The rain fell in thin, slanted lines across the sprawling campus of Ardentvale Academy, as carriages shimmered to a halt before obsidian gates carved with ancient sigils. At their center, a golden crest depicted a winged tome—symbol of knowledge said to pierce destiny itself.Lucien tightened his cloak and stepped through, his boots echoing over wet stone. Around him, dozens of students hurried to orientation lectures, their uniforms embroidered with color-coded insignias marking magical disciplines: crimson for Elemental Arts, azure for Mysticism, silver for Combat Sorcery, and emerald for Spiritual Invocation.His own badge? Plain, dull gray—the color of unranked initiates."A third-rater through and through," someone muttered behind him.Lucien ignored the jeer. Yesterday's duel still hummed in his veins; the warmth of plundered lightning lingered beneath his skin. The academy buildings loomed ahead, towers spearing into storm clouds, each one representing a distinct magical college.If I'm to survive this place, he thought, I need to understand its rules.The Lecture of RanksProfessor Alaric, a sharply dressed mage with robes shimmering like starlit ink, began his orientation address within the grand atrium."Welcome, initiates. Here at Ardentvale, magic is not merely learned—it is earned." His voice filled the hall. "Our hierarchy is simple. There are seven Ranks of Resonance: Recruit, Apprentice, Journeyman, Adept, High Mage, Archmage, and Sage. Advancement requires not only raw output but philosophical alignment: you must understand the purpose behind your power."Lucien scribbled notes while his mind raced. The Recruit level required awakening one's core magic affinity—the part he'd failed on. But with Plunder Fate, maybe failure wasn't permanent.The professor continued, "Unauthorized use of fate-altering abilities is forbidden. Manipulate destiny, and destiny itself may retaliate."Lucien's pen froze mid-word.They already suspect something like mine exists, he thought uneasily.Then he noticed another student watching him across the hall—a silver-eyed girl with short, dark hair and the insignia of a Noble-class lineage stitched into her collar: Celeste Drayen, heir to one of the Core Families. In the original novel, she was the sub-heroine who sided with the main protagonist Aiden. But right now, her gaze was fixed squarely on Lucien—as though measuring him.Dorm of the ForgottenLucien's assigned residence was far from the majestic central dorms. The "Dorm of the Forgotten," as senior students mockingly called it, housed those with no lineage or divine affinity. Its corridors smelled of dust and molten wax.He unpacked in silence until the system flickered again.System update: Plunder Capacity Expanded. Fate Fragments detected nearby."Nearby?" he muttered.He stepped into the corridor, following faint golden threads visible only to him. They led to a training chamber where a few students practiced spells. The weakest among them—a timid beast-tamer named Kai—was surrounded by laughter."Still can't summon your familiar?" said one noble mockingly. "Even the chickens wouldn't obey you!"Lucien observed quietly. Fate shimmered around Kai like a dim light—fragile, but clean. The system whispered: Fragment: Potential Bond—Tier C.Lucien clenched his teeth. He could steal that spark, strengthen his core immediately. But doing so would strip Kai of something he'd likely never regain.He forced himself to look away. "Not yet," he said softly. "Power without purpose is just theft."Instead, he approached. "Try channeling through your left palm. You're blocking resonance flow."Kai blinked. "Huh?"Lucien demonstrated the gesture, tracing the air rune for Symbiosis. A faint puff of light formed—and to everyone's shock, a small spectral fox materialized by Kai's feet.Gasps filled the room."H-he did it!" Kai whispered, tears in his eyes.Lucien smiled faintly as whispers spread."Who's that?"
"The third-rate noble from the duel?"
"No way, he helped someone else succeed?"The system chimed once again:
New Trait Gained: Echo of Virtue – minor aura of trust detected.
Fate's hostility lowered by 2%.Lucien exhaled. "Guess that's one way to cheat the system."The Silver-eyed ProdigyLater that evening, Celeste intercepted him at the library steps, her tone sharp. "You're not the Lucien I remember from the entrance exam."He feigned indifference. "People change."Her eyes narrowed. "People don't summon lightning out of nowhere. I scanned your aura—something about it feels... unnatural.""Maybe I just got lucky," he replied, heading for the stairs.She caught his wrist, sparks of frost leaping between them. "Luck doesn't rewrite fate, Arden."For a split second, he saw it again—the invisible clockwork of destinies suspended above her head, threads of silver converging into radiant complexity. The system pulsed violently.Major Fate Source Detected.
Warning: Plundering from high-tier targets may result in divine notice.Lucien smirked. "Then it's a good thing I don't believe in fate."He turned sharply, leaving her standing in the twilight corridor, frost still melting from her touch.Beneath the StormBack in his dorm, Lucien stood before the window, watching lightning crawl across the horizon. His reflection looked different tonight—not weaker, but uncertain in a new way.He checked the system interface again.
Skills: Spark Surge (D), Fate Plunder (E)
Trait: Echo of Virtue (Passive)
Objective: Survive to Chapter Ten.Nine chapters left. Nine more chances to change everything.But outside, above the academy's highest tower, a silhouette observed through the rain—a figure cloaked in void, voice echoing faintly through unseen channels."The Plunderer has awakened," the figure murmured. "The story fractures again."Far below, Lucien whispered, "Then let's make the next chapter worth reading."And the storm answered.