vines adorned with formidable thorns materialized before John, rapidly lunging out in disparate directions towards the advancing blonde youth.


    "You only have one trick?" Lutz snarled as he fearlessly approached the wild vines.


    "Alexian art: Assail."


    The once-bright blue rapier in Lutz''s grip quivered with intense vibrations as he initiated his assault. He executed a brutal thrust towards the first vine, obliterating a substantial section of the plant.


    However, Lutz''s assault was far from concluded. He pressed forward with unwavering determination, launching a series of rapid thrusts that reduced the vines to mere fragments. His Earthly Aura-infused rapier relentlessly pierced each vine, the aura diminishing with each successive strike.


    After dismantling four of the vines, Lutz''s rapier was devoid of its aura, leaving him seemingly vulnerable. The final, largest vine lunged in his direction, adorned with numerous thorns, intent on impaling him.


    "Not so tough now, Idiot!" John laughed menacingly as he channeled more mana into the vine.


    Unexpectedly, instead of trying to attack the vine without the aid of Aura, Lutz chose to simply sheath his weapon and do something completely unconventional.


    "Going down without a fight? How boring!"


    Lutz accelerated once again and leaped a few meters in the air before he landed on the large vine.


    {Kukuku... That kid''s insane.}


    Disregarding any attempt to evade the thorns lining the vine''s surface, Lutz surged forward in a sprint towards his adversary.


    "That was almost smart!" John scoffed as he aimed his Aura-coated spear at his opponent.


    "Gale magic: Mercury''s maneuver"


    As soon as Lutz uttered those words, a cyan magic circle materialized beneath his feet. Accompanied by a fierce gust of wind, the circle propelled him forward with his rapier poised towards John.


    The gap between the two swiftly diminished, becoming almost negligible in an instant.


    Recognizing the imminent threat, John''s composure faltered, causing him to hastily launch his spear at Lutz.


    In midair, Lutz swiftly enshrouded his rapier with Earthly Aura, swinging it to intercept John''s attack. However, this situation differed significantly from their previous encounter.


    With John''s spear thrown from close range, its speed remained largely intact, leaving Lutz with inadequate time to muster sufficient Aura to fully counter the strike.


    The result saw both combatants'' weapons flung in opposite directions, leaving them unarmed.


    Undeterred, Lutz continued his rapid advance towards John. Just before impact, he summoned a small dagger, prepared to decisively conclude the skirmish upon collision.


    John, however, displayed a contrasting state of mind. Still somewhat bewildered by Lutz''s heightened speed, he found himself momentarily frozen in place after hurling the spear.


    "ENOUGH!" Marie commanded as everything and everyone suddenly became still.


    "Gravity Magic: Forced Armistice." A soft feminine voice said.


    Every single person including the fighters in the courtyard experienced an immense pressure fall on them and they all froze.


    "ARGHH!" John took a knee as the pressure became unbearable.


    "AH," Lutz who was on a trajectory to pierce John fell to the ground from where he was middair, landing a mere one meter in front of his opponent.


    The only ones who didn''t take collapse immediately upon experiencing the increase in gravity were the top three Rising Stars, but that doesn''t mean they weren''t unaffected. They all seemingly couldn''t move.


    "Oh look it''s princess party pooper." Luna voiced her retaliation toward the princess of the empire.


    "Luna, it''s because of mindsets like yours this world is constantly in conflict," Marie said calmly with her palms still clapped together.

 Rising Stars (3)

    Marie Jupiter, the esteemed third daughter of Emperor Jupiter in the illustrious Caelum Empire, a wielder of the fearsome Gravity Magic.


    This youthful princess possessed a captivating visage, graced with a complexion akin to delicate cherry blossom petals. Her lustrous chestnut locks cascaded gracefully, framing her countenance, while her silver eyes gleamed with a radiant light.


    Her name resonated across the Empire''s expanse, celebrated not only for her physical allure but also for her exceptional talents and resolute dedication to advocating for pasifism.


    "Why the hell are you two even fighting?! Over numbers given to you by people who haven''t even seen your true abilities or is it over some petty family feud? Either way, it''s incredibly self-" Marie was suddenly interrupted when she felt a chilling hand rest on her shoulder.


    "Sorry to interrupt your friendship speech Princess Peace, but would you mind cancelling this spell? It''s bothersome." An emotionless voice behind the princess demanded.


    Marie''s face seemed to turn a shade paler as she realized that someone her own age had managed to sneak up on her despite the effects of her Gravity spell.


    With a mix of surprise and curiosity, she turned to see the source of the voice. She couldn''t help but wonder what kind of monster had the capability to move silently and swiftly, defying the constraints of her magic.


    The young man before her had an appearance that could only be described as striking, characterized by his pale complexion, delicate features, angular face, and incredibly vibrant silver sanpaku almond-shaped eyes.


    This teenager towered over the princess, his gaze though gentle held a touch of irritation as he looked at her, his facial expression revealing a subtle hint of annoyance.


    "Or what?" Marie replied attempting to conceal the astonishment on her face.


    "Then the princess of the Caelum Empire would be injured on her first day at the academy." Adonis shrugged.


    {I don''t think Pan would approve of you hurting a princess.}


    "You''re bluffing." Marie was sure that no one in the whole world would dare try to harm her, especially publicly. This belief granted her the confidence to speak both confidently and fearlessly, even when threatened.


    {Kukuku... She called you out. I say you prove her wrong.}


    "Is that so?" Adonis raised his fist as it vibrated in the air, slowly being enveloped by a dim blue hue.


    DUMMM


    ***


    "So he CAN use Aura? " The young Vice Commander continued to watch the first year which piqued his interest.


    ***


    Without warning, Adonis'' fist ripped through the air and trajected towards the princess'' delicate face.


    Adonis'' fist failed to hit its target, and in what seemed like an instant, the princess had been relocated twenty-three meters away. She now sat comfortably in the embrace of a fellow first-year student.


    "Are you okay Lady Marie?"


    "Yes, I''m okay Tarzy." Marie said softly, still a bit shaken up.


    This young man was massive, boasting an imposing height and an intimidatingly muscular physique.


    His untamed brown hair rested on his shoulders as it framed his majestic face. His eyes, a vibrant shade of green, held a wild intensity within, his skin nearly flawless apart from a small scar tracing across his right eyebrow.


    This was Tarzy Goliath, the most powerful first year according to the RS Rankings.


    {You aren''t fooling anyone... You knew he would save her. Tsk, If you really intended to hurt her you would''ve used all your might.}


    ''I had to draw him out somehow.'' Adonis explained.


    "So the rumours about the princess''s knight were true after all. They say if she pricks her finger you come running like a rabid dog." He taunted as he stared at the giant curiously.


    {They really say that? Kukuku...}


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    "What kind of citizen of the Caelum Empire threatens the princess? State your name!" Tarzy clenched his teeth in frustration, his anger palpable as his gaze fixated on Adonis.


    "I am Adonis Vindicta, seventh Rising Star." He said casually.


    "I think you forget where you are, when entering the academy all titles are null as all students are equal. I have no desire to kill your precious princess... but when her actions start to affect me, that''s when I have an issue. So I''ll say it again, deactivate this spell." Adonis continued.


    While Adonis appeared unaffected by the heightened gravitational force, his body retained a significant increase in weight, making him feel as if he were submerged underwater.


    "You''re seventh yet acting all high and mighty! Know your place!" The princess''s dog barked.


    "You a commoner got a little attention from the imperial family, and now you think you''re one of them. I''ll need to give you a reality check." Adonis declared.


    ''Let''s see the gap between me and number one.''


    {Kukuku... Mortal, as you are now I can''t guarantee your victory.}


    ***


    "I hate to ruin their introductions, but the entrance ceremony will begin soon...Bummer."


    ***


    "I''d like to see you try! You''re only seventh and you think you can beat me?! Ha!" Tarzy pulled out a pair of large iron knuckles from his spatial necklace.


    Observing his formidable opponent''s preparations, Adonis surged forward with all the speed he could muster despite the augmented gravity''s effects. His fists gleamed with a blue hue, strengthening his strikes.


    Simultaneously, Tarzy, his adversary, enshrouded his fists with his own Aura, responding with a massive fist aimed to counter Adonis''s assault.


    On the brink of another impending clash, a resonating voice brimming with boredom reverberated across the entire yard.


    "Speech magic: Absolute Command, Stop."


    The two instantly stopped as if frozen in time.


    "Huh?" Tarzy''s confusion was palpable as his gaze darted around the courtyard.


    ''Here''s here...'' Adonis sighed, as he immediately recognized the magic being used.


    Vice Commander Mars nonchalantly navigated through the assembled crowd, his presence drawing the attention of those around. His laid-back demeanour was accompanied by a pair of crimson eyes that surveyed each individual with a hint of curiosity.


    "That''s interesting... The princess''s magic wasn''t as effective on 4 people." He observed.


    "But why''re you two acting like you can''t move?" The elder raised his eyebrow as he focused on two girls who stood seemingly frozen in place.


    Amidst the gathered individuals, one girl stood out, adorned in a flowing white robe layered over a lightweight suit of armour. Beside her lay a wooden staff, resting on the ground. Concealed beneath a sizable headscarf was her hair, leaving her deep golden eyes and regal bronze skin to capture attention.


    This figure was none other than Amber Shine, renowned throughout the Empire as the Light Prodigy.


    Her reputation was built upon her profound mana reservoir and remarkable affinity for magic. She held the distinction of being the most talented mage in recorded history, a title she had rightfully earned.


    Of particular significance was the fact that Amber Shine was among the rare few who had been blessed by a Lesser God within the empire.


    "I''d rather not intervene in a conflict between apes, Elder Mars," Amber said as she scowled at the frozen boys.


    "Who''re you calling an ape?" Tarzy retorted as he focused his attention on the prodigy.


    Luna Triksta, the individual who held the second position in the RS rankings, possessed a complexion reminiscent of honey.


    Her attire comprised typical leather armour, complete with a gladius sheathed at her waist. A distinctive touch was her short black hair adorned with blonde streaks, contributing to her unique appearance.


    "Moving is too much effort." Luna put her hand towards her mouth as she yawned lazily, her hazel eyes focusing on the academy elder.


    "Hahaha, true." The Elder chuckled.


    "Marie, deactivate this spell." Elder Mars commanded as he looked at the princess who still had her hands clapped together.


    Marie, slightly surprised by the absence of honorifics, nodded her head and then lowered her hands, signalling a separation.


    "Release."


    "Thank you." Elder Mars smiled as he shifted his gaze to Lutz and John who had managed to get up after the gravity returned to normal.


    "Now, to you two. Disregarding the fact that you caused tons of damage, fighting on school grounds is prohibited unless sanctioned by a teacher." He scolded.


    ''You''re the one who stood and watched.'' Adonis sighed.


    "Yes sir," John said, his voice laced with a hint of fear.


    "..." Lutz didn''t bother saying anything as he walked towards his rapier.


    "Head to the disciplinary office after the entrance ceremony," Elder Mars said casually.


    "Okay." John once again was the only one to respond.


    Unfazed by Lutz''s rudeness, Elder Mars turned his attention to the two who were frozen in place.


    "And you two, although you two didn''t actually end up fighting; take this as a warning."


    "Yes, Elder." Tarzy and Adonis said in unison.


    As soon as the words left Adonis'' lips Tarzy scowled at the boy as if to say "This isn''t over."


    Adonis wasn''t bothered by the dog''s pettiness and simply ignored him.


    "Everyone, go to the entrance ceremony." Following those words, both Tarzy and Adonis were free to move.


    ''The famous Speech affinity... I wonder what''re its limits.'' Adonis thought as he stretched his limbs and began to leave the courtyard toward Hall Hercules.


    Obeying Elder Mars'' command, every single first year began moving in the same direction; including rebellious Luna.


    Just as Adonis was about to enter the hall, the Elder called out to him.


    "Vindicta, come here." He said with a smile on his face.


    ''He knows my name?''

 The voices

    Listening to the Elder''s call, Adonis pushed through the crowd and approached the tall man.


    "Yes, Elder?" He asked curiously.


    "Do you know why I called you?" Mars asked with a smile as he studied the boy.


    "To scold me for provoking Tarzy?" Adonis guessed.


    ''Why didn''t he call us both?'' He thought to himself.


    "Not at all, I don''t care about that. I have a few questions for you." Mars playfully waved his hand dismissively.


    "Questions? If I can be of any help, I''m willing to help."


    "Then, if you don''t mind I''ll get straight to the point. Why did you forfeit just as you were about to fight the Goblin warrior? I don''t believe you would''ve lost against it." Mars admitted.


    "What makes you think I''d have won?" Adonis raised his eyebrow slightly.


    "Well, you seemed to be doing well up until then. I used to think it was because you couldn''t use aura, but you just used it against Tarzy."


    "So, why did you forfeit?" Mars repeated his question.


    ''There''s no point in lying, I guess.''


    Adonis sighed and looked into the man''s crimson eyes. "Well, as confident in my strength as I am. I doubt I could beat a White Rank monster without my weapon."


    "Without your weapon? It''s on your hip?" Mars'' eyes shifted to the boy''s lower body.


    "Well, I didn''t want to use it for the exam." Adonis shrugged.


    "Hahaha, and I thought I was a show-off." He chuckled amusedly.


    "And Aura? I''m assuming you wanted to defeat it with just your physical strength?" Mars smirked.


    "Not really, If I used aura... I would''ve killed it."


    "Hahaha!" Finding this hysterical, Mars laughed as he held his stomach in pain.


    "One last question..."


    "Sure."


    "You uncharacteristically taunted Tarzy, why is that?"


    ''Uncharacteristically ?'' Adonis raised his eyebrow.


    "What makes you think that it was uncharacteristic?" Adonis asked, slightly irritated over the fact that the Elder read him like a book.


    "I have an instinct for these things," Mars smirked as he brushed the question off.


    "Well, I wanted to see the gap between one and seven. " Adonis admitted.


    "Hmmm... those rankings aren''t a full representation of everyone''s strength, everyone from number ten to number one."


    ''Then what''s the point of the list? '' Adonis sighed.


    "The list only becomes fully accurate next semester, when all students have fully demonstrated their strength."


    "Makes sense."


    "Well, I won''t hold you up for too long, I''ll get scolded if you''re late." Mars dismissed the youth.


    Just as he turned to leave, Mars called out to Adonis to tell him some parting words.


    "You''d be the strongest if you got rid of those voices."


    ''Hm?'' Upon hearing the Elder''s words, Adonis experienced a sudden surge of heat coursing through his entire body.


    When he turned to look at Mars'' facial expression, the Elder was gone.


    ''Does he know about Lord Eos?'' He asked panicked.


    "Where is he?" The teenager turned his head as he looked around the damaged and vacant courtyard.


    {Oizys...}


    ''Lord Eos?''


    {Whatever you do, do not make an enemy of that man.}


    ***


    The entrance ceremony proved to be rather uneventful, dominated by a series of formalities, greetings, and farewells that failed to pique Adonis''s interest in any significant manner.


    Assigned to Class A, Adonis found himself designated to House Alpha. The residence stood as a sizable white edifice, boasting multiple stories and numerous rooms.


    Students who hadn''t secured spots on the RS lists were allowed to share a spacious room either with a selected companion or a randomly assigned classmate.


    House Alpha held a unique distinction ¡ª a specialized pocket dimension designated for training. This privilege was but one of the many perks attainable through class advancement.


    After each semester, a student could challenge a Class A peer for their spot.


    Emerging victorious led to a swapping of positions, including the acquisition of the defeated student''s RS ranking. While this system seemed equitable and appeared to offer weaker students a shot at progression, the odds were decidedly stacked against them.


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    The gap in skill between Class A and Class B was significant. Additionally, the former enjoyed superior training facilities, accelerating their growth rate. Lastly, the inclusion of fatal outcomes in these challenges meant that fear of death loomed large, further dissuading most from challenging Class A students.


    Adonis held the seventh position in his first year, which granted him a spacious room.


    Furnished with a plain bed situated in one corner, it also featured a desk and chair nearby. The room boasted ample space, a personal bathing area, a private training room and even an artillery closet.


    Despite the unfamiliar surroundings, Adonis opted for a stroll to acquaint himself with his new abode for the next three years.


    Exiting Hall Hercule, he followed a stone pathway that led him to a vast expanse of grass. In its heart lay a monumental fountain, surrounded by scores of scattered benches.


    The "Laetita District," a sprawling expanse within the academy, appeared as if it stretched on endlessly. This open space provided students with the freedom to unwind, relax, and engage in social interactions.


    Having covered a considerable distance during his exploration, Adonis chose to settle onto an unoccupied bench nestled beneath the protective shade of a towering tree.


    "This Academy is huge, it''s practically its own town."


    After he admired the horizon for a bit, Adonis decided to call upon his pet.


    "Minnie." He muttered.


    Within moments, a swift and dark streak traversed the air, accompanied by the distinct sound of wings beating rapidly, creating a piercing auditory sensation.


    PUPUP PUPUP


    Before long, a creature resembling a bat but larger, akin to the size of a sizable rat, alighted on Adonis''s lap. Gradually, it folded its wings, revealing its form in its entirety.


    "What''s that in your mouth?" Adonis asked as he studied a large clear rock in Minnie''s mouth.


    "Ksk Ksk!" Minnie exclaimed as it proudly presented the magic crystal in its mouth.


    "You killed an unclassed monster?" Adonis asked surprised.


    "Ksk Ksk!" The beast flapped its wings happily.


    "Well done!" Adonis rubbed the beast''s head affectionately.


    Minnie then did something that Adonis would''ve never expected, right after Adonis finished giving him head rubs; he raised his mouth and swallowed the magic crystal.


    "Hm?"


    Just as Adonis''s sense of panic began to rise, fearing for the creature''s well-being on his lap, Minnie''s usually onyx-hued skin transformed, adopting a subdued green hue for a brief period.


    Ten seconds elapsed before the creature''s appearance reverted to its initial state, with the notable exception that it now appeared slightly larger than before.


    "Ksk ksk!"


    "I didn''t know you could do that." Adonis marvelled.


    THUD


    Just as Adonis was about to give Minnie more head rubs, something large fell out of the tree above him.


    "Fuck!" A slightly raspy feminine voice screamed after she collided with the ground.


    Adonis turned his head backwards to look at the girl who fell out of the tall tree.


    "You okay?" Adonis asked as he locked eyes with Luna.


    Luna groaned as she slowly got up, not bothering to dust herself off.


    "Nice rat." She said as she looked at the beast in Adonis'' lap.


    ''She ignored me.''


    "Thanks...Why were you in the tree?" Adonis asked confusedly.


    "I was asleep, duh," Luna said rudely as if that was the most obvious thing ever.


    "Why were you asleep in a tree?" Adonis narrowed his eyes.


    "The dorm''s too far." Luna shrugged as she crouched, preparing to leap into the tree once again.


    "Right..."


    "You''re number seven right?" Luna said as she leapt onto a thick tree branch.


    "Adonis Vindicta..." He corrected.


    "Sure, whatever." Luna dismissed.


    "Why would you try and fight the dog if you''re that low?" She continued.


    "The dog?" Adonis raised his eyebrow confusedly.


    "You know, the knight in shining armour... The dog." Luna clarified as she grew irritated.


    ''She means Tarzy.''


    "Well...I wanted to see how we''d diff-"


    "That was a rhetorical question, I don''t really care." Luna cut the boy off as she waved her hand dismissively.


    "I''m the one who''s going to take him down, so don''t steal my prey. You get it?" Luna said as she folded herself to get more comfortable.


    "Eh?"


    ***


    The next day


    Adonis woke up at the crack of dawn to get ready for his first official day at the academy, he started his morning by doing a modified version of his morning training regime.


    After he finished, he sat with his legs crossed on the wooden floor in the middle of his room.


    Exhaling with a forceful breath, Adonis initiated a visualization process, forming a mental image of a substantial white orb positioned at the centre of his solar plexus.


    Within Adonis''s abdomen, this imagined orb assumed significant proportions, pulsating with a wild and erratic energy that seemed poised to collapse inwards imminently.


    The exertion of taming his turbulent mana core prompted Adonis to break into a profuse sweat. Undeterred, he persisted in his efforts, battling for control over the unruly energies within.


    After a few more moments of arduous struggle, a welcome stability settled over the previously tempestuous orb. In response to this newfound control, a faint grin curved across the youth''s lips.


    "Got it!"


    Just as he was on the cusp of mastering his mana core, the boy''s consciousness was inundated with a series of rapidly shifting images that flickered across his mind.


    "AHHHHH!!!"


    "HELP!"


    Amidst the inner tumult, the haunting voices of the Hermes clan members who had perished in the flames reverberated through the boy''s consciousness.


    Unwanted tears welled in his eyes, stirred by the poignant memories.


    The intrusion of these voices shattered his hard-fought concentration, causing him to relinquish his efforts to tame his mana core. In the grip of the overwhelming emotions, he clutched the fabric of his sleepwear, his breath coming in ragged, heavy gasps as he wept.


    {Kukuku... Still, struggling?} The familiar raspy voice of the deity sounded in the youth''s mind.


    "Yeah..." As much as he hated to agree with his roommate, he was in no shape to argue and he was absolutely right... He was indeed struggling he was failing miserably.


    Ordinarily, humans developed their mana cores around the age of ten and subsequently learned to tame them by the age of eleven. Adonis, however, had defied this norm by manifesting his mana core shortly after his rebirth in his new body.


    Despite having possessed a mana core for approximately seven years, Adonis remained unable to tame it, rendering him incapable of utilizing magic, unlike his peers.


    Following an additional hour of fruitless struggle, Adonis ultimately conceded and resolved to clean up, preparing for the upcoming school day.


    The uniform designated for first-year students was a contemporary all-white formal ensemble, complemented by black leather shoes and a black tie.


    Due to the academy''s stringent policy against carrying weapons during school hours, Adonis refrained from wearing his spatial ring.


    His sole accessory consisted of a financial necklace that facilitated direct gold coin transactions.


    With his training attire neatly packed within a small bag slung across his shoulder, Adonis took a moment to appraise himself in the mirror before departing for the dining area.


    "I wonder if everything went smoothly for Hiram."

 Nap buddies

    After he finished breakfast, Adonis headed straight to class to avoid being late.


    When he arrived inside Class 1A, most people were already in their little cliques and having cheerful conversations amongst themselves.


    The only seats left were in the last of the three rows, by the window at the back of the class next to Luna.


    Ascending the steps that divided the three rows, Adonis observed that the majority of individuals around him were engrossed in lively conversations with their companions.


    However, a small number of people remained uninvolved in these interactions, capturing his attention.


    ''Where did they find time to make friends, it''s only been one day.'' Adonis said, feeling lonely.


    {You DID always strike me as a loner.}


    ''What''s that supposed to mean!'' He complained.


    {You''re a moper.}


    ''That''s harsh. At least I have you, right Lord Eos?''


    {...}


    ''Lord Eos?'' Adonis called out.


    Adonis chose to settle down promptly. He glanced toward his desk partner and offered a gentle, understated smile.


    "Good Morning Triksta." Seeing Luna, Adonis noticed something strange; unlike the other girls in the class, Luna wore the boy''s uniform consisting of pants instead of the customary skirt.


    "..." Luna didn''t even bother turning to face Adonis and continued to look forward.


    "Why''s everyone ignoring me? Am I THAT unsociable?" Adonis sighed sadly.


    Ten minutes later, the wooden door slid open, revealing the entrance of a tall, bald, elderly gentleman. His brown beard complemented his black suit and red cloak, and in his hand, he held a steaming mug.


    "Greetings Class A."


    Upon entering the room, Professor Fitzburg fixed his eyes in Adonis'' direction.


    ''Why''s he looking at me?'' Adonis thought, feeling slightly self-conscious.


    "Miss Triksta, please wake up." Professor Fitzburg commanded as he continued to look at Luna.


    "Huh?" Luna snapped her head up as she was awoken from her slumber.


    ''She was asleep with her eyes open?!'' Adonis remembered the incident that recently occurred, where he thought he was being ignored.


    ''I''m Professor Fitzburg and I''ll be your head teacher till you die, get kicked out of class, or drop out." Fitzburg smiled cheerfully.


    ''What if we pass?'' Adonis sighed.


    To Adonis''s surprise, the entire class responded with cheerful greetings, seemingly disregarding anything uttered after the initial "Greetings, Class A."


    ''Huh?''


    "Since I am only one man, I have my new assistant here with me today...This is Hiram Vindicta." Fitzburg motioned toward the ajar door, prompting the entrance of a young woman in her early twenties. Her long silver hair cascaded down, and her countenance bore a resolute expression as she stepped into the room.


    "Please forgive Miss Vindicta for her solemn expression, she seems to hate positivity. Isn''t that right Miss Vindicta?" Fitzburg smiled teasingly.


    "That''s not true sir..." She answered bluntly, uninterested in entertaining the old man''s banter.


    ''Although I made the necessary arrangements, I''m still surprised she managed to get the job.'' Adonis raised his eyebrow as he looked at his fianc¨¦/ new assistant teacher.


    {Kukuku, impressive. But What was the point of making her a teacher?} Eos asked curiously.


    ''Now you decide to speak to me?'' Adonis sulked.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    {Oh grow up! Answer my question.}


    ''I aim to put her on the council.'' He answered casually.


    {It''s my understanding that one requires strength to be put on that council. No?}


    ''Not if they take up the Advisory seat of Minerva... Although it''s occupied right now, all I have to do is set her up to be an invaluable asset and simply eliminate the current seat.''


    {Kukuku... You''re pretty ambitious for someone who hasn''t even broken into the 8th Tier yet. You might be considered a prodigy but you still aren''t powerful enough to do whatever you want. Don''t get ahead of yourself.} Eos spoke in an uncharacteristic serious and calculated tone.


    ''Power isn''t the ability to defeat others with one''s own strength but the ability to efficiently use the strength of those around them to achieve their goals.'' Adonis countered.


    {Kukukuku, cute, but how do you plan to eliminate the seat when you''re scared to kill a mere goblin?} Lord Eos chuckled.


    ''Eliminate doesn''t mean kill.''


    Interrupting the mental discussion between the contracted beings, Professor Fitzburg announced something that caught everyone''s attention.


    "The results for the written test and physical inspection have arrived." He spoke in a casual tone unusual for a noble.


    ''When did we do a physical inspection?'' Adonis asked as his heart began racing.


    {As soon as you entered the Goblin dimension... They scanned our bodies. No need to worry, they are unable to detect my presence or realize this body isn''t human.}


    ''Did you just say this body isn''t hu-'' The silver-eyed youth''s question was interrupted by his teacher''s voice.


    "First in Class for magic theory is... Adonis P. Vindicta" Fitzburg''s facial expression changed to that of pure shock as he read the results. After all, how could anyone expect a first-year student to surpass the Light Prodigy in a written examination on the intricacies of magic theory?


    Professor Fitzburg continued to read out the rest of the results after he quickly composed himself.


    {I''m Not surprised, that test was easy.} Eos spoke proudly and smugly.


    Clad in the standard white uniform worn by her female peers, Amber''s visage swiftly pivoted to gaze at Adonis, her countenance now bearing a peculiar expression¡ªa mixture of curiosity and suspicion.


    The revelation of Adonis''s top-ranking placement had provoked a profound astonishment. Subsequent positions fell more predictably, with Amber securing the second spot. The remaining Rising Stars dotted the list, their expertise spanning various domains.


    This showcased that being a magic knight wasn''t solely contingent upon mana and intellect, and fighting prowess was only one facet among many.


    ***


    After homeroom, the first lesson of the day was magic theory; which was taught by a short old lady named Professor van Ani.


    All through the theory lessons, Adonis put his head down to sleep. This wasn''t because he knew everything or was being cocky but because Eos knew everything about mana, martial arts, aura, and more.


    The deity possessed an unparalleled wealth of knowledge that eclipsed the comprehension of any human, and this divine entity could readily transmit information to Adonis whenever he required it.


    Another contributing factor to Adonis''s choice of slumber during the lesson stemmed from his remarkable capacity to assimilate information at a rate surpassing human limitations. He could effortlessly peruse the contents of a book the previous night, retaining all pertinent knowledge, and subsequently apply it with remarkable efficacy.


    The other person who had their head down and slept was Luna, although her reason for sleeping was more simple and less impressive: she was tired.


    The girl snored obnoxiously throughout the whole lesson not even trying to hide the fact that she didn''t care to learn.


    ***


    For the whole lesson, the students were introduced to the magic and its principles...


    "Magic is defined as the ability to conjure, manifest or manipulate mana in relation to one''s mana affinity and the laws of mana." Professor van Ani taught.


    "Magic affinities are the attributes that one is able to use. Affinities are usually things found in nature such as the elements but there were some odd cases of ''special affinities'' like as Elder Mars'' Speech affinity."


    "Currently, we know there exist five tiers of magic affinities...Primary affinity which are basic elements found in nature; these elements are flame, water, earth, and wind."


    "Secondary affinities are either evolved versions of primary affinities or a combination of two primary affinities. An example of a secondary magic affinity is lighting, a combination of both fire and wind magic, another secondary magic affinity would be blaze magic, the evolved version of flame magic."


    Hearing the words Blaze magic, Adonis'' body instinctively twitched in fear.


    "Tertiary affinity is the third level, these are combinations of two or three primary and or secondary affinities. Things get interesting when we speak about tertiary affinities, as unlike secondary attribute users; tertiary affinity users can use the attributes that are the building blocks of their affinity. For example, Lava is a tertiary attribute, so users with the magic affinity lava can use not only lava magic but also earth and blaze magic which are the building blocks of lava magic."


    "When we continue to go up the ladder, we get to special affinities. Special affinities are unique magic affinities that vary, these are affinities that defy or manipulate the laws of nature.


    "Divine affinities are the final and most powerful type of affinity, these are similar to special affinities but are way more powerful; these are possessed by deities and can be given to humans by said deities through blessings or cursing."


    Extra Information:


    Primary- Flame, Water, Earth, and Wind


    Secondary- Lightning(Wind and Fire), Metal(Evolved Earth), Ice(Evolved Water), etc.


    Tertiary- Lava(Blaze and Earth), Star Magic(Blaze, Wind, Lightning, and Earth), etc.


    Special- Gravity magic, Light magic, Speech magic, Percy''s Storm Magic, etc.


    Divine- Eos'' (Censored) Magic


    (Take a guess what Adonis'' magic affinity is?)

 Grape

    "Father..." Within a sizeable compound constructed from fortified marble, a five-year-old Oizys stood in rapt attention. His gaze was firmly affixed upon his father, who was methodically delivering strikes to a straw dummy fortified with reinforcements.


    Eurodos, who wore a simple kimono turned to face his child, pausing his training.


    "Ozzy? What''s wrong? You look upset."


    "May I please ask you something?" Oizys asked as he nervously fiddled with his fingers.


    "Of course you can." He said concernedly.


    "Come here." Eurodos made his way toward a modest mat situated in a corner of the room. Seating himself, he employed a small towel to mop his perspiring brow.


    "Yes Papa." Accepting Eurodos''s unspoken invitation, Oizys settled down beside his father on the mat. His gaze fixed upon Eurodos, awaiting their interaction.


    "What''s up?"


    "You''re a magic knight, right? A soldier?" Oizys asked sadly.


    "Yes, what''s wrong?"


    "That means you''ve killed people, right?" Oizys asked as he diverted his eyes from his father.


    "..."


    "Papa?"


    "Yes, Oizys...I''ve took multiple lives."


    "Multiple?" Oizys choked as he listened to his father''s words.


    "Yes, Oizys multiple." Eurodos said sadly.


    "How does it feel?"


    "How does what feel?"


    "How does killing feel? Is it easy?" Oizys asked as he continued to fiddle with his fingers.


    "Is it easy?" Eurodos chuckled.


    "Yes, it''s easy... Too easy actually." Eurodos said darkly.


    Oizys gasped as he turned to his father, his eyes threatening to leak tears.


    "Killing is the easy part Oizys, trying to fill the void that develops within you after you kill is the real challenge. After every life you take, that void becomes deeper and deeper and till it gets to the point where you become..."


    "Empty." Oizys finished his fathers sentence.


    "H-how''d it feel when you killed the your first opponent father?"


    "Admittedly, it felt good."


    Oizys shivered in fear when he heard his father''s words.


    "Good?"


    "I was consumed with hate...and when I finally acted on it, I felt high. But the guilt that came with that temporary high was immeasurable, and looking back it wasn''t worth it. I can say the same for every life I''ve ended."


    "Every night I am haunted by a soul that I''ve taken..." Eurodos said as he traced his fingers along the dark circles around his eyes.


    ***


    "Grape!"


    Adonis groaned as he heard a middle-aged man shout.


    "Grape!"


    ''Who the hell is screaming so much?''


    "Mr Grape!"


    {Kukuku...I think he means you Oizys.}


    Adonis finally raised his head to see what all the commotion was about, and what he saw confused him.


    Looking back at him were thirty-one teenagers and a blonde man he didn''t recognize.


    "What''s going on?" He asked confusedly.


    "You''d know if you actually paid attention!" The professor screamed.


    {So loud.}


    ''I know right.''


    "Grape, I asked you a question."


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ''Why''s he calling me grape?''


    {Take a wild guess, dumbass.}


    "Sorry, what was the question sir?" Adonis looked at his professor confusedly.


    "Who was the first the Caelum transcendent, and when did they emerge?" Professor Arminius sighed.


    "Cornelius, Cornelius Minerva the first. And he emerged eighteen hundred years ago just before the fourth interworld war." Adonis said casually.


    "..." The man was speechless.


    "That''s correct, now wake up miss Triksta!" He said trying to hide his embarrassment.


    ***


    After the History lesson, it was Ethics class which Adonis once again slept through. Before he knew it, it was the one-hour break.


    As the bell resounded, Adonis stirred awake, realizing that the entire classroom had emptied, leaving only him, the slumbering Luna, and another boy with long brown hair who remained.


    "Hey, wake up." Adonis turned to Luna and lightly tapped the sleeping beauty.


    No matter how many times he nudged her, the girl refused to wake up.


    "She sleeps like a log." Adonis gave up and decided to leave the classroom to get some fresh air.


    As he walked down the steps, he looked at boy who also had his head down. Unlike Luna, Jerald the fifth Rising Star was doing something other than sleeping; Jerald was quietly whispering to himself.


    {What a weirdo.}


    ***


    The last lesson of the day was martial arts training, this time the sleepy duo couldn''t just sleep through it and were actually forced to participate.


    Before heading to the training hall, Adonis took a moment to change into more comfortable attire: loose white pants secured by a golden rope belt, a sleeveless white tunic bearing the academy''s emblem, and Roman-style sandals.


    Emerging from the changing room, he stepped into the expansive training hall, where he observed that everyone had already assembled, patiently awaiting the commencement of the session.


    The training hall boasted lofty 10-meter ceilings and a robust, reinforced wooden floor. Along the walls, an array of wooden and a few steel weapons were on display. Scattered across the spacious area were multiple 15x15 mats, designated for one-on-one training.


    With everyone attired in their training gear and gathered within the hall, Professor Avitus, the martial arts instructor, signified the initiation of the lesson.


    "Good afternoon everyone, I''m proffessor Avitus a retired Master level knight and your martial arts instructer."


    "Good afternoon proffessor." The class said in unison.


    "Today I''ll be evaluating your hand to hand combat, find someone who you think is approximately as strong as you and gather in the main mat."


    ''I''m still a bit groggy.'' Adonis complained as he looked around the training hall.


    {And whose fault is that?}


    ''Hehe...''


    Tarzy glared at direction and began charging towards him, determined to crush him.


    ''I wouldn''t mind fighting him...''


    Just as Tarzy was about to reach Adonis, a slender hand snatched him and pulled him aside.


    ''but...there''s her.'' Adonis sighed as Tarzy got dragged by the sleepy prodigy.


    "Fight me dog!" Luna who was strangely energetic dragged Tarzy towards the main mat.


    "Excuse me." An unfamiliar friendly voice sounded behind Adonis.


    "Hm?" Adonis turned around and faced a teenage boy with a black middle part and friendly brown eyes who smiled at him.


    "Please fight me!" Adonis'' fellow first-year bowed respectfully as he requested the bout.


    {This one''s annoying.}


    "Uh, sure. You don''t have to bow."


    ***


    "Okay. So the rules are simple, no magic, no aura and no weapons; just the body the Gods gave you."


    {It''s Devil God dumbass.} Eos snarled.


    "That''s unrealistic... When will there ever be an instant where we don''t use those resources." A girl with strawberry blonde hair complained.


    "What''s unrealistic is you passing this class with that ignorance." Professor Avitus countered.


    {Kukuku...I like him.} Eos chuckled.


    "..."


    "Now that we''ve got that little distraction out of the way...The first bout will be between Lutz van Alexia and John van Ani."


    ''Lutz...''


    After hearing their names being called out, number four and nine both stepped into the large mat and stood in opposite corners.


    "I''m surprised you agreed to fight me, van Alexia!" John grinned wildly as he stretched his legs.


    "It''s time I put you in your place." Lutz said coldly as he walked around the mat sizing up his opponent.


    "Begin!"


    As soon as he heard those words, John towards dashed Lutz; determined to make the first move.


    ***


    5 years ago


    Alex City-Miravulum kingdom, Caelum Empire


    Through the expansive gates of the Van Alexia Dukedom estate, a grand carriage drawn by two majestic horses made its entrance.


    Within the courtyard, positioned just beyond the main edifice, a statuesque blonde man with vibrant green eyes stood. His large hand rested on the shoulder of a young boy beside him, their gazes directed toward the carriage as it crossed the estate''s threshold.


    "Be polite." The Duke reminded as he turned to his son who watched the carriage with a blank expression on his face.


    "Yes, father." A young Lutz said as he waited for the passengers to exit the vehicle.


    After a bit, the carriage finally stopped and the coachmen demounted and opened the heavy door.


    "Duke van Ani and young Master John have arrived!"


    "This place hasn''t changed much has it?" Duke van Ani said conceitedly while he gazed at the huge building in front of him.


    Behind the Duke was a short young boy who strikingly resembled him in every aspect including the way he walked.


    As Duke van Ani walked up to Duke van Alexia, he spared the young boy next to him and scoffed.


    "Greetings Duke van Alexia."


    "Good morning, I assume your ride was free from dis pleasantries." Duke van Alexia asked as he shook hands with the visitor.


    "Indeed it was, thanks for asking. Is that young Lutz? He''s grown so much." he said with a polite smile.


    "I could say the same for John." Duke van Alexia chuckled as his eyes lowered towards the brunette boy behind the fellow duke.


    Extra information:


    The Golden Age is defined as the period in which mortals reached their peak, blessings became more prominent and the mana density in the atmosphere became denser. This was also when the first Inteworld war began, more details will be covered in future history lessons.

 One-sided rivalry

    ***


    Present day


    Hero City- Robur Kingdom, Caelum Empire.


    John swiftly lunged towards Lutz, his determination evident in the intensity of his movement. With a calculated focus, he initiated his opening strike ¨C a forceful roundhouse kick launched from his rear leg, aimed directly at his opponent''s head.


    "With this bout, I settle the score!" He proudly declared.


    "There''s a score to settle?"


    Observing the situation with precision, Lutz swiftly crouched, sidestepping John''s roundhouse kick with effortless agility.


    Although John''s initial attack missed the mark, his determination remained unshaken. He promptly readied himself for another assault, resolute in denying Lutz any chance to turn the tables.


    Continuing to employ his innovative leg techniques, John executed a fluid rotation of his torso, seamlessly transitioning into a different stance.


    With calculated precision, he propelled his alternate leg toward Lutz, who maintained a lowered position. Sensing the imminent threat, Lutz raised both his arms to shield his face, anticipating the impact of the impending strike.


    BAM


    The force behind the kick was formidable, threatening to breach Lutz''s guard. However, the blonde aristocrat managed to endure the blow''s power, with his defense holding strong despite being forced back a few paces.


    The impact, though fierce, left him relatively unfazed.


    John''s momentum surged onward, detecting Lutz''s momentary vulnerability as an invitation to press on.


    Stepping forward briskly, he readied his next move ¨C a potent punch charged with all the energy he could muster in that fleeting instance.


    Having studied John''s combat style closely over time, Lutz accurately predicted this maneuver. He raised his guard in a timely manner, but instead of absorbing the blow as before, he capitalized on his understanding of John''s approach.


    Swiftly slipping beneath the brunette''s outstretched fist, Lutz seized the opportunity to retaliate.


    Harnessing the power of his left hand, Lutz unleashed a devastating body hook aimed squarely at John''s exposed lower abdomen, a target vulnerable to such an attack.


    However, John''s knowledge of Lutz''s tactics was equally comprehensive. He had internalized Lutz''s fighting style to the point of almost anticipating his moves.


    Thus, he responded with calculated composure, sidestepping deftly to evade the formidable blow aimed at his midsection. Unperturbed, John seized the chance to reverse the momentum.


    Lutz, perceiving John''s withdrawal as a chance to dominate, pursued his retreating opponent.


    Closing the distance rapidly, he extended a leg, setting up for a forceful front kick intended to shatter John''s defense.


    Aware of the impending strike''s intent, John opted not to engage head-on.


    Instead, he maneuvered adeptly, sidestepping the thrusting kick as it sailed past him, harmlessly impacting the air next to him.


    Determined to maintain the tempo of the bout, John employed his own leg to attempt a trip on the grounded leg of Lutz, seeking to regain control of the encounter.


    "Shit."


    Right after the bridge of John''s foot came in contact with Lutz''s ankle he he was sent falling to the ground like the last domino.


    John''s face morphed into a triumphant grin as he saw his opponent falling, but said grin instantly disappeared when he saw what happened next...


    In a split-second before his back made contact with the ground, Lutz instinctively positioned both hands behind his neck, exerting force against the earth beneath him.


    This sudden push propelled his body upward, launching him into the air with a remarkable display of agility. Mid-flight, he executed a skillful and acrobatic somersault, tracing an elegant arc through the air.


    As gravity once again exerted its influence, Lutz descended gracefully, his movements culminating in a flawless landing that exuded both poise and control.


    "Huh?!" Dozens of the students gasped as they witnessed him miraculously recover as if he was never in a losing position.


    {Not bad.}


    ''That''s Lutz alright.'' Adonis giggled proudly.


    "Hahaha, I wouldn''t want to win that easily anyway!" John chuckled as he once again took a fighting stance preparing to clash against Lutz once more.


    "The fact that you believe you actually held the advantage is humorous." Lutz scoffed arrogantly.


    The one to go on offense this time was Lutz, who fearlessly approached his opponent with both his arms up. The blonde youth opted for a left calf kick to start off his combo, which was appropriately checked by John.


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    "That all you got?"


    "..."


    Opting to forgo any exchange of taunts, Lutz seamlessly pressed on with his combination.


    Employing the same leg that had executed the calf kick earlier, he directed a forceful kick toward the right side of John''s abdomen.


    Undeterred by this fresh maneuver, John maintained his composure.


    He promptly elevated his arms, poised to protect the exposed right flank of his body. His defensive stance was a testament to his anticipation of Lutz''s actions, showcasing a level of readiness that left him unruffled by the incoming assault.


    "This is kinda disappointi-"


    At the crucial juncture when the attack was on the verge of making contact with John''s awaiting guard, Lutz executed an unexpected maneuver.


    With a surprising twist, just inches away from John''s outstretched arms, Lutz halted his advancing foot in midair. Then, in a deft display of agility, he swiftly altered the trajectory of his foot''s movement.


    The roundhouse kick''s momentum seamlessly transformed into the dynamic motion of a reverse hook kick, now purposefully directed towards the left side of John''s face.


    This unanticipated shift in attack showcased Lutz''s ingenuity and adaptability, introducing an element of unpredictability to the encounter...


    ***


    5 years ago


    Alex City- Miravulum Kingdom, Caelum Empire


    John van Ani grinned excitedly as he stretched energetically.


    "I''ve heard you''re pretty strong... Don''t think for a second that you can beat me though!"


    Lutz who had a bored look on his expression yawned casually as he looked at his opponent.


    "You talk a lot."


    Duke van Alexia chuckled as he watched the two children get ready to start their friendly bout.


    "John is quite the talkative one, huh?" He said playfully with a subtle snide tone.


    "He is just confident, and rightfully so." Duke van Ani replied.


    The coachman who was acting as the referee stood between the two boys with his hand raised.


    "You both ready?"


    Both boys nodded confidently, John with a large grin and Lutz with a solemn expression.


    "Begin!"


    Taking the initiative, John, the determined brunette, boldly surged forward towards Lutz with unwavering determination, his defenses firmly in place.


    He launched into action at full throttle, opting to open the exchange with a rapid succession of potent punches directed at various strategic points¡ªchiefly, aiming for Lutz''s face and upper chest.


    Caught off guard by his opponent''s fervent onslaught, Lutz found himself met with an unexpected display of aggression.


    He swiftly decided to adopt a pragmatic approach, choosing to mitigate any complications by either deflecting or blocking each of the incoming strikes with precision and tact.


    Recognizing the need to diversify his tactics after failing to secure a clean hit, John seized the opportunity to introduce his legs into the fray.


    Following the culmination of his punches, the youthful scion of the van Ani lineage seamlessly transitioned.


    Employing his right leg, he executed a swift and calculated side kick, with its trajectory honed toward the solar plexus of the blonde combatant.


    "Hm?"


    Perceiving the incoming attack as a substantial and credible threat, Lutz opted against attempting to block the strike. Swiftly assessing the situation, he wasted no time and leapt into the air, his knees drawn close to his chest in a strategic evasion maneuver.


    Having adeptly evaded the impending strike, Lutz capitalized on his aerial position by launching a swift counterattack.


    Mid-air, he unleashed a rapid kick, with his right leg extending forcefully in a direct trajectory aimed at John''s head.


    Remaining composed even in the face of this swift retaliation, John reacted decisively.


    He calmly executed a ducking motion, seamlessly evading the incoming kick with a calculated maneuver.


    With an almost imperceptible margin, he observed Lutz''s boot narrowly miss its intended target, the tension in the air palpable as both combatants continued to navigate the dynamic interplay of their movements.


    ''He can''t dodge if he''s in the air!'' John celebrated internally before he lifted his arms above his head to grab Lutz''s extended leg.


    Harnessing his quick reflexes, John seized the opportunity as Lutz''s leg extended toward him.


    He expertly clasped onto Lutz''s limb with his small yet determined hands.


    Employing a swift pivot of his hips, John executed a skillful throw, leveraging his strength to hoist the blonde opponent over his shoulder with a clear intent to decisively conclude the battle.


    However, the situation was not as straightforward as it initially appeared...


    Just as John was poised to release his hold on Lutz''s captured leg, an unforeseen twist unfolded.


    Lutz, displaying his own agility and resourcefulness, swiftly maneuvered his other leg into play.


    This extended limb skillfully coiled around John''s neck, a strategic move that injected a new layer of tension and complexity into the unfolding clash of strategies and wits.


    "AH!?" John''s eyes almost popped out of their socket as he exclaimed in pain and surprise.


    As he continued to descend, with his legs still locked around John''s neck Lutz planted his hands on the ground and used them for support.


    Lutz not only completely neutralized the throw using his legs, but he reversed it entirely.


    BAM


    Recumbent on his back, John''s gaze remained fixed upon the blonde youth.


    Lutz maintained an unusual stance, balancing deftly on his hands, his countenance revealing a blank and enigmatic expression.


    The atmosphere hung heavy with anticipation, as this unexpected turn of events showcased the unique blend of athleticism and mental prowess that defined their intense encounter.


    "I lost?"


    ***


    Present day


    Hero City- Robur Kingdom, Caelum Empire.


    BAM


    John lay flat on his ground with the side of his face throbbing a bright red, his eyes filled with tears.


    "I lost...again?"


    "That was the only feasible outcome, if you genuinely thought you could beat me... then you''re dumber than I thought." Lutz scoffed as he walked off the mat, not even bothering to look at his defeated opponent.


    ''Lutz is... different.'' Adonis observed as he bitterly watched his brother walk off the mat.


    {What''d you expect? You haven''t seen him in eight years, you don''t know what his been through.} Eos replied, sounding almost empathetic.


    "What happened Lutz?" Adonis whispered.


    "The victor of the bout is Lutz van Alexia, Rising Star number four." Professor Avitus announced.


    "The next fight will be... Amber Shine PTC vs Marie Jupiter."


    After a few seconds, John composed himself and got up so that the new combatants could have the mat.

 Prodigy vs Princess

    "Is the Light Prodigy any good at martial arts?"


    "I don''t think so, after all, magic is her main focus."


    "Then why''d she become a magic knight?"


    Ignoring the speculation from her peers, Amber Shine stepped into the mat and waited for Marie with a blank expression on her face.


    When she entered the mat, Marie sighed and her demeanor changed slightly.


    "Begin!"


    Instead of moving right away, both combatants simply stared at each other cautiously, waiting for their opponent to make the first move.


    ''What''re they waiting for?''


    {They''re probably both non-aggressive fighters.}


    After several moments of unproductive anticipation, Amber took the initiative.


    She moved with heightened awareness, advancing towards the princess. Initiating the first offensive maneuver of the match, she executed a rapid and forceful palm strike using her left hand, directing it swiftly toward Marie''s sternum.


    Marie, positioned defensively, did not merely remain passive in the face of the assault.


    With a measured response, she engaged her rear arm, deflecting the oncoming strike with remarkable ease. Her actions demonstrated a composed and practiced defense, effectively thwarting Amber''s initial attack.


    Having successfully nullified Amber''s offensive maneuver, Marie seized the opening.


    Ensuring her vulnerability was minimized, she closed the distance between them with calculated agility. In a seamless motion, she thrust her knee toward Amber''s midsection, aiming to exploit her adversary''s exposed flank.


    ''Pretty bold.'' Amber acknowledged nonchalantly.


    With composed poise, Amber responded to the changing dynamics of the encounter.


    Swiftly adapting, she elegantly executed a graceful 360¡ã twist of her body, seamlessly shuffling closer to her opponent until they stood shoulder to shoulder.


    Capitalizing on this advantageous positioning, Amber smoothly transitioned into a crouched stance, her movements fluid and deliberate.


    From her lowered stance, Amber''s right leg executed a sweeping motion aimed at Marie''s ankle.


    Sensing the impending threat, Marie''s attention immediately fixed upon her crouched adversary, assessing the unfolding situation.


    In a nimble maneuver, she swiftly leapt into the air, witnessing Amber''s slender bronze leg sweep underneath her, narrowly missing its mark.


    Maintaining the intensity of the duel''s momentum, Marie capitalized on her evasive action.


    With calculated momentum, she directed her left leg in a sweeping arc, the intention clear: she aimed to strike the side of the Light Prodigy''s head with the intent of propelling her through the air.


    This exchange showcased the strategic prowess of both combatants, each responding with precision to their opponent''s moves in this intricate dance of martial skill and strategy.


    "For quote non-aggressive fighters, they''re pretty scary." Adonis sighed.


    "I know right, they''re amazing... Nobles are something else." Adonis'' opponent observed excitedly.


    Harnessing her extraordinary instincts, Amber reacted swiftly upon recognizing the imminent danger posed by Marie''s advancing leg.


    Reacting instinctively, she propelled herself backward using her own leg, effectively evading the trajectory of the oncoming strike aimed at her head.


    With calculated precision, Amber distanced herself from the immediate threat, exhaling sharply as the tension of the moment subsided, her readiness apparent as she prepared to counter Marie''s next move.


    Marie exhibited a decisiveness that mirrored her previous actions. Seizing the initiative, she surged forward with determined intent, wasting no time in launching her next offensive.


    Her right hand arced through the air in a claw-like configuration, her target set on Amber''s face.


    "For a pacifist, she''s quite the feisty one. "


    {Not everyone''s a bitch like you, Oizys.}


    ''Do you have to insult me at every opportunity you get?''


    {Kukuku, it''s the only thing that fulfills me.}


    ''Don''t you think that''s a bit sad?''


    {What''s sad is the fact that yo-}


    To avoid the blow, Amber gracefully swayed her head backward and gazed at her opponent''s nails graze across her long eyelashes.


    ''Close...''


    Recognizing the opening that Marie''s outstretched arm had inadvertently created, Amber swiftly assessed the situation and made a calculated decision.


    With a rapid and focused movement, she capitalized on her realization, utilizing it as a strategic advantage.


    In a bold maneuver, Amber propelled her leg upwards in a vertical trajectory, directing it forcefully toward Marie''s exposed chin.


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    Despite the awkward positioning, she harnessed all her strength to deliver the strike with maximum impact.


    "I don''t think that''ll end well..." The black-haired boy beside Adonis commented.


    Amber''s swift counterattack, while strategically calculated, was hindered by her compromised position and reduced strength.


    The strike, although slower than her typical assaults, still posed a potential threat.


    However, Marie''s quick judgment allowed her to narrowly evade by stepping back, avoiding the incoming blow. With Amber''s leg still ascending, she found herself momentarily exposed and defenseless.


    Marie seized upon this golden opportunity to seize control of the match.


    With a determination to conclude the bout, she swiftly grasped Amber''s vulnerable leg, preparing for an unorthodox body throw maneuver.


    Yet, Amber''s resilience was unwavering. Instead of succumbing to the impending throw, she demonstrated her tenacity by executing a swift and unexpected maneuver of her own.


    Employing her untaken leg, Amber deftly positioned her foot on Marie''s thigh. With a surge of force, she exerted her body weight and pushed off with all her strength.


    Amber''s landing was controlled, her hands absorbing the impact before she swiftly regained her footing.


    With her focus unwavering, she fixated her gaze on Marie, awaiting the next move.


    Marie, though nursing an aching leg from the previous exchange, remained resolute. Bracing herself, she prepared to launch her offensive once more.


    In a swift motion, Marie lunged at her opponent, executing another claw-like attack. This time, her target was slightly lower, directed towards Amber''s throat.


    ''That could kill her.''


    {Oh grow up!}


    In a swift display of reflexes, Amber reacted to the impending claw attack by sharply tilting her neck backward, effectively allowing the dangerous strike to pass harmlessly above her head.


    However, her apparent safety was short-lived, as Marie swiftly capitalized on the opening. Before Amber could fully evade, a sharp elbow aimed at her face was already in motion.


    Responding with quick thinking and deft precision, Amber intercepted the incoming elbow strike with her hand, strategically nudging it off course to divert the threat away from her face.


    Marie''s determination remained unwavering.


    As her initial attack was thwarted, she wasted no time transitioning into her next move.


    Launching her hand towards Amber''s lower head, she aimed to maintain her offensive pressure.


    However, Amber was quick to seize the opportunity that Marie''s attack presented.


    Recognizing a tactical advantage, Amber swiftly rolled away from the impending strike, evading the danger.


    In a fluid motion, she turned her back to her opponent, capitalizing on the momentum of her evasion.


    She deftly seized Marie''s outstretched arm, leveraging her hip to execute a throw, using the force of Marie''s attack against her.


    This intricate series of maneuvers demonstrated the intricate interplay of skill and strategy between the two combatants, each responding to the other''s actions with rapid adjustments and calculated moves in this dynamic and intense confrontation.


    BAM


    "Huh?!" The boy next to Adonis gasped dramatically as he saw the Caelum Empire''s princess lay flat on the mat with a pained expression on her face.


    {Why''s he so surprised? The result was obvious.}


    ''Obvious? It seemed Marie held the advantage throughout the whole match.''


    {Of course, you''d think that you''re a fucking idiot!}


    ''Instead of insulting me, could you please explain?'' Adonis sighed, no longer feeling offended by the Deity''s rudeness.


    {How''d I get so unfortunate!} Eos exclaimed.


    {Well, when two non-aggressive fighters like those two fight; one of them is forced to become the aggressor. In this case, it was the annoying princess, it was clear that she has never been the one to take initiative; so in the end she was completely dominated due to her poor decision-making, hyper aggression as well as lack of malice.}


    ''Lack of malice? Those claw strikes seemed pretty bloodthirsty?''


    {Of course, you''d think that dumbass, you''re just like her. It''s similar to the scene that happened in the courtyard when you pretended to want to hurt her.}


    "..."


    After Marie stood back up, the two girls walked towards each other and shook hands respectfully before they left the mat.


    "The winner of the match between, Amber Shine PTC and Marie Jupiter is... Amber Shine PTC by knockdown."


    "The next bout shall be between, Jerald Cecil and Wendy Carter." Professor Avitus said before two teenagers walked into the mat.


    Jerald Cecil, ranked fifth in the Rising Star rankings, was a remarkable noble known for his exceptional flame magic prowess. With a height of 5''9, he possessed a pale ivory complexion and distinctive long, tousled brown hair that obscured his eyes, adding an air of mystery to his presence.


    In contrast, Wendy Carter, holding the tenth position in the Rising Star rankings, was the next participant to step onto the mat.


    Standing at 5''10, she exuded an aura of elegance, her rose beige skin complementing her appearance. Her short strawberry blonde hair was neatly tied into a ponytail, embodying a sense of practicality and readiness. Wendy''s magical expertise lay in the Tertiary Affinity of Nature magic, a parallel to John van Ani''s own specialization.


    "Begin."


    Diverging from the more reserved approach of the previous contestants, Wendy exuded an assertive presence as she stepped onto the mat.


    With no hesitation, she surged forward, her defensive stance firmly in place. Launching into action, she closed the distance swiftly, her intentions crystal clear.


    In a display of sheer aggression, Wendy initiated her attack with a powerful left hook.


    The force behind the blow was formidable, a testament to her determination and immediate engagement. This assertive maneuver showcased Wendy''s proactive approach, as she wasted no time in testing her opponent''s defenses and asserting her presence on the mat.


    {Kukuku...Someone who''s able to have fun!}


    Jerald''s mouth curved downwards as he lifted his arm to block her attack without much effort.


    "Huh?" Wendy gasped in disbelief.


    With a determined expression marred by a persistent frown, Jerald responded swiftly to Wendy''s aggressive advance.


    Employing his left leg with remarkable speed, he executed a perfectly executed roundhouse kick aimed directly at Wendy''s head, the formidable velocity of his strike intended to catch her off guard.


    Undeterred by the initial exchange, Wendy regained her composure, swiftly adapting her stance to lower her body and evade Jerald''s rapid kick. Her responsiveness highlighted her agility and awareness, showcasing her ability to manoeuvre out of immediate danger.


    Seizing the opportunity presented by her crouched position, Wendy promptly launched a counterattack. She extended her lead leg in a sweeping motion, aiming for Jerald''s supporting leg. However, her strike encountered unexpected resistance. Despite her efforts, Jerald''s leg remained


    "Wha-"


    Wendy''s exclamation was immediately interrupted when she saw Jerald''s other leg above her, descending like a terrifying asteroid.


    BAM


    As Jerald''s heel connected with Wendy''s head, a jarring sound resonated, cutting through the air and catching the attention of onlookers.


    The impact was forceful and devastating, evident in the audible crack that echoed through the arena.


    The outcome was grim. Wendy''s body succumbed to the blow''s intensity, her mouth quickly filling with blood. In a tragic conclusion, her consciousness waned, and her limp form descended onto the mat with a hushed thud, a stark contrast to the intense energy that had filled the arena moments before.


    Extra information:


    Legatus Legion Cornelius Minerva the third, Vice Commander Scipio Mars, and Amber Shine are the only PTCs in the Caelum Empire. (Oizys Hermes isn''t included as he is dead.)

 #1 vs #2

    "Begin!"


    The imposing figure known as Tarzy Goliath, bore a fierce grin as he propelled himself forward with eagerness.


    His initial assault took the form of a swift cross executed with his right arm. The attack''s motion was so keen that it sliced through the air, carrying a palpable intensity, aiming unerringly for Luna''s alluring face.


    "Wow dog, not bad!" A soft chuckle escaped Luna''s lips before she inclined her neck to the side, skillfully evading the strike from Tarzy.


    Seizing the opportune moment, Luna''s left fist surged forward with determination, homing in on Tarzy''s exposed shoulder.


    When the girl''s sturdy fist connected with Tarzy''s shoulder, in which she was met with great resistance.


    It felt as though she had punched into a reinforced stone wall.


    While Tarzy exhibited a relatively unperturbed demeanor in the face of the girl''s forceful blow, Luna stood in stark contrast to Wendy, her predecessor, who would have succumbed to panic in a similar situation.


    "Not bad, Knightly Dog."


    "Don''t call me that!" The princess''s dog growled before he proceeded to use his left arm to hurl a left hook toward the girl''s head.


    "No need to cry." Luna chuckled before she gracefully hunched her form and executed a measured step backward, avoiding the giant''s attack.


    Fueled by his forever escalating rage, Tarzy surged forward in pursuit of the girl.


    Closing the distance once more, he capitalized on the advantage of his longer limbs and unleased an uppercut aimed squarely at Luna''s chin; displaying an unyielding resolve to make her eat her words.


    In the face of the impending assault, Luna''s cocky demeanor remained unshaken.


    Quite the opposite, her grin expanded further, radiating a daring enthusiasm.


    It seemed she was having fun.


    Without a hint of trepidation, she gracefully retreated another step, her irreverent defiance evident as she playfully stuck her tongue out.


    "I''ll wipe that ugly smile right off your face!"


    "Ugly? That''s not a nice thing to say to a lady... Didn''t Marie teach you any better?"


    Tarzy''s offensive onslaught showed no signs of slowing down; he continued his assault with unyielding determination.


    Employing his right arm this time, he executed yet another hook aimed at the young lady, this strike directed towards the left side of her abdomen.


    "Close... but not really!" Amidst the intensity of the encounter, a lighthearted giggle escaped the girl''s lips.


    Demonstrating her remarkable agility, Luna smoothly contorted her body, arching her hips in a graceful arc that brought her head and hips into a parallel alignment.


    Interpreting her unconventional posture as an opportune opening to end the fight, a triumphant grin stretched across Tarzy''s face.


    With a calculated clenching of his left hand, he plunged it downward with incomparable force, aiming for Luna''s stomach.


    "Don''t be too eager, we''re not done yet!"


    With agility and precision, Luna swiftly adapted to the impending threat.


    Reacting deftly, she planted her hands firmly on the mat and smoothly transitioned into a seamless backward handspring.


    Her lithe form coiled and released, propelling her legs in a magnificent arc aimed at Tarzy''s lower head, an impressive maneuver designed to counter his attack


    The bridge of Luna''s left foot made direct contact with the giant''s chin, inducing a forceful closure of his mouth and prompting his teeth to inadvertently bite into his lower lip drawing blood.


    "Is Luna really number two, from the looks of it this match is practically in the bag for her!" Adonis'' opponent observed.


    "No...That''s far from the truth. " Adonis corrected as he continued to watch the two fight.


    "How so?" He asked curiously.


    "Tarzy possesses a level of strength that stands out even among those in his Tier. Should he succeed in landing a single blow on Luna, this match is over."


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    {Surprised you reached that conclusion on your own, Oizys.}


    "Hehe." Adonis giggled.


    The impact of Luna''s strike caused Tarzy to momentarily falter, his balance wavering as he took a step back. Using his fingers he wiped the blood from his lip before his gaze returned to lock onto Luna once more.


    Like a charging bull driven by fury, Tarzy surged forward with resolve, intent on bringing the fight to a conclusion. His immense form dashed forward, arms outstretched, as he aimed to ensnare Luna''s neck within his grasp.


    "Huh?"


    In the blink of an eye, Luna found herself ensnared within his grasp, her astonishment evident through the widening of her hazel eyes, her body suspended in the air.


    With determined purpose, Tarzy further elevated both his arms and the girl into the air, his intent unmistakable as he readied himself to forcefully bring her down to the ground in a decisive slam.


    "It''s over..."


    Drawing inspiration from Amber''s fight, Luna swiftly adapted to the dire situation.


    She planted both her feet onto Tarzy''s shoulders and exerted a powerful push, breaking free from the giant''s grip with a forceful motion that ejected her backward through the air.


    Recognizing this unexpected twist as a chance to inflict substantial damage, Tarzy pursued Luna with the predatory determination of a hungry wolf.


    In a span of mere seconds, he closed the gap, his towering form looming over the girl as she continued her backward trajectory. With swiftness that betrayed his size, he extended his left hand, intent on seizing Luna''s face once more in a bid to execute another forceful slam.


    Exhibiting impressive composure, Luna remained collected and sprang into action the instant she spotted Tarzy''s hand nearing her face.


    Swiftly and decisively, she utilized her right leg to exert force against Tarzy''s forearm, successfully diverting his hand completely off course.


    Upon eliminating the imminent danger of Tarzy''s hand, Luna was faced with another problem; her distance from the mat.


    With less than a meter separating her from the ground, and her descent swift, she needed to devise an immediate solution.


    Despite the potentially match-ending predicament she faced, Luna''s smile only widened. Drawing inspiration from another fellow Rising Star, she performed a jaw-dropping display of agility.


    She positioned her hands behind her neck and firmly planted them on the mat, using this leverage to propel herself backward once more.


    "Thanks, Lutz!" She giggled.


    In a notable contrast to her previous situation, Luna executed a perfect landing this time, her feet landing mere inches away from the bout''s boundary.


    Taking the initiative this time, Luna dashed forward with remarkable speed. She surged towards her opponent, launching herself into the air with her right leg fully extended. The trajectory of her flying kick was meticulously aimed at Tarzy''s temple.


    Responding to Luna''s assault, Tarzy''s reflexes kicked into action. He raised his substantial forearms as a makeshift shield, positioning them protectively in front of his face to intercept the incoming attack.


    The impact of Luna''s foot meeting Tarzy''s arms resonated with a resounding thud, a collision that resulted in a slight recoil for the young man, causing him to be momentarily pushed back.


    Aware of her vulnerable position and determined to maintain control, Luna took the proactive approach by reinitiating the engagement.


    Capitalizing on her mid-air state, she executed a follow-up move. This time, utilizing her left leg, she unleashed another kick toward Tarzy''s arms.


    While the attack itself didn''t cause any significant damage to Tarzy, she accomplished her objective; she utilized the force to push off once more launching herself several meters into the air.


    "Hehe!"


    A mischievous smile displayed itself on Luna''s face as she flexed her knuckles in anticipation. Her ascent continued a steady progression toward the training hall''s ceiling, each moment carrying her closer to the target.


    As she neared the pinnacle of her climb, a swift twist of her body saw her turning to face the ceiling.


    With a few more seconds of effort, Luna''s ascent culminated, her proximity to the ceiling reducing to mere inches.


    With practiced ease, she planted both her feet firmly on the ceiling''s surface, allowing her to gaze down at her opponent from an elevated vantage point.


    "Hear I come, hound!"


    "Shut up." Tarzy scoffed as he prepared to receive the girl''s attack.


    The building quivered slightly as Luna exerted force against the training hall''s ceiling, propelling herself downwards with remarkable velocity.


    The hound''s gaze widened, transfixed by the girl''s accelerated descent. His concentration heightened, refraining from even a single blink.


    Within a mere span of two seconds, Luna found herself mere feet above her opponent, her leg elevated in preparation for a formidable drop kick aimed at his head.


    Unexpectedly, Tarzy didn''t opt to raise his arms defensively or try to evade. Instead, he pivoted, thrusting his fist toward Luna''s incoming leg.


    SLAM


    Upon collision, Tarzy experienced a minor displacement, pushed back by the impact. Luna, on the other hand, felt the vibrations of pain resonating through the bones of her leg.


    In the aftermath of the intense impact, Luna was swiftly deposited onto the mat, coming to a halt just inches away from Tarzy. With a deft sense of balance, she landed on all fours, poised and alert for whatever might unfold next in this dynamic encounter.


    Fueled by a potent mix of aggression and impatience, Tarzy''s intent was clear as he swung his leg towards his opponent''s back.


    Luna, on the other hand, sidestepped his onslaught fairly easily. Her movements exuded an air of calculated finesse, allowing her to effortlessly evade his potentially match-ending kick.


    With a seamless display of deftness, Luna performed a maneuver that propelled her around Tarzy, leaving him off balance and thwarting his attack.


    This sudden shift in momentum acted as a catalyst for her next move.


    Exhibiting her superhuman physical prowess, Luna seized the opportunity and wrapped her arms around Tarzy''s formidable frame.


    Summoning the strength of her back, legs, and arms, Luna hoisted the sizable Tarzy off the ground.


    "What''re you doing?!"


    "HAAAA!!!"


    In a textbook execution of the German suplex, she brought him hurtling towards the unforgiving mat.


    The impact reverberated with a resounding thud, signifying Luna''s triumph over the number one Rising Star.

 Mongrels

    Adonis'' eyes widened in astonishment as he witnessed the giant of a man being thrown on the mat like nothing more than a limp rag doll.


    ''She sure is something...''


    "S-she''s a monster!" The boy next to Adonis exclaimed.


    "The winner of the bout.. is Luna Triksta!" Professor Avitus said, sounding slightly surprised.


    Before he stood up, Tarzy let out a low, pained groan as he tenderly massaged the back of his neck.


    "How the fu-"


    As he began to rise, Marie rushed to his side, extending her hand to help him stand.


    "Tarzy! Are you okay?!"


    "Yes, I''m okay...Sorry I lost your majesty," He looked down sadly as he took the princess''s helping hand.


    "It''s okay, I''m still proud of you... You did well!"


    ***


    After the huge upset of the match between number one and number two, it was finally time for Adonis to fight.


    "The next match shall be between, Adonis P. Vindicta, and Maxwell Aster."


    Upon the announcement of their bout, Adonis and Maxwell stepped onto the mat, positioning themselves on opposite ends and locking eyes.


    Their expressions, diverged significantly; displaying their inner thoughts and intentions for the upcoming fight.


    Adonis maintained a soft, neutral countenance that concealed a subtle undercurrent of curiosity behind his silver eyes.


    ''Number eight? I wonder how strong he is... What do you think Lord Eos?''


    {He''s fodder.} The deity said bluntly.


    ''That''s pretty harsh.''


    Maxwell, on the other hand, donned a resolute. wide grin on his sun-kissed complexion, his ebony hair pulled back in a tie that accentuated his determined demeanor.


    ''Adonis P. Vindicta, He''s one of the three commoners who made the Rising Star list... He was capable of moving under the effects of the princess''s spell. I also heard he defeated fifty goblins at once without the use of aura or a weapon...He''s so cool!''


    John, seemingly having mentally recovered from his loss against Lutz, directed his gaze toward the two contenders.


    The proud noble''s expression bore a nasty fusion of arrogance and a subtle hint of jealousy.


    ''Do the elders seriously believe these commoners are stronger than me?!''


    Tarzy who stood beside the mat among the other students scowled as he watched Adonis prepare to fight.


    "Begin!"


    Upon hearing Professor Avitus'' words, Maxwell propelled himself forward as Adonis took a casual yet defensive stance.


    Maxwell''s first attack was a sharp, quick jab using his less dominant hand, aimed straight at Adonis'' face.


    ''Let''s see.''


    Failing to be caught off guard or surprised, Adonis gracefully bent his neck and tipped his head to the side; allowing the attack to glide past him with relative ease.


    Unfazed by his adversary''s adept defensive skills, Maxwell pressed on; this time employing his other arm.


    Maxwell launched his right hand directly at Adonis'' lowered head, intending to dislodge it from his neck with brute force.


    Being further impressed by Maxwell''s speed, Adonis swiftly crouched down, feeling the devastating strike brush against his tousled hair.


    "Huh?"


    Maxwell''s growing realization that something was amiss caused a small droplet of sweat to appear on his bare forehead.


    Refusing to be deterred, he furthered his offensive attempts lifting his lead leg and propelling it towards the side of Adonis'' crouched head.


    Adonis'' gaze shifted to the boy''s leg, and he raised his left hand in response.


    Maintaining his composed demeanor, he calmly pushed Maxwell''s incoming leg, disrupting its intended path and causing the attack to fail once more.


    ''Something''s off.'' Continuing in his assault, Maxwell executed a rapid pivot of his hips and swung his rear leg in a graceful arc towards the opposite side of Adonis'' head.


    WHOOSH


    The velocity of his strike far surpassing his previous attempts.


    Remaining undaunted by the sudden development, Adonis focused his attention on the impending strike.


    With calculated precision which he made seem effortless, he took three long strides backward, effectively evading the strike.


    "Why aren''t you trying to attack me?" Finally realizing what was the issue, Maxwell decided to ask his adversary what was going on.


    "Hm?"


    "Truthfully, I''m just evaluating your performance... I''ll attack when I''ve decided," Adonis answered honestly.


    "Decided what?" Maxwell''s brow curved into a confused arch.


    "How strong you are." He shrugged.


    "Hehe, don''t underestimate me!" Hearing Adonis'' words, he couldn''t help but chuckle.


    With his mouth curled into an excited grin, Maxwell pursued his opponent once more.


    He charged at Adonis at an extraordinary pace before he launched himself into the air, transitioning into a flying kick aimed at Adonis'' face.


    ''I thought he''d be angry... He just seems, excited?'' Adonis lifted both his arms and readied himself to receive a strong impact.


    BAM


    Upon connection, Adonis surprisingly didn''t budge from where he stood.


    "Huh?!" Stunned by the ineffectiveness of his previous attack, Maxwell executed a midair spin preparing his next attack. In a swift motion, he endeavored to strike Adonis'' abdomen with the heel of his leg, seeking a new angle of attack.


    Shifting his attention to the new attack, Adonis lifted his other arm in response, preparing himself to defend.


    SLAP


    The sound of flesh meeting flesh reverberated throughout the whole training hall, causing dozens of spectators to wince in response.


    Determined in his pursuit of victory, Maxell''s leg plummeted towards the crown of Adonis'' head, posing a serious threat of causing a critical injury.


    Seemingly unbothered by the looming threat above him, Adonis took a sharp step backward, narrowly evading Maxwell''s barefoot.


    {Ewww, his feet are dirty!}


    Unaware to the face that he was being insulted, Maxwell charged forward, his clenched fists shooting in various directions as he aimed to deliver a series of rapid blows to the fellow commoner.


    "Get ready Vindicta, I''m turning it up!"


    With a bead of sweat forming on his glistening forehead, Adonis shifted both his head and body appropriately as he swiftly evaded each of Maxwell''s blows.


    When Maxwell punched his face he tilted his head.


    When he initiated an uppercut he swerved.


    And when he threw a hook he tilted his head slightly down.


    Punch, dodge.


    Punch, dodge.


    Punch, dodge.


    This pattern persisted for numerous more attacks until Maxwell eventually accepted that this endeavor was going nowhere.


    At last, he decided to diversify his combo by flinging his leg at Adonis'' calf.


    {Thank me, that was getting boring.}


    ''Thank you?''


    {Yeah, thank me. You, mortals, say thank the gods... When you should be saying thank me, The Almighty Devil God.}


    ''Your ego knows no bounds.'' Adonis let out a light giggle, just before he skillfully avoided the upcoming attack. Gracefully, he took one brisk step backward. Maxwell''s outstretched foot narrowly missed Adonis'' leading leg.


    "Get back here!" Maxwell demanded happily.


    Maxwell twisted his hips, gathering the strength in his lower body, preparing to propel himself towards Adonis.


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    With frightening precision he executed a perfect 360¡ã taekwondo kick, tracing a graceful arc with his extended leg. The elegance of his maneuver is evidence of his hard work and discipline.


    Adonis raised an eyebrow, a hint of realization flickered across his face.


    He smoothly lowered his upper body, allowing the attack to evade him.


    ''Hmm... He''s good.''


    {Good? Oh please, he''s mediocre at best.}


    ''You should lower your standards, Lord Eos.''


    Immediately after his foot made contact with the mat, Maxwell raised it back up again.


    With a burst of controlled force, he shoved it forcefully toward Adonis'' upper chest.


    Responding to the fierce onslaught, Adonis employed both his arms to intercept the trajectory of Maxwell''s attack aimed at his chest.


    The impact from the blow pushed Adonis back a couple of feet causing a satisfied grin to tug at the corners of his lips.


    "Aster...I''ve seen enough. " His voice was stern and dedicated.


    "Hm?"


    "Here I come!"


    "Finally, come at me with all you''ve got!" Maxwell''s grin broadened, stretching to the edges of his cheeks. Stepping back a few paces, Maxwell poised himself, preparing to counter Adonis'' first strike.


    "Very well then, I promise I won''t hold back."


    {Do you mean that?}


    ''Yes... He deserves the respect, he''s fought all out so far... I should do the same.''


    Adonis lifted both his arms from their previous position, commencing a deliberate stretching routine to ward off any potential cramps in his well-defined muscles.


    "A punch to the solar plexus using my right arm." Speaking in a nonchalant tone, he maintained his stance, his arm still fully extended.


    "Telling me where you''ll attack next? Seems you still underestimate me, Vindicta!"


    "Here I come..."


    THUD


    Launching himself off his left leg, Adonis surged forward towards Maxwell. His arm pulled back, muscles coiled with tension, and the power stored within them eager to be unleashed.


    Adonis'' sudden acceleration caused Maxwell''s eyebrows to reach for his hairline in sheer shock.


    Instinctively he raised his arms to protect Adonis'' target, his solar plexus.


    "Huh?"


    In one fluid motion, Adonis crouched before his opponent and harnessed all the might in his muscles, shooting his clenched fist at Maxwell''s guard.


    SNAP


    Upon impact, Adonis'' fist produced a bone-chilling sound that reverberated throughout the training hall.


    The sheer weight of Adonis'' blow shattered Maxwell''s guard, treating the bones in his arms like dry brittle twigs.


    The trajectory of Adonis'' strike did not halt its journey at Maxwell''s guard; rather, it maintained its velocity, hurtling towards its intended target.


    In a frightening display of power, his fist plunged into Maxwell''s abdomen, contorting Maxwell''s form as if he were a harmless piece of paper being folded.


    The intensity of the strike lifted Maxwell off the ground, a fusion of blood and saliva involuntarily escaping his mouth.


    "Argh!" The whites of his eyes were the telltale sign that Maxwell''s consciousness had abruptly halted, a result of the overwhelming amalgamation of shock and excruciating pain.


    Chapter 35- Meet the Stewarts


    John van Ani''s mouth fell agape as he witnessed the scene before him unfold.


    "Impossible?!" he exclaimed, struggling to come to terms with reality.


    Attempting to comprehend the pain Maxwell was going through, Marie Jupiter''s pitiful eyes threatened to leak.


    "Poor thing..."


    Jerald Cecil, his countenance concealed by his overgrown hair bore a detached expression save for a faint quiver of his lower lip.


    "..."


    As if in a daze, Lutz van Alexia''s eyes remained fixated on the spectacle, and a soft sound of arrogant annoyance escaped rosy lips.


    "Hmph..."


    The surprising manner of the conclusion of the bout caused Amber Shine''s prepossessing face to contort into a mask of skepticism, her eyes refusing to believe the apparent reality.


    "?"


    Observing the unnerving display of power, Luna Triksta''s eyes broadened in revelation, her lips curving into a mischievous radiant smile.


    "Not bad Grape."


    Even the number one Rising Star, Tarzy Goliath froze in astonishment due to the power exhibited by Adonis.


    "What?" his hushed whisper carried a note of disbelief.


    Regardless of the varied expressions and personalities of the top ten first years, a single question echoed in their minds.


    ''Could I beat him in a fight?''


    ''Did I overdo it?'' Adonis questioned as he slowly retracted his fist which found itself comfortably lodged in Number-Eight''s gut.


    As soon as his arm left the embrace of Maxwell Aster''s contorted stomach, Maxwell''s body fell to the ground resulting in a soft thud.


    "The winner of the bout is... Adonis P. Vindicta, seventh Rising Star." Professor Avitus proclaimed, his face displaying an impressed smile on his usually solemn expression.


    ***


    Following the harrowing match between Adonis and Maxwell, the medical team intervened. They carried the battered Maxwell off the mat, transporting him to the infirmary.


    Both he and Wendy Carter received medical attention, which consisted of the use of herbs and magic potions.


    As Adonis left the mat, he couldn''t escape the multitude of reactions that rippled through his classmates.


    Some held expressions of astonishment, others of respect for his prowess, and a few masked their discrimination towards the talented commoner.


    The reactions that stuck out the most to him were those tinged with mortal fear.


    Adonis'' display of power had left an indelible impression, one that lingered in the air like a permeable aura.


    ''I don''t like this...''


    {Get used to it, power invokes fear! Kukukuku.}


    "The next bout shall be between Vera Stewart and Veda Stewart, may both participants please enter the mat."


    Following his words, two identical short girls entered the mat; the only differences being their eye color, hair color as well as demeanor.


    Vera Stewart, the girl on the left was characterized by her untamed crimson-red hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. Her scarlet red eyes held a blend of curiosity and timidity.


    Moving with a certain awkwardness, the shy girl carried an air of reluctance and shyness. Her skin, a delicate shade of ivory, possessed a luminous quality that added to her clumsy elegance.


    On the right stood Veda Stewart, distinct with her meticulously arranged white hair gathered at the back into a tidy ponytail.


    Her baby blue eyes exuded a mix of self-confidence and determination, ironically igniting an inner fire. Moving with a pronounced poise, the younger of the two radiated an aura of fierce overprotectiveness. Her skin was like her sister''s, akin to delicate ivory that underscored her graceful yet assertive demeanor.


    "Pretty..." A subtle whisper escaped Jerald''s lips, evoking an impression of enchantment.


    "B-but Veda, I don''t wanna fight you..." Vera''s voice emanated softly, a gentle and tremulous quality indicating her evident hesitance. Her words carried a delicate timbre, a reflection of her internal struggle to fight against her younger twin sister.


    "Would you prefer to fight someone else?" Veda asked, her voice infused with a notable irritation.


    "N-no..."


    "Then fight!"


    "Begin!" Professor Avitus commanded.


    Without wasting any time, Veda lunged forward, propelling herself toward her sister, who stood in a clumsy defense stance.


    The twin with the beautiful blue eyes launched a swift precise kick, aimed directly at her sister''s less-than-sturdy guard.


    Veda''s attack landed with force, sending her sister crumbling several feet back. The impact painted Vera''s slender arms with a faint blue hue, mirroring the color of her sister''s eyes.


    "Ah!" Vera struggled to suppress a surprised exclamation.


    Acting mercilessly, Veda advanced once more, her determination to defeat her sister unwavering. This time, she initiated a sweeping motion directed at her sister''s ankles.


    Instinctively, Vera tensed her muscles and leaped slightly, her eyes filled with nervous anticipation.


    She observed as Veda''s foot grazed the mat beneath her. To her surprise, the opposite leg, like a lightning bolt, soared upward in a sharp arc toward Vera''s chin.


    BAM


    {That was quick.} Observing Vera''s body collide with the mat, Eos'' voice echoed in Adonis'' head in the complaint, a tone infused with a sense of boredom and disinterest.


    ''I know right, talk about tough love.''


    ***


    2 hours later.


    The duel between the Stewart twins was the last bout that managed to hold Eos'' fleeting interest.


    Following the conclusion of the remaining bouts within Class A, Adonis pieced together a rough understanding of the power dynamics within the class, particularly in terms of physical strength and martial prowess.


    ''In terms of sheer strength excluding me, it''s Tarzy, Jerald, Luna, Lutz, Maxwell, John, Amber, and Marie... Due to Wendy''s unfair matching, it''s difficult to assign her to the list. Martial ability is even harder to rank, because of the various styles, Martial arts utilized and the durations of the bout, but roughly put, excluding me... Lutz and Luna stand at the pinnacle while Marie is the bottom seat... Although in terms of hand-to-hand combat, Amber and Marie are the least capable; this is justified because of their far superior magical ability, so disregarding them would be ignorant.''


    On his way back to his room, Adonis'' thoughts were flooded with his brief analysis of each of the Rising Stars.


    {Such a chatterbox!}


    ''I should be familiar with the abilities of my peers Lord Eos, especially since they might become my adversaries down the line...''


    {Pessimistic, but correct... I''m proud.}


    A cheerful smile graced Adonis'' lips as he firmly grasped the door handle to the dormitory. ''Really?''


    {Of course not!} The Devil God chuckled.


    The smile fading from his face as quickly as it came, Adonis entered his abode and proceeded to disrobe, beginning with his white training tunic.


    {You better not be sulking!}


    ''Of course not.'' Adonis pouted, as he continued the process of removing the rest of his clothing, carelessly tossing his garments in various directions before making his way toward his bathing chamber.


    {Aghhh!!! At least give me some warning before you strip.}


    ''You know this is your body too?'' Adonis teasingly remarked, a hint of satisfaction evident in his tone as he playfully got back at the deity for hurting his feelings.


    {Kukuku, my body would never have something THAT small.}


    "It''s average!"


    ***


    Following a long, hot shower, Adonis plopped himself onto his bed, prepared to recharge and face the challenges of the upcoming day.


    When he shut his eyes to slip into his slumber, Adonis'' vision transitioned to a dark scene.


    Perched atop a towering tree, a tall teenage boy with long, curly brown hair surveyed a familiar scene that sent shivers down his spine.


    Before him unfolded a chilling tableau, with the familiar shrieks of his bredrin piercing his ears.


    "AHHHHH!"


    "HELP!"


    "GODS!"


    Tears welled up in his beautiful brown eyes, cascading down his majestic face as he comprehended the familiar heart-wrenching scene unfolding before him.


    The once-humble abode of the Hermes clan now stood engulfed in menacing flames, Driven by a surge of urgency, Oizys attempted to leap from the tree, eager to help his family.


    However, a strange force gripped his body, akin to the pull of intensified gravity. Although no supernatural forces were at play; instead, it was fear alone that held the boy captive.


    "Help us!"


    "Please!"


    Amidst the unending cries of the fallen, Oizys found himself rooted in place, a prisoner to his fear. His mind was a maelstrom of divergent thoughts, and a poignant ache gripping his fragile heart.


    "H-how am I going to help... You''re already dead?" A faint mutter managed to escape the boy''s lips, and in response, the malevolent flames plaguing the house contorted and molded into a massive skull


    The eerie visage''s mouth moved, opening and closing with an unsettling rhythm.


    "HELP US OIZYS, HELP US!" Its voice a chilling fusion of all the fallen Hermes family members.


    Oizys'' heart felt as if it might leap from his chest upon hearing the skull''s words, his head throbbing with a sharp agonizing intensity.


    "A-anything...but how?"


    "Revenge, avenge us Oizys..."


    "B-but revenge isn''t right." He spoke hesitantly, his voice trembling as he searched for the strength to break free from the terrifying tableau.


    "Are you saying you don''t love us, Ozzy?" The fiery skull divided itself into two separate heads, each having its distinct voice. The left head bore the sweet distorted voice of Pan Hermes, while the right head carried the corrupted gentle voice of Eurodos Hermes.


    "Yes Ozzy, don''t you love us?"


    "I-I do!"


    "Then hurry up and avenge us!" His parents spoke in unison, amplifying the chilling atmosphere.

 Meet the stewarts

    John van Ani''s mouth fell agape as he witnessed the scene before him unfold.


    "Impossible?!" he exclaimed, struggling to come to terms with reality.


    Attempting to comprehend the pain Maxwell was going through, Marie Jupiter''s pitiful eyes threatened to leak.


    "Poor thing..."


    Jerald Cecil, his countenance concealed by his overgrown hair bore a detached expression save for a faint quiver of his lower lip.


    "..."


    As if in a daze, Lutz van Alexia''s eyes remained fixated on the spectacle, and a soft sound of arrogant annoyance escaped rosy lips.


    "Hmph..."


    The surprising manner of the conclusion of the bout caused Amber Shine''s prepossessing face to contort into a mask of skepticism, her eyes refusing to believe the apparent reality.


    "?"


    Observing the unnerving display of power, Luna Triksta''s eyes broadened in revelation, her lips curving into a mischievous radiant smile.


    "Not bad Grape."


    Even the number one Rising Star, Tarzy Goliath froze in astonishment due to the power exhibited by Adonis.


    "What?" his hushed whisper carried a note of disbelief.


    Regardless of the varied expressions and personalities of the top ten first years, a single question echoed in their minds.


    ''Could I beat him in a fight?''


    ''Did I overdo it?'' Adonis questioned as he slowly retracted his fist which found itself comfortably lodged in Number-Eight''s gut.


    As soon as his arm left the embrace of Maxwell Aster''s contorted stomach, Maxwell''s body fell to the ground resulting in a soft thud.


    "The winner of the bout is... Adonis P. Vindicta, seventh Rising Star." Professor Avitus proclaimed, his face displaying an impressed smile on his usually solemn expression.


    ***


    Following the harrowing match between Adonis and Maxwell, the medical team intervened. They carried the battered Maxwell off the mat, transporting him to the infirmary.


    Both he and Wendy Carter received medical attention, which consisted of the use of herbs and magic potions.


    As Adonis left the mat, he couldn''t escape the multitude of reactions that rippled through his classmates.


    Some held expressions of astonishment, others of respect for his prowess, and a few masked their discrimination towards the talented commoner.


    The reactions that stuck out the most to him were those tinged with mortal fear.


    Adonis'' display of power had left an indelible impression, one that lingered in the air like a permeable aura.


    ''I don''t like this...''


    {Get used to it, power invokes fear! Kukukuku.}


    "The next bout shall be between Vera Stewart and Veda Stewart, may both participants please enter the mat."


    Following his words, two identical short girls entered the mat; the only differences being their eye color, hair color as well as demeanor.


    Vera Stewart, the girl on the left was characterized by her untamed crimson-red hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. Her scarlet red eyes held a blend of curiosity and timidity.


    Moving with a certain awkwardness, the shy girl carried an air of reluctance and shyness. Her skin, a delicate shade of ivory, possessed a luminous quality that added to her clumsy elegance.


    On the right stood Veda Stewart, distinct with her meticulously arranged white hair gathered at the back into a tidy ponytail.


    Her baby blue eyes exuded a mix of self-confidence and determination, ironically igniting an inner fire. Moving with a pronounced poise, the younger of the two radiated an aura of fierce overprotectiveness. Her skin was like her sister''s, akin to delicate ivory that underscored her graceful yet assertive demeanor.


    "Pretty..." A subtle whisper escaped Jerald''s lips, evoking an impression of enchantment.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "B-but Veda, I don''t wanna fight you..." Vera''s voice emanated softly, a gentle and tremulous quality indicating her evident hesitance. Her words carried a delicate timbre, a reflection of her internal struggle to fight against her younger twin sister.


    "Would you prefer to fight someone else?" Veda asked, her voice infused with a notable irritation.


    "N-no..."


    "Then fight!"


    "Begin!" Professor Avitus commanded.


    Without wasting any time, Veda lunged forward, propelling herself toward her sister, who stood in a clumsy defense stance.


    The twin with the beautiful blue eyes launched a swift precise kick, aimed directly at her sister''s less-than-sturdy guard.


    Veda''s attack landed with force, sending her sister crumbling several feet back. The impact painted Vera''s slender arms with a faint blue hue, mirroring the color of her sister''s eyes.


    "Ah!" Vera struggled to suppress a surprised exclamation.


    Acting mercilessly, Veda advanced once more, her determination to defeat her sister unwavering. This time, she initiated a sweeping motion directed at her sister''s ankles.


    Instinctively, Vera tensed her muscles and leaped slightly, her eyes filled with nervous anticipation.


    She observed as Veda''s foot grazed the mat beneath her. To her surprise, the opposite leg, like a lightning bolt, soared upward in a sharp arc toward Vera''s chin.


    BAM


    {That was quick.} Observing Vera''s body collide with the mat, Eos'' voice echoed in Adonis'' head in the complaint, a tone infused with a sense of boredom and disinterest.


    ''I know right, talk about tough love.''


    ***


    2 hours later.


    The duel between the Stewart twins was the last bout that managed to hold Eos'' fleeting interest.


    Following the conclusion of the remaining bouts within Class A, Adonis pieced together a rough understanding of the power dynamics within the class, particularly in terms of physical strength and martial prowess.


    ''In terms of sheer strength excluding me, it''s Tarzy, Jerald, Luna, Lutz, Maxwell, John, Amber, and Marie... Due to Wendy''s unfair matching, it''s difficult to assign her to the list. Martial ability is even harder to rank, because of the various styles, Martial arts utilized and the durations of the bout, but roughly put, excluding me... Lutz and Luna stand at the pinnacle while Marie is the bottom seat... Although in terms of hand-to-hand combat, Amber and Marie are the least capable; this is justified because of their far superior magical ability, so disregarding them would be ignorant.''


    On his way back to his room, Adonis'' thoughts were flooded with his brief analysis of each of the Rising Stars.


    {Such a chatterbox!}


    ''I should be familiar with the abilities of my peers Lord Eos, especially since they might become my adversaries down the line...''


    {Pessimistic, but correct... I''m proud.}


    A cheerful smile graced Adonis'' lips as he firmly grasped the door handle to the dormitory. ''Really?''


    {Of course not!} The Devil God chuckled.


    The smile fading from his face as quickly as it came, Adonis entered his abode and proceeded to disrobe, beginning with his white training tunic.


    {You better not be sulking!}


    ''Of course not.'' Adonis pouted, as he continued the process of removing the rest of his clothing, carelessly tossing his garments in various directions before making his way toward his bathing chamber.


    {Aghhh!!! At least give me some warning before you strip.}


    ''You know this is your body too?'' Adonis teasingly remarked, a hint of satisfaction evident in his tone as he playfully got back at the deity for hurting his feelings.


    {Kukuku, my body would never have something THAT small.}


    "It''s average!"


    ***


    Following a long, hot shower, Adonis plopped himself onto his bed, prepared to recharge and face the challenges of the upcoming day.


    When he shut his eyes to slip into his slumber, Adonis'' vision transitioned to a dark scene.


    Perched atop a towering tree, a tall teenage boy with long, curly brown hair surveyed a familiar scene that sent shivers down his spine.


    Before him unfolded a chilling tableau, with the familiar shrieks of his bredrin piercing his ears.


    "AHHHHH!"


    "HELP!"


    "GODS!"


    Tears welled up in his beautiful brown eyes, cascading down his majestic face as he comprehended the familiar heart-wrenching scene unfolding before him.


    The once-humble abode of the Hermes clan now stood engulfed in menacing flames, Driven by a surge of urgency, Oizys attempted to leap from the tree, eager to help his family.


    However, a strange force gripped his body, akin to the pull of intensified gravity. Although no supernatural forces were at play; instead, it was fear alone that held the boy captive.


    "Help us!"


    "Please!"


    Amidst the unending cries of the fallen, Oizys found himself rooted in place, a prisoner to his fear. His mind was a maelstrom of divergent thoughts, and a poignant ache gripping his fragile heart.


    "H-how am I going to help... You''re already dead?" A faint mutter managed to escape the boy''s lips, and in response, the malevolent flames plaguing the house contorted and molded into a massive skull


    The eerie visage''s mouth moved, opening and closing with an unsettling rhythm.


    "HELP US OIZYS, HELP US!" Its voice a chilling fusion of all the fallen Hermes family members.


    Oizys'' heart felt as if it might leap from his chest upon hearing the skull''s words, his head throbbing with a sharp agonizing intensity.


    "A-anything...but how?"


    "Revenge, avenge us Oizys..."


    "B-but revenge isn''t right." He spoke hesitantly, his voice trembling as he searched for the strength to break free from the terrifying tableau.


    "Are you saying you don''t love us, Ozzy?" The fiery skull divided itself into two separate heads, each having its distinct voice. The left head bore the sweet distorted voice of Pan Hermes, while the right head carried the corrupted gentle voice of Eurodos Hermes.


    "Yes Ozzy, don''t you love us?"


    "I-I do!"


    "Then hurry up and avenge us!" His parents spoke in unison, amplifying the chilling atmosphere.

 What is a magic knight?

    Soaked in his sweat and tears, Adonis jolted awake, his breathing ragged and uneven. Gradually with each passing moment, his breaths began to regain control, becoming more measured and steady.


    {I''m getting sick of seeing the same three dreams, have some variety.} Eos complained.


    "...I need some fresh air." Preferring not to engage in some playful banter, Adonis ignored the Devil God.


    Still unnerved by his dream, Adonis left the comfort of his covers and donned a somber nightgown.


    Exiting his spacious room, Adonis ensured his door was locked before he began his walk.


    As he strolled along the expanse of Dorm Alpha''s wide hallway for a while, the sound of labored breathing gradually reached his ears.


    {Fucking on the first day, I''m impressed...}


    ''Get your head out the gutter, someone''s training.'' Adonis, whose mood had seemingly improved, followed the source of the heavy breathing.


    He moved away from the sleeping quarters of House Alpha, guided by the sound.


    Reaching the community training grounds of House Alpha, Adonis peered his head inside to find out who the dedicated youth was.


    Hanging on a pull-up bar using nothing but his ankles was a first year with black hair and a dedicated expression etched into his face with large droplets of sweat splashing onto the reinforced marble floor.


    "He''s training even with two broken arms?" Astonishment swept over Adonis, causing him to gasp audibly.


    He observed in awe as the first-year student, despite having both arms encased in substantial casts, executed hanging sit-ups by flexing his abdomen in a repetitive motion.


    {And here you are healthy and moping!}


    "Maxwell Aster, you''re strong both in body and mind..." Earnestly complimenting the fellow Rising Star, Adonis turned and left the training facilities refusing to interrupt Maxwell''s dedication.


    ***


    The beginning of Adonis'' second day of school unfolded differently compared to the previous one. As a Rising Star, he was bound to receive glances and elevated attention, though nothing too overpowering.


    However, this day brought about a noticeable change. Upon entering class, he found himself met with a slew of stares, each accompanied by a range of distinct expressions.


    Despite the attention from his classmates, Adonis chose to disregard them. He proceeded to navigate through the room, reaching his seat at the back of the classroom.


    "Good morning Triksta." He said cheerfully.


    "Good morning." Surprisingly Luna responded with a groggy grunt and slight nod.


    ''I''m growing on her.'' He grinned cheerfully.


    Following their established routine of sleeping during the majority of lessons, Luna and Adonis snored through most of the day.


    However, Adonis'' slumber was abruptly interrupted when he was roused by the realization that a sizeable puddle of drool had formed on the shared desk between them.


    "Ah!"


    {You mortals get intimate in the most obscure ways.}


    ''Eww, don''t make it weird.''


    The lesson Adonis awoke to was Ethics class, presided over by a middle-aged man whose brown hair was neatly tied in a ponytail. Yet, it was the air of malevolence surrounding him that had a disquieting effect on anyone who cast their gaze upon him.


    "What is a magic knight?" With a sharp grin stretching across his face, he paced back and forth within the classroom, in front of a large chalkboard.


    "A soldier." An eager student replied.


    "Too broad, be specific."


    "A magic knight is the strongest military weapon a nation possesses, being used to resolve the conflicts between nations and irreplaceable assets during interworld wars." Flora, a pretty girl with lengthy blonde hair that cascaded down her face and vivid pink eyes, raised her hand and elaborated on her classmate''s vague response.


    ''I refuse to be anyone''s tool.'' Adonis thought sternly.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "What does it mean to be a magic knight?" Unaware of Adonis'' stubborn mindset, Professor Benedictus continued with his lesson.


    "To serve one''s Empire, without room for their personal feelings and emotions. Putting their ambitions second to the emperors." The usually proud and selfish John answered sternly.


    ''Huh?'' Adonis stifled the urge to gasp out loud as he heard the most self-absorbed Rising Star answer the question.


    "Correct! As a magic knight, you should be wholeheartedly committed to your country, everything else comes second. But knowing the principles and living by them are two separate situations, so let me give you a hypothetical."


    " The Caelum empire is in an active war with the Norse empire of Fulgar and you are a Commander in the Caelum Legion, leading your division.


    The Caelum Empire had just won a battle against Fulgar and the leftover soldiers fled into the neighbouring Norse Empire of Tempesta. You are tasked with tracking down these leftover magic knights and eliminating them, and intel suggests a small village is hiding these soldiers. What do you do?"


    With his head resting on his arm, Adonis inserted himself in the scenario put before him.


    ''The first option would be to negotiate, but with Tempesta being a Norse Empire they''d be more inclined to protect Fulgar than to help Caelum, even if it doesn''t benefit them. Secondly... Infiltration, although that''d seem like an obvious option would still spark conflict between Caelum and Tempesta due to the lack of even trying to communicate... Strategically speaking, retreating would be the best option; it reduces any risk, prevents any casualties and Caelum already won the previous battle so morale would be already up; technically speaking even hunting them down is extremely inefficient...''


    "So retreat... that''s the best option retreat." Adonis pondered quietly, reaching his conclusion with a hushed whisper.


    "Kill them all." John van Ani called out.


    "But, you''d be greatly outnumbered and you''d never win. Plus there''s no reason to provoke Tempesta." Expressing his surprise, Adonis raised his eyebrow and whispered to himself.


    Professor Benedictus'' demeanour went through a noticeable shift, his mouth curved into a smile upon hearing John''s statement.


    "Correct! Kill them all, no matter how many casualties it takes. A filthy Norse elf is a filthy Norse elf, whether they''re from Fulgar, Tempesta, Pax, or Elegans... Hunt the soldiers down and burn the nasty village down with the pests!"


    Wendy''s countenance transformed into a brief scowl before it took on its unbothered state once more.


    Adonis'' eyes widened, rendered speechless by the unabashed propaganda that had just been vocalized.


    ''That''s just blatant racism...''


    His gaze swept around the classroom, seeking confirmation that not everyone shared this perspective. However, to his astonishment, he was greeted with an unfortunate reality. A majority of Class 1A appeared to align with the professor''s sentiment, nodding in agreement and a few even chuckling at the derogatory remarks.


    In this revelation, Adonis encountered a disheartening truth about the prevailing attitudes among his classmates- a truth that challenged his convictions and morals.


    Adonis wasn''t oblivious to the tensions and discrimination existing between the races; as a member of the Hermes clan, he was among the most informed individuals in the world. However, experiencing the reality of it firsthand was an entirely different and impact revelation.


    "Disgusting," a soft female voice murmured, filled with gentle but firm disapproval.


    "Huh?" The utterance caught the attention of everyone in the classroom, prompting a collective turn of heads toward the source of the voice: the third Imperial princess of the Caelum Empire.


    "Such mindsets are what limit our world from achieving its best potential," the third Imperial princess spoke with a blend of sadness and determination.


    "Wa people, the Norse, the Romans¡ªwe''re all, at the core, human beings. We share the same planet, worship the Gods, and stand united against common adversaries like damons. There''s truly no reason for us to turn against each other."


    "That''s a good point you bring up Jupiter." Surprisingly, Professor Benedictus'' expression didn''t waver; instead, he quietly listened to the princess before he spat his counter.


    "While true that Interworld Wars necessitate united action, the fact of the matter still and always be the world is ours...the Romans. We''re the chosen ones, handpicked by the mightiest God Jupiter. In contrast, the Norse are merely grotesque creatures, mutated by mana into filthy beasts, and the Wa people are even worse. They''re weaklings who sought refuge on OUR planet due to their failures." The professor''s rejoinder unveiled the deeply entrenched biases and superiority complex that had been etched into him from a young age.


    Before he gave his closing statement, Professor Benedictus scoffed. "We''re all human? Ha, anyone who isn''t Roman isn''t human."


    "Stupid," Luna''s groggy voice broke the tense silence that the debate had stirred in the air.


    "Is there something you''d like to add Triksta?"


    "All of this is stupid, what''s the point of all this pointless chatter; discussing who''s better just because certain gods picked certain people... If one race is better than another they should prove it, strength is the only relevant thing. Not the strength granted by blessings but strength determined by your own potential, talent, and perseverance... any other measure is not only pointless but childish and petty."


    Turning to the professor, Triksta continued, "You professor rely on the empire to make your own decisions which is not only lazy but a testament to your cowardice..."


    Now addressing Marie, Luna''s tone didn''t change. "You Princess Party Pooper have the nerve to lecture people on violence and discrimination when your family''s whole legacy is built on these acts."


    "You deciding to call them out isn''t doing anything because, at the end of the day, you don''t have the strength to change shit."

 What is a magic knight? (2)

    "Sure, strength is significantly important, yet a world built and governed solely off of primitive benchmarks such as punching prowess; would make us as bad as ignorant as those island-dwelling apes," Professor Benedictus remarked conceitedly, his gaze subtly shifting to the number one Rising Star.


    "What''d you just say!" Tarzy stood up, his voice echoing with fury, a rage ignited by the insults aimed at his people.


    "Professor, that was out of line!" Tarzy''s owner reprimanded.


    "Apologies if I offended you, but my job is to speak the absolute truth... Even if it happens to enrage a few apes." Unapologetically stating, the professor''s eyes lacked any hint of remorse.


    ''Sure strength is important, but tethering one''s entire way of life to it is simply narrow-minded. As matter a of fact, viewing any singular aspect as superior and using it as a way of measuring objective ''superiority'' oversimplifies the complexity of human beings. Such viewpoints are the source of envy; and sentence a prosperous society to an eventual doom. ''


    {What don''t you understand about, you''re being loud?!}


    "Your job is to also teach proper principles..." A sweet voice laced with irritation interjected.


    "And what would you say those are PTC Shine?"


    With her golden eyes mirroring the image of the middle-aged professor, Amber stated her stance.


    "Undoubtedly, serving the Empire is a significant obligation for a magic knight, it isn''t their first priority. That privilege is unequivocally reserved for the Gods; our sole existence finds purpose in their divine patronage. We are lucky to be backed by the most powerful and important one."


    {Most powerful? Ha, that son of a bitch would be lucky to be in the top ten.}


    ''Son of a bitch? Aren''t you both children of the ''Titan''?''


    A soft scoff exited Jerald''s lips as he fought the urge to voice his opinion.


    "Is being a divine dick sucker one of the conditions for being blessed by a deity?" Toni, a youth with wild raven-black hair and one of the mere four commoners within Class 1A, remarked.


    "What''d you just say?" Amber stared daggers at the disrespectful teenage boy.


