ã€ŠA Tale of a Different Heroã€‹


 Volume 0 Chapter 1

    Volume 0 Chapter 0

    Eons ago, humanity was once said to be rule by kings and queens. They believed that the throne was only for those with noble blood. This belief led to many internal strife within the group of nobles. Not all commoners were happy with this belief either. When one place can''t hold all these conflicting propositions, the people will inevitably move out. The outcome led to the growth of many kingdoms, all holding their own ideologies and beliefs that made them flourish in their own ways. In history, this fateful event was recorded as The Birth of Many Kingdoms.

    However, not everyone was made to be a competent king or queen. Three hundred years later, the most eventful incident known to humanity was recorded as The Death of the Birth. The hundreds of kingdoms were all crushed and assimilated into three powerful kingdoms - Kingdom of Highborn, Elucian Dynasty, and Harrowhold Territory. The sole reason to the three''s overwhelming success was the discovery of mana.

    Mana - the energy that is believed to encompassed their entire world. Mana, in its purest form, is naked to the eye, but not to the mind and heart. It is similar to air - invisible, but also present everywhere.

    The capabilities of mana were apparent to everyone during the times of war. Magic, an application of mana that requires invocation and incantation, devastated the battlefield. Disaster that were told in fictional stories became a reality.

    Not only was magic an unexpected force, but fictional characters like the God of War, or the Hero of Norm soon took shape in the form of unbelievable individuals in the battlefield. These individuals perform feats using mana that would not be possible without it. In the face of magic and strong individuals, the hundreds of kingdoms didn''t even stand a chance with their archaic technology and army.

    The three nations rapidly expand their territory while treading carefully around each other. They weren''t at war with each other, but they weren''t allies either. The leaders of the three kingdom were worried that if one were to wage war on another, then the third one would reap the benefits. This cautiousness led to a deep and long silence between the three of them that lasted for hundreds of years.

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    It was during those hundreds of years that humanity saw a different being, a race unlike any others they''ve seen before - Goblins. Green skin, scrawny creatures that averaged to a height of four feet. They had long nose and ears that made their expression seem even more sinister.

    The Kingdom of Highborn was the first to encounter the Goblins during their expedition. No one knew who was the first one to attack, but the Kingdom of Highborn saw an everlasting war with them.

    Harrowhold Territory also met a similar instance during their expansion. They''ve met an opposing force made up of wild animals and never-before-seen creatures that band together and attacked them. They were labeled as Beast-kins, creatures of the wild. In this case, Harrowhold reported that the Beast-kins were the first to attack them.

    Elucian Dynasty heard of the two incidents, and stopped their expansion in fear of poking a balloon filled with fire. The last thing they wanted was to be at war while leaving their backs open.

    It was then that the three leaders of the three kingdoms held their first meeting, the Three Remnant Summit. The conclusion of the meeting led to a non-aggression pact between the three kingdoms until the external force was dealt with.

    As the people from the Kingdom of Highborn prepare for war with the Goblins, a secret organization had a bad premonition about the future of humanity. In order to prevent the destruction of humanity, the secret organization settled to take the matters into their own hands.

    Thus, begins Project Metamorphosis...

 Volume 0 Chapter 2

    Volume 0 Chapter 2

    A man in a black cloak stood in front of the desk of a white-bearded old man. The room was pitch black, and the only lighting source was the flickering candle sitting on top of the desk.

    "How are things going?" The old man asked.

    "Sources reported that the kingdom is in preparation for the war with the Goblins. Generals have been recruiting masses of people since last month. To this date, Highborn has a total of a hundred thousand troops ready to march forward to attack the Goblins. I also heard Grand General Aoblue will be leading the vanguard." The man in black cloak replied.

    "I see... What about Project Metamorphosis?" The old man asked.

    "The current set of subjects aren''t proving to do well, much like the ones before. Most of them died during the first stage of the process. A few made it to the second stage, but their fate ended up the same as the first. There are currently seven subjects who are still struggling at the second stage. Only time will tell whether they''ll succeed or not." The man reported.

    The old man strokes his beard and contemplated the organization''s next action.

    Project Metamorphosis is the organization¡¯s greatest plan to transform human into superhuman. Their intel made them believe that Goblins function differently from humans. Their organs and skeletal structure allows the Goblins to move faster and nimbler than the average human.

    Goblins weren¡¯t the only race that the Kingdom of Highborn discovered. Trolls, massive beings that were discovered during the encounter with the Goblins, possessed regenerative abilities that allowed their bodies to regrow limbs or heal wounds over time.

    When the old man took these abilities into consideration, he figured that humans were at a heavy disadvantage in terms of physical properties. Durability, strength, agility ¨C humans were lacking in some way or another. He also took into consideration the possibility of hidden races lying past the Goblin lands. The only thing that humans had going for them was the awakening of their innate powers upon the discovery of mana ¨C Bloodborn.

    The old man believed that as long as the superhumans he created can activate their Bloodborn, then they¡¯ll surely secure the future of humanity.

    ¡°Let us see how they¡¯re holding up.¡± The old man grabbed his cane and stood up.

    ¡°Yes, Masked.¡± The man wearing a black coat replied and lead him to the private sector containing the subjects.

    The private sector, labeled ¡°Sector #0,¡± was located in the deepest part of their hideout. Only a few selected individuals are allowed to even approach this place. Golem, artificial sentry created from boulders and bounded by magic, were overseeing the entrance of Sector #0. They were non-sentient beings that can only operate on the commands of their creator.

    Upon arriving at the entrance, the twenty-meter golem parted ways and clear a path to Sector #0. The man with a black coat navigated the way to the section where the subjects were slumbering.

    Blue flames floating in the air illuminated the dark Sector #0. One area had saws, knives, and medical tools that were stain in blood.  The concentrated stench of blood in the air would make one nauseated enough to puke. However, the two of them were used to this smell and scene.

    Another area that was dimly lit was the containment pods of the subjects. Out of the seven pods, only four were still lit with a blue light.

    ¡°I see¡­ It looks like we won¡¯t have to wait much longer. It¡¯s a shame that three had already died, but the other four are still clinging onto their lives.¡± The old man quietly said while hoping that the remaining four would survive.

    It was just then that the ground and walls trembled slightly. Sounds of rocks falling and metals clashing echoed faintly to Sector #0. The most abundant sound of all was the eerie sound of people screaming.

    ¡°It seems that they¡¯ve finally found us. I¡¯ll proceed according to plan and hoped that we¡¯ll make it out of this alive.¡± The man wearing a black coat faced the entrance and exited the room.

    I must have the worst luck to have been found out at such a crucial moment. The old man held his hand in front of his face and many blue orbs gathered to condensed into a mask.

    He took out a scroll with a white sealed on it. Once he broke the seal, the scroll flashed and burned, leaving fallen ashes on the floor. The light from the scroll coated the room and prevented it from shaking again.

    This should prevent the vibrations from interrupting the four. The old man supported his body with his cane and walked out of the room.

    An hour later, the sounds of people screaming and rocks falling came to a silence. Instead, what replace the previous sound were the sounds of footsteps thundering through the hallway of Sector #0.

    ¡°Halt!¡± A man wearing a deep blue armor commanded his army to stop their movements in front of a stone golem.

    The hallway they were in had white walls, floors, and ceiling. It was like night and day comparing the hallway and Sector #0. The hallway was big enough to fit thousands of people comfortably.

    ¡°Aoblue, that must be the one who kidnapped all of those children!¡± A man dressed in a long robe with a pointy top hat shouted.

    ¡°Calm down Majes, we don¡¯t know if your nephew is being contained here. Judging by how heavily guarded this place is, you can rest assure that your answer lies behind that door.¡± Aoblue reassured his old friend and raised his sword.

    ¡°Knights of Highborn! Advance ten meters! Casters, began enchanting the frontlines with physical resistance! Rangers, use explosive ammunitions and attack the limbs of the golem! Our mission lies beyond that door! Everyone, hang in there! This is the last step we need to take!¡± Aoblue commanded his troops. He tried his best to encourage the already fatigue army that accompanied him on this mission.

    The old man riding on the golem stared in amusement at the tiny ants trying their best to take down a lion.

    The knights advanced with the protection of magic from the casters in the back line. Rangers unleashed a torrent of explosive arrows that attacked the knees of the golem.

    ¡°Knights, hold your position! Casters, take ten steps back and began casting [Fireball] at the golem!¡± Aoblue commanded.

    The golem received damage from the incoming attacks by the rangers, but it didn¡¯t flinch at all. Aoblue was somewhat familiar with artificial sentry types like golems, and thought that it was because they couldn¡¯t feel anything.

    The next incoming wave of attacks combined the ranger¡¯s explosive ammunition with the caster¡¯s [Fireball] spell. The knights stood at the front line and watched in awe at the amazing firework being displayed.

    ¡°Is that all you got, boy?¡± The old man wearing a mask sneered.

    The golem kicked its right leg outwards to attack the troops of Highborn. Even with the help of magical enhancement properties, the knights found it difficult to withstood the incoming attack. Some were blown away from the sheer force of the kick. The ones who held their ground fell to their knees, coughing due to the dust kicked up from the kick.

    The front lines will be in danger from the next attack. It seems like they can only take one hit from it¡­ I need to buy them time so they can get on their feet! Aoblue pondered his next course of action.

    The golem sweep with its left leg, targeting the fallen knights who were still picking up their shields and swords.

    ¡°[Black Hole]¡± Aoblue took out a scroll with a black seal, pointed it at the incoming left leg of the golem, and broke it. Like an arrow flying from a bow, the scroll shot out from Aoblue¡¯s hand and hit the left leg of the golem.

    A tiny black hole appeared and the left leg gravitated towards it. The suction from the black hole devoured the entire leg before completely disappearing in a matter of seconds.

    ¡°Oh? You¡¯d actually use such a rare scroll for their sake? What a foolish decision, boy. One should think of all possibilities before acting.¡± The old man wearing a masked criticized Aoblue¡¯s action.

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    The old man jumped off from the golem who is now falling due to a missing leg. The twenty meter dropped may seem scary, but the masked man floated down gently onto the ground.

    He tapped his cane on the ground once, and the pieces of boulders from the golem completely separated. Then, they began floating in the air, all facing towards the direction of the Highborn¡¯s troops.

    ¡°Majes!¡± Aoblue realized the masked man¡¯s intention and shouted for his friend¡¯s help.

    ¡°I got it!¡± Majes began chanting furiously and quickly.

    The boulders floating in the air all began to launch towards the Highborn troops in a terrorizing manner. The knights, casters, and rangers all had a look of disbelief on their face. The color of their skin became paler as the boulders approached them.

    ¡°[Mana Bubble]¡± Majes finally finished his chant, and a blue bubble enveloped the entire troops of Highborn.

    The rocks began hammering away at the bubble. Just when the Highborn troops believe that the bubble was about to burst, Aoblue launched to the sky and deflected the boulders with the help of [Mana Bubble]. The ground shook slightly as Aoblue kicked the boulders to the ground. The bubble that protected them slowly faded away a few seconds later.

    ¡°Casters, prepare [Magic Missiles] and wait for my command! Rangers, barrage him with your arrows! Knights, on me!¡± Aoblue gave orders to his troops and step forward to the front line.

    The rangers aimed their bows, crossbows, and slingshots towards the ceiling and unleashed their attacks.

    Facing the barrage of attacks, the masked old man pointed his cane high in the air towards the incoming arrow.

    ¡°[Wings of Avalon]¡± Two enormous white feathery wing emerged and enveloped the barrage of arrows. It then continues swerving around in the air to block the additional arrows that would harm its master.

    Aoblue led his remaining knights towards the masked man. He knew that someone who is capable of controlling a golem wouldn¡¯t fall to a barrage of arrows. Rather, the barrage of arrows was made to serve as a distraction, and to force the masked old man to reveal his abilities.

    Facing the approaching Grand General Aoblue and his knights, the masked old man smiled and tap his cane onto the ground.

    Cracks ran through the floor, creating a line between the Highborn army and the masked old man. The floor on the side of the masked person began to gradually elevate ten meters high.

    ¡°No you don¡¯t! [Terrestrial Devastation]¡± Majes took out a scroll with a green seal and pointed it at the rising floor. He broke the seal and the scroll unleashed a myriad of condensed mana arrows towards the elevated floor.

    The arrows exploded upon contact, and the floor began to form cracks.

    ¡°[Iron Sand Style: Piercing Sand]!¡± Seeing the newly form cracks spreading out like a spider¡¯s web, Aoblue threw his sword and the whole floor beneath the masked man broke into many fragments.

    ¡°Now! Casters! Hit him while he¡¯s still in the air!¡± Aoblue gave the order and the casters complied with their [Magic Missiles]. Small rays of purple light shot out from the staves and wands of the casters. They all move around the air sporadically, dodging the enormous wings in the air and the falling rocks, before converging onto one point ¨C the masked old man. Explosive sounds rang out and the casters all wore happy faces. The rangers and knights held their position and awaited Aoblue to give the victory shout.

    One caster using [Magic Missiles] wouldn¡¯t be lethal, but if you multiply the amount of casters, then it can prove to be devastating.

    Aoblue decided to use [Magic Missiles] instead of [Fireball] because the average incantation time is a lot shorter, and the magic seeks out its prey instead of moving in a linear motion.

    The dust from the explosion soon departed, revealing a burnt figure lying on the ground.

    ¡°We¡¯ve won! Victory is ours!¡± The knights shouted and lifted their swords and shields into the air. The rangers all let out a heavy sigh and thanked that their casualty from the mission wasn¡¯t too heavy. Likewise, the casters fell to the ground from exhaustion. The amount of mana they used since the start of the day was too taxing. It was a miracle that they were able to still cast spells despite an action packed day.

    Aoblue walked over and patted Majes¡¯ shoulder. He expected to see a face of excitement, but was immediately confused when he saw the bewilderment Majes.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you excited to see your nephew?¡± Aoblue asked.

    ¡°I am, but¡­ You may not understand this because you don¡¯t specialize in magic, but the spell, [Wings of Avalon], is a 7th tier magic told in fairy tales.¡± Majes said with a grim face.

    ¡°Meaning?¡± Aoblue asked.

    ¡°[Fireball] and [Magic Missiles] are 1st tier magic. Do you get it now? How can someone who reached the heights of 7th tier lose to magic from the 1st tier?¡± Majes rhetorically asked.

    Aoblue finally understood what Majes was hinting at. Shivers creeped down his spine as he thought of the possibility of Majes¡¯ theory being true.

    Suddenly, the burnt body lying on the ground shot into the air. Majes and Aoblue immediately noticed the body because they had an uneasy feeling about the death of the old masked man.

    The body broke apart in two, revealing a black sphere that expanded and soon enveloped the entire area of the hallway.

    ¡°Aegis!¡± Aoblue quickly lifted his shield and shouted.

    ¡°[Gaia¡¯s Embrace]!¡± Majes took out a scroll with a white seal and broke it. The scroll burned to ashes, and a dense layer of magic coated around Majes body. However, this process took too long, and Majes left arm was caught in the area of the black sphere.

    The black sphere appeared and disappeared in a matter of seconds.

    Aoblue examined his surrounding and saw the worst situation possible ¨C the destruction of his troops. He expected his troops to take a heavy hit, but it was worse than he¡¯d imagine. Black scorch marks outlined the bodies of his old subordinates. There weren¡¯t any bodies lying around. He never heard a single scream of terror either. It all happened too fast. The last thing he remembered was the smiling faces that his subordinates wore so proudly.

    Looking to his side, he saw his old friend with a missing arm. Aoblue frantically looked around for Majes¡¯ missing arm, but he couldn¡¯t find it. He faced Majes with a horrifying expression and at a loss for words.

    ¡°It¡¯s ok¡­¡± Majes patted Aoblue¡¯s shoulder with his right arm.

    Aoblue stared at the excessive amount of blood dripping onto the ground from Majes'' arm. He knew as much as Majes that they should always have the mission as their top priority. However, he couldn¡¯t help but think that they should retreat and get his friend to the hospital.

