One month later, Kaelen Thane enrolled in the most prestigious magical academy in the kingdom under an
assumed name.
The Azure Spire Academy was a tower of impossible architecture that scraped the clouds, home to nobles
and prodigies who had trained since birth in the mystical arts. They wore silk robes embroidered with gold.
Kaelen wore roughspun wool that had been magically cleaned.
He didn't look like much. Which was exactly the point.
"You're in the wrong place, commoner,
" a tall boy with platinum hair said on the first day, blocking
Kaelen's path to the lecture hall. His name tag read 'Elric von Highmore,
' and his level was 18—impressive for a
student.
"The servant's entrance is around back.
"
Kaelen checked him with [Analysis].
Name: Elric von Highmore
Class: Elementalist (Rare)
Level: 18
Skills: Fireball, Ice Shield, Lightning Spear
Weakness: Over-reliance on verbal components, mana pool shallow (320/320), severe
insecurity regarding family status
"I'm exactly where I need to be,
" Kaelen said quietly.
Elric sneered.
"Do you know who I am? My father is—
"
"
—the Duke of Northreach,
" Kaelen interrupted.
"Your mother is his third wife, a former courtesan.
You're terrified you'll never live up to your half-brother, the actual heir, so you bully weaker students to feel
powerful. Also, you wet the bed until you were twelve.
"
11The Academy of Arcane Arts
The corridor went silent.
Elric's face cycled through several colors.
"How... how dare you!"
[Quest Generated: Establish Dominance]
[Reward: 500 XP, Skill Book: Mana Manipulation (Advanced)]
Kaelen sighed.
"Fine. Duel. Now. Courtyard.
"
"You can't be serious—
"
"Afraid?" Kaelen smiled, and for a moment, his eyes went completely black, voids swallowing light.
Elric took a step back.
* * *
They gathered in the training courtyard within minutes. Word spread fast—some nobody had challenged
Elric the Flame Prince.
Professor Vane, a stern woman with steel-gray hair, agreed to referee.
"First blood or forfeit. Begin!"
"Fireball!" Elric shouted immediately, throwing a sphere of white-hot flame.
Kaelen didn't move. He raised one hand and caught the fireball. It sat in his palm, spinning, growing smaller
as he ate the mana structure, analyzing it, deconstructing it.
[Skill learned: Fire Magic (Basic) - Analyzed from opponent]
"What?!" Elric stumbled back.
Kaelen crushed the flame.
"My turn.
"
He didn't use V oid magic. That would be overkill, and he was trying to keep a low profile. Instead, he used
what he'd learned from the Catacombs—movement, precision, economy of force.
He blurred across the courtyard. Elric raised an Ice Shield, but Kaelen had already seen the fracture lines in
its structure. He struck three times—shoulder, elbow, wrist—and the shield shattered like glass.
His palm stopped a millimeter from Elric's throat.
"First blood,
" Kaelen said softly.
"If I were an enemy, you'd be dead.
"
12The Academy of Arcane Arts
Elric was shaking. The courtyard was silent.
Then someone started clapping.
A girl with hair like spun gold and eyes the color of amethysts stepped forward. She wore the white robes of
a Healer, but her level—Level 45—made Kaelen's eyes widen.
"Impressive,
" she said, her voice musical.
capabilities exceeding Level 30 Warriors. Who are you, really?"
"Absolutely no magical signature during movement, yet physical
Kaelen met her gaze and felt something cold run down his spine. She wasn't just strong. She was dangerous.
"Just a student,
" he said.
"Liar,
" she smiled.
"I'm Princess Seraphina. And you, Kaelen Thane—yes, I know your real name—are the
fugitive who destroyed Duke Malachar's garrison last month.
"
The crowd gasped. Several students reached for their wands.
Kaelen tensed, calculating escape routes. But Seraphina raised a hand.
"Peace. If I wanted you arrested, you'd be in chains already. No... I think you're exactly what this academy
needs.
" Her eyes gleamed with something like hunger.
"A real monster to shake things up.
"
[New Quest: The Princess's Interest]
[Difficulty: S-Rank]
[Reward: Unknown]
Kaelen looked at the princess, then at the gaping students, and finally at Elric, who was still on the ground
looking humiliated.
He sighed.
"Fine. But if we're going to do this, Princess, we're going to do it my way.
"
"Which is?"
Kaelen's smile was sharp and dark.
"I'm going to break every record this place has. I'm going to climb to the
top of the tower, defeat the Labyrinth beneath the school, and become the youngest Archmage in history.
" He
turned to leave, then looked back.
"And you're all welcome to watch.