    "Ya heard me... What have the Gods done for commoners, the majority of the population? While ya nobles live in ya fancy cities and receive ya fancy Blessings, what crumbs are left for us?" His village boy accent escaped piercing the air.


    "You ungrateful shi-" Before Amber could insult the commoner she was interrupted by another.


    Stunning both the class and even himself, Adonis spoke up. His voice harbored genuine praise for those above.


    "What have the Gods done for us? Don''t be ignorant. We, the commoners ought to be the most thankful! Against all odds, we''ve endured- through the pangs of hunger, the shackles of poverty, the lack of education, and the high unemployment."


    Hearing Adonis list all the issues the Empire failed to improve, Marie frowned guiltily.


    "We''ve survived through it all and managed to hone our skills and qualify for Class A. But don''t be full of yourself, that was all thanks to the Gods! Our progress, happiness, and success are all thanks to the benevolence of the divine, be it Lord Minerva, Lord Jupiter, or Lord Juno."


    Amber''s eyes widened as they fixed on the boy who continued to preach passionately.


    "Remember this for as long as you live, you''re not here solely due to your efforts; you are where you are because of the Divine!"


    {...}


    "How do you know that the Gods have our best interests? At the end of the day, the only reason they interacted with us in the first place was because they needed us to fight the Devils." Flora countered, her voice calm and skeptical.


    "The Gods don''t NEED any-" Amber was once again cut off mid-sentence, this time by a girl with jet-black hair and onyx eyes.


    "What''s the point of all this speculation? At the end of the day, we''ll all end up in the same place... Six feet deep in the dirt being eaten by maggots." Sicily spoke out, her voice devoid of emotion and fatigue evident in her flat tone.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    {How gloomy.}


    "That''s the easy way out. Living with the mindset that nothing matters, is just an excuse for lazy people not to work hard." Wendy, who had bandages tied around her strawberry blonde hair retorted.


    "One-shot is sort of right, if you truly believe everything is meaningless you''d kill yourself now; taking away the so-called burden of life." A girl with auburn hair and a sandwich chimed in. A satisfied grin plastered on her face, her attention seemed more on her sandwich than on the discussion.


    {Another sloppy eater...}


    "What''d you just call me?" Enraged by the nickname, Wendy rose.


    "One-shot?" Maxwell whispered, confused about the name''s origin.


    ***


    "Oh, so it''s because Jerald beat her in one blow. right?" Maxwell''s grin broadened as the joke from a few hours ago finally made sense to him.


    Accompanied by his newest friend, Adonis strolled down the academic block''s hallway, their destination the first-year cafeteria.


    "All this time you''ve been quiet, You thinking about that?" Puzzled, Adonis chuckled at the absurdity.


    {I thought it was strange that this loudmouth was quiet.}


    "Well yeah, when I don''t understand something, I can''t help but dwell on it. You know?" Maxwell flashed a grin at his companion beside him.


    "I get what you mean, especially when I''m investi-" Preventing himself from revealing too much, Adonis cleared his throat.


    "Especially when you''re wha-" Confused by Adonis'' cut of the statement, Maxwell raised his eyebrows.


    "Oh look, the cafeteria... We''re finally here!" Changing the topic, Adonis rushed towards the wooden sliding door populated by others his age.


    "Wait!" Fear of being last in the queue propelling him, Maxwell sped up to catch up with Adonis; his casts on his arms swinging with momentum.


    After navigating his way through a large crowd of hungry pimple-faced beasts referred to as teenagers, Maxwell managed to close the gap between himself and Adonis. There, he found Adonis in the forefront of the queue, gripping a wooden tray in his hands; contemplating what to pick from the wide selection.


    "Aster, what took you so long?" Adonis grinned as if he never run away from a classmate.


    "What took me so long?" Scowling at Adonis, Maxwell''s lip quivered in irritation.


    "You''re the one who le-"


    {He''s more mad about this than you breaking his arms, what a strange mortal.}


    "Don''t dwell on the past Aster, Let''s choose what we''re going to eat!" Adonis drooled at the plates of the students passing by.


    Much like an easily distracted child, Maxwell''s attention shifted to something even more captivating: the food around him.


    Allured by the aromas of sizzling meats, fresh rice, steaming soups, and an array of other goodies, Maxwell''s mood shot up like a euphoric rush, resembling a drug-addicted mongrel from the slums he grew up in.


    Following the behavior of a simple junkie, Maxwell''s mood crashed as he came to the sobering realization that he lacked the finances to indulge in delectable delights.


    Being a student who took advantage of the scholarship program, he instead ate the simple complimentary meals provided by the academy.


    "What''s wrong?" Adonis noticing this sudden change turned his to his companion.


    "Nothing."


    "?" Adonis raised his eyebrow and fought the urge to press the issue any further.


    Come their turn, the eager Adonis and the suddenly solemn Maxwell approached the counter manned by those selling and dishing out the food.


    "So what''re you having?" Staring at the magic projection menu above his head, Adonis grinned; struggling to pick one.


    "I-I don''t have any money," Maxwell whispered.


    "What?" His head still focused on the menu Adonis repeated his question.


    "I don''t have any mo-"


    "I didn''t ask that, I asked what''re you having?" Having made up his decision, Adonis smiled and focused his attention back on Maxwell.


    "Huh?"


    "I asked what''re you having, I''m trying the Calydonian boar. I''ve never had a magic beast before."


    "I''ll have the same, please..." Understanding Adonis'' words, Maxwell smiled gratefully.


    "Good."


    "We''ll have two Calydonian boars!" Adonis cried out his mouth watering impatiently.


    Extra Information:


    The classes taught in the first year are:


    Ethics and Philosophy: This subject encourages students to openly express their viewpoints, morality, and unique philosophies as well as engage in constructive debates. The concepts of knighthood and duty are also drilled into the students, in an attempt to program them to think a certain way.


    Politics and History: Students explore the intricacies of the Roman Justice system and the historical context of their world. Magic knights are supposed to be made familiar with the various laws, loopholes, and context of their empire.


    Magic: Covers the theoretical knowledge of magic as well as practical lessons where students implement what they were taught


    Martial arts: Hand-to-hand combat, weapons and harnessing aura.


    Worship: Students are taught the way of the Gods, their history, and the spiritual aspects.


    Science and Mathematics: To improve problem-solving skills and logical thinking.


    Military Tactics: Understanding strategy and being taught how to properly implement it, various known tactics and formations as well as typical patterns.

 Eos should stop naming attacks

    Around 11 PM.


    In a compact chamber crafted from gleaming white marble, its walls fortified by magic, Adonis stood poised.


    The room measured a modest 25 by 25 meters, its ceilings reaching an impressive height of 5 meters. With his fingers clenched firmly around the hilt of a wooden sword, Adonis confronted a robust straw dummy.


    {You''ve become fairly proficient with the first two techniques of the first stage... time to learn the third.}


    ''Yes Lord Eos.''


    {Supreme Devil art, Stage one: Domain Devastation...}


    ''Does the name have to be so long?''


    {You''re one to talk, you have eight names.}


    ''Eight? What''s the other one?'' Adonis arched his eyebrows.


    {Dumbass.}


    ''Not funny.'' Unamused, Adonis straightened his face.


    {Anyway...This technique is a diagonal slash.}


    ''Then why name it?''


    {Do you wanna learn the technique or not?}


    ''Sorry...''


    {Good, now get in position.}


    Following the Devil God''s instructions Adonis widened his stance, granting himself a stable foundation. With focused intent, he elevated the wooden sword above his head, his toned arms and sturdy legs tense with sheer power.


    A sinister energy began swirling within his being.


    {You sure it''s safe to use Demonic Aura in here?}


    ''We''re far enough away from the rest of the dorms, plus I set up a high-level barrier that seals us off from the rest of the dormitory.''


    {Okay then...Resume.}


    Taking Eos'' words as a signal to proceed, Adonis began his transformation.


    His hair commenced a gradual growth, creeping towards his eyebrows. Similar to his mane, this hair started to undergo a chromatic shift, transitioning into a darker shade of purple.


    Continuing with his metamorphosis, Adonis'' teeth sharpened and elongated, adding to his devilish demeanor. In tandem with this change, his eyes took on an orange hue, superimposing itself over their original silver.


    DEMMMMM


    {Your control over Demonic Aura has improved.}


    "Hehe." A chuckle escaped his lips, his once-gentle, deep voice shed its usual sweetness, now carrying a raspy and malevolent quality that struck fear into anyone who heard it.


    A faint yet distinct rubbing sound resonated through the air as Adonis intensified the strength of his grip. The outcome was immediate¡ªa scarlet aura began to seep onto the surface of his wooden blade, a manifestation of his growing power.


    {That should be enough.}


    "Okay..."


    {Raise your blade, tilt the sword about forty-five degrees...}


    Adhering to the deity''s instructions, Adonis slanted the sword at the specified angle, fixing his gaze intently upon the straw dummy before him.


    {Release!}


    Adonis immediately pounced at the target at a speed that could only be described as superhuman.


    His sword sliced through the air gracefully, generating a piercing whistle that echoed throughout the room.


    SHING


    Upon contact, the result was simply astonishing. The fortified form of the dummy ruptured, its sturdy body yielding as if it were nothing more than gelatin.


    Exiting the straw dummy, the Wicked Aura covering Adonis'' blade slowly dissipated.


    {Sloppy! It was too slow, the angle was off, your body weight distribution was poor and the strength utilized was subpar even for you... Sloppy, utterly sloppy!}


    "I know..." Adonis sighed, revealing his teeth that were rapidly shrinking to their default state.


    {Again!}


    After quickly replacing the dummy, Adonis initiated the process anew. With each successive slash, he was met with a disheartening critique of the Devil God.


    He replicated the attack sequence four more times, pushing himself until a sensation of lightheadedness began to encroach upon his consciousness.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    After he set up the final straw dummy, Adonis threw his wooden sword to the ground.


    {What''re you doing, you''re going to do it one more time.}


    "I want to try out a different attack."


    {Then why''d you discard the blade dumbass?}


    "It''s not necessary for this one."


    {Hm?}


    "Are you familiar with (Censored)?"


    {Unfortunately, why?}


    "(Censored) used the (Censored) arts... I''m trying to recreate them. Tell me what you think."


    ***


    A few seconds later.


    Adonis stood behind the straw dummy his hand glowin a dim scarlet.


    The target he had been facing now bore a substantial hole in its abdomen, the aperture spanning from the chest''s edges.


    {Not bad... but when you (Censored) your (Censored) was slightly off.}


    "Understood. But without utilizing magic it is tough to recreate."


    {Don''t give me excuses Oizys.}


    -sigh-


    {Don''t sigh at me mortal!}


    A heavily fatigued Adonis absentmindedly nodded as he approached the door that connected his private training room to a space resembling an apartment.


    He threw himself onto the soft mattress, letting out a sharp exhale upon impact.


    {You were quite vocal today in class, mortal.}


    ''It was necessary for my preparations...'' He shrugged, his mouth harboring a repulsive bitterness caused by the lies he had told earlier on.


    "I learned something fairly crucial today, but I still lack the necessary knowledge and power to make my dreams a reality." Thinking out loud, Adonis muttered solemnly.


    {How do you plan on fixing the first issue?}


    KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK


    On cue, half of Adonis'' solution forcefully knocked on the wooden door.


    "Come in!''


    After a brief pause, a petite young lady characterized by lengthy silver hair and captivating violet eyes walked in.


    "Good evening Adonis." Her voice carried a fusion of gentleness and frostiness.


    "Why''re you being so formal Hiram, it''s after school hours?" Watching the young lady attempt to be formal, he couldn''t help but giggle.


    Her cheeks heating up Hiram diverted her eyes from Adonis and spoke softly.


    "So why''d you ask me here in the middle of the night."


    {To fuck!}


    "Ew no!" Adonis retorted, the disapproval evident in his voice.


    "Sorry, what?" Jerking her head back towards the boy, Hiram''s widened eyes weren''t shy in vocalizing their astonishment.


    {Kukuku... virgin.}


    ''I''m only fifteen!''


    "Sorry about that, I just thought back to a question Aster asked me." Adonis smiled gently, trying to both shift the topic of discussion and conceal his embarrassment.


    "Aster? As in Maxwell Aster, the eighth Rising Star?" Putting her hand to her chin, Hiram sifted through her memories trying to remember where she heard the name.


    "Yep, him."


    "I''m glad to see you''re actually talking to someone other than yourself... I used to get worried when you constantly used to whisper to yourself." Hiram flashed a soft smile towards her fianc¨¦.


    ''I don''t whisper to myself.'' He said sternly.


    {You do.}


    ''That''s because I''m speaking to you!''


    {Don''t use me as an excuse for your oddness mortal.}


    "Take some accountability!" Adonis puffed his cheeks.


    "For?" Hiram''s smile faltered, her head tilting slightly in a puzzled manner.


    "Hehe, sorry... Not you."


    {See there you go again, talking to yourself like some weirdo.}


    Refusing to be rattled a second time, Adonis ignored the deity.


    "So how''s being an assistant?"


    "It''s alright, although I do wish there were more people my age."


    "Elder Mars should be around your age?"


    "Well... About that, Elder Mars is a bit... Odd."


    "True." Remembering his first encounter with the Vice Commander, Adonis shuddered.


    "You''ve met him?" She asked curiously.


    "Briefly. Other than the lack of potential friends, is everything alright? I mean you can always go into a bar in the city."


    "I mean, friends aren''t really a necessity so it''s okay. It''s much better than what mom was getting at the bank; we get free food, long holidays and the pay is goo-"


    "Pay, you say?" Adonis'' luminous silver eyes transformed into the shape of large gold sacs.


    "You''re not going to see a single dime." Hiram''s face straightened.


    "What?! But Hiram!" Feeling betrayed, Adonis lunged at her.


    "Kyaa!"Her face now a deep crimson, she tried to fight off the first year that clung to her.


    "Adonis I need money to myself to pay for essentials."


    "Essentials? We''ve been sharing finances till now, what''s the big shift." He whined.


    "Adonis, the things you buy are bare bones, to say the least."


    "Bare bones?! A wise man once said, ''It is a great weight to a soul to live frugally with a contended mind.'' "


    "Adonis...You once made us eat dirty mushroom soup for a whole month because beef went up by a single silver coin"


    "Seven silver coins for a pound of beef is ridiculous!" Feeling a sense of offense, Adonis found himself compelled to defend himself, revealing a trace of the childishness he appeared to have outgrown.


    "Hehe." Hiram, relishing these rare moments when Adonis acted his age, emitted a soft giggle while casting a caring gaze upon the boy.


    {Relax Professor Penny pincher.}


    Hearing Eos'' comment, he immediately cleared his throat and decided to address the topic of the meeting.


    "So, Hiram... Could you please do something for me?"


    "Sure, anything?"


    "I''d like for you to investigate four students for me and give me a detailed report on them."


    "Investigate?" She suspiciously contorted her eyebrows into a sharp arch.


    "Yes, could you please prepare a report using the school''s database; They don''t have to be detailed... Just include their family situation, financial stability and background."


    "Is that all? That shouldn''t be that difficult."


    "Yeah, that should be sufficient."


    ''Any information that could actually be useful would never be in the database.''


    {Then what''s the point of using the database?}


    ''Mistakes, even the elite make mistakes...''


    "Which students do you have in mind?"


    "Maxwell Aster the eighth Rising Star, Jerald Cecil the fifth Rising Star, Wendy Carter the tenth Rising Star, and Toni from Class1A."


    "I thought Maxwell was your friend?" A fresh frown etched onto her face, Hiram asked with a tinge of sadness.


    "He is..."

 Outing (1)

    Next week Wednesday.


    After about a week at the academy, Adonis had become quite familiar with the rules, customs, and new environment.


    On this particular day, the first-years were preparing to embark on their first outing and were gathered outside an imposing fence.


    Unlike his fellow first-years, Adonis abstained from wearing the modernized lorica hamata(chainmail) or the modernized lorica squamata(scale armour) worn by the other students.


    Instead, he opted for more unassuming attire: a plain leather breastplate atop the black tunic that reached just above his knees. His footwear also failed to follow the norm, he wore leather sandals in contrast to the practical leather boots worn by the others.


    As for his weapon of choice, Adonis selected a gleaming steel gladius that hung from his hip


    Notably, like every other student Adonis wore no jewelry; no spatial ring, or financial items per the rules of the outing.


    ''I hope Minnie''s stomach doesn''t digest it.''


    Next to him, stood Maxwell Aster, outfitted in the customary modernized lorica hamata (chainmail).


    The chainmail enveloped him, cascading below his hips and secured by a thick leather belt cinched around his waist. A scarlet tunic was visible beneath the protective armour. In contrast to his adjacent companion, Maxwell bore a gigantic hammer at his side.


    The weapon boasted a handle almost equal to his own body, while the head of the hammer exceeded the dimensions of his abdomen.


    Adonis'' gaze shifted towards the hammer beside Maxwell, his eyes widened with astonishment as he imagined the first year wielding such a heavy weapon.


    "Isn''t carrying that around without a spatial item going to be troublesome?"


    "Hehe, it''s fine. I don''t have a spatial item anyway, I''m used to it." Grinning, Maxwell cheerfully tapped the weapon''s handle.


    "That''s insane..." Adonis sighed, trying to determine the mighty hammer''s weight.


    "Good afternoon first years... I hope you''re all well-rested, for the journey to come!" The one to speak was Professor Albinus, facilitator of all the first years'' exams and practical activities.


    The middle-aged man, his brown hair thinning, spoke with an air of formality and seriousness that was characteristic of a seasoned military figure.


    "Whether you opt to become a ranger or a soldier, as a magic knight you are bound to encounter magic beasts and monsters. In these interactions with such creatures you should know when to engage or avoid them, and that is what''s being taught here today..." Professor Albinus turned to the grand fence behind him and peered into the wonders beyond.


    "In this forest, there exist hundreds of creatures capable of ripping you to shreds, but at the same time, there are some you should be able to overcome."


    "The strongest creatures within are of the Pink tier so I''d suggest identifying it before engaging."


    Hearing the words ''pink tier'' most of the students gasped in fear and began murmuring among one another.


    "Pink tier?!"


    "They''re trying to kill us!"


    "What the fu-"


    "Silence." With a forceful and irritated tone, Professor Albinus rebuked the students.


    "Disrespectful punks... As long as you are careful and don''t bite off more than you can chew you won''t be in any significant danger."


    {Someone has a huge temper.}


    ''Sounds like someone I know.'' Adonis giggled.


    {The difference is he is weak!}


    "The objective of the outing is simple, you are to survive in the forest for four days."


    ''He makes it sound easier than it is.''


    <Outing.


    Rules:


    No spatial items of any kind are allowed. (Students may carry empty sacks to collect magic crystals.)


    Students may only use one chosen weapon.


    Students may not bring any external water or food along with them.


    Students are not allowed to stay in the same spot for more than 24 hours.


    Students must travel at least 15 kilometres every single day.


    Minimum of 3 students per group.


    Maximum of 5 students per group.


    ***


    Points: Students need a minimum of 50 points to pass.


    Returning with your weapon still intact: 30 points.


    No serious injuries: 20 points


    Killing an unranked creature: 5 points


    Killing a white rank creature: minimum 40 points


    Killing a pink rank creature: min 300 points


    (If a creature is killed as a result of group effort then points will be distributed evenly.)


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    >


    ***


    2 hours later.


    Adonis'' group consisted of a total of five members: Maxwell Aster, his only friend thus far; Vera and Veda Stewart, the twins with contrasting personalities; and Jerald Cecil, the enigma known as the Whispering Weirdo of class 1A.


    The way this group came to be was fairly simple: none of them had other friends.


    Despite their statuses as Rising Stars, Adonis and Maxwell faced heavy exclusion due to their commoner backgrounds, while Jerald''s ''creepy'' demeanour deterred others from approaching him.


    The pretty twins, on the other hand, weren''t approached because of an even stranger reason: Veda Stewart barked at anyone who approached her sister.


    The peculiar group navigated through the forest''s vegetation, maintaining wide spaces between them. Adonis and Maxwell were relatively close together, exchanging words from time to time.


    Similarly, the twins mirrored Adonis and Maxwell on their side. Meanwhile, the lone Jerald walked in between the pairs, often sneaking glances at the twin with white hair.


    "How long have we been walking!" Veda complained to her quiet sister beside her.


    "About three kilometres." Holding a compass-like magic tool Adonis turned his gaze to Veda.


    "What?! I''m tired." She whined.


    "We only just star-"


    "Let''s take a break!" Interrupting Adonis, Jerald abruptly interjected with an uncharacteristic display of enthusiasm.


    Hearing Jerald''s sudden burst, Maxwell and Adonis exchanged puzzled expressions.


    "Well, it wouldn''t hurt to rest now. We still have a few more hours till it gets dark."


    The party stopped underneath a towering tree and used it as a resting spot.


    The Stewart twins found themselves sitting by the tree''s broad base. Jerald, who was strangely nervous, positioned himself in front of them, while Adonis and Maxwell perched confidently on the thick branches above.


    Maxwell, the only member of the group who enjoyed the sound of his own voice, took the conversational initiative and broke the awkward silence.


    "Where''re you guys from?" Seated comfortably on his branch, he called out to the nobles below.


    Unexpectedly it was the more timid of the twins: Vera, who chose to respond.


    "Telle City..." With her stunning crimson eyes fixed on the ground, she offered her reply in a nearly inaudible reply.


    ''I can''t hear her.''


    "What!" Maxwell screamed from above, unable to hear what the noble had muttered.


    ''How dare he shout at Vera!''


    "Don''t scream at her!" Veda, the more aggressive twin with icy white hair, rose to her feet. She tilted her head upward to meet Maxwell''s gaze from below, her cold blue eyes full of intense fury.


    "Hm?" Adonis, slightly taken aback snapped his head down to look at the girl.


    Hearing Veda''s words, Maxwell hung his head ashamedly.


    ''I didn''t mean to yell.''


    "Sorry, he didn''t mean any harm. He just couldn''t hear her." Adonis suppressed a chuckle while attempting to defend his friend and de-escalate the situation.


    "Then he should open his ears!"


    "Rude..." Adonis muttered.


    "What did you say?!" Deepening the depth of the arch in her eyebrows, Veda redirected her irrational rage towards Adonis.


    To his astonishment, Jerald who seemed to be staring at nothing shifted his gaze towards Adonis; his eyes mirroring Veda''s anger.


    ''Why''s he mad?!''


    "I asked, what''d she say?" Adonis nervously chuckled, fearing the hatred behind Veda''s eyes.


    "Should''ve listened the first time." She puffed.


    "Veda, calm down... It''s my fault for not speaking loud enough." Vera intervened.


    ''I don''t wanna cause trouble.''


    "You can''t keep blaming yourself for other''s mistakes, Vera! You need to be more assertive."


    ''Other''s mistakes? What''d we do?'' Adonis suppressed a sigh.


    "Sorry Veda..." The twin with crimson hair whispered.


    "What''re you apologizing for!"


    Eventually, Adonis gave in to his suppressed laughter and erupted into a series of gentle chuckles at the sight of the twins'' spectacle.


    "What''s so funny!?" Turning her head to the tree once more, Veda grit her teeth.


    "No, no. It''s nothing bad, it''s just I had a sibling too... We were kinda like you two."


    "Had?" In a hushed tone, Maxwell whispered, his eyes brimming with pity.


    The moment Adonis'' words escaped his lips, the atmosphere turned grim. Even Veda, who had been loud the whole time, suddenly fell silent.


    "I''m sorry..." Veda, swallowing her pride whispered.


    "I couldn''t imagine what I''d do without Veda."


    Hearing Adonis'' words, Jerald''s eyes flickered with a multitude of emotions.


    Empathy


    Sadness


    And finally a creeping envy.


    "That''s because you''re useless without me!" Veda smacked her twin''s head affectionately.


    "Ow!"


    "So, where are you two from?" Maxwell, having recovered from Veda''s verbal abuse repeated his question; this time minding both his voice''s volume and tone.


    "We''re from Telle, here in the Robur Kingdom." Veda was the one to answer, this time lacking the previous aggression.


    ''So she doesn''t hold grudges... She''s acting like nothing happened.'' Adonis observed.


    "Hm, Telle? Then why didn''t you go to the academy there?"


    "Too many shitstains!"


    "Shitstains?" Maxwell tilted his head.


    "And you Cecil?" Maxwell then posed his question to Jerald, who stared at him with a strange expression.


    "Pugna Kingdom, Roma City." He responded in a flat tone before disinterestedly redirecting his gaze back to the sky.


    "Um okay." Taking Jerald''s demeanour as a sign that he didn''t want to conversate, Maxwell frowned.


    "Pugna? That''s pretty far away, traveling must be a hassle." Veda, for the first time, turned to her admirer.


    "Well, it''s not that bad." He said in a hushed tone, averting his gaze from the girl.


    "Pugna has tons of knight academies, What made you want to be a magic knight instead?" Veda continued curiously.


    ''An opening!'' Adonis celebrated.


    "Yeah, especially since your family primarily produced regular knights."


    "Well, I guess my magic depth was just above average. So I chose to take this route instead." Not bothering to acknowledge Adonis'' comment, his eyes stayed glued on Veda.


    ''I doubt that''s true, but it''d be unfair to deem his answer as suspicious. Veda Stewart''s presence distorts the validity of his responses by quite a considerable margin, either he''ll be extremely honest around her or lie to improve her opinion of him.'' Adonis concluded.


    "W-what about you?" Jerald reflected on the question.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I mean, why''d you become a magic knight." Jerald exhaled deeply as if asking the question had drained his energy. Which it did. He was forced to suppress his anxiety and muster the strength to learn more about his crush.


    "I don''t, but someone over here wanted to, and I couldn''t let her be all alone." Veda gestured to Vera who managed an embarrassed smile and shrugged.


    "I wish I had a sibling." Smiling at those below, Maxwell voiced his envy.


    "That''s cute." Adonis chuckled.


    ''Did he just call me cute?!'' Vera stifled a gasp, her face developing a subtle red hue.


    ''Did he just call Veda cute?!'' Jerald''s gaze sharpened, and he fixed a piercing stare at the youth resting in the tree.


    Blissfully unaware of the delusions of those below, Adonis leapt gracefully out of the tree, landing just in front of Jerald.


    THUD


    He then proceeded to stretch his limbs, seemingly unaffected.


    "That''s enough resting, let''s go."

 Outing (2)

    Next week Wednesday.


    After about a week at the academy, Adonis had become quite familiar with the rules, customs, and new environment.


    On this particular day, the first-years were preparing to embark on their first outing and were gathered outside an imposing fence.


    Unlike his fellow first-years, Adonis abstained from wearing the modernized lorica hamata(chainmail) or the modernized lorica squamata(scale armour) worn by the other students.


    Instead, he opted for more unassuming attire: a plain leather breastplate atop the black tunic that reached just above his knees. His footwear also failed to follow the norm, he wore leather sandals in contrast to the practical leather boots worn by the others.


    As for his weapon of choice, Adonis selected a gleaming steel gladius that hung from his hip


    Notably, like every other student Adonis wore no jewelry; no spatial ring, or financial items per the rules of the outing.


    ''I hope Minnie''s stomach doesn''t digest it.''


    Next to him, stood Maxwell Aster, outfitted in the customary modernized lorica hamata (chainmail).


    The chainmail enveloped him, cascading below his hips and secured by a thick leather belt cinched around his waist. A scarlet tunic was visible beneath the protective armour. In contrast to his adjacent companion, Maxwell bore a gigantic hammer at his side.


    The weapon boasted a handle almost equal to his own body, while the head of the hammer exceeded the dimensions of his abdomen.


    Adonis'' gaze shifted towards the hammer beside Maxwell, his eyes widened with astonishment as he imagined the first year wielding such a heavy weapon.


    "Isn''t carrying that around without a spatial item going to be troublesome?"


    "Hehe, it''s fine. I don''t have a spatial item anyway, I''m used to it." Grinning, Maxwell cheerfully tapped the weapon''s handle.


    "That''s insane..." Adonis sighed, trying to determine the mighty hammer''s weight.


    "Good afternoon first years... I hope you''re all well-rested, for the journey to come!" The one to speak was Professor Albinus, facilitator of all the first years'' exams and practical activities.


    The middle-aged man, his brown hair thinning, spoke with an air of formality and seriousness that was characteristic of a seasoned military figure.


    "Whether you opt to become a ranger or a soldier, as a magic knight you are bound to encounter magic beasts and monsters. In these interactions with such creatures you should know when to engage or avoid them, and that is what''s being taught here today..." Professor Albinus turned to the grand fence behind him and peered into the wonders beyond.


    "In this forest, there exist hundreds of creatures capable of ripping you to shreds, but at the same time, there are some you should be able to overcome."


    "The strongest creatures within are of the Pink tier so I''d suggest identifying it before engaging."


    Hearing the words ''pink tier'' most of the students gasped in fear and began murmuring among one another.


    "Pink tier?!"


    "They''re trying to kill us!"


    "What the fu-"


    "Silence." With a forceful and irritated tone, Professor Albinus rebuked the students.


    "Disrespectful punks... As long as you are careful and don''t bite off more than you can chew you won''t be in any significant danger."


    {Someone has a huge temper.}


    ''Sounds like someone I know.'' Adonis giggled.


    {The difference is he is weak!}


    "The objective of the outing is simple, you are to survive in the forest for four days."


    ''He makes it sound easier than it is.''


    <Outing.


    Rules:


    No spatial items of any kind are allowed. (Students may carry empty sacks to collect magic crystals.)


    Students may only use one chosen weapon.


    Students may not bring any external water or food along with them.


    Students are not allowed to stay in the same spot for more than 24 hours.


    Students must travel at least 15 kilometres every single day.


    Minimum of 3 students per group.


    Maximum of 5 students per group.


    ***


    Points: Students need a minimum of 50 points to pass.


    Returning with your weapon still intact: 30 points.


    No serious injuries: 20 points


    Killing an unranked creature: 5 points


    Killing a white rank creature: minimum 40 points


    Killing a pink rank creature: min 300 points


    (If a creature is killed as a result of group effort then points will be distributed evenly.)


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    >


    ***


    2 hours later.


    Adonis'' group consisted of a total of five members: Maxwell Aster, his only friend thus far; Vera and Veda Stewart, the twins with contrasting personalities; and Jerald Cecil, the enigma known as the Whispering Weirdo of class 1A.


    The way this group came to be was fairly simple: none of them had other friends.


    Despite their statuses as Rising Stars, Adonis and Maxwell faced heavy exclusion due to their commoner backgrounds, while Jerald''s ''creepy'' demeanour deterred others from approaching him.


    The pretty twins, on the other hand, weren''t approached because of an even stranger reason: Veda Stewart barked at anyone who approached her sister.


    The peculiar group navigated through the forest''s vegetation, maintaining wide spaces between them. Adonis and Maxwell were relatively close together, exchanging words from time to time.


    Similarly, the twins mirrored Adonis and Maxwell on their side. Meanwhile, the lone Jerald walked in between the pairs, often sneaking glances at the twin with white hair.


    "How long have we been walking!" Veda complained to her quiet sister beside her.


    "About three kilometres." Holding a compass-like magic tool Adonis turned his gaze to Veda.


    "What?! I''m tired." She whined.


    "We only just star-"


    "Let''s take a break!" Interrupting Adonis, Jerald abruptly interjected with an uncharacteristic display of enthusiasm.


    Hearing Jerald''s sudden burst, Maxwell and Adonis exchanged puzzled expressions.


    "Well, it wouldn''t hurt to rest now. We still have a few more hours till it gets dark."


    The party stopped underneath a towering tree and used it as a resting spot.


    The Stewart twins found themselves sitting by the tree''s broad base. Jerald, who was strangely nervous, positioned himself in front of them, while Adonis and Maxwell perched confidently on the thick branches above.


    Maxwell, the only member of the group who enjoyed the sound of his own voice, took the conversational initiative and broke the awkward silence.


    "Where''re you guys from?" Seated comfortably on his branch, he called out to the nobles below.


    Unexpectedly it was the more timid of the twins: Vera, who chose to respond.


    "Telle City..." With her stunning crimson eyes fixed on the ground, she offered her reply in a nearly inaudible reply.


    ''I can''t hear her.''


    "What!" Maxwell screamed from above, unable to hear what the noble had muttered.


    ''How dare he shout at Vera!''


    "Don''t scream at her!" Veda, the more aggressive twin with icy white hair, rose to her feet. She tilted her head upward to meet Maxwell''s gaze from below, her cold blue eyes full of intense fury.


    "Hm?" Adonis, slightly taken aback snapped his head down to look at the girl.


    Hearing Veda''s words, Maxwell hung his head ashamedly.


    ''I didn''t mean to yell.''


    "Sorry, he didn''t mean any harm. He just couldn''t hear her." Adonis suppressed a chuckle while attempting to defend his friend and de-escalate the situation.


    "Then he should open his ears!"


    "Rude..." Adonis muttered.


    "What did you say?!" Deepening the depth of the arch in her eyebrows, Veda redirected her irrational rage towards Adonis.


    To his astonishment, Jerald who seemed to be staring at nothing shifted his gaze towards Adonis; his eyes mirroring Veda''s anger.


    ''Why''s he mad?!''


    "I asked, what''d she say?" Adonis nervously chuckled, fearing the hatred behind Veda''s eyes.


    "Should''ve listened the first time." She puffed.


    "Veda, calm down... It''s my fault for not speaking loud enough." Vera intervened.


    ''I don''t wanna cause trouble.''


    "You can''t keep blaming yourself for other''s mistakes, Vera! You need to be more assertive."


    ''Other''s mistakes? What''d we do?'' Adonis suppressed a sigh.


    "Sorry Veda..." The twin with crimson hair whispered.


    "What''re you apologizing for!"


    Eventually, Adonis gave in to his suppressed laughter and erupted into a series of gentle chuckles at the sight of the twins'' spectacle.


    "What''s so funny!?" Turning her head to the tree once more, Veda grit her teeth.


    "No, no. It''s nothing bad, it''s just I had a sibling too... We were kinda like you two."


    "Had?" In a hushed tone, Maxwell whispered, his eyes brimming with pity.


    The moment Adonis'' words escaped his lips, the atmosphere turned grim. Even Veda, who had been loud the whole time, suddenly fell silent.


    "I''m sorry..." Veda, swallowing her pride whispered.


    "I couldn''t imagine what I''d do without Veda."


    Hearing Adonis'' words, Jerald''s eyes flickered with a multitude of emotions.


    Empathy


    Sadness


    And finally a creeping envy.


    "That''s because you''re useless without me!" Veda smacked her twin''s head affectionately.


    "Ow!"


    "So, where are you two from?" Maxwell, having recovered from Veda''s verbal abuse repeated his question; this time minding both his voice''s volume and tone.


    "We''re from Telle, here in the Robur Kingdom." Veda was the one to answer, this time lacking the previous aggression.


    ''So she doesn''t hold grudges... She''s acting like nothing happened.'' Adonis observed.


    "Hm, Telle? Then why didn''t you go to the academy there?"


    "Too many shitstains!"


    "Shitstains?" Maxwell tilted his head.


    "And you Cecil?" Maxwell then posed his question to Jerald, who stared at him with a strange expression.


    "Pugna Kingdom, Roma City." He responded in a flat tone before disinterestedly redirecting his gaze back to the sky.


    "Um okay." Taking Jerald''s demeanour as a sign that he didn''t want to conversate, Maxwell frowned.


    "Pugna? That''s pretty far away, traveling must be a hassle." Veda, for the first time, turned to her admirer.


    "Well, it''s not that bad." He said in a hushed tone, averting his gaze from the girl.


    "Pugna has tons of knight academies, What made you want to be a magic knight instead?" Veda continued curiously.


    ''An opening!'' Adonis celebrated.


    "Yeah, especially since your family primarily produced regular knights."


    "Well, I guess my magic depth was just above average. So I chose to take this route instead." Not bothering to acknowledge Adonis'' comment, his eyes stayed glued on Veda.


    ''I doubt that''s true, but it''d be unfair to deem his answer as suspicious. Veda Stewart''s presence distorts the validity of his responses by quite a considerable margin, either he''ll be extremely honest around her or lie to improve her opinion of him.'' Adonis concluded.


    "W-what about you?" Jerald reflected on the question.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I mean, why''d you become a magic knight." Jerald exhaled deeply as if asking the question had drained his energy. Which it did. He was forced to suppress his anxiety and muster the strength to learn more about his crush.


    "I don''t, but someone over here wanted to, and I couldn''t let her be all alone." Veda gestured to Vera who managed an embarrassed smile and shrugged.


    "I wish I had a sibling." Smiling at those below, Maxwell voiced his envy.


    "That''s cute." Adonis chuckled.


    ''Did he just call me cute?!'' Vera stifled a gasp, her face developing a subtle red hue.


    ''Did he just call Veda cute?!'' Jerald''s gaze sharpened, and he fixed a piercing stare at the youth resting in the tree.


    Blissfully unaware of the delusions of those below, Adonis leapt gracefully out of the tree, landing just in front of Jerald.


    THUD


    He then proceeded to stretch his limbs, seemingly unaffected.


    "That''s enough resting, let''s go."

 Outing (3)

    After Maxwell urged her to join the rest of the group, Vera swiftly dashed across the path towards the other Arbour Abomination.


    "Veda!" Upon announcing her arrival, Vera integrated herself into the three-person formation. Jerald assumed the central position, while Veda took the left flank, and Vera on the right.


    "Vera! Are you okay?" Veda, her spatha in hand turned her head to meet Vera''s gaze.


    Managing a gentle smile, Vera nodded and fortified her defensive stance, preparing for the impending encounter.


    "Vera and I will clear the path, you deliver the finishing blow at its weak spot." With a bead of sweat running down her cheek, Veda announced the plan to the Fifth Rising Star.


    "Got it..." He nodded.


    The group moved as a unit, a sloppy one but a unit nonetheless.


    Despite the Stewart twins having many years of cooperation under their belt, the addition of Jerald to the team introduced a layer of complexity that disrupted their coordination. Consequently, their battle speed and awareness suffered as a result.


    Deeming that the group was now too close for its liking, the monster employed its numerous appendages in retaliation.


    The monster swiftly propelled its many limbs at the approaching magic knights, provoking a series of calculated reactions.


    Unlike when she was interacting with others, Vera demonstrated a level of skill that''d scare most kids her age. Seeing that there were three large appendages in front of her and eight smaller ones coming toward her sides.


    The usually timid girl, calmly watched as the large leading limb approached her face intending to knock her head right of its neck. She sharply inhaled and got to work...


    With her Earthly Aura-coated spatha in her grasp, she swung it decisively, slicing right through the appendage and causing a splatter of green liquid to land on her face.


    SPLATTER


    Disregarding the peculiar liquid that found its home on her countenance, she swiftly ducked to evade any potential harm from the remaining, slowed-down limb.


    Her interaction with the second one was just as brief, further proving why she deserved her spot in class 1A. Continuing on her sprint, she crouched, lowering her entire upper body, and employed her blade, which continued to emit the subtly blue hue, to execute a diagonal slash at the appendage. This action sent a sizable chuck of vegetation soaring into the air.


    The monster''s third assault was aimed lower, honing in on the girl''s lowered head and thighs. Leaping a few feet into the air, she lowered her head to observe as the attack narrowly missed her. Sensing the monster''s vulnerability she thrust her blade into the limb, causing more blood to seep from the wound.


    Although she had just successfully neutralized every attack directed at her, she now faced a new challenge- numerous smaller appendages that posed the threat of injury.


    Noticing their swift approach, she acted immediately, using the pommel of her spatha as a foothold to propel herself even higher, she prepared herself to unleash a frightening spell.


    Harnessing mana from her mana core, Vera commanded the manna particles to converge around both her hands, softly uttering the name of the devastating attack.


    "Blaze magic: Searing Whirlwind"


    The mana enveloping her hands ignited, giving rise to a large flame emanating from both her palms. In mid-air, she gracefully rotated her petite frame, conjuring a miniature tornado that cremated any appendage that dared to approach.


    Her crimson eyes remained sharp and vigilant as she scanned her surroundings for any impending attacks. However, all that met her gaze was black ash and stumps of the monster''s limbs.


    "It''ll take ten seconds to regenerate, we must get closer." Veda who had also appropriately dealt with the onslaught that came her way turned to face her crimson-eyed twin.


    The Stewart twins continued on their rampage, obliterating all the appendages that dared to approach. Although their styles differed greatly, they complemented each other seamlessly.


    Vera predominately relied on her devastating Blaze magic, reducing any approaching limbs to ashes, while still skillfully utilizing her razor-sharp spatha to dissect the same appendages.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Meanwhile, Veda, the twin with white hair, adopted a more knightly approach, opting to rely on her martial arts and Eartly Aura rather than her chilling Ice Magic.


    The twins persisted for another five seconds, steadily closing the gap between them and the monster''s core- the ominous bright flower. As they pressed forward, the intensity of the attacks they confronted escalated, growing more vicious by the moment.


    Eventually, the two of them found it more challenging to completely evade harm, their bodies adorned with cuts, bruises, and glistening with a combination of blood and sweat.


    "Five more seconds Vera, we can make it!"


    "HM!" Nodding her head, Vera pressed on; ignoring the numerous minor injuries she had managed to sustain.


    The final obstacle loomed ahead, a colossal appendage of unparalleled size. It was incredibly thick, boasting a girth akin to three robust tree trunks, and eventually tapered to a sharp point.


    This ultimate appendage hurled itself at a velocity that should''ve been impossible for either of the girls to match.


    Fortunately, they didn''t need to outpace it or even match it; instead, they relied on their ability to anticipate its trajectory and evade accordingly, knowing that it could not alter its course mid-air.


    "Vera!"


    "Veda!"


    Synchronizing their manoeuvre, Vera and Veda initiated their counterattack. Vera soared above the massive appendage, her striking gazing locked on the looming limb. With a sharp exhale, she summoned a bright red magic circle to materialize in her right palm.


    Veda opted for a different approach, instead, she crouched low and waited for the massive limb to pass above her tied-up hair.


    In perfect synchronization with Vera, Veda conjured a white magic circle in her left palm.


    "Stewart twin..." Both girls spoke in unison, their voices intertwining to create a chilling warning of their impending attack.


    Simultaneously, both girls released a large surge of mana into their magic circles. The outcome was two separate beams of their respective magic affinities, Ice and Blaze magic.


    Veda swiftly encased the underside of the limb in frost, while her sister unleashed a scorching blaze from above.


    Following their spells, they both wielded their Earthly Aura-coated spathas to slash at the appendages, further amplifying the damage they had inflicted.


    "IMPACT!"


    SLASH


    Following their devastating attack, the appendage fell to the ground with a resounding thud, causing the soil underneath to vibrate subtly.


    Veda, who had been beneath the falling appendage, skillfully evaded its weight, emerging unscathed beside the now "lifeless" limb.


    ''We eliminated all the major obstacles for Cecil, now he should be able to destroy the flower...''


    "Now it''s up t-"


    "VEDA!"


    SPLURT


    Suddenly, Veda''s thoughts were interrupted as a long, stick-like appendage pierced through the side of her abdomen from behind...


    ''What?! It managed to regenerate already, it''s barely been five seconds!'' Blood escaped Veda''s mouth as she struggled to comprehend what had just happened.


    Quickly reacting, Vera coated her foot in a thick layer of Earthly Aura and delivered a powerful kick to the thin appendage, causing it to snap like a harmless twig and preventing it from further harming her sister.


    "Veda, are you okay!" Her composure shattered by her worry, Vera rushed to her sister''s aid.


    Veda lay on the ground, bleeding profusely while simultaneously struggling to maintain consciousness.


    "Flame magic: Total Incineration..."


    Having created a substantial orange magic circle, Jerald Cecil demonstrated a jaw-dropping level of mana output and control. He unleashed a massive torrent of flames at the arbour abomination''s flower, instantly eradicating the monster and leaving it with no further opportunity to retaliate.


    Despite Flame magic generally being considered weaker than Blaze magic, Jerald had just cast a spell that eclipsed all of Vera''s previous feats.


    After he skillfully exploited the opening created by the Stewart twins, Jerald abandoned his typical apathetic demeanour and rushed to Veda''s side, his expression now displaying genuine distress.


    "Stewart!"


    Extra Information:


    <Arbor Abomination>


    Rank: White rank


    Edible?: Yes


    Drops: Gland found in its flower and magic crystal.


    Weaknesses: Fire and blades


    Behaviour: Only attacks, when prey isn''t paying attention. Gets more aggressive when exposed to fire or struck with blades.


    Habitat: Forests


    Attacking style: Aggressive and uses multiple appendages. Utilizes its poison vapour to knock out its prey.


    Abilities: Manipulate surrounding vegetation, regenerate its limbs (takes 10 seconds), poison gas that knocks prey out.


    Description:


    When in hiding, this creature takes on the guise of an unassuming large tree, blending seamlessly with its surroundings until it either identifies its prey or comes under attack. However, when it enters its ''active mode,'' it undergoes a grotesque transformation, manifesting multiple large appendages crafted from branches, roots, thorns, twigs, vines, and other woody elements. At the centre of its bark-covered form, a radiant flower blooms, concealing a sizable poison gland within. This gland releases a noxious toxin that incapacitates any creatures unfortunate enough to inhale it.


    It''s worth noting that the creature''s flesh''s dexterity varies depending on the number of creatures it has absorbed and the quality of said creatures absorbed, making it a formidable and adaptable adversary.

 Outing (4)

    Unaware of the triumphant outcome and Veda Stewart''s sudden injury, Maxwell and Adonis remained fully engaged in their own battle with their respective arbour abomination.


    "Max, let''s finish this." Adonis sighed, sounding irritated rather than exhausted.


    "Agreed Donny!" With his face covered in shallow cuts, Maxwell grinned cheerfully as if he wasn''t involved in mortal combat.


    "What''d you just call me?" While he continued to punch the numerous limbs that approached him, Adonis narrowed his brows and looked at his comrade.


    "Donny! Y''know as in short for Adonis." Using his giant hammer to bash in a large appendage, Maxwell''s countenance continued to display a cheerful expression.


    "Don''t call me that."


    "Why not? You call me Max?"


    "Don''t call me that." Adonis reiterated sternly, his face displaying a look of pure disgust.


    "Please, Donny!"


    "No, stop."


    {Kukuku, it sounds better than Adonis}


    "Not you too?" Adonis sighed.


    "What''d you say?" Distracting himself from the approaching threats, Maxwell redirected his gaze toward Adonis, who had impressively dispatched every single appendage in his vicinity with nothing but his bare hands.


    "Nothing, try to keep up!" Taunting his friend, Adonis accelerated leaving a large imprint of his sandal in the ground.


    "Wait what?! Donny wait up!" With a powerful swing of his hammer, Maxwell efficiently dispatched the remaining appendages, then hurriedly followed his friend, struggling to keep pace.


    "Don''t call me that!" Determined to leave the Eighth Rising Star in the dust, Adonis closed in on the first appendage that dared to attack him.


    ''Is he even human?!'' Stunned by the sudden acceleration, Maxwell clumsily trailed behind his partner.


    Using a sharp cross that managed to tear the limb to shreds, Adonis transitioned to a solemn expression as he began to internally count the seconds.


    "1..."


    Unwilling to relinquish the initiative to the arbour abomination, Adonis sped up.


    Approaching the next target, he repeated the process once more. Deploying his left arm he decimated the monster''s limb, sending a fountain of green liquid to erupt wildly.


    With his warm silver eyes full of a complicated emotion, Adonis winced.


    "..."


    {Grow up.}


    Swallowing his guilt and empathy, Adonis pressed forward.


    Tilting his head to the side to easily evade the incoming assault aimed at his head, Adonis counterattacked by swiftly thrusting the tips of his fingers into the monster''s appendage, instantly severing it.


    "2..."


    Not bothering to exhale, Adonis continued to prove himself as a Rising Star. With a flurry of motion, he threw both his arms in various directions, annihilating every single appendage in front of him.


    "3..."


    Finally, the silver-eyed youth approached the final limb, one resembling the monstrosity Veda and Vera had confronted earlier. Without batting an eye at the colossal threat that loomed before him, Adonis retracted his left arm and tensed his muscles.


    "4..."


    BAM


    As his rough bare knuckle collided with the tip of the appendage, the sturdy limb exploded and the result was frightening...


    Chunks of lignin and green flesh scattered everywhere and he was sprayed with a fresh coating of dark green liquid.


    "5...Max, you''re up."


    ''Does he even need me here?!'' With an unsatisfied frown shamefully displayed on his countenance, Maxwell performed his duty of finishing the monster off.


    "Metal Magic: Vulcan''s Workshop!"


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Making use of a large grey magic circle that loomed above his head, Adonis summoned a wide selection of lethal tools: nails, screws, drills, and chisels.


    With a powerful swing of his gigantic hammer, he slammed it into the magic circle, propelling these Earthly-Aura-coated tools at a ridiculous speed toward the monster''s core, the bright flower that served as its heart.


    SPLURT


    The outcome was the rupturing of the toxin sac embedded within the flower, spewing light green liquid that marked the demise of the monstrous entity.


    Refusing to look at the monster''s corpse, Adonis turned his attention to his comrade and forced a grin of triumph. "Well done Max."


    "You did most of the work." Puffing his cheeks like a sulking child, Max faced his comrades on the other side of the path.


    "Are they done ye-?"


    "Hm?" Adonis'' demeanour changed soon after noticing the injury sustained by Veda, his countenance now demonstrating a look of concern.


    ''That basically confirms my suspicions, that monster was stronger than it should''ve been... Which means ''they'' have intervened and are probably watching.''


    "How bad is it?" Approaching Jerald, who delicately carried the injured Stewart twin on his back as well as the tearful Vera, Adonis maintained his composure.


    "..."


    "She''s losing blood rapidly if it''s not properly treated soon..."


    {She has twenty-four hours at most.}


    ''Fuck...''


    {If you weren''t scared to kill, maybe this wouldn''t have happened. And this especially wouldn''t have happened if you could use magi-}


    "I get it..."


    {How many more people are you going to let die before you realize you need to grow up? Your body may have matured and gotten slightly stronger, but you''re still that weak little phantom from eight years ago. You refuse to accept what you truly feel and run from what you truly are.}


    "..."


    "We should try to at least slow down the bleeding." The one to speak was Maxwell, his voice sounding slightly shaky, a huge contrast to the energetic tone he typically exhibited.


    ''Something''s off with the Arbor Abominations in this forest... There''s no way Veda should''ve been injured to that extent by it, especially from behind. She''s usually really careful.'' As a bead of sweat formed on Maxwell''s forehead, he attempted to analyze the situation, causing him to develop a subtle headache.


    ''Thinking hurts.'' He sighed.


    "How''d this happen?" Adonis'' question was directed to the highest-ranked student among them, Jerald Cecil.


    Choosing to ignore number seven, Jerald continued to focus all his attention on Veda. He firmly pressed on the wound with both hands, his expression etched with grim determination.


    "Ah!"


    "Sorry...''


    Unfazed by Jerald''s rudeness, Adonis chose to redirect his attention to Vera; who also knelt by her sister, trying to calm her down.


    "It''ll be okay Veda."


    "What happened?"


    "T-the monster suddenly regenerated out of nowhere."


    ''I see...''


    After clumsily tending to Veda''s wound by using torn pieces of fabric from their tunics as bandages, Adonis'' group ventured further into the forest.


    Their goal? To cover the required distance for the day.


    Despite the fact they travelled both quietly and cautiously, the squad attracted the attention of multiple magic beasts allured by the scent of their blood.


    "Cecil, protect Veda!" As his gaze fixed upon the approaching Grey Wolves, Adonis took command of the squad, stepping into the role of the lead, albeit much to Jerald''s distaste.


    ''Don''t tell me what to do.'' Despite his evident dissatisfaction with taking orders from Adonis, Jerald gladly focused all his attention on the safeguarding of his crush.


    "Vera, are you sure you''re fit to fight?"


    ''Did he just use my first name?!'' Fighting the urge to squeal, Vera nodded and unsheathed her spatha preparing to engage in battle once more.


    ''Calling them both Stewart is confusing...''


    The twelve Grey Wolves approached with hungry growls, the scent of blood greedily carrying them closer to the first-years.


    Among them, three larger wolves stood up prominently, their striking white manes gleaming beautifully amidst the sea of dull grey fur and on their heads, they sported short brown curved horns that further amplified their mystique.


    "Sonic Wolves, White rank." Identifying the pack''s leaders, Maxwell boldly called out the names of these magic beasts, his mischievous smile growing wider as a prelude to the impending battle.


    *Extra Information:


    <Sonic Wolf>


    Rank: White rank- Black rank


    Edible?: No


    Drops: None


    Weaknesses: Blades and Lightning


    Behaviour: Travel in packs, typically leading Grey Wolves or among other Sonic Wolves of their Rank while being led by Sonic Wolves of a higher rank.


    Habitat: Forests/Woods/Cold areas


    Attacking style: Attack as a unit along with their pack. Typically make use of their claws and long teeth.


    Abilities: Can produce a sound wave from their mouths.


    Description:  The wolves'' fur directly corresponds to their rank; for example, White Rank Sonic Wolves have white fur. While they maintain the appearance of regular wolves, their aggression levels are notably heightened as well as their physical stats. The distinguishing feature in their appearance other than the color of their fur is the brown horns on their heads which vary in size according to their rank.


    Note: A White Rank Sonic Wolf can become a Pink Rank Sonic Wolf, depending on how much magic they absorb from other creatures'' magic crystals or from consuming humans.


    Grey wolves closely resemble ordinary wolves, both in their size and colouration. The key difference between them and Sonic Wolves lies in their rank, as Grey Wolves possess clear magic crystals like every other unranked magic beast. Unlike Sonic Wolves, Grey Wolves lack the ability to use sound-based attacks and are forced to rely on their teeth and claws for offence, often exploiting their numerical advantage over magic usage. Notably, Grey Wolves like every other unranked magic beast or monster are unable to absorb magic crystals or absorb the humans they''ve killed.

 Outing (5)

    "Let''s be quick about this, we need to set up camp before sunset. Vera, Maxwell; we''ll each fight four grey wolves and one Sonic Wolf."


    "Sounds like a plan." Grinning from ear to ear, Maxwell hoisted the mighty hammer from his shoulder and rested its head on the ground.


    He readied himself for battle by grasping the end of the weapon''s long handle and tensing the muscles in his toned forearms.


    "Okay!" Drawing her spatha from its leather sheath, Vera too prepared for battle.


    Her earlier fatigue had diminished somewhat during the brief interlude between the confrontation of the arbor abomination and the approaching magic beasts.


    "Don''t use any large spells, and spill as little blood as you can. Engage!" With his bare hands loosely clenched, Adonis advanced toward his adversaries, his eyes reflecting a blend of both sadness and pity.


    ''I''m sorry...''


    ***


    Having effectively divided the large pack into three smaller groups, Adonis, Maxwell, and Vera were able to fight with greater efficiency, showcasing their tactical prowess and battle awareness.


    With great speed and aggression, all four Grey Wolves lunged at Vera with sharp ferocity, while their leader remained at the rear, searching for the perfect opportunity to deliver the decisive blow.


    Temporarily ignoring the beast that didn''t pose an immediate threat, Vera swung her spatha constantly, using it to fend off the approaching beasts.


    She managed to keep them at bay, buying herself time to formulate a viable strategy to pick them out one by one.


    ''I don''t want to use a large spell since that''ll attract more beasts and could drain a lot of mana... But unlike Goblins, Grey Wolves fight as a unit meaning it''ll be harder to catch them off guard.''


    Growing impatient, the Grey Wolves pounced immediately, instinctively avoiding Vera''s spatha that wildly swung towards them.


    "AARR"


    The wolf that Vera identified as the most imminent threat aimed for her neck with its razor-sharp teeth, designed for tearing flesh.


    ''It''s acting as a distraction.''


    Despite the life-threatening danger she faced, Vera remained composed.


    With graceful precision, she executed a beautiful arc with her blade, instantly decapitating the menacing creature.


    Although their bredrin had met a swift and gruesome death, the determination of the remaining wolves did not waver. They continued to coordinate their attacks as a single unit, launching themselves simultaneously.


    One lunged at her lower thigh, using its sharp claws to target her groin.


    Another attempted to bite her sword arm, trying to eliminate the threat of a counterattack.


    The third beast aimed directly for her throat with its menacing jaws leaking transparent saliva.


    At first glance, Vera appeared to be in grave peril, facing the very real possibility of death. However, there was a single crucial factor that virtually guaranteed her victory.


    The beasts that dared to confront her, were put simply... too weak.


    Practically speaking it would take at least fifteen of them attacking simultaneously to even make her break a sweat. Even taking into consideration the constraints imposed on her, such as mana conservation; she was still able to dispatch the magic beasts.


    And she did exactly that...


    Coating her trusty blade in Earthly Aura, her dominant hand accelerated towards the wolf that pounced at her throat, creating a fatal wound to its belly.


    However, the spatha''s trajectory didn''t merely stop there; instead, it continued at its deadly trajectory, slashing through the remaining grey wolves with relative ease.


    SPLURT


    This encounter lasted only a few seconds, culminating in their swift defeat.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "AWOOOO!"


    Before it could even look its way, the White Rank Sonic Wolf that acted as the alpha unleashed a deafening wave from its mouth.


    The attack caused the air particles to vibrate violently, and the devastating attack surged forward, catching the first year off guard and striking her squarely in the abdomen.


    The impact was so strong that it sent her hurtling through the air, crashing into a nearby tree as she struggled to keep her sword in her tight grasp.


    "Ah!"


    Refusing to rest, Vera dislodged herself from the imprint in the tree she''d created involuntarily.


    ''That attack is fast, but fortunately, it has a cooldown period... I have seven seconds till it''s able to use it again.''


    Using her time wisely, Vera pressed forward, her spatha now stained with the blood of her previous, less formidable opponents.


    As she approached, her gentle face bore an expression of absolute concentration as she prepared for her next move.


    Stealing the initiative, the magic beast lunged at Vera on all fours, its claws slashing toward her upper chest. The beast threatened to shred both her lorica hamata (chainmail) and the skin that hid beneath.


    SHING


    In the face of real danger, Vera''s facial expression contorted from a confident solid visage to a soft frown that accurately depicted her inner thoughts.


    ''It''s fast!''


    CLANK


    At the last second, Vera used her spatha to deflect the beast''s attack, resulting in a tense standoff between human and beast.


    Introducing her right leg with precision, Vera executed a front kick at the beast''s abdomen forcing it to stumble a few meters backwards.


    "HAARHH!"


    "Blaze magic: Flash Grenade!"


    Summoning a crimson flame in the palm of her left hand, Vera hurled the fiery projectile at her adversary with alarming velocity.


    With its monstrous senses further elevated by adrenaline, the beast was able to effortlessly evade a direct blow by stepping to the side.


    "BURST!" With her voice hoarse from both fatigue and panic, Vera let out a high-pitched scream, triggering her spell to fulfill its initial purpose.


    As the ball of flames harmlessly passed by the beast''s fur, it detonated with devastating force upon command.


    BOOM


    The explosion inflicted a critical injury on the wolf, encouraging it to release a pained and anguished howl.


    ''This is my chance!''


    Coating her blade in Earthly Aura, Vera acted on her temporary advantage and swung her blade at the beast''s throat, intending to end the fight immediately.  Alarmed by the proximity of Vera''s blade, the Sonic Wolf unleashed a second howl at the girl.


    "AWOOO!"


    Given the short distance between them, the beam carried significantly more force and lost less speed compared to their initial encounter.  The attack left Vera no opportunity to evade, mercilessly striking her in the face.


    "Ahh!"


    She cried out in pain, propelled backward by the force of the relentless attack.


    As she flew through threw air, it used its claws to deliver the second blow, a sharp thrust towards her lower abdomen.


    This onslaught caused Vera''s armor to rupture upon contact and luckily only inflicted a shallow but excruciating wound in her gut.


    Vera''s flight ended with a painful collision against a nearby tree, filling her mouth with the familiar taste of blood.


    Because of the previous attack, her abdomen began to leak the same scarlet liquid, making her groan from agony.


    "I was too slow," she voiced, her vision growing blurry.


    With both her and the magic beast now seriously injured, the battle was finally reaching its climax.


    "I need to finish this now, or I''ll die"


    Determined, Vera dashed forward at a much slower pace than she was capable of, her abdomen rapidly oozing her blood, her consciousness leaving her along with her blood.


    The beast, unwilling to let Vera have the initiative, lunged forward with offensive intent, preparing to go blow for blow.


    It''s attack took the form of a vicious slash aimed at her throat, it''s intent to kill evident.


    Vera, with her spatha coated in a thick layer of Earthly Aura, thrust her blade toward the beast''s undefended head.


    While she held the reach advantage due to her sword, the beast maintained the speed advantage due to its injury being less severe. Therefore the result of the clash was still a coin toss.


    *Extra Information:


    Magic beasts and monsters don''t lack the innate ability to use Aura and Magic. Instead, their limitation stems from a lack of intelligence and the mental capacity to comprehend the intricate concepts of magic, as well as the spiritual awareness required to manipulate Aura. These creatures do indeed possess mana cores within their bodies, but they remain unable to harness them.


    Magic beasts and monsters house magic crystals within them, which serve as both their mana core and a fragment of their spirit. When absorbed by magic knights, these crystals empower them and bring them closer to advancing to the next Tier of magical abilities. However, as magic knights absorb more magic crystals, the impact becomes progressively weaker.


    There''s a significant risk involved when magic knights absorb magic crystals, particularly those from beasts much stronger than themselves. This risk increases the potential for damage to their mana core and spirit in the process.


    Magic items such as the spatial ring and finance necklace are powered by magic crystals from monsters and magic beasts.  Many of the magic beasts and creatures in the forests and dungeons within the Caelum Empire are well documented in creature encyclopedias which is why the students can easily identify them.


    Magic- Soul


    Aura- spirit

 Outing (6)

    The conclusion of the battle between Vera and the White Rank Sonic wolf seemed to be reached.


    The gap between Vera''s head and the approaching claw compared to the space between her blade and the beast seemed to be marginally closer.


    Speed had prevailed over Reach.


    Or so it seemed...


    Just as her life was about to be brutally ended by the sharp claws, Vera''s blade ignited in a crimson flame.


    "Blaze Magic: Armament Combustion!"


    The mighty blade vibrated violently before the flame extended and pierced through the wolf''s throat shattering the bones in the beast''s throat and turning the beast''s blood into a thick red vapor.


    SPLURT


    CRACKLE


    Letting out a sharp exhale Vera dropped her spatha to the ground. When the blade''s tip met the soft soil, it shattered into dozens of scorched metal fragments.


    Too relieved to worry about the points she''d just lost, Vera clutched her bloody stomach and looked towards Maxwell''s direction.


    In contrast to Vera, Maxwell had emerged victorious having sustained no injuries.


    The Rising Star''s fight had concluded long before hers and he was now comfortably crouched atop his gigantic hammer, his gaze fixed on Adonis with a concerned expression.


    ''He''s already done? Well, that''s to be expected of a Rising Star...'' Vera stood in awe, her mind struggling to comprehend the gap in strength between her and the Rising Stars.


    ''But what is he looking at, is there something wrong with Vindicta?'' Shifting her attention away from Maxwell and onto the Seventh Rising Star, Vera''s eyes widened.


    With his gladius drawn for the first time since acquiring it, Adonis gazed down at the beasts, his eyes filled with intense complicated emotions.


    The part that Vera found strange wasn''t the fact that Adonis had defeated the beasts but rather, his blade remained unstained by blood, yet the beasts were incapacitated and scared, indicating the battle was completely one-sided.


    ''What happened? And why hasn''t he finished them off yet?''


    "Donny..." Maxwell''s brows furrowed, and his gaze intensified as he studied his friend''s actions closely.


    ***


    Last week Friday


    Seated comfortably on a black leather couch along the room''s wall, which bore an uncanny resemblance to his own, Adonis held a slender leather-bound book.


    "Adonis." Perched on a wooden chair adjacent to a long black desk, upon which an identical book rested, Maxwell turned his gaze toward Adonis. His eyes filled with childish curiosity.


    "We said we''d study Max." Refusing to lift his eyes from the book in his grasp, Adonis continued to absorb the contents of the scripture.


    "I know, but resting is important too!" He nodded with satisfaction.


    "We just started..."


    "Okay, just one question."


    -sigh- "Sure, what is it." Akin to an irritated parent of a restless toddler, Adonis tore his attention away from the book in his grasp and shifted it toward his energetic friend.


    "Is it true you defeated over forty goblins at the same time without killing any?" Maxwell''s eyes sparkled with excitement, Maxwell voiced the question that echoed in his mind every time he interacted with Adonis.


    "Hm? Yeah it is... How do people even know that anyway?" Answering casually, Adonis countered with a question he''d also had for quite a while.


    "Well, people don''t know... It''s more like a rumour." Maxwell shrugged.


    "I mean, it had to be started by someone, who was it?" Determined to know who had acquired such information, Adonis rephrased his question.


    "Sicily, she seems to know quite a lot about the inner workings of the academy..." Maxwell shrugged.


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    "Sicily, huh?" Instantly recognizing the name, Adonis pictured the face of the gloomy girl who happened to be in the same class as him.


    ''She could be useful.''


    {Or a problem.}


    "Why?"


    "I thought you said you had one question?" Adonis'' brows arched, as he fixed a stern gaze on his friend. He was well aware that if it were up to Maxwell, their study session would turn into a fruitless all-night conversation, devoid of any actual studying.


    Although Adonis possessed the ability to swiftly absorb information by merely skimming through the book, he made it a practice to emulate the role of a diligent scholar to not raise any suspicions.


    Moreover, unlike himself, Maxwell genuinely needed to study to keep up. Despite his status and prestige as a Rising Star, Maxwell''s academic rankings painted a whole different picture. In subjects such as Science, Mathematics, Magic Theory, and History, he languished near the bottom.


    His academic struggles were not due to a lack of intelligence but instead because of the deficiency in the foundational knowledge required to grasp and build upon these concepts. This deficiency instead stemmed from his commoner background and the absence of resources in his childhood.


    "This is part of the question." Puffing his cheeks childishly, Maxwell used his brown eyes to beg Adonis to entertain his queries.


    "Okay, fifteen minutes." Giving in to his friend''s act, Adonis complied closed his book, and placed it on Maxwell''s couch''s armrest.


    "Hehe, okay. Why''d you ask for all the goblins to be summoned at once?" Maxwell slyly rose from his chair and threw himself onto his bed.


    ''Why''s he getting comfortable? I said fifteen minutes?!''


    {Just accept it, you two are getting no work done today.}


    -sigh- ''I knew we should''ve studied in the library instead, how''d I let him convince me to study in his room instead?''


    {Dumbass.}


    "Well, it was taking too long to defeat them all." Adonis shrugged.


    ''Too long?! Even if they were merely unranked goblins are physically comparable to healthy mundane grown men.''


    "Why didn''t you kill any?" His curiosity continued to grow, and Maxwell continued with his barrage of questions.


    ''Did he not kill any because of some sort of special training, but if it was that was the case then he would''ve also fought the Goblin Warrior instead of forfeiting.''


    "..." While he had expected Maxwell to eventually ask this question, he still dreaded coming up with a plausible answer that put him in a position of weakness.


    However, given he''d grown to trust Maxwell and believed that showing vulnerability would strengthen their bond and could be beneficial, he opted to be completely honest.


    "Hm? What''s wrong?"


    {Don''t be dumb Oizys, never tell a potential enemy your weakness.}


    ''I''m fairly certain Maxwell won''t become an enemy.''


    {Don''t base your conclusions on emotions.}


    ''It''s not based on emotion it''s the complete opposite. The background check on Maxwell was squeaky clean, he has no reason to associate with ''Them'' nor does he have any sort of affiliations.''


    {Well, it''s your life... Do what you want.}


    "I can''t kill." After a few seconds of debating with the deity within him, Adonis eventually responded to his friend''s question.


    "You can''t kill?"


    ***


    Present day.


    Gripping the gladius tightly in his right hand until his knuckles turned a deep shade of blue, Adonis fixed his intense gaze upon the beasts before him. His luminous eyes swirled wildly with a myriad of intricate emotions that transcended mere spoken words.


    It was as though every single cell in the teenager''s body had been set ablaze, from the soles of his feet to the tipis of his unkempt hair which lacked sensation all burned uncontrollably and yearned for one thing. The tumultuous emotions that had enveloped his heart were the wellspring of this complex whirlwind of feelings that continued to haunt him.


    His nose tingled as it struggled to process every scent that invaded his nostrils. Blood, sweat, water, soil, departed souls, shattered spirits, and the very Essence of every being in the forest overwhelmed him, continuing to assault his senses relentlessly.


    His usually saliva-producing mouth had ceased performing its usual activities and now felt parched; every single tastebud on his tongue seemed to burn, yearning for a flavour they had grown accustomed to...


    Above, the birds chirped, blissfully oblivious to the dramatic scene that continued to unfold beneath them. This sound of cheerful creatures continued to remind him of the joys of life, a topic that he feared discussing especially considering what he was preparing to do.


    "KILL IT!"


    "No, don''t... What have the beasts done to you? You''re the one who wandered into its home and caused a ruckus, it''s only natural it attacked you."


    "Put it out of its misery, you''ve already defeated it."


    "How''re you going to destroy ''Them'', if you can''t kill a mere beast!"


    "Yeah, so just give up!"


    "KILL IT!"


    "If you can''t fulfil your purpose, what''s the point of living?"


    "Kill yourself."


    "You carry the blood of (CENSORED), (CENSORED), and (CENSORED) yet you dare to be so weak?!"


    "Do you think you can have your revenge the way you are!?"


    "Kill yourself."


    "Who says he wants revenge? He wants justice for us!"


    "Justice?! Oh please, since when has he been so noble?"


    "Him and noble shouldn''t even be in the same sentence, he made a deal with the Devil himself."


    "Kill yourself."


    "How dare you stain our family name by allying with such filth!"


    {Who the fuck are you calling filt-}


    BAM


    Interrupting the chaotic conversation within him, Adonis'' flawless porcelain face was showered with hundreds of droplets of a metallic scarlet liquid.

 Outing (7)

    "Hehe, walk it off." Unfazed by her comrade''s injuries, Luna let out a casual chuckle. She then unceremoniously raised her blade once more with her usual smirk, preparing her second attack on the Koko.


    "How considerate."


    After dealing with the initial threat posed by Lutz van Alexia, the beast, whose vision was gradually returning, redirected its attention toward the Second Rising Star.


    "ARRR!"


    Luna, once again enveloping her blade in Earthly Aura, executed a vertical slash aimed at the beast''s chest. Her intentions were very clear: to rupture its thick hide and inflict as much damage as possible.


    "I''m also here!" Feeling left out, the First Rising star, Tarzy, also took his turn.


    He coated his transformed right fist in a thick layer of Earthly Aura and lunged forward, aiming to deliver a powerful punch to the Koko''s back.


    Despite facing two separate attacks coming from different directions as well as the looming threat from the two girls who were preparing spells from a distance, the beast''s determination didn''t waver.


    Instead, its rage grew and further fueled its frenzied bloodlust.


    "GRRR" Without a hint of fear, the beast seized the transformed arm of the First Rising Star and swung him with a violent force towards Luna, who posed a significant threat with her blade. This maneuver aimed to eliminate both threats in a single move, and it accomplished this objective with flying colors.


    The outcome was nothing short of jarring; both the first and second Rising Stars were sent hurtling through several trees as if they were mere ragdolls.


    "Ah!"


    "Fuck!"


    "Light Magic: Grand Cannon!"


    With her magic staff aimed directly at Koko''s injured shoulder, Amber unleashed a solid beam of light at a speed so astonishing that even the Pink Rank Magic Beast couldn''t match.


    TCHU


    SPLURT


    Despite its fresh wound, which was now spewing blood rapidly, the beast didn''t show any signs of slowing down.


    Instead, it shifted its attention towards two new targets: the two girls who stood at the rear, fulfilling the role of support.


    With their teammates no longer present to protect them, they appeared vulnerable and had become prime targets for the primate''s wrath.


    THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD


    "WHO WHO WHO!" Raising both its arms, one injured and the other still robust, the ape-like beast began pounding its chest with rapid and thunderous thuds, a physical manifestation of its seething rage.


    "Marie." Maintaining her composure, Amber prepared herself for a direct melee confrontation with the beast.


    Her golden eyes remained fixed on the beast, as it started to make swift strides on all fours.


    "On it!" With her mind being forced to work overdrive, Marie summoned numerous purple magic circles wherever the beast stepped, amplifying the gravitational force in each location.


    "Gravity Magic: Ton Zones!"


    Whenever the Koko entered one of the magic circles, it experienced a relentless crushing sensation in its joints and bones, sustaining minor internal damage with every passing moment.


    "GRRR!!"


    Despite this excruciating ordeal, the beast pressed onward, its vision completely consumed by an intense scarlet hue, not from the blood gushing from its eyes, but rather from its insatiable rage.


    ''It won''t stop, I need to set up a barrier.''  Raising her staff, Amber conjured a golden magic circle beneath herself and Marie, forming a solid, translucent golden barrier. This barrier was designed to obstruct the beast''s advances and provide them with protection against any attacks the Koko would inevitably unleash.


    "Light Magic: Salus'' Barrier!"


    BAM BAM BAM


    Upon finally reaching the barrier, the beast showed no hesitation as it unleashed a barrage of strikes, threatening the structural integrity of the barrier with each mighty blow.


    BAM BAM BAM


    "WHOO WHOO WHOO!"


    ''This won''t hold up for long...''


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    "Princess!" With a soft groan, Tarzy roughly pushed Luna off his body without regard for her well-being. He then sprinted forward with a determined stride, racing to protect his childhood friend, driven by his unwavering resolve to shield her from harm.


    "How gentlemanly..." Feeling slightly lightheaded, Luna took a few moments to regain her footing and retrieve her gladius, which had been flung several meters away.


    After securing her weapon, she too joined the dash to protect the only two combatants in their group capable of healing them after the battle.


    BAM BAM BAM


    SHATTER


    Using its healthy arm, the beast finally succeeded in breaking through the light barrier, narrowly missing the caster of the spell with its powerful strike.


    "GRRR!!"


    Confronting the magic knight responsible for the majority of the damage it had sustained throughout the entire battle, the Koko utilized its injured arm to deliver a powerful blow directly to Amber''s chest.


    The force of the blow immediately disarmed her and sent her hurtling towards a nearby tree and, in the process, fractured her sternum.


    CRACK


    "Ah!"


    "Imperial Thunder Arts: Rumbling Slash!"


    GORO GORO


    With her spatha coated in a generous layer of Earthly Aura, Marie executed a powerful slash at the Koko''s hefty arm, cleanly severing its large hand from its forearm.


    SLASH


    This impressive strike was the most significant blow delivered to the beast since the drawn-out battle had begun.


    "GGRRRRHHH!"


    Startled by the searing pain emanating from the stump that was once its hand, the Koko shifted its entire focus to the third imperial princess, its rage reaching its boiling point and teetering on the precipice of utter insanity.


    BUDUMP BUDUMP BUDUMP


    With her heart racing and the blood pounding in her ears, Marie was acutely aware of the consequences her actions had triggered...


    "Princess!" Despite covering a significant amount of ground in those fleeting seconds, Tarzy arrived just a moment too late.


    Using its other hand, the Koko violently grabbed her by the leg and lifted her using its deep green eyes to lock eyes with the girl and exhaled sharply, overwhelming her nose with the horrid stench of its breath.


    "GRRRR!"


    The beast, having captured its prey, didn''t waste any more time.


    It promptly hurled the girl into the air, and not just a few meters upward, but with a force akin to a mere shotput, sending her hurtling through dozens of trees and propelling her hundreds of meters away.


    WHOOSH


    Her life status is immediately unknown to all her comrades present...


    "Princess?" Tears welled up in Tarzy''s eyes as he charged forward, his fury and sorrow matching that of the formidable beast they confronted.


    ''Transformation Magic: Further Augumentation." The magic circle at the center of his chest expanded, and with a determined will, Tarzy caused both his arms to undergo further transformation.


    They grew larger, and the white spikes adorning them became more pronounced and razor-sharp, all the while he continued to lather them in a vibrant blue aura.


    "You WILL pay!" With his voice now taking on a monstrous and distorted quality, Tarzy landed a powerful punch squarely on the beast''s jaw.


    BAM


    This action marking the beginning of a menacing melee confrontation between the beast and beast-like man.


    BAM


    "GRR?!" With blood running down the side of its face, the Koko redirected its attention to the magic knight who dared to challenge it.


    Flashing its sharp, pearly fangs, the Koko launched a devastating punch of its own, directed at Tarzy''s neck.


    WHOOSH


    Demonstrating his superior martial prowess, Tarzy tilted his head skillfully, allowing the attack to narrowly miss him and create an opportunity for him to launch a counterattack.


    BAM


    Opting to execute an uppercut, Tarzy delivered a remarkable blow to the beast''s chin, with the Earthly Aura on his monstrous hands dwindling in the process.


    "WHOO!"


    Utilizing its healthy arm, the Koko managed to swat Tarzy away, resulting in a resounding crack of the first Rising Star''s bones.


    "Shit!"


    CRACK


    "Wind Magic: Bladed tempest!"


    In the air, just behind the beast''s back, Luna had caught up to the first Rising Star. She bided her time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.


    With her outstretched palm and a gray magic circle, she summoned dozens of streaks of wind magic and unleashed several powerful gales toward the Koko.


    This onslaught of wind resulted in numerous deep and shallow cuts on the beast''s back, further exacerbating the wounds she had previously inflicted.


    SLASH SLASH SLASH


    SPLURT SPLURT SPLURT


    "No need to cry, your precious princess will be fine. And if she isn''t she was never worthy of being in my squad anywa-"


    Interrupting Luna''s commentary, the Koko fixed a fierce glare on the girl hovering above.


    With a swift motion, it swung its fist like a hammer, striking the girl with devastating force and sending her tumbling out of the air once again.


    CRACK


    The impact left her with a few broken ribs as she was sent flying.


    "What the actual fuck!" Cursing aloud with blood spilling from her mouth, Luna''s plummet was halted by a nearby tree, preventing a more severe landing.


    BAM


    Rubbing his abdomen gently with the arm that wasn''t holding his rapier, Lutz emitted a formidable Earthly Aura that his weapon quickly absorbed.


    DUMMMM


    Once he had generated the required amount of Aura, he gathered all the strength in his legs, preparing to dash forward and commence his assault.


    "Alexian A-"


    BAM


    Interrupting Lutz''s impending attack and leaving all the remaining combatants stunned, the beast received a powerful kick to its chest, sending it soaring through the air. The appearance of the unexpected figure left the squad members in awe and disbelief...


    The Seventh Rising Star had arrived.


    "If you keep playing with your prey, a scavenger will steal it."

 Outing (8)

    Stepping into the light granted by the small bonfire, Adonis set his gaze on his teammates. The expression on his delicate face was both stern and conflicted, a perfect representation of his thoughts.


    Being the first to notice Adonis'' presence, Jerald scoffed and directed his gaze at the Seventh Rising Star.


    "Vindicta!" Observing the subtle change in Jerald''s demeanor, Vera followed his gaze and fixed her eyes on their comrade.


    "You find anything, Donny?" Wearing a gentle smile that tugged at the edges of his lips, Maxwell softly addressed Adonis, fully aware of the inner turmoil he was experiencing.


    "There''s another group nearby, approximately a kilometer away."


    "Another group?! Did you identify anyone?" Excitedly, Maxwell posed his question.


    "No, but I do know one thing... They''re pretty strong."


    ***


    The next day. 6 AM


    -yawn- Maxwell, rubbing his eyes sleepily, emerged from one of the wooden shelters.


    He immediately directed his gaze towards a tree above, where Adonis was perched, silently observing as the sun slowly crept into the sky.


    "How''d you sleep?" Adonis, with a wholesome smile, snapped his head down to meet his friend''s gaze.


    ***


    8 AM


    Tarzy stood before a fearsome magic beast, both his fists clenched tightly, each adorned with solid metal brass knuckles. He panted heavily, mentally preparing himself to confront the formidable magic beast once more.


    "C''mon, keep up you stupid mutt!" Luna wore a mischievous grin on her delicate face, which was smeared with a mixture of sweat and blood. She dashed forward, her gladius gleaming with a fresh coat of crimson.


    "Stop calling me that!"


    "You two are too childish." Amber, her irritation evident, scoffed. Donned in a long white cloak over a simple leather breastplate pointed a wooden staff adorned with a pink gem at the gorilla-like beast that stood before her.


    "..." Lutz, showing no interest in conversing with his teammates, dashed forward following Luna. His rapier rapidly absorbed the Earthly Aura he consistently exuded.


    "Guys, let''s focus!" Marie, who stood beside Amber with her spatha still hanging by her hip clasped her hands together in preparation to unleash another devastating spell.


    "Who died and made you leader, princess?" Finally, in range of the bone-chilling Pink Rank Magic Beast, Luna slashed at the creature''s mighty arm, intending to sever a couple of its arteries.


    "ARGH!!" The giant gorilla-like beast, its pitch-black fur tinged with a subtle hue of pink and boasting the size of three regular gorillas, grew irritated by not receiving the group''s full attention. In response to Luna''s attack, swung its opposite one toward the girl who dared to harm him.


    "Your breath stinks." Still not respecting the danger she found herself in, Luna abruptly halted her attack on the beast and crouched down.


    While she calmly waited for the incoming strike to pass harmlessly above her head, Luna was suddenly confronted with a harsh reality that shattered her initial expectations.


    Upon realizing that Luna had halted her attack, the beast swiftly used the arm that had been previously targeted to swipe at her once more.


    It executed a coordinated attack, with one arm swiping low and the other high, creating a formidable assault that left Luna with no hope of evasion.


    "Eh?"


    "You''re being sloppy..." Utilizing the arm that held his rapier, Lutz executed a thrust infused with a fresh coating of Gale Magic and further augmented by Earthly Aura.


    "Alexian art: assail!"


    Due to the Koko''s thick hide, it reacted differently to the attack compared to John''s vines, which were immediately obliterated upon impact in the past.


    Instead, the beast was pushed back a few meters, causing its attack on Luna to be dismissed and rendered ineffective.


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    While Lutz''s attack managed to push the beast back, it emerged from the encounter entirely unscathed. The only change lay in its demeanor with a growing sense of impatience and irritation. It had grown weary of toying with the teenage magic knights and was now poised to bring the battle to its conclusion.


    "Yeah yeah, whatever..." Unbothered by her brush with death, Luna locked eyes with the beast, her smile returning as if the odds were not stacked against them.


    "Tricksta, you should take this more seriously." Letting out an irritated sigh, Amber channeled mana through her staff, surging mana through the magic crystal affixed to it.


    As she did so, the pink crystal began to radiate a brilliant and vibrant glow.


    "Oh shut up! I won''t be lectured by number three!"


    "She would''ve been number two if Lutz hadn''t just stepped in to save you," Tarzy interjected.


    "You seem to forget that I''ve already defeated you, you''re nothing more than a placeholder till the second semester when I steal your spot."


    "Don''t be so confident, we weren''t allowed to use magic, weapons, or aura at the time."


    "There''s no way you genuinely believe that you can even compete with me in both categories." Luna scoffed as she fought the urge to laugh uncontrollably.


    "You can discuss your rankings later. Let''s defeat the beast and collect the points." Growing tired of Luna and Tarzy''s incessant bickering, Lutz seized the initiative and dashed forward with the determination to kill the Koko.


    "Agreed." After amassing the necessary amount of mana, Amber aimed her magic staff squarely at the beast and unleashed her spell.


    "Light Magic: Isolated Flashbang."


    Making use of her special magic affinity, Amber conjured a small, golden luminescent sphere that streaked toward the beast at a speed beyond human comprehension.


    In what seemed like an instant, the sphere materialized directly in front of the creature''s visage and erupted with a sudden blinding brilliance, temporarily destroying its vision.


    BANG


    "GRRR!" Thrown into panic by the abrupt loss of its vision, the beast wildly thrashed its limbs in all directions, attempting to ward off any potential threats while it grappled with its temporary blindness.


    "Go!" Announcing the opportunity, Amber brandished her staff in the direction of the beast, readying herself to unleash a second spell, this time a direct attack as opposed to a strategic distraction.


    "How many times do I have to say it, you''re not our leader!" With her brow furrowed in irritation, Luna launched herself forward, her blade ablaze with a bright yellow flame atop a subdued blue hue.


    "Can you not shut up for two minutes?!" As Lutz and Luna raced toward the frenzied  Koko,  Tarzy joined them, his right fist enveloped in Earthly Aura.


    With a dark green magic circle on his chest aiding him, he willed his right arm to undergo a bizarre transformation.


    His already large arms seemed to explode as they not only expanded in size but also underwent a dramatic color shift. His typically tanned skin paled, and thousands of tiny, hair-like spikes sprouted from his enlarged pores.


    "Transformation magic: Partial Transfiguration."


    ''I''ll never get used to that. It''s amazing...'' Marveled by her childhood friend''s magic affinity, Marie readied her offensive spell.


    "Gravity magic: Weight of a dozen!"


    The third imperial princess conjured a purple magic circle where the  Koko  stood.


    Within this circle, she harnessed the power of her magic affinity and created a selective gravitational field that exclusively targeted the beast. This field multiplied the weight the  Koko  had to bear by twelve, resulting in slower movements and inflicting a sharp continuous internal ache, tormenting the creature from within.


    "ARHHH!" Astonishingly, despite the added weight and loss of sight, the creature grew even faster, its newfound speed a product of its heightened fury and desperation.


    Lutz condensed both his Gale Magic and Earthly Aura,  channeling their power to their power to the very tip of his rapier.


    With a swift leap into the air, he positioned himself directly above the beast and drove his sword toward the creature''s shoulder with precision.


    "Alexian art: Puncture!"


    SPLURT


    Lutz successfully pierced the  Koko''s  hide but still fell short of penetrating its bone.


    Despite this, he achieved his objective of both diverting the creature''s attention and partially restricting its mobility.


    "ARRGHH!" Startled by the intense pain radiating from its shoulder, the Koko jerked its head in the direction of the assault.


    Despite its impaired vision, it honed in on the teenager responsible for its injured shoulder and was resolute in its intent to eliminate him immediately.


    With a sudden burst of energy, the beast thrust its opposite arm forward. Even under the effects of the gravity spell, it moved astonishingly faster than the magic knights it engaged.


    Not finding time to sheath his rapier, Lutz pulled his arms closer to his body and prepared to defend himself against the menacing, ape-like creature''s impending onslaught.


    "Seem it''s my turn to save you..."Luna, her face adorned with an ear-to-ear grin, amplified the flame that enveloped her gladius, then unleashed a fierce slash at the creature''s vulnerable rear.


    "Flame Magic: Scorch saber:!"


    SPLATTER


    Despite the girl''s strike inflicting a deep wound on its back, the creature remained undeterred, pressing on with its onslaught on the defenseless teenager who remained mid-air.


    CRUNCH


    When the beast''s colossal fist collided with Lutz''s defense, he was sent hurtling through the air, his once-vibrant cyan eyes now dimming as he fought to maintain consciousness, his arms now emitting a sickening crack as the bones within them fractured.


    "What happened to saving me?" He groaned softly.

 Outing (9)

    "Hehe, walk it off." Unfazed by her comrade''s injuries, Luna let out a casual chuckle. She then unceremoniously raised her blade once more with her usual smirk, preparing her second attack on the Koko.


    "How considerate."


    After dealing with the initial threat posed by Lutz van Alexia, the beast, whose vision was gradually returning, redirected its attention toward the Second Rising Star.


    "ARRR!"


    Luna, once again enveloping her blade in Earthly Aura, executed a vertical slash aimed at the beast''s chest. Her intentions were very clear: to rupture its thick hide and inflict as much damage as possible.


    "I''m also here!" Feeling left out, the First Rising star, Tarzy, also took his turn.


    He coated his transformed right fist in a thick layer of Earthly Aura and lunged forward, aiming to deliver a powerful punch to the Koko''s back.


    Despite facing two separate attacks coming from different directions as well as the looming threat from the two girls who were preparing spells from a distance, the beast''s determination didn''t waver.


    Instead, its rage grew and further fueled its frenzied bloodlust.


    "GRRR" Without a hint of fear, the beast seized the transformed arm of the First Rising Star and swung him with a violent force towards Luna, who posed a significant threat with her blade. This maneuver aimed to eliminate both threats in a single move, and it accomplished this objective with flying colors.


    The outcome was nothing short of jarring; both the first and second Rising Stars were sent hurtling through several trees as if they were mere ragdolls.


    "Ah!"


    "Fuck!"


    "Light Magic: Grand Cannon!"


    With her magic staff aimed directly at Koko''s injured shoulder, Amber unleashed a solid beam of light at a speed so astonishing that even the Pink Rank Magic Beast couldn''t match.


    TCHU


    SPLURT


    Despite its fresh wound, which was now spewing blood rapidly, the beast didn''t show any signs of slowing down.


    Instead, it shifted its attention towards two new targets: the two girls who stood at the rear, fulfilling the role of support.


    With their teammates no longer present to protect them, they appeared vulnerable and had become prime targets for the primate''s wrath.


    THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD


    "WHO WHO WHO!" Raising both its arms, one injured and the other still robust, the ape-like beast began pounding its chest with rapid and thunderous thuds, a physical manifestation of its seething rage.


    "Marie." Maintaining her composure, Amber prepared herself for a direct melee confrontation with the beast.


    Her golden eyes remained fixed on the beast, as it started to make swift strides on all fours.


    "On it!" With her mind being forced to work overdrive, Marie summoned numerous purple magic circles wherever the beast stepped, amplifying the gravitational force in each location.


    "Gravity Magic: Ton Zones!"


    Whenever the Koko entered one of the magic circles, it experienced a relentless crushing sensation in its joints and bones, sustaining minor internal damage with every passing moment.


    "GRRR!!"


    Despite this excruciating ordeal, the beast pressed onward, its vision completely consumed by an intense scarlet hue, not from the blood gushing from its eyes, but rather from its insatiable rage.


    ''It won''t stop, I need to set up a barrier.'' Raising her staff, Amber conjured a golden magic circle beneath herself and Marie, forming a solid, translucent golden barrier. This barrier was designed to obstruct the beast''s advances and provide them with protection against any attacks the Koko would inevitably unleash.


    "Light Magic: Salus'' Barrier!"


    BAM BAM BAM


    Upon finally reaching the barrier, the beast showed no hesitation as it unleashed a barrage of strikes, threatening the structural integrity of the barrier with each mighty blow.


    BAM BAM BAM


    "WHOO WHOO WHOO!"


    ''This won''t hold up for long...''


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    "Princess!" With a soft groan, Tarzy roughly pushed Luna off his body without regard for her well-being. He then sprinted forward with a determined stride, racing to protect his childhood friend, driven by his unwavering resolve to shield her from harm.


    "How gentlemanly..." Feeling slightly lightheaded, Luna took a few moments to regain her footing and retrieve her gladius, which had been flung several meters away.


    After securing her weapon, she too joined the dash to protect the only two combatants in their group capable of healing them after the battle.


    BAM BAM BAM


    SHATTER


    Using its healthy arm, the beast finally succeeded in breaking through the light barrier, narrowly missing the caster of the spell with its powerful strike.


    "GRRR!!"


    Confronting the magic knight responsible for the majority of the damage it had sustained throughout the entire battle, the Koko utilized its injured arm to deliver a powerful blow directly to Amber''s chest.


    The force of the blow immediately disarmed her and sent her hurtling towards a nearby tree and, in the process, fractured her sternum.


    CRACK


    "Ah!"


    "Imperial Thunder Arts: Rumbling Slash!"


    GORO GORO


    With her spatha coated in a generous layer of Earthly Aura, Marie executed a powerful slash at the Koko''s hefty arm, cleanly severing its large hand from its forearm.


    SLASH


    This impressive strike was the most significant blow delivered to the beast since the drawn-out battle had begun.


    "GGRRRRHHH!"


    Startled by the searing pain emanating from the stump that was once its hand, the Koko shifted its entire focus to the third imperial princess, its rage reaching its boiling point and teetering on the precipice of utter insanity.


    BUDUMP BUDUMP BUDUMP


    With her heart racing and the blood pounding in her ears, Marie was acutely aware of the consequences her actions had triggered...


    "Princess!" Despite covering a significant amount of ground in those fleeting seconds, Tarzy arrived just a moment too late.


    Using its other hand, the Koko violently grabbed her by the leg and lifted her using its deep green eyes to lock eyes with the girl and exhaled sharply, overwhelming her nose with the horrid stench of its breath.


    "GRRRR!"


    The beast, having captured its prey, didn''t waste any more time.


    It promptly hurled the girl into the air, and not just a few meters upward, but with a force akin to a mere shotput, sending her hurtling through dozens of trees and propelling her hundreds of meters away.


    WHOOSH


    Her life status is immediately unknown to all her comrades present...


    "Princess?" Tears welled up in Tarzy''s eyes as he charged forward, his fury and sorrow matching that of the formidable beast they confronted.


    ''Transformation Magic: Further Augumentation." The magic circle at the center of his chest expanded, and with a determined will, Tarzy caused both his arms to undergo further transformation.


    They grew larger, and the white spikes adorning them became more pronounced and razor-sharp, all the while he continued to lather them in a vibrant blue aura.


    "You WILL pay!" With his voice now taking on a monstrous and distorted quality, Tarzy landed a powerful punch squarely on the beast''s jaw.


    BAM


    This action marking the beginning of a menacing melee confrontation between the beast and beast-like man.


    BAM


    "GRR?!" With blood running down the side of its face, the Koko redirected its attention to the magic knight who dared to challenge it.


    Flashing its sharp, pearly fangs, the Koko launched a devastating punch of its own, directed at Tarzy''s neck.


    WHOOSH


    Demonstrating his superior martial prowess, Tarzy tilted his head skillfully, allowing the attack to narrowly miss him and create an opportunity for him to launch a counterattack.


    BAM


    Opting to execute an uppercut, Tarzy delivered a remarkable blow to the beast''s chin, with the Earthly Aura on his monstrous hands dwindling in the process.


    "WHOO!"


    Utilizing its healthy arm, the Koko managed to swat Tarzy away, resulting in a resounding crack of the first Rising Star''s bones.


    "Shit!"


    CRACK


    "Wind Magic: Bladed tempest!"


    In the air, just behind the beast''s back, Luna had caught up to the first Rising Star. She bided her time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.


    With her outstretched palm and a gray magic circle, she summoned dozens of streaks of wind magic and unleashed several powerful gales toward the Koko.


    This onslaught of wind resulted in numerous deep and shallow cuts on the beast''s back, further exacerbating the wounds she had previously inflicted.


    SLASH SLASH SLASH


    SPLURT SPLURT SPLURT


    "No need to cry, your precious princess will be fine. And if she isn''t she was never worthy of being in my squad anywa-"


    Interrupting Luna''s commentary, the Koko fixed a fierce glare on the girl hovering above.


    With a swift motion, it swung its fist like a hammer, striking the girl with devastating force and sending her tumbling out of the air once again.


    CRACK


    The impact left her with a few broken ribs as she was sent flying.


    "What the actual fuck!" Cursing aloud with blood spilling from her mouth, Luna''s plummet was halted by a nearby tree, preventing a more severe landing.


    BAM


    Rubbing his abdomen gently with the arm that wasn''t holding his rapier, Lutz emitted a formidable Earthly Aura that his weapon quickly absorbed.


    DUMMMM


    Once he had generated the required amount of Aura, he gathered all the strength in his legs, preparing to dash forward and commence his assault.


    "Alexian A-"


    BAM


    Interrupting Lutz''s impending attack and leaving all the remaining combatants stunned, the beast received a powerful kick to its chest, sending it soaring through the air. The appearance of the unexpected figure left the squad members in awe and disbelief...


    The Seventh Rising Star had arrived.


    "If you keep playing with your prey, a scavenger will steal it."

 Outing (10)

    ***


    Less than a minute ago, approximately 543m away from the fight.


    Having defeated a small group of White Rank Crested Langurs, Adonis'' group meticulously searched through the corpses of the monkey-like Magic Beasts, successfully recovering the white magic crystals embedded within their chests.


    ''Something''s off with Vindicta.'' Casting a concerned look at the teenager they had officially designated as their leader earlier on. Vera clenched the magic crystal tightly before finally dropping it into the foul-smelling sack she held in her right hand.


    "Keep watch..." Raising his head to scrutinize the sky, Adonis narrowed his sharp silver eyes, fixating on something in the distance.


    "Hm?" Taking a few moments longer, Jerald also became aware of the sudden disturbance, his frown deepening in response.


    Without hesitation, he propelled himself into the air, choosing to forgo using any trees as platforms. He soared high into the sky, relying solely on the power of his legs.


    WHOOSH


    "Huh?" Contrary to the alarm felt by both Adonis and Jerald in response to the sensed disturbance, Maxwell, like Vera and the seated Veda, wasn''t taken aback by the presence but rather astonished by their leader''s unexpected movement.


    {Oh no, not her again.}


    As the wind sharply whistled past his ears, Adonis managed to catch the third Imperial princess who was still soaring through the air.


    The force of her flight pushed back even further, leading to a rapid collision with several trees. The branches snapped but failed to penetrate his simple armor, instead, becoming tangled with his breastplate.


    SNAP SNAP SNAP


    Using one of the tree''s thick branches as a foothold, Adonis managed to come to a graceful stop.


    He exhaled sharply and turned his attention to Marie Jupiter, noting something deeply concerning: the color had drained from the girl''s face, and she was coughing up blood uncontrollably.


    {Not a good look for a princess.}


    "Agreed..."


    "W-who?" As she slowly opened her silver eyes, Marie was stunned to discover whose arms she had found herself in.


    "Am I that forgettable?" Adonis let out a sigh before shifting his focus away from the princess, redirecting his attention to his group below.


    "Max, catch!" Unceremoniously, he tossed the girl to his comrade and flashed a soft grin before directing his onyx pupils toward a distant scene.


    "What!?" In a state of panic, Max abandoned his hammer and leaped onto the branch of a nearby tree.


    "Princess?!" He flew through the air, considerably lower than Adonis, and caught the girl, looking at her with a perplexed expression as he recognized the celebrity he now held in his arms.


    "Be careful, she''s royalty. I''ll be back."


    "You''ll be back?"


    "Where are you going?" Screaming at the top of her lungs, Vera looked up at their leader, her once-curious expression now contorted with anger, fueled by jealousy.


    ''He hugged her.''


    "To greet..." Not bothering to glance down at those below, Adonis tensed the muscles in his legs, feet, and toes, causing the soles of his sandals to vibrate violently with the force he gathered.


    BOOM


    Shattering the wooden surface beneath him, Adonis propelled himself forward, soaring through the air and forcing the air particles to part and make way for his passage.


    WHOOSH


    ***


    Present.


    With a soft chuckle, Adonis landed gracefully on the ground, his gaze fixed on the Pink Rank Beast that he had just treated like a mere straw doll.


    ''Koko, a Pink Rank beast on the weaker end... Approximate strength, Tier 8 low tier.''


    {I always knew you were a weasel, but you never struck me as a scavenger.}


    ''I don''t care about the points, I just want to test my strength.''


    {Whatever...It''s injured, so bear that in mind.}


    ''That would be the case, but the angrier the Koko gets, the faster and stronger it gets.''


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    "Huh?!" Stunned by the abrupt arrival of Adonis, Tarzy raised an eyebrow in surprise.


    "Grape?" Her grin widened as Luna recognized her nap buddy, her eyes reflecting hints of friendship and familiarity.


    ''It''s him...'' The image of Adonis folding Maxwell like a pretzel replayed in Lutz''s mind.


    He tightened his grip on his rapier even further, readying himself to redirect his resentment toward their fellow Rising Star rather than the magic beast.


    "Don''t even think about trying to steal our kill, this beast is ours."


    "Then keep up." Adonis let out a mischievous chuckle as he briefly cast a gaze at his childhood best friend, who failed to recognize him.


    With that, he charged forward, his speed surpassing anything the group had demonstrated so far.


    "Grrr!" Growling, the Koko scowled at the boy, its menacing fangs practically begging to tear him to shreds.


    Confronting the beast head-on, Adonis enveloped both his fists in Earthly Aura. While he had managed to land the first blow, the Koko was equally determined to retaliate.


    Instead of waiting for Adonis'' second punch, the Koko swung its healthy arm at the boy''s head in an attempt to sever it from his head, this effort proving fruitless.


    WHOOSH


    Calmly allowing the beast''s arm to pass harmlessly above his head, Adonis wore a frown that reflected his unimpressed state as he awaited the beast''s next move.


    The beast''s next attack was equally as swift, yet it still lacked the intelligent martial technique possessed by the magic knight.


    Using its arm that was now severed from its hand, the beast brought down its hairy limb like a formidable meteor, trying to crush the boy as if he were a mere bug.


    WHOOSH


    Stepping to the side once more to deftly evade the impending blow, Adonis made up his mind to deliver another strike, aiming to further test his physical strength against the Pink Rank Punching Bag.


    Broadening the influence of his Earthly Aura to his right elbow, Adonis landed a powerful blow squarely on the beast''s sturdy abdomen. The impact forced the ape-like creature to involuntarily fold in response to the immense force.


    BANG


    "ARGH!"


    Continuing his relentless onslaught, Adonis wasted no time in taking action.


    With his enhanced fist, he unleashed a terrifying left hook squarely at the beast''s jaw, causing a few of the creature''s fangs to be knocked out from the sheer force of the blow.


    BAM


    ''How disappointing.''


    "I won''t let you land the finishing blow!" Concealing her astonishment at Adonis''s impressive performance, Luna swiftly dashed forward, imbuing her blade with a dazzling, fiery aura using her Flame Magic.


    "That''s one thing we can agree on!" Following closely behind the Second Rising Star, Tarzy charged forward, his transformed arms'' thorns eager to dig into some flesh.


    "..." Utilizing a cyan magic circle to propel himself forward, Lutz surged ahead of both the first and second Rising Stars, his expression marked by determination.


    "I thought you died!" Luna chuckled.


    "Funny..."


    {No need to race, this pussy won''t kill it...}


    ''How supportive.'' Adonis sighed in exasperation as he unleashed a sharp, Earthly Aura-enhanced uppercut to the beast''s chin, prompting a gush of blood to spill from the Koko''s pink lips.


    BAM


    ''This should be enough...'' Adonis'' final attack was strategically designed to knock the beast onto its back, presenting an opportunity for the other squad to deliver the killing blow, a mental hurdle he had yet to overcome.


    Launching himself upwards, Adonis bent his right knee, unleashing a flying knee that connected perfectly with the beast''s nose.


    BAM


    Rendered utterly helpless by Adonis'' relentless combo, the Koko could do nothing but allow its skull to be cracked and be sent sprawling onto its back.


    Although he was physically outclassed by the beast in every aspect, Adonis was able to deal with the beast rather effortlessly, due to one significant factor: intelligence.


    Adonis'' intellect was hundreds of times greater than that of the beast, and he skillfully used this advantage to gain the upper hand.


    While it may have appeared that the boy was easily surpassing the beast in speed, what Adonis was doing was rather simple. He meticulously analyzed every twitch and subtle movement in the beast''s muscles, utilizing these small indicators and facts to accurately predict the creature''s actions and intentions.


    "Wha-" As he continued to absorb Adonis''s attacks and actions, something in Tarzy''s thick skull finally clicked. He realized that Adonis was undeniably more powerful than him, and not by a small margin.


    "Hehe." Identifying Adonis as the new man to beat, Luna couldn''t help but grin as she lost all interest in Tarzy Goliath, the magic knight she had once considered her rival.


    Creating a large platinum magic circle above her head, Luna pressed onward, her gladius still decorated by the lingering Flame magic she had yet to extinguish.


    "Something''s off with him." With her abdomen burning from both the pain of her fractured sternum and an uncomfortable churning in her stomach, Amber whispered, wincing as she aimed her magic crystal at the Koko.


    "..." Alarmed by Adonis'' display of strength, Lutz pressed on, resolute in his determination to deliver the final blow to the beast. He paid no heed to the pain coursing through his now-blow arms as he summoned mana in his right hand and conjured a cyan magic circle.


    "Transformation Magic: Abominable Quills!"


    "Star Magic: Cosmic Sphere!"


    "Light Magic: Pure Howitzer!"


    "Gale Magic: Terrifying Tempest!''


    ***


    Extra Information:


    First-Year Rising Stars'' Magic Affinities:


    Tarzy Goliath: Transformation magic, Special Affinity


    Luna Tricksta: Star magic, Tertiary Affinity (Wind, Earth and Flame)


    Amber Shine: Light magic, Special Affinity


    Lutz van Alexia: Gale magic, Secondary Affinity


    Jerald Cecil: Flame magic, Primary Affinity


    Marie Jupiter: Gravity magic, Special Affinity


    Adonis P. Vindicta: UNKNOWN


    Maxwell Aster: Metal Magic, Secondary Affinity


    John van Ani: Nature magic, Tertiary Affinity (Earth, Water and Wind)


    Wendy Carter: Nature magic, Tertiary Affinity (Earth, Water and Wind)

 Outing (11)

    ''I better move out the way.'' Having heard the other squad casting their spells, Adonis descended with grace behind a gorilla-like creature.


    Without hesitation, he swiftly dashed forward.


    With his mana channelled into both his arms, with aid from the magic circle on his chest, Tarzy steeled his will.


    He commanded multiple quills to shoot forth from both his arms at remarkable speed, targeting the beast to penetrate the Koko''s thick hide.


    SWISH


    Extracting a substantial reserve of mana from the deepest depths of her mana core, Luna followed suit.