    The door to the next room was completely evaporated. Not a single piece of it can be seen anywhere.

    Majes struggled his way to the next room, and Aoblue followed the trail of blood closely behind.

    Blue flames floating in the air dimly lit the pitch black room.

    Aoblue and Majes noticed four pods illuminated with a blue light and hurried their way there.

    He examined the first pod and his heart sunk deeply. This wasn¡¯t his nephew. He slowly examined the next one and the one after that, each time feeling his hopes drifting further and further away. Finally, it¡¯s as if all his life had been rejuvenated when his eyes fell upon a slumbering boy in the last containment pod.

    ¡°Yin¡­ I¡¯ve finally found you¡­¡± Majes softly said. He fell to his knees and rain began to flow from his eyes to his cheek.

    Aoblue silently stood there patiently waiting for his friend.

 Volume 0 Chapter 3

    Volume 0 Chapter 3: Final Chapter

    The containment pods were carefully extracted and brought back to the nearest hospital, Arced Gleedmie. Aoblue parted ways with Majes after the tragic event. After finishing a mission, one must always report the event to their superior. In this case, the superior of a Grand General is the Remnant, the strongest person and their leader in the Kingdom of Highborn.

    Aoblue nervously knocked three times on a door labeled "Remnant." After suffering such a defeat, Aoblue no longer had the nerves to face the Remnant. His mind ran through all sorts of scenarios of how he could''ve saved his subordinates.

    His body fidgeted upon hearing a hoarse voice from the other side of the door saying, "Enter."

    Aoblue slowly opened the door and entered the room.

    The room wasn''t grandeur by any means. Plain wooden walls and floors made it seem like a home, rather than an office of someone important. A large window sat behind the wooden desk, allowing one to view the City of Highborn with a three-story view. Many metallic cabinets sat in the corner near the wooden desk to allow a convenient and easy access to public or private files. In front of the desk was two auburn couches, and a brown table between them.

    An old man, dressed in a loose white cotton shirt and pants, sat on one of the couches.

    "Sit, Aoblue." said the old man.

    "Yes, Remnant." Aoblue replied. He quickly made his way to the couch while avoiding eye contact with the old man.

    The Remnant pointed his bony finger at the stack of paper sitting on top of the table in front of him.

    "I''ve read your report. However, I would like to hear it from your own mouth.  Describe everything in detail from beginning to end." The Remnant sipped his tea and awaited for Aoblue''s report.

    Aoblue began to describe the event in its entirety. The tone of his voice gradually shifted from nervousness to reserved and avoidance the more he talked about his encounter with the masked man. His eyes remain on the stack of paper the entire time he recounted the experience.

    The Remnant immediately picked up on the audio cue, but he didn''t say anything. The moment he saw the way Aoblue entered his office, he knew that the Grand General was in no state to be lectured.

    Silence filled the air after Aoblue finished his report. The heavy atmosphere was crushing his soul; wishing that the Remnant would just give him his punishment already.

    "Aoblue, you''re the youngest Grand General ever recorded, and your achievements prior to this mission had been amazing. That is why I''ve decided to bestow you the title of Grand General despite the oppositions. However, your inexperience compared to the other Grand Generals are showing. It''s unfortunate, but this information has to be shared between the other Grand Generals in the next meeting. They need to know so they can be better prepared if they meet this masked man." The Remnant said.

    The Remnant reached for the tea cup, indulge in the bitter flavor, and allowed another moment of silence to take place.

    "Aoblue, what do you think should happen next?" The Remnant asked.

    "I... I don''t know. Can I ask you a question, Remnant?" Aoblue asked.

    "What is it?" The Remnant replied.

    "In my position, was there any hope for me to prevent the disaster? Was there anything I could''ve done to bring everyone back safe and alive?" Aoblue remorsefully asked.

    The Remnant let out a sigh and placed down his cup of tea on top of the table. He looked at the pitiful Aoblue and hoped that he would learn from this experience and not let it ruin him.

    "Aoblue, a battle is not made of certainties.  When you step out of this door, you won''t know everything that will happen until it happens. Talking in hindsight is easy because the scenario and details had already been presented. To answer your question: yes, there is something you could''ve done, but not the way you want it. One way is to save the [Black Hole] scroll for the burnt body. Another way, although it''s a bit drastic and uncharacteristic of you, is to abandon the mission and retreat." The Remnant replied.

    "If I''d save the scroll for the burnt body, then my front lines would''ve fallen..." Aoblue emphasized.

    "Right. I was referring to mitigation. One, two, or a few may have died, but you''d be able to save them from the disaster. However, like I said earlier, talking in hindsight is easy. Don''t let it get to you too much. If you knew what your opponent was capable of, then maybe the outcome would be different." The Remnant said.

    Aoblue slouched his back and held a gloomy expression. The faces of all his deceased allies, all smiling and proud to be under his leadership, ran through his mind one after another. He couldn''t find it in his heart to sacrifice a single of them to protect the others.

    The old man stood up, walked over to the window, and gaze at his countless citizens proceeding with their daily lives.

    "Aoblue, henceforth you''ll be demoted to General. Alfin will be expecting your sword and shield upon exiting the building." The old man tried to soften his voice, but the nature of his hoarse voice made it difficult to lessen the impact.

    "Yes, Remnant." Aoblue replied soullessly and left the room.

    Once stripped from his glory, Aoblue made his way around the city, visiting the homes of his deceased allies. He bowed low and apologetically while reporting the tragic news of the fate of their beloved. Some were infuriated; others fell to their knees and prayed that the esteemed Grand General was joking. When they saw the man bowing lowly with no light in his eyes, they found it extremely difficult to say anything hurtful. The best thing they could do was shut the door and accept the truth.

    Arced Gleedmie, 74th ward...

    A hospital patient sat on one of the chairs stationed outside of the special facility care. The left arm of his clothes was cut and sewn specifically to match his missing limbs. The metallic chair wasn''t comfortable at all, but he continued sitting there, waiting until the doctors inside were done.

    Majes look at his left arm, and then at his bare feet. He was thankful that he only lost an arm. A strange burning sensation lingers in his left arm, as if he could still move his non-existent fingers. He couldn''t help but laugh manically before being interrupted by a doctor wearing a white coat, who just left the special facility care.

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    "You must be the one who accompanied Aoblue here. I heard of a ghastly ghost haunting this hallway for the past twenty-four hours that we were in the operation room. I never thought it''d be you." The doctor said and sat next to Majes.

    He extended his right hand and said, "Dr. Norwin."

    Majes chuckled and shook his hand.

    "So, since the Remnant requested for the details regarding these kids, I am afraid that we''d have to disclose the information I am about to tell you. Is that alright?" Dr. Norwin asked.

    Majes nodded. The doctor wasn''t really asking for his permission, after all, his authority cannot be compare to the Remnant''s authority.

    "Where do I begin... These kids have been previously operated on, and it wasn''t just once. I''ll spare you the details, but you should probably look into cosmetic surgery if you want to prevent these kids from scaring other children. Or, you know, have them wear long shirts and pants for the rest of their lives. Anyway, we discovered that there are fragments of ores fused into their skin. Our tests proved that it belonged to one of the rarest mineral discovered, Adamantite. Needless to say, cutting into their skin proved to be very difficult." The doctor chuckled before realizing the unamused expression on Majes'' face.

    The doctor let out a few fake coughs before continuing, "That isn''t all. Their meridian cores are in a terrible state due to the countless experiments performed on them. At this point in time, we are uncertain as to whether they''ll be able to utilize mana or not. Their bones are also in an extremely brittle state, so they''ll have to remain here until our tests reports that they''re healthy again. Our nurses will notify you once they''re awake. You can visit them at that time." Dr. Norwin stood up and parted ways with Majes.

    Majes didn''t know what to think of it. From the sound of it, there was a chance that his nephew could become crippled if something goes wrong. He sat there for a few more hours before Aoblue appeared and took the seat next to him.

    "Is your left arm okay? Wait, what am I asking?" Aoblue  face-palmed himself, regretting what he just said.

    "Don''t worry about it. I''m doing fine. How are things going on your end?" Majes smiled and asked.

    "It''s going... It''s running its course. Life goes on whether you like it or not." Aoblue meekly replied.

    "I see... Has anyone reported to you about their conditions?" Majes asked.

    "No, I haven''t been back to my office yet." Aoblue said.

    Majes began informing Aoblue the same details that Dr. Norwin discussed with him. Aoblue attentively listened to him while trying his best to avoid glancing at the Majes'' missing limb. It constantly reminded him of his failure as a Grand General.

    Midway during his explanation, a nurse walked out of the special facility care and looked at the two chatting adults.

    "Grand General Aoblue? Mr. Majes?" The nurse walked over and asked.

    The two replied and the nurse led them inside. While leading the two, the nurse constantly reminded them to not touch any of the children, and to remain as quiet as possible.

    Walking through the hallway, Majes passed by many rooms and glanced at the patients residing in there. There were a few patients who stared and waved at him in a creepy manner. Their thin hospital outfit combined with their emotionless expression made it seem like a ghost from a horror movie. Many of them simply ignored him and continue staring at a wall or at the ceiling. The most memorable of all was a small girl with long hair who whispered, "Hello, monster," before running back into her room. Majes looked at the nurse, and the nurse shook her head to signal him not to inquire any further.

    The group made a left at the end of the hallway and entered the first room on the right with a caution sign that said "Restricted: Authorized Personnel Only."

    The nurse took out a plastic card, slide it against the lock, and turned the handle. The door slowly opened when they heard a clicking sound.

    Stepping into the room, Majes saw four beds containing four children, two males and two females. The children were all hooked up to many different medical devices that made him dumbfounded.  Their hands, legs, necks, were all strapped down and bounded to prevent movement.

    Majes walked over to the bed of a resting black-hair boy. There were many cords hooked into the veins in his arm and leg. One cord was also connect to his nose. Majes traced the cords back to a medical device that was connected to a blood pack. The cord in his nose connected back to a translucent blue bag.

    The black-hair boy opened his eyes and smiled faintly upon see his uncle. He wanted to wave at him, but he soon realize that his entire body was restricted by leather straps.

    Majes bend down to meet eye level with his nephew. He angled his body so that his nephew couldn''t see his left arm.

    "How are you feeling?" Majes quietly asked his nephew.

    His nephew''s lip barely moved, and an inaudible sound came out. Majes leaned closer, and his nephew tried to say something again. He heard something along the line of "...bored," and smiled.

    "Hang in there, okay? You''ll be back at home before you know it." Majes said while noticing the hand gesture that the nurse was making.

    His nephew nodded and closed his eyes.

    Meanwhile, Aoblue walked over to the beds of the other children and examined their condition. He didn''t have much knowledge in the medical field, but he was curious as to why they were the only ones in the pods. The most bothering question that pricked him is the goal of the masked man. What was his purpose with these children? From what Majes told me, they''ve been experimented on more than once. But what exactly is he experimenting for? And why did he leave them behind?

    The nurse walked over and tapped Aoblue''s shoulder, wakening him from his deep thoughts.  She used her hands to gesture for the three of them to let the children rest. Aoblue complied and the three walked out of the room.

    Majes took one last look at his nephew before the door closed with a beeping sound, signifying the lock is operational.

 Volume 1 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1: A Step Outside

    The morning rays penetrated the thin light-brown curtains of the only window in the room. Dark red walls surrounded the bed of a sleeping boy. Swords, wands, bows, and many other different types of weapons scattered the room like a kid¡¯s playground.

    ¡°Wake up, Yin! You¡¯ll be late for the first day of school if you sleep in all day!¡± A distant voice entered the ears of a slumbering black-hair boy. He tossed and turned in his blankets, asking for a few more seconds. The distant voice yelled once again, and the boy replied by hiding his head under his white, fluffy pillow.

    The sounds of footsteps grew heavier and louder before the brown door swung opened. A man in his thirties, wearing long-sleeve pajamas with an ebony stick in his hand, stood at the entrance of the door with an annoyed expression. He pointed the stick at the slumbering boy and said, ¡°Levitate.¡±

    The slumbering boy floated from his bed, and abruptly dropped onto the hard wooden floor.

    ¡°Uncle, that¡¯s not fair. I only needed a few more seconds¡­¡± Yin groggily replied. He stretched his arms and legs with his eyes half-opened. He yawned and threw the pillow and bed-sheet back on his queen-sized bed, as if it was a daily morning routine.

    ¡°Clean this mess up, and come downstairs. Breakfast is waiting for you.¡± Majes instructed and went to his room to change.

    ¡°I will.¡± Yin¡¯s delayed reply entered the ears of his uncle next door. He changed from a one-piece pajama to a long-sleeve black shirt, and brown sweat-pants. The variety of weapons were stored into their respective shelf or container. He then headed downstairs with tired eyes.

    After walking down the circular stair, he made a right at the end of the hallway and saw a long luxurious table that had eight chairs ¨C three at each side, and one at each end of the table. A white elegant fabric laid on top of the table with many wine glasses resting on the fabric. Of the eight wine glasses, only two were filled with orange juice. Accompanying the two filled wine glasses was a plate of toast and scrambled eggs.

    Yin sat down next to his uncle and sandwiched the scrambled eggs with the toast.

    ¡°Have you been keeping in touch with the other three?¡± Majes asked.

    ¡°Uh¡­ not recently. I think the last time I talk to them was four years ago.¡± Yin replied.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Majes inquired.

    ¡°Those three are¡­ difficult to deal with, to say the least. I prefer to stay far away from them if possible.¡± Yin said while sipping the wine glass filled with orange juice.

    ¡°Yin, you¡¯re already fifteen years old now. Befriending people now will definitely help you in the future. Keep that in mind while attending your first semester.¡± Majes said.

    ¡°I know. I know, but it is so hard to like people¡­ I don¡¯t know what it is, but I just can¡¯t get along with them.¡± Yin said while swirling the remaining juice inside the wine glass.

    Majes sighed and said, ¡°I understand, buddy. But you can¡¯t keep being a kid forever. There will be times in your life when you find yourself in a very uncomfortable position. You have to learn to handle those situations and improve as a person.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I just hide somewhere on an unknown island, you know, in my own little world?¡± Yin softly asked.

    ¡°Sure you can, but not in this world. This is a world you share with other people.¡± Majes replied.

    Majes looked at his nephew whom seem to be lost in thought and asked, ¡°Remember the tale about a boy and girl climbing a hill together?¡±

    Yin nodded and said, ¡°Yeah. You used to tell me about it when I was in the hospital.¡±

    ¡°The boy and girl climbed a hill to fetch a bucket of water. The boy fell down, broke his spine, and the girl came running after. She poured the bucket of water, and the boy soon stood up after. It was then that they discover the secret world of mana. Do you get my point? There may be a time in your life when you¡¯ll be down on your feet and I won¡¯t be around to help you. That¡¯s when you lean on your friends for support.¡± Majes advised.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I get it. This is, what, Uncle¡¯s Life Advice #42?¡± Yin chuckled.

    ¡°I do hope that you take my advice to heart. Anyway, I have something to give you.¡± Majes slid a small, white peace-of-paper over to Yin.

    Yin placed his half-eaten toast on the plate riddled with crumbs and examined the paper with his name on it.

    ¡°What is this? Yin asked.

    ¡°Instructions to get to Highborn Academy. I¡¯ve told you last month that you¡¯ll be enrolling there. I¡¯ll be leaving for business soon, and I won¡¯t be back for quite some time. I¡¯ve already packed your suitcase for you, and all the paperwork had been filed. I left some money in your suitcase, so don¡¯t lose it.¡± Majes said while stacking his wine glass on top of his plate.

    ¡°I got it, uncle.¡± Yin consumed the remaining piece of toast with one bite, and swiftly brought both of their used dishes to the kitchen¡¯s sink

    ¡°Your suitcase is waiting at the front door. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Majes said and left the dining room.

