It was midnight. Lucian stood in his dimly lit room, draped in a black cloak, his face hidden behind a sleek black mask etched with crimson lines. The silence of the Academy grounds was almost tangible, disrupted only by the occasional rustling of wind against the towering spires.
The Academy had strict rules for the night: no student was allowed outside their quarters, no interaction between different genders was permitted after dark, and any unauthorized roaming was met with severe consequences. But Lucian was not one to be bound by such restrictions.
Standing atop one of the Academy towers, he observed the grand architecture sprawling beneath him. His keen eyes traced the layout of the buildings, searching for an entrance to the underground chamber that supposedly housed the most valuable relics. A glimmer of light caught his attention—the main tower was still illuminated. If there was a vault, it had to be beneath that place.
With silent precision, Lucian moved through the shadows, slipping into the tower undetected. Within, several professors sat around a long, polished table, reviewing student profiles. The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows across the room.
Elara Thorne, one of the senior professors, scanned through the parchments and spoke in a calm tone. "This year, many promising students have joined the Academy."
She slid a few documents forward:
Octavian Graves
Lysandra Wythe
Caden Blackwell
Professor Octavian Graves adjusted his spectacles and leaned back. "Lisa Wither… I've heard her family has deep ties to elemental magic. A strong affinity for water, if I recall correctly."
Professor Lysandra Wythe smirked. "That is correct. Her lineage ensures she'll excel in fluid spellcasting. But I'm more intrigued by Cain Rachandril." She tapped the parchment. "His aptitude test revealed an unusually high resilience to mana fluctuations. That's not something we see every day."
Caden Blackwell, an older professor with graying hair, crossed his arms. "We'll see if resilience translates to talent. Power means nothing without control."
Elara Thorne tapped a finger against the table. "The vault's location has been the Academy's best-kept secret for centuries. Only a few of us have the clearance to enter."
Caden Blackwell let out a chuckle. "And for good reason. Some of those artifacts could reshape the balance of power in the world. Imagine if the wrong hands got hold of the Tenebris Heart."
Lucian, hidden in the darkness, smirked. So, the treasure lies beneath this tower. But why? He listened intently as the professors continued their discussion.
Lysandra Wythe leaned forward. "That's why we reinforced the barrier after last year's incident. No one, not even an advanced magician, should be able to breach it without the proper sequence."
Lucian's interest piqued. Proper sequence…? That means there's a way in. A specific method to bypass the seal.
He smirked again. Now I just need to find it.
With a flicker of movement, he vanished deeper into the chamber, appearing before an enormous stone door inscribed with intricate magical patterns. The sheer complexity of the engravings told him one thing: this was no ordinary seal.
He traced his gloved fingers across the surface. "Judging by the structure, it requires a specific magical sequence to unlock."
Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the hall. Lucian swiftly became invisible, his presence erased as Elysia Valtoria, the Chancellor, entered the chamber, accompanied by an elderly man whose aura exuded raw magical dominance—a 9th-class magician.
Elysia raised her hand, and a faint glow emanated from her palm. The engravings on the door shimmered in response before the heavy stone doors groaned open, revealing the vault within. Lucian took his chance and slipped inside.
The chamber was vast, lined with artifacts of immense power. Swords radiating divine energy, grimoires that pulsed with forbidden magic, enchanted armor that seemed alive—but none of these were what Lucian sought.
According to the records he had studied, the Tenebris Heart was the artifact he needed—an ancient relic of a monstrous entity once revered as the King of Beasts. Tenebris had allied with Rahizel in the great celestial war but had ultimately met its demise. If Lucian could claim it, he would wield power beyond a low level God's comprehension.
The elderly professor broke the silence. "Does that stone still remain within the Academy?"
Elysia sighed. "I wish it did. For the sake of its protection, it was relocated to the heart of the Forest of the Forsaken Maw. We've stationed twenty 7th-class magicians to guard it, given the high-class monsters roaming the region."
The old man nodded. "As long as it remains beyond human reach, it should be safe."
Lucian's eyes gleamed. So, the artifact isn't here, but at least now I know where it is.
Without making a sound, he teleported back to his room. He could have obliterated the forest and taken the Tenebris Heart by force, but brute strength was not his goal. This Academy was a stepping stone—a place to build his influence, expand his knowledge, and cement the Rutherford name in history.
First Lesson: The Magician's Core
As dawn broke, students of the Grandmaster Class gathered in a vast, circular hall adorned with shimmering mana inscriptions. The morning sun filtered through the stained-glass windows, casting prismatic patterns across the marble floor.
At the front of the class stood Alistair Virellian, one of the Academy's most esteemed instructors. His piercing gaze swept over the students as he addressed them with an authoritative tone.
"Good morning, students. I trust your first night at the Academy was… eventful." His eyes lingered on a few individuals before continuing. "Today, we discuss the Magician's Core—the foundation of all magic."
The class fell into attentive silence.
"As you all know, mana is the lifeblood of magic. A magician's core acts as a storage vessel, allowing them to harness and manipulate mana. However, simply having mana is not enough. The efficiency of its use determines the difference between an amateur and a master."
He waved his hand, conjuring a translucent, glowing sphere in the air. "There are three key principles of mana control:
Absorption – The process of drawing mana from the atmosphere into one's core.
Compression – The refinement of mana, increasing its potency.
Release – The conversion of mana into a tangible spell."
Lucian listened carefully but found the method crude. He possessed Rahizel's memories—an understanding of mana far beyond human comprehension. The Academy's method was outdated. Why store mana in the body when one could directly manipulate the ambient energy of the world? This technique, however, was only viable on Earth. In the vast expanse of space, where mana existed in a raw, chaotic form, a storage method was necessary.
One of the students raised a hand. "Professor, does a larger core automatically mean stronger magic?"
Alistair nodded slightly. "A larger core allows for greater mana capacity, but strength depends on control. A weak magician with a vast mana pool will still fall before one who wields it with precision."
Lucian smirked beneath his mask of indifference. Fools. They're like children playing with fire, unaware of its true potential.
Alistair continued, "By the end of this year, your goal is to refine your core, enhance your mana flow, and master at least one high-tier spell." His gaze sharpened. "And for those who think raw power is enough to survive in this Academy, you will quickly be proven wrong."
With that, the first lesson concluded. The students dispersed, whispering among themselves about the challenges ahead. Lucian, however, remained unfazed.
If this Academy seeks to shape the strongest magicians… then let them witness the birth of a legend.