    After amassing this potent energy, she channeled it through the platinum magic circle hovering above her, forming a luminous sphere akin to a dazzling star in space.


    This radiant orb moved with astonishing velocity, surging forward at a speed that even exceeded the attack of the First Rising Star.


    WHOOSH


    Using the pink magic crystal nestled at the tip of her staff, Amber harnessed her mana and conjured a substantial orb. Its size grew rapidly till it resembled that of a large sports ball.


    Once it reached its desired dimensions, the ball surged forward so fast that it practically vanished from sight.


    TSHU


    Thrusting his arm forward, Lutz infused his mana into the cyan magic circle. The outcome of the spell was a majestic wind missile that whizzed through the air, propelling itself swiftly toward the Koko.


    WHIZZ


    The initial strike came from Amber, her luminous sphere striking the beast''s right thigh with devastating force as it tumbled backward.


    Following that, Luna''s spell assailed the creature, obliterating its abdomen.


    Next in line was Lutz, who managed to successfully land a blow, his Gale magic missile annihilating the beast''s head in a spectacular fashion.


    Finally, Tarzy''s attack found its mark, albeit slightly trailing behind the group''s spells for a few seconds. It impaled the remains of the creature, firmly pinning it to the ground.


    "Grape!" Failing to waste a moment after the beast''s demise, Luna swiftly empoyed her ignited blade to deliver a slashing attack toward the magic knight positioned just a few meters away.


    "That''s no way to thank someone..." Adonis let out a sigh as he gracefully swayed to the side, effortlessly evading the oncoming blade. With swift and calculated movement, he delivered a light kick to Luna''s abdomen, forcing her to stumble backwards.


    ''She''s injured, there''s no point in fighting her.''


    "Thanking you?! You stole our kill! Now we have to share points with someone who isn''t even in our group!" Pushing the stumbling Luna out of the way, Tarzy charged forward. His arms gradually returning to their regular state as he advanced.


    {Does he realize they would''ve died without you?}


    ''He must still be upset.''


    Upon reaching his target, Tarzy acted swiftly. He seized Adonis by the collar, hoisting him off the ground. His deep green eyes vibrating with intense emotion.


    "Let go of me." Adonis responded sternly, his expression conveying a genuine sense of disinterest and a hint of annoyance.


    "You think you helped?! All you did wa-"


    "I said let go of me..." Adonis grabbed Tarzy''s thick arm, which still bore the sharp quills, although they were now smaller than before.


    SPLURT


    As Adonis gripped Tarzy''s quill-laden arm, his own hand was pierced, leading to a rapid flow of blood. Curiously, Adonis appeared unfazed by the injury.


    However, it was Tarzy who seemed to be in agony. The giant man''s legs buckled under the intense pressure of Adonis'' superior grip, and he lost all sensation in his arm, his eyes widening in astonishment.


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    "Ah!"


    "Your princess is okay, I made sure she was safe... but as I said before, let me go."


    Upon hearing the words of the magic knight within his grasp, Tarzy gradually relaxed.


    His expression shifted from one of angered concern to a mix of relief and... a hint of gratitude?


    "You two wanna attack me too?" After landing gracefully on the ground, Adonis turned his gaze toward both Amber and Lutz.


    "I''d rather not..."


    "Hmph." Unperturbed by Adonis'' cocky remarks, Lutz proceeded toward the corpse of the beast.


    He skillfully used his rapier to extract and secure the pink magic crystal embedded within the Koko''s body.


    ***


    12 hours later.


    "I still don''t understand why we had to team up with THEM." Tarzy, clutching a steel kebab conjured by Maxwell, emitted a menacing snarl, his eyes narrowing as they shifted toward Adonis.


    "Because we made a deal." Sitting on Tarzy''s right, clutching her chest tightly Amber sighed. The PTC''s patience wearing thin with Tarzy''s persistent childish behavior.


    ''I should''ve chosen one of them.''


    "Could you be any dumber? You were there when we made it." Luna let out a scoff as she recalled the conversation they had just a couple of hours ago.


    "Watch your mouth!" Tarzy scowled.


    The agreement, as it stood between Amber and Adonis'' respective groups stated that Adonis would renounce any claim to participating in the battle against Koko.


    This act meant that he would forfeit all the points that were rightfully his. In exchange, Amber would utilize Holy Aura to heal Veda''s injuries.


    "Hehe, is it always like this?" Continuing his habit of overeating the group''s resources, Maxwell devoured a magic beast kebab.


    "Unfortunately..." Lutz let out a sigh, the gentle flicker of the small bonfire complementing his golden hair perfectly.


    "The fuck?" Redirecting his hostility away from Luna and towards the van Alexia noble, Tarzy''s expression turned to a frown, his sense of betrayal evident in his eyes.


    "Get over it."


    "How''s Marie?" Adonis, one of the only two members from the respective groups who remained entirely unscathed voiced his concern, his silver eyes fixing on Amber Shine.


    ''He''s concerned about another girl?'' Vera concealed her scowl as she gazed at the purple-haired teenager who served as their leader.


    ''How dare he call the princess by her first name? I don''t even do that!''


    "Be respectful!" Tarzy growled.


    Disregarding the complaints of the First Rising Star and oblivious to the thoughts of the crimson-haired noble, Amber redirected her attention to Adonis. Her eyes flickered with an unusual curiosity that resembled suspicion.


    "She''s okay, she managed to heal herself using Holy Aura..."


    "Seems useful. Being Blessed..." Adonis shrugged.


    "I mean, it''s okay... Especially when compared to being Cursed." Amber spoke, her pupils located in her golden irises dilating as she closely observed Adonis'' behavior.


    ''She''s fishing.'' Adonis internally chuckled.


    {It means she suspects you.}


    "Well, I guess so..."


    ''Amber, you haven''t changed one bit... Sharp as ever. Don''t worry, I''ll give you a fish soon... Although you WILL have to work harder than that to reel it in.''


    "And what about Veda?" Adonis inquired, his eyes trailing toward the sizable wooden shelter they had constructed.


    "She''s better, like Marie she''s asleep. But Cecil is keeping guard."


    "I thought that was your job, you mutt!" Playfully smacking the back of the First Rising Star, Luna let out a giggle before she indulged in another kebab, savoring the bland flavors.


    "Hit me again, I dare you!" Glaring at Luna, Tarzy emitted another growl, his mouth foaming from both his insatiable hunger and his mounting anger directed at the Second Rising Star.


    "I mean... I always do my dares!" Slapping the beastly man once more, this time on the back of his head, Luna''s grin widened further. It was clear that she took delight in tormenting Tarzy.


    "That''s i-" His anger reaching its tipping point, and Tarzy exploded in a surge of rage.


    "You two, stop it." With her voice infused with a threatening hint of Holy Aura, Amber Shine issued a command for the members of her group, specifically targetting the two Rising Stars who continued to behave like cats and dogs. This directive immediately halting Tarzy in his tracks.


    DIMMM


    "What a disloyal dog, sitting even when it isn''t your master commanding you."


    Unintimidated by Amber''s burst of authority, Luna giggled even more and continued with her taunts, undeterred.


    "I could watch this all day!" His voice muffled by the meat in his mouth, Maxwell chuckled.


    ''It has been all day.''


    {It used to be funny, but now it''s just annoying.}


    ''Agreed, even when we fought those White Rank Vipers, all they were interested in was tearing each other apart and competing.''


    {Their childishness can be used against them soon.}


    ''True, it''s becoming troublesome now.''


    "Grape!" Having grown temporarily disinterested in tormenting Tarzy, Luna redirected her attention towards the Seventh Rising Star.


    ''She has a nickname for Vindicta? How close are they?!'' Vera panicked.


    "What''s up?" Confronting Luna Tricksta, Adonis arched an eyebrow, his expression reflecting confusion as he attempted to analyze what the girl might ask.


    He drew upon their previous interactions and the knowledge he had gathered about her.


    "What Tier are you?" Luna posed her question, her eyes brimming with excitement as she eagerly awaited the boy''s response.


    Assessing Adonis''s strength had proven difficult for her, as he had never appeared to go all out, and she had observed him using neither magic nor weapons.


    In her eyes, he remained an enigmatic anomaly, a potential plaything yet to be explored.

 Outing (12)

    "My Tier? Well... to be honest I don''t know." Adonis let out a nervous chuckle, his gaze darting toward the spitfire before him.


    "You don''t know." Amber raised her eyebrows, it was clear she didn''t believe a word he said.


    "Just look into your ''being'' and check, it''s pretty easy. C''mon, hurry up." Her impatience evident, Luna shouted.


    "It''s not that simple." Adonis sighed.


    "Then what is it?" Maxwell, now curious himself, decided to join the interrogation.


    RUSTLE RUSTLE


    {You''re lucky.}


    Alarmed by a sudden movement in the nearby vegetation, everyone in the group except for Adonis turned their attention toward the source of the noise.


    They instinctively drew their weapons, preparing for battle despite their fatigue.


    The creature to exited the foilage and stepped into the light was someone no one would''ve expected to see, well almost everyone.


    Emerging from the foilage, a tall girl with an exquisite rose-beige complexion and captivating orange eyes came into view, her form adorned with dirt, branches, and leaves.


    Her appearance was strikingly distinct from the other magic knights on the expedition.


    Instead of the modernized Roman-style armor, she opted for simple leather attire accented with elegant white fur. Following closely behind her were three fellow young magic knights, dressed similarly and exuding a shared sense of purpose under their leader''s guidance.


    "Hey, One-Shot!" Luna greeted the Tenth Rising star, her voice laced with a subtle hint of disappointment, realizing that it wasn''t a powerful magic beast or monster that had tracked the large group down.


    Upon hearing the dreaded nickname, Wendy''s irritation became evident as she scrunched her eyebrows.


    ''Strange.'' Amber studied the girl with short strawberry-blonde hair in front of them before her eyes drifted to the other members of her group.


    "We never would''ve expected to find such a large group, we just followed the scent of food." Wendy raised her eyebrows and glanced toward the kebab that Maxwell, who now appeared disinterested, held in his hands.


    ''She''s lying, she was following us the whole day, or rather she was lightly tailing Amber''s group and didn''t anticipate that our groups would merge.'' Adonis chuckled to himself and then followed suit, deciding to enjoy the meat along with his oblivious friend.


    "What do you want?" Lutz, his hand still firmly gripping the hilt of his rapier, locked eyes with Wendy, his hostility growing even though they were meeting as allies.


    ''Your instincts have always been amazing, Lutz...'' Adonis nodded in acknowledgment before resuming his silent indulgence in more kebabs alongside Maxwell. Their shared love for food served as the only means of communication between them.


    "How friendly, you joined teamed up with another group yet you''re hostile towards me? Especially a team with commoners!?" Wendy''s grin took on a menacing edge as she fixed her gaze on the Seventh and Eighth Rising Stars.


    Despite her discriminatory attitude, they cheerfully continued to enjoy their meat without paying much heed to her.


    "How do you know Vindicta and Aster aren''t the ones in our group?" Amber raised an eyebrow, setting aside her suspicions about Adonis and shifting her scrutiny toward the tall girl. This newcomer grabbed an empty log and settled in comfortably with her four-person squad.


    "What''re you implying?" Sitting beside Wendy, a male member of Class 1A named Carl, with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, grew defensive. His hostility rivaled that of the Fourth Rising Star.


    "That you were actually following us," Lutz spoke bluntly, his intense gaze locking on Carl''s.


    "That''s a strong accusation. Dontcha'' think?" Leaf, a member of Class 1B, chimed in. The mannish boy had broad shoulders and a burly build, his speech carrying a distinct and strange accent.


    "Could we all just calm down... You''re being loud and there are dangerous beasts nearby. We''ll all just spend the night together and go our separate ways in the morning." Adonis, striving to embody the character he was shaping for himself within the Academy, began to speak.


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    ''They''re all so sloppy.'' He suppressed a disappointed sigh.


    "Vindicta''s right." Supporting her leader, Vera managed a loud whisper.


    "Whatever, let''s just go to bed... It''s late." Her will to fight quelled by her nap buddy, Luna rose from her seat and began to make her way toward the wooden shelter she''d be sharing with Amber.


    ''That''s one loudmouth gone, time to put the others to sleep too...''


    ***


    11 years ago,


    Alex City- Miravulum Kingdom, Empire of Caelum


    A doll-like toddler, donned in brown shorts, black leather shoes, and a simple white shirt, impatiently stood outside a grand stone building.


    KNOCK KNOCK


    With a cheerful smile on his face and his large brown eyes glistening with childish excitement, Oizys knocked on the imposing oversized door.


    The one to open the grand door was a tall woman with flawless tanned skin, clad in a long white dress that accentuated her mature and elegant figure. The lady gazed down with warm black eyes and discovered the excited toddler, forcing a smile to grace her perfect visage.


    "You must be Oizys, all Lutzy does is speak about you!" The woman spoke, her voice exuding a gentle and caring tone that reminded Oizys of his mother.


    ''Lutzy?''


    "Hello Lutz''s mom, can Lutz come out to play?"


    "Yes, he''s on his way. He''s just packing up books he shouldn''t be long."


    "Thank you!"


    A few minutes later, a 4-year-old Lutz van Alexia, dressed similarly to Oizys, emerged from the grand building, wearing a matching grin to his waiting friend.


    "Hi, Oizys!"


    "Lutz!"


    After exchanging simple high fives, a tradition they had developed, the two children turned away from the tall lady and ventured toward the garden adjacent to the grand gate that encircled the Alexia estate.


    "Don''t go far you two, make sure to stay in the estate!"


    "Yes Mom!''


    Having ventured deep enough into the garden to evade the watchful eyes of Lutz''s mom and the numerous butlers, maids, and guards patrolling the estate, Oizys turned to his best friend and flashed a mischievous grin.


    "You ready?"


    "I don''t know Ozzy, I think Mom will be really mad when she finds out that we left the estate," Lutz said nervously.


    "How''s she going to find out?"


    "I don''t know, mother''s always find out." With absolute fear in his eyes, Lutz shuddered.


    "True..." Oizys frowned, the image of Pan Hermes scolding him for not making his bed that morning still fresh in his mind.


    "But, if we never explore we''ll never get to become powerful rangers!" Identifying a way to persuade his indecisive friend, Oizys grinned.


    "You''re right!" Being the simple child that he was, Lutz''s eyes lit up with excitement at the mention of the word "ranger."


    "But how are we going to leave the estate? There are so many people on watch."


    "I have an idea." When Eurodos had dropped him outside the gates earlier that morning, Oizys had seized the chance to scrutinize the estate both from the outside and within. His naturally curious mind couldn''t resist this opportunity and had meticulously examined it, instinctively searching for any vulnerabilities. Now, he was determined to exploit these vulnerabilities to make a relatively undetected escape...


    {Wake up dumbass.}


    ***


    The present.


    Guided by the surprisingly friendly counsel of the Devil God, Adonis snapped awake to a terrifying sight¡ªa fearsome one, yet one he had anticipated nonetheless.


    ''They move quickly.''


    The purple-haired youth discovered himself ensnared by massive vines that sought to constrict his every movement.


    As his gaze shifted to the other members of the sizable group, Adonis realized they were all entangled by these thick, magically created vines. Strangely, at their feet lay large empty syringes oozing a mysterious dark green liquid, evidently injected into every one of them.


    "How didn''t you know HE was part of the group!" Wendy screamed.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t check the shelters... Plus, we never anticipated their groups merged." Timidly, Jessie replied, her voice growing weaker with each word.


    "It''s okay, we can just double HIS dosage, no triple it to be safe." Leaf panicked.


    ''So I was right, they''re Norse spies.'' Adonis concluded.


    ***


    Extra Information:


    <Koko>


    Rank: Pink-Blue Rank


    Edible?: No


    Drops: none


    Weaknesses: Blunt force and Elemental magic.


    Behaviour: Typically travels, extremely hostile even to other Kokos.


    Habitat: Forests


    Attacking style: Primarily punch or grab using their massive arms and might employ their legs when desperate.


    Abilities: ''Rage''- The angrier they get the faster and stronger they get. This rage activates when the beasts start beating their chest repeatedly.


    Description: These beasts resemble mutated gorillas, with notably enlarged fangs. They possess black fur with a subtle tinge that reflects their rank; for instance, a Pink Rank Koko exhibits a faint pink hue in its fur. The size of these creatures varies according to their rank, with Pink Rank Kokos being approximately three times the size of regular gorillas, and their strength correlates with their size.


    Note: Like many other magic beasts, Koko also has an inherent rank limit, regardless of the number of magic crystals or humans they absorb.

 Outing (13)

    ''Lord Eos, do you know what they injected us with?'' Maintaining his composure despite the apparent dire situation, Adonis consulted the deity.


    As he did so, the teenager glanced around at his teammates, who were all ensnared by vines and fast asleep.


    {It seems it is a strange combination of Arbor Abomination toxin and Pink Rank Viper venom.}


    ''That''d be pretty potent, they won''t wake up for quite a while unless they experience extreme pain or shock.''


    ''Then why aren''t I asleep?'' Curiously, Adonis inquired, his gaze fixated on the two syringes lying at Jerald''s feet, who were also trapped by the vines.


    {Poison and venom don''t affect you dumbass.}


    ''Why didn''t you tell me this from the beginning!''


    {You didn''t ask.}


    ''Whatever...'' Adonis sighed.


    With her back turned away from the ensnared prodigies, Wendy persisted in consulting the rest of the traitors. In her hands, she held a mirror-like artifact powered by a vivid purple magic crystal.


    "The captain says, they''ll pick us up tomorrow at the meeting point."


    "Does that mean we still need to stay in this scary forest by ourselves?" Leaf voiced his concerns, his tone trembling with fear.


    "Oh grow up!" Carl shouted in irritation, his voice echoing through the tense atmosphere.


    "Shh, what if they wake up." Timidly, Jessie tried to hush her teammates.


    "They won''t so shut up, I''m trying to find a better signal." Wendy raised the magic crystal above her head, dismissing her teammates with a commanding gesture.


    "Leader..."


    "What Carl?"


    "When can we change out of these itchy skins." Carl voiced the issue that had been bothering him since they had begun their covert mission in the Caelum Empire as he scratched his neck.


    "How many times do I have to say it, you can change once we finish the mission."


    "But we''re done, we''ve captured all the first-year Rising Stars."


    "There''s still John van Ani, plus us changing right now will only add further unnecessary risk."


    ''Those magic skins seem pretty useful.'' Adonis acknowledged.


    "John''s group is nearby, there''s no need to be impatient."


    ''This is really uncomfortable.'' Losing interest in the conversation, Adonis attempted to stretch his arms, acknowledging the impressive strength of the vines that held him captive.


    {Just break out.}


    ''That''ll be troublesome, it''ll be strange if I''m the only one unaffected by the mixture.''


    {Just kill them all after you break out.}


    Ignoring the deity''s persistent temptation towards mass homicide, Adonis shifted his gaze to his left, where Amber, the teenage girl, lay sound asleep and ensnared by the vines.


    ''Looks like I''ll be giving you the bait earlier than I expected.'' Adonis sighed.


    {What do you plan on doing Oizys?}


    ''Waking her up.'' Adonis shrugged, his silver eyes subtly vibrating as they began to undergo a gradual transformation.


    {Are you sure that''s wise?}


    ''Since when were you rational?''


    {True, do what you want.}


    His eyes now a fiery shade of orange silver, Adonis sharply exhaled, causing the air in the atmosphere to vibrate violently.


    DEMMMM


    ''Wake up!'' Widening his eyes, Adonis released a massive burst of Wicked Aura, causing everyone around him to feel a seething hot sensation in their abdomens, as they were assaulted by a chilling fear.


    "A Damon?!" Instantly recognizing the aura emanating from Adonis, every member of Wendy''s squad snapped their heads backward to study the trapped First Years, attempting to identify the source of the frightening aura.


    Due to her heightened sensitivity to Demonic energy, granted by her Blessed status, Amber jolted awake from her slumber, breaking free from the hold of the Arbor Abomination toxin and the Viper venom.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ''A Damon?! Who is it?!'' Detecting the wave of Wicked Aura, her golden eyes paled and widened in fear as her pupils darted around.


    Failing to identify the source of the aura due to the close proximity of everyone and Adonis''s even dispersal of it, Amber began to study the situation.


    After careful observation, she came up with a rough assumption of what had happened.


    "Carter!" Amber scowled as she brainstormed a way to escape.


    "Amber?" Still shaken by the burst of Wicked Aura, Wendy gasped.


    "Let us go!"  Her golden eyes glowing with authority, Amber exuded a sharp wave of Holy Aura, designed to intimidate Wendy into obeying her instructions.


    DIMMMMM


    "You''ll have to try harder than that, Amber." Wendy scoffed, summoning two one-handed axes from a storage ring. She gripped them tightly within her grasp, ready to execute Amber if necessary.


    "Light magic: Holy Pillar!"


    Utilizing a magic circle situated above her head, Amber summoned a beam of light that struck all of the entrapped first years.


    The light vaporized the vines, freeing the first years, and consequently, waking every single one of them up.


    ''That makes things much easier.'' Adonis groaned, making it seem as though he had just woken up. He held his head wearily, attempting to blend in with the waking crowd.


    "What happened?" Maxwell groaned, still feeling sluggish from the effects of the substance injected into all of them.


    "Wendy is Norse." Grunting softly, Lutz stood up, his eyes scanning the surroundings as he tried to find his rapier.


    "What makes you so sure?" Stretching his muscular frame, Tarzy questioned the assumptions of his peer.


    "Her weapons idiot," Luna said softly her head pounding repeatedly.


    ''Veda!'' His frown deepened, Jerald looked around, feeling more sluggish than the others and seemingly still heavily affected by the substance.


    ''They took our weapons...'' Lutz acknowledged.


    ''Even though they''re awake, they won''t be able to fight to the best of their ability'' Adonis analyzed.


    ''At least the princess is okay.'' Tarzy exhaled.


    ''The mission was to capture them, but if necessary we have permission to kill.'' Wendy narrowed her eyes, releasing a full burst of her Earthly Aura, showcasing her full power without any concern for attracting nearby magic beasts or monsters.


    DUMMMM


    Vera gasped.


    {Tier 10 high rank.} Eos identified.


    "Do we have permission to engage Wendy?" Carl, who had also summoned his weapon¡ªa large wooden bow¡ªsteeled his resolve.


    He released his menacing aura, ready to stand his ground.


    DUMMMM


    ''Slightly weaker but still stronger than most.''


    "Permission granted, capture alive. Kill if necessary. Remember the priorities are Luna Tricksta, Amber Shine, and Marie Jupiter."


    "Ya."  Leaf whispered, summoning a large steel broadsword that looked perfect in the hands of the burly, green-haired youth.


    "Yes ma''am." With a stern expression and her short blonde hair being tousled by the wind, Jessie summoned a short Viking sword, its blade seemingly hungry for blood.


    "Are you all okay?" Ignoring the powerful opponents who were determined to capture or kill them, Adonis turned to face his comrades who were each internally weighing the odds of survival.


    Under normal conditions, they faced a 65% survival rate. Despite the Norse spies being individually more powerful, they currently outnumbered them 8 to 4 due to Marie and Veda not being in any fighting shape.


    However, due to the effects of the neurotoxin from the Pink Rank Serpent as well as the tranquilizing toxin of the arbor abomination, they were all injected with, the group now stood a 40% chance at survival.


    When considering the compounding factor that the group''s weapons were all taken when they were knocked out, their chances plummeted to a mere 15% survival rate.


    This harsh reality struck them during further deliberation, and for the first time since entering the forest, genuine fear began to grip them. They started losing their composure, with the weakest among them, Vera, being the first to break.


    "What''re we going to do." The shaken Vera whispered, her fear palpable as her eyes drifted towards her leader.


    {What''s your plan?}


    ''It''s rather simple really.'' Adonis shrugged.


    "Run." Turning to the rest of the group, Adonis released a burst of Earthly Aura, carefully crafted to inspire his comrades with a sense of hope.


    DUMMMM


    "What?" Turning her head to the youth, Amber narrowed her brows.


    "I said run, I''ll take care of Wendy. You guys fight the rest, but make sure to get as far as possible." Adonis emphasized, making his intentions more easy to understand.


    ''If he holds off Wendy while we fight the others seven on three. It certainly increases her odds, but that also means that...'' Lutz analyzed the situation carefully, his attention fully focused as he listened to Adonis'' words.


    "Then you''ll die!" Vera screamed, her worry piercing the atmosphere.


    "..." Reaching the same conclusion as both Lutz and Vera, Maxwell grimaced.


    "I''ll stay behind instead." Shaking her head, Amber shot a sharp glare at Wendy.


    "That makes no sense, you''re a ''priority''. Plus you''re a greater asset to both the academy and the Gods."


    "I''ll stay with you, Donny!" Determined to keep his friend alive, Maxwell steeled his resolve, mentally preparing himself for the possibility of death.


    "No, you take Vera and leave. And Jerald, make sure Veda doesn''t engage in battle and rests safely."


    "Okay." Not wanting to spoil the atmosphere by rebelling against his group leader, as he usually would, Jerald nodded in compliance.


    He scooped up Veda gracefully, who merely groaned in response. After gathering the strength in his tight muscles, Jerald burst forward with determined force leaving a sharp imprint in the ground.


    "Wendy!" Leaf panicked as he spotted two of their prey escaping. He quickly turned to his group leader for guidance, his eyes wide with urgency.


    "What''re you waiting for? Chase them!"


    Following orders, Leaf dashed forward, trailing behind the speeding Jerald. His eyes scrunched in determination as he realized the boy was faster than him, despite the added weight he carried.


    "Max! Vera!" His voice filled with authority, Adonis commanded his group members to assist their escaping comrades.


    Without waiting for their leader to issue orders, Carl took the initiative and followed, recognizing that even Leaf couldn''t take on the three of them at once.


    His action triggered a chain reaction. Tarzy held Marie, and then Lutz, Amber, and Luna followed suit. Finally, Jessie joined in, resulting in the entire group leaving Adonis alone with Wendy, exactly as he had initially intended.

 Cain

    "How noble of you to sacrifice yourself like this." Wendy said mockingly as she raised her dual axes, ready to chop up the teenager before her.


    ''Sacrifice?'' Adonis suppressed a chuckle.


    Adonis''s pupils sharpened as they dilated, his focus laser-like on the girl standing in front of him.


    "What''s so funny?" She raised her eyebrows.


    "You know Wendy. Ever since I was born, or rather reborn. I''ve been faced with this constant question."


    ''Reborn?''


    "Are these your last words?"  She asked.


    Ignoring Wendy''s taunt, Adonis raised his right hand and whispered a familiar name under his breath, prompting a rapid beating sound to begin.


    "Minnie."


    PUPUP PUPUP PUPUP PUPUP


    A black blur whizzed through the air until finally, a small bat-like creature, the size of a large rat, landed on his messy Russian violet hair.


    PUPUP PUPUP PUPUP PUPUP


    "Ksk Ksk." Happy to see his owner after days of absence, Minnie growled happily as he stared at Adonis''s palm, fully aware of what he was signaling.


    Wasting no time, Minnie began gagging multiple times until finally, he threw up a small silver ring with a small gem in its center straight into Adonis''s palm.


    "Minnie, go rest in a tree..." Dismissing his pet, Adonis turned his attention back toward Wendy, his gentle visage banished.


    "Sorry about that Wendy, but would you mind humoring me for a bit." Putting on his spatial ring, Adonis spoke flatly, his luminous eyes flickering slowly.


    "Very well carry on." She scoffed, slightly irritated. The only reason she cared to hear out the boy was out of slight curiosity and a growing sense of boredom.


    "Every single time I was confronted with an opponent that threatened me or those I''ve come to care about I''ve been faced with this constant question..." Reminiscing about his previous battles, Adonis frowned.


    "Is it really okay for me to end another''s life? And my answer has always been no."


    "No, because life is precious..."


    "No, because no one deserves to die even if they made mistakes in their life..."


    "No, because I wasn''t raised that way..."


    "No, because I have no right to play executioner...."


    "No, because that would be evil..."


    "No because...."


    "Because..."


    "Because..."


    {You''re a coward.}


    "Yes, because I''m a coward."


    "Because I''m scared, scared to change."


    "Scared to become something that I''ve decided I''m not."


    "Scared that I''d like it... "


    "Scared that I''d enjoy murder and eventually get high off bloodlust. And possessed by an insatiable thirst for blood."


    "This fear has made me make awful decisions, decisions that lead to Naomi losing her mother and decisions that resulted in the suffering of Veda."


    "But I''m done." With the air around him chilling, the boy''s silver irises dulled as if preparing to house something...


    Something deep and sinister.


    {Kukuku!}


    "I''m done making these stupid decisions..."


    "I''m done being scared."


    "I''m done running."


    "I''m done not acting."


    "Are you done speaking as well, geez... Get to the point would ya?" She said irritatedly as she pointed her axes at the boy.


    "What I''m saying Wendy is..."


    "I''m going to kill you." As soon as the words escaped his lips, the air decreased by several degrees, resulting in Wendy experiencing a sharp chilling sensation that struck her all the way to the bones.


    FEAR


    An emotion Adonis had felt dozens of times, an emotion he frequently grappled with and was actively working to not only tame but completely eliminate.


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    However, in the midst of this forest, during this school outing, it wasn''t Adonis P. Vindicta who felt this intense chilling fear.


    It was none other than his opponent, Wendy Carter.


    However, this wasn''t uncommon. Every single foe Adonis had faced thus far had experienced fear.


    But Wendy''s fear was different...


    Every other opponent felt fear for various reasons...


    Quin''s fear was based on strength; he feared Adonis''s power and potential and also feared losing his own strength and position of power.


    The goblins had felt fear when facing Adonis, too, as they feared his overwhelming strength.


    Wendy, on the other hand, feared death...


    She was the first person to ever experience it...


    The overwhelming bloodlust exuded by Adonis P. Vindicta, and she certainly wouldn''t be the last.


    DUMMMMMM


    {Don''t chicken out, Oizys.}


    His silver eyes were dull, seeing nothing but the target in front of him.


    His ears burned, absorbing every single sound that came his way.


    The taste in his mouth was bitter, a representation of how he internally felt about the deed he was about to commit.


    The leaves, soil, and water - every single thing that facilitated life in the forest - continued to make themselves known by giving up their distinct scents to him.


    His chest, instead of feeling the usual burning hot sensation that usually assaulted him, was nowhere to be found, replaced by an empty coldness. His heart wasn''t in the slightest heavy; in fact, it was light, eerily light, as if it was preparing to house something deep within it.


    Adonis had successfully prepared himself for the deed; he had created an adequate amount of space for IT.


    A void.


    ***


    Wendy instinctively leaped backward, gulping nervously, her fear palpable.


    "Nature magic: Freyr''s Mayhem!"


    Channeling mana through a green magic circle on the ground, Wendy unleashed a devastating magic spell.


    Upon the announcement of the magic spell, multiple plants erupted from the ground, ranging from wild vines adorned with deadly thorns to blooming bright flowers with sharp petals, all the way to thin roots that threatened to constrict anyone who dared to come near.


    Oddly, despite facing grave danger, Adonis didn''t even bat an eye. Instead, he used his spatial ring to summon his chokuto - a straight, single-edged Japanese sword with a flat onyx wooden handle.


    CLICK


    After unsheathing the blade unceremoniously, Adonis dashed forward, his sandals leaving deep dents in the soil he stepped in.


    Without bothering to cover the blade in Earthly Aura, Adonis struck the wild vegetation, treating the effects of the dangerous spell as nothing more than mere weeds.


    SLASH


    SHING


    HACK


    With a solemn expression plastered on his face, Adonis tore through the foilage like a menacing whirlwind.


    When a large root approached his head, threatening to ensnare him for the rest of the vegetation to attack, Adonis utilized a vertical slash to cut straight through.


    SHING


    ''He''s strong!'' Feeling further threatened by Adonis'' strength, Wendy involuntarily took another step backward as she summoned a blue magic circle above her head.


    "Water Magic: Aqua Bullets!"


    Emerging from the magic circle were four small water projectiles, all exiting at frightening speeds, heading toward Adonis''s head, stomach, and legs.


    Exhaling sharply, Adonis shifted his gaze toward a large petal that rotated rapidly toward him, threatening to divide him into two different sections.


    As soon as he noticed the bullets heading his way, he sighed tiredly before easily dealing with the flower, dissecting it into five different pieces using his silver blade.


    Seeing that he had more vegetation to deal with before addressing the bullets, Adonis acted swiftly.


    He coated his sword in Earthly Aura and slashed casually, causing Wendy''s initial spell to be dismissed.


    Since he had held off on engaging the water bullets for a long time, they were dangerously close to him, threatening to pierce through several parts of his body.


    Increasing his pace, Adonis dashed forward, analyzing the trajectory of every single bullet, predicting their path, and acting accordingly. His movements were precise, his responses lightning-fast, as he deftly avoided each oncoming projectile.


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    "What?!" Her composure now shattered, Wendy panicked and summoned a brown magic circle on the soil in front of her as Adonis approached.


    Using Earth Magic, Wendy erected a thick wall of stone straight out of the ground. The spell was designed to separate her from the bloodthirsty boy, giving her time to think over her strategy and possibly retreat.


    "Earth Magic: Jord''s Protecti-"


    "Supreme Devil Art..."


    "Divine Divider!" Holding his blade in a reverse sword grip and steadily supplying it with a generous coat of Earthly Aura, Adonis horizontally cut through both the wall and Wendy as if they were mere sticks of butter.


    {Kukuku...}


    Unable to hear the menacing chuckles of the Devil God within him, Adonis commanded his blade to disappear into his spatial ring.


    Having killed his opponent, he was forced to deal with his thoughts once more...


    DRIP DRIP DRIP


    Adonis''s solemn expression hardened, his eyes growing duller by the moment as he absorbed the deed he had just committed.


    With tears running down his face, Adonis looked down at the severed human before him, the blood and intestines of the girl causing a twisting sensation in his stomach.


    "..."


    {Well done Oizys. You did well.}


    GROWL


    Hearing the shrill growl coming from his right, Adonis rotated his neck, setting his gaze upon a pack of White Rank Sonic Wolves who lacked an Alpha.


    The Sonic Wolves, who had been minding their business, smelled the scent of blood and followed, obeying their animal instinct. Despite the corpse at Adonis''s feet, they showed no interest in the deceased Wendy. Instead, they directed their attention towards the alive Adonis.


    They wanted fresh meat, and they wanted to kill it themselves.


    ''Please don''t make me kill you.''


    "LEAVE!" Adonis commanded as he exerted a sharp burst of Earthly Aura designed to fend off the magic beasts.


    DUMMMMM


    Despite the terrifying aura of the silver-eyed boy, the beasts'' will to kill overwhelmed their instinctual fear.


    GROWL


    "I won''t warn you twice,"  Adonis said menacingly, exuding his bloodlust once more, preparing to engage in battle once again.

 Five minutes

    GROWL


    With clenched fists, Adonis readied himself for battle, his determination evident.


    He decided there was no need to stain his blade once more.


    DUMMM


    Exerting a small wave of Earthly Aura, Adonis dashed forward, prepared to display his overwhelming might to the magic beasts that dared to challenge him.


    BAM


    Engaging all five White Rank beasts simultaneously, Adonis unleashed his first strike upon an unfortunate creature obstructing his way.


    With a powerful punch, he landed a sharp cross on the beast''s head, reducing it to nothing but a crimson paste.


    SPLATTER


    Witnessing their comrade reduced to a headless body, the beasts shuddered in horror. Their insatiable hunger faded, replaced by an overwhelming sense of fear.


    "Don''t change your mind now... I gave you your chance earlier."


    "Now you die." Tears streamed down Adonis''s pale cheeks as he confronted the whimpering beasts. His silver eyes, once sharp and lively, were now dulled and filled with a bloodlust that seemed insatiable.


    Despite the beasts taking slow, fearful steps backward, Adonis surged forward with unwavering determination, intent on tearing them apart.


    Realizing they had no other option, the beasts leapt forward simultaneously, jaws agape and claws outstretched.


    GROWL


    BAM


    Adonis swiftly employed his leg, delivering a sharp kick that cleanly severed the head of a sonic wolf from its shoulders, paying no heed to the state of his armour now drenched in crimson.


    Undeterred by the shower of metallic blood, Adonis pressed on. Another beast, attempting to sink its powerful jaws into his throat, found Adonis unflinching.


    With unyielding resolve, he thrust his strong fingers into the beast''s throat and exhaled, employing his muscles to pull in opposite directions, effectively ripping the beast''s head apart.


    RIP


    SPLURT


    Without pausing to mourn its fallen comrade, the magic beast charged forward, pouncing with its claws aimed to impale Adonis''s leather breastplate.


    AWOOOO


    When the beast was just three meters away from Adonis, it unleashed a terrifying wave from its mouth, hurtling forward at a devastating speed, aimed straight for his chest.


    "You''re next." His fist throbbing from the collision with the wolf''s Sonic Howl, Adonis cast a glance at the last remaining wolf, which cowered in fear.


    The moment their eyes met, it turned and dashed away shamelessly, driven solely by the instinct of self-preservation.


    {Aren''t you going to spare it?}


    "Once you start something, you have to finish it... Beast or not." He said coldly.


    Adonis leapt forward, covering the distance effortlessly, and found himself right next to the whimpering beast. Seizing the moment, he struck with precision.


    Employing his left leg, Adonis unleashed a chilling kick aimed at the beast''s vulnerable underbelly. The impact was devastating; upon landing, the beast ruptured as if it were a mere pi?ata, succumbing to his powerful strike.


    SPLURT


    Acknowledging he had successfully vanquished every single Sonic Wolf, Adonis exhaled sharply, his eyes focusing on a nearby tree.


    "Minnie."


    PUPUPUP PUPUPUP


    "Ksk Ksk."


    "Collect, the magic crystals... You may eat as many as you want."


    "Ksk Ksk."


    Following a brief aerial dance of celebration, Adonis'' pet soared towards the corpses of the Sonic wolves, skillfully retrieving the white translucent magic crystals.


    ***


    In a forest teeming with various monsters and magic beasts, Adonis P. Vindicta stood as the sole predator, his prowess and ferocity unmatched by any other creature in the vicinity.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ***


    Approximately 4km away from Adonis.


    After sprinting a great distance, the large group found a suitable hiding spot within a maze of large shrubs, each member carefully controlling their breathing to reduce the chances of being found.


    "This is boring," Luna complained, her eyes fixing on the large green-haired youth who patrolled the forest meticulously, scouring every nook and cranny alongside his comrades.


    ''They''ll find us soon, there''s no point staying passive.'' Feeling slightly sobered up from the effects of the toxic mixture, Lutz turned his head to face Maxwell who was crouched on his right.


    "You." The gears in his head clicking comfortably, Lutz called out the magic knight on his right.


    ''I have a name y''know.''


    "Yeah?" Motivated by the gravity of the situation, Maxwell chose not to address the blonde noble''s rudeness. Instead, he listened intently to what Lutz had to say.


    "How long do your metal objects last?"


    "How long do they last? Well, I guess it depends on how much mana I want to use, the size of it, and how complex it may be."


    "Makes sense... If I asked you to conjure a rapier, would you be able to do it?"


    "Seems easy enough." Prompted by the sudden realization of Lutz''s intentions, a smile manifested itself on the boy''s face.


    "Okay, give me a few minutes..." In response to Lutz''s request, Maxwell opened his palm and summoned a small magic circle. Utilizing this magic circle, Maxwell conjured a long metal rod, precisely matching the dimensions provided by the fellow rising star.


    "Metal Magic: Vulcan''s Creation." He whispered.


    ''It''s blunt.'' Grasping the blunt rapier, Lutz studied it intently, his cyan eyes scanning for imperfections while absorbing its abnormal balance.


    "It''ll only last about ten minutes," Maxwell whispered.


    "This''ll take five..." Disregarding their initial plan, Lutz dashed forward, leaving the hiding spot without any concern for giving away their location.


    RUSTLE


    "Me too! A gladius!" Taking cues from Lutz''s bold move but motivated by primal instincts, Luna who sat next to Amber grinned mischievously.


    "Metal Magic: Vulcan''s Creation." He sighed.


    "What!?" Alarmed by the sudden movement beside her, Amber scowled as she realized Lutz had vanished without a trace.


    "Let him sacrifice himself if he wants..." Tarzy shrugged, redirecting his attention back toward the princess who lay sleeping on his lap.


    "Vindicta..." Hearing the word sacrifice, Vera frowned.


    "Sacrifice? Oh please..." Scoffing at the ridiculous insinuation, Lutz dashed forward toward Carl.


    ''I refuse to die till I''ve done IT.''


    "Lutz!" Snapping his head backwards, his gaze locking onto Lutz''s, Carl grinned, eager to eliminate the new challenger.


    Lutz''s emergence compelled all three spies to direct their attention towards him.


    However, before the fight could escalate into a 3-on-1 situation, Luna and Amber swiftly emerged, with Luna engaging Leaf and Amber confronting Jessie.


    CLANG


    "Luna, I expected this from you... But you Lutz?" Blunt Gladius in hand, Amber clashed with Jessie, the sharp sound of metal reverberating through the forest as their weapons met.


    CLANG


    "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" A similar situation unfolded between Leaf and Luna. Luna scowled, her irritation palpable, as she faced off against her opponent.


    ***


    Ignoring the effects of the venom and poison pumping through his veins, Lutz launched an attack.


    His blunt rapier, enshrouded in a blue aura, Lutz thrust toward the spy''s leather breastplate, aiming to rip apart the magic knight''s armor.


    Unwilling to yield to Lutz''s might, Carl countered passively; he took a large stride backwards, evading the blow entirely.


    Extending his hand, he gathered mana in his right palm as he brought his hand toward the string of his Norse bow.


    Conjuring an arrow made of water and drawing his bow, Carl narrowed his eyes, aiming for the middle of Lutz''s forehead.


    "Water Magic: Thirsty Huntsman!" Enshrouding the steel strings on his large bow in Earthly Aura, Carl let go, shooting a missile of an arrow to pierce through the air.


    ZOOM


    Scowling at the dire situation, Lutz acted swiftly. Tilting his neck at the last possible moment, he narrowly avoided the arrow.


    However, Carl wasn''t left unrewarded for his efforts, as the arrow grazed the left side of Lutz''s forehead, leaving a shallow wound.


    SPLURT


    "Shit!"


    Encouraged by his successful blow, Carl furthered his initiative; Taking a few more steps backwards to gain more space between them.


    Conjuring two new water arrows onto his bow, Carl grinned triumphantly, sure that he''d be the one to emerge victorious.


    ZOOM


    Thrusting his empty left hand forward, Lutz activated a magic circle, channelling his mana.


    With focused intent, he cast a defensive spell designed to dispel the water arrows aimed at him, countering the magical assault with skilful precision.


    "Gale Magic: Shielding Current!"


    WHOOSH


    From the vivid magic circle emerged a powerful tempest, calmly moving through space toward the spy''s arrows.


    It effortlessly dispersed the arrows into mere droplets of water, then back into their original state as lowly mana particles, which eventually dissipated into the atmosphere.


    ''I need to keep the distance between us short.'' Stealing the attacking initiative, Lutz dashed forward, instantly closing the distance between them.


    Using the rapier in his right hand, Lutz thrust forward, targeting his opponent''s leg.


    Acknowledging the potential threat of the attack, Carl defended adequately. Swiftly using his wooden bow, he swung it downwards, targeting Lutz''s rapier and successfully deflecting the blow with a skilful manoeuvre.


    CLING


    Relentlessly assaulting Carl, Lutz swung his left leg, aiming a sharp kick directly at Carl''s liver. The attack was designed to incapacitate the magic knight on the spot, exploiting a vulnerable spot.


    BAM


    Jerking his right elbow to the side, Carl swiftly blocked the attack by assaulting the youth''s leg, effectively neutralizing Lutz''s blow.


    "This might take six minutes instead..."


    ***


    Extra Information:


    Leaf- Earth Magic


    Carl- Water Magic


    Jessie- Lightning Magic

 Lutz vs Carl

    "Six minutes? Don''t be full of yourself, you won''t last that long." Scoffing irritably, Carl used his left leg to deliver a front kick to Lutz''s chest. A simple yet effective attempt at increasing the distance between the two combatants.


    THUD


    Being involuntarily pushed back prompted a deep frown to etch itself on Lutz''s face.


    Following his physical assault, Carl took multiple steps backward while he added the finishing touches to the magic circle he had created above their heads.


    Having exited the range of the mystical attack, Carl unleashed the spell.


    "Water Magic: Lethal Shower!"


    Emerging from the magic circle were hundreds of raindrops, each descending like deadly meteors at unimaginable speeds, creating a frightening onslaught against Lutz.


    Swiftly acknowledging the threat that loomed above him, Lutz snapped his head upwards.


    After taking his time to internally curse, his mind raced to conjure the best solution to counter the imminent danger.


    ''Casting my own spell would be useless and a waste of mana.'' Recognizing the impossibility of dodging each deadly raindrop or casting his own defensive spell, Lutz grit his teeth and tensed his muscles.


    Enshrouding his skin with Earthly Aura, toughening it, Lutz steeled his defenses in preparation for the imminent onslaught.


    "Alexian Armor."


    DRIP DRIP DRIP


    "Fuck!" Instead of instantly puncturing his skin and causing deep gashes upon impact, the raindrops connected with considerable force, resulting in light bruises on the boy''s skin with every impact; evidence of his robust defensive efforts.


    Continuing with his deadly assault, Carl conjured three more water arrows and drew his bow.


    ''He can''t dual cast?'' The moment Carl summoned his water arrows and drew his bow, the previous spell canceled, causing a slight grin to flicker across Lutz''s face.


    Acknowledging that Lutz was now free to move, Carl decided it was time to launch his attack.


    Coating the arrows and his bowstring in Earthly Aura, he released his grip, letting the arrows soar from his bow and pierce through the air with lethal precision.


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    ''I''m running out of stamina, but he''ll run out of mana soon enough...'' Growing fatigued from previously coating his entire body in Earthly Aura and from the effects of the toxins, Lutz frowned while he faced each incoming arrow with increasing difficulty.


    Increasing his travel speed, Lutz darted forward proactively engaging each arrow.


    Reacting quickly to the first arrow aimed at his head, Lutz tilted his neck, expertly dodging it while avoiding taking any damage.


    For the next arrow that targeted his chest, Lutz rotated his entire torso, allowing the arrow to graze his chainmail.


    Lutz wasn''t as fortunate as his previous attempts, he wasn''t able to evade the last arrow aimed at his thigh.


    It comfortably dug itself into his leg, causing blood to splatter outwards, creating a painful deep wound.


    SPLURT


    "Argh!"


    ''All I have to do is get close enough to land one hit... that''s all I need.'' Despite his injured leg, Lutz charged forward while he fed his blunt rapier a generous amount of Earthly Aura.


    "Just give up Lutz!" Conjuring a larger arrow and drawing his bow once more, Carl grinned.


    WHOOSH


    "You''re more annoying than John." Exhaling sharply, Lutz thrust his rapier toward the arrow; instantly destroying it upon collision.


    "Stay away!" Using a magic circle he had plastered on the ground, Carl summoned a giant wave that threatened to wash away Lutz in one go. The powerful body of water surged forward, creating a devastating attack.


    SPLASH


    ''If I get him to use two more large spells, I''ll win.''


    "Gale magic: Mercury''s Maneuver!" Using a small cyan magic circle beneath his boots Lutz summoned a mighty gust of wind that launched him upwards.


    WHOOSH


    Seeing his adversary entirely evade his offensive attack by soaring through the air, Carl frowned.


    "Weasel." Aiming his bow once more, Carl shot another water arrow at the ascending Roman, determined to leave him with no escape route.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "Mercury''s Maneuver!" Repeating the spell once more, Lutz was propelled downward like a frightening torpedo, honing in on his opponent as he effortlessly dodged the incoming arrow.


    "Fuck, just die!" Irritated by the length of the battle, Carl cast another large spell.


    Utilizing a massive magic circle positioned above his head, Carl conjured a giant arrow, its form jagged and seemingly thirsting for blood.


    "Water magic: Ullr''s arrow!"


    ZOOM


    ''What an idiot!'' Seeing the giant arrow hurtling toward him, threatening to demolish his entire abdomen, Lutz sighed and thrust his hand to the side, gathering a substantial amount of mana in his palm.


    "Gale Magic: Sudden Squall!"


    Propelled by the gust of wind he had created, Lutz dodged the arrow midair, displaying remarkable adaptability and agility.


    WHOOSH


    He landed with a graceful thud a few feet away from his opponent, ready to continue the battle despite the throbbing pain in his upper leg.


    ''I need to end this now.'' Steadily feeling the effects of his continued magic use, Carl scowled.


    With a giant leap, Lutz covered the distance between him and his opponent.


    Lutz thrust his rapier forward, preparing to pierce his opponent''s throat and kill them on the spot.


    Reacting adequately, Carl crouched resulting in the needle-like blade entirely missing him.


    SWOOSH


    Using his bow as a melee weapon, Carl counter-attacked; swinging the weapon upwards toward Lutz''s crotch.


    ''Dirty...'' With a swift motion, Lutz forced his leg forward, disarming the spy using his knee. The bow went flying to the side, leaving Carl momentarily defenseless.


    "Wha-"


    Continuing his assault, Lutz showcased his martial superiority by using his opposite leg to deliver a powerful kick square in his opponent''s jaw.


    BAM


    The force sent Carl flying in the opposite direction of his weapon, leaving him momentarily stunned and disoriented.


    "You son of a bitch!" Slamming his hands on the damp soil, Carl created a large blue magic circle, its mystical ruins glowing brightly as he fed the circle more mana by the second.


    "JORMUNGANDR"


    (Meaning World Serpent- A mystical divine beast.)


    Above the magic circle, blue mana particles swirled and mingled, intertwining to form water droplets.


    These droplets gyrated widely, merging into a colossal body of water that stretched to an impressive height of 10 meters.


    As it reached its grand height, the water transformed, taking on terrifying features. The body of water assumed the visage of a grand serpent, its formidable presence ready to swallow anyone who dared to approach...


    "GRRR!"


    "Kill him!" Looking weakened from the rapid loss of mana sustaining the beast caused, Carl screamed, his hands still stuck to the magic circle.


    SLUSH


    Following its caster''s command, the snake made from water charged forward with its jaw agape.


    "ARGHHH!"


    "..." In response to the charging water serpent, Lutz took a quick step to the side, evading the threat posed by the initial attack with nimble agility.


    Unrelenting in his desire to kill, Carl commanded the water serpent to turn around and charge once more, this time at an even more impressive speed, its watery form surging forward with frightening velocity.


    Wincing from the sharp pain in his right thigh, Lutz tilted backward to look at the approaching serpent, his mind working overtime to come up with the most efficient solution.


    "Alexian Arts: Alexian Armor!" Lutz tensed the muscles in his sword arm, further coating the blunt rapier in Earthly Aura.


    When the serpent was close enough to rip him to shreds, Lutz struck.


    His rapier glowed a subtle blue hue as he thrust at the beast''s open mouth, allowing himself to be swallowed whole.


    SLUSH


    "Idiot..." Carl grinned.


    Entering the water serpent, Lutz was forced to hold his breath while he was simultaneously assaulted with hundreds of cuts.


    SPLURT


    SPLURT


    SPLURT


    Grimacing at the pain he was receiving, Lutz summoned a gust of wind beneath his feet using Gale Magic. Efficiently using the wind, he propelled himself forward through the water serpent''s form, his sword arm outstretched and his body straightened.


    As he traveled through the water serpent''s insides, he endured hundreds of shallow wounds on his bare skin. Simultaneously, his Roman armor was destroyed.


    Despite the damage he endured, he was dealing considerable damage as well with his rapier.


    "What''s he doing?" Confused by his adversary''s actions, Carl channeled more magic into the magic circle, causing the speed of the serpent'' inner slashes to increase.


    SLASH


    SLASH


    SLASH


    SLASH


    Simultaneously, the water serpent slammed its body against the ground with considerable force, attempting to crush Lutz beneath its immense weight.


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    "Agh!" Enduring the abuse and exuding an excessive amount of blood from his mouth, nose, and the cuts on his body, Lutz thickened the coating on his rapier and used more Gale magic to propel himself faster.


    Despite the pain and exhaustion, the blonde noble continued his journey through the serpent''s body, destroying it from within.


    "JORMUNGANDR KILL HI-"


    SPLASH


    Carl''s command was abruptly interrupted by his own beast.


    Due to his inefficient mana use, the water serpent was reduced to a mere puddle and a few mana particles before Lutz was able to successfully kill it from within.


    THUD


    Unexpectedly falling to the ground as the beast that had devoured him suddenly evaporated, Lutz stood up, pushing through the sharp pain that pulsed throughout his nearly naked, injured body.


    Lutz''s cyan eyes set on the out-of-breath spy before him, his gaze reflecting one singular emotion.


    Malice.


    "Y-you..." Panting heavily, Carl stood up preparing for a melee clash.


    Moving sluggishly yet determinedly, Lutz dashed forward, rapier in hand, aiming to end the fight in a single blow.


    Reflecting his opponent''s slow movements, Carl took a singular stride, swiftly closing the short distance. Realizing his bow would be more effective than his fists, Carl swung the weapon downward, aiming for Lutz''s head.


    Releasing the tension in his sword arm, Lutz thrust his blunt rapier with considerable force, aiming to puncture his opponent''s throat, his strike fueled by sheer determination.


    SPLURT


    "Four minutes and twenty-three seconds..."

 Leaf or Lief?

    "So I''ve been wondering... Is your actual name Leaf?" Amused at the spy''s ridiculous code name, Luna let out a chuckle before she slashed her gladius diagonally.


    SHING


    "Of course not... My name''s Leif." Sharing Luna''s ridicule Leaf took a swift step backwards, entirely evading the girl''s blade.


    "So your name IS Leaf." Slightly Puzzled, Luna followed, determined to cut him down.


    "IT''S NOT LEAF ITS LEIF!" Irritated by the girl mispronouncing his name, Leaf swung his broadsword vertically, aiming to cleave Luna''s skull into two distinct parts.


    SHING


    "It won''t be that easy!" Her grin widening at the sight of her enraged adversary, Luna took a step to the side.


    "Triksta Technique: White Whirlwind."


    Enshrouding her blade with both Wind Magic and Earthly Aura, Luna traced a spiral-like arc in the air. Concluding her maneuver with a swift slash aimed directly at Leaf''s breastplate.


    SWOOSH


    The combination of speed and the peculiar trajectory of the onslaught made it nigh impossible for Leaf to evade.


    So he simply didn''t try to...


    Acting quickly, Leaf brought both his protected arms forward and coated them in Earthly Aura, improving their resilience.


    SPLURT


    ''Idiot, why didn''t you use your blade.'' Seeing her blade dig itself into Leaf''s arms creating a shallow wound, Luna found herself chuckling.


    Furthering her assault, Luna thrust her foot forward aiming to kick Leaf backwards.


    "Earth Magic: Jord''s Avalanche!"


    "Huh?!"


    Suddenly, a brown magic circle appeared above Luna''s head, a detail she had failed to notice during her physical encounter.


    From within this magic circle, a massive rock, three times her size, emerged, crashing down with considerable force.


    "Smart, but that still won''t be enough." With her mischievous grin unwavering, Luna used her gladius, which emitted a radiant blue glow, to slash upwards.


    Her swift attack sliced the descending rock cleanly in half.


    SLASH


    His aggression knowing no bounds, Leaf swung his broadsword horizontally, aiming for Luna''s waist.


    SWOOSH


    ''Damn, let me breathe Leaf!''


    "Wind Magic: Exhale."


    Drawing mana from her mana core, Luna filled her mouth and lungs to the brim and exhaled sharply.


    The expelled air, propelled her backward, showcasing her sharp thinking and remarkable magic ability.


    ''I need a better name for that spell.'' Capitalizing on the distance that she''d created between them, Luna used the opportunity to catch her breath.


    She took multiple breaths.


    ''The longer I prolong this battle the better, I just need to keep the intensity high.'' Wincing at the throbbing in his arms, Leaf darted forward.


    "Let me rest dammit!"


    Ignoring Luna''s demand, Leaf heaved his broadsword, pulling the blade with great precision, and executing a beautiful diagonal slash that started from the bottom.


    CLANK


    "What happened to chivalry?" Swiftly countering the attack using her gladius to deflect the blade, Luna frowned.


    "Why do you keep ignoring me Leaf?" Responding with an attack of her own, Luna flung her foot at Leaf''s calf executing a precise leg kick.


    "My name''s Lief!" Temporarily tumbled by Luna''s attack, Leaf staggered backward, his countenance reflecting his frustration.


    "That''s what I just said?" Opening her left hand, Luna gathered her mana in her palm.


    Nodding in satisfaction at the amount of mana she''d summoned and controlled in her hand, Luna created a solid ball of flame.


    Wasting no time, Luna hurled to fire ball at her adversary; the fiery sphere sizzling voraciously, hungry for impact.


    WHOOSH


    "Flame magic: Fire Grenade!"


    Placing his hands on a simple magic circle on the ground, Leaf erected a thick earth wall designed to fully embrace Luna''s magic attack and shield him.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Earth Magic: Jord''s Protection!"


    SMASH


    Upon collision, the ball of flame dissipated, but not without leaving its mark on the large wall.


    The once-thick earth wall was reduced to a mere fraction of its original thickness, now comparable to the width of a human hand. Its surface now marred with dozens of smaller cracks, evidence of the intense force inflicted.


    Dismissing the wall and feeling rather confident in his chances of winning, Leaf grinned, his green eyes scanning the forest for his opponent.


    "Where is she?"


    ''Did she run away?'' Narrowing his eyes, Leaf tilted his head, closely studying each individual blade of grass.


    "Come out Lu-"


    BAM


    Upon being hit by a terrifying tempest, Leaf was sent flying, his face unceremoniously colliding with a towering tree.


    "Huh?" With blood involuntarily exiting his broken nose, Leaf abruptly got up, the sudden motion causing him to grow dizzy and weak.


    "Y''know, we were taught to never keep our eyes off of our opponents... I sleep in class and even I know that." Grinning from ear to ear, Luna hung upside down from the tree Leaf found himself staggering beneath.


    She used her legs to swing closer to Leaf with each pendulum-like motion, her face drawing nearer and nearer to his, mischief gleaming in her hazel eyes.


    ''Was she always this fast?!'' Swinging his broadsword horizontally with precision, Leaf grunted in frustration.


    "Your attacks are so repetitive, it''s boring..." Sighing, Luna lifted her head out of harm''s way as if the attack didn''t bother her.


    "Repeti-"


    "Up!" Luna lifted her finger in a commanding gesture, directing the air beneath Leaf''s feet to transform into a propelling breeze.


    Obeying her orders, the mana-infused air particles surged upwards, dragging Leaf along with them.


    WHOOSH


    Cutting Leaf''s flight short, Luna jumped out of the tree and kicked him in the back sending him flying in the opposite direction.


    BAM


    CRASH


    His mouth now filled to the brim with both blood and dirt, Leaf slowly rose after a few moments of groaning over his wounds.


    "What did I say about keeping your eye on your opponent?" Now standing firmly on the earth wall Leaf had erected, Luna shook her head in disappointment.


    ''What the hell is even happening?!'' Leaf gripped his blade tightly in his shaky hands, struggling to comprehend how he got into this predicament.


    Grinning childishly, Luna extended her open palm toward Leaf.


    Dancing in the air in front of her hand were three distinct mana affinities: Earth, Fire, and Wind; despite being very different, they all gyrated in harmony, merging seamlessness into one stunning radiant ball.


    While he watched Luna prepare the spell that would likely mark his death, Leaf couldn''t help but be mesmerized by her use of magic.


    But upon completion of her magic spell, the gears in his head clicked as he realized the chilling reality.


    Throughout their entire battle, Luna Triksta had not struggled one bit, all of this was a game to her.


    The outing.


    The chase.


    And even the concepts of life and death.


    In her dazzling hazel eyes, nothing other than strength and battle mattered.


    This chilling conclusion forced a single thought to enter his heated mind.


    ''She''s crazy...''


    INSANITY


    "Star Magic: First Dwarf."


    BUUURRRR


    Paralyzed by a potent mix of fear and fatigue, Leaf could only watch in horror as the magic spell charged toward him.


    In moments of death, his eyes were blinded by the brilliant light created by the overwhelming force of the impending attack.


    CRASH


    "You were boring, Leaf..."


    ***


    Now unarmed, as the gladius Maxwell had created dissipated into nothingness, Amber stood opposite her blonde adversary.


    Both combatants were visibly exhausted from their prolonged battle, their breaths ragged as they analyzed each other''s physical state.


    ''She should be out of mana by now, plus she''s unarmed... I''ve won.'' Jessie grinned, her deep blue eyes piercing through Amber''s being.


    ''I used too much Holy Aura to rid my body of the toxins, I''m going to faint soon.'' With her hands fixed on her knees, Amber panted.


    Dashing forward with a determined stride and a shortsword gripped firmly in her hand, Jessie grinned with confidence.


    Confident in her victory, Jessie saw delivering the final blow as nothing more than a formality.


    She swung her blade at Amber''s breastplate, aiming to wound her but keep her alive, attempting to accomplish their main objective.


    ''If I catch a PTC, I wonder what the Kjarr would award me with.''


    (Kjarr- Equivalent to an Emperor such as Jupiter.)


    SHING


    Stepping back to completely evade the incoming strike, Amber''s eyebrow twitched.


    Rushing her opponent once more, Jessie coated her blade in a flickering coat of Earthly Aura.


    With her heart pounding due to fatigue, Jessie swung her blade once more. This time, the girl swung it diagonally toward Amber''s legs.


    SHING


    Formulating a plan to swiftly bring the fight to an end, Amber struck the handle of Jessie''s shortsword with precision, successfully deflecting the attack.


    Recognizing this as an opportunity to attack, Amber pounced.


    Clenching her fist and flinging it at Jessie''s temple, Amber scowled.


    Moving her head to the side, Jessie grinned.


    ''Cockiness will be your downfall.'' Using her other arm, Amber launched a frightening uppercut that threatened to knock Jessie out cold.


    Stepping to the side once more, Jessie continued to analyze every single one of Amber''s movements.


    Leaning forward and extending her arm, Amber executed a swift and violent swipe, aiming directly at Jessie''s throat with the intent to kill.


    Evaluating the attack''s speed as insignificant once more, Jessie instinctively leaned backward, confident the strike would never reach her.


    "Light Magic: Ray Saber."


    Just as Amber''s hand was about to pass harmlessly by Jessie''s throat, a sudden burst of radiant light enveloped Amber''s hand.


    In the blink of an eye, the light solidified into a frightening blade hummed with a menacing, mellow tone.


    MMMMMMM


    "Huh?"


    Betraying its holy and pure appearance, the light blade sliced through the air, severing Jessie''s throat which stood in its path.


    The error that led Jessie to her death was her flawed estimation of Amber''s mana reserves.


    While Jessie was aware of Amber''s deep mana capacity granted by her mana depth, she vastly estimated its extent.


    In truth, Amber was far from running out of mana; she hadn''t even begun to feel the effects of the spells she''d repeatedly cast throughout their battle.


    Essentially, Jessie''s demise was caused by a single miscalculation: she not only underestimated Amber''s abilities, but she also failed to understand Amber''s very Essence. The girl who stood, watching the life seep out of her dying body, was no ordinary prodigy of genius. She was the personification of...


    GOD-GIVEN TALENT

 Bloodbath

    2 hours later.


    Following their overwhelming defeat over the undercover dark elves, the large group of first-years continued their journey through the dangerous forest.


    After suffering severe injuries from his encounter with Carl, Lutz was in no state to fight. He joined the other injured magic knights: Veda and Marie, walking slowly at the center of the group while the rest of the team protected them.


    Despite having fewer wounds than Lutz, Amber was also unable to continue fighting.


    The strain caused by her repeated use of Holy Aura, an ability she''d been spamming to heal her teammates, left her in no condition to be useful in battle.


    ''We have one more day in this creepy forest.'' Walking alongside Luna at the front of the group, Vera shuddered, a chilling shiver ran down her spine as she recalled the events that had transpired in the forest.


    "This has been pretty fun..." Sharing the same thoughts yet having completely opposing opinions on the forest as the girl beside her, Luna grinned.


    ''If only we could fight another Pink Rank beast.'' Remembering Adonis'' previous interruption, Luna frowned.


    "What''s wrong?" Noticing the sudden shift in mood in the usually upbeat girl, Maxwell tilted his head curiously.


    "That idiot ruined my fun!"


    "Idiot? Who?"


    ''She''s annoying.'' His heart pounding repeatedly from the effects of the toxin, Jerald scowled.


    "Grape! Once I get a hold of him, I''ll rip him to shreds!"


    ''Vindicta...'' Recalling the seemingly selfless act committed by their leader, Vera hung her head, fighting the urge to cry.


    ''I''m glad he''s dead.'' Rubbing his head in pain, Jerald managed a sly grin.


    "Do you think he''s actually... Y''know?" Although Tarzy and Adonis weren''t necessarily friends, Tarzy didn''t harbour any ill feelings toward him and didn''t wish any harm upon him...


    Or at least harm he didn''t cause.


    "It''s highly unlikely he survived, the aura Wendy showcased proved that she is almost Tier Nine..." Analyzing the situation objectively Lutz spoke calmly, lacking any particular emotion.


    "He could''ve escaped right?" His rationalization overwhelmed by his concern for his friend, Maxwell frowned.


    "If he did then Wendy would''ve caught up to us... And even on the off chance he won, he''d be heavily injured and alone in the forest." Dispelling the fragile hope within Maxwell, Amber shook her head.


    ''He was way different than I first thought.'' Remembering Adonis''s selfless act and the way he saved her, Marie managed a sad smile.


    "SSSSSS"


    Disrupting the thoughts of every single magic knight and answering the internal prayers of the battle-crazed Rising Star, a Pink Rank magic beast made itself known.


    "Huh?" Deepening his frown, Maxwell''s brown eyes fixed themselves on the Pink Rank Konstriktor, that steadily approached.


    The snake-like magic beast was enormous, to say the least.


    Its beautiful white-scaled body with dark brown stripes was as thick as a large tree, its muscles bulging with every slight movement.


    Raising its large head upright, the Konstriktor fixed its radiant pink eyes hungrily on the group of students before it.


    "Fuck." Locking eyes with the magic beast, Lutz frowned, his fatigue evident.


    "What''re you waiting for? Let''s fight!" Grinning, Luna dashed at the giant snake, her hazel eyes dancing excitedly.


    "Earth Magic: Launch Pad!"


    Using a magic circle beneath her feet, Luna willed the earth beneath her feet to rise, propelling herself forward.


    WHOOSH


    "Triksta, wait!" Failing to grab Luna''s hand, Maxwell screamed out the eager Rising Star.


    "Give up, she doesn''t listen." Amber sighed.


    "She''ll learn..." Looking at the beast cautiously, Lutz shook his head.


    "Flame Magic: Scorch Saber."


    Commanding her hand to ignite in a bright yellow flame, Luna flew through the air, aiming for the beast''s head.


    ''Finally, a Pink Rank Magic Be-''


    Bringing her back to reality was the Pink Rank Konstriktor.


    Displaying remarkable agility, the beast swiftly moved its head out of the girl''s path, it shifted its head to the exact spot Luna was about to pass, slamming into her body and sending her flying into a nearby tree.


    BAM


    CRACK


    ''That''s what happens when you sleep through class.'' Tarzy shook his head.


    What Luna failed to realize, or rather was blissfully unaware of, was that the strength of magic beasts, even within the same rank, could vary significantly. Just because two creatures were both Pink Rank didn''t guarantee they were equal in strength.


    The Koko they had battled earlier was comparable to a Tier 8 low-rank magic knight, placing it on the weaker end of the Pink Rank spectrum.


    In contrast, the Konstriktor they were currently engaging was approximately Tier 8 high rank to Tier 7 low rank, making it considerably stronger and faster than the Koko.


    "What the hell?" Groaning softly, Luna glared at the magic beast, her confusion evident at how effortlessly it had swatted her away.


    "We can''t fight it head-on, especially in our current condition," Amber concluded while she steadily extracted energy from her mana core, preparing to launch a magic spell.


    "We need to get out of here." Agreeing with his squad leader, Lutz studied the magic beast.


    "SSSSSSS!"


    "Luna! Get back here."


    "Shut up!" In another attempt to slay the beast, Luna darted forward.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Star Ma-"


    Before Luna could even gather her mana, The beast flung its tail at her.


    WHOOSH


    "Gale magic: Mercury''s maneuver."


    Flying through the air at incredible speed, Lutz intercepted the magic beast, plucking her straight out of the air and preventing her from being swatted away once more.


    "Do you even hear reason?" He sighed.


    "Shut up Four! Let me go!" Kicking about like a child, Luna scowled at Lutz.


    "Amber, now!"


    "Light Magic: Isolated Flashbang!"


    ***


    Having successfully escaped the Pink Rank beast the previous day, the group ventured towards the outskirts of the forest.


    This strategic move aimed to reduce the distance on the last day of their journey.


    Although they had successfully avoided the Pink Rank Magic Beast, their journey was far from easy.


    Along the way, they encountered numerous magic beasts and monsters, most of which were fortunately either Unranked or White Rank.


    Thanks to their combined efforts, the group managed to defeat these creatures rather easily.


    ***


    The Next Day


    Waiting outside the tall fence encircling the forest was Professor Albinus, his face adorning a proud grin while he greeted each first year that exited the forest.


    Some staggered, while covered in frightening injuries while others casually walked out of the forest showing minimal damage.


    Regardless, Professor Albinus along with an assistant collected the students'' magic crystal sacks.


    The two diligently counted each of the students'' crystals, while simultaneously studying them to determine which magic beast they had come from. This meticulous process allowed them to accurately calculate the points to be awarded to each student.


    As the sun began to set, the group of nine led by Amber Shine, finally emerged from the dreaded forest.


    With grim expressions plastered on their faces and injuries covering their bodies, the group stood in line; waiting to hand over their magic crystals to the professor.


    Luna Triksta: 500 points.


    Amber Shine: 435 points.


    Lutz van Alexia: 430 points.


    Maxwell Aster: 325 points.


    Tarzy Goliath: 300 points.


    Vera Stewart: 285 points.


    Jerald Cecil: 265 points.


    Marie Jupiter: 140 points.


    Veda Stewart: 105 points.


    ***


    8 PM


    All the surviving first years stood outside the fence, catching up with their friends and sharing the horror they had experienced. Meanwhile, the injured received medical attention from the academy''s dedicated medical team, tending to their wounds using various potions.


    Covered from head to toe in bandages, Lutz sat peacefully underneath a tree, patiently waiting for the rest of the first years to exit the forest.


    Only then they could finally leave.


    Seated next to him was Maxwell, he too wore bandages, although they were only limited to his head.


    "Why are you next to me?" Facing Maxwell, Lutz frowned.


    "What''s wrong with sitting next to a friend?" He grinned.


    "We''re not frie-"


    "So many injuries, did the forest treat you that badly." John van Ani, dressed in raggedy armour, chuckled.


    Unlike Lutz, he was not injured.


    "Leave, I''m not in the mood John." Realizing who was now in front of him, Lutz scowled, his irritation palpable.


    "How many points did you get Lutz?" Proud of his achievements in the forest, John posed his question, brushing aside Lutz''s dismissive attitude


    -sigh- "Four hundred and thirty..." Knowing John wouldn''t leave him alone unless he shut him up, Lutz answered.


    "Four hundred?!" Astonished by Lutz''s achievements, John widened his eyes.


    "What about you commoner?!" Redirecting his attention to Maxwell, John grinned, aiming to redeem himself by outshining him.


    "Three hundred and twenty-five." He shrugged.


    ''Three hundred and twenty-five?! How many beasts have they fought?!''


    ***


    "Professor."


    "Cadet Shine, is there something wrong?" After calculating the points of all the first-year students, Professor Albinus settled into a wooden chair beside a small table, patiently awaiting more students to emerge from the forest.


    "Yes sir, I have two matters I''d like to report."


    "Is it regarding potential casualties?"


    "Yes sir, as well as a matter of grave  concern for the Empire."


    "For the Empire? I''m listening."


    "When my group was in the forest, we fought a Pink Rank Magic Beast. In this battle, we were aided by a member of another group."


    "That''s not against the rules."


    "I''m well aware sir. The fellow student who helped us was Adonis Vindicta, sir."


    "Adonis?"


    "He''s one of the Rising Stars is he not?" After thinking for a few moments, the Professor finally remembered where he heard the name."


    "Yes sir, after defeating the beast Adonis''s group and mine continued to travel together for the rest of the day. But when we''d set up camp we were approached by another group, led by Wendy Carter. Another Rising Star."


    "This group led by Wendy turned out to be a squad of spies sent by a Norse empire, although I don''t know what was they''re objective, they did attack us."


    "Hmmm... Were you able to determine what Empire they were from?"


    "No sir."


    "Okay, then... Where are these spies now?"


    "We managed to kill, three of their members but..."


    "But?"


    "I believe Wendy, the leader got away."


    "You believe? Did you not see her escape."


    "No sir, Vindicta stayed behind to hold her off while we escaped."


    "I see, so he''s the casualty..."


    "Yes sir."


    ''A first-year who sacrificed himself for his comrades, how noble. The Caelum Empire would''ve been lucky to have you serve it Ado-''


    "Professor! One more student is exiting the forest!" Squinting through the gaps in the metal fence, the assistant noticed a red figure approaching the massive enclosure.


    "A student? Are they alone?"


    "Yes sir!"


    ''A student survived by themselves alone? It must be Wendy. but why would she come here?!'' Startled, Amber turned her head sharply toward the fence, her eyes fixed on the approaching figure.


    ***


    "A student?" Hearing the commotion, Vera who sat next to her bandaged sister and Jerald directed her gaze towards the large fence.


    "It''s mostly likely one of the groups who were closer to the fence, they were probably farming points before they left." Following her sister''s gaze, Veda voiced her opinion.


    "Yeah." Jerald nodded.


    ***


    Her sleep interrupted by the commotion, Luna fell out of a towering tree with a loud thud.


    ***


    "Another student?" Marie, who sat next to Tarzy on a small bench looked at the large fence curiously.


    "Yeah, I''m surprised there are people still in there." He replied.


    ***


    "Hm?" His eyes igniting with hope once more, Maxwell removed his gaze from Jerald and set it on the fence.


    "It''s not him." Lutz dismissed.


    "Not who?" John who refused to leave the two alone, glanced over his shoulder in the fences'' direction.


    ***


    "Who could it be?" Intrigued, Flora fixed her pink eyes on the fence.


    "Does it matter?" Sicily sighed.


    "It''s probably some weak noble who just happened to be lucky." Toni shrugged.


    ***


    The assistant swiftly unlatched the gate in the fence, allowing the mysterious student to pass through.


    As the figure drew nearer, the Assistant''s curiosity turned to horror...


    The silhouette emerging from the forest was unmistakably human, in shape and size, yet something about them was unsettling.


    Their eyes, once the defining feature of humanity, had a wild, feral glint to them.


    The attire they wore was covered in a crimson liquid, rendering it impossible to discern the original shade of their skin or the colour of the armour beneath.


    In their hands, the figure held two heavy sacks, both brimming to the edge and threatening to burst.


    When the figure opened its silver eyes, a sharp gaze met the assistant''s, sending a chilling wave of fear down her spine.


    ***


    Vera''s mind raced as she studied the figure, and suddenly, the pieces fell into place.


    "Vindicta?


    She was correct...


    ***


    Emerging from the depths of the forest was none other than Adonis P. Vindicta.


    The assistant''s spine tingled with dread as she took in the sight before her.


    The boy, typically recognizable by his distinctive purple hair and pale white skin, was now soaked in warm, freshly spilt blood.


    Seeing this, a chilling realization dawned upon her...


    None of the blood belonged to him.


    Cain Saga- End

 Uninvited Guest

    Burning Bush Saga- Begin


    "Just count my points..." Unwilling to engage in any pointless conversation, Adonis placed both sacks on the table, their legs creaking under the weight.


    THUD


    "V-vindicta..." Holding back tears, Vera dashed towards her team leader.


    Adonis glanced at Vera for a few seconds before redirecting his gaze toward the path leading back to the academy.


    Without a word, he walked straight past her.


    "Vindicta?" A tear running down her rosy cheeks, Vera whispered his name.


    "Where''s Wendy?" Amber questioned Adonis, more concerned with the threat toward the Empire as opposed to his well-being.


    Answering Amber''s question with a casual point to the sack on the table, Adonis left, heading straight for his dormitory.


    ''What''s wrong with him?'' Redirecting her attention to the bloody sack on the table, Amber furrowed her brows.


    "Is that really him?" Reluctant to approach his friend, Maxwell watched from a distance.


    ***


    Avoiding everyone who attempted to engage him, Adonis walked along the path.


    "Why''d he point at the sack?" Curious, Amber shuffled towards the struggling table and opened one of the sacks.


    Inside, dozens of white and grey magic crystals awaited.


    As her eyes gazed upon the contents of the sack, she couldn''t help but gasp.


    However, Amber, this gasp didn''t stem from the sheer quantity of magic crystals but rather what rested atop.


    Atop these magic crystals, rested a round, bloodied object that Amber identified immediately.


    It was a head...


    A human head...


    Wendy''s head.


    ***


    3 hours later.


    In a spacious marble bathroom, a tall teenager was seated in a large bathtub filled with steaming water.


    SPLASH


    Ignoring the water rapidly dripping from his hair, Adonis approached the sink near the wall.


    DRIP DRIP DRIP


    "No matter how many times I bathe... I''m still dirty." Gazing deeply into the mirror, Adonis frowned.


    Staring back at him was a tall teenage boy, his perfect porcelain skin tainted by an overwhelming amount of blood as if he had just taken a bath in hell.


    {Dirty? Oizys, you''ve taken five baths. What do you mean you''re dirty?}


    "Do you not see it?" Staring into the eyes of the boy who looked back at him, Adonis deepened his frown.


    {See what?}


    "The blood..."


    {What blood? You washed off all the blood the first time you took a bath.}


    "Look!"


    {At what?}


    "I''m dirty!" Tears running down his face, Adonis gripped his face tightly, threatening to rip off his own flesh.


    {...}


    "The blood of everyone I''ve killed, it won''t wash off." He sobbed.


    KNOCK KNOCK


    Frightened by the sudden knocking at the door, Adonis jumped.


    {Get yourself together, this is pathetic.}


    Ignoring the Devil God, Adonis reluctantly exited the bathroom, heading towards the main door of his large bedroom.


    Standing outside the boy''s door was someone he recognized instantly.


    Seeing Adonis open the door unclothed, the tall young man with burgundy hair leaped back, his crimson eyes widening in horror.


    {Just because you''re traumatized, it doesn''t mean you should go around traumatizing others Oizys.}


    "What do you want?" Looking at the Elder blankly, Adonis posed his question.


    "Would you mind getting dressed first?" Using his hand to cover his eyes, Elder Mars frowned.


    "..." Closing his door and taking a few moments to change, Adonis emerged once more, although this time fully clothed.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    He opted for his usual unassuming attitude, long white pants paired with a short white tunic.


    "So much better." Elder Mars sighed in relief.


    "What do you want?" Repeating his question with a more irritated expression, Adonis frowned.


    "Are you not going to invite me inside?" The vice commander complained.


    "Is this going to be a long visit?"


    "Well, that depends on how much you have to tell me." Smiling, Elder Mars swatted Adonis to the side as if he were a mere child.


    Resisting to attack the Royal vice commander who barged into his room, Adonis scowled.


    "Where do you keep your tea?" Entering Adonis''s kitchen, Elder Mars smiled warmly, making himself at home.


    {What a rude guest.}


    "Go ahead, make yourself at home."


    "Where?" Mishearing Adonis''s sarcasm as a direction, Elder Mars opened a wooden cupboard, diligently searching for the tea.


    "Second cupboard from the top." Taking a seat on his couch, Adonis sighed.


    "Ooo Rooibos! I must say, you have good taste, Adonis." Filling a small cup with tap water, Elder Mars smiled.


    ''He didn''t even offer me a cup.'' Adonis sighed.


    "Speech Magic: Absolute Command, Boil."


    Obeying Elder Mars''s command, the water began vibrating violently.


    SHATTER


    Due to the sudden increase in temperature, the ceramic cup gave up, shattering in the Elder''s hand.


    "Oops." Unbothered by the boiling water that graced his skin, Elder Mars frowned childishly.


    "You better clean that up," Adonis commanded.


    "You''re quite rude Adonis..." Finally opting to use the kettle like a normal person, Elder Mars giggled.


    ''Could say the same about you...''


    "You''re much different than you were the first time I saw you." Increasing the kettle''s heat, Elder Mars placed his hand on his chin.


    "You get rid of those voices yet?" Elder Mars asked.


    "I don''t know what you mean..."


    "Oh well, then that means you haven''t." He shrugged.


    "Why are you even here? I''m sure a vice commander has more to do than drink a first-year''s tea."


    "Surprisingly, I actually have DO have nothing else to d-"


    "That''s not the point, why are you here." Adonis dismissed.


    "Yeah yeah, we''ll get to that in a bit. Relax would ya?" Pouring boiling water through a paper filter into a new cup, Elder Mars brushed off Adonis''s urgency.


    {Is he in any way self-aware?}


    ''He''s always like this.''


    "Forgive me, I never asked. Do you also want a cup?"


    ''This is my home!''


    "No thank you." Suppressing his inner thoughts, Adonis managed a polite reply.


    "Okay." Carrying his cup, Elder Mars walked out of the kitchen and seated himself near a small coffee table in Adonis''s lounge.


    SLURP


    "Ouch! It''s hot!" Removing his mouth from the edge of the ceramic cup, Elder Mars frowned.


    "How long are you going to stay?" Already tired of the Vice Commander, Adonis sighed.


    Purposefully ignoring Adonis''s words, Vice Commander Mars stirred his tea.


    "So, to the reason I''m here." After stirring and blowing on his tea to cool it down, Elder Mars finally spoke.


    "Finally."


    "What do you know about Wendy Carter?" Sharpening his gaze, Elder Mars studied Adonis, his playful demeanor ceasing.


    ''I''m not surprised.''


    "Not much other than she was a Dark Elf, sent to the Caelum Empire."


    "I kinda figured." Shrugging, Elder Mars blew on his tea.


    "Is that all?"


    "Officially, yes."


    "Okay then, may you please lea-" Adonis wasn''t shy to make his irritation known.


    "Now onto the important stuff."


    "You just said that was all?"


    "Yes, academy and Empire matters."


    ''I wonder what it is this time.''


    "What else do you want."


    "Just a few questions to quench my curiosity." Elder Mars shrugged.


    SLURP


    "Ouch! It''s still hot."


    ''Then wait for it to cool down!''


    "Ask away, then get out," Adonis said firmly.


    "Now, Adonis... How did you kill Wendy Carter?"


    "I-I, I cut her body in half." His actions replaying vividly in his mind, Adonis choked.


    "In half? But I heard you only returned with her head."


    "Well, I just cut it off afterwards as proof of death." He shuddered.


    "Makes sense, but that wasn''t my question. All of your teammates said that Wendy was Tier 10 High Rank, are you saying you''re that strong or potentially stronger?"


    "Well, I guess I am." Adonis shrugged.


    "Luna did mention, you''d reply like that."


    "Luna?"


    "Yes, that girl is obsessed with battle." Elder Mars shook his head.


    ''You don''t say?''


    "I''m not going to ask you how strong you really are, because I''m sure you wouldn''t tell me the truth so I''ll ask you a more interesting question."


    "Hm?"


    SLURP


    "Yes... Interesting. If you were to fight every single First-year Rising Star at the same time, how many could you defeat?" Ignoring the burning in his mouth, Elder Mars smirked.


    "Defeat or kill?"


    "Kill." Grinning, Elder Mars clarified his question.


    SLURP


    "All of them." After pondering the scenario for a few moments, Adonis answered the question flatly.


    "Hehe, I like your confidence. But I disagree."


    "And why is that?"


    "You can''t use magic." Emptying the tea into his stomach, Elder Mars shrugged nonchalantly.


    "..." Deep in thought, Adonis tried to pinpoint the moment when Elder Mars had seen right through him.


    sigh  "Let me not take advantage of your hospitality." Elder Mars stood up abruptly and began stretching his stiff limbs, seemingly satisfied with the boy''s expression.


    ''Since when was I being hospital?''


    "Finally, bye."


    "Adonis, a word of advice... You may have made great progress, but you''re nowhere near strong enough. " Before he opened the door to leave, Elder Mars turned to face Adonis.


    "Strong enough? To do what?" Adonis raised his eyebrow.


    "To achieve your goal silly. Whatever it may be. "


    "And what if my goal is to have a simple school life?"


    "If that''s the case then my instincts have been wrong..." Leaving the boy with a few words of wisdom, the young man left the dormitory.


    SLAM


    ''I''ll never get used to the way he acts...''


    {Could say the same for yo-}


    "Wait!" Flinging his door open, Adonis poked his head out the doorway, looking down the long corridor for the Elder.


    SLAM


    Failing to find the Elder and acknowledging it would be impossible to locate him, Adonis slammed his door in frustration.


    "He didn''t clean up his mess!" He glared at the broken cup in the kitchen-like area, his irritation palpable.


    {Kukuku. He also stole your cup.}

 Chase

    "What kind of prince steals tea cups?" Throwing himself onto his bed, Adonis inhaled sharply.


    {That idiot is a prince?}


    "Yes, of the Pugna Kingdom..." He shrugged.


    {Odd.}


    "I know right." Feeling the exhaustion from the outing catch up to him, Adonis pulled the massive duvet over his body.


    {I''m surprised you''re sleeping tonight.}


    "And why is that?"


    {We both know why...}


    ***


    As he lost consciousness, Adonis was transported into one of his favourite memories.


    ***


    Two young boys crawled through a small gap in a large iron fence, successsfully escaping the large van Alexia estate.


    "See Lutz, I told you!" The first boy, with short brown curly hair, emerged first, his small mouth curving into a proud smile.


    "But won''t people notice we''re gone?" Following behind him was a second more timid boy, whose contrasting ;golden mane set him apart.


    " Of course not, no one''s going to be actively looking for us because they''ll think we''re safe inside."


    "If you say so Ozzy..."


    "Good. Now, let''s go exploring!"


    "Okay!" His worries dispelled by the promise of adventure, Lutz grinned.


    ***


    In the woods near the van Alexia estate.


    "Ozzy."Lutz clenched his tiny hands tightly, as if he had trapped something precious.


    "Look what I found!" His cyan eyes were fixed on his friend, anticipation evident in his gaze, eagerly waiting for Oizys to approach.


    "What is it?" Leaping over a small rock, Oizys rushed towards Lutz, curiousity fueling each and every small stride.


    "I don''t know, it looks like a cool bug!"


    "A bug?" Peering over Lutz''s shoulder, Oizys''s eyes bulged, impatiently waiting for him to finally reveal what he held in his hands.


    "Yeah, I think it might be a magic beast." Lutz gleamed, slowly opening his hands.


    Inside the boy''s hands rested a large cricket, devoid of its usual bright green tone instead replaced by a dull, bland grey tone.


    Strangely, instead of long, thin antennae, this insect possessed long horn-like appendages, capable of penetrating through the skin of other creatures within its weight and size class.


    "Lutz, I think this IS a magic beast!" His smile stretching to the edges of his face, Oizys patted his friend''s back enthusiastically.


    "Really?!"


    "Yes! Look at its horns."


    ''Wait... I-it''s a magic beast.'' As the realization set in, Lutz''s smile wavered, gradually transforming into a deep frown.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "KYAAA!" Lutz''s reaction was delayed, but when it finally hit him, he flinched, instantly dropping the insect in fear.


    TUTUT TUTUT


    Startled by Lutz''s sudden movement, the cricket spread its large wings and darted toward his face.


    Frightened by the beast, Oizys, now also terrified, coordinated with Lutz.


    The two boys turned their backs on the creature in unison and began their brisk dash.


    Their tiny legs carried them forward, leaping over small branches, logs, rocks, and any other obstacles that stood in their way.


    "Hehe!" Rapidly running out of breath, Oizys managed a soft chuckle.


    "What''s so funny?!" Irritated that Oizys wasn''t taking this as seriously as him, Lutz scowled as he continued to run as fast as he could.


    "You scream like a girl!" Oizys ridiculed.


    "I do not!"


    "You do too! You were like Kyaaa."


    "I did not say Kyaaa! I scream like a man." His face turning red as a result of anger, embarrassment, fear and fatigue; Lutz continued to sprint.


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    TUTUT TUTUT


    Now, cloesly behind them, the magic beast beat its wings even faster.


    "KYAAA!" Screaming in unison, the scared children sped up.


    His breath ragged, Oizys sprinted, his sole motivations being fear and adranaline.


    As he continued to run, the boy encountered an obstacle in his path; a large log that blocked his way.


    Aided by his arms, the boy gracefully glided over the obstacle, his tiny arms trembling under the weight of his body.


    "Ow!"


    PANT PANT PANT


    Ignoring the subtle throbs in his arms, Oizys rushed forward, not bothering to look back out of fear.


    TUTUT TUTUT


    "Kyaa!" Hearing the dreadful beaating of the insect''s wings, Oizys was instantly refueled with energy, pushing himself to run even faster.


    "Hm?"Noticing he was now the only one screaming, Oizys frowned deeply and turned his head to the right, searching for Lutz.


    "Lutz?" Realizing Lutz was no where to be found, Oizys gasped.


    Succeeding a few seconds of internal debate, Oizys turned his head backward, not only to gauge how close the magic beast was but also to see if he could spot where he might have left Lutz.


    Surprisingly, when he turned his head, his eyes didn''t meet a large winged cricket or even his blonde close friend.


    Chasing the young boy was no longer just a mere unranked magic beast; instead it was now a large horde of magic beasts.


    The large group consisted of a wide variety of magic beasts, including Sonic Wolves, Grey Wolves, Arbor Abominations, a strange crow like creature and dozens of other types of magic creatures. Their total count being over one hundred, but what was even stranger was their condition.


    These creatures weren''t in the slightest healthy; in fact, they were all mortally wounded, bearing various sword or blunt force injuries.


    To make this bizarre situation even weirder, the leader of this group of zombified magic creatures wasn''t just an ordinary magic beast.


    Infact this creature wasn''t even a magic creature.


    This entity was unmistakably human, or atleast that''s how it seemed...


    Although the figure was greatly distorted, Oizys recognized it instantly.


    It was Wendy, Wendy Carty; the first and only human he had ever killed, while the magic creatures behind her were all beings Oizys had exterminated during his time at the outing.


    "What?" After he removed his gaze from the creatures that chased him, Oizys noticed his body had underwent a transformation.


    "Ozzy..."


    His previously short, brown, curly hair had grown long, now covering his entire face and obstructing his vision.


    "Ozzy..."


    His once small frame had transformed, becoming much larger and into a beautiful muscular physique, devoid of any scars exept for a stitched-like marking that wrapped around his neck.


    "Ozzy..."


    In this naked and teenage body, Oizys dashed forwrd. This new form proving more physically capable than his previous immature form, allowing him to maneuver with agility and speed through the forest.


    " Ozzy..."


    "What the fuck is happening?" He whispered, his voice now both deeper and colder.


    Using his hand to sweep away the hair obstructing his vision, Oizys dashed forward, skillfully evading the slashes that Zombified Wendy aimed at his back.


    SLASH SLASH


    "Ozzy..."


    Wendy slashed once more, her movements devoid of intelligence or any martial skill.


    "What the hell do you want from me!" Narrowly avoiding the attacks on his back, Oizys sprinted.


    SLASH SLASH


    As he continued to run, he noticed something weird in the forest''s vegetation a few hundred meters ahead...


    It seemed to stop?


    Not in the sense that the forest''s path led to a river or a path back to civilization, but rather the forest and the entire world seemed to simply cease to exist...


    There was simply no matter, instead it was replaced by a chilling darkness that called out to him.


    "Ozzy..."


    As a consequence of running for a bit longer, he finally reached between the forest and the ''void''.


    The vengeful spirits were unable to cross into the space between the ''void''and the forest, halted by an unseen force.


    The teenage boy abruptly stopped in that space realizing he had two options:


    Be consumed by the vidinctive creatures lead by Wendy, the very people he had killed and who were rightfully angry.


    Or...


    To dive into the void, accept his status as a killer and embrace the unknown, following a path that would undoubtably lead him to becoming something menacing.


    ***


    As he stood in the midst of this crucial decision, he glanced back at Wendy and the magic creatures.


    "Every single one of you..." His eyes hidden by his overgrown hair, Oizys gazed upon every single creature, a hint of recognition flashing in his eyes every time he locked on to a different being.


    "I ended your life, without mercy."


    "I stabbed you."


    "I sliced you open."


    "I decapitated you."


    "Gutted you."


    "Ripped you open."


    "Blew open your skull."


    "...I killed you." The last moments of each life flooded into his mind, creating a whirlwind of emotions within him.


    "Every single one of you..." His face straightened, transforming into a deep scowl filled with hatred and anger, replacing the once-present pity and sympathy.


    "You attacked me with the intention to kill ..."


    "You were all gunning for my head first I never approached you. You were all driven by malice, and you all acted on it."


    "I simply responded with my own malice..." The boy shrugged, his eyes flashing with a strange silver color for a brief second.


    "I''m not saying it''s not my fault..." His brown eyes returned to their regular tone, although now they lacked their usual gentleness.


    "Infact, it is my fault... There was another way..."


    "I could''ve caught you or even i temporarily ncapacitated you... "


    "That would''ve achieved the same effect, yet I still did it..."


    "I chose to kill you."


    "You should be angry, hell you should loathe my very existance..."


    "Fuck, I''m the same... I was killed yet because of my hatred for my killers here, I''m here..."


    "So I won''t blame you for being angry at me."


    "But..."


    "What I will blame you for is getting in my way.You threatened to end my life, threatened to get in the way of my goal..."


    "And that, I can never forgive." He said sternly.


    "I''ll kill anyone who gets in my way."


    Turning away from the creatures with a blank expression, Oizys fell into the darkness, his form becoming lost in the endless abyss.

 Its afterrnoon?

    Drenched in a potent mixture of sweat and tears, Adonis rose from his slumber and looked at his hands.


    The boy''s calloused hands were decorated by a thick coating of blood that never seemed to end.


    "Disgusting..."


    Strangely, whenever the blood dripped, ready to stain the pale sheets, it vanished into thin air, as if it had never exitsted at all.


    DRIP DRIP DRIP


    {Still hallucinating? Just when I was about to congratulate you.}


    Ignoring the deity''s taunts, Adonis studied the blood and clenched his hands tightly.


    "I''ve accepted that I''ve killed, and will kill again... but it doesn''t mean ''they'' have."


    {Who?}


    "Them..." Turning his head to the side, Adonis confronted a horrifying sight.


    Spirits...


    Spirits occupied every corner of his room, standing on the empty floor infront of his bed, seated on his couch, and some even lying right next to him.


    These spirits were beings he knew quite well, everysingle life he had taken, had escaped his nightmare and manifested themselves around him.


    AWOOO


    GROWL


    CHIRP


    BARK


    They screamed, howled, barked, and chirped incessantly.


    Oddly, unlike the spirits of the magical creatures, Wendy remained silent. She merely stood opposite the boy''s bed, staring at him intently.


    Ignoring the spirit that continued to glare at him menacingly, Adonis exited the comfort of his bed and began preparing for himself fot the day ahead.


    After neatly making his spirit infested bed, Adonis headed to his kitchen and casually cleaned up the mess left behind by the Elder.


    Satisfied with with his room''s state, apart from the spirit infestation, he removed all his clothes and stepped into the shower, choosing a quick cleanse opposed to a long bath.


    ***


    25 minutes later.


    Now fully dressed in his school uniform and prepared for the day ahead, Adonis made his way toward the door.


    Just before stepping out, he glanced into the large mirror on his wardrobe out of habit.


    Reflecting back at him was his usual appearance, though oddly he was still drenched in an endless coating of blood. Behind him, the same spirits lurked, following him wherever he went.


    Accepting this was now his life with a soft sigh, Adonis left his dormitory, locking his door behind him.


    ''Am I really that late?'' Noticing there were no students roaming the halls as usual, Adonis shrugged.


    ''Oh well, no breakfast then.''


    ***


    10 minutes later.


    Closing the wooden sliding door behind him, Adonis entered Class 1A. As he gazed upon the vacated seats, a frown creased his forehead, the gears moving at a much slower pace than they usually did.


    "Adonis?" Seated in the large wooden desk in the forefront of the class, Hiram tilted her head confusedly at the boy.


    "Hiram, where''s the rest of the class?" Still perplexed by the odd situation, Adonis approached the assistant.


    "Um, probably still asleep, training or doing whatever?"


    "Whatever? Why aren''t they in class?"


    "Because... It''s the weekend?" Hiram frowned, growing increasingly concerned about Adonis''s forgetfulness.


    "Hehe...Right, the weekend." Scratching his head, embarrased, Adonis diverted his gaze from Hiram.


    "Adonis, are you okay?" Pushing the papers on her desk to the side, Hiram dedicated her full attention to Adonis.


    "Ye-" Stopping himself from lying midsentence, Adonis looked at Hiram, his countenace complicated.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "No, to be honest..."


    "Why? What''s wrong." Under the impression that Adonis would confide in her about his daily school struggles or the typical problems associated with being a teenager, Hiram patiantly waited for the boy''s response.


    "I-I killed, I finally did it. And now I''m being haunted." Rotating his neck, his gaze scanning the room, acknowledging the spirits that now occupied the vacant space.


    "Oh my..." As the person who knew the boy best after the Devil God, Hiram empathized.


    "Adonis... You''re not a bad person." Aware that she wouldn''t be able to offer the boy any words of wisdom, battle advice, or even scold him for his actions, she simply enveloped him.


    She gave the boy a warm, empathetic hug.


    She provided him with the thing he needed most: consolation.


    "I-" Choking on his words and involuntarily crying, Adonis wrapped his arms around Hiram''s waist, leaving himself completely vulnerable.


    {You''re pathetic.}


    After embracing the boy for ten minutes of silence, Hiram lifted her head from his chest and sniffed.


    "Why are you the one crying?" Adonis chuckled and wiped the tears from Hiram''s cheeks.


    "Shut up..." Averting her puffy eyes from the teenaager, Hiram huffed.


    "Hehe, let''s go get breakfast. I''m hungry." Refusing to focus on the gloomy topic, Adonis thought about his stomach.


    "Breakfast?"


    "Yeah, I haven''t eaten all morning. I thought I was late for school." Adonis chuckled, walking towards the door while brushing past the spirits.


    "You realize it''s afternoon right?" Abandoning the paperweek on the desk, Hiram followed closely behind the boy.


    "Afternoon?"


    {Yeah dumbass.}


    ''You knew and you didn''t think to tell me?'' Adonis sighed.


    {You didn''t ask.} The deity shrugged, unbothered by the boy''s irritation.


    "Where are we going, the cafeteria is in the other direction." Hiram asked curiously.


    "There''s this place in the city famous for its panis focacius, I really wanna try it!" Adonis gleamed.


    (Panis focacius- A Roman dish that''s often considered to be pizza''s precursor, is a flatbread topped with a variety of different ingrediants, such as cheeses, meats, vegetables, and more.)


    "Yeah, it''s really good."


    "Huh?!" Feeling betrayed, Adonis abruptly halted in his tracks and turned to face Hiram, his silver eyes softly vibrating with intensity.


    ''She tried it without me?!''


    "Or so I''ve heard..." Averting her gaze from the boy, Hiram chuckled nervously.


    "Hiram... Did you eat it without me?" With every word he spoke, Adonis''s eyes vibrated more violently, gradually abandoning their silver hue and transforming into a piercing shade of orange.


    "Of course not..." Hiram softly muttered out her reply, refusing to meet the boy''s gaze out of guilt.


    "Oh okay..." Choosing to believe her out of pure delusion, Adonis exhaled in relief.


    {What a child.}


    ''I won''t deny that.''


    "C''mon, let''s go!" Grabbing Hiram''s arm, Adonis dahsed out of the academy''s academic block.


    "WAIT!"


    ***


    25 minutes later


    Seated in a small restuarant illuminated by sunlight streaming through massive windows, Adonis sat at a small table opposite Hiram, practically drooling into the plate in front of him.


    {Have some decorum Oizys, the food isn''t going anywhere.}


    "It looks so good!" Ignoring the deity, Adonis fixed his eyes on his plate, studying the food resting on it.


    The fresh flatbread was adorned with the toppings he had meticulously chosen (he had insisted on extra of everything).Its aroma assaulted his nostrils, filling him with a deep sense of rabid hunger, an emotion he was fighting to control...


    A battle he would inevitably lose.


    However, could you blame him?


    Since the beginning of time, man couldn''t fight against his instincts...


    For centuries, no man has been able to totally conquer gluttony.


    So who was he to try to fight it?


    "It smells amazing!"


    "I know right, wait till you taste it." Picking up her cutlery, Hiram smiled gently.


    "What?" Shooting Hiram a glare, Adonis tilted his head intensly.


    "I mean, I''m sure it tastes as good as it smells and looks." Smiling nervously, Hiram yet again averted his gaze from Adonis''s.


    "Let''s dig in!" Choosing to ignore the fact that the young lady had clearly already had the dish before, Adonis lifted up the large flat bread, dismissing the knife and fork on the table.


    {It looks like pizza.}


    ''What''s that?''


    {Nothing, eat your food.}


    ''You don''t have to tell me twice!'' Gladly obeying the deity, Adonis devoured a large chunk of the dish in one bite, causing the melted cheese to stretch elegantly.


    "Divine!"


    {Did Pan ever teach table manners?} He snarled.


    ''She did...'' Ignoring both the deity''s remark and the guilt associated with eating messily, Adonis took another bite, completely devouring the flatbread, reducing it to mere crumbs.


    "More!" Dissatisfied with the quantity of food, Adonis raised his hand to call upon the waiter.


    The boy was determined to devour every last piece of food the restuarant had to offer.


    Hiram calmly placed a neatly cut piece of flatbread into her mouth, unfazed by the boy''s eating habits.


    Unlike the deity, she had come to accept the boy''s excessive appetite and saw it as one of his many quirks.


    "Wow, you guys are really quick!" Adonis couldn''t help but drool on the new plate the waiter placed before him.


    His mouth watered uncontrollably, and with each passing second, his cravings intensified, his desires becoming beastlike.


    ''Maxwell would love this.''


    ''I''m glad he''s kinda back to normal, he looked devasted earlier...'' With a gentle smile, Hiram observed Adonis closely, her concern palpable.


    "What''s up?" Cheese, beef, and grease adorned Adonis''s face as he lifted his gaze from his third plate and looked aat Hiram. When their eyes met, he tilted his head in confusion.


    "N-nothing, you just have food on your face." Turning red with embarrassment, Hiram pushed aside her thoughts.


    "Hm? Where?" Adonis placed his hands on different parts of his face, trying to locate the stray food.


    Seeing his efforts were futile, he arched his brows in frustration.


    "Right here..." Leaning over the table, Hiram gently placed her thumb near his lips, brushing off the chunks of food.

 Candidates

    "Donny?"


    Recognizing the familiar voice, Adonis turned his head.


    "Max?"


    ''Donny? What a cute nickname.'' Tilting her head slightly, Hiram also directed her gaze toward the approaching Rising Star.


    "You look...clean." Despite the chilling memory of Adonis being covered in blood, Maxwell grinned softly, trying to make the situation lighthearted.


    "Yeah, I clean up pretty well." Adonis grinned, swallowing the guilt.


    "I see that." Maxwell smiled.


    "Did you also come here for the Panis focacius?" Remembering the taste of the divine dish, Adonis drooled.


    "Yeah, We''re just waiting for our food." Sharing Adonis''s gluttonous tendencies, Maxwell fought the urge to drool.


    "We?"


    "Yeah..." Turning his head clockwise, Maxwell looked at a table where two people sat peacefuly.


    "You''re here with Veda and Jerald?" Recognizing the people seated at the table Maxwell was looking at, Adonis raised his eyebrows.


    "Yep, but I kind of feel like a third wheel."


    "Third wheel? Does that mean that they?"


    ''They''re fifteen and already dating?! Does that mean Adonis will also start soon?'' Eavesdropping over the boy''s conversation, Hiram grew agitated.


    Adonis pointed at the couple and furrowed his brows in confusion, trying to process what Maxwell was saying.


    "Yep." He nodded.


    "Huh!? When? How?" Intrigued by the possibility of an romantic love story, Adonis directed his full attention towards Maxwell.


    "They said it ''just happened.'' " Maxwell shrugged.


    "Just happened?! I need more information than that." Adonis shook his head.


    ''Just happened?! This generation is bold.'' Pretending to be disinterested, Hiram took another bite.


    "That''s what I said!"


    "We need to get to the bottom of it." Adonis nodded.


    "We do."


    {When¡¯d teenage boys start gossipping this much?}


    ''Lord Eos, you can''t be a teenage boy and not gossip!''


    "By the way Donny, I thought you said you didn''t have any siblings..." Turning his head, Maxwell looked at Hiram then back at Adonis.


    "I don''t?" He shrugged.


    "You and assistant Hiram have the same last name? I thought it was a coincidence at first but now that I see you together..."


    "Well, Hiram''s my wife... Well techinically my fi-"


    "She''s your what?!"


    "My fiancee?"


    "I heard you! But how?!" He''s voice full of envy, Maxwell studied the two of them.


    "It was an arranged marriage." Adonis shrugged, trying to sell the idea.


    "Congrats Donny! You should''ve told me." He grinned.


