《The AI-Enhanced Space Magician at the Royal Magic Academy》


 Run, Julian, run!

    ¡°Well, well, what do we have here? Isn¡¯t this Julian Stark? Or am I seeing things?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, boss, you¡¯re spot on! That¡¯s him¡ªthe brat who slipped through our fingers the other day. We were fuming, but who¡¯d have guessed he¡¯d just stroll into us here?¡±


    Damn it, them again, Julian thought as he turned toward the voice, carefully arranging his face into a mask of innocent curiosity. Standing before him were five thugs, their expressions a mix of smugness and mockery.


    ¡°What an unexpected pleasure, Lord Gray,¡± Julian greeted smoothly, his voice dripping with feigned respect. He nodded at the ringleader, a broad-shouldered, golden-haired boy whose expensive clothes screamed wealth. His girth and overly polished appearance made him look more like a stuffed peacock than a noble heir.


    ¡°You filthy brat,¡± Gray sneered, his lip curling as if the sight of Julian offended his delicate sensibilities. ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you not to run? I told you there¡¯d be consequences when I caught you. And now, here we are¡ªsooner than expected.¡± His grin widened, all teeth and no warmth.


    Julian¡¯s eyes flicked around, noting two other thugs stepping in behind him, cutting off his escape. Wonderful. It was turning into a proper reunion.


    ¡°Lord Gray,¡± Julian said with a thin smile, ¡°I assure you, there¡¯s been a misunderstanding. I wasn¡¯t running from you the other day. It¡¯s just¡ªwhen I saw some shady figures coming after me, I thought it might be a group of, you know, street rats. Had I known it was you, I would¡¯ve stopped immediately to... pay my respects.¡±


    The insult veiled as a compliment seemed to fly right over Gray¡¯s head. He snorted, crossing his thick arms over his chest.


    ¡°Still as cheeky as ever, I see. That¡¯s why you were my favorite toy back in the city. It¡¯s fun watching you squirm.¡±


    The other thugs burst into laughter as if Gray had cracked the best joke of the century. Julian joined in with a dry chuckle, though his mind was racing.


    Favorite toy? Who does this guy think he is? Acting like he¡¯s royalty when his father¡¯s barely a city lord. Someone give this man a reality check.


    Julian¡¯s smile didn¡¯t falter as he replied, ¡°Ah, yes, Lord Gray. Your... unique sense of humor is truly unforgettable.¡±


    ¡°Enough talk,¡± Gray growled, taking a step closer. ¡°We¡¯ve got some time to kill before the academy¡¯s selection test. Hold him down, boys. Let¡¯s remind him what happens to those who defy me.¡±


    Julian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t just let him go. He took a subtle step back, then plastered on a dramatic look of concern.


    ¡°Oh, Lord Gray, I wouldn¡¯t dream of wasting your valuable time. You¡¯re clearly destined for great things at the Royal Magic Academy. Please, continue on your way. I¡¯ll even stay here and wave you off, praying for your health and success!¡±


    The sarcasm was so thick it practically dripped off his words, but Gray¡¯s grin only grew.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Julian. We¡¯ve got plenty of time for a little fun. Grab him!¡±


    Julian had anticipated this. Before Gray could finish his sentence, he bolted.


    ¡°Get him!¡± Gray roared, his face turning an angry shade of red.


    Julian shot toward the dense woods ahead, weaving through the underbrush like his life depended on it¡ªwhich it probably did. Behind him, Gray¡¯s voice thundered:


    ¡°If you let him escape again, I swear none of you will eat tonight! I¡¯ll do to you what I plan to do to him! Move it!¡±


    Julian barely stifled a laugh. ¡°You guys seriously need to get a hobby!¡± he called over his shoulder.


    The sound of crashing leaves and snapping branches filled the air as Julian sprinted deeper into the woods. His breath came in sharp gasps, but he couldn¡¯t afford to slow down.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Stop running, you little rat!¡± one of the thugs barked, his voice laced with frustration.


    ¡°Stop chasing me, and I might think about it!¡± Julian shot back, barely dodging a low-hanging branch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, Stark! You¡¯ll regret this!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I already regret it!¡± Julian called over his shoulder. ¡°Regretted it the moment I met you guys! But here we are!¡±


    Gray¡¯s furious voice boomed behind him. ¡°You¡¯re heading into the dark forest, you idiot! Do you have a death wish? Stop now, or you¡¯ll get us all killed!¡±


    ¡°Dark forest?¡± Julian muttered to himself, his legs pumping harder. ¡°Great. Just great. That explains why it¡¯s getting colder... and why it feels like I¡¯m being watched.¡± He suppressed a shiver as a creeping sense of dread began to settle in his chest.


