While the group was settling into their dorm rooms, meticulously arranging their belongings and making the space their own, Raze noticed something peculiar. An envelope, softly glowing with an ethereal light, slipped in from beneath the door. It floated gracefully into the center of the room, hovering mid-air until Raze reached out and plucked it from the air.
“Man, every time I see magic, it really amazes me,” Liam exclaimed, his eyes wide. “So that was a floating magical letter? How does that even work?”
“There are two methods,” Raze explained patiently, his voice calm and precise. “Either the letter itself is an enchanted item, fused with a power source like a power stone, giving it a particular use, or it was a wind spell with a magic circle that gave it a specific set of instructions. If it’s an enchanted item, then the letter can be used again and again. It would stay floating in the air until it ran out of energy, but it would only be able to perform what its enchantment allowed. If the other method was used, then mana can be used, and there’s no need for a power stone. With mana, the spell will eventually fade away until someone would have to cast it again.”
Raze simplified the explanation for their benefit, knowing they only had a basic understanding of magic.
“Wait, so if we got our hands on enchanted items as well, like some of the artifacts we have, it could appear like we’re using magic, and no one would be able to tell the difference?” Liam asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Correct,” Raze confirmed with a nod. “I believe Rekoton… or Repton, I can’t remember his name right now, but the one from the Dark Faction student, he had an artifact that could turn his Qi into flames. To the mages, they wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. They might be confused since they wouldn’t feel the flow of mana, but they’d suspect other things were at play before thinking you were using a source of energy they had never even heard of before.”
Things were starting to look up for the group. Maybe they could pull off their deception in the academy after all. As long as they acquired some artifacts that mimicked the effects of magic.
“Just a note,” Raze added, a serious tone entering his voice. “The artifacts that all of you have are far too powerful. They would be considered treasures to some academies and guilds. So it’s best you keep them hidden unless you absolutely need to fight.”
As he carefully opened the letter, Raze’s expression shifted, a subtle look of satisfaction spreading across his face. He was visibly pleased with the results.
“It appears as if my plan worked,” Raze declared, a triumphant glint in his eyes. “All of us will be in Class A together.”
The letter contained each of their names with the class they would be attending, and every single one of them had an ‘A’ proudly displayed next to it. Raze had been a little worried that the mages might try to separate the group or attempt something else due to his deliberate actions during the assessment. However, he figured their curiosity would get the better of them, and it was far easier to keep an eye on the entire group if they were all in one place.
At the end of the letter, it stated that if Raze destroyed it with his magic in the morning, it would reveal their schedule as Class A students, as well as a shimmering trail indicating where they needed to go for their first lesson. Meanwhile, the others were buzzing with excitement, unable to contain their anticipation.
“So our lessons start tomorrow at the mage academy?” Safa asked, her eyes sparkling. “I wonder if I’ll be able to utilize more of my spells. I have a lot of mana, and my star level… it’s currently at four stars, right?”
Safa’s star levels were a strange case. She possessed incredibly strong Light mana powers, far exceeding what her star level and magic core should have been capable of. If anything, what seemed to be lacking was her affinity with Light magic. She wouldn’t struggle with breaking through like others, as long as she continued to increase her affinity by healing people. Also, it appeared as if Safa, during her intense fight against Simyon, had experienced a breakthrough without even realizing it—a field, an area where no one would get hurt as her light magic did all of the work.
Raze didn’t have anything to worry about when it came to Safa. Most of the mages in the school would be at the three-star level, some at four, and maybe one or two at five. The main concern was when they eventually reached the Central Academy, and if they could gather and utilize whatever they learned from this academy to aid them at that crucial point.
“We have to be careful from now on, though, right?” Beatrix said, a hint of nervousness in her voice. “After all, there are going to be mages who are the most skilled in our classes; they’ll be watching our every move. I wonder if I’ll mess up.”
“We can’t mess up,” Raze added, his gaze firm. “This is the most important part for us all. We need to make sure we impress them, no matter what it takes.”
****
The next day arrived swiftly. When everyone changed into their academy uniforms, they deftly placed their regular clothes into their rings, thanks to Raze’s instruction. He showed them how they could use the enchanted items to summon out their clothes and swap them with the school uniform. The uniform itself was quite striking: a crisp white blazer with bold blue highlights running down the sleeves, paired with a matching blue shirt. It was flashy, to say the least, but still allowed for plenty of movement for the others.