    ¡°Bye.¡± Yin said while washing the dishes. After leaving it in the dryer, Yin walked to the front door and saw a black suitcase leaning on a brown wall. After tying his shoes, he left the house with his suitcase and paper in hand, and said ¡°Lock.¡± A magical translucent key appeared in the space of the keyhole. It turned and made a clicking sound before completely disappearing. Yin twisted the knob a few times, left and right, and was satisfied that the door to his uncle¡¯s house didn¡¯t open.

    Following the directions on the small, white piece-of-paper led to a mini-adventure around the city. Many turns had to be made, and directions to be asked. Yin lived in the City of Highborn all his life, but he¡¯d never had to venture outside the comfort of his home very much. He spent four years of his life in the hospital since the incident, and the rest at his uncle¡¯s home.

    At the end of his mini-adventure, Yin stood in front of a large gated building with a line that reached up to ten meters. Brown brick walls closed the sides of the building. He stood at the end of the line and watched as the line gradually shorten.

    There were parents accompanying their children, both wearing outfits that would fit nobility. A few females wore long skirts embellished with fancy flowery patterns. The males waiting in line wore white formal clothing that would make one¡¯s wallet cry. Taking a second glance at the people around him, Yin began to have doubts if he was in the correct location or not.

    The line finally reached the end. The guard stationed in front of the gate called out to the nervous, black-hair boy.

    ¡°Next!¡± The guard shouted.

    Yin rolled his suitcase along and arrived in front of a tall guard with a sheathed sword strapped to his hip.

    ¡°Invitation?¡± The guard said in a stern voice.

    Yin slightly tilted his head and looked at the guard with a confused expression.

    The guard examined the boy and notice a small paper held in his hand. He pointed to it and said, ¡°Hold up your paper and say your name.¡±

    Yin complied and said his name. The letters that spelled out Yin¡¯s name glowed with a faint blue light upon voice recognition.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    The guard nodded and said, ¡°An old man in a butler outfit will be waiting for you passed the gate.¡±

    Yin walked through the gate and a butler greeted him and led him through the courtyard. Looking to his left and right, he saw a plethora of flowers and trees that gave a lively and comfortable atmosphere to the garden.

    After walking for thirty feet, Yin found himself in front of a mass of people waiting outside a shack located next to a three-story building. The shack¡¯s height fell below the height of the brick wall, hiding it from eyes outside of the area.

    The butler walked to the front of the group and called for their attention.

    ¡°Noble parents and guardians of Highborn, at this point in time I ask you to give your final farewells to your children. From this point on, I will lead them to the school.¡± The butler said.

    Yin glanced at the group of people bidding their farewells and then walked forward to the butler. The butler remained in position and waited for the rest of the students to gather. Moments later, the butler led the group of students away from the teary eyes of their parents, and into the small, wooden shack.

    Entering the shack, Yin immediately notice the dense clutter of dust and cobwebs seen throughout the room. Sun rays passing through the holes on the walls and ceiling of the shack served as the shack¡¯s light source. An enormous mirror, the size of a wall, laid directly in front of them with dust particles clouding it. Looking past the dust particles, Yin noticed the strangest thing about the mirror: there wasn¡¯t any reflection.

    ¡°Pardon the dirtiness. This place is used once a year, so dust will inevitably build up over time. We won¡¯t linger here much longer, so please bear with it for the time being.¡± The butler said.

    The group of students began complaining about their high-class shoes, and expensive clothing being tainted by the dust in the room. The teenagers intentionally shouted the cost of their suits or dress, trying to impress their peers with familial wealth.

    Barraged by a storm of complaints from the entitled teenagers, the butler took out a squiggly stick from his pocket. His hand moved the stick through the air in an orchestrated manner, and all the dust located in the room began swirling in the air, and forming into a ball of dust. A bright light flashed from the pointy end of the stick, and the dust of ball disappeared from the air.

    Some students began clapping in appreciation of the butler¡¯s simple-and-clean magic style. Others didn¡¯t think much of it, because they felt his style was too plain and boorish.

    ¡°Everyone, please look here.¡± The butler said and stood in front of the wall-sized mirror.

    ¡°You may think that this is a mirror, but it¡¯s not. This is a magically crafted equipment with the sole purpose of linking this place to the school. Everyone, place your invitational paper on it, and let everything flow naturally. Once you¡¯re at the other side, please find the nearest stall and hand them your invitational paper. Also, keep your eyes closed at all times.¡± The butler instructed while standing to the side.

    One student after another began placing their paper onto the glassed wall. Yin did the same, and for a second there, he thought he saw a replica of himself on the other side of the glass. His vision became distorted, creating all sorts of weird images around him. Yin blinked for a second, and found himself in an entirely different place.

    Yin was in awe. To the east lies hundreds of students swinging their wooden swords in unison on a grassy field. Their shouts combined with their determination made Yin¡¯s blood boiled. Looking to the west, he saw many spells colliding in a fierce, magical performance. Hundreds of students were split into two groups, with one person on each side dueling each other. To the north lies four castles, all compacted together, with a white wall surrounding the castles.

    Yin regain his composure and looked behind him. Sure enough, the same glassed wall was behind him, but this time it was held in place by a metal frame. It was as if they came out of a ginormous television!

    The road ahead had four trains, stationed and ready to move at a moment¡¯s notice.

    ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s get going! We won¡¯t wait forever!¡± The conductor, who seem similar of age to the newly arrived students, shouted and waved his hat in the air.

    Yin entered the nearest train, and sat himself at the windowed seat. The number of seats available heavily outnumbered the amount of students who entered the train, so finding an empty seat wasn¡¯t too hard.

    The train¡¯s bell whistled, and departed from the stone platform. The ride on the train was uneventful. Many students were sleeping, or reading a book on the latest installment of the Magicka series. Yin found himself occupied with the scenery outside of his window. At the beginning of the departure, the surrounding forests occupied the space past the grassy field. In the middle of the ride, Yin¡¯s eyes fell upon a beautiful ocean from his window seat. A clear blue sky, and clear waters with raging waves. The glittering light of the reflection of the sun, combined with the clear sky and water, made him feel at peace, harmony and serenity.

    At the end of the ride, the train¡¯s bell whistled once again, and a voice resembling the conductor emitted from the intercom, ¡°Everyone, I hope you¡¯ll enjoy your stay at Highborn Academy. After exiting the train, please find the nearest stall and show them your paper. They¡¯ll point you in the right direction. I hope you enjoy the ride here, and good luck with the rest of the semester.¡±

    Yin got off of the train with the other students, and crowded around one of the many stalls stationed there. It was then that he noticed a familiar figure holding a sign with his name on it.

    Walking closer to the figure, he soon realized it was someone he knew. The man wore a tight grey shirt that revealed the outlines of his muscles, and a black overcoat. Brown fitted pants and leather boots made him appeared as a gentleman, rather than someone who served in the army.

    ¡°Grand General Aoblue? Wait, it¡¯s General now, right? No, since you¡¯re here, it must mean that you¡¯ve been demoted again.¡± Yin jokingly greeted.

    Aoblue forcefully rubbed the top of Yin¡¯s head with his knuckles and said, ¡°Still a brat, huh? Looks like Majes hasn¡¯t taught you any manners.¡±

    Yin tried to free himself from Aoblue¡¯s fist, but soon found his body heavy, and restrained by a magical force.

    The onlookers stared at the two of them. Some realized it was the former Grand General, which made it even more strange to see him in such a playful mood.

    Aoblue finally realized the unwanted attention, and quickly regained his composure. He cleared his throat with a few coughs before asking, ¡°What took you so long? Your friends were waiting for you since this morning.¡±

    Yin looked at the man in his thirties with bewildered eyes. ¡°Friends? I don¡¯t have friends.¡±

    ¡°Of course you do. Remember the three kids with you in the hospital?¡± Aoblue said.

    It was then that Yin felt the coldest storm enshrouding his back. He felt sick, and wished that he never took a step out of his warm, cozy bed.

    <hr />

    To my early readers: please wait a few minutes before reading any chapters I post. I always read a chapter on my word document two or three times before posting. However, for whatever reasons, I never notice a mistake until I post it here. So, until I fixed this crazy problem, future chapters may be heavily/lightly edited during the first few minutes of release. Edit: Added "School" tag.

 Volume 1 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2: Old Friends

    Highborn Academy, Headmaster¡¯s Office¡­

    The hexagonal room had a single radius window at the furthest wall from the door, behind the office desk. The radius window composed of a white rectangular frame on the bottom combined with a half-circle frame on the top. The left and right walls contained two-meters¡¯ cabinets made out of the sturdiest wood with a transparent glass. Trophies and awards rested on each level of the cabinets with the biggest trophy at the highest level. A red and peach colored rug laid in front of the office desk, depicting a fork with a sword, bow, and staff. Leather couches located on both side of the rug, and in front of the office desk.

    A middle-aged man around his fifties viewed a twenty-inch screen that was carved into his desk. The Headmaster of the school and the Remnant of Highborn were on the line discussing their future plans.

    ¡°Yes, Remnant. I will ask them this afternoon. Regarding the intel, I¡¯ve already sent someone to personally deliver it. My assistant should be there in four days.¡± The Headmaster said.

    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll be waiting for it. As requested, recent activities on the front lines indicates that we¡¯re at a standoff. The scouts reported that they cannot infiltrate any deeper due to some unknown magic. Something about a weird formation that clouded their minds and lead them astray.¡± The Remnant said while sipping a cup of hot tea.

    ¡°Nobody would bother setting up a defense if they didn¡¯t have anything to hide. It sounds like a magical formation, but I find it hard to believe that the scouts wouldn¡¯t notice it.¡± The Headmaster commented.

    ¡°Right. Magical formation isn¡¯t my forte, but I presumed that there must be an active formation to prevent unwanted eyes. However, our scouts reported that they didn¡¯t notice any magical formation by conventional standards. I¡¯ve already sent Ashward to investigate this matter. Hopefully he¡¯ll bring back some good news that can shine some light to their enigma.¡± The Remnant said.

    ¡°General Ashward, huh? He specializes in magical formation, but is he really the right choice? That guy is¡­¡± The Headmaster¡¯s voice quickly came to a silence and his eyes moved from the screen to the front door.

    Sounds of footsteps echoed throughout the hallway connected to the headmaster¡¯s office.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The Remnant asked.

    ¡°I must apologize, Remnant, but it seems that my guest has finally arrived. If possible, I would like to continue this discussion tonight.¡± The Headmaster said.

    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll contact you later then.¡± The Remnant bid his farewell and the screen turned off.

    Just as the Headmaster expected, three knocks came from the other side of the door before it opened.

    Yin and Aoblue stepped inside expecting to see the three children waiting for Yin¡¯s arrival.

    ¡°Where did they go?¡± Aoblue asked.

    He leisurely walked over to one of the couches and sat down as if he owned the place.

    ¡°The kids? They got bored of waiting, so they went to the annual meeting for first year students. It was hardly appropriate for me to stop them.¡± The Headmaster said and walked over to the boy standing at the doorway.

    ¡°You must be Yin Yore. Aoblue and Majes has told me so many things about you.¡± The Headmaster extended his hand and smiled.

    On a closer inspection, Yin thought that the Headmaster, with his long, white beard and grey hair, had an old, and wise demeanor. The way he walked, the way he talked, his posture, the slow and smooth motion of his body; every little detail made him think of one word: Sage.

    ¡°Hello, Headmaster.¡± Yin extended his small hand and humbly greeted.

    ¡°Yin, I have to get going. I¡¯m going to get lectured for a whole hour if I¡¯m another minute late to work. Nell, good luck with this kid.¡± Aoblue walked towards the doorway and patted the top of the boy¡¯s head.

    ¡°Wait, Aoblue. Meet me here after your shift is over. I have important things to discuss with you.¡± The Headmaster said in his usual soft, and low voice.

    Aoblue glanced back and saw Nell¡¯s solemn eyes. He nodded and departed from the office.

    ¡°We should be leaving as well. It¡¯s almost time for the ceremony.¡± The Headmaster said as he slowly walked out of his office.

    ¡°Where to?¡± Yin asked,

    ¡°The cafeteria. It¡¯s lunch time, aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± The Headmaster said and lead the way to the cafeteria.

    After leaving the office, they walked through the hallway and down the stairs. The building they¡¯re in was one of the four castles that Yin saw when he arrived here. This castle was the closest one to the train compared to the others.

    Arriving at the lowest floor, the Headmaster lead them to the cafeteria, which was located behind a wooden double door.

    Opening one of the doors, Yin stepped inside and felt astonished at the scene he saw.

    Rectangular-shaped tables occupied the majority of the space in the cafeteria. Forty rows and four columns of tables and chairs allowed the hundreds of students to comfortably sit and dine. Each table had a capacity of twenty people.

    The amount of seats and students were not the only amazing thing in the cafeteria. There were large rectangular windows reaching a height of thirty feet and a width of ten feet. Six large screens, two on each side and back wall, televised a variety of channels, like the news, or other entertainment shows.

    Three huge flags hanged on the front wall with different emblems. The left banner had a red colored background and a sword and shield as it¡¯s main focus. The middle banner had a blue background and a staff and wand. The right banner had a green background and a bow and arrow. Three vacant seats were stationed below each flag.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to go now. Meet me back at my office with the others after the ceremony ends.¡± The Headmaster whispered before disappearing from Yin¡¯s sight.

    Looking around him, all the students were seated and chatting or viewing one of the large screens. They all wore beautiful dresses and fancy outfits as if this was a gathering of nobilities. Their white plates in front of them suggests that none of them had ate anything yet.

    His eyes fell upon a girl within a group of three sitting at their own table. She had long, black silky hair that gently fell onto her lower back. Her tight, red dress was very simple, and it manages to enhance her slender beauty. Her fierce, cold gaze seems as if she¡¯s peering into your soul through the windows in your eyes.

    Yin immediately turned around and acted as if nothing had happened.

    Was that¡­ nope! I didn¡¯t see anything! I did not see a thing!  Yin constantly repeated this train of thought while whistling. He subconsciously walked toward the opposite direction before stopping upon hearing his name.

    ¡°Yin! Hey, Yin! We¡¯re over here! You¡¯re walking the wrong way!¡± A female shouted in a cheery and lively voice.

    ¡°Yo Yin! Where are you going? We have a seat saved for you!¡± A male shouted, and added more pressure onto Yin.

    Yin turned around with a bittersweet smile and slowly made his way over to the group of three.

    ¡°Hello Melody, Vega, and Vale.¡± Yin resigned to his fate and greeted them.

    ¡°Hello, deserted friend.¡± Vale immediately brought up the subject.

    ¡°Oh, come on, Vale. I¡¯m sure Yin had his reasons, right?¡± Melody smiled and asked.

    This was the girl who shouted Yin¡¯s name. Her straight, blonde hair reached to the lower end of her neck. She wore a white and red dress that complimented her personality and natural beauty. For as long as Yin could remember, Melody always had a genuine smile on her face.

    ¡°Definitely. We¡¯ve been the four adventurers for so long. Dashing through the markets and pillaging everything they have, saving the homeless animals, and beating up all the bullies!¡± Vega gave Yin a thumbs-up.

    Out of the three, Vega is the closest one to Yin. He wore a grey dress shirt with a black vest on top. His lower half compose of black slacks with a black dress shoe. Vega rocked a fluffy, brown hair that resembles one of the popular boy bands that made teenage girls screamed in ecstasy.

    ¡°Really? I would love to hear your reason. While you¡¯re at it you can also include an explanation as to why you were late today.¡± Vale refuted.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°You¡¯re as approachable as ever, Vale. So what do you guys think of the school?¡± Yin dodged the question and tried to bring up a different subject.

    ¡°It¡¯s really big! Did you see the four castles on your way here? It was small from afar, but really big up close!¡± Melody exclaimed.

    ¡°I saw a group of students training and sparring on my way here. I can¡¯t wait to get my hands on a sword and challenge all of them! You¡¯re coming too, right, Yin?¡± Vega asked.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed a bit, Vega.¡± Yin replied.

    Vale sighed and watch the three chit-chat in silence.

