---
Panic gripped Kai's chest for a split second.
But just as he was about to spiral, his eyes caught something strange: the note he scribbled before falling asleep. It was glowing.
The words had changed.
> You are now in the novel: S-Ranked Knight of the Academy.
He stared at it. Blinked. Stared again.
Then he burst into laughter.
It was short, sharp, a bit unhinged.
"Oh god... I've officially lost it," he muttered.
Still chuckling, he leaned down to read the rest.
> You have been placed one month before the first day of the academy.
Kai paused. "So I've skipped the first mini-arc…"
He remembered it well—June protecting three students from being strong-armed into tanking their entrance scores. A classic 'early noble oppression' bit. Skipping it meant no early fame for him. No friendship points. No free EXP.
But that wasn't what he cared about.
"What's my rank?" he muttered. "What level...?"
He grinned. His inner fan was showing.
"Status."
A translucent blue screen materialized in front of him.
---
Name: Kai Asukura
Talent Grade: C
Level: 6
Mana Affinity: None
Class: None
Physical Ability: C
Mana Control: C
-
Kai winced. "Oof. Bottom of the barrel."
In the novel, every main character had at least A-rank potential. Talent wasn't everything, but it was close. Worse, potential rarely changed. Training helped a little but unless you found a mythical shard, like June did to jump from B to S, you were stuck.
But unlike everyone else in this world, Kai had something far rarer than talent:
Information.
Knowledge.
There were five known ways to raise potential in the novel and he knew every single one. But he didn't even need them right now. He already knew what he wanted.
The Lightless Blade. INHERITANCE
It was one of the Seven Inheritances of the Dark Legion— egendary warriors who served a dark god. Each inheritance could vault someone from trash-tier to top-tier if used correctly. June encountered it in the mountain range during a side arc but passed it up. He didn't want to change his mana affinity. He stuck to his vanilla heroic build.
Kai wouldn't.
This was his favorite what-if scenario. The choice that always annoyed him.
Now? He'd take that risk.
"This world's broken ... time to break it some more " he whispered.
A dark sense of glee overtook him but he sobered up
As Kai finally started to question what was really going on, his updated status gave him some answers. He was an orphan in this life too. That fact, strangely enough, brought him some comfort. He didn't want to deal with fake parents or anyone trying to act like family. It saved him the trouble of pretending to be someone he wasn't No awkward meals.
He checked his bank account out of habit. The balance was low barely enough to matter but he didn't care. Once he got the Lightless Blade inheritance, money wouldn't be a problem. That place was full of weapons, relics, and items worth more than most people would earn in a lifetime. If he sold even a portion of what was inside, he could live comfortably for years. But that wasn't the goal. He wasn't like those characters who get isekai'd and decide to stay quiet so they don't "mess up the story." He'd already had that kind of quiet, miserable life. This time, he was going to take what he wanted and make the most of it.
He headed outside to get a better feel for the area. The neighborhood Milton Centre wasn't one of the important places in the novel. It only showed up once or twice, usually in the background. But now that he was here, he saw it matched the description. It was peaceful. Simple. The streets were clean, the houses were tightly packed but well-kept, and there were flowers planted along the paths. People walked around casually, no rush, just normal daily life.
As he moved through the streets, something caught his eye a strange tree near the edge of the central plaza. The Blood Rave Tree.
He remembered it. It was mentioned once in a side paragraph in the novel, mostly for setting. A gray tree wrapped in deep red vines that looked like they were bleeding. Seeing it in person, though, made it feel more real. The colors were vivid, almost unnatural. He stopped and stared for a few seconds. It felt surreal. He was really in the world he used to read about.
He didn't stay long. Time wasn't something he wanted to waste.
He only had a month to learn the contents of the inheritance and then he had to return every chance he got.
He asked a couple of locals where the nearest teleportation formation was. After a few directions and some polite nods, he figured out the route. Luckily, he had just enough money to afford a one-way jump.
Walking to the edge of town, he kept his mind focused. The Fang mountain Range wasn't close, and the path there was pretty safe But he wasn't planning to walk. That was the point of teleportation. Quick, clean, no distractions. He wasn't here to play catch up for long .
He had a goal.
And now, he was heading straight for it
As Kai finally saw the grand guild hall where the teleportation formation was stationed, he found himself frozen in place for a moment, stuck in a strange state of awe and wonder that he hadn't felt in a long time. The building was massive easily the tallest and widest structure in the area, with sweeping arches, stone columns carved with intricate sigils, and banners fluttering lightly in the wind, each one representing a different guild or territory. Light poured from glass-paneled windows high above, casting long shadows on the polished marble steps that led to the open front gates. He couldn't help but just... take it in. He'd seen it described in the novel, of course, but reading about something and standing inside it were two very different things.
Inside, the hall was even more impressive. The air was cool and People moved around the wide space with purpose but no real rush. A few sat along long benches, laughing or trading stories. Some wore heavy armor that clanked with each step, others walked in flowing robes embroidered with and a few even wore clothes that looked closer to what he'd expect from his old world tight combat wear, sleek and tactical, like they'd just walked off a game loading screen.
Kai tried not to stare, but the sheer variety of adventurers was staggering. It felt like he was walking through a movie scene.
He made his way toward the front counter where a graceful-looking woman stood behind a floating crystal interface, her posture perfect and her expression calm but professional. She didn't seem surprised to see him—probably used to all kinds walking in.
Kai opened his mouth to greet her, but the words stuck in his throat. "Uh—h-hi," he managed to get out, voice cracking slightly.
He coughed quickly to cover it up.
Smooth, he scolded himself. Socializing hadn't exactly been part of his routine lately. Not unless you counted message boards and anonymous comment sections. He gave a nervous smile, hoping she didn't notice how awkward he felt just standing there.
To his surprise, she greeted him with a polite nod and asked if he was here to book teleportation. He nodded, and after scanning a small crystal with his ID, she raised an eyebrow. "You're a registered academy student?" she asked.
He blinked. "Uh, yeah... sort of."
Apparently, that was enough.
"Then you qualify for the student discount," she said, tapping a few things on her crystal panel.
He blinked again, caught off guard. That's... actually great.
She motioned him toward a massive stone archway in the middle of the hall, where glowing runes pulsed gently along the ground in a circular formation. The floor was covered in layered symbols some spiraling outward, others stacked like rings inside a clock. The massive door at the far end of the platform flared with bright violet energy as a low hum filled the air. It wasn't overwhelming, but it buzzed just enough to make the hairs on his arms rise.
Kai stepped forward slowly.
This was it.
He expected something dramatic. A shock. Nausea. At least a shift in gravity. But as he crossed into the center of the formation, the light flared once more then faded. Just like that, the scenery changed.
No sickness. No blur. No dizziness.
Just like walking into another room.
His heart was pounding. He stood still for a moment, adjusting to the silence around him. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but somehow, the lack of drama made it even more surreal.
So this is teleportation, he thought. Not bad at all.
He glanced around to take in his new surroundings but now, it was time to move.