    "Wait!" His tone suddenly turning solemn, Maxwell gripped Adonis'' shoulders tightly and leaned in.


    "What?"


    "You can''t let Vera know!" He whispered.


    "Vera? Why would she care?"


    "Don''t tell me you''re that dense Adonis, Vera i-"


    "Vera is what?" From behind Maxwell, a sweet, feminine voice laced with aggression questioned sharply.


    "Vera is amazing and I think you two should be much closer!" Stricken with fear, Maxwell turned around nervously, his eyes meeting Veda''s as she stood behind him, her blue eyes ignited.


    "You better not be gossiping about my sister!" Veda screamed, without regard for the setting they were in.


    "Of course not... I was just telling Adonis about how worried we all were. Hehe." Averting his eyes from the girl''s intense gaze, Maxwell wiped the bead of sweat running down his forehead.


    "Are you lying?!" She screamed.


    "Of course not... Right Donny?" Maxwell turned his head, using his eyes to silently plead with Adonis for support.


    ''Don''t bring me into this!''


    "Yeah, I was just saying how I wanted to see her soon. Y''know." Despite his reluctance, Adonis decided to support Maxwell and stepped in to intervene.


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    ''He wants to see me?!'' Pretending she didn''t hear Adonis''s words, Vera suppressed a squeel and spoke rather calmly.


    "Hm? Vindicta, you''re here?" She asked


    "Oh, hey Vera. You''re back from the bathroom?" Seeing this as an opportunity get out of hot water, Maxwell greeted the twin with red hair and eyes warmly.


    "Hm? Vera? I''m glad you''re here." Adonis smiled.


    ''Now I can properly apologize for ignoring her yesterday.''


    ''He''s glad I''m here?! Does that mean he likes me?!'' Hearing Adonis''s words, Vera''s crimson eyes lit up, reshaping themselves into large hearts, brimming with joy.


    ''He''s not good enough for her.'' Veda puffed, noticing the expression on her sister''s face.


    "Don''t you think we should go, we shouldn''t interrupt Adonis on his date." Bothered by the sight of Adonis, Jerald decided to stir up the situation and took Veda back to the table.


    "Date?" Hearing the boy''s words, Vera''s heart seemed to stop, a large lump formed in her throat.


    "No, we''re not on a date." Hiram chuckled, waving her arms in a dismissive gesture, her face turning a bright shade of red, clearly embarressed.


    ''Who the hell is she!?'' Vera fought the urge to rip out Hiram''s throat.


    ''?'' Adonis arched his brows.


    "Why do you guys have to go to a different table? Why don''t we just all eat together?" Adonis asked, ignoring the date debate.


    "No." As Adonis''s words reached Jerald''s ears, he scowled deeply while continuing to walk toward the table.


    Hearing the boy''s words, everyone turned their heads in his direction, each wearing a confused expression.


    "I-I mean, we no we shouldn''t leave." He chuckled nervously.


    {That doesn''t even make sense.}


    ***


    2 hours later.


    After a long meal filled with awkard interations, endearing humor and a bit of messy eating, Adonis, Hiram, Maxwell, Vera, Veda, and Jerald settled their bill left the restuarant.


    The group of teenages and a young lady, wandered through the mesmorizing city of Hero, leisurely strolling along its stone streets.


    As they strolled they admired the stunning architecture that adorned the buildings and indulged in the simple hoy of conversing and window shopping.


    ***


    At the same time, at the academy.


    "This is disgraceful... How did a filthy elf slip in?!" Elder Slyhead, an old man with blue eyes, spat.


    "It doesn''t make sense, the body scan should''ve detected the magic skins." Elder van Crops, a fat short old man, thought.


    "It couldn''t have malfunctioned."Edler Syvian, a middle aged woman with brown hair, concluded.


    "True, its highly unlikely; the margin of error for magic is zero, unless the magic circle was flawed or tampered with."Elder van Love, a lady in her late twenties with Pink eyes, agreed.


    "How''d she manage to pass the background check?" Elder Lez, a middle aged woman with blonde hair, asked.


    "We don''t know, her forged identity was that of a noble and all the details checked out, it doesn''t make sense." Elder van Ox, an old man with brown hair and green eyes, said calmly.


    "All these measures couldn''t fail multiple times for multiple people, something is off here." Elder Mars interjected, his voice standing out among the sea of Elders.


    "What''re you implying?" Elder van Ox asked.


    "It''s obvious, there''s a mole among the academy''s staff..."The PTC replied bluntly.


    "Even so, no regular professor or worker should be able to accomplish the feat of nullifying or measures." Elder Lez determined.


    "Exactly." Elder Syvian agreed.


    "That only makes the situation much worse." Elder van Crops thought.


    "How so?" Elder van Love asked.


    "Then the mole is likely in a high position. Meaning they are probably in this room." Elder Mars spoke with solemnity, his piercing red eyes scanning each elder, sending a shiver down the spine of every person in the room.


    "Preposterous!"


    "Are you suspecting us brat?!"


    KNOCK KNOCK


    "Maybe we can get some answers now." Elder Mars grinned, ignoring the growing tension in the meeting room.


    "Enter." Elder Slyhead commanded.


    Following the elder''s command, Amber Shine entered the meeting chamber.


    "Good afternoon Elders." Bowing her head politely, Amber greeted the adults seated around the crescent-shaped table, noticing the one vacant seat among them.


    ''Elder Hercules isn''t here...''


    "The old man is at a meeting in Minerva right now, don''t worry he''ll be updated accordingly."Elder Mars clarified.


    "Okay."


    "We shouldn''t waste any time, proceed." Elder van Love commanded.


    "Tell us everything."


    "I didn''t get to find much out other than she was a spy along with her comrades..." Amber said firmly, trying to recall any minor detail that would prove useful.


    "Did you atleast get to find out the Empire she belonged to? Elder Slyhead asked.


    "No sir."


    "What about the kid who defeated her?"


    "Vindicta sir, Adonis Vindicta. He is ranked 7th among the rising stars."


    "Who?" Elder Syvian asked.


    "The cocky brat who forfeited before fighting the goblin warrior." Elder van Crops spat.


    "Him? But you said Wendy was 10th Tier High Rank. And he defeated her?" Elder Lez asked.


    "Yes sir, and notably he went on to kill multiple White Rank Magic Beasts and Monsters all by himself."


    "All by himself?" Elder Syvian asked.


    "Hehe." Elder Mars chuckled.


    "Doesn''t that mean he could''ve gathered some intel, he spent the most time with her after all." Elder van Ox asked.


    "He doesn''t." Elder Mars dissmissed the idea.


    "What makes you so sure?"


    "Because I asked him." He shrugged.


    ***


    At an unknown place, at an unknown time.


    "How did the first year outing go at the Hero City magic academy?" A figureless distorted voice lacking any emotion asked.


    "There were naturally many tragedies, but there were quite a few surprises I might say." An identical distorted voice answered.


    "Surprises?"


    "Yes sir, the arbor abominations we enhanced were as predicted a huge problem for a majority of students, but quite a few students managed to deal with them."


    "Who were these students? "


    "As expected the Rising Stars proved to be quite resilieant. Toni Modster and Flora Evergreen, student from Class 1A also surprised us."


    "Hmm, Toni. He''s a commoner is he not?"


    "Yes sir, one who despises the Gods..."


    "Then he is automatically eliminated as a candidate."


    "Fair..."


    "Based off of their performance, points and personality there are five students who are ideal." The subordinate continued.


    "Who are they? We should temporarily add them to our shortlist. "


    "Jerald Cecil, Flora Evergreen, John van Ani, Lutz van Alexia and Adonis P. Vindicta, naturally I''ve ommitted Tarzy Goliath, Marie Jupiter and Amber Shine."


    "Vindicta? I don''t recall any noble houses by that name."


    "Yes sir, he is a commoner. But among the first years he''s proved to be the strongest and has been openly loyal to the Gods, all qualities we need."


    "Very well, keep him on the shortlist... We''ll need to weed it out soon."

 Meal skipping glutton

    Monday, 7:30AM


    Adonis stood in his spirit infested room, carefully fixing his tie while he studyed his reflection.


    Amidst his concentration, the boy deliberately tuned out the screams of the relentless spirits behind him.


    {When are you going to evict those unwanted guests.}


    ''I''m not sure, they''re not that disruptive though. I''m surprised you can see them.''


    {I can see everything you see and more mortal. }


    ''Even when my eyes are closed?''


    {Of course, what do you take me for?}


    ''How does that even work?''


    {I don''t use eyes to see eyes, I see through both our souls and spirits.}


    ''That''s interesting... How come I can''t do it?''


    {Kukuku... Because you''re not the almighty Devil God!}


    ''Whatever.'' Adonis rolled his eyes.


    ''I''m too late for breakfast.'' Now satisfied with his appearance, Adonis turned away from the mirror and made his way toward the door.


    SLAM


    {I''m surprised you''re skipping meals.}


    ''So am I, I''m really hungry.'' Walking through the corridor, Adonis frowned.


    ***


    Adonis stepped inside the classroom and looked around, studying his classmates.


    To his surprise, all eyes were on him, all filled with different emotions.


    "That''s him!"


    "He''s even scarier up close!"


    "I heard he defeated over one hundred monsters in the forest!"


    "That''s bullshit!"


    {Look who''s famous.} The deity said sarcastically.


    ''To be expected, although the attention is troublesome.'' Ignoring the whispers of his peers, Adonis found his seat near the back of the class.


    "Mornin'' Grape." Luna said enthusiastically.


    "Good Morning, do you even know my name?" Adonis frowned.


    "Fight me." Ignoring Adonis''s query, Luna voiced her demand.


    "Huh?" Taken aback by the unexpected demand, Adonis furrowed his brows in confusion.


    "You''re strong right? So fight me!"


    "N-"


    "Good morning, Class A." With great posture and purpose, Professor Fitzburg walked into the classroom, a clipboard held firmly in both hands, Hiram Vindicta following behind her.


    ''There she is!'' Seeing Hiram walk into class, Vera scowled.


    "Good Morning sir!" The class replied in unison.


    "Firstly, well done for your efforts over the weekend. Remarkably, our class had the least amount of casualties, so I congratulate you on that."


    CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP


    "I have quite a few important announcements to make, so if you could all just focus for a bit, I''d appreciate it."


    "Firstly, continuing with the topic of the outing we''ve successfully tallied all the points and came up with the top five."


    "At number five we have, Rising Star Maxwell Aster who managed to achieve three hundred and twenty-five points."


    "Hehe." Hearing his name being called, a teenager of average height with touseld brown hair responded with a soft, warm smile.


    "At fourth, Rising Star Lutz van Alexia who got four hundred and thirty points."


    "Fourth?" Rather dissappointed by his position, a handsome teenage boy with long, golden hair and stunning cyan eyes, straightened his face into a stoic expression.


    "Third was Rising Star and PTC Amber Shine, four hundred and thirty-five points."


    "..." Unbothered by the whole conversation of rankings, a girl with cascading platinum hair and gorgeuos golden eyes simply fixed her gaze on the professor, displaying no signs of concern.


    "Second was Rising Star Luna Triksta, five hundred points. Impressive."


    "Second?" Hearing her position, a girl with stylish two-toned black and blonde hair grinned and directed her hazel eyes on the boy beside her.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ''Five hundred points at second, wow! How many did first get?'' Marvelling at the first years'' performance, Professor Fitzburg grinned.


    ''A commoner at first?'' Seeing the name at first, Professor Fitzburg narrowed his brows.


    "At first place, Rising Star Adonis P. Vindicta..."


    ''Hm? This must be a mistake?''


    "Four thousand..." He whispered


    "Four thousand four hundred and thirty five points."


    "Four thousand?!"


    "How is that even possible?"


    "No way!"


    "He must''ve cheated!"


    Hearing the professor''s words, every pupil in class 1A swiveled their heads to the back of the classroom.


    Their gazes fell on a single student, a tall teenage boy whose appearance could only be described as enchanting. Despite his angelic looks, a collective shudder ran through the class as they realized something...


    He was a beast.


    ''I told you I should''ve held back.'' Adonis sighed.


    {You wanted to be soft.}


    "Moving on to the other announcements." Clearing his throat and hiding his surprise, Professor Fitzburg stole back the class''s attention.


    "Because of the Wendy situation, the Elders have decided on a new Rising Star to take her spot at tenth..."


    "Because of his performance during the entrance exam as well as his performance during the outing... They have decided that the tenth Rising Star will be Toni Modster."


    "The commoner?"


    "I heard he''s really strong!"


    "That filthy mongrel?"


    Raising his hand, Professor Fitzburg hushed the class in order to continue with his announcements.


    "These next two weeks will be fairly packed, on thursday you''ll be having your first magic practical exam and next week you''ll be participating in the solo battle royale."


    ''Magic practical?'' Adonis frowned.


    {Tick tock Oizys, you''re running out of time.}


    "More details on these events will be revealed closer to the date."


    RING


    "It seems we''ve run out of time, I''ll see you all at the end of the day." With a brief salutation, Professor Fitzburg left the classroom, with Hiram staying behind.


    As Professor Fitzburg exited, Professor van Ani, a short elderly lady who taught magic theory, entered the classroom.


    "Good morning first years..." Professor van Ani possessed a soft yet powerful voice. Her demeanor and appearance failed to accurately mirror her prestige and skill as a powerful mage.


    "Today we''ll be briefly touching on special magic affinities as well as discussing the intricasies of magic circles."


    "First of all, as you already know Special Magic Affinities  are affinities that aren''t composed of neither primary, secondary or tertiary and are they''re own thing..."


    "There are many different special magic affinities and these came to be in various different ways, some as a result as ''gifts'' from gods or devils and others were ''naturally'' manifested by humans as a reaction with mana."


    {She forgot genetic combinations and mutations, you mortals are really ignorant.}


    "Although there are numerous known magic affinities, there are seven that stand out and are reffered to as humanity''s divine magic  affinities. "


    "These are the special magic affinities that dominated the Golden Age and are symbols of humanity''s peak."


    "We call these lost magic affinites as lost because of a simple fact, they haven''t been manifested by anyone since humanity''s peak, so much so that we barely know what they are capable of."


    "The magic affinities in this group that we know of are: Speech Magic, a magic affinity that recently manifested in the PTC Scipio Mars."


    "Dead Magic,  a magic affinity wielded by PTC Leo Frank Underwerld jr."


    Adonis smiled softly.


    "Time Magic, a magic affinity used by the PTC Ragnar Norn."


    "And Storm Magic which was wielded by the former General Percy of the Wakoku nation, often referred to as the Thunder Oni. Real name, Eurodos Hermes..."


    At the mention of his father''s name, Adonis involuntarily emitted a chilling aura, sending shudders rippling through his classmates.


    ''Papa...''


    Hearing the last name  Hermes, Lutz manifested a bitter expression and clicked his teeth.


    At the mention of Eurodos Hermes, Amber Shine frowned.


    "The other three magic affinities have been lost in time and we know almost nothing about them..."


    "But what we do know is that one of them was wielded by an ancestor of the Wakoku Nation''s Emperor family, the Amaterasu."


    "Another lost affinity is the Illusion affinity, although there are no known current users nor do we know the ancestor who wielded it."


    "The last lost magic affinity is commonly reffered to as the strongest one although we know nothing about it."


    "The recent manifestations of these lost magic affinities all at once gives us reason to believe that we as a society are steadily reaching power comparable to the Golden Age."


    "Unfortunately, that''s all we know about these Special Magic Affinites so we''ll be moving on to Magic Circles."


    "Magic circles as most of you might know are tools both mages and magic knights use to cast spells. "


    "These are essential tools to us, allowing us to cast spells faster and more consistently. Their purpose is rather simple, they act as ''calculators,'' allowing us to shape magic with both precision."


    "Magic Circles are essential because of the limitations of the human mind, accurately computing the intricate calculations required for complex spells is beyond our capabilities."


    "Magic circles bridge this gap, simplifying the spellcasting process significantly. Once a magic circle is established, all we need to do is input the necessary ''variables'', ''values,'' and the necessary amount of mana."


    "The speed which one can create magic circles is correlates directly with both their mental strength and mental capacity. "


    "It''s also important to note that simple spells, such as merely manifesting or conjuring one''s magic affinity, don''t need the use of magic circles. For example, if a flame magic user wished to simply summon a fireball, it wouldn''t be necessary to summon a magic circle."


    "However, despite their usefulness, magic circles do have their drawbacks. Mainly, they are inefficient, demanding the expenditure of mana not only for their manifestation but also to sustain them.  This results in a certain amount of mana being wasted."


    "To make things even worse, even when mana is directly channeled into the circle, it is not all of it is utilized properly, because a sufficient amount of mana is needed to execute these calculations."


    "To provide some context, a seasoned mage might have a magic efficiency rate of thirty percent, whereas an amateur would lose a staggering ninety-five percent of channeled mana when executing a spell."


    ''A thirty percent efficiency rate isn''t acceptable...'' Adonis sighed.


    Extra Information:


    One doesn''t need a fully tamed mana core to manifest a magic circle, but they would need one to use it to cast spells using the magic circle.


    (Think of it as being able to turn on a calculator but not being able to use it because the batteries aren''t able to supply it with sufficient energy or punch in the numbers and symbols.)

 In the beginning

    ***


    The next period, Worship


    "I''m surprised you''re still awake." Adonis turned to Luna, displaying genuine astonishment.


    "I slept for two days straight, I couldn''t  even if I wanted to." She sighed, staring blankly at the professor who wrote a single sentence on the board.


    In the beginning.


    "In the beginning, there was nothing but one being, an entity that existed in a sea of nothingness.... This being is what we commonly call the Titan." Professor Shine, a dark-skinned middle-aged man with a full head of platinum hair, spoke with enthusiasm as he paced around the classroom, clutching a large leather-bound book in his hand.


    "It is often believed that the Titan lived since the beginning of time in said sea of nothingness, and after living alone for so long, it became bored, so it created lesser beings that would keep it entertained and teach it to love. "


    "These beings it created were called the Greator Gods and Greater Devils."


    "The Gods were born from the Titan''s heart while the Devils came from its brain."


    ''Is that true?'' Adonis asked curiously.


    {How would I know?}


    "These Deities were all born at the same time but their level of authority and power were different."


    "The Roman Gods, those we worship were... Jupiter, God of Thunder; Neptune, God of the Sea and Pluto, God of the Dead. "


    "There were several other types of Gods, some with overlapping Domains, such as Zeus who was also the God of Thunder."


    "Excuse me sir, Why do you say Zeus was the God of Thunder. What happened to him?" Flora asked.


    {Kukuku... I shoved his lightning bolt up his ass.}


    "Unfortunately in the war against the Devil God Eos, Zeus lost his life." Professor Shine replied solemnly.


    "This isn''t something this is uncommon, as you will learn later on, there were many Gods and Devils who lost their lives in wars, whether it was against the Titan, amongst themselves or even against the Devil God." Professor Shine continued.


    "More on the birth of the Gods, there were eighteen in the beginning, three Roman, Greek, Norse, Egyptian, Japanese and Chinese Gods; all of which lived peacefully. "


    "And the Devils?" Toni asked.


    "Good question, I haven''t forgotten about them..."


    "Like the Gods, the initial devils were also categorized into these categories and there were also three of which..."


    "Although the intial Roman and Greek Greater Devils have all been eradicated from various wars so we know little about them."


    "It might be hard to believe, but at first, the Greater Gods, Greater Devils and the Titan all lived peacefully together. "


    "During this era of peace, the these Deities created the realm of the living.."


    "You will learn more about the history of the world, during history lesson; in this lesson we''re focusing more on the Deities'' role as well as our gratitude toward them."


    After Professor Shine finished explaining ''The beginning.'' Adonis quickly lost interested and opted to simply converse with the Devil God.


    ''Lord Eos, I''m curious... We are often told that Jupiter is the strongest Deity. Is that true?''


    {I''ve already said this before, that idiot would be lucky to be top ten.}


    ''Hm... Then who is the current strongest three?''


    {Hmmm... There''re all weaklings.} After a long hard think the Devil God answered honestly.


    ''Could you be serious for once?'' Adonis sighed.


    {I am, they''re all pathetically weak.}


    ''Nevermind.'' Adonis rolled his eyes.


    ***


    Next period, History


    "Roughly six thousand years ago, that was when humanity began. This era is what we call the Dawn, humanity''s earliest and most primitive period."


    "Although there is nothing documented about the Dawn Era, there are things that we know for a fact: Firstly, there was no mana and therefore no magic, magic beasts or monsters."


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "The Dawn is what most people refer to as the happiest humanity''s ever been because of the absense of any type of technology, lack of weapons and one singular tribe that lived on one singular continent."


    ''It could also be called the happiest time because there were no politics or Gods intervening... No secrets.'' Adonis furrowed his brows.


    {True...}


    "After the Dawn Era, four thousand five hundred years ago, the Great Migration began. A period that people often call the beginning of curiosity."


    "As you might''ve guessed, this was when humanity began going their seperate ways and birthing several different tribes."


    "Psst..."


    "Hm?" Turning his head to the side, Adonis redirected his gaze on Luna.


    "I''m bored." Luna whispered.


    "So?"


    "Entertain me."


    "How the hell am I supposed to entertain you?"


    "Let''s fight."


    "We''re in class..." Adonis frowned.


    "So? Fight me right now."


    "Luna I''m not going to fight you!"


    "You two! You''re disrupting my class. Get out!"


    "Huh?"


    "Every day! It''s either you''re sleeping or disrupting, clearly you don''t care about my lesson. So get out!"


    ''She''s always getting Vindicta in trouble.'' Vera stared daggers at Luna.


    "Pfft..." Suppressing a wild chuckle, Maxwell stared at Adonis.


    "Gladly!" Luna chuckled, strolling towards the door.


    Hanging his head, Adonis slowly walked towards the door.


    "Hurry up!"


    After shooting Professor Arminius and Maxwell a glare, Adonis exited the classroom.


    "Good, now we can fight!" Luna grinned.


    "Did you do this on purpose?!" Adonis scowled.


    "Nope, but it sure was convinient. C''mon let''s go!" Forcefully pulling Adonis along with her, Luna walked down the corridor.


    "Where''re we going?"


    "We can''t just stand around for the whole lesson, that''s too boring!"


    "How many times do I have to say it, I won''t fight you!"


    "Yeah yeah whatever, I got that." Luna dismissed, still tugging the boy''s arm.


    "Then where''re we going?"


    "Just shut up grape!"


    Luna lead Adonis to a large room near the edge of the academic block, bustling with activity, where many professors, instructers  and assistants were casually dining, engaging in lively conversations.


    "What''re we doing here?" Adonis asked.


    "Shhh, you''re being loud!" Luna whispered shoving Adonis''s head backwards so that he wasn''t seen.


    ''You''re being louder.'' Adonis sighed.


    "So why are we here." He repeated in a more hushed tone.


    "We''re at the staff room..." Luna replied, her eyes fixed on a white table near the back of the room.


    "I see that, why''re we here?"


    "Do you always ask this many questions?" Luna clicked her tongue.


    "Only when someone drags me through the hallways."


    "Okay... You see that table right there?" She pointed.


    "Yeah, what about it?"


    "Look what''s on it dumbass."


    "Food?"


    "Not just any food. The best food the Empire has to offer! While we have to pay extreme prices for basic snacks, the teachers get to enjoy these delicasies and get paid! Don''t you think that''s unfair?"


    "The prices ARE insane..." Adonis agreed.


    {Cheapskate.}


    "So what? There''s nothing we can do about it." Adonis shrugged.


    "That''s what they think." Luna chuckled.


    ''I don''t like that look.''


    "Then what are you going to do?" Adonis asked reluctantly.


    "The only thing we can do... We''re going to steal their food!" She grinned.


    "We? Who''s we?"


    "You and I, duh."


    ''When did I agree to help you?!''


    {C''mon Oizys, do it I''m bored.}


    ''My life isn''t for your entertainment!''


    {It is.}


    "Okay? Let''s go!" Luna grinned, determined to barge into staffroom and steal their food.


    "Wait!" Using his arm to forcefully stop Luna from walking straight through the door, Adonis frowned.


    "What? You scared?" She grinned mischeviously.


    ''Such childish taunts won''t persuade me. '' Adonis rolled his eyes.


    {Kukuku... You''re such a scaredy cat.}


    ''I am not a scardey cat!''


    "We can''t just barge in there, we need a plan." Adonis frowned.


    "A plan? That''s boring!"


    "Well, if you want this to work we need to be quick and precise."


    "Whatever...What''s the plan then?"


    ''She''s listening to me?'' Shaking off his astonishment, Adonis put his hand to his chin and thought.


    "We need a distraction." He concluded.


    "Easy enough, I''ll distract them. You steal the food!" Gathering her mana in her palm, Luna grinned.


    "No." Adonis snatched her hand and shook his head.


    "They''re all seasoned magic knights, we have no chance in stealing it with such a simple distraction much less not get caught."


    "You''re the one who said we needed a distraction." She scowled.


    "I''ll distract them, when I give you the signal you steal it. Okay?"


    "Okay." She sighed.


    {What''re you going to do? Just because you''re stronger than her doesn''t mean you''re still not a mere bug.}


    ''Thanks for reminding me.''


    ''The academy uses a complex magic security system that goes off when it senses any sort of threat, the entrance of magic beasts or monster that poses a threat, the emergence of a substantial magic circle or at the detection of Damons or Elves.''


    {So what? You''re going to use Wicked Aura just to steal some food?}


    ''Nope that''d be dumb.''


    {Wouldn''t be your first time being dumb.}


    ''Funny...''


    ***


    2 minutes later


    DONG DONG DONG DONG


    Near the bathroom door, Adonis and Luna observed as the scene unfolded: every single staff member hurriedly streamed out of the staffroom, their faces straightened in anticipation in response to the alarm echoing through the Academy.


    "That''s your signal... What''re you waiting for?" Adonis grinned.

 Threat

    With a large grin plastered on her alluring face, Luna casually strolled into the staffroom.


    "This place isn''t too bad!"


    "Let''s get this over and done with." Adonis shook his head.


    "Why''re you in such a hurry, let''s savour the moment."


    "Caution is key."


    "Booorrinng..."


    ''She''s a literal child.'' Adonis sighed.


    {Reminds me of a certain someone.}


    "How''re we going to carry all this food?" Adonis asked, his mouth watering at the delicasies on the large table.


    "Using a spatial item, duh." Luna grinned.


    "Where the hell are we going to get one no-"


    Adonis''s train of thought came to a swift halt when he witnessed the girl pulling out a silver ring decorated with a stunning blue gem.


    "You''ll be in big trouble if you''re caught with that on campus." Adonis shook his head.


    "Even bigger trouble than triggering the academy''s alarm?"


    {Kukuku, she got you there...}


    "Let''s just get outta here." He sighed.


    "Leave? Let''s eat first! We''ll carry the left overs later."


    {You''re deluded if you think there''ll be left overs when you eat with this glutton.}


    ***


    Main courtyard.


    "What''s going on?" Maxwell asked, looking around the courtyard populated by roughly four hundred and fifty teenagers.


    "The academy alarm went off." Veda replied.


    "Do you think this is a drill?" Vera asked.


    "Probably." Jerald replied, turning his head to group of professors, elders and assistants.


    ***


    "What''s happened?" Professor Fitzburg furrowed his brows.


    "We''re not sure yet." Professor Shine replied.


    "Are we sure it''s not just a drill?" Professor van Crop asked.


    "I don''t think so, the Elders didn''t notify us the day before." Hiram intejected.


    "Even so, we must follow proper procedure." Professor Fitzburg strode toward the large crowd of teenagers, specifically the magic knights in his class: Class 1A.


    "Class 1A, line up!" Lacing his voice with a strong dose of aura, Professor Fitzburg commanded the teenagers.


    "Hm?"


    "Yes sir."


    "I''m too lazy."


    "I''ll be doing roll call in alphabetical order, say yes when you hear your name."


    "....Triksta?" After calling out numerous names, Professor Fitzburg finally reached Luna''s. When he called her name, there was no response.


    "..."


    "Luna Triksta!" He looked around concernedly.


    "..."


    "We haven''t seen her or Adonis since History, sir." Maxwell called out, his cheerfulness wavering.


    ''Adonis?'' Assistant Hiram frowned.


    "Very well, I''ll go look for them after roll call." Professor Fitzburg said solemnly.


    "Trent!"


    "Sir"


    ***


    After finishing roll call Professor Fitzburg noted there were two students missing and began making preparations to reenter the academic block to search for them.


    "Miss Vindicta... Look after the class" He looked at Hiram.


    ***


    "Elders, we''ve identified the threat!" A professor dashed toward the two Elders, who were engrossed in conversation. With a weary expression, the professor addressed them.


    "Was it a magic creature?" Elder van Crops snapped his head back to meet the man''s gaze.


    "No, it''s strange..."


    "Then what is it, spit it out?" Elder van Love snapped.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Just look for yourself..." The professor pointed towards the sky.


    Upon the professor''s suggestion, both Elders turned their heads skyward. What they saw floating above the entire academy left them utterly shocked.


    "What..."


    "The fuck?"


    Stationed in the comfort of the fluffy clouds was a pure white, enchanting magic circle adorned with hundreds of intricate runes that emitted a soft, dim glow.


    A few seconds after their gaze landed on the magic circle, it disappeared into nothingness, as if it was never there.


    "Huh?" Elder van Crops frowned.


    "Search the entire academy, find the mages or magic knights who conjured that magic circle." Elder van Love screamed, her voice commanding every single professor in the academy.


    ***


    7 hours later


    Adonis sat in his bed casually, rubbing his stomach in pain.


    "I ate too much."


    {Well no shit, you ate for forty.}


    "It was worth it though..." Adonis giggled.


    {Doesn''t seem like it, you caused quite the ruckus.}


    "That just means we won''t have any classes tomorrow, they''re still pretty paranoid." Adonis shrugged.


    {Your motives continue to puzzle me Oizys.}


    "The great Devil God is puzzled? I never thought I''d see the day." Adonis teased.


    {Don''t patronize me mortal.}


    "Hehe, to clarify. There was a logical reason behind what I did, it wasn''t just impulsive."


    {I don''t buy it.}


    "Well, let me sell it to you. There are two reasons I went along with Luna''s ridiculousness: I needed to see how effective the academy''s defense was and to test my magic circle proficiency."


    {Makes sense. Are you satisfied with your result?}


    "Very... The academy''s alarm system is fairly robust, but their defense on the other hand is poor. The fact that I was able to make such a large magic circle right above their heads is poor, if I was capable of using that magic circle to its full potential I would''ve destroyed the academy in a few seconds."


    {I think you''re misunderstanding something Oizys.}


    "And what is that?" Adonis asked curiously.


    {The Academy''s defenses aren''t inadequate in the slightest, had anyone else made a magic circle of such a size it would''ve been detected immediately and the culprit would''ve been eliminaated immediately. The only reason you were able to get away with it was because of your speed.}


    {What you constantly fail to acknowledge is that your mental capacity and calculation speed is above the capablities of mortals, which is why you managed to create a magic circle that dozens of mages would have struggled to make in a few hours, in just a few seconds. The defenses aren''t bad but they simply weren''t designed to defend against someone of your caliber.}


    "Is that you praising me Lord Eos?" Adonis chuckled.


    {Shut up. Go train!}


    "Yes sir." Adonis sighed.


    Leaping out the comfort of his bed, Adonis walked toward his artillary closet and grabbed a sharp spatha.


    {Your mastery over the first stage is adequate, for a mortal.}


    ''Um... Thanks?''


    {So today I''m going to teach you the last technique.}


    ''Hm? I thought I already learnt that already.'' After he grabbed the blade, Adonis walked towards his private training room, opening the door eagerly.


    {Well you thought wrong.}


    ''Rude...''


    {Stop being sensitive and listen closely, I hate explaining.}


    ''Then why agree to be my teacher?'' Adonis sighed, taking off his shirt to allow better mobility.


    {Fix your tone.}


    ''Yes Lord Eos.''


    {The Supreme Devil art is based off of different aspects of swordsmanship which I''ve used to divide into multiple different stages. As you may have noticed, the first stage is purely offensive and that is done intentionally.}


    {There was the Earth Splitting Slash, Divine Divider and the Domain Devastation.}


    ''A vertial slash, horizontal slash and a diagonal slash...''


    {Only thing left would be a thrust, and that''s what you''ll be learning today.}


    ''It''s probably going to have a long name.'' Adonis grumbled.


    {Supreme Devil Art, Stage one: Assiduous Assault.}


    ''Called it.'' Adonis grumbled.


    {Shut up and get into position.}


    Adonis made his way to the marble wall, where he picked up a reinforced straw doll, positioning it directly in front of him.


    Widening his legs and gripping the blade tightly,he readied himself to demolish the defenseless object.


    {Now, lower your hips.}


    Following instructions, Adonis bent his knees and raised his blade.


    {Lower!}


    After a quick struggle, Adonis found the perfect position.


    He fixed his gaze upon the straw doll, his silver eyes igniting with an orange hue.


    DEMMMMM


    {More.}


    Provoking the searing sensation that dwelled in his stomach, Adonis further channeled more Wicked Aura, materializing it in the physical world.


    DEMMMM


    The teenage boy''s canines grew, manifesting into grand fangs that bit his own lip, drawaing blood involuntarily.


    DRIP DRIP


    Unbothered by the deepening shade of his purple hair, which now concealed his demonic visage, Adonis emitted a monstrous growl.


    {Hold it there.}


    Following the Devil God''s instructions, Adonis halted the supply of Wicked Aura, causing the air to vibrate violently in his presense.


    {Coat.}


    Bending the supernatural energy to his will, Adonis lathered his entire blade in the Wicked Aura.


    CREAK


    Resigning to the Wicked Aura, the boy''s spatha shattered under the pressure.


    SHATTER


    {What happened to control Oizys?} The Devil God said irritably.


    "You''re the one who told me to add more." Adonis complained, his voice much deeper and monstrous.


    {Don''t blame me for your lack of skill mortal.}


    "Whatever." He growled.


    With a deliberate gesture, Adonis extended his hand, summoning a katana from his spatial ring. Its glossy red sheath glimmered, effortlessly catching the light in the room.


    SHING


    Unsheathing the stunning blade with haste, Adonis resumed his training with renewed focus. Although this time, he was more meticulous in applying the coating of Wicked Aura.


    {Why didn''t you do this the first time?}


    ''...''


    {Thrust!}


    Ignoring the persistent hallucinations induced by guilt, Adonis dashed forward, charging toward the solitary physical object in the training room.


    "Supreme Devil Art..."


    "Assidious Assault!" With determination, Adonis thrust his katana forward, piercing through the straw doll''s body.


    TSU


    The blade punctured the dull upon impact, sending straw flying in all directions.


    ***


    Extra Information:


    The average mage can conjure a complex magic circle with a radius of 1m in five seconds.


    The average magic knight can conjure a complex magic circle with a radius of 1m, in fifteen seconds.


    This scale is not linear in the sense, if you are an average magic knight and wish to conjure a complex magic circle with a radius of  10m  it wouldn''t take one hundred and fifty seconds. BUT LONGER

 Beasts of the feather

    The next day


    In an empty space stood two teenagers that differed in both size and features.


    To the left, a petite teenage girl with flowing brown hair stood solemnly. Her luminous silver eyes gazing into the emptiness in anticipation.


    Resting in Marie''s right hand, was a sharpened spatha, poised to cut through any advesary that dared to approach.


    On her right, stood a much larger teenage boy, his long brown hair cascading gracefully, complimenting his wild beauty.


    He too stood prepared, although unlike Marie, he opted out of wielding a blade.


    Tarzy instead used a pair of brass knuckles.


    "Are you ready princess?"


    "Yeah." She nodded.


    [Marie Jupiter and Tarzy Goliath...Bird Simulator, Beginner. ]


    [Begin!]


    Hearing the automated voice, Marie and Tarzy tensed up, preparing for battle.


    In a brief swirl of mana, a single bird like magic beast appeared.


    The dove-like creature that emerged was rather small, charcterized by its pristine white feathers and delicate horns.


    The magic beast differed from ordinary doves; its large wings adorning sharp claws at their tips.


    Upon manifestation, it unfolded its wings and spread them ceromoniously, and opened its beak, unveiling a menacing array of razor-sharp fangs.


    "KOOO KOOO!"


    Wasting no time, the Kolumba  darted forward determined to kill both magic knights.


    Responding appropriately, Tarzy threw a sharp cross toward the Kolumba''s body.


    Flapping its wings violently, the Kolumba swerved out the way rather easily.


    WHOOSH


    Deciding to counter the boy''s attack, the Kolumba used its clawed wing to strike the boy''s outstretched arm.


    SPLURT


    "Fuck!"


    Helping her comrade, Marie swiftly swung her spatha, slicing through the distracted magic beast with relative ease.


    SLASH


    "You okay?" Lowering her blade and focusing her gaze on Tarzy''s wounded arm, Marie frowned.


    "Yeah, it''s nothing crazy."


    "I''ll heal it when we''re done."


    "You don''t have to do that. " Tarzy smiled gently.


    "KOOO KOOO!"


    "KOOO KOOO!"


    This time, two Kolumbas emerged and they were just as aggressive.


    Wasting no time, the White Rank Magic Beasts zoomed through the air.


    WHOOSH


    No longer underestimating the creatures, Tarzy acted cautiously, coating both fists in Earthly Aura he struck fiercly.


    Sending his left fist soaring through the air, Tarzy grinned, sure he would make contact soon.


    WHOOSH


    While its bredrin adeptly evaded Tarzy''s strike, the other magic beast glided through the air, targeting his temple.


    Acting swiftly, Tarzy ducked and furrowed his brows in frustration.


    Taking advantage of her childhood friends crouched position, Marie leaped into the air, using his large body as a platform.


    SLASH


    Her spatha slashed through the air, aiming for the beast''s body.


    However, the creature evaded rather easily, skillfully dodging as well.


    "They''re really fast." Tarzy growled.


    "They sacrifice speed for strength and durability, if we strike them once they''re dead."


    "Seems easy enough..." Tarzy grinned.


    "KOOO KOOO!"


    "KOOO KOOO!"


    Returning swiftly, the magic beasts targeted the two''s backsides.


    "Pests!" Tarzy pivoted his body, swinging his arm in the beasts'' direction aggressively.


    Following suit, Marie swung her spatha.


    BAM


    SPLURT


    Both Rising Stars successfully made contact, obliterating the beast''s in one blow.


    "KOOO KOOO!"


    "KOOO KOOO!"


    "KRAAAAA!"


    Upon the demise of the previous magic beasts, three additional ones materialized from the strange mana swirl.


    Surprising both combatants, a different magic beast emerged alongside the other two, increasing the grand total to three.


    The third magic beast to emerge sported jet-black feathers, dwarfing its comrades in size.


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    Its horns were much longer and deadly than its companions'', capable of penetrating the thickest hides.  While the beasts varied slighlty in both shade and shape, they shared a common feature: the milky hue of their sharp eyes.


    "KOOOO!"


    "KOOOO!"


    Leaving the Korvus in the dust, the Kolumbas eagerly approached Marie and Tarzy.


    WHOOSH


    Employing their weaponized wings, the magic beasts tried to slash Marie and Tarzy''s throats respectively, leaving no room for mercy.


    "Where''s all this energy coming from?" Tarzy complained, taking a step back to avoid the onslaught.


    Grunting loudly, Tarzy grunted a terrifying uppercut, destroying the magic beast.


    SPLURT


    "The Korvus in the back''s buff ability, ''bloodlust.'' "


    Identifying the cause of the heightened aggression, Marie slashed through the magic beast.


    SLICE


    "Its like they got faster, they''re attacking with no regard for their lives."


    "They di-"


    "KRAAAA"


    Coming from behind, the Korvus pierced through Marie''s leather armor using its talons.


    SPLURT


    "Ahh!" Due to the intense pain in her shoulder Marie stumbled forward.


    "Princess!" Tarzy propelled his fist forward, aiming to destroy the beast.


    "KRAAAA"


    Evading the giants fist rather easily, the magic beast performed an expert maneuver, slashing his forearm with the tips of its wings, outspeeding Tarzy.


    SPLURT


    "Fucking sky rat!" With his blood steadily boiling, Tarzy conjured a magic circle on his chest. Its green runes shifting and changing shape with every moment, performing the necessary calculations.


    "Transformation magic: Partial Transfiguration."


    Tarzy willed his wounded arm to enlarge and change hues, abandoning its tanned complexion. A low growl escaed his lips, as he observed the sharp quills that sprouted from his pores, elongating and strengthening.


    "Eject!" Not even allowing the transformation to complete, Tarzy thrust his arm in the direction of the magic beast, shooting three quills directly at it.


    WHOOSH


    SPLURT


    Failing to evade the quills, the magic beast fell straight out the air, its body turning to mere mana particles.


    "You son of a bitch." He grumbled, still not satisfied by the Korvus''s  death Tarzy grumbled.


    "Get ready... The next one''s coming." Marie placed her hand on her injured shoulder, her hand glowing with a vibrant yellow.


    DIMMMM


    Aided by Holy Aura, her shoulder slowly repaired itself, the muscular and skin tissue mending itself.


    "KOOOO KOOOO!"


    "KOOOO KOOOO!"


    "KRAAAA KRAAA!"


    "KRAAAA KRAAA!"


    Following the same pattern, four magic beasts manifested themselves: two Korvuses and two Kolumbas.


    The Kolumbas darted forward, their speed and strength enhanced by the two Korvuses that stayed put.


    "KOOOO KOOOO!"


    "KOOOO KOOOO!"


    "Gravity Magic: Ton zones!" Marie summoned numerous purple magic circles, each pulasating with mana, causing the gravity in the space they occupied to instensify.


    SPLURT


    SPLURT


    Being caught in the gravity zones, the two magic beasts exploded, unable to withstand the pressure.


    "Watch out." She warned.


    "KRAAA KRAAA"


    "KRAAA KRAAA"


    On cue with Marie''s warning, the Korvuses  swiftly moved behind the pair, their talons poised as they aimed for the napes of their necks.


    Snapping his head backwards, Tarzy glared at the two magic beasts.


    He immediately slammed his transformed fist into the magic beast, reducing it to mana particles.


    Reacting slightly slower than her comrade, Marie swung her spatha at the crow-like magic beast.


    WHOOSH


    Dipping below her blade to evade the assault, the magic beast attacked her sword arm.


    "Huh?"


    SPLURT


    After grazing her arm with its talons, the Korvus ascended out of the princess''s range.


    "KRAAA KRAAA" It cackled.


    "I''ve got it princess." Tarzy lifted his arm in the magic beast''s direction, aiming his quills.


    "No..." She shook her head, her silver eyes slowly becoming brighter.


    DIMMMM


    "Gravity Magic: Heavenly Burden."


    Infusing her Gravity Magic with Holy Aura, heightening its potency, Marie amplified the strength of gravity around her.


    The effect reached both the magic beast as well as her comrade, enveloping them in its intensified force.


    "P-princess?" Tarzy immediately fell to his knees, folding to the strength of her magic.


    SLAM


    SPLATTER


    Reacting in a more extreme manner, the Korvus plummeted to the ground, reverting back to its orginal form of mana particles upon impact.


    "Princess?" Shakily standing up, Tarzy shot Marie a complicated expression.


    "KOOO KOOO!"


    "KOOO KOOO!"


    "KRAAA KRAAA!"


    "KRAAA KRAAA!"


    "KREEEEE!"


    Not giving the two a chance to rest, five magic beasts manifested themselves infront of them: Two Kolumbas, two Korvuses and the boss of the simulator, an Akuila.


    An Akuila, a Pink Rank Magic beast resembling an eagle but with distincitve characteristics.


    The magic beast boasted a snow colored head and an onyx torso. Larger than the typical bald eagles, its wingspan nearly doubled the size.


    While bird-like in nature, this magic beast stood apart with a few unique traits. Large horns adorned its head, pointing forward, ready to impale anything that approached; instead of the usual yellow beaks eagles sported, this magic beast displayed a vivid pink hue. This striking color scheme continued in its eyes, setting it apart from mudane eagles.


    Leading the onslaught as usual were the eager Kolumbas.


    "KOOO KOOO!"


    "KOOO KOOO!"


    Bloodlusted, the dove-like magic beasts rushed towards both magic knights, ready to use their small horns to bash into both.


    "We must be careful this time..." Marie whispered.


    ''The princess has been off lately.''  Still slightly discombobulated by Marie''s prior actions, Tarzy managed a small nod.


    Reacting immediately, Marie lathered her spatha in Earthly Aura, and with practiced grace, she effortlessly eliminated both threats by slashing through the two magic beasts.


    SLASH


    SLASH


    Now familiar with the Korvuses'' pattern, Tarzy encased his transformed arm in Earthly Aura and swiftly pivoted, fully prepared to eliminate the sneaky magic beast''s.


    "KRAAA"


    "KRAAA"


    Thrusting his arm forward, Tarzy hammered one of the magic beasts, his sharp quills piercing its skin upon impact.


    "KRAAA"


    Witnessing its counterpart fall in a single strike, the remaining Korvus intensified its aggression. With swift precision, it struck Tarzy''s untransformed arm using its sharp talons, drawing more blood.


    SPLURT


    "Argh!"


    "KREEEE"


    Unexpectedly joining the party, the Pink Rank Aquila glided toward Marie at a frightening speed.


    TSU


    "Huh?"


    Before the princess could react, the Aquila drove its sharp beak into her thigh, creating a deep wound that severely limited her mobility.


    SPLURT

 Washed up

    "Prince-"


    Taking advantage of Tarzy''s distressed state, the Korvus embedded its talons in his untransformed arm, ripping out a substantial amount of flesh.


    SPLURT


    "Shit?!" Prompted by the sudden injury, Tarzy focused on the magic beast which held his flesh in its beak.


    "I''m fine... Let''s just finish this." Marie groaned.


    "Okay..." Tarzy rubbed his gouged bicep and steeled his resolve.


    "KAWWWWW!"


    Targeting Tarzy once more, the Korvus darted forward.


    "I''m getting sick and tired of you!" He screamed.


    DUMMMM


    Seeing through the magic beast''s intentions, Tarzy shot out two Earthly Aura coated quills.


    SPLURT


    The First Rising Star grinned at the sight of the magic beast disappearing into nothingness, his satisfaction palpable.


    "Now for yo-"


    TSU


    Unlike both the Korvuses and the Kolumbas, the Aquila had no intention of letting the Rising Stars vocalize their thoughts and acted efficiently.


    Using its prominent horns the magic beasts bashed into Tarzy''s chest, pushing him back.


    BASH


    "Argh!"


    DIMMMM


    "Imperial Thunder Arts: Crackling Cleave!"


    In an attempt to catch the Quila off guard, Marie swung her Holy Aura infused spatha in a horizontal motion.


    CRACKLE


    Responding swiftly, the magic beast skillfully dodged the girl''s blade, dipping beneath it and shooting towads the side of her abdomen.


    Using the lethal tips of its wings, the Aquila clipped Marie''s side mercilessly.


    SPLURT


    "Ahhh!" She helplessly screamed.


    Relentless in its onslaght, the Aquila ascended above her head and pivoted its body, its frightening  pink eyes fixing onto the back of her head.


    "Princess, Watch out!" Tarzy shouted, raising his hand in the beast''s direction.


    "KREEEE!"


    "Eject!" Seconds before the Magic Beast could dart towards Marie once more, Tarzy drew its attention by propelling four quills in its direction.


    WHOOSH


    In response to Tarzy''s attack, the Aquila effortlessly folded its right wing, easily neutralizing the assault while sustaining no damage at all.


    "KREEEE"


    Now locked onto Tarzy, the magic beast launched itself towards him, moving at a speed he failed to register.


    TSU


    "Whe-"


    When the magic beast reached the boy, it dug its sharp talons into the skin of his untransformed arm, dragging its claws from the top of his wrist all the way to his bulky shoulder.


    SPLURT


    "GRR!" Growling in pain, Tarzy fell on all fours


    "Tarzy..." Marie muttered, her silver eyes glowing with a vivid yellow hue.


    DIMMMM


    Gradually mending the wounds on both her abdomen and her thigh, Marie approached her comrade, aiming to face the magic beast together.


    "Princess?"


    "We''ll face the beast together, at the same time." Marie placed her hand on Tarzy''s arm, extending the effects of her Holy Aura to his wounds.


    "But how? It''s too fast..."


    "I''ll slow it down, you make sure to hit it as soon as it enters range."


    "Okay." He nodded.


    Realizing their time was up, Marie removed her hand from her comrade''s arm, which was now in slightly better condition thanks to her healing.


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    "KREEEE" The magic beast flapped its wings slowly, preparing to dart towards both magic knights.


    Marie clasped her hands together, hastening the manifestation of the large, simple magic circle beneath both her and Tarzy. Its diameter stretching an impressive four meters.


    "Gravity Magic: Slow Zone!''''


    As soon the Imperial Princess activated the spell, every single particle grew heavier, their own mass becoming a burden.


    With her hand now glowing a dim purple, Marie touched Tarzy''s arm, releasing him from the burden of the increased gravity~ a privilege she could ony grant to one person, typically herself.


    Now that she, the user of the spell, was much heavier, she was practically defecseless, struggling to even remain standing.


    "It''s up to you now..." Marie whispered, her jaw shutting under the spell''s pressure.


    "Got it..."


    "Transformation Magic: Further Augmentation."


    Aided by the magic circle on his chest, Tarzy willed both his arms to transform, their size almost doubling.


    "Come at me you sky rat!"


    Accepting Tarzy''s taunt, the Aquila attacked.


    TSU


    Entering the magic circle, the magic beast''s speed advantage dwindled, causing Marie to manage a soft smile.


    But...


    The speed advantage was still there, and it was not slight by any means.


    Tarzy clenched both his hands together above his head and brought them down towards the approaching beast, aiming to deliver a powerful spiked hammer blow to the creature''s comparably small body.


    WHOOSH


    Even under the effects of the gravity spell, the magic beast displayed remarkable skill and agility.


    Changing its trajectory mid-air, the magic beast swerved out of the attack''s range, twisting its body in a strange fashion.


    The Aquila descended rapidly towards Tarzy''s feet, effortlessly evading his attack.


    Upon reaching its new target, the magic beast unfolded its majestic weaponized wings and accelerated, creating deep slashes in the boy''s ankles.


    His mobility now effectively destroyed, Tarzy fell to the ground, violently coughing blood.


    "KREEEE"


    Before exiting the magic circle, the magic beast decided to lock onto a new victim.


    "We forfeit..." Before the magic beast could complete its assault on the Imperial Princess, Tarzy whispered bitterly.


    [Ending Simulation...]


    Right after Tarzy uttered his resignation, the magic beasat disappeared into mana particles.


    [Tarzy Goliath and Marie Jupiter, status: Failed]


    [Score out of 100: 40/100]


    [Areas for improvement...]


    [Emotional Stability]


    [Space Awareness]


    [Team chemistry]


    [Efficient Aura Utilization]


    [Identifying enemy weaknesses]


    ...


    As the automated voice continued to list the pairs flaws Tarzy grumbled, his arms steadily returning to their regular state.


    "Are you okay princess?" Tarzy whispered.


    "Yeah." Marie deactivated her spell crouched infront of the injured magic knight.


    DIMMMM


    "I''m sorry I didn''t protect you." Ashamedly, Tarzy spoke, relieved that the pain in his legs was slowly fading away, thanks to her healing.


    "That''s not your job." Marie dismissed, her focus directed towards Tarzy''s legs.


    "It is." Tarzy said sternly, his determination evident.


    "You''re not very good at it." Marie said coldly.


    ***


    10 years ago.


    "We apologize for not properly checking the carriage before departure. Although a replacement is on the way." A magic knight with long black hair said politely.


    "It''s fine, we''re not in a rush." Empress Jupiter replied.


    Empress Jupiter, wife of the current Emperor Jupiter, an elegant lady whose reputation extended to every corner of the globe.


    Her striking appearance drew the attention of everyone around her; she possessed gentle silver eyes that graceed a sense of comfort and security upon anyone who looked into them.


    The Empress''s skin was equally remarkable as the rest of her eyes, boasting a stunning senna complexion that amplified her divine visage, free from any scars or wrinkles.


    Completing her gorgeous appearance, the Empress had long, wavy chestnut hair that cascaded gracefully onto her shoulders, with a silver crown adorning the crown of her head.


    "Thank you for being so understanding your highness." The magic knight bowed.


    "It''s nothing." She smiled gently.


    "Where has Marie wondered off to." The Empress continued, turning her head toward the expansive beach.


    "Princess Marie went to play by the sand, she has been accompanied by multiple magic kni-"


    "Mother!" Barefoot, Marie ran along the sandy shore toward the large wooden cottage, where her mother was conversating with the captain, a broad smile adorned the child''s face, revealing the gap from her two missing teeth.


    "Hello sweethea-" Empress Jupiter smiled.


    "Come see! Come mother!" Full of energy, Marie grabbed her mother''s hand, determined to show her her newest discovery.


    "Okay, okay." Empress Jupiter giggled.


    ***


    After dragging her mother through the sand for a few minutes, Marie finally arrived at a spot on the beach, right beside the steady tide.


    "Look!"


    The area she pointed to was surrounded by Magic Knights, obscuring the Empress''s vision.


    "What is it?" The Empress asked curiously.


    "Look!" Marie insisted.


    "May you please move out the way."


    Hearing the Empress''s words, the magic knights scattered, taking cautious steps away from the central figure.


    "Sprawled in the sand, soaked in seawater, and covered in a generous layer of it, was the figure of a small boy. His form was larger than the average child his age.


    "Is he alive?" As soon as she laid her eyes eyes on the young injured Tarzy, Empress Jupiter''s majestic countenance contorted into a concerned expression.


    "We think so your Highness..." One of the Magic Knights confirmed.


    "Who would leave him here?" Marie asked curiously.


    "I''m not sure sweetie." Her mother replied.


    "Your highness, how would you like us to proceed?"


    "Help him!" Marie shouted.


    "Your Highness, we believe he isn''t from the Caelum Empire. But rather he comes from one of the island tribes and has recently washed up." One of the magic knights clarified.


    "That makes no difference, we should help him." Empress Jupiter crouched and scooped Tarzy into her arms.


    "Your Highness, I don''t think that''s advisable."


    "We''ll help him. That''s an order..." She said sternly.


    "Yes your highness, we''ll call the doctors to assist him."


    "No, I''ll do it." The Empress clarified.


    "Bu-"


    "Come on Marie, I''ll show you how Holy Aura works." Empress Jupiter turned to her smiling daughter.


    "Yay!"


    Extra Information:


    Other than the five inhabitable continents, there exists one large one known as the ''Wicked Continent.'' as well as a few smaller islands scattered around the world.

 Stalkers (1)

    Present day


    Hero City- Robur Kingdom, Caelum Empire


    7AM


    Adonis stepped out of his dormitory, dressed in rather casual attire: a long-sleeved cream tunic paired with a pair of black pants.


    ''I should set off the academy''s alarm more often, these days off are amazing.'' He chuckled.


    {I knew you were lazy, but never to this extent.}


    ''I deserve a day off Lord Eos.''


    {You had one two days ago!}


    ''True, but two more days won''t hurt.''


    {Bum.}


    ''What?''


    {You''re a lazy bum!}


    Locking the door behind him, Adonis headed down the corridor towards the cafeteria.


    ''Hmm...I haven''t actually decided what I''m going to do today.''


    {Train.}


    Hearing the deity''s words, Adonis couldn''t help but shudder.


    The issue wasn''t training in itself; instead, it was the intensity that the Devil God constantly demanded from him.


    ''Right...'' He sighed.


    With a solemn expression on his face, Adonis entered the crowded cafeteria.


    The teenage boy walked up to the large counter, his finger aimed at the meal he desired.


    "Ostrich omlet with extra cheese and veggies, please." With a swift motion, he used his finance necklace to complete the payment.


    ''I''m guessing Max is still asleep.'' Scanning the large cafeteria, Adonis noticed that Maxwell wasn''t present.


    ''Hiram is also probably eating in the staffroom.'' He sighed.


    {Seems like you''re back to your loner ways.}


    ''I am NOT a loner!'' Adonis retaliated.


    "Your food is ready." The old lady at the counter announced.


    ''Hm? That was quick.''


    "Thank you..." Picking his tray of food off of the counter, Adonis flashed a gentle smile.


    The boy took a seat near the edge of the cafeteria, embracing the warm sunlight that penetrated the window.


    "Thank you for the meal..." He muttered.


    {Since when do you say grace.}


    ''I don''t know, I just think it''s a nice habit to have.'' He chuckled.


    {Who''re you thanking anyway?}


    ''The ostrich that gave up its eggs and the cooks who made it.''


    {You should be thanking m-}


    ''Yeah yeah... Thank the almighty Devil God.'' He thought sarcastically.


    {I don''t like your tone mortal!}


    ***


    ''Is that Vindicta?'' Sitting opposite her sister, Veda peaked at Adonis from the corner of her eye.


    "What''s wrong?" Vera asked, picking up her knife and fork once more.


    "Nothing..."


    ''I can''t let Vera see him, something weird happens with her everytime she sees that idiot.''


    ''What does she see in him anyway, there''s nothing good about him other than his looks and strength. He gives me a bad feeling...'' Veda continued.


    "Veda, do you not like your eggs?" Vera asked concernedly, her crimson eyes fixed on Veda''s plate.


    "No, they''re good." Veda clarified, using the fork in her mouth to take a large bite.


    ***


    ''He''s finally here... Why''s he alone?'' Drinking a cup of hot coffee, Amber studied Adonis from the other side of the room.


    SLURP


    ''It doesn''t matter, it just makes this easier.''


    ***


    After swiftly devouring his food, Adonis stood up from his seat.


    ''That was good!''


    {Can you even taste the food? You eat like an animal.}


    ''Hehe!'' Adonis placed his tray in the dirty dish cart and made his way toward the door.


    ***


    ''He''s leaving...'' Taking one huge gulp of her coffee, lightly scorching her throat in the process, Amber stood up.


    ''It''s you isn''t it? You''re the damon Adonis Vindicta!'' Leaving her ceramic cup on the table,


    Amber trailed behind the boy, determined to confirm her suspicions.


    ***


    ''He''s leaving...'' Surprised at the boy''s eating speed, Veda abruptly stood up.


    "Veda?" Vera raised her eyebrow.


    "I just remembered I promised to spend the morning with Cecil." She nervously chuckled.


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    "It''s fine, you can leave." Vera smiled, slightly jealous over her sister''s relationship.


    "Sorry Vera... I''ll speak to you later?"


    "Yep!"


    "Okay... Bye!"


    "Wait, Veda..."


    "What''s up?" Scared that she might''ve spotted Adonis, Veda snapped her head back.


    "Can I have your eggs?" Vera asked sweetly.


    "Yeah..." Refusing to lose sight of Adonis, Veda picked up the pace and pushed past the crowd.


    "Thanks...Have fun!" Her focus now on Veda''s plate, Vera lunged forward.


    "Let''s see what you have to hide Adonis Vindicta... I''ll prove that you aren''t worthy of my sister!" Veda whispered, following closely behind the boy.


    ***


    After leaving the cafeteria, Adonis made his way toward the Laetita District of the academy. An area of expansive grass and trees adorned with numerous wooden benches, making it a favourite recreation spot among students of all years.


    ''I miss Minnie.'' Adonis frowned.


    {...}


    Arriving at a bench surrounded by dozens of trees, Adonis looked up into the air.


    "Minnie." He whispered.


    PUPUPUP PUPUPUP


    Answering Adonis''s call was a rapid beating of small wings accompanied by a black blur that whizzed through the air.


    Landing on the boy''s dishevled purple hair was a bat-like beast with large horns and wings.


    ***


    Hiding in a tree above Adonis, Amber scowled, her golden eyes struggling to discern the beast''s identity.


    "A magic beast?" She whispered.


    ***


    In a nearby bush behind a bench, Veda arched her eyebrows.


    "Are pets even allowed?"


    ***


    "You''ve gotten bigger!" Raising his eyes towards Minnie, Adonis smiled.


    "KSK KSK KSK!"


    "How many magic crystals have you eaten since the outing?"


    "ksk ksk ksk"


    "Ten? Don''t tell me you went back to the forest."


    "ksk ksk ksk"


    "I''m not mad, just worried. You need to be more careful."


    "ksk ksk ksk"


    "I''m not doubting your capabilities." Adonis chuckled.


    "ksk ksk ksk."


    "You''ve gotten stronger?"


    "Now that I think about it... I''ve never seen you fight. You always just appear with crystals."


    "ksk ksk ksk."


    "Hehe, you''re quite confident. "


    "ksk ksk ksk."


    "Show me what you''ve got." Adonis grinned.


    ***


    "That magic beast... What is it?" Veda whispered.


    ***


    "..." Amber remained silent, studying Adonis''s every move.


    ***


    PUPUP PUPUP


    Batting his wings softly, Minnie ascended off of Adonis''s head and moved infront of him.


    "Are you sure you want to do this Minnie?"


    "KSK KSK!"


    "Okay, give me my spatial ring then."


    Following Adonis''s command, Minnie ejected a silver ring out of his mouth, the piece of jewelry moving at remarkable speed towards the teenage boy.


    Flaunting his superhuman reflexes, Adonis swiftly caught the spacial ring.


    "Begin!" He announced.


    PUPUP PUPUP


    Moving at a frightening speed, Minnie approached the boy''s head with the claws on his feet poised.


    "Not even letting me put on my ring? How dirty..." Adonis teased, moving out of the beast''s trajectory.


    "KSK KSK KSK!"


    "I''m kidding, I know I''m the one who said begin." Adonis chuckled, placing the silver ring on his middle finger.


    Using his spatial ring, Adonis summoned a long wooden stick.


    "Okay... Try not to kill me okay?"


    "Ksk ksk."


    "What do you mean, no promises!" Adonis complained.


    Minnie changed direction and darted towards Adonis''s abdomen, his horns ready to impale his owner.


    PUPUP PUPUP


    WHOOSH


    Adonis swung his wooden stick lightly towards the beast''s horns, deflecting the attack effectively.


    "Ksk ksk." Frustrated that his attack didn''t succeed, Minnie pivoted his body mid-air and opened his mouth in Adonis''s direction.


    PFFFF


    Shocking Adonis, the beast ejected a visible green gas out of its mouth that headed straight for his face.


    "Hm?"


    ''This is... Arbour Abomination gas?'' Instead of avoiding the gas entirely, Adonis dashed straight through it.


    "KSK KSK?!" Shocked, his attack had no effect, Minnie flew backwards, creating distance between Adonis and himself.


    "So that''s how you beat those monsters and magic beasts." Acknowledging the beast''s strength, Adonis swung his stick in his direction, determined to knock Minnie straight out of the air.


    "Ksk ksk." Reacting swiftly, Minnie twisted his small body, skillfully dodging Adonis''s stick.


    WHOOSH


    He then cleverly utilized the edge of his large onyx wings to cleave off a portion of it with precision.


    SLASH


    "Not bad..." Proud of his companion''s attack, Adonis thrust his open palm forward, towards Minnie''s frame.


    WHOOSH


    Accurately predicting Adonis''s trajectory, Minnie ducked under Adonis''s attack and launched his legs upwards, towards his outstretched arm.


    "Don''t get too eager Minnie." Shaking his head, Adonis utilized his shortened stick once more, swatting Minnie away towards a nearby tree.


    WACK


    "KSK KSK?!" Startled by Adonis''s sudden movement, Minnie halted his flight by batting his wings repeatedly, preventing his collision.


    ''Minnie''s smarter than other magic beasts, he''s able to accurately predict movement...'' He smirked.


    "Don''t tell me you''ve already given up." Adonis taunted.


    "KSK KSK!"


    "Then what''re you waiting for?"


    "KSK KSK!" Batting his wings violently, Minnie shot towards Adonis.


    PUPUP PUPUP


    Attacking first, Adonis swung his stick diagonally from top to bottom, towards Minnie''s approaching form.


    WHOOSH


    Unbothered by Adonis''s assault, Minnie swiftly moved to the side, allowing the stick to pass right by him.


    Stealing the initiative, Minnie propelled towards Adonis''s neck, determined to impale him mercilessly.


    "That''s not very friendly..." Reacting appropriately, Adonis ducked out of the way, letting Minnie pass right by him.


    "Ksk ksk." Frustrated by Adonis''s speed, Minnie lowered his neck and met Adonis''s lowered head, opening his mouth.


    ''Is he unable to comprehend that toxins don''t work against me.''


    "AWOOOOO!" From Minnie''s small mouth emerged a powerful wave of energy, hurtling at a frightening speed toward Adonis''s undefended head.


    ''A Sonic Wolf''s howl?''Adonis widened his eyes in astonishment and shifted his head, effortlessly evading the attack.


    "Okay...We''re done." Upon dodging the sudden attack, Adonis snatched the beast right out the air, moving at an untraceable speed in Minnie''s eyes.

 Stalkers (2)

    "Why didn''t you tell me you could do that?" Adonis smiled at his companion.


    "Ksk Ksk."


    "Well you did surprise me." Adonis chuckled, placing Minnie back on his head.


    "Ksk Ksk."


    "Yeah, it''s fine. You can go back to the forest, just be safe."


    "Ksk Ksk." With an affectionate salutation, Minnie beat his wings.


    PUPUP PUPUP


    "Aren''t you forgetting something?"


    "KSK KSK" The beast complained.


    "Yeah, I know it tastes horrible. Just eat it!"


    "KSK KSK"


    "Oh suck it up!" Adonis removed his silver ring and tossed it at the beast.


    "KSK KSK"


    "I''ll give you head rubs later."


    "KSK KSK" Minnie plucked the ring right out of the air, swallowing it in one swift motion.


    "Yeah yeah... I know I owe you." Adonis sighed.


    ***


    "Intersting, he makes his magic beast swallow his spatial ring. And whenever he needs it he calls upon his him, he and makes it regurgitate it back out." Amber observed.


    ''But something is strange about that magic beast, it seems like it had two types of projectile abilities... I''m too far to clearly see.'' She continued.


    ***


    "Sure he''s pet is cute, but I''m sure thee''s something really wrong with him!" Veda declared, determined to keep her biases.


    ***


    ''I need to observe Minnie''s behaviours more and study his abilities.'' Adonis noted, watching his companion whizz through the air as a black blur.


    {That didn''t count as training, you have plenty more to do.} The Devil God commanded.


    ''Yes sir.'' Sighing, Adonis looked into the sky, embracing the sun''s warm rays.


    ''At least let me warm up.'' Adonis requested, stretching his limbs.


    {Do as you please, you have thirty minutes.}


    ''Thanks...'' Adonis jumped into the air multiple times, his knees touching his chest with each brief leap.


    ''Let''s see if you two can keep up.'' Adonis chuckled.


    ***


    "What''s he doing?" Amber whispered, preparing to follow behind the boy.


    ***


    ''He''s about to leave.'' Veda realized, lightly rustling her bush.


    ***


    BOOM


    Tensing the tight muscles in his legs, Adonis burst through the grass, moving at an exceptional speed.


    Accelerating rapidly, Adonis leaped onto a nearby tree causing its leaves to dance.


    "Catch me if you can..." Adonis chuckled.


    Adonis shattered the wood beneath his feet and leaped toward a nearby tree.


    SHATTER


    There, he repeated the process, accelerating with each stride he took.


    SHATTER


    ***


    HUFF PUFF HUFF PUFF


    "Does he know I''m following him?" Following a safe distance behind the boy, Amber leaped from tree to tree, struggling to keep up with his speed.


    ***


    Gasping for air repeatedly, Veda also followed behind Adonis, although unlike Amber she remained on the ground and continued to glance up at the boy.


    ***


    "Not bad..." Adonis chuckled.


    {Stop joking around and shake them off already.}


    "I thought you said I could do as I please."


    {Don''t act smart with me mortal!}


    "Hehe..."


    BOOM


    SHATTER


    Showcasing his superior speed, Adonis soared through the air, widening the gap between him and both Amber and Veda.


    ***


    "What the hell!" Failing to match Adonis''s speed, Veda howled.


    ***


    ''Why''s he so fast?'' Unrelenting in her pursuit, Amber took multiple deep breaths and continued in her chase of the boy.


    ***


    ''Hmm... After this, I think I''ll get a snack.'' Adonis leaped to the next tree.


    BOOM


    {Snack? You''ll be training mortal!}


    BOOM


    ''What''s your obsession with training?'' Adonis sighed.


    BOOM


    {It''s not an obsession, you''re just really lazy!}


    BOOM


    ''I beg to differ. You just have high standards.'' Adonis pouted.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    BOOM


    {I''m a divine being, what do you expect?}


    BOOM


    ''That doesn''t mean you can be such a meanie.''


    BOOM


    {You''re a literal child.}


    BOOM


    ''Well yeah, I''m only fifteen.''


    BOOM


    {That''s not an excuse!}


    BOOM


    ''It is.'' Adonis grinned.


    "Anyway... I''m getting bored. Let''s make this chase more interesting."


    Planting his feet on the tree''s large branch, Adonis intensified the force he exerted and shattered the branch he stood on.


    SHATTER


    The splintered piece plummeted towards Veda, who continued to follow closely behind.


    ***


    WHOOSH


    HUFF PUFF HUFF PUFF


    "W-what?!" Snapping her head to the sky, Veda scowled.


    ''Be careful you idiot!'' At the last second, she moved out the way, avoiding the branch''s descent.


    BAM


    ***


    "Don''t worry, I haven''t forgotten about you Amber." Adonis giggled.


    Now perched on a new branch, Adonis crouched, his hand gripping the wood tightly.


    With a determined clench, he brought to the branch to the point of fragility, teetering on the verge of breaking.


    With practised grace, Adonis leaped onto a new tree, being careful not to break the tree''s fragile branch.


    ***


    ''Why''d he stop?'' Amber scowled.


    Brushing off Adonis''s strange behaviour, Amber continued to follow her target''s path.


    After a few more moments of leaping tree from tree, Amber finally reached the tree Adonis had stopped at.


    CRUNCH


    The moment her feet made contact with the branch, the fragile wood shattered, sending her and the splintered remains plummeting toward the distant ground.


    "Huh?"


    WHOOSH


    ***


    "I''ll be disappointed if you''re both unable to recover from that." Adonis smiled, propelling himself forward, increasing his velocity with each leap.


    The boy persisted, leaping from tree to tree.


    With each passing moment, his heart raced faster, and his fatigue continued to grow.


    Satisfied with the warmth coursing through his throbbing veins and the suppleness of his joints and muscles, Adonis kept using the trees as his means of traveling, heading toward the academy''s magic temple.


    ***


    "The magic temple?" Having somewhat recovered from her plummet, Amber was back in the trees embrace, following closely behind Adonis.


    ***


    "Where''s he going?" Her determination evident, Veda dashed along the grass.


    ***


    {Where''re you going Oizys? You''re supposed to be training.}


    ''This is training.''


    {Seems like you''re bein la-}


    ''Lazy. I know, but I want to try that again.''


    {You''ve barely made any progress over the past eight years, what makes today so different?}


    ''I''m feeling lucky.'' Adonis smiled gently, leaping out of the last tree onto the grass.


    {Relying on uncontrollable factors such as luck is stupid, you should know this.}


    ''I know, but I''ve been failing constantly, I need something out of my control. Y''know?''


    {No I do not, you''re being dumb.}


    ''Would it hurt you to encourage me for once?''


    {Yes.}


    Sighing, Adonis pressed on, heading toward a grand building. The terrain shifted from grass to a well paved stone path.


    The Magic Temple of Hero City''s Magic Academy was a remarkable ancient Roman style structure, standing out among the rather modern buildings in the academy.


    Despite the building''s visible age, the building had withstood the test of time pretty remarkable, its pearly pillars sporting only a few cracks.


    Entering the building, Adonis marveled at its beauty. Instantly, he sensed the surge in mana density, his untamed mana core responding with a wild gyrate.


    Refusing to waste another second, Adonis took a seat on the floor, mimicing the behaviour of the other students who medicated intensly.


    ***


    "Is he trying to improve his magic control?" Amber who took a seat a few rows away from the boy whispered.


    ***


    ''Now that I think about it, I haven''t seen him use magic?'' Veda who coincidently sat next to Amber thought.


    ***


    2 hours later


    {Just give up... You''re wasting time.}


    HUFF PUFF


    ''I can feel it, it''s in sight.'' Adonis, who was now drenched in sweat whispered.


    {Your body is the only one making progress, you won''t be able to use magic so long as your mind is weak.}


    ''...''


    ***


    After his time at the magic temple, Adonis went back to the cafeteria to get a snack before he did more intensive training.


    ***


    Academy''s Indoor Reflex room


    Adonis stood at the heart of a brilliantly illuminated large hall, encircled by dozens of humanoid figures made from mana.


    In their hands, they all wielded a variety of range weapons, ranging from throwing knives and bows to cross bows and spears, all poised to  strike the teenager in the center.


    [Reflex Aptitude Test, First Year: Adonis P. Vindicta, Seventh Rising Star.]


    [Rules...]


    [You may not leave the two by two box beneath you.]


    [You may not use magic.]


    [You may not use aura.]


    [You may not deflect attacks.]


    [You may not attack the dummies.]


    [Objective:]


    [Evade as much as you can.]


    [Begin!]


    As soon as the automated voice made the declaration, the entities moved immidiately.


    A single spear shot in Adonis''s direction, aiming to pierce his throat.


    Reacting swiftly, Adonis ducked, dodging the attack by a comfortable margin.


    WHOOSH


    Concluding that he had successfully dodged the attack, the entities moved once more, this time hurling two spears directly at his crouched head and thigh.


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    ''No rest period?'' He sighed.


    {You just started yet you''re already complaining.}


    ''I think complaining when you''re being attacked is reasonable. '' Adonis chuckled.


    {I beg to differ, you''re just soft!}


    In response to the large spears hurtling towards him, Adonis contorted his body, lifting his leg out of harm''s way and shifting his head once more, avoiding the projectiles.


    ***


    "Nothing seems out of the ordinary... He''s a bit lonely, but nothing off." Staring into the window at the boy, Veda frowned.


    ***


    "..." Amber scrutinized the boy''s behaviour from inside the building, making sure to stay hidden.


    ***


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    Maintaining his calm demeanor, Adonis evaded all the spears and arrows speeding towards him.


    Cranking up the speed in an attempt to overwhelm him, the entities shot five arrows and three spears towards Adonis.


    "That''s a bit much, no?" He sighed, moving his body rapidly to dodge each individual attack.


    ***


    Five minutes later.


    After hundreds of more projeciles being hurled at him, Adonis was finally hit by an arrow in his forehead, upon contact it dissolved into a few mana particles.


    [Ending simulation.]


    {You''d be dead if that was real.}


    ''Lord Eos, that was way too fast.'' Adonis panted.


    [Calculating performance, please stand by.]


    [Adonis P. Vindicta:  Two hundred and fifty-seven and a quarter meters per second. ]


    [Well done.]


    ***


    "What?!" Veda screamed.


    ***


    "What are you Adonis?" Amber scowled


    ***


    The remainder of Adonis''s day was rather repititive.


    After each activity, he returned to the cafeteria to refuel before proceeding to a different facility to either test or improve his capabilities.


    ***


    8PM


    Satisfied with his improvement throughout the day execpt for his magic prowess, Adonis went back to his room, throwing his body onto the comfortable bed.


    ***


    ''It wouldn''t be wise to cross him off the list because of what I just saw today, there''s also the small possibility he knew I was following him. But what I do know now is that he is incredibly strong, above the capabilities of every other first year, which is reason alone to continue to investigate him.'' Amber concluded as she walked back towards her own room.


    ***


    ''I''ll admit it Vindicta, you''re not THAT bad of a guy. But I still don''t think you''re worthy of my sister.'' Veda puffed, walking back towards her room.

 Im just doing my job

    Next day, 10AM


    Academy''s library.


    Maxwell sat on the ground floor of the academy, a large leather-bound book resting on the wooden table before him.


    "Argh..."He grunted, struggling to grasp the book''s secrets and intricasies.


    "Excuse me, you''re being loud." A girl wearing thick glasses, scolded.


    "Sorry..." He whispered.


    The Divine Creation, a historic event that occured during the Great Migration Period. This is defined as the event in which the Titans, Greater Gods and Greater Devils created the Lesser Gods/Devils.


    ''Makes sense...'' He commented.


    The processes in which they used to create these deities varied; some were born from unions between the Greater Gods/Devils....


    ''So incest?'' He shuddered.


    While others were created by the Titan, using the same means he used to create the Greater Devils/Gods.


    "This is confusing." Maxwell gripped his head, overwhelmed by the information.


    Something of note, is that during this time period, the conflict between the Titan and its children began to grow, their differences becoming more apparent.


    "Is that all? Where did the Devil God come from then?"


    ''What''s next?''


    The Titanic War...


    "No! I''m sorry!"


    Breaking Maxwell''s focus was a sharp familiar feminine voice coming from the maze of books on his left.


    ''Hm? What''s going on?'' Maxwell frowned shifting his gaze towards the large shelf of books.


    "Aren''t you going to tell them to keep quiet too?" He asked the third year who had previously reprimanded him.


    "Shut up." She said sternly.


    ''That''s not very nice...''


    ''What''s going on?'' Using the scream of distress as an excuse to halt his studies, Maxwell stood up, intrigued to investigate the source of the problem.


    "I wonder who''s screaming so much." Maxwell stretched his limbs and approached the large shelf.


    "You haven''t paid this month''s tax. Cough it up." A male''s voice commanded.


    "I don''t have a-"


    "Why do you first years make me do this?"


    BAM


    "Ah!"


    ''What the hell is happening?'' Following the loud voices, Maxwell turned multiple corners, navigating the maze.


    BAM


    BAM


    "I''m sorry, I''ll pay double next month!" She screamed.


    "What''s going on here!" Maxwell dashed into the row of books, a solemn expression plastered his countenance.


    Maxwell''s brown eyes set on a tall, intimidating second-year student with short black hair and piercing yellow eyes. His mere presence sending a wave of unease through Maxwell''s entire being.


    "Hm? And who are you?" The male second-year growled.


    "Maxwell Aster." Maxwell scowled, his eyes shifting towards the first-year girl with short brown hair and brown eyes sprawled on the ground.


    "Hmmm... Aster? You''re a commoner in Class 1A and a Rising Star." The second year said flatly.


    "How do you know who I am?" He asked confuedly.


    "It''s my job kid... Now scram, this has nothing to do with you."


    "Max, ru-" The girl on the ground screamed.


    "You''re being loud..." Fabianus stomped on the girl''s hand.


    THUD


    "Ahh!" Paulla yelped


    "What''re you doing?!" Maxwell demanded, his anger steadily growing.


    "Why do you care? " Fabianus asked flatly, his eyes locking on Maxwell.


    "Answer my question, why''re you hitting her!?" Maxwell repeated.


    "She didn''t pay her tax." Fabianus shrugged.


    "Tax?" Maxwell arched his brows, perplexed.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Yes, every student in the academy from classes E to B have to pay tax to the Second Year''s ''Queen.'''' Be grateful you don''t have to." Fabianus explained.


    "I''ve never heard of it..."


    "Strength buys ignorance."Fabianus chuckled.


    "Why do people have to pay tax?" Maxwell frowned, bothered by Paulla''s pained expression.


    "Because you''re breathing the same air as the ''Queen.'' " Fabianus shrugged.


    "That''s ridiculous. Leave her alone now!" Maxwell declared, raising his arms for battle.


    "Sorry kid. Being weak has its prices...Don''t think too much of it."


    ''This guy is ridiculous!''


    "But Paulla can''t afford it!"


    "Then she shouldn''t have been born weak."


    "What?" Maxwell scowled, his Earthly Aura slowly seeping out.


    DUMMM


    "Don''t tell me you think you actually have a chance kid?" Fabianus arched his brows.


    "She''s not going to pay your stupid tax!" Maxwell declared.


    "Then I''ll administer the punishment." Fabianus approached Paulla and raised his foot, ready to stomp on her head.


    "Move away from her!"


    "Kid, I''m just doing my job here. I won''t tell you to leave again." Fabianus brought his foot down violently, targeting the girl''s head.


    WHOOSH


    Halting Fabianus''s attack, Maxwell flung his left leg towards the second year''s leg, intercepting Fabianus''s attack.


    BAM


    Determined to stop the second year, Maxwell launched the same foot toward Fabianus''s neck.


    Fabianus placed his foot back on the ground and raised his right arm to block Maxwell''s attack.


    BAM


    "Don''t be deluded kid." Fabianus thrust his left fist into Maxwell''s stomach, forcing his opponent to expel saliva from his mouth.


    BAM


    "Argh!"


    ''He''s strong!'' Maxwell fought to stay consious, struggling to maintain his breathing.


    "You may be in Class 1A, but that doesn''t mean you can compete with me." Fabianus explained.


    "Leave her alone." Maxwell grunted, taking a step back away from the second year.


    ''I need some space, this is bad.''


    "Shut up... You''re making this difficult." Fabianus sighed, flinging his own leg toward Maxwell''s shoulder.


    WHOOSH


    ''He''s too fast!'' Maxwell raised his arms in a sluggish attempt to block Fabianus''s attack.


    BAM


    The force of the attack sent Maxwell tumbling into the bookshelf, causing dozens of books to fall down on top of him.


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    "Now that the pest is gone, I can get back to my job." Fabianus sharply exhaled, grabbing Paulla by her short brown hair.


    "Kyaa!"


    "Hey, I said leaver her alone!" Throwing the books off his body, Maxwell dashed toward the second year, ignoring th pain in his shoulder and abdomen.


    "Hm? You''re getting on my nerves kid." Fabianus turned around and crouched, swinging his leg at Maxwell and successfully sweeping the boy off his feet.


    THUD


    "Argh!" Maxwell fell with a loud thud, damaging the wooden floorboard.


    ''What just happened?!''


    "You''re in my way, get up." Using his right foot, Fabianus kicked Maxwell in the stomach, sending him flying into the shelf once more.


    CRACK


    "That should be enough..." Approaching Paulla once more, Fabianus bent his back so that he could reach for her hair once more.


    "Didn''t I tell you to leave her alone?" Maxwell growled, gripping the second year''s shirt.


    "Okay now I''m pissed." Fabianus declared, swinging his arm to strike him on his cheek.


    WACK


    This time Fabianus refused to give Maxwell the opportunity to oppose him.


    He grabbed him by the neck and threw him at the shelf.


    BAM


    The second-year continued the attack, hurling his fist into Maxwell''s stomach, doubling him over.


    BAM


    With a frightening left hook, he proceeded to break Maxwell''s jaw.


    CRACK


    Fabianus then used his opposite elbow to launch another attack, shattering Maxwell''s nose, sending blood in every direction.


    SPLURT


    Intending to finish off the stubborn first year, Fabianus delivered a headbutt to Maxwell''s forehead, fracturing his skull.


    CRACK


    Determined to instill a lesson in the first year, Fabianus grabbed Maxwell by the face, palming his entire face.


    ''This is bothersome.'' Tightening his grip, Fabianus bashed Maxwell''s head into the shelf, causing more books to fall to the ground.


    BAM


    "Why do this to yourself? Why sacrifice your own well being for someone else?" Fabianus frowned, bashing the boy''s head into the wooden structure once more.


    BAM


    "I''m not... you''re hurting my peer. Why would I stand by and watch?" Maxwell muttered, his words muffled by both the blood in his mouth and the second year''s hand.


    "Well, it''s none of your business. Be grateful you''re not in her predicament. You''re the source of your own pain." He bashed the boy''s head in once more.


    BAM


    SPLURT


    "It is my business... And it''s also yours, how would you feel if you had to pay ''tax'' for no reason."


    BAM


    SPLURT


    "I am in her predicament, I also have to pay tax. The difference is I pay on time." Fabianus shook his head, lifting the boy''s body of the ground using his head as a handle.


    "You can afford it. Why do the same to her?"


    "Because its my job, I''m merely fulfilling the ''Queen''s'' will." Fabianus looked at the first year blankly, his yellow eyes studying Maxwell''s entire being.


    "Fuck your qu-"


    Fabiano threw Maxwell head first onto the ground, sending both blood and wooden splinters flying everyone.


    SPLURT


    SHATTER


    "Watch your mouth kid, that kind of talk will get you killed." Fabianus shook his head, turning away from the bleeding boy on the ground.


    "Hey..." Struggling to form the words, Maxwell gripped Fabianus''s shoulder, his consiousness leaving him rapidly.


    "Hm?" Fabianus turned to face the boy once more.


    In a desperate attempt, Maxwell threw a pathetic punch aimed at the second year''s chin.


    "This is just bothersome." Fabianus sighed, evading the attack without much effort.


    Shutting the boy up permamently, Fabianus propelled a uppercut towards Maxwell''s jaw.


    SHATTER


    Choking on his own blood and his head throbbing constantly, Maxwell fell to the groud, his consiousness long gone.


    THUD


    "It''s nothing personal kid, just busine-" When he turned his back on Maxwell to resume the attack on Paulla, Fabianus noticed she was gone¡­

 Straight from hell

    Thursday.


    8AM


    ''I''m late...'' Opening Class 1A''s sliding door, Adonis sighed.


    {I told you to get out of the bath earlier!}


    ''It was so comfortable.'' Adonis shook his head, walking towards his seat next to Luna.


    "Good Morning Triksta." He smiled.


    "Grape! You''re a nerd right?" The girl panicked.


    "Nerd?"


    "Yes you are, now help me out!" Luna shoved a large book and pen into Adonis''s face.


    "Um...Okay."


    Our planet has a mass of 2,12*10^24 kg and a radius of 20 000 000km. Consequently, the acceleration due to gravity is 35,37379 m.s^-2. Calculate the gravitational force acting on an object with a mass of 1000 kg at the surface of this planet.


    ''This is last week''s homework.'' Adonis shook his head.


    "Thirty-five thousand, three hundred and seventy three point seven nine.¡±  He muttered


    "Thank you Grape!" Luna grinned, copying the numbers down onto the page.


    "Now can you help me with this one no-"


    DUNG


    Interrupting Luna''s demand was the academy''s bell, heralding the entrance of both Professor Fitzburg and his assistant, Hiram Vindicta.


    "Good Morning Class 1A."


    "Good Morning sir!" The class collectively replied.


    "Before I go over today''s agenda, I would like to remind and inform you of a few things. "


    "Firstly, the culprit of ''monday''s magic circle incident'' hasn''t been found, but we have no reason to believe they are still on campus or pose any sort of threat."


    Upon the words escaping the professor''s mouth, the silence grew and the tension within the class became palpable.


    "On a lighter no-"


    DSSHHH


    The class''s door slid open slightly, marking the appearance of a limping well built youth.


    ''Max?'' Adonis''s gaze fixed on the boy with black hair and brown eyes, who walked with a heavy limp, his body covered from head to toe in bruises in cuts.


    "S-sorry I''m late sir..." Maxwell muttered, walking towards his seat.


    "No problem..." Professor Fitzburg said, hiding his concern.


    "As you all know, next week will be your battle royale. I''ll be announcing and explaining all the rules tomorrow so that you can have adequate time to prepare." He continued.


    ''Was he training?'' Adonis frowned, his eyes still set on his injured friend.


    {Don''t be naiive, he clearly got his ass kicked. Kukuku.}


    Adonis drowned out the rest of the announcements, a burning sensation churning in his stomach.


    DUMMM


    "Grape, what''re you doing." Noticing the subtle wave of Earthly Aura emanating from Adonis, Luna snapped her head in Adonis''s direction.


    "Nothing..." Adonis managed a gentle smile, hiding his growing fury.


    "That''s all the announcements for today... As you all know, today is your first magic practical, so make your way to the shooting range immideately."


    Following the professor''s instructions, the class stood up from their seats and began walking towards the class''s door.


    "Max." Grabbing Maxwell by the arm, Adonis smiled.


    "Oh, hey Donny." Maxwell said coldly, yesterday''s events still leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.


    "What happened?"


    "I just went overboard with my training. Hehe." Maxwel replied, swiftly escaping Adonis.


    ''Then why didn''t you go to the infirmary?'' Adonis frowned.


    {You don''t have time to be worrying about others, you have your own problems.}


    ''I know...''


    ***


    All five first-year classes stood at the outdoor shooting range, all waiting for their turn to shine.


    <Magic practical Exam.


    Objectives:


    Demonstrate magic accuracy.


    Demonstrate magic circle prociency


    Demonstrate maximum magic output.


    Demonstrate magic control.


    Grading:


    Students will be given a score out of 100, relative to their year/tier.


    >


    "Next up, Amber Shine the PTC." Professor van Ani, who held a large blue orb in her hand announced.


    "It''s Amber Shine, in the flesh!"


    "She''s so pretty!"


    "I can''t believe we go to the same academy as a PTC!"


    Ignoring her fellow students, Amber approached a large square opposite dozens of targets from varying distances.


    "First, magic accuracy. Please shoot at the targets Miss Shine. "


    Nodding, Amber pointed her finger at the targets as a subtle yellow glow consumed her finger tips.


    "Light Magic: Holy bullets." She whispered.


    TSU


    TSU


    TSU


    TSU


    The words escaped her mouth along with the frightening bullets, which moved at speeds none of the students nor professor could register.


    "Twenty three out of twenty five." Professor van Ani acknowledged.


    ***


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Magic circle profiency, eighteen out of twenty five."


    ***


    "Maximum magic output, twenty one out of twenty five."


    ***


    "Magic control, Twenty four out of twenty five."


    ***


    "Amber Shine, eighty six out of one hundred." Professor van Ani nodded her head, impressed at the teenage girl''s performance.


    "That''s a new record." She continued.


    "As expected from a PTC."


    "She''s amazing."


    "No one can compete with her in magic."


    ''My magic circle proficiency is pathetic.'' Unsatisfied with her performance, Amber shook her head and returned to join the rest of the students.


    ***


    "Lutz van Alexia, seventy-two out of one hundred."


    ***


    "Jerald Cecil, sixty-five out of one hundred."


    ***


    "Marie Jupiter, sixty nine out of one hundred."


    ***


    "Up next, Adonis P. Vindicta."


    ''A commoner.'' Professor van Ani announced, her eyes still fixed on the magic orb in her hands.


    "Here goes nothing, I guess." Hearing his name being called, Adonis stepped into the shooting range area.


    ***


    "You can''t hide your magic affinity any longer." Luna''s eyes trailed behind Adonis, curious to watch his performance.


    ***


    ''Let''s see...'' Amber watched.


    ***


    "Good luck Vindicta!" Vera whispered.


    ***


    {Just forfeit and stop wasting everyone''s time.} The Devil God commanded.


    ''Aren''t you supposed to be cheering me on?'' Adonis sighed.


    {That wasn''t in the contract, Mortal.}


    "This is the magic accuracy test. All you have to do is try to strike all the targets, you get one attack per target." The professor explained.


    "Got it..." Adonis muttered.


    Taking a deep breath, Adonis stared at his hand.


    Gathering his thoughts and calming his emotions, Adonis dived into his ''being'' to confront his stubborn mana core.


    ''Today is the day I tame you.''


    Adonis stood in an empty void, occupied solely by a bright white orb that vibrated violently.


    As the orb moved, the space in which it existed in shook, its structural integrity being seemingly threatened.


    ''You''re mine, so why not comply?'' Adonis studied the orb.


    {Are you trying to seduce your magic core?}


    Ignoring the Devil God''s comments, Adonis put his palms on the gyrating orb.


    When his palms made contact with the orb, hundreds of painful images and sounds overwhelmed his senses, taking him back to that dreadful day.


    "AHHHHHH!"


    "HELLLPPP!"


    "IT HURTS!"


    Hearing the screams of his deceased family, Adonis closed his eyes, refusing to see that event play out once more.


    ***


    ''What''s taking him so long?'' Professor van Ani arched her eyebrow.


    ***


    The mana core the boy held grew hotter, its temperature reaching frightening heights, scorching his hand and engulfing his entire being in a searing heat.


    ''T-there it is.'' Adonis scowled.


    ''This terrible feeling, this tormenting sensation."


    ''Every day I wonder, what is it?''


    ''Whenever I face it, it constantly defeats me.''


    ''It''s painful.''


    ''It makes me want to die.'' He chuckled.


    ''It hurts...''


    ''But I know now, I know what it is... It''s from back then.''


    ''A feeling I''m familiar with.''


    ''The only feeling I fully resound with... The feeling that followed me to hell.''


    ''It hurts...''


    ''Even as a phantom, it haunted me. Hurting me. Driving me. I don''t like it...''


    ''Because it hurts...''


    ''I know what it is though...''


    ''It''s simple really...''


    ''Only hatred hurts this much...


    ''Only hatred can destroy me.''


    ''Only hatred drives me...''


    ''It was hatred that brought me back.''


    ''But I refuse to be destroyed by it.''


    ''But I also refuse to let it go.''


    ''Because it''s mine.''


    ''So I''ll use it.''


    ''I''ll use the very hatred that consumes me...''


    ''The very hatred I used to reject.''


    ''The sensation born from the pain of the Hermes clan. "


    ¡®From those I love.''


    ''Embrace the chaos, the hatred...''


    "And set my heart ablaze."


    DUMMMMM


    {Kukuku.}


    Rather than calming down and coming to a complete stop, Adonis''s mana core vibrated even more intensely.


    However, this time, it followed his commands, its chaotic energy harnessed and bent to his chaos.


    ***


    "Inferno Magic: Hell Grenades."


    ''Inferno magic? What''s that?'' Hearing the boy''s words, Professor van Ani frowned and removed her gaze from the magic orb.


    Adonis curled his fingers and summoned a brilliant white flame, its form dancing wildly.


    BWSHHH


    ***


    ''Flame magic? No, flame magic is yellow or orange. It''s not blaze either, that''s red. What the hell is white fire?'' Amber frowned, studying the boy intently.


    ***


    ''Is that what you were hiding Grape?'' Luna grinned, curious to see the flames'' capabilities.


    ***


    "What?" Lutz arched his brows, confused at Adonis''s magic affinity.


    ***


    Adonis raised his arm and tensed his arm, preparing to hurl the ball of ivory flame.


    The boy flung the fireball rapidly, and with each toss, the size of the flames in his hand diminished.


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    BAM


    "Magic accuracy, Twenty out of twenty-five." Professor van Ani announced, impressed by the boy''s performance.


    ''Hm? Strange.'' Professor van Ani observed something peculiar in the aftermath of the boy''s strikes.


    Unlike Blaze Magic or Flame Magic, Adonis''s attacks didn''t entirely obliterate or scorch the targets.


    Instead, the Inferno Magic Adonis used kept the target ablaze, its ivory flames still dancing, leaving the target unaffected.


    ***


    "Next up magic circle profiency." Professor van Ani announced.


    "All you have to do is create a complex magic circle with a radius of one meter, your score will be based off of how complex the circle is as well as how fast you manage to create it." Professor van Ani explained.


    "Okay." Adonis nodded.


    ''Sounds easy enough.''


    "Begin." Professor van Ani lowered her head back towards the magic orb in her hands.


    "Done." Immediately after the Professor commanded him to begin, Adonis announced his completion with a blank expression.


    "Hm?"


    ''Is he joking?'' Professor van Ani arched her brows, raising her head to face the boy.


    "What?" Struggling to conceal her astonishment, Professor van Ani studied the pale white magic circle above Adonis''s head.


    "I''m done." Adonis shrugged.


    ''It''s complex, really complex.'' Professor van Ani determined, her seasoned eyes scrutinizing the boy''s magic circle.


    "Magic circle profiency, twenty-five out of twenty-five."


    ''That''s a new record... Not even I can do that.''


    ***


    "Huh?!" Amber frowned.


    **


    "Maximum magic output test."


    "All you have to do is exert as much mana as you can in one go. Feel free to shoot it into the air."


    "Got it." Adonis nodded.


    Adonis''s eyes ignited, his silver irises paling.


    The boy pointed both his hands into the air and summoned his magic affinity once more.


    "Inferno Magic: Hellish Eruption!"


    BWSSHH


    Adonis shot up a mighty flame into the air, his pale flames spreading like a grand mushroom cloud.


    "Twenty-four out of twenty-five. A new record." Professor van Ani stammered, struggling to accept the results.


    ***


    "Magic control, eleven out of twenty five."


    "Overall score, Adonis P. Vindicta: Eighty out of One hundred."

 Ambition

    Satisfied with his final score, Adonis nodded and walked towards the large crowd of students.


    "My magic control is really lacking. " He acknowledged.


    ***


    Magic exam scores:


    Tarzy Goliath: 65


    Luna Tricksta: 72


    Amber Shine PTC: 86


    Lutz van Alexia: 72


    Jerald Cecil: 65


    Marie Jupiter: 69


    Adonis P. Vindicta: 80


    Maxwell Aster: 52


    John van Ani: 70


    Toni Modster: 55


    Vera Stewart: 67


    Veda Stewart: 58


    Flora Evergreen: 71


    Sicily Paler: 51


    Julia Cladius: 52


    ***


    "Everyone has been assessed, please return back to class to resume with your school day."


    Following the professor''s command, Adonis and the rest of the first year''s made their way back to their various classes.


    As he followed behind the crowd back toward the academic block, Adonis''s eyes fell upon the injured Maxwell, who walked beside a girl bearing fewer injuries.


    ''Paulla Beatrix... A girl in Class 1B, her and Maxwell are friends. They''re both injured. Were they really just training? No, if they were really just training they would''ve went to the infirmiry to instantly heal their wounds. Something weird is going on here.'' Adonis thought.


    After walking for a while, Paulla left Maxwell''s side, bearing a scared expression.


    Taking this as an opportunity to investigate his friends injuries and strange behaviour, Adonis approached Paulla, intercepting her path.


    "Beatrix..."


    "Hm? Y-you''r-"


    "I''m Adonis Vindicta, you may call me whatever you want. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions." He smiled gently.


    "U-um... No, what''s up?." Paulla said uncomfortably, shifting her gaze toward the ground.


    "Why''re you injured?" Adonis asked, ignoring the girl''s timid nature.


    "I was training..." She smiled bitterly.


    "Beatrix...Let me ask this properly. Why is Maxwell injured, and don''t lie to me." Although his words and tone were gentle and polite, there was something cold about Adonis''s demeanor when he posed his question.


    "I can''t really say..." Paulla replied, speeding up her pace.


    "Please, I can help." He insisted.


    "Well... There''s something called ''Weakness Tax'' among the students in Classes E to B that has to be paid every month. But I failed to pay my tax and received ''punishment'' Maxwell tried to help me, and ended up getting hurt." Paulla explained, her voice gradually breaking.


    ''A tax among students? I''ve never heard of it...''


    "So who gives these ''punishments''?" Adonis questioned.


    "It''s usually the Second Years...


    ''So it was a second year?''


    "What''s the second year''s na-"


    Sorry but I have to go!" Paulla said, escaping Adonis and his difficult questions.


    ***


    Class 1A, Ethics and Philosophy.


    In accordance with his usual behaviour, Professor Benedictus paced around the classroom, spreading his message and promoting spirited debates among the students.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "Being ambitious is a quality everyone has, and certainly every magic knight has some sort of ambition, no matter how big or small it might be. And although we all have our dreams and goals, it''s important that we set them aside for the greater good, the Empire."


    "That''s a whole bullshit, I exist for myself, and myself alone." Luna said, her hazel eyes fixed on the professor.


    "Then why opt to become a magic knight in the first place, if you choose to live such a selfish lifestyle?" Tarzy asked, his eyes focused on the girl at the back of the class.


    "Fighting is fun. Do I need some complicated reason?" Luna scowled.


    "Your simplestic way of living is a testament to your lack of intelligence. " Amber interjected.


    "Says the Divine Dick-Sucker! You''re merely a puppet for the Gods." Toni shouted at Amber.


    "Call me what you want, but at the end of the day, my purpose is not only useful, but divine. What purpose do you serve Toni?" The PTC replied.


    "Come outside and I''ll show ya!" Toni abruptly stood up.


    "Modster, violence isn''t permitted in the classroom." Professor Benedictus reprimanded.


    "Forgive him sir, that''s all these commoner''s know." John snickered.


    Hearing John''s words, Maxwell, Toni and Tarzy all scowled at him, their Earthly Aura emanating subtly.


    "What''d you just say?" Tarzy growled.


    DUMMM


    "That isn''t fair." Maxwell shook his head.


    DUMMM


    "This commoner''ll kick ya ass!"


    DUMMM


    Despite John''s classist remarks, the fourth commoner in the class kept quiet, his focus directed elsewhere.


    ''Who hurt Maxwell?'' Adonis pondered, his rage growing by the passing second.


    "Your Auras aren''t scaring anyone, so why don''t you tuck away your egos so we can have a proper conversation." Flora shook her head.


    "Why''re you so concerned what other''s think of you anyway?" Sicily muttered, her distant onyx eyes focused out the window.


    "You wouldn''t understand Sicily, you don''t care about anything." Toni sighed, retaking his seat.


    "Van Alexia, you''re always awfully quiet during my lessons." Professor Benedictus stared at a tall youth with a long golden mane and cyan eyes, who appeared completely disinterested in the entire conversation.


    "..."


    "I''d like to hear your opinion on the matter. How important is ambition to a magic knight, in comparison to the Empire''s needs?"


    "It''s obvious goals are important, they''re the main things that drive us and push us to achieve greater heights..."


    "But, there is no bigger reason to act or strive than in accordance to the Gods'' will. " Lutz continued, speaking as if what he said was nothing more than a well known fact.


    "That''s someone who actually knows what they''re talking about." Amber agreed.


    "I never took ya for the puppet type van Alexia."


    Instead of engaging in an intense argument, Lutz simply scoffed and completely disregarded the commoner''s remarks.


    "I expect nothing less from the heir to the van Alexia dukedom." Professor Benedictus smiled.


    "Now, to finish off the lesson... I''d like to present to you all a scenerio... You are a vice commander of Caelum''s strongest Division, but you are placed in a sticky situation. A majority of your division favors you over your commander and you aslo believe that you could do a better job. Considering all this, you are then placed in the perfect situation to assasinate your superior and take his position. What do you do?" Professor Benedictus asked.


    ''I would personally have to asassinate him, but that clearly isn''t the correct answer.'' John van Ani pondered as he rested his chin on his arm, studying his professor.


    "I wouldn''t kill him, if the entire division really wanted him gone, we could just approach the superiors." Marie Jupiter was the first one to speak, without hesitation.


    "That''s easy for you to say princess, you have nothing to strive for." Toni frowned.


    "Watch your mou-" Tarzy barked.


    "I can speak for myself Tarzy." Marie muttered coldly.


    "Princess?"


    "Looks like your princess doesn''t want you anymore!" Toni chuckled.


    "I wouldn''t kill him." Luna shrugged.


    "That''s surprising Triksta, what''s with the change of heart." The professor chuckled.


    "I haven''t had one."


    "Then why wouldn''t you assasinate him?" Flora asked.


    "Because being a commander sounds like too much work, plus defeating someone via assassination is too boring. If I''m going to kill a commander, I''ll do it with my own strength." Luna explained.


    "Can''t say I''m not surprised." Flora smiled.


    "I''d do the same, but a completely different reason." Veda voiced.


    "Assassinating a fellow magic knight is a crime." John said.


    "Even if it''s for the greater good?" Professor Benedictus asked.


    "Unless they''re orders, I won''t do it."


    "I''d do it. If my subordinates think I''m the best man for the job, then I see no reason not to. It not only elevates my position in the military, but it also improves my division''s unitiy." Toni explained.


    "Of course you''d do that, you dumbass commoner." John insulted.


    ''Admittedly I''d do the same.'' John thought.


    "Insult me one more time, van Ani. I dare you!" Toni screamed.


    "Professor, it''s not that simple..." Amber finally said, after thinking over the situation for a bit.


    "What makes it complex?" He asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.


    "If the commander of the division is collectively hated, that means they are clearly incompetent. And if the higher ups haven''t been able to see it then there is clearly something that is understood, or that they bring a value that the subordinates are unable to see. But on a less optimistic note, the reason why they would still be in power despite the collective reluctance of their division is that there is some sort of corruption or prejudice happening. So the correct answer would be to investigate, in the event that option one is the case, then it would be appropriate to inform the rest of the division, in the event of option two, then I would not only assassinate the commander but also bring the situation to the attention of someone in a higher position of power." Amber explained.


    "Very thorough..." Professor Benedictus nodded in approval.


    Listening Amber''s response, Lutz merely rolled his eyes.


    "Van Alexia, you seem to disagree. What would you do?" Professor Benedictus asked.


    "It''s simple... I''d kill him." Lutz replied nonchalantly.


    Hearing Lutz''s response, the entire Class 1A turned their heads'' in his direction.


    "And why is that?" Professor Benedictus asked.


    "Because assigning me as a mere vice commander is a mistake. No one can do what I do, better than me."

 Silent rage (1)

    Class 1A, Martial Arts


    "Aura, an energy almost as old as mana and what both knights and magic knights use in battle."  Professor Avitus stood in front of the class''s chalkboard, using a small piece of chalk to draw on the large chalkboard.


    "I won''t be touching much on Aura''s history during this lesson, but much rather what Auta is and what it''s uses are. "


    "As you know, Mana and Magic come from one''s soul whereas Aura is the physical manifestation of one''s spirit, making them two completely different energies. One''s soul is their actual life energy, while one''s spirit is their will."


    "Aura is not only used for enhancement as it is also commonly used for intimidation and psychological warfare against one''s opponent. Often times, a single burst of Aura is enough to end a confrontation without even drawing one''s weapon."


    "Unlike Mana, Aura can not run out. But rather one''s stamina does run out, making them unable to manifest it due to bodily restrictions; this is both an advantage of Aura and a disadvantage. "


    "The advantage is that it is unlimited, while the disadvantage is that it it is affected by external factors."


    "There are three types of Aura."