    ¡°You hear that?¡± one of the thugs whispered behind Gray. ¡°I think something¡¯s out here...¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Gray snapped, though his voice wavered. ¡°He¡¯s trying to scare us. There¡¯s nothing out here but trees and shadows. Now move!¡±


    Julian smirked. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Lord Gray? Afraid of the big, bad forest?¡± he called, his voice dripping with mockery. ¡°You¡¯ve got all your goons with you. Surely you¡¯ll protect me from the monsters, right?¡±


    There was no roar, no sound to confirm danger, but the oppressive silence of the forest was more terrifying than any noise. The thugs hesitated, glancing nervously at each other.


    ¡°He¡¯s bluffing,¡± one of them muttered, though his voice wasn¡¯t convincing even to himself.


    ¡°Catch him!¡± Gray bellowed. ¡°If we stop now, he¡¯ll get away again, and I¡¯ll make you all pay for it!¡±


    They¡¯re not stopping. Of course they¡¯re not stopping, Julian thought grimly. His legs were starting to burn, and he knew he couldn¡¯t keep this up much longer. If they caught him now, the beating would make last time look like a light slap.


    Through the dim light filtering through the trees, something caught Julian¡¯s eye¡ªa dark hole, half-hidden by vines and shadows. A cave.


    He hesitated for only a second before veering toward it. ¡°Better a creepy cave than these lunatics,¡± he muttered, diving inside.


    The moment he crossed the threshold, a chill ran down his spine. The air was heavy, suffocating, and thick with the sensation of something ancient and sinister.


    Outside, the thugs skidded to a halt.


    ¡°Did that idiot really go into the cave?¡± one of them asked, his voice shaking.


    ¡°Looks like it,¡± another muttered. ¡°He¡¯s lost his mind. That place reeks of dark magic.¡±


    ¡°Do we... follow him?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Gray barked, though his confidence seemed to waver. ¡°We¡¯re not going in there. Whatever¡¯s inside isn¡¯t worth it.¡±


    The young lord¡¯s eyes gleamed with malice as he pulled something small and golden from his pocket. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we let him escape.¡±


    ¡°My lord, is that your father¡¯s enchanted relic?¡± one of the thugs asked, eyes wide. ¡°That¡¯s worth more than¡ª¡±


    ¡°Silence,¡± Gray snapped. ¡°This brat humiliated me twice. Twice! If we can¡¯t get him, we¡¯ll make sure he doesn¡¯t come out.¡± He hurled the object at the cave¡¯s entrance, and with a deafening explosion, the mouth of the cave collapsed, sealing Julian inside.


    Dust and rocks rained down around Julian as the cave shuddered. He stumbled backward, coughing and waving a hand in front of his face.


    ¡°What... what just happened?!¡± he wheezed. Turning back, he saw nothing but a wall of rubble where the entrance had been.


    ¡°Oh, that bastard really hates me,¡± Julian muttered.


    For a moment, he stood there, panting, the weight of his situation sinking in. Then, with a resigned sigh, he turned toward the darkness ahead.


    ¡°Great. Trapped in a creepy cave full of dark magic. Exactly how I wanted to spend my day. Well, nothing to do but find another way out. Forward it is.¡±


    The air grew colder as Julian stumbled deeper into the cave, following the rough wall with his hands. Every step felt heavier, the oppressive energy pressing against him like an invisible weight.


    The stench hit him first¡ªa foul, gut-wrenching smell that made his stomach churn. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± he muttered, gagging.


    Then he saw it: a faint, eerie glow up ahead.


    His heart raced as he moved closer. The light led him into a massive chamber, where his jaw dropped at the sight before him.


    Mountains of gold and jewels sparkled in the cold blue light, but it wasn¡¯t the treasure that caught his attention¡ªit was the enormous, decaying corpse of a snake sprawled at the center. The light came from its cracked core, a pulsating crystal embedded in its forehead.


    ¡°What... what is this place?¡± Julian whispered, stepping closer despite himself.


    As his fingers brushed the crystal, a surge of power shot through him. The core melted, spreading over his skin like liquid fire. Julian screamed as his vision went dark.


    When he opened his eyes again, he was surrounded by nothingness. A glowing screen appeared before him, displaying words that made his heart pound.