    Yin thought that if it wasn¡¯t for Vega¡¯s overly competitive attitude, Melody¡¯s na?ve optimism, and Vale¡¯s sharp tongue, then maybe they¡¯ll be easier to handle. On a second thought, Yin also had his shortcoming, which is why he preferred to be alone.

    The three continued their discussion until an elderly voice entered the ears of all the students in the cafeteria. They turned their attention to a woman in front of the chair under the blue banner. None of the students noticed the vacant seats had been occupied.

    ¡°Children, congratulations on your acceptance to Highborn Academy. Being a student here means that you all are special in your own ways. We hope that after three years of learning at this institution you¡¯ll be able to bring that knowledge into the real world and prosper. Many respected and renown individuals had once attended the very same academy you¡¯re enrolled in. Reynold the Grey, Marn of the Faceless Mask, Grand General Nora, all of them were once in your very seat as a young and na?ve student. We won¡¯t encourage you to be like them; we encourage you to surpass them!¡± The elderly woman continued her speech for another minute, discussing subjects pertaining to protocols and rules of the school.

    The sea of students quietly chattered. The main topic was the woman speaking without any amplification device like a microphone.

    Mana imbued lungs were a rare sight, which was why the elderly woman was able to talk without shouting or using a microphone or megaphone. Gifted singers enhanced their live performance by using the same technique. It allowed their fans to experience a more personal performance as if they were singing right next to them.

    A brawny man stood up from the seat under the red banner with a microphone in his hand.

    ¡°Achievements and glory are not gifted to those who ask for them. They are not entitled to anyone who believes so. One must work hard, be determine, and stand up after every fall. You must persevere, endure, and have an open mind. Learn from your mistakes. Learn from your opponent. Look around you and take a moment to see what they have to offer; what you can learn from them. Take the next three years and learn from whoever or whatever you can. The outside world won¡¯t be so kind, nor would they pick you up in your direst state.¡± The brawny man finished his speech and sat on his chair.

    Utter silence filled the room. The sound of people breathing filled the air as they stare at the brawny man under the red banner.

    A slender man stood up from his seat and also held a microphone in his hand. He coughed a few times into the microphone to break the awkward silence.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a glamorous speech like my two colleagues here, so I will just say it plainly. Your three years will comprise of general studies and specialization. Both are mandatory and have to be completed before you can graduate. However, you have three options to specialize in, so pick one with your future in mind. Casters learn advance knowledge about magical spells, formation, theories, and technology. Fighters will take advance courses in leadership, weaponries, and combat. Rangers will learn more about geography, environments, accuracy training, and stealth approach. That is all.¡± The slender man said and snapped his fingers.

    Attendants dressed in the school¡¯s uniform began passing out papers to every student in the cafeteria.

    After confirming that every student had the paper, the woman under the blue banner said, ¡°Without further ado, please enjoy the feast. We¡¯re also hosting a festival tonight, so please have some fun after you¡¯re done here.¡±

    The same attendants that passed out the paper were now pushing food carts around the table. Freshly cooked turkey, smoked ham and steak, and vegetable soup were the main dishes. Sweet bread, bacon-stuffed-mushrooms, and ice-creams with a variety of flavors were found on some carts as appetizers. Sodas, juices, and water were also handed out on demand.

    ¡°What are you going to choose, Vale?¡± Melody asked as she cut her ham into small, bite-sized pieces.

    ¡°Caster.¡± Vale replied and sipped on her grape flavored drink.

    ¡°Oh, me too! I can¡¯t wait to go to class together with you!¡± Melody exclaimed and squeezed the life out of Vale with her bear hug.

    ¡°What about you, Yin? Are you joining the other two?¡± Vega asked while chewing with a mouth full of food.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I haven¡¯t really thought about it.¡± Yin pondered.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t decide, then come with me! I heard it¡¯s dangerous to travel alone.¡± Vega smiled with puffy cheeks.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Yin chuckled.

    ¡°Me and Vale are more than happy to have you come along with us. You know what? We should all go to the same class.¡± Melody said while tugging on Vale¡¯s slender arms.

    Vega shook his head and said, ¡°No thanks, Melody. My brain and magic don¡¯t go well together. I can probably learn the basics at most. My heart belongs among the ranks of Fighter anyway.¡±

    ¡°Aw, that¡¯s too bad. Oh! That lady mentioned something about a festival tonight. Do you guys want to check it out after we¡¯re done eating?¡± Melody asked with a brimful smile.

    ¡°Ok.¡± Vale complied.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Vega said.

    ¡°Wait, can I borrow the three of you for a moment after this?¡± Yin interjected a question.

    ¡°What for?¡± Vale eyed him suspiciously and asked.

    ¡°The Headmaster wanted to meet us at his office.¡± Yin replied.

    Melody shot Vega a glanced and asked, ¡°Did you do something bad while we were away, Vega? You have to start behaving yourself at school otherwise bad things like this will happen.¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s nothing like that. At least I don¡¯t think it is.¡± Yin blurted.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to catch that old man¡¯s attention¡­ yet. Sure, I guess we can go and find out.¡± Vega said.

    The three of them finished their meal and cleaned up their station. Afterwards, Yin led the four of them back to the Headmaster¡¯s office.

    Yin knocked three times before receiving the word ¡°Enter.¡±

    Pushing the door aside, the four of them greeted the Headmaster and sat on the couches in front of the desk.

    ¡°Do you know why I¡¯ve called you here?¡± The Headmaster asked.

    The four of them looked at each other and shook their heads.

    ¡°General curriculum aren¡¯t separated like the classes you take as a Caster, Fighter, or Ranger. One of the general courses mainly deals with group coordination. To put it bluntly, I want the four of you to form a group and show me what you can do as a team. A tournament is held at the end of every year to encourage and entertain students. Prizes are based on placements in the tournament.¡± The Headmaster said.

    ¡°What kind of prizes are we talking about?¡± Vale asked.

    ¡°The Sword of Grendel, and the Wand of the West Witch.¡± The Headmaster enticingly said. He raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Are the four of you interested?¡±

    Yin examined the faces of the other three carefully. Likewise, they did the same before coming to the same conclusion.

    Melody smacked her thigh and shouted, ¡°Definitely!¡±

    <hr />

    Sorry for the late chapter. School related stuff got in the way, so the next ETA will be about four days... hopefully. I think I caught all the errors and fixed the font/paragraph spacing problems.

    Anyway, inputs are always welcome! I have ideas in store for story progression and character development, but I would love to hear your thoughts.

 Volume 1 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3: Determination

    "Wait!" Vega yelled. "If we''re going to be a team, then we''ll need a leader."

    "I''ll let your group decide for yourselves." Headmaster Nell said.

    Vega stared intently at his fellow teammates.

    "Not interested. I''m going to go take a shower." Vale said as she stood up and left the room.

    "Oh! Wait for me! Let''s take a shower together!" Melody shouted and chased after Vale.

    "Mel, we''re not kids anymore." Vale''s distant voiced reached the ears of the remaining people inside the Headmaster''s office.

    Sounds of Melody giggling gradually soften before the two of them left the vicinity.

    Vega''s eyes fell upon the last remaining contender for the title of "Leader."

    Yin sighed and shrugged his shoulder.

    "If you want it, then take it. I''m sure Vale and Melody wouldn''t mind." Yin said.

    "It would be meaningless if I take it without a fight. I, Vega Sol of the Four Legendary Adventurers, challenge Yin Yore of the Four Legendary Adventurers to a duel. By my rights as the Four Legendary Adventurers, I, Vega Sol, hereby invoke the Fourth Sacred Law!" Vega gleefully demanded.

    Headmaster Nell took an interest in their bicker and asked, "What are these Sacred Laws?"

    Yin let out another sigh and said, "Those are vows we swore to uphold when we were little. The Fourth Sacred Law, in particular, binds the user and the recipient to a duel and the winner takes all. Also, please don''t get caught up in his pace."

    "Yin! To the battlefield!" Vega shouted as he lifted his finger high into the air. He began to walk away without waiting for Yin.

    "Sorry, Headmaster, but I will be going now." Yin apologized.

    Headmaster Nell smiled and waved his hand.

    Vega led them down the stairs and exited the front entrance of the castle. Many students were busy setting up their stalls for the festival. Sounds of hammer swinging, shouting, and laughter spread through the air. Makeshift tents with large signs lined up around the castle. Students ran back and forth with big metal pots, costumes, or fireworks in hand. There were also entertainment stalls that had games and prizes.

    Walking pass the festivities, the two exited the large metallic gate that separated the school and the train station. Compared to this morning, the density of people dramatically decreased. Few amount of students were walking back and forth performing maintenance. Looking at the board that displayed a variety of departure times, Yin presumed that they were traversing during slow business hours.

    After two miles south from the train station, Yin and Vega stood ten-feet apart on a grassy plain. A breezy wind caressed their hair, making it dance to nature''s tune. Clouds slowly drifted through the clear blue sky. Numerous amounts of green trees slumbered in the far distant. Not a being was in sight - it was only them and nature.

    "How long has it been since we last fought?" Vega asked. He bent his knees, readied his arms, squared his body, and faced Yin with determination.

    "Four years... I think." Yin guessed. In contrast to Vega''s form, Yin had his arms loose and his body straight.

    "Four years, huh? That makes it eight years since the hospital. Time sure passes by quickly."

    "What was our record again? My two hundred and three to your two hundred and two?"

    "Hey, hey, you''re being too generous to yourself. It was a tie at two hundred and two."

    "Really? Oops, I didn''t mean to add today''s victory into my record. Sorry."

    "Haha, very funny. At least you have something to laugh at after today''s loss."

    The two smiled at each other for a brief moment. The gap between them quickly shorten by five feet. Both of them made small adjustments such as moving a few centimeters forward or backward.

    Yin scanned Vega''s body for visual cue. He retreated a step every time Vega approached with his left or right leg lifted higher than usual. Likewise, every time he tries to approach Vega with an advantage, Vega quickly responded by widening the distance.

    "You''ve been practicing? I thought these four years would''ve made you rusty." Vega said.

    "Of course. My uncle wouldn''t let me laze around the house as much as I wanted too." Yin replied.

    Yin rushed towards Vega again, but this time with a different mindset. His right leg lifted from the ground when he was four feet away from Vega.

    Vega noticed his opponent''s speed had increased, and judged that he couldn''t back-pedal his way out of this. He held up his right arm and readied himself to block Yin''s right kick. However, Yin''s right leg never extended. It dropped down, his center-of-gravity shifted from his left leg to his right, and then he pivoted with his right leg and unleashed a heavy kick at Vega''s unguarded abdomen.

    Vega was forced sliding backwards, leaving a trail in the grassy field.

    "Is this really fine with you? Your fancy shoes and shirt will get dirty." Yin asked.

    "Clothes are clothes. They''ll eventually get dirty one way or another." Vega replied.

    Vega didn''t even seem the slightest faze from that kick. He gathered strength in his legs and leaped with all his might. His body twirled in the air and his heel came crashing down like lightning.

    Yin crossed his arms and guarded against the attack. The energy from the kick created a shockwave that transmitted through Yin''s body and into the ground. The ground under his foot began to create small fissures and his balance became uneven. Yin loosen his guard with the intention of grabbing Vega''s leg. However, Vega used his other leg and kicked off from Yin''s chest, effectively escaping his grab.

    The moment his foot touched the ground, Vega sprinted towards Yin at a startling speed.

    Numbness lingers in the arms of Yin due to the attack from before. His hand instinctively reached into his pocket, but what he needed most was not there. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Yin tried to raise his arms to block against the incoming attack.

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    A raging fist, burning with the determination to acquire the title of "Leader," easily broke through Yin''s sub-par guard and launched him in the air. Vega shot into the air and grabbed Yin''s leg mid-flight. He then rotated his body in mid-air a few times before flinging Yin to the ground. Vega finished it off with a dive kick that connected to Yin''s back.

    A dust cloud kicked up from when Yin was flung to the ground.

    Vega leaped out of the dust cloud and watched it slowly disperse. The silhouette of a figure about the same height as him slowly emerged from the dust cloud. There wasn''t a single scratch on his skin, nor did he seem to be in pain from internal injuries.

    "Adamantite skin sure is convenient." Yin said in a relaxed manner.

    "It has its ups and downs. Our body did become heavier because of it. Remember how crazy Melody acted when she found out her body weight?" Vega asked.

    "How could I forget? She was crazy enough to starve herself. Vale somehow managed to change her mind back then." Yin chuckled.

    "Those were good times. Ready to get serious?" Vega asked.

    "You wouldn''t be satisfied if we stop here, would you?" Yin replied with his own question.

    "Do you need to ask? Of course not." Vega smirked.

    Once again, the gap between them shorten to a distance of five feet. The air was quiet as the two looked at each other. The two of them were no longer smiling; their faces both wore a solemn expression.

    Yin threw the first punch. A fast, straight punch collided into Vega''s right cheek. His head was forcefully pushed back, but that wasn''t enough to stop him. Vega clenched his fist and counter-attacked with his own punch that connected to Yin''s left cheek.

    So that''s how you want to play it! Yin disregarded his defense and threw another punch that hit Vega''s head. Vega replied in the same manner as before and counter-attacked. The first simple punch led to a flurry of exchanges between the two of them. The speed of their fists grew faster with each exchanged. It wasn''t a matter of hitting the head anymore. As soon as one punch lands, then they''ll immediately throw out another one indiscriminately.

    Heavy thud sounds emitted after every blow. Their fists traveled through the air with a whipped noise. It wasn''t until the fortieth exchanged that Yin noticed the difference between every hit his body endured. Vega''s pupil glowed red and his punch became heavier and faster. It was then that Vega''s speed gradually outpaced Yin. Every hit Yin threw, Vega would throw two more. His speed exponentially rose to a whole new level that Yin couldn''t compete with.

    On the fiftieth exchanged, Yin took a hit to the face that his body couldn''t endure. He was sent flying three feet away before crashing to the ground. His eyes were puffy, and his body was fatigue and sore. Yin stumbled as he picked himself off the ground. He faced Vega, who had cuts and bruises all over his body. His cheeks were also puffy and numbed.

    Vega furiously panted as he slowly made his way over to Yin. His weak posture was full of openings. Sweats from his forehead dripped down onto his grey dress shirt, but it didn''t seem to bother him at all.

    Yin also made long strides with every slow step. His breathing was unstable and his body seem like it could collapse at any moment. Sweat also ran down his body, but it wasn''t noticeable due to the color of his dark shirt.

    The two finally closed the distance and they threw their last and final punch. Their two fist lightly tapped against each other and their body fell onto the grass afterwards. The sounds of heavy breathing permeated the air for a few minutes. Both of them stared at the endless blue sky that stretches far from what they can perceive. Clouds drifted through the sky, occasionally blocking the sunlight from hitting those two.

    "Two hundred and two to two hundred and three..." Yin said while gasping for air. He closed his eyes and relaxed his muscles. The cool air refreshingly encompassed his entire body.

    "You didn''t even use magic. Did you forget to bring your wand?" Vega asked.

    "Something like that. The Sol family''s Bloodborn really is scary. I couldn''t even keep up with your punches at the end of the fight."

    "I just got lucky. Not everyone in my family has it. Anyway, Yin, hurry up with the ceremony!"

    "Ok, ok, I just need a moment to breathe!" He inhaled a deep breath of air and said,  "I, Yin Yore of the Four Legendary Adventurers, invoke the Twentieth Sacred Law and declare Vega Sol of the Four Legendary Adventurers as the winner." A smile appeared on his face followed by a heavy sigh. He was glad that it was finally over.

    The two laid on the grassy field without a care in the world. Many minutes passed by as the two indulge in nature''s warmth.

    "Yin, do you remember the tale about the Hero of Norm?" Vega asked.

    "The legendary, heroic fighter who held the title of "World''s Strongest." He slayed monsters and demons with his trusty companions as they venture across the world cleansing the evil hidden within." Yin enthused.

