The hall buzzed with restless energy.
New apprentices loitered in loose clusters, their voices rising and falling in irritation. Their guides stood off to the side, relaxed, speaking quietly among themselves. None of them looked concerned.
"How long do we have to wait?" one apprentice muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear.
The question rippled through the room.
"Yeah, we've been here for hours!"
"I shouldn't be waiting like this. I'm the prince of the Hulian Kingdom!"
"Come on, I can't take this anymore."
Arthur stood among them in silence, his arms loosely crossed. He said nothing, but his eyes studied the guides. They weren't annoyed. Not impatient. No—amused. Their smirks weren't cruel, just knowing. As if they were waiting for something the rest hadn't caught onto yet.
It had been a day since their arrival.
After their passage into this world—into Lirae—the new apprentices had been assigned individual dorms. These weren't housed inside the Academy proper, but rather in cabins arranged in concentric rings around it, nestled in the protected territory under its jurisdiction.
Arthur had stayed mostly within the boundaries of the Academy's zone. Despite the lure of the strange, arcane city, he had explored only the edges, heeding the warning of one of the guides early on.
According to him, while the Academy's territory was sovereign and secure, the city beyond was not. Though part of the Academy's sphere in name, Lirae was teeming with individuals the guides called wild wizards—rogue practitioners who had failed to enter an academy or never had the chance. Some had stumbled upon meditation techniques through luck or theft, and while most barely counted as apprentices, even a second-realm one, Arthur knew, could easily end his life.
So he stayed put. But he had not wasted his time.
Among the few belongings salvaged from the girl, Arthur had found two books: Basic Herbology and A Beginner's Guide to Magical Artifacts. He had memorized one and finished reading the other within a day. Their content was practical, insightful—and surprisingly easy to digest. Arthur suspected his increased Spirit stat was responsible. His memory and comprehension had noticeably sharpened since awakening.
He had also spent considerable time dissecting the meditation technique she carried—Orion's Basic Apprentice Meditation Technique.
Now that he understood more about how these techniques were graded, he'd quickly discarded it. The Wizard Council ranked techniques on a five-star scale, and this one, as written on the first page, had barely scraped two stars. Its spiritual yield was poor, its circulation paths inefficient.
"She wasn't from a powerful lineage," Arthur had concluded. "Most likely an apprentice from a low-tier household. No influence, no access to high-grade materials. No wonder she was taking the exam. The top techniques are academy-locked—and sharing them outside is punishable by death."
This morning, his solitude had ended.
A falcon-like bird had landed on his windowsill, the crystal embedded in its collar glowing faintly. A voice message played:
"All apprentices are to gather in the main hall. The final groups have arrived. The official induction is about to begin."
And now, here they stood—restless, unaware, some complaining, others posturing.
Arthur remained still. The air felt poised. Something was about to happen.
And then—it happened.
The air shifted, growing dense and suffocating, as if the very atmosphere had become conscious and hostile. Without warning, the apprentices who had been voicing their complaints a moment earlier collapsed to their knees with strangled cries. A dull thud echoed through the hall as they hit the polished floor, blood trickling from their noses and ears.
A voice erupted across the chamber—cold, thunderous, and unrelenting:
"Do you think you are still in your petty kingdoms?" it thundered.
"Kings and nobles across the continent bow their heads before a mere affiliated apprentice. And yet you think you can complain and shout here?"
The weight of the voice was unbearable. It wasn't just heard—it was felt.
"I could kill you where you kneel, and not a single soul would dare raise a protest. Not even a whisper. You ignorant cockroaches."
A figure materialized above them, suspended in the air as though gravity itself feared her.
A woman—perhaps in her mid-twenties—stood poised and regal in the void above. She wore no ornamentation, no crown or sigil, and yet her presence dwarfed every person in the hall. Her gaze swept across the silent crowd below, pausing only on the guides assembled at the edge.
"Have you prepared the crystals and the items?" she asked, her tone crisp and absolute.
"Yes, Your Grace," the guides answered in unison, their heads lowered with deference.
She gave a curt nod.
"Good. Begin the induction. And as for these fools—strip them of their free spell-ticket reward and fine each one of them one hundred spirit stones."
With that, she vanished—gone as suddenly as she had appeared, as if she had never been there at all.
The hall remained silent for a breath longer, the weight of her words still echoing in the minds of the apprentices.
"Understood. Right away, Your Grace," the guides responded, despite the empty space she had left behind. Then, without hesitation, they moved to carry out her commands.
The guides stood in a disciplined line, assembling an elaborate array at the center of the hall. There were no drawn runes or glowing circles—only silent efficiency as they placed inscribed stones in a deliberate configuration. Each guide then took their position behind one of the array's points, standing still as statues, eyes fixed on the apprentices.
One of them finally spoke, his voice firm and authoritative:
"Form a line before each of us. When signaled, approach in turn."
***
Apprentices stepped forward one by one, obeying the instruction. Arthur, observing from the back, noticed something peculiar—he could neither hear the conversations nor see the results of the test. The crystals seemed inert from afar, which he assumed was the work of the array, perhaps cloaking the results or muffling sound. After a minute or two, each apprentice would receive something and leave, either heading toward the towering gate ahead or exiting through the corridor they had originally entered from.
Eventually, it was Arthur's turn. He approached the stone-faced guide.
"Place your hand on the crystal," the guide instructed.