    Julian Stark


    Stats: Strength: 1 | Mana Power: 38 | Vitality: 8


    Skills: Void Cracker


    Special Class: Space Magician


    Bloodline: Emperor-Level Serpent: Apophis


    ¡°What... what the hell is this?¡±


    A calm, emotionless voice echoed in his mind. ¡°These are your stats. Each represents a specific aspect of your abilities. Do you have any questions?¡±


    Julian blinked. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I am an advanced artificial intelligence assigned to serve you. If you require further explanation, I will provide it.¡±


    ¡°Artificial... what now?¡± Julian muttered. His head spun as he stared at the screen.


    Somewhere deep inside, despite the fear and confusion, one thought stood out clearly:


    Maybe... maybe my luck¡¯s about to change.

 Cracking the void

    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m seriously asking¡ªwhat is an AI?¡± Julian asked curiously. Inside his mind, a woman¡¯s voice answered him.


    ¡°The beast whose core you consumed belonged to my master. My master is beyond your imagination¡ªa supreme being, unmatched in this realm. My master¡¯s bloodline is connected to one of the strongest mythical beasts, a serpent named Apophis. Just like Bubu. Yes, my master used to call this beast... Bubu. Bubu was not just a companion but also my master¡¯s best friend.¡±


    When he heard the beast¡¯s name was Bubu, Julian couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°Bubu?¡± Julian glanced at the beast¡¯s corpse. Even with most of its body destroyed, it was clear this wasn¡¯t some kind of cute pet. Its massive size, black scales gleaming like obsidian, and the faint, venomous aura radiating from it screamed power and danger. Black Death, Venomous Wraith¡ªthose names might suit a legendary beast like this, but not Bubu.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± the AI continued. ¡°Master liked to call him Bubu. When my master, Bubu, and I traveled through this realm, simply sightseeing, Bubu got sick and died here. My master was devastated and stayed for a long time, even after Bubu passed. When it was finally time to leave, my master couldn¡¯t bear to abandon his friend¡¯s legacy.


    Master wanted Bubu¡¯s bloodline and power to live on, so he decided to pass it down to someone else. But Bubu¡¯s bloodline is too pure and powerful for anyone in this world to handle on their own. That¡¯s why the Master ordered me to leave part of my consciousness behind to guide and teach the one who inherited it.


    Since you consumed the core, I¡¯m here to guide you until you¡¯re ready to carry Bubu¡¯s legacy.¡±


    After a brief silence, the woman¡¯s voice spoke again, lively and natural, as if she were a real human.


    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯ve talked too much again. My master always warned me to keep explanations short. Long story short, think of me as your master. I will teach you how to control this power and, perhaps, make you worthy enough to inherit Bubu¡¯s legacy¡ªand even enter our realm.¡±


    When Julian heard all this, he felt a surge of excitement. He had read many books and stories about ordinary mages stumbling upon great treasures and then, boom¡ªbecoming one of the greatest mages. Stories told of hidden treasures found in dungeons, mountains, and caves. This was just like those stories. Maybe this was really happening. Maybe he had encountered a legendary treasure. But he¡¯d never heard of anything like this AI.


    ¡°Hmm, that AI has a sexy and nice voice, but I still don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ve never heard of anything like this. What kind of mage could leave an intelligence behind like that? Could this be a trap?¡± Julian thought deeply, his excitement giving way to caution.


    Because there were also cautionary tales¡ªof cursed items that enslaved their users, stealing their bodies or taking complete control.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether this is good or bad, but I need to take this chance. If I want to rise, I must be brave and take risks. Otherwise, I''ll never reach the level I dream of,¡± he murmured to himself, then said aloud,


    "I still don¡¯t fully understand what AI is or how you managed to leave part of your consciousness to guide me, but you¡¯re saying you¡¯ll help me, right?"


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Just call me ¡®Master.¡¯ It¡¯s not important. There are bigger problems to deal with right now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but your voice is really nice. I assume you¡¯re a woman¡¯s intelligence. So let me call you by your name.¡±


    ¡°I said, just call me ¡®Master.¡¯ I am your master. I am the intelligence of a noblewoman¡ªa direct apprentice of the Great Lord. You cannot even begin to comprehend my name at this moment.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me your name, I¡¯ll call you Alice. That way, it¡¯ll be easier when I¡¯m talking to you.¡±


    Alice¡¯s voice grew angry. ¡°You little perv¡ªyes, I know you well. Our consciousnesses have merged, so I¡¯m fully aware of your filthy personality. Why did it have to be you? Out of all the people, you found Bubu. I¡¯m warning you, boy: if you don¡¯t leave this cave immediately, you¡¯ll die. It¡¯s collapsing soon. My master¡¯s magic has been holding it together, but it¡¯s fading now.¡±


    When Julian heard this, he panicked and asked, ¡°How can I leave? The entrance is blocked, and I don¡¯t see any other exit. We¡¯re trapped here.¡±


    ¡°Just return to the entrance where you came in. Your first tutorial is about to begin. Hurry up!¡±


    Julian ran back through the dark tunnel he had entered. It was pitch black, so he put his hand on the wall and followed it.