    "At the end of the fairy tale, he died from a curse during his victory over the Demon race. Family, friends, and the citizen mourn his death and built a stone monument of his glorious pose. Is it... Do you think he deserved to be called a hero?" Vega asked.

    "Isn''t that what heroes are destined for? They defeat evil people, save the world, and die a heroic death. Their heroic deeds will be etched into the memories of their loved ones and live on through history." Yin said.

    "I... don''t think he deserves to be called a hero. What would happen if something dangerous occurs again? What if all the things he done have some sort of unexpected consequence that awakens a disaster in the future?" Vega explicitly pondered.

    Yin glanced at Vega from the corner of his eyes and asked, "What do you think a hero should be?"

    "I don''t know. What defines a hero and what doesn''t? Are the people who died in the war considered heroes? They tried their hardest, but in the end, they weren''t fated to live. No one talks about them, worship them, or mourn for them other than their family. I wish I knew the answer, but I think... heroes have to live on and see everything until the end." Vega contemplated.

    You''ve changed... Yin thought as he stood up.  He patted his pants and shirt to dust off all the dirt sticking to his clothes. He extended his hand to help Vega off the ground. Vega smiled and accepted the kind gesture. The two supported each other and made their way back to Highborn Academy.

 Volume 1 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4: Unexpected Occurrence

    The sun gradually fell, setting the sky with an orange tint. The road back was as clear and vacant as ever. No one could be seen except the two of them.

    They¡¯ve supported each other as they traveled towards the academy. As they continue walking, Yin noticed that it became more difficult to synchronize his pace with Vega. All it took were a few glances to see that Vega intentionally slowed his pace so that he wouldn¡¯t lagged behind.

    After entering the academy¡¯s gate, Yin halted his steps and said, ¡°Go on without me.¡±

    Vega turned his head around with a curious expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Vega asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to head over to my room and get my wand. Why don¡¯t you decide our team name and register it with the Headmaster?¡± Yin suggested.

    Vega agreed and they parted ways.

    Yin languished towards a wooden bench near the gate of the academy. Every step felt unusually heavier than before. It was like his legs were anchored with two hundred-pound weights. A brief pause to breathe was set between every step. He struggled to muster all the remaining strength inside of him. One leg forward followed by a short rest, and then the next leg forward.

    His body slumped onto a wooden bench stationed near the academy¡¯s gate. The heavy thud sound captured the attention of the surrounding spectators. They were curious, but not invasive. They left him alone, passing it off as a student who wanted to take a nap before the festival.

    It hasn¡¯t even been a day, and yet Yin already began to have thoughts of his uncle and parents. Uncle would be calling for me to set up the table at this time. Mom and dad¡­ The urge to sleep creep towards his eyes and gently closed the curtains. His mind drifted toward the deep abyss. The boy snoozed on the comfort of the rough, harden bench.

    The boy slept soundly, unaware to the passage of time. The orange sky lost its vibrant color and the darkness soon dominated its entirety. Street lights along the road of the academy repelled the darkness from the students and their festivities. Students traveled from stall to stall, inspecting the vendor¡¯s service or entertainments. The sounds of laughter and joy spreading through the air was contagious enough to infect every student with happiness.

    The lids covering the boys¡¯ eyes slowly peeled backwards.

    Small specks of light hanged in the sky. Yin extended his hand, trying to grasp a single star that was deceptively close, but the only thing he grasped was the invisible, omnipresent air. So close, and yet so far away.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± A familiar feminine voice asked.

    Yin tilted his head back and noticed Vale in the academy¡¯s uniform ¨C a long dark brown shirt with a white shirt underneath it, and a tight, dark brown pants to accompany the shirt. The word ¡°Highborn¡± was etched onto the collar of the shirt in a golden fiber.

    ¡°The same as always.¡± Yin replied. His head returned to its original position and his eyes gazed at the stars.

    ¡°That really explains a lot.¡± Vale sarcastically said. She took out a vial of red liquid from her breast-pocket and rested it on top of the boy¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t want it.¡± Yin said as soon as he realized the item in his hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already gave one to Vega. It¡¯s only fair that you receive one as well.¡± Vale insisted.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be giving expensive stuff like this to people for free.¡±

    ¡°The price of an item is subjective. What is pricey to one person may be cheap to another.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t flaunt your family¡¯s money in front of a poor student. I would pay someone to think of a comeback if I was as rich as you.¡±

    ¡°The excessive amount of wealth is held by those who research and calculate their spending. You won¡¯t stay rich if you hire someone to create an original, witty, and critical remark.¡±

    ¡°Is that what your father told you?¡±

    ¡°Much like how your uncle educates you on the way of life, my father also has his own unique way to show his love.¡±

    Yin sighed and mentally calculated the amount of money he took for granted since his childhood. ¡°Thanks Vale. I¡¯ll pay the three of you back someday.¡±

    ¡°Gratitude is not something that you tell people ¨C you show it through your actions. Isn¡¯t that what your uncle once said?¡±

    ¡°Uncle¡¯s Life Advice #34. I¡¯m amaze that you¡¯d actually remember it.¡±

    ¡°His tidbits are often worth listening to. Anyway, Melody and Vega will be waiting at the front gates in an hour or so. I have tasks to finish before tonight, so I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±

    Vale was about to walk away, but stopped upon hearing the boy asking, ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°A young, na?ve boy once said these famous words: ¡®The same as always.¡¯¡± Vale smiled and left, disappearing into the ocean of students.

    Really? Using my own words against me? Yin stood up from the bench and navigated his way to the boy¡¯s dormitory.

    The boy¡¯s dormitory and girl¡¯s dormitory laid at the center of the four castles. Lights illuminated through the windows of the students¡¯ rooms from both of the rectangular buildings. The silhouettes of students can be seen through the translucent curtains, shielding the student¡¯s room from prying eyes.

    Yin entered the left building and walked up a set of stairs to room #19914. His luggage was left here when he detoured with Aoblue earlier in the day.

    The lock clicked upon having the key card inserted into the only slit found on the lock.

    Yin turned the handle, open the door, and stepped inside.

    A long, red carpet split the room in two. The preset items found on one side of the room mirrored the other side. A big, comfy bed was placed at the center of the left and right wall facing each other. Office desks, wooden chairs, lamps, dressers, and bookshelves sat to the side of the bed engraved with the word ¡®Highborn.¡¯ Two windows were positioned at the furthest wall from the door with white curtains.

    Yin laid on the floor and rolled towards the left side of the room that had his luggage laying on the bed. The soft, brown carpet cushioned his body as the boy rolled towards the bed.

    He reached for the wooden wand in his luggage and crawled towards the bathroom¡¯s door located next to the window.

    The bathtub¡¯s faucet turned to the right and a burst of water came pouring out. The vial given to him by Vale was poured into the bathtub. The clear water turned light-red and splashed as he flopped into the tub.  The water rushed through the boy¡¯s scalp that was positioned directly underneath the faucet and his skin and clothes began to wash away their impurities. The temperature of the water was adjusted with the wave of his wand.

    After an hour of rest and preparation, Yin, rejuvenated and dressed in the school¡¯s uniform, walked towards the academy¡¯s gate.

    A variety of assortments caught his eyes, but the one thing that made him drool was the variety of festival drinks on display. Grape Rockers, Cloudy Strawberry, Ice and Chill ¨C Yin didn¡¯t know if they were good or not, so he bought them. As expected, his judgement didn¡¯t betray him. Yin indulged in the liquid sweets, and before he knew it, he arrived at the academy gates.

    Looking left and right, he didn¡¯t find the people he was expecting to see. Am I early? Yin thought as he sat down on the wooden bench.

    Melody was wandering near the front gates until she found a lonely boy sitting on a wooden bench.

    ¡°Yin! Over here!¡± Melody raised her hand high into the air and waved at him.

    Yin saw her, and walked up to her.

    Melody couldn¡¯t help but let out a light chuckle as she watched the boy approached her.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Yin asked.

    ¡°Nope, nothing at all. I just couldn¡¯t help but think how sad it was to see you by yourself.¡± Melody giggled while suppressing her laughter.

    Yin sighed and asked the whereabouts of the other two.

    As if waiting for the exact question, Melody quickly grabbed his hand and led him to a crowd of students. The crowd of students encircled two other students who, presumably, attends Highborn Academy. The two encircled students wore the uniform that had ¡®Highborn¡¯ etched into the collar.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Vega?¡± Yin asked. Despite their identical uniform, Yin immediately knew it was Vega by seeing his one-of-a-kind hair and his fighting posture.

    Melody nodded her head and said, ¡°This is an educational one-on-one duel that allows people to learn from each other. Look over there.¡± Melody pointed to a line of students among the crowd.

    At the front of the line was Vale comfortably sitting on a plastic chair with a sack of coins in her lap.

    Educational? I don¡¯t buy it at all. Yin thought as he scanned the crowd of students and saw a few with small cuts and bruises on their faces.

    It was obvious to him that they were all benefiting from this one way or another. Vega gets to beat up anyone he wants without any repercussions. Vale looks calm, but he had a vibe that she was really happy hearing the coins clinging in her lap. Melody had an unsettling huge grin on her face; she seems way too happy watching a few people beat each other up.

    ¡°Next!¡± Vale shouted, cueing the next person in line to enter the encirclement.

    A couple of students dragged the fallen student out of the ring, leaving Vega the only one left.

    ¡°No one is using magic. Is this a brawl only duel?¡± Yin asked.

    ¡°Yup,¡± Melody said gleefully, ¡°This is for education, not an entertaining deathmatch.¡±

    The crowd of students began gossiping upon Vega¡¯s sixth victory.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? How can that kid be so strong?¡±

    ¡°Did you see that last kick he withstood? It didn¡¯t even faze him at all!¡±

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just putting up an act to trick us into thinking that he¡¯s undefeatable?¡±

    A bulky fighter entered the ring after paying the fee. It was hard to miss his bulging muscles that made his uniform cry. His thick eyebrows and dark red hair made his intimidating stature fiercer.

    Vega tilted his head back to meet the eyes of the towering fighter. ¡°Are you my next opponent?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m just here to relieve some stress.¡± His smirk combined with his reply seemed to rubbed Vega in a bad way.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, stress will be the last thing on your mind after today¡¯s fight.¡± Vega replied with disdainful eyes.

    ¡°Oh, those eyes¡­ Looks like I¡¯ve accidentally hit a weak spot.¡± The fighter laughed.

    ¡°Enough talk! Did you come here to fight or what?¡± Vega readied his defensive posture.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you around here before. Judging by your uniform, you must be a student here and not an outsider. What¡¯s your name?¡± The fighter asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to knock you out so hard, you won¡¯t even remember my name.¡± Vega said, the impatience and annoyance could clearly be felt from his voice.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you, and you¡¯re nothing impressive. I¡¯ll teach you a lesson to really show where you belong.¡± The fighter cracked his knuckles and repeatedly shifted his center-of-gravity between his left leg and right leg.

    Vegas¡¯ brows narrowed as he glanced at Vale, waiting for the signal to commence the fight.

    Just as Vale was about to signal the start of the fight, Melody¡¯s impatience reached her utmost limit and she shouted, ¡°Fight already!¡±

    As if waiting for the words all along, the two quickly dashed at each other at their highest speed. In just a quick second, the two threw one punch at each other and exchanged blows.

    The fighter, unexpected of the strength lying in Vega¡¯s punch, intentionally took the hit and was sent flying back towards the crowd. Luckily there were people there to cushion his fall, otherwise the punch could have proven to be more fatal.

    Vega smiled and boasted his victory with a pose. The girls screamed at his glamorous victory ¨C a one-hit knockout! The crowd began to gossip again. They couldn¡¯t believe that someone like Vega could actually have that much strength hidden within him, judging by his lean muscles. The previous fighters were of the same build as Vega, but this one was way out of his league. Most of the students thought that Vega would¡¯ve been defeated.

    That idiot! Vale mentally screamed.

    The fighter shook off the stupor that haunted his mind and shouted, ¡°He¡¯s cheating!¡±

    The crowd began to come to a complete silence upon hearing the challenger. Their thoughts aligned with his.

    ¡°He must be using some kind of physical enhancements and physical resistance,¡± the fighter insisted, ¡°otherwise how else could he be so strong?¡±

    ¡°Do you have proof?¡± Vega calmly asked.

    ¡°Proof? Proof?! How can a stick such as yourself be stronger than a trunk like me?!¡± The fighter shouted.

    The spectator thought the exact same thing. It only took one glance to see that there was no physical possibility for Vega to win in one punch. Only with the help of magic can one achieve such feats.

    The fighter glared at Vale and exclaimed, ¡°I thought there wasn¡¯t magic involved in this fight! This is a scam!¡±

    The background noise raised their volume in agreement with the defeated fighter. The previous fighters also voiced their opinions, siding with the fighter on this matter.

    Vale was cursing and beating the living daylight out of Vega in her mind, but on the outside, she looked as calmed as ever. ¡°Please,¡± she smiled, ¡°those accusations will only taint your image. You could¡¯ve proudly walked away as one of the many fighters who¡¯ve lost today and felt absolutely zero remorse. However, you¡¯re acting like a baby, throwing a tantrum because you didn¡¯t win, and dumping these baseless accusations at me like a sore loser. You¡¯re really destroying your image.¡±

    The crowd rose in an uproar. Some students immediately switched sides and cheer for the silent girl who suddenly became badass.

    Others were still siding with the fighter ¨C Vale failed to mention anything in regards to Vega¡¯s questionable strength.

    The veins in the fighters'' muscles were on the brink of popping. ¡°What did you say?! This whole thing is rigged! I¡¯ll pummel that pretty lips of yours, and we¡¯ll see whose image will be destroyed!¡±

    ¡°Do I look like a practice dummy to you? There are plenty of trees outside the gates. Go hit those, and make sure to use your head - not your fist. Maybe your brain will fix itself if you rattle it hard enough.¡± Vale fearlessly said.

    Vega, Melody, and Yin immediately rushed over and stood in front of Vale. They couldn¡¯t just watch Vale handle this by herself.

    Vale sighed upon seeing Vega rushing to her side. She really wanted to beat him up right now for ruining such a good plan. His defensive act solidifies the fact that they know each other.

    The fighter laughed and said, ¡°I knew it! These two were together! Boys, come on out and help me!¡±

    Two students from the crowd emerge and stood beside the fighter, both wearing the school¡¯s uniform. They held a wand in their hands, waiting for a cue from the fighter.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is really happening¡­¡± Yin took out his wand from his pocket and readied himself for battle.

    Before anything could¡¯ve happened, a bright light flashed before their eyes followed by a shout. ¡°Stop!¡±

    The dark night recovered its dominance, and all of the students¡¯ eyes fell upon a man in a blue cloak.

    ¡°Magic is prohibited unless authorized by official faculties!¡± The man looked at the three students with their wands out. ¡°You three, come with me. Everyone else, break it up! Go back and enjoy the festival. This may be your last one.¡±

    Yin sighed and complied, and so did the other two students. They exited the festival under the guidance of the man whom Yin presumes to be a professor at this academy.

    <hr />

    I''m super late with this chapter. Lots of things happen, but the semester is almost over and I''ll be pumping out more chapters in the summer!

    <hr />

    Fixed many typos.

 Volume 1 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5: Student''s Test

    ¡°Professor Reeve¡­¡±

    One knock followed by another on the door. The door creaked open, but no one was there. Still -- no one moved in, as if waiting on a cue.

    It was impossible to peer inside the room from the outside. Darkness engulfed every inch, and every corner of the room. Yin knew this wasn¡¯t a natural darkness born from the absence of the sun. It seemed strange¡­ like a dark fog preventing unwanted eyes from seeing something important.

    Professor Mayor knocked one last time on the wall. ¡°Professor Reeve,¡± Professor Mayor said, ¡°I have escorted a few students who violated the school¡¯s policy.¡±

    ¡°Come¡­¡± a gravelly voice called out to them. ¡°Enter.¡±

    Professor Mayor looked at the three students, and, likewise, the three students were waiting for Mayor to enter first.

