Sunday morning arrived with a quiet hum of anticipation. I packed up the last of my things and left behind the old dorm for good.
My terminal directed me to the Ivy Dorms, a high-tier facility reserved for the top five students in each year. My new rank—Second—wasn't just a number anymore.
It was a key.
I scanned my terminal at the entrance, and the door slid open with a soft chime.
Room 2.
The moment I stepped inside, I stopped.
It wasn't a dorm room. It was an apartment.
A spacious lounge opened before me, softly lit by a voice-activated mana lamp. The air smelled faintly of ozone and polished wood. There was a private bedroom with temperature regulated by an embedded mana array, a sound-dampened study lined with smart scroll shelves that auto-catalogued anything I placed inside, and a kitchenette—fully stocked.
The kitchen included an induction stove, freezer, microwave, and even a set of enchanted pots capable of maintaining temperature for hours. Everything gleamed, from the rune-etched cutlery to the mirror-smooth counters.
This was the final assessment for the term. Our ranks would hold until the second term's evaluation—then again at the end of the academic year.
After arranging my few belongings, I decided to explore.
The Ivy Library
Only ranked students had access here. The air inside felt charged—denser, older. Books and grimoires were arranged on polished oak shelves that curved along the walls like a spiral of knowledge.
I ran a hand along one shelf, reading titles:
"Mana Tethering: The Art of Dual Core Synchrony"
"Tactical Alchemy for the Battlefield"
"Non-Standard Beasts and Elemental Crossbreeds.".
I set it back carefully and moved on.
The training halls were built differently here—personalized, efficient, unforgiving.
Adjustable mana weights lined the walls, their displays showing precise load calibrations. The gravitational chamber could simulate pressure shifts for muscle and mana control. One corridor led to environmental zones—each a biome recreated through illusion and elemental energy.
As I passed one, the temperature dropped sharply. I looked in.
Nadia was sprinting through a tundra simulation, her braid whipping behind her like a blade. Her movements were precise, every step controlled, her mana steady.
Even from a distance, her focus was tangible.
I lingered for a moment, watching with quiet respect, then slipped away so as not to disturb her.
The next room held fifteen mana dolls arranged in perfect rows. Their forms were sleek and metallic, eerily lifelike, with joints that moved fluidly and eyes that glowed a faint blue.
Each doll could mimic a fighting style, replicate mana output, or even simulate unpredictable enemy behavior. The terminal on the wall listed preloaded profiles—students, instructors, even recorded duels.
It was tempting, but I wanted something more instinctive—less about replication, more about feel.
Which led me to the final room.
A Simulation Chamber, it was unoccupied at the moment.
The door sealed behind me with a hiss as the chamber synced with my terminal.
> Select Terrain: [Forest] [Desert] [Tundra] [Urban] [Swamp] [Custom]
I selected Desert.
> Enemies: [Desert Slimes] [Sand Gremlins] [Sand Goblin Scouts]
I chose a moderate combination: slimes and scouts.
> Weapon: [Sword] [Dagger] [Spear] [Bow] [Staff]
Bow.
The weapon panel opened, revealing a short recurve bow, thirty ironwood bolts, and a padded mana-dampening vest. I equipped the gear, tightened the straps, and stepped into the center.
A glowing sigil flared underfoot and the desert unfolded.
Heat shimmered across rolling dunes. My boots sank into soft sand as a simulated wind began to stir.
Then came the hum.
Five Desert Slimes, their translucent bodies glinting faintly beneath the glare. I notched my bow and fired—clean, fast, efficient.
[5 bolts fired – all targets neutralized.]
I kept moving. Three more slimes fell before I realized too late—
the sand beneath my foot sank.
A trap.
The pit dropped out from under me. I hit the bottom and heard the sharp clang of a bell trigger.
Seven Sand Goblin Scouts appeared at the rim, spears leveled.
The first jab missed. The second grazed my vest. The third nearly caught my shoulder.
"Tch." I pushed off the wall. Poor situational awareness—should've scanned for pressure seams.
Time to adapt.
I activated Photon Step.
–140 MP.
Light blurred my form, and I blinked out of the pit—reappearing midair. Before gravity could reclaim me, I triggered Veiled Stride, slipping past their awareness like a shimmer of air.
Their confusion lasted just long enough.
I drew, aimed, released—seven arrows in rapid succession. Two struck true. The others missed, but now I had their rhythm.
They regrouped and charged.
I loosed a mana charged bolt into the sand at their feet.
–40 MP.
The blast of raw mana sent a shockwave rippling outward. Three fell. The rest staggered.
Three clean shots. Two redirected bolts. All targets neutralized.
> Simulation Complete.
The illusion dissolved. The desert folded back into sterile white walls.
A report blinked across my terminal:
> Duration: 7m 42s
Accuracy: 61%
Mana Efficiency: 72%
Damage Taken: Minor
Notes: Tactical adaptability: Excellent. Early-stage trap awareness: Low. Good recovery via support spells. Recommended: pressure plate scanning exercises.
I smirked faintly. "Fair enough."
After stowing my gear, I headed back toward my quarters. My reflection was slick with sweat, but it still wasn't enough. I wasn't anything yet—I needed to keep pushing forward.
Tomorrow, classes would resume, and I'd keep up the work. But tonight… I needed rest—to be at my best.
The Ivy Dorms were quiet. Too quiet. But it didn't feel lonely—just calm.
Another step forward. Another threshold crossed.
And I planned to keep climbing.