    ¡°Oh my, a mage who can¡¯t even cast a basic light spell?¡± Alice mocked.


    ¡°Look, I didn¡¯t have time to study magic, okay? It¡¯s not that I lack talent. I just never had the opportunity.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying, Julian. I have access to your memories, remember? You tried to learn even the most basic spells but failed. Such a loser. I can even see the memory of you crying like a baby when you couldn¡¯t light a single spark!¡±


    ¡°Hey, AI¡ªor Alice, or whatever¡ªstop digging through my memories!¡±


    ¡°Why? It¡¯s entertaining. Oh, wait¡ªwho¡¯s this beating you up? Nice punch. Oh, and there you go, blacking out.¡±


    ¡°I said, stop, Alice!¡±


    ¡°Fine, but only if you stop calling me Alice and start calling me Master.¡±


    This AI was definitely a curse. Julian sighed. ¡°Okay, Master.¡± He added a sarcastic tone to the title.


    ¡°Good boy. Now listen, Julian Stark. You¡¯re no longer the same pathetic mage as before. You carry Bubu¡¯s bloodline, which makes you one of the top talents in this realm. Your first lesson starts now. Cast a spell and create light.¡±


    Julian extended his hand. The moment the magical words formed in his mind, a brilliant light appeared in his palm, illuminating the cave.


    ¡°I... I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s real! Did I just do that? Without even speaking the incantation? Hahaha! I knew it¡ªI¡¯m a genius! I¡¯ll become a Grandmaster Mage¡ªno, a Grand Grandmaster! Maybe even the greatest in history!¡±


    As Julian laughed maniacally, Alice interrupted. ¡°You¡¯re going to die here, you know? Honestly, that might be best for everyone. Hurry, you little perv.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my master,¡± Julian replied, this time more seriously. Before leaving, he turned back toward the beast¡¯s remains, knelt, and said solemnly, ¡°Lord Bubu, I failed to show you the respect you deserve earlier. Please forgive me. I will carry your legacy with honor and prove myself worthy.¡±


    With renewed determination, he rushed toward the blocked entrance.


    ¡°Master, it¡¯s still sealed. Do you have some fancy magic to blow it open?¡±


    ¡°No. But you already have a way out¡ªif you¡¯re willing to take the risk.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? What risk?¡±


    ¡°You inherited a skill called Void Cracker. It¡¯s a special ability of space mages. You can create a void, step inside, and teleport a short distance. But this is your first time¡ª¡±


    Julian¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Wait a second. Am I a... space mage? I can control the void?¡±


    Julian couldn''t believe this. Space mages were the elite of the elite among all classes of mages. They were geniuses and rare. It was easy for a space mage to climb the hierarchy in society. Before, Julian had no class¡ªbasically, he was at the bottom, and most mages didn¡¯t even consider him a mage. But now, he had become a space mage. His heart raced with excitement. He imagined himself as the king of the royal magic academy students, with a harem of the most beautiful and sexy students¡ªhehe, maybe even some teachers.


    Alice¡¯s voice sounded disgusted as she sighed.


    ¡°Stop it, little perv. Now, concentrate. You¡¯re not just any space mage¡ªyou inherited Bubu¡¯s bloodline. For you, creating a void is as simple as breathing. The space around you responds to your will, and the void forms instinctively. But since this is your first time, you need to focus. Lose concentration, and you might end up with a nasty surprise¡ªlike losing a limb. Hehe, we wouldn¡¯t want that, would we?¡±


    Julian felt that she actually would like to see that, but he didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Focus and feel the void. Create it,¡± Alice instructed.


    The problem was, Julian had never seen a void before and wasn¡¯t sure what to expect. But as he closed his eyes and concentrated, a strange awareness blossomed within him. He could sense space itself, the subtle shifts and the chaotic, swirling voids scattered all around him.


    Suddenly, a crack formed effortlessly in the air before him, radiating chaotic purple energy. It looked like a gateway to another dimension, mysterious and dangerous, yet somehow, it felt oddly familiar¡ªlike it had always been a part of him, just waiting to be unlocked.


    "Now, enter it," Alice ordered. Without hesitation, Julian stepped inside.