Following the shimmering trail left behind by the letter, the group followed Raze down the hall. That’s when they saw it: the corridor was absolutely teeming with students. Everyone was either walking to their lessons or simply leisurely standing around in the grand halls, chatting animatedly with each other.
As the new group of students walked past, though, they couldn’t help but feel the intense stares coming from every direction.
“This is normal, right, I guess?” Beatrix whispered, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. “It reminds me of the days when I first joined the Light Faction clans and got a promotion, only for some reason, I feel even more nervous.”
“Maybe it’s because we know we’re all a fake,” Liam muttered under his breath.
Safa immediately kicked him on the shin. “What if someone hears you? We’re going to get a lot of attention because we’re now Class A students!”
What the group didn’t realize was that, at the time of their assessment, quite a lot of the students had witnessed their test. So they had an inkling that they were heading to Class A, and the rumors had already spread like wildfire that they were going to be attending Class A.
“I can’t wait for the drama that’s going to happen,” one of the students whispered, loud enough to be overheard. “Those higher-up mages and guild mages aren’t going to like it.”
“Right, right,” another student agreed. “As far as I know, with these transfers, they don’t belong to anyone notable.”
Even at Wilton Magic Academy, those at the top always had some type of connection or were well-known in one way or another. They had family members who worked in high government positions, or those who were the sons and daughters of members in well-known guilds. So even though it wasn’t the Central Mage Academy, the students here still carried a certain notoriety to their names. This was especially true for those in Class A. There would be students with military connections, Guild connections, and even more powerful positions. As for the transfer students, no one knew anything about them. When looking at their ordinary, dull, boring faces, they appeared as nobodies, which only got the other students more excited for what was to come.
Eventually, the group arrived at their designated classroom and stood before the large door before stepping inside.
“I guess we just sit anywhere, right? Good thing we’re early, let’s head to the same place together,” Liam claimed, already eyeing a cluster of empty desks.
As they walked over, they could still hear the whispers, even from those who were already in Class A—a class that specialized in teaching the fifty best students in the entire academy.
“That’s them, right? I heard that some of the other students were going to form a committee to try and get them kicked out of the class.”
“Right, to get them to talk to the principal and ask them to leave. I guess it is kind of unfair for those to come halfway through the school year.”
“Do you think the principal is going to care about that, though? The only thing they are going to care about is results.”
Interrupting the students’ incessant chatter, the teacher, Redrick, walked in and headed directly to the podium at the front of the room.
“It looks like we have some interesting newcomers today… It’s exciting for everyone, right?” Redrick said, his gaze sweeping over the five new faces with a knowing smirk.
****
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After Redrick uttered those words, nearly the entire class swiveled, their gazes locking onto the five newcomers seated strategically in the center of the room.
“Who said these seats were good?” Beatrix whispered, trying sheepishly to shrink into herself.
“I said these were the best seats to see everything, according to my system,” Liam hissed back, a blush creeping up his neck. “I didn’t think about the fact that everyone would be able to see us!”
Redrick snapped his fingers. A loud, crackling flame erupted, blazing brilliantly for a moment and sending a surprising zap of heat through the room before flickering out of existence.
“Everyone, look to the front,” Redrick commanded, his voice echoing with authority. “I only wanted to make sure that everyone was aware of the guests we have in our room. Since it’s the middle of the term, you should all take note of these individuals, because they, like you, have been awarded the chance to participate in Class A. They are your colleagues, as well as your rivals.”
More stares, even more intense than before, zeroed in on them. And they weren’t exactly pleasant, either.
“Today’s lesson will be a particularly interesting one!” Redrick claimed, a theatrical flourish in his voice. “As you all know, all academies, including ours, have moved to become more combat-focused. In our trust as an academy, we have decided to grant you all your first practical battle enchanted equipment, to enhance your fighting journey. And before that, we need a refresher on battle equipment that can be used.”
The luminous screen behind Redrick began to shift, cycling through a dizzying array of colors until four distinct objects appeared on one side, and a single item on the other. The objects, arranged from left to right, were a pair of gloves, a wand, a staff, an orb, and a sword. On the right, separate from the others, was an enchanted robe.
