The lunch break rolled around, and the canteen was already buzzing when Ace and Klaus made their way inside. Trays clattered, conversations overlapped, and the ever-present hum of Academy gossip twisted through the air like smoke.
This time, there wasn't any direct confrontation. No noble throwing a tantrum, no smug upperclassman looking for a fight. But Ace could feel the eyes — speculative glances sliding across him like blades, whispers curling around the edges of the room.
"That's him — low-tier noble…"
"Stood up to Theo Harnest… bold, stupid, or both?"
"Too confident for someone in his position…"
Ace grabbed his tray without breaking stride — a bowl of thin vegetable soup, watery with floating green fragments. Three silver crowns for hot disappointment. Klaus, ever the optimist, grabbed something equally suspicious-looking — probably a fried wrap stuffed with unknown meat.
They found an empty table near the edge of the room, away from the worst of the noise.
Ace took a spoonful of the soup, exhaling sharply as the whispers continued to pile up like dead leaves.
"Man can't even eat in peace these days," he muttered.
Klaus snorted, unwrapping his food. "Well, you wanted a dog," he said through a mouthful, "don't be surprised when there's barking."
Ace smirked faintly. "Guess you're right."
They ate quickly, the food as bland as expected, their conversation drifting between morning classes and the inevitable exams ahead. Despite the bland stew, Ace's appetite stayed steady — the stress of the Academy only sharpened his edge.
Once lunch was done, they made their way to the next class — Applied Mathematics. The kind of class designed to break weaker students on day one.
The lecture hall buzzed softly as the professor — a stern woman with sharp features and neatly tied-back hair — scribbled complicated equations across the board, her voice as precise as her handwriting.
The questions came hard and fast, equations twisting through the air like arcane puzzles. Most students floundered, confusion etched onto their faces as they scribbled wrong answers.
Ace barely blinked. His mind raced ahead, answers snapping into place like clockwork.
"Those are some nice questions," he commented casually, leaning back with his arms folded behind his head. "Pretty fun, actually."
Klaus gawked at him like he'd lost his mind. "Nice? Fun? Man, you're definitely wired wrong."
Ace just shrugged, eyes flicking toward the front of the room where Elara Flavosky sat. The sharp, violet-eyed girl was hunched over her desk, scribbling furiously, her expression a mixture of frustration and pure determination.
Her competitive energy practically radiated across the room. This time, maybe she solved them all — maybe not. Either way, her stare burned into Ace's profile like a challenge etched in fire.
The bell finally rang, students pouring from the lecture hall in a collective sigh of relief.
"Finally… peace," Klaus groaned, stretching his arms over his head. "Man, so much studying on just the first day… Maybe I should've been a farmer instead."
Ace chuckled, shouldering his bag. "Solid plan. But hey, if you master elemental theory, you could water crops faster than anyone. Farm Mage — that's innovation."
Klaus groaned, rolling his eyes. "Man, you keep cracking jokes about my water affinity like I'm the only guy with it."
Ace shrugged, grinning. "I do what I like, my friend."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm seeing exactly what you're doing this first week."
As they made their way toward the dorm blocks, the sunset painting the sky in muted golds, Ace tilted his head thoughtfully. "Hey, serious question… You know any part-time jobs around here? I'm gonna need cash. Fast."
Klaus perked up. "Plenty down in the Lower District. They pay alright too — monster hunting, assistant jobs, manual work… Maid café if that's your thing."
Ace raised an eyebrow. "Right. Frilly uniforms aren't exactly my style. I'll try monster hunting."
Klaus clapped him on the back. "Good luck staying alive."
Dinner was quick — another three silver crowns drained for bread, thin stew, and bland meat. Afterward, the two split off, and Ace headed back to Dorm Room 393.
The place was empty when he arrived — his roommate still missing, the other bed untouched. The solitude? Perfect.
Ace kicked off his boots, stretched his arms overhead, and settled onto the floor, crossing his legs as he focused inward. His Arcane energy pulsed faintly beneath his skin, circulating with practiced ease.
Tonight wasn't about raw power increases — his Arcane rank hadn't budged — but the control? The control was better than ever. His elemental affinities — Fire, Air, Lightning — felt closer, more responsive, like extensions of himself rather than clumsy tools.
After nearly an hour cycling his energy, he shifted to the harder part — his Unique Ability: Molecular Disassembly & Regeneration.
He concentrated, letting the edges of his hand shimmer, break apart into a cascade of floating fragments before reforming seamlessly. His feet followed next — fragmenting, disassembling, then knitting back together molecule by molecule.
The control wasn't perfect yet, but it was smoother. Faster. Less mental strain, more instinct.
Hours passed, the moon's soft glow streaming through the window as Ace drilled the technique over and over. His body ached, exhaustion creeping in, but the sense of progress drove him forward.
Finally, spent and aching, Ace collapsed onto his bed, pulling the thin blanket over him.
His roommate — still absent.
"Better not mind other people's business…" Ace muttered to himself, cracking a faint smirk.
Before sleep claimed him, he flicked open his Status Window, the glowing text floating above him like a quiet reminder of everything still ahead.
Ace Dragnell - Current Status
• Name: Ace Dragnell
• Noble Status: Low-Tier Noble
• Age: 16 (First Year Student)
• Strength: D
• Agility: D
• Endurance: C
• Intelligence: S
• Willpower: A
• Charisma: D
• Arcane Power: C+ (Increased mastery, pushing capacity, though no rank increase yet)
• Abilities:
• Unique Ability: Molecular Disassembly & Regeneration (Rudimentary Control)
• Description: The innate power to disassemble one's body to a molecular or even atomic level and reassemble it at will. Can regenerate from a single cell or atom. Can reassemble specific body parts, which will possess the same inherent power as the main body. Ace can now successfully detach and reassemble his hand and foot with increased speed and control. Further refinement is needed for full limb or body control.
• Elemental Affinities: Fire, Air, Lightning
• Skills:
• Basic Self-Defense (C)
• Survival (Wilderness - from his manor's remote location) (D)
• Weapon Forging (B-)
• Reputation: Known for sharp wit, defiance of nobles, and surprising academic talent; rivalry building with Elara Flavosky; whispers continue to spread after Alchemy class.
• Silver Crowns: 288 (294 - 6 for dinner and lunch)
for dinner)
• Dorm Room: 393
Ace exhaled, his eyes slipping shut, mind already calculating tomorrow's next step.
The Academy wasn't going to make life easy — but that's what made it intere