    "There is Earthly Aura, the energy innately manifested within humans. Earthly Aura allows combatants to achieve a variety of feats that they wouldn''t be able to do or enhance their existing physical capabilities. It can be used to coat one''s body to greatly enhance their defenses, attack potency, speed and even their senses. And since Aura is directly linked to one''s spirit, it is  affected by their emotions and mental state... The stronger one''s emotion, the stronger the Aura they can manifest and exude. "


    "The other two types of aura are, Holy Aura and Wicked Aura; which are obtained by Blessings or Curses respectively."


    "Being Cursed means that one has been successfully accepted and patroned by a Demon or Devil, therefore receiving a small portion of their power, and granting them the ability to use Wicked Aura."


    "Wicked Aura can do everything that Earthly Aura is capable of, although to a much more significant degree. Unlike Earthly Aura, Wicked Aura is not unlimited and can run out, although it does replenish over time. The way that Wicked Aura can get stronger is by two different methods, through an increase of innate Evil in the human or by a stronger connection with the Devil/Demon they''re patroned with."


    "Wicked Aura also ''transforms'' the user, depending on how much they are able to manifest, making them more demonic and increasing their physical capabilities when in this state. As well as this transformation, Wicked Aura also has a destructive quality. "


    "To make this destructive capability easier to understand, consider a bat. Simply using Earthly Aura would increase the force the bat is able to produce, while keeping the mass and speed the same, defying the laws of physics. "


    "Wicked Aura on the other hand, would not only merely increase the force, but also make the bat feel serated and ''toxic''. Although Wicked Aura is ''toxic'' it doesn''t directly affect the spirit, instead if the opponent is using their own Aura, then it would be diminished or outright nullified."


    "Moving on to Holy Aura, the other side of the Divine Aura coin. Holy Aura serves as Wicked Aura''s counterpart, bearing much of its similarities and capabilities as well as having its own unique properties."


    "Like Wicked Aura, Holy Aura can also enhance and is also improved by the connection with the connected deity. But, unlike Wicked Aura, Holy Aura can get stronger via Good."


    "But, unlike Wicked Aura, Holy Aura lacks the ability to ''transform'' the user and trades in that capability for a healing property; Holy Aura can be used to heal the user or their comrades from any physical and spiritual damage, as long as the Holy Aura user has sufficient stamina and supply of Holy Aura."


    "When the hell is he going to stop yapping?" Luna complained, restlessly laying her head on the desk.


    With his eyes silver eyes glowing wildly, Adonis stared at the sliding door at the classroom''s entrance.


    DUMMM


    "..."


    ''Who''s the second year who did it?''


    DUNG


    Upon hearing the academy''s bell echoing through the classroom, Adonis abruptly stood up, not waiting for the professor to dismiss him.


    "Vindicta, please take a seat!" Professor Avitus frowned.


    Ignoring the professor''s command, Adonis walked toward the opposite side of the classroom near the sliding door.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Maxwell, let''s go." Adonis grabbed his friend''s collar, dragging him towards the sliding door.


    "W-wait! It hurts." Maxwell complained, his body scraping against the desk he sat at.


    "Is he that excited for lunch?" Flora asked, her pink eyes flickering with curiousity.


    "I mean, who wouldn''t. " Julia shrugged, the auburn haired girl''s words being muffled by the sandwich in her mouth.


    "He''s going to shit it out anyway, there''s no point." Sicily shrugged.


    "I don''t think he''s excited to eat." Luna giggled.


    ***


    "Donny, please let me go!" The boy in Adonis''s clutches complained.


    "..."


    "Where''re we going anyway?"


    ''He''s being weird.''


    Ignoring Maxwell''s questions, Adonis ventured deeper into the academic block, ascending the stairs.


    "Wait!"


    ''This is the second year''s floor.'' Realizing where they were going, Maxwell''s wounds ached.


    ***


    Class 2C


    Wasting no time on  formalities or politeness, Adonis slid the class''s door open, his silver eyes scanning the room as his Earthly Aura continued to seep out uncontrollably.


    FWHOOSH


    The second years, who were about to head out for lunch, cast various exprssions at the two first years standing in the doorway.


    "Who''s the pretty boy?"


    "They look a bit young? Are they First-years?"


    "They look a bit familiar."


    "What''s that energy?!"


    Disregarding his upperclassmen''s comments, Adonis turned to face Maxwell, who was now free to stand by himself, although he was still not free to walk away; Adonis had a tight grip on his injured shoulder.


    "Maxwell..."


    "Donny?" Maxwell stood stunned, fear coursing through his veins.


    "Point at the vermin who hurt you." Adonis commanded, his usual gentle expression no where to be found, replaced by pure malice.


    "Donn-"


    "Point."


    "H-him..." Maxwell reluctantly lifted his arm, pointing at a tall teenage boy with short black hair and distant yellow eyes.


    "..."


    "Wait Don-"


    DUMMMMM


    Adonis released his Earthly Aura, letting his previously restricted energy wreak havoc, snatching everysingle student''s attention.


    "Tier nine low rank?!" Maxwell choked.


    "What?!"


    "A first year that''s Tier nine?"


    "Why''s he even here?"


    "Did he come here just to show off?"


    Adonis walked forward, approaching Fabianus, who stood leisurely packing up his books and stationery.


    "Hm? You''r-"


    WHOOOSH


    Adonis''s fist tore  through the air at incredible speeds, aiming directly at Fabianus''s undefended head.


    Alarmed by the sudden assault, Fabianus raised his eyebrows and lowered his head, allowing the attack to narrowly miss his onyx top.


    ''This is...''


    Adonis launched his knee towards Fabianus''s lowered head, intending to defeat the second year in one blow.


    Showcasing his competance, Fabianus raised both arms and took the full brunt of Adonis''s blow, being pushed back a few meters in the process.


    BAM


    "Is there a reason why I''m being attacked?" Fabianus frowned, grunting at the throbbing in both his arms.


    ''He''s really strong, I should be careful.'' Fabianus thought.


    "..." Keeping his intentions to himself, Adonis dashed forward, ready for the second clash.


    "Why''s he attacking Fabianus?"


    "Fabianus should just crush that first-year immidiately, for being so arrogant."


    "This''ll be fun to watch, this year''s first-years are really cocky!"


    "He''s getting pushed back by a first year?"


    With no intention to entertain his upperclassmen, Adonis threw a bullet-like jab at his opponent.


    SWISH


    ''Is he just going to attack me and keep quiet? That''s rude.'' Fabianus shifted his head to the side, evading the boy''s attack skillfully.


    Employing his right arm this time, Adonis swung his fist toward Fabianus''s skull, in a devastating hook.


    Deeming the attack too quick to evade entirely, Fabianus raised his left arm, absorbing the impact in the first year''sstrike.


    BAM


    ''Shit... He packs a heavy punch!''


    Countering swiftly, Fabianus flung his right leg at Adonis''s head, drawing a beautiful arc with his foot.


    Grimacing, Adonis swayed backwards, evading the second year''s attack.


    WHOOSH


    Determining that Adonis as now vulnerable, Fabianus thrust his open palm forward, aiming to strike the first year in his solar plexus, an attempt to completely incapacitate him.


    Planting his feet on the ground, Adonis pivoted his body and used his arm to deflect the second year''s onslaught.


    SLAP


    Continuing with his swift motion, Adonis crouched down and sweeped his leg along the wooden floorboard, toward Fabianus''s legs.


    WHOOSH


    Fabianus leaped into the air, avoiding the boy''s attack.


    WHOOSH


    While he descended, Fabianus extended his leg, preparing a terrifying axe kick to the top of Adonis''s head.


    Adonis shifted to the side but despite his swift movement, he was unable to entirely evade the attack, consequently he was struck on his shoulder, causing a loud clicking sound to echo through the classroom.


    CLICK


    "..." Adonis propelled his fist forward, successfully landing a blow on Fabianus''s guard, pushing him backwards once more.


    BAM

 Silent Rage (2)

    Adonis relentlessly approached his opponent, hoping to overwhelm him with a flurry of frightening blows.


    The first-year''s first attack was a terrifying body hook, driving towards Fabianus''s rib cage.


    WHOOSH


    Reacting swiftly, Fabianus held out his hand, halting the first-year''s fist.


    SLAP


    Destroying Adonis''s hopes of executing a melee combination, Fabianus launched his foot at Adonis''s calf.


    Although his  barrage was interrupted, he continued to showcasee his incredible reflexes by lifting the targeted leg and checking the kick, effectively neutralizing the threat.


    Still employing the same leg, Fabianus threw a roundhouse kick at Adonis''s abdomen with skillful grace.


    WHOOSH


    Unbothered by Fabianus''s aggression, Adonis lifted his arm and expertly caught Fabianus''s leg. Without wasting a single breath, Adonis countered the second year''s attack by flinging his own leg at the one Fabianus used to stand, disrupting his balance.


    ''He caught it?'' Impressed by Adonis''s martial prowess, Fabianus lifted the targeted leg and sliced through the still air, connecting with the side of Adonis''s head.


    BAM


    A large stream of blood ran down the side of Adonis''s head as he staggered back, his vision being blurred by a combination of the blinding crimson liquid as well as his uncontrollable anger.


    "Yeah!"


    "I say you kill him Fabianus!"


    "Teach that first-year a lesson."


    Witnessing his friend being hurt and hearing the cheers of the upperclassmen forced Maxwell to relive the events of the previous day. The familiar overwhelming helplessness washed over him once more, and the wounds covering his body throbbed in response.


    BADUMP


    "Donny..." He sobbed.


    ''I should help him.'' Despite being desperate to help his friend, Maxwell was rendered completely useless as he was overcome by fear.


    Ignoring the cheering of the second-years and the spirits that constantly watched him Adonis raised his hand and wiped the blood that obscured his vision.


    "Are you finally going to explain to me why you attacked me?" Fabianus asked.


    "You hurt Max...That is why you will die." Adonis said flatly before removing his hand from his head.


    DUMMM


    The vast layer of Earthly Aura that surrounded Adonis thickened, its form continuously shifing in response to the anger he refused to suppress.


    The boy''s Earthly Aura spread throughout the classroom, the wooden desks and floorboards folding and cracking under the pressure.


    CRACK


    SHATTER


    Although the damage remained minimal, it served as a testament to the powerful spiritual force he exerted.


    Resuming with the battle, Adonis took a few brisk steps forward, deleting the short distance between him and Fabianus.


    Satisfied with the minimal distance between him and Fabianus, Adonis shot a jab at his opponent''s head, beginning his terrifying barrage.


    ''What is with that energy?!'' Slighlty offput by Adonis''s Aura, Fabianus tilted his head to the side, successfully dodging his opponent''s attack.


    WHOOSH


    Using the same arm, Adonis heaved a left hook at Fabianus''s displaced head.


    ''This kid might actually kill me.'' Now recognizing Adonis as a genuine threat, Fabianus lowered his head, ducking the attack by a terrifyningly small margin.


    WHOOSH


    "..." Adonis opened his left hand and plummeted a chop attack, descending rapidly toward the crown of Fabianus''s head.


    ''He''s really fast.'' Moving purely instinctually, Fabianus took a swift step to the side.


    WHOOSH


    Refusing to remain passive, Fabianus launched an uppercut towards Adonis''s chin, the attack carrying enough force to knock the first-year out upon contact.


    "?!"


    Acknowleding the attack''s threat, Adonis used his hand to nudge Fabianus''s fist slightly off course, deflecting the punch away from his chin.


    Stealing back the initiative, Adonis enveloped his entire fist in Earthly Aura, causing it to vibrate slightly and emit a subtle blue glow.


    DUMMMM


    After fully lathering his fist in the violent Aura, Adonis thrust it forward, shattering Fabianus''s guard completely and pushing him back toward the classroom''s window.


    BAM


    ''I got carele-'' Fabianus''s eyes widened in astonishment and his arms throbbed wildly from the impact.


    Disrupting Fabianus''s thought process, Adonis drove his foot into the second-year''s chest.


    BAM


    CRACK


    The force slightly fractured Fabianus''s sternum, causing him to crash through the window and break through the walls.


    SHATTER


    CRASH


    Fabianus was forced to exit the classroom unconventually, plummeting toward the stone path outside.


    "What?!"


    "No way!"


    "Is Fabianus seriously going to lose to a first year?!"


    "Donny?" Snapped out of his daze, Maxwell''s mouth dropped to the floor.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "I''m not done..." Adonis stood by the broken wall and window, lowering his head as he watched the second-year descend. His dull silver eyes pierced through Fabianus''s entire being, delving deep into his very soul.


    Despite the pulsating in his chest, Fabianus twisted his body and landed on the stone path safely.


    The second-year''s landing caused dozens of stone slabs to shatter and he created a small crater beneath his feet, evidence of the height of his fall.


    THUD


    SHATTER


    ''I need to actually take this seriously... Or that kid''s actually going to kill me.'' Fabianus raised his head, looking up at the large building. His yellow eyes locked onto the teenage boy who stared down at him.


    DUMMM


    Fabianus extended his hand and used the silver ring on his finger to summon a sharp gladius.


    ''Why does he have a spatial ring on school grounds?'' Maxwell wondered.


    "Oh no, that first year''s done it now."


    "Yeah, poor kid. Now he''s actually going to die."


    "Well, he was the one who attacked first."


    "Yeah, he totally deserves it."


    Ready to begin the next round of their fight, Adonis leaped out the large hole in the wall, plummeting toward Fabianus.


    THUD


    DUMMMM


    "What''s that sound?"


    "So much Aura?!"


    "Looks like a fight!"


    "Wait isn''t that..."


    Their curiousity piqued by the commotion, the students in the lower classrooms eagerly opened their classroom curtains and windows to watch the unfolding battle.


    "Are you sure you want to do this kid?" Fabianus pointed his blade at Adonis, a solemn expression etched on his face.


    "..." Adonis ignored his upperclassman''s concern and dashed forward, shattering the stone tiles beneath his feet.


    SHATTER


    Embracing Adonis''s bloodlust, Fabianus took a couple of strides forward to meet the boy.


    Capitalizing on the longer reach granted by his blade, Fabianus swung the gladius vertically.


    SHING


    Frustrated by his opponent''s reach advantage, Adonis stepped to the side.


    Fully commited to killing the first-year, Fabianus sliced through the air once more, although this time he did so diagonally.


    SHING


    Adonis crouched down and twisted his body, skillfully dodging the steel sword.


    Relentlessly assaulting the first-year, Fabianus channeled Earthly Aura into his blade and swung it horizontally.


    DUMMMM


    SHING


    Surprised by the sudden surge in speed and malice, Adonis leaped into the air, raising his knees towards his chest.


    WHOOSH


    "That''s a mistake kid..." Fabianus muttered.


    From the comfort of the sky, Adonis lunged his fist downward, aiming for the top of Fabianus''s skull.


    "Ice Magic: Glacial Stake."


    Utilizing the magic circle above Adonis, Fabianus conjured a sharp icicle that shot out with overwhelming speed, threatening to pierce through Adonis''s back.


    "Hm?" Sensing the rise in mana, Adonis turned his head toward the descending icicle.


    Adding to the life-threatening assault, Fabianus thrust his gladius upwards, aiming directly for Adonis''s skull.


    "It''s over kid... There''s no where to run."


    "Shut up..." Adonis whispered.


    Concluding it was impossible to avoid damage entirely, Adonis chose to minimize lethal injuries.


    Midair, he twisted his body to prevent the icicle from piercing through his back, causing it to impale his left shoulder instead.


    SPLURT


    Simultaneously, he jerked his head to the side, allowing the steel blade to slice his cheek, creating a deep wound on his perfect face.


    SLICE


    "This is ove-"


    Cutting Fabianus off mid-sentence, Adonis swiftly swung his leg at the second-year''s head, connecting perfectly with the side of his skull and sending him staggering backwards.


    BAM


    ***


    "So that''s why he was in such a hurry." Flora took a large bite out of the green apple in her hand as she curiously watched the battle.


    "Does he seriously think he can beat a second-year?" Julia asked, biting into a large sandwhich.


    "Crazy bastard." Toni chuckled.


    "You better not die Grape, I still haven''t fought you yet." Luna scowled.


    ***


    ''He''ll eventually die from bloodloss or fatigue.'' Fabianus rubbed his head painfully.


    Despite the injuries he had sustained midair, Adonis managed to land gracefully, barely making a sound as his leather shoes made contact with the stone path.


    "We''re not done..." Not even taking the time to acknowledge his injuries, Adonis dashed forward, aiming to defeat his stunned opponent immediately with a swift uppercut.


    WHOOSH


    Maintaining his composure despite the pain in his head, Fabianus swiftly weaved past the attack and swung his blade horizontally.


    SHING


    Unwilling to be wounded by the blade again, Adonis leaned back, avoiding being cut and immideately countered.


    The first-year swung his leg toward Fabianus''s thigh, hoping to force him to buckle over.


    Fabianus moved nimbly and took a large step backward, succesfully avoiding damage.


    Unbothered by the ease in which his attack was evaded, Adonis lathered his entire hand in a thick layer of Earthly Aura, stealing a substantial amount of the blue veil that surrounded him.


    DUMMMM


    "What is this?" Almost losing his composure, Fabianus raised his gladius towards his chest to block the upcoming attack.


    ''Supreme Devil Art: Unarmed Variation...''


    "Assidious Assault."


    Adonis thrust his fist forward and tore  through the air, heading straight for the second-year''s blade.


    Upon contact, Fabianus''s blade yielded under the overwhelming force behind Adonis''s attack.


    SHATTER


    Although, the first-year''s assault didn''t merely stopped there, it continued on its path till it met the second-year''s sternum, breaking it upon contact and sending him flying backwards.


    CRACK


    WHOOSH


    "Argh!" Blood escaped Fabianus''s mouth as he unwillingly flew backward.


    ''What was that technique?!''


    ***


    "..." Jerald remained silent while he watched the battle from the classrom.


    "Even when we were in the forest, he didn''t fight like this." Veda said.


    "What''s wrong with Vindicta." Remembering the scene of Adonis being soaked in blood, Vera shuddered.


    ''It''s like that time...''


    ***


    Determined to finish the fight immediately, Adonis pursued Fabianus, coating his fists in Earthly Aura once more.


    Fabianus extended his hands forward, summoning a small magic circle to help defend against Adonis''s onslaught.


    "Ice magic: Chilling Bullets."


    Fabianus ejected several ice bullets toward his eager opponent, each individual attack being coated in its own share of Earthly Aura.


    Adonis accelerated his pace, relentlessly pursuing the second-year who continued to fly backwards. In response to the ice bullets, he moved his head side to side, dodging each individual bullet with ease.


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    With every passing moment, the runes on the magic circle shifted, its complexity gradually increasing.


    "Ice Magic: Piercing Ram!"


    When Adonis was finally too close for comfort, Fabianus shot a large sharp pillar of ice out of the magic circle, aiming directly at Adonis''s chest.


    "Shit." Adonis''s high velocity worked against him, preventing him from changing direction to evade the blow.


    Unable to dodge or break the pillar, Adonis coated his hands in Earthly Aura and held them out in front of his chest, hoping to prevent the pillar from piercing right through him.


    SPLURT


    "Argh!" The ice pillar cut Adonis''s hands, pushing him backward as he struggled to prevent it from cutting right through his hands and impaling him through the chest.


    WHOOSH


    The force behind the blow propelled Adonis backward, slamming him into the outside wall of Class 1D.


    "..."


    ***


    "Do you think he''s going to lose?" Marie voiced her concern.


    ''Since when did she care about HIM?''


    "I mean, he is fighting against a second-year." Hiding his jealousy, Tarzy responded with his honest opinion.


    "I doubt so, he hasn''t used magic yet." Amber analyzed, her golden eyes investigating Adonis''s everymove.


    "He''ll win." Lutz said flatly.

 Justice?

    ***


    "G-give it up first-year!" Fabianus yelled, his voice breaking under the pain and fatigue.


    "I''ve decided..." Adonis dislodged himself from the large indent in the wall and glared at his opponent.


    "Decided? On what?"


    "I''m going to completely incinerate you!" Adonis clenched his fist and raised it above his head, his mana seeping out gradually.


    Suddenly he summoned a pale magic circle in front of him and channelled the mana in his violent mana core, the burning sensation intensifying as he prepared his spell.


    "Hm? He''s preparing a spell?"


    ''Incinerate? So it''s either Blaze or Flame Magic? I''m assuming my magic output is greater than his, so I should be able to counter it.'' Assessing the situation, Fabianus held his hands out and summoned a large magic circle.


    "Inferno Magic: Hell Cannon."


    ''He''s already done?'' Panicked by Adonis''s spellcasting speed, Fabianus channeled his mana into the magic circle.


    Adonis''s hands set ablaze with a pure ivory-flame.


    BWSHHH


    Unlike last time, with each dance of the fire encompassing his hand, the mana, air, aura, and even the matter in the air disappeared, reduced to mere nothingness.


    Satisfied with the size of the ball of flame, Adonis hurled the pale flame forward.


    FWHOOSH


    Upon contact with the magic circle, the flame surged forward, expanding in both size and speed. It transformed into a dazzling stream of fire too fast for Fabianus to detect.


    When the flame was a few feet away from Fabianus, a red blur whizzed through the air to intercept the spell.


    SWOOO


    "You learn magic and this is the first thing you do? You really are something Adonis Vindicta." Elder Mars stood infront of Fabianus and used his arm it deflect Adonis''s spell away, sending the ball of ivory flame flying toward a large water fountain.


    CRASH


    Seeing his spell being swatted away so easily, Adonis frowned and dashed toward the Elder.


    "Don''t get in my way!" He screamed, his Earhtly Aura disrupting the atmosphere once more.


    "You okay kid?" Ignoring the first year who approached, Elder Mars turned to smile at Fabianus.


    "Y-yes sir."


    ''What just happened? He''s so fast.'' Fabianus marveled, the battle''s injuries finally catching up with him.


    "You need to be more careful, you almost got yourself killed." Elder Mars chuckled, his crimson eyes studying the second-year.


    ''Killed? I would''ve lost?'' Fabianus frowned.


    "Mars... Mo-" With no care for Elder Mars''s superiority, Adonis confronted the vice commander, throwing a cross at his elegant visage.


    WHOOSH


    "Speech Magic: Absolute Command, Sleep." Speaking in a clear and commanding voice Elder Mars shook his head and watched as Adonis abruptly lost consciousness.


    ***


    "That dumb commoner, he''s lucky he didn''t lose his life!"


    "All Elder Mars did was save him."


    "What was he thinking, fighting a seco-"


    "Shut up." John van Ani said sternly, his voice cutting through the groupies'' invalid opinions.


    "Why?"


    "What''s wrong?"


    "You know nothing. That commoner... No, Vindicta was going to win that fight." John said before storming out the classroom.


    ***


    "Donny... Thank you." Tears cascaded down Maxwell''s cheeks while he looked out the gaping hole in the Class 2C classroom.


    "Well, he''s in deep shit." A second-year chuckled.


    "Yeah, fighting on school grounds and doing so much damge to academy property... He''s fucked!"


    "Fabianus is lucky the ''Queen'' is backing him."


    "Haha, even if the first-year manages to escape explusion, the ''Queen'' will kill him."


    ***


    "Get yourself to the infirmary, I''ll deal with Adonis." Elder Mars picked up Adonis and hoisted him over his left shoulder.


    "Yes sir." Fabianus nodded and staggered toward academy''s medical district.


    ''Elder Mars knows his name?''


    "Now... What am I to do with you?" Elder Mars chuckled and looked at the bleeding boy on his shoulder.


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    ''It seems you''ve managed to silence the voices... atleast to the extent where you can use magic.''


    "But this magic affinity of yours..." Elder Mars gazed at his open right hand, the one he used to deflect Adonis''s spell.


    DIMMMM


    Elder Mars encompassed his right hand in Holy Aura, healing the spiritual damage done by Adonis''s spell. While he did so, he turned his head to the deleted fountain.


    The structure that Adonis''s spell had collided with was no where to be found, no soot, no ash, no broken ceramic, no nothing...


    It was gone, as if it was deleted from reality.


    "It''s terrifying." He grinned.


    ***


    "Where''s he taking him? " Vera frowned.


    "He''s probably going to have a disciplinary hearing... He''s atleast going to get expelled." Veda replied.


    "What?! Why?"


    "Because fighting on school grounds is prohibited."


    "Van Alexia and van Ani fought on the first day though?" Vera frowned.


    "Yeah, but that was the first day. Plus, it''d be a bad look for the academy to expel two Dukedom heirs on the first day."


    "That''s unfair. What about all the good he''s done?" Vera suppressed her tears as she stared at the teenager in Elder Mar''s clutches.


    ***


    DUNG


    "Get back to class all of you... The show''s over!" Elder Mars infused his voice with Earthly Aura, allowing his voice to reverberate throughout the entire academic building.


    Following the Elder''s commands, everysingle student either went back into their classes, or shut their classroom''s curtains.


    "Speech Magic: Absolute Command, Repair."


    Elder Mars put his hand to the ground and commanded the stone path to mend itself, and it did exactly that.


    All of the displaced or shattered stone tiles conjoined once more and placed themselves back into their rightful places, as if nothing had ever happened.


    "That should be enough." Satisfied with the path''s state, Elder Mars smiled merrily.


    ***


    8 hours later.


    Adonis''s dormitory.


    Free from any pain and his wounds all healed, Adonis rose from the comfort of his blankets, breaking away from its warmth.


    "My head feels empty..." Adonis rubbed his eye gently as he scanned his dorm.


    ''Scipio Mars!''


    "Maybe that''s why you make such dumb decisions." Seated comfortably on a large leather couch, Elder Mars turned his head to face the teenage boy and took another sip of tea.


    SLURP


    "Why''re you in my room?" Adonis sighed.


    "What happened to thank you?"


    "What is there to be thankful for?" Adonis scowled.


    SLURP


    "I don''t know? Maybe healing your wounds!"


    "And you''re drinking my tea... We''re even." Adonis shrugged.


    SLURP


    "You have a point." Elder Mars chuckled.


    "You''re slurping is irritat-"


    SLURP


    "I see you''re finally able to use magic." Elder Mars smiled.


    "Yeah..." His eye twitching out of irritation, Adonis replied nonchalantly.


    "Good for you! But was it really necessary to go attacking a second-year?" Elder Mars sighed.


    SLURP


    "It was necessary... For justice."


    "Justice? What''d he do?" His interest piqued, Elder Mars focused his full attention on the boy, pulling it away from the exotic tea.


    "Do you know about the ''Weakness Tax''?" Just saying the words made Adonis''s stomach burn with rage once more.


    "Well obviously." Elder Mars replied.


    SLURP


    "Wait, what?"


    "Yeah, it was introduced last year by one of the first-years."


    "And you just let that happen?" Adonis frowned.


    ''A first-year with enough influence to control the academy?''


    "The academy has strict rules, staff are to not interfere with student affairs. Unless it is a direct breach of our rules." Elder Mars shrugged.


    SLURP


    "But Maxwell was beaten up by a second-year, is that not a breach of rules." Adonis scowled.


    DUMMM


    "Well... It certainly is."


    "Then what''s the probl-" Adonis shouted.


    "If a staff member didn''t witness it, it practically didn''t happen. And even so, the ''queen'' of the second-years has most staff members on her pay roll." The Elder explained.


    SLURP


    "Most of them? Including you?" The walls in Adonis''s dormitory vibrated as he waited for the vice commander''s response.


    "Hm? Of course not! Why would a prince need a teenager''s money." Elder Mars chuckled.


    "Ex-prince." Adonis corrected.


    "Hahaha, ouch!"


    SLURP


    "But the same could be said for the professors and elders, they get paid pretty well."


    "People aren''t only paid with gold, Vindicta."


    "True."


    "But it seems you''ve gotten yourself in quite the sticky situation, tomorrow you''ll likely be facing expulsion." Elder Mars chuckled.


    "I''m glad my problems amuse you." Adonis rolled his eyes.


    "It''s not your problems that amuse me, it''s you." Elder Mars clarified.


    SLURP


    "Wha-"


    "The tea''s already finished?" Elder Mars frowned.


    "Take that as your sign to leave."


    "You''re always so hospital." Elder Mars smiled, walking toward the dormitory''s exit.


    "And you''re always a pleasant guest to have." The student replied sarcastically.


    "Then I''ll be back!"


    ''That''s not what I meant.'' Adonis sighed.


    "As your favorite Elder, I think it would be appropriate for me to leave you with some words of wisdom."


    ''Who said you''re my favorite elder?''


    "If it mean''s you''ll leave, go ahead. Let''s hear it."


    "I want you to think about this... Did you really act out of a desire for justice today? Or was that revenge?" Straightening his face, Elder Mars exited the boy''s dormroom.


    SLAM


    "...Revenge?" Adonis frowned.


    ''Ha, revenge? He''s starting to sound like Lord Eos...''


    ''Lord Eos? Yes, that''s why my head feels empty.''


    ''Lord Eos.''


    ''Lord Eos!''


    No matter how much he tried to telepathically call out to the Devil God, Adonis was met with no response.


    ''Is he ignoring me? No, it''s unlike him to not speak to me for this long. Now that I think about it, he''s been silent ever since the magic exam.''


    "Wait..." Adonis''s thought process was disrupted by a sudden realization.


    "He took my cup again!"

 Off the hook?

    ''Revenge? Justice? Call it what you want, but I swear on the Hermes name...'' Hearing Elder Mars''s words constantly replay in his head, Adonis exhaled sharply.


    "The next time I see Fabianus, I will rip his throat out."


    DUMMMM


    ****


    At an unknown place, at an unknown time.


    "Sir I have some news..."A figureless distorted voice lacking any emotion spoke.


    "What is it? I''m busy." An identical voice with more authority replied.


    "Sorry sir, but it''s pretty important. It has to do with one of our candidates."


    "Which one?"


    "Adonis P. Vindicta, the Rising Star from Hero''s Magic Knights Academy."


    "The commoner you reccommended?"


    "Yes sir."


    "What about him? Are there any issues?"


    "It''s two things sir... The first one is in regard to his magic affinity."


    "I thought you said he hadn''t shown it yet?"


    "He hadn''t sir... But today the first-years'' had their first magic exam."


    "Okay. But why is that so important? Just put it in his file."


    "The thing is sir..."


    "Spit it out!"


    "It''s completely unique, we''ve never seen this one before..."


    "What do you mean?"


    "He calls it Inferno Magic..."


    "Inferno? Are you sure it''s not just Blaze or Flame magic."


    "We thought so initially... But it has a few unique characteristics that makes us believe its a Special Grade Magic Affinity."


    "Hm... I see, then we''ll have to study him a bit more."


    "Yes sir, we''re on it."


    "What''s the other thing."


    "We''ve confirmed he''s Tier and Rank."


    "What''s the point of telling me this? Just put it in his file."


    "But sir... Like he''s magic affinity something is strange. He''s only fifteen yet he''s broken into the nineth tier."


    ***


    Hero''s Magic Knights Academy, Dorm Alpha (Second-year''s floor.)


    Bath house.


    In a beautiful marble room filled with steam, a girl with flowing brown hair sat in an oversized bath.


    SPLASH


    "Queen!" Interrupting the second-year''s bathing, a taller girl with black hair entered the bathing space.


    "Since when are you allowed to interrupt me while bathing?" The teenage girl in the bath spoke, her form being distorted by the curtain of water vapor.


    "Apologies master, but the Elders are urgently waiting for an answer." The girl with black hair said nervously.


    "An answer? For what?"


    SPLASH


    "The incident that happened today."


    "What incident?"


    "You weren''t at school today, so I don''t think you''re aware but... A first-year barged into Class 2C and fought a second-year, causing tons of damage."


    "Fufufu... And the first-year survived?" The ''Queen'' giggled.


    "Yes master..."


    "Aren''t my orders to kill any first-year who disrupts my academy''s peace?" The ''Queen''s'' Aura pulsated, causing the water in the bath to thrash uncontrollably.


    DUMMMM


    SPLASH


    "Y-yes master... but."


    "But what? Who was the incompetant second-year who fought?"


    "Fabianus... Fabianus van Apis."


    "Fabianus? He rarely shows mercy... Bring him to me." She commanded.


    "He is in the infirmary right now, he''s unconcious."


    SPLASH


    "Infirmary? Are you telling me he lost?"


    "N-not necessarily... Elder Mars stepped in and stopped them both."


    "Scipio Mars? He rarely interferes...Who is this first-year?" The ''Queen'' asked.


    SPLASH


    "He has purple hair and silver eyes. " The black-haired girl squinted, trying to remember the first-year''s name.


    "Hm? What''s his name..." The ''Queen'' eagerly asked.


    "Adonis... Adonis P. Vindicta."


    "Fufufu." The ''Queen'' began chuckling softly, her sweet voice cutting through the steam.


    SPLASH


    "What should I tell the Elders, Master?"


    "Tell them to expel Fabianus for bullying and let Adonis off the hook since it''s his first offense." The ''Queen'' said, the coldness in her voice replaced with excitement.


    "Excuse me? Don''t you mean expel Adonis, master?" The girl asked, taken aback by the ''Queen''s '' orders.


    "No, I mean exactly that. Expel Fabianus, he stopped being useful to me after he dropped from Class A anyway." She shrugged.


    SPLASH


    ***


    Dorm Alpha (First-years'' floor.)


    Adonis''s dormitory.


    "Achooo! Achooo!"


    ''Are people talking about me?'' Adonis sniffed his nose.


    "I feel a bit lonely without Lord Eos..."


    "I guess you guys are all I have." He chuckled, facing the dozens of spirits that occupied his room.


    "B-but you still give me the creeps." He shuddered.


    ''If Lord Eos was here he''d tell me to train...'' Adonis leaped out his bed and walked towards his private training suite.


    ''There''s something that''s been bothering me about Inferno Magic.'' Shutting the door behind him, Adonis stood in the marble room''s center.


    ''This is going to take quite alot of effort.''


    The teenage boy raised his hand and stared at the lines on his palm, preparing to create an ivory flame.


    BWSHHHHH


    ''White flames? That''s kinda similar to Papa''s Storm Magic.'' Adonis observed the blinding flames in his hand, constantly tilting his arm to study the flame''s movement.


    ''But...It''s behaviour is contradicting. At the shooting range it didn''t burn the target, but at the academic block it completely incinerated the fountain.''


    ''Let''s see what it will do this time.''


    "Inferno Magic: Hell Grenade."


    Adonis swiped his hand toward the straw doll in the training room, on contact the dummy was engulfed by the beautiful flames.


    "It''s on fire but not actually burning." Adonis arched his eyebrows.


    He walked up to the straw doll, studying it''s body intently.


    "No damage?"


    "Disipate." Adonis waved his hand, dismissing the flame.


    "Let''s try this again...Inferno Magic: Hell Grenade."


    BWSHHH


    Adonis threw the white flame at the straw doll once more, the result staying the same.


    ''Still not burning?''


    "Hmm..."


    ''Let''s try this.''


    "Incinerate." Adonis''s silver eyes bulged.


    BWFFFF


    Following Adonis''s command, the ivory flame destroyed the straw doll reducing it to nothingness.


    "Hmm... So I have to manually command it to destroy somethi-" Halting his conclusion, Adonis noticed something strange...


    There was no ash.


    "That''s weird."


    ''Hmmmm...Live targets would be more effective for experimentation.'' Adonis removed his hand from his chin while he prepared to call on his pet.


    "Minnie."


    PUPUP PUPUP


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    A majestic bat-like beast fazed through the white marble wall and landed itself on Adonis''s unkept hair.


    "You''ve gotten bigger." Adonis grinned.


    "Ksk Ksk!"


    "It seems you''ve eaten quite alot!" Adonis rubbed the beast''s body.


    "Ksk Ksk."


    "Yeah... Would you mind doing me a favor?"


    "Ksk Ksk."


    "Bring me five Grey Wolves."


    "Ksk Ksk."


    "I know their disgusting... Please?"


    "Ksk Ksk!"


    "Okay okay, I owe you."


    PUPUP PUPUP


    ***


    Five minutes later.


    PUPUP PUPUP


    Minnie returned back looking significantly larger and his speed was significantly diminished, as if he staggered through the air.


    "That was quick!" Adonis smiled.


    "BLERGH!" Minnie threw up six alive Grey Wolves, the quantity of the beasts he expelled betraying his size.


    ''Wait... This is six. He''s stomach is bottomless.'' Adonis shuddered.


    "Ksk Ksk."


    "You can rest in the corner."


    "Ksk Ksk." Eager to watch Adonis train, Minnie plopped himself in the corner.


    "Grr!" After regaining their senses, the Grey Wolves growled at the teenage boy who leisurely stared at them.


    "Relax." Adonis commanded, exerting an intimidating burst of Earthly Aura.


    DUMMM


    "Now... Let''s test this out." Adonis raised his hand and pointed it at the palaryzed Grey Wolves.


    "Inferno Magic: Hell Grenade."


    Following its usual behaviour, the Inferno Magic set the magic beast on fire.


    Though, ulike mundane targets, the Grey Wolf didn''t simply set ablaze with the ivory flame, this time it died.


    It didn''t die in the sense that it burned to death like usual flames would do, but instead it simply buckled over and died, the ivory flame disappearing with the beast''s life.


    Adonis repeated this procedure with the rest of the Grey Wolves, adjusting the spell in various different ways so he could evaluate his magic affinity accurately.


    ***


    "Okay...I get it now."


    ''There are two types of spells... The internal damage type, where it destroy''s the target from within. This variation attack''s the entity''s soul, this is clear because the magic crystal within the beast''s is no where to be found after death. Although I''m not sure if it also destroys the spirit.''


    "The second type is external damage, it destroys the target entirely. This variation leaves no ash or residue, essentially burning the target out of existance. I''m pretty sure this works on an atomic level, but it''d be better to do more precise experiments to reach a concrete conclusion."


    "But it seems I can''t combine the two."


    "Although this is pretty useful for mortal combat, it seems to lack versatility. I can''t use it for anything other than killing..."


    ''Another issue is these spells take too much mana, combined with the inefficiency of magic circles; I''m not using my mana to the best of its ability.''


    ''Even without using a magic circle for simple spells, the efficiency is still poor... This simply won''t do.'' Adonis shook his head.


    KNOCK KNOCK


    "Hm?" Hearing his dormitory''s main door being knocked, Adonis turned his head to look at his training room''s door.


    ''Is it Elder Mars again?''


    "Minnie, I''ll be right back.''


    "Ksk Ksk."


    Adonis exited his private training room and reached to open his main door.


    ''Hm?! They''re strong!'' Alarmed by the Earthly Aura radiating behind his door, Adonis arched his brows.


    Chapter 75- Tutor


    Mentally prepared to engage in battle at anytime, Adonis reluctantly opened his dormitory''s door.


    "Good evening Vindicta." Standing on the other side of the boy''s door was an old man with piercing blue eyes, dressed in the Academy''s Elder''s standard attire, setting him apart from the rest of the staff.


    "Good evening Elder Slyhead."


    ''Why was he exerting his Aura?'' Adonis refused to let down his guard.


    "Would you like to come in?" The first-year invited.


    "No thank you, I''m just here to relay some news." The Elder smiled softly, his gaze striking a sense of discomfort into Adonis.


    "News?"


    "Yes, the Elders have made up their desicion in terms of your actions earlier today."


    "Right..."


    ''I''m assuming I''ll be expelled.'' Adonis sighed.


    "Since you have barely been here for a month and you have done your Empire a great service we have decided to give you a strike..."


    "A strike?"


    ''Just a strike? After I caused so much damage?''


    "Yes, take this as a warning. The academy has a zero tolerance for violence, so please abstain from fighting outside of controlled environments.


    "Yes Elder..." Adonis narrowed his eyebrows.


    ''Something''s not right...''


    "Thank you. Keep up the good work, you have tons of potential." The Elder turned toward the corridor, preparing to leave.


    "Wait..." Adonis called out.


    "Yes Vindicta?" The Elder managed a slight smile.


    "What about Fabianus... What happened to him?" Adonis stared at the ground, suppressing the rage that began steadily building up.


    "He has been expelled. Bullying those weaker than you isn''t a quality a magic knight should possess, nor will it be tolerated in the academy." The Elder said flatly.


    "...Right. Thank you." Adonis whispered.


    "Enjoy your night..." The Elder said.


    Adonis shut his door and stared at the handle for a few seconds, the gears in his head slowly turning.


    ''The Elder was acting strange... Hiram told me that he is classist and has a tendancy to look down on others. So why was he acting so polite towards me?''


    ''Does he respect my strength?''


    ''I''ll need to investigate that further...''


    ''And about their decision in regards to my actions, it''s odd. They favored a commoner over a noble from an esteemed family... And the ''Queen'' allegedly has them all in her pocket. So why?''


    ***


    The next day, Friday.


    9AM


    Class 1A, MIlitary Tactics


    "The Caelum military is amongst the largests in the world, boasting a little over one hundred thousand combantants ready to engage in battle at any time. "


    "This large military is divided appropriately into various divisions, squads and units."


    "Squads are the smallest group of combatants, having seven warriors including a captain and vice captain. Captains are usually Tier 5 magic knights or Grandmaster level mages/ knights. Squads are given various names, from Alpha all the way to Kappa in accordance with their useful to the Empire."


    ( Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Lota and Kappa)


    "Ten squads are grouped together and called Units, them being lead by Liutenants. Lieutenants are Tier 4 magic knights. Units are then ordered using numbers, from one to thirty."


    "Moving higher along the chain, thirty units altogether are called divisions, those being lead by Vice Commanders and Commanders respectively. Divisions are named using their commander''s last names, making it easier to distinguish between them. Commanders are typically Tier 2 while Vice commanders are Tier 3."


    "Our Empire has managed to sustain fifty divisions, ready to attack at any time."


    "What about Generals sir?" A student asked.


    "Hehe, I almost forgot."


    "There are ten Generals in the entire Caelum Empire, all of which are Tier 1. Generals hold the second highest position in the military chain, being allowed to act independantly or command multiple divisions above the the Commanders."


    "Above the Generals is the Legatus Legion or quite simply the Legate, this position is reserved for the Savior of the Empire... Currently occupied by Cornelius Minerva the Third PTC, Caelum''s strongest magic knight."


    ''Realistically Legate is out of my reach, even if I reach that level of power. No one will ever believe I reached Tier 0 without being Blessed, I''d be exposed as a damon immediately.'' Adonis stared at the professor blankly.


    ''Even General status would be questionable, but... I need that level of influence and the freedom that comes with it. So it might be worth the risk, plus it''s not like it''s impossible to reach Tier 1 with your own strength.''


    ''In order for me to be able to reveal that level of strength I need to instill the idea of my potential in everyone''s minds, so that my growth isn''t that surprising. It''s better to be known as a prodigy early on, than a mysterious Tier 1 who popped out of no where. '' Adonis concluded.


    ***


    Next lesson


    Martial Arts, shooting range.


    "No matter what close range weapon you choose to wield, a magic knight should be capable of using ranged weapons." Professor Avitus said.


    "NO!"


    "Boring!"


    "BOO!"


    "So today you will all be practising shooting at moving targets. Please choose your ranged weapons of choice." Ignoring the students'' retorts, Professor Avitus smiled calmly and pointed at the targets behind him.


    "You''re all so immature." Amber, who held a crossbow muttered.


    "You''re such an old soul." Holding a giant wooden bow, Luna mocked the 3rd Rising Star.


    "You know you don''t always have to speak your mind right?" Tarzy growled.


    "Since when do you protect anyone who isn''t the princess? Did she throw you away?" Luna chuckled.


    "...S-she didn''t throw me away." Tarzy whispered.


    "He isn''t as lively today." Maxwell, who was now fully healed, turned his head to Adonis.


    "Yeah, he musn''t have gotten his bone." Adonis chuckled.


    "Where is the princess anyway?" Maxwell giggled.


    "Apparently she''s sick today." Veda replied.


    "I didn''t think princesses got sick." Jerald said.


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "I-I mean... I didn''t think someone that strong could get sick." Jerald nervously laughed.


    "Hey Vindicta!"


    Snatching Adonis''s away from the awkwaard atmosphere was a calming feminine voice.


    "Hm...Evergreen?" Adonis''s silver eyes set on an enchanting petite girl with beautiful shoulder-length blonde hair and hot pink eyes.


    ''Why the fuck is that bitch talking to Vindicta.'' Vera scowled at Flora.


    "Could you please help me?" Flora asked sweetly.


    "Yeah, why not." He shrugged


    ''I don''t feel like being around Jerald, plus this could be an opportunity to study another classmate.'' He concluded.


    "Okay! Let''s go!" Flora grabbed Adonis by the arm and dragged him toward a set of targets.


    ''Where the hell is she taking him!'' Vera internally fought the intense impulse to rip the girl''s head off.


    ***


    "So what do you need help with?" Adonis asked as he watched the girl pick up a wooden bow.


    "I struggle with the aiming."


    "I''m not the best at using bows, but I can try helping."


    "Thank you..." Flora drew the bow shakily and pathetically shot a single arrow, completely missing the target and venturing into the bushes behind.


    WHOOSH


    RUSTLE


    "Hmm... I think your posture is the problem, everything else seems to be okay."


    "My posture?" She frowned.


    "Yeah, straighten your back a bit and lift up your chin."


    "Like this?" Following Adonis''s instructions, Flora straightened her back and faced the target before her.


    "No, just a bit more and your hand is a bit misplaced."


    "Like this?"


    "No, lift it up a bit."


    "Like this?"


    "No, that''s a bit too high?"


    "Like this?"


    "No, now your drawing is the problem..."


    "Like this?"


    "No. I''ll just show you." Growing irritated by Flora''s inability to follow instructions, Adonis walked up behind her and placed his hands on hers assisting her with her grip and aiming.


    "You have to hold it like this." He demonstrated.


    "Okay..."


    ''He''s so close.'' Flora licked her rosy lips as she followed the instructions more accurately.


    "Now your posture is the problem." Adonis critiqued, using his hand to manually straighten her back.


    "Heehee." Flora giggled under her breath.


    "What?"


    "Nothing." Flora let go of the arrow, allowing it to strike the target accurately, with considerable force.


    "That''s good!" Adonis smiled, widening the distance between the two.


    "Thank you." She smiled.


    "Since you''ve got the hang of it, I''ll go practise with Maxwell." Adonis turned to leave the girl''s side.


    "Why don''t you just practise with me?" Flora asked.


    "Hm?"


    "We can even play a game to make things more interesting!" She smiled.


    ''A game?''


    "So what''s the game?" Adonis asked curiously.


    "Simple really, we''ll compete to see who can hit the most targets." Flora looked at the moving targets.


    "Hmm... I expected something more creative." Adonis chuckled.


    "That''s a bit mean... Not everyone is as smart as you Vindicta." She pouted.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "C''mon, don''t play dumb now... You''re the smartest in the class." Flora''s pink eyes pierced through Adonis''s being.


    "That''s according to the test scores..." Adonsi said, straightening his face.


    "Heehee... So humble." She giggled.


    ''She''s strange...''


    "Is there atleast a prize?" Adonis asked, looking toward the moving targets.


    "Hm, I haven''t thought that far yet." Flora put her finger to her lip, as if deep in thought.


    "How about... The winner gets to ask the loser for anything they want?" She continued.


    "A blank cheque is a bit risky." Adonis contested.


    "Are you not confident you''ll win?" She teased.


    Extra Information:


    The average magic knight is Tier 7.


    The average mage and knight is Intermediate level.


    Although Caelum has over 130 000 soldiers in their military, this doesn''t mean that is number represents everysingle mage, knight and magic knight; as there are also combatants in other occupations.


    Eg. There are around 300 000 rangers in the Empire ; 200 000 working mundane jobs; 50 000 doing government work; and about 200 000 doing other things (Gladiators, Independant companies, body guarding etc.)


    The Caelum Empire''s population is almost 2 Billion.

 Tutor

    Mentally prepared to engage in battle at anytime, Adonis reluctantly opened his dormitory''s door.


    "Good evening Vindicta." Standing on the other side of the boy''s door was an old man with piercing blue eyes, dressed in the Academy''s Elder''s standard attire, setting him apart from the rest of the staff.


    "Good evening Elder Slyhead."


    ''Why was he exerting his Aura?'' Adonis refused to let down his guard.


    "Would you like to come in?" The first-year invited.


    "No thank you, I''m just here to relay some news." The Elder smiled softly, his gaze striking a sense of discomfort into Adonis.


    "News?"


    "Yes, the Elders have made up their desicion in terms of your actions earlier today."


    "Right..."


    ''I''m assuming I''ll be expelled.'' Adonis sighed.


    "Since you have barely been here for a month and you have done your Empire a great service we have decided to give you a strike..."


    "A strike?"


    ''Just a strike? After I caused so much damage?''


    "Yes, take this as a warning. The academy has a zero tolerance for violence, so please abstain from fighting outside of controlled environments.


    "Yes Elder..." Adonis narrowed his eyebrows.


    ''Something''s not right...''


    "Thank you. Keep up the good work, you have tons of potential." The Elder turned toward the corridor, preparing to leave.


    "Wait..." Adonis called out.


    "Yes Vindicta?" The Elder managed a slight smile.


    "What about Fabianus... What happened to him?" Adonis stared at the ground, suppressing the rage that began steadily building up.


    "He has been expelled. Bullying those weaker than you isn''t a quality a magic knight should possess, nor will it be tolerated in the academy." The Elder said flatly.


    "...Right. Thank you." Adonis whispered.


    "Enjoy your night..." The Elder said.


    Adonis shut his door and stared at the handle for a few seconds, the gears in his head slowly turning.


    ''The Elder was acting strange... Hiram told me that he is classist and has a tendancy to look down on others. So why was he acting so polite towards me?''


    ''Does he respect my strength?''


    ''I''ll need to investigate that further...''


    ''And about their decision in regards to my actions, it''s odd. They favored a commoner over a noble from an esteemed family... And the ''Queen'' allegedly has them all in her pocket. So why?''


    ***


    The next day, Friday.


    9AM


    Class 1A, MIlitary Tactics


    "The Caelum military is amongst the largests in the world, boasting a little over one hundred thousand combantants ready to engage in battle at any time. "


    "This large military is divided appropriately into various divisions, squads and units."


    "Squads are the smallest group of combatants, having seven warriors including a captain and vice captain. Captains are usually Tier 5 magic knights or Grandmaster level mages/ knights. Squads are given various names, from Alpha all the way to Kappa in accordance with their useful to the Empire."


    ( Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Lota and Kappa)


    "Ten squads are grouped together and called Units, them being lead by Liutenants. Lieutenants are Tier 4 magic knights. Units are then ordered using numbers, from one to thirty."


    "Moving higher along the chain, thirty units altogether are called divisions, those being lead by Vice Commanders and Commanders respectively. Divisions are named using their commander''s last names, making it easier to distinguish between them. Commanders are typically Tier 2 while Vice commanders are Tier 3."


    "Our Empire has managed to sustain fifty divisions, ready to attack at any time."


    "What about Generals sir?" A student asked.


    "Hehe, I almost forgot."


    "There are ten Generals in the entire Caelum Empire, all of which are Tier 1. Generals hold the second highest position in the military chain, being allowed to act independantly or command multiple divisions above the the Commanders."


    "Above the Generals is the Legatus Legion or quite simply the Legate, this position is reserved for the Savior of the Empire... Currently occupied by Cornelius Minerva the Third PTC, Caelum''s strongest magic knight."


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ''Realistically Legate is out of my reach, even if I reach that level of power. No one will ever believe I reached Tier 0 without being Blessed, I''d be exposed as a damon immediately.'' Adonis stared at the professor blankly.


    ''Even General status would be questionable, but... I need that level of influence and the freedom that comes with it. So it might be worth the risk, plus it''s not like it''s impossible to reach Tier 1 with your own strength.''


    ''In order for me to be able to reveal that level of strength I need to instill the idea of my potential in everyone''s minds, so that my growth isn''t that surprising. It''s better to be known as a prodigy early on, than a mysterious Tier 1 who popped out of no where. '' Adonis concluded.


    ***


    Next lesson


    Martial Arts, shooting range.


    "No matter what close range weapon you choose to wield, a magic knight should be capable of using ranged weapons." Professor Avitus said.


    "NO!"


    "Boring!"


    "BOO!"


    "So today you will all be practising shooting at moving targets. Please choose your ranged weapons of choice." Ignoring the students'' retorts, Professor Avitus smiled calmly and pointed at the targets behind him.


    "You''re all so immature." Amber, who held a crossbow muttered.


    "You''re such an old soul." Holding a giant wooden bow, Luna mocked the 3rd Rising Star.


    "You know you don''t always have to speak your mind right?" Tarzy growled.


    "Since when do you protect anyone who isn''t the princess? Did she throw you away?" Luna chuckled.


    "...S-she didn''t throw me away." Tarzy whispered.


    "He isn''t as lively today." Maxwell, who was now fully healed, turned his head to Adonis.


    "Yeah, he musn''t have gotten his bone." Adonis chuckled.


    "Where is the princess anyway?" Maxwell giggled.


    "Apparently she''s sick today." Veda replied.


    "I didn''t think princesses got sick." Jerald said.


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "I-I mean... I didn''t think someone that strong could get sick." Jerald nervously laughed.


    "Hey Vindicta!"


    Snatching Adonis''s away from the awkwaard atmosphere was a calming feminine voice.


    "Hm...Evergreen?" Adonis''s silver eyes set on an enchanting petite girl with beautiful shoulder-length blonde hair and hot pink eyes.


    ''Why the fuck is that bitch talking to Vindicta.'' Vera scowled at Flora.


    "Could you please help me?" Flora asked sweetly.


    "Yeah, why not." He shrugged


    ''I don''t feel like being around Jerald, plus this could be an opportunity to study another classmate.'' He concluded.


    "Okay! Let''s go!" Flora grabbed Adonis by the arm and dragged him toward a set of targets.


    ''Where the hell is she taking him!'' Vera internally fought the intense impulse to rip the girl''s head off.


    ***


    "So what do you need help with?" Adonis asked as he watched the girl pick up a wooden bow.


    "I struggle with the aiming."


    "I''m not the best at using bows, but I can try helping."


    "Thank you..." Flora drew the bow shakily and pathetically shot a single arrow, completely missing the target and venturing into the bushes behind.


    WHOOSH


    RUSTLE


    "Hmm... I think your posture is the problem, everything else seems to be okay."


    "My posture?" She frowned.


    "Yeah, straighten your back a bit and lift up your chin."


    "Like this?" Following Adonis''s instructions, Flora straightened her back and faced the target before her.


    "No, just a bit more and your hand is a bit misplaced."


    "Like this?"


    "No, lift it up a bit."


    "Like this?"


    "No, that''s a bit too high?"


    "Like this?"


    "No, now your drawing is the problem..."


    "Like this?"


    "No. I''ll just show you." Growing irritated by Flora''s inability to follow instructions, Adonis walked up behind her and placed his hands on hers assisting her with her grip and aiming.


    "You have to hold it like this." He demonstrated.


    "Okay..."


    ''He''s so close.'' Flora licked her rosy lips as she followed the instructions more accurately.


    "Now your posture is the problem." Adonis critiqued, using his hand to manually straighten her back.


    "Heehee." Flora giggled under her breath.


    "What?"


    "Nothing." Flora let go of the arrow, allowing it to strike the target accurately, with considerable force.


    "That''s good!" Adonis smiled, widening the distance between the two.


    "Thank you." She smiled.


    "Since you''ve got the hang of it, I''ll go practise with Maxwell." Adonis turned to leave the girl''s side.


    "Why don''t you just practise with me?" Flora asked.


    "Hm?"


    "We can even play a game to make things more interesting!" She smiled.


    ''A game?''


    "So what''s the game?" Adonis asked curiously.


    "Simple really, we''ll compete to see who can hit the most targets." Flora looked at the moving targets.


    "Hmm... I expected something more creative." Adonis chuckled.


    "That''s a bit mean... Not everyone is as smart as you Vindicta." She pouted.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "C''mon, don''t play dumb now... You''re the smartest in the class." Flora''s pink eyes pierced through Adonis''s being.


    "That''s according to the test scores..." Adonsi said, straightening his face.


    "Heehee... So humble." She giggled.


    ''She''s strange...''


    "Is there atleast a prize?" Adonis asked, looking toward the moving targets.


    "Hm, I haven''t thought that far yet." Flora put her finger to her lip, as if deep in thought.


    "How about... The winner gets to ask the loser for anything they want?" She continued.


    "A blank cheque is a bit risky." Adonis contested.


    "Are you not confident you''ll win?" She teased.


    Extra Information:


    The average magic knight is Tier 7.


    The average mage and knight is Intermediate level.


    Although Caelum has over 130 000 soldiers in their military, this doesn''t mean that is number represents everysingle mage, knight and magic knight; as there are also combatants in other occupations.


    Eg. There are around 300 000 rangers in the Empire ; 200 000 working mundane jobs; 50 000 doing government work; and about 200 000 doing other things (Gladiators, Independant companies, body guarding etc.)


    The Caelum Empire''s population is almost 2 Billion.

 Finessed

    "Whatever, let''s just play." Adonis sighed and faced the targets before him while he reached for the dozens of throwing knives in his leather pouch.


    "Don''t get too serious, I''m still a beginner." Flora pouted.


    "Hehe!" He chuckled.


    "Would you like to start?" Flora asked.


    "Okay. Best out of ten?"


    "Yep!" She smiled, intrigued to witness the boy''s performance.


    "Got it..."


    Adonis sharpened his gazed and steeled his resolve, focusing on the targets before him.


    ''It''s been a while since I practised.''


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    The purple-haired teenage boy threw ten knives at the targets, accurately hitting nine out of the ten.


    ''Lord Eos would give me an earfull for that performance.'' He sighed.


    "I can''t believe you went easy on me." Flora frowned.


    ''Went easy?'' He raised his brow.


    "I''ll go fetch my knives..." Slightly irritated by his imperfect performance, Adonis began walking towards the targets to retrieve his blades.


    "Don''t bother." Flora said flatly.


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    "Huh?" Ten thin wooden arrows whizzed past Adonis''s face, with one leaving him with a small cut on his ear.


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    All ten arrows accurately hit their intended targets, splitting the knives left by Adonis in half.


    "Wha-"


    "Are you hurt?" A small grin managed to display itself on the teenage girl''s face as she observed Adonis''s perplexed expression.


    "Yo-"


    "Yep! I win. Heeehee!" Cutting off Adonis once more, Flora exclaimed happily.


    "You tricked me?!"


    "Nope, you''re just an amazing teacher." Flora giggled.


    "Don-"


    "I''d like to cash in my blank cheque now please!"


    "Huh?"


    ''That''s what she was after! What does she want? Does she want me to do her homework? A fight? Or even worse... Money?'' With the looming possibility that he might suffer a monetary deficit, the cheapskate shuddered.


    "So what do you wa-"


    "A date!"


    "A wha-"


    "A date, I''ll tell you when I''m available." Flora grinned.


    ''She''s making this interrupting me thing a habit.'' Adonis narrowed his brows.


    ***


    Lunch


    Mathematics and Science


    ***


    Class 1A, Politics and History


    Adonis sat peacefully at his desk, staring at the swaying trees outside.


    ''I''m getting concerned about Lord Eos''s absence. He''s never quiet for this long...''


    ''Is he asleep?''


    ''No... I can usually still feel his soul when he sleeps... Is it something akin to a coma? ''


    ''This feels weird... He still exists within me, but it feels like his vitality is gone.''


    ''I''m assuming this has to do with me recently taming my mana core.''


    ''I wonder when he''ll be back... I kinda miss him'' Adonis sighed.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "As you are all aware, there are seven Empires in the world... "


    "The Norse Empires: Pax, governed by the Odin family; Fulgar, governed by the Thor family; The matriachy Elegans, governed the Freyja family; and Tempesta, governed by the Freyr family."


    "Then there are the Roman Empires: Mors, governed by the Pluto family; Mare, governed by the Neptune family; and the Caelum Empire, governed by the Jupiter family." The blonde professor continued.


    "Why isn''t the Wakoku nation recognized as an Empire even though their size is comparable to the rest?" Flora asked.


    "That''s a fair question. This is simply because the Wakoku Nation isn''t supposed to exist and all the Wa people are merely aliens who invaded our home."


    ''That''s such a crude way of putting it.'' Feeling slightly insulted by the professor''s words, Adonis furrowed his brows.


    "Today we will be focusing on one particular Empire, the Caelum Empire''s greatest enemy... Fulgar."


    "Fulgar is similar to ours in many different ways such as surface area, population and military might which is why they pose such a huge threat to our Empire, and them being the closest Empire to ours doesn''t help either."


    ''The reason the two Empires are constantly feuding is because of greed... There''s no need to sugarcoat it.'' Adonis stared blankly at the professor.


    "Kjarr Thor, the leader of the Fulgar Empire is a transcendant on par with Emperor Jupiter, standing at the peak of humanity. He inheritted the Thor family''s special magic affinity, Thunder Magic; further adding to his magical power, the Kjarr has been blessed by the Greater God Thor."


    "The Savior of the Loki family is Skollr Loki, a transcendant who like the Kjarr, stands at the pinnacle of power. Like his Emperor, Skollr inherinted a powerful magic affinity, Illusion magic, making him an incredibly tricky opponent."


    "Although it is unlikely that any of you will ever face any of these figures in battle, it is important for you to undrstand the power dynamics that exist in other Empires, especiallly those that pose a threat to our great Empire."


    "We''re always hearing about the tension between Fulgar and Caelum, but we''re never actually given specifics as to why the two are at each other''s throats." Flora raised her brow.


    ''There''s no point in asking, we''ll just be given the cover story, a mere illusion of what really transpired. All details about Their involvement has been erased.'' Adonis scowled.


    "Good question Miss Evergreen, fifteen years ago there was a huge battle between the Wakoku Nation''s Shogun and Caelum''s previous Emperor, this grand battle between transendants went on for five whole days, each day ending in a stalement."


    "After numerous days of draws, the battle reached its turning point when a young Wa Liutenant intervened."


    "This lieutenant managed to catch the heavily fatigued Emperor Jupiter off guard and steal the Caelum Empire''s Imperial regalia ''Jupiter''s Lightning bolt.'', giving the Shogun an opportunity to finish the fight."


    "So dirty!"


    "No honour!"


    "What does that have to do with the Fulgar though?"


    "After the Emperor''s death at the hands of Shogun Amaterasu, the Lieutenant fled the battlefield along with our Empire''s Regalia... This is when the conflict with Fulgar evolved from a mere rivalry to being sworn enemies."


    "Upon hearing the news about the death of Emperor Jupiter, Fulgar contacted the Wakoku Nation and formed a temporary alliance, in return for the Imperial Regalia, Fulgar protected the Wakoku Nation during its time of temporary weakness, since Shogun Amaterasu was injured."


    "With the Lightning bolt in Fulgar''s hands and the Caelum Empire now having only one transcendant, Fulgar invaded Caelum destroying multiple towns and major cities."


    ''Father wasn''t kidding when he said he stole Jupiter''s lightning.'' Adonis giggled.


    ***


    Worship


    ***


    After school, 7PM


    Dormitory Alpha, Adonis''s training room


    ''Let''s see...''


    "Chokuto." With a quick flick of the wrist, Adonis summoned a long straight sword with a single edge.


    The teenage boy''s silver eyes sharpened as he aimed his straight blade at the large straw dummy standing a few meters before him.


    "I need to sharpen my skills so that I can impress Lord Eos when he returns."


    DUMMM


    ''Just because he isn''t here, it doesn''t mean I should slack off.''


    "Supreme Devil Arts: Divine Divider!"


    Adonis took a long stride forward and swung his luminated blade at the unsespecting straw doll...


    ***


    In an unknown place at an unknown time.


    A group of three figures of various sizes sat around a tame fire.


    The short figure dressed in a large black robe holding a long stick poked at the calm fire, slightly provoking its yellow flames.


    "Apparently the new batch of recruits is going to be really strong!" The figure''s voice abstained from the customary distorted pitch, revealing a hoarse feminine voice.


    "That''s good right?" The slightly shorter figure beside the girl spoke, his soft voice piercing through the forest''s silence.


    "That means you''ll be replaced soon, Shephard. " The cloaked girl said sternly.


    "Wait really?!" Shephard shrieked.


    "Of course. Apparently their''s a dark elf first year capable of sniping from over five kilometers away." Usomi replied.


    "I can''t compete against that..." Shephard slumped his shoulders and stared at the ground.


    "It''s not just the archer, there are way more strong first years. The superiors said there are about nine to look out for."


    "What?!" He sulked.


    "The most interesting of them all is a Roman who has a special magic affinity never seen before."


    "A new magic affinity? What is it?"


    "He calls it Inferno magic...."


    "Inferno magic?! That sounds so cool, that''s way better than my regular flame magic." Shepherd''s voice cracked.


    "You''re being loud." A tall figure a few meters away from the two said irritably.


    "Is that jealousy I hear, Joyeuse?"


    "Jealousy?" The figure turned to face Usoki.


    "Yes, I hear the kid''s Tier 9 low rank. That''s right around how strong you were last year. I hear he''s a real prodigy."


    "Jealousy? We''ve seen plenty of so called ''prodigies'' come and go, strength isn''t the only only quality necessary to succeed."


    "I hear he''s also really smart too." Usoki giggled.


    "If he''s as impressive as you say he''ll simply prove himself during the recruitment exam. Will he be an outlier or merely another typical data point?" Joyeuse, the knight clarified.


    ***


    There exists three types of lies in this world: Deception, Illusion and Statistics.


    ***


    *Extra Information:


    Joyeuse is from Fulgar.


    Usoki is from the Wakoku nation.


    Shepherd is from Mare.

 Hes just a kid

    The next day, 10AM


    Dorm Alpha, public training gymnasium.


    Inside a huge gymnasium crowded by dozens of sweaty teenagers, Adonis and Maxwell occupied a large mat.


    "Magic?" Holding a large wooden hammer over his shoulder, Maxwell smiled at his opponent.


    "No, that''s going to cause too much damage." Adonis who tightly gripped a wooden gladius shook his head.


    "Fair, but Aura is okay?"


    "Yep! You ready?" Adonis grinned.


    "Of course!"


    DING DING


    Prompted by the magic item alarm, the two dashed forward.


    THUD


    The two wooden weapons collided, signifying the beginning of their friendly spar.


    "Let''s get stronger Donny!"


    Initiating the first attack, Maxwell swung his hammer at the boy''s head horizontally.


    Responding almost instantly, Adonis took a brisk step backwards to avoid the hammer''s devastating force.


    WHOOOSHH


    Perfectly predicting Adonis''s movements, Maxwell coated his weapon in a shroud of Aura and thrust it forward.


    DUMMM


    ''He''s gotten better.'' Adonis smirked and brought his aura coated sword toward his chest, a succesful attempt at preventing the hammer from hitting anything vital.


    DUMMM


    BAM


    "My turn." Taking the iniative this time around, Adonis dashed toward his assailant.


    Unwilling to let his friend get in too close, Maxwell heaved his hammer downward.


    WHOOSH


    ''Fast.'' Flabbergasted by Maxwell''s improvement, Adonis took swerved out of the hammer''s path


    SLAM


    The huge hammer collided with the mat beneath, causing the entire gymnasium to shudder beaneath the first-year''s strength.


    Adonis proceeded to launch his first attack since the beginning of the fight, a sharp downward diagonal slash towards Maxwell''s head.


    WHOOSH


    "You''ll have to do better than that Donny!" Maxwell manuevared his head out of the way, efficiently avoiding any damage.


    "Don''t get too cocky, I''m not done yet." Adonis warned.


    The silver-eyed youth transitioned out of the slash and introduced Maxwell to his left leg.


    Showing remarkable reaction speed, Maxwell lifted his arms to block Adonis''s kick.


    THUD


    The force Maxwell was welcomed with was much greater than anticipated, causing his own arms to hit his face.


    "Argh!"


    ''The gap in strength is too much!'' His eyes slightly watering from the impact, Maxwell noticed his sparring partner had disappeared.


    ''Where''d he go?! I closed my eyes for just a second!''


    ''Behind me? No, that''s too obvious.''


    ''To the side? No I''d be able to see him from my peripheral vision.''


    ''Above?! No, I would''ve atleast felt the breeze of him rising. ''


    ''Where''d he go! Think Max, Think!''


    ***


    Ten years ago.


    City of Netes - Facere Kingdom, Caelum Empire.


    ''Netes, the city without rest'' truly lived up to its reputation, every corner of the city was occupied by a merchant, blacksmith or alchemist hustling to get their services or goods noticed.


    Amongst this endless sea of (hard workers) stood the Aster''s Arms store, a relatively huge building belonging to the generational family business.


    CLANG CLANG


    The sound of metal work could be heard escaping the store''s basement, piercing the ears of those who entered the store.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The strong iron aroma permeated the customer''s and worker''s noses, adding to the pure atmosphere.


    "Like this?" Dressed in brown overalls smudged in soot and iron fillings, a small child with black hair dipped a bright red rod of iron into a small pool of water.


    "Yes Max, just keep it there for a bit longer." A large man wearing a white bandanna studied the child''s movements, managing a large prideful smile.


    "How long should I keep it there father?" A five year-old Maxwell asked.


    "I don''t know." The boy''s father shrugged.


    "What do you mean you don''t know?" Maxwell panicked, the iron rod shaking in his grasp.


    "Use your intuition..." The man commanded.


    ***


    Present day


    ''Intuition? Look where that got you father...'' Maxwell sighed.


    "Below." Acting as a chilling prelude to his sneak attack, Adonis announced the direction of his assault.


    "Huh?!" Maxwell widened his eyes as he looked down, stunned by the turn of events.


    ''How''d I miss that!?''


    ''What''s wrong with him?'' Brushing off his concern, the crouched Adonis sent his left leg toward his advesary''s legs.


    BAM


    Although his sweep had sent his advesary falling to ground, Adonis refused to relent in his assault.


    The purple-haired first-year followed up with swift up kick toward Maxwell''s jaw...


    WHOOSH


    Regaining his composure, Maxwell dropped his hammer and moved out of the attack''s way.


    ''His movements are fast and calculated, but they''re missing something.'' Adonis analyzed.


    "I hope you didn''t think that was enough to beat me." Maxwell smiled.


    "I''d be disappointed if it was." Adonis chuckled...


    ***


    At the same time.


    Jupiter''s residence- Minerva Kingdom, Caelum Empire.


    "What is it this time?"


    "We''ve been having a lot more meetings lately."


    "Is it good or bad news?"


    Irritated by the kings'' incessant speaking, Emperor Jupiter raised his right hand.


    DUMMMM


    Obediently following their Emperor''s instructions, every single king shuddered and instantly shut their mouths.


    "Apologies Emperor." They said instantaneously, even those who hadn''t even said a word apologized, they didn''t dare to offend the emperor.


    "Good morning." Emperor Jupiter opened his sharp blue eyes and gazed upon the kings before him.


    ''He seems to be in a good mood.'' King Minerva observed.


    ''He actually greeted us this time.'' King Mars, a man with short burgandy hair smiled warmly.


    "Good morning Lord." The six kings replied in unison.


    "The subject of today''s meeting it is to simply inform you, it is time." Emperor Jupiter continued, his deep voice shaking the meeting room.


    "Time? For what?" King Apollo raised his eyebrow.


    "You don''t mean..." King Juventas shuddered.


    "It''s about damn time." King Vulcan grinned.


    "After fifteen years of weakness, it is time for us to retrieve our Imperial Regalia... My lightning bolt." Emperor Jupiter announced.


    "My Lord, is the risk worth it?" King Minerva asked, his concern born out of a logical standpoint rather than an emotional response.


    "The lightning bolt is my family''s property... I won''t let them have it." The emperor said sternly.


    "Even if it means war?" King Juventas asked.


    "It''s about time this cold war ended." King Vulcan could barely contain his excitement, the thought of how much his kingdom''s economy would grow during this war brought a smile to his aged face.


    "Going from a cold war to a full on war isn''t any better. " King Juventas countered.


    "Don''t be such a coward! It''s about time we put those filthy elves in their place!" King Apollo cackled.


    "Do you ever think before you speak?" King Mars glanced at King Apollo.


    "Maybe if you were in your head less and were a man of action you''d be much stronger!" King Apollo looked at King Mars.


    "Your taunts mean nothing." King Mars shrugged.


    "How are we to steal back the lightning bolt, Lord?" Elder Hercule, the head of the Hero magic knights academy spoke up.


    "Canus." Emperor Jupiter simply glanced at the wisest man in the empire.


    "Well, to reduce the odds of an all out war. We''d have to send a small and extremely strong squad to retrieve it."


    "Why small?" King Apollo asked.


    "So that the spies in the empire don''t notice their absence or atleast don''t think of it as too suspicious." King Minerva replied.


    "The squad would have to comprise of soldiers who are skilled at espionage and not necessary to the day to day functioning of the military."


    "That greatly filters out most candidates." Elder Hercules.said.


    "It does, but there are people who meet these requirements..." King Minerva thought.


    "Who?" King Mars tilted his eyebrow.


    "Your son. Vice commander Scipio Mars should be the leader of this mission."


    ''A mission into Fulgar''s treasury? That''s suicide...'' King Mars''s expression immediately went sour at the mention of his son''s name.


    "Scipio? He may be on military leave, but he''s still a PTC and potentially the next transcendant. He''s arguably Caelum''s most valuable asset. That risk is too high." King Juventas''s eyebrows reached for his hairline, his surprise evident in his countenance.


    "I agree... Scipio is way too valuable to be sent on such a dangerous mission." King Apollo interjected.


    "A prodigy like him only comes once in a thousand years, the risk is too high." King Vulcan agreed.


    "What do you think Father-in-law?" King Mars asked Elder Hercules, his voice shaking with every word.


    ''Please, please... Don''t send Scipio out there. It''s basically a death sentence.''


    "Scipio doesn''t have enough experience with secret missions, especially those of this much risk." Elder Hercules replied calmly.


    "It''s perfect, Scipio Mars is the perfect man to lead this expedition." Ignoring the other five Kings opinions, Emperor Jupiter agreed with King Minerva.


    "Lord?!" Hearing Emperor Jupiter''s words, King Mars''s heart dropped to the floor.


    "Not only is Scipio''s magic affinity perfect for the job, his physical capabilities grant him the ability to dominate most combatants... and most importantly no one would suspect we''d send a PTC on such a dangerous mission."


    "My lord, he doesn''t have nearly have enough experience."


    "Consider this his experience." Emperor Jupiter said coldly.


    "B-but..."


    "But what?" Emperor Jupiter raised his eyebrow.


    "He''s just a kid!" King Mars slammed his hand on the armrests of his throne and rose abrubtly.


    DUMMMM


    ***


    *Extra Information:


    Minerva family- Rules over the Minerva Kingdom. ( Empire''s capital.)


    Mars family- Rules over the Pugna Kingdom.


    Hercules family- Rules over the Robur Kingdom.


    Apollo family- Rules over the Chorus Kingdom.


    Juventas family- Rules over the Miravulum Kingdom.


    Vulcan family- Rules over the Facere Kingdom.

 Battle Royale (1)

    The next Friday.


    Hero Magic Knights'' Academy, Minerva''s forest.


    9AM


    Hundreds of teenagers gathered in a vast forest, armed to the teeth with dangerous weapons and magic potions.


    Standing infront of this large crowd was a large man with brown hair who radiated strength and honour.


    "Good morning first-years..."


    "Good morning Professor Albinus!"


    "Upon graduation, most of you will enlist into the military, meaning you will primarily be fighting against other magic knights. To prepare for this future, today you will be fighting against your classmates." He continued.


    "To mitigate the chances of death or serious injury, you will be fighting with a few precautions."


    "You will all be making use of the ''Teleportation magic protocol'' facilitated by the magic crystals embeded in your breastplates and a few of the assisstants."


    ''I wonder how this works.'' His curiousity piqued by the instructor''s words, Adonis glanced down at the white crystal in his leather breast plate.


    "The protocol will scan every single attack that is sent your way, assessing its threat level. When it detects the attack has the potential to end your life or induce life threatening injury it will instantly transport you out of the forest, resulting in your elimination." Professor Albinus explained.


    "What if you manage to block or dodge the attack? Will the protocal still kick in?" A student from Class B asked.


    "No it will not, the protocol will only take affect when the attack is less than a fraction of a second away." He clarified.


    ''That makes sense, it''d be unfair if students were eliminated just because of the threat of the attack.'' Adonis acknowledged.


    < Battle Royale- Every single first-year will compete in a battle royale, ''Every man for himself format.''


    Rules:


    Students may use any weapon they choose.


    Should a student die there will be no consequence for the killer.


    Students may use Aura, whether it is Earthly or Holy.


    Students may use magic.


    Students may carry a maximum of three magic potions.


    Students may not carry any magic items.


    Elimination:


    A student is eliminated when they leave the designated area.


    A student is eliminated when they die.


    A student is eliminated when they''re ''Safety crystal'' is destroyed, triggered or damaged.


    Scoring:


    The ranking of the students will be determined by how many other students they have eliminated and how many other students are left.


    The battle royale will conclude when there are five students left.


    Rewards:


    The student ranked 1st will receive 3 pink rank magic crystals.


    The students ranked 2nd to fifth will receive 10 white rank magic crystals.


    The students ranked 6th to 20th will receive 40 unranked magic crystals.


    Should a student outside of Class A finish in the top 10 they will instantly be transferred to Class A, stealing the spot of another student.


    Penalties:


    Students who are eliminated first (The first 20) will not have a semester break.>


    ***


    30 minutes later.


    5 km east from the Forest''s center.


    Following the full explanation of the battle royale''s rules, the students were scattered across the forest.


    ''I wonder how many people are in this area.'' Dressed in his usual leather armour and black tunic, Adonis walked through the forest''s long grass.


    ''My biggest obstacle will be my mana conservation and my stamina, I must be sure not to go overboard.''


    DING DING


    As soon as the sound of the commencement bell reached his ears, Adonis released a steady burst of Earthly Aura into the surrounding area, making his presence known to those around.


    DUMMM


    "Tier 9?!"


    "That''s him!"


    "I need to get out of here!"


    ''You could''ve atleast ganged up on me...'' In response to the cowardly screams of numerous students, Adonis sighed and hung his head dissapointedly.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ''I thought maybe they would see me as a big fish they''d love to catch.''


    ''But it seems I''ll have to be a shark!'' Fueled by his sudden epiphany, Adonis instantly summoned 5 ivory magic circles above his head.


    ''I''ll configure the flames to do soul damage instead of physical damage so that the magic crystals will see the spells as more of a threat...''


    ''The wave of Aura I sent was disrupted in multiple different locations... Ten to be precise, meaning that there are ten different magic knights nearby, the furthest being about two hundred meters away.''


    "Inferno Magic: Hell''s Artillary." Adonis summoned numerous balls of flame out of the magic circle, their ivory flames dancing wildly, hungry for the souls of their enemies.


    ''Go.''


    Following the spell caster''s command, hell''s flames darted out from the magic circles, hunting down their adversaries at the speed of sound.


    BOOM


    BOOM


    BOOM


    BOOM


    BOOM


    BOOM


    BOOM


    BOOM


    BOOM


    BOOM


    [Elena Marine, Class 1B Eliminated]


    [Teo Lombard, Class 1C Eliminated]


    [Andrea Gecko, Class 1A Eliminated]


    [...]


    ''Few hundred to go...'' Encouraged by the sweet automated voice, Adonis smirked and continued to venture into the forest, seeking more victims.


    ***


    3km Southwest from the forest''s center.


    "C''mon, if we attack together we can take him down!''


    "Yeah!"


    "He''s just a commoner!"


    ''I thought it was every man for themselves, why''s everyone ganging up on me!?'' Gripping his gigantic hammer in his comparably small hands, Maxwell scanned the magic knights that surrounded him.


    DUMMM


    Maxwell coated his hammer in Earthly Aura and rotated rapidly, slamming his weapon into anyone who dared step into his range.


    [...Has been eliminated.]


    [...Has been eliminated.]


    [...Has been eliminated.]


    [...Has been eliminated.]


    "That''s pretty unfair." Seeing he had no one left to challenge him, Maxwell granted himself an opportunity to complain.


    ***


    3.5km South West from the forest''s center.


    Choosing to be cautious in her approach, Vera took a few steps away from her opponent.


    ''Imagine if I actually defeat someone from Class A.'' Marcus Romano, a tall young man with black hair smiled.


    "...Ah!" Closing the distance between him and Vera, Marcus dashed forward and swung his longsword gracefully.


    SHING


    ''Why''s he so fast?!'' In order to evade the fellow magic knight''s attack, Vera crouched down.


    Continuing in his ruthlessness, Marcus attacked once more, bringing his longsword diagonally toward Vera''s shoulder.


    SLASH


    ''I need to attack!'' Barely managing to evade Marcus''s second attack, Vera frowned.


    "Blaze magic: Flame Grenade!" Using her non-dominant hand, Vera summoned a small scarlet flame.


    "Don''t play unfairly." Marcus shook his head, disappointedly and brought one of his hands toward Vera''s.


    "Water magic: Profusing Spring!"


    Just as his hand was about to collide with the bright flame, Marcus discharged an overwhelming body of water from his palm.


    SIZZLE


    "What?!" Stunned by her magic being so easily nullified, Vera took a step backward.


    "Hehe!" Taking this opportunity to increase the pressure, Marcus thrust his left leg into her gut.


    THUD


    "Kya!"


    "Apparently they let anyone into Class 1A." Marcus taunted once more and kicked Vera in the jaw, sending the girl flying into a nearby tree.


    BAM


    RUSTLE RUSTLE


    "Oww..." Despite the constant throbbing in her head, Vera managed to get up, only to be greeted by the Class 1B standing before her with his longsword raised above his head.


    "I wonder how you even got in... Is your loud mouth sister as weak?" Marcus chuckled, his longsword radiating a generous shroud of Earthly Aura.


    "What did you just say?" Vera whispered.


    As the words left the red-haired girls lips, the temperature rose...


    "I sai-"


    "You know nothing about Veda..." Vera said sternly.


    Unwilling to let the battle drag out any longer, Marcus brought his blade down swiftly.


    WHOOSH


    "..." Vera reacted briskly, dashing out of the attack''s path, avoiding all harm and the threat of elimination.


    "Huh?!" As his blade harmlessly collided with the cold soil, Marcus frowned.


    "..." Moving at a speed that even surprised herself, Vera kicked slashed Marcus''s upper thigh.


    SPLURT


    "Arghh!!"


    ''How did this even happen!''


    "..." Vera opened her unarmed hand and placed it near Marcus''s face.


    ''Blaze magic: Premature Cremation!''


    [Marcus Romano, Class 1B Eliminated.]


    ***


    1km North from Forest''s center.


    "Are you not embarressed to call yourselves nobles?" John van Ani shook his head in disgust as he watched multiple students prepare to gang up on him.


    "Embarrassed?"


    "Don''t let him get in your head!"


    "Attack!"


    "No honour." John shook his head and rotated his mighty spear rapidly, preparing to engage a few students from the lower classes.


    "AHHH!" Leading the charge was a boy from class 1C who wielded a gladius in his right arm.


    "Not only are you dishonourable but you''re aslo really slow." John shook his head and jabbed his spear into the magic knight''s abdomen, triggering the ''Teleportation protocol.''


    SHING


    [...has been eliminated.]


    Hoping to catch the Rising Star off guard, a girl from class 1C slashed at John''s upperback using her spatha.


    WHOOSH


    "You''re next?'' Employing his right leg, John kicked the girl out of the air, forcing her to the ground.


    BAM


    "I don''t stand a chance!" Seeing his predicament has hopeless, a boy from Class 1D tucked his tail and made a run for it.


    -sigh- Unwilling to let the coward escape, John hurled his spear toward the back of his head.


    WHOOSH


    [...has been eliminated.]


    ***


    Approximately 352 students remaining.


    ***


    *Extra Information:


    Rising Stars'' locations:


    Tarzy Goliath- 4km North


    Luna Triksta- 3km West


    Amber Shine PTC- 2km East


    Lutz van Alexia- 3.5km South East


    Jerald Cecil- 1.75km East


    Marie Jupiter- 2km South


    Adonis P. Vindicta- 5km East


    Maxwell Aster- 3km South West


    John van Ani- 1km North


    Toni Modster- 3.35km North East

 Battle Royale (2)

    2 hours later.


    111 students left


    ***


    5km East of the forest''s centre.


    Adonis P. Vindicta (23 eliminations)


    ''I''m running low on mana... This magic efficiency problem is becoming very annoying.'' Adonis sighed.


    "At least pay attention to us!" A student swinging a gladius shouted.


    "This cocky bastard!"


    "Charge him!"


    ''Lord Eos would scold me for my sloppiness.'' Snapping out of his daze, Adonis kicked one of his opponents in his chest.


    "Arghh!"


    [...Has been eliminated.]


    ''Their strategy is good in concept but lacklustre in execution.'' Adonis shook his head pitifully.


    "How''s he so strong?!"


    "So it''s true... He is Tier 9!"


    ''I may be a whole tier above them, but they''re forgetting something. Our gap in strength isn''t as significant as they make it out to be... They can overcome their physical disadvantage with magic. One thing I''ve discovered about Inferno magic is that it lacks any enhancement capability, the best it could do is add the soul-harming element to my attacks... It''s incapable of enhancing my attack speed or force output like many other magic affinities.''


    ''It''s a magic affinity solely focused on killing and destruction.


    Frightened by the Rising Star''s brief display of power, the first-years staggered backwards.


    "Your hesitation will be your downfall," Adonis whispered before he slashed his gladius at both opponents, eliminating both with ease.


    [...Has been eliminated.]


    [...Has been eliminated.]


    "Hmm... I wonder where the rest of the class A students are."


    ''I want to prove you wrong Mars.'' Adonis managed a smirk before dashing in the northern direction.


    ***


    3.5km southeast of the forest''s centre.


    Lutz van Alexia (12 eliminations)


    "All that effort for not even a scratch, you''re all pathetic." Lutz shook his head in disappointment while he watched his defeated opponents disappear into mana particles.


    "Well, that type of performance is expected of a top-five rising star." A brown-haired girl perched upon a tall tree and smirked.


    "You''ve been watching this whole time... If you wanna fight, let''s get it over and done with." Lutz scowled.


    "You''re so confident, it''s cute." Lucia giggled and drew her sica, making it clear she had no intention of merely watching.


    "You would''ve had better chances joining the others."


    "I have more honour than that. What do you take me for?" Lucia scoffed and left the comfort of the large branch.


    THUD


    "Honour won''t keep you in the event." Wasting no time, Lutz darted toward his opponent, eager to thrust his rapier into her petite body.


    "I barely touched the ground, how impatient." Lucia sighed, lifting her blade to intercept Lutz''s.


    CLANG


    Determined to land an attack, Lucia threw her lead leg at Lutz''s thigh.


    Reacting swiftly, Lutz took a step back; completely evading his classmate''s assault.


    "You''re fast!" Lucia smiled bitterly.


    Betraying her elegant demeanour, Lucia increased her aggression; ruthlessly slashing at Lutz''s throat.


    "..." Playing defence once more, Lutz lowered his head and calmly let the blade brush against his golden locks.


    Responding with a deadly counterattack, Lutz pivoted his body and propelled his rapier towards Lucia''s ribs.


    ''I can barely keep up!'' A bead of sweat trickled down Lucia''s face as she manoeuvred her torso away from danger.


    ''If I don''t land an attack I will lose!'' Panicked by Lutz''s superior speed, Lucia sloppily swung her sword toward Lutz''s chest.


    Lutz scoffed at Lucia''s attack, optimally stepping back to avoid the curved blade.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    SHING


    ''Okay... The distance is going to give me some time to breathe.'' After consoling herself, Lucia gathered a large amount of mana in her left hand.


    "Wind Magic: Splintering Zephyr!"


    WHOOSH


    Lutz promptly blocked using both his arms, the gust pushing him backwards and causing his bones to creak uncomfortably.


    "Arh!"


    "Hehe." Capitalizing on the distance once more, Lucia thrust her hand forward and summoned a grey magic circle.


    "Wind Magic: Splintering Zephyr!" Lucia promptly released a powerful gust of wind from her hand catching the unsuspecting noble by surprise.


    WHOOSH


    "Argh!" Struggling to maintain his balance, Lutz was blown back a few meters; leaving a large trail in his path.


    ''Her casting speed is something to be wary of.'' While he struggled to get up, Lutz sharpened his piercing blue eyes on the girl before him.


    "You got up quickly." Lucia marvelled.


    "You talk too much." Lutz sharply exhaled and harnessed his Earthly Aura into his needle-like blade.


    DUMMM


    "You''re ruder than they say." Lucia mockingly pouted.


    ''The famous Alexian Arts.'' She readied her guard by raising her sica.


    "Alexian Arts: Puncture!" Enhancing his speed with gale magic, Lutz dashed forward and thrust his rapier toward Lucia''s heart.


    ''Too fast!'' After her body and movements with Earthly Aura and wind magic, Lucia managed to evade Lutz''s mortal blow... Although not without consequence.


    Lutz''s sword pierced the girl''s upper arm, creating a deep wound and sending a sharp pain reverberating throughout her entire body.


    SPLURT


    "Ahh!"


    Ruthless in his manoeuvre, Lutz retracted the blade and delivered a kick to the side of her body, sending her flying into a nearby tree.


    BAM


    ''I''m wasting too much stamina here, I should end this quickly.''


    "I thought maybe cause we''re both in Class A I''d have a chance, especially since he''d been tired by those fools... but he''s too strong!" Lucia whispered, her words distorted by the rapid accumulation of blood in her mouth.


    "I should ru-"


    "Alexian Arts: Puncture!"


    [Lucia van Twist, Class A has been eliminated.]


    "Where to next?"


    ***


    3km West from the forest''s centre.


    Luna Triksta (17 eliminations)


    "Boring..."


    "You''re all so boring!" Frustrated by the fragility of her opponents, Luna kicked a class B student in the chest, activating the safety protocol.


    [...Has been eliminated.]


    sigh  "Where are all the Class A students... Hell, I''ll settle for a class B weakling." She shook her head.


    ''Imagine if I found him!'' Unable to contain her excitement, Luna grinned menacingly.


    RUSTLE RUSTLE


    "Grape!?" Drooling from anticipation and greed, Luna snapped her head toward the vegetation to the East.


    ''It isn''t Grape but their aura is decent.'' She smiled.


    "I''ll settle for the small fish!" Luna released all the tension in her legs and dashed toward the sound''s origin.


    tap tap tap tap


    "HAAAA!!"


    ''Someone strong is coming... A Rising Star?!'' A blonde girl with hazel eyes focused on the maniac sprinting at her.


    Acting on her pugnacious nature, Luna slashed at Sexta''s neck, greeting her with a deadly assault.


    Sexta displayed exceptional skills and instincts and unsheathed her gladius blocking Luna''s attack in one swift motion.


    CLANG


    "Luna Triksta..." Sexta grunted.


    "You didn''t break immediately... This''ll be fun!" The Lunatic grinned.


    After a few seconds of intense pushing from both sides, Luna retracted her blade and slashed at Sexta''s waist.


    SWISH


    ''I can somewhat keep up.'' Sexta quickly changed her blade''s trajectory and intercepted the attack once again.


    CLANG


    "Not bad." Impressed by her opponent''s reflexes, Luna reversed the grip on her sword and swung it at Sexta''s head.


    "Don''t underestimate me, I''m also in Class A!" Determined to survive their encounter, Sexta lowered her head and evaded Luna''s blow.


    SHING


    ''I can''t let her keep the initiative.''


    "My turn!" Sexta thrust her gladius forward, sending towards Luna''s gut with insatiable bloodlust.


    DUMMM


    ''She got faster!'' Luna smiled before she contorted her body and moved out of the way.


    "Lightning magic: storm armament!"


    CRACKLE CRACKLE


    Having coated her blade in lightning magic, Sexta swung her blade with heightened speed and strength; aiming at Luna''s knees.


    "Haaa!"


    "Shit." Unable to match the blade''s speed, Luna received a deep slash in her right knee and staggered backwards.


    SPLURT


    ''My right leg''s fucked up.'' Luna exhaled.


    ''Okay... All I need is one more attack.'' Sexta smiled, reluctant to let her excitement get the best of her.


    "That was good." Luna chuckled.


    ''Why does she look... Even happier?!''


    "This injured leg is a good enough handicap."


    "H-how is that good?" Sexta stammered.


    "Hehe, This is going to be fun." A brown magic circle formed near Luna''s injured knee and excreted a mudlike substance.


    ''She''s making a bandage out of magic? That magic control is amazing, I thought only Amber Shine was on that level."


    "Thank you for waiting... I promise there''ll be no more interruption." Luna smiled.


    ''What?! What was I waiting for, that was my chance. '' Snapping herself out of her daze, Sexta pointed her gladius at Luna''s nose.


    DUMMM


    "Wind Magic: Exhale!" Initiating the encounter once more, Luna blew out a large gust of wind from her lips, sending her opponent flying backwards.


    WHOOSH


    ''She ejected magic from her mouth?!'' Overwhelmed by her opponent''s spell, Sexta grunted and struggled to control her flight.


    "Impressed? Let me show you more!" With assistance from a wild tempest, Luna chased her opponent, sword in hand.


    "Arghh..." Now rid of her shock, Sexta firmly planted her feet on the ground and summoned a magic circle above her head.


    "Lightning Magic: Storm Stre-"


    "Your spell casting is too slow!" Interrupting Sexta''s spell, Luna struck Sexta''s cheek with her fist.


    BAM


    "Arghh!"


    "You''re too agitated, relax... Fighting is supposed to be fun!"


    "S-she''s... S-he''s..."


    Insane.

 Battle Royale (3)

    "C''mon get up, we''ve already had our break." Luna pouted.


    pant pant pant "Why''re you making this drag on?"


    "Drag on? You say that as if you''re not having fun?" The Rising Star tilted her head confusedly.


    "Why the hell would fighting be fun?!" Sexta screamed.


    "Huh?" Baffled by the question Luna scrunched her eyebrows.


    ''Is she an idiot?'' Sexta slowly got up, her mind still scrambled by Luna''s nature.


    "That''s like asking me why meat is yummy?" Luna answered.


    "..."


    ''She''s comparing meat to fighting?!''


    "Do you not like fighting?" Luna asked concernedly.


    "Of course not, who the hell likes fighting!"


    "Everyone? Why would you become a magic knight if you don''t like fighting?" As if Sexta was asking the dumbest question ever.


    "To serve their country." Sexta said sternly.


    "Who the hell is dumb enough to put up with stuck-up jackasses and risk their lives to do something they don''t even enjoy."


    "It''s not dumb, it''s righteous!" Sexta countered.


    "I disagree." Luna shrugged.


    "Of course you would, you willingly choose to live your life selfishly."


    "I''d rather be selfish than a coward."


    "A coward?"


    "Yeah, your will is weak. You just buy into all the bullshit these stuck-up dumbasses tell you, too scared to form your own opinion. You''re just going to be another puppet in an army of thousands."


    "Justifying your wicked nature as courageous is disgusting." Sexta scowled and held up her blade, readying herself for the next scuffle.


    "Wicked? Being good or bad means nothing, the strong determine what is right." Having successfully coated her blade in Earthly Aura and flame magic, Luna slashed at Sexta''s head vertically.


    "Flame Magic: Scorch Saber!"


    FWISHH


    Unwilling to let her ideology lose, Sexta took a step to the side and parried Luna''s blade with her own.


    DUMMM


    CLANG


    "HAAA!" Taking no time to recover, Sexta diagonally slashed her blade at Luna''s breastplate.


    "That''s the spirit!" To evade the valiant attack, Luna leapt into the air nimbly.


    ''She''s slower because of her knee, I can win this!'' Sexta clenched her non-dominant hand and summoned dozens of sparks of lightning.


    "Lightning magic: Thunder calamity!" Sexta thrust her electrified hand toward her adversary, sending dozens of dancing sparks in multiple directions.


    CRACKLE CRACKLE


    Unable to react to the overwhelming speed of lightning, Luna was assaulted by multiple streaks of lightning, each carrying three hundred million volts of electricity.


    THUD


    "I-I won?" Struggling to take in her achievement, Sexta barely managed to formulate a coherent sentence.


    "I-I beat Luna Triksta... The second Rising Star!" She grinned.


    "Hehehe."


    All the colour in Sexta''s face disappeared as she heard the cheerful laugh of the charred figure on the ground.


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    "That was really good...You''re really strong!" Luna giggled.


    "H-how how are you still in the event...How are you even alive?!"


    ''This can''t be happening, the safety protocol should''ve kicked in and eliminated you from the event.'' Sexta staggered back.


    "You attacked me in a way that made me evade to the air, that way I had no way to interrupt your spell; covering for your lacking spell-casting speed." Rising like a phoenix from the ashes, Luna stood up, her entire body and attire blacker than charcoal.


    "How are you still in the event?!" Sexta raised her blade.


    "Hm? The safety protocol only activates when the student''s life is in danger."


    "B-but?"


    "Did you seriously think, a little shock enough to kill me?" Luna smiled menacingly.


    "A little shock?" Sexta widened her eyes.


    "C''mon... Let''s fight!"


    ''Can I even win this...No, I have to. I''m too close to give up.'' Having steeled her resolve once more, Sexta decided to initiate the encounter with a diagonal slash.


    SHING


    "MORE!" Introducing her own blade, Luna blocked Sexta''s attack.


    "HAA!" Following instructions, Sexta thrust her blade towards Luna''s right eye.


    WHOOSH


    "MORE!" Luna moved her head to the side, receiving a shallow cut below her eye as compensation.


    SPLURT


    ''No matter how long it takes... I''ll beat her!'' Finding difficulty in striking with her outstretched sword arm, Sexta positioned her aura-coated left palm beneath her right arm and forced it toward Luna''s shoulder.


    DUMMM


    "C''mon, embrace your fighting spirit. MORE!" Her bloodlust practically oozing out of her pores, Luna punched Sexta''s left arm, diverting the attack.


    ''How''s she still moving that fast? Even after sustaining so much damage?!'' Intending to bombard her opponent with numerous attacks, Sexta launched her foot toward Luna''s chin.


    WHOOSH


    "HAHHAHAHAHA!" Luna took a quick step to the side, unbothered by Sexta''s swift attack.


    ''What the hell is wrong with her?!'' Growing tired of her opponent''s incessant laughter, Sexta swung her gladius toward Luna''s skull.


    "HAAAAAA!" Instead of moving out of the attack''s pathway, Luna released a wild wave of electricity from her body.


    Lightning magic: infinite discharge.


    CRACKLE CRACKLE


    "Wha-" Unable to match the speed of lightning, Sexta was hit by a large electrical wave and sent flying.


    ''How''d she release that much magic that quickly?!''


    WHOOSH


    "It''s my turn, so try not to break too quickly!" Luna cackled and pursued her flying opponent.


    ''My body feels numb. I can''t control my landing!'' Sexta panicked.


    "Triksta Technique: Starburst!" Luna thrust her star magic-coated blade toward her opponent, hitting her opponent with a small shooting star.


    BOOM


    [Sexta Applebee Class A has been eliminated.]


    "She broke..." Luna frowned.


    sigh  ''I hope I run into Lutz next, I''m running out of potions...'' She shrugged before downing a healing potion, leaving one left.


    ***


    45 students remaining.


    ***


    1.5km Northwest of the forest''s centre.


    Veda Stewart (5 eliminations)


    "Ice magic: Frost Barrier!" Using a magic circle on the ground, Veda erected a thick wall of ice in front of her to guard against multiple water bullets.


    THUD THUD THUD


    ''I''m running out of mana...Fighting against multiple people wasn''t a good idea.'' Veda exhaled.


    "I need a potion." Veda reached for her belt and snatched a mana potion, finishing it in three quick gulps.


    gulp gulp gulp


    ''The more I stay in the area the more attention I''ll draw, should I flee?'' She thought.


    ''No, I''m too fatigued to effectively conceal my aura...''


    "Wait, why did she stop attacking?"


    ''Did she escape? But she had the upper hand? She showed no signs of mana depletion either, so I doubt that''s the reason.''


    "Water magic: Hydra!"


    (A mythical creature in both Roman and Greek mythology, possessing the body of a massive serpent as well as multiple heads.)


    Born from a profuse amount of mana, a gigantic serpent emerged from Julia''s blue magic circle.


    The beast made of water boasted multiple heads, each adorned with large horns and frills.


    HISSSS


    ''I was careless, how''d I let this happen.'' Veda''s mouth gaped open.


    "I need to escape." Having concluded she was in no position to fight the aqua beast, Veda gathered Earthly Aura into her legs.


    ''You''re not going anywhere...'' Predicting Veda''s actions, Julia scowled.


    "HYDRA!" Julia channelled more mana into the magic circle, bending the beast to her will.


    SLUSH


    Two of the water beast''s heads burst forward, violently hunting down its prey.


    ''It''s fast... But I think I can make it.'' Her speed enhanced by Earthly Aura, Veda sprinted toward the forest''s centre.


    SLUSH


    Dead set on devouring the magic knight, the two of the hydra''s heads closed in on Veda.


    pant pant ''It''s too close...'' Veda jumped into the air and transitioned into a backflip, allowing one of the heads to slide against the ground beneath her.


    "Ice magic: Frost Flash!" Veda released a large stream of ice magic from her hand, freezing the hydra''s head.


    SHATTER


    "ARGGGHH!" Seemingly enraged by the loss of one of its heads, the hydra drove one of its heads towards his head.


    SLUSH


    ''Dealing with this is taking too much stamina, but at least it''s doable... for now.''


    DUMMM


    Veda channelled Earthly Aura into her blade and severed the Hydra''s head.


    SPLASH


    ''But... That''s the problem.'' Veda''s excitement was cut short when she saw the hydra grow four more heads, their size much larger than its predecessors.


    "ARGH!" Coming from seemingly out of nowhere, the last hydra''s head intercepted her path and rammed into her body.


    BAM


    ''I forgot about that one.'' Quickly recovering from the minor blow, Veda distanced herself from the hungry hydra''s heads.


    "As long as the spell caster is supplying the Hydra with mana it''ll continue to regenerate. " She analyzed.


    ''And that''s not even the worst part, the more heads I destroy the faster and stronger its movements become.''


    "Either I directly attack Julia or I flee..." She gripped her spatha tightly.


    "Arghhh!!" Eager to destroy its opponent, all of the hydra''s heads flashed their fangs and crashed toward her.


    ***


    * Extra information.


    A reminder of all relevant character''s magic affinities and weapons.


    Tarzy Goliath: Transformation magic; brass knuckles.


    Luna Triksta: Star magic (Lightning[Wind and Fire], Earth); gladius.


    Amber Shine: Light magic; magic staff.


    Lutz van Alexia: Gale magic; rapier.


    Jerald Cecil: Flame magic; gladius.


    Marie Jupiter: Gravity magic; spatha.


    Adonis P. Vindicta: Inferno magic; gladius.


    Maxwell Aster: Metal magic, giant hammer.


    John van Ani: Nature magic[ Water, Earth and Wind], spear.


    Toni Modster: Lava magic[Blaze magic, Earth], mace.


    Vera Stewart: Blaze magic, spatha.


    Veda Stewart: Ice magic, spatha.


    Flora Evergreen: Nature magic [Water, Earth and Wind], bow.


    Sicily Paler: Familiar magic, spear.


    Spur Stake: Diamond magic [Metal and Ice] doesn''t use one.


    Julia Claudia: Water Magic, gladius.


    Paulla Leah: Flame Magic, spatha.


    ELIMINATED STUDENTS AREN''T INCLUDED

 Battle Royale (4)

    "I refuse to run." With a soft declaration, Veda swallowed her fear and leapt out of Hydra''s heads'' paths.


    WHOOSH


    CRASH


    ''There are three ways to beat the Hydra, destroy it with one attack, disrupt the magic circle or defeat Julia.''


    ''I don''t have enough mana to freeze the entire beast and disrupting the magic circle won''t immediately end the fight, so defeating Julia directly is my best option right now.


    ''I should also stop decapitating heads because it''s a waste of energy.'' Veda extended her arm and froze the surface of the beast''s neck, creating a solid pathway to the body.


    "I''m not letting you do that!" Realizing Veda''s intentions, Julia scowled and channelled more mana into the circle; her reserves diminishing by the second.


    "ARGH!" Following Julia''s instructions, two of the Hydra heads soared towards Veda.


    "Ah!" To increase her speed and traction on the slippery ice, Veda channelled Earthly Aura into her legs.


    DUMMM


    "GRRR!" Persistent in their murderous endeavour one of the approaching heads rammed their head into the frozen neck.


    SHATTER


    ''It broke its neck just to shake me off?!'' Refusing to be caught in the impact, Veda leapt off of the aqua beast''s neck.


    ''I''m vulnerable in the air...''


    Reaching the same conclusion as her adversary, Julia commanded one head to hunt the magic knight midair.


    "Ice magic: Frost haze!" Using a modest magic circle, Veda generated a chilling smoke screen of small snow particles; limiting visibility for both her opponent and the Hydra.


    SSSSSSS


    Unable to slow down their momentum, four of the hydra''s heads bashed into each other.


    CRASH


    "Where''d she go?" Unable to see through the obstacle, Julia squinted and channelled more mana into the circle.


    "Here..." No more than two meters in front of her, Veda appeared out of the smoke screen unscathed and cleaved her spatha with all her might.


    ''I win!'' Convinced of her victory, Veda suppressed a grin.


    SHING


    Emerging from the mist behind her, the last of the Hydra''s original heads rammed into Veda''s back.


    [Veda Stewart, Class A has been eliminated.]


    "You forgot about one." Julia grinned.


    ***


    25 students remaining


    ***


    3.5km northeast of the forest''s centre.