    ¡°Well, go on. He¡¯s waiting for you guys, not me.¡± Mayor retreated a few steps back while gesturing his hand.

    Yin couldn¡¯t accurately pinpoint it, but he felt fear in Mayor¡¯s voice. Fear -- but not like a mouse fearing a cat. It was more like a fear of uncertainty. Uneasiness creep onto the back of the three students standing in front of the room labeled ¡®Norm Reeve.''

    Norm Reeve¡­ he¡¯s a professor here. There¡¯s no way a professor would hurt a student¡­ right? Yin glanced at the two students beside him. They were as reluctant to enter as him. He mustered whatever courage he had, gulped audibly, and stepped inside.

    The two students looked at each other. They didn¡¯t hear any scream of terror, so they assumed that it would be fine to follow suite. Upon placing their entire body in the engulfing darkness, they soon regretted their decision.

    The omnipresent darkness blinded them. Yin and the two students who entered couldn¡¯t even see their own hands if they put it in front of their face. They involuntarily took small steps, not knowing why or what they¡¯re trying to avoid.

    It was just then that Yin noticed the strangest thing¡­ there was no sound. The sounds of his steps couldn¡¯t be heard at all. Yin frantically shouted and clapped his hands together, but no sounds were produced. The sensation could be felt when he clapped his hands, but there was an absence of sound.

    With the absence of sound, Yin couldn¡¯t tell whether or not he was breathing properly. The air was heavy; an invisible hand seems to be strangling him. He tried his best to forcefully sync his breathing to the rhythm of seconds. Repeating ¡°one second¡± and ¡°two seconds¡± in his mind, he inhaled on the first second, exhaled on the second, and repeated the process over and over.

    Hyperventilation soon took hold of his lungs. His chest became tight and uncontrollable. He didn¡¯t know what was happening or why; the only thing in his mind is to calm his body that is progressively getting worse.

    Yin pulled out his wand and held it in front of his mouth. The tip of the wand glowed faintly and the darkness around his mouth dispersed. Yin still couldn¡¯t see, but he could hear the harsh coughs emitted from his mouth.

    ¡°Come forward.¡± A voice within in the darkness called out to him. It was the same voice from before.

    The darkness splits, leaving a path towards a brown chair.

    After stabilizing his breath, Yin wiped the sweat beads from his forehead and followed the path in front of him. His wand was firmly held, ready to act in case anything happens again. He hadn¡¯t seen the two students that were with him, ever since he entered Professor Reeve¡¯s room. They must be going through a similar situation, Yin thought.

    He sat down on the chair, and looked at¡­ nothing. There was nothing to look at. The same black scenery still enshrouded his vision.

    The darkness retracted, revealing two more wooden chairs with two students sitting unconsciously upon them. With a snap of a finger the two students woke up, confused and dazed. They had no recollection of what occurred after stepping inside the room.

    ¡°This is basic dark magic. Although it¡¯s basic, it¡¯s also deadly depending on the user¡¯s intention. Pointing your wands at each other while unprepared for the consequences is utterly foolish. Imagine what would happen if you killed each other. Do you understand what that means?¡± Reeve said, his voice emitted from within the darkness.

    ¡°Yin Yore, Nat Patu, Bell Neal¡­ what do you have to say for yourselves?¡± Reeve asked.

    Nat, who was sitting in the middle, fidgeted upon hearing the voice calling his name. The only thing he remembered was the thought of death gradually approaching before losing his consciousness. Bell, who sat farthest from Yin, was dumbfounded as to where he was and how he got here. The last thing he remembered was being at the ring hosted by a girl wearing Highborn¡¯s uniform.

    ¡°I¡­ I wouldn¡¯t dare to kill another student here. We were wronged, so we wanted to scare them a bit before leaving. Isn¡¯t that right, Bell?¡± Nat¡¯s voice was soft and quiet.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ that¡¯s right. We were scammed, so we planned to scare them a bit to get even at them. All students know the consequence of killing one another. We weren¡¯t so foolish to pass that line.¡± Bell said.

    ¡°You wanted to scare us? You could¡¯ve killed us. They¡¯re using wands. Wands are a trainee¡¯s weapon. Do you expect me to believe that you have full control of your magic? All I was doing was self-defense.¡± Yin calmly said.

    After listening to Reeve¡¯s lecture, Yin concluded that the initial act was meant to scare the students from using magic against each other. By showing how strong basic magic can be, Yin thought that Professor Reeve had accomplish his goals and won¡¯t harm them further. At the very least he can now focus his attention on getting out of here without too harsh of a punishment.

    ¡°What do you mean wands are for trainees?¡± Bell shot a fierce glance at Yin.

    ¡°Wands are catalysts that allows the users to successfully cast spells. They¡¯re mainly used to prevent backfires from occurring. But being able to cast a spell does not mean that you can control it. You can only say that you have control of your magic when you¡¯ve mastered it.¡± Yin replied.

    ¡°Well, what about you? You had your wand pointed at my friend as well!¡± Bell barked.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t really pointing at anyone in particular. My wand was pointed at your direction, because I was preparing to dispel whatever magic you throw at us. I never intended to fight you guys.¡± Yin said.

    ¡°Dispel magic? A first-year student? You have to try harder if you want to be funny.¡± Bell was at his wit¡¯s end. He wanted to give this infuriating being a satisfying punch. Nat looked at Bell and shook his head. Bell suppressed his anger and tried to calm himself.

    ¡°Stop. Whatever your intentions were, the fact remains that you three had your weapons pointed at each other. Since this is your first day attending the school, I will be light with the punishment. You¡¯ll be assigned to the security branch and follow their orders until the end of this term. Report to the security department tomorrow after classes are done. They¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± Reeve said.

    In the end, Bell, Yin, and Nat received a punishment. Nat and Bell were the first ones to exit the room. Yin was the last one to leave before the door creaked closed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll remember this.¡± Bell said as he and Nat walked away.

    Yin sighed and walked over to a nearby window. Fireworks whistled high into the air before exploding into a beautiful light show. He looked down at the sea of students enjoying the late night activities. They were smiling with their friends, and making great memories. Soon after, one group after another began to depart and head back to their dorms. He stared at them, yearning for a day when he could have memorable experiences as well.

    The bustling road transition to a deserted road littered with trash. Plastic cups, leftover foods, and paper plates became apparent with the disappearance of the students. The stalls became station-less; the students who were working have now retired to their dorms.

    It gradually became silent and peaceful. Yin didn¡¯t mind nights like these. The beautiful night sky twinkled with many stars far beyond his reach. He remembered the amount of praise people gave towards students of Highborn Academy. That they should felt privileged and honored to be able to attend a school as great as this. That only nobles or wealthy families can afford to attend this school.

    But he didn¡¯t feel like that at all. It was a weird feeling, something that he couldn¡¯t describe at all. He hoped that he¡¯ll eventually find his place among the students here. Only time will tell what he was feeling at the moment.

    Yin looked at the ground once more. I feel bad for the people who has to clean this mess up, Yin thought as he walked away from the window, and returned to his room.

    The next morning¡­

    The groggy kid woke up to the sound of his alarm ringing. He stuffed his head under his pillow and covered it with the white sheet on his bed. Undaunted by the boy¡¯s action, the sound of the alarm made its way into the ears of the boy. He laid there on the bed, waiting for the alarm to turn itself off. Times like these, his uncle would be the first one to invade his room and shut off the alarm. Five minutes passed and the alarm was as loud as ever. Unable to resist the urge anymore, Yin lift the pillow that was on top of him, and threw it at the alarm. The alarm on top of the dresser felled to the ground, and ceased to ring.

    Yin looked at the bed opposite of his. It was vacant. There were no signs of usage; the bed and sheets were fixed and tidy. Everything on the opposite side of the room seems to be untouched.

    The thought didn¡¯t linger in his mind. He had to get to his morning class. The alarm was set to ring thirty minutes before the start of his first class. After going through his morning routines, Yin rushed out of the dorm¡¯s door and headed to class.

    The roads were crowded and loud. Many students were walking to class in their uniforms. Others were strolling towards the train station with their suitcase. Shops and stalls were set up along the road to attract customers. Rather than running to class, he briskly walked in a single-file line to class.

    Familiar faces appeared as he examined the class he stepped into. Nat, Bell, and the person who fought Vega occupied the seats in the corner of the room. They were eyeing Nora, Vale, and Vega who sat in front of the room. Vega spotted Yin entering the classroom and patted the vacant seat next to him.

    Yin sat down and said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re in the same class.¡±

    ¡°Same here!¡± Vega said.

    ¡°Hey, what happen yesterday? You know, after that teacher showed up and all.¡± Melody chimed in.

    ¡°Nothing really.¡± Yin replied.

    ¡°Really?¡± Melody eyed him suspiciously.

    ¡°Sorry for getting you caught up in that. I didn¡¯t expect you to take out your wand when I instructed you guys not to.¡± Vale¡¯s choice of words made it difficult for Yin to believe that she was apologizing.

    ¡°Instructed?¡± Yin asked.

    ¡°Uh¡­ oops. I knew I was forgetting something last night. Sorry.¡± Melody weakly smiled.

    ¡°Now, now, all that is yesterday. Let¡¯s stop apologizing to each and move on.¡± Vega declared.

    A figure, one that Yin was familiar of, walked into the classroom and stood in front of the seated students.

    ¡°Good morning first-year students, and welcome to your first day of Introductory to Mana. I would like to remind you all that prohibited magic usage will result in consequences that may lead to expulsion. If you¡¯re not clear as to what falls under ¡®prohibited magic usage,¡¯ then I¡¯d advise to not use magic unless an authorize personnel is on site. Better yet, refer to the school handbook and refresh your memory.¡± Professor Mayor said.

    He continued, ¡°Now then, let¡¯s move on to the main subject and the reason all of us are here for. If any of you have any questions at any time, then please feel free to ask them.¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°I always love to start off the semester with this question: What is mana?¡± Professor Mayor asked. His eyes wander around the room, waiting for someone to answer his question.

    ¡°Mana lets us use magic!¡± A student shouted.

    ¡°We can do cool stuff with it!¡± Another student shouted.

    ¡°We can defeat enemies with it!¡± One more student shouted.

    ¡°Yes, that may all be true. Mana, at the very core, is very much like air. It¡¯s all around us at all times, and we breathe it. It travels through our bodies, through the meridian channels, and into the meridian core. We store mana inside our meridian core to do ¡®cool stuff¡¯ with it.¡± Professor Mayor said.

    ¡°What¡¯s fascinating about Mana is that it can either be entirely harmless to every being or harmful to everything. This is why control over it is so important.¡± Professor Mayor extended his hand and a fiery flame lit up from the center of his palm. The flame¡¯s intensity increase and decrease at his whim. ¡°Of course, magic is limited to the user. What you can learn and apply with it all depends on you.¡±

    The flame disappeared from his palm and Professor Mayor retracted his hand. He took out his wand and the stack of red grimoires on his desk levitated into the air. The grimoires flew in the air and made its way towards each student''s desk.

    ¡°I would like you all to flip to the first page and cast the spell. These are basic elemental grimoires provided by the school, so you may take it with you if you wish to practice in any of the designated facilities.¡± Professor Mayor said.

    Yin extended his hand and faced his palm to the ceiling. After reciting the words, Yin felt a tingly sensation coursing from his chest to his hand. He controlled the flame to be small and steady, so that it wouldn¡¯t consume too much mana.

    ¡°Wow!¡± Nat shouted. Bell was producing a large flame, even bigger than Professor¡¯s Mayor. The students noticed Bell''s flame and readied themselves to cast the spell.

    The students began reciting the words associated with the spell and held out their hand. Small flames or sparks appeared on their palms. Nevertheless, all of the students were able to use it to some degree.

    ¡°Good. You wouldn¡¯t be here if you couldn¡¯t do something this simple. Always focus on control rather than the power of it. You wouldn¡¯t want to harm others or yourselves.¡± Professor Mayor said.

    Professor Mayor continued his lecture for the next hour, discussing various topics such as the Law of Mana, society¡¯s rules regarding Mana, and how it applies to technology. Most, if not all, of modern day inventions and technologies rely on Mana in one way or another. For the future engineers, he made sure to emphasized that it is important to learn about Mana and how it incorporates into appliances.

    The school bell rang, marking the end of the class.

    ¡°You are all dismissed. I hope to see you all next week. And please take an hour or so to review the study materials.¡± Professor Mayor said as he watched the students leave one after the other.

    Nora watched the three preparing to leave, and asked, ¡°Should we find a place to rest?¡±

    Vale and Vega agreed, but Yin rejected.

    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t. I have to be somewhere.¡± Yin replied.

    ¡°Mm¡­ ok. Well, how about lunch? We¡¯ll save you a spot.¡± Melody said, her voice became soft.

    Yin shook his head and said, ¡°Go ahead and eat. Don¡¯t wait for me.¡±

    Vega laughed. ¡°Let him be. It¡¯s not like this is the last time we¡¯ll be seeing him, right?¡±

    Yin nodded and left the room. He made his way to the security department, located in a castle with red banners. Looking around him, the road was clean and filled with students and their books. Many second year students were walking to their second class. Generally, first-year students had no need to visit the Fighter, Caster, or Ranger¡¯s castle, because these courses wouldn¡¯t be open to them until their second year.

    Behind him was Bell and Nat, the students whom Yin met the other day. Yin could felt a strong gaze stabbing his back, as if trying to kill him slowly. This gaze was similar to when he was in his classroom, but he didn¡¯t pay any mind to it back then.

    The three of them stopped in front of a student who held up a sign with their names written on it. The student looked at the three of them and asked, ¡°Yin, Nat, and Bell?¡± They nodded their heads and follow the student leading them inwards to the castle.

    The four of them turned a right into a room after entering the entrance of the castle. The room resembled a modern day office. Desks, chairs, cabinets, laid around the room. The typical achievements and awards of a renowned person hanged around the room and sat on top of the cabinets.

    ¡°I¡¯ve brought them here, sir.¡± The student spoke.

    The man¡¯s hand quickly zoom pass by the stack of paperwork on his desk. His hand stopped and his face turned upwards to look at the newly arrived students in his office. His gold-plated armor and red cape made it seem as if he just got off the battlefield. They were worn, dulled, and, at this point, seem to be more useful for fashion than practical armor.

    ¡°Name?¡± The man behind the stack of paperwork asked.

    The man¡¯s stern voiced propelled Nat to straighten his posture and blurted out his name. Yin and Bell also stated their name when their eyes met the man.

    ¡°I see. Call me ¡®Kaiser.¡¯ Yin, Nat, and Bell, do you know why the three of you are here?¡± Kaiser asked.

    ¡°Well¡­ we¡¯ve went against the school¡¯s policy and are now being punished.¡± Nat said.

    Kaiser nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ve looked through your files and this is a convenient time. Usually I would sentence the likes of you to local service. This includes various tasks like cleaning up the streets, assisting the gardener, and other monotonous activities. However, our hands have been short due to the recent draft. You have two options to choose: local service or join the academy¡¯s security team.¡±

    ¡°Recent draft?¡± Yin inquired.

    ¡°Drake can fill you on the details later. So, what will the three of you choose?¡± Kaiser asked.

    They were unhesitant and unanimous with their decision. The three of them shouted to join the security squad rather than care to local service for the semester.

    ¡°Good. Drake, we don¡¯t have much time on our hands. Give them a test and come back with a report. If they don¡¯t meet your standards, then don¡¯t hesitate to sentence them to local service.¡± Kaiser announced.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Drake strutted out of the room.

    ¡°By his standards? This is so dumb.¡± Bell followed Drake while stomping his foot.

    Nat and Yin didn¡¯t lag behind and immediately followed Drake as well.