“Let’s first talk about the standard equipment that mages use. The two main items mages tend to wear are the robes and blazers,” Redrick explained, gesturing to the enchanted robe on the screen. “The enchantment on this equipment differs from mage to mage. Some focus more on protection, some focus more on enhancing aspects of their power. They’re a major boost overall to a mage’s power. The uniform you are all wearing is the same. It has a protective barrier that will absorb levels of magic and will self-repair itself if damaged.”
The screen shimmered again, bringing up other items: rings, earrings, shields, and various other enchanted objects.
“Then we have other enchanted items, all of these used in some way to support the user in different aspects. Now, some of these items are considered artifacts. Artifacts can be enchanted items as well, but the major difference between an enchanted item and an artifact, at least as we differentiate them, is that an artifact is able to use powers beyond what a typical mage is able to enchant. Now I say a typical mage, do you know why that is?”
One of the students raised their hand, eager to answer.
“Is that because of Idore the Noble?” a student answered confidently. “Aren’t all of his enchantments so powerful, with their effects, that they’re considered artifacts?”
“Yes, the Grand Magus, correct,” Redrick affirmed. “There are other mages that can do similar things, but that’s one of the clearest examples we have.”
Redrick then waved his hand, and all the extra items on the screen faded, leaving behind only the original four that had first appeared.
“However, what we will be talking about today are the main items that mages use to help them out specifically in a battling sense. In truth, all items help mages in one way or another, but these stand out among others and are another staple in nearly all mages’ arsenals.”
Raze nodded along as he heard the explanation. It was certainly true, especially for the lower tiers of mages. However, when one reached eight-star status, the level of understanding of one’s mana was so great, along with the control, that the enchantments provided by these objects were next to non-existent. Although Raze had lost his star level when he had gone into a new body, there were two things he hadn’t lost: his mana control and his vast knowledge, allowing him to cast spells just as easily as he could before.
“These items are used to help casting in multiple ways and often are enchanted. Today, you will have the choice to choose out of these items,” Redrick continued, a hint of challenge in his voice. “Some of them are enchanted in particular ways to boost specific elemental abilities. Whether you go for one that matches your core or not is down to you. There might even be some artifacts placed among them, allowing you to do great things, but it won’t be as easy as just picking out the weapons. We aren’t a charity case.”
Raze understood what he meant by those words, though he wasn’t sure the other students did. Wherever they were going to select the items, there would have been a special enchantment made in the room. Unless the item resonated with a user’s magic in one way or another, as if the item itself chose its wielder, they wouldn’t be able to select the item.
“The weapons match your fighting style. Gloves allow for quick casting of particular spells for a fast-paced fighting style. Second to this are wands; they can cast slightly more powerful spells but still at a good speed and a greater distance. Then you have staffs that are able to aid in casting the largest of spells. Lastly, there are orbs that focus more on defensive spells and more intrinsic setups in fighting, and there are magical swords which are left for those wishing to fight in a more unique way or style. Now, let’s all choose our weapons, or should I say, let’s see what weapons choose you.”
****
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The students of Class A shuffled into a special, mystical room. It was an enormous, open space, easily large enough for all fifty or so students to move around freely, yet somehow it was contained entirely within the academy building itself. What truly amazed them, however, were the hundreds of different items floating in the air before them – the very same types of enchanted equipment Redrick had just discussed. Each piece was slightly different in design and shape, all glowing with a strange, pulsating power, offering no obvious clues as to which ones were better or stronger than the others.
Redrick moved to the center of the vast chamber, his voice echoing. “All of you have an hour to select the weapon of your choice!” he explained, a slight smirk playing on his lips. “Try to pick one that resonates with you, because if it doesn’t, then you might be in for a nasty surprise.”
The students began to cautiously walk around the space, observing and scrutinizing each weapon. None had dared to reach out and select an item just yet, knowing they were only allowed to take one. They wanted to meticulously examine every single piece, hoping to discern which was truly the best. Beyond that, Redrick’s warning lingered in their minds. What would happen if they chose the wrong item? What if they went for something that was an artifact and it decided to reject them? What were the consequences of being rejected?
“So, Raze, do you have an idea of which items are best, and what we should go for?” Liam asked, his eyes darting between the myriad of floating weapons.
“These items aren’t as powerful as the artifacts you already have,” Raze replied calmly, his gaze sweeping over the collection. “The Lux Spear, the cursed items that I made for both Dame and Beatrix, and your swords you received from Alter—those are in a different league. So just choose something that will help disguise you a bit more, or whatever truly interests you.”