    Adonis P. Vindicta (44 eliminations)


    ''Their teamwork is incredible.'' The purple-haired teen acknowledged.


    "Keep up the pressure!" Sicily slammed her spear into the ground, channelling more mana into her everchanging magic circle.


    "I''m on it!'' Spur, a girl with short brown hair, exhaled sharply and continued with her deadly melee barrage, her fists and feet adorned in sharp crystals.


    ''Spur is a close-quarters fighter who uses her diamond magic to enhance her physical attacks, making her stamina significantly more than most. This is because she doesn''t need to expend that much mental energy to cast complex spells. She''s a true brawler.'' Adonis analyzed whilst simultaneously using his gladius to deflect all of the girl''s attacks rather effortlessly.


    CLANG


    CLANG


    CLANG


    "PYUU!" A small bird darted through the air toward Spur and Adonis, its glowing white eyes focused on the latter.


    ''Sicily on the other hand is a ranged type similar to Amber, she uses her familiar magic to temporarily turn mundane animals into magic beasts and control them. More importantly than that, she is a cunning tactician with vast knowledge making her particularly tricky to deal with.''


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    ''These two are a nigh perfect duo...'' Adonis chuckled before moving his head to the side evading the bird''s attack.


    WHOOSH


    ''I can handle Spur''s hand-to-hand contact pretty easily, but the constant magic beast assaults force me to split my attention. Adding to the danger is the fact that the magic beasts aren''t always the same, they range from White Rank Pigeons to a swarm of Unranked bugs.'' Adonis leapt several meters backwards, creating distance between him and the close quarter''s combatant.


    "Order?" Spur scrunched her face and repaired the crystals on her fists.


    "Retreat." Sicily commanded.


    "What''s the plan?" Following Sicily''s commands, Spur dashed backwards.


    To relay information to her teammate, Sicily summoned a hummingbird from the sky and positioned it beside Spur''s ear so she could explain her thoughts.


    ''He''s not fighting on the level I expected him to. Either the rumors of him being Tier 9 are heavily exaggerated or he''s holding back for some reason. It''s likely the latter because he shows no signs of fatigue, although he hasn''t even bothered using magic yet. ''


    ''On the note of magic, I noticed during the magic exam that his casting speed and output are top of the class while his control is below average. Either he''s reluctant to use it due to his lack of control or has completely run out of mana which is unlikely. His magic affinity, Inferno Magic is too much of a mystery so I won''t even try to analyze it.''


    ''A battle of attrition isn''t wise because Spur is no longer in peak condition and I''m running low on mana, the best option would be to retreat but I doubt he''d allow that... So I''ll just allow Spur to distract him then I''ll use my trump card.''


    "So I just have to fight?" Spur asked.


    ''With all your might.'' Sicily emphasized.


    "That''s all I know." Spur smirked.


    ''My blade isn''t cutting her crystals and it''s too damaged to be coated with too much Aura.'' Adonis studied his gladius which sported multiple nicks and scratches.


    ''I''ll just match her in hand-to-hand combat.'' He concluded before sheathing the sword.


    "It''s been a while since I''ve had a martial arts spar." Adonis dashed forward with considerable speed, denting the soil beneath him with every stride.


    THUD THUD THUD


    ''He''s not using his sword? I know his hand-to-hand combat is among the best because of his ''fight'' against Maxwell but I don''t believe he can compete with Spur when she uses her crystals and Aura.'' Sicily frowned.


    "Spur, attack!"


    "No need to tell me twice!" Spur enthusiastically dashed forward to meet her opponent in the middle, throwing a sharp cross with her diamond-crusted fist.


    ''The force behind her punches isn''t even the scariest part.'' Adonis moved his head to the side and grinned as the fist glossed past him.


    WHOOSH


    "Hm!" Employing her left hand, Spur threw a left hook towards Adonis''s body.


    ''It''s the diamonds...Their sharpness and hardness make her bare fists feel like you''re being stabbed by a graded weapon.'' Wary of the blow, Adonis parried the attack by lightly tapping her arm.


    ''He''s good.'' Intensifying her assault, Spur launched her right fist toward Adonis''s chin.


    Unbothered by the fist that soared towards him, Adonis leaned backwards and threw a sharp calf kick toward Spur''s lead leg.


    WHOOSH


    ''That''s fast!'' Unable to register the speed of the kick, Spur gave up on trying to dodge or check it and simply attacked once more.


    CRACK


    Before she could even hope to throw another punch, a sharp cracking sound pierced her ears.


    "Argh!" Feeling an agonizing throbbing in her lead leg, Spur fought the urge to buckle to the ground


    ''How does his kick have so much power!'' She grunted.


    BRRRRR


    WHUUU


    Saving Spur from further injury was an abnormally large worm that burst from the ground and wrapped itself around Adonis''s leg.


    ''She can also control animals that are underground?'' Adonis lowered his head toward the magic beast.


    ''An opening!'' Taking advantage of Adonis''s restraint, Spur punched Adonis''s guard; freeing him from the worm''s grip and sending him flying.


    BAM


    THUD


    "Uh." Adonis halted his flight by placing both his hands and feet on the ground.


    ''The bleeding''s not that bad.'' He consoled.


    "Familiar Magic: Bird Strike." Increasing the pressure on Adonis, Sicily fetched a pigeon from the sky and sent it falling towards Adonis.


    ZOOM


    ''Her casting speed is amazing.'' Before he could take a step back, Spur appeared on his left and swung at his left cheek with the assistance of Earthly Aura.


    DUMMM


    ''Although I fractured her leg she''s still moving at the same speed, her grit is impressive.'' Despite the circumstances, Adonis held Spur''s arm and shoved his knee into her solar plexus.


    "Argh!"


    Slowed down by his attack, Adonis was too late to completely evade the bird; receiving a deep in his armour''s shoulder pad.


    BAM


    ''If I had opted for the ''blade protection armour'' I would''ve been severely damaged... I made the right choice.'' He acknowledged.


    ''At the cost of being damaged, I''ve learnt quite a bit about these two... No matter the potential risk to her comrade, Sicily is willing to do anything to eliminate her target... This is evident because she was willing to use ''bird strike'' despite the high chance of Spur being caught in it.''


    ''Spur is as impressive: Despite her physical condition she''s always going to fight with her all, meaning I shouldn''t consider her injuries when evaluating her.''


    ''These two''s compatibility is what makes them a deadly team to face, Sicily is willing to harm her teammate to achieve the objective while Spur accepts this and fights at her peak despite this and any existing injuries.''


    *Extra Information:


    Magic knights have the option to pick from 4 basic types of armour:


    Blade protection: Provides a level of defence for the user against blade attacks.


    Force protection: Provides a level of defence for the user against blunt force attacks.


    Magic protection: Reduces the effects of magic attacks.


    General: Has the effects of all the other three types to a much lesser degree.

 Battle Royale (5)

    ''My previous attack barely damaged him, I''ll need to start using more Earthly Aura.'' Unwavering in her efforts to defeat the Rising Star, Spur channelled Earthly Aura into her fists and threw a barrage of punches.


    DUMMMM


    ''Once I''ve thoroughly assessed their strength I''ll end it...'' Cautious of the increased speed and strength of the attacks, Adonis efficiently bobbed and weaved every punch.


    ''This isn''t working!'' Frustrated by Adonis''s reaction speed, Spur introduced her legs into the mix.


    "Familiar Magic: Hard Labour!"


    Sicily burned through more of her mana and summoned multiple moles from below, using them as an attempt to limit his movement.


    ''This is smart in theory but ineffective practically.'' Adonis critiqued while he expertly avoided the peeping moles.


    ''Killing them individually would be a waste of energy.''


    "Diamond magic: Quartz wall." Using a magic crystal she had placed beneath them, Spur summoned a pale crystal wall beside Adonis.


    ''I''ve got you now!'' Taking advantage of Adonis''s limited space, Spur fired a devastating haymaker at the Rising Star''s head.


    DUMMM


    ''I''m cornered. I have to guard.'' Seeing no escape route, Adonis abandoned his evading strategy and raised his arms.


    ''He''s blocking? His arms will be destroyed on impact.'' Confused by Adonis''s intentions, Spur frowned.


    ''I need to use Aura.'' Sharing his adversary''s opinion Adonis channeled a significant amount of Earthly Aura into his forearms.


    DUMMM


    ''He channelled so much Aura in such a short period!?'' Spur widened her eyes.


    BAM


    ''I-It''s so hard... He won''t budge!'' Spur was left speechless at the realization that she failed to cause damage to the boy''s enhanced body.


    Adonis pushed his right leg forward, kicking Spur in the chest and temporarily staggering her.


    THUD


    "TYUUU!"


    Saving Spur once more, Sicily commanded an animal to interrupt Adonis; directing the mole to trip the youth.


    "Ah!"


    ''I might seriously get hurt here if I don''t take this a little more seriously.''


    "AHHH!" Recovering from the blow within less than a second, Spur seized the opportunity and kicked Adonis''s falling body.


    BAM


    Receiving the full brunt of the attack, Adonis crashed into the nearby crystal.


    THUD


    "Familiar Magic: Burrow Bite!"


    Under Spur''s control, the moles leapt out of the holes and attacked Adonis with their teeth and claws.


    "TYUUU!"


    "Diamond magic: Quartz Spur."


    Using the everchanging runes within her pink magic circle, Spur summoned spikes from the quartz wall, directing them toward Adonis''s body.


    ''This is getting troublesome, now I have to waste mana.'' Seeing no other way out of the predicament, Adonis sighed.


    Inferno magic: Hell Shroud (matter variation)


    The boy¡¯s body suddenly emanated a bright ivory flame, expunging anything that was within 1m of his figure.


    BWSHHH


    "Uh!?" Alarmed by the sudden surge in mana, Spur instinctually leapt backwards.


    ''What the fuck was that?!'' Spur snapped her head to look at Sicily, expecting answers from her all-knowing comrade.


    ''That''s it, his magic affinity...Inferno magic.'' Just as confused Spur, Sicily shrugged.


    ''I''ve only ever seen it twice, and in both situations, it worked completely differently... At the magic exam, it didn''t burn or scorch the target but right now it just destroyed everything near him.''


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    ''Using these two events it''s impossible for me to determine the properties of the magic affinity... The best I can do is assume that one, it is way hotter than lava and blaze magic and two, assume it can be delayed, burning the target whenever the user decides.''


    "I don''t know..." Sicily admitted.


    ''She doesn''t know?'' Spur frowned.


    ''I can''t believe I was that careless. I''m fighting against Class A students now unlike before.'' Adonis straightened his face and intensified his Aura cloak.


    DUMMM


    "This pressure!"


    "Spur, be cautious..."


    ''I don''t think he''ll give us an opportunity like that again.''


    "Sorry about that, it was rude of me to treat you like nobodies... I realize now, you''re strong." Adonis said flatly.


    ''Let''s see how well you do against overwhelming strength.'' Adonis toward Spur with a determined stride, ready to engage in another hand-to-hand combat encounter.


    ''He''s coming!'' Slightly shaken up by Adonis''s peculiar magic affinity, Spur got into her fighting stance.


    "Hm!" Starting the encounter with flair, Adonis threw a backwards tornado kick toward Spur''s chin.


    ''He was fast before but now it''s just too much!'' Enhancing her entire body with a steady flow of Earthly Aura, Spur raised her hand to block Adonis''s kick.


    BAM


    The impact reverberated through her entire arm, creating echoes that resonated in the humid air.


    ''This is a completely different level!'' Spur countered immediately by flinging her rear leg at Adonis''s.


    Ignoring Spur''s attack, Adonis pushed off her hand, gathering momentum for his next move.


    ''What''s h-'' Cutting off Spur''s thoughts, Adonis delivered a roundhouse kick to Spur''s jaw.


    BAM


    Spur''s body fell to the ground, her consciousness gradually leaving her body.


    ''I think I should end this now... I''ve seen the limits of her strength, speed and durability...'' Before he could land on the ground, Adonis noticed Sicily preparing a huge magic circle on the ground.


    ''Is she planning a huge spell?''


    "Familiar magic: Magic Knight."


    ''Magic knight? Wait, she won''t.''


    She did...


    "Spur Stake, do I have your consent?"


    "Y-yes..." Spur muttered.


    As if she hadn''t just received a brutal attack to the face, Spur stood up; her brown eyes now subtly emitting a white hue.


    "Diamond magic: Crystal champion!" Without the aid of a magic circle, Spur''s body was quickly armoured by multiple large pieces of white diamond.


    ''She didn''t use a magic circle? That means Sicily is doing the calculations for both of them... Interesting.''


    Spur surged forward with newfound vigour and speed, matching the prowess Adonis had just demonstrated.


    ''Maybe there''s more to see.'' Adonis chuckled.


    WHOOSH


    Spur propelled her fist upwards, unleashing a deadly uppercut.


    Shifting gears, Adonis stepped to the side and watched her crystal fist breeze past him.


    Matching Adonis''s speed once more, Spur''s opposite fist followed Adonis''s abdomen.


    ''Her attack speed increased again? She''s beginning to perform at Rising Star level.''


    Switching stances once more, Spur used her leg to cleave at Adonis''s abdomen before it was easily caught.


    ''Let''s check durability...'' Curious to see Spur and Sicily''s limits, Adonis ignited his fist with an ivory flame and punched Silicy''s leg with all his might.


    Inferno Magic: Hell''s armament (matter variation)


    BWSHHH


    Adonis''s ivory flames deleted Spur''s diamond armour on her leg but extinguished before reaching her skin.


    ''I don''t want to end this just yet.'' Adonis decided before he extinguished the flame.


    With precision, he allowed his fist to comfortably slam into her thigh.


    BAM


    Disregarding the pain in her thigh, Spur wildly swung at Adonis''s head.


    ''Unshaken huh? her spirit is strong.'' Adonis let go of her leg and ducked the right hook to the skull.


    WHOOSH


    In less than a second, Spur''s diamonds regenerated.


    "Ahh!" She swiftly extended her leg, dragging it along the ground toward Adonis''s ankles.


    ''That regeneration is impressive, I wonder if their magic output has been elevated by their link.'' Adonis smirked and jumped above the leg.


    CHUUU


    Diamond magic: Quartz Spur


    A long spike protruded from Spur''s diamond breastplate, an attempt to catch the Rising Star off guard while in mid-air.


    ''I''m sure Sicily is the one casting all the spells, letting Spur focus on fighting.'' Satisfied with the duo''s performances, Adonis caught the protruding spike, allowing it to bite into his hand.


    SPLURT


    Inferno magic: Hell''s armament (matter variation)


    BWSHHH


    Despite the new wound, Adonis showed no reaction and countered with an attack of his own, delivering a powerful kick to Spur''s diamond helmet, destroying it and sending her flying toward Sicily and her giant magic circle.


    SHATTER


    "I''ve seen enough, let''s end this." Adonis landed on the ground gracefully and looked at his bleeding hand.


    ''I doubt this will affect me later in the event... Although I shouldn''t have let this happen.''


    ''Spur can no longer fight at full strength, and even if she could we wouldn''t stand a chance. I understand now, he¡¯s too strong¡­¡¯


    "We have a better chance of escaping than winning here." Sicily whispered...


    Familiar magic: Swarm escape


    BZZZZZZ


    Sicily summoned a large swarm of bees, enveloping Adonis to distract him and limit his vision.


    ''I figured you''d do this...'' Adonis shook his head in disappointment as he watched the bees aggressively surround him.


    "Sicily, as intelligent as you are. You made a huge mistake at the beginning of this battle. You believed your best options were to either fight me head-on or flee, two seemingly logical options on the surface. However, this very rationalization was based on a flawed calculation. You thought your chances of survival were close to zero, when in reality they never existed to begin with¡­ The moment you encountered me was the moment your fate was sealed."


    Inferno magic: Hell''s artillery. (Essence variation)


    [Sicily Paler, Class A has been eliminated.]


    [Spur Stake, Class A has been eliminated.]


    ***


    *Extra Information:


    Diamond magic isn''t limited to the creation/manipulation of diamonds, but also other crystals.

 For his heart

    2km South of the forest''s centre.


    [Vera Stewart (9 eliminations) vs Flora Evergreen (8 Eliminations)]


    "Bitch!" With her entire body oozing fury and bloodlust, Vera descended her sword on her opponent''s bow.


    "Oh my, how vulgar." Flora chuckled softly and raised her wooden bow, blocking her opponent''s attack.


    THUD


    Hissing once more at her newfound rival, Vera raised her blade and horizontally cleaved it at Vera''s abdomen.


    SHING


    "Why do you even hate me?" Flora arched her brows and used her bow to intercept Vera''s attack.


    ''Last time I saw her she was quiet and shy?''


    "Why? Why!? Don''t patronize me." Practically foaming at the mouth, Vera ignited her spatha in a crimson flame and thrust it at Flora''s shoulder.


    Blaze magic: armament combustion


    "Hehe." Flora chuckled softly and summoned a strong breeze using her non-dominant hand, extinguishing the flame and throwing the spatha out of her opponent''s hand.


    Wind magic: Buster


    WHOOSH


    ''Many are jealous of my stunning beauty but I didn''t know it could get this bad.'' Flora shook her head.


    Ignoring her temporary disarment, Vera shot an uppercut at Flora''s chin.


    ''So determined.'' Flora smiled and parried Vera''s fist.


    Without losing steam, Vera raised her leg and flung it at Flora''s head, executing a graceful roundhouse kick.


    WHOOSH


    "Such unlady-like movements are disgusting." Unyielding in her opponent''s mockery, Flora ducked the kick and lodged her elbow into Vera''s stomach.


    BAM


    "Argh!"


    Flora slammed her bow into Vera''s skull; sending her flying into a nearby tree.


    BAM


    "If only there was a beauty requirement to enter class A, then abominations like you wouldn''t taint our classroom''s image."


    "Grrr..." Upon removing herself from the indent in the tree''s trunk, Vera growled at her opponent.


    DUMMMM


    "Scowling only intensifies your wrinkles, I recommend frowning instead." Unintimidated by the surge in Earthly Aura, Flora knocked an arrow and drew her bow.


    "You need to stay away from him." Vera commanded.


    "Hm? Away from who?" Flora lessened the tension on her bowstring and tilted her head.


    "Wait, don''t tell me you mean Adonis?'' Finally realizing what the girl meant, Flora couldn''t help but chuckle.


    ''She''s calling him by his first name?!'' Fueled by fury, Vera heightened her physical abilities using Earhtly Aura and stared down her opponent.


    "All of this anger over a man?" Unable to contain her bewilderment, Flora widened her eyes.


    "Nonetheless one who barely acknowledges your existence?" She ridiculed and drew her bow even further.


    "You don''t know what you''re talking about!" Vera covered her fists in a crimson flame and dashed forward.


    "Stay back, ugly." Flora released the arrow, letting it soar through the air.


    SWISH


    ''Ugly?'' Stopping Vera dead in her tracks, the arrow grazed her left cheek.


    SPLURT


    "Ugly? Vindicta called me pretty." Shrugging off Flora''s attack and the insult, Vera enshrouded her fists in Blaze magic and dashed forward.


    Blaze magic: armament combustion


    "Oh please, Adonis would never even look your way. You two aren''t even in the same beauty bracket." Flora scoffed.


    "Stop calling him by his first name! Stupid bitch." Vera hurled her blazing fist at Flora''s head.


    FWISHHH


    To defend against the girl''s assault, Flora coated her bow in Earthly Aura and intercepted Vera''s fist.


    BAM


    "..." Undeterred, Vera issued a sharp scratch at Flora''s cheek.


    "Not my face!" Frightened by the thought of a permanent scar on her face, Flora moved her head back and heaved her bow down towards Vera''s shoulder.


    Intensifying the flames in her hands, Vera used her left arm to block the wooden bow and reduce it to ashes.


    TSSSSSS


    Using her right fist, Vera struck Flora''s magic protection breastplate, propelling Flora backwards and creating a wound in her chest.


    SLAM


    WHOOSH


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Vera dismissed the flames in her hands and conjured a red magic circle in front of her.


    "That''s going to leave a mark..." Struggling to recover from the blow, Flora muttered under her breath.


    "You bruised me, you stupid pig!" Flora summoned a blue magic circle and imbued her magic with Earthly Aura, increasing both its strength and speed.


    Blaze magic: Heat Dart


    Water magic: Aqua Shell


    Using their respective magic affinities, Flora and Vera fired their projectile spells at each other.


    Vera took the opportunity to recover her spatha from the ground as the spells cancelled each other out.


    SIZZLE


    "I''ll kill you then make him mine!" Now holding the advantage, Vera channelled Earthly Aura into her blade and chased down her opponent.


    "Bring it you pig!" Flora enhanced her physical abilities using Earthly Aura and met Vera halfway.


    "You won''t be missing this ugly thing." Initiating the first attack, Flora used Wind magic to create a Wind blade to slash at Vera''s face.


    Wind magic: Bladed Tempest


    WHOOSH


    "Stop calling me ugly." Perfectly matching Flora''s speed, Vera deflected the slash using her spatha.


    CLANG


    Counterattacking immediately, Vera swung her spatha at Flora''s petite torso.


    SHING


    Flora slightly arched her back and bent her hips backwards to evade the attack.


    Although she was able to react to the assault, Flora was unable to completely escape without harm.


    Vera''s blade completely tore through her breastplate, revealing her tight black undershirt.


    ''I''ll kill her!'' Sharpening her bloodlust, Vera swung her spatha at Flora''s forehead.


    Responding with a counterattack, Flora summoned a large serrated root from a green magic circle, targeting Vera''s exposed chin.


    "Hm." Identifying the threat instantly, Vera stepped to the side and let the root harmlessly shave past her.


    "Get back here!" Flora adjusted the runes in the magic circle and thrust her arm forward, causing the sharp root to change direction and head toward Vera''s lower stomach.


    Demonstrating her superior physical capabilities once more, Vera twisted her body out of danger and severed the sharp root.


    SHING


    Hoping to engage in a martial arts battle, Vera tilted her hand and used the blade to slash at Flora''s hips diagonally.


    "I''m not going to play along with your barbarianism." Rejecting the proposal, Flora channelled more mana into the magic circle and ejected dozens of thorns from the large tree root.


    ''Fast.'' Raising her eyebrows in astonishment, Vera leapt into the air in an attempt to avoid the thorns.


    SPLURT


    SPLURT


    SPLURT


    "Argh!" As she flew into the air, Vera summoned a few magic circles and used them to fire multiple small fireballs at her opponent below.


    BWSHHH


    BWSHHH


    BWSHHH


    BWSHHH


    ''Fast!'' Augmenting her speed, Flora took rapid steps backwards, skillfully evading the fireballs.


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    THUD


    When the flames collided with the ground they created large smoldering craters in the ground.


    SIZZZLLEE


    ''I must be careful of her firepower and casting speed.'' Flora lifted her head and scowled at her opponent.


    Vera brought her hands forward and complexified the magic circle in front of her.


    After gathering a ton of mana, Vera conjured a massive streak of crimson flames.


    FSWHHHH


    Blaze magic: LS Flame


    ''This is it.'' Discarding the thought of trying to dodge the flames, Flora created a large wooden bow using Nature magic...


    Nature magic: Majestic Hunter


    Aided by Wind magic and Eathly Aura, a simple wooden arrow pierced through the magnificent scarlet flames at the speed of sound.


    BOOM


    [Vera Stewart class A has been eliminated.]


    ***


    1.5 km south from the forest''s centre


    [Marie Jupiter (11 eliminations) vs Paulla Leah (5 eliminations)]


    ''No matter how many attacks I land, she just heals through it.'' Panting heavily, Paulla narrowed her eyes on the imperial princess.


    ''I''m running out of Holy Aura, I need to finish this now.'' Marie gripped her spatha tightly and dashed forward, steadily coating it with a steady shroud of Earthly Aura.


    DUMMM


    ''Whether she''s a rising star or not, I WILL survive. I need that class A spot!'' Acting on her ambition, Paulla enhanced her blade with Earthly Aura and clashed with the princess.


    CLANG


    Discarding her passive fighting style, Marie slashed at Paulla''s arm.


    SHING


    ''Fast!'' Paulla stepped to the side, gaining a shallow scrape on her forearm.


    SPLURT


    "I''m not going to lose!" Paulla countered by setting her sword ablaze and swinging it toward Marie''s gut.


    Flame Magic: Scorch saber


    FWSHHH


    Paulla''s blade ripped through Marie''s armour, causing a deep wound on her belly and scorching her muscular tissue.


    SPLURT


    SIZZLE


    "Arghh!" Marie dropped her blade, clutched her bleeding abdomen and staggered backwards.


    ''To heal this I''ll need to use all of my remaining Holy Aura...''


    ''It''s too shallow!'' Panicked that Marie hadn''t been eliminated yet, Paulla dispersed the spell and thrust her blade toward her adversary''s throat.


    SHING


    ''I can''t dodge this. Reacting immediately, Marie coated her bare hands in Earthly Aura and gripped the impeding blade; causing blood to gush from her small hand.


    SPLURT


    "Ahhh!"


    ''She used her hand? What the hell.'' Refusing to have her sword snatched, Paulla pulled her sword back.


    SPLURT


    "Let go!" Although she pulled with all her might, Paulla was unable to retrieve her sword.


    The princess was too strong.


    Ignoring that her hand was at risk of permanent damage; Marie allowed her Holy Aura to surge.


    DIMMMM


    "Let go!" Paulla lifted her leg to kick Marie''s chest.


    Gravity Magic: Heavenly Burden


    Marie increased the gravity around her, multiplying the weight of all the living beings within her range.


    "Wha-"


    ''I knew about this spell, but I didn''t think she''d use her last bit of Holy Aura for offence when her wounds are that bad. '' Unable to adapt to her new weight, Paulla fell to the ground unable to fight back or even move.


    "..." With a pained expression, Marie brought her blade down.


    [Paulla Leah Class B has been eliminated.]


    ***


    *Extra Information:


    Water magic > Fire magic


    Blaze magic > Water magic


    Ice magic > Blaze magic


    Lava magic > Ice magic


    (These instances are merely general rules and certain circumstances will change the outcome, for example, the instance in this chapter. Although Flora and Vera are generally the same strength and this rule should apply, Vera''s magic didn''t completely overpower Flora''s; this is because Flora''s magic was enhanced by Earthly Aura.)


    (Even if Earthly Aura isn''t used in the spell, Water magic can still overpower Blaze magic if one of the combatants is a higher tier than the other. eg. Tier 7 water magic> Tier 8 Blaze magic.)


    (Bear in mind all of these scenarios are extremely general and certain circumstances and details can change the outcome.)

 A mere commoner

    500m East from the forest''s center


    [Julia Claudia (7 eliminations) vs Amber Shine (20 eliminations) ]


    ''Her magic is way too fast, I can''t let her cast a single spell.'' Unable to stick to her ranged strategy, Julia wildly swung her gladius at the Light Prodigy.


    Knowing she''d be at a disadvantage if she engaged in close-quarters combat, Amber parried Julia''s attack with her magic staff and stepped backwards.


    "You''re not going anywhere!" Julia channelled her sword with Earthly Aura and thrust her blade at her opponent.


    ''She''s also inexperienced at martial arts, I could probably beat her in a full-on sword fight, but since I''m using a magic staff I''m unable to counter her blade.'' Amber dodged the sword and swung her staff at Julia''s legs.


    WHOOSH


    ''I thought she''d be worse at martial arts...'' Julia frowned and leapt backwards.


    "Hm!" Julia sliced through the air, aiming at her adversary''s neck.


    Amber channelled her mana into the glowing pink magic crystal in her staff and evaded her blade.


    "NO!" Unwilling to let the PTC cast a single spell, Julia slashed her gladius at Amber''s staff.


    ''She''s fast.'' Amber dimmed the glow in her magic crystal and jabbed her staff forward.


    THUD


    ''A feint?'' Julia was forced to the ground as the sharp magic crystal made contact with her steel breastplate.


    "Ah!"


    "Light magic: Minor Beam." Reviving the glow in her magic crystal, Amber fired a small beam of light from her magic staff  straight into her advesary¡¯s gut.


    [Julia Claudius, Class A has been eliminated.]


    ***


    100m North from the Forest''s centre.


    [Maxwell Aster (13 eliminations) vs John van Ani ( 13 eliminations)]


    "You''re really strong!" Beginning round two of their strenuous battle, Maxwell dashed forward and brought his gigantic hammer down on his opponent.


    Already aware of the might behind the attack, John coated the shaft of his spear in Earthly Aura and blocked Maxwell''s assault.


    BAM


    "Don''t speak to me so casually, commoner!" Using his spear, John shrugged off his opponent and kicked Maxwell in the chest.


    THUD


    "Ah!" Overwhelmed by momentum, Maxwell dropped his hammer behind his back and used it to launch himself into a backflip.


    Middair, Maxwell created a few magic circles that ejected multiple iron rods to impale John.


    Metal magic: incomplete iron maiden


    With the aid of Wind magic, John rotated rapidly and used his spear to destroy the iron rods.


    DUMMM


    "Ani arts: Conquer!" Using the momentum from his Wind magic, John threw his Earthly Aura-coated spear at the commoner.


    WHOOSH


    "Fast!" Barely capable of tracking the spear with his eyes, Maxwell created a small iron shield and reinforced it with Earthly Aura.


    DUMMM


    Acting quickly, Maxwell deflected the spear to the side; the force sending him crashing to the ground.


    CLANG


    "I''ve got you now." Now unarmed, John rushed his opponent.


    Failing to catch his opponent off guard, John fired a body hook toward Maxwell''s liver.


    "You''re intense." After taking a second to complain, Maxwell deflected the blow and delivered a roundhouse kick at John''s head.


    Disrupting the kick, John extended his foot toward Maxwell''s rear leg, sweeping him off his feet.


    Capitalizing on Maxwell''s temporary vulnerability, John summoned a boulder to crush his entire body.


    Earth magic: Pseudo-rock slide


    ''Not again.'' Maxwell shook his head and summoned a metal pillar beneath his body, propelling himself toward his hammer.


    "I''ll do the same." John held out his hand and commanded the nearby vegetation to throw him his spear.


    "Ready for round three?" Flashing a toothy grin, Maxwell horizontally swung his massive hammer.


    "I just don''t get it..." Deepening his frown, John commanded the underground plants to block the attack.


    Nature magic: Sanguinary creepers.


    As the plants contorted to wrap around the hammer, John thrust the spear toward Maxwell''s shoulder.


    "Hm." Straining his muscles, Maxwell used his hammer to destroy the plants and slam into John''s body.


    ''My attacks are failing.'' Feeling the sharp pain reverberate through his body, John paused his attack and winced.


    "Ha!" Maxwell pulled his hammer back and brought it down vertically, hoping to crush John''s skull.


    Nature magic: Vines of vengeance


    Using a magic circle behind him, John created multiple thick vines to attack Maxwell''s hammer.


    "HAAA!" Maxwell created pronounced texturing marks on the blunt side of his hammer using metal magic and slammed it into the approaching vines.


    DUMMM


    SLAM


    On contact, the intertwined vines reverted back into mana particles.


    Although Maxwell''s hammer didn''t lose speed with the collision, the hammer continued on its path...


    Heading straight for John''s head.


    "My defences aren''t working..." John took a step to the side, dodging the hammer.


    "As expected of a noble." Maxwell praised.


    "I don''t get it..." Ignoring his opponent''s compliments, John used the blade of his spear to tear through a portion of Maxwell''s armour.


    RIP


    ''I need to be careful.'' Brushing off the attack, Maxwell launched his own.


    The commoner thrust the front of his hammer forward, staggering the noble.


    THUD


    "Why can''t I beat these commoners? No matter what I do, I''m always losing." John whispered.


    "Say... You''re really strong. I finally understand what they mean when they say you''re a prodigy." Using this as an opportunity to catch his breath, Maxwell placed his massive hammer on his shoulder and exhaled sharply.


    "Oizys Hermes, a mere commoner became a PTC when I could barely read." Ignoring the compliments of the commoner, John gripped his spear tightly causing his knuckles to rapidly lose colour.


    ''Oizys? The famous PTC? What does this have to do with him?'' Maxwell frowned.


    "Every single fucking day we''d be compared to him." John grumbled.


    "That''s not even the worst of it, there''s more of you..."


    "Adonis Vindicta, an anomaly who came out of nowhere... He''s my age and is already Tier 9. How the hell am I supposed to compete with a monster like that?!"


    ''Why''s he suddenly bringing up Donny?'' Maxwell tilted his head.


    "Tarzy Goliath, an island monkey who''s been recognized by the Imperial family." The more the noble spoke, the more the air around him vibrated violently.


    DUMMM


    ''This aura?'' Maxwell instinctually took a step back.


    "AND NOW THERE''S YOU!" Letting his Earthly Aura explode, John dashed forward.


    "What''d I do?!" Alarmed by the sudden attack, Maxwell added multiple large spikes to his hammer and swung it at his opponent.


    "You commoners are everywhere, accomplishing things that I''ve been working towards since I was a child!" John easily parried the hammer with his spear.


    Enhancing his spear even further, John jabbed it toward Maxwell''s head.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ''If I hold back I''ll lose. He''s out for blood!'' Intensifying his Earthly Aura cloak as well, Maxwell moved his head to the side; gaining a cut on his ear.


    DUMMM


    "Why?! Why are you ranked higher?! What makes you better than me!"


    ''Is that why he''s mad?'' Now adorning a serious expression, Maxwell stepped forward and slammed the decorated hammer into his opponent.


    "Ah! I-I''m..." As the hammer collided with his figure, John''s iron breastplate was reduced to mere shards of metal.


    CLANG


    "I''m a noble. I''m the heir to the fucking van Ani Dukedom." John swung his spear horizontally, tearing through the armour on Maxwell''s lower abdomen.


    RIP


    "Argh." Holding his hammer with one hand, Maxwell crashed it into John''s lower body.


    ''I''ve trained my entire life, practising martial arts since I could walk. Casting spells since I could read and learning politics before I even hit puberty.'' To lessen the blow, John stuck the shaft of his spear between his arm and the hammer.


    CRACK


    "So Why?!" Utilizing his non-dominant hand, John punched the hammer away.


    DONG


    ''Why''s he so worked up?!''


    "Now there''s a new one who''s going to take my place... Toni Modster! Why is this happening?! Why am I getting shown up by rats from the filthiest slums." In the hope of permanently limiting Maxwell''s movement, John stabbed his classmate in the shoulder.


    SPLURT


    "Argh!" Realizing there was no time to dwell on his injuries, Maxwell used his dominant hand to punch John in the jaw.


    BAM


    "Is it because I''m inferior?! No, that''s impossible!" Responding with a punch of his own, John struck Maxwell in the nose.


    SPLURT


    CRACK


    ''If I let this go on like this I''ll lose.'' Heaving his hammer with his injured arm, Maxwell swung at John''s head.


    "I''m a noble! I have divine blood in my fucking veins." John ducked swiftly and jabbed his spear at Maxwell''s torso.


    "?!" To dodge the spear, Maxwell was forced to ditch his hammer and dash backwards.


    ''I was saving this for the final stretch, but if I don''t use it now...'' As he dashed backwards, Maxwell clasped his hands together and let his mana overflow.


    "Mercury." Maxwell whispered.


    With his command and the aid of a grey magic circle, Maxwell''s hammer turned to a grey sludge and leapt at his opponent.


    ''What?!'' Before John could even react, he was encompassed by the liquid metal.


    Metal Magic: Iron Maiden


    Maxwell''s hammer hardened into a thick solid metal shell in the shape of a large nun.


    "All this time I was running from the truth, I''ve been in denial. B-but get it now..." The noble''s voice broke.


    "Seal." Maxwell commanded.


    [The 9th Rising Star, John van Ani has been eliminated.]


    Chapter 85- 9 vs 1


    [Only 10 students remain.]


    ***


    The centre of the forest varied slightly from the surrounding area.


    Instead of the interconnected wide paths the students had grown used to, it featured a vast vacant space, approximately 1 kilometre in diameter.


    The space was covered entirely in grass and a few large shrubs; being surrounded by hundreds of towering trees, dwarfing the rest of the fores in comparison.


    In the centre of this expansive field were two Rising Stars, Amber Shine and Jerald Cecil.


    Opting not to waste energy on speaking, the Light Prodigy dashed at her opponent; letting her actions speak instead.


    ''I know I''m not the physical type, but the gap feels like it''s way too large.'' Amber swung her magic staff.


    "..." Unaware of the PTC''s thoughts, Jerald swiped with his gladius.


    CLANG


    ***


    On the southwest edge of the forest''s centre were two commoners engaged in an intense clash of wills.


    "So you''re the Top dog huh? I don''t see the hype." Shaking his head disappointedly, Toni Modster swung his bludgeon/mace at the number one Rising Star''s head.


    "And you are?" Tarzy scoffed and punched the mace out of his trajectory.


    "The one who''ll bash in ya ugly ass face." Toni chuckled.


    "Funny, I''ve heard several others call themselves the same thing... Do you know where they are now?" Tarzy retracted his arm and used the opposite one to launch an uppercut at his chin.


    "Where?" Using the outer part of his shoulder, Toni nudged Tarzy''s arm out of trajectory.


    "Eliminated." Tarzy said bluntly and hurled a hook at Toni''s neck.


    "Shiver me timbers, I''m so scared." Toni mocked and ducked the attack.


    "Clearly not, no worries... I''ll help you." Tarzy shrugged.


    "Be my guest." Still crouched, Toni pivoted his hips and horizontally swung the iron mace at Tarzy''s sturdy legs.


    ***


    On the Northwest side of the forest''s centre stood two young ladies engaged in a graceful battle.


    "Evergreen." As she confidently swung her gladius at the blonde girl, Marie sharpened her gaze.


    "Call me Flora, we''ve known each other for so long now princess." Slightly offended by the Imperial princess''s formality, Flora stepped out of the attack''s path.


    "I''ll stick to Evergreen. It''s not like we''re friends." Adding another hand to the sword''s grip, Marie swung the blade diagonally at her classmate''s thigh.


    "Ouch, I thought we would''ve grown close by now." To escape the vicious attack, Flora lifted her leading leg, using it to counter with a swift axe kick aimed at the princess''s crown.


    "No, I could never be friends with someone like you."


    ***


    "Ahh?!" Maxwell who had only been in the forest''s centre for a few minutes found himself caught in the battle between the second and fourth Rising Star.


    "C''mon don''t be a party pooper, Maxwell, join us. The more the merrier!" High off the exhilaration of battle, Luna cleaved her gladius at Maxwell.


    "Don''t get in my way." Rejecting Luna''s idea of inviting the eighth Rising Star, Lutz thrust his rapier at Maxwell''s head.


    "Hey, this isn''t fair!" Aided by his massive hammer, Maxwell defended against both the attacks.


    ***


    700m south from the forest''s centre.


    [You are among the top 10 students, congratulations. Please make your way toward the forest''s centre immediately.]


    "Immediately huh? So basically you''re saying I''m being slow." Adonis chuckled.


    ''I''m assuming the rest of the top ten are on their way there if they''re not already.''


    ''Which means most of the Rising Stars will all be in the same place... It''s time for that.''


    Adonis snatched the three unopened vials that hung on his waist.


    ''I''m pretty sure everyone else had the same idea as me for this last stretch, I doubt they''ve already drank their potions... Which means I''ll be fighting against people who''ll be in peak condition. I probably won''t have a chance to drink these at the centre so I should do it now.''


    (Healing potion, stamina potion and a mana potion.)


    GULP


    GULP


    GULP


    ''Other than my sword, I''m operating at 100%'' He smiled.


    ''If I''m going to do it, I''m going to have to manage my mana properly; unlike what I''ve been doing today.'' Adonis sighed.


    [Please make your way to the forest''s centre.]


    "At least let me warm up first, this is going to be the toughest battle I''ve had."


    "Hm." Adonis stretched his limbs and got into a running starting position, gradually gathering the strength in his toned muscles.


    After a few seconds, the boy released all the tension in his body and began his flight.


    BOOM


    In under eight seconds, he had reached the centre of the forest, joining his classmates in the last phase of the battle royale.


    "Watch closely."


    ***


    In a large tent on the forest''s outskirts.


    While all the professors and instructors observed the battle royale of the first-year students through a large projected image created by a magic item, a single young man stood out with his burgundy hair and overwhelming presence.


    "Show me, Adonis." Elder Mars smirked.


    ***


    The forest''s centre


    "You!" Removing his attention from Toni, Tarzy glared at the approaching figure.


    "Took you long enough, Grape!" Recognizing the Aura immediately, Luna smiled.


    "Where''s he been?" Amber muttered.


    "How dramatic." Lutz also disengaged from the three-way battle and acknowledged the magic knight.


    "Show off." Jerald set his eyes on the new target.


    "He''s finally here!" Marie looked to the side.


    "Donny!" Maxwell chuckled.


    "Thank Gods, I was getting bored." Unoffended by Tarzy''s sudden disregard for his presence, Toni shifted his gaze to the sky.


    "I''ve been waiting." Flora licked her lips.


    The centre of everyone''s focus was a teenage boy who exuded an almost divine aura.


    His porcelain skin radiated softly in the sunlight, and his unruly Russian violet hair framed his otherworldly appearance.


    His eyes, a chilling shade of silver, contained a hellish darkness...


    ''This is it.'' Realizing he had finally reached his destination, Adonis shifted his luminous eyes to the other contestants from above.


    ''This is where I engrain it into all of your minds, changing it from mere speculation to an indisputable fact.'' Adonis sharpened his gaze and released a sharp burst of aura, putting every single contestant on edge.


    DUMMM


    "I''ll show you all... That I''m the strongest."


    WHOOSH


    "I was starting to think you got yourself eliminated!" Joining Adonis midair, Luna swung her gladius at the 7th Rising Star''s throat.


    "I''ve barely been here a second yet you''re already attacking?" Adonis sighed and blocked the attack using his blade.


    "You have no right to complain after you kept me waiting for so long." Luna grinned.


    "At least let me land first, geez!"


    "Sky fighting is much more fun, don''t you think?!" Shocked by Adonis''s lack of enthusiasm, Luna vertically slashed her blade at the teenager''s shoulder.


    "Not really, the looming threat of falling to my death doesn''t excite me." Adonis used the flat side of his gladius to push the girl''s blade out of the way.


    "Don''t be such a bore!" Reversing the grip on her sword, Luna drove the tip of the blade toward Adonis''s liver.


    SHING


    "It''s not fair that you''re the only one who gets to fight him!" Using a large magic circle on the grass, Toni created a large eruption of magma to disintegrate both Adonis and Luna.


    Lava magic: Explosive eruption


    "Tsk, you all need to stop acting like my head is some kind of trophy." Maintaining composure, Adonis evaded the blade and delivered a kick to Luna''s chest, propelling both of them out of the path of the oncoming lava.


    "Hehe, it kinda is Donny." Preying on Adonis''s midair vulnerability, Maxwell leapt up and brought his hammer down, aiming to crush Adonis''s entire body into a paste.


    WHOOSH


    "Not you too Max." Adonis twisted his body and kicked the handle of Maxwell''s hammer, disarming his friend and leaving him wide open.


    "In case you haven''t noticed you''ve caused quite the stir with just your presence." Flora smiled.


    Accompanying Flora''s sweet voice was the serrated steel arrow she shot at Adonis''s head piercing through the air.


    WHOOSH


    "Flora?" Adonis narrowed his brows and plucked the arrow right out of the air.


    "I don''t need these distractions, I can do this myself." Tarzy joined Adonis in the air and fired a cross at his body.


    "Good to see you too, Royal mutt." Adonis smiled and head-butted Tarzy in the nose, disrupting the attack.


    SPLURT


    "Argh!"


    "Alexian armour." Gliding through the air using Gale''s magic, Lutz thrust his Earthly Aura-coated rapier at Adonis''s chest.


    "You''re really out for blood aren''t you?" Suppressing his complicated expressions upon seeing Lutz, Adonis used Tarzy as a platform, propelling himself higher into the air.


    "We are." From the comfort of the ground, Amber prepared to fire a singular ray of light from her magic staff.


    "Inferno magic: Hell shroud." Demonstrating his superior casting speed, Adonis enveloped his entire body in a thick cloak of ivory flames, eradicating every single atom within range.


    (Adonis used the matter variation of Inferno magic.)


    Light magic: minor beam


    A mere fraction of a second after Adonis cast his spell, Amber shot a beam of light at Adonis.


    Instead of instantly eliminating him as she might''ve hoped, Amber''s beam of light was destroyed as soon as it made contact with his Inferno magic.


    "What the hell?" She whispered.


    Gravity magic: Plummet


    Using a large magic circle, Marie intensified the surrounding gravity; successfully snatching the silver-eyed youth out of the air.

 9 vs 1

    [Only 10 students remain.]


    ***


    The centre of the forest varied slightly from the surrounding area.


    Instead of the interconnected wide paths the students had grown used to, it featured a vast vacant space, approximately 1 kilometre in diameter.


    The space was covered entirely in grass and a few large shrubs; being surrounded by hundreds of towering trees, dwarfing the rest of the fores in comparison.


    In the centre of this expansive field were two Rising Stars, Amber Shine and Jerald Cecil.


    Opting not to waste energy on speaking, the Light Prodigy dashed at her opponent; letting her actions speak instead.


    ''I know I''m not the physical type, but the gap feels like it''s way too large.'' Amber swung her magic staff.


    "..." Unaware of the PTC''s thoughts, Jerald swiped with his gladius.


    CLANG


    ***


    On the southwest edge of the forest''s centre were two commoners engaged in an intense clash of wills.


    "So you''re the Top dog huh? I don''t see the hype." Shaking his head disappointedly, Toni Modster swung his bludgeon/mace at the number one Rising Star''s head.


    "And you are?" Tarzy scoffed and punched the mace out of his trajectory.


    "The one who''ll bash in ya ugly ass face." Toni chuckled.


    "Funny, I''ve heard several others call themselves the same thing... Do you know where they are now?" Tarzy retracted his arm and used the opposite one to launch an uppercut at his chin.


    "Where?" Using the outer part of his shoulder, Toni nudged Tarzy''s arm out of trajectory.


    "Eliminated." Tarzy said bluntly and hurled a hook at Toni''s neck.


    "Shiver me timbers, I''m so scared." Toni mocked and ducked the attack.


    "Clearly not, no worries... I''ll help you." Tarzy shrugged.


    "Be my guest." Still crouched, Toni pivoted his hips and horizontally swung the iron mace at Tarzy''s sturdy legs.


    ***


    On the Northwest side of the forest''s centre stood two young ladies engaged in a graceful battle.


    "Evergreen." As she confidently swung her gladius at the blonde girl, Marie sharpened her gaze.


    "Call me Flora, we''ve known each other for so long now princess." Slightly offended by the Imperial princess''s formality, Flora stepped out of the attack''s path.


    "I''ll stick to Evergreen. It''s not like we''re friends." Adding another hand to the sword''s grip, Marie swung the blade diagonally at her classmate''s thigh.


    "Ouch, I thought we would''ve grown close by now." To escape the vicious attack, Flora lifted her leading leg, using it to counter with a swift axe kick aimed at the princess''s crown.


    "No, I could never be friends with someone like you."


    ***


    "Ahh?!" Maxwell who had only been in the forest''s centre for a few minutes found himself caught in the battle between the second and fourth Rising Star.


    "C''mon don''t be a party pooper, Maxwell, join us. The more the merrier!" High off the exhilaration of battle, Luna cleaved her gladius at Maxwell.


    "Don''t get in my way." Rejecting Luna''s idea of inviting the eighth Rising Star, Lutz thrust his rapier at Maxwell''s head.


    "Hey, this isn''t fair!" Aided by his massive hammer, Maxwell defended against both the attacks.


    ***


    700m south from the forest''s centre.


    [You are among the top 10 students, congratulations. Please make your way toward the forest''s centre immediately.]


    "Immediately huh? So basically you''re saying I''m being slow." Adonis chuckled.


    ''I''m assuming the rest of the top ten are on their way there if they''re not already.''


    ''Which means most of the Rising Stars will all be in the same place... It''s time for that.''Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Adonis snatched the three unopened vials that hung on his waist.


    ''I''m pretty sure everyone else had the same idea as me for this last stretch, I doubt they''ve already drank their potions... Which means I''ll be fighting against people who''ll be in peak condition. I probably won''t have a chance to drink these at the centre so I should do it now.''


    (Healing potion, stamina potion and a mana potion.)


    GULP


    GULP


    GULP


    ''Other than my sword, I''m operating at 100%'' He smiled.


    ''If I''m going to do it, I''m going to have to manage my mana properly; unlike what I''ve been doing today.'' Adonis sighed.


    [Please make your way to the forest''s centre.]


    "At least let me warm up first, this is going to be the toughest battle I''ve had."


    "Hm." Adonis stretched his limbs and got into a running starting position, gradually gathering the strength in his toned muscles.


    After a few seconds, the boy released all the tension in his body and began his flight.


    BOOM


    In under eight seconds, he had reached the centre of the forest, joining his classmates in the last phase of the battle royale.


    "Watch closely."


    ***


    In a large tent on the forest''s outskirts.


    While all the professors and instructors observed the battle royale of the first-year students through a large projected image created by a magic item, a single young man stood out with his burgundy hair and overwhelming presence.


    "Show me, Adonis." Elder Mars smirked.


    ***


    The forest''s centre


    "You!" Removing his attention from Toni, Tarzy glared at the approaching figure.


    "Took you long enough, Grape!" Recognizing the Aura immediately, Luna smiled.


    "Where''s he been?" Amber muttered.


    "How dramatic." Lutz also disengaged from the three-way battle and acknowledged the magic knight.


    "Show off." Jerald set his eyes on the new target.


    "He''s finally here!" Marie looked to the side.


    "Donny!" Maxwell chuckled.


    "Thank Gods, I was getting bored." Unoffended by Tarzy''s sudden disregard for his presence, Toni shifted his gaze to the sky.


    "I''ve been waiting." Flora licked her lips.


    The centre of everyone''s focus was a teenage boy who exuded an almost divine aura.


    His porcelain skin radiated softly in the sunlight, and his unruly Russian violet hair framed his otherworldly appearance.


    His eyes, a chilling shade of silver, contained a hellish darkness...


    ''This is it.'' Realizing he had finally reached his destination, Adonis shifted his luminous eyes to the other contestants from above.


    ''This is where I engrain it into all of your minds, changing it from mere speculation to an indisputable fact.'' Adonis sharpened his gaze and released a sharp burst of aura, putting every single contestant on edge.


    DUMMM


    "I''ll show you all... That I''m the strongest."


    WHOOSH


    "I was starting to think you got yourself eliminated!" Joining Adonis midair, Luna swung her gladius at the 7th Rising Star''s throat.


    "I''ve barely been here a second yet you''re already attacking?" Adonis sighed and blocked the attack using his blade.


    "You have no right to complain after you kept me waiting for so long." Luna grinned.


    "At least let me land first, geez!"


    "Sky fighting is much more fun, don''t you think?!" Shocked by Adonis''s lack of enthusiasm, Luna vertically slashed her blade at the teenager''s shoulder.


    "Not really, the looming threat of falling to my death doesn''t excite me." Adonis used the flat side of his gladius to push the girl''s blade out of the way.


    "Don''t be such a bore!" Reversing the grip on her sword, Luna drove the tip of the blade toward Adonis''s liver.


    SHING


    "It''s not fair that you''re the only one who gets to fight him!" Using a large magic circle on the grass, Toni created a large eruption of magma to disintegrate both Adonis and Luna.


    Lava magic: Explosive eruption


    "Tsk, you all need to stop acting like my head is some kind of trophy." Maintaining composure, Adonis evaded the blade and delivered a kick to Luna''s chest, propelling both of them out of the path of the oncoming lava.


    "Hehe, it kinda is Donny." Preying on Adonis''s midair vulnerability, Maxwell leapt up and brought his hammer down, aiming to crush Adonis''s entire body into a paste.


    WHOOSH


    "Not you too Max." Adonis twisted his body and kicked the handle of Maxwell''s hammer, disarming his friend and leaving him wide open.


    "In case you haven''t noticed you''ve caused quite the stir with just your presence." Flora smiled.


    Accompanying Flora''s sweet voice was the serrated steel arrow she shot at Adonis''s head piercing through the air.


    WHOOSH


    "Flora?" Adonis narrowed his brows and plucked the arrow right out of the air.


    "I don''t need these distractions, I can do this myself." Tarzy joined Adonis in the air and fired a cross at his body.


    "Good to see you too, Royal mutt." Adonis smiled and head-butted Tarzy in the nose, disrupting the attack.


    SPLURT


    "Argh!"


    "Alexian armour." Gliding through the air using Gale''s magic, Lutz thrust his Earthly Aura-coated rapier at Adonis''s chest.


    "You''re really out for blood aren''t you?" Suppressing his complicated expressions upon seeing Lutz, Adonis used Tarzy as a platform, propelling himself higher into the air.


    "We are." From the comfort of the ground, Amber prepared to fire a singular ray of light from her magic staff.


    "Inferno magic: Hell shroud." Demonstrating his superior casting speed, Adonis enveloped his entire body in a thick cloak of ivory flames, eradicating every single atom within range.


    (Adonis used the matter variation of Inferno magic.)


    Light magic: minor beam


    A mere fraction of a second after Adonis cast his spell, Amber shot a beam of light at Adonis.


    Instead of instantly eliminating him as she might''ve hoped, Amber''s beam of light was destroyed as soon as it made contact with his Inferno magic.


    "What the hell?" She whispered.


    Gravity magic: Plummet


    Using a large magic circle, Marie intensified the surrounding gravity; successfully snatching the silver-eyed youth out of the air.

 Im you but worse

    ''That magic affinity will be a real pain in the ass.'' Despite the overwhelming weight that plagued his body, Adonis landed gracefully on the grass without complications.


    THUD


    "I''ll make note of you prince-" Interrupting the seventh Rising Star''s acknowledgement was the fifth slicing at his skull.


    "I was wondering where you were." Acting swiftly, Adonis raised his gladius to guard against Jerald''s attack.


    "It looked like you were having fun, I didn''t wanna interrupt." Flashing a blank expression, Jerald increased the force he exerted.


    "How thoughtful." Straining his muscles, Adonis pushed Jerald backwards and slashed at his thoughts.


    "..." Perfectly reading Adonis''s movements, Jerald leaned his head back.


    Wishing to counterattack immediately, Jerald shot his leg at Adonis''s outstretched sword arm.


    ''He''s fast.'' Having no time to verbally express his praises, Adonis reversed the grip on his sword and stabbed at Jerald''s leg.


    To evade the sudden strike, Jerald redirected his leg downwards to hit Adonis''s leading calf.


    ''Quick thinking.'' Adonis lifted his front leg and struck Jerald''s rear thigh.


    Feeling the pain echo through his lower body, Jerald couldn''t help but mutter a curse.


    Utilizing the same leg, Adonis flung his leg at Jerald''s jaw.


    Gritting his teeth intensely, Jerald caught Adonis''s leg.


    Jerald gripped the magic knight''s leg tightly and pulled him closer to deliver a side kick to his stomach.


    "Ah!" Feeling his stomach cave in, Adonis coughed up a cup of saliva.


    "Ever since I saw you... I felt something strange." Repeating the manoeuvre once more, Jerald pulled the youth in closer.


    "And what is that?" Refusing to let the scenario play out the same way, Adonis wrapped his other leg around Jerald''s arm; catching his arm in a leg lock.


    "You''re like me, aren''t you?" Jerald used his other hand to try and shake the magic knight off his limb.


    "..." Slightly stunned, Adonis loosened his grip and stared at him blankly.


    WHOOSH


    "No, our magic affinities are slightly different." Noticing the approaching arrow, Adonis threw Jerald to the ground and dashed backwards.


    "I can''t help but feel you''re playing favourites Donny." Maxwell slammed his hammer into Adonis''s body, sending him tumbling through the long grass.


    "Argh!" Feeling the pain reverberate through his entire body, Adonis coughed out a cup of blood.


    Flying through the air, Toni brought down his large mace to crush Adonis''s skull.


    "That was really painful Max." Frowning, Adonis placed his hands on the ground and leapt backwards, managing to narrowly escape Toni''s attack.


    "Play with me first, Grape!" Meeting Adonis head-on, Luna cleaved her lightning magic-enhanced gladius at Adonis''s head.


    Middair, Adonis lowered his head away from the sword.


    When he glanced back, Adonis was greeted by the eager Lutz van Alexia stabbing him in his left shoulder using a rapier.


    Alexian Armour


    SPLURT


    "Huh?" Feeling more shock than pain, Adonis kicked Lutz in the jaw; propelling him a hundred meters away.


    BAM


    "Haa!" Maxwell plummeted towards Adonis with his hammer held high.


    Using the same arm that continuously oozed blood, Adonis blocked Maxwell''s hammer.


    CRACK


    Sensing the sudden surge of mana, Maxwell cautiously leapt backwards.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Using lightning magic, Luna generated a large net of electricity.


    Lightning magic: Shock Mesh


    CRACKLE CRACKLE


    Unable to match the overwhelming speed of the lightning, Adonis experienced a seething shock that spread to every inch of his body.


    "AHHHHHH!" Adonis''s knees buckled as he was forced to the ground by the intense pain.


    "Argh..." To prevent any attacks in his moment of weakness, Adonis created a layer of ivory flames that eradicated all that it touched.


    Inferno magic: Hell shroud (matter variation)


    Now familiar with the spell''s nature, all those nearby leapt backwards.


    "That hurt..." He whispered.


    "You''re all so strong." Still emanating the ivory flame, Adonis gradually rose to his feet.


    Adonis tilted his head toward the group of magic knights, directing his attention to a girl with stunning bronze skin and silky platinum hair.


    ''Amber Shine, arguably the most dangerous...Her Light magic is impossible to evade. When it comes to escaping damage from her my options are limited. I can''t defend against the blinding spells she uses so I should just focus on the physical ones.''


    ''Option one and my safest is to continuously use Hell Shroud to destroy all the attacks that come my way, although effective it is incredibly inefficient.''


    ''Option two would be to rely on sensing the surging of her mana, analyzing where she aims her staff and dodging before she even casts the spell; although that would be possible in a one-on-one battle, trying that now would mean I''d have to focus on her constantly.


    ''Option three is a combination of the two, whenever I detect she''ll be using a spell I''ll have to instantly activate Hell shroud; this is doable because of the large difference in our casting speeds but it doesn''t mean it''s not without danger... I''ll have to be accurate with my mana detection and make sure I have enough mana at all times.''


    "I''ll take the risk and go with option three."


    ''Jerald Cecil... Nothing more can be said about him than he''s well-rounded, I should be cautious against him.'' Adonis shifted his gaze to a boy whose long black hair covered his eyes, clad in undamaged chainmail.


    ''Now the princess...'' Adonis stared at a girl with tied-up brown hair and captivating silver eyes.


    ''Her Imperial thunder arts are something to make note of, although they are inferior to my Supreme Devil arts. Her real strength lies in her troublesome Gravity magic, with the ability to change the circumstances of the entire battle. Although it''s currently just a theory, I do have a way to nullify its effects.''


    ''Despite she is not a Rising Star yet, Flora is still someone to be feared. Although I can easily react to any of her arrows, she does hold the ability to shoot an attack that travels at the speed of sound... But that can just be handled the same way as Amber''s light.'' Adonis briefly glanced at the blonde girl with the large bow.


    ''Tarzy, the number one Rising Star is superior to me in just raw strength and durability; but this gap can be overcome by my martial arts and Earthly Aura. Another weakness he holds is a lack of speed and his limited range. '' He looked at the giant with long brown hair.


    ''Number two, Luna; is unable to fight as a team so she''ll be as much pain to me as those she''s fighting alongside, something I can use to my advantage. Her Star Magic will be a huge problem because of its versatility and its potential to eliminate me in one blow, but as long as I don''t let her use any large spells and limit her to close-quarter combat I should be safe.'' Adonis glanced at the girl with short two-toned hair and multiple piercings.


    ''Lutz has the best Earthly Aura control and mastery over his martial arts, but as long as I keep him at range or disarm him I can limit his usefulness by a lot.'' Adonis frowned at the tall blonde young man with cyan eyes.


    ''Max can end me in one blow with his hammer if he times it correctly but he has problems with his self-confidence and overthinks a bit too much. I also believe he is hesitant to go all out because of the nature of our friendship.''


    ''Toni, alongside Luna, is a loose cannon with an incredibly destructive magic affinity; I shouldn''t allow him to cast spells so freely.'' Adonis acknowledged the commoner holding the large mace.


    "You''re all..." Satisfied with his plan of action, Adonis tightly gripped his injured shoulder and winced.


    "Stronger than you thought?" Maxwell, a teenage boy with long black hair and big brown eyes smiled.


    "Incredibly irritating..." Adonis corrected.


    ''The battle just started and I''m already injured, Lord Eos would be disappointed.'' Adonis shook his head.


    "Oh well, what''s done is done." The flames that enveloped Adonis''s body dissipated.


    "Tell us when you''re ready!" Luna grinned.


    "Us? Who said I''ll be fighting alongside you?" Tarzy snarled.


    "Yeah, that sellout is all mine. I''m not sharing!" Toni pointed his mace at the injured magic knight before them.


    "Sellout?" Adonis frowned.


    "Whether you like it or not, we all have the same target... We''ll at least have to try to be civil." Amber said.


    "I agree. Once we beat him, then it''s back to every man for himself." Irritated by his classmates'' insistent bickering, Lutz arched his brows.


    "Every man? Hmph, how sexist." Flora scoffed.


    "..."


    "..."


    ***


    *Extra Information:


    Although Light isn''t necessarily matter; Adonis''s Inferno Magic is still able to burn Amber''s spells because the spells used were physical attacks.


    Recap on magic affinities, martial arts and weapons:


    Tarzy Goliath: Transformation magic; Unknown; Brass knuckles


    Luna Triksta: Star magic; Triksta arts; Gladius


    Amber Shine: Light magic; None; Magic staff


    Lutz van Alexia: Gale magic; Alexian arts; Rapier


    Jerald Cecil: Flame magic; None; Gladius


    Marie Jupiter: Gravity magic; Imperial Thunder Arts; Gladius


    Adonis P. Vindicta: Inferno magic; Supreme devil arts & Unknown; Gladius


    Maxwell Aster: Metal magic; None; Hammer


    Toni Modster: Lava magic; None; Mace


    Flora Evergreen: Nature magic; None; Bow and arrow


    (If a character is listed as "None" for martial arts, it doesn''t mean they don''t utilize any martial arts but rather they have no special martial techniques)

 The hottest magic affinity

    ''My left shoulder is fucked and my sword can only take so much more abuse.'' Adonis dismissed the shroud of flames and steeled his resolve, mentally preparing himself for the encounter.


    Feeling their intense gaze, he pointed his worn gladius at the nine other magic knights who couldn''t wait to rip him to shreds.


    "Sorry for the subpar performance... I''ll be taking you seriously from now on." The Earthly Aura cloak that constantly emanated from his body intensified, causing the grass to dance gently.


    DUMMM


    "Just shut up and fight!" Leading the attack against the seventh Rising Star, Tarzy transformed his right arm into a monster-like appendage.


    Transformation magic: Partial transfiguration


    "As you wish." Meeting the first Rising Star halfway, Adonis dashed forward.


    Moving at superhuman speeds, Tarzy shot a menacing left hook at the side of Adonis''s skull.


    "Looks like you''ve gotten faster." Unfazed, Adonis weaved his head beneath the attack and stepped to the side.


    "Didn''t I tell you to shut up?!" Following the young magic knight, Tarzy bent his elbow and descended it toward Adonis''s head.


    "You just seem a little tense, so I thought I''d cheer you up." Adonis leapt into the air and extended his leg at Tarzy''s head.


    "If you''re trying to rile me up, it isn''t working!" Red in the face, Tarzy moved his head out of the way and sent a devastating haymaker using his transformed arm at the midair Rising Star.


    "I mean, that isn''t my intention. But if it was, I''d say I''m doing pretty well." Straightening his face, Adonis brought both arms to his chest and blocked the attack.


    BAM


    Although he successfully shielded his vitals from the attack, Adonis was pushed backwards by Tarzy''s massive fist.


    THUD


    "You sure do pack a punch, I''ll give you that." Adonis briefly stared at his shaking left hand and smiled.


    Tightening the grip around his gladius, Adonis dashed forward with a determined stride.


    "I don''t need your compliments." Cautious of his approaching opponent, Tarzy fired his dominant fist toward Adonis''s nose.


    Slightly offended, Adonis crouched out of the attack''s trajectory and raised his enhanced sword suddenly, creating a deep wound on the transformed forearm.


    DUMM


    SPLURT


    Picking up his speed slightly, Adonis tilted his blade and then slashed downwards till he exited the giant''s flesh once more.


    SPLURT


    Unrelenting in his beautiful swordplay, Adonis adjusted his blade''s position, drew a graceful arc of flying blood and delivered a shallow slash in Tarzy''s chest.


    SPLURT


    "S-so fast..." Struggling to process his pain and much less Adonis''s attacks, Tarzy widened his eyes in shock.


    Now behind his opponent, Adonis reversed the grip of his blade and drove it towards Tarzy''s upper back.


    SHING


    Lava Magic: volcanic bombs


    Saving Tarzy from any further punishment were dozens of small magma balls that fell from the sky.


    "You''re lucky." Adonis said flatly before he took multiple leaps from left to right, evading each dangerous rock.


    CRASH, BOOM


    CRASH, BOOM


    CRASH, BOOM


    CRASH, BOOM


    ''I knew you''d ruin this beautiful landscape.'' Adonis shook his head disappointedly.


    Joining Adonis in his temporary retreat was Lutz inviting him to an elegant sword dance.


    "Seems you have a habit of interrupting." Adonis frowned.


    "Could say the same for you." Lutz jabbed his rapier at Adonis''s forehead.


    "When have I ever interrupted you?" Feigning ignorance, Adonis rotated his head side to evade the attack.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Lutz move!" Cutting the reunion short, Luna cleaved her gladius at Adonis''s abdomen.


    "We were busy." Redirecting his attention to the newest addition, Adonis parried Luna''s blade while he simultaneously twisted his torso out of the way.


    "I can share." Lutz extended his blade once more, although this time he aimed at Adonis''s leg.


    WHOOSH


    Splitting his attention once more was a large steel arrow gliding towards Adonis''s sword arm.


    "Have any of you ever heard of one at a time?" The silver-eyed youth raised his arm and split the arrow in half.


    In the same breath, Adonis spun rapidly out of Lutz''s attack path.


    "Yeah, and it''s my turn!" Feeling ignored, Toni heaved his onyx mace at Adonis''s neck.


    "I''ve always been more into sharing is caring." Smiling determinedly, Maxwell thrust his hammer at Adonis''s back.


    Accelerating his movements, Adonis ducked Toni''s mace and extended his hand to touch Maxwell''s hammer.


    ''He''s going to burn it?!'' Realizing Adonis''s intentions, Maxwell retracted his hammer and transitioned it into a horizontal slam.


    "Earth Magic: Spire." Utilizing a brown magic circle, Luna summoned a large pointy rock from beneath the ground to pierce Adonis''s body.


    Limiting Adonis''s movement even further, Lutz drove his rapier at Adonis''s head.


    Now completely cornered, Adonis parried Lutz''s rapier and coated his own sword in Earthly Aura.


    DUMM


    Without wasting any more time, Adonis blocked Maxwell''s hammer.


    CLANG


    On the note of Luna''s earth spike, he created a small magic circle that blasted out a small ivory flame.


    Inferno magic: Hell streak (Matter variation)


    In the time that the four were duking it out, Toni had created a large magic circle above every single one of them.


    "I''m tired of being ignored! Lava magic: Maximum output, Magma cannon!"


    BOOM


    Erupting from the magic was a huge wave of lava the size of a large house.


    In just a few moments, everything within twenty-five meters showered by the fiery liquid.


    "Hahaha!" Acknowledging Toni''s spell, Luna gathered mana within her body and exhaled a large gust of wind.


    Wind magic: Exhale


    Aided by the gust of wind, Luna was propelled out of the lava''s range before she suffered any burns.


    "What the hell is wrong with you." Irritated by the commoner''s recklessness, Lutz used a tamed tempest to escape.


    Gale magic: Mercury''s manuevar


    Scared of being burnt to death, Maxwell ejected himself into the air using a metal pillar.


    Metal magic: Pillar


    DWSHHHHH


    The wave of magma destroyed everything it touched, melting it all into a thick black liquid.


    "Hahahaha...It''s finally my turn." As the large wave continued to shower down on its targetted spot, Toni''s smile gradually lessened into a frown.


    SIZZLE


    "Wait." Realizing he never actually saw his target escape Toni frowned and halted his spell.


    ''Is he eliminated? No, the voice didn''t announce anything... But he couldn''t have survived, that was my strongest spell.'' Toni peered into the mist and waited for the ash to subside.


    "Did the safety protocol fail and he died?" Amber who stood 150m away from the action scowled.


    "No, he couldn''t have died... Right?" Panicked by the possibility that he was turned to sludge, Flora frowned.


    "He must''ve survived." Although she sounded confident in his survival, Marie couldn''t help but pray.


    "I should''ve been the one to kill him." Jerald''s blank expression gradually turned to a frown.


    "T-there''s no way." Maxwell choked.


    "Is he really dead?" Lutz arched his brows.


    "The fun''s really over?" Luna sulked.


    "..." Tarzy stared blankly.


    ***


    In a large tent on the forest''s outskirts.


    "Well that''s to be expected, I don''t know what he was thinking trying to fight all of them."


    "Yeah, that cocky brat!"


    "He lasted longer than I expected to be honest."


    "He was too confident, he should''ve used that ''Hell''s artillery'' spell from the beginning."


    "Yeah, he''s already proved he can use it on multiple opponents."


    "..." With his arms folded and a blank expression plastered on his face, Elder Mars slowly shook his head while he listened to the professors'' and assistants'' opinions.


    ***


    The forest''s centre


    "Why''d you have to use such a powerful spell!? You ended the fun too early." Luna swung her blade at Toni''s countenance.


    "You killed Donny over a stupid test!" Fighting back tears, Maxwell heaved his massive hammer toward Toni''s body.


    "That was really unnecessary." Lutz sighed.


    "Does that mean it''s back to every man for himself?" Jerald snuck a glare at Amber.


    "Wait!" Noticing the thick cloud of smoke clearing up, Marie sharpened her eyes.


    cough cough "Wow... Your magic output is impressive, but you need to be more careful who you go all out on." Striking fear into the bones of most of the Rising Stars was a deep raspy voice coming from the extensive volcanic smog.


    "He can''t be..." Flora staggered backwards.


    "How''d he?" Marie tilted her head.


    "Donny!"


    "You need to be careful because you never know what you''ll be up against... What if all your effort was for nothing? Your mana wasted..." With a quick wave of his gladius, Adonis eliminated the vog that distorted his vision and assaulted his nose.


    WHOOSH


    The sight the students found themselves looking at provoked various emotions from within them.


    Adonis stood on an elevated platform of healthy grass encircled by a 10-meter-deep hole of cooling magma.


    Despite the surrounding destruction, the grass beneath Adonis''s feet remained unscathed, as if the lava hadn''t dared to approach him.


    "H-he wasn''t even damaged? How?" Toni paused his scuffle with Luna and Maxwell.


    "Did he use a barrier-type spell?" Amber tilted her head.


    "You all seem confused. Would you like me to explain?" Adonis smiled.


    "..."


    "Hehe... Seeing that I lack any evasive martial arts techniques and my magic is incapable of granting me any boosts in speed or barrier spells I only had one option." Seeing that he was only met with deep frowns and blank expressions, Adonis continued.


    "And what was that?" Maxwell asked.


    "Burn the lava, obviously..." Adonis chuckled.

 Who wants fame?

    In a large tent on the forest''s outskirts.


    "He burnt lava?"


    "Does that even make sense?"


    "Lava is the hottest magic affinity, how could he have possibly ''burnt'' it?!"


    "What was the name of his magic affinity?"


    "Such a show-off." Elder Mars''s stoic expression curved into a sly smirk.


    ***


    The forest''s centre


    "He can burn lava?" Amber frowned.


    "That just means we no longer need to hold back!" Luna cackled.


    Leading the charge against the Seventh Rising Star ahead of Jerald, Luna, Tarzy, Maxwell and Toni, Lutz propelled himself forward using Gale magic.


    Gale magic: Mercury''s manuevar


    Aiding the eager combatants, Amber fired a series light beams at the young man on the platform.


    TSHU


    TSHU


    Accompanying the beams albeit at a much slower speed were a series of serrated arrows


    WHOOSH


    WHOOSH


    Sensing the fluctuation in mana, Adonis exhaled sharply and activated hell shroud; destroying the light beams and the arrows with ease.


    Inferno Magic: Hell Shroud (matter variation)


    ''I''m not fast enough to deal with all of them at the same time.'' Adonis deactivated the shroud of ivory flames and turned his attention to the approaching magic knights.


    ''I''ll use this opportunity to test your speed.'' He grinned.


    "Inferno magic: Hell''s Artillery." In an instant, the silver-eyed youth was surrounded by seven small magic circles.


    (matter variation)


    Not even a second later, Adonis made the magic circles eject a bullet of ivory flames respectively; each bullet moving at 25% of their maximum speed.


    "I get it now." Amber nodded.


    "What?" Flora looked at the Light Prodigy.


    "There''s practically no point in us firing projectile attacks at him, he''ll always respond with that spell of his."


    "If he does that every time doesn''t that mean he''ll run out of mana soon?"


    "I doubt the battle will go on that long." Amber shook her head.


    "Then we''ll have to adapt." Flora steeled her resolve.


    ***


    In a tent on the forest''s outskirts.


    "So it turns out the brat can cast that spell?"


    "But it seems the spell is moving slower than it usually does."


    "Is his magic output hindered somehow?"


    "His goal isn''t to win the event." Having stood silently for the whole event, Professor Fitzburg voiced his opinion.


    "What?"


    "Huh?"


    "What''re you even talking ab-"


    "Hahahaha!" Interrupting the thoughts of the academy''s staff was the laughter of a powerful young man.


    "..."


    "..."


    "Elder Mars?" Professor Fitzburg looked at the tall young man whose very presence shook his spirit.


    "Tell me more. What do you think Adonis''s plan and motive is?" Elder Mars''s crimson eyes locked onto the professor.


    ''The Scipio Mars knows Vindicta''s name?'' Fitzburg arched his brows.


    "This is just a theory but... I don''t think that he doesn''t want to win the event or rather that isn''t his goal." Fitzburg put his finger on his chin.


    "Then what is it?" Elder Mars sharpened his gaze.


    "It seems he wants to prove something...sir."


    "Hahaha! I knew I wasn''t overthinking it." Elder Mars looked back at the large screen in front of him.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "What does he want to prove?" Hiram looked at her superior.


    "He wants to prove that he''s stronger than everyone else." Professor Fitzburg replied.


    "He did that at the outing, plus he''s the only Tier 9 in the grade. What more does he have to prove." Unsure of her fiance''s motivations, Hiram frowned.


    "Well, with the outing no one actually saw him do anything. And while Tiers are good measuring metrics of ability, they don''t measure aspects like martial skill or magic ability."


    "I see."


    "He not only wants to prove he is the strongest. Adonis Vindicta wants to prove he''s the best magic knight in every single aspect... Magic, martial arts, physical ability, stamina, endurance... All of it."


    "T-that''s."


    "Greedy. Adonis Vindicta is extremely greedy."


    "No, I don''t think it''s greedy. "


    "You don''t?" Professor Fitzburg smiled.


    "I don''t think it''s out of greed... I think he wants to make a statement."


    "Statement? What kind of statement?"


    "I''m here." Hiram''s purple eyes glowed warmly.


    ***


    Having their speed hindered by Adonis''s Hell''s artillery, the magic knights were forced to attack Adonis one at a time.


    Using Mercury''s manueavar, Lutz attacked the seventh Rising Star first.


    "Alexian armour." Enhancing his rapier with Earthly Aura, Lutz targeted Adonis''s chest.


    WHOOSH


    "So, you are the fastest." Adonis rotated his torso away from the attack and countered with an elbow toward Lutz''s cheek.


    "You don''t look as surprised as you sound." Maintaining his annoyed expression, Lutz crouched and shot his rapier at Adonis''s chin.


    ''You''ve always been fast...Lutty. ''Utilizing his good arm, Adonis narrowly deflected the blow with his gladius.


    "Well, you are a bit famous." With a pained grin on his visage, Adonis sliced through the air, carrying his blade toward Lutz''s throat.


    "In family name alone." Lutz leaned backwards.


    "I disagree, talent garners fame."


    "If that''s the case, why haven''t I heard the name Adonis before." Lutz allowed his blade to greedily absorb his Earthly Aura.


    Alexian Arts: Assail


    Lutz took a big step forward, leading with a devastating thrust toward Adonis''s neck.


    WHOOSH


    "Me, fame? Oh please, I''m nothing more than a lowly commoner." With a sarcastic smirk, Adonis easily dodged the attack.


    Without losing steam, Lutz aimed his rapier at the middle of Adonis''s forehead.


    ''It''s faster?'' Frowning, Adonis lowered his head to evade the blow.


    "Tres." Lutz pulled his arm back and struck at Adonis''s lower abdomen, just above his waist.


    WHOOSH


    ''Again?'' Adonis lowered his blade and blocked the rapier.


    CLANG


    "Quattuor." Doubling his attack speed, Lutz attacked Adonis''s uninjured shoulder.


    WHOOSH


    "Wha-" Adonis waved his blade to deflect the attack.


    SNAP


    When Adonis''s gladius collided with Lutz''s rapier it snapped in two, allowing the attack to continue on its path.


    "As much as I''d love to continue to study your martial arts, but I''m afraid we''ll have to end this here." Alarmed by his broken blade, Adonis kicked Lutz''s shoulder, removing him from the small grass island.


    BAM


    "Now to deal with you." Moving at his top speed, Adonis caught the floating blade fragment in his left hand.


    "You''ve been a pain in the ass Amber Shine." Adonis enhanced the blade with Earthly Aura and threw it at unimaginable speeds.


    DUMM


    WHOOSH


    The blade cut through the air effortlessly, honing in on Amber''s right hand.


    "Arh!" Unwilling to be cut by the blade, Amber dropped the magic staff immediately and moved her hand.


    THUD


    "Inferno Magic: Hell''s Artillery." Adonis fired a swift bullet of ivory flames at the magic knight''s falling staff.


    (Matter variation)


    Before she could even blink, Amber''s staff was reduced to nothingness.


    ''He was after my staff?!''


    Appearing right behind Adonis, Jerald sliced at the Rising Star''s back.


    SHING


    "Huh?" Caught off guard by the attack, Adonis turned around; only to receive a deep slash in his chest, destroying his entire breastplate.


    SPLURT


    Piling on the pressure, Flora fired an arrow at the back of Adonis''s head.


    WHOOSH


    ''I''m gaining too many injuries.'' Using the same magic circle he used against Amber, Adonis shot a fire bullet at Flora''s approaching arrow.


    Inferno Magic: Hell''s artilliery (matter variation)


    "Even when he''s busy he can easily deal with our projectiles." Flora frowned.


    Not waiting for him to be ready, Jerald cleaved his gladius at Adonis''s waist.


    Adonis enhanced his forearm and lowered it, blocking Jerald''s attack.


    ''That''s going to leave a bruise.'' Adonis responded by throwing a left hook at Jerald''s jaw.


    ''I''m not dealing with that again.'' Sensing a surge of mana beside him, Adonis summoned a magic circle above his head.


    Joining the battle, Luna fired a stream of electricity directly at Adonis''s head.


    Inferno magic: Hell''s curtain (matter variation)


    Lightning magic: Electric thread


    Treating it like anything else, the wall of ivory flames eradicated the short cord of electricity into nothingness.


    "Lightning too?" Luna frowned.


    Resuming their encounter, Jerald forced his blade toward Adonis''s torso.


    With no space to evade the attack, Adonis extended his hands to grip the blade while simultaneously causing his hands to combust in a blinding white flame.


    Inferno magic: Hell''s Armament (matter variation)


    Realizing his gladius''s time was over, Jerald let the magic knight grip his blade and let go immediately.


    "Boom Bitch!" Standing on a platform he had made using Earth Magic, Toni Modster fired a large wave of magma at Jerald and Adonis.


    Lava magic: Magma Carronade


    Cautious of the deadly magma, Jerald leaped off of the grass platform, abondoning Adonis.


    Without batting an eye, Adonis opened his palm and ejected an even larger wave of ivory flames that consumed Toni''s lava in a few seconds.


    Inferno magic: Hell waft (matter variation)


    "The hell?!" Toni connected the two islands, and leaped at Adonis, swinging his mace wildly.


    ''Am I already running low on mana? No, something feels wrong...'' Ignoring a subtle burning sensation in his soul, Adonis raised his arm to block the incoming mace.


    SPLURT

 Peasant Party

    ''Am I reaching my limit?'' Having already used a large portion of his mana reserves and sustained multiple injuries, Adonis sighed.


    The purple-haired magic knight then clenched his hand and sent it forward, hurling it at Toni''s throat.


    Responding immediately, Toni released his mace and launched his enhanced foot toward Adonis''s injured shoulder, leaving the weapon embedded in his opponent''s flesh.


    "Donny!" Arriving on the island, Maxwell swung his hammer at the Tier 9''s body.


    "You''re late." Seeing Maxwell as the bigger threat, Adonis channelled Earthly Aura into the mace stuck in his arm and ejected it toward Maxwell.


    <i>DUMM</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    With Toni threatening to sever his entire shoulder with his latest attack, Adonis pivoted his body away from the incoming kick.


    As he turned his body, Adonis was greeted by the first Rising Star behind him.


    "Ah!" Wasting no time, Tarzy hurled an enhanced cross with his transformed right arm.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "You''re here too?" Adonis frowned.


    "I also haven''t left yet!" Maxwell heaved his hammer once more at the silver-eyed young man.


    "It''s a peasant party!" Toni grinned menacingly and covered his entire arm in magma.


    <i>Lava magic: Magma armament</i>


    "I was hoping we''d come together under different circumstances." Adonis continued with his pivoting momentum and grabbed Tarzy''s quilled arm over his shoulder.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    "Hm!" Although the quills continued to dig deeper and deeper into his injury-rich arm, Adonis threw Tarzy Goliath over his shoulder.


    "Wha-" Unable to react to the swift manoeuvre, Tarzy was thrown right into Maxwell''s approaching hammer.


    <i>SLAM</i>


    "ARHH!" On collision, every bone in Tarzy''s arm was shattered...


    Although that wasn''t the only thing to be destroyed, along with the first Rising Star''s arm, Maxwell''s hammer was reduced to mere fragments of metal.


    <i>SHATTER</i>


    Ignoring the damage he''d just caused, Adonis met Toni''s attack head-on with his fist.


    <i>Inferno magic: Hell''s Armament (matter variation)</i>


    When the magma and ivory flames met, the same scene occurred: Adonis''s Inferno magic completely devoured Toni''s lava magic.


    "Your magic is weird." Fearing the mysterious flames would spread to his unprotected flesh, Toni quickly retracted his arm.


    Unrelenting, Toni lowered his arm and ejected a majestic crimson flame from his palm.


    <i>Blaze magic: Flame Beam </i>


    Aiding the assault, Tarzy fired multiple long quills from his hand.


    <i>Transformation magic: Abominable quills</i>


    Using the small metal shards from his destroyed hammer, Maxwell fired numerous sharp pellets at Adonis.


    <i>Metal magic: Shot string</i>


    Before Adonis could even attempt to dodge the assault, Marie used a magic circle beneath his feet to multiply his weight.


    <i>Gravity magic: Ton zone</i>


    Now anchored to the ground, Adonis was unable to dodge every single attack, forcing him to endure a searing pain in his upper thigh, deep stabs in his lower abdomen and multiple shallow gashes in his entire body.


    <i>SIZZLE</i><i>


    </i><i>SPLURT</i><i>


    </i><i>SPLURT</i>


    "ARGH!!!!!"This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "They got him!" Flora exclaimed.


    "...It''s not over." Learning his lesson from last time, Lutz didn''t jump to conclusions.


    "How''s he even moving?" Jerald mumbled.


    ''I''ll be the one to finish him.'' Luna smiled and hopped onto the platform, creating a large magic circle above her head.


    "Star Magic: Inferior Comet!" Luna combined Earth, Lightning and Wind magic into a single small ball of energy.


    Upon creation, Luna shot the small ball directly at the seventh Rising Star.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "Nature magic: Gorgeous Hunter." Enhancing her bow and arrow using Earthly Aura and wind magic, Flora let go of the thick bowstring.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "Inferno magic: Hell burrow."Feeling the surge in mana around him and unwilling to endure any more injuries, Adonis fired a beam of ivory flames from the soles of his feet.


    <i>BWSHHH</i>


    <i>(matter variation)</i>


    Before the attacks were shot at him, Adonis destroyed the ground directly below him; creating a deep tunnel.


    ***


    <b>A tent on the forest''s outskirts.</b>


    "That boy shouldn''t be able to move."


    "His endurance is insane."


    "If he doesn''t die from a direct attack, he''ll die from bloodloss."


    ''He''ll be okay.'' Hiram''s lips curved upwards slightly.


    ***


    <b>The forest''s centre.</b>


    After about two minutes, Adonis exited his underground tunnel, approximately 50m away from the mayhem.


    <i>BOOM</i>


    "..." Donning a pained expression, Adonis leapt out of the hole he''d created.


    ''Fuck... What is this?'' Dismissing the ivory flames he''d used to create the tunnel, Adonis touched his chest.


    "S-shi..."The pain in the young man''s soul had escalated, quickly overwhelming the extreme physical pain he''d continued to suffer.


    "T-too hot." Sweating profusely, Adonis ripped off his damaged undershirt, exposing his injured abdomen.


    ''I think I should stop using magic... It''s making it worse.''


    Apathetic to her opponent''s pain, Marie appeared before him and cleaved her gladius horizontally.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    ''I need to finish this soon.'' Slowed down by his injuries and his soul pains, Adonis barely ducked Marie''s attack.


    "I never thought you''d dirty your blade with the blood of a mere commoner." Faking a carefree demeanour, Adonis moved forward, invading the princess''s personal space.


    "I came to speak to you about something." Unwilling to engage in Adonis''s banter, Marie straightened her expression.


    "And what could the Imperial princess possibly wish to speak to me about?" Adonis drove his knee toward Marie''s gut.


    "S-something about you... You seem different." Marie frowned and caught her fellow Rising Star''s knee.


    <i>SLAP</i>


    "I changed? You met me last week." Adonis chuckled.


    "T-that''s true. But your eyes, no our eyes. They were the same..." Marie slashed her gladius downwards with her other hand.


    "My eyes are still silver, we''re still twins Princess Jupiter." Adonis said sarcastically and stepped to the side.


    "Never mind." Marie sighed, realizing he''d never take her seriously, at least not in the current setting.


    ''Your eyes... Are darker. You''re not the same person who saved me during the outing.'' Marie rotated her blade and slashed it horizontally.


    Adonis reached out and gripped Marie''s sword arm, halting the attack.


    The purple-haired youth pulled the princess closer, bringing their faces inches from each other.


    "Thank you..." Marie whispered.


    "For?" Adonis frowned.


    "S-saving me at the outing."


    "Haha, don''t thank me." Adonis smiled confidently and punched Marie in the gut, sending her flying toward the rest of his opponents.


    Before Adonis could rush after the princess, he was encased by a shell of thick metal.


    <i>Metal magic: Iron Maiden</i>


    "I''ve got him!" Maxwell, who stood now in a crowd with the rest of the team grinned.


    ''My soul is disrupting my mana sensing.'' Adonis scowled.


    "Inferno magic: Hell Grenade." Before Maxwell could unleash the spikes of the iron maiden, Adonis destroyed it using a ball of ivory flames.


    "So much for a few seconds." Maxwell frowned.


    ''He was holding me off for something.'' Adonis''s soul vibrated violently, prompting him to cough up three cups of blood.


    "Arghh!"


    "Looks like adrenaline is wearing off." Tarzy taunted.


    "It''s over." Toni declared smugly.


    Seeping blood from every hole in his body, Adonis looked at the crowd of first years who now stood 25m in front of him.


    ''I was careless.'' Adonis''s expression worsened when his eyes landed on the multicoloured large magic circle above his opponents.


    "So that''s what you were doing while I was underground." He straightened his posture.


    "Well, it''s the quickest way for us to finish this." Lutz said.


    ''I''m surprised Amber got Toni and Luna to cooperate.'' Adonis looked at both Luna and Toni.


    "No matter how fast you, you won''t be able to dodge this." Amber declared.


    "Even your Inferno magic can''t match this." Luna grinned.


    Luna, Amber, Lutz, Jerald, Toni and Flora channelled their respective magic affinities into the magic circle, causing it to vibrantly glow.


    Acting as external batteries, Maxwell and Tarzy funnelled all of their mana into the vibrating magic circle.


    "I see." Adonis studied the intricate ruins that continuously shifted and glowed.


    ''Amber coordinated everyone with an emitter-type magic affinity to collectively cast one big spell. A spell designed to deal with my current fighting style completely: hell shroud is too thin of a veil to completely neutralize the attack and the spell will be too large for me to pre-dodge.''


    ''My only survival option will be for me to disrupt the spell before it''s finished.'' Adonis exhaled sharply and closed his hand, allowing only his index finger and thumb to stick out.


    "..." Adonis pointed his index finger at the magic circle.


    ''Is he seriously going challenge our spell?'' Lutz scowled.


    "What''s he going to do?" Tarzy looked at Amber.


    "He''s bluffing." Amber announced.


    ***


    <b>A tent on the forest''s outskirts.</b>


    "No one is invincible, he should''ve known that."


    "His lacklustre mana usage is catching up to him."


    "What a creative idea."


    "I expect nothing less from the Light prodigy."


    "The chances of him surviving are non-existant."


    Drowning out the voices of the professors and assistants, Elder Mars watched the battle silently.


    ***


    <b>The forest''s centre.</b>


    "ARGGHHHH!" Adonis''s soul shook violently as he gathered mana into the tip of his index finger.


    "Donny?" Noticing something was wrong, Maxwell''s mana supply wavered.


    Adonis ignited an ivory flame on his fingertip...


    "Huh?" Before the manifestation of his magic affinity, Adonis''s soul shrunk.


    <i>BWSHHH</i>


    Following the combustion of the terrifying flames, Adonis''s soul underwent another sudden transformation: enlarging to over double its size.


    "WHAT THE FU-"


    {Kukuku...}

 Magic too?

    ''Lord Eos?'' Recognizing the Devil God''s laughter instantly, Adonis raised his brows.


    {You don''t have time to rejoice in my return mortal, finish this quickly.}


    "Arrghh!" Feeling the shape and size of his soul transform once more, Adonis spilt more blood on the grass.


    DRIP DRIP


    "Inferno magic: Hell bullet." The small candle-like flame on the magic knight''s finger burst forward with considerable speed, heading straight towards the large multicoloured magic circle.


    BOOM


    "What''s he doi-" Amber frowned.


    When the ivory flame made contact with one of the magic circle''s ruins, the entire circle disappeared; vanishing from existence.


    "What th-" Feeling his connection to the magic circle to disappear Tarzy groaned.


    "Ha!" Luna exclaimed.


    "Thi-" Amber choked on her thoughts.


    "He..." Lutz''s eyes widened.


    "No way." Jerald frowned.


    "..." Marie remained silent.


    "That''s just not fair." Maxwell smiled.


    "Sh-" Toni manifested a complicated expression.


    "My mana!" Flora said.


    ***


    <b>A tent in the forest''s outskirts.</b>


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "Hahaha!" Breaking the shocked silence was the hearty laughter of an excited young man.


    "He burnt mana?! Hahaha!" Unable to contain his amusement, Elder clutched his stomach and continued to bellow loudly.


    ***


    <i>Inferno magic is the name bestowed upon the destructive magic affinity ever to exist.</i>


    <i>This magic affinity grants the user, Adonis P. Vindicta (Oizys Hermes), the ability to manipulate and create the ivory flames of hell.</i>


    <i>These pure flames are so blisteringly hot that upon contact, they don''t simply burn the target; rather, they completely erased it from existence.</i>


    <i>Whether it''s matter, energy, forces, or anything else¡ªexistent or non-existent¡ªthere''s nothing these flames can''t burn.</i>


    <i>Currently, only two variations of the magic affinity exist: the essence and matter variation respectively.</i>


    ***


    <b>The forest''s centre</b>


    ''He destroyed one rune on our magic circle... Destroying the entire thing.'' Amber focused on the purple-haired youth.


    "All our mana has been wasted." Toni complained.


    "Your plan went to shit!" Luna screamed at the PTC.


    "How is burning mana even possible?" Marie pondered.


    "Destroying mana shouldn''t be possible," Jerald mumbled.


    "ARGHHH!!!" Disrupting the discussion were the piercing screams of the seventh Rising Star.


    {You''re being loud, mortal. You''ve died before, stop overreacting.} The deity said boredly.


    ''What the hell have you done to me?!'' Adonis fell to his knees as the pain intensified.


    {I''ll explain later, either forfeit now or quickly defeat these brats.}


    ''Why?''


    {I''m saying this in your best interest. There are too many eyes here, if you don''t leave now you''ll be exposed.}


    "I-l..." Trying to ignore the increasing pain, Adonis slowly rose to his feet.


    <i>DUMMM</i>This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Is he seriously going to try to fight us in that condition?" Tarzy stared at the rising star with an emotion resembling pity.


    "That''s the spirit." Luna grinned.


    {Oizys I''d advise you don''t use magic... If you do you''ll transform into your damon form.}


    "O-oh okay..." Adonis ambled towards a large tree behind him.


    "What''s he doing?" Flora wondered.


    Adonis placed his hand on the thick bark and gripped it tightly, digging his fingers into the tree.


    <i>SHATTER</i>


    He then raised his left foot and slammed it into the base of the massive tree.


    On contact the tree severed, into a huge unprocessed log.


    <i>BAM</i>


    {That must be nostalgic.}


    Moaning at the neverending pain, Adonis wrapped his arm around the log and released the full extent of his Earthly Aura.


    <i>DUMMMM</i>


    "He''s not done yet?!" Maxwell instinctively stepped back.


    "He still has that much energy?!" Amber''s mouth gaped open.


    "What could he possibly do now." Lutz got into a fighting stance.


    Rather than coating just the log in Earthly Aura, Adonis enhanced his entire body; his injured arms, legs, and every single muscle in the boy''s body absorbed the Earthly Aura.


    {While that''s smart, this isn''t the time for greed Oizys.} The Devil God criticised the boy''s plans.


    ''...''


    <i>BOOM</i>


    Pushing his body past its physical limits, Adonis dashed at his opponents at the speed of sound.


    Before any of the magic knights could react, Adonis was before them; horizontally swinging the large log at all nine of them.


    <b><i>"Supreme Devil Art: Divine Divider."</i></b> He whispered.


    <i>BOOM</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    [Tarzy Goliath the first Rising Star has been Eliminated.]


    [Luna Triksta the second Rising Star has been Eliminated.]


    [Amber Shine the third Rising Star has been Eliminated.]


    [Lutz van Alexia the fourth Rising Star has been Eliminated.]


    [Jerald Cecil the fifth Rising Star has been Eliminated.]


    [Marie Jupiter the sixth Rising Star has been Eliminated.]


    [Maxwell Aster the eighth Rising Star has been Eliminated.]


    [Toni Modster the tenth Rising Star has been Eliminated.]


    [Flora Evergreen Class A has been Eliminated.]


    [....]


    [Adonis P. Vindicta the seventh Rising Star is the victor of the Hero''s Magic Knights Academy''s first-year battle royale.]


    [Due to nine of the contestants being eliminated at the exact same time, positions second to ninth will be decided by the number of contestants eliminated by each contestant.]


    ***


    <b>The tent on the forest''s outskirts</b>


    "He...Won?"


    "That commoner."


    "Congratulations Adonis." Elder Mars smiled warmly and exited the tent.


    Instead of having to push through the academy staff, they all instinctively stepped to the side, giving him more than enough space to pass by.


    "I hope you''re okay." Hiram Vindicta smiled.


    "You and your brother must be really close for you to be making such an expression." Professor Fitzburg looked at his assistant.


    "H-he''s not my brother." She blushed.


    ***


    [Adonis P. Vindicta Congratulations on your victory, please make your way to the medical facility.]


    "Argh..." Ignoring the announcer''s instructions, Adonis continuously supplied his legs with Earthly Aura.


    ''It''s already starting.'' Adonis''s pearly white teeth grew sharper, digging into his lips.


    {Then leave already.}


    Adonis dashed north before the pain could reach the point of immobilizing him.


    <i>BOOM</i>


    <i>THUD</i><i>


    </i><i>THUD</i><i>


    </i><i>THUD</i>


    In less than fifteen seconds the boy was out of the forest.


    After thirty more seconds, Adonis had exited the academy, his body deteriorating with every second.


    ***


    <i>30 minutes later</i>


    <b>A cave on the outskirts of Hero City</b>


    "ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!!"


    At the heart of a deep, damp cave laid a single young man, completely exposed and decorated with dozens of cuts, scratches, gashes, and burns.


    Differing from his regular state, the boy''s previously pale skin bore a noticeable tan. His untidy Russian violet hair had transformed into a much darker shade, cascading over his eyes and ear lobes.


    Adonis''s once-luminous silver eyes had shifted, adopting an otherworldly orangish silver resembling that of a demonic entity.


    ''Give me answers!'' Adonis gripped his stomach.


    {Okay okay, you big baby. The first stage of our souls merging has begun.} The Devil God announced.


    ''I thought they merged long ago.'' Adonis bashed his head into the ground.


    {No, our souls hadn''t started merging yet. They merely existed in the same vessel.}


    "Arghh!!" Adonis''s soul suddenly tripled in size.


    {Our souls couldn''t merge because yours wasn''t matured yet, the taming of your mana core was the catalyst of the merging.}


    ''When will this stop...It keeps getting worse.'' Adonis''s soul reverted to its regular size.


    <i>DIMMMMM</i>


    Adonis''s Wicked Aura exploded, violently shaking the entire cave.


    "ARGHHH!!"


    {Kukuku.}


    ***


    <b>Hero Magic Academy''s medical facility</b>


    "He''s awake!" A mage dressed as a nun smiled.


    "Wha-" Rising from a small bed, a blonde youth groaned softly.


    "Congratulations, you''re the first to wake up!" The medic smiled.


    "The first?" Lutz''s cyan eyes studied his calloused hands.


    "Yeah, everyone else is still asleep." The medic frowned.


    Lutz turned his head to look at eight beds beside him.


    "The results for the battle royale have already been announced, although unfortunately, you''re the only Rising Star present." The medic informed.


    "What about Vindicta?" Lutz asked.


    "Right after winning the event, Vindicta left the academy. We are unsure of his whereabouts."


    "I see..."


    "The rankings of the Battle Royale have been revealed, congratulations on coming 3rd!" She smiled.


    "Tsk." Lutz tried to leave the medical facility''s bed.


    <i>DU DU DU</i>


    "Mh!" Halting his departure was a sudden throbbing in the boy''s brain.


    "Please don''t leave yet! You haven''t fully recovered." The medic panicked.


    "What''s wrong with me?" Lutz groaned.


    "You''ve just experienced a near-death experience, your brain is still disorientated." She explained.


    "I don''t have time for this." Persevering through the constant throbbing in his head, Lutz left the bed.


    "Your wounds might''ve healed, but you haven''t recovered from the mental trauma!"


    "I''ll be fine." Lutz dismissed.


    "How many students did he eliminate?" Before he gripped the brass doorknob, Lutz turned his head back toward the mage.


    "Who? Vindicta?"


    "..." Lutz merely stared at the medic.


    "Fifty-three, including the nine of you."


    ***


    <b>*Extra Information: </b>


    <i>Battle Royale results</i>


    <i>Adonis P. Vindicta- 1st place (53 eliminations)</i>


    <i>Jerald Cecil- 2nd place </i>


    <i>Lutz van Alexia- 3rd place </i>


    <i>Tarzy Goliath- 4th place</i>


    <i>Luna Triksta- 5th place </i>


    <i>Amber Shine- 6th place </i>


    <i>Maxwell Aster- 7th place</i>


    <i>Toni Modster- 8th place</i>


    <i>Marie Jupiter- 9th place</i>


    <i>Flora Evergreen- 10th place</i>


    <i>John van Ani- 11th place</i>


    <i>(The medics at the academy''s medical facility are special mages blessed by angels. They are capable of healing anything from shallow scratches to fractured bones. They are incapable of healing broken bones, injured organs, mental damage or soul damage)</i>


    <i>(Healing magic potions accelerate the healing process while Holy Aura replicates those damaged or destroyed cells.)</i>

 Who is it?

    <i>11 years ago</i>


    <b>The City of Alex- Miravulum Kingdom, Empire of Caelum</b>


    <b>(The woods near the van Alexia estate.)</b>


    <b>What actually happened that day... (Reference to the distorted memory Adonis had dreamt about in chapter 50.)</b>


    TUTUT TUTUT


    "Kyaa!" Hearing the dreadful beating of the insect''s wings, Oizys was instantly refuelled with energy, pushing himself to run even faster.


    "Hm?" Noticing he was now the only one screaming, Oizys frowned deeply and turned his head to the right, searching for Lutz.


    "Lutz?" Realizing Lutz was nowhere to be found, Oizys gasped.


    Succeeding a few seconds of internal debate, Oizys turned his head backwards, not only to gauge how close the magic beast was but also to see if he could spot where he might have left Lutz.


    Surprisingly, when he turned his head, his eyes didn''t meet a large winged cricket or even his blonde close friend.


    "Ah!" Instead, the boy''s perspective was suddenly flipped upside down as he tripped over a log and was sent tumbling down a steep slope.


    <i>THUD THUD</i>


    As Oizys rolled down the ravine, he steadily received dozens of cuts and scratches.


    <i>SPLURT </i><i>


    </i><i>CUT</i><i>


    </i><i>BAM</i>


    <i>sniff sniff </i>"Lutz..." Finally reaching the end of his journey, the child couldn''t help but sob.


    "Ozzy!" Lutz looked down from the top of the ravine.


    <i>sniff sniff</i> "L-lutz..." Oizys''s nose produced a deep green bubble.


    <i>POP</i>


    "Are you okay?" Lutz''s eyes began to water.


    "Y-yes...Please get my papa!" Oizys covered his eyes with his hands and wept.


    <i>TUMBLE TUMBLE</i>


    "Papa!" OIzys snapped his head toward the deep slope, his large brown eyes suddenly brimming with hope.


    "O-ouch." Landing on his bottom, Lutz rubbed his thigh uncomfortably.


    "Why''d you come down? I told you to get Papa!" Oizys screamed.


    "But then you''d be alone...Being alone isn''t fun, you know." Lutz muttered.


    "I guess you''re rig-" Oizys smiled.


    "GRRR." Interrupting the best friends'' reunion was the vicious growling of a sickly Grey Wolf.


    "Ozzy..." Lutz clung to the brown-haired boy.


    "Lutz..." Oizys brought him even closer.


    "I-is t-that..."


    "Yes. I-it''s a magic beast." A single tear rolled down Oizys''s cheek.


    "GRRR." The Grey Wolf approached the two children cautiously.


    "Ozzy... Are we going to die?"


    "I don''t know." Oizys sobbed.


    "But you always know!"


    "We''re probably going to die." Oizys admitted.


    "I don''t wanna die."


    "Me too."


    "GRRR." The magic beast was now not more than two meters away from the kids.


    "If I die, I''m glad it''s with you, Ozzy."


    "Lutz?"


    "I''ve never had a friend before. All the other kids never wanted to play with me... I was lonely." Lutz smiled warmly.


    "GRRAR!" The Grey Wolf eagerly pounced at the children.


    Middair, the magic beast was impaled by a large hand prompting a beautiful scarlet shower.


    "Didn''t your mother tell you to stay within the estate...Lutz?" A tall man characterized by his cascading golden mane casually flung the corpse of the magic beast to the side.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "Yes, father." Despite being saved from the threat of the terrifying magic beast, Lutz''s tiny heart beat faster than ever before.


    "You must Oizys." Duke van Alexia''s gaze shifted to the curly-haired boy next to his son.


    "Scary... I mean yes, Duke." Oizys muttered.


    "No need to be so formal, you''re my son''s friend. Call me Uncle Ludwig." Although the Duke''s face was smiling, his cold cyan eyes were not.


    "Sorry, Du-Uncle Ludwig." Oizys shivered


    "Thank you, Father." Lutz fiddled with his fingers.


    "We need to leave before your mother notices you''re gone."


    ***


    <i>3 hours later.</i>


    <b>Van Alexia Estate, main gate.</b>


    "Bye, Lutz!" Free from any scratches, cuts, scrapes or even scars, Oizys gipped his mother''s hand warmly.


    "Bye, Ozzy!" Standing beside Duke van Alexia, Lutz waved shyly.


    "I hope he didn''t cause too much trouble." Pan Hermes looked at the Duke.


    "Trouble follows children their age." Duke van Alexia joked.


    "More like they follow it." Pan snuck a deadly glare at her child.


    ''Tell me what you did later.'' She mouthed.


    <i>-whistle- </i>Acting oblivious, Oizys focused his attention on a beetle.


    "Travel safely." The Duke smiled.


    ***


    "You''re weak." As soon as the mother-son pair left the gate, Ludwig looked at his son.


    "Father?"


    "How could you be scared of a mere unranked beast?"


    "I''m sorry." Lutz''s large eyes turned glassy.


    "You are the heir to the van Alexia Dukedom, you possess the blood of an archangel, stop being weak."


    "...''


    "If this behaviour continues, you''ll never see that heathen again."