    As they were walking, Nat couldn¡¯t help but asked, ¡°So what¡¯s this about a recent draft?¡±

    Drake steadied his pace and said, ¡°Yesterday, the headmaster announced a draft to the second and third-year students. It was completely optional, but a lot of students were attracted to real battle experience. Unfortunately, many students in our department, Fighters, immediately signed up and left this morning. Needless to say, our security team was compromised and that¡¯s why we¡¯re skipping many steps to give you guys a chance to join us.¡±

    ¡°Drafting from students? It¡¯s true that this academy is among the top ranks, but isn¡¯t that being too drastic? Maybe the war on the front lines aren¡¯t going in our favor?¡± Nat audibly pondered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on us. Me and Nat are not joining you guys because we want to. We were given a choice between two rotten apples. It¡¯s obvious we would choose the tastier one.¡± Bell muttered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be expecting you to back up your own words.¡± Drake said.

    The four of them crossed the academy¡¯s gate and headed towards the grassy field, a hundred meters away from the entrance of the academy.

    ¡°So? What do you want us to do?¡± Bell impatiently asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. The three of you will battle me and I¡¯ll decide whether or not you are fit to be in my team.¡± Drake declared.

    ¡°Three versus one? Aren¡¯t we supposed to not fight each other, you know, school policy and all.¡± Nat said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. It is within my power to authorize just competitions as I see fit. Use whatever means you need to defeat me. I¡¯ll consider anything fair play.¡± Drake said.

    ¡°Fine. You two stand back. After I¡¯m finish with him, I¡¯ll be going after you.¡± Bell directed his irritated voice towards Yin.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be rash. Trying to be cool won¡¯t give you more points.¡± Drake smirked.

    ¡°Get off your high horse!¡± Bell shouted and charged at Drake.

    Bell pulled out his wand from his pocket and aimed it at Drake. Red particles gathered at the tip of the wand before firing a flaming ball. The fireball flew through the air in a straight line before arriving in front of Drake. Drake quickly stepped to the side and pointed his wand behind him. The grass caught on fire before being put out with a strong gust of wind from Drake¡¯s magic.

    ¡°Fire magic and voiceless incantation? You¡¯ve passed the incantation and invocation stages, but your control is awful. What would you do if the entire field caught on fire? Are you planning on burning your friend over there?¡± Drake lectured, he fell back a few steps to gain distance.

    Yin was also pleasantly surprised. He¡¯d never thought this loudmouth would actually have some talent within him. In magic, voiceless incantation and invocation requires a person to have high affinity towards an element. In Bell¡¯s case, Yin knew that Bell must¡¯ve a high affinity towards the fire element.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Bell ran towards Drake while wildly firing fireballs.

    Drake extended his arm and the air around his hand became a turbulent wind, taking on the form of a sword.

    ¡°[Wind Blade]¡± Drake invoked a wind spell. Bluish crescent winds scattered from the sword, sliced through the fireball, and attacked Bell. His uniform was cut on the shoulders, waist, and legs. Blood oozed out wherever the crescent winds passed.

    ¡°Bell!¡± Nat shouted.

    ¡°Stand back!¡± Bell furiously shouted. His knees felt weak, but he didn¡¯t want to give in. More than anything, he didn¡¯t want to lose to the opponent in front of him.

    ¡°Are you done? If the three of you attack at once, we can get this done quickly. I don¡¯t have all day.¡± Drake gestured for the spectators to join the fight.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting real sick of your attitude!¡± Bell roared and charged once more. He couldn¡¯t run as fast as before due to the injuries, but nevertheless, he charged with the determination to defeat his opponent.

    Drake lowered his sword, cut the grass below him, and collected it into his sword. The grass rapidly circulates from the base of the sword to the tip. He rose the sword high in to the air and quickly slashed downwards. The grasses in the sword flew towards Bell, turning into sharp projectiles. Bell was force back and onto the ground with many grass blades lodged inside of his body.

    Bell held back his voice as the pain circulates throughout his entire body. He couldn¡¯t exactly see it, but he knew that his body was riddled with cuts. Fatigue, soreness, and heavy breathing ¨C he was at his limit.

    Nat quickly ran over, kneeled down, and began incanting a spell. Nat¡¯s palm hovered over Bell¡¯s body and light began emitting from his hand. One by one, the cuts began to healed and the wounds closed. The grasses fell off and the pricked hole was never there.

    ¡°Light magic: [Heal]? Not bad. It¡¯s uncommon to see people venture towards light magic without having a high affinity. So you¡¯ll be fighting me next?¡± Drake commented.

    Nat weakly smiled and shook his head. ¡°Sorry, but this is all I¡¯m good for. I¡¯m not very good at fighting to begin with.¡±

    Drake nodded. ¡°I see. I¡¯d prefer if you would be able to defend yourself at the very least, but it seems my expectations were too high.¡± He turned his attention towards Yin and said, ¡°It¡¯s your turn. Come at me whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6: Enforcer

    They stood far apart with their weapons facing each other. The scrawny stick in Yin¡¯s hand fell short in comparison to Drake¡¯s turbulent sword. Going by looks alone, it would seem that Drake has the advantage with close-combat and magic.

    Inch by inch, the distance between them shrank. Drake stood still, watching Yin slowly entering his sword¡¯s range of attack. Nothing had happened yet, other than the distance between them closing to a few meters. Their postured remain the same since the start of the fight. Both of them were short on their opponent¡¯s information, so they decided to take a defensive stance.

    Yin stopped in motion and began an incantation. All Drake heard were incoherent murmurs; he couldn¡¯t exactly make out what spell his opponent was casting. Red particles began gathering at the tip of Yin¡¯s wand, transforming into a fiery ball.

    Fire magic? Drake thought. His turbulent sword slash upward diagonally, collecting the grasses in his range, and firing them in one motion. He wasn¡¯t sure what spell his opponent was casting, but it wouldn¡¯t matter if he could interrupt their concentration.

    Yin gathered the energy in his legs and swiftly kicked off to the side, effectively dodging Drake¡¯s range attack. All this time while maintaining his concentration and preventing a backfire.

    ¡°How long can you keep that up?¡± Drake continuously fire barrages of grass in Yin¡¯s direction. He was startled at how his opponent was able to continuously dodge his attacks while performing an incantation. The turbulent sword was aimed a few feet in front of Yin, but his opponent¡¯s speed gradually hastens, and outpaced his own calculation.

    ¡°[Wind Blade]¡± Drake invoked the same spell he used on Bell. With a slash from his sword, the crescent winds scattered from the sword and converged on his target.

    ¡°[Fireball]¡± Yin swiped his wand, unleashing five fireballs that zig-zag through the air, dodging pass the crescent winds.

    The crescent winds belonged to the wind element, so naturally they¡¯d be faster than fireballs. The crescent winds would have hit Yin before the fireballs hit Drake. However, Drake retracted his mana that was imbued into the crescent winds.

    ¡°[Wind Blade]¡± Drake slashed his sword again, and more crescent winds scattered outwards, but this time their targets were the fireballs falling in the air. The crescent winds cut the fireballs and dissipated them before completely disappearing.

    Yin was now certain that Drake was prioritizing the environment¡¯s safety. He recalled that Drake put out Bell¡¯s fire, but he wasn¡¯t sure if that was something he¡¯d done on a whim or if he actually cares about the environment.

    Red particles gathered at the tip of his wand, and with a swiped of his wand, he invoked [Fireball] again. Five more fireballs soared through the air. Drake was slightly irritated that someone would actually exploit his responsibility as the academy¡¯s security team. [Wind Blade] was invoked once again to combat the fireballs. Much to his dismay, Yin continued to cast more [Fireball] with his intentions locked. Bounded by his obligation to protect the academy, Drake continued firing his [Wind Blade] towards the never ending fireballs.

    Nat watched with sparkling eyes, his mouth agape. He wasn¡¯t sure who would win in the end, but he knew that Yin was now on the offensive. Early in the fight, Drake was the one who pressured Yin. However, the tables have turned, and Drake had been forced into a corner. Yin had been taking the initiative, firing fireballs, and slowly closing the distance between him and Drake.

    After destroying the last wave of fireballs, Drake quickly held his wand close to his sword and began an incantation. Green particles formed at this tip of his wand. A harsh wind had kicked up, forcing the grasses and trees to sway towards Drake.

    Yin didn¡¯t know what his opponent was doing, but he wouldn¡¯t idle by and watch. He had enough time to cast [Fireball] twice before Drake was done casting his spell. Ten fireballs launched from his wand, soared through the air, and came crashing down onto the grassy field. He slowed his pace to stay outside of the bombardment range.

    Drake¡¯s wand slid from the base of his turbulent sword to the tip of it. The surrounding air began to feed itself into his sword, making it grow larger in size. Only a few seconds have passed, but it was enough to grew the sword five times larger than before. The sword was now on equal heights with the trees in the vicinity.

    He gripped the turbulent sword with both of his hands and swung with all his might! All it took was one swing from Drake¡¯s turbulent sword to cause the entire bombardment to vanish. The speed of his swing had significantly reduced, but the tremendous force was enough to blow the fireballs out of existence.

    Now! Yin kicked off the ground and ran full speed ahead. Judging by the speed of Drake¡¯s current swing, Yin figured that he could reached into close-combat range before Drake could swing his weapon again.

    You did well, but you¡¯ve lost. Drake smirked, his victory was in sight. Both of his hands swung the humongous sword downwards, causing a tremendous wind pressure below it.

    Just a few more steps! Yin was merely a few feet away from reaching Drake. The wind pressure heavily fell on Yin, and gradually became heavier the closer it reached the ground. His speed was impeded. He urged his body to move, but it felt like both of his legs were shackled to insurmountable weights.

    Struggling to break through the invisible wall in front of him, Yin barely managed to lift his wand above his head with his right hand. Higher, higher! Yin mentally shouted. Knees on the ground, elbows bent, back arched ¨C his left hand clawed into the dirt, supporting his body from entirely collapsing.

    The moment Drake¡¯s sword touched Yin¡¯s wand, a slight disturbance occurred that caused the sword to run amok. Unexpectedly, for a split second, Drake lost his balance and control of the spell.

    ¡°What!¡± Drake exclaimed. Violent winds conjured by the boy, feasted on the flesh of his very own hands. Slice marks half-a-centimeter deep course through his hands. The strength within his hands began to diminish as he struggled to hold onto the sword. Unable to withstand the pain any longer, he subconsciously broke the spell and freed the sword. The turbulent sword immediately dispersed in the air, and the pressure in the area began to normalize.

    Yin immediately ceased the opportunity and rammed into Drake. He mounted on top of him and brought his wand point-blank to his opponent¡¯s face. ¡°Give up?¡± Yin asked while heavily panting. Sweat beads dripped from his chin.

    ¡°Yeah. I lost.¡± Drake held his hands up and wore a satisfactory smile.

    Yin stood up and stored his wand inside his pocket. Deep inhales and exhales followed after to calm his heart rate.

    ¡°Hey, medic, can I ask for your assistance?¡± Drake shouted.

    ¡°Uh, yes! On my way!¡± Nat rushed over, his entire body still in awe. Unable to comprehend what exactly just happened, the boy tumbled onto the grass field. He quickly collected himself and ran over to Drake. Nat hovered his hands over Drake¡¯s bloodied hands, began an incantation, and invoked [Heal].

    The hands riddled with cuts remained blood-dyed, but the wounds were slowly closing.

    ¡°I¡¯m impressed. Your speed isn¡¯t half bad.¡± Drake complimented.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do many things, but I at least want to be decent at the things I can do.¡± Nat said.

    Drake stood up and patted his pants. ¡°Thanks for the help. I¡¯ll be heading to the infirmary first and then to the office to make my report. Meet me there in a few hours.¡±

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    Nat watched him leave and finally remembered something important. He turned to Yin and asked, ¡°Uh, do you need my help? I can heal to a certain extent.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Yin replied. He dusted the dirt off his pants and walked back towards the academy¡¯s gate.

    Nat, not knowing what to do, walked back towards the slumbering boy and waited for him to wake up.

    A few hours later, Kaiser¡¯s office¡­

    Drake stood upright in front of a man working behind his desk. Both his hands were covered in white hand-wraps. His right hand raised to his forehead in a saluted manner. One subject quickly transitioned to another, detailing his opinions and the results of the test that happened this morning. The enthusiasm in his voice could clearly be felt despite him trying to hide it.

    ¡°Wait, let¡¯s focus on one person at a time. It¡¯ll be easier for me to follow.¡± Kaiser proposed.

    ¡°Yes, sir. Then I¡¯ll start off with the student named Bell Neal. Bell is currently rough around the edges. His tactic and his fighting style are very... unpolished. A very straightforward kind of guy, if you will. However, his innate talent is quite high given that he could perform a voiceless incantation with fire elemental attacks. I believe that he¡¯ll live up to our expectation given enough time and guidance.¡± Drake reported.

    Kaiser nodded and wrote down important notes. Intel about Nat, Bell, and Yin laid on top of his desk, so cross-referencing would be easy. He glanced upwards and waited for the next report.

    ¡°Next is the student named Nat Patu. I cannot exactly say how strong he is. From what I¡¯ve seen, his main strength lies in his ability to heal people. When offered a chance to fight me, he immediately declined the opportunity. He does, however, have a fair bit of determination. Usually people would study the element that they have a high affinity in, but this guy is the opposite. It¡¯s rare to find people like him these days. Honestly, I think he¡¯ll be great in a team.¡± Drake reported.

    Kaiser nodded, his eyes moving back and forth from the intel sheet to his notes.

    Drake waited for Kaiser¡¯s hand to stop moving. After receiving confirmation, he reported, ¡°Last is Yin Yore. After our short duel, I can confidently say that he¡¯s very resilient. His talent, on the other hand, is a different story.¡±

    ¡°Explain.¡± Kaiser demanded.

    Drake seem to be loss in thought. Words ran through his mind, but he couldn¡¯t exactly find the words that he felt was best suited for Yin. His eyes blankly stared into space.

    ¡°Drake, explain.¡± Kaiser repeated.

    ¡°Yes, sir. He fought well with what he had, but he doesn¡¯t have much¡­ I think. He only used one element, the fire element, throughout our entire fight. His casting time was rather average compare to someone talented, like Bell. On a positive note, he was the toughest one out of the three of them.¡± Drake reported.

    ¡°Did he do that to you?¡± Kaiser directed his question towards Drakes¡¯ hands.

    ¡°No, this was my own shortcoming. I¡¯ve failed to maintain control and balance while wielding the enhanced sword. I was too certain of my victory, and lost sight of what really mattered. I¡¯ll stay more vigilant from here on out.¡± Drake said.

    ¡°Your spell backfired?¡± Kaiser asked.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Drake clamped his teeth.

    ¡°Really? I¡¯ve instructed you for an entire year, and you¡¯re always vigilant.¡± Kaiser examined the intel on his desk. Something didn¡¯t add up. There was no way his pupil, who was so strict on himself during his training, would lose control against first-year students.

    Drake hated himself for it. Losing due to the inability to properly control magic was an elementary mistake ¨C something he thought he surpassed long ago. ¡°I will make sure to train even harder so it won¡¯t happen again!¡±

    ¡°Here.¡± Kaiser passed the intel sheet that had details about Yin.

    Drake accepted it, but was confused as to why his teacher gave it to him. ¡°What do you want me to do with it?¡±

    ¡°Read it, of course.¡± Kaiser laughed.

    Drake read the sheet, word for word, but nothing astounding stood out. His puzzled face made Kaiser laugh even louder.

    ¡°According to the elemental affinity section, what does it say?¡± Kaiser asked.

    ¡°Wind, Earth, Water, Fire, Light, Dark ¨C he has the lowest grade in all of them.¡± Drake replied.

    ¡°Right, and what does that tell you?¡± Kaiser teased.

    ¡°It tells me¡­ that he has no talent. Am I right?¡± Drake asked.

    ¡°Drake, you still got a long way to go. Don¡¯t look at it in terms of whether or not they are talented. If someone is bad at one thing, then they¡¯ll be good at something else. If you apply that logic here, then what does it tell you?¡± Kaiser instructed.

    ¡°If someone is bad at one thing¡­ If Yin is bad at elemental magic, then¡­¡± Drake pondered. Steam rose from his ears as he wrecked his brain to find a solution.

