The camera zoomed in on the academy's walls.
In the training yard, students from different factions gathered.
Warriors practiced weapon combat and survival strategies.
Healers trained on injured students to develop their skills.
As for the mage students, most were with Lythia, training in elemental magic.
Everyone was in harmony… except for one from the Hunters faction and a conceited one from the Mages.
(Nekrios) shoved (Elyos) and yelled:
"You! Stop freezing my targets with your pathetic element!"
(Elyos) placed a hand on his hip with arrogance:
"Oh really? Then stop messing with my shadow, you lunatic!"
(Nekrios) pointed at him in fury:
"You started it, so I'm just returning the favor!"
(Elyos):
"Returning what?! You villagers don't even have the right to look at nobles!"
(Nekrios) narrowed his eyes, speaking through clenched teeth:
"Villager? And what's wrong with villagers, huh?
And I'm not one of them! I lived in Munich, Germany!!
You bastard, nobility isn't about blood or wealth—it's about how you treat others, understand?"
(Elyos) raised an eyebrow, tilting his head:
"Munich? What backwater village is that in this kingdom?"
(Nekrios) looked at him, exhausted:
"It's not a village, you idiot.
And you won't find it in this world, no matter how hard you search."
(Elyos) squinted and stepped closer:
"Not in this world? Then you're lying! You're just hiding your village's name… villager!"
(Nekrios) exploded in rage, shouting in his face:
"I'm not a villager, you bastard!!
And that city doesn't exist here because it's from my world!
Didn't you hear everyone say I was a human who died and ended up like this!?"
Nekrios breathed heavily, his face twisted in fury.
Elyos fell silent… too afraid to respond.
The tendrils on Nekrios' back shifted into an offensive stance, aimed directly at him.
Elyos raised his hands, clearly panicking:
"Easy there, man… okay, you're not a villager. Got it. Munich, yeah…
Lovely city, fits someone like you!"
Nekrios inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled, repeating the process:
"Alright... that's better.
I hope you don't piss me off again, because these tendrils have a mind of their own…
And they might tear you apart without asking me first."
Elyos gulped audibly, frozen in place:
"O-of course… class is almost o-over anyway, so… p-please lower those six spears."
Nekrios lifted his head, glancing at Elyos with half-lidded eyes.
The tendrils slithered back like serpents retreating into their den, vanishing from view.
He turned his back to Elyos, facing the wooden dummy before him.
He raised his hand—an intricate purple circle of runes formed around it.
He closed his eyes for a single second… then opened them—now glowing violet.
The magic circle pulsed brighter, its light almost blinding.
A thick black smoke gathered around Nekrios' arm.
He focused his element's energy toward the dummy.
Then...
3...
2...
1...
Fire!
A thick black smoke surged from his arm, encircling the wooden target, spinning rapidly…
Just like a spider cocooning its prey in threads—fast… and merciless.
Moments later, the smoke exploded, scattering across the entire training yard.
Nekrios' gaze remained cold—he was focused solely on the target.
Elyos stood speechless, mouth agape.
He looked at his own training dummy—it was frozen solid, encased in thick ice.
But Nekrios' dummy… had vanished completely, as if it never existed.
Only dark ashes marked where it once stood.
Everyone was covered in a fine black dust that lingered across the field.
Lythia looked at Nekrios, opened her mouth to speak… then closed it again.
Nekrios turned to her with a blank expression:
"Sorry. I went overboard with that strike... I was just angry."
Lythia, still stunned:
"No, it's fine.
Just a training dummy after all… though it was supposed to break today.
But you… erased it from existence.
I've read about Shadow Element magic, but I've never seen a strike like that.
You turned it into a directed energy attack? That's… new.
I thought it only summoned fallen enemies as minions, fused with your shadow, or let you teleport through it…
But this!?"
Elyos, loudly:
"Hold on... you're telling me this pale freak...
His Shadow element hasn't even reached its peak yet?!"
Nekrios turned to him coldly, tilting his head slightly:
"And what of it, oh Ice King?
I'm a Hunter, and still in the early rankings.
I'm considered the first to be classified into the Hunter faction in five years.
The rest are out there… and their power is overwhelming.
I'm just at the beginning, Mage."
Lythia:
"Technically… he's right.
You're the first Hunter in five years.
The others graduated… and now they're...
hunting bounties.
Anyway, look at the time… class is over.
Alright, everyone—today's session is done. See you tomorrow!"
All the magic students began leaving…
Except Nekrios.
He looked up at the sky and started walking...
Until he was stopped by Headmaster Arclemos, hiding something behind his back.
He smiled at Nekrios, who looked visibly downcast:
"Son... how about a little walk outside the academy?
You won't be locked up here forever."
Nekrios sighed:
"Fine, Headmaster… you're right.
A stroll outside the academy might help. Maybe I'll buy a few things...
But I don't have any money.
I've only been here for two days."
Arclemos leaned slightly forward:
"Well then... here you go. A gift from me."
He handed over a medium-sized wooden box.
When Nekrios opened it...
Its contents gleamed.
Nekrios stared in shock:
"Wait... is this... gold? Actual gold coins?"
Arclemos:
"Indeed. Consider it your monthly allowance... from me, since you're alone.
What do you say?"
Nekrios:
"I don't know… but thank you."
Arclemos handed him the box:
"Alright then. Go and do as you please. Off you go, boy."
Nekrios took the box, bowed in gratitude to Arclemos, and walked out of the academy...
Into the city.
What did he do?
And what will happen?
We'll find out in the next chapter.
To be continued...