    "Bu-"


    "Go to your room and study the fundamentals of the Alexian Arts." Ludwig commanded.


    "Y-yes father."


    ***


    <b>Burning Bush Saga, end. </b>


    ***


    <b>Dungeons and Damons Saga, begin.</b>


    <i>(Two weeks after the Battle Royale. 8 AM) (Present)</i>


    <b>Hero City- Robur Kingdom, Caelum Empire (A cave near the magic knight''s academy.)</b>


    {How''re you feeling?}


    ''The great devil God is concerned about a mere mortal?'' Adonis, whose previous wounds were nowhere to be found smiled amusedly.


    {That means you''re okay, good. Time for training.}


    "AHHHHH!! The pain." Adonis suddenly dropped to the floor, gripping his stomach in pain.


    {Stop playing around mortal.} The Devil God said, unamused.


    <i>sigh</i> ''Okay, then what''s today''s training?'' Adonis stood up suddenly.


    {You''ve achieved satisfactory mastery of the first stage of the supreme devil arts.}


    ''Satisfactory? I''ve been training for five years straight.'' The naked youth complained.


    {Stop interrupting me!}


    ''My bad.'' The teenager pouted.


    {So as of today, you''re going to be learning the second stage.}


    {The first stage of the Supreme Devil Arts technique is the offensive stage, the stage in which basic slashes and thrusts have been perfected; surpassing every limit associated with the crude actions.}


    {Unlike the first stage''s four techniques, the second stage only has one technique.}


    ''Sounds easy enough.''


    {Kukuku, let''s see.}


    {Unfortunately, practising the technique requires you to be under attack. So currently you''ll only be practising the Aura usage as well as learning the theory associated with the technique.}


    ''I''m listening.''


    {Start by releasing the full extent of your Aura.}


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    Adonis''s spirit suddenly bulged as he released the full extent of his Earthly Aura.


    {Shrink your aura cloak while maintaining its power.}


    "Argh..." Following his instructions, Adonis groaned and increased the density of the energy.


    {Now, when facing an attack you''re going to have to do all of this at the exact moment and the exact spot of the assault. If done too early, the damage done by the attack will double as well as extend to your spirit. If done too late, well you know what''s going to happen. You''ll still receive the attack anyway.}


    {When performing the technique you''ll have to cease the reinforcement on the rest of your body and weapon, leaving you momentarily vulnerable throughout your entire body but invincible in one spot.}


    ''Then what happens when I successfully pull it off? Will the attack simply be nullified?''


    {Do you think I''d create such a weak technique? Oh please... When timed successfully, the attack will be reflected to the opponent.}


    "That''s..." Adonis''s mouth gaped open.


    {I know right? I''m amazing.}


    Shrugging off his excitement, Adonis rolled his eyes.


    "I''m going to be late for school."


    {You''ve missed two weeks and you''re worried about being late?}


    ***


    <i>(Two days after the Battle Royale. 10:23) (12 days before the present.) </i>


    <b>Hero Magic Knights'' Academy. (Amber Shine''s dormitory.)</b>


    ''There''s still a damon in our year and I haven''t made any progress in finding out who it is.'' Seated on her neatly made bed, Amber frowned.


    ''The Elders dismissed the Wicked Aura burst during the outing as coming from the dark elves but I don''t believe it one bit.''


    ''If there was a damon among them, we wouldn''t have survived. Plus they were directly working under an Empire, and even on the off chance an empire was using damons as soldiers they would''ve never been so reckless.''


    ''So either the Academy''s elders are carrying out the investigations behind the scenes or they''re being incompetent.''


    ''On the small chance that it''s the latter, I can''t let this slide...''


    Amber took out a pencil and scroll.


    ''There were ten of us there. Tarzy, Luna, me, Lutz, Cecil, Princess Jupiter, Vindicta, Aster, Vera and Veda.''


    ''I can already cross off Princess Jupiter, Lutz and me off from the list.''


    ''Tarzy is highly unlikely, because of his relationship with the imperial family... If he was one he would''ve been caught long ago.''


    ''Luna is an idiot so it''s not her.''


    ''Maxwell Aster is a suspect, but I''ve investigated his background and his progress has always been consistent with no strange spikes. He is simply a hard-working prodigy from an unfortunate background.''


    ''Vera and Veda may be talented magic knights in their rights, but by class A standards they are merely average. put bluntly they are too average to be picked by a deity.''


    ''The two who stand out and are my prime suspects are Adonis Vindicta and Jerald Cecil.''


    ''Adonis Vindicta is a commoner with no notoriety whatsoever despite his talent being so overwhelming, he also has no family other than Hiram Vindicta who also appeared out of nowhere. He has the most red flags, but when I followed him the whole day he showed nothing suspicious... but it was just one day so it doesn''t mean much. I need actual proof before I can apprehend him.


    ''Jerald Cecil is my number two suspect. Initially, I had brushed him off, but as time passed the more I realised that some things don''t add up. When he sparred against Wendy Carter he easily defeated her meaning he is at least tier 10 high rank. But the strength he regularly shows is tier 10 mid-rank. ''


    ''Another red flag is his family, although he is a noble he comes from a long line of knights. It seems as though his entire bloodline is hated by mana, not a single mage nor magic knight has emerged from his family. His entire family has a history of having a low mana depth yet miraculously he has one above average. If he was a damon, his mundane mana depth would''ve been elevated to the point where he was capable of becoming a magic knight. Which would make sense.''

 Slug hunting

    ''I''ll need to investigate them both.'' Satisfied with the notes on the large scroll, Amber rolled it up and slipped it into her cloak''s pocket.


    "First of all, my new magic staff is only arriving at ten so I can''t investigate him till then." She whispered.


    <i>Magic staffs are the standard weapons for mages, the magic crystals embedded in them aid the users in casting spells quicker, more efficiently and maximizing firepower as quickly as possible.</i>


    <i>The higher the rank of the magic crystals, the more potent the effects; although this may be the case, if the user''s tier or rank is way lower than the magic crystal they use, the crystal will inhibit the magic''s effects rather than aid it.</i>


    ''While I wait for it to arrive I should train a bit.'' Amber walked to her artillery closet and pulled out a sharp gladius.


    ***


    <b>Lutz''s private training quarters within his dormitory.</b>


    "I lost..." Rapier in hand, Lutz''s gaze intensified as he stared at the straw doll before him.


    "We were a group yet I still lost."


    "I couldn''t even react to his speed and he beat me." Lutz''s Earthly Aura intensified.


    "The way I am right now... I''m too weak, I need to get stronger. Or I''ll never achieve it." Lutz''s Earthly Aura spread to his sword, engulfing his blade and focusing it to the tip of his blade.


    ''This technique...It''s the next step.''


    "Alexian arts: Mortar."


    Lutz lunged forward, thrusting his blade toward the straw doll''s head.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    When the tip of his rapier made contact with the reinforced doll, instead of merely piercing it, the force of the attack spread to the rest of the doll''s head.


    <i>BOOM</i>


    "Too slow, too weak...Mediocre." Stalks of straw showered the cyan-eyed youth.


    ***


    <b>Jerald''s private training quarters within his dormitory.</b>


    Gripping his brown locs tightly, Jerald mumbled under his breath.


    "I''m sorry... I should''ve known. "


    "I should''ve tried harder."


    "I''m sorry."


    "Yes, I know I''m useless."


    "Yes, I know what I have to do."


    "I need to reach get to that level."


    "I''m close."


    "I''m almost there."


    "Yeah, I know almost doesn''t count. I''m sorry."


    "I need to do it... Reach Tier nine." Jerald grinned sinisterly.


    Jerald let the full extent of his Tier 10 high-rank Earthly Aura explode.


    "Maybe if I push a bit more..." Jerald intensified the cloak once more, straining his spirit.


    Jerald''s mana core vibrated violently as he pushed his spirit to its limits.


    <i>DU DU DU</i>


    "Ahhh!" Breathing violently, Jerald ceased the exertion of his soul and spirit.


    ''Okay... I get it, I''m not ready yet.''


    "I''m sorry to disappoint you Daddy. I''ll try again later." Jerald frowned.


    "May I please have lunch?" He whispered.


    "Thank you." Jerald straightened his back, left the training room and his dormitory making his way to the cafeteria.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ***


    ''He''s here! I was beginning to think he''d eaten breakfast early.'' Amber stared at the fifth Rising Star.


    ***


    <i>(4 hours later.)</i>


    <b>Academy''s library.</b>


    ''All he does is spend time with his girlfriend and mumble under his breath.'' Hiding behind a large shelf of books, Amber stared at a blue-haired girl and a brown-haired boy.


    ''But something about him still bugs me.''


    ''It takes a special type of person to be chosen type of deity; usually, people assume it''s the talent they seek but they''re wrong...He has <b>it</b>.''


    ***


    <i>2 days later/ 4 days after the battle royale. 10 days before the present.</i>


    <i>10 AM</i>


    <b>The unclaimed territory between the Caelum Empire and the Wicked Continent.</b>


    Ignoring the violent thunderstorm above, four figures dressed in long robes gathered in a mountainous region, staring down the terrifying magic beast before them.


    "Is this it?" Shepherd, speaking in his distorted voice curiously asked.


    "Do you know any other yellow slugs with purple spots? Stop asking dumb questions." Joyeuse replied.


    "Do you always have to be so rude?" Usoki sighed.


    "The more you allow this ignorant behaviour the more it''ll grow."


    "I''m sorry." Shepherd said timidly.


    "Quiet down kids. Let''s finish this quickly and get some drinks." The tallest figure among the group, Marula chuckled.


    "I''m surprised you aren''t already intoxicated you, drunkard." Joyeuse scoffed.


    "Speak to your captain with respect you brat." Marula scolded.


    "Whatever."


    "I should''ve taken team one." Marula shook his head.


    "Why?" Shepherd said sadly.


    "Because then I wouldn''t have to lie about your ages to get into bars." Marula bellowed.


    "HISSSS!" Feeling ignored, the magic beast spat out a torrent of slime.


    Reacting in unison, the small squad leapt in different directions, comfortably dodging the slime.


    <i>SIZZLE</i>


    When the nasty substance touched the rocky terrain it instantly disintegrated it, leaving nothing but a bubbling yellow gas.


    "Shepherd stay back, Usoki and Joy you''re with me." Marula pointed at his three juniors.


    "Y-yes sir." Shepherd dashed backwards and took out a Balearic sling from his right pocket.


    Following instructions, Usoki and Joyeuse stood beside their captain.


    "Make sure to keep up kids." He chuckled.


    ***


    <i>5 days after the battle royale, on a Wednesday. (9 days before the present.)</i>


    <b>Hero Magic Knights Academy, Class 1A.</b>


    <b>Martial Arts class 1A.</b>


    "Martial arts are half of a magic knight''s capabilities, without them, you are nothing more than a mage and will always be at a disadvantage during close combat." Professor Avitus explained.


    "Marital arts are the techniques and actions used in combat which utilize one''s body, weapon and or Aura. The martial arts taught at the academy cover all the basics, efficiently incorporating punches, kicks, elbows, throws and more; shaping its students into versatile fighters capable of dealing with any physical encounter."


    "Although this martial art is extensive and versatile, it lacks any speciality."


    "I''ve noticed, it''s practically useless!" A student complained.


    "Then don''t use it." Flora rolled her eyes.


    "These are where family arts come in. As the name implies, these martial arts are secret techniques passed on among those of a specific clan or group. Martial arts under this category include the Imperial Thunder Arts as well as the Heroic techniques." The professor continued with his lecture, ignoring the complaints of the students.


    "There exists multiple categories of martial techniques, showcasing how versatile one''s body can be when pushed to its limits."


    "There are travelling techniques, that involve reinforcing one''s body in a particular way to maximize their speed and acceleration."


    "Defensive techniques, that aid in the deflection and absorption of techniques."


    "And offensive techniques, which are typically what we think of when the term ''martial arts'' comes to mind.Using Earthly Aura and or specific manoeuvres to carry out the attack."


    "Of course, these aren''t the only types of techniques in the martial arts category, we could sit here all day and I wouldn''t be able to cover all the different types. But what you need to know is that the human body is more capable than we think and just because we can''t do something it doesn''t mean it''s impossible."


    "As one progresses through the tiers, the less the limits of the human body apply to them."


    "At Tier ten, one unlocks a sixth sense. The ability to sense presences or rather more accurately, spirits. This sixth sense continues to grow and become more potent as the user gets stronger."


    "At Tier five, martial artists can make their attacks "fly": Meaning they''re able to create condensed shockwaves of Earthly Aura in the shape of specific attacks such as slashes."


    "At Tier Three, the human body''s energy efficiency is greatly increased to the point where regular bodily functions require an insignificant amount of energy. Due to our active lives, magic knights usually require an unreasonable amount of calories to keep up with our lifestyles; but for Tier 3''s and above it''s different. A Tier 3 can comfortably capable of going weeks without eating if they aren''t actively fighting and a few days straight in combat."


    "Tier one magic knights can imbue objects with their Aura and remotely control it, effectively giving them telekinesis."


    "Tier 0, where a magic knight completely transcends humanity and all its limitations. A transcendent not only gains the ability to extend their telekinesis to their body; but also an ability unique to them thanks to the combination of Aura and their innate magic affinity. "


    ***


    <b>*Extra Information: </b>


    <i><Spotted slug></i>


    <i>Rank: Purple Rank-Green Rank</i>


    <i>Edible?: Yes (The interior, the exterior is deadly.)</i>


    <i>Drops: Slime gland</i>


    <i>Weaknesses: Blades and water</i>


    <i>Behaviour: Travel alone and are fairly docile unless made anxious or threatened.</i>


    <i>Habitat: Mountains.</i>


    <i>Attacking style: Use their large bodies to bash and crush targets, periodically spit an acid slime for far away opponents.</i>


    <i>Abilities: Acidic slime.</i>


    <i>Description: The giant slugs have smooth yellow bodies that continuously secrete acidic and poisonous slime. These massive slugs also feature prominent dots on their large bodies, indicating their rank or strength.</i>


    <i>Note: Despite their notably slow reaction and travel speed in comparison to their rank, these slugs compensate with keen senses. In addition to their sharp senses, these slugs exhibit remarkable physical strength, enabling them to overpower magic beasts of a higher rank. This formidable strength extends to their durability, as their skin is often hailed as practically impenetrable.</i>

 Maxwell vs Orc

    <i>After school</i>


    <b>Magic beast and monster simulation training facility.</b>


    A teenage boy with black hair and large brown eyes, holding a shiny new massive hammer stood eagerly in a space.


    [Maxwell Aster... Orc simulator.]


    [Begin!]


    Following the soothing voice was an unnerving sight of black mana swirling opposite Maxwell.


    This swirl of mana continued to contort unnaturally, quickly forming into the structure of a terrifying creature.


    The monster to emerge from the amalgamation of mana possessed strong hog-like legs that supported a grey, muscular body standing upright. The creature''s physique boasted boulder-like shoulders and four fingers. Across its chest and arms, the creature adorned itself in tattoos that emitted a dim white hue.


    The orc''s terrifying visage featured giant tusks, capable of impaling anything in its path. Protecting the monster''s privacy, the orc wore a broad rag wrapped around its waist, covering its crotch.


    "ARRGH!"


    "Nice to meet ya!" Maxwell rested his hammer on his right hammer, ready to swing it at a moment''s notice.


    "HMPH!" Wasting no time, the monster charged at the magic knight.


    "I''m Maxwell, thanks for asking." Maxwell pouted and swung his at the orc.


    "RRRRR!" The Orc slammed its fist into the boy''s hammer, matching his force.


    <i>THUD</i>


    The Orc launched its fist upwards, forcing the boy''s arms and hammer to the sky.


    <i>BAM</i>


    ''So strong!''


    "PFFT!" Maintaining its momentum, the orc huffed fearsomely and charged forward, trying to ram into Maxwell''s body.


    "Woah." Surprised by the monster''s eagerness, Maxwell placed his foot on the crouched monster and propelled himself above the orc.


    "I''m here!" Middair, Maxwell transitioned into a somersault, snatching and swinging his hammer down at the orc''s back


    Aided by its enhanced senses, the orc snapped its head backwards and blocked the attack with both arms.


    "You''re pretty quick for your size." Adjusting his grip on his hammer, Maxwell found footing on the orc''s arms and jolted one of his feet backwards, kicking the monster''s nose.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    "ARHGH?!" The monster staggered back angrily, gripping its bleeding nose.


    Before the monster could remove his foothold, Maxwell performed a backflip with his hammer.


    Taking advantage of his momentum, the Rising Star swung his hammer at the orc''s head.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Still holding its gushing nose, the orc lowered its head, avoiding the mighty hammer.


    Noticing Maxwell was unable to control his movements midair and continued to spin, the Orc discharged its fist.


    "Mercury." Unable to dodge the attack, Maxwell turned his hammer to liquid metal, moulding it into a spherical shield.


    "Steel." Using Metal magic once more, Maxwell commanded the hammer to turn solid before impact.


    <i>THUD</i>


    "Mercury." Maxwell turned the metal into a sludge once more, making it wrap around the Orcs arm and extend to the ground and himself.


    "ARHG?!"


    "Steel." On command the sludge solidified, trapping the orc''s arm and creating a platform for the spell caster.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Now able to halt his spinning, Maxwell stepped on the platform and sprung at the stationery orc.


    Maxwell coated his foot in Earthly Aura, causing his dirty boots to glow a faint blue.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    The magic knight slammed his foot into the monster''s head, fracturing the creature''s skull.


    <i>CRACK</i>


    "ARRRR!"


    "Mercury." Showing no mercury, Maxwell called upon the solidified metal.


    The grey sludge released the orc''s arm, slithering its way to its head and into Maxwell''s hand.


    "Steel." Maxwell''s sludge returned to its original shape as a massive hammer.


    Rearmed with his trusty weapon, Maxwell swung his hammer at the monster''s head.


    <i>BAM</i>


    [Maxwell Aster, Status: Passed.]


    [Score out of 85/100.]


    [Areas for improvement.]


    [Take fights seriously, if you can end a battle instantly. Do so, you never know what an enemy is capable of.]


    [Don''t hesitate.]


    "You sound like Donny." Maxwell sighed, wiping a single bead of sweat from his forehead.


    ''Should I do another one? No, I wanna check out the gravity room.''


    [Would you like to participate in another simulation?]


    "No thank you." He smiled nervously.


    ''Can that thing read minds? Wait, is it even a thing? It''s not a person? Right?!''


    The room began to gradually fill with smoke as Maxwell''s brain overworked itself.


    ***


    <b>Dorm Alpha''s gravity room</b>


    ''It''s smaller than I thought.'' Maxwell gazed at a large building, half the size of the academy''s gymnasium.


    "Let''s see what it''s got to offer." Maxwell smiled and walked through the glass doors.


    ''Glass doors?'' That''s a first.''


    The building''s interior mirrored its peculiar exterior. Built from primarily wood, the building''s inside boasted smooth carpet floors throughout. Ahead of the building''s entrance was a broad table, manned by an academy assistant.


    Behind the assistant and his station was a massive purple curtain which seemed to distort Maxwell''s senses.


    ''I can''t sense any mana or Aura.'' Maxwell frowned.


    "Welcome to the gravity room!" The assistant smiled.


    "Thanks..."


    "Can I please have your name and grade?"


    "Maxwell Aster, I''m a first-year."


    "Hmm..." Entering the boy''s details into a magic ball, the assistant''s friendly smile turned into a frown.


    ''Here it comes.'' Maxwell''s mood dipped.


    "So you''re a commoner." The assistant scowled at the student.


    "Y-yes."


    "The rules are simple, don''t enter the circles with your shoes on and don''t disturb others. I''m sure you can at least do that... Commoner?"


    "Yeah."


    "Tsk. No manners at all." She shook her head.


    "Thank you." Shrugging off the assistant''s blatant classism, Maxwell walked past the desk and opened the curtain.


    "Woah."


    Behind the large curtain, the floor was made of white marble. Drawn on this plain floor was a black circle.


    Inside this massive circle were multiple purple magic circles, their diameters ranging from two meters to ten.


    In the centre of these multiple magic circles was an even larger one, this one''s diameter being one hundred and twenty. Occupying these magic circles were dozens of sweaty teenagers, most of them struggling to stand.


    In the largest magic circle were only three magic knights, all of them being third-years who engaged in full combat despite the overwhelming weight.


    ''So each of the circles increases the gravitational field within its bounds. And the biggest one has the biggest gravitational force.'' Maxwell studied the students training within the circles'', some students were trying to merely stand, others were running in place and a few were sparring.


    ''I''m guessing you can change the gravity.'' He took off his boots, placing them in a small pigeonhole.


    ''I''ll start small.'' The first year walked to the smallest magic circle.


    "Hey, first year!" A second year called.


    "Y-yeah?" He turned cautiously.


    "You''re supposed to fetch a magic crystal before you enter the magic circle."


    "Oh..."


    "How else are you going to power the magic circle dummy!" The blonde second-year smiled.


    "That makes sense." Maxwell nervously chuckled, making sure to keep his speech as formal as possible.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "N-nothing."


    "Hey, I don''t bite you know. What''s your name?" The second year chuckled.


    ''Here we go again.'' The first year internally sighed.


    "Maxwell, Maxwell Aster."


    "Maxwell, Maxwell, Maxwell. Oh, you''re the eighth Rising Star in the first year." The second year smiled.


    "You know me?"


    "Yeah of course I do. Every competent student makes note of the Rising Stars of the other grades."


    "I guess that makes sense."


    "I''m Cicero. A second year, I may be your senior but you don''t have to be so formal towards me." He grinned.


    ''He doesn''t mind that I''m a commoner?''


    "Let''s go get that magic crystal so we can begin training!" Cicero grabbed Maxwell''s arm.


    "Okay." He smiled.


    The pair returned to the counter, where Maxwell''s mood immediately plummeted once more.


    "Assistant Aelia, why didn''t you explain to the newbie about the magic circles?" Cicero frowned.


    "I apologize, Lord Cicero, I was under the impression he''d been here before." She shot the commoner a sharp glare.


    "..." Ignoring the assistant''s apology, Maxwell followed Cicero to the magic crystal room.


    "So here you have four magic crystal colour options." Cicero pointed at four different shelves.


    "The higher the rank the stronger the effect of the gravity?" Maxwell guessed.


    "Kinda, you can still adjust the gravity''s strength at the magic circle. But there is a minimum and maximum gravitational force for each crystal rank."


    "Ohh, that makes sense."


    "I''m assuming you''ll start with white rank?" Cicero grinned.


    "Yep!"


    ***


    <b>*Extra Information: </b>


    <i><Orc></i>


    <i>Rank: White Rank</i>


    <i>Edible?: No</i>


    <i>Drops: Tusks</i>


    <i>Weaknesses: None</i>


    <i>Behaviour: Travel in groups, usually lead by a superior orc monster or even other monsters.</i>


    <i>Habitat: Mountains and dungeons</i>


    <i>Attacking style: Use their strong bodies to fight, they don''t use any martial arts but they do use every single limb.</i>


    <i>Abilities: Incredibly strong and strong tusks.</i>


    <i>Description: Standing at a towering three meters tall, these creatures possess an ashy grey skin decorated with intricate white tattoos. On their faces they have large pale tusks protruding from their faces, acting as weapons for biting and impaling opponents. Wrapped around their waists, the monsters hide their jewels with a single rag.</i>


    <i>Note: There are no female orcs, only males so the way they reproduce is currently unknown.</i>

 You just dont get it

    Having secured a magic crystal, Maxwell followed Cicero back to the gravity room.


    "So you just place the magic crystal in the plug." The noble pointed at a brass magic crystal holder beside a metal dial.


    "Okay..." Maxwell followed Cicero''s instructions and stared at the magic circle.


    <i>VMMMMMM</i>


    The runes in the magic circle glowed vividly.


    "Now turn the dial to the setting you want, I suggest you start small."


    <i>1.5x gravity</i>


    "Enjoy." Cicero smiled.


    Maxwell nodded nervously and stepped into the magic circle.


    "Argh!!" Maxwell''s body felt much heavier as he stepped into the circle, making simply moving a difficult task.


    "It''s horrible right?" Cicero chuckled.


    "Y-yeah." Maxwell slowly turned his body to look at the second year.


    "It''s the quickest way to progress, of course, it''s going to be difficult."


    ''How the hell are they even doing that?'' Maxwell turned his body again, focusing on the fighting magic knights in the centre.


    "You seem curious, the third years are training at three times gravity."


    "three times?" Maxwell choked.


    "Don''t feel too bad, I can''t compete with them either." Cicero smiled.


    Maxwell moved his body once more, every movement becoming slightly easier than the last.


    The first year''s eyes landed on his blonde classmate, who occupied a slightly larger magic circle.


    "That''s..."


    "Lutz? He''s here every day." Cicero followed Maxwell''s gaze.


    "Every day?"


    "Yeah, ever since we were young he was curious about the gravity room. When he enrolled this year he started coming here almost every day." Cicero smiled.


    "Since you were young?" Maxwell scrunched his nose.


    "Yeah, we''re cousins. His uncle is my dad." Cicero shrugged.


    ***


    Sweating intensely, Lutz clenched his fist tightly.


    "I need to get faster." He whispered.


    Lutz opened his hand, revealing a dozen small flat cubes of a material resembling wood.


    Lutz channelled a tiny bit of mana into the cubes and threw them into the air in front of him.


    Caught by the increased gravity imposed by the magic circle, the cubes quickly descended.


    ''Time it correctly.'' Lutz sharpened his eyes.


    As soon as the first cube was in range, he thrust his rapier at the target, piercing right through it.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Changing targets, the noble thrust his rapier once more, repeating the process till he had impaled every block or missed it entirely.


    "Nine out of twelve." He shook his head disappointedly.


    ''No sleep till I get every single one of them.'' Steeling his resolve, Lutz repeated the process.


    ***


    <i>Two hours later</i>


    <b>Academy gymnasium</b>


    "You want to spar with me?" Luna stared at the imperial princess.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "Yes." Marie nodded.


    "I thought you hated fighting?" Luna tilted her head.


    "That doesn''t matter, I need to get stronger."


    "Oh, well I don''t care. As long as I get to fight." Luna grinned.


    "What''re the rules?" Marie asked.


    "You''re the weaker one, you choose."


    "..."


    "What? It''s true." Luna shrugged.


    "Aura is allowed, magic isn''t. Wooden weapons only." Marie said.


    "Got it."


    "Tell me when you''re ready." Marie fetched a wooden gladius from the weapon box.


    "I''m always ready." Luna did the same, claiming an identical weapon to her adversary.


    Beginning the battle eagerly, Luna dashed at her opponent, swinging her wooden gladius aggressively.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    ''She''s a bit faster, but I should be able to keep up.'' Marie moved her head out of the way.


    "You''ve gotten a bit faster since I saw you fight Amber." Luna thrust her gladius forward.


    "..." Marie raised her blade, deflecting Luna''s sword out of the way.


    <i>THUD</i>


    "Are you ignoring me?" Luna raised and swung her foot a the side of Marie''s abdomen.


    "...I don''t enjoy the battle, so could you please keep quiet." Marie took a step forward, thrusting her gladius with all her might.


    "Then you shouldn''t have become a magic knight." Luna tilted her head to the side and shot her fist at Marie''s nose.


    <i>BAM</i>


    "Argh." Marie staggered backwards.


    "The battlefield isn''t for you princess. Life is too short to be doing something you don''t love!" Luna cleaved her gladius toward Marie''s body.


    "What else am I supposed to do...Fighting is the only way I can make a difference." Marie whispered and bent her knees, narrowly evading the wooden sword.


    "You''re one of the most politicily powerful people in the world, you can do whatever you want." Luna vertically slashed the gladius down.


    "You just don''t get it." Marie deflected the sword and forced her foot into Luna''s chest.


    <i>THUD</i>


    ***


    <i>10 days later, at 8:30 AM (The present.)</i>


    <b>Martial arts practical session, the Class 1A classroom</b>


    Dressed in casual training attire a girl standing in an empty classroom rummaged through a leather bag.


    "Where is it?" Amber whispered.


    ''I was sure I packed it today...''


    "Are you looking for this? I think you must''ve dropped it on your way out of dorm alpha." A young man behind her asked.


    ''Is that...'' Hearing the familiar voice, Amber''s blood ran cold.


    "Hm?" Putting on a calm mask, Amber turned to face the fifth Rising Star.


    "Your training head scarf, you''re still wearing your formal one so I''m assuming you lost this one." Jerald offered the white cloth to the PTC.


    "Yeah...Thank you."


    "No problem." Jerald smiled softly and turned around, heading to the classroom''s only door.


    ''He''s acting strange. Since when was he so chatty? He barely speaks two words to anyone other than Veda or himself.'' Amber took off her black silk head covering, preparing to put on the more breathable training one.


    <i>CLICK</i>


    ''Did he lock the door on his way out?'' Hearing the latch on the door suddenly click, Amber froze.


    "Since we''re alone, I hope you don''t mind if I ask you a few questions." Having locked the doors Jerald turned to face his classmate once more.


    "What do you want?" Amber scowled.


    "No need to be hostile, I just wanted to know something... It''s only fair, don''t you think?"


    "Fair? What''re you talking about?"


    "You''ve been following me for two weeks straight, I should at least know why." As the words left Jerald''s mouth, the room''s temperature suddenly dropped.


    ''He knows?! How? I used my ''Anti-reflection'' to make sure I was invisible, I was cautious to make no sounds at all and of course, I concealed my mana and Aura. How was I caught?!'' Amber took a step back, dropping her formal head covering on the ground.


    "Your light magic is really useful, you can bend the light so that you appear invisible. You used that spell multiple times to constantly stalk me. But you slipped up. You didn''t mask your spirit correctly every single time."


    "What''re you talking about?" Amber stammered.


    "It''s difficult to consistently mask both your magic and aura while simultaneously casting a continuous spell; especially for someone like you who is mediocre at using Aura." Jerald explained.


    "..." Despite the cold classroom, every single sweat gland in Amber''s body began working in overdrive.


    "So I just want to know. Why?" Jerald slowly walked towards the PTC.


    ''He won''t attack me, will he? Of course not, we''re in the classroom. Killing a PTC is a global crime, he''d be tortured for life. He wouldn''t dare.'' Regaining her composure, Amber stared at the Rising Star.


    "What do you know Amber, or what do you think you know?" Jerald leaned forward.


    "I know what you are." She said sternly.


    "I know that you''re a damon." She finished.


    <i>DEMMM</i>


    Before the prodigy could even finish her sentence, Jerald''s Wicked Aura-enhanced fist ripped through the air.


    <i>SHATTER</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Drenched in water and steam coming from his messy Russian-violet hair, Adonis entered the classroom through the window and lodged himself between the PTC and the damon.


    ''Supreme Devil Art, Stage two...'' Adonis used his arm to intercept Jerald''s attack, protecting Amber from any harm.


    Adonis'' arm was cloaked with Earthly Aura, although strangely the Aura only encompassed the region Jerald''s fist would connect with.


    "Kagami." Adonis whispered.


    {You''re getting the floor wet idiot.}The Devil Goid reprimanded.


    ***


    <b>*Extra Information: </b>


    <i>First-year Rising Stars fun facts:</i>


    <i>Tarzy Goliath: Despite being a giant now, growing up Tarzy was always shorter than Marie. He only surpassed her when they were 11.</i>


    <i>Luna Triksta: Despite being a fighting fanatic, Luna has never been to the Colosseum. </i>


    <i>Amber Shine: Amber only found out what the abbreviation PTC stood for when she was 15(This year), almost a decade after she became one.</i>


    <i>Lutz van Alexia: Lutz is scared of lemons.</i>


    <i>Jerald Cecil: Jerald hates the daytime because quote "Why does it get to be bright and happy every day?"</i>


    <i>Marie Jupiter: Marie''s favourite food is puls, a porridge made from wheat and water.</i>


    <i>Adonis P. Vindicta: When Adonis was younger and he couldn''t sleep because of his PTSD and nightmares, Eos the Devil God would tell him a bedtime story.</i>


    <i>Maxwell Aster: Whenever Adonis makes plans to study, Maxwell comes up with the most ridiculous excuses. The latest excuse was "His desk was stolen by an escaped goblin from the simulation room."</i>


    <i>John van Ani: John''s favourite hobby is bird watching.</i>


    <i>Toni Modster: Toni only learnt to read last year.</i>

 Adonis vs Jerald

    <b>CRACK</b>


    "Shit!" Adonis''s timing was off, sending him hurtling into Amber, the two of them colliding into a pile of stacked chairs.


    I was too late.


    {You idiot, did you seriously think you could master the technique today and nail it on the first try?} The Devil God scoffed in disbelief.


    ¡®Well, yeah... Why not?¡¯ Adonis chuckled to himself, despite the pain.


    "What''s so funny?" Amber pushed Adonis off her, standing up abruptly with a glare.


    "I didn''t expect the attack to be that strong," Adonis replied, showing her the broken mess that was his forearm.


    "You''re not stronger than me." Jerald''s voice cut through the moment, his gaze locking onto Adonis.


    "What?" Adonis turned his attention back to Jerald, surprised by the statement.


    "I said, you''re not stronger than me." Jerald cracked his neck, preparing for the inevitable battle.


    "We''ll see about that in a second," Adonis smirked, his confidence unwavering.


    "Fix it." Adonis looked at Amber.


    "Fix what?" She scowled, clearly annoyed.


    "My arm. I broke it saving you, so it''s only fair you heal it." Adonis shrugged, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.


    <i>-sigh-</i> "Whatever." Amber placed her hands over his shattered arm, channeling Holy Aura into it.


    <i>DIMMMM</i>


    "Ahh..." Adonis couldn''t help but let out a soft groan as his ulna mended itself at an unnatural pace.


    ¡®That was faster than usual... I can''t even heal myself that quickly,¡¯ Amber thought, a frown tugging at her lips.


    "Sorry for keeping you waiting." Adonis flexed his now-repaired arm and smiled at the fifth Rising Star, a playful glint in his silver eyes.


    "What was that about you being stronger?" He rotated his shoulder, preparing for what was coming.


    "I''m not the same as I was at the Battle Royale. I''m stronger... And trust me, I won''t be holding back this time." Jerald''s Earthly Aura surged, filling the room with its raw intensity.


    "Tier 9... low rank," Amber whispered, her eyes widening.


    "So you''ve crossed over." Adonis smiled, his excitement barely contained.


    "I''ve surpassed the entire Class A. All that''s left is you." Jerald''s voice was cold, resolute.


    "You may be Tier 9, but so is Vindicta. You''ll never beat the two of us," Amber¡¯s confidence returned as she glanced at Adonis.


    "The both of us?"


    "The both of you?"


    Adonis and Jerald responded simultaneously, their rivalry consuming the air around them.


    "Stay out of this. I want to see who''s stronger," they both declared, dismissing Amber.


    <i>DUMMMM</i>


    Their Auras clashed, each aura cloak swirling and violently crashing into the other.


    {Since when did you get excited at the thought of killing someone?} The Devil God questioned, his voice a low, mocking whisper.


    ¡®It''s not killing him that excites me... I''ve never fought someone equally as strong as me before. I''ve always been significantly stronger or weaker. I want to see what a fellow Tier 9 is capable of, Adonis replied with a wild grin.¡¯This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Eager to start, Adonis threw a haymaker at Jerald, who quickly raised his arm, bracing for the impact.


    <i>THUD</i>


    Jerald absorbed the blow and countered with a fist coated in Earthly Aura aimed at Adonis''s stomach.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Adonis moved swiftly, grabbing Jerald''s arm just in time to evade the punch, stepping aside and cutting through the air with a sweeping kick aimed at Jerald''s legs.


    Unfazed, Jerald leaped, bringing his knee up towards Adonis''s head.


    "Gotcha." Adonis bent backward into a crouch, sending his foot flying upward to catch Jerald mid-air.


    "Argh!" Jerald gritted his teeth as he used both arms to block the kick.


    <i>BAM</i>


    "That was... strong." Jerald staggered backward, pain evident in his clenched jaw.


    "Is that your way of complimenting me?" Adonis grinned.


    Ignoring him, Jerald''s fists ignited with fire magic as he took a determined step forward.


    <i>Flame Magic: Fire Armament.</i>


    Jerald''s fiery fist shot upward in a sharp uppercut aimed at Adonis''s chin.


    "I''ll take that as a yes," Adonis quipped, narrowly dodging the flames, the heat so intense it vaporized the water in his hair.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Without pause, Jerald swung his leg in a flaming roundhouse kick.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Adonis bent low again, dodging the flames as they passed over his head.


    As Jerald landed, he extinguished the flames, replacing them with the familiar Earthly Aura.


    His next kick hit its mark, shattering Adonis¡¯s guard and sending him skidding backward.


    "Dammit."


    {Kukuku... Why does it look like you''re getting overwhelmed?} The Devil God''s taunt echoed in Adonis¡¯s mind.


    ¡®Whose side are you even on?¡¯ Adonis thought, annoyed as he sidestepped Jerald''s next flaming punch, striking Jerald''s elbow to disrupt the attack.


    <i>THUD</i>


    Adonis followed with a step forward, leading with a solid right punch.


    "Hm!" Jerald dodged, shifting his entire body and extending his arm in retaliation.


    He charged forward, striking Adonis¡¯s neck with full force, lifting him off the ground and slamming him down.


    <i>BAM</i>


    <i>SHATTER</i>


    "Argh!" The impact sent splinters of wood flying from the classroom floor.


    Jerald crouched, gathering Wicked Aura into his fist, ready to end it.


    <i>DEMMMM</i>


    But Adonis rolled away just in time, dodging the deadly blow.


    <i>BAM</i>


    <i>SHATTER</i>


    On his roll, Adonis grabbed a nearby chair and hurled it at Jerald.


    "Childish." Jerald swatted it aside with a flick of his wrist.


    "I call it strategy." Adonis smirked as he landed a solid kick to Jerald¡¯s thigh.


    "Wha¡ª?" Jerald¡¯s knee buckled involuntarily.


    <i>THUD</i>


    "And here''s another," Adonis said, launching a knee into Jerald¡¯s jaw.


    <i>BAM</i>


    "And dessert." With a final strike from his heel, Adonis fractured Jerald¡¯s jaw.


    <i>CRACK</i>


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    {Not bad.} The Devil God commented dryly.


    "Fuck." Jerald staggered back, blood dripping from his jaw.


    "You done?" Adonis asked, his voice almost teasing.


    "Of course not." Jerald spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "You enjoying your front-row seat?" Adonis teased Amber.


    "We would''ve been done if you stopped being a show-off," Amber scoffed.


    "Someone''s salty," Adonis smiled.


    "I do have a few questions," she said, her face still stern.


    "Go ahead, ask away."


    "First of all, why are you wet?" Amber gave him a quick once-over.


    "I just got out of the bath," Adonis shrugged.


    {I told you to use a towel.} The Devil God reprimanded.


    "I prefer to air dr¡ª"


    <i>Flame Magic: Fire Torrent.</i>


    Jerald interrupted their banter by firing a cannon of flames at Adonis''s head.


    "You can ask me the rest later." Adonis stepped out of the flame''s path, narrowly avoiding the blast.


    "Were you that jealous that someone else had my attention?" Adonis shook his head.


    "Don''t flatter yourself."


    "Just when I thought we were getting closer..." Adonis pouted, stepping toward Jerald.


    "Shut up and fight." Jerald used a yellow magic circle to summon a thin blade of flames, aiming it at Adonis¡¯s belly.


    "You''re very rude." Adonis raised his right hand, engulfing it in his ivory flames.


    <i>Inferno Magic: Isolated Hell Shroud.</i> (Matter Variation)


    <i>BWSHHHH</i>


    Adonis¡¯s flames quickly overwhelmed Jerald''s, reducing them to nothing.


    "How annoying." Jerald used the distraction to launch a front kick at Adonis¡¯s chest.


    "Are you always in a bad mood, or is that just how you are?" Adonis shrugged off Jerald''s kick with his right hand and retaliated with one of his own.


    "I hate you." Jerald caught Adonis¡¯s leg, his scowl deepening.


    "What''d I ever do to you?" Adonis¡¯s eyebrows shot up.


    <b>***</b>


    <b>Five years ago.</b>


    <b>Roma City - Pugna Kingdom, Empire of Caelum.</b>


    "I-I don''t wanna disappoint you, Daddy." Inside a dark, foul-smelling closet, a boy with long black hair wept softly.


    "I want to be better." He cried, his voice trembling.


    "Please don''t throw me away."


    "Jerald, time for training!" A deep voice shook the closet, along with the entire mansion.


    "Yes, Daddy!" Jerald threw open the closet door, wiping his tears. He slipped on his Roman sandals and fetched the gladius from his bed.


    <b>Extra information: </b>


    <i>This world has an intelligence measuring system called the intelligence index. The system considers memory, processing speed, pattern recognition, problem-solving and calculation speed. This scale is from 1-9:</i>


    <i>1- Basic survival intelligence, the mental capacity to fulfil all the living functions eg. worm</i>


    <i>2- Primitive intelligence, eg. Goldfish</i>


    <i>3- Animal intelligence, eg. lion</i>


    <i>4- Monster, magic beast intelligence, eg. intelligent animals, most magic beasts, and monsters.</i>


    <i>5- Average human.</i>


    <i>6- Incredibly smart human.</i>


    <i>7- A mind that exists once in every generation. "One in 10 billion" eg. King Minerva.</i>


    <i>8- Intelligence beyond human possibilities. </i>


    <i>9- Intelligence beyond human comprehension, eg. Deities</i>


    <i>(Oizys Hermes was evaluated to be at level 8.) </i>

 The Cecil Catastrophe

    ¡°Your sister will no longer be joining us for training..¡± The man said coldly.


    "..." No matter how many times he heard it, Jerald felt a lump form in his throat.


    "Don''t worry, Jerald. You''ll never end up like that. Because you''re not going to disappoint me, right, my boy?" The Grandmaster-level knight crouched down, his sharp scarlet eyes peering deeply into his son''s soul.


    "Y-yes, Father." Jerald nodded weakly, feeling the weight of his father¡¯s gaze pressing down on him.


    "Good." The man patted Jerald''s shoulder with a heavy hand before rising to his full height once more.


    "Do you remember what''s happening next week?" Junius, the towering figure, smiled down at his son.


    ¡®He remembered?!¡¯ Jerald''s heart leapt, and a bright smile began to spread across his face.


    "My birthda-"


    "Your mana depth examination." Junius interrupted with a grin, cutting through Jerald''s excitement like a blade.


    "Oh." The smile on Jerald''s face faltered, quickly deforming into a frown.


    "I know you''re excited," Junius said, his voice steady and devoid of warmth. "But we still have to keep up with your training. Once the examination is complete, I''ll get you a magic tutor."


    "Yes, Daddy..."


    ***


    <b>5 hours later, 10 PM</b>


    "Uhh!" Jerald woke with a groan, his body aching from lying on the hard, cold marble tiles of the training room.


    "Daddy?" He rubbed his weary eyes and looked around, blinking to adjust to the dim light of the room.


    Noticing his father was nowhere to be found, the boy got up and left the training room, his body aching with every movement.


    When he reached the basement''s entrance, he noticed a note stuck to the wooden door.


    <i>Because of your poor performance during training, you won''t be receiving any supper tonight. I''ll be back tomorrow morning. ~ Junius Cecil.</i>


    "I''m sorry Daddy." Already used to such harsh discipline, Jerald simply nodded.


    He opened the door and stepped out of the basement, feeling the evening¡¯s cold air hit his face as he exited the mansion through the back door.


    ''Daddy will be back tomorrow? That means I have time to see them.'' Jerald smiled softly.


    The boy walked up the basement stairs slowly and exited the mansion through the back door.


    <i>CREAK</i>


    Jerald walked into a large open space characterized by its old wooden sign.


    <i>Junkyard-</i> It read.


    As Jerald approached, his eyes locked on a freshly covered small grave, unmarked by tombstones or signs.


    "Hey, Josie." Jerald began digging out the grave, one handful at a time.


    Jerald began digging through the recently covered earth, his small hands scooping out soil one handful at a time.


    <i>Sniff sniff</i><i>


    </i>Tears rolled down his cheeks, but he kept digging.


    "Training was okay today... I¡¯m only missing one meal, so I must¡¯ve done better than usual." Jerald chuckled softly, his tone hiding the hurt behind his words.


    "No, Daddy means well. He just doesn''t want me to fail." His hands moved faster, dirt flying behind him as he uncovered more of the grave.


    "Yeah... I know..." His voice quivered as he spoke, his fingers trembling with the cold earth.


    "I''m scared... My mana depth test is next week. If it¡¯s below fifty... Daddy will throw me away." Jerald paused, his breathing shallow.


    "I don¡¯t want to be thrown away..."  His heart raced as the words left his lips.


    "No, it¡¯s not okay... I just don¡¯t want to disappoint him..." Jerald¡¯s digging became frantic as if trying to escape the very thoughts that haunted him.


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    Finally, after several minutes, he reached into the grave and pulled out the lifeless body of a young girl, her appearance almost identical to his own. It was Josie.


    "I didn¡¯t come here to disturb you." Jerald¡¯s voice was shaky but calm. He carefully lifted her limp body.


    "I knew you¡¯d be lonely down here, so I wanted to move you closer... to everyone else." He whispered, carrying her gently towards a nearby area filled with other unmarked graves.


    "Nuh-uh, not that big of a move." He giggled, trying to make light of the grim situation.


    After carefully laying Josie¡¯s body down beside the graves, he started digging again. This time, the hole was bigger, wider¡ªjust like she had requested.


    "Is that enough room?" He paused for her imagined response.


    "Okay, let me know if you want it deeper." He continued until he felt satisfied with the size of the grave, his small hands aching from the effort.


    "Perfect." Jerald wiped his brow, standing up proudly.


    Once he was done, he walked over to a nearby dying flowerbed by the fence, plucking a few bright red flowers.


    "You want the pink ones too, huh?" He smiled, picking a few more pink flowers and bringing them back.


    Jerald placed the flowers gently on Josie¡¯s still body before he started covering her with dirt again.


    "They¡¯ll stop being itchy soon, so don¡¯t worry," he said softly as he patted the soil down.


    Tears streamed down his face again, but he wiped them away quickly.


    "Happy birthday, Josie." He whispered, gazing at her fresh grave with a bittersweet smile.


    As he stood up, Jerald looked at the other fifty-five graves scattered around the junkyard.


    "I haven¡¯t forgotten you either. I¡¯ll visit you too... soon." His voice was barely above a whisper as he turned and walked back to the mansion, disappearing into the cold night.


    ***


    <b>One week later, the night before Jerald''s mana depth evaluation.</b>


    "Jason, I¡¯m scared..." Jerald whispered, his small body rocking back and forth in the dark closet where he often foundcomfort.


    "No... What if I disappoint Daddy?" His voice was filled with desperation.


    "You don¡¯t understand... It doesn¡¯t matter what I want." Tears slid down his cheeks, soaking the sleeves of his shirt.


    "I just can¡¯t fail... I can¡¯t." Jerald¡¯s sobs echoed within the cramped space.


    Suddenly, a crimson light enveloped the small closet.


    The sinister glow filled the room, tightening around him like invisible chains.


    Jerald gasped, frozen in place by the forceful aura that gripped his entire body.


    ¡®What is this...?¡¯ His thoughts were consumed by fear as his eyes widened in terror.


    "Hehehe..." A sweet, alluring voice echoed from within the red light, breaking the silence.


    "Wha...?" Jerald could barely form words, his voice weak and trembling.


    "I¡¯ve been watching you, little one..." The voice purred, its presence overwhelming.


    "W-who are you?" His throat felt tight, and he struggled to breathe.


    "A shoulder to cry on," she whispered, her tone both soothing and menacing.


    "What are you talking about?" Jerald asked, bewildered, his heart pounding in his chest.


    "You¡¯re a prodigy in martial arts... Truly talented," the voice praised.


    "Th-thank you..." Jerald¡¯s voice was barely audible, unsure of what to make of the entity¡¯s words.


    "But... your mana depth is pitifully low." The voice took on a pitying tone, piercing Jerald¡¯s fragile hope.


    "I-it is?" Jerald¡¯s heart shattered at her revelation.


    "You only have four hundred and eight mana units. That equates to a mana depth of... twenty-five."


    The boy''s eyes widened in horror as her words sank in.


    "Twenty... f-f-five?" His body trembled uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face once again.


    "I¡¯m sorry, little one. But don¡¯t despair. You could still become a remarkable knight, perhaps even reach Grandmaster level." The voice softened slightly.


    "But I don¡¯t want to be a knight! I need to be a magic knight!" Jerald cried, his voice filled with panic.


    "Not with your current mana depth. It¡¯s simply... impossible." The voice declared coldly.


    Jerald¡¯s world began to crumble. The one thing he feared most was happening. If he failed... if he couldn¡¯t become a magic knight...


    "Daddy will throw me away... I don¡¯t want to go to the junkyard!" Jerald screamed, his sobs filling the closet.


    "How badly do you want this?" The voice asked, its tone now sharp and direct.


    "What?" Jerald whispered through his tears, confused.


    "How badly do you want to succeed? Do you want it enough to do <b>anything</b>?"The voice¡¯s words hung in the air, heavy with implication.


    "Yes... I¡¯ll do anything." Jerald¡¯s response was immediate, his desperation clear.


    "Then I¡¯ll help you." The voice grew more seductive, pulling him deeper into its grasp.


    "H-how?" Jerald sniffled, wiping his tears with the back of his hand.


    A glowing rune appeared before him, and a scroll unfurled in midair.


    <b>"Do you know what it means to be Cursed?"</b>


    <i>*Roman Human Jerald Cecil, you are being offered a contract by the Demon Sponsus. The terms of this contract are as follows: </i>


    <i>You shall receive:</i>


    <i>3 434 mana units</i>


    <i>Accelerated Growth rate.</i>


    <i>The ability to utilize Wicked Aura</i>


    <i>Details of contract:</i>


    <i>The Roman Basic Demon, Sponsus has offered a divine contract to the Roman Human, Jerald Cecil this contract gives the boy all the benefits of being Cursed.</i>


    <i>Upon signing the mortal, Jerald may not contract with any other beings.</i>


    <i>Every single day, Jerald will be required to send his sensory data back to Sponsus. </i>


    <i>Sponsus may demand any other information Jerald may possess and the mortal must comply.</i>


    <i>Should Sponsus order Jerald to carry out a task, the mortal must comply. Sponsors may only make this order once a month. </i>


    <i>Jerald may ask Sponsus any question and she must respond truthfully, as long as this question doesn''t break other contracts the Deity may be bound by.</i>


    <i>If any party refuses to deliver on any one of these promises they will receive Divine Punishment.</i>


    <i>*Would you like to accept these terms? <Yes/No></i>


    <i>"Yes" The boy didn''t even hesitate to give his answer, he didn''t care to read the terms either he only had one thing on his mind...</i>


    ***


    <b>*Extra Information: </b>


    <i>Divine contracts don''t have to be fair in any way, they can be skewed in any of the parties'' favour, aslong as the terms are clearly stated in the contract in a way that is not misleading.</i>


    <i>When offering Divine Contracts to mortals, deities can''t lie or feed the mortal misinformation.</i>


    <i>Deities increase their mortal''s mana depth by giving them a predetermined portion of their soul, this not only serves as a standard term for Blessing/Cursing the mortal but is also a condition required to make the Divine Contract valid.</i>

 Were the same

    "You act like you''re better than me... That''s why I hate you." Jerald drove his fist into Adonis''s stomach.


    <i>BAM</i>


    "I wha¡ª" The whites of Adonis''s eyes swallowed his irises as he involuntarily spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "I can feel it... You''re just like me." Jerald retracted his arm and struck Adonis''s cheek with his opposite fist.


    <i>BAM</i>


    "I''m like you?" Adonis staggered back, using the moment to rub his swollen cheek.


    "You''re a damon." Jerald pointed an accusing finger at his opponent.


    "Huh?!" Adonis''s battered face twisted into an expression of utter confusion.


    {Kukuku. Such intuition is impressive, or is he just projecting?} The Devil God chuckled, amused by the exchange.


    "What?" Amber narrowed her brows, confused.


    ''He had been one of my suspects, but now that Jerald has called him out, I scratched him off the list... Could they both be Cursed?'' Amber scrutinized Adonis''s reaction.


    "Hahaha." Adonis, aware of Amber''s skepticism, merely laughed at Jerald''s accusation.


    "What''re you laughing at?" Jerald scowled.


    <i>Flame Magic: Fire Armament</i>


    Harnessing his newly ignited fist, Jerald angrily delivered a cross aimed at Adonis''s face.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "What could''ve possibly made you think I was a damon?" Adonis mocked, deftly evading the blow.


    "It''s obvious; anyone with eyes can see it." Jerald unleashed a small wave of flames toward Adonis''s abdomen.


    <i>Flame Magic: Heat Blast</i>


    "What''re you talking about?" Adonis swatted away the torrent of flames with a hand enveloped in Earthly Aura.


    "You can''t trick me." Jerald pulled his arm back and summoned a fireball from a magic circle behind his hand, the projectile moving slightly slower than sound.


    <i>Flame Magic: Outer Furnace</i>


    "Your eyes..."


    "That doesn''t make any sense." Adonis, cloaked in Earthly Aura, blocked the fireball with ease.


    "You and I have the same eyes." From magic circles on either side of his opponent, Jerald summoned two sets of teeth-shaped flames.


    <i>Flame Magic: Burn Bites</i>


    "I don''t even know what your eyes look like; your hair covers them." Adonis leapt toward the ceiling, allowing the flames to obliterate one another.


    "Don''t patronize me." From a magic circle on the floorboards, Jerald summoned a surge of yellow flames.


    <i>Flame Magic: Fervent Emission</i>


    ''There''s something wrong with him.'' Adonis pushed off the ceiling, shaking loose debris from the stone surface.


    {It''s not like he''s wrong; you are a damon.} The Devil God interjected.


    ''Yeah, but he has no proof¡ªjust nonsensical rambling.'' Adonis shook his head.


    Despite the flames having missed their target, they continued their rampage, devastating the upstairs classroom.


    "You two are destroying the classroom," Amber complained, irritation lacing her voice.


    "It''s not me!" Adonis protested, landing on a desk near the back.


    "You''ve got the eyes of someone who failed," Jerald continued, relentless.


    "...Failed?" Adonis''s playful demeanor faltered.


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    "You failed and were given a second chance." Jerald reiterated, closing the distance between them with determination.


    "You don''t know what you''re talking about." Adonis clenched his fists, fortifying them with Earthly Aura.


    "See, that''s why I hate you. You failed and now you refuse to accept what you are." Jerald launched his Earthly Aura-enhanced foot into the air.


    On its destructive trajectory, the kick obliterated the desk Adonis stood on, threatening to crush his most vital asset.


    {He went for the balls?!} The Devil God erupted in laughter.


    Unamused, Adonis sprang from the desk, returning to the familiar wooden floorboards.


    "You accepted the contract but refuse to admit you''re a damon." Jerald pivoted and flung his fist at Adonis''s chest.


    "..." Adonis parried the punch, countering with a strike aimed at Jerald''s throat.


    "You accepted the contract and became a damon, yet you hold your head high as if you''re some natural prodigy." Jerald sidestepped, seized Adonis''s arm, and delivered a spinning backfist aimed at Adonis''s ear.


    "..." Adonis took two steps back, narrowly escaping the blow.


    "I don''t expect you to hold up a sign announcing that you''re a damon... But stop acting like you''re the shit," Jerald spat.


    "..." Adonis raised his hands, summoning wild ivory flames to dance between them.


    <i>Inferno Magic: Hell''s Armament (Matter Variation)</i>


    Adonis swiftly swiped his hands, intent on incinerating Jerald''s chest.


    Just as Jerald leaned back to evade the attack, a lightbulb ignited in Adonis''s mind.


    "You disgust me," Jerald said, steeling himself.


    ''That magic affinity is annoying. But I have a way to guard against it.'' Jerald cloaked his entire body in a generous layer of Wicked Aura, fortifying himself in the process.


    "You know nothing." Adonis thrust his Inferno magic-encased palm forward.


    Jerald raised his forearm, the Wicked Aura shielding him from the ivory flames while absorbing the force of the blow.


    "What?!" Amber gasped in disbelief.


    "I''m going to make you admit it," Jerald advanced, throwing a hook.


    "Shut up." Although he narrowly avoided critical damage by leaning back, Adonis still earned a deep cut across the bridge of his nose.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    Ignoring the fresh wound, Adonis lunged forward, slashing his flaming hand horizontally at Jerald''s forehead.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    ''It works; he can''t burn Wicked Aura.'' Jerald patted Adonis''s hand with his own, feigning indifference to the hellish flames.


    "I''ll make you admit you failed. That you''re just like me!"


    "You''re getting too cocky, Jerald." Straightening his face, Adonis amplified the ivory flames, targeting Jerald''s protected jaw.


    <i>Inferno Magic: Hell''s Armament (Essence Variation)</i>


    Upon contact, Adonis''s flames burned through Jerald''s Wicked Aura, striking him squarely in the upper jaw.


    <i>BAM</i>


    ''What?!'' A searing pain shot through Jerald''s spirit, an irritating throb pulsating in his already damaged jaw as he staggered backward.


    "You failed." Adonis switched arms, thrusting his fist upwards into Jerald''s chin; the ivory flames ripping through the remaining Aura.


    ''What''s going on?! I thought my Wicked Aura could protect me from this magic.'' Panic surged through Jerald as the damage mounted.


    "You failed to improve by yourself, so you surrendered yourself to a Demon." Adonis raised his left hand, gripping Jerald''s hair.


    With force, he lowered the magic knight, driving him into a flying knee.


    <i>BAM</i>


    <i>CRACK</i>


    ''How am I losing?''


    "You did that." Adonis crouched, his face now slightly lower than Jerald''s.


    In the same motion, he spun swiftly, allowing his elbow to ram into Jerald''s cheek.


    <i>BAM</i>


    <i>CRACK</i>


    "Not me, you." Maintaining his momentum, Adonis brought his hands together, summoning the familiar ivory flames.


    Simultaneously, he created three small magic circles, dragging the pure white flames into each.


    "You failed." With each entry and exit into the magic circles, the flames swelled, forming a grand current of destructive energy.


    <i>BWSHHHH</i>


    <i>Inferno Magic: Hellish Gyrate (Matter Variation)</i>


    "Don''t you ever compare us." Adonis completed his spin by smashing the flames into the magic knight''s upper body.


    Upon impact, a horrifying spectacle unfolded.


    The ivory flames completely engulfed Jerald from the waist up, consuming him utterly.


    True to their nature, the hellish flames eviscerated every particle they touched.


    Strangely, it wasn¡¯t just Jerald¡¯s body that faced annihilation...


    The purple-haired magic knight laid waste to half the classroom, leaving behind only the section where he stood and the severed legs of the defeated Jerald Cecil.


    "How can you call my struggle failure when I never even had the chance to try?" Adonis¡¯s silver eyes coldly regarded what remained of the damon.


    "..." Amber stared blankly at the magic knight, a chill of fear running down her spine, worried she might be next.


    "Why''re you looking at me like that... You scared?" Adonis turned around, allowing the darkness in his eyes to pierce hers.


    "W-was it necessary to destroy the classroom?" she asked, her voice trembling.


    "I eliminated the threat, did I not?" he replied coldly.


    "Are you going to eliminate me too?" Amber began emanating a weak Holy Aura.


    <i>DIMMM</i>


    "Are you a threat?" he inquired, his voice chilling.


    "...I don''t know."


    ''Something''s off with him. The way he''s looking at me... he''s not afraid of killing me.''


    ''Maybe I''m just letting Jerald get into my head... If he was a damon, he could''ve killed me already and framed it on Jerald. But something still bothers me.'' Amber dismissed her Holy Aura.


    "You said you''d answer my questions," she finally stated.


    "Go ahe¡ª"


    <i>BAM</i>


    Kicking the locked door open with ease, Professor Fitzburg barged into the classroom.


    "What happened here?" he demanded, taking in the significant collateral damage and the severed body with a scowl.


    "One of your students was a damon." Adonis said flatly.


    "Who?" The professor''s frown deepened.


    {Can''t you tell?} The Devil God chuckled.


    ''Not the time.'' Adonis dismissed.


    "Jerald Cecil." Amber said.


    "I see. And you two defeated him?" He asked.


    "Ye-" Adonis replied.


    "No, he did. And all the damage, that was him too." The PTC pointed at her classmate spitefully.


    "Well done." The Professor nodded at Adonis.


    "Thanks..."


    ''Did she just throw me under the bus?'' Adonis stared daggers at the Light prodigy.


    "You two come with me to the Elders, you''ll have to explain this all in detail." He commanded.

 Snitches get...

    <b>Academy Elders'' meeting room</b>


    "This is where I leave you two. I''d advise you to tell every single detail." Professor Fitzburg said.


    "Yes sir." Adonis and Amber said simultaneously.


    "Good luck." The Professor stepped away from the massive wooden door.


    "Thank you." Amber replied.


    "Ladies, first." Adonis gestured toward the door''s brass handles.


    "Tsk, coward." Amber shook her head and opened the wooden door.


    "I¡¯m glad chivalry  is dead." Adonis complained under his breath.


    On entering the room, Adonis''s eyes landed on seven nobles and an empty seat.


    ''Of course, he''s late.'' Noticing Elder Mars''s absence, Adonis sighed.


    "Our guests of honour have arrived." Elder Hercules smiled softly at the magic knights.


    ''They may be suppressing their strength, but their presence is overwhelming. Especially him.'' Adonis focused on the old man in the crescent table''s centre.


    "Start speaking, we have places to be." Elder van Crops said.


    "Be patient, they just arrived." Elder van Ox shook his head.


    "This isn''t the time to be patient, there was a damon in the academy just a few minutes ago and there''s tons of damage to the classrooms." Elder van Crops spat.


    "A Damon they killed, we should be congratulating them." Said Elder Lez added.


    "Sorry, I''m late." Entering through the door behind the table, Scipio Mars smiled at Adonis.


    "I thought you dropped out." Chuckling, the youngest Elder found his place near the end of his table.


    "You''re late...Elder." Ignoring Elder Mars''s comment, Adonis forced a smile.


    "Since everyone''s here I think we should start." Unusually quiet, Elder Slyhead looked at Elder Hercules.


    "Yes... PTC Amber Shine and Adonis Vindicta, today at 8:30 AM you were in an altercation in Classroom 1A. A conflict that involved a Damon and resulted in the casualty of your classmate Jerald Cecil. We''d like to hear the full story directly from your mouths." Elder Hercules stared at the two first-year students.


    "Don''t lie." Elder Syvian added.


    <i>DUMMMM</i>


    The room went silent as every Elder other than Elder Mars released a small portion of their Earthly Aura, challenging the structural integrity of the meeting room.


    ''Are they trying to intimidate us?'' Although he could barely move his body, Adonis''s mind stayed calm.


    {Kukuku, it''s pretty smart.}


    ''I hope Amber isn''t crumbling.'' Incapable of turning his head, Adonis continued blankly staring at the Elders.


    "B-before..." Amber started.


    ''Seriously.'' Adonis internally sighed.


    "Before martial arts class today, I had lost my training headscarf. So I went back to the classroom to search for it in my bag, and that''s when I was confronted by Jerald. He gave me my lost headscarf back and attacked me after I admitted I suspected him that''s wh-" She continued.


    "Suspected? What did you suspect?" Elder Slyhead asked.


    "I suspected he was a damon...Elder." Amber said.


    "I see." Elder van Ox said.


    "When did you arrive then?" Elder Lez pointed at the teenage boy with purple hair.


    "Just when Jerald attacked her." Adonis said casually.


    "Through the window." Amber added.


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    ''Does she like throwing me under the bus?!'' Adonis glared at her through the corner of his eye.


    "How did you know when and where to be?" Elder Syvian asked.


    "I was in the courtyard outside the classroom when I sensed two presences inside the classroom. So I jumped up to peek through the window and noticed Jerald attacking Amber." Adonis shrugged.


    "Makes sense." Elder van Crops admitted.


    "Then you two defeated him together?" Elder Slyhead asked.


    "No, Vindicta wanted to fight Jerald by himself...He was the one to defeat him, and the one to destroy half the classroom." Amber replied.


    ''I''m not even mad anymore, this level of snitching is impressive.'' Adonis merely stared at the Elders.


    "Well done, Vindicta." Elder Hercule said.


    "That''s impressive, defeating a Damon that''s on your Tier." Elder van Love complimented.


    "It wasn''t easy." Adonis smiled.


    "I think you two deserve a reward, for the service you did for this Academy and your Empire." She added.


    "Reward?" Adonis''s silver eyes transformed into vivid gold coins.


    {Greedy.}


    "We shouldn''t be rewarded for doing our duty." Amber said humbly.


    ''WHAT?!'' Adonis scowled.


    "Adonis." Elder Mars said casually.


    "Yes?" Adonis glared at the young Elder, still ticked off that he might lose his reward.


    "How long have you known that Jerald was a damon?" Elder Mars asked.


    ''He knew?'' Amber frowned.


    "Hm?" Caught off guard by the question, Adonis took a deep breath.


    The room''s already tense atmosphere reached unprecedented heights.


    "What''re you talking about Vice Commander?" Elder Slyhead asked.


    "How could he have possibly known?" Elder van Crops said.


    "What?" Elder van Love stared at the youth.


    "..." Elder Syvian increased the pressure of her Earthly Aura.


    "Interesting." Elder Lez and Elder van Ox muttered simultaneously.


    "Answer the question, Vindicta." Trusting his grandson''s intuition, Elder Hercules studied Adonis.


    {Kukuku..That Scipio Mars is going to be a real pain in the ass.} The Devil God chuckled.


    ''I know right.''


    "During the outing." Adonis admitted.


    "And you didn''t come to us?!" Elder van Crops snapped.


    "Would you have believed me? A commoner with no backing, fame and more importantly no proof." Adonis said flatly.


    "..."


    "What convinced you he was a damon?" Elder Mars smiled.


    "Three things: Firstly the Cecil family is a small proud family that has historically produced only knights; in their four hundred and fifty years of existence not once has the family produced a magic knight. Unlike most knight families this isn''t because they forbid the use of magic or anything, but because none of them have ever had a mana depth above average. It''s strange, but it''s as if they are hated by mana."


    "What does that have to do with anything?" Unable to understand the thought process, Elder Slyhead frowned.


    "The family has historically always checked their children''s mana depths at most a month after they turn ten, the legal age for the public to have this inspection. This means they''ve always been eager to have a magic knight heir, but to no luck."


    "This fixation on having a magic knight heir exceeded mere desire with the actions of Junius Cecil, the current head of the family. The captain knight would pick women from mage families and use them to produce children, to heighten the possibility of creating a magic knight. When the children turned ten and he tested their mana depth, he would dispose of them when they didn''t meet his requirement."


    "That''s a bold accusation." Elder Hercule said.


    "One that''s based on reason, Elder. Captain Junius Cecil had fifty-six children, fifty-five of them had mana depths below thirty and all fifty-five of them died the same week they had said mana depth measured. Yet the only child to live past ten was Jerald, who had a mana depth of sixty-five"


    "..."


    "Although this proves the Captain isn''t the best father, it doesn''t prove that Jerald is a damon. But this does give us one thing, motive. The motive to accept a deal with a Demon."


    "Mhm." Elder van Love nodded.


    "Secondly, Jerald was stronger than he let on yet his reputation didn''t match. Everyone thought he was Tier 10 mid-rank, a level of strength he would constantly display and tell people. Yet this was a lie."


    "How''d you find that out?" Elder van Crops asked.


    "Because he knocked Wendy Carter out in one blow, and as we all know, Wendy Carter was Tier 10 high rank." Adonis explained.


    "Fair." Elder Slyhead admitted.


    "Thirdly, Jerald had a habit of whispering to himself under his breath; actions that indicate that he was communicating to another being or mentally unstable, which would make him the perfect prey for a Demon. These factors alone just prove that Jerald was a sad and possibly insane individual, but when combined they all point towards him being a damon." Adonis concluded.


    On finishing his explanation the meeting room fell silent once more.


    "That''s..."


    "Hahaha!" Elder Mars clapped his hands amusedly.


    "Well done on putting together the pieces we couldn''t and killing him, we are truly grateful." The Elder head ceased his aura and bowed.


    ''How didn''t I see all of that?'' Amber eyed Adonis.


    "Unfortunately due to the damage to the classroom and the less-than-desirable news, we''ll need to shut down the academy for at least a month." Elder Hercules announced.


    ''Makes sense.'' Adonis nodded.


    "Before you leave for your holiday, what would you two want as your reward?" Elder van Ox asked.


    "Nothi-"


    "A temporary ranger''s license." Cutting Amber off, Adonis replied immediately.


    "A ranger''s license?" Elder Lez tilted her head confusedly.


    "Yeah, I want to train in a few dungeons on this break. It''ll help me gain experience and make some money." Adonis explained.


    "Very well, that can be arranged." Elder Syvian said.


    "And you?" Elder Hercule asked Amber.


    "I''ll have to pass, thank you." Amber bowed.


    ''I''ll take her reward if she doesn''t want it, I could use some more money.'' Adonis grinned.


    {Greed will kill you one day.}


    "Thank you you two, you are dismissed." Elder Hercule nodded.


    "Thank you." The two first years bowed and left.


    ***


    "I still need to ask the kid a few questions." Elder Mars stood up, eager to follow Adonis.


    "We still have more to discuss, Scipio." Elder Hercule looked at his grandson.


    "Discuss?" Elder Slyhead asked.


    "The first years'' Rising Star Rankings are wrong, they need to be fixed. It doesn''t make it better that two of the original are dead...We need to rerank them."

 Hibiscus tea

    "How''d it go?" Professor Fitzburg asked.


    "We got a reward." Walking behind Amber, Adonis smiled.


    "He got a reward." Amber corrected.


    "They offered." Adonis shrugged.


    "They said that as a formality!" Amber said.


    "It''d be rude for me to decline."


    "You''re just a greedy pig."


    "I''m starting to get the feeling that you don''t like me." Adonis chuckled.


    "You''re so bright."


    "I''m glad to see you two are in high spirits." Professor Fitzburg said.


    "I mean we are on holiday." Adonis shrugged.


    "Holiday?"


    "It''ll be announced soon," Amber said.


    "Okay... Until then, go join the other students in the courtyard for rolecall."


    "Yes sir." They said.


    ***


    <b>Academy courtyard</b>


    More than four hundred students gathered in the spacious courtyard, all three grades lined up alphabetically per their class. In front of these students were the respective professors and assistants in charge.


    "There they are!" Standing first in line, in the long queue of Class 1A students, Maxwell Aster smiled cheerfully.


    "Vindicta." Holding her weeping sister in her arms, Vera glanced at the approaching students.


    "Tsk, if I knew the whispering weirdo was that strong I would''ve challenged him long ago." Still bitter from the loss of the damon, Luna shook her head disappointedly.


    "..." Tarzy and Lutz merely stared at the two Rising Stars, albeit for two completely different reasons.


    "You''re hurt." Dropping her cold demeanour, Hiram frowned at Adonis concernedly.


    "I''m alright." Adonis grinned.


    "You should go to the medical facility." Hiram said.


    "No need. Amber will heal me... Right, Ambe-" When he turned to face the Light Prodigy she was no longer by his side.


    ''She <i>really</i> doesn''t like me.''


    {I don''t blame her.}


    ''You never miss the chance to insult me do you?''


    {Why would I miss my chance at happiness.}


    ''How low has the Mighty Devil God fallen?''


    {Don''t start with me mortal!}


    ''You started though.'' Adonis frowned.


    "What''s wrong?" Hiram asked.


    "Do your wounds hurt?" Hiram leaned forward, caressing the boy''s face.


    "It''s nothing, I''m okay." Adonis caught the assistant''s hand gently and smiled softly.


    ''I don''t care that they''re related, why''s she being so touchy with him.'' Vera shot Hiram a glare from the corner of her eye.


    ''I feel like someone''s watching me.'' Feeling a shiver up her spine, Hiram pulled her arm back out of fear.


    "Hero Magic Knights'' Academy Students, thank you for your patience..."


    "Here comes the long-ass speech." Toni sighed.


    ***


    <i>(15 minutes later.)</i>


    "In light of the recent damon incident, we''ve decided to close the academy for forty-four days." After Elder Hercule''s endless speech, he finally reached the point of the assembly.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Please be sure to leave your dormitories in decent condition and not to slack off during the break."


    {Did you hear that last part mortal?}


    ''You''re going to torture me, won''t you?'' Adonis lowered his head sadly.


    {Of course!]


    "Enjoy your break, may Jupiter and the Gods of Olympus be with you." Elder Hercule smiled.


    "Finally!" Toni cheered.


    ''If I leave now I can catch the cheaper carriages!'' Adonis followed the crowd of excited students.


    {There''s only a two-silver coin difference.}


    "Vindicta!"


    "Hm?" Adonis followed the voice and turned around.


    "You haven''t answered any of my questions yet." Amber said.


    "I''m kinda in a hurry." Adonis said.


    "You said you''d answer."


    "You''re very eager to speak to me, for someone who doesn''t like me."


    "How petty..."


    "I''ll answer one." Adonis sighed.


    "Good enough."


    "Did you also know about Wendy?" Amber asked somberly.


    "Of course not...How could I have possibly have known?" Adonis smiled at the girl and carried on walking.


    "Liar." Amber shook her head and walked in the opposite direction.


    ***


    <i>(Twenty minutes later)</i>


    <b>Adonis''s room, Dormitory Alpha</b>


    With a large leather bag hanging from his shoulder, Adonis dropped placed his folded sheets in the closet and approached the room''s large doors.


    "Hel-" Adonis opened the door and when he recognized the person behind the door he immediately swung it closed once more.


    "I thought I was welcome here." Scipio Mars frowned and stopped the door by lodging his foot into the space.


    <i>THUD</i>


    "You''re not." Adonis continued to try to close the door, despite the Elder''s resistance.


    "I just came for some tea." Elder Mars licked his lips.


    "I''ve run out." Adonis said.


    "You''re lying, I can smell the tea leaves." Elder Mars inhaled sharply.


    "That''s ridiculous, how can you smell the tea leaves!"


    {That glutton probably can.}


    ''I know.'' Adonis sighed.


    "Speech magic: Absolute comma-" Giving up on trying to convince the student to move aside or destroy the door, Elder Mars took the quickest route.


    "Okay okay geez, I''ll let you in." Feeling the surge in mana, Adonis stepped away from the door and invited the Elder into his room.


    "Thank you." Gratefully accepting the invitation, Scipio walked into the room.


    "It''s not a pleasure." Adonis pouted.


    "I knew I smelt hibiscus." Following the scent of the alluring tea leaves, the vice commander walked toward Adonis''s pantry.


    "What do you want? Other than finishing my groceries?" Adonis scowled.


    "To offer you my otherworldly wisdom... That''s my job as an educator, isn''t it?" Elder Mars used a kettle-like magic item to boil some water.


    "And ask you questions, of course." He smiled.


    "Start with the questions." Adonis sat on his stripped bed and stared at the Elder.


    "I''m glad you''re so eager!" Elder Mars smiled cheerfully.


    "Before we speak, would you like some tea?" The Elder poured hot water into the teapot and dropped a few tea leaves inside.


    "Yes please." The first year suddenly broke out into a cold sweat.


    ''He just wasted three bronze coins worth of tea!''


    {Oizys, this is getting out of hand.} Forever amazed by the mortal''s cheapness, the Devil God sighed.


    "Do you take your tea with sugar?" Scipio asked.


    "Nope." Adonis studied the prince''s movements carefully, calculating the price of each ingredient he used.


    "I knew you had amazing taste. I''ve been preaching the banning of sugar in tea, it diminishes the natural taste!" Elder Mars squealed.


    "I know right!" Adonis smiled.


    ''Plus sugar is expensive.''


    "Haha." Elder Mars put the tea and tea cups on a tray and approached and placed it on the small wooden table between two sofas.


    {A prince serving you tea. You''ve come a long way Oizys.} The Devil God chuckled.


    "So what do you want to know?" Ignoring Eos''s remarks, Adonis sat himself on one of the sofas near the table.


    Elder Mars poured two cups of fresh tea and sat himself on the sofa opposite Adonis.


    "Simple really, what''re you going to do from here?" The Elder blew on his fresh tea.


    "What am I going to do?" Fetching his cup of tea, Adonis frowned.


    <i>SLURP</i> "You recently defeated a damon, as much as it''s an achievement it also put a huge target on your back. Junius Cecil will want revenge."


    <i>SLURP </i>"Not only will Junius be after you, but many more. After killing Wendy during the outing you''ve made your name known, the traitor among the Academy Elders will be weary of you." Elder Mars continued.


    "There''s a traitor among the Elders?" Adonis feigned ignorance.


    <i>SLURP</i> "I''m disappointed that you think that act works against me." Scipio shook his head.


    <i>SLURP</i> "If you think you''re going to be safe in the academy you''re wrong, you''ve also become <i>her</i> target. So, I''m fascinated...What''re you going to do?" The Elder lowered the teacup away from his lips.


    "What am I going to do?" Adonis tilted his head confusedly.


    "Yeah, you''re too weak to keep yourself safe: physically and politically. In case you haven''t noticed, you''re fucked." Scipio pointed at the student.


    After processing the Elder''s words, Adonis took a sip of his tea and pointed at him; replicating his gesture.


    "You."


    "What?" Scipio raised his brows.


    "You''ll protect me... No one will try to mess with me once they know Prince PTC Scipio Mars the vice commander is backing me." Adonis shrugged.


    "Kid." Scipio''s face straightened and he placed his teacup on the table.


    "Don''t overestimate your value...What makes you think you''re that important to me?" The Elder''s Holy Aura began to seep out, causing the boy''s bones to rattle.


    <i>DIMMM</i>


    ''Hm? I''ve never seen him mad.'' Unable to move any part of his body but his face, Adonis hid his fear.


    "Because I''m the next PTC." Adonis smirked.


    ***


    <b>*Extra Information: </b>


    <i>(I''ve decided to change the meaning of PTC. It''s no longer ''Potential Tide Changer'' but rather ''Prodigal Tide Changer''. I just think it sounds better and easy to understand.)</i>


    <i>Class Hierarchy system: </i>


    <i>Imperial family- Members of the Imperial family. They are usually called their titles (Emperor, princess, prince etc.) </i>


    <i>Royal Family- Members of the Royal Family. They are usually called by their titles (King, Queen, prince etc.)</i>


    <i>Higher Noble families- Members of Dukedom families. They are typically called ''Lord'' or by their titles. </i>


    <i>Noble families- Members of Countdom families and other simple nobility. They are typically called ''Master'' or by their titles.</i>


    <i>(When entering the military or the academy, the titles'' are temporarily frozen. This law is hated by most nobles and why lots of them abstain from staying in the military too long.)</i>


    <i>(If a commoner becomes a knight, mage or magic knight they are still referred to as sir and exist between the gap between commoner and noble. By law they should be treated the same as normal nobles.)</i>

 Lets be rangers!

    "You want to be a PTC?" Ceasing his Holy Aura, Scipio Mars tilted his head confusedly.


    "It''ll open many doors and grant me plenty of benefits." Taking a sip of his tea, Adonis shrugged.


    ***


    <i>(30 minutes later)</i>


    <b>The Academy''s main gate</b>


    Outside the academy''s enormous gate were hundreds of carriages, hoping to transport a noble back home.


    ''I hope Minnie follows behind the carriage properly unlike last time, he almost gave the poor coachman a heart attack.'' As he strolled towards he gate, Adonis smiled at a familiar figure.


    "What took you so long?" Holding a leather briefcase, Hiram frowned.


    "I had some tea, sorry I''m late." Adonis approached the sulking lady.


    "It''s okay, but I doubt we''ll get a cheaper carriage."


    "MAAARRSS!" Realizing Hiram was right, Adonis turned his head to the sky and cursed the Elder''s entire lineage.


    ''That idiot prince better pay me back, not only did he drink my tea, eat my cookies and take my teapot, but he also made me miss out on a price cut!''


    {You also ate those cookies.}


    ''He tempted me.'' Adonis huffed.


    "Adonis?" Already used to his sudden outbursts, Hiram merely tilted her head.


    "O-oh. Let me carry your bags." Slightly embarrassed by the hundreds of eyes staring at him, Adonis cleared his throat and took her bag.


    "Thank you." Hiram smiled.


    "Let''s go find a carriage." Leading the way, Adonis approached a coachman who rode a large white carriage.


    "Good day sir, where will you be going?" The man smiled.


    "Periculum Village," Adonis said.


    "Okay, have a nice day." Smiling awkwardly, the coachmen commanded his horses to leave immediately.


    <i>SMACK</i>


    "Neigh!"


    <i>-sigh- </i>"That''s to be expected." Watching the carriage flee in fear, Adonis shook his head.


    "Periculum?" Hiram looked up at the magic knight.


    "Yeah, we''re not going home this holiday." Adonis smiled.


    "You''re not supposed to make decisions without me." Hiram pouted.


    "I''m sorry Hiram, but it''ll be really fun and beneficial." Adonis smiled nervously.


    "Beneficial?" She tilted her head.


    "We''re going to get stronger!"


    ***


    After an hour of having coachmen run away from them, and making lazy excuses Adonis and Hiram finally found someone willing to take them to their destination.


    "One hundred gold coins? That''s ridiculous, I''d rather run there!" Outraged by the exorbitant price, Adonis gripped his hair tightly.


    "Suit yourself, as you can see. No one''s willing to take you there kid." Rather than try to debate a fair price, the coachmen merely shrugged and prepared to whip the horses.


    "Wait! We''ll pay the fee." Hiram gripped her finance necklace and summoned fifty gold coins.


    "Hiram? We don''t need this scammer." Adonis huffed.


    "Adonis, I''m tired of walking." Hiram complained.


    "O-oh okay. I''m sorry for being inconsiderate." He said gently.


    "It''s okay." She smiled.


    "It''s one hundred and ten now, because of the kid''s attitude." The coachmen said flatly.


    {Kill him!} "Have you ever had your soul burnt?" Adonis glared at the man.


    "I''m just kidding!" The gentleman chuckled.


    "This is going to be a fun ride, you''re a real hoot kid." He slapped his knee as he continued to bellow uncontrollably.


    ***


    <i>(2 Days later)</i>


    <b>Periculum village.</b>


    Periculum Village, despite its name suggesting a humble settlement, was far from small or rural. The city''s strange name originated from its peculiar ''detachment'' from the Caelum Empire.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    This detachment was caused by the combination of its geographical positioning and internal affairs.


    Standing as the only buffer between the rest of the Caelum Empire and the mountainous outskirts of the Wicked Continent, Periculum served as the dungeon capital. Essentially, the city and its people acted as shields for the Empire against dungeons and curious monsters and magic beasts.


    The Ranger/Dungeon Capital''s detachment from the Empire was intensified by the rampant lawlessness within its gigantic walls. The lack of law enforcement, combined with the attraction of ambitious combatants made it the third most dangerous city in the world.


    Despite not being officially part of the Empire, Periculum remained heavily influenced by its culture and rules. However, this affiliation did not extend to tax payments or military protective services, making it alluring to ambitious business owners and vulnerable against enemy empires.


    Like most cities, Periculum featured thick layered enormous enhanced stone walls, with the innermost wall being as durable as a mountain and its outermost being capable of withstanding the full power of a 1st Tier magic knight.


    Strangely, while the walls were the personification of quality and durability, the rest of the city appeared somewhat neglected, characterized by aged buildings and worn streets.


    Inside the city, the only modern structures were the ranger guild branches, shops and a handful of hotels/inns.


    "We''re here! Is there anywhere specific you''d like me to drop you off?" The coachman asked.


    "An inn please." Seated in the back of the coach, Adonis rubbed his eyes wearily.


    "Got it."


    As they continued to traverse the streets of Periculum, Adonis gazed out the window, memorizing every detail.


    "Adonis?" Laying on the boy''s lap, Hiram groaned sleepily.


    "We''re here." Adonis smiled.


    "Where?" Hiram lifted her head from the boy''s lap embarrassedly.


    "Periculum."


    "Oh yeah." She yawned.


    "Don''t worry we''re not going to the dungeons right away, we''ll freshen up at the inn first. Plus there''s some admin we have to take care of first."


    "This is it. The Pegasus Guild ''Hotel." The coachman smiled.


    ''I said inn... That place looks expensive!.'' Adonis stared at the massive estate.


    The carriage stopped outside the gate, where two burly men stood on guard.


    "Thank you." Adonis gripped his necklace and summoned fifty gold coins before he handed them to the eager coachman.


    "You''re too kind." Accepting the money with a bizarre glimmer in his eyes, the coachman smiled greedily.


    "Don''t spend it all in one place." The boy grit his teeth angrily.


    "Let''s go, Hiram." Adonis opened the heavy carriage door and hopped out.


    "Thank you." Following closely behind Adonis, Hiram turned to thank the coachman.


    "Don''t thank him, he scammed us." Adonis whispered under his breath.


    "It''s no problem miss." The man tipped his hat and commanded his horses to take him away from the hotel.


    SMACK


    "Neigh!"


    <i>THUD THUD THUD</i>


    "This place is huge." Adonis studied the grand estate.


    Inside the Pegasus Hotel''s massive gates was an expansive stone pathway that led to all the important destinations, these being the main building, the outdoor training area, the gravity room as well as the weapons, magic items and potions shop.


    ''I didn''t get a chance to check out the gravity room in the academy, I should use this one.'' Adonis approached the two guards.


    "Name, reason for visit and affiliation." Maintaining his stern demeanour, the guard looked at the teenage boy and young lady.


    "Hiram Vindicta, ranger activities and I''m an assistant at the Hero Magic Knight''s academy." The lady said first.


    "Adonis Vindicta, ranger activities and I''m a first-year student at the Hero Magic Knight''s academy." The boy said flatly.


    "A first year?" The guard frowned.


    "I have a temporary license issued by the Elders." Using his spatial ring, Adonis summoned a scroll tied by a red ribbon and handed it to the sceptical guard.


    "Hmm..." The guard unravelled the scroll and studied its contents.


    ''Issued by PTC Vice Commander Scipio Mars... Who is this kid?''


    "It checks out." The guard rerolled the scroll and nodded at his partner.


    "And you?" The other guard looked at the lady with silver hair.


    "I plan on getting my license today." Hiram said.


    "That''s fine...Welcome to the Pegasus Hotel."


    The guards stepped to the side and pulled one lever each, initiating the opening of the gate.


    "Enjoy your stay." They said simultaneously.


    "Thank you." Adonis and Hiram nodded lightly and walked through the massive gates.


    ***


    The hotel''s lobby was busy to say the least, swarmed by magic knights, mages and knights of varying strength, each returning from or embarking on dangerous missions into the city''s infamous dungeons.


    Acting as the border between the entrance and the main lobby was a sizable circular table operated by four middle-aged women.


    After a brief wait in line, the duo finally reached the front of the queue.


    "Good morning." A woman smiled.


    "Good morning." Adonis smiled gently.


    "Seeking accommodation?" She asked.


    "Yeah, for two." He glanced at the silent mage by his side.


    "We have many different packages, please feel free to browse and pick what works for you." She smiled and handed the boy a large piece of paper with dozens of images and prices.


    <i>Single Room (A single room with one bed) - 1 Gold Coin per night</i>


    <i>Double Room (A single room with two beds) - 3 Gold Coins per night</i>


    <i>Junior Suite (A large room with one bedroom and private bathroom)- 3 Gold Coins per night</i>


    <i>Couple''s Suite (A large suite with one large bedroom, a kitchen and a private bathroom.)- 10 Gold Coins per night</i>


    <i>Partner''s Suite ( A large suite with two large bedrooms, a kitchen and two private bathrooms.)- 15 Gold Coins per night.</i>


    <i>Luxury Penthouse (3 bedrooms, a large kitchen, a private bathroom per bedroom, balcony, indoor swimming pool and more!)- 50 Gold Coins per night.</i>


    <i>Pegasus Penthouse ( 6 bedrooms, private bathroom per bedroom, balcony, indoor swimming pool, private gravity room and more!)- 1,000 Gold Coins per night.</i>


    <i>Add-ons: </i>


    <i>Unlimited access to gravity room- 100 Gold Coins upfront per person</i>


    <i>Unlimited room service- 20 Gold Coins upfront per person</i>


    <i>Unlimited access to training room- 10 Gold Coins upfront per person</i>


    ...


    "I''m getting dizzy." Overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of offerings, Hiram frowned.


    "Take your time." The woman smiled.


    "We''ll get one partner''s suite package, two unlimited room service add-ons, one unlimited access to the gravity room and two unlimited accesses to the training room add-ons." Adonis looked up at the clerk.


    "Got it." The woman nodded.


    "That''ll be eight hundred and twenty gold coins." She gestured towards the finance ball on the table.


    ***


    <b>*Extra Information: </b>


    <i>How to become a PTC: </i>


    <i>1. Achieve something thought to be impossible.</i>


    <i>2. Have your head of state recommend you to the King of your home kingdom.</i>


    <i>3. Your king will then accept or deny this recommendation.</i>


    <i>4. If accepted the king will present a case at an "Imperial meeting" where there will be a vote. All the kings in the empire attend this meeting, the emperor as well as the saviour of the empire. Each king''s vote is one point, the saviour''s vote is two and the emperor''s vote is three. To be approved you need at least sixty per cent positive votes (In the Caelum Empire this is six votes.) </i>


    <i>5. Your application is then taken to a "Domain meeting" where all the Emperors and Saviors attend and vote. (To keep the peace of this meeting it is moderated by a neutral angel.) (Each Emperor and Savior have one vote.) To be granted PTC status your application will be reviewed, there will be a discussion then a vote. You need at least eight total votes to be cleared as a PTC at this meeting. </i>


    <i>6. Alternatively, the angel present can approve your application with no need for voting.</i>


    <i>(Scipio Mars healed Adonis''s wounds.)</i>


    <i>(The Wicked Continent is the most dangerous place in the world.)</i>

 Howre you even a mage?

    "Whatthefuckdoyoumeaneighthundredgoldcoins? WhywouldIspendthatmuchonlodging.Whatthehelliswrongwiththisplace?!It''sascam,ascamItellyou.Everythinghereisascam,fromtherooms,tothefood,tothetrainingroom,totheswimmingpools,theirfancypools,massages!Allofit.Andwhythehelldidthatcoacmantakemehere,hewantedmetospendmoneythat''sit.HeknewIhatedspendingyethestilltookushere.Yesit''shisfault,thisisrevengeformeeatinghiscrackersinthecarriage.I''mgonnagethim,hebetternotletmeseehissmugfaceagainorI''llburnhis..."


    ''He''s been mumbling for an hour straight.'' Seated on the couch next to the sulking teenager, Hiram stared at Adonis.


    {Shut up or you''ll do nothing but martial arts training today.}


    "Sorry." Prompted by the deity''s telepathic message Adonis shut his mouth and frowned.


    "You okay?" Hiram asked.


    "Yeah..." Remembering how much money he spent, the boy shivered.


    "I''m ready to leave if you are, or do you still need some time?"


    "We can leave now." Adonis abruptly stood up.


    "Okay."


    ***


    <b>(The next day)</b>


    After Hiram managed to successfully acquire her ranger''s license, the two were ready to head out to the dungeons, all they had to do now was book one.


    The place they went to book said dungeon was the Caelum''s Rangers Association branch, a mutual spot for rangers from all guilds to carry out various tasks such as booking dungeons or paying taxes.


    "What level dungeon are you looking for?" The man asked.


    <i>Dungeon levels are measured in levels: </i>


    <i>Level one- Clear, White and weaker Pink Rank monsters.</i>


    <i>Level two- White and stronger Pink Rank monsters.</i>


    <i>Level three- Pink and Purple Rank monsters.</i>


    <i>Level four- Purple and Blue Rank monsters.</i>


    <i>Level five- Blue and Green Rank monsters.</i>


    "Level one." Adonis answered.


    "Okay..." The man input the answer into the magic ball.


    "The dungeons available to independent rangers are limited, but there''s one nearby as long as you''re okay with clearing it with other rangers." The man said.


    "That''s okay."


    "Good. As you know all magic crystals acquired from the dungeon must be reported and ten percent of your dungeon earnings should be given to the state. All other drops belong to you. Do you accept these terms and conditions?" He asked.


    "Yeah." "Yes." Hiram and Adonis answered.


    "Then good luck!" The man wrote up a ticket and handed it to the two.


    ***


    <i>Dungeons are born from a dense concentration of mana in a single location, creating malevolent entities and providing a habitat for said creatures.</i>


    <i>Externally, dungeons appear as small portals, typically no larger than a house. However, internally, they can expand to the size of continents. The size of the portal inversely correlates with the space inside and the dungeon''s level of danger. (The smaller the portal the larger and more dangerous the dungeon)</i>


    <i>Should dungeons remain uncleared, they reach a critical point known as a dungeon break, triggering an explosive release of mana from the portal.</i>


    <i>This explosion inflicts devastating damage, releasing the trapped monsters into the world. This is where rangers step in; their role is to clear dungeons before they reach this critical stage. The stability of a dungeon''s portal serves as a gauge for its proximity to breaking: the less stable the portal, the closer the dungeon is to collapse.</i>


    "You ready?" Standing in a plane field, Adonis and Hiram stared at a massive white portal.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ''I hope Minnie doesn''t bring too much attention to himself at the hotel.''


    "Yeah." Holding her magic staff with a pink magic crystal, Hiram straightened her face.


    "Let''s go then." Wielding his steel gladius, Adonis led Hiram into the dungeon.


    "AHHHH!" As every particle in her body was condensed and transported into the dungeon, Hiram squealed in pain.


    "Argh." Enduring the pain with a soft grunt, Adonis gripped his gladius for dear life.


    ''This is worse than being transported to the Black Market.''


    {I''m surprised you aren''t screaming your lungs out.}


    ''That torture you put my soul through is way worse than this.''


    {Kukuku, that''s only the beginning.}


    ''Wait, really?!''


    {Be careful, you''re in the dungeon now.}


    ''Answer me!'' With his body reconstructed, Adonis staggered out of the swirl of mana.


    "A-adonis?" Hiram stared at the dozens of dead goblins on the floor.


    The dungeon the two found themselves in took the shape of a massive underground cavern with four tunnels.


    "You scared?" He asked.


    "O-of course not, but you go first." Hiram scurried behind the magic knight.


    "You do realize you''re stronger than me right?" Adonis sighed.


    "I''m not scared!" She pushed the teenager forward.


    "Hehe, whatever you say." The two walked forward, carefully avoiding the goblin corpses.


    "Ew!" She squealed.


    "How''re you a mage?" Trudging forward, Adonis frowned.


    "I-"


    "AG AG AG!" Escaping from a rocky crevice, a single goblin lunged at the two.


    ''I haven''t missed that sound one bit.'' Adonis severed the monster in half.


    <i>SLASH</i>


    Middair, Adonis sunk his fingers into the goblin''s chest and ripped out a clear magic crystal.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    As soon as the crystal exited the corpse, the ranger ring on his finger absorbed it.


    "Let''s go, we can''t let them beat us." Adonis turned around and smiled.


    "That''s disgust-" Hiram coldly stared at the boy''s blood fingers.


    Before she could finish her sentence, Adonis raised his hand and smeared the blood on her forehead.


    "Now we''re both disgusting." He chuckled.


    "Adonis..."


    "I-I was just kidding...It was a joke." Detecting a sudden surge in mana, all the hairs on the boy''s body stood up.


    "Ice magic:..."


    "Hiram wait!" Adonis turned his back and sprinted toward one of the tunnels.


    "Hehe." Dismissing her magic circle, Hiram put her hand to her mouth and giggled softly.


    "Wait for me!" Realizing she was all alone, Hiram chased after the magic knight.


    The other side of the rocky tunnel was an open space with a small green lake concluding with another tunnel that led deeper into the dungeon.


    "Ke kee ke kee ke!" Escaping from the cloudy lake were six brown humanoid figures that landed before the pair.


    The monsters to emerge were slightly taller than goblins, wielded bronze spears and had frills that accentuated their aquatic nature.


    "Lirates..." Identifying the monsters immediately, Adonis prepared for battle.


    "Ice magic: Frost bullets" Hiram pointed her staff at the monsters and used a frothy magic circle to eliminate the monsters.


    <i>SPLURT, SPLURT, SPLURT, SPLURT, SPLURT, SPLURT</i>


    "You should''ve left some for me." Adonis pouted.


    "You should''ve been faster." She grinned.


    "Oh, it''s on!" He chuckled.


    "Ke Kee ke kee ke kee!" On cue, five more Lirates escaped.


    "Dag dag dag dag!" Following closely behind the Lirates was one more monster, this one being much larger.


    Slithering out of the lake was a massive Pink Rank Dagon. The gruesome creature possessed ugly bulging eyes and razor-sharp teeth supported by a frightening scaled abdomen and a massive slimy tail.


    "Repulsive," Hiram said flatly.


    "DAG DAG DAG DAG DAG DAG!" The dark green Dagon opened its hands and readied its claws to tear apart the two combatants.


    "Hiram support me from the back." Leading the assault, Adonis dashed at the lake monsters.


    "Got it." The pink magic crystal in the magic staff glowed radiantly as it assisted the mage in creating a magic crystal.


    <i>Ice magic: Frost bullets</i>


    Although the familiar bullets eliminated the new Lirates as they did the previous ones, they failed to defeat the Dagon; the Pink Rank magic beast merely swatted the spell away, treating it as a mere inconvenience.


    ''Dagons are on the weaker end of Pink Rank, we should be able to deal with it.'' Adonis clenched tightened his grip on the gladius and leaped into the air.


    ''Although, even with Hiram''s help this isn''t going to be easy.'' The magic knight descended with a vertical slash to the on-guard lake monster.


    ***


    <i>*</i><b><i>Extra Information:</i></b>


    <i>(</i><b><i>Reminder</i></b><i> that Hiram is an Expert level Mage)</i>


    <i><Dagon></i>


    <i>Rank: Pink rank</i>


    <i>Edible?: No</i>


    <i>Drops: magic crystal</i>


    <i>Weaknesses: It''s tail.</i>


    <i>Behaviour: Extremely aggressive, as soon as it detects life in its vicinity it''ll leap out of the pond. Sometimes, it leads armies of other weaker monsters like Lirates.</i>


    <i>Habitat: Freshwater.</i>


    <i>Attacking style: Extremely aggressive, uses its tail to attack faster and grab its prey. Also uses its claws to rip apart opponents.</i>


    <i>Abilities: Aqua breath, the monster ejects highspeed water from its mouth (Mach 4) this water has magical properties that inhibit spell casting and decrease stamina and movement speed.</i>


    <i>Description:</i>


    <i>The monster''s upper body is characterized by its tough, slimy scales that emphasize its imposing muscles. Its skin, a deep shade of green, boasts noticeable gills. Its face, relatively small in proportion to its body, showcases massive ugly yellow eyes and crooked razor-sharp teeth set within a formidable jaw. Below the waist, the creature lacks legs, instead sporting a powerful, slime-covered tail twice the size of its upper body. Notably, the monster features several aquatic attributes, including webbed hands and claws.</i>


    <b><i>Reminder</i></b><i> of monster/magic beast rankings relative to magic knights: </i>


    <i>Black- Stronger than Transcendants</i>


    <i>Red- Transcendent Level</i>


    <i>Orange- A gap, stronger than tier ones and weaker than tier 0s. Percy can beat</i>


    <i>Yellow- Tier 1 </i>


    <i>Green- Tier 2 to Tier 3</i>


    <i>Blue- Gap</i>


    <i>Purple- Tier 4 to Tier 5</i>


    <i>Pink- Tier 6 to Tier 8</i>


    <i>White- Tier 9 to Tier 10 </i>


    <i>Clear- Sub tier 10</i>


    <b><i>Reminder</i></b><i> of Knight and Mage ranking relative to magic knights.</i>


    <i>Grandmaster= Tier 5-4</i>


    <i>Master= Tier 6</i>


    <i>Expert= Tier 7</i>


    <i>Intermediate= Tier 8</i>


    <i>Novice= Tier 10-9</i>

 Were kinda weak

    In response to the descending magic knight and his blade, the Dagon raised its head and opened its mouth.


    <i>WHLSSSH</i>


    <i>Aqua breath</i>


    A current of cloudy water ejected from the monster''s mouth, drenching the boy in the thick liquid.


    "Shit." Instantly, Adonis felt his body''s weight increase and his stamina and mana drain away with each drop of water.


    {Dumbass.}


    "Ke kee ke kee!" Refusing to give the boy any time to adapt, the Dagon balanced on its erected tail and launched its heavy fist at Adonis''s torso.


    "Come closer, I dare you." Adonis''s body suddenly erupted in a thin shroud of ivory flames that destroyed the magic water.


    <i>BWSHHH</i>


    <i>Inferno Magic: Hell shroud (Matter variation)</i>


    "Kee?!" Detecting the danger that lay within those flames, the Dagon retracted its arm and returned to the ground.


    ''That''s what I thought.'' Adonis grinned and intensified the flames surrounding his left hand.


    "Inferno magic: Hell grenades!" The magic knight raised his left arm and rapidly flung balls of fire at the monster. <i>(matter variation) </i>


    "Ke." The Dagon scrunched its face and slithered around each descending ball, gracefully evading every attack.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>BOOM BOOM BOOM </i>


    With every collision with the rocky terrain, the fireballs destroyed the earth, creating empty shallow craters.


    ''It''s pretty fast.'' He acknowledged.


    "Keee!" Switching targets, the Dagon sprinted at the mage with the magic staff.


    Realizing the monster had switched targets, Hiram pointed at it with the staff and created a large magic circle above its path.


    When the monster was finally in position, Hiram''s simple magic circle was complete and ready.


    "Ice magic: Mobile Glacier!" Wasting no time at all, she summoned a massive rock of ice and sent it plummeting at the Dagon''s head.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Reacting swiftly, the Dagon slithered out of the glacier''s path and continued rushing at the mage.


    "Keee!" Arriving within the next second, the Dagon released its large fist at Hiram''s face.


    "Don''t even think of touching me." Utilizing a magic circle beneath her feet, Hiram erected a thick ice wall to shield the attack.


    <i>Ice Magic: Frost Barrier</i>


    <i>BAM</i>


    "Ke?" Unwavering, the Dagon slithered around the wall and flung its tail at her legs.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "You don''t listen do you?" The mage''s vibrant purple eyes dimmed as she channelled more mana into a second magic circle.


    <i>Ice magic: Glacial Stake</i>


    Hiram summoned a big icicle from the circle designed to pierce through the monster''s tail.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "Keee!" Alarmed, the monster quickly slithered backwards, managing to barely evade the quick spell.


    "That was impressive, when''d you learn to dual cast?" Adonis landed gracefully on the cavern ground and dashed at the Dagon.


    <i>(Dual casting is the casting of two different spells that require two separate and different magic circles.)</i>


    "Now." The mage shrugged.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ''She''s talented!'' He marvelled.


    {Unlike you!}


    ''That was unnecessary.'' Slightly hurt by the Devil God''s insult, Adonis sliced at the Dagon''s stomach.


    "Let''s up the pressure!"


    "Ke!" Deeming the attack too weak to guard, the Dagon merely embraced the blow with its body and thrust its fist at his head.


    ''That''s kinda disrespectful.'' Adonis quickly stepped out of the way of the attack, receiving a deep graze on his cheek from the fist.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    Aiding her fiancee, Hiram fired three bullets of ice at the monster, these moving much faster than the ones she used against the Lirates.


    <i>Ice Magic: Frost Bullets</i>


    Meeting the spell with an attack just as formidable, the Dagon fired another burst of water.


    <i>Aqua Breath</i>


    Taking advantage of the monster''s distraction, Adonis cleaved his gladius at the monster''s hips.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    Acting as if it had a mind of its own, the Dagon''s tail jolted and swatted the student away as if he were an insect.


    "Ah!"


    "Ke ke." Determined to finish him off, the monster turned its back and slithered after him.


    "Ke!" The monster raised both arms above its head sending, them hurling down at Adonis''s skull.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    ''It''s stronger and faster than me...'' Using the momentum from the previous blow, Adonis rolled out the attack''s way.


    "Leave him alone!" Hiram pointed her magic staff at the monster and channelled mana into a large magic circle.


    <i>Ice magic: Baltic Drill</i>


    Escaping the magic circle at Mach 4 was a massive tapered chunk of ice, heading straight for the monster''s torso.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Ignoring the boy, the Dagon turned around and raised its arms to block the attack.


    <i>THUD</i>


    <i>CRACK</i>


    "Kee!" Feeling its bones almost snap, the monster squealed in pain.


    "Inferno Magic: Hell cannon!" Adonis sharpened his eyes and threw a ball of ivory flames into a magic circle before him.


    <i>(matter variation)</i>


    When the flames exited the boy''s circle they transformed into a grand stream of destructive flames heading straight for the Dagon.


    <i>BWSHHH</i>


    Relying on its sharp instincts, the monster turned around and raised its hand.


    <i>TSCHHH</i>


    "KEE?!" Having expected the flames to merely scorch its hand, the monster was unpleasantly surprised to find it no longer had one.


    Hiram placed her hand on a small complex magic on the circle and let her mana surge.


    "Ice magic: Rime." Tiny ice crystals spread from the magic circle, like an infectious plague they continued to expand freezing everything they touched.


    <i>RTLT RTLT</i>


    The ice continued to spread rapidly till it inevitably reached the monster, freezing every single cell in its body and turning it into a solid chunk of ice.


    ''Wow.'' Adonis approached the new ice sculpture and struck it with his fist, shattering it like glass.


