The morning sun poured through the tall glass windows of Asterion Academy's Hall of Genesis, scattering golden light over rows of young students in neat academy robes. Today's lecture was one everyone awaited eagerly—"The Fundamentals of Dungeons."
"Dungeons," began Professor Elric, his voice resounding through the whole class, "are fragments of a once-full world. After a world gets destroyed, these fragments are left to wander in the void and attach themselves to any nearby world."
"To both survive and prey at the will of the world they latch onto."
"That's why clearing the dungeons regularly is necessary, as if left alone, these dungeons grow stronger and stronger until the dungeon devours the whole world."
Some gasped at the revelation while most remained nonchalant, as those coming from powerful families already knew this information.
A shimmering projection appeared above the professor's hand, showing floating islands, crystal caverns, and fiery pits.
"There are four primary types of dungeons found in our world," he continued, "Elemental, Abyssal, Temporal, and Ethereal. Each reflects the mana it was born from. Entering one unprepared is nothing short of suicide."
Among the students sat Kael Draven, the academy's top-ranked trainee—known for his calm composure, perfect scores, and powerful weapon mastery. Every teacher praised him; every student either admired or envied him.
As always, Kael listened silently, taking neat notes while others whispered around him.
"Ethereal dungeons," Elric said, "are the rarest. Only those with a deep bond to spirits can even perceive them."
"Unlike other dungeons whose entrances are visible to anyone, these can only be entered by those who have Spirit affinity."
Kael nodded, already knowing this, as even in their world most of the powerful dungeons were of these spirit types thanks to their invisible presence to anyone but Spirit-related awakeners.
Suddenly, Professor Elric looked at him. "Kael Draven," he said, "perhaps you can explain—what role do explorers serve in maintaining the balance of dungeons?"
Dozens of eyes turned toward him. Kael stood politely. "Of course, Professor," he said and then began. "Explorers prevent mana corruption from spreading. By clearing or stabilizing dungeons, they stop unstable mana from leaking into the world—protecting the world."
Professor Elric nodded, visibly pleased. "Hmm, good."
The class murmured with admiration. Kael nodded and sat down calmly.
But suddenly he saw something on the desk. He blinked once, and for the briefest second, a faint mark shimmered across his desk—a mark that vanished the very next second.
Kael frowned slightly. What was that?
Before he could think more, the bell chimed, and students began packing their books. Tomorrow was the Class Awakening Ceremony—the day every student's true potential would be revealed.
The sound of chairs scraping and chatter filled the hall as students gathered their books. Kael slipped his notes into his bag, his thoughts still tangled around the strange sigil he'd seen.
"Still lost in thought, genius?"
A soft voice pulled him back. Turning, Kael met the bright blue eyes of Lucy Ardent, her golden hair catching the sunlight that streamed through the windows. She smiled—the kind that instantly made one admire it.
"Lucy," Kael said, relaxing slightly. "You startled me."
She tilted her head. "You looked like you were lost in thought again. Thinking about the Awakening tomorrow?"
"Something like that," he replied, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "After all, tomorrow we will learn who is truly a genius and who is trash."
Lucy chuckled, covering her mouth as she said, "I don't know about others, but I am pretty sure you will awaken something powerful."
He smiled faintly at that.
In this world, from birth, every person carried a trace of one of the Four Great Mana:
Elemental — the most common—wielders of fire, water, wind, and earth.
Abyssal — wielders of decay, corruption, curses, and related powers.
Ethereal — linked to spirits, souls, and holy energy.
Temporal — the rarest of all—mana involving space, time, and such powers.
No one could possess more than one type. Mana defined not just one's power source, but the very class that would awaken within them.
Kael's mana signature, distorted and ever-shifting, had long been identified as Temporal—a type both revered and feared for its power. Lucy's, on the other hand, glowed with pure ethereal radiance.
"You always say that," Kael murmured. "But Temporal mana isn't exactly easy to live with. Most users of Temporal mana struggle, as the skills and artifacts matching it are very rare."
Lucy shrugged with a soft smile. "Don't worry, have you already forgotten who I am? I will surely help you."
She stepped closer, eyes shimmering with quiet confidence. "Besides, no matter what happens tomorrow, just remember you are Kael Draven—the guy who defeated the whole class alone in the combat exam."
Kael chuckled. "And you'll still be the girl who scolded me for skipping breakfast during exams."
Lucy rolled her eyes, then before he could react, she leaned up and kissed him—holding him as Kael responded equally, kissing her back.
Others seeing this whistled, while some single ones cursed under their breath.
As the kiss broke, he looked into her eyes. "You really don't care who's watching, do you?"
"Not even a little," Lucy said, grinning. "Now come on, future temporal prodigy. Let's grab something to eat before the cafeteria closes."
Kael nodded as Lucy holding his hand walked with him. The hallway outside the Hall of Genesis buzzed with excitement—students discussing theories, bragging about future classes, or nervously wondering what their Awakening would bring.
Some greeted Kael with nods of respect; others looked away quickly, intimidated. Lucy didn't seem bothered by any of it and kept walking beside him, close enough that their shoulders brushed.
As they stepped into the courtyard, the warm breeze carried the scent of blooming mana-flowers—petals swirling in faint glimmers of blue and gold. Students lounged under the shade of mana-trees, each trunk etched with glowing runes that glows softly.
Kael's eyes drifted back to the memory of the strange sigil.
"Lucy…" he began.
She glanced at him. "Hmm?"
"In class, I saw something. On my desk. A mark. It appeared for a moment and then disappeared." His brow creased slightly. "I've never seen anything like it."