As Raze strolled through the floating arsenal, he observed the items one by one. If one was able to clearly visualize the mana swirling around a weapon, they could get an idea of which items were stronger. As for the feeling of resonance, that part was true from what Redrick had said. These items were indeed crafted to possess a will, a will that would allow them to connect with students who could understand the weapon best. How it determined that understanding, however, was peculiar.
‘The academy went through a lot of effort, I see,’ Raze mused internally.
“You’re Raze, the student who used that powerful lightning display, right?” a student asked, stepping forward with his hands casually tucked into his blazer pockets. He then pulled one hand out and pointed it towards himself. “My name is Moze, the fifth-best student in this place, and I also specialize in lightning. I’m also Panla’s favorite student.”
Raze wondered why a student was suddenly introducing himself so grandly.
“I saw you looking at that staff from before,” Moze continued, puffing out his chest slightly. “You can tell as well, right? I guess since we’re both the same and just as talented as each other, we just know.” Moze then gestured towards a particular wand. “That wand right there, it has the strongest lightning capabilities out of all of them. If you ask me, we’re both very close in skill.”
Some of the other students in the room pulled faces as they heard those words. From what they had witnessed Raze do in the assessment, they wondered how anyone could possibly claim the two of them were “close in skill.”
“Anyone who manages to get their hands on that wand right there, it’s obvious that they’re going to be far superior in battle!” Moze declared, his voice rising confidently.
The one thing Raze did note was that if they were talking about the most powerful enchanted items in the room, then that particular wand certainly was one of them. It wasn’t an artifact, but it was an item that held power on the Mythical ranked scale of items. Moze was a top student for a reason, and the others knew this to be true.
“If you want to get ahead, at times you have to take risks, and you have to take chances!” Moze proclaimed, and out of all the students, he was the first to stride forward, radiating confidence.
‘This will be fun to watch,’ the other students thought, their anticipation palpable.
Moze then reached out with his hand. As he grabbed onto the wand, the item began to glow, growing brighter and brighter until it blazed with intense light. And then, as if the wand itself exploded, it sent Moze flying through the air, crashing hard against the back wall. Moze was still alive and safe, but he was visibly, badly hurt.
“That’s what happens when the item rejects you… now anyone would be scared to try!” one student muttered, fear in their voice.
“What if he just wasn’t compatible? Wasn’t chosen by the item, just like Redrick said,” another wondered.
“But then what are the requirements to be chosen? Moze is the highest lightning student that is currently here; if he can’t get that wand, then who else can?”
The others started to look at Raze, the new student. Maybe Moze wasn’t the strongest lightning student, and the wand knew that. However, Raze simply walked away, uninterested.
‘I don’t care for a wand like that; someone else can have it,’ he decided.
A new theory began to spread among the students: maybe some of the powerful items in the room would reject everyone. Either they risked getting hurt, or they could go for a safer, less powerful item. Some of them had already started to pick decent items, and the wands they chose seemed to do next to nothing in terms of adverse reactions.
“So that’s quite the strong item, right? I mean, even my system says it’s the best item there is in this room,” Liam thought to himself, watching the glowing wand from afar. “Other than the artifacts, of course. But what I really need is something that can produce spells or use magic on my behalf. So I guess I’ll just take this for myself.”
Liam, with a surprising lack of fear, confidently grabbed the infamous wand. And as he held it in his hand, a system message, visible only to him, flickered into existence.
[Rejection from the wand has been found]
[Altering status of the wand]
[Forcing the wand to be compatible with user]
[The Mythical Grade Lightning wand, is now compatible with the user]
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The array of floating items was a double trap, a cunning test disguised as a generous offering. Not only did a student need to discern the flow of mana to identify the most potent weapons, but they also had to pray the weapons themselves would accept them. A wrong choice, or a rejection, meant a nasty rebound that could send the unfortunate student flying. This was why most of the top-ranking students in the class, wary of Moze’s recent, painful lesson, hesitated to step forward. They all knew the wand Moze had attempted to claim was a high-tier item, and seeing him laid low by its rejection had made them all second-guess themselves. That was, until they watched one of the new transfer students simply reach out and grab it.
“There’s no way, right? That fool wouldn’t be picked by the lightning wand?” Yolden scoffed. She was one of the top female students, easily recognizable by her distinctive half-blonde, half-black hair and straight bangs that neatly divided her forehead. Not only that, but she was ranked the third-highest student in the entire class.