    <i>SHATTER</i>


    A single pink magic crystal rolled along the ground toward the magic knight''s feet.


    "You''re full of surprises, aren''t you Hiram?" He picked up the magic crystal and absorbed it into his ranger''s ring.


    "You shouldn''t know all my tricks." She giggled.


    "I''ll make you reveal them all!" Adonis began collecting the magic crystals from the Lirates'' corpses.


    ''Seems like there''re no more monsters in the lake.'' After collecting all the magic crystals, Adonis turned to the lake.


    "Let''s go." The pair ventured deeper into the dungeon, passing through a second much longer tunnel.


    "Scary..." Walking behind the magic knight, Hiram whispered to herself.


    "What?" Adonis turned around.


    "Nothing." She muttered.


    "Okay..." The boy turned around once more, following the light in the distance.


    After walking for a few more seconds, Adonis felt a light tapping on his shoulder.


    "Ready to admit that you''re scared?" He smiled.


    "What?" Hiram frowned.


    "You tapped my shoulder." He replied.


    "No, I didn''t." She tilted her head.


    "Are you playing some kind of jo-" Feeling a second tap on his shoulder, Adonis turned around once more.


    Instead of a human as he might have expected, Adonis found himself face to face with a peculiar monster.


    The creature his visage was inches away from was much smaller than the Dagon.


    The mischievous monster possessed a deformed egg-like shape that cast a gentle white glow through the tunnel. Three dull eyes were arranged randomly on the forefront of the creature''s face, while a terrifying tentacle beard cascaded down to its thin chest.


    The monster''s body was shaped like a deformed question mark and accentuated by gill-like wings that fluttered delicately. Replacing its legs and aiding in its balance was a long tapered tail, which seemed to sway freely in the air.


    The hands that had been used to tap the boy were disproportionately large, rivalling the size of its misshapen head. Like the entire monster, its hands were devoid of muscle or fat, resembling one large misshapen bone.


    "Creepy." Hiram shuddered.


    "Hee he he-" The monster chuckled.


    Using his gladius, Adonis ruthlessly sliced through the air, killing the monster in its path.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    "Unupus, White Rank." Noticing more than a dozen lights flickering through the tunnel, Adonis lifted his head.


    "Hee he hee!"


    "Hee he hee!"


    "Hee he hee!"


    {They''re hideous.} The Devil God said bluntly.


    ''They kinda look like you.'' Adonis jested.


    {What''d you say, mortal?!}


    ''I''m kidding!'' He chuckled.


    "Ice magic: Frost Bullets." Hiram ejected six chunks of ice from a magic circle, each one effortlessly killing a Unupus.


    "Inferno magic: Hell''s artillery." At the same time, Adonis created multiple magic circles, commanding them to fire small balls of flames on creation.


    <i>WHOOSH, WHOOSH, WHOOSH, WHOOSH, WHOOSH</i>


    "That''s it?" Hiram said disappointedly as she watched the lifeless bodies fall from the air.


    "I mean, they''re only White Rank." Adonis began collecting each magic crystal from their bodies.


    "We should go to a two-star dungeon after this, we''re not going to get any stronger in these one-star dungeons." Refusing to touch the dead bodies, Hiram simply watched the boy work.


    "Sure, but we''ll need to get a party...We''re kinda weak." Adonis chuckled.


    ***


    <b>*Extra Information: </b>


    <i>All dungeons have boss monsters, the monsters in the boss room or section are stronger than every other monster in the dungeon and sometimes lead small armies.</i>


    <i>Even if not all the monsters in the dungeon have been killed, if the dungeon''s boss is defeated the dungeon will be cleared and all the other monsters will be destroyed.</i>


    <b><i>Reminder</i></b><i>: </i>


    <i>Monster- A creature born from mana.</i>


    <i>Magic beasts- Animals that evolved as a result of mana </i>

 A party of lazy bums

    "Okay, I''m done here." On collecting the last crystal, Adonis followed the light at the end of the tunnel.


    "He hee he hee!" As the two continued down the path, more than fifty Unupi made themselves known.


    "Let''s not waste our time here." Adonis raised his hand and summoned fifty-three ivory magic circles.


    "Inferno magic: Hell''s artillery."<i> (matter variation)</i>


    Making quick work of the white-rank monsters, each magic circle fired a flame bullet.


    <i>BWSHHH</i>


    {Just because you''re lazy, it doesn''t mean you should be wasting mana.}


    ''Convenience isn''t wasteful.'' He began collecting the rolling crystals once more.


    ''Didn''t he just learn to use magic?'' Hiram widened her eyes.


    When the two eventually exited the tunnel they were greeted by a huge mushy pink block that repeatedly hopped in place.


    <i>WHOOSH THUD WHOOSH THUD</i>


    "What is that?" Hiram tightened her grip around her staff.


    "Jelly, a pink rank mons-"


    Interrupting the magic knight''s explanation, the massive squishy block bashed into him, sending him back into the tunnel.


    <i>SLAM</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "Adonis?!" Hiram snapped her head back, watching the teenager fly backwards.


    <i>THUD</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Satisfied with its attack against the magic knight, the Jelly repeatedly hopped in place and switched targets.


    "What the hell..."


    Without giving her time to regain her thoughts, the Jelly rushed at the mage.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>Ice magic: Frost barrier</i>


    ''It''s faster than before?'' Barely creating the ice wall in time, Hiram frowned.


    <i>THUD</i>


    Rather than merely bouncing backwards, the Jelly began hopping in place till it went higher and higher.


    "This is so weird."


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    After springing in place for a few seconds, the monster leapt over Hiram''s barrier, aiming to crush her with its overwhelming size and weight.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "What?!"


    ''That really hurt.'' Preventing the monster from crushing his partner, Adonis enhanced his foot with Earthly Aura and kicked the slime.


    <i>BAM</i>


    Due to the monster''s squishy body, both the monster and the boy were sent flying in opposite directions.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "Are you okay?" Recovering rather easily from the blow, Adonis landed gracefully and looked at the girl near the ice barrier.


    "What the hell is that thing!" Hiram scowled.


    "It''s a Jelly, a monster with no face, or limbs." Adonis briefly explained.


    "Well, it''s disgusting and annoying. Let''s kill it." She demanded.


    "Okay." Dimming his silver eyes, Adonis nodded with determination.


    Moving much faster than it did before, the monster flew at the mage.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


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    "Ice magic: Frost barrier." No longer off guard, Hiram quickly manifested a barrier of ice to shield the attack.


    Once again, the monster behaved bizarrely and didn''t bounce backwards, merely slamming into the barrier and landing in front of it.


    <i>THUD</i>


    CRACK


    ''Supreme Devil Arts:'' Channeling Earthly Aura into his gladius, Adonis leapt over Hiram and her ice wall.


    "Domain Devastation!" Adonis viciously slashed his sword diagonally, separating the Jelly into two triangular prisms.


    ''Inferno magic: Hell''s Shine.'' To ensure the Jelly''s remnants don''t come back together, Adonis extended his hand and summoned ivory flames.


    <i>(matter variation)</i>


    <i>BWSHHHH</i>


    "That was easy enough." Landing with a soft thud, Adonis retrieved the pink magic crystal.


    "Yeah."


    Feeling the mana in the dungeon surge, both the mage and magic knight looked toward the path beyond.


    "What''s happening?" Feeling her body turn to tiny particles, Hiram winced softly.


    "They cleared the dungeo-" At the same time, the boy also evaporated into mana particles.


    <i>DUWPPP</i>


    ***


    "The exit isn''t as bad." Adonis lay on his back in the middle of the peaceful field.


    "It''s still painful." Dismissing her magic staff into her spatial ring, Hiram complained.


    "You''re being a baby." He giggled.


    "Says the one who was crying over gold coins." She huffed.


    "Low blow!"


    "Excuse me."


    "Hm?" Adonis raised his head to stare at the bearded man wearing heavy chainmail.


    "Hello." Hiram muttered.


    "Did you two enter the dungeon with us?" He gestured to a woman who looked younger than Hiram.


    "Yeah, I''m assuming you were the ones who cleared it?" Adonis smiled.


    "No thanks to you." The girl with long black hair folded her arms.


    "Sorry about that, we came late." Adonis chuckled softly.


    {She''s rude, kill her.} The Devil God commanded.


    "We don''t have a party, and by the looks of it neither do you. Would you be willing to team up so we can take on a level two one?" The older knight asked.


    "They''ll be as useless as they were in there, we can find other people Dad." The girl said.


    "Sounds great, we''re also in need of a party." Ignoring the girl, Adonis smiled.


    "Stop making decisions without me!" Both the woman and Hiram said.


    "I''m Adonis Vindicta, a magic knight." The boy got to his feet and offered his hand to the man.


    "You seem pretty young Vindicta, I''m Rocco Edward, a knight." The brunette middle-aged man accepted the boy''s hand.


    "Nice to meet you." Adonis looked at his partner from the corner of his eye.


    <i>-sigh-</i> "I''m Hiram Vindicta, a mage." She said disinterestedly.


    ''Hiram doesn''t do well around people she doesn''t know, I hope she warms up to them.'' Adonis looked to the girl, anticipating her introduction.


    "Roxanne Edwad, magic knight." Without bothering to look at her new party members the girl shrugged.


    "Don''t mind my daughter, she''s just hungry." Rocco scratched his beard nervously.


    "It''s fine, speaking of hungry...Why don''t we go eat before we go to the next dungeon!" Fighting off his drool, Adonis raised his arm excitedly.


    "We just ate?" Hiram tilted her head.


    "Let''s go have some panis focacius!" He grinned.


    ***


    "When''d you two get to Periculum?" Seated in a graceful restaurant that radiated beauty and courtesy, Rocco ignored the massacre happening before him and focused on his plate.


    "Yesterday." Adonis muttered his answer, his words being muffled by the flatbread he repeatedly shoved in his mouth.


    "I think I''m losing my appetite." Roxanne stared at the boy with a disgusted expression.


    "Please forgive him, he''s just...hungry." Hiram wiped her mouth with a small napkin.


    "You know when I first saw you in the field I mistook you for a teenager, your appearance is really deceiving." Rocco smiled.


    "I am though...I''m fifteen." Adonis shrugged.


    "Wait what?!"


    "No wonder you''re so immature." Roxanne said.


    "Shouldn''t you be in school then?" The man asked.


    "The academy has a break for a while, so I decided to come here to train." Adonis explained.


    "You''re so dedicated, I wish my daughter was like you." Rocco joked.


    {Don''t praise this lazy bum!}


    ''Lazy bum?!''


    "Dad!"


    "I''m sorry." The man laughed.


    "My daughter here graduated from Telle Magic Knight''s Academy two years ago and she''s been a lazy ranger ever since, just like her old man!" The man slapped his uncomfortable daughter''s back.


    ''He''s proud of being lazy?'' Adonis smiled.


    {Don''t end up like that.} The Devil God said dissappointedly.


    "Stop telling everyone my business, we''re done here. Let''s go to a dungeon!" Roxanne rose abruptly, slamming the table with her hands.


    ***


    <i>(20 minutes later)</i>


    Unlike the previous dungeon, this one was located in a vacant mine shaft, its portal being noticeably smaller and radiating more mana.


    "You scare-" Interrupting Adonis''s teasing, Hiram kicked the magic knight into the large portal.


    "Oops." She giggled.


    "Hehehe." Covering her mouth, Roxanne giggled softly.


    "You''re turn!" Copying Hiram, Rocco pushed his daughter into the dungeon.


    "Da-"


    "Haha!" Rocco laughed heartily and leapt into the portal behind his daughter.


    "Those two are...interesting." Hiram smiled and calmly walked into the portal.


    ***


    "That was mean." Adonis rubbed his bottom uncomfortably as he studied his new surroundings.


    The Dungeon was huge, dwarfing the previous one in size and possessing none of the same features, except for the unsettling feeling the mana in the air gave the combatants.


    Unlike the rough, rocky terrain of the cavern, the level two dungeon''s surface comprised of a small crystal island, barely big enough to accommodate the small party.


    Surrounding the crystal island was an unforgiving dark abyss that called out to any who dared to lose their footing.


    Within this void floated five additional crystal islands, each progressively growing in size till they reached a massive wooden door devoid of handles.


    ***


    <b>*Extra Information: </b>


    <i><Jelly></i>


    <i>Rank: Pink rank- Green rank</i>


    <i>Edible?: No (Extremely poisonous) </i>


    <i>Drops: magic crystal</i>


    <i>Weaknesses: None</i>


    <i>Behaviour: Extremely aggressive</i>


    <i>Habitat: Dungeons and mountains</i>


    <i>Attacking style: Rams its body into opponents</i>


    <i>Abilities: Kinetic stock pilling- kinetic energy applied to or generated by the monster is stored in its body so that it can increase its speed and attack power (Must be in squishy phase to use). Hardening- Before colliding with targets, the Jelly hardens its squishy body. Regeneration- When damaged the monster is capable of complete regeneration(The limit of the regeneration is atomic level damage)</i>


    <i>Description: The monster is huge, possessing a squishy interior and exterior akin to that of a marshmallow, the colour of this exterior correlates with that of its rank; making it easier to identify. </i>


    <i>(After defeating the opponents, the monster lowers the density of its body and absorbs them.)</i>

 Diamond dungeon (1)

    "Don''t slow us down." Roxanne leapt off the crystal platform onto the next- much larger one.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "She''s right, keep up!" Rocco chuckled and followed after his daughter.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "We can''t let them beat us again." Adonis smiled and replicated the knight''s movements.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Landing with a hard thud, Adonis studied the smooth crystal surface of the small island.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "Kya!"


    Snapping his head backwards, he was shocked to see his companion pathetically falling to her death.


    Moving calmly and swiftly, the boy leapt into the abyss toward the falling mage.


    Mid-air Adonis caught Hiram, continuing to soar toward the lower wall of the first platform, where he placed the soles of his boots on the wall and latched on using Earthly Aura.


    "Even though you''re a mage you should still train your body, Hiram." Smiling softly, the magic knight leapt back onto the second island.


    "O-okay..." She said softly.


    Adonis put the mage down and watched the father-daughter pair engage the Pink Rank Monster.


    "DRAWWWLL!!" Having emerged from the smooth crystal surface, the Adamastrum towered over every combatant, its body slightly smaller than a cottage. Made entirely from a dense, clear diamond substance, the monster featured two massive arms and legs that shook the entire platform with each step it took.


    "Shut up." Unintimidated, Roxanne dashed at the monster.


    "That''s the spirit!" Rocco chased after his daughter, aiming to assist her in the encounter.


    Showing no signs of fear, the monster swiped its arm, shooting diamond shards at the girl.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "Slow." Moving swiftly, Roxanne moved out of the attack''s path and leapt toward the monster''s head.


    After coating her longsword in Earthly Aura, the female magic knight thrust it toward the monster''s glistening crystal eyes.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    <i>SNAP</i>


    "What the..." Instead of piercing the hard exterior as she might have hoped, Roxanne''s sword merely conceded, snapping on contact.


    Distracting the Adamastrum from his temporarily vulnerable daughter, Rocco punched the monster in the chest.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    <i>BAM</i>


    "DRAWWL?!" Turning its attention to the knight, the monster unwillingly took two steps backwards.


    "Don''t use blades!" Adonis warned.


    "Well, it''s a bit too late for that now..." The girl scoffed.


    "Ice magic: Hoar ram!" Acting as support, Hiram utilized a large magic circle to shoot a large cylindrical battering ram at the monster.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>BAM</i>


    Leaving the Adamastrum no room to react, the massive pillar slammed into the monster''s chest forcing it to stagger backwards.


    <i>THUD THUD</i>


    Capitalizing on the opening created by Hiram, Rocco soared through the air and struck the monster''s chin.


    <i>BAM</i>


    "You owe me a new sword!" Still in the air, Roxanne kicked the monster''s ascending face.


    ''I feel useless.'' Joining the battle, Adonis opened his hands and dashed forward.


    {Kukuku, that''s because you are!}


    ''...'' Adonis thrust his hands toward the monster and summoned a complex magic circle.


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    "Inferno Magic: Hellish Eruption!" Adonis ejected a bright mushroom cloud of ivory flames that was strengthened by the magic circle.


    <i>(matter variation)</i>


    <i>BWSHHHH</i>


    ''White flames?'' Roxanne landed on the ground and frowned.


    ''Inferno magic?'' Rocco tilted his head.


    Rather than destroy the target, as usual, the flames merely extinguished themselves pathetically.


    ''It''s just as I thought.''


    {All magic affinities have limits, even Divine ones.}


    ''It''s whatever, this was just a distraction.'' Adonis enhanced his fist with Earthly Aura and thrust it into the monster''s chest.


    <i>Supreme Devil Arts, unarmed variation: Assiduous Assault</i>


    <i>BAM</i>


    Rather than being pushed backwards, a portion of the monster''s body yielded, receiving a shallow dent as a result of the focused force.


    Acting as if the spell and punch did no damage at all, the monster swung its fist diagonally.


    ''Its body''s really strong, but it''s as equally slow.'' Unbothered by the throbbing in his right hand, Adonis weaved underneath the monster''s attack.


    Propelling herself using Water Magic, Roxanne unleashed a devastating Aura-infused axe kick on the monster''s head.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "GRAWLLL!" To counter the girl''s blow, the monster jolted its head upwards.


    <i>BAM</i>


    "She''ll be fine." Rocco rocked the monster''s jaw with his enhanced fist.


    <i>BAM</i>


    Irritated by the constant bombardment, the Adamasutra slammed its crystal arm into the knight.


    <i>BAM</i>


    ''It took advantage of my midair vulnerability, was that intelligence or chance?'' Despite the overwhelming force in the attack, the knight''s body stayed intact and he simply flew backwards.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "It''s really strong." The expert-level knight wiped a trickle of blood from his nose.


    "Yeah, but it''s slow." Adonis stood by Rocco''s side.


    "We''re making no progress." Standing on Rocco''s other side, Roxanne shook her head frustratedly.


    "Attack its core, I''ll make an opening." Hiram concluded her creation of a massive blunt rod above the monster''s head.


    <i>Ice magic: Wintry Chisel</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>THUD</i>


    The blunt chisel plummeted onto the monster''s head, forcing it to stagger forward and lose its balance.


    Exploiting its lack of balance, the two magic knights and knight approached cautiously.


    "GRAAWWLL!" Still full of life, the Adamastrum fired its fist at the group''s leader Rocco.


    Enhancing his arms with Earthly Aura, Rocco defended against the monster''s giant fist.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    <i>THUD</i>


    "I''ll keep it like this!" Struggling under the monster''s stupendous weight and strength, the knight groaned.


    Giving up on retrieving its right arm, the monster swung its left fist at the male magic knight who was now too close for its liking.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    ''So much power.'' Adonis dodged the monster''s arm and dashed forward, coating his right foot with Earthly Aura.


    ''Supreme Devil art, unarmed variation: ''


    "Divine Divider!" Having gathered enough Aura, Adonis swung his left leg at the monster''s knee, causing it to buckle uncomfortably.


    "DRAW-"


    "Water magic: Marmore falls!" Before the monster could voice its distaste, Roxanne drenched every inch of it in water.


    <i>SHHHH</i>


    "Ice magic: Cold cannon!" Assisting the magic knight, Hiram shot a beam of ice at the wet monster.


    Upon contact with the water, Hiram''s ice ray instantly froze the entire monster, forming a thick layer of ice around its diamond body.


    Now free to move without consequence, Rocco jumped toward the monst¨¦r''s chest and channelled Earthly Aura into his fist.


    "AH!" The knight slammed his knuckles into the monster''s chest, forcing it onto its back.


    ''He''s more experienced than he lets on.'' Impressed by the knight''s use of Earthly Aura Adonis hopped on its chest and channelled more aura into his right hand.


    ''Supreme Devil art, unarmed variation:''


    "Assiduous assault!" Adonis thrust his fist into the monster''s chest, targeting its pink magic crystal that glowed underneath its crystal exterior and ice shell.


    <i>BAM</i>


    <i>CRACK</i>


    "Target this dent." Adonis retracted his arm from the large dent.


    ''So precise.'' The knight admired.


    Following instructions, Hiram summoned a massive drill above the cold monster.


    Adonis leapt towards the giant ice drill and stood on its flat surface.


    The teenage boy unleashed the full extent of his Earthly Aura, using it to strengthen the big chunk of ice.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    "He''s a Tier 9?" The knight smiled.


    "Didn''t he say he was only a first-year?" Roxanne widened her eyes.


    Satisfied with the drill''s shape and newfound enhancement, Hiram commanded it to fall.


    "Ice magic: Baltic Drill!"


    <i>BOOM</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>CRACK</i>


    <i>SHATTER</i>


    The massive drill destroyed the monster''s ice armour and created a deep gash within its seemingly impenetrable diamond body.


    "DRAWWWLL!" Free from the ice prison, the Adamastrum rose to its feet, seemingly hurt by the damage done by the drill.


    Targeting one of the culprits of its pain, the monster heaved its fist at the descended teenage boy.


    "You''re done for." Smiling, Adonis pushed off the monster''s limb with his hand and manoeuvred toward its underside.


    ''Supreme Devil art, unarmed variation:''


    "Assiduous Assault." Adonis thrust his fist into the monster''s armpit, forcing its massive arm into the sky.


    {You''re wasting stamina by using the technique repeatedly.}


    ''I''ll only get stronger by pushing myself to my limits Lord Eos.''


    "He''s all yours." The first-year announced the monster''s vulnerability proudly.


    "Not bad kid." Enhancing his hand with Earthly Aura, Rocco thrust his hand into the monster''s exposed core, destroying the remaining protection.


    <i>SHATTER</i>


    Despite the damage he received from this manoeuvre, the man gripped onto the pink magic crystal and ripped it out ruthlessly.


    <i>SHATTER</i>


    Upon losing its core, the monster simply crumbled into a pile of harmless crystals.


    <i>CLATTER, CLATTER</i>


    "You two aren''t so useless after all." Roxanne summoned a backup longsword from her spatial ring and leapt across the abyss to the next crystal platform.


    "I told you she''d warm up to you." Rocco smiled.


    "Thanks... I gue-" Hiram turned her head confusedly.


    {Confidence without power is arrogance, and that girl is really arrogant.}


    "Hehe." Adonis collected a single diamond shard of what used to be part monster''s body, storing it in his spatial ring.


    "We''re done here, let''s go." Adonis snatched the mage off her feet and jumped to the next small island.


    "Hu-"


    Emerging from the platform''s smooth base were more crystal-like creatures.


    Unlike their predecessors, these monsters were considerably smaller than the party members. Their bodies consisted of a magic crystal "head" supported by a broader base of made from a diamond and several crab-like diamond legs. Positioned directly beneath the monster''s base was a sizable opening that emanated a chilling energy.


    <b>*Extra Information: </b>


    <i>Adonis P. Vindicta (15)- Tier 9 Low Tier</i>


    <i>Roxanne Edwards (20)- Tier 8 Low Tier</i>


    <i>Rocco Edwards (45)- Expert-Level Knight</i>


    <i>Hiram Vindicta (21)- Expert-Level mage</i>

 Diamond dungeon (2)

    Eager to fight the White Rank monsters, Adonis put the mage down and summoned his gladius.


    <i>SHING</i>


    "Creepy." Hiram scrunched her face and left the magic knight''s side.


    "I know right?"


    "TYEW!" A group of Cancrilli surrounded the teenage magic knight.


    {That sound is annoying.}


    ''It''s worse than the Goblins'' screeches.'' Adonis agreed.


    "Tyew!" Leading the charge, one of the small monsters leapt at the boy''s arm.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Narrowing his eyes, Adonis slashed his blade horizontally, separating the white magic crystal from the diamond base.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    <i>CLANG</i>


    Dodging an eager monster that lunged at his head, Adonis turned around and punched a monster''s white crystal right off.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    <i>BAM</i>


    Hoping to overwhelm the boy, one of the <i>Cancrillum</i> jumped at the magic knight''s chest.


    Adonis reversed the grip on his gladius and stabbed the opening underneath the monster''s base.


    <i>SHING</i>


    "TYWA?!"


    Dislodging the blade from the corpse, Adonis summoned a large complex magic circle beneath his feet and let his mana explode.


    "Inferno magic: Hell zone." With the slight raise of his finger, Adonis unleashed a massive explosion of ivory flames, mercilessly destroying the monsters.


    <i>(matter variation)</i>


    {You''re doing it again, using mana carelessly.} The deity said irritatedly.


    ''I''m checking something...'' Adonis dismissed.


    Being the first to kill his share of monsters, the boy was granted the privilege of rest.


    As he began collecting the monsters'' white magic crystals, Adonis''s brief break was cut short by an impatient monster...


    The monster zooming toward the boy was slightly larger than his chest, its body comprising of a single bulging pink eye, two reptilian legs adorned with diamonds, and two powerful, giant bat-like wings.


    Unable to compete with the Pink Rank monster''s speed, Adonis was kicked into the chest by the monster, his body flying off the platform like a mere straw doll.


    <i>BAM</i>


    "Wha-" Adonis''s eyes widened in surprise as he was unwillingly displaced from the crystal platform.


    ''This monster isn''t from this island.'' He frowned.


    {Seems it was tired of waiting for your slow pokes.} The Devil God chuckled.


    ''I''m falling to my death yet you''re laughing?'' Adonis sighed.


    {The question you should be asking is why are you dying in such a funny way.}


    ''Whatever.'' Despite the abyss below offering a ticket to the reincarnation cycle, Adonis maintained his calm demeanor.


    "Adonis?!" Panicking, Hiram snapped her head back and pointed her magic staff at the fleeing boy.


    "Ice magic: Frost Bullet." From the tip of her magic staff, Hiram shot out a single large rod of ice that travelled slightly slower than sound toward the boy.


    WHOOSH


    "Thanks!" Smiling softly, Adonis grabbed onto the flying frost bullet, using it as a vehicle to the next island.


    {Lucky.}


    ''You sound disappointed that I didn''t die.'' The magic knight complained.


    Before he slammed into the crystal platform''s lower wall, Adonis released the frost bullet and latched onto the smooth wall using Earthly Aura.


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    <i>DUMMM</i>


    ''That Voladaculus is too aggressive.'' Adonis leapt onto the dungeon''s fourth platform, two islands before the large door.


    {What a stupid name.} The Devil God said.


    ''You''re just mad at everything.'' Watching the monster attack his party, Adonis shook his head.


    <i>FLAP</i>


    <i>FLAP</i>


    The Voladaculus flapped its wings aggressively as it identified its new target, the female magic knight who calmly defeated the <i>Cancrilli</i>.


    <i>FLAP</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    The one-eyed monster rushed at the young woman, its feet poised to crash into its target''s head.


    "Huh?" Alerted by the noise of the monster''s loud wings, Roxanne crouched quickly.


    Roxanne pivoted her body and swung her longsword diagonally to where she thought the monster was.


    <i>SHING</i>


    Shattering the magic knight''s expectations, the Voladaculus appeared behind her back and sunk its diamond talons into her cheek.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    "Argh!" With blood spewing out her face, the magic knight tumbled off the platform''s edge where she clung to the crystal platform''s edge.


    Eager to push the girl off the edge, the monster rushed forward.


    <i>FLAP, FLAP</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Saving his daughter from harm, Rocco forced his foot toward the monster''s body.


    Reacting swiftly, the Voladaculus manoeuvred away from the knight''s foot and rotated its body sharply.


    Satisfied with its position, the monster used the diamond spikes on its wings to slash at Rocco''s leg.


    Unwavering, Rocco removed his leg from the wing''s path and summoned his spear.


    Enhancing the spear with Earthly Aura, Rocco thrust the weapon at the monster''s massive creepy eye.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Unable to completely avoid the attack, the Voladaculus extended its left leg to receive the brunt of the attack.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    After the knight retracted the spear from the monster''s mangled foot, Hiram used a large magic circle to summon dozens of ice spikes beneath the monster.


    "Ice magic: Maze of Icicles!"


    Relying solely on its sharp instincts, the Voladaculus flew past each spike, gracefully contorting its body to avoid all harm.


    <i>FLAP FLAP</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Enraged by the life-threatening spell, the Voladaculus eagerly approached the mage.


    "Stupid Eye!" With blood streaming down the side of her face, Roxanne propelled her fist toward the monster''s eye.


    Deeming the attack too slow, the monster brazenly dodged the attack and clawed at the girl''s throat using its diamond talons.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "Inferno magic: Hell''s artillery." Using a complex pale magic circle, Adonis destroyed the tip of the monster''s wing, disrupting its attack.


    <i>BOOM</i>


    Saving his daughter once more, Rocco swung his spear at the monster''s huge eye.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    Ignoring the fountain of blood emerging from the creature''s damaged eye, Rocco rotated his spear and descended its blade into the monster''s eye-body.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    Abandoning his spear inside the monster''s body, Rocco rushed to the aid of his daughter and summoned a magic potion from his spatial ring.


    "Are you okay, Roxy?" The man frowned.


    "Yeah, I''m okay Dad." Roxanne said softly.


    "Sweet." Watching the father-daughter duo,Hiram smiled awkwardly.


    "I know right." Smiling, Adonis landed on the crystal platform beside Hiram.


    "Family bonds are something special." Hiram''s purple eyes dimmed sadly.


    "Yeah." Suppressing his complicated emotions toward family, Adonis dislodged Rocco''s spear from the Voladaculus and extracted the magic crystal.


    "That''s why we have each other." Having successfully stored the pink magic crystal in his ranger''s ring, Adonis smiled radiantly.


    "Hehe." She smiled.


    "Catch up you two!" Teasing Rocco and Roxanne, Adonis swept the mage off her feet and hopped to the next empty island.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Since the fourth island was now empty, Adonis leapt to the final platform before the door.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>THUD</i>


    The monster inhabiting the final crystal island was excited, to say the least.


    Just like every other monster within the dungeon, the <i>Teetotum</i> featured a clear diamond body housing a glowing magic crystal at its core. Being larger than the Voladuculus and the Adamastrum in size, the creature''s stature was comparable to that of an average human.


    Besides its size, nothing about the crystal creature resembled humanity; its tapered crystal form concluded with a sharp point at the bottom with four strange diamond limbs that helped with its balance and added to its terrifying image.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>BRRRRR</i>


    The <i>Teetotum</i> spun in a small circle, creating shallow scratches in the platform''s surface.


    <i>SKRRRR SKRRR</i>


    "I used have one just like that." Watching the spinning top monster rotate in place, Adonis giggle softly.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    The Teetotum rotated rapidly and changed its trajectory, violently charging at the two combatants.


    Staying calm, Hiram slammed her magic staff onto the ground, creating a small ice ramp.


    Unable to completely evade the spell, the monster unwillingly launched into the air.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Wasting no time, Adonis coated his right foot in Earthly Aura and joined the creature in the air.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    Adonis delivered a devastating axe kick to the top of the monster''s defenseless head, sending it back to the island with significant force.


    <i>BAM </i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    As a result of the Teetotum''s rapid gyration and the impact of Adonis''s terrifying kick, the monster was sent crashing into the diamond platform, causing a quarter of its body to become firmly lodged into the diamond surface.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>SLAM</i>


    <i>CRACK!</i>


    "That was easier than I thought it''d be." Adonis gracefully landed in front of the monster with a soft thud.


    "How''re we going to kill it?" Hiram frowned.


    "You''re already done?" Arriving on the island with his daughter, Rocco smiled cheerfully at the rest of his party members.


    "..."


    "We''ve technically defeated it, but getting through it''s crystal exterior will be tough." Adonis admitted.


    ***


    <b>*Extra Information:</b>


    <i><Teetotum></i>


    <i>Rank: Pink rank- Purple rank</i>


    <i>Edible?: No</i>


    <i>Drops: magic crystal</i>


    <i>Weaknesses: Light magic, lightning magic and cold environments.</i>


    <i>Behaviour: Extremely energetic and aggressive</i>


    <i>Habitat: Dungeons</i>


    <i>Attacking style: Slice apart its opponent''s with the diamond ''balancers'' on its body. </i>


    <i>Abilities: None</i>


    <i>Description: Constructed entirely from a diamond-like substance, the creature bears a size akin to that of a human. Its body tapers sharply towards the bottom, allowing efficient spinning on its pointed tip. Positioned along the monster''s sides are four "balancers," essential for controlling its direction, maintaining its spin, and executing attacks.</i>


    <i>(The diamond exterior of the Teetotum is stronger than that of any of the other creatures in the dungeon so far.)</i>

 Diamond dungeon (3)

    "You guys can go ahead into the boss room, I''ll finish it off." Adonis said flatly.


    ''He''s just trying to hang back and relax while we do all the heavy lifting in the boss room.'' Huffing irritatedly, Roxanne leapt toward the massive floating wooden door and kicked it open.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>DUMM</i>


    <i>BAM </i>


    "How''re you going to break through its body?" Hiram asked.


    "I''ll find a way." Adonis smiled confidently.


    "Don''t take too long, we''ll need you in there kid." Rocco offered his hand to the mage.


    "Okay." Hiram nodded.


    "Thank you." Taking the knight''s hand, Hiram allowed herself to be carried to the boss''s room.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    After ensuring the rest of his party made it into the boss room, Adonis raised his open palm and pointed it at the entrapped monster.


    {You''ve already seen that your magic isn''t effective on these diamonds, what''re you doing?}


    ''Enhancing it.'' Adonis explained.


    The boy''s hand ignited in a stunning ivory flame that danced chaotically.


    <i>BWSHHH</i>


    <i>DUMMMM</i>


    Adonis then released a portion of his Earthly Aura, directing it toward the flames.


    Instead of enhancing the flames as it would any other magic affinities, Adonis''s Earthly Aura and Inferno magic rejected each other.


    <i>SPIT SPIT</i>


    ''As I thought, just like Papa''s Storm magic my Inferno magic can''t be enhanced by Earthly Aura.'' Adonis shook his head.


    "What about Wicked?" Adonis''s silver eyes flashed with a subtle orange hue.


    <i>DIMMMM</i>


    SPITTER SPITTER


    ''The rejection of the Wicked Aura and Earthly Aura seems to be different, Earthly Aura is just completely incompatible with Inferno magic. While Wicked Aura simply isn''t ''matching'' my Inferno magic, I wonder if I improve my magic control if I''ll be able to achieve the enhancement.''


    {Your evaluation is correct mortal, Wicked Aura is on a different ''wavelength'' than Inferno magic, so your magic affinity will have to be slightly adjusted although mere magic control improvement won''t be adequate.}


    ''Frequency?''


    {There''s a large <b><i>Divinity</i></b> imbalance between the two.) He explained.


    "Hmm... Okay."


    {You suspected this would happen, I''m assuming you have an actual plan to kill this thing?}


    "More like an experiment." Adonis smiled.


    ''I''m not sure if I''ll be able to pull it off though, especially with my current mana reserves.''


    {I warned you!}


    ''Yeah, yeah whatever.'' Adonis rolled his eyes and covered his entire body in Inferno magic.


    ***


    <b>The ''crystal mine'' boss room</b>


    Unlike the rest of the dungeon, the boss room featured rocky terrain rather than a smooth diamond.


    The walls of the room were massive reaching far beyond what the eyes could see, and were made of solid rock with hundreds of clear, white and pink magic crystals protruding.


    <i>RUMBLE, RUMBLE</i>


    <i>RUMBLE, RUMBLE</i>


    Alerted by the ground''s violent shaking, Rocco summoned his spear, Roxanne her longsword and Hiram her magic staff.


    "What is that?!" Roxanne scowled.


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    "It''s underground." Rocco announced.


    <i>RUMBLE, RUMBLE</i>


    <i>BOOM</i>


    The <i>Crystilipeda</i> revealed itself to the combatants, using its hundreds of legs to burrow out of the ground and erect its gigantic body.


    <i>HISSSS</i>


    The monster that flashed its terrifying diamond fangs possessed a massive segmented glossy black body whose majority was still buried.


    "It''s huge." Staying on guard, Hiram studied the ten-metre portion of the monster''s above-ground body.


    <i>HISSSS</i>


    Furious that its home had been intruded on, the monster bent its body and surged forward with extraordinary speed.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Being the only one capable of even keeping up with the monster''s speed, Rocco carried both the young women out of harm''s way.


    ''What just happened?'' Hiram widened her eyes.


    The monster bent its body and propelled toward the fleeing bunch, each individual segment causing a soft clicking sound.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Unable to keep up with the Crystilipeda''s speed because of the increased weight, Rocco was knocked off balance, sending both girls flying in opposite directions.


    <i>BAM</i>


    "Ahh!"


    Unrelenting, the monster bent its body once more and rushed after Rocco.


    Rocco extended his right hand and summoned his spear from his spatial ring, ready to engage the bloodthirsty <i>Crystilipeda</i>.


    <i>HISSS</i>


    Approaching at frightening speeds, the Crystillipeda opened its mouth widely.


    Enhancing his spear with Earthly Aura, Rocco deflected the creature to the side while he was simultaneously pushed to the opposite one.


    <i>CLANG</i>


    Despite losing momentum, the Crystillipeda twisted once more and floated above the knight.


    ''It doesn''t give up, does it?'' He sighed.


    Confirming Rocco''s suspicions, the creature attacked once more by lowering its body abruptly, a cruel attempt to squish him like a bug.


    Taking this as an opportunity to counter, Rocco coated his spear''s tip in Earthly Aura and thrust it at the monster''s underbelly.


    <i>DUMM</i><i>


    </i><i>WHOOSH</i><i>


    </i><i>SHATTER</i>


    ''It''s tough!'' Abandoning his spear, Rocco rolled out the monster''s path.


    <i>BAM</i>


    Deeming Rocco as too tricky, the monster switched targets...


    <i>HISSS</i>


    ''It''s so fast.'' Hiram''s magic staff''s crystal glowed vibrantly as she prepared a defensive spell.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "Ice magic: Frost barrier." The mage slammed her staff onto the magic circle below, erecting a thick ice wall in the monster''s path.


    Rather than crashing into the barrier, the monster maintained its speed and sunk its head into the ground.


    "No..."


    The Crystilipeda created a small tunnel, burrowing to the other side and emerging beneath Hiram''s feet.


    <i>RUMBLE</i>


    Incapable of escaping in time, Hiram was lifted by the monster.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "Kya!"


    Ignoring the mage''s screams, the monster carried her into the air.


    Upon reaching the maximum height allowed by the portion of its body out the ground, the monster flicked its head, flinging the young lady into the air.


    "Huh?!"


    "Hiram!" Roxanne leapt into the air to join the vicious monster and the mage.


    Acting fearlessly, the female magic knight plucked Hiram from the air and carried her to safety.


    "I think we should change our strategy." Hiram muttered.


    "We had a strategy?" Roxanne placed the woman back on the ground.


    "Well, we never had the chance to come up with one." Hiram admitted.


    "Here''s one, attack its insides." Rocco joined the two.


    "That''ll be difficult." Roxanne complained.


    "It''s the only way." Rocco summoned another spear and pointed it at the monster.


    Choosing to be the aggressor this time, Rocco released the full extent of his Earthly Aura and rushed at the monster.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    <i>HISSS</i>


    Sensing the man''s bloodlust, the Crystilipeda flashed its fangs and went to meet him halfway.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Avoiding the monster''s diamond jaws, the knight hopped atop its head.


    Flustered by the unusual manoeuvre, the creature shook its body aggressively.


    <i>HISSSS</i>


    Despite its effort, the knight barely budged so the Crystilipeda took it a step further and soared into the air.


    <i>WHOOOSH</i>


    "I''m not getting off till you''re dead." Rocco intensified the Earthly Aura around his feet and jammed his spear in between the monster''s onyx segments.


    <i>CLANG</i>


    The mage and magic knight combined their magical prowess to create a massive Earthly Aura-enhanced spearhead aimed at the monster''s belly.


    <i>DUMMMM</i>


    "Ice magic: Hastae!"


    <i>BOOM</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Surpassing anything they could''ve been able to achieve on their own, the cold spearhead slammed into the monster''s underbelly.


    <i>SLAM</i>


    The monster''s underbelly''s flesh sunk inwards and turned slightly blue as it was toppled over by the powerful attack.


    Ditching the attempt to sever the monster''s body via the space between segments, Rocco flew into the air above its head.


    Capitalizing on the monster''s open mouth and falling position, Rocco prepared to throw the spear into the monster''s body.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    Three White Rank Cancrilli detached themselves from the mine''s walls and leapt at the knight, destroying his hopes of attacking the village-sized monster.


    "What?!" Switching targets, Rocco rotated his spear rapidly, easily eliminating the small monsters.


    <i>THUD!</i>


    Despite the powerful fall, the <i>Crystilipeda</i> recovered immediately and used its numerous legs to scurry toward the two responsible for the ice spell.


    <i>HISSS</i>


    "Sorry, that took longer than I thought." Adonis landed on the monster''s onyx segmented body, emerging from a small floating wooden door.


    ''What the hell took him so long?!'' Roxanne used a magic circle to facilitate the casting of a massive wave of magic toward the Crystilipeda.


    "Water Magic: Minor Tsunami!"


    "Ice magic: Concealed torpedos!" Using a magic circle of her own, Hiram propelled tiny shards of ice within the magic knight''s spell.


    Rather than succumbing to the overwhelming force of the water and inadvertently consuming the sharp shards, the monster plunged into the wave headfirst, skillfully manoeuvring to evade any harm to the vulnerable openings in its face.


    ***


    <b>*Extra Information:</b>


    <i><Crystilipeda></i>


    <i> Rank: Pink rank- Blue rank</i>


    <i>Edible?: No</i>


    <i>Drops: magic crystal</i>


    <i>Weaknesses: None</i>


    <i>Behaviour: Aggressive when disturbed.</i>


    <i>Habitat: Dungeons, Mines and Deserts.</i>


    <i>Attacking style: The monster keeps a majority of its body underground and uses this as an anchor, making it easier to perform strange and creative manoeuvres. The Crystilipeda uses its sharp fangs to rip apart flesh.</i>


    <i>Abilities: None.</i>


    <i>Description: The monster possesses a massive black segmented body with numerous tiny muscles and joints. On its head, the monster has long sharp diamond fangs that help it rip apart flesh. Decorating the sides of the monster''s body are hundreds of thick crystal legs.</i>


    <i>Note: This monster lacks a sense of smell.</i>

 Diamond dungeon (4)

    Rather than try to replicate the monster''s tactics against the tsunami, Adonis, still on its body, leapt into the air.


    After transitioning into a smooth somersault, the magic knight found himself face-to-face with the <i>Crystilipeda</i>.


    {It''s ugly.} The Devil God said bluntly.


    ''Be nice.'' Despite the monster''s terrifying visage, Adonis managed to control his fear and keep calm.


    Adding to its menacing aura, the creature opened its horizontally opening mouth to swallow him whole.


    "Here''s a starter before your main course." Adonis opened his palm and used his spatial ring to summon an old unravelled scroll.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    Adonis bit his thumb and smeared the blood on the scroll''s magic circle.


    "Now."


    <i>BOOM</i>


    <i>FWSHHH</i>


    Just before the monster could devour the boy, the scroll obeyed his instructions and summoned a massive fireball.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    To its dismay, the monster swallowed a large ball of flame rather than the boy as it might''ve hoped.


    "How''s it taste?" Adonis twisted his body mid-air to readjust his position and summoned two throwing knives from his spatial ring.


    While the monster was coughing distraughtly, Adonis wasted no time in coating one of the knives in Earthly Aura and throwing it at the <i>Crystilipeda''s</i> left eye.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Despite its vulnerable state, the monster was still quick enough to move out of the knife''s path.


    ''Of course, it wasn''t going to be that easy.'' Without losing hope, Adonis threw the second knife; although this one wasn''t enhanced by the supernatural energy nor was it aimed at the monster''s eye.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Adonis''s second throwing knife disrupted the first one''s path and redirected it to the monster''s eye''s new position.


    <i>CLANG</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Too late to react to the altered trajectory, the monster lost its left eye.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    "HRHHH!" The Crystilipeda thrashed about violently as it was showered by its own green blood.


    <i>RUMBLE, RUMBLE</i>


    Refusing to receive any further damage, the monster removed the rest of the body from the ground and curled itself into a tight ball.


    <i>RUMBLE, RUMBLE</i>


    ''It''s at least the size of a small town, it''s massive.'' Landing with a soft thud, Adonis studied the injured monster''s entire body.


    "Why''d you use a scroll, your own magic is stronger?" Hiram asked.


    "I ran out of mana trying to destroy the monster Teetotum." Adonis admitted.


    "How''d you manage to do that?" She asked curiously.


    "It''s a secret." The boy put his index finger to his lips and smiled.


    Startled by the Crystilipeda''s thrashing, the magic crystals in the mine''s walls escaped; revealing themselves to be concealed <i>Cancrilli</i>


    "Not these things again." Seeing a Cancrillum lunge at his thigh, Adonis summoned his gladius and easily severed it in half.


    <i>SHING</i>


    Sensing another presence behind his back, Adonis raised his blade and blocked the sneaky Cancrillum.


    The boy retracted his blade and pivoted his body, destroying the creature with a graceful roundhouse kick.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    <i>BAM</i>


    ''More?'' Identifying another springy White Ranked monster, Adonis extended his hand and plucked it from the air.


    Unlike its Unranked bredrin, the White Rank monster retaliated aggressively by blasting the boy''s hand with a strong gust of wind; freeing itself from his clutches.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "There''s no point chasing after it."


    "Yeah, this is a waste of time." Killing more monsters with his spear, Rocco nodded.


    "We''ll need to attack the boss." Adonis spun around and killed multiple Cancrilli by enhancing his weapon with Earthly Aura.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Identifying the magic knight as a threat to it and its weaker bredrin, the Pink Rank Cancrillum propelled itself toward the boy, determined to put an end to his reign of terror.


    ''I doubt I''d beat a Pink Rank right now, even if I do it''ll take too much time and energy.'' Adonis dashed to the senior knight''s side.


    "Rocco, I have a plan." Adonis whispered.


    ''What is it." Utilizing his spear to kill more monsters, Rocco listened to the teenager''s plan.


    <i>spsp spsp spsp</i>


    "That actually might work." The knight nodded.


    <i>RUMBLE RUMBLE</i>


    Noticing its bleeding had somewhat gotten better, the giant Crystilipeda unravelled its body and began crawling along the mine''s massive walls.


    <i>THUD THUD THUD</i>


    "It''s time." Adonis announced.


    "Let''s go." Rocco nodded and dashed at the monster, his movements getting progressively faster with each movement.


    Trailing behind the knight, Adonis began pushing himself to his physical limits.


    "Roxanne! Water!" Falling further and further behind Rocco, Adonis cut a Cancrillum in half.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "It''s not my problem that you''re slow." Refusing to aid her fellow magic knight, Roxanne stabbed a Cancrillum in the small opening below its base.


    "Rocco." Unwilling to argue with his senior, Adonis sought the help of her father.


    "Roxanne, please." The knight leapt into the air toward the monster''s head.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "Fine." Scowling, Roxanne created a simple magic circle and shot a large ascending torrent of water at her speeding junior.


    <i>Water magic: Jet current</i>


    <i>SLUSH</i>


    Embracing the water''s speed, Adonis flew into the air beside Rocco.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Unhappy with the aggressors'' presence, the Crystilipeda slightly detached from the wall and extended its excited fangs toward them.


    "You sure you''ll be okay?" Still being carried by the torrent of water, Adonis offered the knight his arm.


    "Yeah, just do what you have to do kid." Rocco smiled and grabbed the boy''s arm.


    "Collect plenty of crystals." Adonis''s eyes dimmed as he prepared to fulfil their plan.


    "Of course." Middair, Rocco gyrated rapidly, swinging the boy around wildly.


    <i>WHOOSH, WHOOSH</i>


    When the monster was finally too close Rocco let Adonis go, sending him flying in the air.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Distracting the monster, Rocco threw his enhanced spear at the creature''s remaining eye.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Scared of being blinded, the Crystilipeda shut its left eye and lowered its head.


    Rather than seeing the knight when it opened its eye, the monster found itself face to face with the solidified water current.


    <i>SLAM</i>


    <i>SHATTER</i>


    ''That''s to be expected.'' Seeing the monster merely shrug off the ice boulder, Adonis shook his head and landed on the Crystilipeda''s lowered crown.


    <i>THUD</i>


    Adonis raised his gladius above his head and plummeted it swiftly, stabbing the creature in its healthy eye.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    <i>HISSS</i><i>


    </i><i>RUMBLE</i>


    Refusing to be part of the monster''s rampage, Adonis quickly slid off the monster''s head.


    "HRHHH!"


    Holding on to the monster''s teeth as leverage, Adonis enhanced his feet and kicked the Crystillipeda in the roof of its mouth.


    <i>DUMMMM</i>


    <i>BAM</i>


    ''It''s breath stinks.''


    <i>HISSSS</i>


    Thrashing about even more, the monster shut its mouth and swallowed the teenager whole.


    "Disgusting." Summoning a gladius from his spatial ring, Adonis dug his blade into a Crystillipeda''s throat and slid down its oesophagus.


    <i>SPLURT </i>


    Unable to bear the indescribable pain in its body, the monster flailed about wildly, killing multiple monsters in its tantrum.


    <i>SPLURT</i><i>


    </i><i>SPLURT </i><i>


    </i><i>SPLURT</i>


    The boy concluded his journey at the monster''s core, where a large pink magic crystal pulsed radiantly.


    Adonis immediately dislodged his sword from the monster''s lining and leapt onto the magic crystal.


    "MONEY!" He clung to the magic crystal with a strange feral glint in his silver eyes.


    {Just take out the crystal.} The Devil God sighed.


    "Do you know how much this''s worth?" Adonis removed the magic crystal from its ''holder'' within the monster''s body.


    ***


    The monster halted its thrashing abruptly, releasing its grip on the walls and falling to the ground like a harmless town-sized centipede.


    "I was hoping he died." Roxanne, who was collecting numerous white magic crystals admitted.


    "Roxanne." Rocco scolded.


    "Sorry." She bowed her head ashamedly.


    "Hehe." Adding a final magic crystal to her ranger''s ring, Hiram giggled.


    ***


    "It''s that quick?" Still standing in the monster''s disgusting insides, Adonis watched his hand quickly turn to tiny mana particles.


    {Wanted to stay in this dump forever?}


    "Yeah, then I''d have an excuse not to keep practising that annoying technique."


    {Ungrateful brat!}


    "Hehe."


    ***


    <b>Back at the mine</b>


    "You need a shower kid." Scowling at the boy covered in monster guts, Roxanne pinched her nose.


    "Kid? You''re only five years older than me." Adonis frowned.


    "And twenty years more mature." Roxanne huffed.


    "You are not mature." Adonis said flatly.


    "I am."


    "Am not."


    "Am too."


    "Am not."


    "Am to..."


    ***


    <i>1 hour later</i>


    <b>Pegasus Guild Hotel, Adonis and Hiram''s suite</b>


    "Where''re you going?" Holding a woven basket of dirty armour and robes, Hiram stared at the youth.


    "I''m going to train." Dressed in casual attire, Adonis said sadly.


    {Stop sulking mortal!}


    "We just got back from the dungeon, aren''t you tired?" She asked concernedly.


    "I am." He whispered.


    "I''ll be back before dinner." Hanging his head, the magic exited the suite.


    "Be safe." Hiram said.


    ***


    <b>*Extra Information: </b>


    <i>All the current Caelum PTCs and their ''impossible'' accomplishments:</i>


    <i>Scipio Mars- He awakened Earthly Aura at age 4. He officially became a PTC at age 4.</i>


    <i>Amber Shine- Naturally had a mana depth above 75. She officially became a PTC at age 5.</i>


    <i>Cornelius Minerva- Was ''Blessed'' by a deity before he was even born, when he was seven months in the womb. He officially became a PTC at birth.</i>


    <i>*</i><b><i>Deceased*</i></b><i> Oizys Hermes- Was evaluated to have an intelligence index of 8, surpassing every single human in history and the future. He officially became a PTC at age 5.</i>

 Hells limits

    After a bit of wondering, Adonis found himself in a dark vacant forest.


    {What''re you looking for mortal?}


    "Nothing really, just a place with a bit of privacy. There''s too many eyes back at the hotel."


    ''This seems fine.'' Adonis opened his hand and summoned a large diamond shard.


    {You''re going to test practice<i> (Censored)</i> again? }


    "No not that again, it''s too frustrating." Adonis shook his head.


    ''I know of my current physical limitations, but my Inferno Magic is still somewhat of a mystery.''


    Adonis summoned a small magnifying glass using the same spatial ring and held it in his left hand.


    ''When successful, my flames destroy but when they aren''t it''s unclear what happens; it neither burns nor scorches so what exactly happens?''


    Adonis brought the magnifying glass to his left eye and channelled his mana into the magic item.


    "Okay..." Taking a mental photo of all the particles in the diamond shard Adonis proceeded to toss it in the air in front of him.


    While watching the flying diamond shard, Adonis ignited the ivory flames in his right hand and hurled it into a magic circle near it.


    <i>BWISSHHH</i>


    "Inferno magic: Hell Cannon, matter variation."


    As he''d predicted, the flames merely enveloped the object rather than destroying the diamond shard and disappeared less than a second later.


    Adorning a thoughtful expression, Adonis plucked the diamond shard from the air.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Utilizing the same magnifying glass, Adonis he studied it¡¯s molecular structure once more.


    ''So it did destroy.'' Squinting his eyes, Adonis took another mental image of the shard and compared it to the previous one.


    {What''re you looking for?} Slightly confused by the mortal''s actions, the Devil God asked.


    "The difference between the diamond before being hit by my Inferno Magic and after." He explained.


    {There is none.}


    "It''s different, look closely. The first three layers of atoms are no longer there and a few of the subatomic particles in the fourth layer are missing."


    {Seems useless.}


    "In battle yes... But overall not at all, this proves lots of the theories I already had. Mainly the fact that Inferno magic destroys on a subatomic level rather than cellular."


    {...That is impressive.} The Devil God admitted.


    "Is that a compliment?" Adonis''s silver eyes glistened slightly as he turned his attention away from the diamond crystal.


    {I meant the magic affinity, not you.}


    ''Mean.''


    "This also means that there isn''t anything I can''t destroy, as long as I have enough mana of course. My magic output would obviously also make this task quicker." The teenage continued.


    {Good, now time for martial arts training.} Eos said sternly.


    ''Hehehe...No.'' Adonis shook his head stubbornly and brought the diamond shard back into his spatial ring.


    "Minnie." He whispered.


    <i>PUPUP PUPUP</i>


    As if waiting for his master''s call, the batlike beast zoomed through the air and found his place atop Adonis''s head.


    ''That was quick... was he bored?''


    "Why''re you heavier?" The boy raised his eyes to study the beast atop his head.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "KSK KSK!" The beast screamed.


    "I didn''t call you fat!"


    "Ksk ksk."


    "No, you don''t need to go on a diet, you''re perfect." The boy shook his head.


    "Ksk ksk!"


    "I''m not lying."


    "Ksk ksk." Minnie pouted.


    "I''m sorry, you''re not that much heavier." Adonis hung his head in shame.


    "Ksk ksk."


    "Thank you." The teenage boy slightly raised his head and smirked.


    "Ksk ksk ksk."


    "We''re going patrolling." Adonis said.


    "Ksk ksk."


    "This city has lots of crime, so I thought we''d use this as an opportunity to clean the streets and train against humans. Plus, we haven''t spent time together in a while."


    "Ksk ksk ksk ksk!"


    "You''re always hungry." Adonis shook his head and extended his hand, preparing to summon another item from his spatial ring.


    "KSK KSK!" Minnie beat his wings fiercely, digging his talons into the magic knight''s skull.


    <i>PUPUP PUPUP</i>


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    "That wasn''t a fat joke, I''m sorry!" Screaming in pain, Adonis summoned a clear magic crystal from his spatial ring and offered it to Minnie.


    "Ksk ksk!" Accepting the bribe happily, the bat-like beast swallowed the magic crystal whole.


    "That reminds me. Minnie, let''s test something." Wiping the scarlet liquid running down the side of his head, Adonis raised his eyebrows.


    "Ksk ksk?" Minnie disembarked from Adonis''s dishevelled Russian violet hair, flapping his wings gracefully to stay afloat before him.


    <i>PUPUP </i><i>


    </i><i>WHOOSH</i>


    "The magic crystal I just fed you was from a Crystallum, so use air blast." He commanded.


    "Ksk ksk?" Donning a confused expression on his tiny monstrous face, Minnie merely continued to beat his wings gently.


    <i>PUP PUP PUP </i>


    {It seems like he doesn''t know what you''re talking about.} The Devil God observed.


    ''As I thought, he can''t use the monster or magic beast''s ability right after consuming the magic crystal. Either his body takes time to evolve or he needs to eat a certain quantity of the crystals.''


    "Here''s another." Adonis tossed the beast a second identical magic crystal.


    "Ksk ksk!" The gluttonous creature happily accepted the magic crystal, devouring it without chewing.


    "Now, use air blast." Adonis repeated.


    Still confused, the Minnie merely stared at Adonis once more.


    <i>-sigh-</i> ''I don''t know if he actually can''t use the ability or if he''s simply taking advantage of me.'' Adonis summoned a third unranked magic crystal and threw it at the magic beast.


    After eating the magic crystal, Minnie''s body briefly turned translucent making his skeletal structure visible before he turned back to his regular onyx image.


    ''He should have the ability now.'' Acknowledging the beast''s brief transformation, Adonis smirked.


    "Use air blast." Adonis said.


    "Ksk Ksk!" Minnie nodded his head eagerly and rose higher than before and directed his body toward the magic knight.


    The beast thrashed its wings fiercely, generating a strong force of wind way stronger than it should''ve been capable of producing.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Positioned right in front of the creature, Adonis was hit with the full brunt of the ability, forcing him backwards a few feet.


    ''It''s stronger than the Crancullu¡¯s  air blast.'' He smirked.


    "That''s enough crystals for today, I still need a few for myself and selling."


    {You can''t absorb magic crystals mortal.} Eos said flatly.


    "Wait what?!"


    {Your soul and spirit cannot receive external energy from sources of that quality.}


    "Oh okay..." He frowned.


    "Ksk ksk?" The creature asked concernedly.


    "It''s nothing, let''s go." Adonis forced a smile and offered the creature his arm.


    Still slightly concerned, Minnie grabbed onto the magic knight''s arm with his feet and flapped his wings aggressively.


    <i>PUPUP PUPUP PUPUP</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Minnie soared through the air, carrying Adonis within his grasp.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    "That way." Flying more than nine kilometres above the city''s streets, Adonis pointed to one of the city''s slums.


    "Ksk ksk."


    <i>PUPUP PUPUP PUPUP </i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Following instructions, Minnie lowered his altitude and approached the filthy area.


    "It won''t take that long to find trouble." Using Earthly Aura to enhance his ears and eyes, Adonis studied the slum''s poverty-stricken streets.


    The major slums of Periculum were notably more ominous than those found elsewhere in the Caelum Empire.


    Its streets were scattered with bodies, both deceased and barely clinging to life, while the air hung heavy with the vile stench of death.


    The buildings stood as gloomy monuments to abandonment and wear, adding to the overall area''s eerie atmosphere.


    As the two hovered above the streets, Adonis focused more Earthly Aura into his eyes and ears.


    "Please no! This is all I have!"


    Adonis and Minnie''s ears twitched as they identified the sound of a screaming middle-aged lady.


    "Let''s go." He whispered.


    "Ksk."


    <i>PUPUP PUPUP</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>***</i>


    <b>*Extra Information: </b>


    <i>Uses for magic crystals: </i>


    <i>Powering magic items: Magic crystals are usually embedded within magic items so that they can perform their intended purposes. Examples would be in spatial rings, finance necklaces and magic balls. Although magic crystals are usually in magic items, not all of them have them as they can be powered by the user instead or by other means. Examples include magic scrolls.</i>


    <i>Improving one''s magic: Mages and magic knights are capable of absorbing some of the soul contents within the crystal. This absorption isn''t efficient so not all of the contents will be used to strengthen the human. This absorption results in an increased magic output, improved magic recovery and helps the user advance their tier. The more they use the magic crystals the less potent they become so they have to use crystals of a greater rank.</i>


    <i>Powering magic circles: Magic crystals can be used to power pre-existing magic circles that have magic affinities imbued within them. eg. The gravity room at the academy.</i>


    <i>Improving magic casting: Often magic crystals are embedded within magic staffs, allowing mages and magic knights to cast spells faster, better and sometimes even more efficiently.</i>


    <i>Help with mana core taming: When attempting to tame one''s mana core, it''s popular for mages and magic knights to use a magic crystal as a medium to aid in this control.</i>


    <i>(Overall mana is a very mysterious energy that has many undiscovered uses, humanity is constantly investing resources to this cause.)</i>

 Shed-two

    ¡®Why¡¯s there an old lady roaming the streets at this time?¡¯ Adonis narrowed his gaze as he identified the other two figures, a man and a women; both seeming much healthier than the other residence of the god forsaken neighbourhood (although that isn¡¯t saying much.)


    ¡°Drop me.¡± Soaring less than a hundred meters above ground, Adonis sharpened his resolve.


    ¡°Ksk ksk?¡±  The beast asked concernerdly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fi-¡±


    <i>PUP PUP</i>


    Before the boy could finish reassuring his companion, Minnie mercilessly let him go and flapped his wings eagerly.


    ¡®How sassy.¡¯ Adonis shook his head in disapprova, coating his entire body in Earthly Aura.


    <i>DUMMMM</i>


    Reinforced by the supernatural energy Adonis crashed into the unkept pavement, shattering its fragile tiles into dust before he sent forth two columns of ivory flames towards the assailants.


    ¡°Inferno magic: Hell¡¯s streaks.¡± He muttered.


    <i>BWSSSHHHH</i>


    ¡°What?!¡± Being the more physically capable of the two, the women covered in filth dashed to the side to avoid the boy¡¯s sudden spell.


    ¡°Argh!¡± The less fortunate of the two, the man wasn¡¯t fast enough to react to the boy¡¯s spell and had his arm destroyed by the ivory flames.


    ¡®Magic?!¡¯


    ¡°Leave!¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Ignoring the magic knight in training¡¯s command, the woman lunged towards him with her blade swinging.


    ¡°You¡¯re committing a crime, surrender.¡± Having summoned his chokuto from the depths of his spatial ring, Adonis blocked her attack using his sword¡¯s sheath.


    <i>CLATTER </i>


    ¡°Who are you to command me!¡± She spat.


    ¡°I hate repeating myself.¡± Pivoting his body on his weaker leg, Adonis flung his right foot at the woman¡¯s solar plexus.


    ¡° Too slow, boy!¡± Despite her fatigued state, the female knight easily sidestepped the boy¡¯s attack and countered with her own.


    <i>SHING</i>


    Utilizing the same manuevar as before, Adonis used the sheath of his weapon to clash with the knight¡¯s much inferior and rusted armament.


    <i>THUD</i>


    <i>Huff</i>  ¡®He must be a magic knight, either a third year or second year¡­ I must end this quickly.¡¯ Acknowledging the boy¡¯s might, she swung again; although this time her speed approached that of sound and aimed at the boy¡¯s throat.


    {You¡¯re lucky she¡¯s not at full strength.} The Devil God teased.


    ¡®...¡¯


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    Reinforcing his sword¡¯s sheath with Earhtly Aura, Adonis parried the knight¡¯s attack away.


    ¡°You¡¯re mocking me!¡± As if she was reading his mind, the woman pulled her sword back almost immediately and slashed at the boy¡¯s mid torso.


    ¡°...¡± Rather than engaging in some mid-battle banter, the silver eyed youth rammed the sheathed chokuto into the woman¡¯s blade thus causing their weapons to violently rub against eachother, both of them trying to overcome the other.


    <i>RATTLE</i>


    ¡°Ya¡¯ll are all the same, you sit in ye big ass mansions and preach ethics while not knowing a single thing about the real world. Come spend a day in these streets and you¡¯ll see that justice, hope and good all mean nothing!¡± As her sombre brown eyes met the boy¡¯s dull silver, the struggling knight scowled.


    ¡°Real world¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t know nothin¡¯. So go back to your fancy school and keep eating the shit they feed you.¡± The knight slid her blade along the boy¡¯s sheath upwards, quickly approaching his hands.


    <i>SKKRRRR</i>


    {We actually eat really well.} The Devil God chuckled.


    Ignoring the Devil God¡¯s mockery, Adonis held the bottom of the sheath with his left hand and used his right to reveal the beautiful blade.


    <i>CLANG</i>


    Flipping to reverse grip in the same hand, Adonis casually blocked the knight¡¯s attack and slashed at her legs.


    <i>SHING</i>


    ¡°Hah!¡± Deeming the strike too slow, the intermediate knight leapt into the air.


    {There¡¯s nowhere to escape to in the air.}


    Having came to the same conclusion as the Devil God, Adonis pulled his arm back before releasing all his might into a single thrust aimed at her throat.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Defending just in the nick of time, the knight brought her gladius forward to block the attack.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    <i>CLANG</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    ¡°ARGH!¡± Propelled backwards by the overwhelming force, the intermediate knight was forced leave a trail of scarlet in her flight.


    ¡°Inferno Magic: Hell¡¯s tears.¡± Following the boy¡¯s solemn commandment, five magic circles bombarded the knight with ivory flames.


    <i>BWSHHH</i>


    <i>Matter Variation</i>


    ¡°Have you made your decision, will you retreat or join her in the afterlife?¡± Turning his attention to the wounded magic knight, Adonis stared blankly.


    ¡°I surrender.¡± Wincing from the sharp throbbing in what¡¯s left of his right arm, the man dropped his head in defeat.


    {What a waste of a magic knight.}


    ¡°Thank you.¡± As his whisper of relief was carried away with the wind, the boy¡¯s eyes got brighter and he tossed the man a health potion.


    ¡°It won¡¯t get you your arm back but it¡¯ll make the pain better.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s yer fault I feel pain!¡¯ The man caught the potion and greedily drank it.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He muttered.


    {The old hag has ran away.}


    ¡®She was scared.¡¯ The boy empathized.


    ¡°Why were you attacked an old lady?¡± Ignoring the glaring of the fresh new spirit, Adonis stared blankly at the man on the floor.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t have money for food.¡± He replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re a Tier 8 magic knight, you should be more than able to find a stable job, whether it¡¯s legal or not.¡± Adonis narrowed his eyes.


    ¡®How did he know I¡¯m Tier 8?¡¯


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°At a first glance you and your late partner are suffering from signs of starvation, but superhumans don¡¯t succumb to such physical conditions as easily and even when that is the case their strength doesn¡¯t drop by magnitude your partner¡¯s did. So I¡¯ll ask you again, why were you robbing an old lady?¡±  Adonis asked irritably.


    ¡°Shed-two.¡± He whispered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Shed-two!¡± He repeated louder.


    {Shed-two?} The Devil God asked confusedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a drug.¡± Adonis explained.


    ¡°I know¡­¡± The man tilted his head at the teenager.


    ¡®Shed-zero was a project to create a enhancement potion that temporarily boosted the user¡¯s capabilities by a whole tier, unfortunately due to the high cost it took to produce said drug and it¡¯s dangerous side effects, all the Empire¡¯s agreed to never revive the project again.¡¯


    ¡®Shed-zero was shut down two hundred years ago, and secretly Shed-one began production.¡¯


    ¡®After Grandpa and I effectively shut down Shed-one we found out about them¡­¡¯ The boy¡¯s expression soured.


    ¡°What is Shed-two?¡± This being the first time of him hearing about this new variation, Adonis scowled.


    ¡°You¡¯s don¡¯t know what Shed is?¡± The drug-addicted man titled his head confusedly.


    ¡°I know about Shed-one.¡±


    ¡°Is Shed-one better?¡± The mage squealed excitedly.


    {What¡¯s wrong with this mortal?}


    ¡®It seems this new variation has become more commercially available.¡¯


    ¡°Just tell me what you know about it.¡± The boy said irritably.


    ¡°...It¡¯s better if I show you¡¯s.¡± With a scheme brewing in his degraded brain, the magic knight smirked excitedly.


    ***


    <b>20 minutes later.</b>


    <b>Deeper in the slums </b>


    {I doubt following this one is wise, mortal.}


    ¡®Minnie is following above if we need to get out of here.¡¯ Adonis said confidently.


    After leading the boy deeper into the district for twenty minutes, the magic knight suddenly stopped and hid behind a building.


    ¡°Do you¡¯s have five brown ones?¡± He asked.


    <i>Referring to bronze coins</i>


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re trying to rob me.¡± Adonis stared at the man blankly.


    ¡°No sir, I¡¯d never!¡± Feeling what¡¯s left of his right arm throb the man panicked.


    ¡°See¡¯s that man right there?¡± The older magic knight pointed at a cloaked man standing outside a convenience store.


    ¡°He¡¯s sells ¡®Asch¡¯ for five coins.¡± He continued.


    ¡°Asch?¡± Adonis frowned.


    ¡°A powder version of Shed-twos.¡± He explained.


    ¡°I see, so you¡¯re getting me a sample.¡± Adonis nodded and summoned five bronze coins.


    ¡°Y-yes sir.¡± The mage took the boy¡¯s coins and happily skipped to the drug dealer.


    ¡°Back already?¡± The cloaked man smiled at the drug addict.


    ¡°Just licked my biggest score this week from some rando¡¯ hag.¡± The magic knight smirked arrogantly.


    ¡°Hehe, same as last time?¡± The drug dealer nodded approvingly.


    ¡°Yer, gimme a fiver.¡±


    {He¡¯s gonna run.} The Devil God predicted.


    ¡°Definitely.¡± Adonis sighed.


    On receiving the small bag of powder, the magic knight summoned a cloud of mist.


    <i>Water Magic: Fog Escape </i>


    <i>Cough Cough </i>¡°What the hell man?!¡± The drug dealer shook his fist angrily.


    ¡°Sorry Dan, you¡¯s been overcharging me for a while now. Keep the kid busy would ya.¡± Randy, the magic knight disappeared with the fog.


    {Tsk Tsk Tsk, I told you.}


    ¡°Minnie, fetch Randy. I have a few questions for Dan.¡± Using the fog to his advantage, Adonis kicked the drug dealer square in his chest.


    <i>THUD</i>


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing kid?¡± Unbothered by Adonis¡¯s assault, the magic knight drug dealer merely stared at the teenager infront of him.


    {He¡¯s a Tier 8 magic knight that hasn¡¯t been weakened by drugs.}


    {You may have bitten off more than you can chew, mortal.} The Devil God chuckled.


    ¡°It was obvious you¡¯d be strong, you wouldn¡¯t want people stealing from you and your organization now would you?¡± Adonis retracted his leg and dashed backwards.


    ¡® ¡°Organization?¡± is he an agent? No, he looks to young¡­ But he might be some kind of intern, but then he¡¯d be accompanied by some-¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m alone¡­ That¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering right? I¡¯m alone, and I¡¯m not an agent for the police force¡­ I guess you could call me some kind of a vigilante.¡± Adonis chuckled.


    ¡°Vigilante? Hahaha. You think you¡¯re some kind of hero?!¡± The drug dealer clutched his stomach and bellowed loudly.


    ¡°Just give me all the Shed you have and answer all my questions, then I promise not to hurt you.¡± Adonis shrugged.


    ¡°Hurt me?¡± Dan straightened his posture and stared at the boy before him, his eye twitching involuntarily.


    ¡°Yeah, I doubt dealing drugs is your passion. So you wouldn¡¯t want to get hurt over it, would you?¡±


    ¡°Who the fuck do you think you are, brat?!¡± The man extended his arm and summoned a gladius from his spatial ring.


    <i>Sigh </i>¡°We don¡¯t have to fight, I¡¯m asking you poli-¡±


    While the boy dissappointedly shook his head; the magic knight was already before him and swinging his blade violently.


    <i>SHING</i>


    ¡®Let¡¯s do it your way.¡¯


    ¡°Inferno magic: Hell¡¯s armament.¡± At the last second, Adonis ignited his right hand with the ivory flames of hell and destroyed the drug dealer¡¯s blade.


    <i>Matter variation</i>


    <i>BWSHHHHH</i>


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± Now only holding the hilt of his gladius, Dan took two rapid steps backwards and scowled.


    ¡®My sword can withstand Blaze Magic from a Tier 7, how the hell did he just destroy it?!¡¯


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    While the man tried to evaluate what happened to his sword, Adonis summoned his chokuto and took three strides forward to confront him.


    ¡°?!¡±


    The silver-eyed youth vertically swung his sheathed sword at the man¡¯s torso, tearing through the air in its path.


    ¡®He didn¡¯t even unsheathe his blade!¡¯ Further infuriated by the boy¡¯s disrespect, Dan discarded the sword¡¯s hilt and brought his hands forward and caught Adonis¡¯s chokuto.


    <i>CLANG</i>


    As the man moved how he¡¯d predicted, Adonis pulled the the handle of his blade backwards to unsheath it before thrusting the blade toward the man¡¯s throat.


    <i>SHIING</i>


    ¡°Huh!¡± Unlike he had expected, the man felt no pain in his neck or even anywhere else in his body, all he was left with was the chilling sensation of the flat side of Adonis¡¯s blade resting against his throat.


    ¡°You lose¡­¡± Ready to decapitate the man at any moment, Adonis stared at Dan coldly.


    ¡°H-how¡­ You¡¯re just a kid, I¡¯m a magic knight! I outrank you!¡±


    ¡®A full fledged magic knight working as a drug dealer is demeaning, atleast to one who had high aspirations. Every magic knight that enters an academy are either nobles who see themselves as above everyone else or someone who thinks they are destined for greatness, so for them to fall to this kind of position would mean they are doing whatever they can to survive and have discarded their previous lifestyle and goals. A person like that has no more fighting spirit left.¡¯


    ¡°Without a strong spirit you are weak, not just figuratively, but physically¡­ A degrading spirit weakens the body and soul, it wouldn¡¯t matter whether you were a Tier 1 or a Tier 8, I¡¯d never lose to someone like that.¡±


    ¡°Surrender.¡± Adonis commanded.

 Which one are you?

    ***


    <b>5 minutes later </b>


    ¡°I was desperate, please let me go!¡± Bundled together using thick enchanted rope were the drug dealer and the addict, both captured by Minnie and Adonis respectively.


    ¡°You tried stealing from me.¡± Adonis stared blankly.


    ¡°I had an urge, c¡¯mon man try to understand me here.¡± Randy plead.


    ¡°Why do I have to be tied up to HIM?¡±  Dan scoffed at his client.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who got me addicted!¡± Randy scowled.


    ¡°You came to me with your problems, I simply gave you the solu-¡±


    ¡°Both of you are being loud¡­¡± Adonis sighed irritably as he studied the fine white powder in the pouch.


    ¡°Sorry sir.¡± They said in unison.


    {What a bunch of pussies.} The Devil God said disinterestedly.


    ¡® I need to get these to a lab so I can study it further.¡¯ Adonis concluded.


    ¡°Dan, where¡¯s the money you made for the day?¡± The boy shifted his attention to one of the pathetic men.


    ¡°Y-you didn¡¯t say anything about taking my money!¡±


    ¡°Yours?¡±


    ¡°N-no, I mean¡­ My boss will be really mad if I don¡¯t return with my quota.¡± The colour in Dan¡¯s face flushed.


    ¡°Well, you won¡¯t be returning to your boss.¡± Adonis shrugged.


    ¡°W-what do you mean by that!¡± Fearing for his life, Dan summoned a large leather pouch containing hundreds of bronze coins.


    <i>-sigh- </i>¡°That wasn¡¯t a threat, I meant you won¡¯t be drug dealing anymore.¡± Adonis snatched the pouch before Dan could regret presenting it.


    ¡°Then how am I going to make a living?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll work for me, both of you¡­ I¡¯ll pay you two gold coins a week.¡± Pocketing the drug dealer¡¯s pouch, Adonis summoned two gold coins and flicked them at Dan.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my gold?!¡± Practically drooling, Randy voiced the unfairness.


    ¡°First you need to get clean, then I¡¯ll pay you.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes sir.¡±


    ¡°What will we be doing?¡± Oogling the gold coin in his palm, Dan asked.


    ¡°The opposite, we¡¯ll be freeing this city from the clutches of Shed-two.¡±


    ***


    <b>3 hours later</b>


    <b>Pegasus Hotel, Adonis¡¯s room</b>


    <i>Exhale </i>¡°I¡¯m exhausted.¡± The boy sank himself into the comfort of his blankets.


    {Which one are you Oizys?}  Eos asked curiously.


    ¡°Which what?¡± Adonis turned onto his back.


    { ¡°Every magic knight that enters an academy are either nobles who see themselves as above everyone else or someone who thinks they are destined for greatness, so for them to fall to this kind of position would mean they are doing whatever they can to survive and have discarded their previous lifestyle and goals.¡± That¡¯s what you said¡­ So, which one are you?} The Devil God clarified.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m no noble that¡¯s for sure.¡± Adonis chuckled sourly.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    {So you¡¯re destined for greatness?}


    ¡°Would the great Devil God curse someone who wasn¡¯t?¡± Adonis chuckled teasingly.


    {Don¡¯t flatter yourself, I was desperate.} Eos scoffed.


    ¡°So was I¡­¡±


    ***


    <b>The next day, inside a dark large hall like room</b>


    ¡®It¡¯s a tower-type dungeon.¡¯ Adonis studied The empty room with stairs at the opposite end.


    ¡°Is this floor vacant?¡± Keeping her guard up, Roxanne summoned her sword.


    ¡°Be careful everyone.¡± Spear in hand, Rocco warned.


    ¡°Look!¡± Hiram pointed her magic staff at the eerie stone stairs at the edge of the room.


    Emerging from the small cracks in the room was a pink gooey substance that slowly contorted its form into a humanoid monster.


    ¡®Goop, a Pink rank monster.¡¯ Adonis identified.


    {You mortals have such lazy naming skills.}


    ¡°It looks like snot.¡± Rocco chuckled.


    ¡°Roxy, when¡¯d you sneeze?¡± Adonis teased.


    ¡°Brat!¡± She huffed.


    ¡°Miss Hiram you stay back and freeze the monster after we immobilize it.¡± Suppressing his laughter, Rocco spun his spear.


    ¡°Got it.¡± Hiram nodded.


    ¡°Stay close!¡± Leading the assault, Rocco dashed forward as he spun his spear eagerly.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    The leader of the party coated his spear¡¯s blade in Earthly Aura and swung it with all his might at the monster¡¯s semi-liquid form.


    ¡°TYEWW?¡±


    <i>SLUSH</i>


    Before the blade could sever the monster in half, the Goop separated its body into two different halves of mucus.


    ¡°It¡¯s fast.¡± Acknowledging the distracted monster¡¯s incredible speed, Adonis appeared behind it and used his gladius to hack vertically at its head.


    <i>SPLASH</i>


    Deeming the amateur magic knight¡¯s attack as feeble, the Goop merely let the blade sink into its body; causing no physical damage and just becoming completely stuck.


    ¡°You need to use Earthly Aura to be able to damage it, you idiot!¡± Following her own advice, Roxanne enhanced her sword with Earthly Aura and sliced at the monster¡¯s legs.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    As if mocking its adversaries, the Goop separated its body at the would-be point of contact once more and merely looked down at the magic knights.


    ¡°If it deems your attack as a threat, it¡¯ll try to evade it¡­¡± Sharpening his eyes, the boy focused on his sword stuck in the monster.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    ¡°A feint?!¡± Roxanne gasped.


    Coating his lodged blade in Earthly Aura, Adonis increased the force he exerted and severed it into two sides, limiting its mobility before it could realize what was happening.


    <i>SPLASH </i>


    ¡°It¡¯s up to you Hiram.¡± Before the monster could reform or even hope to counterattack, the three of them dashed backwards to give the mage her opportunity to shine.


    ¡°Ice magic: Frost Flash.¡±


    Summoning two small throwing knives from his spatial ring, Adonis coated them in Earthly Aura and threw them at the frozen halves of the monster. Shattering it and leaving a pink magic crystal to roll along the ground towards him.


    ¡°You could have told the rest of us your plan.¡± Roxanne huffed.


    ¡°And what if the monster heard us.¡± Suppressing the darkness in his eyes, the boy smirked playfully.


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    ¡®He figured that out before I even launched my first attack?¡¯ Rocco furrowed his brow for a brief second before flashing his signature bright smile.


    ¡°Well done, we finished this level rather quickly. Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    ***


    The dungeon¡¯s second floor was much larger than the first, with its ceilings approaching 15m. Standing in the floor¡¯s centre, side by side were two powerful pink rank monsters of deferring sizes.


    The monster on the left was around 6m tall and had a spherical body with protruding appendages of various functions: claw arms, thick muscular appendages resembling arms and legs and even a few holes that led to a mouth with serrated teeth.


    ¡°It¡¯s disgusting.¡± Adonis and Roxanne said in unison.


    The monster on the right wasn¡¯t any prettier, although it was both shorter and leaner than its partner it also carried its own air of power.


    It possessed a huge ovoid head with a glowing pink orb protruding towards its nape. Towering above the humans, it featured long limbs with talons at the end of each appendage. While its partner was built for strength and durability, it was made to move quickly and with agility.


    ¡°How ugly.¡± Rocco and Hiram said flatly.


    ¡°They¡¯re both around Tier 7 Low Rank strength individually.¡± Adonis narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Fighting them at the same time will be troublesome, to say the least.¡± Rocco poured more Earthly Aura into the spear in his right hand.


    ¡°We should take care of them individually.¡± Roxanne suggested.


    ¡°I doubt the other one will be willing to wait its turn.¡± Adonis declined.


    ¡°We can fight them two on two.¡± Rocco concluded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll team up with Roxanne, we may be weaker. But our versatility as magic knights will make up for it.¡± Adonis said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take on fatso.¡± Roxanne walked towards the monster on the left.


    ¡°It¡¯s settled, it¡¯s me and you Hiram.¡± Rocco smiled.


    After briefly nodding, Hiram raised her magic staff and erected a solid thick wall of ice; separating the floor into two halves.


    <i>Ice magic</i><b><i>: </i></b><i>Frost barrier</i>


    ¡°You better not hold me back, student.¡± Roxanne coated her sword in Earthly Aura and lunged at the monster confidently.


    <i>DUMMM</i><i>


    </i>¡° I don¡¯t plan on it.¡± Fuelling his movements with Earthly Aura, Adonis followed behind his partner as he evaluated the monster¡¯s physique.


    ¡®I doubt my Inferno magic is going to harm it¡¯s skin, and I need to save my mana for the boss battle. Using the Supreme Devil Arts I should be able to create an opening for Roxanne to deal the finishing blow.¡¯


    As the two magic knights approached the monster, it sent forth dozens of its appendages.


    <b><i>***</i></b>


    <b><i>Extra Information:</i></b>


    <i>The monster Roxxanne and Adonis are fighting is called a Markidus.</i>

 What did you do?

    Predicting the paths of the Markidus¡¯s appendages, Adonis and Roxanne skillfully evaded each and every attack, with each failed attempt resulting in a deep gouge in the dungeon floor.


    Now face to ¡®face¡¯ with the monster¡¯s huge and obscure body, Adonis imitated Roxanne¡¯s sharper and more practised movements; He spun his body around to both avoid the last appendage and gather more momentum before swinging his enhanced gladius at full force at the monster¡¯s right side.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    <i>WHOOOSH</i>


    Before he could make contact with the monster¡¯s tough exterior, it conjured and ejected a thick blunt appendage from it¡¯s side, moving at speeds faster than the boy could even perceive, nailing him right in his sternum and sending him flying.


    <i>SHATTER</i>


    ¡°ARGH!¡± Ejecting blood from his mouth, the boy helplessly flew backwards as he made numerous failed attempts to land gracefully.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    Finally finding somesort of balance in the air, Adonis stopped his flight by digging his gladius into the ground and grounding himself successfully after carving a few meters into the stone.


    ¡°ARGH¡± Although he had managed to land safely, he was still far from harm; seeing he wasn¡¯t dead yet, the monster ejected another appendage at his head to finish him off.


    Acting before the monster had even moved, Adonis expertly moved his head to the side so that the attack narrowly missed his head.


    {...Lucky.} The Devil God whispered.


    Focused on the intense heat and pain pulsating throughout his upper chest, the boy couldn¡¯t be bothered to address the Devil God¡¯s concerns and merely pulled out four expensive potions from the confines of his spatial ring.


    <i>Recovery potion, Speed potion, Pain relief potion and strength potion Mid grade.</i>


    Chugging the potions down greedily while he still had the chance, Adonis prepared to attack once more.


    {Are you sure that¡¯s wise?}


    ¡°It¡¯s either kill or be killed.¡± He whispered, the glowing liquids rolling down his lips.


    ¡®How¡¯d he get up so quickly? I swore I heard his bones breaking?¡¯ Unlike the boy, Roxanne hadn¡¯t suffered any critical injuries at the hands of the Markidus yet, and gained a bit of distance between her and it so she could try and formulate a plan of action.


    Reminding her she had no time to worry about others, the Markidus sent forth a barrage of it¡¯s appendages at the stronger of the duo; harassing Roxanne with attacks from all angles.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Noticing the Markidus had upped the pressure on her, Roxanne analyzed the monster¡¯s movements; carefully and accurately predicting the tentacle¡¯s trajectory with little margin of error.


    <i>SLASH</i>


    As she defended herself against the attacks with were a few times the speed of sound, Roxanne was forced to enhance her body using Earthly Aura so she could keep up.


    <i>DUMMMM</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i><i>


    </i><i>SLASH</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    SLASH


    WHOOSH


    SLASH


    WHOOSH


    SLASH


    ¡®I thought it could only divide it¡¯s attention, speed and strength evenly; which would give us a huge advantage. But it looks like it can divide it proportionally, it¡¯s focusing on the faster and stronger of the two of us¡­.¡¯ Grunting under the strength of the latest appendage, Roxxanne gathered mana into her spatha which already simmered with a bright blue hue.


    ¡®The longer this drags out the closer we are to losing¡­ I can¡¯t save my stamina.¡¯ Having made all the necessary calculations, Roxanne wrapped a long current of water around her blade to increase both her attack speed and strength.


    <i>SLUSH</i>


    ¡°Water Magic: Jet cutter¡±


    Extending the water beyond her blade, Roxanne severed all eight of the appendages assaulting her.


    ¡®How¡¯s the kid doing? Tier 9¡¯s shouldn¡¯t be able to damage its skin.¡¯ Upon saving herself from all danger, Roxanne glanced at the teenager on the other side of the giant monster.


    ¡®I¡¯m lucky it¡¯s focusing on Roxanne¡­Even so, this won¡¯t do. When I coat my attacks with Inferno Magic it doesn¡¯t enhance the attack speed or strength in anyway like other magic affinities, instead it merely adds a property to my attacks, so I¡¯m stuck with my base speed, strength and Earthly Aura.¡¯ Adonis frowned as he took another hit from the Markidus¡¯s blunt tentacle to the face.


    <i>BAM</i>


    {When¡¯re you going to stop complaining and kill theat thing? I¡¯m getting bored.}


    ¡®If I could use Wicked Aura, this¡¯d be easier.¡¯ Taking a brief swig of a health potion Adonis barely dodged a sharp tentacle aimed at his leg by leaping.


    ¡°Hu-¡± Before the monster could surprise the boy with another appendage while he was still vulnerable middair, he was snatched from the air by a huge torrent of water.


    ¡°I expect a thank you for saving your li-¡± Inside the large current, swimming infront of the boy was his teammate Roxxane.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°I have a plan.¡± Putting the health potion to his mouth, Adonis studied the monster¡¯s form as they swam around it within the magical current.


    ¡°A plan?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°The monster¡¯s body has multiple mouths across it¡¯s body designed to devour it¡¯s defeated enemies. Unlike what people usually think, its mouth is the most dangerous part of its body, as unlike most other monsters it¡¯s mouth isn¡¯t weaker or less reactive than the rest of the body and you can¡¯t defeat  it from the inside; even a Tier 7 magic knight wouldn¡¯t survive a single second within one of it¡¯s mouths.¡±


    ¡®What¡¯s he saying?¡¯ While carefully listening to the boy, Roxanne carefully adjusted the magic circle at the base of the torrent to make movement easier and to dodge the impatient monster attacking them within the body of water.


    ¡°The Markidus knows this and is comfortable with anything entering its mouth, feeling confident it can crush it with its teeth¡­ But deeper within it, lies its week point, its digestive system. As long as an attack makes it through it¡¯s mouth and is swallowed it can damage it within.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just poison it then?¡±


    ¡°With a body that large we¡¯d need a large concentration, a resource we don¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°Then what should we do.¡±


    ¡°All I need you to do is quench its thirst.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just fill every single mouth with water, I¡¯ll do the rest.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any se-¡±


    ¡°Do it.¡± Adonis said flatly, his silver eyes dimming even darker while he studied the monster¡¯s entire body.


    ¡®Bossy Brat.¡¯ Roxanne shook her head and sped up the water current, circling the monster multiple times per second.


    <i>SLUSH</i>


    With every orbit around the puff, Roxanne created a new simple magic circle which merely shot water into the giant monster¡¯s mouth.


    <i>Water magic: Profusing spring</i>


    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Having set up the last simple magic circle, the fatigued magic knight looked back at her companion.


    ¡°Now let¡¯s kill it. Drop us off above it.¡± Adonis nodded and coated his blade in the thickest layer of Earthly Aura he could manage.


    Relieved of the stressful magic spell, Roxanne dismissed the giant contorting water current; releasing the two magic knights from the bounds of the water; leaving them vulnerable to the monster¡¯s eager tentacles.


    ¡°Are you trying to get us killed?¡± Boosting her physical attributes considerably, Roxanne straightened her face and faced the monster¡¯s tentacles.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    ¡°The weakest point of its appendages is the the tip, use that to destroy them.¡± Taking his own advice, Adonis summoned three magic circles behind his back to attack in multiple directions.


    <i>Inferno magic: Hell¡¯s Artillery (matter variation)</i>


    ¡°I know. But that won¡¯t help us actually defeat the monster, just delaying our doom.¡± Roxanne cut through the side of a threatening appendage.


    <i>SLASH</i>


    ¡°Just keep the water going.¡± Blasting a sharp appendage using the ivory flames, Adonis finished it off by dissecting it precisely.


    <i>BWSHHHH</i>


    ¡®Why did I trust this amateur.¡¯ Landing safely on the the top of the Puff¡¯s head, Roxanne shook her head.


    <i>SLASH</i>


    As the Markidus continued to greedily drink the water, it¡¯s surface began to shake slightly.


    <i>RUMBLE</i>


    ¡°Hold on for a while.¡± Landing beside her, Adonis added a magic circle to those which were now above him.


    ¡°Whatever¡­¡± She shook her head.


    Since the two were now on top of the monster¡¯s skin, it was now free to attack them from all angles.


    ¡®This is going to be a nightmare.¡¯ Using the little time they had left before imminent doom, Adonis adjusted every single rune on the magic circles above, converting them into trap type circles, designing them to eject the ivory flames as soon as they detect motion.


    {Effective but inefficient, you¡¯re really careless with your mana.} The Devil God critiqued.


    ¡®Rather this then die.¡¯ Adonis sighed, his mana quickly approaching 50% capacity.


    Sprouting on his right was the monster¡¯s signature spike appendage, targeting his chest at three times the speed of sound.


    On detecting the movement from its inception, a magic circle ejected an ivory flame at the base of the appendage, slightly damaging it and decreasing it¡¯s speed.


    <i>BWSHHH</i>


    Due to the monster being slowed down by his flames and his pathway prediction, Adonis took a step backwards and parried the tentacle away.


    Emerging from behind him the puff conjured a second appendage aimed at the boy¡¯s back, this one moving slightly slower than the previous.


    Similar to the previous incident, a different magic circle ejected another ball of flames at the appendage¡¯s base.


    <i>BWSHHHH</i>


    Although unlike last time, he wasn¡¯t able to avoid damage. As he stepped away from the attack, it managed to graze his abdomen, suffering a minor injury.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    Upping the pressure, the Markidus summoned a third appendage and reused those which already existed. All moving slower than the initial speed all aiming to decapitate him.


    <i>BWSHHH </i>


    <i>BWSHHH</i><i>


    </i><i>BWSHHH</i>


    ¡®Supreme Devil Art¡­¡¯ Enhancing both his right arm and gladius, Adonis swung his arm with all his might.


    <i>DUMMM</i>


    ¡°Stage one: Divine Divider¡± Accurately aiming for the tips of the appendages, Adonis severed every single one of them with one clean cut.


    <i>SHING</i>


    Appearing on his left was a serrated tentacle, aiming to destroy his leg and permanently maim him.


    <i>BWSHH</i>


    Boosting his physical speeds past the speed of sound, Adonis placed his hand on the ground; preparing to propel himself out of harms way.


    <i>RUMBLE</i>


    ¡°A few more seconds.¡± He whispered before propelling himself out of harm¡¯s way; landing himself beside Roxanne who had also gained some space between her and her foes.


    ¡®Did he think filling it up with water would slow it down.¡¯ Her mana now rapidly approaching 20% of it¡¯s maximum capacity, Roxanne let out a sharp exhale.


    ¡°Can I stop with the water?¡± She looked back at the injured teenage boy behind her.


    ¡°Just a bit more.¡± Adonis studied each appendage around them.


    ¡°?!¡± Feeling the ground tremble beneath her, Roxanne pushed the boy off the monster and followed suite by leaping off.


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    Sprouting where the two used to stand, were four large tentacles; three much faster ones approaching the senior magic knight and one being allocated to Adonis.


    ¡®I don¡¯t have enough mana to defend myself, and I¡¯ve run out of stamina to use Aura. It doesn¡¯t help that these are the fastest and strongest ones we¡¯ve faced.¡¯ While she flew off the monster¡¯s body, Roxanne relaxed her body and closed her eyes.


    ¡®I can¡¯t really blame the kid either¡­ It wasn¡¯t unreasonable to think that the water would slow it down. It¡¯s my fault for putting all my trust in him and not thinking for myself. I was supposed to lead.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry dad. I¡¯m sorry mo-¡± Before she could fullt resign herself to death, a familiar deep voice echoed through her ears.


    ¡°Inferno magic¡­¡± Creating multiple magic circle¡¯s within the monster¡¯s body, aimed at the entries of the monster¡¯s digestive tract.


    {Kukuku, I never took you for a gambler Oizys.}


    ¡®It¡¯s not a guess, gamble or estimation. I¡¯m simply correct.¡¯ Ignoring the approaching appendage, Adonis merely exhaled.


    ¡°Hell¡¯s Flower Bombs.¡±


    <i>( Matter variation )</i>


    <i>BWSHHHH</i><i>


    </i><i>BWSHHHH</i><i>


    </i><i>BWSHHHH</i>


    ¡®What¡¯s taking it so long?¡¯ Having expected her body to be shredded already, Roxanne slowly opened her eyes and was shocked to see what was infront of her.


    ¡°What¡­What happened?¡±  Unlike what she had expected, the huge Markidus was gone; it¡¯s monstrous body being replaced by a hundreds of chunks of flesh and a pink magic crystal in the center.


    Cancelling her magic circles, Roxanne landed with a soft thud and stared at the monster¡¯s remains.


    ¡®Did Dad and Hiram defeat their monster and come help us?¡¯ She frowned.


    ¡®No, I didn¡¯t sense dad¡¯s presence at all¡­¡¯


    ¡°This attack, it¡¯s clear the monster was slain from the inside.¡±


    ¡®Dad doesn¡¯t have any attacks like this and there¡¯s no ice so it couldn¡¯t be Hiram¡­¡¯ Roxanne briefly glanced at the boy who approached the magic crystal.


    ¡®It couldn¡¯t have been him. Could it?!¡¯


    ¡®The only way a Tier 9 could defeat a monster of this caliber would be some way from the inside. But since it¡¯s mouth is even more durable than its flesh it means it could only be done even deeper than its body.¡¯ Roxane placed her finger on her chin, straining her mind to wrap itself around the situation.


    ¡®Which means he attacked the monster¡¯s digestive tract. That¡¯s the only explanation¡­¡¯


    ¡°That makes sense.¡± She whispered.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡®How did he attack it in the first place?¡¯ She pondered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. You don¡¯t want to be here forever do you?¡± Adonis picked up the magic crystal on the ground and absorbed it into one of the rings on his finger.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± She whispered.


    ¡°Pardon?¡± He glanced back.


    ¡°Nothing¡­¡±

 Hells breath

    ***


    In the boss room were the two other members of the ranger party both of them engaged in a fight for their lives against a massive abomination.


    The monster stood tall with four muscular legs, armed with short black claws attached to its large scaled body.


    Adorning the monster¡¯s reptillian flesh was a massive segmented armoured shell that protected it against all types of attacks. In place of the monster¡¯s eyes, nose and ears were massive and sharp horns that threatened to to pierce all incoming threats.


    ¡°It took you two long enough!¡± Rocco held his spear horizontally against the shell of the spinning monster, which attempted to run him over with its heavy body.


    ¡®A Rolling Poly.¡¯ Roxanne Identified.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be much help here, I¡¯m too tired.¡¯


    ¡®Im glad he¡¯s okay.¡¯ The corners of the girl¡¯s lips tugged slightly.


    ¡°Have you made any progress?¡± Adonis pulled his gladius back into his spatial ring and cracked his fingers, the fatigue coursing throughout his entire body.


    ¡°We managed to damage its underbelly, but nothing that has affect its movements.¡± Hiram replied.


    ¡®He still has energy to fight?¡¯ Roxanne looked at the boy.


    ¡°Do you have a plan?¡± Hiram asked as she shot a massive spear head at the monster¡¯s armour.


    <i>Ice Magic: Hastae</i>


    <i>WHOOSH</i>


    <i>BAM</i>


    ¡°...¡± The boy didn¡¯t reply, merely studying the monster¡¯s segmented armour.


    ¡°Atleast warn me!¡± Dodging the mage¡¯s attack, Rocco allowed the spearhead to hit the monster¡¯s armour; causing it to roll backwards a few meters although without any visible damage.


    ¡°You two look pretty tired, it¡¯s okay. We can handle it.¡± Rocco joined the rest of the party members at the back, smiling.


    Ignoring the party leader, Adonis built up the mana in his stomach; carefully transforming it into white flames before he expelled it from his mouth.


    ¡®Inferno magic¡­¡¯


    ¡°Hell¡¯s breath.¡± Feeling his throat heat up to the point of discomfort, Adonis summoned a magic circle infront of him and ejected the majestic ivory flames.


    <i>BWSHHHHHH</i>


    When the flames entered and exited the magic circle they shrunk into a smaller more concentrated beam of flames that travelled at almost twice the speed of sound.


    <i>BWSHHHHHH</i>


    Defending itself from the terrifying flames, the monster folded its form into a ball once more; shielding itself from the boy¡¯s attack.


    Knowing it would do this, Adonis adjusted the magic circle so he could accurately hit his target; the spot inbetween the segmented armour plates.


    ¡®?!¡¯


    {How symbolic.} The Devil God chuckled.


    ¡°His accuracy is impressive, isn¡¯t it better than yours Roxy?¡± Rocco chuckled.


    ¡°It is.¡± She uncharestically admitted.


    ¡°Hm?¡± The knight shot her a curious glance.


    ¡®It¡¯s hot.¡¯ The overwhelming burning sensation he used to feel in his magic core returned, although this time it manifested itself in his throat; and it didn¡¯t grant him the privilege of not causing physical damage¡­


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    As the magic knight continued to bombard it with a  constant beam of flames, the monster¡¯s armour began to weaken and its skin began to rapidly deteriorate.


    ¡° RUUUGGGGGGHHHH!¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡± Blood formed in the boy¡¯s mouth while he continued to spew out this constant beam of flames, both him and the monster experiencing more critical damage by the second.


    ¡®I¡¯ll protect my mouth using Earthly Aura, I just need to get this done.¡¯ He grunted.


    <i>DUMMMM</i>


    Sick of being constantly assaulted by the ray, the Rollie Poly rotated in place; disallowing the beam from targeting the exact same spot and gathering speed to wipe out the entire party in one go.


    <i>Cough Cough</i>


    ¡°AHHHHHHHHH!¡± The more mana he poured into the spell, the more pain Adonis cumulated in his throat and mouth.


    ¡°Well done!¡± Seeing the armoured plates fall to the ground, Rocco smiled.


    ¡°Adonis!¡± Hiram yelled.


    Overwhelmed by the pain in his throat, the boy lost consciousness; falling like a ragdoll onto the ground.


    ***


    <b>Eleven years ago.</b>


    <b>Caelum Empire- Vulcan Kingdom, Twist city</b>


    With a heavy leather bag slung across her shoulder Pan walked around the city¡¯s plaza deep in thought.


    ¡®We should take a break. Ozzy must be tired.¡¯


    ¡°What would you like to eat O-¡± Suppressing her worries, Pan managed a smile and glanced to her left.


    ¡°Ozzy?¡± Realizing she was no longer walking hand in hand with her son, Pan shook her head side to side; her eyes darting around the plaza.


    ¡°Ozzy!¡± Managing to maintain her composure, Pan turned her head to look at the path they¡¯d took.


    Snapping out of the daze he¡¯d seemingly found himself in; Oizys turned his head away from a store¡¯s display panel, smiling from ear to ear.


    ¡®I really want them!¡¯ Oizys beamed.


    <b> </b>¡°Look Ma-¡± Before he could tell his mom about the <i>Taiko Drum </i>toy  that caught his attention, thick muscular armas wrapped around his tiny body.


    ¡°NOOOO! OZZY!¡± Tears running down her cheeks, Pan¡¯s mouth gaped open while she helplessly watched her son be kidnapped in broad daylight.


    ¡°Mmpha Mmmpha.¡± Muffled by the cloth in his mouth, Oizys disappeared into the crowd along with the masked man.


    ***


    <b>One week after the dungeon </b>


    <b>Periculum, Pegasus Hospital</b>


    ¡°MrhhaMrhaaa!¡± Drenched in his own sweat, Adonis abruptly rose from the confines of the hospital blankets his voice sounding similar to nails on a chalk board.


    {Mama¡¯s boy.} The Devil God chuckled.


    ¡°Adonis?¡± Seated on the chair beside the small bed Hiram muttered softly; drool rolling down her lower chin.


    ¡°Hrrrow¡­¡± Feeling blood rise from his throat, the boy gripped his neck tightly and threw up a small cup of the scarlet liquid.


    <i>SPLURT</i>


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t speak.¡± Jumping from her seat, the mage worriedly placed her hand over the boy¡¯s mouth


    ¡°The healer said that your voice box is missing multiple muscles and your oesaphagus is damaged.¡± She said sadly.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be coming to ask you some questions soon, just rest.¡± Hiram continued.


    ¡®It¡¯s fairly obvious what happened.¡¯ Adonis nodded.


    ¡°What day is it?¡± He mouthed.


    ¡°It¡¯s been eight days.¡± Hiram said softly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we defeated the monster and cleared the dungeon pretty easily after your attack. Thank you.¡± She smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± He mouthed, forcing a grim smile.


    <i>CLICK</i>


    Following the soft click of the wooden door, a woman in a long white trench filled to the brim with plants, herbs and magic crystals walked in with a soft smile on her face.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re awake Mr Vindicta.¡± The Doctor smiled.


    ¡°He just woke up.¡± Hiram replied for the teenager who couldn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°That¡¯s quicker than we expected.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Adonis has always healed pretty quickly. I think that¡¯s why he¡¯s always taking it too far.¡± Hiram sighed.


    ¡°So how long is it going to take his throat to recover?¡± She continued


    ¡°Unfortunately¡­¡± Struggling to find a way to say the bad news, the doctor paused briefly.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Hiram frowned.


    ¡°We¡¯re unable to heal the damage in his throat and mouth.¡± Doctor Jet straightened her face.


    ¡°What do you mean, can¡¯t you just use potions like you usually do?¡±  Hiram raised her brow.


    ¡°Magic potions speed up the natural healing of one¡¯s body for a brief amount of time, in Adonis¡¯s case his body won¡¯t be able to repair the damage to his body, it¡¯s like healing a severed arm.¡±


    ¡°Then we can just get the Zeas to heal him using Holy Aura?¡± Hiram shrugged.


    <i>Derived from the word Zealot, Zeas are people who dedicated their entire lives to God¡¯s and have been Blessed. They use the Holy Aura granted by these Blessings to heal others, they are typically found in hospitals, shrines and generally all other places where they are needed.</i>


    ¡°We¡¯ve tried, but none of the Zea¡¯s here are capable of healing wounds on a cellular level, everyone capable of doing so are either working under kings or are Tier 4 magic knights.¡± The doctor explained.


    ¡®Poor kid, he¡¯ll will never be able to speak again¡­¡¯ She shook her head.


    ¡°...¡± Hearing the news of his fate, Adonis¡¯s expression remain unchanged; the news simply being what he had expected.


    ¡°Oh, thank you doctor.¡± Hiram frowned, looking at her companion with pity.


    ¡°Rest for a while before discharging yourself.¡± The doctor quietly muttered before turning her back towards the two.


    ¡®There¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t understand though¡­¡¯ Walking through the hospital corridors Dr Jet pondered.


    ¡®When other magic users emit spells from their mouths their unaffected by its power. So why was he injured, and why to that degree? I¡¯ve never seen flames that completely destroy cells like that.¡¯ She scrunched her face.


    ¡°What was his name¡­Adonis?¡±


    ***


    <i>SNAP SNAP</i>


    Snapped out of her depressed daze by the boy¡¯s rapid snapping, Hiram glanced at the teenage boy.


    <i>Sniff </i>¡°Hm?¡±


    <i>¡°I¡¯ll just get Elder Mars to heal me. So don¡¯t be sad okay?¡±</i> Mouthing the words with his lips, Adonis smiled softly.


    ***