    ¡°Think of it this way: Elementalists are people who are proficient in one of the six elements of nature. What do people call those that aren¡¯t?¡± Kaiser asked.

    ¡°Non¡­ elementalists?¡± Drake guessed.

    ¡°Right, non-elementalists. Since the Age of Mana, it is extremely rare to see anyone with this kind of affinity. And what kind of magic are they proficient in?¡± Kaiser asked.

    It was then that Drake finally experienced an epiphany. The dark clouds clogging his mind washed away by a strong guest of wind. The sun shone brightly on his brain, elevating it to new heights.

    ¡°Non-elemental magic¡­ so, what happened back there must¡¯ve been a spell that Yin used. A spell that would cause someone like me to lose control even for a slight second¡­ was it [Dispel]?¡± Drake audibly pondered.

    Kaiser smiled as he watched Drake. Watching his pupil improve and learn by themselves brought great joy to him.

    Three knocks came from the other side of the door.

    ¡°Come in,¡± Kaiser answered.

    Yin walked in with a fresh set of uniform. His hair was partially wet, and his body smelled of fresh soap and shampoo. He stood next to the door, waiting for further instructions.

    Kaiser grabbed a red armband from the drawer in his desk. It was very flexible, contracting and expanding to the arm of whomever wore it. The word ¡®Enforcer¡¯ was engraved with a white thread.

    ¡°Here. Welcome to the team.¡± Kaiser congratulated.

    Yin walked over and pushed the armband above his right elbow. The armband contracted to fit perfectly to his skinny arm.

    Kaiser gave him a booklet regarding the duties and responsibilities expected of an enforcer. Static payment is handed out at the end of every month, and bonuses will increase it depending on the quota. Due to their schedules, Yin will be appointed to night shifts, Nat and Bell will be on patrol in the afternoon, while Kaiser will take the morning patrol.

    ¡°Sir, I would like to propose something.¡± Drake stated.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Kaiser asked.

    ¡°I believe we should switch to a two-man team, rather than work solo. They¡¯re still inexperience, and I hope that we can ease them into their role. They¡¯ll also have an easier time to understand our job if they learn it from us. I can work with Nat and Bell before my classes start. As for Yin, he can pair up with¡­ well, you know who. We¡¯ll take the morning and afternoon, and then Yin and her will take night time.¡± Drake proposed.

    ¡°She¡¯s not exactly the type of person an inexperience person should work with.¡± Kaiser commented.

    ¡°If this guy can handle my sword, then he¡¯ll be ready for her.¡± Drake confidently said.

    ¡°Fine. That settles it, then.¡± Kaiser grabbed his pen and reformed the schedule.

    ¡°Good luck, Yin.¡± Drake smiled and gave him a thumbs-up.

    Yin weakly smiled as the two of them decided everything by themselves.

 Volume 1 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7: Magic/Center Recreation

    In an abandoned cave were two people: a masked-man on a poor quality chair and a figure, covered in a black cloak, genuflecting. The white mask was decorated with six circles that echoed outwards from the center of the forehead. An old style cane rested on top of its owner¡¯s lap.

    ¡°Soon¡­ After all these years, the time will soon arrive¡­¡± the masked man mumbled.

    ¡°Shall I begin preparations?¡± the cloaked figure humbly asked.

    ¡°No, it is still too early. Just a little longer¡­ Just awhile more for the stars to arrive¡­ Patience is key, until the stars have aligned...¡± his voice trembled with excitement as he thought of the destined future.

    ¡°Understood.¡± The cloaked man completely merged with the surrounding darkness and disappeared in a matter of seconds.

    Kingdom of Highborn, Highborn Academy¡­

    Yin wandered the north side of the academy, searching for a particular building. After being appointed as an Enforcer, he asked for directions to facilities that allow magic practice. It was then that Highborn¡¯s ¡®Combat/Magic Recreation¡¯ was recommended to him.

    ¡°It should be around here¡­¡± Yin said as he recalled Drake¡¯s direction.

    After walking ahead for a few more minutes he stumbled upon what seem to be his destination. The sign ¡®Combat/Magic Recreation¡¯ was written on a large, outdoor signed stationed ten meters in front of a three-story building.

    Yin entered the building, following behind other students that funneled into the entrance.

    The left and right side had elegant, cushioned chairs aligned with the glass walls. High tables and chairs were formed further in, between the various stores that sells drinks, foods, and tomes. A line was formed to the gated entrance of the stairs.

    It was impossible to escape the sounds of students training from the second floor. Cries of laughter mixed with disappointment, sounds of wooden sounds clashing -- it was like a mock battlefield up there.

    Gazing to the front of the line, Yin felt like he should make better use of his time. There weren¡¯t many people behind him either, so he didn¡¯t mind stepping out of line.

    Browsing the various foods and drinks stores opened his mind to the kind of dining that was common to nobles. He wasn¡¯t a food connoisseur, but their fancy names and the high price made him drool from ear to ear. His empty pockets soon snapped him back to reality, and he left to his last detour: the tomes store.

    There were two tomes stores, and it resembled a lot like a library. Rows and columns of colored covers were stored on wooden shelves. Signs hang from the ceiling, representing the section¡¯s element. Yin walked into the left one and explored their wares. Much to his surprise there weren¡¯t any non-elemental tomes on display. His hope to expand his repertoire dwindled, but it didn¡¯t extinguish.

    One of the workers saw his puzzled state and approached him. ¡°Can I help you, sir?¡± the girl asked.

    Her young appearance, maybe a year or two older than Yin, matched the youthfulness of the average student, so being called ¡®sir¡¯ surprised him. Formality wasn¡¯t his strong suite, at least not compared to nobles with such an upbringing. Yin found the name ¡®Rain,¡¯ from the white nametag contrasting her red work uniform.

    ¡°Actually, I could use your help, Rain. Are non-elemental tomes in stock?¡± Yin asked.

    A tanned index finger rhythmically tapped her forehead as she pondered the store¡¯s inventory. ¡°I think¡­ we do.¡±

    Rain opened a door to a box-filled room. It was amazing that she could navigate through what little tiny walkway there was. She returned with a grey tome that had an unnatural symbol compare to the other elemental tomes. Fire tomes had an easily distinct flame for its symbol, and similarly the other elements had their own distinct symbols.

    The book she handed Yin had a grey cover with a dark, swirling circle at the center. It was his first time seeing such a tome. Much of his spells were taught by his uncle for self-defense, so he was excited to be able to learn other spells.

    ¡°Are you really going to buy this? People rarely study non-elementals these days.¡± Rain was intrigued by him. Since she started working here, she never had a customer who bought a non-elemental tome.

    Yin nodded. ¡°Could you reserve this for me? I¡¯ll come back for it later.¡±

    Rain noticed his non-bulging pockets and laughed. ¡°Reserved? I don¡¯t think anyone would buy these in a hundred years! Just take it, it¡¯s on me.¡±

    Yin, astonished by her kind nature, asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯ll be years before my manager notice we¡¯re missing one of those. Take it and leave before my manager gets back.¡± Rain smiled.

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m Yin, I owe you one!¡± Yin smiled back and walked away.

    Exiting the store, he noticed the line shorten to three people. By the time he walked there, he was already next in queue. Both Yin and the stationed worker stared at each other.

    ¡°So¡­ how does this work?¡± Yin asked.

    The worker noticed the red armband labeled ¡®Enforcer,¡¯ and pointed to the entrance on the right.

    ¡®PERSONNEL ONLY,¡¯ read the red and white sign on the gated entrance.

    Yin pushed the gate and proceeded up the stair.

    The second floor mostly consisted of training mats. Weapon racks were found along the walls, and the entire room was one big training ground. Training dummies were on the left side of the room for solo practice, and the right side of the room was free of obstacles.

    It was there that he found the source of the ruckus he heard all the way from the first floor. Vega, equipped with a bamboo sword, stood triumphantly in front of disgruntled students on their bottoms. That grin on his face was like a tyrant looking down on his villagers.

    ¡°C¡¯mon! Is that all you guys are good at? If you can¡¯t beat me one-on-one, then attack me at the same time. Duh!¡± Vega shamelessly provoked. He circled the group of injured students with the attitude of an undefeated warrior. Their wounds weren¡¯t life-threatening, but they were light either.

    One of the defeated students, bursting with anger, waited for an opportunity to strike him when he wasn¡¯t looking. The student tightly gripped his wooden sword with both of his hands, shouted with all his might, and viciously strike Vega¡¯s back.

    ¡°No.¡± Vega¡¯s strike was at a far greater speed than the student¡¯s sneak attack, and he sent him flying off the training mat. The sound of the student crashing into the weapon rack caught the attention of all the students on the second floor. Students from the left and right side of the room were worried for their fellow peer and immediately went to check on his condition.

    Vega clicked his tongue. ¡°So weak.¡±

    A student noticed Yin wearing his armband and shouted, ¡°Hey! Do something about this!¡±

    Another student noticed Yin and laughed. ¡°It¡¯s an Enforcer! That kid is in so much trouble now.¡±

    In a matter of seconds, the commotion soon turned towards Vega, as if he was going to suffer a death penalty.

    Yin, dumbfounded by all of this, didn¡¯t know how to react. He let out a few fake coughs to give himself time to think. But those few seconds only last so long. Running out of time and option, the only thing he could think of was to improvise his way out of it.

    Yin awkwardly strutted his way towards Vega.

    Vega noticed another student emerging from the crowd, but this one wore a red armband. Upon realizing who the student really was, Vega wanted to greet him, but Yin¡¯s eyes suggested otherwise.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°Come with me.¡± Yin demanded in an unfamiliar tone.

    Vega immediately picked up on his hint and annoyingly said, ¡°Bunch of weaklings that can only rely on someone else.¡±

    Shut up, Vega! Yin internally screamed while keeping a composed face.

    ¡°Wait! What are you doing?¡± An injured student shouted. ¡°Look what he did to us! You¡¯re just going to let him get away unharmed?¡±

    Yin racked his brain, trying to find a way out of this. The memories of his uncle on that day came to mind, a day when Yin was still a child.

    Yin¡¯s calm face gradually transitioned into his ugliest mugshot. Those unrelenting eyes and pissed-off look made all the students in the room disconcerted.

    ¡°You tryin¡¯ to tell me how to do my job? Huh?! I¡¯ll write you up for disturbing my work! Come with me!¡± Yin demanded in his attempted annoyed voice.

    ¡°Uh¡­ No, not at all¡­ Please continue!¡± The student cried and back-pedaled his way out of their sight.

    ¡°Good. You, come with me, now!¡± Yin demanded as he turned around.

    Not even Vega knew who he was talking to anymore. This was an entire side of Yin that Vega never seen before. This sense of unfamiliarity made it easier for him to act defeated.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Vega closely trailed from behind.

    Yin led them outside and behind the building, making sure no one was around them.

    Vega couldn¡¯t hold his laughter in anymore ¨C it all came spewing out.

    ¡°Hey, hey, what if someone hears you?¡± Yin chuckled.

    ¡°What the hell was that! That hideous face and¡­ the hell was that voice?!¡± Vega clutched his stomach.

    ¡°I could say the same to you. I almost exposed myself when you called me ¡®sir.¡¯¡± Yin laughed.

    They both calmed down after a minute of air-gasping, tear-jerking laughter. Sitting side-by-side, the two

    ¡°So what happen? It¡¯s not like you to beat up innocent people.¡± Yin inquired.

    ¡°They were far from innocent. I saw them bully a few new students I recognize from the entrance ceremony. Me, Vale, and Melody happen to be there while we were eating lunch. I wanted to teach those punks a thing or two, but Vale quickly stopped me. Warning me to calm down and stay out of it, otherwise I¡¯ll end up in a situation similar to you.¡± Vega explained.

    Yin couldn¡¯t help but laughed.

    Vega continued, ¡°So I stalked them and luckily they were going to this place. I also needed practice for the upcoming tournament. Made it a whole lot easier on my end. The rest is as you saw: I beat them up, and they came crying to you. They¡¯re so pathetic. Up until the very end, they couldn¡¯t take it like a man.¡±

    ¡°They are who they are, you beating them won¡¯t cause a drastic change. Anyway, there are more Enforcers now, and I can¡¯t guarantee I can bail you out every time. Be careful in the future.¡± Yin warned.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks for the advice. If the time comes, then I hope you¡¯ll be there to help me out again.¡± Vega smiled.

    Yin chuckled. ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t really have a choice, do I?¡±

    ¡°So what were you here for? Did you wanted to hit up a round?¡± Vega asked.

    Yin shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not a battle maniac like you. I was actually here to study this.¡± Yin held up the grey tome in his hand.

    Vega¡¯s sense of aversion activated as he leaned away from the tome. ¡°More spells? Good luck with that.¡±

    ¡°Try picking one up one day. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s one out there suited for you.¡± Yin commented.

    ¡°Been there, done that. It¡¯s too boring. Besides, I don¡¯t need it.¡± Vega laughed.

    ¡°Suit yourself. Anyway, I want to get this book started before it gets dark. See ya around.¡± Yin waved.

    And with that, Yin departed and went towards the third floor of Magic/Combat Recreation. The third floor had large rectangular rooms allocated throughout the entire floor with appropriate hallways. Each room had three white walls that expanded from the floor to the ceiling. A glass wall served as an entrance for any spectators to watch unhindered from outside the room. All the hallways had ground-benches, facing towards its respective room.

    Yin entered one of the rooms and closed the glass door behind him. A picture of a padlock appeared on the door handle when it closed. In this closed room, Yin felt a foreign magic installed on the floor. On a closer inspection the foreign magic coated the entire room.

    The air was lighter in here, and every movement his body made ¨C breathing, his clothes rustling, his footsteps ¨C they¡¯d echo. Training here was a different experience, and also exhilarating. His methods back home were to train under his uncle¡¯s supervision, so if anything went wrong his uncle would be there to clean up his mess. Yet, now he¡¯s all by himself.

    I don¡¯t have much mana left in me, but I should test it out. He threw out a fireball at the furthest wall to test his theory. Upon immediate impact the shielded layer of the wall rippled, and the fireball dispersed as if it¡¯s entire existence had been rejected.

    I see¡­ Magical formation that acts similar to [Dispel], but it seems this one is way stronger than mine. With the safety of the room out of the way, Yin opened the grey tome and began studying it. Magic tomes are literature works born since the Age of Mana. Many tomes are an inch thick or bigger, yet they would generally only contain two or three spells. Most of the content in tomes are concepts, applied theories, and general usage. However, basic spells don¡¯t need their own tomes; they can be picked up in a short amount due to their easy-access nature.

    While reading the thin pages of the tome, he found himself enamored to it. The author of the book wasn¡¯t stated for whatever reason, but the tome¡¯s concepts and theories aligned with his thoughts of how non-elemental magic worked. As he read further and further, he delved into the realm that he couldn¡¯t comprehend.

    Yielding to higher knowledge, Yin closed the tome until the day he would be able to conquer it. But not all was in vain. The first-third of the book explained about a spell called [Magic Missile]. Yin easily understood everything explained, and all that was left was to practice until it¡¯s perfect.

    Yin pointed his wand at the furthest wall, then incanted and invoked [Magic Missile]. A single beam of compacted, and condensed grey energy flew towards the wall before completely dispersing, similar to his fireball from earlier. Although it was a success, Yin felt that it could¡¯ve been much better.

    This is so much easier to control compare to my fireball. Yin conjured more mana into the spell and launch a bigger energy beam from his wand. The size grew fairly thicker, yet its fate ended in the same way.

    Energy beams after energy beams continued to fly towards the wall. Bigger, smaller, wider, longer ¨C  he tested his limits by utilizing the beam in all sorts of ways. They flew in all sorts of directions, curving and making sharp turns at his will. His body gradually grew weaker, heavier, and tiresome ¨C he was running out of mana. Not a dent in the wall, yet with a grinning nod, he was satisfied with today¡¯s progression.

    Yin left the recreation center and made his way towards his night job.