“It looks like I was right, the wand has rejected him.” Being the high-ranking student she was, Yolden could clearly perceive the flow of mana, and because of that, she saw the wand violently rejecting the newcomer. She was utterly confident they were about to witness another student sent hurtling across the room. Until, oddly, the flow of mana felt as if it was forcefully broken apart. Then, to her utter shock, the wand simply fell right into the transfer student’s hand, just like that.
“Hey, I got it right? It works, right?” Liam exclaimed, a wide, triumphant grin spreading across his face. He swung the wand ever so lightly with a flick of his wrist, and a small, crackling lightning strike zinged harmlessly into the ground. “Whoa! It worked, it really worked!”
Now, he was able to use magic just like that, all thanks to the enchanted weapon. Now, he just needed to figure out how to properly add it to his arsenal and be more convincing as a magic user. But that shouldn’t be too hard with his system.
Moze finally managed to get up, wincing from the impact of his earlier rejection. He was about to try for the same wand again, or perhaps settle for a less powerful one, until he saw that “fool” casually holding it in his hand.
“My wand! My wand!” Moze cried out, a mix of disbelief and indignation in his voice. “How could someone like that get the wand, but I get rejected?”
It wasn’t just the top students who were looking at Liam with a curious eye. All of those who could sense the flow of mana, including their teacher, Redrick, were staring at Liam with a mixture of confusion and intense curiosity.
‘Careful, Liam,’ Raze thought, a silent warning. ‘Even I don’t understand how you were able to pull that one off. That’s bringing more attention onto you than I might be able to handle.’
Thankfully, though, other situations were unfolding. For one, Safa had quietly activated her God Eyes. Due to how focused the other students were on selecting their own weapons, they hadn’t noticed what she had done. Seeing the flow of magic was incredibly easy for Safa, and she could also discern something else: the different types of magic that were actively seeking her out. It wasn’t just one; there were several strands of magic from various items coming directly towards her.
‘I see,’ Safa mused, her theory forming. ‘So the weapons are picking multiple mages that it will allow to be its user. That means there are multiple weapons the students are able to pick as well… I can even see who has been selected and who hasn’t.’
Confirming her theory, she watched one of the students reach for a pair of gloves. The flow of mana from that particular item had gravitated toward several students, but not this one. Around the item, the flow of mana expanded and then exploded outwards, hitting the student square in the chest and sending him flying back through the air.
“I was right. So, out of all of these items, then the one for me is…” Safa murmured, her gaze settling on one of the floating orbs. Compared to the others, this one appeared clear like polished glass, almost ethereal. She walked gracefully towards it.
When Redrick saw her approach, he noticed a few significant things. ‘That item, it’s one of the artifacts… Does she know that?’ Redrick thought, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. ‘The artifacts never pick or select any of the students; they’re pretty much just there for show… But didn’t Luka say something?’
Redrick cast his mind back, remembering the conversation he’d had with the principal and other teachers in the staff room. “So this Raze, they’re the one we need to look out for the most, right?” Redrick had asked.
Luka had smiled at the question. “He certainly is one to look out for, but I think the person that will impress us the most, is without a doubt her. If you look closely, you’ll understand what I mean.” Luka had never revealed what he had found out, and that’s when Redrick could see it now.
‘Wait, the item… It’s not rejecting her! How is that possible?’ Redrick thought, his eyes widening.
Safa’s hands drew closer to the orb, surrounding it gently. Piba, a student with dark brown hair who had kept his arms folded the entire time, the current Rank 1 student, reacted for the first time, his eyebrows lifting in genuine surprise. He was one of the tallest students in the class and stood out not just because of his magical skills but because of his sheer presence alone.
“It’s not rejecting her… someone can actually get their hands on that artifact?” Piba muttered to himself, a rare hint of astonishment in his voice. “I was waiting until the end to pick my own artifact; I can feel the flow selecting me, but I didn’t realize there was another one.”
Safa then placed both hands on the orb and firmly grabbed it. It lit up, glowing with an intense, pure light, and the immense power resonated deeply with her as the mana flowed visibly around her eyes.
“Now I see why you kept it from me,” Redrick laughed, a newfound understanding dawning on him. “That student is the only one that could help every single person here. She has the biggest cheat out of them all: the God Eyes.”
****
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