"As I expected, though some came close to matching me in swordsmanship, most lacked control and true strength."
Lucenor was a prodigy.
His mana pool was vast, and his control exceptional. The Aetherion royal family's sword style relied on condensing mana to the utmost, injecting tremendous amounts into the blade, and unleashing destruction at its peak.
"Experience…" he muttered to himself. "That is still my greatest weakness."
It was no surprise when he placed first in the short trial attended by nobles and promising students. Afterward, the classes were assigned.
The first years were divided into ten groups. The top ten students—the brightest of the exam—were each placed as head of a separate class. The system ensured that the class leaders would elevate their groups through rivalry, while also forcing mid-level students to grow stronger.
Those who had not taken the test were randomly placed, and so Eryndor was pushed into the fifth class. The black-haired, black-eyed boy had insisted on walking the main road to the academy. He nearly arrived late! Now, seated at his desk, he was wiping the sweat from his brow as gracefully as he could manage.
Someone was watching him. When he turned his head, he saw a girl with blazing red hair and piercing blue eyes studying him intently. She was none other than Elaris Faeloria, daughter of the chairman of the royal council.
Elaris recognized him. With his jet-black hair and pitch-dark eyes, the boy was like a fragment of living night.
"The Noctvarin family… Allowed to settle in Aetherion to close the kingdom's power gap, and elevated to one of the Six Lineages. Yet their numbers are few. Could the Noxvein bloodline truly be so strong? I heard they were once mercenaries. His older brother is in the final year, and they say he's powerful… I'll ask Mother."
Eryndor, meanwhile, wiped his sweat onto his clothes without a hint of manners. Elaris ignored the crude boy and returned to scribbling notes for the report she was preparing for class.
Moments later, the door opened. A man in his forties stepped inside—tall, with dark brown hair. He dragged a piece of chalk across the board, producing a harsh screech as he sketched shapes and words. This was Orven, one of the academy's instructors, specializing in mana control.
Before even finishing his drawings, he began to speak:
"Since you are here, you must know something about mana. Still, it is worth explaining."
Every gaze in the classroom turned to him.
"Mana is divided into two forms.
Here at the Grand Academy, we call them inner mana and outer mana.
Outer mana is the energy radiating from your body. It is physical, tangible, and open to growth. Its effect on the world depends on its quantity and density. The more you condense it, the more destructive it becomes. If you can form it into a fine layer upon your skin… then, perhaps, you might even rise to become one of the 'Five.'"
At this, a boy in the front row shot upright, eyes wide with excitement.
"The Five? Do you mean the strongest warriors in the world? C-can they really do that?"
Orven tilted his head slightly, casting the boy a dismissive glance.
"I don't know. I speak only from rumor and speculation."
He tapped the board again.
"Outer mana is indispensable for us swordsmen and warriors. But without sufficient control, it brings just as many weaknesses as strengths."
As he lifted the chalk, shadows seemed to fall across his face.
"Inner mana, on the other hand… is spiritual. Chaotic. To control it is like trying to drink a single cup of water from an ocean surrounded by storms, whirlwinds, and thunder that pierces the heavens. You must not suppress it, but rather learn to move in harmony with the chaos. Only then can you forge true techniques. Moreover, by purifying a portion of your inner mana and fusing it with your outer, you may raise your power even higher."
His voice dropped into a darker register.
"And then there is chaotic mana… The world itself is steeped in its slumbering tide. If you attempt to wield it with an untamed spirit, it will consume you. At its peak lie forbidden spells and techniques. Best you never encounter them, unless you have learned enough to survive."
The room chilled. Many students shuddered. Some had heard the rumors—of powers that could move mountains or annihilate kingdoms in a single night.
Orven clapped his hands once, breaking the tension.
"First, we will test your control. Afterward, you will practice the blade."
"After the mana control training, they practiced sword techniques. Although Eryndor ranked first in mana control, the density of his mana became a subject of mockery."