"This will determine your elemental affinities and your innate talent level. Yes, I know you've already had a preliminary assessment, but this is far more precise."
Arthur gave a single nod and placed his hand onto the crystal. It pulsed once, then lit up—red and black hues swirling within like a vortex of fire and shadow.
After a moment, the guide spoke, logging the results into his token:
"Elemental composition: sixty percent fire, forty percent darkness. Talent level: three."
He gave Arthur a short nod before continuing:
"You'll be issued a standard apprentice robe and a basic storage pouch free of charge. For your meditation technique, the Academy offers a complimentary foundational version, rated at two-star quality. However, if you wish, you may purchase a more advanced technique at the Exchange Hall."
"What's the cost for the higher-tier techniques?" Arthur asked.
"Three-star techniques range from fifty to one hundred spirit stones. Four-star ones go from one hundred to one-fifty. As for five-star techniques—there are only three available through the Academy. Their prices start at three hundred and go up to five hundred spirit stones. A Soul Contract is required for purchase."
"Why is there a price variation within the same tier? And what exactly is a Soul Contract?" Arthur inquired.
The guide seemed pleased by the question.
"Some techniques are generic and work for any affinity, while others are tailored toward one or more elements. A technique aligned with your natural affinities will yield far better results—stronger elemental resonance and quicker mastery of related spells. As for the Soul Contract, it binds you not to share or teach the technique to anyone else. Violation of this contract results in… well, death."
Arthur simply nodded. The gravity of the system was starting to settle on him.
He accepted the items given to him, thanked the guide, and was pointed toward the Exchange Hall—the same grand door most apprentices had taken. He walked through it, stepping into a massive, bustling chamber alive with sound and movement.
Apprentices were gathered in front of counters, speaking to clerks, while others studied posters or displays. The sheer scale of the place momentarily overwhelmed Arthur. He took a deep breath, steeled himself, and approached an empty counter where an elderly man sat lazily beneath a three-lined insignia.
"Excuse me, sir. May I sell artifacts here?" Arthur asked politely.
The man looked up from behind half-lidded eyes.
"Yeah. Show me what you've got."
Arthur produced the enchanted dagger he'd found earlier.
"It has an inscribed sharpness spell."
The man took it, turned it over a few times, then gave a casual nod.
"Level-zero sharpness enchantment. Fifty spirit stones."
Arthur did some quick math in his head.
'I currently have 406 spirit stones. With this, it'll be 456—not quite enough, but I still have the ring.' He gave a small nod.
"I'll take the fifty. Also, could you show me the available five-star meditation techniques?"
Now mildly interested, the old man looked Arthur over, gauging his clothes and storage pouch. "You're one of the new lot," he muttered. "Didn't expect one of you to have that kind of money. One moment."
He reached under the counter and retrieved a compact booklet, handing it to Arthur.
"Last few pages list the Academy's available five-star meditation techniques. Read through them and let me know."
Arthur flipped through the worn pages until he reached the relevant section.
Available Five-Star Meditation Techniques
Verdant Heart Sutra — Nature and Water Affinity — 410 Spirit Stones
Infernal Core Incantation — Fire Affinity — 300 Spirit Stones
Abyssal Ember Codex — Multi-Affinity, Strongest with Fire and Darkness — 500 Spirit Stones
His eyes lit up. The Abyssal Ember Codex—a technique that resonated with both of his elements—was a perfect match.
Arthur removed the ring from his finger and handed it over.
"Please evaluate this ring as well."
The man inspected it closely.
"Inscribed with a fireball spell. Rechargeable. Basic artifact, but useful. I'll give you one-fifty."
He looked up. "Sure you want to part with it? It's good for someone just starting out."
"Yes, I'm sure." Arthur answered without hesitation. The regret flickered briefly, but he pushed it down. Investment now would pay off later.
The man handed over 150 spirit stones, which Arthur tucked into his new pouch.
"I'll take the Abyssal Ember Codex," he said, pushing the booklet back and counting out 500 spirit stones.
"Understood." The man reached beneath the counter again and retrieved a dark, glassy orb.
"Place your hand here. This is a transmission crystal—it will send the technique directly into your consciousness. There are no physical copies of any five-star techniques, and once you initiate the transfer, a Soul Contract will be applied."
Arthur nodded slowly.
"Alright."
He placed his hand on the orb.
[Soul Contract detected…]
[Condition: You may not teach or share this technique with anyone. Violation results in death.]
[Accept or Reject?]
A golden parchment appeared before Arthur, its words glowing with an ethereal flame.
'So I can reject it?' he mused—but only for a moment.
'No point causing trouble. The condition is fair.'
He accepted.
[Contract Accepted.]
[Abyssal Ember Codex acquired.]
Pain shot through his head as an overwhelming surge of knowledge struck his mind. Images, diagrams, breathing patterns, elemental flows—it was as if an entire world had been crammed into his skull in an instant.
Arthur clenched his teeth and endured. When the pain receded, he staggered slightly and stood straighter, his eyes sharper than before.
He had taken the first real step on his path.
[Name: Arthur Collins]
[Pathways: Basic Knight (0/500) | Wizard Apprentice (0/250)]*
[Spiritual Energy: 131]*
[Physique: 11.3]
[Vitality: 6.9]
[Spirit: 0.8]
[Elements: Fire and Darkness]
[Meditation Technique: Abyssal Ember Codex (0/10 000)]*